CHAP. XVI. We have now done with Church-power. Of Church Communion as it is a peculiar priviledge to the member of a Church.
THe Priviledges of the Church, present them∣selves next to our consideration; and the chiefe of all these which we shall especially attend in this place, is Church-Communi∣on. Because we perceive the disquisition of that to be of greatest difficulty, and the right understanding of it to be of greatest use. And here we shall make the entrance of our inquiry about that que∣stion propounded and largely debated by Master Rutherford lib. 2. pag. 269. Whether ordinary hearing be a part of Church Com∣munion. 1. The sense is to be opened. 2. The conclusion we hold to be proved. 3. The Arguments to be answered.
To the first,
CONCLUSION I.
Communion, according to the nature of the word, implies ever something common to many, wherein they share by way of proportion, each person according to his condition and place.
When this is applyed to severall subjects, though it requires a communication of something to all the subjects, yet it ever implyes an appropriation of that so conveyed onely to that kind: whence it is, that as there is a community of the thing to all such wherein Page 289 this communion lyes, yet there is also a specification or determina∣tion of the subject, unto which that is conveyed, whereupon it comes, though all such have it, yet none but such are made parta∣kers of it.
Thus in cities there be severall companies, that maintaine severall communions among themselves: Thus civill communion belongs onely to such a civill state: The like we may say of Church commu∣nion, whereof we now intreate. It doth not imply all or any of those things which a Church hath in common with other, while it is a Church, but as it is a Church; As instance:
A Church while it is a Church in that relation, they have com∣munion with the Town or people of the Plantation amongst whom they dwell, communion with other Townes who live with them, under the same Jurisdiction and Government, but this is not Church communion, because it is not as a Church, they injoy or share in this communion▪ but as Planters in the same Town, or people under the same Government.
But that is Church communion, which belongs to a Church, as a Church, under that notion, (as we use to speak) respect or rela∣tion.
CONCLUSION II.
The communion of the Church lyes,
- Either in the things, which they do injoy as Sacraments, Censures.
- Or else the speciall manner appropriated to them in their dispensations,
And though the things, sometimes be common to other beside the Church, yet the manner of dispensing, and so of enjoying these is alwayes peculiar to the Church.
Suppose the Churches be intreated by a company of Indians, whose hearts are stirred with some consideration of the truth, to desire some conferences with severall of severall Churches, and severall of the Common-wealth, that their judgements may fur∣ther be informed, and their consciences convinced, and the course of Godlinesse cleered up unto them: upon the meeting granted, they have liberty, and they take it, to wit, they propound their demands, they heare answers, they make Objections, seriously and sadly debate the difficulties. There be conferences, disputes, Page 290 debates, by these novices, now coming on to Religion, with Elders, Magistrates, in the audience of the severall members of the Churches, and yet no man will say, these are Church actions, because they do not this as a Church, but as Christians, to draw on beginners to the faith.
Suppose againe, the Church of her selfe appoints a meeting, and appoints the Elders to handle the same questions, to propound and explicate the same Scriptures, in way of answering and clear∣ing up difficulties, This is now a Church action: because though the duties be the same, yet the manner of the dispensation issues from another roote; namely, Officers, by vertue of their authority, require and call for the presence and subjection of the people: o∣thers in joy the benefit of the actions, (which as such, are not Church actions,) as hath appeared before, but the manner of dis∣pensation is properly Church worke, and in that they have no Com∣munion with the Church.
And this frequently and familiarly is to be observed in all Cor∣porations, when they meet in publike, many strangers, of severall Counties, Countries, come in to see and heare the benefit of the administrations: But onely the members of the Corporation injoy Corporation communion; i. e. they are onely under the power and authority of the Corporation, and by vertue of that relation are to be there, and to submit themselves to the authority, deli∣vering orders to that end, and may be constrained thereunto, which strangers cannot be, and so it is here.
CONCLUSION III.
Its plaine from Master Rutherford his own grant, that the ordi∣nance it self, nor the publique dispensation therof, nor the hearing of the dispensation doth make Church-communion: For he con∣fesseth that Turkes and Infidels may come in occasionally, several times, as it were obiter, and yet this doth not make them partakers of Church-Communion, and yet in these their attendances, these three things are evidently and undenyably to be observed.
The
- Ordinance,
- Dispensation on the Ministers part.
- Hearing on the Turks part.
CONCLUSION IV.
Therefore in the fourth place, we are to inquire what he meaneth by set and ordinary. lib. 2. pag. 269. and professed and re∣solved hearing. pag. 270.
If by professed, he meanes such a profession as makes a man a member ut supra; this doth yeild the cause, which he would maintaine in appearance, namely, he that is a member of a Church doth communicate in Church Communion.
Never any denyed this.
But if it be the resolution of the spirit of a man inwardly (for there resolution lyes) and profession, outwardly to attend this action of hearing, we then know where to fasten, and we have two questions to discusse.
1. Whether preaching publikely, and publike hearing be a Church action in it selfe considered.
And that this is no Church action, Mr. Rutherford yeilds, which indeed is the main scope and hinge of the question, as it is practi∣sed, and by dispute agitated betwixt us and them.
For if Infidels coming in occasionally, once, twice, twenty severall times, to heare, do not yet in so doing communicate in a Church-action: Then preaching and hearing do not make a Church-action, in themselves considered. At primum verum ex concessis.
Quest. 2. A bare profession to attend the outward hearing of the word ordinarily, is not a Church action, nor doth infer Church Com∣munion.
Our Arguments are,
Arg. 1.
That profession, which may stand with the professed opposition and renouncing of the doctrine of the Gospell, and the truth of the Church: That doth not make any Church communion. For opposition pro∣fessed against the truth of the Doctrine, and truth of the Church-state, is crosse to communion with it.
But such a profession ordinary may stand with both these.
For a Jesuit may be hyred, as an intelligencer, to heare and re∣port the Doctrine to others, who set him on worke to that end: or else as a Caviller to undermine it in the hearts of others whom Page 292 he would either draw to Popery, or confirme in Popery. He may be a constant hearer, and yet professe that he hates the Pro∣testant Religion, and renounceth the standing of the Churches.
Arg. 2.
Where there is no Church union, there is no Church communion, because this issues from that.
But many heare ordinarily, who have no Church union, or reall membership with visible Churches.
Arg. 3.
Church communion is ordered by the power of the Church, and they can exercise their power therein: for what excommunication takes away, that communion of the Church can give.
But the Church doth not, nor in reason can hinder ordinary hearing.
Therefore it did not give it, by any power of Church worke.
We shall now take Master Rutherford his Arguments into consideration.
Onely we shall crave the Reader to recall two things, (for∣merly evidenced) to mind, and to carry them along in his consi∣deration; and those will help to expedite the Answer, to the reasons alledged to the contrary.
- 1. That Infidels and Turks may come in occasionally, and yet that hearing is not Church communion, Lib. 2. p. 270.
- 2. That an action in it selfe simply considered, may not be a Church action, i. e. proper to the Church, yet the manner of injoyning this, or injoying of it, in vertue of Church-pow∣er, is a Church-worke and way) issuing from Church confe∣deracy and combination.
From these two premises now recalled, formerly proved, It followes,
That the Preacher may in preaching edify the Church met for that end and convince an Infidell coming in occasionally, 1 Cor. 14.24.25. And yet the Infidell doth not joyne in Church com∣munion, though in hearing the word preached by the Officer of the Church: which is an Answer to his first Argument.
Hence the Infidell may be converted, and so injoy the benefit of the ordinance, and be built upon Christ, at that his occasionall coming, and so joyne in worship with them, and yet not in Page 293 Church worship, for his own occasionall coming was no Church communion, by Master Rutherford his own grant, which is an Answer to his second Argument.
Hence the Infidell may be called by others, and being so called, he may come and heare, and partake in the worship, and yet not as Church hearing or worship, which is an Answer to the third Argu∣ment.
Hence Church-hearing will be then Church communion, when by vertue of Church covenant they put forth Church power in dis∣pensing, and persons in vertue of that relation stand bound to sub∣mit, in attending to such administrations, and thus all the members heare. But the Infidell heares upon another ground and so shares in the act, but is not under the Church-power and manner of the dispensation of that act: and therefore his hearing is not Church-hearing. As it is in the meetings of civill Corporations: The members of the Corporation, they come in vertue of the combi∣nation, which they hold by Charter, and so have Corporation com∣munity: others come in by the by, as strangers, and they commu∣nicate in the hearing of the Acts that passe, but not in the Corpo∣ration community, in which they have no share: nor hath the Cor∣poration any power over them, which Answers the fourth Argu∣ment.
Hence this hearing doth not seperate a visible member in gene∣re notiorum visibilium; because it belongs to an Infidell also: which answers the fifth Argument. Nor doth this hearing bring the hearer under any tye, which answers the sixt Argu∣ment.
From this ground thus laid and made good, we may collect severall things.
1. The hearing of Infidels occasionally argues not communion of Pastor and people, betwixt him and the Officer, that preacheth to him: Communion betwixt Pastor and flock is Church-communion, as the termes, and the nature of the relation euidence.
But in this hearing of an Infidell, there is no Church communi∣on, ex concessis, from Master Rutherford, lib. 2. 270.
2. If this hearing would make a person of such a flock, and so the Minister his Pastor, then this kind of hearing of a wicked and unworthy Minister, would make a man partake with him in that Page 294 sinfull station of his: which hath ever been accounted irratio∣nall, in those who have been rigid in their separation, so that it is easy to distinguish betwixt the word that is dispensed, in which a hearer communicates, and betwixt the office and stati∣on of him that doth dispense it, with which they onely com∣municate, who stand in relation to such a one dispensing as their officer.
3. Hence Church-power and Church-priviledges are diffe∣renced in the same act. Priviledges, (in my aime here,) imply that good and benefit which attends any Church dispensation. As take any Church act dispensed, there is. 1. The good and benifit which may rise and be received therefrom. 2. Church like power in the dispensation thereof. And these two, though they goe together, yet are so differenced in reality of their na∣tures, that the one may be injoyed, I meane the good and pri∣viledge of the act, by such who communicate not in the pow∣er. As instance.
A man preacheth authoritatively in his congregation. Indians and Turkes, come to heare occasionally, they partake in the good of the word and dispensation of it. But not in the authority of his ministery. For he is not a Pastor to them nor communi∣cates with them as a Pastor; as it hath beene formerly from Master Rutherford proved.
Therefore Haethens come not within the priviledge-re∣spect of a brother in Church-communion, though they come to Church hearing.
And hence it is, as people are more or lesse capable of the good of these dispensations (for so they may be) so they do, and may, partake more or lesse in these priviledges, and yet not in Church power whereby they are dispensed. As it is in some Corporations, some persons of some families, by reason that their predecessors have beene Benefactors to the Charter, they have priviledges to come into the councell of the company, to adventure with them, if they will, and yet have no stroke, by any speciall relation, to act in, or carry on the occasion or de∣signe taken up. Thus members of other Churches are capable of more priviledges then those, who are not in that condition: and Page 295 therefore partake of the benefit of some acts and ordinances, and yet communicate not in the authoritative dispensation of those acts; and this appeares thus.
And if he hath no power authoritative to injoyne them to re∣ceive it, they cannot challenge it by any speciall interest they have in that power. For the parity of reason is the same on both sides.
That looke, as it was before, when the Pastors did preach authoritatively in his congregation, he did not onely dispense the word unto his people, as one out of office may doe, but he could by vertue of his office and relation, injoyne them to heare it. They in vertue of their relation to him as a Pastor could ex∣pect and require it from him. Yet Indians coming in Obiter, they partake of the good of the dispensation, but are not under the authoritative power of the dispenser: so that he, by his au∣thority, could not require them to heare, nor they, by any rela∣tive interest to his power, could challenge him to speake to them.
And here then remember two things.
1. That the benefit of the ordinance dispensed and the power in the dispensing the Sacrament, are so different, that though the Pastors did dispense it to a member of another congregation, yet he had no power to constraine him to receive it.
2. Remember, that though a member of another congre∣gation is capable of the good of those ordinances (for it is not because a member of this or that, but because a member of a con∣gregation that he becomes capable nextly of these seales) yet he hath no relative interest in the power of the dispenser to require it at his hand. And this example will hold proportion with the former, namely. That persons may partake in Church-priviledges, who doe not partake in Church-power.
Take this other example.
A man provides for his wife, as an husband, such and such diet, and he can require her, out of his authority, to take his Page 296 provision. A neighbour coming in may haply share in the like provision, but not upon the like ground. The neighbour as priviledge of speciall neighbourhood. But the wife by the power of her relation, as a wife.
So that I cannot see but the proportion is faire. A person may partake of the word authoritatively preached, and yet not communicate with the power and authority of the officer as his. A person may partake of a Sacrament authoritatively dispensed, and yet not communicate with the authority and power of the dispenser. 1. e. as in either, to have relation to him, or them, as their officers.
The like may be seene in such acts, which issue from that rela∣tive interest which respect the specialty of the covenant of this or that Church. As namely, when members elect, admit, cen∣sure by vote; The formality of these acts is onely proper to them, yet the good and benefit of all these, they who are pre∣sent, partake of.
Instance thus.
Suppose a Penitent is to be received into the Church, the members they expresse their readinesse of love, pity, mercy, brotherlinesse to forgive: others also present joyne thus far in that act, as consenting to, and approving of what they doe ac∣cording to God: yea are much quickned, comforted, incour∣aged yea taught and instructed by that they heare and see, and so receive the good, and are much edified by the ordinance. And yet its that which all men will yeild, they share not, communi∣cate not, at all, in any interest of the po••r by which such acts were dispensed
