The Bloody Tenant Washed and Made White in the Blood of the Lamb, Part 2 · Chapter 23 – Chapter 24
TO CHAP. XXIII.
HIs 23. Chapter examineth a ſpeech of mine which might tend to the diſhonour of the Separation, as the reproach againſt Salem had done before. My Speech was, That God had not proſpered the way of Separation: which leaſt it ſhould be miſtaken, I interpreted, not in reſpect of outward proſperitie: for they found more favour in our native Countrey, then thoſe who walked in the way of Reformation, which is commonly reproached by the name of Puritaniſme. The meetings of the Separatiſts might be knowne to the Officers in the Courts, and winked at, when the Conventicles of the Puritans (as they call them) are hunted out with all diligence, and purſued with more violence, then any Law can juſtifie. But I ſaid, that God had not proſpered the way of Separation, in that he had not bleſſed it, either with peace amongst themſelves, or with growth of grace, ſuch as erring through ſimplicitie, and tenderneſſe of Conſcience, have growne in grace, have growne alſo to diſcerne their lawfull libertie, to returne to the hearing of the Word from Engliſh Preachers.
To give Anſwer to this, the Examiner beſtoweth many Chapters. His firſt Anſwer is, (that which is not unworthy to be attended to, by all whom it concerneth,) That doubtleſſe the Lord hath a great Controverſie with the Land for their ſuch violent purſuit and perſecution of both. For both of them have borne witneſſe to ſeverall truths of the Lord Jeſus. Albeit, I deny not, the one party might have borne witneſſe to more points of Truth: the other might have borne witneſſe to fewer, and ſo have leſſe exceeded bounds of Truth. To make the Engliſh Churches, and their Miniſteries, and their Worſhip, and their Profeſſors, either nullities, or Antichriſtian, is a witneſſe not onelyonly beyond the truth, but againſt the Truth of the Lord Jeſus, and his word of Truth.
But for their ſufferings; The Puritans (ſaith he) have not ſuffered comparatively to the other, (as but ſeldome Congregating in ſeparate Aſſemblies from the common:) And none of them ſuffering unto death for the way of Non-Conformitie. Indeed (ſaith he) the worthy witneſſe Mr. Udall was neere unto death for his witneſſe againſt Biſhops, and Ceremonies; But Mr. Penry, Mr. Barrow, Mr. Greenwood followed the Lord Jeſus, with their Gibbets, and were hanged with him, and for him, in the way of ſeparation. Many more have been condemned in dye, baniſhed, and choaked in Priſans, whom I could produce upon occaſion.
Reply. Paul accounteth it a folly to make boaſts in compariſons, even of ſufferings: And therefore I chooſe to be ſparing and briefe in this Argument: wherein otherwiſe I could be copious, there being another Volume of the Booke of Martyrs (as I heare) extant in the Countrey, (though not in print) of the ſufferings of the godly Miniſters and people, beginning where Mr. Fox left. When he ſaith, Their witneſſes againſt Biſhops and Ceremonies, (whom he calleth Puritans) have ſeldome met in ſeparate Aſſemblies from the common: It ſeemeth he never read the ſtory of the Claſſes in Northamptonſhire, Suffolk, Eſſex, London, Cambridge, diſcovered by a falſe brother to Doctor Bancroft (Chaplain then to Lord Chancellor Hatton, afterwards Biſhop of London, and after that Archbiſhop of Canterbury;) nor that he ever tooke notice of Doctor Bancrofts Booke againſt them, entituled, Dangerous Poſitions and practiſes againſt Religion and State; neither doth it ſeeme, that he doth acknowledge their frequent and continuall meetings to duties of humiliation, as any ſeparate meetings from the common. But I doubt not, the Lord tooke notice of both, and hath now rewarded their ſighes and groanes, prayers and teares in private with an open recompence and deliverance in the view of all men.
Beſides, though he pleaſed to confine the witneſſe of theſe he calleth Puritans, unto Teſtimony againſt Biſhops and Ceremonies: yet I did not thinke, he had been ſuch a ſtranger in Iſrael, (if by his leave I may call it Iſrael) as to be ignorant, how farre both the Admonitions to the Parliament have reached to beare witneſſe beyond Biſhops and Ceremonies. To ſay nothing of Mr. Deerings Sermon before the Queene, or Mr. Chadertons at Pauls Croſſe, or Mr. Parkers Eccleſiaſtica Politica, or Mr. Baines his Dioceſans Tryall.
Though he ſay, None of them ſuffered unto death, onelyonly Mr. Ʋdall was neere it: Yet the truth is, he dyed by the annoyance of the Priſon, which he might as well have acknowledged as he doth of ſome of the Separatiſts in this very Paragraph, that they were choaked in Priſon. This I have underſtood by faithfull witneſſes, that when the Coroners Jury (according to the Law of England) came (as the manner is in ſuch caſes) to ſurvey the dead body of Mr. Ʋdall in Priſon, he bled freſhly (though cold before) as a teſtimony againſt the murderous illegall proceedings of the State againſt him: for ſo the godly did apprehend it; judicious Perkins acknowledgeth ſuch a kinde of bleeding to be a part of the accompliſhment of that Scripture in Heb. 11. That the bloud of Abel ſtill ſpeaketh.
In like ſort, for the ſame cauſe (choaked in the priſon) ſuffered Mr. Randall Bates (an heavenly Saint) nor could he be releaſed, though Doctor Hering (a learned and beloved Phyſician) earneſtly ſolicited Biſhop Neale for his enlargement as he tendred his life, but the ſuite of the Phyſician was repulſed with reproaches: And the life of his patient ſpilt by that rigor. He is therefore much miſtaken, when he ſaith, None of them ſuffered unto death. And it is alike miſtake, when he maketh Mr. Penry one of his witneſſes unto the death for Separation. I have received it from Mr. Hilderſom (a man of a thouſand) that Mr. Penry did ingenuouſly acknowledge before his death, That though he had not deſerved death for any diſhonour put upon the Queene, by that Booke (which was found in his ſtudy, and intended by himſelfe to be preſented to her own hand:) nor by the compiling of Martin Marprelate, (of both which he was falſly charged;) yet he confeſſed, he deſerved death at the Queenes hand, for that he had ſeduced many of her loyall Subjects to a ſeparation from hearing the Word of life in the Pariſh Churches. Which though himſelfe had learned to diſcerne the evill thereof, yet he could never prevaile to recover divers of her Subjects, whom he had ſeduced: and therefore the bloud of their ſoules, was now juſtly required at his hands.
Let the Examiner conſider, whether he will own this Mr. Penry for one of his faithfull witneſſes hereafter; If he doe, let him endeavour to doe as he did, ſeeke to reduce thoſe ſoules whom he hath ſeduced from hearing the word of life: or elſe, let him confeſſe (as Mr. Penry did) the bloud of thoſe ſoules may juſtly be required at his hands, if Mr. Penries witneſſe be of waight with him.
Touching his other witneſſe, to the death of Mr. Barrow, this I can ſay, from the teſtimony of holy and bleſſed Mr. Dod, who ſpeaking of this Mr. Barrow, God is not wont (ſaith he) to make choice of men, infamous for groſſe vices before their calling, to make them any notable inſtruments of Reformation after their Calling. Mr. Barrow whileſt he lived in Court, was wont to be a great Gamſter, and Dicer, and often getting much by play, would boaſt, Vivo de die, in ſpem noctis, nothing aſhamed to boaſt of his hopes of his nights lodgings in the boſomes of his Courtizens. As his ſpirit was high and rough before his reformation, ſo was it after, even to his death. When he ſtood under the Gibbet, he lift up his eyes, and Lord (ſaith he) if I be deceived, thou haſt deceived me: And ſo being ſtopt by the hand of God, he was not able to proceed to ſpeake any thing to purpoſe more, either to the glory of God, or to the edification of the people.
Mr. Greenwood (the Examiners laſt witneſſe unto death) he indeed of all the reſt was the more to be lamented, as being of a more tender, and conſcientious ſpirit: but this have I heard reported of him by the ſame credible hands, That if he could have been ſundred from Mr. Barrow, he was tractable to have been gained to the truth. But when the Examiner goeth on to make compariſons between the Sufferings of the Separatiſts, and of (thoſe he ſtyleth) Puritans, in his Margent, and in his Booke. No compariſon will hold from the Separatiſts to them, but a Minori. What compulſory baniſhments have been put upon thoſe bleſſed and glorious lights, Mr. Cartwright, Parker, Ames? To ſay nothing of thoſe in Scotland, or New-England: When have the Priſons been vacant of ſome or other godly Miniſters, and Profeſſors? When will the Examiner ſhew forth alike company of his witneſſes, to thoſe 300. Miniſters (whom Mr. Parker compareth to the 300. Souldiers of Gideon) who in one ſtorme of perſecution, were ſome ſuſpended, ſome excommunicated, ſome impriſoned, all of them deprived of their Miniſtery, and of their maintenance? And proviſion made, that none might practiſe Phyficke, or teach Schoole, unleſſe they would accept a Licence with ſubſcription? So that of neceſſicie (had not the Lord been wiſer, and ſtronger then men) they muſt in remedileſſe miſery, they and theirs, have either begged, or ſtarved; But that with the Lord there be bowells of mercy, and fatherly compaſſions, and with him are plenteous redemptions, and proviſions, and protections, when men faile.
The Examiner proceedeth (in his Anſwer) to tell us further, That he beleeveth there hath hardly ever been a Conſcientious Separatiſt, who was not firſt a Puritan. For (as Mr. Can hath unanſwerably proved) the grounds and principles of the Puritans againſt Biſhops, and Ceremonies, and prophaneſſe of people profeſſing Chriſt: and the neceſſitie of Chriſts flock and diſcipline, muſt neceſſarily (if truly followed) lead on to, and enforce a ſeparation.
Reply. 1. If there were hardly ever any conſcientious Separatiſt, who was not firſt a Puritan, then it ſeemeth, that if there be any Conſcience in the Separatiſts, it was firſt wrought in them by the Miniſters of thoſe whom he calleth Puritans.
2. Say it were true, that he pretendeth, That the principles and grounds of Puritaniſme, did enforce Separation:) yet I doe not underſtand, what it maketh to the point in hand.
3. Neither doe I underſtand, how it ſuiteth with the Examiners profeſſion who is wont to renounce all communion with Antichriſtian inventions, ſo frequently to take up into his mouth and pen the Nickname of Puritans: which was at firſt deviſed by Sanders the Jeſuite, to caſt a reproach upon the perſons and way of reformers, to render them ſuſpicious and odious to the State. The righteous hand of the Lord ſtruck him with madneſſe who invented the name: nor doth he delight in them that delight to take up a reproach againſt the innocent.
4. How unanſwerably Mr. Can hath proved the neceſſity of Separation from their grounds and principles, I will not judge, becauſe I have not ſeene his Booke. But to ſeparate from the Churches of England, as no Churches, or falſe Churches, from their Miniſtery, as a falſe Miniſtery, from their Sermons as falſe worſhip, from their profeſſors as no viſible Saints. And to prove all this out of the Principles and grounds of thoſe holy Saints of God, whom he miſnameth Puritans, will require a ſtrong efficacy of deluſions, to make it appeare probable to a ſad and judicious ſpirit, that is not ſoreſtalled with prejudice, or partialitie.
But the Examiner proceedeth in his Anſwer to enquire, What ſhould be the Reaſon, why the Separatiſt (who witneſſeth againſt the Roote of the Conſtitution it ſelfe) ſhould finde more favour then the Puritan, or Non-conformiſt?
And he telleth us,
Doubtleſſe the reaſons are evident: 1. Becauſe moſt of the Separatiſts have been poore and low, and not ſuch gainfull Cuſtomers to the Biſhops, their Courts, and Officers. Mr. Ainſworth himſelfe (though a worthy inſtrument of Gods praiſe) lived upon nine pence in the weeke with roots boyled, &c.
Reply. In part I will not deny ſome truth and weight in this reaſon; But take it for granted, and it doth but confirme what I ſaid, that the Separatiſt found more favour then the Non-conformiſt, whatſoever the reaſon was.
The ſecond reaſon that he giveth is, That it is a principle in nature to preferre a profeſſed enemy, before a pretended friend. The Separatiſts have been looked at by the Biſhops, and their adherents, as knowne and profeſſed enemies: whereas the Puritans have profeſſed ſubjection, and ſubmitted to the Biſhops, their Courts, their Officers, their Common Prayer, and worſhips: And yet (the Biſhops have well knowne) with no greater affection, then the Iſraelites bore the Aegyptians cruell taskmaſters.
Reply. 1. What the Non-conformiſts did beare, it was no more then they thought they might beare with a good Conſcience, according to the light they had received. If they did beare more, then what in Conſcience they judged lawfull to be borne, they had no reaſon to beare with themſelves in ſo doing.
But if the Biſhops bore the leſſe with them in ſuch their ſubjection, it was becauſe they looked at them not as pretended friends, but as more dangerous enemies: as knowing both that the Lord was with them, (which made Saul the more afraid of David, 1 Sam. 18.28, 29.) as alſo that the grounds which they gave of their judgement and practiſe, were more agreeable to Scripture, and to the judgement of all reformed Churches, and therefore more likely in time to prevaile, to the utter overthrow of their uſurped Hierarchy. But as for the Separatiſts, the Biſhops did not diſcerne, either the Lord going forth in like ſort with them, or their grounds ſo likely to ſubvert their freehold. Though the Separatiſts ſtruck at the roote of the Conſtitutions of their Churches, (which was indeed a greater blow then to ſtrike at the roote of Epiſcopacy:) yet becauſe the Epiſcopacy ſaw that the Separatiſts ſtruck at the things of Chriſt, together with themſelves, they knew ſuch ſtroakes would not much hurt their ſtanding.
The next word which the Examiner anſwereth, is unto that I ſaid; God hath not proſpered the way of Separation, neither with peace amongst themſelves, nor with growth of grace.
His anſwer is; 1. That want of peace may befall the trueſt Churches of the Lord Jeſus, as them at Antioch, Corinth, Galatia.
Reply. The diſtraction at Antioch was ſoone healed by the Counſell of the Synod at Hieruſalem, which is a way of peace which the Churches of the rigid Separation have not knowne, nor will condeſcend unto: which makes their diſſentions deſtitute of hopes of reconciliation without ſeparation one from another. The like may be ſaid of the Churches of Galatia and Corinth. I doe not read their differences were healed by Separation, but by liſtning to Apoſtolicall Counſell.
2. His ſecond Anſwer is, that it is a common Character of a falſe Church (maintained by the Smiths and Cutlers ſhop) to enjoy peace, none daring for feare of civill puniſhment to queſtion, or differ, &c.
Reply. Though it be a common Character of a falſe Church, to enjoy a forced and violent peace: yet it is a peculiar Character of a true Church, to enjoy holy peace with God, and one with another, which where it is wanting, there is ſomething elſe wanting, either in their Faith or Order.
3. His third Anſwer is, That Gods people in that way have ſometimes long enjoyed ſweet peace, and ſoule contentment, in England, Holland, New-England, and other places, &c.
Reply. The Anſwer had been more cleare and evident, if he had named thoſe Churches, who have long enjoyed ſuch peace in that way: in that way I ſay, of rigid Separation, ſeparating from the Churches of England, as altogether falſe, in their Conſtitution, Miniſtry, worſhip, and therefore refuſing to heare the word in the beſt of the Pariſh Aſſemblies. It is a wiſe Proverb of a wiſer then Soloman, The back ſlider in heart (from any Truth or way of God) ſhall be filled with his owne wayes. They that ſeparate from their brethren further then they have juſt cauſe, ſhall at length find cauſe (or at leaſt thinke they have found cauſe) juſt enough to ſeparate one from another. I never yet heard of any inſtance to the contrary, either in England, or Holland. And for New-England, there is no ſuch Church of the Separation at al that I know of. That ſeparate Church (if it may be called a Church) which ſeparated with Mr. Williams, firſt broke into a diviſion about a ſmall occaſion (as I have heard) and then broke forth into Anabaptiſme, and then into Antibaptiſme, and Familiſme, and now finally into no Church at all.
But whereas I ſaid, God had not proſpered the way of the Separation, as not with peace amongſt themſelves, ſo neither with growth of Grace,
He anſwereth, for growth of Grace, though ſome falſe brethren have crept in, yet Satan himſelfe cannot but confeſſe that multitudes of Gods witneſſes (reproached with the names of Browniſts, and Anabaptiſts) have kept themſelves from the errours of the wicked, and doe grow in Grace, and knowledge of our Lord Jeſus, &c.
Reply. It is an unwelcome Subject to goe about to convince others of want of growth in Grace, eſpecially, when wee ſpeake of Churches, and that before wee have in a more private manner dealt with them. I looke at it as more ſeaſonable to provoke our owne Churches to more growth of Grace at home. For even true Churches (as that of Epheſus, Revel. 2.) may decay in their firſt love.
OnelyOnly thus much I would ſay, the firſt Inventor of that way which is called Browniſme, from whom the Sect tooke its name, it is well knowne that he did not grow in Grace, but fell back firſt from his owne way, to take a Parſonage of a Pariſh-Church in England in Northamptonſheire, called a Church: God ſo in a ſtrange (yet wiſe) providence ordering, that he who had utterly renounced all the Churches in England, as no Church ſhould afterwards accept of one Pariſh-Church amongſt them, and it called a Church, and from thence he fell to Organs, in the Temple of his owne Church (as I have been credibly informed) and from thence to diſcord with his beſt hearers, and bitter perſecution of them at the laſt. It is not Gods uſuall manner of dealing to leave any of the firſt publiſhers or reſtorers of any Truth of his to ſuch fearefull Apoſtacy from his Grace, though I Judge not his finall Eſtate.
I will not rehearſe what I read in printed Books of the unkind, and ungracious, and unbrotherly dealings of ſome of note in that way, whilſt they maintained the rigor of it. That which the Examiner himſelfe hath rehearſed in this very chapter, may ſuffice to ſhew what growth of Godlineſſe was found in that Church, the Officer whereof himſelfe ſtyleth a worthy Inſtrument of Gods prayſe: and ſurely he was a man that deſerved well of the Church, for ſundry of his Learned, and painfull, and profitable labours. One would hope, that where the Lord bleſſeth a people with growth of godlineſſe, the people would grow beſt under the beſt Miniſters of that way. Mr. Aynſworths name is of beſt eſteeme (without all exception) in that way, who refuſed Communion with hearing in England. And if his people ſuffered him to live upon nine pence a week, with roots boyled (as the Examiner told us) ſurely either the people were growne to a very extreme, low Eſtate, or elſe the growth of their godlineſſe was growen to a very low ebb.
TO CHAP. XXIIII.
IN his 24. and 25. Chapters, the Examiner giveth Anſwer to that ſpeech in my Letter, That ſuch (of the Separation) as erring through ſimplicity and tenderneſſe, have growne in Grace, have growne alſo to diſcerne their lawfull Liberty for the hearing of the word from the Engliſh Preachers. This I ſpeake with reſpect to Mr. Robinſon, and to his Church, who as he grew to many excellent gifts both of Grace and nature: ſo he grew to acknowledge, and in a Judicious, and godly diſcourſe to approve and defend the lawfull Liberty of hearing the word from the godly Preachers of the Pariſhes in England.
But in this 24. Chapter the Examiner anſwereth nothing againſt the truth of my ſpeech. OnelyOnly he telleth of foure ſorts of Backſliders from ſundry Truthes of God, whom he hath obſerved to be left of God to ſad and exemplary ſpirituall Judgements.
But becauſe he ſpeaketh of ſuch as have decayed in grace, and I ſpeake of ſuch as grow in grace, his inſtances come not neere the point in hand. I eaſily beleive that Hypocrites may grow from evill to worſe deceiving and being deceived: 2 Tim. 3.13. But a ſincere humble Chriſtian, though he may ſtart aſide for a ſeaſon, yet Chriſt is not wont to leave him ſo: but ſeeketh up every ſtrayſheep of his, and bringeth them to heare and know his voyce in the mouthes of his Shepheards.