be one with the Church of Rome unless we be subject to the Court of Rome and abandon all Protestantism Section XXXIV Whereupon all approaches and motions towards Rome are dangerous For popish Agents will easily over-act the Reconcilers peradventure lead them whither they would not If we walk on the brink we may soon fall into the pit Although it stands not with Christian Charity to disclaim agreement upon reasonable tearms with any that are named Christians yet it is not fit for a purer Church to incorporate with a Church defiled with such abominations Besides as to reason of State Enmity with Rome hath been reputed the Stability of England concerning which the Duke of Rhoan hath delivered this Maxime That besides the Interest which the King of England hath common with all Princes he hath yet one particular which is that he ought thoroughly to acquire the advancement of the Protestant Religion even with as much zeal as the King of Spain appears Protector of the Catholick Indeed that Scarlet-coloured Whore hath this bewitching ingredient in the cup of her Fornication that she disposeth Subjects to security and blind obedience and exalteth Princes unto absolute Dominion But against this poison a soveraign Antidote is given by a judicious Writer that this proves that subjects are more miserable not that Princes are more absolute among Papists forasmuch as where the Pope prevails there is a co-domination and rivalty in rule and this Protestant Princes are freed from and whereas Popery hath been ever infamous for excommunicating murthering deposing Princes the Protestant Religion aims at nothing but that the Kings Prerogative and popular Liberty may be even balanced If it be said that this is true of Protestantism but Puritanism leads to sedition rebelIion Anarchy let the world know that Puritanism which is no other than sound Protestantism doth abhor these crimes and defie the charge thereof The people that were called Puritans and now Presbyterians have had no fellowship with Polititians and Sectaries in those pernicious ways but their principle is for subjection to Princes though they were Hereticks or Infidels and if they differ herein from the Prelatical Protestants it is only that they plead for liberty setled by known Laws and fundamental Constitutions Section XXXV From the reasons aforegoing we conclude That Protestantism will best consist in the middle way by reducing Prelacy to the ancient synodical government or moderate Episcopacy And this is a blessed work worthy of a pacifick King w th respect to his honor service whose title is The Prince of Peace Herein his Majesty with Gods help may over-rule without difficulty or hazzard He need not say of those that are averse as David sometimes did of the sons of Zerviah That they are too hard for him Prelacy is not popular but moderate Episcopacy is and the more because it is a healing expedient for our broken times The Bishops depend intirely on the King but he hath no dependance on them no need of advantage from them What if some interessed persons be discontented The sober of the Nation both Episcopal and Presbyterian will have great contentment in the King's prudence and moderation His Majesty is a Prince by Nature He is our Native King and the delight of the English Nation and may govern as he please without fear or hazard by continuing to shew himself a common Father For there is none other upon whom the Inrest of England can bottom it self but our gracious dread Soveraign King Charles whose House and Kingdom let the most High establish throughout all generations He hath all hearts that are of sober principles earnestly waiting upon him longing and panting after his moderation and rejoycing in the begun expressions thereof and of which the Presbyterians have had so great expectation that they wished He were both King Lords and Commons as to the setling of this grand Affair Section XXXVI The excessive dominion of the Hierarchy with the rigorous imposition of humane Ceremonies was accounted much of the malady of former times which ended in those deadly Convulsions of Church and State Do we here reproach our Mother the Church of England In no wise This National Church consists of the Body of the Nation combined in the Unity of Faith and substance of Divine worship according to God's holy Word But if the Church be taken in a more restrained sence for the Clergy or Ministery yet so the Hierarchy is not the Church either formally or virtually When as according to Camdens report there are in England above nine thousand four hundred Ecclesiastical promotions how comes all the Interest and virtue of such a numerous Clergy to be gathered up in six and twenty Bishops with their respective Deans and Chapters and Archdeacons And can the self-same state and frame of Ecclesiasticks be now revived after so great and long continued alterations by which the anti-prelatical party is exceedingly encreased and strengthened Machiavel whose reason in things political may challenge regard gives these two directions to a Prince to be alike observed for securing his hereditary Dominions First that he doth not transgress the institutions of his Ancestors Secondly That he serve the time according to new occasions by which if a Prince be inducd with ordinary diligence in action he will preserve himself in his principality His Majesty returns to the exercise of his Kingly power after a long interruption in Government and great alteration in the State Civil and Ecclesiastical And he hath this happy advantage presenting it self to his hand that he may give general satisfaction by retaining the ancient Episcopal Government with some necessary variation conformable to these times in abating the excess of former things and qualifying the same with some temperate ingredients Certainly it concerns an hereditary Prince as to maintain the ancient constitutions so to redress ancient grievances and to cure inveterate maladies The party dissatisfied in former things were not a company of precipitate Mutineers but a Parliament of judicious and consciencious persons and their adherents who for the major part never intended to dissolve the Government but have to their power endeavoured and contrived the setling of these Nations on their ancient basis Section XXXVII Moreover this dissatisfaction in the old frame of the Ecclesiastical Government is not a novelty of these times as appears by those prudent considerations touching the better pacification and edification of the Church presented to King James by that most learned Lord Verulam sometimes Lord Chancellour of England who was no Presbyterian nor enemy to Episcopacy in which are these passages There be two circumstances in the administration of Bishops wherein I confess I could never be satisfied The one the sole Exercise of their Authority the other the Deputation of their Authority For the first the Bishop giveth orders alone excommunicateth alone judgeth alone This seems to be a thing almost without example in Government and therefore not unlikely to have crept in in
to contest with Princes and Nobles and all ranks and degrees about their Immunities Priviledges Pre-eminencies to multiply Constitutions and Ceremonies for props to their own Greatness but not to promote the Spiritual Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ in the hearts of people according to the life and power of Christianity The above-named Venetian Gentleman in his Narrative of the Popes Nuncio delivers this Maxime That the Court of Rome in perpetual pursuance of its old pretences is more sollicitous and laborious to reverse and destroy the Oath of Allegiance because it seems contrary to its temporall grandeur then to extirpate such Heresies as the Realm of England is infected with Even so such an Hierarchy will be more industrious and careful to establish and enlarge their own Power Dignity then to maintain and propagate Christs true Religion What are the weapons of the Warfare by which this Mystical State prevails Not such as are mighty through God working upon the conscience but pecuniary Mulcts and greater temporal penalties not to the wounding of the spirit but to the breaking of the outward estate By what wayes and methods must it be advanced The constant and practical preaching of the Word must be discountenanced Snares must be laid for the most zealous Ministers Sports and pastimes on the Sabbath dayes must be held forth with allowance and approbation Men of strict lives and serious in Religion must be reproached for Fanaticks By these means a people being first enthralled to ignorance superstition and profaness will be disposed unto blinde obedience and perfect spiritual bondage For in very deed the State here described will never stand safely among a people that are free serious searching and discerning in matters of Religion For this cause an Hierarchy of this nature hath a strong bias towards Popery Nay it must for its own safety approach as near it as the Nation can well bear The Reformed Religion doth not glory in the vast riches outward pomp and splendour of Ecclesiastical persons Wherefore when the grandeur of Prelates and pomp of Ceremonies is affected and admired the Church of Rome is sure to finde favour in the eyes of the Clergy The said Venetian reports That the Universities Bishops and Divines of this Realm dayly imbrace Catholick Opinions though they profess them not with open mouth for fear of the Puritans In this matter let them stand or fall by the evidence of their own writings Let it be well observed that the designes of suppressing Puritans and complying with Papists in this Nation had their beginning both at once and proceeded in equal paces And it hath appeared that the moderate Cassandrian Grotian Popery was no abomination to many Prelatists The Conciliators of our age have judged Papists and moderate Protestants as they call them very reconcileable but have cast the Calvinists or Puritans without the limits of the pacification Wherefore we cannot conceive that the excessive height of Prelacy I say not this of regulated Episcopacy to be the strongest Bulwark against Popery unless by Popery is meant no more then what the Trent Fathers except the Italians generally opposed to wit the stupendious exorbitant power of the Pope who pretends to be not only Supream but in effect sole Bishop of the Universe as reputing all other Bishops his meer subjects and delegates We confess Popery in this new and strict notion might be controlled by the height of Prelacy But according to a vulgar sence we take Popery in the height thereof for the Heresies and Idolatries and in the lower degree thereof for the gross errors and superstitions of the Church of Rome Section XXXII Moreover pure necessity in that state will constrain the Hierarchy to negotiate with Rome if they subvert and ruine the Presbyterians If in such a case they intend to uphold a Protestant State they understand not their own concernment The Bishops must either retreat to a moderate compliance with Presbyteriaus or advance to a reconciliation with Papists If they had a design to extirpate the Presbyterians and could accomplish it are they able afterwards alone and by themselves to bear up against the main force and to withstand all the wiles and methods of the popish Faction at home and abroad They mistake themselves if they think their unalterable adherents are so numerous and powerful In case they dissipate that other party which hath been always found most active vigorous and vigilant against Romish Encroachments what remains besides themselves and their zealots but a common dronish multitude that will do little for any religion or men of loose principles that would easily embrace Popery as a flesh-pleasing Religion When the common people are left to ignorance and prophaness for servile ends and purposes they are thoroughly prepared for Popery which is a gross sensual formal pompous way agreeable to the multitude whereas Fanaticism the other extreme takes but with a few in comparison because it hath something of pretended illuminations spiritual notions and raptures to which the common multitude is not propense If you ask how hath Prelacy held it out hitherto against Popery even from the first Reformation take notice that the Episcopal Clergy did not go about to exterminate the Puritans before their latter times and then he that had half an eye could discern the notable advance and the confident expectations of the Popish faction Section XXXIII Do any persons conceive a Reconciliation with Rome hopeful or possible upon moderate tearms as they suppose namely the permission of the marriage of Priests the Popes Dispensation for the Oaths of Allegiance and Supermacy so far as it concerns the Kings temporal power the administring of the Communion in both kinds and the Liturgy officiated in the English Tongue Let them observe that Panzani the Popes Nuncio in England declared privately to his intimate friend that the Pope would never admit any man to govern here as Bishop meaning over the Catholicks that should favour the Oath of Allegiance And the reason hereof is evident because it is a thing contrary to the maxims of Rome Moreover in that little History of the said Nuncio there is a passage which being well considered doth evince that the Courts of England and Rome are irreconcileable unless England become intirely papal That Author saith That this Realm is so perversly addicted to maintain its own resolute opinion of excluding the Popes authority that this hath been the cause why the Catholicks who for the first twelve years conformed themselves unto the Politie introduced into the Church of England have since separated from it and to testifie their uniting to the Pope have refused to frequent the Protestant Churches and have therby framed one party in that State Let a fair accord in the general be supposed yet the sole point of the Popes Supremacy shal dash the whole agreement We know that Jesuitism is the predominant humour in the Papacy and nothing can be done without their influence and therefore we cannot
Party which cannot be rooted out but will be always considerable either as friends or enemies especially when those tearms do comprise some part of their victory that should accept them Let the Episcopal Clergy observe the spirit of the Nation and the condition of the Times that they may rightly comprehend the measure of their own hopes The English are a generous Nation and as they delight in the Majesty and Glory of their King so also in the splendid condition of subordinate Governours that their manner of living be in some sort conformable to the dignity and opulency of the Nation Accordingly they seem to take pleasure that the Ecclesiastical State be upheld by a fair Revenue and competent Dignity yet with moderation For if the Clergy do rise to Princely or Lordly wealth and power they may become the envy of the Nobility and Gentry Let them remember they stand by Grace not by their own strength but by their Prince His Favour The Nation in general may be taken with a grave and masculine decency in all Sacred things sutable to their spiritual Majesty but I make a Question whether in this noon-tide of the Gospel they will fall in love with excessive gaudiness pompous shews and various affected gestures in Sacred Administrations and not rather esteem them vanities too much detracting from the dignity and purity of Gospel-Worship In this noon-tide of the Gospel the Bishops cannot magnifie their Office but by other courses then what were taken in former and darker times Meer formalities will no longer dazle our eyes We shall think they have work of an higher nature then to look only to the observation of outward Forms and Rites ann Ceremonies they must make a nearer approach to the Presbyterian practice in the constant Preaching of the Word in the strict observation of the Lords Day in keeping a true watch over the Flock and in correcting the real scandals that break forth in mens conversations And if they walk in these paths the Prelatists and Presbyterians will not be far asunder Perhaps the friends of Prelacy may imagine that in this coalition Presbytery may at length undermine Episcopacy but reason shews that Episcopacy will stand more firm in conjunction with Presbytery then by it self alone In the body natural there is some predominant humour as sanguine cholerick melancholy or phlegmatick yet none of these do subsist alone without the mixture of the rest in a due temperament In like manner the Body Ecclesiastical may be of several complexions or constitutions as Episcopal or Presbyterial according to the predominant quality Now if the Presbyterian Churches would become more firm and stable by the superintendency of one grave President and the truth is in all Presbyteries there appeareth some Episcopacy either formal or vertual so an Episcopal Church may be judged more firm and stable by a Bishops superintendency in consociation with assistant Presbyters And to remove the fear of the incroachments of Presbytery it is easie to discern that Episcopacy if it contains it self within moderate bounds will be always in this National Church the predominant quality In the Conclusion of this Discourse let me offer these few Essayes concerning the pathes of peace Section XLV The glorifying and pleasing of the highest Potentate and universal Monarch and the eternal happiness of immortal precious souls are the most noble and blessed ends of Government Let his Majesties Reign be happy and glorious in attaining these ends A Christian King esteems it the excellency of his regal Power to hold and manage it as the servant of Jesus Christ to be a Protector of the true Church the Body of Christ the Lambs wife for whose redemption Christ dyed and for whose gathering and perfecting the world is continued It is the Character of this true Church to make the holy Scriptures the perfect rule of their faith and life to worship God in spirit and in truth according to the power and spiritual worship of the Gospel to walk by the rule of the new Creature in spiritual mortification and crucifixion to the world to study holinesse in sincerity to strive to advance it in themselves and others and to have influence upon others unto sound knowledge faith humility godlinesse justice temperance charity The true Church lies in the middle between two extreams Formalists and Fanaticks They are of circumspect and regular walking no way forward in attempting or desiring alterations in a civil State A Prince doth hold them in obedience under a double bond For they know they must needs be subject not onely for wrath but for conscience sake Indeed we will not conceal that in lawful wayes they assert that liberty which is setled by the known Laws and fundamental Constitutions the maintaining whereof is the Princ's as much as the Peoples safety Section XLVI That being the happiest politie that is founded in true Religion and most fully suited to mens everlasting concernments it greatly behoveth Governors to mark and avoid those things which bring Religion into contempt and tend to the increase of Atheism and infidelity The many various Sects and absurd opinions and fancies and pretended Revelations of these latter times have much lessened the reverence of Religion in England This is a great evil and much observed and decryed by the present times There is another evil no less injurious to the honour and estimation of Christian piety to wit Ceremonial strictness with real prophaness or at the most but lukewarmness in the real part of Religion And this is the true state of the Papacy by occasion whereof Atheists have so abounded in Italy Machiavel observes in his time that Christianity was no where less honoured then in Rome which is the pretended Head thereof Let this evil be seen prevented and remedied that the sacred name of the Church be given to a society not carnal but truly spiritual according to that of the Apostle We are the Circumcision which worship God in the spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh Section XLVII It is the preheminence of His Majesty as General Bishop of the Land for so He is in a political sence to visit His people of all ranks by His prudent inspection And it is worthy of His chiefest care and search to know whether every Pastor be resident with his own Flock and doth constantly on every Sabbath teach them the good Knowledge of God what Pluralists do seize upon several Congregations thrusting or barring out laborious Ministers and leaving the sheep in the hands of one who is a meer mercinary and careth not for them whether Preaching in Cathedral Churches be more frequent since the reviving of Deans and Chapters then before when those places were supplied by one or two stipendiary Ministers whether the Precincts of Cathedrals be the purest parts of the Land and the Members thereof the purest parts of the Clergy as in reason they ought to be In all His Majesties superintendency there is
nothing of greater moment then to provide that the Order and Frame of Ecclesiasticks have not a tendency to make the superior Clergy proud and covetous and the inferior poor and vicious Section XLVIII A good Constitution or Frame of Ecclesiastical Politie is incomparably more available to produce good effects then good Canons or good Governors can be where the Constitution is naught For in such a state good Canons and good Governours will not be able to reform abuses and correct scandals and promote the true end of Church Discipline In the Trent-Council the Papalins or the Popes Creatures held this for a maxime That the Decrees of Reformation could not diminish the profits of the Court of Rome as long as the Authority of the Apostolique See was not impaired The Council being ended and the Decrees coming to be ratified by the Pope and the Officers of the Court representing their losses and prejudices by the Ratification and the Pope thereby perplexed and the Cardinals divided in their Opinions one Bishop a man well conversant in Court Affairs said That he could not chuse but wonder at this great fear concerning the confirmation of the Decrees which he saw did arise without reason for that Lawes have no power but what is given them by him that Governeth That the Pope by his Exposition might give them a larger or a stricter sence yea and contrary to that which the words do import That he might ordain a particular Congregation for expounding the Council and affectually provide that none should be able to alleadge the Decrees in prejudice of the Court The Pope was satisfied with these reasons being perswaded that it would fall out as the Bishop had said And so the Decrees of Reformation proved of no effect to reform the enormities of the Court of Rome By this it appears that new Laws and Decrees work little where a corrupt Frame remaineth still in force If in such a state of things good men promoted to Government should do their utmost to rule well they are no more able to reform the Churches committed to them then the two Cato's to reform the Roman Common-wealth when it was wholly corrupted and out of frame Beside in a corrupt frame of Politie there are these two great evils the one that good men will soon degenerate the other that bad men led by ambition and avarice will by Arts proper to the times more easily get promotions and a good Prince shall see it and not know how to help it That Politie whether Civil or Eccesiastical is well constituted that in its frame is apt to bridle humane desires but that is ill constituted which lets loose the reins to appetite No function or calling is exempted from the corruption that is in the world through lust And the grandeur of this world is not more perillous to any then to Ecclesiastical persons Section XLIX It is a singular excellency in any frame of Politie that the power of doing good be very ample and that a power to hurt be as much contracted and restrained as the ends of Government will permit And verily no wise and gracious persons would willingly be tempted with a power to hurt if they be sufficiently impowered to do good without it Besides it is an odious power and makes the Office hateful Now the way to this happy Order of things is obvious Let not severe Lawes and Canons concerning things disputable and unnecessary which may insnare the consciences of godly orthodox and peaceable persons remain in force The most zealous assertors and rigid imposers of Ceremonies acknowledge that they are not necessary parts of Worship the declaring That holiness is not to be placed in them is their best defence against the charge of wil-worship Therfore to suspend and silence able and painful Ministers to vex and punish other godly Christians that cannot submit to those Ceremonies is to procure much evil without a benefit to countervail it A power of doing much harm and little good is unhappily placed in any sort of men but especially in Christs spiritual officers who according to the Apostles words have received authority from the Lord for edification and not for destruction Section L. The most renowned Polititian observes that those Kingdoms Republicks and sects of Religions subsist longest that are often renewed or brought back to their first beginnings For the beginnings of all these must needs contain some goodness in them by means whereof they rise to their first reputation and increase Now in process of time that goodness will be overgrown by corruption and unless something happen to reduce it to the just mark those Societies must needs be destroyed And touching Religions he proves these Reformations necessary by the example of the Roman Religion saying If it had not been reduced again to its principles by St. Francis and St. Dominick it would have been quite defaced For these by their poverty and imitation of Christs life made a new impression thereof in mens minds which was quite blotted out thence and their new rules were so powerful and are now the cause that the dishonesty of the Prelates and Heads of Religion do not ruine it partly by their living in poverty and partly by the credit they have in confessing the people and preaching to them Indeed this Author doth not hit the mark and no marvel touching the true principles of Christianity and right imitation of Christ the reviving whereof he ascribes to those two popish Saints but his reason of Religion in general is solid and excellent and his instances in particular are right and sound being applyed as they are to the upholding of the popish Religion As for Religion truly Christian the way to preserve it in its power and glory is frequently to reduce it to its first beginnings for then was its goodness most eminent The primitive spirit of the Christian Church was a spirit of power and glory and the primitive order was most spiritual and powerful Let Christs holy Institutions let Apostolical precept and practice be the pattern of our Reformation What sound Protestant will deny the holy Scriptures to be a perfect rule of all divine Institutions To them we appeal by them would we stand or fall and they mention no Ministers of the Gospel that were not Bishops ruling the flock But in pursuance of peace touching the matter of Episcopacy the moderate Presbyterians are willing to descend to the times lower by one degree and to come to the Ages next following the Scripture-times and to accept what they do present unto us to wit a President-Bishop ruling in consort with Presbyters and Officer not of an other Order then Presbyters but of an higher degree in the same Order We appeal to those times concerning this matter And they that admire and almost adore antiquity should not deny our just appeal And wherein stands the power and glory of the Church militant Doth it stand in the pompous shews of Ceremonious worship with the