sake when we are as much or within a small matter as much Papists as you I am afraid I shall never be able to persuade neither the Pope nor his Jesuits that we of the Church of England are such Friends of Popery as you my Non-Conforming Brethren would have us to be I shall be rather able to make them take us for Turks and Jews than Roman Catholicks Wherefore then will you needs accuse us so falsely against all equity and probability What do you find of Popery in us and our Church Is it the Government by Bishops and their Suffragans It is possible that this Order established in our Church may give occasion to the weaker sort to look upon us near a kin in this respect because they are mistaken in the Notion of Popery and in the chief and essential properties of that Religion God forbid that all Monarchical Government in Gods Church on Earth should be Popish and Antichristian Then we must include the Primitive Churches setled by the Apostles in Asia and the East under the Government of Bishops to be Popish also Then the Grecian Church under the Patriarch of Constantinople The Egyptian under the Arch-Bishop of Alexandria and the Antiochian and Jerusalem Churches and generally all the Churches of Christ in Constantine's days and since were Popish Nay all the Fathers St. Cyprian St. Austin St. Ambrose St. Chrysostom were Papists as well as we and our Bishops by that reason Hier. ad Macceb Aug. in Psalm 45. For all their Churches were governed by Bishops and a Monarchical Authority The Calvinists also whom you say are your nearest Brethren are also Papists if this reason were good for they wish that they might have Bishops to govern them in their reformed Churches and that it could consist with their safety in the midst of their Enemies to have the same form of Government as we have here in this Land Examin but their Letters mentioned by Dr. Durel and a Letter of Peter Martyr to Beza Peter Martyr pag. 801. at the end of his Common-places at his return from the Assembly of Poissy concerning the Bishop of Troye in France who embraced the Protestant Religion and was universally received and acknowledged by all the Calvinists in his Diocess Ministers and others as their Lord and Bishop And you will have no cause to think them to be Enemies of Episcopacy as the Papists and you would persuade us for divers ends But there is a vast difference in the point of Church-Government between the Papists and us They render Homage to the Pope as the Supream Lord of the Church on Earth we acknowledge none but Christ and under him our Lawful Sovereign They differ from us much in their Episcopal Laws which savour of Tyranny and are not so conducing to the Reformation of mens manners and the good of Christianity as ours The Name Prerogatives and Honours of the Popish Bishops are for the most part yet continued to our Protestant Prelates by the liberality of our Religious Kings And is this the cause that you accuse them of Popery Do their Honors and Riches grieve you Are you displeased to see the Rulers of our Church appear with decency splendor and the respect of their Country I am perswaded that if the Kings Majesty would take from them their Lordships their Estates and Dignities and send our Bishops amongst you to beg their bread as the Mendicant Fryers of Rome though then they would be much more like the Papists than they are at present you would scarce take the pains to accuse them for being Popishly affected But I have this Charitable opinion of you my Non-Conforming Brethren that you would never have thought to accuse our Bishops and their Church Government of Popery had not the Jesuitical Party that insinuate amongst you minded you of it for their own ends and out of a displeasure to see the excellent Order Decency and Splendor of our Church free from the abominations of Idolatry and their Monkish absurdities But that you may not be so soon mistaken my Brethren in a matter of so great a moment as Popery and Superstition is I beseech you to understand what Popery is and what not that you may not be so easily cosened and imposed upon by your Enemies and ours in this Nation Popery comprehends all those Heresies and grievous Errors which the Pope and the Court of Rome have delivered as Articles of Faith by which the Popes Authority or rather Tyranny is established in the World contrary to Gods Word and Glory and the Salvation of mens Souls According to this definition if our first Reformers had retained the abuses of Popery the Transubstantiaton Purgatory Images the Merits of Saints Indulgences Pardons and such like follies not warranted but contrary to Christ's Doctrines and Christianity you might then accuse us with reason of being guilty of Popery But shall we for our Conformity to Christs Commands and the Primitive Church in Discipline and Government be accused by you of Popery and Antichristianism What is there in our Government or Church that tends to promote the Popes Interest or to draw men away from Christ and our dependency upon him and his merits If something of the Civil Power be intrusted in the hands of our Bishops I hope none of you will presume to appoint our Wise Princes and Parliaments whom they are to settle in Authority under them That proceeds from our Princes Will who is Gods Vicegerent amongst us For our Articles our Catechism our Rubrick and way of Worship is as free from Popery as our Government and Ecclesiastical Laws For how can that be Popish which opposeth all the Errors and Mistakes of the Papists which Teacheth to implore Gods assistance and direction against the Heresies and Designs of the Pope which was used in the Christian Church before ever the Pope claimed an universal superintendency How can that be Popish which agrees with Gods Word and the Doctrines and Practices of all the Reformed Churches Enemies of Popery and which their most Judicious Divines embrace as most consonant with Faith and Piety Search into every thing Authorized in the Church of England and let the most refined Soul and quickest Eye tell us under what Ceremony or in what Article of our Faith or in what corner of our Rubrick or in what part of our Devotions they perceive any Colour of Popish Superstition I dare affirm and willl engage to prove that most of our Non-Conformists are far more Superstitious and Popish in their Belief and Practice than any in the Church of England In those particulars in which your Conformity is required What is there of Popery of Superstition or contrary to Reason or good manners For if there be nothing to be excepted against Why will you not joyn with us your Brethren You cannot be angry with Set Forms in general because Christ our Saviour recommended one to us as an Excellent Pattern to draw ours by You may be
FRIENDLY ADVICE TO PROTESTANTS OR AN ESSAY TOWARDS Comprehending and Uniting OF ALL PROTESTANT DISSENTERS TO THE Church of England HUMBLY Offer'd to the Consideration of this present PARLIAMENT as the best Expedient of this time to secure the Safety Honour and Welfare of the KING and Kingdom By a Sober Protestant LONDON Printed for Samuel Heyrick and are to be Sold at his Shop at Grays-Inn-Gate in Holborn 1680. TO THE Courteous Reader Courteous Reader I Intreat you to peruse with a mild a moderate and a Christian Temper these few sheets which have been thought fit to be recommended to the publick view as well to give a full prospect of the Jesuitical Designs against us and our Religion as to persuade our Brethren to that Vnity and Vniformity which will secure us against all their Hellish Attempts This Invitation will appear so much the more seasonable because we are yet threatned with strong Combinations with mighty Conspiracies with the Conjunction of Foreign Powers that promise to themselves the overthrow of Christ's Gospel and Truth amongst us Methinks that the greatness of the Common Danger in which we are all concern'd should Alarm us into a compliance with one another and oblige us to joyn to maintain that Profession which our Enemies joyntly strike at Methinks their Policy should teach us how to preserve our selves and cause us to unite also in Affections in Gods Worship in our Cares and Endeavours for the Publick Safety for the prevention of their mischievous purposes too much encouraged by our groundless and unreasonable Divisions In this juncture of time the Nations welfare and preservation hath such a dependency upon this Conjunction that we can never expect it without this reconciliation It is the Vnity of the people that will render us invincible and draw down upon our heads the Blessing of Heaven The safest Defence of States and Kingdoms It will establish Religion upon an unmoveable Basis and maintain the envied Hierarchy of our Church in the midst of all Disorders It will prevent many wicked Designs of the Pope and his bloody Agents and silence the jealousies and tumultuous fears that disturb our quiet In a word Vnity in Religion and Gods Worship will preserve the Nations Peace from Foreign Invasion and Intestine discords If therefore our Brethren of the same Religion who differ from us only in shadows would hearken at last to this Reconciliation and joyn with us at least in outward appearance If they would consent to lay aside all prejudice and partiality and banish from among us all names of dissention innumerable advantages would from thence proceed and this happy Conjunction would infallibly prove the most Invincible Bulwark of our Church and Nation against the malice of Hell and the Popes fury In order thereunto several particulars are here recommended to the publick view to dispose mens minds for this blessed unity in Religion and prepare them for a Cure But as there are distempers which the Patients frowardness and other circumstances will not suffer to be healed by every common Physitian the grand disease of our Nation is such that only the Wisdom of our Superiours can compleat the cure and close up our bleeding wounds torn and inlarged through our Enemies subtil practices Several endeavours have been formerly made for the same purpose but success hath not answered the expectations of good men because their Judicious and Religious proceedings have been frustrate as some imagin through the unseasonableness and sharpness of the Remedies or the untractableness of interessed persons or rather through the secret Plots of our busy Enemies who lay in our bosoms and had a finger in our actings of this nature But now these obstacles are partly removed now the greatness of our danger hath alarm'd many into a compliance with our Church and begot in us an earnest desire of a Conjunction we only wait for an Invitation and the perfecting of that Vnion which will render us and our posterity happy for ever I shall desire from all True Protestants a favourable acceptance of and a charitable construction to these my endeavours which I hope will prevail upon men of calm spirits and unbiassed judgments my zeal and affection for the service of my Country and for the preservation of the true Religion for which I have been a sufferer hath encouraged me to this Attempt Who knows but that these considerations that I here offer may prevail upon many may satisfie their doubting Consciences and oblige them to study for the future Vnity and Peace Who knows but that a Person though in a mean Station may contribute something towards that Blessed Work of Vniting us and our Brethren together For it is the usual Method of Divine Providence to make use of the unlikeliest Agents to bring to pass the great Designs and the noble effects of his Power and Wisdome that the Glory might be ascribed to him alone and that none might partake with him in that which is all his due I beseech the God of all Wisdom Vnity and Peace to unite us all together to reconcile our differences te enlighten our understandings with his Truth sanctifie our wills and affections with his Spirit of Love I beseech His Divine Majesty to preserve in health and prosperity our gracious and religious King and bless the zealous endeavours of the wise and great Council of our Nation for his Glory and the Nations Welfare This shall always be the Prayer of M. D. THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. The Conspiracy and present Designs of the Popish Party in Europe against the Protestant Interest discovered with the methods observed by them to overthrow the Church of England Pag. 1. CHAP. II. The danger of Division in a Nation about matters of Religion and what pernicious consequences it hath had in foreign Countries and in this 12 CHAP. III. That there is no reasonable cause of dividing from our Church and that the most scrupulous Conscience may and ought to conform according to the Laws of God as well as man 20 CHAP. IV. The true causes why most part of our dissenting Brethren will not joyn with us in the Worship of our God enquired into In what particulars our differences chiefly consist and their grand Objection Answered 32 CHAP. V. Seasonable and Christian Advices for our Non-Conforming Brethren who are possessed with such strong prejudices against the Church of England that they cannot easily overcome them and a Reconciliation proposed 49 CHAP. VI. An Exhortation to all the Learned Pious and Christian Teachers amongst our Non-Conforming Brethren to prevent in time the Nations ruin by an Vnity with us and to lay aside all Prejudice and Partiality 56 A SEASONABLE ADVICE TO ALL True Protestants IN ENGLAND IN This present posture of Affairs CHAP. I. The Conspiracy and present Designs of the Popish Party in Europe against the Protestant Interest discovered with the methods observed by them to overthrow the Church of England THE true Christian Faith in all Ages hath
had not imposed a silence and obliged them to be quiet In Bohemia and Poland what stirs and disturbances have the Socinians raised In Germany and the Bishoprick of Munster what wickednesses have not the Anabaptists committed I should be endless if I reckon'd up all the Mischiefs Blood Tumults War and Calamities which small and inconsiderable disputes about Religion have brought upon men in the Primitive Church and in these latter days Look only into our own Nation and consider the late Tragedies acted by our own Countreymen upon the Person of their King and Nobles Look into the cause of their unreasonable fury and you shall find nothing but their mistakes about Religion to have thus transported and carried them to that excess of cruelty and rage In Queen Elizabeths days the Separatists began to quarrel with our Discipline and Government and laid a foundation for the Brownists the Familists and their Successors to build their confused Babel Their bold Pamphlets in the Queens Reign and in King James's time threatned the Nation with the following disturbances in the State The restless Puritans were always bawling in the Peoples ears against our Church and its Rulers and what troubles did they not breed but all former disputes were but sports and plays to the late disputes about Religion in our Royal Martyrs days for it is observable that when men have wearied themselves in disputing about trifles they try the cause and decide the difference a nearer way with the dint of their sharp swords This was the end of our unhappy divisions we remember yet the late Civil War the Calamity under which the Land groaned the Disorders and Miseries that we and our Families suffered This my Brethren proceeded from the same cause which yet you are unadvisedly fond of and embrace with an invincible tenacity They were at first discontented at our Church and Religious Worship they exclaimed continually against our formalities and practices and differed from us in the same punctilio's as some of you do See the Kings Portraiture They were at first as modest in all their behaviour towards us desiring nothing but liberty and freedom for themselves and their way of worship but when they had gathered into a head their pretensions were so high that they would oblige all men to conform and subscribe to all their irregularities and extravagancies I cannot call to mind the sad condition of our Church of England in those unhappy days without Tears when our Governours were deposed our Clergy banished with their Prince our Nobility and Gentry sequestred our Laws obliged to submit to the power of the Sword our Kingdom and Government in the hands of lawless Tyrants Sects and Divisions in Religion multiplying every day and rising out of the filthy spawn of the Jesuits the wicked principles which they spread amongst us to disturb us and puzle the weaker sort in the Notions of Religion All these Evils with innumerable others which we can better remember than speak of sprung from your Forefathers Non-Conformity And will not their Chidren be better advised will they wittingly draw again the same danger upon their heads will they not be persuaded to prevent such mischiefs for the time to come The burnt Child dreads the fire We have been already burnt and almost consumed in the hot fire of a Civil-War Shall we cast our selves again into it or entertain the same causes that brought forth that sad calamity Our Enemies took occasion to blow up the coals into a grievous flame who knows but they are busily employed about the same wicked purposes and will cast us headlong into the same misery why shall we be so foolish so mad and such Enemies of the publick and of our selves and posterity as to assist the Jesuits and Romanists in their grand design to ruin us and our Nation This proceeding of yours may seem very strange my Brethren and may cause a greater wonder when we have seriously considered and proved it to you CHAP. III. That there is no reasonable cause of dividing from our Church and that the most scrupulous Conscience may and ought to conform according to the Laws of God as well as man HAD you as good and allowable causes to alledge for your separation from us as we and our Forefathers had to depart out of the Idolatrous Church of Rome your zeal would deserve a commendation and none could charge you with the Crime of Schism or Faction For in such a case you would have in Conformity to the Examples and Command of Christ and his holy Apostles forsaken those who had first forsaken him and divided your selves from those abominations whereof the belief and practice can never consist with the Salvation of your immortal Souls But though we and our Church are falsely aspersed with Popery and Popish Superstition the Accusation is false and so ill grounded that it would not deserve a refutation were it not that this strange conceit is greedily entertained by many of our Non-Conforming Brethren The accusation is commonly delivered in gross because there is none can justifie this charge by any particular instance It is the common Practice and Art of Impostors and of abusive Tongues when they cannot make good the objected crime to bring their accusation in this manner that their malice might be less discoverable and their charge more weighty But why should we be declared to be Popishly affected against our wills we disown this charge as a grievous calumny that hath no other foundation but the pride and unreconcileable hatred of our Enemies Did ever any Church write more smartly against the Pope and Papists than the Learned Divines of the Church of England read over the thirty nine Articles and Bishop Jewel and the Archbishop Laud against Fisher and in these our days read but the writings of these Learned Divines of the present Bishop of Lincoln of Dr. Stilling fleet and Dr. Pierce and you shall find that none professes to be greater enemies of Popery than we do But methinks that this late Popish Plot and all the Papists endeavours against the Church of England should justifie us in the eyes of all the World better than any Arguments can that we are not Papists nor Popishly affected can we think the Papists and Jesuits who are not so easily mistaken in their judgments of us would have laid a Train to blow us up had we been on their side can we think them so blind that they cannot see their friends from their foes would they offer to burn destroy and kill us and our Children were we so inclinable to Popery as our mistaken Brethren falsely conceive what mad men are you Priests and Jesuits Popes and Cardinals of Rome thus to conspire and spend so much Treasure to destroy your own Brethren Did you not understand all this while that we were all agreed and that we are so near related that we may shake hands Why will you needs murder us and our Families for our Religion