been tryed therein by many but would not so easily resign what he had got He once admitted me to his Discourse and before the Lord Broghil Lambert and Thurloe I urged him to tell us what the People of England had done to forfeit their right to the Enjoyment of their ancient constituted Government which they professed to be for and still desired And all the answer that I could have was that God had changed it by his Providence the passages of which he talkt over near two hours till Lambert took on him to be asleep for we must not interrupt him Then Sir Francis sent me his Printed Books and some Papers to have disputed over all the Case of the War And not knowing how many such I might be put to answer I thought best in Print to tell him on what Grounds and Principles I had gone not undertaking that I had not mistaken but to desire him if I had erred to shew it by answering my Reasons there given But before I could have his Answer the distracted Armies had overturned all the present Government I repented Writing that Book 1. Because it came out unseasonably too late 2. Because in opposition to Harrington I had pleaded for Monarchy with some excess and I wisht that I had not medled with Government but left all to the Providence of God 3. Because it did occasion more hurt than good so that it became the common Theme of ambitious young Preachers especially at Court before K. Ch. II. as the way to Preferment to talk against The Holy Commonwealth falsly perswading men that by a Commonwealth I meant Democracy or Popular Government which the Book was purposely written against So that when the Oxford University burnt that Book with Dr. Whitby's excellent Reconciler and some others though I expostulated with the Vice-Chancellor concerning its Principles I told them I consented that the Book was burnt though I told them not why as now I do XXXVII Though both Nature and Grace inclined me to hate Lying and specially in Writers and Preachers and I honoured Jul. Caes Scaliger the more because his Son Joseph tells us how vehemently he hated a Lie so that he could not be reconciled to a Liar yet I confess that my impatience herein was faulty It was long before I well perceived that the Father of Lies doth Govern his Kingdom most of the World by meer Lying Call it Errour or Mistake or Falshood or what you will all signifieth the same thing It is delivering Falshood for Truth Christ had told us that the Devil is the Father of Lies and when he speaketh a Lie he speaketh his own Deceit is by Lying and by this he ruleth his World As God's Image consisteth in Life Light and Love the Devil's Image is Hatred Falshood and Hurtfulness or Murder Joh. 8 But alas to take this for some strange thing and to be over-impatient with Liars was my fault when now I find it is but the very state of corrupt unreneved Nature And Pride the Father and Ignorance the Mother make Kingdoms Cities and Persons like a rotting Carkass that swarms with Maggots You that read Histories read with Judgment and due Suspicion for the common corrupt Nature is a lying Nature And it is not about Religion only but the Fool rageth and is confident in all his Errours O what abundance of Lying Books are Shops and Libraries fill'd with even in History and Theology What abundance of false Counsels do Physicians give what abundance of false accusations doth Envy and Malice vend What abundance of false Doctrines and Censures doth ignorant Sectarian Zeal foment How many Lies for one Truth is carried for News or for Slander about the Streets And how few scruple receiving and reporting them how fewer rebuke them It 's useful for the World to know how common this Malady is but it was almost in despair that I lately wrote a Book against it of pretended Knowledge and Love I blame not my self for hating it but being too impatient with it especially in Books and Preachers as if it had been a strange thing XXXVIII When I wrote my five Disputations of Church Government I too hastily mis translated some words of Ignatius and though I then owned Apostolick Successors in the continued part of their Work I did not so fully as now understand how Christ by Institution then founded a National Church nor what a National Church was nor how that which was ultimum in executione a Christian Soveraignty was primum in intentione to which bare Preaching was preparatory XXXIX When I wrote my Treatise of Episcopacy I Calculated it to the Laudian Faction then prevalent that called it self the Church of England and though I distinguished them that put down all the Parochial Pastors and Churches and turned them all into meer Curates and Chappels or partes Ecclesiarum infimarum and so put down hundreds of Bishops and Churches under pretence of magnifying One from the old Reformed Church of England that put not down these but only sinfully fettered them yet I did not so largely open the difference as I ought which gave Mr. Lobb occasion to write confidently for Separation XL. When my Books against Conformity had irritated Dr. Stillingfleet to make me an instance of mischievous Separation who had constantly heard and communicated with my Parish Churches and for my private or occasional Preaching had the Bishops Licence approved under the hands of two the greatest Lawyers of England the Lord Chief Justice Sanders and the now Lord Chief Justice Polixâ—en I doubt that I too provokingly took the advantage of his temerity and confuted him in too provoking terms not considering enough that a Man of great Learning Labour and Merit and Name hath a great interest of Reputation which he would not be insensible of And if it were true as many without proof report that his exasperation engaged first Mr. Morrice and after the second Author of the Mischief of Separation whose writing against me is the transcript of the Character given by Christ John 8. 44. yet I honour the Reading Learning Labour and great Worth of Dr. Stillingfleet now Bishop of Worcester and what ever hand he had in it I unfeignedly forgive him XLI And in defence of the Nonconformists against the false accusation of Shism laid on them by the Imposing Schismaticks I doubt I was too keen in confuting Mr. Sherlocke I found it hard to discern whether the defence of truth and slandered suffering Servants of Christ or not exasperating false Accusers should command my style XLII What other Errors there are or have been in my Life or Writings I daily beg of God to discover to me and pardon For I never did any thing which might not and ought not to have been done better Particularly I beg pardon for too frequent hastiness and harshness of Speech to my nearest Domesticks from whom I never differed one moment in point of Interest or Love but had too often sour over-hasty
conformable to Episcopacy and Parochial Worship and some of them so Zealous for the Liturgy and Diocesanes that they would not hear a Man as a Minister that had not Episcopal Ordination The Archbishop of York Williams was one of them and was not he for Episcopacy § 5. But the Accuser confuteth all this by telling us that it began in King James days between the Regians and the Republicans between Prerogative and Priviledge by a Party that would have perswaded the King to War for the Palatinate c. And why began he it not in Queen Elizabeth's Reign who more overtopt Parliaments than King James did I perceive by this Man that none must pass for Conformable and Episcopal that are not of Sibthorp and Mainwaring's Mind and renounce not Parliamentary Priviledges and give not up Property and Liberty to the meer will of the King called Prerogative And so all our Parliaments till the Dividing and Tearing Long one were not of the Church of England And what then was that Church Was it a Christian Kingdom and yet was the Kingdom Representative no part of it Are none but Leeches Sangutsugi's Men of Blood that must have all lye and die in Goals among Rogues that will not Swear and Subscribe and Declare and Covenant and Practise all that they impose of the Church of England What a Reproach is this to such a Church If I must Repent that I take not all the old Parliaments and all the Bishops in Queen Elizabeths days to be no Church Protestants if I must Repent for taking Jewel Bishop Bilson Ri. Hooker and his Friend Sir Edwin Sandyes for Church Protestants and Repent for believing all Rushworth's Collections all Whitlock's Memoirs all Sir Simon Dewes and Dr. Fuller's Church History and the Volumes of M. S. Parliament Speeches if I must take this King and Parliament and all the Bishops and Clergy that Conform to them to be no Protestants of the Church of England because they have made a Law declaring it to be the Rights and Liberties of the people to be governed by Law and not by Arbitrary Prerogative and have asserted what the old Parliaments claimed I must then heinously dishonour the Church of England and Repent that I am a Man § 6. He falsly feigneth me to say that the Bishops began the War because I said it began between the two Episcopal Parties those that were of Archbishop Abbot's and the old Reformers way and those that were for Land's Innovations and Persecutions And I should justly be noted for vain and tedious if I would stand to answer all his talk about the Provocations He that will read Whitlock may have full satisfaction and particularly find that the Parliament voted a Diocesane in every County when they began to reform And were they not then for Episcopacy § 7. Page 10. He saith From the year 1660 it hath been my chief work to pour out the like contempt malice and violence as was begun 1640. Ans Not a word proved or true till I was silenced 1662 Aug. 24. I was never accused for any word then preached writ and published Which was not for want of Enemies or Power Of many years after I neither preach'd nor printed And what I printed since the world may be judge of § 8. Page 12. He saith that the numerous fry of Sectaries agree to own me as their Champion Ans When the Grand Accuser can hope to make such stuff as this believed and that in a Land City and Time where the clean contrary is more commonly known than I am what can be devised so impudently false which he may not by his stamp make current as truth Are not above Sixty Books of Sectaries written more or less against me an evidence to prove that they take me not for their Champion Are not above Sixscore Books of my own writing many at large and all in part against Sectaries and Errors a visible Evidence of this Mans falshood Is not the common Cry of City and Countrey a sufficient witness that the Sectaries take me not for their Champion but their Adversary Indeed they have shewed it but by words it being but the two Master Sects Papists and Tory Prelatists that shew it by Fining Silencing Prison and taking all for their prey § 9. The Accuser tells me that it is no new thing for Hereticks to have many admirers and to pretend to purity that they may deceive Ans Which is very true and I will add that which is far worse It is no new thing even for them that do not so much as seem to have either Purity Conscience or common Honesty no nor to scruple the grossest Lying and Perjury to have more Followers than Christ himself had while he was on Earth notwithstanding his Purity and all his Miracles Such Men find corrupted nature as disposed to believe and follow them as a Dunghil to breed Weeds or a Carcase Maggots Even those that openly militate under Satan as deadly Enemies to serious Godliness if they will but cloak their malignity with the Name of a Sacred Function and call Piety and Conscience by their own Titles Hypocrisie and Schism shall convert more Souls to Diabolism in a little time than all the Preachers that they silence could have converted to Piety and serious Christianity And the French Prelacy and Dragoon Discipline will cleanse a Nation quickly from Protestant Heresie and Schism We hope not for the honour of having more Followers than such Men. This Man and his Sect would comfort me if I were in fear of that threatening of Christ Mat. 5. Woe to you when all Men speak well of you § 10. Ibid. He saith That under a form of Godliness I would destroy the power of it Ans Hem What is the Power of Godliness with this Sect of Men If it be the Power of Silencing the most Godly and Practical and Blameless Preachers and of Beggering and Murdering by long Imprisonment in common Goals both Preachers and Hearers that will not give over all publick Worship of God like Atheists till they dare venture to Lie and be Perjured and own all that such Men bid them say is faultless If it be the power of Godliness to have an ignorant worldly scandalous Priest who driveth Men from him by his naughtiness to hate threaten and ruine them if they will hear any but him or use any trustier Pastor for their Souls and that would turn Churches into Prisons and Sacraments into forced Drenches to be given by him that can get a Patent for the Trade which some Patrons and Prelates chosen by a Papist King can easily help him to then I am against the power of Godliness Where Gain is Godliness I have long been against the power of it § 11. Page 13. He saith Our Nation would be less in danger of new Flames if all my Books Practical and Polemical were consumed to Ashes Ans How came I to escape till now my self Not at all by your Clemency Your
against me called his Letter is most shameless for untruths in publick matters of Fact His last and greatest is to prove against me that the Parliament hath no part in Legislative Power nor the whole Kingdoms any right of self defence against any Commissioned by the King on any pretence whatsoever This Accuser is an Eminent Member of the best Church in the World Is this bundle of his gross untruths a proof that he is one of the best Men in the World He saith that the Good that I wrote was for mischievous Ends. And what should move a Man in pain and expectation of speedy death to write above Sixscore Books great and small that are contrary to the bent of his own Heart And for that which he mischievously would overthrow To spend his Life against his own Affections § 70. Accus LIII His next charge is that I was employed in assisting the Commissioners for Sequestration Ans. A downright Lie I never had any thing to do for them or with them Another sort called Commissioners for Approbation that were to judge of Men for Institution upon Presentations would have had me to assist them and I utterly refused it But at last they got a trick that when a Man was presented that they would not approve and yet would not incur the blame of rejecting him they named three Countrey Ministers near him and said If those approved him they would accept him Three or four times they named me and I refused to meddle in it Till three Ministers that were Episcopal and Royalists against the Parliament told me They should lose their Livings if I refused them and only for them did I deny my self to do this Office And now this Man makes it my crime to help his Party to Benefices I never put out or rejected one of his Party He dealeth with me just as Dr. Pearce did When I desired to reconcile the Religious sort to the Ignorant multitude whom the Conformists had made their Church I was still met with the objection that they had nothing but the name and accidents of Christians that they scarce ever spake of God or Christ or the Life to come unless in jest or at the saying of their Service that they never prayed in their Families that multitudes of them were common Swearers Lyars Drunkards c. To keep them from censuring the Conformists and their Churches over-much and separating groundlesly I told them how some foul Sins that have got advantage by Custom may stand with some degrees of Grace And what doth this Doctor but turn this to my own reproach as if I was for vicious Looseness and had described not theirs but my own Communicants whenas without this charitable Lenitive I doubt it is above half the Conformable Laity that we must have turned from the Sacrament and so have maimed the Church of England Just so doth this Man accuse me for keeping in three Prelatists § 71. Accus LIV. He maketh a long Accusation again of my taking the Sequestration full of gross Falshoods Principally That the Augmentation came out of the Tythes of the Vicaridge A Lye merely forged by him without the least appearance of Proof It was granted aliunde I know not whence by the Parliament and paid by them 2. That the Vicar then had little and he talks of desolate Wives and Children Whereas the Vicar had no Child and had 40 l. a Year for doing nothing His debauch'd sottish Curate at Mitton had all his old Pay without any Abatement and was connived at by us to read Common Prayer once a day and the other half of the day they had a worthy Preacher 3. And as for the 60 l. before and after paid me as Lecturer the Vicar's Bond for it was procured by his own Friends importunity before the Wars Oh What a rate do these Accusers set on Souls that would leave so many to two such Men whom many Plow-men and Weavers in that Congregation farther excelled in Knowledge and the Exercise of it than I will now express § 72. Accus LV. He saith that I think my self wronged that I had not the fifth part still paid me and expected to have it offered as my due Ans A mere Lye 'T is capable of no better Name and Answer § 73. Accus LVI Because I said that the Papists Doctrine of deposing and destroying Kings was worse or had less excuse than their act that here had fought against him while I published my abhorrence of both sorts of Regicides he feigneth me to plead for them and that more than others § 74. Accus LVII Pag. 57. He saith It is Men of my persuasion that say that the Representatives of the People in Parliament have the supream Power and whatever is enacted and declared for Law by the Commons in Parliament hath the form of a Law Ans Impudently false Whereas in my Christian Directory I have fully confuted this and such like in Ri. Hooker the Man of their persuasion that they boast of Had he said that I hold that they have part of the Supream Legislative Power he had said true § 75. Accus LVIII After a deal of impertinent talk of the Army 's ill usage of the King which 't is like I did more against than many such as he he saith That I plead for the Obligation of the Solemn Covenant contumaciously against the Authority of the whole Nation Ans If the Reader will find truth in this Man's Writings he must first separate it from all the Chaff of Untruths that covereth it I distinguish between 1. The Imposing of that Covenant 2. And the Taking of it 3. And the Keeping of the unlawful parts of it 4. And the Keeping of the lawful and necessary parts The three first I speak against the fourth is all the matter of our dispute That Covenant is also a Vow to God Therein Men vowed to be against Popery Profaneness Heresie and Schism and all that is against sound Doctrine and Godliness and to repent of Sin and amend and to defend the Person and Rights of the King King Charles the Second took this Covenant and so did his Lords and Knights and others at their Composition and many that imposed and took it were then and some are yet alive The Question is Whether I. and all England can and must be certain that this Vow bindeth neither King Parliament-men or any one living to renounce Popery Schism and Profaneness and to repent of Sin and to defend the King All the Corporations of England are constituted by a new Oath that there is NO OBLIGATION from this Covenant on ME OR ANY OTHER PERSON I gave the Reasons why I durst not swear this leaving other Men's Consciences to their Judge Now either there is some such Obligation or there is not If there is and I should venture by an Oath or a Subscription to justifie King Parliament and all the Corporations in England in publick national Perjury What greater Wickedness could I commit Would
if he eat saith Paul England yet feeleth such Mens Mercy There is I think but one of their Commissioners now surviving nor on our side but few even Dr. Tho. Pierce Dean of Salisbury And he moved for leave by Disputation there to prove that it is a work of mercy to all that think it unlawful to receive the Sacrament kneeling to deny it them and the Communion of the Church though the prohibition of all kneeling in Adoration on any Lords Day was one of the Ancient Ceremonies of the Church setled also at the great Council of Nice and continued near a Thousand years saith Dr. Heylin But Morley had the wit to take him off that dispute § 90. Accus LXXIII Page 96. After other Harangues he alledgeth false Causes of my refusing a Bishoprick I satisfied the Lord Chancellor Hide by a Letter with truer Reasons too long here to repeat § 91. Accus LXXIV He next accuseth my Moral Prognostication Ans Let it answer for it self to the Impartial Reader § 92. Accus LXXV He threateneth me for blaming the Laws Ans And do not many Bishops now blame the Laws If Laws be made engines of Schism and Persecution let them justifie them that can and that love them David saith Shall the Throne of Iniquity have Fellowship with thee that frameth mischief by a Law How many German Divines blamed the Interim imposed by the Emperor as for Peace § 93. Accus LXXVI He next reciteth Bishop Morley's Accusations in his printed Letter Ans Which I have proved to abound with falshood in a full Answer which for want of printing hath lain by me these six and twenty years Mr. Baldwin is yet living who was present when he forbad me to preach And Dr. William Bates is yet living who joyned with me in the Savoy Disputation which he misreported § 94. Accus LXXVII He accuseth my Book called The Cure of Church Divisions and yet saith It is the only Book that Mr. B. hath written that hath any thing of moderation Ans Must the World have a confutation of so gross a Liar after the visibility of above Sixscore Books that are an evidence against him and after the testimony that the Lord Chancellor Hide and Morley gave of me producing one of these Books before the King Lords and Drs. at Worcester-House If I understand them above a hundred Books have been written by me with a special design for Moderation Unity and Concord § 95. Accus LXXVIII Page 101. He is not ashamed to be a procurer of the Indulgence for Popery 1. Because I said I would have Papists used like Men. 2. I would have no Man put to death for being a Priest 3. I would have no writ de Excommunicato capiendo or any Law to compel them to our Communion and Sacraments Ans This Man is for Moderation Do you think he or I is more for Popery or hath written more against it Would he not have them used like Men nor suffered to live And must they be cast out of a Church that they were never in It seems he would receive them all to his Sacramental Communion if they will but chuse his Church before the Goal § 96. Accus LXXIX Page 102. Because I hold that If a Bishop or their Church Party would lay us in Goal for our Duty to God it is lawful to accept deliverance from a Papist that is in Authority He feigneth that If they will not come to us I would go to them And if a Protestant did Hang this Man himself would he take it for Popery or Sin to consent that a Papist cut the Rope You see what kind of crimes we Nonconformists are guilty of A willingness to live out of Goals against the Churchmens will Nay it is yet more our Crime is that we will not damn our selves by Subscribing or Swearing falsly and breaking our Ordination Vow by giving over our Ministry The proof that these Men are against Popery is that they would have the Nonconformists die in Goals and have no Papist seek to deliver them § 97. Accus LXXX Accusing my Book against Sacrilegious Desertion of the Ministry he asketh me Why I Baptize not nor Administer the Lords Supper and so seem to desert Christianity Ans Because I was called to preach and not to Baptize and Administer the Lords Supper by the Necessities of the people where I lived There were in Martins Parish about 60000 more than could come into the Church to hear But they had Curates enough to Baptize and they were compelled to the Lords Supper or might have come and neither Minister nor People desired my help And if these Men believe it not I do That we may and must preach to many that yet are not capable of Sacraments And to many whose Pastors and Judges herein we are not Shall every Minister that preacheth occasionally for him presume to Congregate his Flock and give them the Sacrament Or is he displeased that I gathered not a separated Church § 98. Accus LXXXI As to his Accusation of the Book I leave it to the Readers Judgment that will impartially peruse it But I am not yet convinced by him that it is a Crime to name the heinous sins that have torn this poor Nation and no Crime to commit them Most of his Accusations are that I tell them of their sin and perswade them to repent § 99. Accus LXXXII He accuseth my Plea for Peace and my Book called The true and only way of the Churches Concord as being utterly against Peace Ans Read them and Judge § 100. Accus LXXXIII He accuseth my History of turbulent Bishops and Councils and their Anathematizing as if it were false and almost all was done by Presbyters Ans Let him that hath read it and the proof I cite freely judge who is the falsifier As to his talk about Nestorius had he read David Derodon and what I have said in my Reply to the Defender of Dr. Stillingfleet Mr. Morrice it might have acquainted him with more than he seemeth to know about the Nestorians Eutychians and Monothelites As to his talk against the Arrians I am as much against them as he but not so much against Peace Dr. Henry More a Learned Conformist saith that those after the Council of Nice were to be numbered with the Catholicks and not with the Antichristians Though a Presbyter began their Sect it was Bishops and Persecuting Emperors that upheld it As to my words of many Writers mistakes therein before the Council of Nice he may find them with abundance more in Petavius de Trinitate As to his words of the Controversies and Councils de tribus Capitulis he that excuses the said Councils and Bishops as faultless as to all the doleful Divisions that followed hath not a due love to peace and prudence The same I say of the Monothelites § 101. Accus LXXXIV His great Accusation Page 126. is that If I had any fear of God or reverence of Man I would not reproach the
all the Land into the Sole power of the King who was himself in the power of Papists and Delinquents did clearly tell us where the present danger of the Kingdom lay But future Changes we could not foresee 〈…〉 part I was a young Novice and knew not what War was 〈…〉 considerable interest in any to have prevented it But 〈…〉 that I more repent of than that I feared it so little and that I did not speak more earnestly for the preventing of it by mutual pacificatory means and that I said any thing towards unpeaceable irritations Who could have forethought that all those doleful Events would follow which make up Whitlock's impartial Memorials § 67. Yet I must truely say though it displease the guilty that the effects were quite different on the Land from what the Malignants commonly report They would falsly perswade the World that all ancient Piety was despised the Creed Lords Prayer and Decalogue and all sober Ministers cast out and Tub preachers set up to vent their Nonsence The truth is among 10000 of the Clergy about 300 or more were turn'd out as Ignorant and Scandalous and with them unjustly some for being for the King against the Parliament The number I know not but conjecture that there might be an hundred such at least In the places of these the most seriously Religious young Men that the Universities would afford with some few old Nonconformists and but few such as the Parishioners chose were set up Most of these young Men were such as had no hand in the Wars but were Lads or young Students while the War continued It pleased God that very many of them became such fervent able Preachers that a great change followed among their Hearers and multitudes of the Ignorant Debauch'd and Worldlings became Serious Godly Christians And the younger sort grew up accordingly For instance in the County of Worcester where I lived where before there was one Family that minded Piety or the Life to come or Prayed or Read the Scripture there were many after that did it In the Town where I lived where there was before one or two Houses in a Street that worshipped God by Prayer in their Families and avoided Profaneness and minded the Concerns of their Souls at last there was scarce more than two Houses on a Street-side that did not learn the Catechism read the Scripture pray and live soberly and this in great love and peace and humility towards others commonly disowning the Cromwellians and Sectarians Disloyalties Rebellions and Schisins But indeed when the Sectaries got dominion many Anabaptists and Self conceited Novices set up themselves for Preachers where they could get Hearers but the sober godly people kept so much Concord and Integrity that these others were but here and there and that as a disgraced broken Sect as the Quakers be among us now But Harrison took the advantage of the ignorance and badness of the Parish Ministers in Wales to set up Itinerant Anabaptists and Separatists in many places This is the truth of the Consequents about Religion And it fell out that the Cromwellians and Anabaptists professing more Zeal for Godliness than ordinary did much of their work by suppressing sin and profaneness and countenancing Godliness Which hath taught us to wish that of two Evils rather Hypocrisie than Malignity may be in power It 's better Godliness be promoted for evil Ends than hated and persecuted 68. Whereas therefore the Diocesane Church of England exclusive of all Nonconformists and such as these Men accuse is so oft called The best Church in the World It must mean that it is best in Constitution and Laws or in the Men that are Ministers and Members If the first be their meaning 1. The best Laws without the best Men never make the best Church 2. Is one sole Bishop over a Thousand or many Hundred Parishes without any Bishop or Pastoral Church under him a better Form of Government than the contrary that was continued for many hundred years and described by Archbishop Usher and others 2. Is a Church Governed by Lay Civilians decretive use of the Keys so much better than that which is Governed by the Keys in the hands of the Clergy only 3. Is a Church Governed by Canons that ipso facto Excommunicate all that affirm any of their Offices Ceremonies or Forms to have any thing sinful better than those that unite in things necessary and bear with such as these 4. Are Bishops and Deans chosen by Kings perhaps Papists and Incumbents chosen by any that can buy a Presentation better than those that are chosen by the Clergy and People and Invested by the Prince and Patron 5. Is a Church where the ignorant sinful and unwilling are forced to Communicate unless they will lye Beggar'd in Goals better than those that receive none to Communion but the Desirers 2. But if it be the best Church in the World for Men they should let others praise them rather than their own Mouths Are they so much better Men than the Nonconformists Do their Lives shew it Doth credible fame speak it Though Mr. White was blamed for publishing the Names of such as by credible Oaths were ejected for Drunkenness or other Scandal this was no proof that they were the best Men in the World Nor yet that of 10000 that Conformed 8000 of them had Conformed before to the Directory and Declared their Assent and Consent to the altered Common Prayer Book before ever they saw it as I have proved Whereas I remember not that ever I heard of one Nonconformist these twenty eight years that was accused and punished for any such crime unless preaching Christs Gospel be a crime even when Power and Malice watcht for advantages against them and crouded them into Goals for preaching and praying Nor do I remember more than two single instances of Im norality by credible accusations of fame which was of Fornication lamented in all these years But alas how different is the common fame of too many of the publick Clergy And are these the best Men in all the World § 69. You may partly judge by their Works their Writings and their Lives Compare the Writings and Ministerial Labours of the Conformists and Nonconformists these thirty years or since the New Impositions Some pious Conformists have done extraordinarily well Especially Dr. Barrow Dr. Tillotson Dr. Patrick Dr. Stillingfleet Dr. Tennison c. And is there not the same Spirit of Wisdom Piety and Peace in the Writings of Anthony Burgesse Mr. Charnock Dr. Manton Dr. Bates Mr Hâ—w Richard Alleine Joseph Alleine Tho. Gouge Mr. Swinnock Dr Gâ—lpin many Volumes of the Morning Lectures Mr. Flavel's Mr. Steel's Mr. Ambrose's and many more such This Man singleth out me for one of the worst Men living and Bishop Morley bid Men judge of all the rest by me ab uno disce omnes And he was accounted one of the most Eminent of the Clergy for Parts and Orthodoxness One Book
Government and defame their Laws as if they were a strange Parliament that made so many Laws that a Man fearing God cannot obey Ans 1. And must we go on such suppositions that our Law-makers must not be said to make sinful Laws Where and in what Ages doth this Principle hold Not in Jeroboam's days nor in Ahab's nor in any Age after Christ till Constantine and Athanasius had exceptions then Not in the days of Constantius or of Valens no nor of Theodosius the Second Zeno Basiliscus Anastasius Philippicus or of few Christian Emperors Nor now in Rome Spain France Poland Portugal Germany c. The Lutherans under Calvinists believe it not nor the Calvinists under Lutherans nor the Prelatists under Presbyterians Nor those English Bishops and Clergy that now here refuse the Oath to King William imposed by the Parliament If this Man think that we have not fully shamed that worse than brutish conceit that we must not plead Conscience against Mens Laws though as good men as any Rulers we know he should have said more to confute us than that we fear not God because we fear him more than man This easie Disputant confuteth my many Volumes of Reasons against obeying their Impositions of Oaths Subscriptions Professions and Practices by telling men that I may be ashamed to call them Reasons A short and cheap Confutation Cannot the French say as much for Dragooning the Protestants And that the Laws were made upon deliberation and for our peace That is for the peaceable success of Silencers and Persecutors of Gods Faithful Servants And were not the Six Articles in Henry the Eighth's days made on deliberation And the French Edicts against the Protestants He referreth us to a Book of Church Unity written in Defence of Dr. Stillingfleet And I refer him to my Answer to that Book which was never answered and confuteth much of this Mans charge As to his talk That Men of Blood may be no Bishops I answer 1. I never drew a drop of Blood 2. I refused their Bishoprick 3. I preach'd for the defence of Kings and the Nation against Men of Blood Irish Papists and Delinquents 4. Were not the Military Clergy Men of Blood who complain of the Parliament for ejecting them for promoting the War against them Was not Dr. Mew now Bishop of Winchester Dr. Crofts now Bishop of Hereford Dr. Compton now Bishop of London Men of War when they went as Chaplains or Officers in the Kings Army and yet are Bishops § 102. Page 127. He nameth The Act for Uniformity As if naming it were a Defence of it for Silencing 2000 Ministers for not Lying and Sinning He nameth Renouncing the Covenant And is that a Justification against Perjury to them that own not the Imposing or Taking it nor obligation to keep any but the Moral Necessary parts He nameth the Declaration that it is not lawful on any pretence whatsoever to take Arms against any Commissioned by the King And is that a Confutation of Bilson and other Bishops and doth he not make his own Church and Party now perjured who have taken Arms against King James or those that were Commissioned by him and have set up another King If King James Commission a French and Irish Army to Invade England are all bound not to resist them § 103. Accus LXXXV He chargeth me with a Scandalum Magnatum for saying The Parliament was drawn by the Clergy to make those Acts. Ans And did any Man doubt of it that then lived with his Reason awake If it were not good why did they do it and why do you justifie it If it were good why is it a Scandalum magnatum to say you did it Is your Merit and Praise a Scandal § 104. Accus LXXXVI Because I tell how Hypocrites tempted Christ about paying Tribute to Caesar he feigneth that I make Christ do what he never intended or really approved and complied with Hypocrites and saith It is near to Blasphemy Ans I find too little in this Accuser that is near to Truth How easily by such Fictions may he turn much of the Gospel into Blasphemies § 105. Accus LXXXVII He addeth And who can wonder if he that speaks thus of the Master should not stick to revile his Disciples making the Conformists so many deliberately perjured Persons Ans 1. Must we not refuse Perjury for fear of your supposition that we accuse you We professed not to accuse you but to prove that it would be Perjury in us 2. But if you are guilty is not that more to be feared by you than our saying why we dare not imitate you § 106. Accus LXXXVIII He addeth And which is Mendacium magnum that about Six Thousand Persons that had gone the other way did declare their Assent and Consent to a Book which they never saw Ans Oh what a mortal Wound do this sort of Men give to the Credit of all History of the proud factious worldly part of the Clergy when this Man dare call this a Lye in the same Land and Age in which 1. It is known that there are near Ten Thousand Parish-Churches besides Hundreds of Chapels and Curacies and Chaplains 2. The Land knoweth that these were in possession 1662. 3. The Land knoweth that the Generality of them that were in 1659. conformed to the Directory or else the Prelatists belye the Usurpers that they say turned out all that did not 4. The Land knoweth or at least it is here commonly known that the new altered Liturgy came not out of the Press till about Bartholomew Even 5. The Land knoweth that all were by the Law to be turned out that declared not Assent and Consent to all things contained in and prescribed by that Book by Bartholomew Day 6. The World knoweth that all over England the Books could not be sent down and seen in a Day 7. The Conformists confess the Matter of fact save to a few in London that could go to the Press 8. The Land knoweth that it was but about Two Thousand that conformed not Must there not be then far more than Six Thousand that declared Assent c. to the Book that they saw not Some of them now say that in Universities and the Chaplains and all set together there are about Thirty Thousand Ordained Ministers in England And what are Two Thousand to such a Clergy § 107. Accus LXXXIX He noteth that I say that before I was turned out I could keep no Man-Servant nor any but one old Woman in a hired Room and yet in St. Martin ' s I could build a Tabernacle for Worship From whence he gathereth 1. That I hoped to gain the Centurion's Reputation among the Factious 2. That I had got well by Nonconformity that could lay out so much Ans Is there any thing pious or charitable that these Men cannot turn into odious Crimes by malignant Calumny 1. Was it Faction to offer to teach freely in a Parish where were Fifty Thousand that could not come
were put to draw up Additional Forms which we did in the very Words of Scripture And though some called it The Reformed Liturgy because it seemeth an entire Frame yet it is falsely said that we would have that or none for we only offered it to the Bishop's Examination which they would never do And even this Accuser hath nothing that I find against it but that I confess it was hastily drawn up in eight Days and therefore must needs be imperfect and deserve a Review And so it is our Crime that we take not their three Books to be all such Effects of Infallibility as to have no one Fault contrary to God's Word and yet to confess our own though in the Words of Scripture to be the Work of defectible imperfect Men and therefore needing a perfecting Review Humility and not Subscribing to an Arrogant Claim of their Indefectibility is our great Crime § 123. III. They yet more dangerously deceive their Believers persuading them That we appropriate Godliness and serious Religion to our Extemporate Praying and to the Opposition to Bishops Liturgy and Conformity and that we falsely dishonour their Church by representing their Candidates and Clergy to be more unable Preachers or more ungodly Livers than the Nonconforming Ministers and Candidates and their Parish-Flocks to be more unqualified for Church-Communion and a more irregular Church than such as we have desired in our Motions for Reforming-Concord Whereas say they we have the best Clergy and Church in all the World To which I say 1. That we have largely enough in Folio oft told the World what it is we account and call Godliness even the making and keeping the Baptismal Covenant Believing willing and living according to the Creed Lord's Prayer and Law of Christ We offered them a Liturgy we owned all that was good in theirs We know that Prayers from a Book as from a Habit are accepted if they come from a penitent believing and obedient Soul and that the Prayers of ungodly Hypocrites are unacceptable to God whether with a Book or without 2. And we love and honour Conformable Ministers and People that are Christians indeed and shew it by serious practice of Christianity And we are very thankful to God that England hath had so many such that were conformable long ago and we doubt not hath many such yet even under the new and much worse Conformity We know not that Nation that hath more excellent Men than many of the Bishops were in Queen Elizabeth's Time and than many Divines since have been such as Robert Bolton Dr. Presion Dr. Sibs Mr. Scudder Mr. Wheatley Mr. Dyke Dr. Taylor Mr. Downham Dr. Stoughton Dr. Gouge Mr. Gataker Dr Willet Dr. Whitaker Dr. Field Archbishop Usher Bishop Downam Bishop Beadle c. Oh how many of such excellent Men hath this Land been blessed with And the pious Nonconformists were of the same Spirit though not in all things of the same Opinions I have lately told you in a small Book called CAN and ABEL what are the things that make the difference which hath my chief Regard But such Conformists as I have named have since Laud's â—ays with many gone under the name of Conformable Puritans and by this Accuser are reproached by the Name of Passive Conformists because they had rather the Ceremonies and needless Subscriptions were forborn than able faithful Preachers silenced The Prejudice that he saith I had from my Youth against the Bishops and Clergy was only against Ungodliness and Malignity Is it like that I was against the pious Conformists when I was tutored by them heard them and was of their Judgment But can we not even among Conformists distinguish the Malicious Ungodly Worldly from holy Men of Love and Peace § 124. If Posterity and Strangers must be deluded by such false Historians as this that tell them the serious Godly Ministers and People were Schismaticks and Rogues and the Haters of serious Religion were the most Religious who can help it They talk so now to those that live among both Parties And the debauched sensual Youth and the covetous and ambitious Worldlings seem partly to believe them But so do not the sober Sort that daily see the Confutation of their Malice § 125. For my own part I will conclude That if I had not known that sort of serious Godly Men whom the present Malignants now render odious by their Calumnies I fear I should not have sincerely believed in Jesus Christ and that his Gospel is true For the rest both Ministers and Laity whom I ever knew shewed no serious â—elief of that Christian Faith which they professed Here and there there was a civil Person by Temper and Education but commonly not a serious Word could I hear from their Mouths about God or our Redeemer and the Spirit 's sanctifying Works or of Death and Judgment and the Life to come save in the Pulpit nor did they love to hear any such from others but their Talk and whole Conversation was about the World or common worldly Things and as Mr. Bolton largely describeth them any Godly serious Discourse did but disgust them and marr their Mirth and make them revile the Speakers as Puritaus Hypocrites or some such Names Few did I know of them that excelled Cicero Sencca or equalled Antâ—nine Epictetus Plutarch And if Christ made Christians no better than the Philosophers how could I think better of him than of them Or trust that Physician that cureth none I thank God that I have found more of the Effects of his Saving Grace than the ordinary sort and Members of the described Church-Party which these Men extol did ever shew me Note The Words in the Epistle and pag. 84. about School Masters are thse and no otherwise to be understood That no indulged Persons under severe Penalties to breed up Scholars or to teach Gentlemen's Sons University-Learning because this may be justly looked on as a Design to propagate Schism to Posterity and to lay a Foundation for the Disturbance of future Generations Dr. Stillingfleet ' s Unreasonableness of Separation Preface pag. 88. How many excellent Preachers hath God raised by this Way which he would have hinder'd by severe Penalties And how many Souls converted and confirmed by them A Catalogue of Mr. Richard Baxter's Books sold by Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns near Mercers Chapel at the Lower End of Cheapside Folio 1. Mr. Baxter's CHRISTIAN DIRECTORY Or Cases of Conscience 2. Catholick Theology 3. Methodus Theologiae Quarto 4. Saints Everlasting Rest 5. Church-History 6. History of Councils Second Part. 7. His Treatise of Episcopacy 8. Annotations on the New Testament 9. Life of Faith 10. Naked Popery 11. Apology for Nonconformists 12. Answer to Dodwell and Dr. Sherlock 13. Second Defence of Nonconformists against Dr. Stillingfleet 14. Catholick Communion In Six several Controversies 15. Which is the True Church 16. Moral Prognostication 17. Search for English Schismaticks 18. Farewell-Sermon 19. Alderman Ashurst's Funeral-Sermon 20. Mr. John Corbet's Funeral-Sermon Octavo 21. Treatise of Self-denial 22. His Catechism for Families Or Teacher of Householders 23. Spiritual Comfort In Thirty two Directions 24. Directions for Weak Distemper'd Christians 25. Mr. Baxter's Treatise of Justification Imputation of Righteousness and Imputation of our Parents Sins against the Accusations of Dr. Tully 26. A full and easie Satisfaction which is the true and safe Religion 27. The Cure of Church-Divisions 28. The Certainty of Christianity without Popery 29. A Key for Catholicks to open the Jugling of the Jesuite 30 31. Two Treatises of Death and Judgment 32. The Defence of the Nonconformists Plea for Peace Or An Account of the Matter of their Nonconformity Against Mr. J. Cheyny's Answer 33. A Defence of the Principles of Love 34. More Reasons for Infants Church-Membership In Answer to Mr. Tombs 35. Immortality of the Soul 36. More Reasons for the Christian Religion 37 38. Two Disputations of Original Sin 39. Mr. Stubbs his Funeral-Sermon These Under-written are lately Printed Quarto 1. Mr. Baxter's ENglish Nonconformity sa under King Charles II. and King James II. truly Stated and Argued 2. A Treatise of Knowledge and Love compared In two Parts I. Of falsly pretended Knowledge II. Of true saving Knowledge and Love 3. The Glorious Kingdom of Christ described and clearly vindicated 4. A Reply to Mr. Thomas Beverly's Answer to my Reasons against his Doctrine of the Thousand Years Middle Kingdom and Conversion of the Jews 5. Of National Churches their Description Institution Use Preservation Danger Maladies and Cure partly applied to England 6. Church-Concord Containing I. A Dissuasive from unnecessary Divisions and Separation and the real Concord of the moderate Independents with the Presbyterians instanced in Ten seeming Differences II. The Terms necessary for Concord amongst all true Churches and Christians * Said to be one Parker a Lawyer ☞ ☞ * See Mr. Clarksons proofs See Dr. Sherlock's Defence Hath not Bishop Stillingfleet himself taken K. William's Oath * So Dr. Ashton prosessed as before God that it is 〈…〉 Covetousness that we conform not