the Popes is infallible when sometimes one Pope disannulleth what another decreed 7. When there are many Popes at once as there have been they must know which is the Infallible 8. They must be sure at this distance that the Cardinals consecrated him who is now in the seat they must know in England that they have the right decree of the Pope or travel so many miles to him themselves and the right meaning of them c. will you O gracious Prince give up the peoples Souls that are under you to these infinite doubts and scruples which it is impossible for any to be satisfied in will you not keep them to the Sure word of prophecy To which they do well to take heed as to a light shining in a darke place Reason 7. The greatest novelty and Schisme in the world is not to be Tolerated Popery is the greatest Schisme and novelty in the world So great a Schisme that separate from all the world and damne all the world So great a novelty that we have no footsteps of it in the Scripture which is the reason why they would not have us read the Scriptures will you Indulge novelties O ye the defenders of the Faith Once delivered to the Saints Will you allow them amongst us whose business it is to perswade the world that you and we are damned Reason 8. Nothing is to be Tolerated that is directly contrary to the word c. For therefore indeed Kings are commanded to read the word of God that they may suffer nothing that is contrary to the word you can do nothing against the truth but for the truth you are to be a terror to them that do evil against the word and an Incouragement to them that do well according to that word we pray four you that are in authority that we may lead peaceable quiet lives in all godlinesse according to the word of God and honesty according to the Laws of men how can you stand by and see the Communion and administred in one kind against the Institution of Christ which is Eat ye all of this drink ye all of this How can you stand by and look upon them serving or rather mocking God in an unknown tongue in dispight of the Apostolical injunction 1 Cor. 14. will you allow men a liberty to choose whether they will read the Scripture when you know that these things are written that ye might beleive that beleiving ye might have life through his name will you suffer them that say rend not these holy Scriptures least they destroy your faith and bring you to damnation when you know that whatsoever things are written are written for our learning that we through the comforts of the Scriptures might have hope What shall I do saith the man in the Gospel that I may inherit eternal Life Our Saviour answereth what is written in the Law how readest thou What sins will you punish O you Kings 1. If you wink at them that vilifie Gods words us obscure or insufficient for Salvation even the late times of liberty denied liberty to them that denied the Scripture 2. That presume to alter the express Institutions of God 3. That forbid the reading of the Scripture the only way of Life Lord what shall not be allowed if these men be allowed Reason 9. Idolatry is not to be Tolerated What have we to do any more with Idols Popery is Idolatry c. can you have the patience to see the Creature worshiped instead of the Creaor is not your spirit stirred within you to see men change the truth of God into a Lye and worshipping and serving the Creature more than the Creator God blessed for ever do you not know that this sin overthrew Princes over turned Kingdomes and hath the wrath of the jealous God who will not give his honour to another allwayes attending it If you forbid not their sin you commit it and if you partake of their sins you will partake of their Plagues Hath God honoured you O ye excellent Princes and will you see him thus dishonored hath he exalted you and will you see him thus debased would you see an Usurper upon your Throne and can you endure stocks and stones in Gods house he that honoureth God God wil honour he that dispiseth him shall be lightly esteemed shall Darius make a decree for all people nations and Languages that dwell on the Earth that all men should tremble and fear only before the living God And shall Christian Kings endure other Gods should be worshipped How can you endure to see men falling down before the works of mens hands O remember that Rev. 2.10 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee because thou hast suffered that woman Iesabel which calleth her self a Prophetess to teach and to seduce my servants to commit Fornication and to eat things sacrificed to Idols I have a few things against thee because thou hast there them that hold the Doctrine of Baalam who taught Balac to cast a stumbling-block before the Children of Israel to Eat things sacrificed unto Idols and to commit Fornication Reason 10. That Religion which destroyeth all civil Government is not to be Tolerated shall Princes wink at their own ruine Popery destroyeth all civil Government Kings have no more power subjects owe no more duty then the Pope is pleased to grant the one and enjoyn the other shall we admit these among us that upon all occasions let loose the people to cut one anothers Throat and to destroy their soveraigns who then may be safely the Prince must dayly look for poison and daggers The people for Massacres and cruelties all for dangerous attempts against the Lord and against his Annoynted who embroyled us in the late War was it not Papists upon what principle did we Rebel kill and take possession but upon the principles of popery if they did such mischief when checked and awed by Laws what will they do when tolerated shall a Protestant Prince countenance them that may in conscience be bound to kill them as Hereticks shall the Prince look upon them as subjects who may upon the least occasion be absolved by the Pope from all fealty and Allegiance to the great danger of the Kingdom if they are Papists they cannot be indulged for they are not subjects if they are Protestants they need not be Indulged for they are and will be obedient and faithful subjects as whole Profession states the Rightly of civil Goverment upon the most clear and firm principles secure them by the most powerful obligation and urgeth them upon the most efficatious imotives of reward and punishment in the world shall we allow them that upon ruin of encommunication and damnation may not dare to be faithful who must renounce their Religion i.e. obedience to the Pope that they be Loyal Reason 11. That way must not be tollerated Whose tolleration increaseth our danger and yet lesseneth those Incomes whereby we defrayed the charges of our
Sectaries whose numbers will weaken the true Protestant Profession so far that it will at least be difficult for it to defend it selfe against them And which is yet further considerable those Numbers which by being troublesome to the Government finde they can arrive to an Indulgence will as their numbers increase be yet more troublesome that so at length they may arrive to a generall Toleration which His Majesty hath declared against and in time some prevalent Sâ—ct will at last contend for an establishment which for ought can be foreseen may end in Popery It is a thing altogether without Precedent and will take away all means of convicting Recusants and be inconsistent with the method and proceedings of the Laws of England You know there is no end of humor and faction Hooper procures K. Edw. 6. letter for a dispensation from certain Rights and Ceremonies offensive to his conscience as the letter runs The nonconformists in the beginning of Q Elizabeths reign are onely for alteration of some things offensive The later nonconformists were against the Common Prayer and most of the usage of the Church at last they are against all Church government discipline orders and forms of worship the people will have it so and what will ye do in the end thereof 5 The Honourable House of Commons are against Indulgence to dissenters Because It is humbly conceived That the Indulgence proposed will be so far from tending to the Peace of the Kingdom that it is rather likely to occasion great disturbance And on the contrary That the asserting of the Laws and the Religion establisht according to the Act of Vniformity is the most probable meanes to produce settled Peace and Obedience throughout Your Kingdom Because the variety of Professions of Religion when openly indulged doth directly distinguish men into parties and withall gives them opportunity to count their numbers which considering the animosities that out of a Religious Pride will be kept on foot by the severall Factions doth tend directly and inevitably to open disturbance Nor can Your Majesty have any Security that the Doctrine or Worship of the severall Factions which are all Governed by a severall Rule shall be consistent with the Peace of Your Kingdom When Master Cartwright preached at Saint Maries in Cambridge the Church could not hold the people when Doctor Gouge preached at Black-fryers it was too little for him when Master Dod preached people were almost througed to death If a nonconformist preach the whole City is in a tumult if a man be but a little inclined that way how great is his Auditors If Orthodox how thin his Congregation which considering the animosities that out of a Religious Pride will be kept on foot by the severall Factions doth tend directly and inevetably to open disturbance Nor can His Majesty have any Security that the Doctrine or Worship of the severall Factions which are all Governed by a severall Rule shall be consistent with the Peace of Your Kingdom What security have we that the Papists will not teach the Popes power as well as his Religion that they will not absolve men from their allegiance to the King of England as well as they absolve men from their obedience to the Church of England that they will not disobey as well as not obey for Conscience sake how know we but they have all taken a solemn Covenant to defend the Kings Majesty onely in the maintenance of Religion i. e. of their severall wayes Be wise therefore O ye Kings be instructed O ye Judges of the Earth Habet aliquod ex iniquo omne magnum exemplum quod contra singulos utilitate publica rependitur Tac. An 14. Ne timeas contrà Charitatem esse si unius scandalum multorum pace compensaveris Bern. Ep. FINIS See Bishop Abbot on Jer. 6 16. â—e Dr. Peirce Sermon
FAIR-WARNING OR XXV REASONS Against Toleration and Indulgence of POPERY WITH THE Arch-Bishop of Canterbury's LETTER TO THE KING AND All the Bishops of Irelands Protestation to the Parliament to the same Purpose With an Answer to the Roman-Catholicks reasons FOR INDVLGENCE ALSO THE Excellent Reasons of the Honourable HOUSE of COMMONS Against INDULGENCE With Historical Observations thereupon London Printed for S. U. N. T. F.S. 1663. TO THE KINGS Most Excellent MAJESTY May it please your Majesty I Have been too long silent and am afraid by my silence I have neglected the duty of the place it hath pleased God to call me unto and your Majesty to place me in And now I humbly crave leave I may discharge my conscience towards God and my duty to your Majesty And therefore I beseech your Majesty give me leave freely to deliver my self and then let your Majesty do with me what You please Your Majesty hath propounded a Toleration of Religion I beseech you Sir take into your consideration what the Act is next what the Consequence may be By your Act you labour to set up that most damnable and heretical Doctrine of the Church of Rome whore of Babylon How hatefull will it be to God and grievous unto Your good Subjects the true professors of the Gospel that your Majesty who hath often disputed and learnedly written against those wicked Heresies should now shew Your self a Patron of those Doctrines which Your Pen hath told the World and Your Conscience tells Your self are superstitious idolatrous and detestable Besides this Toleration which You endeavour to set up by Proclamation cannot be done without a Parliament unlesse your Majesty will let your Subjects see that You will take unto your self a liberty to throw down the Laws of the Land at your pleasure What dreadfull consequence these things may draw after them I beseech your Majesty to consider And above all lest by this Toleration and discontinuance of the true profession of the Gospel whereby God hath blessed uâ— and under which this Kingdome hath for many yeares flourished Your Majesty do not draw upon the Kingdome in generall and your self in particular Gods heavy wrath and indignation Thus in discharge of my duty towards God to your Majesty and the place of my calling I have taken humble boldnesse to deliver my conscience And now Sir doe with me what you please I am Your most faithfull Subject and Servant G. Canterbury TO THE Right Honourable THE LORDS AND COMMONS Assembled in Parliament Humbly sheweth THat the Religion of the Papists is Superstitious and Idolatrous their Faith and Doctrine erronious and hereticall their Church in respect of both Apostaticall To give them therefore a Toleration or to consent that they may freely exercise their Religion and professe their Faith and Doctrine is a grievous sin and that in two respects For first It is to make our selves accessary not only to their superstitious Idolatries Heresies and in a word to all the abomâ—nations of Popery but also which is a consequent of the former to the perdâ—tion of the seduced people which perish in the Deluge of the Catholick Apostacy And as it is a great sin so also a matter of most dangerous consequence the consideration whereof we commend to the wise and judâ—cious Beseeching the zealous God of Truth to make them who are in Authority zealous of Gods Glory and of the advancement of true Religion zealous resolute and couragious against all Popery Superstition and Idolatry Amen Ja Armachanus Auth Medensis Ro Dunensis c. Richard Cork Cloyne Rosses Tho Kilmore Ardagh Mich Waterford and Lismore Mal Casohellen Tho Hernes Laughlin Geo Deceus Andr Alachadeus Theo Dromore Franc Lymrick Since then neither in right reason and true policy of State it is either becoming or safe for Christian Magistrates to have no acknowledgment of any face of Religion so farre among their people and Subjâ—cts as to stablish own and command it nor is it any piety for Christians to be alwayes scepticks in Religion ever unsatisfied and unresolved and unestablished in matters of Gods worship and mans salvation still ravelling the very grounds of Religion with endless cavells and endless disputes Since the Word of God is neer and open to direct all men in the wayes of God and since what is necessary to be believed and obeyed in truth and holinesse is of all parts in Scripâ—ure most plaine and easie No doubt but Christian Magistrates are highly bound in Conscience to God and in charity to the good of their Subjects to whom they must do more good then they are desired to do by the Vulgar to establish those things as to the extern order Ministry form and profession of Religion both in doctrine and duties which they shall in their conscience judge and conclude upon the best advice of learned and godly men to be most agreeable to the will of God as most clearly grounded on the Word in the general tenor and analogy of it and as most fundamentally necessary to be believed and obeyed by all Christians whereto the Catholick beleife and practice of all Churches more or lesse agreeing gives a great light and direction Christians must not be alwayes tossing to and fro in Religion as if nothing were true fixed and certaine in Religion nothing heretical corrupt and damnable in opinion and doctrine nothing immorall unlawfull and abominable in practice nothing perverse uncharitable and uncomely in seditions schisms and separations John Wigorn. Twenty five Reasons Against Toleration of Popery Reason 1. THat way which seduceth poor Souls from the great Rule God hath given to live by and be saved is not to be tolerated shall we allow them among us who take away from Immortal Souls all the sure foundation they have against the time to come shall we endure them among us whose business it is to hide the eternal counsel of God from men Popery doth seduce poor Souls from the great Rule of life Papistis and shall they be tolerated make it part of their Religion to perswade us that we should not search the Scripture wherein we may have life Catholicks and shall they be Indulgent make it their business to keep us from the holy Sriptures which are able to make us wise unto salvation perfect and thoughly furnished unto all good works they of Rome and shall they be connived at draw poor Souls from the word of God that is able to build us up and to give us an inheritance among them that are sanctified they said that there should be such among us endeavour that we should not prove what is the good the perfect the acceptable will of our God that without knowledge of this will the people should perish they and what can Satan do more disuade poor Souls from reading the Scriptures they persuade them that the Scriptures ought to be in an unknown Tongue that hearing poor Souls might hear and not understand the things that belong to their peace
danger the Papists disturbed us indeed formerly but their Estates secured us they threatned us and their Estates maintained those forces by Sea and Land that protected us shall we now increase our danger in allowing their liberty and yet quit those two parts of their Estates by which we weathered out the danger what at once let in an enemy and weaken our selves Reason 12. Blasphemy must not be tollerated he that blasphemed was to be put to death you know Popery is Blasphemy do not your ears tingle to hear them say that God in the Scripture is not infallable but the Pope in his decrees is 2. That they can make a God of a piece of bread 3. That that God may be eaten by the most wicked man yea the most vile creature by a Dog or a Mouse c. Shall the name of God through you be blasphemed God forbid Reason 13. That way which brings to an uncertainty is not to be tollerated c. Will you suffer men to live among us that perswade us we must not believe our eyes that are so deceitful that when we see a piece of bread must needs insinuate to us that we see a God a Saviour if we cannot trust our eyes how shall we live if we cannot trust our sences how can we know you and obey you how can we know the Scripture and believe it O suffer not those men among us that are about to perswade us that we must not believe our eyes and that we can know nothing Reason 14. They are not to be tollerated who turn all Religion to interest and formality will you endure them that teach poor men no more religion then 1. the advancement of one to be head of the Church For let us believe what we will if we deny that the Pope is head of the Church we are damned 2. then a few formalities and ceremonies will you suffer poor men to rest in a form of Godliness denying the power thereof will you let Christianity turn a piece of Pagentry and all Christians walk in a vain shew will you not once appear before that God that is to be worshiped in Spirit and in truth and can you forbear 't when you look abroad and see the Holy and Blessed God mocked with histrionical gawdy vain bablings childish canting saying and hearing they know not what God forbid we should countenance that in the world by a Christian Religion whose businesse is to mock God with an unreasonable Service and to set up man in an unreasonable pomp greatnesse dominion and tyranny over the world O shall the spiritual and inward frame and power of Religion be turned to an outward shew Reason 15. That Religion that allows men the greatest liberty to sin is not to be tollerated c. Shall you who have power given you to restrain evil allow a Religion that gives the greatest liberty to it In vain are you Kings if you allow that way which can dispence with all oaths and obligations of Subjects unto Kings In vain will you make Laws against prophanesse if you indulge a Religion if I may so call it which may give indulgence to all prophanesse In vain will you punish if you suffer men to think the Pope may pardon In vain do you trust your Subjects upon their oaths and promises if you countenance that Religion that teach men to equivocate to speak one thing to mean another In vain do you professe the Protestant-Religion if you allow that Religion that gives men liberty to dissemble any Religion to be Anabaptists to be Quakers to be any thing to promote their own cause Will you permit that way which leads men to these abominable courses My soul come not thou into their secrets Shall the poor people be given over to believe Lyes and Legends and when they have seen their ridiculousnesse and folly at last come to believe nothing their holy frauds and cheats making most of the antient writings uncertain a mischief as we cannot expresse so they cannot repair Reason 16. A way that engageth poor souls in certain perjury contradiction and impossibility is not tollerable c. The Papists Can you O ye tender hearted Princes see poor souls perplexed thus with impossibilities amazed with contradictions and plunged in perjury and consider that posterity will write that these things were done in your days and that the poor souls will complain at the last day Alas woe is us we were undone under your government O most excellent Governours we hope better things of you Reason 17. A Party whose businesse it is to puzzle people in their Religion and debauch them in their lives is not to be tollerated The Papists are such c. they puzzle us with divisions that we know not what to do but return to Popery where though we do err yet they bear us in hand that we cannot err They debauch poor souls with Licenciousnesse that when they are troubled in conscience and upon their death-bed know not how to be saved they may in dispair throw themselves into Popery for that pardon and indulgence which no other Religion can afford them In vain do you set up an Ecclesiastical government if you endure another way to take in those whom your Discpline cast out when we have taught the people faithfully admonished them sincerely reproved them severely censured them justly and excomunicated them solemnly They in Contempt of you and us can turn Papists and laugh at us for Popery and Schism is the sinne and channe that receives the excrements and filth of our Church when we tell men of their sins they run to the Papists and they tell them they are venial when we restrain men they run to them of the separation and there are at liberty to do what they please it is in vain to make Laws if a party of dissenters be tollerated with whom loose men may find Refuge against all Laws Reason 18. What destroyes your Government most Excellent Prince under which we lead peaceable and quiet lives in all godliness and honesty secure in our lives estates and libertie is not to be tolerated Popery destroyeth your Government they set up one whom they must obey for conscience sake while they obey you onely for conveniency theire Priests may do what they please you have no power over them Sr. if the Question between us were whether we should be holy or prophane whether we should obey Christ or not whether we should be good Christians and Subjects or not we should be ashamed to come behinde them but when we consider that all this stir is to set up one man above the world shall we gratify his ambition and promote his designe against our own Interest and welfare now they care peaceable indeed but let a Priest be discontented and what State can promise to please them alwayes and they will let you know what it is to let Priests and Jesuits into England they will incense the people promote discontents conviegh
whispers occasion misunderstandings and make you weary of your Government and life Reason 19. You must not tolerate Popery unless you will withal tolete all these heresies which are contained in Popery viz. 1. That the word of God I tremble to write it is obscure imperfect and insufficient to lead us to all truth that may save us and to keep us from all error that may damn us 2. That men must rest upon the judgement of men for salvation 3. That some if not all are born without sin which one opinion may undoe the world by keeping it in ignorance of is misery and in a neglect of the way of safety 4. That man works out his salvation by the power of nature and is saved by the merit of his works 5. That some sins are venial and deserve not death though the Law saith the man is accursed that continueth not in all things commanded in the Law to do them 6. That the sin against the holy Ghost is not unpardonable 7. That Christ is not God of himself and that bread and wine is God 9. That there are many Mediators as the Virgin Mary c. besides that one Mediator Jesus Christ by whose merits we are saved That Saints are to be worshipped 10. That we must still offer sacrifice that preaching is the way of hereticks 11. That the vertue of Sacraments depend upon the intention of a Priest 12. That the observation of outward Ceremonies is the essence of divine worship 13. That mingle so many Ceremonies with the pure worship and holy Sacraments 14. That the grace of God depends upon these Cereâ—onies and the outward observance of them 15. That some meats are unlawful 16. That priests marriages are unlawful 17. That a few words turn the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. 18. That one and the same body of Christ is in heaven and in earth all one 19. That men must worship creatures 20. That none are saved by the Sacrament who communicate in both kinds against the judgement of the Church 21. That men can pardon sin 22. That Mass may save men after they are dead 23. That if man believes in Christ he cannot be saved unless he believe in the Pope That Kings may be deposed and murthered by their Subjects c. They that indulge Popery indulge almost all the Heresies that are in the world Popery being nothing else but a forrage of old errors heresies and superstition brought into the Church to serve the interest of men is it a light thing with us to suffer damnable heresies shall we hang men for injuries done to few men and shall suffer them that intend to damn all Reason 20. We ought not at this time to set up Popery when God seems according to the prophesies that went before of it to pull it down what when Babylon is falling shall we put an hand to uphold it when the Kings who have given their Kingdoms to her threaten her shall we Indulge her REV. 18.1 2 3 4 5. And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven having great power and the earth was lightened with his glory And he cried mightily with a strong voice saying Babylon the great is fallen is fallen and is become the habitation of devils and the hold of every foul spirit and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of of her fornication and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies And I heard another voice from heaven saying Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues For her sins have reached unto heaven and God hath remembred her iniquities Reas. 21 That which we pray against we should not allow we pray against Popery c. shall we not deliver our selves from all false Doctrine and Heresie when we pray from all false Doctrine and Heresie good Lord deliver us Do we pray that Antichrist may be destroyed and yet do we uphold him do we set a solemn day viz. 5. of November to thank God that he delivered us from the superstition Idolatry Heresie Tyranny and cruelty of Rome and shall we admit them O do nothing against your Faiâ—h do nothing against your prayers Reas. 22. If the Papists may with a safe conscience conforme with us then we ought not to comply with them but they may conform with us therefore c. our Religion is the same it was in the beginning of Queen Elizabeths Reign but when they came to our Churches they heard our prayers and our Sermons why can they not do it now yea many of them come to our Churches now why may they not all do so the Pope forbids them they say and do they deserve an indulgence from our Magistrates who will rather obey a foreign Power then submit to our lawes they are not worthy of protection much less of favour among us that own a forreign power which they assert for disobedience to our own Reas. 23. If we had the happiest times for peace plenty prosperity and general satisfaction to all people when the severest Lawes against Papists were made then we ought not to mitigate those Lawes the restraint of faction is our security their indulgence is our danger O the happy yeares of Queen Elizabeth when Papists durst not shew their heads the blessed time of King James when a Priest durst not be seen we date our happinesse from that hour in Queen Elizabeths time that Popery was voted treason we date our miseries from that time in the last yeares of King James that it was declared Tolerable what calme what peace what quiet what unity order and uniformity before what feares what jealousies what troubles what dangers what divisions and disorders since Reas. 24. And what you think would our fore-Fathers say if they saw those whom they resisted unto blood enjoyning equal liberty with themselves methinks Reverend Cranmer's ashes stirre at the mention of the Toleration of Popery methinks the blood of Martyrs cryes aloud no Toleration of Popery the Millâ—oâ—s that have been massacred in Ireland c câ—y how long Lord good and true will thou not avenge our blood on them that dwell on the Earth shall God avenge and will you indulge Reas. 25 And to say no more when I see Coutzen Campanella Allen c. laying this mâ—thod for the undermining of the reformed Religion and the promoting the Popish viz. 1. That seeing the Papists are so odious among Protestants they would put on the visors of severall Sects and factions and under that pretence oppose the established Religion in any Country privately with more successe then they did openly 2 They should endeavour to make the Sects so considerable as to gain an universall Toleration wherein they might be included by the benefit whereof they
your religion if I may so call it is the farthest from that which is styled the old Protestant then from any other way professed and owned in England 4. And is it come to that that you have raised so many Sects among us for the Sects are but your by-blowes that we have but this sad choice left either to be swallowed up by them or to close with you This is plain English 1. Reas. Roman Catholique was the Religion of England a thousand years Ans. the Roman Catholique way was not the Religion of England but the corruption of its Religion these thousand years Although however that 's not the Christian Religion that is of a thousand standing onely our Religion was the Word of God for 1400 years to which the Papist added their Idolatry superstition and tradition these 900. years the Religion of England was alwaies contained in the Lords Prayer the 10 Commandments the Articles of Faith the Doctrine of the Sacraments the Order and Discipline we have now established by Law the corruptions of Rome were only of late brought in upon these foundations and are now removed by Law and really it 's strange that humane corruptions such as Popery is should claim the same right with Gods institution such as Judaism was one institution of God may give place to another by degrees though it give not place to the corruption of men not for an hour We have buried your way in honour our care is how that it rise not again in dishonour As the Primitive Christians suffered that generation of Jews which was bred up in Judaism to continue their own way though they suffered neither Jews nor Gentiles to be bred up in it in the next generation so we used that generation we found here at first very civilly but would not suffer any more to learn that way The Apostles that suffered Jews to practice their way for the present would not suffer them to teach it for the future and we who indulged Papists in the first generation after the Reformation to live in their own perverse way would not allow them to pervert others in the next generation And as we would not force a Heathen as he saith to our way so would we not suffer him to perswade others from our way we would not compel Heathens or Papists who in some places are little better then Heathens to the truth but we would restrain them that they should not seduce others to their errours Reas. But shall the old Protestant who confesseth Rome a true Church and himself derived from her persecute her and call her a Whore let the Presbyterian c. Answ. Let the world know that the old Protestant bears as little honour to the corruptions of Rome as the Presbyterian and that the Presbyterian bears as much honour to the truth of Rome as the old Protestant and that both for we will not by your Artifices be divided any further then needs must own her as a true Church though they do not own her as a corrupued Church They will allow the Church of Rome and they maintain their own here they condemn not them that live in communion with the Church of Rome because they have the foundation of Religion They allow them not the same priviledge with those of their own communion because they build dangerous things upon that foundation we own all Protestants for Christians yet we hang them for murder and felony so we own Papists for Christians yet we punish them for superstition and Idolatry Reason 3. If we acknowledge they have all things necessarie to salvation then we should indulge them An. Indeed you hold as you say the fundamental truth by which men may be saved but you hold likewise some errors in judgement and corruptions in practice contrary to those fundamental truths by which men may be damned we embrace your faith and yet we oppose the heresies you hold contrary to the faith I love a man though I hate his disease I love the Religion of Rome I hate her prophanation of that Religion if any man be saved in Rome it 's by the truths we and you hold in common and not by those abominations we punish in you and we must needs say that we restrain you not as Christians whom we shall see in Heaven one day but as Idolaters and Hereticks whom except you repent we shall never see in Heaven 1 Cor. 6.9 Gal. 5.20 21. 4. Reason We differ but in small questions and opinions c. therefore 1. Answ. If so small the difference between us why so great your cruelty towards us were we burned massacred tortured banished imprisoned famished upon quirkes and differences in words rather then in real points 2. But is the worshipping of Creatures but a quirkâ—s with you is saying to a peice of bread Thou art God but a trifle and to God Thou art not able to instruct us for salvation without humane tradition but a Toy 5. Reason Because we own one rule of Faith with them that is Scripture and tradition we ought to tollerate them Answ. We disown this reproachful insinuation we own no rule of Faith but the Scripture by which we try all humane writings judging in our selves what is right and though we have the Fathers and the first Councils against you yet we desire nothing but the Scripture for our selves we reverence the practice of the Ancients we walk by the rule of Scripture as we would do as they did so would we walk by the same rule they did 6 Reason The Lutherans agree with the Papasts elsewhere therefore c. Ans. I. How the Lutherans agree with Papists we say not we are sure the Papists agree not with Lutherans what else means the quarrels plots seditions tumults discontents we hear of every day 2. We walk not by example but by rule 3. This favour the Lutherans and Hugonots got by arms and keep by interest before we know how they were used 7. Reason As to what you say of commerce and marriage we establish not our religion upon policie but upon piety we look not what is most advantagious but what is most lawfull although yet it be the interest of forreigners as much to be of our Religion as it is ours to be of theirs the English peace and trade is as much their advantage as theirs is ours as for the Earl of Bristow he told King James and King Charles that for which he was questioned by the Duke of Buckingham in Parliament As for the Earl of Leicester he did a little regard Richleau as he did him and he hath lived to see as great a Cardinal court the English when resolute in their way though never so severe to Catholiques their resolute are fooled the resolved are feared as for the Queen of Bohemia if we had followed Her interest she might have been the greatest Queen in Europe and the Lord would have let the World have seen that it was the highest advantage in the World
to give up our selves and relation to God and the Gospel as for English Queens we may in time have Protestant Queens In the mean time we know our gracious Queens will not impose upon us the publick practice or indulgence at least of their Religion no more then we impose our Religion upon them they had rather few then whole Kingdoms should suffer they had rather see you suffer for your conscience then force us to allow your way against our consciences however to avoid some supposed inconveniences we will not commit sin which is a real and the greatest inconvenience in the World To your eighth ninth and tenth Reason we say if you are true to the Popes Supremacy you cannot be true to the Kings Government if you deny that as you seem to do you deny the foundation of your Religion yea the sum of Christianity as Bellarmine saith Whether you speak as you think in the eighth and ninth Reason we know not for you can equivocate we know your Brethren will never say so when they have obtained a Toleration and we know it is no new thing to have a few moderate men offer that in adversity which their Brethren will never own in prosperity Indeed you can juggle so as that some shall write for Supremacy and others against it and laugh among your selves to see how you cheat the world we know what the Sorbonistâ— stand upon at this time however you are punished here onely for actual disobedience upon what principle soever you disobey if some of you think loyally you all live disobediently to the Ecclesiastical Laws of this Realm II. Reason You say you are forced to be dangerous by fleeing to forreign Embassadours and parts for safety Answ. 1. It 's well we know your designe 2. If you did not go to Forreigners for Religion you need not go to Forreigners for Protection if you will worship with them you may live with them 3. If you keep correspondence with our enemies and practise against us when you are in danger of punishment what will you do when you are tolerated If you deal with Forreigners now to secure your selves from us much more will you deal with them hereafter that you may have power over us what you do now for liberty you will do hereafter for power this threatning insinuation will signifie little with us who measure our Religion by our Consciences and not by Interest whatever inconvenience follows upon your punishment we will not displease God to tolerate you To your twelfth Reason we can say upon sad experience that you may do more harm by creeping into houses then we can do good by preaching in Congregations To your last we say Our Bishops can prove their Consecration they will make their authority eminent in awing you if they cannot make their perswasions eminent in converting you and that when they are the severest enemies to your corruptions they are the most hearty well-wishers to your persons and you may hear them as such Sirs As you did your duty in serving the King in his just War so he will allow you all just priviledge in time of peace but you must not think that the reward of your obedience to him in some things shall be a liberty to disobey him in other Although we have been as you say fellow sufferers with you we will not sin with you You say you hazarded much to restore the King to his Throne To what purpose I pray you if every man shall do what is good in his own eyes as when there was no King in Israel And you must know his sacred Majestie makes Laws against you not to satisfie any mans passion or revenge but to satisfie his own conscience Whereas you speak of his Majesties mercie and word from Breda 1. Let me tell you That Toleration would be the greatest cruelty in the world 2. You know his Majestie promised no more at Breda but that he should condescend to such provisions for tender Consciences as his Parliament would think fit May it please therefore the wisdome and goodness of both Houses of Parliament setting aside those plausible insinuations which undermine the principles of Government to see that the permission of Roman Catholicks is not onely contrary to the peace quiet and union of the subject but also dangerous to the constitution and threatning to the welfare of this Church and Kingdome and not let that be promoted upon shallow and fallacious suggestion of any interest and advantage especially since the wisdome of France The Duke of Rhoan hath made it appear to the world and your wisdom makes it clear to your selves That the Protestant Religion is the Interest of England FINIS The excellent Reasons of the Honourable House of Commons against Indulgence with Historical Observations thereupon BUt to what end do we trouble the World with our inconsiderable Reasons now we are all concluded by the common reason of the Kingdome at least that part of it wherein we are included represented by the most Honourable the Commons of England assembled in Parliament then whom the Sun scarce beheld a more noble a more resolved a more unanimous a more loyal and Orthodox Assembly and Assembly as that excellent Bishop said quo nihil videt orbis augustius their famous Vote which may satisfie all your Reasons their Vote at which your conclave at Rome may tremble all the Conventicles in the World shake a dejected and forlorn Church raiseth up its selfe decayed Religion is recovered the soules of the first reformers if they have any sence of things here below rejoyce O if there be joy in Heaven at the recovery of one sinner what is their at the Recovery of a Nation millions of unstable Soules are setled the many breaches of our Church are close that threatning evill of schisme and separation is checked the loose hopes of dangerous men are bounded the callapsed Honour of England is restored former miscariages are expiated for which our gracious King the Defender of the true Ancient and Apostolick Faith heartily thankes them In which the Nobles if they have any sence of their Ancestors Honour will concur with them the reverend Clergy will be bound to pray for them and we with our posterity that are yet unborn will stand up and call them blessed their famous Vote to which we must submit is this The Vote That it be presented to the Kings Majesty as the humble advice of this House That no Indulgence be granted to the Dissenters from the Act of Vniformity And that you may know that this is not an Act of power but of reason not what they think they may but what they think they ought you have added their reason too Ordering That a Committee be appointed to collect and bring in the Reasons of this House for this Vote upon the present Debate to be prescuted to his Majesty and that the nominating of the Committee be adjourned till to morrow morning But reason is not