The Grotian Religion Discovered, Section 66 – Section 75
SECT. LXVI.
BUT the Reverend Doctor Sanderson §. 66.thinks I should also have given notice how the taking down of Episcopacy, &c. hath advantaged the Papists, &c. to which I say, 1. All men cannnot say all things that are true; especially at once. 2. All men see not that which some see: May I not give notice of a danger which I see, because I say nothing of another which I see not? 3. My subject and business in that writing called me to no more then I did. 4. I am not addicted, for all that, to hide my mind: and therefore God willing, I shall shortly give the world an account how far I think Episcopacy good or bad for the Church of God, and consequently what I think in this case. 5. Yet this I will say now to satisfie Doctor Sanderson and my own conscience, that of late I begin to have a strong suspicion that the Papists had a finger in the Pie on both sides, and that they had indeed a hand in the extirpation of Episcopacy; but my jealousies will not warrant me to affirm it, or to be confident of it, or to accuse any. When I can prove this by them as well as I have proved what I said by Grotius, you may perhaps hear more of me. In the mean time I must blame, and again blame any of you all, that will not disclose this if you are able to prove it. I find in Mr. Prins History of Canterburies Tryal, that Cardinal Richlieu was a promoter of the Rebellion in Ireland; and I find in Bishop Bramhal against Militerius these words [There was a Bishop in the world (losers must have leave to talk) whose privy purse and subtile Counsels did help to kindle that unnatural war in his Majesties three Kingdoms,] &c. I suppose he means Cardinal …ichlieu. But what they did directly against Episcopacy, I must leave to them to prove that can.
SECT. LXVII.
VVHether I had any just cause to §. 67.think that Grotius had followers here in England, and consequently that the warning that I gave was necessary, let his own words tell you, Discus. page 16. ☞[Aequis multis non displicuisse Grotii pro pace Ecclesiae labores, norunt Lutetiae, & in omni Gallia multi, multi in Polonia & Germania, in Angliâ non pauci, placidi pacis{que} amantes. Nam insanientibus in quantum nunc videmus Brunistis, & siqui eorum sunt similes, quibuscum D. Riveto melius quam cum Angliae Episcopis convenit, quis placere, ab illorum veneno intactus postulet?] If Grotius [his Piety and Learning were very equally matcht] as Mr. Pierce thinks page 92. then doubtless he is here to be believed, and therefore had among the Episcopal party, no small number of approvers: though the Brownists and such others were against him. Indeed if I have not proved Grotius himself to be as much a Papist as I there mentioned then neither are his adherents and approvers such; and so all lies upon that.
SECT. LXVIII.
AND if I have proved Grotius a Papist, §. 68.then me thinks it is strange that any man should approve of his Opinions in those things, and yet take it ill to be judged himself to be what Grotius was, even while he defendeth him. Mr. Pierce is not the first or only man that hath patronized him: And Mr. P. I must needs think is not unacquainted with his writings, 1. Because he so highly values him. 2. Because he so confidently vindicates him. 3. Because he suspected it as my errour to have [taken things upon trust, from some unfavourable censors of his intention,] p. 93. and therefore would not take his judgement upon trust himself. 4. Because his own words intimate it: He was prepared by the reading of Thuanus for the reading of Grotius, page 93. Yet M. P. affirmeth page 94. that there [is not any the least reason that Grotius his moderation should procure him the name of Papist.] They that speak to the Vulgar, must speak with the Vulgar. We common people, call such Papists as Grotius professeth himself to have been. But if Mr. Pierce will call him otherwise we will not stick much with him, for the name, while we are agreed on the thing. I confess that Grotius was no such Papist as himself describeth [that without any difference approveth for honour or lucre sake all the sayings and deeds of the Popes.] But with us a man is a Papist that is for the Popes Universal Headship and Government of the Churches, and that is for the Trent Creed and Council, with all the rest before mentioned. Now would it be any injury for me to believe that Mr. Pierce himself is of Grotius his mind, after so full an Approbation and vindication of him? And yet I will not affirm any such thing: For I know not till I hear again from Mr. Pierce what mistake he might incurr; and I would take men to be of the Religion which they profess. But yet I must say that Mr. Pierce could not blame any for such a censure.
SECT. LXIX.
BUT Mr. Pierce thinks [it had been §. 69.well if I had named those Papists, and then have publikely declared that I meant no more: p. 94.] I am not of that mind. For 1. Some of them have very lovingly sought to proselyte me, as having (by the reproaches of some unadvised Brethren) been brought to have some hopes of me; And truly ingenuity prohibits me to betray them that manifested their love to me, though in a mistaken way: For I am confident, they think they are in the right, and intended my good while they endeavoured my hurt. 2. What if I had named Bishop Goodman, and all the rabble that your Friend in the Legenda Lignea describes (which are more then Dr. Vane, and Dr. Goffe and Dr. Baily, and H. P. de Cressy, as you may there see,) had it been reasonable that I should have thought there are no more? 3. Grotius assures me himself (whom I have reason to believe) that not a few such there were among the Prelatical men: And what if I knew not the name of one of them, should I not therefore take any notice that such there are? 4. By this time I suppose both you and all men see that the Papists are crept in among all Sects, especially the Quakers, and Seekers, whom they animate, and also among the Anabaptists, Millenaries, Levellers, yea and the Independents, and if this weeks Diurnal say true, one was taken that was a pretended friend to the Presbyterians. Must I needs name all these, or else say nothing of them? Or are you able to name all the Papists, the Fryars and Jesuites your selves that are now under the Vizor of any of these Sects, playing their parts in England? you would take it to be an unreasonable motion: when yet you know, or have reason to believe that at this day there are hundreds of them here at work.
SECT. LXX.
THE truth is, I judge it unmeet to §. 70.name even those that have given us just cause of suspition, because it may tend to breach of Peace, and to the harder censuring and usage of the persons, which is none of my desire. My warning was only for defence, and Mr. Pierce would provoke me to do that which must needs turn to the offence and suffering of others, which no provocation shall force me to without necessity. Verily I desire nothing to be done against the grossest Papists among us, but what is necessary for the security of Church and Commonwealth, and the saving of mens souls from their infections delusory doctrines. Nominations are more to the danger of mens persons, when descriptions serve as well to our own security; which was my professed end.
SECT. LXXI.
AND in this Description I beseech §. 71.you blame us not if we be jealous of such men as these. 1. Of Those that actually were the Agents in the English illegal Innovations, which kindled all our troubles in this land, and were conformable to the Grotian design. 2. Of those that bend the course of their writings and perswasions to make the Roman Church honourable, and vindicate them, not only from the charge of Antichristianism, but from the most of the imputations that the Reformed Churches lay upon them; and that labour to make the Doctrine, Discipline and Worship and Practices of the Reformed Churches as odious as they can, using the same common arguments against them, and reproaches of them, as the Papists do. 3. Of those that labour to prove the Church of Rome a true Church because of her succession, &c. and the Reformed Churches to be none for want of that succession (except this corner that had Bishops:) and that labour to prove the truth of the Papists Ministry and administrations, and to degrade or disprove the Ministers of all the Reformed Churches that have not Prelates. 4. Of those that are for a Visible Head of the universal Church, whether Pope or General Council. 5. Of those that deny the sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures in all things necessary to Salvation, or Universally to the Peace of the Church, and that tell us that Scripture is but part of the word of God, and Tradition contains the rest, as needful to the foresaid ends. 6. That will not be perswaded to join on any reasonable terms for the healing of our present divisions: unless all the Churches be unchurched, and all the Ministers degraded, that be not Prelatical, they will have no Peace or concord with us. When all these, or many of these go together, you must not blame us to be eautelously jealous, as far as is needfull to our own preservation, when in general we know that there are Papists among us, and are acquainted with their doctrine and Interests and designs.
SECT. LXXII.
BUT yet I say again, if you think that §. 72.I any more by the foresaid warning intended to raise a jealousie on all the Episcopal Divines, then on any other party, among whom the Papists are known to insinuate, you are guilty of very gross injustice, when I professedly excepted all the Protestant Episcopal men, and as reverently spoke of them, I think, as you would have wished me. Do you think that all men that have eyes do not see that between the old Episcopal Divines, and the new (even such as your selves) there is much more difference then between the Presbyterians and them? Do you think that Bishop Jewel, Pilkinton, Hall, Carlton, Davenant, Morton, Abbot, Ʋsher, Potter, Downame, Grindall, Parker, Hooper, Farrar, Cramner, Latimer, Ridley, and fourty more Bishops here, did not differ far more from Grotius, yea and from you and all of your mind, then from the Ministers of England that you call Presbyterians at this day? You are exceedingly deceived if you think they did not. We honour and reverence all honest faithful Episscopal Divines as much as any other men. We take not Episcopacy to be either so excellent or so odious a thing, as that all other matters of Concord or Discord should be estimated by that. And therefore go not about to make men believe that we jumble all Episcopal Divines together; or that we cannot see more difference between one sort of them and the other, then between the Presbyterians and the antient Bishops. Take my description, and apply my words to none but those that it agreeth to. All that hold to the Doctrine of the Church of England are Protestants with me.
SECT. LXXIII.
IF I should rise higher and shew the § 73.Probability that the Grotian design was the cause of all our wars and changes here in England, I should neither please you nor my self. And therefore I will only say this, 1. That Franc. à S. Clara's design and Grotius's seem the very same, and their Religion and Church the same. 2. That this S. Clara is yet the Queens Chaplaine, (as White tells us;) and the French Religion being the same with Grotius's, we have reason enough to believe the Queen to be so moderate as to be of the same Religion. 3. How far the King was inclined to a Reconciliation, I only desire you to judge; 1. By the Articles of the Spanish and French match (sworn to) 2. By his Letter to the Pope, written in Spain. 3. By the choice of Agents for Church and State. 4. By the residence of the Popes Nuntio's here, and the Colledge for the Jesuites, &c. 5. By the illegal innovations in worship, so resolvedly gradatim introduced. All which I speak not with the least desire to perswade men that he was a Papist, nor do I believe any such thing (His conference with the Marquess of Worcester may satisfie men for that) but only to shew that while he as a Moderate Protestant took hands with the Queen a Moderate Papist, the Grotian design had great advantage in England, which he himself boasted of.
SECT. LXXIV.
AND though the moderate Papists §. 74.might promote the English change, yet I must confess I see cause enough to think that the Pope and the Italians so much feared it, as that they might very probably have a considerable hand in raising our wars, to break the plot. Had Grotius and such as he prevailed for a combination of France, England, and the (now Popish) Queen of Sweden, and others that were inclined to a moderation, no doubt but the Pope would have thought himself unsafe: For it is not the terms of Cassander, Grotius, or the French that will serve his turn. And though it were not a Reformation of Doctrine, or the Form of Government or Worship that Grotius seemed to desire, but of Manners & such Corruptoins as without Councils or Traditions were brought in; yet even this much of Reformation is so hardly obtained at Rome, that neither Councils nor Emperours could ever hitherto procure it, as Grotius frequently confesseth: And therefore Grotius plainly intimateth, that unless he could have a Pope eximiously good, he would have Kings combine to force a Reformation: and this was it that the Pope was afraid of, more then of many shattered adversaries that stood at a far greater distance from him. Though the Calvinists would have used him hardlyer if they had power, yet their weakness and broken state made them seem more inconsiderable at Rome, then such a combination of Princes for a lesser Reformation. And such a Grotian design was like to have found such abundance of favourers among the Moderate Papists in all Countries, that if it had gone on, the Pope would have found himself nowhere safe. Though among Protestants such Pacifications are very serviceable to the Pope, by taking off the edge of opposition, and drawing in the unsettled under the pretence of Unity, and opening a door to the Roman Agents to draw in more; yet if such designs were set a foot in Italy, Spain, Bavaria, Austria, &c. they would marr all. So that I do not wonder if it be true that some have Printed and confidently averr, that the Papists did not only kindle our wars here, and had afterwards an influence on both sides to blow the coals and look to their interest, but also that it was by this Roman influence that the late King was put to death: Of which to the Papists in another Treatise I have given somewhat a fuller account.
SECT. LXXV.
BUT yet I remain confident that as the §. 75.design of Grotius, so that which in England was carryed on, was very much against the will of God: And though it had a great probability of displeasing the Pope, if it had extended far enough among his own subjects, yet was it very unjust, and proceeded on unwarrantable Grounds; having many or most of the unhappy ingredients that I mentioned of the design of Grotius in the beginning: It was not a truly Catholick design: Or else it would not have shut out so many faithful servants of Christ, and members of the Catholick Church: It engaged men in a persecution: It was apparently destructive to Godliness and the prosperity of the Churches here: It animated the Impious haters of Piety, and common civility, while those that they hated for Godliness sake (though most of them twenty for one were Conformists) were discountenanced, troubled, reproached by the then odious name of Puritans, silenced, or suspended, and many thousands driven out of the Land: So that it was safer in all places that ever I knew, for men to live in constant swearing, cursing, drunkenness (for all that the Laws were against these) then to have instructed a mans family, and restrained children and servants from dancing on the Lords day, and to have gone to the next Parish to hear a Sermon when there was none at home; and in some places, it was much more dangerous for a Minister to preach a Lecture or twice on the Lords day, or to expound the Catechism, then never to preach at all. Hundreds of Congregations had Ministers that never preacht, and such as were common drunkards and openly ungodly, when yet the most Learned, Godly, Powerful, Painful, Peaceable men, that durst not use the old Ceremonies or the New, must be cast aside, or driven away, to the great increase of ignorance and ungodliness, and the provoking of the wrath of God against us. These were not likely terms or waies to a Catholick Peace and Concord of the Churches. I know well enough that the persecutors did and do pretend that these Puritans and Calvinists as they called them, were men of unpeaceable principles and spirits, and therefore not to be endured, or taken into Peace; they would not consent to moderate terms: But God will not be satisfied with words, when his servants are persecuted and his Churches destroyed, or his interest trodden under-foot. Talk for them as long as you will, these are not the waies of Catholick Peace, but crooked paths of your own hewing out, and whoever goeth in them shall not know Peace. If these men could not have complyed with you in your Innovations, or approaches to the Roman way, should they not have had leave to live in Peace by you, and serve God in their own way, as long as they were true members of the Catholick Church, and so useful for the good of souls?