key toward another this way but these are not the keyes ecclesiastically and formally that are given to the Church seeing one man is not the Church But only the keyes materially used in a private way as a common servant at command of the Lord of the house may use the keyes and give broad to the barnes but it followeth not hence that the keyes are given to him authoritatively as to the Steward by speciall office because this servant of charitie useth the keyes or rather that which is in place of the keyes which is the word in a private way CHAPTER III. Whether or no the Church of believers in a Congregation be the first Church having the highest power of jurisdiction within it selfe and that independently and power above and over their Eldership to constitute and ordaine them by an intrinsecall power received from Jesus Christ and by that same power to censure and depose them when they become scandalous in life or corrupt in doctrine THe determination of this question so neare of blood and kindred to the former two is of much force to cleare many doubts in this subject Hence I propound these following distinctions as very considerable 1. A Church independent is twofold either a Church of believers in a congregation having originally the power of the keyes within themselves to make or unmake their officers 2. Or an Eldership of one congregation including the congregation that may from an intrinsecall power without subordination to Synods provinciall or nationall exercise all jurisdiction This question is of the former independent Church 2. A Church is considered two wayes 1. As totum essentiale this is a mysticall Church consisting of only bâ—lievers or of persons as professing faith a Church of faithfull of Saints 2. The Church is considered as totum integrale made up of officers and a flock this Ames cals an instituted Church others a Ministeriall Church as we consider John as a believer or John as an Elder or minister of a Church 3. There is a twofold Primacie answerable to this One whereby a number of believers is the first mysticall body of Christ immediately united to Christ as a mysticall body to the head This is a mysticall or Christian primacy or to speak so firstnesse or principality 2. There is an other primacy or principalitie ministeriall wherby such a number of men are the first subject of the keyes having power of binding and loosing first and immediately from Christ as is proved Ch. 1. 4. 3. Christ hath a twofold influence as head upon these two bodies one influence of speciall and saving grace upon the Church of believers An other common influence communicating to the ministeriall body the power of the keyes and gifts which hee gave to men to be Pastours and Teachers and Elders when he ascended on high and leâ— captivitie captive Neither do they looke right on this question who will have the power of the keyes an essentiall propertie of the Church of believers for there is no reciprocation here betwixt the propertie and the subject seeing the power of the keyes is in many that are unbelievers and not of Christs mysticall body Many warrantably preach Christ to others and seale the covenant to others who are unsaved men remember the builders of the Arke and many are Christs mysticall body that have not the power of the keyes All believers are not Eldâ—rs having power of order Hence our 1. Conclusion If wee speake of a Christian primacie and eminency of grace the Church of believers sincerely professing the faith and believing is the only first true visible Church 1. The essence and definition of a called and effectually translated company agreeth to them and they are the called of God 2. Because the promises made to the redeemed saved and washen Church belongeth to them they are properly the Church builded on the rock the loved and redeemed spouse of Christ. 2. This Church is the true body of Christ which shall infallibly bee glorified with the head Christ. The ministeriall Church is his body also on which hee hath an influence bestowing upon them common gifts but not a body which shall infallibly be glorified but in so far as they are true members of the Church of believers And here observe our brethren have no cause to object to us that there is not a place in all the old or new Testament where the word Church signifieth only the presbyterie or Eldership the contrary whereof God willing I shall shew but I desire that they will produce a place in either the old or new Testament where the word Church signifieth a governing multitude or a ministeriall company of onely believers having power and use of the keyes yet this must be shewed in this dispute if their principles stand good 11. Conclusion A multitude of believers sincerely professing the faith is the first visible mysticall Church because the definition of a visible mysticall Church agreeth to them being redeemed professors of the Gospell So the saints at Colosse Corinth Philippi as not including their guides is a true uisible Church Before I come to the third conclusion I must shew what our brethren hold anent this present question The English puritanisme holdeth every Congregation or Assemblie of true believers joyning together according to the order of the Gospell in the true worship of God to be a true visible Church And that this name is unproperly given to Synods or Assemblies of office-bearers so also the Guide to Zion Parker maketh the Church of believers in any particular congregation to be the highest and most supreme Church in majoritie and power of jurisdiction above tâ—eir owne Eldership or Presbyterie having power to ordaine or depose them above all Synods of Pastours and Elders William Best citeth and approveth the mind of the English Church as he calleth it at Frankeford the Ministers and Seniors severally and joyntly shall have no authority to make any manner of decrees or ordinances to bind the congregation or any member thereof but shâ—ll â—â—ecute such ordinances as shall be made by the congregation and to them delivered Hooker against Paget They whicâ— had compleat and perfect Ministers before any Classes had power to call those Ministers they have authoritie above the Ministers But a particulâ—r congregation had perfect and compleat Ministers perfectly and compleatly called before any Classes To this agreeth the confession of faith of the unjustly called Brownists that every Christian congregation yea two or three sequestred from the whole hath â—ower from Christ of election ordination deposition excommunication of the Elders or Office-bearers set over them And expresly M. Parker a man otherwayes of an excellent spirit for holinesse and learning saith That the supremacie of Ecclesiasticall power is in the Church of believers contradistinguished from their guides Paul and Apollo Here we see
Basilius saith The governours of the Church are set down 1 Cor. 12. 28. And Ambrose on that place saith the Church policy is set downe 1 Cor. 12. So Chrysostome Cyprian Tertullian so Origen Ireneus August Theophylact Theodoret Hyerom which for time I cannot cite at length CHAP. VII Q. 7. If there be no true visible Church in the New Testament but onely a congregation meeting in one place and no Presbyteriall or representative Church as they call it at all OVr Brethren hold that the only true publick visible Church in the New Testament is a Congregation of Believers joyned together by a voluntary profession of Faith and meeting in one place to worship God They deny 1. That the word Church doth ever signifie a Presbytery or Eldership 2. They deny that there is any representative Church properly so called or that it hath the title of a Church in the New Testament 3. They deny that there is any Provinciall or Nationall Church that can be called a visible politique body of Christ. 4. They deny any Church to have power of jurisdiction over a particular Congregation For the decision of the present questions these distinctions are to be observed 1. There be odds betwixt a Church visible and a Church ministeriall 2. There be odds betwixt a Cathedrall or mother Church and this we deny and a Church Nationall and provinciall which cannot meet to the worship of God in all the particular members therof 3. The Church is termed representative three wayes as we shall heare 1. properly 2. commonly 3. most properly 4. Suppose the name of Presbyteriall Church be not in the New Testament yet if the thing it selfe be in it it is sufficient The word Church is not taken here 1. For the Temple or House where God is worshipped 2. Neither for foure or five that worship God ordinarily within the walls of a Family Rom. 16. 5. Salute the Church at their House 1 Cor. 16. 19. Philem. v. 2. It is termed Kahal that is in the old Testament rendred Synagogue and Kahal rendred Ecclesia And Kahal Deut. 5. 22. or Hehillah Deut. 33. 4. signifieth a Congregation of people and Gnedah a Congregation Exod. 16. 1. Psal. 111. 1. is turned Ecclesia Mat. 16. 18. Act. 7. 38. Kahal is either a multitude of Nations or People Gen. 35. 11. so Jer. 50. 9. An Assembly of Nations not a Church of Nations came against Babylon Somtimes the Tribes and Governours are called Kahal the Church or Assembly 1 Chron. 13. 2 3. 1 Chron. 29. 6. 2 Chron. 1. 2 3. See Piscator Junius Guide to Zion The word Gnedah that signifieth the Assembly of the Judges Psalm 82. 1. is turned in the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 5. 27. and Act. 6. 12. M. Ball hath observed that the Arabick Interpreter useth four words Gamhon Act. 19. 31 39. 2. Gamahaton Acts 7. 38. both signifieth an Assembly or an Assembly of Princes 3. Kainsaton Rom. 16. 1. Acts 11. 26. 4. Bihaton Matth. 16. 18. and 18. 17. the Church that hath power to determine controversies 1. Conclusion A number of believers professing the truth is not presently a visible politick Church 1 Because then every Christian Family should be a visible politick Church 2 Peter offended Mat. 18. and rebuking his offending brother before three witnesses and gaining his brother to repentance v. 16. is a number of believers in that same act professing the truth and convincing an offender and so professing Gods worship and yet they are not the judging governing Church because if the offender will not heare Peter then he is to tell the Church Hence visibility of Profession agreeth both to a number of believers if for example ten out of ten particular Congregations confesse Christ before a persecuting Judge and also to a constitute Church of Believers and Elders Then true Faith and the visible professing of true Faith is not enough to constitute a Church that ordinarily hath power and exercise of the keyes neither find we any warrant in Gods Word that the swearing of an oath or making a covenant by four or five or 10. or 40. believers to worship God together as he hath commanded in his word doth essentially constitute a visible ministeriall Church 1. Because a ministeriall Church is a body of Pastor and People of eyes eares hands feet wherof Christ is head Rom. 12. 4. 1 Cor. 12. v. 14 15 c. but a number of sole and only believers are not such a body 2. More is there required an oath and covenant but this is and may be where there is no ministery 2. Conclusion We deny that Christ hath given power of jurisdiction to one particular Church over another particular Church or to one Church to be a mother Church to give laws and orders to little daughter-churches under it for that jurisdiction is not to be found in the Word of God and so is not lawfull See Paul Baynes and Parker and Cartwright 3. Conclusion A Church may be a visible incorporation of guides and people meeting for the worship of God and exercise of discipline and yet not necessarily a Church of believers for if there be twenty or thirty visible Saints who are Saints in profession they may meet for the worship of God and consequently by our Brethrers grounds independently and without any subordination to Synods or classes exercise discipline I proove that they are not necessarily believers 1. Because to make one or two formall members of a visible Church is not required that they be indeed believers it sufficeth that they professe Faith and be apparantly Saints and our Brethren teach they may be Hypocrites and often are as Iudas was amongst the Apostles now by that same reason all the thretty may be heart-hypocrites and face-professors for who seeth the heart And our Brethren say the preaching of the word and the administration of the Sacraments are not essentiall notes and markes of the Church because the word is often preached to reprobates and unbeleevers and by that same reason the power of the keyes and discipline is exercised by hypocrites and unbeleevers 2. Amesius saith it is probable he saith not it is necessary where the Word and Sacraments are that there are some beleevers And I say it is probable but that at all times there should be beleevers especially when it is first founded it is not necessary I say when it is first founded because we cannot say it is possible that there should be never any beleevers there at all for the Lord sendeth not a ministery to these where there are none chosen at all it doth crosse the wisedome of God who doth nothing in vaine that he should light a candle where he had no lossed money and the Shepheard should be sent through the fields where there were no lossed sheep at all Hence I inferre these consectaries 1. that the claime and title that a people
is a Church not assembled to prophecying and praying but to rebuking to judiciall censuring by binding and loosing where all private persons as their witnesses the offended brother be they publike or be they private persons yea suppose a woman otherwise forbidden to speake in the Church met for worship 1 Cor. 14. may speake in this Church for a woman may offend and be excommunicate or be offended for scandals betwixt woman and woman is to be removed 3. The Church spoken of here is such a superiour and judiciall seat as ought to be obeyed in the Lord under the paine of excommunication and to whose voice and sentence coactive the contumacious is said to be disobedient as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to disobey in the holy tongues doth signifie But a multitude of beleevers are no such superiour and judiciall seat as may be obeyed or disobeyed by inferiours under the paine of excommunication for it is without the warrant of Gods Word that all Christians Pastors Elders and Doctors are under the judiciall and coactive sentence of beleevers 4. What ever Church may excommunicate every member thereof convened with the Church may inflict all inferiour censures also for whosoever may inflict judicially the greater punishment may inflict the lesse but all the members of the Church of beleevers may not in this assembled Church inflict lesser punishments For example a woman a sonne a servant who are all equally the true members of the true Church of beleevers being beleeving professors may not in an assembled Congregation rebuke publikely her husband and Pastor his Father and Master For publike rebuking being a degree of teaching and especially in the assembled Church the Apostle will not have the woman to teach publikely and usurpe authority over the man nor any to exhort and rebuke in the Church but Pastors 5. These to whom the essence and definition of a Ministeriall Church having power to excommunicate as this Church hath that power Mat. 18. 17. doth necessarily and essentially belong these and these only are here understood under the name of the Church But so it is that the essence and definition of a Ministeriall Church having power to excommunicate agreeth not necessarily and essentially to a company of true beleevers assembled Church-wayes ergo by the name of a Church here is no wayes understood the Church of true beleevers assembled Church-wayes The proposition is undenyable for out of the words may be gathered a definition of a Ministeriall Church to wit an Assembly that has power of preaching and binding and loosing and so of all Church-censures I prove the assumption To have power to preach convene before them and judicially cognosce and sentence and excommunicate a contumacious member doth agree to these that by no necessity are beleevers because to have power to preach and excommunicate essentially require no more but that persons be 1. professors of the truth 2. that they be gifted to preach and governe 3. that they be duely called thereunto by the Church as Judas and others are but all these three are and may be in a company in whom is no saving faith as the word and experience cleare For howbeit to be a called Pastor the like I say of Elders Doctors Deacons and visible professors require faith in Christ as a gracious element and necessary ingredient to make him a saved man Yet it is not required to the essence of a Pastor Yea Parker Answorth and authors of Presbyter govern ex acknowledge professors to be members of a visible Church and so to have power of the keyes who are but rotten hypocrites and what wonder seeing God onely seeth the heart and men cannot see farre in a milstone 6. All the arguments proving that the power of the keyes is not given to all beleevers but onely to the overseers of the Church and proving that the government of Christs house is not popular but in the hands of the Elders proveth the same for this is a ruling and authoritative and judging Church 7. Pareus saith The Church here meaned is the Church to be complained unto but none can complaine to a multitude 8. The practise of the Apostolike Church 1 Cor. 1. The house of Eloe being grieved with the schisme of Corinth telleth not the whole beleevers but telleth it to Paul and in him to the Pastors who had the rod of discipline in their hands and the Spirit of God giveth rules about receiving complaints to the Eldership Tit. 1. 13. and never to all beleevers therefore the rebuking and excommunicating Church spoken of here must be the Church of Elders 9. The Church here is those to whom the keyes are given Mat. 16. 19. I will give to thee the keyes whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven but here the keyes are given to Peter and in him to the Apostles and those to whom he said Joh. 20. Whose sinnes ye forgive they are forgiven and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained for that is to binde and loose in heaven as they should bind and loose on earth and to whom he said As my Father sent me so send I you but this Christ said to the Church of the Apostles and Elders for he hath not sent every beleever as his Father sent him for that is a Pastorall sending as is cleare from Mat. â—8 18. All power is given to me in heaven and in earth Hence he draweth a conclusion v. 19. Goe therefore and teach c. Which clearly includeth the keyes and power of preaching baptizing and governing which agreeth not to all beleevers in any tollerable sense As Theophilact Chrysostome Cyrill August Hieron Cyprian teach and that this place Ioh. 20. As my Father sent me so send I you cannot be common to all beleevers the Fathers teach Theophilact in loc He saith to them Enter ye in my ministeriall charge Cyrill in loc Chrysost. ibid. Creati sunt totius orbis Doctores Aug. in Psa. 44. Hieron Epist. and Evagrin Cyprian Epist. 41. in locum Pauli omnes successisse 10. The onely apparent Argument against this interpretation is weake and so our interpretation must stand For they say that the word Church is never taken but for a company of beleevers and the redeemed Eph. 2. 20. builded on the rocke Christ. I deny not but the word Church is very sparingly taken for the overseers onely yet it is taken in that sense and there is reason why it cannot bee otherwise taken in this place for Revelation 2. The Angell of the Church of Ephesus Smyrna c. standeth for the whole Church and the whole Church is written unto under the name of the Angell of such a Church Which may be demonstrated thus 1. because not only the Ministers but the people that have eares to heare are all
may joyn in Gods worship IT is maintained by these of the Separation that the rightly constituted Church must consist of the Lords planting as saith M. Barrow all taught of God all plants of righteousnesse sons of Zion precious stones a redeemed people a royall generation so the Guide to Zion The true visible Church say the Separatists is a company of people called and separated from the world by the word of God and ioyned together in a voluntary profession of the faith So Separatists in their petit Mr. Ainsworth M. Canne the discovery of N. Light For the clearing of the Question we remit to the consideration of the Reader these distinctions 1. Distinct. There be some Saints by externall calling but not chosen some Saints by internall and effectuall calling called and chosen of God 2. Distinct. There be some members of a visible Church who de jure by right and obligation should be such there be other members of a visible Church de facto and in practise who are such and such members 3. Distinct. There is a morall obligation and so all the members of a visible Church are obliged to bee Saints by effectuall calling there is a physicall obligation and so that persons may be members of a visible Church as visible it is not essentially required that they be effectually called 4. Dist. If a true Church and a visible Church as visible may not for a time be opposed by way of contradiction as a believing Church and a non-believing Church I remit to be considered and shall God willing bee cleared 5. Dist. It is one thing to be wicked and scandalous indeed and really and another thing to be scandalous juridicè and in the Court of the Church and notarily 6. Dist. A knowne and openly scandalous person and a well lustred and dyed Hypocrite are to be differenced in the Church 7. Dist. Let it be considered if the preaching of the word be not in divers considerations 1. A mean of constituting and making a visible Church 2. A true note of a visible Church 3. A meane of saving the believing Church now visibly professing the Faith 8. Dist. Let it be considered if the Magistrate and King may not compell men to the confessing and professing of the faith actu imperato by an externall forcing power and yet neither Magistrate nor Pastour can compell to heart-believing actu elicito by an inward moving of the heart 9. Let it be considered if a visible Church may not be a true Church by reason of some few sound believers and sincere seekers of God and that same whole body an infected lump and whoorish in respect of some visible professours who are hypocrites and proud despisers of the Lord. 10. Let it be considered if a Church may not be tearmed by Gods Spirit an whoore no Church no Spouse jure merito quod vocationem passivam in respect of bad deserving and their not answering on their parts to the call of God and yet that same Church remaine de facto formaliter quoad vocationem Dei activam formally and in regard of Gods part and his active vocation and calling the Spouse and bride of Christ. Hence our first Conclusion The Saints by externall calling are the true matter of a visible Church 1. The word Ecclesia the called of God proveth this For those are a true visible Church where God hath set up a Candlestick and whom God calleth to Repentance Remission of sinnes and life eternall in Christ because there bee a setled Ministery calling 2. Because all to whom the Word is preached are called the visible Church as all within the house are vessels of the house visibly howbeeit there bee in the house Vessels of Honour and vessels of dishonour 3. So saith Ainsworth this we hold That Saints by calling are the only matter of a visible Church yet withall we hold that many are called but few chosen So also the kingdome of Heaven or visible Church is a draw net wherin are good and bad fishes a barne-floore wherin are chaffe and good wheat See 1 Corinthians 1. 23. Collossians 1. 1 2. Romans 1. 7. Philip. 1. 1. Math. 20. 16. 2. Conclusion All the members of the visible Church de jure and by right or by morall obligation ought to be Saints effectually called 1. Because the commandement of making to themselves a new heart Ezech. 18. 31. and to be renewed in the spirit of their mind Eph. 4. 23. Rom 12. 2. and to be holy as he who hath called them is holy 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. It doth lay an obligation morall upon all within the visible Church 2. Because the preached Gospell is the grace of God appearing to all men teaching them to deny ungodlinesse c. Tit. 2. v. 11 12. 3. Conclusion But de facto as the visible Church is in the field of the world all the members of the visible Church are not effectually called justified sanctified neither is it needfull by a phisicall obligation for the true nature and essence of a visible Church that all the members of it be inwardly called and sanctified every professor is obliged to beleeve else the wrath of God abideth on him and he is condemned already But to make a man a visible professor and a member of the true visible Church as visible saving faith is not essentially required so as he should be no member of the Church visible if he beleeve not That this may be right taken observe that the visible Church falleth under a two-fold consideration 1. In concreto as a Church 2. In abstracto as visible The visible Church considered in concreto is a part of the universall Catholike and unvisible Church which partaketh of the nature and essence of a true Church and Christs misticall body in which consideration we deny reprobates and unbelevers to be members of the visible Church 1. Because there is no reall communion whatever Bellarmine and Papists say on the contrary betwixt righteousnesse and unrighteousnesse light and darkenesse the seed of the woman and the seede of the Serpent so as they can make up one true Church 2. Because these who are not Christs are not members of Christ and so no part of his misticall body 3. Because they are not bought with a price nor his purchased flock in the blood of God as Acts 20. the true Church is nor builded upon a rock as Mat. 16. 18. 4. Christ is not their Redeemer head High-priest King and Saviour and so neither are they his redeemed his members his people subjects and saved ones 5. Because the promises made to the chosâ—n and beleevers to give them a new heart regeneration sanctification remission of sinnes are made to them only and in Gods gratious intention and not to reprobates Whence I inferre these conclusions 1. Seperaâ—ists arguments must be weake for they all conclude that which we deny not and no other thing to
wit that haereticks adulterers forcerers blasphemers be no parts of Christs visible Church as it is a Church Yea we say that as the tree leg and the eye of glasse and the teeth of silver by art put in the body are no members of the living body so neither are these members of the true Church and so much doe all our Divines as Calvin Beza Junius Whittaker Tilen Piscator Pareus Vrsine Trâ—lâ—atius Sibrandus Amesius prove against Papists 2. Preaching of the Gospell is called a note of the Church and profession of faith a note of the Church both the former is a noâ—e of the teaching Church or minsteriall Church called Ecclesia docens The latter is a note of the professing Church who professeth the faith which we may call Ecclesia utens or Ecclesia practicè consideram 3. Profession of the faith is thought to be true either Subjectively 2. Objectively Or 3. Both Subjectively and Objectively Profession subjectively is true when the professor doeth indeed professe and avow the truth and doth not only seem to avow professe the truth and this is no note of a true Church because it may be in hypocrites who really goe to Church really heare the word and partake of the Sacraments but not sincerely Profession true objectively is when the professor doth professe that faith which is indeed sound and orthodox And this is a marke of the true teaching or ministeriall Church and may be in a visible company of professors who for the time are not sincere beleevers But a profession of the faith both objectively true and subjectively is when the object is orthodox and sound truth and the professor sincerely and gratiously and with an honest heart beleeveth and professeth the truth and this way profession of the truth is a true and essentiall note of a visible Church as it is a true Church and body of Christ and so are our Divines to be expounded in this doctrine about the notes of the visible Church But withall the visible Church is to be considered in abstracto under the notion of visibility and as visible and as performing all the externall acts of professing governing hearing preaching praising administrating the seales of the covenant binding and loosing in the externall and visible court of Christ and under this reduplication as obvious to mens eyes and therefore in this notion all externall professors who are not manifestly and openly scandalous are to be reputed members of the true visible Church and therefore this tearme would be considered a true visible Church For the adjective true may either be referred to the subject Church and so signifieth the true misticall body of Christ visibly and with all sincerely professing the sound faith Or it may be referred to the other adjective visible and so it is no other but a company of professors visible to our senses and so truely visible whose members may be unsound and false professours Then the question is whither visible Saints 1. forsaking all knowne sinnes 2. Doing all the knowne will of God 3. Growing in grace as saith Smith and the discov of N. Light be the only true matter of a right and lawfully consistent visible Church and congregation so as we are to joyne with no company of worshippers of God but such visible Saints as these and to acknowledge no other society a true Church whereto we are obliged to adjoyne our selves as members save only such a sâ—ciety Or is this sufficient for the nature and right constitution of a true visible Church that the company that we are to joyne our selves unto as visible members have in it these true markes of a visible Church The pure word of God purely preached and the Sacraments duely administred with discipline according to Gods word and withall a people externally professing the fore-said faith suppose they cannot give to us manifest tokens and evidences that they are effectually called and partakers of the divine nature and translated from death to life and are elected called and justified This latter we hold as the truth of God these of the Separation hold the former Now we must carefully distinguish here what are to be distinguished for there are many questions infolded here of divers natures For 1. The question is if the society have the word seales and right discipline and they professe the truth suppose their lives be wicked whether they should not be answerable to that which they professe I Answer No doubt they ought to be answerable to their light and obey the holy calling 2. What if many of them leade a life contrary to that which they professe and yet the governours use not the rod of discipline to censure them then whether should the members separate from that Church They ought to separate say the Separatists They ought not to separate from the Church and worship say we they are to stay with their Mother but to plead with her and modestly and seasonably say that Archippus and others doe not fulfill their Ministry which they have received of the Lord. 3. What if there be purity of doctrine but extreame wickednesse contrary to their doctrine whether is that company a true Church or not I answer it is a true visible and a teaching or right ministeriall Church but for as farre as can be seene not a holy not a sanctified Church and therefore must not be deserted and left 4. What if the guides receive in as members of the Church those who are knowne to be most scandalous and wicked and not such Saints as Paul writeth unto at Rome Corinth Ephesus Colosse Answ. The faults of the guides are not your faults who are private members you are to keepe publike communion in the publike ordinances of Christ but not to take part with their unfruitfull workes but rather to reprove them 5. What if the members of the Church can give no reall proofes that they are inwardly called sanctified and justified and yet you see no scandalous out-breakings in them to testifie the contrary I answer for as much as grace may be under many ashes as a peece of gold amongst mountaines of earth If they professe the sound faith they are a true visible Church and we are to acknowledge them as such and to joyne our selves as members to such a society or being already members we are to remaine in that society and not to separate from it in any sort The Separation doth complaine that in our Church are as Ainsworth saith swarmes of Atheists Idolaters Papists erronious and hereticall sectaries witches charmers sorcerers theeves adulterers lyars c. The Gentiles enter unto the temple of God the holy things of God the Sacraments indifferently communicated with cleane and uncleane circumcised and uncircumcised And amongst you are thousands who cannot tell how they shall be saved So say others as M. Barrow and Smith Hence inferre they our Church is a false Church not right constitute no Spouse of Christ no royall generation not
a people who hath Christ for King Priest and Prophet We on the contrary hold this as our fourth conclusion That howbeit openly and grossely prophane wicked persons as knowne atheists and mockers of Religion Idolaters papists heretickes sorcerers witches theeves adulterers c. are not to be keeped in the Church but to be excommunicated nor yet to be received into the Church as members thereof untill they give evidences of their repentance Yet we say that there is nothing required more as touching the essentiall properties and nature of being members of a Church as visible but that they professe before men the faith and desire the seales of the Covenant and crave fellowship with the visible Church which I prove 1. From the manner of receiving members in the Apostolike Church where nothing is required but a professed willingnesse to receive the Gospell howbeit they receive it not from their heart Act. 2. 41. then they that gladly received his word Peters word were baptized and the same day were added to the Church about three thousand soules v. 45. And they sold their possessions and parted them to all men Now amongst these glad receivers of the Gospell were Ananias and Saphira ch 4. v. 34 35 36 37. chap. 6. v. 1 2 3. It is true they are all charged by Peter to repent ere they be baptized and added to the Church but the Apostles require no more to make members of the visible Church â—ut 1. professed willing receiving of the word and this receiving expressed by an outward act of selling their goods which was but hypocâ—isie in Ananias and Saphira as the event declared yet were Ananias and Saphira for that time members of the Churches as truly visible and their acts of electing and chusing a Pastor and consenting to excommunicate scandalous persons in that time valid in Christs cout Yea suppose Ananias had been a preacher his preaching and baptizing should have been valid by grant of Separatists Also there is no more required by the Church of Simon Magus Act 8. v. 13. but beleeving historically at the sight of miracles and he was baptized and received into the Church presently Now this beleeving was not seene to be saving faith to Peter and the Apostles we know no wayes they had to know it seeing they know not the heart but what is said v. 13. he continued with Philip and wondred which an hypocrite might doe and he had been not long since an abhominable sorcerer and usurped the honour of God like a sacrilegious robber of the Almighty of his glory ver 9 10 11. And the like we may see of Demas who forsooke Paul 2 Tim. 4. 10 and followed the present world There was nothing to make him a member of the visible Church then but that for a while he followed Paul in his journeyes and professed the faith And the like must be said of Hymeneus and Alexander who for a time were members of the true Church as it is visible and a professing Church and this was knowne onely by their profession yet that they had but a bare profession is cleare seeing afterward they made shipwracke of faith 1 Tim. 1. 19 20. Now our brethren cannot deny but all these might and did exercise Ecclesiasticall Acts that were valid and ratified of God yea of binding and loosing and so nothing is required to make men members of a visible Church but such an outward profession of faith as may befall and hath been found in the fairest broidered and paâ—mented hypocrites who have been in the Apostolike Church Also what more was in Judas even after Christ had said Have not I chosen you twelve and one of you is a Devill yet the eleven say not Lord discover him to us that we may separate from him 2. Argument If the visible Church planted and constituted lawfuâ—ly be a draw-net wherein are fishes of all sorts and a house wherein are vessels of silver and gold and also base vessels of brasse and wood and a barne-floore wherein are wheat and a chaffe then a Church is rightly constitute howbeit there be in it beleevers and unbeleevers and hypocrites as members thereof And there is no more required to make members of the Church visible as visible but that they be within the net hearers of the word within the house as vessels of brasse within the barne-wals as chaffe in likenesse and appearance like wheat But the former is true and granted by Barrow Mat 13. 47. 2 Tim. 2. 20 21. Mat. 3. 12. Barrow saith Hypocrites are ever in the Church but it followeth not that the prophane multitude for that should be admitted members without proofe of their faith Answ. As the likenesse between the vessell of brasse and the vessell of gold and their being in one and the same Noblemans cuâ—table together is sufficient to make the brazen vessell a part of the plenishing of the house so the hypocrites externall profession and receiving the word and remaining in the Church as Ananias and Saphira and Simon Magus his beleeving his adhering to Philip his desire of Baptisme maketh him a member of the visible Church and the Church that these are in is a truly and right constitute visible Church 3. Argument If that Church be rightly constitute and a true Church where the man without the wedding garment commeth to the Marriage of the Kings sonne that is where multitudes were called and doe heare the Word and so come to the banquet of the Gospell that are not chosen and are destitute of the wedding garment of faith and Christs righteousnesse and all these that are professed hearers of the word and yet not sound beleevers Then a professed and externall use of the meanes if no outward out-breakings of scandals be in them maketh men members of the visible Church and the Church is rightly constitute where these are but the former is true Mat. 22. v. â— 3. c. v. 11 12 13. and this is a point most ordinary in every visible Assembly where the word is preached where some beleeve and some are hardened as in the parable of the sower where the seed falleth upon good ground and bringeth forth fruit and also upon the way side upon the rockie and thorny ground and in the parable of the ten Virgins to make them all the visible kingdome of heaven there is no more required but that all have lâ—mps that is a profession that they are the Bridegroomes men attending the wedding and yet five of them wanteth oyle And so when Christ preacheth and worketh miracles some beleeve and some beleeve not Joh. 7. 31 32 33. Acts 2. 48 49 50. compared with Acts 5. 1 2. 2 Cor. 15. 16. 4. Argument Israel was a right constituted Church The covenanted people of God an holy people to the Lord chosen to be a peculiar people to himselfe Deut. 14. 1 2. Deut. 29 10 11 12. a people on whom God set his love Deut. 7. 7. So happy as none was
like unto them saved by the Lord the shield of their help Deut. 33. 26 27 28 29. a people with whom God would not â—reake his oath and Covenant made with Abraham Judg. 2. 1. and their God 1 King 18. 36. 2 King 9. 6. and he calleth them his people Hos 6 Jer. 2. 13. married unto the Lord Ier. 3. 14. and married for ever Ier. 31. 36 37. Ier. 32 40 41. Hos 2. 19 20. Isa. 50. 30. Psal. 80. 30 31 32 33 c. A people who had avowed the Lord to be their God a people whom the Lord had avowed to be his peculiar people Deut. 26. 18 19. A people with goodly tents as the gardens by the rivers side as the trees of Libanus that the Lord hath planted Num. 24. 5 6. A people on whom the Lord looked upon and behold their time was the time of love over whom the Lord spread his skirts of love to whom God sware a Covenant and made them his Ezech. 16 6 7 8 9. the Lords heritage Ier. 12. 8. his pleasant sonne and deare childe Ier. 31. 20. his wel-beloved Isa. 5. 1. And yet because of transgressions and the backsliders and revolters that wre amongst them a perverse and crooked generation Deut. 32. 5. at that same time had waxed fat and thicke and lightly esteemed the rocke of their salvation v. 15. A people that had no eyes to see nor eares to heare nor a heart to perceive to that day Deut. 29. 4. spotted but not as his children Deut. 32. 5. a whorish people v. 16 17. Sodome and Gomorrah Deut 32. 32. Isa. 1. 10. an harlot city full of murtherers drosse not silver wine and water v. 21 22. uncircumcised in heart Ier. 9. 26. to God no better then uncircumcised Aethyopians Egyptians Philistines and Syrians Amos 9 7. these that played the harlot with many lovers in all the high-wayes Ier. 3. 1 2 3. The Prophets prophesying falsly the Priests bearing rule by their meanes and the people loving to have it so Ierem. 5. 31. The Princes wolves evening wolves Ezekiel 22. 27. What Apostasie was in Israel yea in all except Calâ—b and Joshuah What harlotrie with the Daughters of Moab and that vile Idoll Baal-peor both immediately before and immediately after the Spirit had called them a blessed people goodly plants trees of the Lords planting Numb 24. as may be seen in the Chapters of that story especially cap. 25. Hence unanswerably it must follow A Church visible is a rightly and lawfully constitute Church to the which we may joyne our selves as members and yet it is a mixed multitude of godly and prophane circumcised and cleane uncircumcised and uncleane And Moses and the Prophets knew Israel to be thus mixed and rebuked them and yet tearmeth them a married people to the Lord Jer. 3. 14. 5. Argument If the Church of the Jewes was a truly constitute visible Church a Church that did worship a God they knew and of whom was salvation Joh. 4. 22. in Christs dayes and had Moses chaire among them and teachers on that chaire whom Christ commanded to heare and obey Mat. 23 1 2 3. and was the Lords vineyard Mat. 21. 33. and the Lords building ver 42. and had the Kingdome of God amongst them ver 43. and the Lords Priests whom Christ commanded to acknowledge and obey Mat. 8. 4. and if the Lord countenanced their feasts preached in the Temple and their Synagogues John 5. 1. John 7. 37. John 8. 2. Luke 4. 16 17. and that daily and yet there was in their Church Scribes and Pharisees who perverted the Law of God Mat. 5. 21. who made the Law of God of none effect with their traditions Mat. 15. 6. and polluted all with will worship Mark 7. 6 7 8 c. Master builders who rejected Christ the corner stone of the building and slew the heire Christ to make the vineyard their owne Mat. 21. v. 42. v. 38 killers of the Prophets Mat. 23. 37. blinde guides who led the blind people in the â—â—tch Christs own who would not receive him Joh. 1. 12. if they slew the Lord of glory Acts 5. 30. Acts 2. 36. Gods house made a house of merchandise a den of theeves John 2. 16. the Priesthood was bought and sold Caiaphas was High-priest that yeare By Gods Law the High-Priest should have continued so all his life All this being true then a Church is a right constitute Church where the cleane and uncleane are mixed 6. The like I might prove of the Church of Coriath Galatia and Ephesus Thyatira Sardis Laodicea And the Separatists grant that hypocrites are often in the true visible Church then the presence of wicked men in a visible Church marrâ—th not the constitution of a Church onely Separatists would have a more accurate tryall taken before persons were received in the Church lest the uncircumcised enter into the temple of the Lord. But all the markes that we are to take before we receive members in the Church or they also is but an externall profession And the Apostles tooke no markes in receiving Ananias and Saphira Simon Magus Demas Alexander and Hymyneus but onely an hypocriticall profession as Calvin hath well observed and after him Cameron We have no certainty of faith to know that this or this man is a beleever that another man beleeveth and is saved is not the object of my faith 2. Hence it followeth that of a Congregation of forty professors foure and twenty may be and often are but hypocrites yet these foure aâ—d twenty suppose twelve of them be the Pastor Elders and Deacons are truly parts of the Church as visible Howbeit not parts of the Church as the Church and as the true and mystciall body of Jesus Christ and by this same reason all the fourty may be hypocrites for a time because they are but men who seeth not the heart who did congregate this Church and what is true of foure and twenty may befall fourty I say for a time they may be all hypocrites or at the first constitution of the Church but that all shall remaine so I thinke is against the wisedome and gracious intention of God who doth not set up a candle and candlesticke but to seeke his owne lost money And where he sendeth shepheards he hath there some lost sheep because the preaching of the word is an essentiall note of a visible Church Hence that Congregation of forty not yet converted is a true visible Church I meane a true teaching and Ministeriall Church in which are acts Pastorall of preaching baptizing binding and loosing that are valid and right Ecclesiastically For Baptisme there administrated was not to be repeated and such a Church by the Ministery therein is and may be converted to the saving faith of Christ yea and Separatists would call such an independent Congregation Hence 3. this must follow that as to make one a Pastor and to make twelve men Deacons and Elders and so
such as hath joynt power of the keyes even by the grant of Separatists with the rest of the Congregation there is not faith in Christ required as an essentiall element as I have proved from Mat. 7. 22. so to make these twelve members of a visible Congregation Faith is not essentially required suppose it be morally required so by that same reason to make other twelve members in that visible society in Christ faith were not required as to make Demas Ananias Saphira Magus Alexander Hyâ—â—â—cus and some moe of that kind a visible Church There is no more required but that profession of faith which moved the Apostolike Church to make them members of a true Church visible For what maketh formally a member of a Church visible to wit profession of the faith that same maketh forty also members of a visible Church and quae est ratio constitutiva partium est etiam constâ—tutiva totius That which formally constituteth a part doth formally constitute the whole where the whole is made of parts of the same nature as what is essentiall to make a quart of water that is essentiall to make a whole sea of water and every part of the visible Church is visible and a visible professour as visibility denominateth the whole so doth it every part of the whole And from this I inferre this fourth That a visible Church as visible doth not essentially and necessarily consist of believers but only of professours of beliefe so that a Church and a visible Church may be opposed by way of contradiction as a number of believers and a number of non-believers For a Church essentially is a number of believers and Christs mysticall body els it is not a Church that is a number of persons effectually called for this cause I grant an Eldership of a congregation a Synod Provinciall or Nationall are unproperly called a Church and howbeit we list not to strive about names we may grant our General assembly not to be properly called a National Church but by a figure for the believers of the Nation are properly the Nationall Church I meane a mysticall believing Church 5. Conclusion The preaching of the Word and seals therof ordinarily setled in a visible society is the essentiall note and marke of a true Church It is weak and vaine that Ainsworth Robinson Canne and Master Smith say The preaching of the Word is no essentiall marke of the true Church and why Because forsooth our Masters learned from Barrow to say It is preached to the Reprobate to whom it is the â—avour of death unto death and it was preached to the scoffing Athenians by Paul Act. 17. and yet the Athenians were not a true Church But we distinguish three things here There is 1. The single and occasionall preaching of the Word 2. The setled preaching of the Word the setling of the Candle-sticke and Kingdome to dwell amongst a people 3. The preached Word with the seales especially the Sacrament of the Lords Supper The single and occasionall preaching or by concomitancy as to a people unconverted and unbelievers and so it is not an essentiall note of the true Church but a meane to gather a Church to God and this they proove and no more and so doe the Belgicke Arminians and Socinians proove against our reformed Churches that it is no marke of the Church so Episcopius the Remonstrants the Catechise of Raccovia and Socinus but this is as if one would say the colours and armes of such a King in warre are carried through the enemies fields as well as through the Kingsland therfore they are not the proper colours of such a King 2. The setled preaching of the Word established and remaining in a Church as the standing candlestick the fixed kingdome of God is the essentiall mark of the true Church and preached in Gods blessed decree of Election only for and to the chosen believers and as it were in the bie to the prophane reprobates amongst them and this they cannot be able to improove And it was M. Smiths vanity to say the Reformed Churches have the Word as the thiefe hath the honest mans purse Anabaptists reason just that way See Calvin 3. The preaching of the Word and the seales of the setled covenant is a means of confirming those that are already converted Neither is it much against us that the Word is preached to the reprobate for the preaching of the Word is considered either in it selfe and actu primo and so it is a mark of the visible Church Or. 2. As it is effectuall by the Spirit of Jesus and actu secundo and so it is an essentiall marke of the true Church and lively body of Christ according to that cited by Whittaker Calvin Willet Paraeus Beza Vrsine Bucanus and our Divines John 1â— My Sheepe heare my voyce Hence observe a vile Doctrine of Separatists holden also by Socinians and Arrainians as Episcopius the Belgicke Remonstrants Socinus the Raccovian Catechise and â—heophil Nicolaides That all gifted persons may preach publikely and that there is no necâ—ssity of câ—lling of Pastors by the Presbytery so doe they teach That there can be no lawfull Pastors now after the Apostacy of of Antichrist till tâ—ere be a constitute Church of believers to choose them or a flocke to them to watch over And therefore conversion is ordinarily wrought say they by private Christians that have the gift to pâ—ophecy publikely and yet are not Pastours for private Christians doe gather the Church say they Pastours doe not ordinarily convert they do only confirme the church of Saints already converted Against which we say The new Testament of Christ telleth us of no officers to preach in Christs name for the perfecting of the Saints the worke of the Ministry edifying of the body of Christ but Pastors and Doctors Eph. 4. 11 12. 2. None but such as have power of binding and loosing by the preaching of the Word Joh. 20. 3. Those to whom Christ giveth power of publick teaching to those he giveth power of Baptizing Mat. 28. 18 19. and sendeth them as his Father sent him 4. How shall they preach except they be sent Rom. 10. 14. Sending in the Apostolike Church was by praying and the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery 1 Tim. 4. 14. 5. There is nothing more ordinary then that Pastors as Pastors and by vertue of their pastorall office convert soules 1. Faith is begotten by hearing a sent â—reacher Rom. 10. 14 15. Ministers by whom we beleeve 1 Cor. 3. 9. by them we receive the Spirit by the hearing of Faith Gal 3. 2. 2. People are begotten over aâ—aine by them as by spirituall fathers and mothers 1 Cor. 4. 15. Gal 4. 19. 3. Pastors are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wooers and under-suters to gaine the Brides consent to marry the lovely Bridegroome Christ Jesus Joh. 2. â—9 2 Cor 11. 2 3. 4.
Their Word is the savour of life unto life unto some and the savour of death unto death unto others 2 Cor. 2. 16. They are to preach with all gentlenesse waiting if God peradventure will give repentance to the gain-sayers 2 Tim 2. 24 25 26. 5. They are Embassadours in Christs steed beseeching men to be reconâ—iled unto God a Cor 5. 20. 6. The weapons of their warfare are mighty through God to fling downe strong holds of unbeliefe to cast downe imaginatims and every high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and to bring unto captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor 10. 4 5. and so they are to pull men out of the hands of Satan 7. They are to seeke the Lords Sheep Ezek. 34 4. Hence the object and matter that a Pastor is to worke on as a Pastor is unbelievers unborne men gain-sayers proud disobedient keeping strong holds against Christ So the nature of the Pastors office is to open the eyes of the blinde to turne them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgivenesse of sinnes Act 26. 18. and this evidently evinceth that the visible and rightly constitute Church where God hath erected a Ministery is a number of blinded sinners in Satans power and in the power of darknesse for the most part while God by a Ministery delivers them suppose they professe the Faith It is also a Doctrine unknowne to the Word of God that the Church of Christ is gathered and edified formally as a Church without Christs Ministers that are sent to gaine the consent of the Bride to marry the Bridegroome Christ. It is also unknown to Scripture that Prophets are no Pastors and have no power of the pastorall calling or sâ—ales of the Covenant Should those bee the ordinary officers of Christ that gather sinners in to Christ and convert to the Faith of Jesus men dead in sins and trespasses who yet are neither Pastours nor Doctours sent by Christ and his Church 6. Conclusion Seeing then the Church hath no other marke and rule to looke unto in the receiving in of members into a visible Church but externall profession which is no infallible marke of a true convert the Church is rightly constitute where all borne within the visible Church and professing the Faith are received suppose many wicked persons be there Now seeing time favour of men prosperity accompanying the Gospell bring many into the Church so the Magistrate may compell men to adjoyn themselves to the true Church O saith Master Barrow Ainsworth Mr. Canne The blast of the Kings horne can make no man a member of Christs body that must be done willingly and by the Spirit of Christ not by compulsion The Magistrate say they can worke faith in none he ought indeed to abolish Idolatry set up the true Worship of God suppresse errours cause the truth to be taught yet he cannot constrain men to joyne to the Church I answer This is a senslesse reason for how doth the Magistrate abolish Idolatry set up the true worship of God It is I hope by externall force and power For the Magistrate as the Magistrate doth nothing but by an externall coactive power The Magistrate useth the sword not reasons preaching and counsell Yea this way he cannot abolish idolatry nor erect the pure worship of God for it is a worke of Gods Spirit and a willing worke that a subject forsake Idols and worship God purely at the command of a King as it is the worke of God that he believe in Christ and joyn himselfe to the Church of true believers 2. That a man by externall profession adjoyn himself to the true visible Church is not a work of saving faith as our Masters dreame for Simon Magus and Ananias and Saphira a turned members of the visible Church upon as small motives as the command of a King upon the motive of gaine and honour and were never a whit nearer Christ for all this 3. The Magistrate cannot compell men to believe nor can the Minister by preaching or the power of the keys doe it except Gods Spirit doe it but as Juniusâ—aith â—aith he may compell men to professe beliefe but not to believe he may compell to the externall meanes not to the end 2. The Magistrate as Voetius saith may compell by remooving impediments as idols and false teachers and authoritatively 2. compell to the means Now it shall be easie to answer their Objections who wouâ—d prove that Saints are the onely matter of a rightly and lawfully constitute visible church First Master Barrow reasoneth against us thus The materiall Temple from the very foundation was of choyse costly stones the beames of choyse Cedars and Algummim-trees which typified the church of the new Testament Isa. 54. 11. Behold I will lay thy stones with carbuncle and thy foundations with Saphirs c. Isâ— 6. 17. for brasse I will bring gold Isa. 35. 8. No Lyon nor ravenous beast shall be in the mountaine of the Lord but the redeemed of the Lord Jer. 31. 34. They shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest in this mountaine there shall be no cockatrise aspe lyon leopard untill they have left their poyson Isaiah 11. 6. Answer first These places none except Anabaptists can apply according to the letter to the Church independent of every Parish may not the Separatists who â—each that there is rotten timber in their visible Temple and chalke stones Lyons Wolves Cockatrices for saith Barrow Ainsworth and all their side there are always in the Church glorious Hypocrites now such as Judas Demas Hymeneus and such hypocrites are not precious stones gold taught of God there is not a visible Church of a congregation out of Heaven where there is not a hypocrite and an unbeliever 2. The place Isa. 54. and Jer 31. is understood of the Catholick Church with whom the covenant of grace is made Isa. 54. 10. Jer 31. 31. and this covenant is not everlasting nor an eternall covenant to any one Parish Church yea nor to a Nationall Church nor to Corinth Ephesus Pergamus all which particular Churches are fallen under horrible Idolatry and in those Mountains are Lyons and Leopards and therfore as Musculus Calvin Hierom and the course of the Text cleareth he is speaking of the begunne holinesse of the whole Church of the redeemed under Christ which is finally and fully accomplished in Heaven for what use should there be of excommunication and of the Pastors and Porters care to hold out and cast out by the Church censures Lyons Leopards Cockatrices if all and every one in the Church be taught of God 3. It is beside the Text to make the Temple of Jerusalem a type of a Parish congregation it was a type of Christ Iohn 2. 21. of every beleever 1 Cor. 6. 19. and of the whole Catholike Church 4. Where it is
said There shall be no ravenous beast in the Mountaine of the Lord the Mountaine of the Lord is not taken litterally for Mount Sion as if in every little Mountaine of a visible congregation made up of so many Saints there were not a Iudas amongst them But by the Mountaine of the Lord is meaned the Catholike Church alluding to the visible Mount Sion a type of the Church of Christ through all the earth 2. They dispute thus God in all ages hath appointed and made a separation of his people from the world before the Law under the Law and now in the time of the Gospell Gen. 4. 6. Exod. 6. 3. Levit. 20. 24. Ezech. 6. 11. Psal. 84. 10. Answ. God hath made a separation of the Church from the wicked but not such a separation as there remaineth no mixture of hypocrites and unbeleevers in the Church The Church was separated from Caines seede yet was there Idolatry defection and wickednesse in the Church till God charged Abraham to leave his country and his fathers house God separated his Israel from Egypt but so that there was much Idolatry and wickednesse in Israel thus separated God may and doth separate his owne from Egypt 〈◊〉 in Marriage and mixture with the Canaanites 〈…〉 that are born in the visible Church and professe 〈…〉 us should not be received in the Church 〈…〉 be all taught of God all precious stones all plants of righteousnesse it followeth no way but the contrary therefore because they are unbeleevers under the power and chaines of Sathan and ignorance they are to be received in a communion with the Church to be hearers of the word that they may be all taught of God and all made righteous plants 3. They reason thus The wicked have not Christ for their head So the guide to Zion A true visible Church say the Separatists is the Temple of the Lord the body of Christ a kingdome of Priests a Church of Saints the houshold and Kingdome of God Yea saith Barrow a people chosen redeemed Saints by calling partakers of the most precious faith and glorious hope the humble obedient loving Sheepe of Christ a sheepe-fold watched by discipline a garden well inclosed here entreth no Cananite every vessell is holy Answ. 1. The body of Christ a Kingdome of Priests and Saints and these that are partakers of the holy faith are the chosen of God ordained for glory in his decree of election and effectually called and justified but the adversaries say that the visible Church is a company of Saints by calling where saith Ainsworth there be many called but few chosen hence this argument will prove that none no hypocrites can be in the visible Church as a Church is indeed Christs body Now the Church visible as a Church is indeed Christs body a reyall Priest-hood a chosen generation but as visible it is sufficient that the Church be a royall Priest-hood only in profession and so possibly for a while no royall Priesthood no chosen generation as I have observed before But say they hypocrites are not indeed and really members of the true visible Church but only in reputation as an eye of glasse is not indeed a true part of the body I answer then our adversaries give us no right description of the true naturall and lively members of the true visible Church he that would give such a definition of a man as agreeth both to a living man and to a pictured or painted man were but a painted Logician For they acknowledge the true parts of a visible Church to be a chosen people a royall generation partakers of the holy faith either they are really and in Gods esteem a chosen people c. And so we are at a point there be none members of a visible Church none ought to heare the word as members of the Church none ought to preach baptize bind and loose with the rest of the Congregation but these that are really chosen and effectually called which cannot be said Ainsworth then and M. Canne and Smith doe but mocke us when they say The true matter of a true visible Church are Saints in profession and in the judgement of charity for that is not enough they must be according to the Texts of Scripture alledged by Barrow not onely in the judgement of charity but in Gods estimation and in the judgement of verity a chosen people a royall generation If the true matter of the true visible Church be a chosen generation and a royall Priest-hood only in profession the places cited will not help them for Peter 1 Pet. 2. writeth not to an independent Congregation who are in profession only a chosen people But he writeth to the Catholick Church even to all the dispersed and sanctified and regenerated in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia who were not only a chosen generation in profession but also really and in Gods decree of election Neither Peter nor Isaiah are of purpose to teach that in the independent Congregation of the New Testament there are none but all righteous men no stones to speake with Isaiah but Saphires and Carbuncles no thornes and briers but only the firre and the myrtle trees no iron and brasse but all gold and silver no Cananite no Lyon no uncleane vessell this they shall not find in the independent Congregations of Separatists nor can it be in the visible Church on earth except they seeke the Anabaptists Church a man in the Moone 4. They reason thus The wicked are expresly forbidden in the word of God for medling with his Covenant and ordinances Psal. 50. So the guide to Zion Answ. The wicked are forbidden to speake of Gods Law and his Covenant in some case so long as they hate to be reformed but they are not simply forbidden but hence it followeth not that they should not be ordinary hearers of the word but rather they are to be hearers and so members of the visible Church seing faith commeth by hearing 2. From this argument is nothing concluded against us for such adulterers theeves and slanderers as are forbidden to take Gods Law in their mouth Psal. 50. are to be cast out of the Church and the question is if they be not cast out if the Church for that be no true Church that we should remaine in they say it leaveth off to be a true visible Church we deny 5. There is saith Ainsworth proclaimed by God himselfe enmity and warre betwixt the seede of the woman and the seede of the Serpent and there is no communion nor fellowship betwixt Christ and Beliall light and darknesse Therefore the prophane and the godly cannot be mixed together in one visible society as two contraries are not capeable of one and the same forme Answ. This will prove that which is not denyed that the godly and ungodly cannot agree well together suppose the ungodly be latent hypocrites for they have two contrary natures as fire and water and
seducing his people CHAP. X. Quest. 10. Whither or no it be lawfull to seperate from a true Church visible for the corruption of teachers and the wickednesse of Pastours and professours where Faith is begotten by the preaching of professed truth THat we may the more orderly proceed these distinctions are to be considered as making way to cleare the question 1. There is a separation in the visible Church and a Separation out of and from the visible Church 2. There is a Separation totall and whole from any visible communion with the Church or partiall and in part from a point of Doctrine or practise of the Church in a particular only 3. There is a Separation negative when we deny the practise of an errour with silence or refuse publike communion with the Church but doe not erect a new Church within the Church There is a separation positive when we doe not only refuse practise of errours and protest and pleade against them but also erect a new visible Church 4. As there is a three-fold communion 1. in Baptisme 2. in hearing of the Word 3. in communicating with the Church at the Lords Supper so there is a three-fold separation answerable therunto 5. The influence of a worship corrupt may either be thought to come from the persons with whom we worship or 2. from the matter of the worship if corrupt and that either 1. by practise or 2. by not practising somthing that an affirmative commandement of God impaseth on us 6. A communion in worship either implyeth a consent and approbation of the worship or no consent at all 7. A communion of worship when the worship in the matter is lawfull yet for the profession may be most unlawfull as to heare a Jesuite preach sound Doctrine 8. There is a separation from a friendly familiarity and from a communion in worship 1. Conclusion We are to separate in the true visible Church from all communion wherin need-force we cannot choose but sinne suppose we separate not from the Church Eph. 5. 11. Have no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darkenesse but rather reproove them Col. 2. â—1 Touch not taste not handle not 2 Epist. John Bid him not God speed that bringeth another doctrine 2. Conclusion from the first conclusion it will follow that a separation in part I meane in some acts of publike worship when we cannot chuse but fall in sin from a true Church is lawfull as we must separate from an idolatrous communion where the bread is adored for then the Lords Table is made an Idols Table and yet we are not totally and wholly to separate from the Church and hearing of the word and praiers and praises of that Church as we shall heare 3. Conclusion Anent separation from Rome and spirituall Babel We have two parties to satisfie if they would in reason be informed 1. Papists 2. Separatists opposers of government Presbyteriall who thinke we have all as good reason to separate from our selves and Presbyteriall Churches as from Babel But I shall speake a little of the first in some few Theses considerable for our purpose 1. Consideration It is most false that Bellarmine saith Churches all withered as branches separated from trees when they separated from Rome Joseph grew as a fruitfull Branch and blessings was on the top of his head when he was separated from his Brethren Deut. 33. 16. For 1. The contrary is seene in the reformed Churches who never flourished as since our separation from Rome 2. The Churches in Asia and Africa and especially the Greeke Church flourished ever since and they separated from Rome and had famous learned men in them after the separation as Theophylact Damascen Occumenius Zonaras Cedrenus Elias Cretensis Basil Nilus and many others and especially the Aethiopian and Armenian Churches had both their Bishops and Assemblies howbeit generall they could not have seeing they were apart not the whole Church 2. Consideration The faithfull before Luther the Albigenses Waldenses and others yea the Romane Doctors themselves holding the fundamentall points with some hay and stubble builded upon the foundation made a negative Separation from Babylon and did neither hold nor professe their grosse Idolatries and other fundamentall errours howbeit they did not hold them positively by erecting a new Church because the separation was then in the blade and not ripe for the Harvest 3. Consideration We hold that Rome made the Separation from the Reformed Churches and not we from them as the rotten wall maketh the schisme in the house when the house standeth still and the rotten wall falleth 1. Because we left not Christianity in Rome but the leprosie of Popery growing upon Christianity seeing we kept the Apostolike faith and did positively separate from the pookes blybes and ulcers of Christian Rome 2. We did not separate from the Westerne Churches either collective or representatively gathered in a generall Councell 3. We departed not from a Nationall Provinciall or Parishonall Church or Pastors that we had before nor from the materiall Temples and Churches except that some not very considerable hyrelings and idoll-pastours would not goe before us 4. And because the succession of fundamentall truths from generations to generations is as necessary as the perpetuall existence of the true Catholick Church while the covenant with night and day and the ordinances of Heaven shall continue Jer 31. 37. therfore there were a succession of professours and members of the Catholick Church that did ever hold these fundamentals which we to this day hold against Rome suppose Histories cannot cleare the particular persons by name 5. We have not separated from Romes baptisme and ordination of Pastors according to the substance of the act nor from the letter of the twelve Articles of the Creed and contents of the old and new Testament as they stand with relation to the mind and intent of the Holy Ghost howbeit we have left the false interpretations of the Lords of poore peoples Faith and Consciences 4. Consideration We separate not from acts of love to have the reliques of Babel saved howbeit we have separated from communion in faith and worship 5. Consideration The essentiall ingredients and reasons of a lawfull divorce are here 1. we could not lye in one bed with that sometime sister Church of Rome but our skin behoved to rub upon her botch-boyle and therfore we did separate from nothing but corruption 2. There was there persecutions and in that we are patients and ejected rather then departers on foot and horse 3. A professed dominion over our consciences 4. Necessity of receiving the marke of the beast and so the plagues of the beast to worship Images and the worke of mens hands a necessity of professing fundamentall errours that subvert the foundation of faith did all necessitate our seperation 6. Consideration The Church of believers might lawfully use justâ tutelâ aetâ—rnae salutis a necessary defence for salvation and forsake her corrupt guides and choose others
the true God and going a whoring after strange gods should remaine members of Christs true body and a redeemed Church for then they should have had a priviledge to goe to Heaven holding the broad way to Hell for Christs true body shall be glorified Also 5. Elijah should have grievously sinned against God in gathering together all Israel on Mount Carmell amongst the which there were seven thousand that bowed not their knee to Baal and was the Lords elected and sanctified people and also with them the idolatrous people that halted betwixt God and Baal 1 Kin. 18. for so he brought light and darkenesse Christ and Belial to one and the same publick worship for there was praying and preaching and a miraculous sacrifice and ver 39. All the people fell on their faces and worshipped and Elijah knew them to be an idolatrous people and that the faithfull in that worship behoved to have bin defiled and consenters to the unlawfull worship of these halters betwixt God and Baal Master Canne poore soule doubtsome what to say saith These that preach to people have not spirituall communion with all which are present and heare the same for the Divell is often a hearer But this is a poore shift for neither Saviour Word of God covenant promise or seale belongeth to Satan He is a hearer to carry away the seed that falleth by the way side Mat. 13. And so because the word is not Satans in offer and he commeth uncalled he hath no Church communion with the Church but the Word preached to men and especially in an ordinary way is a professed communion with all professours for so the word of God saith Eze. 33. 3. They come unto thee as the people commeth and they sit before thee as my people and they heare thy words And Esa. 58. 2. They aske of me the ordinances of Justice they take delight in approaching to God And Esa. 2. 2. The peoples communion with one another in going to the Lords Mountaine to be taught his Word is set downe as a marke of the called Church of the Gentiles 2. To heare or professe hearing of the word is a worshipping of God therefore joynt-hearers are joynt-worshippers and have communion together 3. To eate at one Table of the Lord is a profession that the eaters are one body 1 Cor. 10. 17. with that same Lord and promises are offered in the word that are sealed in the Sacrament 4. All our Divines proove the Church of the Iewes and the Church under the New Testament to be one Church because that same word of the covenant and that same faith in substance that was preached and sealed to us was preached to them 1 Cor. 10. 1 2 3 4. Heb 11. Heb 13. 8. Heb 3. 7 8 12 13. none deny this but Arminians Socinians Papists and some other perverters of the Scriptures 5. If a joynt hearing of the Word be denied to be a Church-communion in externall worship upon this ground because all that heare doe not believe but many scoffe at the Word many hate it many reject it in their hearts as Separatists reason this is most weake and prooveth that all have not an internall communion by faith and love but it is nothing against a Church-communion in the matter of Separation Also hence it might be concluded none have a Church-communion that eateth at one Table and eateth one bread and drinketh one cup except only believers and so all Hypocrites in the visible Church hearing together praying and praysing and receiving the seales of the covenant together in one politick and visible body with believers should be Separatists from believers having no Church communion with believers the contrary whereof reason and sâ—nse teacheth and Scripture Psalm 42. 4. Psalm 55. 13 14. 1 Cor 10. 17. Math 13. 47. Mat 12. 13. confirmeth Master Canne seeing this saith We affirme not that there can be no religious communion but with members of a visible Church our profession and practise is daily otherwaies yet so that they be such persons howbeit not in Church-state yet to bee judged in the Faith by their gracious and holy walking and are persons in the judgement of Men gracious and holy in their walking but members of a visible Church are visible Saints and so if there be no religious communion to be kept but with persons judged gracious then is there no religious communion to bee kept but with members of the visible Church who are gracious and holy which is a plain contradiction Moreover 6. The zeale of Josiah commended so highly by God should have bin sinfull and wicked zeale in commanding all the people to keepte the most solemne Passeover that ever had beene since the daies of the Judges 2 King 23. 21 22. and yet Iudah was universally corrupted with high places idolatry and false Priest-hood images groves c. It is true Iosiah reformed all these it is as true he sought no more of the people for their externall right worship but profession and could get no more yet he commanded not separation from the Church of Iudah for these corruptions howbeit much heart wickednesse was amongst them as is cleare v. 26. Notwithstanding God turned not from the fiercenesse of his great anger against Judah Moreover 7. Asa his zeale should have bin as sinfull in commanding all Judah and Benjamin and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh to conveene in an Assembly which was farre from separation to a solemne service of swearing a Covenant to seâ—k the Lord under the paine of death to both men and woemen and presently after such abominable Idols as â—ad bin in Iudah and Beniamin 2 Chron. 15. 8. were they all turned visible Saints a holy people a chosen generation all taught of God all partakers of the faith and promises so suddenly at one Proclamation Also 8. Ioshua 24. conveened all the Tribes and exhorted them to serve the Lord he charged them all to conveene and they did enter in a covenant with the Lord and he set up a stone under an oake that was by the Sanctuary ver 26. Now this conveening of them all even these who v. 14. and 23. had strange gods amongst them beside the Lord as Ioshuah knew well and gave warning therof must have bin a sinfull fact in Ioshua in commanding a mixture of Gods people and these that had strange gods to assemble in the Sanctuary and enter in covenant with God and heare the servant of God exhort them so heavenly in that Sermon Chap. 23. and Chap. 24. of Ioshuah this was light and darknesse Christ and Belial to come to one Sanctuary to defile the worship of God pollute the people with leaven take the name of God in vaine if Separatists teach true Doctrine And 9. Moses sinned grievously Deut. 29. in assembling all the men of Israel their little ones wives strangers hewers of wood drawers of water to enter in an oath and covenant to serve
commanded them for they have taken the accursed thing I answer This giveth us occasion to speake a little of the communion with other mens sins We partake these wayes of the Churches sins 1. When we worke with them and are helping causes this communion is unlawfull 2. When we counsell or perswade to false worship 3. When we omit what we are obliged to doe or commit that we should not doe from whence others are occasioned to sin for by morall interpretation he promoveth the sin of others who doth not give all due and obliged diligence to hinder the committing of sin 4. Those who consent to sin who approve and praise the fact and the committers of the fact 5. Those that doe not rebuke sinne 6. Those who are not displeased for it and doth not mourne for it Ezech. 9. and are not humbled for it and doth not pitty the sinner and pray that God in his mercy or justice may be glorified Now of all these we are to consider how Israel did properly communicate with Achans sin Some say there is a seventh way different from all when we in heart desire to doe what others doe wickedly in the externall fact As Israel also coveted in their heart what Achan tooke with his hands or when we doe the same sinne by Analogy that others are doing as the Marriners are punished for Jonahs sinne when as they were doing a sinne by Anology like the sinne of Ionah For Ionah fled from Gods presence as if God could not have followed him through the Seas and had been like the Idoll-gods and the Marriners did the same they worshipped an Idol-god and knew not the God that made the Heaven and the Earth Now wherein none of these seven wayes we partake of the sins of a Church how can their worship be defiled to us or have any influence to infect us but the truth is Israel were guilty of Achans sin because they did not carefully observe and waâ—ne one another to take heed that they medled not with the accursed thing but Joshuah never dreamed of Separation from Israel for Achans sin and the Text saith not that for they could not separate from the Church for Achans sacriledge which was not known to them while God discovered the same else by this Text we are to separate from all Churches where there doth live hidden and covered Achans and unseen hypocrites and thus we behoved to remove and separate up to the Church tryumphing in Heaven or then with Anabaptists find a spotlesse Church on Earth 14. They object To be present at a Masse is to countenance an Idol-worship so to be present in a Church-worship where there is any errours in the worship is to countenance the errour for what worship we countenance to that we say Amen and so we must consent to the wrong constitution of a Church where are prophane people Answ. 1. â—o countenance a worship professedly Idolatrous where the name of the worship doth import the worshipping of a false god is unlawfull for others doe interpret our presence a joynt worshipping with them But our presence at every lawfull worship that is acknowledged lawfull doth not give so much as interpretatively signification of our consent to every particular in the worship because hearing discerning choosing or refusing beleeving or not beleeving according as you find the points agreeable to Gods word or dissonant therefrom doth interveene betwixt your presence at the worship and your consent to the worship now the act of consenting approving and receiving the point of worship is formally to partake of the worship else we could not obey the precept 1 Thess. 5. 21. Try all things some things in the Preacher are to be borne with the Preachers of the Separation have not an Apostolick and infallible spirit if any of them preach unsound Doctrine the presence of the hearers doth not involve them in the guilt of the Preachers erronious worship The Pharisees corrupting of the Law was knowne and rebuked by Christ but yet Christ forbad Separation Heare them saith Christ Mat. 23. they sit in Moses his chaire CHAP. XII Quest. 12. Whither or no doe some warrantably teach that baptisme should be administrated onely to Infantâ— borne of one at least of the nearest Parents knowne to be a believer and within the covenant And who are to be admitted to the Lords Supper NOt only these of the Separation but also others whom we doe most unwillingly oppose in this hold that Baptisme is to be denyed to Infants whose nearest Parents one at least are not knowne to be within the covenant That our mind may be knowne in this we propose these distinctions to the learned and godly Reader to be considered 1. There is an inherent holines and there is a federall holines whereby some are holy by covenant that is have right to the meanes of salvation which right Turks and Pagans have not 2. People or persons are two wayes within the covenant 1. Truly and by faith in Christ and according to the election of grace 2. In profession because the word of the covenant is preached to them as members of the visible Church 3. There is a holines of the covenant and a holines of covenanters and there is a holines of the Nation flocke and people and a holines of the single person 4. There is a holines of election in Gods mind and a holines reall and of the persons elected 5. There is a federall or covenant-holines de jure by right such as goeth before Baptisme in the Infants borne in the visible Church and a holines de facto a formall covenant-holines after they are baptized Hence our first Conclusion All the Infants borne within the visible Church what ever be the wickednesse of their nearest Parents are to be received within the Church by Baptisme 1. Argument If the children of wicked parents were circumcised all without exception notwithstanding the wickednesse of their parents then the children of these who are borne in the visible Church of Christians are to receive that same seale in nature and substance of that same covenant of grace which is baptisme But all the children of most wicked parents were circumcised without exception Ergo so are the children of Christians borne in the visible Church The proposition cannot be denyed by our brethren 1. They say circumcision was given only to members of the visible Church to whom the doctrine of the covenant Gen. 17. 7 8. was preached and these were professors only within the visible Church of the Jewes as M. Best saith and if children were to be circumcised because God said I will be your God and the God of your seed then because this promise is made to Christians and to their seed in the new Testament Acts 2. 38. they should be baptized ver 38. be baptized every one of you c. ver 39. for the promise is made to you and to your children Whence it is cleare as these who were
externally in covenant were onely to be circumcised so these who are externally in covenant in the christian Church are to be baptized I prove the assumption that all the male children were to be baptized without exception 1. From Gods commandement Gen. 17. 10. Every man-child amongst you shall be circumcised ver 11. Every man-child in your generation he that is borne in the house and bought with money of any stranger that is not thy seed the uncircumcised must be cut off from his people he hath broken my covenant Here is no exception but all must be circumcised 2. Also many must be circumsed as these to whom the Lord gave the Land for a possession and was Abrahams seed according to the flesh but the land was given to the most wicked of Abrahams seed so cap. 8. 3. That all the children of the wicked are circumcised is cleare Josh. 5. Because Joshuah at Gods commandement circumcised the children of Israel ver 2. 3 7. whose wicked parents the Lord had consumed because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord unto whom the Lord sware that he would not shew them the Land which the Lord sware to their fathers And Heb. 3. 10. of that generation the Lord said They doe alwayes erre in their heart and they have not knowne my wayes there was in them an evill heart an hard heart an unbeleeving heart ver 13. 15 18. and yet God commanded Joshuah to circumcise their children therefore there was no more required of the circumcised but that they were Abrahams seed according to the flesh and by that same reason there is no more required of infants that they may be baptized but that they be borne in the christian Church for the Christian baptisme and the Jewish circumcision in substance are all one Rom. 6. 4. Col. 2. 11. Jer. 9. 26. Jer. 4. 4. 1 Pet. 3. 21 22. This is so true that circumcision is put for the Nation of the Jewes Acts 11. 2. Rom. 2. 26 27. Gal. 2. 7. Gal. 6. 15. which speech could not stand if most part of the children of the Jewes for the parents wickednesse were to be uncircumcised neither doe we reade in Gods word that ever the children of wicked Iewes were uncircumcised and if their circumcision had beene a prophaning of the covenant and dishonouring and polluting of the holy things of God the Prophets who rebuked all the sinnes of that Nation would not have passed in silence that which should have beene a Nationall sinne in them and as God determineth the quality of these that eate the Passeover that they be circumcised people and so Iewes so doth he determine the quality of these that are to be externally circumcised Gen. 17. every male child Some answer that these infants Iosh. 5. circumcised were the infants of parents dead in the wildernesse and so they were not now under the care and tutorie of their parents but under the care of others and so they might be circumcised Answ. But the death of the parents did not change their Church-state for they were still the children of wicked parents whose carcases fell in the wildernesse and that in Gods wrath Hebrews 3. 2. Argument If John Baptist Mat. 3. 5. baptized Jerusalem and all Judea and all the regions round about and that without any further examination of the aged so they would confesse their sinnes and yet he called them a generation of vipers and so the seede of murtherers and evill doers such as are vipers and Christ said Mat. 18. that of their children and such like was the Kingdome of God then the children of Pharisees and Publicans and wicked persons are to be baptized so their parents professe the doctrine of the covenant but the former is true Ergo. 3. Argument If Peter Acts 2. 38 39. command every one of the Iewes to be baptized by this argument because the promise saith he is made to you and to your children and to as many as the Lord shall call then all are to be baptized to whom the promise of the covenant and externall calling by this covenant is made but the promise of the covenant is made to the seede of the wicked within the visible Church Ergo the seale of that promise is to be conferred upon them I prove the assumption When God said to Abraham I will be thy God and the God of thy seed by the seed of Abraham he cannot meane the nearest of Abrahams seed only to wit the nearest sonnes for so by that he should have been Abrahams God and Isaacks God only and not Iaacobs God and the God of the seed of Jacob which is against the tenour of the covenant now if God be the God of Abrahams seed farre off and neare downe to many generations the wickednesse of the nearest parents cannot breake the covenant as is cleere Ezech. 20. 18 19. v. 22. v. 36 37. v. 42 43. Psal. 106. v. 40 45 46 Rom. 3. 3. Lev. 26. 44 45. spoken of the sonnes of wicked parents and if these children stand in the covenant for Gods names sake and God say expresly Ezech. 20 18 19. to the sonnes of wicked parents who grieved his holy spirit in the wildernesse walke in my statutes and walke not in the statutes of your fathers I am the Lord your God then they were in covenant notwithstanding of the wickednesse of their fathers and therefore by our bretherens argument the seales of the covenant should be bestowed upon them 4. Argument If the Lord shew mercy to the thousand generations of them who love him and keepe his commandements then the wickednesse of the nearest parents doe not remove the mercy of the covenant from the children because the mercy extendeth to the thousand generations But the former is said Exod. 20. in the second commandement and therefore for the sinnes of their nearest parents they are not excluded from the mercy of the covenant and therefore neither from the seales of that mercy If our brethren say we have no assurance of faith that their thousand generation upward hath been lovers of God and keepers of his commandements and so the children in faith cannot be baptized I answer first by this argument you cannot deny baptisme to them in faith 2. You have not certainty of faith which must be grounded upon infallible verity that their nearest parents are beleevers you have for that only the judgement of charity as Camero saith well and this faith you have infallibly that the sinnes of no one or two or foure persons doe interrupt the course of Gods immutable covenant in the race of covenanters borne in the visible Church Rom. 3. 3 4. Iosh. 5. 2 3 4. Levit 26. 41 42 43 44. Ezech. 20. 14 17 22. 5. Argument The infallible promise of the covenant I will be thy God and the God of thy seede which is made to us Gentiles as well as to the Jewes Gal. 3. 10 11 12 13. must make a difference betwixt the
receive the seale of the covenant The proposition he proveth from Genes 17. 10. This is my covenant and every man-childe amongst you shall bee circumcised and Rom. 4. 11. He received the signe of circumcision a seale of the righteousnesse of Faith The assumption he and others proove because murtherers drunkards swearers and whose children we baptise declare themselves not to be Christians nor faithfull nor Saints by their wicked life and so not within the covenant This argument also the Separatists use Answ. The Major is false and not proved from Gen. 17. or Rom. 4 for neither of these places speake of nearest Parents father and mother one at least the Text beareth no such thing but the contrary These are to receive the seale of the covenant whose fore-fathers are in externall profession within the covenant for God commandeth not Abraham only to circumcise his sons but all parents descended of Abraham to circumcise their seed the seed of Abraham carnally descended to all generations and so the nearest parents only are not to be looked unto 2. This argument doth either proceed according to this meaning that these infants only are to receive the seale of the covenant whose parents are within the covenant by an inward ingrafting and union by true faith besides the externall professing therof or then there is no other thing required but only externall profession that the Church without sinne may conferre the seales if the former be said it will follow that God speaketh Gen. 17. only to Abraham and his sons by faith according to the promise and only to believers but God speaketh to all Abrahams sons according to the flesh 2. Because God should speake an untruth that he were a God by reall union of faith to all that are commanded to be circumcised for he commanded thousands to be circumcised to whom he was not a God by reall union of faith therefore these words must import that nothing is more required that the Church without sin may conferre the seale of the covenant but the children to be descended of parents professing the truth and faith although the parents indeed as concerning any reall union of faith be plain strangers to the covenant and members of the Church only as an arme of wood is a member of the body which being true as it must be said the assumption is weake and sick â—or the question is what it is to be externally within the covenant it is not to slee all knowne sinnes to be a chosen people a people taught of God for then God would not have commanded Joshua Chap. 5. to circumcise all Israel because their fathers externally were within the covenant as this argument would say for their fathers were a generation of unbelievers who knew not God who tempted him and grieved his holy Spirit in the wildernesse and professed themselves by their murmuring never to be truly within the covenant Then to professe the doctrine of the covenant is but to be borne Iewes and avow the Lord in externall profession and Deut. 29. sweare a covenant with him when the heart is blinded and hardned v. 4. And so by this it is cleare Joshua had commandement of God to give the seale of the covenant to their children who were as openly wicked against the Lord as murtherers drunkards swearers c. 3. This argument will prove circumcision could lawfully be given to none but the children of parents within the covenant that is professedly knowne to be faithfull holy and seâ—arated from the prophane world in the judgement of câ—arity this hath no warrant of the word For 1. The children of the moâ—t wicked were circumcised Iosh. 5. 2. We desire to know whom God forbad to be circumcised that were carnally descended of Abraham Or shew us exâ—mple or precept therof in the Word 3. What God required in the parents whose Infants the Church might lawfully and without sin circumcise so they were borne Iewes O saith Mr. Best they behooved to be members of the Church whose infants might lawfully be circumcised I answer that is ignotum per ignotius Shew me one person being a borne Iew whose child the Lord forbad to circumcise 2. What is it to be a member of the Iewish Church Is it to bee a visible Saint and taught of God I true that was required indeed to make men acceptable before God but to make one a visible member of the Iewish Church visible nothing was required but to be a borne Iew and professe Gods truth and keepe them from externall ceremoniall pollutions I mean to be a member of the visible Church to keep externall and Church-communion with the rest of Gods people Secondly they object Not onely must they be in profession within the covenant but also members of some visible Church and particular congregation that is that they be within the Church for we have nothing to do to judge them that are without 1 Cor. 5. 12. And this M. Best Proveth by the order required in Gods Church putting a difference betwixt Church-communion and Christian-communion A man may be a just peaceable quiet man and so meet to be a Citizen in a City but he hath not right to the priviledges of the brughe untill he come to them by due order so must a man not onely be a Christian ere his childe be baptized but also a member of a visible Church Answ. 1. This Objection proceedeth from a great mistake as if Church-communion with a particular independent congregation were more and a better and nearer ground of baptizing then Christian-communion which we judge to be false because the Catholick Church is by order of nature and first and more principally the body spouse redeemed flocke of Christ then any particular independent congregation that is but a part or member of the Catholike Church and therfore the covenant promises of grace the power of the keys the seals of the covenant belong first principally to the Catholike Church to these that are in Christian communion with her before they belong to this or that visible part of the Catholick Church and so all ecclesiastick power of the keys must be first more principally in the Catholick Church then in a particular congregatioÌ„ as a reasonable soul by order of nature is in man before it be in Peter Thomas or Iohn 2. I believe these are within that are professours of the true faith suppose they be not members of the Church of Corinth or of any setled Church it is enough if they be within the covenant and these are without only who are Infidels and Pagans not professing the true and sound faith as the Apostle meaneth 1 Cor. 5. 12. Baptisme is a priviledge of the Church not a priviledge of such a particular independent Church and the distinction betwixt Christian-communion and Church-communion in this point is needlesse and fruitlesse for none are to be refused of baptisme whose parents professe the faith and Christian-communion Howbeit
they by Gods providence may be cast into a country where they are not and cannot be without due examination members of a setled Church as one may heare the word and joyn in publick prayer with any true Church he cometh unto and so having Christian-communion with a true Church he hath by that same also Church communion For baptisme is not like Burgessâ— freedome in a city a man may be a free Citizen in one Towne or City and not be a free citizen to have right to the priviledges of all other Cities but he who is Christs free-man in one Church hath Christian freedome and right to communion therby in all Churches and may have Church-communion in all true Churches but hee that is a free Burgesse in one City is not free in all Thirdly they object If Baptisme be given to all promiscuously the Church shall not be the house of God to receive only Gods family but a common Inne to receive all cleane and uncleane So Best citing Cartwright Baptisme is to be administred say the Separatists onely to the seed of the faithfull because such only are accounted to the Lord for a generation which he begetteth and receiveth in his Church to declare his righteousnesse in Christ Psalm 22. 30 31. Rom. 4. 11. and Rom. 11. 16. Math. 10. 13 16. Answ. Cartwright in that place is only against the baptizing of infants of excommunicate parents who are cast out of the Church but as the Church is a house so there are in the house of baptized ones both cleane and uncleane Neither are they all barnes of the house who are within the house the profession of cleannesse and holinesse and of the faith of Christ maketh it a house different from the society of Pagans and Inâ—idels 2. Wheras M. Best urgeth that none should be baptized but members of the visible Church he maketh all baptized members of the Church how then must they be all visible Saints clean persons and holy For baptisme maketh not the thousand part that are baptized to be visible Saints 3. This Generation begotten of the Lord and received into the Church to declare his righteousnesse Psal. 22. is not such only as are to be baptized for that generation v. 30. is a seed that serveth the Lord and v. 31. declareth his righteousnesse All infants whether of faithfull or unfaithfull parents doe alike service to God and alike declare his righteousnesse that is to say infants of what ever kinde can doe no service to God If their meaning bee the infants of faithfull parents circumcised shall serve God and declare his Righteousnesse when they come to age First this Text saith not they are the seed of the faithfull onely that shall serve God For the seed of the faithfull such as Ammon Absolom and Davids seed often refuse to serve God and declare his righteousnesse and the seed and children of wicked Parents as Hezekiah the sonne of wicked Ahaz and Josiah the sonne of wicked Amon doe often serve God and declare his righteousnesse So they cite Scriptures that by no force of reason doe speake for them as Rom. 4. 11. and Rom. 11. 16. say nothing but if the root be holy with the holinesse federall and of the externall profession So are the branches but the place speaketh nothing of true inherent holinesse for then all holy Parents should have holy and visible Saints comming out of their loines which is against Scripture and experience Fourthly they object By this our Divines lose their best Argument against Anabaptists namely that children of Christians by that same warrant are to be baptized that Infants under the Law were circumcised but none was circumcised but a member of the visible Church under the Law Now this ye gain-say who would have all cleane and uncleane baptized and so you leave your patterne Answ. We leave our patterne in no sort For all were circumcised that were borne of circumcised Parents within the Church of the Jewes so all are to be baptized that are borne of Christians and baptized Parents professing the faith But say they Drunkards Murtherers Scoâ—â—ers Swearers and ignorant Atheists both Fathers and Mothers whose children you baptize doe not professe the â—aith for in works they deny and belye their profession Answ. Then you will have the children of none to be baptized but those whose parents are sound and sincere professors in the judgement of charity but so Joshuah failed who circumcised the children of all professing themselves to be Abrahams sonnes carnally howbeit Joshuah knew and was an eye-witnesse that their Fathers did deny and belye their profession And John baptized the â—eed of all Mat. 3. that professed the faith of the Messiah although he knew them to be a generation of vipers 2. They often require that one of the Parents be a beleever or else the childe cannot be cleane nor lawfully baptized and they repose on that place 1 Cor. 7. 14. For the unbeleeving husband is sanctified by the wife and the unbeleeving wife is sanctified by the husband Else that is if both were unbeleevers were your children uncleane that is not within the covenant but now are they holy And they alleadge Beza and Pareus for this Answ. But they mistake the word unbeleeving for by unbeleeving in that place as the Professors of Leyden doe well observe is meant Infidell Gentiles that are without the Church and professe not Christ as is cleare from the Text For where the husband that beleeved was married on a Pagan-wife or a Jew hee thought being converted to the Christian faith he behooved to sunder with his Pagan-wife and the wife converted to the Christian faith married to a heathen and Pagan-husband thought she behoved to divorce and that the marriage could not be sanctified The Apostle answereth this case of conscience Suppose the Father be a Pagan if the Mother be a beleever that is a professour of Christianity for a Beleever is here opposed to a Pagan yet the children are holy by the Mothers or Fathers profession of Christianity Hence the Argument is strong for us Profession of Christianity opposed to Paganisme maketh the children cleane and holy before God by the holinesse of the Covenant therefore Infants borne of parents professing Christian Religion are to be baptized For that this troubled many converted that they were married to heathen and bondmen to them and in such and such callings as they thought inconsistible with Christian Religion is cleare from verse 14 15 16 20 21 22 23 24. And Beza on that place saith it was never heard in the ancient Church that every Infidell child was to be baptized And Pareus saith the children of Christian parents are holy before Baptisme by a Covenant and externall holinesse iure by Gods right being borne of Christian parents And after Baptisme they are holy de facto formally and actually So say Melancthon and Keckerman But I feare that these who will have none baptized
that Babel also least ye be partakers of her sinnes For they teach were a visible Church never so sound pure holy faire in doctrine and life yet if they refuse to cast out a scandalous person and will spare and defend him they are to be separated from and those that stay in that Church and keepe communion with her are partakers of her sins Howbeit some saving truths remain in the Church of Rome and in that we keepe yet a materiall and reall union with Rome in as farre as they professe one God three persons two natures in Christ c. but we have separated from Rome 1. Because their Doctrine of professed and commanded Idolatry and their other Heresies everteth the foundation of Faith 2. Because they lay another foundation above the foundation Christ the Pope and a multitude of Idol-gods but it followeth in no sort Ergo we are to separate from every true Church of Christ that is incorrigible in one fault or other Where is there a Christian Church that we could live in in the Earth yea except the Anabaptists-Church a Church of white paper as faire as Heaven and the Sunne that there is not a spot on more then on the triumphing Church this on Earth is a city in the Moone 3. They object Come not ye to Gilgall neither goe yee up to Bethaven therfore people were to separate from Idolatrous Israel Answ. I have prooved that the true Prophets commanded Church-fellowship with Israel after their Idolatry and judge if this be good Goe not to Bethaven that is the house of vanity called Bethel the house of God where Jeroboams calves were worshipped ergo separate from all the worship of God in Israel we say Ex negatione speciei malè concluditur negatio generis separate from Ieroboams calves therfore separate from all true worship of God in Israel it is a bad consequence 4. They object In the old Testament the Law consisted of outward ordinances and if they were outwardly performed there was no cause to separate from them But under the new Testament all things are become now and spirituall where Christ hath given power to all the faithfull to censure scandalous sinnes all should separate from a corrupt Church So Barrow But Master Smith helpeth him All things were shadowes in the old Testament David Jehoshaphat c. suffered knowne sinnes in the land yet were they the true matter of the typicall Church being typically and ceremonially cleane for to the constitution of the typicall Church there was not required true holinesse but ceremoniall cleannesse Holinesse was required of them for their acceptation before God but not for the constitution of their Church so there were there typicall Saints typicall Hypocrites that might have no communion together till they were purified and yet being indeed wicked persons they might have Church-communion together But our constitution ministry communion separation are contrary to theirs true holinesse is required under the new Testament Robinson addeth No man could absolutely separate from the Church of the Jews for it was the onely one visible Church upon the face of the Earth tyed to one Temple Altar Sacrifice Priest-hood and place they had not excommunication as we have now the offender was by bodily death cut off from the common-wealth as from the Church Answ. It is most false that externall performances of duties were sufficient to make men members of the visible Church of the old Testament 1. Because man-slayers adulterers c. were to be cut off and excommunicated from the congregation of the Lord and their prayers were not accepted of God even by Moses his law Num 35. 33 34. Es 1. 10 11 14 15. Es. 66. 3 4 5. 2 It is false that all the worship under the new Testament is so spirituall that outward performances of externall profession in the new Testament doth not also make professours Ecclesiastically holy and separated from other people not of the visible Church for Ananias Saphira Simon Magus for a time were externally holy and differenced from Pagans without the Church by their baptisme and externall profession Then Barrow must quit all places in the old Testament for separation from a wicked Ministry as that Prov. 15. The Sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to God was as true in the old as in the new Testament Ergo the Sacrifices offered by the wicked Priest were no ordinances of God and did pollute others who did communicate with him 2. The Sacraments of the Jewish Church in substance were one and the same with our Sacraments Heb. 13. 8. 1 Cor. 10. 1 2 3. Joh. 8. 56. Joh. 6. 50 51. Col. 2. 11 12. 1 Cor 5. 7. all say this except Papists Anabaptists Arminians and Socinians and for notoriously wicked persons to use the Sacraments with prophane and wicked hearts was most unlawfull and made them in that no members of the true Church but as Sodome and Gomorrah â—s 1. 10. as Aethiopians Aegyptians and Philistins Amos 9. 7. and such were forbidden to take Gods covenant in their mouth seeing they hated to be reformed Psal. 50. 16 17. Their prayers were abomination when their hands were bloody Es 1. 15. their Sacrifices like the murthering of a man and the Sacrificing of a dogg which was abomination to God Isa 66. 3. and so are all the means they use but I believe if Christ was the Spouse Priest head of the body to the Church of the Iews as to us to the constitution of this body visibly worshipping him in a Church-state there was required that the people should be not only typically holy but really and that God should be sanctified not only typically but really by reall declaration of all that drew nigh to him and the Song of Solomon saith that the communion was morall spirituall beside that it was typicall in some points And this is direct contrary to their confession where they make Separation from a corrupt Church morall and to that separation of the godly from the wicked was taught of God before the Law under the Law and under the Gospell and they teach That all true Churches from the beginning to the end of the world are one in nature and essentiall constitution And would the Lord have these to receive the seales of his covenant as true members typicall of a typicall Church This they say is 1 To take the name of God in vain 2. That the Lord doth seale unrighteousnesse 3. That he prophaneth his Sons bloud and death then a people laden with iniquâ—ty a Sodome a generation of Idolaters might all by Gods typicall command claime to the promises of the covenant and they only 3. The common beleevers amongst the Iewes had the power of the keyes as well as we if Separatists teach right for they had power to rebuke one another Levit 19. 17. and this to them is a part of the power of the keyes as Smith saith they had power of ordination to
esteemed beleevers and are but hypocrites indeed as is too ordinary There is then a blinde sacrifice offered to God and that by Gods commandement 2. It followeth no way that the Minister is accessary to this sacrifice Suppose it were blinde as none can judge that but God but the Minister doth what his Master commandeth him to preach unto all and baptize all that are borne within the visible Church the sacrifice may be blinde by their doctrine and ours also but that it is a sacrifice blinde to the Minister and he a Priest to offer that blinde sacrifice is not hence concluded Eighthly Best saith Divine wrath is kindled for the prophanation of holy things Answ. That this is the Ministers or Churches prophanation of holy things is not proved It is not wrath procured by the Ministers or those who receive them into the Church but wrath procured by the vnworthy incommers Ninthly Separatists reason thus If all be baptized promiscuously unbeleevers and prophane together with their children shall be counted in that state to be Abrahams seed and heires of the promisâ— and so to be Christs contrary to Gal. 3. 7 29. with Gen. 15. 6. and 17. 7. Answ. 1. A promiscuous baptizing of all we deny It may import a baptizing of the Infants of Turkes or of Papists who avow they will bring up the childe baptized in the Romane faith In which case it would seeme Baptisme should be denied as the learned Walleus thinketh 2. There is a double counting on in Gods seed 1. One according to Election and so onely the elect are counted in the seed as is cleare Rom. 9. Paul expoundeth Gen. 15. This counting in the seed is not well counted to be common to all circumcised Separatists doe ordinarily miscount and abuse Scriptures not caring what they cite so that the Margen swell with citations 2. There is an Ecclesiasticall and conditionall counting whereby all baptized are in the judgement of charity counted Abrahams heires but with the condition that they have Abrahams faith and be internally in Abrahams covenant and so are counted in thâ— seed and all baptized Hence the Separatists other two Arguments doe not conclude For they inferre if all must be baptized that unbeleevers have alike interest with beleevers in the seales and priviledges of the Church and must be counted in that same body and state with beleevers For to the externall priviledges and visible body of the Church all professors for they are not to be reputed unbeleevers have alike interest but to the inward favours and graces sealed in the Sacraments and in the true and mysticall body of Christ they have not all alike interest who are baptized 2. Separatists doe ignorantly and uncharitably in this dispute take the children of the nearest Parents that are prophane and wicked and unbeleeving and uncleane Infants for all one For because their Fathers many generations upward were within the covenant therefore are such children in externall profâ—ssion within the covenant as the Lord did shew favour to his people for Abraham and Davids sake many yeares after they were dead when their nearest Parents were wicked and prophane Psal. 106. 45 46. Psal. 105. 41 42. Ezech. 20. 2â— and chap. 36. 21 22. 2. Conclusion These onely are to be admitted to the Supper of the Lord whom in charity we judge can and doe trye and examine themselves and rightly discerne the Lords body and who in faith can annuntiate the Lords death unto his second comming againe And therefore children and infants ignorants and scandalously flagitious persons and mad persons are to be debarred But that none should be Church-members of Christs visible body but such as we can and dare admit to the Lords Supper is most false For we put a manifest difference betwixt those that are admitted into Christs visible body as ordinary hearers of the word such as are ignorants and many unconverted professors and the excommunicate who are admitted to be ordinary hearers of the word but are not to be admitted to the Supper of the Lord for so we should prophane the holy things of God and be accessary to the prophaning of the Lords body and precious bloud Here a doubt ariseth seeing Christ crucified is the substance and object of faith in the word preached as well as in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and in no sort are Ministers to be accessary to the prophaning of the holy things of God or of casting pearles before swine Mat. 7. 6. Mat. 15. 26. Heb. 10. 29. Hag. 2. 14 15. Num. 5. 2 3. and Levit. 19. 22. How doe we admit the ignorant and unbeleevers yea the excommunicate Mat. 22. 9. 2 Thess 3. 15. to the holy things of the Gospell preached which we know they shall and doe prophane For to them the word is the savour of death unto death 2 Cor. 2. 16. and Christ is a rocke of offence and a stumbling stone a ginne and a snare Isa. 8. 14. 1 Pet. 2. 8. and yet we are accessary to their prophaning of the Lords Table if we admit such to the Table Answ. There are great odds betwixt a possible and necessary meane of salvation prophaned and a meane of salvation not necessary nor possible to reach its end for the which it is ordained If these of the Separation would distinguish this as Gods word doth they should not so stumble about the constitution of a visible Church For the word preached is the necessary and possible meane of conversion to the most flagitious and wicked hearers And howbeit they prophane the word promises and despise Christ and his covenant in the word preached yet Ministers in receiving such into Church-communion are not accessary to the prophaning of Gods holy things because they are under a necessity of offering Christ preached as the onely ordinary necessary and possible meane of salvation Therefore we admit them to the hearing and beleeving of the word per se and kindly but to the stumbling at the word by accident by their abuse comming from themselves But the Lords Supper being a Seale of our nourishment and spirituall growth in Christ it presupposeth faith and the begun life of God and the new birth and so to those who are openly flagitious and knowne unbeleevers it is neither a necessary meane of salvation nor yet a possible meane Not necessary for meat and drinke and these elements cannot nourish those who have no life of God in them at all As bread and wine are not means at all to a dead man Infestment in the husbands lands and a dowry is no meane necessary at all to an unmarried virgin remaining unmarried Also untill the communicant beleeve in Christ it is not a possible Seale for it can seale nothing to one that is not capable of nouriâ—hment seeing the unbeleever by no possibility can be sealed up in a growing communion with Christ. And this Supper is not a formall meane of conversion but a formall meane of the
worship while we know it and the Church rebuke and censure it but it is too long to lye in the fire and be burnt to ashes till we take notice of the secrets that are known to God that is whether the whole thousand professors that worship with us be beleevers or unbeleevers 3. This answer helpeth not against our argument for Moses Isaiah Ieremiah and the Apostles knew most part that these with whom they did publikely communicate in publike worship were stiffe-necked rebellious idolatrous superstitious and yet they did not separate from the publike worship for their wickednesse 10. Argument That which is so hainous a sinne as to prophane Gods name and ordinances to marry Christ and Belial to mixe God and Idols that are Divells should have been forbidden in the old and new Testament but separation from the true worship of God for the sinnes of the worshippers is never forbidden and communion is ever commanded in the old or new Testament therfore separation cannot be lawfull and communion cannot be such a sin 6. Conclusion A worship may be false in the matter two wayes either when we are to practice it or give our assent to it as to receive the Sacraments after an unlawfull manner to assent to corrupt doctrine that is never lawfull and here we may separate from the worship when we separate not from the Church Or then the worship is false in the matter but our presence doth not make it unlawfull to us as professors may heare a preacher who preacheth the body of divinity soundly howbeit he mixe errors with it because what every one heareth they are to try ere they beleeve as the Spirit of God teacheth 1 Thes. 5. 21. Try all things hold fast what is good 1 Joh. 4. 1. Try the spirits in so doing we separate from the Sermon while we heare the good and refuse the evill because we separate from the error of the worship therefore to heare unsound doctrine is not to partake of false worship because we are to heare the Pharisees but to beware of their leaven and finding it to be soure and unsound doctrine we are to reject it 7. Conclusion A communion in worship true in the matter where the person called for example the Preacher is a minister of Antichrist is unlawfull because we are not to acknowledge any of Babel or Baals Priests professing their calling to be of the Pope the man of sinne 8. Conclusion When we separate from a Church overturning the foundation of religion as from Rome we are to keepe a desire of gaining them howbeit not a brotherly fellowship with them Augustine saith with us we are in mercy to rebuke what we cannot amend and to beare it patiently and else where So Ciprian August Epist. 162. 50. sheweth the Africans were esteemed a Church of Christ howbeit they strictly held baptisme by heretiques to be no baptisme CHAP. XI Quest. 11. Whither or no separation from a true Church because of the sinnes of professors and manifest defence of scandalous persons can be proved from Gods word to be lawfull DIvers places of Scripture are abused by Separatists to maintaine the lawfullnesse of their separation 2 Cor. 6. 17. Come out from amongst them and separate your selves saith the Lord and touch no uncleane thing and I will receive you Ergo saith Ainsworth It is commanded us of God to come out of a corrupt Church and separate from it if we would be in covenant with God Answ. 1. This is no locall separation commanded the Corinthians as Erasmus Sarcerius observeth but a separation in affection and if it were a locall separation it is from the Idol-table of the Gentiles at which some did eate at Corinth to the great offence of the weake 1 Cor. 8. 10. 1 Cor. 10. 17 18 19 20. but from this is badly concluded separation out of the Church of Corinth or any other true Church where the word and sacraments are in purity suppose some errors be practised by some Paul borrowed this place from Isa. 52. 11. as Calvin thinketh where the Lord chargeth the people to come out from Babilon seeing Cyrus had proclaimed liberty to them to come home and applyeth it to the case of Corinth that they should flye all fellowship with Idols and Idols temples and tables 1 Cor. 8. 10. because light and darkenesse Christ and Beliall cannot agree as he citeth from Ezech. 37. Ezech 43. 7. Levit. 26. in the former verse as Marlorat teacheth Now this separation in Corinth was in a Church from the Idolatry in it which separation we allow but not a separation out of a Church else the wordes would beare that Paul will have them to forsake the Church of Corinth for idolatrous tables in it and set up a new Church of their own which the Separatists dare not say and is contrary to other places 1 Cor. 5. 4. 1 Cor. 11. 1 Cor. 14. Where he commandeth and alloweth their meeting and publike Church communion therefore this place proveth not their point 2. This separation is such a separation as is betwixt light and darkenesse Christ and Beliall but the separation is not from externall communion which Separatists urge but from all spirituall and internall communion For Separatists teach that alwayes there are in the Church visible hypocrites and true beleevers for the which cause M. Barrow saith it is compared to a draw-net wherein there are both good and bad now Hypocrites and believers together in one visible Church are light and darknesse together and externall Church communion with the hypocrite which is lawfull cannot be a touching of an uncleane thing and so Church-fellowship with the wicked cannot be Christ and Belial together 3. That Separation here commanded is from the worship of God corrupted in the matter where need force the Corinthians behoved to be joyned to Idols v 16 For what agreement saith he hath the Temple of God with Idols Now he meaneth that the faithfull who were Temples of the holy Spirit should not sit and eat at the Idols Table which is called 1 Cor 10. 20 21. The Divels Table and cup. But what Logicke is this Separate from Idols ergo separate from a Church where the true worship of God is and is professed and taught this is to be yoaked with Christs body Spouse truth but to fly the errours that are in the body which we also teach 2. They object Rev 18. 4. Goe out of her my people that yee be not partakers of her sinnes and that yâ— receive not of her plagues Ergo we must seperate from the Church where there is any thing of Romes worship Answ. It followeth not for it is as if one would say the wrath of God is to come upon the whore of Rome who hath overturned the foundation of true faith Ergo if Corinth will not excommunicate the incestuous man after ye have warned them of their duty come out of