Non-Conformity do the same in the Judgment of these Accusers The Lord be Judge Chap. IX That Christ hath Instituted no true Ecclesiastical Government in Man of any larger extent than National much less Universal nor of Foreign Jurisdiction And that the French pretended Aristocracy with the Popes Primacy and Patriarchate is as bad or worse than Papal Monarchy § 1. POpery and Clergy Usurpation which have corrupted and broken and confounded the Christian Churches on pretence of Government Unity and Order have risen out of the Ruines of Christian Magistracy The true Unifying Heads of Christian Kingdoms and National Churches being deposed by the Pope and Clergy their Power hath faln into the hands of the deposers § 2. The means by which this was accomplished were these 1. When there was no Christian Magistracy the Christians by voluntary consent to avoid Pagan Tribunals made their Bishops their chosen Arbitrators to decide their differences And Constantine finding them in possession of it and having no Lay-men so wise and good and meet continued them in it yet without the Power of the Sword 2. The pious Christians were desirous that their own freely chosen Pastors should rule them having no others so fit 3. The Princes were so taken up with Wars and secular things that they had no leisure to mind it 4. Princes and Rulers grew so ignorant wicked and debaucht that themselves and all others almost thought them unmeet for such holy work They neglected the study of the Word of God which should have made them wise 5. The Clergy not only took the advantage of the ignorance and viciousness of Princes but cherished them herein and told them Scripture and holy work were for the Priests and not for Princes 6. They debased and prophaned the Order of Magistrates falsly pretending that their Office was but for the Body c. for worldly Peace and the Office of Priests only was for the Soul 7. They by degrees turned the Communion and Concord of several Foreign Churches and Nations into one Government over all 8. When the Roman Empire was broken into many Kingdoms the National pretence of the Pope or Councils could reach but to some one of them and so the Pope slightly pretended to all and turned the Imperial Universality into a Terrestrial Universality and the Roman World into the whole World or else they had fallen 9. In all this they took the advantage of the Ignorance of Princes and Lords 10. And of the Wars and Enmity against each other striking in with the side that was likest to advance them § 2. To this day Popery is upheld by the same means by which it was set up especially by the Ignorance Ungodliness and Slothfulness of Kings and Lords Did they exceed the Clergy as much as Moses Joshua David Solomon Jehosaphat Hezekiah Josiah Nehemiah Zorobbabel did the Priests and as much as the Heathen Emperors Titus Trajan Adrian Antoninus Pius Antoninus Philosophus Alexander Severus c. did their Priests they would be honoured above the Priests as they were The Emperors then were thought fit to be Pontifices Maximi and as in the times of the Ancient Family-power an Abraham an Isaac and a Jacob and a Job and a Melchizedeck were thought fit to have the highest Government in matters of Religion so would it be still And a Samuel would be Prophet and King But as God will honour those that honour him so those that despise him shall be lightly esteemed § 3. The true way therefore to put down Popery is for the Prince and Magistrates to claim their proper Power yet not to usurp the Priesthood and to study love and practise the Law of God and take their Power and Laws to be only and meerly subservient to the Power and Laws of God And to strive to understand these so clearly as to be able to judge sound Preachers from unsound and to know whom to countenance whom to tolerate and whom to suppress It is Kings that have set up Popes by putting down themselves and Popes have set in to pull them down to set up themselves And it is Kings that must pull down Popes by reassuming their own Power and Work and that must be by becoming fit for it § 4. That Prince who granteth that his Office is but for the Body and for Secular Ends and the Priests only for the Soul inviteth all his Subjects to honour every Priest before him and to account him base as worldly things are to be accounted as dung in comparison of the things of the Spirit and Eternity Yea every good Christian who is commanded to exhort each other daily and to comfort one another with the remembrance that we shall be for ever with the Lord would be far more honourable than a King as the Soul is above the Body and Heaven better than Earth § 5. He is not worthy of Parental Honour from his Children that careth only for their Bodies and seeketh not to make them the Children of God and the Heirs of Heaven and to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord And if Princes be below the work of Parents they are below their Honour And if they will not be included in the work of the Fifth Commandment how can men give them the honour of that Commandment § 6. They that will have a Universal Prelate or Council to Govern the matters of Religion through all the World because of the unskilfulness of Kings and Magistrates should in reason also be willing on the same Grounds to have an Universal King or Parliament to Govern all Kings because some are Ignorant or Slothful or an Universal Physicion Philosopher or Schoolmaster § 7. God hath given the World often such Counsellors and such Judges as have been fit to judge in matters of Religion and to Judge Bishops and Preachers Why else do our Laws subject them to Kings and Judges Had all Lands but such Judges as through Gods Mercy England hath now or such as were Sir Matthew Hale and divers others in our Age and such Counsellors as Queen Elizabeth had for the most part or such Lawyers as France it self hath had and the Palatinate and Holland it would convince the World that Laymen may be fit to judge the Clergy even in matters of Religion And why may not Princes attain as much wisdom and honesty as their Counsellors and Judges The Christian Nations have been more beholden to a Constantine Jovian Valentinian Theodosius Senior Theodosius Junior Marcian Leo Anastasius and many other such and Spain to Recaredus and divers of his Successors and France to Carolus Mag. Ludov. Pius save their compliance with the Pope than to any Bishops or Councils even for Reformation against Heresies and Clergies Sins Chap. X. Whether an Universal Church-Government be of Apostolick Succession in the continued parts of their Office § 1. THough those that take it for mutability and backsliding to change their Judgments after that the School or their Leaders or
which Ministers do with greater Obligation and Advantage than the People and Apostles above both And Kings and States are as much obliged to it as Bishops But they are not on that pretence to make one Universal King or Senate to be a Soveraign Power to them and all the Earth or Church But only by Diets or Confederacies to join their Powers and Endeavours to so good an End And so is it with Bishops and Churches § 23. If they say That it is Union and Concord with the Pope or Rome or their Councils that we are bound to let them but renounce their pretence to Government of all and we shall easily decide the other difference If we must not Unite to them as Governors but as Brethren they are as much bound to Love and Union with us as we with them And Christ is sufficient to be the Center of Union to the whole Body and hath made them the sufficient and only Laws of Universal Concord among themselves § 24. Obj. To be obliged by Gods Law to Concord and to have Councils and Bishops determine in what we must agree inferreth our Duty to agree in those Points which cometh to all one as Government by them Ans 1. If they be not Governors but Equals we have as much power to propose Articles of Agreement to them as they to us 2. There are no Articles of Universal Agreement in all the Churches on Earth necessary but what Christ hath made such And to pretend to make such and Usurp his Prerogative is a sin that we must not agree with 3. The vanity of their talk of true Universal Councils I have oft at large detected 4. We grant submission to the true power of National Governors and Councils but Universal we know not 5. Just National Laws must be obeyed But Conciliar Canons of Concord by Equals bind us not to Agreement when mistake maketh them against the common Good and Ends of Concord Nor do Mens Laws or Agreements bind us to any thing against the Laws of God § 25. XII We all own an Universal Church Government Partite or Exercised by parts as all the Physicions Medicate all England and all the School-masters teach them and all the Judges and Justices judge them And so Cyprian meant that Episcopatus unus est of which each one hath a part That is 1. In specie institutâ 2. Quoad Objectum All the particular Churches governed make one Universal Church 3. Quoad Finem But no Man nor any Senate or College or Council as una persona politica is Soveraign We have no Universal King but Christ Chap. XI Whether a National Church Soveraignty infer the need or lawfulness of a Humane Universal Church Soveraignty § 1. Ans NO For 1. Man is capable of one but uncapable of the other 2. Christ hath given Commission for one but not for the other 3. Every Kingdom hath one Humane Soveraignty in Sword Government But so hath not all the World one And there is less reason for and less possibility of one Humane Governing Soveraignty by the Word and Keys 4. God set one Moses and one Aaron or Priesthood over Israel but not over all the World If Adam or Noah was such while the World was but a Family or Tribe he would not have it so when it was uncapable of it 5. The Summons and Subscriptions and the Limits of the Imperial Power tell us that the most General Councils were but Imperial that is National in Extent as I have proved against Johnson And therefore no more can be claimed since § 2. Obj. But if a Presbyter must be Ordained by a Bishop as Superior and a Bishop by an Archbishop and he by a Patriarch what Superior shall make him but a Pope or Council Ans 1. You may next ask Who then must Make or Consecrate a Pope Is it a Superior Contrarily If a Pope may be made by Inferiors as they do a Patriarch a Metropolitan an Archbishop and a Bishop may quoad esse be validly made by Men of the same Order Yea and Presbyters too where Politick Order and Church safety forbid it not § 3. It is so far from being true as I once foolishly thought that National Church Supremacy inferreth Popery that it is a necessary or very great means against it without which though particular Souls may be saved from Popery a Nation cannot long nor ever was that I have read of For Popery is but the Invading of the power of all other Bishops and Kings And for each one to reassume his own power is the direct Deposing of the Pope As if one King or Senate claimed the Government of all Kings and Senates how should these Usurpers be Deposed but by every King and Parliaments reassuming their own § 4. But then every party that differeth in the Form of National Government must not pretend that it is only their Form that is the Bulwark against Popery National Church Concord and Strength may be kept up by a Supreme Christian Prince or State with a Concordant Ministry whether among themselves United as the Scots in General Assemblies or as in England by Archbishops Bishops and Convocations obeying the Laws of Christ and the just Laws of the King and State that are made for determining needful Circumstances supposing such Bishops qualified and chosen justly and usurping none of the Sword-bearers power § 5. That National Laws about matters of Religion may and must be made and that Princes consulting with Pastors must make them and that these are not to extend to all the World is a truth unquestionable In England the Law must command us to use English Bibles but not all over the World It is meet to bind the Churches to use one Translation of the Scriptures Else one will say Your Text or what you alledge is not in my Bible and another It is not in mine And many inconveniences would follow And one Form of Catechism one Form of Confession one Metre of singing Psalms and about the Sacraments and other Offices one Form moderately imposed or agreed on is convenient But if one part will too rigorously impose things needless or command things sinful or justly suspected or the other side refuse things lawful and fit because imposed National Concord will be broken Chap. XII The Three other Reasons for Popery answered briefly Quest III. SHould not the Roman Church Policy in reason be owned for the advantage of Christianity against Infidels Ans 1. We deny not but Unity Concord Power and Riches and the great number of Adherents is a great advantage to Christianity against Infidels And all these are Gods Gifts and as such do good 2. But the abuse of them though it do not quite frustrate the genuine Effects yet so depraveth them that it 's a doubt whether the hurt to the common Christianity be not greater than the advantage If Unity were maintained in Christs way it would have far better Effects than in the Papists way 3. Yet we
Unmercifulness especially Rich Mens oppression of the Poor Landlords grinding their Poor Tenants and Judges Justices and Lawyers unrighteousness in Suits and Judgments are Sins threatned by the Prophets as the fore-runners of Destruction § 3. But especially when Rulers are the Leaders in Sin and the Patrons of the Wicked The Sins of Men in publick Place are publick Sins and sooner bring publick Judgments than the Sins of private Men. The publick Authors of the late Calamitous Wars of Ireland Scotland and England had a deep part in the Punishment as they had in the Guilt O what a Torrent of Guilt in the Reign of Charles the Second did from King and Court over-flow this Land by the shameless filth of all uncleanness When Men shall affectedly keep Whores as the way to please the Court by Conformity to the King as if it were an Honour or no great Dishonour what can be expected from such horrid wickedness but Publick Divine Revenging Justice § 4. When did it ever go well with Judah or Israel when they had a foolish wicked King How easie is it for such a King and a foolish wicked Senate or Parliament to undo a Nation by Laws of Heresie Cruelty Persecution Division and Iniquity How ordinarily do such make Snares for the Conscionable by commanding them on pain of Fining Imprisonment or Death or Banishment to do something that God forbiddeth or not to do what God commandeth and then to cry them down reproach and ruine them as unruly disobedient despisers of all Order and Government Schismaticks and Rebels And who may call them so with less contradiction than they that can at their pleasure make them seem such and few dare contradict them § 5. Great is the advantage that Supreme Rulers have to put the Name of Evil upon Good and of Good on Evil and to procure the Vulgar to say as they Saving that the Innocency and Worth of the Upright especially of Wise and Charitable Persons constraineth approbation from those that know them and are not deplorate in Diabolism The foolish words of Princes seem wise to ignorant flatterers But he that will dwell in Gods Tabernacle and be a Blessing and not a Plague to the Church must be a Contemner of vile Persons and an Honourer of them that fear the Lord Psal 15. Antishenes could say that the Nation is hopeless that cannot difference good Men from bad What maketh almost all under Papist Rulers to be Papists and under Turks to be Mahometans and under Heathens to be Heathens but the Interest of the Opinion Example and Power of their Rulers § 6. In England and most Nations that are Christian the King and Rich Patrons or the Pope and his Servants have the choice of Archbishops Bishops Deans and Pastors And can it be expected that bad Men and covetous Men and the haters of serious Piety should chuse Men that will promote the Doctrine and Practice which they hate If the King make the Church of England is it like if he be a Papist or Malignant that he will chuse a Protestant and pious Church Or that a Covetous Drunken Filthy Licentious Patron will chuse a Man that will Zealously Preach against his Sins § 7. But the great Cause of the Ruine of a National Church is the Ignorance Viciousness Pride Malignity Covetousness and Persecuting Cruelty of a Degenerate Carnal Worldly Clergy Magistracy and Ministry are Gods great Ordinances by which as his Instruments and partly Representatives he doth by an established Order govern and keep up Order and Piety in the World Magistrates represent him in his Super-eminence and Ruling Power And Ministers in his Guiding and Sanctifying Wisdom and Love And God that will not ordinarily turn setled Order into Miracles worketh by these according to the aptitude of the Instruments and the Receivers And where there is kept up a wise and holy Magistracy and Ministry when and where did it ever go ill with such a people by any publick desolation § 8. If Ministers be Ignorant or unskilful in their publick Work they will be despised If they be Worldly and Covetous the Poor will reproach them If they be Drunkards Gluttons Unclean Idle or any way Sensual they will become the common Scorn But if they be Enemies to serious Godliness or Revilers or Persecutors of Godly Men the wicked will be encouraged to be like them and hardned in their Sin but Pious and Sober men will abhor them as the Servants of Satan though they will not therefore cast off their Honour to the true Ministerial Office and Work It is not an Honourable Office or a Reverend Garb and Name and Title that will hide the shame of Ignorance Ungodliness Sensuality or Malignity Their White Cloathing and Sacred Titles which render their filthiness more visible and odious Bad Men will prove a greater injury to Sacred Offices than open Enemies And it is not the Holiness of the Office or the Goodness of Laws and Order that will serve to Reform or make Happy a Church or Nation in the hands of wicked Men. § 9. Therefore when Bishops shall be such who Ordain and Govern the Inferior Clergy that Church or Nation is near lost and ruined If bad Princes chuse bad Prelates and they Ordain bad Ministers and savouring nothing but Wealth and Reputation shall prove the Jealous Adversaries of Piety and Persecutors of the most serious Christians and Encouragers of the malignant vicious and profane that Church and Nation is next to dead though it have a Name to live and be called Honourable and Rich how comely soever its Order and Ornaments may be and though its Doctrine and profest Opinions be Orthodox § 10. And it will yet render the case more desperate if the same carnal worldly malignant Bishops and Clergy shall grow justly reputed the Adversaries of the most Learned Judicious Godly and Laborious and Powerful Preachers and shall seek to Silence Disgrace and Oppress them The sober part of the Nation will then be tempted to take them as the Devils Militia armed against Christ and Mens Salvation and this the more wickedly as doing it in Christs Livery and in his Name § 11. And if such a Clergy shall in enmity to the Godly flatter the profane Lords Knights and Rich men of the World and make them their upholders and patrons and party to strengthen them in their sin the Confederacy will threaten Gods Vengeance on them all § 12. And yet the case will be more desperate if the wicked in such power shall bring an Universal Infection of Idleness Sensuality and Factious Enmity to serious Godliness on the Universities and other Schools of Learning and shall make them to be Nurseries of Ignorance Errour Impiety and Malignity And if the Prelates and Priests shall teach their Pupils and Candidates to account men of Conscience that obey not their sinful Impositions to be Fanatical Schismaticks and on pretence of bringing Schism into disgrace shall cast their dirt in the Face of Piety
by himself Moral Prognostication 1st What shall befall Churches on Earth till Conquered by restitution of primitive Purity Simplicity and Charity 2. How the restitution is like to be made if ever and what shall befall them thenceforth to the end in that Golden Age of Love Quarto stitcht His search for the English Schismatick Quarto stitcht His Immortality of the Soul Octavo His Treatise of Justifying Righteousness in two books Octavo His Revolt to a Foreign Jurisdiction in two parts Octavo Joseph Alleine of Conversion in Octavo large Print with Cases of Conscience Alleine of Conversion in Twelves smaller Print with Cases of Conscience Alleine's Sure Guide in Twelves Mr. Steel of Old Age. Vincent of Conversion Touchstone of Grace and Nature Of Conscience The Spirit of Prayer Of Love among Christians Three Funeral Sermons Principles of the Doctrine of Christ Chap. I. What a National Church is § 1. A National Church and a Christian Kingdom constituted of a Christian Soveraign Magistrate and of Christian Subjects worshiping God ordinarily in true Particular Pastoral Churches is the same thing § 2. The ignorance of this hath confounded the Christian World by two extreams On one side a double mischief hath been by this ignorance introduced First That of Popery which first prophaneth the Sacred Office of Kings and Magistrates feigning them to be but a sort of secular Animals that have the care only of mens Bodies and trading and worldly Affairs and not of Souls or of mens everlasting Safety as if this belonged only to Priests whereby they make Kings to be as much baser than Priests as the Body is viler than the Soul and teach the Subjects accordingly to dishonour and contemn them 2. And while they confine Princes to the bounds of their own Dominions they pretend that the whole World must have one Church Soveraign either Monarchical Aristocratical or mixt which yet Humane Nature is utterly uncapable of so that truly Popery is founded on the degrading of Princes and States and overthrowing true National Church-bounds to set up an absurdly pretended Universal Soveraignty instead of it under Sacerdotal Heads § 3. And this mistake hath corrupted the late Innovating Prelatists that would be called the Church of England who have learnt of the Papists to appropriate the name of the Church or at least Church-Government to the Clergy and so think that a National Church must be unified and constituted by a National Sacerdotal Head either single or collective And that a Prince is not sacred enough to be a National Church Head That this novel Opinion is contrary to the Laws and the sense of Lawyers and the Doctrine of the Church of England and the very Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy is so well known as forbids me to lose any time in proving it It 's true that Queen Elizabeth and our Kings and Doctors have justly appropriated the Power of the Word Sacraments and the Keys of Admission to Christian Communion and of Excommunication and Absolution to the Pastoral Office and have proved that Christ did himself institute that Office and not leave it to the will or power of Princes to institute abrogate or alter it But it is as true that Princes are the Governours of those Pastors and may punish them for Male-administration and dispose of the things circasacra undetermined by Christ § 4. By this mischievous Errour also the Clergy have been drawn to tempt Kings and Magistrates to think that they are but Civil Officers and have not much need to be very studious to understand the Scriptures but must leave that to Bishops and Priests and take it on their words By which they have been perverted and let loose to ungodliness and debauchery wasting that time in Luxury and Sports and Idleness which should have been spent in studying of the Word of God and govern by erroneous ungodly Laws because they know not the Law of the Lord Whereas God hath commanded Kings and Rulers to study his Law diligently and keep it alwaies before their eyes and on their hearts and to govern according to it and make it the chief work of their Office to promote the obedience of it § 5. Moses was more the Mediator between God as Legislator and the People than Aaron was and was better acquainted with the Law and the meaning of it than Aaron was It was he that is called King in Jesurun And God instituted a Prophetical Succession of such which the Israelites sinned in changing for Kings A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up to you like to me him shall you hear tho' it meant Christ remotely and eminently it meant his Successors proximately Joshua was commanded the study of God's Law And David and Solomon are undeniable Instances to prove that Kings were by God appointed to be more wise and holy persons than the Priests And indeed if Kings be not better skill'd in God's Word than most of the Popish Priests are no wonder if they be the Subjects of Priests and be lightly esteemed as unmeet to Govern especially if Mr. Dodwell's Doctrine were true that the Essential work of the Ministry according to my Principles is to transact between God and Man to seal Covenants on behalf of God and to accept of those which are made by Men and to oblige them to perform their part of the Covenant by otherwise authoritatively excluding them from God's part Hence results the whole Power of Ecclesiastical Government And for this no great gifts and abilities are essential All the skill that is requisite essentially is only in general to know the benefits to be performed on God's part and the duties to be performed on Man's and the Nature and Obligation of Covenants in general and the particular Solemnities of Ecclesiastical Covenants And of this how any man can be uncapable who is but capable of understanding the common dealings of the World c. If it be much more knowledge than this that is commanded to Kings and Rulers then are they the more sacred persons and fitter to be Heads of a National Church than such Priests are § 6. Bishops or Pastors may be the constitutive Heads of Particular Churches and yet not of National nor therefore cease as such to be under the Government of Christian Princes nor Princes thereby be made Priests A School-Master a Colledge-Master an Hospital-Governour a Philosopher may be the Head of his particular Society and yet under a Prince that is not of his Art The King is no Physicion and yet Ruleth Physicions not as a chief Physicion but by the General Government of a King The Masters of Sciences and Arts as such govern none but Volunteers and therefore not by the Sword It 's Princes that do that § 7. Though Moses Law as such bind not us nor any further than Christ hath put it into his Law and many things in their Policy are unsuitable to our times and places and more in their way of Worship yet the true nature of
such a National Church as Christ did institute must be known by knowing what the Jews Church was as National and how far Christ would have continued that form of Government and what change it was that he was for § 8. 1. Christ would not have the Jewish Nation to retain their peculiarity as distinct from the Catholick Church for he came to call the Gentile World 2. He intended not to make Jerusalem the Seat of a Regent Church over the rest of the World as it then was over the Jews for he knew that it was to be destroyed 3. He intended not to settle one High Priest over the whole Catholick Church nor over the National Church For defacto he did it not and he knew that the High Priest did typifie himself only 4. He intended not to continue the Law of Moses as such nor its Ceremonious Worship but only so much of it as was of the Law of Nature common to others and so much of the Policy as by parity of cases and reason is suited to others as well as to the Jews § 9. But 1. He offered to be King over them as a holy National Kingdom-Church 2. He accordingly appointed the number of Twelve and Seventy under him as related to the Twelve Tribes and to their great Council 3. He sent these first to work upon them by Doctrine and Perswasion his Kingdom being a Government of Love Mercy and Free Grace that would have none but Volunteers 4. He gave them Laws by which he would govern them with promises of Reward and threats of Penalty 5. He extended this offered State and Priviledge to them and their Children 6. He intended to set up his Government in Power by Christian Princes as soon as his Word and Providence had ripened the Church for it § 10. I shall prove all this in the next Chapter when I have told you first that as the Papal Party hath been set up in their Usurpation Universal and National for want of understanding Christ's Institution of Kingdom-Churches so the separating and dividing part of the Nonconformists have by this oversight run into many hurtful Errours and unpeaceable and unjustifiable ways 1. How much the very name of a National Church is distasted by very many zealous persons through meer ignorance is too commonly known 2. And in Independents and too many Presbyterians the custom prevaileth of calling the exercise of Pastoral Discipline by the name of the Kingly Government of Christ as distinct not only from his Prophetical and Priestly Office but also from his Government by Magistrates As if Christ governed not as King as much and more eminently by Princes as by Priests or Pastors 3. And if a man speaketh but what Scripture speaketh for Christ's Government of the Churches by Magistrates they call him an Erastian Whereas the Errour of Erastus an excellent Protestant Physicion was not his being for the Government of Princes but his taking down the Power of the Keys too much which was the Office of Pastors and making Church-Communion over-common and too much denying Excommunication Of which I have written a peculiar Treatise to Dr. Ludov. Molinaeus shewing the true difference between the Power of Magistrates and Pastors 4. And hence great disorder hath arisen from the undervaluing of the Confederacy of all particular Churches in the same Kingdom and from a disobedience to the lawful determinations of Princes in Church Affairs and even from the causless singularity of every humorous Sect as slighting the Concord of the Confederate Churches what abundance of Schisms had it prevented with their dismal Effects if men had but retained a due Reverence to Church Confederacies and Concord and to the Christian Magistrates Power which caused the Presbyterians in Scotland and Ireland so marvelously to keep up Concord and keep out Sects though they were against Diocesans because they maintained National Church Confederacy § 11. It may perhaps be useful to others that I here confess my own Ignorance and Errour that I once thought that the Scots way of a National Church Confederacy and General Assemblies was but a sadling the Horse for Papal Usurpation to ride upon For I considered not that National Churches truly stated were Christ's Institution and the principal way to keep out Popery § 12. And whereas in my Defences against Dr. Stillingsleet and Dr. Sherlock I called the Christian Magistrate an Accidental Head and urged them hard to name the Essential National Church-Head I spake on supposition of their Opinion which I opposed that Bishops only were such Essential Heads from whom A National Church must be unified and specified But I still professed to own a National Church as a Christian Kingdom containing Confederate Pastoral Churches And of this the Soveraign Power is the Essentiating Head § 13. The names of distinction of Civil and Ecclesiastical as differencing the Office of the Christian Magistrates and Pastors may be used as well understood but is too Popish and used by Papists and some others to obscure and debase Christ's Government by Magistrates as if they were only for secular uses Whereas indeed in a Church as National the Prince is the chief Ecclesiastical Officer of Christ And the true differencing terms are fetcht not from the subject matter so much as from the Mode of Government one being forcible by the Sword and the other only on Conscience by the Word doctrinally opened and personally applied by the Keys And Ruling is called Civil because it is the Regiment over Cives quâ tales so it is Ecclesiastical as it is over Cives quâ Christianos and over particular Churches and Pastors and for Souls more than for Bodies and worldly Estates § 14. A National Church containeth not all that dwell in the Land but all that are Burgesses or Free-men in Church respects All be not Citizens that dwell in the City but they that are Denisons and have City-Rights and Priviledges As Christ is Head over all things To his Church Eph. 1. 23. so a Christian King is Head over his inhabiting Enemies and Aliens and Head to all Civil Denisons as he is a King and Head to all Christian Church Denisons as he is a Christian King § 15. In what cases Subjects may be Civil Denisons that are not Christian Denisons or Church Members requireth so many words and cautions to open that I omit the decision of it But were a Christian Kingdom such as it ought to be none should be a Civil Burgess with any Trust belonging to Government but such as are Baptized or professed Christians and are communicating Members in some Churches or Assemblies allowed or tolerated or that ought to be tolerated For a Kingdom and Church as formally Christian should be Ruled by none but Visible Christians This is true both of Magistrates Pastors and the chusers of of them But none should for this be forced or drawn to profess Christianity or communicate against their wills it being a priviledge that none have right to but those that
earnestly desired it Nor did the Antient Churches grant it to any other Nor would so much as receive Oblations for maintenance of Ministers from others Chap. II. That Christ instituted such a Church-Form § 1. THat Christ instituted such a Kingdom or National Church I prove as followeth 1. He was by the Prophets still described as such before his coming as was to be the King of Israel and Israel under him a National Church Moses was King in Jesurun Deut 33. 5. and said A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up to you like to me viz. that was a Prophet and King Melchizedeck was the Type of Christ that was King of Salem and Priest Psal 110. Heb. 8. David was herein a Type of Christ and Christ was promised to sit on his Throne Psal 2. 6. Yet have I set my King on my holy Hill of Sion Ezek. 37. 24. David my Servant shall be King over them and they shall all have one Shepherd c. My Servant David shall be their Prince for ever So v. 27 28. so Hos 3. 5. Exod. 19. 6. Ye shall be to me a Kingdom of Priests Dan. 2. 44. Mark 11. 10. Psal 33. 12. Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord. 2. Christ is proclaimed the King of the Jews and claimed that title and their subjection to him Matth. 2. 2. 27. 11. Mark 15. 2. He was of the Line of David and had right to his Kingdom He was scorned and crucified for that claim Mat. 27. 29 37. Mark 15. 9 12 18 26. Luke 23. 37. John 19. 21. The People acknowledged him King by their Hosanna He destroyeth them as Enemies that would not he should Reign over them Luke 19. 14 27. 3. He laid the Foundation of his offered National Kingdom among them He owned the Title and chose twelve Apostles in relation to the twelve Tribes and the seventy Disciples related to their great Council He would Preach to none but Israel till they rejected him He would have gathered all Jerusalem and her Children as the Hen gathereth her Chickens but they would not Mat. 23. 37. He destroyed them for refusing him 4. He commissioned his Apostles to stay at Jerusalem till they rejected them They made up the broken number of twelve as related to the twelve Tribes by Matthias though Joses and others had also followed Christ 5. He appointed them to Preach the Gospel to Nations and to disciple Nations Mat. 28. Mark 16. 6. He planted the Gentiles into the same Olive-tree that the Jews were broken off from Rom. 11. 7. The Jews had not been broken off from their National Church-state but for unbelief Rom. 11. 8. He translated the Kingdom from them to a Nation that would bring forth the fruits of it 9. In due time the Kingdoms of the World were made the Ringdoms of the Lord and of his Christ Rev. 11. 19. 10. Kings are to be the Churches Nursing Fathers 11. All Power in Heaven and Earth is given to Christ Mat. 28. and by him Kings Reign He is King of Kings and not of single persons only 12. But what need there any other proof while all Christians confess that All Kings are bound to be Christian Kings and to promote Christianity to their Power and all Magistrates and Subjects to be Christians And are not they then bound to be Christian Kingdoms and that is National Churches § 2. When he had prepared them to be voluntary Subjects by the Preaching of the Gospel and the Church came to maturity Christ actually set up National Kingdom-Churches and Ruled by Constantine successive Christian Princes And Heaven and Earth rejoyced that he had taken to him his great Power and Reigned and that the Kingdoms of the World were become his Kingdoms Rev. 17. 18. 19. Infancy is fitter for Instruction than to Govern Man is made to use Reason but he useth little in Infancy or till maturity That which was first in intention is last in execution Mature Reason in Man and Princely Government in Kingdom-Churches was first in intention tho' not in execution Who would wish that Pagans had still Reigned What Christian wisheth not that the Persians Indians Turks Tartars c. were all Christian Kingdoms Why else do the Millennies hope for such a state of holy Government § 3. Obj. But tho' there be no doubt of the command institution and duty what hope have we of the constitution and event that Kingdoms should become Christian Ans Our Question is of the Institution and Duty confess that and let us do our endeavour 2. Is not this a Christian Kingdom while King and Subjects are baptized professed Christians Are we a Protestant Kingdom and not a Christian Kingdom And are not others such Obj. But these be mostly but nominal Hypocrite Christians Ans They are visible professed Christians The Corn is not without Straw and Chaff Do you look for Kingdoms that consist only of the sincere Obj. But Churches must consist only of those that seem sincere Ans All seem sincere that profess sincerity till it be by tryal and witness publickly disproved There are several degrees of seeming some by fuller evidences than others but all that Vow it and stand to that Vow do seem and profess it till disproved Obj. But how prove you that a Christian Kingdom is a Church Ans Doth your Question mean de Re or de Nomine I told you what I mean by a Church no other than a Christian Kingdom consisting of a Christian Soveraign and Christian Subjects worshiping God in confederate particular Churches ordinarily will you deny the Being or the Duty of such If it be the Name 1. The word Ecclesia is used for even common Assemblies and therefore much more for Christian Societies 2. The Israelites were called The Church in the Wilderness much more when more fully stablished 3. If you have any reason against the Name disprove it 4. If the Name be all the difference call it as you please But make it not your pretence that only Priests are persons Holy enough to be Heads of Churches and not Kings and therefore that it is no National Church that hath not a Clergy Head Monarchical or Aristocratical for that 's the Popish Doctrine which I have confuted Chap. III. In the Execution Judea was such a Church § 1. IN the Execution of his Institution Christ in the time of Constantine and after made Judea it self a National Church as far as a Province of the Empire may be called a Nation The Empire as Christian headed by one Christian Soveraign and materiated by Christian Subjects obeying Christ both singly and in sacred Assemblies under their Bishops or Elders was all one National Church that is One Christian Kingdom long before promised by Christ and prepared for But as the Emperors allowed some Provinces to have subject tributary Kings and others to enjoy most of their Antient Laws and Liberties so they might secundum quid be called Kingdoms and National Churches
though they were but Provinces and parts of the Imperial Church And thus Judea became a National Church § 2. It is past question that many Kings who had given up their Kingdom to the Pagan Beast followed the success of Constantine and afterward did give up their Power to Christ yet no Kingdom was wholly converted at once nor of many years But yet while the Soveraign Power and Confederate Christian Pastors and Subjects had the chief Power it was truly a Christian Kingdom For the Form in capable matter doth denominate And tho' many Heathens were long permitted in Government that doth but prove that the Kingdom had two sorts of free Subjects one sort that were Christians and so were the chief Members who in all matters of Religion were exempted from Pagan Judicatures and the other Heathens who had a freedom in things secular § 3. Judea then was more eminently Christian than any other Nation of no greater extent There were Arch Bishops and Bishops and Presbyters and after a Patriarch And there were more Monasteries and Religious Societies and more Temples built there than in any Countrey that was no greater And more Christians flockt thither from other Nations out of a veneration for the place And indeed it was the mother-Mother-Church out of which all other Churches sprang Therefore if any Province might be called a National Church it was Judea § 4. This was when the Fulness of the Gentiles came in that is when the Gentile Empire turned Christian And so the Gentile Powers turned Christian provoked the Jews to emulation and requited them by becoming Nursing Fathers to them and bringing their Glory to Jerusalem And so all Israel was saved that is the body of Abraham's natural Seed and also the faithful Gentiles that were the spiritual Seed were unitedly gathered to Christ § 5. Obj. But they were mostly Gentiles that then dwelt there And that proveth no Conversion of the Jews Ans The scattered Jews were in many Countreys of the Roman Empire And most of them had neither mind nor means to return to a small and barren Land But as many as were willing and were zealous for their Countrey did live there and none were forbidden And it is far most probable that the most that were there left were such as kept their old Habitations And the most that were kill'd were the military part In the days of Constantine and after their Churches flourished And what greater encouragement could they have now to return were they converted than they had None would make them go against their wills If Gentile Christians and Jews were there mixt they did the more fitly suit a Catholick Church-state when Moses Policy and their Peculiarity ceased Should they in the feigned Fifth Monarchy-state be confined to that Countrey which is like our Wales how contemptible a Nation would they be in comparison of what Constantine allowed them both in Judea and throughout all the Empire No Nation was wholly converted at the first and if the Christian Jews that lost their name being Catholicks had no great mind to go to Judea it is no wonder Chap. IV. Particular Churches and Pastors how far essential to a National Church and what are its materials § 1. THere is more essential to a National Church than the meer Formal Cause or Soveraign Matter is essential as well as Form Yet not all parts of the Matter neither though all be parts Integral As in the Body a man cannot be a man without a stomach liver and lungs and heart but he may without a finger or a hand or leg § 2. I doubt not but I have proved that the Soveraign Magistrate is the Formal Humane Head of his Kingdom and as Christian of the Kingdom as Christian And nothing remaineth disputable but de Nomine whether a Christian Kingdom must be named a Church which Custom Etymology and Scripture put past question Our Civilians such as Dr. Zouch Dr. Rich. Cousins c. and our Lawyers say trulier than most have believed that the King is persona mixta Custos utriusque Tabulae and Head of the Church as a Christian Kingdom And for want of knowing this and the true nature and bounds of his Office how foully many have miscarried I have shewed 1. Those called Erastians carry it too far and give the Magistrate part of the Office of the Pastors even the Keys of Admission into the Church as a Church and of Excommunication which God hath put into the hand of the Pastors by as immediate a Commission as he hath put the Sword into the hand of the Magistrate And by this over-doing they undo They would ruine the Prince on pretence of defending his Power For all Authority hath also Obligation to duty And must Princes and Magistrates be put on the task of trying the Faith and Repentance of all that are to be Baptized Confirmed Absolved or Excommunicated Then they must leave their own Calling for they will here find work enough This is like the Separatists making the People Judges by which they would undo them calling them from their Callings to take on them a work of which they are uncapable and about which they will never long agree and making them responsible to God for all their Male-administration As if the King must not only be Governour of Physicions but must be a Physicion himself and give Medicines and be answerable for the Patients lives Or must be a Schoolmaster because he governeth Schoolmasters And this puts them on a necessity of casting out true Discipline and holding the Opinion that Sacramental Communication should be common to the Godly and the openly Wicked as being a Converting Ordinance and that Excommunication is but Tyranny Just as those Diocesans that will have no Bishops but one over a thousand or many score or hundred Parishes by pleading for their sole Episcopal Power take on them the sole Obligation to Episcopal duty and so make themselves responsible for that work which requireth many hundred men and under themselves while they undo the Churches and leave all true Discipline undone and mock not God but men and themselves with names and ceremonious shadows 2. And the Papal and French Prelatists have by this Ignorance got a fixed false Opinion that as Pastors are the Constitutive Heads of Particular Churches so they must be of National Churches and that every National Church must be unified and specified by one Clergy Soveraignty in one person or in a Colledge or Aristocracy Or else that a Christian Kingdom is not properly a Church because it hath not a Priestly Head It 's true that it is not univocally a Church of the same species or rank as a Pastoral Church is but is more eminently and as fitly called a Church as Israel was 3. And the Independent Separatists and Anabaptists for want of understanding this as I said before cry down National Churches with scorn and run away from National Concord into endless Divisions and Sects while at the
of Knowledge and Gifts rather than a setled Superiority of Office and whether any Pastors might not do all their Ordinary continued work But besides the singularity of that doubt I was soon convinced of an Official Superiority and Disparity not only because a Judas had been one but because the number of Twelve in Superiority was to be kept up by the choice of his Successor even one from among those that had been Witnesses of Christs Words and Works as well as he And by Pauls being made a thirteenth Apostle when the Gospel was to be carried further than to the Jews And his claim of Apostolical Power and Priviledges § 17. Especially because I find Christ Mat. 28. 19 20. describing the General Office as well as the Particular even going into all the World to Disciple whole Nations as well as to teach them to observe Christs Commands promising to be with them to the end of the World § 18. And also because it is apparent that Preaching the Gospel to Heathen and Infidel Nations is a Work still to be done and for want of men purposely appointed to do it the progress of the Gospel hath been wofully stopt Few doing any thing in it but Mr. Eliots and a few honest men in New England and they say some of the Dutch and the Jesuits and Fryers that do it corruptly Particular Church Work is below this § 19. And I am fully confirmed when I find that the Apostles themselves setled a General sort of Ministers in Superiority and General Work to succeed them As Christ himself by his Spirit made Barnabas an Apostle so he gave to his Church also Evangelists who were General helpers of the Apostles and were put in a state of Disparity and Superiority Sil as and Mark and Luke and Apollos and many more are named The texts that mention the General Office and Superior power of Timothy and Titus are so well known and oft cited that it 's needless to repeat them The charge of setling and overseeing many Churches as in Crete and of caution in Imposition of Hands receiving accusations rebuking sharply ruling them well ordaining Bishops and Deacons and much more the like I never thought Saravia and the Kings Arguments in the Isle of Wight well answered Mr. Prins and the common answer is that these were not Bishops but Evangelists I grant it but that confirmeth me For the name Bishop was then ordinarily appropriated to fixed particular Church Elders But our question is not de nomine but de re an Apostle Evangelist were above such Bishops Call them Apostles as Dr. Hammond proveth that the Fathers oft call them or call them Evangelists or Arch Bishops or General Bishops or Diocesans or Provincial Bishops it is not the name that is our Controversie It proveth that the Apostles did settle a sort of General Overseers to gather and take care of many inferior Bishops and Churches to succeed them in the ordinary part of their Office § 20. But another argument fixeth me in this opinion and that is that when it is fully proved that Christ instituted such a Disparity and Superiority he that will affirm that this doth not now continue and bind us must prove the repeal or revocation or prove that he did make this establishment but for a time and how long that was But Scripture plainly asserteth that he then appointed the foresaid Disparity and hath any as plainly proved that he repealed it or confined it to that Age It is not proved that I have seen And to assert this without proof is 1. To make Christs Institutions to signifie but what mans fancy thinks meet and make us the Masters of his Laws before we will be ruled by them 2. It is a charging Christ with temerity or dishonourable mutability as Instituting one form of Church Ministry and Government for one Age and changing it presently for another 3. It seemeth a dangerous taking Gods Name in vain by affirming such a mutability of him and change of his Laws without any proof 4. It defameth the state of his Church when it was under Persecution and when Heaven and Earth after rejoiced in its deliverance as if all that time it had been corrupt by owning the foresaid Disparity And it 's dangerous Presumption to Father on God that which he never did and never owned § 21. But no doubt but the Circumstances of this Superior Office or degree of Ministry are undetermined by God save as by General Rules and may be altered As 1. Whether there shall be One only or Two such General Ministers in one and the same Diocess or Province Christ sent out his Preachers by two and two Paul and Barnabas and Paul and Silas and Barnabas and Mark went out by Couples Peter and Paul were together at Rome And Grotius and Dr. Hammond think that for the first times till the Christian Jews and Gentiles became one Communion the great Cities Rome Alexandria Antioch c. had each two Congregate Churches and two Bishops were it but for language sake And as I think the Jewish and Gentile Christian Ministers during the time of Miraculous Gifts while no Christian Magistrates Ruled were the two Witnesses mentioned in the Apocalypse so I conjecture that Peter and Paul were the radical instances of them And when two join together it may take off envy from each Yet this is undetermined in Scripture and left to humane Prudence If two cannot agree how will such agree others § 22. The Scots had at first a General visiter that was really a General Bishop But the Visitors aspiring and abuse changed that way But I am told that in Ulster in Ireland each Classical Synod chuse two Grave Divines and send them out to Preach in any Congregation in that Classis where they see cause As where there are young raw men or men suspected of Heresy or men of scandalous fame and to admonish and counsel such and to tell the People that if they had any thing against their Ministers they should tell them and they would try them in the Classical Synod I think this is real and laudable Episcopacy whatever name it have § 23. It is also undetermined how large the Diocess be of the said General Minister while he excludeth not Inferiors As Prudence would teach the Apostles to Preach in several Countreys and not all in one when they left Jerusalem So Natural Reason teacheth Men still to divide and know their several Provinces § 24. It is undetermined how long each one shall stay in one City or place As Paul did long at Ephesus § 25. And it is left to Prudence how many subordinate Pastors and Churches there shall each oversee so they overthrow not the said subordinate Officers and Churches § 26. And it is left to Prudence what secular Lands or Riches they shall have called Glebe And what secular honour they shall have As to be Barons and Lords or to sit in Parliaments though Reason saith that
for such Communion But National Provincial or Diocesane Communion is but by distant agreement in the same Profession among persons perhaps many hundred Miles distant that never see each other And the Ministerial Work doth accordingly differ Dr. Hammond maintaineth that in Scripture times there were no Bishops that had any more than a Congregation to whom he Preached and Personally Officiated Chap. VI. Who must be the Lay-Members of National Churches § 1. INfidels and Heathens may be free Members of a Kingdom as a Kingdom and in a Kingdom as Christians may be tolerated when they cannot be cured And may be used as Inferior Officers in such secular affairs as they are capable of But a Christian Kingdom and Church as such consisteth of no Denisons Burgesses or men free and empowered in matters of Religion but only such as are Baptized or openly professed Christians and their Children and are not proved to have nullified that profession by Heresie or such sin as rendreth their profession incredible and invalid And all these Baptized Visible Christians must be taken for such Members § 2. Where the Essentials of Christianity are Visibly Professed there may be a great difference of Members in Gifts and Soundness Some may be Eminently Laudable and Useful and some may be so Faulty as are fit for Rebuke and Punishment and yet all Members § 3. The Priviledges of some that are not Disfranchised or Excommunicate may yet be suspended while they are under trial For as nothing but Capital Crimes or Excommunication for Impenitence after due Admonition doth cut them off so while they have rendered this justly questionable just Legal Tryal must needs suspend their questioned right till Judgment decide it whether they be impenitent or not or their Crime be Capital § 4. In the Jewish State many hainous Sins were to be punished with Death As Murder Blasphemy Worshiping False Gods drawing men from the true God Cursing Parents Willful and Obstinate Gluttony and Drunkenness and Debauchery after Parents Patient endeavours to reform them Adultery Incest Sodomy some Perjuries And dead men can be no Church Members on Earth Therefore this Death for Sin was an Excommunication and more Therefore they that Plead that any such should be tolerated because the Jews were often such and not Excommunicated is to plead the example of Criminals against the express Letter of the Law and argue à facto prohibito contra legem prohibentem And whether Mr. Galaspi and others have proved any more than Church-Suspension against any but those that were to be put to Death I leave the Reader to consider § 5. It is a Controversie whether the Church be in the Common Wealth or Kingdom or the Common Wealth in the Church And the former is by most asserted Ans 1. Under Infidel or Heathen Kings that are out of the Church themselves the Church is in the Common Wealth 2. And under Christian Kings or other Soveraigns the Particular Churches are in the Common Wealth as parts in the whole 3. And as the Common Wealth is taken so largely as to comprehend Pagans in Inferior Magistracy as in the days of the first Christian Emperors there the Church is in the Common Wealth But take the Common Wealth as meerly and truly Christian and it is the same thing with the National Church and one is not in the other being but two Names for one thing § 6. The appropriating the Name of the Church to the Clergy as distinct from the Laity is the Plot or Part of Popish Tyranny and Fallacy Implying falsly that the National Church must be specified and unified by a Priestly Head Monarchical or Aristocratical and that a King is not a person sacred enough to be the Supream Head in his own National Church Nor the people Holy enough to be its Materials As if Lords Commons Citizens and other Lay Christians were no parts of the Church when Great Magistrates are Nobler parts than a multitude of Ignorant Vicious Curates and Priests § 7. From this Cheat they have claimed the sole Power as of Divine Right of making Canons that shall be obliging Laws and of being the sole determiners of Religious Cases Too many Presbyterians and Independants are for this Clergy claim calling only the Ministers work the exercise of Christs Kingly Office But the Frenchified Prelatists much more § 8. Hence is the common sence and abuse of the distinction of Civil and Ecclesiastical Government intimating that Kings are not to Govern the Church not meddle beyond Civil and Secular concerns But of this before § 9. The power of the Sword or force belongeth only to the Magistrate to be used by him as Judge and not as the Clergies Lictor or Executioner the Bishops and Clergy have no forcing Sword power unless the King give it them for which mostly they are unmeet having proper work enough of their own Tho some cases may be excepted Chap. VII What is the Confederacy or Concord needful to a National Church § 1. AFfirmatively 1. A Baptismal Confederacy to be all the true Subjects of one God one Christ and Holy Ghost against the Devil World and Flesh § 2. 2. A Consent to live as Christians in Love to one another and to addict our selves to the good of one another specially to the welfare of the whole Body and to do as we would justly be done by § 3. 3. To be all the Loyal subjects of one Christian Soveraigns Power § 4. 4. To be all for the publick Worshiping of God and our Redeemer in Christian Assemblies guided and ruled by Christian Pastors or Bishops qualified and described by Christ in his Word the instituter of the Pastoral Office and not of any new sort of humane Ministry or uncapable persons that are wanting in any thing essential to the Office § 5. 5. To take the Sacred Scripture for the Word of God and the sufficent Rule of Divine Faith and Holy living And to profess an explicite Belief of the Creed as it was transmitted to us from the Apostolick Churches and to take the Lords Prayer for the summary rule of our desires and hopes and the Decalogue as owned and expounded by Christ for the summary rule of our Obedience with the Sacraments instituted by him § 6. 6. To profess Obedience to true Authority in Parents Magistrates and Pastors and all true Governours so far as they are empowered by God and to obey God above all and no men against him and his Laws And Rulers to profess to obey God and Rule as his Ministers for the Common welfare and to promote the obedience of Gods Laws § 7. 7. For Magistrates Pastors and Parents to profess their endeavour to promote the true Preaching of the Gospel and the transmitting of it in Purity to Posterity and to encourage and not unjustly forbid or hinder the publication and practice of it § 8. Negatively 1. It is not meet that this confederacy so appropriate the Body of the National Church to any one
cause efficientis And the Kingdoms chief in Meliority in genere causae finalis it is false that the King who is singulis major is Universis Minor in Authority or Jure regendi But it is true that the King tho singulis melior melioritate Relativd is not universis melior for finaliter the King was made for the Kingdom rather than the Kingdom for the King And yet both King and Kingdom are made by God and for God that is for his Will or Pleasure and his Glory and Honour And as it is the Honour of Gods Soveraignty Wisdom and Justice that is glorified in the Magistracy so even the honour of Magistracy is part of the final meliority As Gods Love glorified in the common good is another part of it And so God is the Beginning and the End and All in All. And this is the Rulers Interest § 6. The People have no Jus regendi Governing Authority to use themselves or to give to others So false is the Principle of Mr. Hooker and Laud and many others that make them the Fountain of Power They have the Power called strength in which a Horse excelleth a Man but not Authority If any Nation be Democratical it is not because men are born with any right to Political Government but only to Private Self-government But because Contract hath so ordered the Form of Government And indeed tho a City may be Democratically Governed I know not how any great Nation can possibly be so So that I think there is scarce any true Democracy in the World For to chuse Governours is not to Govern And those that by the People are chosen are an Aristocracy Rome was not all the Roman Empire What right then had the Populus Romanus to Govern the Empire This was not like Democracy where the Majority of the whole body Governs The same I may say of Venice as they Govern all that are under them It is truely an Aristocracy § 7. Mankind is by dullness and sloth so far drowned in Ignorance that the great concerns of Souls Bodies and Kingdoms are disordered and almost hopelesly confounded by the ignorance of those that will be the Rulers of them I. Soul matters and Church matters are ravelled by Ignorant Proud Self-conceited Priests and have been so above 1300 years The things of Religion being mysterious and Students Dull and Impatient of hard Study II. The Diseases and concerns of the Body are so abstruse that if among one thousand that practise Physick there be ten that do not kill any of their Patients they escape well that escape their Hands All the Neighbours about us hurt us not because we trust them not But Physicions kill far more than Enemies III. And I would it were not so with Politicians who will be the determiners of the affairs of Kingdoms and Churches where an error may be pernicious to the Society and Nation The best Politician that ever I knew was wont to lament that Lawyers and Divines usually studied what the Law of the Land saith and what Gods Law saith and never well studied what a Law in genere is what Government and the several Causes of it are and being Ignorant in Political Doctrine understand not the words or things that they talk of And all through uncapableness and sloth § 8. How commonly do such dispute the foresaid case whether the Prince or People be the chief without distinguishing Majority and Meliority How oft do they speak of their different Right without distinguishing separate or distinct from opposite How oft do they falsly tell us that the People are the Fountain of Power And how oft do they tell us that Government Monarchical or Aristocratical are a meer Trust and Rulers only the Peoples Trustees without distinguishing what is of God in it and what is of man and what trust God committeth to them and what men commit And what power people have by Nature and what by Contract § 9. I have oft proved that Political Government of Societies is so far different from Self-government that it is not the contribution of the Self-governing power of individuals given up to one that maketh political power It 's fully proved 1. In that God is the prime Soveraign from whom all Power is given There is no Power but of God 2. And God hath gone before man and hath instituted Government himself by the Law of Nature and of Scripture and hath not staid for man to do it How can man be the Fountain of that which God hath instituted before him He hath not left man to his own choice whether he will have Government or not but hath prevented him by the obligations of Necessity and Command 3. And God hath made Universal Political Laws for Societies and Legislation is the first part of Government 4. And he maketh Rulers as his Ministers and instituteth their Office in specie to be for the promoting of obedience to his own Law and for his Glory and the common good So that it is of Gods institution I. That there be humane Governors as Gods Officers II. That finally they be for his Glory and the common welfare III. And that materially they take God's Laws for the prime Laws of their Government As that they punish sins against the Ten Commandments according to their weight And thus far they are God's Trustees And if the People forbid any of this it is but Nullity and Rebellion against God But the People are Proprietors and may limit the Ruler in the dispose of their Propriety And they have the choice of the Person or Line and Family that shall rule them who it shall be and whether One or Many or How many For these and other circumstances God hath not previously determined save that his Providence making some one by Conquest or strength to be only able to rule and protect them imposeth on them a necessity of consenting to that One. And in these things the Ruler is the Trustee of the People but not in the former so that in the prime essential parts of power the People are but the Objects and the King is to them in different degrees the Trustee of God for the People as the Shepherd is his Masters Trustee for the Sheep and not the Trustee of the Sheep The same I say of true Pastors of the Churches God hath specified their Office tho' the People may circumstantiate it § 10. Princes having the Power of Legislation even about the undetermined circumstances of Religion as well as things secular and also to enforce Obedience to God's Laws all Subjects are bound to obey them herein yea tho' they so far mistake as to chuse the circumstances that might have been better chosen if they command not sin For who doth any thing so well but it might have been done better For instance should they chuse a tolerable but less perfect Version and Meeter of Psalms or Translation of Scripture or form of Publick Worship or Time Place Utensils Ministers
Interest hath once fixed them do censure me for changing and repenting that temptation shall not prevail with me to deny Learning and Repenting till I know at what Age we must fix our ne ultra or who be the Teachers that we must believe as infallible while we dispute against Humane as well as Papal Infallibility § 2. I therefore penitently confess that I was long aversly suspicious of National Churches and National Church-Goververnours because I could not see how those that held these could confute Popery For I thought that by the same reason that Presbyters must have Bishops over them and Bishops Arch-Bishops and they Metropolitans or Patriarchs these also must have some body over them to Ordain them and to Govern them And because I denied the latter I denied also the former and thought Episcopacy would infer Popery § 3. And lest any should fall by the like temptation and Papists should plead my Principles as for them or should infer that if National Churches and Prelacy be Jure Divino Universal Church Soveraignty is so also I shall here tell those that may have the like temptations how I escaped this And I will add the rest of the difficulties that ever seemed to me to be of considerable weight to tempt an impartial man to Popery and tell the less studied how to answer them better than the most can do § 4. I have long known that Popery doth not essentially consist in the other Errours about Doctrine or Worship as Images praying to Saints and Angels Masses Relicts Merits Justification Free-will Purgatory Transubstantiation c. If a Greek or Armenian or Abassine hold these and no more he is not therefore a Papist You may call them Integral parts of Popery if you will but not essential The Essence is only the Opinion of Universal Humane Church Soveraignty and a Church Universal Unified and formally Constituted thereby § 5. This is considerable 1. Quoad Rationem Rei 2. And quoad Rationem Nominis 1. As to the Thing it is such a Soveraignty feigned whether in a Monarchy Aristocracy or any mixt or other Form as being an Usurpation of Christ's Office and making a Vice-Christ which is an Antichrist 2. As to the Name it is called Popery from them that place this Soveraignty in the Roman Pope though it would be the same thing if they placed it in the Bishop of Constantinople § 6. Of these there are three sorts of Papists 1. Some place it in the Pope alone 2. Some in the Pope and a General Council or Clergy agreeing 3. And some in a General Council the Pope being only Principium Unitatis as having the primam sedem priviledged ordinarily to call them and moderate And in the Intervals of such Councils in an Aristocratical Colledge of all the Bishops in the World governing per literas formatas This last as most irrational I have at large confuted It is the other two that deserve further confutation § 7. And seeing it is the summa Potestas or Soveraignty that is the unifying and denominating Form of a Political Society it clearly followeth that those that now go under the name of Papists or Roman Catholicks are indeed of three distinct sort of Churches and not as they pretend of One But names not understood delude the ignorant saying it is but One Church maketh it not One. § 8. They uncharitably and very hurtfully mistake 1. Who say that Popery essentially began when God and Constantine exalted the Bishops and Pride in many abused that mercy 2. And they that say it essentially began when Image-worship began 3. And they that date it from the assumed Name of Universal Bishop or Head of the Universal Church which Leo I. assumed and Phocas gave Boniface as long as they meant not the Universal Church on all the Earth but only the Universal in the Empire which was long meant § 9. Now among all temptations to Popery I never found any of difficult weight but these I. The Apostolical Office continueth in its ordinary continued Part and Work But Universal Church Government is an ordinary continued Part and Work of the Apostolick Office Ergo Universal Church-Government continueth that is de jure divino II. The Superiority of one National Church Government is Jure Divino Ergo so is the Superiority of an Universal Church Government III. The Roman Policy seemeth greatly advantageous for the Preservation Honour and Propagation of Christianity in the World and hath much upheld it IV. The scandalous divisions of the Reformed and other Churches are so dishonourable and weakening and dangerous to Christianity as seemeth to make the Roman Policy and Unity necessary V. The Errors of the Protestants in their Opposition to Popery are so many and gross and their unjust accusations of the Papists so palpable especially their Exposition of the Revelation so Partial Erroneous and Hostile as seemeth much to make their Cause more suspected than the Papists § 10. These Reasons which prevailed with such great Men as Erasmus Cassander Grotius and many others need a more accurate answer than most Protestants are prepared to give which we should find were the Papists by Liberty of Religion let loose to open Disputes among us I have tryed some Judicious Ministers with the first of these and have had but such answers as are defective and insufficient § 11. The Answer which satisfieth me is this We must distinguish 1. The Apostles Power as Promulgators of Christs Law and a Legislative Power to make Laws of their own 2. Between a Legislative and a Judicial and Executive Power 3. Between an Universal and an Indefinite Power and Exercise 4. Between a Power to be used personally disjunct each one his part in his own Province and a Power in many conjunct making one Political Person or Supreme as in an Aristocracy 5. Between proper Regiment where Authorit as Imperantis is the formal Object of the Subjects Obedience and Contract or Consent for Brotherly Agreement and Communion And so between a Confederacy and a Political Society and between Inequality in Teachers and Perswaders and Inequality in Commanders § 12. This much presupposed we must enquire what the Apostles Power was that we may know how much of it is continued as ordinary And I. Names used by Christ and the Holy Ghost were not useless to the notifying of the things signified by them And Apostolus signified much more than Episcopus To be an Apostle was by Christs own Mouth or special Revelation from Heaven to be one sent Indefinitely to be his special Witness and Messenger to publish his Gospel to Infidels and work Miracles to confirm it and gather Churches hereby But a Bishop as such had not this Mission and Power § 13. II. The Apostles Power to speak of Christ his words and works as Eye and Ear-witnesses is not continued to Successors no more than the confirming Power of Miracles § 14. III. The number of Twelve and Seventy two were a National Form fitted to
the Jewish State and not an Universal And this National Form went before that part of the Apostles Work and Power which was to be Universal or Indefinite § 15. IV. The Apostles made no Universal Laws of their own but only promulgated the Laws of Christ which by his Word and Spirit he taught them And to that end he promised and gave them his Spirit to lead them into all Truth and bring all to their remembrance and they were sent to all Nations indefinitely to Convert them and Baptize them and to teach them to observe all things that Christ had commanded them The Cryer is not the Law-maker though he proclaim the Law The Obligations to Infant-baptism and the Lords day alledged by some as Apostolical Laws are from Christ himself as I have proved elsewhere at large the Apostles being Authorized Witnesses and Promulgators And had they done it by the extraordinary promised Spirit it had so been Christs own Law-giving no other having that promise of the Spirit to make a new Word of God or Universal Law by bringing all his Commands to remembrance and leading them into all Truth The determinations Acts 15. were also the delivery of the Law of Christ the Holy Ghost giving them the certain understanding of it And it 's like that as two of the four Cases Fornication and Idol-Communion were of known Morality so the other two strangled and Blood-eating if not so were not of Universal Obligation but only to those Gentiles that lived among the offended Jews The like may be said about the Institution of Deacons and Bishops of single Churches If they did not Institute them as in Christs Name by his Command or Spirit but had Authority from him to do it as Apostles It was under the promise of the Spirits Infallible Guidance and a Temporary Work in which they have no Successors For Christs Church would never be formed nor his Laws and Word setled perfect if we must have Men in all Ages to add to his Church Ordinances and Officers and to make him new Laws and a new Word How big would his Bible be then at the last Why have no new Scriptures as his been so made these 1600 years I hope our Volumes of Councils will not go for such § 16. V. The occasional determination of Questions about mutable Circumstances as long Hair the Vails the Love-feasts the time of Collections for Charity and divers such were not Universal but Local and not of Immutable but occasional Mutable Obligation and were but such as National and Congregational Governors may determine without any Universal Supreme Power The Genus or Rule by which they must be determined Edification Love Concord Peace Decency Order being Gods Laws § 17. VI. There is great difference between what the Apostles did as Segregate or Dis-junct each one in his Province and what they did as an Aristocratical Person or College unitedly They Ordained Elders gave the Holy Ghost setled Churches decided Controversies wrote Books and Epistles singly each one in his Province and met not to write any one Book or Epistle by a Major College-Vote in one Body And though their Books now oblige all the Church that have them yet 1. At the first writing they obliged only the Churches or Persons to whom they were written and only after by parity of Reason bind others that have them And every ordinary Pastor that writeth a Book that is sound Divinity bringeth an Obligation on all that read it to obey it according to the Evidence of truth The Obligation of the Apostles Books and theirs is Extensively Indefinite or Universal to all that read or hear it But the Degree of the Obligation Intensively is greater from the Apostles Writings because of their extraordinary Spirit § 18. VII The decision Acts 15. was not by a General Council nor a Pope No such Council was called But they were sent and appealed to as Men of most infallible fitness to decide that Case and if they did it as a College it was only as a National Church College such as de formâ the Jews Nation had in which relation they were first setled For as Twelve they were only so related others being added to be sent with them to the Centiles And besides and after that we never read that they did any thing but in their separate Provinces and Personal Capacity § 10 VIII And as they never did as an Universal Aristocratical College by Vote make new Universal Laws to the Church much less by any ordinary continued Power so neither did they as such a College exercise Judicial or Executive power but did it in their single Capacities only in their proper Provinces and that was partly by an ordinary power of Reproof and Excommunication which continueth and partly by an extraordinary miraculous power of delivering to Satan for Corporal punishment which power is ceased with them Tho' Papists in a mock-imitation deliver the Excommunicate to the Secular powers to be kill'd as if these were Devils As for the Universal Laws that tell whom to Excommunicate they are Christs own Laws and Rules of Judgment To which if men may add the like no wonder if they make Sin and Heresie as they please and Excommunicate and deliver to Satan their Magistrates whom they will and if he that was an Orthodox Saint this year be burnt without change as an Heretick the next and it be never certain till the end of the World what is Heresie or Sin and what not § 20. IX It being certain then that the Apostles did not as an Aristocratical Supreme power over the Universal Church Exercise Legislation Judgment and Execution much less by any ordinary continued power it followeth that they have no Successors that have such power and all Government being contained in these three parts there is de Jure no Universal Governour § 21. X. The power of Moses and Aaron were of equal extent and both of Divine Institution but Aaron was under Moses Government And Christ gave the Twelve and Seventy at first no larger Provinces or Power And when he added more and sent them to the Gentiles he commanded every Soul to be subject to the Princes power as of God Therefore their power in the Empire was limited and subject to the Imperial Government and so in other Lands They were bound to fear God and Honour the King They might by Doctoral and Nunciative Authority perswade Emperors and deliver Gods Commands and so still may any ordinary Teacher but not by Imperant Judicial and Executive power Govern them unless by self-subjecting they make them their Governors as Pupils do their Tutors and Patients their Physicions Yea they could make no Man a Christian but by Persuasion to voluntary consent and till they were Christians they could not Govern them as Christians And they were not Governors of the World but Monitors and Persuaders § 22. XI Indefinite and were it possible Universal Concord Love and Communion All Christians must endeavour
honours to the Superior Clergy that they may be a Protection to the Inferior and a relief to the poor and keep up Religion from the contempt and scorn of Worldly men § 12. VIII The King is justly the donor of such honours and great revenues § 13. IX The Parish Ministers according to the true Legal Reformed Church of Englaend are acknowledged true Pastors as to all the essentials of the Pastoral Office Word Sacraments Keys Discipline and Ordinations 14. X. The Inferior Ministers in Tythes and Glebe have mostly a laudable maintenance § 15. XI All the Parish Churches are to distinguish Communicating Members from Non-communicating Inhabitants and to refuse the scandalous and unconfirmed not ready or desiring confirmation And the Offices of Absolution and Burial are fitted to the Faithful were Discipline executed 16. XII Yet our Law for Dissenters Assemblies acknowledgeth them all true Members of the Church of England who agree in the essentials notwithstanding their dissent in divers lesser things as no doubt they are § 17. XIII We use one and the same Translation of Scripture and usually the same version of Psalms Time Place Utensils so far as allowed All these are laudable parts of the Constitution of a National Church 18. XIV To which I may add that we all renounce all humane Universal and Forreign Jurisdiction Civil and Ecclesiastical And all Traditions that pretend to be supplemental and perfecting to the Scripture and all Infallibility of Popes and Councils None of this therefore needeth a Reformation But what then doth § 19. Ans All these things following I. The entrance into the Church by Baptism of Infants is done so lightly and rashly while the Parents are forbidden to speak a word there as Dedicating their Children to God or Covenanting for them but all is laid on such Godfathers as never own the Children nor ever intend to do what they Vow And Baptism is refused if Crossing be refused II. The Bishop only being to Confirm all in many hundred or score Parishes where one of many hundred is not known to him much less examined by him Confirmation is commonly made a deceiving Ceremony and the Transition from the State of Infant Members into the State of Adult Communicants is made so wide that the Church too little differeth from Catechumens that I say not from those without III. The Parishes are many so large that the Incumbent knoweth not his Church-Communicants nor how many hundreds or thousands stay away IV. The Canons though they nullifie not the Incumbents Pastorship yet fetter him by unjust restraint from the due exercise of it V. Faithful able godly men are kept and cast out of the Ministry for not sinning against God or not obeying unnecessary and unfit terms of Ministration VI. And on the same account thousands of the Religious Laity are denied Communion and cast into Prisons and ruined by Fines and till lately forbidden all Publick Worship above four VII The Decretive Power of the Keys of Excommunication and Absolution is in the hands of Lay-men used pro formâ in the Bishops name VIII Patrons have too much power in chusing Parish Pastors for all the Land without the Flocks consent and sufficient caution of the Patrons qualifications IX Bishops are chosen without due consent or election of the Synods or People X. Ordinations are made by Bishops without Synods or any Presbyters but a few whom the Bishop taketh pro formâ XI The Episcopacy of Incumbents being denied by many it is grown a common imagination that none are Ordained by Bishops that are not Ordained by Diocesans XII The Personal ignorance viciousness and disability of a great part of the Ministry is of all the rest the worst and hardest to be reformed XIII The too loose tryal of the Ordained and their necessary qualification much causeth this XIV And the corruption of the Universities is the Seminary and Nursery of our sins and dangers XV. Many dangerous Oaths or Covenants and Professions are hurtfully imposed on the Ministers and People by which Guilt and Divisions are increased XVI And to compleat our dangers an enmity or deep jealousie is setled between the Publick Priests and a great part of the most seriously Religious People of the Land This distance hath long been causing and the causes are still continued The badness of Priests in the time of Popery and their contemptible insufficiency in the beginning of the Reformation tempted many zealous Protestants to too hard thoughts of the generality of them No Party hath been faultless It fell out that the Exiles in Germany who were most zealous in Religion against Popery and all ungodliness followed Geneva and set themselves too much against Bishops and our Liturgy that they might not partake of the sins of Popery But Dr. Ri Cox that had been K. Edw. 6. Tutor and had a great hand in making our Liturgy drew Horn and others to him and forced our Liturgy on them at Frankford and prevailing against them drove them to Geneva thinking that Reformation should receive as much of the antient Forms and Ceremonies as were not true Popery nor forbidden of God that the Papists might not challenge us as Novelists On these terms of difference they came over into England being on both sides generally godly Protestants The Queen Eliz. took part with the Conformists and made them Bishops and Dignitaries and discountenanced the Nonconformists The first Race of these good Bishops loved the godly Nonconforming Preachers and connived at them and encouraged them in their fervent plain Preaching and pious Living But as that Race wore out by death Bishopricks having great honour power and wealth had many seekers and seekers had many friends And he that loveth wealth and honour most is like to seek it most and he that most seeketh is likest to find And the greatest Lovers of the World are the worst men And so Bishops not all at once but by degrees were altered Then the Nonconformists not only refusing to be Bishops but too many declaring their Judgments to be for their fall the Bishops having more power resolved first to cast them down and to do their utmost to root them out And made their Book of Canons and Acts of Uniformity fitted to that use And so the Enmity turned into a ruining War became remediless save that on both sides the godly and moderate lived peaceably lamenting the extreams of the rest Qu. Eliz. and K. James I. having silenced many hundred Dissenters that were of great worth extraordinary piety and the Bishops causing this and in jealousie of the strictest People forbidding them to fast and pray together and some other exercises of piety and in K. Charles I. days carrying it yet higher to greater severity and this setled them in an Enmity to Bishops as the Enemies of serious Piety and the Bishops more sought to root them out of the Land Till Laud carrying it further and seeking a Coalition with those that were for a Foreign Jurisdiction
of man Parents being seriously taught to know what it is to enter their Child into the holy Covenant and to Dedicate their Child to God the Father Son and Holy Ghost renouncing the World the Devil and the Flesh And the Parents or Pro-parents and not perfidious dissembling God-fathers must solemnly promise their careful education § 22. II. The transition of those Baptized in Infancy into the state of Adult Communicants must be made by an understanding and solemn owning of their Baptismal Covenant and that by such Pastors as have time to examine and instruct them and not made a deceitful Ceremony called Confirmation by a Diocesan that hath perhaps many hundred thousands in his Diocess § 23. III. The Parishes must be known to the Pastors that take the Charge of them and the three sorts of Inhabitants distinguished 1. Those that are of another Church as Papists c. or of no Church 2. Those that are Catechumens and submit to be Catechized and Hear 3. Those that are Communicants And each Parish must have Ministers for number and quality suited to the number of Souls and fit to know them and perform their undertaken Office § 24. IV. The partial unrighteous Canons must be cast away § 25. V. Nothing sinful or unnecessary to Ministry or Communion must be imposed as necessary Terms nor Godly able Ministers Silenced or Persecuted causelesly that do more good than hurt § 26. VI. They that Worship not God in all our Forms and Ceremonies or that are too scrupulous must be tolerated to Worship as they can by themselves so be it their Doctrine and Worship and Conversation and Unpeaceableness be not intolerable § 27. VII The Keys must be exercised only by the Clergy And if the Chancellors or Civilians Courts be kept up they must be the Kings Magistrates and use only such power as Magistrates may use § 28. VIII Those that by the Laws are to be excluded from the Communion of the Churches publick and tolerated should not have the power of choosing Incumbents Nor those that exclude themselves Nor should those Patrons that choose the Incumbent that shall have the Place and Tythes hinder any person from choosing to whom he will voluntarily trust the peculiar Pastoral care of his own Soul Nor should men be hindered from the publick or tolerated Ministry of such as they so choose § 29. IX Ordinations should be made after sufficient tryal of the Learning and Abilities of the Ordained in Preaching and Praying as well as upon a full testimony of his Pious and Upright Conversation and no Institution to a Title granted till the Parishioners have leave warning and time to know the man and shew their acceptance or dissent and be impartially heard § 30. X. Bishops should usually ordain in Synods or with their concurrence Or at least with such as the Synods choose to represent them § 31. XI Parish Churches must be acknowledged true Churches and the Presbyters to be Episcopi Gregis and the Incumbent that hath Curates to be Episcopus Praeses as well as the Diocesans to be General or Archbishops And Ordination by President Bishops not called Null or said to be no Episcopal Ordination But the corruption of the Ministry by unqualified men is so dangerous a thing that if the Supreme Power give the Diocesane a Negative power as of the Quorum without whom no Ordination shall entitle any man to any Benefice leaving Incumbents only to choose their own Curates and to concur with the Diocesan in other Ordinations there will be no just cause of refusing such Diocesans Power or Ordination § 32. XII An utterly insufficient heretical malignant ungodly scandalous Minister is not to be maintained nor tolerated and due means must be used to keep and cast such out § 33. XIII The purging of the Universities and the appropriating of their Government and Tutoring to Godly Wise and Conscionable men is one of the greatest points of necessary Reformation And till this be done no man should be forbidden to choose Godly careful Tutors for his Children in his house or elsewhere § 34. XIV The sad disaffection like enmity between the Ministry and the most Religious People must be healed which will be easily done in those Parishes where the Ministers Preach Judiciously Experimentally Spiritually and Powerfully and live Piously Charitibly Justly and Temperately and love good men and rebuke the wicked and put due difference between the precious and the vile those that serve God and those that serve him not those that swear and those that fear an Oath and make not the Church like the Commons or Wilderness And where the Diocesans are the encouragers of serious Godliness and duely rebuke the Enemies and neglecters of it and the vicious and profane I have never seen the place where such an exemplary worthy Ministry did not win the Hearts of the Nonconformists and became not very dear and amiable to them and usually drew them to Concord where before they differed § 35. But it must be a wise and godly King that must be the principal means to accomplish all this if ever it be done such a one that understandeth Gods Law and Interest and his own and Kingdoms real welfare may do that by good Laws and Prudent Government which shall be to parties of erroneous opinions a powerful byas to incline their Judgments to go right One man we may have more hope of making wise than of multitudes I had rather have a uniting settlement by the choice of a wise Prince and Parliament yea or of Diocesanes of Wisdom Piety and Peace than by the choice of any of the extreams whether Separatists or the Laudian New Church men that are for a Forreign Jurisdiction But through Gods great mercy the most of the Godly able Nonconformists Ministers falsly called Presbyterians of my acquaintance are so much for Truth and Peace and Concord that they would rejoice to live under such Bishops as were Nazianzene Basil Chrysostom Austin or such as Beadle Usher Downame tho an angry man Jewel Dr. Parker Grindal Pilkinton Sandies G. Abbot Rob. Abbot Hall Carlton Morton Davenant Brownrig and such like And are most Episcopal Nonconformists and would choose none but healing Terms § 36. And now what shall I gain by this Discourse I am sure of the censure of both the extreams And I expect that few should much regard what I have said but that scorners will scorn still and Fools hate Knowledge and that Lies carry on Murders and he that is the Father of both by both carries on his work in the World But great is the Truth and will prevail at last but whether on this side the new Heaven and Earth I know not § 37. I conclude with an earnest request to Godly peaceable men that they consider well before they speak against a National Church or for any above National under one humane Government and that they will read my old dispute of Church Government about Apostolick Successions with