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A37350
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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, honours, and welfare of the king and kingdom / by a sober Protestant.
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M. D.; M. D.
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1680
(1680)
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Wing D60; ESTC R21201
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50,844
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68
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Moors out of his Kingdom with a Bloody War in the Low-Countries and with the Massacre of his Eldest Son and Heir Don Carlos a young Prince who discovered his dislike of the Bloody Designs of the Papists of his days But since the States of Europe have laboured to cut the Spaniards Short and to bring down their haughty pretensions they have scarce been able to keep their own without their Neighbours Charitable Assistance much less to invade the other Kingdoms and Territories of Europe in gratification of the Court of Rome But the French Monarch esteemed the richest Prince of all Europe raised to a Powerful and Large Kingdom was become dreadful to all his Neighbors whiles he stood still He seemed therefore to be the fittest Instrument to carry on the Popish Designs in Europe and in England and able to suppress the Protestant Religion every where This was the French aim in the last Dutch War as may appear by the words of their Embassadors to all Popish Princes chiefly in Germany and Spain And in consideration of this War the Pope was willing to gratifie the French King in all his demands in making those men Cardinals whom he had recommended to him And likewise to shew his readiness to crush the Protestant Party the French King to please the Pope hath pulled down several hundred Churches and oppressed the Protestants of his Dominions contrary to his former Grants and Promises I could instance several known proofs of this Agreement between the Pope the Jesuits and the French King to govern the World between them and to assist one another in the subduing Europe and in Ruling it by this Triumvirat The Pope was to have the Souls and command the Consciences of men to furnish him and his minions with what moneys they would have The French King was to Govern the Bodies and command their Estates And the Jesuits by a compliance with them both were to have a large share in the Conquered Countreys and a great part in the Government of the World The Dutch a sturdy generation and powerful by Sea stood in their way these must be oppressed by a Nation no less valiant and strong it was no difficult matter to blow up the Coals and kindle a War The uncivility of the former furnishing daily causes of discontent to the latter but when the growing greatness of the French discovered to us our own danger and that our Prince became the Moderator of Peace and War stopping this furious Champion in his full Career it is not to be imagin'd what displeasure the Popish Party conceived against our King and Nation what threatning speeches what furious expressions dropt from their mouths The Emperor only and the Spaniard no Friend of the French Greatness would have been willing to assist the Pope if only Religion had been concerned but when they had an inkling of the Triumvirat and saw to what all these proceedings would abutt they chose rather to aid the Hereticks against their Pope than to suffer them to incrcase their Enemies Power and Greatness But seeing that Protestant England would not suffer the Pope and the French to triumph over all their Neighbours but give a check to their proceedings a Peace must be concluded with the Dutch Hereticks that they might have more leasure to work mischief to and overthrow this strongest Bulwark of the Protestant Religion Open War was dangerous against a Nation so Couragious therefore private Plots and secret Conspiracies must do They had no other way but to cast us into a confusion by a sudden attempt and the Massacre of our Prince and of his Subjects and to animate us one against another The Father must be stirred up against the Son the Children must rise against their Parents Relations and Affinity Consanguinity and the ties of Friendship and Blood must be all set aside to promote the Interest of this Catholick Religion and Holy Cause sanctified by the Popes Benediction The burning of the City of London could not destroy that Nest of Hereticks they must there be all Massacred therefore in their famous City that is so soon risen out of its Ashes to the wonder of the World No pitty nor compassion must be had of innocent babes who might one day revenge the murder of their Parents but they must all the Mother and the Child feel the stroaks and sharp swords of these zealous followers of Jesus of these Roman Catholicks and Jesuits But how far did their fury intend to run God knows Once the name of a Protestant must not be left alive in all England Blood and Rivers of Blood must be spilt to make way for a Religious Generation of Jesuits Franciscans Jacobins and other Fryers to plant in this Land and secure it for the Pope their Sovereign Kings and Princes Nobles and Clergy Gentry and Commonalty must all be witnesses of their impartial zeal the whole Nation must be destroyed O Inhumanity O Hellish Fury O unheard of Cruelty Blessed be thy Holy Name O Lord our God for the discovery of their malice and rage against us continue thy Protection to our gracious Prince guard him by thine Almighty Power secure his person against all present and future Conspiracies preserve thy People and this Church and send us all to be truly thankful and to reunite again in the sincere worship of thee the only true God for Jesus Christ his sake Amen This Plot hath been working many years and preparations were making in all the Convents upon the Sea-Coasts of Spain and France chiefly of the Jesuits But that which is the end of all this Discourse is that if we had not been divided in Religion the Papists would not have made this attempt and we should be infallibly secure from all future mischiefs which they will yet endeavour to work amongst us if we could be perswaded to set aside all Partiality and Prejudice and joyn together all unanimously in the profession of one Religion and in the same manner This I shall prove in the next Chapter 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 THE chief intent of all Societies of men is Union and the Publick Security against all invasion and disorder foreign and domestick For that purpose we gather together in one Body and under one Head we bind our selves together with Laws and Relations we entertain a mutual correspondency amongst our selves and pretend all to promote the general good of the politick Body Nations are to be looked upon as large Families where the Universal Father and all the rest are members of the Family highly concerned in one anothers good and preservation All the individuals are united in one publick interest in the happiness of the whole or division therefore discord is an apparent enemy to the Society because it opposes the very intent of it and lays open a Nation to these following mischiefs and to their
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