Arrow Against the Separationists, Discourse · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Love the trueth, and peace. Zach. 8.19.
Hen. Ainſ.I Like well of your counſel (Mr. Paget) in the concluſion of your writing, that we ſhould ſo menage our cauſes, as may moſt tend to the edification of Gods Church, with his praiſe and our peace therin: and through his grace (which I humbly crave,) I ſhall indedevour my ſelf hereunto. One meanes to further this, I take to be the abridging and if it may be, the quite cutting off of all leſse needfull matters, and holding to the mayn differences: an other, that we diſcuſſe things by the word of God, not of man.
So firſt to end the ſtrife about the provocation to this controverſie: for as much as ſundry works are publiſhed on your ſide and ours, I held them ſufficient to ſhew vntounto judicious Readers, that would examine the ſcriptures and reaſons brought on eyther part, where the trueth lyeth, and purpoſed therfore to write no more this way, vnleſſe further and more probable obiections were publickly brought againſt vsus. And I turned the courſe of my ſtudies an other way, as is openly to be ſeen. Neyther would I take occaſion to meddle, though provoked by you and yours, more then by any other: as I ſhewed you in part, by inſtances of ſome that could not be admitted to the Lords ſupper with you, for that they heard the doctrine of our Church, or thought it lawfull onelyonly (as was ſayd,) though they never did it. This I yet think to be more ſeverity on your part againſt vsus, then any Biſhop in England would ſhew: how juſtly you may doe it, remaineth to be judged, when the differences between vsus are diſcuſſed. And as for the provocation of our people, wheron you inſiſt: I know it not: the man whom you named, denyed it to me before witneſſes, and ſayd: ſome of yours were the beginners of it, as he could prove. But now that you have taken ſuch an occaſion, and we are entred into theſe lists, let vsus proceed.
For the order of our proceſſe, wheras you beginning with me, would yet vrge me to ſet down my reaſons, when as you ſaw them in print: I leav it vntounto judgment, how meet this was. As you knew that the chief Author of our Apologie, had revoked ſome doctrines and reaſons therin: ſo you might have knowen that I and others, intereſſed in that book, held to the things therin publiſhed. My large offer to yeild to any kinde of conference with you, at your requeſt; was not intended, neyther ſhould be ſtreyned to any other then an orderly courſe. Yet I ſet you downe a mayn ground, as you deſired, and that I am content to follow.
But you except againſt my argument and reaſons confirming it in our Apologie, that thoſe reaſons are directed against the Church of England and the miniſterie therof: the reaſons that you deſired of me, were ſuch as I had for our ſeparation from your particular Church, and the miniſterie therof.
To which I anſwer: In that they are directed againſt the Church of England they are alſo againſt yours: for you were members of that Church, and guiltie of the ſynns reproved in my argument, as we our ſelves alſo were, whiles we continued among them. Now the removing of your dwelling into an other land, removeth not your ſynns from you, nor you from them: it is your repentance onelyonly, and faith in Chriſt, that can purge away your ſynns, Luke 13.3.5. Mar. 1.15. Papiſts that dwell here, in England or other where, belong to the Church of Rome, til they break off themſelves by repentance. Neyther doth the abſteyning from the practiſe clear the ſynner: for the guilt of Cains murder, cleaved vntounto him all his dayes, becauſe he was not cleanſed by repentance and faith; although he never killed man more, after Abel. So though you here practiſe not the idolatries doen in England yet in that you have practiſed them, and not repented, your guiltines is vponupon you. How much more then doe your ſynns remaine, which oppoſe and ſpeak evill of vsus, privately, publickly and in print, for departing from the evils, wherein we ſometimes walked among them. Moreover I manifested your vnion with the Church of England by the very title of that book publiſhed by your own proſelytes, which ſayth, they are returned into the boſome of the Church of England their true Mother. Theſe words, with ſome other in the title, you diſclaime, as being foiſted in by ſome falſifier. Be it ſo, though I knew not of it: yet the thing it ſelf you diſclaime not: ſo it may be true, though they wrote not thoſe words. *I pray you tel me in your next, in the name of your chur. whether you deny that you continew in the boſome of the church of EnglandAnd Chr. Lawn, the firſt pretended Author of that book, is knowen to live in the boſome of that Church, according to the title. And what will you anſwer to other words conteined in the pamphlet: as in Pag. 1. Where they ſay, they ſought to make a publick renunciation of their vnchriſtian ſeparation, which with vsus they had vndertaken from all the Churches of Chriſt. Meant they not the Church of England here for one? Let the 3 Page teſtifie, where they ſay. Theſe things being proved, their ſeparation from England would herevpon appeare to be vnlawfull. Let the 7. p. ſpeak, where one of the cauſes of their excommunication, is for charging vsus to be Schiſmaticks for our ſeparation from tbe Church of England. And in their anſwer to this article, p. 8, they deny it not, but refer to their proofs in the copie of their charge. Finally, let vsus ſee what they ſay in pag. 2. We did openly renounce our covenant and profeſsion of ſeparation, which at our firſt entrance among them, we had made with them: we renounced it as being a most abominable and profane thing. Will you ſay that all theſe words were alſo foiſted in by ſome falſifier? If not, why ſeek you now to turn away the diſcuſsing of the reaſons of our ſeparation from that Church of England, eſpecially conſidering what profeſsion we make in the preface to the Confeſsion of our faith, (printed with our Apologie) of our agreeing with other Chriſtian reformed Churches round about vsus, (ſome of which we there name,) & of our ſeparation onelyonly from the Antichriſtian Church of England for the cauſes there manifeſted. The covenant and profeſsion of ſeparation which they made with vsus at their firſt entrance, was from the Church of England whereof we had been; not from any of the Reformed churches whereof we had not been. Wherfore they returning vntounto you, with this renunciation of their covenant: who would not now expect at your hands, a justification of the Church of England?
But you deſired reaſons for our ſeparation from your particular Church. Wheras we rather might deſire the reaſons of your ſeparation from our particular Church. For, beſides that ſome of your members, were firſt members of vsus: our Church is before yours, being through Gods merciemercy, ſeated and ſtabliſhed here first: and you coming after gathered a people, and erected a ministerie in this Citie by vsus; never communicating your purpoſe or procedings with vsus; nor demanding of vsus the reaſons of our ſeparation; nor ſhewing wherein you agreed with vsus, or diſſented from vsus. If now one of vsus muſt needs be counted ſeparators from an other: I think indifferent men will judge, the ſeparation muſt lye vponupon your ſelves.
An anſvver to Preface-matters. Peace and truth from the Prince of Peace.
Ioh. Pag.Mr. Ainſworth, Had you obſerved your owne directions for performing the counſell which you ſo well liked of, then would you not have brought in ſuch ſtore of humane teſtimonies, and thoſe of the worſt ſort, and them alſo in the worſt maner, as you have done: then would you not have inſerted ſo many leſſe needfull matters, but have kept more cloſely vntounto the maine differences. VVhen you ſpeak of of ending the ſtrife about the provocation to this controverſie, you begin it a freſh by bringing ſuch a reaſon of your ſilence, as ſerves for a ſtrong provocation to deale againſt you: the ſumme of it is: there was ſo much written on both ſides, as you held ſufficient to ſhew vntounto judicious Readers where the truth lay, & therfore purpoſed to write no more this way, vnleſſe more probable obiections were brought againſt you: as if you ſhould have ſayd in triumph: All is wonne: Separation hath gotten the victory: all of judgement may ſee it: there is nothing of weight or worth, nothing ſo probably written againſt vsus, that deſerves any more anſwer, therfore I will reſt. VVho is it that ſees the ſeparation clapping her wings & crowing on this maner, boaſting againſt all the Churches of Chriſt, and againſt all the godly & learned Miniſters and members of the ſame, but they may juſtly be mooved by ſuch a provocation as this? VVhereas you tell vsus of turning the courſe of your ſtudies an other way: & that it may openly be ſeen: vve ſee indeed that you are about a new tranſlation of the Bible with annotations vponupon the ſame, but it vvere much better for you to turne back the courſe of your ſtudies, to ſtay this work a while, and in the feare of God firſt to examine your ſeparation more ſoundly then you have done, and ſo to free & cleare yourſelf of that errour and ſcandall which you have givē to the hurt and greefe of many a ſoule. Vnleſſe you take this courſe, one of theſe two things will follow: Either you muſt make an vncleane work, or have an vncleane conſcience: for if in your annotations you expound the ſcriptures all along as you go, according to that vvhichwhich you have done in your other former writings for the maintenance of ſeparation, then ſhall you give many vncleane notes, and defile the holy ſcriptures & lead vntounto ſchiſme: if in all your annotations for winning credit vntounto them you do conceale your meaning, and hide your opinion notwithſtanding all opportunities given, what do you els but betray the ſuppoſed truth, when as in your account it is generally and vnjuſtly oppugned, and pollute your owne conſcience with this vnfaithfull dealing?
As for your provocation by vsus, in that we admit not ſuch for members of our Church as would have liberty to heare your Sermons, I gave you anſwer in my former writing, which here you take no knowledge of. This is no good way, to abridge leſs needfull matters, by repeating and renewing vnjuſt complaints of hard dealing and omitting the anſwers given already therevnto. You refer the matter vntounto judgement of the Readers, and ten times you appeale vntounto them in this writing: I agree with you herein, onelyonly I entreat the Readers to ſee what is vvritten before, and ſtill to compare our vvritings diligently togather that they may ſee what is anſwered, and vvhat is omitted & paſſed by: And therfore alſo have I cauſed theſe writings to be publiſhed, that the reader might have them to judge by. As for the man by whom I vvas provoked; If he deny it novv, yet that impeacheth not the truth of my aſſertion, vvhiles I have ſundry vvitneſſes to confirme the ſame. And it ſkilles not ſo much, vvhat he novv ſaith of himſelf before vvitnes, as vvhat the former vvitneſſes do teſtify of him and his ſpeeches.
That I had cauſe enough to deſire you to ſet downe your reaſons for ſeparating frō vsus notvvithſtāding thoſe reaſons alreadyprinted in your Apologie, is plaine: for firſt, though I knew you and ſome of your people had not yet openly revoked them, yet ſeing Mr. Iohnſon the cheefe Author thereof had begun to recall them and refute them alſo himſelf, it was no blame worthy matter in me herevpon to give you occaſion to think more ſeriouſly of them, and to give you liberty of ſetting them downe more adviſedly. My ſecond reaſon noted alſo in my former writing, you touch not at all. You ſpeak of ſtreyning your offer beyond an orderly courſe, but you cannot affirme, much leſſe prove that I have done ſo by you. VntoUnto my third defence of requiring your reaſons for your ſeparation from our particular Church and Miniſtery, becauſe thoſe in your Apology are directed againſt the Church of England and the miniſtery thereof & not againſt vsus: you reply that becauſe we have not repented for being members of the Church of England, therfore our ſins remaine, and therfore the reaſons directed againſt the Church of England, are againſt ours alſo. This want of repentance you do alſo alledge ſundry times againe in the heart of your treatiſe, as your maine ground to prove the vnlawfullnes both of our Church & miniſtery & to maintaine your ſeparation from the ſame: And there may you finde a full and large anſwer herevnto, chap. 4. and 6. to ſhew that you have cauſe to repent your ſelf for ſuch maner of reaſoning againſt the Church of God.
VVhen as to make way for the turning of your argument from vsus to the Church of England, you alledged the title of a book publiſhed againſt your ſchiſme and the proſelytes thereof, I ſhewed you that your allegation was a forgery, your excuſe now is that you knew not of it: But I prevented this excuſe before in my former writing and ſhewed you the inſufficiency thereof, ſeing the matter was publiſhed vntounto you that you might have knowne it, ſee before p. 8. & 9. Againe, you do here cite many places of that aProfane ſchiſme of Brow.booke, to ſhew that the publiſhers thereof did renounce their ſeparation from the Church of England, &c. But what an idle and loſt labour is this to keep ſucha doe for proofe of that which we all do ſo freely and dayly confeſs and profeſſe before all, & I did alſo acknowledge in my former writing? Is this dealing agreeable to your pretence of abridging or quite cutting off all leſs needfull matters? what is leſs needfull then to be ſo large in proof of that which is not denyed? Nay yourſelf do here acknowledge for vsus that we do not diſclayme an vnion with the Church of England. Yet are you not content with this, but in the margent of your writing you pray me to tell you in the name of our Church whether we deny that we continue in the boſome of the Church of England. Though I told you plainely enough before in my bSee before pag. 9.former writing, if you had had eares to heare, yet to ſatisfy your needleſs importunitie, I anſwer you againe in the behalf of our church, that if you meane by living in the boſome of the Church to live vnderunder the eccleſiaſtical cenſure and governement of the Church, then do we not live in the boſome of the Church of England; but are here in theſe low countries a diſtinct body and Church from them: if you meane a reteyning of Chriſtian cō munion with them, in this ſenſe we do remaine in the boſome of that Church of Chriſt, practiſing communion vponupon all good occaſion, and hold them guilty of ſchiſme that refuſe to do the like. But then you demand further herevpon, why do I now ſeek to turne away the diſcuſsing of the reaſons of your ſeparation from the Church of England? who would not now expect at my hands a juſtification of the Church of England? I anſwer, 1. There is no reaſon to expect at my hands in this preſent controverſie, a diſcuſſing of all that I hold & practiſe; ſo might I enter into an hundred controverſies at once, touching all the artickles of my faith and profeſſion. 2. For the defence of the Church of England, there are many learned men that have already written ſundry treatiſes and juſtifyed the lawfullnes of the communion therein againſt you, whereas there is none that hath written any book in defence of this particular Church whereof I am a miniſter: neither is any man ſo much bound herevnto as I am. 3. Even this queſtion which I vndertake againſt you is not a turningaway, but a leading of you by degrees vntounto communion with the Church of England: you know the plaineſt method of teaching is to proceed a notioribus ad minus nota, & I doubt not but you being cōvinced of your etrour in ſeparating from this particular congregatiō, will thereby be prepared and holpē to diſcerne the errour of ſeparatiō from the Church of England alſo.
Here you inſert yet a new reaſon why I ſhould rather diſcuſs the reaſons of your ſeparation from England namely, conſidering what profeſsion you make in the preface to the confeſsion of your faith (printed with your Apologie) of your agreeing with other Chriſtian reformed Churches round about vsus (ſome of which you there name) and of your ſeparation onelyonly from the Antichriſtian Church of England, &c. But, oh Mr. Ainſworth, what truth is there in theſe wordes? This your profeſſion here mentioned by you is a counterfaite profeſſion and moſt vntrue; If you ſeparate onelyonly from the Antichriſtian Church of England, why do you even in this very writing maintaine the ſeparation of your Elder Decluſe from the French Church? why are not ſuch of your people as vnderſtand their language allowed to heare in their Churches? Yea why do you publiſh in print concerning the Dutch and French Churches in theſe countries, that for the members of your Church they cannot partake with rhem, no not in hearing the word without declining and apoſtaſy from the truth which you have receyved. Inquiry of Th. wh. Pag. 26.In the beginning of your writing you prefix the ſaying of the Prophet, Love the truth and peace: but by this dealing you ſeeme to love falſhood & diſſembling more then truth; And now for this deceitfull dealing there is ſo much the more reaſon to lay out your ſeparation from other Churches as well as from England, that ſimple men may no more be beguiled by you.
One other needfull and weighty matter you will yet have to be conſidered, before you come to your argument, namely, that you rather might have deſired the reaſons of our ſeparation from your particular church, for beſides that ſome of our mēbers were firſt members of you, your Church is before ours, &c. & we coming after, gathered. a prople and erected a miniſtery in this citie by you never communicating our purpoſe or proceedings with you, nor demanding of you reaſons of, &c Anſw. 1. The reaſon why we conſulted not with you at our firſt comming vntounto this citie, was becauſe you had already before my coming declared your ſelves to be open adverſaries of the truth by diſclayming and renouncing the communion of all the Churches of Chriſt, to the great offence of the godly in our own countrie, as alſo of the godly Magiſtrates Miniſters and people in this citie, I ſaw by your writings what evill counſailours you were, and what perverſe reaſonings you vſed therein and how you contemned the adviſe of ſuch as had dealt with you and therfore thought it not meete to communicate our proceedings with you. 2. Our purpoſe & proceedings were cōmunicated with many learned miniſters Engliſh, Scottiſh, Dutch & Frēch who gave vsus counſaile & help in our endevours, ſo that we needed not to communicate our affaires with you. The hand of God was with vsus: the Reformed churches gave vsus the right hand of fellowſhip: the hād of the Chriſtian Magiſtrates was with vsus through the mercy of God that gave vsus favour in their eyes & put it into their hearts to further our enterpriſe, ſo that at my comming hither, there was then firſt eſtabliſhed in this citie a lawfull congregation of the Engliſh, and then divers which had before left your Church & gone vntounto the Dutch did from thence come & joyne themſelves to vsus: & ſince that time many other of your people leaving your ſchiſme have come vntounto vsus, the Lord ſtill encreaſing his bleſſing vponupon our labours. 3. Suppoſe here had bene in this city a lawfull Engliſh church before our comming hither, & that we had offended in not communicating our proceedings with the ſame, yet had not this fault bene like vntounto your ſeparation; it is one thing to neglect the counſell of ſome godly men, an other to renounce communion of all true Churches. And yet ſee how you pleaſe and flatter yourſelf with opinion of other mens opinion touching you, in that you ſay; If now one of vsus, muſt needs be counted ſeparatours from an other, you think, indifferēt men will judge, the ſeparation muſt ly vponupon vsus.