Justification of Separation from the Church of England, Preface
CERTAYN OBSERVATIONS vponupon the Epistle dedicatory: & Preface to the Reader.
FIrst I desire it may be observed by the reader how Mr Bern…ileth the worshipful personages, vnderunder the wing of whose protection he shrowdeth his papers Christian Professors. A title peculiar to some few in the land, which favour the forward preachers, frequent their sermons & advance the cause of reformatiō. Such persons are cōmonly called amongst themselves professors, vertuous and religious, & thereby distinguished fro the body of the land, which make no such profession, and are therefore accounted (and iustly) prophane, and without religion, and that as roundly by Mr. B. as by any other in the Land. But it seemeth he had forgot both his Epistle & whom both he in it, and others every where, call Professors for distinction sake, when he wrote his book; for in it †Pag. 112. 113.he makes all the kingdome professors at a venture, and Christian professours I hope he meaneth.
Thus those whom he severeth in the Epistle, he confounds in the book. And let him wel consider how he can quit himself eyther from flatterie in the one, or from vntruth in the other.
And where (Mr Ber.) in the body of the Epistle, you seat your self in the middest between the schismatical Brownist (as you charitably term him) & the Antichristiā Papist, the one snatching on the right hād, and the other on the left, it is something which you say, and more belike then you are aware of.
Fitly may you be seated in the middest betwixt both, being indeed a minglement & compound of both, and wel may both snatch at you, and yet neither do you wrong, if neyther require more then their owne. Iustly may the Papists challenge from you that stinted service book, devised Ministerie, Antichristian Hierarchie, and Babylonish confusion which you have stollen away from them, as “Gen. 31. 19. 34.Rahel did her Fathers idols though she covered them never so close. And iustly also may we chalenge from you such godly people as you fraudulently deteyn, and such truthes of doctrine as you teach, as being the peculiars of the true Church: as the holy vessels were of the temple *Ier. 52. 17▪ 18.though violently with the people caried to Babylon and there kept.
But if you will still hault betwixt both, as †1 King. 18 21.Israell did betwixt God and Baal, and carry in your right hand many Evangelicall truthes with vsus, & in your left many Antichristian devises with the Papists, no marvell though both partyes remayne vnsatisfyed; neyther must you be offended, though the Papists for the truthes you hold with vsus account you hereticks, nor though we for the devises you reteyn with them call you Antichristian. And so you see your midle standing betwixt them and vsus more wayes then one.
And thus much of the Epistle dedicatory. In the next place I come to the preface: where amongst other iust complaynts of the iniquityes of the tymes, you reckon (and that worthily) as the most daungerous Atheisticall security & carnall living vnderunder a generall profession, to which purpose you alledg 2 Tim. 3. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. and so instance in your English people: This place of Timothy alone had you well weyed, and throughly improved especially the fifth verse, where separation from such persons (as having a shew of godlines do deny the power thereof, as you confesse the English people do) is expresly commaunded, it would eyther have stopped your mouth from reproching vsus as you do for separation, or els have opened the mouth of the most simple reader to reproue your vanity, as God did the mouth of the asse to reprove Balaam.
The next thing I observe is how vauntingly you bring as chalengers into the lists Mr. Gyshop, Mr Bradshaw, D. Allison and other vn-named Ministers, all which you say are vnanswered by vsus. And no marveil, for sundry of their writings never came to our hands, and besides it were a more equall and compendious way for these men to take vp the defence of their Churches cause, where their fellowes have forsaken it, and left it desolate, then thus to make new chalenges, though in truth with the same weapons (it may be new frubbished over) wherewith the other have lost the field. Yet are theyr books and (by the grace of God assisting) shalbe answered in particular as they come to our hands, and are thought worthy answering: though in truth it were no hard thing for our adversaries to oppresse us with the multitude of books considering both how few and how feeble we are in comparison (besides other outward difficultyes) if the truth we hold which is stronger then all, did not support it selfe.
The difference you lay down in the next place touching the proper subject of the power of Christ is true in it selfe being rightly vnderstood, and onelyonly yours wherein it is corruptly related, and specially in the particular concerning vsus, as, that where the Papists plant the ruling power of Christ in the Pope; the Protestāts in the Byshops; the Puritants, as you terme the reformed Churches & those of theyr mynde in the Presbytery; we (whome you name Brownists) put it in the body of the Cōgregatiō, the multitude called the Church: odiously insinuating against us that we do exclude the Elders in the case of goverment, where on the contrary we professe the Byshops or Elders, to be the onelyonly ordinary governours in the Church, as in all other actions of the Churches communion, so also in the censures. OnelyOnly we may not acknowledge them for †1 Pet. 5 3Lords over Gods heritage, as you would make them, *pag. 10 1.controuling all, but to be controuled by none; much lesse essentiall vntounto the Church, as though it could not be without them; least of all the Church it self, as you and others expound Math. 18: But we hold the Eldership, as other ordinances given vntounto the Church for her service, and so the Elders or officers “2 Cor. 4. 5 Col. 1. 25.the servants and ministers of the Church the wife, vnderunder Christ her husband, a… the scriptures expresly affirm. Of which more hereafter.
And where further you advise the reader to take from the Iay other birds feathers, that is, as you expound your self, to set vsus before him as we differ from all other Churches. Therein you make a most inconsiderate and vnreasonable motion.
If a man should set the Church of England before his eyes, as it differeth but from the reformed Churches, it would be no very beautiful bird. Yea what could it in that colour afforde, but Egyptian bondage; Babylonish confusion; carnal pomp; and a company of Iewish; Heathenish, and Popish ceremonies? Whatsoever truth is in the world it is from God, and from him we have it, by what hand soever it be reached vntounto vsus †1 Cor. 14. 36.Came the word of God unto you onelyonly? & vntounto it we have good right as the Israel of God, unto whom he hath committed his oracles. Rom. 3. 2.
Towards the end of the Preface you do render two reasons vponupon which you do adventure to deal against vsus as you do, the one cōfidence in your cause, the other the spirituall injury which some of late have done you, in taking away part of the seale of the Ministery. Touching the first: as it is to vsus that know you wel, no new thing to see you confident in all enterprises; so doth it much behoove you to consider, how long and by what meanes you have been possessed of this your confident perswasion. I could name the person of good credite and note, to whom vponupon occasion you confessed (and that since you spake the same things, which here you write as confidently as now you write them) that you had much a doe to keep a good conscience in dealing against this cause, as you did.
But a speach of your own vttered to my self (ever to be remēbred with fear and trembling) can not I forget, when after the conference passing betwixt Mr H. and me, you vttered these wordes, Wel, I wil returne home, & preach as I have done, and I must say as Naaman did, the Lord be merciful unto me in this thing: and therevpon you further promised with out any provocation by me or any other, that you would never deale against this cause, nor with-hold any frōit: though the very next Lords day, or next but one, you taught publikli… against it, and so broke your v…w, the Lord graunt, not you conscience.
And for the seale of your Ministerie, deceive not yourself and others; if you had not a more authentick seal in your black box to shew for your Ministery at your Bishops visitation, then the converting of men to God, (which is the seal you meane,) this seale would stand you in as little stead, as it doth many others which can shew as …re this way as you, and yet are put from their Ministerie notwithstanding. And wil you charge your Bishops & Church representative to deale so trecherously with the Lord, as to put downe his Ministers and Officers which have his broad seal to shew for their Office and Ministerie? What greater contumely do these vipers, these schismaticall Brownists lay vponupon your Church then you doe herein.
The Church of England acknowledgeth no such seale as this is. The Bishops ordination and license, conformitie vntounto their ceremonies, subscription to their articles, devout singing and saying their service-book is that which will beare a man out though he be far enough eyther from converting, or from preaching conversion vntounto any.
And here I desire the reader to observe this one thing with me. When the ministers are called in quaestion by the Bishops, they alledge vntounto them their former subscription conformity in some measure, at least their peaceable cariage in their places, but when they would iustify their ministerie against vsus, then their vsuall plea is, they hauehave converted men to God, herein acknowledging (to let passe their vnsound dealing) that we respect the work of Gods grace in any, at which they know the Bishops and their substitutes, if they should plead the same with them, would make a mock for the most part.
I do most freely acknowledge the singular blessing of God vponupon many truthes taught by many in the Land, and do and alwayes shal so far honour those persons as the Lord hath honoured them herein. But that the simple conversion of sinners, (yea though the most perfect that ever was wrought) should argue a true office of Ministerie; the scriptures no where teach; neyther shall I ever beleeve without them.
This scripture 1 Cor. 9. 1. 2. is most frequently alledged for this purpose. But as vnsoundly as commonly. For if simple conversion should argue an Apostleship, then should a common effect argue a proper cause, an ordinarie work, an extraordinarie office: for the conversion of men is a work common to extraordinarie and to ordinarie officers, yea to true and false officers, yea to such as are in no office at all, as hereafter shall appeare.
And what could be more weakly alledged by Paul to prove himself no ordinarie but an extraordinary officer, an Apostle, (which was the thing he intended) then that which is common to ordinary officers with him? Might not the Corinthians easily have replyed! Nay Paul it followes not that you are an Apostle immediately called and sent by Christ, because you hauehave begotten vsus to the Lord, & have been the instrument of our cōversiō, for ordinary Ministers Pastors & Teachers called by men, do beget to the Lord as wel as you.
The bare conversion of the Corinthians then is not the seal Paul speakes of, but together with it their establishment into a true visible Church, and that with such power and authority Apostolicall, as wherewith Paul was furnished by the Lord. Of which more hereafter.
But the father of these childrē (you say) you are which thus vnnaturally fly from you, and whereof we so injuriously have deprived you, in which respect also you make this your hue & cry after vsus and them, for through the gospel you have begotten them.
And have you begotten them vntounto the faith, as Paul did the Corinthians? and are you their father, as Paul was the father of the Corinthians? then it must needs follow that before you preached the gospel vntounto them, and thereby begot them to the Lord, they were in the same estate wherein the Corinthians were before Paul preached vntounto them, that is unbeleevers, and without faith, and so were to be reputed. And how then true matter of the Church, for which you so much contend?
Besides, these your begotten children were baptised long before you saw their faces, some twenty, some thirtie, some fourtie yeares. Now this their baptisme was true baptisme, and so the true seale of their forgivenes of sinnes, and new birth as you affirm & prove, page 119. & this their seal of the new birth hath stood good vpō them all this while visibly and externally, and yet after all this you preach vntounto them & beget thē a new visibly & externally (for onelyonly God knoweth that which is true within.) You have begot them through the Gospel.
Behold a minstrous generation, a man begetting children twentie, or thirtie, or fourtie yeares after they be borne. If Nichodemus had heard of this, he might wel have sayd, how can th…se things be.
Lastly, if you be by your office the fa…her of these children, as Paul was of the Corinthians by his, where is then that your rod of correction which Paul shakes at his children†1 Cor. 4. 21.? doth any law eyther divine or humane deny a father liberty to correct his own childrē? Or are you one of these simple fathers of whō your self speak†pag. 33. that can beget children but not bring them vp? This …od is seems apperteynes to both their and your reverend fathers the Bishops, who onelyonly know how to vse it.
To conclude the preface. In acknowledging (as you doe in the end of it) that some things in the book may seeme to the Christian reader to be written in the gall of bitternes, and yet suffering them so to passe, with an excuse of your intent, as herein you manifest no good conscience, chusing rather to excuse so great an evill then to reforme it: so neyther take you any likely course for the good of them with whome you deale, whose recovery (if they be faln) you should rather have attempted in the bowels of mercy the… in the gall of bitternes.
A…d so I c…me to the partes of your book as they ly in order.