The Interest of England in the Matter of Religion, Essays 1 · Section 1
Section I.
THe Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, legally united in one King, but by violence subjected to one Usurped Power of different Forms successively, were for divers late years reeling to and fro like a drunken man, and driven hither and thither like a Ship in a troubled Sea. The ancient Fundamental Constitution being overturned, those who took to themselves the Government, had gotten a plenary possession of all the strength by Sea and Land, detected all Conspiracies, quashed all Insurrections, and by Policy, Industry, and wonderfull Success, became formidable at home and abroad. The people sorely bruised by a tedious civil War, were glad of some present ease, and generally desired nothing more then to lie down in rest and peace; Likewise the more considerate part of men, though little satisfied in the present state, yet fearing other extreams, were nothing forward to endeavour a totall change, but thought it most adviseable to take things as they were, and to bring them, if it were possible, to some reasonable temper and consistence. Notwithstanding these advantages, the Powers then in Being could never settle in a fixed stable posture; and those who took the first Turn, namely, that Fragment of the Commons House, could by no means advance or get ground in any degree towards it: For besides the general hatred of their Usurpation and Selfish Practices, their Republican Form, and their Designs touching Religion were wholly aliene from the disposition of these Nations. He, who put them down from their Seats, and exalted himself in their room, reducing the Government to a single Person and a Parliament, set up an Image of the ancient Form, unto which the greater number were not unwilling to bow down, not out of good will to the Person, but for the Forms sake, and hope of Order; And by his able Conduct of Affairs, he became less hated and more feared then at the first, yet not beloved: His chiefest Grandees in Council and Army he made nothing to cashiere, when they appeared to take check at his Proceedings, and so he seemed to have made a fair progress in the establishing of his new Dominion. But the truth is, that Party and those means by which he obtained the Power, would in no wise permit him to make it sure: His Army was not like that of Caesar, who had no other aim than to make their General Lord of the Roman World, and to share in his fortunes; But it was acted by working Spirits zealous of peculiar Notions touching things both Religious and Civil, utterly repugnant to the way of generall Satisfaction and National Settlement. And not onelyonly those of the standing Army, but the whole body of that irregular Party throughout the Nation did generally oppose the Kingship of this Person, who was their head and Chief, conceiving, that the best insuring of their Interest was not by way of legal Stability; but Sword-security. This old Leaven their chief Commander could not purge out, and this Veterane Party could not with safety be abandoned or neglected, until a larger tract of time might beget a better confidence between him and the sober part of the people. But in this unsetled posture being taken off by death he leaves all to a Successor depending rather upon the Courtesie of the present Grandees, and the peoples peaceable inclination▪ than any potent abilities or interest of his own. After a while, the wild spirit of the Army, before manacled, brake loose, and instantly dissolved the whole frame of that new Model. Forthwith they run into inextricable Errours and Mazes, through unstable and head-long Counsels they do and undo, build up and pull down the samethings, and are always reeling upon the brink of a Precipice: And at last to hasten an inevitable ruine, the Army and Party combined with it is divided against it self, the bonds of Union are broken, and things brought into extream disorder by a spirit of Ambition, Giddiness, Perversness, Fury.