6. That Doctrinethat lesseneth the priviledges of Believersunder the New Testament, and maketh their Infants in a worse condition, then they were in under the Old Testament, cannot be the Doctrine of the Gospel. For the Gospel tells you,[160]that Jesus Christ was made a Surety of a better Testament, and that the new Covenant is a better Covenant; established upon better promises. This Rule will preserve you from the poyson of Anabaptism. For if the children of the Jews were circumcised, and the children of Christians should not be baptized, either it must be granted, that circumcision was of no benefit to the Jewish children, which is contrary toRom.3.1, 2. or it must be granted, that the children of the Jews had greater priviledges then the children of Christians.
7. That Doctrine that cryeth upPurity to the ruine of Unity, is contrary to the Doctrine of the Gospel. For the Gospel calleth for unity, as well as purity, 1Cor.1.10.Phil.2.1, 2.Eph.4.3, 4, 5, 6. And Christ prayed for the unity of his Church, as well as the Holiness,Joh.17.21, 22. and it is prophesied of the times of the Gospel, That in those daies, God will give his people,one heart, and one way, and to serve him with one consent,Jer.32.29.Zeph.3.9. This Rule will teach you what to judg of the Congregational-way: For certainly that Government that carrieth in the front of itA tolleration of different Religions, and is not sufficient to keep the body of Christ in unity and purity, is not the Government of Christ.
8. Whatsoever Doctrine is contrary to the Rule of Faith, or to any duty required in the ten Commandements, or to any Petition of the Lords prayer, is not a Doctrine of Christ, and therefore to be rejected.
We might add many more Rules, but we forbear,lest we should be over-tedious. Our prayer to God for you is, That you may be fix't, not falling Stars, in the Firmament of his Church;Not children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of Doctrine; Not Reeds shaken with every wind, but firm Pillars in his house. Wherefore, Beloved Brethren,Stand fast and immoveable, alwayes abounding in the Work of the Lord; Forasmuch as you know, that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
But now, because he that would keep himself from the Errour of the times, must also keep himself from the sins of the times: (For it is sin that makes God give us up to errour, 2Thess.2.10, 11. and it is sin that makes a man like apiece of wax, ready to receive the impression of any errour. The women inTimothiewere first laden with divers lusts, before they were led away captive to divers errours; and whosoever puts away a good confidence, will quicklyconcerning Faith make ship wrack, as we are told, 1Tim.1.19.) Therefore we are necessitated to inlarge our Exhortation to you in one particular more; which though it be the last, yet it is not the least of those things which we have to say unto you, and that is,
6. To exhort you, or rather to require and charge you,to keep your selves unspotted, not only from the errors and heresies, (as before) but alsofrom the sins and iniquities of the times wherein you live. We say,unspotted, and so doth the Apostle,Jam.1.27. It is not enough for you to keep your selves from beingbemired and besmeared, but you must labour to keep yourGarmentsso white, as not to have the leastspot of defilementfrom the persons or places where you live. The Apostle tells us, That[161]in the last daies perillous times shall come:For men shouldbe lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to Parents, unthankfull, unholy, without naturall affection, truce-breakers, false Accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traytors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God; having a form of Godlinesse, but denying the power thereof.Those words,having a form of Godlinesse, must be understood,απο κοινου, and referred to all the other sins. And the meaning is, That men would beself-lovers, having a form of godlinesse,truce-breakers, having a form of godliness,truce-breakers, having a form of godlinesse,Traytors and false accusers, having a form of godlinesse,&c. They should cover all their ungodlinesse, under the specious form of Godliness: Such are the times in which we live, of which we may truly say, There were never fewer, and yet never more Saints; never more nominal, never fewer real Saints; Never more self-seekers, and yet never more that pretended to seek the interest of Christ. We are anhypocritall Nation,the people of Gods wrath;We have broken the Covenant of our God, even that Covenant, which in the day of our distress and fear, we made with hands lifted up to heaven. We are apostatized from our Principles and practices; We contemn the pretious ordinances, despise and abuse the Godly Ministers; We break the Sabbaths, hate the very name of Reformation, and scorn to submit to the sweet yoke of Christ and his Government; We are proud, secure, lyars, swearers, and forswearers, Murderers, drunkards, Adulterers, and oppressors: We have not learned Righteousnesse, but unrighteousness, by all the Judgements of God; We are worse and worse by all our deliverances; We have spilt the blood of Christ in the Sacrament, by our unworthy receiving, and therefore it hath been just with God to spill our blood. It would be too long to reckon up all the particular sins of Magistrates, Ministers, Husbands,wives, Fathers, Children, Masters, and Servants; neither is it the design of this Discourse. We may truly say with the Prophet,[162]Ah sinful Nation, a people laden with iniquity; a seed of evill doers, children that are corrupters, that have forsaken the Lord, that have provoked the holy One of Israel unto anger; that are gone away backward: Why should we be smitten any longer? we will revolt more and more, the whole head is sick, and the whole heart is faint; from the sole of the foot, even unto the head, there if no soundness in us, but wounds and bruises, and putrified sores, &c.
Wherefore dearly beloved, we do most earnestly beseech you, in the bowels of Jesus Christ, that you would be deeply sensible of, and humbled for these evills that do so much abound in the midst of us, for which the Earth mourns, and the Heavens are black over us.Oh let your souls weep in secret, and your eyes weep sore, and run down with tears, and sigh to the breaking of your loyns, yea to the breaking of your hearts with godly sorrow, which may work in you repentance, never to be repented of.Mourn more for the sins that have brought these miseries upon us, then for the miseries our sins have brought; more, for burdening God with sin, then for being burdened with plagues; more for your hard hearts, then these hard times.
And we further intreat everie one of you, to putaway the iniquity that is in his hand;to know every man the plague that is in his own heart;to search and try his waies, and to turn unto the Lord his God;to cease to do evill, and to learn to do well: to be tender of the oathes which he hath taken, or which may be offered unto him to take; to keep close to hisCovenant; to prize the Ordinances, Reverence Godly Ministers, sanctifie the Sabbaths, to hate hypocrisie and self seeking, to receive the love of the truth, lest God give him over to believelyes. Not to trust to his own understanding, lest God blind his understanding. To practise thetruthshe doth know, that God may reveal unto him thetruthshe doth not know; not to heap to himself teachers, havingitching ears, lest heturn away his ears from the truth, and be turned unto fables; not to have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, in respect of persons, imbracing the Doctrine for the persons sake, and not the person for the Doctrines sake. To seek after the truth, for the truths sake, with uprightness of heart, and not for outward respects, lest God answer thee according to the Idols thou hast in thy heart. To labour to be more and more grounded in the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ; to study catechisme more diligently, and so to be led on to perfection, that he may not alwayes be a babe, unskilfull in the word of Righteousness, but by reason of use, may have his senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
In a word, we once more beseech you all that are admitted to our Sacraments, that yourconversation may be as becometh the Gospell of Christ; and as you have given up your names unto Christ by profession, so give up your hearts to him, by universall, sincere, and constant obedience:And let every one that nameth the name of Christ, depart from iniquity.
OUr third and last Exhortation is unto all thosethat live within the bounds of the Province, and have not yet submitted to the Government, nor are admitted to the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ in thePresbyterian way: These may be reduced into two ranks:
1. Such as separate from our Churches.
2. Such as continue still with us, but do not joyn in the Sacrament.
The first of these admit of so manydivisions, andsubdivisions, and are so contrary not only to us, but one to another, as that we are hardly able to rank them into order; and yet for method sake, we will divide them into two sorts:
1.Such as separate from us, only for matter of Government.
2.Such as separate from us, for matter of doctrine also.
1.Such as separate from us, only for matter of Government.To these we have spoken already in our Vindication; We now think fit to add one thing more;
And that is, To beseech and intreat you, as Brethren, to consider, what a sin it is, to separate from Churches, which you your selves acknowledg to be true Churches of Jesus Christ; and that, while they are endeavouring more and more after a reformation according to the Word; and to set up Churches of another constitution; Is not this to set up Church against Church? and as the Ancients were wont to express it,Altar against Altar? And whereas you should rather joyn with us, and put to your helping hand to reform the Nation, and to bring our Churches into the order of the Gospel; do you not rather weaken our hands, by dividing from us, and dividing of us; and thereby obstructing and hindering the glorious work of Reformation? For what with the Prelatical on the one hand, that will not come up to a Scripture-Reformation; and with you on the other, that will not joyn with us whilest we are endeavouring after a Scripture-Reformation, The building of Gods house ceaseth, in most parts of the Kingdome; and instead of a Reformation, we see nothing but deformation and desolation. If we be theChurch of Christ, and Christ holdeth communion with us, Why do you separate from us? If we be of the body of Christ,do not they that separate from the body, separate from the head also?We are loath to speak any thing, that may offend you; yet we intreat you to consider, That if the Apostle calls those divisions of the Church ofCorinth, wherein Christians did not separate into divers formed Congregations of several communion in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper,Schismes, 1Cor.1.10. May not yoursecessionfrom us, andprofessionthat you cannot joyn with Us as members, and setting up Congregations of another communion be more properly calledschisme? The Greek word forSchismsignifiesrending; and sure it is, that you rend your selves from Us, and not,as from Churches the same rule, butas Churches differing in the rule, with a dislike of Us, and a protestation, that You cannot joyn with Us as fixed members without sin; You hear Us preach, not as persons in Office, but as gifted men only; and some of you refuse to hear us preach at all: You renounce allChurch communionwith us as members; and not only so, but you invite our people from Us, by telling them,That they cannot continue with us without sin: You gather Churches out of our Churches, and You set up Churches in an opposite way to our Churches; and all this you do voluntarily, (not separated, but separating,non fugati, sed fugitivi) and unwarrantably, not having any sufficient cause for it; and notwithstanding all this, yet you acknowledge Us to be the true Churches of Jesus Christ, and Churches with which Christ holds communion. May we not therefore most justly charge you as guilty in making a Schism in the Body of Christ?
We are far from thinking, that every difference in Judgment, or every separation from a Church, maketh a Schism; for it is not the Separation, but the Cause,that makes the Schismatick. The Godly-learned say,[163]That every unjust, and rash separation from a true Church, (that is, when there is no just cause, or at least no sufficient cause of the separation) is a schism. And that there is[164]a negative and positive schism, the former is, when men do peaceably and quietly draw from communion with a Church, not making a head against that Church from which they are departed: the other is, when persons so withdrawing, do consociate & draw themselves into a distinct and opposite Bodie, seting up a Church against a Church (as you do;) whichCamerocalsA schism by way of eminencie, & further tels us, that there are[165]four causes that make a separation from a Church, lawful.
1. When they that separate, are grievously and intollerably persecuted.
2. When the Church they separate from, is heretical.
3. When it is Idolatrical.
4. When it is the Seat of Antichrist. And where none of these four are to be found, there the separation is insufficient and schismatical. Now we are fully assured,that none of these four causes can be justly charged upon our Congregations. And therefore you must not be displeased with us, but with your selves, if we blame you as guilty of a positive Schism.
There are two things will be objected against what is here said.
Object.1.
That you are forced to separate from Us, because of those sinfull mixtures that are tolerated amongst Us; That our Congregations are miscellaneous companies of all gatherings, without any due separation of the wheat from the chaff: that all sorts are admitted even to Sacramental communion. And that therefore you ought to come out from amongst Us, that you be not made partakers of our sins.
We answer,
Answ.1.
1. That this charge, if understood of those Congregations, that are reformed according to the rules of the Presbyterial Government, is most untrue and unrighteous. It is sufficiently known what we suffer in our estates, and in our outward peace and quiet, because we will not allow of sinful mixtures in our Churches. The Lord that observes our particular carriages knows, that we study purity of members, as well as purity of Ordinances, and verity of doctrine. And though we dare not make separation from a true Church, by departing from it, as you do; yet we do make a separation in a true Church, by purging and reforming it, which you do not do. The rule of the Assembly for the Church-members, is very full:That they must be visible Saints, such as being of age, do professe Faith in Christ, and obedience unto Christ, according to the rules of Faith and life, taught by Christ and his Apostles.Doth not the Scripture require more then this? why then will ye separate fromus for sinfull mixtures, when we are purging out sinfull mixtures? when God is coming towards us, why will you run away from us? When God is building us up, why are you so active in pulling us down? Are we not coming out of the Wildernesse, and will you now forsake us? It is not many years since the ship of this Church was sinking into Popery, and then some of you separated from it into other parts of the world. And when of late years, there was hope through the mercy of God, of saving the ship, you returned back; and instead of helping to save her, you presently began to separate from her; and whilest we were pumping to preserve the ship, your practices have occasioned & made many leaks in it. This is a sad thing, and if rightly apprehended, must sit sadly upon the spirits of some.
Answ.2.
Suppose there were some sinfull mixtures at our Sacraments, yet we conceive, this is not a sufficient ground of a negative, much lesse of a positive separation.[166]The learned Author forementioned tells us, thatcorruption in manners crept into a Church, is not sufficient cause of separation from it. This he proves from Matth. 23.2, 3. and he also gives this reason for it; Becausein what Church soever, there purity of Doctrine, there God hath his Church, though overwhelmed with scandalls. And therefore whosoever separates from such an Assembly, separates from that place where God hath his Church, which is rash and unwarrantable.
The Church ofCorinthhad such a profane mixture at their Sacrament, as we believe few (if any) of our Congregations can be charged withal. And yet theApostle doth not perswade thy godly party to separate, much less to gather a Church out of a Church. There were many godly and learned Non-conformists of this last age, that were perswaded in their consciences, that they could not hold communion with the Church ofEngland, in receiving the Sacrament kneeling, without sin, yet did they not separate from her. Indeed, in that particular act they withdrew, but yet so, as that they held communion with her in the rest, being far from a negative, much more from a positive separation. Nay some of them, even then when our Churches were full of sinfull mixtures, with great zeal and learning, defended them so far, as to[167]write against those that did separate from them. He that will never communicate with any Church, till every thing that offendeth be removed out of it, must tarry till the great day of judgment, when (and not till then)[168]Christ will send forth his Angels, to gather out of his Kingdome every thing that offendeth, and them that do iniquity.Musculustells us of a[169]SchwenkfeldianatAugusta, whom he asked, when he hadreceived the Sacrament; he answered,not these twelve years: He asked him the reason; he answered,Because he could not finde a Church which was inwardly and outwardly adorned fit for a spouse of Christ, and that he would defer receiving the Sacrament, till he could finde such a one. This man never did receive: No more will any of his opinion. We speak not of these things, to justifie the negligence and wickedness of Church-Officers, in suffering these prophane mixtures; we have already proved it to be their duty, to keep all visibly-wicked persons from the Sacrament, and have given divers arguments to perswade them thereunto. We have likewise shewed it to be the duty of private members, todo what in them lyes, for the removing of scandalls out of the Church. If a brother offend them, they are not to separate from him, (for this is not the way of Christ, togain, but todestroyhis soul,) but they are to tell him of it privately, and in an orderly way to bring it to the Church. And when they have done their duty, they have freed their own souls, and may safely and comfortably communicate in that Church, without sin.
Object.2.
Though we do separate from you, yet we cannot stand charged withSchisme, because the nature of Schisme consisteth in an open breach of Christian love; and is such a separation, which is joyned with a condemnation of those Churches from which they separate, as false Churches, which we are far from.
Answ.
We grant, that to make up the formality of aSchismatick, there must be added uncharitableness; as to make up the formality of anHeretique, there must be addedobstinacy. But yet as he that denyeth a fundamental Article of Faith, is guilty of heresie, though he add notobstinacythereunto to make him an heretique; so he that dothunwarrantablyseparate from a true Church, is truly guilty ofSchisme, though he add notuncharitablenessthereunto, to denominate him a compleat Schismatique.
A Reverend Brother of your own, calleth[170]Brownisme,a bitter root of rigid separation. And we beseech you, with the spirit of meekness, to consider what bitter fruits have sprung from your more moderate separation: what great and wofull breaches have been made upon the blessed grace of charity: what harsh and rigid censures some of you have passed upon our persons and government; calling usLordly, and Prelaticall; and it,Tyrannical and prejudicial to civill States, on purpose,to make us, and it odious, and thereby to render your persons and way the more amiable to the people. And that which is more then this, Are there not some of you, that choose rather to joyn with Anabaptists, and Episcopal men, then with us? And that will give letters dimissory to your members, to depart from you to the Churches of the Anabaptists? and at the same time, deny them to such as desire them, for to joyn with Churches of our communion? Is not this to separate with an open breach of Christian Charity? We charge not these things upon all of you, but only upon some, whose names we forbear to mention. And for our parts, we do here profess, That it is and shall be our great care, to studypurity and charity, as well asverity and unity; andpurity of membersaccording to the Word, as well as ofOrdinances.
We abhor an over rigid urging of uniformity in circumstantiall things. And are far from the cruelty of that Gyant,who laid upon a bed all he took; and those who were too long, he cut them even with his bed; and such as were too short, he stretched out to the length of it. God hath not made all men of a length, nor height. Mens parts, gifts, graces differ; and if there should be no forbearance in matters of inferior alloy, all the world would be perpetually quarrelling. If you would fully know our judgments herein, we will present them in these two Propositions:
1. That it is the duty of all Christians, to study to enjoy the Ordinances of Christ in unity, and uniformity, as far as it is possible; for the Scripture calls[171]to unity and uniformity, as well as to purity and verity: and surely, it is not impossible to obtain this so much desired unity and uniformity, because that God hath promised,that his children shall serve him with[172]one heart, and with one way, and with one shoulder. And that in the days of the Gospel,There shall be one Lord, and his name one.And Christ hath prayed,[173]That we may be all one, as the Father is in him, and he in the Father.And he adds a most prevalent reasons,that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. Nothing hinders the propagation of the Gospel, so much as the divisions and separations of Gospel-Professors. If then it be Gods promise, and Christs prayer, it is certainly a thing possible to be obtained, and a duty incumbent upon all true Christians, to labour after.
2. That is their duty to hold communion together, as one Church, in what they agree; and in this way of union mutually to tolerate and bear with one another in lesser differences. And here that golden Rule of the Apostle takes place,[174]Let us therefore as many as be perfect, be thus minded; and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you: Neverthelesse whereto we have already attained, Let us walk by the same Rule, let us mind the same thing.This was the practice of the primitive Christians.
All such who professed Christianity, held Communion together, as one Church, notwithstanding the difference of Judgements in lesser things, and much corruption in conversation.
We beseech you therefore Brethren, that you would endeavour to keep theUnity of the spirit in the bond of peace; for there is one Body and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your Calling; one Lord, one Faith, and one Baptisme; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
For our parts, we do here manifest our willingness, (aswe have already said) to accommodate with you according to the Word, in a way of union; And (such of us as are Ministers,) to preach up, and to practise a mutual forbearance and toleration in all things,that may consist with the fundamentalls of Religion, with the power of Godlinesse, and with that peace which Christ hath established in his Church, but to make ruptures in the body of Christ, and to divide Church from Church, and to set up Church against Church, and to gather Churches out of true Churches: And because we differ in some things, therefore to hold Church-communion in Nothing; this we think hath no warrant out of the Word of God, and will introduce all manner of confusion in Churches and Families; and not only disturb, but in a little time destroy the power of Godlinesse, purity of Religion, peace of Christians, and set open a wide gap to bring in Atheisme, Popery, Heresie, and all manner of wickednesse: We will therefore conclude with that description that DoctorAmesgives of the sinfulnesse and mischievousnesse of Schisme, lib. 5. cap. 12.[175]
Schisme, properly so called, is a most grievous sin;
1. Because it isagainst charity towards our Neighbour, &c.
2. Because it isagainst the Edification of him who makes the separation, in that he deprives himself Communion in spirituall good.
3.Because it is against the honour of Christ, in that, at much as in it lyeth, it takes away the Unity of his mysticall body.
4.It makes way unto Heresie, and separation from Christ.And therefore it is a sin by all good men to be abhorred.
Second sort of Separatists.
2. The second sort are such, asseparate from our Churches, as false Churches; And from ourMinistry, as Antichristian: and differ from us not only in Discipline, but in Doctrine also. We purpose not to undertake a particular confutation of your Errours.
Four things only we have to say:
1. To beseech you to consider, whether you did not receive thework of Conversion from sin unto God, which ye presume to be wrought in you first of all, in these publique assemblies, from which you now separate?And if once you found Christ walking amongst us, How is it that you do now leave us? Do you not therein leave Christ also? Are we lesse, and not rather more reformed then we were? If the presence of Christ, both of his power and grace, be with us, why will you deny us your presence? Are ye holier and wiser then Christ? Is not this an evident token that we are true Churches, and have a true Ministry, because we have the seal of our Ministry, even the conversion of many sons and daughters unto God? Doth not the Apostle from this very ground,[176]argue the truth of his Apostleship? Is it not apparent, that our Ministers are sent by God, Because their Embassage is made successfull by God, for the good of souls? Did you ever read of true conversion ordinarily in a false Church? Will the Lord concur with those Ministers whom he sends not? Doth not the Prophet seem to say the quite contrary,Ier.23.33. And therefore either renounce your conversion, or be converted from that great sin of separating from us.
2. To consider, whether there was not a time,when ye could have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to those Ministers, whose eyes you would now pluck out, and whom now you hate, and think you do God good service,in reviling and persecuting them.How is it, that you are thus altered and changed?Are they become your enemies, because they tell you the truth?You will Reply, It is because they areMinisters Ordained by Antichristian Bishops; and therefore before they have renounced their false Ministry, we cannot with a safe conscience hear them, nor expect a blessing from their Ministry. This Reply is, we confess, a great stumbling block to many godly people, in this Kingdome; for satisfaction to it, we offer these particulars:
1. Many of you that make this Reply, hold,That the Election of the people is by Gods Word sufficient to make a man a true Minister without Ordination.
Now it is certain, that many publique Ministers have been chosen by the free and full consent of their Congregations; and most of them have had an after consent, which was sufficient to makeLeahJacobswife[177], and why not (to use your own words) to marry a man to a people; and therefore according to your own judgments, all such are lawfull Ministers. For sinfull superadditions do not nullifie divine Institutions.
2. Some of you, that besides Election, require Ordination for the making of a Minister, yet say, that this Ordination must be by the people of the Congregation; and thus are your Ministers ordained.
Now we finde neither precept nor president for this in all the Scripture; we finde[178]Ordination by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery, but never of the laying on of the hands of the people. We finde[179]the Apostles,TimothyandTitus,Ordaining, but never the peopleOrdaining; and for private persons to assume the power of Ordination (that is, a power to send men to preach the Gospel, and administer the Sacraments) is a sin like untothe sin ofUzzah, and ofCorah, and his company. Therefore we say to you, as Christ doth,Matth.6.First pluck the beam out of thine own eye, and then, &c. First justifie the Ordination of your own Ministers by private persons, and then you will see better, to find fault with the Ordination of our Ministers.
3. We distinguish between a defective Ministry, and a false Ministry, as we do between a man that is lame or blind, and a man that is but the picture of a man. We do not deny, but that the way of Ministers entring into the Ministry by the Bishops, had many defects in it, for which they ought to be humbled: But we add, that notwithstanding all the accidental corruptions, yet it is not substantially and essentially corrupted: As it is with Baptism in the Popish Church; all Orthodox Divines account it valid, though mingled with much dross, because the party baptized, isbaptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. And therefore, when a Papist turns Protestant, he is not baptized again, because the substance of Baptisme is preserved in Popery under many defects. The like, and much more, may be said for theOrdination of our Ministers by Bishops: It is lawful and valid for the substance of it, though mingled with many circumstantial defects.
And this appears,
1. Because when they were ordained,they were designed to no other Office, but to preach the Word, and administer the Sacraments; according to the Will of Christ.
2. Because since their Ordination,God hath sealed the truth of their Ministry(as hath been said)by his blessing upon it. If they beAntichristian Ministers, how is yourconversion Christian?
3. Because they were ordained by Bishops, not asLord Bishops, or asa superiour Order by divine Right above a Presbyter; but as they werePresbyters. For the understanding of which, you must know,
1. That by Scripture, a Bishop and Presbyter is all one, as appears byAct.10.27, 28.Tit.1.5, 6, 7, 8.Phil.1.1. 1Tim.3.1, 2, &c. 1Pet.5.1, 2. and by what is said by the Authors quoted in the[180]Margent.
2.That the Lordly Dignities of Bishops were meer civill additaments annexed to their Bishopricks by Kingly favour.
3. That this Opinion, thatBishops are a[181]superiour Order of Ministry, by Divine Right above a Presbyter, is a late upstart Opinion, contrary to antiquity, as appears by the Authors quoted in the Margent.
4. That the Laws of this Realm do account nothingdivinein a Bishop, but his being a Presbyter; and therefore the Parliament in theirOrdinance for Ordination, tels us,That they did ordain as Presbyters, not as Bishops, much lesse as Lord Bishops.
As for their usurpation of the sole power of Jurisdiction, together with their Lordly Titles & Dignities, and Dependances, we have renounced them in ourSolemn League and Covenant: But we never did, nor never shall renounce them asPresbyters, which by the consent of all sides, are byDivine Right.
We shall add one thing more,
4. That Ministers do not receive their Ministry from the People, or Bishops, but immediatly from Jesus Christ: For they are Ministers and Embassadors of Christ, not of the People: Indeed they are Embassadors for the good of the People, but not Embassadors of the People: All that the people or Bishop doth, is but tochooseandordaina man; but it is Christ that gives him hispower and authority; As when a wifechooseth ahusband, and a Town a Mayor; the Town doth not give the Mayor, nor the wife the husband, the power they have; but theLaws of God, the one and ofMan, the other: So it is here, It is Christ that gives the Office, and the Call to the Ministry; They are hisServants, and in hisNameexecute their function. It is he that fits them with ability for their work; the people they consent, and theBishop as a Presbyter, with other Presbyters, ordain him; which though it had many Corruptions mingled with it, when theBishopwas in all his pomp and Lordliness, yet for the substance of it, it was lawful & warrantable, andtherefore cannot without sin be renounced and abjured.
3. In the third place we exhort you to consider,whether since you have forsaken our Congregations, you have not fallen into such strange opinions, and those of so high a nature, as that if any man should have told you seven years ago, that you would have one time or another fall into them, you would have said to him, asHazaeldid to the Prophet; Am I a dog, that I should do this?Who would ever have thought, that you that did once sigh, mourn, and bitterly complain,That a Chappell was permitted to the Queen to hear Masse in, should now plead for a toleration of Popery, and all manner of Errours and Heresies? That you that did once flock to our Churches as Doves to the windows, should now not only forsake ours, but all Churches of whatever constitution; That you that did once so much prize Christ, and his holy Scriptures, should now (some of you at least) deny the Divinity of Christ, and his holy Scriptures?But this is no great wonder, for the Apostle hath foretold it,[182]That evill men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived; and thatthey will increase unto more ungodliness, and their word will eat as doth a Canker, &c.Errouris of an incroaching nature; as thelittle Theefopeneth thedooroftentimes to thegreat Theefso a littleerrourpaves a cause-way to a greater: ThePopish superstitionat first grew secretly, thetareswere hidden under thecorn; but in a little while thetaresgrew up, so as nocorncould be seen: Images, at first were brought into the Churchonly for an historicall use; afterwards, to stir updevotion, at last, they came to beworshipped: Let the Serpent but winde in his head, & he will quickly bring in his whole body: Yourfirst errourwas inseparating from our Churches, from whichChrist doth not separate. Here theSerpent got in his head, & no wonder his whole bodyfollowed; he that saithyeato the Devil in a little, shall not saynaywhen he please: He that tumbleth down theHill of Error, will never leave tumbling, till he comes to thebottome. First you deny our Ministers to be true Ministers, and our Ordinances to be true Ordinances; and then God, as a just Judge, gives you over, in a little time, to deny allMinisters and Ordinances, and then to beabove all Ministers and Ordinances; and at last, to be above Christ himself, and not to stand in need of hismediation to God the Father. First you denyBaptisme of Infants, and then after,Baptisme of water: In a word, First yourun away from us, and then for the most part turnIndependents, thenAntinomians, thenAnabaptiststhenArminians, then some of youSocinians,Antiscripturists,Anti-Trinitarians, still waxing worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived, & in the conclusion, meerAtheists.
Suffer us therefore to speak to you in the words of Christ, to the Church ofEphesus. Rev. 2.5.Remember from whence you are faln, and repent, and do your first works, &c. Repent of all your Soul-destroyingErrours, and return to the Churches from which ye have most unjustly separated, for fear, lestGod as a just Judge, becauseyou would not receive the love of the truth that you might be saved, should still give you over to strong delusions, that ye should believe a lye,That all they might be damned, who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse: And this makes way to the fourth thing we have to say to you; and that is,
4. To beseech you to consider,Whether since you forsook our Congregations, you are not much decayed in the power of Godliness, whether you have not lost your first love to Godly Ministers, Gospel-Ordinances, Fastings, reading the Word, private & Family prayers, and Communion of Saints; whether you are not grown more censorious, self-conceited, headie, high-minded, treacherous, fierce, despisers of those that are good, and lovers of pleasure more then lovers of God; whether Duties to God and Man have not been more neglected, Sabbaths more prophaned, Families worse governed; the publique welfare of Church and State have not been less minded, whether prophaneness, or prophane Ones, have not been more indulged; and whether you be not sensibly and dangerously apostatized from that close and humble walking with God, which formerly some of you did so much labour after: For the truth is,Corruption in the Judgment, will quickly bring corruption in the conversation. Our actions are guided by our apprehensions; and if our apprehensions beerroneous, ouractionswill quickly be tainted with wickednesse; And therefore it is very observeable,[183]That in the old Law, when the Leprosie was in the head, the Priest was not only to pronounce the man unclean, but utterly unclean: For Leprosie in the head, will quickly beget a Leprosie in the whole man: As the Sun is to the World; so is the Understanding to Man: If the Sun be dark, all the world is in darknesse;and if the light that is in thee (saith Christ) be darkness,How great is that darkness?We wonder not at theloosenessof your practices, when we consider theloosenessof your principles:For Doctrines contrary to Godliness, must needs bring forth a conversation contrary to the Gospell.And this is an evident token to us, that theNew-Lights(as they are called) which you hold forth to the world, proceed not from theFather of Lights, but thePrince of Darkness, because they lead men into theWorks of Darkness.
Therefore seeing that since your departure from us, you have wofully back-slidden from God, and are visibly decaid in Holiness and Righteousness, Our Exhortation to you is, that you would return to your first Principles; for then it was better with you, then now; And our prayer to God for you is,That he would give you repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that you may recover your selves out of the snare of the Devill, who are taken captive by his will.
Having finished that we had to say to those that separate from our Church, we now go on to speak a few words to those thatcontinue with us still, and that wait upon the publique Ministry, but do not yet joyn with us, in partaking of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper. These we shall divide into three ranks.
1. Such as areyoung people, not yet sufficiently instructed in the grounds of Religion.
2. Such as aregrown in years, and come to our Churches, but yet are scandalous in life and conversation.
3. Such as live, for ought we know, unblameably, but yet refuse to come to the Sacrament in the Presbyterian way.
1. Such as areyoung people, and not yet sufficiently instructed in the grounds of Religion; Our Exhortation to you is,That you would remember your Creator in the days of your Youth; the word in the Hebrew[184]is, in the choyce of thy dayes: The time of Youth is the Golden Age; and grace in Youth, is like a Jewel in a gold-ring. The time of Youth, it is theSeasoning Age: A Vessell will of a long time retain the savour of that liquor that it is first seasoned withall;Teach a child(saith Solomon)the trade of his way, and he will not depart from it when he is old. The time of Youth is the chiefe time you have towork for heaven. Old age is a time tospend grace; but Youth is the time to get it: Old Age is the time toreapthe fruit of holiness, but Youth is the time tosowthe seed of it: And it is a time, that of all times God doth most require, and most delight in. It is observed by one, that Christ[185]loved his youngest Disciple best: And by Another, that Christ waswonderfully delightedwith thatHosannathat the children sang unto him, Mat. 21.16.[186]The childrens Hosanna pleased him no less then the mens Hallelujahs; Suffer little children to come unto me, saith Christ,for to them belongeth the Kingdome of God.In the Old Testament God hath manifested a great deal of love to young people; He choseAbel, the younger,Shem, the younger,Abraham, the younger,Jacob, the younger; youngSamuel, and youngDavid, and youngJosiah: And therefore let young men, especially, be exhorted to begin betimes, to bear the yoak of the Lord;Seek ye first the Kingdome of God, and his Righteousness; first,beforeany thing else; and first,morethen any other thing. Say not, (O say not!) I am a young man, and therefore may plead for liberty to do what I list, till I come of riper years: But remember,That JesusChrist shed his blood for thee when he was 8. dayes old; and took thee into his Family byBaptisme,when thou didst hang upon thy mothers Breast; Thou art (it may be) a young man, but a Baptized young-man; A Young-man consecrated and dedicated to God; And it is not only sin, but sacriledg and perjury, toimpropriate that that is dedicated to God, to the service of the Devill. Remember the wrath manifested from Heavenagainst the 42. childrenthat mockedElisha; And remember further, That young people must dye, as well as old:There are Skulls in Golgotha, of all sizes; and young people haveimmortall souls, and must appear at the great day of Judgment, as well asold; Young people are by naturechildren of wrath, heires of hell; and therefore this is thy first work (O young man) to get out of the Root of Abomination, into the Root of Acceptation; out of the oldAdaminto the newAdam; & before this be done, (though thou shouldst spend thy time in gathering up Pearls and Jewels,) thou art an undone creature.
For the better effecting of this, we exhort you, to attend diligently to the publike Preaching of the Word, and willingly and cheerfully to submit to be catechized and instructed by yourParents, Masters, and Ministers. The Scripture divideth a Congregation, into him thatcatechizeth, and those that arecatechized, saying,[187]Let them that are taught, or (as it is in the Greek)Catechized, communicate to him that teacheth(orcatechizeth)them in all good things. In the Primitive times, when any Heathen man was converted to Christianity, he was first acatechumenus, before he was admitted either toBaptisme, or theLords Supper. AndEgesippustestifies,[188]that by the diligent instruction of the Church, there was no known Common-Wealth in any part of the World, inhabited, but within fourty years after Christs passion, received a great shaking of Heathenish Religion.There are in Christian Religion,fundamentallsandsuperstructions. Thefundamentallsare the vitals of Christianity:These are comprized in many of ourEnglishCatechismes. Amongst all others, we do more especially commend thegreater and lesser Catechismes made by the Reverend Assembly of Divines,and published to be used in all Churches inEnglandandWales,by Authority of Parliament. These we exhort you, not only to read, but to learn. And to invite you thereunto, we further declare;
That the study of the Catechisme, is a singular help for theright understandingof the Scriptures: (For the Catechisme is nothing else, but a Methodical Extract out of the Bible, of the fundamentals of Christian Religion;) And it is also very useful to make you understand what yourMinisters preach to you; And to keep you from theErroursandHeresies of these timesto prepare you to give a distinct and perfect account of your Faith to the Minister and Elders. For one great Reason why men do so pervert the Scriptures to their own destruction, and run wilde into so many errors and heresies, and are so unable to give a particular and distinct account to the Minister and Elders, is for want of the study of the Catechisme. As a shipwithout ballastis tossed about with every wave and wind; so is aman without the study of the Catechisme, carried about with every wind of vain doctrine. As ahousewithout a foundation will quickly fall, so will a Christian that is not well verst in the fundamentals of Religion. As Children growcrooked, that are not well looked to at first; so many run intocrooked opinions, because not well catechized.
And therefore we earnestly beseech and intreat all Parents, and Masters of Families, that they would make conscience of this great duty of catechizing their children and servants. And oh that the Lord would make our words to take impression upon your hearts. In theOld Testament God commands Parents toteach diligently their children. The word in the Hebrew[189]is, towhet the Lawupon their children. The fourth Commandement is directed not to children, and servants, but to Parents and Masters; And they are there commanded, not onlyin their own persons, to keep the Sabbath; but to see that theirchildren and servants do it also. It is not,Thou, or thy son, or thy daughter; But thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter. It doth not say, (asZanchywell observes[190],)Remember thou to keep holy the Sabbath day, and to perswade thy children and servants to keep it holy: Butremember thou to keep it holy, and thy son, and thy servant, implying thereby,that it is the Duty of the Master and Father, to compell his servant and children to the keeping of the Sabbath day. For doing of this, God exceedingly extolsAbraham, Gen. 18.19.I know that he will command his children, and his household after him, that they keep the wayes of the Lord: upon which words, a learned Divine wrote thus;[191]Abraham did not leave his children and servants to their own genius, their own counsels, their own lusts, though it is certain, divers of them would have thanked him for such a liberty; for they had been nursed up in superstition and idolatry, asAbrahamwas, and might have pretended, that they were not satisfied in point of conscience. ButAbrahamknew how to distinguish between liberty of conscience, and liberty of lust, and therefore would not allow them such a liberty as would have enticed them into the worst kinde of bondage.The New Testament also calls upon Parents, not only to bring up their children, but to[192]nurture them up in instruction and admonition of the Lord. OldEliwasgrievously punishedfor neglect of this duty: And let his severe chastisement be as awarning-pieceto all Fathers and Masters; And let them know,That if their children and servants perish for want of instruction, through their negligence, their blood will be required at their hands.
And if Parents and Masters, much more ought Ministers to be very conscientious in the diligent discharge of this duty. Our Saviour Christ layeth an express commandupon them, not onlyto feed the sheep,but also the lambs of Christ. It is no disparagement to aPeter, to be afeeder of Christs lambs. Oh that Ministers would unanimously and universally set to this duty! We commend it to them, as a mostSoveraign Antidote, to preserve their Congregations from the errours of these times. It is reported ofJulian, that amongst other subtile plots he used for the rooting out of Christian Religion; One was thesuppression of all Christian Schools, and places of catechizing.[193]And as one saith,If he had not been as a Cloud that soon passeth away, it had been to be feared, lest within a short time he had overshadowed all Religion.For when Catechizing was taken from the Church, it was presently all overspread with ignorance. And it is further added by the same Author, That the Papists themselves acknowledg, that all the advantage the Protestants got of them in the beginning of Reformation, was by their catechizing; because they began sooner to catechize, then they did. And it is to be feared, saith he, if ever the Papists get once again advantage of Us, it will be by their exacter catechizing, then ours. And therefore, if ever you would prevent the furthercorruptionof mens Judgments, and secure them from the infection oferrour, and preserve Religion from ruine. We exhort you in the bowels of our Lord Jesus Christ, to practise this duty; and intreat our people with all readiness and constancie, to submit unto this Ordinance of God, which with so much publique prejudice, hath been so long neglected.
And to perswade people thereunto, let them consider further,
1. If Ministers are bound to catechize; then people are bound to be catechized.
2. That they are baptized, and thereby consecrated unto Christ, and obliged by promise, to give up themselves unto instruction.
3. That ignorance, though it be not the greatest, yet it is a most dangerous sin: All sin is wrapt up in ignorance, as a child in swadling clouts. The Scripture saith,[194]That Christ will come in flaming fire to render vengeance upon all those that know him not, &c.
It makes theignorance of Godto be the cause of all sin, 1Sam.2.12. 1Joh.2.4.Eph.4.19. AndDavidprayeth unto God,[195]To pour out his wrath upon the heathen that know him not; how much more upon the Christians that know him not? As toads and Serpents grow in dark and dirty sellars: so all sin and wickednesse in an ignorant and blind soul. Now there is no ordinary way for young people to gain the knowledge of God, but byCatechizing.
4. That the time of youth is thegolden Age, theseasoning age, and a time in which men are apt to receive abiding impressions of evil, or good. And if they can learn to say toElisha,Bald-pate, why should they be unwilling to learn to sing to Christ,Hosanna?
5. That it is not so great a shame for young people to be ignorant, as to be wilful and obstinate in ignorance. And if they refuse to beCatechised, they shall perish in their ignorance; but theMinisteris free from the blood of their souls.
The second sort are suchas live within the bounds of our Province, and come to our Congregations, and yet are wicked and prophane, and such, as if they should come to be examined by the Minister and Elders, would not be received to the Sacrament. These are Christians inname, but they are a shame to thename, and bear it (asUrijahdid a letter toJoab)for their ruine and destruction. We beseech and intreat them to consider, what a sinful and cursed condition it is to live ungodlily and unrighteously under the abundance of Gospel-Ordinances.
First, what asinful conditionit is; For,
1. It is as much as in them lyes, a frustrating of thegreat love of Christ in dying for them: For, therefore Christ dyed,that they which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which dyed for them, and rose again, 2 Cor. 5.13.
2. It is a frustrating of the gracious design of God, in sending the Gospel to them; for one chief errand of the Gospel, is toteach us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, Tit. 2.12.
3. It is not only to sin against thelight of nature, but against thelight of the Gospel.
4. Not only against thecreating and preserving mercies of God, but against theheart-blood mercyof Jesus Christ.
5. It is a sin ofhorrible ingratitude and unthankfulness; a sin that makes God himself to stand, as it were, amazed, that any man should be so wicked, as to be guilty of it,Isai.1.2.Jer.2.11, 12.
6. It is a sin that will make us speechlesse, and unexcusable at the great day,Joh.15.22.
7. It is a sin that renders a Christian worse then the very bruit creatures,Isa.1.3. And in this one sense, worse then the Devills themselves, because the Devills never refused so great salvation.
2. Consider what a cursed condition this is: For,
1. It is aspirituall plague, which is so much greater then a corporal, by how much the Soul is better then the Body.
2. It is a sign not only of Gods Fatherly, but revengeful displeasure,a brand of reprobation, and the high-way to damnation.
3. It renders a man utterly uncapable (as such) of the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ; for Christordained the Sacrament for his friends, not for his enemies; to increase, not beget grace; for those that are visible Saints, not for those that are visibly wicked.
4. It bringsPersonall, Congregationall, andNationall Judgments, Luk. 13.5. Isa. 5.
5. It makes a Christians condition at the day of Judgment more intolerable, then the condition ofSodom and Gomorrah. It makes the Gospel it self to be the chiefest inditement against him; and the hottest place in Hell to be his portion for ever, and ever.
Oh that the Lord would give hearts to these men to meditate on these things! and to repent of all their swearing, cursing, lying, drunkenness, fornication, adultery, Sabbath-breaking, and such like abominations! And let them not be offended with us, (as most of them are) for not admitting them to the Sacrament; but rather offended with their sins, that make them uncapable, as such, of the Sacrament. Let not them cry out against us, but against themselves; and study to be revenged, not of their Ministers and Elders, but of their sins, and themselves. The Lord knows, that it is meer love to the Lord Jesus Christ, and tender pity and compassion to their and our own souls, that forceth us to deny them this Ordinance; lest we should be instrumental to their eating and drinking their own damnation, and accessary to their unworthy receiving, and to the prophanation of the Sacrament;Let not our pity, love, and care to them, breed hatred against us, in them.And why should they desire to partake in these holy mysteries, whose hearts and lives are so full of unholinesse? why should they that want spirituall life, desire to eat of spirituall food? What should men spiritually dead, do at a spiritual feast? why should they desire to eat that bread,which will certainly, as long as they continue in this condition, be the bread of death, not of life; and to drink that cup, which will certainly be a cup, not of salvation, but of damnation! Let our counsel be acceptable to you;First wash you, make ye clean, put away the evill of your doings from before Gods eyes, cease to do evill, learn to do well; and then come and see whether we will not receive you heartily and joyfully to the Sacrament.First wash your hands in innocency, and then you will be fit to compasse the Lords Altar.First getspirituall life, and then come and eat spirituall food. First get to be a friend and Disciple of Christ; and then not only We, but Christ himself, will bid you welcome, and make you partakers of all the benefits and comforts of the blessed Sacrament.
The third and last sort,are such as come to our Congregation, and live(for ought we know)unblameably; and yet refuse to joyn with Us in the Sacrament upon this account, because they will not come to be examined by the Minister and Elders. This (as we find by woful experience) is the great mountain that lyeth in the way, and hindereth the free passage of the Presbyterial-Government; and therefore we have taken some pains in our Vindication for the removing of it; we have shewed,
1. That the Ruling-Elder (which is the Officer so much opposed) hath a Divine Warrant.
2. It is the Will of Jesus Christ, that they that come to the Sacrament, should first submit themselves to Examination; and not only so, but toExamination by Minister and Elders.
3. What this Examination is, which is required, and how often it is required.
4. The reason why ancient men and women, that have formerly under the Prelatical Government beenadmitted to the Sacrament, are required to submit unto Examination, before they can be again admitted; It remains, That we give Answers to the Objections that are brought against this way of Examination; but before we do this, we will first offer certain Reasons and Motives (besides those already named) to perswade every one of our respective Congregations, as well old, as young, rich as poor, freely and cheerfully to submit unto it.