Inquiry and Answer of Thomas Whites Discovery of Brownism, Part 3
The cautions (spoken of before, pag. 34. & 68.) concerning the question following.
Question. Whether such as sometimes have fallen from the truth, may afterward by the Church be taken into office.
Answer. We take it not to be meet, without these and the like cautious: viz.
FIrst that there be due consideration had both of the nature of the thing, and of the quality of the persons, and also of the estate of the Church.
For the nature of the thing, 1. Whether it be from the trueth to the Idolatry of the heathen, or to some false Christian worship: And here further, whether to the Papists, Anabaptists, Lutherans, or other Protestants professing reformation in sundry things, & those of great moment &c. 2. Whether at the first appearing & receiving of the truth, or when the adversaries hauehave ben soundly & throughly convinced. 3. Whether in dispersion and absence from the Church, or living and remayning with it. 4. Whether drawen, circumvented, & overcome by others (as Aharon, and some of the Galatians, Exod. 32.1.23.35. Gal. 1.6.) or drawing, intising & seducing of others (as they of whom we read Ezech. 44.12. Deut. 13.5.6.12.13.) Such as now also be they which publish writings against the trueth, the Church, &c. 5. Whether they did voluntarily yeeld of themselves, or fainted being broken with troubles and persecutions. 6. Whether they joyned themselves as members, or were present onelyonly at their worship. 7, Whether (being ioyned as members) they did partake onelyonly, or did administer also and execute their worship themselves. 8. Whether slipping aside for a tyme through infirmity, or falling away long & resisting the meanes offred for their recovery, or labouring (what they could) to chaunge or abolish the true religion & worship of God. 9. Lastly, whether before or after the Church hath discussed and agreed what to do in this matter.
For the quality of the persons, 1. Whether they were in office before or not. 2. VVhether they be fit for office, or not. Els what blot should they beare in this behalf who for their sundry defects are altogether vnfit, & therefore never to be taken into office, though they never had fallen from the trueth? As they of Aharons seed, who had a blemish in their body, might never be Priests, though they did neuer fall to Idolatry. Lev. 21.17. &c.
For the estate of the Church, 1. VVhether it were but newly and weakly entred into the faith and way of Christ, or had ben long and well established therein. 2. VVhether as yet it were vnsetled and tossed hither and thither, to and fro, or were setled and well together. 3. Whether it hauehave great and present need of some to be taken into office. 4. VVhether it have others in all respects, as fit to be chosen. As Paul when he refused Iohn Mark, had Silas, whome he chose to take with him, Act. 15.25.26.27.32.38.40.
Secondly, that the Church do well know or trie such as have so fallē, afore they do afterward entertayn them into office. As Paul may be noted to hauehave done with Mark, whom yet Barnabas did sooner receive, as being his sisters sonne, well knowen vntounto him before. Col. 4.10. & 2 Tim. 4.11. with Act. 15.38.39.
Finally, that none be contentious, but that all of vsus duly considering the former cautions and the like, we take the fittest whom God in this estate of the Church doth offer, endeavouring to keep the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace, that we may with love and comfort proceed in that wherevnto we are come: to the prayse of God, and to the further building & vpholding of the whole Church & of*Aswell those that have fallen as the rest. all the members thereof in the trueth of the Gospell of Iesus Christ. 1 Cor. 11.16. Ephe. 4.2.3. Phil. 3.15.16. Gal. 6.16.
This for the present, so to be mynded & observed, as if others shall at any tyme shew vsus better from the word of God, we be alway ready to receive it in the Lord.