A vindication of the Friendly conference, between a minister and a parishioner of his inclining unto Quakerism, &c. from the exceptions of Thomas Ellwood, in his pretended answer to the said conference / by the same author.

CHAP. IV. Of Confession. (Book 4)

PAR.

T. E. tells his Readers, that from contending for empty Titles, you come to Confession of sin; and that (in his own opinion) not without reason, because you defend such vain, flattering and untrue words as (he says) Titles are. p, 50.

Min.

I doubt not but the unprejudic'd Reader, who has observ'd how this Quaker has proved himself truly guilty of that whereof he unjustly accuses me, will judge it more reaso∣nable for him, than me, to come to Confession, if his pride would suffer him; but he is so far from it, that he writes against it, as if he were one that needed no repentance.

Par.

Yet he owns it the duty of every humble Penitent to confess his sins. p. 51.

Min.

Either then T. E. is no humble peni∣tent, or neglects his duty.

Par.

But (he says) the question is, whether a constant course of Confession be a duty? ibid.

Min.

No good man ever made a question of it; Indeed those Hereticks, the Pelagians and Donatists did: And you shall hear what answer they had from the Holy Fathers of the Church; Confess always (saith St. Augustine) for thou hast always matter to confess. * 1.1 He is taught that he sins daily, who is commanded to pray daily for the remission of his sins, saith St. Cyprian on the Lords Prayer, who lived 250 years af∣ter Christ. Therefore thou must daily say this

Prayer (saith St. Ambrose) that thou may'st daily ask pardon for thine Offences? † 1.2

And that the publick Prayers of the Primi∣tive Christians had always a Form of Confession in them, is what all the Ancient Liturgies do manifest. This is according to the practice of the Servants of God in all Ages. David was far from the temper of a Quaker, who pro∣fesses that he will declare his iniquity, and be sorry for his sin. Ps. 38. 18. And confesses that his sins are more in number than the hairs of his head. Ps. 40. 15.

The lower a Christian is in his own thoughts, the higher he is in God's favour. Let then this Perking Pharisee tell God, that he is not as other men are, and that he has no sin to confess, unless he belie himself; God grant, I may fol∣low the example of the humble and penitent Publican in my Prayers to God, to be merciful to me a sinner.

Par.

But T. E. says, a constant course of con∣fession implies a constant course of Sinning. ibid.

Min.

I answer, 1. Confession of sins past implies no such thing: Some Authors report, that St. Peter rose betimes every Morning to weep for the denial of his Master. 2. A con∣stant general confession of our being sinners im∣plies no wilful course of sin, but the quite con∣trary in them that do it sincerely, viz. a con∣stant sight and sense of it, a constant sorrow for it, a constant desire, and endeavour to reform it. This we deny not, that such Confession implies daily need of Mercy; but then this is

no more, than what becomes the best of men, while even such do find themselves not yet de∣liver'd from all infirmity. Bradford, whom the Quaker himself acknowledges an Eminent Mar∣tyr, used in his confession to say, Thou art Hea∣ven, and I am Hell. We are sure the Quakers have the disease of sin, as well as others, but alas! not the same hope of Cure, because they will not see the need they have of a Physi∣tian. * 1.3

Par.

Now the question is, Whether it be our Duty from day to day, &c. to confess that we are still guilty of those sins, which by God's Grace we have forsaken, and which God hath forgiven us? ibid.

Min.

'Tis our Duty, no question, to con∣fess our sins, after we are perswaded that we have forsaken them, and have obtained the par∣don of them.

Confession is a general Duty commanded in Scripture, without limitation: Do's not Da∣vid confess his sins, Psal. 51? Which (as ap∣pears by the Title of the Psalm) was after that Nathan had already assured him from the mouth of God, that his sin was pardoned; Elsewhere he confesses and begs the pardon of * 1.4 his sins long since committed and reformed, viz. the sins of his youth; Psal. 25. 7. Re∣member not the sins of my youth. Now let the Quaker speak out, and say in his Style to Da∣vid, This confession of thine is an untruth which I am sure is no Man's duty.

Par.

Some among the Corinthians before their Conversion had been Fornicaters, Idola∣ters,

Adulterers, &c. Paul says to those Corin∣thians, Ye are washed, &c. Had it been the Du∣ty of these Corinthians, after they were thus washed to have said, we are such still? We are Fornicators still, &c. This would have been the way to have made them lyars still. p. 52.

Min.

What a pitiful piece of Sophistry is this? Might they not for all that have said in reference to the time past, that they had sinned by Fornication, by Idolatry, &c. Have par∣doned sinners no reason to grieve, and accuse themselves any longer, than till they think, they have gained their pardon? Yes surely, they have a new occasion, a greater reason than they had before, a higher instance of the goodness of God, to engage them to renew their repen∣tance, than they had at first to lead them to it; while they sadly consider, how good a God they offended, a God so Good, as upon their Re∣formation to forgive them.

But then let Ellwood shew, where the Church of England makes any publick Confession in the Present tense? They run in the Praeter-per∣fect tense; as, We have erred and strayed, &c. We have offended, &c. and in the publick they are always General. Now where is the untruth? May not the most perfect Man in the World say all this?

Par.

But you still call your selves miserable sinners.

Min.

That he and all may see, it is our judgment only thus to confess, I shall here (in Ellwood's own form * 1.5 produce a very authentick Witness, Basil Sirnamed the Great; Who advi∣sing

to Confession of sin hath these expressions, Though thou knowest no wicked thing by thy self, thou oughtest to say thus; I truly, O Lord, am not * 1.6 worthy to speak to thee, because I am a grievous sinner; for there is none free from sin but God alone.

We are all in the construction of the Law Miserable sinners; and should be found so, if God should Arraign us at his Tribunal, and try us by the rigour of it: David has told us as much, Psal. 103. 2. Enter not into Iudg∣ment with thy Servant, O Lord, for in thy sight shall no Man living be justified, The least ob∣liquity from, or falling short of the absolute per∣fection of the Divine Law being enough to ren∣der us Sinners, and to make matter of Con∣fession.

He that has but once offended may ever af∣ter justly deserve the name of Sinner: A rege∣nerate Man is conscious of having committed sins, though he be not guilty of the present Do∣minion of any; The fact done cannot be un∣done. A Heathen could say, Ne non pecca∣ram, Mors quoque non faciat * 1.7

But after all this I must ask our confident Quaker, 1. How he is infallibly certain, he has obtain'd to an absolute unsinning state of Perfection? For he must grant that he ought to confess, and ask pardon, till he be infallibly cer∣tain of his being pure from all sin, and with∣out all spot and blemish, as pure as Adam be∣fore he fell, as the Angels in Heaven, and the Spirits of just men made perfect; for he must grant that he ought to confess and ask forgive∣ness

of all, even the least Moral weaknesses, and all defects of Obedience, whereby he falls short in the smallest degree of the absolute perfection of the Law, until he is thus sure his perfor∣mances are without all defect, and himself without all infirmity. And is T. E. indeed sure he is so? and do's he know the hour and minute when he first arrived to this state, and might take confidence to conclude of his abso∣lute perfection? But if neither we nor he himself be sure of this, or of the possibility of it, I think 'tis very safe for us to continue the Con∣fession of sin, yea and for him too, lest per∣haps he should be mistaken, and in some small degree be yet imperfect. For as there is lit∣tle danger of his displeasing God by any excess of humility in the continuance of such con∣fession, though he were really arrived to such a perfection; so on the other side in the Case of our State towards God, there being a great deal of danger in our mistaking, I think it is good for him to consider of it, and for us to go on in our course of Confession till we be sure.

2. I must also ask him, how he infallibly knows, that all his sins are for ever pardon'd? for I suppose he will grant that he ought to con∣fess and to ask forgiveness, till he be sure of a pardon.

Par.

He will say, he knows they are for∣given, because he hath forsaken them.

Min.

That indeed is the best ground of hope (if he have it;) but not such as to make Fear or Confession needless: For seeing First, ac∣cording

to his own assertion † 1.8 the state of the best and most perfect Men here is not immuta∣ble, but that they may fall from it: Secondly, seeing perseverance to the end is a necessary condition of final pardon, and salvation; it will follow, that though T. E. were perfect, yet it were not at all improper for him to con∣fess, and ask forgiveness of his former sins, be∣cause (according to his own Principles) he is not sure, but he may fall into sin again, which may cause his pardon to be revoked: And as there is no danger of displeasing God (as is said before) in any excess of humility in these Confessions; so the practice of this humility, and the fight and sense of our former sins is a very expedient, and indeed a necessary means to preserve us from falling into sin again. For this is that (saith St. Bernard) which makes it necessary for us to be solicitous with fear and trembling, and always humbling our selves un∣der the Mighty hand of God, since though we can know in part what we are, yet it is utterly im∣possible * 1.9 for us to know, what we shall be. Fi∣nally then, since our sin is certain, our pardon conditional, our Enemies vigilant, and we frail; whatever Ellwood thinks of himself, We think, we ought to call and esteem our selves Miserable sinners, till God upon our perseverance hath sealed our absolute pardon.

Par.

Is there but one Lesson (says T. F.) for all degrees? p. 53.

Min.

Yes, there are several Lessons for se∣veral States of Men, but this Lesson suits them all. This Confession, like those of the Primi∣tive

Church being design'd for the publick (where are Men of all degrees, Children, young men and Fathers) is made in such general terms, that all may joyn in it: The particu∣lars we leave to every Mans Conscience, and to his Closet to supply: But since we all agree in this, to live together in a miserable, sinful World; and we all have sinned, and (as T. E. acknowledges) we all may sin; therefore it is not unreasonable, we should all agree to con∣fess that we are miserable sinners: If this will not suffice; Let Ellwood use his captious que∣stion to St. Paul, O Paul, dost thou say thou art the chief of sinners? thou wast so at thy first coming into this School; What? No proficiency, no improvement? No going forward? After thou hast spent thy Age in this School, if we measure thee by thine own Confession, thou art not one step nearer thy Iourneys end; no whit better, than when thou camest first in, and therefore worse. * 1.10

Par.

But to conclude this Subject, T. E. tels us, It is not the duty of any Man, to propose to himself a constant and common Course of Con∣fession, because whosoever do's so, must first pro∣pose to himself a constant and common course of sinning. p. 54.

Min.

That which is lawful and fit to be u∣sed (as I have proved Confession to be, till we have persevered, and be absolutely perfect without all infirmity) is lawful to be propo∣sed to Mens practice; and may be so, without any proposing to our selves a common course of sinning, because the proposal of this course of Confession most properly proceeds from a con∣contrary

cause, viz. from the consideration of our infirmity and mutability, from humility, a pious fear † 1.11, prudence and sense of duty. There∣fore the Quaker's Pride and Scoffing shall not make us out of love with the Medicine, that God hath provided for us. It may shame us (says Tertullian * 1.12) that we sin again, but to repent when we have sinned should not shame us. We have another kind of Judge than Ellwood, who sees our hearts, and will account with him for his malicious censure of our Penitence, and of the devout and Orthodox Constitutions of our Church: So that my Adversary has taken much pains here to prove himself not only weak but wicked. And truly I am apt to believe, that in this abuse of Piety, and so necessary a Du∣ty, as Confession is, T. E. is too much a Socinian to please all, even of his own party, or any Man that is considerate; And I wish the Quakers would at last open their eyes, to see by what se∣ducers they are led, that at length they may withdraw from them, and make choice of more upright, more orthodox, and safer Guides.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Aug. in Ps. 99.
• † 1.2

  Ambr. de Sa∣cram. lib. 6. c. 5. See also Tertul. de Orat. 132. & Au∣gust. de Temp. Se•…•…m. 126.
• * 1.3

  Mat. 9. 12.
• * 1.4

  2 Sam. 12. 13.
• * 1.5

  p. 115.
• * 1.6

  Constir. Exercit.
• * 1.7

  Ovid.
• † 1.8

  p. 68.
• * 1.9

  Serm 1. in Sep∣tuages.
• * 1.10

  p. 53.
• † 1.11

  Rom. 11. 20.
• * 1.12

  Tert. de poenit.