It is true indeed We have had Woful Experience of men who to free themselves of such Injunctions have put the Nation into Confusion and those who scrupled at a Surplice made no Difficulty to roll many Thousand Garments in Blood And yet the Injunctions of our Church were no more than needs must For at the beginning of the Reformation there were two sorts of men Reasons of the Ceremonies before the Common-Prayer-Book One that thought it a great matter of Conscience to depart from a place of the least Ceremony they were so addicted to their old Customes Another sort were so new fangled that they would Innovate all things and nothing could satisfie them but what was new Whether was it not Necessary for the Church to interpose for Peace sake and by her Determination to put an end to those Controversies If it was necessary that she should interpose she must either fling off one of the Parties or make a Determination that might satisfie both sides if Moderation would prevail To have flung off that Party that were for Ceremonies had been imprudent being the greatest Number comprehending all those who staid at home and did not fly in the time of Queen Mary's Persecution which did facilitate the return of Protestancy at Queen Elizabeth's Reception to the Crown It had been also the more dangerous for it would have made them more obnoxious to the temptations of Romish Priests who would have soon took the Advantage of so numerous a Discontented Party and wrought their Dissatisfaction to a relapse to Popery That Party which were against Ceremonies though they were but small as being but some few of those that â—led beyond Sea for all were not so vain to like those things they saw abroad because they had no such at home though they had likewise brought a Dishonour to the Reformation and an Infamy upon our Nation by their unquiets and troubles they caused at Frankfort yet it had been great pity to have cast them off since they had suffered for Religion and gave evidence that they had a zeal for Piety though in somethings not according to knowledge Besides it would not have been of good report in the Churches abroad among whom these men had conversed and with whom it was expedient for Ours to hold a good Correspondence and Brotherly Communion although she was no more obliged to receive all their practices than they to receive hers Nor was it safe in their first beginnings to have rejected or despised any number of men when the Common Enemy was Numerous and Industrious Thus it being neither Prudent nor Safe to reject either Party it was necessary for the Church to consult her own Peace betwixt them But this was not possible for her to do without pleasing each Party to their Edification in some things Which being Indifferent were therefore in her Power either to Confirm or Condemn and also enjoyning some things to the Common Observance of all The Church therefore did take away the excessive Multitude of Ceremonies as those which were dark that had been abused by the superstitious blindness of the Unlearned and such as did administer to the Covetousness of others This might have satisfied the Innovators if reason could or if they had had any desires of Peace any compassion for their Opposites that were subject to the same Infirmities with themselves though under different forms On the other side the Church retained those few that were for Decency Discipline and apt to stir up the dull mind of man to the remembrance of his duty to God And this did satisfie those which were against too great and many Innovations Now let any man judge whether the Church's Injunctions at first were not necessary The same Necessity for them continues still Because those that are for the Church are as unwilling to have these Ceremonies taken away as her Enemies are for the removal both of them and her And are these to be revoked by a complyance with those that will never be satisfied Shall the Church abandon those who in Conscience adhered to her in the severest Persecution to gratifie those who pretended Conscience to destroy her Besides the imputations that have laid upon the things enjoyned as Antichristian Idolatrous Superstitions c. the War that was undertook to remove them makes the Church think it her behoof to keep them lest Concessions in that kinde may be urged by her Adversaries for a confession of those crimes and taken as a colour to charge her with all the Blood that has been spilt in that quarrel For so these very men served the late Murdered King Moreover what a reproach is it for a Church whose Foundation is upon a Truth to be various And what advantage do the Popish Priests make of our very Temptations to Inconstancy which makes all that have Authority contemptible and Changes are full of danger So that the Injunctions are become as necessary as Prudence Safety and Honour can make them It was the importunity of Hereticks that made the Primitive Church determine many things in their seasons which before were not matter of observation and take up some expressions which were not vulgarly known in the Church before So likewise Dissentions about things indifferent have necessitated the Church to Injunctions for as other Laws arise from Corruptions in manners so Schisms in Religion do beget Injunctions We wish as well as you that Injunctions were fewer i. e. we wish you had never given occasion for them But that we may know what is necessary he tells us That the Indisputable Truths of Faith and the Indispensable duties of Life are the main object of Church Discipline Yet he leaves us still in the dark for what are those Indisputable Truths since there is scarce any Truth of Faith that hath not been disputed against if these be the main of her charge she hath a narrow Province and Papists and Socinians and every Heretick may promise themselves exemptions from her care And as for Indispensable Duties is there any one duty more Indispensable that is more strictly enjoyned then the Unity and the Peace of the Church and yet all this dispute is to deprive her of the means that were proper for it and because she will still take care of it she cannot avoid the slander in the last words of that Paragraph In the next place he would have the Moderation which the Church of England uses in her Articles of Predestination c. to be likewise used in the present Orders and Ceremonies But the case is not the same Those points are so full of difficulty that they and questions of that nature have been matter of Dispute in all Ages and all Religious therefore our Church did with prudence take notice that there were some common Truths on both sides which have analogy to the Faith and are a Foundation for Good Life and these she is tenacious of and leaves the nicer speculations to the curiosity of Disputers
severest Cruelties for such have been practiced by the Arians Donatists Circumcelliones and Papists c. And how unfit are such souls for an habitation of God through the Spirit How uncapable do they become of the Image of the Lamb who was lowly and meek and whose voyce was not heard in the streets These are the mischiefs they do to Religion the injuries they bring upon the Church but they stay not here SECT 6. The Consequences of Dissentions as to the Civil State FOr they vex the State also which being Christian cannot be safe while the Church is in a Tempest The mutual contendings of the divided Parties disturb the Publick Peace distract the People with fears how far the malice of the more prevalent will reach and the several vicissitudes of Success on the different sides hinder the common Settlement and represent new terrors In Ecclesiastical Histories we often find the great Cities of the World in flames kindled by Dissentions in Religion the Streets running with blood Churches broke open to let in some new Intruder and Armies called to succour the Community and stint the rage of the contending Sects and the Gentiles though unconcerned which part had Truth yet felt themselves involved in the Contentions of both But the mischiefs they bring upon a State are most evident in those Injuries they do to Princes and Magistrates who cannot be distressed with Difficulties but the whole Community under them must have sensible Miseries Dissentions are injurious to them as they take away that mutual Confidence which ought to be betwixt all the members of the State and more especially betwixt the Prince and People without which confidence a Nation can never do any great thing men do not easily and willingly trust those whom they do not think faithful to God and so every Schismatick looks upon his Prince that doth not profess the same Opinions with himself Hence comes it to pass that he is obstructed to any great design Constantine complained that he could not wage his War against Persia when the Heresie of Arius did so perplex his Empire For he might justly have seared that other effect of Dissentions which is that they give Occasion to some Ambitious Spirit to gain the Affections of the more sleighted Sect and so fit himself with a Party to endeavour at Tyranny for pretending their Protection and defence of their Cause he might drive on his own designs for a greatness not due to him Besides Dissenters in Religion are fit Instruments for an Invading Enemy to weaken the force of a Nation by pretending Kindness to the discontented Sects who easily are cheated to think Changes will prove Remedies and vainly hope for those favours from a Foreigner which they dispair of under their Lawful King Nay sometimes the discountenanced Dissenters raise an Ambition where they found none for it is usual with them to give immoderate praises to all of their side especially to any Great man whom they have chanced to deceive and so by swelling him to a Pride flatter him to attempts at Power that he may vindicate them from their imaginary Oppressions SECT 7. What the Magistrate should do as to Dissentions THus having seen the Nature Causes and Effects of Dissentions in Religion that they are directly contrary to the Interest of the Gospel that they are derived from Lusts and Corruptions and at best they are the Infirmities of men which first give them a being and afterwards nourish them that their Effects are as base as their Causes and also pregnant with misery both to Church and State We may now proceed to form a judgement of Toleration First I conceive all will grant that Every man in his Place and Order is bound to remove all such things as are so dishonourable to Religion obstructive to true Piety and pernicious to Church and State for his Obligations to his own Profession his Interest to provide for his own Peace and Safety and his Love to his Countrey require no less from him and indeed this every Sect doth practice and indeavour for while they labour to draw all to their own party they plainly declare they would have no dissentions Then it follows that Magistrates Kings and Princes and all concerned in the Legislative and Juridical power of their own People are likewise obliged to the same endeavour For must Kings fit still and be the idle spectators of injuries daily acted against the Religion they profess be quiet in their own Dishonour and their peoples Misery and must they patiently see their Cities and Communities rendred more unsafe than a Wilderness and more unquiet then herds of Beasts shall not a Prince labour to prevent the contempt of Religion binde up the wounds of his divided State stop the avenues to all ambitious Usurpation but this cannot be done unless it be his Power and Right either to prevent these Dissentions as much as he can or restrain and remove them if they do arise And were it not Lawful for Christian Princes to do so their condition must be far worse by becoming Christians than when they were strangers to the Faith and they would be losers as to their temporal Rights by falling down before Jesus Christ which is contrary to the will of our Saviour who hath commanded his followers to give them all their Dues their Fear and Honour nay no man either loses or gains any temporal Right by embracing the Faith and therefore we are not to think that when our Lord would have Kings and all that are in Authority come to the knowledge of the truth that they might be saved that he intended they should forfeit their just rights and part with that Power that should keep their People in a due Subjection For by the Law of Nature Princes have power to use all just means to keep their people in peace and to be Ministers for their good But if becoming Christians they may not use their power to restrain dissentions in Religion it is not possible for them to secure the peace and preserve the weaker from the more strong and violent nay nor guard their own just Rights from those who will attempt at Tyranny How also can the promise of God be accomplished by which he assures the Church Isa 49.23 That Kings shall be her nursing Fathers and Queens her nursing Mothers If those who have the supream Dominion cannot preserve it from the greatest Pests that she is obnoxious unto and defend her from those things which will at last bring a Famine of the Word by which she lives And how can the Christians hope for that end of their Prayers that Kings should acknowledge the truth since if they have no power to restrain Schisms they cannot secure them in a quiet and peaceable life It is said by those who are afraid that Princes who differ from them should concern themselves in the care of Religion that the Magistrate may do his Office towards the propagation of Piety by his own
fears no disturbance from those who are Wise and have their senses exercised to discern Good and Evil all her troubles arise from the Ignorant and Half-witted Since she proposes the Scriptures to every Reader She cannot be judged to be averse from those that search it and that are inquisitive to approve things that are excellent But indeed she does as the Apostle abhor those that are ever learning and yet never come to the Knowledge of the Truth In Sect. XIII he would perswade us that what he had said is no Threatning to Rulers nor Intimation to Rebellion for he saith Why may not Governors be minded by Subjects of the State of their People as it is indeed without any hint or thought of Rebellion It is true they may if so be they mind the Governors themselves and with that Submission as is due to Magistrates if the Subjects are not Partisans and so mind their own Interest to the Injury of the Publick if they be such as may be presumed to have a clear Understanding of the Nature of the People their Grievances and of proper Remedies But miserable must the condition of Governors be if every private person who will have the impudence to abuse their time and patience must be of their Council If they must bear with the Remonstrances of every Factious Party and must admit those Rules and Arguments of Equity and Safety which they have modelled for their own advantage If this be admitted the Thrones of Princes are level'd with the dust and Parliaments shall have but a precurious Anthority and no more then what these Demagogues will give them For this was plainly the practice of the late Times by which we were reduced to Anarchy and then bow'd down our necks to the yoke of Tyranny And now Let those who as he will have it are not transported with Passion judge what it is to tell the Discontented Party themselves as well as others in Print That they are an Intelligent Sober sort of men the Residences of no small part of the Nation 's frugality and Industry that with them Trading Civility and Good Conversation do cohabit and remove That they are momentous in the ballance of the Nation Numerous and every where spred That their Ministers are Examples to them of Constancy and Resolution That hitherto they have been successful against the Laws That if any meditate their total Extirpation as perchance some do yet they cannot do it without hazard of the Publick ruin or the loss of Trade and Wealth That the not gratifying of them hath brought a Decay already And that their Cause is good for it is for their Inquiries into Religion Let them judge I say whether to tell this to the People so that the Supream Governor it is probable may have no notice of it but in a Mutiny nor ever see these Rules of Safety and Equity till they be presented on the Swords of a Popular Rout whether this is to mind Governors of the State of the People or to prepare the People to mind their own State But he saith Should they whom he pleads for meditate Rebellion and War they were abandoned of their own Reason We say so to Nevertheless it is no such impossible thing but that a People may easily be praecipitated into ways of violence by such Popular Discourses as these are for the last War had not more specious pretences nor higher incouragements then are here represented And indeed they need not War for the Author doth insinuate another way more plausible and less hazardous and yet as effective for he saith There be sullen Mutinies that make no noise but may loosen all the Joynts and Ligaments of Policy But it will be an hard matter to justifie such a Mutiny from the guilt of Rebellion For that doth not consist only in taking up Arms but in a wilful refusal of Obedience which is the meaning of such sullen Mutinies And it is as contrary to the Commands of Christ as taking the Sword For he commands Obedience for Conscience sake and not only when the Magistrate is to be feared So that the Author while he endeavours to divert the Imputation of one Sort of Rebellion doth yet threaten another SECT 14. That to Moderate the Establish'd Order is neither Prudent nor Safe nor for the Peace of the Church IN Sect. XIV the Author proposes three Expedients to comprehend all Dissenters and saith That the Setling of a Nation may be made up of an Establishment a Limited Toleration a Discreet Connivence He is not so true to his own Discourse and his Reputation of a Judicious person as to tell us what he means by every one of these and how they shall be composed yet he is most kind to the Establishment as that which concerns himself and his own party and though he do not tell us what it is in particular or shall be yet in In Sect. XV. he tells us in General That the Established Order should be so broad that by its own force it may be chief and controle all Parties That it be compact to promote Sound Doctrine and godly Life and to keep out all wicked Error and practise And therefore must not have narrower bounds then things necessary to Christian Faith and Life and godly Order in the Church But we say this Establishment is not enough for a Settlement because it doth not secure the Peace and how can we settle but in that To this the Author questioneth Why should not the great things of Christianity in the hands of Wise Builders be a sufficient Foundation of Church-Unity and Concord We answer 1 that they are not For it is plain the Church of England and the Presbyterians are agreed in the great things of Christianity and yet there is no Concord betwixt them 2 They alone cannot be Because there may and does arise Dissentions about the Persons to whose care these great things shall be entrusted to see them conveyed to Posterity whether they shall be Single Persons or a Consistory or each single Congregation And men also may differ concerning the Means of Conveying these things the Worship of God and the Circumstances of it as we see they do Therefore to preserve Peace among her Members who if they Dissent cannot be brought to Unity but by the Determinations and Injunctions of their Lawful Superiour the Church hath need to determine more then the great things of Christianity and to enjoyn more then what is barely necessary to Faith and Order We say as well as he that Moderation and Charity are far more excellent than glorying in Opinions Formalities c. but we say also that Charity cannot be where there is not Peace The next argument is That some parts of enjoyned Uniformity are but Indifferent and have been long Disputed from Bishop Hooper 's time to the present Non-Conformist and if this be concluding they ought therefore not to be enjoyned To which we answer 1. that they being Indifferent i.
e. neither Commanded nor forbidden by God are therefore the proper matter for the Injunctions of the Magistrate Since we are Obliged to the things Commanded by God although the Magistrate do not Command yea though he doth Contradict and what God hath forbiden we are bound not to do though the Magistrate leave us to Our selves or Command the contrary and therefore a thing Indifferent is the most proper subject of the power of man therefore because it is so it cannot be concluded that it ought not to be enjoyn'd 2. If things long Disputed and Doubted may not be enjoyned then let them tell us what may for there is scarce any Truth which hath not had its Heresie contrary to it and therefore the Church may not enjoyn things necessary to Faith and Order which this Author in few lines before granted to her Besides Would not this Argument be as well urged by the Papists for their Cause hath been disputed even from the beginning of Luther's Reformation by several men of great Parts and Abilities that wanted not Pretensions to the Titles of Learned and Conscientious So also may the Socinians urge that the Points we hold against them have been Disputed almost from the beginning of the Reformation But yet the Author contends 't is not fit that the first should have a Toleration and I suppose he will be ashamed to pretend for the last But then he inquires What shall a man do that doubts of the things enjoyned seeing the Apostle saith He that doubts is damned if he eats because he eateth not of Faith To Doubt we answer doth suppose Arguments on both sides and in such case the Common Rule is the safest part is to be followed Now let all sober men judge whether it is not safer to keep the Peace and Unity of the Church which is so frequently and with so much Authority Commanded by Christ to be Obedient to the Higher Powers in those things which are proper matter for their Commands and wherein God himself hath determined nothing to Obey them that are over us in the Lord all which are clear and plain Duties then for a scruple or doubt of the Use of a thing that God hath left to humane Liberty which the Magistrate hath power to confine to cause Schisms in the Church Factions in the State Despise the Laws of Princes and the Government of the Church As for the Text of the Apostle He that doubts is c. It is an admonition given to the Jews that were become Christians that they should not do that in which the Church had not interposed her Authority by the Example of others which they themselves thought not lawful or did very much doubt whether it were so or no for he that did go against his own perswasion did condemn himself in that which his practice did seem to allow Therefore that Text doth not concern this Case at all The 2d attempt is That the Church not claiming an Infallibility cannot settle the Conscience by her sole Warrant but still leaves room for doubting and in prescribed Forms and Rites the Conscience that doth its office will interpose and concern it self c. I am willing to hope that the Discourser writ this in Ignorance and that he is not guilty of such portentous Malice that so he might destroy the Authority of the Church he did not fear to publish such an Opinion as would disturb all Government both in Families and in the State that would confound all Society and extirpate Feith and Justice from among the sons of men For if whosoever diselaims Infallibility cannot settle i. e. oblige for if it doth not signifie that it signifies nothing the Conscience Then neither the Laws of Kings nor the Commands of Fathers and Masters who disâ—â—â— Infallibility are to be obeyed for Conscience sake or in the Lord but only as the power of the Superiour is able to enforce Obedience or Punishment No man likewise is obliged in Conscience to perform his Vows Promises and Contracts because when he made them he was not Infallible and being not so he cannot settle his own Conscience but leaves room for doubting and if he doubts as he applyes the Apostles Text he is damned if he does perform and therefore it will not be safe to perform them Thus this Mine that is wrought to blow up the Churches Authority will bury all Government and Common Honesty in the ruines of it Such are the goodly Doctrines whereby these men keep their Party close unto them and make them boggle at whatsoever the Magistrate requires from them as terrors to their Conscience If the Author thinks he hath secured himself from the shame of the absurd Consequences of this Opinion by that clause Her sole Warrant he is unjust and unfaithfully represents her Doctrine as if she pretended to binde the Conscience by her own Authority which is very false For when We hold That humane Laws of things not unlawful do oblige the Consciences of men subject to the Law-givers We do not refer the Obligation which is a necessity of Obedience to the matter of those Laws for that being in its nature Indifferent cannot be Necessary But to those commands of God which enjoyns us to be subject to the higher powers To obey them that are over us in the Lord. For those commands do of themselves and directly enforce a Necessity of Obedience to whatsoever humane Laws are not in themselves unlawful upon the penalty of God's displeasure For the Truth of which as it is easie to prove were it not to render the Discourse too long by interweaving Incidental Controversies so do we appeal to the Judgment of all sober Divines whatsoever We have for it the Testimony of Mr. Calvin the Founder of the Presbyterian Government and the Greatest Ornament that ever they had who though he disputes against Humane Constitutions yet meeting with the Objection raised from that Text We must be subject not only for Wrath but also for Conscience sake Answers by Distinguishing betwixt the Genus and Species For saith he although the particular Laws in themselves Cal. Institut l. 4 c. 10. sect 5. do not touch the Conscience yet are we Obliged by that General Command of God which commends unto us the Authority of Magistrates which is as much as we desire for if the Authority of Magistrates do either Directly or Indirectly in General or Particular by it self or by vertue of Gods Command bind the Conscience then must it needs be false which this Author saith that In prescribed Forms and Rites of Religion the Conscience that doth its office will interpose and concern it self c. For that Conscience which is guided by the fear of God will know its Office is to submit for God's Commands sake to what those that are over us in the Lord do carefully prescribe In the next place he brings in the Testimony of Woful Experience crying out No more of such Injunctions than needs must
But about her Orders and Ceremonies this is the only thing to be resolved Whether the Church hath power to enjoyn an indifferent Ceremony which sure may be soon disputed and determined Besides the Dissenters are not able to name any one Church besides Ours from which there was a Schism made for a Ceremony His last Argument against Injunctions is Men might more easily agree in the use of these little things or of some of them were their Internal Judgments spared and subscriptions not enjoyned Churches and States have never thought it safe to permit the concernments of their Peace to the Ingenuity of men but have secured their Quiet by strict Laws and the Ingagements of those who were to minister in them I have shewed above that Toleration of Dissentions that is a leaving men to their different opinions hath not abated but encreased them It hath been found necessary that men should declare their Internal Judgments to keep off their Disputes against things in practice for if men were left to this Itch of Wrangling and doting about Questions the smallest Doubts and Scruples may be blown up to the most bloody Contentions It was observed that the Controversies betwixt the Lutherans Europe Spec. p. 172. Edit 1637. and Calvinists were but a coal which a wise man with a little moisture of his mouth might soon have quenched but at length the Ministers with the winde of theirs in their Disputings have so enflamed them that it threatneth a great ruine and calemity of both sides So that to take off Injunctions on this score is neither Prudent not safe But alas there is no Probability that if they be not enjoyned they will ever be used they themselves have given us too full an experience For all the time from the King 's coming home to the time that the Act of Uniformity was to be put in Practice there was a suspention of these Injunctions yet it is sufficiently known that none of the present Non-Conformists did in the least measure agree in the use of any these little things as he calls them but Writ Preached and Railed against them And though desired by the King to read so much of the Liturgy as themselves had no exception against and so could have no pretension from Conscience Yet the honour of their Party and their Credit was not to be reconciled with such a compliance to the Condescentions of their Sovereign they thought to bring Him and the Parliament to lower terms by being high in their own Resolutions So fresh an experiment cools us as to all the hopes this Author suggests unto us of what they may do When as neither he nor they will give any assurance that they will do so It is needless therefore to argue with him what the Church should do in case their own good nature would bring to them Conformity since it appears but a Chimera of his own Fancy and it would be but sport to talk of that which neither was nor is nor is like to be It is as vain and needless to speak to the XVIth which enquires Whether the Dissenters are capable of being brought into such a Comprehension For since this Comprehension is to be formed by moderating the established Order and this Moderation is to be performed by taking away all the Injunctions that the Church and State have made for peace sake which abrogation cannot be proved to be either safe or Prudent and would be the Prostitution of the Authority of the King and the Parliament to the forwardness of men that will not be satisfied and therefore not fit to be done to what purpose then will it be to argue Whether they would receive what is dangerous to give Besides the Dissenters are of several Sects and every one of them have the same common pretensions For they all profess they dare not conform for Conscience sake They are angry if you do not believe them to be as Godly Sober Civil as they themselves say they are They boast of their Number and that Trading and Commerce will either Languish or Flourish as they are used and yet for all this this very Author gives over all other Sects but only the Presbyterians for he saith Be it supposed that some among them seem not reducible to Publick Order but another sort there are whose Principles are fit for Government i. e. Presbyterians Thus all this noise for comprehension is but for one only Sect that hath no other pretensions to the kindeness of the State but what are common to all and therefore in equity should be no more considered than the others Nay but saith the Discourser they are of chiefest moment their Principles are fit for Government the stability whereof hath been experimented in those Countries where they have had the concurrence of the Civil Powers But yet this cannot satisfie us for no experiment hath yet ever been in the World of Presbytery permitted and encouraged where there was a Protestant Episcopacy as this comprehension supposeth For where Episcopacy is established by the Antient and Fundamental Laws of a Nation there Presbytery is no other but a Sect and being so will as the Author saith of Popery and as every Sect and as we have had a late experiment of this very Presbytery be restless till it bear all down before it or hath put all into Disorder It is also not for the credit of Presbytery which the Author adds that Their way never yet obtained in England nor were they favoured with the Magistrates vigorous Aid c. For if those that brought it to the light encouraged it bound themselves and all they could either perswade or terrifie to it by a Solemn League and Covenant If they who for this plundered Sequestred and Undid many thousand Families in the Nation for the Covenant was to Establish this Presbytery were yet afterwards Sick of it and gave it no more nay not so much countenance as they did to the other Sects whom this Author saith are not reducible to publick Order it is a strong presumption that they found the principels of Presbytery no more fit for Government than the Principles of any other Sects So that it is to be conclued that in the Judgment of the first Admirers and Friends of Presbytery it is no more capable of being brought into a Comprehension than any other Sect. For as they made use of it to undermine Episcopacy so they hissed for all other Sects to affront reproach and baffle Presbytery But notwithstanding all this the Author though he waves the Asserting of their Discipline yet he makes this inquiry Whether the Presbyterians be of a Judgment and Temper that makes them capable of the Magistrates Paternal Care and conduct to such a stated order as will comport with this Church and Kingdom This in plain English for the Original is a Dialect of Canting is whether Presbytery is to be established together with Episcopacy or Whether Ministers that are of the Presbyterian perswasion