Penitent Confession and Vindication in Answer to a Book, Preface
THE PREFACE TO Mr. Cantianus D Minimis Salutem.
SIR,
§ 1. I unfeignedly thank you for your Invitation to Repentance. O pray for me that neither Ignorance, nor Prepoſſeſſion and Prejudice, keep me in Impenitency, ſo near my Death▪ I daily wait for my laſt day on Earth, and it is dreadful to die in the guilt of Impenitence: But who knoweth all his ſecret faults? I hope God will accept my willingneſs to know them, and openly to confeſs them what Party or Perſon ſoever be diſpleaſed with it.
Upon your Letter I began to practiſe it, and finding the Book which you refer me to, begin with my Childhood and Youth in his Accuſations, I thought my Anſwer muſt follow him, and begin there alſo. But ſhewing it to a Friend more prudent than my ſelf, he diſliked it, that I ſhould tell the World of my Childiſh ſins, when it is Schiſm and Rebellion that are my Charge by the Accuſer. And I have oft heard, bis pueri ſenes, as if ſuch paſſages were the effects of aged weakneſs, which better remembereth the paſſages of Youth, than of later years. I ſuſpect that this is true: And yet a dying Man is afraid of ſuch prudence as would ſtifle penitent Confeſſion, when I am ſo loudly called to it by you and the Accuſer: I will therefore ſatisfie Him, and You, and ſuch other, and my Conſcience, though I bear the deriſion of prudent diſlikers: It wrongeth no Man; and to be accounted weak and ſimple I can eaſily bear.
§ 2. But I doubt it is confeſſing too little and not too much that you will blame me for: And I cannot remedy that neither. Your Liturgy denieth Chriſtian Burial, to all that kill themſelves; and it is no Virtue to belie our ſelves, I am ſure it is ſin to belie a Neighbour, whom I muſt love but as my ſelf: Yea or not (ſeaſonably) to vindicate his Reputation againſt malignant Slanderers. I have many years left the Book unanſwered, to which you refer me for the Confeſſion of my ſins, though many told me, it was my Duty to anſwer it. It is you now that have call'd me to it. Would you have me confeſs all that he falſly accuſeth me of? Then you would make your ſelf guilty of all his Lies, by preſuming that they are true, and judging before you ever heard the defence of the accuſed: You write too honeſtly to allow me to judge ſo hardly of you.
But truely I durſt not put by your Call to my neceſſary defence. The chief reaſon is, that as you doubt whether my Books will do more good or hurt, and your Author thinks it would be good that They were all burnt, and the Papiſts are of the ſame mind; ſo I am fully perſwaded is the Devil: And till he can get the Conquering Papiſts or Tories to do it, he will Endeavour to make them as uſeleſs as if they were burnt, by rendering them odious for their own faults and for mine. And you tell me that my Enemies will not read them. Now till my Opinion of them be the ſame with theirs, you cannot expect that I that have ſpent ſo great a part of above Seventy five years in writing above an hundred and twenty Books, ſhould be content to loſe my Labour and End, and that all Men loſe the benefit of them, rather than I ſhall confute a moſt impudent Liar. If you ſay, I over-value them, why do you ſpeak the overvaluing of many of them. That is good that doth Good: About Twelve of them are Tranſlated into the German Tongue; and the Lutherans ſay They have done good. Some are Tranſlated into French: One into the Language of the New-England Americans by Mr. Eliots. Multitudes ſay, they have been the means of their Converſion, and more of their Information, Confirmation and Conſolation. And the Chief benefit that I expect by them to the World is when I am dead and gone. And can you expect that after ſo much labour for the Church and Souls, I ſhould ſo far deſpiſe both it and them, as not to think all worthy of a juſt defence?
§ 3. But you think that the way of Confeſſing his Accuſations will better do it, and will make Men write on the Doors, a Domine Miſerere for my Soul. But have you known me better than I have known my ſelf? Or did he know me better, who I ſuppoſe never ſpake with me, but hath lived two hundred (and lately and hundred) Miles from me? Or is there no way to win the love of your Party, but by my known confeſſing ſuch a multitude of ſhameleſs Lies, as an Iriſh Tory or a Pagan would abhor? I think it enough that I have, to ſatiſfie my Conſcience and ſuch as you, expoſed my ſelf to the Cenſure of imprudent weakneſs by my Confeſſions.
§ 4. But as to my Account of my Opinion about the Wars, I muſt intreat you to take it as it is given you: Not as a peremptory juſtification of all that I did, but as the reaſons which yet I ſee not anſwered, deſiring that where I erre God will better inform me; that I may neither, condemn the juſt, nor juſtifie any ſin.
§ 5. But beſides your Authors Accuſations, you have added two heinous ones of your own. 1. That before ſome Book of anothers, ſpeaking of Order among Devils I clapt in that Expreſſion, By what Names or Titles ſoever Dignified or Diſtinguiſhed: And you did not think Hell could have done the like; becauſe it is a common Pulpit Expreſſion.]
I fear that you are over-tender of your Parties honour, to ſome degree of melancholy ſuſpiciouſneſs, that could find ſo much of Hell in thoſe words. I think I have not heard thoſe words in the Pulpit thrice (to my remembrance) in forty years.
Our Preachers that I have heard, mention only Archbiſhops, Biſhops, and the Inferiour Clergy. I hope you pray for more than England: But what Obligation you have to pray for the Three Patriarchs of Antioch, the Two Patriarchs of Alexandria, or him of Conſtantinople, or the Catholick of Armenia, or the Abuna of Abaſſia, or him of Moſcovy, or the Pope, or the Cardinals, Prieſts and Deacons, or the Archbiſhop of Rhemes quâ tales, as ſo Dignified and Diſtinguiſhed, I know not. Is not a General Prayer for them enough?
Did Paul ſpeak the Language of Hell, in calling Devils Principalities and Powers, and Spiritual Wickedneſs in High Places; no nor in calling Satan The God of this World? And is any Name more tenderly to be uſed than Gods? Is it a wrong to Princes that Beelzebub is called The Prince of the Devils, and the Prince that Ruleth in the Air? Doth Scripture uſe Helliſh Language, in calling wicked Rulers GODS? But I gave you not the leaſt cauſe to think that I meant that Devils were Biſhops, or Biſhops Devils: I I ſpake not of Biſhops: And do you not know that Devils are dignified and diſtinguiſhed in ſuperiority by Names and Titles? Why did you not name the Book which I prefaced, that I might examine it? Do you think that I can remember all that I have written before mens Books? Seneca ſaith truly, that he that hath a Sore or Ulcer, thinks that you hurt him when you touch him not, if he do but think you touch him. However, Dignities, Dominions, and Titles, being words of Political common uſe, if when we talk of ſpiritual, heavenly or helliſh Policy, we muſt not uſe the ſame terms as of Humane Policy, we muſt deviſe new Languages and Lexicons, and correct the Bible.
Your ſecond Accuſation of me being my writings againſt the Biſhops and Church of England, I muſt ſuppoſe you mean truly, not Biſhops as Biſhops, nor the true Church of England as ſuch, or as heretofore: But thoſe Changers that ſince Laud have called themſelves the Church. If you ſpeak truth this is your meaning.
§ 6. And I cannot but think that as your honeſt and kind admonition obligeth me to be truly thankful to you, and to renew the tryal of my ways; ſo I am obliged by the ſame principle of Love and Fidelity, humbly to intreat you, to conſider (if poſſible) without partiality, 1. How you can anſwer the owning of ſuch a Volume of a Lying Slanderers Accuſations, before you hear the defence of the Accuſed. 2. But much more, how you can ſo far countenance the heinous ſins of thoſe that you call the Church, as not at all to blame them, and to take it for ſo great a crime to name them, and call men to repentance for them? Can you find ſo much of Hell, in the mention of the Dignities and Diſtinctions of Devils, and yet ſee nothing but blameleſneſs, in the ſilencings of about Two thouſand ſuch Miniſters, ſeizing on the goods, and books, and beds of ſo many as were ſo uſed; laying many ſo long in common `fails with Rogues; even divers to their death; ruining ſo many hundred godly Families; ſhutting the Church doors againſt ſo many Scholars that were educated and devoted to the Miniſtry; cauſing and continuing the woful diviſions of the Land, to the great weakning of the Church, and hinderances of Piety and Love, and the great advantage of Popery and Forrein Enemies? O how much more of ſuch work have ſome to anſwer for?
Is Repentance for feeling and bewailing all this, ſo great a duty, as you ſuppoſe? and is committing it and preaching it up, a virtue not to be repented of? Doth God require us to mourn and cry for the common evils, if we will eſcape our ſelves? Ezek. 9. 4. and to mourn for the reproach of the ſolemn Aſſembly, as a burden? Zeph. 3. 17. and is it now a heinous crime? Hath Satan got ſo much right to his poſſeſſion, that if he uſe but the name of the Church for it, they muſt repent as of helliſh evil, that ſo much as blame it, and call men to Repentance? O how hard is it to be impartial?
§ 7. And when you look back on the Wars, why do you not call them to Repentance (if living) who drew the King from his Parliament to defend Delinquents by an Army from the due courſe of Legal Juſtice, and to be ruled by ſuch men of guilt before and againſt his Supream Council?
§ 8. I received once a Letter almoſt like yours from Serenus Creſſy; if you were of his Religion, I ſhould leſs wonder at your partiality for the Church, and its crimes, than at the like in a Proteſtant. O how little would it have coſt your Church-men in 1660 and 1661, to have prevented the calamitous and dangerous Diviſions of this Land, and our common dangers thereby, and the hurt that many hundred thouſand Souls have received by it? And how little would it coſt them yet to prevent the Continuance of it?
§ 9. But I that here obey your Call to Repentance, am paſt doubt that by the true and juſt defence which you have forced or called me to, I ſhall ſeem to the Guilty, and to men of your tenderneſs and partiality, to add yet much more to my offence. For you have referred me to an Accuſer of ſuch a temper, ſtile and guilt, as can bear no true Anſwer adapted to the matter, but what will ſeem uncivil and too ſharp. It was ill Counſel that was given to one that askt, How he ſhould have the better of any Adverſary that blamed him; viz. Speak and do things that are moſt odious, as Perjury, Lying, Perſecution, &c. and cover them with ſacred Pretences, and then all that accuſe thee will be taken for uncharitable Railers.] If we will defend our ſelves againſt Slanderers and impudent Lyars, and Churchconfounders, and oppreſſing Perſecutors, we muſt find ſome other than the common names, for ſuch mens ſins, yea names that are not diſgraceful, and provoke them not to Repentance, eſpecially if they are liſted in an Army of Cruſado's, where thoſe by the Honour and Power of their Company, take themſelves as fortified, that would be afraid were they aſſaulted in their ſingular ſtate. Every Delinquent thinks all his Crimes are ſecured and garriſoned by the Honour of the Army or Body that he is Liſted in. They can bear it if we call a common Lay Drunkard, or Whoremonger by his Name; yea if one call a Godly Man an Hypocrite, or a Peace-maker a Schiſmatick. But he is a Railer that calleth a Clergy Liar, or Perſecutor, or Schiſmatick, or a Betrayer of Souls by his proper Name. They know not how to Preach, without calling other Men to Repentance, but to motion themſelves to Repent of Sins that deſtroy Souls, confound Churches, and endanger the Land, is to enrage them by diſhonouring them, and deſerveth the bittereſt Reproaches, and Revenge.
§ 10. I think your Author hath greatly wronged Dr. Stillingfleet now Lord Biſhop of Worceſter, by pretending as his Second to be the Vindicater of his Cauſe; for he hath thereby occaſioned a common conceit, that Dr. Stillingfleet in revenge for my Defence againſt his Accuſations of Schiſm, did inſtigate (Mr. Morice and) this (ſuppoſed) Mr. Long to do that which he was loth to own himſelf; But I take my ſelf bound to believe that this report is falſe, while there is no proof of it (no not in his Dialogue with the Army Chaplain,) and while his Irenicon, his Origines Sacrae, his Treatiſe of Satisfaction, &c. his Church Hiſtory, and other Writings deſerve ſo well, and his known parts and worth are an honour to the Church: Charity believeth not unproved evil. Far be it from me to think that he approveth of this Mans Lies, (no nor of Mr. Morice's miſtakes, yet undefended ſince my Reply, though it was (by one) ſaid that Book deſerved a Biſhoprick). He hath truly ſaid in a late Sermon, May 1. Page 9. The Government of Paſſions is Tyrannical and Boiſterous, uncertain and troubleſom, never free from doing miſchief to it ſelf or others: The greateſt pleaſure of Paſſion is Revenge; and yet that is ſo unnatural, ſo full of anxiety and fear of the Conſequents of it; that he that can ſubdue this unruly Paſſion hath more real pleaſure and ſatisfaction in his mind, than he who ſeeks to gratifie it moſt. And Page 5. If it be intended for an affront though never ſo little, the brisker Mens Spirits are, and the higher Opinion they have of themſelves, ſo much deeper impreſſion is preſently made on the mind, and that inflameth the Heart, and puts the Blood and Spirits in motion in order to the returning the affront to him that gave it.
§ 11. To conclude, I deſire thoſe that have cenſured me for leaving ſuch a Book as the Accuſers ſo many years unanſwered, to accept of ſuch reaſons as theſe of the Drs. for my excuſe: And thoſe that are glad that I have anſwered it at laſt, to thank Mr. Cantianus and not me; and thoſe that are offended that I anſwer it now, and in words ſuitable to it, to fear leſt they make his ſin their own, and to conſider that Truth of Words lyeth in their agreement to the Matter and the Speakers Mind, and that wilful diſagreement to the Matter, is a degree of Falſhood or Deceit. And them that blame me for confeſſing my youthful and private ſins, I deſire to allow me the excuſe that they allow to a greater Man, St. Auguſtine, who gave me his Example of the like, and more: And to imitate whom you here invite me.
And I hereby according to your deſire earneſtly intreat the Reverend Clergy Men who judge of my faults as you do, that in Charity they will help to convince me of them (but not as Biſhop Morley, and the Author of the Miſchiefs have done by multiplied untruths in matter of fact.) But it muſt be ſpeedily, or death will make it come too late.
§ 12. And as to Retractations, I have here and oft already ſearch'd after and Retracted all that I can find amiſs in my Writings as to the MATTER or Doctrine: But as for the MANNER I dare not wholly juſtifie any one leaf that ever I wrote; nor undertake to correct all that is amiſs: I never did any thing that might not have been better done: Sometime there is diſorder: And ſometime Omiſſions, and oft uncomely Repetitions, and always too much dulneſs and frigidity about high and holy things: And about leſſer and perſonal matters, I am conſcious that I am oft too ſharp and provoking: But about the heinous ſins of Church Corrupters, Confounders, Dividers, Silencers, Perſecutors and Betrayers to a Forreign Juriſdiction, I fear leſt I have ſaid too little, though the guilty hate me for ſaying ſo much.
Of my Sins known and unknown I daily and earneſtly beg pardon of God, by the Sacrifice, Merits and Interceſſion of my Saviour. God be merciful to me a Sinner.