Last Legacy in Select Admonitions and Directions, Treatise · Section 34
Of Cenſoriouſneſs.
Is not Cenſoriouſneſs and Raſh Judging a Sin?Preface to Cure of Diviſions. Yet one Congregation of the Diviſion labours to make others odious and contemptible, and that is called the Preaching of Truth, and purer Worſhipping of God. I have ſeen this grow up to the height of Ranters, in horrid Blaſphemies; and then of Quakers, in diſdainful Pride and Surlineſs, and into Seekers, that were to ſeek for a Miniſtry, a Church, a Scripture, and conſequently a Chriſt. I have lived to ſee it put to the Queſtion (in the little Parliament) whether all the Miniſters of the Pariſhes of England ſhould be put down at once. I have ſeen how confidently the killing of the King, the rebellious demoliſhing of the Government of the Land, the killing of many Thouſands of their Brethren, the turnings and overturnings of all kind of Rule, even that which themſelves ſet up, have been committed, and juſtified, and profanely fathered upon God; theſe with much more ſuch fruits of love-killing Principles I have ſeen.
If you converſe with Cenſorious Separatiſts,Cur…. p. 152. you ſhall hear ſo many invectives againſt them that are truly Catholick and ſober, as will make you think, that Love and Peace, and Catholick Communion are ſome ſinful and miſchievous things.
The experience of Twenty ſix Years in this Kingdom may convince the World,P. 24. what crimes may ſtand with high profeſſions; ſuch as the generation ſpringing up will ſcarce believe. What high Profeſſors were the proudeſt overturners of all Government, and reſiſters and deſpiſers of Miniſtry and Holy Order in the Churches? The moſt railing Quakers, and moſt filthy blaſpheming Ranters, to warn the World to take heed of being proud of ſuperficial gifts, and high profeſſion, and that he that ſtands in his own conceit ſhould take heed leſt he fall.
I have much ado to forbear naming ſome high ProfeſſorsP. … known lately at Worceſter, Exeter, and other places, who died Apoſtate Infidels, deriding Chriſtianity, and the Immortality of the Soul,P. 188. who once were Separatiſts. And I have heard of ſome Separatiſts, who when others of a contrary judgment were going to the Churches at London, looked in at the Doors, ſaying, The Devil choak thee, art thou not out of thy pottage yet?
I commend to all that of the Apoſtle,P. 22. Phil. 2. 3. Let nothing be done through ſtrife and vain glory, but in lowlineſs of mind let each eſteem others better than themſelves. Read this Verſe over on your Knees, and beg of God to write it on your Hearts. And I would wiſh all Aſſemblies of dividers and unwarrantable Separatiſts, to write it over the Doors of their Meeting places, and join with it, Rom. 12. 10. but eſpecially ſtudy James 3. In a word, if God would cure the Church of Religious Pride, the Pride of Wiſdom, and the Pride of Piety and Goodneſs, the Church would have fewer Hereſies and Contentions, and much more Peace, true Wiſdom and Goodneſs.
The forwardneſs of many to keep open Diviſions,Preface to Confeſſ. and to affect communion with none, but ſuch as ſay as they do, is a down right mark of a Schiſmatick. And I know that dividing Principles and Diſpoſitions do tend directly to the ruine and damnation of thoſe in whom they do prevail.
When Men fall into ſeveral Parties,Chriſt. Direct. p. 734. burning in Zeal againſt each other, abating charity, cenſuring and condemning one another, backbiting and reviling each other, through envy and ſtrife; when they look ſtrangely on each other, as being of ſeveral ſides, as if they were not Children of the ſame Father, nor Members of the ſame Body, or as if Chriſt were divided, one being of Paul, and another of Apollo, &c. and every one of a Faction, letting out their thoughts in jealouſies and evil ſurmiſes of each other, perverting the words and actions of each to an ugly ſenſe; and ſnatching occaſions to preſent one another as fools, or odious to the hearers (as if you ſhould plainly ſay, I pray you hate, or deſpiſe theſe People, whom I hate and deſpiſe:) This is the core of the Plague ſore, it is Schiſm in the bud. S. 16. When People in the ſame Church do gather into private Meetings, not under the guidance of their Paſtors, to edifie one another in holy exerciſes, in love and peace, but in oppoſition to their lawful Paſtors, or to one another, to propagate their ſingle opinions, and increaſe their Parties, and ſpeak againſt thoſe that are not on their ſide, Schiſm is then ready to increaſe and multiply, and the Swarm is ready to come forth, and be gon. S. 17. When theſe People actually depart, and renounce or forſake the communion of the Church, and caſt off their faithful Paſtors, and draw into a ſeparated Body by themſelves, and chooſe them Paſtors, and call themſelves a Church, and all without any juſt, ſufficient cauſe; when thus Churches are gathered out of Churches, before the old ones are diſſolved, or they have any warrant to depart; when thus Paſtor is ſet up againſt Paſtor, Church againſt Church, and Altar againſt Altar, this is Schiſm ripe and fruitful, the Swarm is gone and hived in another place. S. 19. If they ſhall alſo judge that Church to be no Church from which they ſeparated, and ſo cut off a part of the Body of Chriſt by an unrighteous Cenſure, and condemn the innocent, and uſurp Authority over their Guides; this is Diſobedience and Uncharitableneſs, with Schiſm. A true Chriſtian that hateth Fornication, Drunkenneſs, Lying, Perjury, becauſe forbidden in the Word of God, will hate Diviſions alſo, which are ſo frequently and vehemently forbidden, Jo. 17. 21, 22. Ro. 14. throughout. Ro. 15. 12. 1 Cor. 1. 10. Eph. 4. 1, 2, &c. 1 Cor. 12. Phil. 3. 15. Ro. 16. 17, 18. 1 Tim. 1. 4. James 3. The miſchief of Diviſions may be ſeen at large, p. 739.
Q. May, Chriſtian Directory. P. 854.or muſt a Miniſter, ſilenced, or forbid to preach the Goſpel, go on ſtill to preach it againſt the Law? Anſw. He that is ſilenced by juſt power, though unjuſtly, in a Country, that needeth not his Preaching, muſt forbear there, and if he can, muſt go into another Country, where he may be more ſerviceable. We muſt do any lawful thing to procure the Magiſtrates licence to preach in his Dominions.