A practicall commentary, or an exposition with observations, reasons, and vses upon the first Epistle generall of John by ... John Cotton ...

Doct. It is a note of seducers, or Antichristian Teachers, to depart from the fellowship of the Church.

They went out from us, because they were not of us, and so such were never cordial or hearty to the church, therefore when you see any fall off, know it argues an Antichristian spirit, 2 Thes. 2, 3. 1 Tim. 4.1. Many 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 shall depart from the Church, so that all Antichristian spirits have a corrupt spirit of seperation.

For Explication.

Q, 1. What is this seperation?

A. 1. A seperation Local, such was that practise of the Tribe of Gad. and Manasses. Josh. 22.9, 10. it was not seperation in fellowship as they professe, vers. 26, 27, but that is not a seperation that makes an Antichrist.

2 A departing in fellowship, which yet falls short of an Antichristian spirit, though it deserve blame and reproof, Gal. 2.12. not but that his judgement and affection was with them, yet he with-drew from their society in Ordinan∣ces, for this Paul blamed him, but yet it was not an Antichristian spirit, though he were a man of great zeale and courage, yet none so subject to be carried a∣way with fear as he was, let christians therefore most suspect themselves there wherein they least suspect themselves, and think themselves strongest, but this was an infirmity in him.

3 There is a departing from the Faith of the church▪ or sitting loose from them in Spirit, judgement, and affection, their Doctrin contrary, and hearts contrary, as Paul saith, In the latter dayes certain shall depart from the Faith, Heb. 10.25. to 29. so that such fall off not only in place, or fellowship, in ordinance, but in judgment, heart, and affection, that is a mark of an Antichri∣stian spirit, Jude 4.5. 3 Epist. Joh. 8, 9, 10.

It is said of the new converts that were added to the church, that they conti∣nued in the Apostles Doctrin and fellowship, Acts 2.42. therefore when they break from the fellowship of the church, they depart from the Apostles doctrin.

Q. What be the grounds?

A. 1. From the fellowship the true Members of the church have with Christ, 1 Joh. 1.4. therefore when you see a spirit of with-drawing from the fellowship of the church, they depart from the Apostles Doctrine, and if from them, then from Christ, for surely our fellowship is with God, and with the Son, therefore to prevent that denying of Christ, he gives them charge that they doe not forsake assembling themselves, &c. Heb. 10.25. to 29. A finger cut off from the hand, is not only cut off from the hand but from the head too; so if men fall off from the Members, they will also fall off from Christ the Head.

Ʋse 1. Seems to inform our judgements what to think in case of seperation, for this place is much abused; The Papists they build on this place that they that seperate from their church are Antichrists. That company, say they that breake off from the fellowship of the church is Antichristian▪ as it is plain here; now what were Calvin and Luther, but such as brake off from the fellow∣ship of the church, therefore they were of Antichrists spirit, and fore-runners of him.

We must therefore know, it is not every seperation from that which is called a church that is a note of an Antichristian spirit, but it must be known whether that were the true church; now this church St. John speaks of

was the true Church, for it was from such whose sins were forgiven; now if it be not a true Church that they breake from, it is no sign of Antichrist, 2 Chro. 11.16. such as set their hearts to seek the Lord, seperated themselves from those that followed Jereboam, and came to Jerusalem; so the Apostles were faine to seperate from the Church of the Jewes which persecuted Christ, and them, and so constituted a Church by themselves, a Christian Church; so then it is not a seperation from a false Church, but a true, that is a sign of an Anti∣christian spirit.

Obj. But what pretence, or just ground had such Divines to fall from the Ro∣mish Church, or we in England? for we, only upon the falling out of Hen. 8. with the Pope fell from him?

A. True, that matter of Divorce did move him to fail off from the Pope, and indeed, that cause was enough to fall off from the Pope, who would binde a Prince to an unlawful Marriage.

But the whole body of Christendom had a Three-fold ground of seperation which may be just, when a Church is heretical; that is, hold an errour con∣trary to the foundation obstinately, yet that is not a sufficient ground; as the Church of Corinth denied the Resurrection from the Dead, yet he calls them Saints; so though the Pharisees had charged that none should profess Christ, which was an obstinate denying of Christ, and taught false Doctrine, yet Christ charges them to obey them because they sit in Moses Chair, and therefore fun∣damental erroneousnesse is not alwayes a just cause.

1 Therefore that is a just cause of seperation, when a Church is infected with Blasphemy, and Contradiction, and Blaspheme the wayes of God, Acts 19.19. Acts 13.45, 46.

2 Idolatry is a just ground of seperation, 2 Cor. 6.16, 17, 18.

3 Persecution is a just ground of seperation, Mat. 10.23. Acts 8.1.

Now all these have met in the Church of Rome, they have blasphemed and condemned as Heretical, Justification by Faith, and other fundamentall truths.

2 They worship Images, as of the Virgin Mary, yea with Divine honour, as the Bread in the Sacrament, what greater Idolatry?

3 The World knows, and the blood of thousands of Martyrs can testifie their horrible Persecutions, that as long as we were subordinate to them, we could not profess the true Religion without loss of Goods and life, therefore we have just cause to seperate our selves from them.

Ʋse 2. It may teach us what to judge of the Seperatists, or Brownists, are they of Antichrist?

Surely their practise is blame-worthy.

1 Because they seperate, where Christ keeps fellowship, Rev. 1.18. and that he walks with us, we argue, because he is still pleased to dispence to us the Word of Life, and edifies many souls thereby, and therefore surely Christ hath fellowship, and shall man be more pure than his Maker? where Christ vouch. safes fellowship, shall man renounce it?

If they be converted, where had they their conversion?

2 Have not many of Gods Servants heretofore kept company with Chur∣ches as corrupt as ours are? Did not Peter and John keep company with them and shall they be more pure and curious?

3 Christ commands, If thy Brother offends admonish him, Matth. 18.17. if he hear thee not, take two or three more, if he hear not them, then tell it to the Church, and if he heare not the Church, let him be to thee as an Heathen, or Publican; but if the church hear not thy complaint, he doth not say let the church be as an Heathen, or Publican; now there are many of our Seperatists never admoni∣shed their Brethren, nor made their complaint to the church, and if they did, and the church heard them not, must they therefore Excommunicate the church, and renounce it? therefore unlesse you find in it Blasphemy, or Ido∣latry, or Persecution, there is no just ground of seperation.

Therefore this sin is very dangerous, it draws men from the Members of the Church.

• 1 They say, our Worship is corrupt.
• 2 Our Government is Antichristian.

For the first, you cannot maintain it, for in sundry Congregations you shall not find much corruption, as for reading of Prayers, if it be lawful to read Psalmes, why is it not lawful to read Prayers? therefore that is no just ground, it is that which all Protestant Churches have used.

2 Suppose there were and are sundry abuses in the Church, yet that is no safe ground of seperation, Ezek. 5.11. Ezek. 9.4. so when the Sons of Eli corrupted the Sacrifices of God, their Sin was great, yet it was a sin for the people to seperate and abhor, 1 Sam. 2.17.

2 They say our Government is Antichristian, we say it is that Government that expeld Antichrist somtimes, and sundry have witnessed it with their blood; and I say further, there is no such corruption in our State as was in Jerusalem, when Christ and his Apostles kept Fellowship with them, as two High Priests, &c.

3 They say our Ministry and Calling is Antichristian, we say we doe not profess our selves enemies to Christ, and for our Callings, many of us are e∣lected by the peoples approbation, or by such as are set up by the King and State, and if God blesse our Ministry to convert thousands to God by that means, it is an evident sign God approves our Calling, for, if it were Anti∣christian, they would not convert souls to God.

4 They say our people are corrupt, and some such as Paul bids not to have communion with, 1 Cor. 5.11. as Drunkards, Whoremongers, and therefore you see what evill such doe, they make Gods people abhor the Offerings, and breake off from fellowship with you.

We cannot deny but there are very many corrupt and scandalous per∣sons in our Church, but private Christians have no authority to roote them out.

1 For Ministers, if they see that it would turn to the dissipation and destruct∣ion of the F••ock, it were better to forbear, 1 Cor. 5. Mat. 13.29, 30. Ezra 4.20. they ceased from building the Temple, when there came a command against it; therefore they had better forbear, when it cannot be redressed without greater prejudice to the Church.

2 The corruption of such doe not corrupt the Church, or the Ordinances of God, He that eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks damnation to him∣self, not to the whole Congregation, and you shall finde many Churches as corrupt as the Church of Corinth, yet the Apostle would not have them re∣nounce it.

Lastly, they say we were never truly constituted, our Church had no true constitution.

A. That constitution which they themselves require hath not been want∣ing in ours.

1 They say there must be entring into a Covenant, that was done in King Edward and Queen Elizabeths dayes; and whereas they say our Church is but a Parliament constitution, that doth not weaken, but establish our Church.

2 But they say that our Church consists of a mixt multitude, so was that 2 Chron. 20.13. when Jehosaephat assembled all Judah before the Lord, Num. 11.4 there was a mixt multitude, and they did it out of fear, and yet it was a true Church, and so is ours, though there be a mixt multitude. And yet this falling off, because it is not from the main Doctrine, but from the skirts, and some circumstantials, therefore they doe not fall utterly from Christ, but yet it is not possible but they weaken their faith.

3 This refutes the Anabaptists, that fall off from our Church, because we baptize Infants before they come to knowledge.

1 We say, though there were no Baptism, it were no cause to make it no church as Israel in Egypt without Circumcision.

2 We say our children have as much right to Baptisme, as Isaack to cir∣cumcision, but they were circumcised the eight day, and if the Covenant be∣long to them, then the Seals of the Covenant, Act. 2.39. Mark 10.

Ʋse 4. Lastly it may teach us all, if it be a sign of Antichristianisme to with∣draw from the church, then it is a mark of true Christianity to stick close to the fellowship of the Saints; in love, in Christian duties, in admonishiog one another, in counselling, in comforting, in reproving one another; therefore take heed you forsake not this fellowship, for so you loose your grace and strength, if you sit loose from them, They that follow lying vanities, forsake their own mercies, all that oyntment that was powred on Christs head, descends to the lowest skirt of his garment, Psal. 133. to the meanest Christian, therefore if you sit loose from Christ and his members, how can you look for any drops of his oyle, the vallies receive the showrs from the Mountains, there God hath commanded a blessing, and it comes with power and authority; a man that gets a blessing any where else, gets it but precario, and as it were by stealth, but in publick communion, God hath commanded a blessing.

Now we come to the last point, the end of the departing of these men out of the church, they went out, that it might appear they were not all of us.

Whose end was this? who propounded this end? it was not their inten∣tion to manifest themselves, not to be of the church, but all heretiques pre∣tended that they aimed at a better church, they never intended it to manifest themselves to be enemies to the church, neither was it the end of the church; the church did not cast them out, but it was voluntary defection, they went out of themselves, therefore the church did not look at that end, whose end was it then?

Surely it was Gods end, who over-ruled their Apostacy to the benefit of his church, when he saw them warp from the Fellowship of the church; God gives them up to Apostacy, that he might make it appear they were not of the church, 1 King. 12.24. fight not against them, for this seperation is from me, so this Apostacy of these first teachers is from God, and his end is to manifest that they were not of the church.