The Unreasonableness of Separation, Part 1 · Section 8
Sect. 8. II. The Separation being now begun, the Non-conformists set themselves against it, with the Greatest Vehemency. Which is the second thing I am to make out. Parker on the Cross▪ Part. 2. cap. 9. Sect. 2.As for those of the Separation, saith Parker a Noted Non-conformist, Who have Confuted them more than we? or, Who have Written more against them? And in a Letter of his, he expresseth the greatest Detestation of them. Now it grieved me not a little, at this time, saith he, that Satan should be so impudent, as to fling the dung of that Sect into my Face, which, with all my Power, I had so vehemently resisted, during the whole course of my Ministery in England: Vide Profane Schism of the Brownists, Ch. 12.I think no other, but that many of them love the Lord, and fear his Name; howbeit their Error being Enemy to that Breast of Charity, wherewith Cyprian covered his, Qui ab Ecclesiâ nunquam recessit, as Augustin speaketh; they cannot stand before his Tribunal, but by the Intercession of our blessed Saviour. Father forgive them for they know not what they do. Think not these words are applyed to their Sect amiss; for, in effect, What doth it less than even persecute the Lord Jesus in his Host, which it revileth; in his Ordinances, which it dishonoreth; and in his Servants last of all, whose Graces it blasphemeth, whose footsteps it slandereth, and whose Persons it despiseth. And Two Characters he gives of the Men of that way, viz. That their Spirits were bitter above measure, and their hearts puffed up with the Leaven of Pride. How far these Characters still agree to the Defenders of the present Separation, I leave others to Judge. When Brown and Harrison openly declared for Separation, T. C. himself undertook to Answer them, in a Letter to Harrison. His example was soon followed by others of his Brethren, who Wrote the Admonition to the Followers of Brown, and the Defence of that Admonition. When Barrow and Greenwood published their Four Reasons for Separation, Three of which they took out of the Admonition to the Parliament, viz. Vnlawful Ministry, Antichristian Government, and False Worship; Gifford, a Non-conformist at Maldon in Essex, undertook to Answer them in several Treatises. And it is observable, that these Non-conformists Charge the Brownists with making a Vile, Notorious, and Damnable Schism, because they withdrew from the Communion of our Churches, and set up New Ones of their own. Gifford not only calls them Schismaticks,Giffords first Treatise against the Donatists of England, Preface. but saith, They make a Vile Schism, Rending themselves from the Church of England; and condemning by their Assertions, the Whole Visible Church in the World, even as the Donatists did of old time: and he adds, That the end of Brownism, as it was then called, is Infinite Schismes, Heresies, Atheism and Barbarism. And the same Author,Gifford's Second Treatise. Preface. in his Second Book, reckoning up the ill effects of this Separation among the People, hath these remarkable words. Now look also on the People, where we may see very many, who not regarding the chief Christian Vertues, and Godly Duties, as namely, to be Meek, to be Patient, to be Lowlie, to be full of Love and Mercy, to deal Vprightly and Iustly, to Guide their Families in the Fear of God, with Wholsome Instructions, and to stand fast in the Calling in which God hath set them, give themselves wholly to this, even as if it were the Sum and Pith of Religion, namely, to Argue and Talk continually against Matters in the Church, against Bishops and Ministers, and one against another on both sides. Some are proceeded to this, that they will come to the Assemblies to hear the Sermons and Prayers of the Preacher, but not to the Prayers of the Book, which I take to be a more grievous sin than many do suppose. But yet this is not the worst, for sundry are gone further, and fallen into a Damnable Schism; and the same so much the more fearful and dangerous, in that many do not see the foulness of it, but rather hold them as Godly Christians, and but a little over-shot in these matters. But that this Man went upon the Principles of the Non-conformists, appears, by his Stating the Question, in the same Preface. For, I shewed, saith he, in express words, that I do not meddle at all in these Questions, whether there be corruptions and faults in our Church, condemned by Gods Word; whether they be many or few; whether they be small or great; but only thus far, whether they be such, or so great, as make our Churches Antichristian.Answer to Giffords Preface. Barrow saith, That this Gifford was one that Ioyned with the rest of the Faction in the Petition to the Parliament against the English Hierarchy: and it appears by several passages of his Books that he was a Non-conformist; and he is joyned with Cartwright, Hildersham, Brightman, and other Non-conformists, by the Prefacer to the Desence of Bradshaw against Iohnson:Dangerous Positions, &c. l. 3. c. 5. and I find his Name in one of the Classes in Essex at that time. The Author of the Second Answer for Communicating,The Second Answer for Communicating, p. 20. Printed by John Windet, A. D. 1588. who defends T. Cs. Letter to Harrison, Browns Colleague against Separation, proves Ioyning with the Church a Duty necessarily enjoyned him of God by his Providence, through his being and placing in a particular Church, and justly required of him by the Church, or Spiritual Body, through that same inforcing Law of the coherence, and being together of the parts and members, which is the express Ordinance of God. So that, saith he, unless I hold the Congregation, whereof I am now, disanulled, and become no Church of Christ, for the not separating an unworthy Member, I cannot voluntarily either absent my self from their Assemblies to Holy Exercises, or yet depart away being come together, without Breach of the Bond of Peace, Sundring the Cement of Love, empairing the growth of the Body of Christ, and incurring the guilt of Schism and Division.Page 46. To the same purpose he speaks elsewhere. Answer to Ainsworth, p. 13.Richard Bernard calls it, An Vncharitable and Lewd Schism which they were guilty of. But I need not mention more particular A… thors, since in the Grave Confutation of the Errors of the Separatists,Page 57. in the Name of the Non-conformists, it is said, That because we have a True Church, con…ting of a Lawful Ministery, and a Faithful People, therefore they cannot separate themselves from us, but they must needs incur the most shameful and odious Reproach of Manifest Schism.Preface to the Read…r, p. 17. And concerning the State of the Persons who lived in Separation, they say, We hold them all to be in a Dangerous Estate, (we are loth to say in a Damnable Estate) as long as they continue in this Schism.