the Learning of the Jesuites their strength hath of late been tried to their irreparable shame if they are capable of any and as much to the Honour of the learned Divines of the Church of England Their Converting-books and Pamphlets have been so weak and the Answers to them so strong and so many that they are not like to prevail much that way neither if English Protestants would but bear with one another and not seek Revenge which the juncture of Time doth dissuade from as unseasonable as well as our Common Christianity doth forbid as unlawful which will appear if we consider Seventhly Whether it be not Improbable that the Leading men of the Church of England should hereafter commit the same Error again to molest and Persecute their Brethren for the Differences between us and them All the world now sees at what door a great part of the severity against Protestant Dissenters ought to be laid so far as it was the sin of others I hope God will let them see it and give 'em Repentance And there are very many Parish Ministers in England who are pious and peaceable who preach and live holily and never did consent to the Persecution of their Brethren but endeavor'd to hinder it I only wish they had been more If it be said they are by consequence Partakers of such a guilt it hath been and must again be replied that if God should Charge undiscerned Consequences upon them and us none of us would be meet either for Church Communion now or for Heaven hereafter The past faults and miscarriages of some should not make us injurious to others Far be it from us to imagin that there are no Faithful Ministers of Christ in England but such as are of our principles and particular persuasion Let us not refuse to love those that are Good because many of their Church or Opinion are bad Is there any Kingdom or Country upon Earth where the greatest part are not bad Is there any place where the Religion countenanc't and encouraged by the Government hath not many who comply with it for secular Interest The Author of the late Apology for the Church of England as to the spirit of Persecution hath said many things to this purpose it will be good news to hear that the greatest part of his Brethren are of his mind that all Prot. Dissenters might believe that the wisest and most leading men of that Church do see their Error their sin too might be added if it be an essential Right of Humane nature as Dr. B. saith for every man to Worship God according to his conviction And we have great Reason to hope that they will not again use severity to their Brethren if it should ever be in Their Power but come to a Temper in the matters of Conformity as the seven Bishops have under their hands declared their disposition to do And in the mean time one of the Articles which the A. Bishop of Cantcrbury hath recommended to the Bishops under his Jurisdiction is a Tender Regard to their Brethren the Protestant Dissenters At the same time assuring us and all the World that they are really and sincerely Irreconcileable Enemies to the Errors Superstitions Idolatries and Tyrannies of the Church of Rome and that all the unkind Jealousies to the Countrary have been altogether groundless Let us not therefore be over sensible of past Injuries to the Hindrance of Concord for the common Good lest we wrong the Church of Christ and neglect the security of the Reformed Religion and the wellfare of the Nation and of Posterity because others have wronged us For however the Jesuites may now plead for Liberty of Conscience no Protestant Brittish or Irish especially but must needs know that of all Religions in the World the Romish by their avowed Principles is obliged to be the most Cruel Assoon as our divisions have made us weak enough we have but too much reason to expect it which God Prevent Lastly Consider that we Agree with the Church of England in great and many things and those things wherein we differ are comparatively few and small and therefore mutual forbearance and Concord is possible as well as desireable Yea those things for which they are Hated and struck at by the Church of Rome are not such Doctrines or modes of Worship wherein we differ from them but 't is for the sake of those things wherein we agree with the Church of England and therefore in prudence we are obliged to espouse their cause as our own The Reader may easily perceive that all that I have said relates to the Union of Protestants among themselves who tho of different Persuasions in some External and Circumstantial things do hold the Head 2 Coloss 19. and agree in the main and Essential Doctrines of Faith But as to the Church of Rome which perverts the Christian Faith maintains and practiseth Idolatry and false Worship and the declared Enemy to all Protestants and by her Constitutions doth oblige all her Members under an Anathema to root out and to destroy them as Hereticks how far those of her Communion may be tolerated in a Protestant Country without sin or Danger is a matter too large at present to dilate upon It would seem very strange and Irrational for any Party of Protestants to strengthen the Papists and contribute to their being set up in Power and Authority especially in the Legislative power in opposition to those of the Church of England as fearing that these will not establish and allow them Liberty of Conscience and imagining that the Papists will who depend upon a forreign Power and are not masters of their own Consciences but have subjected them to another whom they suppose Infallible Surely from the Members of the Church of England we ought the rather to believe and hope this because they have of late deserved so very well of all Protestants by a vigorous and learned opposition to Popery in a great number of select Discourses upon all the Considerable points in Controversie between us and the Church of Rome And having done so much to keep out Popery as to the Doctrine let us hope and pray and charitably believe that they will also do their utmost hereafter to prevent Persecution which is one of the worst parts of Popery in Practice I conclude with the pathetical Exhortation of the Devout Bishop Hall O Lord Passion Sermon p. 390 391. how long shall thy poor Church see the dear sons of her womb bleeding about these Apples of Strife The Enemy is at the gates of Syracuse How long shall we suffer our selves to be taken up with Circles and Angles in the dust ye Men Brethren and Fathers Help for God's sake put to your hands for the quenching of this Common flame the one side by Humility the other by Compassion both by Prayers and Tears Let me beg for Peace as for Life by your filial Piety and duty to the Church of God whose Ruins follow upon our Divisions by your love of God's Truth by the Graces of that one Blessed spirit whereby we are all informed and quickn'd by the precious â—lood of the son of God shed for our Redemption be inclined to Peace and Love. Tho our Brains be different yet let our Hearts be one Let us have Peace with our selves and War with none but Hell and Rome Amen THE END
Ceremonies almost Jewish and of Superstitions and Idolatry almost Pagan This Light hath been continued by an able and faithful Ministry No Country in the World hath had greater or on all accounts equal Advantages with our own in this particular Forreigners have admir'd the Burning and shining Lights in our Candlestick And if in any part of England there is any defect of this Light 't is part of our sin and Punishment As Men as Christians as English Christians our Portion hath been that of the Firstborn greater than our Brethren have enjoyed And tho we have waxed fat and lifted up the Heel forgot the God of our Mercies and provok't him by our Ingratitude yet with what admirable Patience hath he born with us By what various methods hath he called us to Repentance Warning us by lesser strokes and then turning from the fierceness of his Anger saving us for his own Names sake when our own Follies or the Malice of our Popish Enemies have brought us within a step of Ruin How often hath he defeated their Counsels prevented their Cruelty and brought their works of Darkness to Light Many a time and often may we say with the Church Ps 129. have they afflicted me from my Youth yet have they not prevailed God hath cut in funder the Cords of the Wicked tied up their hands broken their Measures bafled their Projects discovered their plots and cut out other work for 'em so that they could not hitherto accomplish their Enterprize and God grant they never may of Extirpating the Reformed Religion out of these Islands What Gratitude do we owe to God when we Constder the many deceived oppressed Nations of the Earth that are without Knowledge Holiness or Peace The vast Countries under Heathenism Infidelity or Popery While Brittain still continues to be Emanuel's Land. Hath any Nation under Heaven been honoured with more signal marks of divine Favour How many and famous have our Deliverances and Salvations been which all about us observe and say Ps 126.3 The Lord hath done Great things for them At the same time while we have been spared others have been made Examples to warn us his Anger hath smoakt against his own Inheritance in other places Our Brethren especially in France and Piedmont have been exposed to the Rage of barbarous Persecutors multitudes imprison'd tormented executed innumerable families and almost whole Provinces ruin'd Ministers banisht Temples demolisht and a thousand Out-rages committed against the Professors of the same Faith that we as yet quietly profess and own Their solemn Assemblies have mourn'd and their Blood been mingled with their Sacrifices while we have had the liberty to worship God according to the Rule of the Gospel and at the same time sit peaceably under our own Vines and Fig-trees Their Harps have been hanged on the Willows in Babylon while we might sing the songs of Sion in the publick Assemblies of his People and our Country been made a Refuge and a Sanctuary to the escaped Remnant who are as Fire-brands pluckt out of the Burning and in their Exile state have experienced the generous and Christian Charity of Great Brittain Holland and some other Protestant Countries Shall we not then mingle our Tears with the dust of Sion and put on sackloth when she is thus covered with a cloud Shall we not weep with our Brethren that weep for the loss of their Pleasant things and feel the Irons entring into their souls Shall we gratifie our Pride and put on our Ornaments and indulge our selves in Luxury While they are stript naked and afflicted with Baldness while they are fed with the Bread of Adversity Isai 22.12 13 14. and the Water of Affliction such shall go Captive with the First that go Captive and this their Iniquity shall not be purged away Secondly Humility and Cautionary Fear in opposition to vain Confidence and Presumption concerning any particular Church or Nation Let us not trust in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord as if because we have received the Knowledge of the Truth rejecting the Corruptions of the Roman Church in Doctrine and Worship that no Corruption of Manners could provoke God to punish and to destroy us Some build their Confidence of our safety on the vast Numbers of Protestants on the strength of the National Church on the Multitude of those who by common Interest are obliged to defend it and on other such considerations for the present or with reference to the future which may be of some weight to a meer Rationalist but if God upon the Provocation of National Guilt be risen out of his Place to execute Judgment he will reject and shame us notwithstanding our Confidence except we Repent For whatever may be apprehended to be the immediate Occasion of a People's Ruin in vain do men think to obviate and prevent it without making peace with God. And whoever be the Instruments of Calamity to a People 't is the Justice of God as provok't by sin that must principally be attended to without which we can be consident of the success of nothing that is attempted for our Preservation 'T is he who in righteous Judgment permits an open Enemy to prevail or suffers a most unseasonable Misunderstanding among them who should Unite Isai 9.14 T is He who mingles a perverse spirit among those who have manifold obligations to agree together If the Voice of Union and Concord among Protestants cannot be heard at a time when there are most pressing and importunate Calls to it it is of the Lord who doth not give an Ear to hear nor a Heart to consider 1 Kings 12.23 24. Thus we find it concerning the Division of the Ten Tribes of Israel from the two Some are Confident on other grounds and expect the speedy accomplishment of many Prophecies and Promises of the latter days and presume to speak positively as to the time But how uncomfortable will be the Disappointment if we should conclude for one time when God hath determin'd another at the distance of several years How many Holy Men have been mistaken already and lived to see themselves Confuted How different are the Opinions of Learned and Good men concerning the Calculation of the Times in the Apocalypse as to the Slaying and the Resurrection of the Witnesses and the pouring out of the Vials whether they have already emptied themselves upon their proper objects or when they shall when the 1260 Days of the Woman's Wilderness State shall expire and Babylons Time and Day be no more to determin which we must know when it began how different are the Opinions of Learned Protestants as to the Time of these things Let us not therefore anticipate the Counsels of God the vision being for an appointed Time by too positive Conclusions as to such things but give him Glory as the fittest Judge of the Times and seasons wherein to accomplish his own Great and Holy Purposes Neither can we argue from any unfulfilled Prophecies
Guildhall of the Mischief of Separation yet in the Defence of it P. 81 82. the Dt. in the Preface propounds this very seasonable Question What then Is there nothing to be done for dissenting Protestants who agree with us in all doctrinal Articles of our Church and only scruple the use of a few Ceremonies and some late Impositions Shall these Differences still be Continued when they may so easity be removed And so many useful men encouraged and taken into the Constitution Do we value a few Indifferent Ceremonies and some late Declarations and doubtful Expressions beyond the Satisfaction of mens Consciences and the Peace and Tranquility of the Church In Answer he saith That tho he thinks there is no ground for scruple as to the use of those things Notwithstanding that because the use of Sacraments in a Christian Church ought to be the most free from all Exceptions and they ought to be so administred as to invite rather than discourage Scrupulous persons from joyning in them I do think it would be a part of Christian Wisdom and Condescention in the Governours of our Church to remove those bars from a freedom in joyning in full Communion with us Thirdly Consider the great Mischief of our past and present Divisions to the Interest of Real Christianity the Reformed Religion and the Peace and Happiness of the Nation The Contentions among Protestants the passionate Heats among Difsenters themselves and the severities used by others to enforce an Vniformity have dishonoured the Profession of the Gospel and cost the Nation very dear on all accounts These things have hindred the usefulness and fruit of many Ministers preaching and depriv'd us of the advantage of the publick labours of many hundred others and lessen'd the Authority and Success of the Ministry in general filling many with such prejudices that they have turned their backs upon all preaching By this means the weak have been scandaliz'd See First Part of the Prot. Recontiler chap. 1. Mr. I. Burroughs Itenicum chap. 27 28 29 3◠the doubtful staggered Infidels hardned Scepticks gratified Popery and Prophaness advanc't thousands of souls endanger'd the Devil pleased and his Kingdom built up to the weakning of the Kingdom of Christ and the Reformed Interest Besides the Good that is lost and the Miseries procured hereby the sinfulness of Heart-Divisions among Good men is greatly aggravated The Provocation to mutual Revenge and the advantage given to Popery is that I wish all Protestants would consider As to Revenge our Experience now tells us that it is an effect of such proceedings tho I wish it could be supprest and cured yet considering the Corruption of Humane nature might well enough be expected This Dr. B. in the Preface above mention'd hath represented with some sharpness How unreasonable is it saith he that they who cannot help thinking as they do should be made a sacrifice to the Rage of others who perhaps have little more to say for themselves than that they are in the Possession of the Law which in the next Revolution of Affairs that may fall out will be an argument so much the stronger for using themselves in the same manner because it is a just Retaliation on them for that which they made others to suffer The Reverend and Worthy Dean of Canterbury in his Preface to Bp. Wilkins's Sermons commending his Moderation saith That Vertue however of late declaim'd against must be the Temper of the Members of the Church of England especially of the Clergy if ever they seriously intend its firm establishment and do not industriously design by cherishing Heats and Divisions among our selves to let in Popery at those Breaches Most of those who renounce our Religion and imbrace Popery profess this to be the first great stumbling block the want of Unity This their Priests of late in several Pamphlets have insisted on Dr Stilling Idolatry of the Rom. Church ch 5. Mr. Baxter safe Religion and other Treatises aggravating our Divisions to prove the Necessity of an Infallible Judge as the Center of Unity How unreasonably this is urged by Papists who differ among themselves about Fundamental Doctrines of Faith many of our Divines have shown However the Church of Rome hath manifestly serv'd its own ends by procuring and animating the rigid Imposition of doubtful disputable terms among Protestants that all those who could not conform to the establisht Rites might be look't upon if not as bad as Papists yet as unpeaceable and Factious and be provok't to do somewhat that might make them as unfit to be tolerated Hereupon the Papists have pleaded for themselves as better subjects or deserving at least an equal Toleration with Protestant Dissenters And what some of the latter have suffer'd on the account of their different sentiments from the Established Church hath tempted them to so much Revenge as that the less considerate and judicious are too ready to joyn with the Papists or any body rather than with those by whom they have been opprest thô this be greatly to be lamented yet it cannot much be wonder'd at for Solomon tels us that Oppression will make even a wise mad Mad And is it strange that some who do not see far before them nor well consider what they do and what forgiveness the Gospel requires should be ready to say we were as good joyn with the Papists who promise us our Liberty than adventure to be Ruin'd by Protestants That there is not now much ground to fear it and therefore that no Protestant ought to act on such a supposition I shall endeavor to show presently Fourthly The Vnity of the Adversaries of the Reformed Religion against us notwithstanding the Differences among themselves deserve to be considered We read of ten or eleven sorts of men of several opinions and ways in the matters of Religion who all with one Consent joyn'd against Sion Psal 83.5 6. Ten Kings of the Earth were of one mind to give up their Power to the Beast and make war with the Lamb 17 Rev. 13. The Popish Clergy that acknowledg the Headship of the Infallible Man at Rome agree in their desires and are bound to unite their endeavors for the Extirpation of the Northern Heresie i. e. the Reformed Religion And shall not we agree and unite for the preservation of that common Interest against which so powerful a Confederacy hath been and still is engaged yea may we not very well do so Notwithstanding our Differences if we can but be wise and honest enough to forbear one another in love Soldiers of different Nations habits and customs may engage in the same cause and notwithstanding their little quarrels with one another in their Respective Garrisons may be unanimous and therby Victorious when they come into the field In a Battel between Hannibal and Scipio Livy when the two Armies joyned we read that the shouts of Scipio's men were far more Terrible than those of Hannibals because being all Romans they had almost