Apology for Non-Conformists, Title page – Errata
An Humble APOLOGY FOR Non-Conformiſts: WITH Modeſt and Serious REFLECTIONS ON THE FRIENDLY DEBATE, And the CONTINUATION Thereof.
By a Lover of Truth and Peace.
1 Cor. 4.13. Being defamed, we intreat.
2 Cor. 6.8. As Deceivers, and yet true.
Printed in the Year 1669.
To the Readers.
THe Author of the Friendly Debate having ſmitten us on the face, both on the right cheek and on the left; leſt our deep ſilence be brought in evidence to proclaim our guiltineſs, and ſo having loſt our Livings, we ſhould loſe our good Names alſo, which ought to be dearer to us than our very Lives, It may ſeem high time to Apologize for our ſelves, and to make it appear to the World, that we are not ſo black and ugly as we are painted, nor ſo bad as we are repreſented. Our Apology ſhall be that of the bleſſed Apoſtle St. Paul, a little alter'd, (againſt whom alſo they brought many and grievous Accuſations, which they were not able to prove) They have not found us in the Temples (or Churches) diſputing with any man: neither raiſing up the people, neither in the Synagogues, (or places of Convention for Religious Exerciſes) or in the City; neither can they prove the things whereof they accuſe us. But this many of us confeſs, That After the way that they call Schiſm and Phanaticiſm, ſo worſhip me the God of our Fathers; believing all things that are written in the Old and New Teſtament, and in the Articles of Religion of the Church of England, ſo far as concerns the Doctrine of Faith and Sacraments. And are ſtill ready to ſubſcribe to all that the Learned and Famous Mr. Chillingworth ſaith was meant by Subſcription; namely, That we are perſwaded that the conſtant Doctrine of the Church of England is ſo pure and Orthodox, that whoſoever believes it, and lives according to it, ſhall be ſaved; and that there is no Error in it, which may neceſſitate any man to diſturb the peace, or renounce the communion of it. Now this being our Judgment, I humbly conceive we are acquitted from Schiſm in the Opinion of Mr. Chillingworth, and ought to be ſo in the Judgement of that learned and judicious Biſhop Saunderſon, who (as I have been credibly informed) being asked what he thought of the Subſcription before mentioned, ſaid, (after he had read it and conſidered it) I never ſubſcribed in any other ſenſe my ſelf. And that this Subſcription might ſuffice in Equity and Conſcience (if the Supreme Authority ſhould think fit) my Lord Chancellor Bacon hath declared in his Conſiderations about Eccleſiaſtical Affairs, tendred unto King James: His words are theſe, — For Subſcription, it ſeemeth to be in the nature of a Confeſſion, and therefore more proper to bind in the Unity of Faith; and to be urged rather for Articles of Doctrine, than for Rites and Ceremonies, and points of outward Government: for howſoever politick Conſiderations and Reaſons of State, may require Uniformity, yet Chriſtian and Divine Grounds look chiefly upon Unity. It is the Duty of all Chriſtians to be zealous, and to contend earneſtly for the Unity of Faith, and to labour with all their might with themſelves and one another, for unity of affections: Luther's Motto becomes every good Chriſtian, In quo aliquid Chriſti video illum diligo. That the moſt conſiderable Nonconformiſts are Sons of Peace, and not Sons of the Coal, may hence be argued, That thoſe who were Joynt-Commiſſioners for the Reformation of the Liturgy, became humble and earneſt Petitioners to their Fellow-Commiſſioners the Biſhops, and others their Aſſiſtants, for peace. That we are not generally ſuch Boutefeu's and Incendiaries as we are charged to be, may in part appear in this, That we publiſhed no Anſwer for ſo long a time to two ſuch angry and provoking Pieces as theſe: And that little which is here done by way of Reflection, is with ſo great moderation: Doubtleſs if we had been utterly unable to have anſwered the Reaſon or Logick of theſe two Books, we could not have eaſily failed of abundantly requiting the Author of them with Stories and Recriminations.
Were all the Irregularities and Impieties of Men of our own Coat, though Canonical, reckoned up, and ſhould we give our ſelves leave to look back thirty or forty years for matter of Accuſation, (as the Author of the Friendly Debate ſometimes doth) we might fill whole. Volumes with Errata's, and might occaſion the common Enemy of out Religion, to triumph over, and the common People to trample upon the Engliſh Miniſtry. Had the Author we deal withal, had like Charity with Conſtantine the Great, or with King Charles the Firſt, of bleſſed memory; he would rather have buried in ſilence the faults of the Miniſtry, than to have expoſed them, whether real or imaginary, to the Eye of the World, to be beheld through a Multiplying and a Magnifying-glaſs, as he doth. Yea, had he not come ſhort of Mr. White, the Centuriſt, in his Charity, he might have learnt of him not to have publiſhed a Second Part to blaze abroad the faults of his Brethren; there being now no War to inflame him, no Adverſary by any Reply to provoke him: The Non-conformists now outed, being down on the ground, down in the mire, (and yet perhaps neither ſo dirty, or ſo much ſullyed, as were ſome formerly Sequeſtred, there being neither Scandal, nor Inſufficiency, ſo much as charged upon one of a thouſand, as any Reaſon or Cauſe of their Ejectment.) Had be uſed the like Candour towards the Non-conformiſts that Dr. Moulin doth towards the Romaniſts; and which I believe he expects from us towards his own Party; he would never have charged the faults and errors of a part upon the whole, of a few upon all, a very few excepted; and ſo doing, he might have ſpared wholly his Continuation, and have much abridged his firſt Dialogue. He needed not to have made ſo many blazes as he doth, by ſo often firing men of ſtraw of his own making; nor ſo great a noiſe in the world, by diſcharging ſo many great Guns, againſt Caſtles in the Air of his own building.
But ſince he advanceth Reaſon ſo much in word, upon all occaſion, we may wonder he hath made no more real uſe of it in his Diſcourſe. For ſay we might (and think we can juſtifie it) that his Words are more than his Matter, his Rhetorick far beyond his Logick; and therefore we chooſe rather that he ſhould ſmite us with his Fiſt, than with the Palms of his Hands; I mean with his Logick, rather than with his Rhetorick. What Reaſon or Logick is in ſuch a Diſcourſe as this? Mr. T. W. and Mr. W. B. have Printed ſuch and ſuch things, therefore all, or almoſt all the Non-conformists are ſo and ſo; or Preach and Print thus and thus; or elſe Mr. Lewes Hughes, Mr. Viccars, the two Mr. Bridges, ſay or write thus; Ergo, this is the Way, the Spirit, and the Language of the whole Party. Or one or two in a Kingdom, or in the three Kingdoms, and that too, when the Kingdoms were all in a flame with the Civil War, were hot and fiery, &c. Ergo (now notwithſtanding that there has been nine years peace, an Act of Indempnity and Oblivion paſſed, the generality of men formerly divided, quiet and quietly diſpoſed, uniting, cementing and ſoddering together, co-operating For the peace, ſettlement, and welfare of the whole (a few Clergy-men excepted) all that were ſometimes of the one Side or Party, muſt be looked upon as Hotſpurs, Incendiaries, very dangerous Perſons, Enemies to Authority ſtill, &c. muſt have the skins of wild Beaſts put upon them, and a hideous noiſe and out-cry made after them, on purpoſe to ſtir up the People to hunt them down, or worry them; or elſe to move and provoke Authority to make and ſpread Nets and Toyles to take them: Would it not have been more rational and Chriſtian, more Logical and Theological, for the Author to have argued thus; Mr. Baxter, Mr. Allen, Dr. Tuckney, Dr. Conant, and many others now living, though Non-conformiſts, are good men, good Chriſtians, good Subjects, good Preachers, good Writers; therefore we muſt not judge all our Brethren Inconformiſts, for the failings or miſcarriages of a few? Or might not the Author of the Debate, if he had pleaſed; have argued much better and ſtronger, thus; Mr. Dod, Mr. Ball, Mr. Hilderſham, Mr. Rathband, Mr. Geree, and many others of the old Non-conformiſts, were meek and moderate, ſerious and ſober, zealous againſt Separation; therefore it hath not been the way and Spirit of Non-conformiſts to be turbulent, movers of Sedition in the State, or makers of Rent and Schiſms in the Church? Or thus: Mr. Love and Mr. Gibbons laid down their Lives for their Loyalty, and Mr. Cawton was indicted of High-Treaſon for praying for his Majeſty that now is: The London and Country Miniſters declared zealouſly againſt all proceedings againſt the Crown and Life of King Charles the Firſt, of Bleſſed Memory: Mr. Vines, Dr. Spurſtow, Mr.Young, loſt their Maſterſhips at Cambridge, and others their places elſewhere, for refuſing the Engagement. The Cheſhire and Lancaſhire Miniſters publiſhed a Book in Print againſt the Engagement, ſided with Sir George Booth in his Undertaking for his Majeſty. The Presbyterians generally throughout the Kingdom were cordial and zealous for his Majeſties Juſt and Royal Title: Therefore they are good men, and good Subjects to his Majeſty. Or if you will, thus: The Presbyterians and other Nonconformiſts have really loſt their Livings, pretending to keep their Conſciences, have been and ſtill are generally either actively or paſſively obedient to the Laws; pray for, and ſeek the peace and happineſs of the King and his Kingdoms; have in patience poſſeſſed their Souls above ſeven years together, and all this while have forborn, even in their private Meetings, all exaſperating and provoking Language, or publickly in print, ſcurrilous Pamphlets or Libels againſt the Government. And have not (as the Author of the Debate hath) endeavour'd to prejudice a great part of his Majeſties Subjects, by many Reproaches and Terms of diſtinction, contrary to his Majeſties Royal Declaration, ordaining, That all Notes of Diſcord, Separation, and difference of Parties, be utterly aboliſhed among his Subjects: Therefore Presbyterians and other Nonconformiſts, are men of Peace, Religion and Loyalty.
Foraſmuch then as the Author of the Debate hath endeavoured with his Sparks of Wit and Fire, to inflame light-headed and hot-headed Perſons, (if it be poſſible) to make a combuſtion, contrary to the Law of the Land, the Peace of our Soveraign Lord the King, and the great Law of Love and Peace, the Act of Oblivion; I would adviſe him to do Juſtice upon himſelf, in executing his own Books in the Flames, for being Incendiaries. The worſt I wiſh him is his Reformation; that for the time to come, he may be more charitable and good-natur'd; or more Sanguine than now he is, and leſs Sanguinary than theſe his Books ſpeak him to be.
Next to our deſires to cure our Adverſary, I hope we may have leave to go about to heal our ſelves; and this I ſhall endeavour to do, by pulling out the Weapons that have made the wound, and by imitating the practiſe of the Sympathetical Doctors, namely, by applying ſome Soveraign Balſam, or Healing-Plaiſters, to his two Weapons, his Sword and Dagger, or his Sword and Rapier, (call his two Books which you pleaſe) if by any means I may heal the wounds Which they have made.
And though perhaps ſome others would never have ſcrupled to have anſwered theſe Pieces, Railery with Railery, or even Railing with Railing, and to have thrown that Dirt in his Face which he put into our hands; and to have laboured to quench his Wild-fire, though with dirty and ſtinking Billings-gate Kennel-Water: Yet this hath not been my deſign, but rather the contrary, to overcome him with good uſage and good words; and becauſe I cannot give him as good Language as he brings, therefore to ſtudy to give him better; however nothing ſo bad; to uſe hard Reaſons, and ſoft Words; and herein to follow the Reverend and Judicious Hooker, rather than Martin Mar-Prelate.
As for the way and method I take in aſſaulting his two ſtrong Holds or Forts, (which ſome think impregnable) namely, why I do not charge in a right Line, and ruſh directly upon the Pikes, the Noli me Tangere's of the Books; my anſwer is that of the Duke of Parma, upon occaſion, I know very well what is fit for me to do, for the attaining my Ends, and am not come ſo far, to take counſel of my Enemy. Or as another Prince ſaid, I will not take a burning Coal out of the fire with my bare Fingers, when I can do it better with a pair of Tongs. I add further, It doth not neceſſarily argue the want of a good Cauſe, or a good Courage, to come on the Flank or Reer of an Enemy as well as on the Front; or to ſeem ſometimes to give Ground and Wheel-about, with a deſign to charge with the more advantage.
I ſhall not detain you much longer, Good Reader, in the Porch, being ſenſible of being ſo long already: May I crave your leave to make a brief Declaration, a ſhort Petition, and to enter a reaſonable Proteſtation.
I Declare, I do hold the Elders that Preach Well, or Rule well, or Live well, by what names or titles ſoever dignified or diſtinguiſhed, whether they be Archbiſhops, Biſhops, Paſtors or Curates; whether they be Conformiſts or Nonconformiſts, to be worthy of double honour. And that I had much rather we could meet each other half-way, to reconcile our Differences, and to give each other the right hand of Fellowship, than to try it out for Victory by theſe Pen and Paper Combates any longer; leſt Atheiſm and Popery be advantaged by our diſſentions, and enter in at our breaches. I would not have Miniſtes of either perſwaſion, be like the ſilly Coneys that continually fight and tear one another, without ever joyning to make reſiſtance againſt the Polcat. I declare alſo, I do not, in, or by this Treatiſe, condemn Conformiſts, or commend Non-conformiſts as ſuch; yet I cannot but own my utter diſlike of the Principles and Practiſes of ſome high Conformiſts or Hectors for Conformity; namely, ſuch as prefer the Romiſh Church, before the Reformed Tranſmarine Churches; Arminius before St. Auſtine; who judge Aerius a greater Heretick than Arrius; who have more charity for thoſe that deny the Deity of our Saviour, than for thoſe that ſcruple the ſtrict jus divinum of Epiſcopacy; and who can with more Patience hear a Diſpute againſt the very Being of a Deity, than about the taking away of a Ceremony; that profeſs themſelves the chiefeſt Sons of the Church of England, and yet diſſent from her Doctrine contained in the Articles, Homilies, and Liturgie; and tranſgreſs the Laws of the Church about Rites and Ceremonies, by going too far on the right hand, or running too far before them, and become Non-conformiſts themſelves, and breakers of the Act of Uniformity, even by their extream Conformity. Theſe, theſe are the Hectors, I mean, who when they have perſwaded a man to ſtrain hard to go a mile with them in Conformity, will compel him to go twaine; that are implacable Enemies to Non-conformiſts, though peaceable and Pious; and are no good Friends to Conformiſts, except under the ſame degree of Longitude and Latitude with themſelves: Yea, I may ſay, that notwithſtanding their pretended zeal ard devotion to the Hierarchy, look on former Archbiſhops, ſuch as Grindal, Whitgift, Abbot, as Puritans, and would (if they could) Unbiſhop ſome of the preſent Biſhops for Presbyterians.
As tor the Author of the Friendly Debate, I hope better things of him; and though he be a Champion for the Conformiſts cauſe, and I differ from him in many things; yet I muſt confeſs I do not look on him as one of the Hectors before deſcribed; but I ſay of him rather, Talis quùn ſit utinam noſter eſſet; For I am confident, that one of his parts, learning and ſtile, could eaſily make a Dialogue, wherein the high Conformiſts ſhould appear as ſimple and ridiculous as he hath made the Non-conformiſts.
My Petition, my humble and hearty Petition is to the Fathers of the Church, the moſt Reverend the Archbiſhops, and the Right reverend the Biſhops, and to the Sons of the Church, our Conforming Brethren, That they would manifeſt their love to Peace, by their condeſcentions and deſires of Union, with their diſſenting Brethren; and that there might be, by the means of the Governours of our Church, their Mediation with His Majeſty and the Parliament, ſome ſuch Laws made, as might for ever take away the differences 'twixt them and thoſe that are for Moderation, that ſtill hold themſelves Members of the Church of England, though not admitted to be Teachers in it: And▪ Oh! that it were in their hearts, as many of them as hold Communion with the Reformed Churches beyond Seas, to offer ſuch Bill or Bills to King and Parliament, as might enable the Biſhops to receive all again into the Boſom of the Church, and to the Exerciſe of their Miniſtry, who beſides taking the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy to his Majeſty, can conform to what is neceſſary in other Reformed Churches.
And my earneſt deſire to all Nonconformists is, That they love and follow the Truth and Peace; that they endeavour after Union and Coalition; however that they avoid Schiſm and Separation, truly ſo called: And eſpecially that they keep far from that dividing Principle, To imagine a thing of it ſelf indifferent, to be therefore unlawful, becauſe commanded by a lawful Authority; and alſo from that grand Crime of the Donatiſts, that unchurched all beſides themſelves.
My Proteſtation is this, That whereas the Author of the Debate hath offered us Nonconformiſts many and great Affronts, hath made ſo many hard and deſperate Thruſts or Paſſes at us, and hard thereby forced us at laſt to Draw in our own Defence; That if he ſhall preſently cauſe our Perſons or Weapons to be arreſted or ſeized therefore, He may never more be proclaimed for a Couragious Champion, nor the Nonconformiſts poſted for baſe Cowards.
If the High Sons of the Church have the Liberty and Priviledge to throw Ink in out Faces; the Sons of Adam, the Sons of Peace, and his Majeſties good Subjects, may have we hope a Toleration or Connivence to wipe it off.
Theſe things premiſed; Since the Author of the Debate hath ſo vehemently charged us, and put in a Firſt and a Second Indictment againſt us, for Irreligion, Diſloyalty, Schiſm, Sacriledge, &c. We plead, NOT GUILTY; And put our ſelves upon the Tryal of our Countrey, which be You.
The Contents.
Page.
EVery tranſgreſſion of humane Law, not deadly, p. 3, 4.
Nonconformiſts better treated in former times, p. 7, 8.
Nonconformiſts not Schiſmaticks or Sectaries, p. 10, 11, 12.
Ordinations by Presbyters, formerly counted valid by …, p. 12, 13, 14.
The Aſſem…y men cleared from countenancing Sacrilege, p. 15, 16.
Non-conformiſts offer to clear themſelves by Oath from Peeviſhneſs and Obſtinacy. p. 17.
Nonconformiſts not like Phariſees, p. 17.
How Conformiſts and Nonconformiſts may be Reconciled, p. 18, 19.
What Reformation was deſired formerly by the Houſe of Commons, in the 30th Year of Queen Eliz. p. 21, 22.
Nonconformiſts not ſo rigid towards Diſſenters as is pretended, p. 22, 23.
Nonconformiſts Obedient to His Majesty. Declared against the late horrid Murder of His late Majesty, p. 26, 27.
Nonconformiſts do not deprive his Majesty Eccleſiaſtical Cauſes, p. 32; 117, 11
Of Conformiſts and Non-conformiſts Charit… p. 34, 35
Presbyterians no Changelings, p. 37
Nonconformiſts uſe the Lords Prayer, p. 39
Why ſome ſcruple ſome old Words, as Altar, Prieſt &c. p. 41, 42
Of keeping Holy-dayes, p. 43, 44
Of the Surplice, p. 46, 47, 48
Conformiſts differ amongst themſelves in many things, p. 49, 50
Of praying that we may Preach in the evidence an… demonſtration of the Spirit, p. 53, 54
Of Praying by the Spirit, p. 55, 66.
Of conceived Prayer, and Prayer …ok, p. 59.
Of Afternoon-Sermons, p. 62.
Of Catechiſing, p. 64.
Of divers modes of Preaching, p. 60, 69.
Of Conventicles, p. 61.
Of Experimental Preaching, p. 70, 71.
Nonconformiſts Preach Obedience to Magiſtrates, p. 72, 73.
And to the Moral Law, p. 75, 77, 78.
Some Conformiſts Diſſent from the Doctrine of the Church of England, p. 80, 81.
Of Abſolute Promiſes, p. 83.
Of Good Works in the matter of Juſtification, p. 85.
Of the difference 'twixt the Old and New Covenant, p. 86.
Non-conformiſts not Time ſervers, p. 89.
Of Holy Conference, p. 96.
Of Stage-Playes, p. 97.
Of Mr. T. W. p. 99, 10.
Of Mr. W. B. p. 100.
A Declaration against Vennor and his Confederates, by the Congregational Miniſters, p. 101.
Non-conformiſts more tolerable than Papiſts and Quakers, p. 102, 103.
The old Puritans peaceable, p. 106.
Modern Non-conformiſts compared with thoſe in Queen Eliz. her dayes, p. 111.
Unity may be where there is not Uniformity, p. 126.
Presbyterians no Separatiſts, p. 128.
Presbyterians rather to be ſatisfied than Papiſts, p. 131, 132.
The Divinity of Non-conformiſts not a Phraſe-Divinity, p. 138.
Of Ruling Elders, p. 141.
Of the Uſe of Reaſon in Theologie, p. 143.
Whether Arminians or Calviniſts come nearest to the Doctrine of the Church of England, p. 144.
Non-conformiſts not like the Donatiſts, p. 145.
ERRATA.
Page 6. line 10. for gage read gauge. p. 35. l. 18. f. Antipariſtasis r. Antiperiſtaſis. p. 36. l. 13. f. humours r. honours. p. 37. l. 17. f. Btailas r. Brayles. p. 42. l. 12. f. Chriſtmss r. Chriſtmas. p. 43. l. 14. f. leave r. leave. p. 50. l. 3. f. Rigidiſſimos r. Rigidiſſimo's. l. 12. r. if more, &c. p. 79. l. 24. f. mediatore r. mediatorem. p. 80. l. 29. f. foreign r. foreign. p. 93. l. 23. f. aequilibro r. aeliquibrio. p. 117. l. 7. f. diſquet r. diſquiet. p. 119. l. 14. f. Academae r. Academiae. l. 19. f. ni ſialiter, r. niſi aliter.