help their People and in the mean while Popery Arminianism Atheism and prophaness break in like a torrent now whether there is as much reason that the present Non-Conformists should keep as private as the former did the Reader must judge Obj. But the Dr. saith the old Non-Conformists earnestly opposed the Brownists Answ And so do many of the present Non-Conformists also the Brownists had two dangerous Positions or Principles peculiar to themselves 1. That there was no true Church in England nor indeed in the whole world but that all Churches in respect of their Doctrine Worship Ceremonies Constitution and Order or some of these were Idolatrous and Antichristian and that therefore no man that minded his Salvation ought to continue a member of them or to hold Communion with them as Churches though they might Communicate with particular Members or with the Society as a Company of private men Praying or otherwise Worshipping God together provided nothing was then used or done which they disliked 2. The Brownists taught that the people had the whole power of Government of the Church and that the Ministers were but the Peoples Deputies in Preaching the Word Administring the Sacraments or exercising of Discipline and must be accountable to them These Principles destructive of all Churches the Non-Conformists earnestly opposed especially the first sc separation from all the Reformed Churches as Antichristian For by preventing of this they would prevent the other mischiefs but in maintaining the Churches of England to be true Churches did they the Prelaticall Nationall Church in respect of the Established constitution which themselves had so often called Antichristian It is manifest by their Books and what is forequoted of their opinions that they meant it of the several Parishes or Congregations in England that they were true Churches both in respect of their Constitution and also in respect of their Doctrine and Worship and that there was in them no such intolerable corruptions as that all Christians should fly from them nevertheless when the Ministers in particular Parishes were more then ordinary defective and unprofitable they allowed and encouraged the people to resort to Neighbour Parishes for better means of edification which Mr. Hildersham defends to be Lawful Lect. upon John Page 227. All this is the sence of the present Non-Conformists and I do verily believe there are no more Brownists among the present Non-Conformists Ministers then there were amongst them in those days for some there were then that went further then the rest in Principles of Separation and so it is in all times and all matters of controversie and what considerable difference is there betwixt their allowing people to go to other Parishes or Gentlemens Chappels and our allowing them to go to private Meetings seeing one takes them off from their own Pastor and Church as much as the other The Dr. saith they still kept the same Liturgy and so they held Communion with the National Church nay but many times they did not that for some the Old Puritan Preachers used it not in their Parishes or Chappels others but little of it others would Baptize without the Cross give the Sacrament without kneeling Marry without the Ring c. which made people resort to them who could not have such Liberty at home and so they varified from if not omitted the Liturgy of the Church but can a man be a Member of the National Church of England and hold Communion with it without being a Member of a particular Parish and if they be allowed to continue members of their own Parishes and not to make a Schism who did in cases of necessity and pro tempore mostly Communicate with Neighbour Parishes why may not the same be said now yea it is said and beleived by most of the Non-Conformists that the Parishes are true Churches of Christ and they do not separate from them or break off Membership though pro tempere and for the present necessity they do ordinarily Communicate in private Meetings where the same Doctrine and Worship is used only some circumstances and ceremonies omitted but no contrary or new ones used in their room or in opposition to those in the Parishes and thus much for the Old Non-Conformists from whom I do not conceive those that are now living do considerably differ in judgment or practise but only as time and circumstances do direct them only they that are dead are out of the way and so best spoken of and they that are living crossing the humours or interests of their opposites are always ill spoken of Obj. 2. The Dr. next objects that we contradict the Principles of the Assembly of Divines who did disapprove and gave reasons against the toleration desired by the Congregational Brethren as tending to endless Separation Answ The Toleration desired was that all men should have liberty to joyn with what Congregation and Pastor they pleased without respect to Parish or place of abode or any other civil distribution or settlement of men amongst us Their chief reasons was that Christians being not originally bound to Nations places or any other Civil Distribution but left free to joyn with those Congregations that they should find most convenient and edifying and now Episcopal Government in England being dissolved and no other set up in its room the People were again free and therefore might make what Congregations or Societies they found most for their own edification see Dr. Owen of Schism This the Assembly thought not reasonable that things should be unravelled into their first Principles and that we should begin to lay the Foundation of Churches again seeing our Parishes at least those that have good Ministers have all things necessary to a Church and it is most convenient for Christians Living in a Vicinity and under the same Civil Officers to make the same Congregation for Worship nor did they think the former Relation of Parishes to be dissolved by the dissolution of the Hierarchy who were no essential parts of the Parishes but general Supervisors or Visitors over them of the same mind are the most part of the Non-Conformists still and all the Congregational men went not that way some allowing all those Parishes that had good Ministers and some Christians fit for all acts of Church Communion to be true Churches Mr. Cotten adds way of the Churches of New-England that it is great presumption to say that the Church of England was faulty in its first Constitution and therefore to be pull'd to pieces and new-built seeing all Histories agree that some of the Apostles or Apostolical men were the first Planters of the Gospel in England who did certainly constitute the Churches in a right manner But where is the Consequence to our purpose that because the Assembly and we as well as they maintain that the Parishes of England are true Churches and not to be subverted therefore when Thousands of their Ministers are violently thrust out from them without any cause given and if they had
Surely one company or a certain number of Families had full authority to remove and plant Colonies where they pleased as well as another yea we see God compelled them to it by confounding their Languages at Babel and farther when one colonie removed into another Country were they bound still to adhere to those they departed from as a part of their society if so then all Nations must still have been parts of that society from which they first descended and so at length the whole world must have been but one Common-wealth under one Government which was impossible and would overthrow all the ends of government if then the race of mankind which are one body in some sence more then the Church is viz linked by the indissoluble Bond of Nature whereas the Church is united by free consent I say if they having the general gift of the earth and all that is in it to possess have free liberty and authority to share the world amongst them to constitute various societies greater or smaller as they please for the end of civil Life provided they wrong not one another and so hinder the ends of civil government why may not the Church though it is one body as united to Christ it being too great to live in one society multiply it self into so many as are for it 's own edification and the ends it was made for and not be obliged still to adhere as parts to those first Congregations that were planted in every country as it were the first Families till they are a burthen to themselves till their very society makes them a disorderly confused multitude and their government degenerates into Anarchy especially when we have neither command or Scripture example to the contrary By this we may Answer the Dr's Question viz What necessity there is to reduce Churches to several Parishes or Congregations any more then to reduce Kingdoms to the several Families of which they were at first made up Answ Because Congregations have an original right of governing and preserving themselves even as Families have a natural and unalterable right of government within themselves which he that takes from them makes them slaves and deprives them of their Birth-right he himself saith upon the dissolution of the Roman Empire the Nations that before composed it resumed their antient rights and formed themselves into several Kingdoms and Common-wealths yea and as he would have it into National Churches also grant this have Nations such an immutable right to their civil liberties and government that they may lawfully resume them when they have opportunity without the guilt of Rebellion why then may not Parishes resume their right of government within themselves for their own edification when they have opportunity or necessity calls them to it also wanting the benefit of protection and government from them that undertake them why should this be Schism in them more then Rebellion in the other and that self Government is the right of euery Parish or Congregation he confesseth when he saith that antiently a Church and Diocess was all one under one Bishop and a company of Presbyters for those did officiate in common among the whole people and when by reason of Multitude they began to divide them into several companies for meeting together at the ordinary times of worship nevertheless they all met together at the same Sacrament and all made use of the same Ministers as occasion served they being not tyed to any one or any one to them so that this Diocess was but a great Parish or Congregation and if the original right of Government were in these it is so still in our lesser Congregations and to resume this right is no sinfull separation nevertheless we deny not but the Congregations may and ought to unite for their mutual help and defence especially in times of peace even as civil states combine for mutual defence and commerce but then this must be voluntary and not to impose a yoak on the several Congregations by taking away their several liberties or bringing them all to the same Liturgies or Ceremonies for this is all one as if confederate Nations or States must therefore oblige each other to the same form of Government and the same rights and customs of living and why may not all the Parishes in one County with us combine for their mutuall help and edification in certain times of meeting each other by their Ministers or Delegates yet every one reserving to themselves the Government of themselves in their own customs and usages according as they find most meet for themselves as well as the same County have their Quarter-Sessions for civil Affairs wherein the Governours and Countrey concerned have a generall meeting and yet every Town hath its own supreme Officers with several rites and custome without any Breach of Peace or Good Neighbour-hood among them CHAP. II. Of Church Communion and the Nature of Separation WE are in the next place to consider what Communion the Church is obliged to betwixt the severall parts of it and what Separation is contrary to that Communion and what is not For the First The Church is a sacred Common-wealth united to Christ now the end of every Common-wealth or Polity is common good that they all promote the good and welfare of that Body and every Member of it of which they are parts viz that particular good in those particular cases and things for which they did combine together this is meant by Communion for hereby all the actions and designs of that body are common i. e. for the good of all the Communion then of the Church which is associated only for spiritual ends consists in this that all design and endeavour the common good and welfare of all Christians in general and of themselves in particular in furthering the Salvation of their Souls the service of Christ in the use of those helps or means which Christ hath appointed to these ends this Communion hath diverse degrees and doth exercise it self several ways according to the several considerations of the Church and the Relations Christians have to each other more General or Remote or more particular and near The Communion therefore of the Catholick Church in Heaven and Earth is that they all hold the same Head Jesus Christ and own each other as Brethren in him that they love each other and all pursue and wait for that universal perfection which they shall all have when they are all gathered to Christ at the last day This Communion cannot be broken without renouncing the Head and his Religion and love to each other which are the Rule and Bonds of this Union and therefore there can be no Separation from the Catholick Church but what is not only sinfull but damnable as he that renounceth the common bonds of humane society justice love and all moral honesty and only pleaseth himself without regarding the good of any other he doth hereby break the Communion of mankind and
becomes unfit to live among them the two great parts of the Catholick Church that in Heaven and this on Earth have a Communion in that they are both United to Christ both worship and serve him in those particular ways that are proper for the state they are in and both wait for that compleat Salvation which they shall have at their general meeting besides this we know of no Communion betwixt them viz that either part can be serviceable to each other at present only we that live on earth enjoy the benefit of the Prayers and Examples which they left us who are now in Heaven and of their endeavours to continue the Gospel to us and so we succeed them in the same offices and endeavour to transmit the Knowledge of Christ his Gospel and Ordinances to those that shall succeed us nor can here be any Separation of one of these parts from another without breaking of Christian Religion which is impossible to them that are in Heaven and if any on earth thus separate it is to their own damnation The Catholick Militant Church on Earth hath a Communion in some more particulars for besides their common acknowledgement of Christ and his Gospel and the common love they are to bear to all Christians on earth as their Brethren they are to perform all offices of love which in this their imperfect militant state they are able and may need from one another such as to pray for all to rejoyce in each others welfare to sympathize in each others afflictions to assist by councell charitable relief hospitallity c. and when ever there is occasion to receive each other to their worship as brethren leaving to every one the liberty of their particular rites or opinions and this is so indispensable a duty that no Separation can be lawfull or tolerable in those who separate from the Catholick Church who relinquish the profession of Christ or cast of all love to their Brethren or that will not joyn with them in the worship of God or concern themselves in their common concerns Now for Organized Churches that are associated for the exercise of their Religion and their edification under Government o Pastours and Guides their Communion must be that the Members of every such Church joyn with each other ordinarily and peaceably in the same Acts of Worship and perform all offices of love to each other in some tolerable measure that they be subject to their Governours and that their Governours do conscionably endeavour the edification of the people committed to their charge according to the Laws of Christ which are the general rules of these societies and according to any other particular rules which they shall agree on amongst themselves for their own edification as Circumstances may require and so that both parts Governours and Governed do joyntly promote the edification of the whole Body in Holiness and Peace Separation therefore from these Organized Churches is a Breach of this Political Communion and Order among themselves which is done either by breaking off from the Body to which they belonged as Members which is Separation properly so called or by disturbing the Communion of it or withdrawing from some parts or acts of that Communion though they do not wholly break off from the body such Seperation is in many cases Lawfull in some necessary and a duty and therefore must not be Universally Condemned but the causes of it be inquired into For though all Christians must be Members of Christ and of the Catholick Church under him for the general ends of their Salvation it doth not appear yet that they must be Members of the same Organized Society or that they may not upon just occasions leave those societies they were joyned with and go to others already in being or constitute new ones for their own edification even as in civil government men may not only compose divers Polities or Common-Wealths but may also make new confederacies or divide their Polities into lesser and particular persons may depart from them to others or constitute new ones yea may deny their concurrence with many things done in the society they joyn with and all this without the Crime of Sedition or defection till the causes and ends of such practise prove it so Now to descend to the particular forms of Organized Churches by what hath been said we may easily judge of their Communion and Separation from them And First For the Oecumenicall Church the Political Communion thereof must be that all Christians in the World be subject to the same Governours under Christ and live as Members of the same individual society either as a single Congregation or as of many united into one Separation from this Communion must therefore be either to interrupt the peace and order of this Communion or wholly to forbear joyning with them but such a Catholick unity of the Church under one Government being impracticable and inconsistent with the edification of the Church since it is inlarged and dispersed throughout the world it is needless to dispute about Communion with it or Separation from it All other Churches that exceed the bounds of a single Congregation and must be constituted of many are of the same nature with the Oecumenicall Church though not of the same latitude as to the matter of Communion which must therefore consist in the performance of all offices mutually betwixt Governours and Governed as Members of the same society whether it consists of several Nations as Patriarchial Churches or of the people of one Nation as National Churches or of the people of one Province one Diocess or Classis as Provincial Diocesan or Classical Churches Separation here must be either a disturbing of the peace and order of these Churches or a withdrawing from them as to the political duties due to them such Separation must often be lawfull and warrantable seeing no command of Christs binds men to particular Provinces or Diocesses nor always to continue in the same Finally The Communion of a Parish or Congregation consists in this that Pastours and People mutually perform their respective duties to each other and amongst themselves for their dayly edification Separation from such Congregations is either to interrupt their Government or Concord or to withdraw from them now seeing no man is immutably bound to one Congregation nor any Congregation to one Diocess or any larger combination and all these Churches are subject to corruptions which the Members must oppose and contend against separation from them must not be censured till it be known whether the cause be just or unjust And thus we are come at the last to enquire What are just causes of Separation whereby we may judge also what are not And that we may not speak too generally and confusedly we distinguish betwixt Separation of one Church from another and of particular Members from that Church whereto they did belong As all Churches are bound to Communion among themselves being all Members of the
Preferment that is not Episcopally Ordained besides all other Subscriptions Now the Communion of Churches lieth in admitting of Ministers to officiate in each others Churches sometimes as well as in admitting the People to lay-Communion as in the famous instance of Victor and Polycarpus at Rome celebrating the Sacrament together Let us unite at home and then there may be hope we shall unite with our Neighbours CHAP. IV. The grounds of the Non-Conformists present practises THE Dr. spends the whole 3d. part of his Book in confuting the Pleas for Separation from the Church of England and gathering new Churches which I shall leave to those whom it concerns and shall only say that all these disputes do really increase and not hinder Separation by laying open the first Principles of Government to the People and filling their heads with Notions and Disputes about things whereof they are not competent Judges Moderation in Governing and not disputes about Governments doth most dispose the People to Obedience and quiet Submission and as in Commonwealths when People have not the Protection of their Governours or the Benefit of their Laws and just Priviledges rigorous proceedings dispose them to defection and to study Arguments to defend it from the natural principles of self-preservation and the peoples interest in all Government by their Primitive consent to it and their successive approbation of it So rigorous Impositions in the Church without any condescention in Governours upon just complaints will at last make the People weary of forbearing and search for all pleas whereby they may defend themselves in shaking off the Yoke and then it will little avail their Rulers either to their profit honour or peace of their Consciences to cry out upon Rebellion or Schism when they have lost the people Our present practise in Preaching though ejected and forbidden is not grounded on nor need be supported by these or any other pleas for Separation The general sence of the Non-Conformists both Ministers and People leaving to particular Persons their particular sentiments as the Church of England also doth to many of her Members is this 1. That the Parishes of England generally are true Churches both as to the matter of them the People being Christians and not to be excluded from church-Church-Communion and as to the form of them their Ministers being true Ministers such as for their Doctrine or manners do not deserve to be degraded 2. That the Doctrine Worship and Sacraments in these Parishes are for substance sound and wholesome though there are some offensive things mixed in them and annexed to them 3. That they are still Members of these Parishes the people of those where they live and the Ministers so far as not to be obliged to set up distinct and permanent Churches nevertheless they think themselves bound to joyn together for the Worship of God according to their own Consciences and publick allowance for some years past desiring and waiting for an opportunity to return fully to the Parish-Communion when ever it shall please their Rulers to condescend to their reasonable request in relaxing or removing those things which are so offensive to them and in this their practise they judge they do no more then the Primitive Churches often did when erroneous or otherwise unfit Pastours were obtruded on them or other differences arose amongst them whereupon the Congregations were often divided as in Rome Antioch Alexandria and Constantinople with divers other places and then when those offences and differences were removed they returned to full eommunion again or as did the Church of Israel when by Jeroboams Apostacy they could not go up to Jerusalem with safety or other times could not communicate there because of Corruptions under some Kings of Judah who then held private Assemblies for the present necessity and when all obstacles were removed again went up to Jerusalem even many of the Ten Tribes in Hezekiah and Josiah's time when their own Idolatrous Princes were removed and they could do it without danger though they were still subject to Idolatrous Conquerors but such who lived remote and gave them more Liberty of Religion then their own Princes did We judge our case to be like a case of necessary self defence where present necessity is the Guide and Law-giver and ordinary Laws and orders which are proper for times of peace are in a great measure supersedent When a Kingdom is invaded or divided within it self all things threaten ruine it is lawful for the people to gather into several Bodies to possess Garrisons to chose them Leaders and for fit men to undertake their conduct though without though contrary to some present commands that may be unduly obtained and given yet they shall incur no guilt of Sedition nor Rebellion so long as they design nothing but the preservation of themselves and the whole as far as they can and are ready to return to their own places so soon as peace shall give them leave When an Army is in danger to be betrayed by the falsehood or division of the principal Officers or when it hath lost its Generals in some defeat it would not be accounted mutiny for the Soldiers to run together as they can and with the help of inferiour Officers to preserve themselves from being sold or destroyed provided they still retain a resolution of returning to the Body of the Army when they may with safety to the whole and to themselves Thus the Non-Conformists lie under such a necessity they conceive for the Reasons laid down in the former part ch 6 and 7. which it may not be amiss for a conclusion briefly to sum up 1. There is now no reason to be pretended for the imposed Conformity In K. Edw. dayes the Bishops their Clergy and People made it necessary to retain what was then retained now 't is not so generally desired In Queen Elizabeths days there was hopes of winning of the Papists by our moderation now there is none but more danger of their incroaching upon us by it 2. The Dissenters from this Conformity were heretofore but few now they are a very considerable part of the Church I will make no comparison Formerly the Ministers were generally censured as Puritans and were but few the people likewise but two or three in a great Town now they are Multitudes and those who are zealous for Conformity appear fewer then those who would be glad to have it reproved at least in all places that are most civilized 3. Conformity hath occasioned a woful Division and Scandal in our Church ever since the Reformation and therefore ought not after so much Experience of the evil of it and also after plain evidence of benefit and advantage to Religion by the removal of it for some years to have been again so rigorously enjoyned 4. The things in Question though not of the highest nature in themselves yet by occasion of the Division they cause at home and the advantage the Papists make of it have endangered our