Of National Churches, Chapter 15
Chap. XV. The Caſe of Toleration of Diſſenters from the Common Laws and Cuſtoms of a National Church more particularly anſwered.
§ 1. THIS caſe about Toleration in and from a National Church hath been oft put to me and oft and largely anſwered. And to what uſe ſuch a work will ſerve I am unable to conjecture, except it be to ſatisfie the Writers Conſcience, and ſet right the thoughts of them that deſire what they cannot obtain; And whether God will ever raiſe up a Generation, that wearied with Diviſions and the direful effects, and forced by ſome Prince of Piety or Intereſt, to conſent to a healing Peace and Concord, God knoweth and not I.
§ 2. But I will once more venture to repeat a Moral Prognoſtication, That I think it (ex cauſis) exceeding probable that either England will have Popery ſetled in Power by a French Conqueſt in the French Faſhion, by the compliance of thoſe of the Engliſh Clergy who are for a Foreign Church Juriſdiction: Or elſe God will conſtrain the preſent Governours by the ſenſe of their own intereſt if not of the intereſt of Religion and the common good, to open the publick Church Doors to that Concord which they have been lockt againſt by the Act of uniformity and ſuch like above thirty years, and the unplacable Enemies of Peace will caſt down themſelves.
For I am paſt doubt of what my dear friend Judge Hale ſaid to me, that [It muſt be a new Act of Uniformity that muſt heal this Church.]
§ 3. And ſhould we treat of ſuch a ſubject as Concord and Toleration, with whom ſhould it be? If it be not with fit perſons, we have found that it will be in vain and worſe. It's God that muſt make peace between the Wolf or Lion, and the Lamb, and not ſuch as I.
§ 4. 1. If we treat with Proud Men, they will have no Concord but by mens granting their unjuſt demands, and ſubmitting to their Wills, whatever God and Reaſon ſay againſt it. And they muſt be in Rule and the moſt Worthy and Innocent be at their mercy.
§ 5. 2. If we treat with Worldlings and Self-ſeeking men, their Worldly intereſt muſt be the meaſure of Concord: And how various, mutable and unrighteous is that like to be?
§ 6. 3. If we treat with malignants their terms of peace, will be directly or indirectly the ſuppreſſion of ſerious Godlineſs.
§ 7. 4. If we treat with Factious Schiſmaticks, Hereticks or Papiſts, their terms will be only that which furthereth and ſtrengthneth their ſects.
§ 8. 5. If we treat with Fools, they will not underſtand the caſe nor the reaſon that is urged: They will not diſtinguiſh of Places, Times, Perſons, Cauſes, the Sence of Words, but rage and be confident in confuſion.
§ 9. 6. If we deal with Timorous Cowardly Hypocrites, or low and ſelf-ſaving Spirits, they will but be Nicodemites, and not venture on danger or difficulty, but ſtay till they ſee which way will be ſtrongeſt and moſt for their advantage: Or till Governors drive them on. And then it's well if they do but conſent.
§ 10. 7. Shall we then leave all to the ſober godly peaceable men? It may that way do ſome perſonal and private good, but I fear they will be ſo low as to be contemned and ſo few that in the Crowd and Noiſe of rage, they will not be heard, nor regarded, unleſs as little Zaccheus, they get up into a Tree by the help of ſome extraordinary Superior: So that there is ſo little hope of the ſucceſs of any ſuch attempt, and I have written ſo much of it long ago, almoſt in vain, that I will ſay now but this little following.
§ 11. 1. The Terms of Toleration muſt differ according to the different Caſe of the Superiors and Impoſers.
2. And according to different Cauſes of Diſſenters.
3. And according to their different Capacities and Relations.
4. And according to their different temper and behaviour in managing their cauſe.
5. And as Rulers are able or unable to ſuppreſs them without more hurt than good.
§ 12. I. If Superiors have made Diſſenters by ſinful Laws, the Peace muſt be more than a Toleration, by changing thoſe Laws. Shall the Throne of Iniquity have Fellowſhip with God, when they frame Miſchief by a Law?
§ 13. II. A Diſſenter that oppoſeth the Eſſentials of Religion, or teacheth Damnable or Treaſonable Doctrines, muſt be differenced from thoſe that only refuſe to be Perjured, or Lie, and make a ſinful Covenant and Promiſe, or Profeſſion, or that ſcruple ſome ſmall unneceſſary thing which to them ſeemeth ſin againſt Gods Laws.
§ 14. III. A poor weak woman or unlearned man, muſt not be impoſed on and dealt with on the ſame terms as a man of wit and learning: Nor the Laity as the Clergy.
§ 15. IV. Thoſe of a meek and quiet Spirit may be more ſuffered than turbulent unpeaceable men, though it be in the ſame material points that they diſſent. Therefore much muſt be left to the Will of the Rulers, who can difference between Man and Man when the Law cannot.
§ 16. V. In a Country where the Preaching of faulty men (though elſewhere uſeful) is unneceſſary by reaſon of a full number of better (if ſuch a Land there were) the ſilencing of ſuch men is more allowable than elſewhere. And even Hereſie and many faults may have impunity, though not a juſtifying toleration, in a time and place where puniſhment and ſuppreſſion cannot be uſed without apparent doing more hurt than good. Rulers are not bound to do what they cannot do. And they cannot do that which they muſt not do, becauſe it will do more hurt than good.
§ 17. VI. In a Country where the publick Miniſtry and Churches are ſo depraved that the Intereſt of the Church and Religion lieth more in ſaving People from them than in Uniting with them, there the Tolerated muſt be moſt countenanced and ſtrengthen'd; But in a Country or Age where the Intereſt of Religion lyeth moſt in the publick Churches, and the Diſſenters are a weak miſtaken ſort of ſcrupulous honeſt People, there the Tolerated Churches ſhould be like ſo many Hopitals where weak People are cheriſhed; but it's not deſireable that it be the common caſe of all the City or Country.
§ 18. Obj. But ſuch Toleration will multiply Separatiſts, and weaken the Church: They will be ſtill reproaching it.
Anſ. Perſecution will not make them of your mind, but do more miſchief, and you will not know where to ſtop, till Cruelty have made you odious to Humanity. And it will not make them fear you more than God: And if it did, that's but a ſad Converſion.
2. Your excelling them in Piety, and worth and works, will do more than ſ…o… to ſilence Reproachers.
3. If the ſober Godly Conformiſts and Diſſenting Miniſters were once united, then ſober underſtanding Laity would follow them; and ſo ſtrengthen them, that the Tolerated, though pious and zealous in their way, would divindle away in a little time as full experience hath proved in this Land. It would not be the Many that would chuſe a Life of unmaintained poverty, and cenſure: Their worth, labour, reputation, … the Magiſtrates countenance would make the united ſo ſtrong, that the reſt (though loved and tolerated) would wither away.
§ 19. Obj. But long experience telleth us that ſuch a work is impoſſible.
Anſ. It only telleth us that it is unlikely: Becauſe, Pride, Worldlineſs, Malignity, Selfiſhneſs and Madceſs have got ſo large poſſeſſion on Earth; and forſaking God's Government hath given Satan power over ſo much of Mankind. But God can caſt out Satan, and interpoſe days with nights, and Summers with Winters, and turn Bedia as into ſober Societies: It is but bringing men to their wits, as the Prodigal was. To give ſo great a number of Great men, Clergy men, Students, and debauched ignorant perſons, true Grace as the healing of National Churches, as in moſt of the Chriſtian World are, now the mortal Enemies of Peace (while they cry it up.) This I confeſs is ſo unlikely, as ſcarce to be hoped for: But God can force them by their own Argument: He can make them know that they muſt give Peace to their Friends that in vain have long begg'd it, or ſuffer from their Enemies worſe than they have done to their innocent Brethren. If we will not open the Church doors to Unity, that have long been ſhut againſt it, God hath Keys that can open and no man ſhut them. Even Heathen Rulers oft ſaved the Apoſtles and Primitive Chriſtians from the zealous cruel blinded Jews, and Gallio drave them from the Judgment Seat. Chriſtian Jews were ſaved, when Veſpatian, Titus, Trajan, and Adrian deſtroyed about three miſſions of the Infidels. And if our Frenchified Foreign-Juriſdiction-men, ſhould think to eſcape and proſper by a bargain of Coalition, they may be miſtaken, or ſpeed worſe than if they ſuffered.
But I hope God will rather convince a prevailing part that All that they have got theſe thirty years (or thrice thirty) by their way of ſilencing, ruinating, reproach and violence, hath not been a due compenſation, for all that they have done by it, againſt Miniſters, People, Rulers, and themſelves, and the Unity, Love, Strength and Safety of the Land: And that if they will hear none at home, God will ſo feelingly Preach to them from abroad, as to tell them, that if Love and Peace with Brethren ſounder than they, at home ſeem hateful to them, yet worſe it worſe, and great Foreign Enemies are more terrible. They that can bear Reboboam's Yoke, may under Pharaoh's beforced to ſad cryes. Thunder awakeneth when ſoft talk will not. It's a thundering voice that can be heard over Sea and Land. Cannons are as loud as Thunder, or may be heard as far.
§ 20. But what is the difficulty in the way to Concord? Had thoſe that could eaſily do it, but opened the Church doors at firſt but to the liberty of Preaching a Lecture when the Incumbent conſented; much more had they made a new healing Act of Uniformity, which ſhould have eaſed Conſcience of the fears of deliberate Perjury, Lying and Profaning holy things, and had the Conforming by petitioning Rulers, ſhewed that this was their deſire, what would have rendered it impoſſible?
But forma non recipitur in materiam indiſpoſitam: It's in vain to talk of healing to yet ancapable men.
FINIS.
End of the text · Richard Baxter, Of National Churches (1691)