The Cry of a Stone, Section 20
The ſcandalls in the ſeparated Churches, is no argument to condemne their practice.
I See no ſuch excellency, or perfection in the ſeparated Churches SECT. 20.more then in others, but they often runne into many ſcandalous evills and are full of jarres, emulations and contentions; ſo that Object. 9 for ought I ſee, a man were as good keepe where he is, as goe to them, 2 Cor. 12. 20.except they were otherwiſe then they are?
I anſwer firſt, As Lot fell into a more grievous ſinne, when onelyonly Anſw. 1 he and his daughters were in the cave, then he ever did when he was Gen. 19. 33. 34.in the midſt of the Sodomites: And as David in his great advancement committed a more foule fact then ever hee did in his former abaſements; ſo there is no eſtate in this world free from temptation and 2 Sam. 11. 4.danger neither is our enemy idle, or ſlothfull, to take his opportunities, from our eſtates, occaſions and condition, but followeth us, to Iob 1. 7.the gates of heaven, that he may either get us, or cauſe us to ſcandalize, by which meanes he may get ſome others.
When therefore wee ſpeake of ſuch glorious things in the Church, we doe not yet meane that they are a company of Angels, or of men free from corruption and Temptation; for were it ſo, it needed no ordinances, The viſible Church hath no Angelicall▪ perfection.nor meanes to helpe, recover and uphold it, but as I ſaid before, even therefore is a Church-fellowſhip appointed of God to prevent frailties and offences, and to purge out ſuch as grow wilfully ſcandalous in evill; and ſuch as will except againſt all ſuch Churches as in whom they find failing in manners, muſt goe ſeeke the Church in heaven; for whileſt we are here, we are fraile men, and ſome frailties will ſtill appeare in us, though by the grace of God, many are kept all their life from ſcandalous evills.
The Papiſts with like colour object againſt the Proteſtants, that they are evill livers, and given to wanton luſts, being full of ſwearing, The frailties of men no argument againſt a Religion.whoring, drunkenneſſe, theft, &c. But he that is acquainted with both▪ can tell, that even the Papiſts in the greater part of them are more frequent in ſuch vices than the Proteſtants, and by their leave, they that will condemne another for an euill, muſt be cleare of it themſelves, elſe their owne mouth will accuſe them.
But both will object againſt the ſeparated Churches, and ſay you Object. 10 are but a handfull, and thoſe alſo of culled men, and wee are many, and of all ſorts, as Cities and Countries yeeld, therefore there is no reaſon to expect like holineſſe from us as from you, but if you looke upon the better ſort of us, you ſhall not ſee no ſuch evills breake out in us, as are printed and recorded againſt you?
I anſwer, firſt, when Chriſt had culled out his wedding gueſts, Anſw. 1 yet there was one which had not a wedding garment; ſo though thoſe Mat. 22. 11.men be culled out, yet ſome hypocrites will lurke amongſt them, though they be never ſo poore and contemptible; as Iudas did adhere The ſeparated Churches are not free from hypocrites.unto Chriſt: for though they profeſſe a ſeparation from the open wicked, yet they profeſſe no ſeparation from Hypocrites, neither may, nor can, till they are diſcovered.
Secondly, Hypocrites, that turne the Grace of God into wantonneſſe, are Iude 4. 19.moſt forward of all to ſeparate themſelves from others; and therefore how can thoſe Churches be free from them?
Thirdly, it is a puniſhment of their former hypocriſie to be diſcovered where they looked for greateſt eſteeme, and ſo being diſappointed of the praiſe of men which they deſired they are in a better way to Acts 8. 19. 20.come to Repentance, then in living amongſt a company as ill as themſelves, where their viſard ſhould not have beene plucked off.
Fourthly, true it is, there may be leſſe evills amongſt the ſeparated, then amongſt the pariſh multitudes, …nd ſo I am ſure there is; for The ſeparated Churches not ſo evill as the pariſhes.whereas three Scribes in a few ſheets of paper did note and diſcourſe of all the evils and ſcandalls that fell among the ſeparated in many yeeres. If in the Pariſhes all the evills ſhould be noted and chronicled; there had neede at every fifth houſe to dwell a Scribe.
Fifthly, And though I love not to make compariſons, to cauſe diſparagement; yet I freely confeſſe and with great comfort acknowledge, that there are many in the pariſhes in England which Many Chriſtians in the pariſhes excellent in perſonall grace but not in Church order.are of a very godly life and converſation; and ſome that goe as farre therein, as any I ever ſaw in my life. And if I ſhould preferre any of the ſeparated before them in converſation, I ſhould ſpeake againſt my owne conſcience, but in the Church ſtate and order I muſt prefer the other before them.
Sixthly, And yet if a man had a minde to breed and foſter Atheiſme, he might cull out a number of ſcandalls, which noted men, both Preachers and Profeſſors in the Pariſhes have fallen into, in a few yeeres, but why ſhould wee make worke for wanton eares? let us rather feare our ſelves, and let him that thinketh hee ſtandeth, take heed leſt 1 Cor. 10. 12.hee fall.
Seventhly, It is a fault of the profeſſors, that the Churches of ſeparation are no better; they have lingered, and refuſed to bring their ſoules and bodies into an holy Temple, whileſt Sanballat and Tobiah Ezra. 4. 1. 2.have beene building there, whoſe ſeparation hath rather beene from grace than from corruption; and theſe creeping in under a ſhew of Iude 1. 4.godlineſſe, have filled all with ſcandall, contention and diviſion; whereas if thoſe that had beene ſound and ſincere men, and grounded and experienced in the knowledge of God and themſelves, would have beene gathered together, and filled the Sanctuary, there would have beene no roome nor uſe for ſuch inſtruments:
Wherefore, hereafter doe not you ſit ſtill and controll others, and It is the fault of the profeſſors, that the ſeparated Churches are no better.doe juſt nothing your ſelves; for I tell you, it is a worke well befitting and beſeeming the moſt holieſt and godlieſt people that are in the world, and altogether unfitting and unlawfull for ſuch whoſe lives and converſations are not otherwiſe anſwerable.
Eighthly, Admit that all the ſeparated Churches have hitherto but dallied and trifled, and puzled themſelves, by reaſon of their ignorance, weakneſſe, and evill carriages, and are rather ſcattering then combining, yet this is no juſt exception againſt the courſe. Iſrael ranged about divers yeeres in the wilderneſſe and effected nothing, Deut. 1. 4….except it were to dig each others grave, yet was their generall ayme Iudge 20. 18. 21. 25. 35.good.
The eleven tribes made two ſallies out againſt the Benjamites, and loſt the field, yet was their cauſe good, and in the end they prevailed; The failings of the ſeparated Churches, ſerve to teach them that now are to begin to doe better.errors in actions are beſt found out, when they are really diſcovered: and if you have ſeene theſe mens failings you owe the more diligence. if you find your owne Church eſtate not right; doth that helpe you to talke of the Browniſts contentions? Are you borne to find fault with others, and doe nothing your ſelves? rather you ſhould mend it where they have failed, and when you are come into the right order of a Church, then let other mens harmes teach you.
And where you have ſeene the ſeparated Churches to be contentious, be you more quiet; where they have beene full of diviſions, cleave you cloſe together; If they would beare nothing, yet beare you one anothers burthen; If they have beene too cenſorious, be you more charitable; If they have lived looſely, live you ſtrictly; If they have beene An excellent imitation.cold, be you zealous; If they have beene fearefull, be you more ſtout; If they have revolted, ſtand you faſt; And if you thinke all they have done is in hypocriſie, take heed all that you doe be in ſincerity. And thus much for the firſt Generall part of this Treatiſe, tending to direct and perſwade all Chriſtians to come into the fellowſhip of the Saints in the order of the Goſpell.