A second true defence of the meer nonconformists against the untrue accusations, reasonings, and history of Dr. Edward Stillingfleet ... clearly proving that it is (not sin but) duty 1. not wilfully to commit the many sins of conformity, 2. not sacrilegiously to forsake the preaching of the Gospel, 3. not to cease publick worshipping of God, 4. to use needful pastoral helps for salvation ... / written by Richard Baxter ... ; with some notes on Mr. Joseph Glanviles Zealous and impartial Protestant, and Dr. L. Moulins character.

AN Historical Preface.

§ 1. THE matter of fact occasioning this second Defence, hath been formerly, and is after here opened in part. I need now but briefly tell the Reader, that after the long difference between the English Prelatists, and those that desired Reformation and Discipline; the most of the English Mi∣nisters who were in possession of the Parish-Churches from 1646, till 1660, obeyed the Parliament, so far as to disuse the English Book of Common-Prayer, and Subscription, and Obe∣dience to the Diocesan Episcopacy; some of them being most for Church-Government by Synods of Parochial Pastors, and assisting Elders, and most for a Reconciling of the several divi∣ded Parties, thinking somewhat in the Episcopal, Presbyterian, and Independent Parties to be good, and somewhat in each of them unwarrantable.

1. They were so far Independent as to hold, that particular Churches associated for Personal Communion in faith, worship, and holy living, were of Divine Institution (such as true Parish-Churches are) and that each of these Churches ought to have its proper exercise of that Discipline which is described by Christ, Mat. 18. and by St. Paul, 1 Cor. 5. and in other Texts of holy Scripture, and was exercised in the days of Ignatius, and so on for many hundred years; some part of it still remaining even to the times of Popery. Therefore they held, that the Pastors of such Churches must be such as had power to exercise the said Discipline. And they held, that Parish-Bounds were of great convenience against disorder, though not of Divine Institution; not taking all that dwell in a Parish to be eo nomine, of the

Church, but such of them as were capable, by continued own∣ing their Baptismal Covenant, not nullified by proved Heresie, or inconsistent wickedness. And they held, that no unwilling person was capable of a sealed Pardon of sin, and so of Church-Communion, nor yet of the true receiving of the use of the Pastoral office: And therefore that none but free Consenters should have the Sacrament, nor be related to the Pastor, as his Flock of that Church: but the rest should be constrained to live as Cate∣chumens, or Hearers, as they were capable, in peace and quiet∣ness (and such as the Magistrate found meet to be tolerated in other Churches, who only were uncapable in that).

2. They were so far for Presbytery, as to hold, that 1. If men of competent sufficiency, were made by ordination Elders, ejusdem ordinis with the chief Pastor, to be his Assessors and Assi∣stants, though they seldom, or never Preached publickly, but helped him in Catechizing, or private over sight, and in judging persons and cases; and though in necessity they laboured with their hands, it would not be unlike the ancient Government. 2. And they judged, that all Gods work should be done in the greatest concord, and with the best mutual counsel and help that might be; and therefore that Synods are to that end of great use: and if they were appointed at stated times and places, it would by order, be a furtherance to their ends: But they were not for their assuming a proper Regent Power, by Majority of Votes over the minor part, or the absent Pastors; and thought that when sixedness occasioned that usurpation, occasional Synods pro re natâ, were better. And 3. They judged, that Presbyters are ejusdem ordinis with Bishops, and that no Bishops have a di∣vine right to govern without the Presbyters assistance, nor to deprive them of any of their power, nor their Churches of true Discipline or Worship, nor the people of their Rights; much less to use any forcing power of the sword on any.

3. They were so far for Episcopacy, as to hold it lawful, and convenient, that the particular Churches have one that shall have a Priority, and in many things a Negative Vote, as the Incum∣bent

in each Parish hath among his Curates a sort of power. And that the Presbyteries and Synods have their Moderators; and if they were fixed durante vitâ, and had a Negative Vote in Ordinations, they could consent; sobeit they were duly chosen as of old, and had no forcing power by the sword, but only a Ministerial, teaching, guiding power. And some of them thought it of Divine right, that the Apostles and Evangelists have Suc∣cessors in the ordinary parts of their office; and that to have a special ca••e of many Churches, and their Bishops and Elders are some of that ordinary part.

4. And to the Erastians also they granted, that the King is the Supreme Governour of the Church, by the sword, or force; and that we must obey him, not only when he enforceth the Commands of Christ, but in all acts of outward circumstance and order, left by God to his determination, and not appropri∣ated to the Ministers office. These were the thoughts then of the far greatest part of the Ministers that I had then knowledge of.

§. 2. Before the King returned, many Episcopal Doctors and great men, perswaded these Reconcilers, that thus much would be accepted to our common concord, if the King were restored▪ But some said, They do but decieve you; there are such men now got into chief credit on that side, that will silence you all, and ruine you, unless you will follow Grotius, or be of the French Religion, or unite in the Pope, as Principium unitatis, and obey him, as the Western Patriarck, &c. And when you are all turned out, what men have they to supply your places?

§. 3. But when the King came in, and encouraged the Re∣concilers with the promise of his help, they made the attempt in 1660, and 1661. the History of which I need not repeat, Since that foreseeing what the silencing of so many Ministers, and the afflicting of the people of our mind would unavoidably cause, we pleaded, we petitioned the Bishops to have prevented it, by those necessary means which they might have yielded

to, to their own advantage: But it was all in vain.

§. 4. When the Act of Uniformity came out, of about 9000 Ministers that kept in, and had laid by the Liturgy before, a∣bout 7000 Conformed (to the altered Liturgy, before any of them ever saw it, save a few) by declaring their Assent and Con∣sent (the Act being known before the Book could be Printed:) and about 2000 were silenced by that Act. How they behaved themselves since then, is so well known, and I have here, and oft declared; and how the Plague first, and the burning of the Churches next, and the Kings Licenses next, did give them the opportunities and calls which made more publick Preaching seem to them a duty, that I shall not make recital of it.

§. 5. All this while abundance of invectiues were poured out against them, by many of the Conforming Clergy, in Press and Pulpits; and especially in the ears of great men, to whom we had no access, but seemed what such men described us to be. The new Laws against Conventicles, and the Oxford Act of Con∣sinement had been added to the first: Many were hunted up and down, their Goods and Libraries distrained; many were impri∣soned; some there died: The Informers and Prosecutors grew weary: They saw the severity came most from the Prelates, and the Parliament, the King being not for severity therein: The Justices grew unwilling of Execution; the Preachers reprove them, and call on them to put the Laws in Execution; they are greatly offended at the Kings Licenses; they continue to accuse us for Schism at least, and some of Sedition; though we invaded none of their Temples, nor askt them for any part of their maintenance. And the Parliament and Prelates were so sharp a∣gainst us, that we durst not tell the world what we refused in Con∣formity, and why, lest we put them upon more severity; nor in∣deed could we do it, the Press was lockt up by so great penalties. But while we were forced to silence, we were lowdly called to, to say what we stuck at, and what it was that we would have. And

after 17 years such calls, I ventured to name the things; and hence is the storm of the present indignation.

§. 6. I had before proved the wilful desertion of our Mini∣stry, especially when the King Licensed us, to be odious Sacri∣ledg: To this I am told, of mens power to silence such as they think deserve it: I grant it, if they truly think so: so may they on just cause alienate Churches, and Church-lands, and hang Ma∣lefactors: but not when no such cause is given, nor at their pleasure.

§. 7. When in the fitst Plea for Peace I had stated the case of our Nonconformity, I intended to bring the Proofs of each par∣ticular supposed sinful, as I after found occasion. And meeting with abundance that accused us of disloyal, rebellious Princi∣ples, I largly delivered my own, and many others judgment of Civil and Eccesiastical Authority, the power of Princes, and the duty of Subjects; and therein also wrote some Answer to Four Accusations brought against us. 1. That we pretend Grace against Morality. 2. That we hold, that things Indifferent be∣came unlawful, if commanded. 3. I largly confuted Bishop Morley's false Accusation of my Doctrine, of the Magistrates power to command things unlawful by accident; and Dr. Parker's Doctrine of Scandal. 4. I confuted them that extend our Non∣conformity to things which we refuse not. All this in the se∣cond Plea for Peace; which none yet, that I know of, have an∣swered.

§. 8. And lest any should think that we are all for Negatives, I wrote a Treatise of the only Terms of Universal Christian con∣cord, which I value above all the rest, being assured that the Churches will never otherwise be healed, than by that impartial, sure, and easie Catholick way, which some have reviled, but none since, that I know of, confuted. One Learned Bishop (that had a chief hand in our present Impositions and ejection)

I desired to tell me, which is the way of Christian concord, if this be not: And he maintaineth, That the only way is to obey the Colledg of Pastors, who are to govern the Catholick Church through all the world, per Literas formatas. Where this Colledg, as one governing power do meet, or how they signifie their Majority of Votes, and in what cases, and who must gather the Votes (from Abassia to Moscovie), and in how long time, and how they shall come to all men with certainty; and whether the eje∣cted, silenced, and excommunicated, &c. may appeal to them, &c. I could not learn.

§. 9. In the same Book I sufficientiy confuted Mr. H. Dodwell's great Book, which denyeth not only the Churches and Mini∣stry, which are not by uninterrupted Episcopal Ordination, but also the ordinary salvation of all such Churches, as having no covenant promise, by valid Sacraments delivered them. He hath pretended some defence in a late Book of Letters: to which, if they can be Printed, I hope to give easily a satisfactory reply.

§. 10. In the same book he Publisheth some old Letters of his to me, for the Diocesan frame of Government; the notice of which beforehand given me, caused me to Publish a full Treatise of Diocesan Episcopacy, containing the Reasons why we cannot swear to it, or approve it, or swear never to endeavour any re∣forming alteration of the frame here setled, and exercised. And whatever Mr. Dodwell pretendeth to the contrary, if this Trea∣tise do not fully answer his Letter, and justifie us in this part of Nonconformity, I am unable to judg of the Cause, but am willing to recieve any better information.

§. 11. And because I find false History, not the least cause of ordinary mistakes, and men cry up Diocesan Prelacy, as the an∣cient, and chief cure of Schism; I gathered an Abstract of the history of Bishops, and their Councils, that the true matter of fact might not be so commonly mistaken as it is.

§. 12. At the same time came out against me, First, a book of Mr. John Cheyneys, the mistakes of which I manifested in an An∣swer: And afterward old Letters of Mr. Hinkleys, to which I had an old Answer, which I cast by, and now Published: and another Accuser, abounding with untruths, called the Impleder; and another called Reflections, or Speculum, &c. And another Book of Mr. Cheneys, full of most pitiful mistakes; All which, with Justice Roger L'Estrange's Dialogue, and someothers, I an∣swered together in a Book called the Third Defence ef the Non∣conformists, &c.

§. 13. But the Accusations of Dean Stillingfleet in his Sermon, made the loudest noise: In the Answer to which, I chiefly desired to have come to some understanding agreement with him, about the true state of our Case and Controversie; and to that end, craved his answer to several necessary questions; but was not able to procure it. And now in his large Book, where I hoped to have found an Answer to them, I look for it in vain. Yea, though Mr. Hikeringhill roughly provoked him but to expound his own Text, and tell us intelligibly, what the same Rule is, which the Apostle would have all walk by, he will not do it; but instead of that, with unusual gentleness tells me, he will not differ about it, if I do but grant, that it is a Rule that binds us all to do all that lawfully we can for peace, which I cheerfully grant; And if it be not lawful for peace and concord to forbear silen∣cing us, imprisoning us, accusing us as odious for not wilful sin∣ning, and urging Magistrates to execute the Laws against us, and making us seem Schismaticks for not forbearing to Preach the Gospel, to which we were vowed and consecrated by Ordi∣nation; I know not lawful from unlawful: I cannot yet get him to tell us, what he would have the many score thousands do on the Lords Days, that have no room in the Parish-Churches; with many such, which our case is concerned in.

§. 14. I thought his Book had been an Answer to mine, and other mens Prefaces; but I find that I was mistaken: Indeed he nameth five Books written against his Accusation: what he saith to Dr. Owen, and Mr. Alsop, I leave to themselves to consider of: The

Countrey Gentlemans Case, in sense, was this, Whether all they that think Parish Communion, under the present impositions, to be sin, are bound, till they can change their judgment, to forbear all Church-worship, and live like Atheists, and so be damned? And who can find any Answer to this?

Mr. Barret's Queries out of his Books, he saith, next nothing to, but a dark retracting his Irenicon: And far be it from me to blame him for growing wiser. But why took he no notice of his own words, cited in the Epistle, out of his late Book against Idolatry, threat∣ning us all with no less than damnation, if me prefer not the purest Church.

And as to my Defence, his Book is nothing like an Answer, unless his naming me, and citing out of that, and other Books, a few broken scraps, which he thought he could make some ad∣vantage of, may be called an Answer.

§. 15. I confess he hath made some attempt to tell me what the National Church of England is; but so Independently, as I doubt his party will disown it with great offence. In short, he holds, that there is no such thing as a Church of England, in the usual Political sense, having any Constitutive, Ecclesiastical, Supreme Power, Monarchical, or Aristocratical, or Democratical, but it's only the many Churches in England, associated by the common con∣sent in Parliament, &c. Remember that he and I are so far agreed.

As I was writing this, I saw a Book against him of a friend, too much for me, and somewhat freely handling the Dr. which in this point would help them, by saying, that the Convocation having the Legislative Church-Power, may be the Constitutive, Regent part: But he confesseth to me, that he spake not what is, but what he counts should be, or wisheth; for the Dr. himself had before told us, that the Convocations of Canterbury and York are two, and not united to make one National, supreme power; so that this proveth no one political Church of England at all, but only 2 Provincial Churches in England.

§. 16. The Dr. hath so judiciously and honestly pleaded our Cause in his defence of A. Bishop Laud, and his Book against Idola∣try, that I have made his words the first Chap. of this Book, which if he candidly stand to, I see not but our principles are the same.

§. 17. His book is made up of 3 parts. I. Untrue Accusations. II. Un∣true Historical Citations (abundance). III. Fallacious Reasonings.

Would you have an undeniable Confutation, ad hominem, in few words?

I. As to his Principles, he saith himself as aforesaid, Of Ido∣lat. p. 7. We are sure that wilful ignorance, or choosing a worse Church before a better, is a damnable sin.

II. As to his History of the old Nonconformists, read A. Bishop Bancrofts dangerous Positions, and Heylins History of Presbyte∣ry, charging them odiously with the clean contrary, and the Ca∣nons made against them on that supposition.

III. As to his History, and Doctrine against the Election of Bp^s, which I pleaded; (as I have fully proved his abuse of History in it,) I repeat Mr. Thorndikes words, Forbear. of Penalty. It is to no pur∣pose to talk of Reformation of the Churchtoregular Government, with∣out restoring the liberty of choosing Bishops, and priviledg of enjoying them to the Synods, Clergy and people, in the making of those of whom they consist, and by whom they are to be governed, that I need make no other reason of the neglect of Episcopacy, than the neglect of it.

O pray hard to God to provide greater store of skilful, holy and peaceable Labourers for his Harvest, that by the sound be∣lief of a better world, have overcome the deluding love of the honours, prosperity and pleasures of the flesh, and wholly live to God and Heaven.