The doctrine of schism fully opened and applied to gathered churches. Occasioned by a book entituled, Sacrilegious dissertion of the holy ministery rebuked; and tolerated preaching of the Gospel vindicated. / By The author of Toleration not to be abused by the Presbyterians.

CHAP. XVIII.

Testimonies of Non-Conformists for the same.

GIve me leave tousher in this worthy ver∣dict, with an Argument after your own mode.

I will undertake to prove, that the Non-Conformists, both Ancient and Modern, before 1660. held, gathering Churches out of our Churches unlawful and Schysmatical, and that absolutely, without any reference to the principles upon which it is don, much less the Brownistical.

Do you prove afterwards, if it be possi∣ble, that they supposed your New distin∣ctions and evasions, or that they, at any time let words drop from them signifying an allowance of Seperation from our Chur∣ches and setting up new ones, upon such weak grounds as you stand upon.

Mr. Ball I had mentioned in * 1.1 my last, as one of the old ••uri∣tans, that had wrote for Communion with our Parochial Congregations; you tell

me subtilly, that he speaks not against Non-Conformists preaching, and thats an Answer. But I must now add, that, that great Noncon∣formist doth not plead for our Communion as lawful, but in a sort necessary; and that to seperate from us is a sinfull Seperati∣on.

He telleth you roundly, that such Seperation is the Wound of * 1.2 the Church,—yea, who∣soever seperateth from the body of the Church seperateth from Christ in that re∣spect.—Voluntary Seperation from the Lords Table, and the Prayers (he reckoned upon more than hearing Sermons) of the Congregation, what is but a willing Excom∣municating of our selves from the visible tokens of the Lords presence and love—is it not a greater sin in Members to deprive themselves (then in the Church Governors to deprive o∣thers) of the same Communion for small occa∣sions? you see he makes the smalness of the occasion of Seperation to be Emphasis and Aggravation of it.

Again more smartly in his Answer to Cann. Thus, Seperation from the true Churches of Christ,his Ministe∣ry * 1.3 and Worship (of which sort I shall prove that to be by the word of God, for which I plead) meaning the Church of En∣gland)

tendeth not to the overthrow of Anti-Christ, but to the Renting of the Church, the disgrace of Religion, the Advancement of Pride, Schysm, Contenti∣on, the offence of the weak, the grief of the Godly, who be better setled, the hard∣ning of the Wicked, and the Recovery or rising again of Anti-Christ.

2. Let worthy Mr. Hildersham lay down his grave and weighty point clearly and boldly, and like * 1.4 himself 'tis this; Those As∣semblies that enjoy the Word and Doctrine of Salvation; though they have many Cor∣ruptions remaining in them, are to be ac∣knowledged the true Churches of God, and such as none of the faithful may make Separation from. (He will not allow you, upon pretence of purity and serving. God better in your way, to seperate and gather Churches, not any one, none of the faithful) he proceeds to prove it largely: and it may be well known how severe he is, against the faithful, that will ordinarily leave their ho∣nest Minister, to hear those that are more able: upon pretences of profiting better by them: which is yet the best plea the present Separation hath for it self.

3.

M. Calvin speaks to the point with no mean Autho∣rity. * 1.5

He tells us, that wheresoever the Gospel is purely preached, and the Sacra∣ments Administred according to the Insti∣tution of Christ; there is the Church of God.—There appears neither a deceitful nor doubtful face of a Church, of which no man may either despise the Authority, or refuse the Admonition; or resist the Counsels or mock at the Corrections; much less de∣part from it, breaks in sunder the Unity of it, and go unpunished.

For the Lord so highly esteems the Com∣munion of the Church, that he counts him for a Traiterous run-away, and forsaken of Religion; whosoever shall stubburnly e∣strange himself from any Christian fellow∣ship, so that it be such a one as hath the true Ministry of the word and Sacra∣ments.

The fellowship of such a Church, is not to be cast off; although it swarm full of faults, though there be faults in the Ad∣ministration, either of Doctrine, or of the Sacraments; yet we ought not to estrange our selves from the Communion of it: for all the Articles be not of one sort: and therefore for every light dessention we ought not rashly to forsake the Church.

4. The value which our Englesh Presby∣terians just before the Wars, had of our

Church and its lay-Com∣munion is not impertinent * 1.6 but very considerable: to∣gether, with the Censure they then pass'd upon such as refused it.

They speak to their brethren in New England thus, if we deny Communion with such a Church as ours; there hath been no Church these 1400 years, with which a Christian might lawfully joine. Nay, that if such scruples as are now in your heads may take place, it will be unlaw∣ful to hold Communion with any society under Heaven.

5.

Mr. Gifford an old Non-Conformist, wrote a book * 1.7 call'd a plain Declaration; wherein he doth not vindicate every thing in our Church; but that there is no suffici∣ent Cause of seperation; Complains thus, some are proceeded to this that they will come to the Assemblies to hear Sermons and the Prayers of the Preacher; but not to the prayers of the Book; which I take to be a more grievous sin than many do sup∣pose. But yet this is not the worst; for sun∣dry are gon farther; and faln into a damna∣ble Schysm; and the same so much the more fearful and dangerous, in that many do

not see the foulness of it; but rather hold them as Godly Christians; and but a little over-shot in some matters.

6. We come now to review the Testimo∣nies we gave in our last, from the late Pres∣biterian Controversie with the Independents: we pitcht upon some words of the Provin∣cial Assembly in London: and the Argument sent to the Assembly of Divines by the Lon∣don Ministers from Sion Colledge, two emi∣nent bodies of known Presbyterians. And we yet see no reason to judg, but their words and Arguments are very direct and full to the purpose; especially considering, the most pittiful shifts of our Answerer a∣bout them.

As to the words, in the Divine right of Presbytery, be saith, that * 1.8 book was supposed to be penn'd by Dr Roberts now a Conformist. But what doth he mean? was he a Conformist then? or doth not the book plead for the Presby••e∣ry, and its Jus Divinum? and in the same sence by which he himself defines a Presbyte∣rian? yea, was it not owned by, and pub∣lished under the name of the provincial As∣sembly of Presbyterians? and what matter is it then who pen'd it? the like dealing you use about Mr. Trapp: you say he is a Confor∣mist, what then? hath he not given a just

account of the book written by the London Ministers, as I said he did? their reasons alledged by me, were alledged by a Confor∣mist: yet they are theirs still. What manner of answering is this? It were not pardona∣ble with some Adversaries, but you are faln into merciful hands.

The Authority of the persons then is clear: the words I cited out of the preface to that book called, Jus Divinum regiminis Ecclesi∣astici, were these, Parochial Churches are re∣ceived as true visible Churches of Christ, and most convenient for edification: gathering Churches out of Churches hath no footsteps in Scripture: is contrary to Apostolical practice: is the scattering of Churches, the Daughter of Schysm: the Mother of Confusion and the step-Mother of edification.

Observe, they condemn gathering Chur∣ches out of our Churches: absolutely, and without any respect to the principles upon which it was done particularly, they call it the Daughter of Schysm, seperation in order unto the gathering of Churches being Schysm it self, in the then Presbyterian opini∣on.

The Arguments, I took out of the Letter of the London Ministers * 1.9 to the Assembly were these, the Independents are guil••y of Schysm. 1. Because they re∣fuse

Communion with our Churches in the Sacraments. 2. They erect seperate Congre∣gations under a seperate undiscovered Go∣vernment: never charging them with any Brownistical principles, but the fact it self, an undoubted proof of what they under∣took to prove.

Again to the same purpose, they charge them with three great Scandals, how you will avoid either of them I cannot Devine. 1. That they seperated from the true Church. 2. That they endeavoured by drawing Mem∣bers out of it to make up their seperate Chur∣ches, to weaken and diminish the Church. 3. That they endeavoured to get a warrant to authorize both, viz. by a Toleration: and this, say they, we think to be plainly un∣lawful.

Now, hereupon, I am bold to challenge our Answerer, or any one else, to prove clearly, that any one Eminent Presbyterian before 1660. was not utterly against all the three, against such seperation, such gather∣ing Churches, and such Toleration. Con∣vince me if you can: but not by telling me they are now for them all. That they would Tolerate, things Tolerable, that is gathering Churches: and persons Tolerable, that is Presbyterians, as you speak very intelligi∣bly.

But no wonder, they are chang'd in their thoughts of these things: the case is Alter'd, as you hint.

True, there are some new impositions upon Ministerial Conformity; but other Alterati∣ons render our Lay-Communion more easily than it was before the wars, when the Pres∣byterian denied it not; as was noted out of Mr. Baxter before; who also assures us that he never heard of five Non-Confor∣mists, besides the five dissenting * 1.10 brethren in the Assembly at West∣minster; he means, they confor∣med as Ministers of the Church of England before they sate there.

However, that Churches may not be ga∣thered out of Churches is asserted not as a Temporary truth, but moral: depending upon the Nature of a Church which never alters: or gives any occasion of change, in the judgment, about this point.

The Books of Mr. Cawdrey, that Captain in the Presbyterian. * 1.11 Army against Dr. Owen, and the Indepen∣dents, challenge you all. We may, saith he, prove them to be Schysmatical. 1. by a vo∣luntary Seperation from true Churches; with whom we dare say, they may Com∣municate without sin, and so consequently, causelesly rending the body of Christ. 2. By

their renouncing Communion with us, to set up a Church of ano∣ther * 1.12 constitution; and so condemning our Churches ipso facto, as no truely constituted Churches.

Mark, condemning our Churches ipso facto. Their very Act is enough; whether they a∣vow such principles or not: and conse∣quently, what ever you pretend to the con∣trary; your very departure from us, and ma∣king new Churches, does of it self condemn you of Schysm.

He concludes his first book bravely, they, saith he, that * 1.13 raise differences in them i. e. in our Churches: and draw disciples from them and renounce Communion with them, say what they please or can to the contrary are Schysmaticks quod erat demonstran∣dum.

I only assume, that generally the Non-Conformists make differences in our Churches, draw Disciples from them, and renounce Communion with them, quod est demonstra∣tum, And now I beg leave of my Answerer to conclude with the words in my last, that so much offended him; that I am sure the Presbyterians, (if they walk by the princi∣ples of their Fathers before the Kings re∣turn) I am sure, I say, that they have no

reason to engage in a way of publique worship, contradistinct to our Parochial Congregati∣on.

The Issue of the travers, saith Mr. Brinsley, is no more but * 1.14 this. If there be amongst us, a Seperation from a true Church, and that both voluntary and unwarrantable [as the present practice of gathering Churches by the Presbyterians is] (which I suppose the evidences given in, have sufficiently evicted) then must we give sentence, that there is more then either crimen nominis, or no∣men criminis, no less than a Schysm for∣mally and properly so called.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mr. Ball.
• * 1.2

  Ep to his 1. vol. Friendly Tryal.
• * 1.3

  Epistle.
• * 1.4

  Hildersham upon 4. Joh. p. 149.
• * 1.5

  Calvin Insti. li. 4. c▪ 1 sect. 9, 10. 12.
• * 1.6

  Letter of many Mi∣nisters in Old En∣gland, to their brethren in new E. pub by Mr. Ash, &c 1643.
• * 1.7

  Gifford Print∣ed 1590.
• * 1.8

  Jus divin. Reg. Eccl.
• * 1.9

  Sion-Coll.
• * 1.10

  Defence of his cure p. 13.
• * 1.11

  Cawdrey.
• * 1.12

  Indep. further provd Schys p. 73, 74
• * 1.13

  Ind. great Schysm.
• * 1.14

  Of Schysm, p. 53.