Of Religious Communion Private and Public, Part 3
Of flight in persequution.
ANd here, being therevnto forced by the vnreasonable provocations of Mr Thomas Helwis, who in great confidence, & passion,In h… book …tituled A shor… Declar…tion, & pag. 20. &c. layeth load of reproaches both vppon our flight in persequution, & also vppō out persons for it, I will (God assisting me) by the Scriptures, approve the same, as lawfull, & so answer what he hath written to the contrary.
For which purpose we will consider for our instruction, what the practise hath been of the holy Patriarks, Prophets, & Apostles, with other godly men in their tymes, in cases of daunger for well-doeing, & what approbation therein they have had from the Lord.
We will begin with the Patriark Iacob, whose two notable flights, for fear of daunger the Scriptures mentiō: the former from his prophane brother Esau, Gen. 2… 42 43. &c. 31. 20 &c…the other from his Churlish vncle Laban. Touching whose flights these 3. things are more specially to be observed. 1. that he fled from one Cuntry to another. 2. that in his very flight, the Lord did aboundātly cōmunicate himself with him, comforteing & blessing him. 3. that it was he which thus fled, who had power and strength, to wrestle with God, & by wrestling to prevayl.
Next vntounto him is†Act. 7. 25. Ex. 2. 1… 14. 15. Ch. 3. 4. 18. Moses the servant of the Lord, who haveing entered vppō the exequution of his office in killing the Egiptian, & perceaving that the thing was known, fled out of Egipt, for fear of Pharaoh into Midian (another country also) & there dwelt, & took him a wife: dureing whose tyme of exile, & abode there, the Lord also did marvaylously communicate himself with him, & called him to the greatest dignity in the earth: which was to be the deliverer, & guide of his peculiar people.
Discend we next vntounto David, whose flights (though he wanted no tr… courage) how many were they (& those also from the tabernacle,…am. 17 31. the onelyonly place of Gods speciall presence) by reason of Sauls persequution, not onelyonly in his own cuntry, where he was driven to hyde himself in wildernesses, …m. 19 & 21. 10. & …. 1. 3. …s. 56. 8& caves, & desert mountayns, but even into straung, & prophane countryes: as to Gath of the Philistines, & to Mi…pah in Moab: all whose wandrings God d… count, putting his tears in his bottell: & directing him gratiously in his slights, & that of tymes, even for such meditations, as are left for the instruction, & comfort of Gods people in their slights, & other tryals,…er. 36. to the worlds end.
We do also read of † Ieremy, & Barach theyr hydeing themselves from daunger:… King …. 3. & …. 10 & 3. 5. …. & of ‡ Eliah the Prophets hydeing himself, by the Lords appoyntment, from Ahabs cruelly: & how the Lord did extraordinarily furnish him for his further flight in the wildernes, by the ministery of his Angell.
Yea we have even … Christ our Lord himself (when Herod thought to ki… him, in his infancy) caryed into Egipt by Ioseph, with Mary his mother, Math. 2 14. 15 Phil. 3. ….whether they fled to keep the babe from being destroyed, & there abode, till the daunger was over: & therein, as our head, sanctifying flight in his mothers arms, to all his members in their tyme: who are … patakers of the fellowship of his afflictions, & of this amongst the rest.Mark 3. 7. Which liberty he did also sundry tymes in his riper years vse himself, (& so ratify vntounto vsus) by † avoyding the places of daunger, where his enemyes were, who sought to destroy him: …ke 4. …. 30. …h. 4. 1. & 7. 1. … 10. 39& thereby escapeing out of theyr hands, till his hower were come, vntounto him certaynly, & infallibly known: directing his disciples also, that … when they were persequuted i… one Citty th…y should fly into another: & to beware of men, & to look to themselves. Which liberty they also vsed tyme after tyme, as appears in many particulars:Math. …0. 23. Act. 8. 1 … 11. 19 …0. 21 & 12. 3. 4. 7 & 4. …. 5. 6. Act. 9. 23 4 25. …. Cor. 11 … as first, in … all the Ch: at Ierusal: scattered abroad, & dispersed, (save th… Apostles) by means of persequution: with whom the L: also was, blessing the… wheresoever they came. So in … Peter being freed from Herods tyranny, getting him to another place. Likewise in Paul, & Barnabas flying from Iconium t… avoyd violence, vntounto L…stra, as Paul had done before from Damascus: where to avoyd the laying-in-wayt of the Iewes the was let down by night thorough the wall of th… Citty, by a rope in a basket. In which his base flight he doth also reioyce afterwardes, as being one of his infirmityes or sufferings for Christ.
Ad we in the last place, that which is written of the servants of Go… els where, that they of whom the world was not worthy, did by fayth wander vp, Hebr. 11. …7. 38. …9.& down, in sheep skins, & goat skins, & that in wildernesses, & mountayns, & den… & caves of the earth.
And for not onelyonly flight, but even banishment also, we have Iohn the se… vant of Christ in the …le called Patmos for the word of God & for the witnessing of Ies… Christ: that is, banished, & confined to that Ile,Rev. 1. 9. by the Romayn Emperour with which also that in Isaiah consorteth, where the Lord requyres of †Chap. 16. 4.Moab, to let his banished dwell with her. Considering then how playnly, & expresly the Scriptures speak in the poynt, it is marvayl, that any, makeing them their direction, should abridg eyther themselves, or others ordinarily of the liberty of flight in persequution. But we will come to Mr Helwise his oppositions agaynst it.
And as he hath a better faculty in revyleing mens persons, then in refuteing their iudgments, so begins he his plea with a bitter accusation agaynst false hearted leaders, who (as he sayth) to be sure not to loose their lives for Christ, M. Hel…flee into straung cuntryes, & free states, & draw people after them, to support their kingdom; &c. seeking the kingdom of heaven, as far they may with their safety.
If we principally sought out earthly good, or safety, why did we not abyde at home,ANSW. or why return we not thither, applying our selves to the tymes, as so many thousands do? that I may not alledg, that by seeking such a kingdom of heaven, or Church, as out of which we should throw our children, (as he hath done) which we might do safely enough, if without sin, we could procure to our selves much more earthly help, & furtherance, in the cuntry where we live, as he knew well. And for drawing over the people, I know none of the guides, but were as much drawen over by them, as drawing them. The truth is, it was Mr Helwisse, who above all eyther guides, or others, furthered this passage into straung countryes: & if any brought oars, he brought sayles, as I could shew in many particulars, & as all that were acquaynted with the manner of our comeing over, can witnes with me. Neyther is it likely, if he, & the people with him at Amsterdam, could have gone on comfortably, as they desyred, that the vnlawfulnes of flight would ever have troubled him: but more then likely it is, that haveing scattered the people, by his heady, & indiscreet courses, & otherwise disabled himself, that naturall confidence, which abounded in him, tooke occasion, vnderunder an appearance of spirituall courage, to presse him vppon those desperate courses, which he, of late, hath run. By which he might also think it his glory do dare, & chaleng king, & state to their faces, & not to give way to them, no not a foot: as indeed it far better agrees with a bould spirit, & haughty stomack, thus to do, then with the Apostle in the base infirmity of Christ to be let down thorough a wall in a basket, & to run away.
But we will weigh his Reasons agaynst our flight. And first, he accuseth vsus, that, for instifying of it we pervert Christs saying Math. 10. 23. which is, when they persequute you in one citty, flee into another: & that Christ there bids his disciples, when th…y are persequuted in one citty, go to another, to preach the gospell: because they should not goe ever all the Cittyes of Israell, till the son of man came.
The truth is, it is he that too bouldly both alters the words, & perve… ANSW:the meaning of Christ, in putting goeing to preach, for fleeing from persequution … which liberty if he may lawfully vse agaynst the Scriptures, there will the… be for vsus no lawfull liberty of flight indeed. But as the word is properly▪ & necessarily turned†foreign. flee, so Christ, saying vntounto them, when they persequ… you, flee, sayth vntounto them, flee, to avoyd their persequution, as they also after…wards did Yet because he directs his speach immediately to the twel… Apostles designed, who were by their office to preach, as to all the world… … 1. 2. 6.so first to the Iewes, he chargeth them not to think themselves freed by thei… persequution from preaching, nor so to fly as to forget, or neglect thei… office of Apostleship, but that still in their flying they should remembe… their speciall calling: telling them both for their provocation, & comfort… that before they could passe thorough all the Cittyes of Israell he would come, to wi… by the more glorious work of his spirit for the advancement of his kingdom. So that in the words of Christ to his Apostles, two things are conteyned: the former a liberty of flight in persequution, & the same so e…i…dently, as that an Angell from heaven teaching the contrary, were not t… be beleived; the other, a charg so to fly, as that for any persequution, the… ceased not to preach whethersoever they were driven. And so the answe… is easy to that which followeth, namely, that we flee to Cittyes of a strang eu…try to whom we can not preach, &c. For 1. it is the fulfilling of our office … we preach to the particular flockes over which we are set, not being Apostles, as they were: though I could also alledg, that we have so preached t… others in these Cittyes, as that, by the blessing of God workeing with … we have gayned more to the Lord, then Mr Helw: his Ch: consists of An… 2dly, I would know, how he, & the people with him have preached to th… Citty of London? Surely not as the Apostles did, in the Synagogues, & publique places: much lesse do they f…y being persequuted, (or go, if so they wi… have it) from Citty, to Citty, to preach, as did the Apostles.
Where he further obiecteth that our fleing is to save our selves from being … M. Helwsheep in the middest of wolves, & from being deliver…d vp to counsels, &c: & that … med not take thought what to speak, &c: I answer, that as these tryals did … nessarily follow vppon the Apostles callings as being to be imployed … ANSW:mongst vnbeleeving Iewes, & Gentiles, in their ordinary ministration, so d… they not in like manner, or measure of necessity, ly vppon vsus, who are ap…poynted to feed the particular flockes of beleevers, over which we are … Act. 20. 17. 28.OnelyOnly they teach, that, if God so dispose of vsus, & that we cannot by goo… 1. Pet. 5. 1means avoyd the same, we then patiently, & in fayth give witnesse to Chris… truth, & testament, by suffering these, & all other kynde of evilles. The Sc…ptures in many places exhort vntounto poverty, hunger, nakednes, losse … goods, & lands for Christs sake; must now the servants of God theref… necessarily be pore, & destitute of outward necessaryes? Some indeed vppon these ground have vowed wilfull poverty: as did this man vppon the …ike, vow (it seems) wilfull persequution.
Toching the practise of the Apostles, Act. 5. 19. 20. 40. 42. & 8. 1. I answer that at other tymes those very Apostles did fly persequution; as did also Paul, though of both as great courage, & zeal, as any other. But for that present they were tyed to that very place, & might not depart thence, but were,†Luke … 47. at Ierusalem first soundly to publish & plant the gospell of Christ: as also thence to send, or go to other places, as they were occasioned. And (excepting the extraordinary occasion of the Apostles) the latter of theAct. 1. 8. & 5. 19. 20. & 8. 14 & 11. 22. Scriptures he brings, is directly agaynst him: where it is sayd that the whole Ch: at Ierusalem was scattered abroad, & dispersed, by reason of persequution. And for their preaching to their cuntrymen the Iewes, where they came; & as they had occasion, to the Gentiles, it is that we also do, & desyre to do, as we have occasion, & means: this being alwayes remembred, that we are distinct, & entyre congregations, in our selves, which they were not.
Where in the next place he notes, for his purpose, the assault made agaynst Paul, & Barnabas in Icon… ̄ Act. 14 5. he should also have noted, for the truthes sake, that v. 6. they being aware of it, fled to L…stra, & Derbe. And for their returning agayn into the places where they had beē persequuted, v. 21. 22. first, their persequutiōs in those places had been but by the tumultuouse multitude (by the provocation of the Iewes) which like a tempest, were soon over, & not by any stablished lawes, or setled course of iustice; & 2dly, it was but the Apostles duetyes, as being vniversall men, & haveing vppon them the care of all the Churches, & not being tyed to any certayn congregation, as we are.2. Cor. 11 28.
The commendations given of the Churches of Thess. 2. Thes. 1. 4 & of Pergamus M. HelwRev. 2. 13. for their patience in affliction, & that dwelling where Sathans throne was, …hey kept Christs name, evē whē Antipas was martyred, do not reprove our practise at all: the like cōmēdatiōs being els where givē of others, as I have shewed,ANSW. Heb. 11. 1 2. 37 38. for keeping the fayth with holines, in their wandring flight from one place, & cuntry to another. The Apostle 1. Cor. 7. commends them, who keep themselves single to avoyd trouble in the flesh, & that they may be the more free for the Lord: doth he therefore condemn thē that marry in the Lord to avoyd fornication? Or doth he not commend both, as doeing well? & eyther in doeing …etter, in divers regards? He that is in daunger of vncleannes doth better to marry: & he that is without that daunger, & cā more freely in a single state, give himself to the Lord, doth better in that respect, so to abyde. So is it in flight, which is allowed, nay requyred, agaynst naturall fear, & many other …oth incōveniē …es, & eviles, ordinarily, in persequutiō, as is mariage agaynst fornicatiō Besydes, as those Ch: knew not; happily, whether to go to be better, in those dayes, so neyther was their persequution such, but that they might enioy their mutuall fellowship & ministers, & bring vp their children & familyes in the information of the Lord, & his truth (though with great persequution even of some particular men vntounto death, at tymes, & by occasions) which in Engl: all men know, we could not possibly do.
That which he ads of Christes enioyning the man dispossessed of the divell, to g… home to his freinds, & shew them what great things the Lord had done for him, makesM. Helw as much agaynst themselves as vsus. For why go not they home every one to his freinds, for that end, but abide in London where fewest of their freind… ANSW.are? It is then his ignorance to ty all by that speciall commaundement. At another tyme Christ would not fuffer one, so much as to go home, & … his frenids farewell: nor another to bury his father, before they followed him; asLuke 9. 59. 60. 61 62. here on the contrary he would not suffer this man to follow him, but send… him back to his freinds: but doth not at all there-in for-bid him flight i… persequution, as Mr Helw: gathereth.
That we should not fear men, which can kill the body, but deny our selves, &c▪ we do acknowledg, & by the grace of God, so practise. We have not fear…men, that is, so feared them, as for their persequutions to deny any parte … the truth of Christ knowen vntounto vsus, or any way to sin agaynst the same▪ but do keep (as frayl men) a good conscience in the obedience of all th… parts thereof: haveing also (the glory be the Lords, who hath shewed … this mercy, & enabled vsus therevnto) learnt to deny our selves, though with much weaknes, in our cuntry, freinds, possessions, riches, credits, liberty▪ yea & in our lives also in resolution, & will, for Christes sake, & truth: & withall to suffer those kyndes of afflictions, for the avoyding of which▪ many have withdrawn from the same truth, for wich they have offered thei… lives to the Magistrate, as resolvedly, as this man hath his, for his errours.
Where he sayth further, that the Cittyes where we are, neyther recea… vsus, nor the word we bring, otherwise then they receav Turkes, & Iewes, … speaks very vntruely both of them, & vsus, as (were it of vse) I could she… evidently. And lastly, to his demaund, when we will shake of the dust of our … for a witnes agaynst the Citty, or house, that will not receav vsus, & departe thence, … the Apostles did? I answer, when we are Apostles, as they were: & do agay… ask, why did not he, … why do not his companions shake of the dust o… their feet agaynst London, which recavs not them at all? And if the Churche… of Christ be thus to shake of the dust of their feet agaynst the Cittye… which receav not their doctrine, how could the Ch: of Pergamus be com…mended for dwelling, & continueing in that Citty, which receaved not … truth, but had on the contrary, Sathans throne established in it, & persequu… the Martyrs of the truth vntounto death?
For flight then, thus much. As we read that Christ our Lord, the Prophets, & Apostles, did at some tymes & ordinarily avoyd & flee persequution, & at other tymes, not: so are we to know, that there are tymes, & occasions seasonable for both. Neyther are the words of Christ, when they persequute you, flee, an absolute commaundment, as he thinketh, any more then those of the Mayster to his servant Luke 17. 8. when thou hast served me, eat thou, & drink thou. They are a graunt of liberty, & a direction, how to vse it. As we then shall perceav eyther our flying, or abydeing to be most for Gods glory, & the good of men, especially of our family, & those nearest vntounto vsus, & for our own furtherance in holines; & as we have strength to wade thorough the daungers of persequutions, so are we with good conscience to vse the one, or other. Which (our hope & comfort also is) we have done, in these our dayes of sorrow: some of vsus comeing over by banishment, & others otherwise.
And thus have I answered whatsoever in his book hath any colour of reason agaynst our flight in persequution. His rash & vngodly Censures both vppon our practise, & persons, yea vppon the very secret intents of our hearts, I do of purpose passe by, as being the fruits of his stout stomach, & heart fowred with his own leven; assureing my self, that no wise man, will for the same, eyther think vsus the lesse, or him the more truely Zealous.
But for that divers weak persons have been troubled & abused by some other things in the same book: in which also he much insulteth, & that over my self, amongst, & above others, I think it fit in this place to annex an answer to that part of it, which is directed agaynst vsus, whom he (with others) miscalles Brownists, & agaynst our (falsely called by him, false) profession.