Baxters Narrative of His Life and Times, Appendix · Section 7
Numb. VIII. The general defence of my Accused Writings, called Seditious and Schismatical.
1. MAtter of Right cannot be determined without foreknowing the following Matter of Fact.
I. There is an Enmity and War, through all the Earth, between Christ and Satan: Christ and his Soldiers strive for Light, Love and Mercy or Beneficence. Satan fighteth for Darkness against Light, and for Harred against Love, and for Hurting and Destroying against Mercy and Good Works. All Christians in Baptism are Vowed and Listed in this Warfare to Christ against Satan: All Ministers are vowed in their Ordination to be Leaders in Christ's Army, and to preach the Gospel according to the Holy Scriptures. In all Ages and Nations Satan hath wofully prevailed against this Light, Love and Mercy, by hindering Preachers, partly by Persecution, and mostly by Corrupting them. Till Christ came as the Light of the World, the Darkness of Ignorance and Idolatry overspread the Earth. Three hundred years all Princes were against the Gospel: when Constantine owned it, the rest of the Empires of the World long resisted; and to this day, all that receive it are but a sixth part of the World. And in the Christian Empire and Churches, the erroneous and corrupt Princes and Bishops took up Satan's Silenceing Work: Constantius and Valens and the Arrian Bishops almost extinguished the Orthodox Light: The Gothes did the like. The Macedonians, N…storians, Eutychians, and the Parties for and against the Council of Ephesus, of …, the …ria Capitula, the Mon…thelites, the Adoration and Use of …mages, and the Councils for and against Photius and Ignatius, &c. left but few Bishops of Note in the Eastern Empire that were not by turns Condemned and Deposed by the contrary side when it was upper most. The Pope himself was an hundred years at once, renounced by a great part of Italy.
II. But the corrupt sort of Popes out did all others: They Silenced the Christians that reproved their Crimes, and murdered (say Historians) above a Million, calling them Hereticks. Hunnericus and the Gothish Arrians had before kill'd many, and cut the Tongues of some that after spake by miracle: but the Pope made more general Desolation. In the Wars between many Emperours and Popes, Bishops that were for the Emperours were damned as Henrician Hereticks, and decreed by Councils to be burnt when dead. General Councils decreed to Excommunicate and Depose all Temporal Lords that would not Exterminate as Hereticks, all that were against Transubstantiation, and such like. Divers Popes did so notoriously do Satan's Work, that they interdicted the Preaching of the Gospel, and all Publick Worship of God, to England, France, and other whole Nations, for a Quarrel with the King. Robert Grosthead, the holy Bishop of Lincoln, wrote to Innocent the Fourth, That the hindering of the preaching of the Gospel was next the Sin of Lucifer and Antichrist, the greatest in the World, and not to be obeyed by any Christian, whoever commanded it. As Reforming Light arose, Papal Silenceing and Cruelty increased, till Inquisitions, Flames, Massacres, in Spain, Low-Countries, Bohemia, Germany, France, Ireland, and England, had made those Mu… ders and Devastations, which no true Christian dare own.
III. At this day, the Light of clear found Doctrine is obscured, and such Preaching silenced or ceased in most of the Christian Churches on Earth: Besides the bloody Persecutions which met those honest Jesuits and Fryars that preached in Congo, Iapan, China, and other Heathen Lands: In Abassia, Egypt, Syria, Assyria, Armenia, there is very little Preaching at all; yea, want of Printing keepeth them without the holy Scripture, which is rare and in few hands. Turkish Oppression hath so debased the Greek Church, that sound Preaching is rare among them. In all the Empire of Muscovy Preaching is long ago put down, lest Men should preach Sedition. Among most Papists and Protestants beyond Sea, it is turned too much into Invectives against one another. This is the Success of Satan's War.
IV. Being vowed do…bly to Christ (in my Baptism and Ordination) I had been a … Traytor against him, … I had not hated this Sin, and done my part in my place against it. There is no Age or Land so good, where Christ and …, Light and Darkness have not this War: and Secular Interests or Quarrels are made Satan's Advantages, who pretendeth to great Power in Disposing of the Riches and Honours of the World. This War ended not in England with Queen Mary's Regin. The unhappy Differences of Frankford came over with the Exiles: One Pa…ty running into Extreams against Episcopacy and the Liturgy, and the other forbidding not only them, but all Ordained Ministers, to preach or expound any Doctrine or Matter in the Church or elsewhere, without further Licence. I lived to see so much of the Effects of these Differences as grieved my Soul: Excellent Preachers, and of Holy Lives, mistakingly censorious against some lawful Things, and Silenced for it; some flying to America, and some absconding here. I saw the diseased Passions and Divisions thus caused; and how much it extinguished Christian Love: At last we all saw it break out into the Flames of an odious War. And even the Usurpers, that by Silencers pretended their Provocation, fell into the Crime which they Accused; and cast out many Learned Bishops, Doctors and Preachers, for refusing their Covenant, and their Engagement, and their Way of Worship, and for being against their War. Thus Satan's Silencing work went on.
When Experience and Smart brought most Men to their Wits, and they had found that a divided Kingdom cannot stand, and that returning to Love and Unity must be our Recovery; I laboured with Ministers of each side with all my power for Agreement, on such Terms as we were then capable of: and that was to joyn in the amicable practice of all that they were agreed in, and to bear with one another in the rest (which were no necessary things): On these Terms Worc…stersh…re and seven or eight other Coun…i…s quickly agreed: Ireland profest consent: More were closing: But the Divisions of the Usurpers, and the begun Reconciliation of the Peace-makers (or Pretenders) presently restored the King.
Men were then variously affected, between hope of Unity and fear of Discord, and of the old Silencing dividing Work. That we had one lawful King to Unite in who promised his help hereunto, and declared his Judgment for necessary Indulgence, and that Lords and Knights printed their professed Renunciation of Revenge, and Doctors professed Moderation, did greatly raise Mens hopes that there would be no more such Divisions, as should Silence faithful Ministers. But they that knew how hardly Love and Moderation are restored, after the Exasperations o… so odious a War, and how few conquer Worldly Interest and old Opinions, and do as they would be done by, feared that still the Silencing Work would be carried on. I was certain that good Men would not be united by coming all over to the Opinions of each other: which Party soever was in the right in all the Points called Indifferent by some, and Sinful by others, I knew the Difference would continue: And it doth so. I knew that those that were most obedient to God, would not do that which they judged he forbad them. I knew that if for this they were forbidden to Worship God in Church-Worship, they would not forbear, till Suffering disabled them. I knew that there were so many such, and the Suffering that disabled them must be so great, that the Land thereby must needs be divided into the Afflicting and Afflicted Parties: And the more conscionable the more constant would they be: It were well if most understood all things necessary: But that all should understand all indifferent things (that might be commanded) to be indifferent, I knew would never be, if all the Land were Doctors. It was easie to know what Exasperations of Mind all this would cause, and what a Conque… Satan would make here, against Light, Love and Mercy, that is against Christ.
In the deep Sense of this Danger I set my self to try, whether Terms of Possibl… C…cord might be obtained: The London Ministers joyned: The King greatly encouraged us; First by his Declaration at Breda, and that against Debauchery. Next by Personal Engaging us in a Treaty with the Bishops, and his Promise that he would draw them to meet us, if we would come as near them as we could. Then by his gracious Declaration, and the Testimony there given of our Loyalty and Moderation. Then by his Commission to treat for Alterations of the Liturgy; … the Bishops denied the Need of any Alterations, and dasht all our Hopes: And … and Parliament cast by the King's Indulgence; and issued all in … Uniformity.
I was the more earnest to have prevented this, because I knew not but that most of the whole Ministry of the Kingdom might have been Silenced in one day: I knew what was said against much that is imposed: And I knew that near Ten thousand Ministers had Conformed to what the Parliament had imposed, and most taken the Covenant, and used the Directory and not the Common Prayer. And how knew I that only Two thousand would stick at the New Impositions, and Seven thousand obey them (and Assent and Consent to the New Book which they (mostly) never saw, it coming not out of the Press till too late).
V. While I was engaged in this Treaty by the King, the Bishops denied all further Debates with us, till we had given them in Writing all the Faults that we found in the Liturgy, and all that we desired in stead, or as Additions: So that we did by Authority and Demand, write and deliver (as our Proposal before, so) our Desires and Reasons of the mentioned Alterations, and a long and humble Petition to prevent the foreseen Breach, and our Reformed Liturgy, and Reply to their contrary Reasons: which some Scribes for gain after printed; I knew not who, with abundance of Errata.
VI. After this 1663. the King revived our hope in part by a Declaration of his Judgment and Purpose for our Leave to Preach and Worship God.
VII. In this Case I continued Silent as to any further Suit or Plea, keeping constantly in the Communion of the Parish Churches where I lived, till in 1668. I was imprisoned for Teaching a few ignorant Neighbours, whom thereby I drew with me into the Church, and was delivered by righteous Judges.
VIII. The Lord Keeper Bridgman near that time, called some of us as by the King's pleasure, to Receive and Treat of some Proposals offered for Comprehension and Indulgence; and appointed Bishop Wilkins and Dr. Burton, to Treat with Dr. Manton, and Dr. Bates and me, which required that we opened to them our Case. We came to a full Agreement, which Judge Hale, then Lord Chief Baron, g…eatly approving it, drew up in an Act to be offered the Commons; who Voted to receive no such Act: and defeated the King's Offer and our Hopes.
IX. In 1672. the King again declared not only his Judgment, but Resolution for our Leave to Preach, and gave us actually Licenses: But many Church-men opposed it, and called it Schism, and disswaded us from using our granted Liberty, and said we were bringing in Popery by it: And the Parliament was against it, and caused the King to reverse his Licenses. And in this time I wrote my Books against our Silencing in Defence of the Liberty granted by the King, though they were after printed.
X. After this, Bishop Gunning of Ely urged me to declare the Reasons of our Nonconformity; and said, He would Petition the King to force us to it, that we might be Answered, and not keep up a Schism, and not tell for what. I told him, I would beg leave to do it on my knees, but durst not, lest they that called for it could not bear it.
XI. And the Right Reverend Bishop of London urged me to the same; and said, That the King took us as not Sincere, because we so long forbore Conforming, and declared not our Reasons. To whom I gave the same Answer.
XII. The Earl of Orery told me Bishop Morley proposed some Terms for Concord to keep out Popery, and urged me to draw up for the said Bishop what we must have granted: which I did, and had the Bishops frustrating Answer.
XIII. Another time Dean Tillotson and Dr. Stillingfleet moved us to a Treaty for Concord, as encouraged by Bishop Morley and others: And we gave them all our Desires in terminis; which they seem'd to consent to, if the Bishop had not rejectect it.
XIV. After this I wrote a Book of the True way of Universal Concord, and directed it to to Bishop Morley and Bishop Gunning, as the Men that I meant that had frustrated our hopes. On which Bishop Gunning sent Dr. Crowther to invi…e me to a Conference; and our… Debate three days was, Which is the true way of Universal Concord? which he maintained to be by Obedience to the Legislative and Iudicial Governing of the College of Pastors. I drew up the Sum in three Letters to him, maintaining Universal Communion, but denying all Forreign Iurisdiction, and the possibility of one Humane Soveraignt…, Monarchical or Arist…cratical, over all Kings and Churches, and all the World.
XV. After and under all this Discourse, Pulpits and Press, by Men not to be despised, openly accused us as Contr…ving and Designing a Rebellion, by continuing Nonconformists when we had nothing to say for it. So that now our Silence past almost into a seeming Confession of an intended Rebellion.
Now I appeal to Reason and Conscience, to Christianity and Humanity, Whether all these Calls of Kings and Bishops, Friends and Accusers, justifie not a Serious Account of our Case, after Fourteen or Seventeen Years accused Silence.
XVI. Yet after all this I durst not, I did not write either any Iustification of our Scruples, or any Reasons to prove the Imposit…ns sinful (save that I gave the Reasons for our not ceasing to preach, and against a spurious sort of Diocesanes of some Inn…vato…s Description) But only ba…ely named de facto, what it was that we feared as sin, protesting over and over not to accuse the Law or the Conformists.
XVII. And that which on all these Provocations I have done in many Books, is but these two things:
1. To beg for Concord, and prove, and it never was nor will be had, by forcing all to profess consent to numerous, dubious, unnecessary Things, but only on Terms few, plain, and necessary, in which all sound Christians are agreed.
2. To beg for mercy (not so much to many hundred suffering Ministers, and many Thousand dissenting godly Christians (such as no Nation under Heaven, out of his Majesty's Dominion, hath better that I can hear of), but specially for many score thousand needy, ignorant, untaught Souls: For I wrote with respect, 1. To the Case of the wh…le Land, before I knew that Seven thousand of the former Incumbents would stay in. 2. To the Case of London in the dreadful Plague, when infected Men cried for help, and had no Teachers, the Pastors being fled, and the Nonconfor…sts prohibited: And about a dozen that ventured (and as Grosthead spake, ob…ently disobeyed) saw wondrous Success of their Labours in the Penitence of the …ghted humbled Crowds. 3. To the Case of the Fire that the next year burnt City and Churches, and many years but few Capacious Tabernacles were built, so that Publick Worship mostly ceased: And hundred Thousands of undone Persons should then have had special Comfort and Counsel: But the Nonconformists were forbidden still. 4. I had special respect to the Case of Great Parishes, such as Martins, Giles, Stepney, and many more, where Ten, Twenty, Forty thousand persons have no room in their Parish Churches, and Mahometans use some Publick Worship). And what shall all these Persons do? who by Custom excused by Necessity, grow to live willingly like Atheists. In my Poverty I built a Tabernacle in Martins Parish, and though I have the Bishops License to preach in London Diocess, I could not be suffered to use it, though I would have had the Liturgy there used: And I thankfully and gladly accepted of Dr. Lloyd's Consent to take it for the Parish use. 5. I never beg'd leave for any to preach, but loyal, sound, peaceable Men; and that only where there was plain Necessity, and for nothing of Salary, and only under Government and Laws of Peace. And I thank God that all the Passions, Provocations, Temptations and Trials that have risen, have drawn to Plots, or Rebellion, or Disloyalty, no one Person that I can hear of, of all those that I was acquainted with, and for whom I then beg'd for Liberty and Mercy. And most of them are gone out of a Malignant World, to their Everlasting Rest.
XVIII. The contrary minded, while they cried down Division as well as I, left us but these three impossible ways to cure them.
1. To make all Men and Women so much wiser than themselves, as to know all their Things called Lawful to be so indeed: (when we can get too few to understand their Catechism).
2. Or else to get all that fear God to obey Men in doing what they think God forbiddeth, and leaving undone what they think he commandeth.
3. Or else to punish those that will not do this, to utter Disablement, Extirpation, or Death. The two first ways I was sure would never prevail: And I knew that the third would cost so dear, as that no Ceremonies, Forms, or unnecessary Oaths or Covenants, would finally bear the Charges of it: The Blood of the faithful is of hard digestion, and Iudas his Conscience hath an awakening Day, when his Companions in Guilt will cast him off: And God essemeth such Blood precious: And when the Jobb is done by it, it leaveth an Everlasting Odium on the Doers, and Shame upon their Cause: And their own Successors disown it, and say, If we had lived in the days of our Fathers, we would not have been Partakers with them in this Blood: And they build their Sepulchres whom their Fathers slew, and Saint them that were despised (as Martin, &c.) And the Moderate must come after to heal all, by crying Shame on the Cruelty of their Predecessors, as Salvian, Clemangis, Erasmus, Espencaeus, Cassander, Grotius, and such others do; and say as Tertullian, Solitudinem faciunt & pacem vocant. But the final Reckoning will pay for all.
Some say, We and other Countries have lived in Peace on the Terms that you call impossible.
Answ. It's true, of some kind of Peace: So they do in Spain, Italy, Turky, Moscovy, &c. keep Men so ignorant, that they shall not know Duty from Sin, nor trouble their Heads about God's Law, and in Satan's Darkness you may keep Men in his Peace; and they will venture their Souls on the Opinion of them that can hurt their Bodies. But when Christ battereth this Garrison of Satan, he breaks this Peace. And I knew that in England many score Thousands would never return to this ignorant Peace.
XIX. As I was sure that there was no hopes of Peace, in any but the way of plain Christianity, so I found that all the wisest, and famoustest Lights of the Church, and greatest Peace-makers, had still been of the same mind. The Primitive Churches for Three hundred years did lay their Unity on this ground; and by Degrees Divisions grew up as needless Impositions grew. Nazianzen, Hillary, Vincentius Lerin, &c. and since Erasmus, Ferus, Cassender, Grotius, Acontius, Bergius, Iunius, Usher, Hall, Da…enant, Chillingworth, Hales, &c. go all this necessary way. And when my dearest Friend, the Lord Chief Justice Hale, was not far from death, I wrote to him to leave his Judgment in Writing to the World, of the true way to Heal our present Breaches: And he left for me to that use three small Tractates before written, which I published; shewing that all our Divisions and Calamities come, by making that to seem part of Religion which is none, and that to be necessary which is not so.
XX. But lest any racked words of mine should be interpreted to be for Sedition or Schism, these being the things that my Soul abhorreth, I wrote near Twenty Books almost wholly against Schism and Sedition, and all the Principles and Reasonings that favour them; on all Extreams: I was discouraged a while to find that the Stream of Philosophies, Politicks, Canonists, Casuists, Papists and Protestants, and the greatest Lawyers that I could meet with, agreed that the People are the Fountain of Civil Power, and give the Soveraign what he hath; and many such Notions: I feared to contradict such a stream as this. But being satisfied, I first confuted it in Harrington 1659. and then punctually in Richard Hooker (though dedicated by a Bishop to the King) and then in many others of all sorts. And for Church-Concord, no Man living hath written half so much as I. And now after all, I am singled out as accused for that which I have written near Twenty Books purposely against, and above an Hundred in which this Doctrine of Love, Unity and Subjection hath it due part.
XXI. The words which are misinterpreted as Seditious, by feigning me to mean worse than I speak, leave me and all Writers to the mercy of Mistakers, which are most that have ignorance and ill-will. I mean no more than I speak: If other Men say that my words signifie more, they thereby make them theirs, and not mine: God only is the Judge of secret Thoughts. Humane Converse hath made these Rules of Exposition: First, That words be taken in the usual sence of Men that Treat on the Subject that they handle, unless the Speaker otherwise expound them. Secondly, That the whole Scope and Context must expound particular words. Thirdly, That an odd strained word is not to be taken contrary to the Author's Declaration of his Judgment in many whole Copious Volumes; such as I have written against Disloyalty and Schism.
XXII. Almost all the most approved Writers speak far more sharply without Sedition. The words of Nazianzen, Eusebius, Chrysostom, Hillary, Salvian, and many Fathers: the words of Petrarch, Clemangis, Alvarus Pelagius, Erasmus, Iansenius, Glandav. Grotius, Iewel, Bilson, I am ready to cite, far more sharply speaking of the Sins of Civil and Church Rulers than ever I did: besides such as Gildas, Grosthead, &c.
XXIII. By such Accusers measures I am condemnable if I say but the Lord's Prayer, or the Common Prayer when I am commanded. They may say that I accuse the Church, when I say, that [we have left undone the things that we ought to have done, and done the things that we ought not to have done; and there is no health in us.] And that I mean Rulers, when I say [Deliver us from Evil] and [Forgive our Enemies, Persecutors, and Slanderers, and turn their Hearts] and [From our Enemies defend us, O Christ; Graciously look upon our Afflictions: That we thy Servants being hurt by no Persecution, may evermore &c. That God will defend us in all the Assaults of Our Enemies, That the Evils which the Craft or Subtilty of the Devil or Man worketh against us be brought to nought]. If at the Sacrament a Minister say, [If any be a hinderer of God's Word—Repent, or come not to this Holy Table, lest the Devil enter into you as he did into Iudas, and fill you full of all Iniquities, and bring you to Destruction of Body and Soul]. What Remedy have I, if any will say that I mean Rulers by these words as Silencers and Persecutors? Yea, or when I read all the dreadful Passages against Persecutors in the Gospel. There is bound up with our Bibles and Liturgies a Prayer for Families, which saith, [Confound Satan and Antichrist, with all Hirelings and Papists whom thou hast already cast off into a reprobate sense, that they may not by Sects, Schisms, Heresies, and Errours disquiet thy little Flock. And because, O Lord, we be fall'n into the latter days and dangerous times, wherein Ignorance hath got the upper hand, and Satan by his Ministers seeks by all means to quench the Light of thy Gospel, we beseech thee to maintain thy Cause against those ravening Wolves, and strengthen all thy Servants whom they keep in Prison and Bondage. Let not thy Long suffering be an occasion to increase their Tyranny, or to discourage thy Children, &c.] The Homilies have many Passages liable to hard Interpretations. The use of none of these is Sedition.
XXIV. From 1650. to 1660. I had Controversies by Manuscript with some great Doctors that took up with Dr. Hammond's and Petavius's new singular way of Pleading for Episcopacy, which utterly betrayed it. They held that in Scripture time all called Presbyters were Diocesan Bishops, and that there was no such thing as our Subject Presbyters, and yet that every Congregation had a Diocesan Bishop, and that it was no Church that had not such a Bishop, and that there are no more Churches than there are such Bishops: And so when Diocesses were enlarged as ours, the Parishes were no Churches, for no Bishop had more than one: And that Subject Presbyters are since made, and are but Curates that have no more power than the Bishop pleaseth to give them. Dr. Hammond in his Vindication saith, That as far as he knoweth, all that owned the same Cause with him against the Presbyterians, were come to be of his mind herein. And we know not of four Bishops then in England. And the Et caetera Oath and Canons of 1640. and the Writers that nullified the Reformed Churches Ordination and Ministry, and pleaded for a Forreign Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, and for our Re-ordination, all looking the same way, I thought they knew the Judgment of the few remaining Bishops better than I did, and sometime called it, The Iudgment of the present Church here, that is, of these Church-men, and the English Diocesans: but proved that the Laws and Doctrine still owned as the Churches was contrary to them, and took the Parishes for true Churches, and the Incumbents true Pastors, and the Diocesans to be over many Churches, and not one alone: whereas the Men that I gainsayed overthrew the whole Sacred Ministry among us, and all our Churches as of Divine Institution: for our Presbyters, they say, were not in Scripture times: Our Parishes are no Churches for want of Bishops: our Diocesans are no Successors of such Apostolick Men as were over many Churches, ours having but one: And they are not like those that they call the Scripture Diocesans, for they (say these Doctors) had but single Assemblies. These Men I confuted in my Treatise of Episcopacy, and other Books. But the Scribe or Printer omitting my Direction, to put still [The fore-described Prelacy and Church] instead of [The English Prelacy and Church] I was put to number it with the Errata, and give the Reader notice of it in the Preface and Title Page, and have since vindicated the Church of England hereform.
XXV. I hear the angry Protestant Recusants say, [It is just with God that he that hath done more than all others to draw Men to the Parish-Churches, and hath these Thirty years been Reconciling us to the Papists in Doctrinals, and is now called Bellarminus junior for his Arguments for Liturgies and Forms; and in his Paraphrase hath so largely and earnestly pleaded for Charity to Papists, as not Babylonish or Antichristian, should be the first that should suffer by them, and that for this very Book that so extraordinarily doth serve their Interest].
To which, I say, take heed of mis-expounding Providence: that Errour hath cost England dear. If I be put to doath by them, I shall not repent of any of those Conciliatory Doctrines and Endeavours; I have reviewed my Writings, and am greatly satisfied that I suffer not for running into either Extream, nor for any false Doctrine, Rebellion, Treason, or gross Sin; but that I have spent my Labour and Life against both Persecuting and causeless Separating: And that I shall leave my Testimony against both to Posterity; and for what could I more comfortably suffer? It is by decrying their Persecution and Cruelty that I have angred the hurtful Papists, and by confuting their gross undoubted Crimes, more effectually than you do by the Name of Antichrist, Babylon, and the Whore: And if their Cruelty on me should prove my Charge against them true, I shall not be guilty of it. Nor will their Sin abrogate God's great Law of Love, even to Enemies, and if it be possible, as much as in you lyeth, live peaceably with all men; follow peace with all men: blessed are the peace-makers, &c.
The disorderly tumultuous Cries and Petitions of such ignorant Zealots for Extreams under the Name of Reformation, and crying down all moderate Motions about Episcopacy and Liturgies, and rushing fiercely into a War, and young Lads and Apprentices and their like, pricking forward Parliament Men, had so great a part in our Sin and Misery from 1641. till 1660. as I must give warning to Posterity to avoid the like, and love Moderation. I repent that I no more discouraged ignorant Rashness, in 1662. and 1663. but I repent not of any of my Motions for Peace.
XXVI. I am sure that my Writings (besides Humane Imperfection) have no guilt of what they are accused, unless other Men put their sense on my words, and call it mine: and say, I meant the Rulers when I spake of Popish Interdicts, Silencings and Persecutions. And by that measure, no Minister must speak against any Sin, till he be sure that the Rulers are neither guilty, nor defamed of it, lest he be thought to mean them: and so our Office is at an end. If the Text and the general Corruption of the World lead me to speak against Fornication, Perjury, Calumny, Lying, Murder, Cruelty, or any Vice, must I tell Men whom I mean by Name? I mean all in the World that are guilty: And why must my meaning be any more confined when I with the Text speak against Persecution, and unjust Silencing the faithful Ministers of Christ, while I say, that Rulers may justly Silence all that forfeit their Commission, and do more hurt than good.
XXVII. Can any Man that hath read Church-History, Fathers and Councils, be ignorant how dolefully Satan hath corrupted and torn the Church, by the Ambition and Tyranny of many Popes, Patriarchs and Metropolitans, while the humble fort of Bishops and Pastors have kept up the Life and Power of Christianity? Or can any Man that maketh not Christ and his Church a meer Servant to Worldly Interest, think that this should not by all true Christians be lamented? Let such read Nazianzen's sad Description of the Bishops of his time, in striving for the highest Seats, and his wish that they were equal: And the same wish of Isidore Pelusiota; and the sharp Reproof hereof by Chrysostom: Great Grotius expoundeth Matth. 24. 29. of the Powers of Heaven shaken, thus, [It is the Christian Laity, who after the Apostles times began to be marvellously shaken, by the Tyranny of the Prelates who loved Pre-eminence, and to Lord it oyer the Clergy by rash Excommunications, and a daily increase of Schisms. He that will see the Examples of Tyranny and rash Excommunication, let him read Iohn's Epistle to Diotrephes, and the pious Admonitions of Irenaeus to Victor: The Examples of Schisms we have in others, not a few; To which Optatus Melev. prudently ascribeth three Causes, Wrath, Ambition, and Covetousness]. But how many score Canons, Interdicts and Bloody Wars do prove all this.
XXVIII. And had not these Vices conquered Common Reason with Christianity in such men, it were a Wonder that so unprofitable and causeless a thing, as forcing all Christians to Unite on the profest Approbation and Practice of all the needless Things which such impose, and denying them Communion and Peace on the Terms that Christ prescribed, for all his Servants to own and love each other on, should be thought a sufficient Justification of all that Dividing Cruelty of which it hath been guilty. And that Church-Grandees should make such Schisms, as are yet in East and West, and then hate and persecute the Sufferers as Schismaticks: Saith Grotius on Luke 6. 22. Scitum est Veterum Iudaeorum cujus Maimonidememinit, siquis Innocentem à Communione arcuerit, ipsum excidere jure Communionis: And Dr. Stillingfleet on Archbishop Laud, and before him Chillingworth, conclude, That if a Church deny Communion to her Members, on those Terms that give them Right to Communion with the Church Universal, that Church is guilty of the Schism. Were it not more Christian-like, easie and sweet, to joyn all in the practice of the Laws of Christ, by which we shall be judged, with the needful use of edifying Order and Circumstances, that all Sizes and Ages of Christians might live in Unity and Love, than to cast out all that cannot Unite on Terms so far beyond meer Christianity, as most Churches on Earth require. When the Volume of Councils and Canons were unknown, and plain Familiar Discipline was used in the open Church-Meetings, Christians were less divided: (saith Grotius in Luc. 6. 22. [Apud Christianos Veteres praesidente quidem Episcopo & Senioribus, sed Conscia & Consentiente Fratrum multitudine morum judicia exercebantur). If Christians be partial hear an impartial Heathen, Ammianus Marcellinus, who, scandalized with the murder of Men kill'd in the Church for the Election of Pope Damasus, concludeth how well it would have gone with Christianity, if those great Roman Prelates, had lived like the poor, humble, inferiour Bishops: See his words. But if Paul's full Decision on Romans 14. will not bring us to necessary forbearance, no Plainness not Authority will serve.