The Interest of England in the Matter of Religion Part 2, Title page – To the reader
THE Second Part OF THE Intereſt of England, In the Matter of Religion, Unfolded in a Deliberative Diſcourſe, PROVING, That it is not agreeable to ſound Reaſon to prefer the Contracted and Dividing Intereſt of one Party, before the general Intereſt of Proteſtantiſm, and of the whole Kingdom of England, in which the Epiſcopal and Presbyterian Parties may be happily United.
Written by J. C.
LONDON, Printed for G. T. and are to be ſold at the Roſe and Crown in St Pauls Church-yard, 1660.
I Intreat the Reader to take notice, That in theſe Diſcourſes I do not mention Parties to maintain Diviſion, but to procure Ʋnion; That neceſſity compels me to uſe thoſe names of difference, which I heartily wiſh might be no more remembred: But whilſt diſagreeing Parties laſt, names of difference cannot ceaſe, and to forbear their uſe is to little purpoſe. My buſineſs is to take things as I find them, and to ſtate the Caſe between the Diſſenters, and to ſhew how far they agree, and how little they differ, for this end, That Parties (both Name and Thing) might ceaſe for ever.
Moreover, as I uſe not the name of Presbyterian in way of glorying, ſo I uſe not the name of Prelate or Prelatiſt in way of reproach, but meerly for diſtinction ſake; and I have warrant for it from the friends of Prelacy, with whom it is not unuſual to mention the name of Prelate in an honourable Sence.
The Second Part of the Intereſt of England in the Matter of Religion.
THe former Treatiſe of the Intereſt of England in the Matter of Religion, makes known the way of peace, in the reconciling of thoſe two grand Parties, the Epiſcopal and Presbyterian, which, if made one, would take in, and carry along the ſtrength of almoſt the whole Nation. The whole ſtructure thereof reſts upon theſe Poſitions as its adequate Foundation.
That whilſt the two forenamed Parties remain divided, both the Proteſtant Religion, and the Kingdom of England is divided againſt it ſelf.
That the Presbyterians cannot be rooted out, nor their Intereſt ſwallowed up, whileſt the State of England remaineth Proteſtant.
That their ſubverſion, if it be poſsible to be accompliſhed, will be very pernicious to the Proteſtant Religion, and the Kingdom of England.
That the Coalition of both Parties into one may be effected by an equal accommodation, without repugnancy to their conſcientious Principles on either ſide, in ſo much that nothing juſtifiable by Religion or ſound Reaſon can put a bar to this deſirable Union.
Now for as much as political matters are involved in difficulties and perplexities, by variety of complicated concernments, all which ſhould be thorowly ſeen, and diligently examined and compared; and becauſe the minds of men are commonly pre-ingaged, or at leaſt much byaſſed in theſe matters, and thereupon are not eaſily removed from their pre-conceived opinions, I could not reſt ſatisfied, as having done my part in this healing Work, unleſs beſides a firm and clear proof of things in general, I endeavour a deeper impreſſion, and more effectual perſwaſion, by ſearching on every ſide, by preſſing up cloſe to thoſe cloſeſt concernments and moſt obſtinate prejudices that oppoſe themſelves, and by opening the paſſages, and making the way plain to this deſired Pacification.
It is a grave and weighty ſaying of the Duke of Rhoan,—Princes command the people; and Intereſt commands the Princes. The knowledge of this Intereſt is as much more raiſed above that of Princes Actions, as they themſelves are above the people. A Prince may deceive himſelf, the Councel may be corrupt, but the Interest alone never faileth: according as it is well or ill underſtood, it maketh States to live or dye.—According to this ſaying it is matter of life and death political to the Kingdom of England, as it doth well or ill underſtand its own Intereſt: In this deliberation two Intereſts exceeding great and precious, offer themſelves unto us. They are diſtinct, yet not divided; but they embrace each other, and they both apparently belong to us, and are undoubtedly to be owned by us. The one is Religious, the other Civil. The former is that of the Proteſtant Religion, and the latter is that of this Kingdom. Wherefore in this Inquiry, the main and fundamental point of knowledge lies in diſcerning the true ſtate of both. Now the true ſtate of any Society lies in the Univerſality, or the whole Body, not in any contracting or ſub-dividing part thereof: And the Intereſt lies in the conſervation and advancement of the Univerſality.
Hereupon this Queſtion ariſeth, which is the great Caſe and Queſtion of the preſent times,
Whether we ſhould aſſert the contracted and dividing Intereſt of one Party, before the general interest of Protestantiſm, and of the whole Kingdom of England, in which the Epiſcopal and Presbyterian Parties may be happily United.
Be it here obſerved, That ſuch is the joynt ſtock of both Parties in things of greateſt moment, that by declining extreams on both hands, the Proteſtant Religion may be ſtrengthened, with Unity in Doctrine, Worſhip and Diſcipline, among all its profeſſors, and the Kingdom of England, by an inviolable Union between theſe comprehenſive Parties may flouriſh in peace and plenty: for thoſe diſcords that divide the members and diſtract the whole body, will ceaſe; and thoſe common concernments which tend to uphold and encreaſe the Univerſality, will be acknowledged and purſued.
To turn aſide from this common Intereſt of the whole body, to thoſe inferiour partial ones, is to ſet up the trade of Monopolizers, which inevitably brings this miſchief, that a few grow rich by impoveriſhing the Common-wealth; and this inconvenience alſo to them that follow the trade, that they grow rich upon the ſudden, but are not ſecure, becauſe many are oppreſſed, and more excluded from ſharing in the benefit. In the preſent caſe, if the one Party be the only exalted Ones, and the other trodden under foot, the damage will redound to the Proteſtant cauſe, and to the Church and Kingdom of England. For whatſoever ſome men think, this Church and Kingdom is concerned in the one, as well as in the other Party. In the ſame caſe, though one ſide ſhould riſe ſuddenly to a great height, yet their Eſtate would be more ſecure and laſting, if they held the way open and ſecure to thoſe of the other ſide, ſeeing they are willing to cloſe upon terms juſt and reaſonable.
Moreover, thoſe Kingdoms, and Common-wealths, and Societies of all kinds, which are of the largeſt Foundation, are of the greateſt potency. Now a comprehenſive Intereſt, that takes in vaſt multitudes, is indeed a large Foundation, and a Society that builds upon it, ſhall become great and mighty; but a contracted Intereſt, that draws all to a fewer number, is a narrow Foundation; and if it exclude many, that ſhould be taken in, it is too narrow for the Fabrick that ſhould reſt upon it. As a large houſe cannot be built upon a narrow foundation; ſo a great Kingdom, (ſuch as is the Kingdom of England,) and an ample Society, (ſuch as is that of the Proteſtant Religion,) cannot be built upon a narrow Intereſt.
Let it be conſidered, that the adverſe Kingdom, to wit, the Papacy, is ample and powerful: Should not the Proteſtant Religion, and the Church of England aim at enlargement, and lengthen their cords, to take within their line all thoſe that are intirely affected to them? Then might they ſend forth much more numerous Forces of able Champions againſt the Armies of Antichriſt: So ſhould this National Church become terrible as an Army with Banners.
Beſides thoſe reaſons for Unity, which concern all Kingdoms and Nations in the like caſe, there is one reaſon peculiar to this Kingdom, or rather to this Iſland of … Br…ttain, which is a little world apart. It is a …able ſaying, which hath been taken up. That England is a mighty Arrival, that cannot dye, except it destroy it ſelf. God hath ſo ſea…ed and placed … Iſland, that nothing but … within it ſelf can hurt it. … ſection do not make … Country, and deſtroy … the hope of Forrein Enemies … for ever cut off. Wherefore … s be the wiſedom of this … … ther all dividing … … liſh all partial Intereſts, … … mon Intereſt of England may … exalted.
I am not ignorant that deſigns of Pacification between diſagreeing Parties are liable to much ſuſpition, miſconſtruction, and hard cenſure; that the attempts of Reconcilers have commonly proved fruitleſs, and ſometimes matter of diſreputation to themſelves: and no marvel that ſuch croſs effects ſhould commonly follow ſuch attempts; for ſometimes they are made to reconcile light and darkneſs, the Temple of God and Idols. This was the way of a Great One, even a Prince in Learnings Empire, who would make an accord between the Auguſtane Confeſſion and the Council of Trent; and alſo of a certain Romiſh Eccleſiaſtick, who would make the like accord between the ſaid Council, and the Articles of the Church of England, than which nothing could be more abſurd and vain; for it could be nothing elſe but a violent wreſting of thoſe Decrees and Articles to a forced ſence, againſt the propriety of language, and the ſcope of the whole matter, and the apparent judgment of both Parties; and ſo it could never heal the breach: For if both Parties were drawn to ſubſcribe the ſame forms of Confeſſion, but with meanings ſo far diſtant from each other, as are the Doctrines of the Proteſtant, and Roman Churches, they would not really advance one ſtep the nearer to peace and concord.
Such deſigns as theſe ſometimes proceed from lukewarmneſs or indifferency in Religion, and an undervaluing of main Truths, together with a contempt of godly Zeal, as a thing ſuperfluous and impertinent. And ſometimes they proceed from vaſtneſs of mind, whereby ſome through too great a ſence of their vaſt abilities, aſſume to themſelves a Dictatorſhip in Religion, to approve or condemn, admit or reject, according to their own eſtimation of things; which is a dangerous kind of ambition, and (as a learned man ſpeaks) is to take up the Office of an Umpire between God and men. But many times ſuch a deſign is ſet on foot with much craftineſs, for the undoing of one of the Parties, as it hath been undertaken by ſome Romiſh ſpirits, for the undermining of the Proteſtant Churches. A Divine of chief rank obſerves the arts and ſtratagems of ſome Popiſh Preachers, even of thoſe Orders that have been held moſt implacable, whereby far otherwiſe than the accuſtomed manner, they extenuate the controverſies, and acknowledge that too much rigor hath been uſed in ſome points, and in others too little ſincerity: yea, ſome Jeſuites went about making fair promiſes, yet in the mean time abating no point of the chief foundations of Papal Authority, which ſtanding firm, they knew that the other Conceſſions granted for a time might eaſily be drawn back, and the oppoſite rigors impoſed on thoſe that had been taken in the ſnare by a pretended yielding to ſome reformation. Philip Melancthon (as the ſame Author obſerves) being a moſt Pious and Learned man, and zealous of the Churches peace, at firſt whilſt he conceived that ſome Reformation might be hoped for from a General Council, was free and forward in ſome points of yielding to the Papiſts; but when he found that ſuch a benefit was neither hopeful nor poſſible, he teſtified by his writings how far diſtant he was from the aim of the Conciliators.
But the Pacification here propounded is not by aggregating things inconſiſtent, nor by deviſing mongrel ways and opinions, made up out of both extreams, which can ſatisfie the conſciences of neither Party; but by taking out of the way ſuch extreams on both ſides, as both may well ſpare and part with, being ſuch as are acknowledged no part of the Foundation, nor yet of divine Inſtitution, but mutable, according to times and occaſions, and therefore cannot be of that importance as to break unity amongſt brethren, that agree in the Doctrine of Faith, and the ſubſtance of Divine Worſhip. This deſired Union is grounded upon the Apoſtles Commandment, and the purſuing thereof is no other then the urging of St Pauls Doctrine throughout the whole fourteenth Chapter to the Romans, That none judge or deſpiſe another about things indifferent, or Ceremonious Obſervances, wherein as ſeveral men will abound in their own ſence, ſo it is meet that every one be perſwaded in his own mind concerning his particular practice, that nothing be done with a doubting conſcience. His MAJESTIES Wiſedom hath rightly comprehended this Matter in His Declaration touching Eccleſiastical Affairs, wherein He ſaith, —VVe are the rather induced to take this upon Us (that is, to give ſome determination to the matters in difference) by finding upon a full Conference that VVe have had with the Learned men of ſeveral perſwaſions, that the miſchiefs under which both Church and State do at preſent ſuffer, do not reſult from any formed Doctrine or Concluſion which either Party maintains or avows, but from the paſsion, and appetite, and Intereſt of particular perſons, which contract greater prejudice to each other by thoſe affections, then would naturally ariſe from their Opinions.— In old time there was a partition wall of legal Ceremonies and Ordinances raiſed up between Jews and Gentiles; but when the fulneſs of time was come, wherein God would make both Jews and Gentiles one in Chriſt, he was pleaſed to take down that partition wall which himſelf had reared up. In theſe latter times there hath been a partition wall of mans building, namely, controverted mutable Rites and forms of Religion, which have kept aſunder Chriſtians of the ſame Nation, and of the ſame Reformed Proteſtant Profeſſion: Both reaſon and charity pleads for the removing of theſe offences, that brethren may dwell together in Unity. And to tranſgreſs this rule of Charity, is not only to lay a yoke upon the necks of Chriſtians, but alſo to lay ſnares for their Conſciences.
Nor will any defect in the State Eccleſiaſtical inſue upon the removal of theſe matters in controverſie: for the points of Doctrine, Worſhip, and Diſcipline acknowledged by both Parties, are a ſufficient and ample Foundation for the edification and peace of the Church to reſt upon; for which we cannot have a fuller Teſtimony than what is given by His MAJESTY in His aforeſaid Declaration,—VVe muſt for the Honour of all thoſe of either Perſwaſion, with whom we have confered, Declare, That the Profeſsions and deſires of all for the advancement of Piety and true Godlineſs are the ſame, their Profeſsions of zeal for the Peace of the Church the ſame, of affection and duty to Us the ſame; they all approve Epiſcopacy; they all approve a ſet Form of Liturgy; and they all diſapprove and diſlike the ſin of Sacriledge, & the alienation of the revenue of the Church. And if upon theſe excellent Foundations, in ſubmiſſion to which there is ſuch an Harmony of Affections, any Superſtructure ſhould be raiſed to the ſhaking of theſe Foundations, and to the contracting and leſſening of the bleſſed gift of Charity, which is a vital part of Chriſtian Religion, VVe ſhall think Our Self very unfortunate, and even ſuſpect that VVe are defective in that adminiſtration of Government with which God hath entruſted Us.—Theſe His Majeſties Words I receive with much veneration; for they are a Divine Sentence in the Mouth of the King, and they fathom the depth of this grand buſineſs.
It is therefore manifeſt, as from Reaſon, ſo from His Majeſties Teſtimony, that thoſe unhappy diſcords do not reſult from any formed Doctrine or Concluſion, that either toucheth or borders upon the Foundation; and that excellent Foundations are contained in thoſe points, in ſubmiſſion to which there is found ſuch an Harmony of Affections; and conſequently, that the laying aſide of all the points in controverſie, would not cauſe any defect in the State Eccleſiaſtical. What then is the root of theſe miſchiefs of Diviſion? Is it the perpetual hatred between the ſeed of the Woman, and the ſeed of the Serpent? or is it an uncharitable and froward ſpirit of oppoſition, by reaſon of irritated animoſity, and deep ſuſpition or jealouſie? or is it ſome temporary carnal Deſign?