Discipline Uniformity and Ceremonies yet because all men have not the command of their own understandings it hath not fallen out accordingly And the King 's Sacred Majesty well declares it That He hath found little fruit of these ways of Coertim for these twelve years past So that it hath not only pleased some Worthy Persons to move for a Comprehension in several Sessions of Parliament in order to the cure of our Divisions which have hitherto been obstructed or laid aside But it hath pleased the Kings Majesty to give out His own Gracious Declaration for Indulgence which whether it ought now to be accepted by the Presbyterians as the Case or as their Principles lie is the Question It cannot be denied but that all the Presbyterians wishes and desires are to enjoy their Liberties in publick places and to be restored to the exercise of their Ministry again by the same Full and Legal Authority which thought fit to lay them aside that they may not seem to abet or espouse any unwarrantable Separation or be entangled in any real or reputed Schisme or offensive distance or distinction either in place or practice from the Church of England to whom be all peace and prosperity Nor would they seem to neglect the discharge of their duty when called to it nor slight His Majesties Kindness so freely and graciously offered especially when He in deep reason of State thinks it may be an Expedient to procure that Unity and Reconciliation which all other forcible course could not hitherto effect Some think this the way for unity others that it tends to Schism and Faction Whose Judgments should be followed If we proceed we offend our Fathers and Brethren if we refuse we give occasion to our Soveraign to think us a company of sowr and ungovernable men whom neither kindness nor severity will soften when as God Almighty who knows our hearts sees and knows otherwise and that we are ready as far as we can to obey and where we cannot to suffer in all humble silence and submission Now the Question as I said before is Whether the Presbyterians may not according to their Principles accept of His Majesties Indulgence without offence or self-contradiction CHAP. III. THe Affirmative I prove thus 1. From the Nature of this Acceptance which is a thankful Acceptance of His Majesties Grace and Favour and an inward willingness signified in this outward acceptance of His Majesties Kindness to be at the employment which they are appointed and ordained to Now inward thankfulness and sense of duty and outward preaching of the Gospel with an earnest endeavour to promote Gods Glory the Kings Honour the Kingdomes Happiness the Churches Peace and to discharge their own duty in the several capacities and relations which the Providence of God and the Prudence of a Christian and Protestant Prince shall cast us into is not simply evil which seems to be their Case and to have no intrinsecal or formal evil in it For Consequences which may fall out or Offences which may be taken accidentally or invidious reflections while a man is doing his duty these are things incident and adherent to the most warrantable and just actions and are not to be taken any cognizance of where the agent is right in his intentions and the action in its substantial ingredients as it is abstracted from the Agent 's infirmities and indiscretions and the by-standers active and passive miss-representations and ill constructions 2. Such an Acceptance of a Favour from their Prince is not contrary to the principles and practices of Presbyterians quatenas Presbyterians for the Notion and Principle that denominateth them such is that a Bishop is not an higher Order or Degree of Ministry in the Church than the Priesthood in other things they agree with the established Doctrine and Faith of the Church of England and are willing to submit to the Discipline thereof as it is by Law established And how such a point should make all this great difference or be inconsistent with the acceptance of a kindness offered them by His Majesty is a thing not to be conceived it may be as well said if the King should offer them a Living with their liberty or publick places to preach in or a maintenance for themselves and their Families it is against their principles to take it But for my part I neither take them to be such a company of fools as to do so nor do I believe doth the Debater think so nor do I believe would he himself do so if he had their Sentiments or were in their Circumstances Nor is it against the Presbyterians practices for they all along together with their Episcopal Brethren accepted of the Liberty then offered and indulged to them in the late times of Usurpation and why they should not do it now in the Reign and from the Hands of their most Rightful Soveraign I see not The Primitive Christians fell to their work and bless'd God when they had any respite from the Tyranny and Oppression of Heathenish and cruel Princes And why they should either with scorn or fullenness reject any kindness from a Christian Protestant and Gracious Prince is not to be apprehended Withal considering that there are as severe resolved Presbyterians in France and other places as we have here in England and no body upbraids them that I can hear of for going against their Principles and Consciences in accepting and improving the Liberty therein granted to the Honour of God and the peace of the Church Obj. But in France they have another Religion uppermost and they are bound to preach the Gospel as it lies in their way in opposition to it Here there is the same Religion which the Presbyterians profess and the same Church which they are Members and Ministers of and they ought not to set up Altar against Altar Answ This is no setting up Altar against Altar nor any undermining of the Doctrine or Church of England on the Presbyterians part but a subservient Duty tending to the Unity and Peace thereof in such a capacity as His Majesty hath thought fit to place them Some are appointed to rule as Bishops others to assist in Rule and Government as Deans and Chapters others to preach the Gospel in publick Churches and Chappels And if His Majesty give way to such as you call Presbyters to pursue the same ends in publick Halls or private Houses who can think much since the work goes on in the lowest as well as the highest Officers and places Obj. But the Presbyterians in former times preached and wrote against Toleration and Indulgence and if they do now fall in with it they contradict themselves Answ Some did and some did not but however in those dayes when Errors and Heresies first appeared there was greater need and reason of a severe declaring against them and a toleration of them than afterwards when they had so generally spread themselves all the Kingdom over that if it had been
their relation to and communion with the Church of England or not which indeed is ridiculous and contradictious For the truth is they seem such as I am acquainted with to be so far from desiring to know whether they may go against their principles or not that they would not though they might have a particular dispensation for it but desire to comport themselves as they have hitherto done towards their Mother the Church of England with all duty and good manners and to have their actions at the offers of their duty pass without offence or mis-representation CHAP. II. THerefore the Question in my opinion ought to be this Whether the Presbyterians considering their great endeavours and desires to enjoy a Legal Indulgence and Comprehension by the Law of the Land as to some Scholastick and disputable points betwixt them and their Superiors Fathers and Brethren which are not essential to the government of Church and State the government whereof many of them upon their Oaths have obliged themselves not to alter and not being yet able to proeure it and having given sufficient testimony of their Sobriety and Peaceableness these ten years last past may not at this time accept of His Majesties Indulgence in His Declaration without offence or self-contradiction For the clearing whereof it is necessary to premise these things 1. That the interest of the Church of England both as to the being and well-being of it ought to be promoted and encouraged by all the Members and Ministers thereof and all safe means and wayes as speedily and as effectually undertaken as may be for the advancement thereof considering her danger from Papists and Phanaticks which offer to swallow up all the one by an Infallible Supremacy the other by an Infallible Spirit and both vain and counterfeit 2. Those persons which you call Presbyterians which have been secluded from their Ministry these years past by the Act of Uniformity are not conscious to themselves of any inward principle of Opinion or Disaffection contrary to the Church of England and that many of them in all Counties have so behaved themselves by attending upon the worship of God as it is now establish'd in publick that the Ministers of their several parishes may and will testifie with them of the decency and inoffensiveness of their carriage and attendance hitherto though it may be some others where there have been no Churches or Ministers scandalous and unprofitable may have adventured sometimes to have preached in private for the Service of such a destitute people and for some maintenance too happily for themselves and Families which otherwise might have starved the manner of their Education unfitting them for manual Labour and all this without any affront to the Laws or enervation of the strength and Doctrine of the Churches to which they severally belong therefore are not altogether unfit to be comprehended in any Act Statute License or Indulgence which may further the settlement and tranquility of the Church 3. And if so it is not unsafe but profitable at all times to strengthen its interest and multiply and encourage such Ministers and Members as are ready in their Consciences and by their study diligence and peaceableness to do as much good as they can since Turks Papists and they of the separation are all for the encrease of their number and the Church in the primitive times looked upon it as its Glory that there were added to it daily such as should be saved and Jews Gentiles and discontented persons were then converted and after their Conversion Ordination and Usefulness in the Church were encouraged notwithstanding some minute differences in Disposition and Opinion And methinks the Church of England should not at any time look upon it for her honour and peace to narrow her own Interest and perplex her Followers with unnecessary Subscriptions Impositions or Altercations especially considering these Presbyterians are still so ready to stick by her living and dying notwithstanding all their discouragements and disappointments when as others fall in with her more for her Dividends than her Doctrine and if a man may see any thing in its causes will make it appear so if ever she should be in danger 4. Small and little considerations ought not for ever to keep the breach and wound open considering how these smaller matters were dispensed with not only in the Apostles times and by persons and superiours who were divinely inspired but also in after-Ages when differences arose about these little things and were very hot and high at the beginning yet were very fairly and prudently taken up when both sides had spent their heats as particularly in the business of Easter which Irenaeus though of Victor's mind did endeavour to compose by a fair and fraternal Indulgence non molliter Victorem ipsum reprehendebat as Eusebius tells us for being so fierce and imperious in a Custom of that nature And it is likely the Papists would allow many things which they peremptorily enough insisted upon in the beginning of the Reformation as Priests Marriages and the Sacrament in both kinds could they have the Church of England theirs as it was before And why our men should not do the like to their Brethren of whose peaceableness and soundness in the Faith they have had so good experience for the Churches increase and glory especially in minutioribus hisce I understand not why they should not be as tender of all her Members and Ministers and endeavour with as much prudence and indulgence to keep them together in a true Church as her ancient predecessors did and her Enemies and Underminers still do Yea considering withall that with some persons they do it daily and such things are connived at and indulged even amongst Conformists themselves one way they have in Cathedrals another in Parochial Churches some pray towards the East others do not so some bow others bow not why then should there not upon the same ground be the same dispensations in other reputed Indifferences That which hath been done may be done again in cadem materia Considering withal that the substantial peace and unity which this brings along with it and is now obstructed is really better than the external decency and order which the strict imposing of these â—nnâ—oâ—ssaries may promote And besides it is also said that even some of the very Doctrinal Articles of the Church of England themselves are so cautiously and temperately warded for peace sake that even they that have different sentiments and apprehensions thereof may and do subscribe them And if this Liberty may be given in Doctrine wherein the Subscribers dispute pro and con why may it not also in Ceremonies and Mods of Worship especially if the peace of the Church so require it I shall leave to my Betters to consider and determine 5. Though great expectations have been that more might have come in in all this time that the Church of England might have been more glorious in her Numbers
possible they might have been prevented and crushed in the beginning but since they have grown now so far other means must be used and not the same Methods followed with springing and overgrown Diseases Besides many of those that declared against such a Toleration if not all of them are dead and gone and there are others now who are postrati to those times who now suffer who were not capable of saying or doing any thing about publick mattters To all which I adde that our Episcopal Brethren if it should ever be possible that they should live under the same discouragement and disadvantage now from His Majesty or any of His Successors or the Law which the Presbyterians now do lie under and had a grant of their Liberty offered them in common with others if they would please to let us know what they would then do notwithstanding all their Declarations and Reasons against Toleration Indulgence and Comprehension at this time it is verily thought that the Presbyterians are 〈◊〉 so fully of their mind and principles therein that they would do accordingly CHAP IV. THe third Reason arises from the Nature of their Ordination and the necessity that lies upon such as are Ordained to preach the Gospel together with the solemn promise made by every Minister to preach according to his Duty notwithstanding all difficulties whatsoever Which Argument to my knowledge hath so far prevailed with many pious and peaceable men that they have thought it their duty to preach as they had opportunity notwithstanding all the Severities that have been enacted and exercised to the contrary Though it may be others out of the great reverence and respect they had to Laws and publick Authority and the great affection they bore to the Church it self and her peace and unity thought it more meet and reasonable for Orders sake to submit to their Censure and to suspend the exercise of their Ministry till it should please God to prepare their way to their work without misprisions or offences judging withal that the Wo before mentioned belongs to them that either through slothfulness neglect and slight their Duty when they have opportunity to preach or study or through treachery and cowardize run away from it for fear of Jews Heathens or Hereticks and doth not concern the Censures that are made in a Christian Church and State upon any of her Officers which for order and peace sake ought to be submitted to though they should be inflicted and denounced cum errante clave and this made many Ministers especially if not only of the Presbyterians to hold off in silence all this time which is some evidence of the Affection and Reverence which they bear to the Church of England But being now the censure and penalty is taken off and the way to their Duty opened and in a good measure cleared and the Kings Majesty who is in all Causes Ecclesiastical and Civil Supream Governour not only suspending the penal Statutes but also willing to approve and allow persons to preach the Gospel and places to preach in Considering their Ordination and Separation to the Work of the Ministry and the Obligation that lies upon them to their Duty from Gods precept promise and threatning I shall leave to consideration whether the Presbyterians that accept of such Licences go with or against their Consciences 4. Considering the Exigence and Necessity of the Church her affairs and straights require all the help and assistance that can be got or made for refuting Errors propagating of Truth and edifying all good men in the Faith and Knowledge of the Gospel And if the Kings Majesty at Sea or Land have occasion for Commanders or Souldiers in a present necessity he will not refuse even such as are disbanded nor ought they to cast off or deny their Duty when called to it for the Honour and Safety of their King and Countrey And therefore the Presbyterians make account in such a case as this is and in such naughty times and dayes as we live in when all kind of Vice Errors and Heresies do abound that they ought not to neglect their Duty but preach the Gospel licet non sit omnino secundum formam Statuti In a time of publick calamity all men can lay on their hands and employ their heads and ought so to do to prevent a common danger especially when they are encouraged to it and indulged in it by him that next to God Almighty hath the highest authority here on earth And for any one in such a case to say that men go against their principles if they proceed I wish such private and ill-laid principles were considered of if there be any such and how far they are obliging that seem to be so repugnant to and destructive of a common and publick good CHAP. V. NOw though these and many more Arguments of this Nature are and may be brought for the Presbyterians preaching of the Gospel though the Door be but half open considering also many of their pressing necessities and the straights which they and their Families are brought into by their long enforced silence Yet I must confess that notwithstanding all this great care and caution wisdom and prudence ought to be used in the use and improvement of this Liberty which His Majesty hath been pleased gratiously to grant As that those that are of the same Church may not seem by any means to fall from it by an unjustifiable separation or bear their people in hand that they begin and intend to proceed upon a new Church-State or that they were Ministers that had received another Ordination in specie than the Ministers of the Church of England now have and also for the prevention of mistakes conceits misrepresentations and new offences if they that are Licensed or frequent Licensed Meetings would have a reverence for and attend upon Gods publick Worship in Churches and Chappels at the usual times or as often as conveniently they may it would be a full answer to many unprofitable and ill-natured Scriblings a great evidence of the Presbyterians integrity of the tenderness of their Consciences and the constancy and consistency of their principles and of the great care which they have and all good men ought to have of the Honour and tranquility both of Church and State Or if considering the bitter and sore divisions that are amongst Fathers and Sons Brethren and Fellow-Labourers of the same Church and Ministry which tend very much to the endammaging if not the endangering thereof if the Reverend Bishops and others would but please to use what interest themselves or friends have or can make in this next approaching Session of Parliament that such Ministers as are loyal and sober pious and peaceable may come to their work again by some Act of Comprehension which hath been often moved and as often openly obstructed and secretly undermined that so there may be mutual condescentions on both sides in order to Charity and Unity I doubt not yet but
to see happy dayes and the Congregations and Consciences of Gods people will reap the happy fruits thereof mens exulcerated minds and spirits will in a short time be healed the common adversaries and underminers of our Church and the glory of it will be fully disappointed Governors and Governed in their several stations and places well contented and rejoyced the Churches interests of Doctrine Discipline Unity and Peace well strengthened and secured and the mouths of all true Protestants both abroad and at home filled with acclamations of joy and gladness and praises also to God for such an happy reconciliation with their constant prayers to Heaven not forgetting the Instruments thereof for its prolongation and continuance till Christ the Head of his Church come to Judgment CHAP. VI. Obj. NOw if any should object and answer this would be a good way if matters could be thus brought about but it is sooner said than done Answ It will be so in Heaven and why some offers should not be made towards making us more happy in the Blessing of Reconciliation and peace as well as more holy in the Acts and Duties of Sanctification I see not Holiness will not be perfect till we come to heaven and yet means are used to make persons better and more mortified to the world by preaching praying good Examples Education and Endeavours and why may not the same means be used in relation to Christian Concord and Charity And though we cannot be perfect in this world yet we should be perfecting Holiness Peace Mortification and Reconciliation in the fear of God Secondly Neither is such a thing impossible to be done here in this world quoad naturam rei though I must confess while every party retain their prejudice passions unkind remembrances of wrongs and thoughts of revenge it is utterly impossible it would therefore do well that every one in their places Superiors and Inferiors would study and endeavour after those things that make for peace which is most certainly jure divino whatsoever things be or be not Where there are commands given and promises made upon the observance of such commands there is no impossibility implied or included It is a vain thing to oppose against any of the Ten Commandments an impossibility in them to be observed now peace and living in peace and charity one with another is commanded Re. 14.19 Let us therefore follow the things that make for peace and things wherewith one may edifie another 2 Cor. 13.11 Finally Brethren be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. And that it is practicable we see it daily men can possess their souls in peace keep their Families and Corporations in peace and other Churches live in peace and why may not ours do so too Considering the great contentment and comfort we shall all reap by it another day it is no great wisdome for any of us that have much and great work to do and but a little time to live that have Sickness Death Judgment Eternity upon the matter all at hand to ruffle and discompose our selves and others by our heats and unkindness to make our own passage rough and stormy out of this world into another and leave all in anger heats and disorder behind us when we are gone all which might have been happily prevented by our innocent and amicable condescentions one unto another Let us not by any means leave the Family of God the Church of Christ and the Houshold of Faith in strife and contention if we can any way help it either by deed or will before we die Sat infelicibus armis pugnatum Sat communibus adversariis occasionis commoditatis ad nostrum exitium exhibitum sat imo nimis affectibus indultum malis It is high time to be wise and good natured one unto another to forgive what God hath forgiven to dispense with such things as are dispensable for the attainment of such sure and staple blessings as are indispensably necessary and essential to the life and being of our Church and Religion This and much more may be said but that such an one as I am must not prescribe rules of Government and Jurisdiction to my Superiors and Betters Obj. But must the Laws of the Land vail to every schismatical factious and private mans opinion Answ No by no means But I pray let us not in fury and spleen nickmine such for being so as are upright in their hearts and consciences and plain and open in their outward actions for Truth and peace and do as perfectly abhor Schism and Faction and any thing of that complexion and more too than any of their violent and virulent accusers and dare say further that they should neither sleep nor die peaceably if they were not as good Subjects to the King and it may be better and as true in their principles and Consciences to the Doctrine and Interests of the Church of England as any or most of those that make the loudest declamations against Schisme and Faction and the most uncharitable and unchristian reflections upon their poor Brethren But it may do well that the true notion of Schisme and Faction were truly stated and such as were truly such were admonished corrected and restrained and not the nocent and innocent loyal and disloyal hand over-head punished and branded together promiscuously and without any discrimination Scarce any one would suffer such work to be in their own Families that upon the surmises and whispers of a company of pick-thanks and bad men that are not content with the places they are in but have a mind to rise by slanders and murdering other mens reputations and give way that such children as are in reality respective and dutiful to their Fathers and Superiors should be suspected suspended ejected and disinherited because they had neither parts nor wit nor strength nor faces alike And if it would please our Superiors to make trial and if they find not those who are accounted little less than guilty of Heresie and Sedition both loyal and peaceable and also sound in the Faith according to the Doctrine of the Church of England then let them bring the wheel over them again and doom them to perpetual silence and obscurity as persons invincibly obstinate and incapable either of encouragement or entertainment And if the courteous Reader please let us a little consider what Learned men say of Schism Schismatici dicuntur inquit Aquinas quia propria sponte intentione ab unitate Ecclesiae se separant Aquin. 22.2 qu. 39. Now how this can be said of them who take their censure and seclusion from the Ministry with all meekness and mansuetude and intend to live and die in communion with the Church of England either as Ministers or Members let the world judge As S. Jerome tells us ep 62.