Catholic Communion Defended Against Both Extremes, Section 2
§ 10. But it is objected, 1. That it is in vain to come so near the Prelates, For nothing will satisfie them, or procure us the least abatement of their cruelty, unless you will do all that is imposed.
Ans. 1. It is not to satisfie such as you describe, that I do what I do: It is to satisfie my own Conscience in obeying God.
2. If but any one of all the forementioned Reasons hold good, it is not in vain, tho it satisfie not the implacable. Do you think I go to worship God only to satisfie men? I daily receive that benefit to my self, which assureth me that it is not in vain.
Obj. 2. You that come so near them, please them no better, and you have suffered with the first.
Ans. 1. Had I done it to escape suffering, I would have done that which I suffered for not doing, and not done that which I suffered for. But all that I have ever suffered from men, is but a Flea-biting to that which I suffer from the Diseases of my own Soul and Body: and yet I can love and forgive my self.
2. If I suffer for the acts of Piety, Love and Peace, it is for righteousness: And then Christ hath commanded me exceedingly to rejoyce, Mat. 5.10, 11. But if I suffer for sinful censoriousness and division, what will be my comfort?
3. I doubt not but I much more displease the Papists by my course of Communion, than they do, who by unjustfiable Opinions, do make their cause indefensible, and expose themselves to their triumph.
Obj. 3. You grieve many good people of the contrary mind.
Ans. No doubt of it: So I have done most good people whose mistakes I ever sought to cure (about Antinomianism, Baptism, and the rest). But I please those good people who think as I do.
2. Compare these Two sorts together: How vast a number do the contrary minded censure? They think all our late Parliaments to sin in their Communion, even these last which they most praise: Mr. Hunt challengeth their Accusers to name any Number of them all that conform not: I have not heard of Three (if of any One) that is liable to the charge of Recusancy, and hath not communicated in the Parish-Churches.
They accuse also all the Common-Council, since changed; and in a word, almost all the Christian World: And yet we can easily forgive them, and forbear them: And if they cannot bear with us, if we obey our Consciences, and give them the Reason of it; yea, if we had told them why we judg them to be mistaken, and to sin, they will shew so much partiality and self-esteem, and so much impatient tenderness of themselves, as will too much harden their Accusers.
Obj. 4. Many Learned good men do differ from you.
Ans. I think a thousand to one through the World differ from them.
Obj. 5. It will save none from suffering, there being so many other Laws against them.
Ans. It is my duty to save men from mistakes and sinful censure and suffering for mistakes: and so it may save me from the guilt of Omission.
Obj. 6. It is but Man's Law which you suppose maketh it a duty.
Ans. 1. I make not light of the Laws of men about lawful things: But your supposition is not true: Were there no Law for it but God's, it is my duty.
Obj. 7. Some body will answer you, and so it will cause strife.
Ans. Do, or must all men forbear giving a Reason of their Judgment and Practice to those that think them sinful? yea, or to confute the mistakes of others, for fear of being censured? Will you censure us, and must not hear our Reasons? Are you so much worse than Lawyers, that can plead without breach of Charity? May not friendly debates beat out the truth to our mutual edification? No truths are so clear to us, before they are controverted, usually, as after. Reproach not the Nonconformists, as if they could not bear contradiction.
Obj. 8. Your Cure of Church-Divisions did increase Divisions.
Ans. The Disease then is very far gone, if the Remedy increase it: But I have cause to believe that it healed many. But I confess, as the Books by which I drew off many Anabaptists, did increase Division from their Party, by ceasing the Divisions from the Church; so it may be here.
Obj. 9. But if men believe it lawful to go to the Parish-Churches, they will come to your Assemblies no more.
Ans. 1. Experience confuteth this: I think most who hear me, do think it lawful, and oft go thither. 2. I have oft told them publickly, That I desire none of them to hear me, who do not need my help: If they have room, and sufficient helps in the Parish-Churches, I had rather they would not take up, with us, the room which others should have who truly need our help. If nothing bring them to me, but an Opinion, that it's sin to joyn with the Common-Prayer, I will do my best to drive them from me. But if any cannot have room elsewhere, or cannot overcome the foresaid mistake (of the sin of hearing the Parish-Mi…ister), I will give them the best help I can: And if any live where publick hearing is but lawful, and they truly need more suitable help, the bare lawfulness of hearing elsewhere, will never keep away those persons who feel their need of better, and the benefit, no more than it will make them forsake better Cloathing, good Physick, or Estate, because a worse is sometime lawful.
Obj. 10. But why do not you conform, if you can communicate with them?
Ans. 1. Why cannot I be carnal, contentious, drink too much at the Sacrament, if I could have communicated with the Church of Corinth that had such? Why did not Christ commit the Synagogue-sins, if he could communicate in the Synagogues? The persons who put this question, disgrace themselves by judging of things which they understand not. If they know not what more is in Ministers Conformity, than in joyning as private persons in the Parish-Worship, let them read my first Plea for Peace, and they may know.
I will joyfully conform, I. If they will impose on us no sinful Oaths, Covenants, Promises, Subscriptions, Declarations or Practices.
II. I would rejoice in the Reformation, if while some essentiate a Church by a Bishop, they would restore the Parishes to be Churches, which they make but Parts of the lowest Churches, as Chappels are, and make the Parish-Ministers Pastors again, whom they have degraded to be but Half-Pastors, or Curates to the lowest Pastors.
III. I would hope, that we might yet escape back-sliding into Popery, if that part of the Clergy never govern the Ship, who are not content with a National Government, but make it our necessary duty, as against Schism, that all come under a Forreign Iurisdiction: And if the true Protestant Clergy will ioyn in the renunciation of that Jurisdiction (but not of Communion with Forreign Churches).