An Apology for the Nonconformists Ministry, Treatise · Part 2
II. AND here we shall not form Syllogisms in such an Apology, as if we were speaking to captious men; but nakedly open our reasons as to those that are as much concern'd in the matter as we; and should be as willing to know the truth.
1. We take it to be Sacriledg, and that of the highest nature, except Apostacy it self, to alienate our selves from the work to which we are consecrated and devoted. By how much the nearer any consecrated person or thing is to God, and by how much the more useful to his ends (his glory in the good of souls) by so much the greater sacriledg it is to alienate that which is so consecrated. (With you we know that we need not dispute either the name of a Sacrament of Orders (for we stick not upon names) nor the obligation.) You know the usual Exposition of the Answer in the Church-Catechism, to the Question, [How many Sacraments, &c]▪ A. Two only, as generally necessary to Salvation. We differ not from you in our sense of this. Your Canons enquire after all such as alienate themselves from the Ministry to which they were ordained, and turn to any other calling. We dislike not that Canon. But we wish our observance of it might be thought but a pardonable fault.
It hath possessed me oft with admiration to see the blinding power of Partiality in some men, that can see the evil of Sacriledg in them that alienate Church lands, and Goods, and Houses, and Utensils, and can see no evil in the alienation of consecrated persons? What are the Cups, and Fonts, and Tables for, (do they praise the glorious mystery of Redemption?) Are they not his Utensils who is set apart to attend the Altar, and to commemorate the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world? What are the Houses for, but for the convenient habitation of the Pastors? What are the Lands and Tythes for, but for their maintenance while they do the work of God? What are the Temples for, but to be the convenient places of their and the peoples worshipping of God? Is it a crime to steal the feathers, and none to steal the goose? Is it a crime to rent your clothes, and is it none to rend your flesh? Or to steal a tile, or pick a lock, and not to burn the house? Is he saulty that robs your child of his hat, or book, or victuals? and is he innocent that killeth him, or that robs you of your child? We must be speak all Cainuites here, who like leeches thirst for blood, that they distort not these words, as speaking all this of the Law makers, or any of our Rulers.
We meddle with no mens duties and faults here but our own. We leave all others to look to themselves, as they must shortly answer for themselves. We only say, that if we should alienate our selves from that Sacred office to which we are consecrated and devoted, it would be odious and accursed Sacriledg in us. And if really it prove to be our own doing, that we are thus alienated, it will be no light or little fault. And if God have forced the world to observe that even Impropriators, much more gross sacrilegious persons are usually ruined before the fourth generation, what might we expect if we should do much worse.
I have read and heard their words of late, who would make the late Westminster Assembly favourers of Sacriledg, forsooth because the Annotations (not put out by the Assembly) speak not against Sacriledg (which they do expresly speak against); especially on those Texts in the New Testaments, on which Dr. Featly an Episcopal Divine its said was the Author of them. O the candor and impartiality of this age? For my part, I was none of the Assembly (being then too young and too unworthy): But Mr. Vines's judgment and mine against the alienation of Church lands in those times as sacrilegious, I published in our Letters in the end of my Confession, how displeasing soever it was to them that then bore sway. But all's one for that. It is for the interest of some men to say what they have said, and as they have said it. O that they better understood their own interest!
If it be said, that while we refuse conformity, we alienate our selves, whilest we would avoid it, in that we give Rulers cause to do it; that is to be spoken to by it self anon.
And if it be said that our forbearing the work of our Ministry is not sacriledg, when we do it in obedience to our Rulers, that also is to be answered afterward.
If there be no Law extant which can disoblige us from our undertaken office and work, then if we forbear we are sacrilegious Villains, and lyable to the curse and doom of the unprofitable servant that hid his talent, Mat. 25. Forgive us if we had rather venture on the clamor of many Volumes and tongues, and on your sharpest censures, and on a prison, than venture on that dreadful doom.
2. We cannot be ignorant of the necessities of the people; which answereth all that is said against us. I say we cannot be ignorant of them, if we would. We can talk with those learned men that are ignorant of it; with some that think the groslyest ignorant, and senseless, and mindless of the life to come, to be better than we, if they will but be for Bishops, Liturgy and Ceremonies; and that think little more Religion than to hurt no body, belongeth to the Laity or common people. And with some that have been bred up only at the University, and never knew the ignorance of the vulgar. And with some that have lived among them, and know them not, because they never conversed with them otherwise, than in the Pulpit, or at a Feast, or a common meeting. But their ignorance will not make us ignorant. The Intellect is oft informed necessarily per modum naturae. Though I thank God that our information hath been voluntary. It was our practise while we were suffered to do our office, to Catechise all the Families of our Parishes (that did not refuse it), Family by Family, and to try the knowledg of them all, and to discern what they thought of the Essentials of Christianity, and of the things that Christ hath made necessary to Salvation. By which we found that multitudes that come all their life-time to Church, and bear up the reputation of discreet intelligent persons, are utterly ignorant of many Articles of the faith, while they speak the words; so ignorant, that it's hard for Scholars to believe it, that have not tried it. And we have found that multitudes of them will be brought to learn over all the words of the Catechism that never consider or understand the sense, much less the power and practice of what their tongues recite; but like Parrots rest in the utterance of the words. Either this much will bring them to Salvation, or it will not. If it will Christianity, must be a needless thing, or else consist but in a spell or charm of empty words; and the Papists Latin▪ devotions are as good. If it will not, then our Parishes have a necessity of further teaching. If you say, that [This is not true], it may serve your turn, but it will not serve ours; no more than if you told us that most of our Parishes speak not English. It is not in our power to deny belief to our senses, and the experience of our daily conversation, if we were never so much reviled for our judgment.
But if you say, that the Parish Ministers are sufficient to remedy this calamity, as far as it can be remedied: I answer you, The necessity of our labours is notoriously evident in all these following respects. 1. In respect of the multitude that need our help. 2. In regard of the obstinacy of their ignorance, unbelief and sensuality. 3. In regard of the paucity of the publick Ministers. 4. In regard of the real insufficiency, weakness and badness of too great a number of them. And, 5. In regard of abundance of peoples prejudice against them.
1. How many thousands are in some Parishes in London, in Stepney, in Cripplegate, in Sepulchres, in St. Martins, St. Clement Danes, Giles in the fields, Andrews Holborn, and many others, is ordinarily observed. Abundance of Corporations (from whence the Ministers are excluded) have very many thousands in a Parish. And if there be four thousand (to say nothing of them that have above forty thousand) it is an excellent people if three parts in four be not grosly ignorant of some Essentials of the Christian Religion, and multitudes grosly vicious and ungodly in their lives. When I came first to Kiderminster 1640, the Town was ready to stone me as I went along the streets, for preaching the Church-Doctrine of Original Sin in Infants, whom they called Innocents; till I asked them publickly, Whether they thought their Children were saved without Christ, and why they were baptized? Which they could not answer. When I came to Catechize and confer with them personally, after many years Preaching, many that constantly attended on Teaching, thought that Christ was Man on Earth, and is God in Heaven, but made a God only for his Goodness upon Earth, and not God from Eternity, nor Man now he is in Heaven. And the whole mystery of Redemption is little known to the most among us.
2. And their sensuality is as hardly cured as their ignorance. How common are the sins of Sodom throughout all the Land? Ezek. 16. 49. Pride and fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness, and not considering the poor! Your selves believe, that schism, sedition and disloyalty are too common; swearers and cursers, and railers, and drunkards, accuse themselves in the open streets, and to all that talk with them in daily converse. To say nothing of Athiests, Infidels, Hereticks, Schismaticks, which sure need help, what a multitude are they that never set their hearts on Heaven, nor seek first Gods Kingdom and its Righteousness nor labour for the meat which never perisheth, Col. 3. 11. Mat. 6 20, 21, 33. Joh. 6. 27. But their god is their belly, they glory in their shame, and mind earthly things, Phil. 3. 18. How many mind not the things of the Spirit, but of the flesh, and live and walk according to the flesh, and do but complement with God, and make Religion a Ceremony or a matter on the by, and take Heaven but for a lesser evil than Hell, and for a reserve, when they can keep this world no longer. Either you know that the evidences are notorious that there are thousands among us in this sad condition, or you do not. If you do, you grant what we now assert. If you do not, you are such strangers in England, that you are neither fit to condemn us, nor to be judges at all of the peoples case.
And Oh how hard a matter is it to cure one of all these miserable souls! As for the Ignorant, many of them are unwilling to learn, if you take them not at the best advantages; and those few that are willing, must have long and laborious teaching before they will come to any competent knowledg. If you have but tried the ignorant servants of your own Families, how hard and long a task it is to bring them to know the needful things, you may easily judg how hard it is for a Minister to teach them, that hath them not in his house, and scarce knoweth how to meet them any where but in the Church, where they have learnt to hear as if they heard not.
And when they have a little dark confused knowledg, alas what is this to the light that Christ hath sent into the world, in which the children of light should walk, and which is needful to the work of light which they must do. What is this to that abounding in wisdom and knowledg, to which the Scripture doth exhort men, and by which they must resist temptations discharge their duties, and honour Christ and Piety in the world? Is it not Christs charge, Mat. 28. 20. that when men are made disciples, they must be taught all things else that he hath commanded. And is it not smattering ignorant half-wited Christians which your selves much complain of, and which make most of the trouble in the world? And did you ever consider what a work it is to bring many thousands or hundreds of those in a Parish, unto solid understanding?
And when men have knowledg, how hard is it still to make a due impression on their hearts, and bring them really (which every tongue must confess is necessary) to love God above all, and our neighbours as our selves! O! words soon spoken! O difficult work, above the skill and strength of the wisest Minister to accomplish! How hard to cure a drunkard, a fornicator, a swearer, a railer, of his most beastly or unprofitable sin! much more to cure the Infidel, the ambitious, the proud, the worldling! But O how hard to get up mens hearts to a Heavenly frame, and to bring them daily to live after the Spirit, and to live by faith and not by sight; and to set their affections on the things above; and in hope and love to long and wait for the coming of the Lord!
Sirs, Either you take these things for necessary, or you do not; if you do not, you deny Christianity; and our Controversie lyeth lower; first, Whether there be a life to come, and the Gospel be true, (and how quiet and happy would England be, if we were but all heartily agreed in that much!) But if you do, then there remaineth no more controversie, whether our Ministerial helps be needful?
3. And what is one Minister in a Parish for the doing of all this work? yea, or his poor Curate, if he have one (as few have) for his help? By that time he hath read all the Common-Service twice a day, and Preached twice (or once if you had rather), and hath baptized all the Children, and visited all the Sick, and buried all the Dead, and married all that are to be Married, and performed the common Civilities necessary to friends and neighbours, and taken care for food and raiment, and all the necessaries of his house or life, and instructed and governed aright his family; and if he have Children, taken sufficient care of their education; what time, what strength, what spirits are left, for most of all the work forementioned? It irketh me to think that I should have need to repeat these things, and to tell seeing men with so many words, that there is a Sun in the firmament; or feeling men, that it is cold, when frost and snow do cover the earth!
4. And we must say that which we are most unwilling to say, even when you constrain us; Alas how many Parishes are there in his Majesties three Kingdoms, where the youth, the ignorance, the rawness, the dulness, the carelesness, the idleness, the want of Ministerial utterance in the Teachers, doth perswade all the hearers that they have need of more and better help? The hearers, I say, that should best know their own necessities, do commonly believe it, if you deny it. The Sons of the Church do groan out often in my hearing, [Alas what dry and pitiful work is this! we are afraid all the people will be driven into Conventicles.] Ichabod, or the five Groans of the Church hath long since told you somewhat of this; But the most of England, especially Wales and Ireland, need no Syllogisms to prove it. For my own part, I hear and encourage any that is tollerable; and I speak the best, and conceal the rest, when I speak to the auditors. But truth is truth, and our modesty will not satisfie the hungry, nor save the miserable souls of men. Is it enough to the instructing of the grosly ignorant, and the changing of an earthly mind to a heavenly, and to pull down the strong holds of sin, for a young raw man to read or say a few good words (perhaps least pertinent to the peoples needs) in a tone like a School-boy saying his lesson? Or to talk against Presbyterians to the poor people, that never knew what Presbytery was, and know not what Faith, Repentance, Justification, or Sanctification are? To deny these things, is but to deceive them that are already deceived; but England will no more believe the denial, than him that would deny that the Snow is white.
And to talk, as one in Latin lately, what learned Pastors the Church of England hath, is an impertinency to fill up paper. If there be some such (which none deny) and if most of the Parishes in and near London have men so tolerable that we much rejoice in it, doth it follow that it is an error or schism to be acquainted with the rest of the Kingdoms, or to believe our ears, and the sad experience of too great a number in the land? It is a fine world when it is become a controversie, Whether that which so many thousands in three Kingdoms hear and see be true?
We write none of this to reproach the Ministry; we would hide their nakedness if we could. We like not the Glocester-Coblers writings, nor the Centuries. We only shew you that the reasons are invalid which are fetcht from the sufficiency of the present Ministry, to prove it our duty not to preach.
5. And if it were but the peoples prejudice against them, it proveth their necessity. I will purposely say nothing, whether the common charge of scandal be true or false, because I will not meddle with that cause. But be it as it will, if the people once think hardly of them, or of their Preaching, it is not like to do them much good.
I know the common answer is, [Who is that long of, but of themselves and you?] To which I say, 1. Suppose it be long of themselves, must their souls be therefore cruelly forsaken? I have wondered to hear and read such reasoning so often from some Pastors of the Church, that should be the Fathers of the flock! It is long of themselves, say they! And what then! It is long of our selves that we are all sinners! and must we therefore have no Saviour, no Sanctifier, no Ministry, no remedy! All the sins that you Preach against are long of the sinners themselves! Will you therefore think you are discharged from Preaching?
But you'l say, That it is their wilfulness. Ans. If there were no will, there were no sin. There is too much wilfulness in all the sin that you commit your selves; must you therefore be forsaken! But O how much better would it beseem an humble tender conscienced Ministry to suspect themselves, and say, Is there no cause of this distaste in us! If it were partial hereticks only that disliked us for opinion sake, it were no wonder; but when the common people of our Parishes, think our Preaching cold and dry, and our Sermons like a boys Oration, and our lives too little heavenly and holy, what cause have we to fear lest it be too true! or so much at least as will make us guilty of their distaste! Surely it more nearly concerneth you all to see that you be clear your selves, and to judg your selves before God judg you, than to fall so heavily on the people. When you have been as angry as you will, men will be men, and ears will be ears; and as words will not satisfie a hungry stomack, so chiding the poor people, and telling them that the fault is theirs, will not illuminate, quicken, humble and comfort them, nor either do that for them which they want, or make them that are indeed alive to believe that it is done when it is not.
Suppose your own children surfeit by their own fault, and lose their appetite; will you deny them one sort of food which they can eat, because it is long of themselves, that they have lost their appetite to another. Will you say, Eat this or famish, it is long of your selves? Shall the Physician deny his Patient that Physick which his stomack can take, because it was long of himself that he can take no other? Is this a method fit for Parents, Nurses, or Physicians, to think that it is not their duty to help those that are made diseased or necessitous by themselves? I beseech you think what else your Ministry is for, and why have you your honour and your maintenance, but to serve under Christ, for the saving of those that would destroy themselves? What enemy have you so much need your selves to resist, and to be saved from, as from your selves? Oh that you better knew it! And from whom else would you save the people? Men and Devils cannot hurt them, if they be but saved from themselves.
When I hear a cold and sleepy Preacher, or hear Gods work done so ignorantly and slovenly, as I would not have my boy to say his lesson, I yet confess, [It is long of my self if this Sermon raise not my heart to Heaven. For his very Text, or one of the Scripture-sentences which he cited, should have been enough to do it; because it mentioneth God and Eternity, the least thought of which should raise my soul.] But alas my heart is cold, and dull, and drowsie. This is my disease, or else what need I come to Church for cure? I knew I was faulty; but I hear you, in hope that my faults should be cured. And if you do that which is unsuitable to your hearers faults and maladies, you are faulty Physicians, for no better curing faulty Patients. To tell a man in a fever, or a dropsie, if bread and drink will not cure you, it is long of your own disease, is the answer of such Physicians as are like them in whose hands many thousand souls in the world lye gasping at this day.
If you shall say, That God doth not tye his grace to the ability of the Pastor: I answer, such words are fitter to make ones head and heart to ake, than to put the answerer to any difficulty. Use such arguments about plowing and sowing, about eating and drinking; and when you are to chuse a Tutor or Schoolmaster for your Children; or when you are sick and seek to a Physician: say, God doth not tye his help and blessing to a wise Tutor any more than to an ignorant one; nor to an able Physician any more than to a foolish Emperick. Or if you will fly to the distinction of spiritual gifts and common, remember that God is no more tyed to means for the one than for the other; and quoad media habitus infusi se habent ad modum acquisitorum. At least, set not your greatest Scholars nor sharpest wits to convince a Sectary, or a Papist; for Illumination is a spiritual Grace, and God can work on a Papist or Schismatick, as well by an ignorant Reader. But sure the opinions of these times are not so much for miraculous operations of Omnipotency, nor so much for the vanity of moral suasion and instruction, that we should need to say much in this case, if you could but turn it to a Doctrinal-controversie, where their Interest is not against it. God can work convictions and conversion by the unlikeliest means. But he usually worketh according to the aptitude of the means he useth. And sure I am, that it is our duty (both teachers and hearers) to chuse the best; and to study and preach even as we would do, if all lay on our skill and diligence; but to know that when Paul hath planted, and Apollo watered, it is God still that must give the increase. But he will not give so much to Judas as to Paul and Apollo.
But the second charge is, that it is long of us that any of the present Ministers are distasted. Ans. And is this true? 1. Is it because we hear them. 2. Or is it because we perswade the people to hear them (if they are but tollerable men?) 3. Or is it because we sometime repeat their Sermons, and speak honourably of them. 4. Or is it because we rebuke those that vilifie them? 5. Or is it because that we so preach and live as that the people perceive a difference. There you must pardon us; we cannot cure that opinion as some would have us. We dare not preach worse, or live worse, (as I said before) for fear of making others worse thought of. 6. But why is it not as much long of your selves as of us? Why do the people make such a difference between conformable Preachers as they do? Why do they honour and crowd after one, and slight another? Is this long of us too? If men were not blinded by partiality, they might quickly see the cause. While nature teacheth men to love themselves, and use their reason for their souls, and men can discern (as they say) chalk from cheese, it is not reviling the people as giddy and humoursome, for perceiving what doth most edifie their souls, that will serve the turn to make them value an ignorant, idle, empty fellow, equal to a convincing, laborious, holy Pastor (whether he conform or not.)
And verily I would have none plead too eagerly for the reputation of the ignorant, dull or negligent, that would not be taken for such a one himself, lest the hearers suspect, Ne caudâ vulves iste careat, that they vilifie but what they want. Licinius that was so much against learning, was utterly void of learning himself.
And if once men could bring it to this (as they never will) to perswade the people to overlook all mens personal worth and parts, and arguings and perswasions, and only to have an equal respect to all, as all are Ministers, it were the certain way to bring them to contemn you all, and to have a respect for none. For though we confess that the Office must be reverenced as well as the gifts; yet when once you trust only to the reverence of your bare Office, without your gifts, you will be served as the giftless ignorant Priests were by Luther, Melancthon, and others that overtopt them, and made them all the common scorn.
Mark, (if experience signifie any thing at all with you) whether the Gospel hath not risen and fallen in its successes in all ages and Countrys, as the wisdom, skill, and utterance and holiness of the Preachers of it did rise or fall.
My Lord Verulam hath truly minded us (in his Considerations) that our Calling is not like a Kings, which consisteth more in authority than abilities, but a function to be exercised by personal abilities, though not without Divine authority, like a Licensed Physicians or Lawyers. And would you devise a more effectual way to make, all Physicians the scorn of the world, than if you could deprive them of their skill, and make them all empty ignorant men; or to make all Lawyers the common scorn, than to set up only such as can scarce speak sense or reason, for the people to laugh at, or the Stages to make Plays on. Again I tell you, that men will be men, and reason will be reason, when those that would set up an Image instead of humanity and reason, have done their worst.
In a word, when it is possible for us to believe that neither England or VVales, neither populous Cities, nor ignorant Countrys, do need any more help than the present Parish Ministers either do or can afford them, we promise to give over Preaching the Gospel in this Land.
But one great Objection I had almost forgotten: Obj. This may be something for your conference with them family by family; but what is it for your preaching unto Congregations? If the publick Ministers Preaching will not do it, why should yours?
Answ. 1. It is our judgment that where no more publick Preaching is wanting, it is the best way for the Noconformists to attend the publick Ministry, and themselves only to go from house to house, to Catechise, exhort and help them, as they are able and have opportunity. But it is but seldom that the peorer sort of people have any leisure except on the Lords day, and Holy-days, (so urgent are their necessities and labours) And it is but one or two houses in a week that one man can go to in such a manner; and so the most may be dead and out of hearing before we have such opportunities to speak to them. 2. And they that may not come into Cities and Corporations, nor within five miles of any place where ever they Preached, shall leave the populous places where publick Ministers have most need of private help, without any such assistance at all. 3. And is not both better than one? To speak to many when they can have time to hear, and to speak also to single persons when we can? 4. It is not one of very many that can come to Church in many Parishes in London if they would. The Churches will not hold the tenth person in the Parish; and how few Churches near *1669.are standing? and must all the rest be quite forsaken. 5. And we say that is good that doth good. Two may do more than one. He may profit by one that will not by another. 6. Do you believe that any (alas, must I say any) Conformists are weak, raw, dull and slothful Preachers, very unlike to work much on mens souls, or do you not? If you do not, we despair of giving you convincing evidence of any thing in the world. But if you do, why is there not need of the help of such as have more skill for such a work? and whom the people think do most profit them, their practise will yet further shew you if you will but leave them to themselves.