ensuing conference I thus replied with great affection to their soules and in obedience to the Apostles command Gal. 6. Gal. 6.1 Yee which are spirituall restore c. with as much meeknesse as I could lest that in the flame of Passion and heat of contention Truth should singe her winges as too oft shee hath done and take her flight leaving the parties wholy unsatisfied Who is an Heretick First to avoyd all needlesse questions and endlesse disputes wee must distinguish between these two Things To be an Heretick and to embrace an Heresie or an Opinion that is erroneous For not every one whose Opinion is hereticall is to be reckon'd and listed in the black role of Hereticks but onely he who having been baptiz'd into the Christian Faith shall stifly maintaine and obstinatly defend an untruth against it By the Christian Faith wee are not to understand in generall the Word of God in it's whole Latitude viz. The Propheticall and Apostolicall Doctrine contained in the Bookes of the old and new Testament For not every false Interpretation of any one place in Scripture nor every Opinion resulting from that place so interpreted falls under the name and notion of Heresie as S. Hierome seemes to assert in his comment upon the Galatians C. 5. v. 20. but by the Christian Faith The foure Principles of our Faith and Religion wee meane those foure Principles of our Faith which are the foure kindes of Fundamentalls the deniall and opposing any one whereof with pertinacy entitles a man to the guilt of Heresie and the name of Heretick The first of those Fundamentalls is placed in the Apostles Creed The second in the Decalogue or ten Commandements The third in the Lords Prayer The fourth in the two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper Thus the Reverend and Learned Bishop Davenant determines the case in that most judicious and Schisme-confounding worke of his entituled ad Pacem adhortatio So then hee that shall perversly deny an Article of the Creed which is Christianorum fidei spei formula Veritatis summa ac fundamentum To use the termes of the Tridentine Catechisme The forme of a Christian's Faith and Hope The Epitome and Foundation of Truth Hee that shall likewise wilfully erre in principiis moralibus in the Principles of manners or good living Hee that shall believe or maintaine the contrary to any precept or morall command as that simple Fornication is no sinne which is the Opinion of the * Vid. Kinchi in Psal Iewes and Papists That it is lawfull to worship an Image the worke of mens hands or the like Hee that shall overthrow the Doctrine of the Sacraments either denying the exercise or use of the Sacrament of Baptisme or not Baptizing according to the tenour of Christs Mat. 28. v. ult injunction In the Name of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost or not celebrating the Eucharist according to our Saviours institution by denying the Cup to the People or the like Lastly He or They that erre in the Fundamentall Doctrine concerning Prayer making their addresses to any one but to God alone through the mediation of Christ his Sonne by Faith in whom and being knit to them in love wee are bold to call God Our Father c. Hee that shall obstinatly persist both in Opinion and practice against any Precept or Doctrine in these foure kindes of Fundamentalls hee cannot be exempted from the number of Hereticks whose names are not registred in the Booke of Life into which none shall enter that worke abomination or make a lie Rev. 21.27 Such workers of mischiefe are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as †Cyril l. 1. in Ioh. cap. 4. Cyrill rightly tells them men that are Leaders and Abettours of an Haeresie Such men whom we may call Daemonice Meridiana as S. * Hieron Apol. adversus Ruffin lib. 2. Hierome once called Arius men blown up with pride and infected with a Diabolicall daring Spirit you must decline as you would those that have the Leprosie or Plague Haeresie is a catching disease and hardly to be cured it enters into the Soule by the Eye and Eare when you either reade the books or heare the Sermons of Haereticks and entring thus in it brings Death and Destruction as its attendants with it S. Paul was not ignorant of this as appeares by his wholsome and seasonable exhortation for these times Rom. 16. Ver. 17. I beseech you brethren observe the Apostles earnest supplication grounded upon the danger of Hereticall infection mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them †Ver. 18. For they that are such serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their owne bellies They are commonly Covetous and Luxurious persons given over to their Appetites They are dissembling Hypocrites for as it followes there with faire Speeches and flatteries they deceive the hearts of their simple followers and Auditours 2 Joh. 10. If there come any such unto you and bring not the Doctrine of Christ but that which is contrary to it receive him not into your House neither bid him God speed i. e. have nothing to doe with him neither shew him any signe of familiarity or respect lest under the guise or fleece of a Lamb-like Teacher you meet in the conclusion with devouring Wolfes proud Anabaptists or Soul-murdering Jesuites Who now like their great Master the Prince of darknesse goe about seeking whom they may destroy with their Antiscripture Antichristian infectious Tenets or Haeresies None more then these grand Impostours are pleaders for Conventicles that so they may with more security open the fardall of their Masse that * So called in the Confutation of the Papists Catechisme pag. 29. maze of Idolatry amongst themselves and draw poor deceived Souls from the love of the Church and their Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 marke with diligence those that preach this Doctrine and conclude with your selves that they are either immediately sent from Rome that Antichristian Synagogue or seduced by the Romish Agents whose onely aime in these times is to blow the Cole of Division using the †Doctor Crakanth in his defence of our Church does call them fitly Flabella Jesuitarum Separatists as his bellowes for this very purpose and to draw mens mindes from the love of the Truth and Learning knowing full well that the fabrick of their Superstition and Idolatrous worship relyes onely upon the rotten pillar of Ignorance the onely prop too of the Pope's greatnesse For as that examinatour of the Councell or rather Conventicle of Trent saies well Gentillet ut bonarum literarum instauratione facessere caepit ignorantia c. So soone as the cloud of Ignorance was dispelled by the bright beames of Learning the Authority of the Pope began presently to faile and suffer a great diminution Therefore I exhort you againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to marke those who are sometimes of
glorious chaines c. Hee was borne in Devonshire bred up at Oxford †First in Mertâ—… afterwards in Corpus Christi Colledge and if it lay at my mercy to save or destroy it I should spare it because it bred such a Pillar of Truth and the scourge of Rome as the Conquerour spared Syracusa because hee found in it an Archimedes With him wee may parallel our famous Whitgift who was contemporary with him For the former dyed Anno. 1571. this latter was installed Bishop of Worcester Anno. 1577. afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury 1583. Hee was borne in Lincolneshire bred here at Cambridge first in Pembrook Hall afterward fellow of Peterhouse and not long after hee being of rare and eminent parts was made president of Pembrooke Hall next Master of Trinity Colledge in which time hee was first the Margaret then the Kings Professor of Divinity This matchlesse patterne of prudence and patience did stand as stoutly as the former in the defence of the Truth against our home bred Innovatours who as our learned Camden in his Annalls trampled on all Government and making Phansie the mistresse of their judgement pride and a zealous ignorance being their guides they inveighed against the †Elizah Queenes authority and herein spake the Language of Ashdod acted highly for the Jesuits denied uniformity in Divine worship although establish'd by the authority of Parliament sever'd the Administration of the Sacraments from the preaching of the Word Sacramentorum administrationeÌ„ à verbi divini praedicatione se jungebant Camd. Novos ritus pro arbitrio in privatis edibus usurpabant c. They neglected and despised the Sacraments forgetting that God will not save us without the use of the meanes They refused to go to Church thus making a dangerous Schisme and rending the seamlesse coat of Christ Pontificiis plaudentibus multosque in suas partes trahentibus quasi nulla esset in Ecclesiâ Anglicanâ unitas Hereby they made our adversaries to rejoyce and triumph over us and were the cause of many weake ones turning Papists upon this ground that there was no unity in our Church I feare our Separatists have now caused the like if not worse mischief in the revolt of many thousand from us Those Chams men of hot and fiery Spirits who inveighed against their Fathers and uncovered their Mothers nakednesse Those Scindentes as †Aug. l. de Civit. Dei 16. c. 2 comparat Chamo haereticos li. 4. c. 43. Irenaeus well calls them to which hee joynes elati superbi those proud high-minded daring Schismaticks that Reverend Learned and most patient Whitgife quell'd and suppressed in a short time by his discreet meeknesse and gentle exhortations to peace first stopping by arguments the mouths of their Antesignani their Leaders as Cartwright and others this hee did by disputes and mild perswasions to peace and at last having by a patient courage overcome many strong oppositions from the Nobles and their adherents abettours in that schisme by Gods blessing hee restored the Church to unity and concord both in Doctrine and Discipline Who but a man of great learning and grace could have done this and been the instrument of setling in a distracted Kingdome an universall Peace Let mee adde to these one though of a lower ranke in the Church yet not much inferiour in gifts of nature and grace the renowned Whitakers first Scholar and after Fellow of Trinity Colledge famous for his admirable skill in the Arts and Tongues as for his Excellency in the knowledge of Divinity his famous workes now extant his confutation of Campian Sanders Duraeus Rainolds Stapleton nay of Bellarmine himselfe with whom then living this our Champion encountred Hee confounded the former proving the Pope to be Antichrist and maintaining the authority of the Scriptures above the Church and at last singling out the †Bellarmine Cardinall himselfe the Goliah of Rome hee stunned him so with the strength of prevailing Truth and reason in his controversies concerning the Church Scriptures and councells c. That the Cardinall it seemes fiâ—st convinced by his argumentions having him in high estimation procured his Picture and hung it in his stuâ—y among the portraitures of other noted men and was heard to say That though hee was an Heretick yet hee was a Learned one Never any saying had more of Falsity and Truth in it When he confessed him to be learned it was all one as if hee had acknowledged that he was by him confuted What firmer testimony then that which falls from the Lips of a professed Enemy To these forenamed Worthies I might adde the late Reverend Bishop of Salisbury Davenant the now living and most knowing Prelats Armach and Morton true nursing Fathers of the Church fed with their Doctrine and defended by their Pennes which they have with great successe dipped in the Inke of confutation against Jesuites and Hereticks 2 Sam. 23.12.20 The Lord hath done great things by these Benaiahs and wrought great victories by meanes of their painfull works against our Adversaries Could these famous usefull and Church-preserving acts with many hundred more which have beene effected by men of parts could these mighty things have beene done without Learning could this have been attained without the helpe and furtherance of publike Schooles and Universities I suppose no man is so wanting to Truth and Modesty as to say it This made Alphonsus King of Arragon beare an open Booke in his Scutchion to testifie thereby to the World his high esteem of learning as being the prop of Religion and the Pillar of a State and Kingdome Middendorp l. de Academ 1. p. 104. And therefore Charles the Great wheresoever hee erected a Church there hee ever annexed a Schoole of Learning unto it Oh then let not the undermining and crafty Jesuits who now swarme amongst us blow any longer this poyson into your Eares believe not the voyce of these †De his vid. Franzii Histor S. p. 1. c. 20. Hyaenas who may speake like Men nay like Angells but within are ravening Wolves and savage Beasts Their common Trade and Worke now is to cry downe Learning and the Fountaines of it the Vniversities They know that their cause cannot thrive so long as Learning does flourish These * De his vid. Solinum Solifugae hate that confounding light These Frogs love to croake in the black Night of Ignorance They ever digge their Mines in darknesse The Traitour Faux and his dark Lanthorne was a true embleme of a Jesuit who has some light within which makes him sinne against his conscience yet that light wrapped up and obscured by malice which forces him to act in defence of the Catholick cause and contrive any bloody wickednesse And now is his Harvest who loves to fish in troubled waters Hee hath put forth the Sickle of his undermining policy to cut downe the Clergy and the Vniversities witnesse the late Petitions against Tithes and that other from some
declared plainly before the Congregation that they were free from that whereof they were falsely suspected i. e. Haeresie agreeable to that of the Learned and most profound Augustine Ep. 162. Qui sententiam suam quamvis falsam atque perversam nullà pertinaci animositate defendunt sed veritatem cautâ solicitudine quaerunt corrigi parati cùm invenerint nequa quà m sunt inter haereticos deputandi The meaning of which words in brief is this that He onely is to be counted an Haeretick who persists with obstinacie in an opinion which is against the word not He who erres yet is ready to forsake his errour and yeeld to the Truth so soon as he is convinced of it This pious and humble Temper was in those my Antagonists for whose farther confirmation and satisfaction to their modest desires together with the rest of that populous Parish of Swacie I have published the Discourse with some enlargements hoping that it will meet with as good successe by Gods blessing on it in the conviction of those by whom it shall be perused whose judgements perhaps have been formerly perverted by false Teachers who beguile unstable Soules having hearts exercised or overcome with covetousnesse cursed Children they are children for their Ignorance who forsaking the way of all righteousness have gone astray following the way of Balaam that made Israel to sinne 2 Pet. 2.14.15 Jude ver 11. Num. 25.2 31 16. Such blind guides as these have been the cause of many poore Soules falling into the ditch of Haeresie which if backed with obstinacy is a barre that shuts men out of all hope of glory This hereafter shall be proved in my answer to the second Doubt May the Infinite goodnesse to whose onely glory I humbly desire to devote my selfe and all my weake endeavours make them as usefull and beneficiall in the confirming and reforming of weak deceived Soules as they are well meant and intended to the Churches good by the unworthiest of his servants who am likewise Christian Reader Thine in Christ Iesus R. BOREMAN A SHORT VINDICATION OF THE Use and Necessity of Vniversities and other Schooles of Learning Being An Answer to the first Quere What need is there of Vniversities IT is truly observed by a learned * Gentillet exam Concil Triden Li. 1. Sect. 7. 8. Ignorantiam Romanae sedis autoritatē simul auctam c. Vicissimque ut bonarum artium literarum instauratione facessere caepit ignorantia ita Pontificis autoritas paulatim imminui labascere visa est Writer that the Pope of Rome and that Church never flew higher in power never sunk deeper into errour then when Ignorance prevailed and Learning was suppressed Wee may as safely and with as much truth assert That where the purity of God's Word is corrupted and not preserved in it's integritie that Kingdome Church or State cannot but fall into ruine and moulder away into divisions caused by the multiplicity of false Opinions which being joyned with Schisme doe often as they have now done engender and beget a monster the subverter of all Government and the disturber of Peace the nurse of Religion This and Learning wee may fitly resemble to the great Luminaries of Heaven the Sunne and Moone both for their light and influence And as for the preserving the entire luster of the Moone there is required a continuall emanation of light from the Sunne So Learning borrowes it 's true light from Religion without which a man having a learned Head and an unsanctified Heart is the fittest Agent and best Instrument for the Devill to doe mischief with But now here is the difference between that lesser Luminarie and Learning in that resemblance The Moone repaies no tribute conferrs no benefit to the Sunne but Learning by way of reflection conduces much if not to the being precisely taken at least to the happy and well being of Religion These two like Eros and Anteros in the Fable of the Poets are sick and well both at a time G Naz. Orat. 3. Julian the Apostat understood this well when hee put down by a poblike Edict the Schooles where the Children of Christians were to be educated So did Pope †Platin. in vita ejus Paulus the second when hee absurdly pronounced those Hereticks that did either in jest or earnest but use the Word Academie in their Tongues or Writings The Jesuites and their Factours men subtile in their Generations and active in their mischeivous intentions they know the same and therefore endeavour now to effect what of late one vauntingly said in the Eares of a good Protestant would be done that is To destroy the Vniversities and with them the Ministery and Religion That the Vniversities so called as * Fab. Soranus in Thesauro one explaines the terme because the Circle of all the Arts and Sciences is in them expounded or taught to young Students and others of all sorts Degrees and Callings whatsoever That these Vniversities and other Schooles of Learning seedplots and nurceries subordinat to them are not onely profitable to the Church but also necessary for the maintenance of Religion so necessary that without them neither the Doctrine of the Gospell can be preserved pure and uncorrupted neither the Church wherein wee live stand sure upon it's foundation but will certainly be destroyed This I shall endeavour to prove by a familiar climax or gradation proposed to vulgar capacities by way of question First by what meanes can the Church be pure and free from Heresies without the guidance and light of the pure Word of God the holy Scriptures 2. How can that Word be preserved in it's purity without the Ministery 3. How can there be a Ministerie without able and fit Ministers to explaine and publish that Word purely without corruption whose Office it is to act the parts of Truth 's Champions to defend it against seducing Hereticks who as †Tertul. lib. de praescript Scripturas obtendunt hâc suâ audaciâ quosdam movent c. Tertullian well notes evermore alleage Scripture to back and bolster out their absurd Opinions and by this their boldnesse they move some tire out those that are strong by their restlesse disputes take the weake in their Nets and as for those of a middle temper these they send away full of doubts and scruples And whence doe Heresies arise but from this as St. * Aug. Tract 18 in Evang Joh. Augustine observes dùm Scripturae bonae intelligantur non benè quod in eis non benè intelligitur etiam temerè audactèr asseritur c. i.e. Whilest the good Word of God is not well understood and that which is not well understood is rashly and boldly asserted for truth c. Now in the fourth place How can such stout Champions learned and faithfull Pastours be had without Schooles of learning the Vnivesitirs It will follow then by a necessary Illation or Consequence that without Vniversities out of
darknesse and transported into our Church The ground as I humbly conceive of all the enormities and loose opinions amongst us is the discountenancing and discouraging of the publike ministerie and the crying downe of Churches Vox Diabolum sonat non Deum certè as if there were none other but those that are Spirituall when as we finde upon record both in the 1 Cor. 14.35 word and in ancient writers that there were materiall Churches * 1 Cor. 11.22 houses built and set apart for the publick worship of God wherein the Christians solemnly met at the least once a weeke Vid. a full and learned discourse of this in Mr. Mede's Diatribae This was the practise of the Primitive times even in the dayes of the Apostles and continued from them to us through all ages by uninterrupted successions There is a fable amongst the Mythologists of a Maiden and a Lyon who fell in love with her and she promised out of feare to yeeld to his desires on condition that she might first knock out his Teeth which he presently yeelded to and was by her immediately destroyed Thus the only aime of the Devill and his associats is not onely to pluck out the Teeth of Discipline the wall but even the Tongue of sound Doctrine which is the Heart of the Church This he now endeavours by stopping the mouths of Gods lawfull Ministers and sending out his †Jer. 29.24 Jude 8. Shemaiahs Nehelamites his dreaming Chaplaines who dream of a form of Government never thought of nor intended by Christ and having no commission to preach thrust themselves into Conventicles where they vent their dreams and propagate their phancies to the destruction of many poore well-meaning Christians Concerning the unlawfulnesse of which private meetings congregated by men who have no calling to teach and in opposition to the Vnity and Vniformity of our Nationall Church I shall now in all love and tendernesse to the Soules good of the unlearned enlarge my thoughts and deliver my opinion which I trust will be embraced by those who shall peruse this short Treatise without a partiall prejudice which like a Curtaine drawn before a window shuts out the light of Truth and keeps darkness in it harbours errours and mistakes which breed hatred and dissention The description of a Conventicle properly so called First take a Conventicle for a meeting of men and women in a private house upon the Lords day then when they should joyn with the people of God in a Church appointed for Gods publique worship and service thus to convene or meet though in times of restraint without a lawfull Minister to head that body and by enjoyn'd Prayers and Preaching to sanctifie the work is held utterly unlawfull which I shall prove both by the word of God the practice of Christ together with the authority of Fathers and interpreters of the Holy Scriptures as also by Arguments drawn from reason which commonly if not perverted is a sure guide and a good judge First then if we weigh the Truth in the ballance of the Sanctuary if we looke into the Scriptures we shall finde a flat prohibition to the contrary as Heb. 10.24,25 Let us consider one another to provoke to love and good workes not forsaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the congregation as the manner of some is but let us exhort one another c. upon which place Estius a moderate and learned Interpreter hath this glosse Qui conventibus Ecclesiasticis c. Qui conventibus Ecclesiasticis per fastum superbiam sese subtrahunt proximi sunt graviori ruirae Est in loc They that withdraw themselves from the publick Congregation are in danger of an unavoidable and fearfull ruine for that thereby they make a Schisme in the Church the doing whereof is most dangerous and displeasing to God and ingender Sects so Estius on the Text whereby they doe worse by Christ then the persecuting Jewes they devide his seamelesse Coate and give an occasion to the Adversarie of rejoycing and triumphing over the Church Therefore Ignatius in his Epistles Ignat. in Ep ad Ephes Smyrnenses exhorts and that with much earnestnesse the Christians to frequent the Church to be often present and seldome absent from the Meetings of Gods people there lest that by their continued absence they fall at length from the faith having first lost their Love to God and his Saints which Love is commonly child by the cold breath of Conventicles where hatred and malice against those of a contrary judgement with Sedition is commonly hatched and fomented as hath beene found by sad experience in this sinfull Nation I might here accumulate the Testimonies of other Interpreters upon this place to confirme this Truth concerning the unlawfulnesse of Conventicles Cornelius à Lapide writes thus upon this Text much to our present purpose The Apostle saies he by this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intelligit caetus ecclesiae conventus fidelium ad sacram synaxim ad verbum Dei precesque publicas c. i. e. He understands the meeting of the Church in publique prayer in receiving of the Holy Sacrament and to heare the word Hos ergo conventus Apostolus vult frequentari c. Therefore the Apostle would have these publick meetings frequented that so men and women may make a cleer and open profession of their Faith which is a great meanes to beget mutuall Illi publici catâ—… mutui congressus mire fovent fidem charitatem quae in secessu seperatione diuturniori languessit c. Cornel. a lap love and affections in those who agree in the same faith with us By this open profession we likewise encourage and incite others to professe the same Faith to worship the same God in that manner and after that way as it is done by us who hereby shew our selves to be an example of good works And examples we know are more prevalent then words or precepts They have a greater influence upon mens practise in a way of conformity and obedience Besides the forenamed Ignatius amongst the Fathers Chrysostome Theodoret Theophylact and Oecumenius interpret this Text in the same sence with à Lapide and Estius who indeed light their candle at those bright burning Tapers whom God did set up for the good of his Church to enlighten it and to direct it in the wayes of Truth And * Luke 10.16 he that despiseth them with the rest of the ancient Fathers despiseth God who sent them The second Scripture proofe against private meetings as before were defined is this Mat. 24. Mat. 24.26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you behold he is in the desart go not forth behold he is in the secret places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beleeve it not Most of the ancient Fathers therefore now despised because they are enemies to Haeresies as Origen Augustine and others interpret this place of the private corners of Schismaticks and Haereticks
who labour to draw the people's mindes from the love of the publick Congregation and engage them to their private meetings whereby they commonly intangle them in their errours and Haeresies Therefore if they say as the Vid. August Ep. 48. Donatists once did that Christ is onely amongst them in their Crypts and Conventicles beleeve them not for they doe contrary to the precept and practise of Christ He wills or enjoynes us to †Luk. 12.8 confesse Him and his Truth before men i. e. to make an open profession of our Faith both in times of persecution and peace He himselfe ever * Joh. 18.19,20 taught publikely as he witnessed of himselfe before Pilat He †Luk. 4.15.44 did so to teach us this lesson That Truth seeks not corners but loves the light therefore it is sometimes called light in the Holy Scriptures Eph. 5.8 Walke as Children of the Light Vid. Act. 26.18 But they that * Joh. 3.19 Men love darknesse rather then light because their deeds are evill hate the Truth delight in darknesse dare not say that in an open Congregation what they spawn and vent in a Conventicle or private meeting Therefore avoyd them joyne not with them beware of making a Schisme in the â—hurch or making that rent wider which was first begun of late by the Presbyterians Adhere not to Schismaticks whose portion without a deep repentance for so great a sinne as wounding Christs Church shall be after death in the Land of darknesse because they loved darknesse rather then light I never read that saying of August Aug. Ep. 204. but with horrour and dread when I considered the common guilt Foris ab Ecclesiâ constitutus separatus à communione unitatis vinculo charitatis aeterno supplicio punireris etiamsi pro Christi nomine vivus comburereris i. e. He or She that out of pride or peevishnesse separates himselfe from the bodie of the Church whose members are knit together by the ligaments of one faith and bond of love that man shall be punished with everlasting torments although he should die in the flame and be burnt for the name of Christ Such biting Truths as these are the cause why Schismaticks and Hereticks love not to read the Fathers nor vouchsafe so much as to name them in their Sermons or writings Therefore let no man deceive you with vaine words for for such things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of Disobedience Be not then companions with them for ye were sometimes darkenesse but are now light in the Lord walk as Children of Light Eph. 5.6,7,8 And conforme your selves to the * Christi actio nostri debet esse instrinctio Aug. example of our Lord and Master Jesus who †Luke 19.47 preached in the Synagogues and the Temple notwithstanding they were places full of disorder and corruption He * Mat. 21.13 called the Temple a Denne of theeves and are there not too many in ours †Mat. 15.3 The Doctrine of the Law was then corrupted by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the false glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees is not the Doctrine of the Gospel as much corrupted by ours Besides all this they were loose and wicked in their lives witnesse that charge of our Saviour to his followers and Auditours against the Jewish Doctours Mat. 23.23 Doe not after their workes c. Notwithstanding all these corruptions and deformities in the Jewish Church yet our Saviour Christ made no separation from it but came and preached in those places of publick concourse where the Seducers and false Teachers were If this example and practise of our Saviour will not convince and startle into feare and obedience the Separatists of our age both Teachers and Disciples I know not what will doe it Area Dominica nondum ventilata est sine paleis esse non potest Nos eremus atque agamus quantum possumus ut palea simus Aug. Ep. 203. If Christ should have trodd in their steps been led by their fond opinion he would have made a Separation and fled from the Society of the Jewes and not so much as once gone into the Temple or taught in their Synagogues but he did otherwise and from what he did we may conclude that the practise of those Phanaticks who separate themselves from all Assemblies or publick places of Gods service pretending either a want of gifts or a defect of holinesse in the Ministers I say the practise of such men doth speake them to be those Antichrists which the Apostle S. John mentions in his first Epistle 1 Ep. Ioh. c 2. v. 18 19. Now there are many Antichrists whereby we may know it is the last time They went out from us c. i. e. They turn'd Separatists therefore Antichrists because they went flat against the practice and precept of Christ who commands us by his Apostle Phil. 1.27.2.2 to be of one heart and of one minde to thinke and speake and doe the same thing in good to love as Brethren who forsake not one anothers company and desert not their family when they discocover any infirmity in their Father or any deformity in their Mother but keep close to both in observance and humble duty We may have communion or fellowship with mens persons in publick worship and not partake in the guilt of their Sinnes I lle communicat malis qui consentit factis malorum Aug. Ep. 171. He communicates with the wicked that consents to their wickednesse abhorre and forsake his sinne then maist thou without feare or danger communicate with a wicked man Si malos odistis vos ipsi mutamini à Scelere Schismatis Si malorum permixtionem timeretis Optatum inter vos in apertissimâ iniquitate viventem per tot annos non teneretis Thus Augustine bespeakes the Donatists So may I the men of our times If you hate the ungodly shew your hatred towards your selves by repenting and turning from your Schisme and Heresies And if you feare the mixture or company of the wicked shun the Society and abhorre the persons of your Leaders by whom you are seduced and corrupted To conventicle on the Lords day a breach of the fourth Commandement A third Argument against such meetings in private on the Lords day may be deduced from the intent and scope of the fourth commandement whose morality in the judgement of all both Fathers and moderne writers consists in this that God be worshipped in the Congregation with publicke service in an open confession of our Faith and a profession of our love and thankfulnesse to him for all his mercies and blessings those which concerne our Soules and those which respect our bodies c. But to wave this and other Arguments which might be produced to confirme my former Thesis I proceed to reasons against Conventicles First Reason suggests this Truth to our Spirits that our Soules being as it were so many sparkes of the