Justification of Separation from the Church of England, Treatise · Section 78
Next Mr B. reduceth to certayn heads such places of scripture, as Mr. B.forewarn Gods people to separate themselves, and that first vnderunder the law, as 1. from Idols of false Gods, as Israel from Aegyptian, Babylonish, or heathenish Gods, and Idolaters dwelling about them. 2. From Idols of the true God, as Iudah from Israell in Ieroboams time, and after. 3. From persons ceremonially polluted. In the time of the gospell. 1. From Iewes not receiving Christ, but rayling against him. 2. From Gentiles without Christ. 3. From Antichrist vnderunder the shew of Christ, persecuting Christians. 4. From familiarity private with men excommunicate, or of lewd life, &c. which places, you say, no way concern you at all, and so you give a very ample testimony of your selves, if we durst beleeve your words, against our own knowledge.
Your first head I let passe, and in answer vntounto your second, affirmAnsw. thus much▪ that in your constitution, you are partly, as the Aegyptians, in respect of your bondage: partly, as the Babylonians, in respect of your confusion: and partly as Ieroboams Church, in respect of your Apostacy in your devised preisthood, sacrifices, and holy dayes: the Lord having appointed no such Ministery, as your preisthood, no such sacrifice as your service book, no such holy dayes, as your single, and double feasts: which you have forged of your own harts.
Touching separation from persons ceremonially polluted, it must be cō sidered, that ceremonies have their signification, and shadowes their substance. The ceremony then was, that, †Numb. 19. 13. 22. Lev. 15. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 19. 20. 21. &c.whosoever touched a dead person, or a person, or thing unclean, was vnclean: & whom, or whatsoever the vnclean persōtouched, that person, or thing was vnclean: so that a persō vnclean did not onelyonly pollute the thing he touched to himself, as Mr B. vvould hauehave it, but to others also: whosoever touched the thing that he touched, was polluted by it. What is then the substance of these ceremonies? Who is now a leper, but he which hath the leprosy of sinne arysing in his forehead? Who hath an issue of blood vponupon him, but he in whose soul, and body the issue of sinne runneth vnstopped? Who is the dead person now that may not be touched without pollution, but he that is dead in trespasses, and in sinnes? And who toucheth such an vnclean person, if he that becomes, and remaynes one body with him, by spirituall communion, and a member of him, touch him not? Rō. 12. 4. 5. 1 Cor. 10. 16. 17. & 12. 12. 13.
Thirdly, if separation be lawfull from persons not receiving Christ, but rayling against him, then is communion vnlawfull with any assembly in the land, wherein there are many, which remayn in vnbeleif as their works declare, Iam. 2. 20. and so receive not Christ. Ioh. 1. 12. but do on the contrary both revile and persequute him in his graces, servants, and ordinances: howsoever for fear or fashion, they be content to be accounted Christians.
Now for separation from Gentiles without Christ, & from Antichrist, vnderunder a shew of Christ, persecuting Christians, as the scriptures do account of antichristianism, as of haethenism in this respect, calling it *Rev. 11. 8. and 14. 8 & 18. …. 4▪Babylon, Sodom, Aegypt spiritually, and so warning the Lords people to come out of it: so for the second point, I do not yet beleive, whatsoever you write, but you Mr Bernard, are as verily perswaded as my self, that the Church of Engl. formally considered in her lawes, & canons ecclesiasticall, contrived, & exequuted by the prelates, & their substitutes, doth persecute Christians vnderunder a shew for Christ. That the Bishops make a shew for Christ, all graunt: and that they persequute true Christians, let your prisons be searched, and there will want no records: and if you yet will passe by the poor brethren of the separation, as the Preist, and Levite did the wounded man, which had fallen among theeves, Luk. 10. and will take no knovvledge of vsus, ask your ovvn brethren, the godly Ministers, vvith vvhose supply against vsus, you back your book, and I doubt not, but the suspensions, and deprivations of the most of them for refusing the Prelates badges, and liveries, the surplice, typpet, and the like, vvill testify vvith vsus the persequutions of the Antichristian Praelacy, against Christians.
The separation you admit of in the last place is from familiar accompanying in private conversation with men excommunicate, or of levvd life worthy to be excommunicate, when neyther religion commaundeth, &c.