The Defense of the Nonconformists Plea for Grace, Title page – Preface
THE DEFENCE OF THE Nonconformists Plea for Peace, OR An Account of the Matter of their NONCONFORMITY, Against Mr. I. Cheney's Answer, Called The Conforming Nonconformist, And The Nonconforming Conformist. To which is added the Second Part In Answer to Mr. Cheney's Five Undertakings.
By RICHARD BAXTER.
LONDON, Printed for Benjamin Alsop, at the Angel over against the Stocks-Market. 1680.
THE PREFACE.
Reader,
TOo many of the contentions of this age do tell the world how much the several parties differ in Piety and Malignity, Humility and Pride, Love and Malice, Meekness and Cruelty; But I think verily the controversie here managed between this brother and me, doth but tell you how weak and fumbling a thing mans understanding is here in the flesh, and what great diversity of apprehensions all men have in many things, who agree in the main; and how diversity of Lights or appearances, may cause great and confident contrariety of judgments, yea, and changes in the same person. The difference between Paul and Barnabas, and Peter and Paul. Gal. 2. tell us how far the best of mortals are from perfection. Our difference I think is not caused by contrariety of worldly Interests, (which yet divided even Abraham's family and Lot's, and much worse, Joseph's brethren from him) For as neither of us have any great matters of worldly wealth, but our daily bread (which is enough,) so I am perswaded that he seeketh no such thing, and I am sure I cannot if I would, who daily expect to give up my account, and carry about me a thorn in the flesh, enough to cure at least the expectation of fleshly and worldly pleasure and prosperity.
Read not therefore these books, as the conflict of enemies, but as the consultation of unfeigned loving friends who fain would understand the truth: You see he abhorreth the silencing or persecuting the ministers of England for Nonconformity: Yea, and all disaffection on such accounts.
And though I shew the great mistakes in his writing, impute them not to the habitual weakness of his judgment; But 1 to the badness of his cause. 2 To the newness and crudity of his thoughts about it: For though he hath been long a publick conforming Minister, yet it is but lately that he hath received the satisfaction which he here expressed, being before purposed no more to declare or subscribe what he here defendeth: And new thoughts are seldom well digested.
I speak this the rather because some say that he is an honest weak man, that hath shewed his good will to defend their cause, but was not able to do it as it will shortly be done by some greater men that are about it. But my opinion is that his concessions and coming so near the truth doth give him so much advantage against us, that the ablest of them that stand at a greater distance, are like the more to marr their matter, and assault us with less success than he.
And I advise his Reader to pardon such slips in the book which I confute, as concern not much the cause in hand, but are only the oversights of the well meaning Author. As when pag. 8. he distributeth the Learned Ministry into several degrees; of which one is such as have no Learning, and another such as have a little, &c. It's easie to know that this was a meer oversight. And in his supplement pag. 145. when he saith [God himself doth assent and consent to the use of all the lyes and wickednesses of men and devils.] It's like the Reader will think that he meaneth by the use, that [men and devils use to lye and do wickedness,] or act these sins: If so, it were odious blasphemy indeed: But by conference I have cause to believe that the Author's judgment is sound in those points; and therefore that it is but an heedless speech, and that he meaneth no more but that [God consenteth when lyes and wickednesses are committed that men make good use of them in esse cognito,] as to repent of them or hate them or take warning to avoid the like; and that God himself will use them as occasions of some accidental good; as sickness is used to honour the skill of the Physician: And that the word Assent slipt in because his cause was in his thoughts. If you say, This is a ridiculous equivocation: To make such use of the Liturgie in esse cognito as to hate it, or perswade from it, no enemy will deny; but what is that to using it? To use the Liturgie is to read and practise it, and so to use lying and wickedness is to lye and do wickedly: that which you call sin objective in esse cognito is not sin indeed, but the idea of it: but it is the real Liturgie which we must make a Covenant to use.
Ans. And who can manage an ill cause without somewhat that is too like it? And who doth any thing which needeth no repentance or amendment? And who is so wise as to speak wisely at all times? Let us pity one another, and pray for a teachable mind, and long for the world of Concord in perfection. O how much harder is it to justifie proud Schismatical silenccers and persecutors of the just, than to excuse the failings of the weak! and with how great a difference shall they be shortly judged, as sure as there is a day of judgment to be expected! Yea, how much easier will it be for Sodom and Gomorrah, for Indians and Americans at that day, than for those that malignantly oppressed men of most serious piety, and fought against Christ as by his own pretended authority, and in his name.