The Interest of England in the Matter of Religion Part 2, Part 4
From the Reaſons aforegoing I conclude, That the Presbyterians are ſit and worthy to be imbodied with the whole number of the good People of England. I proceed to perſwade this Union by ſeveral Arguments.
England hath indured conflicts of almoſt twenty years by Wars, Diviſions, Commotions, and manifold changes; it was abaſed, enfeebled, and brought very low; all which do ſhew that ſome great diſtemper had taken hold of this Body Politique, before theſe things could break forth: There is at length by the late Revolution a providential offer of reſt and peace. After thoſe ſad conflicts, and this happy offer of Providence, ſhall the ſeeds of diſcord lodge perpetually in this Land? I fear paſsions of bitterneſs are too ready to ſtir and provoke. Take away this fewel of ſtrife, the urging of things to uphold diſtinctions of Parties. Whileſt things are at ſuch a paſs, animoſities will ariſe upon every occaſion; diſcontents and quarrels will be ready to break forth in every Town and Pariſh, and almoſt in all mixed companies and occaſional Meetings. But let the propounded Accommodation be accepted and eſtabliſhed, and the former mutual injuries will paſs into forgetfulneſs, and perſons formerly engaged againſt each other, will be able to look one another in the face without provocation and new quarrels. Where is our Charity and regard to publick tranquillity, if we reject the ſure and only means of Concord?
Uniformity in Religion is beautiful and amiable; but we ought to conſider not only what is deſirable, but what is attainable. There have been, are, and always will be ſuch points as the Apoſtle tearms doubtful diſputations. When the ſeverity of Laws and Canons inforce external Uniformity in things of this nature, it exerciſeth a tyranny over mens judgments, and holds them in a ſervile condition, that they are not free, but captivated to the Authority of men, or ſuppreſſed from making a due ſearch into matters of Religion; yea, this thraldom will inevitably reach to things of an higher nature, even the vital parts of Chriſtianity. That ſervile Principle which hath the heart of Popery in it, muſt be introduced, to wit, that the Laity ſhould not ſearch the Scriptures, nor try the Doctrines delivered, but acquieſce in what their Teachers ſay, without the Exerciſe of their own reaſon, or judgment of diſcretion. Hereupon will follow groſs ignorance and ſupine careleſneſs in the things of God, and in thoſe that any whit mind Religion (which is the beſt of the matter) a blind devotion: And a people rude and ſervile in Religion, will be rude and diſſolute in Converſation, as we ſee in Popiſh Countries, and in all places where ſpiritual tyranny prevaileth. This is ſo great an evil that it cannot be countervailed by all the imaginable benefit of Uniformity: And the truth is, all profitable Uniformity is mingled with ſobriety, and ſtands not in an indiviſible point, but admits a latitude, and by a little variety in matters of leſſer moment, becomes more graceful, becauſe it is more unſtrained and unaffected.
It is a chief point of knowledge in thoſe whoſe work it is to mould and manage a Nation according to any order of things, to underſtand what is the temper of the people, what Principles poſſeſs and govern them, or conſiderable Parties of them, and to what paſs things are already brought among them.
Thoſe who duly obſerve and regard the diſpoſition and preſent State of England, and the principles and affections of the ſeveral conſiderable Parties, will be able to give the beſt advice for a happy ſettlement: For ſuch a courſe as is wiſely and ſuccesfully taken in one Nation, may in the like buſineſs prove unfortunate in another Nation, or in the ſame at another time. A State may probably root out ſuch opinions as it conceives to be heterodox and inconvenient, by uſing great ſeverity in the beginning, when the opinions are but newly ſowed in mens minds, and the people are of ſuch a nature, as to abhor dangers, and aim to live ſecurely, and when the Nation in general is devoted to the ancient cuſtoms of their fore-fathers. But the ſame courſe may not be taken when the opinions have been deeply rooted and far ſpread, by long continuance, in a Nation of a free ſpirit, and zealous; and the generality of thoſe, that in a Law-ſence are called Cives, do not deteſt them. At this day England affords a multitude of Epiſcopal Zealots, and a multitude of Presbyterian Zealots, ballancing the former; and between theſe two there lye a more indifferent ſort of people, whereof a great number care for none of theſe things; but others are more intelligent and conſiderate; and theſe ſeem to approve ſome things, and again to diſapprove ſome things on either ſide: As far as I have obſerved the indifferent ſort of men do accord with the Epiſcopal way in affecting the Common Prayer Book; and thoſe among them, that are of any reckoning for worth or honeſty, do alſo according to the Presbyterian way, affect the conſtant preaching of the Word, and the reſidency of Miniſters in their Parochial Charges, and diſaffect plurality of Benefices. Knowledge hath ſo encreaſed that the people in general will more obſerve their Teachers Doctrine and converſation; and the impertinencies of the one, and the irregularities of the other ſhall not paſs without noting. The inſufficient, idle, and ſcandalous will fall into contempt, and be ſlighted by the common people. The profanation of the Lords Day by open ſports and paſtimes is by the Civil part of the Nation accounted ſcandalous. Furthermore, the preſent Age being more diſcerning, all ſorts affect a greater liberty of Judgment and Diſcourſe then hath been uſed in former times. Whereupon the State of this Kingdom requires a temper or medium between two extreams, to wit medium abnegationis, in thoſe unneceſſary things wherein no accord can be expected between the Parties, by aboliſhing, or not injoyning them, and medium participationis, in things neceſſary to Order and Government, wherein the moderate of both Parties do eaſily comply with each other. When the State like a prudent Mother, not led by the paſſions of her angry Children, ſhal not ingage in their quarrels on this or that ſide, but ſettle ſuch a temperament for their common good, love and peace may enſue between the Parties, though difference of judgment ſtill remains. When the Nation ſhall not eſpouſe to it ſelf the intereſt of a party, but intirely reſerve it ſelf for the good of the Univerſality, thoſe hot diſputes and conteſts will of themſelves fall to the ground; and men of different judgments will be leſs fond of their own opinions, when they obſerve that the State doth not judge its happineſs to reſt upon any of them, and that the welfare of the Church and Kingdom conſiſts without them.
This Kingdom after the removing of foundations, is by a marvellous turn re-eſtabliſhed upon its ancient baſis. And verily that which hath wrought the change will ſettle it; that which hath brought ſuch things to paſs, will keep them where they are, if we do not overlook and ſleight it. And what was it but the conſent of the univerſality, the Vote of all England? This did produce an univerſal motion, exceeding vehement, but not violent: For it was not againſt, but according to nature. All things having been out of place, and held in a ſtate preternatural, when the force was taken off, moved to their center and place of reſt, to wit, the ancient fundamental conſtitution. And for this cauſe the change was not terrible, but calm, kindly and unbloody: Now as that natural inclination, which carries things to their reſting place, will keep them there, until by violence they are forced thence; ſo this conſent of the univerſality, which produced a kindly motion of all things to ſettle in their own place and order upon the right foundation, will keep them there, until ſuch external force ſhall come, as can break and diſſipate the univerſality. Wherefore ſeeing this great revolution hath not happened by the prevailing force of one Party, but by the unſtrained motion of all England, what reaſon is there that one Party ſhould thruſt the other out of its due place of reſt upon the common Foundation? When common conſent hath laid this excellent Foundation of peace and quietneſs, let not the Superſtructure of particular unneceſſary forms, caſt off ſome as a divided and rejected Party; but let that which hath made peace keep peace; which by Gods help it will ſurely do, if timely obſerved and followed.
We cannot gainſay but the compoſure of theſe differences hath much difficulty, and requires much prudence, care and patience in thoſe that are at the helm of Government: Nevertheleſs it may be effected, if the judicious on both ſides will give conſent; and they will give conſent, if they have a ſingle aim to procure the peace of Gods Church, and the increaſe thereof, and particularly the increaſe and ſtability of Proteſtant Religion, Suppoſe the Roman, Grecian, Armenian, Ethiopick, together with all the Proteſtant Churches, yea and the whole Chriſtian world might be drawn into one Church-Communion and Order, upon as eaſie tearms as Engliſh Prelatiſts and Presbyterians may, if they have a heart to it, were it not prodigious uncharitableneſs and fury of oppoſition to withſtand it? As all the Lovers of Chriſtianiſm would purſue the Union of all Chriſtian Churches, upon ſuch tearms, ſo ſhould all the Lovers of Proteſtantiſm purſue the Union of all Proteſtant Churches, ſeeing the Doctrines wherein they harmoniouſly agree will enable them to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace, if the heart be not oppoſite to the power of thoſe profeſſed Doctrines. To heal the wounds of the Proteſtant Cauſe, how glorious is it? But to refuſe and withſtand this healing, how doth it cauſe the Popiſh faction to glory againſt us? Let not our adverſaries rejoyce, nor the uncircumciſed glory in our ſhame.
We have the examples of Chriſtian Princes, even thoſe of the Roman Faith, who would gladly have made up breaches in Religion among their people, by yielding in things of greater moment in the Church of Rome, then any of the points in queſtion are among diſagreeing Proteſtants. In the Council of Trent, Ferdinand the Emperour, and Maximilian his ſon King of the Romans, and the French King, and the Duke of Bavaria made it their buſineſs by their Embaſſadors, for quieting of their Dominions, that the Communion of the Sacrament in both kinds, the Marriage of Prieſts, and Divine Service in the vulgar tongue might be allowed. Theſe things are of greater importance among the Papiſts, then the things now in queſtion are among the Proteſtants of either perſwaſion, if we judge by their declared Opinions, and not by ſome hidden deſign: And thoſe forenamed Princes would ſurely have taken that way for uniting their people, had their power been independent in matter of Religion; but having dependance upon the See of Rome, they could do nothing without the Authority either of the Pope or the Council; from either of which they perceived after much inſtance, that ſuch Reformation could not be hoped for. Moreover thoſe Princes being of the Roman Faith, had a fairer pretence according to Popiſh Principles, to cruſh the diſſenting Part of their Subjects, by laying Hereſie to their charge, and ſo in time to root them out, then any Proteſtant State can have to extirpate the Presbyterians. Likewiſe the Emperour Charles the V. after his great Atchievements, deſigning to eſtabliſh an intire Dominion in Germany, conceived that his way was to unite the German Nation in point of Religion, by a kind of reformation or Accommodation; for which he laboured ſo much in procuring and upholding the Trent-Council; until at length diſpairing of his Sons ſucceſſion in the Empire, he laid aſide all thoughts of reſtoring the ancient Religion in Germany, and by conſequence all care of the Council, though he continued many years after in the Imperial Authority.
Now though all theſe Princes were deceived in expecting ſuch a Union by means of that Council, which by reaſon of divers and important Intereſts of Princes and Prelates, could not poſſibly have ſuch an end as was by ſome of them deſired; yet herein they took not their aim amiſs, that the re-uniting of their broken people, by uſing a Temper and Accommodation, was the beſt way to keep their Eſtates intire.
I am the more importunate in preſſing home the motion of brotherly Agreement, conſidering the time, which may be the only time: For the preſent condition of theſe Affairs ſeem like to the ſtate of a ſick body, which Phyſitians call a Criſis, when nature and the diſeaſe are in the foreign of the conflict, to carry it for life or death. Peace and Concord in Religion ſeems now to approach to its Criſis, whether it ſhall prevail and live, or dye and fail for ever: It may juſtly be feared that the time is now or never: For if after ſo long and ſad diviſions and the calamitous effects thereof, an implacable ſpirit ſhall be ſeen to bear ſway in this time of reſtauration and expected union, it may beget a deſpair of all future reconciliation. If after ſuch and ſo long calamities, all the concurring circumſtances of the late Revolution will not incline mens hearts to Peace, what will do it? This is a day of gracious Viſitation. Happy England, if in this its day it knows the things that belong to its Peace!