differ in these particulars Their Controversies were concerning the abolished Ceremonies of the Jews or the prophane practices of the Heathen Idolaters ours are about the Lawful Decent and Religious Ceremonies of Christians Their Controversies were about such matter as were in themselves scandalous as eating of things sacrificed to Idols partaking with the Idolaters in a Heathen Temple or observing the Fasti and Nefasti days of good or ill luck according to the Roman persuasion but our Disputes are for such things as all acknowledge to be harmless and innocent The Romans were newly Converted to Christianity and therefore many weak in Faith were not to be discouraged by the liberty other men allowed themselves we in England methinks should be well grounded and setled in the Christian Religion and not to be discouraged from its Profession by every trifle The things in Controversie were never enjoyned or looked upon by the Rulers of that Church as fit to be practised and of any decency in Gods Worship our matters in dispute are approved by the Authority of the Nation and every true hearted English Soul is bound by the undeniable Laws of God as well as by Mans Laws and for the credit of the Nation as well as for the preserving of publick Peace and Unity to Submit and Conform Do you think in Conscience that in our case if S. Paul did live amongst us that he would bid you not Conform Because you are damned if you Conform doubting He that tells you in the former Chapter vers 16. Be of the same mind one towards another Mind not high things but condescend to men of low estate Be not wise in your own conceits And in the fifteenth Chapter vers 5. Be ye like minded one towards another that ye way with one mind and with one mouth glorifie God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Think ye that he would have opened so wide a gap to Non-Conformity and to the sinister designs of Apostats and Hereticks Think ye that he would have given this liberty to disturb the Churches Peace to these Sons of Tumult and Division to tell them that a groundless suspition of sin in the practices of the Church or the bare pretence is sufficient to justifie their irregularities disorders schisms separation and disobedience to the Commands of their Superiors He that tells you that ye must needs be subject for Conscience sake would he have said that a naked excuse or a meer immagination of sin in the things enjoyned frees you from all subjection and gives you liberty to disobey the Magistrate in indifferent mattres Are you to prefer your wilful suspitions or groundless fancies to the declarations of your Brethren and Christian Rulers to imagin sin in that which they think not only lawful but also needful to be practised This General Rule Whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin vers 23. is misapplied to our case and is not to be allowed as a lawful excuse for the omission of an apparent duty for there are none of our Non-Conformists but might easily attain to that Knowledge and Faith which might justifie their Unity with us Were they living amongst the Canibals or in the darkness of Popery or Heathenish Idolatry where none were able to remove their doubts to satisfie their minds and inform their Consciences this plea might be so long allowable till they were able to gain more knowledg Calig aut in Sole Quinctil But for them to shut their eyes to all the beams of light and their ears to all the Reasons Arguments and Persuasions of the Doctors of the Church of England and to say we are blind we don't believe we are not persuaded and therefore our Conformity without Faith would be a sin is a most ridiculous pretence unto which meer necessity drives them who are obstinately resolved to the contrary Suppose a Heathen or a Papist should have had the same advantages as you have to understand the Truth and as strong invitations to make profession of the Gospel would you allow them this pretence to excuse themselves from embracing the Gospel Why did not the Presbyterians and Independents approve of this Plea in those whom they cast out of their Assemblies for Religions sake and would not admit them to communion Men must take heed in this corrupt Age of such general Rules which the Devil is wont to wrest to promote his own wicked purpose But in this case you will say what shall we do what course shall we take for our Consciences have gotten such a command over us and our judgments through such like persuasions that we can enjoy no peace within our breasts if we comply with you in things so contrary to our principles We are as much afraid to hear your prayers as to worship before an Idol of Stone or Timber to see a white Surplice as to assist at Mass to have a Cross upon our Childrens foreheads as to receive the marks of the Beast In a word we are as much afraid to submit our selves to your Worship and the Government of Bishops as to Apostatize from Christ and forsake Christianity This fear and these persuasions cannot easily be overcome what advice therefore would you give us that we in this case might take that Course which may agree in some respects with our obligations to our Superiors and favour us a little in our weakness that we may not do any thing to disturb the peace of our Consciences which you say are mis-led CHAP. V. Seasonable and Christian Advices for our Non-Conforming Brethren who are possessed with such strong prejudices against the Church of England that they cannot easily overcome them and a Reconciliation proposed I Will freely grant what you would have us believe that you are afraid by a compliance with our Church to wound your Consciences or to act contrary to your persuasion which you think to be well grounded and that by such a proceeding you should disturb the quiet of your Souls as when Conscientious men commit a sin against Gods Laws Yet my Brethren in this case your resolved Non-Conformity is not warrantable nor agreeing with Christian prudence because your Superiors to whose Judgments Reason and Duty teaches you to yield a little condemns it as prejudicial to the publick and because it is so apparently destructive to Peace and all Christian vertues which Unity and Uniformity in Religion are wont to nourish in a Society Therefore in this case for your own quiet and the publick Peace I advise you my Brethren to observe a medium between a strict Conformity and a Non-Conformity until such time as you can be better informed and to practise these following Rules which will infallibly give your Souls and Consciences satisfaction and answer in some respects your obligations to your Superiors under God as well as secure the publick peace of the Church However I am certain you are bound by Gods Holy Word to observe these Rules that though the case were as you
FRIENDLY ADVICE TO PROTESTANTS OR AN ESSAY TOWARDS Comprehending and Uniting OF ALL PROTESTANT DISSENTERS TO THE Church of England HUMBLY Offer'd to the Consideration of this present PARLIAMENT as the best Expedient of this time to secure the Safety Honour and Welfare of the KING and Kingdom By a Sober Protestant LONDON Printed for Samuel Heyrick and are to be Sold at his Shop at Grays-Inn-Gate in Holborn 1680. TO THE Courteous Reader Courteous Reader I Intreat you to peruse with a mild a moderate and a Christian Temper these few sheets which have been thought fit to be recommended to the publick view as well to give a full prospect of the Jesuitical Designs against us and our Religion as to persuade our Brethren to that Vnity and Vniformity which will secure us against all their Hellish Attempts This Invitation will appear so much the more seasonable because we are yet threatned with strong Combinations with mighty Conspiracies with the Conjunction of Foreign Powers that promise to themselves the overthrow of Christ's Gospel and Truth amongst us Methinks that the greatness of the Common Danger in which we are all concern'd should Alarm us into a compliance with one another and oblige us to joyn to maintain that Profession which our Enemies joyntly strike at Methinks their Policy should teach us how to preserve our selves and cause us to unite also in Affections in Gods Worship in our Cares and Endeavours for the Publick Safety for the prevention of their mischievous purposes too much encouraged by our groundless and unreasonable Divisions In this juncture of time the Nations welfare and preservation hath such a dependency upon this Conjunction that we can never expect it without this reconciliation It is the Vnity of the people that will render us invincible and draw down upon our heads the Blessing of Heaven The safest Defence of States and Kingdoms It will establish Religion upon an unmoveable Basis and maintain the envied Hierarchy of our Church in the midst of all Disorders It will prevent many wicked Designs of the Pope and his bloody Agents and silence the jealousies and tumultuous fears that disturb our quiet In a word Vnity in Religion and Gods Worship will preserve the Nations Peace from Foreign Invasion and Intestine discords If therefore our Brethren of the same Religion who differ from us only in shadows would hearken at last to this Reconciliation and joyn with us at least in outward appearance If they would consent to lay aside all prejudice and partiality and banish from among us all names of dissention innumerable advantages would from thence proceed and this happy Conjunction would infallibly prove the most Invincible Bulwark of our Church and Nation against the malice of Hell and the Popes fury In order thereunto several particulars are here recommended to the publick view to dispose mens minds for this blessed unity in Religion and prepare them for a Cure But as there are distempers which the Patients frowardness and other circumstances will not suffer to be healed by every common Physitian the grand disease of our Nation is such that only the Wisdom of our Superiours can compleat the cure and close up our bleeding wounds torn and inlarged through our Enemies subtil practices Several endeavours have been formerly made for the same purpose but success hath not answered the expectations of good men because their Judicious and Religious proceedings have been frustrate as some imagin through the unseasonableness and sharpness of the Remedies or the untractableness of interessed persons or rather through the secret Plots of our busy Enemies who lay in our bosoms and had a finger in our actings of this nature But now these obstacles are partly removed now the greatness of our danger hath alarm'd many into a compliance with our Church and begot in us an earnest desire of a Conjunction we only wait for an Invitation and the perfecting of that Vnion which will render us and our posterity happy for ever I shall desire from all True Protestants a favourable acceptance of and a charitable construction to these my endeavours which I hope will prevail upon men of calm spirits and unbiassed judgments my zeal and affection for the service of my Country and for the preservation of the true Religion for which I have been a sufferer hath encouraged me to this Attempt Who knows but that these considerations that I here offer may prevail upon many may satisfie their doubting Consciences and oblige them to study for the future Vnity and Peace Who knows but that a Person though in a mean Station may contribute something towards that Blessed Work of Vniting us and our Brethren together For it is the usual Method of Divine Providence to make use of the unlikeliest Agents to bring to pass the great Designs and the noble effects of his Power and Wisdome that the Glory might be ascribed to him alone and that none might partake with him in that which is all his due I beseech the God of all Wisdom Vnity and Peace to unite us all together to reconcile our differences te enlighten our understandings with his Truth sanctifie our wills and affections with his Spirit of Love I beseech His Divine Majesty to preserve in health and prosperity our gracious and religious King and bless the zealous endeavours of the wise and great Council of our Nation for his Glory and the Nations Welfare This shall always be the Prayer of M. D. THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. The Conspiracy and present Designs of the Popish Party in Europe against the Protestant Interest discovered with the methods observed by them to overthrow the Church of England Pag. 1. CHAP. II. The danger of Division in a Nation about matters of Religion and what pernicious consequences it hath had in foreign Countries and in this 12 CHAP. III. That there is no reasonable cause of dividing from our Church and that the most scrupulous Conscience may and ought to conform according to the Laws of God as well as man 20 CHAP. IV. The true causes why most part of our dissenting Brethren will not joyn with us in the Worship of our God enquired into In what particulars our differences chiefly consist and their grand Objection Answered 32 CHAP. V. Seasonable and Christian Advices for our Non-Conforming Brethren who are possessed with such strong prejudices against the Church of England that they cannot easily overcome them and a Reconciliation proposed 49 CHAP. VI. An Exhortation to all the Learned Pious and Christian Teachers amongst our Non-Conforming Brethren to prevent in time the Nations ruin by an Vnity with us and to lay aside all Prejudice and Partiality 56 A SEASONABLE ADVICE TO ALL True Protestants IN ENGLAND IN This present posture of Affairs CHAP. I. The Conspiracy and present Designs of the Popish Party in Europe against the Protestant Interest discovered with the methods observed by them to overthrow the Church of England THE true Christian Faith in all Ages hath
to refuse Conformity to its late establishment because they had been fierce and unadvised disputers and contemners of it during the late Usurpation And now they would not comply not so much for fear of reproach as the former but for fear of endangering the Faith of their disciples or for fear of prejudicing their esteem of Religion by shewing so great a readiness to comply with the times for they imagin that their peoplewill be apt to suspect the truth of Christianity when they who are the chief Teachers of it discover any unconstancy in the most visible part of it which is Gods Publick Worship The apprehension therefore of doing that which might bring an open scandal to Religion prevailed upon some of the more conscientious Teachers of the Presbyterian and Independent parties to refuse Conformity to the reestablishment of the Church of England These seem to be more excusable than any of the rest because their care of Religion obliged them to refuse a compliance together with the mistakes of their Congregations for though they found nothing in the Government of the Church by Bishops and in the things enjoyned but what they could readily embrace as agreeing with Piety and good manners and the exactest Rules of Gods Holy Word yet because those whose Souls and Consciences they were to have a regard to in all their actions were prepossessed by the wickedness of former times with such invincible mistakes against this Church that they could not be persuaded out of them upon a sudden if all their Teachers had forsaken them at the alteration of the Government they might have indangered the interest of Religion in their Souls and given them strange prejudices against the Holiness and Purity of Christianity especially in these prophane days in which men are too apt to imagin it only a Politick Contrivance and the rather they would have entertained this wicked conceit of Gods Religion and Truth if their Teachers whom they looked upon as their Examples of Piety and men of great Learning for the most part should have entertained without any demur those very things which they or others but a few years before exclaimed against as impious and idolatrous and were generally believed to be so The People who commonly take things upon trust without giving themselves the time to examin their mistakes would have wondered to see men so unconstant in their behaviour so changeable for the present advantages of life to embrace such seeming impieties repugnant to their blinded Consciences Therefore they thought they could do no less than comply with their Peoples weakness rather than with the Authority of the Nation and chiefly because their People expressed a willingness to supply their necessities by their liberal contributions The Holy Apostles of our Saviour Christ seemed to have been in the same case after the preaching of the Gospel the Converted Jews were willing to embrace Christ and his Doctrine but the Laws of Moses they were not willing to forsake because they and their whole Nation had so great a Devotion for those Ceremonies which they looked upon to be perpetual and obligatory to their Nation in regard of Gods Covenant that they could not be induced to neglect them though Christ and his Apostles had shewed them the intent of them all which was but to keep them in expectation of their Saviours coming and the Revelation of the Gospel Mysteries But when the Apostles saw no possibility of drawing the Jews from their Mosaical Observances they connived at them who embraced Christianity and took that course which might further their acceptance of Christs Religion So far were they from dissuading them from it that they themselves yielded to all such observances that they might not seandalize the rest though they were fully acquainted with their insignificancy By this compliance with the Nations mistakes and the Peoples weakness which they were resolved to continue till Christianity had gained a sufficient credit amongst them they minded two things First The avoiding of all Controversies and dissensions which might have risen to disturb the Publick Welfare from the Pharisees extraordinary Devotion for their Law Secondly The taking away of that which would have proved the greatest obstacle amongst the Jews to the progress of Christs Religion if its first reception had commanded them to forsake Moses and his Ordinances by which the Priestly Order was maintained in its splendor But for the better encouragement of Christians they suffered Moses to usher in Christ and the People to profess Judaism and Christianity together before they would venture to call them away from those carnal Ceremonies which ended at Christs Death and Passion In process of time St. Paul to the Hebrews shews them their emptiness and insignificancy and advises them at last to leave the shadows seeing they enjoyed the Substance and the Body I could heartily wish that as many of the Learned and Conscientious Teachers as amongst our Non-Conforming Brethren have imitated the Apostles in their compliance with the peoples weakness for the avoiding of Scandal and Religions sake would now at last imitate them in their second endeavors to undeceive their people now that they are all so well acquainted with us and our worship by several Disputations that none but those whose Eyes are wilfully shut can conceive any such uncharitable opinion of us That we are Popish and Superstitious in the Service of God Now that they all see that the Pope creeps not in amongst them under our white Surplices and is not hidden under our supposed Altars nor that our Religious Prayers usher not in the Antichristian Mass Now that the Holiness of our Religion the significancy of our Ceremonies the Integrity of our Laws In a word the Excellency of our Church Order and Worship are visible to all the Nation It would become the Wisdom and Christianity of those Learned and Wise Teachers of the Presbyterian and Independent parties to perfect what is already begun and to encourage an union with us The same care of Religion which obliged them first to comply with their Peoples mistakes calls them now to persuade them out of them lest these mistakes should gangrene in their Souls through their encouragement and turn to the subversion of our Church and the Protestant Religion in this Nation I am certain that now Christianity and the Souls of these men are in greater danger through your compliance with them my reverend Brethren than they would be if you did gently deal with them to shew them the lawfulness of our practices and worship and persuade them by word and deed to joyn with the approved forms and established Service of God in this Nation For now their obstinacy is no longer weakness but wilfulness no longer Conscience but Resolution and Aversion You know sufficiently how dangerous it is to nourish them up in an abhorrency of Truth and to encourage them in a displeasure against the Professors of it You know how contrary to the blessed disposition of
suspect I am certain that if you will govern your selves by them your Non-Conformity will be less dangerous to your Souls more excusable before God and less hurtful to the Nation I. Abstain from all disrespectful words slanderous reports base aspersions and railing accusations and unworthy imputations of our Government Worship and Orders of the Church Suffer not your suspicions of sin to break out into an open injustice and filthy language If your judgments be infected defile not your tongues with the same pollution Let a Christian moderation bridle in that liberty which men commonly give themselves of speaking any thing against that which they cannot phancy and let not your mistakes appear farther than your own Souls This restraint is most just reasonable and agreeing with the passages of Gods Blessed Word for it is but just that you should abstain from abusing that Church and Government which secures your Lives and Estates from which your Forefathers and many of you have received the advantage of being Christians It was a great ingratitude in one of the Sons of Noah to reveal and sport himself with the sight of his Fathers Nakedness It is as great an ingratitude in the English Subjects and deserves as severe a Curse to blaze abroad and delight to publish in every Company the suspected nakedness of their Mother the Church of Eagland from whose Breasts they have sucked many benefits It is very remarkable that when the Children of Israel were going into the Land of Canaan to live amongst the Heathens God gave them this Commandment for the preservation of the publick Peace of his People which would have been broken if they had by their unhandsom Language stirred up the Heathens jealousie for the Honour of their Gods Thou shalt not revile the Gods nor curse the Rulers of they People Exod. xxii 28. They differed in essential matters of Religion yet God would not suffer his People to rail against those false Divinities lest that might disquiet and disturb the publick tranquillity And for that very cause when the Jews were in Captivity in Babylon Jeremiah sent them a Letter by Gods Command To seek the peace of the City whither they were carried away Captives and pray unto the Lord for it for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace Jerem. xxix 7. The Jews were Gods People the Babylonians were Idolaters yet God would not suffer them to defame or speak any thing which might hinder the peace of that Kingdom Likewise it was observed by the Town-Clerk of Ephesus in his harangue to the People in their uproar That the Christians were neither Robbers of Churches nor yet Blasphemers of the Goddess Diana Acts xix 37. And the Heathens could commend the Christians for their moderation and discretion in this respect Justin Martyr And is it just that you my Brethren should be continually reviling and blaspheming that Worship and Religion whereof the establishment renders ye quiet in the possession of your Estates That Religion and Worship against which you have nothing but Suspicions and not such Allegations as the Jews had against the Babylonish and as the Christians had against the Heathenish Religion Our Peace I confess is not disturbed in that manner as theirs had been had they treated the Heathens as many of you do us for you have to deal with those Christians that look upon you as Brethren and can suffer affronts and disgraces with patience but our moderation excuses not the violent and uncharitable expressions and blasphemies too much in use amongst the indiscreetest of our dissenting Brethren Whatever therefore be your thoughts and suspicions of us let your words be modest and let them favour of that Christian Charity which we should entertain for one another II. Seek not to propagate your displeasures against our Church and Worship nor to gain Proselytes to your Sects You have but suspicions of sin to lay to our Charge no real Accusations no open Idolatry nor plain Superstition to fasten upon our Church and Worship though this suspicion as you pretend is sufficient to excuse your Non-Conformity it may not have the same effect upon others that which is but a suspicion in you shall assuredly be an Article of Faith in a Disciple for Error like the Snow-balls increaseth the farther it goes Education and Custom will cause your Children to abominate what you look upon to be tolerable if you bring them up in an aversion for it It is observed concerning hereticks and mistakes in Religion that their Disciples were far more the Children of Hell than their Masters and more violent and more extravagant in their deviations from the Truth Matt. xxxiii 15. It is therefore very dangerous to draw into the same groundless suspicions unexperienced Souls who are apt to improve mistakes to the disturbance of the publick and their own damnation If therefore you will not be in love with your prejudices take heed how you bring up your Children in such persuasions as may hasten their ruin and the Nations calamities And if you cannot prevail upon your selves to forsake your opinions be not so fond of your distemper to communicate it to others but encourage them in the performance of their duties III. Give not credit too unadvisedly to the ill reports that concern the Church and its Government for there is nothing that increaseth so much the displeasure against it as that wicked policy of our Adversaries They misrepresent us to the people and deal with us as the Jesuits in Spain do with the Protestants condemned to the fire they cloath them with Paper Coats and Caps all covered over with shapes of Devils and strange chimera's to render them more frightful to the vulgar sort thus do our subtil enemies cover us over with the figures of Devils Idolatry Superstition and Crimes which when well examined will appear to be only the effects of their malice rather than expressions of our deservings IV. Search with diligence into the differences between us take the assistance of Gods Holy Word inquire into our Practices and Belief and by Prayer endeavour to understand the Truth that you may learn to practise it We dare appeal to the Judgments of the most moderate of you we are no such Idolaters as some would have There is nothing of Superstition enjoyned in our Church we will be tried by Gods Word and the sound interpretation of the Holy Fathers Read over Mr. Hooker's Ecclesiastical Policy commended by our Royal Martyr Read his Opinion of our Church Worship and Government in his incomparable Book His judgment is worthy to be looked upon I have ever esteemed saith he the Church of England the best Profession of Religion because it comes nearest to Gods Word for Doctrine and to the Primitive Examples for Government In a Letter to the Prince of Wales Read Bishop Bancroft Downham Hall Bilson and Dr. Taylor against Presbytery in Vindication of the Church of England Read our later Disputations about the matters in
together the Turk abroad The differences between the French and the Spaniards were composed by the Marriage of the eldest Infanta of Spain with Lewis the Fourteenth the yongest being given to the Emperor the Chief of the House of Austria This Peace gave leasure to the French Court and an opportunity to the Pope and his Agents to Work and Solicit the Ruin of the Protestants by pulling down their Churches and denying them the priviledges allowed them before Several ways were then proposed in the Assembly of Cardinals answerable to the state of every Kingdom England was then groaning under the Tyranny of an Usurper dreadful to all Europe but a Religion was then here professed in opposition to Popery The Kings Majesty was in his Banishment It was therefore resolved to get here such an Interest in the Army and in the Land as that the Papists might be able to make a strong party when time should serve for that purpose several Jesuits were sent over to set up new Religions and divide the people amongst themselves and to joyn with the Army into which they were admitted in Offices of Trust under their usual disguises A proposal had been made to our Gracious Soveraign to draw him from the Truth with large hopes of an universal assistance of the foreign Papists in such a case to settle him again in his Throne but he was not to be drawn to be the Popes Slave in hopes of a Crown nor to be perswaded to embrace such absurdities against his Conscience and Reason God therefore performed for him what his Enemies had but proposed and restored to him his inheritance as a reward of his Fidelity to Truth contrary to the whole Worlds expectation When the Court of Rome saw so great a revolution in this Kingdom and the Protestant Religion succeeding to the former Anarchy in the Church when they saw no hopes of that Change they wished for they sent as many Emissaries as they could to sow the seeds of division amongst us and our brethren of the same perswasion for the carrying on of their damnable designs the ruin of our Kingdom and Church against which they planted all their Engins A Consultation was regularly had in London of the most experienced and wisest Jesuits who had intelligence with most parts of the Kingdom and knew by Letters the posture of all Affairs and the Peoples dispositions The result was sent over to their General at Rome and the Assembly appointed there for English Affairs From thence they received every month new Orders how to proceed which Orders they had a general Commission to correct according to the unexpected accidents that might happen During the late Civil War and Usurpation the Jesuit had got many Proselytes to his Religion by drawing them from the Truth or causing some to cast off all respect of any other Religion but that which their sordid Interest recommended The Wicked and Antichristian Principle of the former and the prophaness and licentiousness of the latter made them both ready to embrace Popery as soon as it should appear with any credit amongst us but all this while the Knave lurked under the shape of an Anabaptist of a Quaker of a Fift-Monarchy man and sometimes for his Interest he would appear amongst the Presbyterians and Independents The severity of the antient Laws and the Peoples general hatred of Popery and Jesuits suffered him not to lift up his Mask therefore all his proceedings were private and secret and under such outward garbs as hindred him from being visible to every eye But as soon as the Kings Majesty returned to his Crown and Kingdom the Jesuits and Papists were resolved to take other measures The services of some of their Party and the Authority of Crowned Heads emboldned them to appear amongst us with more Courage and less Fear of the Law which by the King 's merciful temper was mitigated towards them and they suffered to make profession of their Religion without fear of punishment All that they seemed then to desire and pretend to was but the freedom to exercise their Religion but give the Devil an Inch and he will take an Ell. Their secret aim and private contrivances have always tended to the overthrow of Church and State for the better carrying on of their purposes they have endeavoured to have all the Interest they could make amongst the great ones There was then three obstacles to their grand Design not to be overcome on a sudden The Kings reality in the Protestant Profession the Nations general aversion for Popery some out of Interest and for Fear of losing their Impropriations and Abbey-Lands others out of a principle of Religion and the third obstacle was the Parliaments Sincerity and Loyalty to God and their King To attempt openly to overcome these impediments was but a madness which could not turn but to their ruin They found out a way to batter these invincible Bulwarks and if not to render them assaultable at least to prevent the danger they apprehended from thence the Peoples aversion they took away by degrees by their officious and kind behaviour civil deportment and usual professions of fidelity to their Prince and care of the publick safety honour and happiness by spreading abroad both in the Countrey and the City Books of their Religion with moderate Disputations and Refutations of ours which they gave to all that would hearken to them or shew them any countenance or likelihood of embracing their ways and by settling of Popish School-Masters in every corner of the City who endeavoured if not to poison the Children with their principles at least to give them such a tincture of their Religion as might remove the natural aversion They dealt with every one according to his quality disposition and place To the Great and Noble they seemed to be true trusty and officious to the meaner sort they appeared with hopes and promises of advantage and to all they discovered the Popish Religion under the disguises of pleasure and profit as many as were not well principled they endeavoured to debauch and corrupt chiefly if they were in any place of trust that they might shew themselves favourable to Popery and Papists Some they would recommend and promote to places of profit to Offices and Employments in Noble Families and in the State to others they would give monies and with all persons they endeavoured to ingratiate themselves casting all the misery and troubles of our Civil War upon Presbyterians Reformation and Non-conformity to render them the more odious to King and People One thing gave them a jealousie and they were resolved to employ all their Skill and Art to prevent it That was a reconciliation between the Episcopal Party and the moderate Non-Conformists endeavoured by the Kings Majesty and desired by the whole Nation To hinder this conjunction which doubtless would have proved fatal to Popery in this Land and break the neck of all their designs they laboured to interpose between both
Moors out of his Kingdom with a Bloody War in the Low-Countries and with the Massacre of his Eldest Son and Heir Don Carlos a young Prince who discovered his dislike of the Bloody Designs of the Papists of his days But since the States of Europe have laboured to cut the Spaniards Short and to bring down their haughty pretensions they have scarce been able to keep their own without their Neighbours Charitable Assistance much less to invade the other Kingdoms and Territories of Europe in gratification of the Court of Rome But the French Monarch esteemed the richest Prince of all Europe raised to a Powerful and Large Kingdom was become dreadful to all his Neighbors whiles he stood still He seemed therefore to be the fittest Instrument to carry on the Popish Designs in Europe and in England and able to suppress the Protestant Religion every where This was the French aim in the last Dutch War as may appear by the words of their Embassadors to all Popish Princes chiefly in Germany and Spain And in consideration of this War the Pope was willing to gratifie the French King in all his demands in making those men Cardinals whom he had recommended to him And likewise to shew his readiness to crush the Protestant Party the French King to please the Pope hath pulled down several hundred Churches and oppressed the Protestants of his Dominions contrary to his former Grants and Promises I could instance several known proofs of this Agreement between the Pope the Jesuits and the French King to govern the World between them and to assist one another in the subduing Europe and in Ruling it by this Triumvirat The Pope was to have the Souls and command the Consciences of men to furnish him and his minions with what moneys they would have The French King was to Govern the Bodies and command their Estates And the Jesuits by a compliance with them both were to have a large share in the Conquered Countreys and a great part in the Government of the World The Dutch a sturdy generation and powerful by Sea stood in their way these must be oppressed by a Nation no less valiant and strong it was no difficult matter to blow up the Coals and kindle a War The uncivility of the former furnishing daily causes of discontent to the latter but when the growing greatness of the French discovered to us our own danger and that our Prince became the Moderator of Peace and War stopping this furious Champion in his full Career it is not to be imagin'd what displeasure the Popish Party conceived against our King and Nation what threatning speeches what furious expressions dropt from their mouths The Emperor only and the Spaniard no Friend of the French Greatness would have been willing to assist the Pope if only Religion had been concerned but when they had an inkling of the Triumvirat and saw to what all these proceedings would abutt they chose rather to aid the Hereticks against their Pope than to suffer them to incrcase their Enemies Power and Greatness But seeing that Protestant England would not suffer the Pope and the French to triumph over all their Neighbours but give a check to their proceedings a Peace must be concluded with the Dutch Hereticks that they might have more leasure to work mischief to and overthrow this strongest Bulwark of the Protestant Religion Open War was dangerous against a Nation so Couragious therefore private Plots and secret Conspiracies must do They had no other way but to cast us into a confusion by a sudden attempt and the Massacre of our Prince and of his Subjects and to animate us one against another The Father must be stirred up against the Son the Children must rise against their Parents Relations and Affinity Consanguinity and the ties of Friendship and Blood must be all set aside to promote the Interest of this Catholick Religion and Holy Cause sanctified by the Popes Benediction The burning of the City of London could not destroy that Nest of Hereticks they must there be all Massacred therefore in their famous City that is so soon risen out of its Ashes to the wonder of the World No pitty nor compassion must be had of innocent babes who might one day revenge the murder of their Parents but they must all the Mother and the Child feel the stroaks and sharp swords of these zealous followers of Jesus of these Roman Catholicks and Jesuits But how far did their fury intend to run God knows Once the name of a Protestant must not be left alive in all England Blood and Rivers of Blood must be spilt to make way for a Religious Generation of Jesuits Franciscans Jacobins and other Fryers to plant in this Land and secure it for the Pope their Sovereign Kings and Princes Nobles and Clergy Gentry and Commonalty must all be witnesses of their impartial zeal the whole Nation must be destroyed O Inhumanity O Hellish Fury O unheard of Cruelty Blessed be thy Holy Name O Lord our God for the discovery of their malice and rage against us continue thy Protection to our gracious Prince guard him by thine Almighty Power secure his person against all present and future Conspiracies preserve thy People and this Church and send us all to be truly thankful and to reunite again in the sincere worship of thee the only true God for Jesus Christ his sake Amen This Plot hath been working many years and preparations were making in all the Convents upon the Sea-Coasts of Spain and France chiefly of the Jesuits But that which is the end of all this Discourse is that if we had not been divided in Religion the Papists would not have made this attempt and we should be infallibly secure from all future mischiefs which they will yet endeavour to work amongst us if we could be perswaded to set aside all Partiality and Prejudice and joyn together all unanimously in the profession of one Religion and in the same manner This I shall prove in the next Chapter CHAP. II. The danger of Division in a Nation about matters of Religion and what pernicious consequences it hath had in foreign Countries and in this THE chief intent of all Societies of men is Union and the Publick Security against all invasion and disorder foreign and domestick For that purpose we gather together in one Body and under one Head we bind our selves together with Laws and Relations we entertain a mutual correspondency amongst our selves and pretend all to promote the general good of the politick Body Nations are to be looked upon as large Families where the Universal Father and all the rest are members of the Family highly concerned in one anothers good and preservation All the individuals are united in one publick interest in the happiness of the whole or division therefore discord is an apparent enemy to the Society because it opposes the very intent of it and lays open a Nation to these following mischiefs and to their
had not imposed a silence and obliged them to be quiet In Bohemia and Poland what stirs and disturbances have the Socinians raised In Germany and the Bishoprick of Munster what wickednesses have not the Anabaptists committed I should be endless if I reckon'd up all the Mischiefs Blood Tumults War and Calamities which small and inconsiderable disputes about Religion have brought upon men in the Primitive Church and in these latter days Look only into our own Nation and consider the late Tragedies acted by our own Countreymen upon the Person of their King and Nobles Look into the cause of their unreasonable fury and you shall find nothing but their mistakes about Religion to have thus transported and carried them to that excess of cruelty and rage In Queen Elizabeths days the Separatists began to quarrel with our Discipline and Government and laid a foundation for the Brownists the Familists and their Successors to build their confused Babel Their bold Pamphlets in the Queens Reign and in King James's time threatned the Nation with the following disturbances in the State The restless Puritans were always bawling in the Peoples ears against our Church and its Rulers and what troubles did they not breed but all former disputes were but sports and plays to the late disputes about Religion in our Royal Martyrs days for it is observable that when men have wearied themselves in disputing about trifles they try the cause and decide the difference a nearer way with the dint of their sharp swords This was the end of our unhappy divisions we remember yet the late Civil War the Calamity under which the Land groaned the Disorders and Miseries that we and our Families suffered This my Brethren proceeded from the same cause which yet you are unadvisedly fond of and embrace with an invincible tenacity They were at first discontented at our Church and Religious Worship they exclaimed continually against our formalities and practices and differed from us in the same punctilio's as some of you do See the Kings Portraiture They were at first as modest in all their behaviour towards us desiring nothing but liberty and freedom for themselves and their way of worship but when they had gathered into a head their pretensions were so high that they would oblige all men to conform and subscribe to all their irregularities and extravagancies I cannot call to mind the sad condition of our Church of England in those unhappy days without Tears when our Governours were deposed our Clergy banished with their Prince our Nobility and Gentry sequestred our Laws obliged to submit to the power of the Sword our Kingdom and Government in the hands of lawless Tyrants Sects and Divisions in Religion multiplying every day and rising out of the filthy spawn of the Jesuits the wicked principles which they spread amongst us to disturb us and puzle the weaker sort in the Notions of Religion All these Evils with innumerable others which we can better remember than speak of sprung from your Forefathers Non-Conformity And will not their Chidren be better advised will they wittingly draw again the same danger upon their heads will they not be persuaded to prevent such mischiefs for the time to come The burnt Child dreads the fire We have been already burnt and almost consumed in the hot fire of a Civil-War Shall we cast our selves again into it or entertain the same causes that brought forth that sad calamity Our Enemies took occasion to blow up the coals into a grievous flame who knows but they are busily employed about the same wicked purposes and will cast us headlong into the same misery why shall we be so foolish so mad and such Enemies of the publick and of our selves and posterity as to assist the Jesuits and Romanists in their grand design to ruin us and our Nation This proceeding of yours may seem very strange my Brethren and may cause a greater wonder when we have seriously considered and proved it to you CHAP. III. That there is no reasonable cause of dividing from our Church and that the most scrupulous Conscience may and ought to conform according to the Laws of God as well as man HAD you as good and allowable causes to alledge for your separation from us as we and our Forefathers had to depart out of the Idolatrous Church of Rome your zeal would deserve a commendation and none could charge you with the Crime of Schism or Faction For in such a case you would have in Conformity to the Examples and Command of Christ and his holy Apostles forsaken those who had first forsaken him and divided your selves from those abominations whereof the belief and practice can never consist with the Salvation of your immortal Souls But though we and our Church are falsely aspersed with Popery and Popish Superstition the Accusation is false and so ill grounded that it would not deserve a refutation were it not that this strange conceit is greedily entertained by many of our Non-Conforming Brethren The accusation is commonly delivered in gross because there is none can justifie this charge by any particular instance It is the common Practice and Art of Impostors and of abusive Tongues when they cannot make good the objected crime to bring their accusation in this manner that their malice might be less discoverable and their charge more weighty But why should we be declared to be Popishly affected against our wills we disown this charge as a grievous calumny that hath no other foundation but the pride and unreconcileable hatred of our Enemies Did ever any Church write more smartly against the Pope and Papists than the Learned Divines of the Church of England read over the thirty nine Articles and Bishop Jewel and the Archbishop Laud against Fisher and in these our days read but the writings of these Learned Divines of the present Bishop of Lincoln of Dr. Stilling fleet and Dr. Pierce and you shall find that none professes to be greater enemies of Popery than we do But methinks that this late Popish Plot and all the Papists endeavours against the Church of England should justifie us in the eyes of all the World better than any Arguments can that we are not Papists nor Popishly affected can we think the Papists and Jesuits who are not so easily mistaken in their judgments of us would have laid a Train to blow us up had we been on their side can we think them so blind that they cannot see their friends from their foes would they offer to burn destroy and kill us and our Children were we so inclinable to Popery as our mistaken Brethren falsely conceive what mad men are you Priests and Jesuits Popes and Cardinals of Rome thus to conspire and spend so much Treasure to destroy your own Brethren Did you not understand all this while that we were all agreed and that we are so near related that we may shake hands Why will you needs murder us and our Families for our Religion
displeased at the reading of our Prayers but if you will shut your Eyes they may seem to you as good as if they had been pronounced memoriter Grieve not to hear the same requests offered up and loath not the same Prayers which you hear so often because you are pinched with the same necessities every day and stand in need of the same God and the same Blessings and therefore may we offer up the same Prayer In the matter of our Prayers if any of you will shew us any thing contrary to Gods Will or Word we will correct and dash it out Be not offended at the Cross in Baptism this was practised in Christs Church before ever Popery was known in the World and is a significant sign used by the Primitive Christians to embolden and encourage us betimes to wear and receive the marks in our bodies of Christs Holy Religion Be not offended at our outward Reverence which we express at the mentioning of the Name of Jesus as we will not condemn you that omit this respect judge not us that observe it nor any other outward Action of the Assistants will not be laid to your charge in the Publick Service of God if you intend only Gods Honour I know that meer Formality too visible in many of our Conformists and their apparent Contempt of the outward Devotions discovered in their Actions and Behaviour is a discredit to our Worshipping of God and a discouragement of our dissenting Brethren As therefore they should take heed how they lay such stumbling-blocks in their way the others should remember not to interpret every thing at the worst sence and not to be distasted at the excellent Prayers of our Church because of the prophaness of some persons that assist at or ought to be patterns of our Devotion and Piety Likewise in the renounding of the Covenant why wilt thou be so scrupulous or rather headstrong to maintain obstinately the lawfulness of that which the Kings Majesty and the Wise Council of our Nation have pronounced to have been an unlawful Oath imposed upon the Subjects against the known Laws of the Land Have not we sufficiently seen the wicked sequels of this Engagement or Combination The Fruits that this Tree hath born declare sufficiently the Nature of it We need not the Verdict of our Religious Governors to understand it to have been an unjust Action contrary to our Laws and Liberties for we have seen our selves deprived thereby of both by those very persons who required it from us Why must we yet continue in our mistakes Neither are the words of the renunciation so strict but that any good Christian who intends but to demean himself quietly in the Government may abjure the Covenant in the manner appointed for we do but say that there lies no obligation upon us or any other to cause any stirs rebellion or tumult in Church or State Did you therefore understand what is desired from you I cannot think but that every one of you that is a good Christian would readily comply with so moderate a reconciliation But this Abjuration concerns only those persons of you that enter into Offices and Employments in the Kingdom And it is all the reason in the world that such as are intrusted with any publick Charge should promise not to cause any disturbance in that Government in which they are employed and by which they are secured and their Estates from Invasion Why must we be so fond of a Scotch contrivance put into their heads by Richelieu and the Jesuits whom he sent over purposely to overthrow the Glory of the Protestant Religion in Europe the Episcopacy of the Church of England and to cast us into a confusion in revenge of our assisting them of Rochel against their Prince It may be the whiteness of the Surplice offends thy weak Stomach or Conscience and keeps thee at a distance from our way of Worship But consider my Brother or Sister that Religion consists not in colours and wearing of Apparel It concerns not thy Soul if thou wearest in Gods Service White Black Green Yellow or Red. If thou hadst not a prejudice against this Garment it would please thee as well as Black Gowns and Cloaks with Capes But is it not a sad sign that such a trivial matter shall cause thee to cast off all respect to thy God and the Authority of thy Governours and because of a decent colour and habit which thou dost but fancy to be unbeseeming thou shalt refuse all Communion and Correspondency with thy Brethren on Earth and I am afraid in Heaven too Rev. ix 14. Chap. iii. 4 5. Chap. vi 11. For they shall be all cloathed in white Garments as Priests and Prophets to offer up continually the Sacrifices of their Praises to God In short for I am ashamed to mention and mind you my Non-Conforming Brethren of the usual Objections against us and our Conformity and the Childish causes alledged by some of you for your standing at a distance from us and refusing all Religious correspondency with us I beseech you weigh them all in equal Scales without partiality or prejudice and you will find no reason to refuse Conformity with us I desire you to consider that if your Children and Servants in your Families did breed a disturbance amongst themselves upon such weak grounds and for such slight causes did entertain quarrels and disputes to the disquieting of your Houses would not you seek a remedy with a Rod to make them more peaceable and would not you dismiss such unruly Servants and take in others of a quieter disposition Would you not endeavor to silence their bawling and when they canton in your Families and divide it into parties in Contempt of your Authority and Commands would you not seek to bring them together and oblige them by some way to reunite in One This is the case of Christs Church among us in England I look upon the Presbyterian and Independents chiefly with some other of the more moderate Non-Conformists to be our Brethren belonging to the same Family Christ our Lord. for our Faith and Religion is the same in effect most part of our differences are but trivial childish and unreasonable about such things which concern not the honor of the Lord of the Family nor the publick interest good and preservation of it when considered in themselves And if there be any difference in our Religion between them and us it is in such matters as may be easily reconciled when well sifted out and are not of an absolute necessity to the Salvation of mens Souls Our happiness depends not upon postures gestures garments colours forms crosses surplices and other such like things which are indifferent in themselves and were they not enjoyned might as well be omitted as observed It is therefore a shame for you to quarrel and break the Peace of Christ's Family I mean his Church about such Trifles No doubt but our wise Saviour will take some
been endangered by the cruelties and furious persecutions of the Devil and his Hellish Agents Since the Murther of the Divine Author of this Excellent Religion there is no Age nor Kingdom but hath seen multitudes of his sincere Followers sent after their Good Master How furiously did the Pharisees rage against the Apostles how barbarously did they handle the first Christians how many Consultations and Attempts to stifle this Religion in its Infancy in the Rivers and Torrents of the Blood of its Professors And when by S. Paul's Preaching the Truth was generally known and embraced all over the Roman Empire how many Massacres and Tragedies have been acted upon Christians As it is not possible to describe the inhumanities of Nero Domitian Dioclesian and other Caesars it is impossible to declare the number of Christ's Disciples murdered in all parts of their Dominions in every Town and Hamlet and in every Province fire and sword misery and torments were the portions of all that were so bold as to own this sacred Name Afterwards when by the goodness of God the Roman Emperors began to open their Eyes and perceive the Divinity of this Faith when they began to draw the whole World by their Religious Examples to worship a Crucified Saviour the Devil whose Empire was thereby overthrown took other measures and an other course to destroy Christianity and hinder its progress amongst men Instead of opposing the whole Body of it which had gained an invincible credit in the World he resolved to pick quarrels with some of its Doctrines and to poyson the Hypocritical Professors with such pernicious persuasions as might spread to the forming of a Party for himself No sooner did the Primitive Christians come out of the Heathenish Persecutions but this grand Enemy of all Truth and Piety advanced amongst them the Heresies of Arius Apollinarius Nestorius Novatus Pelagius and others of his Champions who either by subtilty or cruelty assaulted again Christ's Church afresh and raised persecutions against her in her very bowels But Satan's Malice was never so remarkable nor the Sufferings of the Church never so many nor the Plots and Combinations against her never so frequent under the Governments of the Jews and Romans as they have been since the Apostacy of the Roman Church from Christs true Faith and its reception of the antient Heresies The Devils Throne established in the Old Capitol seems to be now transferred to the infamous Vatican of Rome the antient abode of the Whores and the now Seat of the Great Whore of Babylon Corn. Tacit. lib. 2. in fine Vitel. Imperij for from this place it is impossible to number the Decrees and Commissions that have been sent to murder destroy burn and overthrow Christ's true Church on Earth How many Wars have been kindled how many Massacres acted how many Plots set on foot how many Cruelties and Tragedies have proceeded from the Resolutions and Orders of the Vatican In all Ages and Kingdoms of our Northern-World the Roman Party was never wanting in any bloudy Scene to destroy Christ's Disciples It is observable that for above seven hundred years there hath scarce been a War in Europe but the Pope of Rome hath been the first Contriver and greatest Promoter of it chiefly when Christ's Church and People were concerned For it hath always been the Policy of the Roman Court when the Princes of Europe were grown so Rich or Great as to give them a Jealousie to stir them up by their Nuncios to some chargeable and dangerous War or to raise against them their discontented Neighbours And since the Reformation hath separated from them a part of Europe all the Protestant Blood that hath been spilt may be charged upon the Pope and his Agents How many millions in France Germany Spain and other parts of Europe have been slain by the Papists How many private Massacres and publick Wars have been begun and encouraged by them I dare assert and offer my self to prove from a certain knowledge of the Histories of former Ages that in this Northern World since the first Reformation the Pope and his Papists have been so great Enemies of the Peace of Christendom that there hath been no War kindled nor scarce any Bloody Scene acted by any Authority nor any noted Wickedness performed but the Pope had there a hand and was concerned as one of the chief Actors This unreconcileable hatred which he bears to Christ's Church and his Gospel inrages him and all his restless Agents against this flourishing and happy Kingdom Since the beginning of Queen Elizabeths Reign how many hundred Plots and Conspiracies have been set on foot by the Papists against the Lives of our Kings and Princes and the Peace of this Nation This Land seems to have been the chiefest Theater of their Cruelty and private Conspiracies As soon as by the Goodness of God one Plot is disappointed another is immediately begun and advanced to trouble this Kingdom I shall not mention here the former Discoveries that have been made of the Popes designs against us of our danger in Eighty Eight of the Gunpowder-Plot of our late Civil Wars of our Royal Martyrs Murder of the Noble Blood that hath been privately spilt and of our unreconcileable differences in Religion known to be fomented by the Pope and Papists and many other of their contrivances within these few years tending to disquiet and disturb Christ's Church amongst us I shall in this short Tract give an Account only of the present designs of the Papists against the Protestant Religion in Europe from certain and well grounded Intelligence that I have had with worthy men of the Popish Religion and the Acquaintance that I have desired to get in the Affairs of Europe within these twenty years I shall here give a prospect of a private Consultation and a crafty Contrivance which hath caused already much Christian Blood to be spilt in all parts of Europe and God knows how much more the carrying on of these designs will cost God knows what miseries and afflictions it will bring upon us For the prevention of the mischiefs intended against us in this Land and our Protestant Religion I here offer this Discovery to the Publick or as much as is necessary to be known I pray God that our Brethren of the same Religion would seriously consider it so as to reunite again with us in the sincere profession of the Truth and Worship of our God that our Enemies may not advantage themselves by our divisions for this purpose I shall shew what this Popish Design is by whom commenced and who are chiefly concerned Alexander the Seventh of the Family of Chigi was looked upon as one of the greatest Politicians of his days As soon as he was setled in his Papacy he sent his Nuncios into France Germany and Spain to reconcile the Popish Princes and to conclude between them such a League as that they might be able to suppress the Calvinists at home and oppose