Five disputations of church-government and worship

Argum. 3. That Government which unavoidably causeth separations and divisions in the Church, is not •o be restored under any pretence of its Order and Peace? But such is the English Episcopacy? therefore; &c.

Argum. 3. THat Government which unavoidably causeth separations and divisions in the Church, is not •o be restored under any pretence of its Order and Peace? But such is the English Episcopacy? therefore; &c.

I know the clean contrary is strongly pretended, and they tell us that we may see how Episcopacy kept men in Unity,¹ by the many Sects that since are risen. But let it be observed, 1. That these Sects were hatched in the separation which was caused by themselves. 2. That the increase hath been since there was no Government at all. 3. It was not Episcopacy, but the Magistrates Sword whose terror did attend it, that kept under heresies in that measure that they were: Had Episcopacy stood on its own legs, without the support of secular force, so that it might have worked only on the conscience, then you should have seen more Sects then now. Do you think that if Episcopacy were in Scotland in the Case as Presbytery is now, without the Sword to enforce it, that it would keep so much Unity in Religion as is there? Its known in France and other places that Presbytery hath kept more Unity, and more kept out Heresies and Schisms, even without the Sword, then Episcopacy hath done with it. 4. But the thing that I speak of it undeniable; that it was the pollution of our Churches that caused the Separatists in the Bishops days to withdraw. This was their common cry against us, Your Churches bear with Drunkards, Whoremongers, Railers, open Scorners at Godliness, with whom the Scripture bids us not eat; And we could not deny it: for the Bishops did keep ⟨p. 38⟩it so, by keeping out all effectual Discipline. Only we told them, that it was the Prelates sin, and not theirs that could not help it, and that a polluted Church might be a true Church. And so the Disciplinarian Non-Conformists were fain by many painful writings to suppress the spirit of separation, or else it had been like to have overwhelmed all; Mr. John Paget, Mr. Bradshaw, Mr. Arthur Hildersham, Mr. John Ball, Mr. Brightman, Mr. Paul Bains, Mr. Dod, Mr. Parker, Dr. Ames, and many other such, were fain to make it a great part of their business, to quench the fire of separation, which even their persecutors kindled by the exclusion of Discipline. And yet the sense of the Churches uncleanness was so deep in mens minds, that it had bred such abundance of discontented humours, that they easily broke out, and turned into this disorderly swarm which we have seen, as soon as the wars had but given them liberty.