or two Instances upon a Mistake too that the Laws did warrant them Compare these Cases impartially and you will find that upon the same ground you condemn these Protestants others may as justly condemn our Church all even the best of Kings and the most innocent Part of the World L. This seems specious but may we not upon the same Plea acquit the Papists A. In no wise The Case is vastly different in every Point All the Papists are engaged in continued Treasonable and Rebellious Practices against Protestant Princes and States by the Laws and Rules of their Religion Their Principles oblige them to it Universally under pain of Damnation It will be a Damnable sin not to be Rebells and Traytors when they have Power and Opportunity and hopes of Success Those who to the utmost endeavour not to exterminate them fall under the damning Censure of the Church nor are they to desist from such Practices while there are any Hereticks Kings or Subjects left alive And those that perish in such attempts how Treacherous and Bloody soever are assured of the Rewards and Priviledges of Martyrs None can have reason to doubt of any of these but those that are strangers to the Decrees of their Popes and Councils the Positions of their approved Writers and the Histories of former or latter times L. You say something that requires further consideration A. Pray consider further of it and suffer not your self to be transported with unreasonable Heats against true Protestants so as to be exposed to the Subtilties of Counterfeits or to be Surprized with the sly insinuations of others which may insnare you in Popery before you are aware L. You spake before of some Protestants of a new Edition pray who do you mean A. I mean such who profess themselves to be Protestants but entertain themselves and instill into others such Principles as are like to betray them to Popery when occasion serves One of them we have discoursed of already Another is this that they are no true Churches who have not Diocesan Bishops By this the far greatest Part of Protestants are cut off from being True Churches while the Church of Rome is allowed this Honour and happiness And so it is and will be Inferred that it is better for those of the Reformation to turn Bapists then to continue in their Present State And if it be better for them it will be as good for us of the Church of England for the difference cannot be great where the ground of it is so small and of so little concern that most both Papists and Protestants count it no Part of Religion Upon this account also there will be no reason left why we should not turn Papists but because we have Diocesans and this can be no reason to those who know they may have them in the Church of Rome If all that Protestants do beleive and Practice as Christians and Protestants is not Sufficient to make them true Churches without such a sort of Officers it will be concluded that the meer retaining of such Officers will scarce make us in England a True Church upon this account besides others For whatever is not of Christs appointment cannot make that to be a True Church which would not be so other wise but whether Diocesans of the Roman mode be of Christ's Institution is a Question both in the Church of Rome and England and so it will be questionable at least whether this in England be a True Church consequently no Soul can be unquestionablely safe but in the Church of Rome Not in the Reformed Churches for they are not True Churches with the men of this Principle not in the Church of England for it will scarce be probable that this is a True Church since those Men leave no other Probability for it but what there is for the Divine Institution of such Diocesans and this is denyed by many of the Romanists and by ten to one amongst Protestants that are learned and judicious And who that loves his Soul will run the venture of it on so great odd's So that maxim how much so ever cryed up by some Bigots amongst us razes all other Reformed Churches even to the Foundation betrayes the Church of England under pretence of securing and advancing it by leaving the whole weight of it to lean upon a Straw but is of real and great advantage to the Papists serving to Ferret Unstable Souls out of all other Churches that they may run into that of Rome The Protestant Religion will scarce be thought worth the owning if all the Points of it together be of less weight and value than this one and this such a one wherein Religion is so little concerned Our People are also prepared for Popery by those who would clear the Church of Rome from Antichristianism and Idolatry and Heresy Hereby the Grounds of our Departure from Rome are removed and a plain Way made for our Return and what is there left to deter those from Popery who believe those Suggestions They will charge them with some Superstitions and Errours and what Church is there which hath not some Tincture of these The Antient Churches are complained of on this Account by some of their best Writers and that the Errours in the Roman Church may not seem more or worse they Justify many and excuse others and have devised Shifts to reconcile all in a manner to the Doctrine or Practice of our own Church The direct Tendency hereof is to make People indifferent whether they be Protestants or Papists and to leave them in such a Posture as their Interest may determine them to either Religion and so disarm them of all that might inable them to resist any Temptation to Popery I may also take those into the Reckoning who under the Name of Protestants write Volumes for the Service of Popery One Doctor is notorious for this viz. he that writ a Satyr against our Reformation and miscall'd it a History as he hath served divers others of his Books wherein following Sanders a Roman Priest noted above others as one that had abandoned both Truth and Modesty he hath made such a false and odious Representation of the Protestant Reformation and the Reformers as hath endangered many and quite perverted others particularly two near the Crown have declared the one in Writing the other in Discourse to diverse Persons of Quality that the Book mentioned turned them off from the Protestant Religion to the Communion of the Roman Church Hereby this Historian such as he is for he hath nothing requisite for such a one but his Style and therein may be out-done by a Writer of Legends or Satyrs of which his Books are a Medly hath done more Mischief to the Nation and Church than all the Divines of his Temper and Principles are like to do good To say nothing that a late Popish Scribler hath filled diverse Sheets with Passages in Favour of Popery extracted out of his Histories L. If this be so I hope the Rulers of our Church will set some publick Mark of their Displeasure upon such Books to prevent further Mischief A. The Mischief done already is so great that the Wisdom of the Nation is to seek how it may be repaired But if these who are most significant in the Church would testify their Resentment of it to the World and withal discountenance those who make it their Business to magnify little Differences among true Protestants and would blow up Bubbles into the bulk of Mountaines thereby dividing us one from ancther that we may be ruined together by the Papists who equally design the Destruction of us all If they would abate those Rigours the ill Consequence of which is visible and allay the Heats wherewith men of ill Natures and as had Principles such as neither become good Protestants nor true English Men would enflame them If they would stigmatize such Maxims as under Colour of serving some little Interest slyly undermine our Religion and trapan unwary people into Popery if they would really confute those who are ready to charge many of them as having more kindness for the Roman than the Reformed Churches and being more ready for Accommendations with the former than the latter and as still obstructing what is offered to secure us from the dreadfull return of popish Darkness and Tyranny they would do Justice to themselves and others and good Service to their Country and the Protestant Interest FINIS
not differ in the Rites and Ceremonies the publick Liturgy the Discipline and Government of the Church A. Call you these Points of the Protestant Relgion L. Why not I pray Are not these considerable Parts of the Religion of this Church as it is established by Law A. These are no Parts of the Religion established by Law for they are no points of Religion at all but matters of Indifferency as the Church of England declares them to be and no Religion is to be placed in things Indifferent And the Reason is obvious For Religion if it be True must be Authorized by God or Instituted by Christ but things Indifferent are neither commanded nor forbiden L. This is true of the Ceremonies the Church signifies that they are in their own nature Indifferent and declares withal that no Religion is to be placed in things Indifferent But will you have the Sacred Liturgy to be a thing of this Nature and of no more value than that which in it self is neither Bad nor Good A. I pay all due Reverence to our Liturgy but no Veneration should blind us or hinder us from discerning the true Nature of things Prayer in general is an eminent Part of Religion and Divine Worship and necessary both by the Light of Nature and Revelation but this or that Form of Prayer how exact soever is in it self no other than Indifferent This all acknowledge who understand any thing concerning these Matters L. But what Religion do you then leave those who by their Heats for these things and their Indifferency as to others shew that these only are their Religion or the Principal part of it A. I leave them all they had if they had lest themselves any but indeed those who place all their Religion herein have no Religion at all and those who make these the Principal Part of their Religion make less of that which is Religion indeed than of an Indifferent thing and so indeed are Indifferent as to this or that Religion Protestantism or Popery or which is worse indifferent as to any Religion or none And those that have any Love for the Souls of People should endeavour to undeceive them therein and not leave them under such Conceits as make them too easy a Prey to Popish Seducers who need desire no more than that we should value the whole Protestant Religion less than some matters of Indifferency L. But must our Church Government pass under the same Account A. So far as it is not of divine Institution it is in it self no better than Matter of Indifferency and of the very many branches of our Government there is but one that pretends to an higher Original And about that one viz. The Power and Superiority of Bishops they themselves are divided some asserting the Divine Right of Prelacy others denying it It is denyed to be of divine Institution by Arch-Bishop Cranmer and our first Reformers in Henry the Eighth and Edward the Sixth's Times by Arch-Bishop Whitgift Bishop Bridges and others in Queen Elizabeth's Time by King James (a) See these with many more in Ed. Stillingfleet Iren. Pag. 393. 394. himself c. Now you cannot well conclude that they differ from us in any point of Religion on this account till we be agreed amongst our selves that this is a point of Religion Or-if you will have it concluded by a major Part take Episcopacy as it is now stated for a distinct Office invested with the sole Power of Ordination and Jurisdiction and of those Bishops who have writ most in defence of Prelacy among us it will be carried against you by two for one that such Prelacy is not of divine Authority and so no part of Religion And those that plead for the highest Title make it a point of very small Moment (b) Peace-Maker pag. 46. 47. Bishop Hall one of the most Zealous Asserters of Episcopacy by Divine right declares it as the Sence of all Protestants Episcopal as well as others (c) B. Gawden Pres to Hooker's Eccl. Policy that they can see no reason why so poor a Diversity should work an Alienation of Affection in us towards one another Another of our Bishops tell you the things forementioned are no Fixed Parts of our Religion but Circumstantials and Ornaments A third will have them the Skin of an Apple which must not be pared of if you would have it keep Not to mention others as not worthy of regard who will have them more like the Core of an Apple when it hath been kept too long So that what Stress soever Interest layes upon these and such like points Religion layes little or none thereon L. But there are many who will lay the greatest Stress upon this and are greatly concerned to do it they are sensible and you may easily apprehend how much depends on it A. I know their Wealth and Grandeur may seem a little concerned in it but if they will count those who are of the same Religion worse than Papists because they think them not friendly enough to their worldly Interest they will be suspected to value the World more than Religion L. But which I had almost forgot they differ from us in the Doctrine of Predestination and other Points that depend thereon A. You mean I suppose the Oppinions of Arminius and his Followers concerning Conditional Election the equal Redemption of all Free-will the indifferent operation of Grace and Falling-away from the state of Grace L. Yes these I understand and these you cannot deny to be Points of Faith and matters of Religion A. They are no parts of the Protestants Religion nor of the Doctrine of the Church of England being not contained in the Confessions of any of the Protestant Churches nor in the Articles of the Church of England but rather the contrary So that herein they differ not from the Church who never owned these Opinions but from some particular Persons in it and differ no more from them then many other Sons of the Church do at this day and all in a manner did for many Years after the Reformation In all Queen Elizabeths Reign I find not above three of any note among all the Clergy and in both Universities that maintain'd these Doctrines and two of them censured for it Afterwards King James promoted the Condemnation of the Arminian Tenets by the Synod of Dort sending Eminent Divines from hence who concurred with others from the Reformed Churches in the censure of them He himself declared (d) K. James Declaration Arminius to be an Enemy to God and his followers to be Atheistcal Sectaries In the late Kings time several Parliaments declared against Armianism as an Innovation of pernicious consequence And those who most loved it and had the greatest advantages to influence the Clergy in favour of it durst not venture it to the Test of a Convocation as one (e) Heyl. Life of A.L. pag. 153. who had a passionate Fondness for it confesses So it
A DEFENCE OF True Protestants Abused for the Service of POPERY Under the Name of PRESBYTERIANS In a Dialogue between A. and L. two Sons of the Church Where it is Debated Whether Discenting Presbyterians be as Bad or Worse than Papists And other Popish Assertions are Detected LONDON Printed for N. P. and Sold by Rich. Janua in Queens-Head Court in Pater-Noster Row 1680. A Defence of the Protestants c. L. SIR I am glad to meet you here but something amused to see you so Pensive A. Our present Circumstances may make us all so seeing we are in the greatest danger of Popery which threatens to ruine us in Estate Body and Soul and our Children after us And yet there are many not apprehensive of it too many among us of the Clergy which doth not a little amuse me since they are Prudent Persons sensible enough of their Interest and better I would hope then to secure it by throwing their Religion overboard and yet there is no other way visible to do it if the Popish Designes succeed L. They are very artificial men I 'le assure you and many things may be alledged for them It may be Popery is not a thing so formidable to them as it is to some hotter men Or it may be they have found out some expedients to reconcile the harsher points of Popery to their own moderate sentiments Or it may be they are over-awed by persons of great eminency on whom they have their dependence Or A. What you alledge for them makes them farr worse than I hope they are For the first signifies that they are but indifferent Protestants The next that they have found out a plausible way to be Papists And the third that they are not like to be true to either Religion For if those on whom they depend would have the People turn Turks Jews or Heathens they must not vote not petition although they may legally do either to hinder it for they are still over-awed and must not Disoblige their Superiors lest they desert them when their Interest is otherwise in hazard L. You interrupted me or else I had mentioned another thing which will Justify them They are afraid of another Party who if the Papists were too much supprest and the Ballance not kept even might prove more dangerous then they A. What Party do you mean L. I mean the Presbyterians who are as bad or worse then Papists A. Do you consider what Religion they are of when you make this comparison and give the Papists the preference L. Yes That also considered that they profess themselves to be Protestants I know their Religion well enough A. I am much surprized to hear this from you I always took you to be a Protestant L. And does this signifie that I am a Papist A. He that understands these two Religions and passeth this Judgment not in heat nor disordered by Passion but sedately and with consideration is either a Papist or sufficiently prepared to be one when occasion serves L. How doth this appear A. Very plainly and easly For a Presbyterian holds all the points of the Protestant Religion If then he be worse then a Papist a Protestant is worse then a Papist and the Protestant Religion will be worse than Popery L. I understand not this A. That may be from your Will rather than your Reason Not because it is not clear but because you would not have it so It is plain enough to those that have Eyes and will open them If you should hear one that judges a Christian in point of Religion to be worse then a Mahumetan you would not question but that man is a Turk He that speaking of the Religions in France should determine that the Protestants are worse then the Papists would thereby shew himself a Papist nor need one wish a clearer Demonstration of it And can they be better who thus determine of Presbyterians in England then he that doth it in France when all the Protestants there are Presbyterians Indeed all the Protestants in other Contries are involved in this censure and Condemned as worse then Papists For all the Protestants in France Switreland the Low Countryes and very many in Germany Transylvania Poland c. are Presbyterians And the Lutherans in these and other Countryes cannot with any reason be exempted for none except themselves will pretend that those things wherein as Lutherans they differ from other more Reformed Churches do make them better and so if the Presbyterians in all these Churches be worse then Papists the Lutherans must be so too Nay there are few in England will escape this censure and so there will scarce be any in this Kingdom but must be worse then Papists save Papists themselves For I see the late House of Commons in several Pamphlets condemned as Presbyterians and with them the Commons of England are cast who choose such And if the House of Lords be not of a better Religion then that of the House of Commons they must be both together worse then Papists So that unless the Lords and Commons can be perswaded by such Judicious Censurers to be of a better Religion then that of the Presbyterians which is the same and no other then the Protestant we are like to be in an ill Condition Nay the Bishops and the best sons of the Church will be worse than Papists unless those things wherein they vary from other Protestants such as are no part of that nor any Religion else can make them better Besides that those who are not yet Papists are by this perswasion throughly prepared for Popery is very apparent for if Papists must be preferr'd before Presbyterians then their principles must be worse then those of the Papists Whereas even those wherein they differ from the Church of England and for which alone they are obnoxious are in the account of the most judicious Prelates and Doctors that this Church hath bred tollerable Points no parts of Religion scarce any but matter of indifferency and such wherein others Reformed Churches agree with them Now if for these they must be counted worse than Papists then the worst things in Popery must pass for better then tolerable and indifferent things Then all the Popish Idolatries their absurd impious and pernicious Doctrines in matters of Faith their gross Impostures their practical Maxims subverting Morality Humanity and human Society must not be thought so bad as some tolerable mistakes and who then but some silly Fanaticks will stick at them It is plaine you hereby leave your self and others little or no reason to baulk the very worst things in Popery L. I did not so well consider the consequence of what I asserted However you have not yet made good the ground of your Inference nor can do For do not these Presbyterians differ in many things from the Religion of the Church of England A. No. Not from the Religion of this Church in any thing that I know L. That 's strang Do they
is saies he that the truth in these Opinions not being so generally entertain'd among the Clergy nor the Arch-Bishop and the greater part of the Prelates so inclinable to them as to venture the determining of these Points to a Convocation How far then were these Opinions from being counted the Doctrine of our Church when there was no expectation that they would be accounted Truths by our Church representative Sure they act more agreeably to the sense of the Church of England thus far who reject these Arminian Tenets then they who embrace them L. But though the Presbyterians hold all the points of the Protestant Religion yet they maintain other Opinions besides such as are pernicious to Civel Government and Secular Princes upon this account they may be said to be worse than Papists their Principles of this nature being more dangerous A. I have heard some such thing said diverse times but I must do them this right as to declare that I never saw it proved nor ever expect it Upon a strict Inquiry I find their principles about Civel Government to be no other than what the eminentest of our Prelates and learned Divines such as Bishop Jewel Mr. Hooker Bishop Bilson Bishop Morton c. have owned or defended so far is it from being true that their opinions herein are as bad or worse than the Papists And they may challenge all the Papists in England masqued and unmasqued to make it good from the Writings of any considerable Divines approved by those of that Denomination But that you may have a more particular satisfaction let us take a view of some Popish Principles respecting Civel Government and Humane Societies some wherein we are particularly concerned and then compare them with those charged on the Presbyterians by their bitterest enemies They hold That all Protestants are Hereticks and as such excommunicated and accursed That no sort of Protestant Magistrates or others have any just Title to Estate Liberty or Honour but may lawfully be stript of all That they ought to be put to death and burnt alive when they are in their Power That when they can't proceed judicially against them they ought to destroy them by open Wars and Massacres or Assassinations That all Lawes Divine and Humane will have them destroyed That it is not only lawful but a Pious and Meritorious Act to slaughter them That it is no more sin to kill them than to kill a Wolf or a Dog That by what obligations soever either of Kindred Friendship Loyalty or Subjection they be bound unto them they may or rather must take Arms against them being Hereticks and then must they take them to be Hereticks when their lawful Popes adjudge them to be so That those who will not promote the Catholick Interest by Warrs and Arms ought to be proscribed and a Reward proclaimed to those that kill them That they are worser than Turks and that it is more just and necessary to exterminate them by force of Arms than to overcome the Turks That no Peace is to be made no Commerce to be kept with them That no Faith is to be kept with them though confirm'd with Oaths That a forreign Bishops is supream Governour of these Dominions in all matters Ecclesiastick and in temopral matters also in order to Spiritual Concerns That England is the Popes Kingdom and the King of England is the Popes Subject even in Temporals and holds his Dominions of him in Fee That no Maegistrate among us hath any Jurisdicton That they are not obliged to Answer their Interrogatories nor owe them any more reverence or subjection than to meer private Persons That they may delude them with Equivocations in Assertions or Oaths and may usesuch Equivocations when they are sworn before the Magistrate not to Equivocate That it is no Mortal Sin to Charge false Crimes upon or bear False Witness against any in their own Defence That it is no Sin to kill those who go about to discover the Crimes they are guilty of That Bishops are not the Subjects of Secular Princes That they cannot be Guilty of Treason That Churchmen are exempted from all Jurisdiction of Civel Magistrates That the Pope may exempt Lay-men as well as the Clergy That no Protestants Nobles or Commons can be Members of Parliament That Laws not agreeable to the Roman Decrees are of no moment That since a Wife owes no Conjugal Duty to an Husband who is not a Papist nor a Slave any Service to his Master and Parents loose the Superiority and Dominion which they have by the Law of Nature over their Children therefore no man should wonder that in the like case a Soveraign should loose his Superiority and Right over his People and Kingdomes That the Pope may command the King's Subjects not to Obey him That he may Compel them into Rebellion That he can absolve Subjects from the Oaths of Allegiance and Obedience to their Prince and the Princes from Oaths Oblieging them to their Subjects That an Heretical or Protestant King is no King That he is a Tyrant and Usurper and may be used accordingly That to acknowledge such a King is to advance a Dog to be Soveraign over Men. That he hath no real Majesty or Soveraignty That no Treason can be committed against him That he can enact no Laws nor is capable of any Acts of Sovereignty That Acts of Jurisdiction done by his Authority are Void and Null by the Law of God and Man That no War can lawfully be denounced or waged by him though the Cause be never so just That no Leagues Treaties Confederacies for his advantage as a Heretick however confirmed do obliege Catholicks That they may lawfully betray their Trust and deliver up to the Enemy what their Prince commits to their Charge Garrisons Troops Magazines Treasure c. That a Prince falling from Popery looseth all his Authority and Dignity even before Sentence That after Sentence no Man can lawfully Serve or give Aid unto such a Prince That he not only may lawfully but ought in Conscience to be Dethroned Subjects being bound to it by the Divine Precept and upon their Salvation That it is the Subjects Duty to take up Arms against him That the Pope may Depose a King not only for Heresy or Tyranny or Sacriledge or Perjury or Breach of Promise or Effeminacy or any of these many Faults which are liable to Excommunications but also for favouring Heriticks or tolerating Schismaticks or for Profuseness in spending the Publick Treasure yea or for Ignorance or Negligence or Insufficiency or Weakness of Mind or Body That if a Prince be never so well qualified for Religion or other Accomplishments the Pope may Dethrone him if his Holiness think it but Expedient Nay he may do it without any Cause and dispose of his Kingdom as he lists That if Princes be Protestants he hath as much Right to throw them out of their Thrones as we have to drive away Wolves or Mad Dogs or Wild Asses That
and invariable whereas that may be such in England which is not in France and that such in Germany or Poland which is not so in England and that so in one part of the King of Spain's Dominions which is not so in another However there needs no other Answer for the German Writers than that of Bishop Bilson whom your cloaked Author Cites Diverse times as tho he favour'd him (m) Christian Subjection Pag. 513. In Germany the Emperour himself hath his Bounds appointed him which he may not pass by the Laws of the Empire and the Princes Dukes and Cities that are under him have Power to Govern and use the Sword as Gods Ministers in their Charges and though for the Maintenance of the Emperiour they be Subject to such Orders as shall be Decreed c. Yet if he touch their Polices infring their Liberties or violate their Specialities which he by Oath and Order of the Empire is bound to keep they may Lawfully Resist him and by Force Reduce him to the Antient and received form of Government or else Repel him as a Tyrant and set another in his place by the Right and Freedom of their Countrey Therefore the German's doings or writings can help you little in this Question they speak according to the Laws and Rights of the Empire themselves being a very Free State and bearing the Sword as Lawfull Magestrates to defend their Liberties and prohibit Injury against all Oppressors the Emperour himself not excepted But not to digress further Who else can you produce L. I will trouble you with no more at present A. I am apt to belive that if the Persons you are so bitter against were not loath to expose our Religion as others do they might alledge out of the most eminent Prelatists such Passages as look with as ill an Aspect upon the Civil Government as any other of the Reformed Divines you can produce And if they should do this by way of recimination as you provoke them to do it would you think it reasonable from two or three Instances to conclude that all the Episcopal Divines are worse than Papists And yet there is neither more Reason nor more Honesty in the one than in the other L. I should not think so ill of Presbyterian Principles upon the report of Papists only but they are ill represented by some Protestants A. It may be so but by none that I have seen save such as take pleasure to lick up the Papists Vommit and Spue it out again upon the Reformed Religion after all hath been clean wiped off by those that are Protestants indeed and that with as little regard of Truth or Modesty as the Papists shew when they tell us That the cheif Protestans Bishops and Churchmen did all that lay in their Power to exclude Mary their Lawfull Queen from the Throne (n) Parsons mitigation Pag. 224 The Jesuit names Cranmer Ridley Latimer Sands Jewel Hooper (o) Pag. 123. c. And affirms that the Bishops and all the cheif Protestant Ministers did concur in the Duke of Northumberlands Rebellion (p) Sober Reckoning Pag. 253. And that Bishops and Ministers had as deeply their hearts and hands and heads in the Rebellion of Wyat and the Duke of Suffolk and much more than in the former Rebellion (q) Ibid Pag. 254. That it was the consent of these and the chiefest Protestant Bishops and Divines that Queen Mary might be deposed and not only she but her Sister Queen Elizabeth a Protestant which was put in practice to the utmost of the Protestants power both with Wit and Weapons and this not only against the Statutes of the Kingdom but their own Oath to the Lady Mary in her Father's Life (r) Idem Mod. ans Cap. 3. in Mort. full Satisfact Pag. 200. The like saies he the Protestant Forces and Parliaments did against the Succession of Queen Elizabeth (s) Ibid. Pag. 4. Many Nobles with the whole Clergy are Charged with publick and Dogmatical Positions and Practices of Rebellion against not only God and their Queen but Oaths of Fidelity to Harry the 8th (t) Pag. 9. He tells us also that they do not now profess these Positions because they are not under Princes that press them in matters against their Will but that they would fall to them again if they were Pinched as others are (u) Mitigation Pag. 117. Nay they are bold to invoulve our Princes and State in the guilt of Rebellion as they will call them in Scotland France the Neither Lands c. as having their cheif encouragement and supports from our Princes and Parliaments (a) Ibid. P. 44. L. All this hath been fully vindicated long since A. And so has Cabvin Beza and others of the Reformed Churches and that by the same Hands But there are a sort of Protestants of a Latter Edition who have little of Protestants but the Name and seem to have crowded what Religion they have into some few things wherein we agree with the Papists making little or nothing of most of the Differences betwixt us and these not admitting the Defence made for the latter will be obliged to reject that made for the other Accordingly some of them have made it their business to rake up all the Dirt which the Papists could help them to how clean so ever removed by our Champions against the Romanists and would overwhelm and bury the Protestants Religion under it pretending that they design only a Grave for the Presbyterians L. But if the Principles of the Presbyterians be so innocent and such as the best of our former Bishops did approve yet certainly some of their Practices cannot be justifyed A. No nor all the Practices of any sort of Men on Earth how good soever their Principles be so long as they are but Men and have Depraved Natures and are liable to Mistakes and sensible of Interest and Danger and exposed to Temptation You will count it highly unjust and unreasonable to charge a whole Community consisting of some Millions with the Odious Act of a sew in Comparison when they generally declare against it and own no Principle that may encourage it And the Iniquity will be greater if it be a rare Act far from a common Practice especially if they fall into it upon a Mistake that the Laws and Constitutions of the Government allow it If this be the Case are not the Protestants most injuriously used Would it not be counted intolerable for any to brand the Church of England as a Company of Rebels and Traytors against God because there are some in her Communion who live in such open Wickedness as is counted Rebellion against the Most High Especially if they were but few under such Guilt and that very seldome when as our Church declares against and disclaimes all Principles that would countenance it Would it not be unsufferable to censure all our Kings for Tyrants because some of them have acted Tyrannically in one