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.

CHAP. II. Some Animadversions on his Preface.

§ 1. THE impartial searchers after truth, have hitherto thought that a strict method (at least agreeable to natural Logick) is more effectual than confusion or wordy popular haranges: And that the con∣troversie should be very cleerly stated before it can be profitably argued: And therefore that first all ambiguity of terms be by due explication re∣moved, that men may not mean several things and not understand each other; and to Define and distinguish where it is needful, and then Affirm or deny, and then effectualy prove. But why this worthy person doth far otherwise with us, both before and now, it is more his part than mine to give the reason: I dare not say he cannot; Nor I dare not say, he can, but will not, but all that I can say is that he doth not, and I know not why.

§ 2. The Preface of his Book called Unreasonableness, &c. Is so much answered already by Mr. Lob, that I will not lose time by doing much to the same again: And there is a posthumous book of Dr. Worsleys cal∣led,

The third part of naked Truth, which hath strenuously handled the same chief matter for Scripture Sufficiency against unnecessary Impositions. It being supposed, though not there expressed. 1. That he speaketh not against the guiding determination of undetermined accidents which must be determined one way or other: As Time, Place, Utensils, Translation∣words, Metres tunes, &c. 2. And that a man that intollerably breakes Gods Laws (by Blasphemy, Treason, Murder, Fornication, &c.) is not to be tollerated because he erroniously thinks he keepeth them.

§ 3. His sad saying [that there is no improbability that the Jesuites should be the first setters up of the way in England which he calls the Doctrine [of Spiritual Prayer] Mr. Lob hath opened, as it deserveth, in part; but to say all that it deserveth would seem so harsh, that I have reason to think that it would but more offend than profit him.

§ 4. For I find that he is grown too impatient with our Nameing what he patiently and confidently doth: The cause of his impatience I leave to himself. But that it is much within him I must conjecture, when in his defence of Bishop Laud I read him saying to the Papists [To speak mildly, it is a gross untruth.] And yet wen I speak not so plainly to him (and I think never more sharply) he accounts it a continued Passion, Rage, Railing, Intollerable indiscretion, &c. Do I give him harder words than these? Yet I profess I smart not by them: I take them for very tollerable words, in comparison of his miscarriges in the cause in hand.

Several sorts of men I have found think other men speak in passion: 1. Those that hear and read with passion: They think that which angers them came from anger. 2. Those that are too high to be dealt with on even terms, and think the plain speech which agreeth to others is a con∣tempt of such as them. 3. Those that commit miscarriages so gross and defend causes so bad, as have no names but what are disgraceful, and then take all that is said to anatomatize their cause and errours, to be said a∣gainst themselves. With these and such others, Truth, is not tollerable he raileth that confuteth them, and doth Auriculas molles mordaci radere vero. I profess I felt so little passion in writing that book which he saith was written in one continued Passion, that I think verily, I sinned all the while, for want of a livelier sense of the sin and hurt which I was detect∣ing by my confutation. But I confess it is my opinion that Falshood of Speech may lie in describing a thing short of Truth, as well as in going be∣yond it: And that the Truth of words is their Agreeableness to the matter (and mind): And that verba rebus aptanda sunt: And that he that writ∣eth against sin must call it sin, and open the evil of it.

§ 5. His Preface giveth us hopes that we are so farr agreed in our ends,

as to be both for God, for truth, for unity and peace and Love, and a∣gainst Popery, and one would think this much should go far towards our Concord. But, alas, all agree not what Piety is, or what Popery is, nor of the way to our ends.

If he think that to be against Spiritual Prayer would help us against Po∣pery, 1. I would he would tell us, which way. If by reducing the Non∣conformists to think Formes lawful; so do the Jesuites: And he told us that they at Franckford took a Forme from Geneva as useful: And the present Nonconformists put their judgment out of question an. 1660, and 1661. In their witings, offers and Formes Printed. But all that are for Formes are not for all things in your Formes.

2. And I would he would have better told us what the Spiritual Prayer is, which the Jesuits first brought in and helpes in Popery. For hither∣to it is the Dead Ceremonious formality and Imagery of Popery, destroying Spirituality, (by words not understood, Mummeries, Beads, Canting Stage workes) which hath alienated most Religious Protestants from them. I will. 1. Tell you what I take Spiritual Prayer to be; and then. 2. Desire his judgment of it.

1. It is my judgment (if he know it to be erroneous, I crave his rea∣sons) 1. That Mans Soul is by sin so depraved that it is morally unable without Gods Spirit, effectually to know, feel and desire deliverance from his own sin and misery, and to desire Gods Grace and Glory, above all worldly sinful pleasures.

2. That therefore such desires in act and habit must be wrought in us by the Spirit of God. And the whole work of Regeneration and Sancti∣fication is a giving to the Soul that new Divine nature, Love and de∣light, which worketh by such holy desires. And that as the carnal mind is enmity to God, and cannot be subject to his Law, and if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, the same is none of his; so to be Spiritu∣ally minded is life and peace, and God who is a Spirit will be worship∣ed in Spirit and truth, and by this we know that we are the Chil∣dren of God by the Spirit which he hath given us; For he promised to pour out the Spirit of Grace and supplication: And because we are sons, he hath given us the Spirit of his Son, by which we cry Abba Father: And this Spirit helpeth our Infirmities in Prayer: If these things be in the Papists Bible, I hope they are not therefore Popery. I suppose the Pa∣pists also own our God, our Saviour and our Creed.

3. The help in Prayer which we expect from the Spirit, is. 1. To illuminate us to know what we need and should desire and ask. 2. To kindle in us holy desires sincere and servent, of what we should ask.

3. To give us a true belief of and trust in the Love of God, the enterces∣sion of Christ and the promises of the Gospel, that we may pray in hope. 4. To give us thankful hearts for what we do receive, and fit with joy to praise the giver. 5. To stir up all these dispositions to particular acts in the due season: And to save us from the contrary. 6. And we believe that a mind so illuminated, and affections so sanctified and kindled, have a great advantage above others coeteris paribus to express themselves in words: For. 1. A man that knoweth what to say can speak it when the ignorant cannot? Doth not a stock of knowledge enable you to Preach without book? 2. Such a Soul will set it self diligently to think what and how to speak in so great a business, when the careless mind it not. 3. Love and delight are very speedy Learners. 4. Fervent desire sets all the powers of the Soul awork, and is full and forward to express it self. Hunger can teach men easily to beg: Poor men speak intreaties; Anger, Joy, every passion maketh and powreth out words, where there is prerequisite ability.

4. We believe that he who by natural defectiveness or difuse cannot find words fitly to utter his own mind, may have the help of Gods Spi∣rit in uttering such words as he readeth or learneth of others; and (especially in the case of Psalms which are not of sudden invention) if for Concord the Churches agree to use the same meet words, Gods Spi∣rit may actuate their desires therein.

5. We hold that this Holy Spirit, is as Tertullian speaketh, Christs Vicar, Agent or Advocate, by preventing, operateing, Cooperating grace, thus to illuminate, Sanctifie and actuate believers, in all holy works, and e∣specially in prayer. And I could heartily wish that you would not be against so much, as Spiritual Preaching, Spiritual Writing and disput∣ing, and living, and not say that the Jesuits brought them in.

6. I believe that we are Baptized into the name of the Holy Ghost as well as of the Father and the Son, believing that he is thus Christs Agent for all this work upon our Souls, and covenanting to obey him.

7. I believe that sins against the Holy Ghost, especially deriding or re∣proaching his great works, miraculous or Sanctifing, have a dangerous malignity.

8. I suppose that in all this, the faculties of mans own Soul are the natural recipients of the Spirits influx, and agent of the act which both causes effect: And that its as vain a question, whether it be by the Spirit or by natural faculties that we pray aright, as whether it be God as fons na∣turae, or mans natural powers which cause our natural acts? Or whether the Act of seeing be from the sun or the eye? As if the same effect

might not, yea must not have a Suprior and Inferior Cause?

9. Therefore as Gods. Spirit witnessing with ours that we are his Chil∣dren, so Gods Spirit helping our infirmities in Prayer, suspendeth not the exercise of our Spirits, or maketh our reason and consideration need∣less, but actuateth them in their duty. Learning and studying how to pray, is consistent with the Spirits help in Prayer.

10 I never talkt of it with any Nonconformists who denyed that an hypocrite may without any special help of the Spirit, speak all the same words in prayer without either book or form, wich another may speak: The help of knowledge, hearing, use and passion may help him to words: Therefore they never take a man to be proved godly or sinceer, by his bare words: but by the grace of Prayer, which is holy desire &c. and not by the speaking, gift, or habit.

11. But we think that it was not the Jesuits that first said, out of the aboun∣dance of the heart the mouth speaketh; and though the tongue may lie, it is made to express the mind, and we must judge of other mens minds by their words, till somwhat else disprove them. And its natural for the Heart to lead the Tongue. And men are more affected by words which come from affection than by those that do not: and Reading words written by another when we speak to God, is not so natural a significa∣tion of desire or other affection, as speaking them from the present dictate of the heart; For any Child that can read may do the one, and it is not the usual signification of seriousness in other actions. A beggar that should only read his begging lesson, or a Child or Servant that should only read some words to his Father or Master, would be thought less sensible of his wants.

12. Ministers should be men better aquainted than the people, how to speak to God and man: It is their office; and therefore it belongeth to them to choose the words which are fittest: and to set up a Ministry that can do neither, is to befriend the Prince of darkness against the Kingdom of Light, and to be a deadly enemy to the Church and Souls. And to set up a ministry that need not do it, but may choose, or is not obliged to it, is the way to set up a ministry that cannot do it. Let the Ministers be bound to no more than to Read, and a few years will transform them to such as can do no more than read. Moscovy proveth that, and too many other Countries.

13. If it be praying freely from present knowledge and desire, with∣out a book or set form which you call Spiritual prayer, either you are for the use of it in the Pulpit or not. If you are, did the Jesuits teach it you? or will you go on to follow them? If not, what a divided party

are the Conformists, while so many use it and pray spiritually? And what a Case is the Church of England in, that hath still so many Ministers that pray as the Jesuits Disciples? Or why do you so reproach your Church and Ministry?

14. Do you think that there is more force in the name of a Jesuit to disgrace Spiritual prayer, or in the name of Spiritual prayer to honour the Jesuits? And do you not seem to prevaricate and highly honour the Je∣suits, on pretence of dishonoring Spiritual prayer? If you had said that the Jesuits first brought in Spiritual preaching, and discourse and Spiritu∣al living, would it not have more honoured them, than dishonoured Spi∣rituality? Will freedom from Spiritual▪prayer honour your Church? as Seneca thought Cato's name would do more to honour Drunkenness, than Drunkenness could do to dishonour Cato?

I am not such an Antipapist, as to fall out with Father Son or Holy-Ghost, because the Jesuits own them. You do but help to con∣firm my charity, who have long thought that among the Papists, there are many persons truly godly, though their education, converse, and proud, tyrannical wordly Clergy, have sadly vitiated them.

15. All prayers written or unwritten are made by some body. Those that the Bishops write down for us in the Liturgy, and for our Fasts, were made by their invention: Either they had the help of the Spirit in mak∣ing them or not: If yea, then why is it not as Jesuitical to write a Spiri∣tual prayer, as to speak one? If not, excuse them that say Gods Spirit made not your Liturgy, nor are they Spiritual prayers.

16. And were it not too like high and dangerous Pride, if such a one as Bishop Bancroft, Bishop Laud, Bishop Morley, Bishop Gunning, in a Convocation, or before every publick Fast, should be appointed to write the words of Prayer, and should in effect say to all the most Learned Di∣vines in England [The Spirit caused us to write these prayers, and our measure is so sure and great, that none of you may presume to question it, nor to think that you can pray Spiritually in any words of your own, but only in ours, at least in the Assemby. The Spirit will help you if you say our words, but not your own. It now cometh into my mind what may be some of the meaning of Bishop Gunning's Chaplain, Doctor Saywell, in his last Book, that none hath power to ordain Bishops, but they that have power to give the Holy Ghost for the work of their Office. It may be it is, The Holy Ghost to write Doctrine Sermons and Prayers for all their Clergy to use. But do you not say also to the Presbyters Receive the Holy Ghost? If they have him, why cannot they speak their own hearts in other words than yours? Is Spiritual prayer appropriated to your Liturgy, words or forms, any more

than at the Council at Trent he was to the Popes instructions.

17. We all confess, that as all the actions of imperfect men, have their imperfections, so have all our prayers, and these are easily aggra∣vated: Sudden free prayer, and book prayer, have both their conveni∣encies and inconveniencies: The question is which hic & nunc hath the great∣est, and whether forbidding either be not worst of all: I have named the conveniencies and inconveniencies of each in my Christian Dire∣ctory.

18. Experience telleth the world, that the daily saying over only the same words, and that read out of a paper imposed by others, by one that no further sheweth any sense of what he doth, is not so apt as more free and well varied words in season, to keep people from sleepy senseless prophanation, and praying as the Papists do with their Mas∣ses, Rosaries, and Beads: And the variety of Subjects preached on, and variety of occasions, and all accidents require some diversification of words and methods.

19. It is a work of reverence to speak to the King; yet as it is law∣ful to write a Petition to him, so to speak to him without Book. Judges have serious work to do, for estate and life, and yet they are trusted to speak without prescribed words; and so are Advocates, Law∣yers, Ambassadors, Physicians, Philosophers, and all men in their Profes∣sions, except Ministers and Christians, as such.

20. We know not why men may not be intrusted to speak to God in the name of imperfect man without imposed books and words, as well as to speak to man from the most perfect God and in his name; in preaching. Mans actions will be like man. Nothing that is not divine and spiritual should be spoken as from God and in his name. And as after our frustrated Treaty for Concord 1661. one of them (nameless) wrote a Book against free praying without an imposed form in the Pulpit, and yet they never durst forbid it to this day; so I know who shewed his desire of a new Book of Homilies (of his own making its like) to have been imposed instead of preaching, and of the old ones, on those that had not special license to preach. But interest ruleth the world: They durst not so far disgrace their Clergy, as to make them meer Rea∣ders, nor lose the advantage of talking out of the Pulpit for their Cause, where none must contradict them.

Mr. Lob hath ask'd you already; whether our Spiritual Prayer, as you call it, or your Liturgy (and Bishop Cousins, and Dr Taylors Prayer-books, &c.) be liker to the Popish Mass book, and many other Offices and De∣votions? Indeed Mr. Austins hath so much gravity, as excepting his ex∣cursions

to Saints, &c. it may compare with many of yours.

And for that sort of spiritual Devotion, in which they flie too high, I have found more of it in the Friers, Franciscans, Benedictines, &c. such as Barbanson, Benedictus de Benedictis, &c. than in the Jesuits: And the Oratoriana, Phil. Nerius Baronius, and the rest; and of their sober or Religious men, as Sales, Mr. Ro••ti, &c. and of old. John Gerson, Kempis, &c. have more of spirituality than the Jesuits. But enough of this.

§ 6. As to the rest of his Prefatory discourse of the Advantages of Popery. 1. We doubt not but the Papists play their game among all Parties, as far as they are able, and put on divers sorts of Vizors. But doth he (that is a Historian) not know, that all over the world their cheif design is upon the Rulers and Leaders, and they Cry, Fight neither against great or small, but to win one Court Card signifieth more than ma∣ny others?

2. Doth he think the Papists take the Conformists or the Nonconfor∣mists to be nearer to them and less against them?

3. Did the Papists think Bishop Lauds reconciling design described by Doctor Heylin, (entertained by Sancta Clara, Leander, &c.) or the Parliaments fears of his introducing Popery in those times, to be more a∣gainst them?

4. Are they liker to help in Popery, that are so apt to be over-averse to any thing that favours of it, in Doctrine, Discipline, and Worship, and account the Pope Antichrist? Or they that hold as followeth. 1. (As Grotius) That a Papist is but one that flatters the Popes, as if all were just that they say and do (and so there are few Papists I hope in the World.) 2. That the Church of Rome is sound in Faith. 3. And so are all the Gene∣ral Councils, even Trent. 4. That Rome is the Mistress of all Churches; or as Bishop Bromhal, that for Concord we must all obey the Pope, as Patriarch of the West, and Principium Unitatis Catholicae, ruling according to the old Canons, (a Foreign Jurisdiction) and all those pass for Schismaticks, that refuse it (of which more after.) 5. That the validity of our Ministry must be proved by the derivation of it from the uninterrupted succession of the Roman Ordainers and Church. 6. That the Church of Rome by that succession is a true, though faulty Church of Christ, but so are none of the Reformed Churches which have not Bishops, or have them not by such uninterrupted succession. 7. That the only way of the Concord of Churches and all Christians is (saith Bishop Gunning) to obey the governing part of the Church Universal, which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Collegium Pastorum, all the Bishops of the universal Church, in one Regent Colledge, governing all the Christian World per literas formatas. 8. That its safer and better for the Protestants in

France to be of the French Church of Papists than to continue without Bishops as they are. 9. That we should come as near the Papists as the Greek Church doth, or as both Greek and Latin did at the rupture of the two Churches, or as in Greg. 1st. daies say others, or as in Char. Mag. daies, say others; receiving say some the first six General Councils, say others the first 8. 10. That we must amend the Oath of Supremacy for the Papists, as Thorndick saith, and so many Doctrines as he intimateth. 11. That its desireable that the Papists had continued in our Churches as in the begining of Queen Eliz. And if they come (as Church Papists do) should be received in our Communion. 12. That if the Pope have not (as some hold) a right of such Primacy as belongs to Saint Peters successour, at least, His Primacy is a very prudent humane constitution. 1. That there may be a Common Father to care for all the Church. 2. And one to be a Head of Unity and order. 3. And one to call General Councils. 4. And one to rule between when there are no such Councils (which are rare). 5. And one to give power to Patriarcks and Arch-Bishops who else will have none over them to authorize, or Govern them. 6. And one to decide controversies, when Countries, Churches and Arch-Bishops disagree. 7. And one to send out Preachers among Heathens, Infidels and Hereticks, all over the world. 8. And one boldly to reprove, admonish and, if need be, excommunicate Kings, which their own sub∣jects dare not do.

I do not mean that all these things or any of them are the Doctrine of the Church of England, or held by all or most that conforme. But if some of it have been published by the Chief Prelates, and some by their chief defenders, and some in conference with us by Clergy men, I only ask whether all this please not and advantage not the Papists, more than Nonconformists any way do? And whether Arch-Bishop Usher and his Successor Arch-Bishop Bromhal, Bishop Downam and his Successour Bishop Taylor differed not as much as you and I do? And whether the multitude of Parish Priest that were Papists in Queen Elizabeths daies, and Bishop Godfrey Goodman a Papists Bishop of Gloucester, with all the rest mention∣ed by Prin, Rushworth, Burnet, &c. tell us not that the Papists had a hope∣ful game to play among the Bishops and Clergy of the Church?

§ 7. As to his note out of Mr. Jo. Humpheries book, disclaiming Cru∣elty to Papists, its known Mr. Humphery is a man of latitude and universal Charity, and tyeth himself to no party or any mens opinions: He openly professeth his hope of the Salvation of many Heathens, and I so little fear the noise of the censorious, that even now while the Plot doth render them most odious, I freely say. 1. That I would have Papists used like men, and

no worse than our own defence requireth: 2, That I would have no man pat to death for being a Priest: 3. That I would have no writ de excom∣municato capiendo, or any Law compel them to our Communion and Sa∣craments. For I would not give it them (if I knew them) if they came.

§ 8. As to his Accusation of my first Plea for Peace, he hath it after, and it is after answered. And as to his Accusation of my book for Concord, I answer. 1. Is it no Ministers work, in a contending world, to tell and prove what are Christs ordained termes of Christian Concord, but his that is [Christs plenipotentiary on Earth, and were to set the termes of Peace and War] Is this spoken like a peace maker and a Divine? Doth not he pre∣tend also in his way to declare the terms of Concord?

2. But no man more heartily agreeth with him in lamenting the state of the Church on earth, that when such men as Bishop Gunning, Dean Stillingfleet, Dr. Saywel, &c. on one side, and such as I and many better men on the other side, have so many years studied hard to know Gods will, I am certain for my self, and I hope it of them, with an un∣seigned desire to find out the truth what ever it cost, (and I profess as going to God, that would he but make me know that Popery, silencing Prelacy, imprisoning, Banishing, or ruining all Nonconformists, Ana∣baptists, Antinomians, Quakers, or any that ever I wrote against, are in the right, I would with greater joy and thankfulness recant and turne to them, than I would receive the greatest preferment in the land) I say, that yet after all this we should so far differ, as for one side to be confident that the others way of Concord is the ready way to ruin, wickedness and confusion, and to come to that boldness to proclaim this to the world, alas how doleful a case is this?

What hope of Christian peace and concord when such excellent sober well studyed men as they, quite above the common sort, not byassed by honour, or preferments or power, by Bishopricks, Deaneries, Masterships, plurality, or love of any worldly wealth, and such as we that study and pray as hard as they to know the truth, are yet confident to the height that each others termes of Love and peace, are but Sathans way to to destroy them both, and introduce (as Dr. Saywel saith Conventicles do) Heresie, Popery, Ignorance, Prophaneness and Confusion: And what we are past doubt that their way will do, experience saith more than we may do.

Oh what shall the poor people do in so great a temptation!

§ 9. But I must pass from his Preface, where I have noted. 1. That he is yet so peaceable as to propose some sort of abatements for our Con∣cord;

that the benifit may be sibi & suis, not reaching our necesseries, but much better than nothing.

2. That they are so ill agreed, that Bishop Gunnings Chaplain writeth, against it, making the only way of Peace to be by the sword to force all men to full obedience to their Lordships in every thing injoyned, not a∣bating an Oath, a Subscription, a Covenant, a Word, a Ceremony, with∣out Comprehension or limited Toleration.

3 And I could wish the Doctor would consent, at least that Lords and Parliament men may have the liberty themselves of educating their own Sons, so it be in the Christian Reformed Religion, and to choose their Tutors, and not confine them to Conformists only: The Papists are tol∣lerated in choosing Tutors for their Children: The King of France hath not yet taken away this liberty from the Protestants: Nor the Turks from the Greeks: And must you needs take it away from all the Lords, Knights, Gentlemen, Citizens, and Free-holders of England. Perhaps Beggars will consent, if you will keep their Children, or do what the Godfathers vow. Most Gentlemen, that keep Chaplains, expect that they teach their Sons at home, sometime at least; what if a Lord or Knight have such a Chaplain as Hugh Broughton, or Ainsworth, or as Ame∣sius, Blondel, Salmatius, as Gataker, Vines, Burges, &c. must the Law for∣bid them to read Hebrew, Philosophy, or Divinity to their Sons? I doubt you will scarce get the Parliament hereafter to make such a Law to fetter themselves, lest next you would extend your dominion also to their Wives as well as Sons, and forbid▪ them marrying any but Confor∣mists.

Is it not enough to turn us all out of the publick Ministry? Methinks you might allow some the Office of a School-master, or Houshold Tutor, or Chaplain under the Laws of Peace; unless the Sword be all that you trust too: If it be, it is an uncertain thing: The minds of Princes are changable, and all things in this World are on the Wheel: when Peter flieth to the Sword, Christ bids him put it up, for they that so use it perish by it: Hurting many, forceth many to hurt you, or to desire their own deliverance, though by your hurt.