Selected quad for the lemma: church_n
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A39065
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An Expedient, or, A sure & easy way of reducing all dissenters whatsoever to an exact & sincere obedience both to our ecclesiastical & civil government
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1662
(1662)
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Wing E3874; ESTC R5413
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15,753
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16
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parts of five of them were faithful to his late Majesty whilst such a number of English were up against him If then gentleness interest could reconcile long feuds make men from mortal foes become the greatest friends why may not we expect by the like method the like success in these our present distractions Ther 's one argument as 't is thought of great weight against this liberty of Conscience viz. That all dissenters when they were in power would tolerate no Religion but their own as the Papists in time past the Protestant Sectaries in the late rebellion therefore in Iustice they ought now to be served in the same manner The matter of fact is granted taken out of their sermons I know yet nevertheless if persecuting Christians for conscience be in it self against charity we must not retaliate render like for like but on the other side if the lawful Magistrate may punish tender consciences when he thinks it for the honor of God quiet of the Government this may perchance a little touch the Presbyterians Phanaetiques who were our Rulers by indirect means but then we can never blame any longer the Papists for what they did because their Goverment as to its Jurisdiction was as lawful as ours their plea consequently unanswerable viz That they really fancy'd their Religion true the Protestant heretical That they thought it would for ever distract disquiet the nation to permit new Doctrine in short That they proceeded according to Magna Charta other Laws enacted by the legal Authority of the Kingdom No man can therefore better defend the Marian days all Popish severity than by advising the punishment of Non-conformists practising it as we do But if we would have the Church of Englands great beauty appear be the true spouse without spot or wrinkle we must necessarily refrain from doing those things which they whom we blame are deem'd guilty of It is pleasant to â—ee now a days how Presbyterians Independants Papists though really no great friends begin to claw one another who can blame them for it or would not think them otherwise fools since they all lye under the same lash I remember when Dr. Hewet was to be executed our Church of England City Divines joyn'd together though they hated one another sufficiently to petition Cromwel for him at which some persons of quality wondring one night at Dr. Duns Sr. Henry Blunt answerd that he thought there was nothing extraordinary in that action for said he I have near my house a Common where my pigs my neighbours feed there I dayly see that they eagerly fight bite one another at the trough But if a dog happens to fall upon any one the rest will presently take the part of the oppress'd with all the zeal and fury imaginable 'T is certain both Greek Trojan will unite when they find it their interest to do it what greater interest can any man have than the good of his Country if he be capable of participating of all the advantages that accrue I do not therefore infer that presently a Quaker must be made Master of the Ceremonies or Revels but that if he can dance put of his hat with as good a grace as another he should not loose the hopes of these places by reason of his Religion for though thousands will never emerge but be beggars and Tinkers should all our Colliers be fraught'd with Gold yet these very contemptible men would think the Government uneasie and perchance wish its ruine were they by Act of Parliament never to rise to any higher pith Were we all of one opinion no man should be more willing to keep out Sects than my self for then t would be both feasible and lawful but since things are come to this height 't is now impossible to do it by sâ—verity for all violent courses wil only exasperate more than half our subj cause many to catch at all seditious opportuniâ—ies that shall at any time occur But some men like Iustice Overâ—ce must be punishing for otherwise they fancy all Discipline lost therefore of such I would fain know since all Dissâ—nâ—ers cannot in Prudence be brought to the ring which of them would they bate had they power To fall foul oâ— the Presbyterians would be madness for who would not deem that action so which must needs provoke a râ—ch a prudent a numâ—rous Paâ—ty to be eternal enemies to the Government yet no Protestant can call their errors in Faith damnable They once err'd we know but this may be a means to make their children also faulty truly I doubt not but the miseries they at last suffer'd in the late Rebellion for wealthy mâ—n must smart in such disorders will cause them to be for the future faithful English men unless new exasperations pervert both their resolution reason T were pity also methinks to be always punishing Phanatiques who rather want a good Phisitian Cephaliques than the authority of a Constable I am sure as I said before it makes them more obstinate as fancying themselves like the primitivs Christians whilst the Hollanders grow rich by our losses ffording them that quiet which they find not at home thereby become masters of those manufactures which formerly we alone could brag of Or shall we then vent our fuâ—y against Papists make our selves still ridiculous to our neighbouring Princes who receiving odd accounts from their Agents think us a weak people easy to be distracted by vain fears jealousies Nor can it certainly be for the good or honour of the Nation to persecute those who have shewed so much loyalty that no race of men could ever parallel them unless the true Members of the Church of England that which makes me yet more their friend is that at present though we have often provokt them they keep no private caballing with either France Spain Pope Devil or any thing that is all for had they done it we should have smelt it out long ago but on the contrary they have ever the King in their mouths as if the Rump were now on foot and express as much grief at our publiquem fortunes as any other Subj ct in the Nation I defie all their Priests Fryers to alter my principles in Religion yet I do acknowledge their Church to be a Church as our learned Prelates Divines have taught me nor can I but decrie those that will damn our great Grand-fathers consequently all before them for I am sure every body then were Papists with a vengeance unlesse sometimes two or three foolish Lollards started up who were far liker the Disciples of Fox Naylor than Members of the true Protestant Religion Away then with persecuting Christians purely for Conscience which is the only hadvest for Knave of this here at home we have two most woful examples For neither had the Head
AN EXPEDIENT OR A sure easy way of Reducing all Dissenters whatsoever to an exact sincere Obedience both to our Ecclesiastical Civil Government AMong all the great nations that have been no man I believe can show me the example of England which being not only still intire under the Rule of its lawful Governour but also a great deal stronger in it self by the happy conjunction of Scotland its former dangerous enemy should nevertheless since the Reformation be de facto much weaker and consequently less considerable to our Neighbours All English men of what persuasion or interest soever unanimously conclude that our differences in Religion are the cause therefore as some of every Opinion have proposed their Expedients for the cure of this misfortune so I hope I may take the same Liberty throw in my mite also being induc'd thereunto by the affection I bear my Countrey which I suppose moved the rest that have already written and though I am born a Member of the Church of England whose Liturgy Rites are so worthy of admiration yet I shall do what I can as far as 't is lawful to bridle in my Zeal least seeming too partial I should rather harden than mollifie our dissenting Brethren who happen which is the misery of it to be too numerous considerable in this poor distracted Nation We all know that the whole Kingdom as to Divine Worship is divided besides its subdivisions into these four great Parties viz. Church of England men Presbyterians Independants Papists the three last of which we call Nonconformists as contrary to the present Religion establish'd Our Church of England is more numerous than any has persons in it of all ranks conditions but it seems not so full of Zeal as the others because it abounds with men that are too much in love with humane Interest or have no Religion at all for these ever flock to that Church which is in power whether true or false Presbyterians have generally on their side the Corporations all formal men which they are pleas'd to call the sober part of the Nation but as they are rich so they lye more open to be harass'd whensoever the black day of tribulation happen's The Independants of Phanatiques consist only in Artizans the meanest of the Land yet are in two things very considerable as first let the Government do what it will with them they cannot be much poorer so that in three months they will recover be as they were In the next place Their câ—afâ—â— trades are of great concernment to us Of Papists there are seven parts of ten Gentlemen people of great quality therefore they fancy that their Religion is probably the truest because it has been profess'd here all along by so many men of parts fashion boast that it is only through Ignorance or want of attention that the whole Nation is not as blind as themselves As for Persecution they are not much terrified at it having as they believe manfully endur'd it so many years besides by long practice they know not only all the wayes imaginable to evade the penalties of the Lawes but also by their birth have Relations in all offices employments that alwayes did still do help them when they are in danger to be whipt by us This then in three words being the interest and state of each party we may the easier find out a Remedy for our disorders which have ruin'd or at best strangely shatter'd one of the most flourishing Kingdomes in the world Ever since the happy Restauration of his Majesty there has been still a great cry in all quarters for Liberty of Conscience to which I have been greatly inclind not only out of compassion to well meaning deluded souls but out of conviction also that it would totally root out all Sects erronious Opinions from among us seeing we have found by experience that severity has neither destroy'd Popery which is so ridiculous to every body but its Professours nor yet prevented a troublesome broo'd of our own I say considering this we ought to try what mildnesse will effect since all wise men alter those projects which they find deficient at least we may make tryal of it for a while as our matchlesse Parliaments do that enact often Laws to continue but for so long to be the better able to see whether they may reap the proposed advantage by them Nor can this tryal be any wayes prejudicial to us if it endanger neither the souls of men nor cause a disturbance in the Civil Government 'T is impossible according to the profession of all our most learned Protestants to hazard our Salvation by Opinions whilst we agree in that maine Fundamental to wit The satisfaction of our Saviour Jesus Christ for otherwise we must shipwrack our selves whether we will or no on the unavoidable rocks of Popery because if there should yet be any thing more which we are necessarily to believe an infallible interpreter and Magisterial Iudge to guide the ignorant unlearned would consequently follow Magisterial I say because a poor simple man must implicitely believe as not being ever able to comprehend or understand some truths infallible least men might be still doubting whether yet they are in the right or no. No marvel then that Mr. Chillingworth the miracle of his age sticks close to this thinking it very strange a man should be damn'd for notions which he cannot comprehend therefore lays down Repentance from dead workâ— and a belief in the coming merits of Christ as the only Fundamental amongst Christians as a thing adequate to every ordinary capacity The Papists who would fain come near our truths are also nibbling here though they handle it another way for they will have it too That all men are damn'd through their own wilfulness in resisting evident things say Though Christ as a Prophet sent from God may be easily conceived by humane Reason yet an infallible Church to govern his flock is easier comprehended and easier demonstrated to a Christian than his being sent can be proved to an Iâ—fidel so forsooth this infallible Church by its definitions and explications makes the hardest mysteries as easie as the plainest I here set down this pretty Doctrine dress'd after the Roman fashion to show that if a Protestant should not ground damnation on our wilfulness in rejecting things within the reach of our capacity the very Papists themselves will rise up in judgement against him at the last day to his utter confusion and shame This moderation the eminent Doctor Taylor himself highly esteem'd this he so stoutly maintain'd in his book of Liberty of Prophecying that to this day it remains unanswer'd Many enemies I know he created to himself by his reconciling zeal though by their cry he passes at present for a better practical than controversial Divine yet he has as all men acknowledge