Last Legacy in Select Admonitions and Directions, Treatise · Section 6 – Section 7
Of Conformity.
For Conformity, P. 55.though to Miniſters it be another thing, by reaſon of the new impoſitions, than it was to our Predeceſſors; yet to the People, Conformity is the ſame, if not eaſier, (eſpecially to them that I now ſpeak to:) for it is the Liturgy, Ceremonies, and Miniſtry, that moſt alienate them. And the Liturgy is a little amended, as to them, by the change of the Tranſlation, and ſome little words, and by longer Prayers; and the Ceremonies are the ſame; and Thirty Years ago, there were many bare reading, not preaching Miniſters, for one that is now. Therefore our caſe of Separation being the ſame as of old, I take it to be fully confuted, by the ancient Non-conformiſts: and I have ſo great a Veneration for the worthy Names, much more an Eſtimation of the Reaſonings, of Mr. Cartwright, Egerton, Hilderſham, Dod, Ameſius, Parker, Baines, Brightman, Ball, Bradſhaw, Paget, Langley, Nicols, Herring, &c. that I ſhall not think, they knew not why they choſe this Subject, and wrote more againſt Separation, than the Conformiſts did. I am very glad that the pious Lectures of Mr. Hilderſham, Mr. R. Rogers, and ſuch old Non-conformiſts, are in ſo good eſteem among good People, where they will read them, urging the People, not only againſt Separation, but to come to the very beginning of the Publick Worſhip, and preferring it before their Private Duties.
When I think what holy Learned Men the old Conformiſts were,P. 57. my heart riſeth againſt the thoughts of ſeparating from them. If I had come to their Churches, when they uſed the Common Prayer, and Adminiſtred the Sacrament, could I have departed and ſaid, It is not lawful for any Chriſtian here to communicate with you? What! to ſuch Men as Mr. Bolton, Whateley, Fenner, Dent, Crook, Dike, Stock, Smith, Dr. Preſton, Sibbs, Stoughton, Taylor, and abundance other ſuch? yea, ſuch as Biſhop Jewel, Grindal, Hall, Potter, Davenant, Carleton, &c. Dr. Field, Smith, Jo. White, Willet, &c. yea, and the Martyrs too? as Cranmer, Ridley, Hooper himſelf, Farrar, Bradford, Fillpot, Sanders, &c. Could I ſeparate from all theſe on the Reaſons now in queſtion? Yea Calvin himſelf, and the Churches of his way were all ſeparated from by the Separatiſts of their times.
And though Miniſterial Conformity is now much altered,P. 12, 13. (as to Ingagements) many (of the Aſſembly of Divines) that are yet living, do Conform again; nor would I ſhun Communion with the Reverend Members of that Aſſembly, Twiſs, Gataker, Whitaker, and the reſt, if again they uſed the Liturgy among us. And if the old Conformiſts, ſuch as Bolton, &c. were alive, and uſed now the ſame Liturgy and Ceremonies as they did then, (which was worſe than now) I could not think their Communion in Prayer and Sacraments, unlawful, nor Cenſure that Man as injurious to the Church, who ſhould write to perſwade others not to ſeparate from them.
Read over ſome of the old Non-conformiſts Books againſt Separation,Defenſe, p. 89. as Mr. Jacob's the Independent, againſt Johnſon, and Mr. Bradſhaw, and Mr. Gataker's Defence againſt Cann, Mr. Gifford, Darrell, Paget, &c. and fulleſt of all (at the beginning of our Troubles) Mr. John Ball in Three Books: In theſe you will find the ſame Objections anſwered, or more and greater. And I profeſs my Judgment, That our ordinary Boaſters, that think they know more in this Controverſie than the old Non-conformiſts did, as far as I am able to diſcern, are as far below them almoſt as they are below either Chamier, Sadeel, Whitaker, or ſuch other in dealing with a Papiſt.
Objections anſwered.
But what if there be groſs and ſcandalous Sinners are Members of the Church? Chriſtian Directory, p. 747.Anſw. If you be wanting in your Duty to reform it, it is your ſin; but if bare Preſence made their ſin to be ours, it would alſo make all the ſins of the Aſſembly ours.
But what if they are ſins committed in the open Aſſembly, even by the Miniſter himſelf in his Praying, Preaching, and other Adminiſtrations? Anſw. 1. A Miniſters perſonal Faults may damn himſelf, and muſt be matter of lamentation to the Church, who ought to do their beſt to reform them, or get better, by any lawful means: But in caſe they cannot, his ſin is none of theirs, nor doth it make his Adminiſtration null, or ineffectual, nor will it allow you to ſeparate from the Worſhip which he adminiſtreth. —You may not ſeparate from him, unleſs you can prove him, or his Miniſtry, utterly intolerable, by ſuch Faults as theſe: 1. An utter inſufficiency in Knowledge, or Utterance, for the neceſſary parts of the Miniſterial Work: as if he be not able to Teach the neceſſary Points of Chriſtian Religion, nor to Adminiſter the Sacraments, and other parts of Publick Worſhip. 2. If he ſet himſelf to oppoſe the ends of his Miniſtry, and preach down Godlineſs, or any part of it, that is neceſſary to Salvation: Or be a Preacher of Hereſie, preaching up any damning Errour, or preaching down any neceſſary ſaving Truth. 3. If he ſo deprave the Publick Worſhip, as to deſtroy the Subſtance of it, as in putting up Blaſphemy for Prayer or Praiſe, or commit Idolatry, or ſet up new Sacraments, or impoſe any Actual Sin on the People.
But there are other Miniſterial Faults which warrant not our Separation;See Chriſt. Direct. p. 606. as, 1. Some tolerable Errours of Judgment, or Envy, and pettiſh Oppoſition to others, Phil. 1. 15. 2. It is not unlawful to joyn with a Miniſter, that hath many Defects in his Miniſtration, or manner of Worſhip; as if he preach with ſome Ignorance, Diſorder, unfit Expreſſions or Geſtures, and the like in Prayer and Sacraments. 3. It is not unlawful to joyn with a Miniſter, that hath ſome material Errour or Untruth in Preaching or Praying, ſobeit we be not called to approve it, and ſo it be not pernicious and deſtructive to the ends of his Miniſtry. If we run away from all that vent any Untruth or Miſtake in Publick or private Worſhip, we ſhall ſcarce know, what Church or Perſon we may hold Communion with. For 1. a ſmall Sin may no more be done or owned, than a greater. 2. And then another Man's Weakneſs may diſoblige me, and diſcharge me from my Duty.