The Cry of a Stone, Title page – Table of contents
THE CRY OF A STONE, OR, A TREATISE; SHEWING VVHAT IS THE RIGHT Matter, Forme, and Government of the viſible CHURCH of CHRIST.
How, and wherein the preſent Church of England is wanting and defective, both in the body of the Land, and in the Parochiall branches thereof, With divers Reaſons and Grounds taken from the Scriptures, to perſwade all that feare GOD, rather to ſuffer any afflictions at the hands of men, than to ſubmit to mans carnall policy and humane devices in the worſhip of God, or be deprived of the ſweet fellowſhip of the Saints in the right order of the Goſpel.
Together with a juſt reproofe of the over-ſtrained and exceſſive ſeparation, contentions and diviſions of ſuch as commonly are called Browniſts.
By Robert Coachman.
Jer. 15. 19.
If thou take the pretious from the vile, …ou ſhalt be as my mouth.
Ezra 4. 3.
It is not for you, but for us to build an houſe to the Lord God of Iſrael.
Pſal. 50. 16. 17.
What haſt thou to doe to take my Covenant in thy mouth, ſeeing tbou hateſt nurture?
LONDON, Printed by R. Oulton and G. Dexter, and are to be ſold at the Stationers, 1642.
A FORE-SPEECH To the READER.
IT is neither to get moncy nor credit, gentle Reader, that I have undertaken this taske, and written this Treatiſe; for I am neither in name nor in truth ſo famous as to gaine either of theſe by writing, but even ſimple neceſsitie, and the violent conviction of truth and mine owne conſcience hath drawne me thereunto; and I know, that if I have any reward in this world, it will be none other then to be reckoned and rewarded amongst thieves and malefactors, but let God doe what him pleaſeth.
It grieveth mee much, that no man of greater eminence and learning will take in hand this taske, that could have done it better, and alſo with much better acceptation then ten thouſand ſuch as my ſelfe is; but what ſhall I ſay? ſince they all hold their peace, let this be accounted as the confuſed murmure, or Cry of a Stone, which uttereth a vehement Luke 19. 40(though unknowne) language, when they that treade upon it with high lookes, are both deafe and dumbe.
Indeed, theſe matters concerning the right gathering, conſtituting and governing the Church, are in our dayes matters of great difficulty, and deſerve the greateſt care and paines of the deepeſt wits, and greateſt learning that is amongst us; though not in it ſelf more difficult then other points, but becauſe of the ſtrong oppoſition of the times, which hath long ſtriven to darken the cleare light of the truth in theſe points, and to uphold humane devices and traditions, which in ſtead of truth, take up place in our time: That as the preaching of the death and reſurrection of Chriſt was to the Gentiles (that doted on carnall wiſdome) fooliſhneſſe; ſo in Cor. 1. 23.our time, when more ſtate and glory is uſed for the gathering and governing of the Church, then ever Chriſt or his Apoſtles appointed, what marvell is it, though it ſeeme a baſe and fooliſh thing, to ſpeake of gathering the viſible Church of Chriſt by here and there a man out of countries and cities? when it is now no great matter to bring a whole Nation, conſiſting of divers millions of men and women, to be a viſible Church of Chriſt in one day. And indeed if ſuch wonders could be wrought, as are pretended, our Saviour Chriſt had a needleſſe feare if he ſhould come in our dayes, that made queſtion whether hee ſhould find faith on the earth, or not? For all our Luke 18. 8.Nation is faithfull, and we need not cry out with David for help to God, becauſe not a godly man is Pſal. 12. 1,left, but may rather ſtand forth and challenge the powers of hell, and ſay, beſtirre thee Divell, for here is ſcarce an ungodly man left.
But if after all theſe loud boaſtings it be yet as hard to find faithfulneſſe & ſincerity as ever it was, and that our ſtately Religion, be (in the moſt part) rather a ſuperſtitious cuſtome to breed ſecurity, then any matter of weight or worth to rejoyce in; and that Gods people are ſtill few, and ſcarce one of a hundred; if this be true, as heaven and earth knowes it to be true, then no man ſhould adventure upon the bare applauſe of the times, or common cuſtomes of the multitude; but ſhould try himſelfe by a more better and ſounder rule, leſt he run with the multitude in the broad way that leads to death.
But whom ſhall I appeale to for judgement of this booke? it is an old maxime, and a new Oracle; that the judgement of the vulgar is worth nothing, ſo as if it have no approbation of Divines, it may be carryed to the furnace.
And as for the moſt part of our formall Schollers, who have ſet Divinity in the pillory, and wrote over it, The Church of England, & make it their deepeſt ſtudy to ſet times and truth at unity, having by long cuſtome ſo clipped the holy tongue, that they cannot pronounce Shiboleth, but ſetting onelyonly a Judg. 12. 6.face upon Religion, have like Water-men gone backeward ſo faſt from it, till they come betweene the conſumption of grace, and the aſſumption of preferment; from ſuch I muſt appeale, as no fit Judges in this controverſie, expecting rather that they ſhould be tormentors and butchers of all ſuch as call any of their formall courſes in queſtion, then be patient hearers of any thing that ſtriketh at their outward glory.
Alſo for the Reformiſts, though their grounds I uſe theſe names only for diſtinction, not affecting it.looke the ſame way that mine doe, yet many of them have ſuffered their eyes ſo to dazle upon their formall neighbours (who with a little yeelding to the times, ſit warme in their neſts, and live more like Princes than Apoſtles) that now they begin to call their owne wiſdome and ſoundneſſe in queſtion, and rather ſuſpect that their owne hearts have deceived them, then that the truth hath overſwayed them, and are mucb more willing to embrace any counſell that may procure them fleſhly liberty, then lend an eare to ought that ſhall perſwade them to a ſtricter or better courſe, and therefore I dare not permit them for Judges therein. Neither indeed is there any whom theſe times will acknowledge for a Divine, which is not more or leſſe tainted with the corruptions of this age, but if he be ſcrupulous, and will not ſwallow up all, and hold his tongue at that for whlch his heart ſmiteth him, hee may as well be canonized for a Saint in Rome, as regiſtred for a Divine in England, but ſhall paſſe under the terme of a puney or buſie fellow, notwithſtanding any gifts of learning or other endowments, that ſo the Argument of the Iewes againſt Chriſt, Iohn 7. 48. may alwayes be in a readineſſe to ſtop the mouthes of the ſimple.
And as little hope is there of any equall ſentence from any of the ſtrict ſeparation, ſeeing if a man agree with them in all points, ſave one onelyonly (though it be but about hearing a Sermon in an old Temple) they will account him as bad as the worſt; If any ſhall like this project, they muſt ſurely be men of name, whatſoever they be of nature; and therefore I may well ſay, I will appeale to no body, but onelyonly to him that judgeth without reſpect of perſons.
And in the meane time, I muſt account it my greate croſſe, that I muſt thus differ from ſo many learned and godly men in theſe points, and loth I was to doe it, but that neceſsity conſtrained mee, and the more, for that I ſee many Chriſtians intangled in the boughs of the tree, which never obſerve the cauſe that lyeth in the roote, being aſſured that if they lived in a Church that in the body thereof were the feare of God, thoſe abuſes and corruptions would ſoone be remedied, but being otherwiſe, you may as well rob Micah of his Judg. 18. 24Idolls, and heare no complaint, as you may ſtrip them of their corruptions, and heare no clamour.
Three things there are required of him that ſhall oppoſe theſe evills of our dayes: Firſt, integritie of life, and a converſation unblameable, for elſe it is probable that his ſtrictneſſe in theſe points, proceedes rather from corruption than grace, that hath not taught himſelfe the great and weightie points of the Law, before he contend Mat. 23. 23.with others for matters of leſſer moment, yea, and though hee uſe never ſo great wiſedome of words, or weight of Argument, yet no great bleſsing of God, nor reverence of man can be expected upon his labours, who preacheth not as well with his converſation as with his lips.
The ſecond thing required, is an experimentall knowledge of the things ſtood for, beſide the evidence of Scripture, and force of reaſon; he that will diſtinctly diſcourſe of theſe things, and be able to refell the ſubtill evaſions and colourable gloſſes of the oppoſites, had need to have lived ſometime in a Church and fellowſhip of Saints under the pure Ordinances of the Goſpel, ſo ſhall hee be more ſenſible of the corruption and bondage which is in theſe Aſſemblies, and more ſettled to love and maintaine the purity and liberty of the Goſpell in the right order thereof.
The third thing required, is, to count the Luke 14. 28coſt, and to have the price ready to lay downe whenſoever it is called for, be it goods, be it liberty, be it life; for ſhould a man be never ſo able to diſpute, and had never ſo much experience and ſincerity in him, yet if alſo hee be not of a reſolved diſpoſition to ſuffer and endure all that man can inflict upon him, and to ſeale with his blood what he hath written with his pen, or practiſed by his courſe, it will not much availe, though it be never ſo cleare and evident: Beſides, the Lord doth wonderfully advance his glory and Goſpell, by the ſufferings and blood of his ſervants, and giveth a bleſſed memoriall of them; but as for the timorous and fearefull, that in all their profeſſions muſt make a faire ſhew in the fleſh, though Gal. 6. 12.they have the tongues of men and Angels, yet the 1 Cor. 13. 1▪Lord never much honoureth ſuch a prefeſsion.
Now, how farre my ſelfe ſhall be found approveable in theſe things may be queſtioned; and for me to ſpeake in praiſc of my ſelfe, were worſt of all; and it is ten times eaſier to give good counſell to others, than to follow it ones ſelfe; and confident and conceited men are more often foyled when they come to examination and tryall, then thoſe that retaine in themſelves ſome feare and doubting.
As touching my life and converſation, though the conſcience of mine owne infirmities which are open and bare before the All-ſeeing eye, might caſt mee upon the earth, and ſtop my mouth for ſaying ought, But God be mercifull to me a ſinner; Luke 18. 13.yet ſince by his grace I have beene kept in all my wanderings and temptations, from putting forth my hand to iniquity, or running into any Pſal. 125. 3.ſcandalous evill, to the wounding of my conſcience, and ſlander of Religion; why ſhould the operation of this grace be buryed in oblivion, and not rather be acknowledged to the eternall praiſe of his power and goodneſſe unto me?
And as for my experience in the right order and conſtitution of the viſible Church, I ſerved an Apprentiſe of ten yeeres in a ſociety of as excellent Chriſtians, and under the pureſt orders and moſt profitable meanes that (I thinke) in this fraile life can be obtained. In which Church, though I were one of the leaſt of the leaſt of all Epheſ. 3. 8.the members, and from whom by ſimple neceſsity I was forced to depart; yet I was neither ſo idle 2 Pet. 1. 8.nor unprofitable amongst them, but that the things which paſſed there, made ſome impreſsion in me, which I truſt ſhall not be worne out whileſt I live; neither am I ſo ungratefull to my friends, or unmercifull to my Countrey-men, or ſo careleſſe of the honour of Chriſt, that I ſhould bury in oblivion 2 Tim. 1. 4.thoſe worthy things which I have learned and ſeene, and which would at one inſtant put an end to many endleſſe controverſies and intanglements wherewith my Chriſtiſtian countrey-men are ſnared, and know not how to get out of them.
And although there be many more fitter to handle theſe things, and more able to ſuffer for them; yet ſince all our ſufficiencie is from God, I deſpaire not wholly of my ſelfe, but truſt that 1 Cor. 3. 15.for the furtherance of his glory, his power ſhall be perfected by my weakneſſe, and that I ſhall be made able through him with patience, yea, Heb. 11. 35.with joy to ſuffer the ſpoyling and loſſe of all that in this fraile ſtate is lent me.
And though the time is come that judgement muſt begin at Gods Houſe, I truſt that I ſhall 1 Pet. 4. 17.be content to be one of the firſt that ſhall leade the way to the ſhambles, and not feare to give my ſelfe to him that lent it mee, and Pſal. 44. 22.to lay it downe for his glory on earth, which giveth me eternall glory in Heaven, which that I may doe in a right manner, and for a right end, as well as in a juſt cauſe, I earneſtly intreat the fervent ſupplications and prayers of all the Saints night and day for me, that I may indeede rejoyce, Acts 5. 41.that I am counted worthy to ſuffer for that part of the Goſpell, which this ſtately age will not endure to heare of.
I have written very ſhort and briefe, partly for that this age having beene ſo long dulled with tedious volumes and diſcourſes can now brooke nothing but what runs poſt, and that which is briefe and various, partly that I might ſpend little time in writing, and avoyd great charge in printing; but principally becauſe I find, that things are eaſieſt underſtood, when they are ſet downe ſhortly, and when there is no enterlacings or ſurpluſage of words, more then barely to expreſſe the thing intended. I have endeavoured for a plaine and familiar ſtile, and yet avoyded light or affected phraſes; I have traduced no mans perſon, otherwiſe than as the things beare witneſſe againſt them, I have given all the honour to men that I may, with feare of my Maker: And if yet either the Job 32. 22.matter or manner be defective, or any thing out of joynt, remember ſtill it is but the Cry of a Stone, which never learned to ſpeake either Latine or Engliſh in any Schoole whatſoever: And take heed of ſtumbling over the truth, for ſome balkes in the way: but if the thing aimed at be the right ſetling of the Saints in the order of the Goſpel, otherwiſe than the vaine oſtentation and pompe of this age will permit, rather ſet thy ſelfe to helpe the Author to beare his croſſe, Luke 22. 28and follow Chriſt in his temptations, then like Mat. 19. 28.a Sycophant, to ſit downe and ſcoffe at his wants of learning and eloquence.
The Lord of his mercy pardon all our aberrations and failings, and give us grace to ſeeke him earneſtly in love and ſincerity, that our true comfort may increaſe here, and our eternail comfort remaine hereafter.
Thine in the Lord, Robert Coachman.
An Advertiſement to the Reader.
TO the end that the ingenuous and godly deſigne of this Author (of reconciling theſe differences betweene thoſe Chriſtians of the Engliſh Pariſhes, and thoſe of the Separation) may not miſcarry, obſerve, that in blaming the Church of England, and the Miniſtery thereof, hee doth not meane the perſonall Graces, Knowledge and Learning of any Chriſtians there; but he blames the confuſed manner of gathering Churches by houſe rowes of all ſorts: and by the Miniſtery, hee meanes the externall office conveyed to them by that authority which hee doth juſtly oppoſe.
And when he ſpeaks of the Separation, hee is not againſt the cauſe, much leſſe the moderate way of the Churches of the Separation, nor their rejecting of the prophane world from thoſe privileges, proper and peculiar to a viſible Church; as ſeales, cenſures, &c. but he ſpeaks againſt thoſe perſonall errors of ſome who profeſſe ſeparation & their erroneous opinions, who deny all viſible Chriſtians in the pariſh aſſemblies, and thereupon leave them in perſonall communion; as Prayer, Preaching, Conference, &c. Now the God of all grace and mercy ſo diſpoſe of all his ſervants, that the great affaires of Jeſus Chriſt may not miſcary in their hands, but that they may at laſt ſo diſcover errors, that they may attain both peace and truth, Amen.
The CONTENTS of the BOOKE.
OF the eſſentiall marks and notes of the viſible Church. pg. 1
2. The viſible Church hath right to all Gods Ordinances▪ pg. 4
3. The Church or Churches of England cannot be juſtified. pg. 8
4. What Ordinances of God may be uſed in the pariſh aſſemblies, and what not. pg. 10
5. It is no wrong to Gods people, when the carnall multitude is taxed, and they perſwaded to leave them. pg. 12
6. It is beſt for wicked men to be kept from the comforts of ſalvation untill they repent. pg. 14
7. It is in vaine to ſeeke the reformation of a Church, when the Materialls are naught. pg. 16
8. It is a matter of great weight and neceſſity for Chriſtians to live in a right ordered Church. pg. 18
9. The reformed Churches are not condemned but admoniſhed by this ſtrict practice. pg. 22
10 The prohibition of the Magiſtrate, though he be a Chriſtian, may not hinder our obedience to the Goſpel. pg. 23
11. Moſes example in building the Tabernacle, was no ordinary rule for after times▪ pg. 25
12. The examples of the Kings of Iſrael and Judah, in reſtoring Gods Worſhip, doe not binde to any faſhions in Religion, but Chriſts. pg. 26
13. A compariſon of the paterne of Chriſts Church with the Church of England. pg. 27
14. A proportionable application of the Jewes State, unto our times. pg. 28
15. The ſubmiſſion of the Jewes to the Heathen Kings, about building the Temple, is no imitable practice about the Church. pg. 30
16. The onelyonly way to eſtabliſh the Goſpel and the pure Ordinances thereof is to ſuffer perſecution for it. pg. 31
17. The time of ſuffering is now come. pg. 32
18. Other motives to perſwade us to ſuffering. pg. 33
19. It is no ſtrange thing for Chriſtians to be perſecuted of Chriſtians. pg. 35
20. The ſcandalls in the ſeparated Churches is no Argument to condemne their practice. pg. 37
The ſecond part.
21. THe rigid Separation overrun their courſe in their firſt onſet. pg. 41
22. The generall Ohjection againſt hearing in the Pariſh aſſemblies anſwered. pg. 43
23. What preaching it▪ and who may preach: as alſo where, and to whom. pg. 44
24. Of the libertie that the Word of God ought to have. pg. 45
25. The particular objections againſt hearing in the Pariſh aſſemblies anſwered. pg. 47
26. Other objections againſt hearing anſwered. pg. 50
27. They that goe about to juſtifie the Miniſters in England in their office, drive men from the Church altogether. pg. 54
28. The ſtrict ſeparation cannot hold together amongst themſelves. pg. 56
29. There are ſome ſinnes that muſt be borne in the Church. pg. 58
30. What kind of ſins and ſinners they be that may be borne in the Church. pg. 60
31. Three cautions concluding the Doctrine of forbearance. pg. 61
32. The Concluſion and Summe of all. pg. 63