and Popery be set up with a bloody Inquisition Section XI And verily if there were a design to reconcile England to Rome let all means be used totally to quash the Puritanes or Presbyterians but if England will keep her self pure from Romish Abominations let her be a kinde Mother to these her Children For this Interest is one chief strength of the true Reformed Protestant Religion Let those well known Principles that strike to the heart of Popery be brought forth for evidence to wit the perfection of holy Scriptures in opposition to unwritten Traditions the Authority of Canonical Books in opposition to the encroachments of the Apocrypha the distinct knowledge of the Doctrine of Salvation according to every mans capacity in opposition to implicite Faith the reasonable serving of God according to the Word in opposition to blind devotion Spiritual Gospel Worship in opposition to a pompous train of Ceremonies the efficacious edifying use of religious exercises in opposition to the Popish Opus operatum or work done lastly the power of godliness in opposition to splendid Formality Whether the Prelatical or Presbyterian party be the more rooted and grounded in these Principles let knowing persons consider and give judgement It hath been observ'd not by vulgar ones but by States-men in former times that the Puritans stood between the Papists and the swaying part of the later Prelatists as a partition wall which was therefore to be broken down as was reported to make way for an attempted reconciliation In those times a Venetian Agent in England being intimately acquainted with the Popes Nuncio here resident had fathomed the depth of his Religious Negotiation touching this grand affair and in his account given to the State that sent him and since published to the world hath these notable observations That in the Realm of England are three Faction the Catholicks the Protestants and the Puritans Now saith he these three Factions in Religion though they all oppose one another yet the hatred of Protestants against Puritans is greater then against Catholicks and that of Catholicks is greater against Puritans then against Protestants and that of Puritans is greater against Catholicks then Protestants and thus both Catholicks and Protestants do easily combine together for the ruine and rooting out of Puritans What these Protestants are he thus declares they did not so engage themselves to those particular opinions meaning of the Reformation but they have since set themselves to reform the abuse of Religion by reducing themselves again to the old practise of their Forefathers The Puritans he describes in these words that being seasoned and initiated with the Doctrine of Calvin they judge the English Reformation imperfect and so refused submission to that form of Policy Such is the account of this Statesman both a Forreigner and a Papist and not to be supposed partial in favour of Puritans Now by Protestants he understands only those that adhered to the English Prelacy And so indeed that party have impropriated the name to themselves excluding the Presbyterians who in the mean while complain of palpable injury and give evident proof that they of right have as much Interest in that venerable name As touching the passages here quoted let them rest on the Relators credit and their own evidence whatever it be What our great Clergie intended I determine nothing but in equity leave it questionable How far they actually advanced this way be it collected out of their own Writings and other manifest Expressions It is no novelty for Papists to impose the name of Puritans on such as retain the old Protestant spirit of Antipathy to Rome which is a good argument to prove that in the party more peculiarly so called lies the heart and strength of aversness and enmity to the Heresies and Idolatries of the Roman Church Wherefore Those Bishops in the Church of England who were heartily averse from Popish Innovations were more benigne and favorable to Puritans and themselves accounted Puritan by the adverse party and upon the same account the Gentry of this Kingdom were so esteemed And let it be well observed that the more primitive times of Protestantism were more leaning to that which Romanizing spirits have called Puritanism Pardon the frequent use of this terme for I glory not in it but am constrained to use it for distinctions sake in bringing former things to remembrance Should not King Nobles and Commons remember their Darling Protestiantism and not abandon that sort of persons which contribute so much to the upholding of it It is confessed there have been some scandals given yet more taken But in this case let the saying of our blessed Lord be minded Not only woe to the man by whom the offence cometh but woe to the world because of offences It will not be well with England while we give way to passion and prejudices from offences taken and so run from one extream to another Where is the wise Counsellour Can we come to no temper Is there no healing for us Shall we sleep securely whilest the Seedsmen of the Envious One the Jesui's and other Romish Agents sow the Tares of Division in our Field not only to weaken and hinder but to choak and eat out our common Faith Yea blessed be God for our gracious Soveraign who makes it his care and study to allay distempers and compose differences by his just and gracious concessions already published concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs Section XII The Presbyterians are loaded with many calumnies as that they are against the Interest of Civil Magistracy especially of Monarchy that they are giddy factious schismatical domineering and what not Let not prejudice but reason sway mens minds in matters of such importance As concerning the Interest of Civil Magistracy that Presbyterians pluck from it the power in Causes Ecclesiastical that they erect Imperium in Imperio is a groundless and gross mistake Take the declared Judgment of the highest in that way according to their own words To the Political Magistrate is allowed a diatactick ordering regulating power about Ecclesiastical Matters in a Political way So that he warrantably reforms the Church when corrupted in Divine Worship Discipline or Government He convenes and convocates Synods and Councils made up of Ecclesiastical persons to advise and conclude determinatively according to the Word of God how the Church is to be reformed and refined from corruption and how to be guided and governed when reformed He ratifies and establishes within his Dominions the just and necessary Decrees of the Church in Synods and Councils by his Civil Sanction He judgeth and determineth definitively with a consequent political judgement or judgement of discretion concerning things judged and determined antecedently by the Church in reference to his own act He takes care politically that even Matters and Ordinances meerly and formally Ecclesiastical be duely managed by Ecclesiastical persons orderly called thereunto He hath a compulsive punitive or corrective power formally political in matters of Religion
kneeling and lifting up of the hands and eyes in prayer as also those meer Circumstances of Decency and Order the omission whereof would make the service of God either undecent or less decent As they worship God in the spirit according to the simplicity of Gospel Institutions so they rejoyce in Christ Jesus having no confidence in a legal Righteousness but desire to be found in him who is made unto us Righteousness by gracious Imputation Yet withall they affirm constantly that good works of piety towards God and of Justice and Charity towards men are necessary to salvation Their Doctrine bears full conformity with that of the Reformed Churches held forth in their publiek Confessions and particularly with that of the Church of England in the nine and thirty Articles only one or two passages peradventure excepted so far as they may import the asserting of Prelacy and humane Mysticall Ceremonies They insist much on the necessity of Regeneration and therein lay the groundwork for the practise of godliness They press upon themselves and others the severe exercise not of a Popish outside formall but a spirituall and reall mortification and self-denial according to the power of Christianity They are strict observers of the Lords day and constant in Family prayer They abstain from oaths yea petty oaths and the irreverent usage of Gods name in common discourse and in a word they are sober just and circumspect in their whole behaviour Such is the temper and constitution of this party which in its full latitude lies in the middle between those that affect a Ceremoniall Worship and the height of Hierarchical Government on the one hand and those that reject an ordained Ministery and setled Church order and regular Unity on the other hand Section VI. Within these extensive limits the Presbyterian party contains several thousands of learned godly orthodox Ministers being diligent and profitable Preachers of the Word and exemplary in their Conversation among whom there are not a few that excell in Polemical and Practical Divinity also of the judicious sober serious part of the people in whose affections his Majesty is most concerned they are not the lesser number By means of a practical Ministery this way like the Leaven in the Gospel parable hath spread and seasoned the more considerate and teachable sort in all parts of the Kingdom and especially in the more civilized places as Cities and Towns For indeed such as are of this minde and this way do make Religion their business and imitate the Bereans commended nobleness resolving not to take up Religion upon trust but to search the Scriptures daily whether those things which they hear are so that they may judiciously embrace the truth Adde hereunto that one of his Majesties Kingdoms is Presbyterian Certainly such a people may claim a portion in their Gracious Soveraign and surely he doth not he will not in any wise refuse them Section VII The men of this perswasion are not lukewarm but true Zealots Nevertheless they have no Fellowship with the spirit of Enthusiastical and Anabaptistical Fancy and Frenzy They are no Fanaticks although they begin to be by some abused under that name but they are persons of known learning prudence piety and gravity in great numbers besides of inferiour rank a vaste multitude of knowing serious honest people None of all which are led blindfold by Tradition or Implicite Faith or do run headlong into Fanatick Delusions but they give up themselves to the sole direction and authority of the holy Scriptures Wherefore impartial reason will conclude that they chose this way as with sincerity of affection so with gravity of Judgement and that the things themselves even the more disputable part thereof as that against the Hierarchy and Ceremonies as such as may frequently prevail with good and wise men in as much as they appear to those that have embraced them to have the Impress of Divine Authority and the Character of Evangelical Purity Section VIII For the reasons afore-going the infringement of due Liberty in these matters would perpetuate most unhappy Controversies in the Church from Age to Age. Let the former times come in and give Evidence As touching Ceremonies the Contest began early even in King Edward's Reign between Hooper and other Bishops The Consecration of Hooper Elect Bishop of Glocester being stayed because he refused to wear certain Garments used by Popish Bishops he obtained Letters from the King and from the Earl of Warwick to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and others that he might not be burthened with certain Rites and Ceremonies and an Oath commonly used in the Consecration of Bishops which were offensive to his Conscience Nevertheless he found but harsh dealing from his Fellow Bishops whereof some were afterwards his Fellow Martyrs and Ridley among others who afterwards thus wrote unto him when they were both Prisoners for the Gospel However in time past in certain Circumstances and By-matters of Religion your wisdom and my simplicity I grant hath a little jarred each of us following the abundance of his own sence and judgement Now be assured that even with my whole heart in the Bowels of Christ I love you in the truth and for the truths sake which abideth in us Some godly Martyrs in Queen Maries days disliked the Ceremonies and none of them died in the defence of Ceremonies Liturgie and Prelacy in opposition to all other Ecclesiasticall Government and Order It was the Protestant Verity which they witnessed and sealed in blood in opposition to Popery especially the prodigious opinion of Transubstantiation and the abomination of the Romish Mass or Sacrifice In the same bloody dayes certain English Protestants being fled for refuge into Germany and setled in Frankford were divided among themselves about the Service-book even with scandalous breach of Charity and in the issue the Congregation was sadly broken and dissipated The Gospel returning under Queen Elizabeth these differnces were revived and held up by Disputes Writings and Addresses to severall Parliaments and there were great thoughts of heart for these Divisions Nevertheless the differences remain uncompounded in process of time severe Canons were framed and with much rigour imposed and so continued Ministers were distinguished into Conformists and Non-Conformists and a multitude of painfull Preachers suffered deprivation for Non-Conformity Be it here observed that the persons known by the name of Non-Conformists were not Separatists but earnestly opposed the separation of the Brownists and held Communion with the Church in publick worship upon this pacifick principle that we may not separate from a true Church blemished with some corruptions and errors while we are not compelled to subscribe to those errors nor in our own practice to submit to those Corruptions Howbe it the greatest part of the Ministers named Puritans yieded Conformity to those controverted Rites and Formes that were by Law or Ganons established as to things burdensom not desirable in their nature supposed indifferent but in their use many ways
offensive and groaning more and more under that yoke of bondage as they coneeived they waited for deliverance and were in the main of one soul and spirit with the Non-Conformists And even then the way called Puritanism did not give but get ground But now the Tenents of this way are rooted more then ever and those things formerly imposed are now by many if not by the most of this way accounted not only burthensom but unlawfull And after a long time of search and practice the mindes of men are fixed in this opinion and are not like to be reduced to the practice of former times and therefore in al reason the imposing of such matters of controversie as by so many are held unlawfull and by those that have a zeal for them judged indifferent not necessary cannot procure the peace of Church and Kingdom Section IX That this numerous party will not vary from its self or vanish upon changes in Government or new Accidents doth hence appear in that it doth not rest upon any private temporary variable occasion but upon a cause perpetual and everlasting Those forementioned Principles of science and practice which give it its proper Being are of that firm and fixed nature that new contingencies will not alter them nor length of time wear them out They are the great things of God which have a great power over the spirit of man And they are imbraced by such as highly prize them not for temporal advantages whereof they have no appearance but for an internal excellency discerned in them as being necessary to the glory of God and the salvation of men And consequently to these men it is not satisfactory at all adventures to be of the State-Religion or to believe as the Church believes Neither will they be dissolved or much weakned by the declining haply of some principall Ones who being bought off by preferment may turn prevaricators For notwithstanding such a falling off the inward spirit that actuates the whole body of them and knits them to each other will remain in full strength and vigour And though many others through weakness or mildness should stagger and give ground in the points of lesser moment and more controverted yet the root of the matter may remain in them and as to the main they may be still where they were But what are those great things for which this sort of men contend Surely they are no other then the lively opening of the pure Doctrine of the Gospel the upholding of all Divine Institutions particularly the strict observation of the Lords day a laborious and efficacious Ministry taking hold of the Conscience and reaching to the heart a godly Discipline correcting true and real scandals and disobedience in a word all the necessary and effectual means of unfained faith and holy life that the Kingdom of God may come in power And for these things sake they are alienated from the height of Prelacy and the pomp of Ceremonious Worship This was well known and provided against by the swaying part of the later Prelatists For in as much as they could not quell the Puritans by the rigid injunction of Conformity that they might give a blow at the root Lectures were suppressed afternoon Sermons on the Lords day prohibited under pretence of Catechizing which was only a bare rehearsal of the Form of Catechism for Children without explication or application of those principles a Book for sports and pastimes on Sundays enjoyned to be read by Ministers in their Parish Churches under penalty of deprivation sundry superstitious Innovations introduced a new Book of Canons composed and a new oath for upholding the Hierarchy inforced Far be it from me to impute these things to all that were in Judgment Episcopal for I am perswaded a great if not the greater part of them disallowed these Innovations Nevertheless those others that were most vehement active watchful vigorous did not by all the aforesaid means advance but rather weaken their Cause and lessen themselves in the esteem of observing men and the oppressed party increased in number and vigour It is therefore evident that this Interest for which we plead is not like a Meteor which after a while vanisheth away but is of a solid and firme consistence like a fixed Constellation And the injuries done unto it are not of that nature as to be acted once and for all and then to pass into the grave of oblivion but they are lasting pressures to a perpetual regret and grievance And should not these be done away especially when the occasions thereof wil be found not necessary but superfluous Section X. There remaineth yet some greater thing which strikes deep into this Enquiry which at the first glance perhaps may seem a fancy but by impartial judgement will be found a manifest and weighry truth namely that as this Interest will never vary from its self so it will never be extinguished while the State of England continues Protestant I do not now argue from Maximes of Faith and Religion as that the life and power of Christianity shall never fail that after the greatest havock of the true Church there will be a remnant a seed that shall spring up to a great increase after a little season but I have here entred upon a way of reason and let men of Reason judge Suppose that the Persons now in being of this strict profession were generally ruined and rooted out yet let but the Protestant Doctrine as it is by Law established in the Church of England be upheld and preached and it will raise up a genuine off-spring of this people whose way is no other then the life and power of that Doctrine as it is not onely received by tradition education example or any humane authority but also imprinted upon the spirit by a lively energy and operation And this I further say and testifie let but the free use of the Holy Bible be permitted to the common people and this generation of men will spring up afresh by the immortall seed of the Word For that pure spiritual and heavenly Doctrine pressing internal renovation or the new Birth and the way of holy singularity and circumspection and being written with such Authority and Majesty must needs beget though not in the most yet in may a disposition and practise in some sort thereunto conformable This is evident in reason if it be granted that the sacred Scriptures are apt to make deep and strong Impressions upon the minds of men And whosoever denies this as he is in point of Religion Atheistical so of Understanding bruitish For even those impious Politicians who in heart make no account of Religion yet will make shew of giving reverence to it because it is alwaies seen to have a mighty influence upon men of all ranks and degrees Wherefore upon the grounds aforesaid I hold it a matter of unquestionable Verity that the way in scorn called Puritanism will never utterly sink unto Protestantism it self shal fail
the first place let us rightly understand the meaning of this prejudice Is it because this Discipline doth censure scandalous disorders and enquire into the state of the flock as watching over their souls This is its high commendation in the sight of God and good men Doth Episcopacy care for none of these things Surely a Bishop is an Overseer to exercise the Office of a Bishop is to take the oversight of the Church and those that are over us in the Lord watch for our souls as those that must give an account thereof Howbeit Presbytery is not more severe in censuring the breach of Gods Commandments then the Hierarchy in censuring the breach of their own constitutions Or is the offence taken upon pretence that Presbyterians affect and arrogate an arbitrary power would rule by faction and exercise a rigout to the stirring up of animosities and unquiet humours Since the friends of Prelacy are loudest in this crimination I crave leave to use this mild retortion Is there no appearance of domination in Prelacy Was nothing like unto it objected to the dignified Clergy If you say those invectives and clamours were false and scandalous then let reason and charity be permitted to make some Apologie for the other discipline which the Nation hath hitherto never experienced in any measure of national uniformity and settlement But there are remedies at hand to prevent the abuse of any Government that is of it self lawful and laudable Certainly the wisedom of the King and Parliament with the advice of grave Divines may prescribe sure and certain rules of discipline Moreover to cut off all occasion and prevent all appearance of domineering all political coercive jurisdiction in matter of Religion may be with-held if need require from Ecclesiastical persons and that meer spiritual power alone which is 〈◊〉 to their office may be left to their management which is in the Name of Christ and by Authority from him to admonish the untuly and if they continue obstinate by the same Authority to declare them unworthy of Church-Communion and Christian Society and to require the Lords people to have no fellowship with them that they may be afflicted and humbled And because spiritual censures appertaining only to the Conseience may be too little regarded when no temporal dammage is annexed to them there may be a collateral civil power always present in Ecclesiastical Meetings to take cognizance of all Causes therein debated and adjudged in order to temporal penalties Vpon the whole matter aforegoing we firmly build this position That the Presbyterian Party ought not in Justice or Reason of State to be rejected and depressed but ought to be protected and encouraged Nevertheless there being a seeming complication in this business and an other ample party appearing in competition a difficultie remains and the matter falls into a further deliberation And thereupon we are fallen upon the second main Enquiry II Qu. Whether the Presbyterian Party may be protected and encouraged and the Episcopal not deserted nor disobliged Section XIX The grand Expedient in this difficulty is a well grounded Accomodation producing an intire and firm union That the Accommodation may be true and solid not loose and hollow it must be such as will content and satisfie for continuance and that it may be such the tearms thereof must not be repugnant to the conscientious principles of either party Otherwise whatsoever it be it is but a botch and will never hold Wherefore we now examine whether those principles are such as set the parties at an irreconcileable distance or else make the proposed union possible and hopeful As touching holy Doctrine they both receive the nine and thirty Articles of the Church of England unless that one side may demurr upon one or two passages respecting the Form of Ecclesiastical Government and Ceremonies being the matters now in question and remote from the foundation And in very deed the Doctrine of the English Bishops in general that lived in the elder times of Protestantism as Jewel Pilkington Babington and of the latter Bishops their Followers as Abbot Carleton Morton Usher Hall Davenant is intirely imbraced by the Presbyterians when as many of the latter Prelatists departed from it in the great point of Predestination Redemption Free-will effectual Grace Perseverance and Assurance of Salvation and termed it Puritan Doctrine Whereupon I conclude that those Prelatists of this Age who are the genuine Off-spring of the old Episcopal Divines will not divide from Presbyterians upon the account of Doctrine and that the other sort need not divide from them any more then from the rest that are of the Episcopal Perswasion But in the Form of Church Government the breach is much wider and the Reconciliation seems more difficult Indeed the Dominion of Prelacy and the exact Presbyterian parity are opposite Extreams Nevertheless a regulated Episcopacy and Presbytery may be found so far from mutual opposition and inconsistency that they may close together in a sweet Harmony The Scripture Bishop and the Evangelical Pastor is one and the same Officer The Primitive Ecclesiastical Episcopacy was not reputed by the Antients a different Order of Ministery The Bishop was only a Presbyter in a higher degree the President of the Presbytery and ruled in consociation with all the Presbyters The better part of the Scool-men place the difference only in degree not in order Of the same judgement were the old Episcopal Divines in England and even in the last times Morton Hall and Usher Whereupon they held the Forreign Protestant Churches that had no Prelaies to be true Churches and their Pastors true Ministers of Christ. And this is very remarkable in the most rigid Prelatists of their times when upon the new erecting of Prelacy in Scotland certain Scottish Bishops were to be consecrated here in England Bishop Andrews moved this question whether they ought not first to be ordained Presbyters as having received no Ordination from a Bishop Arch-Bishop Bancroft being there present maintained there was no necessity of Re-ordination for where a Bishop cannot be had Ordination given by Presbyters must be esteemed lawful This Solution being applauded by the other Bishops Doctor Andrews acquiesced On the other side an absolute equality among Ministers is not essential to Presbytery but a prudential priority according to the Churches occasions and consequently a stated Presidency may be admitted For the main principle of Presbytery is this That every Minister is truly a Pastor and that pastoral Authority includes both teaching and ruling for which cause the Presbyters may not yield up themselves as the Bishops meer Curates or Subjects For that would nullifie their Pastoral Office as to one part thereof which is as essential to it as the other in regard whereof the Presbyters are in Scripture called Bishops or Overseers and are charged to take the oversight of the Flock But this is no way violated by admitting a stated Moderator or president Bishop As concerning Worship or Divine Service
parts of instituted Worship If it be only an outward shape and dress left to humane prudence it is variable according to the difference of times Whosoever observes impartially shall find that Political Prudence was joyned with Christian Piety in composing the English Service Book In the beginning of Reformation the wisdom of the State so ordered that so great a change might be made with as little noise as was possible and with regard to what the Nation would bear Accordingly when a Rebellion was raised in Coruwal and Devonshire about the change of Religion King Edward to appease the matter told the people That it was no other then the old Service in the English Tongue Likewise when this form was revived by Queen Elizabeth one might conjecture that care was taken that no passage offensive even to the Papists might remain therein for we find an alteration in the Letany very material Whereas King Edwards books ran thus From all sedition and privy conspiracy from the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and all his detestable enormities from all false Doctrine and Heresie These words From the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and all his detestable enormities were left out in Queen Elizabeths time and ever since Whereupon the Papists throughout this Kingdom resorted to our Divine Service for the first ten years of that Queens Reign And this came to pass also by the Popes connivance who was not then in despaire of reducing England by fair means But sithence Papists have been Recusants Wherefore if forms be variable according to the difference of times and the present Liturgy was compiled with respect to the peace of former times and the reconciling of Papists to Protestants but is now become by change of times an occasion of dividing Protestants from each other without hope of regaining Papists Can Religion or Reason plead for the rigorous imposing of it especially without very much emendation upon godly peaceable Ministers and people that daie not use it throughout Doth the Life and Soul of Religion lye in the Common-Prayer Is it as ancient as Christianity yea or of equal extent with the Protestant Reformation Whence is it then that many will have no communion with those that do not use it or would cast out of the Church those that cannot use it throughout who nevertheless in all necessary parts of worship are conformable to Protestant Doctrine and practice Is that efficacy or excellency in it that the laying it aside would much impair and weaken Religion and darken its glory Let it be then examined whether it hath made the comers thereunto more perfect then others more knowing in Religion more pious and blameless in their conversation then those that frequent it not Let experience come forth and witness which if constant and universal is the best proof of the efficacy or imbecillity of any institution Suppose a Liturgy were framed of Confessions Petitions and Thanksgivings wholly collected out of Sacred Scripture both for matter and expressions would it be inferiour to that which is now in question Doubtless such a form would be a happy expedient to put an end to this controversie Section XXVI Canonical subscription lately imposed is a yoke of bondage to be considered by all those that have a true regard to such liberty in Religion as equity and necessity pleads for Blessed be God who hath put it into the Kings heart to extend compassion to a multitude of his faithful Subjects and to remove this yoke let not this or the like be laid on their necks any more The Canon requires a subscribing to the thirty nine Articles to the Common-Prayer Book to the book of ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons that all these contain in them nothing contrary to the Word of God This is unreasonable unprofitable and unnecessary It is unreasonable for were it just and reasonable it must suppose not only perfect verity throughout the whole without any mixture of error but also either a spirit of infallibility in the composers of those books or the like measure of judgment and perswasion in all Orthodox and pious Ministers concerning all particulars in so large a volume written by men subject to error That there is not perfect Verity without mixture or grounded suspition of error there is real evidence To assert a spirit of infallibility in the composers thereof is not consonant to Protestant principles To suppose the like measure of faith and judgement in all Orthodox godly Ministers concerning fallible writings is absurd and to rack men unto it is an imitation of that Tyrant that would stretch miserable creatures unto the length of that bed of torment upon which he laid them It is also unprofitable For these forced large subscriptions are known to be no sure hold-fast of the multitude drawn into them whereof many come hand over head meerly as to an injoyned form others more considerate do it in their own sence And indeed the best service which this Injunction doth is to lye as a bar to exclude the more deliberate sort or as a clog to oppress their consciences If to remedy this evil you allow men to use their own limitations and explanations the business it self is insignificant It to satisfie several parties you pen the Doctrines and Forms in ambiguous tearms the swaying part of the Church will draw them to their own peculiar sence and establish their own opinions to the crushing of dissenters as by the potency of some Prelates Arminianism was asserted for the Doctrine of the Church of England Lastly it is unnecessary for we suppose the benefits pretended by it are unity in Doctrine uniformity in Practice both which may be as well attained and far more kindely without this enforced Subscription if no Minister be suffered to preach or write any thing contrary to the established Doctrine Worship and Discipline nor ordinarily for the main to neglect the established Rule But what inconvenience if in things of lesser weight a latitude were allowed A little variety indulged in some particles is no impeachment of Uniformity but rather an establishment thereof with contentment and tranquility Contrariwise as the wringing of the Nose draws forth blood so over-straining and rigid injunctions distemper the mindes of men otherwise peaceable and stir up strife Section XXVII Moreover the publick state of these differences is such that the Prelatists may and ought to descend to the Presbyterians in the proposed moderate way but the Presbyterians cannot come up to the Prelatists in the height of their way For the Prelates condescention stands only in omission or forbearance of certain things which seem to them lawful and laudable but the subjection of the Presbyterians stands in subscribing and conforming to certain things which to them seem unlawful And common equity will soon pass its verdict that the condescention of the one is far more easie then the subjection of the other Bishop Davenant in his Determinations resolves in one question that a Protestant may