rest that equally pretend How shall it get hold upon the Consciences of men or will we have a Religion without having Conscience concern'd What ever is set up as Religious Security against Popery must stand on the grounds of Scripture right Reason and the best and purest Antiquity Popish Corruptions do all consist in departure from these If what we endeavour to establish be impeachable by Scripture Reason or Antiquity we destroy our own Grounds and disable our own Arguments against Popish Depravations Upon these then we must stand by these we must establish and if these things are so what can we desire what can we think to have but our Old Protestant Legal Constitution of the Church of England What but this which is agreeable to Scripture Reason and Primitive Christianity as hath been proved by many learned men to the shame both of Papists and Phanaticks of all sorts accommodate to our Civil Government wrought into our Fundamental Laws suited to and sufficient for all our needs sober in its Principles moderate in its Government and Discipline Its Articles are not imposed on the Conscience as all Fundamentals and of necessity to Salvation as Popish and Presbyterian Principles are but as pious wholsome Doctrines Articles of Consent for the avoidance of Controversies and Disputes its Prayers are Grave and Serious without affectation or doubtful Tenents Its Ceremonies few ancient decent declared to be in themselves alterable and indifferent its Power is owned to be only Spiritual what other any Ecclesiasticks have is acknowledg'd to be the favour of Kings it invades no rights of Princes it secures Obedience to Government and the interests of Societies Its Penalties are all for Correction not Destruction it punisheth none for bare Opinions it readily receives Offenders into its Bosom on repentance it is not forward to denounce Curses against Dissenters It is very Candid Charitable and Ingenuous to other Churches it was reformed by just Authority with great Temper and avoidance of Extreams These particulars and a great many more to the same general purpose have been fully proved by the learned Asserters of our Church and lately in a particular worthy Discourse of the Moderation of the Church of England which is so much opposed because so unhappy to be so little understood It will much concern us now especially to study and consider this Constitution which is the only mean between dangerous Extreams that and that only which can be made to stand Other Models are Romantick Vnpracticable they may entertain the imagination of phantastical busie unquiet Innovators but will never be brought into a constant settlement of Practice or be made any security to us against Popish Superstitions This by the Grace of God and Wise Sober Counsels and Endeavours the Church of England may And if any Mercy yet remain for so sinful a People it will be made so It is I am sure the duty of every Friend to his Country of every hearty enemy to Popery in his place to endeavout it Especially Sir such Gentlemen as you Representatives of your Country in Parliament I humbly think are concern'd to Consult and Act your part in order to it We honour you and thank God for your great Zeal against Popery you will effectually express it to your future Glory and your own and the Nations lasting Security and Happiness by endeavouring to make firm and to fasten our Foundations by helping up the decayed Banks and Dams which the Wisdom and Piety of our Kings and Parliaments have made against the Inundation of that Ocean of Errors and Superstitions by labouring to build up our almost ruined Walls and to fortifie our Bulwarks viz. To strengthen the Religion of our Protestant Reformation by Law Establish'd that it may be yet more firmly and securely settled This Sir I hope you in particular will endeavour and not give occasion for that Reproach that your Zeal is not for the safety of your Religion but of your Lands You cannot secure the latter but by making the former safe nor do this I humbly believe any other way Your Father Sir and other Relations were zealous Adherers to this Excellent Church and suffered much for their King and It being very sensible of these truths You inherit their great Estate and I hope you do these their Virtues You had through God's Blessing and their Care a pious Education in this Protestant Way this you still profess and I hope will adhere to on all occasions You see the Churches Enemies on the other side those that so lately destroy'd it the King Government and all are now as bufie as ever and seem to be confident to do their Work again they are always stirring and industrious in our Difficulties and Dangers these are their opportunities Their business also is to destroy us which if they could effect they would by that make way for Popery which they seem so earnest against You cannot but observe how they out-rage traduce abuse and flie at the poor distressed Church of England the Fathers and Sons of it They think themselves so secure of succeeding that they do in a manner declare already They have been always seeking Pretences and are now glad at heart of the Popish Plot because of the opportunity and advantages it gives them and 't is as plain as Light that they would use it to ruine us the other way and if they succeed we are as certainly undone I hope you will not be so intent on one Danger as to neglect and oversee the other Yea we fall at last into the same which we most fear if they once drive us into Confusions in Religion which must unavoidably follow the destruction of the Church of England So that with great reason I may affirm that these Enemies of it are promoters of Popery notwithstanding the loud noise they make against it I hope when it pleaseth God and the King that the Parliament shall meet You with the rest of our Patriots will consider for the Confirmation and I stablishment of our Legal Protestant Constitution against the dangers of Fanatical Confusions as well as those of Popish Superstitions Whether the great Assembly of our Representatives shall think fit to desire some smaller Alterations and Abatements for the gaining reasonable Dissenters some will never be satisfied or not it is not for me to conjecture All sober Sons of the Church of England will no doubt acquiesce and be content with what the Wisdom of the Nation shall think fit But when that Point is resolv'd whether one way or the other 't is to be hoped Strengthening and Settlement with such Allowances or without will follow that we may not be always floating This is the longing expectation of all Wise and Good men and it must be Moderate Grave Religious Counsels that must contrive and effect this Happiness for us Many such no doubt will be offer'd at your Meeting I hope you will go with the Healers of our Breaches and not with the
fierce men that would drive things to Extreams I am sure you can get nothing by Confusions and Dissettlements Pray God disappoint those that would have Distractions because they think they can get by them I remember walking with you last Summer in your Park you were pleas'd to ask me What way there was to fecure the Church of England under a Popish Successor though he should be Mild and Gentle and not bent upon the enforcing of his Religion One chief ground of the Question was That the King bestows the Bishopricks and many other Ecclesiastical Preferments and it cannot well as you reasonably offer'd be supposed but that He will in that case bestow them on such as either are Popishly affected or not very averse to or zealous against that Religion Or if the King should do otherwise and bestow them upon the most Worthy Sincere thorough Protestants yet the People would entertain Jealousies of them and never think them such which would destroy their Authority and Reverence and occasion the dispersion of the People yet further into Corners To this I said That I did not pretend to offer publick expedients in such great and weighty matters but I thought that if by any means of Justice and safety to the Rights of the Crown such as consent in that case would be Canonical Elections should during such time be granted to each particular Church and the King should please not to determine them in their choice to a Person by his Conge de' stire as now but leave them to their liberty of Choosing as they thought fit as in some former times they did each Dean and Chapter to choose the Bishop of the Diocess and their own Members that this might be reasonable Security And if the Bishop the Dean and Chapter the Clergy of each Diocess or distinct Deanry or the Vniversities should have the right given them of presenting to the King's Livings during such time of a Popish Successor this way I humbly thought might in all likelihood secure us against those Dangers For the Clergy of the Church of England are of all men most concern'd in point of Interest as well as Principles and profession to oppose Popery and as far as lawfully they may all advances towards it This one would think should need no proof but it seems it doth among some and I shall clear that Matter by and by And they would no doubt take care from time to time to Elect such as were most fast to our Protestant Constitution most eminent in their Lives and Learning and most able and ready to oppose Popish Corruptions and so the Church of England might stand if direct and profest Violence were not offer'd to it To this purpose I then said I think on the occasion of his Majesty's gracious offers for Protestant Security under a Successor of the other Religion I do not know what opportunities may be offer'd again the next Session but if any such be and this particularly might be obtain'd I hope it will be accepted and me-thinks some such thing should be desired But Sir I am no Projector I speak all this with all imaginable submission to the wiser Judgments of my Superiours CHAP. II. II. ANother occasion I note of the increase and danger of Popery is our ill treatment of our own Protestant Clergie those of the Church of England Their Predecessors were they who first formed our Reformation upon the soberest and best grounds of Opposition to the Roman Church as I have shewn and by their Blood sealed our Protestant Establishments And the Successors of those blessed men Bishops and other Episcopal Divines have ever since been the Scourges of Popery who by their learned and excellent Writings have confuted exposed triumph'd over the numerous Errors of that Church These have been the grand Champions of the Protestant Cause that have fought our Battels against the stoutest and most daring Enemies with glorious success such were Bishop Jewel Bishop Morton Bishop Andrews Arch-Bishop Laud Bishop Hall Bishop Davenant Arch-Bishop Usher Arch-Bishop Bramhal Bishop Taylor Bishop Cozens Dr. Hammond Mr. Chillingworth Mr. Mead Dean Stillingfleet Dean Tillotson Dean Lloyd Dr. Henry More Dr. Brevint these and innumerable others have strenuously and plainly refuted bafled and disproved the Popish Depravations And every where men of the same sort in all parts of England are very busie both by Books and Sermons to render those Corruptions odious and detestable as they deserve Particularly we have an eminent aggregate Instance in the Reverend Episcopal Clergie of the City of London How many learned substantial convictive Sermons have they preach'd against the Popish Doctrines and Practice since our late Fears and Dangers I believe there have not been such deliver'd in that City against those Superstitions since the Foundation of it More sound accomplish'd judicious Preachers it certainly never had never any that understood the Roman Falsities better never any that were more resolv'd or more active Enemies to them The Divines the Ancient and the Modern of the Church of England principally have by their Preaching and their Writings so inform'd season'd and spirited the People against Popery as we find at this Day from them they have their chief Grounds from them their courage of Opposition 'T is true some few others have written something Mr. Baxter and Mr. Pool have labour'd worthily Dr. Owen hath said somewhat to Fiat Lux and there are some Sermons of the Presbyterians extant Morning Lectures against Popery These are the most the chief of their Performances I ever heard of Indeed the People of the Dissenting Party talk commonly as if the Non-conformist Ministers had written the most and best Books against Popery and had this way shewn themselves more zealous Adversaries to it than the Conformable Clergy have done But they do but shew their ignorance in this as they do in other Matters of the like nature And the ground of their Mistake is this That they take all the Books which their Ministers have written against the Church of England to be written against Popery They have indeed written more than a Horseload of Books of this sort but what they have written against the Church of Rome a Boy may carry at his Back I would not disparage any Protestant Writings against the Papists nor appear partial to the Episcopal Divines Let the World compare and judg of which side have been the most and most considerable Opposites to the Popish cause Let any the most prejudiced against the Church of England read both sorts and then judg who have been the Original Authors and who have only used the others Reading Learning and Reasonings I would leave the Matter with the most partial to Dissenters to determine when they have read when they have consider'd There is no man certainly of understanding or experience of the World but must grant that the chief the most successful Antagonists of Popery have been the Clergy of the Church of England These the Papists have
to give any legal security to the publick that they are not Papists these are Protestants the Protestants But those that profess the Primitive Christianity reform'd by our Martyrs from Roman errors and corruptions and establish't by our Laws Those that have publickly bound themselves to this truely Protestant Religion by Subscriptions Oaths Sacraments Tests all the ways that the wisdom of the nation can find out for security these are Papists Popishly affected Papists in Masquerade Sir I speak nothing of this to expose vilify or affront any but out of tender regard to the honour of the Protestant name which must needs needs by such courses I pray God preserve us from the ill consequences of proceedings that are so partial and unjust and that Popery in the event have not the advantages by them that they so fairly offer it I hope you do not understand me as if I intended that all were Atheists Debauches c. that seem now to be over-run with an extravagant zeal and violence and that wrongfully charge the Church of England No I know what allowances are to be made for mens mistakes who are abused by the cunning deceits of crafty designs Many honest and Religious persons are so mislead at this time and those I pity and pray for But that there are many wicked men of the sorts I have described studying and endeavouring the ruine both of Church and State you cannot but apprehend and those it is that I humbly caution you against And if ever Popery have any considerable advantage in this Nation it will be by their means The mistakes of furious Zeal against Popery may effect that which all the direct Zeal in the world for it would never be able to bring about 'T is sobriety that must settle and secure us SIR I Have thus written to you with honest plainness and freedom such as becomes an English-man and a sincere Member of the Church of England To the same purpose I have spoken to others as I have had occasion with no other design but of serving the Government and Protestant Religion by Law Establish'd to which by the Grace of God while I live I will adhere But for this innocent sort of discourse I have suffer'd severely from the fierce Zeal I have described and have been Stigmatized by it as a Papist a denier of the Plot and an Enemy to Parliaments I have reason to think that you have heard these injurious things of me and because you have not seen me of late and do not know how I may be changed I shall trouble you with a short account of my self in reference to these Charges For Popery I always was as hearty an Enemy to it as any man that lives and have declared that Emnity by such zealous frequent and publick oppositions as would expose me to the greatest rigours and persecutions of that Church should it which God forbid ever regain Authority and power in this Nation Besides that I must certainly unavoidably suffer the loss of all under it I say I have publickly solemnly earnestly declared against Popery ever since I was capable of examining and knowing it I have represented the Idolatries Superstitions Heresies Immoralities Novelties Absurdities Nonsense and all the Antichristianism of that Church with as much earnestness and plainness as any man in my station hath or can do I have done it always on all occasions and particularly since the late Plot and often since and our dangers require this Zeal from us Such a Papist Sir I am One that never thought of that Religion but to detest it And this inclination and resolution by the help of God I shall carry to my Grave As to the Plot I have reason'd about Circumstances and spoken of the folly and infatuation of the Contrivance and management by the Papists I have laught at many Coffee-house Stories and Terrors for which there was no evidence I have been sensible of other Plots and Designs built on the occasion of the Popish one and have spoken of those with concernment as in these Papers I have done But as here all along I suppose the grand Popish Plot and own there was such a one so in all Conversations I have acknowledg'd the Plot and see too much cause to believe the late Designs and endeavours of Papists to work our Ruine I know enough of the malignity of their Principles and the vileness of their Practices of this sort to dispose me to receive the Evidence As to the last charge I heartily reverence the Constitution and respect Parliaments as much as any Friend to the Government can do I know their usefulness their necessity and the veneration that is due to the Representatives of a great Nation and of our own But after all this Body how great how venerable soever owns it self to be Fallible and as all men take the liberty to blame what they dislike in publick proceedings and even in theirs so have I sometimes taken notice of such Mistakes and Miscarriages as the violence and designs of ill men have led that Assembly into Notwithstanding which I can truly say I honour Sober Religious and Loyal Parliaments as much as any man And I hope this when it meets will prove it self to be such to the confusion of all Popish and Fanatical Designs and the establishment of our Religion Peace and a lasting Happiness This is my constant Prayer to Almighty God for Them and to this every true English-man will say Amen I have been a little tedious and perhaps impertinent in this Apology but I hope you will pardon it as an effect of the great desire I have to preserve my self in your good opinion which I hope I shall never forfeit by deserving such Characters as the fierceness of some would fasten on me But always continue as I am a sincere lover of the true Protestant Religion an affectionate Friend and Subject to the Government in Church and State as now establish'd And particularly to your self Sir An humble and faithful Servant THE CONTENTS CHAPTER I. THE First occasion of our further danger of Popery considered viz. the weakning of the Church of England The Constitutions of this Church are our old Protestantism This Church our Bulwork against Popery which unavoidably will follow the destruction of it The present sad state of the Church of England described Its diminution the great occasion of the late growth of Popery The way to keep that out is to establish something nothing but the Church of England can with reason or safety be set up not Presbytery not Independency not any new Model The strengthning the Church of England earnestly prest The unwearied designs and endeavours of the Kings and Kingdomes Fanatick enemies against it at this time particularly and always in our dangers An humble offer for security of Protestant Religion under a Popish Prince if such should ever be CHAP. II. The Second occasion of our danger viz. our ill treatment of our Protestant Clergy those
be more there should not be Instances found to give colour to such Reproaches and if there should not be some to deserve very bad Characters But let it be consider'd that the far greatest part of Livings are poor Vicarages of 20 30 or 40 Pounds a Year into such Patrons must put whom they can get and Bishops that admit know not mens ill Lives and the Laws are content with very slender qualifications for Learning nor are great Matters necessary for every Country Village and this poor condition of so great a number of the Clergy sets them into mean Conversation and by their low and bad Company they are tempted and often purposely so to disorders which then are triumphantly publish'd the men are despised and the whole Order for their sakes Some are surprized for some Traps are laid and they are industriously drawn into Scandal on purpose to defame them and the whole Clergy and it cannot be denied but that too many are Clouds without Water spots in our Feasts Diotrephes's Demas's Judas's not only in the smaller Cures but in the more considerable Preferments Many most of those the Laity present to and do not always prefer for worth but for divers other sometimes very undue considerations all which consider'd it cannot be but Scandals must arise among so great a Body of men in such Circumstances and then they having so many Enemies of so many sorts Atheists Papists Fanaticks Worldlings Debauchees who watch for their haltings and rejoyce when they fall who are ready to invent so many malicious evil things of them and to publish and spread what they hear or what they make their interest being to have them and the Church vilified and despised it could not be but that they must suffer under manifold Reproaches though they were all wise cautious innocent how much more when there are divers ill unwise unwary men among them and in all great Bodies in the World in all times even the best such mixtures have been And even the Good the most Excellent have their Faults and Imperfections which when ill-will is to represent and comment upon them are sometimes so heightned and improved as to blacken them all over and to make them appear very vile to the World But after all this it must be said that the Church of England blessed be God for it hath a great number of most Excellent Divines men of great Piety Parts and Learning substantial powerful Preachers Pious Sober Virtuous Livers such as for all kinds of Ability this Nation never had greater better more Let my former Instance of the Clergy of London be consider'd as an evidence of this Their worth is so great and shines so bright that the Adversaries of our Church cannot but acknowledg it Mr Baxter in one of his late Books the most sharp he hath written against us owns that he meets with judicious substantial Sermons almost in every Church in London where he happens to go And up and down in the Country every where one may find very excellent Persons that lie hid and make no publick noise in the World I have said this by way of brief but just Apology in the behalf of our abused Clergy and add that notwithstanding the ill Character they lie under among some and the failings and imperfections they are guilty of yet this Nation never had I believe a wiser learneder Clergy upon the whole since the Beginnings of it And the contempt and ill treatment they meet withal is one of the greatest Reasons why they are not better General disrespect makes men careless and incautious in their Lives Whereas honour and esteem ingageth them to be circumspect and wary to maintain that veneration and regard that is paid them So that the men that most upbraid the Clergy with ill Lives are the principal causes that many of their lives are so obnoxious and they may consider some of them whether they do not themselves for sordid and unworthy Reasons bestow their Livings upon such as they complain of and so make the reason of their own Complaints I have been tedious upon this Head which yet would require larger Animadversions and I shall here crave leave yet farther to note That Among all the abuses fastned on our Clergy there is none more unreasonable and unjust than that of their inclination to or no great distance from the Roman Church This reproach our Enemies now every where publish or infinuate to carry on their design of destroying the Church of England which shews that some will say any thing against them any thing that may render them popularly odious though it be never so contrary to all truth and all appearance And I challenge the whole Protestant World to shew a publick Instance of more Zeal against Popery than our Church of England Divines have exprest against the Popish Religion ever since and before the discovery of the late Plot. Every Pulpit can witness their frequent earnest Sermons against those Superstitions and every Stationers Shop can shew their numerous excellent Books against them Or if these were not we may consider that Interest will not lye men especially such as they suppose our Clergy will not act contrary to that Can we think that all the Gentlemen of England that have Abby and other Church Lands will desire and endeavour to promote Popery Are they suppose we favourers and friends of that Religion that in likelihood would divest them of their Estates Can we think that the City of London are for blocking up and hindring the Current of the Thames Or that the Lord Mayor and Aldermen have a plot to translate the Trade to Lincoln or York Have the Merchants any desires or designs for the destroying of Shipping and Navigation Shop-keepers intrigues against Trade or the Lawyers designs against the Business of Westminster-Hall If no one is so foolish as to object such inclinations and endeavours against those why should they then alledg Popery any degree of it any the least inclination to it against the Clergie of the Church of England whom of all men it would most throughly most certainly undo And that there is no Church-man so ignorant but he must know For all the Married Clergy lose their Livelihoods without remedy if that be all All the Prebendaries in the new Churches which were Monasteries of Monks must turn out unavoidably All that have been active in Preaching or writing against Popery which takes in the chief part of the Clergy are in imminent danger of being ruined further than the loss of their Livelihoods amounts too If there should be any that think of saving themselves by Conformity they can look on that only as better than being utterly undone not as a thing otherwise desirable For the uncouth work with which they are unacquainted the servile subjection to their Superiours to which they have not been used and above all the hatred contempt fury of the People to which they will be exposed and by which they will
want of Authority in the Church and respect to its Ministers are plain and acknowledg'd occasions of our Dangers Never was a People so Broken so Divided What numerous names of Sects have we and scarce any one at Unity within it self all subdivided and broken into diversities that want names We have raked up all the old Heresies and added new Monsters formerly unheard of All that the Phancies all that the Phrensies of conceited and distracted men can invent are Doctrines of Religion and Grounds of Sect-making among us And all are zealous for their particular Conceits all call their own imaginations by the most sacred names Light God's Truth Gospel Ways Holy Mysteries Daunings Illuminations Refinings and a world more of such fondness by which they are infinitely puff'd up in their own Phancies as the only Knowing the only Spiritual Christians and taught to scorn all other Doctrines and Ways as beggarly Rudiments Elements of this World and Carnal Reasonings at the best yea generally to rail bitterly at them as Lyes Popish Babylonish Antichristian trash Doctrines of Devils and such like and consequently to hate and bitterly to revile all different Judgments especially those that are uppermost Establish'd or countenanc'd by the Government now chiefly the Church of England but if any one of them were got into the place it would be the same thing all the rest would flie upon it and tear it with their utmost Rancour Vehemence and Reproaches Which state of things among us is infinitely Scandalous to the Protestant Religion to which they all pretend And those that leave us clamorously object that there is no end of our Factions and Divisions That 't is a sign our Church is not the true one since it is so broken shattered divided Which Divisions they think and say are either the natural consequents of our departure from them or the Judgment of God upon us for that Separation See say they what you Protestants are a medley of wild disagreeing Sects as different from and as fierce one against another as against us one in Name but in Principles in Affections in your particular ways infinitely diverse infinitely opposite You have no Principles are fastned to no Foundation float up and down like the Waves of the Sea still rouling from one Sect to another Whereas we Catholicks are one Body an Edifice firmly built upon the Authority of the Church having no such Fractions among us but being as a City that is at unity in it self By such suggestions to which our Divisions give too much colour they deceive the Hearts of the Simple and draw multitudes into their Snares And as our Divisions promote Popery by way of Scandal and the ill opinion they beget of the Reformation so they do the same by giving the Papists positive and direct opportunity to play their Game They put themselves into all shapes and disguises among our Sects and under those Vizards drive us on towards more Confusion and disseminate their own Doctrines under other Names and Appearances with great advantage to their Cause So that while there are such Separations and Conventicle Meetings among us Popery is still carrying on The Popish Agents will creep into Houses they will hide and shelter themselves under those pretences and drive on their Business by them So that there is no way for us to come to any assurance against Popery but by Vnion by which the Scandal will be removed and the advantages that we give our Enemies by our Divisions But this considering how things are may seem utterly unpracticable union and agreement in Opinions is certainly unfeisable it never was in the World it never will be But yet some External Vnion Subjection Truce fairness among the different minds may And how is that to be attain'd Must all Dissenters from the Church be supprest Or must they have a general Toleration The ordering this Matter must be left to the Wisdom of our Governours only in general I say something must be done for the removing the mischievous effects of our Divisions I will not pretend to direct but I 'le give you my opinion in two things 1. Toleration is not the way Liberty of Conscience must be given there is no help for that no power on Earth can invade it for Liberty of Conscience is liberty of Practical Judgment and the freedom of that none can take away Liberty of Practice then is the thing in dispute that consists either in professing our private Opinions or our walking in private Ways contrary to Establishments and as to these too strictly speaking our Liberty cannot be taken away For whatever the Laws or Penalties are men will still retain natural power and liberty to profess what they believe and to act according to that profession The question then is of Political Liberty whether they should not be determined by Laws and bounded by Prohibitions and Penalties in Ecclesiastical Matters as well as others And so it will come to this whether there should be any Government in the Church or not For if there be a Government there must be Laws if there be Laws there must be Penalties annext to the violation of those Laws otherwise the Government is precarious and at every ones mercy that is 't is none at all the very nature of Government requires Restraints and the bounding the liberty of Practice and to strive for Toleration is to contend against all Government Let it be tried in the Civil State in Armies in Schools in any Societies or publick Bodies And see what work it would make with them None certainly could stand under the practice of such a Principle For if Penalties are forborn to any why should not all expect it when there is occasion And all may have the same pretence when they need it If no one is to be punish'd for doing that which is agreeable to his Conscience or not doing that which is contrary to it every one will quickly learn to say that the thing he would do is his Conscience and the thing he dislikes is against it And 't is impossible for all the wisdom in the World to tell but that it may no one can judg that but a man's self So that here is an effectual loose and out-let to all Government in the Church yea and in the State too For Conscience is as much concern'd in the Duties of the Second Table as in those of the First Conscience void of offence towards God and towards men Acts 24. 16. And there is no Statute of the Realm that can be made but men may find a pretence of Conscience against it And if Conscience every man's peevish humoursome erring Judgment which he will call by that name be so sacred that no one must be punish'd that follows it then every one may be excused when he thinks fit to plead this and so good-night to all Laws and Governments of all sorts If a man steals anothers Goods the Law would punish him But saith he I did
and at the distance of many Miles it may be another Some few decaied Gentry and here and there an inconsiderable Country-man or Tradesman very few of Note or Riches of either sort And if an exact account were taken of their numbers and condition from London to the Mount in Cornwal Westward the inconsiderableness of both would exceedingly surprise us And I am very confident that of all sorts of men differing from the Church of England in the Kingdom the Papists are the fewest and those that are are so scattered and live so distantly from each other that 't is really very little they are capable of doing in opposition to the rest of the Nation and the less because of the great jealousie and hatred that all universally have conceiv'd of and against them We hear of vast numbers in the North and there are more no doubt in those parts than in the Western but I believe they are much fewer than we hear and no way able by their numbers to make any kind of Ballance for the exceeding disproportion in the West The truth is People are mightily given and generally so to multiply the number of Papists and they do it in common talk at least ten-fold Designs have been and I doubt are still carrying on which this pretence serves A chief thing to be done in order to publick Mischief is to affright the People with the number and strength of Papists And I believe if there were but ten of that sort in the Nation it would be the same thing God forbid I should diminish the real force of our Enemies or endeavour to render us secure in Dangers The malignity and principles of Papists their unwearied Zeal and diligence to overthrow our Religion I very well know and thank God that the whole Kingdom is awakned to apprehend these but I think we shall incourage them and dishearten our selves if we over magnifie their strength and thereby give occasion to other Plots of as dangerous a nature as theirs But to all this I know some will say that though their numbers here are not considerable yet they are very formidable upon the account of foreign Friends and Correspondents And our danger from Abroad is really great but not much the more on the account of Domestick Papists whatever they vainly persuaded themselves If our Neighbours should invade us They if they should be so disposed could do them but little service we know their assistance in the late Wars where they joyn'd was not very considerable And now their numbers being so small and they being so disperst and mingled they being so hated and every Neighbour having so watchful and concern'd an Eye upon every one of them they could scarce signifie any thing yea it may be thought considering how things are that in such a Case the fury of the People would offer them immediate Violence and prevent their doing that little they otherwise might All this Sir I say to shew how little sense and reason there is in the Popish Plots and how much better it would be for them for ever to desist and to sit down in desperation of success And if a Popish Prince should come to rule over us if he knew the real state of things and the weakness of that party he would never think of reducing the Nation to that Religion which cannot be effected but by Miracle The very attempt would hazard the ruining him and the Monarchy for ever The meer jealousie though most groundless ruined one Protestant King and we see in what danger it hath put another And if things are thus as I am confident upon examination and trial you will find let us take care that we promote not Popery by strengthening the hopes of Papists let us not hearten them by false accounts of their numbers and their strength and thereby inspire them with courage to Plot against us The better way I think would be to let them see we despise them and to know how phantastical and sensless their hopes are This would really disable them break their Courage and in likelihood put an end to their audacious Projects from which we have such frequent disturbance But we hear and they are told they have many secret friends Papists in their hearts who will be ready to help them when time shall serve By this way the number of Papists is supplied and those that have ends to serve by it may make it what they please I shall not deny but that they may have some under-hand secret favourers or that there may be divers such in Masquerade among the Sects But is it likely that those whose caution and interest hath kept them all this while from appearing or declaring in times when they safely might have done it should venture all against the excited rage of the whole Nation in so desperate a Cause Or if the number of these were added would it make any proportion to the open declared Enemies of that Religion If they should lean upon such hopes I doubt not but they would prove broken Reeds that would fail and suffer them to sink to the Ground And here I cannot but take notice of an intolerable Practice extremely prejudicial to the Protestant Interest and Religion every where now prevailing it is the Stigmatizing every one that we dislike or hate or design against with the brand of Popery If a Gentleman stands to be a Member of Parliament that is not a Fanatick he is in their Mouths presently a Papist If one speak but an earnest word for the Government and establishments either in Church or State that crosseth and stops some mens contrary violence he is a Papist If a Minister preach up the Peaceable healing Christian Spirit and Principles in opposition to Madness and wild Rage he is a Papist If a man doth not believe every seditious lye that is publish'd in the Domestick Intelligence and Coffee-house Letters he is a Papist So that I am afraid the time is near if seasonable stop be not put to this Rage when every Friend to the King and Church shall be a Papist If there are not real Papists in the Nation enough to keep us in eternal frights till these Plotters have done with us what they please they will make more and we shall have enough ere they have done First They make the Bishops and all the Conformable Clergie such We know they had concluded all the former but three a pretty while ago and they are continually labouring by scandalous Reflections and downright Reproaches in their common Discourses and their more publick lying News to blast the whole Regular Clergy as Papists in Masquerade as they phrase it or favourers of Popery at least And though these have been always and still are as I have shewn the stout zealous defenders of the Protestant Cause though they are the only significant opposers in their way of Popish Errors and Superstitions though they expose them daily by their learned Books and Sermons and no
sort no order of men in the World ever did it more nor so much yet all this is nothing it shall notwithstanding be in the power of every contemptible Pamphleteer of every Atheist of every Fanatick to blast any one yea the whole Body of these men with the reproach of being Papists an Out-rage and Barbarism scarce ever heard of in other Places and Times And a sort of men there are that have no manner of pretence to any Religion but this of calling every one that is not as Sensless or as Atheistical as themselves Papists Those that know not their Catechisms that understand no more what Popery is than what is the Religion of China or the most remote parts of America that never did and never will speak one reasonable word against that Way nor for any yet these shall impudently cast the scandal of Popery upon the most learned most active and most substantial Enemies that Religion hath in the World Just as if a man should say the Pope Cardinals and all the Jesuits are Protestants in Masquerade This is intolerable insolence and injustice most scandalous and destructive to our Protestant Profession and to Christianity it self contrary to all Charity Modesty Truth and common Honesty and nothing could more incourage and promote the ends and designs of Papists For if this be so if those that have studied the Points so throughly have been so conversant in the Scriptures and Ecclesiastical Antiquity who have read the Books of all sides and have learning to judg if they are Papists or inclined to them If they are so in spight of all their Interests the zeal of their contrary Profession and all their sharp Books and Sermons against it then certainly may men think this Popery hath somewhat in it more Christian more reasonable than we have been aware and it is not the Bugbear we have been made believe Thus may People be tempted to favourable thoughts of Popery by this unchristian practice and this puts the chief Fort we have against them the Church of England into their hands it begets infinite animosities hatreds and jealousies among our selves so that at last we shall not be able to tell whom to trust who is a Friend or who an Enemy and hereby shall be rendred weak and easie to be destroyed This recommends Popery as a Religion that hath the Hearts of all men and supposeth that every one would be a Papist if he durst which is so far from being true that considering how contrary that Religion is to Sense Reason Scripture and Antiquity 't is almost a wonder any one should be of it whom Interest or Education hath not irresistibly ingaged And 't is strange to see how slippery and uncertain mens fayings are for I have heard the same sort affirm often reflecting upon the non-sense of that Religion that they think the Jesuits and other learned men among them do not in their Hearts believe it themselves and yet now when the contrary talk will serve a mischievous turn every Protestant every Learned man every other man that is not of their way or mind shall when they please be a Papist in his heart The Jesuits are not Papists in their Hearts but Protestants whose Education Interest Studies Profession Labours have been still against them are so in theirs Which besides the other extravagances of it is impious usurping the Prerogative of God of Searching Hearts and at this rate even our Thoughts are not free we shall not think what we can but what these strange censurers please And here is taking away Liberty of Conscience with a witness 'T is in vain to urge to them that we profess our selves Protestants that we always did so that we practise according to that profession frequent the Protestant Worship Prayers Sermons Sacraments have taken the Oathes of Allegiance and Supremacy and are ready to take any Test against Popery this will not do all is nothing we may have Dispensations for all this and be Papists notwithstanding According to which rule of judging 't is impossible to distinguish a Protestant from a Papist And then the censurers are Papists the Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists Quakers the most eminent the most zealous of them every Mothers son are all Papists when any one hath a mind to call them so and there is no possible way for them to clear themselves nor is there any possible way for any sort of men to be Protestants but by being loudest and strongest and able to knock the rest on the head If any call us Papists there is no way to stop their mouths but by cutting their Throats Lo here is foundation laid for our Massacring one another and doing the Papists business to their hands 'T is but for the prevailing Party to call the rest Papists and they can never answer it they must be so and there is no help and so they unavoidably fall under all the Rage and Fury that is or may further be raised against those our common Enemies Now according to this proceeding Papists are indeed very numerous and there are scarce any Protestants yea there are none at all there are none but one side or other hath call'd Papists and do and none not one of them by this rule can clear themselves and prove they are not so so that as soon as they are accused they are mute and the matter must be taken Pro confesso No man is clear from being a Papist but he that is not accused and so his clearness is only his good luck that he hath not Enemies or that charge hath not yet come into his enemies Heads or into their Tongues as soon as it doth he is gone too You see what Confusion this involves us in it dashes us one against another and blows up all Protestants at once more generally more effectually than any Powder Plot can or ever could do So that we may justly say that such Censurers as these are promoters of Popery and Popish designs in an high degree And who-ever invented this piece of Mischief whether Devil or Jesuits or our own Malice and Rage 't is one of the most destructive Engines that ever was formed against us For it throws us all into the Dark full of Rage and Fury where we are provoked to fight and lay about us but have not one glimps of light to see a Friend from a Foe And when things are come to this pass Papists may forbear Plotting we shall do their work our selves Now to Cure these evils and to prevent the Dangers they threaten it is greatly to be desired if the present ways of discovering Papists are not sufficient that some other Test the best that can were made and when that is done it should be made highly Actionable by a particular strict severe Law to call any one Papist that hath taken the legal Test. For 't is intolerable that the greatest and most dangerous reproach possible as that now is should be fastned upon a man by
whoever pleaseth and that there should be no remedy nor as much as any way of clearing In other Cases the Law takes care of mens Names as well as of their Estates and there is no reason but it should they are and ought to be as dear to us and our greatest Interests depend on their security And if it be not done in this Case here wants one great provision for the Liberty of the Subject and our common safety from Tyranny and Arbitrary Power There is nothing in the world more Arbitrary than mens Tongues let loose and if they are not restrain'd and tied up here as in other Cases we are all Slaves and all exposed to suffer the greatest Evils from one another without any way of Redress and so fall into state of War This is a real and mighty Grievance and 't is to be desired and hoped that suitable Provision will be made against it There is yet another branch of this Folly and Injustice which is uncharitable Censure and suspicion of all that turn from Popery as if they were really and at the bottom the same still Some men are for keeping up their numbers full and will not allow of their Conversion except they are converted over to their Sect or some way or other serve their Interest except they run with them in the ways of Schism and are factious against the Government if they do thus they are dear applauded Converts but otherwise if they are only come into the Church of England and stick there if they are friends to the King and assert Him and the establish'd Order in Church and State they shall be Papists still in spight of them There are many Instances of this unworthiness but among them all there is not a greater than in the case of an eminent Nobleman which you and I have had discourse of His Ancestors most of them perhaps were Papists all were not so for the great Grand-father was Lord Privy Seal to Queen Elizabeth The Lord that now is hath profest the Protestant Religion these thirty Years that is as long as he hath been capable of making a judgment for himself He married a great Lady an eminent Protestant of a famous zealous Protestant Family hath for many Years fifteen or sixteen to my knowledg kept a Protestant Chaplain of the Church of England in his House who hath read the Publick Liturgy twice every day there his Lordship hath always accustomed to be present at them and useth to be as regular in those Devotions as any Member of our Church can be And not only so but he frequents the Communions also which at the appointed times are there duly Administred His Children likewise are carefully bred in the Protestant Way of the Church of England Some two or three old Servants his Lordship hath who have lived all their days in the Family of the Popish Religion they being ancient and having no other dependance my Lord still keeps them there and 't would be very unbecoming his Nobleness to do otherwise but all the Servants else are Protestants And I know that both this Lord and his Lady take great care to have them all receive the holy Communion according to the Church of England And it was not long since that his Lordship himself spoke to a Divine of our Church whom he sent for on purpose to instruct his eldest Daughter then newly of Years for it in order to the receiving the Sacrament which the young Lady piously did as the course of the Family is This Lord you know is in great Command and by the Laws is obliged to give all other proofs which I dare say he sincerely doth He is a Member of his Majesty's Council of this as well as of the former and to all Acts of Council against the Papists his Name is still one And yet notwithstanding all this such is the perversness and malice of some men that they voice him up for a Papist though all things he doth and all things he saith declare the contrary and they seem resolved that so it shall be let his Lordship say or do what he will This is strange Treatment and looks as if we wanted Papists and were resolv'd to make as many as we can possibly find any colour for It shews that those men really do not fear them but rather fear the want of them to furnish out pretence for their Designs and Projects Otherwise 't were very strange that so great a Person and his Family should not be welcomed and joyfully received into our Protestant Communion and other Noblemen of the Popish Religion incouraged by the civil and kind reception to do the like But it being so much otherwise in this and many other Cases it is plain that notwithstanding all their clamour and talk some men desire there should be more Papists than really are for colour and shew to assist and countenance their Stratagems and perpetual contrivances against the Government both in Church and State Whatever they have a mind to overthrow and destroy they mark with the brand of Popish or Popishly affected whether with Reason or without any matters not Popery is and justly so the object of the greatest hatred and the most general so that 't is but spending this Imputation on those we would ruine and their business is near done Whether this be not the reason of the present injustice of this kind offered to the Church of England and especially to her Clergy let those that know some men and their manner judge They are sure the Church-men Divines and others will adhere to the Government and are not to be drawn into their ways and the grand Business of some is to overthrow the Church and them so that they must be branded blackned and rendred popularly odious and what so effectually doth that as putting the Comprehensive mark of all mischief that of Popery upon them But on the Contrary all those they shall have occasion to use in order to their destructive designs shall be united in the dear name of Protestants 'T is no matter though many are Atheists many Debauches meer Worldlings and Politicians some acting from malice and revenge some from ambition some to repair their broken fortunes by a shuffle some out of greedy desire to be fingring Church-Lands again yet all declaring against Popery are Protestants though they never heard themselves reckoned of any Religion before So the Sects of all denominations that agree scarce in any thing positive that hate and vilify each other and will scarce allow that any but themselves are Christians yet these also are all tack't together by the kind denomination of being Protestants All but we of the Church of England are so that is Those that are of no Religion and never pretended to be of any those that were bred of the Papists and taught their Principles by the Papists those that never took Oaths or Tests against Popery and that many of them refuse to take any Or
Pedantism and Childishness which are despised by the Judicious and not understood by the rest so that they lose their end and the end of Preaching more they do no good get no hold on the People whereas did even these but aim at instructing the Ignorant seriously and the exciting all to their Duty earnestly and devoutly it would atone for their imperfections with the Judicious and have good effect upon the rest I have spoken freely in this Matter under a great sense of this Evil and I hope I shall not be understood to reflect upon any worthy men of our Church I design'd only to express my just indignation against wanton Witlings Preachers and People whose number thanks be to God lessens daily and among all Intelligent Church-men this way is exploded and every where despised There is another Error in defect in reference to Preaching it is of those that reckon it an indifferent a meerly humane thing when as it is certainly of Divine appointment to continue to the end of the World Mat. 28.20 We ought in the sense of this to be more frequent and heedful in our attendance on Sermons than many are and not shut out Preaching or Hearing under pretence of Zeal for the Church-Prayers Those that pretend one Duty to the prejudice of another do really care for neither Our Zeal should be Vniform and respect every duty proportionably to the Dignity and necessity of it And if generally we had been so disposed thus Zealous as we ought many of the People that now run away from our Communion had still been ours They like Presbyterians and other Sects because the Preachers are earnest and make shew of much Zeal as the People also do not because they are for such or such a Church-Government for this or that Opinion The multitude understand not these things follow them not for that Cause but for the opinion they have of their being Godly and Zealous And we may be we should be as zealous for Religion in the true Way as they seem to be in the wrong Our Church permits requires this from us We ought not to distinguish our selves from them by slighting and avoiding the lawful expressions of Christian Zeal the Interest of our Church doth not require that but the contrary If our Zeal were more proportion'd to the goodness of our Cause that goodness of our Cause would be more known and acknowledg'd and our Adversaries would more easily be reconcil'd unto it CHAP. V. V. ANother occasion of our Dangers is the contrary extream to our Coldness viz. Extravagant Zeal Here I shall first consider the present fury of Atheists and Infidels and then discourse of other sorts of intemperate Heat and Wildness that in the long run will greatly befriend Popery Where there were Atheists in former days they hid their Heads and were afraid ashamed to appear but in these they glory they triumph In no Age did they ever dare so openly in no Christian in no Heathen Country How common is it for lewd men yea for green untaught Youth to question dispute cavil at the most sacred Articles of Religion To do this in Taverns Coffee-Houses in all Companies in the presence of the Ministers of Religion before them to choose How will the young Witlings pride and plume themselves How will they brisle and perk up when they talk with those of the sacred function against Religion How do they despise their Reasons because forsooth the thing they defend is their Interest and vaunt their own arguments as Demonstrations when they are scarce Sense It would turn a man's Stomach to see the insolence and folly of these bold Youngsters which are a scandal to the Reformation and give occasion to our Roman Enemies to brand us all as Atheists or not far from being such whereby they are hardned in their Way and have great advantage to win more to them Particularly at this time these Infidels do Popery great service They are violent in their Out-crys against it violent to Fury none so fierce as they of which there can be no Reason but either the consideration of their Lands or this that Popery is a Religion at least it pretends unto it Now by this their clamour and fierceness by their appearing so forward so in the Front as it were against Popery they give occasion to the Papists to think and say that our Zeal is an Heathen Persecution of Christianity that they are so malign'd so opposed by us because they profess Religion and are not Infidels And it may suggest to others that are yet indifferent that certainly there is some great good in Popery that such run upon it with such violence and 't is natural to men to favour that which the Wicked and those whose ways they have cause to abhor dislike abominate and flie out against So that these harden Papists and recommend their Religion they render it less odious to some because 't is so to them What evil have I done said the surprized Philosopher that these the Multitude applaud me On the contrary what good hath Popery done that vile Atheists rage so against it 'T is a shame to be commended by some and a praise to be condemn'd and persecuted by others See saith the Papist who are furious against our Religion They are the same that blaspheme against God dispute his Being burlesque his Word deride his Son despise revile trample on his Ministers of all sorts these Protestants lead you these you triumphantly attend these you voice up to be Patriots these are they that shew most violent hate and rage against us Whoever gives occasion to such upbraidings as these doth without doubt credit and promote Popery and this the forwardness of many Atheists hath done and doth daily Now for Cure of these Mischiefs we should every where disown declare against the wildness of these Furies despise their pretended Zeal and help shame and reprove their Hypocrisie suffer them not to name Protestant Religion decline their company discountenance all they say and all they do Brand hoot at them let the World see let our Enemies see they are not of us that we have nothing to do with them Thus we should do in Charity to them publick shame and reproach may do them more good than any other Method this we owe to our selves and to the honour of Religion to vindicate it from the Scandal and Reproach these vile men bring upon it If ever there was a time for Zeal against Atheists Debauchees Buffoons it is now It is always seasonable now most so These are our principal Enemies who whenever time serves will be as fierce against us all sorts and professions of Religion as they are now against the Papists These are the common Foes enemies not only to Religion but to all Government and Societies to Mankind and should be used as such These permitted cherish'd will bring God's Judgments upon us and possibly Popery as one Let us then have no fellowship with
those men And if any such should have crept into the Parliament it were infinitly to be wish'd that the Zeal of that Assembly would purge them out like dross fit for no use or rather as what is most offensive and destructive They have done so by the Papists all good men desire and pray they may do the same by these If any thing unqualifies for that service one would think Atheism and Irreligion should What blessing can be expected on publick Councils when these are mingled Where they are they will disturb all break all make all ineffectual We are not to look on the Dangers we apprehend as proceeding only from common natural Causes no The Hand of God is in them they are His Judgments as for our other Crying Sins so particularly for reigning Atheism and contempt of Religion And if we expect help and safety from the objects of our Fears we must endeavour to make our peace with Him by repenting of all our Sins and particularly by expressing our Zeal against these greatest worst the root of all the rest And it is vehemently to be desired that our Representatives in Parliament would begin here lay the Ax at the root by effectual Laws crush this daring comprehensive Impiety and make it Capital as of all Crimes it chiefly deserves Let us first settle this Point that we are to have some Religion and then make what further provision we can against a corrupt a bad one Let us vindicate and assert the Honour of God and our Common Saviour and then we may expect the Divine Blessing and Assistance in the rest But besides the fierceness of the Atheists there is an extravagant mistaken Zeal of others that is a great occasion of our Dangers Honest intelligent Zeal is necessary for our Security and Settlement but the excesses of blind ungovern'd Rage are most mischievous and destructive I shall note some unhappy Instances of it that belong to our present state and render it very dangerous viz. Such as have relation to our oppositions of Popery That the Nation is so awakened so unanimous in detesting the false worship and ways of the Roman Church is matter of rejoycing and acknowledgment But we ought to have care that our Zeal do not transport us to Extreams I shall consider one great Instance which is Mens multiplying the numbers of Papists beyond all bounds of truth I would by no means lessen any just apprehensions of our Dangers or say any thing that might tend to the remitting of due Caution or Diligence I know the greatest Prudence and Care is needful But our Fears may be extream and unreasonable and great dangers may arise from those as great from our over-magnifying our Perils as from not duly apprehending them And this way the things we fear have been incouraged and promoted People are apt to talk of the numbers and strength of Papists and no doubt design them not any service by it but really they are thereby incouraged they thence flatter their vain hopes thence they are animated to Plot to Attempt being acknowledg'd so numerous so powerful hearing that they have so many open Friends and so many others that will be ready to joyn with them when there is occasion and being apt to believe what they have so much reason to desire they are pufft with vain confidence and are full of restless contrivances to effect that which they are made believe is so feisable Whereas did they know how inconsiderable their real numbers are they must certainly sit down and be quiet They would then understand that their business is unpracticable private Persons would be discouraged and if there should succeed a Prince of their Religion in all probability he also would despond and never think of attempting a thing humanely speaking so impossible a thing the endeavouring which would certainly tear all in pieces Religion Government and all And what the late Designs have done towards it we all sadly see Therefore that they may see their designs are Madness and that they ought to despair of ever succeeding by their strength we should let them know that they have abused themselves and others have abused them by false Musters In the Year 1676 7. Orders came from the Arch-Bishop to the several Bishops and from them to the respective Ministers and Church-wardens in the Province of Canterbury to inquire carefully and to return an account of the distinct numbers of Conformists Protestant Non-conformists and Papists in their several Parishes viz. Of all such men and women that were of age to Communicate I have by me the return from the whole Province which contains all England and Wales excepting only what belongs to four of the twenty five Bishopricks The number of Papists there returned was but Eleven thousand eight hundred and seventy men and women old and young Now though in this account Conformists and other Non-conformists were not so distinctly could not so justly be reckon'd yet for the Papists they being so few in each Parish and so notoriously distinguish'd as generally they are the Ministers and Church-wardens could easily give account of them and there is no reason to suspect their partiality We hear I know that in London alone and in some particular Parishes of that and the neighbour City there are vastly greater numbers But within the Walls they are known to be very few comparatively scarce any such In the Suburbs they are said to be numerous still the great numbers are in places remote or where inquiry cannot be well made In St. Martins alone I have heard of twenty or thirty thousand but the Account was taken there and as exact a one as could be and I am assured by some that should know and had no reason to misinform me that the number returned upon the most careful scrutiny was about six hundred Of Lodgers there might be more but they are supposed to be accounted elsewhere in the several Parishes to what they belong I have found the like fallings short of the reputed number in divers other noted places In one City talkt of for Papists as if half the Inhabitants were such I am assured there are not twenty men and women In another large and populous one a person of Quality living in it told me there were at least six hundred but when the inquiry was made by the Ministers and Church-wardens of each Parish the number was not found to be sixty And 't is very probable such a disproportion would be met between the reputed and real numbers in all other places if scrutiny were made In all the West and most populous part of England they are very inconsiderable I hear frequently from Inhabitants of those Places that in Bristol the second or third City of England there is but one and in the City of Glocester one more or two at most in the other great Towns and Cities Westward scarce any and those that are in the Counties at large are extremely few thinly scattered here one