haue much wickednesse in the City where wee liue you in the Church But in earnest doe you imagine wee account the Kingdome of England Babylon or the Citie of Amsterdam Sion It is the Church of England or State Ecclesiasticall which wee account Babylon and from which we withdraw in spirituall Communion but for the Common-Wealth and Kingdome as we honour it aboue all the States in the World so would we thankfully imbrace the meanest corner in it at the extremest conditions of any people in the Kingdome The hellish impieties in the Citie of Amsterdam doe no more preiudice our Heauenly Communion in the Church of Christ than the Frogs Lice Moraine and other plagues ouer-spreading Aegypt did the Israelites when Goshen the portion of their inheritance was free Exod. 8.19 nor than the Deluge wherewith the whole World was couered did NOAH when he and his Familie were safe in the ARke Genes 7. nor than Satans throne did the Church of Pergamus being established in the same Citie with it Reuel 2.12 13. SECTION LIII THe Church and State if they bee two yet they are twins and that so The neerenesse of the State Church the great errours found by the Separatists in the French and Dutch Churches as eithers euill proues mutuall the sinnes of the Citie not reformed blemish the Church where the Church hath power and in a sort comprehends the State shee cannot wash her hands of tolerated disorders in the Common-Wealth hence is my comparison of the Church if you could haue seene it not the Kingdome of England with that of Amsterdam I doubt not but you could bee content to sing the old song of vs Bona terra mala gens Our Land you could like well if you might bee Lords alone Thanks be to God it likes not you and iustly thinks the meanest corner too good for so mutinous a generation when it is weary of Peace it will recall you you that neither in Prison nor on the Seas nor in the Coasts of Virginia nor in your way nor in Netherland could liue in Peace What shall wee hope of your ease at home Where yee are all you thankfull Tenants cannot in a powerfull Christian state moue God to distinguish betwixt the knowne sinnes of the Citie and the Church How oft hath our Gracious Soueraigne and how importunately beene sollicited for a Toleration of Religions It is pittie that the Papists hyred not your Advocation who in this point are those true Cassanders Cassand de Offic. boni viri which Reuerend Caluin long since confuted Their wishes herein are yours To our shame and their excuse his Christian heart held that Toleration vnchristian and intollerable which you either neglect or magnifie Good Constantine winkt at it in his beginning Bellar. de Laicis Euseb in vita Const but as Dauid at the house of Zeruiahâ— Succeeding times found these Canaanites to bee prickes and thornes and therefore both by Mulcts and banishments sought either their yeeldance or voydance If your Magistrates hauing once giuen their names to the Church indeuour not to purge this Augean Stable how can you preferre their Communion to ours But howsoeuer now lest wee should thinke your Land-lords haue too iust cause to packe you away for Wranglers you turne ouer all the blame from the Church to the Citie yet your Pastor and Church haue so found the Citie in the Church and branded it with so blacke markes as that all your smooth extenuations cannot make it a lesse Babylon than the Church of England Behold now by your owne Confessions either Amsterdam shall be or England shall not be Babylon These eleuen crimes you haue found and proclaimed in those Dutch and French Churches Fr. Iohns Artic. against the French and Dutch Churches FIRST That the Assemblies are so contriued that the whole Church comes not together in one So that the Ministers cannot together with the Flocke sanctifie the Lords day the presence of the members of the Church cannot be knowne and finally no publike action whether Excommunication or any other can rightly be performed Could you say worse of vs Where neither Sabbath can bee rightly sanctified nor presence or absence knowne nor any holy action rightly performed what can there be but meere confusion SECONDLY That they baptize the seede of them who are no members of any Visible Church of whom moreouer they haue not care as of members neither admit their Parents to the Lords Supper Meere Babylonisme and sinne in constitution yea the same that makes vs no Church for what separation can there bee in such admittance what other but a sinfull commixture How is the Church of Amsterdam now gathered from the World THIRDLY That in the publike worship of God they haue deuised and vsed another forme of Prayer besides that which Christ our Lord hath prescribed Matth. 6. reading out of a Booke certaine Prayers inuented and imposed by man Behold here our fellow-Idolaters and as followes a daily Sacrifice of a set Seruice-Booke which in stead of the sweet Incense of spirituall Praiers is offered to God very Swines-flesh Barr. against Gâ—ff a new Portuise and an equall participation with vs of the Curse of addition to the Word FOVRTHLY That rule and commandement of Christ Matth. 18.15 they neither obserue nor suffer rightly to bee obserued among them How oft haue you said that there can bee no sound Church without this course because no separation Behold the maine blemish of England in the face of Amsterdam FIFTHLY That they worship God in the Idoll Temples of Antichrist so the Wine is marr'd with the Vessell their seruice abomination with ours neither doe these Antichristian stones want all glorious ornaments of the Romish Harlot yet more SIXTLY That their Ministers haue their set maintenance in another manner than Christ hath ordained 1 Chron. 14. and that also such as by which any Ministerie at all whether Popish or other might be maintained Either Tythes or as ill Behold one of the maine Arguments whereby our Ministerie is condemned as false and Antichristian falling heauy vpon our Neighbours SEVENTHLY That their Elders change yeerely and doe not continue in their Office according to the Doctrine of the Apostles and practise of the Primitiue Church What can our Church haue worse than false Gouernors Both annuall and perpetuall they cannot be What is if not this a wrong in Constitution EIGHTLY That they celebrate marriage in the Church as if it were a part of the Ecclesiasticall Administration a foule shame and sinne and what better than our third Sacrament NINTHLY That they vse a new censure of suspension which Christ hath not appointed no lesse than English presumption TENTHLY That they obserue daies and times consecrating certaine daies in the yeere to the Natiuitie Resurrection Ascension of Christ Behold their Calendar as truely possessed Two Commandements solemnly broken at once and we not Idolaters alone ELEVENTHLY which is last and worst that they receiue vnrepentant Excommunicates
eyes of all them from whom it is made as euermore casting vpon them the imputation of euill whereof all men are impatient And hence it commeth to passe that the Church of England can better brooke the vilest persons continuing communion with it than any whomsoeuer separating from it though vpon neuer so iust and well grounded reasons SECTION III. I Wrote not to you alone what is become of your partner yea your Guide The pardon I written to and their 〈◊〉 To M. Smith and M. 〈◊〉 Ringe-leaders of the late separation at Amsterdam Charact of the Beast written by M. Smith Pref. Be it knowne therefore to all the separation that we account them in respect of their constitution to be as very an Harlot as either her Mother the Church of England or her Grandmother Rome is c. Iterato baptizâ—us scienter iterato Dominum cruciâ—git De consecr dist 4. Quivis c. Woe is me he hath renounced our Christendome with our Church and hath washe off his former water with new and now condemnes you all for not separating further no lesse than wee condemne you for separating so farre As if you could not bee enough out of Babylon vnlesse you be out of your selues Alas miserable Countreymen whither runne you Religion hath but his height beyond which is error and madnesse hee tells you true your station is vnsafe either you must forward to him or backe to vs. * * The crime of the separation how great M. Perry in his Disc of this subiect I obiected separation to you yet not so extreme as your answer bewrayes a late separation not the first my charity hoped you lesse ill than you will needs deserue you grant it odious because it casts imputation of euill vpon the forsaken Of euill Yea of the worst an estate incurable desperate He is an il Physitian that wil leaue his Patient vpon euery disteÌ„per his departure argues the disease helples were we but faulty as your Land-Lord Churches your own rules would not abide your flight Vid. IOHNSON Preface to his Inquirie Esay 5.20 Hence the Church of England iustly matches Separatists with the vilest persons God himselfe doth so who are more vile than Patrons of euill yet no greater woe is to them that speake good of euill than those that speake euill of good So wise Generals punish mutinous persons worse than Robbers or Adulterers Num. 16.31 Exod. 32.30 So Corah and his company a Story cunningly turned vpon vs by your Martyr for their opposition to Moses were more fearefully plagued than the Idolatrous Israelites These sinnes are more directly against common society the other more personall and if both haue like iniquity yet the former haue both more offence and more danger And if not so yet who cannot rather brooke a lewd seruant than an vndutifull sonne though pretending faire colours for his disobedience At least you thinke the Church of England thinks her selfe Gods Church as well as your Saints of Amsterdam You that so accurse Apostasie in others could yee expect shee should brooke it in you Prov. 21. â— But your reasons are iust and well grounded euery way of a man is right in his own eyes Said we not well that thou ar a Samaritane and hast a Deuill say the Iewes What Schisme euer did not thinke well of it selfe For vs we call Heauen and earth to record your cause hath no more Iustice than your selues haue charity SEP And yet separation from the World and so from the men of the World and so from the Prince of the World that reigneth in them and so from whatsoeuer is contrary to God is the first step to our communion with God and Angels and good men as the first step to a ladder is to leaue the earth SECTION IIII. The kinds of the Separation and which is iust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 YET there is a commendable and happy separation from the World from the Prince and men of the World and whatsoeuer is contrary to God who doubts it There were no Heauen for vs without this no Church which hath her name giuen by her Father and Husband of calling out from other Out of the Aegypt of the World doth God call his sonnes But this separation is into the visible Church from the World not as yours out of the Church because of some particular mixtures with the World or if you had rather take it of profession out of the World of Pagans and Infidels into the visible Church not out of the World of true though faulty Christians into a purer Church That I may here at once for all giue light to this point of separation we finde in Scripture a separation either to good or from euill To good Num. 8 1â— Num. 16.9 Deut. â— 1â— Exod. 1â— 12 Leuit. 15. â—1 Deut. 1.41 Rom. 1.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Leuites were separated from among the children of Israel to beare the Arke and to minister so the first borne first fruits and Cities of refuge So Paul was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 separated which some would haue allude to his Pharisaisme but hath plaine reference to Gods owne words Acts 13.2 Separate mee Barnabas and Saul Though this is rather a destination to some worthy purpose than a properly called separation From euill whether sinne or sinners From sinne so euery soule must eschew euill whether of doctrine or manners and disclaime all fellowship with the vnfruitfull works of darknesse 1 Thess vlt. ad fin Ier. 15.19 Vide Tremel Tiâ— whether in himselfe or others So S. Paul charges vs to hold that which is good and abstaine from all appearance of euill so Ieremie is charged to separate the precious doctrine or practise from the vile From sinners not onely practised by God himselfe to omit his eternall and secret Decree Num. 16. Mat. 15. ad fin 2 Chron. 19.2 1. Cor. 6. ad fin Nulla cum malis conviuia vel colloquia misceantur simusque abijs tâ—m Separati quam sunt illi ab ecclesia Dei profugi Cypr. l. 1. epist ad Corn. 2. whereby the Elect are separated from the Reprobate both in his gracious vocation sequestring them from nature and sinne as also in his excecution of iudgement whether particular as of the Israelites from the Tabernacles of Corah or vniuersall and finall of the Sheepe from the Goats But also inioyned from God to men in respect either of our affection or of our yoke and familiar society whereof Saint PAVL Bee not vnequally yoked with Infidels Come out from among them and separate your selues In all this wee agree In the latitude of this last onely wee differ I finde you call for a double separation A fast separation in the gathering of the Church A second in the menaging of it The first at our entrance into the Church the second in our continuance The first of the Church from Pagans and Worldlings an initiatorie profession The second of
God proclaimed our Church not his By whose hand hath he published her diuorce You haue shamed her wombe not she her bed not God her demeanour Your tongues are your owne who can forbid you We know you will plead and excuse and censure and defend till all the world be weary we may pray with Hierom to this sense that of the Psalmist Increpa Domine Bestiaes Calami yet we see your Pens Tongues and Presses busie and violent I will not applie to you that which Augustine of his Donatists Aug. cont Epist Parmen l. 1. Though truth compell you to be dumbe yet iniquitie will not suffer you to be silent But if you write whole Marts and worlds of Volumes you shall neuer be able either to iustifie your Innocence or excuse your fault In the meane time the noyse of your contentions is so great that your truth cannot be heard Learned Iunius and our learnedst Diuines and neighbour Churches haue oft heard your clamors neuer your truth Epist Iunij ad Separ So little haue you of this and so much of the other that wee are ready to wish as he of old either ourselues deafe or you dumbe SEP Is not Babylon the Mother of Gods people whom he therefore commandeth to depart out of her lest being partakers of her sinnes they also partake of her plagues And to conclude what say you more against vs for your Mother the Church of England than the Papists doe for their Mother and your Mothers Mother the Church of Rome against you whom they condemne as vnnaturall Bastards and impious Patricides in your separation from her SECTION XXIII THE spirit of your Proto-Martyr would hardly haue digested this title of Babylon Mother of Gods people a murdering Step-mother rather How the Church of England hath separated from Babylon Gyff refut 2. transg Reuel 18.2 Ans fore-speech to Counterpoyse Shee cannot be a Mother of Children to God and no Church of God Notwithstanding Gods people would he say may be in her not of her So Babylon bore them not but Sion in Babylon But I feare not your excesse of charitie You flye to your Doctors challenge and aske what we say against you for vs which Rome will not say for her selfe against vs Will you iustifie this Plea of Rome or not If you will why doe you reuile her If you will not why doe you obiect it Heare then what wee say both to you and them our enemies both and yet the enemies of our enemies First wee disclaime and defie your Pedigree and theirs The Church of Rome was neuer our Mothers Mother Our Christian faith came not from the seuen-hilles Neither was deriued either from Augustine the Monke A Simone Zelota Niceph. Alij à Ios Arimath cuius hic sepulchrum cernitur Angli Pascha Graeco more celebrarunt Iacob Armin. Disp Cant. 8.8 Fr. Iun. l. sing de Eccle. or Pope Gregorie Britanie had a worthy Church before either of them lookt into the world It is true that the ancient Romane Church was sister to ours heere was neere kindred no dependance And not more consanguinity than while she continued faithfull Christian loue Now she is gone a whoring her chaste sister iustly spitteth at her yet euen still if you distinguish as your learned Antagonist hath taught you betwixt the Church and Papacie she acknowledges her Sisterhood though she refraines her conuersation as she hath many slauish factious abettors of her knowne and grosse errors to whom we deny this title affirming them the body whereof Antichrist is the head the great Whore and Mother of abominations so againe how many thousands hath she which retaining the foundation according to their knowledge as our learned Whitakers had wont to say of Bernard follow Absolom with a simple heart all which to reiect from Gods Church were no better than presumptuous cruelty It were well for you before God and the world if you could as easily wash your hands of vnnaturall impiety and trecherousnesse as we of Bastardy and vniust sequestration There can be no Bastardy where was neuer any Motherhood we were nephewes to that Church neuer sonnes vnlesse as Rome was the mother City of the world so by humane institution we suffered our selues to bee ranged vnder her Patriarchall authoritie as being the most famous Church of the West a matter of courtesie and pretended Order no necessity no spirituall obligation As for our sequestration your mouth and theirs may bee stopt with this Answer As all corrupted Churches so some things the Church of Rome still holds a right a true God in three persons true Scriptures though with addition a true Christ though mangled with foule and erroneous consequences true Baptisme though shamefully deformed with rotten Traditions and many other vndeniable truths of God some other things and too many her wicked Apostasie hath deuised and maintained abhominably amisse the body of her Antichristianisme grosse errors and by iust sequell heresies their Popes Supremacie infallibility Illimitation Transubstantiation Idolatrous and superstitious worship and a thousand other of this branne In regard of all these latter wee professe to the world a iust and ancient separation from this false faith and deuotion of the Romish Church which neither you will say nor they shall euer proue faulty yea rather they haue in all these separated from vs who still irrefragably professe to hold with the ancient from whom they are departed In regard of the other wee are still with them holding and embracing with them what they hold with Christ neither will you I thinke euer prooue that in these we should differ As for our communion they haue separated vs by their proud and foolish excommunications if they had not wee would iustly haue begun from their Tyranny and Antichristianisme from their miserable Idolatry but as for the body of their poore seduced Christians which remaine amongst them vpon the true foundation as doubtlesse there are thousands of them which laugh at their Pardons Miracles Superstitions and their trust in merits reposing onely vpon Christ we adhere to them in loue and pittie and haue testified our affection by our bloud ready vpon any iust call to doe it more Phil. Morn du Plesses Lib. de Eccle. cap. 10. neither would feare to ioyne with them in any true seruice of our common God But the full discourse of this point that honourable and learned Plesses hath so forestalled that whatsoeuer I say would seeme but borrowed Vnto his rich Treatise I referre my Reader for full satisfaction Would God this point were thorowly knowne and well weighed on all parts The neglect or ignorance whereof hath both bred and nursed your separation and driuen the weake and inconsiderate into strange extremities This say wee of our selues in no more Charity than Truth But for you how dare you make this shamelesse comparison Can your heart suffer your tongue to say that there is no more difference betwixt Rome and vs than
common opinion of Swaggerers blame the peaceable of cowardise and accuse them of suffering Behold a new crime That they suffer themselues to be driuen out What should they haue done Should they haue taken armes and cry The sword of God and Gedeon You that will not allow a Prince to compell Subiects will you allow Subiects to compell Princes God forbid This were high Treason against Gods Anointed what then Should they approue the Ceremonies by subscription by practise This you exclaime vpon as high Treason against the Highest What yet more Should they haue preached with their mouthes stopâ—â— This is it which you haue learned of your Founder and through not many hands receiued and required with no lesse violence Clamour and tumults is that you desire Brow Reforma without Tar. still let our sinne be peaceable obedience yours fury and opposition Your head-strong conceit is that it is a sinne to be silenced Men must preach euen when they may not all times before you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We charge him not to serue any more So Can. 15. Can. 25. Cum compertum fuerit deponatur Can. 10. De Clericatus bonore pericliâ—abitur Can. 2. E Clero deponatur sit alienus à Canone Can. 17. Can. 18. A Ministerio cessare debuerit Concil Sardic c. 4. Concil Carth. 4. c. 48. 56 57. Leo Ep. 1 Sect. 5. Cypr. l. 3. Ep. 9. Socr. l. 2. c. 21. would haue wondred at this Paradox For howeuer the Apostles which had not their calling from men would not be silenced by men yet we find that all their successors held that those hands which were laid vpon their heads might be laid vpon their mouthes looke into all Histories Those Constitutions which though not Apostolike yet were ancient in the seuenth Canon punish a Bishop or Presbyter that vpon pretence of Religion separates from is wife with deposition and if any Presbyter shall shift his charge without licence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and lastly inflicts the same penalty vpon Fornication Adultery Periury The great Nicene Councell takes the same order with some misliked Bishops and Presbyters in diuers Canons Gaudentius in the Councell of Sardi takes it for granted that a Bishop may by Bishops be deposed so the second Councell of Carthage Can. 13. so the fourth Councell of Carthage more than once imposes degradation so Leo the first threats to put some offending persons from the office of their Ministery so that I may not be endlesse blessed Cyprian aduises Rogatianus a good old Bishop which was abused by a malapert Deacon by the authority of his Chaire to right himselfe and either to depose or suspend the offender Leontius in Socrates is depriued of his Priesthood yea what Councell or Father giues not both rules and instances of this practice See how farre the ancient Church was from these tumultuous fancies No no M. R. we well finde it is doing that vndoes the Church not suffering If your fellowes could haue suffered more and done lesse the Church had beene happy As for our Church-Officers you may raile vpon them with a lawlesse safety there is a great Ditch betwixt you and them else you might pay deare for this sinne of slandering them with their cheape peny-worths How idly doe you insult ouer those whom your mony-changers haue driuen out of their Pulpits When you confesse after all your valour that they haue driuen you both out of Church and Country who can pitty a miserable insulter SEP For the Wafers in Geneua and disorders in Corinth they were corruptions which may and doe or the like vnto them creepe into the purest Churches in the World for the Reformation whereof Christ hath giuen his power vnto his Church that such euils as are brought in by humane frailty may by diuine authority bee purged out This power and presence of Christ you want holding all by homage or rather by villanage vnder the Prelates vnto whose sinfull yoke you stoope in more than Babylonish bondage bearing and approuing by personall communion infinite and abominations And in these two last respects principally your Babylonish confusion of all sorts of people in the body of your Church without separation and your Babylonish bondage vnder your spirituall Lords the Prelates we account you Babylon and flie from you SECTION LI. Power of Reforming abuses giuen to the Church and the issue of the neglect of it YOu that can grant there will be corruptions in all other Churches will endure none in ours If England should haue either vnleauened Wafers or drunken Loue-feasts though no other blemishes shee could not but bee Babylon We enuy not your fauours These or whatsoeuer like enormities Christ hath giuen power vnto his Church to reforme but what if the Church neglect to vse it What if those euils which are brought in by humane frailty will not by diuine authority be purged out Barr. against Gyff p. 27. 88. Now the errour by your doctrine is growne fundamentall so Christ is lost and the foundation razed if we shall then assume against our friends to conuince our enemies The Church of Geneua hath beene seriously dealt with in this corruption and disswaded by vehement importunity yet still persisteth How can you free them and charge vs see how we loue to be miserable with company This power to purge out all corruptions Christ hath not giuen vs if he hath giuen it you you must first beginne to purge out your selues you haue done it but still there remaine some Troubles and Excommunications at Amsterdam An tu suâ—â—s Ecclesia esâ— Et qui te offenderit à Christo excluâ—â—tur Hieron Epiphan Cypr. Solus in coelum ascend Pupâ—anus Et ad Acesuâ—m Nouatianum Constan Erigita tibi scalam Acesi ad coelum solus ascendito Socr. l. 1. c. 7. would God we had as much execution as power Our Church should be as cleane as yours is Schismaticall If you should measure faculties by their exercise Naturall rest should be the greatest enemy to â—ertue and the solitary Christian should be miserable This power of ours is not dâ—ad but sleepeth When it awaketh vnto more frequent vse which we earnestly pray for looke you for the first handsell of it None can bee more worthy as it is we offend not more in defect than you in excesse Of whom that your Laxarello of Amsterdam G. I. could say that you haue Excommunication as ready as a Prelâ—â—e hath a Prison Christ is in many that feele him not but we want not the power oney but the presence of Christ How so he was with vs while you were here Did he depart with you will the Separatists ingrosse our Sauiour to themselues and as Cyprian said of Popianus goe to Heauen alone yea confine the God of Heauen to Amsterdam What insolence is this we haue him in his Word we haue him in his Sacraments we haue him in our hearts we haue him in our profession yet this enemy
dare say wee want him Wherein I suppose in our censures Wee haue Peters keyes as his true successors both in office and doctrine our fault is that we vse them not as you would What Church doth so your first Martyr doth as zealously inueigh against the practise of Geneua Bar. Gyff ref So some of their owne haue termed their Excommunication Confess by M. Iohns Inquirie pag. 65. and all other Reformed Congregations in this point as against vs both for the woodden Dagger as he termes it of suspension and for their Consistoriall Excommunication Woe were to all the World if Christ should limit his presence onely to your fashions Here you found him and here you left him Would to God we did no more grieue him with our sins than you please him in your presumptuous censures in the rest you raile against our Prelates and vs Can any man thinke that Christ hath left peaceable spirits to goe dwell with Railers Indeed yours is free-hold so you would haue it free from subiection free from obedience This is loosenesse more than liberty You haue broken the bonds and cast the cords from you but you mis-call ouâ— tenure Wee hate villenage no lesse than you hate peace and hold in capite of him that is the head of his body Coloss 1.18 the Churchâ— vnder whose easie yoke wee doe willingly stoope in a sweet Christian freedome abhorring and reprouing and therefore notwithstanding our personall Communion auoiding all abominations In these two respects therefore of our confusion and bondage wee haue well seene in this Discourse how iustly your Sion accounts vs Babylon since it is apparent for the one that here is neither confusion nor Babylonish nor without separation For the other no bondage no seruility Our Prelates being our Fathers Amari Parens Episcopus debet non timeri Hier. ad Theophilum not our Masters and if Lords for their externall dignity yet not Lords of our Faith and if both these your respects were so yet so long as we doe inuiolably hold the foundation both directly and by necessary sequell any Railer may terme vs but no Separatist shall proue vs Babylon you may flie whither you lift would God yet further vnlesse you had more loue SEP Master H. hauing formerly expostulated with vs our supposed impietie in forsaking a ceremonious Babylon in England proceeds in the next place to lay downe our madnesse in chusing a substantiall Babylon in Amsterdam and if it be so found by due triall as he suggesteth it is hard to say whether our impietie or madnesse bee the greater Belike Master H. thinkes wee gather Churches here by towne-rowes as they doe in England and that all within the Parish Procession are of the same Church Wherfore else tels he vs of Iewes Arrians and Anabaptists with whom we haue nothing common but the Streets and Market place It is the condition of the Church to liue in the World and to haue ciuill society with the men of his World 1 Cor. 5.10 Ioh. 17.13 But what is this to the spirituall Communion of the Saints in the fellowship of the Gospell wherein they are separated and sanctified from the World vnto the Lord Ioh. 17.16 1 Cor. 1. 2 Cor. 6.17 18. SECTION LII I Need no better Analyser than your selfe saue that you doe not onely resolue my parts The veiw of the sinnes and disorders of others whereupon obiected and how far it should affect vs. but adde more whereas euery motion hath a double terme from whence and whither both these could not but all into our discourse Hauing therefore formerly expostulated with you for your since you will so terme it impietie in forsaking a ceremonious Babylon of your owne making in England I thought it not vnfit to compare your choice with your refusall England with Amsterdam which it pleaseth you to intitle a substantiall Babylon impiety and madnesse are titles of your owne choice let your guiltinesse be your owne accuser The truth is my charity and your vncharitablenesse haue caused vs to mistake each other My charity thus Hearing both at Middleburgh and here that certaine companies from the parts of Nottingham and Lincolne which Harbinger had beene newly in Zeland before me meant to retire themselues to Amsterdam for their full liberty not for the full approbation of your Church not fauouring your maine opinions but emulating your freedome in too much hate of our Ceremonies and too much accordance to some grounds of your hatred I hoped you had beene one of their Guides both because Lincolneshire was your Countrey and Master Smith your Oracle and Generall Not daring therefore to charge you with perfect Brownisme what could I thinke might bee a greater motiue to this your supposed change than the view of our so oft proclaimed wickednesse and the hope of lesse cause of offence in those forraine parts this I vrged fearing to goe deeper than I might be sure to warrant Now comes my charitable Answerer and imputes this easinesse of my challenge to my ignorance and therefore will needes perswade his Christian Reader that I knew nothing of the first separation because I obiected so little to the second It were strange if I should thinke you gather Churches there by Towne-rowes as wee in England who know that some one Prison might hold all your refined Flocke you gathered here by Hedge-rowes but there it is easier to tell how you diuide than how you gather let your Church be an intire body inioying her owne spirituall Communion yet if it be not a corrosiue to your heart to conuerse in the same streets and to bee ranged in the same Towne-rowes with Iewes Arrians Anabaptists c. you are to whit of kinne to him that vexed his righteous soule with the vncleannesses of foule Sodme That good man had nothing but ciuill societie with those impure Neighbours hee differed from them in Religion in practise yet could he not so carelesly turne off this torment His house was Gods Church wherein they had the spirituall Communion of the Saints yet whiles the Citie was so vncleane his heart was vnquiet Separation from the world how required Iohn 17.16 We may you grant haue ciuill societie with ill men spirituall Communion onely with Saints Those must be accounted the world these onely the Church your owne allegations shall condemne you They are not of the World saith Christ as I am not of the World Both Christ and they were parts of the Iewish Church The Iewish Church was not so sanctified but the most were extremely vncleane therefore wee may bee parts of a Visible vnsanctified Church and yet bee separate from the World 1 Cor. 1.2 Saint Paul writes to his Corinthians sanctified in Christ Saints by calling True 1 Cor. 3.3 but not long after he can say Ye are yet carnall In his second Epistle Come out saith he from among them But from whom From Infidels by profession not corrupted Christians SEP Wee indeed