First Epistle of John Applied Part 1, Lecture 25
THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St. JOHN.
CHAP. 2. VERS. 19.
They went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us, but they went out, that they might be made manifeſt that they were not all of us.
THe Gospel had no ſooner aſcended the horizon of the Gentiles, and diſpelled that univerſal ſhade wherin they had been be nighted, but the Prince of the Air raiſed the clouds, or rather fogs and mists, of hereſy, to obſcure the luſtre thereof. No ſooner had thoſe Apoſtolical Merchants erected factories in ſeveral parts of the World for the advancement of Chriſtian Religion, but the Devil had his Emiſſaries in all places to interrupt the trade of truth. This our Apoſtle well knew, and therefore armeth thoſe to whom hee wrote, both againſt the peril, and the ſcandal of Antichriſtian Teachers: when the Market is full of Adulterous wares, counterfeit coines, specious falſhoods, there is great danger of being deceived, and therefore it concerneth us to be ſo much the more careful what wares and commodities wee take, what Doctrins wee receive as true; when the brats of ugly errours are laid at the door of the Chriſtian Church, Satans deſign is to bring her in diſgrace, and men are too apt to fancy her the mother of ſuch monſters; great reaſon there is to take heed we be not offended, yea, through our …incogitant precipitancy ſtumble and fall at this block. The prevention of the former of theſe, namely, the danger, is the deſign of our Apoſtle in the precedent verſe, and now in this verſe hee goeth on to remove the ſcandal, letting the Chriſtians know, That they went out from, but they were not of them, for if they had been, &c.
In the words theſe two particulars are plainly conſiderable.
The occaſion, and the remotion of the ſcandal.
The occaſion of offence, ſet down in theſe words, They went out from us.
The Remotion of this, as being no juſt cauſe, in the reſt of the words, But they were not of us, &c.
Begin wee with that which firſt occurreth, to wit, theGen. 1. occaſion of the offence, They went out from us; in which words there is ſomething implyed, and ſomething expreſſed.
1 That which theſe words imply, as Calvin, Danaeus, with others obſerve, is, that thoſe Antichriſtian Impoſtors,Calv▪ in loc. Dan. in loc. had been in the boſome of the Church, and imbraced the Chriſtian profeſſion. Thus wee read of Simon Magus, one of the chief Ring-leaders, that hee beleeved Act 8. 6.and was baptized; and Nicolaus was one of thoſe ſeven Deacons upon whom the Apoſtles laid hands; and Epiphanius Epiph. Haer. 28.affirmeth Cerinthus to have been very converſant with the Apostles and Elders at Jeruſalem; and S. Paul tells the Paſtors of Epheſus, that men speaking perverſe Act. 20. 30.things ſhould ariſe of their own ſelves: ſo that in this caſe that often falls out, a mans enemies are thoſe of his own houſhold. The Churches ſeeming members prove her worſt enemies. As a lilly among thorns▪ ſo is my love among the C…nt▪ …. 2. Non dictum eſt in medio alienarum ſed in medio filiarum. Aug. in Pſa. 59.Daughters, ſaith Chriſt of his Spouſe, where it is obſerved by St. Auſtin, that it is not ſaid among ſtrangers, that were no great wonder, but among her Daughters, even they who profeſs the Church to bee their mother, prove thornes to vex her, not onelyonly they who are without (to wit, the pale of the Church) as having never received the Chriſtian Faith, ſuch as were Jews and Pagans, but many who are within, become falſe brethren; not only the wild Boar out of the forreſt endeavours to lay waſte Gods vineyard, but there are foxes within to pluck off, and spoil its grapes; nay, as St. Auſtin well obſerves, multae foris Aug. in Joh. tr. 45.oves, multi intus lupi, many without are ſheep, ſuch as belong to, and are at laſt brought into the fold, whiles many within are wolves, though in ſheeps clothing, whoſe aim is to deceive and deſtroy. Even in Jeruſalem, that is, the Church (ſaith Origon) are many Jebuſites; in Gods field, Orig. in Joſh. hom. 2.there want not tares ſown by the envious man. The viſible Church is as a net, wherein are bad as well as good Aug. quaeſt. ſuper Ge…. 73. et Ser. de Temp. 78.fiſh; a garden, wherein are weeds as well as flowers; as Rebecca's wombe, in which are two ſorts of people ſtrugling, to wit, (as St. Auſtin moralizeth it) spiritual and carnal. In one word, to uſe St. Pauls compariſon, in this2 Tim. 2. 17▪ 20 houſe of the Church, there are as golden and ſilver, ſo earthen and wooden veſſels, of which ſort were Hymineus and Philetus.
To end this therefore, It is a conſideration which indeed may bee matter of ſorrow, that there ſhould bee ſuch chaff among the Wheat, ſuch Canaanites among the people of Iſrael, ſuch vipers in the bowels of the Church, but yet it is no more than what hath been in all ages. God in wiſdom permits it, the Devil in malice contriveth it▪ that Antichristian teachers ſhould grow up among the Chriſtians, non mirandum quod exurgant ſed vigilandum, ne noceant, is St. Austins excellent advice, wonder not that they do ariſe, beware that they do not hurt, and though they are mingled with us, let us take heed wee bee not partakers with, and ſo infected by them.
2 But that which is here expreſſed, and would chiefly bee conſidered, is, that theſe Antichriſtian teachers went out from the Apoſtles; for the unfolding whereof I ſhall diſcuſs theſe two things.
What this going out imports?
Whence it comes to paſs?
1 The firſt Queſtion to be reſolved is, what this going out imports? to which end obſerve,
1 It is one thing to go out by vertue of a Commiſſion, and another to go out in a way of deſertion. Wee read of the King, that hee ſent his ſervants, and bid them go out into Mat 22. 9.the high waies, to wit, to invite gueſts to the wedding, thus did the Apoſtles go forth from Chriſt as being ſent by him to Preach the Gospel: but in this ſenſe it cannot bee here underſtood, as if theſe Antichriſts; went forth Commiſſioned from the Apoſtles, becauſe that to theſe words, they went out from us, are oppoſed thoſe, They would have continued with us. Now continuing with the Apoſtles if taken in oppoſition to going out from them with Commiſſion, had been a crime, and would have deſerved that check, why stand you idle? whereas nothing clearer than that this continuing with them is here intended, as that which was their duty to have done, and conſequently the going out can bear no other ſenſe than their forſaking the Apoſtles.
2 It is one thing to bee caſt out, and another to go out, the former is a puniſhment or cenſure of the Church, conſiſting of various degrees, according to the quality of offences, ſome being …aſt out è coetu participantium, of the number of the communicants; others not only ſo, but è coetu procumbentium, from prayers, as well as Sacraments: others è coetu audi…ntium, nay fidelium, not ſuffered ſo much as to hear the Word, or to converſe with the faithful. Theſe Cenſures (though none more deſerve them than thoſe my text ſpeaks of) may for ſome groſs miſ-demeanours be inflicted on thoſe who yet are true members o… the Church; indeed this judicial caſting out is that which is done by the governours of the Church, not onelyonly as an act of Juſtice, but mercy, with charitable and compaſſionate intentions, that the casting out may prove the caſting down of the delinquent; and that caſting down may tend to the raiſing up, and receiving in again of the penitent. But this going out is the act of wicked Apoſtates, a ſin of a very deep dye, and hainous nature, nor can they who thus caſt themſelves out, ever call themſelves in, yea, they are ſeldome, if ever, called in again.
3 This ſin of Apoſtacy in going out from the Church is Pelluntur excommunicati, ſchiſmatici diſcedu…t, …retici exeunt. Lor.committed two waies, viz. by Hereſy and Schiſm, a going out from the faith, and from the fellowſhip of the Church. Indeed Hereſy and Schiſm like abortive twins in many particulars are coincident, and like Jacob and Eſau one holds faſt by the others heels. Haereſies in point of faith do eaſily produce a ſeparation in the uſe of Ordinances, and formes of worſhip. So the Arrian Hereſy brought in a different doxology: and ſchiſm in point of communion, frequently induceth into Heretical Doctrins, ut rectè ab eccleſiâ diſceſſiſſe videantur, as St. Hierom excellently, that the Schiſmatick may thereby the better maintain his unlawful ſeparation; and by both theſe waies did the Antichriſt go out.
1 They went out, that is, they Apostatized from theAct. 14. 27 faith which was once delivered, and had been by them profeſſed. That expreſſion of the Apoſtle, The door of Faith, intimateth that faith is the door of the Church; ſo that by embracing, we enter in, by deſerting the faith we1 Tim. 1. 19. …0. go out of the Church. Thus St. Paul ſaith of Hymeneus and Philetus, that concerning the faith they made ſhipwrack, that is, as Marriners in a ſtorm caſt their wares over board, ſo did they caſt away the Orthodox Doctrine of Christianity; ſuch were thoſe whom the Apoſtle Peter chargeth for bringing in damnable Hereſies, deſtructive to the foundamentals 2 Pet. 2. 1of Religion, and the ſalvation of the people, againſt whom therefore the Apoſtle Jude exhorteth ſincereJud. verſ. 3 Chriſtians to contend earneſtly.
2 They went out, that is, they departed from the fellowſhip Hierom ad Tit. c▪ 3.of the Apoſtles, with whom they had held communion before. Having endeavoured to deprave the Churches Truth by Hereſy, they diſturb the peace by ſchiſm, rending themſelves from that body of which they profeſſed themſelves members, ſuch were thoſe ſome whoſe mannerHeb. 10▪ 25 St. Paul tells us, was to forſake the aſſembly, and this is one of thoſe brands which St. Jude marketh the falſe Jude 19.teachers with, that they did ſeparate themſelves, not willing to bee confined within the limits and bounds of the Churches Communion.
4 Once more, this phraſe they went out from us is a foreign, more being intended than is expreſſed, not only that they went out from, but that being gone out they did ſet themſelves againſt the Church, and therefore hee calls them in the former verſe Antichriſts, which is far more than Apoſtates: their ſeparation was not onelyonly negatively a nen-communion, but poſitively a direct oppoſition, gathering to themſelves parties, erecting, as it were, a Church againſt a Church, an Altar againſt an Altar, they did not onelyonly forſake their colours, but did fight under the enemies banner, and charge deſperately in their forlorn; in one word, not onelyonly a falling from the doctrine and communion, but a riſing againſt both, through an internal malicious d…teſtation, is that which is the extent of the accuſation, which our Apoſtle intends by theſe words, They went out from us.
2 The next queſtion which would bee reſolved, is, how this came to paſs that theſe ſchiſmatical Hereticks went out from the Church? nor need we goe further for an anſwer, than the fore-going verſes, where the Apostle firſt dehorts in general from the love of the world, and particularly from the luſt of the fleſh, the luſt of the eyes, and theVerſ. 15, 16. pride of life; all of which wee ſhall find to have a great influence upon Antichriſtian Apoſtates.
1 They went out from the Church, becauſe they loved the world; it was St. Pauls charge againſt Demas, hee 2 Tim▪ 4. 10.hath forſaken us, having loved this preſent world. That heart which is tenacious of the world, will eaſily let goe its hold of truth. Our Apoſtle ſaith a little before, If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him; it is as true, the love of his Mother (the Church) is not in him. Indeed in the Primitive times, it ſo fell out, that by reaſon of Perſecution, they could not cleave to the Church, unleſs they were willing to leave the world: and no wonder if the love of the world cauſed many of them to leave the Church.
2 But more particularly.
1 The luſt of the fleſh was a ſpecial cauſe of their Apoſtacy, the Churches bounds were too narrow, her Lawes too ſtrict for thoſe licentious Antichriſts. Indeed it is frequently obſervable, that the great Rabbies againſt the Church, are extraordinary Chaplaines to theRom. 16. 18. Phil. 3. 17. Trencher. St. Paul deſcribing thoſe falſe Teachers ſaith, they were ſuch as did ſerve their owne bellies; nay more, whoſe God is their belly: St. Peter characterizeth them2 Pet. 2. 10▪ 13, 14, 18▪ to bee ſuch as did count it a pleaſure to ryot in the day time, having eyes full of adultery, that cannot ceaſe from ſin, ſuch as did allure through the luſt of the fleſh, through much wantonneſſe; in a word, hee compareth them to Doggs and Swine, and calls them, the Servants of corruption. Finally, St. Jude affirmeth of thoſe Separatiſts, that they were ſenſual, ſo great affinity hath Epicuriſme with Antichriſtianiſme, and Senſuality withJude, v. 19. Hereſie.
2 The luſt of the eyes (and that in both notions) is no leſs an incentive of this ſinful departure. For,
1 Curioſity hath ever been a nurſe of error, Prurigo ſciendi ſcabies eccleſiae, the itch of knowing more than wee ſhould, proveth too often an Heretical ſcab; when men are not content with truths revealed, no wonder if they wander into by-paths, and loſe themſelves in a maze ofP. Lomb. l. 1. Diſt. 41. folly. Melior eſt fidelis ignorantia quam temeraria ſcientia, was a good ſaying of the Maſter of the Sentences, a modeſt ignorance is better than a preſumptuous knowledge; as we muſt not be too credulous in receiving what is delivered, ſo neither curious in prying into what is concealed; it is not ſeldome ſeen, that as Thales gazing on the Starres fell into a pit, ſo men that meddle with Divine ſecrets, fall into the pit of errour.
2 But that which hath ever proved the moſt uſual ſource of Apoſtacy, is Avarice; obſerve the Apoſtolical character of the Antichriſtian Teachers, and you ſhall ſtill finde this to be one, they are deſtitute of the truth, (ſaith St. Paul to Timothy) ſuppoſing that gain is godlineſſe; 1 Tim. 6. 8. 5. 10.and again, the love of money is the root of all evil, which while ſome have coveted after, they have erred from the faith. They teach things which they ought not (ſaith the ſame Apoſtle to Titus) for filthy Lucres ſake. Tit. 1. 11.Through covetouſneſſe, they with feigned words make Merchandize of you (ſaith the Apoſtle Peter) and again,2 Pet. 2. 3. 14. 15. an heart they have exerciſed with covetous practices, which have forſ…k the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the Son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteouſneſſe. Thus Ignatius, St. Johns contemporary complained of ſome, that they were foreign,Ignat. Ep. ad Trall. rather Merchants of Chriſt than Chriſtians indeed carrying about the name of Chriſt fraudulently, handling the Word of Chriſt deceitfully, mingling with ſmooth words poyſonous errours. Thus St. Cyprian accuſed that Apoſtatizing Heretick Novatus, Cypr. ad Novat.of whom he ſaith, that hee was avaritiae inexplebili rapacitate furibundus, not only covetous but ravenous, and inſatiably greedy of gain. And Iſidorus obſerving, that the Novatians ſtiled themſelves the pure, ſaith, Mundams Iſi. Orig. …. 8.ſe potius quam mundos vocarent, they ſhould have called themſelves not Puritans, but Mammoniſts. And however the Antichriſtian Apoſtates of our age have other pretences, to wit, of purity and godlineſſe, yet who ſo diveth into the bottome of their departure from the Church, ſhall finde it to be the enriching themſelves, eſpecially with the Sacrilegious ſpoyls of her Lands andAvaritia fidem & probitatem ſubvertit ac Deum negligere & omnia venalia habere docuit. Sal. de conj. Catil. Revenues. It is a notable ſaying of Saluſt concerning avarice, that it ſubverts fidelity and honeſty, it teacheth men to neglect God, and make ſale of every thing; and what he found true in the Common-wealth, we may in the Church, that the love of gain cauſeth men to renounce the faith, and they ſtick not to ſell their Religion, their Conſciences, their Souls for money.
3 Adde to the two former, that which muſt by noMater omnium b…retico…um ſuperbia. Aug. Epi. 165. means in this caſe be left out, as having a great hand in it, namely, The pride of life, and that double.
1 An arrogant ſelf-conceit too often cauſeth men to depart from the Church; one ſort of the Hereticks in the Apoſtles time were the Gnoſticks, who were ſo called from their vain affectation, and opinion of their owne knowledge; no wonder if St. Pauls adviſe is not toRom. 12. 3. think of our ownſelves more highly than wee ought. It is the obſervation of the Reverend and Learned Hooker, Hook. Eccleſ. pol▪ 5. c. 9.that the chief cauſe of thoſe Hereſies which infected the Eaſterne Church, was the reſtleſſe wits of the Graecians▪ ever more proud of their owne curious and ſubtile inventions, which having once contrived, they knew how plauſibly to vent: and Euſebius informeth us of thatEuſeb Hiſto…. l. 2. c. 1…. fore-mentioned Heretick Novatus, that he was a man blown up with pride and ſelf-conceit, and Vincentius Lyrinenſis of Neſtorius, that ſuch was his ſcelerata preſumptio, daring boldneſſe, as to boaſt himſelf the firſt andVincent. Lyr. c. 4… only man. Thus doe Hereticks and Schiſmaticks go out from, becauſe they account themſelves above others, above Fathers, Councils, Antiquitie, Authority, Church, Scriptures, all, according to that proud ſpeech of Abailardus, Omnes alii ſic, ego autem non ſic, All others Bern. Ep. 190think thus, but I think not ſo.
2 An haughty deſire of Honour and greatneſſe, which becauſe they cannot obtain in the Church, they ſeek after by going out of it. That foreign (as Euſebius Euſeb. l. d.calls him) ring-leader of Hereſy, Simon Magus, would bee foreign, ſome great one, and therefore broachedAct. 8. 10. thoſe helliſh doctrines; Diotrephes loved the preheminence▪ and that opens his mouth in prating against S. John. It were eaſy to inſtance in Donatus, Arrius, and others,John Ep. 3. 10. who aspiring after dignities, and being diſcontented, the one that Cecilian Biſhop of Carthage, the other that Alexander Biſhop of Alexandria, were preferred into thoſe ſeats which they aimed at, did thereupon deſert the Catholick Church; look, as through ambition it was that the Devil himſelf ſtood not in the truth, ſo hee ſtill carrieth his inſtruments to this pinacle, whence hee throweth them down into errours.
And thus I have given you a brief portraicture both of the crime and its cauſes, of which theſe Antichrists are accuſed, They went out from us.
This heinous charge is, that which the Papiſts at this day draw up againſt us, becauſe wee have deſerted them, condemning us as Hereticks, Schiſmaticks, Apostates, and ſuch as have forſaken the communion of the Christian, Catholick, and Apoſtolick Church: But how cauſleſs and unjust th…s accuſation is, hath been both of old and latter daies fo abundanly diſcovered by many learned pens, as that I ſhall not need to inlarge, onelyonly give mee leave in a few words, to let you ſee how vaſt a difference there is between our going out from them, and the going out of theſe Hereticks from the Apostles.
1 Theſe Antichrists in going out from the Apostles, and their followers, went out from the whole Chriſtian Church, that had been planted by them in ſeveral parts, whereas wee in going out from the Roman, go out onelyonly from a particular Church. I well know the Papiſts proudly arrogate to themſelves the title of Catholike, but without the leaſt ſhow of reaſon; nay, it is with as great abſurdity, as if a man ſhould ſay, a part, nay a leſs part, is the whole: The number of Chriſtians being far greater which renounceth, than that which imbraceth the Popiſh Doctrin.
2 Theſe Antichrists, in going out from the Apoſtles, went out from thoſe Eccleſiaſtical governours, to whom they owed ſubjection: but wee owe no obedience to the Biſhop of Rome, and therefore have juſtly caſt off his yoak.
Indeed hee moſt preſumptuouſly aſſumeth to himſelf the title of Univerſal Biſhop, and maketh himſelf the Vicar of Christ, upon the account that hee is the ſucceſſor of St. Peter. But as it is no way to bee evinced from Scripture, that S. Peter had any more power communicated to him than what the other Apostles had, ſo neither can any reaſon bee given, why this power (if granted to S. Peter) ſhould bee derived to his ſucceſſor at Rome, rather than at Antioch; nay, why it ſhould not have devolved from him to the Apoſtle S. John, who out-lived him, and ſo to his ſucceſſors; that this univerſal power therefore belongs not to him of right, is manifeſt, and it is no leſs clear, that, defacto, it was never exerciſed by any Roman Biſhop, for more than ſix hundred years after Christ, Boniface the third being the firſt who obtained of…aſſon▪ in vit. Bonif. that wicked Emperor Phocas, the title of Univerſal Biſhop.
And whereas the Pope claimeth a peculiar right to our obedience, upon the ſcore of having planted Chriſtianity amongſt us, and having had a conceſſion of it from ſome Kings. To the former it is anſwered, that this Iſland was converted to the faith of Chriſt long before Auguſtines, preaching to the Saxons, either by Joſeph of Arimathea, or Simon Zelotes, as our Annals tell us; and ſecondly, that though Augustine whom the Pope ſent over, had been the means of our converſion, yet that is no argument for our ſubjection to the Pope; for by the ſame reaſon all the Nations converted by S. Paul and his miniſtry, are in all ages obliged to bee ſubject to that chair where S. Paul ſate at the time of his ſending out, or going himſelf to convert them; which as it hath no truth in it ſelf, ſo would it bee very prejudicial to S. Peters Paſtor-ſhip. To the latter it is returned, that either this power of that conceſſion, was ſo originally veſted in our Kings, that they might lawfully grant it to whom they pleaſed, and then as one King conceded it, another may recall it; or elſe, if it were not, then was the grant invalid, & being but a robbery in the giver, can devolve no right to the receiver. By all which it appeareth, that we have made no ſchiſm in with-holding obedience from the Pope.
3 Chiefly theſe Antichrists in going out from the Apostolical, went out from a pure Church, in which there neither wanted ſound doctrin, nor good diſcipline: but wee in going out from the Papists, go out from a Church degenerated, and polluted with damnable hereſies. To clear this, know
1 That when any Church or number of Christians are grown ſo corrupt a body, and ſo far infected, that wee canno communicate with it, without manifeſt ſin, wee not onelyonly may, but ought to go out from them. Indeed▪ it is neceſſa…y both by vertue of that precept which calls upon Gods people to …ome out from Babylon, and likewiſe as a means of preſervation from that contagion, wee otherwiſe muſt needs receive: ſo that it is as needful to ſeparate from ſuch a Church in order to the ſouls ſafety, as it is for a man to go out of an infected houſe, or abſtai… from a Lepers company, in order to his bodily health.
2 That the Church of Rome at that time, when we went out from her, was, and still continueth, a very corrupt Church. Many of her Doctrines directly contrary to the Scriptures, not heard of in the primitive Church, yet impoſed as articles of faith; Her Wo…ſhip ſuperſtitious, Ridiculous, Incongruous to right Reaſon, Apoſtolical Practice, yea, D…vine precept, and yet preſsed as neceſſary to bee performed; by which means it is, that they put upon us the ſad dilemma of going from their communion, or going againſt the clear light of Divine Truth ſhining from Gods Word upon our conſciences, in which reſpect wee juſtly ſay, they, not wee, have made the ſeparation, and ſo the ſchiſm lyeth at their door.
To ſhut it up, what S. Auſtin ſaid to the Donatiſts, wee ſay to the Romanists, Tollatur paries erroris, ſimul ſumus, let the partition wall of impoſing unreaſonable opinions and practices upon us, bee taken away; and wee are ready to unite with them; wee divide not from them as they are a part of, but ſo f…r as they are divided from the Catholike Church; wee have done our part in reforming our ſelves, and it is their fault, that upon this followeth a breach of communion with them, who will not reform. They, not wee, are gone out from the Ancient Primitive and Apoſtolical Church, in which reſpect they are juſtly termed Antichriſtian; nor do we any further go out from them, than in thoſe things wherein they are gone forth from the Apoſtles. When Jeroboam with others of the children of Iſrael revolted from their Lawful King, and Gods inſtituted worſhip, ſome of the P…ieſts, L…vits, and others, left their habitation, and went to Judah, that they might ſerve God, and their King, ſurely, not thoſe who went, but thoſe who stayed, were the Rebels and the Schiſmaticks: thus are the Romaniſts guilty for leaving the footsteps of the Apoſtles, not wee, for leaving theirs to follow the Apoſtles. Finally, wee ſtill hold communion with them in votis, earneſtly deſiring that thoſe juſt cauſes they have given of our Non-communion with them, by their Popes uſurpation of Supremacy and infallibility, by their ſuperſtitious innovations, both in matters of Doctrine and practice, may bee removed, and to this end, that a general Council might bee lawfully called, and freely act, to whoſe determination wee are willing to ſubmit, and therefore can acquit our ſelves from Schiſm, in the ſight of God and man.
But whilſt the Papiſts unjuſtly revile the Church of England, I am ſure ſhee hath had cauſe of weeping over the multitudes of thoſe who in this Apoſtatizing age have gone out from her; how juſtly may ſhee take up aIſa. 1. 2. complaint in Gods owne language? Hear O Heavens, and give ear O Earth, I have nouriſhed and brought up children, and they have rebelled againſt me; They that have been baptized in her Font, educated by her Paſtors, and ſucked what knowledge and grace they have (if yet they may be ſaid to have any) from her breaſts, have now forſaken her, yea are riſen up againſt her, Viper-like eating out her bowels. Oh what ſad breaches have been made in the Doctrine and Diſciplins of the Church by thoſe wilde beaſts (Socinians, Familiſts, Anabaptiſts, Quakers, and ſuch like) who being made to goe out of the field, have trampled down the hedge, endeavouring to lay all waſte?
And now, I would to God that all Sectaries would at length ſadly conſider theſe two things, how cauſeleſſe, yea how curſed this their departure from the Church of England is.
1 How cauſeleſſe their going out is, were eaſie to make appear by an induction of the ſeveral particulars, which are alledged as pretences, ſuch as are Infants Baptiſme, Epiſcopal Ordination, and Juriſdiction, Adminiſtration of the Lords Supper to all baptized perſons of age, not convicted of any ſcandalous offences (which they call mixt Communion) as alſo thoſe harmleſſe, yea uſeful, becauſe ſignificant Ceremonies, which our Church retained, all which (though by them declaimed againſt as Popiſh) will be found upon due inqniry, ſome of them Apoſtolical, all of them ancient inſtitutions, and practices of the Catholick Chriſtian Church; though yet ſhould wee grant ſome of them to bee pollutions, and ſpots in our Church, it would only inferre a lawful deſire and endeavour of reformation, not warrant a Schiſmatical ſeparation, ſince no corruptions in any Church can give allowance of going out of it, unleſle they be ſuch as ſtrike at the very foundation of Chriſtian Doctrine and Worſhip. It may perhaps bee here pleaded, that as wee forſook the communion of the Roman Church, becauſe we apprehended it guilty of ſuch erroneous Doctrines and practices with which wee could not communicate without ſin, ſo doe the Sectaries upon the ſame apprehenſion of the like in our Church, forſake ours, and therefore if their ſeparation from us bee cauſeleſſe, ours from the Papiſts may ſeeme to be as unjuſt.
But to this we return, that neither have we given them the like cauſe, as the Church of Rome gave us, not have they the like rational conviction as wee had: Wee impoſe nothing to be beleeved in Doctrine as neceſſary to Salvation, which wee doe not demonſtrate to have been the Doctrine of Chriſt and his Apoſtles, and the Catholick Church, and ſo ought to bee beleeved; wee require nothing to be done in matter of practice which is not of ancient uſage in the Chriſtian Church, and in its owne nature is at leaſt indifferent, and ſo may bee done without ſin; and therefore it is not a juſt conviction, but at beſt a deceiving perſwaſion, at worſt a wilfulreſolution, which cauſeth their ſeparation, and ſo it is in truth cauſeleſſe.
2. Adde to this, that other conſideration, namely how curſed it is, which is evident in ſeveral reſpects.
1 Of Chriſt and his Spirit, who is hereby grieved. It is very obſervable, that they who are ſaid in this verſe to goe out from the Apoſtles, are called in the verſe before Antichriſts; whilſt wee goe from Chriſts Church, wee goe againſt Chriſt, and by rending from his Body, wee grieve his Spirit, and therefore St. Ambroſe calls Schiſm a ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt.
2 Of the Church which is hereby weakned; the taking of any ſtones out of the building leſſeneth the ſtrength of the whole fabrick; if one Souldier break his rank the whole company is diſordered by it: thus doe they who goe out of the Church, ruire the Church it ſelf, interrupting her unity, which is at once her ſtrength and beauty: upon this account it is well obſerved, that whereas other ſins are, contra ſngulos, againſt particular perſons, this of Schiſme is, contra univerſos, againſt a generality; ſo that as much as community is above a perſon, ſo much is Schiſme above other ſins, yea, as much as a ſacred is better than a civil command, ſo much this ſin is worſe than that of Sedition.
3 Of others, in as much as by this means,
1 Thoſe that are malicious enemies againſt the Church, have their mouthes opened to calumniate her, and all that are ſtrangers without the Church, are hindred from coming in to her. Clemens Alexandrinus repeateth the ſaying of one to this purpoſe, who cryed out, You Chriſtians have ſo many Sects, let my ſoul bee Cl. Al. Padag.with the Philoſophers.
2 Thoſe who are within the Church, in as much as ſome (to wit, the weak) are ſtagger'd, and ready to question which is the true Church, nay whether there be any Church at all; and others (to wit, the ſtrong) are ſadded, whilſt for theſe diviſions of Ruben are great ſearchings of heart.
4. Laſtly, of themſelves, who by their back-ſliding ſeparation haſten upon themſelves perdition; a branch plucked from the root muſt needs wither, a member … off from the body dyes, and thoſe that leave the Church, periſh. Nos tentat D…abolus ut lupus ovem a grege, ſaithCypr. de Vnit. Eccleſ. St. Cyprian, As the Wolf tempts the ſheep from the Fold, ſo doth the Devil men from the Church; and why this? but that he may worry and devour them, Diſcedentes … Eccleſi… (ſaith Ireneus) de fonte Spiritus ſancti non Iran. adv. Haer.p…tant, They that leave the garden of the Church cannot drink of the fountain of the Spirit. What became of thoſe who were out of the Ark when the …loud came? they muſt needs periſh in the waters; no leſſe miſerable is their condition, who goe out of the Church.
Yea, which renders their condition ſo much the more deſperate is, that they who once goe out of the Church, doe ſeldome return to it. That of the Poet, Quis peccandi ſibi finem poſſuit, is as true …rrandi, both ſin and errours are boundleſſe; in this reſpect among others, the wandring, as of Sinners, ſo Hereticks, is like that of a loſt ſheep, which ſtrayeth from paſture to pasture, but never of it ſelf goeth back to the fold; the path of errour is a going down hill, in which men goe, nay run from errour to errour, till at laſt they fall into the pit of deſtruction.
And now (my Brethren) think I beſeech you, that the Church of England beſpeaketh you this day in thoſeJoh. 6 67, 68. words of our Saviour upon a like occaſion, Will you alſo goe away? nor can we return a better anſwer than that which St. Peter, in behalf of himſelf, and the reſt, gave to Chriſt, Whither ſhall wee goe? thou haſt the words of eternal life; in this Church is the Orthodox diſpenſation of the Gospel, the faithful adminiſtration of the Sacraments, and the Primitive Apoſtolical Diſcipline eſtabliſhed, and therefore whither ſhall we goe? Here it is that Chriſt feedeth his Flock in green paſtures, by ſtill waters, why ſhould we be as they that turn aſide? Oh let us pitty the ſeduced multitude, who have left Churches for Conventicles; judicious preaching, for ignorant prating; their learned Paſters, for illiterate Mechanicks; and their true Baptiſme in the Font, for a vain dipping in a Pond, yea let us not only weep over, but pray for them, (as our Mother the Church hath taught us in her excellently compoſed Letany) that God would bring into the way of truth all ſuch as have erred, and are deceived. However (if they will not return to us) let us take heed we goe not forth to them; rather let us bleſſe God, that hath cauſed our lot to fall within the boſome of ſo pure a Church, and let us earneſtly beſeech him to ſtrengthen us by his grace, that we may continue in her communion to the end, ſo may we confidently and comfortably take up thoſe words of the Author to the Hebrews, But wee are not of them who draw back unto perdition, but of them Heb. 10. 39.that beleeve, to the ſaving of the ſoul.