lewdnesse of Life he was degraded and deprived of all Ecclesiastical Liberties priviledges and endowments This is not only witnessed by Socrates in the Synodical Epistle of the first councel at Nice but also recorded by Eusebius Sozomen and Theodoret. Neither may they be forborne or tolerated in their Office upon their Repentance For as Repentance will never cure their Insufficiency So it must be a very notable Repentance that must at all much lesse suddainly readmit a scandalous person into the Ministery In the Primitive Church after such hainous sinning they would admit him to the Ministery no more were he never so penitent though they did admit him ad Laicam Communionem with the people Conc. Car. Anno 258. et conc Ro. 3.487 As for their maintenance it is forfeited by all law Divine and humane seeing it was given them only as unto Pastors for the worke of Christ and service of the Church only Quamdiu â—e bene gesserint therefore so farre as they are able saith a Pious Judicious Mr. Baxter concord p. 107. and learned late Writer they should make the Church restitution of the profits and emolumets which for so many yeares they have so unjustly received it being before God but plain robbery and one of the most hateful kinds of robbery that can be imagined to starve and destroy mens souls and thus to takes hire for it Moreover seeing the sincere keeping Covenant with God in Christ is a chief part of our Christian Religion and a matter of absolute necessity to our salvation It is as hard trusting the guidance of that man againe who hath once betrayed us and the Church unto sinne and superstition as it is to trust a Commander who once turned traitor and would deliver up his Army to the power of the Enemie Nature teacheth to forsake such Commanders in obedience to their Supreme Soveraigne and for safety of our selves Eng. Ann. en Eccl. 19.22 Lastly An ignorant or scandalous Pastor is so farre from being a gracious Mediator between God and his people as he should be that he is like to draw rather wrath upon himself then procure favour for them Yea the Poet telleth us that they endanger their flocks Homer Odys l. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evil shepherds infect their flocks They who sinne in Gods House or Sanctuary Isa 65.3 are said to provoke the Lord to his face and to do evil before his eyes as if a Servant should doe things directly crosse to his Masters mind and command to his face Now as when the fear or knowledg of man is removed for a man freely to indulge himself a liberty of sinning is a high provocation and to make a practice of it would argue a desperate case So when their sinne cometh to be publick it is the more grievous being committed by them who should have beene exemplary for Piety and Religion do suffer in their sinne for want of sincerity If so notable a Prophet as Moses escaped not punishment for the Psalmist saith Psal 106.32 It went evil with him for the Israelites sake though others provoked him to sinne how much shall they be subject to Gods judgment who by Ignorance or Scandal cause Gods children to sin § 3. But howsoever an Ignorant or Scandalous Pastor ought to be cashiered yet it is not in the peoples power to reject or relinquish one that is already their Teacher and separate from church-Church-communion with him except when he is utterly intolerable and all orderly meanes for his ejection do faile It cannot be proved from Scripture that any people may reject or depose their Ministers much lesse a lesser part of a Church may do it when the greater dissenteth No nor a greater because it tendeth to confusion Mr. Baine telleth you that Pastor and people are as individually joyned together as husband and wife That as no cause can separate husband and wife but Adultery so nothing beside insufficiency through ignorance or scandalous living can separate Pastor and people For as he is sacred in his first instalment so in the performance of his office he was honourable in the times of the Heathen Tertullian tells us Tert. de Cor. Mil. c. 10. that heathen Priests were crowned A symbole that they could not be degraded nor cashiered And the first Crown which the Romans used was their Spicea Corona given as a Religious Ensign in honour of their Priests Honosque is non nisi vitâ sinitur Plinius Nat. Hist lib. 18. c. 2. exules etiam captosque comitatur saith Pliny nought but death could terminate this honour which was their companion both in exile and captivity Concil Laodic cap. 13 Anno. 320 Sure I am that it was decreed in an ancient Councel That the people must not be permitted to elect and therefore not to reject their Pastor If your Minister then be unable to teach you do not admit him at first But if he be able to teach you and guide you be ruled by him even in things that to you are doubtful except he teach you any singular points and then take the advice of other Ministers in trying it Expect not that he should humour you and please your fancies and say and do as you would have him It is contrary not only to all examples in any age of the Church but to the office of Pastors and Duties of the people in Scripture to guide their Pastors and not to be guided by them but to joyn with other Congregations on the Lords day either in the forenoon or afternoon as much as with their determined Parish or Congregation Yet Nazianzen teacheth us Naz. Ep. 26 That he that thus despiseth his Pastor is a vain man and by reason of his presumption a new Dathan or Abiram And we complain to the Lord in the words of the same holy Father that it all our sufferings this thing is the most ridiculous Naz. Ep. 31 and yet most to be pityed that we are the same men that are injured and accused For some men object one thing against us others another according as their either mind or manners or mischievous passions so suggest and the most favourable men to us do neglect or contemn us and after we have spent our strength and spirits for their good they cast us aside as vile and dishonest vessels Thus Nazianzen with whom we againe doe complaine Naz. Or. 32 Iren. Praes l. 1. n. 18. that the world seeketh not Pastors but Orators And Irenaeus before him sheweth us that it is the duty of a faithfull Pastor to study the Truth and not Eloquence I remember that Sozomen writeth that Aetius the Eunomian Atheist his Eloquence was to matchlesse Soz. l. 4. c. 22. Eus l. 7. c. 31 that it made his errour impregnable And Eusebius reporteth that Meletius the Heretick for his eloquence was called Mel Atticum The hony of Greece This I write not for any evil eye I bear to them
against Church-separation that Mr. Parker Mr. Paget Mr. Ball Mr. Brightman and others have left behind them large evidences of their zeale against separation from Parochial Church Assemblies It is more then strange that when the Apostles had by commission from Christ planted Churches and were to leave them to be propagated in future ages yet would wholly be silent of this separation but leave us by our dark imaginations to discover it In which we are in danger to set our threshold by Gods threshold of which hee sadly complains or rather Ezek. 43 8. justle out Gods threshold with ours § 4. Thirdly Others pretend that they separate from Parochial Church-communion for prophanenesse of the people and corruption in conversation But neither doth this admit of separation provided that Doctrine be such in which men may have communion for Edification If we look upon the people of Israel throughout the revolution of all times we may find high Titles given them even when they lived in all kind of sin and Disobedience They had Titles given them of singular glory by reason of priviledges Deut. 14.12 et 32.9 Zach. 2.9 Rom. 9.4 Deut. 9.6 et 32.6 Isa 1.4 et 48.4 Ezech. 32.16 which they enjoyed by their call into church-fellowship as children of God Gods peculiar ones his portion his heritage the apple of his eye and many the like Elogies In the mean time their Qualifications were as low as their Titles high their conversation no wayes answering their calling but branded to be stiff-necked of an Iron sinew an Adulterous a Sinful Nation a People foolish and unwise as Sodome and Gomorrah unto the Lord And yet the Prophets and righteous persons keep their residence among them held communion with them and saw no ground of separation from them It seemeth a great contradiction to some to name men at all believers Saints or Professours when their lives evidence an unsutablenesse to such a glory yet we know the churches to whom Epistles are directed in Scripture 1 Cor. 3.3 et 6.7 2 Cor. 12.20 Rev. 3.1.16 are so honoured as we may see in their frontispieces and the most upright hearted among them had communion with them when yet they did wrong and defraud one another when they profaned the Lords Table where Fornicators Idolaters Luke-warme c. And yet the Apostles did not leave them but made it their businesse to reclaim them The advice that was sometime given to a Maid that for Religions sake would retire her selfe to a solitary life she was told Aut de fatuis Virginibus es aut de prudentibus si de fatuis Congregatio tibi necessaria est si de prudentibus tu Congregationi If she were bad she need the city to better her if good the city needed her So we may say to the separatists from Parochial-Congregations either they stand in need of the Church or the necessities of the Church call for their help and assistance § 5. As for all other pretended causes of separation Learned Zanchius at length proveth Zanch. t. 7. part 2. col 74 c. that so great is the Authority of the Church visible whether Universal or Particular that none may with hope of impunity despise her Doctrine or Discipline much lesse separate from her Communion because to despise the Church is to despise Christ to divide the unity of the Church is to divide Christ and to crucifie him a fresh and to separate from the Church is to separate from Christ for extra Ecclesiam non est Salus out of the Church there is no salvation Lastly if any doe pretend the practice of forrain reformed Churches for Church separation I answer 1. That the piety and prudence of the Worthies of this Nation was much more admirably valiant for the Lord in establishing Lawes with Penalties against this profane licentiousnesse then the practice of the contrary can be imitable or warrantable Jer. 9.3 See Blond Honor. Reg. c. 2. Forrain Churches were never so sensible of nor had occasion to bewail this prophanenesse so much as we in these last seven or eight years wherein all the Ghosts of the miscreants of former ages have been let loose from hell in full swarmes to infest this Nation more then ever the locusts did the Land of Egypt 3. We ought to follow others no further then they are followers of Christ and his Gospel Non vivendum exemplit sed Legibus And therefore I will not say again what Orthodox Divines have in this point Seneca until our adversaries shall make it their taâ—k to prove some infirmity or insufficiency in that which they have written CHAP. XVI Serious and frequent Admonition ought to bee inculcated against this Errour § 1. IT is very true Nunquam sine quercla Sen. de Ira c 10. Salv. de G. D. l. 8 initio tanguntur aegra you can never touch the sore without the grief of the Patient All would be pleased Nulli grata reprehensio est saith Salvian None love reproof none but the wise Prov. 9.8 And that which is worse the most wicked cast-away would rather heare his own false praises then true reprehension and be deceived with jeering applause then saved by wholesome Admonition And yet Separatists from determined Congregations must no lesse be admonished then other sinners so long as there is any hope they will amend That charge given to the Prophet Isa 6.9 10. is six times alledged in the New Testament to warn them that if they turne not God will what his sword Psal 7.12 and be glorified in his justice upon them who made no account of his mercy And it is a just thing with God when men wilfully winke and shut their eyes against the light to strike them stark blind 2 King 6 18 Gen. 19.11 as he did the Assyrians and the Sodomites and Elymas the Sorcerer and to dash out their eyes Deut. 28.28 It is true Gods primary intention in sending his messengers Jer. 3.15 is for the good of his people for he giveth them Pastors according to his own heart which do feed them with knowlede and understanding yet in a secundary place it is for to leave the wicked inexcusable and to justifie his proceeding toward them See 2 Cor. 2.15 16. John 9.39 Thus the Pastor must do his duty and referre the issue or successe unto the Lord yea hee must deal plainly and roundly as the Lord himself doth Ezek. 2.3 c. Matth. 10.14 But chiefly with publick and common sins as this of Church-separation is lest he seem to allow of them and so become guilty of them by his allowance For § 2 Though Saul acted not in the murder and Martyrdome of Steven yet his consent spake him guilty of the same crime Act. 8.1 A mind to tolerate evil is sin in the seed which time bringeth forth Jam. 1.14 15. God esteemeth the evil we would do as done though we have not done it and
probanda sapientia no Religion should be undertaken without wisdom neither should any wisdome be allowed without Religion For all overdoing in Gods work is undoing as saith a late redoubted Warrier of the Lord Mr. Baxt. Direct 26. pag. 352. And whoever you meet with that would overdo suspect him either a subtil destroyer or one deluded by the destroyer Oh what a Tragedy could I here shew you of the divels acting And what a mysterie of the Hellish art of deceiving could I open By occasion of our present quarrels with hereticks the Old Serpent steps in and will needs be a spirit of zeale in causing many professours to separate from their appointed congregations and inducing them or rather seducing them to overdo O that God would open the eyes of his churches in England to see this Satanical stratageme § 3 Then let us not be too much bent on a thing Rom. 12.3 nor just in our own opinion but let us temper our zeal with godly wisdome advise with others lean not on our own understanding flatter not our selvs in any opinionative confidence of our own abilities to judg of all that is fit to be done but think soberly of our selves The more humble thou are the more wary and circumspect thou wilt be and the more wary the more safe Now for the avoiding of overdoing in the point in hand let us constantly practise these few Directions First Labour for knowledge and a sound understanding 2 Tim. 1.7 a sound Judgment is a most precious mercy and much conduceth to the soundnesse of Heart and Life Aug. de C. D. l. 5. c. 10. Male vivitur si de Deo non bene creditur A weak Judgment is easily corrupted And if it be once corrupted the will and conversation will quickly follow Our understandings are inlets of entrance to the whole soule The moral Philosopher hath well concluded Derodon disp 1. in Ethicis § 4 Omnis malus est ignorans solus ignorans malus est ignorance is virtually every errour Secondly Be sure you make conscience of the great duties you are to perform in your families Teach your children and servants the Knowledge and fear of God pray with them daily and fervently Read the Scriptures and good books to them Keep them from sin especially see that the Lords day be wholly spent in these exercises and not in sports or idlenesse Thirdly Remember alwaies that ye are bound to be followers of Peace and unity He that is not a son of peace is not the son of God All other sins destroy church-communion consequentially Dial cum Trapertit pag. 265. but division and separation demolish it directly Justin Martyr professeth that if a Jew should keep the ceremonial Law so hee did not perswade the Gentiles to it as necessary yet if he acknowledg Christ he judgeth that he may be saved and he would have communion with him as a brother And I professe that I believe that professors which disturb the peace of the church and separate from their brethren nay I fear lest they should prove a firebrand in hell for being a firebrand in the church Fourthly Keep the mastery over your flesh and senses Few fall from God but flesh-pleasing is the cause Remember who hath said If ye live after the flesh Rom. 8.5 6 7 13 14 ye shall die Think of this when ye are tempted not only to lust drunkenness worldliness c. but also when ye are tempted to seperate from your Parochial Assemblies for the Apostles hath pronounced such to be carnal You little think what a sin it is even to please your flesh further then it tends to help you in the service of God Seneca I. p. 14. Multis enim servict qui corpori servit He hath many masters that serves his flesh and after Honestum ei vile est cui corpus charum est Honestie is vile to him that endeareth his body Happy were many a Christian if they had learned this lesson which an infidel teacheth them then would they beware lest conscience lose its tendernesse then would they live in a constant readinesse and expectation of death having their conversation in heaven while they live upon earth Fifthly Look upon all present actions or conditions with a remembrance of their end Plutar. de Adulat Ambit Solon desired Croesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to behold the end Desire not a share in their prosperity who must pay as dear for it as the losse of their souls Be not ambitious of that honour which must end in confusion nor of the favour of those that God will call enemies Fear not that man that must shortly tremble before God whom all must fear Sixthly Deal faithfully with every truth you receive take heed of subjecting it to carnall interest If once you have affections that can master your understandings you understand not the Truth This changeth Christians into Males or Asses Soz l. 6. c. 5. as Antony the Hermite dreamed of the Arians For when you have a resolution to cast off any duty as Parochial Church-communion you will first believe it is not duty And when you must change you judgement for carnal advantages you wil make the change seem resonable and right And evil shall be proved good when you have a mind to follow it Lastly Apprehended and necessity and usefulnesse of Christs Officers Order and Ordinances for the prosperity of his Church Tell your Archippus that he fulfill his ministry Concil Milev 2. c. 24 25. Anno 416. as in abandoning all sin in conversation so all errors in doctrine otherwise by the ancient canons of the Church he hath forfeited his ministry Pastors must guide you not seduce you or lead you Jesuitically blindfolded caecâ obedientiâ Pray for you Minister that utterance may be given him Ephes 6.19 that he may open his mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel Watch carefully that no weaknesse of the Minister draw you to a disesteeme of the Ordinances of God nor any of the sad miscarriages of Professors should cause you to set lesse by Truth or Godlinesse Wrong not Christ more because other men have so wronged him Quarrel more with your owne unfitnesse and unworthiness in Ordinances then with other mens It is the frame of your own heart that doth more to help or hinder your edification then the quality of those whom you joine with § 4 But the sad experience of these times of separation from determined church-communion hath much abated the confidence of the godly that Antidotes wil prevail with the vulgar or ordinary Christian and caused them to have lower thoughts of mens docility and tractability then sometimes they have had and doe look on man as a distempered inconstant creature Arist Eth. lib. 7. c. 14. in sine of a natural mutability in his apprehensions and Affections though God who knowes the heart and knowes his owne decrees may know
so highly pleasing the Lord as the three Persons in the blessed Trinity have put themselves in Order to shew how well they love it And order is a thing so neerly concerning us Mat. 28.19 1 John 5.7 Zech. 10.7 as break Order once and break both your Staves saith God in Zachary both that of Beauty and that of Bands The Staffe of Beauty for no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no manner of decency or comeliness without it but all out of fashion The staffe of Bands for no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no kind of Steadinesse or constancy but all loose without it Gen. 1.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All falls back to the first Tohu and Bohu for all is Toha empty and void if God fill not in Order all is Bohu a disordered rude chaos of confusion if Christ order it not Every body falls to be doing with every thing and so nothing done nothing well done I am sure Every man then should whatever his Gifts be order his Place and Standing in Divine Worship by Christ assigned him This is judged needful even in secular matters Write one never so fair an hand if hee have not Orderly the Calling of a publick Notary his Writing is not authentical Be one never so good a Lawyer if he be not ordered to be a Judge he can give no definitive Sentence Scot. l. 2. Sent. d. 2. q. 12. n. 3. Aquin. 22.26.1.0 The Order of Nature is prefixed by God and is necessarily to be observed by every Natural cause saith one Schoolman And wheresoever there is a beginning there must be some Order saith another § 2. Ignorance of the Truth as Lactantius noteth well maketh incertam labentemque sententiam an uncertain and slippery assertion Will-Worship is no Religious Act because it is not directed by Divine Order Neither are good Intentions enough John 4.23 We must be certain of Gods revealed will to order us in his Worship otherwise we cannot do it in faith Now this is Will-Worship to make any thing answer for Gods Worship to our selves of our selves without Order from God and warrant of his Word Amos 5.26 Colos 2.22 2. Sam. 16.16 We must be Passive not Active here Mans Devise and Self-wisdome at the best pretend what he will is no warrant for Gods Worship especially Amphibolies Equivocations Mental Reservations or the like for howsoever they may silence the cry of a carnal conscience yet they are but shifts and shuffles which have no ground from Gods Word Though Israel had builded Temples in Dan and Bethel Hos 8.14 to the memory of God yet the Lord calls it a forgetting of him their Maker God will be worshipped onely by the rule of his Word Notwithstanding the dignity of Adams excellent condition in Innocency the variety and plenty of provision he had without any cost or paines of his own he was not to live an idle life and without order And though he were to work on the Week dayes without sweat or wearinesse yet on the Sabbath by Gods example if not by his command he was to rest from that work to give himself more intentively to the Worship of God and communion with God which he could not so well do if he did any thing else at the same time It is not then as Anaxagoras said Lactan. l. 3 c. 9 and our Atheists and Epicures do Man was born to see the Sun and look unto the Heavens but to seek know and serve the Lord his Master He not only giveth life but means also by which we may orderly distinctly Act. 17.27 observing due cicumstances come to know him § 3. A thing then may bee good in the substance and yet in the Circumstances Time Place Person c. unwarrantable 2 Kin. 12.3 Deut. 12.11 As the Israelites worshipping in the High Places the Duty was good but the place where it was performed was prohibited so the Duty of Will-worship in the Indeterminate Service of God in a Church enjoying her freedome the Schoolman telleth us Aquin. 12.73.7.0 That the Circumstance aggravateth the Sin In matters that concerne God who is so fit to be consulted with as he whom God setteth over us and ordaineth for the self-same purpose In the order of the Universe not only is the Kind or Species intended but also the individuals in the principal parts thereof saith Scotus Scot. in Sent l. 2. d. 3. q. 7. ad 5. Aquin. 1.47.3.0 1 106.3.2 ◠And all things created by God have an order to God and mutually to themselves saith Aquinas His reason is Because all Order dependeth on the Will of God Hence I infer That oftentimes the circumstance of an Action marrs the substance and that in divine matters we must not only look that the body of our service be sound but that the cloathes be sit The Princes of the Philistines had before given their voices what should be done with the Ark of God 1 Sam. 5.10 yet nothing is done without the direction and assent of those whom they accounted Sacred Nature it self sendeth us in divine things to those persons whose Calling is divine It is either distrust or presumption or contempt that carries us our own wayes in spiritual matters without advising with them whose lips God hath appointed to preserve knowledge The Philistines desired to be directed by their Priests and Diviners in the matter of their Oblation 1 Sam. 6.4 What shall be the Trespasse Offering say they which we shall return unto God They knew well that it were bootlesse for them to offer what they listed Pagans can teach us how unsafe it is to walk in the wayes of Religion without a determined and certaine Guide This is likewise confirmed by the custom and Canons of the ancient Church For it was decreed in the Councel at Eliberin about the year 310. Conc. Eliber cap. 21. That if any man without a lawful cause stayed three Lords Days from his Parish Church his punishment was that he should be so long time excluded from Christian Assemblies Moreover Coriolanus citeth out of Burchard another Canon of the same Councel in which it was determined That they who came seldom to their Parish Church should not at their approach to death be admitted into Communion before they brought forth fruits meet for repentance § 4 In vain is comfort expected from God Be Hall Contemp. 81 if we consult not with his particular Vice-gerent that hath oversight over us For David in his distresse for Ziklag 1 Sam. 30.7 spoiled by the Amalekites called for Abiather he could not live in the Court of Achish a Heathen King without his Seer and overseer Hence Gad is called Davids Seer 2 Sam. 24.11 Ravanel in Videre Heman the Kings Secr 1 Chron. 25.5 Jeduthun the Kings Seer 2 Chron. 35.15 because they put their Kings principally and particularly in mind of those things which appertained to the service and worship of the Lord. And
hear as every one liketh in a distracted church-Separation contrary to the Ordinnances of God and good Magistrates Exceptions indeed may be taken at the overlarge extent and disordered situation of divers Parochial congregations But Parochial Assemblies not the name but the thing is the way that comes up to the Rule of Scripture Light of Reason and the Presidents of Primitive times Our congregational Bretheren will have the limit of a Particular Mr. Blakc Cov. Cap. 3. church to be within that number of persons that may congregate in one place for Ordinances If this be yeilded then it will easily be proved that Parish-congregations are of Divine Institution and then it will consequently be true that peoples Separation from Parochial Church-communion hath this Sinful Effect to be a Disorderly confusion contrary to Divine Institution For Contiguas pictas jussit habere domos Saints that made up a church were still Saints in cohabitation they were as in faith so in Habitation joyned together § 3. It were easie to relate the abundant fearful Effects and sinful consequents which this Practice of Church-Separation doth produce as the disorderly confusion which of necessity it doth occasion the weakning of the work of the Lord in the place where providence hath seated them Mr. Blake loco supra citato and conferred many Mercies upon them the depriving of Pastors of their Flock Spiritual Parents of their Children the animosity of Spirit that is wrought in those that withdraw themselves judging them whom they leave as scarce Ministers of Christ nor their congregations as churches of Christ withdrawing then and thence when and where Christ is pleased to reside I do only urge this that it is without all Scripture precept or president to depart from the solemn and publick worship of God to which his special providence hath bound us It was accounted dangerous not only to estimate one Apostle above another as Papists do Saint Peter contrary to the ancient practice and doctrine of the church in Tertullians time Ter. de praescrip c. 24. Non mihi tam bene est imo non mihi tam male est ut Apostolos inter se committam I am not so wise saith he nay I am not so foolish as to value one Apostle above another But it was thought dangerous also to esteem one Father or Teacher in the Greek or Latin church as if he had the mind of Christ above another 1 Cor. 2.16 as the Apostle speaketh The Greek Menologie mentions a Division like that among the Corinthians in the Greek church in the daies of the Emperour Alexius In which one preferred Basil An. 1103. another gloried in Nazianzone a third extolled Chrysostome until they heard this voice from heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are all one before God It is dangerous then to extol one of the servants of Christ who speaks according to the Spirit of Christ Doroth. Bilioth Patr. Tom. 2. above another lest as the Historian reporteth such Admirers become Miriones that is like to the man who first magnified Zosimus next Macarius then the Apostles Peter and Paul lastly the Blessed Trinity which also blinded through Inconstancy he renounced totally and finally This is our fear this is our complaint § 4. This Error of Indetermined church-communion was of old taken for a consequent yea a symptome of Luxury and Wantonness It was observed of the Corinthians that they were rich and luxurious and therefore proud and contentious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so on as Strabo describeth them Strab. Geor. l. 8. We should therefore beware of such Separation as a Mark of Spiritual Wantonnesse And we find in Hesychius that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no better then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus you may see the Genius or Inclination of what people is strongly bent unto this Sin And though it be true that Grace doth not only polish Nature Morality knoweth how to do that but even subdue it and change the very frame and constitution of it yet being that it is not wholly conquered in this life it is like it will shew it selfe most in some domineering corruptions Ball against Can. which generally reign among Christians This Error tendeth to the renting of the church the disgrace of Religion the advancement of pride Ignorance contention Offence of the Weak Grief of the Godly Hardning of the Wicked and rising againe of Antichristianisme For they that voluntarily depart from their determined congregations if in words they do not maintaine Antichrist really they do him more credit then his chief upholders Seeing of necessity they must confesse that in other churches which may be Antichristian for any thing they know the pure Faith may be entirely professed the Doctrine of Salvation plentifully preached the Seals of the Covenant rightly administred for substance and by the blessing of God upon his own Meanes Christian Soules ordinarily converted and nourished unto eternal Life Which is more then all the Factors for Antichrist shall ever be able to make good Upon this account it seemeth the Council held at Nantes decreed Conc. Nannat c. 1. et 2 Anno. 800. Grat. causa 9. qu. 2. Can In Dominicis that no Pastor should admit unto Divine Ordinances any man of another congregation that willingly despised the Dvine Exercise of his Ordinary Minister And Gratian reporteth that to the same effect and purpose one Canon was established in Concilio Meldensi § 5. Unto all these I could add Musculus his judgment who relateth five dangerous consequents of this Error 1. That it casteth the Soul into danger of its Salvation while as it departeth from communion with the appointed and approved Congregation Museu Loc. Comm. de â—â—…hismate 2. That it divideth as much as in it lyeth the whole and entire body of Christ 3. That it despiseth not one or two christians but the whole congregation which it forsaketh 4. That it doth not only despise but condemn that congregation as not genuine but adulterate 5. That it violates the bond of Peace which is charity in that it not only departeth but seduceth others to depart from their proper and peculiar congregation All which are confirmed and amplified by that Pious Divine How dangerous this Error is may further be declared by many testimonies of Judicious Calvin Calv. Instit l. 4. c. 1. per totum praesertim § § 4. 10. Who often telleth us that so highly doth the Lord regard the communion of his church that he counteth them Traitors and Fugitives who contumaciously separate from any Society or congregation which maintaineth the true Ministery of the Word and Sacraments And that so highly the Lord esteemeth his church That whosoever wrongeth her authority he judgeth it derogatory to his own Honor c. But I study brevity CHAP. XIII The causes which men pretend for Separation from Parochial Church-Communion are frivolous and invalid And First Indetermined Church-communion is no part but an Abuse