The Bloody Tenant of Persecution for the Cause of Conscience, Part 3 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
Peace.
THe second distinction is this.
In points of Doctrine some are fundamentall,The second distinction discussed… without right beleefe whereof a man cannot be saved: others are circumstantiall and lesse principall, wherein a man may differ in judgement without prejudice of salvation on either part.
Truth.
To this distinction I dare not subscribe,Gods people may erre from the very fundamentals of visible worship. for then I should everlastingly condemne thousands, and ten thousands, yea the whole generation of the righteous, who since the falling away (from the first primitive Christian state or worship) have and doe erre fundamentally concerning the true matter, constitution, gathering and governing of the Church: and yet farre be it from any pious breast to imagine that they are not saved, and that their soules are not bound up in the bundle of eternall life.
We reade of foure sorts of spirituall or Christian foundations in the New Testaments.
First, the Foundation of all foundations, 4 sorts of spirituall Foundationsthe Corner-stone it selfe, the Lord Iesus, on whom all depend, Persons, Doctrines, Practices, 1. Cor. 3.
2. Ministriall foundations. The Church is built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Ephel. 2. 20.
3. The foundation of future rejoycing in the fruits of Obedience, 1 Tim. 6.
4. The foundation of Doctrines, foreign The sixe Foundations of the Christian Religion or Worship.without the knowledge of which, there can be no true profession of Christ, according to the first institution, Heb. 6. The foundation or principles of Repentance from dead works, Faith towards God, the Doctrine of Baptisme, Laying on of Hands, the Resurrection, and Eternall Iudgement. In some of these, to wit, those concerning Baptismes, & Laying on of Hands, Gods people will be found to be ignorant for many hundred yeares: and I yet cannot see it proved that light is risen, I mean the light of the first institution, in practice.
Gods people in their persons, Heart-waking (Cant. 5. 2.) in the life of personall grace, will yet be found fast asleep in respect of publike Christian Worship.
Gods people (in their persons) are His, most deare and precious:Comming out of Babell, not locall but mysticall. yet in respect of the Christian Worship they are mingled amongst the Babylonians, from whence they are called to come out, not locally (as some have said) for that belonged to a materiall and locall Babell, (and, literall Babell and Ierusalem have now no difference, Iohn 4. 21.) but spiritually and mystically to come out from her sins and Abominations.
If Mr. Cotton maintaine the true Church of Christ to consist of the true matter of holy persons call'd out from the World; and the true forme of Vnion in a Church Covenant; And that also, neither Nationall, Provinciall, nor Diocesan Churches are of Christs institution: how many Thousands of Gods people of all sorts, (Clergie and Laitie, as they call them) will they finde both in former and later times, captivated in such Nationall, Provinciall, and Diocesan Churches? yea and so far from living in, yea or knowing of any such Churches (for matter and forme) as they conceive now only to be true,The great Ignorance of Gods people concerning the Nature of the true Church. that untill of late yeares, how few of Gods people knew any other Church then the Parish Church of dead stones or timber? It being a late marvailous light revealed by Christ Iesus the Sun of Righteousnesse, that his people are a Company or Church of living stones, 1 Pet. 2 9.
And however his own Soule, and the soules of many others (precious to God) are perswaded to separate from Nationall, Provinciall, and Diocesan Churches, and to assemble into particular Churches: yet since there are no Parish Churches in England, Mr. Cotton & all the Halfe Seperates, halting between true & fals Churches, and consequently, not yet clear in the fundamentall matter of a Christiā Church.but what are made up of the Parish bounds within such and such a compasse of houses; and that such Churches have beene and are in constant dependance on, and subordination to the Nationall Church: how can the New-English particular Churches joyne with the Old English Parish Churches in so many Ordinances of Word, Prayer, Singing, Contribution, &c. but they must needs confesse, that as yet their Soules are farre from the knowledge of the foundation of a true Christian Church, whose matter must not only be living stones, but also separated from the rubbish of Antichristian confusions and desolations.