THE PARASYNAGOGUE PARAGORIZED OR A Parenetical confutation of the Epidemical Error which asserteth Separation from Parochial church-Church-communion Demonstrating Their practice who on the Lords day neglect the publick Exercises of Divine Worship in their Parochial Congregations and frequent caeteris paribus other Churches to be Anti-scriptural By John Lesly Minister of the Gospel at St. Michaels neer St. Albans in Hertfordshire London Printed by Thomas Maxey in Thames-street 1655. 1 Cor. 3.4 VVhile one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo are ye not carnal Clemens Rom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyprian de Lapsis Non jungitur Ecclesiae qui ab Evangelio separatur Basil ad Amphiloch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the Honourable WILLIAM LENTHALL Esquire Master of the Rolls c. Honorable and Honored Sir A Sufficient Apology for my bold adventure of presenting this part of my poor endeavors unto the publick view may be an observation of the heathen that when the Lord is pleased to visit a Nation with the sword or the like judgment Eurip. apud Sarah l. 11 pag 498. then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the worship of God is weakened and men will not honor him as they should Not so much for your particular inclination toward mee doe I make mention of your Name before this Treatise as for that generall Concession and Homologie That the publick inferres the private benefit In the peace of the City Jerem 29 7 ye shall have peace For I feele my selfe no senselesse member of those bodies which out of divers experiences challenge an interest in your Honours most favourable Integrity and Love which you have alwaies borne to Gods Glory Christs Gospel and all good Causes wherein you may bee charitable The greatest greatnesse hath no greater Honour belonging to it then to be an Abrech to Persons Bookes Gen. 41.43 and Causes of this Nature Such Cedars have their spreadth and tallnesse to shelter such Fowles of the Heaven under their shadow It was the pious resolution of Luther in one of his Epistles Inveniar sanè Superbus Avarus Luther ad Stanpit Adulter Homicida Antipapa omnium vitiarum reus modo impij silentij non arguar dum Dominus patitur That hee had rather be counted any thing then bee accused of wicked silence in Gods cause And wee know that the more dishonoured and trampled upon any cause of God 's is the more hee expects that wee should appeate for it Now lest any man should bring a bloud-shot eye to make all appeare of a wrong colour that I have made no particular Person my Aime or Adversary my witnesse is in heaven Job 16 19 and my record on high But because losse of Salvation followeth obstinacie in Errour Camero p. 286. in folio I have done my poore endeavour to proclaime Gods will If any doe demurre or obstinately persist or resist they may remember they erre not without warning Common Ingenuity commandeth mee thankfully to acknowledge what you have done for one that hath no wittie Insinuations for extracting of your favours nor Impudency enough to returne them in flatteries yea who had such obstructions betweene his heart and his tongue that hee could scarce expresse the least part of his Thankfulnesse much lesse is hee able to make you a requital But the Lord of Lords grant that you may find all favour in the eyes of God and Man that all true Happinesse may be multiplyed upon you and yours and crown you with eternity So prayeth Your Honours obliged and humble Servant in the Lord JOHN LESLY The CONTENTS Chap. 1. THere is a necessity of opposing Errors and a special necessity of opposing the Errour of Indetermined church-Church-Communion 2. The late Original of this Error Some mschiefes of it are indigitated A Motive to resist them 3. Parochial church-Church-communion is a duty implanted by Nature and a Moral and Solemn part of Divine Worship 4. All Christians are to joyne themselves to some particular visible Church when the Lord offereth occasion 5. We are bound to hearing in our own determined Congregations Necessitate praecepti 6. God assigneth unto every ordinary Pastor a portion of his people to be instructed by him 7. Separation from determined Church-communion is reproved 1 Cor. 1.12 and 3. ver 4. 8. The Lord commandeth to worship him Orderly which is not observed in Indetermined Church-communion 9. We are bound to hearing in our particular Congregations by Christs Doctrine and Example 10. We are bound to the duty of Determined Church-communion by the custome of Apostolick and primitive times 11. Reason teacheth that Indetermined Church-communion is carnal glorying in the worthinesse or excellency of other Pastors 12. Some sinfull effects and consequents of Parochial or Congregational Church-separation The causes which men pretend for Separation from Parochial Church-communion are frivolous and invalid And 13. First indetermined Church-communion is no part but an abuse of Christian Liberty 14. Secondly Separation from Church-communion for the Pastors knowne insufficiency or Scandalous life may be lawful Otherwise it is lamentable if not intolerable and impious 15. Thirdly Other imaginary and imaginated pretences are answered 16. Serious and frequent admonition ought to be inculcated against this error 17. Some Antidotes against the Infection of Separation from Parochial Church-communion 18. The Conclusion ERRATA IN the Book pag. 4. lin 26. for Cannons read Canons p. 5. l. 16 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 6. l. 9. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 9. l. 10. for were read went In Marg. l. 24 for Arm. de read Ames de p. 10. in Marg. l. 16. Jer. 2.14 is wanting p. 13. in Marg. l. 10. for Ceserens read Cestrens p. 15. l. 6. for livng read living p 16. l. 8 put out and. l. 22. for exacteth reade enacteth p. 31. l. 4. put out the. p. 44 l. penult for Ceristians read Christians p. 47. l. 4. are is wanting l. 5 for allay read alloy p. 73. l. 22. for Orthadox r. Orthodox for Hetorodox r. Heterodox p. 80. l. 4. for apprehend read apprehended l. 27. this is wanting p. 105. l. 15. not is wanting p. 111. l. 18. the is wanting p. 124. l. 7. put out not lin 22. for Meditaion read Mediation p. 139. l. 11. for nulla read nulli The Parasynagogue Paragorized OR A Parenetical Confutation of the Epidemical Error which asserteth Separation from Parochial Church-Communion CHAP. I. There is a Necessity of opposing Errors and a special Necessity of opposing the Error of indetermined Church-communion § 1. IT is the infinite Goodnesse of the Lord that in wrath he remembers mercy For my part Hab. 3. ◠I look upon it as a special mercy that although we live in times in which the Truth is opposed and blasphemed more then ever before yet the Faithful have liberty to speak and write in defence thereof I wish that all orthodox Christians who have
speak that is â—n all opportunities though not ad semper at all moments without intermission But indeed it is both our sin and our misery that in our ordinary Callings we seldom remember God as we might and should it being too true of all in a degree To forget God Psal 10.4 and not to have him in our thoughts Solemn Worship is the presenting the whole man soul and body together unto God Now this Solemn Worship is distinguished into solitary and conjoyn'd worship which usually though not properly is expressed by the terms of Private and Publick Worship but we had rather call it Solitary or Conjoyned because it is presented to God either by any one singular person alone or by divers joyning together in the tendring of it That Solitary Worship is a necessary Duty Sabbat Red part 1. c. 6. Sect. 12. appeares from the grounds of Nature 1 It is altogether unreasonable to imagine that God should lose any of his honour from any man single because there is none other company to joine with him in the Solemnity of Worship 2 It is likewise unreasonable to think that a man is not bound to seek the recovery of his souls lost happiness in his enjoying God induties of Worship because he is alone Next Solemn Conjoyned Worship is Domestical or Ecclesiastical That the Lord requires Domestical Worship from all such jointly as live in Families appears to be Moral-Natural because it being the Lord that hath placed men in a Community it cannot be justly conceived that he should do this meerly for their worldly conveniences but rather chiefly that they should improve their Society one with another to his Glory Psal 68.6 Zech. 12.12 Esth 4.16 Exod. 12.3 who is the Lord of them altogether as well as of every one of them single and so that they should worship him jointly together as wel as each of them apart § 5 Now all Ecclesiastical Worship is so assuredly of the Law of Nature that all Nations that have ever been heard of have had their joynt Publick Solemn Worship and have had Persons set apart purposely for it No man denyeth this for no man is ignorant of that which nature freely doth suggest Tertul. de Spectac c. 2. saith Tertullian Moreover Reason and Experience declare that the good of souls calls for Solemn Ecclesiastical Worship and commends it as absolutely necessary and profitable not only in that men are hereby yet more affected by a more general example Sabbat Rediv part 1 c. 6. Sect. 15. recommending the Worship of God but also because by the solemn Ordinances of Prayer Preaching Sacraments Sabbaths c. multitudes are at once taught minded of and provoked to many Duties they owe to God and Man better then their owne solitary thoughts or endeavours could ordinarily have attained to And this so much the rather because of the gifts which God to this purpose hath endued his Ministers with who by his appointment are set apart mainly for the Publick Worship exceeding those which others have usually or ordinarily yet by the advantage of Publick Worship every particular person present enjoyes the benefit of the Ministers gifts 2 Cor. 4.23 for the Edification and Consolation of every one from whom it is not hid and so may reap in one hour the strength of that which hath been growing divers years and feed upon that which hath beene gathering many dayes This Ecclesiastick Worship is so natural to man that Tertullian wondreth Tert. de Cor Milit. cap. 6. How any man can ask for Gods Law seeing it is written openly in the Creatures and naturally in the Tables of Hearts unto which the Apostle doth appeal 1 Cor. 11.14 Rom. 2.14 1.26 27. § 6. This Ecclesiastical Worship is either determined or indetermined That thing is said to be Determined which hath bounds and limits prescribed Determinare Deut. 19.14 Job 14.13 est terminos constituere saith Ravanel As that Worship then may be said to be Determined which is limited with certaine Circumstances and circumscribed so that may be said to be indetermined whose Administration and Performance is Casual Occasional Arist Eth. l. 3. c. 1. Accidental The Philosopher telleth us That Circumstances are the particular Conditions of singular Acts. Now circumstances are determined in Scripture but in general and left to Humane determination in specie Therefore Aquinas concludeth That the consideration of circumstances Aquin. 12.7 2.0 12.18.3.0 doth chiefly belong unto Divines and that they make any Action either good or bad And Scotus teacheth Scot. Sent. l. 1. d. 28 quaes 4. n. 12. That the Determination of a thing is twofold opposite unto a twofold Indetermination namely a Determination unto Contradictories or Positive Diversities and thence concludeth that Determinatio ad alteram partem Contradictionis stat cum indeterminatione ad diversa And therefore the determination of Solemn Worship to Parochial Church-communion on the Lords Day doth consist with his Indetermined Worship at other times and places on certaine occasions The sum of all is That Determined and Parochial Church-Communion is a Duty implanted by Nature otherwise it were not absolutely a Moral-Natural Duty to worship God solemnly at all for every such Duty which we by the Law of Nature owe unto God cannot but be perpetually and universally possible to all he being perpetually existent and present with us and we with him And so by the Law of Nature it is sacriledg against God to separate from determined church-Church-Communion chiefly without cause But I pass from Nature to Scripture CHAP. IV. All Christians are to joyne themselves to some particular visible Church when the Lord offereth Occasion § 1. MY second sort or kind of Reasoning against the Practice I oppose is deduced from plaine Scripture And here though I might plead as Tertullian did Tert. de Monogam c. 4. Scriptura negat quod non notat That the Scripture denyeth that which it teacheth not And seeing this practice hath no Scripture-warrant for any thing that I ever yet saw or heard the Practisers of it should fear that Woe denounced not only against them that adde or diminish but likewise that adulterate the sense of Scripture Tertull. de Praescr c. 17 For according to Tertullians Rule the Scripture is as much wronged by perverting the sense as by corrupting the words of it But to deal with them with their own weapons Where is it said That you are not to joyne in a determined Church Communion to hear your own Pastor Where are those words written If they answer Negatives cannot be proved To this we reply And where is that said for we find it no where in Scripture Luk. 24.39 Matth. 4.7 that Negatives cannot be proved Yea we find that Christ proved Negatives for he proved that himself was not a Spirit That God was not to be tempted c. If Negatives are not to be proved then Negatives are not to be
the Communion of Saints For all communion flowes from Union And Division destroyes Union Some make Unity the very Forme of being but sure it tends to the well being of the Church But when one shall say I am of Calvin and another I am of Luther when as they might both meet in the Name of Christian Nay when by most ridiculous Dissention for we have heard of such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when one shall say Culverwel of Schism I am of Martin and another I am of Luther whereas they did but divide Martin Luther for they were both of his Religion What must this needs bring but a deformity and confusion upon the face of the Church enough to make up a Chaos Secondly These schisms and divisions stop the progresse of the Gospel If Christians would do but as the Cretians custome was whence Syncretismus to joyn their divisions against some common enemie then there would be an happy Synchristianismus When the hearts and tongues and pens of all them that professe the same faith in sincerity would agree among themselves and wholly oppose the main adversary How quickly would the Gospel then flourish and every mountain amongst us become a plain the seven hils amongst the rest How should every one Eunap in John 8.56 in consideration of so happy a time have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Eunapius speaks a sweet chorus or company of well tuned affections and a Spirit tripudiating for joy as Abraham did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he foresaw Christs day But until we forget to say I am of Paul and I am of Apollos we are not like to hear the joyfull acclamation of Grace Zech. 4.7 Grace in the progresse of the Gospel Thirdly Schisms and divisions give great advantage to our enemies to set up the Kingdom of Satan Soz. l. 1. cap. 18. It was the saying of Constantine the Great Dissention in the Church a is greater evill then any other The Church thus becomes militant against herself and the Enemy becomes triumphant The Church then for peace hath great bitternesse Isa 38.17 Whereupon Bernard playeth no lesse elegantly then morally Bern. in Cantic Ser. 35. Amaritudo mea amara prius in nece Martyrum amarior post in conflictu Haereticorum amarissima nunc in moribus domesticorum The bitternesse of the Church first was bitter in the death of Martyrs next more bitter in her conflict against Hereticks but most bitter then when her children have a form of godlinesse 2. Tim. 3.5 Luk. 16.8 but deny the power of it in their lives Oh that we could learn of Satan and his agents subordinate to him to have a strict union and confederacy among our selves as that in Job is usually allegorized Job 41.15 The scales of Leviathan are shut together as with a close seal in respect of their secrecie and combinations But further as it gives this general advantage so more specially it is the original of all Errours and in-let of all Heresies When men by a strange 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or respect of persons shall set up some one as an Oracle if such a one broach an Error oh how greedily do they drink it as if it were some saving Truth The Divel thus serves many as Agrippina did Claudius Tacit. Annal l. 12. in sinc he mingles poison in their delicate meat and they fall to it with an appetite So long then as men glory in other Teachers besides their ordinary Pastors are they not carnal for this glorying breeds Schisms which stops the progresse of the Gospel hinders the communion of Saints and giveth great advantage to the Enemies and originall to all Erours CHAP. XII Some sinful Effects and Consequents of Parochiall Church-Separation § 1. AS it is most agreeable to the dictates of Reason that a people in a vicinity or neighbourhood dwelling together ought to joyne with those of that neighbourhood according to their best convenience for participation of divine Ordinances So Christians by Providence seated among those that are in covenant by a visible Profession and joyning in Ordinances must much rather make it their business to reform abuses that are found in their Congregations then by any means withdraw from their Parochiall Churches M. Baxters Ans to Mr. Eyre p. 35. For whosoever doth deny that the Parishes in England are true Churches he doth more then judg a particular brother and more then he is able to make good and more then the Brethren of New-England would affirm And this is the Third and last part of my Task to shew that the practice I oppose Tertull. de Praesc c. 43 is contrary to Discipline which is Doctrinae Index the truest discoverer of Doctrine so that the quality of Faith is valued according to the conversation And first § 2. That we might shun the fearful Effects and consequences of Church-Separation we find frequent advice in Scripture Heb. 10.24 3.13 To consider one another provoking to love and to good works To exhort one another daily To comfort our selves together 1 Thes 5.11 and edifie one another Jam. 5.20 To warn them that are unruly to comfort feeble minded to support the weak To convert Sinners from the error of their wayes All these precepts do argue an holy zeal for God and hatred of Sin in our selves and bowels of compassion toward others We read of Separation from Sin and fleshly defilements 2. Cor. 6.17 Jam. 1.27 But we read not of any Separation from church-Church-communion and fellowship in Ordinances given thus in charge nor of any presidents going before us in it Jude 19. But we read of an heavie brand laid upon Separatists As it is against all dictates of Reason that a people scattered at a great distance should combine themselves in a church way for Sacred Ordinances so it is clear against the Scriptures I grant that Cohabitation or dwelling together maketh not up a congregational church for Infidels and Pagans may cohabit and may make an Idol-church but not a Church of God Yet cohabitation is one Ingredient Saints cohabitating that is in the New Testament language people separated for God not Jewes nor Infidels b◠Christians and joyning in Ordinances as in duty they ought are a Congregational church Rev. 2 et 3 We find seven several Epistles in the Revelation written from Heaven to seven several churches all which had their abode at the place where the church bore its Name these are Scripture churches Now if any one church be made up of christians some inhabiting at one of these places some at another some at a third place scarce three of one Town no more then of one mind here is not Scripture Order which is of God but Apocryphal confusion Act. 20.28 Heb. 13.17 As then a Pastor ought to watch over his people and his people ought to obey and attend to their Pastor so this is impossible to be done by confused running to
humane either Tradition teaching Math. 15.8 Mark 7.6 or Authority maintaining or enjoyning it 4. This was the Jewes end of their Fasting and Humiliation Isa 58.4 to expiate their former sinful and injurious courses that they might return to them more freely again As Papists in some places are reported to have a common saying in their mouths Wee must sin that we may be shriven and we must be shriven that we may sin The Minor I have proved above by Scripture Arguments namely that Parochial church-Church-Communion is a duty absolutely necessary implanted by nature because all Christians are to joyn themselves to some particular Church visible when the Lord offereth occasion That we are bound to hearing in our determined Congregations Necessitate praecepti because God assigneth unto every ordinary Pastor a portion of his people to be instructed by him because separation from determined church-Church-communion is reproved 1 Cor. 1.12 Because the Lord commandeth to worship him orderly which is not observed in indertermined church-Church-communion Because we are bound to hearing in our particular Congregations by Christs doctrine and example by the custome of Apostolick and primitive times and by rectified reason c. Unto these I could have added Tradition but I omitted that because that way is subject to corruption and exception and at long running the stream of the channel carrieth with it many dregges of erroneous Innovations Additions c. § 5. And now I hope it is manifest that this error is to far from being any part of our Christian Libertie as the practises of it do pretend confirming Honorius Reggias his authentick and above mentioned Proposition that it is opposite unto it at least a shameful abuse of it and a licentious liberty for an occasion to the flesh Gal. 5.13 Jude 4. turning the grace of God into lasciviousnesse Only with Augustine writing on the same occasion I conclude that it cannot be any part of Christian liberty August Tom. 4. Quest Ves. Novi Test q. 61. Illud autem quod omnino non licet nec aliquâ necessitate mitigatur ut admissum non obsit est semper illicitum For that which may not any way be done nor can by any necessity be so qualified that it may not be hurtfull after it be done is alwaies unlawfull to be done Therefore to worship God on the Lords day Afternoone and Forenoone is according to Scripture a necessary duty in our Parochiall Churches and no indifferent matter And therefore no man should be suffered openly to make this knowne plaine Sin his practice and profession The Kings that suffered the people to worship at the high places 1 King 22.43 are reproved though the Text saith 2 Chron. 33 17. that yet they worshipped only the God of their fathers and though it was also a controverted point our fathers say in this mountaine and you say in Jerusalem men ought to worship said the woman of Samaria John 4.20 CHAP. XIV Secondly Separation from Church-Communion for the Pastors knowne Insufficiency or Scandalous life may bee lawfull otherwise it is lamentable if not intolerable and impious § 1. IT is true Men pretend many causes of their separation from Church-communion that they may not seem to unreasonable as the Arians Sozom. l. 4. c. 16. whose violent and virulent endeavour was that their odious errour might bee received without any search or triall But above all other causes they do aggravate the ignorance and scandalous Life of their Minister Though such Accusers should know that by all Lawes civil and Ecclesiastical they that are ignorant scandalous or of known Insufficiently in the main work are to be rejected This should give them full satisfaction For what men of any conscience or face of common Honesty will withdraw from a Society meerly because of the presence of such whom he never accused to that society or proved sit to be rejected It may be these men do feare in their hearts just punishment of Detractors mentioned in the ancient Canon of the church Concil Elibert Cap. 75. An. 305. If any man do accuse any Bishop Pastor or Deacon of any false Crime which he can not prove he should not be admitted into christian communion before his death Furthermore let him know that objecteth his Pastors Infirmities that he is bound to search his own heart and wayes and remember what may be said against himselfe and cast the beam out of his own eyes at least to censure others as an humble christian that is sensible of his own miscarriges and imperfections and how much allowance the best men must have that they may pass for currant They who will be Accusers of others should begin at home For as saith Nazianzen Nazia Ep. 26. Cesar How shall they reprove the sin of others who have not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confidence in their own Innocency But as the most ravenous and hurtful birds are commonly most quick-sighted so are the most wicked men most ready and skilful to find faults in others The Eye seeth not it selfe nor any thing which is too near it so neither see we our own faults except set at some distance and in another person so David saw his fault in the person of the rich Oppressor 2. Sam. 12.2 c. till then he could not in himselfe We ought not to despise one another for Natural or common infirmities when we are daily groaning under them our selves and in the hands of the same Physician 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is the property of God alone to be faultlesse and perfect If Christ would not take us with all our faults and distinguish between his own and ours between us and our sins we were lost It much concerneth us therefore to have a good opinion of our Teachers For in this our Saviour examineth his Disciples not concerning his Doctrine but concerning his Person Whom do men say that I the Son of man am Mat. 16.13 And yet as Christ loves our sins never the more for all his incomprehensible love to us no more will he allow us to love the sins of Insufficient and scandalous Ministers And as we must nor think well of them so neither must I speak well of them Therefore § 2. If Ministers be insufficient or scandalous all conscionable people should endeavour speedily to cast them out Neither should any man plead compassion to them For it is cruel compassion which for feare of bringing a man and his Family to poverty will both connive at his proceeding in such hainous guilt and at the starving and everlasting Damnation of mens souls The devil loves such Mercy as this In the Primitive times if any Pastor of what degree or quality soever did fall away from the Doctrine of the Orthodoxe Church Secrat l. 1. c. 6. Sozom. l. 1. c. 14. Euseb l. 10. c. 4. Theod. l. 1. c. 9. Editionis Latinae Grynaei Ann. 1570. into any schisme or heresie or
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
believed Ours is an Affirmative Hooker Eccles Politic. l. 2. Sect. 6. which they yeild may be proved theirs is a Negative which they say cannot be proved We then have the better of it there is hope of proof on our side theirs is desperate But though I might desire them to prove their Practice by Scripture yet because with Tertullian Contra Hermog c. 22. I adore the fulnesse of the Scripture I will shew their practise who on the Lords Day neglect the publick exercises of Divine Worship in their determined Parochial Congregations and frequent cateris paribus other Churches to be Anti-scriptural Thus § 2. First all are to joyn themselves to a visible Church either Formally to be a member thereof or Materially by confessing the Faith of the true visible Church when God offereth occasion 1 Because we ought to be ready to give an answer or confession to every one that asketh 1 Pet. 3.15 2 Because he who denyeth Christ before men him also will Christ deny before his Father and the holy Angels Mat. 10.33 3 Because Christ hath promised his presence to his Churches as he walked in the midst of the golden candlesticks Rev. 2.1 4 Because Faith cometh by hearing a sent Preacher Rom. 10.24 5 Because separation from a visible Church is condemned Hebr. 10.24 Jude 19. 1 John 2.19 6 Because the godly ever esteemed it a rich favor of God to lay hold on the skirt of a Jew that is to have any communion Zech. 8.3 Psal 27.4 et 42.1 c et 63.1 2. even as a door-keeper in the House of 〈◊〉 God and have desired it exceedingly and complained of the want thereof Psal 84.1 2 10. § 3 Yet if any die without the Church having faith in Christ and want opportunity to confesse him before men as repenting at the hour of death their salvation is sure because they are within the Church So is that Maxime to be taken Cam. de Ecc. p. 272. in sol Extra Ecclesiam non est Salas None can be saved who are every way without tho Church Visible and Invisible as all perished who were not in Noahs Ark. Mr. Blake Cov. cap. 30 in sinc As for those who deny any being of a Church universal visible I would learn of them into what particular Church the Eunuch was received and by Baptism actually and solemnly admitted or whether he was still no Church-member but an alien and stranger to the Commonwealth of Israel not admitted to the Church And to what particular Congregation the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists joyned themselves by Covenant § 4 There is then a necessity of joyning our selves to some particular visible Church but it is not Necessitas medii sed praecepti It is not such a necessity that all are damned who are not within some visible Church August For Augustine truly saith There be many Wolves within the Church and many Sheep without But if the Lord offer opportunity all are obliged by his Commandment of confessing Christ before men to joyn themselvs to some Visible-church for all Denying is Idolatry Tert. de Idolol c. 22. in Tertullians judgment And he denyeth Christ that is not with him or for him So our Saviour teacheth Luke 11.23 He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth that is He that declareth not himself to be on my side is against me There are no Neuters for there is no man but he is either Christs or Satans Eng. Annot on Mat. 12.30 As in war he that sighteth not for his Prince is an enemy As they which are to gather in their Masters harvest if they neglect it are scatterers and destroyers so they that will not defend Christs honor at least professe and confesse it wherein they can betray his cause and are enemies Yet there is a fellowship with the visible church internal of hidden Believers In the Romish Babel this is sufficient for salvation Necessitate medii Rutherford Due Right of Presbytery c. 5. Sect 5. p. 78 But they want opportunity to joyne themselves to the reformed visible churches yet do they sin in the want of profession of the Truth and in not witnessing against the Antichrist which is answerable to an adjoyning themselves to a visible church And so those who do not profess the faith of the true visible church the Lord affording opportunity deny Christ before men And this external fellowship is necessary to all Necessitate Praecepti though the Lord graciously pardon this as an infirmity in his own who for fear of cruel persecution often dare not confesse Christ CHAP. V. We are bound to Hearing in our own determined Congregations Necessitate Praecepti § 1. SEcondly Howsoever we be not bound unto hearing in our own Congregations Necessitate Medii as if Gods grace were tyed to the Meanes this way Yet Necessitate Praecepti we are if we consider Gods Commandment In no other way can we expect the Lords ordinary presence promise and acceptance See Heb. 13.17 1 Thess 5.12 It is a curse to be as Sheep having no shepherd Matth. 9.36 that is scattered abroad not knowing where to get food and exposed to many Seducers Ps 119.176 Jer. 50.17 Zach. 13.7 as people without a Pastor Theâ—… 〈◊〉 â—â—deed a Scattering enforc◠〈…〉 men are driven by viol◠〈…〉 God 's service but that is not the scattering meant by our Saviour but a voluntary straying when people are not willing only but love to wander as Jer. 14.10 a wandring out of self-will not a corporal but a spiritual straying by which men of themselves wander from God Psal 58.3 and go astray from the way of Truth and Life from those wayes and courses that God hath prescribed them in his Word and directed them unto by his Spirit as they Psal 14.3 § 2. It is the Duty of all conscientious Christians to set themselves under some particular Minister as their Pastor and to hear him constantly Ames de Consc l. 4. c. 24. quaes 1 Dr. Ames proves that this Ordinance of the Lord is the Duty of all Christians namely to settle themselves under some one particular Pastor and to joyne themselvs to a determined or particular Church 1 Because it is Christs institution Matth. 18.17 in which there is a necessity Non Praecepti tantum sed Medii He addeth five Reasons more which for brovitice sake I omit 2. Because every Flock must be under an Overseer Acts 20.28 18.23 If we be the flock of Christ we must have a shepherd who shall feed us in Christs stead 3 Because our perfection and edification dependeth ordinarily upon our particular Teacher to which end Pastors were given Eph. 4.11 12. and particular Guides as Philip to the Eunuch 4. Because Pastors are to preach constantly 2 Tim. 4 2. especially on the Lords Day they should not omit to preach Forenoon and Afternoon Ames de Consc l. 4. c. 33. quaest 4. Dr. Ames
Acts in other Congregations beside their own Mr. Rutherford ubi supra p. 204. 1 Because wee hold that by Calling or Ordination a Minister is made a Pastor by Election only he is restrained to be ordinarily the Pastor of his Flock 2 A Pastor is a Pastor of the Catholick Church though he be not a Catholick Pastor of the Catholick Church as were the Apostles § 4. Neither must this be taken as if we would clack you as reverend Bains phraseth it altogether under our wings or sought further property then we have from the Lord but it is your good that doth enforce us to speak it for till you know your Pastors set over you the Wolfe doth threaten you And look that as it is in Marriage it is not the having of a husband which maketh a wife free from all underminers of chastity but the loving her husband So in this Marriage of Pastor and People it is not the having of a Preacher which doth secure you from sin satan or seducement but the acknowledging of him and depending on him in the Lord. So much did the Heathen by the light of Nature reverence their Musties of old the Slaves of their Idol Gods that sometimes they called their Priests by the name of Gods Strabo Geogr. l. 10 p. 471 d. as Strabo reporteth And among Christians I never read nor heard of an happy Church without a good Guide and a dependance on him and obedience to him It is a farre lesse sin to be unlearned then unteachable saith Agustine August contra Academ lib. 3. c. 7. O be taught then not to depart from your determined place of worshipping the Lord for in it God hath the highest honour and returnes unto you the highest blessings by the dispensation of the grace of God which is given your Pastor to you-ward Ephes 3.2 Be not wilful for the more wilful especially upon deliberation the more wicked CHAP. VII Separation from determined church-Church-Communion is reproved 1 Cor. 1.12 and 3.4 § 1. FOurthly This practice is evidently reproved 1 Cor. 1.12 For in the church of Corinth which Paul had planted Apollos had watered and which God had blessed and given encrease unto yet even here is church-separation One standeth for Paul another for Apollos another for Cephas Weeds they will spring up though Paul never planted them nor Apollos watered them to be sure God never blessed them and yet they will find an encrease And 1 Cor. 3.4 the Apostle tacitely insinuates an Argument à Minori ad Majus Culverw of Schisme If it were a grosse and carnal thing to side with Paul or to glory in Apollos then much more to side with such as of ordinary or inferior alloy You may see how he maketh it his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to beat down this over-high thought which they had of such as indeed deserved esteem and double honour For to say I am of Paul I am of Apollos they are the words of such as gloried in the several gifts and diversity of excellencies which they had in preaching the Gospel and thus it was one liketh the powerful plainesse of Paul another the ample plenty and variety of Apollos a third the solidity and perspicuity of Cephas § 2. You see then the Corinthians vanity and in it our propensity to glory in men for their gifts and that because we are carnal which is the Apostles censure painted with a stinging Interrogation Are ye not carnal In somuch that the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.13 giveth three Reasons why such church-separation should be shunned 1 Because Christ seemeth by that means to be divided and torn in pieces Eng. Ann. in loc who cannot be the head of two diverse and disagreeing bodies himself being but one Is Christ divided 2 Because they cannot without injury to God so depend on men as on Christ which thing no doubt they do who allow whatsoever some man speaketh even for his person sake approving one selfesame Gospel being uttered by one man and disliking it being uttered by another man Was Paul crucified for you 3 Because it is the form and end of Baptism to make a promise to Christ alone calling on also the Name of the Father and the Holy Ghost therefore if a man depend on some certain Teachers and despise others he forsaketh Christ for if he held Christ his only Master he would hear him teaching by whomsoever Were ye baptized in the name of Paul § 3 Overmuch dotage then upon any conceived excellency of Holinesse Learning Eloquence or the like without a special eye to Gods commandment hath ever been the occasion of greatest Errors in the world Mr. Mede on Gen. 3.13 Satan under this mask useth to blear our eyes and with this bait to inveigle our hearts that hee might securely bring us to his lure Gen. 3.1 It was the mask of the Serpents Wisdome and Sagacity above the rest of the beasts of the field whereby he brought to passe our first parents ruine The admirable wisdome of the long lived Fathers of the elder world having been for so many Ages as Oracles to their Off-spring growne even to a People and Nation while they yet lived was the ground of the ancient Idolatry of Mankind whilst they supposed that those to whom for wisedome they had recourse being living could not but help them being dead This we may learn out of Hesiod Hesiod Oper Dic◠l. ◠ver 123. The men saith he of the golden age being once dead became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They became Godlings and Patrons of mortal men as if they knew their good and evil works So the opinion of the blessed Martyrs superlative glory in heaven was made the occasion of the new found Idolatry of Christians wherewith they are for the greater part yet overwhelmed And the esteeme which Peter had above the rest of the Apostles in regard of Chiefdome even in the Apostles times was abused by the old Deceiver to install the Man of sin This made Saint Paul to say The Mystery of iniquity was even then working 2 Thes 2.7 Gal. 2.11 c. and therefore laboured as fat as he could to prevent it by as much depressing Peter as others exalted him Nay he puts us all in mind of the story of the Serpents beguiling Eve that her mis-hap might be a warning to all 2 Corinth 11.2 3. And to conclude Have not Papists when they would get Disciples learned this of the Divel to possesse them first with an opinion of superlative Learning Holinesse and other Gifts in their Doctors surpassing any of ours I will say no more of this but that we ought so to prize and admire the Gifts and Abilities which God hath bestowed upon men that the Pole-Star of his sacred Word may ever be in our eye CHAP. VIII The Lord commandeth to worship him orderly which is not observed in indermined Church-communion § 1. FIfthly Order is a thing
except it were only in his own conceit O cursed pride that will not suffer one godly man of many to know that hee is so ignorant and that knowledge cannot bee had so easily But I expect not that the more silly ignorant Professors should apprehend this or any other Truth though it bee delivered never so plainely or evidently August de Trin. l. 6. c. 1 It is Augustines ruled case Nullus hominum ita locutus est ut in omnibus ab omnibus intelligeretur No man spake so plaine that in all things hee was understood by all men Pride ever thinks it cannot err and that rather all the world is dark then it selfe blind The proud Pharisees would not admit that Christ should preach any thing worthy of admiration John 7.47 1 Joh. 3 12 therefore they concluded that their Officers were deceived Pride makes men so blind and stupid that they cannot be sensible of any the most excellent graces in those they hate It was the Pharisees proud opinion of themselves that caused them to despise others dissenting from their Impiety and unbeliefe Aug. Conf. lib. 10. c. 12 Rideat me ista dicentem qui illa non sentit ego doleam ridentem me CHAP. X. We are bound to the Duty of determined church-Church-communion by the custome of Apostolick and Pimitive times § 1. SEventhly And yet we have for the same Point the churches customes clear enough which hath ever been counted to have solid Authority Every Society besides their Lawes in Books have their customes also in practice and these not to be taken up or laid downe at every mans pleasure We may not reject that custom Tertul. de Vel. Virgin c. 2 Pandect 1. Tit. 3. de Lege 35. which we cannot condemn saith Tertullian The civil Law saith Imo magnae authoritatis hoc jus habetur quod in tantum probatum est ut non fuerit scripto comprehendere necesse Customes are of so great authority that men remember them without book and writ them not as they do their Lawes or Statutes Now as every Society so the Church besides her Lawes hath her customs too I add that the Apostles and their chuches had their customes For about thirty years after Christs Ascension the Apostle pleadeth custome We that is the Apostles have no such custome 1 Cor. 11.16 neither the Churches of God If so few years were enough to make a custome shall it not much more be a custom after above Sixteen hundred and fifty years A custom is susceptible of more and lesse the longer it runneth the more strength it gathereth Consuetudo etiam in civilibus rebus pro Lege suscipitur Tertull. de Cor. Milit. c. 4. cum desicit Lex it is Tertullians Rule Custome is received for a Law even in civil businesses where there is no Law Moreover as the church hath customes so stands upon them and fears not to repeat them Moses as a Law-giver one would think would be all for Law yet he is positivè ful for custom too Deut. 4.32 Ask now of the dayes that are past which were before thee since the day that God created man upon the earth and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other whether there hath been any such thing Job is for it too Enquire of the former age Job 8.8 c. and prepare thy self to the search of their fathers for we are but of yesterday shall not they teach thee The Prophets do the same for Jeremy saith Stand ye in the wayes and see Jer. 6.16 and ask for the old paths where is the good way and walk therein To all these agreeable is that of the Fathers took up in the first Nicene Councel and which ever since hath been the churches cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let old customes prevail Thus you see custome hath been counted a sound allegation from the beginning of the world § 2 Now that determined church-communion was the custom of the Primitive christians appeareth First The servants of God were all with one accord in Solomons porch Act. 5.12 Diodat in loc There was their appointed place or ordinary meeting there to preach to the People None among them presumed to go to any other place to hear any other Teachers Engl. Ann. in locum None among them presumed to forsake their own publick Assembly or in neglect thereof to frequent other Congregations much lesse any private Conventicle Yea the place of their meeting shewed their constant resolution to testifie the truth of Jesus from which no fear or danger could then deterr them The Rulers of the Synagogue Act. 13.15 sent to desire Paul and his company to speak a word of exhortation before the Apostle opened his mouth For as no man might presume in those dayes to preach without lawful Authority and calling thereto by the Governours by God appointed it being the Doctrine and practice of the Gnosticks the most hateful of all Hereticks that the Ministeral function might be exercised by any man Iren. l. 4 c. 5 So neither were Congregations then without some Government for in every Synagogue it appeareth there were some Rulers Eng. Ann. on Jer. 2.39 who restrained extravagant gadders that did so god to and fro that like backsliding Israel they oft took a new way in Gods service Anarchical licentiousness is a late sprung up Mushroom § 3 Next hear how Clemens Romanus Clem. Rom. Ep. ad Corinth p. 2. 73. the ancientest and therefore a faithful Witnesse of all those whom we call Fathers confirmeth this custom The main scope of his Epistle is to exhort the Corinthians a Factious people to submit themselves to their own Pastors 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His Argument whereby he perswadeth them to this Duty is beside other Pag. 57. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lawful and laborious for of such he speaketh Ministers cannot be rejected but wrongfully and injuriously Thereafter he asketh this Question What kind of men are they that forsake or despise their Overseers and Ministers Pag. 59 He answereth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only the abominable and full of all wickednesse Then he addeth Pag. 61 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Your separation from him perverted many Whereas on the contrary he telleth his Corinthians That the height of grace and glory unto which love towards their own overseers advanceth Pag. 64 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is unexpressible Now all this and much more he alledgeth to confirme his former propoposition Pag. 2 ct 73 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Submit your selves obediently unto your owne Ministers Hath then this ill custome of forsaking our Ministers in the discharge of their function lasted long Be Hall Vowes cent 2. Sect. 98. I say as our English Seneca it is more then time it were abrogated age is an aggravation to sin Heresie or abuse if it be gray-headed deserves sharper opposition To say I will do ill because I have
done so is perilous and impious presumption Continuance can no more make any wickednesse safe then the Author of sin no Divel Sozom. Hist l. 1. c. 14. in fin § 4. Lastly Sozomen writeth that it was a custome in Alexandria that though one Pastor had the oversight of the rest yet every particular Pastor did govern their particular churches and gathered their people unto their several Congregations Eus de vit CoÌ„ l. 3. c. 63 Soz. lib. 2. c. 30. Eusebius reporteth that Constantine the Great published a Law that no Separatists and hereticks should assemble themselves or meet together either publickly or privately in any place but in their Parochial churches and with their appointed and ordinary Pastor and that Historian saith that by that Law the very memory of most of those Sectaries was forgotten and extinguished This noble Act of Constantine is in effect mentioned also by Sozomen The same Sozomen reporteth that Theodosius the Great decreed having first torn the Petitions of Sectaries that they should not assemble together Sozo lib. 7. cap. 12. but in the Orthodoxe congregations much less that they should professe their Hetâ—rodoxe Doctrine or Ordaine Pastors but should be banished from their habitations disgraced by some Infamy and not be partakers of common priviledges and Favours with others In that Panegyrical Speech Euseb Hist l. 10. cap. 4. circ med mentioned by Eusebius this custome is not only confirmed but hyperbolically demonstrated to be immediatly subordinate to the power of the High Priest of our profession Christ Jesus so that I need not any more to commemorate the power that a faithful ordinary Pastor hath over his charge and people This I have so briefly intimated not only because they that are in Authority may and must occasionally mention their Authority 1 Cor. 9.1 for so did the Apostles but also that the Revilers of the Ministers of Christ with whom this vitious age aboundeth may know what power Ministers had both in the Apostles time and for many hundred years after as they may read in holy Cyprian and others even when Ministerial censures were farre more rigid then now they are Mr Baxters Rest part 2 â— 6. and when no Magistrate did second them yea when it was an hazard to their lives to be known christians And yet now when christianity is in credit even those that seeme Religious do judge Christs discipline to be Tyranny and proud domination § 5. Custome then may be alledged against them that contend against Parochial church-communion No reasoning with the contentious it will be to small purpose None so ready a way to stop their mouths as custome The Apostle using it against the contentious If any man seem to be contentious teacheth us to use it against the like Specially 1 Cor. 11.16 if the Matter be by nature as this is of circumstance and outward Order for a wrangling wit will elude all use of Reason It is well observed of the Philosopher Arist phys l. 2. c. 2 aliis sape that in Moral Matters men may not look for Mathematical proofs the nature of the Subject will not beare them If not in moral much less in Ritual they of all other are least susceptible of a demonstrative Reason The Apostle saw this and therefore resolves all into the churches practise by custome confirmed in this kind enough of it selfe to shew that the Churches custome shall ever be of force to overrule such as are contenâ—ious Yet we do not compare customes much lesse oppose them to Scripture We say as Cyprian Cypr. Ep. 63 We must not follow the custome of man but the Verity of God Exod. 23.2 Jer. 10.3 Yea Wo to him that followeth a multitude to do Evil For the customes of the people are vaine Never any custome against Scripture Nay Consuetudo sinc Veritate vetustas Erroris est Cyp. Ep. 74. saith Cyprian againe Custom without Verity is the oldnesse of Errour By this then we may see we have a ground for what we do in Parochial church-Church-communion We do no more then the churches of God So our ears may here the voice in Esay Isa 30.21 behind us This is the way walk in it As you do you are in the right and there hold you § 6. But we do commonly much mistake in one evil custome concerning the different Gifts and Qualifications of our Ministers Now if unto every one of us Grace be given according to the measure of the gift of Christ if all diversity of grace proceed from the measure of Christs gift Eph. 4.7 none ought to repine at anothers gifts nor be proud of his own Concil Diosp Can. 6. 12. For that were to imagine as Pelagians affirmed that grace is given according to Merit of condignity or congruity But heare what Nazianzene saith concerning this Naz. Orat. 40. p. 556. Enquire not what the Authority is or Dignity of thy Teacher Any one is sufficient to instruct thee who is approved who is not openly condemned nor rejected from the church Thou who hast need to be healed judge not thy Judges nor vilifie the dignity of them by whom thou art cleansed neither make a difference between them that beget thee in Christ One indeed is better then another and one is inferior to another but consider If two Sealing Rings the one of Gold the other of Iron each of them having engraven the Emperours Image do imprint the Wax what doth the one Seale differ from the other No thing at all Discerne then the matter in the Wax how witty soever thou art Thus holy Nazianzen Ministers indeed have their particular Gifts given them To one thus to another thus One measure fitteth not every Minister 1 Cor. 12.4 but of these some are more Excellent some lesse Paul and Barnabas were not alike gifted Act. 14.12 As there are Mettals some of Gold some of Silver so gifts in Ministers Mr Bain on Eph. 3.7 I conclude this in the words of Mr Bayne Now to make no difference but to embark all in one bottome hath more good affection then sound judgement Though there be diversities of Gifts in Ministers some more some lesse excellent yet we must neither immoderately admire the one nor underprize the other There are people affected both wayes some that think it enough to give their names to such a man and to cry down others in comparison of him who hath the most parts these persons have no true tast of the gifts of him whom they extol for the wondering at their person keepâ—th from tasting the Gifts As if a cup of wine were set down while we look at the curious workmanship of the cup so they Others think so basely of them as if they could say nothing worth the hearing Some on the other hand because God doth all in all they make no distinction in the Instrument but are offendâ—d with them that look more at one then
another Now between these there is the true way neither so to love those who have the greatest as to despise the other nor to love the lesser so as not to love there more where God loveth more and to blesse him more though we do it in all where he hath distributed more Grace and favour CHAP. XI Reason teacheth that Indetermined Church-Communion is a Carnal Glorying in the worthinesse or Excellency of other Pastors above their own § 1. EIghthly and lastly I will add some Reasons For Faith is a rational Act of a rational creature And that is the strongest Faith which hath the strongest Reasons to prove the Testimony to be valid upon which it resteth and the clearest apprehension and use of those Reasons Yea M. Baxters Rest part 2 p. 207. that is the truest Faith which hath the truest Reasons truly apprehend and used Reason rectified is the Eye of the Soul and the Guide of our Life The use of the Word and all Ordinances and Providences is first to rectifie Reason and thereby the Will and thereby the Life I say againe Faith it self is an Act of Reason or else it is a brutish Act and not humane He that hath the rightest Reason hath the most Grace Sincerity and consequently our Salvation lyeth in the strength and prevalency of rectified Reason over the Flesh and its interest and desires I do then resolve my Parenetical confutation into this Rational conclusion It is a gross and carnal thing to glory in the worthiness and excellency of them that dispence the Mysteries of Salvation Now that separation from Parochial Church-communion is guilty of grosse errour apppeareth by these Reasons § 2. First It seeks to eclipse and obscure the glory of God God hath appointed all Meanes and creatures to illustrate and brighten his Glory He that dares set it upon the creatures head must needs be guilty of lese Majesty in an high degree This is all the honour left to us Obsequii Gloria the honour to obey Isa 42.8 Jer. 9.23 to be wholly subject to so great and good a God and to give all glory to him Now he that made us and knowes our mold and fashioned the weaknesse and frailty of our Nature chose to himself so weak an Instrument that by the few words of a fraile and ignorant man a precious and immortal Soul should be eternally saved which most Divines make a greater work then that of creation that so we might be necessitated to look higher to the powerful hand of God that brings so great things to pass Thus hath he chosen 1 Cor. 1.27 28. not only foolish things and weak things but things that are not to bring to naught things that are A strange Paradox and enough to amaze an Aristotle to heare of a Non Ens annihilating an Ens. Yet the things which are not at all in mens apprehension do give the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 7 The Lord could have made his Seraphim or other Angels Hebr. 1.24 even in this sense Ministring Spirits for the good of them that should be Heires of Salvation but then we should have been took up too much with the glittering brightnesse of the creature Why then do we gaze on Paul he doth but plant or glory in Apollos he doth but water Why do we run to others of inferior parts in other Congregations What is this but to oppose the Almighty and to counterplot Wisdome it selfe Now judge you whether this be not a gross and carnal Error or not § 3. Secondly It detracts from the Word of God from its Majesty and from its Efficacy 1. From its Majesty in that the Word of God is made to stoop to mans fancy It is a signe men never received the love of the Truth when plaine Truth cannot please them but it must be set out in such attyre as may best satisfie their Eye And unlesse the Word of God as the Jewes tell us of the Manna though fabulously that whatsoever character or Idea of tast a man shapt to himselfe in his fancy Wisd 6.20 21. Ainsw on Exod. when he was eating the Manna it served to the Appetite of the Eater and was tempered to every ones liking have so many several relishes agreeable to every ones liking even this though Angels food shall be loathed And surely this argues a carnal heart Though Paul and Apollos were of admirable endowments yet the Word of God is embraced by some when coming from one and neglected when published by the other It was the same Truth 2 Cor. 1.12 but not in the same dress Chrysostome tels us of two in his time a Greek Chrysost and a Christian that were very hot in dispute whether Paul or Plato were the better Scholler The Christian he amplifies St. Pauls Wisdome and Excellency the Greek scornes him as rude and simple and his writings not comparable to Plato's Philosophical and lofty stile The Father hee comes in as it were to moderate and when he had magnified St. Paul's learning he seems to chide the Christian that he did not yeild the other what he would have Grant indeed that Paul came in a more plaine and unlearned way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That aspertion was the praise not the disgrace but the honour of the Apostles What! Must the Royal Law bow to man Must the Word which must search the conscience tickle the Fancy Are not these men of itching Eares And judge you whether these be not carnal 2. From its Efficacy The Gospel shines with it own beames and needs not borrow light from any man for it is gloriously cloathed with such ornaments as Christ hath put upon it when God had once writ with his own finger upon the Tables of Stone they need no humane polishing But then the quickening power of the Spirit must goe along with it Unlesse the arm of the Lord be revealed there is none will beleeve our report Esa 53.1 1 Cor. 2.4 The Apostle tels us of a demonstration of the Spirit Now a demonstration as the Philosopher hath it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a native gloss of Truth which clearely shewes it Aristot Analytic Poster l. 1. c. 2. and presently convinceth a man there is no disputing against a Demonstration Why then do men attribute so much unto man as if the Word were a dead letter till quickned by his endowments As if Paul did not only plant but bless And Apollos not only water but gave the increase and God in the mean while did nothing but stood as a Spectator When as indeed Paul is but at the best the Lords Eccho that never speaks till it be spoken unto And are not these carnal that glorying in the Endowments of Teachers take from the Word of God the Efficacy of it as well as the Majestie of it § 4. Thirdly It breeds Schismes and Divisions in the Church Now First Schismes doe hinder
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-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
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
Recusas esse in corpore August in Joan. tract 87. si non vis odium mundi sustinere cum Capite thou refusest to be in the body if thou wilt not suffer the hatred of the world with thy Head Sure the currant credit of the godly in Gregory his time Greg. in Ezek. Homil 9. was perversorum rogatio vitae nostrae approbatio Wicked mens detraction is the approbation of our lives And in all times the rebuke of Christ was the Religion of Christians Heb. 11. per totum And as for our way of preaching the Reverend Provincial Assembly of London Vindication set forth Nov. 2. 1649. page 82 doth piously and judiciously complaine that though wee are farre from justifying any indiscreet or passionate expressions yet we conceive it to be very hard measure to have our integrity arraigned and condemned for humane infirmities And wee hope we may without boasting say thus much That the setled Ministry of England was never more censured molested impoverished and yet never more pious peaceable and painfull Wherefore that I may not number up numberless encouragements stand upon your guard within the limits of your daily warfare with the world since faith is the victory that overcometh the world 1 John 5.4 Only consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners Heb. 12 3 Deus Pater Agonothâ—tes Tertul. ad Martyras cap. 3. Xystarches Spiritus sanctus Epistates Jesus Christus Corona aeternitatis bravium Angelicae substantiae politia in coelis gloria in secula seculorum He that hath said Be of good cheer I have overcome the world John 16.33 He is both Commander and spectator of your combate He is both Judge and Rewarder of your courage and conquerour of your enemie He will give you the Crowne of glory that fadeth not away CHAP. XI Thirdly Other imaginary and imaginated Pretences are answered § 1. ALthough all Divine Truths be precious yet controversies are so distastefull to me that I resolved against them But he that made us must rule us and he that putteth us into the Vineyard must measure out our work and commandeth me to speak briefly to the subsequent objections For this is another Office of holy discipline Non solum bona ostendere sed mala refutare Tert. Apolog c. 39. Not only by sound doctrine to exhort but likewise to convince the gainsayers Tit. 1.9 § 2. First Some say they separate from a determined Church-communion because of diversity of doctrine as if they knew not where to find the truth It is true Eccles 7. ult Solomon complaineth That men have sought many inventions or imaginations as in other things so likewise in Doctrine whereby men are drawn from the simplicity of their Creation The Apostle likewise complaineth of a wind of doctrine Eph. 4.14 whereby Christians began to be blown from the stedfastnesse of the Truth August de civ Dei lib. 18. cap. Heb. 13.9 2 Cor. 2.17 Augustine saith that Satan seeing that Idolatrous images would downe he bent his whole device in place of them to erect divers imaginations that people in stead of images might bow down to these and worship them Since which it hath been his daily practice either to broach divers and strange doctrines never heard of before or to revive the old and new dresse them and to mingle them for that by themselves they wil not utter with the Apostolical doctrine that so he might vent them And this indeed is the disease of our age and the just complaint we make of it There hath good dispatch been made of images but imaginations in their stead are deified and worshiped carrying the Name and Credit of Apostolick Doctrine To prevent this mischief We are no where commanded to Separate from Church-communion 1 John 4.1 1 Thes 5.21 but to try the spirits to prove all things to hold fast that which is good and that we may do that we are to pray that he would open our eyes that we may behold wondrous things out of his Law Psal 119.18 Heb. 5.14 and to pray for knowledge and understanding and to endeavour to have our senses exercised to discerne both good and evil The advice that Sysinnius presented to the Emperour Theodosius studying how to put an end to the differences in diversity of Doctrine Sozom. l. 7. c. 12. that then troubled the Church was to avoid all disputations with Sectaries and to demand of them when they petitioned him whether they would stand to the judgement of such as were Teachers in the Church before it was divided especially where their judgment dissented not from the Scriptures Bp. Andrewes Ser. Worship imaginat Ancient Fathers thought it meet that they that would take upon them to interpret the Scriptures should put in sureties that the senses they gave should be no other then the Church in former time had acknowledged All that came after the Apostles are commanded to labour for knowledg and learning 1 Thes 5 12 1 Tim. 5 17 1 Cor. 9.8 and not to utter their own imaginations or do desire to be believed upon then bare word for that were to have dominion of their Auditors Faith Say I this of my selfe saith the Apostle saith not the Law this also Give I this sense of mine own head or hath not Christs Church heretofore given the like Which one course if it were strictly kept would rid our Church of many false imaginations which now are stampt daily because every man upon his owne single bond is trusted to deliver the meaning of any Scripture § 3. Secondly Others pretend that they separate from church-Church-communion for neglects and corruption in discipline For answer to this I would they read what their own Mr. Cotton of New England writes that the many notorious scandalous persons that were found in the Churches of Israel Mr. Cottons Holinesse of Church-members p. 21. did only argue the neglect of Ecclesiastical discipline in the toleration of such publick scandals in the Church And thus none of the men of God who could not be ignorant of the Churches duty and their sin in such neglects ever attempted to Separate from that which was in this sort faulty All was not right in the exercise of discipline in the Churches planted by the Apostles The Church of Corinth was censured as very faulty 1 Cor. 5.2 So was the Church of Smyrna Revel 2.14 No lesse faulty was the Church of Thyatyra Rev. 2.20 Neither could the Church of Sardis be free seeing the greatest part were openly bad there being but a few that had not defiled their garments Rev. 3.4 And yet nothing heard by way of advice for any to make separation nor reproof for their holding up Communion nor any one instance of a separatist given And here Mr. Blake sheweth Mr. Blake Covenant c. 31. p. 238. that the godly non-conformist in England who had a low opinion of the discipline then exercised were so zealous
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