THE Modern Pleas FOR COMPREHENSION TOLERATION AND The taking away the Obligation to the Renouncing of the COVENANT Considered and Discussed LONDON Printed for R. Royston Bookseller to His most Sacred Majesty MDCLXXV A SCHEME OF THE CONTENTS How little Cause our Dissenters have either for Separation or Alteration pag. 1 4. An Account of the Design of a Book entituled Of the Religion of England p. 4 The Design of it inconsistent and unpracticable p. 7 9 The Terms of Communion which the Church of England imposeth are not sinful in the opinion of the most learned among the Dissenters p. 11 There is no sinfulness objected by them as to the 1. Articles p. 15 2. Liturgy p. 17 3. Canons or Ceremonies p. 23 It is no sufficient objection against our Ceremonies that they are not by God commanded p. 25 Nor that they are significant p. 26 Nor that they grieve a pievish sort of men p. 29 There is no sinfulness in that the Church imposeth new Bonds and Terms of Communion p. 36 Of the Assent and Consent ibid. Of renouncing the Covenant p. 40 Certain Articles of the Covenant that make it dangerous not to be renounced p. 41 Artic. 1. p. 42 Artic. 2. p. 45 Artic. 3. p. 48 Artic. 4. p. 56 Artic. 5. p. 59 Artic. 6. p. 61 Of the Conclusion of it p. 63 An Instance in a known Presbyterian who did renounce publickly the Covenant as to the most meritorious part of it voluntarily long before the Kings Restauration p. 69 How it comes to pass that the Presbyterians and other Dissenters whose Opinions and Pleas are mutually so inconsistent do agree in their clamours for Liberty of Conscience p. 72 They themselves cannot agree what Liberty of Conscience is and what are its true bounds p. 74 Of Comprehension and how little will be gained by granting it p. 77 Of unlimited Toleration p. 78 The Dissenters own Testimony against Toleration p. 81 Of Comprehension without Toleration p. 92 135 What the Presbyterians ought to do before they be admitted into the Church by Comprehension p. 94 140 178 What shall be done with the private mans Conscience when it is inconsistent with that which the Conscience of the Governour dictates whether of the two shall over-rule p. 98 Religion hath very great influence upon the Peace of any Government 101 Magistrates not alone in point of Interest but Conscience are to have great care of Religion p. 102 Objections and Authorities against this answered p. 105 Of the use of force in propagating Religion p. 107 Of that Text 2 Cor. 10. The Weapons of our Warfate are not carnal ibid. That Objection Force may not be used in pulling down Antichrist therefore not in propagating Religion retorted p. 109 Of the Argument drawn from the Example of the Kings of Israel or Judah p. 112 Testimonies out of Scripture for the Magistrates Authority in using force for the propagating Religion p. 104 105 The Apostles when they were brought to to answer before the Governours of that time did not deny their Authority p. 118 Universal Toleration contrary to Scripture p. 121 The Magistrate by becoming Christian if he hath no addition hath yet no diminution of his power p. 131 Of that smalness of Difference that is pretended between us and the Presbyterians p. 136 A Comparison between the Severities used now against the Covenant and those used by them in imposing it p. 142 How far they approve of Episcopacy and Liturgy p. 144 The Inconveniencies that attend Liberty of Conscience p. 146 How much Toleration is better than Comprehension p. 149 Conscience absolutely taken no safe Rule either of Actions or Tenets p. 152 Of the Mischiefs Liberty of Conscience is like to bring to Religion p. 153 Of new Light p. 159 Government p. 162 By what means this Liberty is dangerous to Government p. 166 The private Consciences of men are not ordinarily trusted in their common dealings p. 169 What ends they propose to themselves that promote Liberty of Conscience p. 177 Their unwillingness to renounce the Covenant shews how little they repent of it p. 180 Objections answered p. 183 taken from their 1. Number Ibid. 2. Merit p. 189 3. Assistance against Popery p. 190 4. Their hindering Trade p. 196 5. France Holland have good experience of it p. 218 6. Civil Penalties in Religion make men Hypocrites p. 232 An Apostrophe to the Dissenting Brethren p. 235 A Postscript p. 247 ERRATA Page 71. line 25. for what may the meaning r. what may be the meaning p. 120. l. 14. for into his r. in this CONSIDERATIONS Concerning Comprehension Toleration AND THE Renouncing the COVENANT HE who endeavours to make any Alteration in a setled Government either of Church or State is obliged by all the Rules of Justice and of Prudence to alledge some very good cause why it is that he doth do so Alteration being in it self so great an Inconvenience as that it ought not by any means to be attempted but for some weighty Reason Now as to the Church as it is by Law established not withstanding all the fearful Outcries which of late have been made against it I would fain have any of our Dissenting Brethren to answer directly Whether there be any one thing sinful in her Communion or only some things as they conceive inexpedient If only inexpedient as there is good cause to believe that the most considerable Persons and those in no small numbers among them do suppose no more then I would fain know whether inexpediency alone is a sufficient and just cause of Separation And how well soever any particular man among them may think of the Grounds of his own Separation there is very good evidence that there are abundance among themselves who do plainly perceive and much lament it that by the means of this present Separation there hath been an entrance made for such Doctrines and Practices into this Nation which are chargeable with to phrase it modestly the very highest degrees of inexpediency When the rule and measures of inexpediency are well considered of and regard is had to that great variety of Respects in which one and the same thing may be both expedient and inexpedient it will then be found that inexpediency is a thing which private persons cannot easily determine indeed are no competent Judges of Besides if it were a clear case that in the present settlement there were something not altogether so expedient as were to be wished Is this a sufficient warrant for any not only to mislike so much of the Law as they think capable of being mended but withall openly and avowedly to separate to unite and joyn in great Combinations against the Publick Constitutions only because they are not arrived in their esteem at all possible degrees of perfection He who can submit to no Law but such a one as is exactly made to his own mind in all particulars must resolve for any thing I know never to obey as long as
by their admission become divided against it self The Pulpits may quickly be brought to speak in very different Languages and the Hearers strangely distracted between the several abettors of the very distant Measures of the old and new Conformity They who have kept out of the Church thus long rather than they would not have their Wills in such and such Matters in debate between us it is scarce to be hoped that when they are brought into the Church by being yielded to in them that they will not with the same Art and Industry keep up in the Minds of Men a good opinion of that Cause which they have so long contended for At the least they will take what care they can that those of their former Hearers whom they shall be able to bring along with them if they shall be able to bring any store of their Hearers along with them which is no small question shall for ever be kept under bondage to every one of all those scruples by which they have been able to retain dominion over them And they who have all along been observably upon all occasions admirably expert at interpreting all things to the utmost possibilities of all advantage as to themselves and their Cause it is not to be expected from them that they will not interpret this Condescention as a complete Justification And unless the Modesty and Gratitude of these men be strangely increased of late beyond what it hath used to be our Governours are not like to receive any other return than this That God hath at length begun to return again and in some sort to own his People and his Cause He hath now opened the Eyes of the Parliament and let them see their Error in imposing the renouncing the Covenant and who knows what more a gracious God may do for so gracious a People And that Reputation which hath thus long engaged them to pretend their Cause of Separation to be just can do no less than continue to engage them to avow its having been necessary So that the Church will by this means be weakned by having one great Security taken from her those Men will be admitted into her of whose Affections and Designs she hath abundant cause to be highly jealous and who by obtaining their present Demands will according to their old Customs be thereby emboldned with the like restless importunity to make more demands and perhaps in a little time be inabled to take what farther they please without so much as asking it And by this means the People will become extremely divided both amongst themselves and from the Government And when that is done there will be so many left out of this Comprehension that the noise will not be much less than it is already And whatever accession can be supposed to be made to the Church by the coming in of her new Friends will be more than over-ballanced by the loss she will receive in the stability of her Principles and the Unity of her Children She will be the less able to defend her self against the Exceptions of the Romanists and be at no small loss for an answer to the Clamours of other Sectaries who can pretend as great grievances and alledge as plausible Reasons why they should be gratified so that the Work of Coalition as it is called in the newest word as often soever as it is done will be just as often to begin again As to any other Particulars of that Comprehension which is now so much endeavoured seeing they have not thought fit to let us know them I shall not venture to make a guess at them but shall go on to another Contrivance and in the Opinion of many a more promising one and that is Toleration which is frequently said to be an Expedient which will gratifie many more and more Considerable Persons than can be hoped to be brought within the Compass of any one Comprehension Now it is by no means a thing to be wondred at if so be that the proposal of Toleration be in it self at the first view very plausible and in the eyes of very many Persons exceeding acceptable It looks like a Privilege which every man hath an interest in which seing it is enjoyed by all alike no man should take himself to have any cause to envy it to any other Now this Liberty of Conscience however it hath obtained to be the general Darling yet methinks in the very name there is something which offers it self to our Consideration which is at least worth our Enquiry Whether the very demand doth not carry in it an Exception against it self How doth it appear that Conscience hath any such absolute Right to Liberty Hath it no Rule which it ought to walk by hath it no obligation to follow any besides its own Light If this be not the Case then Liberty and Conscience are two words which are very unfit in great variety of Cases to be joyned together I shall readily grant that to act against our Conscience is always a sin but then I shall add this further That it is very frequently a grievous sin to act according to it Conscience may in some cases condemn but there are very many cases wherein it cannot justifie I know nothing by my self saith St. Paul yet am I not hereby justified and farther I may self thought verily that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Iesus c. The Scripture tells us of seared Consciences Reprobate Minds Men whose minds and Consciences are defiled From all which Expressions it is very clear That Conscience is not a safe Rule for any man to act by in his private Capacity And in the next place as Conscience is very far from being a safe Rule for any man to act by in his private Capacity so it is by no means advisable that men should be so far trusted as to teach according to it in any Publick Places St. Paul assures us that by this permission dangerous Contentions shall arise by reason of the perverseness of men when in the nature of the things there was no real Cause for them â— Tim. 2. 14. They will strive about words to no purpose to the subversion of the â—earers And â— Tim. 4. 1. he tells us of seducing spirits who teach the doctrine of devils Tim. 3. for many Verses together he describes a sort of very wicked men of whom in the close he gives this Character That they have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof that they creep into houses and lâ—ad captive silly women laden with divers lusts And again we read of those who bring in damnable Herâ—sies and again which directly cometh up to the point in hand about Toleration whose mouths must be stopped Thus far therefore our way is clear 1. That according to the Doctrine of the New Testament Conscience is not its own Rule is not entirely left to it self in its own way of acting 2. That those who are
and yet are enforced by the Civil Power upon the Practice and Consciences of men Now here with all due respect to that Learned Gentleman I shall desire him to take notice whether it be not an Excellency and a Felicity almost peculiar to the Church of England that in all her Constitutions her greatest Adversaries are forced to betake themselves to the scanning of a few Ceremonies to find a cause or to speak more properly a shew of Controversie and that himself in his own great Judgment hath not been able to find out any other flaw in the Matter of all her Laws as much soever as he doth mislike the Imposition of them As for the Cermonies themselves the Exceptions or at least the Clamours are very many That they are uncommanded by God that they are significant that they are Will-worship that they are teaching for Doctrines of God the Commandments of men and lastly that they do give scandal As to the Ceremonies being uncommanded by God I never heard of any man who pretended them to be otherwise and therefore it is most clear and certain that that Church doth not teach for Doctrines of God the Commandments of Men which doth own publickly that these are not the Doctrines of God but only the Commandments of Man And if any man doth mistake in this Case which is a thing incredible that any should do so but if there be such a one I am sure that the mistake is his own and not the fault of the Church For she hath taken care to prevent it in the Chapter of Ceremonies before the Common Prayers wherein she declares that the Ceremonies which are retained are retained for Discipline and Order which upon just Cause may be altered and changed and therefore are not to be esteemed equal with Gods Law But however this is plain in the nature of things that although among the Ceremonies no one in particular is necessary yet in general it is necessary so far as Order and Decency is necessary that some such there should be But in the next place there is an Objection supposed to be of much greater force and that is this That the Ceremonies are significant And here I must needs confess that if they could have alledged that the Ceremonies had been insignificant the Objection had been much more worthy of having some notice taken of it because that the very nature and whole use of Ceremonies doth consist in being significant And in this I appeal to all Mankind whether in any one Action Sacred or Civil any one Ceremony was ever instituted unless it were in order to the signifying denoting or expressing something by it Nor is thisall for the Church hath taken care not only to vindicate the Innocency but withal to declare the usefulness of the significancy of her Ceremonies in the fore-mentioned Preface That they are neither dark nor dumb Ceremonies but are so set forth that every man may understand what they mean and to what use they do serve so that it is not like that in time to come they should be abused And after all this methinks our Brethren of the Presbytery should for their own sakes have had a great care of making use of this Objection as being themselves as liable to it as any other Persons The Authors of the Admonition to the Parliament in Queen Elizabeths days Part 2. have recommended Sitting at the Sacrament upon this very superstitious score of Significancy as in our Case they always call it in these words As in the Old Testament eating the Paschal Lamb standing signified a readiness to pass even so in the receiving it now sitting after the example of Christ we signifie Rest that is a full finishing thorough Christ of all the Ceremonial Law and a perfect Work of Redemption wrought that giveth rest for ever And in our own dayes in that which by them was looked upon as a considerable Act of Divine Worship and Religious Adoration the entring into a Publick Solemn National Covenant with Almighty God as they phrase it The doing of this was prescribed with several Ceremonies uncommanded in Scripture and by themselves intended to be very significant as it to be found by every one who pleaseth to look in the Ordinance of Febr. 2. 1643. In this Case without referring us to any Book Chapter or Verse they thought it sufficient to say That it is ordered and ordained by the Lords and Commons in Parliament that the said Covenant be solemnly taken in all places and for the better and more orderly taking thereof that these Directions ensuing are appointed and enjoyned to be strictly followed Of which Directions the thirteenth is this the manner of taking it to be thus The Minister to read the whole Covenant distinctly and audibly in the Pulpit and during the time of reading thereof the whole Congregation to be uncovered which by the way is a much greater shew of Reverence than they have taken care for either at the reading of the Ten Commandements or our Saviour's Sermon upon the Mount and at the end of reading thereof all to take it standing lifting up their Right Hand bare Now I think that it is highly requisite for these men to consider with themselves whether every one of all their own Pleas of the Purity and Simplicity of the Gospel way of Worship without the mixture of humane Inventions and their bold surmises of invading the Throne of Christ by determining those things which Christ hath left free have any the least force against the Ceremonies of the Church which they have not against this prescribed Formality of their own in taking the Covenant But after all which is possible to be said in order to the clearing of the mistakes about the Ceremonies there is an Objection which is supposed not to be capable of any answer to be made unto it and that is this That be they what they will in themselves good men are offended at them they grieve thousands of the Godly Brethren and though we should grant such men to be mistaken yet we must not offend our weak Brethren The Case of Scandal hath been so often and so clearly stated that I shall say the less upon it and therefore instead of the Argument I shall rather choose to say something to the Persons who use it In the first place I shall readily grant that if any Persons are really offended at the use of the Ceremonies in their own way of understanding that word they must needs be very weak Brethren and I shall only ask them the old Question How long they will be weak And I shall profess my self to have no very honourable Opinion of the means of Knowledge the Opportunities of choyce Attainments which are to be had in the Conventicles If so be that those who are such weak Brethren as not to be got above such silly Scruples are looked upon to be sufficiently gifted to be Publick Teachers amongst them In the next place I shall ask
their love I cannot imagine who these should be unless those Saints who are above Ordinances And for my own part I must freely profess that for all the account which our Author hath given us of his three Contrivances of Comprehension Toleration and Connivance I cannot at all perceive but that Mr. Sterry's way of sorting out the several Ranks of Saints doth well suit with and is proportioned to it And here let any sober man judge whether the Settlement pretended for in the first of these three Proposals be not absolutely unsetled again in the two other But in the next place I must go on to consider a Pretence much oftner supposed than owned and that is this Suppose that the Terms of the Communion of the Church are not only inexpedient but really sinful if so then I shall readily grant that the Church ought not to be communicated with while the Terms of her Communion are such But in this part of the Argument I shall presume to say with some confidence and I hope without offence that however the Teachers of the separated Congregations may sometimes slily insinuate some such Jealousies into the Heads of their unwary Hearers yet it is not easie to find a considerable man amongthem who will not be ashamed to own it publickly or who doth himself really believe it Now though this Assertion may seem to carry something of uncharitableness in it because that the Separation from the Church is so avowed and pressed upon the People as if that it were highly necessary and that Communion with the Church was highly criminal at least in the Opinion of the Teachers It being a plain case that the People are wheedled into Separation upon the account that they suppose their Teachers know it to be unlawful Now as to this I must needs say it is shrewdly to be suspected that there is in this case a very great Cheat imposed by the Preachers and the People upon one another and by both upon the whole Nation because that it is as often evident as there is occasion for making it so that among the Pastors and the Flock there are not many who in a time of Tryal approve themselves to be in good earnest I have been credibly informed not to say that I am able to make it good that Mr. Calamy did before His Majesty and divers Lords of the Council profess that there was not any thing in the Constitutions of the Church to which he could not conform were it not for the scandalizing of others so that in his Esteem the Constitutions of the Church were in themselves Innocent and the whole Objection against them lay in the mistakes of other men Mr. Tombs the Leader of the Anabaptists hath writ a Book to shew the lawfulness of resorting to the Publick Congregations The Author which I before mentioned assures us in behalf of the Presbyterians that they not only maintain the Doctrine of the Church of England but likewise communicate in her Publick Worship in his second Discourse of the Religion of England pag. 17. By which acknowledgment we may take an estimate of the Honesty of their Separation Nay I shall venture to say thus much farther that the lawfulness of joyning in the Publick Worship is understood by the Layety as well as Clergy amongst them is evident from these three Things First that there are those Persons to be named who came to Church before the Act of Oblivion who never did since Secondly that immediately after the Act of Uniformity whilst the Hopes of Toleration were very uncertain there was a much greater Conformity both in the City of London and over the whole Nation than ever hath been since Thirdly that I have enquired and could never learn that there was so much as one example to be given of any one of all the Patrons or Proselytes of the Conventicles who did leave the smallest Office whatever rather than he would in obedience to a late Act of Parliament joyn in the Prayers and receive the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper according to the Order of the Church of England From which it doth appear plainly that in these mens esteem either there is no sin in communicating with the Church of England or else that these Gentlemen of so extreamly tender Consciences can deliberately commit a sin and that when they are performing the most solemn Act of Adoration of Almighty God and with all the shews of Devotion imaginable And seeing that these things are so is it not huge pitty that a setled Church and a Church in great Reputation over all the Reformed Parts of Christendom should be run down by a meer noise of Conscience when it is very plain that when ever there is a real Case put where Conscience ought to shew it self that then no such thing appears neither is there the least evidence that it is so much as thought upon If there be any Objection against the present Constitution it must be either against the Articles the Liturgy the Canons or the Ceremonies As to the Articles there is scarce so much as one Objection pretended against them farther than as they relate to the following Heads and if there were such an Objection could not easily be alleadged by the People as a just excuse for their Non-conformity because they are not at all concerned for to subscribe them unless they bring upon themselves a voluntary Obligation by some Act of their own as taking a Degree in the University But in this Point many words are needless for besides the Testimony of all Churches abroad we have at home two Witnesses beyond all exception to the Innocency and Honour of the Articles even the two late celebrated Advocates the one for Comprehension the other for Toleration The former assures us in the behalf of those whose Cause he pleads that they do receive the Doctrine of Faith contained in the Articles of Religion pag. 2. and again pag. 22. That they heartily embrace the English Reformation established by Law c. and that they do assent to the Doctrine of Faith contained in the Articles of the Church of England and worship God according to that Faith pag. 22. The Peace-offering doth likewise bear witness for us of that great esteem which is bore unto the Articles of the Church of England in all the Reformed Churches abroad and withal doth assure us in behalf of the Independents at home that as to all which is purely doctrinal in them they do fully embrace and constantly adhere to c. And accordingly he undertakes to profess in the name of them all We have no new Faith to declare no new Doctrine to teach no private Opinion to divulge no Point or Truth do we profess no not one which hath not been declared taught divulged and esteemed as the common Doctrine of the Church of England ever since the Reformation pag. 13. Thus far therefore our way is clear that the Doctrine of the Church is sound and esteemed to
be so in the Opinion of its greatest Adversaries In the next place therefore we are to consider whether any reasonable Plea for Separation can be drawn from any just Exception which may be taken against the Liturgy and here there are two sorts of men to be considered First those who dislike all Forms of Prayer in general Secondly those who are only disgusted at some particular things in ours As to those who are against all Forms of Prayer I believe that the number of them among considering Persons is not so great as that any great regard ought to be had unto them and this must needs be so for a reason which can never fail For it cannot choose but seem strangely absurd and infinitely unbecoming the great distance which is between us and Almighty God and that great awe which we ought to bear unto him that all the Expressions of the Publick Devotion of every Congregation in the whole Nation should be left to the arbitrary and especially the extemporary conception of each single Person who is bold enough to venture upon the taking so much upon him It were very strange if this Kingdom should at this day be ignorant how very frequently Folly Heresie nay and Blasphemy hath been uttered in such kind of Prayers and it is utterly impossible that upon the indulgence of any such Liberty such Extravagancies can with any security be provided against And it is not unlikely that the greatest Pretenders to the highest Attainments in that way would be not a little out of Countenance If so be that their own Prayers were faithfully taken from their Mouths and after some reasonable space of time when they might be supposed to have forgot them presented to their view And that which renders this evil utterly intolerable is this that these Prayers which either really are extemporary else only pretended to be so are under that pretence recommended and regarded by the People as the only way of praying by the Spirit and by that very means the ever blessed Spirit is as far as these mens endeavours can be succesful entituled to all the Follies Vanity and Weaknesses all the Sin and Errour and even those very Blasphemies which are every day committed against him And I think all good Christians are concerned to endeavour that if a Liberty must be given to these Persons to go on and to abuse the People yet however that it may be done some other way and they not permitted to bely the Holy Ghost As for Forms of Prayers the great reasonableness and even necessity of them is very apparent and in Scripture it self there are Examples enough to be produced and if any man pleaseth to enter upon that Argument I no way doubt but there will be those found who will debate it with him It shall suffice at present only to say that our Saviour Christ did compose a Form of Prayer and gave it to his Disciples to use Now if as great numbers of the People are brought to believe that there is no praying by the Spirit besides praying Ex tempore then no man ever did or ever could say Christ's Prayer by the Spirit of Christ. Now as to the other sort of Persons who have some exceptions against some expressions in our Liturgy those things have been so fully examined that of late we have heard very little of them And the matter of it is all along so clearly unexceptionable and so fitted for the common use of all Christians that all controversial Expressions were designedly avoided Insomuch that I do not know of any considerable Sect amongst us which may not joyn with us in every expression in it except the Socinians Now here perhaps some Jealousies may arise in the minds of men that if there were not some real exception against the Liturgy then so many good Teachers would not lay it aside nay and not only so but as far as mens Intentions can be guessed at by their words and actions very much abhor it Now as to the behaviour of our dissenting Brethren in this particular I shall desire their admirers to remember this one thing that His Majesty not long after His Happy Restauration did put â—orth a Declaration concerning Ecclesiastical Affaires wherein He did very graciously indulge much to the dissatisfied Part of the Clergy in hopes thereby to win upon them and in that Declaration He did propose this unto them as a way whereby they might shew their Gratitude for so great a Condescention That they would read so much of the Liturgy as themselves had no exception against But with many of them He could not prevail for so much as one Syllable not one Collect no nor so much as one Chapter according to the Rubrick So much doth yielding work upon that good-natur'd Generation Now whether this Refractoriness as to the whole Book and every part and parcel of it could possibly proceed solely and altogether from Conscience and not very much if not altogether from Design or Humour let their best Friends speak In the next place now as to the Canons I do not know that there doth or canâ—ly any Objection against them which our present Debate is concerned about because they are no immediate Parts of the Publick Worship and therefore can be no cause of the present Separation especially as to the People As to the Canons made in the year 1640. I must needs confess that the Scotch Commissioners did complain much against them and some English Gentlemen made witty Speeches upon them but they had both of them the ill luck to confess the real cause of the Pique which they had against them viz. The acknowledgement of His Majesties Authority as being Independent and above all Coercion either Papal or Popular A Doctrine which I must needs say was very inconsistent with those Designs which those angry Patriots were at that time carrying on And I am very much mistaken if at this very day a great part of that Quarrel which is taken up against the Church be not founded upon this that it is too faithfully devoted to the Interests of the Crown and that many Persons are Presbyterians Independents Fifth-Monarchy-men c. as so many sanctified disguises under which they act the Part of Common-wealths-men In the next place come we therefore to the Ceremonies and there indeed the noise is very great An Excellent Person who for his pious labours upon a noble Argument and much more worthy of his Pen deserves much honour hath in this part of the Question exprest much more Concern than I hope himself upon a serious review will admit the Cause to bear in a Book entituled Liberty of Conscience upon its true and proper Grounds asserted and vindicated c. hath thus expressed himself p. 49. How may we lament over the present Imposition of the Ceremonies now enjoyn'd among us in England which are no part of divine Truth nor any of Christ's Institutions but things perfectly Humane in their Creation
occasions they do make use of When they have a mind to Collogue with Authority then the differences between them and the regular Clergy are mere trifles and very inconsiderable but when there is a season offered wherein it is safe to animate and inflame the People theâ— the differences are of that moment that no Treasure no Blood is sufficient to be laid out in a Debate of that Concernment or in the Words of the forementioned Speech If I had as many lives as I have hairs on my head I would be willing to sacrifice all these lives in this Cause Lastly if the Differences between us be so very small sure there can be no great cause for their present obstinate Separation But if these men are really and in good earnest desirous of coming into the Church It is very fit that in order to that they should declare whether they will leave those Principles which have hitherto divided them from it or whether they are resolved to entertain those Principles still or any of them If they will leave their Principles the Churches Arms are open to receive and to embrace them but if they mean â—o retain their Principles or any of them their room may be more desirable than their Company for upon those terms the difference is in no likelihood to amount to any more than this that instead of remaining in a Schism from the Church they will thereby be inabled to make a Schism within it or if they are at length brought to be perswaded to part with any of their Principles will they be so Honest as to declare that they have been so far mistaken and desire their Followers to get out of those Snares which they in former Dayes did lay for them and particularly will they renounce the Covenant It was very good Advice which the Right Reverend Father in God the Lord Bishop of Winchester gave His Majesty in his Epistle before the Coronation Sermon when he reminded Him of that wise Resolution of His Royal Grandfather Henry the Fourth That he was ready at any time to make a Peace with any of the Leaguers but he would never make any Peace with the League Now if they look upon it as any hard measure that they should be called upon to renounce the Covenant Let them not at all wonder if the Regular Sons of the Church have not forgot those rigours with which it was imposed the many mischiefs which have been wrought and are something apprehensive of those mischiefs which may at this day be wrought by it if so be that the Renunciation of it should be laid aside which will certainly be interpreted as at least a tacit Confession that that Injuction was unreasonable and such a one as a man of a tender Conscience could not submit to and that is a fair preparation for the Opinion that the Covenant is really a thing which doth oblige us But because that Moderation is at this time a word much in fashion let us compare the Severities used in behalf of the Covenant with this which is so much complained of as being against it It is indeed by reason of the Clamours by themselves raised about its obligation established by a Law that none shall be admitted to Publick Trusts in Universities Schools or the Church who will not renounce its Obligation but the Covenanters did not think this a sufficient security in their Case Mr. Calamy tells us in his fore-mentioned Speech in the name of himself and the Reverend Ministers with him with great Joy and Triumph That there was not one Person in the Kingdom of Scotland who is not a Covenanter and theâ—e shall not one abide among them who will not take this Covenant Now this Mr. Calamy from the beginning of the Long Parliament till the Day of his Death was a Ringleader of that Party of men who do now plead for Comprehension do earnestly at this time desire that they may be dispensed with for renouncing the Covenant And if the Counsel of these Divines had been of as great Authority in the Army as it was with the Two Houses that which Mr. Calamy doth magnifie in Scotland would have been a pattern for the same course to be taken in England But seeing that the Covenant is more sacred with them than the Oaths of Alleagiance and Supremacy will they if they should be thus far condiscended to be so grateful to His Majesty as to declare their Opinions against the War raised against His Father will they in lieu of renouncing the Covenant take an Oath wherein they will assert that the War raised by some Lords and Gentlemen sitting at Westminster under the Name of the Lords and Commons Assembled in Parliament by a Commission granted to Robert Earl of Essex was unlawful as being against the known Laws both of God and of the Nation If they refuse this seeing that we know that many of these very men for whom Comprehension is desired did preach up the War if they will not declare against it it is shrewdly to be suspected that their mind is the same as formerly and the only change which is is in the posture of Affairs But because it is now said in behalf of these men that they allow Episcopacy and approve of a Liturgy nay of ours That we may not be imposed upon by any ambiguous generality of Words it is but requisite that in this they would declare particularly in what sence it is that they allow and approve both these Things for if by things past we may guess at things present by Episcopacy they may mean but Presbytery by the Bishop may be understood a kind of a Prolocutor Every assuming Presbyter may at any time say as one of them lately did that he is as good a Scripture Bishop as he wâ—o sate upon the Bench or perhaps look upon a Bishop only as a Civil Officer in order to some legal purposes and by a Liturgy they may mean only such a â—orm of Prayers which may be either used or leâ— alone or rather a thing which is if ever to be permitted only to those who are Persons of such small sufficiency as not to be able to pray without it and so instead of being a Duty is intended meerly as a disparagement Or it may be the Common Prayer may be allowed as a way of spending the time till the Company is got together and then comes the Prayer which the Spirit is the immediate Author of and which alone hath the promise of any blessing made 〈◊〉 it Unless I say that these Persons be required to express their Minds very particularly in these and all other Matters of Debate between us we shall be alwayâ— aâ— a loss how much of the Good Old Cause they resolve to stick to and without some satisfaction in these things we have reason to be jealous that they have after so many other disappointments pitched upon this Contrivance as a very likely one whereby the Church may
them made a Speech to manifest his Concordance This is enough to give any man satisfaction for the late laying it down And proportionably to this it is a thing well known that some very well affected to the Good Old Cause do for all that conform to the use of the Ceremonies of the Church under the sanctified Excuse of submitting to them as Burthens Now these I think are competent fore-warnings to Authority to take care to secure it self against any ill use which is possible to be made of any abatements towards that sort of People who in this very Case do profess themselves to act without sincerity and to make use of all the Arts which they can think of And in the next place their great earnestness in desiring to be dispensed with for renouncing the Covenant doth in them plainly shew a very great fondness remaining toward it and if yielded to would in Authority appear more than a tacit Confession that it had hitherto been to blame in its Zeal against it Their restleness in this is not to be wondred at because they are sworn never to be wrought over to an Indifferency or detestable Neutrality But that Authority should be wrought over to shew kindness to such a Combination against it self or that any should propose it to the old Cavaliers to give leave to their old Persecutors to believe themselves under the Oath of God to bring every one of them to condign punishment is a thing which may justly raise all mens wonder I confess indeed that by the last Bill of Comprehension it was provided and so perhaps it may in this That no man should dare to say that the Covenant doth oblige under such a Penalty c. But it is much to be doubted that such a Provision may not be sufficient for let us consider this one thing Those Persons concerning whom our present Debate is are such as are to be entrusted to be Guides of Consciences and if this Renunciation be once taken off then they have Liberty enough to insist upon the Obligation of the Covenant amongst their Confidents without coming within the danger of the Law Let us remember that the Holy League in France was taken by above half the Kingdom before the King did ever so much as hear of it But to make this Matter plain I shall propose a Case very like it in our own Kingdom Suppose that any man out of the great Tenderness which he pretends to have for the Consciences of Men should propose that the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy should be by Act of Parliament taken away upon this very pretence That Oaths are not to be multiplied but upon great necessity that the Consciences of Men are nice and tender things and ought not to be disquieted by being pried into and disputable Points of Government are not fit matters to be put into an Oath Ought not such a Person to be looked upon with a very jealous Eye as being ill affected to his Majesties Person his Crown and Dignity He himself and all his Favourers will no doubt reply no because he doth at the same time offer a Security in it self as Good and more fit to be taken and that is this That it shall be very punishable for any man to say That our Soveraign Lord King Charles is not lawful and rightful King of these Realms c. and that the Pope hath any Power or Authority to depose the King c. He I say who should propose this Alteration ought in all reason to be looked upon as a better Subject to the Pope than to the King And so likewise and for the same Reason those who with so great Eagerness and Importunity have so often endeavoured the taking away the Renunciation of the Covenant ought to be very much suspected lest they have in their Eye something which is of much higher Consideration with them than either the Settlement of the Church or the safety of his Majesty It now remains that I consider the great Objections which are urged against all which is already said which are these That Comprehension say some others Toleration others both are fit to be granted 1. By reason of the great Numbers who do desire it Secondly in respect of their great Merit they being Persons in whom doth consist a great part of the Sobriety Industry Frugality and Wisdom of the Nation and particularly the Presbyterians have deserved well of His Majesty Thirdly it is very adviseable to grant a Liberty at this time to these Persons by reason of the great assistance which they are able to afford us against Popery and Fourthly that if a Liberty be not given it will be a very great Inconvenience to Trade Fifthly Toleration of several Forms of Religion is a thing which we may see a good effect of among our Neighbours in France and Holland Lastly Civil Penalties are of no use in Religion but only to make Hypocrites To all which pretences I return this First that the Numbers of these men are not in any degree so great as they do pretend It is indeed one of their great and old Arts to make all the shew they can possibly and to boast of those Numbers which they cannot shew one who is as well acquainted with the Muster Rolls of these Parties as any man doth plead for an Indulgence by this very Argument that they are not so considerable as that any danger needed to be feared from them Peace-offering p. 8. What are we that Publick Disturbance should be feared from us nec pondera rerum nec momenta sumus by what way or means were we never so desirous could we contribute any thing thereunto What Designs are we capable of c. So that it seems this is an Argument which they can either use or lay aside as occasion offers it self They can either wheedle Authority into pity and forbearance upon the account that they are so inconsiderable as that no danger can possibly be feared from them Or otherwise they can Hectour Authority as being so considerable as that there is no danger so great but if they are disobliged it may reasonably be feared from them In the second Place is it any wonder that these men do appear in some Numbers considering how easily many honest well-meaning Persons may be seduced by the Zeal and vehemence of some who are seduced themselves and the various Arts of others whose great design is to seduce as many as they can possibly And again are there not some Remainders of the Old Army yet alive Committee-men Sequestrators Purchasers of Crown and Church Lands and otherwise interested in the late Rebellion besides vast Multitudes of the Common People depending on them who must needs be glad of so many Solemn Occasions of meeting one another by which they keep up their Acquaintance and Correspondence and put a very serious face upon their goad old Cause and find many opportunities to he mutually serviceable to one another in
their private Affairs and of joyning Counsels against the Publick And do they not breed up their Children and Relations in the very same Principles with themselves Now the greater Numbers there are of such People so much the greater care there ought to be taken that they be not permitted to meet together The Meeting-place is very well fitted for a Religious Rendevouz and the Spiritual Master of the Camp may not only deliver out his Orders at the same time with but may stamp upon them the Authority of the Oracles of God But in the next Place if the Government would please but to own it self the Numbers of these men would presently appear to be very inconsiderable and this hath no oftner been tryed than it hath been found to have been accompanied with good effect In Queen Elizabeths Dayes these mens Predecessours were very troublesome made grat noise with their great Numbers and the great dangers which would arise by disobliging them and they had some great Favourers in Court upon some accounts which were not very Religious but when by reason of their Insolent Provocation in the Year 1588. When the Queen was in all her Fears from the Spanish Armado and in a condition as they thought to deny them Nothing they so far provoked Her as to alienate Her Mind for ever from them Their boasted of Numbers did immediately abate and the Laws were immediately submitted to as soon as ever they did perceive that it was but in vain to think of longer triffling with them So likewise it hapned in King Iames His Dayes their loud Clamours were presently silenced as soon as ever the King declared Himself resolute at the Conference at Hampton-Court Nor would the Act of Uniformity have had any less effect if it had not been accompanied with a general Discourse at the same time of a Toleration to follow immediately upon it And I appeal to the Consciences of several of the Preachers in the Separated Congregations whether they did not leave their Livings upon this very hope which without it they would have never done Besides the Numbers of the Dissenters ought by no means to be looked upon as an Argument for Toleration by any because it is not looked upon as such by themselves This very Point being a thing about which themselves are highly divided and would by no means if they could help it grant to one another But besides their Numbers they are now to be considered in point of Merit but this is a part of the Argument in which I do delight so very little as that I must gratifie my own temper so far as to say very little in it The Faults of other men are things which I by no means delight to dwell upon even when it is necessary I take it to be very irksome As they are particular Persons I have nothing to say to any one of them and whatever Degrees any of them have attained to in Piety and Virtue in any kind of Intellectual Moral and Religious Accomplishments I pray God that they may every day increase more and more in them and that both here and hereafter they may receive the comfort and reward of whatever is truly good in them But as they are a Party I take it to be very clear that their Merit hath not been very great either to the Crown or Nation and in this it were easie to be very large for one who delights in that which to me is a very ungrateful Employment In the Histories of Queen Elizabeth King Iames King Charles the First there is too much to be found on this Argument and His Majesty which now is when He was in the Hands of these men what Usage He did receive from them though His Royal Clemency hath been graciously pleased to pardon yet His Loyal Subjects have not quite forgot it As to the next Pretence that it is adviseable to grant these men an Indulgence at this time by reason of the great assistance which they are able to afford us against Popery This is such an Objection which the Regular Sons of the Church will scarce be able to refrain themselves from looking upon without some Indignation The Writings of the Bishops and Episcopal Divines have hitherto been had in great Esteem over all the Reformation no men thought to have had a better Cause to defend no men looked upon as better able to defend it Not to mention the many Worthies in Queen Elizabeth and King Iames His Dayes whose Names are both at home and abroad had in great and deserved Honour I shall only mention some few who since the beginning of the present Controversie have wrote against the Puritans as well as Papists and accordingly have fell under the Indignation of both Parties viz. Arch-Bishop Laud Arch-Bishop Bramhal Bishop Taylor Doctor Hammond and Mr. Chillingworth How many Ages will the Nonconformists take to breed up a man equal to any one of these Bishop Sanderson a Person of known Learning and Judgment in a Preface to a Body of Sermons Printed some Years before His Majesties Return takes occasion to declare his Opinion concerning the Controversie between the Church of England and Church of Rome as it useth to be handled by the Non-Conformists his Words are these That they preach against Popery I not at all mislike only I could wish that these two Cautions were better observed served than as far as I can conjecture of the Rest by the proportion of what hath come to my Knowledge I fear they usually are by the more zealous of that Party First that they do not through Ignorance Prejudice or Precipitancy call that Popery which is not and then under that name and notion preach against it and then Secondly that they would do it with less noyse and more weight c. Now it is well known that Bishop Sanderson was a Person of great Learning and Judgment and withall a Person of very great Humility and Modesty and who did very little delight in undervaluing the meanest Person living and yet he expresseth his Thoughts concerning the Writings of the Non-Conformists against the Church of Rome to be liable to these two not inconsiderable Defects First that they did not understand the Question Secondly that they did not know how to pitch upon such Arguments as were fit to be made use of And withall some Pages afterwards he adds this That even in these times of great Distraction and Consequently thereunto of so great advantage for the Factors for Rome none have stept into the Gap more readily nor appeared in the face of the Enemy more openly nor maintained the Fight with more stoutness and gallantry than the Episcopal Divines have done as their late Learned Writings testifie yea and some of them such as beside their other sufferings have layen as deep under the suspicion of being Popishly affected aâ— any other of their Brethren whatsoever That by the Endeavours of these Episcopal Divines some that were bred Papists have
which have no manner of relation to Liberty of Conscience and which would have the same effect without it as they can possibly have by it As to our selves and our present Case there are but three Things which I can learn pretended by reason of which it is possible to be supposed that the putting the Act against Conventicles in Execution can draw any prejudice upon Trade First that Merchants who are not willing to conform will not come over and settle in England Secondly that the most eminent Traders being Non-conformists they will either forbear Trading to the utter undoing of all such Workmen as Weavers c. who do depend upon them or leave the Kingdom and carry their profitable Trades along with them which will bring a great decay of Trade here and carry away that benefit which England might have received to that whatever Country they shall please to settle in Thirdly That Merchants beyond Sea as Roman Catholicks c. will not be easily perswaded to trust their Estates in the hands of those who are not of their own Religion and they who are being lyable to such Prosecutions as by our Laws they are liable unto will be fearful of having any Estates in their own hands and look upon it as more adviseable to forbear Trading rather than to be liable to so many Difficulties These are the three most considerable Objections which I have hitherto been able to meet with and to each of these I have this to offer by way of return As to the first that this severity will discourage Forraign Merchants from comming over to us It is a mistake to think that the Church of England is such a Bug bear to the rest of the Reformation as that the Religion of that is looked upon as sufficient Cause to hinder any great Numbers of valuable Persons from coming over to dwell in the Nation It is by no means clear that any store of them do at this time desire to transplant hither and if they did it is more than possible that some other of our Civil Constitutions may be greater bars in their way than the Act against Conventicles and particularly the want of a Register And that Person must have more than ordinary Intelligence who can be able to secure us that there are such Numbers of considerable Merchants at this time designing to come over and are diverted only by the News of the Bill against Conventicles going to be put into Execution as that the advantage and addition of those Persons and that Trade to the Nation should be 〈◊〉 great as to overbalance those many and unavoidable Inconveniencies which I have already shewed that Religion and Government must be exposed to by the grant of Liberty of Conscience It doth not remain in our Memories that in Cromwel's time when there was Liberty given to all except Papists and Prelatists that any were by that Liberty encouraged to come over at least not any such number as to be considerable But suppose it should so happen that some Eminent Merchants should design to come over I could never yet hear nor am I wise enough to think upon any reason why the Act against Conventicles should more fright them from England than the Inquisition doth from other Countries as Spain Italy and Portugal and yet in those Countries Merchants have their Factories and drive their greatest Trade Besides strangers Merchants have as much encouragement in this particular as can reasonably be desired the French have their Church the Dutch theirs nay even the Iews have theirs and all Aliens of 〈◊〉 Reformation have even by the very Act of Uniformity an express provision made for them as to the enjoyment of their own way of Worship at the pleasure of His Majesty and if they do meet and keep to their own Language they need fear no more in this Country than in any other As to the second Thing alledged that if the Act against Conventicles be put in Execution the most Eminent Traders being Non-Conformists they will leave off Trading and by that means undo all sorts of Workmen who do depend upon them and not only so but leave the Nation and carry their Trades away along with them Now that this is a thing of more Noise than Weight will appear if we examine it with a little Care That some eminent Merchants are Non-conformists is undoubtedly True but that the most eminent are so I am sure is not true and could easily make it appear if it were fit to mention the Names of particular Persons But so far as it is true doth any man in his wits imagine that the Act against Conventicles will make them either quit their profitable Trades or fright them out of the Kingdom It doth neither condemn them to be hanged nor burned neither doth it so much as touch their Persons or Estates for being Non-conformists but permits them to be of what Religion they please and alloweth them the free exercise of their Religion in their Families It cannot therefore be easily imagined that People will be so far out of their wits though I must confess that Fanaticism will go a great way toward putting them out of them as to leave their settled and profitable Trades their Native Country Relations and Friends only because they cannot publickly shew the exercise of their Mode of Worship whereas they may freely enjoy it in their own Families and be known to do so without the least interruption in any of the forementioned Conveniencies Especially considering that Merchants of that Eminency that their Case deserves to be taken notice of in a case of this Publick concern now under debate are very well able to keep Ministers in thier own Houses and may do it with far less charge and prejudice than either going into some other Countrey or the forbearance of their Trades will put them to But I shall for once suppose two Things whereof the first is evidently not true the second not at all likely That the most Eminent Merchants are Non-Conformists and that upon that account they will forbear Trading But even upon these Terms it is to be hoped that those they deal with will not be utterly undone whatever may be pretended For put the Case that three or four of the most Eminent Merchants should dy or which I wish did never happen break every dayes experience shews us that the Clothiers they deal with and consequently the Weavers and other Workmen depending upon them are not presently ruined or so much as out of employment but do immediately find other Merchants to deal with the Trades of those who either give over Trading or dy being alwayes continued by their Sons or Partners or shared amongst those who have been their Servants or other Merchants who deal in the same Commodity and to the same Places But suppose that the putting the Laws in Execution should so far distract any Numbers as to make them run out of the Kingdom Let it be considered
whither they will run only into Holland where they cannot more freely enjoy the exercise of their Religion in their own Families nor converse more freely with one another about it than they may do here in England All the difference is that here they cannot meet in great Numbers and I leave it even to the Non-Conformists themselves to Judge whether that one Conveniency of Meeting in great Numbers be a sufficient enticement to any rational man to exchange England for Holland But put the Case that they do go into Holland or into some other Country I did never yet meet with any man who could demonstrate to me how they could carry away their Trade of Merchandizing though they were never so willing live in Holland they may and drive their usual Trades here in England by their Correspondents in which Case the Nation will only loose the common profit of their eating drinking and wearing But to carry away the Trade of the Nation with them is not possible if they leave any Merchants behind as I am sure they will many more and more considerable than any who will go away and by withdrawing themselves into other Countries they will but leave their Trades to be shared amongst better men and better Subjects so that by leaving the Kingdom instead of prejudicing they would occasion a very great blessing unto it by carrying away with them the Divisions but not at all the Trade of the Nation When the Act against Conventicles was first made this Argument against it from Trade was much insisted on and I remember a Story was raised about some great Dealers in the West who had with-drawn their stock left off all business by which means vast Numbers of poor People who did depend on them were utterly undone This Matter seemed so considerable as that several of the most Eminent Persons in the Nation did meet together to consult about a remedy for so great and as it was said so growing an evil But when this Matter came to be enquired into I could never learn that it had any thing more than a great deal of noise in it There is an eminent City in this Nation inferiour perhaps to none except London wherein this Artifice was made use of to fright the Magistrates from suppressing the Conventicles A great rumour was spread up and down that if they might not have Liberty to meet as formerly then they would all with-draw their Stocks which would be a great detriment to His Majesty and a vast loss to the City and leave the Poor to be provided for by their respective Parishes But the Raisers of all this Clamour did quickly find that they had to do with those who were at least as great Masters of Trade as themselves and accordingly it was undertaken by those who were very well able to make it good that if the Dissenters did think fit to withdraw their Stocks there should immediate care be taken that the Trade of the City should be carried on to the very same height which it was at without the least abatement or leaving any one Work-man out of as good an Employment as he had before It was so far from being feared that it was desired that they would withdraw their Stocks and that they may be the better encouraged to the so doing provided that they would give Security that they will not Trade at all neither by themselves or others for them nor in other mens Names they shall at any time have a good sum of money given them if that may move them to it Let us not be vainly afraid where no fear is Do we know the Non-Conformists no better than so that we should suspect them of being apt to give over their profitable Trades It had been a more rational Jealousie to have looked upon them as more intent upon any imaginable way of getting of Money than on any Settlement of Religion of what sort soever And perhaps it would be not only no ill Experiment to destroy this Argument but withall as likely a way to reduce them as any which can be thought upon if there were a Law That those who refuse to conform or at least who meet at Conventicles should not be permitted to Trade Such a Law indeed would be terrible to them and I hope the bare mention of it will make them forbear to use this kind of threatning us with that which to themselves alone will be if at all dreadful As to the third Objection That Merchants beyond Seas as Roman Catholicks c. will be afraid to trust their Estates in the hands of those who are not of their own Religion c. It is of so little weight as to require but a very few words it being evident that all kinds of Merchants at this day do correspond and alwayes have corresponded with others not of their own Religion Papists with Protestants Protestants with Papists c. What other Pretences there are in this Case wherein Trade may seem concerned I do not at present call to mind and therefore shall go on to the next suggestion why a Toleration of several wayes of Religion may not do as well here as it doth amongst our Neighbours in France and Holland As to France the different Professions of Religion there hath not been without many sad effects upon both Parties and hath so sanctified the Animosities on each side that it hath prevailed upon both out of Zeal to God to let Aliens and Enemies into the Bowels of their Native Country But their Case and ours is vastly different the Hugonots who are there tolerated have those Merits to plead which our Non Conformists have not and besides they do not divide into several Communions among themselves neither would any such thing be permitted either by the Government or by the Reformed Church it self As to Holland Liberty of Conscience is a thing which they were not brought to admit of by second Thoughts and after mature Deliberation but were necessitated upon by the Nature of that Cause upon which they first united among themselves and the Constitution of that Government they fell into One part of their Cause was a Deliverance from the Impositions of the Church of Rome as exercised after the imperious manner of the Spanish Government Now Liberty in matters of Conscience was the most natural Word in the World in this Case to be made use of Freedom from the present Pressures was the thing immediately in their Eye and many of their Neighbours at the same time had the same Aim And as they were then only agreed what they would not have but not at all what they would have they invited all that all might come to their Assistance But besides this one Religion was not easie to be brought into so many several Independent Governments as go to the making up of those States For as Sr. William Temple tells us Chap. 2. of their Government p. 75. They are not a Common-wealth but a Confederacy of
1662. where there is a full State of this Affair drawn up with an equal height of Piety and Wisdom the Reasons full and clear carrying in them all the Advantages of Strength and Evidence Those Renowned Gentlemen did then shew that they were able with their Pens to give an account of that Cause for which very many of themselves and Fathers did honourably draw their Swords and knew very well how to assert that Church by all the Rules of Christian Prudence as well as they did formerly set inimitable Patterns of Christian Courage in suffering for it There we may see and admire how those Glorious Worthies came up to the greatness of themselves and of the Argument and indeed they were both worthy of one another they to defend and that to be defended and as nothing was ever better penned than those Reasons so there was scarce ever a better Occasion the best Church in Europe was then bore witness to by the best House of Commons which ever sat in this Nation Those Votes shall for ever remain as a lasting Monument as of the Zeal and Religion so of the incomparable Endowments and Abilities of those who drew them up And now I shall presume to offer a few words to our dissenting Brethren that they would seriously bethink themselves what the Causes of their Separation are how few how slight that they would with them compare the Effects of it what they have been what they are what they may come to be Such things have already been brought about in Church and State by means of those Divisions which the soberest among you did begin and foment and none but they were valuable enough to give Support and Countenance unto as they themselves we are perswaded did not intend nor would fore-see till they found it too late for to prevent them Alterations are things which the Generality are naturally apt to be very fond of but it is very seldom and for a very little while that they are found to answer the hopes conceived of them Indeed if it were once agreed upon what those things were which would give a general satisfaction and put an absolute end to this long and uhappy Controversie such a Proposal were at least worth a Consideration But if there be as great variety of Demands as Persons and if it be as earnestly desired among great Numbers that their Neighbours should not be indulged as that themselves should and we have for many years found it by a dear bought Experience that when men are once gone beyond the Rule they wander every where and without end why should you not at last look upon it as adviseable to return to the Rule again Especially considering that those of the greatest Consideration among you are not against the having any Rule at all neither as yet have you been able to agree upon any other If it be to be wished that there should be any Church at all that Church must have Articles and must have Canons there is not the smallest Society in the World can be kept together in order to the meanest end but there must be some Rules which all its Members must submit unto and be guided by If therefore there ought to be kept up among us any such thing as the Assembling our selves together in order to the Publick Worship of Almighty God then this must be done at some time in some place and after some manner in some words and by some Person appointed to attend upon the doing it Now if there be nothing of all this left to be determined by humane Wisdom and Authority but that this whole Thing with every one of all the Circumstances of it are already determined in Holy Writ The Church of England would be so far from opposing any thing of this that she would gladly conform in all particulars to these divine Establishments and would be hugely thankful to any of our dissenting Brethren if they will please to shew her whereabouts she may read the Form of publick Worship and withal the precise Method of that Order and Decency which ought to be used in it For she hath been hitherto so unhappy as not to know of any but general Directions which she hath endeavoured with all Faithfulness to pursue But after this Discovery she will take care that her Children shall serve God in no other way than that of his own immediate appointment if she can but once learn Directions where to meet with it But if there be no such way of Worship both for the thing it self and all its Circumstances prescribed by God then so much of it as is not done by God must unavoidably be done by such men whom God hath set over us and who in such Cases are to be to us instead of God And let us consider that the Ceremonies which are retained are very few very ancient and very becoming and to prevent all jealousies of the least manner of Superstition in the retaining them the Church hath taken care to declare against all the Abuses which they were liable unto in the times of Popery You value your selves upon being Successors to the old Puritans but do you imagine that they would in the least have allowed many of those things which you have been the Authors of or at least of which you have been the Instruments and into which we hope you were not brought by any formed Resolutions of your own but driven upon by those necessities in your affairs which your Zeal had unawares drawn you into Instead therefore of being jealous of any concealed mischiefs in a few decent Rites and comely Usages you are highly concerned to remember what have been the Evils of your own Schism which you know your selves to have begun and we are willing to believe did not see to the dismal end of and which upon your own Principles you will never be able to provide against The Liberties which you take have encouraged and defended others in taking such Liberties as no doubt you have been often sorry to see your selves undeniably alledged as Patrons and Examples of And unless you can alledge some more necessary Causes of Separation than you hitherto have been able you must be very partial Judges in your own Case if you do not look upon your selves as responsible for the Consequences of all those Separations which by your Arms and Authority any else was enabled to make first with you and after from you Whatever suspicions you may entertain concerning Conformity you will never be able to make a Bar strong enough to keep out the dreadful Effects of Non-conformity If no Settlement is to be complied with but such a one which each particular Man doth in his own private thoughts take to be the most adviseable in all respects as to Matter and Circumstance and no longer than it doth appear to be so then there is never like to be any Settlement in the World at least not of any long Continuance I shall in
Hearts no manner of zeal for or against any Form of Religion any farther than as theiâ— other Ends and Designs were carried on by it I shall readily grant it him â—ay I shall say this farther That besides Religion the Civil Rights of the Nation were but plausible Colours by which the Leading Men of that Party did set off their other Ends such as Revenge Humour Discontent Covetousness and Ambition And this they were told publickly by one whom they knew to be able to make it good in the excellent Declaration of Aug. 12. 1642. Themselves know what Overtures have been made by them and with what Importunity for Offices and Preferments what great Services should have been done for us and what other undertakings were even to the saving the Life of the Earl of Strafford if we would confer such Offices upon them But that Religion was the thing which they did make shew of and by which they drew abundance of well meaning but deluded People to their assistanâ—â— is so plain and known so publickly that it is no little wonder that any should offer to outsâ—â—â— the Nation in so noâ—â—â—ious a Case Did not every Press and every Pulpit declare against Episcopacy Liturgy and Cereâ—onies Did not the Lords and Commons by their Votes of March 12. 1642. resolve upon the Question That an Army be forthwith raised for the Safety of the Kings Person c. and PRESERVING THE TRUE RELIGION c. Did they not in Iuly following put forth a Delaration concerning the miserable Distractions and Grievances this Kingdom now lieth in by means of JESUITICAL and wicked Cousellours now about his Majesty wherein they tell us over and over again of the Protestant Religion a great Change of Religion That they should be for ever earnest to prevent â— Civil War and those miserable Effects which it must needs produce if they may be avoided without the Alteration of RELIGION c. And in their Resolutions to live and die with the Earl of Essex they tell us That their Army was raised for the MAINTENANCE of the TRUE PROTESTANT RELIGION The Plaâ—e Wedding-rings Thimbles and Bodkins had never been brought in if it had not been that the Cause was so often called the Cause of God Let any man read the Remonstrances and Declarations of the Two Houses and then see whether Religion was not one of those things which they all along declared their Zeal for and accordingly in all the Parliaments Quarters the poor Surplice the Organs and the Common Prayer-book were the first Objects of all their Fury But because this present Design of Comprehension is particularly intended to gratifie some Clergy-men let us enquire under what name they recommended the War unto the People Was it not under the name of Gods Cause the setting Christ on his Throne fighting the Lords Battels There is a Collection of their Sermons Printed which will not suffer any Man to doubt of this out of which there is enough gathered to this purpose in Evangelium Armatum And This Mr. Baxter hath in a late Book confessed as to himself When the Wars began though the Cause it self lay iâ— Controversies between King and Parliament yet the thoughts that the Church and Godliness it self was deeply in danger by Persecution and Arminiaâ—isâ— did much more to byass me to the Parliaments side than the Civil Interest which at the heart I little regarded This Author likewise confesseth That whatever was the Cause at the first it soon became a War for Religion And Mr. Love a Person mentioned by this Author as one of great Merit in his Sermon at the Vxbridge Treaty complains of the so long letting alone the Two Plague-sores of Episcopacy and Common Prayer-Book The Seventh Proposition is this That the Parliamentarians in the beginning of our Troubles declared to abhorr and detest all Designs of deposing and murthering his Late Sacred Majesty That they did declare against any such thing I readily grant and amongst other Reasons for this laid down by our Author That it had been else impossible for them to have gained the people as they did But that there were among the chief Contrivers of the Wars Those who had a design upon the Kings Crown and Life is a thing where of there is great Evidence If it be lawful to fight with a King why is it not lawful to kill him Swords and Bullets are Things which are by no means to be used against that Person which we think we ought not to destroy And of the great danger which his Majesties Person was in at the Battel at Edge-hill himself hath informed us in a Declaration on that Subject And in the Remonstrance of May 26. 1642. the Lords and Commons did plainly assume to themselves a Right to depose the King in these words If we should make the highest Precedents of former Parliaments our Patterns there would be no cause to complain of want of Modesty and Duty in us when we have not so much as suffered those things to enter into our thoughts which all the World knows they put in act In which words there is thus much plainly contained That whatever former Parliaments have done they take themselves to have a Right to do Now former Parliaments have been over-awed into the deposing of Kings Now that they had their Eyes upon those particular Proceedings of former Parliaments appears by those Words All the World knows what they put in act His Majesty in His Answer to that Declaration of theirs tells us of two Gentlemen who said publickly unreproved in the Parliament House one That the Hâ—ppiness of this Kingdom did not depend upon Him or upon any of the Royal Branches of that Root Another That He was not worthy to be King of England And as for the Royal Power it was plainly demanded from him in the Nineteen Propositions The Eighth Consideration is this That the Non-conforming Presbyteriâ—â—â— had both their hearts and hands in the Restauration of His Majesty to His Royal Throne for which Mr. Love and Mr. Gibbons lost their Heads Of all things I should least have eâ—pected that the Advocates for the Presbyterians should have insisted upon their Merits to His Majesty or the Royal Family for which their best Apology is the Act of Oblivion and if they would have insisted yet however methinks they should of all men not have made Mr. Love the Person to have insisted on As for that Party of the Scots which he corresponded with it is no Part of their Wisdom to remind His Majesty of the Usage which he found from them As to Mr. Love the Learned Author of Saâ—aritanism hath informed us p. 152. That at the Execution of Archbishop Laâ—d he uttered these Words with great Triumph Art thou come Little Will I am glad to see thee here and hope to see the nest of the Bishops here e're long and having dipped his Handkerchief in his blood he rode with it to Vxbridge and used these Words Here is the