A Second True Defense of the Nonconformists, Title page – Postscript
A SECOND TRUE DEFENCE OF THE MEER Nonconformiſts, AGAINST THE Untrue ACCUSATIONS, REASONINGS and HISTORY of Dr. EDWARD STILLINGFLEET, DEAN of St. PAULS, &c. Clearly proving that it is (not ſin but) duty 1. Not wilfully to commit the many ſins of Conformity. 2. Not Sacrilegiouſly to forſake the Preaching of the Goſpel. 3. Not to ceaſe publick worſhipping of God. 4. To uſe needful Paſtoral helps for ſalvation, though men forbid it, and call it Schiſm.
Written by RICHARD BAXTER, not to accuſe others, but to defend Gods Truth, and the true way of Peace after near 20 years loud Accuſations of the ſilencing, proſecuting Clergy and their Sons.
With ſome Notes on Mr. Joſeph Glanviles Zealous and Impartial Proteſtant, and Dr. L. Moulins Character.
1 Tim 6. 5, 6.
Perverſe diſputings of men of corrupt minds, and deſtitute of the truth; ſuppoſing that gain is godlineſs: from ſuch withdraw thy ſelf. But godlineſs with contentment is great gain.
LONDON: Printed for Nevil Simons, at the Sign of the Three Golden Cocks at the Weſt-end of St. Pauls. 1681.
AN Hiſtorical Preface.
§ 1. THE matter of fact occaſioning this ſecond Defence, hath been formerly, and is after here opened in part. I need now but briefly tell the Reader, that after the long difference between the Engliſh Prelatiſts, and thoſe that deſired Reformation and Diſcipline; the moſt of the Engliſh Miniſters who were in poſſeſſion of the Pariſh-Churches from 1646, till 1660, obeyed the Parliament, ſo far as to diſuſe the Engliſh Book of Common-Prayer, and Subſcription, and Obedience to the Dioceſan Epiſcopacy; ſome of them being moſt for Church-Government by Synods of Parochial Paſtors, and aſſiſting Elders, and moſt for a Reconciling of the ſeveral divided Parties, thinking ſomewhat in the Epiſcopal, Presbyterian, and Independent Parties to be good, and ſomewhat in each of them unwarrantable.
1. They were ſo far Independent as to hold, that particular Churches aſſociated for Perſonal Communion in faith, worſhip, and holy living, were of Divine Inſtitution (ſuch as true Pariſh-Churches are) and that each of theſe Churches ought to have its proper exerciſe of that Diſcipline which is deſcribed by Chriſt, Mat. 18. and by St. Paul, 1 Cor. 5. and in other Texts of holy Scripture, and was exerciſed in the days of Ignatius, and ſo on for many hundred years; ſome part of it ſtill remaining even to the times of Popery. Therefore they held, that the Paſtors of ſuch Churches muſt be ſuch as had power to exerciſe the ſaid Diſcipline. And they held, that Pariſh-Bounds were of great convenience againſt diſorder, though not of Divine Inſtitution; not taking all that dwell in a Pariſh to be eo nomine, of the Church, but ſuch of them as were capable, by continued owning their Baptiſmal Covenant, not nullified by proved Hereſie, or inconſiſtent wickedneſs. And they held, that no unwilling perſon was capable of a ſealed Pardon of ſin, and ſo of Church-Communion, nor yet of the true receiving of the uſe of the Paſtoral office: And therefore that none but free Conſenters ſhould have the Sacrament, nor be related to the Paſtor, as his Flock of that Church: but the reſt ſhould be conſtrained to live as Catechumens, or Hearers, as they were capable, in peace and quietneſs (and ſuch as the Magiſtrate found meet to be tolerated in other Churches, who only were uncapable in that).
2. They were ſo far for Presbytery, as to hold, that 1. If men of competent ſufficiency, were made by ordination Elders, ejuſdem ordinis with the chief Paſtor, to be his Aſſeſſors and Aſſiſtants, though they ſeldom, or never Preached publickly, but helped him in Catechizing, or private over ſight, and in judging perſons and caſes; and though in neceſſity they laboured with their hands, it would not be unlike the ancient Government. 2. And they judged, that all Gods work ſhould be done in the greateſt concord, and with the beſt mutual counſel and help that might be; and therefore that Synods are to that end of great uſe: and if they were appointed at ſtated times and places, it would by order, be a furtherance to their ends: But they were not for their aſſuming a proper Regent Power, by Majority of Votes over the minor part, or the abſent Paſtors; and thought that when ſixedneſs occaſioned that uſurpation, occaſional Synods pro re natâ, were better. And 3. They judged, that Presbyters are ejuſdem ordinis with Biſhops, and that no Biſhops have a divine right to govern without the Presbyters aſſiſtance, nor to deprive them of any of their power, nor their Churches of true Diſcipline or Worſhip, nor the people of their Rights; much leſs to uſe any forcing power of the ſword on any.
3. They were ſo far for Epiſcopacy, as to hold it lawful, and convenient, that the particular Churches have one that ſhall have a Priority, and in many things a Negative Vote, as the Incumbent in each Pariſh hath among his Curates a ſort of power. And that the Presbyteries and Synods have their Moderators; and if they were fixed durante vitâ, and had a Negative Vote in Ordinations, they could conſent; ſobeit they were duly choſen as of old, and had no forcing power by the ſword, but only a Miniſterial, teaching, guiding power. And ſome of them thought it of Divine right, that the Apoſtles and Evangeliſts have Succeſſors in the ordinary parts of their office; and that to have a ſpecial ca…e of many Churches, and their Biſhops and Elders are ſome of that ordinary part.
4. And to the Eraſtians alſo they granted, that the King is the Supreme Governour of the Church, by the ſword, or force; and that we muſt obey him, not only when he enforceth the Commands of Chriſt, but in all acts of outward circumſtance and order, left by God to his determination, and not appropriated to the Miniſters office. Theſe were the thoughts then of the far greateſt part of the Miniſters that I had then knowledge of.
§. 2. Before the King returned, many Epiſcopal Doctors and great men, perſwaded theſe Reconcilers, that thus much would be accepted to our common concord, if the King were reſtored▪ But ſome ſaid, They do but decieve you; there are ſuch men now got into chief credit on that ſide, that will ſilence you all, and ruine you, unleſs you will follow Grotius, or be of the French Religion, or unite in the Pope, as Principium unitatis, and obey him, as the Weſtern Patriarck, &c. And when you are all turned out, what men have they to ſupply your places?
§. 3. But when the King came in, and encouraged the Reconcilers with the promiſe of his help, they made the attempt in 1660, and 1661. the Hiſtory of which I need not repeat, Since that foreſeeing what the ſilencing of ſo many Miniſters, and the afflicting of the people of our mind would unavoidably cauſe, we pleaded, we petitioned the Biſhops to have prevented it, by thoſe neceſſary means which they might have yielded to, to their own advantage: But it was all in vain.
§. 4. When the Act of Uniformity came out, of about 9000 Miniſters that kept in, and had laid by the Liturgy before, about 7000 Conformed (to the altered Liturgy, before any of them ever ſaw it, ſave a few) by declaring their Aſſent and Conſent (the Act being known before the Book could be Printed:) and about 2000 were ſilenced by that Act. How they behaved themſelves ſince then, is ſo well known, and I have here, and oft declared; and how the Plague firſt, and the burning of the Churches next, and the Kings Licenſes next, did give them the opportunities and calls which made more publick Preaching ſeem to them a duty, that I ſhall not make recital of it.
§. 5. All this while abundance of invectiues were poured out againſt them, by many of the Conforming Clergy, in Preſs and Pulpits; and eſpecially in the ears of great men, to whom we had no acceſs, but ſeemed what ſuch men deſcribed us to be. The new Laws againſt Conventicles, and the Oxford Act of Conſinement had been added to the firſt: Many were hunted up and down, their Goods and Libraries diſtrained; many were impriſoned; ſome there died: The Informers and Proſecutors grew weary: They ſaw the ſeverity came moſt from the Prelates, and the Parliament, the King being not for ſeverity therein: The Juſtices grew unwilling of Execution; the Preachers reprove them, and call on them to put the Laws in Execution; they are greatly offended at the Kings Licenſes; they continue to accuſe us for Schiſm at leaſt, and ſome of Sedition; though we invaded none of their Temples, nor askt them for any part of their maintenance. And the Parliament and Prelates were ſo ſharp againſt us, that we durſt not tell the world what we refuſed in Conformity, and why, leſt we put them upon more ſeverity; nor indeed could we do it, the Preſs was lockt up by ſo great penalties. But while we were forced to ſilence, we were lowdly called to, to ſay what we ſtuck at, and what it was that we would have. And after 17 years ſuch calls, I ventured to name the things; and hence is the ſtorm of the preſent indignation.
§. 6. I had before proved the wilful deſertion of our Miniſtry, eſpecially when the King Licenſed us, to be odious Sacriledg: To this I am told, of mens power to ſilence ſuch as they think deſerve it: I grant it, if they truly think ſo: ſo may they on juſt cauſe alienate Churches, and Church-lands, and hang Malefactors: but not when no ſuch cauſe is given, nor at their pleaſure.
§. 7. When in the fitſt Plea for Peace I had ſtated the caſe of our Nonconformity, I intended to bring the Proofs of each particular ſuppoſed ſinful, as I after found occaſion. And meeting with abundance that accuſed us of diſloyal, rebellious Principles, I largly delivered my own, and many others judgment of Civil and Ecceſiaſtical Authority, the power of Princes, and the duty of Subjects; and therein alſo wrote ſome Anſwer to Four Accuſations brought againſt us. 1. That we pretend Grace againſt Morality. 2. That we hold, that things Indifferent became unlawful, if commanded. 3. I largly confuted Biſhop Morley's falſe Accuſation of my Doctrine, of the Magiſtrates power to command things unlawful by accident; and Dr. Parker's Doctrine of Scandal. 4. I confuted them that extend our Nonconformity to things which we refuſe not. All this in the ſecond Plea for Peace; which none yet, that I know of, have anſwered.
§. 8. And leſt any ſhould think that we are all for Negatives, I wrote a Treatiſe of the only Terms of Univerſal Chriſtian concord, which I value above all the reſt, being aſſured that the Churches will never otherwiſe be healed, than by that impartial, ſure, and eaſie Catholick way, which ſome have reviled, but none ſince, that I know of, confuted. One Learned Biſhop (that had a chief hand in our preſent Impoſitions and ejection) I deſired to tell me, which is the way of Chriſtian concord, if this be not: And he maintaineth, That the only way is to obey the Colledg of Paſtors, who are to govern the Catholick Church through all the world, per Literas formatas. Where this Colledg, as one governing power do meet, or how they ſignifie their Majority of Votes, and in what caſes, and who muſt gather the Votes (from Abaſſia to Moſcovie), and in how long time, and how they ſhall come to all men with certainty; and whether the ejected, ſilenced, and excommunicated, &c. may appeal to them, &c. I could not learn.
§. 9. In the ſame Book I ſufficientiy confuted Mr. H. Dodwell's great Book, which denyeth not only the Churches and Miniſtry, which are not by uninterrupted Epiſcopal Ordination, but alſo the ordinary ſalvation of all ſuch Churches, as having no covenant promiſe, by valid Sacraments delivered them. He hath pretended ſome defence in a late Book of Letters: to which, if they can be Printed, I hope to give eaſily a ſatisfactory reply.
§. 10. In the ſame book he Publiſheth ſome old Letters of his to me, for the Dioceſan frame of Government; the notice of which beforehand given me, cauſed me to Publiſh a full Treatiſe of Dioceſan Epiſcopacy, containing the Reaſons why we cannot ſwear to it, or approve it, or ſwear never to endeavour any reforming alteration of the frame here ſetled, and exerciſed. And whatever Mr. Dodwell pretendeth to the contrary, if this Treatiſe do not fully anſwer his Letter, and juſtifie us in this part of Nonconformity, I am unable to judg of the Cauſe, but am willing to recieve any better information.
§. 11. And becauſe I find falſe Hiſtory, not the leaſt cauſe of ordinary miſtakes, and men cry up Dioceſan Prelacy, as the ancient, and chief cure of Schiſm; I gathered an Abſtract of the hiſtory of Biſhops, and their Councils, that the true matter of fact might not be ſo commonly miſtaken as it is.
§. 12. At the ſame time came out againſt me, Firſt, a book of Mr. John Cheyneys, the miſtakes of which I manifeſted in an Anſwer: And afterward old Letters of Mr. Hinkleys, to which I had an old Anſwer, which I caſt by, and now Publiſhed: and another Accuſer, abounding with untruths, called the Impleder; and another called Reflections, or Speculum, &c. And another Book of Mr. Cheneys, full of moſt pitiful miſtakes; All which, with Juſtice Roger L'Eſtrange's Dialogue, and ſomeothers, I anſwered together in a Book called the Third Defence ef the Nonconformiſts, &c.
§. 13. But the Accuſations of Dean Stillingfleet in his Sermon, made the loudeſt noiſe: In the Anſwer to which, I chiefly deſired to have come to ſome underſtanding agreement with him, about the true ſtate of our Caſe and Controverſie; and to that end, craved his anſwer to ſeveral neceſſary queſtions; but was not able to procure it. And now in his large Book, where I hoped to have found an Anſwer to them, I look for it in vain. Yea, though Mr. Hikeringhill roughly provoked him but to expound his own Text, and tell us intelligibly, what the ſame Rule is, which the Apoſtle would have all walk by, he will not do it; but inſtead of that, with unuſual gentleneſs tells me, he will not differ about it, if I do but grant, that it is a Rule that binds us all to do all that lawfully we can for peace, which I cheerfully grant; And if it be not lawful for peace and concord to forbear ſilencing us, impriſoning us, accuſing us as odious for not wilful ſinning, and urging Magiſtrates to execute the Laws againſt us, and making us ſeem Schiſmaticks for not forbearing to Preach the Goſpel, to which we were vowed and conſecrated by Ordination; I know not lawful from unlawful: I cannot yet get him to tell us, what he would have the many ſcore thouſands do on the Lords Days, that have no room in the Pariſh-Churches; with many ſuch, which our caſe is concerned in.
§. 14. I thought his Book had been an Anſwer to mine, and other mens Prefaces; but I find that I was miſtaken: Indeed he nameth five Books written againſt his Accuſation: what he ſaith to Dr. Owen, and Mr. Alſop, I leave to themſelves to conſider of: The Countrey Gentlemans Caſe, in ſenſe, was this, Whether all they that think Pariſh Communion, under the preſent impoſitions, to be ſin, are bound, till they can change their judgment, to forbear all Church-worſhip, and live like Atheiſts, and ſo be damned? And who can find any Anſwer to this?
Mr. Barret's Queries out of his Books, he ſaith, next nothing to, but a dark retracting his Irenicon: And far be it from me to blame him for growing wiſer. But why took he no notice of his own words, cited in the Epiſtle, out of his late Book againſt Idolatry, threatning us all with no leſs than damnation, if me prefer not the pureſt Church.
And as to my Defence, his Book is nothing like an Anſwer, unleſs his naming me, and citing out of that, and other Books, a few broken ſcraps, which he thought he could make ſome advantage of, may be called an Anſwer.
§. 15. I confeſs he hath made ſome attempt to tell me what the National Church of England is; but ſo Independently, as I doubt his party will diſown it with great offence. In ſhort, he holds, that there is no ſuch thing as a Church of England, in the uſual Political ſenſe, having any Conſtitutive, Eccleſiaſtical, Supreme Power, Monarchical, or Ariſtocratical, or Democratical, but it's only the many Churches in England, aſſociated by the common conſent in Parliament, &c. Remember that he and I are ſo far agreed.
As I was writing this, I ſaw a Book againſt him of a friend, too much for me, and ſomewhat freely handling the Dr. which in this point would help them, by ſaying, that the Convocation having the Legiſlative Church-Power, may be the Conſtitutive, Regent part: But he confeſſeth to me, that he ſpake not what is, but what he counts ſhould be, or wiſheth; for the Dr. himſelf had before told us, that the Convocations of Canterbury and York are two, and not united to make one National, ſupreme power; ſo that this proveth no one political Church of England at all, but only 2 Provincial Churches in England.
§. 16. The Dr. hath ſo judiciouſly and honeſtly pleaded our Cauſe in his defence of A. Biſhop Laud, and his Book againſt Idolatry, that I have made his words the firſt Chap. of this Book, which if he candidly ſtand to, I ſee not but our principles are the ſame.
§. 17. His book is made up of 3 parts. I. Untrue Accuſations. II. Untrue Hiſtorical Citations (abundance). III. Fallacious Reaſonings.
Would you have an undeniable Confutation, ad hominem, in few words?
I. As to his Principles, he ſaith himſelf as aforeſaid, Of Idolat. p. 7. We are ſure that wilful ignorance, or chooſing a worſe Church before a better, is a damnable ſin.
II. As to his Hiſtory of the old Nonconformiſts, read A. Biſhop Bancrofts dangerous Poſitions, and Heylins Hiſtory of Presbytery, charging them odiouſly with the clean contrary, and the Canons made againſt them on that ſuppoſition.
III. As to his Hiſtory, and Doctrine againſt the Election of Bps, which I pleaded; (as I have fully proved his abuſe of Hiſtory in it,) I repeat Mr. Thorndikes words, Forbear. of Penalty. It is to no purpoſe to talk of Reformation of the Churchtoregular Government, without reſtoring the liberty of chooſing Biſhops, and priviledg of enjoying them to the Synods, Clergy and people, in the making of thoſe of whom they conſiſt, and by whom they are to be governed, that I need make no other reaſon of the neglect of Epiſcopacy, than the neglect of it.
O pray hard to God to provide greater ſtore of skilful, holy and peaceable Labourers for his Harveſt, that by the ſound belief of a better world, have overcome the deluding love of the honours, proſperity and pleaſures of the fleſh, and wholly live to God and Heaven.
POSTSCRIPT.
DR. Edward Stillingfleet Irenic. P. 114. ſaith, The Epiſcopal men will hardly find any evidence in Scripture, or in the practice of the Apoſtles, for Churches conſiſting of many fixed Congregations for worſhip, under the charge of one Paſtor; nor in the Primitive Church, for the Ordination of a Biſhop, without the preceding Election of the Clergy, and at leaſt, conſent and approbation of the people; and neither in Scripture nor Antiquity, the leaſt foot-ſtep of the delegation of Church-power; ſo that upon the matter all of them at laſt make uſe of thoſe things in Church-Government, which have no other foundation but the principles of humane prudence, guided by Scripture; and it were well if that were obſerved ſtill.
P. 370. Surely then their Dioceſſes we re not very large, if all the ſeveral Pariſhes could communicate on the ſame day, with what was ſent from the Cathedral Church.
P. 361. I doubt not but to make it appear, that Philippi was not the Metropolis of Macedonia, and therefore the Biſhops there mentioned could not be the Biſhops of the ſeveral Cities under the juriſdiction of Philippi, but muſt be underſtood of the Biſhops reſident in that City.
P. 157. There muſt be a form of Eccleſiaſtical Government over a Nation, as a Church, as well as of Civil Government over it as a Society governed by the ſame Laws.—For every Society muſt have its Government belonging to it, as ſuch a Society: And the ſame reaſon that makes Government neceſſary, in any particular Congregation, will make it neceſſary for all the particular Congregations, joyning together in one viſible Society, as a particular National Church: For the Unity and Peace of that Church ought much more to be lookt after, than of any one Congregation.
P. 131. The Churches power, as to Divine Law, being only directive and declarative; but as confirmed by a Civil Sanction, is juridical and obligatory.
P. 113. Where any Church is guilty of corruptions, both in Doctrine and in practice, which it avoweth, and profeſſeth, and requireth the owning them, as neceſſary conditions of Communion with her; there a Noncommunion with that Church is neceſſary, and a total and poſitive ſeparation is lawful and convenient.
P. 117. Where any Church retaining purity of Doctrine, doth require the owning of, and conforming to any unlawful, or ſuſpected practice; men may lawfully deny Conformity to, and Communion with that Church in ſuch things, without incurring the guilt of Schiſm-. P. 119. Let men turn and wind themſelves which way they will, by the very ſame argument that any will prove ſeparation from the Church of Rome lawful, becauſe ſhe required unlawful things as Conditions of her Communion; it will be proved lawful not to Conform to any ſuſpected, or unlawful practice, &c.-. They lay the imputation of Schiſm on all them who require ſuch Conditions of Communion, and take it wholly off from thoſe who refuſe to Conform for Conſcience ſake.