Catholic Communion Defended Against Both Extremes, Postscript

Catholic Communion Defended Against Both Extremes · Postscript

POSTSCRIPT.

REader, Upon the review of what I have here written, I think meet to repeat the Occasion, and to say somewhat of the Matter and the Manner of this Writing: The last sheet of my Reasons for Communion being Printed, and the opposite Twelve Arguments suddenly sent me, as being in many hands, and such as would frustrate all that I had written, if they were not answered: For the sake of such as have not skill to see Truth from Error, and are led by Prejudice and Names, I durst not in Conscience let them pass unanswered, they being of such dangerous tendency, and so exceeding erroneous and fallacious. But being put, by the stay of the Press, to do it suddenly, I see Reason to say more, lest I be misunderstood.

And First, of the Cause which I write of, in its self and its consequents: 2. The Season of it: 3. The Manner, as to the Authors whom I gainsay and confute and the manner of confuting them: 4. My Reasons for the writing of this Confutation.

I. I am not writing against Episcopacy, Presbytery, Independency or Rebaptizing: I am so far from judging any part of them to be men rejected by Christ, or to be cast out of the Church, or denied leave to worship God in their own Way, or persecuted for it, that I would do any lawful thing for their just Liberty: Yea, so far, that it is only the contrary principle and endeavours by which they strive against, and condemn one another, and call aloud to their followers (such I mean that are for the opposed Separation) to avoid one another, as ever they would scape the guilt of Idolatry or wilful sin. And if I see one man in the streets beating all about him, I cannot keep peace without resisting his unpeaceableness.

I am not justifying all that is required to Conformity, nor all in the Liturgy: Let them do it, that can. Mr. Warner speaketh untruly when he talks of my change herein, and as if I went to the Parish-Churches for some worldly end. I have been at no Church since August was Twelvemonth, nor am ever more like to be, unless the Church come to my bed-side or my door. Is Mr. Warner so lately born, that he never saw nor heard of our joynt endeavour when the King came in, 1660. to have prevented these Confusions, by getting a Reformation of the Liturgy? at least, before he said he knew not what, of one whom he knoweth not, he should have enquired, whether I have not, to this day, since then, 1660. held constant Communion with good Ministers in the Parish-Churches.

But with bad men, and well-meaning honest men, Satan doth most of his Work in the World by untruths and fallacies. Most that think they do God Service by speaking evil of me, falsly, believe and perswade one another, That I do write against them for not coming to the publick Churches; and that I am an Accuser and Plaintiff against them for this; and that hereby I animate men to afflict them, with many other such untruths.

Whereas I have written over, and over, and over, That I perswade no man either to or from a publick Church, till I know his Circumstances: And that I doubt not but it's one man's duty, and anothers sin. Were I under one intollerable for Ignorance, Heresie, or malignant Wickedness, who did more hurt than good, I would not seem to own him as a Minister, any more than Cyprian did Martiall and Basilides, or Martin Ithacius, Idacius, and the like; or Gildas the Priests whom he describes, or the ancient Churches Heretical Bishops: Abundance of Circumstances make various the Cases of particular men.

Yea, tho those Dividers renounce Communion with one another (while I blame them, and lament it), I renounce Communion with none of the Parties, no, tho they revile and hate me: Only, 1. I will not commit any known sin with them while I communicate with them in all things else, and own them as true Christians, tho faulty. 2. And I will not prefer worse before better, if I know it, tho I renounce neither.

It's ordinary for Two Women fighting and scolding in the streets, to turn both their railing against him that would quiet them. And I expect the like.

The Cause that I write against, is this (Reader, understand it, or meddle not with what you understand not, 1. That God's Worship (saith D. O.) …: That all that is in it, and belonging to it, and the manner o… it, is fal…e Worship, if it have not a Divine Institution in …: That all Liturgies, as such, are such fal…e Worship (and not the English only) used to … Christ's Pr…mi…e of Gifts, and God's Spirit.

2. That this Worship is Idolatry (say some), or so false and unlawful, say the rest, That it is a denying of Christ's Fidelity, and it is a going to Idols Temples; or at least, unlawful to joyn in Communion with such as use it. And therefore they perswade all, as they will avoid Idolatry, or false Worship and sin, to avoid Communion with such Churches.

3. And suppose that they truly instance in many things amiss, in Order, Ceremony, Forms, Impositions, Defects; because these are sinful, he sinneth who communicateth with the Church which useth them, his presence signifying his approbation, specially if commanded to that end.

4. And so Renunciation of Communion being the Excommunication which one Church hath power to inflict on another, the sum is, I write against the unjust Excommunicators of one another. Their Executions are divers, but their Principles and Spirits too like, tho few of them know, or will know what manner of Spirit they are of. The uppermost Schismaticks, like the uppermost Millstone, are the Active, and the nethermost the Passive part, between both which Truth and Peace is broken, and the Church pulverized. Both Parties have not power to burn the Excommunicate, or lay them in Goals, or defame them without open controul: But the nethermost Party in this agrees, if not exceeds the other; That they renounce Communion with the whole Church on Earth for 1200, or 1300 years, and with almost all (Protestants as well as others) now: Whereas the Pope was taken to be intollerably arrogant when he excommunicated and interdicted, but rarely a whole Kingdom, or one King; but not all the Church on Earth.

2 That the Pope and his Prelates excommunicate the Greeks, and such as they call but Schismaticks, and not Hereticks, with Exceptions, That they may yet possibly be saved Christians: But those that I confute, charging the whole Church on Earth, for 1200. years, with Idolatry, or false Worship, which God accepteth not, and none may communicate therein, do thereby call all men to come out from among them, and be separate, and to hate them with that hatred which is due to Idolaters, and to afford them no other love than is due to Idolaters, or men that we must renounce Communion with.

I write therefore but as a Defendant of Love, and Unity, and the Catholick Church, and the Communion of Saint…, and the Souls of Thousands young ignorant persons, that being justly afraid of sin, and Idolatry and Damnation, are a…frightned from Christian Love, and Unity, and Forbearance, into the Wilderness of sinful Divisions and Confusions, by these false frightful Names.

As I renounce all Canons that, ipso facto, exccommunicate men for being against humane unnecessary Formalities, Offices, yea, and Corruptions: So do I for the same Reasons, renounce them that at one blow wo…ld cut off all Christ's Churches on Earth, or renounce Communion with them, if they have (but really or conceitedly) such Corruptions and Defects. Yea, I maintain (in the First Part), That such faulty se…arating from one another, is not a separation of them all from Christ, when they see not the Consequences of their own Errors; and man on Earth is in so great darkness, that we all swarm with multitudes of Errors.

Now Reader, if opposing all this, be not Peace-making, I know not what is: And if the Peace-makers be the Incendiaries for confuting the Excommunicators, and to be taken for the Enemies of Peace, for breaking Satan's factious Peace breaking Peace, Christ was mistaken that calleth them blessed: And if the Zeal of the Sects which inclineth men to speak evil of such Peace makers, as Troublers of the Church, be the Wisdom from above, why did Christ call such the Children of God? O that men would often read over Rom. 14, and 15. 1 Cor. 12. and Iames 3. with …hil. 2.

The …lain Consequents of the Cause which I confute, are these (which I charge on the ill Cause, and not on the honest ignorant men that see them not).

1. That is is unlawful to communicate with almost any Church on Earth. 2. That Christ having no Church for 1200. years, was no Head of it▪ and so no Christ. 3 That men must covenant to disobey Rulers or Pastors, if they bid them kneel, be uncovered, or any of the oft named Accidents and manner of Worship: And Children must d…sobey Parents that command them a Form of Prayer, Psalm or Catechism. 4. The Scots Covenant, and Independent Covenant, Catalogue of Fundamentals, &c. are made Idolatry. 5. The contrary Extream is encourag'd, To charge all this falsly on the Nonconformists, if we confute it not. 6. The Nonconformists, that 1660, 1661. attempted Concord by reforming the Liturgy, are made Idolaters, or their Communion unlawful, &c.

II. And whereas my Writing is judged unseasonable by some that own the Cause … write for; 1. …t never will be so seasonable as to be liable to no inconveniencies or great abuse, nor hath been this Three and Twenty years.

2. It is when the Universa… Non-Communion is maintained in Print by many, and more dangerously by an excellent man in Writing, and multitudes by these drawn into the sin.

3. And when thousands are possest with a false Opinion, that the Nonconformists commonly are of these Opinions, and are to be hated and destroyed; our silence seeming to them to own them.

4. And when by 20 years forbearing publick Communion, tho commanded and persecuted for it; our hearers are brought confidently to believe that we all this while took it for unlawful; and that if any now say otherwise, it is but cowardly backsliding.

5. It is when the Papists assaults of us, and of honest Conformists, as Trimmers, maketh it necessary to unite and encourage all honest men, That we fall not all into Roman snares, and not to bid all Christians forsake all such honest Parish-Ministers.

6. It is at a time, when thousands are in danger of being ruined for mistake, and thousands to be drawn from all Church-Worship, when they can have no other than in Parish Churches.

7. It is, when we are in danger of transmitting this dividing Error to posterity, by suffering for it, as for the cause of God.

8. It is when other Ministers do it not, and therefore some one must: And I that have no great impediment from friends, or outward temptations, but wait for my change, am fitter to bear the noise of Censures, than they that I hope may labour longer.

9. And if I do it, it must be now or never: For there is no work in the Grave and Darkness. But of all this, my Reasons say more

III. As to the Manner of my writings, I doubt not but all that ever I wrote, are faulty: I am imperfect, and can do nothing perfectly: I herein suspect this (and all) my self: and which is worst, I have not skill enough on the longest consideration to avoid the faultiness: For I have a strong love to Truth, and hatred of Lying, and specially a love to historical Truth, and hatred to the deceiving of the World and Posterity: And I have a diseased Impatience, (above any ordinary Tryal) to hear men rage and be confident in Error, and pour out words for untruths, with unconvincible Fallacy, and speak evil most zealously of that Truth, which they least understand.

And in this Impatience, I am apt to fit my Confutations to the Cause, taking words to be false, that are not to be adapted to the Matter: But when I have done, the guilty, (yea and their favourers) cannot bear them, and the words fit not the hearer which fit the Matter, but the Disease is exasperated by the Medicine. But then I think what's needful to save those that are not yet infected, and to silence reproaching Enemies, tho the guilt be not cured.

As to this writing, it grieved me to write a Defence against Mr. Ralphson in Prison, and more when I heard that he was dead: But I knew no other means suitable against a printed Temptation, and Accusation, but a printed Antidote and Defence.

Mr. Warner hath since printed a further Accusation, with the same charge of Idolatry and false Worship, against all the Manner of Worship not instituted, and gives no Answer to my Confutation of it in Mr. Ralphs…n; and said so little, that I will not write for him, that cannot himself confute him.

The Twelve Arguments I understand, are likest to prevail most by the honour of Dr. Owens name, more than by any strength that is in them: I was willing, as long as I could, to believe that they were not his; they being as fallacious and frivolous as any of the rest, and one Error managed with above forty Mistakes. But when his own Friends that have more of his on the same Subject, (chiding me for Answering them) professed that they are his, I thought on Pauls case, Gal. 2. who openly opposed Peter, because he was to be blamed, lest his great Name should make the Separation the most prevalent, when Ba…abas and others were carried away to Dissimulation, and seeming to approve it.

It grieved me, I think, as much as any that blame me for it, to seem to confute so worthy a man, when he is dead, and cannot answer for himself: But I durst not let the writing of a dead man be so dangerous a trap for Souls, and silently see the mischief prosper, for fear of displeasing the mistakers.

But let the Reader know, That it is so far from my design to wrong the Name of Dr. Owen, by this Defence; that I do openly declare, That except in this point of his Mistake, (and who mistaketh not in more than one? I doubt not but he was a Man of rare Parts and Worth: And tho in the Tryals of the late Distractions of this Land, I mention some of his Confessions; it is to tell you that I had reason to hope that he repented for doing no more in his publick opportunities against the Spirit of Division, which dissolved us. And which of us need not repentance for our faults in those days of Tryal?

Ye…, in his Doctrinal writings in his later Years, he is much clearer than heretofore: And even, that Book of Communion with the Trinity, (which he writeth against whom I here deal with in the beginning▪) is an excellent Treatise: And his great Volumes on the H…brews, do all shew his great and eminent Parts: it was his strange Error, if he thought that freedom from a Liturgy, would have made most or many Ministers, like himself, as free▪ and fluent, and copious of Expression. In the late time he had never been so long Dean of Christ-Church, so oft Vice chancellor of …; so highly esteemed in the Army, and with the Persons then in Power, if his extraordinary Parts had not been known.

But, Reader, if this excellent man had one mistake (against all Liturgies, and for Separation from them) when yet he was of late years of more complying mildness, and sweetness, and peaceableness, than ever before, or than many others; and if you will use his Name and Authority for this one Error, Let me tell you, I am confident you will wrong Dr. O. by ignorant defending him: I doubt not but his Soul is now with Christ; and that tho Heaven have no Sorrow, it hath great Repentance: and that Dr. O. is …ow more against the receiving of this his mistake, than I am: and by de…ending it, you far more displease him than me: There is there no Darkness, no Mistakes, no Separation of Christs Members from one another; no excommunicating or renouncing of Communion: They all repent that ever they did any thing against Christian Love and Unity, and received not one another as Christ receiveth us, and did not own Communion in all that was good, while they avoided the wilful consent to evil.

Were D. O. now to speak to you, I am fully confident, it would be to this purpose.

Tho all believers must be holy, and avoid all known wilful Sin, they must not avoid one another, or their Communion in good, because of adherent faults or imperfections; for Christ, who is most holy, receiveth Persons and Worship that is faulty, (and false, if all faultiness be falsness) else none of us should be received. There is greatest goodness where the… is greatest Love and Unity of Spirit maintained in the bond of Peace. O call not to God to deny you Mercy, by being unmerciful, nor to cast you all out, by casting off one another. O Separate not from all Christs Church on Earth, lest you separate from him, or displease him? God hath bid you pray, but not told you whether it shall be oft in the same Words, or in other, with a Book, or without a Book: Make not superstitiously a Religion, by pretending that God hath determined s…ch Circumstances: O do not Preach and Write down Love, and Commu…i…n …f Saint…, on pretence that your little Modes and Ways are only go…d, and theirs Idolatrous or Intollerable; and do not slander and excommunicate all, or alm…st all Christs Body, and then wrong G…d by fa…hering this upon him. You pray [Thy will be done on Earth, as it is done in Heaven]. Why here is no S…ife, … Animosity, S…cts or Factions▪ n…r Separating from, or Excom…nicating on another. Learn of Christ, and know what Spirit ye are of, and separate from none further than they separate from Christ; and receive all hat… … receiveth. While …ou blame canonical Dividers, and unjust …, do not you reno…nce Communion wi…h … m…re than they … of too na…r…w … …rinciple…, and in the time of Temptation, I did n…t foresee to what … Con…usion▪ and Dissolution, and Hatred, and Ruin, dividing … did tend, but the … in … perfection of Love to God, and one anoth…r; bids me beseech you to avoid all that is against it, and to make use of no mistakes of mine, to cherish any such offences, or to oppose the motions of Love, Unity, and Peace.

No doubt but now this is D. O's mind.

If any one think that my Answers to him, favour of too much disrespect, (which I fitted meerly to the Words I answered) confessing my imprudence and liableness to such faultiness; I desire that none will approve my failings, blame me for them, but do not therefore justifie true Schism, and blame the cause of Love and Catholick Communion.

As to the mention of former miscarriages, which arose from the Spirit and Principles of Division; the Drs. Argument led me to mention them so necessarily, that I must else have wronged the Cause and Truth Defended: And I had great reasons, I thought, both for that, and for this Defence, which I shall next enumerate.

IV. I am not so blind as not to see inconveniences that abusers will raise from all that I have said. But while I put those into one end of the Ballance, I have so much to put into the other, as with my Conscience quite weigheth down. I know that men have already made tenfold worse use of our Silence in this Case; and the Opinion, 1. That we were all for the old Seditions and Convulsions, And 2. that we are now o… …he Dividers mind, than ever they did of our writing against them. And I have said so much against the active violent Dividers, that should I say nothing against the Passive, I should be partial, and seem a Sectary my self. Ovid taught me when I was a Child, That

Omnia perversas possunt corrumpere mentes.

Stant tamen illa suis omnia tuta locis.

1. Truth, and Love, and Peace, will be good, when men have said and done their worst against them: And I owe much more than this to their honour and defence. Buy the Truth, and sell it not, is an old Precept: These three are the very sum of all Religion, and must not be forsaken or betrayed.

2. The great success, and late prospering, on both sides of dividing Love-destroying Opinions (which I foretold in my Moral Prognostication) calleth loud for remedying attempts: And when is the Medicine seasonable, but when the Disease is most dangerous and common: They that go to Sea, carry Medicines against the Scurvy, and Flux; and they that go where the Plague reingeth, carry Antidotes against it, &c.

3. The Ministerial calling layeth strong Obligations on us to fidelity, sowing Pillows, and saying peace to sin, and daubing with untempered morter, are oft concluded with that Thunder-clap, Their blood will I require at thy hands: And I have been loath to desert the worst Malignants by despair, as Dogs and Swine: And shall I forsake the Children as such, because they cry, and are angry with the Mother because she hinders them from calling one another Bastards, or beating one another, or forsaking the house, because of one anothers Presence? or is She the make-bate, because they cry for being parted in their frays?

4. Thousands that hear the great Precepts of Love, and Pray to be forgiven as they forgive; are by such mistakes engaged in sinful despising, censuring, backbiting; yea, and rendering odious one another, and so live in ordinary sin.

5. Charity to such Souls is more necessary than to the Body; and how dwelleth the Love of God in him that neglecteth it?

6. He that doth not what he can to save others yea, multitudes from sin, becometh a partaker in the guilt and danger.

7. He that openeth a Pit, must fill it; and he that seeth it covered with Leaves, and telleth not men of the danger, is guilty of the hurt.

8. I must not cease Preaching, because men will misconstrue it: Therefore not Preaching by the Press, when I have a call.

9. I have long found, that multitudes of our conscionable hearers, are setled in belief, that their Teachers take Parish-Communion for Sin, because they practice it not, even when they are commanded, and threatned, and punished: By which they are silently misled, till necessity force us to tell them otherwise. And then they Censure them as unconscinable Temporizers, and so they do all godly men that communicate in publick.

10. I see how hard it is after, to undeceive all these.

11. Most of the Epistles of Paul, Iames, and Iude, Peter, and Iohn, speak much and sharply against Church-dividers, and separaters.

12. The Scots Covenant swore all that took it, against Schism, and prophaness, and all that's against sound Doctrine and Godliness.

13. Christ told us, A Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand.

14. I saw that it is a dreadful dishonouring God and Religion, to father on him our love-killing mistakes and sins: And that he will vindicate his honour on us, if we do it not our selves, by open and penitent confession of such faults.

15. We have long smarted under his Judgments already, and shew no publick Repentance, and are threatned with much more; which if God may judge, it's repentance that must prevent.

16. The common Convulsions, Silencing, and Calamities, which we have long felt, are notoriously the fruits of this same Spirit and Error, and both the parties which I here gainsay. And shall we lie four and twenty years in the Flames, and be afraid to cry [Fire] or call for Water, lest the Incendiaries on both sides be displeased?

17. God's dissolving their Power, and conquering Armies, without a drop of Blood, by their own Divisions, did so notoriously shew the Sin by the punishment, and shew Gods hand against it, as was a kind of Miracle of Providence, and maketh their Sin, that be not moved by it, too like to Pharoah's.

18. The main thing that moveth me, is, That thousands being too young to know those days and deeds, blind and malicious Enemies, without any shame, charge all the Crimes and Confusions of a party of men in Arms, upon all the Religious People of the Land, that be not in all other things of the Slanderers opinions; and have made multitudes believe that it was all such that did the very thing which they opposed, and suffered for opposing: Yea, they would interpret some late Laws, as if they had such an accusing Sence. And shall we by silence, leave so many thousands under the guilt of such false Accusations, to their own sin, and to others wrong, lest we blame the guilty?

19. I find that this Error possesseth the minds of so many young Scholars, and some Ministers, as that they think of all Dissenters with so much scorn, as that it is the very thing which hath tempted them into the contrary extream.

20. I read and hear so many on this very Supposition, calling out for our destruction, and not to bear with us, or spare us; that our Rulers have great need of Gods Mercy to save them from the damning guilt of Persecution, to which such temptations would induce them, lest they take the Innocent for Guilty, and think that it's Service to God to ruin them.

21. I see that it is a most dangerous Scandal not to remove such a stumbling-block, which tempteth thousands to hate their Brethren, if not Piety it self; as if all the stir that we have made, were but against such things as Communion in the Liturgy with Parish Churches.

22. I see multitudes like, by mistakes, to suffer as evil doers, and be ruined for their Error; and by glorying in it, to disgrace the suffering of those that suffer for Truth and Duty.

23. I see many Servants and Children, tempted to disobey their Parents and Masters▪ that call them to publick Worship; and Families to be divided by this mistake.

24. I see how Atheism is at the door, if when all private Church-meetings are forcibly hindred, men be taught that all Church Worship must be forsaken. And in how great a part of the Land already must they have such, or none?

25. I know that to drive all godly people from the Parish-Churches, and to cast out sound Religion thence, is the way to let in— you know whom: And that it greatly serveth the interest of the Papists, to have the Parish Churches vilified, and us divided; besides the discouraging many godly Conforming Ministers.

26. I have said after and oft, That to separate from a Liturgy, as such, is virtually to separate from all Christs Church on Earth (that's known by History) for a thousand years and more. And at this day to separate from almost all, even the reform'd Churches: And to make Christ no King, if he had all that while no Kingdom: And to censure himself and his own practice.

27. I have shewed the wrong that was done the old Nonconformists by this party, and their full Testimony against it. Yea, and that the old Separatists were for much that these now do condemn.

28. I have observed, That the deepest Sufferers have been readiest to run into this exream, and therefore Passion to be suspected.

29. I see that the foreign Protestants are scandalized by a false conceit, that the Dissenters here are against Communion in the Liturgy.

30. It greatly moveth me to see, That as Church-dividers by Oppression, do tear East and West, by making false terms of Communion by their Canons; so the Passive-dividers take a like way; that is, make false impossible Terms of Union and Communion; censuring all that communicate with other Churches on such Terms, as they mistakingly think sinful; making men guilty of the faults of Worship, by their presence. What is their Censure of us, and Anger, that we write our reasons, but as much as to say, we must all Unite on their Terms, or be judged Dividers, and Corrupters? So that they are at the old game, Rom. 14.1, 2. one part despising, and the other judging.

31. By the reason, That we may not write our reasons against them; it follows, That Magisterially they must not be gainsaid, tho they mistake and mislead others (remedilesly).

32. The History of the Church sheweth, that the Separation opposed, is a cause that God never blest, but ended still in worse.

33. If the Principles that caused it, be not cured, a continual War against Love and Communion will be kept up from Age to Age.

34. Historical Truth is of great use to Posterity. And as God needeth not our Lie, his Cause feareth not Truth.

35. God himself recordeth the faults of his Servants; and hath made Repentance necessary to Pardon: It's Impenitence that is impatient of Evidences and Conviction.

36. The History of our Faults and Confusions is published over and over by Adversaries; and it's impossible to conceal it. The Booksellers Shops, and their Talk and Sermons, abound with it. If a deaf man hear not this, must it not therefore be spoken? And when the generality of the innocent are falsly accused, it is the fittest season to confute the Accusers.

37. It cost me dear to attempt the preventing of such Confusions▪ Almost Two years Travel in that Army, in heat and cold, whither I went for no other end: It cost me the ruin of my Health, and after the wilful dissolution of all Power and Order, cast me into those Groans and Tears which I can never on Earth forget. And must I not after all that, disown the things which I opposed at so dear a rate?

38. If men of Name and Piety write that which tendeth to cast honest Souls not only into scruples, but into a way of opposition to Unity, Love and Order, to their own and the Churches detriment and danger, it is Cruelty not to try to help them: And what way is there, if we must not not give our Reasons against the snare and error?

39. To say, That it will but enrage them, and make them worse, is to be uncharitably censorious, as if they were so partial, passionate and proud, as not to endure to be contradicted, nor to hear us give a Reason of our Judgment and Practice, and defend it against Error. I can bear it without alienation from them, in Respect and Love, if they say, That I am erroneous, or bad, or whatever they will censure me. If they cannot bear my true Confutation of Church-dissolving, and Love-destroying Principles and Errors, that proveth them not better than I in Judgment and Charity. If I yet please men, I am no longer the Servant of Christ. Carnal Policy in complying with sin, never was blest of God, tho for some Job it seemed to be needful. If a man going out of the World, may by silence betray the Truth, on pretence of despairing of success, even with godly men, and let Peter lead Barnabas into dissembling Separation, in reverence of Peter's Name, then Paul was too blame; and who then shall ever own Truth or Duty, or try to save the Church from danger, if he must not do it till the mistaken do consent? Or if a pretence, That the Disease is uncurable, shall excuse us; and godly men must be taken for Dogs and Swine, that must not have God's Truth given them, lest they tread it under foot, or turn again, and all to …end us?

40. Either this Doctrine of renouncing Communion with all Churches that use Forms of Liturgy, as Idolaters, or false Worshippers, and Adversaries to the Spirit, and the Office of Christ (and that Churches must covenant to obey none but Christ in any thing duly belonging to Worship, or any manner or accident of it): I say, Either this must be confuted, or not: If not, Christian Love and Communion are given up as hopeless, and Christ deposed by denying his Kingdom or Church: And why strive men about Ceremonies, when they have renounced the substance, and pull'd down the house, and threatned all that come not out of it. …ut if it must be confuted, 1. When, if not now? must it first take deeper Root, and deceive more? Both Extreams already are silencers of all that would undecieve them: And those that accuse one sort of silencers, are the other sort themselves, and cannot bear a Confutation.

2. And who shall do it? I confess I am liable to do this, and all amiss in Manner: But if others would do it, that wish it done, I would have forborn. The Truth is, Again I say, I am willing to save many the cost of it, who are not so fit as I to bear it. I have cast my Reputation over-board long ago, with both Extreams: I am not like ever again to be considerably serviceable to the Church: I am Independent, and neither have preferment to get or lose, nor any Church these Three and Twenty years, with whom I should be solicitous to keep any Reputation for their good. The Dust, or the Souls in Heaven, feel not the Reproaches of men on Earth. How could I lay down my Life for TRUTH, LOVE and UNITY, if at so cheap a rate I would sell it, or desert it, and go away sorrowful? But many others of my mind, I hope, may live to serve God longer; and their peace with mistaken froward persons, may be needful to their desirable success. I do therefore voluntarily take the Thorn into my Foot, and let God do with my Reputation what he please.

The Names of the Ministers who, as Commissioned, did consent to the use of the Liturgy when corrected▪ were, Dr. Anth. Tuckney, Dr. Conaut, Dr. Spurstow, Dr. Wall…s, Dr. Ma…ton, Mr. Calamy, Mr. Arthur Iackson, Mr. Case, Mr. S. Clerke, Mr. Ma…th. Newcomen, Dr. Horton, Dr. Iacombe, Dr. Bates, Mr. Cooper, Mr. Rawlinson, Dr Lightfoot, Dr. Collins, Dr. Drake, Mr. Woodbridge, and Ri. Baxter (named in the King's Commission): But Dr. Lightfoot and Dr. Horton came not to us; but they conformed after, as did also Dr. Edw. Reignolds, and Dr. Worth… who joyned with us, and were made Bishops, and one or two more were distant.

The Names of a greater Number of London-Ministers, who gave the King thanks for his …eclaration, may be seen in the Printed Thansgiving: Of all that met, only Two refused to subscribe (Mr. Iackson and Mr. Crofton), lest the Subscription should seem an Approbation of so much of Prelacy as the Declaration stablished; and so be a breach of their Covenant: But they professed their gratitude without subscribing. Divers of them are yet living but most by far are dead.

Were it not lest the Papists take advantage by it, to undermine and ruin Peace-makers, under the Name of Trimmers, I would name you many places up and down in England, where all the people live in love and quietness, as if there were no Convulsive Cruelty or Schisms in the Land; and this through the wise and conscionable behaviour of the Ministers; the publick Ministers, with the ejected Nonconformists, living in so great and open amity, as uniteth all the people: Those that desire Reformation, won by the good preaching and living of the publick Minister, and by his kindness, go all to hear him; and when at other hours they meet to edifie one another by praying, singing Psalms, repeating a Sermon, or reading a good Book, he is far from hindring them.

Let any man that hath the Spirit of Christ judg, whether this be not a better state of the Church, than for some to be railing men from Communion, with the charge of Idolatry, and making the rest odious; and for others to prophane the Pulpits, by preaching up slanders, and scorns, and serving Satan in Christ's Name, by making Religion seem Hypocrisie, and conscionable men pass for odious Rebels for fearing lest some points of Conformity be sin; and stirring up Rulers to use them accordingly, if they were so bad and miserable as to be perswaded by such to persecution: Which of these, think you, is the better and more desirable case?

Obj. But what would you do your self, if you were in Spain, or any other Land where there is no Church-worship but the Mass? Would you not forbear all? And will not the Papists use against you the same Arguments which you use against us, and say, That you separate from all the Church on Earth for 1000. years, and so from Christ?

Ans. 1. What the Papists will say, maketh not all true which they say: The Question is, Whether they say it truly?

2. It's the trick of deceivers in dispute, to prove ab obscuriore, and carry the Controversie into a darker Room, and to fish in troubled Waters. What if it were an hard Controversie, whether I must separate from Papists, from Bonner, Gardiner, &c. doth it follow, that it is as hard, whether I must separate from Bradford, Ridley, Hooper, and all those Martyrs, and all the Protestant Churches? With whom then shall I communicate?

3. I'le tell you what I would say, and do to such Papists: 1. I will prove their Objection false. And 1. that at this day all Papists in the World are but (as Bishop Br…mhall estimates) about a fourth part of the Christian World. 2. And that it was not till the days of our King Iohn, and their Innocent the 3d, that a General Council decreed the Idolatry of Transubstantiation. 3. That a great part of their own never consented to this, and that few of the people understood or believed it. 4. That even this Canon was made against great numbers of Godly men, called Albigenses and Waldenses, who opposed them in this Idolatry.

4. Therefore I would resolve, I will have no Local Communion with any Church in the use of this, or any Idolatry, but will Worship God in private, if I can have no better; but if I can, I will. And I separate not by this, from the most of the Church, but from a Tyrannical corrupt Sect or Schism: Yea, as to them, I hold mental Communion with them in Christianity, and in all that is good and sound, and renounce Communion with them in all that I know to be evil.

Obj. But what if a Protestant Church make any Sin a condition of their Communion, will you not separate?

Ans. 1. I have said so much of this in this Book, against the Resolver, and Unreasonable Defender, as that I am ashamed that mens Objections make me guilty of so much repetition. 2. None such can make any Sin the Condition of my mental Communion: For if they joyn good and bad, and bid me do so, God forbids me, and requireth me to own the good, and disown the bad. If they use the bad themselves, and put not me to subscribe, or own it, I will joyn with them notwithstanding, in that which is good, and in due time and place, disown the evils, e. g. I have oft heard well-meaning men Preach falshoods against Calvanists, and others against Arminians; some against Presbytery, some against Independency, some against Infant-Baptism; and alas! how ordinarily do men drop their Errors, and put them into their Prayers; I will not for this separate from a Church that professeth to to take the Scripture for their rule. Let them answer for their own misdoings.

2. But if they bid me Subscribe, or Approve any one Falshood or Sin, I will deny it: If they forbid me Communion, I will continue it till they put me away by force. And then it is not I that separate from them, but it's they, by unjust casting me out, that are Schismatical; I'le still have mental Communion with them in Faith and Love, and not perswade any to separate from them as Idolaters, or make them worse than they are; but if I can, I will go to another Church (tho worse) that will receive me without imposing actual sin; but not draw others from them, who are not cast out for refusing sin, as I have been: And tho I will not justifie many Protestant Writers, who say, That we separated not from the Church of Rome, but they cast us out for not sinning; yet I doubt not but this must be our case with sound Churches, that would impose any Sin upon us.

But still, To prefer the best and (all things considered) most profitable, before the more faulty or imperfect, without renouncing Communion with them, or perswading all others from it, as Idolaters, or unlawful, is that which I never called Schism, nor wrote against.