Separation Examined, Title page – Dedication
Separation Examined: OR, A TREATISE VVherein the grounds for Separation from the Miniſtry and Churches of England are weighed, and found too light. The practiſe proved to be not onelyonly unwarrantable, but likewiſe ſo hurtful to the Churches, that Church-Reformation cannot with any comfort go forward, ſo long as ſuch Separation is Tolerated. Alſo an humble requeſt preſented to the Congregational Divines, that [ſince the differences between them and the Claſſical-Divines are very ſmall] they would pleaſe to ſtrike in with the Claſſical-Divines in carrying on the worke of Reformation, before the Inundation of theſe corrupt Opinions, have deſtroyed both Ordinances and Religion.
By Gi. Firmin Miniſter to the Church in Shalford in Eſſex.
1 Cor. 1.10. Now I beſeech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, that yee all ſpeake the ſame thing, and that there be no Schiſmes among you.
Judicabit autem & eosqui ſchiſmata operantur, qui ſunt immanes, non habentes Dei dilectionem, ſuamque utilitatem potius conſiderantes quàm unitatem Eccleſiae, propter modicas & quaſlibet cauſas magnum & glorioſum corpus Chriſti conſcindunt & dividunt, &c. Irenae l. 4. c. 62.
Cavenda ſunt autem, fratres dilectiſſimi, non ſolum quae ſunt aperta & manifeſta, ſed & aſtutae fraudis ſubtilitate fallentia, &c. haeteſes invenit & ſchiſmata, quibus ſubverteret fidem, veritatem corrumperet, ſcinderet unitatem, Cypr. de unit. Eccleſ.
LONDON, Printed by R. I. for Stephen Bowtell, at the Bible in Popes-head-Alley. 1652.
The Contents.
THere are true viſible Churches in England. pag. 1
There is a true Goſpel-Miniſtry in England. pag. 4.
The grounds of Separation muſt be either in the
Miniſtry,
Worſhip,
Congregation, or Place of meeting. p. 12
The Ordination of the Miniſters by Biſhops can be no ground for Separation. p. 22
There can be no ground in the Worſhip, being ſinging of Pſalms is here touched. p. 32
There can be no ground in the Congregation, though many wicked perſons be there. Nor in the place of meeting. p. 39
The Propoſals of the Separatiſts, what they would have are ſet downe, and anſwers returned; as,
1 They would have Miniſters lay downe their former Call, and joyne with them, then they (it may be) will elect them, and ordaine them; where this queſtion is handled. p. 46
Queſt. Whether election only gives the eſſentials to a Miniſter, and Ordination be but an Adjunct. p. 50
Whether the People have power to Ordaine? p. 70
Whether the Fraternity be the firſt ſubject of the power of the Keys? briefly touched. p. 73
2 They will have an explicite Covenant, which they call the forme of a Church. p. 81
3 No Church-Members, but viſible Saints. p. 82
4 Power in Admiſsions, and Excommunications. p. 83
5 Liberty to Propheſie. p. 84
6 Liberty of Conſcience. p. 88
How it appeares that Church-reformation cannot with comfort proceed, ſo long as the Separation is Tolerated. p. 91
The Separatiſts are no ſuch-friends to the Civill Power, as is pretended. p. 94
The Queſtions propounded to the Separatiſts, in reference to their Separation. p. 97
The agreements and differences with and between the Claſsicall, and Congregationall Divines are reviewed, their agreements found to be many, their differences very few. p. 100
Whence an humble requeſt is preſented to the Congregationall Divines, ſpeedily to joyne with the Claſsicall Divines, backed with ſeven reaſons. p. 108
To the Reverend the Miniſters of London, the Authors of the Vindication of the Presbyteriall Government and Miniſtry, &c. Printed, 1650.
Fathers and Brethren:
THe goodneſſe of God, manifeſted of old to England (in cauſing the Sun of his Goſpel to riſe early upon this Nation, and to finde ſuch entertainment in the hearts of the Supreame Power, that it was the firſt Nation that ever received the Goſpell with the countenance of publick Authority, having the firſt Chriſtian King that ever was) is knowne to the whole Chriſtian world; his goodneſſe in theſe latter dayes, ſince he tooke from our necks the Anti-chriſtian yoke, hath been alſo wonderfull, honouring the Miniſters of his Goſpel with ſuch Holineſſe, Learning. Miniſteriall abilities, and ſucceſſe in their labour in converting many, and ſetting up the power of godlineſſe in this Nation, that he hath not honoured any Nation more; nay (without pride it may be ſpoken) his Free Grace hath not honoured any Nation ſo much in theſe reſpects, as this Engliſh Nation; but now in our dayes the Miniſtry, which God hath thus honoured, is as much diſhonoured, and that by ſuch, who cannot but acknowledge (their owne mouthes have ſpoken it) that what Spirituall good they have received, it was wrought by the Miniſtry; and now we finde ſcorning, deriding, ſeparating from the Miniſtry, and many not ſo much as ſtepping over their threſholds, to heare them, who were the firſt inſtruments of their good (if they have any, as ſome we hope have) and yet the Miniſters are the ſame they were before; yea, ſome repenting, that ever they beſtowed ſo much paines and time to follow the Miniſter, as one that lives but foure or five miles from Dedham hath ſaid, He repented that he followed that eminent Servant of God, Mr. Rogers ſo much, to heare his preaching. While I obſerved theſe things, and conſidered into what a ſad condition we are fallen, and read over your Vindication, in which I ſaw a holy, meeke, and true Chriſtian ſpirit breathing, calling upon the Congregationall men to joyne with you; certainly I thought that Booke deſerved a courteous Chriſtian anſwer from the ableſt of our Congregationall men: what they have done towards it I know not, (being little acquainted with affaires abroad, being locked up in much ſadneſſe of ſpirit at home) but I thought with my ſelfe, that being I was numbred among the Independents (though I am the weakeſt, and moſt worthy the holy Lord ſhould turne me out of his holy Work) laying other things together (which I have mentioned in the Epiſtle to the Reader) I reſolved to improve the little Talent the Lord had given me, in examining the grounds of theſe practices, and to ſtand up in the defence of ſuch Miniſters, who I ſaw were deare to Chriſt, and whom in holineſſe, learning, and abilities, the Lord had honoured farre before my ſelfe. And now (my Fathers) the quarrell is not only with you, becauſe you are Presbyteriall Miniſters, the quarrell is with the whole Miniſtry, for this ſpirit hath infected even ſome in New England, and I beleeve will cauſe more troubles there in thoſe Churches, then ever the Biſhops did, though they threatned them much. What are the practices of ſome, and what are the feares of the worthy Miniſters there, I underſtand by Letters. I doe not, I dare not cenſure the Congregationall Churches here, ſome of the Miniſters I know to be holy, and reverent (I wiſh I had ſuch grace) many Members no doubt are really godly; but had I not lived in New England, and ſeene the Churches there, by what I heare of divers, and what I know by ſome Churches here, I ſhould have been convinced that Independent (as it is here called) Government, was never of Chriſts inſtitution. I have obſerved few people that come once to ſtand up for Independency, but they grow very tender (as they call it) towards corrupt Opinions, if not leavened with them themſelves, not allowing a Miniſter to ſpeake againſt them; yea, and thoſe, whom I tooke to be the ſobereſt and beſt grounded Chriſtians, have not ſtuck to Cenſure New England ſharply, for being too ſtrict againſt thoſe which they call, Non-fundamentall Errors; and I wiſh that ſome Miniſters were not ſicke of that policie, to plead for Toleration of ſuch Opinions, eſteeming it a peice of true Chriſtian wiſdome to be ſilent, and not to meddle, but comply with all Opinioniſts, eſpecially, if they conceive them to be not in the fundamentals, which are but a few.
Hierome thought it was Auguſtines honour, Aug. Epiſt. 25.that he ſo ſtrongly oppoſed the Hereſies of his time, that all the Hereticks hated him; to oppoſe by Argument is good, yea and to diſcountenance the contumacious is not amiſſe; but it is now an honour for a man to be ſilent. For your parts (my Fathers) you and the godly Presbyterians of England, are eſteemed the cauſes of all theſe troubles; yea, I obſerve by Letters, which my ſelfe and others have received from the Divines of New England, that ſome have informed them, as if you were the cauſes of the ſecond Warre, when Duke Hamilton, and Lord Goring, &c. aroſe. Alſo that you are ſo adverſe to the Congregationall Churches here, that you had rather joyne with the Common Enemy, and hazzard your owne Liberties, then enjoy your Liberties with your Brethren, the Congregationall men; but you have I thinke ſufficiently cleared your ſelves from theſe aſperſions in your Vindication, yea, and ſo can the Congregationall men cleare you, I beleeve; there is one report that goes for truth, and that amongſt perſons of note, and upon that ground I perceive, I meane ſome men here, they much ſatisfie themſelves in this ſcorne caſt upon you, viz. That the Aſſembly of Divines, when things were likely to ſettle on the Presbyterian ſide, ſhould determine, That Congregationall Miniſters ſhould not be allowed any publicke place to preach in, nor ſhould be allowed any publick maintenance. This is certainly beleeved by men of note, I wiſh the truth were cleared; I am not ignorant what provocation it was, to have your people taken from you, &c. but yet I can hardly beleeve the Aſſembly to be ſo hard to their Brethren.
Further (but that I am too meane to move, and know not whither my motion be good or no in your thoughts) I could heartily wiſh, you would pleaſe to declare, Pag. 119, 120, 121.how farre you could yeeld to the Congregationall Brethren: you have hinted ſome things in your Vindication, which imply much; but if it were thought meet to ſpeake out a little more fully, then ſhould our New England Divines clearly underſtand where the greateſt cauſe of this diſ-union lyes, againſt all falſe reports that are ſent to them.
And now (my reverend Fathers) I beſeech you accept of this teſtimony of the honour I owe you, having ventured after many reſolutions to the contrary (fearing my weakneſſe) to dedicate this Treatiſe to you, it being the greateſt deſire of my heart to ſee the Kingdome of Chriſt, firſt exalted in my owne wretched heart, and then to ſee Claſsicall, and Congregationall men joyning together, with one ſhoulder to ſet up his viſible Kingdome in England, oppoſing Errour and Schiſme, and Chriſt riding in Triumph upon his white Horſe, conquering ſoules by his poore Inſtruments, that once it may be ſaid of England, The Lord bleſſe thee, O habitation of Juſtice, and mountaine of Holineſſe.Ier. 31.23.
So prayeth he, who is unworthy to be called your Fellow-labourer in the Lord: Jan. 19. 1651. Giles Firmin.