Truth Prevailing Against the Fiercest Opposition, Part 7 – Part 9
Your eighth Conſideration for ſubſtance this: THat with-drawing upon this accompt, is a ſchiſmatical practiſe, and a ſin of a high nature.
I confeſs with all my heart, that Scripture Schiſme is a ſin of a high nature, and of deep demerit, and that for the reaſon you give: but that ours is that which the Scripture condemneth, I utterly deny.
Where ever Schiſme is there is ſeparation, but it doth not follow, where ever ſeparation is that there is Schiſme, 2 Corinth. 6.17. Come out from amongſt them, and be ye ſeparate, ſaith the Lord God, and I will be a Father unto you; No body will ſay this ſeparation of the Text, is ſinfull Schiſme.
Sinful ſeparation cannot be but from a body regularly united according to the direction of Chriſt, and the example of the Primitive Churches, becauſe we have a poſitive Command to with-draw from every brother that walketh diſorderly in the Church,2 Theſ. 3.6. much more every Society that is not built upon the principles of the doctrine of Chriſt, I mean thoſe, which (by Chriſts order) concern orderly joyning, but yours is ſuch a one, and therefore ſeparation can be no ſchiſme, which onelyonly reſpecteth Churches of a regular conſtitution, ſuch as the Church of Corinth was, and the reſt of the Churches mentioned in Scripture.
Sir, when you can ſhew us a rule from Chriſt to gather Churches without Baptiſme, in all the new Teſtament, then what you ſay corcerning us will come home to us, and we ſhall be found guilty of that hainous ſin: But Sir, if no ſuch rule appear from Chriſt, nor any ſuch Church appear in all the Word of God, then will not our ſeparation from you be found that which the Scripture calleth Schiſme, but a conſcientious with-drawing to perfect the work of reformation, according to our ſolemn vow to the moſt High, which yet would have been our duty, whether we had vowed it or no.
But 2. Why ſhould our ſeparating from you be counted Schiſme, more than your ſeparating from the Pariſh Churches? is not our ground the very ſelf ſame which yours then was? And what can you ſay to Mr. Baxſter, who chargeth you with Schiſme for with-drawing from the Nationall Church,P. 193. Of his Scripture proof. which we cannot anſwer you with: He calleth you Church-Renter, as you do us, and an undone perſon, amongſt others upon that account, that are as pillars of Salt in his eye. And is it not ſtrange, that Mr. Goodwin ſhould be ſo buſie with the word Schiſme, ſchiſmatick and ſchiſmatical, as to uſe them eight times in 30. lines, againſt his freinds, for doing that which himſelf hath given them an example in upon the ſame ground.
But 3. and laſtly, As the fatall Apoſtaſie from the pure Ordinances of Chriſt, and the example of the Primitive Churches in worſhip, was graduall, ſo hath the recovery of primitive purity been; now a little and then a little, as it hath pleaſed God to communicate light to his upright ones, that he hath uſed in the reformation, but it hath been won, as it were by inches, and ſtill been made coſtly to the Names at leaſt of the Inſtruments, they all bear this burthen which now Mr. Goodwin chargeth us with, of ſchiſme.
The Pope crieth Schiſme and Hereſie after the Church of England, for renouncing communion with the Church of Rome. The Piſhops cry Schiſme after ſome of the Pres byterians. The Presbyterians cry Schiſme after Mr. Goodwin, and all Separatiſts from the National Church, which withdrawings have been ſo many ſteps towards primitive purity: Now Mr. Goodwin crieth Schiſme (pretty liberally too) after us, who have gone a few ſteps farther in the ſame path (which as yet his heart ſerveth him not to proceed in) that we may reach the things we have heard from the beginning, Which Rule Calvin confeſſeth the Church took liberty to depart from.1 John 2.24. That we may ſtand compleat in ALL the will of God, Coloſ. 4.12. And walk in ALL the Ordinances and Commandments of God blameleſs, as Zachary and Elizabeth did, Luke 1.6. And keep the Ordinances as they were delivered to the Churches of old, by the Apoſtles from Chriſt, which was matter of praiſe to the Church of Corinth, as long as they ſo kept them, 1 Cor. 11.2.
Which that we may doe, we find the ſame cauſe to renounce the National Baptiſme, which Mr. Goodwin hath done to renounce the National Church, which is the very baſis and foundation of it, and that without which it is not eaſie to conceive, how it could come to paſſe at firſt, or how it ſhould ſtand long.
Well Sir, its not long ere your work and ours will be tried, you have judged early, but our comfort is, that this is but mans day; Chriſt is not farre off, whoſe cauſe we plead,1 Cor. 4.3. and then not he that commendeth himſelf is approved, but he whom God commendeth, then ſhall every man have praiſe of God, Come Lord Jeſus, come quickly, 1 Cor, 4.5.
Your ninth Conſideration is: THat it is but a carnal Ceremony, and ſo acknowledged by Mr. Lawrence, now Lord Preſident, whom you ſtile one of the graveſt Authors of the Antipaed… baptiſticall faith.
But Sir, though Mr Lawrence hath ſtiled Baptiſme a carnal Ceremony, I pray Sir, where hath the holy Spirit called any of the Ordinances of the New Teſtament carnal Ordinances? 'Tis true; the Ordinances of Moſes are called carnal Ordinances, by the holy Spirit, Hebr 9.10. which laſted untill the time of reformation, ſaith the Text, or Chriſts time, wherein the Church hath new Ordinances given by Chriſt himſelf, whereof Baptiſme is one, and given by Chriſt, as a Reformer of what was carnal▪ therefore to call Chriſts Ordinances carnal, I humbly conceive, agreeth not to the form of wholſome words, and the rather, becauſe beginning with the Goſpel, as the Galatians did, who beleived it, and put on Chriſt in Baptiſme, they are ſaid to begin in the Spirit, Galat. 3.3. unto which the carnal Ordinances of the Law are oppoſed under the word fleſh, Are ye ſo fooliſh, having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the fleſh?
But 2. When Mr. Lawrence calleth it a carnal Ceremony, it is onelyonly in regard of the outward act, which reſpecteth the fleſh or outward man, abſtract from the ſpiritual deſign of Chriſt in it, but otherwiſe in his judgement, as well as ours, an Ordinance very ſpiritual, and full of the wiſdome and Spirit of God; for proof of this, I referre the Reader to his book of Baptiſme, but eſpecially to his Diſcourſe, from p. 101. to 113.
3. And laſtly, That the want of it rendreth beleivers unfit for any ſpiritual communion (I am farre from thinking ſo) but that it rendreth them unfit for that full communion, which a Church of Chriſt, in the right order of the Goſpel, enjoyeth; that I do beleive, and have given a full account of it already, in anſwer to your third Conſideration: And as for making work for a ſecond Crucifixion of Chriſt, I ſuppoſe Sir, that which made it at firſt, is moſt like to doe it the ſecond time, and that was ſin and diſobedience, not righteouſneſs and full walking with Chriſt, according to the rules received of him.
Your tenth Conſideration for ſubſtance this: IGnorance in ſome things concerning the myſtery of Chriſt, found either in a Church, or particular perſons, hindreth not their lawful communion in a Church way, for then there would be none fit, becauſe the beſt know but in part, therefore not to be looked for that they ſhould be practiſed in full.
If by the word Church, be meant an orderly joyn'd Church, made of fit matter, according to the Command of Chriſt, 'tis moſt true that you ſay, that Ignorance in many things will not render their communion unlawfull, and your reaſon good and ſound.
But this will not prove, that baptiſed Diſciples may lawfully ſit down in Church bodies with unbaptiſed, becauſe ſuch conjunctions are diſoderly (as I have proved at large) and conſequently ſinful, and ſo not to be indulged, but corrected and ſet ſtrait according to the Rule.
But why doth Mr. Goodwin tell us ſo often of judging our brethren unclean for communion? Is it we that judge you?Col. 2.6. or is it not rather the Rule of the Lord Jeſus? All Chriſtians are commanded to walk after Chriſt, and that in matter of Ordinances as well as faith, and if ſo doing, judge you, it is not we that judge you, but Chriſt: , Tis true, in a ſenſe we judge you,Heb. 11.7. as Noah by obedience judged the old world, but it is our grief, that there is occaſion for it. But have we judged you any otherwiſe than you have judged the godly Presbyterians of Coleman-ſtreet? if we be ſinners herein, you cannot be righteous, except the ſame action may be grace and holineſs in one man, which is ſin and unworthineſs in another, and that too when done under much the like circumſtances.
Therefore thou art inexcuſable oh man, who ever thou art, that judgeſt, for wherein thou judgeſt another thou condemneſt thy ſelf, for thou that judgeſt another doſt the ſame thing, Roman. 2.1. If you will needs find fault with us, you muſt repent, and return to the Pariſh again.
As to your odious foul language of ſacrilegious Church-breakers; I anſwer,1 Pet. 2.20, 21, 22, 23. hereunto are we called, from the example of Chriſt, when we are reviled, not to revile again, but to commit ourſelves to him that judgeth righteouſly.