things legally established their reproaching those that would have upheld them as Malignants Incendiaries and Evil Instruments their choosing to take up Swords into their hands rather than the Cross their being so far from submitting to the King as supreme and the Governours sent by him that they resisted and maintained a long War against both Let him I say evince that such ways as these are the life and power of that pure spiritual and heavenly Doctrine taught in Scripture and owned by all true English Protestants Nor let him be angry that I handle him in this manner and reply thus particularly to his ambiguous generalities since the question now being Whether Presbyterians are the best English Protestants and whether on that account they ought in justice or reason of State to be encouraged It concerned him if he meant to discourse pertinently and clearly to manifest that they practically own those pure spiritual and heavenly Aphorisms in particular which so much conduce to the peace of the State and the preservation of the Order and Government by Law established and that they heartily acknowledge and embrace all that English Protestant Doctrine which is subservient to that end for otherwise the encouraging yea tolerating of them will probably prove pernicious to the State To affirm that the Presbyterian Interest is one chief strength of the true Reformed Protestant Religion p. 35. 45. is much easier than to prove it Let those well known Principles says he which strike to the heart of Popery be brought forth for evidence viz. 1. The perfection of holy Scripture in opposition to unwritten Tradition 2. The Authority of Canonical Books in opposition to the encroachments of the Apocrypha 3. The distinct Knowledge of the Doctrine of Salvation according to every mans capacity in opposition to implicit Faith 4. The reasonable serving of God according to the Word in opposition to blind devotion 5. Spiritual Gospel-worship in opposition to a pompous train of Ceremonies 6. The efficacious edifying use of Religious exercises in opposition to the Popish Opus operatum or work done 7. The power of Godliness in opposition to splendid formality A. 1. I deny this Argument The Presbyterians acknowledge the Truth of these Principles therefore that Party is one chief strength of the true reformed Protestant Religion for either 1. they may own other Principles also which contradict these and consequently weaken that Religion or 2. they may own together with these such principles as are inconsistent with other parts of the Protestant Faith grounded on and actuated by those Scriptures before mentioned and with the English Protestant Doctrine by Law establisht conform to them 2. Perhaps those seven Principles as those many Presbyterians understand them who are said to account our Ceremonies unlawful are no part of the English Protestant Doctrine but supposing they are rightly understood with due limitations and explications they are not all the parts of the Protestant Doctrine nor the chief parts of it as it refers to Government and Obedience which yet should have been most of all considered in the discussion of this Question 3. Independents Anabaptists yea Socinians do as heartily embrace all those Principles as Presbyterians therefore he may as rationally conclude that those also are chief supporters of the true reformed Protestant Religion and consequently to be protected and encouraged in this Kingdom 4. Presbytery may be extinguisht and yet these seven Principles understood in sano sensu may be asserted by Prelatists and consequently the State of England may continue Protestant without Presbyterian aids That Prelatical men assert them as well as Presbyterians this Author denies not only he seems willing p. 36. 46. to have it believed that the Presbyterian Party is more rooted and grounded in those principles which for my part I am ready to believe when I see it proved But 1. This implies that Prelatists also are rooted and grounded in those Principles Whence it follows that England may keep her self pure from Romish abominations though Prelatists only be protected and encouraged by her 2. Till I see the contrary proved I believe that Prelatists are more deeply rooted and grounded than Presbyterians in those and other Protestant Principles so far as they are by Law establisht among us in which sence they sufficiently strike at the heart of Popery even by this Authors own confession p. 34. 44. where he assures us if we may rely on his bare word that Let but the Protestant Doctrine as 't is by Law establisht in the Church of England be upheld and preached and 't will raise up a genuine off-spring of sound Protestants and therefore England may continue Protestant though Prelatists only are encouraged and Presbyterians rooted out which therefore may be done in Justice and Reason of State notwithstanding this Argument to the contrary As for his story p. 37. 47. I observe 1. that the English Roman Catholicks are called a Faction in Religion which is strange language from the pen of a Venetian Agent 2. That the Agent look'd not upon Puritans as Protestants which as this Author tells us p. 38. the Presbyterians complain of as a palpable injury and give evident proof that they of right have as much Interest in that venerable Name as English Prelatists Now really I am much of his mind in this particular if by Protestants he mean such as approve of Subjects protesting against the will the pleasure of their Soveraign and such as deny obedience to the Edicts and commands of Kings and Emperors or lawful Superiors and if Romanizing spirits call this Puritanism perhaps he well observes p. 39. 49. that the more primitive times of protestantism were more leaning to it I add than they should have been and I hope puritans have a greater portion of those venerable qualities than prelatists But if he mean by protestants such as practically own the truth of the English protestant Doctrine by Law establisht in the Church of England in which sence I suppose the Venetian Agent implicitly denied puritans to be protestants I acknowledge the name of protestant in that notion venerable since in that notion 't is a part of Christianity and shall be very glad if this Author can produce any evident proofs that the presbyterians have any right to and interest in that name which till he do he must pardon me if I suspend my assent since himself has given another character of them p. 22. and 29. 32. and 39. and if he had not their practises especially of late years too evidently prove them to be creatures hugely differing from true English protestants forasmuch as the Discipline of the Church of England excludes such Animals from its Communion Watson in his second Quodlibet and first Article proposes this Question Whether the Jesuits or Puritans be more dangerous pernicious and noisom to the Commonwealth of England Scotland or any other Realm where both or either of them live together or apart He answers thus The Jesuits
THE Presbyterians Unmask'd OR ANIMADVERSIONS UPON A Nonconformist Book CALLED The Interest of ENGLAND IN THE Matter of RELIÌ„GION Nihil â—cci diciâ— 3 Iâ—o Nihil Fateris QVISEQVITUR ME NON AMBULAT IN TENâ—â—RIS Non Quis sed Quid. Not Who but What. LONDON Printed for R. Royston Bookseller to his most Sacred Majesty at the Angel in Amen-Corner 1676. THE PREFACE THough perhaps there have been several Junctures since 1661. wherein the publishing of these Animadversions which were then finished would have been judged more seasonable yet I must profess my self in the number of those men who believe nothing of this nature can come out unseasonably till either the Old cause cease to be thought good or else the good old cause cease to be on the Anvile And who can imagine but that it is so still when men still endeavour to support factious Parties in opposition to the Laws of the Land Nay have the impudence to inveigh even against the Laws themselves that were designed to secure the State for the future against the malignant influences and the disturbing pernicious attempts of Presbyterian as well as other Sectarian Spirits witness that late vile Letter from a Person of Quality to his Friend in the Countrey in which the able but more daring Author accuses the Act for regulating Corporations as keeping many of the wealthiest worthiest and soberest men out of the Magistracy of those places The Act which settled the Militia as establishing a standing Army by a Law and swearing us into a Military Government Whereas nothing does more justify the necessity of a standing Army of which such a jealousie is pretended than the cross-grain'd seditious humours of those men who exclaim most against it The Five-mile Oxford Act as imposing a most unlawful and unjustifiable Oath and the Act for Uniformity as that which rendered Bartholomew-day fatal to our Church and Religion in throwing out a very great number of worthy learned pious and Orthodox Divines In which glorious Titles the Presbyterian Divines were without doubt intended to have the greatest share and the Lay-Presbyterians in the forementioned character of the Wealthiest Worthiest and Soberest men 'T is a wonder he did not add and most loyal Subjects but it may be he was not so intimately acquainted with them as this John Corbet was who is so profuse and lavish of his praises as to commend Presbyterians Interest of England p. 66. 2. Edit even on this score too We affirm boldly says he that those for whom we plead viz. Presbyterians must needs be good Subjects to a Christian King and good members of a Christian Commonwealth The Man I confess has an excellent knack at whitening Aethiopians and putting Wolves into sheeps clothing But he must not be angry if we endeavour for our own and other mens security to strip them of that covering lest under the specious disguises of Religion Reformation and Liberty they once more rend and tear us and make us a prey to Atheism Confusion and Tyranny It concerns us to have the Presbyterian vizor taken off and these worthy learned sober serious Gentlemen of the padd exposed in their proper shape and features that so they may be too well known to be suffered to rob us any more of our Laws Government Order Peace and tranquillity And therefore he does a very good office who at any time gives men warning to take heed of these devouring Sepulchres And because this demure Author had taken so much pains to make them appear beautiful outwardly I thought it worth mine to pare away the grass and to set a fresh mark upon them that so honest men might not fall into them unawares nor permit themselves to be again defiled with Presbyterian uncleanness Imprimatur Maii 2. 1676. G. Jane R. P. D. Henr. Episcopo Lond. Ã Sac. Dom. ANIMADVERSIONS on a Book Entitled The Interest of ENGLAND in the matter of RELIGION THE Author having told us Page 16. 26. 2. Edit that among the various disagreeing Parties within this Kingdom two main ones appear above the rest viz. the Episcopal and Presbyterian and that the disunion between these Parties must be removed either by the abolition of one Party or by the coalition of both into one or by a toleration indulg'd to the weaker side he proceeds p. 17. 27. without staying to inform us how disunion of Parties may be said to be remov'd either by the abolition or toleration of one Party to that which he presumes the great case of the time and therefore proposes it as the subject of his discourse viz. in which of these three ways Abolition Coalition or Toleration the true Interest of the King and Kingdom lies And the first thing that he enquires into is Whether in Justice or reason of State the Presbyterian Party should be rejected and depressed or protected and encouraged Which Party he distinguishes from Prelatists by these Characters which p. 20. 30. he calls their main and rooted Principles 1. They admire and magnify the holy Scriptures and take them for the absolute perfect Rule of Faith and life without the supplement of Ecclesiastical Tradition yet they deny not due respect and reverence to venerable Antiquity 2. They assert the study and knowledge of the Scriptures to be the duty and priviledge of all Christians yet they acknowledge the necessity of a standing Gospel-ministery and receive the directive Authority of the Church not with implicit Faith but the Judgment of Discretion 3. They hold the teaching of the Spirit necessary to the saving knowledge of Christ yet they hold not that the spirit brings new Revelations 4. They exalt divine ordinances but debase humane inventions in Gods worship particularly Ceremonies properly religious and of instituted mystical signification yet they allow the natural expressions of reverence and devotion as 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 5. 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 withal they affirm constantly that good works of piety towards God and of justice and charity towards men are necessary to salvation 6. Their Doctrine bears full conformity with that of the Reformed Churches held forth in their publick confessions and particularly with that of the Church of England in the 39 Articles only one or two passages peradventure excepted so far as they may import the asserting of Prelacy and humane mystical Ceremonies 7. They insist much on the necessity of Regeneration and therein lay the ground-work for the practice of Godliness 8. They press upon themselves and others the severe exercise not of a Popish outside formal but a spiritual and real mortification and self denial according to the power of Christianity 9. They are strict observers of the Lords
day and constant in Family-Prayer 10. They abstain from Oaths yea petty Oaths and the irreverent usage of Gods name in common discourse 11. They are sober just and circumspect in their whole conversation Such says he is the temper and constitution of this Party which in its full latitude lies in the middle between those that affect a ceremonial worship and the height of Hierarchical Government on the one hand and those that reject an ordained ministery and settled Church-Order and regular Vnity on the other hand Now either the man would have all these particularly look'd upon as truly discriminating characters of the Presbyterians from the Prelatical party or he would not if he would not to what end does he here mention them and that as middle Principles in reference to the two extremes viz. Prelatists and rejecters of an Ordain'd ministery and settled Church-order and regular unity if he would with what face justice or honesty does he imply that the Prelatists magnify not the holy Scriptures as the absolute perfect rule of Faith and life that they deny the study and knowledge of the Scriptures to be the duty and priviledge of all Christians or the teaching of the Spirit to be necessary to the saving knowledge of Christ that they exalt not divine ordinances that they worship not God in the spirit according to the simplicity of Gospel Institutions that they affirm not constantly good works towards God and men necessary to salvation c. Let him evince if he can that the Prelatists are thus culpable if he cannot he deserves to be reckon'd not in the number of such Presbyterians as are just and circumspect in their whole behaviour but of such as practically deny justice and charity towards men to be necessary to salvation And if he can with truth affirm as I suppose he may that the Presbyterian party believe S. James his Epistle and the second chapter of it to be Canonical Scripture and that according to his doctrine verse 10. he that offends in one point of the Law of liberty is guilty of all they are little beholding to him for exhibiting such a Character of them to the world wherein so very few of those excellent vertues taught by our Saviour in his Sermon on the mount and inculcated as Essential to Christianity and absolutely necessary to salvation are mentioned as practised by that Party I am sure Prelatists have great reason to complain of his fraudulent disingenuous dealing in endeavouring to cheat the world with such an imperfect pourtraicture of the Presbyterian party wherein his behaviour is no more commendable than his would be who had either ignorance or confidence enough to give this as an adequate description of the Sect of the Pharisees viz. They were persons that disdain'd not to hear John the Baptist's Sermons and to come to his Baptism Matth. 3. 5 7. They gathered together also to hear Christ himself Luk. 5. 17. Mark 2. 6. They kept him company at Feasts as appears from Mark 2. 16. and abroad Matth. 12. 2. One of them invited him to his house to Dinner Luk. 7. 36. They made long Prayers Matth. 23. 14. They gave Alms Matth. 6. 2. They fasted twice a week and gave Tythes of all they had Luk. 18. 12. They outwardly appear'd righteous Matth. 23. 27 28. They avoided the Society of such as were reputed sinners and offensive in their lives and therefore accused Christ though wrongfully for eating with them Matth. 9. 11. They were the most exact and strictest Sect of the Jewish Religion their Doctrine was say some least corrupt of which Sect Paul was Act. 26. 5. Their Disciples as well as S. John's were exercised in fasting and prayer Luk. 5. 33. Would our Author account it candid and sincere dealing if one of the Pharisees friends should present him with such a partial character of them would he not look upon it as too grosly parasitical and scandalously favourable especially if exhibited in order to the reâ—olution of such a question as this Whether the Pharisaical Party ought in Justice to be rejected and depressed or protected and encouraged by our Saviour or whether they ought to be called Hypocrites Serpents and a Generation of Vipers and to have Woe denounced against them eight times in one Sermon would he think it fairly done to conceal their devouring widows houses their straining at Gnats and swallowing Camels their covetousness their neglecting the weightier matters of the Law Judgment mercy and Fidelity Or suppose the question were put Whether in justice or reason of State the Jesuits should be rejected and depressed or protected and encouraged here in England Would he in order to the decision of this question rest content with this character of that Society viz. they believe all the books of the Old and New Testament which the English Protestants own to be the word of God They assent to all the Articles of the Creed commonly called the Apostles Creed They acknowledge the necessity of a standing Gospel-ministry They allow the natural expressions of reverence and devotion and those circumstances of decency and order the omission whereof would make the Service of God either undecent or less decent They affirm works of piety towards God and of charity towards men to be necessary to salvation I say would this man judge this character of that Society so entire and comprehensive as that a more full and impartial decyphering of them would be needless in reference to a right determination of that question I trow not Would he not judge this also fit to be considered viz. whether they deny that Faith is to be kept with Protestants Whether they own the Kings Supremacy in all matters over all persons Ecclesiastical and Civil within his own Dominions Whether they will take the Oath of Allegiance and fidelity to Him his Heirs and Successors Whether they approve Subjects taking up Arms against their Soveraign whether they are persons resolved to yield all due obedience to the Laws of the Land and constitutions of our lawful Governours both Ecclesiastical and Civil supreme and subordinate Surely Reason of State if by that be meant State-Policy in order to self-preservation will prompt all Kings and Princes diligently and deliberately to enquire and consider whether those who would be protected and encouraged by them deserve to have such a black character affixt upon them or no and consequently they might justly treat that Writer with severity who should dare to move Kings to protect and encourage such persons by giving in a list of a few wholsome opinions of theirs and trecherously or rather traiterously concealing their damnable and pernicious tenents That this mans Character of the English Presbyterians is of this nature may be evident to any person that reflects upon and seriously considers their solemn League and Covenant fram'd and imposed in the time of the Long Parliament in the first Article whereof they swear that they will sincerely and constantly endeavour in their
Discipline and Government is founded and exercised 2. Whether those English Presbyterians who have covenanted to endeavour the reformation of Religion in the Kingdom of England in Discipline and Government according to the example of the best reformed Churches in the number of which Churches they may well be supposed to reckon the Kirk of Scotland ought not to be look'd upon as persons engaging themselves to imitate that Kirk by endeavouring the Introduction of the like practices here in England grounded on the like principles 3. Whether therefore such an approbation of those Principles and Practices ought not in justice to have been mentioned as part of their Character and 4. Whether persons that may justly have such a character affixt upon them ought in justice or reason of State to be protected and encouraged or rejected and depressed Whereas this Author tells us p. 24. 34. that the men of the Presbyterian perswasion are not lukewarm but true zelots I answer They are so much the more dangerous and more likely to be Instruments of mischief unless their zeal be ballasted with knowledge and discretion and exerted in lawful ways Indeed if they are like the Scotch Disciplinarian zelots before mentioned they are so far from being lukewarm that they are rather Seditious Incendiaries and prone to nothing more than the kindling of devouring Fires in that Nation where they are encourag'd Nevertheless says he they have no fellowship with the spirit of Enthusiastical and Anabaptistical fancy and frenzy What! not in their main and rooted Principles By which he characterizes them p. 20 21. 30 31. which I intimate chiefly as another Argument of the lameness and imperfection of that character We have reason to believe that our modern Presbyterians are somewhat better than their Forefathers if they do not agree with them and the Anabaptists 1. In disturbing the Church under pretence of reforming it 2. In labouring both by conferences in private and by Sermons in publick to draw the common people from their liking the present State 3. In publishing factious Books to the view of the world 4. In disdaining and reproaching Magistrates for endeavouring to bring them to conformity by compulsion 5. In slandering and reviling those Ministers that withstand their factious proceedings attributing much good to themselves and pouring contempt and discredit upon their opposites 6. In impugning the prescript Form of Prayer 7. In holding that the word of God must of necessity be preach'd before the Administration of the Sacraments 8. In protesting that they go not about to take any authority from Magistrates even while they seek to overthrow the Government of the State That the Anabaptists in Germany were thus guilty and the Presbyterians in England in Q. Elizabeth's days I refer the Reader for proof to Oliver Ormerod's picture of a Puritan written about those times and reprinted 1605. wherein he endeavours to prove that the Puritans then resembled the Anabaptists in above fourscore Points See also Archbishop Whitgift's defence of his Answer to the Admonition p. 33 34. in Fol. And I wish it were not easie to manifest that our late Covenanting Presbyterians have had too much fellowship with the spirit of these Anabaptistical Frenzies now mention'd who says this Author are no Fanaticks although they begin to be by some abus'd under that name But he might have known that turbulent Presbyterians have been so call'd long since by one that had skill enough to give persons such names as were suitable to their Natures even King James himself in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 B. 2. where speaking of some Scotch Puritans such fiery-spirited-Presbyterians as endeavoured to introduce a parity in the Church you shall never find says he with any High-land or Border Thieves more lies and vile perjuries than with those Fanatick Spirits c. But says this Author they are persons of known learning prudence piety and gravity in great numbers Here it may be question'd 1. How he can prove this Encomium of them to be true 2. Whether the Quakers do not excel them in gravity the Anabaptists in piety the Independents in prudence the Prelatists in learning and some Jesuits in all four and yet this Author seems willing enough to have all these parties rejected and depressed Besides of inferior rank a vast multitude of knowing serious honest people 1. This also wants proof 2. The more learning prudence piety and gravity those of the superior rank have the more peaceably and quietly they will live under lawful Governours and the more obediently they will submit to their Laws which therefore if either they or those of inferior rank refuse to do they are either less knowing or less serious and honest than in conscience it concerns those to be who expect to be protected and encouraged by Governors None of all which are led blindfold by Tradition or implicit Faith This man sure is a very knowing person himself if he be so well acquainted with all the Presbyterians as to be able to aver this of them all or of a vast multitude of them upon good grounds But is he indeed certain that none of them are so lazy ignorant and sottish as to be led blindâ—old by the Tradition and dictates of their Presbyterian Parsons Did none of them by an implicit Faith believe it lawful to take the Covenant Do none of them by an implicit Faith believe the Rites and Forms by Law and Canons establisht among us unlawful p. 29. 39. Was it not an implicit Faith in the seditious Doctrines of the Society of Jesus whereby they believed it lawful to take up Arms against their lawful Soveraign Or do run headlong into Fanatick delusions Are any turn'd Fanaticks at last but those that were first such Presbyterians as himself describes p. 21 22 But they give up themselves to the sole direction and authority of the holy Scriptures He hath told us before that they deny not due respect and reverence to venerable Antiquity p. 20. 30. Let him shew if he can how they respect and reverence venerable Antiquity if they afford it not some directive Authority 2. Why may not Independents and Anabaptists as well be said to give up themselves to the sole direction and Authority of the holy Scriptures as Presbyterians Wherefore impartial Reason will conclude that they chose this way as with sincerity of affection so with gravity of judgment and that the things themselves even the more disputable part of them as that against the Hierarchy and Ceremonies are such as may frequently prevail with good and wise men Which inference signifies nothing till the truth of the premises be clear'd except the Authors confidence that the Prelatists have reason to believe whatsoever he says in the praise of Presbyterians merely because he is bold enough to say it Inasmuch as they appear to those that have embrac'd them to have the Impress of Divine Authority and the Character of Evangelical Purity Dares this Author deny that the Principles of
robbed the King of his Supremacy in Ecclesiastical affairs and traiterously placed it in some Lords Temporal and Commons Is the metamorphosing of our venerable Church-Liturgy into a thing called a Directory the extirpating of our Church-government by Archbishops Bishops Deans c. the casting off of the Rites and Ceremonies establisht by Law and fancying them unlawful is this I say the life and power of that Doctrine before mentioned Is Covenanting and combining against the loyal Asserters of the Kings Supremacy and our Liturgy of our Prelacy and Ceremonies as Incendiaries Malignants and evil Instruments the life and power of that Doctrine Durst this J. C. have canted at this rate unless he had before-hand braz'd his Forehead with Impudence For what besides was it that made him talk thus and further to say and testifie that Let but the Free use of the Holy Bible be permitted to the common people and this Presbyterian Generation of men will spring up afresh by the immortal seed of the word Let him prove if he can that they will spring up any otherwise than Independents Anabaptists and Quakers do viz. by a misunderstanding of some places in the holy Bible and perverting them to unholy practises which 't is no great wonder if unlearned and unstable persons such as too many of the common people are be guilty of Grotius in his notes on Cassander's consultation would have the reading of the Scripture permitted to all men but Hauriant says he quantum necesse actutum est minimè verò de locis omnibus jus sibi sumant interpretandi sed consulant eruditos He would not have them assume to themselves a right of Interpreting all places of Scripture but to advise with learned men and ask their judgment Which counsel as Rivet approved of in his Animadversions p. 203. so it behooves common people to follow lest otherwise that permission occasion their destruction 2 Pet. 3. 16. He goes on 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 many a disposition and practice in some sort thereunto conformable Which words by the way unless understood cum grano salis will smell of Socinianism but come out of the clouds O thou Presbyterian and tell us whether thou thinkest this to be pure spiritual heavenly Doctrine Let every soul be subject to the higher powers Whosoever resisteth the power resists the Ordinance of God And they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Be subject not for wrath only but for Conscience sake Where the word of a King is there is power and who may say unto him What dost thou Mark them which cause divisions among you contrary to the Doctrine which you have been taught and avoid them The works of the Flesh are manifest which are these Hatred variance emulation wrath strife seditions heresies envyings Murders They that do these thing shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Put them in mind that they be subject to Principalities and Powers that they obey Magistrates be ready to every good work that they speak evil of no man that they be no brawlers fighters but gentle soft shewing all meekness to all men Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves Where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether unto the King as Supreme or to Governours as to those that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers Honour all men Love the brotherhood Fear God Honour the King Servants be subject to your Masters with all fear not only to the good and gentle but also to the froward Let none of you suffer as a murderer or as a Thief or an evil-doer or as a busie-body in other mens matters c. What thinkest thou J. C. Do these and the like Scriptures press any point of internal renovation and the new birth and the power of Christianity or no Is the Presbyterian party perswaded of the heavenliness and spirituality of this Doctrine or do they account it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to love their enemies to bless such as curse them to do good to those that hate them to pray for such as despitefully use them and persecute them Hath their practice manifested that they esteem this imitation of the divine goodness a piece of holy singularity Hath their way here in England been none other than the life and power of that part of the Law of Christ Have they accounted it a part of holy circumspection to redeem time in evil days to purchase to themselves a longer time to do good in by all just complyances by honest actions by a fair civil carriage a peaceable conversation by bending in all those flexures of fortune and condition which they cannot help See Dr. Taylor 's Sermon on Mat. 10. 16. Or have they acted as if they believed these other passages of Scripture to be divinely inspired If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me Except you be converted and become as little children in all humility and subjection ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Take my yoke upon you Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart If when you do well and suffer for it ye take it patiently this is acceptable with God Christ hath suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not In the last days perilous times shall come for men shall be lovers of themselves covetous boasters proud cursed speakers false accusers intemperate fierce despisers of them that are good traytors heady high-minded having a Form of Godliness but denying the power thereof from such turn away We beseech you brethren that you study to be quiet and to meddle with your own business If any man love life and would see good days let him refrain his Tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile let him seek peace and ensue it Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall ever see the Lord. The fruit of the spirit is love peace long-suffering meekness gentleness Now speak out man is this pure spiritual heavenly Doctrine or no Is the practising of it a duty incumbent upon all that would testifie themselves internally renewed or is it not Is the contrary neglect an argument of an unregenerate person were these things written by the Pen-men of Scripture with such Authority and Majesty as to beget in Presbyterians a disposition and practice in any tolerable measure thereunto conformable If this Author has the confidence to answer in favour of Presbyterians let him evince or at least endeavour to evince that their Covenanting to overthrow
Nobility Gentry and Commonalty and when they had got the power in their hands O what grateful and ingenuous returns they made them for that benignity and favour They ruin'd the Bishops not sparing even those most heartily Protestant Bishops who had been so benign and favourable to them they raised a War against the King plundered sequestred murthered those that adhered to him and by degrees extorted from himself such grand diminutions of his Royal Prerogative as that they left him little more than the Title of a King And are such men as these such true English Protestants so good Christians as that they ought in justice and reason of State to be still treated benignly and favourably Nay rather should not King Nobles and Commons p. 40. 50. remember their darling Protestantism I mean that good English Protestantism contained in the 39. Articles by Law establisht in the Church of England that true mean between Fanatick and Jesuitical Protestantism Should not I say King Nobles and Commons remember this their darling and in reason of State abandon that sort of persons who have contributed so much to the destruction of it Let them not sleep securely while the seeds-men of the envious one sow the Tares of Division in our Field not only to weaken and hinder but to choak and eat out our English Protestant Faith Order and Government And let our gracious Soveraign still shew himself gracious where his undeserved clemency is like to produce happy permanent effects but on the other side let the mischiefs that befel his Royal Father through the stubborn Insolency of ingrateful and disloyal Presbyterians make him wary in time and circumspectly provident for his own and the Kingdoms safety lest himself also know and feel by sad experience what it is to protect and encourage presbyterians P. 41. 51. The Author takes upon him to vindicate Presbyterians from the many Calumnies with which he tells us they are loaded The first that he mentions is their plucking from the Civil Magistrate his power in Causes Ecclesiastical and erecting Imperium in Imperio Which says he is a groundless and gross mistake and to prove it so he urges the declared judgment of the Highest of that way according to their own words which are these To the Political Magistrate is allowed a Diatactick ordering regulating power about Ecclesiastical affairs in a Political way so that he reforms the Church when corrupted in Divine Worship Discipline or Government But notwithstanding this there may be Imperium in Imperio For the Kirk may assume to themselves the power of judging whether there are such corruptions or no and whether the Civil Magistrate reforms those corruptions in a warrantable manner or no and consequently of checking him in both respects if he chance to judge otherwise than they do witness the next 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 how to be guided and governed when reformed But notwithstanding this there may be Imperium in Imperio For the Kirk may challenge to themselves a power of convening without yea against the Civil Magistrate's command and here they actually challenge the power of conclusively determining how the Church is to be reformed and governed He ratifies and establishes within his Dominions the just and necessary Decrees of the Church in Synods and Councils by his Civil Sanction But notwithstanding this there may be Imperium in Imperio For the Kirk may claim the power of determining whether its own Decrees be just and necessary or no and of puting them in execution though the Civil Magistrate deny to ratify them by his Civil Sanction He judges and determines definitively with ae consequent and political judgment or judgment of Discretion concerning things judged and determined antecedently by the Church in reference to his own Act. But notwithstanding this there may be Imperium in Imperio For the Kirk may take upon them to controul the King as well as private persons if his difinitive Judgment of discretion which they allow to every private person p. 20. 30. in reference to his own act should chance to contradict their antecedent determinations He takes care politically that even matters and Ordinances merely and formally Ecclesiastical be duly managed by Ecclesiastical Persons orderly called thereunto But notwithstanding this there may be Imperium in Imperio For the Kirk may imagine that in case the King refuse to take this Political care themselves may appoint Ecclesiastical Persons to manage them and that their so doing is an orderly call to those Persons to act accordingly He hath a compulsive punitive or corrective power formally Political in matters of Religion in reference to all sorts of Persons and things under his Jurisdiction But notwithstanding this there may be Imperium in Imperio For holy Kirk may deny her self to be in matters of Religion under his Jurisdiction He may Politically compel the outward man of all Persons Church-Officers or others under his Dominion unto External performance of their respective duties and offices in matters of Religion punishing them if either they neglect to do their duty at all or do it corruptly But notwithstanding this also there may be Imperium in Imperio For the Kirk may fancy themselves the only or chief Judges of what are the duties and offices belonging to such and such Persons and whether they neglect or corruptly perform them So that if Presbyterians grant no more power to belong to the King of England in Ecclesiastical matters they deny his Supremacy and consequently erect Imperium in Imperio How they who give up themselves to the sole direction and Authority of the holy Scriptures p. 24. 34. can in reason acknowledge a spiritual power over the Conscience as intrinsecally belonging to the Church I leave him to inform us who would have us believe p. 43. 53 that Presbyterians do not claim for the Convocation or any other Ecclesiastical Convention an Independency on Parliaments That they do not claim it for a Convocation of Bishops and Episcopal men I am apt enough to believe But I cannot entertain any reasonable hope that they who have Covenanted so deeply in the behalf of the Scotch Discipline and Form of Government as to swear an endeavour of reforming things in England according to the example of the Kirk of Scotland as one of the best reformed Churches will acknowledge the ratification of the decrees of all Ecclesiastical conventions to depend on Parliaments For if Bishop Bramhall deceive us not Fair Warning p. 9. 'T is a Scotch maxime that Parliamentary ratifications can no way alter Church-Canons concerning the worship of God for Ecclesiastical Discipline ought to be exercised whether it be ratified by the Civil Magistrate or not The want of a Civil Sanction to the Church is but like lucrum cessans not damnum emergens as it adds nothing
and Idolatry And in the New Testament that covetous Persons revilers extortioners are in the number of those unrighteous men that shall not inherit the kingdom of God that they also who are guilty of idolatry witchcraft hatred variance emulation wrath strife fedition murder shall be excluded the kingdom of Heaven as well as adulterers fornicators drunkards and when 't is evident to us from your practises that you presbyterian Ministers have for many years been in a Scripture account Wizards and Idolaters because you have behaved your selves stubbornly and rebelliously against the command and Authority of God and the King contentiously wrathfully and seditiously against the inferiour Governours sent by him as the supreme that you have born false witness against those that were loyal and obedient Subjects as Traytors Incendiaries c. And then have manifested your selves so insatiably covetous of their goods and legal possessions that some of your party have enjoyed plundered goods and sequestred livings legally belonging to honest Royalists and besides all this you have prayed for the prosperity of Presbyterian Armies and encouraged them to fight against the King and cursed those that did not and the more of the Kings Friends your forces killed the more heartily you gave thanks to God and by such approving compliances are guilty of the bloud of thousands of the Kings Loyal Subjects and consequently of so many murders To kill any man in war without Authority derived from him or them that have legal power to make war being murder and that your Presbyterian Lords and Commons had no such power as to that war which they made and you abetted is evident enough from this that a Law of the Land 25 Edw. 3. c. 2. makes it Treason to levy war against the King in his Realm or to be adherent to the Kings enemies in his Realm giving them aid or comfort in the Realm or elsewhere Since also 't is no better than murder to kill or put those men to death whose lives as well as goods lands c. the Law hath taken special care to preserve you are by your approbation partakers of their sin who murdered such men That you approved the taking away their lives who adhered to the King in the late wars we presume you will not deny yea you covenanted to do them mischief under the Notion of Malignants Incendiaries and Evil Instruments That the Law of the Land saves them harmless is evident from 11 Henry 7. c. 1. Wherein 't is declared to be against all Laws Reason and good conscience that Subjects going with their Soveraign Lord in Wars attending upon him in his person or being in other places by his commandment within this land or without should lose or forfeit any thing for doing their duty or Service of Allegiance Wherein likewise 't was enacted that no manner of person or persons whatsoever that attend upon the King and Soveraign Lord of this Land for the time being in his person and do him true and faithful service of Allegiance in the same or be in other places by his commandment in his wars within this land or without that for the said deed and true duty of Allegiance he or or they be in no wise convict or attaint of high Treason nor of other offences for that cause by Act of Parliament or otherwise by any Process of Law whereby he or any of them shall lose or forfeit life lands tenements rents possessions hereditaments goods chattels or any other things but to be for that deed and service utterly discharged of any vexation trouble or loss And if any Act or Acts or other Process of the Law hereafter thereupon for the same happen to be made contrary to this Ordinance that then that Act or Acts or other Process of Law whatsoever they shall be stand and be utterly void Now you Presbyterian Preachers being thus guilty with what face can you reprove our prophaneness or judge us to Hell for those vices which are but motes in comparison of those beams which an ordinary sight may discern in your own eyes and tell us if you can why these practices of yours do not give us just cause to suspect that either you are very scandalously ignorant of the most material and concerning portions of holy Scripture or that you do not give any credit to them and then why do you seek to affright us from our intemperateness and lewdness with such mormo's as your selves are too sturdy to be scar'd with or else that you have some Salvoes and comfortable reserves which might keep us from despair and make us presume upon Heaven as well as your selves if you would please to acquaint us with them And therefore till your selves are more reformed and civilized and walk more orderly towards God and the King towards the Laws of Nature and Scripture and this Nation you cannot in modesty expect that your Sermons should prevail upon us to restrain our debauchery or convert us from dissoluteness and disorder And now let this Author prove if he can as strongly as he boldly affirms that the men whom he pleads for who are such bad Christians must needs be good Subjects But p. 56. The man goes on to prevaricate and abuse his Readers into a good opinion of Presbyterians Neither are they wandring starrs a people given to Change fit to overturn and pull down but not to build up they do not hang in the air but build upon a firm ground they have settled principles consistent with the Rules of Stable Policy Contrariwise Fanaticks truly and not abusively so called do build Castles in the Air and are fit Instruments to disturb and destroy and root out but never to compose and plant and settle for which cause their Kingdom could never hold long in any time or place of the World Vpon this ground Presbytery not Sectarian Anarchy hath been assaulted with greatest violence by the more observing Prelatists against this they have raised their main batteries This appeared formidable for 't is stable and uniform and like to hold if once settled in good earnest From which heap of words I gather 1. That the Presbyterian Lords and Commons were Fanaticks truly so called since they manifested themselves for several years together fit instruments to disturb and destroy and root out the Order Governours and Government establisht by Law but when they had so far disturbed things as to destroy by Force and Arms that Form of Policy in Church and State when they had done fighting against the King and had gotten him into their clutches instead of shewing their skill in composing planting and setling they employed their time in building Castles in the Air till the Independent Fanaticks out-witted them and cunningly jugled that power out of their hands which they had by force and violence wrested from the hands of his Majesty and the Laws 2. I gather that the principles of the Anarchical sectarians are more consistent with the Rules of Stable-policy than