The Cry of a Stone, Section 9 – Section 10
The reformed Churches are not condemned, but admoniſhed by this ſtrict practice.
SOme object, that this Profeſſion and practice, in admitting no Religious fellowſhip with wicked men, condemneth all reformed Churches in France, Belgia, Helvetia, &c. ſince they are very defective in their people and companies for the moſt part.
To which I anſwer, firſt, that theſe are but popular and needleſſe exceptions to make a noyſe in the world, and to bring us in the more contempt: ſecondly, the reformed Churches are not ſo well knowne unto us, as that we can paſſe any ſentence upon them, ſimply to juſtifie them or condemne them: thirdly, ſo farre as we doe know them, we finde them ſeparated and diſtinguiſhed from the vaine world, and ſo are not ours: fourthly, the things they doe in the worſhip of God are voluntary, and without compulſion, ſo are not ours: fifthly, their officers are choſen by the congregation, ſo are not ours: ſixthly, their worſhip is onelyonly the Word of God, and the lively graces of his ſpirit; ſo is not ours: ſeventhly, their government is by an Elderſhip or Presbytery, ſo is not ours; And all theſe things ſorting together, conſidered, we are farre from condemning them, and are farre neerer them in our practice, then the pariſh aſſemblies are.
And if yet by reaſon of their great popularitie in ſome Cities, where divers thouſands are of one Church, (and ſo meete in ſundry ſeverall places) and ſo cannot poſſibly be knowne of their Officers, or of one another, but that many corrupt perſons may lurke amongſt them, and not be found out, and ſo ſcandall is brought upon them: ſecondly, or that by long cuſtome, and for feare of inconveniences, all private rebukes are uſed onelyonly by their Elders and Officers: thirdly, or that for feare of ſome men, or through error of judgement they baptize the Infants of all manner of wicked parents, that are of no Church or Religion, being brought unto them; If I ſay for theſe and the like failings we reprove and exhort them, and deſire their amendment, and practice otherwiſe our ſelves, yet it doth not follow, nor is true, that we condemne them.
Neither is a man bound to determine of other perſons then himſelfe, for the certainty of their eſtate, nor of other Churches then that where he lives, for their externall obedience: firſt a man is bound to ſee that his owne eſtate be good with God; next, he is to looke to it, that he live in ſuch a Church and Society, where all the meanes and helps are to continue him in that eſtate; but for other perſons and Churches, all meddling with them ſhould be ſparing and modeſt, and except ſome preſumptuous evidences appeare, and that a man be juſtly called to ſhew his judgement, the leſſe he ſpeaketh of them, the more honeſty and wiſedome he declares.
And were it ſo, that we ſhould condemne the reformed Churches, (which God forbid) and therein doe fooliſhly and raſhly, what were that to the juſtification of the Church of England; or for the hinderance of our exceptions againſt it; except you will frame this conſequence, that becauſe we are in one thing, therefore we are in all, which is too hard a ſentence to ſtand for a maxime.
Neither doe we ſay, that the Church of England is no Church, or the pariſh aſſemblies, falſe Churches, nor care for thoſe big and loud cenſures of Antichriſtian, Babyloniſh, falſe, &c. they are but words and termes of provocation, which we can well ſpare; and it is enough that we finde it not ſettled according to the order of the Goſpel, but by humane authority and compulſion, and that it is one with the world, and that there is not in it all the meanes to ſtabliſh, comfort confirme and build up every ſoule in the wayes of God: theſe and the like are ſufficient motives to perſwade men that feare God, to finde out a better and ſafer way to walke in, and a Church that is more neer the Apoſtles patterne.
And as for ſtrangers, and Churches in forraign nations, as they are not of our language, ſo we cannot know them as our owne; for he that knoweth ſtrangers and forraigners, as well as his owne neighbours and country-men, it is a ſigne that he is very unſociable, or elſe his eyes are not where they ſhould be.
The prohibition of the Magiſtrate, though he be a Chriſtian, may not hinder our obedience to the Goſpel.
SOme object, and that not without colour, that ſince we live under a Chriſtian Magiſtrate, we muſt be contented, and thankfully accept ſo much liberty in the Goſpel as he will allow, and that it is a ſigne of great unthankfulneſſe and diſloyalty to him, to alter or adde in Church matters, and publique worſhip, or to doe more, or otherwiſe then he commandeth or alloweth.
I anſwer, firſt, that when the Magiſtrates are Chriſtians, we are Anſwer 1 the more to love and reſpect them for their Chriſtianity▪ but ſtill their Magiſtracie and civill power is one thing, and their Chriſtianity and Religion is another.
Secondly, the ſame reverence and conſcionable obedience were to be given to the civill power, as Gods Ordinance, though the perſon which hath this power, were a Turke, or an Infidell; but not the Rom. 13. 1. 2.ſame love in the fellowſhip of the Goſpel and communion of grace.
Neither doth the Scripture provide for any other kinde or meaſure of obedience to Chriſtian Magiſtrates (when any ſuch ſhould ariſe) then for ſuch as were Heathens.
Fourthly, neither can I ever conceive, how this ſhould become a reaſon, that we muſt forbeare theſe and theſe practices which God Chriſtian Magiſtrates commands may not ſtand againſt Gods.requireth, becauſe the Magiſtrates are Chriſtians, and forbid it, except it follow alſo, that we muſt alſo forbeare it if they were Heathens; unleſſe a man ſhould hold this poſition, that a man is in more bondage under Chriſtian Governours, then under Heathens, ſince the queſtion is not concerning ſuffering, but concerning doing: and if any Chriſtian Magiſtrate ſhall by any acts or lawes politicall, hinder the practice of Gods Lawes; as his Chriſtianity cannot excuſe him in the Court of heaven, for miſleading, ſo much leſſe can it excuſe us, when we follow him in evill; and whatſoever the power be, or the perſon which hath it, if it fight againſt Gods Injunctions, we may anſwer with them Acts 5. 29.that ſaid God is to be obeyed rather then man; and if we ſhould be forbidden to pray or to preach, or to love brotherly fellowſhip, &c. yet theſe 1 Pet. 2. 17. Dan. 6. 7. 10.things muſt ſtill be done in the moſt ample manner we can.
Fifthly, neither is it any diſloyalty to Princes and Governours at all, when Gods commands are preferred before theirs, eſpecially ſince we are willing to ſuffer their corrections and puniſhments for ſo doing, counting indeed; their corrrections, but as Flea-bites, to his which can caſt both body and ſoule into hell.Mat. 10. 28.
Sixthly, and in the things wherein we muſt differ, we endeavour to carry them peaceably, ſo farre as we can without diſturbing, diſgracing or depraving any offices or orders by him placed, not denying, but willingly hearing the Word from any conſcionable and faithfull Preacher,, and ſo farre as we may without ſinne, to ſubmit to other orders; being moderate in our affections, peaceable in our practices, in the things wherein we differ; and if all that ſerve not, we ſhall thinke it our further glory to ſuffer, and endure any puniſhment, either to bands or death with patience, that we may fulfill our Obedience to Magiſtrates may be in ſuffering as well as in doing.courſe with joy, and not be aſhamed of his baſeneſſe, who ſuffered a ſhamefull death to advance us to a glorious life: and we proteſt in the ſight of God, that we can make no other anſwer or excuſe from the Magiſtrates Chriſtianity, except wee ſhould flatter him, and deceive our ſelves.