The True Dissenter, Chapter 3
CHAP. III. The onelyonly effectual Remedy for these Diseases humbly proposed.
THe Cause of our Divisions being shewn, My last work is to offer with all due submission, what may heal our Breaches, and our Divisions, and cure our Diseases. In doing which I must descend into a more particular enquiry after the Nature of the Disease, as it doth variously affect Persons of Divers tempers, and complexions, and constitutions. For there are amongst Dissenters men of different Principles touching the Diocesan Church State, and amongst Conformists there are men of divers Statures too, some of a greater latitude than others, and some men of very narrow Souls; which therefore does require much caution in those materials which have been, and are to be humbly proposed for Union. A care to be sure must be had to secure Christ's Institutions, together with the Peace and Quiet of the Nation. And this in such a way as may relieve tender Consciences on both sides, even those, who are zealous for the Divine Right of Parochial or Congregational Churches, and those also who think themselves deprived of what is necessary to Salvation, if the Divine Right of Episcopacy be destroyed. And some there are who think no publique Worship can be acceptable, but the Book of Common Prayer: Others will be for a Directory, and cannot content themselves without the use of Spiritual and F…e Prayer.
To be yet more distinct and particular, 1. The Christian Religion as Protestant, and the Civil Government must against all Assaults, be defended. 2. Tender Cons…iences of divers sizes must be releived. That is, the Tender Consciences of Dissenters must be relieved in a way consistent with the Peace of Conscientious Conformists.
There are Holy and Judicious men on both sides, who are good Christians, good Protestants, and Loyal Subjects, of very different Opinions touching Episcopacy and the way of Worship.
About Episcopacy: There are some of the Dissenters so very much disgusted with it, and with Clergy Men's being concerned in Civil Affairs, that they never yet could be brought to the Understanding, how they may be reconciled to their being his Majesties Officers; though Episcopacy were declared to be of Humane constitution, so long as they must be still under the Bishops Inspection and charge, even when with the greatest chearfulness they can submit to some of the Gentry's, being placed in Office above them. But this may be from want of consideration. There are others both among the Dissenters, and Conformists, who are not for, and yet not so much against the Prelatick Episcopacy, nor against those Honours it shall please his Majesty to confer on them, but they can obey them, as his Majesties Bishops, though not as Christs, with perfect satisfaction. On the contrary, there are also among the Conformists a sort of Divines, who look on the Divine Right of Episcopacy, as a Fundamental Doctrine, and that 'tis as impossible to be saved without a Bishop, as 'tis without the Sacraments. Their Bishop must be of Divine Right, or not at all; such are those new strange meteors Mr. Dodwell, Dr. Sherlock, and their Partakers.
About Worship. Again, some are for the present stinted Worship. Others for a stinted Liturgy, but not for this. And Others there are for None, they are for a Directory only.
Now our Rudiments for Union must be adjusted to the Relief of all these.
The First thing then that is to be had in our Eye is, the Defence of our Religion and Government.
For the securing which 'tis absolutely necessary, That a National Church Government be established on its ancient Basis.
For seeing the whole Kingdom is become Christian, our Religion is National; and therefore the Government (which must be of as ample extent as the Religion) must be National. We know that it is naturally impossible to keep up Order in a Nation among men as men, but by a National Civil Government. And for the same Reason, 'twill be as impossible to preserve Peace and Order among men, as Religious in a Nation without a National-Church-Government.
…hat Wisdom of our Ancestours, which was the Prod…ct of Long Experience, was seen in nothing so much as in the erecting a Nation…l Government within this Land.
The Heptarcy amongst the Saxons, though under one Monarch, proved fatal. For the Power of those little Princes being Regal, they were as so many little Territories divided from each other, each endeavouring to greaten it self by the Spoils of others; which occasioned cruel Animosities and Wars to the mutual ruine of each other: which misery continued as long as the Heptarchy.
The like would be, should the Government of the Church (I speak now of its external Polity) be divided into several distinct Diocesses independent on each other, without any other dependance on their Prince, than the little Saxon Kings had on their Monarch.
Verily we are owing to the National Constitution of our Church Government for the Peace there is between Bishop and Bishop, and all those Ligaments therefore or Bonds, that are necessary to the keeping us together as a National-Church-Corporation, and Body Politick must be fixed and held inviolable. And this (we must know too) is not only necessary on the account of Peace among our selves, but because it is also the great Bulwark against all Forreign and Popish Invasions, and Usurpation…. For to the completing a National Church Government among us, 'tis absolutely necessary That the Supreme Regent Head (which is an essential constitutive part) on Earth be within our selves, whose interest it is to exert the utmost of his Power to defend the Church, of which he is so principal a part.
Destroy the National Church Government, and we are a naked people, open to all manner of forreign and intestine Violence. There will be no defence against Heresies, nor against the mischievous papal usurpations.
It is in the next place further requisite, That the Humane Right of this National Church Covernment be also resolved, nothing being more manifest than that in Christs Gospel there is no Institution nor Platform for a National Church Government. The Civil Magistrate is entrusted with a Power to regulate all those disorders amongst the Churches, that have any influence on the State. He is the Superiour Civil Powers, and as they have any Interest in the State, and fall into a National Corporation, that interest must be so framed as not to clash with the Civil Government. If there had been a National Church Government of Divine Right, be it either the Episcopal or Presbyterian, it would be of fatal consequence to the Government of Kingdomes.
That 'tis the will of God that a National Church should be under Government, I acknowledge readily; for 'tis to be subject to the Higher Powers; but to assert any Special kind of a National Church Government to be jure divino, even when no particular Species of Civil Government is affirmed to be divinely instituted, is to give the Church Government a preheminence above Civil Government, and to make all Humane Laws so to warp, as still to beware of interfering with the National Church Constitution. For 'tis apparent, if the special kind of Government be ordained of God, its Governours and General Laws must be of divine right. Besides, the Legislative Power for the Making of particular Laws in subserviency to the General, must be in Church Governours, that is, the Clergy; whereby the King, Lords and Commons are robb'd of what by the Laws of Nature belongs unto them.
Many other things might here in the way be urged to shew, How pernicious to the Government of Civil States the asserting of the Divine Right of Episcopacy is: but I must make that another Business.
In the Third place then, after this (to be more express and particular) for securing the Christan Protestant Religion, and Civil Government, there are these Two things only will be sufficient, A Subscription to the Articles of Religion, with a Taking the Oath of Supremacy and Allegiance.
1. A Subscription to the Articles will secure our Religion, and if the Subscription be required but according to the Statute of 13. Eliz. c. 12. it will afford no trouble to the Dissenters Conscience. Let us declare our Assent, and subcribe to all these Articles of Religion, Which concern only the Confession of the True Faith, and the Doctrine of the Sacraments comprized in a Book imprinted and entituled, Articles, &c. where the word [Only] must needs exclude matter of Ceremony and Church Government, which have been controverted by the Learned in most places. Whereas if a Subscription be required otherwise, there are many sound Protestants like to be choaked, and the Division must continue where it is. Or, if there should be any New Article substituted in the room of these, against the Divine Right of Episcopacy, and the use of the present Liturgy, it would but make many of the present Clergy, on the other hand to become Nonconformists.
2. The Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance secure our Government. The one is the sure Test of a Protestant, (if not, let that be added which is taken by the Parliament) and the other is the Test of a Loyal Subject. If any Scruple the taking Oaths, and will give Pecuniary Caution, 'tis tantamount, and probably greater security to the Government, for many are more afraid to part with their Money than with the Favour of Almighty God.
The Second thing to be had in our eye, is the Relief of Tender Consciences.
And now as for this.
1. If Parochial or Congregational Assemblies, which according to the Practice of the Primitive Churches abroad and in England, may be acknowledged to be compleat particular Churches, and suffered to enjoy the Liberty of exercising all that is proper to particular Churches of the lowest Rank and Order, the Dissenters will be Relieved. Especially
2. If these Parochial Churches, whose Pastour is vested with a Fullness of Power to administer all Ordinances, even Discipline, be left to their Liberty, Whether they will have a Liturgy, or use Spiritual and free Prayer.
3. If the Diocesan Bishops hold by no other Right than they did in Queen Elizabeth's days with some regulation, it may conduce to the Relief of all sorts.
For 1. If the Parochial Churches enjoy whatever is necessary to their Constitution, what need they scruple to look on, and respect the Bishop as his Majesties Officer? All will surely acknowledge that Christians must be subject to the Higher Powers, and be obedient to all their just Laws, and Honour those that are by the supream Power placed over them. And as all Christian men fall under a twofold Consideration, namely, that of Men, and that of Christians, so they may (for ought I can see to the contrary) be employed in two distinct capacities, that is, to be both a Minister of Christ, and of the King, especially considering that their Ministry for the King relates unto matters about the Church, which most naturally falls under the cognizance of such. Besides,
2. Though the Bishop be by the Law of the Land as a Bishop, no other than the King's Officer, seeing, if he be consecrated, he hath nothing wanting to the being of a Bishop, he may by those, who are zealous for their Divine Right, be esteemed as such. The esteeming him such, is but matter of Opinion, and so long as he keeps it to himself, and makes no encroachment on the King's just Prerogatives, there is no danger in it.
I know there will be matter of Difficulty in adjusting this point to satisfie all, for those who esteem the Bishops to be of Divine Right, will be for their Consecrat…n; and those who are zealous against the Divine Right, cannot easily distinguish between these Bishops, as they are Bishops of Christ, and Bishops of the King, and therefore will be afraid to shew any respect to them, least they be interpreted to own them as Bishops of Christ.
To solve this Difficulty, it may be humbly moved, That some Bishops may be made so only by his Majesties Letters Pattens; and tha… others, where the greatest part of the Clergy in any particular district desire it, may be consecrated: And if in that District any Parishes Scruple to obey the consecrated Bishop, let them be exempt from the Bishops Jurisdiction, as heretofore has frequently been done.
An Act of Parliament with these Regulations, tak…n in these who are now Dissenters, into me Church of England, makeing them Legal Parts thereof, will end our Divisions, and make the Church of England formidable unto all its Adversaries. For here will be an accession of several Learned and Holy Men made to the Church; all animosities removed, heats at an end, Love, Peace and Religion flourish, to the satisfaction of the People in general, and to the greatning his Majesties due Prerogatives and Glory.
Hereby all Parties have offered to them as much as they can reasonably desire. The Dissenters enjoy their longed-for-Liberty; and the Bishops lose nothing of their Grandure. They may keep their Baronies and and all their Church Lands, we envy them not; and those that are zealous for an opinion, let them enjoy it. If any will rejoyce in the present Liturgy, they may. And why may not others (if our Governours give leave) be at Peace with their Directory? And all this to the securing the Government of the State.
Only it must not be forgotten, that here is nothing in all this yet intended, but some First Lineaments to be improved by the perfective Skill and Wisdom of our Superiours, according to the Statesman's Art, as may best conserve our Religion and Government in a way agreeable to its antient constitution.
To conclude, If the National Church Government in this Land was ever recognized to be but an humane, External Civil Polity, touching Ecclesiastical matters: If Parochial or Congregational Churches, and not the Diocesan, have been by our Laws of Divine Right; if the leaving it to the choice of particular Churches, whether they use this or the other Liturgy or Directory as they thought best be agreeable to that antient Constitution: and consequently if such a Platform for Union be in all parts of it most exactly correspondent with the Sentiments which our Fore-Fathers had of the Constitution of the Government both of Church and State: then may this small endeavour of mine be look't upon perhaps by such as please to be of some Signification. The Proof of these Postulata is the Work of a greater Volume.
FINIS.
End of the text · Stephen Lobb, The True Dissenter (1685)