then to the Latter 'T is I confess an Indecorum to mourn upon a day of Jubile a deep and foul Ingratitude to entertain so General a Blessing as the Restoring of his Majesty with a less General Joy Yet since 't were idle to expect All Parties should be pleas'd and evident it is Some are not we 'll first see Who they are that make these loud Compleynts and Then what 't is that troubles them The Presbyterian Ministers insooth are ill at ease sick of their old Disease of 41. Bishops and Common-Prayer They suffer Causlelesly they say and in a day of Common Joy they are forc'd to lye down in Heart-breaking Sorrows Alas now for their Tender Hearts What Mirmidon or hard Dolopian What Savage-minded rude Cyclopian c. I want a Modest Term to express these Peoples want of Common Honesty They 're sad they say when were they other but where they ought to have put on Sackcloth What were their Mock-fasts but Religious Cursings of their most Sacred Sovereign And their Thanks-giving-feasts and Sermons were they not Entertainments and Discourses of Joy and Triumph for the Disasters of his Majesty No wonder then to see These People out of humour at a time when all Loyal Souls are fill'd with Comfort To suffer is not yet so much but Causelesly That troubles them They 'r sorry I perceive that they have given so little Reason for 't Just in this manner did they Encroch upon his Late Majesty whom they persu'd and hunted with their Barking Arguments up to the very Scaffold and There when they were sure that Words would do no good they babbled a little as if they meant to have sav'd him Once more they have been labouring a Faction ever since his Majesties Return They Preach they Print the Old Cause over again and manifestly drive the same Design upon The Son which formerly they executed upon the Father IF we thought it would not be mis-interpreted we would here remember you how great and considerable a part of the three Nations they are that must either incur these sufferings or condole them that undergoe them and how great a grief it will be to His Majesty to see his grieved Subjects and how great a joy it will be to him to have their hearty thanks and Prayers and see them Live in Prosperity Peace and Comfort under his most happy Government NOTE X. THis Mustering up of Multitudes is an old Trick they learn'd from the Committee of Safety only a help at a dead Lift and truly the Party is more then a little given to This way of Amplification Surely he 's much a Stranger to the Temper of This Nation that does not know the Presbyterians to be very Inconsiderable both for Number and Interest of Credit with the People Where did they ever any thing without the Independents and Them they made a Shift to Ensnare by a pretended Engagement for Christian Liberty which when they found to be a Cheat with how much Ease did the Journymen turn off their Masters But what a care they take now of a Suddain for his Majesties Satisfaction How great a Grief c. and how great a Joy c. Indeed his Majesty has reason to be troubled to see his Royal Mercy and Patience thus abused by a forgetful Murmuring Faction that will be satisfi'd with nothing consistent with the Kings Dignity and Safety the Peace and Welfare of the Publique A WE may plead the nature of their Cause to move you to compassionate your poor afflicted Brethren in their Sufferings It is in your own account but for refusing Conformity to things indifferent or at the most of no necessity to Salvation It is in their account for the Sake of Christ because they dare not consent to that which they judge to be an usurpation of his Kingly Power and an accusation of his Laws as insufficient and because they dare not be guilty of addition to or diminution of his Worship or of Worshipping him after any other Law than that by which they must be judged or such as is meerly subordinate to that B Things dispensible and of themselves unnecessary should not be rigorously urged upon him to whom they would be a sin and cause of condemnation It is in case of things indifferent in your own judgement that we now speak C If it be said that it is humour pride or singularity or peevishness or faction and not true tendernesse of Conscience that causeth the doubts or Non-conformity of these men We answer such Crimes must be fastned only on the Individuals that are first proved guilty of them and not upon multitudes unnamed and unknown and without proof D If it were not for fear of sinning against God and wounding their Consciences and hazzarding and hindering their Salvation they would readily obey you in all these things it is their fear of Sin and Damnation that is their Impediment E One would think that a little Charity might suffice to enable you to believe them when their Non-compliance brings them under suffering and their compliance is the visible way to favovr safety and prosperity in the World NOTE XI THere is one Gross and Common Principle which our Schismatical Reformers have laid down as the Foundation whereupon they build and Justifie their Disagreements To wit that Scripture is the only Rule of Humane Actions We must not Eat Sleep Move without a Text for 't Upon this Ridiculous Assertion they pick a Quarrell with such Orders of the Church as are not commanded in the Word of God when yet the Practice of all Christian Churches hitherto extant appears against them The Curse lies against him that Preaches another Gospel He that abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God Marque them which cause Division and Offences contrary to the Doctrine which you have Learned and avoid them Now what 's all this to the Exteriour mode of Worshipping St. Paul's advice was Decency in General Terms not Worship Thus or so but Decently and leaving to the Church the Judgement of that Decency Some Posture or other we must worship in as Kneeling Sitting Standing Leaning Prostrate or the like It is not said Pray in This Posture or in That But the Command is PRAY Must we not therefore Pray at all for want of a strict Scriptural Direction in what Posture 'T is the same thing the Case of all Those Ceremonies which are only of meet and sensible relation to the Duty They are in Themselves Indifferent but by Command made Necessâ—ry Indeed Agreement even in Outward Forms were a thing very desireable among all Christians would but the Disagreeing Modes and Humours of several Places bear it Now since that cannot be we are commanded to present our Souls to God in the same Faith but for the manner of our Worship the sensible Formalities of it we are to follow their Appointments whom God has given Dominion over
Oath to the discovery of all Conspiracies against his Majesty and by the Oath I have taken I judge this here in question to be a foul one Next as a Subject I am bound to do the King all lawful service Thirdly I look upon this Office as a small Offering to my Country 't is no great vanity if I believe some weak enough for me to teach and 't is a truth that I as much desire to learn from others Fourthly We are charg'd with Ignorance and Scandal the Presbyterians Livery and I would have the world to know that Those of the Censorious Cut are not all Saints and Philosophers I might add for a Fifth Reason that general good allowance which my well-meaning weaknesses have found with the King's Friends from whose agreement of opinion I receive great assurance and encouragement in my poor undertakings and in their Charity much Honor. But All are not so satisfi'd for at This Instant I am inform'd of several mean designes upon my Person Freedom and Credit The first amounts to nothing The Next I look upon but as the boiling of some old rancorous Humor against the King a Dream perchance of forty-four again For sure no other Persons will condemn me Now but those that would have hang'd me Then As to the Third I 'm least of all sollicitous for perjur'd persons are no proof in Law and for the rest I fear them not It will be urg'd perhaps What has this scribling Fellow to do with the publick I cry ye mercy Gentlemen You count it nothing then after three Prentiships spent in the Royal Cause to be bespatter'd by those very persons that overthrew it This is the course of your Implacable Distempers The Cavaliers are abus'd and the Presbyterians complain Give me leave onely to offer ye two or three Questions and I have done The first an old one but not yet Resolv'd First VVithout Repentance can there be any Salvation or without Confession and Restitution any Repentance Secondly VVhy will not you swear to obey Bishops as well as ye Covenanted to destroy them and why may not you as well be forc'd to take a lawful Oath as you forc'd others to an Unlawful one Thirdly VVhy is it not as lawful for Bishops to silence Presbyterians as for Presbyterians to extirpate Bishops One Fool may ask more Questions than twenty VVise-men can answer FINIS Caveat pag. 18. Birds of a Feather The Marks of the Beast Nemo repente Cujus Contrarium The Divineâ— Petition for Peace pag. 1. Had Zimri Peace Johnson The Presbyt Demands Pag. 2. Presbyterian Reformation signifies Abolition Fraud Usurpation Design not Conscience The Method of Sedition A Petitionary Menace Pag. 14. The Divines exceed their Commission The Kings Proposal to the Presbyterian Ministers The Godly Party Tender Conscienceâ— Page 61. Ibid. His Majesties Tendernesse abused An Arbitrary Set-Form Christian Liberty Pag. 32.35.36 ibid. Pag. 46. Christian Liberty at the Communion Pag. 55. ibid. Pag. 56.57.58 Unchristian Rigour Pag. 62.64 Consistorian Tyranny Hookers Ecclesiastical Policy l. 5. S. 64. Pag. 68.72.73 Concerning Festivalls Ibid. Pag. 74.78 Pastoral Discipline p. 82. Pag. 80. Pag. 81. Open Confession For a Traytor A Schismatick An Oppressour A Murtherer An Hypocrite A Perjur'd person This Discipline necessary for the Presbyterians The Method of the Presbyterian Faction The Marques of a Presbyterian Page 2. Pag. 3. Reas. 1. The Duty of Bishops John 10.27 Pag. 4. Reas. 2. A sad Compleynt The Presbyt Character Able Holy Faithful Laborious Peaceable Pag. 4. Reas. 3. Sorrow in a day of Common Joy unseasonable The Presbyterians laugh when they should cry The old Cause reviv'd Pag. 3. Reas. 4. How great a part of the 3. Nations suffer The Faction good at false Musters Inconsiderable Pag. 4. Reas. 5. The Nature of the Cause Page 5. Ibid. Pag 6. The ground of the Reformers Schisme Gal. 1.8 2 John 1.9 Rom. 16.17 1 Cor. 14.40 The manner of Worship left to the Church Conformity necessary A queynt Scruple Matth. 26.20 Matth. 26.39 2 Kings 4.13 Their Scruple is Faction Pag. 6. Reas. 6. The Disproportion betwixt the things in Question and the Salration of Souls Pag. 7. Pag. 8. Ceremonies are necessary to Order They oppose the Power not the Thing Tit. 1.5 The Presbyterians swear freely Who are Factious Rom. 7.7 8. The Consequence of Presbyterian Liberty Pag. 8. Reas. 7. The Nonconformists submit to all things necessary to Salvation Pag. 9. Things necessary to Salvation Pag. 9. Reas. 8. As well the Mass-Book as the Common-Prayer Pag. 9. Reas. 9. The Liberty of the Ancient times Luke 1 1.2 A modest request Johnson Pag. 9. R. 10. The hazzard of Refusing Presbyterians no Protestants Smectimnuus Pag. 23. Bishop Hall's Modest offer Pag. 3. Ibid. Pag. 4. Pag. 15. Presbyterian Primitive Episcopacy Hooker's Eccles pol. lib. 5. sect 62. * Smectymnuus Mr. Manton's Impression pag. 51. Spotswood Hist. of Scotl. lib. 7. pag. 514. Page 10. Reason 11. The Church the Judge Matth. 24.4 Matth. 24.24 Schisme turns to Rebellion Pag. 10. Reason 12. The End of mans Creation Objection Sol. peevish Liberty Page 12. Reas. 13. The Reformers Method Page 12. Reason 14. Page 13. The Intellect not to be forced Page 13. Pag. 13. Reas. 15. Pag. 14. Reas. 16. Do as ye would be done by Object Sol. The Presbyterians case put Page 14. Reas. 17. Pag. 16. Page 16. A Text wrested The Reformers Unity A subtle Inference Page 18. Reas. 18. The common Enemy Great Exemplar Pag. 447. Pag. 18. Reas. 19. Psal. 37.36 Psal. 73.17 Psal. 37.39 Mat. 7.15 16. How to judge of mens hearts Exact Collect. Pag. 494. Note The Bishops adversaries The Holy Thousands The friends of Episcopacy Page 18. Reas. 20. Page 19. Rom. 15.1 Rom. 14.15 Plautus History of the Church of Scotl. pag. 267. Spotswoods Hist. Scotl. pag. 136. Ibid. 137. Dangerous Posit pag. 35. Ibid. pag. 61. Ibid. pag. 9. Ibid. pag. 36.
Bishops will not do them Reason the People shall Next Why so many but to beget a thorough-disaffection to the Establish'd Liturgy In short What is all This but to cry Fire or Murther to the Nation When they themselves are the Aggressours and 't is a Flame of their own kindling Truly these are Symptomes as the Country Fellow said of an Apostacy We 'll come a little nearer now and feel their Pulse By your Leave Gentlemen of the REFORMATION What Sir John B too Your most humble Servant Sir Pray'e while I think on 't let me ask you a Modest Question or two with favour of your Friends here Can you tell me Whether old Olivers Physicians or his Intelligencers had the better Trade on 't Or do you know who it was that was so monstrous Earnest to have had me to Bridewell for my CAVEAT Some say he 's a Physician but I hear no Body say so that knows him and that 't was only a cast of his Profession to advise Breathing of a Vein with a Dog-whip for betwixt Friends some of the new-modell'd Gimcracks take Mee for Mad. Others again will have him to be a Justice and that he would have had me Lash'd upon the STATVTE I am the rather inclin'd to believe This because I 'm told that He and Barkstead late of the Tower were formerly Fellow-Servants and conferr'd Notes Now this same Barkstead laid that very Law to me He told me that I was a Fidler and that a Fidler was a Rogue by the Statute Some will needs fasten it upon one that would have made the PRESBYTERY of Pauls Covent-Garden INDEPENDENT and that he took an Edge they say because of a Jerk I gave to a certain Friend of his who upon Richard's comming toward the Crown PRAY'D devoutly that the Scepter might not depart from the Family In fine the thing is done and QVI WHIPP AT WHIPP ABITVR melius non tangere clamo Flebit insignis totâ cantabitur urbe Good-morrow Knight and Now to my Divines HEark ye Gentlemen betwixt Jeast and Earnest I have a way of Fooling will go near to put your Gravities out of Countenance and yet I know you are a little Joco-serious too you selves but in another way Do not you Jeast sometimes when ye professe to love the King now that 's our Earnest but then you 're monstrous Earnest when y' are discover'd that you do not and there 's our sport Your very way of Argument and Reasoning is but a kind of Cross Purposes 'T was ask'd me Can any man be sav'd without Repentance and 't was Answer'd Clap him up Are not in good time be it spoken your very Vows and Covenants arrant Riddles The War was rais'd and prosecuted the King and his Adherents Ruin'd by Virtue of your Covenant Ye sware to Act according to that Covenant and yet ye knew not what it meant For when the Holy War was finish'd did not you fall together by the Ears among your selves about the meaning of it To save his Majesty you 'll say from Covenant-Breakers Agreed so that it seems According to the Covenant the King might have been shot but not beheaded or otherwise 't was lawful to shoot at him but not so to Hit him But your poor Covenant's dead and gone e'en let it Rest. Yet tell me by the Oath ye have taken have ye not still a Kindness for 't Methinks in a plain phrase ye look as if ye lov'd the very Ground it went upon Your ways your words your Actions All Smells of the SOLEMN still yes and with Reverence your New Liturgy it self is down-right Directorian 'T would make one smile if 't were good manners to make merry with your Grievances to see how the poor harmless miserable Aequivoc is lugg'd by head and ears into your Sermons and Discourses the very sound Delights you still But that 's not all The often mention of the word COVENANT bespeaks a Note and by that double meaning moves the People so that the Good old Cause is still carry'd on under protection of an Amphibology Now if you please Gentlemen we 'll cloze upon the Question and begin with your Title A PETITION for PEACE with the REFORMATION of the LITURGY As it was Presented to the Right Reverend BISHOPS By The DIVINES appointed by His Majesties COMMISSION to treat with them about the ALTERATION of it NOTE I. VVE have here as Bishop Hall says of SMECTYMNUUS a Plural adversary and in good Deed 't was more then one mans Businesse to do a thing so excellently amisse No Name no License and yet the matter in Debate no less then the two Grand concerns of Humane Nature PEACE and SALVATION Done by Divines too Dedicate to Bishops the Kings Commission mention'd in 't Methinks a work of this Pretense should not have crept into the World so like a Libell especially considering the Nature of the Proposition Change of Church-Government for 't is no lesse and the distemper'd humour of the People This secret manner of under-feeling the Multitude does not in any wise comport with the Design and Dignity of a fair Reformation Truly 't is Ill at best but it may well be worse yet Put case that some of the prime Sticklers against Episcopacy in 1641. should prove now of the Quorum in this Enterprize Some that at first only press'd Moderation Relief for tender Consciences a REFORMATION just as at present and yet at Last proceeded to an unpresidented Extremity Root and Branch nothing less would satisfie them King Bishops all went down Say Gentlemen Commissioners may not a Christian without breach of Charity suspect a Second Part to the same Tune from such Reformers Answer me not but with your Legs unless it be otherwise Is This your Gospell-work to provoke Subjects against their Soveraign Call you This Beating down of Popery and Prophannesse to scatter your Schismatical and Seditious Models among the People and after all the Plagues you have brought already upon this Kingdome by your Scotch Combination to invite the multitude once more to prostitute themselves and Worship before the Golden Calfe of your Presbytery Come leave your Jocky-tricks your Religious Wranglings about the thing ye least consider Conscience Leave your streyning at Gnats and swallowing of Camels your Blew-cap Divinity of subjecting Publique and venerable Laws to private and Factious Constitutions I speak this with great Reverence to all Sober Divines in which Number my Charity can hardly comprize the Publishers and Dispersers of the Pamphlet in Question A PETITION for PEACE To the Most Reverend ARCHBISHOP and Bishops and the Reverend their Assistants Commission'd by His Majesty to Treat about the Alteration of the Book of COMMON-PRAYER The Humble and Earnest Petition of Others in the same Commission c. NOTE II. HAd Zimri Peace that slew his Master What Peace can they expect from Others that are at War within themselves whose very Thoughts are Whips and their own Consciences their own
I Would not Lash all Presbyterian Divines for the Faults of Some but as to Those now under Question I doubt 't would pose the Cynique with his Lanthorn to find a Saint among them Observe the Clamour and the Alarum Those that are now cast out and like to be as who should say the times are Ill God wot already and likely to be worse what a Buzze is here with a Sting in the Tayle of it Nay and take this along with ye that these outcast Divines are persons Eminent for Learning Life and Doctrine If This be true what can be more enflaming against the Government then to Proclaim it If False what can be fouler against the Authors of the Scandal Their Character is this They are Able Holy Faithful Laborious and truly peaceable Preachers of the Word And they are ejected upon the Account of Forms or Ceremonies or Re-ordination Pag. 2. Concerning their ABILITIES they are of the Commune mixture of the World in all unlawful Enterprizes a few Crafty People to a great many Simple Some to contrive and lead others to execute and This we have upon Experimental Knowledge that the Church-faction was carried on by a Cabale in the Late Assembly as well as the State-faction by another in the two Houses and that they Both communicated still in order to the common undertaking the greater part of them scarce understanding why they were come together But let their Works bear witness of their great Abilities Their Famous Letter of Apology and Invitation to the Reformed Churches abroad does it not look as if they meant to satisfie the World that they had renounc'd Latin as well as Popery Nay take their Learned Directory it self but 't is too much to add their weaknesses to my own HOLY they are it seems too I do not think it Honest to expose Particular Persons to a Publick Scorn but in case of high Necessity Wherefore I shall content my self to ask If it be Holynesse to Preach up treason and Blaspheme in the Pulpit to give God thanks for Murther and make the Story of the Last Weeks News the next Sundayes exercise to help out a hard Text with a false Comment To seize by Violence and Fraud anothers office and Living and to refuse the Communion to a Person for refusing the Covenant All these things have been done even by the Holy-men we are now speaking of What they intend by FAITHFUL is not altogether so clear Not to their Vowes I hope for those have been back and forward fast and loose They have denounc'd their Anathema's upon both Friends and Enemies of the King Did they not destroy the Church under pretense os Reforming it and having sworn Canonical obedience renounce Episcopacy Have they been faithful to their Friends I mean to those of the Independent Judgement Yes certainly so far as they had need of them We have not yet forgotten how they besought God and the King on the behalf of tender Consciences how they laid forth the sad Estate of many Thousands ready to famish for want of heavenly food which delicate and weak-stomach'd Christians were forsooth those Religious Brutes that brav'd his Sacred Majesty in his own Pallace that forc'd the Votes of the Two Houses demolish'd Churches yes and had Thanks too for their good Affections and the SMECTYMNUANS to plead their Cause This was great Kindness but not Lasting For as the Presbyterian Power encreas'd and the Kings Lessen'd effected partly by false play in his Majesties Quarters and partly by a Potent Combination betwixt the Kirk and Scotifi'd English The Consistorian Party began now to bethink themselves how fairly to get quit of their old friends the Independents plainly discovering that what was CONSCIENCE while they needed their Assistance was become downright SCHISME when they could live without it and so That Liberty which was cry'd up at first for Christian and necessary was by Those very Ministers Preach'd down again as most Intolerable Yet to conclude FAITHFUL they are that is to their first Principles of Pride Ambition and of Infidelity That they are LABORIOUS Preachers likewise we shall not much deny for truly I think no men take more pains in a Pulpit then they do or would more willingly compass Sea and Land to gain a Proselyte But TRVLY-PEACEABLE I must confess I take to be an Epithete does not belong to Them This particular is handled at large in my Holy Cheat where I have shew'd their Practises and Positions to be Insociable and Cruell Indeed we need not much torment our Memories for Instances to prove the unquiet humour of these People since Hundreds I think I might say Thousands of their Contentious Sermons and Discourses are yet in Being and in readinesse to testifie against them Nay which is worst of all their Sourness is Incorrigible they are no sooner Pardon'd but they Revolt into a Second Forfeiture These are the Able Holy Faithful Laborious and truly Peaceable Peachers of the Gospell that are cast out as they have worded it or must be kept out because they cannot conform c. They Begg that these may be admitted or restored at least till others may be found as fitting to supply their Places These Holy men abuse the People I say they are not cast out as Non-Conformists but as Vsurpers of those Benefits they had no Right to By Violence they thrust Themselves into other mens Livings or else by a Rebellious Power they were plac'd there Now put the case they would Conform should That give them a Title to the Continuance of an Ill-got Possession Their Petition to end withall is pleasant They desire to be In. Themselves till others as Fit may be found of whose Fitness they Themselves intend to be the Judges AND we beseech you consider when you should promote the joy and thankfulness of his Majesties Subjects for his happy Restauration whether it be equal and seasonable to bring upon so many of them so great Calamities as the change of able faithful Ministers for such as they cannot comfortably commit the conduct of their Souls to and the depriving them of the Liberty of the publick Worship Calamities far greater then the meer loss of all their worldly Substance can amount to in a day of common Joy to bring this causlesly on so many of his Majesties Subjects and to force them to lye down in heart-breaking Sorrows as being almost as far undone as Man can do it this is not a due requital of the Lord for so great deliverances Especially considering that if it were never so certain that it is the Sin of the Ministers that dare not be Re-ordained or conform it 's hard that so many thousand innocent people should suffer even in their Souls for the faults of others NOTE IX THE Reformers should do very well to consider as well the Loss of the late King as the Restauration of This and how much more they contributed to the Former
not the men truly fearing God they would be thought to be Beware of False Prophets says our Saviour that come to you in Sheeps Clothing but Inwardly they are Ravening Wolves Ye shall know them by their Fruits Here 's our Authority to judge the Hearts of men by their Notorious Actions Will they be tempted to think Ill of what they suffer by So may the Traytour of the Law that makes Rebellion Capitall The Plunderer of the Command that sayes thou shalt not Steal and in like manner all Offenders may Quarrel with that Constitution which Orders and Directs their Punishment Yet we all know the Fault lyes in the Malefactour not in the Appointment At this rate they may Cavil at Divine Justice and disclaim Christianity it self if they come once to suffer by it Good manners they have shak'd hands with already for they tell us that so many of the worst befriend this Ceremonial way That it tends to make the Cause judg'd of according to the Quality of its Friends and Adversaries It were a good Deed to tell this Faction as they told the Late King That the Suggestion is as false as the Father of Lies can Invent Sure these Ill-Tutour'd Pedants know that his Sacred Majesty is a Friend to this way The Law Antiquity and Reason But since they offer to try the merits of the Cause by the Quality of its Friends and Enemies We shall accept the Challenge and let them thank Themselves if they come off with the worst on 't and first we 'll take a brief view of the Opposers A Rabble of People next dore to Brutes for Knowledge and Morality began the Action These were Instructed and prepar'd by a Cabale of Factious Lords and Commoners and by Their Instruments to be afraid of Popery and Invasions Bawle against Bishops and Evil Counsellours and finally these Virtuous Sages were made the Judges and Reformers of Laws and Manners In Time these Ostlers Tinkers Ragg-men Coblers Draymen Thimble-makers c. Grew up to be our Governours So much for the Rise Fortune and Extraction of the first visible undertakers Now for their Honesty They Plunder'd Murther'd Rebell'd Forswore Themselves Mean while the Mock-Priests in their Pulpits proclaim'd this Medly for the Godly Party Wedded their Cause took in all sorts of Heretiques into the Combination Defam'd the King Enflam'd the People against the Government Cast out the B'shops Swore fast and Loose and Preach'd three Kingdomes into Bloud and Ruine These were the Tender Consciences The Holy Thousands and the men truly fearing God that were cast out and trodden down c. This is no General Charge for I allow that many well-meaning but mis-guided Persons sided with the Party I speak of Those Members that stuck to the Work and of those Ministers that fluck to Them to shew the World what sort of Persons our Challenging Divines are now pleading for under the Notion of People grieved because of Vniversal Impositions Methinks Those that were In Before and have their Pardons should be very tender how they engage the Nation in New Broyles Especially against That Prince whose Single and Pure Grace it is that puts a Difference betwixt the Heads They wear and Those upon the City-Gates Whosoever is offended at This plain Freedome let him blame Those that have so spitefully and so unseasonably put this comparison of Parties to the Question We have in Grosse laid open the Opposers of our Church-Government Rites and Ceremonies Their Friends are briefly Those The Warrant of Holy Writ The universal Practice of Ordering the Externals of Worship The Establishment of the Particulars by the Consent of the People The Regular Injunctions of a Lawful Authority and in fine Every Person that loves the Religion Law Honour Peace and Freedome of the English Nation Once more for All what is the Kings Person to the Church-Ceremonies Yet the same Covenant and the same Persons destroy'd Both. Which shews as I have often said that the Design is Power not Conscience and that the Friends and Enemies to the Church are the same Thing respectively to his Majesty Touching the Dislike which they say is befallen Diocesans c. They tell us here a Truth which they Themselves have well-nigh totally procur'd for to infame the Hierarchy and blast the Constitutions of the Church has been ever since the Kings Return the better half of their Businesse in the Pulpit Not forgetting His Majesty neither A A Weak Brother that maketh an unnecessary difference of meats and dayes is not to be cast out but so to be received and not to be troubled with such doubtful disputation B Impositions are not indifferent in the judgement of dissenters though they be so in yours C We beseech you therefore plead not Law against us when our request is that you will joyn with us in Petitioning to his Majesty and the Parliament that there may be no such Law D The cause of the Non-conformists hath been long ago stated at the Troubles at Franckford and having continued still the same you have no reason to suspect them of any considerable Change E We have now faithfully and not unnecessarily or unreasonably spread before you the Case of thousands of the upright of the Land We have proposed honest and safe remedies for our present Distraction and the preventing of the feared increase NOTE XXVII A VVOuld our Divines perswade us that the Case of Meats and Dayes whereof the Apostle speaks is of the same nature with That of Ceremonies which we are now Debating or that a weak Brother is not to be distinguish'd from a Peevish See how perverse and vast a difference lyes betwixt them but right or wrong if it be Colour'd for the Multitude no matter for the Reason Under the Law God himself put a Difference betwixt Meats and betwixt Dayes which Difference ceas'd upon the coming of our Blessed Saviour Some thought it still a point of Conscience to observe the Law and These the Apostle calls weak Brethren Others again that knew the Law was abrogate quitted those Scruples and of These it is that St. Paul says we which are strong ought to bear the Infirmities of the weak Now Marque That which was formerly impos'd is now become a thing Indifferent That is Indifferent to the strong and knowing not so to Those that were not yet convinced of the determination of the former Tie and Duty and This is the true ground of the Apostles Tenderness here concerning Scandal Destroy not him with thy Meat for whom Christ Dyed See how their Case now matches ours They durst not Eat because they knew that once they were bound and they did not know likewise that they were now discharg'd Let our Reformers shew as much for Ceremonies Either that Humane Impositions were ever forbidden or that Those practic'd in our Church are in themselves unlawful And yet These men are not so totally Indifferent as they appear to be