Justification of Separation from the Church of England, Treatise · Section 29 – Section 31
Our next brand of vncharitablenes is our accustomary excommunications Mr B.even for light offences in some, albeit others obstinate can be let passe. And to prove this he quotes Mr George Iohnson, & Mr White, theAnsw. former an excommunicate himself, whom Mr B. also pag. 35. of his book calls a disgraceful libeller; the other an vngodly apostate, whose accusations have been answered one by one. A fit evidence for such a plea and plaintife.
But if Mr B. (knowing the fashions of the Church of England) had but once remembred the saying of the Lord Iesus, Mat. 7. 3. 4. 5. he would never have accused other Ch: of vncharitable and rash excommunications, which if they be a mote in the Church of Amsterdam are a beam in the Church of England, wherein there is more daunger of excommunication to them that feare God then to any other flagitious persons whomsoever.
Indeed no man can challendge Mr B. & his Church of Worxsop for any such heady and rash excommunications, they are very moderate this way, and can beare in communion with them any graceles person whomsoever til his dying day, and then commit ful charitably the body of their deceased brother to the grave, with a devout prayer for his joyfull resurrection: so charitable are they both to the living and the dead.
But the thing which most grieves Mr B, and at which he hath greatest indignation Pag. 62. is, that we will not heare his sermons though he preach nothing but the true word of God. And so he desires to heare of vsus, where the hearing of the true word of God onelyonly preached is sinn and for bidden by Christ, or the Prophets or Apostles. For answer hereof I would know first whether Mr B. speaking here and in many other places of the true word of God do meane, that God hath a true word and a false word or rather bewray not an accusing conscience, that they in England have not the word truely taught, that is in a true office of Ministery?
Now for the demaund (referring the reader for more full satisfaction, to that which hath bene published at large by others) I do answer, that as it was vnlawfull to †Num. …6 2 Ch. 26. 1 King. 12.communicate with Corah or with Vzziah though they burnt true incense, or with Ieroboams Preists though they offered true sacrifices, so is it vnlawfull to communicate with a devised ministery, what truth soever is taught in it.
Secondly the Lord hath promised no blessing to his word but in his own ordinance, though by his superaboundant mercy he oft tymes vouchsafe that which no man can chalendg by any ordinary promise.
Thirdly *Tim. 5. …2.no man may partake in other mens sinns, but every Ministery eyther devised or vsurped is the sinn of him which exerciseth it.Rev. 18. 4. And as no good subiect would assist or cōmunicate with any person in the administration of civil iustice to the Kings subiects (no not though h… administred the same never so equally and indifferrently) except the same person had commission from the King so to do: so neyther ought the subiects of the kingdome of Christ to partake with any person whomsoever in the dispensation of any spirituall thing (though in it self never so holy) without sufficient warrant and commission from the most absolute and sovereigne King of his Church Christ Iesus.
And where Mr B. speaks of hearing the true word of God onelyonly preached, he intimates therin, that if we would heare him preach it would satisfy him wel, and so teacheth vsus with himselfe and others to make a schisme in the Church in vsing one ordinance and not another.
It is all one whether a man communicate with the Minister in his pulpit or with the Chauncelor in his consistory, both of them minister by the same power of the Bishop. The Chauncelor may iudge iustly, & who knowes whither or no the Minister will teach truely? And if he do not, but speak the vision of his owne heart, what remedy hath the Church or what can they that hear him do? May they †… Tim. 5. 20.rebuke him openly according to his sin, and so bring him to repentance? or must they not beare his errors yea his heresyes also during the pleasure of the Bishops, even their Lord, & his?
And would you Mr B. be content your people should heare a masse Preist or Iesuite, though he professed as loud as you do, that he would teach the true word of God? And think not scorne of the match, for you have the selfe same office with a masse Preist though refyned. If he be ordayned by a Bishop (though it be the Bishop of Rome) he may minister in any Church of England by vertue of that ordination. And besides masse Preists preach some and those the mayne truthes, and the Ministers in England neither do nor da…e preach all, no nor some which (it may be) the others do.
Is it not better then for the servāts of the L. Iesus to exercise & aedify themselves according to the model of grace receaved, though in weaker measure, then to be so simple as to come to your feasts, though you cry never so loud vntounto them, thinking that because your stoln waters are sweet, and your hidden bread pleasant, that they have no power to passe by, but must needs become your guests?
Lastly Mr B. even to make vp the measure of his mallice, as he formerly reproached vsus by the oppositiōs, & dissentiōs which he hath heard of amongst vsus, so doth he here by the vnity and love which himselfe hath seen in vsus, comparing it page 64. to the love of Familists, and Papists, and other wretched and graceles companions. So that belike whither we love or hate, whither we agree or disagree, this man wilbe sure to fynd matter of reproch vntounto vsus, and of stumbling to himselfe, as the Iewes did both from Iohns austerity, and from Christs more sociable course of life, Math. 11. 18. 19.Mr B.
Our fourth sin is abusing the word, of which all are guilty by misalledging and wresting places of Scripture &c, and this Mr B. proves because some have accused some of the principall of vsus with it.
If accusation be conviction Mr B. needs not speak of some or anyAnsw. other, he himselfe hath most mightily cōvinced vsus, for he hath most hatefully accused vsus of any man a live.
The fifth sin (supposed) is our wilfull persisting in our schism, lightly regarding Mr B.reverend mens labours and sinfully despising weaker meanes, &c.
It is well knowne that Mr B. how earnestly soever he pleadsAnsw. with vsus for the contrary, doth himselfe as much neglect (save for his owne purposes) the iudgment of other men, as any other: neyther is there one minister in the land (I am verily perswaded) with whō he suiteth, but a right Ismael is he lesse or more, having his hand against every man and every mans against him.
Well I deny our separation to be schism, (as we take the word) much lesse do we persist wilfully in it. And for the iudgment of other men, as we despise not the meanest, so neyther do we pin our faith vponupon the sleeves of the most learned.