An Apology for the Non-Conformists, Part 1 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. The Judgment and Practiſe of the preſent Non-conformiſts concerning Communion with, and Separation from the Church of England.
HAving given the Principle Reaſons why many Miniſters both formerly, and in this preſent Age cannot conform, i. e. approve and ſubſcribe to the Lyttergy of the Church of England, as it contains all things belonging to Publick Worſhip. It is needful that we ſet down what are their thoughts concerning their preſent caſe, and what their practiſe ought to be in reference to the Church of England, that their friends may not miſtake, and think they maintain principles of Anarchy and Confuſion (which if they did they would long ſince have come to nought) and that their ill-willers may not have oportunity to ſlander them, by miſrepreſenting them as enemies to all Government, and as inconſiſtent with themſelves, as this Dr. hath done. Therefore,
1. The Non conformiſts conceive the caſe betwixt them and the Conformiſts Clergy to be much the ſame as betwixt the Lutherans and Calvinists in Germany, or betwixt the Papiſts and Protestants, ſince the Council of PTrent, i. e. differences are come to the higheſt extremity under blood, (and that only, becauſe it is not in Clergy mens power,) and are utterly irreconcileable The Lutherans formerly had ſome men amongſt them of ſome moderation, and the things in queſtion betwixt them and the Calviniſts wer diſputed and debated, and men left to their liberty both in judgment and practice, but when they got ſtrength enough, then they impoſed their ſubſcriptions, depoſed and impriſſoned the Calvinists, enveighed againſt them with all bitterneſs, will admit of no treaties of Reconciliation, and finally are ſo obſtinately fixed in their own way, as that they will much rather go three ſteps backwards to Rome, then come one forwards toward the Calviniſts; the Papists alſo though they earneſtly oppoſed the Reformation, yet they maintained diſputes and debates, held conferences and conſultations with our firſt Reformers, and forbore violence (at leaſt by means of the Princes,) a good while, ſo that there was hopes the Church might have been reformed without any fatal breach, hCharles 5th then Emperour, and Francis the 1ſt K. of France, and others carneſtly endeavouring to bring it about, but when after all, the Councill that had been deſired on both ſides met at Trent, and excluded the Proteſtants from voting amongſt them, and eſtabliſhed all the errours and corruptions of the Church of Rome, which the Proteſtants condemned, and curſed all the Doctrines and Practiſes of the Proteſtants, point by point, that they ſhould have heard and examined. And finally, ordered all that ſhould be ordained to the Miniſtry to ſubſcribe to this Council; There was now no more hope of Reformation of the Church, or of pacification betwixt diſſenting parties. Thus the Non-conformiſt; being of the ſame date with the Conformiſts, Biſhop Hooper, Biſh. Coverdale, Mr. Rogers, Mr. Bradford, with others of the firſt Reformers, being diſſatisfied with the eſtabliſhed Lyturgy, and ſtill more and more ſucceſſively in after Ages, were at firſt treated like brethren, and though the Lyturgy was eſtabliſhed by Law, by K. Edw. and Q. Eliz. yet they required not ſubcriptions to ſit, or approbation of it, being content with a ſilent practiſe of what was enjoyned, and very frequently paſſed over with ſilence, the omiſſion or non-practiſe of the Ceremonies, and other things enjoined, till Arch-Biſhop Whitgifts dayes; all which time the Non-comformiſts had ſtill hopes things might have been accommodated, and they appplied themſelves to Princes and Parliaments to that end.
At length the Canons in 1605 made by the whole Convocation (but with as fair play as thoſe at Trent) and ratified by the King, eſtabliſhed all things that the Non-comformiſts complained of, and that not in the groſs, but point by point, and fortified them with the Cenſures of the Church againſt all Diſſenters, and finally required all Miniſters to approve the Lyturgy by ſubſcription. Whereupon many werer turned out at preſent, and many kept from the Miniſtry, nevertheleſs theſe ſubſcriptions were private before the Biſhops and Ordinaries, who might and did frequently either omit, the ſubſcription, or qualifie it, with ſuch interpretations, that many who were in their Judgments Nonconformiſts, could and did ſtill get into and continue in places, and thoſe who were driven out of one Dioceſs, were frequently ſuffered to preach in another, and they who could not be ordained by Biſhops would procure Ordination in other Proteſtant Countreys; ſo that here was a little alleviation. There was alſo one ground of hope elft, viz. theſe Canons were not Law, another King, yea, the ſame that approved them, might have altered them, and therefore the Non-conformiſts ſtretched their patience to the utmoſt, hoping that at laſt their afflictions might be looked on by them that had power to remedy them, and ſome appearance of it there was under the long Parliament, eſpecially when the King and they were upon terms of pacification, But behold the Concluſion, We have at length the private ſubſcription to the Common prayer Book turned into a Publick ſolemn Declaration in the Congregation, and that in preſcript form of words, that there may be no moderation. And this to extend to the unfeigned approbation of the uſe of every thing contained in the Book. And theſe Epiſcopal Canons turned into a ſtanding law, which equally extends to all parts of the Realm, and to all times and ages ſucceſſively, as much as men can oblige them, ſo that there can eaſily be no alteration. And beſides all this they muſt not only approve the Liturgy, but they muſt renounce and diſown all their own and their Brethrens former endeavours for Reformation, and engage themſelves never to endeavour reformation again, and whereas formerly they who by the Canons were made uncapable of Livings, were neverthleſs permitted to preach Lectures, and might ſometimes adminiſter the Sacraments, Tis now enjoyned that no man ſhall preach, or read any Lecture, unleſs he hath firſt made the fore-named Declaration and Subſcription upon pain of enduring Three Months impriſonment in the Common-Goal, and beſides that, to pay an Hundred Pounds if he preſume to adminiſter the Lords Supper toties quoties. Alſo the former Non-Conformiſts were wont to teach School, at leaſt privately for the ſubſiſtance of their Families, and that they might beof ſome uſe. But now none muſt keep a publick or private School without ſubſcribing againſt endeavours of Reformation, and promiſing to conform to the Liturgy. And all theſe impoſitions are extended alſo to the Univerſity Collegiate Churches, Hoſpitals, that ſo there ſhould be no retirement for a Non-Conformiſt, as formerly ſome have had in ſuch places, and that by pre-engaging the Youth before they underſtand what they do, there might be no new Non-Conformiſts to ſpring up hereafter, finally when by theſe mens they had turned out about Two Thouſand Miniſters out of Livings, and Fellows of Colledges out of the Univerſities, and bolted the door after them, that they could never return into either, and all this was born with patience.
The Biſhops procured another Act Anno 1665, to drive them out of all Towns, where they might have any Society or Comfort, unleſs they would ſubſcribe and ſwear a Declaration to the ſame purpoſe with the former ſubſcription, and moſtly in the ſame Language; and we add to all this, that theſe Declarations and Subſcriptions were at the ſame time impoſed upon the Miniſters of Ireland, and Scotland, though Presbyterial-Government and Diſcipline was there eſttabliſhed by Law, and their Conſtitution by the firſt Reformation, that ſo there might be no relief, no retreat from one Kingdom to another, and that the Principles of Non-conformity might be Rooted out of all-together, from hence I ſay it is manifeſt that nothing would ſatisfy the Conformiſts but the Ruine of the Non-Conformiſts then Living, and the extirpation of their Principles, out of theſe Kingdoms for ever. And all this being ſetled by Law, there is no place for the moderation of any particular men, either Biſhops towards the Non-Conformiſts, nor of Non-Conformiſts themſelves that could go a great way towards conformity, if they could not do all that was enjoyned therefore the breach is irreconcileable, and not to be made up, unleſs God incline King and Parliament to take away theſe bones of Contention.
2. Nothing therefore now remains for the Non-Conformiſts, but that either they ſet ſtill as private men, and dye in ſilence, or elſe that they exerciſe their Miniſtry againſt the Law, and to Congregations diſtinct from the Pariſh Churches.
The Dr would perſwade them to do the former, and that they ſin againſt their own Principles and Conſciences, if they do the latter. But he muſt give us leave to declare our own Principles, and then were are ready to hear what conſequences he can draw from them againſt our practiſe.
The Non-Conformiſts own theſe Principles as to the matter in hand.
1. That their ejection out of their Livings and Miniſtry was very unjuſt, both in the thing it ſelf, they having not deſerved it of the Church or State, and in the manner of proceeding, they being ejected not for any errour in Doctrine, or offence in manners, but only Terms were deviſed, which their Oppoſites knew, they could not ſubmit to, and impoſed on them on purpoſe to turn them out of their Miniſtry for refuſing them.
2. They are ſatisifed that the turning out of ſo great a number of pious and diligent Miniſters at once, was a very great prejudice to the Church of God at home, Prophanes, Popery, Atheiſm, and all that is evil preſently breaking in upon her as a floud, and a great ſcandal to the Churches abroad, to ſee their Brethren of the ſame principles ſo dealt with by Proteſtants, for no other reaſon but for holding and endeavouring the ſame things, that all reformed Churches generally do.
3. Being unjuſtly ejected, their are ſatisfied that they have neither forfeited their Miniſtry, and therefore ought not to lay it down nor loſt their right to their people and Congregations any more then a Civil Magiſtrate driven out by an Uſurper, and excluded by Laws, looſeth his Native Right to his People and Government.
4. The people greatly wanting their Miniſtry, they are ſatisfied that as they have a right to their Congregations, ſo they ought to make uſe of it for the peoples good, where they deſire it, and will accept it.
5. They alſo believe that Miniſters having not given any juſt occaſion for their ejection, the People ought to ſtick to them, and to oppoſe any that ſhall come in their room, on the account of this Act as Intruders and Uſurpers, unleſs ſpecial reaſons alter the caſe in ſome places, and as to ſome perſons. Thus the Orthodox generally did when turned out by Arian Emperours, and Arians ſent in their room, the Miniſters cleaved to their people, and the people to them: They cauſe alters not the eaſe here, they did it againſt Law, and that which warranted them, will warrant our Non-Conformiſts with advantage.
6. They believe that thoſe Congregations thus deprived of their Miniſters, may chuſe other Non-conformiſts if they cannot have their own, or may chuſe others in their room after they are dead, and that they ought to do ſo, unleſs in ſingular caſes, becauſe elſe they looſe their undoubted priviledge of chooſing their Miniſters, and lay themſelves open to a perpetual uſurpation, to have their Miniſters torn from them, and others impoſed on them at the pleaſure of Superiours, and alſo they do at leaſt tacitly conſent to, and approve of this ejection of their Miniſters, ſubverſion of Reformation, and eſtabliſhment of Conformity for ever.
7. They believe that the people of England having been generally engaged to, and active for reformation with the Non-Conformiſts, and againſt Conformity leſs then is now eſtabliſhed, and having felt the benefit of it, are obliged each one in their place to oppoſe and teſtify againſt this rigorous Conformity, and not to ſubmit to it, and that otherwiſe they diſown their own former works, and their Miniſters, and give themſelves and their liberties in Church matters, and their Conſciences all-together into the hands of Church Uſurpers, when ever they can prevail with the Civil Magiſtrate to joyn with them.
8. And that therefore the people who are ſenſible of this great Uſurpation, and of the great blow given to the Church by it, and how juſt the cauſe of the Non-Conformiſts is, ought on theſe accounts to own both them and their miniſtry, as there is occaſion, though they never were their proper Paſtours, for the Communion of Saints extendeth to owning of their ſufferings and themſelves in them, when they are for the ſame general or more particular cauſe.
9. They are ſure that the Miniſters and Peoples adhereing to each other in ſuch a caſe is agreeable to Scripture, which makes Mininiſters the ſole Governours of the Church, as it is a ſpiritual Common-Wealth under Chriſt, and gives the people the ſole power of gathering themſelves into Congregations for their own beſt edification, and to chuſe their own Miniſters.
10. And they are ſure that the practiſe is agreeable to the practiſe of the Univerſal Church both before and after they were under Chriſtian Magiſtrates, till the Pope at once wreſted from the Magiſtrates their ſupream power in their Dominions, and from the Churches all their authority of Governing themſelves, and as the ruine of Religion followed thereupon in the Church, all things being diſpoſed of by the Luſts of the Biſhop of Rome, ſo there would be no way to prevent the like, ſhould all be left to the wills of the Civil Magiſtrate, or a few Church men that guide and influence him.
11. As a people under Uſupers in their Civil-Rights may and ought to provide what they can for their own liberties and ſafety, till they can recover their ancient priviledges and rightfull Governnours, ſtill doing nothing againſt the publick good, ſo they think the people of England being under great uſurpation and oppreſſion in Eccleſiaſtical Government, are bound to provide the beſt they can for their own Souls, and the Principle Ends of a Church, till Right and Truth may take place, ſtill having reſpect to the general good and peace of the Church.
Upon theſe principles many Non-conformiſts ſtill keep to their own Congregations, ſome gather new ones, and become Paſtors to them, and ſome preach to Aſſemblies of people, that voluntarily come to hear them, without taking full paſtoral charge of them; yet all maintain a brotherly communion with the Pariſhes and Miniſters of the Church of England, not forbiding their people to hear and own them as brethren, and occaſionally at leaſt, to hold Communion with them in all things that are not againſt their Conſciences. Now if from theſe principles, or this practiſe the Dr. can convince the Non-conformiſts of Schiſme, or ſinful ſeperation or allowing that in the people which they are not ſatisfied in themſelves, They would gladly accept his endeavours herein, but will not be concerned with ſuch that have ſold their Conſciences to get a poor livelihood, by defending what ever the Rulers ſay or do.