The Nonconformists Plea for Peace, Section 1
SECT. I.
The Reaſons of this writing, and the ſenſe of the word [CHURCH.]
IT was the ſaying of acute and holy Auguſtine (though we call him not with Fromondus Omniſc…um) [that no man ought to be patient under an accuſation of Hereſie.] He meaneth by Patience, a ſilent neglect of his own Juſt Vindication: Not that we muſt be like Hectoring Duellers, that would kill or hurt others in revenge, or in a ſinful way of Vindication: But by ſilence, thoſe that ſlander men may be encouraged in their ſin to their own deſtruction, and thoſe that value the ſlandered perſons may be tempted to think too well of Hereſie for their ſakes: And the honour of God, and his Truth, and our own good names, ſo far as they are ſerviceable, are none of them to be diſregarded. We have with grieved ſouls beheld the Land of our Nativity diſtracted by Diviſions; and much, if not moſt about Religion, (we wiſh it were not againſt Religion, by ſome that indeed have no true Religion:) Teachers againſt Teachers, in Diſcourſes, Sermons, Books, rendring each other deſpicable, and unlovely, and ſome calling out aloud to Rulers to draw the Sword againſt their Brethren; ſo learnedly and induſtriouſly pleading the Cauſe againſt each other with the Laity, high and low, as if the deſtroying of their Love, and kindling Wrath and Hatred, were the Evangelical neceſſary work; and without this zeal, and skill, and diligence hard to be accompliſhed. No wonder then if we have people againſt people, families divided, and all confounded; and this grievous Schiſm carryed on, by crying out againſt each other as Schiſmaticks, and implacably cauſing it while we loudly inveigh againſt it. The caſe is lamentable, that diſtraction ſhould be thus expreſſed and promoted; and when God hath warned us by the miſchiefs of an odious Civil War, and hath tryed us again with peace with all Nations about us, when moſt of them are involved in grievous Wars, that yet we will not give peace to one another, but live as if Peace were the Plague which we moſt deſire to eſcape.
Yet as it is the good providence of God, that the Names of Wiſdom, Godlineſs, Truth, Juſtice, Mercy, Honeſty and Vertue, are all ſtill honourable even among thoſe that hate and oppoſe them; and the names of Folly, Ungodlineſs, Lying, Unjuſtice, Unmercifulneſs, Diſhoneſty and Vice, are all diſhonourable where the things themſelves are followed and prevail; ſo Love, Peace and Concord, are names that are by moſt commended; when if moſt were for the things indeed, we were in a hopeful way of recovery: And Malice, Schiſm and Diſcord, are cryed down by thoſe, whom no intreaty will prevail with to forbear them, or to accept any remedy againſt them.
Yet we are thus far prepared for peace, that if we be not falſe Hypocrites, if we did but know which is the true way of Love, Peace and Concord we would follow it: And if we knew what is Schiſm indeed, we would avoid it. And its pity that men that think themſelves wiſe ſhould yet not know the way of Love and Peace: Eſpecially that the Learned Preachers of the Goſpel of Love and Peace, ſhould ſtill be the incendiaries, and ſtir up the Laity that would be more peaceable, againſt each other. And that after ſo many Volumes of Hiſtory have theſe thirteen hundred years at leaſt, aſperſt the Clergy with the reproach of being the contentious troublers of the world. And yet muſt we deſpair of a cure of ſo odious a diſeaſe?
The thing that Books, Sermons, and Diſcourſes, cry out againſt thoſe called Non Conformiſts for, is Humorous, Obſtinate Schiſm, and Diſobedience, in Preaching, when forbidders, and keeping up Aſſemblies not allowed, and gathering Churches out of Churches, & ſeparating from the Pariſh-Communion, and Church of England. If we can find out the Schiſmatick, we hope he will be condemned by us all. But that the Cauſe may be heard at leaſt in ſome part, before it is judged, we that publiſh this, here give an account of our own judgment, and thoſe that we are beſt acquainted with, how far we hold it lawful or unlawful to gather Churches, or to ſeparate from Churches, or to differ from what is eſtabliſhed by Authority: But the Application to our particular Caſe, and our Arguments thereabout, we muſt not here preſume to publiſh.
They that accuſe others as Schiſmaticks, and Separatiſts, for deſerting Churches, or gathering Churches out of Churches, and will not tell us what they mean by the word Church, nor give us leave to tell them what we mean, but judge in confuſion, and deſpiſe explication, and neceſſary diſtinction, are men that we can neither be edified by, nor edifie, in this way.