Justification of Separation from the Church of England, Treatise · Section 46 – Section 48
That the power of Christ, that is authority to preach, to administer the sacraments, and to exercise the Censures of the Church, belongeth to the whole Church yea to every one of them, and not to the principall m… bers thereof.
If Mr B. were but as able to confute vsus by just reason, as he isAnsw. willing to bring vsus into hatred by unjust and odious accusations, we should then have as much cause to feare his skill, as now we have to complayn of his mallice. OnelyOnly herein his skill is to be commended, that where he findes not our opinions such as he thinks wilbe disliked by the simple multitude, he makes thē such, and so deales against them.
Here come in many things of great weight to be discussed: and although it were in it self the readyest way to reduce things to some heads, and so to prosequute them in order, yet since I have taken this task vponupon me to trace Mr B. in the particulars, therfore I purpose to follow him step by step, notwithstanding all his vnorderly wandrings and excursions.
And first Mr B. charging vsus with errour for giving authority to preach, minister the sacraments, excercise the censures to the whole Church, and not to the principall members thereof, playnely insinuates that the authority to do all these things amongst them is in the principall members of the Church. But the truth is otherwise in the parish Church of Worksop, and in all other the parish Churches in the land. You have one onelyonly member that hath power, (and that vnderunder the ordinary) to any of these things, and that your self the parrish Priest, though perhaps the parish clerk may by speciall indulgence be licensed, to bury the dead, Church women, read service on light holy dayes, and do some such like drudgery in your absence. But for the exercising of the censures, that belongs not to the whole body, or to any member thereof principall, or lesse principall, but to the Bishops and his substitute, which are forreyners and strangers as in theyr office from the true Church, so even in theyr persons from yours. All your portion in the censures Mr B. is to do the exequutioners office, when the Officiall hath played the iudge, which if you should be so bold as to refuse, besydes the punishment of your contumacy, the Church doore would do your office, for the bull of excommunication hanged vp there by the sumner byndes the offenders both in heaven & earth. And for the position it self, howsoever we do indeed maynteyne the most of the particulars against which Mr B. intends his refutation, yet as he sets it down, we do vtterly disclayme it with all the errors in it.
First for teaching in the Church we do not vse it promiscuously, nor suffer it to be vsed but according to the order (as we are perswaded) which Christ and his Apostles have prescribed. And for the sacraments, the contrary to that which you affirme is to be seene of all men in our †Article 34.confession of fayth, wherein it is held that no sacraments are to be administred vntill Pastors or Teachers be ordayned in theyr office: neyther have we practised otherwise? And this Mr B. knew, when he writ this book, as well as our selves.
Thirdly, touching the censures we do expresly confesse that †Act. 24.the power, as to receive in, so to cut of any member is given to the whole body together of every christian congregation, and not to any one member a p…t, or to more members sequest…ed from the whole, vsing the m…etest member for the pronouncing the censures. And answerable to our profession is our practise: with what conscience then or credit Mr B: can father vponupon vsus those bastardly runnaga…es, let God, & men iudge.
These things being thus, the vntruthes, which he sayth we build vponupon this opinion are his and not ours, as the groundwork is his, so is the whol building raysed from it. But touching interpretation of scripture by private brethren, and pollution by sinn vnreformed in the Church, & separation from it for the same, we shall speak in their places. OnelyOnly I desyre it may be observed that rather then Mr B. will forbeare to accuse vsus that we hold it lawfull for one person to excommunicate the whole Church, he will back this most odious calumniation with as fond and false an assertion: and that is, that separating from a Church and Mr B.excommunicating of it is all one in substance, though called lesse odiously. Answ.But the contrary is manifested by these two reasons.
First excommunication is a sentence judiciall presupposing ever a solemn and superiour power over the party sentenced: but no such thing is inferred vponupon separation.
2. Excommunication is onelyonly of them which are *1 Cor: 5. 12. 13. Math. 18. 15. 17. 18.within and of the Church, but separation may be from them without. And I would know of Mr B. whither a person, though never so meane, might not separate from the assemblies of Pagans, Turkes, Iewes, Papists, & other haeretiques, and Idolaters? I hope he would not draw such a man within his separatists schism: & yet for the same person to excōmunicate such an assembly were a sinful prophanation of Gods ordinance. And though we held (as we do nothing lesse) that one man might excommunicate the whole Church, yet were it not more (as you affirm) then your Church allowes to any Bp. in Engl. no nor so much by a thousād parts: for one Bishop with you may excommunicate a thousand Churches: every Diocesan Bishop all the Churches in his Dioces, the two Provincial Bishops theyr two Provinces, so livelyly do the reverend fathers the Bishops resemble the holy father the Pope, which may judge all men, but be judged by none.
The next collection made agaynst us is that we hould that two Mr B.or three gathered together must be a Church which hath the whole power of Christ, and may presētly make them officers & vse the discipline of Christ.
No such hast Mr B. of making officers presently: we make no dumbAnsw. Ministers: neyther dare we admit of any man eyther for a teaching or governing Elder, of whose ability in prayer, prophecying, & debating of Church matters we have not had good experience, before he be so much as nominated to the office of an Elder amōgst vsus: remēbring alwayes the deep charge of the Apostle to †1 T… 5… 21. 22.lay hands suddeynly on man, nor to be partakers of other mens sums.
But this we hold and affirm that a company consisting though but of two or three separated from the world whither vnchristian, or antichristian, and gathered into the name of Christ by a covenant made to walk in all the wayes of God knowen vntounto them, is a Church, and so hath the whole power of Christ. And for the clearing of this truth I will propound, and so prove by the scriptures these two heads.