that those Ghenses which you mention were no Calvinists as you are mis-informed the chief of them were Roman Catholicks as namely Count Egmont and Horn who both lost their Heads for standing and yet only by Petition against the new Impositions and the Inquisition which was sought to be brought in upon those Countreys And after pag. 134. you would know quo Juri the Protestants Wars in France and Holland are justified First saith Mr. Bedel the Law of Nature which not only alloweth but inforceth every living thing to defend it self from violence Secondly that of Nations which permitteth those that are in the Protection of others to whom they owe no more than an Honourable acknowledgment in case they go about to make themselves absolute Soveraigns and usurp their Liberty to stand for the same And if a lawful Prince which saith he is not yet Lord of his Subjects lives and goods shall attempt to despoil them of the same under colour of reducing them to his own Religion after all humble Remonstrances they may stand upon their own guard and being assailed may repell force with force as did the Machabees under Antiochus In which case notwithstanding the person of the Prince himself ought always to be sacred and inviolable as was Sauls to David And lastly if the enraged Minister of a lawful Prince will abuse his Authority against the Fundamental Laws of the Countrey it is no Rebellion to defend themselves against reserving still their obedience to their Soveraign inviolate These are the rules of which the Protestants that have born Arms in France and Flanders and the Papists also both there and elsewhere as in Naples that have stood for the defence of their Liberties have served themselves how truly I esteem it hard for you and me to determine unless we were more throughly acquainted with the Laws and Customs of those Countreys then I for my part am Once for the Low Countreys the world knows that the Dukes of Burgundy were not Kings or absolute Lords of them which are holden partly of the Crown of France and partly of the Empire and of Holland in particular they were but Earls And whether that title carries with it such a Soveraignty as to be able to give new Laws without their consents to impose Tributes to bring in Garrisons of Strangers to build Forts assubject their Honours and Lives to the dangerous trial of a new Court proceeding without form or figure of Justice any reasonable man may well doubt themselves do utterly deny it So far Mr. Bedel afterwards Bishop Bedel Yea Doctor Heylin speaking of the Seventeen Provinces in his History of the Presbyterians pag 96. Grants that all of them were Priviledged so far as to secure them all without a manifest violation of their Rights and Liberties from the fear of Bondage But none so amply priviledged saith he as the Province of Brabant to which it had been granted by some well-meaning but weak Prince amongst them that if their Prince or Duke by which name they call'd him should by strong hand attempt the violation of their ancient Priviledges the Peers and People might proceed to a new Election and put themselves under the Clientele or Patronage of some juster Governor D. P. H. Hist of the Presb. p. 96. As for the Stirs Broils Seditions and Murthers in Scotland which Mr. Wadsworth imputes to Knox and the Geneva Gospellers as he calls them Mr. Bedel before cited p. 128 129. Answers They might be occasioned perhaps by the Reformers there as the broils which our Lord Jesus Christ saith he came to set in the world by the Gospel Possible also that good men out of inconsiderate Zeal should do something rashly And like enough the multitude which followed them as being fore-prepared with a just hatred of the Tyrannie of their Prelates and provoked by the opposition of the adverse Faction and emboldened by success ran a great deal farther then either wisemen could foresee or tell how to restrain them of all which distempers there is no reason to lay the blame upon the seekers of Reformation more than upon the Physicians of such Accidents as happen to the corrupted bodies which they have in Cure as for the pursuing our King even before his birth that which His Majesty speaks of some Puritans is over boldly by you referr'd to Mr. Knox and the Ministers that were Authors of Reformation in Scotland And Bishop Bilson to his Antagonist saith thus The Scots what have they done Besides placing the right Heir on the Throne and he an own Son when the Mother fled and forsook the Realm Be these those furious Attempts and Rebellions you talk of Dr. Rivet as he is quoted by Dr. Peter Du Moulin in his Answer to Philanax Anglicus imputes not the troubles in Scotland in the dayes of the Queen Regent and her Daughter Mary to the Reformed Religion but to the hot and audacious brains or to the bold and stirring nature of the Scottish Nation yea it shall be found as de Rivet observeth and we find it now saith Dr. Du Moulin that the light of Evangelical truth did very much mitigate the fierceness of that Nation and that those disorders as turbulent as they were are not comparable to those that were in former times in Scotland And lastly as to this particular hear what Mr. Cambden saith namely that the Confederacy of the Nobility of Scotland was not to be branded with the note of Rebellion which was made to no other purpose than to preserve the Kingdom as in Duty they ought to the Queen and her lawful Successors which they could not without injury to themselves and theirs suffer to be undermined by the practises of the Guises or so to be transferred to the French 3. Consid The late Civil Wars in England were not begun for the Extirpation of Episcopacy and Liturgy or the settlement of the Presbyterian Government The House of Commons in the year 1640. had but few I have heard not five Presbyterians in it Besides Mr. Richard Watson cited by the Author of the Friendly Debate * In the Appendix to the 3d. Part. and no Friend Iâ—le assure you to Presbyterie he saith in his History That when the English Commissioners came into Scotland after the War had been near a year in England and brought a Letter to the Assembly there from the Parliament of England they received no other Answer but this Gentlemen we are sorry for your Case but whereas your Letter saith you fight for the defence of the Protestant Religion you must needs think us blind that we see not your fighting to be for Civil disputes of the Law which we are not acquainted withall Go home and reconcile with the King he is a Gracious Prince and will receive you to his favour c. It seems by this passage that the War was not begun on the Accompt of Church Government or Liturgy Again Judge Jenkins in his Remonstrance tells the world the only
CERTAIN CONSIDERATIONS Tending to promote PEACE AND GOOD WILL Amongst PROTESTANTS Very useful for the present Times LONDON Printed for Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside near Mercers-Chappel 1674. Considerations tending to promote Peace 1 Cons THat some of the most considerable ranks and orders of men from the Reformation of Religion amongst us have manifested a desire to have some Favour and Indulgence shew'd to Dissenters in point of Ceremonies c. 2. That Dissenters or Non-conformists have often been misrepresented to the World 3. The late Civil Wars in England were not begun for the extirpation of Episcopacy and Liturgy or to settle the Presbyterian Government here 4. That the Modern English Presbyterians as they are call'd cannot be charged with divers of the Principles imputed to those called Presbyterians in England in the dayes of Queen Elizabeth or to the Presbyterians in Scotland 5. That there have been since the first Reformation in England men of Parts Piety and Learning and of good esteem in the Church of God who have boggled or scrupled at something in Subscription or the Conformity injoyned or practised 6. That divers Dissenters in former times have found favour with the Bishops 7. That the Parliamentarians in the beginning of our Troubles declare to abhor and detest all designs of Deposing or Murthering His late Sacred Majesty 8. That the Non-conforming Presbyterians had both their hearts and hands in the Restauration of His present Majesty to His Royal Throne 9. Many Bishops Clergy-men and Scholars though Non-conformists to the late times then enjoyed Places of Profit notwithstanding 10. That it is the declared Doctrine of the Church of England in her 34th Article of Religion That every Particular or National Church hath Authority to ordain change and abolish Ceremonies or Rites of the Church ordained only by mans Authority so that all things be done to Edification 11. That if the New Impositions and the Ceremonies should happen to be legally taken away many Thousands who now stand aloof off would Joyn with our Church-Assemblies 12. That the use of force or violent coursos for by Matters in Religion ought by all lawful wayes and means to be shunned and avoided Certain Considerations tending to promote Peace and Good will amongst Protestants useful for the present Times INstead of Preface and to prepare the minds of men for such Considerations as follow I desire the Reader to read certain excellent sayings of the Reverend Dean of the Chappel now Primate and Metropolitan of all England in a Sermon of his Preached before the King June 28th 1660. and after Printed viz. I hat 's the best the most Christian Memorie which as Caesar forgets nothing but Injuries Again Let 's all seriously and sadly look back consider and bemoan one another for what we have mutually done and suffer'd from each other let 's all be sorry for it and all mend perfectly forgiving what 's past and returning to as great a kindness as ever and a greater then ever that so by all mutual good Offices we may make amends for former animosities Shall God saith he so great so glorious after so high so many Provocations descend to be at peace with us and shall we poor worms be at enmity among our selves for tristes and that to the hazard of all the comforts of this life and hopes of a better And further shall we retain the memory of former unkindnesses and make a publick Act of Oblivion which we expect a Publick Lye without either fear of God or shame of the world This is not to have peace or enjoy it but with great ingratitude to throw it at him again it is but to change one War into another the open into secret hostility into treachery and by pretending peace and kindness to smooth the way to supplantation and injury the most base Serpentine and unmanly thing in the world These Golden sayings premised I humbly offer these Considerations 1 Consid That some of the most considerable Ranks and Orders of men since the Reformation of Religion amongst us have manifested a desire to have some favour or Indulgence shewed to Dissenters in point of Ceremonies c. King Edward the 6th wrote a Letter to Archbishop Cranmer in behalf of Mr. Hooper elected Bishop of Gleucester RIght Reverend Father and Right trusty and Well-beloved Whereas We by the advice of our Council have called and chosen Our right Well-beloved and well worthy Mr. John Hooper to be Our Bishop of Gloucester as well for his great Learning due Judgment and long study both in the Scriptures and other profound Learning as also for his good discretion ready utterance and honest life for that kind of Vocation c. from Consecrating of whom We understand you do stay because he would have you omit certain Rites and Ceremonies offensive to his Conscience whereby ye think you should fall in Praemunire of Lawes We have thought good by advice aforesaid to dispense and discharge you of all manner of dangers penalties and forfeitures you should run into and be in any manner of way by omitting any of the same And these Our Letters shall be your sufficient Warrant and Discharge therefore Aug. 5th Given under Our Signet at Our Castle of Windsor the fourth year of Our Reign King James also wrote two Letters to Queen Elizabeth in favour of Non-conformists one whereof you may read in D. Fuller's History of the Church Book the 9th Page 203. After these King Charles the First of blessed Memory in His Answer to the Remonstrance of the House of Commons presented to Him at Hampton Court December the first 1641. saith as follows In differences amongst Our selves for matters indifferent in their own Nature concerning Religion we shall in tenderness to any number of our Loving Subjects very willingly comply with the Advice of Our Parliament that some Law may be made for the exemption of tender Consciences from punishment or prosecution for such Ceremonies and in such Cases which by the judgment of most men are held to be matters indifferent and of some to be absolutely unlawful And again in his Message of the 20th of Jan. 1641. His Majesty proposeth to both Houses of Parliament the security of the true Religion now professed in the Church of England and the setling of Ceremonies in such a manner as may take away all just offence In His Message of the 14th of February following His Majesty more fully expresseth himself viz in these words Because His Majesty observeth great and difficult troubles to arise in the hearts of his People concerning the Government and Liturgy of the Church His Majesty is willing to declare that he will refer that whole Consideration to the Wisdom of His Parliament which he desires them to enter into speedily that the present Distempers about the same may be composed Since His most Gracious Majesty that now is and long and long may he continue our Soveraign Lord and
Hooper Rogers Philpot and others who disgusted the Ceremonies In Queen Elizabeth's Reign Coverdale as Dr. Heylin tells us waved the acceptation of the Bishoprick of Oxon or any other vacant out of a disaffection to the Habit of that Order He sayes further That Alexander Nowel Dean of St. Pauls spoke irreverently of the Sign of the Cross Moreover he makes Mr. John Fox the the Martyrologist Sampson Dean of Christ-Church in Oxfod Hardiman a Prebendary of Westminster both the Professors of Divinity in the Universities and Whittington Dean of Durham all Non-Conformists and relates that one Whitehead who had been Chaplain to Ann Bullen the Queens Mother was offered the Amh-Bishoprick of Canterbury but refused it because he was more inclined to the Presbyterians than the Episcopal form of Government Besides we are told that Peter Martyr never could be got to wear the Surplice all the time that he was in Christ-Church in Oxford and Divinity Reader in that University Dr. Heylin also tells us that Arch-Bishop Vsher dreaded bowing at the name of Jesus and as we are informed opposed the introduction of the English Ceremonies into the Church of Ireland Not long before the Wars Mr. Dod Mr. Cleaver Mr. Lancaster and others of eminent worth were silenced for Non-Conformity on which occasion a Conformist of good note in the life of Dr. Harris thus expresses himself Now was there a fearful Eclipse upon the Church a Constellation of Ministers even at once darkned amongst the rest those three shining Stars Mr. Dod Mr. Cleaver Mr. Lancaster Mr. Dod was a very eloquent man he saith in English and Latine so facetious and pithy that Mr. Harris would often say that if his Apothegms were collected they would exceed all that Plutarch in Greek and other in Latine since have published Mr. Cleaver was asolid Textman Mr. Lancaster a most humble and self denying man for whereas he was by birth a good Gentleman and had been Fellow of Kings Colledge in Cambridge where being called to sundry Lectures and Speeches he delivered himself in as pure Latine to use the words of that Master of Speech Dr. Collins as ever Tully himself uttered having no Notes before him but what he wrote on the Nail of his Fiugers Yet this man thus accomplished contented himself with a Living under forty pounds per annum and made no noise of any Learning at all To these I might add Mr. Hildersham Mr. Baines Mr. Perkins Dr. Ames Mr. Cotton and others men famous in their generation and yet in some things some more some less dissatisfied 6. Consid That divers dissenters in former times have notwithstanding found favour with the Bishops Some of those before named were never deprived of their Benefices for Non-Conformity as Peter Martyr Mr. Fox the Martyrologist and Mr. Perkins Others were for a long time by connivance continued in their places and Imployments although but half Conformists Conformity was not rigorously pressed by Arch-Bishop Grindall nor were all Nonconformists thrust out of all imployment in the dayes of Arch Bishop Whitgift though himself a Champion for Conformity When Mr. Cartwright himself who had written against Conformity and brandished pens with the Arch-Bishop in the cause yet was by him quietly suffered to injoy an Hospital at Warwick Mr. Brown said to be the Father of the Brownists did notwithstanding injoy his Living of a Church in Northampton Shire a Parsonage of good value to his dying day And Doctor Fuller informs us that Bishop Williams when he was Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England procured a License from King James under the Great Seal of England for Mr. Cotton to Preach notwithstanding his Inconformity as to some Ceremonies And Bishop Rudd Bishop of St. Davids declares in his Speech to the Convocation that those things meaning Conformity to the Ceremonies were not so extreamly urged but that many learned Preachers injoyed their liberty herein in the dayes of the late Arch-Bishop of Canterbury which was Arch-Bishop Whitgift conditionally that they did not by word or deed openly disgrace or disturb the State established Concerning Mr. Hildersham I find in the History of his life that he was frequently silenced and yet frequenly by the favour or connivance of the Bishops permitted to Preach publickly He was silenced in June 1590. and restored again in January 1591. Again he was deprived and silenced by Bishop Chaderton Bishop of Lincoln April 24. 1605. for refusal of Subscription and Conformity yet after some time by the connivance and favour of Bishop Overton Bishop of Coventry and Litchfield he Preached sometimes in that Diocefs and was the main upholder of two famous Exercises at Burton in Stafford-Shire and at Repton in Derby-Shire for livers years In January 1608. by the favour of Bishop Barlow Bishop of Lincoln he was allowed to Preach again at Ashby where he was formerly and so continued from January 31 1608. to November the 12th 1611. In Novemb. 1611. He was silenced by Bishop Neales means then Bishop of Coventry and Litehsield who complained to the King of him infomuch that the King commanded the Arch-Bishop to write to the Bishop of Lincoln to send for Mr. Hildersham and to silence him which was done accordingly April the 22. 1613. he was judicially admonished and injoined in and by the High Commission that saving the Catechising of his own family only he should not any time hereafter Preach Catechise or use any of the Offices or Function of a Minister publickly or privately until he should be lawfully rostored and released of his said suspension June 20. 1625. he was Licenced by Doctor Ridley then Vicar General to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury to Preach in the Diocefs of Lincoln London and Coventry and Lichfield under the Seal of that Office March 25. 1630. he was silenced again and so continued till August 2. 1631. when he began to preach again and continued till December 27. 1631. which was the last time he preached soon after he sell sick and died Concerning Mr. Dod. I find in his life that he was suspended from his Ministry at Hanwill by Doctor Bridges Bishop of Oxford that after he preached at Fenny Compton in Warwick-Shire from thence he removed to Canons Ashby in Northamptonshire where he lived quietly divers years preached over the whole Prophecy of Douitl afterwards he was silenced from Preaching at Ashby upon a complaine made against him by Bishop Neal to King James who commanded Arch-Bishop Abbot to silence him After the death of King James his liberty was procured for preaching again publickly by Mr. Knightly and then he was settled at Fausley where he preached twice every Lords day By these two last instances it appears that every stroke of the Crosier formerly did not cause a perfect Apoplexy and prove mortal though it made Ministers speech less for a time yet by the Keys of the Church their Mouths were often times opened again and they were able to speak and preach as formerly And here I could name if
it were fit to do so a great man of our own Church who was one also of great Moderation towards diffenters and who when he came to dye never that I heard of repented the great Latitude or comprehenfiveness of his Charity May the Mantle of that Elijah fall on Elisha his Successor as I hope it will and on all the Fathers and Brethren of the Church of England as I pray it may that so there may be no complaining in our Streets that so peace may be within our Walls and Prosperity within our Palaces that there may be glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace to men and good will 7. Consid That the Parliament in the beginning of the late War declared for the defence and safety of his Majesties person and their abhorreney to be thought to design either the deposition or death of his sacred Majesty Or else it had been impossible for them to have gained the people as they did Presently after the Battel at Edge-hill in a declaration by them published they express their congratulation for the safety of his Majesties Person and his Children and their sorrow that they had been in any danger there In which Battel t is credibly reported that when Sir William Balfore who commanded a Brigade of Horse in that Battel was ready to charge part of the Royal Army with his Horse perceiving his Majesty to be amongst them in that Squadron and fearing least his Royal Person might have been otherwise endangered wheeled off without attempting to make any impression there whereupon by some he was complained of but acquitted from censure or blame by the Parliament And I my self knew some since Non-conformist Ministers who made it their business to stir up some of the Commanders of the old Army to join with some of his Majesties Commanders and to have endeavoured the rescue of his Majesties Person after he was scized on in the Isle of Wight Sure it was the fear the Army had that the Parliament would agree with his Majesty which made them so garble the Parliament in December 1648. The London Presbyterian Ministers laboured to save his Majesties Crown and Life And the Ministers of some Lectures in the Country framed and presented to the General and his Councel of Officers their humble advice with all zeal and earnestness disswading them with Scripture Reason and the Conscience of Oaths from deposing his Majesty or embrewing their hands in his blood It was no Protestant Minister or Presbyter but a Roman Priest and Confessor we are told that when he saw the fatal stroke given flourished with his Sword and said Now the greatest Enemy we have in the world is gone And how Dr. Peter Du Moulin and upon what grounds laid the Murther of his late Majesty on the Jesuits the Reader may see in his Answer to Philanax Anglicus pag. 58 59. c. And if the Testimony of the French may be accepted and why not for Standers by often see more than Gamesters we have the Letters of Monsieur Daille of Monsieur Gache and of the Marchioness of Turin to clear the Presbyterians from this horrid Act. And some there are at home who are so noble though themselves fought under the Royal Standard as yet acknowledge that the Presbyterians hated this Murther as much as themselves 8. Consid That the Nou-conforming Presbyterians had both their hearts and hands in the Restauration of His Majesty to His Royal Throne First the English Presbyterians did concur with and assist the Scots some in person others with their Purses most with their Prayers in bringing His Majesty to His ancient Kingdom of Scotland in the year 1650. for which endeavours Mr. Love and Mr. Gibbous lost their Heads by the Axe and for which Zeal for His Majesty many more were imprisoned and condemned though not executed Mr. Cawton was Indicted of High Treason for Praying for His Majesty that now is as King of England in those dayes Mr. George Firmin in Print tells us that he and some others in those times Prayed even in their Congregations for the afflicted Royal Family Mr. Kirby a Yorkshire Minister was brought up to London and imprisoned for Praying publickly for His Majesty by Name Yea so great and publick was the London Ministers Zeal and Loyalty that there was a Pamphlet Printed entituled A Mourning Lecture for our Morning Lecturers calling them the cloudy Clergy and Beadsmen for the King of Scotland Most certain it is also that our French Neighbours the Protestants there looked on the Presbyterians of England a little before His Majesties Restauration as possessed of the power and sitting at the Hem in England That illustrious Assembly i. e. the Parliament saith Monsieur Drelincourt in his Letter from Paris April 3. 1660. afterward Printed who would have preserved to the King his life and his Royalty was without doubt very far from designing to rob his Children of that right which is conveyed to them by a continued Succession in their Royal Family for many Ages And again in the same Letter he thus expresses himself God intrusts at this day you Presbyterians the Gentlemen now in Power with the honour and Reputation of our Church for if without the intervening of any Forreign Power they recall this Prince and seat Him in His Throne they acquire to themselves and their posterity immortal Glory and stop their Mouths for ever who charge us falsely as enemies of Royalty make appear that the Maxime of No Bishop No King is injuriously imputed to us Now what was desired by this Letter was done within a short time and by the Power Interests and Endeavours of those here called Presbyterians The Royalists at that time not for want of Zeal or Loyalty but through Policy and Prudence not appearing so publickly least thereby upon that account or occassion the desigh should miscarry 9. Consid Many Bishops Clergymen and Scholars though Nonconformists to the late times yet injoyed Places or Profit notwithstanding The Bishops by Ordinance of Parliament were to have for their Lives 200 l per ann each of them Bishop Morton that Learned Bishop of Durham received a Thousand pound which was given him by the Parliament and with which he purchased if I mistake not an Annuity of 200 l per ann for his life The Arch-bishop of Armagh Bishop Brownrig Bishop Skinner had places of Imployment and Profit in those times Dr. Saunderson afterwards Bishop of Lincoln kept Boothby Pagnel Parsonage during the Troubles Many in several Colledges in Cambridge kept their Places without ever taking the Covenant Dr. Collins was suffer'd to keep his Place of Regius Professor without ever taking the Covenant So did all the Fellows of Emmanuel Colledge except Dr. Soreby who was Ejected on another accompt continue in their Fellowships without taking the Covenant Some Fellows were put into Trinity Colledge by Ordinance of Parliament without having the Covenant imposed on them as I have heard Further in the Visitation of the University