Certain Observations, Section 17
SECT. XVII.
Whether it be fitting to bury in Churchyards?
Anſw. IT ſeeems no, For the Scripture and practiſe of all the Saints is againſt it.
2 Men place religion and holineſſe in it, and when things indifferent come ſo be abuſed, they are not lawfull to be uſed.
3 This hath and doth cauſe ſo many prayers to be read over the dead.
4 The covetouſneſſe of Prieſts and Friars, hath been a ſpeciall meanes of this courſe.
Whether it be not not needfull to pull down Churches built for the honour of Idols?
Anſw. It ſeems it is. For 1 Hoſ. 4.15.
2 The houſe of Baal was deſtroyed.
3 The high places ought to hauehave been d…ſtroyed.
4 It is a part of holineſſe to overthrow the Groues, Deut. 7.
5 The name and memoriall of Idolls ought to be rooted out.
6 To dedicate Churches to a Saint is Idolatry, which ought to be removed.
7 The gold of graven Images is an abomination to the Lord, and an accurſed thing, therfore alſo Churches which …are ſo defiled.
Object. Theſe places were unlawfull becauſe the Lord had choſen a ſpeciall place where be had put his name.
Anſw. That reaſon is never given: 2 the pollution by Idolatry is ever urged as the cheife cauſe.
Meanes that the people may be fitted for Reformation.
1 Men muſt hunger after all Gods Ordinances.
1 Muſt ſet their hearts to ſeek the Lord by earneſt praying, and turning unto him.
3 They muſt obſeru an holy Diſcipline amongſt themſelues in admoniſhing and reproving one an other, &c.
4 Muſt touch no unclean thing, abhorring all Romiſh Reliques, and Ant…chriſt eſpecially.
5 When men mourn for the burdens laid upon them, and groan for the miſery of others.
6 Rejoyce in the forwardneſſe of them that are moſt zealous, not envying one an other.
7 That ſpeciall prayers be continually offered up to the Lord for the Magiſtrate.
The danger of ſeperation after the manner now uſed by ſome.
Let none imagine that becauſe I write gainſt the practiſe of Seperat…on, that therefore I hate the pe…ſons, whom I am pe…wa…ed th…o…gh tende…nes of conſcie…ce doe w…thſta…d theſe corrupt…ons.
Hear th…fore a freinds reproof who tenders your good, and deſires the holy ordinances of God, and in all th ngs to keep a good conſcience. Sometimes affection may outrun ſoundnes of judgment, and in ſ…eking to fly more then is ſin, we fall into greater corr…ptions, and nouriſh much …vill in us.
Brethren, diſdain not to read a few lines which I know cannot abate your zeal, and may through Gods bleſſing make your courſe more comfortab…e. Conſider well therfore of theſe g…ounds I lay, as a way to that wh ch follows.
1 That there is in each a naturall affect… on like zeal; as in other graces, the deceitfull hea…t will counterfeit gr…e, ſo in th…s; witnes Iehu: there is an errour on the right hand.
2 That this blind zeal carries men headlong without examination or ſea…ch of their waies to cenſure others, when there is no power further to hurt.
3 Men may oppoſe corruptions in publique, and yet neglect to fight againſt ſin reſolutely, and zealouſly in themſelues, therby thinking to pleaſe God highly.
4 That Tolleration is not approbation Act. 17.30.
5 It is the deſire of Satan and our own… to ſeperate, from the true children of God, upon any occaſion whatſoever, theſe enemies much reſpect.
6 Men rending themſelues from the true Church, as no Church, cannot tell where to ſtay, nor to whom to joyn themſelues which makes their rents incurable.
7 Men may joyn themſelus to the pureſt Congregations, if it be without condemning others, as nothing.
8 Chriſt is not ever accompanied withall his ordinances in act, but many times he goes in one or two amongſt his people. A Church holding the foundation, though it err in many particulars remaines a Church ſtill.
9 Many commands binde the Magiſtrate to redreſſe things amiſſe, which private perſons cannot poſſibly reform.
10 Gods Ordinances make us one with the Lord, and with men, no further then they are one with the Lord.
Theſe things agreed upon, I doubt not but men will yeeld to theſe Arguments following agai…ſt totall ſeparation.
Firſt, there …s a true Miniſt…ry in the Chu…ches of England, therfore it …s lawfull to joyn with them.
That there is a true Miniſtery it may appeare.
1 B…cauſe men hauehave gifts to diſpenſe the Word.
2 Men are choſen by the people.
3 Graue and godly Preachers doe approue of the ent…ng …n of many.
4 Men hauehave ord…nation though not aft…r the pureſt manner, but corrupt, wh…ch comming to their knowledg they repent of.
5 Men exerciſe their Miniſtery, not by vertue of a…y power from men, but becauſe the Lord hat… ſ nt them.
6 The hand of the Lord is with them, to proſper h…s own wo…k, ſo as men are brought to the Lord.
Secondly, where the Goſpell is ſoundly preached, and men yeeld obed…ence to the known t…uth, therto we may ſaf…ly joyn. For theſe are the …eep of Chriſt, Ioh. 10.
Object. The Goſpell is not faithfully preached, many truths are concealed.
Anſw. The main and fundamentfull truths, which giuegive life to a Chriſtian are purely and wholly taught, as the doctrine of fa…th and …epentance.
2 Other circumſtantiall truths are taught too: 1 generally to the und…ſtand…ng of the w…ſe: 2 in practiſ…, in that men doe abſtain from all things they judg… to be ſinne: 3 They ſuffer that is ſa…d upon them for refuſall hereunto: 4 Some hauehave taught th…ſe t…uths controv…t d, by writing and private R…ſolut…on: Suppoſe …t bee a want amongſt us, as I confeſſe men hauehave been too wary, for the moſt part, in this kinde: yet notwithſtanding conſider, each want doth not bring a nullity of the Miniſtery.
3 Reaſon. Men muſt not ſeparate, till the Lord ſeparate; for Gods people muſt follow th… Lo…d, not goe before him, and they muſt not be holyer then hee, who is of pureſt eyes.
Now the Lord is not ſ parated till hee giuegive men over, and ſend no mo…e Prophets to turn them to h…m: for till then, though men hauehave forſaken th… Lord, yet he forſakes not them.
4 All Chriſtians are bound to follow the Lamb wherſoever he goes; and joyn with him againſt the ſinns of the times; therfore m…n ſhould not ſeparate ſo, and leaue Chriſt, but each to help and ſtand for Reformation, incouraging the ſervants of the Lord that are ſent out to proteſt againſt corruptions.
5 No inſtance can be given that ever the ſervants of God hauehave ſevered, or were commanded to ſeperate further then from the corruptions of the time, to hauehave no fellowſhip with the unfruitful works of darkneſſe, to touch no unclean thing.
6 Men mourning for ſin, not acting, nor joyning in conſent in any known evill, are not guilty of others ſins: therfore Lot was not guilty of Sodoms ſin, ſeeing they vexed his righteous ſoule, 2 Pet. 2.7, Eze. 9, in the Churches of England men may doe thus.
7 This kinde of ſeparation obſcures the good providence of God towards the land, which giues ſome liberty in his ſervice, but with ſome paines, coſt and other croſſes, which uſually accompany the pure worſhip of God. This is no ſmall ſin, to bereaue the Lord of the glory of ſo great mercy in ſpiritual bleſſings, as he hath ſhewed towards our land.
Secondly, this paſſeth raſh judgment upon many reverend Preachers, and godly people.
Thirdly, men hereby deſpiſe, and ſo looſe the b…nefit of the prayers of the Saints, which is the greateſt ben…fit in the wo…ld, next to t…e min…ſte…y of the Wo…d.
Fourthly, men ſo ſeparate as they joyn to no reformed Church that holds and pract… ſeth the ſame holy Ordinances of God which they deſire, and walk in the ſame way of obedi…nce with them.
8 Wheras they might giuegive teſtimony to the truth in ſuffering for the Ordinances of God, now they ſuffer for ſeparation from the Word preached.
9 The power of the Goſpell doth as much app…ar in any of the Profeſſors, being in our Chu…ch, as it doth when they are ſeparated, wh…ch ſhould not, if they onelyonly had t…e O…d…nances of God.
10 Gods children may eat their own meat though dogs and ſw…ne be admitted, through the neg…gence of th…m that ſhould exerc ſe Diſcip…n….
Wherfore b…thren follow after truth, b…t…n louelove, that you may hauehave the more inward pe…c…, and doe the more good. Oppoſe errour, b…t not any truth: fight againſt t…e world, but ſ…rr not agai…ſt the ch…d…en of God. Make not the Church weak by your r…nting from it: nor giuegive occaſion to the adverſaries to ſpeak evill of thoſe truths you hold, and ordinances of God which you ſeek.