The Nonconformists Plea for Peace Part 2, Chapter 10
CHAP. XI.
Of Puritans as vulgarly called, or of ſcorning them, or the quality and faults of thoſe called our followers, mentioned by the Politician and the Debate-maker and others, and of the Miniſters themſelves.
1. OUr judgement is, that the ba…e name of a Chriſtian, and outward forms and words and ceremonies, without true faith, and Love and Obedience, a ſpiritual and heavenly Heart and life, will ſave no man, (that hath the uſe of reaſon): But that wicked nominal Chriſtians are in that more miſerable than the Infidel Indians, that they are greater abuſers of mercy, and greater Hypocrites.
2. Spiritual knowledge is not born with the children of Chriſtians, but it muſt coſt as much labour in us to teach, and in them to learn, the doctrine of the Goſpel, and the nature and work and hopes of Chriſtianity, perhaps as if they were the children of ſome heathens. Their birth priviledge without our labour will not make them wiſe and faithful and obedient Chriſtians.
3. The moſt among us are ſo dull of underſtanding, and ſo averſe to ſpiritual and heavenly things, and ſo drowned in ſin, and taken up with the fleſh and the world, that the cure of their ſouls is a very great and difficult work, and muſt by us and them be carried on at leiſure, by great diligence and uſually by ſlow degrees.
4. True Grace and virtue will not (uſually) ſupply the want of learning or Urbanity, and of an Academick or ingenuous education; nor will make men of Ruſtick wits and breeding, to have compt, polite and elegant ſpeech: Though yet it may ſuffice to ſave their ſouls.
5. Thoſe that have ſuch Academical education, and polite wits, and expreſſion, and can congruouſly diſcourſe of Civil and Religious things, and have not the foreſaid lively faith, Love and obedience to God, nor a heavenly mind and liſe are miſerable perſons, and cannot be ſaved in that condition, however they be eſteemed in the world.
6. Where both inward holineſs and learning and utterance concur, it maketh men moſt ſerviceable to God and the Church, and an honour to their Religion.
7. For want of clear parts and good expreſſion, many Chriſtians excellent in Grace, (that is, in faith, Love and obedience) do diſhonour the holy things which they diſcourſe of, and to captious proud Wits do make themſelves oft ridiculous and contemptible.
8. He that hath ſpent ten or twenty or thirty years in ſtudies, and among books and learned men, and is pufft up becauſe he can ſpeak more congruouſly than an honeſt plowman, that never learnt more than to write and read, nor perhaps ſo much, or becauſe he can talk more pertinently and compoſedly, than ordinary good women, that could never ſpeak or write true Engliſh, may next be proud that he is not an infant. And he that on ſuch accounts deſpiſeth the honeſt vulgar Chriſtians, that perhaps have much more faith, Love and obedience than himſelf, is more fooliſh than the Eaſt-Indians that made a laughing-ſtock of the moſt learned Jeſuits, that had but begun to learn their language, becauſe they ſpake it brokenly in their preaching to them.
9. We encourage none in the leaſt of their weakneſſes; but do our beſt to encreaſe their underſtanding and expreſſive faculty: But we labour firſt and much more about the greateſt needfulleſt things; to make them holy, and ſave their ſouls.
10. He that ever made conſcience of labouring faithfully for ſouls, cannot chooſe but know, how very hard a work it is to bring the vulgar to a true underſtanding of their Baptiſm, the Creed, the Lords Prayer and the Decalogue, (yea the very ſervants of our own families). And as Arch-Biſhop Vſher told King James in his Sermon on Eph. 4. 3. Let the beſt and learnedſt of them try it when they will, they ſhall find what skill (and induſtry) is neceſſary to teach the people theſe principles that we all agree in: And to reproach them and us, for incongruities of ſpeech, long before theſe neceſſary things can be learned, is to reproach the boys of the loweſt form, and the Maſter with them, becauſe they are not accurate Graecians.
11. It is in moſt places but the far ſmaller part of the people, that we can ever bring to ſo much as aforeſaid; And the greater part in moſt places are ſtill ignorant and unwilling to learn, or meer worldlings and ſervants to the fleſh, and great neglecters of all that is higher than their belly and their eye-ſight.
12. If the Great and Rich be bred up to better utterance, they are very happy perſons among them, that are not more worldly, ſenſual and prophane; yea and more ignorant too of the matters of ſalvation, how knowing ſoever as to words.
13. That Paſtor who preferreth this ungodly ſort before the faithful now deſcribed, and that gathereth together all the weak expreſſions of the later, to make them ridiculous to the former; or (if with no ſuch intent) doth proclaim them perſons of a fooliſh Religion, becauſe they cannot talk ſo wiſely as they ought about religion, and this at a time and in a manner, as is likeſt to harden the ſenſual in the opinion that their caſe is the better, and that learning and labouring to be ſeriouſly religious, is but a fooliſh fanciful thing; I ſay, that Paſtor is— Let his conſcience hereafter tell him what.
14. When there is no known way, (but by the Schools, or by a Miracle) for the world of the vulgar to come to the higher form of wiſdom but by the lover; nor to come to Heaven but by ſuch weak beginnings; And when Grace as well as Nature beginneth with infant unutterable deſires and groans, Rom. 8. 26. and with an Abba father, Gal. 4. 6. (which our heart-ſearching father underſtandeth, Rom. 8. 27.) And when all Chriſts Diſciples muſt enter firſt as little children into the loweſt form (Matth. 18. 3. & 28. 19, 20.) And when the Apoſtles own followers were dull of hearing, and after long teaching (which ſhould have made them fit to be Teachers) had need ſtill to learn the principles, and to be fed with childrens milk, Heb. 5. 11, 12, &c. And few ever get above the lower rank, which all firſt enter; I ſay whenas all this is ſo, and certainly ſo, to make theſe lower Chriſtians a ſcorn, as being of a fooliſh religion, and to diſcourage them, and diſgrace their rank unneceſſarily, is to endeavour to drive all ſerious Religion out of the world, and to keep men from ſalvation, and to brandiſh their flaming ſwords at the entrance of Paradiſe, to keep men from the tree of life—But for the Schoolmaſter himſelf to deride the lower form which with patience and condeſcenſion he is obliged by office and ſalary to teach; This is beyond a ſtrangers crime.
15. We tell them of their weakneſſes and faults as truly and plainly as Reproachers do, though we do it in way of Love and not of wrath and diſcouraging words; which even fathers are forbidden to uſe to their children, Eph. 6. 4. See Baxters Directions to weak Chriſtians, and his Character of a ſound Chriſtian: and his Life of Faith.
16. If any of them grow Proud with their Ignorance, we deal more ſharply and ſeverely with them, as knowing the odious nature and tendency of that ſin.
17. We take not men to be good becauſe they are not conformable; nor do we diſown any of the people for their conformity to your worſhip, Ceremonies and diſcipline, as if they were not the members of Chriſt; or were to be deſpiſed or cenſured by others. But inſtead of ſpeaking perverſe things to draw away diſciples after us (as ſeducers do, Act. 20. 30.) we labour to ſpeak the words of truth and ſoberneſs, and keep to the form of ſound and ancient doctrine, (even that which ſemper, ubique & ab omnibus recepta eſt, as Lirinenſis Characterizeth Catholick verity) and to avoid novelties and vain janglings and inflaming the hearers againſt Biſhops, Liturgy or Ceremonies, or againſt each other; But rebuke thoſe that for ſuch differences cenſure or deſpiſe each other, Rom. 14. 1, 2, 3. And exhort them to reverence and obedience to Governors, eſpecially Loyalty to the King, to Love to all men, and to Unity with the whole Catholick Church, and to peace among themſelves.
18. Our Doctrine is publiſhed to the world ſo fully that no ſober man can queſtion us as a Party for it; but if any individual err, he muſt be named, and proved faulty. For our very Religion is nothing but the Law of Nature and the holy ſcriptures (which we profeſs to the Papiſts that would have more, and to all the world:) And we ſubſcribe the Doctrine of the Church of England in the Articles, as our Explication of the ſence of Scripture in thoſe points: Though Gods word only be our Religion in the Rule, and we profeſs to diſclam all additions or diminutions, yet not all explications of our underſtanding the meaning of it; And therefore are ſtill ready to give ſuch explicatory Profeſſions to any that ſuſpect or accuſe us of error. And ſo the Weſtminſter Aſſembly did in their Confeſſion, as all the Reſormed Churches have done. But our Religion in the Divine Rule we take for infallible; but our explications we take for the corrigible words of fallible men; and as we will take no other mens for infallible, ſo we are ready to retract and correct whatever ſhall be proved faulty in our own.
19. Much leſs can we boaſt that no Miniſter among us doth ever ſpeak or write incongruouſly, or hath any imperfection or miſapprehenſion of any point or method in Theology: we rather wiſh than hope for ſuch perfection here. But beſides the foreſaid Confeſſions, our Profeſſed Doctrine is known by many printed Catechiſms and Treatiſes, ſuch as Mr. Balls Cat. and Mr. Gouges, &c. Ameſii Medulla & Conſcientiae Caſ. Dudl. Fen…ri Theolog. Sohmius, Baxters Reaſons of the Chriſtian Religion: And our notions of Godlineſs and Chriſtianity, in his Character of a ſound Chriſtian, and his life of faith, which ſhew whom we take for the beſt Chriſtians. And our Popular way of preaching which we like, you may ſee in old Mr. H…ld…rſhams Lectures, and in Mr. R. Allens Victory of faith, and other writings, and in Mr. Anthony Burgeſs's Lectures, and many other ſuch; And our expoſition of the Scriptures, in Mr. Gatakers Annotat. on Iſaiah and Jeremiah, and ſome other parts of thoſe Annot. and in Dr. Ma…on on Ja…s, and in Calvin and B…za, and other ſuch Nonconformiſts: And our management of Controverſies, in Ameſii Belharm. enervat. Cartwright againſt the Rhemiſ…s, Chamier, S…de…, Rivet, Dr. John Reignolds, &c. Of ſuch as theſe we are not aſhamed, though none of them were (as we ſuppoſe) Prelatical.
20. We are ſo far from believing our ſelves, that the ſoundneſs of a mans judgement or excellency of his parts in other matters, hath any neceſſary connexion to his Conformity or Nonconformity, that we can hardly believe that any of the moſt fiery of our Reproachers that is ſober, doth himſelf believe it, when the world hath ſo large a proof in the effects, of very great Learning, judiciouſneſs and worth in many of both parts.
21. And ſo far are we from thinking that no Miniſters that conform not are defective, weak or imprudent in expreſſions, or injudicious in ſome Controverſies of Religion, that we are paſt all doubt, that the far greateſt part of the Clergy in the world are ſo; and alas, much worſe than ſo! And that it is the great numbers of ignorant, weak, injudicious, or proud, ſelf-ſeeking, Carnal, Covetous Paſtors, that is the great plague and calamity of the Chriſtian Church through all the earth: The great cauſe of the ignorance and ungodlineſs and unprofitableneſs of the people, and the dominion of ſenſuality, and the increaſe of Atheiſm, Infidelity and Hereſie, and of the great diviſions and confuſions among Chriſtians in Eaſt and Weſt, is a Clergy that is either ſo ignorant as to be unable, or ſo ungodly as to be unwilling, or ſloathful about their maſters work; or ſo proud and worldly and malignant, as to ſet up their own Domination, wealth and will, as the Rule of order and unity, and to account their ſleſhly intereſt to be the intereſt of Chriſt, and to hate and perſecute all thoſe as ſchiſmaticks and diſobedient, that will not ſerve ſuch ſinful ends.
22. Therefore in the midſt of ſuch a Clergy that is the worlds Calamity, as we bleſs God for the worth both of the Conformable and Nonconformable in theſe three Kingdoms, and in many other of the Reformed Churches; ſo we think it to be the wiſdom, duty and intereſt of the worthy of each opinion (in theſe points) to unite and ſtrengthen one another, and on both ſides to diſown the inſufficient and ungodly ones, rather than to ſeek to ſtrengthen themſelves by numbers of the vile and intolerable (that will be their ſhame and weakening at laſt), or to weaken their brethren as Adverſaries, either by cenſuring, reproaching, ſilencing or ſuppreſſing them.
23. And in ſuch a world, we take it for a great honour that is done to the Nonconformiſts in this land, when we read ſuch accuſations, as of an incongruous expreſſion, and an invalid argument about a Ceremony, or ſuch like; And that ſuch as by their writings tell the world, that they want not will to open the worſt, do charge them with no worſe crimes than they do; And alſo that they are not ſilenced at this time, for Treaſon, or rebellion, or drunkenneſs, or ſwearing, or incontinency, or railing, or for inſufficiency or idleneſs, or for ſeldom preaching, or for plurality of benefices, or nonreſidency, or any ſuch immoralities as theſe; but becauſe they dare not deliberately give it under their hands, that no perſon in three Kingdoms is obliged to endeavour the alteration of the preſent Prelatical Dioceſan Government, that vowed to God, in his place and calling to endeavour it, by a certain Oath illegally impoſed on the people, And becauſe they dare not Miniſterially in the Congregation declare that they Aſſent and Conſent to all things contained in and preſcribed by three books; and becauſe ſome dare not be reordained in words, that make them firſt Deacons that were ordained Presbyters, and ſuch like.
24. The moſt credible way to ſhew which party is the fooliſher and the ungodlier, is to make ſtrict Laws againſt an Ignorant, inſufficient, vicious, ſenſual, ſcandalous and negligent Miniſtry; and whoever is proved guilty, of which ſide ſoever, let them be caſt out: This we refuſe not; this we would earneſtly beg upon our knees.
25. We are ſo far from deſiring the diſgrace even of vicious or worldly Paſtors, that have laudable parts, that we thank God that the learning even of ſuch hypocrites, is made any way ſerviceable to the Church; And we would promote and not cloud their due reputation. But we had far rather have experienced, truly Godly Paſtors, to watch over the peoples ſouls, as in many and great reſpects to be preferred.
26. And he that writeth this profeſſeth for himſelf, that when the people cry out [We cannot in Conſcience hear an ignorant man, a ſilly empty ſayer of a Sermon, nor a Miniſtry that openly juſtifieth Perjury, or renounceth a neceſſary reformation, &c.] if he had not a far larger charity to ſtop ſuch perſons mouths with, and to hide or excuſe greater faults, than ſuch as ſome now aggravate, he muſt be oftener ſilent, and a greater Separatiſt, than now he is. I confeſs I would have them to uſe ſome little Charity, who have need of much; And til they have better waſht off the accuſation of a leproſie, I would not have them too loud in the defamation of him that hath a boile. I juſtifie not the Accuſers clamour, but ſtill rebuke them: but I as little juſtifie the ingenuity of ſuch, as have skill to aggravate a weakneſs, and not to avoid a crime.
27. And he further ſincerely profeſſeth, that (being almoſt a conſtant hearer of their Miniſters,)This was written when I lived out of London. if of many and many that he hath heard and been under in certain years or months paſt, he could have had the happineſs to have lived under one that were but near as judicious, and able to manage holy things, for matter, method and expreſſion, as many of thoſe plowmen and poor ſhopkeepers be, that are now called, Our Nonconformable followers, he ſhould have greatly rejoyced in the peoples felicity and his own. And for the homely ſtile ſo much complained of I never heard one Presbyterian uſe ſuch homely words and ſimilies as good Biſhop Latimer in his Sermons uſeth.
28. Yet we are ſo far ſtill from thinking that the better ſort of Chriſtians have not many faults, that it is one of the greateſt and moſt continual ſorrows of our hearts, to think how too little they excel the better part of unbelievers, and how great and common failings are amongſt them, and how much their faults do diſhonour their bleſſed Maſter and holy profeſſion: and what a hinderance this is to the converſion of the Infidel and Heathen world: and what a malignant influence it hath upon the Church by corrupting, troubling and dividing it; and upon the peace of Kingdoms many times, and always on their own peace and true felicity: Eſpecially through the common ſin of being overconfident of their own opinions.
29. But we perceive that their faults are but the relicts of that which is common to the world, and predominant in the unſanctified: If any of them err about Church Communion or diſcipline or infant baptiſm, we would gladly heal their error; but we account it not ſo mortal, as the common practical error of the ungodly, who think a ſenſual worldly life to be better for them than a holy life, and value earth above heaven, and the body above the ſoul, and the creature above the Creatour, and the pleaſures of time, before thoſe of eternity. And the very ſin of ſelf-conceitedneſs we find ſo natural and common to mankind, that in all Civil or worldly matters, it is hard to meet with thoſe that in their miſtakes are not ſtill confident of the rightneſs of their own apprehenſions: And in matters of Religion even old ignorant ſinner, that know not the Creed, do uſually think themſelves too wiſe to be taught, and are as ſtiffe and obſtinate in their moſt erroneous conceits as the groſſeſt ſectaries.
30. Therefore as the very Papiſts difference mortal ſin from Venial, and we approve of the diſtinction as it ſignifieth the ſin which is inconſiſtent with ſpiritual life and Love, and ſo an evidence of a ſtate of death, and that which is conſiſtent, and therefore pardoned] And as God himſelf who more hateth ſin than any of us, doth yet love and pardon and ſave thoſe who have no other ſin, but what conſiſteth with a predominance of faith, Love and obedience, and doth not equal ſuch with the fleſhly worldly and ungodly; even ſo muſt we his Miniſters in imitation of our heavenly father.
31. And we the leſs wonder that there are more differences among the zealouſer ſort in matters of Religion, than among the ungodly who really have no Religion, but are indifferent to all, which letteth them quietly enjoy their ſin: For men that highlieſt value any thing, are likeſt to be tempted to ſtrive about it. If you caſt gold and jewels in the ſtreet, men are liker to fight and quarrel for them, than dogs or ſwine. We are glad they ſeriouſly value truth, though we are ſorry that they cannot more clearly and concordantly underſtand it.
32. If we thought that meer Civil good neighbourhood, and the common ſtate and life of men in their unrenewed naturals, were better, or as good as the ſtate and life of imperfect believers, with all their troubleſome miſtakes and …, we would next become humble Petitioners to Authority, that they would put down both Prelates and Presbyters, and take their lands and Tythes into their own lands, and employ them to ſome better uſe; and that they would ſhut up the Church doors, and baniſh the Clergy as the plague and troublers of the land, that do but vex the world with fables, and will not let men live in peace. For experience aſſureth us that Perfection is not the ſtate of Chriſtans in this life.
33. Nor can we think that it is any real diſgrace to Chriſtianity, Religiouſneſs or the Scriptures, that men are ſo faulty and of ſo many minds, any more than it is a diſgrace to Health that men are ſick, or to food that ſome are weak, or to wiſdom that moſt have little of it; or to a Schoolmaſter, that his Scholars have defects, and various degrees of knowledge and apprehenſion. And if we would concur with them that hence argue againſt the common uſe of Scripture and Religion, becauſe men abuſe them, or imperfectly receive them, we muſt much more condemn humane Reaſon it ſelf, and wiſh that all the world were beaſts; becauſe there is nothing ſo troubleth the peace of Church and State, nothing ſo much cauſeth rebellions, treaſons, contentions, injuſtice, and all the villany of the world, as imperfect and abuſed Reaſon. But we know that nothing in all the world is ſo contrary to Rebellion, Pride, Contention, and all ſin, as Chriſt and Religion and the holy Scriptures: and that if men be bad, it is not becauſe they have too much Religion or holineſs, but becauſe they have name, or elſe too little; And that it is more and not leſs that muſt cure them, if ever they be cured.
34. We take it therefore to be the duty of all Chriſtians, freely to confeſs their ſins, and to take their faults to themſelves; and for Miniſters to lay them plainly on the perſons that are guilty, leſt they ſhould be thought to be the product of the Chriſtian Religion: And that the partiality of thoſe that juſtifie all or any of the crimes or faults of Chriſtians, doth intimate blaſphemy againſt Chriſt, as if he taught, or juſtified ſuch things. And therefore the holy Scriptures do ſo plainly open the ſins even of good men, to teach us to take our ſhame unto our ſelves, and not to caſt it on Chriſt and Religion, which moſt condemn all ſorts of ſin.
35. And ſin is ſo far from being ever the better, for being found in a Noah, a David, or a Peter, that it hath manifold aggravations in ſuch, which it hath not in other ſorts of men. And it is no leſs abhorred of God, who is not reconcileable to the ſins of any: However we ſtill know that the failings of a froward and careleſs child or friend, are not ſo mortal as the contempt of a deſpiſer, or the malignity of an enemy.
36. We do alſo with lamentation confeſs, that beſides the multitude of common hypocrites which are in all the Chriſtian Churches, who by open ſenſuality and prophaneſs do ſhew that they diſſemble in profeſſing Chriſtianity, there are alſo many Hypocrites who profeſs a greater zeal and forwardneſs in Religion, who at the heart are Lovers of this preſent world, and ſlaves to the fleſh, and uſe Religious ſhews and forms, but to quiet their Conſciences with a deceitful hope, that they may have heaven for a reſerve, when they can keep the world no longer. And theſe are the men that moſt diſhonour religion by pride and Rebellions and ſcandals and hereſies, who indeed are numbred by the ſearcher of hearts amongſt the enemies of religion.
37. Accordingly we do believe there are many among the Conformiſts and Nonconformiſts, of both the fore-deſcribed ſorts, (faulty true Chriſtians and hypocrites): And that many of the real faults and …ollies, mentioned by the Books which are too imprudently and unjuſtly written as to the …, are to be found among ſuch perſons: And that it is the duty of ſuch faulty perſons, to learn and take reproof, even from the faultieſt reprover; and to take heed of that ſnare of Satan, who by the reprovers faultineſs would tempt them to excuſe or juſtifie themſelves, and to reflect on others as the greater ſinners.
38. As Chriſt was crucified between two thieves, ſo hath the Church from the beginning ſuffered between Malignant worldly proud …, and Factious Fanatick ſelf-conceited dividing Zealous: We ſhall not wonder therefore, if it be ſo ſtill: Neither of them is a new thing in the world.
39. Theſe two ſorts of enemies have ſtill uſed by their extreams, to increaſe their ſeveral ſins by their fierce oppoſition to each other: The Sectary juſtifieth all his diviſions and … by ſaying [light hath no communion with darkneſs; nor ſincere believers with proud, profane, ignorant and malignant perſecuting uſurpers, that obtrude themſelves on the ſtock of Chriſt againſt their wills]: And the other extream hath been uſed to juſtifie their idleneſs, ungodlineſs and cruelties, by ſaying [Theſe rebellious, factious, diſobedient people, are enemies to peace and order, and commit all inſolent villanies againſt their Paſtors, while they account themſelves the only Saints.] And ſo while neither ſide obſerveth that which is good in the other, but both ſides aggravate the evil (with which they are both too much corrupted) they keep up wars and contentions in the Church, and make one another mad and miſerable, the one ſort cenſuring, and the other deſpiſing, as they in Rom. 14. 1, 2, 3. And in their rage the ſober ſtanders by are reviled and falſly accuſed by both, as the intereſt of each party dictates to their ſpleen; And muſt patiently ſuffer the reproaches of their fury.
40. It is needful that the King be the Peace-keeper impartially between them both, and that he reſtrain the inſolencies and furies of both; For both are troublers of the common peace. And though neither ſide be ſo bad as the other maketh them, yet neither of them are fit for unlimited liberty; Much leſs to be armed with the ſword, to exerciſe their fury on diſſenters.
41. And when diſcontents grow among the Secular ſubjects, and Civil diſtempers in the State, each of theſe parties are fit for the Great ones that head the ſeveral Factions to make uſe of: And by their railing at one another, they become Bellows of the common flames.
42. And it is one of the Devils policies to urge Statesmen to draw the Clergy into their Factions, that which ſide ſoever gets the better, one part of the Miniſtry may not only be ſilenced and uſeleſs, but be made a reproach to their Profeſſion, as the Incendariies and ſeditious troublers of the State.
43. It is a great injury to Chriſtanity and the ſouls of men, when diſagreeing States men will not ſuffer the Clergy to live quietly by them, but will conſtrain or tempt them to intereſs themſelves in any of their Factions, (except in the neceſſary diſcharge of their Allegiance and Fidelity to their King and Countrey) And will force them that are unſtudied in humane Laws, to decide thoſe State controverſies, even by aſſertive Oaths, which Lawyers and Parliaments cannot agree about: And it is a … heinous cruelty and injuſtice, when after all this, they will pretend that their political differences are controverſies in Religion, when it is not ſo, and will thence denominate parties in the Church.
44. The difference between the aforeſaid Extreams (the formal and malignant perſecutors, and the cenſorious Fanatick Sectaries) is more in the manner and way of Exerciſe, than in their Principles themſelves. For they are both agreed in the main, againſt the true nature and principles of Chriſtian Love and Concord. They both think others more odious and leſs amiable than they are: And they both are poſſeſſed with an envious zeal (which S. James ſaith is earthly, ſenſual, and Deviliſh, James 3. 15. introducing confuſion and every evil work); a zeal, I ſay, to make each other ſeem odious alſo to all others: And though they underſtood not the ſenſe or tranſcript of their own dungeon hearts, yet the children of light can eaſily underſtand that the Epitome or Contents of the Doctrine of their learned writings and diſcourſe is but this [My adverſaries are not amiable, but odious] And the ſum of the application is [Therefore we exhort you not to love them, but to hate them]. But here now they part, and the ſide that is uppermoſt uſeth, as the more particular application [Ergo, we pray you, ſilence, impriſon, baniſh, hang or burn them, and curſe and excommunicate, and depoſe thoſe temporal Lords that will not do it, as Concil. Later. ſub Innoc. 3. Can. 2, 3.] The other ſide ſay [Avoid all Church Communion with them as wicked perſecutors; and hold no communion with any of their ſide or way]. So that the difference between theſe Love-killers and peace-haters is but in the top branches [Hate and deſtroy them] ſaith the one ſide, [Hate and avoid them] ſaith the other ſide.
45. The true ſervants of Chriſt do differ from them both, not in approving either of their furies, nor in falling in as parties with either of the factions; but in living in Love as the ſervants of the God of Love, and making Love their end and work, and addicting themſelves to promote it in the world; by obſerving all that is good in all others, and not ſearching needleſly after their faults, nor cenſoriouſly enviouſly or malignantly aggravating them, but hoping the beſt till the worſt be proved, and bearing with the infirmities of the weak, remembring that we alſo may be tempted, Gal. 6. 1, 2. And if poſſible as much as in them lieth, living peaceably with all men, Rom. 12. 18.
46. If one ſide (that are all for the dead image of Chriſtianity, and are not able to endure the ſerious practice of their own profeſſion) would ceaſe their Hypocriſie, and either be what they profeſs, or profeſs to be what they are, and would value the ſoul as well as the adorned Corps; And if the other ſide would lay by their pride and ignorance, and know how little indeed they know, and remember that in this Corporeal world, Religion muſt have a Body as well as a ſoul, the Church would the better eſcape them both.
47. Serious heartineſs in prayer is more acceptable to God, than formall babling in the moſt decent words; And God will bear with the rude expreſſions of his children, that have ſincere deſires. But yet before others our words alſo muſt be well ordered, that we be not a hindrance to them, and a ſhame to the work which we have in hand.
48. And in preaching, as affected jangling, and ſtarched words, that ſavour not of reverent ſeriouſneſs, are loathſome, and uſually loſt labour; ſo careleſs, ignorant, ſlovenly, and over familiar and ruſtick expreſſions, muſt be avoided, which ſhew that we are too bold with holy things.
49. The frothy empty wits are apteſt to nauſeate and ſcorn an incongruous expreſſion, in the moſt ſerious uſeful Sermon which they hear; And their temptation muſt not be cheriſhed by our negligence of ſpeech. But yet God uſually bleſſeth the labours of plain and hearty ſerious preachers, though they ſpeak not every word in Print. And godly ſerious humble Auditors have not ſuch queaſie ſtomachs as to make a great matter of a word or ſyllable or ſound and tone, when they perceive that the matter is ſound and wholeſome, and the manner plain and cloſe.
50. That pride and emptineſs of ſolid matter, which maketh men loath ſuch wholeſome teaching, for want of a neatneſs in phraſe and ſtile, doth often lead them at laſt to quarrel with the ſtile and phraſe of Scripture, and to be Infidels in heart, while for profit and honour they ſeem to keep up a trade of Clergy-Chriſtianity.
51. When great ſecular and perſonal intereſts ſtand up in any Nation againſt ſerious Chriſtianity, or againſt the moſt devoted ſerious preachers of it, Arguments and Innocency then ſignifie nothing: Intereſt hath neither eyes nor ears; The faithful muſt patiently wait in ſuffering, till the righteous God ſhall plead their cauſe, Pſal. 12.
FINIS.
THe true and only Terms of the Concord of all Chriſtian Churches fully proved, and the falſe Term which have cauſed Long Perſecutions and Schiſm plainly confuted, with a Con…utation of Mr. D…s book which denyeth the Being Miniſtry, Sacrament and Covenant … of Salvation, to all the Churches in the world which have not a ſucceſſion of Epiſcopal Ordination, uninterrupted from the Apoſtles, with an Epiſtle to Biſhop M…ly and Biſhop …. A book therefore valued as ſuited to the true Intereſt of all Parties and the Healing of the Chriſtian world. By Richard Baxtor.
End of the text · Richard Baxter, The Nonconformists Plea for Peace Part 2 (1680)