evil Rom. 13.4 And God hath deputed you for the punishment of evil-doers and for the praise of them that do well 1 Pet. 2.19 There be some that would blot out half your Commission and restrain this good and evil to eivil good and to evils only against Men But this is against that general Rule Non est distinguendum ubi lex non distinguit Where the Law doth not distinguish there must not we distinguish Tell me I beseech you shall it be lawful for Magistrates to punish those that destroy Mens Souls Shall they be blamed for suffering Men to draw away people from Obedience to the Laws of the Land and to themselves and not also for suffering Men to draw away People from the Truth of the Gospel and from the ways of God such as Hymineus and Philetus who overthrew the Faith of some and their words eat as a Canker Shall Christian Magistrates take up the Maxim of Tiberius Deorum injurias Diis curae esse Let God himself take care to vindicate himself from Injuries committed against God as for me I will just like Gallio take care of none of these things Can Christian Ears endure such Language Doth not God Prophesie Isaiah 49.23 That in the New-Testament Kings shall be our Nursing-fathers and Queens our Nursing-mothers And how can a ChrisTain Magistrate discharge that Duty aright if he hath not Power from God to punish those that would poison the Souls of his weak Children with Heresies and soul-destroying Opinions Object Will you allow the Magistrate to Tyrannize over Mens Consciences Answer By no means but I believe it is the Duty of Magistrates to keep Men from infecting their Subjects with soul-destroying Errours If thou hast an heretical Opinion have it to thy self and the Magistrate will not nay cannot meddle with thy private Conscience But if thou labourest to Infect others with thy grace-destroying Opinions I doubt not but the Magistrate is bound to keep thee from spreading thy Infection to the undoing of the Souls of his Subjects If he may lawfully shut up a Man that hath the Plague upon his Body that he may not Infect others why not a Man that hath the Plague of heresie upon his Soul that so he may not destroy the Souls of Thousands Shall a Master of a Family have nower to put away a Servant that is tainted with a gross Opinion and yet not be called a Tyrant over that Servants Conscience And shall not the Chief Magistrate of a Kingdom have power to put out of his Kingdom at least shut up from doing hurt one that is his Subject and polluted with blasphemous heretical idolatrical Opinions Is not the Kingdom the Magistrates House and Family In another Sermon before the Commons Octob. 22. 1644. Pag. 26. Mr. Calamy preached thus This is a certain Rule That all the Sins of the Kingdom which are committed by your Connivence or Allowance are the Parliament-Sins and they call for a Parliament Repentance and therefore I beseech you search and try your hearts and consider how far you are accessary to the Sins of the Kingdom that so you may be wrought up not only to a personal but a Parliament Humiliation If you do not labour according to your Duty and Power to suppress the Errors and Heresies that are spread in the Kingdom all these Errors are your Errors and these Heresies are your Heresies they are your Sins and God calls for a Parliamentary Repentance from you for them this Day You are the Anabaptists you are the Antinomians and it is you that hold That all Religions are to be Tolerated c. These are your Errors if they spread by your Connivence for the Sins of old Eli's Sons are imputed to Eli himself And when the Israelites had profaned the Sabbath Nehemiah told the Nobles of judah That it was they that did profane it because they suffered the people to profane it Nehem. 13.17 Mr. Richard Baxter in his Holy Common-wealth Addition to Pref. Prop. 6. London Printed for Tho. Vnderhill saith It was none of the old Cause that the People should have Liberty and the Magistrate should have no Power in all Matters of God's Worship Faith and Conscience and as it is not the old Cause so it is not a good cause for First it contradicteth the express Revelation of the Will of God in the Holy Scriptures Moses had to doe in Matters of Religion as a Magistrate and so the Ruling Elder that assisted him and so had the Kings of Isruel and Judah as it is well known insomuch that in Asa's Days they covenanted to put him to Death that would not seek the Lord God of Israel Law and Providence are quite changed if toleration of false Worship and other abuses of Religion tend not to the Ruine of the Common-wealth It tends also to the destruction of the Church and Mens Souls if all hae leave to do their worst to Preach up Infidelity Mahometanism Popery or any other false Doctrine or Worship against the great and necessary Truths I leave it therefore to the Judgment of all Men that are not fast asleep in their security and utterly unacquainted with the advantages of the Papists whether this design of engaging the Magistrate by a Fundamental Constitution not to meddle with Matters of Faith and Worship but leave them all to Christ alone be not the present setting up of Popery in England and the delivering all the Fruit of our Labours Prayers and Victories into the Papists Hands ' Object But Liberty for Popery and Prelacy is still excepted Answ By whom But if there had been an exception against Popery c. put in it would have been to little purpose as long as a general Rule is laid down that condemneth that Exception For if it be the standing Rule That Matters of Religion and Faith and all Matters of Worship are out of the Magistrates Power to say then that Popery shall be excepted from Liberty is to say The Magistrate shall intrude into the proper Office of Christ to restrain the Papists Mr. Matthew Newcomen in a Sermon before the Parliament Sept. 12. 1644. Page 31. saith No Reformation of Religion now now nothing will satisfie some but a Toleration of all Religions and all Opinions Church-Government and Discipline is to some a Fiction to others a Tyranny and Persecution Ah Brethren this is a provocation and will be a provocation for this God may turn us into the Wilderness again Page 36. We are come to down-right Libertinism There are two Opinions which if encouraged will open a Door to Turcism Judaism Atheism Polytheism any monster of Opinion The one is That every Man is to be lest to the Liberty of his own Religion an Opinion most pernitious and destructive as to the Souls of Men so to the Common-weal of the Kingdom That Liberty of believing what Men will or of holding what Faith they please is no other than a Liberty of Erring and of erring in a matter
to plead in their behalf yet would not her Majesty be prevail'd upon in favour or out of fear of them to doe the true Religion and the Church so much wrong as to grant them any Indulgence She did not like the Hobbian Politicks of the present age nor would she adventure upon the displeasing of God and the making him her enemy to gratifie them and gain their Friendship by establishing so great a sin as Schism or Toleration is but having a good Cause and trusting in God for a Blessing on it she was so far from giving them any Indulgence out of fear of their great numbers of which they boasted not a little that she proceeded against them with greater courage and resolution and immediately before the Spainish Invasion she moved the Parliament against them and gave order to the then Lord Keeper Puckering to warn the Parliament not to hearken to them which accordingly he did in his speech in the house of Lords in the following words Especially you are commanded by her Majesty to take heed that no ear be given nor time afforded to the wearisome Sollicitations of those that are commonly called Puritans wherewithal the late Parliaments have been exceedingly importun'd which sort of men while in the giddiness of their Spirits they labour and strive to advance a new Eldership they do nothing else but disturb the good repose of the Church and the Common-wealth which is as well grounded for the Body of Religion it self and as well guided for the discipline as any Realm that professeth the Truth And as the present case standeth it may be doubted whether they or the Jesuits do offer more danger or be more speedily to be repressed For albeit the Jesuits do empoison the hearts of her Majesty's Subjects under a pretext of Conscience yet they do it but closely and only in privy corners but these men do both publish in their printed Books and teach in all their Conventicles sundry opinions not only dangerous to the well setled State and Policy of the Realm by putting a Pique between the Clergy and the Laity but also much derogatory to her sacred Majesty and her Crown as well by the diminution of her antient and lawful revenues and by denying her highness Prerogative and Supremacy as by offering peril to her Majesty's safety in her own Kingdom In all which things however in many other points they pretend to be at War with the popish Jesuits yet by the Separation of themselves from the unity of their fellow Subjects and by abusing the sacred Authority and Majesty of their Prince they do both join and concur with the Jesuits in opening the door and preparing the way to the Spanish Invasion that is threatned against the Realm And 't is worth the observation says Dr. Heylin in his History of the Preshyterians pag. 280. That the Puritans were then most busie as well in setting up their Discipline as in publishing railing and seditious Pamphlets when the Spaniards were hovering on the Seas with their terrible Navy at what time they conceived and not improbably that the Queen and Council would be otherwise busied than to take notice of their practices or suppress their doings or rather that they durst not call them into question for their words or actions for fear of alienating the affections of so strong a party as they had raised unto themselves The serious apprehension of which mischievous counsels prevail'd so far on Leicester and Walsingham that they did absolutely renounce any farther intercession for them professing that they had been horribly abused with their Hypocrisie And it is as observable that their so much boasted of great numbers immediately did abate when the Laws were executed upon them and they presently submitted as soon as they did perceive that the Government would no longer trifle with them and endure their insolencies So likewise as Dr. Tompkins observes in his Pleas for Toleration discuss'd It happened in King James I. his days their loud clamours were presently silenced as soon as ever the King declared himself resolute at the Conference at Hampton-Court Nor would the Act of Uniformity made in the Year 1662 have had any less effect if it had not been accompanied with a general discourse at the same time of a Toleration to follow immediately upon it the hopes of which hinder'd many Nonconformists from conforming However the awe of this Act and the levying sometimes a Shilling for absenting from the Church wrought ry good effects insomuch that in most places where Fanaticks did greatly abound they were reduced to conformity and in a great City of this Nation containing fourteen Parish Churches as a Divine of good note that lived in it hath publish'd to the World there were not above six or seven that absented from the Church till the Popish and Fanatick interest in Conjunction together procured a Toleration in 1672 which drew them away from the Church again but upon the cancelling of that mischievous Indulgence and the using of a little severity in levying from some few of them their Shillings for absenting from Church they repair'd as formerly to their Parish Churches and a Dissenter was very rarely to be found So that although King Charles the second in his Indulgence declared that in twelve Years the Severities of the Laws had not work'd the desired end in bringing Dissenters to close with the Church of England and that King James the second in his Declartion for Toleration asserts That all the endeavours that have been used in the last four reigns for bringing this Kingdom to an Vnity in Religion have been ineffectual it was not because the means were defective or insufficient for the working this design but because the Laws which were enacted for this purpose were so much neglected or so often intermitted which if they had been steadily or constantly put in execution would have thoroughly cured the Nation of Divisions but when they were only upon some short and sudden fit put in execution and such frequent Connivences and Indulgences given afterwards to countenance and impower the Ring-leaders of the several Sectaries to seduce from the Church and to propagate and increase their Parties it could not be expected that the dissenting Parties should close with the Church And as the Learned Dr. Burnet now the Right Reverend Bishop of Sarum well notes in his reflections on the Declaration for Liberty of Conscience pag. 3. We can see no reason to induce us to believe that a Toleration of Religion was proposed with any other design but either to divide us or to lay us asleep for the destroying us The Popish Party as he rightly says Since Queen Elizabeth's gentle reign has been ever restless and has had credit enough at Court during the three last reigns not onely to support it self but to distract and divert us by somenting of our differences and by setting on Toleration c. and as he further judiciously observes while such intermitting Methods were
used and the Government as in an ague divided between hot and cold sits no wonder if Laws so unsteadily executed have failed of their effect But if the Government shall think it sit to imitate that prudent excellent Princess and in instead of shewing any fear of the Dissenters put the Laws moderately in execution against them we shall no doubt in a short time find the good effects of it in the happy uniting them to the Church of England to the great disappointment and grief of the Papists And till this be done we can expect no other than Confusion and disorder in the Church and Distraction in the State And the Book that was written in the Oliverian days by a learned Presbyterian intituled Wholesome Severity reconciled with Christian Liberty licenced by Ja. Cranford will justifie such a proceeding against the several sorts of Dissenters and vindicate it from the odious Imputation of Persecution In which Book there is this memorable sentence That Liberty of Horesie and Schism is no part of the Liberty of Conscience which Christ hath purchased for us but that under these fair colours and handsome pretexts Sectaries infuse their poison their pernitious God-provoking Truth-defacing Church-ruinating and State-shaking Toleration The Character which the Great and good Arch-bishop Whitgift gave of the turbulent Spirits of the Puritans is very considerable in a Letter of his to the Privy Council which was occasion'd by a Paper of some Suffolk Ministers True it is saith he they are no Jesuits neither are they charged to be so but notwithstanding they are contentious in the Church of England and by their Contentions they minister occasion of offence to those which are seduced by Jesuits and give the Sacraments against the Form of publick Prayer us'd in this Church and by Law establish'd and thereby increase the number of them and consirm them in their willfulness They also make a Schism in the Church and draw many other of her Majesty's Subjects to the misliking of her Laws and Government in Causes Ecclesiastical so far are they from perswading Men to Obedience or at least if they perswade them to it in the one part of her Authority in Causes Civil they disswade them from it as much in the other in Causes Ecclesiastical so that indeed they pluck down with the one hand that which they seem to build with the other And is is truly observed by Doctor Tompkins in his Pleas c. Pag. 141. That notwithstanding all the Zeal which the Non-consormists doe declare against Popery it is well known that they have and as their Interest leads them can still join both Counsels and Arms together The leading Men of both Parties in Ireland were wonderfully great together all the while that the Design was managing against the Earl of Strafford And here in England in the Declaration which King Charles I. set forth concerning the Success of the Battel at Edgehill on October 23. 1643. he hath left this Memorial to all Posterity All Men know the great member of Papists which serve in their Armies Commanders and others the great Industry to corrupt the Loyalty and Affection of all our loving Subjects of that Religion the private Promises and Vndertakings that they have made to them That if they would assist them against us all the Laws made in their prejudice should be repealed The Popish Party also used the same perswasive methods in the late Days of King James the Second to allure the Dissenters to join with them for the pulling down the Established true Religion and how effectually this Bait was swallowed by them and into what a hellish Confederacy these two Brethren in Iniquity enter'd together for the Destruction of the Church of England their many scandalous Addresses and other their libellous Invectives against the Church of England which were stuffed with the most inveterate Hatred Rancour and Malice that Hell could devise against it do abundantly testifie nor can I better express suitably to their deserts how foolishly as well as criminally they acted in those Days inconsistent with Prudence Honesty and their former Clamours against Popery and Arbitrary Government Then in the Words of a late Author their Friend and Favourer who professes a great deal of kindness for them in many Pages of his Book Entitled A Representation of the threatning Dangers impending over Protestants in Great Britain before the coming of his Highness the Prince of Orange In this Book notwithstanding the good will he shews to the Dissenters and his undeserved Censures and Reproaches of the Church of England which very spitefully do abound in it yet when he came to consider the Dissenters siding so much with the Papists and the brave opposition the Members of the Church of England made against Popery it drew from him smart reflections on the one and very high Commendations of the other according to the just Merits insomuch that by reason of the Dissenters many flattering Addresses and their countenancing and defending the King 's Arbitrary unjustifiable Proceedings he says of them Pag. 44. The World has just ground to say That the Phanaticks are not governed by Principles but that the measures they walk by are what conduceth to the private and personal Benefit or what lies in a tendency to their loss and prejudice and that it was not King Charles II. his Vsurping an Arbitrary and Illegal Power that offended them but that they were not the Objects in whose favour it was Exercised And Pag. 46. he saith this of them Notwithstanding all the danger from Popery that the Nation was exposed unto and all the hazard that the Souls of Men were in of being poisoned with Romish Principles yet instead of Preaching or Writing against any of the Doctrines of the Church of Rome they agreed among themselves and with such of their Congregations as approved of their procedure not so much as to mention them but to leave the Province of defending our Religion and of detecting the falshood of Papal Tenets to the Pastors and Gentlemen of the Church of England And being asked as he knew of some that were why they did not preach against Antichrist and confute the Papal Doctrines they very gravely replied That by preaching Christ they did preach against Antichrist and that by teaching the Gospel they refuted Popery which is such a piece of fraudulent and guileful Subterfuge that I want words bad enough to express the Knavery and Criminalness of it It was but the other Day that the conformable Clergy were represented by some of the Dissenters not only as favourers of Popery but as endeavouring to hale it in upon us by all the methods and ways that lay within their Circles and yet now the whole Defence of the reformed Religion must be entirely divolved into their Hands And when all the sluces were pulled up that had been made to hinder Popery from overflowing the Nation they were left alone to stem the Inundation and prevent the Deluge They among
Brethren in Iniquity OR THE CONFEDERACY OF PAPISTS with SECTARIES For the Destroying of the True Religion as by Law Establish'd plainly detected WHEREIN Is shewed a farther Account of the Romish Snares and Intrigues for the Destroying the True Reformed Religion as Professed in the Church of England and Established by Law and for the Introducing of Popery or Atheism among us clearly shewing from very Authentick Writers and Testimonies That the principal Ways and Methods whereby the Papists have sought the Ruine of our Religion and Church from the Beginning of our Reformation to the present Times and by which they are still in hopes of compassing it are by promoting of Toleration or pretended Liberty of Conscience and that for above these Sixscore Years the Papists have so craftily Influenced our Dissenters as to make them the unhappy Instruments of effecting their most pernitious Designs which they contrived for the Subverting our Church and State Every Kingdom divided against it self is brought to desolation and every City or House divided against it self cannot stand Matth. xij 25. Now I beseech you Brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them For they that are such serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple Rom. xvi 17.18 These be they which separate themselves sensual having not the Spirit Jude i. 19. LONDON Printed and are to be sold by Randal Taylor near Stationers-Hall MDCXC THE CONTENTS TWO very remarkable Letters the one from Sir Will. Boswell the other from Archbishop Bramhall shewing how much the Sectaries were Influenc'd by Papists to take off the Life of King Charles I. and to Embroil the Church c. pag. 1 3. Dr. Peter du Moulin's Narrative which confirms the Papists contriving the Death of King Charles and their putting Phanaticks upon the Execution pag. 6 Part of Father Sibthorp's a Jesuit Letter shewing their Intrigues with the Sectaries for the raising of Broils in Church and State pag. 12 Mr. Richard Baxter's Discovery and Confession of the Papists insinuating themselves among the Sectaries for the restoring of Popery pag. 14 Several material Collections to the same purpose out of the Writings of the Learned Dr. Stillingfleet now the Right Reverend Bishop of W. pag. 17 Archbishop Whitgift's Opinion That the Papist's befriend the Puritans pag. 19 Archbishop Grindall's fear of Popery and Atheism being promoted by them pag. 20 Campanella's and Father Young's Advice of bringing in Popery by means of Toleration and help of Phanaticks pag. 22 Coleman's and the Lord Viscount Stafford's Confession of bringing in Popery by Toleration and the Phanaticks help pag. 23 Bishop Saunderson's Opinion how and in what Phanaticks befriend Papists pag. 26 Some Verses to the same purpose ibid. The Judgment of Nine Learned Presbyterian Divines of Toleration pag. 31 The Votes and Reasons of the House of Commons in 1662. against it pag. 43 The Letter of the Presbyterian Ministers to the Assembly of Divines at Westminster against Toleration pag. 46 Sir Francis Walsingham's Letter concerning Severities used against Papists pag. 53 Lord Keeper Puckering's Speech to the Parliament concerning the Puritans preparing the way to the Spanish Invasion 1588. pag. 59 What good Effects the Penal Laws wronght and the Acts of Vniformity in bringing People to Church when duly executed pag. 60 Bishop Burnet's Reason why the Penal Law 's wrought no more good in making People generally conformable to the Church pag. 62 Arshbishop Whitgift's Character of the Puritans turbulent Spirits ibid. King Charles I. his Memorial of the great Numbers of Papists in the Parliaments Army and of the Papists and Phanaticks Confederating pag. 63 An Ingenuous and very true Account of the Dissenters combining with the Popish Party in the late Reign of King James II. against the Church of England pag. 64 Brethren in Iniquity OR The Confederacy of Papists with Sectaries for the destroying of the True Religion as by Law Established plainly detected A Letter from Sir William Boswell to the most Reverend William Laud late Arch-bishop of Canterbury remaining with Sir Robert Cotton's choice Papers Most Reverend AS I am here employed by our Soveraign Lord the King your Grace can testifie that I have left no stone unturned for his Majesty's Advancement neither can I omit whenever I meet with Treacheries or Conspiracies against the Church and State of England the sending your Grace an account in General I fear Matters will not answer your Expectations if your Grace do but seriously weigh them with deliberation For be you assured the Romish Clergy have gull'd the misled party of our English Nation and that under a Puritanical Dress for which the several Fraternities of that Church have lately received Indulgence from the See of Rome and Council of Cardinals or to Educate several of the young Friars of the Church of Rome who be Natives of His Majesty's Realms and Dominions and instruct them in all manner of Principles and Tenents contrary to the Episcopacy of the Church of England There be in the Town of Hague to my certain knowledge two dangerous Impostors of whom I have given notice to the Prince of Orange who have large Indulgences granted them and known to be of the Church of Rome although they seem Puritans and do converse with several of our English Factors The one James Murray a Scotch-man and the other John Napper a York-shire Blade The main drift of these Intentions is to pull down the English Episcopacy as being the chief Support of the Imperial Crown of our Nation for which purpose above sixty Romish Clergy-men are gone within these two Years out of the Monesteries of the French King's Dominions to Preach up the Scotch Covenant and Mr. Knox his Discipline and Rules within that Kirk and to spread the same about the Northern Coasts of England Let therefore His Majesty have an inkling of these Crotchets that he might be perswaded whenever Matters of the Church come before you to reserr them to your Grace and the Episcopal Party of the Realm for there be great Preparations making ready against the Liturgy and Ceremonies of the Church of England And all evil Contrivances here and in France and in other Protestant Holdings to make your Grace and the Episcopacy odious to all Reformed Protestants abroad it has wrought so much on divers of the Foreign Ministers of the Protestants that they esteem our Clergy little better than Papists The main things that they hit in our Teeth are our Bishops being called Lords the Service of the Church the Cross in Baptism Confirmation Bowing at the Name of Jesus the Communion-Table placed Altar-ways our manner of Consecrations and several other Matters which be of late buzz'd into the Heads of the Foreign Clergy to make your Grievances the less regarded in case of a change which is aimed at if not speedily prevented Your Grace's Letter is carefully
raised and foster'd by the Arts of the Court of the Rome that Jesuits profess'd themselves Independants Fifth Monarchy-men c. that they might pull down the English Monarchy and Church and that in their Committees for the Destruction of the King and Church they had their Spies and Agents The Roman Priest and Confessor is also known who when he saw thefatal stroke given to our Holy King and Martyr brandish'd his Sword and said Now the greatest Enemy we have in the World is gone When the News of that horrible Execution came to Roan a Protestant Gentleman of good Credit was present in a Company of Jesuited Persons where after great expressions of Joy the gravest of the Company spake much after this sort touching the King's Promise though it was false what he said The King of England said he at his Marriage promised us the re-establishing of the Roman Catholick Religion in England and when he delayed to fulfil his Promise we warn'd him from time to time to perform it we came so far as to tell him That if he would not do it we should bring him to his Destruction We have given him lawful warning and when no warning would serve we have kept our Word to him since he would not keep his Word to us That grave Rabbi's Sentence agreeth with this certain Intelligence which shall be justified whensoever Authority will require it That the Year before the King's Death a select number of English Jesuits were sent from their whole Party into England first to Paris to consult with the faculty of Sorbon then altogether Jesuited to whom they put this Question in Writing That seeing the state of England was in a likely posture to change Government whether it was lawful for the Catholicks to work that change for the advantage and securing of the Catholick Cause in England by making away the King whom there was no hope to turn away from his Heresie Which was answered Affirmatively After which the same persons went to Rome where the same Question being propounded and debated it was concluded by the Pope and his Council That it was both lawful and expedient for the Catholicks to promote that Alteration of State What followed that Consultation and Sentence all the World knoweth and how the Jesuits went to work God knoweth and Time the discoverer of Truth will let us know But when this horrible Parricide committed on the King's sacred Person was so universally cried down as the greatest Villainy that had been committed in many Ages the Pope commanded all the Papers about that Question to be gathered up and burnt In Obedience to which Order a Roman Catholick in Paris was demanded a Copy which he had of those Papers but the Gentleman who had time to confider and detest the Wickedness of that Project refused to give it but shew'd it to a Protestant Friend of his and related to him the whole carriage this Negotiation with great abhorrency of the Jesuits Practices At the first appearing of this Charge it struck such a terror among the Gentlemen of Somerset-House where a Man of great Note was much concerned in it that they cast themselves at the King's Feet to crave Justice against me yet upon another pretence which was the mention I had made after Mr. Prin and Mr. Foulis of the Priest flourishing with his Sword when the King's head was cut off and saying Now our greatest Enemy is cut off But upon soberer thoughts after Three or Four Days the great clamour was suddenly hush'd only they won the Queen-Mother to beseech the King that I might be forbidden to make any more Books which was expressed to me in a Letter from the Secretary of State yet in a gracious counselling way from my Great and Good Master that it was my wisest course to forbear writing Books in English because it was not my Native Language which prohibition was taken away when I caused the same Book to be Reprinted Anno Dom. 1668. And such was the violent Distraction of these guilty persons who were between anger and fear that when they seem'd most fervent to fall upon me they were cowed by their own guiltiness and they were so prudent as to take Order among themselves that none should provoke me by writing against me to write again For I heard nothing of them for Five or Six Years till a young Nobleman the Earl of Castlemain took the Field against me Mr. Cressy seeing the ice broken followed him The Earl added in a Third Edition That I was defied by Papists and sollicited by Protestants to make good my words and he says true but I have now defied the Papists Seventeen Years to call me in Question before my Judges and I do so still but instead of calling me their Accuser to bring forth my Proofs they labour to silence me and chose to lie under the Guilt instead of taking the open legal way for their Justification As for the Sollicitations of Protestants my request to them is that they would consider the first line of my Charge viz. This Intelligence shall be justified whensoever Authority shall require it so that I cannot in Duty bring forth the most essential Testimonies before I be bid by Authority Should I do otherwise the fault would be as great in point of Prudence as in that of Duty for I should thereby make my Adversaries my Judges who might detort the Testimonies This then being of so high a nature I will stand to this Resolution to answer no Summons but such as are back'd by publick Authority And here for to give them farther satisfaction he prints a Letter he received from Sir William Morrice part of it which relates to this concern followeth SIR Though I cannot give attestation to all the circumstances which you mention yet to the substance of that you desire me to bear witness to I shall say That the King my Master gave me his Command soon upon the coming forth of your Answer to Philanax Anglicus to signifie his pleasure that you should write no more in English as which being not vernacular to you he said you were not perfect Master You know in what trust and capacity I served His Majesty and what it was my duty to say and whereof to be silent but this I may say safely and will do it considently that many Arguments did create a violent suspicion very near convincing Evidences That the Irreligion of the Papists was chiefly guilty of the Murther of that Excellent Prince I applaud your pious Zeal and good Designs and vote happy success to your Vndertakings with reward proportionable c. Mr. Pryn's Intelligence confirmed mine who saith in his True and perfect Narrative pag. 46. That our late Excellent King having assented in the Treaty of the Isle of Wight to pass Five strict Bills against Popery The Jesuits in France at a general Meeting there presently resolved to bring him to Justice and take off his Head by the power of their Friends in
the Army as the King himself was certified by an Express from thence and wished to provide against it but two days before his removal by the Army from the Isle of Wight to his Execution It were worth the Enquiry upon what Ground the Author of Fair Warning affirmeth pag. 35 36 37. in the Second Part of 120 Prophecies concerning the return of Popery That Father Sibthorp in a Letter to Father Medcalfe acknowledgeth the Jesuits to have contriv'd the Murther of the King and that Sarabras was present and triumphing at the Murther of his sacred Majesty In pursuance of the Order from Rome for the pulling down both the Monarch and Monarchy of England many Jesuits came over who took several Shapes to go about their Work but most of them took party in the Army About Thirty of them or their Disciples were met by a Protestant Gentleman between Roan and Diepe to whom they said taking him for one of the Party That they were going into England and would take Arms in the Independant Army and endeavour to be Agitators This agrees with the Account Bishop Bramhall gave in his Letter to Bishop Vsher In the Year 1640 there was discovered to the Archbishop of Canterbury a design in which the Pope Cardinal Richlieu and many of the English Papists but especially the Jesuits were concerned in stirring up those Divisions that had just before broke out in Scotland for the Ruine of the King and of the Archbishop This may be seen at large in the Histories of those times and the very Papers themselves may be found in Mr. Rushworth's Collections vol. 3. p. 1310. c. Sir William Boswell likewise at the Hague made the like Discovery in his Letter to the Archbishop Father Salmonet declares in his History of our Civil Wars printed in France with the Allowance of the King That after the Engagement at Egdehill several Romish Papists were found among the slain of the Parliament Army And adds That the Parliament had two Companies of Walloons besides others of that Religion in their Army Salmonet Hist des troubles d'Angleterre liv 3. pag. 165. When the Rebellion also broke out in Ireland it was we know bless'd with His Holiness's Letters and assisted by his Nuntio whom he sent on purpose thither for that service And that the Papists had a flying Squadron in the Parliament Army How boldly soever this may be denied by some there is another proof beyond Exception in a Declaration of King Charles I. that he sent to the Kingdom of Scotland dated April 21. 1643. which hath been several times Printed And as an Author that wrote the History of the late Civil Wars has assured us the clean draught of it corrected in some places with the King 's own hand is yet extant so that it cannot be pretended that this was only a bold Assertion of some of the King's Ministers that might be ill affected to their Party In that Declaration the King studied to possess his Subjects of Scotland with the Justice of his Cause and among other things to clear himself of the imputation that he had an Army of Papists about him after many things said on that Head these Words are added Great Numbers of that Religion have been with alacrity entertained in that Rebellious Army against us and others have been seduced to whom we had formerly denied Employments as appears by the Examination of many Prisoners of whom we have taken Twenty or Thirty at a time of that Religion in one Troop or Company The Credit of this Testimony is not to be disputed but no Discoveries how evident soever they may be can effect some sort of Men that have a secret against Blushing This also plainly lets us see how that under the dissembled Disguise of being of their Parties the subtle Priests and Jesuits have crept in and mix'd themselves among our dividing Sectaries and cunningly made them the unhappy Tools and Instruments to effect their most pernitious Designs and Contrivances which otherwise without their aid they would not be able to compass and that the same Method not covertly but openly is still practised is too palpable to be gainsaid God grant the Eyes of our Dissenting Brethren may be timely opened for the seasonable preventing the Miseries and Evils that threaten our Government that they may not only see but follow the things that belong to the Peace and Prosperity of our Church and State before they are hid from their Eyes A Protestant Lady living in Paris in the time of our late Calamities was perswaded by a Jesuit going in Scarlet to turn Roman Catholick and when the dismal News of the King's Murther came to Paris this Lady as all other good English Subjects was most deeply afflicted with it and when this Scarlet Divine came to see her and found her melted in Tears about that heavy and common Disaster he told her with a smiling Countenance That she had no reason to lament but rather to rejoice seeing that the Catholicks were rid of their greatest Enemy and that the Catholick Cause was much furthered by his Death Upon which the Lady put the Man down the Stairs in great Anger saying If that be your Religion I have done with it for ever And God hath given her the Grace to make her Word good hitherto Many Intelligent Travellers can tell of the great Joy among the English Convents and Seminaries for the King's Death as having overcome their Enemy and done their main work for their Settlement in England of which they made themselves so sure that the Benedictines were in great care that the Jesuits should not get their Land and the English Nuns were contending who should be Abbesses in England An understanding Gentleman visiting the Friars of Dunkirk put them upon the Discourse of the King's Death and to pump out their Sence about it said That the Jesuits had laboured very much to compass that great Work to which they answered That the Jesuits would Engross to themselves the Glory of all great and good Works and of this among other Works whereas they had laboured as diligently and effectually for it as they so there was striving for the Glory of that Atchievement and the Friars shew'd themselves as much Jesuited as the Jesuits The same Gentleman who in his Travels hath found them in several places jealous of the Glory which the Jesuits ascribed to their only Order to have promoted the King's Death whereas other Orders had been as active as they in that great Atchievement I cannot leave unobserved that in the height of the late Usurpation and Tyranny two Heads of the Gun-powder Traitors that were set up upon the House of Lords were taken down not by high Winds but by the same Zeal which had plotted that Treason and with the leave of Traytors of another Feather which in time we may hear to be shrined up in Gold as Holy Relicks and working Miracles By this we see what a good Accord and friendly
Lord Viscount Stafford That they designed to bring in Popery by Toleration as may be seen in his Trial. And now let any impartial Person judge who did most effectually serve the Papist Designs those who kept to the Communion of the Church of England or those who fell into a course of Separation I will allow what Mr. Baxter saith That they might use their Endeavours to exasperate the several Parties against each other and might sometimes press the more rigorous Execution of Laws against them but then it was to set them at a greater distance from us and to make them more pliable to a General Toleration And they sometimes complained That those who were most averse to this found themselves under the Severity of the Law when more Tractable Men escaped which they have weakly imputed to the Bishops when they might easily understand the true causo of such a Discrimination But from the whole it appears That the grand Design of the Papists for many Years was to break in pieces the Constitution of the Church of England which being done they flattered themselves with the hopes of great Accessions to their Strength and Party and in order to this they inflamed the Differences among us to the utmost height on purpise to make all the dissenting Parties to join with them for a General Toleration which they did not question would destroy this Church and advance their Interest And it is a most unfortunate Condition our Church is in That those who design to bring in Popery and the Dissenters who made so great bustles in the late King's Reign to keep it out should now both conspire towards the Destruction of our Church and use all their Art and Industry to undermine and blow up this strongest Bullwork of the Protestant Religion This Reverend and most Learned Person hath also well observ'd how subtilly the Romanists have managed our indiscreet Dissenters Zeal against the Church of England under a pretence of opposing Popery to be one of the more likely ways to bring it in Many Instruments and Engines they made use of in this Design many ways and times they set about it and although they met with several Disappointments yet they never gave it over And is it not very strange that when they can scarce appear for themselves others out of meer Zeal against Popery should carry on their Work for them This seems to be a great Paradox to unthinking People who are carried away with meer Noise and Pretences and hope those will secure them most against the fears of Popery who talk with most Passion and least Understanding against it whereas no persons do really give them greater Advantages than these do For where they meet with intemperate Railings and gross Understandings of the State of the Controversies between them and us the more subtle Romanists will let such alone to spend their Rage and Fury and when the heat is over they will calmly endeavour to let them see how grosly they have been deceived in some things and so will the more easily make them believe they are as much deceived in all the rest And thus the East and West may meet at last and the most furious Dissenters who would be looked upon as the greatest Adversaries to Popery become the easiest Converts This I do really fear will be the case of many Thousands amongst us who now pass for the most zealous Protestants if ever which God forbid that Religion should come to be uppermost in England It is therefore of mighty Consequence for preventing the return of Popery that people rightly understand what it is for when they are as much afraid of an innocent Ceremony as of real Idolatry and think they can Worship and Adore the Host on the same grounds that they may use the Sign of the Cross or Kneel at the Communion when they are brought to see their mistake in one Case they will suspect themselves deceived in the other also For they who took that to be Popery which is not will be apt to think Popery it self not so bad as it was represented and so for want of right Vnderstanding the Differences between us may be carried from one extream to the other For when they find the undoubted Practices of the Ancient Church condemned as Popish and Antichristian by their Teachers they must conclude Popery to be of much greater Antiquity than really it is and when they can trace it so very near the Apostles times they will soon believe it setled by the Apostles themselves For it will be very hard to perswade any considering Men that the Christian Church should degenerate so soon so universally as it must do if Epsscopal Government and the use of some significant Ceremonies were any parts of that Apostacy Will it not seem strange to them that when some humane Polities have preserved their first Constitution so long without any considerable alteration that the Government instituted by Christ and settled by his Apostles should so soon after be changed into another kind and that so easily so insensibly that all the Christian Churches believed they had still the very same Government which the Apostles left them Which is a matter so incredible that those who can believe such a part of Popery could prevail so soon in the Christian Church may be brought upon the like Grounds to belives that many others did so mighty a prejudice doth the Principles of our Church's Enemies bring upon the Cause of the Reformation And those who forego the Testimony of Antiquity as all the Opposers of the Church of England must do must unavoidably run with the Papists which the Principles of our Church do lead us through For we can justly charge Popery as an unreasonable innovation when we allow the undoubted Practices and Government of the Church for many Ages after Christ And the Excellent Learned and most pious Prelate Bishop Saunderson hath observ'd That those who reject the usages of our Church as Popish and Antichristian when assaulted by Papists will be apt to conclude Popery the old Religion which in the purest and primitive Times was professed in all Christian Churches throughout the World whereas the sober Church of England Protestant is able by the Grace of God with clear Evidence of Truth to justifie the Church of England from all imputation of Heresie or Schism and the Religion thereof as it stood by Law established from the like imputation of Novelty And in this he professes to lay open the inmost thoughts of his Heart in this sad Business before God and the World And he further saith The Dissenting Brethren were great promoters of the Roman Interest among us in the late Times of Usurpation by putting their helping hand to the pulling down of Episcopacy And saith he 't is very well known to many what rejoicing that Vote brought to the Romish Party how even in Rome it self they sung their Io-Paeans upon the tidings thereof and said triumphantly Now the Day
Protestant Religion and touching the Evils of Toleration how pernitious it is to the true Religion DOctor Cornelius Burgess in a Sermon before the Commons Nov. 5. 1641. p. 63 c. thus Preach'd I beseech you in the Name of the Great God whom you serve to resume and pursue your first thoughts of setting up God and his Ordinances as becomes you in a regular way that our Church and the Government thereof may be no longer laid waste and exposed to Confusion under the plansible pretence Of not forcing Mens Consciences To put all Men into a course of Order and Uniformity in God's way is not to force the Conscience but to set up God is his due place and to bring all his People into the path of Righteousness and Life Also in a Sermon before the Commons at a publick Fast March 30. 1642. p. 35. he thus speaks his mind Be there none of you that foresee the fatal Mischief of leaving all Men to their Liberties in the things of God and yet want Hearts to use your Skill and Interest to make haste to settle Matters of Religion lest you come too late with a Remedy when the Disease is grown incurable and the Kingdom grown to that pass as the grave Historian Livy noted of Rome that it cannot bear the Malady nor endure the Cure p. 46. Do you not see or hear daily of the Disorders Sects Rents and Schisms that every where bud forth already and threaten all Order Unity and Government Give the Water but a passage without speedy making up the Banks and you know how soon whole Seas will break in upon us and render all irrecoverable and incurable If one difficulty occurr to day it will be doubled yea multiplied to morrow There is no Hydra so fertile of heads as Errour and Schism grown to some strength and maturity It will ask but a short time of Connivence afterwards there will be no curbing nor shaming of it Nothing is so confident as Ignorance impudent as Falshood and catching as Errour In another Sermon before the Commons at a Publick Fast April 30. 1645. pag. 51 52. he exhorts them thus Take heed of those spirits of Errour who with fair specious words make Merchandice of you beguiling unstable Souls Beware of those Compliances with and Indulgences to all sorts of Sects and Schisms now pleaded for both by word and writing as if it were part of Christ's Legacy and his peoples Liberty to be of what Religion they will To be tolerated in any Opinions never so erroneous and pernicious untill farther light that it is the Magistrates duty to protect them in that Liberty and that the contrary thereunto is to persecute Christ Hath God inserted this as one main branch of his grand Covenant with his people under the Gospel I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever Jer. 32.39 that is That they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent Zeph. 3.9 Did Christ ascend up on high and give Gifts unto men and gave some Apostles and some Prophets some Evangelists and some Teachers for the perfecting of Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come into the unity of the Faith and is it Persecution and Antichristianism to engage all to Unity and Uniformity Doth Paul bid the Philippians to beware of the Concision Phil. 3.2 Doth he beseech the Romans to mark those which cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine which they had received and avoid them and that upon this ground that they who are such serve not the Lord Jesus but their own bellies however by good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple Rom. 16.17 18. Doth he writing to the Galatians wish I would they were cut off that trouble you Gal. 5.12 And is it such an hanious Offence now for the faithfull Servants of Christ to advise you to the same course O Heavens be astonish'd at this and blush for the Ignorance of some and Ignorance of others that dare so boldly press for such a Toleration which none but vain destructive Thoughts of Carnal men can look upon without indignation and horrour Beware how you hearken to these Empyricks and Syrens who seek to charm the World into a deep sleep by presenting their Considence of a Necessity of compliance with all sorts of Sectaries yea of trusting the sword in their hands for fear of losing the godly Party as too many proudly stile themselves by way of difference from all that are not of their Opinions and Ways What is this but to teach God a new Form of Politicks to proclaim that it is not always safe to hold out the Truth of the Gospel and to command all men to embrace it but much safer to halt between two Opinions Belike King Josiah went beyond his bounds when after himself had sworn a solemn Covenant to the Lord He made all Judah and Benjamin to stand to it and made all that were present in Israel to serve the Lord their God 2 Chron. 34.32 33. And Asa much more when he drew all the people into a Covenant That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death whether small or great man or woman 2 Chron. 15.13 But the ample and transcendant Commendations which the Lord gives unto these pious Kings especially in reference to their Sincerity and Zeal of reforming and setling of Religion in one uniform way may sufficiently warrant and encourage all Religious Magistrates to take care That all under their Goverment should serve the Lord with one shoulder this being not a Tyranny over men but the Privilege of the Gospel Settle this in your hearts God's truth the true Worship and Discipline of Christ set up and established in one uniform way never prejudic'd any Nation or State where it had free passage in any the least degree but hath ever been their Safety Happiness and Honour It is errour how much soever cried up not Truth how much soever cried down and blasphemed that makes and foments Factions and Rents Let people enjoy their just Privileges and Liberties wherewith Christ hath made them free not such Licentiousness as is abused for a cloak of Naughtiness Dr. William Good in a Sermon before the Commons March 26. 1645 declares his mind thus I doubt not but your Souls abhorr that bloody tenet to the Souls of men That it is the duty of the Magistrate to tolerate all Religions What is it that shall be unlawful if this be lawful for every Man to make a Law and Religion for himself Such allowance would prove destructive to Holiness both Personal and Domestical Omnis Religio nulla Religio a Toleration of all Religions would soon dwindle into no Religion Much more to this purpose may be seen in this Sermon Mr. Thomas Case in his Sermon before the Commons May. 26. 1647. pag.
33. c. saith Liberty of Conscience falsly so called may in good time improve it self into Liberty of Estates Liberty of Houses and Liberty of Wives and in a word Liberty of Perdition of Souls and Bodies This only would I know of you are Idolaters Hereticks Blasphemers and Seducers Evil-doers If so then look to your charge Rom. 13.4 Rulers must be a terrour to Evil-doers unless you mean to bear the Sword in vain And if you will God will not and if God take the Sword into his own hand once he will smite to purpose and execute vengeance throughly both upon the Evil-doers and upon you that have not been a terrour to them Oh therefore up and be doing that you may deliver the Kingdom out of the hand of the Lord for it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the Living God O let not your Patience be interpreted a Connivence and your Connivence be taken for a Toleration it may be the Kingdom 's ruine but it will be your Sin Also in his Sermon before the Commons February 19. 1645. pag. 25. he thus addresseth to them Fathers and Brethren how will you call this keeping of Covenant with God had we a Parliament of Apostate Julians of whom it is reported that at what time he opened the Temples of the Heathenish Gods he set open the Christian Churches called home all the Christians that were banished both Orthodox and Heretick and gave them as we call it Liberty of Conscience but as Austin more truly phraseth it Libertatem perditionis Liberty to destroy themselves for that was his policy and end namely by Liberty of all Religions to destroy the true and the Professours of it too If we had a Parliament of careless Gallio's we should not wonder c. Mr. George Hughes late Minister of Plymouth in his Sermon before the Commons May 26. 1647. p. 34 preached thus I must say that Toleration must be a destructive Principle to the State or Church where-ever it be allowed experience hath shew'd us no less in Kingdoms and Churches called by God's name Ye Servants of Christ take heed of yielding to the pretences of Conscience The Devil and not Christ hath his throne there and no stronger hold for him than Conscience if he once takeit Christ will not suffer him to shelter there therefore you may not so much as in you lieth Object Do not other States and some of the united Provinces tolerate all these Heresies and protect them and yet they prosper who more Answ I desire not to meddle with other States unless I might do them good But 1. Can any Man say that Prosperity is a sign peculiar to Truth then let Rome come in and speak more than any for outward Prosperity 2. Are not spiritual Wickednesses as odious to God as carnal and are not these Heresies such which God condemns as works of the Flesh inconsistent with Christ's Kingdom 3. Hath God made an end of visiting Nations for the Sins of them when God hath done judging were a better time to urge this Example than now I pray God the evil day may not overtake these States the good God cause the cup of trembling to pass by them and purge their inquities peaceably but I am pressed in Spirit to say God hath not spared such State polities which have sought their own rise by the ruine of God's Truth Witness Jeroboam the Son of Nebat who made Israel to sin and as Seneca saith Qui non vetat peccare cum potest jubet he bids sin that doth not hinder it when he can God's Truth my beloved and not Man's example must be the Rule If Heresies yet must be let us mourn for what we cannot help It is a miserable Necessity when not allowed It will be rejoicing in Iniquity either for Church or State wilfully to tolerate Mr. Edmund Calamy in his Sermon before the Lord Mayor January 14. 1645. pag. 3. makes this Lamentation The Churches of Christ lie desolate Church-reformation is obstructed Church-discipline unsetled and Church-divisions increased The famous City of London is become an Amsterdam Separation from our Churches is countenanc'd Toleration is cried up Authority lieth asleep And pag. 4. Divisions whether they be Ecclesiastical or Political in Kingdoms Cities or Families are infallible causes of ruine to them See Mark 3.24 25. Again pag. 14. Hereby the hearts of people are mightily distracted many are hindred from Conversion and even the Godly themselves have lost much of the power of Godliness in their lives I say the hearts of people are mightily disturbed while one Minister preacheth one thing as a Truth of the Gospel and another Minister preacheth the quite contrary with as much considence as the former Pag. 17. If Divisions be so destructive to Kingdoms Cities and Families this reproveth those that are the Authors and Fomenters of these Divisions that are now among us These are the Iincendiaries of England If he that sets one house a fire deserveth hanging much more they that set a whole Kingdom on fire If he that murders one Man must be put to death much more he that murders three Kingdoms mark them saith the Apostle Rom. 16.17 that cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them avoid them as the greatest enemies of England these are like the Salamander that cannot live but in the fire of Contention These are of a Jesuitical Spirit and no doubt the heads and hands of the Jesuits are in all our Divisions Pag. 33. Take heed of the Land-destroying opinion of those that plead for an unlimited Toleration of all Religions even of Turcism Judaism c. the Lord keep us from being poison'd with such an Errour Our Saviour's saying in Matth. 12.25 riseth up against it Every Kingdom divided against it self is brought to desolation for it will divide Kingdoms against it self it will rend it in a thousand pieces it is a Doctrine that overthroweth all Church-Government bringeth in confusion and openeth a wide door unto all Irreligion and Atheism For at the same door that all false Religions came in the true Religion-will quickly get out and if it be as good for a Man to live where nothing is lawful as where all things are lawful surely it is every way as uncomfortable to live where there are all Religions as where there is no Religion at all Pag. 37. It is your Duty right Honourable whom God hath intrusted with great Power to suppress these Divisions and Differences in Religion by your Civil Authority as far as you are able least you are accessary unto them For God hath made you Custodes utriusque Tabulae Keepers not of the Second Table only as some fondly imagine but of the First Table also and not only Keepers but Vindices utriusque Tabulae Punishers also of those that transgress against either of them For you are the Ministers of God for good and Revengers to execute wrath upon him that doth
believe that it is with extream unwillingness and reluctancy of Heart that we are brought to differ from any thing which your Majesty hath thought sit to propose And though we do no way doubt but that the unreasonable Distempers of Mens Spirits and the many Mutinies and Conspiracies which were carried on during the late intervals of Parliament did reasonably incline your Majesty to endeavour by your Declaration to give some allay to those ill Humours till the Parliament assembled and the hopes of Indulgence if the Parliament should consent to it especially seeing the Pretenders to this Indulgence did seem to make some Titles to it by virtue of your Majesty's Declaration from Breda Nevertheless we your Majesty's most Dutiful and Loyal Subjects who are now returned to serve in Parliament from those several Parts and Places of your Kingdom for which we are chosen do humbly offer to your Majesty's great Wisdom That it is in no sort advisable that there be any Indulgence to such Persons who presume to dissent from the Act of Uniformity and the Religion establish'd We have also considered the Nature of the Indulgence proposed with reference to these Consequences which must necessarily attend it It will establish Schism by a Law and make the whole Government of the Church precarious and the Censures of it of no moment or consideration at all It will expose your Majesty to the restless importunity of every Sect or Opinion and of every single Person also who shall presume to dissent from the Church of England It will be a cause of increasing Sects and Sectaries whose numbers will weaken the true Protestant Profession so far that it will at least be dissicult for it to defend it self against them And which is yet farther considerable Those numbers which by being troublesome to the Government find they can arrive to an Indulgence will as their numbers increase be yet more troublesome that so at length they may arrive to a general Toleration and in time some prevalent Sect will at last contend for an Establishment which for ought can be foreseen may end in Popery It is a thing altogether without precedent and will take away all means of convicting recusants and be inconsistent with the method and proceedings of the Laws of England Lastly it is humbly conceived that the Indulgence proposed will be so far from tending to the peace of the Kingdom that it is rather likely to occasion great disturbance And on the contrary that the asserting of the Laws and the Religion established according to the act of Vniformity is the most probable means to produce a setled Peace and Obedience throughout the Kingdom Because variety of professions in Religion when openly divulg'd doth directly distinguish men into Parties and withal gives them opportunity to count their numbers which considering the Animosities that out of a Religious Pride will be kept on foot by the several Factions doth tend directly and inevitably to open Disturbance Nor can your Majesty have any security that the Doctrine or Worship of the several Factions which are all governed by a several Rule shall be consistent with the Peace of the Kingdom And if any Persons shall presume to disturb the Peace of the Kingdom we do in all humility declare That we will for ever and in all occasions be ready with our utmost endeavour and assistance to adhere to and serve your Majesty according to our bounden Duty and Allegiance These impregnable and unanswerable Reasons did the excellent Members of that House alledge against Toleration Reasons full and clear carrying with them all the advantages of strength and evidence and as Dr. Tompkins said deservedly of them in his Pleas for Toleration discussed These renowned Gentlemen did then shew that they were able with their Pens to give an account of that Cause for which very many of themselves and Fathers did honourably draw their Swords and knew very well how to assert that Church by all the Rules of Christian Prudence as well as they did formerly set inimitable patterns of Christian Courage in suffering for it In these we may see and admire how those glorious Worthies came up to the Greatness of themselves and of the Argument and indeed they were both worthy of one another they to defend and that to be defended And as nothing was ever better penn'd than those Reasons so there was scarce ever a better occasion The best Church in Europe was then bore witness to by the best House of Commons which ever sat in this Nation And these Votes shall ever remain as a lasting Monument not only of their Zeal and Religion but of the incomparable Endowments and Abilities of those who drew them up A LETTER OF THE MINISTERS Of the CITY of LONDON Presented the First of January 1645. to the Reverend Assembly of Divines sitting at Westminister by Authority of Parliament against TOLERATION To our Reverend Learned and Religious Brethren the Prolocutor and the rest of the Divines assembled and now sitting at Westminster by Authority of Parliament these present Reverend and beloved Brethren WE are exceedingly apprehensive of the desirableness of the Church's Peace and of the pleasantness of Brethrens Vnity knowing that when Peace is set upon its proper basis viz. Righteousness and Truth it is one of the best possessions both delectable and profitable like Aaron's Ointment and the Dew of Hermon It is true by reason of different lights and different sights among Brethren there may be dissenting in opinion yet why should there be any separating from Church Communion The Church's Coat may be of divers colours yet why should there be any rent in it Have we not a touchstone of Truth the good word of God and when all things are examined by that word then that which is best may be held fast but first they must be known and then examined afterward If our dissenting Brethren after so many importunate Entreaties would have been perswaded either in zeal to the Truth or in sincere love to the Church's Peace and Vnity among Brethren or in respect to their own reputation by fair and ingenuous dealing or in conscience to their promise made with the Ministers of London now five years since or any such like reasonable consideration at last to have given us a full Narrative of their Opinions and grounds of their Separation we are perswaded they would not have slood at such a distance from us as now they do But they chose rather to walk by their own private lights than to unbosom themselves to us their most affectionate Brethren and to set themselves in an untrodden way of their own rather than to wait what our covenanted Reformation according to the Word of God and Examples of the best Reformed Churches would bring forth But the offence doth not end here it is much that our Brethren should separate from the Church but that they should endeavour to get a warrant to authorize their separation from it and to have
liberty by drawing Members out of it to weaken and diminish it till so far as lies in them they have brought it to nothing this we think to be plainly unlawful yet this we understand is their present design and endeavour Wherefore Reverend Brethren having bad such large experience of your Zeal of God's Glory your care of his afflicted Church your earnest endeavours to promote the compleat Reformation of it and of your ready concurrence with us in the improvement of any means that might be found conducible to this end we are bold to hint unto you these our ensuing Reasons against the Toleration of Independency in this Church I. The desires and endeavours of Independents for a Toleration are at this time extreamly unseasonable and preproperous for 1. The Reformation of Religion is not yet perfected and setled among us according to our Covenant And why may not the Reformation be raised up at last to such purity and perfection that truly tender Consciences may receive abundant satisfaction for ought that yet appears 2. It is not yet known what the Government of the Independents is neither would they ever yet vouchsafe to let the World know what they hold in that point though some of their party have been too forward to challenge the London Petitioners as led with blind Obedience and pinning their Souls upon the Priest's sleeve for desiring an establishment of the Government of Christ before there was any model of it extant 3. We can hardly be perswaded That the Independents themselves after all the stirs they have made amongst us are as yet fully resolved about their own way wherewith they would be concluded seeing they publish not their model though they are nimble enough in publishing other things and they profess Reserves and new Lights for which they will no doubt expect the like Toleration and so in insinitum It were more seasonable to move for Toleration when once they are positively determined how far they mean to go and where they mean to stay II. Their desires and endeavours are unreasonable and unequal in divers regards 1. Partly because no such Toleration hath hitherto been established so far as we know in any Christian State by the Civil Magistrate 2. Partly because some of them have solemnly profess'd That they cannot suffer Presbytery and answerable hereunto is their practice in thoses places where Independency prevails 3. And partly because to grant to them and not to other Sectaries who are free born as well as they and have done as good service as they to the Publick as they used to plead will be counted Injustice and great Partiality but to grant it unto all will scarce be cleared from great Impiety III. Independency is a Schism for 1. Independents do depart from our Churches being true Churches and so acknowledged by themselves 2. They draw and seduce our Members from our Congregations 3. They erect separate Congregations under a separate and undiscovered Government 4. They refuse Communion with our Churches in the Sacraments 5. Their Ministers refuse to Preach among us as Officers 6. Their Members if at any time they join with us in hearing the Word and Prayer yet they do it not as with the ministerial Word and Prayer not as Acts of Church Communion Now we judge that no Schism is to be tolerated in the Church †Schisms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 1.10 1 Cor. 12.25 * Divisions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 6.17 with 1 Cor. 3.3 Gal. 5.20 IV. Many mischiefs will inevitably follow upon this Toleration and that both to Church and Common-wealth First To the Church as 1. Causeless and unjust revolts from our Ministry and Congregations 2. Our Peoples minds will be troubled and in danger to be subverted as Acts 15.24 3. Bitter heart-burnings among brethren will be fomented and perpetuated to posterity 4. The godly painful and Orthodox Ministry will be discouraged and despised 5. The life and power of Godliness will be eaten out by frivolous disputes and vain janglings 6. The whole course of Religion in private families will be interrupted and undermined 7. Reciprocal duties between persons of nearest and dearest relations will be extreamly violated 8. The whole work of Reformation especially in Discipline and Government will be retarded disturbed and in danger of being made utterly frustrate and void whilst every person shall have liberty upon every trivial discontent at Presbyterial Government and Churches to revolt from us and list themselves in separated Congregations 9. All other Sects and Heresies in the Kingdom will be encouraged to endeavour the like Toleration 10. All other Sects and Heresies in the Kingdom will safeguard and shelter themselves under the wings of Independency and some of the Independents in their Books have openly avowed that they plead for Liberty of Conscience as well for others as themselves 11. And the whole Church of England in short time will be swallowed up with destraction and confusion And God is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace 1 Cor. 14.33 Secondly To the Common-wealth For 1. All these mischiefs in the Church will have their proportionable influence upon the Common-wealth 2. The Kingdom will be wofully weakned by scandals and Divisions so that the enemies of it both Domestical and Foreign will be encouraged to plot and practise against it 3. It is much to be doubted lest the power of the Magistrate should not onely be weakned but even utterly overthrown considering the principles and practices of Independents together with their compliance with other Sectaries sufficiently known to be Anti-Magistratical V. Such a Toleration is utterly repugnant and inconsistent with that solemn League and Covenant for Reformation and Defence of Religion which not only both Houses of Parliament but also persons of all sorts in both Kingdoms of England and Scotland have subscribed and with hands lifted up to the most high God have sworn Which Covenant likewise both you and we and those that most earnestly pursue the establishment of this Toleration have made or should have made in the presence of Almighty God the searcher of all hearts with a true intention to perform the same as we shall answer at that great day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed For 1. This is opposite to the Reformation of Religion according to the Word of God and the example of the best Reformed Churches Article 1. 2. It is destructive to the three Kingdoms nearest conjunction and uniformity in Religion and Government which might lead us and our Posterity after us as brethren to live in Faith and Love Art 1. 3. It is plainly contrary to that extirpation of Schism and whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of Godliness which we have sworn sincerely really and constantly to endeavour without respect of persons Art 2. 4. Hereby we shall be involved in the guilt of other mens sins and thereby be endangered to receive of their plagues Art 2.
the Phanaticks that boasted to be the most avowed and irreconcilable Enemies of the Church of Rome were not only become altogether silent when they saw the Kingdom pestered with a swarm of busie and seducing Emissaries but were turned Advocates for that Arbitrary Paper whereby we were surrendered as a prey unto them and did make it their Business to detract from the Reputation of the National Ministers The Members of the Church of England wrote then above 220. Books against Popery when there were not above one or two writ by the Non-conformists as is to be seen in the late Lift or Accompt that was published of them who with a Zeal becoming their Office and a Learning which deserves to be admired did set themselves in opposition to that croaking fry and did enough by their excellent and unimitable writings to save People from being deluded and perverted if either unanswerable Confutations of Popery or demonstrative Desences of the Articles and Doctrines of the Reformed Religion can have any efficacy upon the minds of Men. And this Author farther saith Among other fulsome Flatteries made to his Majesty by an addressing Dissenter he found this hypocritical and shameful Adulation namely That if there should remain any Seeds of Disloyalty in any of his Subjects the transcendant Goodness exerted in his Declaratian would mortifie and kill them To which he might have added with more Truth That the same transcendant Goodness had admost destroy'd all the Seeds of their Honesty and mortified all their Care and Concernment for the Interest of Jesus Christ and for the Reformed Religion Their old strain of zealous Preaching against the Idolatry of Rome and concerning the coming out of Babylon my People were grown out of Fashion with them And whosoever should come into their Assemblies would think for any thing that he there heard delivered from their Pulpits that she which was the Whore of Babylon a few Years ago were now become a Chaste Spouse and that what were heretofore the damnable Doctrines of Popery were of late turned innocent and harmless Opinions And as they are already arrived to believe a Roman Catholick the best King so they may in a little time come to esteem Papists for the best Christians This and a great deal more to the same purpose you may find in this Book of smart reflections upon the Dissenters scandalous and abominable wicked Confederacy with the Papists for the subverting the true reformed Religon The Troublers of our Israel being thus plainly manifested to the World and a true Discovery made in the several Collections from whence the Evils and Miseries did principally arise that have befallen our Church and State since the days of Queen Elizabeth unto these present times and which will undoubtedly bring Ruine Confusion and Disorder on both if not seasonably and effectually redressed for so the Fountain of Truth and Wisdom tells us Matth. 12.25 That a Kingdom divided against it self is brought to desolation and every City or House divided against it self cannot stand The foregoing accounts are therefore humbly offer'd to the serious perusal of our Church and State-Physicians the Parliament and Convocation to find out and apply proper means and remedies for the preventing the farther growth of these mischiefs which not only threaten but genuinely tend and hasten to the destruction of the true establish'd Religion and of our Nation And that they may zealously go about this good work and effectually finish it it is the Interest and Duty of all good Christians to pray for them both as we are taught in that excellent Form in our Liturgy That God would be pleased to direct and prosper all their Consultations to the Advancement of his Glory the good of his Church and the Safety Honour and Well-fare of their Majesties and Kingdoms That all things may be so ordered and setled by their endeavours upon the best and surest Foundations that Peace and Happiness Truth and Justice Religion and Piety may be establish'd among us for all Generations And it is no less the Duty of all that profess themselves Members of our Church to be sincerely minded and not to be mockers with God but earnestly to seek and endeavour after the freeing us from those evils which we pray to be delivered from in our Litany viz. From all Sedition privy Conspiracy and Rebellion from all false Doctrine Heresie and Schism from hardness of Heart and contempt of God's Word and Commandments and that after the putting up these Petitions in the Church to the Throne of Grace that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of Truth and hold the Faith in Unity of Spirit in the bond of Peace and Righteousness of Life and that God would give to us and all Nations Unity Peace and Concord and bring into the way of Truth all such as have erred and are deceived none of us may be found such wretched self-condemners in our Practice and wicked Prevaricators with God and the Church as to act directly contrary to what we pray for in the promoting of a Connivence Toleration or Libertinism which will establish Schism propagate and multiply Heresies breed Discord and Divisions and will also impower and commission Satan to sow his tares and to seduce multitudes from the ways of Truth Peace Unity and Righteousness and when people are left at Liberty in matters of Religion to do what seemeth good in their own eyes they seldom do what is good in the Lord's eyes but are laid open to great Temptations of being drawn away into the paths of the most dangerous errors Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that which he alloweth Rom. 14.22 Be not deceived God is not mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he reap Gal. 6.7 St. Paul's Prophecy of the Downfal and Suppression of seducing Separatists or Dividers 2 Tim. 3.8 9. Now as Jannes and Jambres Aegyptian Magicians withstood Moses so do these also resist the Truth men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the Faith But they shall proceed no further for their folly shall be manifested as theirs also was FINIS