the first; and made your plea against our Church, imperfection, not falsehood. I hoped you, as not ours; so not theirs: not ours, in place; so not quite theirs, in peevish opinion. I knew it to be no new thing, for men inclining to these fancies, to begin new Churches at Amsterdam, several from the rest: witness the letters of some, sometimes yours, cited by your own Pastor *. I knew the former Separation; and hated it: I hoped better of the latter Separation; and pitied it. My knowledge, both of M. Smith † whom you followed, and yourself, would not let me think of you, as you deserved. How durst I charge you with that, which, perhaps, you might disavow? It was my charity, therefore, that made my accusations easy: it is your uncharitableness, that accuses them of ignorance. I knew why a Brownist is a true Schismatic: I knew not you were so true a Brownist. But why then did I write ?-Taking your Separation at best, I knew how justly I might take occasion by it to dissuade from Separation; to others' good, though not to yours: now I know you better, or worse rather, I think you hear more. Forgive me my charity, and make the worst of my ignorance. I knew that this Separation, which now I know yours, stands upon four grounds; as some beast upon four feet. First, God worshipped after a false manner: secondly, Profane multitude received: thirdly, Antichristian Ministry imposed: fourthly, subjection to Antichristian Government ‡. The Ceremonies are but as some one paw in every foot: yet, if we extend the word to the largest use, dividing all religion into ceremony and substance, I may yet and do aver, that your Separation is merely grounded upon Ceremonies. SECT. 47. Estimation of Ceremonies, and Subjection to the Prelates. Sep." And, touching the Ceremonies here spoken of, howsoever we have formerly refused them, submitting, as all others did and do, to the Prelates' spiritual jurisdiction; herein, through ignorance, straining at gnats and swallowing camels: yet are we verily persuaded of them, and so were before we separated, that they are but as leaves of that tree, and as badges of that Man of Sin, whereof the Pope is head, and the Prelates shoulders. And so we, for our parts, see no reason why any of the Bishops' sworn servants, as all the Ministers in the Church of England are canonically, should make nice to wear their lords' liveries. Enquir. into M. White. Which upon the Lord's Prayer, hath confuted some positions of that sect, Which Ceremonies, notwithstanding, we know well enough, howsoever you for advantage extenuate and debase them unto us, to be advanced and preferred in your Church, before the preaching of the Gospel." AND, touching Ceremonies, you refused them formerly, but not long; and, when you did refuse them, you knew not wherefore : for, immediately before your suspension, you acknowledged them to be things indifferent; and, for matter of scandal by them, you had not informed yourself, by your own confession, of a whole quarter of a year after. Why refused you then, but as the poet made his plays, to please the people? or, as Simon Magus was baptized, for company? But, refusing them, you submitted to the Prelates' spiritual jurisdiction. There was your crime: this was your camel; the other, your gnats! Did ever any Prelate challenge spiritual rule over your conscience? This, they all appropriate to the great Bishop of our Souls. And, if other, grant them as your malice feigneth what sin is it to be the subject of a tyrant? that Now, upon more grace, refusing the Prelacy, you have branded the Ceremonies. So you did before your Separation. Tell us, how long was it after your suspension, and before your departure, you could have been content, upon condition, to have worne this linen badge of your Man of Sin? Was not this your resolution, when you went from Norwich to Lincolnshire, after your suspension? Deny it not: my witnesses are too strong. But, let us take you as you are. These Ceremonies, though too vile for you, yet are good enough for our Ministers of England. As if you said, Lord, I thank thee, I am not as this publican. Why for our Ministers? Because, those are the liveries, and these the sworn servants, of the Antichristian Bishops :-we have, indeed, sworn obedience to our Ordinary, in honest and lawful commandments; but service, to Christ; 1 Cor. iv. 1. But doth all obedience imply servitude? This obedience is, as to spiritual fathers, not to masters: yet so are we the servants of Christ, that we are ready to give our service to the least of his Saints. Thus vile will be for God: how much more to those whom God hath made, as Jerome says *, Principes Ecclesiæ, while they command for God! What do we herein, but that, which Epiphanius urged of old against Erius +? What, but the same, which Ignatius, that holy and old martyr, requires, not once, of all Presbyters; and offers the engagement of his own soul for us in this act ? Sep." It is much, that they, being not so much as reed nor any * Hier. in Ps. xliv. Heming. Class. 3. Potest, Ec. c. 10. Ut cuique suus clerus et sua plebs, in his, quæ Domini sunt, piè obsequeren• tur. Ignat. Epist. ad Tarsons. part of the building (as you pretend), should overturn the best builders amongst you, as they do." As for our Ceremonies, aggravate them how you can for your advantage, they are but Ceremonies to us: and such, as wherein we put no holiness; but order, decency, convenience. But they are preferred, you say, in our Church, before the preaching of the Gospel : A most wrongful untruth. We hold preaching an essential part of God's service; Ceremonies, none at all. The Gospel preached, we hold the life and soul of the Church; Ceremonies, either the garment, or the lace of the garment. The Gospel preached, we hold the foundation and walls; Ceremonies, hardly so much as reed or tile. But how, then, say you, have they overturned our best builders?This is a word of rare favour. I had thought you had held us all ruiners, not builders: or, if builders; of Babel, not of Jerusalem: in which work, the best builders are the worst. Those, whose hand hath been in this act, would tell you, that not so much the Ceremonies are stood upon, as obedience. If God please to try Adam but with an apple, it is enough. What do we quarrel at the value of the fruit, when we have a prohibition? Shimei is slain what! merely for going out of the city? The act was little the bond was great. What is commanded, matters not so much, as by whom. Insult not: we may thank your outrage for this loss. Sep." The proportion betwixt Zoar and them holds well. Zoar was a neighbour unto Sodom, both in place and sin, and obnoxious to the same destruction with it; and it was Lot's error to desire to have it spared, Gen. xix. 15, 18, 19, 20: and so he never found rest nor peace in it; but forsook it, for fear of the same just judgment, which had overtaken the rest of the cities; v. 30. The application of this to your Ceremonies, I leave to yourself; and them to that destruction, to which they are devoted by the Lord. two. leave For your retortion of my Zoar and Sodom, I can give you to be witty, you use it so seldom: but, when you have played with the allusion what you list, I must tell you, that he, which will needs urge a comparison to go on four feet, is not worthy to go upon Zoar was near to Sodom, not part of it: Zoar was reserved, when Sodom was destroyed: Zoar's nearness to the place where Sodom stood, needed not have given Lot cause of removal. Zoar might safely have been the harbour of Lot: his fear was, for want of faith *. God promised him and the place security. The farfetched application, therefore, of the wickedness of Zoar to our * Fidem Domino habere debuerat qui se eam servaturum propter eum dixerat. Mercer, in Gen. Ceremonies, might well have been forborne, and kept to yourself: much less needed you, like some anti-Lot, to call for fire and brimstone from heaven upon your Zoar. SECT. 48. The State of the Temple, and of our Church in resemblance. Sep." How we would have behaved ourselves in the Temple, where the money-changers were and they that sold doves, we shall answer you, when you prove your Church to be the Temple of God, compiled and built of spiritually hewn and lively stones; 1 Kings v. 17, 18. and vi. 7. 1 Pet. ii. 5: and of the cedars, firs, and thyne trees of Lebanon; 2 Chr. ii. 8. framed and set together in that comely order, which a greater than Solomon hath prescribed; unto which God hath promised his presence. But, whilst we take it to be, as it is, a confused heap of dead and defiled and polluted stones, and of all rubbish; of briers and brambles of the wilderness, for the most part fitter for burning than building; we take ourselves rather bound to shew our obedience, in departing from it, than our valour in purging it; and to follow the Prophet's counsel in flying out of Babylon, as the he-goats before the flock; Jer. 1. 8." How you would have behaved yourself in the Temple to the money-changers, you will answer, when we prove our Church to be God's Temple, built of that matter, and in that form, which God hath prescribed: And here you send us to 1 Kings v. 17. and 2 Chr. ii. 8: ignorantly; as if Solomon's Temple had stood till Christ's time; when neither the first, nor second (though called Beth Gnolam) outlasted more than four hundred years: or, as if the market had been under the very roof of that Temple. Whether Herod's were built of the same matter with Solomon's, and in full correspondence to it, I dispute not it was certainly dedicated to God's service; and that, which you would hardly digest, in a solemn anniversary Holy-Day; though not erected upon the word of any prophet. But, to let pass allegories; we must prove ourselves the True Church of God:-thus we do it. We are true Christians, for we were baptized into the Name of Christ: we truly profess our continuance in the same faith, into which we were baptized: we join together in the Public Services of God: we maintain every point of the most Ancient Creeds: we overthrow not the foundation by any consequence. Therefore, whatever is wanting to us, whatever is superfluous, in spite of all the gates of hell, we are the True Church of God. Let me ask you: were not the people of the Jews, in the Prophets' and in Christ's time, "a confused heap of dead, and defiled, and," for I will use your tautologies, "polluted stones, and of all rubbish; of briers and brambles of the wilderness, for the most part fitter for burning than building?" Can we be worse than they? If wickedness can defile a Church, they shall justify us. Did either those Prophets or our Saviour, rather shew their obedience to God in departing from it, than their valour in purging it? You have well imitated these heavenly patterns! you. But what! can your charity find nothing but rubbish? Not one square_stone, not one living? You will be judging, till God judge If you take not heed of these courses, you will so run with the he-goats, that you will stand with the goats on the left hand. That God, whose place you have usurped, give you more wisdom and love! SECT. 49. Whether Ministers should endure themselves silenced. Sep.-" And what, I pray you, is the valour, which the best hearted and most zealous Reformers amongst you have manifested, in driving out the money-changers? Doth it not appear in this, that they suffer themselves to be driven out with the two-stringed whip of ceremonies and subscription, by the money-changers, the Chancellors and Officials, which sell sins like doves; and by the Chief Priests, the Bishops which set them on work? So far are the most zealous amongst you from driving out the moneychangers, as they themselves are driven out by them, because they will not change with them to the utmost farthing." THE valour of our most zealous Reformers hath truly shewed itself in yieldance. As in duels, so here, he is the most valiant, that can so master himself, as not to fight. You, according to the common opinion of swaggerers, blame the peaceable of cowardice, and accuse them of suffering. Behold a new crime: That they suffer themselves to be driven out! What should they have done? Should they have taken arms, and cry, The sword of God, and Gideon? You, that will not allow a prince to compel subjects, will you allow subjects to compel princes? God forbid! This were high treason against God's Anointed. What then? Should they approve the Ceremonies by subscription, by practice? This you exclaim upon, as High Treason against the Highest. What yet more? Should they have preached with their mouths stopped? This is it, which you have learned of your founder *; and, through not many hands, received; and required, with no less vio * Brown, Reform, without Tarrying. |