least, impaired the truth of what I assert [Sect. 8.] in reference to them and their way...

6

"Page 167, we arrive at that which, alone almost, I expected would have been insisted on; and quite contrary thereto, it is utterly waved, namely, the whole business of a National Church,' upon which account indeed all the pretence of the charge this Reverend Author is pleased to manage, doth arise. Take that out of the way, and certainly they and we are upon even terms ! And if we will be judged by them who were last in possession of the reiglement of that Church-upon supposition, that there is such a Church still,-they are no more interested in it than we yea, are as guilty of Schism from it as we! But that, being set aside, and Particular Churches only remaining, it will be very difficult for him to raise the least pretence of his 'great' charge. But let us consider what he thinks meet to fasten on in that discourse of mine about a National Church. The first thing, is my inquiry, Whether the denial of the Institution' of a national church,-which he pleads not for,-doth not deny, in consequence, that we had either ordinances or ministry amongst us? p. 168. To which, I say that though it seems to do so,' yet indeed it doth not; because there was, then, another church-state,' even that of Particular Churches, amongst us. With many kind reflections, of my renouncing ny ministry, and rejecting my 'jejune and empty vindication' of their ministry!—which yet is the very same that himself fixes on,—he asks me how I can in my conscience believe that there were any true ministers in this Church in the time of its being National?' and so proceeds to infer from hence, my denying of all ministry and ordinances among them. Truly, though I were more to be despised than I am-if that be possible! yet it were not common prudence for any man to take so much pains to make me his enemy whether I will or not. He cannot but know that I deny utterly that ever we had indeed, whatever men thought, a National church; for I grant no such thing as a National church in the present sense contended about. That in England, under the rule of the Prelates, when they looked on the church as National, there were true churches and true ministers, though in much disorder as to the way of entering into the ministry and dispensing of ordinances, I grant freely; which is all this Reverend Author, if I understand him, pleads for and this, he says, p. 169, I was unwilling to acknowledge, lest I should thereby condemn' myself, ' as a schismatic.'

66

Truly, in the many sad differences and divisions that are in the world amongst Christians, I have not been without sad and jealous thoughts of heart lest by any doctrine or practice of mine I should, occasionally, contribute anything unto them. If it hath been otherwise with this Author, I envy not his frame of spirit: but I must freely say, that having, together with them, weighed the reasons for them, I have been very little moved with the clamorous accusations and insinuations of this Author. In the meantime, if it be possible to give him satisfaction, I here let him know that I assent unto that sum of all he hath to say,.. p. 170, as to the true and faithful ministers with the [their] people in their several congregations, administering the true ordinances of Jesus Christ, whereof baptism is one, was and is

the true church-state of England;' from which, I am not separated: nor do I think that some additions, of human prudence,' or imprudence, can disannul the ordinances of Jesus Christ.' Upon the disavower made of any other National Church state, and the assertion of this to answer all intents and purposes, I suppose now that the Reverend Author knows that it is incumbent on him to prove that we have been members of some of these particular churches in due order according to the mind of Christ, to all intents and purposes of churchmembership; and, that we have in our individual persons raised causeless differences in those particular churches whereof we were members respectively, and so separated from them with the condemnation of them; or else, according to his own principles, he fails in his brotherly conclusion : Γοὺ Ρόδος, ἰδοὺ πήδημα.

66 "I suppose the Reader is weary of pursuing things so little to our purpose. If he will hear any further, that Independents are 'schismatics; that the setting up of their way, hath opened a door to all evils and confusions; that they have separated from all churches, and condemn all churches in the world but their own; that they have 'hindered' Reformation, and the setting up of the Presbyterian church[!] p. 176: that being members of our churches' as they are members of the nation, because they are born in it, yet they have deserted them; that they gather churches which they pretend to be spick-and-span new; [that] they have separated from us; that they countenance Quakers and all other sectaries; that they will reform a National Church, whether men will or not, though they say that they only desire to reform themselves, and plead for liberty to that end! If any man, I say, have a mind to read or hear of this, any more, let him read the rest of this chapter; or else converse with some persons whom I can direct him to, who talk at this wholesome rate all the day long.

What seems to be my particular concernment, I shall a little further attend unto. Some words-for that is the manner of managing this controversy are culled out from p. 259, 260 [Chap. viii. sect. 43] to be made the matter of further contest. Thus they lie in my treatise, As the not giving a man's self up unto any way, and submitting to any establishment, pretended or pleaded to be of Christ, which he hath not light for, and which he was not by any act of his own formerly engaged in ; cannot, with any colour or pretence of reason, be reckoned unto him for Schism, though he may, if he persist in his refusal, prejudice his own edification; so, no more can a man's peaceable relinquishment of the ordinary communion of one church in all its relations, be so esteemed.' These words have as yet, unto me a very harmless aspect; but our Reverend Author is sharp-sighted, and sees I know not what monsters in them: for first, saith he here, p. 187, 'he seems to me to be a very sceptic in his way of Independency.' Why so, I pray? This will gratify all sects, Quakers and all, with a Toleration"! How, I pray? it is Schism, not Toleration,' we are treating about. But this leaves them to judge of,' as well as others, what is, and what is not according to the mind of Christ!' Why, pray Sir, who is appointed to judge finally for them? Why,

then should they be denied their liberty?' but is that the thing under consideration? Had you concluded, that their not submitting to what they have not light for its Institution, is not properly Schism, you should have seen how far I had been concerned in the inference; but excursions unto Quakers,' etc., are one topic of such discourses.

"But now, he asks me, one question, it seems to try whether I am a 'sceptic,' or not. Whether,' saith he, p. 188, 'does he believe his own way to be the only true way of Christ, for he hath instituted but one way; having run from and renounced all other ways in this nation? I promise you, this is a hard question, and not easily answered: if I deny it, he will say, I am a sceptic;' and other things also will be brought in: if I affirm it, it may be he will say that I condemn their churches for no churches, and the like! It is good to be wary, when a man hath to deal with wise men. How, if I should say, that our way and their way are for the substance of them, one way; and so I cannot say that my way is the only true way' exclusively of theirs; I suppose this may do pretty well? But I fear this will scarce give satisfaction; and yet I know not well how I can go any further: yet this I will add, I do indeed believe that wherein their way and our way differ, our way is according to the mind of Christ, and not theirs! and this, I am ready at any time, God assisting, personally to maintain to him. And as for my running from ways of religion; I dare again tell him these reproaches and calumnies become him not at all. But he proceeds: "If so,' saith he, 'is not every man bound to come into it; and not upon every conceived [conceited, sic, Cawdrey] new light to relinquish it?' Truly, I think Mr. C. himself is bound to come into it' and yet I do not think that his not so doing, makes him a 'schismatic! And as for relinquishment, I assert no more than what he himself concludes to be lawful.

"And thus, Christian reader, I have given thee a brief account of all things of any importance that I could meet withal in this treatise, and of many which are of very little. If thou shalt be pleased to compare my treatise Of Schism' with the refutation of it, thou wilt quickly see how short this is of that which it pretends to; how untouched my principles do abide; and how the most material parts of my discourse are utterly passed by without any notice taken of them. The truth is, in the way chosen by this Reverend Author to proceed in, men may multiply writings to the world's end without driving any controversy to an issue. Descanting and harping on words; making exceptions to particular passages, and the like; is an easy and facile, and to some men a pleasant, labour. What small reason our Author had to give his book the title it bears, unless it were to discover his design, I hope doth by this time appear. Much of the proof of it lies in the repeated asseverations of it; it is so! and, it is so! If he shall be pleased to send me word of one argument tending that way that is not founded in an evident mistake, I will promise him if I live, a reconsideration of it.

"In the meantime, I humbly beg of this Reverend Author that he would review, in the presence of the Lord, the frame of spirit wherein he wrote this charge; as also, that he would take into his

thoughts all the reproaches and all the obloquy he hath endeavoured to load me, causelessly, and falsely, withal. As for myself, my name, reputation, and esteem with the churches of God to whom he hath endeavoured to render me odious; I commit the whole concernment of them to Him whose presence, through grace, I have hitherto enjoyed, and whose promise I lean upon, that he will never leave me nor forsake me. I shall not complain of my usage: [for] what am I? [but] of the usage of many precious saints and holy churches of Jesus Christ, to Him that lives and sees; any further, than by begging that it may not be laid to his charge. And if so mean a person as I am can, in any way, be serviceable to him, or to any of the churches that he pleads for, in reference to the Gospel of Christ, I hope my life will not be dear to me that I may effect it. And I shall not cease to pray that both he and those who promoted this work in his hand, may, at length, consider the many calls of God that are evident upon them to lay aside these unseemly animosities, and to endeavour a coalition, in love, with all those who in sincerity call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.

"For the distances themselves that are between us wherein we are not as yet agreed, what is the just state of them; the principles whereupon we proceed, with the necessity of our practice in conformity thereunto; what we judge our Brethren to come short in, of, or wherein to go beyond the mind of Jesus Christ; with a further vindication of this business of Schism; I have some good grounds of expectation that, possibly ere long, we may see a fair discussion of these things in a pursuit of truth and peace."

Cawdrey returned to the combat in "Independency further proved to be a Schism: Or, A Survey of Dr. Owen's Review of his Tract of Schism with a Vindication of the Author from his unjust Clamours and false Aspersions. 1658." 12mo. pp. 158. Upon which, followed, "A Defence of Mr. John Cotton from the Imputation of Self-contradiction, charged on him by Mr. Dan. Cawdrey: Written by Himself, not long before his death. To which is prefixed an Answer to a late Treatise of the said Mr. Cawdrey, about the Nature of Schism. By John Owen, D. D. Tit. i. 7. Gr.—1658." 12mo. pp. 83.

"I am not in the least convinced," Owen writes here, "that Mr. Cawdrey hath given satisfaction to my former expostulations, about the injuries done me in his other treatises, and hath evidently added to the number and weight of them in this... I confess I was somewhat surprised with the delivery of his judgment in reference to many of his own party, whom he condemns of 'schism' for not administering the Lord's supper to all the congregation with whom they pray and preach. I suppose the greatest part of the most godly and able ministers of the Presbyterian way in England and Scotland are here cast into the same condition of schismatics' with the Independents! And the truth is, I am not yet without hopes of seeing a fair coalescency in love and church-communion between the reforming Presbyterians and Independents; though for it, they shall with some suffer under the unjust imputation of schism. '..

a P. 7.

6

b P. 71, 72.

"We deny that since the Gospel came into England, the Presbyterian government as by them stated, was ever set up in England, but in the wills [only] of a party of men; so that here as yet, unless as it lies in particular congregations, where our right is as good as theirs, none have separated from it, that I know of; though many cannot consent unto it. The first ages we plead ours, the following were unquestionably episcopal. a..

Let this reverend author make what use of it he please, I cannot but again tell him that these things become neither him nor any man professing the religion of Jesus Christ, or that hath any respect to truth or sobriety. Can any man think that, in his conscience, he gives any credit to the insinuation which here he makes, that I should thank him for calling me reverend author,' or reverend doctor,' or be troubled for his not using those expressions? Can the mind of an honest man be thought to be conversant with such mean and low thoughts? For the title of reverend,' I do give him notice that I have very little valued it ever since I have considered the saying of Luther, Nunquam periclitatur religio nisi inter Reverendissimos :' so that he may as to me, forbear it for the future, and call me as the Quakers do, and it shall suffice. And for that of doctor,' it was conferred on me by the University in my absence and against my consent, as they have expressed it under their public seal; nor doth anything but gratitude and respect unto them, make me once own it, and, freed from that obligation, I should never use it more; nor did I use it until some were offended with me and blamed me for my neglect of them... Sundry other particulars there are, partly false and calumniating, partly impertinent, partly consisting in mistakes; that I thought at the first view, to have made mention of: but on several accounts, I am rather willing here to put an end to the reader's trouble and my own." c

CHAP. LXXX.

66

CROMWELL AND THE FIFTH MONARCHY MEN."

THE many curious incidental particulars contained in the pieces composing this and the subesquent chapter, give insight into the peculiarity of the events and of the chief actor in them, and display moreover in proportion to our limits, in the least sophistical way," the very age and body of the time, its form and pressure." We commence with "A Voice from the Temple, to the Higher

" d

c P. 100.-In the year 1680, Owen was again involved in "A Brief Vindication of the Nonconformists from the Charge of Schism; as it was managed against them in a Sermon preached before the Lord Mayor, by Dr. Stillingfleet, Dean of St. Paul's." 4to. pp. 56. And in a further "Vindication," coupled with his "Inquiry into the Origin, etc. of Evangelical Churches. 1681." 4to.

d Shakspeare.