his sincerity and foreknow his perseverance The fruit of Church-separation appeareath that now when Satan hath a design to burn up the Nurseries of Learning and Râ—ligion how few are watering Gods plants when the greedy mouth of sacriledg is gaping for their maintenance how few are voluntarily adding for the supply of its defect when the Gospel is so undermined the Ministry so maligned and their maintenance so envied how few are they that appeare for them How few are like that Noble man who publickly tore and rent the impious Edict of Dioclesian the Emperour against Cristians Euseb l. 8. c. 5 What God will yet do with us we cannot tell but if he will continue his Gospel to us these few may have the greater comfort in it if hee will forsake a proud and unworthy people yet may these few souls have comfort of their sincere endeavours they may escape the gnawings of conscience and the publick curse and reproach which the hystory of this age may fasten upon them who would either in ignorant fury or malicious subtilty or base temporizing cowardize oppunge or undermine the Gospel or in perfidious silence look on whilst it is destroyed CHAP. XVIII The Conclusion § 1. HAving taken the boldnesse to deliver my Reasons against this common Sin and Error I humbly crave that if ever Christians would have their soules converted they would labour to frequent Divine Ordinances in their due circumstances If we look to the quality of the Action 1 Sam. 13.18 Arn. contra Serapien Saul did well saith Arnobius when he offered Sacrifice unto God But we must not consider the quality of the Fact but the Pride of the contemner for there are many Duties Quae cum bona fint opera perniciem pariunt cum non eo ordine quo sunt constituta peraguntur Which though they be good works bring damnation when they are not done in that order as they should No man will be much wrought on by that which he despiseth The great causes of this contempt are a Perverted Judgement and a gracelesse Heart It is no more wonder for a Soul to loath Divine Ordinances that savoureth not their Spiritual Nature then it is for a sick man to loath his food Where a sanctified Judgment is wanting the most hellish Vice may seem a Vertue and the most sacred Ordinance of Divine Institution may seem as the waters of Jordan to Naaman Oh! How many Soules may curse those wretches in Hell fire for ever that have by them been brought to contemn the Meanes that should save them And let the greatest that are guilty in this crime Cyprian Epist 72. read Cyprian his words and tremble What greater crime can there be saith he then to have stood up against Christ In his Officers and Ordinances Then to have scattered the church of Christ which he hath purchased with his blood Then to have fought by the fury of hostile Discord against the unanimously agreeing people of God Who though themselves should repent and turn to the church yet can they not recover and bring back with them those seduced by their Example or those that being by death prevented are dead without the church whose Souls at the day of Judgment shall be required at their hands who were the Leaders of them to Perdition c. § 2. And now I have given you my best advice for the avoiding this Error The manner of it is imperfect and too much mine own but for the main matter I dare say I received it from God in his Holy Scriptures And from him I deliver it to his People and his charge I lay upon them that they entertain and practise it Yet I know there is a remnant of Paganisme and Infidelity in the best of christians concerning the Divine Authority of the Sacred Scriptures August de Fide Op. c. 4. The chief cause besides many others which perverteth the Understandings of men in this point in my poor observation is this When men have deeply wounded their consciences by sinning against Knowledge and given the Victory to their fleshly Lusts so that they must either deeply accuse and condemn themselves or deny the Scriptures they choose that which seemeth the more tolerable and desireable to them and so rather condemn the Scriptures then themselves These are Lucifuga Scripturarum as Tertullian calls them Owles or Bats Tert. de Resur Carn c. 47. which can no more take heed unto that light that is the Life of the World then Bats do unto the light of the Sun And what Malefactor would not do the like and except against the Law that doth condemn him if that would serve his turn And when men that are engaged in a sinful course do see that the Word of God doth speak so terribly against it they dare not live in that sinne while they believe the Scripture because it is still wakning and galling their guilty consciences but when they have either cast away their Belief of the Scriptures or otherwise mistaken them through misinterpretation misapplication c. then conscience will let them sin with more quietnesse The like may be expected from those I oppose For these men refuse their Physick because it is unpleasant and not because it is unwholesome yet at last their Appetite so mastereth their Reason that they will not believe any thing can be wholesome which goes so much against their stomack Ahab believed not the message of Micajah not because he spake falsly 1 King 22.8.18 but because hee spake no good of him but evill Men will easily be drawn to believe that to be true which they would faine have to be true and that to be false which they desire should be false But alas how short and silly a cure is this for a guilty Soule And how soone will it leave them in uncurable Misery § 3. Only I must crave this of the Reader that my confessed weaknesse be no prejudice to Gods Truth and that he will not judge of the cause by the Person nor take the Name or Person for a Fault Which is the thing that the ancient christians did so deprecate of the Pagans and therefore I hope every Christian will grant For in regard of the churches present necessities I dare not give over for all my Imperfections Though I have ever been of a Spirit too easily discouraged and ready to say as the Prophet I will speak no more in his Name Jer. 20.9 yet God hath so suited his Providence to my Infirmities and Necessities as not only to cure my backwardnesse but also to convince me of the pleasantnesse of his Work I am assured that it was the Lord that sent me into his Vineyard and without him none shall force me out Mat. 25.16 He that gave me fewer Talents then others will Expect but an answerable Improvement at my hands but be they never so small I dare not hide them He that calleth for two Mites will accept them Mat. 11.25 Zech. 4.10 Hee despiseth not the day of small things Hee sometime revealeth that to babes which he hideth from the wise and prudent For the Wisdome of the World is foolishness with God 1 Cor. 1.25 and the foolishness of God is wiser then men and no flesh shall glony in his sight The Lord grant that I may so use the small abilities that I have that I be not condemned as an unprofitable and unfaithful Servant and then I do not feare being condemned for their smalness § 4. More I would say but I feare to spoile the elegancy or learned Camero in his Epistle ad Theologos Leidenses Can. pag. 720. folio by Englishing it wherein is the summe of what I would say and thither I refer the Reader In the mean time look upon my aberrations where you find them with pity and Pardon And where you shew me that I have erred as a man you shall see that as a Christian it was not my want of love to the Truth but want of light to discover it that hath misled me from it My Prayer is that the Lord would save his People from that spirit of Pride hypocrisie separation and Giddinesse which is of late gone forth and is now destroying and making havock of millions of Soules in England And that the Lord would keep his People unspotted of the guilt of those Sinnes which in these dayes have been the shame of our Religion and have made us a Scandal and Scorn to the World And pardon O Lord thy Servants Sin for I do daily dishonour thy Holynesse and disgrace thy Work and Service by my weakness and unworthinesse I bewaile from my heart that my Apprehensions are so dull my Affections so stupid and my Expressions so law and unbeseeming thy Service Remember with whom thou hast to do What canst thou expect from dust but levity or from corruption but defilement I know thou wilt be sainctified in them that come nigh thee And before all the people thou wilt be glorified But though weaknesse and irreverence be the fruit of mine own Corruption yet the fire is from thy Altar and the work is of thy commanding Oh therefore wash away all my Sins with the blood of the Lamb which taketh away the Sin of the world Imperfect or none must be they Service here Oh take thy Sons excuse The Spirit is willing but the Flesh is weak Gratias tibi Domine Jesu
more leisure greater helps and endowments then their Brethren had more zeal to improve this liberty for the advantage of the Truth and to remember that it is wretched Tertull. de Cor. Mil. c 1 Ruff. Hist l. 2. c. 11. Sozom. l. 1. c. 14. Rev. 21.8 Rav. in voce Timidus Matth. 10.28 33 in time of peace to be fierce as Lyons but in the combate to be fearful like Harts Ambrose as well as St Paul had a great conflict for the Church of Christ Alexander Bishop of Alexandria was blamed by many for his too slow confuting Arius his Heresie The Fearful who are threatned to have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone are they Qui veritatem Evangelii agnitam abnegant aut profiteró nolunt metu mortis vel amittendarum facultatum saith Ravanel Who deny the known Truth of the Gospel or will not professe it Or who at any time do evil or omit good against the light of Conscience for fear of danger say our learned English Annotators The Authors of most of these Errors and Blasphemies which bewitch the souls of our people are but little more to be blamed then they that do professe the Truth being endowed with gifts and helps who suffer them to walk abroad without check or controule It is but a slender discharge of our Duty Mal. 2.1 2 Jude 3. Tit. 1.9 11 to cry out against Errors and Heresies and never to contend nor convince men what Truth and Error is § 2. Though I meddle with no Controversie but with great reluctancie and distaste Intellectus dominatur Appetitui Scot. in 3. d. 33. aed. 4. yet now I am in a manner constrained upon two considerations which may be my Apologie for the publication of this imperfect Piece First As mans Intellect naturally abhorreth Error and a sanctified man doth doubly abhor Errour in things Divine so doth hee most of all abhor the corruption of the Vitals and those Errors which have a potent influence upon the Heart and Life as this which I oppose most evidently hath Mistakes we all have and shall have but the more they stop the motions of the heart and hand the more dangerous are they The second is Doctrina est species Eleemosynae Camero p. 90. The common excuse or argument of the Times Necessity and Providence which how far they may justifie me I must leave to the Judge of all men being obliged as a Pastor as a Friend as a Christian to tender my best assistance for relief of the Truth Though the crudity and weaknesse of this writing be such then as should prohibit the publication yet it may he useful to Country People who most commonly are subject to this Error Had I writ it for the use of the Learned I would have tryed to make it fitter for their use and if I could not I would have suppressed it Conc. Melevit 2. cap. 24 25. anno 416 § 3. The Shepherds part and duty is to defend his Flock from Dogs Wolves Thieves which if he neglected to do he incurred the losse of his Office according to the publick and ancient Cannons of the Church Rev. 22.11 1 Cor. 14.38 But if the Flock despising their Shepherd do miscarry they must thank themselves for it Ezek. 3.27 When the beautiful Order of the Church is broken Zech. 11.10 then the Flock cannot but be endangered by Seducers who ever corrupt the purity of Doctrine and Dicipline and marre the beautiful face of the Church The words of the Lord. Ezech. 1.38 When I say unto the wicked Thou shalt surely die and thou givest him not warning nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way to save his life the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity but his blood will I require at thine hand These words should seem to Pastor and People not so much words as thunderbolts Homer Iliad 2 and therefore unto the obstinate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Text will one day be terrible For the Lord applyeth this threatning not only to every particular impenitent person but every negligent Pastor in the person of Ezechiel that he may take to heart his duty and his danger The same charge is iterated Ezech. 33.6 Signifying that Separatists from Church-Communion in their proper and Parrochial Congregations in which they should take warning from their appointed Pastor shall not escape punishment though the Watchman be negligent but if the Watchman blow the trumpet and the Flock or Sinner will not then come and hear and obey he shall incurre double punishment The Watchman then must answer for his part for the blood of all that perish through his default and negligence to whom I say Homer Iliad 2. as he in the Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wretched man thou shouldst not fear to tel men of their evil doing and by consequence of their Church-separation § 4. Sinners are hardly brought to the sight and sense of their sins And therefore Pastors must bring the sins of their people upon the Stage Hos 4.2 1 Tim. 5.20 Hos 6.10 Heb. 10.31 that they cannot deny them as did the Prophets and Apostles Better so then for the people not knowing their sin that it is an horrible thing to find how fearful a thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God A Christian Mat. 5.13 that hath not grace in him to reprove sinners is like Salt that hath lost his savour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is become foolish For the unsavourinesse of salt is as Euthymius saith Debilitas mordacitatis ipsius The weaknesse of its accrimony Wee have many examples of the Lords severe justice against them that swerve aside in the least things 2 Sam. 6.7 Levit. 10.1 Act. 5.4 c from the strict rule of his Word that concerne his Worship and follow their owne wills and inventions though they have never so good a pretence for it Tender hearts by judgements on others are brought the more to fear God lest the same Judgements should befall them and to discerne how failing about heavenly things chiefly in his Worship doth much incense Gods wrath CHAP. II. The late original of this Error Some mischiefs of it are indigitated A Motive to resist them § 1 FIrst it is to be understood That the judgment and practice of some men of special account in the Church of God hath been that Separatists are unworthy the honor of any set Conflict 1 Cor. 11.16 c. and publick Confutation But Saint Paul in many places knew Satans method better Satan seems somewhat shamefac'd at first asks but some small trifle give him but that he will be ready for greater points If hee win ground in the Ceremonies then he will abuse the Sacrament For when the Corinthians had sit covered at Prayer a while they grew even as unreverent at the Sacrament which the Apostle was fain to rebuke Then we are to reprove
notes that to the Sanctification of that Day exercises of publick Worship in a Church well constituted and enjoying her Liberty ought to bee held forth forenoon and afternoon Halfe the Lords Day spent in Religion will not suffice to discharge from the second due attendance on that Day Sabb. Red. part 1 c. 11. Sect. 5. For if the Law of Nature determine for every worky-day of mans life at least a double attendance upon God as necessary unto all men much more on the Lords day The continuance being not here determined the service may be so suddenly dispatched as nothing but want of will and Devotion can be assigned as the cause of not tendring that double proportion on the most busie day that any man hath in his whole life § 3. Furthermore reverend Mr. Collings proves by four Arguments Vindiciae Minist Evang quaest 5. p. 82. that it is the duty of private Christians who have set themselves under particular Pastors not to neglect them when they do preach For 1. To what purpose made they choice of him 2. He hath a particular oversight over them committed to him Act. 20.28 1 Pet. 5.2 1 Thess 5.12 Hebr. 13.17 14. 3 A Pastors more especial tye to his own Flock then another Act. 20.28 1 Pet. 5.2 argues that they are more especially tied to him and that he is appointed to feed them 4 Christians own Pastors have a more special dispensation of the grace of God given them to them-ward Eph. 3.2 Of which more fully Chap. 6. Now then lay these together Is it the duty of private Christians who have set themselvs under their particular Pastors to attend divine Ordinances on the Lords day delivered forenoon and afternoon But see the times Dr. Harrie Peters Enlargm in Prefat Reader It is lamentable to consider the little use that is made of Gods Ordinances in most places Preachers too often I tremble to speak it or write it be used like Post-horses spurred on till they be spent and then a fresh is called for in the mean time the world sits stil and thinks to be saved for hearing Reader mourn for this weep for this for this boads a Judgment the Lord will surely reckon for the blood of his servants spent Nazian ad Bas as well as shed See Nazianzen his complaint Epist 31. CHAP. VI. God assigneth unto every ordinary Pastor a portion of his people to be instructed by him § 1. THirdly Rav. in voce Gratia num 3. dist 3. A Ministers Calling is termed in Scripture The Grace of God as Rom. 1.5 Ephes 3.2 And it is so termed in a twofold respect 1. Because the designing to the Ministerial Calling is of grace 2. And the faculty qualifying us for it is from the free favour of God The Ministerial Function then hath these two properties 1 It is founded in the free pleasure of God Gal. 1.15 2. All the sufficiency which enableth any man to dispence the mysteries of the Gospel it is the meer grace of God 1 Cor. 15.10 From these premisses I infer That as God giveth Ministers their Calling so also their people toward whom he will blesse their labours It is true the care of all the Churches was laid on the Apostle 2 Cor. 11.28 but not so now for wheresoever God now giveth a Ministerial Calling there he giveth a people of whom the Minister may say Towards you grace is given me of God Bains ad locum This is Mr. Bains his observation on Ephes 3.2 That Christians own Pastors have a more special dispensation of the grace of God given them to them-ward Whence he concludeth This should instruct people to depend especially on those who are set over them for those are they who are furnished from God in an eminent manner with grace towards them They are foolish Pigeons that know not their owne Lockers and foolish sheep that know not their shepherds voice and foolish people that know not their Minister § 2. Hence then it is evident That God assigneth to every ordinary Minister a portion of his people This is the difference between Ordinary and Extraordinary Pastors For ordinary Ministers the Lord commanded to fasten them to certain places Ordain Elders in every City Tit. 1.5 Conc. Chalce l. c. 6. An. 451. Epaunen c. 2. An. 515. Megunt c. 22. An. 829. Tribur c. 27 An. 895. And in the Councel of Chalcedon it is decreed Nemo ordinetur absolutè Let none be Ordained at large lest he prove a wandring Jonathan Caranza addeth three other Councels that decreed a wandring Levite not to be admitted into communion the reason is rendred by the Canonists Ne dicatur Mendicat in palaestra infelix Clericus Every Minister then must be separated authorized and have allotted to him a certaine portion of people which may bee instructed by him which the diminutive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may seem to insinuate in the Scripture Now as God giveth to every Pastor his several Flock so he will that we take pains in leading them We must not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be Bishops in other mens Diocesses lest God say Who requireth this at your hand When the Lord lighteth Candles he findeth candlesticks on which to set them and when hee giveth a Calling he giveth a people amongst whom this Function should be exercised in whose consciences unlesse they be scared he giveth his Minister a peculiar report § 3. Indeed if any come to our Congregations as wanting their spiritual food by the Word and Sacraments then it is good for a Minister to bee like a young woman saith Mr. Bains so full brested that shee can both feed her owne child fat Bains ubi supra and lend a draught to her neighbours Ruther Due Right of Presbyt c. 4. Sect. 5. p. 185 Especially the Seales of the Covenant are not to be denyed to approved Professors of another Congregation for wee hold all who professe the Faith of Christ to be Members of the Visible Church though they bee not members of a visible congregation and that the Seals of the Covenant should not be denyed them But to let an itch of vain glory carry us so far as to affect this that cometh from without and be cold at home this is to forget where our grace principally lyeth Ministers are Stars and the best shine is in our own Sphere This I say not as if it were not lawful in some cases to lend our labour elsewhere For due circumstances considered we may say as he Act. 16.9 Come help us in Macedonia And it was a custome in the Primitive times as Clemens testifieth that if any Presbyter or Bishop came to another Constit l. 2. c. 48. they shall be entreated to preach because it falleth out as Christ saith Mat. 13.57 A Prophet is not without honor save in his own Country and in his own house Pastors then do warrantably performe Pastoral
that are graced with that gift of God but that we must not with Moses refuse the message from heaven because we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and have not men so glib a tongue as others nor with Jonah turn our back because the work may seem ungrateful If he send us to labor among thorns yet have we a gracious Master his work is good his end wil satisfie us We shall then have the grapes and figs Jerem. 11.22 which thornes and thistles would not yeeld us Only I beseech every one to remember that the complaints of Gods Messengers though proceeding somewhat from heat of passion 2 King 2.24 are often seconded with dismal and dreadful effects The childhood of the children that contemned Elisha his Ministry exempted them not from punishment because it restrain'd them not from sin § 4. Hence it may appear that the tying of our selves to the observation of Parochial Church-communion doth not force any man to submit to a weak Minister when he might have a better Christ hath taught us to seek after knowledg without the quenching of zeal and to maintain zeale without despising knowledge To seek after truth in the way of Peace and after Peace in the way of Truth as knowing how neere they dwell together Contra Acad l. 3. c. 7. Christian Concord p. 35. 36. And in the practice of this duty Augustine saith Divinely It is a farre lesse sin to be unlearned then unteachable But for confirmation of this Assertion I desire the Reader to peruse the discourse of Reverend Mr. Baxter whose words as my intended brevity doth not permit me to transcribe So I note 1. That the publick welfare and unity of Christian Churches is to be preferred before the pleasure yea or edifying of any single member and what confusion will follow the plucking up of Christs and the Magistrates and the Churches bounds 2. If all the people may freely and lawfully joyn themselves with that Church that hath the ablest Teacher then almost all the world must go to a few men and leave the rest Act. 14.12 then Barnabas may be forsoken if Paul be the chief speaker and then able mens Churches will grow to that bigness that they will be no Churches the Matter being too big for the End and Form 3. That Ministers are Freemen as well as the people and therefore every mans desire must not deprive them of their Freedome besides that the Lord assigneth to every Pastor a freedome to instruct a portion of his people Gods work must be done before our own and the saving of souls and propagation of the Gospel be preferred before our private comforts 4. God hath more means then Ministerial abilities to encrease mens graces and procure their salvation for he that keeps in Gods order under a meaner honest Minister is like to be a more humble thriving Christian then he that will break that order under pretence of edification but God usually chastiseth men for such disorders as we may see in daily experience For God suffereth the same professors to our great hearts grief to turn unto doctrinal or practical evils for their breaking Gods Order and the Churches Unity The speciall work and duty required of every Minister Isa 62.6 Ephes 1.16 Phil. 1.3.4 is to mind their people of their duty to God and constantly to mind God and solicite him for his people And for this purpose the Pastor if faithfull is not like the sword-fish which carries a weapon but no heart nor like the children of Ephraim who being harnessed and carrying bowes wanted 〈◊〉 courage and turned back in the day of battel O what readinesse and promptitude should there be in people to have communion with such Watchmen The unwearied Minister of Christ Cant. 4.11 travels through all the Gardens of Learning and sucks something from every slower that he may bring his vessels and treasures full of knowledg for the comfort of his hearers but they will not hear Naz. Orat. 1. Not only is his service and office sacred for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Mediâ—aion between God and man but his person Basil l. 1 in Psal 44. Rom. 10.15 his very lips which Basil stileth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lips of Christ as the Apostle termeth his feete beautiful § 5. Addresse your selves then in the Armour of God all you messengers of God to sight hereafter with the enemies of God Event hath sealed Saint Pauls prophecie 2 Tim. 4.3 The time is already come men still not suffer wholesome Doctrine Uncharitable censures of stile of method of voice of phrase of pasture are but senselesse imputations of the prophane multitude far inferiour if they were true to the first Pourishes of a combate in earnest The worldlings heavy censure condemneth down-â—ight both manner and matter and the whole substance of your preaching And for your persons you are not greater than John the Baptist and our Saviour sooner therefore shal ye want a World then a Theater wherein though the best do favour you by most be sure to be counted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 4.12 13 what not piacular pestilential execrable fellowes All the filthy scoffes and slanders that Satans Scavengers can take out of the sinkes of all professions are thought over-clean to throw in their faces 2 Cor. 4 4 who would make the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ to shine unto them Jerome said truly Hieron Epist ad Demetriadem Semper virtutibus contradicitur vertues are still contradicted Pretend the world what the world can here is the head and the heart of the controversie Contrariety breeds Enmity Enmity causeth Separation and Separation supposeth danger from the party avoided of infection § 6. But thou O man of God Tu ne cede malis sed contra audentior ito Rom. 12.21 be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good Such an Antiperistasis must encrease and enkindle zeale if thy profession depend not upon fashion and thy conscience upon company For though Gods powerful Spirit should suspend his operation yet canst thou not forget the reason of a man and bruitishly be driven with the drove much lesse abandon common sense and without any motion of thine owne like a nail in a wheel only move as thou art moved and turn as thou art turned They who never once dreamed of salvation by Christ held it not the least part of their glory to stirre a course like Antipodes clean opposite to the liking of the multitude Phocion apad Plut. Lacri in Antist He in Plutarch applauded suspected his speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hath any bad speech fallen from my mouth without my knowledge And Antisthenes commended was afraid of his Deeds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am in agony lest I have done some mischiefe What in them without the law was voluntary the same the law of Christ if wee belive Augustine imposeth upon us as necessary