[figure] › Chapter 5 › Section 5: Manuscript., The due right of presbyteries, or, A peaceable plea for the… by Samuel Rutherford (1644) | AskReformation

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:509p. 86–87

5. Distinct. Any professor removing from one congregation to another, and so coming under a new relation to such a Church, or such a Ministry, is in a tacit and virtual covenant to discharge himself in all the duties of a member of that Congregation, but this is nothing for a Church-covenant; for when six are converted in the congregation whereof I am a member, or an excommunicated person heartily and unfainely repenteth, there ariseth a new relation betwixt those converts and the Church of God; and a tie and obligation of duties to those persons greater then was before, as being now members of one mystical and invisible body. Yet cur brethren cannot say, there is requisite, that the Church renew their Church-covenant towards such, seeing the use of the Covenant renewed is to restore a fallen Church, or to make a non-Church to be a Church; and if those six be converted by my knowledge, there resulteth thence an obligation of a virtual and tacit covenant betwixt them and me; but there is no need of an explicit and vocal covenant, to tie us to duties that we are now obliged to in a stricter manner then we were before; for when one is taken to be a steward in a great family, there may be a sort of Covenant betwixt that servant and the Lord of the house, and there resulteth ⟨p. 87⟩from his office and charge a tie and obligation, not only to the head of the family, but also to the children and fellow-servants of the house; but there is no need of an express, vocal, and professed covenant betwixt the new steward and the children and servants; yea and strangers also, to whom he owes some acts of steward-duties, though there do result a virtual covenant. Far less is there a necessity of an express and vocal covenant before that steward can have claim to the keys, or be received in office. So when one entereth into covenant with God, and by faith layeth hold on the covenant, there resulteth from that act of taking the Lord to be his God, a covenant-obligation to do duty to all men, as the covenant of God doth oblige him;

5. Distinct. Any professor removing from one congregation to another, and so comming under a new relation to such a Church, or such a Ministery, is in a tacite and vertuall covenant to discharge himselfe in all the duties of a member of that Congregation, but this is nothing for a Church-covenant; for when six are converted in the congregation whereof I am a member, or an excommunicated person heartily and unfainely repenteth, there ariseth a new relation betwixt those converts and the Church of God; and a tie and obligation of duties to those persons greater then was before, as being now members of one mysticall and invisible body. Yet cur brethren cannot say, there is requisite, that the Church renew their Church-covenant towards such, seeing the use of the Covenant renewed is to restore a fallen Church, or to make a non-Church to be a Church; and if those six be converted by my knowledge, there resulteth thence an obligation of a vertuall and tacite covenant betwixt them and me; but there is no need of an explicite and vocall covenant, to tie us to duties that we are now obliged to in a stricter manner then we were before; for when one is taken to be a steward in a great family, there may be a sort of Covenant betwixt that servant and the Lord of the house, and there resulteth ⟨p. 87⟩from his office and charge a tie and obligation, not onely to the head of the family, but also to the children and fellow-servants of the house; but there is no need of an expresse, vocall, and professed covenant betwixt the new steward and the children and servants; yea and strangers also, to whom he owes some acts of steward-duties, though there doe result a vertuall covenant. Farre lesse is there a necessity of an expresse and vocall covenant before that steward can have claime to the keyes, or be received in office. So when one entereth into covenant with God, and by faith layeth hold on the covenant, there resulteth from that act of taking the Lord to be his God, a covenant-obligation to doe duty to all men, as the covenant of God doth oblige him;

:510p. 87

yea, and to do works of mercy to his beast (for a good man will have mercy on the life of his beast) and he is obliged to a duty by that covenant with God to his children, which are not yet borne, to servants who are not yet his servants, but shall hereafter be his servants, to these who are not yet converted to Christ, now it is true a virtual and tacit covenant, resulteth toward all these, even toward the beast, the children not yet borne, &c. when the person first by faith entereth in covenant with God; but none, master of common sense and judgement will say there is required a vocal and explicit, and professed covenant, betwixt such an one entered in covenant with God, and his beast, and his children not yet borne, or that the foresaid tacit and virtual covenant, which doth but result from the man his covenanting with God is either the cause, or essence, or formal reason, whereby he is made a formal contractor and covenanter with God. So, though when I enter a member of such a congregation, there ariseth thence an obligation of duty, or a tacit covenant, tying me in duties to all members present, or which shall be members of that congregation, though they should come from India; yet in reason it cannot be said, that there is required an express vocal covenant betwixt me and all, who shall be fellow-members of this congregation; and far less that such a covenant doth make me a member of that congregation, yea because I am already a member of that congregation; thence ariseth a tacit covenant toward such and such duties and persons.

yea, and to doe workes of mercy to his beast (for a good man will have mercy on the life of his beast) and he is obliged to a duty by that covenant with God to his children, which are not yet borne, to servants who are not yet his servants, but shall hereafter be his servants, to these who are not yet converted to Christ, now it is true a vertuall and tacite covenant, resulteth toward all these, even toward the beast, the children not yet borne, &c. when the person first by faith entereth in covenant with God; but none, master of common sense and judgement will say there is required a vocall and explicite, and professed covenant, betwixt such an one entered in covenant with God, and his beast, and his children not yet borne, or that the foresaid tacite and vertuall covenant, which doth but result from the man his covenanting with God is either the cause, or essence, or formall reason, whereby he is made a formall contracter and covenanter with God. So, though when I enter a member of such a congregation, there ariseth thence an obligation of duty, or a tacite covenant, tying me in duties to all members present, or which shall be members of that congregation, though they should come from India; yet in reason it cannot be said, that there is required an expresse vocall covenant betwixt me and all, who shall be fellow-members of this congregation; and farre lesse that such a covenant doth make me a member of that congregation, yea because I am already a member of that congregation; thence ariseth a tacite covenant toward such and such duties and persons.

:515p. 88–89

The major is undeniable. Papists as ^aAlphonsus à Castro, and ^bBellarmine lay upon us, that which was the error of Lampetians, that we condemn all sort of vowe•, •• snares to the Consciences of men. But Bellarmine ^csaith, that Luther ⟨p. 89⟩and Ca••in acknowledge, We think vows of things commanded of God lawful; the truth is, we teach it to be will-worship to a person to vow single life, where God hath not given the gift of continency, because men bind with an oath that which God hath not bound us unto by a command. So ^dOrigen, Gregory, Nazianzen, Ambrose, Augustine say, Those which want the gift of continency cannot live without wives, and so should not burn. See how ^eBellarmine and ^fMaldonat contending for will-worship, prescribe the contrary. I prove the assumption; for a Minister to swear the oath of fidelity to his flock, is lawful; but to tie an oath so to his Ministry, as to say the Apostles teach, he cannot be a minister who sweareth not that oath, is to lay a bond on the Conscience, where God hath laid none. That a father swear to perform the duties of a father, a master the duties of a master towards his servant, is lawful; but to lay a bond on him, that he is in Conscience, and before God no father, no master, except he swear to perform those duties, is to lay a bond on the Conscience where God hath laid none. So to swear subjection to such a Ministry and visible Church, is lawful; but to tie by an Apostolic Law and practice the oath of God so to such duties, as to make this Church-oath the essential form of such membership, so as you cannot enter into Church-state, nor have right to the Seals of the Covenant without such an oath, is to bind where God hath not bound; for there is no Law of God, putting upon any Church-oath such a state, as that it is the essential form of Church-membership, without the which a man is no Church-member, and the Church visible, not swearing this oath is no Church.

The major is undeniable. Papists as ^aAlphonsus à Castro, and ^bBellarmin• lay upon us, that which was the errour of Lampetians, that we condemne all sorte of vowe•, •• snares to the Consciences of men. But Bellarmine ^csaith, that Luther ⟨p. 89⟩and Ca••in acknowledge, We thinke vowes of things commanded of God lawfull; the truth is, we teach it to be will-worship to a person to vow single life, where God hath not given the gift of continency, because men binde with an oath that which God hath not bound us unto by a command. So ^dOrigen, Gregory, Nazianzen, Ambrose, Augustine say, Those which want the gift of continency cannot live without wives, and so should not burne. See how ^eBellarmine and ^fMaldonat contending for will-worship, prescribe the contrary. I prove the assumption; for a Minister to sweare the oath of fidelity to his flocke, is lawfull; but to tye an oath so to his Ministery, as to say the Apostles teach, he cannot be a minister who sweareth not that oath, is to lay a bond on the Conscience, where God hath laid none. That a father swear to performe the duties of a father, a master the duties of a master towards his servant, is lawfull; but to lay a bond on him, that he is in Conscience, and before God no father, no master, except he sweare to performe those duties, is to lay a bond on the Conscience where God hath laid none. So to sweare subjection to such a Ministery and visible Church, is lawfull; but to tie by an Apostolike Law and practice the oath of God so to such duties, as to make this Church-oath the essentiall forme of such membership, so as you cannot enter into Church-state, nor have right to the Seales of the Covenant without such an oath, is to binde where God hath not bound; for there is no Law of God, putting upon any Church-oath such a state, as that it is the essentiall forme of Church-membership, without the which a man is no Church-member, and the Church visible, not swearing this oath is no Church.

aAlphonsus à Castr. tit. vota.
bBellarm. de eccles. milit. lib. 4. cap. 9. tandem heresin. Lampetianorum Lutherus tenet.Bellarm. de eccles. milit. lib. 4. cap. 9. •andem heresin. Lampetianorum Lutherus tenet.
cBellarm, de Monarch. l. 2. c. 15.
dOrigen. Nazianzen. Ambrose. Augustinus exponit i•lud, Matth. 19. 11.
eBellarm. de Monach, lib. 2. cap. 31.
fMaldonat. in Math. 19.

:516p. 89–90¶3

3 That way are members to be in-Churched, and to enter into a Church-fellowship, which way members were entered in the Apostolic Church. But members were not entered into the Apostolic Church by such a Covenant, but only they believed, professed belief, and were baptized; when the incestuous person is re-entered (it is said) only, 2 Cor. 2. he was grieved, and testified it, and they did forgive him, and confirm their love to him, 7, 8. there is here no Church-Covenant; and Samaria 8. 12. received the Word gladly, believed, and was baptized; ⟨p. 90⟩when Saul is converted Acts 9. Simon Magus baptised, Acts 8. Cornelius and his house baptized, Acts 20. the Church of Ephesus planted, Acts 19. of Corinth, Acts 18. 8. of Berea, Acts 17. 10. Philippi Acts 16. Th•ssalonica, Acts 17. of Rom, Acts 28. We hear no expressed vocal Covenant. So Acts 2. three thousand were added to the visible Church; now they were not gathered nor in-Churched as you gather: First, they did not meet often together for prayer and spiritual conference, while they were satisfied in Conscience of the good estate one of another, and approved to one another's Consciences in the sight of God, as living stones fit to be laid in the Lords spiritual Temple, as you require; ^abecause frequent meeting and satisfaction in Conscience of the regeneration one of another could not be performed by three thousand, all converted and added to the Church in one day; for before they were non-Converts, and at one Sermon were pricked in heart that they had slain the Lord of glory, Acts 2. 37. 42. and the same day there were added to them three thousand souls. Our brethren say, It was about the Pentecost, when the day was now the longest, and so they might make short confessions of the soundness of their conversation before the Apostles, who had such discerning spirits.

3 That way are members to be in-Churched, and to enter into a Church-fellowship, which way members were entred in the Apostolike Church. But members were not entred into the Apostolike Church by such a Covenant, but onely they beleeved, professed beleefe, and were baptized; when the incestuous person is re-entred (it is said) onely, 2 Cor. 2. he was grieved, and testified it, and they did forgive him, and confirme their love to him, 7, 8. there is here no Church-Covenant; and Samaria 8. 12. received the Word gladly, beleeved, and was baptized; ⟨p. 90⟩when Saul is converted Acts 9. Simon Magus baptised, Acts 8. Cornelius and his house baptized, Acts 20. the Church of Ephe•us planted, Acts 19. of Corinth, Acts 18. 8. of Berea, Acts 17. 10. Philippi Acts 16. Th•ssalonica, Acts 17. of Rom, Acts 28. We heare no expressed vocall Covenant. So Acts 2. three thousand were added to the visible Church; now they were not gathered nor in-Churched as you gather: First, they did not meet often together for prayer and spirituall conference, while they were satisfied in Conscience of the good estate one of another, and approved to one anothers Consciences in the sight of God, as living stones fit to be laid in the Lords spirituall Temple, as you require; ^abecause frequent meeting and satisfaction in Conscience of the regeneration one of another could not be performed by three thousand, all converted and added to the Church in one day; for before they were non-Converts, and at one Sermon were pricked in heart that they had slaine the Lord of glory,

aThe way of the Churches, Chap. Sect. 2.