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CHAPTER XV.

COUNCILS.

179

146. Acts of church communion, according to the Synod of 1662.

Councils and also Conferences of which we shall hereafter have occasion to treat more particularly, are founded on the general principle, already repeatedly mentioned, that there is and ought to be a coMMUNION of churches. In the Synod of Congregationalists of 1662, the communion of churches is defined to be the faithful improvement, according to capacity and opportunity, of the gifts of Christ, bestowed upon them, for his service. and glory, and their mutual good and edification. The acts of communion, they assert, are such as these ;-I. Hearty care and prayer one for another, 2 Cor. xi. 28, Canticles viii. 8, Rom. i. 9, Col. i. 9, Eph. vi. 18;

II. Affording relief by communication of their gifts in temporal or spiritual necessities, Rom. xv. 26, 27, Acts xi. 22-29, 2 Cor. viii. 1, xi. 14;

III. Maintaining unity and peace, by giving an account one to another of their public actions, when it is orderly ́desired, Acts xi. 2, 3, 4, 18, Josh. xxii. 13, 21, 30, 1 Cor. x. 32, and strengthening one another in their regular administrations; as in special by a concurrent testimony against persons justly censured, Acts v. 41, xvi. 4, 5, 2 Tim. iv. 15, 2 Thess. iii. 14;

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IV. Seeking and accepting help from, and giving help unto each other in case of divisions and contentions whereby the peace of any church is disturbed, Acts xv. 2,-in matters of more than ordinary importance, as the

ordination, translation, and deposition of Elders, and such like, Prov. xv. 22, xxiv. 6, 1 Tim. v. 22,-in doubtful and difficult questions and controversies, doctrinal or practical, that may arise, Acts xv. 2, 6,-and in the rectifying of mal-administrations, and healing of errors and scandals, that are unhealed among themselves, Job iii. 9, 10, 1 Cor. xv. 2 Cor. ii. 6, 11, xii. 20, 21, xiii. 2 ;

V. Taking notice, in love and faithfulness, of the troubles and difficulties, errors and scandals of another church, and administering help, when the case necessarily calls for it, though they should so neglect their own good and duty, as not to seek it, Exod. xxiii. 4, 5. Prov. xxiv. 11, 12;

VI. Admonishing one another, when there is need and cause for it, and after due means with patience used, withdrawing from a church or peccant party therein, which obstinately persists in error or scandal.

§ 147. Of the obligation of the churches to seek advice.

The objects, proposed in the three first classes of acts of communion, may in general be effectually and happily accomplished in that plan of stated intercourse, termed Conference of Churches. The objects, proposed under the fourth, fifth, and sixth classes, imply and require the existence of Councils.

And it is to be added, that it is not left wholly at the option of the churches, whether they will call a Council under the circumstances therein mentioned. So far from it, if they neglect, in cases of evident necessity, to consult with neighboring churches by way of Council, it is considered matter of just offence to them. This is explicitly stated in the Platform, Chap. xv. §2.-" If a church be rent with divisions among themselves, or lie under any open scandal, and yet refuse to consult with other churches for healing or removing of the same, it is

matter of just offence both to the Lord Jesus and to other churches, as betraying too much want of mercy and faithfulness, not to seek to bind up the breaches and wounds of the church and brethren."

But, on the other hand, there may be too great eagerness and precipitancy in assembling Councils, which is an error hardly less, than the one here objected to. Some remarks remain to be made in a subsequent section on the views and feelings, with which such a proceeding should be commenced.

§ 148. Of the persons composing Councils.

Councils are to be composed of ministers, and of laymembers or brethren of the churches. The formation of Councils on this plan is deemed to be agreeable to the genius of the Christian system, which, in recognizing the rights of all, opposes itself to the exclusive right and the domination of any particular class, (see § 73.)—And it may be added, that it is not only agreeable to the general spirit of Christianity, but is particularly and explicitly authorized.

The Council of Jerusalem, of which we have an account in the fifteenth chapter of Acts, was composed of ministers and private brethren. It is true, that the church of Antioch, on whose account that Council was called, deputed Paul and Barnabas to go to the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem, without making mention of any other class of persons. But on their arrival we find, that they were received not only by the Apostles and the Elders of the church, but by the church itself. The business, on which the messengers came from Antioch, was discussed in the presence of the whole body of believers; and the result which was agreed upon, and is left on record, is not only in the name of the Apostles and Elders, but of the brethren.

§ 149. Ancient testimonies on this subject. Without undertaking to repeat all, that has been said by the early writers on this subjcct, it will be sufficient to remark, that the principle in question is repeatedly recognized in Cotton's Way of the Churches of Christ in New-England, printed in 1645, at Chap. vi. § § 3, 4. It was also admitted and sanctioned by the Synod of 1646-8, who were the authors of the Cambridge Platform, at chapter sixteenth of that instrument. And again, in the Synod of 1679, the feelings, evinced in relation to this subject, were particularly marked and explicit, in consequence of certain members appearing there unattended by any of the brethren of the churches of which they had charge. The Synod immediately noticed it, and were so much dissatisfied, that they would not recognize them as members, and pernit them to take their seat, until they had first prevailed with their churches to send a delegation of lay-members.

"Councils and Synods, (says the more recent Apology of Samuel Mather, Chap. vII.) should be composed of such persons, as are fit and proper, both of the eldership and of the laity; and both have equal right to speak their sentiments in them." And again he says, in a few sentences after, "When a number of pious, skilful, and prudent persons, both ministers and brethren, are sent and convened in Council or Synod, they ought to have equal power and authority in acting and voting; this is the right of the fraternity."

150. Of those who have the right of calling Councils.

Councils are summoned by means of LETTERS MISSIVE, addressed to a number of churches, and stating the object, in reference to which their deliberations are solicited. (See § § 33, 71.) The right of sending LETTERS for this end is possessed by whole churches; and in cer

tain circumstances by aggrieved members forming a part of a church, as also by aggrieved individuals. As each member is bound to feel an interest in the whole, so on the other hand the whole body are bound to regard the rights and well-being of each member; and on this principle even individuals, however obscure they may be, are entitled to the protection of Councils, those bodies being the only authorized means of representing the church at large, in the Cases iv. v. vi. of the Synod of 1662, mentioned at § 146. Letters Missive are also sent by the agents of Missionary Societies, in the name of such Societies, as remarked at § 93; inasmuch as those bodies are deemed to be acting in the name and behalf of all the churches. Also a number of individuals in a new settlement, who are not members of a church, but give credible evidence of piety, and wish to be united in a church state, may call a Council for that purpose.— (See §§ 24, 33.)

§ 151. Obligation of the churches to regard Letters Missive.

If the bodies and individuals above-named have a right to send, the churches are bound to accede to their request, right and obligation being reciprocal. Still as the application is always supposed to be a reasonable one, and for some religious end, if they have satisfactory evidence, that this is not the case, they are released from that obligation. And hence they first vote, on receiving the Letter Missive, and before choosing their Delegates, whether they will meet in Council or not.

It is hardly necessary to add, that the churches do not notice Letters Missive, sent either by individuals or corporations, acting merely in a civil capacity, or for civil or secular ends.*

* There are some valuable remarks on the topics of this Section to be found in the Statement of the Dedham Case and Considerations on Congregational Polity, pp. 56, 57.

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