Peace in all his Dominions when all our Neighbours about are in a miserable Combustion of War but Dulce Bellum inexpertis 5. That he had ever professed to restore his Children to their Patrimony by War or Peace and that by his Credit and Intervention with the King of Spain and Arch-Dukes he had preserved the lower Palatinate from the farther conquering for one whole Year and that his Lord Ambassador Digby had extraordinarily secured Heidelburg 6. That he could not couple the War of the Palatinate with the Cause of Religion and that the War was not begun for Religion but only by his Son-in-law's hasty and rash Resolution to take to himself the Crown of Bohemia and that this Usurpation of it from the Emperor had given the Pope and that Party an Occasion to oppress and curb many thousands of our Religion in divers parts of Christendom Here I desire that the Reader take notice of the Case of the Bohemians as it is set forth by Baptista Nani fol. 126. Anno 1618 after they had Liberty of Conscience granted them by Rodolph the Emperor and that Ferdinand had no colour of Title to the Kingdom of Bohemia but as he forced the Emperor Matthias to surrender it to him Ferdinand says he bred up in the Catholick Faith detested all sorts of Errour and therefore by how much not succeeding to the Father he found the Patrimonial Countries incumbred with false Opinions so much more with signal Piety had he applied himself to promote the true Worship with such Success that at last those Provinces rejoiced to be restored to the Bosom of the Antient Religion But this was not without some Sort of Severity so that many not to leave their Errours were constrained to abandon their Country and sell their Estates living elsewhere in Discontent and Poverty and others driven away by force and their Estates confiscate saw them not without Rancour possessed by new Masters and all this done in the Life of Matthias So that Ferdinand as his Title was Vsurpation and Force so was the Exercise of it Tyranny in the highest Degree to the Overthrow of the Bohemian Laws and Liberties therefore the Original of the Bohemian War was not founded in the Election of Frederick to be King for Ferdinand perpetrated these things two Years before Nani goes on and says in the Empire therefore in which the Religion no less than the Genius is for Liberty there appeared great Apprehensions that where Ferdinand should get the Power he would exercise the same Reformation and impose a Yoke so much the more heavy by how much standing in need of Money and the Counsels of Spain he should be governed by the Rules and Maxims of that Nation so hateful to the Germans So that it was not the Election of Frederick to be King of Bohemia that opened that Gate for the Pope and his Party for curbing and oppressing of many thousand of our Religion in divers parts of Christendom as the King said for it was set wide open before by Ferdinand 7. That the Commons Debates concerning the War with Spain and Spanish Match were Matters out of their Sphere and therefore Ne sutor ultra Crepidaâ— and are a Diminution to him and his Crown in Foreign Countries That the Commons in their Petition had attempted the highest Points of Soveraignty except the stamping of Coin 8. That for Religion he could give no other Answer than in general that the Commons may rest secure he will never be weary to do all he can for the Propagation of ours and repressing of Popery but the manner they must remit to his Care and Providence 9. That for the Commons Request of making this a Sessions and granting a General Pardon it shall be their fault if it be not done But the Commons required such Particulars in it that he must be well advised lest he give back double or treble of that he was to receive by their Subsidy but thinks fit that of his free Grace he sends down a Pardon from the higher House containing such Points as he shall think fittest 10. He thinks it strange the Commons should make so bad and unjust a Commentary upon some Words in his former Letter as if he thereby meant to restrain the Commons of their antient Privileges and Liberties in Parliament wherein he discharges them from meddling with Matters of Government and Mysteries of State namely Matters of War and Peace or his dearest Son's Match with Spain or that they meddle with things which have their ordinary Course in the Courts of Justice That a Scholar would be ashamed so to mis-judg and misplace Sentences in another Man's Book for in the coupling these Sentences they plainly leave out Mysteries of State and so err a bene divisis ad mala conjuncta that for the former part concerning Mysteries of State he plainly restrained his meaning to the Particulars which were after mentioned and for the latter he confesses he meant it by Sir Coke's foolish Business and therefore it had well become him especially being his Servant and one of his Council to have complained to him which he never did tho he was ordinarily at Court and never had Access refused him Sir Coke's Business was a Conspiracy against him by my Lord Chancellor Bacon one Lepton and Goldsmith after he was discharged from being Chief Justice to have exhibited an Information against him in the Star-Chamber or have sent him into Ireland The Business was debated in the House of Commons but Sir Edward complained not nor appeared to speak in it If the King were uneasy with the Commons Remonstrance the Commons were not less with the King's Answer and at the Resolution taken at Court to adjourn the Parliament to the 8th of January next which the Commons took to be a Violation of their Privileges and an Omen of their Dissolution whereupon they entred this Protestation THE Commons now Assembled in Parliament being justly occasioned thereunto concerning sundry Liberties Franchises and Privileges of Parliament among others here mentioned do make this Protestation following That the Liberties Franchises Privileges and Jurisdictions of Parliament are the antient and undoubted Birth-right and Inheritance of the Subjects of England and that the ardueus and urgent Affairs concerning the King State and Defence of the Realm and of the Church of England and the maintenance and making of Laws and Redress of Grievances and Mischiefs which may happen within this Realm are proper Subjects and Matter of Counsel and Debate in Parliament and that in the handling and proceeding of those Businesses every Member of the House of Parliament hath and of right ought to have freedom of Speech to propound treat reason and bring to Conclusion the same And that the Commons in Parliament have like Liberty and Freedom to treat of these Matters in such order as in their Judgment they shall think fittest And that every Member in the said House hath likewise freedom from all Impeachment Imprisonments and
Memory but a more peculiar Charge of their Friends and that it may be admitted that some Saints have a peculiar Patronage Custody Protection and Power as Angels also have over certain Persons and Countries by special Deputation and that it is not Impiety so to believe And whereas in the 17th Article it is resolved That God has certainly decreed by his Counsel secret to us to deliver from Curse and Damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of Mankind to bring them by Christ to everlasting Salvation wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a Benefit of God be called according to God's Purpose working in due season they through Grace obeying the Calling they be justified freely walk religiously in good Works and at length by God's Mercy attain to everlasting Felicity He the said Mountague in his Book called The Appeal does maintain That Men justified may fall away and depart from the State they once had and may again arise and become new Men possibly but not certainly nor necessarily And the better to countenance this Opinion he hath in the same Book wilfully added and falsly charged divers Words in the said 16th Article and in the Book of Common-Prayer and so misrecited and changed the said Places he does alledg in his said Appeal endeavouring thereby to lay a most malicious and wicked Scandal upon the Church of England as if he did herein differ from the Reformed Church of England and from the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas and did consent to those pernicious Errors which are commonly called Arminianism and which the late famous Queen Elizabeth and King James of happy Memory did so piously and diligently labour to suppress That he had contrary to his Duty and Allegiance endeavoured to raise Factions and Divisions in the Commonwealth by casting the odious and scandalous Name of Furitans upon such as conform themselves to the Doctrine and Ceremonies of the Church of England under that Name laying upon them divers false and malicious Imputations so to bring them into Jealousy and Displeasure with the King and Ignominy and Reproach of the People to the great danger of Sedition and disturbance of the State if it be not timely prevented That the Scope and End of his Books is to give Encouragement to Popery and to withdraw the King's Subjects from the true Established Religion to the Roman Superstition and consequently to be reconciled to the Church of Rome whereby God's true Religion has been scandaliz'd those Mischiefs introduced which the Wisdom of many Laws hath endeavoured to prevent the Devices of his Majesty's Enemies furthered and advanced to the great danger of the King and all his loving Subjects That he has inserted in his Book called The Appeal divers Passages dishonourable to the late King full of Bitterness Railing and injurious Speeches to other Persons disgraceful and contemptible to many worthy Divines of this Kingdom and other Reformed Churches beyond the Seas impious and profane in scoffing at Preaching Meditating and Conferring Pulpits Bibles and all shew of Religion all which do aggravate his former Offences having proceeded from malicious and enormous Heat against the Peace of the Church and the Sincerity of the Reformed Religion publickly professed and by Law established in this Kingdom All which Offences being to the Dishonour of God and of most mischievous Effect and Consequence against the Church and Commonwealth of England and other of his Majesty's Realms and Dominions the Commons assembled in Parliament do hereby pray that the said Richard Mountague may be punished according to his Demerits in such exemplary mannner as may deter others from attempting so presumptuously to disturb the Peace of the Church and State and that the Books aforesaid may be suppressed and burnt This was that special Stick of Wood which Laud in the beginning of this young King's Reign put into his Hand to support him in the establish'd Religion of the Church of England and afterwards planted him to be one of the Cedars of our Church by having him made first Bishop of Chichester and after of Norwich However Laud was so nettled with the Votes of the Commons I do not find Buckingham concerned himself in them it may be believing this might divert the Storm from him but it was impossible for the Commons in looking into the Grievances of the Nation but to meet Buckingham in the Front of every one of them And when they began their Debates concerning the Duke they received a Message from the King of the pressing State of Christendom and with what Care and Patience he expected their Resolutions of Supplies and to let them know he look'd for a full and perfect Answer of what they would give for his Supply according to his Expectation and their Promises and that he would not accept of less than was proportionable for the Greatness and Goodness of the Cause and that it was not fit to depend any longer upon Uncertainties whereby the whole Weight of the Affairs of Christendom may break in upon us upon the sudden as well to his Dishonour as the Shame of the Nation and when this is done they may continue longer and apply themselves to the Redress of Grievances so they do it in a dutiful and mannerly Way without throwing an ill Odor upon his present Government or upon the Government of his late blessed Father You will hear further of the Care he took of Buckingham in his Reply to the Commons Address upon this The Commons in answer beseech the King to rest assured that no King was ever dearer to his People than his Majesty no People more zealous to maintain and advance his Honour and Greatness and especially to support that Cause wherein his Majesty and Allies are now engaged and beseech his Majesty to accept the Advice of his Parliament which can have no other end but the Service of his Majesty and the Safety of his Realm in discovering the Causes and proposing the Remedies of those great Evils which have occasioned his Majesty's Wants and his Peoples Griefs And therefore in Assurance of Redress herein they really intend to assist his Majesty in such a way and in so ample a Measure as may make him safe at home and feared abroad and for dispatch whereof they will use such Diligence as his urgent and Pressing Occasions require The King in answer to the Commons tells them he takes the Cause of their presenting Grievances to be a Parenthesis and not a Condition and will be willing to hear their Grievances so as they apply themselves to redress Grievances and not enquire after Grievances That he will not allow any of his Servants to be question'd by them much less such as are of eminent Place about him that the old question was What shall be done to the Man whom the King honours But now it hath been the Labour of some to seek what may be done against him whom the King thinks fit to honour he saw they specially aimed
before him but by his Copartner Licinius in War and the Christians if they had been all of one piece were not sufficient to support the Empire against the far more numerous Gentiles and Jews Add hereto that in the Rage of the late Persecution under Dioclesian Maximinian Maximin and Maxentius the Christians were so sore persecuted that excepting their Faith and Piety for Christianity they were unfit for any Civil or Military Imployment but so far were the Christians from being of one Piece that they were rent into the Sects and Factions of Marcionists Montanists Novatians Donatists and Sabellians and in the 10th Year of Constantine Arius broacht his blasphemous Opinion of our Saviour's not being God from all Eternity being the Year of Christ 316. We do not read that the Romans before the Empire became Christian ever made War upon any Nation upon the Account of Religion and though there were many Sects among them of different Opinions concerning their Gods and their Attributes and of God's Prescience Fate and the Liberty and Necessity of Human Actions yet the different Sects never went farther than Brawls and endless Contentions with one another they never upon that Account made any Schism or Separation from the publick Worship and Service of their Gods prescribed by the Laws of the Empire And as among the Gentiles so among the Jews tho the Opinions of the Pharisees Sadduces and Esseans were as wild and extravagant as those of the Heathens yet these were never esteemed by them to be Acts of Jewish Religion nor upon that Account did they dispense or separate themselves from the publick Worship and Service of God prescribed by Law Whereas the different Sects of the Christians not only baptized their fond and wicked Opinions many of which were the same with those of the Gentiles by the Name of Religion but took occasion from thence to separate and disjoin themselves from the Communion or publick Worship and Service of God prescribed by publick Authority So as Constantine had a very difficult Task to govern the Empire in this distracted State not only of the Gentiles but of the Christians But since Religion is the highest Act of Piety Devotion and Gratitude which Man can return to God for his having preferred Man in his Creation and Generation above all other Creatures in giving him not only Dominion over them but much more by enduing Man with an intellectual and reasonable Soul capable of eternal Happiness and since Religion is not only mistaken in the Name and Exercise but made at this time as much a Stalking-horse to cover Mens Pride and fantastical Opinions as it was in Constantine's time and since to the Scandal of Christianity I hope the Reader will not lose his Time in understanding the difference between Christian Faith and Christian Religion and herein what is to be ascribed to God and what is the Duty of Man Christian Faith is a firm Belief and Reliance upon God's Promise revealed in the Old and New Testament to the end that Man by his Faith and Obedience to the Precepts which God requires of him herein may be made capable of Eternal Happiness from which he was faln by the Disobedience of our first Parents so as Christian Faith is the Effect of God's meer Grace and Favour to Man wherein Man is only passive in believing in God thus revealing himself and submitting to the Precepts which God requires in the Scriptures Christian Faith does not absolve Man from any of the Moral Duties which God requires of him by the Law of Nature but more strictly obliges Man to them not only in his Speech and Actions but forbids all Immoral Thoughts and Intentions so that Christian Faith is so far from being incompatiable with humane Peace and Society in this World that Man is more obliged hereto by it than by the Law of Nature Christian Religion is a conjoining of two or more in honouring and praising God for the publick Blessings they enjoy by God's Favour both as being by his Grace and Goodness received into the Communion of Christ's Congregation as also being protected in their Lives and Fortunes in their several Societies and Governments So that Christian Religion is the Act of the Will of Man in conformity to Christian Faith and Christian Faith and Religion differ as Man's Understanding and Reason God made Man without any Act of Man's Will an intellectual Creature to inform all his future Intentions Speech and Actions and it is the Will of Man to intend speak and act reasonably or conformable to his Understanding So that tho Christian Faith be the same in all Countries and Places yet Christian Religion must necessarily be different in different Countries and Places as God in his Providence is pleased to govern the World in them Thus the Children of Israel were obliged to join together in celebrating God's Honour and Praises for his Deliverance of them out of their Egyptian Bondage and for his immediate Government of them and prescribing them Laws for the Support of this Government and for God's revealing himself to them in the Old Testament which other Nations to whom God had not thus revealed himself and thus governed could not do So all Christian Countries and Kingdoms are as well obliged to join together in honouring and praising God for the publick Benefits they receive in being protected in every Government in their Lives and Fortunes in this World as well as in being received by God's special Grace and Favour into the Communion of Christ's Congregation But God's Providence in governing the World being after different manners in divers Places so must the Religion or the manner of celebrating God's Praises be differing in them In England we are obliged to honour and praise God that we enjoy God's Blessings by Laws peculiar to this Nation and by being delivered from the Popish Conspiracy in 1605 c. but other Nations which do not partake with us herein cannot join herein with us nor we with them Religion or the conjoining of Men in honouring and praising God for the publick Benefits they equally receive from God is the highest Duty incumbent upon Man for tho God by a peculiar Providence foresees and provides for all Men in several manners it may be not for two alike in all the World and also for these in daily Varieties yet Men are secured in these particular Blessings by the publick Laws and Governments of the different Places wherein they inhabit Christian Religion being a conjoining of many in celebrating God's Praises and in Prayers for God's continuing his Mercies and Blessings these Praises and Prayers are supposed to be uniform and foreknown that all who meet may join with one Voice and Mind in them and therefore S. Paul 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3 4 5. exhorts Timothy that first of all as for the highest Duty of Christians Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of Thanks be made for all Men especially for Kings and all in Authority under
them tho at this time not only the Roman Emperours but all Kings and those in Authority were Heathen and Idolaters that we may lead a quiet and peaceable Life in all Godliness and Honesty for this is good and acceptable in the Sight of God our Saviour who will have all Men to be saved and come to the Knowledg of the Truth for there is one God and one Mediator between God and Men the Man Christ Jesus If therefore by Divine Precept or Command from God Supplications Prayers Intercessions and Thanksgiving be to be made for Heathen Kings and Magistrates much more are Christians obliged to make all these for Christian Kings and Magistrates All Kingdoms consist in the mutual Office of Commanding and Obeying so that it is as well the Duty of Kings and those who are in Authority to command as it is of the Subjects to obey and no Obedience can be where there is no Command to which it is due for where there is no Law there is no Transgression or Omission Tho these Offices be distinct in their Relations to the Governors and Governed yet the Rules of these Offices are the same and common to both so as that they ought to be foreknown as well to those in Authority to command as those who are subject to them these Rules are the Laws and Constitutions of every Kingdom and Country which unite them into one Incorporeal or Intelligible Body and under these is Mankind in different Places in divers manners maintained in Society and Concord The Offices of Commanding and Obeying are not only restrained to Moral Speech and Actions but extend to Religious for the Fear of God is the beginning of Wisdom as well in all publick as private Actions So that all Civil Nations to whom God had not revealed himself however they misplaced their Deities in Osyris Isis Jupiter c. worshipped their Gods in publick manner and had those Rites and Ceremonies which were performed by separate Persons ordained thereto As God governs the World and all Creatures in it so does he govern the Kingdoms in the World and has-set fatal Periods to them as well as to the Life of Man and all other Creatures yet as he has not in vain given Laws to Man to govern his Intentions Speech and Actions by and made him to subsist in the Labour of his Body and Cares of his Mind or both so has he not in vain commanded all Kingdoms and Nations to honour and serve him and to live justly and peaceably with one another and under these only can Kingdoms and Nations hope for Peace and God's Blessing upon them So that it is not the extent of the Territories of Kingdoms and Nations which is the Strength of them but the number of People in them nor is it their well-peopling only but their Unity in Religion and Civil Government for by these small Dominions increase upon others which are in Distraction and Dissension and where Kingdoms or Nations become distracted or divided either in Religion or Civil Government they become how great soever they be so much more enfeebled and tending to outward and intestine Dissolution as these shall be more These Discords in Religion and Justice have their Beginnings oft-times from Kings and those in Authority and often from the Subjects It was Solomon's Wives 1 Kings 11. that turn'd away his Heart from the Religion which God commanded which was the Cause ver 11. that God rent his Kingdom of Israel from him and gave it to his Servant Jeroboam and it was Jeroboam's Idolatry which distracted the Israelites into Factions which in time brought the Babylonish Captivity upon them from which they never returned And as Discords in Religion often arise from Kings and those in Authority which enfeeble the Strength of Kingdoms and Nations so does the Oppression and Injustice of Kings and Magistrates when they are not God's Ministers for their Subjects good make Kings Instruments of their vile Ends to the damage of their Subjects Thus Rehoboam to humour his Favourites bred up with him preferred them before his Subjects and threatned to oppress them more than his Father did whereby he lost the Dominion of ten of the twelve Tribes of Israel not only from himself but from his Father's House for ever and became so poor and feeble that the King of Egypt took Jerusalem and made Spoil of all the wonderful Riches which his Father had left him It was Ahab's Covetousness and Injustice in the Murder of Naboth and seizing his Vineyard that God not only disinherited his Posterity but rooted them out from the Face of the Earth 1 Kings 21. 21. And as this Discord in Religion and Justice may begin with the King and those in Authority so it may from those subject to them It was the People contrary to God's immediate Command forsook the Religion and Worship which was commanded them and set up the Molten Calf to be adored and worshipped Exod. 32. and it was the People which twice conspired to depose Moses from ruling over them Numbers 16. which brought so great a Destruction upon them I do not question but it was the intolerable Tyranny and Oppression of Dioclesian Maximinian Maximin and Maxentius as well as their horrible Persecution of the Christians so livelily described by Lactantius which gave so great a Reputation to the Christians and made Constantine's Passage to the Roman Empire more desirable not only by the Christians but even by the Gentiles Nor was the Roman Empire at any time of a greater extent unless under Trajan than when Constantine became sole Emperor Whereas this Roman Empire in the Body of it was never in so distracted and feeble a State for tho Constantine in regard of the Excellency of his natural Disposition was universally acknowledged Emperor yet above all things endeavouring the Propagation of Christian Faith and Religion and by his own Authority without the Concurrence of the Senate he granted an universal Toleration of Religion to all Sects of Christians as well as Jews and Gentiles and not only discharged the Christian Clergy which by the Constitutions of the Empire when they were not otherwise persecuted were subject to give their Attendance upon defraying the Lustral Sacrifices and watch and ward for Security of the Pagan Temples but made the Christians capable of receiving Legacies and of all publick Imployments so as the Christians were not only in an equal but better Estate than the Gentiles and upon all occasions had the Preference of Constantine's Favour But however this displeased the Gentiles it did not content all sorts of Christian Hereticks and Schismaticks who were so obstinate in their Opinions that all the Endeavours Constantine could use would not reconcile them For besides the Nicene Council he called four more viz. at Gaul Ancyra Neo Caesarea and Laodicea But when the Hereticks and Schismaticks would not submit to these Constantine restrained them from the Privileges he before granted them and left them in the same