Two Letters to Dr Benjamin Calamy, Floating text 1 – Floating text 3
Two LETTERS to Dr. Benjamin Calamy, ONE IN Engliſh, the other in Latine, By Thomas De Laune, upon his Impriſonment in Newgate, for the Anſwer given at the ſaid Dr. Calamy's Call, to his Sermon entituled, A Diſcourſe about a Scrupulous Conſcience, in a late Piece called, A Plea for the Non-conformiſts, &c.
SIR;
IN your printed Sermon, Intituled, Scrapulous Conſcience, you know you gave a fair Invitation to ſuch as differ from you, to examine what each Party (viz. Conformiſts and Non-conformiſts) ſay for themſelves, with reſpect to the Rites and Ceremonies which the Guides of the Church impoſe on their Members, and by penal Laws upon their Proteſtant fellow Subjects, the Non-conformiſts.—Without doubt, your Call to ſuch, pre-ſuppoſed a Reply, by which you expected that there may be either an Opportunity given to you and your Brethren, to rectifie what ſcrupulous Conſciences miſ-underſtand, or that there may be ſome Relaxation procured, of the ſeverity they undergo, if their diſſent appears to be warranted by that only Rule of Faith, which Dr. Stillingfleet, and other Eminent Conformiſts, call …he Bible.
If you did not expect an Anſwer, or thought that none for fear of the Act of Ʋniformity, &c. would make any Return to your Call, what can a man of Reaſon judge, but that it was a florid Declamation, or a triumphant Harangue, a meer Mockery & enſnaring of poor ſcrupulous Conſciences, when they muſt be ſo muzled, that they muſt not exhibit the Cauſes of their Doubts. Sir, you know that 'tis unequal to gag the Reſpondent, when the Opponent's Mouth is at liberty, or to manacle the Aſſaulted, when the Challenger flouriſhes a menacing Sword.
Upon that publick Call of yours, I adventured to examine (with the moſt diligent ſearch I could make) what each of the ſaid Parties ſay for themſelves; and this not out of any Litigious Principle (that pruritus diſputandi) now too fatally grown Epidemical, but to give ſuch as are concerned, occaſion to inveſtigate theſe diſputed matters to the very Foundation, to the clearing up of Truth in a Juncture when it can never be more ſeaſonable. What was digeſted, was intended to be ſent you in a Manuſcript, with ſome modeſt Inferences and Inquiries; but upon Re-collection I judg'd it would more anſwer your end, viz. publick Information, to have ſuch Arguments as are producible by the Diſſenters, as publick as the Invitation you gave them from Pulpit and Preſs, it being equal that the Anſwer ſhould be as ſpreading as the Objection.
I am far from the vanity of pretending to be your Competitor in the Faculties of the Schools; I cannot judge of them any otherwiſe than as unſerviceable to Chriſtian Religion, unleſs tinctured with that Grace, derivative only from the Sanctifier of all Gifts, which I hope you partake of.
I am one of the meaneſt of the Flock, yet not below the Regards of the Shepherd of Souls, who is no Reſpecter of Perſons, and whoſe Example ſuch as call themſelves his Ambaſſadors, ought to follow. And therefore though ſome, who pin their Faith upon Canonical Sleeves, may cenſure me, for oppoſing (or, if I may uſe a Military Metaphor, taking up the Gantlet againſt) a man of your Figure; yet I can take up my ſatisfaction in this, that it was not Pride, nor a Popular Itch, much leſs the love of a Priſon, influenced me to become an Anſwerer of your ſcrupulous Conſcience.
I could heartily wiſh (as a mercy to theſe Nations) that all Religious Differences were compoſed by Evangelical Rules; and and that all who own the Name of Chriſt would ſerve him with one Heart, and with one Soul, and not tear each other to pieces, which by conſequence muſt expoſe them as a Prey to ſuch as gape for their Deſtruction.
If the Sanctions of Chriſt in the Old and New-Teſtament ought to regulate the Modes of his Worſhip, and that we are under an indiſpenſible Obligation to obey that Magna Charta of Heaven, then let us either quit the Name of Chriſtians, or act according to the ſupream Law-giver's, unrepealable Statutes, quite exploding what's undeniably borrowed from the Pompilian or Pontifical Canons.
Some Sheets have been printed off of what I intended to preſent to you, but the Meſſenger of the Preſs interrupted the procedure, and got me committed to Newgate, where I am now confin'd. There is nothing done, nor was intended to be done, but a fair Examination of thoſe things your Sermon invited to, which I had thought (if eſteemed Criminal) ſhould fall rather within the cognizance of Divines, than the men of Law; for me thinks the Pandects ſhould not be the Oracles of Religion, and that Temporal Statutes ſhould be ſo civil as to give precedency to the ſacred Records.
'Tis poſſible that Inquirers into Religion will look upon it as a prepoſterous proceeding, and diſagreeable to the Nature of the Chriſtian Faith to force doubting Perſons by Penalties to embrace it; for that can never make them good Converts, but Hypocrites. May they not ſay that 'tis a horrid Diſparagement to the Self-evidencing Light of the Goſpel, if it cannot ſtop the Mouths of Gain-ſayers, any other way than by the rigid Execution of Acts of State? I cannot find that Chriſt or his Diſciples ever Church-curſed or Newgated ſcrupulous Conſciences to Conformity.
My Confinement is for accepting your Invitation to hear both ſides; and I appeal to you, whether it be candid to puniſh me for obeying a Guide of the Church? I look upon you (in honour) obliged to procure my Sheets (yet unfiniſhed) a publick Paſsport, and to me my Liberty, elſe I muſt conclude it unfair, and that if the irreſiſtible Logick of Goals grows Al-a-mode, it will make the Reformation, ſome pretend to, ſuſpected to be very little meritorious of that Name.
Religion is a ſacred thing, and has been moſt horribly abuſed by ſuch as have ſuper added their own Inventions, or thoſe Traditional Fopperies received from our deceiv'd and ſuperſtitious Anceſtors. I am ſatisfied you, as well as Dr. Stillingfleet, will own (or there's no debating with you) that the Scripture is our Only Rule of Faith; if ſo, pray let your ſcrupulous Conſciences be won to Conformity by that. All men are not of equal capacity, to apprehend things doubtful; for if they had been ſo, there had been no neceſſity of Preachers: and the methods of Convincing men is as plainly laid down in the Bible, as any thing there, viz. by plain demonſtrative Arguments, meek and winning Perſwaſions, not the ſyllogiſms of Priſons, Pillories, &c.
I beſeech you in the fear of God, and as you will anſwer it to our great Lord and Maſter Jeſus Chriſt, That without reſpect to any other end than the good of Souls (as the Profeſſion you take obliges you to) that you would treat ſcrupulous Conſciences, as you would be dealt withal your ſelf. If they have no Reaſon for their Diſſent, and will without ground ſuffer Impriſonments with all the ruinous Concomitants of ſo diſmal a Circumſtance, 'tis certain that Bedlam is more fit for them, than ſuch places of Confinement, as are appointed for men in their Wits; and by conſequence 'tis pity to be ſo ſevere with ſuch Simpletons. But if you will allow them any Modicum of Reaſon, than I appeal to all the Guides of the Church, whether it be not more conſonant to the Precepts of our ſoveraign Legiſlator, to confute them by his Rules, rather than by ſuch coercive Methods, which his Majeſty judg'd ineffectual in his Declaration of Indulgence, March 1672.
As Truth ſeeks no Corners nor Suborners, and as real Beauty will not be beholden to the artificial Dawbings of a Pencil, ſo the Chriſtian Religion (where profeſſed in its naked ſimplicity) needs no other Allurement to beget Proſelites than its own lovely and illuſtrious Features, altogether plain, honeſt, and every way amiable, void of all Meretricious Gawdery, or that Majeſtical Pomp which pleaſes only the external Senſe.
I have no Malignity againſt any Perſon whatſoever, much leſs againſt your Church, or any of its Members, all I deſire is, that Scrupulous Conſciences, who trouble not the Peace of the Nation, ſhould be dealt withal (at leaſt) as weak Brethren, according to Rom. 14.1. and not ruin'd by Penalties for not ſwallowing what's impoſed under the Notion of Decency and Order, tho Eccentrick to the Scheme we have of it in our only Rule of Faith. Sir, I intreat you to excuſe this Trouble from a Stranger, who would fain be convinc'd by ſomething more like Divinity then Newgate, where any Meſſage from you ſhall be wellcome to
Your Humble Servant, Thomas De Laune. From the Preſs-Yard, Newgate, the 8th of December, 1683.
January Die Nono, 1683. Reverende Vir;
QƲod ſemel at que iterum Concionatus eras, Typiſ que mandaver as de Dubitanti Conſcientia, quotquot Diverſae ſint ſententiae circa quoſdam Ritus ac Ceremonias, ad utriuſ que partis Rationes Examinandas, ſatis publice vocitaverat.
Tacentibus alijs, in illa re, tibi parebam; non litigandi Cauſa (impar enim eſt Congreſſus inter te, tantum virum & me tantillum) ſed uthujus modi Litem adim endi, ſicuti praeceperas, adhibeatur occaſio.
Si propter tale (duntaxat) obſequium, me paenas daturum, neſcio quot quibuſve modis, decretum fuerit; Nunquid novae vincendi ratio, ſacris paginis inaudita, apud quoſdam Anteſignanos exoritur?
Quid de his rebus ſentiendum eſſe videatur, ex ſacro Codice ac probati. Scriptoribus diſquirere propoſui, (te Cunctos vacillantes tam acriter invitante) ex illo Lumine ſemitarum, ex illa Lucerna (Pſal. 119.105) Rationes aliquot hauſeram adverſus varios ac Multiplices Errores, qui in Eccleſiam Irrepſerunt.
Eâ ſolâ de cauſà uſ que ad Carcerem, ubi nihil amabile eſt, adactus ſum. Ʋtrum Iſtiuſmodi Argumenta valuerint ad veſtrae Concicnis ὑπόθεσεισ, probandas ſub Judice Supremo lis ſit. Anve tali modo ullus ex dubitantibus in ſpirituale Cogi potuerit, Ovile, Judex eſto.
Nihil adverſus Regiam Majeſtatem, nihil de Regimine Civili, nihil contra Monarchiae pacem aſſeritur. De Rituum ac Ceremoniarum origine, de que rebus quae ſpecie veritatis, Etiamſi parum recte, in dubitantes Objiciuntur, ſola diſſertatio eſt.
Quid de me Curia decreverit neſcio. Fiat ſummi Patris Voluntas, Ʋniverſis qui ſalutis humanae largitorem ſecundum verbum ejus Colunt Pacem internam ac externam in hoc, aeternam que in futuro ſeculo Precatur
Thomas De Laune.
Ʋt Reſponſum aliquod, quod Theologum decet per dilecttiſſimam meam Conjugem, uti promiſiſti remittas, obſecro.
Theſe two Letters were deliver'd to the Dr. and the Anſwer I receiv'd to the firſt, was in effect, That if I had been impriſoned upon the account of anſwering his Book, he would do me any Kindneſs that became him: To the ſecond he ſaid (which hearing no effect of the former I ſent him) That he lookt upon himſelf unconcern'd, or to that purpoſe, as not being mention'd in the Sheets he ſaw with the Recorder. To ſatisfie which Doubt, I ſent a printed Sheet, the very firſt of it, that makes it undiſputable, viz. that what I am charg'd with is an Anſwer to his Call. This is publiſhed (not out of any diſreſpect to that Gentleman, but) to invite him to give a fair Hearing to my Plea, and ſo to remove thoſe Obſtacles that lie in the way of ſcrupulous Conſciences, in order to a happy Union. I wiſh from my Heart that the Controverſie might conclude in that bleſſed effect.
The following Letter I ſent to the Recorder, Sir Thomas Jenner, which I publiſh for no other end, than that it may be a means to ſtir up the Minds of ſome judicious Guides of the Church of England, to urge mild Arguments to doubting Perſons; for as I am not, nor never was; nor intended to be concern'd in any Action to the Diſturbance of the publick Peace, ſo I have been, and ever ſhall be, in my mean Station, a hearty Well-wiſher to the Proſperity of theſe Nations under His Majeſty's Government.
To Sir Thomas Jenner, Knight, Recorder of London.
SIR;
YOu know I was committed Priſoner firſt to the Compter at Woodſtreet, then to Newgate by your Warrant. In my Mittimus its ſaid, That I refuſed to give Bail, which is a Miſtake; for being asked by you, Whether I would give Bail then? I ſaid, I could not, it being ſo late at night, when I had no opportunity to ſend to ſuch as would bail me. And being ask't, Whether I would give Bail the next Morning? I ſaid, I knew not whether I could or not, becauſe I was not certain whether ſuch to whom I might have made Application would do it, or not. This was no Sullenneſs nor Obſtinacy in me, but what my real Apprehenſions then were. Some Friends of mine (free-men of this City) went afterwards to be my Bail, but they were told, you were not at home. They made thereupon an Application to Sir William Turner, who referr'd them to you.
It is ſaid in the Warrant, That I confeſſed I was the Author of a Libel, entituled, A Plea for the Non-conformiſts, wherein are contain'd things dangerous to the Government, which thus much, and no further is true: I confeſſed before you, that I deliver'd a Manuſcript of my own writing to one John H…, with that Title, in order to be printed, and that if the Print agreed with the Manuſcript, I would own it—otherwiſe I could not, becauſe the miſ-placing of a Stop, the miſ-printing of a Letter or Syllable, or ſome other Errata's of the Preſs, would alter the Senſe, even to Contradiction of what was intended to be diſcuſſed; which was not as my Indictment words it (in a form of aggravating Terms) but in order to a plain diſquiſition of ſuch things as Dr. Calamy from Pulpit and Preſs, invited Diſſenters to inquire into, as you may ſee in his Book, called, A Diſcourſe of a ſcrupulous Conſcience. There is nothing of matters relating to the civil State in what I am charg'd with; for I am not concern'd with that: But if the Guides of the Church (as Dr. Calamy calls the benefic'd men of the Church of England) will make publick Challenges, they ſhould receive Objections, without puniſhing the Objectors, whoſe (ſuppoſed) Crime is only for obeying them; and that, you know, Sir, is diſagreeable to Juſtice.
If any thing I have done falls within the Laſh of Engliſh Laws, fiat Juſtitia. But I am ſatisfy'd I have done nothing in this point unbecoming an honeſt Subject, a Scholar, a Gentleman, and which is worth all, a Chriſtian. I commit the whole matter, with reſpect to this Diſpute, to that ſupream Legiſlator, who is without exception juſt, and who will judge all that are ſubordinate to him. Which is all from,
Sir, Your Servant, Thomas De Lau…
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas De Laune, Two Letters to Dr Benjamin Calamy (1683)