Catholic Communion Defended Against Both Extremes, Section 3 – Title page 2
§ 11. IV. Why I publish my Reasons at this time.
Ans. 1. Because I think I have an urgent cause to endeavour to save some from the guilt of Persecution: And if I note the mistakes of One side only, I shall be justly charged with partiality.
2. Because mens censure of my practice, as sinful, doth continue: And I owe them an account of the Reasons of it.
3. Dr. Stillingfleet, and such others, would make the World believe, that we defend that Separation which by word and practice we have long opposed: And we owe fuller satisfaction to them, and to such as they misinform.
4. I am much obliged to rectifie mens mistake of the Reason, why many Nonconforming Ministers here come not to the Parish Churches: Many were agreed to come, when the Oxford Act of Confinement coming out, prevented it: For to have appeared in the Churches, would have exposed them to Six months imprisonment for being in the City. And since then, the same Reason hindereth many, which keepeth Conformists from communicating with each other, even their own labours at home. But many do go to the Churches in publick, and I conjecture others hereafter will get their Places sometime supplied by others, that they may go: For most of my acquaintance hold it lawful, as far as I can judg.
5. I would stop them that censure, as sinners, unjustly, the late Parliaments, the Common-Council, Iurors, and all the good Christians thr…ugh all the Kingdom who differ from them, and that have no Ministers but Conformists.
6. I remember why Mr. Io. Ball wrote against Separation just when Reformation was intended: Many thought it unseasonable, but it proved otherwise by the sad effects which he would have prevented.
7. I cannot forget what this mistake hath wrought in England, from 1641. to 1660. which I will not further recite, but only say, That when there was neither Bishops, nor their Courts, nor Liturgy, nor Ceremonies imposed on them, separate Assemblies were as numerous, and as much and more pleaded for, than now, and managed with too much strife; and reconciling and Unity was much resisted by that side.
8. I am bound to have real compassion on the multitudes who suffer as for Recusancy, and not by silence wrong their Consciences and their Purses. If I shut up the bowels of my compassion, where is the love of God?
9. I am bound to do my best to keep out Popery; which must be by keeping up as much of Religion as is possible in the Parish-Churches (that it be not first thrust into corners, and then out of the Land), and by concord with the Parish-Ministers who are honest: And many such, through God's mercy, there are; tho those that in 1661. brought us into this state, do manifest no repentance.
10. Lastly, I find that our mutual Censures and Separations greatly hinder the success of the whole Ministry against sin, while they seek to bring each other into disesteem, and teach the people to disesteem them all: and some will not hear one sort, and some the other.
The rest of my Reasons, you may gather from the fore recited Reasons of my Practice. § 12. I confess, that ad homin…m, the Canons Excommunicating us, may stop the mouths of the severe Canonists, if they accuse us: Would they not have us take their Canons to signifie their will, concerning the extent of their Church-Communion? Or, would they have Excommunicate persons come to Church? All that do but own Non-conformity by a word, are ipso facto Excommunicate, till they publickly repent of it as a wicked Error. And their Writers Damn those as Schismaticks, that obey them not: And so consequentially all that they call Indifferent, and Impose, are made necessary by some men to Salvation. I ha…e this at my heart: But yet it is not all the Parish-Ministers that like these Excommunicating Canons. And they are not bound to reject me till the Fact be proved; and I am not bound to do Execution on my self; but I am bound to all Offices for Love and Concord.
I doubt not but some of the Excommunicating Clergy, will set these two Writings against each other, and say, as their Tutor and Advocate doth, that R. is against B. and that I am hardly reconcilable with my self; but if goggle Eyes judge each line to be a yard distant from another, I cannot cure them, but I can bear their Disease and the effects
And if any will make use of my detection of the mistakes of conscionable peaceable Christians in some matters of Communion, to have a pretence to revile and persecute them, I enter my Protestation before God against them; and warn them to remember, that while they condemn others for Infirmities of so small a degree as few men are free from, they raise up matter of terror to their own Consciences when awakened, who have so much more heinous Sin to answer for before a holy dreadful God: even those little … of whose scandalizers and neglecters Christ spake so terribly, were none of them without some Sin; Though Paul and Barnabas differed to a parting, neither of them was silenced for it, nor called a Schismatick.
If all shall be ipso facto Excommunicated, who have far greater Sin than humbly and peaceably saying, There is something sinful in some part of the Liturgy, Ceremonies, Articles, Subscription, or in some that bear office in the Church as to Government; I am past all doubt that there will no one living, either Prelate, or Priest, Lord, or Peasant, be left to be a Member of their Church; and that by parity of reason, they have Excommunicated every person in the land; however the predominancy of their Wills and Interests above the Will of Christ, and the interest of the Church and Souls, may still bewitch them into a confidence, that those are the worst Men who most cross their carnal will and interest; and that the most ungodly are fitter for their Church Communion than they.
Psal. 14.4. Have all the workers of Iniquity no Knowledge, who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the Lord?
Acts 28.30, 31. And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house (at Rome) and received all that came in unto him, Preaching the Kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Iesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.
1 Thes. 2 15, 16. Who hoth killed the Lord Iesus Christ, their own prophets, and have persecuted us, and they please not God, and are contrary to all men; forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles, that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: For the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.
James 5.7. Be patient, Brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.
And if both sides call me worse than I am, for these displeasing Admonitions, I say, as St. Paul, Gal. 1.10. If I yet pleased men, I should not be the Servant of Christ.
1 Cor. 4.3, 4. With me it is a very small thing, that I should be judged of you, or of mans judgment. — He that judgeth me is the Lord.
Senec. Nemo pluris virtutem aestimat, quam qui boni viri f…mam perdidit, ne virtutem perderet.
Jan. 10. 1680.
AN ACCOUNT OF THE REASONS WHY THE TWELVE ARGUMENTS, Said to be Dr. IOHN OWEN's, Change not my Judgment about Communion with Parish-Churches. By RICHARD BAXTER.
1 Thes. 5.21.
Prove all things: hold fast that which is good.
1 Pet. 3.15.
Be ready always to give an answer to every man who asketh you a Reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.
Gal. 2.11.12, 13, 14.
When Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For — he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Iews dissembled likewise with him, insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulations. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly, &c.
Acts 11.2, 3.
They that were of the circumcision contended with Peter, saying, Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.
2 Tim. 2.20.
In a great house there are not only Vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
LONDON: Printed for Tho. Parkhurst, at the Bible and Three Crowns, in Cheapside, near Mercers-Chappel. 1684.