An Apology for the Nonconformists Ministry, Treatise · Part 1 · Accusation 30
Accus. 30. Of mens injurious imputing to us the errors and faults of all the Sectaries.
The course that some Writers (that should have modesty and justice) take to defame us is, to jumble all sects (besides their own) together under the name of Nonconformists, and then to rake up the unwarrantable expressions of men of several parties, as the Nonconformists Doctrine; and so whatever they find written by an Antinomian, a Separatist, an Anabaptist, (and why not a Papist or a Quaker too) they lay at the Nonconformists doors. When 1. all men of reason know, that though affirmative titles use to signifie some union, so do not negatives. To call a man a Papist or a Protestant, signifieth somewhat in which he agreeth with others. But to be no Papists, or no Protestants, agreeth to all other parties in the world.
2. And if before Conformity was required (and so there were no Conformists) the several Sects were aliens to each others, surely they are so after, or else you may know who is the cause.
3. And why do the Papists (and such Arminians as Episcopius) who are Nonconformists, claim kindred and kindness to and from the Conformists, rather than the Nonconformists, if they know not to whom they are best affected?
4. Did not the Heathens do thus also by the ancient Christians, when Sects swarmed among them, and deride and accuse them for their divisions? And did not the Papists so by the Reformers? yea, and do to this day? What more common with them, than to say, All these Sects swarm out from you? And so did the persecutors of the old Waldenses, when the Manichees were among them.
5. If Nonconformity cause all these Sects, then they are the causes of them that cause Nonconformity. And if you will call in your Impositions, there will be no Nonconformists. Let impartial sober reason judg who it is that causeth all these Sects. If all the Decrees of General Councils were imposed on all men to be subscribed, would not thousands be Nonconformists that are now conformable? Who cry out against Sects so much as the Papists? and yet who in all the world more cause them, even by the manifold Laws by which they pretend to cure them? If only a peaceable communion with the Church had been required, instead of all the Covenants, Oaths, Declarations, and Subscriptions, how many thousand fewer Nonconformists had there been? If any should impose Oaths, Covenants or Subscriptions, against Episcopacy, and for lay-Elders, would it not make most of the Conformists Nonconformable? And what is it that those do who subscribe the same doctrine with you, to make other men heterodox?
6. Thus were the old Nonconformists accused, when they wrote more against Sects and Separation than all the high Conformists did. And we must say, That if Separatists, Anabaptists, Antinomians, and such like, had not been more effectually confuted and kept under by the Nonconformists, than they have been by the persecutors or sharp opposers of Nonconformists, they had been like to have so abounded, as to have carried down most of the zealously religious sort in the stream. Let posterity judg by the Writings of Hildersham, Paget, Gifford, Bradshaw, Ball, Rathband, and many more such, against Separation; and by many of the present Nonconformists, against Antinomianism, Anabaptistry, Popery, &c. who have done most against these Sects. If men that would draw birds to their nets, by throwing stones, or hooting at them, or that would beat the water to make the fish bite at their hooks, or that will still spur-gall their horses to keep them quiet; will revile those that have more skill, as the causes of their unsuccesfulness, because they do not as they do; such men must at last be taught by experience, if ever they will learn. For our parts, we cannot be of their minds.