The cry of a stone, or, a treatise; shewing what is the right matter, forme, and government of the visible church of Christ. How, and wherein the present Church of England is wanting and defective, both in the body of the land, and in the parochiall branches thereof, with divers reasons and grounds taken from the Scriptures, to perswade all that feare God, rather to suffer any afflictions at the hands of men, than to submit to mans carnall policy and humane devices in the worship of God, or be deprived of the sweet fellowship of the saints in the right order of the Gospel. Together with a just reproofe of the over-strained and excessive separation, contentions and divisions of such as commonly are called Brownists. By Robert Coachman.

The reformed Churches are not condemned, but admo∣nished by this strict practice.

SOme object, that this Profession and practice, in admitting no Religious fellowship with wicked men, condemneth all refor∣med Churches in France, Belgia, Helvetia, &c. since they are very defective in their people and companies for the most part.

To which I answer, first, that these are but popular and needlesse exceptions to make a noyse in the world, and to bring us in the more contempt: secondly, the reformed Churches are not so well knowne un∣to us, as that we can passe any sentence upon them, simply to justifie them or condemne them: thirdly, so farre as we doe know them, we finde them separated and distinguished from the vaine world, and so are not ours: fourthly, the things they doe in the worship of God are voluntary, and without compulsion, so are not ours: fifthly, their of∣ficers are chosen by the congregation, so are not ours: sixthly, their worship is onely the Word of God, and the lively graces of his spirit; so is not ours: seventhly, their government is by an Eldership or Presbytery, so is not ours; And all these things sorting together, con∣sidered, we are farre from condemning them, and are farre neerer them in our practice, then the parish assemblies are.

And if yet by reason of their great popularitie in some Cities, where divers thousands are of one Church, (and so meete in sundry severall places) and so cannot possibly be knowne of their Officers, or of one another, but that many corrupt persons may lurke amongst them, and not be found out, and so scandall is brought upon them: secondly, or that by long custome, and for feare of inconveniences, all private re∣bukes are used onely by their Elders and Officers: thirdly, or that for feare of some men, or through error of judgement they baptize the Infants of all manner of wicked parents, that are of no Church or Religion, being brought unto them; If I say for these and the like failings we reprove and exhort them, and desire their amendment, and practice otherwise our selves, yet it doth not follow, nor is true, that we condemne them.

Neither is a man bound to determine of other persons then him∣selfe, for the certainty of their estate, nor of other Churches then that where he lives, for their externall obedience: first a man is bound to see that his owne estate be good with God; next, he is to looke to it, that he live in such a Church and Society, where all the meanes and helps are to continue him in that estate; but for other persons and

Churches, all meddling with them should be sparing and modest, and except some presumptuous evidences appeare, and that a man be justly called to shew his judgement, the lesse he speaketh of them, the more honesty and wisedome he declares.

And were it so, that we should condemne the reformed Churches, (which God forbid) and therein doe foolishly and rashly, what were that to the justification of the Church of England; or for the hinde∣rance of our exceptions against it; except you will frame this conse∣quence, that because we are in one thing, therefore we are in all, which is too hard a sentence to stand for a maxime.

Neither doe we say, that the Church of England is no Church, or the parish assemblies, false Churches, nor care for those big and loud cen∣sures of Antichristian, Babylonish, false, &c. they are but words and termes of provocation, which we can well spare; and it is enough that we finde it not settled according to the order of the Gospel, but by humane authority and compulsion, and that it is one with the world, and that there is not in it all the meanes to stablish, comfort confirme and build up every soule in the wayes of God: these and the like are sufficient motives to perswade men that feare God, to finde out a bet∣ter and safer way to walke in, and a Church that is more neer the Apostles patterne.

And as for strangers, and Churches in forraign nations, as they are not of our language, so we cannot know them as our owne; for he that knoweth strangers and forraigners, as well as his owne neigh∣bours and country-men, it is a signe that he is very unsociable, or else his eyes are not where they should be.