• *' Ego nisi tumuUiis istos viderem, verbum Dei in nnindo non esse diceieni. Prajeligimus teniporaii tuniultii collidi, quam letenio tumultu sub iia Dei conteri." — Luth. de Ser. Aib. cap. xxxii-xxxiv.
68 A COUNTRY ESSAY
die be cast, and avc must forward, let iis take along with iis these two cautions: —
(1.) So to cany ourselves in all our censures, every one in his sphere (ecclesiastical discipline being preserved as pure and unmixed from secular power as possible), that it may appear to all that it is the error which men maintain v,rhich is so odious unto us, and not the consequent or their dissent from us, whether by subducting them- selves from our power or withdrawing from communion. For if this latter be made the cause of our proceeding against any, there must be one law for them all, — all that will not bow, to the fiery furnace ! Recusancy is the fault ; and that heing the same in all, must have the same punishment, — which would be such an unrighteous inequa- lity as is fit for none but Antichrist to own.
(2.) That nothing be done to any, but that the bound and farthest end of it be seen at the beginning, and not leave way and room for new persecution upon new pretences. " Cede alteram et alteram," — one stripe sometimes makes way for another, and how know I that men will stay at thirty-nine ? " Principiis obsta."
All these things being considered, I cannot so well close with them who make the least allowance of dissent to be the mother of abomi- nations. Words and hated phrases may easily be heaped up to a great number, to render any thing odious which we have a mind to oppose ; but the proving of an imposed evil or absurdity is sometimes a labovir too difficult for every undertaker. And so I hope I have said enough to warrant my own hesitancy in this particular. Some might now expect that I should here positively set doA\Ti what is my judgment concerning eiTors and eiToneous persons dissenting from the truth received and acknowledged by authority, with respect unto their toleration : unto whom I answer, That to consider the power of the magistrate about things of religion, and over consciences; — tht? several restraints that have been used in this case, or are pleaded for ; — the difference between dangerous fundamental eiTors and others ; — the several interests of men, and ways of disengaging ; — the extent of communion, and the absolute necessity of a latitude to be allowed in some things; — with such other things as would be requisite for a full handling of the matter in hand, — ask a longer discourse, and more exactness, than the few hours allotted to this appendix can afford. Only for the present I ask, if any will take the pains to in- form me, — 1. What they mean by a non-toleration ? whether only a not countenancing nor holding communion with them ; or if crash- ing and punishing them, then how? to what degree? by what means? where they Avill undoubtedly bound? 2. What the eiTor is concern- ing which the inquiry is made? the clear opposition thereof to the word of God? the danger of it? the repugnancy that is in it to peace,
FOE THE PRACTICE OF CHUECH GOVEENMENT. 69
quietness, and the power of godliness? 8. Wtat or who are the erring persons ? how they walk ? in what manner of conversation ? what is their behaviour towards others not of their own persuasion? what gospel means have been used for their conviction? what may be supposed to be then- prejudices, motives, interests, and the like ? And then, if it be worth asking, I shall not be backward to declare my oi^inion. And truly, without the consideration of these things, and other such circumstances, how a right judgment can be passed in this case, I see not.
And so, hoping the courteous reader will look with a candid eye upon these hasty lines, rather poured out than written ; and consider that a day's pains in these times may serve for that which is but for a day's use; the whole is submitted to his judgment by him who professeth his all in this kind to be, — the love of truth and peace.
SERMON 11.
EBENEZER: A MEMORIAL OF THE DELIVERANCE
OP
ESSEX COUNTY, AND COMMITTEE.
IN TWO SERMOJfS.
PREFATORY NOTE.
The ancient town of Colchester, which liad at an early period in tiie civil wars declared in favour of the Pailianient, was besieged and obliged to surrender to the Royal forces. Lord Fairfax, the general of the Parliamentary army, and p. nobleman of high reputation, whom both jMilton and Hume unite in praising, after an ineffectual attempt to regain the town by storm, changed his tactics into a rigorous blockade. 'I'Jie Royalists maintained the defence with signal gallantry for nearly eleven weeks, till all their provisions were spent, and tliey had nothing on which to subsist but horses, dogs, and other animals. At length they surrendered at discretion, wiieu two of their officei's, Sir Charles Lucas and Sir George Lisle, suffered military execution on the spot. A fine of £14,000 was imposed on the town.
Owen, at this time pastor of an Independent congregation at Coggeshall, wliich is not far frcjm Colchester, and which was the head-quarters of Fairfax during the siege, seems to have officiated as chaplain to the Parliamentary general; and. on the fall of the town, a day of thanksgiving was observed, when he preaciied before Fairfax and his victorious army, from Hab. iii. 1-9. A committee of Parliament had been sitting at Colchester when the Royalists seized it, and had been under imprisonment during the siege. They also engaged in the same exercise of thanks- giving for their deliverance at Rumford, on September 28, 1648. Owen preached to them another discourse from the same text. Both discourses were published as one. They take the shape of a running comment ujion a very sublime passage of Scripture. The verses are expounded in order, and the author educes from them a series of general i)rinciples or observations, which he illustrates with tact and power. E.xegetic statements are made the basis of important principles, and i-elieved by eloquent expressions, and maxims of jiractical wisdom. Though ne- cessarily brief, some of the appeals interwoven with the details of exposition are specimens of close and urgent dealing with the conscience.