Chapter 1 — The Nature of Religious Controversy

The present state of things in the Christian world, will on a slight consideration yield this account of controversies in Religion; that when they are driven to such an issue, as by foreign coincidences to be rendered the interest of parties at variance, there is not any great success to be obtained by a management of them, though with never so much evidence and conviction of truth. An answering of the profession that is on us, by a good and lawful means, the paying of that homage and tribute we owe to the truth, the tendering of assistance to the safe-guarding of some weaker professors thereof, from the sophisms and violence of adversaries, is the most that in such a posture of things, the most sober writers of Controversies can well aim at.

The winning over of men to the truth we seek to maintain, where they have been pre-engaged in an opposition to it, without the alteration of the outward state of things, from where their engagements have insensibly sprung and risen, is not ordinarily to be expected. How far I was from any such thoughts in the composing and publishing my Treatise of the nature of Schism, I declared in sundry passages in the treatise itself. Though the thing contended about, whatever is pretended to the contrary, will not be found among the most important heads of our Religion, yet knowing how far on sundry accounts the stated, fixed interest of several sorts of men, engages them to abide by the principles they own in reference thereunto, I was so far from hoping to see speedily any visible fruits of the efficacy of the truth I had managed, that I promised myself a vigorous opposition, until some urgent providence, or time, altering the frame of men's spirits should make way for its acceptance. Freely I left it in the hand of him, whose truth, I have good security I had in weakness maintained, to dispose of it with its issues and events at his pleasure. I confess knowing several parties to be concerned in an opposition to it, I was not well able to conjecture from what hand the first assault of it would arise. Probability cast it on them, who looked on themselves in the nearest proximity of advantage by the common notion of Schism opposed. The truth is, I did apprehend myself not justly chargeable with want of charity, if I thought that opposition would arise from some other principles, than mere zeal for a supposed truth, and therefore took my aim in conjecturing at the prejudices that men might fear themselves and interests obnoxious to by a reception and establishment of that notion of Schism, which I had asserted. Men's contentedness to make use of their quietness in reference to Popery, Socinianism, Arminianism, daily vented among us, unless it were in some declamatory expressions against their Toleration, which cost no more than they are worth, if shaken off by a speedy engagement against my treatise, confirmed such thoughts in me. After therefore it had passed in the world for some season, and had found acceptance with many learned and godly persons, reports began to be raised about a design for the refutation of it; that so it should be dealt withal I heard was judged necessary at sundry conventions; what particular hand it was likely the task would fall upon, judging myself not concerned to know, I did not inquire. When I was informed how the disposal of the business did succeed, as I was not at all surprised in reference to the party in general from which it did issue, so I did relieve myself under my fears, and loathing to be engaged in these contests by these ensuing considerations. 1. That I was fully persuaded that what I had written was for the substance of it the truth of God, and being concerned in it only on truth's account, if it could be demonstrated that the sentence I had asserted, was an unlawful pretender thereunto, I should be delivered from paying any further respect or service to that, whereunto none at all was due. 2. That in the treatise itself so threatened, I had laid in provision against all contending about words, expressions, collateral assertions, deductions, positions, all and every thing, though true, that might be separated from the life or substance of the notion, or truth pleaded for. 3. That whereas the whole weight of the little pile turned on one single hinge, and that visible and conspicuous, capable of an ocular demonstration, as to its confirmation or refutation, I promised myself that any man who should undertake the demolishing of it, would be so far from passing that by, and setting himself to the superstructure, that subsists in its single strength and vigor, that indeed finding that one thing necessary for him, he would solely attempt that, and therein rest. This I knew was evident to any considering person that should but view the treatise, that if that foundation were cast down, the whole superstructure would fall with its own weight: but if left standing, a hundred thousand volumes against the rest of the treatise could not in the least prejudice the cause undertaken to be managed in it. Men might indeed by such attempts manifest my weakness and want of skill, in making inferences and deductions from principles of truth, wherein I am not concerned, but the truth itself contended for, would still abide untouched.

Having expresly waved man's day, and judgement, I promised myself security from a disturbance by urging against me the authority of any, of old or late; supposing that from the eviction of their several interests, I had emancipated myself from all subjection to their bare judgements in this cause. Whereas I had confined myself to a bare defensative of some, not intending to cast others from the place, which in their own apprehensions they do enjoy, (unless it was the Roman party) I had some expectations that peace-loving godly men, would not be troubled that an apparent immunity from a crime was without their prejudice or disadvantage manifested in behalf of their brethren, nor much pain themselves to reinforce the charge accounted for. So that the bare notion of schism, and the nature of it abstracted from the consideration of persons, would come under debate. Indeed I questioned whether in that friendly composure of affections, which for sundry years has been carrying on between sober and godly men of the Presbyterian and Congregational judgement, any person of real godliness would interest himself to blow the coal of dissension, and engage in new exasperations. I confess I always thought the plea of Cicero for Ligarius against Tubero most unreasonable; namely, that if he had told (as he calls it) an honest and merciful lie in his behalf, yet it was not the part of a man to refell it, especially of one who was accused of the same crime: but yet I must needs say, a prompt readiness to follow most questionable accusations against honest defensatives, from good men unjustly accused by others of the same crime, I did not expect. I added this also in my thoughts, that the facility of tendering a discourse to the purpose, on the business under consideration, was obviated by its being led out of the common road, wherein common place supplies would be of little use to any that should undertake it: not once suspecting that any man of learning and judgment would make a return to it out of vulgar discourses about ministers calling, Church government or the like. How far these and the like considerations might be a relief to my thoughts, in my fears of further controversial engagements, having the pressure of more business upon me than any one man I know of my calling in the whole nation, I leave it to the judgment of them who love truth and peace. But what little confidence I ought in the present posture of the minds of men, to have placed in any or all of them, the discourse under consideration has instructed me: that any one thing has fallen out according to my expectations and conjectures, but only its being a product of the men, of the persuasion owned therein, I am yet to seek. The truth is I cannot blame my adversary viis et modis to make good the opposition he is engaged in; it concerns him and his advisers beyond their interest in the appearing skirts of this controversy. Perhaps also an adjudged necessity of endeavoring a disreputation to my person and writings, was one ingredient in the undertaking. If so, the whole frame was to be carried on by correspondent mediums. But let the principles and motives to this discourse be what they will, it is now made public, there being a warmer zeal acting therein, than in carrying on some other things, expected from the same hand.

To what may seem of importance in it, I shall with all possible plainness give a return. Had the Reverend Author of it thought good, to have kept within the bounds, by me fixed, and candidly debated the notion proposed, abstracting from the provocations of particular applications, I should most willingly have taken pains for a further clearing and manifesting of the truth contended about.

But the whole discourse wherewith I have now to do, is of another complexion, and the design of it, of another tendency; yes, so managed sometimes, that I am ready to question whether it be the product and fruit of his spirit whose name it bears: for though he be an utter stranger to me, yet I have received such a character of him, as would raise me to an expectation of any thing from him, rather than such a discourse.

The Reader will be able to perceive an account of these thoughts in the ensuing view of his Treatise.

I am without any provocation intended, and I hope given, reviled from one end of it to the other; and called, partly in downright terms, partly by oblique intimations, whose reflections are not to be waved, Satan, Atheist, Skeptic, Donatist, Heretic, Schismatic, Sectary, Pharisee, etc. and the closure of the Book is merely an attempt to blast my reputation, whereof I shall give a speedy account.

The professed design of the whole is to prove Independency, as he is pleased to call it, which what it is, he declares not, nor (as he manages the business) do I know, to be a great schism, and that Independents, (by whom it is full well known whom he intends) are Schismatics, Sectaries, the troublers of England. So that it were happy for the Nation, if they were out of it; or discovering sanguinary thoughts in reference to them; and these kinds of discourses fill up the book, almost from one end to the other.

No Christian care does seem to have been taken, nor good conscience exercised from the beginning to the ending, as to imputation of any thing to me, or upon me, that may serve to help on the design in hand.

Hence I think it is repeated near a hundred times, that I deny their Ministers to be Ministers, & their Churches to be Churches, that I deny all the reformed Churches in the world, but only our own (as he calls them) to be true Churches, all which is notoriously untrue, contrary to my known judgment, professedly declared on all occasions, contrary to express affirmations in the book he undertakes to confute, and the whole design of the book itself. I cannot easily declare my surprisal on this account. What am I to expect from others, when such reverend men as this Author, shall by the power of prejudice be carried beyond all bounds of moderation, and Christian tenderness in offending? I no way doubt but that Satan has his design in this whole business. He knows how apt we are to fix on such provocations, and to contribute thereupon to the increase of our differences. Can he according to the course of things in the world, expect any other issue, but that in the necessary defensative I am put upon, I should not wave such reflexions and retortions on him, and them with whom I have to do, as present themselves with as fair pleas, and pretences to me, as it is possible for me to judge, that the charges before mentioned (I mean of Schism, Heresy, and the like) did to him. For as to a return of any thing in its own nature false and untrue, as to matter of fact, to meet with that of the like kind wherewith I am entertained, I suppose the Devil himself was hopeless to obtain it. Is he not filled with envy to take notice in what love without dissimulation I walk with many of the Presbyterian judgment? What Christian intercourse, and communion I have with them in England, Scotland, Holland, France, fearing that it may tend to the furtherance of peace & union among the Churches of Christ? God assisting I shall deceive his expectations, and though I be called Schismatic, and Heretic a thousand times, it shall not weaken my love or esteem, of, or towards any of the godly Ministers, or people of that way and judgment with whom I am acquainted, or have occasion of converse.

And for this reverend Author himself, I shall not fail to pray, that none of the things, whereby he has, I fear, administered advantage to Satan to attempt the exasperations of the spirits of Brethren one against another, may ever be laid to his charge. For my own part I profess in all sincerity, that such was my unhappiness, or rather happiness in the constant converse which in sundry places I have with persons of the Presbyterian judgment, both of the English and Scottish Nation, utterly of another frame of spirit, than that which is now showed, that until I saw this treatise, I did not believe that there had remained in any one godly, sober, judicious person in England, such thoughts of heart in reference to our present differences, as are visible and legible therein: Tantaéne animis coelestibus irae?

I hope the reverend Author will not be offended, if I make bold to tell him, that it will be no joy of heart to him one day, that he has taken pains to cast oil on those flames, which it is every one's duty to labor to extinguish.

But that the whole matter in difference may be the better stated and determined, I shall first pass through with the general concernments of the book itself, and then consider the several Chapters of it, as to any particulars in them that may seem to relate to the business in hand. It may possibly not a little conduce towards the removal of those obstructions to peace and love, laid in our way by this reverend Author, and to a clearer stating of the controversy pretended to be ventilated in his discourse, to discover and lay aside those mistakes of his, which being interwoven with the main discourse from the beginning to the end, seem as principles to animate the whole, and to give it that life of trouble, whereof it is partaker. Some of them were, as absolutely considered, remarked before; I shall now renew the mention of them, with respect to that influence which they have into the argumentative part of the treatise under consideration.

1. First then it is strenuously supposed all along, that I deny all, or any Churches in England, to be true Churches of Christ, except only the Churches gathered in the Congregational way, and upon their principles: then that I deny all the reformed Churches beyond the Seas to be true Churches of Christ. This supposition being laid, as the foundation of the whole building, a confutation of my treatise is fixed thereon, a comparison is instituted between the Donatists and myself: arguments are produced to prove their Churches to be true Churches, and their Ministers true Ministers. The charge of Schism on this bottom is freely given out and asserted, the proof of my Schismatical separation from hence deduced, and many terms of reproach are returned as a suitable reply to the provocation of this opinion. How great a portion of a small treatise may easily be taken up with discourses relating to these heads, is easy to apprehend. Now lest all this pains should be found to be useless, and causelessly undergone, let us consider how the reverend Author proves this to be my judgment. Does he evince it from any thing delivered in that treatise he undertakes to confute? Does he produce any other testimonies out of what I have spoken, delivered, or written elsewhere, and on other occasions to make it good? This I suppose he thought not of, but took it for granted, that either I was of that judgment, or it was fit I should be so, that the difference between us might be as great, as he desired to have it appear to be.

Well to put an end to this controversie, seeing he would not believe what I told the world of my thoughts herein in my book of Schisme, I now informe him again, that all thes surmises are fond & untrue. And truly for his own sake with that respect which is due to the reputation of Religion, I here humbly intreate him not to entertain what is here affirm'd with un-Christian surmizes, which the Apostle reckons among the works of the flesh, as though I were of another mind but durst not declare it, as more then once in some particulars he insinuates the state of things with me to be. But blessed be the God of my salvation, and of all my deliverances, I have yet liberty to declare the whole of my judgment in and about the things of his worship. Blessed be God, it is not as yet in the power of some men to bring in that their conceited happiness into England, which would in their thoughts accrew to it, by my removall from my native soyle, with all others of my judgment and perswasion. We are yet at peace, and we trust that the Lord will deliver us from the hands of men, whose tender mercies are cruell. However be it known to them that if it be the will of the Lord upon our manifold provocations to give us up to their disposall, who are pleased to compasse us with the ornaments of reproaches before mentioned, that so we might fall as a sacrifice to rage or violence, we shall through his assistance and presence with us, dare to professe the whole of that truth, and those waies of his, which he has been pleased to reveal to us.

And if on any other account this Reverend person suppose I may foster opinions and thoughts of mine owne and their waies which I dare not owne, let him at any time give me a command to waite upon him, and as I will freely and candidly answer to any enquiries he shall be pleased to make after my judgment, and apprehensions of these things, so he shall find that (God assisting) I dare owne, and will be ready to maintaine what I shall so deliver to him. It is a sufficient evidence that this reverend Author is an utter stranger to me, or he would scarce entertaine such surmizes of me as he does. Shall I call in witnesses as to the particular under consideration? One evidence by way of instance lies so neare at hand, that I cannot omit the producing of it: not above 14 daies before this treatise came to my hands, a learned Gentleman whom I had prevailed withall to answer in the Vespers of our Act, sent me his Questions by a Doctor of the Presbyterian judgment, a friend of his, and mine. The first Question was, as I remember, to this purpose: Utrum ministri Ecclesiae Anglicanae habeant validam ordinationem; I told the Doctor, that since the Questions were to passe under my approbation, I must needs confesse my selfe scrupled at the limitation of the subject of the Question in that terme Ecclesia Anglicana, which would be found ambiguous and aequivocall in the disputation; and therefore desired that he would rather supply it with Ecclesiarum reformatarum, or some other expression of like importance, but as to the thing it selfe aimed at, namely the assertion of the ministry of the Godly ministers in England, I told him and so now do the Reverend Author of this treatise, that I shall as willingly ingage in the defence of it, with the lawfulnesse of their Churches, as any man what ever. I have only in my treatise questioned the institution of a nationall Church, which this Author does not undertake to maintaine, nor indeed has the least reason so to do, for the asserting of true ministers and Churches in England; I meane those of the Presbyterian way. What satisfaction now this Reverend Author shall judge it necessary for him to give me, for the publicke injury which voluntarily he has done me, in particular for his attempt to expose me to the censure and displeasure of so many godly ministers and Churches as I owne in England, as a person denying their ministry, and Church station, I leave it to himselfe to consider. And by the declaration of this mistake how great a part of his book is waved as to my concernments therein, himselfe full well knows.

A second principle of like importance which he is pleased to make use of, as a thing granted by me, or at least which he assumes, as that which ought so to be, is that whatever the Presbyterian ministers and Churches be, I have separated from them, as have done all those whom he calls Independants. This is another fountaine out of which much bitter water flows. Hence we must needs be thought to condemne their ministry and Churches. The Brownists were our fathers, and the Anabaptists are our elder Brothers, we make an harlot of our mother, and are Schismaticks and Sectaries from one end of the book to the other. Quod erat demonstrandum. But does not this Reverend Author know that this is wholly denyed by us? Is it not disproved sufficiently in that very Treatise which he undertakes to answer?

He grants, I suppose, that the separation he blames, must respect some union of Christ's institution: for any other, we professe our selves unconcerned in its maintenance, or dissolution, as to the businesse in hand. Now wherein have we separated from them as to the breach of any such union? For an individuall person to change from the constant participation of ordinances in one congregation, to do so in another, barely considered in its selfe, this Reverend Author holds to be no separation. However for my part, who am forced to beare all this wrath and storme, what has he to lay to my charge? I condemne not their Churches in generall, to be no Churches, nor any one that I am acquainted withall in particular. I never disturb'd, that I know of, the peace of any one of them, nor separated from them; but having already received my punishment, I expect to heare my crime by the next returne.

3. He supposes throughout that I deny not only the necessity of a successive ordination, but as far as I can understand him, the lawfulness of it also. By ordination of ministers many upon a mistake understand only the imposition of hands that is used therein. Ordination of ministers is one thing, and imposition of hands another, differing as whole and part; ordination in Scripture comprises the whole authoritative translation of a man from among the number of his brethren into the state of an officer in the Church. I suppose he does not think that this is denied by me, though he tells me with the same Christian candor, and tenderness, which he exercises in every passage almost of his book, of making myself a minister, and I know not what; I am, I bless the Lord, extremely remote from returning him any of his own coin in satisfaction for this love. For that part of it which consists in the imposition of hands by the Presbytery, (where it may be obtained according to the mind of Christ,) I am also very remote from managing any opposition to it. I think it necessary by virtue of precept, and that to be continued in a way of succession. It is, I say, according to the mind of Christ, that he who is to be ordained to office in any Church, receive imposition of hands from the elders of that Church, if there be any therein. And this is to be done in a way of succession, that so the Churches may be perpetuated. That alone which I oppose is the denying of this successive ordination, through the authority of Antichrist. Before the blessed and glorious Reformation, begun and carried on by Zuinglius, Luther, Calvin, and others, there were, and had been two states of men in the world, professing the name of Christ, and the Gospel, as to the outward profession thereof. The one of them in glory, splendor, outward beauty, and order, calling themselves the Church, the only Church in the world, the Catholic Church; being indeed, and in truth in that state wherein they so prided themselves the mother of harlots, the beast, with his false Prophet. The other party poor, despised, persecuted, generally esteemed and called Heretics, Schismatics, or as occasion gave advantage for their further reproach, Waldenses, Albigenses, Lollards, and the like. As to the claim of a successive ordination down from the Apostles, I made bold to affirm, that I could not understand the validity of that successive ordination, as successive, which was derived down to us from, and by the first party of men in the world.

This reverend author's reply hereunto, is like the rest of his discourse, pag. 118. He tells me, this casts dirt in the face of their ministry, as do all their good friends the Sectaries, and that he has much ado to forbear saying, The Lord rebuke you. How he does forbear it, having so expressed the frame of his heart towards me, others will judge: the searcher of all hearts knows, that I had no design to cast dirt on him, or any other godly man's ministry in England. Might not another answer have been returned without this wrath: This is so, or it is not so, in reference to the ministry of this nation. If it be not so, and they plead not their successive ordination from Rome, there is an end of this difference. If it be so, can Mr. C. hardly refrain from calling a man Satan, for speaking the truth? It is well if we know of what spirit we are.

But let us a little further consider his answer in that place. He asks first, Why may not this be a sufficient foundation for their ministry, as well as for their Baptism? If it be so, and be so acknowledged, from where is that great provocation that arose from my inquiry after it: for my part I must tell him, that I judge their Baptism good and valid, but to deal clearly with him, not on that foundation. I cannot believe, that that idolater, murderer, man of sin, had, since the days of his open idolatry, persecution, and enmity to Christ, any authority more or less from the Lord Jesus committed to him, in or over his Churches. But he adds, secondly, that had they received their ordination from the woman flying into the wilderness, the two witnesses, or Waldenses, it had been all one to me, and my party; for they had not their ordination from the people (except some extraordinary cases) but from a Presbytery, according to the institution of Christ. So then, ordination by a Presbytery, is it seems opposed by me and my party; but I pray Sir, who told you so? When, wherein, by what means have I opposed it? I acknowledge myself of no party. I am sorry so grave a minister should suffer himself to be thus transported, that every answer, every reply, must be a reflection, and that without due observation of truth and love. That those first reformers had their ordination from the people, is acknowledged; I have formerly evidenced it by undeniable testimony. So that the proper succession of a ministry among the Churches that are their offspring, runs up no higher than that rise. Now the good Lord bless them in their ministry, and the successive ordination they enjoy, to bring forth more fruit in the earth to the praise of his glorious grace. But upon my disclaiming all thoughts of rejecting the ministry of all those, who yet hold their ordination on the account of its successive derivation from Rome, he cries out, *egregiam verò laudem*, and says that yet I secretly derive their pedigree from Rome: well then he does not so; why then, what need these exclamations? We are as to this matter wholly agreed; nor shall I at present further pursue his discourse in that place, it is almost totally composed and made up of scornful revilings, reflections, and such other ingredients of the whole.

He frequently and very positively affirms without the least hesitation, that I have renounced my own ordination, and adds hereunto, that whatever else they pretend, unless they renounce their ordination, nothing will please me. That I condemn all other Churches in the world as no Churches; but who I pray told him these things? Did he enquire so far after my mind in them, as without breach of charity to be able to make such positive and express assertions concerning them? A good part of his book is taken up in the repetition of such things as these, drawing inferences and conclusions from the suppositions of them, and warming himself by them into a great contempt of myself and party, as he calls them. I am now necessitated to tell him, that all these things are false, and utterly, in part and in whole untrue, and that he is not able to prove any one of them. And whether this kind of dealing becomes a minister of the Gospel, a person professing godliness, I leave it to himself to judge. For my own part I must confess that as yet I was never so dealt withal by any man, of what party soever, although it has been my unhappiness to provoke many of them. I do not doubt but that he will be both troubled and ashamed when he shall review these things. That whole Chapter, which he entitles, Independentism is Donatism, as to his application of it to me, or any of my persuasion, is of the same importance, as I have sufficiently already evinced. I might instance in sundry other particulars, wherein he ventures without the least check or supposition, to charge me with what he pleases, that may serve the turn in hand; so that it may serve to bring in, he and his party are Schismatics, are Sectaries, have separated from the church of God, are the cause of all our evils and troubles, with the like terms of reproach, and hard censures, lying in a fair subserviency to a design of widening the difference between us, and mutually exasperating the spirits of men, professing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, one against another, nothing almost comes amiss. His sticking upon by matters, diverting from the main business in hand, answering arguments by reflections, and the like, might also be remarked. One thing wherein he much rejoices, and fronts his book with the discovery he has made of it, namely concerning my change of judgment as to the difference under present debate, which is the substance and design of his appendix, must be particularly considered, and shall be, God assisting, in the next Chapter accordingly.