A Second True Defense of the Nonconformists, Treatise · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV. Epiſtles or Teſtimonies compared with the Doctors, And notes on Mr. Joſeph Glanvile's Book, called The Zealous Impartial Proteſtant, with a Letter of his to the Author heretofore (and a Digreſſion of Doctor L. Moulin.)
§. 1. IN general, he that will read the Lives of many of the old Nonconformiſts (Hilderſham, Dod, and many ſuch, and Biſhop Hall's Character of Dr. Reynolds, and the late publiſhed Lives of Mr. Joſeph Allen, John Janeway, Dr. Winter, Mr. Macham, Mr. Wadſworth, Mr. Stubbs, &c.) will ſee better what to judge of them, than by our three French Epiſtles. Yea Thuanus giveth a juſter Character of many abroad that were of their mind: And John Fox (one of them) of more.
§. 2. And to our three French-men, I will when it will be of more uſe than ſeeming vanity, return you four French-mens Letters to my ſelf, (Mr. Gaches, Mr. Amyralds, Mr. Le Blanks, and Mr. Teſtards, (and if you will ſome Germans too, Calviniſts and Lutherans,) of a quite differing ſenſe of us Nonconformiſts. But Mr. Gaches being already in Print (by the Duke of Lauderdales means) 1660. and joyned with one of Mr. L'Angles, I leave the Reader that deſireth to ſee both.
§. 3. But becauſe Mr. Joſ. Glanvile was one of themſelves here (though an Origeniſt) a moſt triumphant Conformiſt, and not the gentleſt contemner of Nonconformiſts, and famous for his great wit, I will repay the Dr. with the annexing one (among many ſince) of his Letters to my ſelf; which yet indeed I do not chiefly to ballance the Drs. but to help the Reader to underſtand Mr. Glanvile and his poſthumous Book, which I think not meet to paſs by without ſome Animadverſions.
Though I have great reaſon to hope that dying ſo ſoon after it and his preferment, the experience of the Vanity of a flattering World might help to ſave him from impenitence: As I have read in divers credible writers, it was with Dr. Matthew Sutliffe; that on his Deathbed he repented that he had written ſo much againſt the Reformers called Puritans.
I perceive Dr. Stillingfleet marvelleth, that my own expectations of approaching Death do not hinder me from writing what I do for the Nonconformiſts; whereas the truth is, had not pain and weakneſs kept me from my youth as in the continual proſpect of the Grave and the next life, I had never been like to have been ſo much againſt Conformity, and the preſent Diſcipline of this Church (that is, their want of Diſcipline) as I have been; For the World might have more flattered me and byaſſed my Judgment, and my Conſcience might have been bolder and leſs fearful of ſin; And, though I love not to diſpleaſe them, I muſt ſay this great truth, that I had never been like to have lived in ſo convincing ſenſible experience of the great difference of the main body of the Conformiſts from the moſt of the Nonconformiſts, as to the ſeriouſneſs of their Chriſtian Faith, and hope and practice, their victory over the fleſh and world, &c. I mean both in the Clergy and Laity of mine acquaintance! O how great a difference have I found, from my youth to this day? Though I doubt not but very many of the Paſſive Conformable Miniſters (to ſay nothing of the Impoſers) have been and are worthy pious men; and ſuch as would not perſwade their hearers, that the Jeſuits firſt brought in ſpiritual prayer: And I had the great bleſſing of my Education near ſome ſuch, in three or four neighbour Pariſhes.
§. 4. It grieved me to hear of Mr. Glanvile's death, for he was a man of more than ordinary ingeny, and he was about a Collection of Hiſtories of Apparitions, which is a work of great uſe againſt our Sadducees, and to ſtabliſh doubters, and the beſt mans faith hath need of all the helps from ſenſe that we can get: And I feared leſt that work had periſhed with him; But I gladly hear that by the care of Dr. H. More (that worthy faithful man of peace, who never ſtudied preferment) it is both preſerved and augmented.
And as for his Origeniſme, as I like it not▪ ſo I confeſs in matters of that nature, I can better bear with the venturouſneſs of diſſenters, than hereticators can do.
But when I ſaw this Rag called a Letter left behind him, my grief for him was doubled: And I ſaw what cauſe we have all to fear the ſnares of a flattering world, and what cauſe to pray for Divine preſervation, and for an unbyaſſed mind, and a humble ſenſe of our own frailty, that we may neither over-value proſperity, nor our own underſtandings.
I did not think that he that had wrote the Vanity of Dogmatizing could ſo ſoon have come to perſwade men in power, that diſſenting from our Churches dogmatizing and impoſed words, formes and ceremonies was worthy of ſo ſevere a proſecution of us, as he deſcribeth: and that all their danger is from the forbearing ſuch proſecution of us; and that (though for their own ends he could abate us ſome little matters) the only way to ſettled peace is vigorouſly to execute the Laws againſt us.
He that can think the ſilencing, and impriſoning of about 2000 ſuch Miniſters, is the way to bring this Land to Concord, hath ſure very hard thoughts of them in compariſon of Conformiſts. And that you may ſee how little his judgment againſt ſuch ſhould weigh with others, who is ſo lately changed from himſelf, I will give you here one of ſeveral Letters which I had from him, and leave you to judge whether he have proved that he was much wiſer at laſt than when he wrote this? or whether his character of me agree with his motion to ſilence and ruine all ſuch? I am ſo far from owning his monſtrous praiſes, that I fear I offended him with ſharply rebuking him for them. But leſt his wit and virulence here do harm, I give it you to ſhew the unconſtancy of his judgment: or if he would have excepted me from his ſeverities, I muſt profeſs that I believe the moſt of the Nonconformable Miniſters of my acquaintance are better men than my ſelf; and therefore his exceſſive praiſe of me, is the condemnation and ſhame of his perſecuting counſel.
§. 5. As to his praiſe of the Biſhops Writings againſt Popery, I had rather magnifie than obſcure their deſerts: But I am not able to believe that the old ones who write to prove the Pope Antichriſt, &c. and the new ones who would bring us to obey him as Patriarch of the Weſt and principium unitatis Catholicae, were of one mind, becauſe both are called Proteſtants, and that ſuch as Biſhop Bramhall and the reſt of the defenders of Grotius, were of the ſame judgment with Biſhop Uſher, Biſhop Morton, Biſhop Downame, &c. nor that Grotius, who deſcribeth a Papiſt to be one that flattereth Popes as if all were right which they ſaid and did, did diſclaim Popery in the ſame ſenſe as the old Church of England did. Two men may cry down Popery, while one of them is a Papiſt or near one in the others ſenſe.
As to the folly of calling that Popery which is not, I have ſaid more againſt it in my Cath. Theologie than he hath done.
And as to his excuſe of an ignorant vicious ſort of Miniſters becauſe no better will take ſmall Livings,] It is not true: The ſilenced Nonconformiſts would have been glad of them, or to have preached there for nothing: The tolerating of ignorant ſcandalous men were more excuſable, if better were not ſhut out that would have taken ſuch places. But it's notorious that for the intereſt of their faction and proſperity, they had rather have the ignorant and vicious, than the ableſt and moſt laborious Nonconformiſt: Biſhop Morley told me, when he forbad me to preach, that It was better for a place to have none, than to have me; when I askt him, Whether I might not be ſuffered in ſome place which no one elſe will take.] Moſt of the old Nonconformiſts were ſuffered by connivance in ſmall obſcure places, which was the chief reaſon why they ſet not up other meetings, which Dr. Stillingfleet thought they avoided as unlawful, becauſe forbidden.
§. 6. And as to his excuſe by blaming ill Patrons, I would know then by what true obligation all men in England are bound to commit the Paſtoral conduct of their Souls to ſuch men only as our Engliſh Patrons chuſe?
§. 7. And when he ſo blameth the tepidity and irreligiouſneſs of the Members of their own Church, I would know, 1. Whether all men that are more ſeriouſly religious muſt be forſaken by us, and ruined by them, if they be not of their mind and form? 2. And whether the numbers of the irreligious that are for their way, and the numbers of the religious that are againſt it, ſhould not rather breed ſome ſuſpicion in them, than engage them to ruine ſo many ſuch men.
§. 8. And when page 3. he confeſſeth that the ſword is their Churches ſtrength and Government, and how contemptible words, paper, Arguments and excommunications are without force; doth he not ſhame their whole cauſe, and ſhew that it is not the ſame Government which the Church uſed for many hundred years, which they deſire? and that their whole power of the Keys which they talk ſo much for, ſeems to themſelves a dead and uneffectual thing? while we Nonconformiſts deſire no coercive power, but to guide Conſenters.
§. 9. As to his project to ſave religion under a Papiſt King, if the Dean and Chapter may but chuſe the Biſhop, I leave it to other m… conſideration.
But I give you his Letter to me, becauſe page 34. He …aith, [The greateſt part of th…ſe that now ſc…t…r and run …b… do it out of H… …ancy, or Faction, or Intereſt, or A…y▪ or deſire of being c… godly▪ … really out of Conſcience and Conviction of duty▪ and th…ſe the penalties duly exacted would bring back (with much more ſharp and cruel) As if he knew the conſciences of the moſt: But ſee how much otherwiſe he lately thought of ſome.
Agapetus Diacon. ad Juſtinian. Adhort. cap. 35. [Epiſcopis vi & gladio invitos regentibus quam Regibus magis congrua.]
NOMIZE foreign &c. Exiſtima tunc regnare te tutò, cum volentibus imperas hominibus. Quod enim invitò ſubjicitur, ſeditiones molitur, captâ occaſione. Quod vere vinculis benevolentiae tenetur, firmam ſervat ergatenentem obſervantiam.
1 Pet. 5. 1, 2, 3, 4. The Elders which are AMONG you I exhort, who am alſo an Elder and a witneſs of the ſufferings of Chriſt, and alſo a partaker of the Glory that ſhall be revealed; Feed the Flock of God which is among you, taking the overſight thereof, not by conſtraint but willingly; Not for FILTHY LUCRE, but of a ready mind: Neither as being Lords over Gods heritage, b… being enſamples to the Flock; And when the chief Shepherd ſhall appear, ye ſhall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away.] See Dr. Hammond on the Text.
Mr. Glanviles Letter.
Reverend and moſt Honoured Sir,
I Have often taken my pen in hand with a deſign to ſignifie to you, how much I love and honour ſo much learning, piety, and exemplary goodneſs as you are owner of; And how paſſionately deſirous I have been, and am, to be known to a perſon with whom none hath a like place in my higheſt eſteem and value: But my affections and reſpects ſtill growing infinitely too big for mine expreſſion, I thought I ſhould but diſparage them, by going about to repreſent them. And when I ſate down to conſider, how I might moſt advantagiouſly ſet forth my regards, and high ſenſe of your great deſerts, I always found my ſelf confounded with ſubject. And the throng of mine affections, each of them impatient to be firſt upon my paper, hindred one another's gratification. Great paſſions are difficultly ſpoken: And I find my ſelf now ſo pained with the ſenſe that I cannot write ſuteably to the honour I have for you, that I can ſcarce forbear th…owing away my pen; being near concluding, that 'tis better to ſpeak nothing in ſuch a ſubject, than a little. But when I conſider you as a perſon that have high affections for thoſe excellent qualifications, which in the higheſt degree are your poſſeſſion, and ſuteably reſent the worth of thoſe that own them; I am incourag'd to think that you may conceive how I honour you (though my pen cannot tell it you) by reflecting upon your own eſtimate of thoſe, that are of the higheſt form of learning, parts, and exemplary piety; or, more compendiouſly, ſuch in your judgment, as I take you for, Incomparable. And yet I have a jealouſie that that will not reach it; for though I think your judicious eſteem of ſuch, cannot be ſurpaſſed; yet I am apt to think, that none ever got ſuch an intereſt, and hold upon your paſſions, as hath the object of my admiration, on mine. Nor yet can I rebuke them as extravagant, though at the higheſt, ſince they take part with my ſevereſt judgment, and were indeed inflamed by it. And I profeſs I never found my ſelf ſo dearly inclin'd to thoſe of my neareſt blood, or ſo affectionately concern'd for my moſt beloved friends and acquaintance, as for you, whom I had never the happineſs to converſe with but in your excellent writings, nor ever often ſaw, but in the Pulpit. Yea, I ſpeak unfeignedly, I have always intereſſed my ſelf more in your vindication when your unreaſonable prejudic'd enemies have malign'd you, and delighted my ſelf more in your juſt praiſes from thoſe that know you, than ever my ſelf-love or ambition could prompt me to do in any caſe of mine own. Sir, I hope you believe that I ſpeak my moſt real ſentiments, and do not go about to complement you. For I muſt be very weak and inconſiderate, did I think to recommend my ſelf to ſo much ſerious wiſdom, by ſuch childiſh fooleries. Therefore if my expreſſions ſavour any thing above common reſpect, I beſeech you to believe, 'tis for that their cauſe is not common; but as much above ordinary, as their object. I know your humility and remarkable ſelf▪ denyal will not bear to read, what I cannot but ſpeak, as often as I have occaſion to mention your great worth and merits. However I cannot chuſe but here acknowledge, how much I am a debtor to your incomparable writings. In which, when you deal in practical ſubjects, I admire your affectionate, piercing, heart-affecting quickneſs: And that experimental, ſearching, ſolid, convictive way of ſpeaking, which are your peculiars; for there is a ſmartneſs accompanying your pen that forces what you write into the heart, by a ſweet kind of irreſiſtable violence; which is ſo proper to your ſerious way, that I never met it equal'd in any other writings. And therefore I cannot read them without an elevation, and emotions which I ſeldom feel in other peruſals. And when you are ingag'd in doctrinal and controverſal matters, I no leſs apprehend in them your peculiar excellencies. I find a ſtrength, depth, concinnity, and coherence in your notions, which are not commonly elſewhere met withall. And you have no leſs power by your triumphant reaſon upon the judgments of capable, free inquirers; than you have upon their affections and conſciences in your devotional and practical diſcourſes. And methinks there is a force in your way of arguing, which overpowers oppoſition. Among your excellent Treatiſes of this nature, your Rational confirmation of that grand principle of our Religion, the Sacred Authority of Scripture; your ſolid dependent notions in the buſineſs of juſtification, and your ſtriking at the Root of Antinomianiſm in them, which I look on as the canker of Chriſtianity, and have always abhorr'd as the ſhadow of death; And your excellent Catholick, healing indeavours; Theſe I ſay, deſerve from me particular acknowledgments. I profeſs the looſe, impertinent, unſound, cobweb arguings of the moſt that I had met with in the Matter of the Divine Authority of Scripture, had almoſt occaſioned my ſtumbling at the threſhold, in my inquiries into the grounds of my Religion. For I am not apt to rely on an implicit faith in things of this moment. But your performances in this kind brought relief to my ſtaggering judgment, and triumph't over my heſitancy. As they did alſo to an excellent perſon a friend of mine, who was ſhaken on the ſame accounts that I was. And we are both no leſs obliged by what you have done in the other things formentioned. Which I profeſs I judge ſo rational, that I cannot but wonder, almoſt to ſtupor, to behold the fierce, though feeble onſets of your canker'd fiery opponents; whoſe writings againſt you (moſt of them) ſeem to me to be indited by nothing but ſpleen and choler. Nor have I been able to aſcribe the ingaging of ſo many virulent pens againſt you, to any other cauſe than the indeavours of Satan to hinder the ſucceſs which your powerful pen hath had againſt the Dark Kingdom. And the ſpirit that I have perceiv'd to animate ſome of their wild ravings hath confirm'd me in that belief, that it was the great Abaddon that inſpir'd their undertakings. I thought e're this to have given you a more publick ſpecimen of mine affections by indeavouring ſomewhat in your vindication againſt the calumnies, and feeble arguings of ſome of thoſe fiery Aſſailants; But collateral occaſions, and other ſtudies have hitherto diverted me: Yet I ſhall not forget my obligations, aſſoon as I can be maſter of convenient time and opportunities for the performance. But I ſee my paper warns me; And though I ſhould pleaſe my ſelf by a larger expreſſion of my reſpects, and ſenſe of your high deſervings from every one that hath had the happineſs to be taught by you, either from the Preſs or Pulpit; yet I dare not be ſo rude in this firſt Addreſs, as to be troubleſome and importunate. I know your occaſions are ſuch, as that they cannot bear a long divertiſement. I had ſeveral times deſign'd at London to have taken the boldneſs to have waited on you, but the conſideration, how you were conſtantly ingag'd in buſineſs, prevented the execution of thoſe intentions. And about three years ſince I came from Oxford on purpoſe to Kederminſter, to ſee you there, and hear you preach; both which I was happy in. But you were then ſo buſie in the company of ſeveral Miniſters that were at your houſe, that I could not gain an opportunity of making way for a future acquaintance. If I were ſure that you were leſs incumbred now, and that you made any conſiderable ſtay in the Country, I would make a journey on purpoſe to wait on you. I have with this ſent you a ſmall Diſcourſe of mine own, of which I deſire your acceptance. For the ſubject and deſign, I know it will not diſpleaſe you. And for the management, I'me confident you will not quarrel with it, becauſe it is not ſo popular as it might have been, when you ſhall know, that 'twas intended for thoſe of a Philoſophick Genius. I durſt not (Sir) be any longer troubleſome, and therefore ſhall conclude with this profeſſion, that the freedom of your ſpirit, the impartiality of your inquiries, the Catholickneſs of your judgment and affections, the peaceableneſs, and moderation of your principles, the generoſity and publick ſpiritedneſs of your diſpoſition, the exact, uniform holineſs of your life, and your indefatigable induſtry for the good of ſouls, excellencies which I never knew ſo combin'd in one; have ſo endear'd you to me, that there is not that perſon breathing that hath ſuch a ſhare in the affections, and higheſt value of,
Moſt excellent Sir, one of the meaneſt, though moſt ſincere, of your affectionate lovers, and admirers, Joſ. Glanvill. Sept. 3. 61.