A Plea for the Non-Conformists, Treatise
A PLEA FOR THE Nonconformiſts, &c.
SIR;
IN your Diſcourſe about a ſcrupulous Conſcience, preach'd firſt at Alderman-Bury, then at Bow-Church, about five or ſix Moneths ſince, and ſince by you printed, you are pleaſed not only to put forth your Endeavours by ſeveral Arguments, to gain and reduce the Diſſenters to the Communion of the Church of England; but (the better to ſhew your moderation and tenderneſs, as one that would not force and compel, but convince and ſatisfie a ſcrupulous Conſcience) do alſo offer to them ſeveral Chriſtian Rules and Directions to effect the ſame; amongſt which are theſe that follow, viz.
Page 24, 25.When any private Chriſtian is troubled and perplexed with fears, and ſcruples, that concern his Duty or the Worſhip of God, he ought in the firſt place to have Recourſe to the publick Guides and Miniſters of Religion, who are appointed by God, and are beſt fitted to direct and conduct him; I ſay, to come to them, not only to diſpute and argue with them, and partly to oppoſe them, but with all Modeſty to propound their Doubts, meekly to hearken and receive Inſtruction, humbly begging of God to open their Underſtanding, that they may ſee and imbrace the Truth, taking great care that no evil Affection, love of a Party or carnal Intereſt, influence or byaſs their Judgment.
We do not by this deſire men to pin their Faith upon the Prieſts ſleeve, or to put out their own Eyes, that they might be better guided and managed by them, but only diligently to attend to their Reaſons and Arguments, and give ſome due Regard and Deference to their Authority; for it may not be ſo abſurd, as may by ſome be imagined, for the common People to take upon Truſt from their lawful Teachers, what they are not competent Judges of themſelves. But the difficulty here is, How ſhall a private Chriſtian govern himſelf, when the very Guides and Miniſters of Religion determine differently concerning theſe Matters in queſtion amongſt us, ſome warranting and allowing them, others as much diſapproving them? By what Rule ſhall he chuſe his Guide? [To which you Reply.]
As for thoſe who ſcruple at Conformity, and are tolerably able to judge for themſelves, let not ſuch rely barely upon the Authority either of one or the other; all we deſire of them is, that they would equally hear both ſides, that they would think the Miniſters of the Church of England have ſome Senſe and Conſcience too, as well as other men, and are able to ſay ſomewhat for what they do themſelves, or require of others, and laying aſide all Prejudices, Favour to, or Admiration of Mens Perſons, they would weigh and conſider the Arguments that may be propounded to them, being Diffident of their own Apprehenſions, and Indifferent to either part of the Queſtion, that they would think it no ſhame to change their Mind, when they ſee good Reaſon for it.
Could we thus prevail with the People diligently to examine the Merits of the Cauſe, our Church would every day gain more Ground amongſt all Wiſe Men; for we care not how much Knowledge and Underſtanding our People have, ſo they be but humble and modeſt with it; nor do we deſire men to become our Proſelites any further than we give them good Scripture and Reaſon for it.
Upon reading whereof (being ſent me by a Friend) I did betake my ſelf to a ſerious Search, and impartial Conſideration of the Controverſies, and the Arguments tendred on both ſides, (many of the learned Guides, as you well obſerve, being of ſuch different Minds herein) and more particularly have I weighed thoſe Arguments mentioned by your ſelf in that Diſcourſe (in Conjunction with what the Reverend Dr. Stillingfleet, the Learned Dr. More, and others, have ſpoken to the ſame purpoſe); together with what is, or ſuppoſed may be ſaid in Anſwer thereto. And from this Chriſtian Encouragement and Invitation from your ſelf, have preſumed, though a Stranger to you, to preſent it to you, with a diſpoſition (as you adviſe) meekly to hearken to, and receive Inſtruction or Conviction from your ſelf, or any of the Learned, truſting that you ſhall find no evil Affection, love of a Party, or carnal Intereſt, ſhall influence or byaſs my Judgment, or that I ſhall think it any ſhame to change my Mind, when better Reaſon is offered for my Conviction.
Reſting confident in your Condor and Ingenuity, that what you have ſaid herein to draw forth the Scruples of any Diſſenter, is not to lay a Bait thereby to catch him in any Snare, or to take any legal Advantage upon him for his diſſatisfaction to the Religion by Law eſtabliſhed (which is hedged with ſo many legal Penalties;) But out of a Noble Chriſtian Principle, that you may have an Opportunity to diſcover, with how much meekneſs of Wiſdom and demonſtration of Truth you can treat, convince and ſatisfie a Gainſayer, having ſo generouſly declared, That you do not deſire men ſhould become your Proſelites, further than you give them good Reaſon and Scripture for it; Club-Law being none of the Arguments you treat a ſcrupulous or tender Conſcience with.