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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A53728 Some considerations about union among Protestants, and the preservation of the interest of the Protestant religion in this nation Owen, John, 1616-1683. 1680 (1680) Wing O807A; ESTC R20887 7,750 16

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the sustentation and preservation thereof being things otherwise that belong not to Christian Religion This began this will perpetuate our Divisions which will not be healed whil'st it is continued And whil'st the two Parties of Papists and Protestants are at this day contending as it were for life soul and being the long continued Design of the former under various pretences and by great variety of Attempts being come unto its fatal Tryal as unto its Issue It will not be thought meet by wise men whose entire Interest in Religion and the Liberties of the Nation are concerned in this contest to continue the Body of Protestants in Divisions with mutual Animosities and the distrust of Multitudes on such unnecessary Occasions 3. Whereas by vertue of this State and Constitution sundry Persons are interested in Honours Dignities Power and wealth in all which they have an immediate and not meerly legal Dependance on the King since their Separation from the Pope they have constantly made it their business to promote absolute Monarchical Power without respect unto the true Constitution of the Government of this Nation which in sundry Instances hath been disadvantageous to Kings themselves as well as an Incumbrance to the People in Parliament For although their Constitution doth really entrench upon the Kings legal Power in the Administration of their Jurisdiction yet to secure their own Interests and to make a seeming compensation for that Encroachment many of them have contended for that absolute Power in the King which he never owned nor assumed unto himself 9. The Evils and Inconveniencies of this Constitution of an Authoritative National Church State have been greatly encreased and propagated in this Nation as unto the heightening of Divisions among Protestants by the endeavours that have been to confirm and continue this State in an extraordinary way such were the Oath called c. and the late Oath at Oxford whereon many ●ober peaceable Protestant Ministers have been troubled and some utterly ruined which hath much provoked the Indignation of the People against those who occasioned that Law and for whose sake it was enacted and encreased the suspition that those who manage these things would have men believe that their State and Rule is as sacred as the Crown or Religion itself unto the great disparagement of them both which things are effectual engines to expell all Peace and Union among Protestants 10 Those who are for the Presbyterian Form of an Authoritative National Church State do indeed cut off and cast away most of those things which are the matter of contest between the present dissenting Parties and so make a nearer approach towards a firm Union among all Protestants than the other do yet such an Authoritative Church State in that form is neither proper for nor possible unto this Nation nor consistent with that Preheminence of the Crown that Liberty of the Subjects and freedom of the Consciences of Christians which are their due But this being not much among us pretended unto it need not further be spoken of 11. It is evident therefore that whil'st the Evils enumerated are not separated from the present Authoritative National Church Constitution but the powers of it are put in execution and the ends of it pursued it is altogether vain to expect Peace and Union among Protestants in England it neither hath been so nor ever will be so fire and faggot will not be able to effect it Who shall reconcile the endless differences that are and have been about the Power Courts and Jurisdictions of this Church State whether they be agreeable unto the Laws of the Land and Liberty of the Subjects The fixed Judgement of many that they have no legal Authority at present nor any Power given them by the Law of the Land whereon they dare not submit unto them is no less chargeable dangerous and pernicious unto them than are their uncouth Vexations and illegal Proceedings unto them who are unwillingly forced to submit unto them And whatever may be expected the People of this Nation will never be contented that their Persons Goods or Liberties shall be made Subject unto any Law but the Publick Royal Law of the Kingdom administred in legal Courts of Justice Who shall undertake that all Christians or Protestants in this Nation shall ever submit their consciences and practices to a multitude of Impositions no way warranted in the Scriptures Or how any of the other evils that are the causes of all our Divisions shall be removed cannot easily be declared 12. If it shall be said that if this Authoritative National Church State should be removed and no other of another form set up in the room of it or be divested of the Powers claimed at present by it it will be impossible to preserve the Protestant Religion amongst us to keep Uniformity in the Profession of it and Agreement amongst its Professors It is answered 1 Nothing ought to be removed but what is a real Cause or unnecessary Occasion at least of all the difformity and disorder that is amongst us and is likely so to continue 2 That whil'st we have a Protestant King and a Protestant Parliament Protestant Magistrates and Protestant Ministers with the due care of the Nation that they may so continue and a Protestant confession of Faith duely adhered unto I shall not under the blessing of the Holy Providence fear the Preservation of the Protestant Religion and Interest in England without any recourse unto such a Church Power as fills all with Divisions This I say is that Church of England which is the principal Bullwark of the Protestant Religion and Interest in Europe namely a Protestant King a Protestant Parliament Protestant Magistrates Protestant Ministers a Protestant confession of faith established by Law with the cordial agreement of the Body of the People in all these things esteeming the Protestant Religion and its Profession their chief Interest in this world To suppose that a few men having obtained Honours Dignities and Revenues unto themselves exercising a Power and Authority highly questionable whether legal or no unto their own advantage oppressive unto the People and by all means perpetuating Differences among Protestants are that Church of England which is justly esteemed the Bullwark of the Protestant Religion is an high and palpable mistake The Church of England as unto its National Interest in the Preservation of the Protestant Religion is not only separable from it but weakned by it Yea if there be such a National Constitution as in its own nature and by the secular advantages which it supplies men withal enclines them to prefer their own Interest above that of the Protestant Religion in general it will always endanger that Religion in any Nation For hereon they will judge when they are pressed on any occasion or circumstance of Affairs that it is better to preserve their own Interest by vertue of some Dispensations securing unto them their Power and secular advantages than to venture all by
a rigid contest for the Protestant Religion Nor is it morally possible that ever Popery should return into this or any other Nation but under the Conduct of such a Church Constitution without this it hath no prevalent engine but meer force war and oppression But if the Interest of Popery can possess this Church-State either by the Inclinations of them or the greater number of them who have the management of it or by their Dependance as unto their Interest on the supream Authority if that happen in any age to give countenance thereunto the whole Nation will quickly be insensibly influenced and betrayed into Popery as it were they know not how Hence have been such National Conversions to and fro in England as have been in no other places or Countries in the World For the Care of the publicks Preservation of Religion being as it is supposed entrusted in this Church-State and the Managers of it if by any means it be possessed by Popery or influenced by a Popish Prince the Religion of the whole Nation will be lost immediately For as unto all other Ministers who have the immediate Guidance of the People they will suppose that they can do nothing of themselves in this mattter but are only obliged unto the conduct of the Church-State itself And having their station therein alone and depending thereon they may easily be either seduced by their Interest or excluded from their Duty by the Power of that Church State whereunto they are Subject By this means the whole Interest of the Protestant Religion in this Nation as unto its Preservation depends on such a State as being the concernment of a few and those such as have an especial Interest of their own distinct from that of the Protestant Religion in General may be easily possessed by Popery and probably would be so if they should have a Popish Prince to influence them But whereas the People are now possessed and fully persuaded of the Truth of Protestant Religion if there be no publick Machine or Engines insensibly to turn about the whole Body of them but they must be dealt withal individually or parochially it will as was said be morally impossible that ever Popery should become the Religion of this Nation any other way but by the Destruction or Killing of the present Inhabitants Allow that the Church-State supposed may in those who have the Trust and Power of it be seduced corrupted or any way induced or disposed unto the Interest of Popery as it may be It is possible some individual Persons may be found that for the sake of Truth will expose their Lives to the stake or otherwise So did many in the days of Queen Mary though now esteemed by not a few foolish Zealots for their pains But the body of the People through their various legal Relations unto this Church-State deserting the care of their own Preservation by their Trust in the conduct thereof whereunto they are unavoidably compelled will quickly be inveagled so as not to be able to extricate themselves But set them at Liberty so as that every Parliament every Magistrate every Minister every good Christian may judge that that the Preservation of their Religion is their own Duty in all their capacities and Popery with all its Arts will know neither how to begin nor how to proceed with them If then there were no such Church State as being in the Management of a few is seduceable and not difficult to be possessed by the Interest of Popery whereby the whole Nation would be at once betrayed the Protestant Religion is now so firmly seated in the Minds of the People so countenanced by Law so esteemed by all to be the Principal Interest of the Nation that the wit of all the Jesuits of the world knows not how to attaque it much less endanger it which if there be need shall be further demonstrated 13. Nor is it a Matter of Art or difficulty to declare a way for the security of the Protestant Religion with the Rights of the Government and Liberties of the Subjects with the due Freedom of Conscience without any such Church-State but it is what the Principles of Religion common Prudence and the honest Interest of the Nation do direct unto as to instance in the things that are most material unto that end 1. Let a solemn Renunciation of Popery suited unto the General Principles of the Protestant Religion be established by Law to be made publickly by every Person that is to partake of the Rights and Priviledges already confirmed unto that Religion or which afterwards shall be so to be renewed as occasion shall require 2. Let there be one solemn stated Confession of the Christian Protestant Faith such as is the Doctrine of the Articles of the Church of England especially as explained in the publick authorized writings of the Church in the Days of Queen Elizabeth and King James before the Inroad of Novel Opinions among us to be subscribed by all enjoying a publick Ministry 3. Let the Magistrate assume unto himself the exercise of his just Power in the Preservation of the publick Peace in all Instances in the Encouragement and Protection of the Professors of the Protestant Religion in securing unto all men their Legal Rights already granted unto them in their several places and stations in the Punishment of all Crimes cognoscible by humane Judgement in deposing of men from their Enjoyments or Priviledges which they hold on any condition as suppose their Orthodox Profession of the Protestant Religion if they fail in or fall from the Performance of it leaving only things purely Spiritual and Evangelical to the care and Power of the Churches and all litigious causes of what sort soever with the infliction of all outward Penalties unto the Determination of the Laws of the Land and a great Progress will be made towards Order and Peace amongst us 4. Yea these few things in general are only needful thereunto 1 Let the King and Parliament secure the Protestant Religion as it is the publick Interest of the Nation against all Attempts of the Papacy for its Destruction with proper Laws and their due execution 2 Let the Wisdom and Power of the Nation in the Supream and Subordinate Magistrates be exerted in the rule of all Persons and Causes Civil and Criminal by one and the same Law of the Land in a Complyance wherewith the Allegiance of the Subject unto the King doth consist without which Government will never be well fixed on its proper and immoveable Basis. 3 That Provision be made for the sedulous Preaching of the Gospel in all Parts and Places of the Land or all Parochial Churches the care whereof is incumbent on the Magistrates 4 Let the Church be protected in the exercise of its Spiritual Power by Spiritual means only as Preaching of the Word Administration of the Sacraments and the like whatever is farther pretended as necessary unto any of the ends of true Religion or its preservation in the Nation is but a Cover for the Negligence Idleness and Insufficiency of some of the Clergy who would have a● outward apearance of effecting that by external force which themselves by diligent Prayer sedulous Preaching of the Word and an exemplary Conversation ought to labour for in the Hearts of Men. 5. It is evident that hereon all causes of Jealousies animosities and strifes among the Protestants would be taken away all Complaints of oppression by Courts and Jurisdictions not owned by the People be prevented all Encroachments on the Consciences of men which are and will be an endless and irreconcileable cause of Difference among us be obviated all ability to controul or disturb the Power and Priviledge of Kings in their Persons or Rule and all Temptations to exalt their Power in Absoluteness above the Law will be removed so as that by the Blessing of God Peace and Love may be preserved among all true Protestants And if there do ensue hereon some Variety in outward Rites and Observations as there was in all the Primitive Churches who pleaded that the Unity of Faith was commended and not at all impeached by such varieties yet whil'st the same Doctrine of Truth is preached in all places the same Sacraments only administred wherein every Protestant Subject of the Nation will be at Liberty to joyn in Protestant Christian Worship and to partake of all Church Ordinances in the outward way and according unto the outward Rites of his own choosing without the Authoritative examination or Prohibition of any pretended Church Power but what in his own Judgement he doth embrace no Inconvenience will follow hereon unless it be judged such that the Protestant Roligion the Liberty of the Subjects and the due Freedom of the Consciences of men sober and peaceable will be all preserved FINIS