hear as every one liketh in a distracted church-Separation contrary to the Ordinnances of God and good Magistrates Exceptions indeed may be taken at the overlarge extent and disordered situation of divers Parochial congregations But Parochial Assemblies not the name but the thing is the way that comes up to the Rule of Scripture Light of Reason and the Presidents of Primitive times Our congregational Bretheren will have the limit of a Particular Mr. Blakc Cov. Cap. 3. church to be within that number of persons that may congregate in one place for Ordinances If this be yeilded then it will easily be proved that Parish-congregations are of Divine Institution and then it will consequently be true that peoples Separation from Parochial Church-communion hath this Sinful Effect to be a Disorderly confusion contrary to Divine Institution For Contiguas pictas jussit habere domos Saints that made up a church were still Saints in cohabitation they were as in faith so in Habitation joyned together § 3. It were easie to relate the abundant fearful Effects and sinful consequents which this Practice of Church-Separation doth produce as the disorderly confusion which of necessity it doth occasion the weakning of the work of the Lord in the place where providence hath seated them Mr. Blake loco supra citato and conferred many Mercies upon them the depriving of Pastors of their Flock Spiritual Parents of their Children the animosity of Spirit that is wrought in those that withdraw themselves judging them whom they leave as scarce Ministers of Christ nor their congregations as churches of Christ withdrawing then and thence when and where Christ is pleased to reside I do only urge this that it is without all Scripture precept or president to depart from the solemn and publick worship of God to which his special providence hath bound us It was accounted dangerous not only to estimate one Apostle above another as Papists do Saint Peter contrary to the ancient practice and doctrine of the church in Tertullians time Ter. de praescrip c. 24. Non mihi tam bene est imo non mihi tam male est ut Apostolos inter se committam I am not so wise saith he nay I am not so foolish as to value one Apostle above another But it was thought dangerous also to esteem one Father or Teacher in the Greek or Latin church as if he had the mind of Christ above another 1 Cor. 2.16 as the Apostle speaketh The Greek Menologie mentions a Division like that among the Corinthians in the Greek church in the daies of the Emperour Alexius In which one preferred Basil An. 1103. another gloried in Nazianzone a third extolled Chrysostome until they heard this voice from heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We are all one before God It is dangerous then to extol one of the servants of Christ who speaks according to the Spirit of Christ Doroth. Bilioth Patr. Tom. 2. above another lest as the Historian reporteth such Admirers become Miriones that is like to the man who first magnified Zosimus next Macarius then the Apostles Peter and Paul lastly the Blessed Trinity which also blinded through Inconstancy he renounced totally and finally This is our fear this is our complaint § 4. This Error of Indetermined church-communion was of old taken for a consequent yea a symptome of Luxury and Wantonness It was observed of the Corinthians that they were rich and luxurious and therefore proud and contentious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so on as Strabo describeth them Strab. Geor. l. 8. We should therefore beware of such Separation as a Mark of Spiritual Wantonnesse And we find in Hesychius that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no better then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus you may see the Genius or Inclination of what people is strongly bent unto this Sin And though it be true that Grace doth not only polish Nature Morality knoweth how to do that but even subdue it and change the very frame and constitution of it yet being that it is not wholly conquered in this life it is like it will shew it selfe most in some domineering corruptions Ball against Can. which generally reign among Christians This Error tendeth to the renting of the church the disgrace of Religion the advancement of pride Ignorance contention Offence of the Weak Grief of the Godly Hardning of the Wicked and rising againe of Antichristianisme For they that voluntarily depart from their determined congregations if in words they do not maintaine Antichrist really they do him more credit then his chief upholders Seeing of necessity they must confesse that in other churches which may be Antichristian for any thing they know the pure Faith may be entirely professed the Doctrine of Salvation plentifully preached the Seals of the Covenant rightly administred for substance and by the blessing of God upon his own Meanes Christian Soules ordinarily converted and nourished unto eternal Life Which is more then all the Factors for Antichrist shall ever be able to make good Upon this account it seemeth the Council held at Nantes decreed Conc. Nannat c. 1. et 2 Anno. 800. Grat. causa 9. qu. 2. Can In Dominicis that no Pastor should admit unto Divine Ordinances any man of another congregation that willingly despised the Dvine Exercise of his Ordinary Minister And Gratian reporteth that to the same effect and purpose one Canon was established in Concilio Meldensi § 5. Unto all these I could add Musculus his judgment who relateth five dangerous consequents of this Error 1. That it casteth the Soul into danger of its Salvation while as it departeth from communion with the appointed and approved Congregation Museu Loc. Comm. de â—â—…hismate 2. That it divideth as much as in it lyeth the whole and entire body of Christ 3. That it despiseth not one or two christians but the whole congregation which it forsaketh 4. That it doth not only despise but condemn that congregation as not genuine but adulterate 5. That it violates the bond of Peace which is charity in that it not only departeth but seduceth others to depart from their proper and peculiar congregation All which are confirmed and amplified by that Pious Divine How dangerous this Error is may further be declared by many testimonies of Judicious Calvin Calv. Instit l. 4. c. 1. per totum praesertim § § 4. 10. Who often telleth us that so highly doth the Lord regard the communion of his church that he counteth them Traitors and Fugitives who contumaciously separate from any Society or congregation which maintaineth the true Ministery of the Word and Sacraments And that so highly the Lord esteemeth his church That whosoever wrongeth her authority he judgeth it derogatory to his own Honor c. But I study brevity CHAP. XIII The causes which men pretend for Separation from Parochial Church-Communion are frivolous and invalid And First Indetermined Church-communion is no part but an Abuse
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-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
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-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
that are graced with that gift of God but that we must not with Moses refuse the message from heaven because we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and have not men so glib a tongue as others nor with Jonah turn our back because the work may seem ungrateful If he send us to labor among thorns yet have we a gracious Master his work is good his end wil satisfie us We shall then have the grapes and figs Jerem. 11.22 which thornes and thistles would not yeeld us Only I beseech every one to remember that the complaints of Gods Messengers though proceeding somewhat from heat of passion 2 King 2.24 are often seconded with dismal and dreadful effects The childhood of the children that contemned Elisha his Ministry exempted them not from punishment because it restrain'd them not from sin § 4. Hence it may appear that the tying of our selves to the observation of Parochial Church-communion doth not force any man to submit to a weak Minister when he might have a better Christ hath taught us to seek after knowledg without the quenching of zeal and to maintain zeale without despising knowledge To seek after truth in the way of Peace and after Peace in the way of Truth as knowing how neere they dwell together Contra Acad l. 3. c. 7. Christian Concord p. 35. 36. And in the practice of this duty Augustine saith Divinely It is a farre lesse sin to be unlearned then unteachable But for confirmation of this Assertion I desire the Reader to peruse the discourse of Reverend Mr. Baxter whose words as my intended brevity doth not permit me to transcribe So I note 1. That the publick welfare and unity of Christian Churches is to be preferred before the pleasure yea or edifying of any single member and what confusion will follow the plucking up of Christs and the Magistrates and the Churches bounds 2. If all the people may freely and lawfully joyn themselves with that Church that hath the ablest Teacher then almost all the world must go to a few men and leave the rest Act. 14.12 then Barnabas may be forsoken if Paul be the chief speaker and then able mens Churches will grow to that bigness that they will be no Churches the Matter being too big for the End and Form 3. That Ministers are Freemen as well as the people and therefore every mans desire must not deprive them of their Freedome besides that the Lord assigneth to every Pastor a freedome to instruct a portion of his people Gods work must be done before our own and the saving of souls and propagation of the Gospel be preferred before our private comforts 4. God hath more means then Ministerial abilities to encrease mens graces and procure their salvation for he that keeps in Gods order under a meaner honest Minister is like to be a more humble thriving Christian then he that will break that order under pretence of edification but God usually chastiseth men for such disorders as we may see in daily experience For God suffereth the same professors to our great hearts grief to turn unto doctrinal or practical evils for their breaking Gods Order and the Churches Unity The speciall work and duty required of every Minister Isa 62.6 Ephes 1.16 Phil. 1.3.4 is to mind their people of their duty to God and constantly to mind God and solicite him for his people And for this purpose the Pastor if faithfull is not like the sword-fish which carries a weapon but no heart nor like the children of Ephraim who being harnessed and carrying bowes wanted 〈◊〉 courage and turned back in the day of battel O what readinesse and promptitude should there be in people to have communion with such Watchmen The unwearied Minister of Christ Cant. 4.11 travels through all the Gardens of Learning and sucks something from every slower that he may bring his vessels and treasures full of knowledg for the comfort of his hearers but they will not hear Naz. Orat. 1. Not only is his service and office sacred for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Mediâ—aion between God and man but his person Basil l. 1 in Psal 44. Rom. 10.15 his very lips which Basil stileth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lips of Christ as the Apostle termeth his feete beautiful § 5. Addresse your selves then in the Armour of God all you messengers of God to sight hereafter with the enemies of God Event hath sealed Saint Pauls prophecie 2 Tim. 4.3 The time is already come men still not suffer wholesome Doctrine Uncharitable censures of stile of method of voice of phrase of pasture are but senselesse imputations of the prophane multitude far inferiour if they were true to the first Pourishes of a combate in earnest The worldlings heavy censure condemneth down-â—ight both manner and matter and the whole substance of your preaching And for your persons you are not greater than John the Baptist and our Saviour sooner therefore shal ye want a World then a Theater wherein though the best do favour you by most be sure to be counted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 4.12 13 what not piacular pestilential execrable fellowes All the filthy scoffes and slanders that Satans Scavengers can take out of the sinkes of all professions are thought over-clean to throw in their faces 2 Cor. 4 4 who would make the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ to shine unto them Jerome said truly Hieron Epist ad Demetriadem Semper virtutibus contradicitur vertues are still contradicted Pretend the world what the world can here is the head and the heart of the controversie Contrariety breeds Enmity Enmity causeth Separation and Separation supposeth danger from the party avoided of infection § 6. But thou O man of God Tu ne cede malis sed contra audentior ito Rom. 12.21 be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good Such an Antiperistasis must encrease and enkindle zeale if thy profession depend not upon fashion and thy conscience upon company For though Gods powerful Spirit should suspend his operation yet canst thou not forget the reason of a man and bruitishly be driven with the drove much lesse abandon common sense and without any motion of thine owne like a nail in a wheel only move as thou art moved and turn as thou art turned They who never once dreamed of salvation by Christ held it not the least part of their glory to stirre a course like Antipodes clean opposite to the liking of the multitude Phocion apad Plut. Lacri in Antist He in Plutarch applauded suspected his speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hath any bad speech fallen from my mouth without my knowledge And Antisthenes commended was afraid of his Deeds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am in agony lest I have done some mischiefe What in them without the law was voluntary the same the law of Christ if wee belive Augustine imposeth upon us as necessary