Nor does it appear, that any objected this to the apostles. So far from it, that at Antioch in Pisidia, we find the rulers of the synagogue sending unto Paul and Barnabas, strangers just come into the city, saying, men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on, Acts xiii. 15.
If we consider these things, we shall be the less surprized at what occurs in the 8th chapter of the Acts: At that time there was a great persecution against the church, and they ♦were all scattered abroad: (i. e. all the church, all the believers in Jesus) throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. (verse 1.) therefore they that were scattered abroad, went every where preaching the word, (verse 4.) Now, what shadow of reason have we to say, or think, that all these were ordained before they preached?
12. * If we come to later times; was Mr. Calvin ordained? Was he either priest or deacon? And were not most of those whom it pleased God to employ in promoting the reformation abroad, laymen also? Could that great work have been promoted at all in many places, if laymen had not preached? And yet how seldom do the very Papists urge this, as an objection against the reformation? Nay, as rigorous as they are in things of this kind, they themselves appoint, even in some of their strictest orders, that “if any lay-brother believes himself called of God, to preach as a missionary, the superior of the order, being informed thereof, shall immediately send him away.”
* In all protestant churches it is still more evident, that ordination is not held a necessary prerequisite of preaching: for in Sweden, in Germany, in Holland, and, I believe, in every reformed church in Europe, it is not only permitted but required, that before any one is ordained, (before he is admitted even into deacon’s orders, wherever the distinction between priests and deacons is retained) he should publickly preach a year or more ad probandum facultatem. And for this practice, they believe they have the authority of an express command of God: Let these first be proved: then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless, 1 Timothy iii. 10.
23. “In England, however, there is nothing of this kind; no layman permitted to speak in public.” No! Can you be ignorant, that in an hundred churches they do it continually? In how many (particularly in the West of England) does the parish-clerk read one of the lessons? (In some he reads the whole service of the church, perhaps, every Lord’s day) and do not other laymen constantly do the same thing, yea, in our very cathedrals? Which being under the more immediate inspection of the bishops, should be patterns to all other churches.
Perhaps it will be said, “But this is not preaching.” Yes, but it is, essentially such. For what is it to preach, but præedicare verbum Dei? To publish the word of God? And this laymen do all over England; particularly under the eye of every bishop in the nation.
Nay, is it not done in the universities themselves? Who ordained that singing-man at Christchurch? Who is likewise utterly unqualified for the work, murdering every lesson he reads? Not even endeavouring to read it as the word of God but rather as an old song? Such a layman as this, meddling at all with the word of God, I grant is a scandal to the English nation.
* To go a step farther.——Do not the fundamental constitutions of the university of Oxford, the statutes, even as revised by archbishop Laud, require every batchelor of arts, nine in ten of whom are laymen, to read three public lectures in moral philosophy, on whatever subject he chuses? My subject, I well remember, was, The LOVE of God. Now, what was this but preaching?
* Nay, may not a man be a doctor of divinity even in Oxford, tho’ he never was ordained at all? The instance of Dr. Atwell, (late) rector of Exeter college, is fresh in every one’s memory.
These are a few of the considerations that may readily occur to any thinking man on this head. But I do not rest the cause on these. I believe it may be defended a shorter way.
14. * It pleased God by two or three ministers of the church of England, to call many sinners to repentance: who, in several parts, were undeniably turned from a course of sin, to a course holiness.
The ministers of the places where this was done, ought to have received those ministers with open arms: and to have taken them who had just begun to serve God, into their peculiar care; watching over them in tender love, lest they should fall back into the snare of the devil.
Instead of this, the greater part spoke of those ministers, as if the devil, not God had sent them. Some repelled them from the Lord’s table: others stirred up the people against them, representing them even in their public discourses, as fellows not fit to live; papists, hereticks, traitors; conspirators against their king and country.
And how did they watch over the sinners lately reformed? Even as a leopard watcheth over his prey. They drove some of them also from the Lord’s table; to which till now they had no desire to approach. They preached all manner of evil concerning them, openly cursing them in the name of the Lord. They turned many out of their work; persuaded others to do so too, and harrassed them all manner of ways.
The event was, that some were wearied out, and so turned back to their vomit again. And then these good pastors gloried over them, and endeavoured to shake others by their example.
15. * When the ministers by whom God had helped them before, came again to those places, great part of their work was to begin again; if it could be begun again; but the relapsers were often so hardened in sin, that no impression could be made upon them.
What could they do in a case of so extreme necessity? Where so many souls lay at stake?
No clergyman would assist at all. The expedient that remained was, to find some one among themselves, who was upright of heart, and of sound judgment in the things of God: and to desire him to meet the rest as often as he could, in order to confirm them, as he was able, in the ways of God, either by reading to them, or by prayer, or by exhortation.
God immediately gave a blessing hereto. In several places, by means of these plain men, not only those who had already begun to run well, were hindered from drawing back to perdition; but other sinners also, from time to time were converted from the error of their ways.
This plain account of the whole proceeding, I take to be the best defence of it. I know no scripture which forbids making use of such help, in a case of such necessity. And I praise God who has given even this help to those poor sheep, when their own shepherds pitied them not.
“But does not the scripture say, no man taketh this honour to himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron?” Nor do these. The honour here mentioned is the priesthood. But they no more take upon them to be priests then to be kings. They take not upon them to administer the sacraments, an honour peculiar to the priests of God. Only according to their power, they exhort their brethren, to continue in the grace of God.
“But for these laymen to exhort at all, is a violation of all order.”
What is this order of which you speak? Will it serve instead of the knowledge and love of God? Will this order rescue those from the snare of the devil, who are now taken captive at his will? Will it keep them who are escaped a little way, from turning back into Egypt? If not, how should I answer it to God, if rather than violate I know not what order, I should sacrifice thousands of souls thereto? I dare not do it. It is at the peril of my own soul.
Indeed if by order were meant, true Christian discipline, whereby all the living members of Christ are knit together in one, and all that are putrid and dead, immediately cut off from the body: this order I reverence; for it is of God. But where is it to be found? In what diocese? In what town or parish, within England or Wales? Are you rector of a parish? Then let us go no farther. Does this order obtain there? Nothing less. Your parishioners are a rope of sand. As few (if any) of them are alive to God; so they have no connection with each other, unless such as might be among Turks or Heathens. Neither have you any power to cut off from that body, were it alive, the dead and putrid members. Perhaps you have no desire: but all are jumbled together without any care or concern of yours.
It is plain then, what order is to be found is not among you, who so loudly contend for it, but among that very people whom you continually blame, for their violation and contempt of it. The little flock you condemn is united together in one body, by one spirit: so that if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it, if one be honoured, all rejoice with it. Nor does any dead member long remain; but as soon as the hope of recovering it is past, it is cut off.
Now suppose we were willing to relinquish our charge, and to give up this flock into your hands; would you observe the same order, as we do now, with them and the other souls under your care? You dare not: because you have respect of persons. You fear the faces of men. You cannot: because you have not overcome the world. You are not above the desire of earthly things. And it is impossible you should ever have any true order, or exercise any Christian discipline, till you are wholly crucified to the ♦world, till you desire nothing more but God.
Consider this matter, I intreat you, a little farther. Here are thirty thousand persons (perhaps somewhat more) of whom I take care, watching over their souls as he that must give ♦account. In order hereto it lies upon me (so I judge) at the peril of my own salvation, to know not only their names, but their outward and inward states, their difficulties and dangers. Otherwise how can I know either how to guide them aright, or to commend them to God in prayer? Now if I am willing to make these over to you, will you watch over them in the same manner? Will you take the same care (or as much more as you please) of each soul as I have hitherto done? Not such curam animarum as you have taken these ten years in your own parish. Poor empty name! Has not your parish been in fact, as much a sine cure to you as your prebend? Oh what account have you to give to the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls!
18. There is one more excuse for denying this work of God, taken from the instruments employed therein: that is, “That they are wicked men.” And a thousand stories have been handed about to prove it.
But you may observe, their wickedness was not heard of, till after they went about doing good. Their reputation for honesty was till then unblemished but it was impossible it should continue so, when they were publickly employed in testifying of the world, that its deeds were evil. It could not be but the scriptures should be fulfilled. The servant is not above his master. If they have called the master of the house beelzebub, how much more them of his houshold?
* Yet I cannot but remind considerate men, in how remarkable a manner the wisdom of God has for many years guarded against this pretence, with respect to my brother and me in particular. Scarce any two men in Great-Britain, of our rank, have been so held out, as it were, to all the world; especially of those who from their childhood had always loved and studiously sought retirement. And I had procured what I sought, I was quite safe, as I supposed, in a little country town, when I was required to return to Oxford, without delay, to take the charge of some young gentlemen, by Dr. Morley, the only man then in England to whom I could deny nothing. From that time both my brother and I (utterly against our will) came to be more and more observed and known, till we were more spoken of, than, perhaps, two so inconsiderable persons ever were before in the nation. To make us more publick still, as honest madmen at least, by a strange concurrence of providences overturning all our preceding resolutions, we were hurried away to America. However, at our return from thence, we were resolved to retire out of the world at once; being sated with noise, hurry and fatigue, and seeking nothing but to be at rest. Indeed for a long season, the greatest pleasure I had desired, on this side eternity was
Tacitum Sylvas inter reptare salubres,
Quærentem quicquid dignum sapiente bonoque.
And we had attained our desire. We wanted nothing. We looked for nothing more in this world, when we were dragged out again, by earnest importunity, to preach at one place and another, and another, and so carried on, we knew not how, without any design but the general one, of saving souls, into a situation, which had it been named to us at first, would have appeared far worse than death.
* 19. What a surprising apparatus of Providence was here! And what stronger demonstrations could have been given, of men’s acting from a zeal for God, whether it were according to knowledge or no? What persons could, in the nature of things, have been (antecedently) less liable to exception, with regard to their moral character, at least, than those the all-wise God hath now employed? Indeed I cannot devise what manner of men could have been more unexceptionable on all accounts. Had God endued us with greater natural or acquired abilities, that very thing might have been turned into an objection. Had ♦we been remarkably defective, it would have been matter of objection, on the other hand. Had we been dissenters of any kind, or even low-church men, (so called) it would have been a great stumbling-block in the way of those who are zealous for the church. And yet had we continued in the impetuosity of our high-church zeal, neither should we have been willing to converse with dissenters, nor they to receive any good at our hands. Some objections were kept out of the way, by our known contempt of money and preferment: and others, by that rigorous strictness of life, which we exacted, not of others, but ourselves only. Insomuch, that twelve or fourteen years ago, the censure of one who had narrowly observed us, (me, in particular) went no farther than this;
“Does John beyond his strength persist to go,
To his frail carcase literally foe?
Careless of health, as if in haste to die,
And lavish time t’ insure eternity!”
So that upon the whole, I see not what God could have done more in this respect which he hath not done. Or what instruments he could have employed in such a work, who would have been less liable to exception.
20. Neither can I conceive how it was possible to do that work, the doing of which, we are still under the strongest conviction, is bound upon us at the peril of our own souls, in a less exceptionable manner. We have, by the grace of God, behaved not only with meekness, but with all tenderness towards all men; with all the tenderness which we conceived it was possible to use, without betraying their souls. And from the very first, it has been our special care, to deal tenderly with our brethren the clergy. We have not willingly provoked them at any time; neither any single clergyman. We have not sought occasion to publish their faults; we have not used a thousand occasions that offered. When we were constrained to speak something, we spake as little as we believed we could, without offending God: and that little, though in plain and strong words, yet as mildly and lovingly as we were able. And in the same course we have steadily persevered (as well as in earnestly advising others to tread in our steps) even though we saw that with regard to them, by all this we profited nothing; though we knew we were still continually represented as implacable enemies to the clergy, as railers against them, as slanderers of them, as seeking all opportunities to blacken and asperse them. When a clergyman himself has vehemently accused me of doing this, I bless God he could not provoke me to do it. I still kept my mouth as it were with a bridle, and committed my cause to a higher hand.
21. The truth is, you impute that hatred to us, which is in your own breast. (I speak not this of all the clergy; God forbid! But let it fall on whom it concerns.) You, it is certain, have shewn the utmost hatred to us, and in every possible way: unless you were actually to beat us (of which also we are not without precedent) or to shoot us through the head. And if you could prevail upon others to do this, I suppose you would think you did God service. I do not speak without ground. I have heard with my own ears such sermons, (in Staffordshire particularly) that I should not have wondered if as soon as we came out of the church, the people had stoned me with stones. And it was a natural consequence of what that poor minister had lately heard, at the bishop’s visitation: as it was one great cause of the miserable riots and outrages which soon followed.
It is this, my brethren, it is your own preaching, and not ours, which sets the people against you. The very same persons, who are diverted with those sermons, cannot but despise you for them in their hearts: even those who on your authority believe most of the assertions which you advance. What then must they think of you, who know the greatest part of what you assert to be utterly false? They may pity and pray for you; but they can esteem you no other, than false witnesses against God and your brethren.
22. “But what need is there (say even some of a milder spirit) of this preaching in fields and streets? Are there not churches enough to preach in?” No, my friend, there are not; not for us to preach in. You forget: we are not suffered to preach there; else we should prefer them to any places whatever. “Well, there are ministers enough without you.” Ministers enough, and churches enough; for what? To reclaim all the sinners within the four seas? If there were, they would all be reclaimed. But they are not reclaimed. Therefore it is evident, that there are not churches enough. And one plain reason why, notwithstanding all these churches, they are no nearer being reclaimed is this; they never come into a church; perhaps not once in a twelve-month, perhaps not for many years together. Will you say (as I have known some tender hearted Christians) “Then it is their own fault; let them die and be damned.” I grant it is their own fault. And so it was my fault and yours, when we went astray, like sheep that were lost. Yet the Shepherd of souls sought after us, and went after us into the wilderness. And oughtest not thou to have compassion on thy fellow-servants, as he had pity on thee? Ought not we also to seek, as far as in us lies, and to save that which is lost?
* Behold the amazing love of God to the outcasts of men! His tender condescention to their folly! They would regard nothing done in the usual way. All this was lost upon them. The ordinary preaching of the word of God, they would not even deign to hear. So the devil made sure of these careless ones. For who should pluck them out of his hand? Then God was moved to jealousy, and went out of the usual way to save the souls which he had made. Then over and above what was ordinarily spoken in his name, in all the houses of God in the land, he commanded a voice to cry in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord. The time is fulfilled. The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Repent ye and believe the gospel.
* 23. Consider coolly, if it was not highly expedient, that something of this kind should be? How expedient, were it only on the account of those poor sinners against their own souls, who (to all human appearance) were utterly inaccessible every other way? And what numbers of these are still to be found, even in or near our most populous cities? What multitudes of them were some years since, both in Kingswood, and the fells about Newcastle? Who, week after week, spent the Lord’s day, either in the ale-house, or in idle diversions, and never troubled themselves about going to church, or to any publick worship at all? Now, would you really have desired that these poor wretches should have sinned on, till they dropt into hell? Surely you would not. But by what other means was it possible they should have been plucked out of the fire? Had the minister of the parish preached like an angel, it had profited them nothing; for they heard him not. But when one came and said, “Yonder is a man preaching on the top of the mountain,” they ran in droves to hear what he would say. And God spoke to their hearts. It is hard to conceive any thing else which could have reached them. Had it not been for field-preaching, the uncommonness of which was the very circumstance that recommended it, they must have run on in the error of their way, and perished in their blood.
* 24. But suppose field-preaching to be in a case of this kind, ever so expedient, or even necessary, yet who will contest with us for this province?——May we not enjoy this quiet and unmolested? Unmolested, I mean by any competitors.—For who is there among you, brethren, that is willing, (examine your own hearts) even to save souls from death at this price? Would not you let a thousand souls perish, rather than you would be the instrument of rescuing them thus? I do not speak now with regard to conscience, but to the inconveniencies that must accompany it. Can you sustain them, if you would? Can you bear the summer sun to beat upon your naked head? Can you suffer the wintry rain or wind, from whatever quarter it blows? Are you able to stand in the open air, without any covering or defence, when God casteth abroad his snow like wool, or scattereth his hoar-frost like ashes? And yet these are some of the smallest inconveniencies which accompany field-preaching. Far beyond all these, are the contradiction of sinners, the scoffs both of the great vulgar, and the small; contempt and reproach of every kind; often more than verbal affronts, stupid, brutal violence, sometimes to the hazard of health, or limbs, or life. Brethren, do you envy us this honour? What I pray, would buy you to be a field-preacher? Or what, think you, could induce any man of common sense, to continue therein one year, unless he had a full conviction in himself, that it was the will of God concerning him.
* Upon this conviction it is (were we to submit to these things on any other motive whatsoever, it would furnish you with a better proof of our distraction, than any that has yet been found) that we now do, for the good of poor souls, what you cannot, will not, dare not do. And we desire not that you should; but this one thing, we may reasonably desire of you: do not increase the difficulties which are already so great, that without the mighty power of God, we must sink under them. Do not assist in trampling down a little handful of men, who for the present stand in the gap, between ten thousand poor wretches and destruction, till you find some others to take their places.
* 25. Highly needful it is, that some should do this, lest those poor souls be lost without remedy. And it should rejoice the hearts of all who desire the kingdom of God should come, that so many of them have been snatched already from the mouth of the lion, by an uncommon (though not unlawful) way. This circumstance therefore is no just excuse, for not acknowledging the work of God. Especially, if we consider, that whenever it has pleased God to work any great work upon the earth, even from the earliest times, he hath stept more or less out of the common way: whether to excite the attention of a greater number of people, than might otherwise have regarded it; or to separate the proud and haughty of heart, from those of an humble, child-like spirit; the former of whom he foresaw, trusting in their own wisdom, would fall on that stone and be broken; while the latter, enquiring with simplicity, would soon know of the work, that it was of God.
26. “Nay (say some) but God is a God of wisdom. And it is his work, to give understanding. Whereas this man is one of them, and he is a fool. You see the fruits of their preaching.” No, my friend, you don’t. That is your mistake. A fool very possibly he may be. So it appears by his talking, perhaps writing too. But this is none of the fruits of our preaching. He was a fool before ever he heard us. We found and are likely to leave him so. Therefore his folly is not to be imputed to us, even if it continue to the day of his death. As we were not the cause, so we undertake not the cure of disorders of this kind. No fair man therefore can excuse himself thus, from acknowledging the work of God.
Perhaps you will say, “He is not a natural fool neither. But he is so ignorant! He knows not the first principles of religion.” It is very possible. But have patience with him, and he will know them by and by. Yea, if he be in earnest to save his soul, far sooner than you can conceive. And in the mean time, neither is this an objection of any weight. Many when they begin to hear us, may, without any fault of ours, be utter strangers to the whole of religion. But this is no incurable disease. Yet a little while and they may be wise unto salvation.
Is the ignorance you complain of among this people (you who object to the people more than to their teachers) of another kind? Don’t they “know, how in meekness to reprove or instruct those that oppose themselves?” I believe what you say: all of them do not: they have not put on gentleness and long-suffering. I wish they had: pray for them that they may; that they may be mild and patient toward all men. But what if they are not? Sure you do not make this an argument that God hath not sent us? Our Lord came, and we come, not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance: passionate sinners, (such as these whereof you complain) as well as those of every other kind. Nor can it be expected they should be wholly delivered from their sin, as soon as they begin to hear his word.
* 27. A greater stumbling-block than this is laid before you, by those that say and do not. Such I take it for granted will be among us, although we purge them out as fast as we can: persons that talk much of religion, that commend the preachers, perhaps are diligent in hearing them: it may be, read all their books, and sing their hymns; and yet no change is wrought in their hearts. Were they of old time as lions in their houses? They are the same still. Were they (in low life) slothful or intemperate? Were they tricking or dishonest? Over-reaching or oppressive? Or did they use to borrow and not pay? The Ethiopian hath not changed his skin. Were they (in high life) delicate, tender, self-indulgent? Were they nice in furniture or apparel? Were they fond of trifles, or of their own dear persons? The Leopard hath not changed her spots. Yet their being with us for a time proves no more, than that we have not the miraculous discernment of spirits.
* Others you may find, in whom there was a real change. But it was only for a season. They are now turned back, and are two-fold more the children of hell than before. Yet neither is this any manner of proof, that the former work was not of God. No, not though these apostates should, with the utmost confidence, say all manner of evil against us. I expect they should. For every other injury hath been forgiven, and will be to the end of the world. But hardly shall any one forgive the intolerable injury, of almost persuading him to be a Christian. When these men therefore who were with us, but went out from among us, assert things that may cause your ears to tingle, if you consider either the scripture, or the nature of man, it will not stagger you at all. Much less will it excuse you, for not acknowledging the work in general to be of God.
* 28. But to all this it may possibly be replied, “When you bring your credentials with you, when you prove by miracles what you assert, then we will acknowledge that God hath sent you.”
What is it you would have us prove by miracles? That the doctrines we preach are true? This is not the way to prove that: (as our first reformers replied to those of the church of Rome, who, you may probably remember, were continually urging them with this very demand). We prove the doctrines we preach, by scripture and reason: and, if need be, by antiquity.
What else is it then we are to prove by miracles?
Is it, 1. That A. B. was for many years without God in the world, a common swearer, a drunkard, a sabbath-breaker?
Or, 2. That he is not so now?
Or, 3. That he continued so till he heard us preach, and from that time was another man? Not so. The proper way to prove these facts, is by the testimony of competent witnesses: and these witnesses are ready, whenever required, to give full evidence of them.
Or would you have us prove by miracles,
4. That this was not done by our own power or holiness? That God only is able to raise the dead, those who are dead in trespasses and sins? Nay, if you hear not Moses and the prophets and apostles on this head, neither would you believe tho’ one rose from the dead.
It is therefore utterly unreasonable and absurd to require or expect the proof of miracles, in questions of such a kind, as are always decided, by proofs of quite another nature.
29. “But you relate them yourself.” I relate just what I saw, from time to time: and this is true, that some of those circumstances seem to go beyond the ordinary course of nature. But I do not peremptorily determine, whether they were supernatural, or no? Much less do I rest upon them, either the proof of other facts, or of the doctrines which I preach. I prove these in the ordinary way; the one by testimony, the other by scripture and reason.
“But if you can work miracles when you please, is not this the surest way of proving them? This would put the matter out of dispute at once, and supersede all other proof.”
You seem to lie under an entire mistake, both as to the nature and use of miracles. It may reasonably be questioned, whether there ever was that man living upon earth, except the man Christ Jesus, that could work miracles when he pleased. God only when he pleased, exerted that power, and by whomsoever it pleased him.
But if a man could work miracles when he pleased, yet is there no scripture authority, nor even example for doing it in order to satisfy such a demand as this. I do not read, that either our Lord, or any of his apostles, wrought any miracle on such an occasion. Nay, how sharply does our Lord rebuke those who made a demand of this kind? When certain of the scribes and of the pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee; (Observe, this was their method of answering the strong reasons whereby he had just proved the works in question to be of God.) He answered and said to them, an evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign. But there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas, Matthew xii. 38, 39. An evil and adulterous generation! Else they would not have needed such a kind of proof. Had they been willing to do his will, they would, without this, have known that the doctrine was of God.
* Miracles therefore are quite needless in such a case. Nor are they so conclusive a proof as you imagine. If a man could and did work them, in defence of any doctrine, yet this would not supersede other proof. For there may be τερατα Ψευδους lying wonders, miracles wrought in support of falshood. Still therefore his doctrine would remain to be proved, from the proper topicks of scripture and reason. And these even without miracles are sufficient. But miracles without these are not. Accordingly our Saviour and all his apostles, in the midst of their greatest miracles, never failed to prove every doctrine they taught, by clear scripture and cogent reason.
30. I presume, by this time you may perceive the gross absurdity, of demanding miracles in the present case: seeing one of the propositions in question, (over and above our general doctrines) viz. “That sinners are reformed,” can only be proved by testimony: and the other, “this cannot be done but by the power of God,” needs no proof, being self-evident.
“Why, I did once myself rejoice to hear, (says a grave citizen, with an air of great importance) that so many sinners were reformed, till I found they were only turned from one wickedness to another: that they were turned from cursing or swearing, or drunkenness, into ♦a no less damnable sin ♣that of schism.”
Do you know what you say? You have, I am afraid, a confused huddle of ideas in your head. And I doubt, you have not capacity to clear them up yourself; nor coolness enough, to receive help from others.
However I will try. What is schism? Have you any determinate idea of it? I ask ♦the rather, because I have found, by repeated experiments, that a common English tradesman receives no more light, when he hears or reads, “This is schism,” than if he heard or read
Bombalio, stridor, clangor, taratantara, murmur.
Honest neighbour, don’t be angry. Lay down your hammer, and let us talk a little on this head.
You say, “We are in the damnable sin of schism, and therefore in as bad a state as adulterers or murderers.”
I ask once more, What do you mean by schism? “Schism! Schism! Why, it is separating from the church.” Ay, so it is. And yet every separating from the church to which we once belonged, is not schism. Else you will make all the English to be schismatics, ♦by separating from the church of Rome. “But we had just cause.” So doubtless we had: whereas schism is a causeless separation from the church of Christ. So far so good. But you have many steps to take before you can make good that conclusion, that a separation from a particular national church, such as the church of England is, whether with sufficient cause or without, comes under the scriptural notion of schism.
However, taking this for granted, will you aver in cool blood, that all who die in such a separation, that is, every one who dies a Quaker, a Baptist, an Independent, or a Presbyterian, is as infallibly damned as if he died in the act of murder or adultery? Surely you start at the thought! It makes even nature recoil. How then can you reconcile it to the love that hopeth all things?
31. But whatever state they are in, who causelessly separate from the church of England, it affects not those of whom we are speaking; for they do not separate from it at all.
You may easily be convinced of this, if you will only weigh the particulars following.
1. A great part of these went to no church at all, before they heard us preach. They no more pretended to belong to the church of England, than to the church of Moscovy. If therefore they went to no church now, they would be no farther from the church than they were before.
2. Those who did sometimes go to church before, go three times as often now. These therefore do not separate from the church. Nay, they are united to it more closely than before.
3. Those who never went to church at all before, do go now at all opportunities. Will common sense allow any one to say, that these are separated from the church?
4. The main question is, Are they turned from doing the works of the devil, to do the works of God? Do they now live soberly, righteously, and godly, in the present world? If they do, if they live according to the directions of the church, believe her doctrines, and join in her ordinances: with what face can you say, that these men separate from the church of England?
32. But in what state are they whom the clergy and gentry (and perhaps you for one) have successfully laboured to preserve from this damnable sin of schism? Whom you have kept from hearing these men, and separating from the church?
Is not the drunkard that was, a drunkard still? Enquire of his poor wife and family. Is not the common swearer still horribly crying to God for damnation upon his soul? Is not the sinner in every other kind, exactly the same man still? Not better at least, if he be not worse, than he was ten years ago.
Now consider, 1. Does the church of England gain either honour, or strength, or blessing, by such wretches as these calling themselves her members? By ten thousand drunkards, or whoremongers, or common swearers? Nay ought she not immediately to spew them out? To renounce all fellowship with them? Would she not be far better without them than with them? Let any man of reason judge.
2. Is the drunkard’s calling himself of the church of England, of any more use to him, than to the church? Will this save him from hell, if he die in his sin? Will it not rather increase his damnation?
3. Is not a drunkard of any other church, just as good as a drunkard of the church of England? Yea, is not a drunken Papist as much in the favour of God, as a drunken Protestant?
4. Is not a cursing, swearing Turk, (if there be such an one to be found) full as acceptable to God, as a cursing, swearing Christian?
Nay, 5. If there be any advantage, does it not lie on the side of the former? Is he not the less inexcusable of the two? As sinning against less light?
O why will you sink these poor souls deeper into perdition, than they are sunk already? Why will you prophesy unto them peace, peace; when there is no peace? Why, if you do it not yourself, (whether you cannot, or will not, God knoweth) should you hinder us from guiding them into the way of peace?
33. Will you endeavour to excuse yourself, by saying, “There are not many who are the better for your preaching: and these by and by will be as bad as ever; as such and such an one is already?”
I would to God I could set this in a just light? But I cannot. All language fails.
God begins a glorious work in our land. You set yourself against it with all your might; to prevent its beginning where it does not yet appear, and to destroy it wherever it does. In part you prevail. You keep many from hearing the word that is able to save their souls. Others who had heard it, you induce to turn back from God, and to list under the devil’s banner again. Then you make the success of your own wickedness an excuse for not acknowledging the work of God! You urge “That not many sinners were reformed! And that some of those are now as bad as ever!”
Whose fault is this? Is it ours? Or your own? Why have not thousands more been reformed? Yea, for every one who is now turned to God, why are there not ten thousand? Because you and your associates laboured so heartily in the cause of hell; because you and they spared no pains, either to prevent or to destroy the work of God! By using all the power and wisdom you had, you hindered thousands from hearing the gospel, which they might have found to be the power of God unto salvation. Their blood is upon your heads. By inventing, or countenancing, or retailing lies, some refined, some gross and palpable, you hindered others from profiting by what they did hear. You are answerable to God for these souls also. Many who began to taste the good word, and run the way of God’s commandments, you, by various methods, prevailed on to hear it no more. So they soon drew back to perdition. But know, that for every one of these also, God will require an account of you in the day of judgment.
34. * And yet, in spite of all the malice, and wisdom, and strength, not only of men, but of principalities and powers, of the rulers of the darkness of this world, of the wicked spirits in high places; there are thousands found, who are turned from dumb idols, to serve the living and true God. What a harvest then might we have seen before now, if all who say, they are on the Lord’s side, had come, as in all reason they ought, to the help of the Lord against the mighty? Yea, had they only not opposed the work of God, had they only refrained from his messengers; might not the trumpet of God have been heard long since in every corner of our land? And thousands of sinners in every county been brought to fear God and honour the king?
Judge of what immense service we might have been, even in this single point, both to our king and country. All who hear and regard the word we preach, honour the king for God’s sake. They render unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar’s, as well as unto God the things that are God’s.——They have no conception of piety without loyalty; knowing the powers that be, are ordained of God. I pray God to strengthen all that are of this mind, how many soever they be. But might there not have been at this day, an hundred thousand in England, thus minded more than are now? Yea verily; even by our ministry had not they who should have strengthened us, weakened our hands.
35. Surely, you are not wise! What advantages do you throw away! What opportunities do you lose? Such as another day you may earnestly seek, and nevertheless may not find them. For if it please God to remove us, whom will you find to supply our place? We are in all things your servants for Jesus sake; tho’ the more we love you, the less we are loved. Let us be employed not in the highest, but in the meanest; and not in the easiest, but the hottest service. Ease and plenty we leave to those that want them. Let us go on in toil, in weariness, in painfulness, in cold or hunger, so we may but testify the gospel of the grace of God. The rich, the honourable, the great, we are thoroughly willing (if it be the will of our Lord) to leave to you. Only let us alone with the poor, the vulgar, the base, the outcasts of men.—Take also to yourselves the saints of the world: but suffer us to call sinners to repentance; even the most vile, the most ignorant, the most abandoned, the most fierce and savage of whom we can hear. To these we will go forth in the name of our Lord, desiring nothing, receiving nothing of any man (save the bread we eat, while we are under his roof) and let it be seen whether God has sent us. Only let not your hands, who fear the Lord, be upon us. Why should we be stricken of you any more?
IV. 1. Surely ye are without excuse, all who do not yet know the day of your visitation! The day, wherein the great God, who hath been forgotten among us, days without number, is arising at once to be avenged of his adversaries, and to visit and redeem his people. Are not his judgments and mercies both abroad? And still, will ye not learn righteousness? Is not the Lord passing by? Doth not a great and strong wind already begin to rend the mountains, and to break in pieces the rocks before the Lord? Is not the earthquake also felt already? And a fire hath begun to burn in his anger. Who knoweth what will be the end thereof? But at the same time, he is speaking to many in a still, small voice. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear, lest he be suddenly destroyed, and that without remedy!
2. What excuse can possibly be made for those, who are regardless of such a season as this? Who are at such a crisis, stupid, senseless, unapprehensive; caring for none of these things? Who do not give themselves the pains to think about them, but are still easy and unconcerned? What! can there ever be a point, on which it more behoves you to think? And that with the coolest and deepest attention? As long as the heaven and the earth remain, can there be any thing of so vast importance, as God’s last call to a guilty land, just perishing in its iniquity!
You, with those round about you, deserved long ago to have drank the dregs of the cup of trembling: yea, to have been punished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. But he hath not dealt with you according to your sins, neither rewarded you after your iniquities. And once more he is mixing mercy with judgment. Once more he is crying aloud, Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel; and will you not deign to give him the hearing? If you are not careful to answer him in this matter. Do you still shut your eyes, and stop your ears, and harden your stubborn heart?——Oh beware, lest God laugh at your calamity, and mock when your fear cometh!
3. Will you plead, that you have other concerns to mind? That other business engages your thoughts? It does so indeed; but this is your foolishness; this is the very thing that leaves you without excuse.—For what business can be of equal moment? The mariner may have many concerns to mind, and many businesses to engage his thoughts: but not when the ship is sinking. In such a circumstance (it is your own) you have but one thing to think of. Save the ship and your own life together! And the higher post you are in, the more deeply intent should you be on this one point. Is this a time for diversion? For eating and drinking, and rising up to play? Keep the ship above water. Let all else go and mind this one thing!
4. Perhaps you will say, “So I do. I do mind this one thing, how to save the sinking nation. And therefore now I must think of arms and provisions. I have no time now to think of religion.” This is exactly as if the mariner should say, “Now I must think of my guns and stores. I have no time now to think of the hold.” Why man, you must think of this, or perish. It is there the leak is sprung. Stop that, or you and all your stores will go together to the bottom of the sea.
Is not this your very case? Then, whatever you do, stop the leak: else you go to the bottom! I do not speak against your stores. They are good in their kind; and it may be well they are laid in.——But all your stores will not save the sinking ship, unless you can stop the leak. Unless you can some way keep out these floods of ungodliness, that are still continually pouring in, you must soon be swallowed up in the great deep, in the abyss of God’s judgments. This, this is the destruction of the English nation. It is vice, bursting in on every side, that is just ready to sink us into slavery first, and then into the nethermost hell.——Who is a wise man, and endued with knowledge among you? Let him think of this. Think of this, all that love your country, or that care for your own souls. If now especially you do not think of this one thing, you have no excuse before God or man.
5. Little more excuse have you, who are still in doubt concerning this day of your visitation. For you have all the proof that you can reasonably expect or desire, all that the nature of the thing requires. That in many places, abundance of notorious sinners are totally reformed, is declared by a thousand eye and ear-witnesses, both of their present and past behaviour. And you are sensible, the proof of such a point as this must, in the nature of things rest upon testimony. And that God alone is able to work such a reformation, you know all the scriptures testify. What would you have more? What pretence can you have, for doubting any longer? You have not the least room to expect or desire any other, or any stronger evidence.
I trust, you are not of those who fortify themselves against conviction; who are “resolved they will never believe this.” They ask, “who are these men?” We tell them plainly: but they credit us not. Another and another of their own friends is convinced, and tells them the same thing. But their answer is ready, “Are you turned methodist too?” So their testimony likewise goes for nothing. Now how is it possible these should ever be convinced? For they will believe none but those who speak on one side.
6. Do you delay fixing your judgment, till you see a work of God, without any stumbling-block attending it? That neither is yet nor ever will. It must needs be, that offences will come. And scarce ever was there such a work of God before, with so few as have attended this.
When the reformation began, what mountainous offences lay in the way, of even the sincere members of the church of Rome? They saw such failings in those great men, Luther and Calvin! Their vehement tenaciousness of their own opinions; their bitterness toward all who differed from them; their impatience of contradiction and utter want of forbearance, even with their own brethren.
But the grand stumbling-block of all, was, their open avowed separation from the church; their rejecting so many of the doctrines and practices, which the others accounted the most sacred; and their continual invectives against the church they separated from, so much sharper than Michael’s reproof of Satan.
Where there fewer stumbling-blocks attending the reformation in England? Surely no, for what was Henry the Eighth? Consider, either his character, his motives to the work, or his manner of pursuing it! And even king Edward’s ministry we cannot clear, of persecuting in their turns, yea and burning hereticks. The main stumbling-block also still remained, viz. open separation from the church.
7. Full as many were the offences that lay in the way of even the sincere members of the church of England, when the people called Quakers first professed, that they were sent of God to reform the land. Whether they were or no, is beside our question: it suffices for the present purpose to observe, that over and above their open, avowed, total separation from the church, and their vehement invectives against many of her doctrines, and the whole frame of her discipline: they spent their main strength in disputing about opinions and externals, rather than in preaching faith, mercy, and the love of God.
In these respects, the case was nearly the same when the Baptists first appeared in England. They immediately commenced a warm dispute, not concerning the vitals of Christianity, but concerning the manner and time of administering one of the external ordinances of it. And as their opinion hereof totally differed from that of all the other members of the church of England, so they soon openly declared their separation from it, not without sharp censures of those that continued therein.
8. The same occasion of offence was, in a smaller degree, given by the Presbyterians and Independents: for they also spent great part of their time and strength, in opposing the commonly received opinions, concerning some of the circumstantials of religion; and for the sake of these, separated from the church.
* But I do not include that venerable man, Mr. Philip Henry, nor any that were of his Spirit, in this number. I know they abhorred contending about externals. Neither did they separate themselves from the church. They continued therein, till they were driven out, whether they would or no. I cannot but tenderly sympathize with these; and the more, because this is, in part, our own case. Warm men spare no pains, at this very day, to drive us out of the church. They cry out to the people, wherever one of us comes, “A mad dog, a mad dog!” If haply we might fly for our lives, as many have done before us. And sure it is, we should have complied with their desire, we should merely for peace and quietness have left the church long before now, but that we could not in conscience do it. And it is on this single motive, it is for conscience sake, that we still continue therein; and shall continue, (God being our helper) unless they by violence thrust us out.
9. * But to return. What are the stumbling-blocks in the present case, compared to those in any of the preceding?
We do not dispute concerning any of the externals or circumstantials of religion. There is no room; for we agree with you therein. We approve of, and adhere to them all; all that we learned together when we were children, in our catechism or common prayer-book. We were born and bred up in your own church, and desire to die therein. We always were, and are now, zealous for the church; only not with a blind, angry zeal. We hold, and ever have done, the same opinions, which you and we received from our forefathers. But we do not lay the main stress of our religion on any opinions, right or wrong: neither do we ever begin, or willingly join in any dispute concerning them. The weight of all religion, we ♦apprehend, rests on holiness of heart and life. And consequently, wherever we come, we press this with all our might. How wide then is the difference between our case and the case of any of those that are above-mentioned? They avowedly separated from the church: we utterly disavow any such design. They severely, and almost continually, inveighed against the doctrines and discipline of the church they left. We approve both the doctrines and discipline of our church, and inveigh only against ungodliness and unrighteousness. They spent great part of their time and strength in contending about externals and circumstantials. We agree with you in both; so that having no room to spend any time in such vain contention, we have our desire of spending and being spent, in promoting plain practical religion. How many stumbling-blocks are removed out of your way? Why do not you acknowledge the work of God?