Justification of Separation from the Church of England, Treatise · Section 106
In the 3. place we are to consider of the matter entreated of, and found fault with by the Apostle, 2 Cor. 6. which you say, is in summe Mr B.thus much: beleevers are not to be with the wicked in their vnrighteousnes, in the state of their darknes, nor to partake with them in their evils, and so to agree together: which no way helps our separation from light, righteousnes, &c.
It is true that the particular matter the Apostle findes faultAnsw: with, is, the beleeving Corinthians communicating with the vnbeleevers in the idol feasts: but withall it must be considered, that the Apostle vponupon this particular occasion delivers a generall doctrine, then which nothing is more vsuall both in the old, & new testament. The same Apostle in his former Epistle to the same Corinthians takes occasiō from the fornicatour among them, to forbid them the companying, or commingling not onelyonly with fornicators, but with covetous persons, Idolaters, raylers, drunkards, extortioners, & all other wicked men whomsoever, ch. …. 1. 11. so in this place, he takes occasion from their cōmunicating with Idolaters in the Idolathytes, and the vncleannes thence arising, to enjoyn them separation from all other vncleannes whether of persons, or things, as the whole tenour of the scripture manifesteth. More particularly: though the Apostle (as you would hauehave it) did onelyonly forbid partaking with the wicked in their evils, yet even therein did he forbid all religious communion with them since their very prayers, and other sacrifices are their evils: wherein whylst the godly do communicate with them, what do they els but acknowledge their common right, and interest in those holy things? But that the Apostle in this scripture forbids communion not onelyonly in the evill works of wicked men, but with their persons: and that he commaunds a separation not onelyonly reall, but personall, doth appeare by these Reasons.
First, bycause the scripture hath reference to the yoaking of theI, beleevers with the vnbeleevers in mariage, as the occasion of that spirituall Idolatrous mixture, which he reproves. Now this ioyning was not in an evill, or vnlawfull thing, but with wicked, and vnlawfull persons.
2. The very terms, beleevers, vnbeleevers: light, darknes: Christ, Beliall, II.do import opposition not of things onelyonly, but of persons also, for the things sake. So the faithfull are called *Cor. …. 21righteousnes, †Math. …. 14.light, & as they are light, so are the vngodly “Eph. 5. ….darknes: and so not onelyonly their works but their persons are called.
3. The Apostle forbids all vnlawful communion in this place: but there is an unlawfull communion of the faithfull with the wicked,III. in things lawfull: as with excōmunicates, Idolaters, heretiques, or any other flagitious persons, in the sacraments, prayer, & other religious exercises in the respects formerly by me layd down: whervpon it was, that the Iewes were to separate themselves not onelyonly from the manners of the heathen, but even from their persons. Ezra. 9. 1. 2. & 10. 2. 3 Nehem. 9. 2. & 10. 28. 30. and that Paul reproves the Corinthians, Epist. 1. Chap. 5. for having fellowship not in the persons incest, but with the incestuous person: whom therefore they were to purge out, & to put away from among thē selves. vers. 5. 7. 13.
Fourthly, the Apostle enjoyns such a separation, as vponupon whichIIII. a people is to be reputed Gods people, the temple of the living God, & may chalenge his promise to be their God, to dwell amōg them, & to walk vers. 16. 17.there. And as, for the temple, where the Lord promised to dwell, the tymber, and stones, whereof it was to be built, were to be selected, and separated from all the trees in the for…est, and stones in the rock, and to be hewed, and squared accordingly, and so to be set together in that comely order, which was prescribed: so, that this spirituall house, or temple, the Church now, may have the promise of Gods presence, and dwelling there, it must be framed of spirituall stones, and timber first separated from the rest, & then fitted and prepared by that ax, or sword of the spirit, the word of God, and so coupled, and combyned together in due order, and proportion. Besides, it is evident, that the holy Ghost hath reference in this place to the people of the Iewes, which was separated from all other peoples, and persons in the world: as appeareth, Lev. 20. 24. and 26. 11. 12. therein noting out what must be the course, and condition of the “G…. 6. 16Israel of God to the worlds end.