440 The LIFE of the LIB. I. § 4;6. But the Eje&ed Presbyterian Minifters that would not come to Common Prayer in Publick, went more moderately towork, and raid, I. We dò not feparate from every Congregation that we joyn not with in Per- jon: Elfe every Man Both feparate every day from all the Congregations in the World fave one : If they are not Separatifls for not joyning with us, then neither are we for not joyning with them, no more than for not joyning with theAnabap- rifts and Independents : We may conf them to have a true Miniftry, and be true Churches ; but their faultinefs we mu not countenance. 2. We were lawfully called by Chrift to feed our particular Flocks : And if thefe Men call usout of the Temples and Maintenance , and get into our Places, and the more ungodly half of the Parilhes, for fear of Man , conform to them, it doth not follow that we are abfolved from our Office and Duty for the reft , or mñft bring them to,the diforderly way of Worthip which they violently impofed onus. $437. To there I anfwered, I. That it's true, that meer Abfence is no Separation : But when a Party call and invite You to joyn with them, andyoupublickly accufe their way, and never joyn with them at all, you (rem to tell the World that you take it to be rmlawful: And that bath fome degree of Separation ; to avoid them as a Company unmeet to be joyned with. 2. Though you Offices to your People ceafe not, yet you have your power to Edification and not to Deftru&ion: And if a tolerable Minifter be put into your' Places, it's confrderable whether it be not molk to your Peoples Edification, Unity, Charity and Peace, to take them with you to the Publick Altemblies, and help them neverthelefs at other times your felves as much as you can : And whether both helps be not more than one: Efpecially when you cannot preach to above four your felves, without Imprifonment and Banifhment, and then you cannot preachat all. And whereas it's eafie to let a paflionate Stoutnefs tranfport us, and think that Tyrannical Church-Ufurpers mutt not be encouraged by our Compli- ance; the meek Spirit of Chriftianity, when it fifteth thefe reafonings, will find in them toomuch of Selfand Paffronwhen Unity, Charity and the Churches Edifi- cation is on the other fide. 5 438. And whereas fome Men are much taken with this Reafon, That thefe tintes have more Light than the old Non-conformiftsever had, and therefore that is not excufable in us which was fo in them, I muff confefs I have great reafon to be- lieve the clean contrary, if by Light they mean Knowledge, that the old Non- conformifls had much more infight into thefe Controverfies thanProfeffors have of late : For, r. We know that' when the Parliament had cart out Bilhops, Liturgy and Cere- monies, the generality both of Miniffers and People, took it for granted that they were all bad, and fo had more Light than their Forefathers had, before they ever .ftudied the Controverfies : I have asked many of them that have boalted of this Light, whether ever they read what Cartwright, Bradfhaw, Ames, Parker, Baynes, Eerfnme, Bucer, Didaclavieae, Salmafsm, Blonde![, Beza,&e. have raid on one fide; and what Saravia, Bilfn, Wbirgifi, Coved , Downbam, Borges, Hooker, Paybody, Hammond, &c. have Paid on the other fide; and they have confeft they never throughly ftudied any one of them, a. And we fee it by experience, that one of thofe Men have written more on Mete Subje&s, than any of thefe can fay or underhand, who boaft that they have greater Light. How weakly do they talk againft Bilhops, Liturgy, and Ceremo- nies in comparifon of there ancient Non-conformifts! However , that which was Truth then, is Truth now : And we have the fame Scripture to be our Rule as they had : Therefore let them that fay theyhave'more,Knowledge, bring it forth and try it by the Law and Tellimony, ifa. 8. so. 5 4;9. Having lived three years and more in London, and finding it neither a- gree with myhealth or ftudies, ( the one being broughtvery low, and the other interrupted) and all Publick Service beingat an end, I betook my felt to live in the Country (at A5/on) that I might fer my felfto writing, and do what Ser- vice I could for Pofterity, and live as much as poffibly I could out of the World. Thither I came 166;. 7ut rq. where I followed my Studies privately in quiet- nefs, And went every Lord's Day to the Publick Affembly , when there was any Preach.
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