her Neighbours hearts Have we some that talk of being Godded with God and Christed with Christ and having the root of the matter in them St. Bonaventure says of St. Francis that he was wholly swallowed up in God And Hugh Paulin de Cressay in his Preface to S ta Sophia talks of being closed in the Midhead of God and being oned with him Have we some who by seeking God in Prayer pretend to receive immediate resolution of all their doubts and direction in all difficult cases Orlandinus says of Ignatius and his Followers that in matters of debate they were wont to joyn in Prayer to God and after that what Opinion the most were of that they resolved to put in practice as being the mind of God Have we some that slight the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and talk of immediate impulses of the Spirit to which they ought rather to attend that talk of such a state of perfection in which they cannot sin of living above Ordinances and Duties The Fratricelli did the same things and so did the Disciples of one Almarinus a Student in Paris who taught that the Government of Christ according to the Gospel is expired and now the Church is to be governed by the spirit The Word and Sacraments are to cease and all Men to be saved by immediate operations of the Spirit without outward exercises Doubtless the Enthusiasts that called themselves the Family of love and held that God would behold no iniquity in his People took their Principles from some in the Church of Rome who hold that nothing is sinful that is acted upon a principle of love be it Fornication or Adultery that prescribed the means to attain supernatural irradiations from God which are to be received in the pure fund of the Soul so that they may have a real and experimental perception of the Divine presence in the depth and center of the spirit And when the doing or not doing an external work is proposed either of which is lawful they must hearken to the immediate impulses of the spirit within them and It is the great perfection of a Christian say the Jesuits in their spiritual exercises printed A. D. 1574. to keep himself indifferent to do what God shall reveal to him and not to determine himself to do what God hath already revealed and taught in his Holy Gospel And yet all these pretend and so did Mahomet too that the spirit did reveal all these Doctrines and practices to them But it was the same spirit that wrought in Simon Magus and the Gnosticks that sought the ruine of the Gospel and to that end disposed them to all error and uncleanness As for the good Spirit of God that holy meek obedient humble Spirit it is clear as the Apostle says they have it not Excellent is the discourse of Mr. Calvin against all such Popish and fanatick pretenders Instit l. 1. c. 9. to which I refer having given the Reader a former account But I suppose all that separate have not entertained such loose Principles Some plead only for a greater purity of Ordinances and dare not pretend to extraordinary inspirations of the spirit except it be in the gift of prayer which whatever the Ministers may know to the contrary the People do generally believe and no care is taken to undeceive them but upon this false supposition is that great clamor raised of limiting and quenching the spirit and depriving the People of God of the benefit of their Ministers gifts by injoyning them the use of a Liturgy for the silencing of which I desire it may be considered that if God have given the spirit of Prayer to any particular Men it may much more be presumed that he hath given it to the Governors of his Church agreeing together in those things Matth. 18.19 which are fit to be desired of God for the publick welfare of his Church and therefore the Scripture tells us that in the exercise of such gifts the spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets 1 Cor. 14.32 that God may not appear to be the author of confusion but of peace in all his Churches Nor can any reason be given why the Church that is to guide us in Doctrine as all do agree should not also lead us in our Devotion and publick Prayer which is a part of our Doctrine And unless the Objectors have more extraordinary impulses of the spirit in prayer than the Confessors and Martyrs in the Church of God have had for 1500. Years together I see no reason why we should exchange a well composed Liturgy by which they were always contented to Worship God in publick for a Licence to pray ex tempore Doubtless the harmony of all the Churches of God in the matter and manner of making our supplications would be a special means to make them effectual if that may not be had yet we that joyn with the Church in Doctrine and other parts of Divine Worship ought not to dissent in this To obey is better than Sacrifice this very act of obeying our spiritual Pastors Quanto obedientiores sumus praepositis nostris tanto obediet Deus Orationibus nostris will add Incense to our Sacrifices for as Eusebius Emissenus says By how much the more obedient we are to our Governors in the Church so much the more ready will God be to hear our Prayers Aug. ad Monachos Hom. 3. One petition of an obedient Person is sooner granted than a thousand of those that are disobedient Luther said that he had rather obey than work miracles it is certainly more to the edification of the Church in humility and obedience to invocate God in the publick Prayers of the Church than by a use of the most excellent gifts to draw the People 1 Cor. 14.5 first to admiration of mens persons then to division and separation as it often happeneth Sure we are God promised his spirit and blessing to his Church and we may be as sure he will not give them to those that despise his Church Let us suppose that some private Minister may have immediate inspirations how can he assure his hearers of it or what particular promise is there of a blessing to such more than to them that pray by the ordinary assistance of the spirit The Prayers of Cornelius and other devout Christians were doubtless more acceptable to God than the Prayers of some that had extraordinary gifts 1 Cor. 14.17 which as the Apostle intimates were not used to edification It is an excellent observation of Mr. Hooker Ecclesiastical Polity l. 5. S. 10. If every Man should follow what he imagineth the spirit to reveal to him or to some other of whom he hath an high esteem nothing but confusion would ensue under pretence of being guided by the Spirit The gifts and graces whereof do so naturally tend all to common peace that where such singularity is they whose hearts it possesseth ought
forsake me and follow me not a step Mr. Baxter's Epistle Dedicatory to the Saints Rest LONDON Printed for Walter Kettilby at the Bishop's Head in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1677. IMPRIMATUR Tho. Tomkyns R. Rmo in Christo Patri ac Domino D no Gilberto Divina Providentia Archi-Ep Cant. à Sac. Dom. Sept. 27. 1673. The Picture of Schismaticks as Mr. Calvin calls it in the Margent and describes it in the 4th Book of his Institutions Ch. 1. Section 16th ALthough this Temptation of refusing to Communicate with others because we judge them wicked may sometime invade good Men through an inconsiderate zeal for Holiness yet we shall find that this too great morosity doth arise rather from pride and disdain and a false opinion of Sanctity than from true Piety or an endeavour after it Wherefore they that are more audacious than others to make Separation from the Church and are as Standard-bearers they for the most part have no other reason than that by the contempt of all they may shew themselves better than others Wherefore Augustine says well and prudently Whereas the good frame and manner of Ecclesiastical Discipline ought especially to respect the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace which the Apostle commands to be mutually preserved by long-suffering and which not being preserved the application of Medicine is not only superfluous but dangerous and so can never produce the effect of a Medicine They are wicked Children who not so much through hatred of other Men's iniquities as by a love of their own contentions do affect either to withdraw or at least to divide the weak People whom they have insnared by the reputation of their Names These are swollen with pride furious in their perversness treacherous in calumnies turbulent in seditions using a shadow of rigid severity lest it should appear that they want the light of truth And those things which are commanded in the Scripture to be done with all moderation for the correction of the faults of our Brethren the sincerity of Love and unity of Peace being still preserved they make use of for the Sacrilege of Schisme and an occasion of Separation Wherefore to good and peaceable Men he gives this Counsel That they mercifully correct what they may and patiently bear with what they cannot amend and in love bewail and lament until God do amend and correct all or at the Harvest do root out the Weeds and winnow the Chaff With these Weapons all good Men study to arm themselves lest while they seem stout and resolute Champions of Holiness they revolt from the Kingdom of God which is the only Kingdom of Righteousness For because God hath chosen to have the Communion of his Church observed in this external society He who through hatred of the wicked shall violate the Symbol of that Society doth enter into that Path wherein a falling from the Communion of Saints is most obvious 1. Let them consider therefore That in a great Multitude there may be many truly holy and innocent in the eyes of God whom they cannot discern 2ly That of them that seem diseased there are many that are not in love or well pleased with their Vices but being now and then awakened by a serious fear of God do endeavour after greater integrity 3ly That we ought not to judge of Men by one fact seeing that the most holy sometime fall most grievously 4ly That it is of more moment to unite the Church as well by the Ministry of the Word as by the administration of the Holy Mysteries than that by the fault of a few all those blessings should be frustrated 5ly Let them consider that in estimating of the Church the Judgment of God is to be preferred to the judgment of Man TO THE BRETHREN OF THE SEPARATION IT was not long since that the Sins of Rebellion and Sacrilege were so successful that they did not only cast off their old names but commenced Vertues and it was dangerous to discourse whether there were such sins or no Prosperous wickedness hath never wanted its Apologists who know how to call evil good and good evil The case is almost the same concerning the Sin of Schisme and Separation And now men question whether there be any such thing as the Church of England because they make no question of separating from it But St. Paul assures us that there was a Church at Corinth that there was envying and strife and divisions among them and that they were but carnal Gospellers that were the Authors of such disorders Yet theirs were but venial in respect of ours which I know not whether I may call Mortal or Immortal discords for when we hoped that the chief Authors being laid in their Graves their practices would have been buried with them and that we who had laboured in the fire of Contention and suffered under the dismal effects of it for Twenty Years together would have trembled at every spark of it Behold how like the Infelix lolium like Wormwood and Hemlock the Seeds of Dissention are grown up in every Furrow of the Field and those sparks are blown up into such Flames as have seized if not upon all yet upon the most eminent Houses of God in the Land The Corinthians were but Children in this work they wrangled about their Ministers as Boys about their Masters who was the best Teacher among them Apollos who as the Scholiast observes was their first Bishop had a considerable Party and if they did rob Peter it was to cloath Paul but with us nothing will serve but a total extirpation of the Bishops and Pastors of the Church to raise a Presbytery upon their ruines And yet Men will not be perswaded there is any such sin as Schisme in the Land or at least think themselves much injured if it be imputed to them If Men would dissent peaceably and according to the Apostles rule Rom. 14.22 Hast thou faith that is an opinion of the lawfulness or unlawfulness of Rites and Customes in the Church have it to thy self before God not propagate their private Opinions to the disturbance of the publick peace they might deserve that indulgence which his most Gracious Majesty hath allowed them but when they shall practically condemn themselves and pragmatically misguide others in opposing those things which themselves have allowed the Apostle accounts them unhappy men as having the brand of Hereticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 visibly upon them by continuing obstinately in that error which themselves as well as the Churches of God have exploded As for the separated Ministers the more learned and sober of them did frequent our Assemblies joyn with us in our Liturgies and Communion though in the quality of lay Men and I cannot doubt but that they were well assured that it was their duty so to do and to encourage others to the publick worship of God so celebrated If it was their duty to frequent it then it cannot be their duty but their sin not
Heyfer Thus the Arians by one Eusebius a Chief Eunuch first seduced the Empress and by her the Emperor Constantius to be of their perswasion And the great artifice that they imploy to this end is noted by our Apostle to be their having Mens persons in admiration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for their own profit that is by flattering insinuations and excessive praises of their Persons and parts their Office and Authority Delectant homines eae faccre quibus non solum non metuitur reprehensor sed laudatus operator extolling their Vertues and extenuating their Vices they skrue themselves into their affections till they make merchandize of them 2 Pet. 2.3 This is Grotius's Observation and if you think it too severe Calvin will avouch it A quibus sperant aliquid commodi As Tacitus says of Otho Omnia serviliter pro imperio fecit iis sordide blandiuntur they basely fawn upon every one from whom they hope for a Pension And most Men are of Micah's opinion that the Lord will bless them when they have such a Levite for their Priest Judg. 17.13 though he be one of their own consecrating Irenaeus tells us how one Mark a Valentinian inveagled a Matron of good note l. 1. c. 89. I desire saith he that you may partake of my grace for there is a place for your greatness in my heart we ought to meet and be united in one that you may first receive grace from me and by me See Josephus what power the Pharisees had upon the chief Women in Jerusalem l. 17. c. 3. fit your felf therefore to receive me as the Bride doth the Bridegroom that you may be as I and I as you behold grace is descending upon you open your Mouth and Prophesie After this saith our Author she thinks her self a Prophetess returns great thanks to Mark for communicating his grace to her and she studies to reward him not only by a liberal portion of her Wealth by which he was greatly inriched but by a perpetual adhering to him and communicating with him even in things not fit to be named It is no great wonder considering what persons they attempt and what arts they use 2 Pet. 2.2 if as it was foretold many do follow their pernicious ways and that by reason of these the way of truth be evil spoken of This gives occasion to our Adversaries to say of us In Orbis Breviario as Bertius of the Calvinists This is proper to them to overthrow whatever estate they are admitted into never to be at rest until they are uppermost to be scoffers turbulent factious disputers ingrateful proud above what can be spoken or believed And this is another feature of the Separatists to be mockers deriding all that is sacred and holy in church or State they despise Dominions and are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities The Church was seldome without an Ishmael such as mocked the Messengers of God 2 Chron. 36.16 and abused his Prophets and despised his Word until the wrath of the Lord arose and until there was no Remedy Thus Jeremy complained that they mocked at the Sabbaths of Sion Lament 1.7 Mock-altars and Ordinances and Calves were set up at Dan and Bethel by Jeroboam to bring contempt upon the Worship of God Such mockings as these the Apostle calls cruel and joyns them with scourgings they were no small part of our Saviour's sufferings and the Disciples are not above their Lord and Master You know with what bitter terms the Pharisees whose name signifies Separatists did reproach the Person and slander the foot-steps of the Lord 's anointed it was a small matter for a Souldier or two to spit in his Face their hard speeches pierced his very Soul to be called a glutton and wine-bibber a friend of Publicans and sinners was but a Prologue to the Tragedy they intended they prosecute him as a Deceiver as a Traytor as one that had a Devil and by Belzebub did cast out Devils as one that subverted the Law and the Prophets all Religion and good Discipline in the Churches of God We may not greatly wonder therefore if in our Age the Church of God be called Babylon and her Ministers Baal's Priests and her Worship Antichristian Though Michael in the heat of contention with the Devil v. 9. brought not one railing accusation against him yet in cool blood without any provocation these mockers cease not to load their Superiors and Governors with hard words shall I say or as our Apostle adds with ungodly deeds such as I want words to express But this is no otherwise than what St. Paul foretold Act. 20.29 That grievous Wolves should enter into the Church not sparing the Flock and that of our own selves should Men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them that they may as the Vipers are said to do eat their way through the Bowels of the Church These are they that separate You would think that it is from some Den of Dragons from Tigers or Cannibals or some thing worse than themselves that these do flie But our Apostle gives us another description of them that they were such as were sanctified by God the Father and called such as contended only for the Faith that was once delivered to the Saints and against those only that turned the grace of God into lasciviousness and let the pretences be never so specious The terminus à quo denominates a Separatist Mr Cawdry the forsaking of such a Society will denominate them Separatists And we shall need no other evidence but what comes from their own Mouths for they all grant that a true Church wherewith we may retain Communion without sin or intolerable persecution ought to be communicated with to prove them guilty In the Preface of the Jus Divinum Regiminis Ecclesiastici a Book made by the then London-Ministers they tell ús Ann. 1647. That Parochial Churches are received as true visible Churches of Christ and most convenient for edification that gathering Churches out of Churches hath no foot-steps in Scripture that it is contrary to Apostolical practice and is the scattering of Churches the Daughter of Schisme the Mother of Confusion and Stepmother to Edification and therefore they condemn the Independents for gathering Churches out of other true visible Churches of Christ without any leave or consent of Pastor or Flock yea against their wills receiving such as tender themselves yea too often by themselves or others directly or indirectly seducing Disciples after them Mr. Cawdry says that they who separate must prove the Church from which they depart to be heretical and corrupt or else they are schismatical for Schisme is Schisme saith he though our Churches be not so pure as they ought or would be Again to separate Men in judgment in a Church is Schisme but from a Church is much worse and again Schisme is a causless separation from the Communion and
their Consciences than to go against the judgment and offend the Consciences of a few weak Brethren who neither have the advantages to inform themselves of the nature of things nor that authority or concern to provide for the publick peace as their Superiours have but may be easily imposed on by crafty men that lay in wait to deceive Judge in your selves Brethren how intolerable would that Servant be in your Family that should be always quarrelling at his Masters habit or the directions given him for his work and though he have good and wholsom food in plenty yet dislikes the Cookery and being reproved for his pride and curiosity is obstinate and instigates his fellow-servants to desert the Family But herein the Apostles example may direct us better how far we may or may not do things indifferent and such as have some appearance of evil in them to others rather than to give offence to a Brother as in the case of meats which had been declared unclean by the Law but that difference was by the Gospel abrogated and were much more accounted polluted by having been offered unto Idols yet the Apostle says 1 Cor. 8.8 meat commendeth us not to God for neither if we eat are we the better neither if we eat not are we the worse it is grace and not meat by which the heart is established our Christian liberty is an Amulet against any corruption in such things for though the practice be determined the judgment is free there is libertas ad oppositum So in the case of Circumcision before mentioned which was so abrogated that S. Paul says if ye be circumcised i. e. with an opinion says if ye be circumcised i. e. with an opinion of the legal necessity of it Christ shall profit you nothing Gal. 5.2 Yet to the Jews that he might win them he became as a Jew and then used Circumcision Acts 16.3 and to them that were without the Law as without Law that he might win the Gentiles and then he would not Circumcise and in all this he was Christs Freeman though he made himself a servant to all The Apostle knew that his Christian liberty was founded in freedom of Judgment and not of practice and that neither Circumcision nor Vncircumcision were any thing 1 Cor. 7.19 but the keeping of the Commandments Now no actions of ours that are required in obedience to our Superiours about the Publick Worship are so obnoxious to censure and scandal as these were but are under our Christian liberty And as we ought to serve one another in love in obedience to Gods commands so ought we in obedience of the same to submit our selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake and not use our liberty as a Cloke of Maliciousness or an occasion to the flesh to cast off either our Love to our Brethren or Obedience to Magistrates For to what end hath God according to his promise raised up Kings to be Nursing Fathers to his Church or what possibility is there that they should provide for its peace if they have not power in these External things If therefore the things commanded be indifferent it is certain that obedience to the Magistrate is no indifferent thing but as necessary as peace and unity which cannot otherwise be preserved Seventhly The means are alway as subservient so inferior to the end Now the end of the Commandment is Charity as the Apostle saith Col. 3.14 and therefore both he and St. Peter require charity above all things 1 Pet. 4.8 When therefore these externals of religion become apples of contention they are forbidden fruit which cannot be injoyed without the breach of the great Commandment and if they had each of them a particular precept yet when lesser duties come in competition with greater they cease to oblige Private Laws yield to publick humane Laws to the Laws of God and among God's Laws Positive Precepts yield to those that are moral and natural A Vow or an Oath concerning a thing lawful if it hinder Majus bonum Naturale ceaseth to oblige The Corban might not be pleaded in Bar to the relieving of Parents much less may any Covenant oblige against the Peace of the Church and the Publick Parent as some still plead for that which they call the National Covenant Those things therefore which are matters of Discipline and external order how precisely soever injoyned ought to give place to those that are the more substantial parts of Religion such as mercy and obedience to Magistrates charity peace and unity among Christians and as we may disuse some things which have been generally received in the Church of God as were the kiss of charity the love-feasts and anointing of the Sick so certainly we may use some other things which are injoyned by our Superiors for the sake of Order and Unity When St. Paul had established the Doctrine of Faith in the Church of Corinth he tells them 1 Cor. 11.16 that if about rites and ceremonies Any man seem to be contentious we have no such custome neither the Churches of God that is the custom of the Church is a sufficient Plea against such contentious persons Thus when the Council of Nice had composed the Articles of Faith in that Creed they all with one consent approved of the Ancient rites and customes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Sozomen says it was ever esteemed an unreasonable thing for those that agreed in the Substantials of Religion L. 7. c. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to separate from each other for customes and matters of doubtful disputation And it is generally agreed that the Churches which are sui Juris agreeing in the same Faith may differ in Rites and Ceremonies which they have power to alter or abrogate and therefore Calvin says they are Mali filii wicked Sons that will disturb the Peace of the Church their Mother for such external rites and as the Pharisees in the Text seek to withdraw the Disciples by such objections against their Master Why eateth your Master with Publicans and Sinners And yet certain it is that the Authors of Sects and Divisions among us have no better grounds for all the disorders and confusion the proud contempt and unchristian censures the slander and vexation that have been as so many evil spirits raised among us and I desire that such as are yet in the fault would not only consider the insufficiency of the grounds but also the mischievous consequences of our divisions how directly opposite to our Saviour's rule in the Text I will have mercy c. Now that there are Divisions among us may be proved by the same arguments that the Apostle useth to prove that there were Divisions in the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 3.4 viz. when one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollos c. which Divisions as they cannot be warranted but on a supposition of some great corruption in our Doctrine or
And if mens practises may be judged of by their principles the doctrines that are infused into the spirits of the people at such meetings will sufficiently prove that their designs are seditious For when men do extol their new Discipline as the Kingdom and Scepter of Christ and affirm that all the Scepters of the Earth must bow to it or be broken in pieces that Dominion is founded in grace that wicked men are Usurpers and have forfeited all that they have and it is no more robbery to deprive them of it than for the Israelites to rob the Egyptians when they assert the nullity of former Oaths for obedience to lawful powers by framing New Covenants and imposing on the subjects contrary to the command of their lawful Prince that good intentions may justifie unlawful actions and they may do evil that good may come thereof that Christian liberty doth free the Believing wife from the unbelieving husband the godly child from his ungodly Parents and the faithful servant from his Infidel master When their preaching is of cursing and lyes despising Dominions speaking evil of Dignities vindictive groans against their Brethren complaints of the decay of Religion of oppression of the Godly cursing all Neuters that do not help them against the Lords Anointed or that do their work negligently and withhold their Swords from bloud How spiritual soever such men may be thought the weapons of their warfare are carnal i.e. they are seditious such men are not Ambassadors of the Gospel of Peace but of the Evangelium Armatum every line whereof as Draco's Laws is written in bloud When King Richard the First had taken prisoner a Bishop that was in Arms against him the Pope sends to him to deliver his Son but the King sends the Pope the Bishops Armour and asketh him if that were his Sons coat I would fain know of them that profess themselves the children of Peace if these be the garments of their Ghostly Fathers that begat them The great sorceress Medea perswaded the daughters of Peleus that the way to recover their aged Father to youth and strength was to cut him in pieces and boyl him according to her Art None but a people that have been bewitched could be perswaded that the way to restore our Church to strength and beauty was to divide it into so many seditious Sects And now I suppose that I have given the World and you Honoured Sir sufficient Reason for this address to so eminent a Magistrate seeing they that murmur against the sons of Aaron that they take too much upon them are found to have Rebelled against Moses also and the same persons that renounced communion with the Church of which they were once Members and withdrew into Conventicles cryed out We have no part in David 2 Sam. 20.1 neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse every man to his Tents O Israel As St. Augustine observed of the Donatists Quid est Imperatori cum Ecclesiâ aut quid nobis cum regibus seculi quos nunquam nisi invidos sensit Christianitas August l. 2. ad Peril c. 92. If the Magistrate may punish murther oppression robbery and sedition why may he not restrain such practises as give occasion to all these unless we would have him do what God says he ought not i.e. to bear the sword in vain Clamate si audetis saith St. Augustine puniantur adulteria puniantur homicidia sola Sacrilegia volumus impunita There is great reason then that the Ministers of the Gospel should apply themselves to the Ministers of the Laws Israel will never prevail against her enemies except Moses's hand be lifted up as well as Aaron's those Royal Oaks must support our feeble Vines or they will be trod under foot by unreasonable Men. You are Custodes utriusque tabulae under God and the King Defenders of our Faith as well as our Laws Sed quis custodiet ipsos Custodes But who shall protect them that should protect us against the obloquies and strivings of an unruly People even that God who having set Joshua over the murmuring Israelites assured him Joshua 1.5 6. As I was with Moses so I will be with thee I will not fail thee nor forsake thee Be strong and of a good courage And now if ever our Magistrates ought to be Men of courage as well as fearing God when the execution of the Laws is termed persecution and such as will not tamely permit their Religion and Liberties to be invaded are accounted enemies to the Godly Party Chap. 4. of tumults But as the Royal Martyr observed Nothing doth more portend Gods displeasure against a Nation than when he suffers the confluence and clamours of the Vulgar to pass all boundaries of Laws and reverence to Authority I say not this Honoured Sir to provoke you to greater activity for the publick welfare who have not onely done more and better than others but have prevailed beyond expectation I onely pay a grateful acknowledgment for what you have already done and exhibit a Noble example to others of one who prefers the publick Peace above his private interest and doth his duty to God and the King with as much resolution as others neglect or oppose it and if there were but five such Magistrates in a County they would through God's blessing redeem an unworthy Nation from those flames which threaten a Conflagration like that of Sodom and Gomorrha I cannot omit Great Sir your constant respects to men of my Profession without respect of Persons you love a Clergy-man eo nomine not only the worthy Dignitaries of our Church but I may say it in a better sense than a great Lawyer was wont to say you love a poor Clergy-man with all your heart and have deservedly acquired among us the Title of Deliciae Cleri the Clergies delight And now it is time to beg your pardon for this and many other Troubles by which I have trespassed upon your Patience beseeching God to preserve the Peace of our Jerusalem and that You and yours may Prosper as you Love it I am Sir Your Humblest Servant Tho. Long. Exon April 1677. THE PICTURE AND CHARACTER OF A SEPARATIST SHEWING That Sensuality is the Ground OF SEPARATION Vt nihil aequè arguit Ingenium Spiritûs Christi ac studium conservandae socictatis unionis in quo charitas elucet Sic etiam nullum est evidentius argumentum pravitatis humani ingenii unde etiam inter carnis opera contentiones nominantur quà m tumultuandi rixandi studium Cameron de Ecclesiâ Cap. de Schismate I differ from my Brethren in many things of considerable moment yet if I should zealously press my judgment on others so as to disturb the Peace of the Church and separate from my Brethren I should fear I should prove a Fire-brand in Hell for being a Fire brand in the Church I charge you if God should give me up to any factious Church-rending course that you
only to desert but to create a scorn and contempt of it now and by erecting a Babel of confusion seek to down with Sion down with it to the ground I have only this query to demand of such Whether if they did well in communicating with us themselves they do not ill in withdrawing others from our Communion I believe it is their own judgment as well as mine that if they might be dispensed with as to the renouncing the Covenant Reordination Assent and Consent the Surplice and the Cross they might then conform to our Liturgy and Discipline and few of them would scruple to conform as publick Ministers in all other things Why then do those very Men some of which have published as much to the World and the most part are convinced in Judgment and Conscience that they themselves might thus conform why do they so industriously seduce the People from their duty of communicating in their several Parishes with their own Ministers seeing that none of them are concerned in the things which are scrupled at in order to the conformity of publick Ministers They are not troubled with Covenant Reordination c. nor with any thing that hath so much as a colour of justifying a Separation I am heartily sorry that any Persons have so intangled themselves in Nets of their own weaving that they cannot without loss of their reputation disingage themselves but that loss is not so great as the mischief will be if they shall insnare others and seek to salve their own reputation by the hazard of the salvation of others Consider therefore I beseech you where the blame and guilt will lye if on your principles and practices the People whom you have separated from the Church of England wherein they might serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear shall within a short time forsake your Assemblies also and unite themselves to other Teachers and Conventicles in which they think whether right or wrong they may serve God in purer Ordinances and at last to live without and above Ordinances if these Delusions do spring from your Principles and practices as undoubtedly they do Is not the guilt of all these Confusions imputable to you and may not the loss of those Souls be required at your hands If therefore in some private respects there be a Vae si non a woe unto you if you preach not there may be in respect of the publick a Vae infinitely greater if Men shall still go on in the way of Kain and run greedily after the error of Balaam for reward and perish in the gain-saying of Core It is not the spot of a Servant of God but an indelible brand which the Spirit of God hath fixed on Jeroboam that he made Israel to sin In our Polemical Debates with the Church of Rome it hath been our unhappiness that as soon as we have beaten them out of one strong hold they have fled to another from their Universality and constancy in the received faith to the Spirit of Infallibility annexed to the Succession of their Popes either personally or in Cathedrâ with his Conclave or in a Council when these were shattered they retreat to their invisible Fort of Traditions but when all these have by the Canon of Scripture and Apostolical Men been so levelled to the ground that scarce one stone is left upon another we see the Grandeur and Temporal Principality of the Court of Rome is at the bottom which the Sword of the Spirit and the Weapons of Christianity in the hands of Men are not able to remove It is even so in our Controversies with Separatists when their pretences of Idolatrous Worship and Antichristian Government and Superstitious Rites an imperfect Liturgy and scandalous Communicants have been confuted they retreat to other pretences of having purer Ordinances of preserving their Christian Liberty and freedom of Conscience which admit of nothing to be imposed as to the Worship of God but what is expressed in his Word when the weakness of these are discovered there is something still at the bottom viz. They would be uppermost they cannot forgo their reputation of extraordinary knowledge and Zeal for God which alone can bear them out in their former actions and make the People still believe that what they did was according to Conscience and not upon design and interest The contrary whereof will by this Discourse appear to be the ground of all Separations from any Church so duly constituted as our Church of England is If it be objected there are great sins amongst us we grant it and do not only importune God for his Names sake to pardon our iniquities for they are great but wish for more assistance for amending of them we are unwilling to recriminate as the Prophet Oded did 2 Chron. 28.9 10. Are there not with you even with you also sins against the Lord your God I shall rather commend to you that ancient Arabian Proverb Deus altissimus aspicit tegit Vicinus vero nilvidet tamen nil nisi naevos crepat The most high God sees all our iniquities and he covers them all we that see nothing in comparison are always blaming and troubling our Neighbours If the Contagion of sin hath invaded the Multitude St. Augustine the severe mercy of Divine Discipline is necessary to cure us but the counsel and enterprise of separation is both vain and pernicious yea sacrilegious because such are the effects of Pride and wickedness as that they do ever trouble the good which are weak more than chastise the stubborn which are wicked None of us can be ignorant of the prejudices and animosities that are raised by such practices in the generality of the people of what perswasion soever Your Disciples do ipso facto censure them from whom they separate as profane carnal cruel and unconscionable Men. They again do suppose that some among you are discontented and implacable proud and ambitious and such as deserve that black character which St. Paul hath given 2 Tim. 3.2 3 4 verses c. And by these contests we weaken our selves harden and animate our grand enemies and give them great advantages against us Let us therefore rather follow the things that make for peace and wherewith we may edify one another for we cannot but know after so long and sad experience as we have had that these things will be bitterness in the latter end endeavour to deserve that character which St. Augustine gives of a peaceable man Quisquis vel quod potest arguendo corrigit vel quod corrigere non potest salvo pacis vinculo excludit vel quod salvo pacis vinculo excludere non potest equitate improbat firmitate supportat hic pacificus est Ad Parmen l. 2. c. 1. And again The things which are evil displease all good Men and they hinder and suppress them as much as they may but when they may not they endure and grieve for them and for peace's
The Ceremonies were as St. Augustine complained as burdensome as those of the Jewish Church But then they imposed such new Articles of Faith to be believed as necessary to Salvation such as the Infallibility and Supremacy of the Pope the Worshipping of Images and Saints the Doctrine of Merit and Supererogation Transubstantiation and half Communion Pardons and Purgatory c. that it grew morally impossible for us to retain any longer Communion with them as Brethren unless we would renounce our fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ We do still hold and teach that the condition of our Communion was made sinful viz by professing false Doctrines believing lies and joyning in Idolatrous Worship and so it was unlawful and intolerable and they who practise such things themselves and would impose them on others are actually in Separation from the true Church to which they still adhere who continue constantly in the Apostles Doctrine Acts 1.42 and Fellowship and in breaking of Bread and Prayer Besides we do still profess that if the Church of Rome will not constrain us Calvin Melancthon Dr. Jackson to profess such Points of Doctrine or to adventure on such practices as are contrary to the faith and love of God we are still ready to give them the right hand of fellowship Hitherto then we are Recti in Curiâ the Church of England is not guilty of Separation But we have certain Friends in a Corner that will prove us to be altogether as guilty as we say the Church of Rome is And the Charge is as high That we have Antichristian Bishops and they do impose Popish and Superstitious Ceremonies which have no warrant from the Word of God and such as tender Consciences cannot comply with and therefore though we abhor Idols yet we commit Sacrilege in forcing Thousands of the People from our Communion This is a strong accusation indeed and prosecuted with great heat And like the Vipor that came out of the Fire on St. Paul's hand if it should stick nemo nobis molestias exhibeat Sic enim sentit Ecclesia Dei ab origine Epiphan in Anachor it would argue extraordinary guilt But you shall see it fall off of its own accord For First the Office both name and thing is agreeable to the Scripture and truly Apostolical practised in the Universal Church and justified even by those who only want power and opportunity to erect the same 2ly As to the impositions those must be either of false Doctrines or sinful practices but if our Doctrine comprehend all fundamental truths necessary to Salvation if we disclaim all errors destructive to faith or good manners it is the duty of our Governors to see that we profess and own such Doctrines against all opposition The malice of our most inveterate Enemies hath not hitherto proved any error in our Doctrine some of them have derided the Sons of the Church by the name of Orthodox but this is one mark of Separatists they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 18. Now if our fame be unspotted as to the main part of our constitution we may be presumed not so guilty in those dark and frivolous circumstances that are urged against us as that our Liturgy is taken out of the Mass whereas we agree not in any material part with that but wherein that doth agree with the Scripture and the Primitive Church and we should renounce almost all our Religion if we should disclaim all that that containeth But in a word if in the Church of England we do profess a sound faith and an holy life if the. Word be purely preached and the Sacraments rightly administred Vbi mihi licet in melius commutari non licet inde separare St. Aug. contra Cresc l. 3. c. 36. there is no just cause of making Separation for the pretence of imposing Ceremonies where the Doctrinals are sound is too weak a Plea to justifie Separation And therefore the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they that forsake our Communion are Separatists The word signifies a throwing down of Bounds and Inclosures like Ecclesiastical Levellers that would lay all in common Fideles à fidelibus separare as Clemens Alexandrinus forcing open the Church Doors and destroying her Pale not only to let out the Flock but to let in Wolves and Foxes Calvin gives the Reason of it Extra terminos Ecclesiae alios educere Quia Disciplinae jugum ferre nequeant they are such Sons of Belial that though with the Pharisees they endeavour to lay the heaviest Yokes on other Men's Necks they can indure none themselves The like term is given to the disterminating Angels the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi solùm in universim vastatores that having got the power of the Air throw down Churches and Kingdomes and whatsoever is sacred But this devastation is not presently made by a few Malecontents they must first gather a Party that if nothing else make them considerable their Numbers may Our Apostle therefore notes divers previous actions in order to their Separation As first that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Murmurers v. 16. When a few pragmatical persons are either chastised according to their demerits or not preferred above their deserts they secretly whisper their own discontents and cherish the prejudices of others as Absalom did in Israel 2 Sam. 15.3 See thy matter is good but there is none deputed of the King to hear thee and presently it follows O that I were King in Israel The Prophet David observed this snarling humor in others Psal 59. and so did St. James c. 3.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grudge not one against another Brethren they could not forbear their vindictive groans even in their Assemblies as if they were displeased with God as well as their Brethren that they could not be avenged on them 2ly They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 complainers unsatisfied with the condition which God in his providence thought most fit for them seeking to raise themselves upon the ruine of others hence it is that their discourse is for the most part of the preferment of unworthy and wicked Men when Men of merit and prety are neglected and where God's eye is good theirs is evil Thus Core and his Complices complained of Moses and Aaron as if every one in their Faction was as holy as they but because God had raised them to that dignity the Scripture notes that their murmuring was not against them only but against the Lord Exod. 16.8 From complaining they go on 3ly to utter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great swelling words either first in publick remonstrances and authoritative admonitions such as were frequent in the Raign of Queen Elizabeth a first second and third Admonition to the Council and the Parliament and then they boast of their Numbers viz. a Thousand Ministers and an Hundred Thousand People the greater part whereof never heard of their design nor could the chief Agents agree what
it was that they desired the pretence was a reformation of Doctrine Government and Worship but when the particulars were inquired into it appeared it was not the Alteration of any thing that was amiss but the subversion of all that had been with great wisdome and moderation established When T. C. and some others had framed a new Liturgy it was no sooner shewed to the Brethren but they desired amendments and when it was amended others gave in new exceptions So that as Calvin observes they are such Quibus nunquam satisfiet etiamsi Probi homines benigne se impendant no concessions will satisfie them nor any kindness oblige them of which they gave an instance when some of them having petitioned in the days of Queen Elizabeth that the Cross in Baptism might be dispensed with and some of her Majestie 's Council promised that that would be granted on condition they would conform in other things replyed as Men of Resolution that they must not leave a hoof behind Or 2ly these great words are words of Opposition and contradiction such as Core used against Moses and Aaron v. 11. which our Apostle calls blasphemy v. 10. it being a speaking evil not only of the Persons but the very offices and dignities which God had appointed in his Church It is indeed the property of Schismaticks like young Sophisters Argumento victi calumnias meditantur convicti de persidiâ ad maledicta se conferunt When reason and argument fails they maintain the contest with passion and contradiction which are always an argument of a wicked Man as well as of a weak cause Detractio est hominis vilis sua quaerentis as those Creatures which are most infirm are most querulous so they that first accuse others are usually most criminous themselves It is now become a Principle among some Men which surely they learnt from no other spirit but that of contradiction That they ought not to do many things which they might otherwise safely do because they are commanded Hence it is that when they are commanded to fast they feast and when the Festivals are appointed they set a-part the days for fasting When Arch-Bishop Laud admonished the Clergy to cut their Hair shorter those of the Faction that had been precise enough in that respect before suffered their Hair to grow to an immoderate length and who can wonder that they should contradict others who have so frequently both in Principles and practices contradicted themselves of which I shall say only as St. James doth James 1.8 The double minded man is unstable in all his ways Or 3ly their great swelling words are such as that King mentioned in Daniel c. 11.36 spake That would do according to his will and exalt and magnifie himself and speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 marvellous things Thus Simon Magus boasted himself to be the very power of God his Disciples said of him and of Helena his Concubine that they were superior to them that made the World And all his Proselytes called themselves Gnosticks Men of extraordinary knowledge Thus the Montanists boasted of their Founder that either he was the very paraclete or at least that the Holy Ghost did reveal both more and greater mysteries by Montanus than Christ had done in his Gospels Next the Donatists appropriate all holiness and perfection to themselves excluding all who were not of their Number from the Church and Salvation In later times one Henry Nicholas boasted that he was greater than Moses or Christ for Moses said he brought in the Law of Hope and Jesus the Law of Faith but I the Law of Love when as in truth he and his Family of Love knew no other Law but their Lust There is scarce any Faction so mean but they assume to themselves the title of the Elect and peculiar People of God with a scorn and contempt of others like that of the Jews against the Gentiles This People that knoweth not the Law is accursed Some talk of no less than a Fifth Monarchy in which Christ shall Raign personally among them of putting an end to the Pope's Vicegerency and slaying Gog and Magog Every ones inventions are named the Kingdome and Scepter of Christ and thought worthy to have all the Scepters of the Earth to bow to them Our Saviour foretold of these things Matth. 24.26 and cautioneth us against them If they shall say unto you behold he is in the Desert in the Cells of Monks and Hermits go not forth he is neither in conclavibus nor in penetralibus in the Conclaves of Rome or Conventicles of Sectaries But as St. Bernard says In festo Michael No man that speaks by the Spirit can call Jesus Anathema that is as he interprets it a separated Person so there is no doubt but the Spirit of God is departed from him who is departed from the Unity of the Church 4ly Or else these swelling words are in St. Peter's sense words of vanity 2 Pet. 2.18 that make a great sound but no signification Our Apostle compares them to Clouds that flye aloft in the Air and look black and big as if they would abundantly Water the Earth and make it fruitful So do many Sectaries presuming with the prophet Elijah 1 King 17.1 As the Lord God of Israel liveth before whom I stand there shall not be dew nor rain these three years but according to my word And yet they are dry empty Clouds that spend themselves in noysome Vapours and Whirlwinds and hinder the benign influence of the Sun of Righteousness The Apostle calls them Stars too and no wonder for Satan can transform himself to an Angel of light but though they get into a higher sphere and shine a-while with borrowed light yet are they but wandring stars always irregular and excentrick in their motions and generally of a malign aspect on sublunary things and having blazed a-while to the wonder of their Beholders and not onely portended Plagues and Wars but disposed the minds and manners of Men to them they leave their Sphere and expire in blackness and darkness for ever These are they that separate c. Our translation reads that separate themselves but the Separatist will not be so limited the old translation fits them better These are Sect-makers it is their Trade to compass Sea and Land Rev. 12.4 for multiplying of Disciples and with the Dragon they attempt to draw even the Stars from Heaven Mar. 13.22 and to deceive if it be possible the very Elect. St. Paul discovereth their Methods how They creep into Houses and lead Captive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 silly Women weak and wanton Girls led away with divers lusts that are not only ignorant but almost uncapable of better understanding And thus as the great Tempter they begin with the weaker Vessels and having captivated the Wife they have a more easie access to the breasts of the Husband Sampson himself cannot stand before the Philistines when they plow with his
be thought to be just and not rash To which I answer that as Judges who in too great passion do condemn a Malefactor that is really guilty may be unjust because they are acted rather by a certain ferity of mind than by the love of Justice so that separation which proceeds from hatred though it may have just causes yet is unjust Again the rashness of separation appears à posteriori when it is made on a light occasion that is where there is not a great and intolerable Persecution nor Heresie nor Idolatry For First If the Persecution be tolerable that is if it do not concern our Lives or things necessary thereunto we may not catch at an opportunity of departing for as they that delight in a Civil War though they have the better cause and just occasions yet because they are glad of such occasions they are Murtherers and Enemies of their Country 2ly Separation is rash if the Error in the Church from which he departs be neither Heresie nor Superstition for if the Error be tolerable as a Superstitious Rite may be we may not separate as a sick Man is not to be forsaken unless his Disease be deadly and contagious and then not without grief Lastly Separation is rash when it is made because of corruption of manners to which purpose our Saviour said they sit in Moses Chair therefore do whatever they say unto you This is the meaning of our Saviour Where-ever the Purity of Doctrine doth remain there God hath a Church though over-spread with many scandals Now an unjust Schisme is that which is made where there is no Persecution or Heresie no Error Superstition or Idolatry none or but few scandals such was the Schisme of the Donatists And this is the greatest degree of Schisme and it is either negative which is a bare departure onely without gathering of new Congregations or positive when another Church is erected which doth separately use Ecclesiastical Laws and the administration of the Word of God and Sacraments which the Scripture calls setting up of Altar against Altar for though a peaceable departure from the Church may be lawful and just yet if new associations be entred into it is unjust for this cannot be done unless there be real hatred between Brethren contrary to Christianity for the end of the Commandment is charity It must therefore be considered again and again whether the cause of this separation be of so great moment as that the glory of God and Salvation depends upon it so Cameron I shall add to these that saying of Bishop Davenant I boldly affirm De pace p. 24. that such as are in an Error and yet are prepared to entertain Brotherly Communion are more excusable before God than they that do maintain true Opinions in Controversies not fundamental but refuse Communion with such true Churches as do desire it And therefore when they that separate do plead that they agree with us in the fundamentals of Faith they do not excuse but aggravate their Schism in violating the unity of that Church which is sound in the Faith St. Aug. contra Faustum l. 20. c. 2. For 't is not diversity of Faith but the breach of Unity that makes a Schismatick Yea suppose saith Mr. Ball c. 10. p. 197. They hold many of the same Ordinances as Prayers and Preaching Tercul of Jovinian Quaedam probat quaedam improbat i Omnia improbat dum quaedam probat but come not to the Communion this makes them Separatists for they account none to be of their Communion who joyn not with them in the Lord's Supper Sacramentorum communione sociamur saith St. Aug. contra Donat. Now all these circumstances considered viz. that our Church is sound in the Faith not guilty of intolerable Persecution or Idolatrous Superstition nor notoriously scandalous I say for Persons not only to separate from us but contrary to the Apostles practice on greater occasions contrary to the judgment of all ancient and modern Divines contrary to their own paeinciples and the common rule of justice of doing that to others which we would have done to our selves contrary to the publick Oaths and protestation of * Such as were ordained by Bishops many that practise it and which if it be admitted will be the ruine of their own Churches as well as ours to raise new Churches distinct in Ordinances and Communion from ours Bucer on Zephany says it doth more hurt than drinking whoring is the greatest degree of Schisme A sin which no pretence of greater purity of Ordinances or more powerful preaching nor a life that is Angelical nor Martyrdome it self can warrant or expiate It may make both the Ears of those that are guilty to tingle when they shall hear how the Ancients aggravate this sin and what judgments they denounce against it That it is a work of the flesh contrary to the Law of Charity and the mother of confusion we learn from the Scripture that it puts us out of the Communion of the Church and so of the promises and priviledges thereunto belonging that it is a greater scandal than corruption in manners and in divers respects worse than Heresie These are common themes wherein Men of all Perswasions do agree and yet few do observe them S. Chrysost The contentious are worse than they that pierced the Body of Christ for he gave his Natural Body for the preservation of his Mystical Body which they rent and wound And as our Saviour told the Pharisees I dare confidently say a private murderer shall make an easier answer than a publick disturber Bishop Hall in his mischief of Schisme the Publicans and Harlots should enter into the Kingdom of Heaven rather than they who were so filled with prejudice and resolved upon their lusts that they were averse from all good counsels which he offered to them And if the severity of the punishment doth argue the greatness of the sin the Woes which our Apostle threatneth to such v. 11. and the blackness of darkness which is reserved for them for ever v. 13. may convince us how hainous the sin is Be not deceived saith Ignatius if any one follow him that maketh a Schisme Ad Philad he shall not inherit the Kingdome of God and he adds a Reason if any one walk about in a strange Opinion he is an Enemy to the Passion that is he is a carnal Man By this only sin saith St. Augustine that a man is separated from the unity of Christ's Church contra Donat he shall not obtain eternal life Though they be consumed in the Flames or devoured by Beasts this will not be the crowning of their Faith but a punishment of their perfidiousness saith St. Cyprian De Simpl. elericorum And St. Paul saith as much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Sons of contention God will render indignation and wrath Rom. 2.8 tribulation and anguish But it is very preposterous to condemn any
Malefactor before we have heard what he can say for himself and therefore though his flying for it might argue his guiltiness yet we shall patiently hear all that the Separatist can plead for himself and the crime is so great that he knows no ordinary Plea will defend him and therefore he pretends no less than a Commission from Heaven the Authority of God's own Spirit Having the Spirit is the pretence having not the Spirit is the charge sub judice lis est And we have our Saviour's Commission for tryal of any such pretenders though they think themselves exempt from all Ecclesiastical Judicature 1 St. John 4.1 Try the Spirits that is the Teachers and their Doctrines the Reason is For there are many false Prophets gone abroad into the World And if we are to try them there is doubtless a Law and Rule by which to proceed and that is the Word of God which being written by Holy Men as they were inspired by the Holy Ghost so is it able to make the man of God perfect seeing it was confirmed by God's own testimony in sundry Miracles as the Gift of Tongues and Prophecie of dispossessing Devils and healing all Diseases No pretence of revelation can gain equal authority with it unless it bring an equal testimony that is the power of doing Wonders Nobis curiositate non opus est post Christum Tertul. de Praescript c. 8. nec disquisitione post Evangelium Certainly they have not the Spirit in that degree that the Apostles had and therefore we do them no injury to bring them to such an authentick Judge as is the Word of God wherein there is not one sentence to countenance such as separate from any Church of God where the means of Salvation the Word and Sacraments are rightly administred although many corruptions be crept into it By the Example of Christ and his Apostles retaining themselves within the Communion of the Jewish Church notwithstanding their pollutions the error of such as in imitation of the Cathari of old and the Anabaptists now refuse to partake of the Lord's Supper if they see the same administred to such as they suppose wicked Men is for ever confuted and condemned saith * Contr. Anabap Spanhemius To him I add the judgment of ‖ Instit l. 4. c. 1. S. 18. Mr. Calvin If it was the religious care of the Prophets not to alienate themselves from the Church notwithstanding the many and great sins not of a few persons but almost of all the People We do arrogate too much to our selves if we dare presently to withdraw from the unity of the Church because the manners of all that are in it do not satisfie our judgments and are not answerable to their Christian Profession St. John gives us three Rules for tryal of the Spirits 1. By their confessing Christ to be come in the Flesh The 2d By cleaving to the Apostolical Communion v. 6. Whosoever heareth not us is not of God hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error 3ly By mutual love and charity v. 7 8. God is love and he that loveth not knoweth not God These two later testimonies utterly destroy the pretence of Separatists to that Spirit of God which spake by the Apostles for as much as they do act in opposition to it Estius in locum And the Ancients who according to the vulgar Edition do read the first note thus Omnis spiritus qui solvit Jesum that is Sermon of Concision as Dr. Donne paraphraseth it Every spirit that breaks Jesus in pieces and makes Religion serve turnes is not of God in which sense Estius thinks it may also be taken that not only they deny Christ that deny his Humane or Divine Nature or the Doctrine taught by him but such as rent and divide the Church which is his Mystical Body by making Sects and Divisions these have not the Spirit of God but of Autichrist When the Ancient Separatists pretended to extraordinary Operations of the Spirit the Plea was more plausible for the gift of Tongues and Prophecie of Healing c. was not fully ceased But if our Apostle denied it to those ancient Separatists some of which as Thendas and Simon Magus did very strange things lying wonders at least it will be a difficult task for later Separatists to prove that Divine revelations and immediate Inspirations of the Spirit are continued when all the other extraordinary gifts are expired Yet as Grotius observes Jactant se miras habere Inspirationes In locum They still boast of wonderful operations and inspirations of the Holy Ghost But to joyn in issue The gifts of the spirit are twofold either first for the edification of the Church or secondly for the sanctification of the particular members both of these are to be continued in the Church to the end of the World nomen Spiritualis pro eo qui spiritus dono se praedium jactat ad obeundum Prophetiae munus Those for edification of the Church in general are mentioned by the Apostle Ephes 4.8 When Christ escended up on high He gave some Apostles 1 Cor. 14.37 and some Prophets and some Evangelists for the edifying of the body of Christ c. The distinct Offices of the Ministry are those gifts of which all are not capable Are all Apostles saith the Apostle that is in effect All are not Apostles but those that truly succeed the Apostles are to continue successively to the Worlds end till we all come in the unity of the knowledge and faith of the Son of God c. So Matth. 28.20 Lo I am with you always How is Christ present but by his Spirit How with his Apostles but in their Successors And this is the import of that phrase used by the Church in the consecration of Ministers Receive the Holy Ghost wherein neither the power of Miracles nor the special grace of the Spirit but only an authority to administer holy things in the Church of God is to be understood And it is strange how they who are most forward to blame the Church for not following precisely the words of Christ in other Institutions can quarrel as her as they do for observing them in this when-as without these words that power cannot be duly and authoritatively derived It is true that the Church not seeing the hearts of Men may confer this authority on unworthy Men but so did Christ who knew all that was in his heart on Judas whose Ministry was authentick though his Person was vile he might be an instrument of saving others himself being a Cast-away If they that separate are partakers of this Holy Calling they are beholding to the ordinary Pastors of the Church for it from whom they now separate and this will but aggravate their guilt If they have a calling extraordinary they ought to evidence it not by an idle pretence to Revelations and Inspirations much less by swelling words of
to suspect it the more in as much as if it did come from God and should for that cause prevail with others the same God which revealeth it to them would also give them power of confirming it to others either with miraculous operation or with strong invincible remonstrance of sound reason such as whereby it might appear that God would have all Mens judgments give place unto it whereas now the Error and insufficiency of their arguments makes it a strong presumption against them that God hath not moved their hearts to think such things as he hath not inabled them to prove But instead of God's approving the conceits of such Men by miraculous testimonies he hath by little less than a Miracle confuted them by suffering those Pretenders who by the exercise of such gifts have disturbed the Peace and Unity of the Church to fall into manifest impieties for do not such in many of the Factions despise the Word of God and follow rather their own delusions Do not such contemn the Prayer which our blessed Saviour taught us as if they had more of the Spirit than he Do not such pretend to more of the spirit than all the Churches of God who explode these pretences Have not notorious sinners deluded the People of God in all Ages by such dangerous suggestions Were not the Pharisees excellent at it and the Messalians of whom Theodoret tells us that they gave themselves wholly to Prayer and had strange raptures and visions But the Church judged them to be Hereticks for despising their Communion and neglecting other Ordinances and this censure it appears they did deserve for Flamianus a Bishop of Antioch prevailed with one of their number called Adelphius to discover some of their mysteries to this effect They held that all Men brought an evil spirit into the World with them which could not be cast out but by Prayer which being done the good spirit takes possession and restifies his presence both by inward and visible signs and then they need no Sacraments nor Scriptures nor Sermons but only to attend their Prayers but at last it appeared that many of them were possessed by the Devil who made these revelations to them So true is that of St. Augustine Dum sequuntur homines proprium sensum mox delabuntur ad Daemonem We have had sad instances in these later Ages Of Basilides a most implacable Tyrant Swinckfield an Antiscripturist Hacket a Blasphemer Dame Oliver a Witch and many others led by the same spirit who were in their several times and places greatly admired for this as they call it inspired gift of Prayer And it is the righteous judgment of God that when Men despising the ordinary means and methods of obtaining grace and salvation in his Church do turn aside to ways of their own choosing he doth give them up to be punished by their own delusions and having departed first from the unity next they fall from the faith and then fall into unreasonable and damnable opinions and practices such as may affright us all from having any Man's person in admiration for such gifts as these for these Reasons the Church of God to secure the publick worship of God from the prophanations of such presumptuous Men hath in all Ages used a prescript form of Prayer which no doubt saith Mr. Hooker proceeded from God Li. 5. S. 25. and ought by us to be acknowledged a work of his singular care and providence that the Church ever held a form of Common-prayer though not evermore the same yet for the most part retaining the same analogy so that if the Liturgies of all the ancient Churches were compared it might be perceived that they had all one original and that they never used the extemporal dictates of any Man's wit in Churches well setled but publick forms wherein all might joyn with one heart and mouth Rom. 15.6 to glorifie God And for these Reasons most sober Men have wished that all the Churches of God might joyn in one Liturgy And this if any would be to pray in the Holy Ghost To which the Apostle exhorts us as to a duty in the like manner as to build up our selves in our most holy faith and keeping our selves in the love of God all which being gifts of God are to be obtained and improved by the use of those means which God hath appointed for that end viz. reading hearing and meditating in his Word attending to the matter forms and phrases consecrated in the Scriptures for the spirit doth collaborantem adjuvare help the infirmities of the industrious diligent and humble Christian not of the careless and presumptuous sinner Two ways doth the Spirit assist us first in the matter of our Devotions Rom. 8.26 27. directing us to pray for spiritual things that we ask such things as be agreeable to the will of God that is to his revealed will 2ly The spirit assists us as to the manner of praying that we ask in faith and go to God as our Father in and by Christ v. 15. this is to cry Abba Father The spirit excites holy affections by consideration of the precious promises of God in whose favour is life and in whose Presence there are joys for evermore and thus to pray for spiritual things in a spiritual manner in faith and fervency is to pray in the Holy Ghost let the form be what it will for being thus composed according to the spirits own directory that is the Word of God here is no limiting of the spirit but a conforming to it and if the manner of our Prayers be such as the spirit also directs in humility and faith in fervency and charity such a short petition as that of the Publican shall avail more than all the long prayers and loud congratulations of the Pharisees I doubt not but those Primitive Christians who did in the Congregation cast themselves prostrate through the apprehensions of the Divine Majesty and answered the Collects of the Church with an Amen like a clap of Thunder did pray in the spirit And so did St. Augustine with the Congregation in his days St. August confess How much did I weep saith he in the melodious Hymns and Songs of the Church being mightily moved by the consent of Voices which flowing through my Ears conveyed thy truth into my Heart and stirred up pious affections till the tears flowed down The holy People lay prostrate in the Church being prepared to dye with their Bishop thy Servant my Mother also thine Handmaid being eminent for her watching and prayers did live upon her Devotion and we that were cold and dull were excited and comforted by the influence of thy holy spirit Here was humility and unity faith and fervency watchfulness and perseverance and these are the best signs of the spirit of prayer but when Men ask such things as are not consistent with the will of God when they ask things to be consumed by their lusts when they
strife and division do abound Yet these were not full grown Separatists they had only laid the foundation of a Faction in their partiality for some and prejudice against other Ministers the worst of which was too good for such an unthankful People St. Paul tells us Gal. 5.11 that the works of the flesh are manifest that is it is evident and undeniable that these are the works of the flesh as adultery fornication lasciviousness so are Idolatry witchcraft hatred variance emulation wrath strife seditions herefies envyings the certain issues of a carnal mind The Apostle also acquaints Timothy upon what Principles such Men act and what arts they use they suppose that gain is godliness 1 Tim. 6.5 and to compass this they begin to teach otherwise than the Apostles did they would not conform to the wholesome words of Christ or the Doctrine preached by the Apostles which was according to godliness but in their pride and ignorance would dote about questions and strife of words to the stirring up of envy strife railing and evil surmising And he acquaints Timothy that the same thing should come to pass in the later days 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 c. when Men of corrupt minds and reprobate concerning the faith should under a form of godliness See Titus 1.10 practise all manner of iniquities and yet draw Parties after them resist the truth and them that defend it and lead captive silly Women c. and that these were lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God St. James goes a degree beyond all this that if there be but envy James 3.14 15. and strife in our hearts though it do not break forth into open separation all our pretences to true wisdom and piety are but lies for this wisdome is earthly sensual and devilish St. Peter gives us the like description 2 Pet. 2.10 as St. Jude doth and it seems to be the joynt design of all the Apostles to continue in all Churches the Picture of a Separatist to forewarn the People of the deceitfulness and danger Phil. 3.18 Col. 2.18 that such Persons and practices might involve them in And now to come nearer home I doubt not but many will be of the same judgment with me in this That the defection which some learned Men and others have made from our Church to the Church of Rome while the late Persecution did indure could not be for greater purity but in hopes of better preferment and the reputation of being accounted Men of Learning and tender consciences whereas if the Church could have satisfied their expectation of Dignities and preferment they would never have courted another Mistriss whose Wealth and gaudy Dresses did not so much exceed as her Vertues and comeliness were inferior to the Church of England And as for the ordinary sort of Romish Proselytes they were doubtless possest with an opinion of an easier Religion that would indulge them in more licentiousness and at easie rates grant them pardon for sins to come as well as what were past Most Men would choose a Religion which they may injoy with their Lusts and wherein they may hope to go to Heaven without that strictness of life and sincere and universal obedience which is required in the Protestant Churches And it is altogether as evident that many who divide themselves into lesser Factions among us though purity and conscience and Christian liberty be pretended do please themselves with some other apprehensions than what are really consistent with the graces of the Holy Spirit of which I shall instance in these particulars First They are Animalia Gloriae so they were described by Tertullian Qui gloriae principatus gratia Contr. Per. c. 3. novas falsas opiniones sequuntur Pride and too high an opinion of their own parts and piety hath diverted many from the unity of the Church for this Pharisaical leven doth not only swell them but renders them sowre and bitter to contemn their Brethren and scorn their Governors Regis quisque in se animum habot as Galvin observes of such Men they have ambition to be uppermost and to that end will rather make themselves head of a small Faction than continue Members of the most honourable Society 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is their design and to that end is it that with Core c. they are so troublesome to their Rulers Spotswood's History and as it is observed of the Scottish Clergy although none pleaded more for purity than they while they were under Episcopal Jurisdiction yet none acted more against it when they had shaken off that Discipline griping not only the Crosier but the Scepter too with both their hands 'T is not the Superiority that they dislike but that it is in other Mens hands for it is true of such what Zanchy observed of some Lutheran Churches they only changed the good Greek work of Bishop into a bad Latine one of Superintendent and in some places where they neither retained the good Greek nor the bad Latine word yet they kept the power of Bishops still Now what greater symptomes of pride are there than the despising of our Superiors and contempt of our equals the vaunting of what we have not and a vain glorying of what we have That description which I have formerly given out of Calvin Instit l. 4. c. 1. S. 16. shews that it is not piety but pride that is predominant in such to which I shall add Vt omnium contemptu oftentent se esse aliis moliores that in his Book de Scandalis St. Augustine saith he doth truly name pride the Mother of all Heresies for never was there any Master of error Vt sibi placeant praepositos superbo tumore contemnant St. Cyprian l. 3. Ep. 19. whom a wicked ambition did not raise up to his own ruine We know that God is a faithful teacher of such as are humble they therefore that swell with arrogance it is no wonder that they are driven up and down with wild speculations being banished from this School As many as in our Age have fallen from the pure Doctrine of the Gospel and made themselves Authors of false Opinions we find them all infected with the disease of pride and from thence to have created witty torments as well to themselves as others And again Cal. contra Labertinos They are victorious by nothing but their impudence for there is not one of them but desireth to be uppermost The temper of a holy Man is known by this saith Cameron He indures injuries Cameron de Schismate to the loss of his Name and Reputation that the Church may not be divided whereas wicked and mercenary Men if any touch them but with his little finger or in any respect diminisheth their fame presently either under pretence of severity in the Ecclesiastical Discipline or of preserving the purity of Doctrine whereas in truth they study only their own interest
then that there were just and necessary causes of making severe Laws against such practices and by an Act of Parliament for restraining the Queen's Majesties Subjects in obedience it was forbidden under the Penalty of Banishment that any Person should be present at or perswade others to those unlawful Meetings or Conventicles The Primitive Church did the like as in the Canons of the Apostles it was ordained Can. 30. That if any Presbyter contemning his own Bishop shall make a separate Congregation and erect another Altar his own Bishop not being condemned of any irreligion or injustice let him be deposed as one that is an ambitious and a tyrannical Person and in like manner all that adhere to him and let the lay People be excommunicated after the Bishop's third Admonition When Eusebius Bishop of Sebastia cast off the Discipline of the Church and contemned the Presbyters because they were married and under pretence of greater strictness of life fasted on the Lord days and kept private Meetings drawing away Women from their Husbands and both Men and Women to greater impurities the Bishops met in the Council of Gangra Anno 325. and there agreed That if any one should teach that the House of God is to be despised and the Assemblies that are held in it Let him be accursed If any shall take upon him to teach privately at home and making light of the Church shall do those things which belong only to the Church without the presence of the Priest and approbation of the Bishop let him be accursed And as all good Men cannot but bewail those great mischiefs and desolations which by the practices of such outragious and disorderly Persons have in all Ages invaded the Church of God so they ought highly to commend and submit unto such wholesome Laws as have been made by their pious and prudent Governors to stop the beginnings of such evils seeing as the Scripture and experience do teach us Wicked Men and Seducers do wax worse and worse And thus I have in some measure proved my Position That Sensuality is the Ground of Separation And now that you know the Men and their communication I shall apply all in the words of St. Peter Ye therefore beloved seeing ye know these things before 1 Pet. 3.17 beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ In which words you have first a Caution then a Direction The Caution to beware of being seduced by the Errors of wicked Men. And your knowledge of the sin and danger of such Errors will certainly be a preservative against them for as Solomon says in vain is a snare laid in the sight of any Bird and you will easily baffle all the arguments and expectations of such Sophisters if you consider what conclusions must necessarily follow upon their premises They tempt you to Division and Separation that is without any just or warrantable cause to leave a Church of Christ rightly established in all Points of Faith and a Holy Life wherein you have all and only that allowed for Doctrine which the Scripture approveth and for Government and Worship nothing but what in the judgment and by the practice of the Church of God in all Ages hath been determined to be agreeable to the Scripture I demand therefore First What real evil shall you avoid by leaving the Church and adhering to Conventicles Is there less pride and contention less hypocrisie and dissimulation less censuring and slandering less lying and defrauding amongst them than amongst us Or Secondly What real grace or vertue is practised by them more than by the Conformists if at least they conform in heart and life as well as in profession to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church under which we may be as piously devout towards God as just and righteous to Men as sober and temperate in respect of our selves as liberal in works of Charity as our Humane infirmities will permit and in a word Whatsoever things are true honest just pure lovely and of good report Phil. 4.8 whatever is vertuous and praise worthy these things you may both learn and receive and hear and see in all the Doctrines Constitutions and Offices of the Church If you respect the means of saving knowledge where are the Scriptures more frequently read more plainly and solidly expounded more rationally and affectionately applyed than by the Ministers of the Church whose works praise them in all the Churches of God Now as there is no real good to be obtained or evil to be avoided by deserting the Church So in the next place consider the many real evils that will necessarily follow upon Separation First The great scandal we bring upon our Religion 2ly The great advantages we give to the enemes of it 3ly The hard censures and evil thoughts of the whole Church which we desert 4ly Our own great sin for in the words of Irenaeus l. 4. c. 62. It is to rent and wound the Great and Glorious Body of Christ and as much as in us lyeth to destroy it and while we pretend Peace to maintain War to strain at a Gnat and swallow Camels Nor can any Reformation that may be hoped for expiate the sin Mr. Edwards reckoneth 180. Errors or out-weigh the mischief of Schism The experience which the Assembly noted on Philippians 1.1 in the Preface to their Annotations 1645. should perswade us And Mr. Case tells the Parliament That the Errors in the Bishops Days were but trifles but now the Nation is filled with the Doctrine of Devils for when Religion is by choice or force propagated in corners then say they Many Heretical Doctrines are hatched and preached and printed too which had not been conceived or published if the Authors had continued in the Publick Assemblies And every one knows it to be a truth which Master Cawdrey observes Cawdrey contra Owen p. 14. that Toleration had done more hurt in Seven Years than was done under Conformity in Seventy Years before The Rule which the Spirit of God gives us for finding out a false Prophet will be of very good use to discover a Separatist If there arise among you a Prophet or a Dreamer of Dreams and giveth thee a sign Deutr. 13. 1 2 3. or a wonder and the sign or the wonder come to pass whereof he spake unto thee saying let us go after other Gods which thou hast not known and let us serve them Thou shalt not hearken to the words of that Prophet or that Dreamer of Dreams for the Lord your God proveth you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your Heart and with all your Soul If the end be Idolatry or any certain impiety to which false Prophets do intice you although they appear as Angels of Light Men of wonderful knowledge and holiness yet are they but
were as expresly set down in the Gospel to be used or for born in the publick worship of God as the rites and circumstances concerning Sacrifices were in the ceremonial law yet as the Sacrifices themselves much more the modes of preparing and offering them might be used or omitted for the performance of moral duties so doubtless if things of an external ceremonial nature had been commanded or forbidden in express terms they might yet be observed or omitted as the substantial service of God and obedience to his greater commands for charity and peace might be best performed But these things being not determined particularly by the Gospel but left under general rules for decency and order may doubtless be determined by a lawful authority such as that of our Church under our Gracious Soveraign is and being so determined and imposed there is an advantage on the side of Authority against a scrupulous conscience which ought to over-rule the practice of such who are members of that Church It remains only that I endeavour to remove an objection or two against what is here said Object 1. If the ceremonies be things of such indifferency Why do not they who are in authority dispense with the use of them or totally lay them aside for the sake of peace and unity Answ 1. The Magistrate doth but his duty in providing for the solemnity of Divine worship according to those general rules for decency and order prescribed by the Apostles 2ly What the Magistrate doth is not only agreeable to his private discretion and conscience for he practiseth the same things that he prescribes but according to the deliberate determinations of the most wise and pious persons of the Nation in their solemn Assemblies and doubtless as St. Ambrose wrote to St. Augustine if they had known any thing better they would have practised that 3ly It will very much impair the authority and reputation of Magistrates so to comply with the importune clamours of scrupulous persons as to alter or abrogate their laws and constitutions as oft as discontented or seduced persons shall demand it And though it be very uncertain that the craving party will be satisfied when they are indulged in all that they desire yet it is certain that others will be incouraged to make new supplications and so create perpetual disturbances And the gratifying of a few weaklings or male-contents may give just cause of offence to a greater and better party who are desirous to worship God in the beauty of holiness and are really grieved at the irreverence and disorders which are and have been too observable in the Meetings of dissenting parties 4ly Hereby the Magistrate should tacitly confess himself guilty of all those accusations that have been charged upon him and his predecessors of imposing unlawful superstitious and Popish ceremonies and persecuting the godly and conscientious people that could not conform to them And 5ly It would greatly defame those worthy Martyrs who not only thought fit to retain them and gave cogent arguments for the lawful use of them but sealed the established worship and discipline with their bloud not only in the Marian days but under the late Usurpation also 6ly It is an unreasonable thing to demand that which they themselves would deny if they were in the Magistrates place for let me ask them whether they being well perswaded of their discipline and order viz. that it is agreeable to the Word of God to antiquity and reason would comply with the desires of dissenting parties to make such alterations as should from time to time be required by others contrary to their own judgments and consciences and to this we need no other answer than the practice of the Objectors when they were in Authority And who can doubt but that they who being subjects do assume to themselves a power of directing and prescribing to the Magistrate if they were in the Magistrates place would take it very ill to be directed by their Subjects 7ly If the established ceremonies were removed others of a like nature would succeed as unscriptural and symbolical as they such as sitting at the Sacrament and lifting up the hands to Heaven it being impossible almost to perform divine service with any decency without such and seeing that for many centuries of the Primitive Church wherein other ceremonies have been complained of by Saint Augustine and others no man ever objected against the ceremonies which are used in our Church and which were by those famous Reformers and Martyrs retained in our Liturgy it is no argument of a meek or quiet spirit to make objections and cause divisions upon pretence of Superstition in the Liturgy and ceremonies and to expect that the Church to salve their reputation should betray her own and by abrogating her sanctions give the world more reason than yet hath been given to believe that the Church of England even from the first Reformation hath been in a dangerous error and the Factions that opposed her have had truth and justice on their side In the second Objection Papists and Sectaries joyntly say That other dissenters may as well justifie their separation from us on pretence of the Ceremonies retained by our Church as we can justifie our separation from the Church of Rome by reason of the Ceremonies injoyned by her To which I shall not need to make any other answer than a short appeal to the Consciences of all unprejudiced persons Whether the Church of England requiring the use of three Ceremonies declared by her self to be indifferent and acknowledged by her enemies not to be unlawful can be thought by any sober person to give as great and just a cause of Separation from her as all that load of Superstition in the Church of Rome of which St. Augustine complained in his days that the Jewish yoke was less heavy To require Prayers in an unknown Tongue and to Saints and Angels is doubtless more offensive than to use a solemn plain form of words taken either from the Scripture or the ancient Liturgies of the Church What is the Surplice Cross in Baptism and kneeling at the Sacrament for devotion if compared to their Adoration of the transubstantiated Host worshipping of Images invocation of Saints their doctrines of the Popes Supremacy and Infallibility of Purgatory and Indulgences besides the innumerable ceremonies daily practised by them And as the Sectaries will not condemn the Church of England for receding from these extreams so neither can the Romanists blame her for want of moderation in retaining both purity of Doctrine and decency of Worship and abhorring those other extreams of Sacriledge and profanation of holy things of Rebellion and Bloud shed though under pretence of Religion wherewith with both they and the Sectaries have defiled themselves It was the pious care of the Pilots of our Church to conduct their Successors between the two rocks of Superstition and Idolatry on one hand and irreverence and irreligion on the other in the same course
Worship or some grand profaneness in our Members so are they not raised without such thoughts in the hearts of those that do separate from us as Mr. Newcomen observed in his Sermon at St. Pauls Febr. 8. 1646. p. 40. Who are they that brand their Brethren with the title of Proud Time-servers Prelatical Tyrannical Antichristian but such as separate Who will say that they are of the same opinion in Fundamentals and that their differences are but in minutioribus but Why do they in matters of lesser moment transgress the Apostles rule Why do they not keep their opinions private and have their faith to themselves before God Why do they upon so small differences withdraw from Communion with us and gather themselves into distinct and separate Churches This is certainly a pharisaical leaven that ferments and imbitters our spirits and though the effects of it may be hid for a time yet on every heat and agitation it spreads through the whole lump and swells Men with Pride and an unsociable sowrness of Spirit And though the things wherein we differ seem to be but small and have a shew of piety yet the consequences are so notoriously and really evil that the most zealous pretences for the Discipline of Christ are too narrow a Plaister to cover or cure the festred rancor and malice towards his members Ceremonies are no fit matter to exercise our zeal and contention but obedience and charity Yet as the Ordinances and Rites that were retained by the believing Jews and Gentiles were still a Wall of separation between them and the Apostle calls it the enmity Eph. 2.15 so is it with us The Jews and Samaritans differed chiefly about the place wherein they ought to Worship upon which there grew a mortal hatred between them so as that there was no commerce between them they would not salute one another Nec monstrare vias eadem nisi Sacra colenti and it was accounted all one to be a Samaritan and to have a Devil So when once Men swerve from the center and basis of charity there is no consistency but Men fall first to vain jangling and that increaseth to more ungodliness for where bitter envying or as the original word is zeal is there is confusion and every evil thing Behold saith St. James how great a matter a little fire kindleth if Men snatch a Coal from the Altar it is blown up and down by popular breath until it be raised into a flame and hath this property at least of the fire of the Sanctuary that the busie Levites will not permit it to go out I know it will be troublesome to others for it is a terror to my self to recount what cataracts and inundations of blood our Church-divisions that at first as the Prophets Cloud were but as a hand-breadth have rained down upon the whole Land I shall give it you therefore in a Foreign instance namely of the Donatists in Africa who because Cecilian their Bishop had admitted some to his Communion whom they accused for Traditors first withdrew from the Church which as they pretended ought to consist of such only as were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy and without blemish and because they had read in the Canticles that Christ caused his Flock to rest sub meridie they concluded that their Party in the South of Africa was that Flock and hereupon they are very industrious to gather Congregations and pick up one of a Family and two or three of a Village which as Optatus observes were generally of the weaker sort Aut exivit Vxor resedit Maritus c. The Wife is withdrawn from her Husband the Son or Daughter from their Parents And my * Optatus Author sets down the Method which those Seducers used Cai Sei or Caia Seia bonus homo sed traditor libera animam tuam Thou good Man or good Woman thou art among Idolaters and Superstitious persons thou hast good affections but they are not rightly placed come out of Babylon and deliver thy Soul When they had thus increased their Party they built Basilicas non necessarias more Churches than were necessary and their Sermons were generally Satyrs against the Catholicks and though they were frequently confuted in private disputations and condemned by many Synods at home and several Councils abroad and divers Edicts of the Emperors yet never would they acquiesce or be reconciled but vexed the Churches of Africa for more than a Hundred Years increasing their Numbers and subdividing into Factions as the Primianists and Maximianists the Rogatians and Callidians Luciferians and Circumcellians and all of them Donatists and the Circumcellians were a Generation of Zealots so fierce and implacable that Domitian himself did not use more cruelty in shedding Christians bloud nor Julian who was in Rempublicam Christianam ingeniose nequam could ever contrive more mischievous Instruments to destroy Christianity withall than these Donatists were and therefore he countenanced them against the Catholicks And when at last their grievances and the grounds of the Schisme came to be inquired into in the Conference of Carthage they could object nothing against the Catholicks but what here the Pharisees did against Christ Why eateth your Master with Publicans and Sinners And can any Christian Spirit think that this Plea for a Levitical Ceremony will justifie such barbarous cruelties and bloody Sacrifices before him who hath said I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice For let it be considered that we live in a Church which is established on the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone a Church wherein nothing is forbidden which the Word of God commands nor any thing commanded which that forbids a Church whose Constitutions are truly Ancient and Apostolical for which it is envied by her Adversaries though blamed by those that should be her Friends In a word a Church wherein we may be as holy devout and charitable as flesh and bloud will permit us This Church is protected by a Gracious King setled on the Throne of his Fathers by many miracles of Providence ready to gratifie the just desires of all good Men. And what sufficient reason can be given to disturb the peace of such a Church or to disobey the commands of such a King for the preservation of peace and unity under whom all things are lawful except libertas pereundi a licence to undo our selves and others That there are some such imperfections in the Church as discontented Persons may quarrel at is no strange thing and if causless and frivolous objections may be a ground for Separation there can never be a firm peace in any Church seeing that ignorance and interest Tanta est imperitiae morositas ut vel in rebus probatissimis habeat semper quid reprehendat Cal. and malice will still prevail in the hearts of some Men but that such things may be tolerated and submitted to rather than to destroy the foundations of peace and
unity and rent the Body of Christ is the judgment of all sober Christians Our Saviour did not withdraw himself and his Disciples from the Jewish Synagogues because there was a High-Priest and the Scribes and Pharisees sate in Moses Chair A tolerable Sore is better than a dangerous remedy Mr. Hooker Nor did the Apostle perswade the Christians to forsake the Church of Corinth wherein were many profane Persons and great abuses but he disswaded them from their divisions which had given occasion to those scandals And if the Church in imitation of her Master do retain some sinful persons in her Communion in hope to reform them it is no charitable course to seduce her Disciples as here the Pharisees did Why eateth your Master with Publicans and Sinners If the Church did impose such Sacrifices as the Church of Rome doth for the Living and the Dead a few Pence at the Pope's shrine for Sins past present and to come if it did require that daily Mock-sacrifice of the Body and Bloud of Christ in the Mass of which they themselves can have no great esteem seeing they order it to give place to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Worship of the Cross on a certain day set apart for that end on which saith Durand Rationale l. 6. c. 77. Horâ nonâ convenit ad adorandam crucem vacare they must be wholly intent upon the Worshipping of the Cross as if that were indeed the Altar that did Sanctifie the Sacrifice or if they did impose such gaudy and numerous Ceremonies as should quite hide and obscure the substance of Worship and Devotion that it might be said of the Church as the Poet says of his gaudy Girl Pars minima est ipsa puella sui Then we might have cause not only to recede but to resist as the Martyrs did but to contend as Hugh Broughton and Mr. Ainsworth did to Separation and enmity upon a needless controversie whether Aarons Ephod were of a Blew colour or Sea-water-green and Tragoedias agere in nugis to act Tragedies upon no other ground than our own fears or jealousies and to use our Christian Brethren as the Heathen did their Predecessors wrap them up in the skins of Wolves or Bears by defaming slandering and condemning them as Profane and Antichristian persons and then bait and devour them this is to deal worse with them than the Pharisees did with Christ Suppose there were a better Government and discipline revealed than ever yet was known or practised in the Church suppose the Presbytery were agreeable to the pattern in the Mount as some phrase it and if they had said to the pattern of the air it had been alike intelligible yet if it could not be erected without Rebellion and Rapine without the effusion of Christian bloud and rasing the foundations of Churches and Kingdoms that were well established in the truth and peace of Christ the Text doth warrant the rejection of it I will have mercy and not Sacrifice But wherein I pray doth the Discipline opposed by Presbyterians c. to the Peace and Unity of the Church exceed or parallel that which is already established or is it as venerable for antiquity as the Jewish Sacrifices were is there any thing of such beauty as the Temple and the several Orders of the Priesthood is it such a prop to the Royal Tribe as the Priesthood was or doth it serve the Ends of Religion as the Sacrifices did Alas very little of all this will appear it is but an invention of yesterday that like Jonah's gourd sprung up in a night and hath a worm alwayes gnawing at the root and yet men think they do well to be angry and to contend for it even to the death of their Brethren Hath not God said I hate robbery though it be for burnt-offerings will God be well-pleased with such as sacrifice their Loyalty and Charity and all moral virtues to a pretended Reformation of Ceremonies This Mask is so worn out that a Pharisee would be ashamed of it and yet a late Gentleman hath taken it up and though his business was to cast fire into the several parts of the Nation especially into the Churches yet makes himself very merry and tells us in his Rehearsal that the good Old Cause was not only good enough but too good to be fought for but God forbid that others should be of his mind to think only so well of it as to fight for it again for it is so impossible that any Cause fought for with such horrid circumstances as that was should be good that if an Angel from Heaven Gal. 1.8 much less when only one transformed into an Angel of light should assert it I have warrant enough not to believe him The Sacrifices and Discipline of the Law were termed by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 3.7 the ministration of death because without shedding of bloud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there was no remission Heb. 9.22 And if in this the Discipline contended for do resemble the Jewish Sacrifices in the shedding the bloud not of Beasts but of Christians and cutting and dividing the very body of Christ in fire and smoke and making whole Kingdoms burnt-offerings we may be assured the God of Mercy cannot be well-pleased with such Sacrifices The Honour of God the Success of the Gospel and Salvation of Souls is not concerned in the erecting of such a Discipline nor in contending about Ceremonies which are not otherwise hurtful to those great ends but by our needless contentions about them If we could order our Conversations according to the Doctrine of the Church we need not fear of displeasing God by Conforming our Devotions to the Liturgy of the Church for the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men There is no Reason we should be thus disjoyned and mutually branded By. Hall in a Serm. of the mischief of Faction p. 83. This man is right ye say that man is not right this sound that rotten and how so dear Christians what for Ceremonies and circumstances for Rotchets or Rounds or Squares Let me tell you he is right that hath a right heart to his God what Form soever he is for The Kingdom of God doth not stand in meats or drinks in stuffs or colours or fashions in noises or gestures it stands in Holiness and Righteousness in Godliness and Charity in Peace and Obedience and if we have happily attained unto these God doth not stand upon trifles and niceties of indifferency and why should we Away then with all false jealousies and uncharitable glosses of each others actions and estates Let us all in the fear of God be intreated in the bowels of our Dear Redeemer as we Love our Selves our Land our Church the Gospel to combine our counsels and endeavours to the holding