The searchers for schism search'd, or, Their pretended questions for conscience sake answered wherein is proved that those baptized congregations under laying on of hands are not guilty of schism in separating from them : shewing, in opposition to their threeforld hypothesis, that their church constitution is not true, separation from them proved lawful, the truth and authority of the doctrine about which they separate, vindicated / humbly presented to all concerned [by] J. Griffith ...

Answer.

1. We say again, as some of us have Printed and said, That you who have transgressed at such a rate as you have done, and still do a∣gainst the Doctrine of Christ, have not God as his Church, according to 2 Joh. 9. nor is this vain Philosophy (as you vainly enquire) but sound words and wholsome Doctrine, which some of you will find to your sorrow in the day of account, if you repent not.

2. Nor can any Church rightly constituted be unchurched by this reason, Because Churches rightly constituted do not transgress against the Doctrine of Christ, but continue in it, and have both the Father and the Son; nor can it be said of the Hebrew Church, that they had not

God, because they understood not all those things hard to be uttered, relating to the Priest∣ly Office of Christ; because they had laid all the Principles of Christs Doctrine, Heb. 5.12. and 6.1, 2. which you have not, and continu∣ed in them, Act. 2.42. which you do not. Their fault for which the Apostle blames them, was, their slack and slow growth for the time they had been a Church, built upon the Rock Christ, and the Foundation-Principles of his Doctrine; by which neglect, they became dull of hearing, and were yet but as Babes unskilful in the Word of Righteousness, and therefore he exhorts them to go on to perfection, Heb. 6.1. that they might redeem their lost time, and avoid the danger they stood in of falling away from what they were partakers of; their danger being such, that if they should still continue slothful and negli∣gent, and not go on to perfection, they would at length fall from, and not continue in the Do∣ctrine of Christ on which they were built, which if they did, there was no renewing them by re∣pentance.

3. And indeed those things of which they were ignorant, were those parts of the Doctrine of Christ that belong'd to perfection, and their further growing up in him; but not the Foun∣dation or beginning part of Christians. Nor though they were dull of hearing, and could not receive those things hard to be uttered, re∣lating

to the Priestly Office of Christ; yet were they not Denyers, Opposers, and Disputers a∣gainst it, as you have been against laying on of hands, more than twenty years.

4. The Churches in Asia were true constitu∣ted Churches, and yet they transgressed and did not abide in all Christs Doctrine, for which cause (though the Spirit commends them in some things) they would not have God long as his Church, except they repented of those Transgressions; I will remove thy Candlestick out of its place, except thou repent, Rev. 2.5. By which it may plainly be perceived that their not abi∣ding in the Doctrine of Christ, would un∣church them that were true constituted Church∣es, without Repentance, and doing their first works; though we will not say that they were ipso facto declared no Churches of Christ, and such as have no communion with God as his Church: Though we dare say that you, whose Church-constitution was never right, have not God as his Church; and we dare say, That the Churches in Asia, and the Church of Corinth for suffering the incestuous person, and for saying, (some of them) the Resurrection was past, &c. after all lawful endeavours made, and means used to purge them from those evils, had they not re∣pented, but still persisted in their Sin and Impe∣nitency, they would soon find they should cease to be a Church in God, and incommunicable

for their not abiding in the Doctrine of Christ and Oracles of God. And thus much we dar•• say of them, or of any that fail like them, Tha•• then (as afore) they are no Churches, have no•• communion with God as his Church, becaus•• they abide not in all his Doctrine.

5. Your Argument then is not of such forc•• to turn the edge of ours upon us, as you think •• for we answer it by distinction thus: If in you•• minor Proposition, by failing and coming sho•••• of many things Christ taught them, you mea•• fundamental things, we deny your minor. O•• if you mean a failing and coming short of man •• things Christ taught, as in the Churches of A¦sia, and the Church of Corinth, joyned with im∣penitency, all lawful means being used to purg•• them, we then likewise deny your minor. B•••• if you do not mean Fundamentals, nor sins joyn¦ed with Impenitency, as is aforesaid; then •• say, God owns such for Churches, and w•• should sin if we did not; though they fail an•• come short of perfection in many things. B•• then it follows not that God owns, or that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ought to own such for Churches, that fail an•• come short in Fundamentals, or the first Rud••¦ments of Christianity, as you do.