A Second True Defense of the Nonconformists, Treatise · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. The beginning of the Doctors unreaſonable Accuſations examined: His ſtating of the Caſe of Separation.
§ 1. THis much inſtead of an intelligible ſtating of our Controverſie he giveth us, Page 2. [By ſeparation we mean nothing elſe, but withdrawing from the conſtant Communion of our Church, and joyning with Separate Congregations, for greater purity of worſhip, and better means of Edification.] And may we be ſene by this, that we underſtand the difference.
1. Whether by [Our Church] he meant the Parochial Church, (and if ſo, whether ſome or all) or the Dioceſan Church; or the Provincial, or the National, or all I know not. But I know well, that ſome withdraw from ſome Pariſh Churches which joyn with others. And ſome think they withdraw not from the Dioceſan or Provincial, if they communicate with any one Pariſh Church in the Dioceſs: And ſome renounce the Dioceſan Church, which conſtantly joyn with the Parochial: And for the National Church, who can tell whether we have Communion with it, till we know what they mean by it? Indeed in the latter part, (after the long diſpute) he condeſcendeth beyond expectation to explain that term; But its ſo as plainly to deny that there is any ſuch thing as a Church of England in a Political ſenſe, that hath any conſtitutive Regent part: But even there ſo late he maketh it not poſſible to us to know, whether we be members of the Church or not: For he maketh it to be but all the Chriſtians and Churches in the Kingdom joyned by conſent expreſt by their Repreſentatives in Parliament, under the ſame civil Government and Rules of Religion (Doctrine, and Worſhip, and Government) 1. As it is a Chriſtian Kingdom, we are ſure, that we are members of it. 2. As it is all the Churches of the Kingdom conſenting to the Scriptures, yea, and to Articles of Doctrine, and all that Chriſt or his Apoſtles taught, we are ſure that we withdraw not from it: 3. But if every Chancellor, Dean, Commiſſary▪ Surrogate▪ &c. Or every forme or word or Ceremonie be eſſential to their Church, we cannot tell who is of it and who not? Or really whether any reject not ſome one forme, word or office? If every ſuch thing be not eſſential, he never in all the book tels us what is, or how to know it, or who is of it.
§ 2. And the word [withdrawing] ſeemeth to imply former Communion: And if ſo, he maketh all the Anabaptiſts, Independants▪ Presbyterians, &c. Who never were of their Church, to be none of the Separatiſts here meant.
But if by [withdrawing] he mean [not joyning in Communion] either he meaneth in the whole Communion or but in part: If the whole, then the many thouſands that live in the Pariſhes and Communicate not in the Sacrament are no members of the Pariſh Church. And who knoweth then who are of their Church? And how few in many Pariſhes are of it, that yet paſs for Members of the Church of England▪ And yet I that joyn with them am none of it, in their account.
And. 3. What meaneth he by [Conſtant Communion] I go to the Pariſh Church when ſickneſs hindreth not, once a day; I go to the Sacrament, and am none of their Church. Thouſands go but rarely, and thouſands ſcarce at all, at leaſt to the Sacrament, and theſe are of their Church and no ſeparatiſts.
4. But perhaps the conjunction is explicative [and joyn with ſeparate Congregations for greater purity, and Edification: If ſo, then he that never joyneth with them nor any other is none of the intended ſeparatiſts. 2. Nor he that goeth to other Churches on other accounts than for purity of Worſhip and Edification (As Papiſts that go as to the only true Church for the Authority).
§ 3. But the utter ambiguity is in the word ſeparate; And that you may underſtand it he explaineth it by repeating it. By ſeparation he means withdrawing to ſeparate Congregations. But the doubt is, which are the ſeparate Congregations. I named many ſorts of Lawful and unlawful ſeparations, but he will not tell us which he meaneth by any intrea…y.
§. 4. I would my ſelf yet that I may be underſtood, tell the reader what ſorts of ſeparation I renounce and what I own: But I have done it ſo oft and largely, that I am aſhamed to repeat it, as oft as mens confuſion calls me to it. The reader who thinks it worth his labour, may ſee it done in my firſt Plea for Peace, and in the Preface to my Cath. Theol. and ſpecially in the beginning of the third Part of my Treat. of Concord, and in Chriſt. Direct. And he calls me here afterward to the ſame
Certainly it is only ſinful ſeparation that is in the queſtion; and as certainly there are many ſorts not ſinful. I am locally ſeparate from all Churches ſave that where I am. I morally ſeparate from the Roman Church as an unlawful Policy, and all other which are in ſpecie againſt Gods word: I ſeparate from ſome for Hereſie as being not capable matter of a Church, while they own not all the Eſſence of Chriſtianity. I ſeparate from ſome as Impoſing ſin, and refuſing my Communion without it. I ſeparate from ſome as having no lawful Paſtors; ſome being uncapable matter, and ſome, being uſurpers that have no true call: I ſeparate from ſome only ſo far as to prefer a better rebus ſic ſtantibus; ſometime a better as to the Doctrine, ſometime as to the Worſhip, ſometime as to the Diſcipline ſometime and moſtly as to the Paſtors worth and work; ſome go from their own Pariſh, becauſe the Miniſter is very ignorant in compariſon of another to whom they go: ſome that hear the Miniſter preach againſt preciſeneſs and for Ceremonies, had rather hear another that calleth them to holineſs: ſome that have tollerable Preachers go to Doctor Stilling ſleet and Doctor Tillotſon as better: ſome go for neerneſs to another Church. Some go from their own Pariſh becauſe the Miniſter cuts the Commonprayer too ſhort, and Preacheth too long; ſome becauſe they would have it ſo, go to ſuch: ſome becauſe the Parſon is an Arminian; others becauſe he is contrary. Some go to the Miniſter that is ſtrict in keeping the ſcandalous from the Sacrament: ſome therefore go from him: ſome remove their Dwellings or Lodgings for theſe ends; and ſome do not: ſome go from their own Pariſh for the benefit of the Organs in another. And of old, when Nonconformiſts had Pariſh Churches and uſed ſome part of the Liturgy, many went to them from their own Pariſhes. Some of theſe are lawful, ſome are unlawful: Moſt certainly they that go from their own Pariſhes, yea, or to Nonconformiſts Aſſemblies, in London, go not all on the ſame account: Nor doth the Doctor and ſuch other ſeparate from me as I am ſaid to do from them, but otherwiſe and much more.
§. 5. If he would firſt have told us what Separation is ſinful; ſecondly▪ and then have proved us guilty of it, inſtead of the confuſed talk of Separation, and a begging the queſtion by ſupoſing that to be ſinful, which he will neither diſcribe, nor prove ſuch, it had been of ſome uſefulneſs to our conviction. But I confeſs I never liked thoſe Phyſitians who give their Patients the Medicines that they are beſt ſtored with, or they can beſt ſpare, be the diſeaſe whatſoever; Nor the diſputer that poureth out what he is beſt furniſhed to ſay, how uſeleſs ſoever to the reader or to the Cauſe. Diſputeing ſhould not be like boys playing at Duſt point, who cover their Points in a great heap of Duſt, and then throw Stones or Cudgels at it, and he that firſt uncovereth them wins them. Duſty heaps of ambiguous words confuſedly poured out, befriend not Truth that ſhould be Naked, nor the reader.
§. 6. Some thought it was the Place called Conventicle houſes, which made the Conformiſts call us Separatiſts; and they got oft into Pariſh Churches and Chappells. But theſe were made the worſt of ſeparatiſts, and puniſhed the more. And doubletſs it is not meeting at any of the new Tabernacles, nor at the Spittle, nor at Sturbridge Fair, where Preaching hath long been uſed, nor in a Priſon nor at the Gallows to Priſoners and People, which are faulty Separation.
§. 7. Some thought that they meant that its want of the Commonprayer that maketh us Separatiſts; and they have tryed and read the Common-prayer in their Aſſemblys: But theſe have been accuſed and ſuffered the more. And even Mr. Cheny was forced to fly his Country for reading it, and Preaching in an unlicenſed meeting. And ſome reading more and ſome leſs, by this it will not be known who are the Separatiſts; The old Nonconformiſts in their Pariſh Churches read ſome more, ſome leſs, and now ſome Conformiſts vary. They ſay a Conformiſt at Greenwich keepeth up a Common-prayer Conventicle; ſome Conformiſts are accuſed for overpaſſing much: One lately ſuſpended for wearing the Surplice too ſeldom, and refuſing to pray for [our gratious Queen and James Duke of York.] How much of this goeth to make a Separatiſt?
§. 8. Some thought it was want of the Magiſtrates leave that made them call us ſeparatiſts: But when the King Licenſed us, the accuſation was the ſame: yea Mr. Hinkley and many others tell you, that they took this for worſt of all.
§. 9. Some ſay it is want of the Biſhops Licence: But as Mr. Tho. Gouge hath his Univerſity Licence, and I have Biſhop Sheldon's Licence (I think not invalidate) and yet this goeth for no juſtification of us; ſo is it with others.
§. 10. Some think that it is a Conventicle as deſcribed by their Cannon that muſt make us Separatiſts, which is of men that call themſelves of another Church. But that's not it: Mr. Gouge, Mr. Poole, Mr. Humphrey, and my ſelf, and abundance more that never gathered any Church, nor called our ſelves of any other then their own, are nevertheleſs ſeparatiſts in theſe mens account.
§. 11. They that remembred what was called Separation in England of old, ſuppoſed it had theſe two degrees, which made men called Browniſts. Firſt falſly taking the Pariſh Miniſters and Churches for no true Miniſters and Churches of Chriſt, and therefore not to be Communicated with. Secondly or (in the lower rank) falſly taking the faults of the Pariſh Miniſters and Churches to be ſo great, that its a ſin to have ordinary Communion with them. But they that have ſtill diſclaimed both theſe are Separatiſts ſtill in our Accuſers ſence.
§. 12. Some thought that ordinary Communicating in the Pariſh Churches and pleading for it, would prove us no ſeparatiſts with them. But this will not ſerve as my own and many other mens Experience proveth.
§. 13. I am called after to ſay more of this: The ſum of my ſeparation is this. Firſt that I take not the Pariſh Churches to be the only Churches that I muſt Communicate with, and will not confine my Communion to them alone, as if they were a ſect, or All: But will alſo have Communion with Dutch, French or Nonconformiſts.
2. I take not the Order, Diſcipline and mode of worſhip in the Pariſh Churches, nor the Preaching of very many Parſons, Vicars and Curates, to be the beſt and moſt deſirable.
3. I take thoſe to be no true Political Churches, which have no Paſtors that have all the Qualifications, and Call, and Authority, which is Eſſential to the Office; and therefore can communicate with them, but as with a flock without a Paſtor, or an Oratory, Community or Catechized Company.
4. I live peaceably under ſuch Biſhops as have many hundred Pariſhes, and no Epiſcopos Gregis, true Biſhops and Paſtoral Churches under them, as they think: But I own not their Conſtitution.
5. I joyn with all the Churches in England as Aſſociated for mutual help and Concord in all that the Scripture preſcribeth, and in all the Proteſtant Religion, and all that all Chriſtian Churches are agreed in, and all that is truly needful to the ends of Chriſtianity: But not abſolutely in all, which their Canons, Liturgy &c. conttaine: Eſpecially their ſinful Impoſitions, and their Preſumtious Canonical Excommunications of diſſenters ipſo facto.
6. I am one of the Chriſtian Kingdom of England, as under the King according to the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy; and am for obeying the Laws and Rules in all things lawfully belonging to their Power to command. But not for obeying them in ſin, againſt God, nor for believing all to be Lawful becauſe they command it; nor for their taking down Family Government or ſelf Government, and diſcerning private Judgment of the ſubjects. This is my meaſure of ſeparation.
§ 14. And I think in caſes that concern our own and many mens Salvation we ſhould have leave freely to ſpeak for our ſelves; and not be uſed as we are, that muſt neither be endured to be ſilent, or to ſpeak. Let this Dr. open our caſe to you himſelf, ſaith he [Pref. p. 36. Speaking of my firſt Plea for Peace [As though it had been deſigned on purpoſe to repreſent the Clergy of our Church as a Company of Notorious, Lying and Perjured Villains for Conforming to the Laws of the Land and orders eſtabliſhed among us: For there are no leſs than thi…ty tremendous aggravations of the ſin of Conformity ſet down in it and all this done without the … provocation given on oue ſide] And elſwhere he ſaith he ſhall leſs regard my aggravations.
Anſ. 1. If I do that which you think as bad, I would gladly be told of it (though falſe accuſations I deſire not) And impenitence is too ſoon learnt without a Teacher or Academical degrees, and I had rather be ſaved from it. 2. But Reader I once more appeal to the Judgment of all reaſon and humanity as well as Chriſtianity, to decide the caſe of this Accuſation.
1. We did in, 1660. and 1661. All that we were able by labour petition and yielding as far as we durſt for fear of ſin and Hell, to have been united and lived in Church Concord with the Epiſcopal party.
2. When our labour and hopes were fruſtrate and two thouſand of us caſt out of the Miniſtery, and afterwards laws made againſt us as Conventiclers, firſt for our Fining, Impriſonment, and then Baniſhment, and after beſides Impriſonment to pay twenty pound the firſt Sermon, and forty pound the next and ſo on; when after this the Law that baniſhed us from all Cities, Corporations, &c. and places where we lately Preached, did moſt deeply accuſe us as the cauſe; I never wrote ſo much as the reaſons of our diſſent: When by the execution of theſe Laws we were by Informers and others uſed, as is well known, I was ſtill ſilent. My not conforming ſhewed my diſſent, but I durſt not ſo much as once tell them why, leſt it ſhould more exaſperate them.
3. At laſt I was often told that the Biſhop that firſt forbad my Preaching, and many others after him, oft ſaid to Great men, Mr. Baxter keeps up a Schiſm, and yet holds all our conformity lawful, ſave renouncing a rebellious Covenant. And I yet continued ſilent.
4. At laſt they wrote againſt us, that we durſt not ſay that any part of Conformity was ſin, but only inconvenient.
5. Then many pulpits and books proclaim▪ that we againſt our Conſciences kept up a Schiſm, for a baffled cauſe which we had nothing to ſay for.
6. All this while Lords and Commons uſed to ask us, what is it that you would have, and what keepeth you from Conformity. [In private talk, but would never allow us to ſpeak for our ſelves and give the world or Parliament our reaſons].
7. Many years together Pulpits and Printed Books of the Clergy, cryed out to the Magiſtrates to execute the Laws againſt us, (and as one ſaid ſet fire to the Fagot)▪ and blamed them for not doing it.
8. When the King gave us his Licence, they were greatly offended, as aforeſaid.
9. At laſt one great Biſhop told me that he would deſire the King to conſtraine us to give our reaſons, and not keep up a Schiſm, and not tell for what. And another greater told me, that the King took us to be not ſincere, that would not give our reaſons. And all this while I durſt not give them, as knowing how they would be received.
10. When the Biſhops kept me from Preaching and gave me leiſure, I wrote. 1. An Apology for our Preaching, 2 A Treatiſe of Epiſcopacy and divers other ſuch, and yet durſt not Print them (nor indeed could do it.)
11. At laſt after about ſeventeen or eighteen years ſilence▪ by ſuch importunity (and the Preſs being more open) I ventured firſt but to write my firſt Plea for Peace, which only nameth matter of Fact, and our bare Judgment, enumerating the things which we think ſin, without our Arguments, leſt it ſhould provoke them more. And therein profeſſed that (knowing mens different Educations, ſtudies, intereſts, &c.) I did not by this accuſe the Conformiſts, nor the Law makers, but only tell. 1. What I thought would be ſin in us, 2. And how great a ſin, if we conformed.
Reader, ſhould I have ſtayed longer (the ſmal Tract of Sacrilegious deſertion of the Miniſtry, came out when we were licenſed, but ventured not to name the matters of our Nonconformity) what could we do leſs? I ſtaid till I think half the ſilenced Miniſters were dead. Is the call of ſuperiours, the Intereſt of our Miniſtry, and Conſciences of ſo little regard as that I muſt not tell men that ſo loud and long had asked, whats the matter? Muſt we neither be ſilent nor ſpeak?
And now ſee here. 1. If Dean Stillingfleet be a man to be believed in ſuch accuſations, [All this was done by me, without the leaſt provocation on their ſide] wonderful difference! Is my naming what I think God forbids me, ſo great a provocation to them, and is all this for ſeventeen years before named [not the leaſt provocation to us on their part? What ſhall one think could bring ſuch a man to ſuch a word?
2. And that which I profeſt that I wrote not to accuſe them, he tells you was [as if deſigned to repreſent them as a Company of notorious lying▪ Perjured Villains. This Collection I feared; But how could I avoid it? Muſt not I tell them that urge me, what ſin I fear, leaſt they ſay you repreſent us as ſuch?
3. See here how they talk of us contrarily as the Barbarians of Paul, that now make him a Murderer, and anon a God; For many years together, our Lords and Maſters perſwaded men that we took Conformity to be no ſin, ſave renouncing the Covenant: And now how Contrary? Its the repreſentation of a Company of notorious, lying, perjured, Villains, with thirty tremendous aggravations. Repent O England, ſaith Bradford at the ſtake. But who would have thought that Repentance had been ſo hard a work, in a caſe called ſo heynous, and that to the Preachers of Repentance, as it is either to them or to us, which ever it be that is found in the guilt.