Chapter 2 — Owen's Position on Church Differences

Though perhaps impartial men will be willing to give me an acquitment from the charge of altering my judgment in the matters of our present difference, upon the general account of the copartnership with me of the most inquiring men in this generation, as to things of no less importance; and though I might against this reverend brother and others of the same mind and persuasion with him, at present relieve myself sufficiently by a recrimination, in reference to their former Episcopal engagements, and sundry practices in the worship of God them attending, pleading in the mean time the general issue of changing from error to truth, (which that I have done as to any change I have really made, I am ready at any time to maintain to this Author) yet it being so much insisted upon by him as it is, and the charge thereof in the instance given, accompanied with so many evil surmisings, and uncharitable reflections, looking like the fruits of another principle than that whereby we ought in the management of our differences to be ruled, I shall give a more particular account of that, which has yielded him this great advantage. The sole instance insisted on by him, is a small treatise published long ago by me, intitled, The duty of Pastors and People distinguished; wherein I profess myself to be of the Presbyterian judgment. Excerpta out of that treatise, with animadversions and comparisons thereon, make up the appendix, which was judged necessary to be added to the book, to help on with the proof that Independency is a great schism: had it not been indeed needful to cause the person to suffer, as well as the thing, some suppose this pains might have been spared. But I am not to prescribe to any, what way it is meet for them to proceed in, for the compassing of their ends aimed at. The best is, here is no new thing produced, but what the world has long since taken notice of, and made of it the worst they can. Neither am I troubled that I have a necessity laid upon me to give an account of this whole matter. That little treatise was written by me in the year 1643, and then printed, however it received the addition of a year in the date affixed to it by the printers, which for their own advantage is a thing usual with them. I was then a young man myself, about the age of 26 or 27 years. The controversy between Independency and Presbytery was young also; nor indeed by me clearly understood, especially as stated on the Congregational side. The conceptions delivered in the treatise were not (as appears in the issue) suited to the opinion of the one party, nor of the other; but were such as occurred to my own naked consideration of things, with relation to some differences that were then upheld in the place where I lived, only being unacquainted with the Congregational way, I professed myself to own the other party, not knowing but that my principles were suited to their judgment and profession; having looked very little further into those affairs, than I was led by an opposition to Episcopacy and Ceremonies. Upon a review of what I had then asserted, I found that my principles were far more suited to what is the judgment and practice of the Congregational men, than those of the Presbyterian. Only whereas I had not received any further clear information in these ways of the worship of God, which since I have been engaged in, as was said, I professed myself of the Presbyterian judgment, in opposition to democratical confusion; and indeed so I do still; and so do all the Congregational men in England, that I am acquainted withal — so that when I compare what then I wrote with my present judgment, I am scarce able to find the least difference between the one and the other; only a misapplication of names and things by me, gives countenance to this charge. Indeed not long after, I set myself seriously to inquire into the controversies then warmly agitated in these nations. Of the Congregational way I was not acquainted with any one person, minister or other; nor had I to my knowledge seen any more than one in my life. My acquaintance lay wholly with ministers, and people of the Presbyterian way. But sundry books being published on either side, I perused, and compared them with the Scripture, and one another, according as I received ability from God. After a general view of them, as was my manner in other controversies, I fixed on one to take under peculiar consideration, and examination, which seemed most methodically, and strongly to maintain that which was contrary as I thought to my present persuasion. This was Mr. Cotton's book of the keys. The examination and confutation hereof, merely for my own particular satisfaction, with what diligence, and sincerity I was able, I engaged in. What progress I made in that undertaking, I can manifest to any, by the discourses on that subject, and animadversions on that book yet abiding by me. In the pursuit and management of this work, quite besides, and contrary to my expectation, at a time, and season wherein I could expect nothing on that account but ruin in this world, without the knowledge or advice of, or conference with any one person of that judgment, I was prevailed on to receive that and those principles, which I had thought to have set myself in an opposition to. And indeed this way of impartial examining all things by the word, comparing causes with causes, and things with things, laying aside all prejudicate respects to persons, or present traditions, is a course that I would admonish all to beware of, who would avoid the danger of being made Independents. I cannot indeed deny, but that it is possible I was advantaged in the disquisition of the truth I had in hand, from my former embracing of the principles laid down in the treatise insisted on; now being by this means settled in the truth, which I am ready to maintain to this reverend and learned Author, if he, or any other suppose they have any advantage hereby against me, as to my reputation, which alone is sought in such attempts as this: or if I am blamably liable to the charge of inconstancy, and inconsistency with my own principles, which he thought meet to front his book withal, hereupon I shall not labor to divest him of his apprehension, having abundant cause to rejoice in the rich grace of a merciful and tender father, that men seeking occasion to speak evil of so poor a worm, tossed up and down in the midst of innumerable temptations, I should be found to fix on that, which I know will be found my rejoicing in the day of the Lord Jesus.

I am necessitated to add somewhat also to a surmise of this Reverend man, in reference to my Episcopal compliances in former days, and strict observation of their canons. This indeed I should not have taken notice of, but that I find others besides this Author pleasing themselves with this apprehension, and endeavoring an advantage against the truth I profess thereby. How little some of my Adversaries are like to gain, by branding this as a crime is known; and I profess I know not the conscience, that is exercised in this matter. But to deliver them once for all from involving themselves in the like unchristian procedure hereafter, let them now know what they might easily have known before; namely, that this accusation is false, a plain calumny, a lie. As I was bred up from my infancy under the care of my father, who was a non-conformist all his days, and a painful laborer in the vineyard of the Lord; so ever since I came to have any distinct knowledge of the things belonging to the worship of God, I have been fixed in judgment against that which I am calumniated withal; which is notoriously known to all that have had any acquaintance with me; what advantage this kind of proceeding is like to bring to his own soul, or the cause which he manages, I leave to himself to judge.

Thus in generall; to take a view of some particular passages in the Appendix destined to this good worke; the first Section tries with much wit and Rhetorick to improve the pretended alteration of judgment to the blemishing of my Reputation; affirming it to be from truth to error; which as to my particular, so farre as it shall appeare I am concerned, I am little moved with the bare affirmation of men, especially if induced to it by their interest. I desire him to let me know when and where, I may personally wait upon him, to be convinced of it: in the mean time so much for that Section: in the second, he declares what my judgment was in that treatise about the distance between Pastors and People, and of the extreams that some men on each hand run into: and I now tell him, that I am of the same mind still, so that that note has little availed him. In the third he relates what I delivered, that a man not solemnly called to the office of the Ministry by any outward call, might do as to the preaching of the Gospell in a collapsed Church-state. To this he makes sundry objections; that my discourse is darke, not cleare, and the like; but remembring that his businesse was not to confute that treatise also, but to prove from it my inconstancie, and inconsistencie with my selfe: he sayes, I am changed from what I then delivered: this is denied, I am punctually of the same judgment still: but he proves the contrary by a double argument. 1. Because I have renounced my ordination. 2. Because I thinke now, that not only in a compleat Church-state, but when no such thing can be charged, that gifts and consent of the people is enough to make a man a Preacher in office; both untrue and false in fact. I professe I am astonished, to thinke with what frame of spirit, what neglect of all rules of truth and love this businesse is mannaged. In the fourth Section, He chargeth me to have delivered somewhat in that treatise about the personall indwelling of the Holy Ghost in believers, and my words to that purpose are quoted at large. What then? Am I changed in this also? No, but that is an error in the judgment of all that be orthodox: but that is not the businesse in hand, but the Alteration of my judgment; wherfore he makes a kind of exposition upon my words in that treatise, to shew that I was not then of the mind that I have now delivered my selfe to be of, in my book of Schisme; but I could easily answer the weakenesse of his exceptions, and pretended expositions of my former assertions, and evidence my consistency in judgment with my selfe in this businesse ever since; but this he says is an error which he gathered out of my book of Schisme; and some body has sent him word from Oxford that I preached the same doctrine at St. Maries. I wish his informer had never more deceived him; it is most true I have done so, and since printed at large what then I delivered, with sundry additions thereunto; and if this Reverend Author shall think good to examine what I have published on that account, (not in the way in this treatise proceeded in, which in due time will be abhorred of himself & all good men, but with candor, and a spirit of Christian ingenuity and meeknesse,) I shall acknowledg my selfe obliged to him; and in the mean time I desire him to be cautious of large expressions, concerning all the Orthodox, to oppose that opinion, seeing evidences of the contrary lie at hand in great plenty: and let him learne from hence how little his insulting in his book on this account is to be valued. Sec. the 5. he shews that I then proved the name of priests not to be proper, or to be ascribed to the ministers of the Gospell; but that now (as is supposed in scorne) I call the ministers of their particular congregations parochiall priests; untrue! In the description of the Prelaticall Church I shewed what they esteemed and called parish ministers among them. I never called the Presbyterian ministers of particular Congregations parochiall priests. Love truth and peace; these things ought not thus to be. Sec. the 6. He labours to find some difference in the tendency of severall expressions in that treatise, which is not at all to the purpose in hand, nor true as will appeare to any that shall read the treatise it selfe. In the 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Sec: He takes here and there a sentence out of the treatise and examins it, interlacing his discourse with untrue reflections, surmizes and prognostications: and in particular p. the 238 & 239. But what does all this availe him in reference to his designe in hand? Not only before, but even since his exceptions to the things then delivered, I am of the same mind that I was, without the least alteration. And in the viewing of what I had then asserted, I find nothing strange to me, but the sad discovery of what frame of spirit the charge proceeded from. Sec. 12. does the whole worke; there I acknowledge my selfe to be of the Presbyterian judgment, and not of the Independent or congregationall. Had this Reverend Author thought meet to have confined his charge to this one quotation, he had prevented much evill that spreads it selfe over the rest of his discourse, and yet have attained the utmost of what he can hope for, from the whole; and hereof I have already given an account. But he will yet proceed, and Sec. 13. informe his Reader that, in that Treatise I aver, that two things are required in a teacher, as to formall ministeriall teaching. 1. Gifts from God, 2. Authority from the Church: well! What then? I am of the same mind still: but now I cry down ordination by Presbytery, what, & is not this a great alteration and signe of inconstancy. Truly, Sir, there is more need of humiliation in your selfe, then triumphing against me; for the assertion is most untrue, and your charge altogether groundlesse; which I desire you would be satisfied in, and not to be led any more by evill surmises, to wrong mee, and your owne soule. He addes sect. 14. two cautions, which in that treatise I give to private Christians in the exercise of their gifts, and closeth the last of them with a Juvenile Epiphonema, divinely spoken, and like a true Presbyterian: and yet there is not one word in either of these cautions that I do not still own and allow; which confirmes the unhappinesse of the charge. Of all that is substantiall in any thing that followes, I affirme the same, as to all that which is gone before. Onely as to the liberty to be allowed to them which meet in private, who cannot in conscience joyne in the Celebration of publike ordinances, as they are performed among us, I confesse my selfe to be otherwise minded at present, than the words there quoted by this Author do expresse. But this is nothing to the difference between Presbytery and independency: and he that can glory, that in 14. yeares, he has not altered or improved in his conception of some things, of no greater importance then that mentioned, shall not have me for his rivall. And this is the summe of Mr. C. Appendix; the discourse whereof being carried on with such a temper of spirit as it is, and suited to the advantage aimed at, by so many evill surmises, false suggestions, and uncharitable reflections, I am perswaded the taking of that paines, will one day be no joy of heart to him.