he confesseth that he doth purposely conceal But the truth is it is easily discoverable there being few pages in the Book that do not display it The Reader then must understand that the plain English of all his Commendations of Moderation and all his Exhortations to a relinquishment of those false Lights and Principles which have lead men to a disturbance of the Publique Peace and ensuing Calamities is that Popery is the only Religion in the world and that centring therein is the only means to put an end to our differences heats and troubles Unless this be granted it will be very hard to find one grain of sincerity in the whole Discourse and if it be no less difficult to find so much of Truth So that whatever may be esteemed suitable to the fancies of any of them whom our Author courts in his Address those who know any thing of the holiness of God and the Gospel of that Reverence which is due to Christ and his Word and wherewith all the concernments of Religion ought to be mannaged will scarsely judge that that blessed Fountain of Light and Truth will immixe his pure beams and blessing with such crafty worldly sophistical devices or such frothy ebullitions of Wit and Fansie as this Discourse is stuffed withall These are things that may be fit to entangle unstable spirits who being regardless of Eternity and steering their course according to every blast of temptation that fills their lusts and carnal pleasures are as ready to change their Religion it men can make any change in or of that which in reality they neither leave nor receive but only sport themselves to and fro with the cloud and shadow of it as they are their cloaths and fashions Those who have had experience of the power and efficacy of that Religion which they have professed as to all the ends for which Religion is of God revealed will be little moved with the Stories Pretenses and Diversions of this Discourse Knowing therefore our Author's design and which we shall have occasion to deal with him about throughout his Treatise which is to take advantage from the late miscarriages amongst us and the differences that are in the world in Religion to perswade men not indeed and ultimately to mutual moderation and forbearance but to a general acquiescency in the Roman-Catholicism I shall not here further speak unto it The five Heads of his matter may be briefly run over as he proposeth them pag. 13. with whose consideration I shall take my leave of his Preface The first is That there is not any colour of Reason or just Title to move us to quarrel and judge one another with so much heat about Religion Indeed there is not nor can there be no man was ever so madd as to suppose there could be any reason or just Title for men to do evil To quarrel and judge one another with heats about Religion is of that nature But if placing himself to keep a decorum amongst Protestants he would insinuate that we have no reason to contend about Religion as having lost all Title unto it by our departure from Rome I must take leave unto this general head to put in a general Demurrer which I shall afterwards plead to and vindicate His second is That all things are so obscure that no man in prudence can so far presume of his own knowledge as to set up himself a guide and leader in Religion I say so too and suppose the words as they lye whatever be intended in them are keenly set against the great Papal pretension whatever he may pretend we know the Pope sets up himself to be a guide to all men in Religion and if he do it not upon a presumption of his own knowledge we know not on what better grounds he doth it And though we wholly condemn mens setting up themselves to be Guides and Leaders to their Neighbours yet if he intend that all things are so obscure that we have no means to come to the knowledge of the Truth concerning God and his mind so far as it is our duty to know it and therefore that no man can teach or instruct another in that knowledge I say as before we are not yet of his mind whether we shall be or no the process of our Discourse will shew 3. He adds That no Sect hath any advantage at all over another nor all of them together over Popery Yes They that have the Truth wherein they have it have advantage against all others that have it not And so Protestancy hath advantage over Popery And here the Pretext or Vizor of this Protestant begins to turn aside in the next head it quite falls from him That is 4. That all the several kinds of Religion here in England are equally innocent to one another And Popery as it stands in opposition to them is absolutely innocent and unblameable to them all I am little concerned in the former part of these words concerning the several kinds of Religion in England having undertaken the defence of one only namely Protestancy Those that are departed from Protestancy so far as to constitute another kind of Religion as to any thing from me shall plead for themselves However I wish that all parties in England were all equally innocent to one another or that they would not be willing to make themselves equally nocent But the latter part of the words contain I promise you a very high undertaking Popery is innocent absolutely innocent and unblameable to them all I fear we shall scarce find it so when we come to the tryal I confess I do not like this pretence of absolute innocency and unblameableness I suppose they are Men that profess Popery and I do know that Popery is a Religion or Profession of mens finding out how it should come to be so absolutely innocent on a suddain I cannot imagine but we will leave this until we come to the proof of it taking notice only that here is a great promise made unto his noble and ingenious Readers that cannot advantage his cause if he be not able to make it good The close is 5. That as there neither is nor can be any rational motive for Disputes and Animosities about matters of Religion so is there an indispensable moral cause obliging us to moderation c. But this as I observed before though upon the first view of the sign hanging up at the door a man would guess to be the whole work that was doing in the house is indeed no part of his business and is therefore thrust out at the postern in two short leaves the least part of them in his own words after the spending of 364 pages in the pursuit of his proper design But seeing we must look over these things again in the Chapters assigned to their adorning we may take our leave of them at present and of his Preface together CHAP. V. Chap. I. Contests about Religion and Reformation Schoolmen
with them in his temptations thrusting them on and intangling them in their persuit As to the Contests about Religion which I know not with what mind or intention he terms an empty airy business a ghostly fight a skirmish of Shaddows or Horse-men in the clowds he knows not what principle cause or sourse to asoâ—ibe them unto That which he is most inclinable unto is That there is something invisible above man stronger and more politick then he that doth this contumely to mankind that casts in these Apples of Contention amongst us that hisses us to warr and battail as waggish Boys do Doggs in the street That which is intended in these words and sundry others of the like quality that follow is that this ariseth from the intisements and impulsions of the Devil And none can doubt but that in these works of darkness the Prince of Darkness hath a great hand The Scripture also assures us that as the Scorpions which vexed the world issued out of the bottomless pit so also that these unclean spirits do stir up the powers of the Earth to make opposition unto the Truth of the Gospel and Religion of Jesus Christ. But yet neither doth this hinder but that even these religious fewds and miscarriages also proceed principally from the ignorance darkness and lusts of men In them lies the true cause of all dissentions in and about the things of God The best know but in part and the most love darkness more than light because their works are evils A vain conversation received by tradition from mens fathers with inveterate prejudices love of the world and the customs thereof do all help on this sâ—d work wherein so many are imployed That some preach the Gospel of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all their strength in much contention and contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered unto the Saints as it is their duty so it is no cause but only an accidental occasion of differences amongst men That the invisible substances our Author talks of should be able to sport themselves with us as Children do with Dogs in the street and that with the like impulse from them as Dogs from these we should rush into our contentions might pass for a pretty notion but only that it over-throws all Religion in the world and the whole nature of man There is evil enough in corrupted nature to produce all these evils which are declaimed against to the end of this Section were there no Daemons to excite men unto them The adventitious impressions from them by temptations and suggestions doubtless promote them and make men precipitate above their natural tempers in their productions but the principal cause of all our evils is still to be looked for at home Nec te quaesiveris extra Sect. 3. Pag. 34. In the next Section of this Chapter whereunto he prefixes Nullity of Title he persues the perswasive unto Peace Moderation Charity and Quietness in our several perswasions with so many reasonings and good words that a man would almost think that he began to be in good earnest and that those were the things which he intended for their own sakes to promote I presume it cannot but at the first view seem strange to some to find a man of the Roman party so ingeniously arguing against the imposition of our senses in Religion magisterially and with violence one upon the other it being notoriously known to all the world that they are if not the only yet the greatest Imposers on the minds and consciences of men that ever lived in the earth and which work they cease not the prosecution of where they have power until they come to fire and fagot I dare say there is not any strength in any of his queries collections and arguings but an indifferent man would think it at the first sight to be pointed against the Roman interest and practice For what have they been doing for some ages past but under a pretence of Charity to the souls of men endeavouring to perswade them to their Opinions and Worship or to impose them on them whether they will or no But let old things pass it is well if now at last they begin to be otherwise minded What then if we should take this Gentleman at his word and cry A match let us strive and contend no more Keep you your Religion at Rome to your selves and we will do as well as we can with ours in England we will trouble you no more about yours nor pray do not you meddle with us or ours Let us pray for one another wait on God for light and direction it being told us that If any one be otherwise minded than according to the Truth God shall reveal that unto him Let us all strive to promote Godliness Obedience to the Commands of Christ Good works and Peace in the world but for this contending about Opinions or endeavouring to impose our several perswasions upon one another let us give it quite over I fear he would scarsely close with us and so wind up all our Differences upon the bottom of his own Proposals especially if this Law should extend it's self to all other Nations equally concerned with England He would quickly tell us that this is our mistake he intended not Roman-Catholicks and the differences we have with them in this Discourse It is Protestants Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists Quakers that he deals with al and them only and that upon this ground that none of them have any Title or pretence of Reason to impose on one another and so ought to be quiet and let one another alone in matters of Religion But for the Roman-Catholicks they are not concerned at all in this Harangue having a sufficient Title to impose upon them all Now truly if this be all I know not what we have to thank you for Tantúmne est otii tibi abs re tua aliena ut cures eaque quae ad te nihil at tinent There are wise and learned men in England who are concerned in our differences and do labour to compose them or suppress them That this Gentleman should come and justle them aside and impose himself an Umpire upon us without our choyce or desire in matters that belong not unto him how charitable it may seem to be I know not but it is scarsely civil Would he would be perswaded to go home and try his remedies upon the distempers of his own family before he confidently vend them to us I know he has no Salves about him to heal diversities of Opinions that he can write Probatum est upon from his Roman-Church If he have he is the most uncharitable man in the world to leave them at home brawling and together by the ears to seek out practise where he is neither desired nor welcome when he comes without invitation I confess I was afraid at the beginning of the Section that I should be forced to change the Title before I came to
rational man conceive wherein consists the Majesty of a mans pronouncing words in matters wherein his concernment lies in a tongue that he understands not And I know not wherein this device for procuring veneration in men exceeds that of the Gnosticks who fraught their Sacred administrations with strange uncouth names and terms intended as farr as appears for no other end but to astonish their Disciples But then the Church he saith as opposite to Babel had one Language all the world over the Latine Tongue being stretched as large and as wide as the Catholick Church and so any Priest may serve in several Countries administring presently in a place by himself or others converted which are conveniencies attending this custom and practise Prety things to perswade men to worship God they know not how or to leave that unto others to do for them which is their own duty to perform and yet neither are they true The Church by this means is made rather like to Babel then opposite unto it the fatal ruining event of the division of the Tongues at Babel was that by that means they could not understand one another in what they said and so were forced to give over that design which before they unanimously carried on And this is the true event of some mens performing the Worship of God in the Latine tongue which others understand not Their Languages are divided as to any use of language whatever I believe on this as well as on other accounts our Author now he is warned will take heed how he mentions Babel any more Besides this is not one to give one lip one language to whole Church but in some things to confine some of the Church unto one language which incomparably the the greatest part of it do not understand This is confusion not union Still Babel returns in it The use of a language that the greatest part of men do not understand who are ingaged in the same work whereabout it is employed is right old Babel Nor can any thing be more vain then the pretence that this one is stretched as large and as wide as the Catholick Church farr the greatest part of it know nothing of this tongue noâ— did ever use a word of it in their Church-service so that the making of the use of one tongue necessary in the service of the Church is perfectly schismatical and renders the avowers of that Principle Schismaticks from the greatest part of the Churches of Christ in the world which are or ever were in it since the day of his resurrection from the dead And as for the conveniency of Priests there where God is pleased to plant Churches he will provide those who shall administer in his Name unto them according to his mind And those who have not the Language of other places as far as I know may stay at home where they may be understood rather then undertake a pilgrimage to caâ—t before Strangers who know not what they mean After an annumeration of these conveences he mentions that only Inconvenience which as he sayes attends the solemnization of the Churches Worship in a Tongue unknown namely that the vulgar people understand not what is said But as this is not the only inconvâ—nience that attends it so it is one if it must be called an inconvenience and not rather a mischievous device to render the worship of God useless that hath a womb full of many others more then can easily be numbred but we must tye our selves to what our Author pleaseth to take notice of I desire then to know What are these vulgar people of whom he talks Are they not such as have souls to save Are they not incomparably the greatest part of Christians Are they not such as God commands to worship him Are they not such for whose sakes benefit and advantages all the worship of the Church is ordained and all the admistration of it appointed Are they not those whose good welfare growth in grace and knowledge and salvation the Priests in their whole offices are bound to seek and regard Are they not those that Christ hath purchased with his blood whose miscarriages he will require severely at the hands of those who undertake to be their guides if sinning through a neglect of duty in them Are they not the Church of God the Temple of the Holy Ghost called to be Saints Or Who or What is it you mean by this vulgar people If they be those described certainly their understanding of what is done in the publick worship of God is a matter of importance and your driving them from it seems to me to give a supersedeas to the whole work it self as to any acceptation with God For my part I cannot as yet discern what that makes in the Church of God which this vulgar people must not understand but this saith he is of no moment Why so I pray to me it seems of great weight No it is of no moment for three Reasons Which be they 1. They have the scope of all set down in their Prayer-books c. whereby they may if they please as equally conspire and go along with the Priest as if he spoke in their own Tongue But I pray Sir tell me Why if this be good that they should know something and give a guess at more it is not better that they should distinctly know and understand it all This Reason plainly cuts the throat not only of some other that went before about the venerable Majesty of that which is not understood but of the whole cause it self If to know what is spoken be good the clearer men understand it I think the better This being the tendency of this Reason we shall finde the last of the three justling it as useless quite out of doors Nor yet is there truth in this pretence not one of a thousand of the people do understand one word that the Priest speaks distinctly in their whole service so that this is but an empty flourish He tells us 2. Catholick people come together not for other business at the Mass but only with fervour of devotion to adore Christ crucified in that Rite he is there prefigured as crucified before them and by the mediation of that sacred blood to pour forth their supplications for themselves and others which being done and their good purpose of serving and pleasing that holy Lord that shed his blood for us renewed they depart in peace This is the general purpose of the Mass so that eyes and hands to lift up knees to bow and heart to melt are there of more use then ears to hear For his Catholick peoples business at Mass I shall not much trouble my self Christ I know is adored by faith and love that faith and love in the publick worship of the Church is exercised by prayer and thanksgiving For the lifting up of the eyes and hands and bowing and cringing they are things indifferent that may be used as they are