stands upon two Staves the Staff of Beauty and the Staff of Bands if the Staff of Bands be once broken the Staff of Beauty cannot long stand but by divisions our Beauty becomes deformity Reformation deformation as when one hand is black and another white one cheek pale another red so whilst we become several Churches several Bodies what do we but make a Monster of the Church the Body of Christ Indeed nothing more tends to the Churches dishonour and Christs dishonour than this there is no such scandal to the Churches Enemies of all sorts than this the common Enemies of the truth of Religion are chiefly Atheism and Superstition and wherefore serveth the home-differences of Christians especially about indifferent things about Gestures and Vestures and other indifferent Rites and Formalities that for such things as these things in their own nature indifferent and never intended to be otherwise imposed than as matters of circumstances and order men should desert their Ministerial Charges fly out of the Church as out of Babylon stand at open Desiance against lawful Authority and sharpen their tongues and pens with so much petulancy and virulency as some have done wherefore serveth this but to the dishonour of Christians and Christianity and to give scandal to the Enemies thereof 1. To the Athiest for he till all men be of one Religion and agreed in every point thereof too which I doubt will never be whilst the World lasteth thinketh it the best wisdom to be of none nay makes it his best pastime to jeer at all The agreement of Christians is an ocular demonstration to the World that they have a certainty of the Faith which they profess and that it is of a healing nature and tendeth to the felicity of the world so that never was Christians observed to live in an undivided Unity and unfained love but the very Infidels and ungodly round about them did reverence both them and their Religion for it whereas their discords and divisions give occasion to Atheists and Unbelievers to blaspheme as if there were no certainty in their belief or as if it were of a vexatious and destructive tendency so that never were Christians divided implacable and bitter against each other but it made them and their profession a scorn to the unbelieving and ungodly World Their despising and vilifying one the other teaches the wicked to despise and vilifie them all as a well ordered Army and a City of uniform and comely building is a pleasing and inviting sight to beholders whereas a confused Rabble and ruinous heap bree is abhorrence even so the very sight of the concordant society of Christians is amiable to those without whereas their disagreements and separations makes them odious Hence the former conduceth much to the conversion and salvation of men and the latter hardens men in wickedness and hinders their coming into the Church and their obedience to the truth Who loveth to thrust himself into a fray and what wise men will joyn with drunken men that are fighting in the streets A more effectual way cannot be devised to drive men from Christ than to represent Christians like a company of mad-men that are tearing out the threats of one another when one Faction slies upon and speaks ill of one another what wonder if the Atheist and Infidel speak ill of and flies further from them all whereas contrarily the best means to win the World to a love of Holiness is if they can see that holiness makes men fervent and unfeigned in the love one of another k 1 Pet. 1.22 Christs words in his prayer are notable to this purpose l John 17.20 21 22 23. I pray saith he for them that shall believe on me through their word that they all may be one As thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the world may believe that thou hast sent me c. It plainly implies that the Unity of Christians is a great means of converting the World to the Christian Faith and convincing Infidels of the truth of Christ as sent by God and so on the contrary their divisions must needs be a scandal to them Upon which account also we have reason to take heed to speak the same things and that there be no divisions amongst us 2. Such divisions give scandal to Papists You read how loth was Abraham to fall out with Lot and how desirous he was to compound the differences that were between their Herdmen and one reason is hinted in that it is said m Gen. 13.7 the Canaanites and Perizzites dwelt at that time in the Land So have we in our Land many Canaanites and Perizzites at this day that take offence at these divisions of ours and makes it a chief occasion to alienate their hearts from the Truth of God There be many Papists and Romanists confirmed and made obstinate in their Opinion of the Catholickness of the Romish Faith Hereby when they hear of so many things which have been ever and are still retained in the Church of England in common with the Church of Rome as they were transmitted both to them and us in a continued Line of Succession from our Godly and Orthodox Forefathers who lived in the Ages next to Christ and his Apostles to be now inveighed against and decryed as Popish and Superstitious And when they see men pretenders to Piety Purity and Reformarion more than others not contenting themselves with those just Exceptions that had been formerly taken by the Church of England and her regular children against some Erronious Doctrines and Forms of Worship taught and practised in the Church of Rome and endeavoured to be unduly and by her sole Authority imposed upon other Churches when they see them not contenting themselves with these things but even so far transported with a spirit of contradiction as that they care not so as they may but run far enough from Rome whether or how far they run although they should run themselves as too oft they they do quite beyond the bounds of Truth Allegiance common Reason and even common Humanity also Besides we know it hath been and is one grand objection of the Papists against the Reformed Churches that the Fanatical dissentions amongst our selves are evident signs of an Heretical spirit as Bellarmine Stapleton Kellison and others argue and Fitz Simon an Irish Jesuite hath written a whole Volumn on this argument which he â—alls Britanio-Machia It 's true how unhappy they have prov'd in this pretended Unity which they make a note of their true Church any one may judge that will but read the writings of Doctor Field Discourse concerning the Idolatry practised in the Church of Rome by D. Edw. Stillingfleet Bishop Jewel and even the late Book of the Excellent Doctor Stillingfleet upon this argument which proves them nevertheless faulty however we be blame-worthy As Gregory Nazianzen did answer those in his time that used the
Communion In this case it was evidently a sin to Communicate with her so that unless our Brethen can prove it a like sin to Communicate with us in the Church of England they can never justifie their separation from us meerly for purer Communion * A full resolution hereof you have in Dr. Stilling fleets Irenicum p 112. where though â—e grants a sins less and unchismatical nonconformity to our Church yet doth he explode any separation from or erecting new Churches in it meerly for oppose to Mr. purer administrations and this I advise the Reader to Baxters Stating the case in his sacrilegious desertion p. 17 I need not fear to say that it hath been made over and over apparent for there are a numberless number of excellent books to convince the teachable that there neither can be nor is any separation from our Church as it stands now constituted and established Nationally but rash and unjust and that those that are carried away are hurried with prejudice rather than with strength of Argument and are commanded more with the example of others their Masters and Rabbies than with the authority of the Rule of Righteousness Now how manifold and dismal have been the mischiefes of such Schisme and divisions all Ages of the Church have sufficiently experienced and we in this Nation as much as any O how woful have been the efects in our memory Our adversaries do not love to hear of them but being gall'd they kick O that they would yet declare to the world their repentance But let them give us leave to think thereof and to advise you â—ur people sometimes to keep them in mind and not to be such fooles as whom neither others harms nor your own will make to beware Are not the Experiments that have been already made of these Schisms sufficient to deter any reasonable man to take heed of any the new mediums will you turn with the Dog to the vomit and with the Sow to the wallowing in the mire again nay perhaps in time O that I may prove a false Prophet in this To wallowing in blood But pardon me for this rough stile I earnestly in the bowels of Christ beseech you in this word of softer exhortation to take heed of all Dividing wayes and methods * See the Anathemas of Ancient Councils and the Sentiments of the Ancient Fathers to the confusion of Schisme in Dr. Forbes Irenicum and of modern Divines in that pretty piece of Littlers Reformed Presbyterian Examine and try this well if our Church be not free from all defects of any those things which are essentially requisite to make it a true and faithful Church in point of Doctrine and administration of the sacraments for then it will follow if you voluntarily separate your selves from our Assemblies from the Lords Supper or administration of the Sacraments in them you are guilty of the Sin of Shism if you think it any sin at all you shew your contempt to the Spouse of Christ and the ordinance of Christ you encourage and animate the Atheist and Heretick you Provoke God to withdraw himself and remove his Candlestick his Gospel from us and as you rend and wound the Church which is the Body of Christ so do you Wilfully excommunicate your selves from the Visible tokens of the Lords presence and Love And if you can loudly complain though too often causelesly of your Church-Governours if they deprive any member of the Church of communion with her by Excommunication upon light and unnecessary occasions how much greater sin is it in the Members to deprive themselves of the same communion upon the like or less occasions saith that excellent incomparable book called The whole Duty of Man Now to remedy things that a Coercive power is very lawful nay requisite I for my part declare it to be my settled judgement and that none did write or preach more vigorously to this purpose than those that now make themselves our adversaries any one that hath eyes may see in Mr. Ashdons Book of Toleration disapproved and why should it be an unpardonable offence to urge the same truths now upon better grounds and with the same and more clear and convincing arguments The Magistrate is Custos vindexque utriusque Tabulae a Guardian as well of Divine as of humane Laws Rom. 13.4 * Rom. 13.4 He is ordained of God to execute wrath upon all them that do evil And are not false Teachers stiled evil workers * Phil. 34. And is not Heresie a fruit of the flesh and what are separating teachers but false teachers and what are separating Doctrines but unsound Doctrines and is not unsound Doctrine resembled to a canker * 2 Tim. 2.17 that corrodes the sound Flesh And the Abetters and Fomenters there of to Thieves that spoil to ravening wolves that devour and to deceitful works that undermine the truth †2 Cor. 11.13 now how the Chyrurgeon will cautorize or cut off a canker or what penalty is due to Thieves Wolves and decietful works none is ignorant Nor is the practice of this coercive power against Hereticks and Chismaticks any new thing that it should seem strange to any Christians ears In the time of the Law Asa Jehoshaphat Josiah Nehemiah punished abuses in divine Worship And under the Gospel God by Miracles did for a time supply the want of Christian Magistrates smiting Ananius and Saphyra with sudden death by S. Peter and Elymas the Sorcerer with blindness by St. Paul And the Spirit of God condemns the Church of Thiatira for not exercising her power to repress such like for suffering the woman Jezebel to teach and seduce Christs servants * Rev. 2.20 and reproves the Church of Pergamus for suffering them that taught the Doctrine of Balaam and entertaining them that held the Doctrine of the Nicolaitans * Rev. 2.14 And concurrent with Scriptures are the Primitive Fathers herein Tertullian †Tert. ad vers Gnost cap. 2. saith that Hereticks must be compelled not prayed to do their duties Athanasius said that Arrius Eudoxius and Patrophilus when they wrote unsound Doctrines were worthy of all punishments St. Augustine †Aug. E. pist 48. tells Vincentius that it is no parodox that men ought to be forced to righteousness for as much as he read that the Master said to the Servants compel them to come in * Lukè 14 23. And that S. Paul was forced to receive and embrace the truth by a violent compulsion of Christ except you should judge Lands and Goods dearer to men than their eyes And this opinion that it is not lawful to deliver an incorrigible Heretick to the secular power and to inflict corporal and pecuniary mulcts he sharply reproves in the Donatists Parmenianus Petilianus and Gaudentius * Aug lib 1 contra Epist Parmehiani cap. 7. lib. 2. Contra literas petileam cap. 10. lib. 2. contra Epistolam Gandentii cap. 17. As I find Mr. Cragg
leave not thy place E sede itio may with a little heat turn into sed itio saith Doctor Reynolds Quidam in corpore Christi oculi quidem manus saith S. Basil All are not eyes and hands in the Body of Christ to take upon them the burden of great affairs Are all Apostles saith S. Paul are all Prophets are all Teachers hath not God dealt to every man a several measure hath he not placed every man in a several order have we not all work to do in our own places must we needs rush into the labours and intrude our selves into the business of other men Haec magistro relinquat Aristoteli canere ipse docet It was a sharp rebuke of Tully against Aristoxenus the Musitian who would needs turn Philosopher whereunto agreeth the Answer of Basil the Great to the Clerk of the Emperours Kitchin when he jeered him for his soundness against the Arrian Faction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Your business it is to look to the seasoning of your Broth and not to revile the Doctrine or Doctrines of the Church All these do commend the Apostles Exhortation unto you let every one study to be quiet to do his own business * 1 Thes 4.11 The Connexion more than intimates the next way to be quiet abroad is to be busie at home We shall never learn well to be quiet unless we learn also to keep our own business The excellent Bishop Lany hath fully discovered See Doct. Lany Bishop of Ely upon this Text. how guilty of the contrary hereof are both the Pope the Covenanter and Sectary in his Sermon on this Text Quietness is the natural and genuine effect of orderly keeping in our Callings and Stations and our own business For all discord must be between two either persons or parties and that which commonly kindles the Fire is envy or some supposed injury Now he that minds his own business only can give no occasion to others of either envy or complaint and so in recompence of keeping to his own business he shall sit quietly under his own Vine and under his own Fig-tree Let none of us then out of ambition discontent emulation or any other Polipragmatical distemper grow weary of our own imployments and interpose our selves in things that are without and above our order But according to the Apostles rule n 1 Cor. 7.24 Let every one abide in his calling and keep the station wherein God hath set him and this will be an excellent help to our speaking the same things our unity unanimity and uniformity and that there be no divisions amongst us 8. To this add also Remember that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 injoyned by the Apostle o Rom 12. be wise unto sobriety When you are 〈◊〉 deal with things divine set bounds 〈◊〉 your selves that you break not through to gaze p Exod. ◠12 21. think not to draw every thing in Religion to the rule of your own crooked presumptuous Reason to give a quo modo of every thing in Faith Upon this account it is that S. Paul charges the Colossians q Col. 2.8 to take heed of Philosophy and vain deceits not but that there is admirable use of sound Philosophy and of Reason raised and rectified so long as it is subordinate to Faith but when Reason shall be so proud as to judge of Faith it self and admit or reject it as it shall be consonant or disagreeing to her prejudice this is a Tyranny which will quickly overthrow all Other cause than this there hath been none of the desperate Heresies wherewith the Socinians have pestered the World but that they will have all truths to stand or fall at the Tribunal of their presumptuous Reason Happy we and the Church of God if all curious Novelties in sacred things be esteemed prophane Modesty becomes Christians especially cum de Deo agitur as Seneca said be we wise to sobriety This would confer much to our speaking the same things and to take away divisions from amongst us and of this advice the two next will be a sull explication and improvement So let that be the 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keep your selves close to the form of sound words r Rom. 10. ◠2 Tim ◠13 Those words and Doctrines which accord best with the grounds of Faith and love in Christ those which ascribe most glory to God and the Grace of God and which most conduce to the humbling and abasing of the pride of man which most tends to the practice of godliness to the purifying of Conscience and edifying of the Body of Christ It is a weighty saying of S. Austin ſ De Civ Dei lib. 10. c. 23. Non parum inter est ad Christianam pietatem quibus vocibus utamur It is of no little moment to Christian Piety what words we use they must be according to godliness t 1 Tim. 6.3 and our knowledge the knowledge of the truth according to godliness To which add 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be sure to retain and bear reverence to the customs of the Church of God Contra fundatissimum morem nemo sentiat u Aust ep 28. Let no man be in love with his private sentiments contrary to the Churches well-grounded Customs Nemo nobis molestias exhibeat sic enim sentit ac docèt Sancta Dei Ecclesia ab origine Epiphan in Anchorat Let no man trouble us in these things for thus the Holy Church thought and taught from the beginning In quibus nihil certi statuit Scriptura mos populi Dei instituta majorum pro lege tenenda sunt saith S. Austin * A known place Where the Word of God determines no certainty and where there is no express and evident variation from Divine Authority there must be the Customs and received practices of the Ancient and pure Ages of the Church and Constitutions of her Pastors be retained as a Law and to contemn and oppugn them he somewhere calls it insolentissima insania a most proud or insolent madness only this Rule must be qualified with this necessary limitation that no Authority hath any Authority in matters of Faith Worship or Doctrine of Religion to prescribe or deliver any thing as in it self and immediately obligatory to Conscience which is either contradicted or omitted in the Word of God for that we believe to be fully sufficient to make the man of God perfect and thoroughly furnished to every good work x 2 Tim. 3.16 17. but as for matters accessary of indifferency order decency and inferiour nature and in matters of testimony to the truths of Scripture and for manifesting the succession flourishing and harmony of Doctrine through all Ages of the Church the godly Learned hath ascribed much to the Authority and usage of the Ancient Churches the study of the Doctrine whereof Vide Littler's Reformed Presbyte rian Hooker's Ecclesiastical Polity Mr. Baxter's Disputation with several other Authors the
or hoped to do by his Cure of the Churches Divisions he could not have devised a more effectual course to undo all Thus hath he cherished us of the Church with one hand and smitten us with the other Thus hath he acted the part of an unfaithful Physitian who when afraid his Cure should be wrought too soon administers contrary Physick I affect not to thrust 〈…〉 into a Fray with him or any other of that perswasion nor do I pretend to Answer his Book which it is fitter others should do if it be thought needful nor do I glory to be a Discoverer of so great an Authors Errours but being requested by a Friend to add a word or two concerning those chief Pleas I before mentioned which are so much magnified and insisted upon by such as forsake our Assemblies I will attempt to discover their nakedness by Gods help The three latter I mean for the two first deserve not to be again mentioned 1. It is said by some that the Kings Indulgence and Declaration of Toleration doth evidently acquit all private Meetings from the imputation of Schism In answer It is not fit for me or any other Son of the Church who profess the strictest obedience and loyalty to make any sawcy descant upon his Majesties actions He is wise as an Angel of God and freely do we submit to his Deliberate Councels and determinature but yet to us it belongs to consider the nature and extent of his Condescensions and the grounds and reasons thereof so far as he is pleased to make them known unto us and thus doing how little cause those that will weigh all things in the ballance of the Sanctuary Scripture and sound Reason and not jurare in verba take every thing upon trust from the Guids of any perswasion I say how little cause these have to think this a sufficient plea to free the Conventiclers from Schism if they have nothing else wherein to take Sanctuary will appear if we consider 2. 1. The Extent of his Majesties Declaration and that at the utmost is a mere inindulgence or permission of that which he therein and at all times hath declared contrary to his own judgment the Author of Toleration not to be abused evidently shewes * Sect. Prov. 2◠that the scope of the Declaration is not to make such Separated congregation more lawful than they was before or to approve them as good and lawful but rather supposeth them to be sinful at least in his own judgment while he only permits them that is all just as Moses did the Bills of Divorce for the hardness of mens hearts And let the Authority of Church-Assemblies in a National Constituted Church be once clear and I conceive the unlawfulness of separate Meetings in opposition unto them naturally follows and how then can his Majesties Indulgence acquit and absolve them Vide Toleration not to be used if there be nothing else that doth it It is well known that if his Majesty should not only Approve but Command and that not only by Declaration but by Act of Parliament that which is but suspected to be unlawful nay perhaps declared by all parties to be in it self indifferent the Presbyterian is not apt to change his judgment or practise for it but is oftentimes more hardened in his opposition thereunto by its being commanded and how then can a bare permission now serve their turns His Majesty only permits and leaves men to the guidance of their own Consciences what to do whether to forsake the Publick Assemblies and set up their separate Meetings or no so that if there be no satisfactory ground for a good Conscience to do it the said Declaration must needs leave them as guilty of Schism from the Church though not as rebellious against his Majesties Laws as before 2. The Reasons which the King is pleased to acknowledge did prevail with him are evidently Politick to tolerate these Meetings not for themselves but some other ends and reasons of State even to secure his quiet at home while he is ingaged in Forreign Wars Now how can this satisfie Conscience of the lawfulness thereof or free the Actors from the guilt of separation Surely no more than those inconveniences and unlawful actions are justifiable because David winked at them and suffered them go unpunished when he cryed out the Sons of Zerviah are too hard for me 3. By the Declaration the Argument for Conformity taken from wrath only is removed only the penalty is taken off the directive part of the Law I conceive is still in force so that if it did at all oblige Conscience before Conscience hath no more liberty now than then though the body and purse have 4. That which in my judgment leaves them inexcuseable is that his Gracious Majesty in his said Declaration is pleased in terms to acknowledge the Church of England is established by Law and makes it the standing Rule and that in opposition and contradiction to private Meetings yea though they should be allowed of according to the Indulgence His express meaning and resolution is declared to be that the National Church of England should be preserved entire as the Basis Rule and Standard of Publick Worship among us Now this evidently supposeth all other though tolerated Meetings besides Church-Assemblies to be against the Rule and Sects and Schismes from the National Church In this is manifestly implyed that to set them up is to do that which the Ancient Fathers especially S. Cyprian and our Modern Orthodox Divines both Episcopal and Presbyterian have so earnestly declaimed against viz. Erigere Altare contra Altare to set up Altar against Altar a Church in a National Church independent from it yet consisting of such as are its Natural Members to break this Churches Unity and to divide the Members thereof which apparently tends to the destruction of the whole if the Church of England as it is settled by the Act of Uniformity be established as the standing rule for doctrine and worship then is it impossible I think to defend those that renounce Union and Communion with it and the publick assemblies thereof though under pretence of exercising purer administrations For so Mr. Baxter states the Case and for this consult Dr. Edward Stiling fleets Irenicum upon the point c. 6. Sure I am it can neither consist with the Doctrines of the old non-Conformists Ball Hildersham Dod Perkins nor of the soberest moderne dissenters So much for that Plea then from the Kings Indulgence 2. Like unto it is the second that the Preachers in these separate Meetings look upon themselves only as assistants to the parish Minister and so would they have us to look upon them Here is sheeps clothing but I fear a Wolf under it Is it not od that any that will shall have power thus to obtrude himself upon the lawfully settled Pastor how much soever he be unacquainted with his person or dissatisfied with his education or principles ablities or
Conversation I do not speak it out of rancor or bitterness but in good sadness I look on it as a strange incroachment upon and enslaving of a Parish minister who being himself bound up to Church rules and orders both by his own Conscience and the Kings establishing the Church as the standing rule And how learned and pious and Grave a Divine soever he be yet must he have his people at liberty to choose to themselves another Pastor perhaps a man in holy orders perhaps not and he must be accounted his Assistant though he have none no not the lest knowledg of him except perhaps he can call to mind or his Contemporaries can remember him that such a one was expell'd the University as a rake heel or stopt of his Degree as a Dunce and this I le assure you is the Case of not a few in these parts several such being holders up of sides and factions amongst us intruding themselves into our charges without our consent nay and expresly against it and gathering together a pail of our people together with others out of parishes adjacent to worship God at the very time of publike worship after their own inventions and yet those must be our Assistant forsooth I marvel what Shepherd or Master of a Family would be willing to have an Assistant thus thrust himelf upon him whether he will or no and take part of his flock from under his proper care and inspection and governance upon pretence of assisting him just Such an assistant I fancy the Woolf in the Fable to be and * Matth 7.15 you know whom the Holy Ghost Compares to him when he perswaded the Lambs to discharge their dogs in pretence of safety there was no need of them And we may justly challenge an excuse if we look upon many as no better that will thrust themselves upon us as our assistants * Cant. 2.5 Take us the foxes the little foxes that spoils the vins * See Dr. Prideaux upon this Text those foxes are Hereticks or Schismaticks within the pale of the Church say the Assembles Annotations as well as Tirants or persecutors without The former have not only the craft of that beast transforming themselves 2 Cor. 11.13 carrying a fox in their bosomes when they are lambs outwardly but also the rage and cruelty when they get power none like them for never did the Church suffer more from the maddest and blindest Heathens than from Heretickes and Schismaticks that were amongst them They spoil the Vines i. e. they corrupt them even the Churches * Psa 80 14 15. which they do either by fraud or force by false doctrines or wicked manners either by Heresies which are the great Foxes or Schismes which are but little ones at first but like cubs will grow into bigness * This agrees with Mr. Newcomes Sermon at Pauls Heb. 8.16 46. 1 Cor. 11.18 19. These are to be taken that is found out judged convinced censured reproved and punished * Pag. 18. quoted by Mr. Ashdon in his preface pag. 12. See more in the Assemblies Annotations upon the text this was sound Doctrine once you see how ever it be now relished Take us the little Foxes saith Christ they are Foxes though little ones no let them alone say our Indulgence men they will be your Assistants Well to confine my self in this spatious field I must needs say that if this may passe for a sufficient plea though conjunctly with the rest then farewel the Doctrine of publick worship and farewel the people obligations to their pastors and farewel too all those excellent answers the Presbyterian Guides have often formerly given to the Brownists grounds of seperation But let us the Church Ministers beg the Worlds pardon if with Solomons wise man we have our eyes in our head and would be loth to have them put out if our own experiences be trusted so far that we can never believe that they these gatherers of Churches will ever prove our Assistants but rather annoyances to us pricks in our eyes and goads in our sides continually for they have already set our people a cock-loft with presumptions they may now live as they list they break the bounds of that strict relation that is betwixt us and them they pull down what we build up order Decency in Gods worship Obedience and Subjection to Governors both in Church and State we find them evidently Contradicting us in our soundest Doctrines when I first preached upon this text Heb. 10.25 I took occasion to give the right sense of that text Math. 18.20 Where two or three are met together c. and this I did out of the London Annotations and Mr. Ball. and S Cyprian which I freely submitt to the judgment of any impartial Reader But loe so it fell out that the conventicle man my supposed Assistant preacht on purpose on that text the direct Contrary to what I had deliver'd that very aftermoon if I was informed aright from those that either out of novelty or faction went to hear him nay our people can with their odious Comparisons under value our Sermons preferring those they have in their Kilns and Barns and Smith Shops to use their own dialect as much as light before darkness Now have we not great Cause think ye to esteem them our worthy Assistants I conclude unless we could hate our selves or our people and be wholly careless of both we can never allow this notion of Assistants but upon this very account must indeed in Mr. Baxters judgment think these separate meetings unlawful because we find by sad experience they do far more hurt than good if they do any good at all * Vid Sacre le gious De sertion pag. 18. 3. A like pretence is that of the place of meeting that they must be look'd upon as Chappels of ease Bravely said they are no opposite Schismatical meetings I warrant you but as Chappell 's of ease a notion that doubtless cost many a nocturnal Lucubration or hot dispute in a private Conference It is so far fetcht it smells of the Lamp The first Author whoever he was might well applaud his happy Invention with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he had found out the most hidden mystery or received an oracle for such a kind reception it hath found in our parts as if it were really such But the mischief is we of the Church though we be branded for it cannot but declare our dissatisfaction as much with this as with the other Inventions and the reason is our own Experience still teacheth us fooles otherwise For ask our experiences for whose case these new erected Chappels are like to serve and they will pesently answer not for the Church Ministers for sure And while we preach and study to preach Continually being in labours abundant why should we be enemies to our own necessary ease altogether Now these do evidently occasion us infinite insuperable troubles they divide
for themselves have no promise to be heard non aequè exoras quum solus Dminum obsecras saith the Father Thou doest not so soon obtain thy desire when thou prayest alone as when in the assemblies of the Brethren for in those Assemblies there is some thing more then prayers even the concord and consent and joyning in Love and Charity and the cry of the Priest whose office it is to make intercession for the people and being of the stronger size to carry a long with them the weak prayers of the people and carry then unto heaven Quod quis apud seipsum precatus accipere non poterit hoc cum multitudine precatus accipit Quare quia si non propria virtus tamen concordia multum potest The thing that a man cannot obtain by himself alone praying together with the multitude he shall obtain why because when his own worth cannot yet the concord and union of the Assembly may avail much It is no reproach to call the Churches Liturgy Common prayer the more common it is the better it is and the more effectual when not onely two or three but a whole Congregation are joyned nay all the Congregations of a whole nation do in the same words put their Common petitions and supplications O what a shrill noise must this needs make in the ears of God St. Jerom likened it to a thunder clap St. Easti to the roaring of the Sea it is like the several strings of a Well tuned instrument that makes a ravishing harmony as the flame of one stick is nothing to that of a bundle on fire together such is the devotion of one man to that of a whole Assembly vis unita fortior force vnited is somuch the stronger a threefold cable is hardly broken So do the joynt prayers of Gods people united and publiquely put up unto God move him as it were omnipotently and irresistably they mount up to heaven they rap at the gates and cannot easily be denyed entrance like as the petition of a whole Corporation is more avaliable to a King then the single petition of any particular person such is the power and profit of publique worship and devotion And that by the way is a forceable argument to disswade the truely Religious from forsaking the assemblies that 's the fifth Proposition the more publique religious worship is the better it is The next in order is this Prop. 6. That divine worship may be truely publique There is requisite the free and full assembling of our selves together in a publique place set a part for the same So you see I come home to my Text so set it home upon your judgments 〈…〉 with fulness of evidence and strength of reason as well as Holy Scripture Give me leave to prosecute this Proposition by parts To publique worship to make it publique there is requisite the assembling of Minister and people in a publique place 1. Of Minister His presence is necessary unless in case of unremoveable impediment as some sudden sickness or some weighty cause of absence for he is a person set a part for the administration of Gods publique worship he is consecrated to draw nigh unto God he is by office an Ambassador or Messenger between God and man Gods mouth an Ambassador to the people appointed to beseech them in Gods stead to be reconciled unto him And he is the peoples mouth and Ambassador unto God to offer up their requests for grace and mercy unto him Gods mouth to them in preaching and their mouth unto God in prayer Hence c Joel 2.18 the Priests are required to put up petitions and supplications Let the Priests the Priest of the Lord stand between the Porch and the Altar and say spare thy people good Lord spare them And as under the Law it was the Priests office to to burn incense and Vzziah was smitten of God with a loathsome leprousie for usurping it So still under the Gospel it is the Ministerial office to offer the Sacrifice of publique prayer unto God which is as sweet smelling incense in the nostrils of God and for preaching the word is express how shall they preach unless they be sent d Rom. 10. â—0 how able so ever they be to teach the word and sound doctrine yet if they have not a mediate and ordinary call or sending which though it be by man yet is divine as Luther saith they cannot preach to your prâ—fit they come not to edifie but to destroy They are Luthers words Let no uncalled speaker Beloved have any encouragement at your hands having no mission from God Our Saviour tells you that what shew soever they make of holiness and spiritualness and godliness and saintship and the like yet they are wolves in sheep cloathing thieves spoiling Gods heritage deceitful workers underminding the truth therefore takeheed of them or forsaking the publique assemblies to run after them to your perversion and distruction such is the first requisite to a publique worship the Ministers the rightly called Ministers presence in the Assembly 2. That puplique worship may be publique indeed the people ought to come and joyn in it every one that would be saved must be member of the true Church for extra ecclesian nou est salus out of the true Church â—nd Religion no man can find assurance of comfort and Salvation Japhet cannot be saved until perswaded to dwell in the tents of Shem nor Noahs family out of the Ark. The visible Church of Christ is a Congregation of faithful men in which the pure word of God is preached and the Sacraments are duly administred according to all those things that are necessarily requisite for the same A true Church is chiefly to be distinguished from a false by purity and soundness of doctrine and due administration of the Sacraments in it And surely these are unquestionable in our Church of England even in the confession of our adversaries as it stands at this day reformed from the dreggs of Popery in its doctrine and worship So then to this Church let every one joyn himself and not seperate from it if he would be saved e Acts 2.47 The Lord added to the Church such as should be saved Regia via The King of heavens high way to Salvation is by adding to the Church not by seperating from it If God be our Father the Church is our Mother f Gal. 4.26 Jerusalem which is above is the mother of us all Hence the Church is oft called the Kingdome of heaven g Mat. 13.44 And that promise that is made h Esa 33.24 the people that dwells there shall have their sins forgiven is to be understood of the catholick Church and so by consequence is applicable 1. The Tabernacle where the Arke of the Covenant and the Altar was placed There God promised to meet with his people that worshipped him hence it was called the Tabernacle of the Congregation or the Tabernacle of Meeting as
men may foolishly imagine that they can do well enough with the private use of the words though they injoy not the publick and can pray well enough by themselves though they have no society with the general and publick devotions Yet is it sure on the contrary that there is no such promise made to the private as to the publick Nay none at all to the private if the publick be neglected or contemned Such a woeful thing it is for men to do themselves the greatest injury that can be to deprive themselves of Gods presence by forsakeing the assemblies of his people upon this ground Gods people complained of the effect of the rage and fury of their enemies t Psal 47 7â— They razed the sanctuary to the ground defiled the dwelling place of Gods name and burnt up all the Synagogues of God in the land And Jeremiah in his Lamentations u Lam. 1.4 The waies of Zion lament because no man cometh to the solemn feasts all her gates are desolate And hence the sentence of excomunication hath ever by religious soules been accounted the greatest of punishments as casting them out of Gods presence and giving them up to Satan x 2 Cor. 5.5 so sottish are they that willfully excommunicate themselves by forsakeing the assemblies It is like a mans being outlawed in matters of civil Government by which he is deprived of all the benefits and protection belonging to a subject of the realm Just so doth this censure put them out of the priviledges of Christians and our of Gods protection for a time so as to be reckoned as strangers or forraâ—ners as heathens and publicans y Matt. 18.17 The sin of these men will best be discovered if we pass from this eighth proposition to the second General in the Text. 2. The Apostles taxation of some for this sin of forsaking the Assemblies and so putting themselves in a way of apostacy or falling back from or wavering in the profession of the true faith for so the Text runs not forsaking the Assembling your selves together as the manner of some is So then in the Apostles judgment those some whoever they be are blame worthy and are to be reproved and sharply rebuked what motives soever they may have for forsaking the publick Assemblies of the true Church they cannot forsake them and be innocent it is an act that cannot be acceptable unto God not forsaking the Assembling of your selves together as the manner of some is As there are diverse persons that forsake the assemblies So are their motives to forsake them different some give â—ne account thereof and some another all blame worthy Let us but consider and weigh the Apollogies and motives of some of them 1. The manner of some is to forsake the assemblies upon pretence of some corruptions in them It is holyness and purity these men pretend to in a high measure and therefore they forsake our assemblies because as they affirm they are unholy being mixt assemblies consisting of both good and bad a vide Robinsons and Cant books a miscellany Multitudes of the seed of woman and of the Serpent and much more they inveigh and rail bitterly against them and thence inferr a necessity of separation from them z Heb. 12.14 but that this is a most corrupt and unsound inference will appear if we consider 1. That the purest Church on earth is not free perfectly free from all corruptions The spouse of Christ is comly yet black It becomes Christs Church to be as true so humble far from arrogating perfection For any Church on this side heaven to say that she is absolute and neither wants nor abounds were the voice of Laodicea or Tyrus in the Prophet As there is no Element which is not through many mixtures departed from its first simplicity so is there no Church that breatheth in so pure an air but it may justly complain of some thick and unwholsome evaporations of sin and error in it Was not the Church typed by Noahs Ark wherein was unclear as well as clean beasts doth not Christ compare it to a feiled wherein grows both tares and wheat promiscuously until the harvest a Mat. 13.12 to a great house wherein are vessels of Gold and Silver and of Brass earth and clay b 2 Tim. 2.20 to a sheep fould wherin are foulded both sheep and Goats c Matt. 25 32. to a company of Virgins all invited by an external call to the Wedding whereof some were foolish some wise d Mat 25.1 to an orchard or vineyard e Esai 61.1 wherein all are not fruitful trees that bring forth their fruit in due season But on some God bestowes digging and dunging unto them and fencing them which cumber the ground and are good for nothing but to be cast into the fire To a vine in which are some branches that onely bear leaves of profession or at the best but sowre grapes Nay sometimes in a true Church even the chiefest members for eminency and Authority are corrupted sometimes the prime Governours of a Church as the chief Priests and Elders in our Saviours time may be great enemies of real goodness Nay to come closer to our selves 2. We must acknowledge that even in our Church and the Assemblies thereof there is such general decay of that first love and primitive piety which consisted chiefly in Humility Mortification Obedience and good works and such a general increase of all filthy and abominable sins and those too frequently uncensured unrereproved that there is just cause for any Godly man to fear least God be about to take away his tabernacle from amongst us and remove our candlestick and go far off from our sanctuary f Ezek. 8.6 3. It is undoubted that when a pious Christian considers these things he ought to be deeply affected with them and neither communicate with a whole Church in any corruptions that are evident corruptions in it nor yet pertake in the sins of any the particular members thereof but observing his brothers prophanness his duty is to admonish him and to bewail his sin and do what lies in him to bring him to a reformation thereof This is the right course but 4. This is no ground at all for him to separate from the Church or to forsake the Assembly there of it is of Mr. Hildershams Doctrines agreable to the ninteenth Article of the Church of England and that those Assemblies that injoy the word and Doctrine of Salvation though they may have many corruptions remaining in them yet they are to be acknowledged true Churches of God and such as none of the faithful may make separation from because 1. There was never Church on earth free from corruptions either in the whole or in its perticular assemblies and yet never did the Saints of God forsake them upon that account Never was there Church from the beginning of the world to this day from one side of the Earth to
another pure in all her members Adams house that as the first Church on earth yet did it contain Cain a bloody murder as well as Abel a devout worshiper in it Presently after did God raise up Seth instead of Abel to be a holy seed unto him and even then did not the Church continue long free from prophane mixtures but the sons of God became enamoured with the beatuy and matched with the daughters of men And so the deluge came upon them Now from the deluge God preserved Noah in the Ark there was the Church again and behold in that ark there was accursed Cham as well as a blessed Shem. As also in Abrahams family a scoffing Ismael as well as a devout Isaac And in Isaacs a prophane Esau as well as an holy Jacob And O what Scandals brook out among the Patriarchs Ruben became incestuous Simeon and Levi brethren in evil After this when the Church was inlarged into great congregations and assemblies O what impatient murmuring do we read of among the children of Israel what foul Idolatries committed in the Wilderness what serveing of Baalim time after time in the Land of Canaan what horrible and scandalous sins were committed amongst them under the Judges how was polygamy and unreasonable devorces and setting up high places in the daies of the best Kings and what a deludge of prophaneness and Idollatry must you needs think there brake out in the worst when men did not onely sin secretly but openly they shewed their sin as Sodom when the Priests that should have restrained them led them on by evil examples when the more holy were as signes and proverbs of reproach and yet in all these successive generations we do not read of any seperations from or forsaking the Church assemblies as the manner of some now is It s true in Idolatrous times the Saints did refuse to joyne with the ungodly in Idolatrous worship So in Ahabs time there were seven thousand that had not bowed their knee to Baal but yet never was the wicked until convicted and censured debarred from joyning with the Godly in the true worship nor was the Godly ever enjoyned to separate from them for fear of defilement by them Nay on the contrary we shall find that when our Saviour was born then was the Church so corrupted that the Temple was become a den of thieves and yet then Joseph and Mary the parents of Christ did joyn themselves to the congregation in Gods publick worship Nay they went a long Journey with their child Jesus to satisfie the law to offer their turtle Doves and a pair of young Pigeons and to take part with the Priests and Gods people in that which was good and for the rest they meddled no further then their places required an Example Saith Calvin and Marlorat express against our Brownists and all our Separatists and Recusants and that which may justly and finally stop their mouths for ever might be this if they would but consider how corrupt was the State of the Church in our Saviour's time and yet how far forth our Saviour did communicate with them in the service of God not forsakeing the assemblies of the Church though then so corrupt 1. For the Priests and Teachers they were ignorant and unlearned g Matt. 23.16 verse 3. Nay wicked and ungodly h John 11.44 even the High priest himself did enter unlawfully into his calling for whereas by Gods ordi nance be was to hold that once during his life it was bought and sold and made annual which is imply'd in that expression i Luke 4.28 29. Caiaphas was high priest for that year 2. Most of the people in most of the places where our Saviour conversed were notoriously and obstinately wicked He lived most in Nazareth and see what they were there k Matt. 11.20 21. All that were in the Synagogue were fill'd with wrath and resâ— up and thrust him out of the City and led him to the edge of a hill to thrust him down headlong yea and all the Cities where most of his great works had been done he upbraided wo to thee Corazin wo to thee Bethsaida l nor were the people of Jerusalem better For when Pilat a Gentile offered to release him all the multitude crying out at once not him but Barabas now Barabas was a robber m Luk. 23.18 And when Pilat washed his hands protesting for Christs innocency they all said desperately his blood be upon us and our children n Mat. 27.25 And for the worship it self that was used in our Saviours time it was very corrupt 1. They then urged the use of many superstitious ceremonies more strictly then the commandement and ordinances of God o Mark 7.9 2. They prophaned the Temple and made it a den of thieves 3. They abused the Discipline and censures of the Church shamefully p Joh. 9.22 the Jewes decreed that if any one confessed that Jesus was the Christ he should be excommunicated ipso facto 4. Their doctrine was corrupted in many points as these of divorce of thest Murder adultry q Mat 5.21.28 Socorrupt was the Church then and yet mark out Saviour did not separate from it but communicated with the publick assemblies in the worship of God 1. When an infant he was circumcised and by that Sacrament incorporated into that Church r Luk. 2.21 2. When his mother was purified he was brought to the Temple and presented to the Lord with his offering as the custome was Å¿ Luk. 2.22 3. He often heard such teachers as taught in the Church t Luk. 2.46 4. He was wont every Sabbath to joyn in publick prayer with the Congregation that were at Nazareth u Luk. 4.16 5. He received the Sacrament of Baptism in a congregation of that people x Luk. 3.2 When all the people were Baptized he was baptized also 6 He communicated in the passeover with the people and the Priest y Joh. 2.13 7. He allowed his Disciples to hear those teachers z Mat. 23.12 Nay he commanded the Leper whom he cleansed to go and shew himself to the Priest and offer his gift in the Temple a Mat. 8. Neither did any of the Saints in any Age nor Christ himself nor his Disciples separate from nor forsake the publick assemblies of the true Church that enjoyed the word and doctrine of Salvation for any corruptions in them Then these instances what can be said more convincing if men had ears to hear what the spirit hath recorded of the Churches The fore quoted Mr. Hildersham upon this point hath two other reasons why we may not forsake them for their corruptions who because he is of much authority with many dissenters and I wish they were all of his sober spirit therefore I will offer them to your consideration Valeant quantum valeer possent Indeed there is no cause to forsake them for their corruptions because 2. Notwithstanding such
one of the best prâ—sbyterian Guides that ever this Church had delivereth as sound Doctrine oppose these perticulars to Mr. Baxters late answer of Toleration not to abused a book wherein are many strange ill disgested conceits in my poor judgment and the pretences of other Setters up of private assemblies and see if they can have consistence and agreement and observe that while this Pious Author allows mens going to another Pastor than their own for better edification yet doth he evidently understand the settled Pastor of a neighbour Church which makes the case quite different from mens present forsaking their own Pastors to hear unsettled intruding preachers who whether they be lawfully called to that holy function I am confident thousands are utterly ignorant not have any good grounds to think it So that for as much as even these sober dissenters which did plead for or at all allowed mens ordinary leaving their own Pastors to go to another have yet allowed it with such cautions as these that men must do it for no by end but for their better edification onely and must be very careful it be not for want of judgment in their choice and it must be with their own Pastors consent and as acknowledging his superiority over them and their obligation unto him and as seeking his joy and comfort and incouragement and for as much as this their allowance was only with relation to settled Pastors and if a man should not but with such caution leave the Pastor of his own Church to hear the Pastor of another Church much less may he to hear an unknown novel corner intruder d vide in Hildersham on John 4.32 page 342 By this it appears how tender and nice a good conscience should be to do it and what a horrible guilt of transgressing the very ordnance of God there lyes upon the consciences of most that forsake the assemblies out of dislike of their own Pastours and go to others which particulers being so clearly laid down I come to shew how groundless these mens usual complaints of their own Pastors are And that in these following Objections Object 1. Concerning his life It is lewd or Scandalous so as they cannot look for benefit by his ministry Object 2. His opinion it is dangerous so as they fear to be perverted by him Object 3. His gifts they are mean so as they cannot hope for much good by him Object 4. His carriage it is indiscreet or intollerable and not to be indured 1. It is indeed the weightiest prejudice many have against their Pastors so as to forsake the assembly for his sake when they can justly pretend his life is lewd or scandalous and would you have us then bound up to his minstry whose example is enough to undo us must we needs hear him who hears not himself must he guide us to heaven who walks himself in the in the paths of hell how can we credit his words who shews his own unbelief by his wicked life who confutes his sermons by his practices who pulls down with his life what he builds up with his lips will the Spirit lodge in his lips in whose heart he hath no room will the holy God make use of a prophane instrument who can gather grapes of Thorns or sigs of Thistles how can we be bound to hear him whose life is so lewd or if we hear him what benefit can we hope for from him Ans I confess it is the most grievous complaint this that can be if it be just A wicked minister being of all men most odious and abominable If the salt hath lost its savor it is good for nothing but the dunghil if the light of the world be darkness how great is that darkness The Vrim and Thummim Purity of Doctrine and exemplarity of life are the two great requisites in a Faithful minister of Christ far be it from me to patronize or plead for any in whom there is a notorious defect of these any such enemy of Christ or Judas like traytor to Christ as every scandalous minister is But yet may I oppose to this prejudice these necessary considerations 1. From such the purest Church upon earth cannot be free And that â— By reason of that innate corruption that is in ministers as well as in other men Alas they are but flesh tempered of the same clay with others polluted with the same original corruptions prone to the same vices being Angels by office yet men by nature to whom though God hath committed the heavenly treasure yet are these but earthly vessels still as frail and weak as other men And 2. Being as prone to sin as others their temptions are far more then other mens For Satan the common adversary of all souls knows his greatest advantage is in devouring those that should save mens souls As the Syrians was commanded to fight especially against the King of Israel So do the devils chiefly combate with the Priests and Prophets of Israel The pulling down of these pillars is to weaken or raise the whole building the misleading of these guides is the way to make all to err The smiting of the shepheard is to scatter the slock to lull a sleep these watchmen is the way to surprise the whole army It s Satans compendious way of destruction to prevert those that should convert others to deform those that should reform others so that they being as weak as others and Satan grudging no pains continually to assault them is it any wonder if they be after foiled from such therefore the purest Church on earth cannot be free 2. When thy own Pastor is such yet hast thou reason to hear him and no reason to forsake the publick assemblies for his lewdness sake The heathen Seneca could advise men non quia loquitur sed quid not so much to weigh who speaks as the matter spoken and the Scripture warneth them not to have mens persons in admiration e Jude 16. nor to have the Faith of God with respect of persons f James 2.1 Though an Angel from Heaven should bring an untruth declare another Gospel we ought to give no ear to him let him be accursed g Gal. 1.8 and though a divel from Hell should utter a truth it is not to be rejected for his sake that speaks it Truth is Gods where ever it grows As a mine of God or silver is the Princes in whose ground soever it be found It must be received for the love thereof as truth and for his sake who is the God of Truth by whom soever it be spoken Moses learnt of the Heathen Jethro his Father in Law a plat-form for the ordering the magistracy of Israel h Exod. 4. Pharoah learnt of his prisoner Joseph how to prevent a famine in Egypt i Gen. 41 41. Naaman was instructled by his captive Damosel where he might get his Leprously healed k 2 Kings 5. Old Eli was taught by the Child
not only loved the wayes of covetousness but ensnared the people in uncleannesses and upon those in the Gospel that made Gods house a house of Merchandize and so a den of thieves So that another ground and reason of mens forsaking and propagating separations from our publick assemblies Covetousness selfe interest I 'le name a 5. Even Idleness and this both spiritual and natural spiritual for because many men will take no paines in the practise of the duties of godliness which might well imploy mens whole lives therefore they fall into nice and new opin ions to imploy their active mindes So spiritual Idleness in things in which they should be imployed makes men curious and curiosity contentious The zeal of practise of humility and patience and self denyal and mortifying the flesh with the affections and lusts and renouncing the world and the other parts of real goodness this zeal grows cold and so that of disputes gets and gathers heat and vigor A lass our good works in this age fall short of the first Christians and then no wonder that our controversies exceeds theirs because we spend not our time in the one which is irksome to flesh and blood and therefore we imploy it in hammering and forging the other Pharaoh understood this well though he applyed it ill when he thought the Israelites proposals of travelling into the wilderness to their divotions was the effect of their idleness and so increast their taskes as the properest way to divert their design and as spiritual Idleness so also natural is often the cause of division For as experience sheweth such men as desert or neglect their secular callings are most apt to run after new teachers and with the widowes that neglected their office of Ministration to be busibodies and in many families the she-zealots neglecting their proper business the guiding of the house have therefore run into conventicles and upon them have seducers acted their designs most leading captive silly women to become duck coyes to whole families besides these there are another sort of Idle persons to that can sit at home lurke by their fire sides when they should be in Gods house and though they have little or nothing to hinder them from attending his ordinance yet any pretence a showr of rain a sore finger an Aking head a thin blast of weather will serve the turn to divert them O that such would remember Hezekiahs example who with in three dayes after he had been sick of a most painful and mortal disease went into the Temple a Esa 38.22 And the woman that on the sabbath resorted to the Synagogue though she had a spirit of infirmity eighteen yeares b Luk. 13.10 â—1 Alass the cause is mens hearts are dead and void of grace and the love of God and his word and so they find little comfort they take no delight in his publick worship and therefore are glad of an excuse David loved Gods tabernacle well For his heart and his flesh rejoyced for the living God c Psa 84.12 Those that tast how sweet the Lord is will desire the sincere milk of this word d 1 Pet. 2.2 3 O thou that art so careless whether ever thou appear in the assemblies of Gods Church in this life thou hast cause to fear thou shall never stand in the congregation of the righteous in the life to come e Psa 1.5 That 's a fifth cause of mens forsakeing or absenting from the assemblies as the manner of many is 6. There is a sixth which I will name because I will miss none and but name it because I have spoken in effect to it before The manner of some is to forsake them upon pretence they can spend their time and serve God as well pray and read good books at home as in the Church of God But God loves the gates of Sion more then all the dwellings of Jacob f Psal 87.2 David sure being both a prophet and a King could serve God as well in private as any pretenders and he had both a prophet and a Priest with him in his Banishment yet did he for all that long for the publick worship of God bewailed the want of it exceedingly g Psal 84.3 But I have fully shown you before the excellency and acceptableness of publick worship perfoâ—rmed by Godly ministers together with his people in a publick place above any private whatsoever that 's a sufficient consideration to convince them of sin that forsake the assemblies upon this account as the manner of some is Thus have I now both discovered the evident duty of all Christians and their obligation to frequent the publick assemblies in order to the publick worship of God and the sin of those men that either upon pretence of corruptions in the Church though they acknowledg it Orthodox and right in the substantials of religion or of some faults in the ministers life or opinion or gifts or carriage but in truth out of malice or hatred against him or out of pride or curiosity or Idleness or upon pretence they can as well serve God at home do neglect or forsake the publique assemblies Now what remaines but a word of exhortation to all that have an ear to hear what Gods Spirit saith unto the Churches and members of them 1. I beseech you Beloved in the Lord to learn to lay to heart your obligation to attend upon Church Assemblies and beware of those that endeavour the divisions of the Church or to divide and separate you from it It 's the Apostles own earnest exhortation g Rom. 16 17. now I beseech you brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which you have learned and avoid them They are no lovers of your souls as they pretend they are no servants of God for your good they are no fit guides for salvation that for things meerly external adiaphorous indifferent matters of meer order or decency separate themselves from the society of a true Church and would have you so to do As if a furious brainsick sailor should upon every occasion of anger or discontent cast himself overboard presuming to be safe enough out of the ship the ordinary road way of Gods saving any soul is in the unity of the Church And that is in a conjunction of them to some visible ordinary congregation according to that h Act. 2.47 the Lord added to the Church such as should be saved but exceruntè nobis they who go out from amongst us because they was never of us as to their hearts I will not presume to judge them as to their final state yet this I 'le say that the Church being the Spouse of Christ and Schism and Heresie being a work of the Flesh an effect of so bad causes as I have shown you fully ranked by the Apostle with fornication and drunkenness and adultery and the like I would not dye in their state for all the