A Just Defense of Hearing the Sermons, Answer to preface · Section 13 – Section 14
Sect. 13. The forsaking of false Prophets and worship among the Jewes, is no justification of separation, from the present teachers and worship.
Eighthly, saith he, that it was the sin of that People to hearken unto the teachings of such as were not sent by the Lord (though they pretended never so much to be sent by him) and the unquestionable duty of the Lords preserving Remnant, to separate from them, as also from all the false devised worship of that day, though commended by their Kings and Rulers, 2 Kings 17.21, 22. Hos. 5.11. The former is evident, such Prophets were to be cut off from the middest of them, Deut. 18.20. and they are expressely forbidden to hear them, Deut. 13.3. Jer. 27.6, 16. so is the latter, their devised worship being a breach upon the soveraign Authority of God, must needs be a grievous sin, as the names of Adultery, Whoredom, Idolatry, Fornication, by which the Spirit of the Lord doth frequently set it forth, abundantly demonstrates; Psal. 73.27. Isai. 57.3.8. Jer. 9.2. EZek. 23.45. Hos. 3.7. and 7.3. Lev. 20.5. Jer. 13.27. Ezek. 16, 17.20.30. Hos. 1.2. Rev. 14.8. and 18.9.19, 20. which without controversie, the people of God were to separate from, and have no communion with any in, upon what pretence soever: which is solemnly charged upon them as their duty in the Scripture, Hos. 4.15. Amos 5.5. Prov. 4.14. and 5.8. Cant. 4.8.
Answer. None are said in those Texts or any other I meet with, not to be sent by the Lord, who delivered the truth of God, but they only in those places are denied to be sent by God, who delivered falsehoods, and such falsehoods as were inciting to Idolatry, or contradictions to the messages of the true Prophets, and such were not to be heard, though they should be comm…nded by Kings and Rulers, who ought to cut them off, when they spake in Gods name a word, which he had not commanded them to speak, or did speak in the name of other Gods, Deut. 18.20. And if they sought to turn them from the Lord to serve other Gods, they were not only not to hearken to them, but also, if they were never so near to them, they should not spare them, but kill them, Deut. 13.9. which I presume he will not say of the present ministers of England, and therefore me thinks he should have left out these allegations, if he had well bethought himself how unfit they were to his present designe. That devised worship, which is termed Adultery, Whoredom, Idolatry, Fornication, is Levit. 20.5. Committing whoredom with Molech, Psal. 73.27. being farre from God, going a whoring from him, Isaia 57.5. inflaming themselves with Idols under every green Tree, slaying the Children in the Valleys under the Clefts of the Rocks, Jerem. 9.2. treachery, Jer. 13.27. abominations on the hill in the fields, Ezek. 16.17. making to her self images of men to commit Whoredom with them, v. 20. Sacrificing their Sons and Daughters to them to be devoured, Ezek. 23.37. Committing Adultery with Idols, Hos. 1.2. departing from the Lord, Revel. 14.8. and 18.9. such fornication as Babylon made all Nations, even Kings of the earth to commit, and from such it is without controversie the people of God were to separate, and have no communion with any in, upon any pretence whatsoever, nor in any other sin by joyning in the practice, and if the present worship of the Ministers of England, be any such fornication, or the hearing or joyning with them, must be a partaking with them in any sin, so farre at least, they are to be separated from. But neither the Texts alledged, nor any other do require separation from the worship of God, or the Ministers that are in some things corrupt, even in their ministration; when Hophai and Phinehas, did corrupt the worship of God, yet Samuel did lawfully minister before the Lord, and Hannah did well in presenting him thereto, and her self at the solemn Feasts, and even-while there was burning incense, and sacrificing in the High places, those of Judah were not to separate from the service at Jerusalem, which was to God, and though the High Priests were unduly set up, and sundry corruptions, and superstitions in the Pharisees, and the services of the Jews in our Lord Christs time on Earth; yet did our Lord Christ joyn in the publick service of the Temple, and perswaded the cleansed Leper to offer to them the gift that Moses commanded. Wherefore I inferr, that though there should be some degree of Corruption in Worship, and that this should be a breach upon the soveraign Authority of God, as every sin is, and a grievous sin it is; yet this might not be a sufficient cause of separation from the Worship, Church, or Ministers, of it, and that the allegation of the Texts produced, will not be sufficient for the design of this Author, in urging separation from the Ministers and Church of England. But let us further attend his motions. He adds:
Sect. 14. The arguing by analogy in positive rites not rational.
What may rationally be inferred from these positions, so evidently comprized in the Scripture, and by way of Analogy at least may be argued from them, is evident to any ordinary understanding; for our parts being resolved (as was said) to trie out the matter in controversie, from such rules and soveraign Institutions, as our dear Lord hath left his New Testament Churches to walk by, we shall not stand to make that improvement of them as otherwise we might: A few Queries upon the whole that hath been offered, shall put a close to this Preface.
Answ. Whether the positions before set down, be evidently comprised in the Scripture, may be perceived by the examination of them; what may be rationally inferred from them for his purpose of condemning the hearing the present Ministers of England, is not evident to my understanding, which I do not conceive to be any other than ordinary. As for arguing by way of Analogy from the institutions of the Old Testament to those of the New Testament from supposed parity of reason, how little rationality, or force there is therein, I presume he may perceive, if he read the second part of the Review of my Dispute about Paedobaptism, Sect. 2.3. wherein how infirm the way of arguing from such Analogy is, is so far evinced, that I judge, that if the improvement he thinks he might make of his positions for his purpose, be by that way of proof, it will be found insufficient by an ordinary understanding, whether he hath kept to his resolution of tiying the matter in controversie, by the rules and institutions of the New Testament, will appear by the examining of the ensuing Discourse. I judge that to be the way whereby to settle mens Consciences about mere positive Duties, or Sins under the Gospel, and therefore am resolved to pursue his dispute pede pes, yet clearing the way by considering his Queries in a velitary Skirmish before I set upon his Triarii or main Battle.