verily thought it had never been objected in earnest but to have more of scorn and disdain in it to make the Presbyterians ridiculous than of strength and reason to keep them as they are Yet since this Objection obtains some belief and moves some well-tempered men that are ready to do them a kindness when it lies in their way I answer That it is well known by their Principles and Papers what they would have and they are so far from being ill to please that what the Bishops have offered themselves before or upon the Kings Restauration would please them or His Gracious Declaration concerning Ecclesiastical affairs in the year 1661. Yea and I might almost further add what the Reverend Bishops think fit to grant if they intend a kindness to them whose Principles they themselves understand or to the Church it self in this great decay of Piety and mighty overflow of Atheism Heresie and all manner of Debauchery for want of Preachers would be very thankfully acknowleded accepted Obj. If it be said what will please one party will not content another Answ There are two principal Reasons and Ends for making abatements in some things which are now imposed First to keep the Ministers and Members of the Church of England that differ in smaller matters together united against the common Enemies Errors Heresies and Schismes that threaten either to invade or undermine the Church it self and this may be done by a Comprehension Secondly To prevent Sedition and keep us in peace and this may be secured by such a Toleration as the wisdom of the Parliament shall think fit they being best able to give such Antidotes as may preserve the Churches Vitals and to cure and cherish such Members as are weak or corrupted without amputation Comprehension is for strengthening the Churches Interest and Toleration if our Rulers think fit to grant it of such things as are tolerable this is for the Kingdomes peace Now the things which the Presbyterians desire to be comprehended in are not many nor great nor in the least entrenching upon the Essentials of the Church her Doctrine or Discipline But some Circumstantials which our Church before they be commanded acknowledge indifferent and some other Imposiâ—ions temporary which in a few years according to the Act for Uniformity do expire these things we humbly desire Dispensation for are such as are dispensed with in other Churches and may be I trust in our own without any hazard to her Doctrine Discipline or Glory And as for the Toleration before mentioned those that are called Presbyterians humbly account that it is no more a part of the Comprehension which they desire for themselves and would be content with than Separation and Faction which this should cure is part of their principles or practices or the persons that hope for it are Presbyterians or the Doctrines they hold the Doctrines of the Church of England and therefore should be no more put together with them by right than the Church of England with whom the Papists do as indistinctly joyn them as our Episcopal Brethren do with the Presbyterians from whom they have been pleas ' to make a secession as well as from themselves Yet notwithstanding some even of them that are accounted of the Separation acknowledge the Being Ordinances and Officers of the Church of England and are very grave pious and learned men who have done and may yet further do Her and Religion great Service by their Pens and Parts whose Cases and Liberties the wisdom of the Parliament no doubt but will take care of when these things come into consideration according to the quality of their persons and the modesty of their Principles as well as others In the mean time If I were to Petition I should humbly beg it upon my knees that it would please our Gracious Soveraign together with His Two Houses in Parliament in whose hands the relaxation and making of Laws are that according to the Loyalty and Integrity of their Hearts Principles and Actions and no otherwise that they would grant those who are reputed Presbyterians a liberty to preach the Gospel with such Encouragements in their Ministry by an Act for Comprehension or otherwise as they in their grave Wisdom shall think most convenient that so all heats and animosities on all sides may be quieted and quenched and they that have been dead in Law for these ten years past may be revived which may possibly also give decayed Piety Peace and Charity an happy resurrection Which God of his great Mercy grant for Jesus Christ sake Amen FINIS
INDULGENCE Not to be Refused COMPREHENSION Humbly Desired THE CHURCHE'S PEACE Earnestly Endeavoured By PHILATHESEIRENES Let my Sentence come forth from thy Presence let thine Eyes behold the things that are equal Ps 17.3 LONDON Printed in the Year 1672. SInce His Majesties Happy Restauration wherein the Welfare and Unity of the Church of England was and is still much concerned it hath been thought reason of State and so Resolved upon that such Ministers as would not subscribe the Declaration and declare as in the Act of Uniformity in 1662. is required should not be capable of holding any Ecclesiastical Benefice nor permitted to preach Many Ministers thereupon have since that time laid aside the Exercise of their Ministry as not being clear in some disputable Points therein contained and prescribed yet very well resolved and in Conscience satisfied in all things necessary to the true Protestant Religion and their Allegiance and Obedience to His Majesty their most Rightful and Dread Soveraign and to the Being Peace and Order of the Church of England in whose Communion they intend to live and die And it doth very much refresh them in this ten years last silence and obscurity of theirs that they neither harbour any principles of Disloyalty or Schisme much less favoured any practice of Disunion or Disobedience but intend to be found in the way of their Duty to God and the King all their dayes And it doth not a little add to their contentment and comfort in their Afflictions That His Sacred Majesty hath not only Declared them Loyal and Peaceable but also endeavoured in His Speeches and Actions a Legal and Fitting Indulgence for them and now done something preparatory hereunto in His late Declaration For indeed the Act of Uniformity although by the Subscriptions and Appointments thereof it hath taken in many Grave Learned and Worthy Persons yet others also are such taken in by it who are not so well conditioned in their Minds Morals and Affections to the true Interest of the Church of England as others that are now laid aside nor have they ever declared so much for Her in Her Straights and Obscurity as they have done who are not therein comprehended So that it hath not been an adaequate and sufficient Test and Standard of all mens integrity and peaceableness nor wrought any great cure upon our Divisions so as was expected but we are broken still to the great gratification of those that would invade or undermine the Church it self by their extream Opinions and Animosities And it may be upon these or such like Considerations some worthy Patriots in Parliament and some reverend Fathers have not been unwilling to allow the Non conformists such relaxations and that by Law as may be consistent with the Essentials of the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England thanks to them for their respects and good remembrance of us But I must confess there have not been wanting also some Ecclesiastical Incendiaries and Boutefews who have endeavoured by their preaching and writing and otherwise to keep the Flame alost and the Wounds still fresh and bleeding to the ruine of many poor Ministers and their Families for ever and not without some inconvenience also to the Church and People of God to whose misguided zeal and hectical heat I shall offer nothing for the guiding of their actions and passions but the Church's present condition and refer them to their own Natural and Evangelical Affections if there be any bowels of Love Ingenuity or Charity to the Church and their Brethren who think themselves as good Subjects and as true Ministers and Members of Christ and as peaceable in their principles and practices as themselves And as for His Majesties Gracions Declaration March 1671. which many men according to their fears and hopes their interests and tempers their ill or good natures make various constructions of for Princes actions pass no more without animadversions than other mens what others say or think it seems to be a genuine and natural effect of that antipathy and enmity which is in His Majesties Disposition and Nature to all violent proceedings against those that have truly tender Consciences And if it reach further to others whose principles are not modest nor honest but grate upon the foundation and tend not to peace nor solid piety it is but a pleonasme or overflow of that great kindness which He alwayes intended and expressed about matters of Religion wherein He had rather overdo in things so agreeable to His own good temper than seem to leave any out of the compass and umbrage of His Favour and Indulgence the fault being theirs that know not how to govern themselves not His that knows wisely to attemper severity and sweetness and fitly to join them together in the Government of His People Since which Declaration there hath lately come forth a busie Paper the Title whereof is Toleration not to be abused Or A Serious Question debated and resolved Whether it be advisable especially for the Presbyterians either in Conscience or Prudence to take advantage from His Majesties late Declaration to deny or rebate their Communion with our Parochial Congregations and to gather themselves into distinct and separate Churches Which Question I suppose the Presbyterians will resolve in the Negative as well as the Proposer and I must also acquaint him that there hath been scarcely any thing that looks like an Argument in his whole Debate but hath been considered and ventilated with all respect and tenderness to the Church of England Nor indeed can it be in reason and duty imagined That His Sacred Majesty intending by this Declaration an Indulgence to tender Consciences should intend to leave out the greatest part of His Loyal and Obedient Subjects who are Dissenters much less intangle them in any way of Separation or Schisme contrary to their Consciences and the Churches peace which the Debater seems to intimate So that if this Book be intended in kindness to direct the Presbyterians in their way at present in things they could not else possibly have foreseen without the Debaters help or as a Mediator to move them to hold off a while till the Bishops make their way more clear by some Episcopal License for publick places in subservience to the Kings Declaration or till some Comprehension can be legally procured by Act of Parliament to make them stand recti in foro Regni Ecclesiae Conscientiae as well as other men Or if his end be really to advance the true Church of England and not to weaken it to declare the sobriety of the Presbyterian principles and practices and not to blazon their infirmities which they acknowledge to be many as well as other mens they have reason to thank him for his good intentions But not for stating the Question for them for it is in effect to enquire whether the Presbyterians may go according to their principles or not whether they may turn Independents or not whether they may leave
Discipline Uniformity and Ceremonies yet because all men have not the command of their own understandings it hath not fallen out accordingly And the King 's Sacred Majesty well declares it That He hath found little fruit of these ways of Coertim for these twelve years past So that it hath not only pleased some Worthy Persons to move for a Comprehension in several Sessions of Parliament in order to the cure of our Divisions which have hitherto been obstructed or laid aside But it hath pleased the Kings Majesty to give out His own Gracious Declaration for Indulgence which whether it ought now to be accepted by the Presbyterians as the Case or as their Principles lie is the Question It cannot be denied but that all the Presbyterians wishes and desires are to enjoy their Liberties in publick places and to be restored to the exercise of their Ministry again by the same Full and Legal Authority which thought fit to lay them aside that they may not seem to abet or espouse any unwarrantable Separation or be entangled in any real or reputed Schisme or offensive distance or distinction either in place or practice from the Church of England to whom be all peace and prosperity Nor would they seem to neglect the discharge of their duty when called to it nor slight His Majesties Kindness so freely and graciously offered especially when He in deep reason of State thinks it may be an Expedient to procure that Unity and Reconciliation which all other forcible course could not hitherto effect Some think this the way for unity others that it tends to Schism and Faction Whose Judgments should be followed If we proceed we offend our Fathers and Brethren if we refuse we give occasion to our Soveraign to think us a company of sowr and ungovernable men whom neither kindness nor severity will soften when as God Almighty who knows our hearts sees and knows otherwise and that we are ready as far as we can to obey and where we cannot to suffer in all humble silence and submission Now the Question as I said before is Whether the Presbyterians may not according to their Principles accept of His Majesties Indulgence without offence or self-contradiction CHAP. III. THe Affirmative I prove thus 1. From the Nature of this Acceptance which is a thankful Acceptance of His Majesties Grace and Favour and an inward willingness signified in this outward acceptance of His Majesties Kindness to be at the employment which they are appointed and ordained to Now inward thankfulness and sense of duty and outward preaching of the Gospel with an earnest endeavour to promote Gods Glory the Kings Honour the Kingdomes Happiness the Churches Peace and to discharge their own duty in the several capacities and relations which the Providence of God and the Prudence of a Christian and Protestant Prince shall cast us into is not simply evil which seems to be their Case and to have no intrinsecal or formal evil in it For Consequences which may fall out or Offences which may be taken accidentally or invidious reflections while a man is doing his duty these are things incident and adherent to the most warrantable and just actions and are not to be taken any cognizance of where the agent is right in his intentions and the action in its substantial ingredients as it is abstracted from the Agent 's infirmities and indiscretions and the by-standers active and passive miss-representations and ill constructions 2. Such an Acceptance of a Favour from their Prince is not contrary to the principles and practices of Presbyterians quatenas Presbyterians for the Notion and Principle that denominateth them such is that a Bishop is not an higher Order or Degree of Ministry in the Church than the Priesthood in other things they agree with the established Doctrine and Faith of the Church of England and are willing to submit to the Discipline thereof as it is by Law established And how such a point should make all this great difference or be inconsistent with the acceptance of a kindness offered them by His Majesty is a thing not to be conceived it may be as well said if the King should offer them a Living with their liberty or publick places to preach in or a maintenance for themselves and their Families it is against their principles to take it But for my part I neither take them to be such a company of fools as to do so nor do I believe doth the Debater think so nor do I believe would he himself do so if he had their Sentiments or were in their Circumstances Nor is it against the Presbyterians practices for they all along together with their Episcopal Brethren accepted of the Liberty then offered and indulged to them in the late times of Usurpation and why they should not do it now in the Reign and from the Hands of their most Rightful Soveraign I see not The Primitive Christians fell to their work and bless'd God when they had any respite from the Tyranny and Oppression of Heathenish and cruel Princes And why they should either with scorn or fullenness reject any kindness from a Christian Protestant and Gracious Prince is not to be apprehended Withal considering that there are as severe resolved Presbyterians in France and other places as we have here in England and no body upbraids them that I can hear of for going against their Principles and Consciences in accepting and improving the Liberty therein granted to the Honour of God and the peace of the Church Obj. But in France they have another Religion uppermost and they are bound to preach the Gospel as it lies in their way in opposition to it Here there is the same Religion which the Presbyterians profess and the same Church which they are Members and Ministers of and they ought not to set up Altar against Altar Answ This is no setting up Altar against Altar nor any undermining of the Doctrine or Church of England on the Presbyterians part but a subservient Duty tending to the Unity and Peace thereof in such a capacity as His Majesty hath thought fit to place them Some are appointed to rule as Bishops others to assist in Rule and Government as Deans and Chapters others to preach the Gospel in publick Churches and Chappels And if His Majesty give way to such as you call Presbyters to pursue the same ends in publick Halls or private Houses who can think much since the work goes on in the lowest as well as the highest Officers and places Obj. But the Presbyterians in former times preached and wrote against Toleration and Indulgence and if they do now fall in with it they contradict themselves Answ Some did and some did not but however in those dayes when Errors and Heresies first appeared there was greater need and reason of a severe declaring against them and a toleration of them than afterwards when they had so generally spread themselves all the Kingdom over that if it had been
to see happy dayes and the Congregations and Consciences of Gods people will reap the happy fruits thereof mens exulcerated minds and spirits will in a short time be healed the common adversaries and underminers of our Church and the glory of it will be fully disappointed Governors and Governed in their several stations and places well contented and rejoyced the Churches interests of Doctrine Discipline Unity and Peace well strengthened and secured and the mouths of all true Protestants both abroad and at home filled with acclamations of joy and gladness and praises also to God for such an happy reconciliation with their constant prayers to Heaven not forgetting the Instruments thereof for its prolongation and continuance till Christ the Head of his Church come to Judgment CHAP. VI. Obj. NOw if any should object and answer this would be a good way if matters could be thus brought about but it is sooner said than done Answ It will be so in Heaven and why some offers should not be made towards making us more happy in the Blessing of Reconciliation and peace as well as more holy in the Acts and Duties of Sanctification I see not Holiness will not be perfect till we come to heaven and yet means are used to make persons better and more mortified to the world by preaching praying good Examples Education and Endeavours and why may not the same means be used in relation to Christian Concord and Charity And though we cannot be perfect in this world yet we should be perfecting Holiness Peace Mortification and Reconciliation in the fear of God Secondly Neither is such a thing impossible to be done here in this world quoad naturam rei though I must confess while every party retain their prejudice passions unkind remembrances of wrongs and thoughts of revenge it is utterly impossible it would therefore do well that every one in their places Superiors and Inferiors would study and endeavour after those things that make for peace which is most certainly jure divino whatsoever things be or be not Where there are commands given and promises made upon the observance of such commands there is no impossibility implied or included It is a vain thing to oppose against any of the Ten Commandments an impossibility in them to be observed now peace and living in peace and charity one with another is commanded Re. 14.19 Let us therefore follow the things that make for peace and things wherewith one may edifie another 2 Cor. 13.11 Finally Brethren be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. And that it is practicable we see it daily men can possess their souls in peace keep their Families and Corporations in peace and other Churches live in peace and why may not ours do so too Considering the great contentment and comfort we shall all reap by it another day it is no great wisdome for any of us that have much and great work to do and but a little time to live that have Sickness Death Judgment Eternity upon the matter all at hand to ruffle and discompose our selves and others by our heats and unkindness to make our own passage rough and stormy out of this world into another and leave all in anger heats and disorder behind us when we are gone all which might have been happily prevented by our innocent and amicable condescentions one unto another Let us not by any means leave the Family of God the Church of Christ and the Houshold of Faith in strife and contention if we can any way help it either by deed or will before we die Sat infelicibus armis pugnatum Sat communibus adversariis occasionis commoditatis ad nostrum exitium exhibitum sat imo nimis affectibus indultum malis It is high time to be wise and good natured one unto another to forgive what God hath forgiven to dispense with such things as are dispensable for the attainment of such sure and staple blessings as are indispensably necessary and essential to the life and being of our Church and Religion This and much more may be said but that such an one as I am must not prescribe rules of Government and Jurisdiction to my Superiors and Betters Obj. But must the Laws of the Land vail to every schismatical factious and private mans opinion Answ No by no means But I pray let us not in fury and spleen nickmine such for being so as are upright in their hearts and consciences and plain and open in their outward actions for Truth and peace and do as perfectly abhor Schism and Faction and any thing of that complexion and more too than any of their violent and virulent accusers and dare say further that they should neither sleep nor die peaceably if they were not as good Subjects to the King and it may be better and as true in their principles and Consciences to the Doctrine and Interests of the Church of England as any or most of those that make the loudest declamations against Schisme and Faction and the most uncharitable and unchristian reflections upon their poor Brethren But it may do well that the true notion of Schisme and Faction were truly stated and such as were truly such were admonished corrected and restrained and not the nocent and innocent loyal and disloyal hand over-head punished and branded together promiscuously and without any discrimination Scarce any one would suffer such work to be in their own Families that upon the surmises and whispers of a company of pick-thanks and bad men that are not content with the places they are in but have a mind to rise by slanders and murdering other mens reputations and give way that such children as are in reality respective and dutiful to their Fathers and Superiors should be suspected suspended ejected and disinherited because they had neither parts nor wit nor strength nor faces alike And if it would please our Superiors to make trial and if they find not those who are accounted little less than guilty of Heresie and Sedition both loyal and peaceable and also sound in the Faith according to the Doctrine of the Church of England then let them bring the wheel over them again and doom them to perpetual silence and obscurity as persons invincibly obstinate and incapable either of encouragement or entertainment And if the courteous Reader please let us a little consider what Learned men say of Schism Schismatici dicuntur inquit Aquinas quia propria sponte intentione ab unitate Ecclesiae se separant Aquin. 22.2 qu. 39. Now how this can be said of them who take their censure and seclusion from the Ministry with all meekness and mansuetude and intend to live and die in communion with the Church of England either as Ministers or Members let the world judge As S. Jerome tells us ep 62.