11. Argument 10. That which overthrows the principal ends of a church-covenant is unlawful.
Argument 10. That which overthrows the principal ends of a church-covenant is unlawful.
A rgument 10 Owen:
Argument 10: That which overthrows and dissolves our churchcovenant, 1 as unto the principal end of it, is as to us unlawful. This end is the professed joint subjection of our souls and consciences unto the authority of Christ, in the observation of whatever He commands, and nothing else, in the worship of God.
But by this practice, this end of the church-covenant is destroyed, and thereby the church-covenant itself broken: For we do and observe that which Christ has not commanded: And while some stand unto the terms of the covenant, which others relinquish, it will fill the Church with confusion and disorder.
Baxter:
§ 26. To your tenth argument I answer:
1. What your church-covenant is I know not, but if it profess subjection to nothing in worship but what Christ commands, it is your church-error: For
then you are in covenant not to obey the pastor (even yourself), if he set a psalm, a tune, a translation of Scripture, nor if he appoint time, place and utensils for worship: For these are in the worship. Then you are covenanted to disobey the magistrate if he command any of these, or command men not to put on their hats 2 or sit at prayer, or for concord tie all the land to one translation of Scripture or any such undetermined mode.
2. It is a greater disgrace to your churches than ever I knew of before, not only to covenant against God's Word, Heb. 13:7, 17; 1 Thess. 5:12-13, etc. and against the Fifth Commandment, but also to make this necessary to concord that your churches must break if the members agree not all herein.
This is a plain demand of conformity to a human, unsound imposition. No wonder if they are dividers who set up by church-covenants false terms of unity.
1. See above.
2. The main Anglican tradition was for men to take off their hats when entering the church building, and consequently for the whole worship service, in contrast to the puritans. See above.