4. When it is the Seat of Antichrist. And where none of these four are
to be found, there the separation is insufficient and schismatical.
Now we are fully assured, that none of these four causes can be
justly charged upon our Congregations. And therefore you must not be
displeased with us, but with your selves, if we blame you as guilty of
a positive Schism.
There are two things will be objected against what is here said.
[Sidenote: _Object._ 1.]
That you are forced to separate from Us, because of those sinfull
mixtures that are tolerated amongst Us; That our Congregations are
miscellaneous companies of all gatherings, without any due separation
of the wheat from the chaff: that all sorts are admitted even to
Sacramental communion. And that therefore you ought to come out from
amongst Us, that you be not made partakers of our sins.
We answer,
[Sidenote: _Answ._ 1.]
1. That this charge, if understood of those Congregations, that are
reformed according to the rules of the Presbyterial Government, is
most untrue and unrighteous. It is sufficiently known what we suffer
in our estates, and in our outward peace and quiet, because we will
not allow of sinful mixtures in our Churches. The Lord that observes
our particular carriages knows, that we study purity of members, as
well as purity of Ordinances, and verity of doctrine. And though we
dare not make separation from a true Church, by departing from it, as
you do; yet we do make a separation in a true Church, by purging and
reforming it, which you do not do. The rule of the Assembly for the
Church-members, is very full: _That they must be visible Saints, such
as being of age, do professe Faith in Christ, and obedience unto
Christ, according to the rules of Faith and life, taught by Christ and
his Apostles._ Doth not the Scripture require more then this? why then
will ye separate from us for sinfull mixtures, when we are purging
out sinfull mixtures? when God is coming towards us, why will you run
away from us? When God is building us up, why are you so active in
pulling us down? Are we not coming out of the Wildernesse, and will
you now forsake us? It is not many years since the ship of this Church
was sinking into Popery, and then some of you separated from it into
other parts of the world. And when of late years, there was hope
through the mercy of God, of saving the ship, you returned back; and
instead of helping to save her, you presently began to separate from
her; and whilest we were pumping to preserve the ship, your practices
have occasioned & made many leaks in it. This is a sad thing, and if
rightly apprehended, must sit sadly upon the spirits of some.
[Sidenote: _Answ._ 2.]
Suppose there were some sinfull mixtures at our Sacraments, yet we
conceive, this is not a sufficient ground of a negative, much lesse of
a positive separation. [166]The learned Author forementioned tells us,
that _corruption in manners crept into a Church, is not sufficient
cause of separation from it_. This he proves from Matth. 23.2, 3. and
he also gives this reason for it; Because _in what Church soever,
there purity of Doctrine, there God hath his Church, though
overwhelmed with scandalls. And therefore whosoever separates from
such an Assembly, separates from that place where God hath his Church,
which is rash and unwarrantable._
The Church of _Corinth_ had such a profane mixture at their Sacrament,
as we believe few (if any) of our Congregations can be charged withal.
And yet the Apostle doth not perswade thy godly party to separate,
much less to gather a Church out of a Church. There were many godly
and learned Non-conformists of this last age, that were perswaded in
their consciences, that they could not hold communion with the Church
of _England_, in receiving the Sacrament kneeling, without sin, yet
did they not separate from her. Indeed, in that particular act they
withdrew, but yet so, as that they held communion with her in the
rest, being far from a negative, much more from a positive separation.
Nay some of them, even then when our Churches were full of sinfull
mixtures, with great zeal and learning, defended them so far, as to
[167]write against those that did separate from them. He that will
never communicate with any Church, till every thing that offendeth be
removed out of it, must tarry till the great day of judgment, when
(and not till then) [168]_Christ will send forth his Angels, to gather
out of his Kingdome every thing that offendeth, and them that do
iniquity._ _Musculus_ tells us of a [169]_Schwenkfeldian_ at
_Augusta_, whom he asked, when he had _received the Sacrament_; he
answered, _not these twelve years_: He asked him the reason; he
answered, _Because he could not finde a Church which was inwardly and
outwardly adorned fit for a spouse of Christ, and that he would defer
receiving the Sacrament, till he could finde such a one_. This man
never did receive: No more will any of his opinion. We speak not of
these things, to justifie the negligence and wickedness of
Church-Officers, in suffering these prophane mixtures; we have already
proved it to be their duty, to keep all visibly-wicked persons from
the Sacrament, and have given divers arguments to perswade them
thereunto. We have likewise shewed it to be the duty of private
members, to do what in them lyes, for the removing of scandalls out
of the Church. If a brother offend them, they are not to separate from
him, (for this is not the way of Christ, to _gain_, but to _destroy_
his soul,) but they are to tell him of it privately, and in an orderly
way to bring it to the Church. And when they have done their duty,
they have freed their own souls, and may safely and comfortably
communicate in that Church, without sin.
[Sidenote: _Object._ 2.]
Though we do separate from you, yet we cannot stand charged with
_Schisme_, because the nature of Schisme consisteth in an open breach
of Christian love; and is such a separation, which is joyned with a
condemnation of those Churches from which they separate, as false
Churches, which we are far from.
[Sidenote: _Answ._]
We grant, that to make up the formality of a _Schismatick_, there must
be added uncharitableness; as to make up the formality of an
_Heretique_, there must be added _obstinacy_. But yet as he that
denyeth a fundamental Article of Faith, is guilty of heresie, though
he add not _obstinacy_ thereunto to make him an heretique; so he that
doth _unwarrantably_ separate from a true Church, is truly guilty of
_Schisme_, though he add not _uncharitableness_ thereunto, to
denominate him a compleat Schismatique.
A Reverend Brother of your own, calleth [170]_Brownisme_, _a bitter root
of rigid separation_. And we beseech you, with the spirit of meekness,
to consider what bitter fruits have sprung from your more moderate
separation: what great and wofull breaches have been made upon the
blessed grace of charity: what harsh and rigid censures some of you
have passed upon our persons and government; calling us _Lordly, and
Prelaticall_; and it, _Tyrannical and prejudicial to civill States_,
on purpose, to make us, and it odious, and thereby to render your
persons and way the more amiable to the people. And that which is more
then this, Are there not some of you, that choose rather to joyn with
Anabaptists, and Episcopal men, then with us? And that will give
letters dimissory to your members, to depart from you to the Churches
of the Anabaptists? and at the same time, deny them to such as desire
them, for to joyn with Churches of our communion? Is not this to
separate with an open breach of Christian Charity? We charge not these
things upon all of you, but only upon some, whose names we forbear to
mention. And for our parts, we do here profess, That it is and shall
be our great care, to study _purity and charity_, as well as _verity
and unity_; and _purity of members_ according to the Word, as well as
of _Ordinances_.
We abhor an over rigid urging of uniformity in circumstantiall things.
And are far from the cruelty of that Gyant, _who laid upon a bed all
he took; and those who were too long, he cut them even with his bed;
and such as were too short, he stretched out to the length of it_. God
hath not made all men of a length, nor height. Mens parts, gifts,
graces differ; and if there should be no forbearance in matters of
inferior alloy, all the world would be perpetually quarrelling. If you
would fully know our judgments herein, we will present them in these
two Propositions:
1. That it is the duty of all Christians, to study to enjoy the
Ordinances of Christ in unity, and uniformity, as far as it is
possible; for the Scripture calls [171]to unity and uniformity, as
well as to purity and verity: and surely, it is not impossible to
obtain this so much desired unity and uniformity, because that God
hath promised, that his children shall serve him with [172]_one
heart, and with one way, and with one shoulder_. And that in the days
of the Gospel, _There shall be one Lord, and his name one._ And Christ
hath prayed, [173]_That we may be all one, as the Father is in him,
and he in the Father._ And he adds a most prevalent reasons, _that the
world may believe that thou hast sent me_. Nothing hinders the
propagation of the Gospel, so much as the divisions and separations of
Gospel-Professors. If then it be Gods promise, and Christs prayer, it
is certainly a thing possible to be obtained, and a duty incumbent
upon all true Christians, to labour after.
2. That is their duty to hold communion together, as one Church, in
what they agree; and in this way of union mutually to tolerate and
bear with one another in lesser differences. And here that golden Rule
of the Apostle takes place, [174]_Let us therefore as many as be
perfect, be thus minded; and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded,
God shall reveal even this unto you: Neverthelesse whereto we have
already attained, Let us walk by the same Rule, let us mind the same
thing._ This was the practice of the primitive Christians.
All such who professed Christianity, held Communion together, as one
Church, notwithstanding the difference of Judgements in lesser things,
and much corruption in conversation.
We beseech you therefore Brethren, that you would endeavour to keep
the _Unity of the spirit in the bond of peace; for there is one Body
and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your Calling; one
Lord, one Faith, and one Baptisme; one God and Father of all, who is
above all, and through all, and in you all._
For our parts, we do here manifest our willingness, (as we have
already said) to accommodate with you according to the Word, in a way
of union; And (such of us as are Ministers,) to preach up, and to
practise a mutual forbearance and toleration in all things, _that may
consist with the fundamentalls of Religion, with the power of
Godlinesse, and with that peace which Christ hath established in his
Church_, but to make ruptures in the body of Christ, and to divide
Church from Church, and to set up Church against Church, and to gather
Churches out of true Churches: And because we differ in some things,
therefore to hold Church-communion in Nothing; this we think hath no
warrant out of the Word of God, and will introduce all manner of
confusion in Churches and Families; and not only disturb, but in a
little time destroy the power of Godlinesse, purity of Religion, peace
of Christians, and set open a wide gap to bring in Atheisme, Popery,
Heresie, and all manner of wickednesse: We will therefore conclude
with that description that Doctor _Ames_ gives of the sinfulnesse and
mischievousnesse of Schisme, lib. 5. cap. 12.[175]
Schisme, properly so called, is a most grievous sin;