A Treatise of the Church, Book 2 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. The Churches of the Browniſts, are by their owne doctrine falſe Churches: and therefore men ought to ſeperate, and come out from among them.
YOu meaſuring our Pariſh aſſemblies by this crooked line of yours, I meane your falſe doctrine of the viſible church, it is no maruel though they be not right and ſtraight in your eyes. Nay, marke what we ſay vntounto you. Prooue your deſcription of the viſible church by the word of God: prooue that to be the matter and forme, and thoſe to be theaWith reſpect had to the whole chur…h. titles of the viſible church which you ſay confidently are, and wee will acknowledge all our Pariſhionall aſſemblies to bee falſe churches; and as you ſay holdes of ſoule ſpirits, and cages of eueryevery vncleane and hatefull bird, Defence of the churches and Miniſters of England 6.and whatſoeuer elſe you charge vponupon vsus and accuſe vsus to be. But if this you cannot doe, as is euident by the premiſes, you are greatly in fault for obtruding that doctrine of the people of God as true, which is falſe: to the great diſturbance of the peace of the church, and diſquieting of many a poore ſoule. Certainly if the deſcription that you giuegive of a true viſible church were true, and that you of the ſeperation were ſuch a church, hee was a foole, and worſe then a foole, euen a madman, and out of his wits, who would not ſeperate from vsus, and be of your ſocietie. Whether your doctrine of the viſible church be true, or falſe, it is eaſie to diſcerne by the premiſes: Let vsus now conſider whethet your congregations be by your owne doctrine true viſible churches yea, or no: that ſo we may the better ſee whether we be in our wits, or out of them in not ioyning with you. To this end let vsus apply your doctrine of the viſi. church vntounto you, and meaſure your church by the ſame line you meate ours.
EueryEvery true viſible church is a company of faithfull and holy people, called and ſeperated from the world by the word of God, worſhipping Chriſt aright, gouerned by his lawes, knit together by the bond of peace, and louelove vnfained.
But your churches are not ſuch companies:
Therefore they are not true, but falſe churches.
The propoſition ſtandeth vnmoueable, being grounded vponupon the foundation your ſelues hauehave laide, and (as you thinke) vponupon a rocke. If you deny the aſſumption, and auouch that each Church of yours is ſuch a company as is by you deſcribed: I reply then there are no Hypocrites, nor reprobates in your Church, but all Elect: for the Elect onelyonly worſhip Chriſt aright, that is, in ſpirit and trueth, (as your ſelues doe interprete it) are gouerned by his Lawes, knit together by the bond of peace, and louelove vnfained: and therefore your congregations are not true viſi. Churches. Becauſe in the true viſible Church there be tares and chafle as well as wheate, that is, reprobates, as well as Elect.
Thus we ſee it is an eaſie thing to beate you with that rod, which you hauehave prepared for our ſhoulders: wherewith you hauehave a great while laſhed vsus according to your ſtrength. And thus much touching the deſcription of the viſible Church, the matter and forme, and titles thereof, according to the doctrine of the Browniſts, and the confutation thereof.