A Just Defense of Hearing the Sermons, Title page – Preface
THEODVLIA: OR, A JUST DEFENCE Of HEARING the SERMONS And other Teaching of the present Ministers of England. Against a Book unjustly entituled, (in Greek) A Christian testimony against them that serve the Image of the Beast. (In English) A Christian and sober Testimony against sinful Complyance. Wherein the unlawfulness of Hearing the present Ministers of England is pretended to be clearly demonstrated by an Author termed by himself Christophilus Antichristomachus.
By JOHN TOMBES, B.D.
Luke 9.49, 50.
And John answered and said, Master, We saw one casting out Devils in thy name, and we forbade him, because he followeth not with us.
And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not, for he that is not against us is for us.
LONDON, Printed by E. Cotes for Henry Eversden under the Crown Tavern in West-Smithfield. 1667.
PErlegi hunc librum, cui titulus Theodulia, in quo nihil reperio doctrinae, disciplinaeve Ecclesiae Anglicanae, aut bonis morihus contrarium.
Joh. Hall S. T. B. Rev. in Christo Patri Humfredo D. Episc. Lond. à sac. dom. Ex aedibus Fulhamiens. Calend. Maii, 1667.
To the Right Honourable EDWARD EARL of CLARENDON Lord Chancellour of ENGLAND.
THE great favour your Honour hath vouchsafed me, and the great Candour your ingenuity hath shewed in accepting some former Writings, have imboldned me to present this also to your hands, not only that it might be some part of a plea for my self as not averse from Union and Peace, but also that it may somewhat conduce to a closing of that miserable breach, which that foreign, as St. Basil termed it, the unmeasurable drawing things in contrary ways hath made among us, as hoping that though difference of Opinions should be incurable, yet the discords of Protestants of the same Faith are not incurable. To the remedy of which no person, after his Majesty, by reason of your eminent authority and prudence, is likely to contribute more than your self. Whereto if the Lord make your Lordship instrumental, it may be so blessed a work, as may tend much to your Honour, and comfort in the day of the resignation of your spirit into the hand of him that gave it. The sad face of things in Europe, chiefly by reason of differences about Religion, makes it seem a deplorable thing, and should move every right-hearted Christian to endeavour the composing of Differences (salva veritate) that a deluge of Popery or Mahometanism may not overwhelm us. As for my self I expect no other event than obloquy from persons of this Authors mind, and such like; it being the usual lot of men that seek to part a fray to displease both parties, though I am not conscious to my self, that I have herein written or done any thing which might be a just grievance to any, my study being neither to uphold a rising party, nor to depress the dejected, but to promote Truth and the publick Peace, to which I have addicted my self, and in order thereto, subscribe my self,
Your Honours devoted and deeply obliged Servant in our Lord John Tombes.
TO THE CHRISTIAN READERS. Especially those to whom at any time I have Preached the Word of God.
Sect. 1. Prefaces needful by reason of Readers prejudice.
IT was the Order of the Court of Areopagites at Athens, that Pleas before them should be without Proems, lest their passions being stirred by Oratory, their judgment should be perverted; and favourable inclination to a person, should cause a sentence to be passed by them, not congruous to the merit of the cause. And it were well, if in all Controversies about matters of Religion, there were so strict a Law observed; that in all disputes, whether by Writing or Conference, all such Prefaces or Expressions be severely prohibited and restrained, as tend to create prejudice and partial propension to one part more than to another. But experience too much informing us, that even in Morals and matters of Religion, though the consequent be their Peace, or undoing, the guiding aright, or misleading their Consciences; yea, the salvation, or perdition of their souls; Treatises have their fate pro captu Lectoris, as the Readers or Hearers are affected, each thing is received secundum modum receptivitatis recipientis, as the quality and mind of the Receivers disposeth them; insomuch that any corrupting errour from some whom they affect, is received by many, and the clearest truths are rejected by persons preoccupated with prejudice either against the thing, or person that doth deliver them. Which makes it very necessary to blow away such du… out of the ballance of mens minds, as might mak… the Scales of their Understanding unequal, what they are to weigh what is presented to it. I list not to give instances by mentioning such experiments as either former, or this present Age have yielded, of the ill effects that debates have had through prejudices on both sides, against persons and things, caused by such preconceits as either education, relations, advantages, or engagements forestall men with; being unwilling to rake out of the Grave again such Occurrences of this kind, as I hope are buried, and wish they may not be revived. Nevertheless, (sith I have too much intelligence, that personal exceptions have caused such misprisions, as are likely to hinder the equal judging of the present controversie, whereby as the Writer is wronged, so the Reader is much more wronged by himself, when he refuseth to examine the matter, though of much concernment to him, because he is by fame or other motive dis…ff…cted to the Author) I am induced to speak something of my self, and the occasion of this Writing, and the History of this Controversie, being necessitated thereto by the strange Title, and Preface of the Book, I am now to examine.
Sect. 2. Prejudice against the Author, as favouring Separation, causless.
I find by very many evidences, that my Writings about a point, which few can concoct, have caused such an aversness in the spirits of a great number, even of those that seem to be inquisitive into truth, that my later Writings, even those which have been recommended to the World by the chief of my Antagonists, though not much contradicted, yet have not found such receptions, as such arguments were deemed to require. Which had discouraged me from this kind of imployment, did not the expectation of my giving account about the improvement of the talent committed to me by my Lord and Master, make me judge, that being restrained from publick Preaching, I ought to use it in this way, out of hopes of serving my generatian therein. Being busied in some other Arguments, I met with the Book which I here examine, and not long after with another, having this Title [Prelatical Preachers, none of Christs Teachers] whereby I perceived, that the seeds of most rigid separation were sown, and did spread themselves much among many, whose good I conceived my self bound to endeavour; and not only for their sakes, but also for the publick Peace, (as much as in me lies) to pluck up such roots of bitterness; Which I rather thought did appertain to me to do, because I found that many that had heard of my judgment in another point, did imagine, that I must needs be also a Separatist from the Church and Ministers as now they are; and where my practice is known to the contrary, I have been censured as acting against my own tenet, yea, and my own light, and taken to be, and shunned as a deserter of that Cause for which I have appeared: notwithstanding in many places of my Writings I have disclaimed Separation, for that, wherein I was dissenter from others, alwayes foreseeing, that a groundless Separation would be endless, and therefore have still professed my desire of such a Reformation as might be without Separation from Brethren, who are not heretical in the doctrine of Christian Faith, nor Idolatrous in their Worship; nor impose that on me for communion with them, which I cannot yield to without sin against God, and accordingly did in express words in the Addition to my Apology, Sect. 4. declare my willingness to joyn with any Churches of Christ, and unwillingness to be a Separating Member in any Church, being willing to be a conjoyned Member with all the Churches of Christ in general and each in particular. Apol. p. 5. I abhor Separation from my Brethren in this regard: p. 10. I durst not gather a separated Church, as not knowing how to justifie such a practice. In refutatione positionis Dr. Henrici Savage, Sect. 15. Sanctissimè in conspectu Domini corda scrutantis possum profiteri me in animo semper habuisse, ut si fieri posset, èsset reformatio absque separatione & animorum exacerbatione. Praecursor. Sect. 15. I am conscious to my self of using what means I could for Reformation without Schism if possible. Yea, when some of those who agreed with me in that tenet, which my Writings held forth differently from others, were moved to admit me to their Communion, and they excepted against it, because I did not disclaim the Church of England, nor renounce Ordination by a Bishop, nor desert my standing as a Parish Minister, nor my maintenance by Tith or Augmentation, nor my hearing with the World, as they used to speak, nor some such like practices as were inconsistent with the principles of the Separatists: I refused many years ago to joyn with them that would not otherwise admit me than upon such terms; but did answer their exceptions against me, and persisted in my refusal unto this day. And how averse my spirit and wayes have been from division, that Antagonist of mine whose former Writings had given occasion to men to conceive of me as a Sect-master; yet hath in his two Epistles Printed before my two Books, one against the Quakers about the insufficiency of each mans Light within him for his guidance to God▪ being Nine Sermons on Joh. 1.9. and the other, entituled, Romanism Discussed, against the Papists assertions about their Church and Pope, declared his opinion of my inclinableneness to brotherly Communion and agreement, notwithstanding our dissent. They to whom I was a Teacher, even in the times of our greatest Liberty, can bear me Witness, that I alwayes withstood by Writing and Conference such insinuations as tended to alienate their minds from Dissenters, and alwayes advised conjunction in Church Communion, and hearing such as taught the truth of the Gospel in respect of the foundation, though in their Worship and Preaching, some Hay and Stubble were superadded: And therefore to shew my constancy in the same opinion and practice, I have conceived my self obliged to appear in this matter at this time.
Sect. 3. The evils consequent on the tenet of Separation, urge to an examination of it.
Which I conceived my self the more urgently provoked to, by the direful imputation of serving the Image of the Beast, which the Title of the Book chargeth on the Hearers of the present Ministers; and the terrible predictions which in the Epistle to the Reader seem to be levelled against compliance in hearing the present Ministers; as if it were likely to meet with the same judgment in the day of Gods wrath with the Antichristian Beast; and seeming commiserations of such as did joyn in Communion with the publike Church Assemblies, in praying and preaching, as worshiping with the Nations, waiting at the Posts of an Antichristian Ministry, and through the power of temptation turned aside by the flocks of the Companions; and expostulating with such as forsaking the fountain of living Waters, for broken Cisterns that will hold no Water; changing their glory for that which will not profit, leaving the bread in their Fathers house, and going a begging to the doors of Strangers; casting contempt upon the pure Institutions of Christ, and thereby provoking the Lord to send leanness into their soul, giving occasion of grief and stumbling unto their Brethren, pouring contempt upon the Offices, Wisdom, and Faithfulness of Christ, hardning persons in a false way of worshiping of God to their eternal ruine, disobeying the heavenly voice calling aloud to them to come from the Lions dens, and Mountains of the Leopards, to come out of Babylon; admonishing them to arise, depart hence, this being not their rest, but polluted, to hasten their escape, and be like the He-goat before the Flocks in their retreat from the Tents of these false Worshippers, lest being partakers of their sin, they receive of their plagues that are even ready to be poured forth. Which is further pressed by intimating as if this may be the last warning such may have from God. Which passages if I should my self read without commotion of mind, as if they were brutum fulmen, a great Thunderclap without any Thunderbolt; yet I doubted whether they might not have such operation on many well-meaning persons, as to affright them from any hearing or Communion with the present Church or Teachers, as judging such compliance a damnable sin, such as the Scripture makes drinking of the cup of Fornication of the Whore of Babylon, receiving the mark of the Beast in their forehead, and in their hand and in some an irremissible sin; like that of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost; which must needs produce these woful effects, an irreconcilable enmity between the Separatists and such as hold Communion with the present Churches and their Pastors; and if the Law should not be mitigated, the utter ruine of many thousands, in respect of their Liberties, Estates, and perhaps Lives; or else the violation of their Consciences, if being possessed with these notions out of fear, or secular hope they yield to things of so direful an aspect; which things have appeared to me of so great importance, that I conceived both prudence and charity bound me to examine these pretences, and to inform my self and others of what I found conducible to the preventing of those sad consequences which attend the compliance, if it it be such as it is pretended to be; and the unyieldingness to what Laws injoyn, if it be not such an evil as it is accused to be. That which Dr. John Burges in his Rejoinder, said p. 629. is to be considered. As under the name of Christ and pretence of advancing his honour, Antichrist was set up; so it is possible that under the name of Antichrist, and under the opinion of only opposing him, even the Kingdom of Christ may be pulled down: and in part already is so, and men scarcely feel or fear it.
Sect. 4. The motive and end of this Writing.
Whereunto I have been further incited by the relations I have met with; of the practices and success of Separatists of elder and later times: which have for the most part ended in some prodigious errours, or endless brawls, and other effects as have caused great hinderance to the progress of the Gospel, and the disturbance both of the Ecclesiastical and Civil Peace in those places where they have had any considerable duration. Nor do our own times want such experiments of the discords which have fallen out by such separation; the factions that have been in the Congregations of men of that perswasion, the many, not only vain fansies, but also opinions destructive of true Religion and Christian Faith, as have been vented through a promiscuous liberty of so called Prophecying, and adhered to by many of the weaker s…rt of those of that way, as have caused many both learned, godly, and considerate Divines, even of those who were Non-Conformists, to account the way of Separation as a very pernicious evil; and accordingly have by Preaching, Writing, and Conferences, opposed it to the uttermost of their power. The sense of which moved me to look upon the Book here examined, together with the other forenamed, of the same kind, and some such as have been divulged to the same purpose, as blazing Stars portending some such danger, as we all may have cause to rue; tending to keep open, yea, and widen our breaches, which the Romanists foment, and hope thereby in time to make advantage of for their own designs. Hoc Ithacus velit, & magno mercentur Atridae. For preventing of such malignant influence as that Treatise may have on many souls who are well affected, but not so cautelous as were requisite, chiefly those to whom heretofore I have been a Teacher, I have composed this Writing, which I advise and request the Reader to peruse without any such prejudice, or preingaged partiality, as the Epistle of this Author tends to beget in the Readers of his Work, seriously considering that the right regulating of his own judgment and practice, and the promoting of the publick peace, are of more value than either his own credit, or the contenting of those that are otherwise minded; and that in all enquiries for the satisfaction of our conscience, and doing our duty truth only is to be sought after, which hath been, and still is the aim of,
Your Brother and Servant in Christ Jesus Iohn Tombes.