only to desert but to create a scorn and contempt of it now and by erecting a Babel of confusion seek to down with Sion down with it to the ground I have only this query to demand of such Whether if they did well in communicating with us themselves they do not ill in withdrawing others from our Communion I believe it is their own judgment as well as mine that if they might be dispensed with as to the renouncing the Covenant Reordination Assent and Consent the Surplice and the Cross they might then conform to our Liturgy and Discipline and few of them would scruple to conform as publick Ministers in all other things Why then do those very Men some of which have published as much to the World and the most part are convinced in Judgment and Conscience that they themselves might thus conform why do they so industriously seduce the People from their duty of communicating in their several Parishes with their own Ministers seeing that none of them are concerned in the things which are scrupled at in order to the conformity of publick Ministers They are not troubled with Covenant Reordination c. nor with any thing that hath so much as a colour of justifying a Separation I am heartily sorry that any Persons have so intangled themselves in Nets of their own weaving that they cannot without loss of their reputation disingage themselves but that loss is not so great as the mischief will be if they shall insnare others and seek to salve their own reputation by the hazard of the salvation of others Consider therefore I beseech you where the blame and guilt will lye if on your principles and practices the People whom you have separated from the Church of England wherein they might serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear shall within a short time forsake your Assemblies also and unite themselves to other Teachers and Conventicles in which they think whether right or wrong they may serve God in purer Ordinances and at last to live without and above Ordinances if these Delusions do spring from your Principles and practices as undoubtedly they do Is not the guilt of all these Confusions imputable to you and may not the loss of those Souls be required at your hands If therefore in some private respects there be a Vae si non a woe unto you if you preach not there may be in respect of the publick a Vae infinitely greater if Men shall still go on in the way of Kain and run greedily after the error of Balaam for reward and perish in the gain-saying of Core It is not the spot of a Servant of God but an indelible brand which the Spirit of God hath fixed on Jeroboam that he made Israel to sin In our Polemical Debates with the Church of Rome it hath been our unhappiness that as soon as we have beaten them out of one strong hold they have fled to another from their Universality and constancy in the received faith to the Spirit of Infallibility annexed to the Succession of their Popes either personally or in Cathedrâ with his Conclave or in a Council when these were shattered they retreat to their invisible Fort of Traditions but when all these have by the Canon of Scripture and Apostolical Men been so levelled to the ground that scarce one stone is left upon another we see the Grandeur and Temporal Principality of the Court of Rome is at the bottom which the Sword of the Spirit and the Weapons of Christianity in the hands of Men are not able to remove It is even so in our Controversies with Separatists when their pretences of Idolatrous Worship and Antichristian Government and Superstitious Rites an imperfect Liturgy and scandalous Communicants have been confuted they retreat to other pretences of having purer Ordinances of preserving their Christian Liberty and freedom of Conscience which admit of nothing to be imposed as to the Worship of God but what is expressed in his Word when the weakness of these are discovered there is something still at the bottom viz. They would be uppermost they cannot forgo their reputation of extraordinary knowledge and Zeal for God which alone can bear them out in their former actions and make the People still believe that what they did was according to Conscience and not upon design and interest The contrary whereof will by this Discourse appear to be the ground of all Separations from any Church so duly constituted as our Church of England is If it be objected there are great sins amongst us we grant it and do not only importune God for his Names sake to pardon our iniquities for they are great but wish for more assistance for amending of them we are unwilling to recriminate as the Prophet Oded did 2 Chron. 28.9 10. Are there not with you even with you also sins against the Lord your God I shall rather commend to you that ancient Arabian Proverb Deus altissimus aspicit tegit Vicinus vero nilvidet tamen nil nisi naevos crepat The most high God sees all our iniquities and he covers them all we that see nothing in comparison are always blaming and troubling our Neighbours If the Contagion of sin hath invaded the Multitude St. Augustine the severe mercy of Divine Discipline is necessary to cure us but the counsel and enterprise of separation is both vain and pernicious yea sacrilegious because such are the effects of Pride and wickedness as that they do ever trouble the good which are weak more than chastise the stubborn which are wicked None of us can be ignorant of the prejudices and animosities that are raised by such practices in the generality of the people of what perswasion soever Your Disciples do ipso facto censure them from whom they separate as profane carnal cruel and unconscionable Men. They again do suppose that some among you are discontented and implacable proud and ambitious and such as deserve that black character which St. Paul hath given 2 Tim. 3.2 3 4 verses c. And by these contests we weaken our selves harden and animate our grand enemies and give them great advantages against us Let us therefore rather follow the things that make for peace and wherewith we may edify one another for we cannot but know after so long and sad experience as we have had that these things will be bitterness in the latter end endeavour to deserve that character which St. Augustine gives of a peaceable man Quisquis vel quod potest arguendo corrigit vel quod corrigere non potest salvo pacis vinculo excludit vel quod salvo pacis vinculo excludere non potest equitate improbat firmitate supportat hic pacificus est Ad Parmen l. 2. c. 1. And again The things which are evil displease all good Men and they hinder and suppress them as much as they may but when they may not they endure and grieve for them and for peace's
The Ceremonies were as St. Augustine complained as burdensome as those of the Jewish Church But then they imposed such new Articles of Faith to be believed as necessary to Salvation such as the Infallibility and Supremacy of the Pope the Worshipping of Images and Saints the Doctrine of Merit and Supererogation Transubstantiation and half Communion Pardons and Purgatory c. that it grew morally impossible for us to retain any longer Communion with them as Brethren unless we would renounce our fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ We do still hold and teach that the condition of our Communion was made sinful viz by professing false Doctrines believing lies and joyning in Idolatrous Worship and so it was unlawful and intolerable and they who practise such things themselves and would impose them on others are actually in Separation from the true Church to which they still adhere who continue constantly in the Apostles Doctrine Acts 1.42 and Fellowship and in breaking of Bread and Prayer Besides we do still profess that if the Church of Rome will not constrain us Calvin Melancthon Dr. Jackson to profess such Points of Doctrine or to adventure on such practices as are contrary to the faith and love of God we are still ready to give them the right hand of fellowship Hitherto then we are Recti in Curiâ the Church of England is not guilty of Separation But we have certain Friends in a Corner that will prove us to be altogether as guilty as we say the Church of Rome is And the Charge is as high That we have Antichristian Bishops and they do impose Popish and Superstitious Ceremonies which have no warrant from the Word of God and such as tender Consciences cannot comply with and therefore though we abhor Idols yet we commit Sacrilege in forcing Thousands of the People from our Communion This is a strong accusation indeed and prosecuted with great heat And like the Vipor that came out of the Fire on St. Paul's hand if it should stick nemo nobis molestias exhibeat Sic enim sentit Ecclesia Dei ab origine Epiphan in Anachor it would argue extraordinary guilt But you shall see it fall off of its own accord For First the Office both name and thing is agreeable to the Scripture and truly Apostolical practised in the Universal Church and justified even by those who only want power and opportunity to erect the same 2ly As to the impositions those must be either of false Doctrines or sinful practices but if our Doctrine comprehend all fundamental truths necessary to Salvation if we disclaim all errors destructive to faith or good manners it is the duty of our Governors to see that we profess and own such Doctrines against all opposition The malice of our most inveterate Enemies hath not hitherto proved any error in our Doctrine some of them have derided the Sons of the Church by the name of Orthodox but this is one mark of Separatists they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 18. Now if our fame be unspotted as to the main part of our constitution we may be presumed not so guilty in those dark and frivolous circumstances that are urged against us as that our Liturgy is taken out of the Mass whereas we agree not in any material part with that but wherein that doth agree with the Scripture and the Primitive Church and we should renounce almost all our Religion if we should disclaim all that that containeth But in a word if in the Church of England we do profess a sound faith and an holy life if the. Word be purely preached and the Sacraments rightly administred Vbi mihi licet in melius commutari non licet inde separare St. Aug. contra Cresc l. 3. c. 36. there is no just cause of making Separation for the pretence of imposing Ceremonies where the Doctrinals are sound is too weak a Plea to justifie Separation And therefore the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that forsake our Communion are Separatists The word signifies a throwing down of Bounds and Inclosures like Ecclesiastical Levellers that would lay all in common Fideles à fidelibus separare as Clemens Alexandrinus forcing open the Church Doors and destroying her Pale not only to let out the Flock but to let in Wolves and Foxes Calvin gives the Reason of it Extra terminos Ecclesiae alios educere Quia Disciplinae jugum ferre nequeant they are such Sons of Belial that though with the Pharisees they endeavour to lay the heaviest Yokes on other Men's Necks they can indure none themselves The like term is given to the disterminating Angels the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi solùm in universim vastatores that having got the power of the Air throw down Churches and Kingdomes and whatsoever is sacred But this devastation is not presently made by a few Malecontents they must first gather a Party that if nothing else make them considerable their Numbers may Our Apostle therefore notes divers previous actions in order to their Separation As first that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Murmurers v. 16. When a few pragmatical persons are either chastised according to their demerits or not preferred above their deserts they secretly whisper their own discontents and cherish the prejudices of others as Absalom did in Israel 2 Sam. 15.3 See thy matter is good but there is none deputed of the King to hear thee and presently it follows O that I were King in Israel The Prophet David observed this snarling humor in others Psal 59. and so did St. James c. 3.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grudge not one against another Brethren they could not forbear their vindictive groans even in their Assemblies as if they were displeased with God as well as their Brethren that they could not be avenged on them 2ly They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 complainers unsatisfied with the condition which God in his providence thought most fit for them seeking to raise themselves upon the ruine of others hence it is that their discourse is for the most part of the preferment of unworthy and wicked Men when Men of merit and prety are neglected and where God's eye is good theirs is evil Thus Core and his Complices complained of Moses and Aaron as if every one in their Faction was as holy as they but because God had raised them to that dignity the Scripture notes that their murmuring was not against them only but against the Lord Exod. 16.8 From complaining they go on 3ly to utter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great swelling words either first in publick remonstrances and authoritative admonitions such as were frequent in the Raign of Queen Elizabeth a first second and third Admonition to the Council and the Parliament and then they boast of their Numbers viz. a Thousand Ministers and an Hundred Thousand People the greater part whereof never heard of their design nor could the chief Agents agree what
pray against their Governors and Brethren instead of praying for their Enemies and use less reverence to the God of Heaven than to mortal Men it is as clear as any demonstration in Euclide that they have not the spirit of God to assist them in that duty wherein they are most confident of it that for the reason given in the 2d part of the Text because they are sensual The second part of the Character That sensuality is the ground of separation notwithstanding the pretences of the spirit will be no difficult task to prove and therefore I shall not take into the personal impurities of some deluded Sectaries and thence reflect upon the whole Party which is their own practice but a pitiful one for Si insectari personas sit causae deploratae indicium eorum causa est deploratissima but shall only consider the principles on which they act the means which they use and the ends which in all Ages they have designed all which will prove them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to be sensual The signification of which word will best appear by the Antithesis in the Text for if they have not the spirit of God to authorize or act them in what they do it must be from some lower principle and that is either corrupt and carnal reason for right reason is from God or from meer sensuality that is such sentiments and motions as are common to the Beasts with us In this sense Tertullian being yet a Montanist who called themselves Spirituales used the word against the Catholicks whom he called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which St. Jude more plainly expresseth by walking after their own lusts for in such Men v. 18. both Reason and Religion are made subservient to the sensual faculties of the Soul to promote worldly and carnal interest There is in the will and affections of such Men a vicious inclination to make provision for the flesh to fulsil the lusts thereof Now the lusts of Men are by St. John distinguished into three sorts the lusts of the flesh the lusts of the eyes and the pride of life the three Idols of the worldlings under the names of Pleasure Prosit and Honor which though every one cannot pursue severally at once yet as opportunity serves they are well-willers to them all And certain it is as both the Scripture and Philosophy observes our Lusts do make us degenerate into Beasts and as the Beasts differ in their dispositions according to their several kinds so do sinners according to their several lusts resemble some beasts more than others Quem non vincit gula vicit philautia some are like Swine for their filthy conversation others like Goats and Satyres for uncleanness others like Foxes and Wolves for subtilty and cruelty and in uno homine mille ferae When Reason it self as well as the irascible and concupiscible faculties of the Soul are acted by the sensual and fleshly appetite no Beast is more hurtful and brutish than a Man And now I have but one supposition to be granted and I hope our greatest Enemies will be so charitable as not to deny it That in the Church of England we do profess a sound Faith and may lead a godly life This I will not take pains to prove now having spoken to it at large I only add this That I believe as many Learned and Pious Men have both by their Lives and Deaths their Pious Works and Writings as much honoured and defended the Church of God Militant and are now added to the Church Triumphant from the Church of England since the Reformation as from any National Church of the like extent ever since the Apostles days nor did any of the noble army of Martyrs and Confessors now in Heaven hold Communion with a better established Church while they were Militant here below We want nothing but humble devout and thankful hearts to make us an happy People To which end I recommend to you the advice of St. Augustine to Dioscorus disswading him from curious questions If any saith he shall propose to you questions of subtilty tell them It is not your study if they ask What then is it that you do study Answer them thus I have learnt how without the knowledge of such things a Man may be happy Now if we may not only communicate with this Church without sin but have all things necessary to a holy and happy life administred it must be levity and inconstancy some carnal sensual or worse designs that hurry us to a Separation I wish they that have been chief actors would examine their Consciences what they have added to their own inward peace and spiritual comforts by all the troubles and distractions which they have occasioned to their Brethren and where they think the account of all the rapine bloudshed and confusion besides the present hatred and fierce animosities that have so long overflown us and now threaten another Deluge will be charged at the last day But to my purpose which is to prove Sensuality to be the ground of Separation De unitate Ecclesia S. 8. Let no Man think saith St. Cyprian that good Men can be drawn from the bosome of the Church the Wind cannot dissipate the solid Wheat to which St. Augustine adds that by the very act of separating we shew our selves to be Chaff and no Wheat But that I may as much as is possible remove all prejudice against my discourse I shall first acquaint you with what the Scripture says concerning Separatists The first were the Pharisees whose Motto was Stand off I am holier than thou who challenged not only the Keys of Knowledge but of Heaven also to let in and shut out whom they pleased insomuch as they said that if but two Men of all the World were to be saved one of them must be a Pharisee what painted Sepulchres doth our Saviour discover them to be proving them to be guilty of greater sins denouncing against them greater judgments Matth. 23. and representing them at a greater distance from the Kingdom of Heaven than Harlots and Publicans St. Paul gives the like description of some in the Church of Rome Rom. 16.17 18. Mark them that cause divisions among you Why what of them they are Gnosticks Men of more than ordinary Knowledge and Piety No says the Apostle if you do inspect them narrowly you shall find that though they pretend the Kingdome and Scepter of Christ they do not serve the Lord Jesus Christ but their own bellies and that by vile arts too for with good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple The like Persons we find in the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 3.3 whom St. Paul chargeth with carnality and proves it too There are among you envying and strife and divisions and can you deny that you are carnal No conclusion can result more naturally from proper premises than this of being carnal where envy
were as expresly set down in the Gospel to be used or for born in the publick worship of God as the rites and circumstances concerning Sacrifices were in the ceremonial law yet as the Sacrifices themselves much more the modes of preparing and offering them might be used or omitted for the performance of moral duties so doubtless if things of an external ceremonial nature had been commanded or forbidden in express terms they might yet be observed or omitted as the substantial service of God and obedience to his greater commands for charity and peace might be best performed But these things being not determined particularly by the Gospel but left under general rules for decency and order may doubtless be determined by a lawful authority such as that of our Church under our Gracious Soveraign is and being so determined and imposed there is an advantage on the side of Authority against a scrupulous conscience which ought to over-rule the practice of such who are members of that Church It remains only that I endeavour to remove an objection or two against what is here said Object 1. If the ceremonies be things of such indifferency Why do not they who are in authority dispense with the use of them or totally lay them aside for the sake of peace and unity Answ 1. The Magistrate doth but his duty in providing for the solemnity of Divine worship according to those general rules for decency and order prescribed by the Apostles 2ly What the Magistrate doth is not only agreeable to his private discretion and conscience for he practiseth the same things that he prescribes but according to the deliberate determinations of the most wise and pious persons of the Nation in their solemn Assemblies and doubtless as St. Ambrose wrote to St. Augustine if they had known any thing better they would have practised that 3ly It will very much impair the authority and reputation of Magistrates so to comply with the importune clamours of scrupulous persons as to alter or abrogate their laws and constitutions as oft as discontented or seduced persons shall demand it And though it be very uncertain that the craving party will be satisfied when they are indulged in all that they desire yet it is certain that others will be incouraged to make new supplications and so create perpetual disturbances And the gratifying of a few weaklings or male-contents may give just cause of offence to a greater and better party who are desirous to worship God in the beauty of holiness and are really grieved at the irreverence and disorders which are and have been too observable in the Meetings of dissenting parties 4ly Hereby the Magistrate should tacitly confess himself guilty of all those accusations that have been charged upon him and his predecessors of imposing unlawful superstitious and Popish ceremonies and persecuting the godly and conscientious people that could not conform to them And 5ly It would greatly defame those worthy Martyrs who not only thought fit to retain them and gave cogent arguments for the lawful use of them but sealed the established worship and discipline with their bloud not only in the Marian days but under the late Usurpation also 6ly It is an unreasonable thing to demand that which they themselves would deny if they were in the Magistrates place for let me ask them whether they being well perswaded of their discipline and order viz. that it is agreeable to the Word of God to antiquity and reason would comply with the desires of dissenting parties to make such alterations as should from time to time be required by others contrary to their own judgments and consciences and to this we need no other answer than the practice of the Objectors when they were in Authority And who can doubt but that they who being subjects do assume to themselves a power of directing and prescribing to the Magistrate if they were in the Magistrates place would take it very ill to be directed by their Subjects 7ly If the established ceremonies were removed others of a like nature would succeed as unscriptural and symbolical as they such as sitting at the Sacrament and lifting up the hands to Heaven it being impossible almost to perform divine service with any decency without such and seeing that for many centuries of the Primitive Church wherein other ceremonies have been complained of by Saint Augustine and others no man ever objected against the ceremonies which are used in our Church and which were by those famous Reformers and Martyrs retained in our Liturgy it is no argument of a meek or quiet spirit to make objections and cause divisions upon pretence of Superstition in the Liturgy and ceremonies and to expect that the Church to salve their reputation should betray her own and by abrogating her sanctions give the world more reason than yet hath been given to believe that the Church of England even from the first Reformation hath been in a dangerous error and the Factions that opposed her have had truth and justice on their side In the second Objection Papists and Sectaries joyntly say That other dissenters may as well justifie their separation from us on pretence of the Ceremonies retained by our Church as we can justifie our separation from the Church of Rome by reason of the Ceremonies injoyned by her To which I shall not need to make any other answer than a short appeal to the Consciences of all unprejudiced persons Whether the Church of England requiring the use of three Ceremonies declared by her self to be indifferent and acknowledged by her enemies not to be unlawful can be thought by any sober person to give as great and just a cause of Separation from her as all that load of Superstition in the Church of Rome of which St. Augustine complained in his days that the Jewish yoke was less heavy To require Prayers in an unknown Tongue and to Saints and Angels is doubtless more offensive than to use a solemn plain form of words taken either from the Scripture or the ancient Liturgies of the Church What is the Surplice Cross in Baptism and kneeling at the Sacrament for devotion if compared to their Adoration of the transubstantiated Host worshipping of Images invocation of Saints their doctrines of the Popes Supremacy and Infallibility of Purgatory and Indulgences besides the innumerable ceremonies daily practised by them And as the Sectaries will not condemn the Church of England for receding from these extreams so neither can the Romanists blame her for want of moderation in retaining both purity of Doctrine and decency of Worship and abhorring those other extreams of Sacriledge and profanation of holy things of Rebellion and Bloud shed though under pretence of Religion wherewith with both they and the Sectaries have defiled themselves It was the pious care of the Pilots of our Church to conduct their Successors between the two rocks of Superstition and Idolatry on one hand and irreverence and irreligion on the other in the same course
Heyfer Thus the Arians by one Eusebius a Chief Eunuch first seduced the Empress and by her the Emperor Constantius to be of their perswasion And the great artifice that they imploy to this end is noted by our Apostle to be their having Mens persons in admiration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for their own profit that is by flattering insinuations and excessive praises of their Persons and parts their Office and Authority Delectant homines eae faccre quibus non solum non metuitur reprehensor sed laudatus operator extolling their Vertues and extenuating their Vices they skrue themselves into their affections till they make merchandize of them 2 Pet. 2.3 This is Grotius's Observation and if you think it too severe Calvin will avouch it A quibus sperant aliquid commodi As Tacitus says of Otho Omnia serviliter pro imperio fecit iis sordide blandiuntur they basely fawn upon every one from whom they hope for a Pension And most Men are of Micah's opinion that the Lord will bless them when they have such a Levite for their Priest Judg. 17.13 though he be one of their own consecrating Irenaeus tells us how one Mark a Valentinian inveagled a Matron of good note l. 1. c. 89. I desire saith he that you may partake of my grace for there is a place for your greatness in my heart we ought to meet and be united in one that you may first receive grace from me and by me See Josephus what power the Pharisees had upon the chief Women in Jerusalem l. 17. c. 3. fit your felf therefore to receive me as the Bride doth the Bridegroom that you may be as I and I as you behold grace is descending upon you open your Mouth and Prophesie After this saith our Author she thinks her self a Prophetess returns great thanks to Mark for communicating his grace to her and she studies to reward him not only by a liberal portion of her Wealth by which he was greatly inriched but by a perpetual adhering to him and communicating with him even in things not fit to be named It is no great wonder considering what persons they attempt and what arts they use 2 Pet. 2.2 if as it was foretold many do follow their pernicious ways and that by reason of these the way of truth be evil spoken of This gives occasion to our Adversaries to say of us In Orbis Breviario as Bertius of the Calvinists This is proper to them to overthrow whatever estate they are admitted into never to be at rest until they are uppermost to be scoffers turbulent factious disputers ingrateful proud above what can be spoken or believed And this is another feature of the Separatists to be mockers deriding all that is sacred and holy in church or State they despise Dominions and are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities The Church was seldome without an Ishmael such as mocked the Messengers of God 2 Chron. 36.16 and abused his Prophets and despised his Word until the wrath of the Lord arose and until there was no Remedy Thus Jeremy complained that they mocked at the Sabbaths of Sion Lament 1.7 Mock-altars and Ordinances and Calves were set up at Dan and Bethel by Jeroboam to bring contempt upon the Worship of God Such mockings as these the Apostle calls cruel and joyns them with scourgings they were no small part of our Saviour's sufferings and the Disciples are not above their Lord and Master You know with what bitter terms the Pharisees whose name signifies Separatists did reproach the Person and slander the foot-steps of the Lord 's anointed it was a small matter for a Souldier or two to spit in his Face their hard speeches pierced his very Soul to be called a glutton and wine-bibber a friend of Publicans and sinners was but a Prologue to the Tragedy they intended they prosecute him as a Deceiver as a Traytor as one that had a Devil and by Belzebub did cast out Devils as one that subverted the Law and the Prophets all Religion and good Discipline in the Churches of God We may not greatly wonder therefore if in our Age the Church of God be called Babylon and her Ministers Baal's Priests and her Worship Antichristian Though Michael in the heat of contention with the Devil v. 9. brought not one railing accusation against him yet in cool blood without any provocation these mockers cease not to load their Superiors and Governors with hard words shall I say or as our Apostle adds with ungodly deeds such as I want words to express But this is no otherwise than what St. Paul foretold Act. 20.29 That grievous Wolves should enter into the Church not sparing the Flock and that of our own selves should Men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them that they may as the Vipers are said to do eat their way through the Bowels of the Church These are they that separate You would think that it is from some Den of Dragons from Tigers or Cannibals or some thing worse than themselves that these do flie But our Apostle gives us another description of them that they were such as were sanctified by God the Father and called such as contended only for the Faith that was once delivered to the Saints and against those only that turned the grace of God into lasciviousness and let the pretences be never so specious The terminus à quo denominates a Separatist Mr Cawdry the forsaking of such a Society will denominate them Separatists And we shall need no other evidence but what comes from their own Mouths for they all grant that a true Church wherewith we may retain Communion without sin or intolerable persecution ought to be communicated with to prove them guilty In the Preface of the Jus Divinum Regiminis Ecclesiastici a Book made by the then London-Ministers they tell ús Ann. 1647. That Parochial Churches are received as true visible Churches of Christ and most convenient for edification that gathering Churches out of Churches hath no foot-steps in Scripture that it is contrary to Apostolical practice and is the scattering of Churches the Daughter of Schisme the Mother of Confusion and Stepmother to Edification and therefore they condemn the Independents for gathering Churches out of other true visible Churches of Christ without any leave or consent of Pastor or Flock yea against their wills receiving such as tender themselves yea too often by themselves or others directly or indirectly seducing Disciples after them Mr. Cawdry says that they who separate must prove the Church from which they depart to be heretical and corrupt or else they are schismatical for Schisme is Schisme saith he though our Churches be not so pure as they ought or would be Again to separate Men in judgment in a Church is Schisme but from a Church is much worse and again Schisme is a causless separation from the Communion and
they dare to stir up Tumults and bring all to confusion A Doctore glorioso Pastore contentioso inuttlibus quaestionibus liberet Ecclesiam Dominus lest forsooth they should abate any thing of their reputation Methinks I see them represented in that reply of Naaman the Leper when he was advised to wash in Jordan 2 King 5.12 that he might be whole Are not Abana and Pharphar Rivers of Damascus better than all the Waters of Israel May I not wash in them and be clean So do they contend for their own inventions against the institutions of God Are not our own Discipline and Ordinances better not as good only Jordan is but a standing Water to these Rivers put all the Waters in Israel together Abana and Pharphar their Government and Discipline exceeds them all But though he turned away in a rage yet was he not to be cured until he was washt in Jordan And this pride and desire of vain glory begets that obstinacy which Alphonsus à Castro observes to make them inflexible so that though they be foiled never so often they will still contend How often and irrefragably did St. Augustine confute the Donatists yet could he not silence them but being puft up with a furious pride did still boast that they alone were the Church of God when as there was not any one Doctrine in the Catholick Church that they could justly cavil at The same pride is observed in our Adversaries of Rome who though there be not any Doctrine maintained in our Church but some famous Doctors of their own have defended nor any refused by us but some very learned Men of their own have confuted the same yet do they still condemn us for Hereticks and notwithstanding the infinite contradictions among themselves pretend still to a spirit of infallibility And if it be considered by impartial and uninteresled Persons how many eminent Men in our Church for learning piety and moderation have been causlesly impudently and uncessantly vexed reviled and opposed by fierce implacable and unreasonable Men it will appear they are acted by no other spirit but that of contradiction and perversness which manifests it self in all their practices and writings and proves them professed enemies to all good government and order I cannot think Abailardus was a wise Man that resolved to persist in his Opinion when he was convinced that all the Fathers were against him Qui custode remoto Gaudet equis canibusque nor that such Boys as Horace speaks of that cast off their Tutors and become ungovernable will ever make wise or good Men. From this Pride proceed emulation and envy not only a secret grudging but an open discontent at the deserved advancement of others as if all that honour which is granted to such were taken from themselves They are indeed unsatisfied not only with their own but with other Mens conditions Thus as our Apostle observes they go in the way of Cain who envyed his Brother on no other account but because his person and services were better accepted Thus Aerius being denied a Bishoprick for which he was Competitor with a more worthy Person vented his Opinion that a Bishop and Presbyter did differ in nothing St. August de Haeres ad Quod vult Deuxe 69. hoping that though he could not raise himself to that dignity he might degrade it to his own quality The like did Donatus Cecilian was preferred to the Bishoprick of Carthage for which he was a Candidate and upon his disappointment he presently breaks out into a Schisme and adds Heresie to it When ambitious Men meet with a repulse and their pride hath not that vent and airy applause which it expected it spends it self in envious and malicious thoughts and as Cowards when they are desperate grow valiant so are discontented persons to their own ruine if not of the Church that they may if it be possible do as Sampson did bury their Adversaries under the same ruine that they draw upon themselves And hence ariseth hatred another manifest fruit of the flesh Contra Donat l. 1. c. 11 for as St. Augustine notes none will make Schisms in the Church of God but such as are blinded with the hatred of their Brethren and the School-men observe that Schisme is a Vice wholly opposite to and inconsistent with Charity The same I have quoted from Cameron The very act of separation is an accusation of those from whom we depart of some raigning sins as Idolatry and gross superstition or intolerable Persecution For as much as no other pretence can warrant that separation and then what charitable thoughts can they entertain of such They that forsake the Assemblies do provoke to somewhat else than to love and good works And how dwelleth the love of God in them 1 Joh. 4.20 that profess such contempt and hatred of their Brethren These have been the effects of former separations and God alone that can bring light out of darkness can turn our present confusions to peace and establishment But Pride doth not alway go without profit Our Apostle tells us more than once that they design reward and advantage to themselves So they have gone in the way of Balaam for reward v. 11. And v. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Peter 2.2.14 says they have their hearts exercised with covetous practices How did Balaam under the Name of a Prophet travel up and down from Country to Country from Altar to Altar to curse those whom God had blessed and to bless those whom God had cursed and all for that which he seemed to scorn a Reward How inflexible so-ever such are to others they 'l cringe and fawn upon their Benefactors and have not their persons only but sometime their Vices too in admiration for advantage We know who had many such Chaplains and what it was made Demas forsakes St. Paul and others to make shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience we know also who they were that devoured Widows houses and they that first make them Widows and then devour their Houses and when opportunity serves can take the Houses of God into their possession too are no better This is the business of Hereticks saith Tertullian Non Ethnicos convertendi sed nostra evertendi De Praescript nostra suffodiunt ut sua aedificent St. Cyprian saith of Novatian that he was Avaritiae inexplebili rapacitate furibundus even mad with an insatiable appetite of covetousness 2 Pet. 2. And Doctor Ames that Avaritia plerunque est haerefeâ—â— comes fomes mater nutrix And who is there that hath in these later days prevaricated from the Church but in hopes at least to mend his condition which whether it were designed by those that now set up new Churches they best know and we are sure it is effected to such a degree that now Simeon and Levi have gotten the Portion of Benjamin in this place and I believe in many others they have double to
in which I hope we all believe they themselves went to Heaven And the Governors of the Church have ever since taken caution of all its Ministers not to depart from the same either in their publick ministrations or doctrines so that the people need not doubt of their security in such good old ways wherein as the ancient Martyrs did they may even in the midst of outward troubles find peace in their Souls But as for those that give themselves up to the guidance of Unstable men who have degenerated not only from the moderation and charity of the ancient Nonconformists but even from their own principles and neither are what they lately were nor have given their followers any security that they will continue to be what now they are They must needs be like children tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive There are perhaps some weak persons among us whose Consciences are really offended at the use of our Ceremonies these we ought to regard so far that if it were in our power we should rather omit the use of the Ceremonies than give them offence But as we are forbid to give any offence to private persons so much more to the Church of God 1 Cor. 10.32 by our disobedience And whereas those that have real scruples of Conscience will be diligent to enquire and ready to receive satisfaction from their more learned Brethren it cannot be presumed that there are many such among us who have the arguments and examples of the first Reformers and Martyrs the sence and Harmony of the Reformed Churches abroad the deliberate constitutions of the Church and State at home to instruct them in the necessity of Obedience in such indifferent things and if weak persons will attend rather to the wicked suggestions of a few discontented and turbulent men Qui obstruunt pectora hominum ut ante nos odisse incipiant quam nosse that so Lord it over the Consciences of weak persons as to make them hate their Brethren they know not for what if they neglect to hear the Church and despise instruction and choose their own delusions they are no longer weak Brethren but resolved adversaries and of such Christ says See Calv. Institut l. 3. c. 19. S. 11. Matth. 15.14 Let them alone they be blind Leaders of the blind And that most dissenters among us are of this kind may appear from that ready conformity which they practised before the late Indulgence and since that upon the test which argues their revolt to proceed from humor or interest rather than from Conscience And as Mr. Calvin says S. 13. If such weak persons never grow so strong as to digest inoffensive and slender food it is certain they were never well nursed with Milk I conclude therefore with Peter Martyr We must not always yield to the weak in things indifferent Loc. Com. 2. l. 4. c. 32. but so long only until they have been well instructed after which if they are still scrupulous their infirmity deserves no farther respect for then 't is not Scandalum pusillorum sed Pharisaeorum Calv. ubi supra S. 12. And the Church hath a necessity of vindicating her liberty when by the unjust actions of false Apostles it is questioned and indangered in the Consciences of her weak Children MISERICORDIAM VOLO OR THE PHARISEES LESSON Matth. ix 13. But go ye and learn what that meaneth I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice TO find the genuine sense of these words it will be convenient to consult the Context from v. 9. where our Saviour calls Matthew a Publican of no small reputation and wealth to follow him who had not a house where to rest his head A strange effect by virtue of two words wrought on such a Subject of which we are obliged to say something Ne arreptitiam enthysiasticam conversionem expectemus saith Jansenius in Locum lest we also should expect what too many pretend unto an instantaneous and impulsive power to work irresistibly upon us for our Conversion Julian and Porphyry do both object this very instance to overthrow the credit of the Gospel as if the whole History of it were fictitious and false or at least to prove that they were no other than giddy and fanatick persons that followed our Saviour In locum Of this S. Hierome takes notice and answers thus Fulgor ipse Majestas Divinitatis occultae quae etiam in humanâ facie relucebat ex primo ad se videntes trahere poterat aspectu Si enim in magnete c. But this reply is not thought sufficient by learned Men to silence the objection to which it is answered more satisfactorily as followeth That S. Matthew was brought up in the Jewish Religion wherein that he was a good proficient appears as from many passages in that Gospel so especially by the Hebrew Tongue wherein he wrote it In his time the coming of the Messias was generally expected by that Nation and our Saviour having entred on his publick Office proclaims himself to be that Messias and proves it not only by the Divine Doctrine which he taught but by the Miracles wrought by him such as no other Man did One was newly effected on the Paralytick Man v. 2d whose bodily Disease being cured by two words Arise and walk was applyed by our Saviour to perswade the People that he could as easily and graciously pardon their sins Now St. Matthew living in Capernaum where this was done could not be ignorant of the fact nor can we probably suppose him negligent to certifie himself of the real truth of that and other Miracles which our Saviour wrought in Capernaum and comparing the predictions of the Prophets with which he was well acquainted with the several circumstances of the time and place and the mighty deeds of the promised Messias he was perswaded to believe him to be the Christ of which it is also probable that our Saviour more fully convinced him by some particular arguments besides the general Doctrine which he taught in that City although only the close of that Discourse be recorded so that he was not converted as St. Paul was by a Miracle from Heaven but by the ordinary rational method by which it pleaseth God to draw other sinners to himself Opening their eyes Acts 26.18 and turning them from darkness unto light and from the power of Satan unto God It is no * Thus we find that Xenophon became the Disciple of Socrates for meeting him in a narrow passage Xenophon asked him this short question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. How the necessaries of life might be obtained to which having answered satisfactorily he demanded again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Where Men might be made good and virtuous Socrates answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Come and learn whereupon Xenophon followed him and became his Disciple Diog
sake laudably tolerate what they do not think laudable but damnable nor do they forsake the Field of Christ because of the Weeds nor his Floor for the Chaff nor the great House of God because of some less honourable Vessels that are therein If I seem to contend too earnestly and rebuke too sharply it was not my nature or indignation but the subject that prompted me to it Some Grounds will produce Briers and Thorns though the Husbandman use his utmost care to prevent them The good Samaritan used Wine as well as Oyl on the Man that was casually wounded going from Jerusalem to Jericho And when the Prince of Peace dealt with the seducing and sacrilegious Pharisees that lay in wait to divert poor souls and would neither enter into the way of peace nor suffer them that were entring to go therein he acts like a Boanerges and denounceth Hell and Damnation Matth. 23.33 from which the good Lord deliver us all Amen THE PICTURE and CHARACTER OF A SEPARATIST Shewing That Sensuality is the Ground OF SEPARATION St. Jude v 19. These are they that separate themselves sensual having not the Spirit GOD threatneth the Watchmen of Israel that if they saw the Sword come Ezek. 33 6. and they did not blow the Trumpet that the People might be warned if the Sword came and took away any person from among them though he were taken away in his iniquity yet his blood should be required at the Watchman's hands Our Saviour likewise informs us that they who see the Wolf coming Joh. 10.13 and leave the Sheep to be caught or scattered by him are Hirelings and no good Shepherds for such should give their lives for the Sheep Now there is no Sword so dreadful as that two-edged Sword of Division and Error that destroys Bodies and Souls no Wolves so ravenous as those that prey upon Christ's Flock and should those whom God hath made his Watchmen and Shepherds not warn the People of the approach of such they might justly hear what as yet hath been unjustly spoken of too many that they are Thieves and Robbers and dumb Dogs For as much then as we know by sad experience what St. Paul foretold by a Spirit of Prophecie Acts 20.29 that grievous Wolves should enter into the Church of God not sparing the Flock and doth plainly describe them to be certain Men that should arise among our selves speaking perverse things i.e. false and forced Doctrines to draw away Disciples after them we should be unaccountably defective in our duty to God and in our love to those Souls which Christ purchased with his Bloud not to acquaint them with their present danger Vnum signum habetis quare non manetis in uno Ovili August ad plebem and exhort them to contain themselves within the Fold of their great Shepherd who bought them and hath provided green Pastures and set his own mark upon them and teach them how to know and avoid those Wolves which for the most part put on sheeps clothing that with the less suspicion they may prey upon the Sheep This I have thought fit to premise because the iniquity of some Men who cannot indure sound Doctrine may exact an Apology for a Discourse of this nature Our Apostle in this Epistle exhibiteth the effigies of a Separatist and in this little Tablet of the Text I shall present to your view both the Picture and the Character of such Men. The Picture of King Charles the First was by an ingenious hand pourtrayed in such Lines as did contain in express words the whole Book of the Psalmes so that at one view you might behold the form of his Body and the Image of his Divine Soul You have in this Text First the Picture or external Lineaments of a Separatist for the better resembling whereof if I use some dark colours as shades to represent his proper complexion and features I shall borrow them from the Scriptures or unquestionable Artists by whose help I hope to strike the Original to the life so that I shall not be troubled as he that had drawn a Cock to drive away all living Cocks from it lest they should disgrace his work but rather invite them all to use it as a Glass to see their Faces and correct their imperfections by it Nor shall I need for the information of others to write under the Hieroglyphick These are they c. 2ly I shall give you a Character of the Genius or internal disposition of a Separatist and that First Ex ore suo for his word is Spiritualis having the Spirit 2ly From the Apostle who had the gift to discern spirits and he affixeth the word Animalis Sensual having not the Spirit First of the Picture to which the Relative in the Text doth only point us and therefore I shall be inforced to imitate a piece of Art to bring it into the Text. There was a French Nobleman that had the Heads of his Children so graved and painted on one Table that by the help of a Glass they reflected the countenance of their Father on another I shall in like manner collect the several Heads and qualities described in the Context which with very little Art will so reflect the picture of a Separatist on the Text that he that runs may read These are they c. The Romish Artists who have very good skill in painting will describe a Separatist in the form of an English Bishop such as Cranmer or Ridley who left the Communion of the Papacy and retained no resemblance of his Fatherhood the Pope or of that Step-mother the Church of Rome Separation is indeed such a deformed and illegitimate birth that it is never acknowledged by its own Parents but laid at other Mens Doors And it concerns us to enquire who are the peccant Parties that we may clear our selves from the charge and imputation First then we say that we have no otherwise separated from the Church of Rome than that Church hath separated from the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Apostolical Government and Worship If there be any thing truly ancient and Catholick in that Church the same is still legible in every part of our constitution we have forsaken the corruptions and innovations which of later Years invaded that Church and the time manner and methods by which strange Doctrines and practices like Hay and Stuble were laid on the ancient Foundation so that the whole Building is become another Babel for confusion and corruption have been particularly discovered The superfluous and unsound additions are the only things that we have left Bishop Jewel's Apology And for the truth of this we have appealed to the suffrages of the Fathers of the first Six Hundred Years whom that Church doth yet admit of as authentick Witnesses to be our Compurgators Great corruptions there were in that Church before the convening of the Council of Trent which was near the time of our Reformation