Grace and Godliness and not of Empire and Dominion it claimed no Power being it wanted none its whole Design and Drift relating to things of another World or tending to promote Peace and Godliness in this and happy had it been for Christendom had its Nations and States only been called Christian and its Princes looked on this Religion only as good Qualities in their Subjects tending to promote Obedience and Peace in their Kingdoms and gave it an Establishment on this Account And the so much celebrated Name of Church had never been heard of in the Nature it has been used Also when they sent Judges to minister Justice to their Subjects had they with them sent Ministers to Preach the Gospel and continued it in such a sort of way to this Time I am perswaded the Author would never had occasion to write Expedients for Peace at this day But here lay their Mistake seeing its Ministry was of Grace and Godliness and not of Empire and Dominion they looked on the thing in them as divided from them and would needs give it a new Name and invest it with Power which though little at first by degrees rival'd their own and since has jostled many of them out of their Thrones And now they have Leasure to Repent themselves of their bad Logick in dividing the Accidents from their Subjects and setting up Non entities For the Church is nothing at all a mere Metaphysical Term and when Christian Princes Govern their People well they Govern the Church well for the Church is in the People or rather the People are the Church But if they set up a Regiment or a Government in their Kingdoms distinct from their own they do but Nurse a Viper in their own Bosoms and they cannot in Reason expect their Crowns should ever sit easie on their Heads amidst the unavoidable Emulation of two distinct Governments The Church and State are a Christian State and but one and so at first appointed by the God of Heaven and what God hath joyned no man ought to put asunder And I humbly conceive that Men professing Christianity ought to have no distinct Government from the State I am sure they were much better Christians when they had none The Apostles propagated the Faith of Jesus in the Gentile World and the Ecclesiae or Assemblies congreated to perform Acts of Devotion in the way which they had Taught are called Churches and when we read of the Churches of Asia or of this or that Church nothing else is to be understood but the Congregation of Believers met to pay Homage and Worship to their Maker in the Name of Jesus which was done in a plain and simple Manner never enterfering with or disturbing the Government of the Place Neither Power nor Policy or Skill can be needful for a few honest and innocent Men to meet together in a peaceable manner to Worship God all the Requisites in such a Case are only a Sincere Heart and a Willing Mind What need we then so much Ecclesiastical Policy and Church-Government Or if we must have it why must such Frames and Machines be called the Church This is to call the Scaffold the Building But after all 't is most certain that only True Believers and good Livers are the Stones which make up that Heavenly Building and are the only True Church of Christ against which the Gates of Hell shall be never able to prevail But we talk of setting up or pulling down Churches in as material a Sence as when we Erect or pull down Houses and one laments the pulling down such a rare Established Church and mightily opposes the Building of another and we all think our own Cottages Pallaces and are always commending our own Church and discommending anothers and such a stir we make about our Churches that makes us Ridiculous to all the World and no wonder Christendom has been so long Embroiled since we have had so many Churches that is so many Occasions and Causes of Disturbance There is but One God one Christ one Faith one Baptism one Religion and but one Church and the several Perswasions make but one Religion and several ways of Worship and distinct Congregations but one Church But we call the Parts the whole and a single House a Town and are in a continual Alarm in Defence of our little Respective Cittadels And to that height of Abuse is the Name of Church now Grown that to be of This or That Church is to compound for a good Life and Men think if they belong to such or such a Communion all will go well with them and having so many Parties amongst us and so many Interests to be served the necessity of proselyting Men to their side rather than to Goodness or Truth doth but too much contribute to it and some Guides are but too willing to indulge Men in their Vice so they will but be of their Party But hower we may value our selves one for being of this Church and another for being of that I am afraid if we live not good Lives we shall be found at last to be of no Church at all Our Saviour tells us he that doth Righteousness is Righteous and that the Tree is known by its Fruit if we Live well we shall be of God's Church and if we Live ill we shall certainly be out of the Church however we may be admitted by Men with the greatest Solemnity and Ceremony into that Society we call by that Name Templum Domini Templum Domini was the Cry of the Jews and now is the Cry of the Christians and sufficiently abused by both We all know the Fate of theirs and the Reasons and in knowing this we may easily Calculate the Fate of our own For their Temple and our Church exactly answer one another I mean our Political Hierarchical Church The Constitution of which is fixed in a Diametrical Opposition to Publick Peace and we can never expect Peace to flourish in Christendom so long as one Stone of this ill-built Fabrick doth lie upon another Then in order to the Pulling down this Mystical Babel I here most solemnly declare and protest against all the Present Constitutions and Ecclesiastical Corporations of Christendom as injurious to Publick Peace and Tranquility and very much disserving all Temporal Government thwarting and crossing the just Designs of Princes and on all Occasions ministring to Faction Sedition and Rebellion and against all differing Sects and Divisions of Christians whatsoever which are any way endowed with Immunities Priviledges or any Temporal Power Preferment or Benefices independant of the State. And since all the Princes and States of Christendom are in a Fermentation and Motion 't is my Opinion that if they would after an Act Passed for the Relief of the Present Incumbents seize all Temporal Endowments and Benefices appropriated to Religion or Churches and dissolve and make Null all Ecclesiastical Decrees Canons Charters and Constitutions They would do the greatest Service to
hope will be sufficient to discharge me from the Reproach of an Innorator As for their Matter and Way c. God must be Judge of it and not Men. Let there therefore be given to Men a Power to Congregate and in their Respective Congregations let them choose what Men they think fit to dispence their Charity and to be Judges of the Lives of their Fellows so as to Expell them their Congregations if Occasion require Let them call these men by what Names they please But let there be no Laws amongst them but those of Reverence and Respect of Shame and Fear which are the best and only Laws which Christians ought to have in their Oeconomy But if they break these gentle Bonds Then Currat Lex let the Secular Power take Place This for the ordinary part of the Administration to be performed by ordinary men or men in Common As for the Extraordinary which is the Administration of the Word and Sacraments to be performed by Men separated and of better Capacities let it be thus When the Supream Power of each Christian Nation have set themselves in Statu quo dissolved all Ecclesiastical Governments and resumed from the Church her usurped and destructive Power and Revenues the first must be never given her again the last put to better Uses Then I say let them build and Erect in the midst of each Respective Nation Magnum Collegium Christianum a large Christian Colledge and Endow it with such Priviledges and Conveniences as may be thought fit and Proper c. Then let the Wisdom of each Nation after having asked their Willingness choose a considerable number of Youth of the hopefullest Constitution of Body and Mind and after publick Addresses made to the Living God by Fasting and Prayer for an auspicious Election let Lots be Cast and on whom the Lots do fall let them receive an Order from the State to Enter into the said Colledge to Fit and Qualifie themselves to be Preachers and Ministers of the Gospel and after such a Term of years continuance as shall be thought fit let a certain number be brought forth and the question of Willingness being asked and Addresses made to Heaven as afore-said let Lots proportioned to the National Wants be cast and on whom the Lots do fall let a convenient and honourable Allowance be setled and let them receive their Commission from the State to Preach the Kingdom of Heaven and Jesus Christ Crucified and Minister the Word and Sacraments in a plain decent and orderly manner as near as possible they can to the first Institution And when the Judges set out in the King or States Name to distribute Justice and determine Law let them also per Order of the King or State Preach the Kingdom of Heaven and the Gospel in the same Itinerant and Circular manner through all the Cities and Towns of each Respective Kingdom instructing the People in the most pure Doctrine and Belief of the Holy Jesus and in all the most Necessary and Fundamental Points of his Religion a definition of which 't is possible Volente Deo may be the Subject of another Discourse and let their Subjects be levelled against Sedition and Rebellion Exhibit Peace in its best Apparel Extoll Justice Mercy and Charity and whatever may tend to the Glory of God or Peace and Well-fare of Man-kind and not at all to meddle with Law the State or Government always remembring they are not appointed Ministers of State but of the Gospel And if a distinct performance was allotted for such and such a Circuit it would not do amiss viz. Instructing and Proselyting for one Baptizing for another and giving the Sacrament for a Third or varying these as may be thought most fit and convenient doubling the first or intermitting the last Or if from the said Colledge having Twelve Gates they should go out every Month and Heal the Nations which Scripture indigitates nothing can be thought of more convenient This way and method I hope will easily be allowed me to be sufficient for the Salvation of Souls and would but the Princes and States of Christendom consent to settle such an oeconomy the plain Consequences thereof would be Popery that wicked thing so much hated and abominated by Protestants not only for its own innate Evils but also its Collateral and Accidental ones being the common Tool which all Parties use to set up or pull down one another would in a moment be buried in Oblivion and Heresy its Twin and Brother in Iniquity would be buried in the same Grave A new Heaven and a new Earth would suddenly appear all the Disturbing Names of Papists and Protestants Schismatick and Heretick would speedily cease we should have no Sides nor Parties of Christians no bitter Contentions which is the True Church the Indefatigable Pains of compassing Sea and Land to make Proselytes would be at an end and all the mischievous Consequences attending thereon Now all Sides and Parties are Industrious to make Converts and give their Reasons and Arguments and yet at the same time Interpretatively would not have them taken for none meets with greater Shame and Ignominy then Converts who if they obey their own or are convinced by others Reasons are said to change their Religion as they call it and are hated and abhorred so that men in a great measure are under an obligation to stick to their Principles whether they be good or bad because of the Reproach they of necessity must meet with if they change them And alas These which they call their Principles and Religion are nothing but some fond and unnecessary Opinion which may be changed and no hurt at all done But then men would have no Temptation to change having no Party to go to no Sect to maintain and no particular Church to defend which are the common Themes of Christian men and at this time make but too great Part of their Religion and too frequently ministers matter of their Mutual Ruine Again Now most of our time is spent in commending our selves and our way and discommending others their way and Three parts of our Religion is made up of nothing but Vapour and Smoke of mere Talk and finding of Faults if we can charge and accuse and make others Guilty and our selves Innocent 't is Religion enough And amongst so many contending Parties of Christians 't is almost impossible any Justice should be done the Spirit of Partiality so reigneth amongst us But Terras Astraea Revisit Then Justice would run down our Streets like a mighty Stream and all the Parts the Piety and Learning at least wise Honesty which is certainly amongst most Parties of Christians would have their due Effects and appear in their own proper Colours when cleared from the Foggs and Mists of Contentious Disputes which confines them to their proper Orbs and will not suffer them to be Communicative or disperse their Rayes but give a dim and partial Light. Further Now no Oath can bind
her Family And all Present Methods of Government and Ways of Administration if found disserving the Ends of Publick Peace and True Religion may be innocently dissolved and new ones Chosen according to the Wisdom and Discretion of the Supream Power And the Reason is because all Offices and Functions Ecclesiastical and all Methods and Ways of Administration in the Religion of the Holy Jesus make no parts of it but are Extrinsecal to the Nature of the thing therefore may be changed or altered on the forementioned Account The greatest Opposition to this will be made by those who pretend to their Functions by a Commission from Heaven and by a Divine Right but these are of two sorts The first I believe will quickly lay down their Pretensions when the Grandeur of the Church is Diminished and her Power her Law and Riches are taken away The latter who may be innocently Abused and think themselves under an indispensable Obligation of Preaching the Gospel must be let alone there is no Remedy for them but Time which 't is possible by degrees may let them see their Error and lessen their High Thoughts of their Fitness and sufficiency of undertaking so great a Charge But however it may happen the Predication of no Pretenders can affect the Publick Peace when both Law and Power to do hurt are taken from them and the Matter and Subject of their Discourses are purely spiritual and relating to the things of another World. But by way of Recapitulation in order to a Conclusion The Foundations to be laid for a New Settlement are First The Impossibility of Agreement and Innocency of Differences Secondly That the Church be converted into a Christian State that she needs no Law no Power or Revenues Thirdly That whatever Forms or Ways of Administration in Religion or the Church hath hitherto been used may innocently and lawfully be changed Then the Plain and necessary Consequences will be these When Agreement is Impossible Men will cease to attempt it and when Differences are made Innocent the infinite variety of Understandings and Apprehensions of Men will be no more hurtful or offensive then their different Faces When there is no Government all Contentions which is the right will cease and where there is no Law there will be no Transgression and by consequence no Delinquents to be punished and when there is no Power there will be no danger of abusing it And how soon shall we see the the flames of Contention cease when the combustible Fuel of Wealth and Power and Honours are taken away But further At the very sound of impossibility of Agreement a cessation of all Controversies must necessarily ensue and this Doctrine doth presently summon all the most skilful and learned in the Art of Wrangling to lay down their Arms and live Peaceably and how happy must the Christian World be when rid of such Seditious Captains that so long have disturbed her Peace Then the Doctrine of no Government is not less Advantageous and Beneficial for at one breath it tumbles down all Ecclesiastical Hierarchies and gives ease to the groaning and miserable Potentates of the Earth it answers all the Prayers of the Saints for many Ages and like a voice from Heaven or the Trump of God Tumbles down the mighty Man of Sin or Whore of Babylon from her Throne And methinks I see the Princes of the Earth already in Council against her to pull down her Pride and divest her of her Power which so long has been used against them Then for Law that being banished Christian Men would then begin to look Innocently and the great Machine of Persecution and Rapine would fall to the Ground Wicked Men would have no pretence to exercise their Cruelties and the Earth would no more Groan and Cry out for Vengeance for the Blood of Saints Martyrs and Professors that has been spilled upon her 'T is these Laws that are the sharp Teeth with which Christians devour one another they might Dispute and Argue with Innocence and Safety were but these Weapons lay'd out of their way which they too often snatcht to compleat the Victory and to the ruine of each other But by this time men will say my design tends to unhinge all Governments to destroy all Laws and to make nothing but Confusion in the World To this I answer That there was Darkness before Light Confusion before Order and whoever will have a new House must have some trouble in the building and endure the Inconveniencies of puling down the old One But this is not sufficient but in further answer to the Objection I desire to have it observed That the Christian World is in Confusion already that I make no disturbance but find it that I cannot Confound them more then they are already Confounded that Governments are unhinged and Laws broke and Princes in Arms ready to destroy one another and one of the principal occasions is Religion therefore some great thing is the matter 'T is either in the Religion itself or in the Managery and Administration of it the first I acquit the latter I lay my Accusation against and charge the Administrators with assuming Power and making Laws and Erecting a Mock Government which has Ruined and Confounded the State and all True Laws and True Governments I therefore shall take the Liberty to move and suggest some Considerations for a New and Better way of Administration and I hope my undertaking will find a Favourable Acceptance amongst all good Men. Then the Administration of the Religion of the Holy Jesus may be divided into two parts Ordinary and Extraordinary the Ordinary which consists of Prayers and Praises and Dispensations of Charity to be Perform'd by ordinary Men I hope it will not be deny'd me but that Men in Common are capable of performing such things after some few Lessons taught them of the nature and attributes of the Being they are to Petition and Adore other Requisites are only a Sence of their Wants and Mercies received which almost naturally will make them both Eloquent and Grateful As to their meeting together this will require no great Art or Subtilty nor will the Time and Place meet with greater Difficulty Wherever Two or Three are gathered together in my Name saith our Saviour I will be in the midst of them there is neither Time and Place mentioned nor the Quality or Capacities of the Persons to meet but all runs in an indefinite Manner By two or three either may be meant so many in a literal Sence or a certain Number for an uncertain but however a posse to congregate or gather together must necessarily be implyed and allowed to Men in common from this indefinite Text. And notwithstanding all the great noise of Disagreement Dissenters and Schismaticks if Men can agree so to meet together to pay Homage to the great God in the Name of Jesus their Agreement is sufficient and here is a Blessing promised them from this plain Text which I
relating 〈◊〉 another VVorld though it may in their secular Concerns and in what may relate to this But some will say that Law is not another Rule but the same and that it is consonant to the Seriptures But who must be Judge of all this If one Party usurp the Power of Judges 't is an injury done to all the rest and all Protestants have been allowed the Priviledge of judging for themselves being to be punished themselves therefore whatever party usurps Judgment makes a Law or affixes a Penalty are to be looked on as Tyrants and as those who bring in a forreign Power and invade the Priviledges of their Brethren But suppose it agreeable to Scriptures what then Why then it will be agreeable to Scriptures and so the Point is gained it will have no Penalty because Scriptures enjoyn no Penalty and so by consequence will be no Law but will dwindle away into another thing and must have another name a Scripture Inference or a Deolaration what is Truth and agreeable to Scripture such are all humane Sanctions in relation to Religion Men think they have done something and that they are Parents and that they have made Laws when alas they have done nothing they give their Children Names before they are Born. It must be acknowledged in all Human and Secular Affairs that in any Kingdom or State Majority of Consent can make a Sanction which may take the Appellation of a Law and pass an Obligation of Obedience and charge a Penalty on the Breach But in Religion and divine Matters and things of Eternity the Scene is changed These are things aliend Provinciae alient Fori of another Nature and another Jurisdiction The Powers of the Earth have nothing to do here being neither competent for Cognizance nor sufficient to give Judgment in such Matters Their making Laws and medling in such Mutters as these have set the World in a Flame and when rightly considered it cannot be expected it should be otherwise For Temporal things hold no proportion with Eternal nor the Laws of God with the Laws of Man That God has given some more particular and special Laws to Mankind is most certain because he knew the best Contrivances and most refined Inventions of Men would be insufficient and fall short of reaching all Emergencies Therefore he has reserved the Cognizance of such special Laws as a particular Prerogative to himself and that in the Court of Heaven and not in any humane Judicature These Laws I mean are the Laws in Mens Consciences the Laws of Truth and Revelation which neither a greater number for a less nor a less for a greater nor any one Man for another is to judge of but every single and individual Mann for himself and this because every single Man must answer for himself and be punished for himself and not for another Further the Eternal God has fixed Eternal Rewards and Eternal Punishments to the performance or non performance of his Laws And it is the highest Reason imaginable that Men should not in the least be honoured but have all the Freedom which the World is able to afford them in a disquisition of so great and infinite Importance as the Salvation of their Souls and obtaining Eternal Happiness or shunning Eternal Misery 〈◊〉 however plausibly interested Men and the Politicians of the World may discourse for Coercion their Reasons are vain and foolish For 't is a most certain Truth That no Christian Prince can be long safe on his Throne nor any State long in Peace where there is any Let or Hindrance in these 〈◊〉 For what is able to counterballance or stand in Competition with Eternity What will not Christian Men really believing in another World do to obtain Eternal Happiness or shun Eternal Misery All humane Sâ—nctions though contrived with never so great Art and Subtilty have hitherto been Baffled and snap'd asunder like Simplon's Cords when these Mighty Philistins have come upon them When the God of Heaven speaks where shall Mortal Man appear What can humane Sanctions do when a 〈◊〉 Law appears When Eternity speaks what can Temporal Punishments prevail Hitherto they have not prevailed and I think I may safely affirm they never will. Laws in Religion therefore must be granted me to have no other Tendâ—â—cy but to disturb Men and to be a most effectual 〈…〉 keep on foot all the Plots and Contrivances which Perplex the Christian World. Every Side and Party do really believe that the Way and Method they have those to Worship then Maker is the Best the Truest and most conducive to make them Eternally Happy and what can be supposed to be the Consequence of a Hinderance and a coercive Law to Men so thinking then what we see daily practised by all of them viz. Plotting and Contriving the during one another Can it be supposed that a Man should be easie when he is put out of that way which he really believes the only way that leads to Eternal Life But if it be supposed he may be easie in such a Case to yet it cannot be supposed that he should be casse if he be in his Sences when he is put into the ready way to Damnation and consigned to Eternal Burnings which every Side and Party think they are when by a Law they are forced out of their way Who then will appear an Advocate for Law in Religion which has such a Natural Propensity to pull down Monarchs unhinge Governments dishonour God and ruine Men I wish I was at a loss for Instances but alas they are too ready at hand our own unhappy Nation has too long been a Scene of Troubles on this Account For whereas we have all done our best as all sides will say to please our Maker and every one strove who should come nearest the Mark yet some has had The good Fortune to be Esteemed and Rewarded others to be reproached and punished and all for doing and endeavouring the same things and all this by a discriminating and intervening Law which can make none of our ways either true or false good or bad And it must be acknowledged that the word Dissent is a Relative Term and implies one we dissent from and if I dissent from another another dissents from me So we are both Dissenters and Law cannot turn the Scale being no Judge so that it is a most unreasonable thing since all Arrows are taken out of the same Quiver and equal Probabilities and Plausibilities brought by all Parties from Scriptures Fathers c. that one should be respected above another 〈…〉 Religion or rather Opinion Establiâ—â—d 〈…〉 and Hic pret … sceleris 〈…〉 hic D … Alexander for Robbing is called a Conqueror but another a Banditti one gets a Crown the other a Gibbet one for dissenting is rewarded and another for dissenting is punished though both have a like Pretention to Truth 'T is Law therefore in Religion which I impeach as a Dissturber of the Peace of
no Benefits oblige no Prince Reign but all the most Sacred Bonds of Gratitude Honour and Obedience and every other thing which may make men wish to Live are violated and broken asunder if Religion or that which men call by that Name stand in Competition or mother-Mother-Church is to be served and men pull down Houses tumble down Monarchs and ruine Kingdoms for her sake Sure then those must be happy days when no particular Religion or Church is to be set up nor any to be pull'd down no Party to be pleased and none to be offended but every Nation will be all of one Side one Party and the same Religion And of how great Refreshment and Consolation is it to think that that hot and fiery Zeal which has burnt so many Martyrs and consumed so many Pious and Good men nay destroyed the Lord of Life himself shall be absolutely and for ever quenched in the Springs of this most Charitable and Refreshing Fountain which from the Heart of each Respective Kingdom shall be constantly running and refreshing the dry and barren Corners of the same and like so many Rivulets of Oyl shall pass through the great Ocean of the World and Heal and Cleanse and Purify but not mix with the same But what should I say Vltima Cumaei Venit jam carminis aetas Magnus ab integro Seclorum nascitur ordo Jam redit Virgo redeunt Saturnia Regna The Happiness which this Administration will most certainly bring into the World cannot be well expressed it will bring back the Golden Age and presently put a new Face on all Affairs it will joyn Justice and Mercy Truth and Peace together in such an inseparable Bond that all the Malice and Subtilty of the Grand Impostor who is now going to his Prison shall not be able to unloose First The Man of Sin will be pulled down and we shall hear no more of the Bloody Machinations of Rome the Cruelty of the Spanish Inquisition the Barbarity of French or Irish Massacres nor of the Unnaturalness of English and Scotch Rebellions no Holy Leagues or Solemn Leagues and Covenants or Associations will be heard of amongst us but Christendom from an Aceldama will be made like the Garden of Eden or Paradice of God and every Nation have its Tree of Life or Fountain of Living Water in the middle which by its constans Irrignous Streams will cool all Heart and Animosities and bring all in Subjection to the Gentle Laws of the Holy Jesus But further We shall hear of no Plots or Contrivances or Black and Bloody Charges and Misrepresentations all Noise of Persecution or flying for Religion the Prorestants from France or Papists from England will cease no Heretick to be Burned or Schismatick to be Ruined and the reason is because all Law and Power and Parties Names of Distinctions and all other Causes and Cursed Motives of Mischief and Distraction will be utterly Abolish'd and cast into the same Dungeon with the great Criminal and Deviser of them But my Contemplation still carries me further in Congratulation of the Princes of Christendom on this Alteration How easy must be their Government and how happy their Days when the heavy Ecclesiastical Yoke is taken from their Shoulders When they may be served by all their Subjects when they may punish single Offenders and not offend whole Parties when there are no Parties to be pleased or displeased and none to be Inflamed against the Government by discontented States-men And since some will be Lords keep the Power to oppress and give no Toleration to men of differing Thoughts and Apprehensions This method will set them on a level with their Brethren and there will be no need that Toleration should be either given or taken and Then they may reckon their Crowns to set much surer on their Heads when none have a priviledge or pretence to offend on the Score of a Tender Conscience But in a more particular manner as to our own Nation and present Circumstances a considerable body of us are for a Church of England a Religion Established by a Law for Bishops for Ecclesiastical Government Conformity and a National Church others we have who are a no less considerable body which we call Dissenters though indeed all are Dissenters one from another and these would have no Bishops no Ecclesiastical Government or Lordships or Temporal Dignities conferred on Spiritual Men and no Superiority of Functions in the Ministry of the Gospel but would have Pastors and Elders and Deacons and in short another differing way of Administration Again The first which we call Church-men and the others which we call Dissenters are divided and sub-divided and have several Denominations and Classes and Distinctions amongst themselves one are for Moderation and Condescention another for Strictness and the Bigotted to their Law and Establishment c. Some again are for a National some for a Synodical and others an Independant Church some draw one way and some another and all would have their own little Way and Method prevail so that we are perfectly Distracted and Confounded and can come to no Settlement or Agreement only we all agree in this to call our selves by one general Name and that is not Christian but Protestant We all protest against Popery a Name for another sort of Christians which possess several Kingdoms and Nations which we call our common Enemies Now Was but these Angeli Evangelizantes these Gospel Angels or Ministers of the Gospel instituted and appointed in each Nation as afore-said to go their Stages and Circuits First As I said before we should have no Popery and by consequence no Protestants to Protest against it and all our Names of Distinction so destructive to our selves when cast into such an Avarage would be perfectly lost we should have no Contentions for Offices Dignities or Superiority the Lot would give an equal Title and Priviledge to all Hitherto the Ministers of the Gospel has been appointed by Men so has been corrupted and forced to serve the ends of Princes of several Parties and ill-designing Polititians Has been mixt with all our Governments and clog'd with Humane Inventions and Traditions but by This Method God Himself would choose his Ministers and then from Humane and Earthly it would presently become Heavenly and Divine all the Sinister Arts to get Church Preferment so destructive to publick Peace and Truth would fall to the Ground the Doctors would cease to Flatter the Court to get Bishop-Pricks and Lecturers their Parishoners or Patrons to advance their Stipend it would be put out of the Power of Ignorant Patrons to prefer Ignorant Novices to the Ministry or Ignorant Parents a weak and unfit Boy for the University Nay it would be put out of the Power of Princes and States themselves to give Preferment or make Ministers and so by consequence as they have but too much done to make what Gospel they please And we may reasonably hope that Truth will then be a
Christianity Publick Peace and Themselves as ever has happened to the World since the first Propagation of so Holy a Religion Ouc agathon polycoironie c. saith the old Poet which with deference I interpret One Government and one Power in a Nation is enough But if Ecclesiastical Government must go down some like Saul will be for saving Amaleck and the best of the Cattle their Wealth and Riches To which I answer these must not be saved for Dominion and Power are inseparable to Wealth and Riches therefore these must be sacrificed before God's Wrath can be appeased or Peace be settled in our Israel But in Answer methinks I hear a great noise of Profaneness Sacriledge and the Ruine of of all Religion but I shall be deaf to the Objection since in plain truth the English of it is no more Then Great is Diana of the Ephesians For Religion would not at all be in hazard or concerned in so great a Change but would be purified and cleansed and appear much more amiable and Eligible it would but divest her of her sordid Rags knock off her Fetters and leading her out of the Squalid Prison of Terrene and Temporal Mixtures cloath her with Royal Robes and restore her to her Throne and Dignity The Religion of the Holy Jesus is God be thanked at this time of the Day so well propagated that there is no danger of its being lost if Honours and Preferments and all Secular Advantages be discharged her Retinue and secluded her Family For they make no Constituent or Essential Parts of her but are things which her mistaken but well-meaning Votaries have given her to Adorn and Bedeck her but really have disguised and deformed her For her Government and Empire is over nay in the Hearts and Consciences of Men teaching them to live good Lives and to follow the Example and Precepts of the most Holy Author whose Life and Doctrine was a of spiritual Nature abstracted and separate from all Vain Glory Pomp and Splendor who did utterly Renounce the dividing of Inheritances and publickly declare his Kingdom was not of this World. His Religion therefore ministring in the Affairs of his own Kingdom viz. of Heaven Grace and Glory ought to be kept separate and pure and not mixt with the Things and Powers of this World. The English of Mille per Ann. is not taking up the Cross nor does Grace and Godliness eccho right to Honours and Revenues Faith Hope and Charity are Fundamentum Paries Tectum The Foundation Walls and Roof of Christ's True Church upon Earth other Structures which we call Churches are nothing at all and if we can procure Means or get Builders to rear this Heavenly Fabrick implant these Essential Qualifications in the Hearts of Men our Work is done The old Building must come down and the old Builders must be rejected who have built with untempered Mortar have mixt Temporals with Spirituals instead of Humility and Charity have put Pride and Ambition and in the room of Mortification and Self-denyal have placed Wealth and Honours and have fenced all about with a High Wall of an usurped Power and Authority Other Measures therefore must be taken and a new Administration exhibited since most of what hitherto have been taken must be acknowledged to be mistaken and not calculated for publick Peace Christ has been Preached indeed Grace Administred and Souls Saved but the Manner and Method of Administration has been irregular and unhappy Ministring rather Matter of Disturbance than â—ny Advantages to the Affairs of Princes and Governme … of the World. The many unhappy Monarchs disturbed in their Measures of Government by strugling Parties and contending Churches abused by Ambitious and Discontented Bishops especially by him who is so notorious and has so often Signalized himself by Affronting Crowned Heads and perplexing their Affairs are sad Instances and but too easily Verifie the Charge And for the several Forms and Ways of Discipline and Administration however all Parties and Sects of Christians pretend they find them in the Scriptures They are no more able to find them there than they are able to find the several Figures of Birds Beasts and Fishes in the Heavens which the Astrologers tell us are there They may find faint Resemblances indeed but no Plain and self-evident Schemes The Reason is because none is of Absolute Necessity to Salvation and we must entertain very mean and low Thoughts of the Goodness of the All-wise Being to let poor Mortals ramble in the Dark for so many Ages and subject them to an Eternal Search and wrangling about Schemes and Forms of Government of his Church If any at all had been absolutely necessary his Blessed Son who came to Reveal all his Will would have fixed it as plain as the Sun in the Firmament that it should not be in our Power to mistake And if no Church-Government at all be necessary then it follows of Course that no particular Way or Model is necessary and indeed if we consider things narrowly a Coat may as well be made for the Moon as any particular Way be prescribed The Flux and Reflux and infinite uncertainty of humane Affairs will not admit of it as long and as often as Men sin they must be Punished but this cannot be done unless there be Disturbances and setting up and pulling down Kingdoms Nations and Families and since it is necessary there should be so great Changes what particular Scheme can be drawn to fit all Circumstances But some will send me to the Apostles and to the Primitive Times But to this I answer That what they might then prescribe ought not to be drawn down for a President to these Times The Church then was under Heathens and Persecutors and but in its Infancy and if we take their Measures we put a Childs Coat on a Man's Back which is but an ill sight but yet it is done by us and is a Folly we are so fond of that neither the Inconveniences we labour under nor the just Derision we incur thereby can make us forego We find indeed in the Scriptures Episcopi Presbiteri Diaconi but not exhibited to us in such commanding and indispensible Terms as to pass an Obligation and Necessity on all Ages of the Church and all Mankind to have the same But if Men useful serving the Same Purposes and Ends and more Conducive to Publick Tranquillity in these latter Ages of the World after so great a Change of Circumstances and Corruption of Manners by the Supream Power of any Nation shall be thought fit to be chosen no matter whether they have the same Names or no or any Names at all so they serve the same Ends for the Business of Christianity is not a thing of Names and Titles but a Substantial Thing productive of Holiness Piety and Charity And whatsoever Person or Thing which may be thought Fit and Convenient to promote her Interest and Minister to her Necessity may without Scruple be adopted into