Catholic Communion Doubly Defended by Dr Owen, Section 2
SECT. 2.
III. AS to the third thing, which taketh up most room, viz. your blaming me, 1. For using the Doctors name, 2. For the manner of my Confutation, I say distinctly.
1. I confess I think that the name of Christ and Religion, and its Honour is to be preferred before all mens: And I had many years ago heard a Conformable Preacher before a very honourable, and learned Auditory, charge the Nonconformists with holding that [A thing lawful in itself, in Gods Worship, becometh unlawful, if it be commanded by the Magistrate. And that Forms and Liturgies were unlawful, because they be not made in Scripture by Christ.] And I have read too many such Charges: And I always answered that we were slandered.
2. I quickly heard that the Manuscript was commonly spread, and he that brought it me, said, he believed a thousand were confirmed by it against going to the Parish Churches and Lyturgy.
3. Several of my Friends and Acquaintance had got it, and told me they thought it unanswerable. And all named the Doctor as the Author.
4. I was suddenly told of a very able Conformist that was going to answer it, and I feared he would lay it on us all.
5. I made no doubt but Pulpits and Press would loudly say, these are the Nonconformists Principles: and if I denyed it would cite the Doctors Paper and Name.
6. I knew divers of his Printed Books have the same Opinion of the unlawfulness of Imposed Forms; what now should I say against such reporters of the Nonconformists Opinions? Must we all bear the Accusation of so many Errours, and be published with Scorn and Contempt to be such, to make us odious to all, rather than one Man should be Confuted.
I purposed at first to conceal his Name, till I saw that all took notice of it, and none denyed it, (and after (I conjecture it is your self) that in the Letter to me affirmed it.) I know that multitudes of Men of Name, Learning, and Power, scorn us as they do the Quakers, as believing them that say [We make all this noise and Schism as a distinct Party, and suffer silencing, and Imprisonment, because we will not Communicate with the Lyturgy which the Martyrs owned:] I dare not suffer the Innocent to lie under such a slander for one [or many] Mans Name; we gave them our publick Testimony to the contrary, 1660. and 1661. If a few that would not come in then, and be seen among them that pleaded the Cause of the old Nonconformists, have now by our distempers got so many of their mind as that we must be) thought intolerably to wrong them, if we (necessarily) give our reasons against them, and shall pass their Excommunicating Sentence against the Cause of the old Non-Conformists, and yours, I cannot be one that shall betray the Truth and Cause of Catholick Communion▪ by silence▪ at such a time, when the Erroneous expect that their Opinion should be so necessary to our Union, that none must contradict it.
Therefore your saying that you have met with none that approveth my writing, if it were for the Cause, as well as my faultiness, will make me see the greater necessity of bearing my Testimony against them; Epidemical diseases most need Physicians, if not to cure the sick, yet to preserve the sound. Paul wanted not Love nor Prudence to Peter, when he not only reproved his Temporizing Separation to his Face, but left it with his Name on Record to all Generations, when they were both dead. Christ had immediately before abundantly honoured, and praised Peter, who yet for his miscarriage speaketh to him, as he did to the Devil, Get thee behind me Satan, &c. Mat. 16. And yet the miscarriage was done in Love to Christ, by a prime and dear Disciple; and his name must be thus left under this most sharp reproof, to be read from Age to Age by all. Iames and Iohn were choice Disciples, and yet their Ambition, and their Uncharitable Zeal for Christ, must be recorded with their Names, as men that desired they knew not what, and knew not what manner of Spirit they were of. We are not so much better than they, as the Passions of some Applauders intimate: Christ will not be more tender of our Names, than of his Cause, and the good of Souls. If David will cause Gods Enemies to blaspheme, his sin shall be punished in the sight of the Sun, though the sharpest part of the punishment be pardoned.
But as for my naming the Dr. and your intimation, that it's long of me that he is named as the Author of those Arguments, I further say, 1. Is not a Man named openly, till his Name be Printed? Was not the uncontradicted report, (still continued) a publication. Was there no publication of Names till 224 years ago, when Printing was invented? 2. All that I yet desire, is to be able to deny it to be his, that the next Man that hits the Non-Conformists in the Teeth with it, as the Doctors, may but be told it is not his: If you can and will but tell me that you believe it not to be his, that I may have but so much to say, I will thank you, and make it publickly known.
Either the Cause and Arguments are true, or false: If true, defend them. If false, are they not dangerous in so great a Cause; and at such a time, when they tend to drive hundred thousands from all Church Worship and Communion, and to persuade Men into scandalous suffering for ill doing.
I think it laudable in you to honour the Doctor, and if you be the Man I conjecture you are, I think it's specially incumbent on you; As to your hints of suspicion of my sense of old differences, if I know my heart, I forgave, and fully put up all Personal Quarrel long ago: But the National Concerns made so deep a wound in my heart, as never will be fully healed in this world: But this leads me to the second part of your reproof.
II. I do but tell you my reasons for naming the Doctor, but I undertake not to justify either that, or the manner of my writing, from mistake, imprudence, or other such faultiness: I suppose you to be a Man whom I take from my heart to be far wiser, and better than my self: And therefore, as I thank you for your gentle, friendly reprehension, so I profess that my very esteem and reverence of your judgment maketh me suspect that I have done amiss, when I see it not in the Cause itself: That I could have defended the Cause of Love and Communion against those Arguments, without taking notice of the Author, and without wronging the Non-conformists who will be charged by his name I did, and do wish; but I thought it could not well be done. If in this I mistook, I ask pardon of God and Man; for so I must do for my sins known and unknown.
And as to the manner of my writing again, I say, I am convinced that all that I do is faulty, and cannot but have some favour of the ignorance, and imprudence, and forgetfulness, and other faults of the Author. I read over your Animadversions, and, 1. I see at present some words of my own, that I much more blame my self for writing, than you for blaming. 2. What I yet see not to be faulty, your Authority shall make me yet suspect, and further consider. 3. I see very many passages, where I am confident the mistake is yours, sometimes mistaking the matter, and sometime my words. What good will it do the Reader, or you, or me, to give the world an account of all these, and to drown the Cause in abundance of self-defending words? Indeed I have neither time nor mind to write a Book now for my self-defence. The greatest Affliction I have by this Controversy as Personal, is this diverting of my thoughts so near my last hours from things more agreeable to my Case: And far be it from me to be confident in justifying my (faulty) writings, when I am going to the Judge that will take that for an aggravation of my sin. But I durst never forsake publick Communion, nor my own work, because I cannot have one, and do the other without fault: I am suspicious there may be more faults in me and my writings, than either I discern, or you, or any such have told me of. And if I could prove that your mistakes are the ground of your Accusation, I see by your noting my numbring the mistakes in matter of Fact, in the private Letter to me, how you would take it.
Therefore, instead of writing for my self, I will give the Reader this concession and advice.
Readers, I think it is little of thy concern to know whether I be wise or unwise, good or bad, or whether I did well or ill in naming Dr. O. or whether the manner of my writing be much, or little to be blamed: On condition you will agree with me in the cause of Love and Concord that I defend, Lonly then intreat you, that what imprudence, unskil fulness, rashness, or other faults you find in me or my writings, you will the more carefully your selves avoid them, and do better: And if you judge me to do ill, when I do my duty, and think very hardly of me for being against your way, I unfeignedly forgive you; and if you forgive not me, I can bear that. I was aware that I should be ill spoken of by many whom I love: And I am not Ambitious to be ill spoken of: If Folly make me exercise self-denyal, it is for somewhat that I thought had been better then all the Love and Praises which I deny. I flatter no Party, and I look to gain by none: I have gathered no Church to depend on for kindness, nor is the fear of displeasing them a by as to my judgment. And if it be otherwise with any, I think, were they like to have need of men in this world as short a time as I, they would make as little of mens good or ill thoughts and words as I do, except for the sake of other men.
Therefore Reader, think of all the rest what you see cause, so you will but agree in the Cause that I am defending: That is,
I. That GOD IS LOVE, and he that dwelleth in LOVE dwelleth in GOD, and GOD in him, 1 Joh. 4.
II. It is the Prayer of Christ that all who shall believe may be one, that the world may thereby be brought to believe that the Father sent him, Jo. 17. 21, 22, 23. And that they must love one another, even as he hath loved them, by which it is that all must know that they are his Disciples, Jo. 13. 34, 35.
III. This Love must extend to all that are of one Body, one Spirit, one Hope, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of all: And this Unity of the Spirit must be kept in the bond of Peace, Eph. 4. 3. And if it be possible, as much as in us lyeth, we must live peaceably with all men, Rom. 12. 18.
IV. Christians must love one another with a pure heart, fervently, 1 Pet. 1. 22. with a Love which suffereth long, and is kind, envieth not, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, beareth all things, believeth, hopeth, endureth all things, Rom. 13.
V. Yet must they not be so tender of each others Honour, as of Gods, nor justify the sin of any, nor make mens names a snare to draw the weak to sin, nor think that Love and Peace can be justly vindicated without gain-saying the Errours which oppose them, nor that Christ broke the Law of Love by his sharp rebuke of Peter, that tempted him to forbear the work of Love; nor by rebuking the hurtful zeal of James and John, nor by being angry with those that forbad little Children to come to him; nor Paul by withstanding Peter in his Separation.
VI. Christian Love must extend to those that differ from us, though faultily in Cases of tolerable infirmity, so as not to judge or despise them, but to receive them to our Communion, as Christ receiveth us, Rom. 14 & 15. Approving all so far, that serve God in that which his Kingdom doth consist in, Rom. 14. 17, 18.
VI. All Christians must earnestly oppose Divisions, and Sects, and sidings with Strife and Envy as a sign of Carnal Men, and must labour to be perfectly joined together in the same mind and judgment, and to glorify God with one mind and mouth, 1 Cor. 1. 10. & 3. 3, &c. And must not forsake the assembling of themselves, Heb. 10. 25.
VII. It is by Love that the whole Body of Christ must edify itself, and win, and overcome their Adversaries, even those that curse, and hate, and persecute them, as God doth good to the just and unjust, Love being the most powerful Conquerour of Hearts, Eph. 4. 15, 16. Matth. 5. 44, &c.
VIII. No excellency of one Party above others, nor no faultiness of any Christians, must be pretended against any duty of Love and Communion; But we must not sin for Communion with any.
IX. Though we must not by profession, word, or subscription own the sin of any Church, we must join in their Communion in the Worship of God, with those whose Worship is mixt with sin in matter and manner, so it be not sin that is by its evil predominant against the good of the duty, to make the work rejected of God (like Poyson in our food, which makes the hurt greater than the good) because else we must neither Worship God our selves, nor join with any in the world: All the works of sinful men being mixt with sin. To deny this, is virtually to separate from all the Christian world.
X. Therefore our bare presence is no signification that we approve all that is done in that Assembly. The very nature of Christian Communion is a profession of the contrary; we being bound by God to communicate in good, and not to own the evil: And if men command us to own all that they there do, their command cannot bind us against Gods, nor make our presence a profession that we obey them against God: It being God that is the Master of us, and our work. And Christianity itself being a profession that we obey God before Man. Else Man by commanding us to own some ill word, or circumstance, might drive us from all Christian Communion. If Men should command us in our private Meetings, to do it for an ill end, or an ill Principle (as in Obedience to Usurpers) we must not therefore forbear all private Meetings, nor will our bare meeting signify our Obedience to such Commands. If the Pastor of a single Church (or many Associate) tell the people, your meeting must be to own e. g. Anabaptistry, Antinomianism, Presbytery, Erastianism, Separation, &c. this binds them not either to own it, or to withdraw, without some greater reason. He is no Master of their Faith.
XI. Nor will the bare knowing beforehand that the Pastor will say or do somewhat unlawful, make our presence guilty of approving it. We know beforehand that we and all Men are sinners, and shall sin in what we do: And we may suppose Men will speak as they think: And as we know not but any Man may speak amiss till we hear what he saith, so when we know that the Pastors have tolerable Errours, and will vent them, it will not make us guilty of their sin, nor bind us to depart: We meet to own Christianity, and not all that the Man will say or do (known or unknown) I know before that I shall have many faults in my own Prayer (disorder, dulness, &c.) which I do not own, though herein I am guilty.
XII. Yet no Man should prefer worse before better, if all things set together, it be better indeed to the Person at that time.
XIII. God hath by his Son Iesus, and his Apostles, instituted all that in Doctrine, Discipline, Worship, and Conversation, which is obligatory, or necessary Universally to all the Church, over and above, what is required by the Law of Nature. And no Man or Men have power to add any thing of universal obligation.
XIV. God hath by Nature and Scripture obliged Men themselves to choose and determine divers subordinate expressions, significations, modes, circumstances, or accidents of this universal Religion, which are not themselves meet for an universal, and unchangeable, obligation, but local, temporary, and mutable: Some of which every Man may choose for himself, some the present Pastor must choose, some the associated Pastors may choose, and some the Magistrate may choose. These must be added to the universal Duties, so far is such addition from being sin: I have often named many particulars; As the Translation of the Scripture, which to choose: The version of the Psalms in rithme, or metre, the common use of new made Hymns, the dividing the Scripture into Chapter and Verse; the words of Sermons; their method; the particular Text to be chosen; what Chapters to read; at what hour to begin; how long to Preach; in what words to pray, whether the same oft, or changed; whether fore-studied, or not, whether written, or unwritten: whether studied, and written by our selves, or by others; where the place shall be, where the Pulpit, Font, Table, &c. shall stand; what Ornaments they shall have, Linnen, Silk, silver Vessels or otherwise? Whether we be bare-headed, or covered at Prayer, Sacrament, &c. Whether we shall kneel, stand, sit, or be prostrate at Prayer, &c. what distinctive Garments Pastors shall use. By what signs of consent and obligation Men vow, and swear, whether by putting the hand under the Thigh, lifting it up, subscribing, laying it on the Book, kissing the Book, &c. what Catechisms to use, with many more such. God hath commanded men to choose such things as these by the Rules of Edification, Love, Peace, Concord, Order, Decency, winning those without, &c.
XV. These may be called Worship in a sense subservient to Gods Ordinances of Worship (as we Worship Men, by putting off the Hat, kneeling, bowing, &c:) But if any will not call it Worship, they must not call it false Worship, nor pretend that the Controversy is any more than about the bare name.
XVI. They that feign such things as these to be sinful additions, and an invading of Christs Office, and denying his faithfulness, &c. condemn the Scripture that commandeth such determinations, and contradict the Law of Nature, and the practice of all Churches on Earth, and would exterminate all Gods Worship, which cannot be performed without some such determinations.
XVII. As God hath not tied us to words in Prayer or Preaching (though he have recorded many forms in Scripture) but left all to choose what words, time and circumstances make fit (by Book, or without,) so the conveniences, and inconveniences both of set forms, and of free speaking, are on each part so great and undenyable, that we have no cause to censure that Church which useth both; that is, which agreeth on a set form, to shew what the Church professeth to own, if the Minister should blutter out any Errour or Undecency, and yet not restrain Ministers from the due use of free speech.
XVIII. It is a great sin out of a fond Conceit of the excellency of either way, above it's due value, to think & speak with unjust vilifying of the other way, when God hath tied us to neither alone: It is contrary to knowledge, love, peace, and concord, out of a self-conceitedness, peevishness, or false prejudice received from others, to think, and speak worse of other mens words in Prayer, than they deserve: and to frighten the ignorant from lawful Communion, by calling that sin, or false Worship, that is not so.
XIX. Not medling with Ministers Subscribing, Declaring, Swearing, nor with the Discipline, By-offices, Baptizing as by our sort of Godfathers Covenanting without the Parents, Crossing, and undue application of words at Burial, and such like; I know nothing in the common Lords-day Worship spoken in the name of the Church, which a godly Christian may not joyn in, with the exercise of the Spirit of Prayer with faith and comfort; if prejudice, and false apprehensions of it, affright him not, or put not his Soul out of relish with it. (As on the other side prejudice distasteth many too much with the faulty methods and words of many mens extemporate Prayers.)
XX. There are so few Churches on Earth that Worship God without all set Lyturgies or Forms as are next to none. And there are very few in all the World so good as the English Lyturgy, and that have so few faults: Which Martyrs composed, and joyfully used. And it is unchristian to renounce Communion with any one Church, for a reason that is common to all, or almost all. It being contrary to the Communion of Saints in one body, and far worse than to slander any single man.
XXI. It is great self-condemnation in them that cannot bear to be censured, nor scarce be contradicted, yet thus to censure almost all the Church.
XXII. They that think that Conforming Ministers are guilty of great Sin, must consider what diversity of Education, Company, and Interest may do, even on men of Conscience, and that we have all our sins. And it's sinful uncharitableness to think, and speak worse of them than they deserve, and to talk against all, for the faults of some.
XXIII. So great is Gods mercy to this Land, in yet giving many Godly able Ministers to the publick Churches, that it is sinful ingratitude to overlook or deny it, though many others be never so bad.
XXIV. The Religion that keepeth possession of the Parish Churches will be the National Religion: Mourn therefore before God, that ever any men professing Godliness, should either labour to get all sound Protestants to desert the Parish Churches, or that any such have been against the restoring of Nonconformists, by that called a Comprehension, which was but the withdrawing of such Impositions as these very men thought sinful; and all this, lest it should diminish the number and strength of the private Churches. By this we see what we are doing against our selves, if God save us not.
XXV. They that say Conformists Convert no Souls, take on them to know that of thousands which they know not: and forget that before 1640. there were few but Conformists to Convert them in the land, and that all the Westminster Assembly, save eight, were such. And that the Parliament kept near 7000 in the Ministry, that all Conformed on Aug. 24. 1662.
XXVI. In most Counties of England, many hundred Persons to one must have Church Communion in the Parish Churches, or have none at all: And to renounce all Church Worship and Communion, rather than joyn in the Parish Churches, and with the Lyturgy, and to persuade all to do so, is almost to draw the Land to live like Atheists: And is so pernicious to Souls, that no good Christian should favour it. And it is a-gross breach of the Covenant, which renounceth Prophaneness, Schism, and all that is contrary to godliness.
XXVII. So much are Papists angry at Protestant Ministers that keep them out of the Parish Churches, reviling them as Trimmers, supposing that Conventicles can do them less harm, that all that love the Protestant Religion, should do their best to encourage all such Orthodox Men, and to strengthen the Protestant interest in the Parish Churches, and not joyn against them with the Papists, however it be with other intents and minds.
XXVIII. So great is the peace and comfort of many Parishes, where the publick Ministers, and all the Religious People live together in Love and Amity, that it loudly tells us how much better that is, than to study to render each other odious, or vile, and excommunicable.
XXIX. Such use of godly publick Ministers may well stand with the best improvement we can make of the private help of others.
XXX. If we would win any that we think worst of, yea, or ease our selves, it must be by love to them, and not by condemning them on controvertible accounts, or by causeless singularities.
XXXI. It is lawful to have transient Communion with an occasional Assembly of Christians that are no fixed Church, nor the Minister the fixed Pastor of any particular Church.
XXXII. It is lawful to have transient Communion with a Church of Strangers or Neighbours, without taking an account of the calling of their Pastors, or of their Discipline.
XXXIII. When we have right to Gods Ordinances, if many intrude that have no right, when we cannot hinder it, we must not therefore forsake our right, or Gods Worship.
XXXIV. Though we must prefer better before worse, that worse may be best to us at that time and place, when we cannot have better without more hurt than benefit to the publick or our selves. Among many Ministers, weak and strong, all cannot hear the best, nor must renounce the weaker. To live under the countenance of Government under an honest Minister of mean Parts in Peace and Concord, though he use the Lyturgy, is more to the common advantage of Religion, and to the profit of most particular Souls, than to hear an abler Man, with the distraction of Disturbers, and to be Fined, and lie in Prison on no better a Cause.
XXXV. It is not only the Law of Man that maketh the foresaid Parish Communion a Duty, but it is Gods Law of Love, Concord, Peace, and Universal Communion, if there were no constraining Law of Man.
XXXVI. They that constantly refuse Communion in the publick Churches while it is commanded, and while many write to prove it sinful, and many are in Prison, and ruined for refusing it, are justly to be interpreted to hold it to be unlawful, unless they openly profess the contrary, and give some better reason for their forbearance.
XXXVII. To hold that any Congregations are such, whose Worship is faulty, but such as God forgiveth, and accepteth, but that it is unlawful for us to joyn with them, lest it make us guilty of their sin, this (though it should be erroneous, and uncharitable, and sinful) yet is not to Excommunicate that Congregation as no Church, or no Christians. But to say of any Congregation, that they want any thing essential to Christianity, or to make them capable to be loved as Christians, or that their Worship of God is Idolatry, or so bad, as that God accepteth it not, the evil of it being greater than the good, (as poyson in our food) and on this reason to declare that no good Christian should Communicate with them, this is to Excommunicate such Congregation, as far as one Church may Excommunicate another, which is but by such renouncing their Communion.
XXXVIII. There is no History that I have seen or heard that tells us of any Churches on Earth that for many hundred years together did Worship God without a Lyturgy as faulty as ours: To make them all Idolaters, and such whose Worship God cursed and accepted not, is to make them no true Churches; and if Christ had no Church, he was no Head and King of it, and so no Christ.
XXXIX. The use of faulty Lyturgies is no worse than the use of faulty Translations of the Holy Scripture, which yet Christ and his Apostles ordinarily used, (of which I shall say more anon.)
XL. I have before proved how faulty the Priests Calling was in Christs time, and the Temple and Synagogue Worship, and the Pharisees long Lyturgies, on pretence whereof they devoured Widows Houses, and their corrupt Doctrine; and how great the faults were in the Churches of Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Sardis, Laodicea, Thyatira, Pergamos, and those that James wrote to, from which none were commanded to depart: And to Condemn Christ or his Apostles, as favouring, or using sinful Communion▪ is worse in Christians than it was in the Pharisees.
These are the Principles, and this is the Cause for which I write: And I cannot defend it without opposing those that openly militate against it. If the Woman of Tekoah could have told David that any one had held, or hindered her Son from killing his Brother, she would not have called him unpeaceable. It was hard measure that the striving Israelite offered to Moses, that said, Who made thee a Prince, and a Iudge over us? Intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Aegyptian? And all for saying, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? If we could as charitably judge of a godly man that differs from us, as of our selves, and most esteemed Partners, how much sin should we avoid?
But Reader, agree with me in this cause of Christian Love and Concord, and then think of me and my Writings what thou seest meet. The question is not which of us is the Wisest, or hath done best, but how we should all please the God of Love and Peace, and avoid the Evils which have long threatned us, and which with grief I must say, our mistakes, and miscarriages in Religion have brought upon us, and are like to increase. Many seem like a Ship of Passengers, whose Pilot hath cast them by Errour on the Sands or Rocks; and some that pity them as they are sinking, tell them that their Pilots mistake hath endangered them, and they must take better advice▪ And instead of accepting help, they revile the helpers as injurious, unpeaceable, dishonourers of their wise and faithful Pilot. And if far worse be not yet at hand, Freegrace must wonderfully frustrate this prognostick.