Arrow Against the Separationists, Discourse · Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII. Of communion vvith ſuch a miniſter as hath not renounced his miniſtery in he Church of England.
TOuching the ſecōd matter of your miniſterie: as I have not cō demned that which is lawful: ſo neyther is it folly or ſyn, to inquire further of particulars, in things knowen to be vnlawful. I condemne the Romiſh miniſterie, & I hope you do ſo to: yet of ſome things about their calling and orders, I ſupppoſe we may without folly inquire. Moreover I think you are not ignorant, that queſtions may be aſked, not onelyonly to informe our ſelves, but to convince others by their own anſwers: which alſo was my purpoſe in my foreſayd inquirie. For could the man have anſwered on your behalf, he had then heard further: and in that he could not, he ſhewed his own folly and ſyn, in leaving the trueth, and going to joyn himſelf he knew not to what.
Wheras you profeſſe that you have not renounced the calling which you had in England, you therein bewray the vnlawfulnes of your preſent eſtate: for having been a publick miniſter there in one of their pariſhes, you did by the ordinarie calling there, adminiſter by an other leitourgie then Chriſts Teſtament, even by their book of common prayer impoſed on all the pariſhes. Which being forbidden by the 2. Commandement, and largely diſproved in ſome of the reaſons wherto I referred you in my former argument, which you have let paſse: you ought to repent of that, as of other ſynns wherin there you walked. God alloweth not ſuch to declare his ſtatutes, as continew in their idolatrie: no man can ſerve two maiſters: the Temple of God, hath no agrement with idols: nor Gods true ſpiritual worſhip, with humane idolatrous leitourgies.2 Cor. 6.16.
That you had no calling to the work of your miniſterie by the Biſſhops in England is not eaſy for me to beleeve. It is knowen, that the publick miniſters of the word and Sacraments there, are not admitted to their places, vnleſſe they have the Biſſhops licenſe vponupon his ordination. If you had it not, I ſuppoſe the Church of England, which you account to be Chriſts, will eſteem of you as a creeper into the office you executed: whereof you would entwite me.
Anſwer.
VVHereas I had ſhewed your folly and ſin in raſh condemning of that thing, which afterwards you begin at laſt to enquire of; for this you bring an excuſe or two in vaine: Firſt, you ſay, we condemne the Romiſh miniſtery, and yet of ſome things about their calling and orders, you ſuppoſe we may lawfully enquire. But I anſwer if we raſhly condemne the Romiſh Miniſtery, in ſuch particular poynts as are partly vntrue and partly lawfull: we do both ſin againſt them, and cauſe the truth to be evill ſpoken of: and that ſo you have dealt with me, I hope the ſequel will manifeſt. Againe, you ſay, that queſtiōs may be aſked not onelyonly to informe our ſelves, but to convince others by their owne anſwers, which alſo was your purpoſe, &c. But I anſwer, there is a further matter to be obſerved in your dealing, who make inquiry about ſuch things as you are ignorant of both for matter of right and of the fact it ſelf, and yet affirme ſo much concerning the ſame, as that you make your ſelf guilty of great errour and ſlander, as appeares in the next Chapter where you plead againſt the maner of my ordination and do moſt faſly alledge the acts of Synods touching the ſame matter.
The maine reaſon you bring to prove the vnlawfulnes of my preſent eſtate and of my miniſtery, is this, that having bene a publique miniſter in one of their Pariſhes in England, I did by the ordinary calling there, adminiſter by an other leitourgie then Chriſts Teſtament, even by their book of common prayer, impoſed on all the Pariſhes, &c. that I ought to repent of that, as of other ſins wherein there I walked. God alloweth not ſuch to declare his ſtatutes, &c. I anſwer.
Firſt, your reaſon from my being a publique miniſter there, to ſhew my adminiſtration by the book of common prayer is inſufficient: for there have bene many publique miniſters in the Church of England that have not bene vrged to read the book of common prayer: though it be impoſed on all the Pariſhes, yet hath it not heretofore bene impoſed on all the Miniſters in every pariſh. There be in many Pariſhes two Miniſters, and formerly it hath bene required no further, then that one of them ſhould vſe the ſame: And ſo was it in the pariſh from whence I came into theſe countries, where an other miniſter did ordinarily vſe the ſame, ſo that it was not impoſed on me. Though you may except that I was partaker of that worſhip, or did vponupon occaſion vſe that booke, yet alwayes this ſhewes the vnſoundnes and vntruth of your collection touching my particular adminiſtration by the ſame.
Secondly, whereas you write here how I have let paſse the reaſons wherevnto you referred me in your former argument, diſprooving the adminiſtration by that leitourgie, &c. It is enough that I ſhew the falſhood of your argument in that you ſeparate from our congregation, and therfore not from ſin onelyonly as you pretend in your argument: This I ſhew by manifeſting the weaknes of your reaſons touching thoſe pretended corruptions and want of repentance which you impute vntounto vsus for a ground of your ſeparation from vsus. And therfore though you tell me ten times oftner of letting paſſe thoſe reaſons which you referd me vntounto as a deviſe to draw me from the preſent queſtion layd downe betwixt vsus, yet ſhall you be diſappoynted of your purpoſe herein.
Thirdly, ſuppoſe I had ſinned either in the vſe of the book of common prayer in my owne adminiſtration or by allowing it in others, yet ſo long as this ſin is onelyonly of ignorance, and I know it not to be ſin: the want of particular repentance in this caſe doth not make my preſent miniſtery vnlawfull. By this reaſon of yours there ſhould be no lawfull miniſtery vponupon earth, ſeing there is no miniſter whoſoever but he hath ſome ſins which are vnknowne vntounto him, even as aPſ. 19.12 & 40.12. & 139.24.David, bIer. 17.9.Ieremy, c1 Cor. 4.4Paul, with other Prophets and Apoſtles: If they knew them not, then could they not have particular repentance for them they could not bring a particular ſacrifice for their particular treſpaſſes till they were dLev. 4.14 23.28.knowne vntounto them: Now by your reaſoning they were all of them in an vnlawfull eſtate, and were not allowed of God to declare his ſtatutes. If you tell me that my ſin of vnlawfull miniſterie in the Church of England is made knowne vntounto me by your writings, that I deny: I may as well and better tell you of your ſinfull ſchiſme and ſlander of that Church made knowne vntounto you by divers treatiſes which I named before vntounto you.
Fourthly, ſuppoſe I had bene convicted of an vnlawfull adminiſtration in England, and would not repent of the ſin proved vntounto me, though this would provoke the Lord againſt me, yet could not this be a ſufficient warrant for you to diſclaime our communion as vnlawfull and polluted. The holy ſcripturesteach vsus otherwiſe: though the Sonnes of Eli were wicked and e1 Sam. 3.12-25.vnrepentant Miniſters of the tabernackle in Shiloh, yet were not the godly taught to refuſe communion with them, but ſtill fIbid. Chap. 1.3. & 3.1.frequented the place of publique worſhip where they adminiſtred. The Miniſters of the temple in Chriſtes time were gLuk 7.30 Ioh 7.32.wicked perſons refuſing to repent of thoſe ſins whereof they were convinced by Chriſte, and yet he taught not his Servants to forſake or diſclayme their communion but both hLuk 17.14. Mat. 8.4.ſent others and iLuk 22 8 joh. 18.20went himſelf to joyne in the publique worſhip of God with them.
Fiftly, if the not renouncing of my former calling in England do make me a falſe and vnlawfull Miniſter here, then are the miniſters of theſe Reformed Churches vnlawful Miniſters alſo being acceſſary and partakers with me of that pretended ſin which you impute vntounto me, becauſe themſelves occaſionally do communicate with the miniſtery of England when they travel thither, and allow of my preſent eſtate without any renunciation thereof, giving me the right hand of fellowſhip herein. Now then ſeing thoſe that kAct. 22.20.conſent vntounto other mens ſins, that lEſa. 5.14.rejoyce with them, that mpſ. 50.18.ſee a theef and run with him, that njudg. 20.12.13.14, &c.ſee adulterers and maintaine them, that ojoſh. 22.16 17.18.ſee Idolatours and favour them, do hereby enwrap themſelves in the ſame condemnation: how comes it that you do not vponupon this ground alſo renounce and diſclaime the communion of theſe vnrepentant Miniſters of the Reformed Churches? If this ground of renunciation be good why do you not alſo vſe it as a motive to ſtay ſuch of your people as do from time to time leave you & come vntounto them & vsus? How can you approve them for true Miniſters more then me, if thus they partake with me? I write not theſe things to juſtify my eſtate by theirs as you vſe to deprave me, but to reprove & convince your partiall judgement.
Sixthly, by this reaſoning you do yet further ſhew your nakednes vntounto vsus. If communion with vnrepentant Miniſters is to be forſaken: then theſe Miniſters of the Reformed Churches being by you admoniſhed of pjnquir. of Th. white p. 78.79.eleven ſeverall tranſgreſſions wherein they continue without repentance, and in ſpeciall in the vſe of ſuch read prayers as are in your account a humane Idolatrous leitourgie, ought by their people to be avoyded for feare of polluting their ſoules with ſin. If this be ſo, then you holding theſe people yet for your brethren, are bound by the law of God to warne them of this their vncleane communion. According to your owne doctrine you muſt be the onelyonly pure and vnpolluted Angell in all the Churches of Chriſt, and of all the Angels of the Churches beſides, not one that may be lawfully communicated withall: name, if you can, any one miniſter either paſtour or teacher in the whole world with whom you dare communicate in the Lords ſupper, or heare a Sermon from them, and alſo can do it without tranſgreſsion of your owne doctrine. You being then ſuch a rare and extraordinary Angel, doth it not become you, to qRev. 14.6.fly in the middes of Heaven, or to rRev. 19.17.ſtand in the Sun, and openly with a loud voice to cry vntounto the Chriſtians in every nation, and kinred and tongue and people that they beware and take heed of their polluted and vnlawfull miniſters leaſt they be defiled by them? There was a promiſe or a ſhew made ſome ſCatal. Francof. An̄o. 1608. Tractatus de communione. Ambſterodami apud Cornelium Nicolai in 8.yeares ſince, that your book of the Communion of ſainctes ſhould have come forth in Latine at Franckfurdt Mart: but it was a falſe ſhew and a mockery of the world: it is not yet come forth: But had it then bene printed, your doctrine is couched therein ſo cloſely & obſcurely, that none who knew you not before, could have found out your meaning thereby. If you will keep a good conſcience in the profeſsion of that truth which you think is revealed vntounto you, you are then tLevit. 19.17.plainely to admoniſh your brethren: to uEſa. 8.1.take a great rolle and write in it with a mans pen, make ſpeed to ſeparate, make hast to renounce all your ministers: you are to xHab. 2.2.write the viſiō of your ſeparation, and to make it plaine vponupon tables, that he may run, that readeth it. At leaſt wiſe, you ought to admoniſh theſe many members of the Dutch and French Churches herein the ſame city with you and to prove vntounto them plainely and clearely this maine poynt that they ought to refuſe communion with their vnrepentant Miniſters. VVe accuſe the pope of great cruelty in that he profeſſeth he hath power to deliver al the Soules out of Purgatory, if he would: and yet will not do it: And we accuſe you likewiſe of great cruelty, as wanting bowelles of compaſſion and brotherly love in that you profeſs to ſee a holy & vndefiled path of Chriſtian communion: and yet ſeeing ſo many thouſands of your brethren dayly before your eyes to walk in an vncleane path that pollutes their Soules, will not for all this ſhew them the good way and ſet vp markes vntounto them that they may walk in it. As you found meanes to publiſh your confeſſion both in Latine and Dutch, ſo if you had zeale and conſcience of this doctrine that you profeſſe, you could ſoone finde meanes to publiſh a few argumēts in Dutch & Latine alſo to call away the faithfull people in this city where you live from their vnlawfull Miniſters. Iudgement, mercy and fidelity are the yMat. 23.23.cheef matters of Gods law, which ought cheefly to be done: but either you want aſſurance of the truth in that you profeſſe, or els you want Chriſtian love and compaſsion, which will not ſhew the way of truth & peace vntounto thoſe that go aſtray: eſpecially whē there is none to do it but your ſelf: conſidering alſo that you can finde time to publiſh ſundry other things, which in all reaſon ſhould not ſo much touch your conſcience. Think on theſe things in the feare of God.
Seventhly, this your doctrine of ſchiſme leads vsus to ſee more of your partiality: for if communion with vnrepentant miniſters is to be refuſed: then how could you hitherto allow your people to hold communion with Mr. Robinſon who repents not of that ſin which you impute vntounto him. In your judgement he is a teacher of falſe doctrine, and a practiſer of the ſame, holding private communion with Antichriſtian Idolatours, and members of a falſe Church as you eſteeme them: he openly perſiſteth herein and drawes many with him to this practiſe; & this alſo when as he had once condemned this courſe he takesand written againſt the ſame, ſo that he is alſo an Apoſtate and a decliner from the truth formerly profeſſed as you take it: and yet you have not renounced his communion. Behold then the balances of deceit and partiality in your hand: even the falſe balances that are an yProv. 11.1, &. 20,10abhomination to the Lord: as a deceitfull merchant you vſe one weight and meaſure in dealing with him, an other when you have to do with vsus even about the ſame matter; he though an vnrepentant miniſter is not diſclaymed and reiected by you, as others are, Is this to walk with a right foote vntounto the truth of the Goſpell, or rather to halt downe right in the pathes of hypocriſie and diſſimulation? Your ſeparation is a ſin great enough of it ſelf, though it were maintayned of mere ignorance, but when ſuch partialitie is added vntounto it, your ſin becomes more ſinfull, & the burden of it more greevous.
Eightly, as in the former anſwers, your ſins of falſe doctrine cruelty and partiality vvere manifeſted, ſo in this place you are for them to hea…e the ſentence of condemnation belonging vntounto your ſelf with as much reaſon as you have pronounced it againſt others: It appeares by your dealing above noted, that you are not as Nathan…el an zIoh. 1.47.Iſraelite indeed, in whom there is no guile: you are not a ſincere and vpright profeſſour even of your owne ſeparation; but an open perverter of righteouſnes; what then is the ſentence? your miniſtery is vnlawfull and to be reiected vntill you repent: As you thought to do vntounto others, ſo may you expect that others ſhould do vntounto you. This is the fruit of your owne arguing, God allowes not ſuch to declare his ſtatutes as continue in ſin, & therfore your communion is to be refuſed: Thus doth your foote ſlide into the pit that you digd for others.
Ninthly, according to this your reaſoning is the miniſtery of Iohn Decluſe your elder to be avoyded alſo. His iniurious & falſe dealing in the aShield of defence p. 6. and 7.printing of Mr. Brightmans booke is a publique ſcandall: ſo are his manifold erroneous collections which he printed in his owne book againſt Mr. Brightman whereofhe is alſo convinced in that book which was ſhortly after written for the refutation and reproof of him: likewiſe his falſe boaſting not onelyonly vntounto the Elderſhip of the French Church, but alſo vntounto the Magiſtrates of this city touching a publique teſtification to be made by him in the body of the French congregation, where at laſt his heart fayled him contrary to his word: Seing he hath not teſtifyed any due repentance for any of theſe open ſins, therfore by your rule is his miniſtery vnlawfull not onelyonly vntounto himſelf, but vntounto you and all that do communicate with him.
And note here Mr. Ainſworth, that you cannot help your ſelf in this ſtraite by any diſtinction of ſins that you can make. For when as bPag. 44. & Fol. 3. B.before to prove the firſt propoſition of your maine argument, namely that the ſeparation which is onelyonly from ſin and communion therewith is of God and all good mens duety: you there alledge all the the ten Commandements at once Exo. 20. Eph. 5.11. 2 Cor. 6.14.15.16. You do hereby cut of your ſelf from any refuge or evaſion by putting difference betwixt ſin. For whether they be ſins of conſtitution, or ſins of publique worſhip, or adminiſtration, or whether they be other perſonall particular ſins whatſoever, yet are they all forbidden in the 10. Commandements: they are all vnproffitable workes of darknes: they are all an vncleane thing not to be touched: and therfore making thoſe places the ground of your ſeparation from a Church or from the miniſters thereof: you do alike without exception make any ſin of what kinde ſoever, litle or great to be a warrant for ſeparation when as it is openly knowne and tolerated without redreſſe. Conſider what a large ſeparation you do make hereby: even ſuch a one as will lead you to ſeparate from all Churches: ſuch an one as you are never like to keep a good conſcience in the profeſſion thereof: ſuch an one as leads all your people to ſeparate both from you and your elder Decluſe both in reſpect of the former ſins here noted, and in reſpect of many more publique offences which I could manifeſt in you both.
Tenthly, you may hereby diſcerne what juſt cauſe there is to publiſh the perſonall ſinnes of ſuch as maintaine your doctrines of ſchiſme, ſeing one knowne ſin of one particular perſon among them not repented of is ſufficient to overthrow their miniſtery and Church it ſelf, and ſo enough to ſtay any perſon from joyning vntounto ſuch a ſeparation. H. Barow writeth, that cH. Barow diſcov. pag. 34.the knowne and ſuffered ſin of any one member is contagious vntounto all ſuch as communicate with him in that eſtate & maketh them all which communicate in prayers and Sacraments with ſuch an obſtinate offendour, as guilty in Gods ſight, as he himſelf is. And againe the contrary doctrines of Mr. Calvine and others, that the open ſinnes of vnrepentant offendours do hurt neither the Sacramēts nor the godly receyvers, &c. he calleth the djbid. P. 35.36.ſmoaky errours of Mr. Calvine and his diſciples, he calleth them blaſphemous helliſh doctrine, which take away at once the whole Teſtament of Chriſte and word of God, or tolerate the open breach of them: which take away all Chriſtian liberty, duty and communion. If theſe things be ſo as he writes and as you plead againſt me, to ſhew the vnlawfullnes of my miniſtery for want of repentance touching my calling in England, then is it a juſt thing to take this compendious courſe for the manifeſting of your vnlawfull eſtate, Church, Miniſtery and communion, as being contrary to the whole Teſtament of Chriſt and word of God, as being a blaſphemous helliſh profeſſion, if any can declare and ſhew the knowne and ſuffred ſin of any one member among you. If theſe things be ſo, then have you no cauſe to complaine and condemne the writings which beare witneſſe of ſuch ſins among you, to be libelles, but rather to yeeld that they are wholeſome and neceſſary warnings to keep every Chriſtian man from ſuch a contagious and polluted communion.
In the xi. place, it is not vnmeet to obſerve and remember here, that you who are ſo hard and vnrighteous a judge and cenſurer of all true Churches and miniſters, are yet further guilty of ſuch ſinnes as though they were repented of, yet do they according to your owne profeſſion leave ſo deep a blott & ſtainevpon you as that they make you vncapable of the miniſtery, & vnlawfull to be choſen by any people vntounto ſo holy a work. For if the Church of England be ſuch a falſe church, ſuch a Babylon and Egipt as you vvould make it: if their worſhip be ſuch groſſe and abhominable Idolatry, as eCounterpoy. from pag. 127. to 152.you yourſelf do deſcribe the ſame, then are you for your divers Apoſtaſies and declininges vntounto the ſame to be excluded and kept out of the miniſtery. They that fEſa. 52.11beare the veſſels of the Lord ought to be cleane & holy in ſpeciall maner: It is required that his miniſters ſhould be g1 Tim. 3.2. Tit. 1.5.7. and 2.15. 1 Tim. 4.12.vnreproveable as the ſtewards of God; that ſo they might the better ſpeak, exhort and convince with all authoritie, and ſee that no man deſpiſe them. But as thoſe that have bene blotted with the ſhame of murder, adulteries, or Theftes after they have profeſſed the Goſpell, are vnmeet to be choſen miniſters for the rebuking of leſſer ſins, when themſelves are ſo ſcandalouſly guilty of greater; ſo thoſe Apoſtates & backſliders which after they have receyved the knowledge of the truth, and forſaken the falſe Church do againe fall back vntounto Idolatrie and this divers times, do in like maner deprive themſelves of the honour of being called vntounto the publique miniſtery of the Goſpel. Now you being ſuch an Apoſtata as according to your preſent profeſſion have ſundry times turned back vntounto the Idolatrous falſe Church, as hath bene by divers perſons witneſſed, neither could Mr. Iohnſon deny the ſame, when he hInquir. of Th. wh. p. 41.42.was moſt deſirous to excuſe you therein: though it was obiected that you had turned your coate as oft if not oftner then D. Perne: the vnlawfulnes of your calling and miniſtery doth then appeare hereby. Let it be well obſerved that you are thus noted to have turned your coate & changed your religion five ſeverall times, namely, firſt being of our religion and a member of the church of England you forſook that Church and ſeparated: Secondly, that being ſeparated, you did againe in London being in the hāds of authoritie yeeld to joyne with the worſhip and miniſtery of the Church of England: Thirdly, that after this you did againe ſlide back vntounto the ſeparation and renounce the Church ofEngland: Fourthly, that after this when you were in Ireland and in ſome danger of puniſhment for your ſcandal, you did againe returne vntounto the communion renounced by you, whether fainedly or vnfainedly, I leave vntounto your ſelf to conſider: Fiftly, after this you change your profeſſion againe and fall back vntounto ſeparation, and ſtick now preſently in this Schiſme: and thus whiles by this often revolting you diſhonour and diſable your ſelf and your miniſtery, you will yet exalt your ſelf above all the Miniſters of Chriſt in the world, and by your profeſsion maintaine that your ſelf onelyonly may be joyned vntounto, and that no other Miniſter may lawfully be heard: & if this be not ſo, I pray you name who and how many there be that you durſt allow your people to communicate with all. Is it not a rare and an extraordinary thing that ſuch a ſcandalous and vnſtable apoſtata ſhould yet notwithſtanding maintaine ſuch a ſeparation from all the faithfull Miniſters of the Lord, and therein boaſt of your owne onelyonly lawfull eſtate? Think not that I write theſe things in any hatred of your perſon which I love: but for your good, for your humbling and the warning of others: I think verily that it ſhould be my ſin if vponupon ſo juſt occaſion I ſhould conceale this work of God vponupon you in judging and puniſhing your ſchiſme by giving you vp vntounto theſe offenſive and ſtrange revolts, when as himſelf would have ſuch cIude. 13.wandring ſtarres to be noted, obſerved and taken heed of.
XII, not to inſiſt vponupon many other things that might aggravate this your ſcandall, when as you were thus ſtayned with apoſtaſy▪ when as at this ſame time it was the profeſſion of your Church not to admit ſuch apoſtates into office among you: when as others among you had for the like apoſtaſy bene debarred from the inferiour offices of Elder and Deacon among you, and many reaſons had bene written by Mr. Iohnſon and others among you for the defence of this courſe, as I could ſhew at large by the copy of thoſe reaſons which I have by me: yet notwithſtanding even then contrary to the profeſsion of your Church, you creep in deceitfully into the office of your teacher, your apoſtaſy being hidden for the preſent from the eyes of your people that called you. As the deceitfull woman that hath playd the harlot before mariage and joyneth her ſelf vntounto a man that ſuppoſeth her to be a virgin, doth herein greevouſly dDeut. 22 20.21.offend by taking vponupon her vnlawfully the eſtate of mariage whereof ſhe was vncapable while her ſin was kept cloſe: even ſo you being polluted with ſpirituall whordome & fornication, with groſſe Idolatry and apoſtaſy as your Church eſteemeth it, do yet take vponupon you deceitfully ſuch an eſtate, & ſuch an office as by the preſent & publique profeſſion of your Church you were not capable of; and ſhewed your ſelf to be far from plaine and ſimple dealing. But further if that deceitfull and diſhoneſt harlot being by her huſband pardoned and her deſerved puniſhment by the judges remitted: If after all this I ſay, this ſcandalous woman ſhould boaſt her ſelf againſt all other honeſt women, as if ſhe alone were the onelyonly lawfull wife with whom a godly huſbād might ſafely live in coniugall ſociety: might not this well be accounted a wonderfull and ſtrange inſolencie; and might we not juſtly ſay with the Prophet concerning ſuch an impudent perſon, that ſhe had a eIer. 3.3.whores forehead, & that would not be aſhamed? And yet this is your very caſe and want of humility who after ſuch ſcandall & vnlawfull creeping into office, after that the ſignes and tokens of your virginitie were loſt, do yet in like maner boaſt your ſelf and profeſſe ſuch a ſeparation, that according to it no miniſter in the world but your ſelf alone may lawfully be heard & joyned vntounto.
Touching my calling in the Church of England notwithſtanding the licenſe and allowance which I had from the Biſſhop, yet did the ſubſtance of my callling conſiſt in the free & generall conſent of the people who being publiquely aſſembled togather, did then chooſe me to be a teacher vntounto them: If ſome in the Church of England do judge otherwiſe concerning the calling of Miniſters, there are others againe even in the ſame Church that are of the ſame judgement vvith me andwith the Reformed Churches: But let the reader here obſerve that you who do ſo often vſe to blame others for alledging the judgements of other Churches and perſons even then when they do it not, are yet ready vponupon the leaſt occaſion to do the ſame thing that you condemne, if with any colour you can.
XIII. Beſides this, you being depoſed from the office of a teacher by Mr. Iohnſon and his company for your ſchiſme & rending from them, as they teſtify, having fAdvert. of R. Clift. pag. 58.a ſinfull vſurpation of all the holy things of God vſed among you: and ſtanding in this heavy eſtate, as he calleth it; it were now more meet you ſhould look vntounto your owne vſurped office, then to ſeek to ſeduce the people of God from their lawfull miniſters whereſoever they are: For if Mr. Iohnſon and his people were a true Church and their communion lawfull, during the time of your continuance among them: then were they ſo likewiſe at your departure from them. And ſuppoſe they erred in the change of their governement, and in ſome other matters which you impute vntounto them, yet was that no ſufficient warrant for you to ſeparate from a tiue Church. Godly men may keep their garments and gRev. 3.4.walk in white, even there where others continue in open ſin. And therfore your ſeparatiō from them being vnjuſt, your depoſition by them is juſt vponupon you, and your preſent eſtate & miniſtery vnlawfull.
Laſtly, as for the ſcriptures which you alledge to ſhew the vnlawfull eſtate of vnrepentāt miniſters: viz, that God alloweth not ſuch to declare his ſtatutes, &c. that no man can ſerve two Maiſters: 2 Cor. 6.16.that the temple of God hath no agreement with Idolls, &c. I anſwer, that although theſe ſcriptures ſerve to condemne vnrepentāt Miniſters, yet do they not ſerve to condemne all ſuch as communicate with them, which is the poynt in hand: our queſtion being about ſeparation, and the lawfulnes of communion with vnrepentant perſons. The Iewiſh miniſters were ſuch as hated hMat. 21.45.46.to be reformed, & in that reſpect had no right to declare the ſtatutes of the Lord: yet had others iMat. 23.1.2.3.right to heare them. Againſt them did our Saviour apply that ſaying: No kLuk. 16.13.14.man can ſerve two Maiſters: and they ſkoffed at him. And yet in the next Chapter he lLuk. 17.14.ſends men to communicate with them. Of ſuch as they were, the Prophet ſpeakes when he denounceth wo vntounto the mZach. 11 15 16.17 with Luk. 11.52.Idol ſhepheards: Though for their wickednes they had no right vntounto the temple of God, yet did not our Saviour ſeparate from that temple wherein theſe Idols miniſtred and remayned: others loſt not their right vntounto the temple of God, becauſe of their vnrighteouſnes in the ſame.