A Second Admonition to Edward Bagshaw, Part 2 · Section 51 – Section 52
Sect. 51. E. B. p. 14. Laſtly, Which will fully anſwer the ſcruple, It is to be conſidered, that the Primitive Churches were ſetled by the Apoſtles, and conſtituted according to the Divine pattern, having all the Ordinances of Chriſt, and true Officers rightly eſtabliſhed among them; ſo that though many ſcandalous ſins did break out, and were viſible among ſome of the members, yet a power was ſtill retained in each Church for the keeping themſelves pure by caſting out offenders; whereby they were kept to the inſtitution and orders of Chriſt, without any univerſal innovation or degenerating in thoſe Eſſentials of Order as well as Doctrine, which they fell into in the ages after; and when Antichriſtianiſm (which was then working) did manifeſtly ſhew it ſelf, not only in rejecting truth, 2 Theſſ. 2. but in impoſing error, Rev. 13. 16, 17. then was ſeparation made neceſſary.
R. B. Reader, this confuſed huddle of words it ſeems is the thing he truſteth to as a full anſwer to the ſcruple. But 1. If ſuch Churches are to be communicated with, as yet retain all the Eſſentials of Office, Order and Doctrine, then thoſe are to be communicated with, that are now in queſtion: But the former ſeemeth here intimated by himſelf, That our ſaid Churches have all ſuch eſſentials, is thus proved. Whereever there are true Paſtors and a Chriſtian flock related mutually as ſuch, receiving the holy Scriptures as ſuch, there are all things eſſential to a true Church, for Office, Order and Doctrine. But it is ſo … the Pariſh Churches in queſtion: To ſtay here to write a particular proof of the validity of the Miniſters Calling, any further than to put the accuſer if he can to prove, that any eſſential part is wanting (whether in Qualification, Ordination, or Conſent) would be vain, it being done ſo largely by the old Non-conformiſts.
2. But is there a Power retained in ſuch Churches to caſt out offendors? Anſw. Yes; A Power divine, or given by Chriſt. Remember that (as I have proved Diſp. of Ordinat.) men are not the Makers of the Office of the Sacred Miniſtry, nor the Meaſurers or Givers of the Power; but only the Chooſers of the perſon that ſhall receive what Chriſt by Inſtitution giveth, and the Miniſterial Inveſters of the perſon in that power. Therefore,
Whoever receiveth the Office of a Paſtor receiveth the power of the Keyes, to take in and caſt out (Though not arbitrarily nor ungoverned by himſelf) But the Pariſh Miniſters (or very many of them) now in queſtion do receive the Office of Paſtors: Therefore they receive the power of the Keyes to take in and caſt out.
If you ſay that the Biſhops intend it not in ordaining them: I anſwer, 1. It ſufficeth that Chriſt intendeth it, who is the only maker and giver of the power: The Book of Ordination maketh them ſolemnly Covenant to give faithful diligence alwayes ſo to Miniſter the Doctrine, and Sacraments, and the Diſcipline of Chriſt as the Lord hath … manded, &c. And to teach nothing as required of neceſſity to eternal ſalvation, but that which they are perſwaded may be concluded and proved by the Scripture, as containing all ſuch neceſſary doctrine: And to be ready with all faithful diligence to baniſh and drive away all erroneous and ſtrange doctrines contrary to Gods word: And to uſe both publick and private monitions and exhortations as well to the ſick, as the whole: And to be diligent in prayers and reading the holy Scriptures, and in ſuch ſtudies as help to the knowledge of the ſame, laying aſide the ſtudy of the world and the fleſh. And that they will be diligent to frame and faſhion themſelves and their families, according to the doctrine of Chriſt, and to make both themſelves and them, as much as they can, wholeſome examples to the flock, &c. And till lately the ſaid Book recited Acts 20. 28. to the Presbyters at their Ordination.
And the Canon 26. ſaith [No Miniſter ſhall in any wiſe admit to the receiving of the holy Communion any of his Cure or flock, which be openly known to live in ſin notorious without repentance; Beſides what the Rubrick ſaith to that purpoſe.
And now (though I think this one of the greateſt ſores which you have touched) yet judge whether even the Laws and Canons concede no Power to the Miniſters.
3. But if they did not, the Power of Office is one thing, and the Liberty of exerciſing it is another: We have Power from Chriſt to preach: and if we be ſilenced and our liberty reſtrained by men, that proveth us not to be no true Miniſters. If you mean that no Church is to be communicated with where the Paſtor is hindered by men from the full diſcharge of his Office, you miſtake, and can never prove it.
4. They that voluntarily neglect their Office (without hinderance by the force of men) are more to be blamed than thoſe that are ſo forced. But in the Primitive Churches Diſcipline was lamentably neglected voluntarily; as appeareth in the Caſe of moſt of the ſeven Churches, Rev. 2. & 3. for which they are threatned by Chriſt, and in the Corinthians caſe: yea, corrupted by ſuch as Diotrophes. And do you think that the Church that hath Power to do well, and will not, is therefore to be communicated with becauſe it can? that is, becauſe it ſinneth not through diſability, but negligence or wilfulneſs?
5. But the Core of your erroneous reaſoning is behind; you ſay, they were—without any Vniverſal innovation or degenerating in thoſe Eſſentials of Order as well as doctrine which they fell into in the ages after, &c. An Vniverſal degenerating in the Eſſentials even of Doctrine and Order too, is a big and a ſad word: And the time pointed at by you being ſo early, if I can underſtand you, you do (as the Seekers) unchurch the univerſal Church of Chriſt. For if it Degenerated Vniverſally in the Eſſentials of doctrine, it Vniverſally apoſtatized from Chriſtianity: For where any Eſſential part is loſt, the Eſſence and juſt Name is loſt.11. Dreadful falſe doctrine. Read and fear the tendency of ſeparation. And I beſeech you, let not raſhneſs or paſſion blind you to over-overlook the dreadfulneſs of this Doctrine.
1. If Chriſt had then no Church (as he had not, if the Eſſential degeneration was Vniverſal) then he was no King of the Church on Earth,Mr. William's doctrine. no Lord, no Teacher, no Saviour of the Church; no Interceſſor for it in the Heavens? And do you not then dethrone him, and deny him indeed to be the Chriſt? What, a Head without a Body? A King without a Kingdom?
2. So you will make all Gods Promiſes of his Churches perpetuity, as built on the Rock, againſt which Hell Gates ſhould not prevail, and of being with them to the end of the world, &c. to be falſe and fail. And if the whole Church failed, and the Promiſes made to it, what particular ſoul can truſt Gods Promiſes.
3. If all the Church apoſtatized, how ſhall we know that Apoſtates did not corrupt all the Copies of Scripture that are come down to us?
4. And then the Article [I believe the holy Catholick Church] would have been a falſhood or error.
5. And then there could be no Baptiſm, no Sacrament of the Lords Supper, &c.
6. And then there muſt be New Apoſtles with Miracles to make a new Church. And thus we have Mr. Williams doctrine, whoſe Story I recited in my laſt Book.
Sect. 52. E. B. p. 15. [This neceſſity of ſeparation which began then continueth ſtill, ſince our Churches, though reformed from Popery (that is, from Antichriſtianiſm) in ſome points, yet are not reſtored to the primitive pattern and purity.]
R. B. 1. Whether by [our Churches] you mean only the Pariſh Churches of godly Miniſters, or alſo All the Proteſtant Churches, and all other Vniverſally through the world, I am not ſure: But as far as I can conjecture by your words you mean; All. Becauſe you ſpeak of them as in a Continuance in part in the Vniverſal degeneration in Eſſentials; And you ſpeak of them as avoiding Popery but in part, and call them [our Churches,] and mention no Church in the world here that you own as a true Church (and whether any where in all your writings I remember not.) I confeſs I pretend not to know the mind of ſo careleſs a Writer by any words, but very plain ones: But if this be your mind as it ſeemeth to be, you would do well (being ſo bold a man) to tell the world your mind more plainly: And you that think that no Truth is to be ſold (as you call it) for Peace, let Independents, Presbyterians, Separatiſts, Anabaptiſts, &c. know it, if indeed you think that all their Churches are to be ſeparated from, as well as the Pariſh Churches. If this be your mind, I ſuppoſe you are but a Preacher to Auditors your ſelf, and not a Paſtor to any Church. He that thinks no Truth ſhould be concealed for fear of ſuffering, ſhould not carry it in darkneſs and diſſimulation to the Paſtors and Churches about him, if really he believe them to be no Paſtors or Churches, or not to be communicated with. But I think that you better deſerve to be diſowned by them, than they by you.
Certainly few or no Proteſtant Church, that I have known, will ſay that it is reſtored to the primitive pattern and Purity in degree. If that therefore be your meaning, you do ſeparate from all the Churches in the world. But if you mean not, in Degree, but in Eſſence, I ſtill challenge you to prove that the Churches in queſtion want any thing Eſſential; or need a Reſtoration to that which they never loſt?
Sect. 52. E. B. p. 15. [So that more may be ſaid for ſeparation now (when whole Churches are out of order and corrupt) than could be at that time when corruption had infected only particular members.]
R. B. 1. Is it now come to that? Is it the number corrupted that muſt decide the caſe? Who can tell where to find this Proteus? ſometime it is the mixture of holy and unholy: ſometime it is not bare corruption without Impoſition: And now it is the numbers corrupted, (whole Churches:) And in the next ſentence—you ſhall ſee what? 2. Is the whole Church any thing beſides the particular members? Is there any other matter? or any form beſides the Relation of the particular members? 3. I challenge you if you can to prove any corruption in the Churches in queſtion, which is not conſiſtent with the eſſence? I know not ſo much errour or harm, in the people of the Church that I now joyn with, where I live, as Paul chargeth on the Corinthians or Galathians: (Though I ſuppoſe the primitive Miniſtry and gifts more excellent than any of ours.)