The Judgement of Worthy Men.

Independ. M^r Norton, Teacher of the Church at Ipswich in New England against Apoll. p. 3. Answ. to the quest. Whether Truth of Grace be re­quired to visible Church-membership — One may be adshitted n­to the Communion of the Externall Church, that is not endowed with the reall inward holinesse of Regeneration, and justifying Faith in Christ: or that upon a strict Examination shall not give signes of True Faith and inward Holinesse, which may convince the Conscience of men, touching the Syncerity of their Faith, Re­pentance, and Communion with Christ. — A believer is either so in the sight of God, absolutely, really, positively; or to men Eccle­fiastically, — though he be not a believer positively, yet we are bound to judge so. and to act towards him, as if he were positively; — where it is doubtfull, we ought negatively & practice to judge the best. — if this truth take not place, outward Christian Union, and Communion will be utterly lost.

Indep. Apolog. Narration by M. Goodwin, Nye, Bridge, Burroughs, Sympson, p. 6.We have this sincere profession, to make before God, and all the world, That all that Conscience of the defilements we conceived to cleave to the true worship of God in them. (viz. the [Page 9]Congregations of England, in which by the Grace of God, we we were Converted, and exercised our Ministry long, to the Con­version of many others,) or of the unwarranted power of Church Governours exercised therein, did never worke in us any other thought, much lesse opinion, but that multitudes of the Assemblyes and Parochiall Congregations thereof were The true Churches, and body of Christ, and the Ministry thereof a true Ministry; much lesse did it ever enter into our hearts to judge them Antichristian. VVe saw and cannot but see, that by the same reason the Churches abrode in Scotland, Holland &c. (though more reformed,) yet for their mixtures must be in like manner judged no Churches also, which to imagine or Conceive, is, and hath ever been an horrour to our thoughts. Yea we alwayes have professed, and that in these times, when the Chur­ches of England were the most, either actually overspread with de­filemenes or in greatest danger thereof, that we both did, and would hold a Communion with them as the Churches of Christ.

Non Conformists, A Booke by sundry Godly and learned Mini­sters standing out and suffering in the cause of Non-Conformity. p. 1. The Church of England is a true Church of Christ, and such an one, as from which whosoever wittingly and willingly separateth himselfe, cutteth himselfe from Christ. &c. p. 3. as true faith gi­veth life and being to the invisible and elect Church, so profession of faith giveth life and being to a visible Church. &c.

D. Owen Vice-Chancelour of Oxford in his Booke of the Perseve­rarae of Saints, p. 9. Legally some persons are said to be Holy in re­ference unto their being separated from the residue of men; with relation to God and his worship. — So the whole people of the Jewes were said to be Holy: The particular respects of Covenant, Worship, Separation, Law, Mercy, and the like, upon which this deno­mination of Holinesse and Saintship was given unto them and did de­pend, are known to all, yea persons Inherently uncleane and per­sonally notoriously wicked, are said to be sanctifyed. Evangeli­cally some are said to be Holy in Estimation only, and that either of themselves or others. Like them who are said to believe in Christ upon the account of the profession they made so to doe, yet he would not trust himselfe with them, because he knew what was in them. Such were Judas, Simon Magus, and sundry others, of whom these things are spoken which they pro­fessed of themselves, and were bound to Answer, and which others [Page 10]esteemed to be in them. Antiquity thought good to allow persons baptized and professing the Gospell, the name of Believers, & being Regenerate (that is, as to the participation of the outward Symbole thereof) whom yet they expressly distinguished from them, whose faith was the fruit of their eternall Election. 'Tis meet for us to judg well of all, who professing the Lord Christ, walk to our view in any measure suitable to that profession, and with Jonadab to honour Jehu in his fits and hasty passions of zeale. To say that we are not bound to judge any to be Believers, & Godly, unlesse they are so indeed, is either to exalt poor wormes into the Throne of God, and to make them searchers of hearts, who are so often in the darke to themselves, or else at once to cut off, and destroy all Commu­nion of Saints; doubtlesse, the Disciples of Christ were bound to receive them for Believers, of whom it is said, that they did believe because of their profession so to doe, and that with [...] some hazard, and danger, though he who knew what was in man, would not trust himselfe with them, because the root of the matter was not in them.

D^r Goodwin in his Zerubbabels Encouragement, p. 17. It it a bitter errour, and full of Cruelty to say, we have had no Churches, no Ministry, no Sacraments, but Antichristian all; speaking of the Church of England, as it was before the late Reformation.

M. Cotton of New England, Way of the Churches of New England, p. 151. We cannot but conceive the Churches in (Old) England were rightly (at the first) gathered and planted, and all the Corrup­tions found in them since, have sprung from Popish Apostacy. So that our work is not now to make them Churches which were none before, but to reduce them. where Godly Ministers be already plan­ted in any Congregations, let them call the people to solemne Hu­miliation for their own sinnes, and those of their Fathers they have imitated. (2.) Let such people as are of good knowledge and of approved conversation renue their Covenant formerly made in Bap­tisme, professing their Faith and Repentance, and promising Re­formation of Life: Let the Lords Supper be administred to such. In his Holinesse of Church Members p. 1. Christians truely regenerate are the members of the invisible Church. It is the duty of the members of the visible Church to be truely regenerate. Such as are borne of Christian parents, and baptized in their infancy, into the fellow­ship of the Church are initiated Members of the same Church, [Page 11]though destitute of Spirituall Grace, untill they justly deprive them­selves of the priviledge of that fellowship. Neither in judgement nor practice doe we suspend their admission, till we be convinced in our Consciences of the certaine & infallible signes of their Regene­ration. The hypocrisy of some, & the tolleration of some open scan­dalous sinners in the Church, doth not forthwith take away the nature of the Church. Notwithstanding the discovery of Hypo­crisie, and tolleration of some open scandalls, yet separation is not forthwith to be made from the Church. We are to proceed with patience against the infirmity of a brother, much more of a whole Church, the Church is to judge of mens Holinesse by their profession. passion.

M. Hooker of new England, Survey of Church Discipline, Preface p. 11. to separate from Congregations for want of some ordinances. or to separate from the true worship of God, because of the sinne of some worshipers, is unlawfull. chap. 3. p. 36. Externally those are within the Covenant, who expressing their Repentance, with their profession of the truth, ingage themselves to walke in the wayes of God, and the truth of his worship, though they have not for the present that sound work of Faith in their hearts, & may be shall never have it wrought by Gods Spirit in them. p. 37. The contrary tenet will draw unavoidable difficultyes with it, and give such ad­vantages to the adversaries of Gods Grace and the dispensation of his Ordinances, that they will hardly be regained. p. 38. Laying a Corner Stone to build up the wretched Doctrine of the Anabap­tists. A Church may be visibly redeemed by the Blood of Christ, and called the Body of Christ, the Sonnes and Daughters of God, and yet not be really such. p. 41. Arguments 1. If those who are grace­lesse, and had no interest in Christ, had yet a Command from God to receive the seales, had warrant to require them, then they had a right from God (outward and visible) to partake of them. This admits no denyall. But such as Ishmael. So p. 42. If any after they be received, shall be found not to be added of God, because they be not regenerated, yet we are not to cast any out for non-regeneration, Even known, 43. Churches rightly Constituted may soone be corrupted, and that even to the very Essence of a Church, yet in such declining times, when diseases grow deadly there is al­lowed and a tolleration must of necessity be so farre granted, untill by a judiciall proceeding the evill be examined, the parties Con­vinced, censures applyed for reformation. And hence our Savi­our [Page 12]Saviour requires time of tryall, if they may be healed, and until that be over, they must be tolerated p 28 Part. 3 p 34. 1. Humane infirmities are not to be taken, as matter of offence. but 2. Stones of stumbling in our Christian course. 3. Where it is not so cleare, but doubtfull, though our thoughts lead that way, and feares pur­sue us. It is a safe rule Where we have not found ground of Conviction, we have no reason to administer an Admonition. In publike offences, He that complaines must know two rules 1. That he must not dare to com­plaine to the Elder, unlesse he can plainly amd peremptorily lay in his accusation of another, not with an I take it so, it was so reported &c. 2. As his accusation must be plaine, so his proofe must be direct, and pregnant. There must be two witnesses to establish every word, except it be otherwise evident, as by confession of the party &c. Excom­munication must not be for perty matters, but such evills as Fornica­tion &c. as carry the face of evill in their forehead, and have been pertinaciously and obstinately persisted in, after the improvement of all meanes for Conviction and Reformation, these only deserve Excommunication.

M. Cobbet of new England in his booke of Infants Baptisme, p. 57. Albeit a mans owne personall faith uniteth him to Christ, in re­spect of saving and invisible union, yet the profession of Faith be­fore a visible Church, uniteth to Christ as head of the visible Church, whether the party be sincere or no. The Rule of judging the right of persons propounded to the Church to be admitted is not the internall and saving estate of the party, but the visibility of Covenant right. The Apostles as extraordinary persons knew the guile of persons secret from the Church yet administred the Church state, refused them not, as Ananias, Simon Magus and many thousands of the Jewes. Christ by his divine knowledge knew Judas to be a Devill Joh. 6.70. yet administred to him that Supper, whe­ther the Paschall Lambe or the Lords Supper I determine not. Ish­mael God discovered by divine Revelation to Abraham, Esau to Re­beccah not to be Gods Elect Seed of the Covenant, yet Abraham and Isaac (as Prophets and Priests at that time in the Church) Circumcise them, a person Ecclesiastically holy is admittable, and a Minister may not refuse him on his own private surmises, It were to breed confusions in Churches, and lay foundations of Enthusi­asmes. If saving interest were the rule, it were either to necessitate Ministers to come under guilt of sinne or Anomie, breach of rule or for avoiding of that, never to administer any Church Ordinances; [Page 13]since they sometimes shall breake that Rule, in administring the same to Hypocrites; and albeit they doe sometimes administer them to elect ones, yet not being able to know that secret infallibly, they observe not that rule in faith, but doubtingly. Its therefore visibility of Covenant right. And when we speake of visibility of Covenant right, as such a Rule to goe by, we exclude not the lowest and lest degree of visibility. As the least visible measure of grace, must occasion our judgement of Charity, to judge them gracious, so the least degree of visibility of Covenant Right, may challenge the like Charity.

M. Hooker of new England Part. 3. p. 28. The Seales they must be dispensed publikely. The Seales of the Covenant, and the Prea­ching of the Covenant goe together: It is not in the power of the Church to confine preaching into corners Prov. 8.2, 3. and of old the Church of the Jews erected Synagogues in every Citty. The Apostle opposeth manifestly, the Church or Congregation to the private house, and declareth that the Supper should be celebra­ted in the congregation, as the banquet should be kept in their private houses 1 Cor. 11.20, 21, 22. Yea the scope and nature of the Ordi­nance calleth for such an administration, for since the Sacraments are badges to shew our separation from all other prophane societyes, and to signify our communion one with another visibly in the pro­fession of the faith, therefore the administration of them should be such as should suite the nature of the ordinance, and serve the end of it. (2.) These Ordidances should goe hand in hand; after the word opened the seales should be administred.

The 3^d rule confirm'd out of the Book of Canons and Com­mon-prayer. Book of Canons, to satisfy those that will not be o­therwise satisfied. Can. 26. No Minister shall in any wise admit to the Receiving of the holy Communion, any of his Cure or flock, which be openly known to live in sin notorious, without Repen­tance, nor any who have maliciously, and openly contended with their Neighbours, untill they shall be reconciled. Nor the Church­wardens not presenting publique offences. — Can 27. Except such person shall first acknowledge to the Minister, his Repentance for the same, and except he shall first doe the same under his hand­writing, to be delivered to the Minister, and by him sent to the Bi­shop of the Diocesse.

Confirmation at the end of the Rubrick. There shall none be admitted to the Holy Communion, untill such time as he can say the Cate­chisme, [Page 14]and be confirmed. Rubrick before the Catechisme. That they may then themselves, with their own mouth, & with their own con­sent, openly and before the Church confirme the same. (sc. as before, what was promised in Baptisme.) and also Promise, that by the grace of God, they will evermore endeavour themselves Faithfully to observe and keep such things, as they by their own Mouth and Confession have assented unto. It is agreeable with the usage of the Church in times past, whereby it was ordained, that Confirma­tion should be Ministred to them that were of perfect age, that they being Instructed in Christs Religion, should openly professe their own Faith, and promise to be obedient unto the will of God.

Rubrick before the Communion. Such as intend to be partakers of the Holy Communion, shall signify their names; And if any of those be an open, and notorious evill liver, so that the Congregation by him is offended; or have done any wrong to his Neighbour, by word or deed, the Curate having knowledge thereof, shall call him, and ad­vertise him in any wise, not to presume to come to the Lords Table, untill he have openly declared himselfe to have truly repented and a­mended his former naughty life, that the Congregation may be thereby satisfied, which afore were offended, &c. The same Order shall he use with those betwixt whom he perceiveth Malice and Ha­tred to reigne, &c. The Minister ought to admit the Penitent, and not the Obstinate.

Exhortation before the Communion. If any of you be a Blasphemer of God, an hinderer or slanderer of his word, an Adulterer, or be in Ma­lice or envy, or in any other grievous crime, bewaile your sinnes, and come not to this Holy Table, least &c.