A Trial of Church-Forsakers, Section 5
SECT. 5. Of that name they would have (Separatiſts) and how unjuſtly aſſumed as a title of honour.
IT is moſt true,Object. that they are loath to acknowledge the name of Browne their father, not ſticking to brand him with the livery of a turne-coate, if not Apoſtate (and ſurely deſerves to bee ſoundly laſhed who would raſhly father it to ſuch a breach): yea, and they tell us, that they will have their name from ſcriptures, not from men, and will be called, they of the ſeparation.
Sol.In this I am yet glad, that they love the ſcriptures more then men: and I humbly pray, that all that would be accounted good men, would not tell us what this good man, and that,2 Pet 1.19 1 Cor. 2.5 held, and ſaid; but what Jeſus Chriſt hath left to be held in the ſure word of God, that their faith may not ſtand in the wiſedome of men. But yet before we believe them, we muſt know in what ſcripture their name of ſeparation ſtands.
Levit. 20.24. 1 Kin. 8.53We reade indeed that God ſaith to Iſrael, I am the Lord thy God which ſeparate you from other people, which Salomon thus expounds, thou didſt ſeparate them from among all the people of the earth. But are not all chriſtians ſeparated thus as well as they, from Iewes, Turkes, Heathens? Iſrael was not ſeparate from raigning ſinne, and ſinners, but for profeſsion and ſervice of the true God. For even then God ſaid of them,Numb. 14 2….35. yee have tempted me theſe tenne times, and have not harkened unto my voyce: this evill congregation are gathered together againſt mee: Deut▪ 9.6, 7, 8.thou art a ſtiffenecked people: thou haſt provoked me to wrath, and I was angry with thee to deſtroy thee: and I hope, all chriſtians are of no worſe ſeparation then this.
We reade againe that Paul at Epheſus, departed from the wicked, and ſeparated the diſciples. Act 19.9.It is well it was an Apostle, who had an univerſall Juriſdiction by immediate Call, and not private perſons, who may not doe as hee. It was well, it was Paul, who went to Jewiſh ſynagogues, to have ſpirituall communion, and preached none other thing,Act. 26.22 23. but that which Moſes and the Prophets did ſay ſhould come to paſſe, and not his owne dreames. But for his ſeparating the diſciples, we reade, he ſeparated them from divers, not from all; and that from thoſe that were hardened, and believed not, and ſpake evill of faith in Chriſt before the multitude, as the text ſaith. What is this to our church? wherein they cannot find one member that believes not in Chriſt (at leaſt doctrinally), nor one that ſpeakes evill of the way of believing in Chriſt, though thouſands juſtly ſpeak evill of their way, which is the thing in queſtion.
Wee reade alſo againe that renowned place, come out from among them, 2 Cor. 6.17and be yee ſeparate, and touch no uncleane thing, and I will receive you ſaith the Lord. For what fellowſhip hath righteouſneſſe with unrighteouſneſſe, and what agreement hath light with darkneſſe? But this will not affoord them the name of ſeparatiſts neither. Looke to the perſons that muſt be ſeparated from. ver. 14, 15▪ 16They are heatheniſh Infidels, unbelievers, Idolaters, in utter darkeneſſe, and ſo, not acknowledging the true God. And are wee in the church of England ſuch? Doe wee not pr… feſſe ſaving truth? Doe we not look, from the firſt, to the laſt, to bee ſaved onelyonly by Chriſt?Tit. 1, 15, 16. If any profeſſe they know God, and by workes deny him, yet ſhall not all things be pure to them that are pure? Looke next to the perſons that are charged to ſeparate. They are the chriſtian Corinthians, to whom the Apoſtle gives ſweete words, The church of God; 1 Cor. 1▪ 2 4.9, 30▪ 1 Cor, 3.23 1 Cor. 4, 15 1 Cor. 9.2 1 Cor. 11.2 2 Cor. 7.11 12, 13.called to be ſaints; a gracious people by Ieſus Chriſt; called to the fellowſhip of Gods ſon; in Christ, Chriſts owne; begotten in Chriſt Ieſus thorough the Goſpell; the ſeale of mine Apoſtleſhip in the Lord; whom I praiſe becauſe yee keepe the ordinances; and who are full of godly ſorrow, with the ſignes of it: yet will theſe Corinthians juſtifie the church of England by their wicked vices, both in publicke, and in their private meetings, as I ſhall (if God pleaſe) ſh…w hereafter. Conſider now, that this chriſtian church,1 Cor. 5.1 which was commanded to ſeparate from heathens in their Idol-feaſts, and abominable atheiſme, was yet in ſomething worſe then the heathens themſelves yet doth hee not teach them to ſeparate one from another in chriſtian duties of piety and charity; but to redreſſe each other as they could, and onelyonly to ſeparate from the heathens, that they may be all knowne to be profeſſed, and not diſſembled chriſtians.Eph. 5.1… Looke laſtly, to the matter the Apoſtle treateth of. It is to warne chriſtians from having fellowſhip with the unfruitfull workes of darkeneſſe, and to reprove them (in their places) in word, judgement,2 Cor. 6▪ 14, 15, 16. affection and converſation. That, with which they muſt have no fellowſhip, Paul termeth unrighteouſneſſe, darkneſſe, Belial, Idols. The way whereby they may have fellowſhip with them▪ he termes, yoaking, concord, partaking, and agreement. And it plainely appeares that it is as murh as if he had ſaid, yee that are chriſtians muſt not be with the unrighteous men of darkeneſſe, ſonnes of Belial, and Idolaters, as if ye were yoaked in their ſociety, living at one, partaking, and agreeing with them in their wicked courſe. How I pray, can they raiſe a name of ſeparation to themſelves from hence, except they can prove that all of us live in unrighteouſneſſe, and darkneſſe, in league with Satan, and in idolatrie, and that we as paires, and couples are linked together, and partake of theſe evils? or how can we juſtly give them that name of Separatiſts except wee will grant our ſelves to bee ſuch? let them bee, from their firſt father, Browniſts: and becauſe they will be of the number and manner of thoſe, ſome that forſake the aſſembling of our ſelves together; therefore let us with a good conſcience, and as quiet a ſpirit as their cauſe will permit examine their grounds by the word of God.