Soveraign in Allegiance Though not secured in those that pretend Gods Spirit Besides Recusants being for the most part of the good Families of the Nation will take it for a part of their Nobility freely to profess themselves in Religion whereas the Sectaries are People of mean quality cannot be presumed to stand so much on their reputation And in another place he saith to proceed to divide the Church more and more with Persecutions is more destructive to the substance of Christianity than all that corruption Reformation pretendeth to cure Osborne a Protestant Hist mem Q. E. p. 17. 〈◊〉 that against the poor Catholicks nothing in relation to the generality remaineth upon due proof sufficient to justifie the severity of Laws dayly enacted and put in execution against them All other Sects saith he oppose the Roman with more spleen and animosity then ordinary yet they defend themselves and prevail against all still continue and have been the most grand and principal Body of all Christian Societies and the greatest force and Forâ—ress of Christianity against Turks and Heathenish impieties and chiefest Propagators of the Gospel in all Nations c. I see no reason saith another Doctor of our English Church why Papists in England should not as well deserve hope and enjoy as any other order or rank of men freedome to their Consciences Nor can I think but those men who are so hardned in their Malice and persecution against them do often hear a voice secretly call within them O ye Souls why do ye persecute me in my Servants It s a kind of injustice and an uncharitable course as I conceive saith he when we spare them that have no Religion at all and censure those that can give an account of somewhat tending to that purpose Shall Atheists and Socinians Enemies of the blessed Trinity be not looked after And shall others following the Heresie of Aerius directly opposing the order of Bishops and their Jurisdiction that is the whole frame of the Church of God assembled in the first four general Councils asserted and affirmed to be of divine right by Scripture and the Church of England be winked at And must we only incite our Governours against Papists Force them upon Banishments Prisons Persecutions Pressures and Calamities and use such severity against that Religion we our selves hold Salvation to be acquired in who hold all the positive Articles with us I may loudly proclaim saith Bishop Gauden with Samuel 12. 3. this Protestation in their behalf Behold the Servants of the Lord and his Church O Christians causless Enemies witness against them and before the Lord and before the People Whose Oxe or Ass have they taken Whom have they defrauded or oppressed Whose hurt or damage have they procured Whose evil of sin or misery have they not pitied What is the injury for which so desolating a vengeance must pass upon them and their whole Profession What is the Blasphemy against God or man for which these Naboths must loose their lives liberties and liveâ—â—hoods Wherein have they deserved so ill of former and later Ages that they should be so used as Ahab commanded of Miâ—heas and the Jews did to Hieremias to be cast into Prisons to â—ordid and â—bsâ—ure restraints or to be exposed to Mendicant liberty to be fed only with Bread and water of Affliction What necessary Truths of God or righteousness have they detained What error have they broached revived or maintained What true Christian liberty have they impeached A little after They have not light conjectures not partial Customes not bare Profession not uncertain Tradition not blind Antiquity but evident grounds Scripture Succession Conversion of Nations planting of Churches all over the known World crowning their Doctrine with Martyrdome Authors of best credit undeniable famous in Church through all the first Ages shewing us Catholick Religion And uncontradicted consent constant and uninterrupted Succession their great abilities Add those Credential letters the testimonies and seals which God hath given of his holy Spirit Lastly the Civil rights and priviledges the piety of the Nation and the Laws of this Land have always given to them by the fullest and freest consent of all Estates in Parliament these ought to be regarded much of men of Justice honour and conscience as not to break all these Sanctions and Laws asunder by which their forefathers have bound to God c. Whence Doctor Taylor in his Book concerning the unreasonableness of prescribing to other mens Faith in liberty of prophecying § 2. 249. that Considerations to a charitable Toleration concerning the Roman Church which saith he may easily perswade persons of much reason and more piety to retain that which they know to have been the Religion of their forefathers which had actual possession and seizure of men's understanding before the opposite Profession had a name Another learned Protestant Doctor saith the humble peaceable and discreet carriage of them may justly plead for favour and protection against this calumny of proneness to Sedition Faction or illegal disturbance in civil affairs Even in all the unhappy troubles of the late years have generally behaved themselves and shewed they had no other design than to live a quiet life in all godliness and honesty If they could not help in fair ways to steer the Ship as they desired they did not seem to set it on fire and overwhelm it If at any time relating to publick variations and tossings they could not act with satisfied and good Consciences they humbly bear with silence and suffer with patience Intentive chiefly and fearful to offend God tender of Conscience and their own Religion Whence The late Bishop of Exeter saith in these christian bounds of peaceable subjection humility and holiness if the Papists in England may but obtain so much declared favour and publick countenance which all other fraternities and Professions have as to be sure to enjoy their callings liberties and properties which seem to be so many times in great uncertainties under the protection and obedience of the Laws it would encourage them and redeem them from those menaces insolencies and oppressions of unreasonable men who look upon them like publick Enemies and perdue because they have little of publick favour and encouragement Christian usage will no doubt win more upon them than those rough storms and winds wherewith they are dayly threatened and are still distressed Which makes them wrap themselves up as Elias in his hairy Mantle when they think their lives liberties and livelyhoods are sought after and no such protection like to continue over them they thought in a Christian State and Church they might have obtained and deserved through their quiet conversation As a just protection infers our due subjection so no men pay more willingly then they who besides the Iron-rod of fear have softer cords of love and favour upon them How can we with justice honour or humanity inflict severe penalties upon Papists as refusing to conform to our Church
THE ADVOCATE OF CONSCIENCE LIBERTY OR AN APOLOGY FOR TOLERATION RIGHTLY STATED Shewing The Obligatory Injunctions and Precepts for Christian Peace and Charity Adversus invidiam nil prodest vera dicere â—a est enim calumniatoris natura in crimen vocare omnia probare vero nihil Demosthenes They shall be judged without mercy that have shewed no mercy James 2. 12. Thou shalt not calumniate thy Neighbour nor oppress him by violence Levit. 19. 13. Printed 1673. PROOEMIUM THe long and grand debate about Toleration of late so oft and so fiercely discussed pro and con by some universally condemned and exploded by others with as much eagerness affirmed and approved One party writeth â—opiously of the mischiefs which will follow Toleration the other writeth as copiously of the necessity of it How to reconcile these two extreams is hard and difficult especially when a preposterous zeal to one side or other doth first set so great a sally in our wills and understandings How many and hâ—w great have been the feuds and still are of this tottering and broken age there is no man so happy as to be ignorant And it is very strange and very sad that an age which hath so much of light and faith in the pretence should have so little love and charity in the practoce For how much of the Christian World is now in Sects is a thing which requireth more lamentation then proof Now in this general Combustion It s every Christian's duty to bring what water he can to throw upon the flames it s the office of all peaceable men to endeavour tâ—e quenchiâ—g of these intestine Confâ—agrations to supple and allay the rancour and swelling of this Epidemical evil He that can stand unconcerned and deny his service to love and peace and wounded Christ may soon find he hath lost even that which he thought to win Had all that profess the Gospel in England made Conscience of Schism forbearing to judge and despise those that are not of their opinion loving them still as Brethren and Christians not censuâ—ing them as profane Antichristian-idolatrous c. our breaches had never been so great nor lovers of peace and truth so much caâ—se to lament We have Enemies enough abroad in the world though Christians be not at variance with themselves Did we conscientiously apply our selves and make it our business to practice viâ—â—ues govern our passions and subdue our appetites and self wills in order to the glory of God we should find work enough in our own hearts to imploy and neither have time nor occasion to quarrel with others making Enemies when we have so many within our selves Did we understand our danger or our duty and seriously mind either we should not be so eager against those whom we ought to consider as friends upon the account of our relation to God and the tie of common nature and obligations of divine precepts and practice of the best times and hope of future happiness I confess it is a thing unnatural for one Christian to afflict another and that which is most to be lamented for those who think themselves the Salt of the earth who instead of preserving the world from Pâ—trefaction and concurring to heal the dividing principles rather joyn with calumniators encouraging them in misreports being glad to hear of any miscarriages and very ready to take up any light rumours and are willing tongues of slanderous fame as if God had need of their mâ—lâ—â—â—ous calumnies to his glory These are vices and immoralities impious and detestable against which every good Christian ought to manifest his resentment and be warned to indignation by them Many confident reports very strong prâ—sumptions may all prove injurious and false when it comes to the tryal This very age doth experimentally confute how many impeaceable zealoâ—s have written and uttered false things that had neither trutâ— nor ground at all in them Extravagant crimes have been imputed on the most ancient Christians And this is done without Christ's way of a regular process of a just tryal and hearing when the accused is not permitted to answer or heard speak for himself So that there must be a sin and injustice in the Calumniator the believer and reporter How can we think that unbelievers and Infidels should think well of them that speak so ill of one another to represent Christians like a company of mâ—dâ—nen that are tearing out the throats of one another or like drunken men who one day fight and wound each other and the next cry out of their wounds and yet go on in their drunken fits to make them wider I had thought that in general calamities every man should have laid his hand upon his own heâ—rt and suspect himself to be that Acham that troubles the Camp that Jonah that occasions the Stâ—â—m and not like guilty Ahab lay the fault of troubling Israel on good Eâ—ias Now when Bellona shakes her bloody whip over this Kingdome it becometh all good Christians and subjects to leave their feuds litigations discords and animosities To lay aside all uncomely rigour and severities Like the good Samaritan to be free of their oyl and sparing of their vinegar To confider some way to engage all hearts and hands in this Nation unanimously not to multiply disincouragements by penal inflictions to square out some milde moderate pacifick way wherein truâ— liberty of Conscience or Toleration properly taken 〈◊〉 Which I will prove in this following Tractate not only lawful but necessary and obligatory as relating to sâ—veral Religions in this Kingdome But because this virtâ—e is better â—lucidated by shewing the vitiousness and exorbitancies of the opposite extreams I will first prove Persecution on the meer soore of Religion unlawful and to be condemned To be against Policy Piety and our own Principles Secondly I will shew that Liberty or Toleration rightly understood is necessarily to be permitted but improperly taken to be disavowed and condemned Thirdly To undeceive many weak and ignorant I shall make it appear against the prejudices passions mistakes and blind errors of these sad divided times that the Romanists have as great a right and title to Toleration as any other Sect whatsoever Lastly Solving all the Modern and common Objections to the contrary With a conclusive exhortation to all pious well-minded and charitable Christians The Question Stated Note by Persecution imposition and restraint we only mean the strict requiring to believe this to be true or that to be false c. and upon refusal to swear or conform to incur the penalties enacted in such Cases But by these terms we do not mean any coercive let or hinderance into publick Meetings By Liberty of Conscience we understand only a meer liberty of mind in believing or disbelieving this or that Doctrine so far as may refer only to religious matters in a private way of worship which are not destructive to the nature and grounds of Christian Faith nor tending to matters of an external
unreasonable and inadaequate for as corporal penalties cannot convince the understanding so neither can they be proportionable mulct for faults purely intellectual Before we can with justice inflict penalties upon any different profession we ought to use all means possible to recover them to truth Arguments to rational creatures as Christians are to instruct admonish warn and finally to reject to come to them full of compassion of their misery full of affection of their Salvation by reasonable and persuasive motives suitable to their own nature by somethng can resolve its doubts answer its objections tenets and Propositions Whence our first work should be to collect a Body of positive articles evidently contained in Scripture and absolutely necessary to salvation for its improper to pen the form of Faith in the negative because my believing Christian truths makes me a Christian and not my disbelieving the errors that oppose it else he that believes nothing at all would be the best Christian We must fight against Antichrist by lawful ways prescribed by the Word of God by the spirit of his mouth in preaching instructing in Charity Patience humility according to the example of Christ and his Apostles The weapons of Christian warfare are not Carnal but Spiritual 2 Cor. 10. For as they were not the warlike engines of Joshua but the trumpets of the Sanctuary that made the walls of Jericho to fall down So it is not the Canon but the trumpet of the Gospel which is required to pull down the walls of Babylon True Religion was never advanced by these ways but propagated by patient sufferings the Example of Jesus Christ is so far from persecuting that he would not revile his persecutors prayed for them saith go teach all nations c. The Text directs Christs procedure in teaching not in devouring Wherefore all wise humble and charitable Christians should so Order their judgments and Censures if at any time they are forced to declare them they must above all things take heed they nourish not nor discover any uncharitable fewds antipathies distances against others after the rule of those passions which were the common source of Schism and Heresies The free meek and solid piety feeds it self on the substance of Religion without picking quarrels at the shell free from the superstition and hypochondriacal Zeal of some who pretend to advance the Kingdom of Christ by cutting the throats of his Disciples and cementing his temples with blood instead of the Cement of charity CAP. II. Persecution is against Policy and Piety THe grand fomenters of persecution can be no friends to the English State for what but imposition immoderation and restraint in the cause of Religion as a learned divine Noteth hath turned Episcopacy into Presbytery Presbytery into Independancy Independancy into Quakerism Religion into Policy Reformation into Innovation Profession into Pretence Ministery into Souldiers Souldiers into Preachers Churches into Stables Pulpits into Tubs Degrees into Parity Pastors into Hirelings Apostolical Hierarchy into Anarchy with abusive fumes and flames to build Babels of their own I am not able to express saith another great Doctor of our English Church how high an impiety it is that at this time when Gods hand is out against us justly for our sins to be disposed and fixed upon a resolution that to redeem external peace we will persecute c. I admire to see too too many in Parliament here amongst us where is great plenty of able Gentlemen of excellent learning worth wit and other perfections and endowments as any nation besides to be inclinable if not actually resolved in all meetings to feud about the Rom. Religion especially now after this tryal of their honesty more is to be admired the preposterous machinations and motions even of Churchmen who by the Canons are forbid to have any hand in blood when they forsake the ancient refuges of Christians which were preaching and tears and betake themselves to swords and helmets plots conspiracies and pursuivants Wisemen have seen those obscurities and disgraces which as black shadows have attended even Churchmen Persecution is fitter for the hands of Cyclops who forged Jupiters Thunderbolts then the Priests of the Gods Bishops should always be tender of good consciences and of the honour of Christian Religion which was not wont to see Ministers rough and targetted as the Rhinoceroes bâ—â— soft and gentle cloathed as the Sheep and Sheepheards of Christ There is not a more portentous sight then to see galeatos Clericos Christ long ago in the person of Saint Peter commanded them to put up their Swords nor was he ever heard to repeal that word or Bid them draw their Swords no not in Christs Cause that is meerly for Religion who hath legions of Angels armies of Truth gifts of Graces of the Spirit to defend himself and his true interest in Religion withal and a little after Indeed our Ecclesiastical Rulers have reason to steer us cautiously since they sit at the Helm in such a Ship as hath thrown very many Pilots over board it becomes those Bishops now got up newly to be most calm quiet and sedate Spirits The great alteration of the Body of the People since these last twenty years require that our old ends of promoting the welfare of the Church of England should be attained by the conduct of new means Bishops should compose the affections of the People by Liberty of Conscience and not Acts of Vniformity for the greatest assertors of Episcopacy and Ceremonies of the Church are lodged in their Graves and the present major part of this Land consists in those to whom the introducing of the old Church Prelatical Government will seem an Innovation It s the interest of the Clergy here to temper the Government of the Church for its irrational to think that any Church Government in a Protestant Country of Sectaries can be accommodated to the content and satisfaction of all which restraineth a large and almost absolute power to the heads of a few Protestant Bishops It s the concern of none but Souldiers of Fortune to oppose due Liberty of Conscience Whence the wise King James had wholly repealed the penal Statutes engaged so to do and Papistry then was declared tolerable had he not been diverted from it by Cecil and other Upstarts and Politicians whose interest was begun and grounded upon Heresie and destruction of the ancient Nobility and Gentry of the Kingdome For in his Speech Sess 1. Printed 161â— My mind saith he was ever free from persecuting and thralling my Subjects in matters of Conscience and in his next words I was so far from increasing their burdens with Roboam as I have so much as either time occasion or law would permit me to have lightened them And in his Censure against Conradus Vorstius the Dutch Heretick recounting the difference between Protestants and Catholicks he findeth not any for which Papists may be persecuted but rather the contrary You may object persecution is necessary in Policy of
and dust as every one hath received a several external figure of Face and every one a diverse internal form of mind every one a Cogitation and fancy distant from whence it cometh that there is so great diversity of Opinions so strange a contrariety of inclinations so different affections and passions in mortal men that no ordinary means is forcible enough to perswade them to any thing to which their private Spirits or imaginations are not inclined Hence so many Scripture interpretations so many quarrels and divisions in Religion even to Massacres Evils unknown to the very Heathens Hence we have often seen good by false representations may pass for abominable in the sight of sober men Hence the inconsiderate multitude prejudiced by education passion interest or false Teachers representing the Roman Church to them as a Monster composed of all sort of abomination having their Ears perpetually beaten with seven Hills Antichrist Idolatry Superstition by many unchristian aspersions false pretences by private forgeries and publick impressions wounding most Christian and innocent men How can they otherwise but hate them they know no better and even suck from their first Milk such an ill Opinion or odium of them as if they were Turks or Jews and had principles destructive to common Society Peace and Concord What a Wonder and what a Lamentation is it that those men who cry out so much for forbearance to Magistrates should themselves be so rigid and can less forbear dissenters or see the same sin in themselves So justifie all their Cruelties and think persecution to be their Duty Whence is persecution but from thinking ill of others abhorring and not loving them condemning them without hearing bearing them down not with sincere and plain dealing becoming Christians with inveterate malice filling Books with trivial Stories and Fables pickt up out of Authors without discretion make it their business to seek calumnies and reproaches in the Sepulchres and Common-shores of Schismaticks with untrue reporting of Doctrins false and unjust Criminations and other indirect wayes unseemly and unworthy the Cause of Truth to the dishonour of God and disparagement of Christian Religion Reading a Treatise lately Printed against Toleration by an university Schollar Had this Dilemma if Liberty or Toleration may be granted either an universal Toleration or particular not an universal for then saith he Papists may be tolerated which is against all As if all the Monsters of Aegypt may be admitted so the Papists be excluded Yet we must know if there had been no Papists in the World no other Sect among us had ever heard of Christianity If we knew all the Evils may ensue we should then be forced to Check the People from railing and let them feel our anger who would deceive us with Lies Nor can we look on those men as either of wit or honesty who are ever promoting the harassing of a faithful party needlesly to disoblige their fellow Subjects and Sufferers Wherefore to undeceive the so long abused and deluded multitude I will endeavour in the ensuing discourse to wipe of the Paint and Fucus that so things may appear in their true complexion unadulterated with the slights and subtilties of deluders I have chosen rather to expose these lines to Censure than to forbear to speak or be silent in the Cause and Defence of the Innocent Silui a bonis saith the Prophet dolor meus renovatus est in the following lines shall be shewed that the Law of God Christian Religion nature reason and our own principles doth oblige us to more charitable censures of the Roman Religion And that they are as highly if not more entitled to the true Christian Liberty of Conscience than any other Sect or Religion whatsoever all objections to the contrary cleared and evinced to any rational or impartial Reader If it remains as a Probatum est that no Christian ought to be compelled in matters of Faith or Religion provided it broacheth forth no new Sects or Schisms or that it be not in Case of Scandal or open blasphemy And if the Fundamental Laws and Government were established as a Defence and Protection to all sober peaceable Christians that immunity and freedom of Conscience ought to be indulged to Dissenters in this sense it being their due right and not only granted in policy to some persons or to oblige a party or to be enjoyed by the strongest and subtilest only to curb and subiect the rest as is shewed before there can be no ground able to convince any rational man why Papists should be excluded this priviledge unless we infringe the Laws and Government by not distributing equal and impartial justice nay the truth of this assertion is more evident and convincing for them then any Primo It is against reason and all examples of antiquity for men to be punished for adhering to the Religion of their Fore-fathers Now the Roman-Catholick Religion was the first Christian Religion planted in our native Country from whom we had and have our very Christianity the first universally spread and preached by Government permitted and encouraged by Counsels and Parliaments confirmed and approved a thousand years there continued even by our deceased kindred and parents not long since professed by our Universities established and defended against all Adversaries From whence we derive even the Scripture â—t self our ordinations most of our material Churches Colledges Inns of Court Hospitals c. and shall Charity ever be so buried in Oblivion in England that the Posterity of those from whom we must confess to have received these and other great advantages never be remembred and used with equity and common Justice They are linked in Religion to all Catholick Princes and Countries about us who will be more loving Neighbours if they see their Brethren find favour from us To persecute this Religion is to War against our Progenitors It is this Church in which so many Martyrs have dyed so many Doctors have taught and preached so many Virgins have lived in flesh like Angels so many Saints wrought wonders and miracles so many Councils called so many Ecclesiastical Laws enacted so many Nations converted so many Kings and Emperors lived and died and hope to be saved against which so many persecutors Machiavels and Tyrants in vain have used torments and contrived all imaginable force wicked policy or cruelty could invent This Faith hath the best evidence as taught and instituted by Christ his Apostles and Successors in an uninterrupted series and delivery down to us Set before your eyes those glorious Champions of Christs Church Constantines Theodos Pepines Charles all sirnamed Great more Glorious for Victories over Heresies and Idolatries than for conquests of Countries more renowned for propagating Catholick Religion than enlarging their Dominions See the Catologue of noble Kings of England Lucius Ethelbert Egbert Oswald Oswine Alfred Edgar before the conquest William the Conqueror and so many Henries Edwards Richards after the Conquest mighty of force rich of
Title of Constantinople was but intruded and usurped and when the Council of Nice gave such honour to the Church of Rome there was not so much as mention made of Constantinople Doctor Sutcliffe subver p. 51. is witness Irenaeus saith that every Church ought to have respect to the Church of Rome for hâ—â— eminent principality and Subvers 19. telleth how Saint Gregory commanded in England instituting Saint Augustine Archbishop of Canterbury a See of that preeminency Downam lib. Antich c. 3. doth not deny but that Justinian the Emperor and the general Council of Chalcedon did attribute to the Pope of Rome to be head of the Church For the real presence Jacobus Accontius a learned Protestant saith though one part err yet both are in the way of Salvation Whitaker Bucer and Hooker say the Body is really given to the Mouth of the faithful So Doctor Reynolds in his Conference 722. Prayer for the dead and free will Cartwright Fulke and Sparke say are not so necessary Worship of Images is indifferent saith Master Bunny and Bilney and is defended by Protestants in Germany as Beza relates Bowing at the Name of Jesus is affirmed and commanded by Queen Elizabeths Injunctions By Doctor Whitgift in defence Musâ—â—lus in loc com Zanchius in Epist ad Ephes c. But if bowing at thâ— Name of Jesus being read or heard be lawful it followeth the honouing of Christs Image is also lawful since the Name of Jesus is to the Ear as his Image is to the Eye Communion in one kind Luther in Epist ad Bohem. saith is of indifferency That the present Roman Church and Religon continued and flourished during the whole time of the primitive Church in the first six hundred years after Christ from Christ and his Apostles to Constantine the great and from Constantine to Gregory the great Calvin Zuinglius Zâ—nchius Danaeus Beza Brocord Nâ—pper Perkins Whitaker Powel Fulke Reynolds Cartwright Field Willet Whiteguift Midleton Morton the most renowned Protestant Writers acknowledg in their Words and Books as I could easily shew and cite their words and places to that purpose if it were not for brevitys sake you may find it at large in a Treatise dedicated to Dr. Morton of the Progeny of Catholicks and Protestants And the continuance of the Roman Religion those last 1000 years is acknowledged by Oslander Danaeus Magdeburgenses Holinshed Stow Cambden Fox Bale Bilson Whitaker Mason Cartwright Godwine Martin c. it being evident to all that do not stupidly deny whatever was said or done in former ages To conclude I propose this Dilemma either with extream impiety you damn the Souls of the whole race of your Progenitors who till the later end of Henry the Eighth lived and died Roman Catholicks or else with no less cruelty you punish them for professing the Religion of your forefathers in which by your own Concessions Salvation may be attained Whence a learned Protestant saith The wrong which Protestants commit in afflicting Catholicks and unnaturally trampling upon their dejected Estates only for matters of Religion Alas by our own Doctrine they are neither Babylonians nor Egyptians but they and we as we teach being Israelites Why then should Israel thus persecute Israel are we not become a gaze of Christendom thus to fight without an Enemy for kindred to wound his own kindred inciting our Governours to great severity in Religion in which we our selves teach they may be saved I speak sincerely I hold morally it s most improbable that such as have been conversant in Study of Controversies must have a respect to Catholick Religion unless they break with all Authority humane and divine Bishop Gauden in the Sighes of the Church p. 202. saith The Dilemma and distressed choice of Religion is now reduced to this that peaceable and well-minded Christians wise c. so long harassed and wearied with novel Factions and pretended Reformations would rather chuse their posterity should return to the Roman Party which hath something among them setled orderly uniform becoming Religion than to have them ever turning and towring upon Ixius Wheel catching in vain at fanciful reformations as Tantalus at the deceitful waters rowling the reformed Religion like Sysiphus his Stone sometimes asserting it by Law and power otherwise exposing it to popular liberty and loosness then to have them tossed to and fro with every wind of Doctrine with the foedities blasphemies animosities Anarchies danger and confusions attending fanatick fancies and quotidian Reformations which like Botches and Boyls from surfeited and unwholsom bodies so daily break out among those Christians who have made no rule of Religion but their own humour and no bounds of reformation but their own interests The first makes them ridiculous the second pernitious to all sober Christians whereas the Roman Church however tainted with errors yet it cannot be denied without a brutish blindness and injurious slander which only serves to gratifie the gross Antipathies of the gaping vulgar that the Church of Rome amongst its tares and cockles hath many wholesom hearbs and holy Plants growing much more of Reason and Religion of good Learning and sober Industry Order and Polity of Morality and Constancy of Christian Candour and Civility of common Honesty and Humanity becoming grave men and Christians by which to invite after-ages and your posterity to adhere to it and them rather than to be everlastingly exposed to the profane bablings endless janglings miserable wranglings childish confusions atheistical indifferencies and sacrilegious furies of some later spirits which are equally greedy and giddy making both a play and a prey of Religion who have nothing comparable in them to the papal party to deserve yours or your posterities admiration or imitation but rather their greatest caution and prevention CAP. VIII Roman Catholicks are not guilty of Practices or Principles destructive to Government PRotestants have set it down as a Decree against Catholicks and labour to imprint it as an eternal scandal in the hearts of the People that Catholick Doctrine and Religion is dangerous to the State and Soveraignty and therefore not allowable This being a matter of great importance I will endeavour not so much to justifie them as to inform my self in a point which hath made so many stagger Being one that desires to defend the loyalty of innocent men rather than their Opinions or Doctrins which they are best able to defend themselves In this grand charge and Hyperbolical accusation I find the contrary is proved by evidence of Fact that the Treasons Seditions factions tumults which have filled all Christendome with blood and calamity sprung not from the doctrine of Catholicks but from the Opinions and practices of Reformists not from Rome but from Wittenberg Smalcald Geneva c. Was it the Papists that induced them of Geneva to expel their Lord and Bishop That moved them of Swedeland to deprive their lawful King That procured Holland to depose their Soveraign That sollicited Subjects to depose their Emperour King of
the stile Here is nothing proposed to be believed no Anathema fulminated no signification that the contrary is against the Scripture c. therefore at most it is a meer ecclesiastical ordinance touching external discipline and as such what is more ordinary and permitted than for Princes to refuse admittance therein we see some Churches of France reject the decrees of reformation made in the Council of Trent and also practised in England 8. Suppose it be an ordinance yet supream Princes and Kings are not named but excluded and only their Officers and Substitutes c. 9. No example can be produced in the Empire or other Catholick State that such an Oath in succeeding times was imposed or threatned But on the contrary we know Charls the fifth by a Law of the Empire publickly permitted Lutherans in several Provinces and all the Kings of France sinâ—e Hen. 3. permitted the Calvinists yet the Pope never threatned deposition or they feared it Therefore this doctrinal point of Faith is shamefully pretended to be involved on that or the like Decrees viz. the Popes power of deposing c. What State Kingdome or City received or taught the People this even as a probable Opinion It is well known in practice and doctrine other Sects and their accusers have been more faulty in this point then they as History and experience testifie of Princes actually deposed in Scotland Denmark Sweden Geneva c. and absolute rebellion following their doctrine in Poland Bohemia England France Hungary Germany c. Obj. Innocent the third who presided in this Council actually deposed King John and Otho the Emperour Resp Popes as private Doctors may err in matters of fact their Decrees and Bulls are not always held as infallible and may be opposed as often they have been by Papists nor will they scruple to do it especially about temporal affairs We do not approve whatsoever Popeâ— do in fact in deposing c. If some Popes have been exorbitant have not Papist themselves defended their Princes against all pretended illegal impositions of Rome If some Popes have transgressed and been passionate men it doth not follow all have as some Princes have been Tyrants not all This King John Protestant Histories conclude passing by his youthful Rebellion murthering his Nephew his Atheism c. they record he lost our whole interest in France discontenting all his people not defending their Rites and Priviledges c. So Heylin Daniel Martin Sir Robert Cotton Hist And Stow in his Chronicle 170. relates it thus King John being dissolute and perfidious and would not grant the Laws or Liberties of the Charter had as many enemies as Nobles Clergy and Layty petitioned against him for the Pope to depose him an opinion then in practice the Pope would not but sent Paendulph his Legate who comes over to Dover to King John to counsel the King's peace and reconcile him to God and the Church The King living then in great jeopardy to loose his Kingdome The King of France being invited by the Nobles and Clergy to invade the Kingdome saved the Kingdome by it after this the Clergy came over and all was in peace The Pope after this excommunicates the Barons for the disobeying the King and calling in the French King Lewis into the Realm And Gaule the Legate was sent from the Pope to forbid Lewis to go into or invade England to excommunicate him if he did But Lewis of France arrived in England whom the Barons assisted against King John John soon after died his eldest son Hen. 3. at nine years old was crowned King by the Bishops of Winchester and Bath c. and the Government of the King was committed to the Popes Legate the Bishop of Winchester and Earl of Pembroke The Legate maintained the King's part admonished prayed and commanded the disobedient to do as he did called a Council at Bristol caused the Bishops to incline to the King's part notwithstanding Lewis did what he could to the contrary Seeing Lewis and his complices were excommunicated every Sunday by the Legate though they had London and all the East parts of England Lewis had notice from Rome except he went out of England the sentence of excommunication of the Legate should be confirmed by the Pope For this cause saith Stow 175. a truce was taken between Lewis and King Henry Philip of France called his son Lewis to return he being passed over the Earl of Salisbury Earl Warren c. revolted to the Kings side and this by industry and virtue of the Pope's Legate Lewis being absolved from the excommunication went into France but his complices were by the Legate deprived of all benefit by their disobedience See Stow 170. Thus we see how for want of knowledge things are carried on and reported very frequently in the worst sense and construction it may be easily collected out of our own Authors and Chronicles that Popes have been great friends to our Princes and this Nation Take in short out of Stow 883. that Pope Adrian the fourth an Englishman invested Hen. 2. with the Dominion of Ireland and had it confirmed with an Assembly at Waterford Pope Vrbane who sent a Legate the Bishop Sabrine into England with sentence of excommunication against the City of London and Cinque-Ports and all those that troubled the King's peace King Richard of England being taken Prisoner unjustly by Leopold Duke of Austria in return from the Wars with the Saladine demanding a great ransome and misusing him The Pope excommunicated the Duke of Austrich and injoyned him to release the Covenants that he constrained our King to make and send home the Pledges The Duke refusing this Order shortly after broke his Leg and in great anguish ended his life and was kept unburied till his Son released the English Pledges Thus were the Pledges restored and the money behind released How oft did the Pope grant to the King of England the Tenth of all Ecclesiastical Goods as to Edward the first and second Sent the Abbot of Saint Denis Legat to request Edward the second to remove from him Pierce Gaveston without which the Kingdom could not be in peace nor the Queen injoy the Kings true love Vide Stow 213. Edw. 2. The Pope sent Ganelinus and Lucius de Flisco by the Kings request to make peace between England and Scotland and reconcile to the King Thomas Earl of Lancaster who brought Bulls from the Pope to excommunicate the Scots except they returned to peace with the King of England William Longshamp Bishop of Ely and Legate to the Pope and Chancellour of England was made Governour of the Realm by Richard the first Afterward the Archbishop of Roan was made Regent of England then being made Archbishop of Canterbury Then you see there was no jealousie of the Pope or his Clergy but on the contrary for many hundred years our Princes and Nation reposed as with just reason they might the greatest trust and confidence in their loyalty faith and
Parliament and chief Secretary printed at that time and neither could any noted or known Catholick by any device be drawn into this matter Those that were up in tumult with Catesby were by our Prot. Hist Howes never full fourscore and those made up with servants horse-boys and houshouldattendance as Saunders and Speed confirm For if Priests and Recusants so many thousands then in England would have entertained it no man can be so malitious and simple to think that there would not have been a greater assembly to take such an action in hand and the Council could not have been so ill-sighted but that they would have found some other culpable as some by all imaginable craft and industry endeavoured and desired But to confirm their innocency King James in his own Declaration saith that the generality of Catholicks did abhor such a detestable Conspiracy no less than himself And he was so kind to Catholicks the last half of his Reign of which Wilson complains in several places Wils K. of 193. which was impossible he should have been so favourable had he not been convinced they never had had any design of destroying him or his Secondly the King in his second Proclamation 1605. and in his third Proclamation 1605. when they were all discovered in which Proclamation we plainly see the King and Council knew the Complices and partakers of that villanie yet never taxed any Priest or Papist therewith Thirdly the King in publick Parliament did free Catholiks as much as Protestants when he plainly saith as truth is if it had taken effect Protestants and Papists should have all gone away and perished together The King in his second Proclamation against the Conspiracy calleth the Confederates Men of lewd life insolent dispositions and of desperate estates And to demonstrate from the publick Act their innocency as well Protestants he declares by Proclamation Proclamatione die 7. Novemb. 1605. We are by good experience so well perswaded of the loyalty of diverse Subjects of the Romish Religion that they do as much abhor this detestable conspiracy as our self and will be ready to do their best endeavours though with expence of their blood to suppress all attempters against our safety and the quiet of our State and discover whomsoever they shall suspect to be rebellious This by good experience he pronounceth Priests and Catholicks notwithstanding were upon this pretence persecuted though besides all these reasons aforesaid by publick consent both of their Clergy and Layety Catholicks presented and offered to maintain their cause and innocency in many humble Petitions whereof two were printed to the King The first begins To the most excellent and mighty Prince our gracious and dread Soveraign James King of England c. justifying of Catholicks and the Truth of their Religion against their Adversaries Most Gracious Soveraign THe late intended Conspiracy against the Life of your Royal Majesty the Life Vnion Rule and Direction to these united Kingdoms was so heinous an impiety that nothing which is holy can make it legitimate no pretence of Religion can be alleadged to excuse it God in heaven condemns it men on earth detest it innocents bewail it and your dutiful Subjects Catholicks Priests and others which have endured most for their Profession hold it in greatest detestation and horror c. Yet this is the miserable distressed state of many thousands of your most loyal and loving Subjects dread Leige for their faithful duty to God and Religion taught in this Kingdom and embraced by all your Progenitours and our Ancestors so many hundred years that every adversary may preach and print against us and make their challenge as though either for ignorance we could not or for distrust of our cause we were not willing to make them answer or come to trial when quite contrary we have often earnestly and by all means we could desired to have it granted c. And at this time when your chief Protestant Clergy Bishops and others is assembled we most humbly entreat this so reasonable a placet that although they will not as we fear ever consent to an indifferent choice opposition and defence in questions yet at least to avoid the wonder of the world they will be content we may have publick audience of those Articles Opinions ond Practises for which we are so much condemned and persecuted If we shall not be able to defend or prove any position generally maintained in our Doctrine to be conformable to those rules in Divinity which your Majesty and the Protestant Laws of England we can offer no more have confirmed for holy Canonical Scripture the first four General Councils the days of Constantine and the primitive Church let the penalties be imposed and executed against us c. in fine Your Royal person and that honourable Consistory now assembled are holden in your Doctrine to be Supream Sentencers even in Spiritual businesses in this Kingdome we therefore hope you will not in a Court from whence no appeal is allowed and in matters of such consequence proceed to Judgment or determine of execution before the arraigned is summoned to answer hath received or refused trial is or can be proved guilty c. Deny not that to us your true and obedient Subjects in a Religion so ancient which your colleagued Princes the King of Spain and Archduke do offer to thee so many years disobedient Netherlands upon their temporal submittance in so late an embraced doctrine That which the Arrian Emperors of the East permitted to the Catholick Bishops Priests Churches toleration What the Barbarian Vandals often offered and sometimes truly perforformed in Africk what the Turkish Emperour in Greece and Protestant Princes in Germany and other places conformable to the example of Protestant Rulers not unanswerable to your own Princely piety pity and promise no disgust to any equally minded Protestant or Puritan at home a Jubilee to us distressed a warrant of security to your Majesty in all opinions from all terrors and dangers from which of what kind soever we most humbly beseech the infinite mercy of almighty God to preserve your Highness and send you your children and Posterity all happiness and felicity both in Heaven and Earth Amen Another Petition to the King and Parliament from the Cath. in Eng. allowed by the Priests was presented by Sir Franc. Hastins and Sir Richard Knightly which urged likewise for a Disputation Another to the same tenure was then with the same assent subscribed with three and twenty hands of the greatest Catholick Gentry of England and presented to the chief Secretary of State potent in those times in Court and Council and as Recusants feared not equally affected towards them though never so innocent And the same Recusants were more than jealous that this practice of Conspiracy was no great secret to that Secretary long before divers of them that were actors in it by him named Catholicks were acquainted with it an invention to entrap those he did not
Nations to perswade people from Idolatry to be charged themselves with the same guilt Good Sir you may as truly say they worship an Asses head as the old Heathens accused the primitive Christians a wise man will as soon believe if you should affirm those that approve all things in the Alcaron are Christians or that England reaches as far as Greece This Web which you weave with so much earnestness will only catch dotterils and fools such as have shaked their hands with their reason or else enthralled or captivated it under tyranny and partiality and locked it down to the gallies of their own passions It is not my business to dispute this polemical Article at large which is better done by Doctor T. G. and V. C. I find his whole Book like that paralitick Discourse written rather Rhetorically ad captandum populum to insinuate into vulgar capacities then logically to evince the Hypothesis contended for strip it out of its multifarious fallacies ungrounded surmises and erroneous suppositions and it will not only be a massie body without bones and nerves to support it and join it together but sine succo sanguine a very Skelleton Pardon me good Reader if thou think me oversharp with this man who hath kindled my zeal and whetted my stile against him in that his procedure is unchristian that it tends to destroy all but settle no Religion The greatest heathen could never reproach Christians with more injurious slanders And shall it be lawful for a private person to condemn and deride on false grounds and surmises those duties which the most learned and major part of Christians ever admitted of and shall such a one be entreated to preach and print and others abler and honester forbid the Press and Pulpit are we not then partial to our selves and become judges of evil thoughts James 2. 1 4. When the Doctor proveth that they worship Idols together with God as the Kings of Israel did Or alone without him as the Pagans did or that they adored with Sacrifice the Sun the Moon c. and other inferiour Deities as he calls them we will grant him flat idolatry In the mean while all sober men must think These are devices to seduce the vulgar into strange opinions and unchristian thoughts of others to traduce honest men and their principles let them be fairly heard in a publick conference how far they can justifie themselves from being deservedly suspected of such abominations if our passion will not our charity ought to think better I intended here to have a lash or two at the late uncharitable Pamphlet called A seasonable Discourse but hearing it is already fully examined and corrected by a better Quill I will only give these Animadversions viz. that all or most of his material Arguments are sufficiently answered in this Treatise viz. concerning the Popes Power of Excommunication Deposing Supremâ—â—y the Inquisition Massacres disguised Jesuits opinions of Mariana c. as you may find in the Objections and Answers before as also that faith is not to be kept with Heretiks that dissimulation of Equivocations in Religion is permitted all these are confuted to be most manifest untruths and falshoods he cites also very insincerely many Authors and brings in for his best proofs for witness our enemies or partial Authors not to be credited as Thuanus Platina Myster Jesuiâ— Cornel. Agrippa Sleiden â—llâ—ry de Foulis c. The Pamphlet indeed rather indeed deserves a rebuke for his slanders and therefore the name is wisely concealed than for any man to take the pains to read or answer it It is but a cheating Drollery to delude the people whence he makes merry with the life of Saint Francis as fabulous though written by the hand of Saint Bonaventure a seraphical and holy learned man reputed amongst wiser Protestants he takes pleasure to rail at the Popes to whom all western Churches did ever bear a respect and ought to do as being the chief Patriarch of the West acknowledged by the adversaries themselves All men should speak honourably and reverently of Princes and Bishops the one being Gods Vicegerents in temporals the other in spirituals and Successors to the Apostles Suppose some Popes have behaved themselves too severe or haughty being Princes as well as Bishops it is not so strange all great mean should be Saints But the very name of a Pope is a scare-crow to this man as if he were one of the ignorant Herd credulous to believe any fabulous stories pick'd out of Legends like his own Pamphlet that have neither charity truth or civility Why cannot he if he were just and honest rehearse as well the pious acts and memories of good Popes where there be twenty to one famous in approved Authors and undeniable History but that like some venemous serpent he loves to suck only in poisoned places To speak of our own days as he doth at random without jugment or sincerity what can he say against the lives and the actions of the last three Popes have not they incessantly laboured for the peace and support of all Christian Princes among themselves and against the common enemy and now in particular uniting the Polanders and assisting them with money against the Adversary of Christianity Is it not then a weakness in this man worthy to be derided by all the moderate and wiser sort who would make the world believe Popes are so dangerous to Monarchy What Kings or States complain against them Are his neighbouring Princes jealous or fearful of his power or encroachments and cannot more potent Princes and Commonwealths at a distance better secure themselves by their own power Are not Catholicks in all places obliged to stand to their Soveraign in defence of their Countrey against the Pope as effectually as against any other Have not the English Catholiks long ago in open Parliament declared that the Imperial Crown of England is and hath been at all times free from all sabjection to the Pope and provided a Statute of praemunire against any abuses as they thought might happen Look on the English Catholicks in 88. when the Pope was excited and backed by the power of a great Prince Her Title being disputable and urged by some abuses aud continued severities to excommunication c. Do not our own and forraign Writers notwithstanding testifie the Catholicks stood firmly to their Allegiance and the most learned Priests by an authentick Writing acknowledged the Q. though excommunicated to have still the same authority as her Predecessors and chearfully offered to hazard their lives in defence of her Dignity and Country Suppose eight or ten men talk at random in Schools of the deposing power c. must that be the Doctrine of the Church Did the Church ever approve or teach any such maxims or were they ever tolerated as he most falsely would have it Have not all other numerous learned men contradicted them did not all the Universities of a great Kingdom condemn such opinions and their Books to be
burnt by a Decree in the face of the world by publick Justice did not a General Council of Constance sentence the Deposing Power as erroneous and scandalous although he were a Tyrant Have any other reformed Churches proceeded so far The Doctor doth well to cry Whore first and take no notice of the many standing objections in this and other things against his own Calvinistical party But what need I trouble Ink and Paper to examine this mans absurdities when I had taken but three hours to run them over they are encreased to so many I am come into a Labyrinth you may judg by his first ten lines wherein he committeth three first he saith His Majesty found it necessary for good of his affairs to grant freedom to all Dissentors If His Majesty found it necessary is not he presumptuous being a private man and a subject to make this invective he calls seasonable Discourse to impeach it to offer weak and lying motives to obstruct it Secondly what confidence hath he to utter so notorious an untruth as to say Now Priests openly act in all parts their functions In what City or Countrey Town hath he found them publckly preaching or praying Thirdly is it not absurd that being an ecclesiastick he should so mind us of Capital punishment who by the Canons should have no hand in blood He is much troubled at the Coâ—â—iers Crred viz. to believe as the Church believes Which gives a suspition he doth not believe or would not have his Parishoners believe one article of the Creed He calls charity and love but tempting charms as if he did not know or believe the Gospel where there be innumerable commands for it But then he comes a canting being suspitious his Book tends to Sedition and to breed feuds amongst us saith no price can be to great for peace but truth But what truth doth he mean the many imputed slanders in his Book or would he have truth separated from love peace and charity He cites Authors falsely as Thomas Aquinus Peron c. he hath false supposals viz. that Catholicks take away the Scripture give a half Communion make new Articles of Religion c. that indulgencies remit the guilt of sin and that the gifts of God are bought with money c. who ever writ more against such Simony than Catholick Authors or hold more plainly that sin is never forgiven without sorrow and repentance from God by the Merits and Passion of Jesus Christ So much for the Vnseasonable Discourse Now to overthrow from the foundation all other aspersions in this kind Let all impartial men consider first those criminations proceed originally from enemies and grand animosities of parties adverse Secondly Papists universally disown them Thirdly unrepentant traytors and implacable enemies are amongst their accusers and which most encourages them is their constant fidelity they might easily vindicate themselves from all such imputations by the putting their adversaries to the proof had they but liberty to question them and bring them to a trial For they never durst appear or shew their faces in an open and impartial audience We might admire where such deep malice could be found but much more how any prudence could believe them and that no reason or experience will restrain them How strange a wickedness is then the groundless censuring so highly and publickly so many noble and honourable personages so many eminently deserving subjects of his Majesty so many grave most venerable and most sacred personages in the world What account shall such give at the last day what is this less than persecution what mischiefs flow and are apt from such libelling by sad experience we have tasted the bitterness of the fruit The dreadful ruin of Hierusalem was brought about by such furious ones Josephus calleth the Zealots And should they still be countenanced it unavoidably bringeth incurable divisions for there is no certain rule of Justice with such persons Secondly It breeds an ill correspondence between our fellow subjects and makes them ill looked upon which violates civil unity so necessary for the peace and strength of a Kingdom Thirdly It disincourages Loyalty to see that after such testimonies it may be lawful for any at pleasure to brand them as Traytors publickly in Print Fourthly It tends to excite our Governours that they are not fit to be endured in any State Fifthly It must breed fouds between private persons all over England Scotland and Ireland 6. It is a reproach to Christian Religion when the world must see we have not so much justice and equity as Heathens have in their worldly Societies Seventhly It is a great cause of the persecution of Christians and the damnation of Persecutors being foolisher than the Devil who would build Christ's house or Kingdom by dividing it Mat. 12. And that which must sanctifie all this sin is the seeming interest of God and Religion to hinder the growth and increase of Popery If it was an untruth they spake it was for Religion if they did backbite and revile it was to preserve the hearers from errors aud infection If they used their reputation to murder love and make others odious and rejoiced in their sufferings and afflictions all this is but for defence of truth They think all this is a part of Christian zeal And this is a mark of Satans way of Reformation he doth it by dividing and teaching Christians to form odious thoughts of one another And when his meaning is to save you from heaven and truth he takes upon him he is only saving you from sin or errors or corruptions of the Church By these notes and signs saith an English Divine you may easily perceive how the dividing zeal of such differs from the true genuine Christian Catholick Zeal If your zeal be raised for some singular opinion not for the common salvation moved by some personal interest honour or dishonour for strengthning a party c. And not to promote godliness the common cause of Christianity or general cause of pedce and piety A hurting burning zeal for execution of penal Statutes When it causeth you to revile backbite despise censure and zealously to make dissenters odious that hearers may abate their love When your zeal tendeth to hurt and cruelty and is greater for the adversaries destruction than your desire and prayer for his conversion It s a false zeal more inclined to their sufferings reproach or hurt with some secret desire of fire from heaven c. when it tendeth to separations divisions distances from our ancient Brethren This is the complexion of the proud false conceited and surly sort of professors which flyeth outward against the sins of other men and can live with pride selfishness and sensuality at home a contemptuous persecuting zeal kinled by inflaming censures of rash passionate Preachers First it is an ill sign when their censures are beyond the proportion of their understandings and their experience and prudence much less then others whom they censure