people rooting out all private Meetings enforcing people to come to hear the Common-Prayer and to conform to the Ceremonies and hear their Parish-Ministers and receive the Sacrament with them 2. The Second is by taking off these Impositione which all agree to be of things not in their own nature necessary but such as the Magistrate may if he pleaseth relax For the first method to unite us it is a strange one it aims only at uniting by destroying and purchases such a Church-Vnity as the Papists boast of who by destroying of hundred thousands of righteous men at last made all of one mind in appearance The experience of more then 100 years hath taught us that multitudes are neither to be argued nor cudgelled into their conformity The multitude of Nonconformists hath increased all a long in stead of abateing even from the first beginning of the difference at Francfurt to this day and he is very ignorant that knoweth not that since the fire of London they have been almost doubled to what they were before Nor hath the warmth of many Clergymen of late in decrying the Plot or lessening it and indeavouring to make people believe it was a Nonconformist Plot a little contributed to let the world know what they are and would be at Would any have these impositions still inforced what can they pursue but the old design of Reconciling us and the Church of Rome in which the Papists will listen to them till they have ripen'd a design to cut their throats as well as other mens but those are mightily ignorant of Popish principles that can so much as fancy a possibility of reconciliation with them so long as we maintain the Kings Supremacy or a married Clergy so that in truth a reconciliation to the Church of Rome is a thing not to be thought on by a married Clergyman unless he be weary of his wife and children nor by a Loyal Subject that understands sense The Vnion must therefore be effected by taking off these impositions which now for an hundred years have produced so ill effects in this Nation It is easy to see how great the good of this would be We should all then be known by the single name of Protestants and be hearty as one man in opposition to all Popish designs Our Civil and Ecolesiastical Courts might possibly then be at leisure to execute the power with which they are betrusted against Papists and profane persons Sober and industrious men would be encouraged to push out in trading to their utmost There would be no complaining in our streets for want of the Ordinances of God so administred as that concientious people might freely partake of them without so much as a fancy that might make them call out Death is in the pot and sit at the Lords feasts without so much as a jealousy of a Divine Sword hanging over their heads spoiling their Spiritual appetite In short it would restore us to one of the greatest pieces of Christian liberty To serve the Lord without fear either of offending God whom they know in matters of Worship to be a jealous God or of being undone in their temporal concerns for the exercise of a tender conscience towards God All good men should rejoice under the shadow of the King and Parliament and unite their Prayers with chearfulness for both What would be the Evil of it The foundations of Archbishop Whitgift and Archbishop Laud and my Lord Chancellor Hide the buildings upon which hath hitherto been kept up with no less guard than the trouble of all the Courts of Judicature in England would be something shaken and our foundations laid upon the word of God which surely is far better the credit of some men who have laid all the stress of Religion upon a Common-prayer-book and some Ceremonies would be thought a little impaired the Magistrate should do nothing displeasing to God who never required the imposition of these things at his hands and doubtless hath been highly displeased at a great deal of force used which hath not been good for the enforcing of them It is as I have said before more than an hundred years since these impositions have been the cause of so much evil in these Nations and that not only to particular families and persons but even to the whole Nation Though our Civil Wars were bottomed upon Questions and Grievances of a Civil Nature yet it is hardly imaginable the common people should have been so inflamed had they not before been wounded in so tender a part as that of their Consciences towards God By reason of these contests Papists have been connived at and gained a great deal of Reputation so much that till within these 2 years it was dangerous for Protestants to vie with them for Loyalty or Religion We see the issue while they have been thus neglected yea credited they have been hatching the most hellish Plot that was ever heard of hardly to be parallel'd by any story The Plot hath in the bowels of it been discovered so full of Blood and Cruelty and Ingratude to his most Sacred Majesty and in the defence of themselves from the imputation of it they have been found guilty of so many Lies so much Perjury and Subornation so much ungodliness and unrighteousness that they cannot but see their Catholick Cause is wounded under the fifth rib and their pretended Religion not like to recover its reputation until there be none left of this Geration They have nothing to do but to wait a time when they may fight out their way with some probable hope of prevailing It is certainly now high time to restore all Protestants be their persuasions what they will to a just liberty in the things of God than the want of which nothing can more dispirit good men in their duty as to a common watchfulness and defence for what spirit can be in them who know they shall be ruin'd by one hand or another I surther offer it to the consideration of our grave Senators who come up from the several parts of the Nation and must best know the complexion of it Whether those who are most against the taking of these Impositions be not I do not say all but forty for one the persons whom several Proclamations of his Majesty and several votes of two Parliaments declaring it and the several judgments upon some of the Traytors given by our Courts of Justice have not been able to convince That there is any Popish Plot but in all their converse they have made it their business to deny or lessen the Plot to defame and vilify the Kings Evidence to impose upon people that it was a Plot of the Nonconformists to make the dying words of the Jesuits creditable In short by all manner of ways to turn the whole Popish Plot into Ridicule I do know some few very few others zealous for these Impositions have born a Testimony against the Papists and freely declare their Judgments about the
I mean of New-England besides those who fled into Holland and Ireland Many staid at home and were miserably treated by Courts Some lived privately others in some quiet parts of the Nation kept their Station How little the Conformable Interest gained by this though that Party ruined multitudes of godly people and their Families quickly appeared in the year 1641. when the Parliament began to espouse their Cause and give them liberty The number of Ministers favouring Nonconformity presently appeared far greater than ever before so as their adversaries had a little satisfied their lusts and malice but not in the least promoved their Cause The people were more imbitter'd against them and more enamoured upon painful godly Ministers And the Bishops restraint of Preaching did but inflame people with the desire of it Several Noblemen and Worthy Gentlemen in all parts of England began to be awakened as may appear by many of their excellent Speeches in the beginning of the Parliament 1641. They plainly saw that through these extravagant actings We lost many of our Eminent Ministers multitudes of our most sober people were removed into other Countries The Trade of the Nation was altered much of it carried elsewhere the people in many places turned ignorant brutes for want of Preaching many turned Papists many Doctrines of Popery were Published Colledges were fixed for Romish Priests and Nuns fixed c. a Plot laid by them against the King and Nation they judged it high time to put an end to those practices which had caused those disorders and had this advantage to do it because their Conformity whether old or new had no further Statutable Authority than was given it by the Act of Conformity 1 Eliz. and the Stat. 13 Eliz. c. 12. about the Articles of Faith Upon his Majesties happy Restauration Anno 1660. all promised themselves a freedom from these evils which had troubled the Church very near 70. years from the 13 Eliz. to the year 1640. though indeed in no great degree from the 13th to the 25th of Eliz. but for about 19. years of Queen Elizabeths Reign and the whole time of King James his Reign which was 21. years and 16. years of King Charles his Reign these Impositions were the cause almost of all the evils under which this Nation groaned We had reason to promise our selves this immunity from his Majesties Declaration at Bredah and his first Declaration about Ecclesiastical affairs in the year 1660. Whether the wisdom of his Majesty or that party of the House of Commons who then opposed the passing of it into an Act were greater let the experience now of Twenty years more determine which for the most part have been years of confusion and disorder as to matters of Religion That failing Impositions were augmented Upon this last attempt for settlement Ministers were not only left to the Bishops power to have exacted upon them 1. A Subscription to the 3. Articles in the 36th Canon 2. The Oath of Canonical obedience which though ancient as established by Canons in times of Popery yet we read not of all the time of Queen Eliz. But 3. They must be ordained by Bishops though before ordained according to the Ordination of all other Reformed Churches which in Queen Eliz. time the Statute 13 Eliz. cap. 12. dispensed with and made needless 4. They must assent and consent to all and every thing in the Common-Prayer as now Printed 5. They must declare renounce and abjure all this over and above being tyed to the personal reading of the Common-Prayer and use of the Ceremonies c. The effect was the laying aside of more than 2000. Ministers Besides the Congregations which depended on these good mens Ministry the number of Quakers who had no Ministers and of Pastors of Congregational Churches who had no Livings but were maintained by their people together with the people that depended on them and the Antipaedobaptists were not small who all had an equal if not a greater prejudice to the Common-Prayer-Book and Ceremonies c. What could by any wise men be expected but what we have seen that in all places people should gather into separate Congregations Could it be expected that such a vast number of Ministers not half of which had any thing to live on but their labours to maintain themselves Wives and Families should quietly have sate still and never Preached if they could have imagined that this humane Law could have discharged them from any previous obligation to God especially being importuned by the people whom God had committed to them If any had such fancies they were very wild ones In publick Temples they must not Preach what remained but their own or others hired houses What would be the event of this was quickly seen and an Act provided against Conventicles making the punishment Fines Imprisonment Banishment c. What a stir this made is sufficiently known This commenced 1664. and being a temporary Act determined 1667 or 1668. Soon after this 1665. passed the Act prohibiting Noncon Ministers to inhabit in Corporations And the Act about Conventicles being expired another Act was made which took place Anno 1670. How many sober Ministers and people in Eight years time had been undone by proceedings against them in the Ecclesiastical Courts Indictments at Sessions and Assizes and by putting the first Act against Conventicles in Execution is sufficiently known and too large and sad a story to relate The new Act against Conventicles and such a one as never before passed a Parliament of England with respect to Magna Charta and the fundamental liberties of the subject passed about 1670. Ministers and people were again prosecuted to incredible degrees almost in all places until his Majesty gave a Writ of ease by his Declaration of Indulgence 1672. that lasted but two years and in 1674. the storm began again as fierce as ever but gradually abated till the year 1677. about which time the Parliament began to have a scent of a Plot to bring in Popery indeed they scented it first in 1673. Our worthy Patriots from that time stood upon their watch something they discerned to be in hand and that the project was deeply laid but on what persons to charge it they knew not and were wholly in the dark as to the methods and particulars of it till God in the year 1678. inclined Dr. Oates to do that never to be forgotten service to his Country at one time saving the Life of his Soveraign the Government of the Nation and the Protestant Religion from a total extirpation and all good Protestants from a Massacre The eyes of all Sober persons are at length opened to see that an Vnion of Protestants is necessary The Question is which way it shall be effected for my own part I should say any way by which it is practicable There are but Two that can fall within the comprehension of any man of sense 1. The First is by continuance of the Impositions on Ministers and
qualified 1. In the Church Service That the Cross in Baptism Interrogatories ministred to Infants Confirmation as superfluous may be taken away Baptism not to be administred by Women and so explained The Cap and Surplice not urged That Examination may go before the Communion That it may be administred with a Sermon That divers terms of Priests Absolution and some others used with the Ring in Marriage and other such like in the Book might be corrected The longsomeness of Service abridged Church-songs and Musick moderated to better edification That the Lords day be not profaned The rest upon Holidays not so strictly urged That there may be an Vniformity of Doctrine prescribed No Popish opinion any more taught or defended No Ministers charged to teach the people to bow at the Name of Jesus That the Canonical Scriptures only be read in the Church 2. Concerning Church Ministers That none hereafter be admited into the Ministry but able and sufficient men and those to preach diligently and especially upon the Lords day That such as be already entred and cannot Preach may either be removed and some charitable course taken for their relief or else to be forced according to the value of their Livings to maintain Preachers That non-Residency be not permitted That King Edwards Statute for the lawfulness of Ministers Marriages may be revived That Ministers be not urged to subscribe but according to the Law to the Articles of Religion and the Kings Supremacy only 3. For Church-livings and Maintenance That Bishops leave their Commendams some holding Prebends some Parsonages some Vicarages with their Bishopricks That double beneficed men be not suffered to hold some two some three Benefices with Cure and some two three or four Dignities besides That Impropriations annexed to Bishopricks and Colledges be demised only to Preachers incumbent for the old Rent That the Impropriations of Lay-mens fees may be charged with a sixth or seventh part of the worth to the maintenance of the â—reaching Ministers 4. For Church-Discipline That the Discipline and Excommunication may be administred according to Christs Institution or at the least that enormities may be redressed as namely That Excommunication come not forth under the names of Chancellors Lay-persons Officials c. That men be not Excommunicated for trifles twelve peny matters That none be Ecommunicated without consent of his Pastor That the Officers be not suffered to extort unreasonable fees That none having Jurisdiction or Registers places put out the same to farm That divers Popish Canons as for restraint of Marriage at certain times be reversed That the longsomeness of Suits in Ecclesiastical Courts which hang sometimes 2 3 4 5 6 7 years may be restrained That the Oath ex Officio by which men are forced to accuse themselves be more sparingly used That Licenses for Marriage without Banes asked be more cautiously granted These with such other abuses yet remaining and practised in the Church of England we are able to shew to be not agreeable to the Scriptures if it shall please your Highness further to hear us or more at large to be informed or by conference amongst the Learned to be resolved And yet we doubt not but that your Majesty without further process of whose Christian judgment we have received so good a taste already is able of your self to judg of the equity of this cause God we trust hath appointed your Highness our Physician to heal these diseases and we say with Mordecai to Esther Who knoweth but you are come to the Kingdom for such a time Thus your Majesty shall do that which we are perswaded shall be acceptable to God honourable to your Majesty in all succeeding ages profitable to his Church which shall be thereby increased comfortable to your Ministers which shall be no more suspended silenced disgraced imprisoned for mens traditions and prejudicial unto none but those who seek their own credit quiet and profit in the world Thus with all dutiful submission referring our selves to your Majesties Pleasure for your Gracious answer as God shall direct you We most humbly recommend your Highness to the Divine Majesty whom we beseech for Christ his sake to do herein what shall be for his glory the good of his Church and your endless comfort Your Majesties most humble Subjects the Ministers of the Gospel who desire not a disorderly Innovation but a due and Godly Reformation How his Majesty resented this Petition is variously reported But sure it is saith Fuller it ran the Gantlop through all the Prelatical party every one giving it a lash some with their Pens more with their tongues and the dumb Ministers as they term it found their speech most vocal against it How many the number of those was who joined in this and several other Petitions at the same time and were suspended deprived imprisoned c. I cannot tell but a great division arose which held during the Archbishop Bancrofts time Bishop Abbot who succeeded him in the Archbishoprick of Canterbury was much calmer Several Books were wrote at this time against the Nonconformist by Mr. Hutton Mr. Rogers Dr. Lovel and Dr. Spark who had himself been a Dissenter but in the year 1607 1608 they were learnedly answered by a Book of three parts call'd A Defence of the Ministers Reasons for refusal of Subscription The first part was concerning the holy Scriptures the ill Translation of several Texts The second concerning the Holy Scriptures and Apocrypha The third was about kneeling at the Sacrament Several able Ministers left the Nation many others with their Families were undone in it Thus Conformity stood till the time of King Charles the First some Bishops being more some less rigid in pressing the Canons But when Archbishop Laud came to be Archbishop of Canterbury who succeeded Abbot he made a new Edition of Impositions to which he required Conformity saying second Service at the Table setting that at the East end of the Church Altarwise commanding the Communion Table to be railed in and all people to come up thither to receive the Communion kneeling enforcing the bowing at the Name of Jesus Forbidding Lectures and Afternoon-Sermons Pressing the Book of Sports on the Lords day Not injoining but commending bowing toward the East-end c. and twenty more things What havock hese things made is yet within the memory of many and what disturbance Bishop Wren made in Suffolk and other places as several other Bishops that were his Creatures did in other Diocesses many alive know multitudes of Ministers were again deprived and suspended Many undone in the High Commission At last in the Convocation 1640 an Oath with c. was devised which had perfected the business in rooting out all Puritan Preachers had not a Parliament came and spoil'd that design Scarce any is ignorant what numbers of Godly Ministers and people left the Nation upon this account betwixt 1630. and 1640. so many as to make one of the noblest Colonies at this day in the world that