A serious and compassionate inquiry into the causes of the present neglect and contempt of the Protestant religion and Church of England with several seasonable considerations offer'd to all English Protestants, tending to perswade them to a complyance with and conformity to the religion and government of this church as it is established by the laws of the Kingdom.

CHAP. IX.

The great dishonour that disobedience to Laws and Magistrates, and the distractions of Government do to any Profession of Reli∣gion whatsoever.

HAving, as I think, sufficiently demon∣strated the sin and mischiefs of Schism, and evacuated all the excuses and palliations of it from the plea of Christian Liberty or the pretence of Tender Conscience, I cannot see what should remain able to perpetuate our distractions, unless it be a point of ho∣nour, that some think themselves obliged to persevere, because they have begun: A hu∣mour like that Tull notes and taxes in the Stoicks, That when Arguments failed them, Constancy supplyed that defect, and that they were not deserted of their Courage, when they were destitute of Reason. It is, I confess, too common with men, to the in∣tent that they may not seem to have had a bad and indefensible Cause at first, they will

indeavour to give it reputation by the cou∣rage and constancy of the Defendants, where∣by they hope to gain one of these points, that either by Victory they shall have it ad∣judged to them, or at least extort Honoura∣ble conditions to lay down Arms, which is a kind of parting stakes. Hereupon it is far more easie to convince men, than to satisfie them, because at last it comes to be a con∣tention of Honour and Spirit, and not a de∣bate of Truth.

They say, nothing subdues English Spirits but Cession and Condescension; yield them a little, and they will in Bravery and Gene∣rosity, give you up all the rest: but if you continue to contend, they will fight, not be∣cause it's either hopeful or necessary, neither because they can reasonably hope to obtain the victory, nor because they must be ruined if they do not, but because they cannot brook the dishonour of being vanquisht. Ho∣nour is a kind of Gentile Conscience, and tender like that too. And I confess, though it be a very virtuous, yet it is no very easie thing, to come about perfectly, to change ones course, and to proclaim ones self to have been in the wrong before, to forgo a mans opinion and his reputation together,

wholly to yield up the cause we have long contended for, without any conditions to salve our honour, without abatement, quali∣fication or comprehension. For though wise men will censure our obstinacy if we persist, yet the multitude will reproach us with levi∣ty and cowardize if we retreat. And though many a man could contentedly give up him∣self to the instruction of the few, yet to be exposed to the contumelies of the vulgar is harsh and uneasie. This consideration hath, I acknowledge, a great deal of Rhetorick, and I doubt prevails with not a few in our present case. I will therefore endeavour to shew the unreasonableness of it in these two points.

1. I affirm, That it is no real dishonour, but a manly generosity and a Christian vir∣tue to change our minds upon mature deli∣beration, and the evidence of better reason. Indeed to change we know not why, or meerly because we are weary of old things, is a vitious levity; or upon new interests to espouse new perswasions, is base and unwor∣thy either of a Christian or a Man: yet on the other side, obstinately to maintain what∣ever we have asserted, is as far from Chri∣stian stability and perseverance, as it is from

ingenuity. That very temper which our Saviour requires in his Disciples, and which is the preparatory disposition to the enter∣tainment of Christianity, especially consists in a simplicity of mind; and an indifferency to comply with whatsoever shall best recom∣mend it self to our faculties. And whoso∣ever is not of this disposition, it was meerly by chance that he became a Christian; or whatsoever opinions he hath better than any other man, nothing is owing to his virtue, but his fortune; and he is not the better man, but had the happier Education. For since no man is infallible, nor hath an in∣tuitive knowledge of things, he must either make himself a meer Machine to be filled and moved by others, and receive without discrimination whatsoever is instilled into him by others, that doth not think it be∣comes him to leave room for better reasons, and further light in all such matters as we speak of, and where Almighty God hath not once for all expresly delivered himself. And those are not only the most ingenuous men, but ordinarily the most useful also, that are what they are, not by Instinct and the pre∣judices of Education, but by Conviction and Argument. In short, he that resolves never to change his opinion, nor hopes to be wiser

than he is, either will be alwayes a fool, or hath the fortune of such an one, or both.

Now then, he that seeing Reason to in∣cline him to take new measures, shall yet upon Secular considerations think fit not to own a change, may have the reputation of a cunning man, but never of an honest, and shall lose more in the Judgement of wise men, than he shall gain with the vulgar.

2. Epecially let it be considered, how much the honour of our Religion is of more value than our Personal reputation, and how much that is concerned in the peaceable and obedient temper of all those that pretend to it; and withal, what it suffers in defect of this: And surely a due sense of these things will have such weight with all those that are sincerely Christian, as to depress and keep down the turgency of our phancy and vain glory.

It was an effectual course Haman took, Esther 3. 8. (and he had wit in his malice,) when he designing to ruine the whole Church of the Jews, first undermines the reputation

of their Profession, delates their Religion as not fit for the protection of the Prince, and that it contained Laws contrary to all peo∣ple, and that they would not obey the Kings Laws. There is nothing casts so indeleble a blemish upon Religion as when the Profes∣sors of it are turbulent, unperswadable, un∣governable. When that which should strengthen the hands of the Magistrate, shall weaken them, when that which should ease his care and save the labour of his Animad∣versions, shall it self awaken and raise his Jealousie; when that which should enact his Laws in the very Consciences of men, shall pretend to abrogate or dispense with them; when men shall smite and break the two Tables one against another, and put other li∣mitations and conditions upon Princes than God hath, and pretend a revocation of the Broad Seal of Civil Authority by the Privy Signet of Religion: whereever this is done, that Prince or Magistrate had need be a very devout man indeed, that casts a benign aspect upon that Profession which hath so malig∣nant an influence upon his Government. And all considering men will with great reason doubt, whether that Religion be of God that gives such trouble to his Vicegerent, and whether that will carry men to Heaven here∣after,

that makes tumults, confusions and a Hell upon earth.

But I have said so much to this business heretofore, when I considered the mischiefs of Schism, that I shall need to say the less now. Only let me observe, That the more raised and elevated any Religion pretends to be, the more it professes a Contempt of this world, the more it speaks of Patience, Con∣tentation, Humility, and the more it glories in the hopes of another world, still the more horribly absurd and contradictious will it be, that this should give countenance to disobe∣dience and disturbance of Government.

I have also noted before, that it was the great advantage Christianity had for the planting it self in the world, that it distur∣bed no setled Form, made no noise or com∣motion, but fell like the dew of Heaven up∣on a Fleece of Wooll. Our Saviour him∣self was so careful of giving offence, that he not only gave no jealousie to those in possession of the Government, but also abridg∣ed his own Liberty, rather than he would seem to retrench their Power. St. Paul when he was accused by an eloquent Ora∣tor Tertullus, Acts 24. 5. as a mover of Se∣dition,

doth with equal eloquence disprove the charge, and detest the Crime. And that the generality of Christians were of the same temper and spirit, Tertullian gives ample testimony. Externi sumus, & vestra omnia implevimus, urbes, insulas, castella, muni∣cipia, castra ipsa, tribus, decurias, palatium, senatum, forum, &c. cui bello non idenei, &c. Apol. c. 37. We want, saith he, neither num∣bers, nor Leaders, nor Spirit, to inable us for any attempt; but that we have learnt to suffer ill, and not to do it, to obey and submit, not to contend with our Rulers. And Ammianus Marcellinus, a Pagan Soul∣dier in Julian's Army, and therefore the more undeniable witness in the case, gives this short description of the Christian Reli∣gion, Nil nisi justum suadet & lene: It is, saith he, compounded of nothing but mildness and innocency. It makes men just and honest, it fills mens hearts with virtuous principles, but not their heads with troublesome niceties; It teaches men not to be troublers of the World, but to go quietly and inoffensively through it, with as little noise and provocation as is possible, and so to arrive at eternal rest and peace in Heaven. And as this is the

known glory of Christianity in general, so it was peculiarly of the English Reformation in particular, as I shewed before. It was brought in by the Prince, not by the rout of people; it was establisht orderly by Law, did not force its way by popular tumult, and was truly what it ought to be, a revi∣val of Primitive purity and simplicity. And it is infinite pity, that its glory should af∣terwards be stained by the insolence and im∣patience of those that pretend to it. It is a great blot in the writings of Mr. Calvin, that after he had discoursed rarely well of the power of Princes and the duty of Sub∣jects, in the last Chapter of his Institutions and the one and thirtieth Paragraph, he un∣does all again with an unhappy exception, in these words, de privatis hominibus semper loquor: A passage of that ill aspect upon Go∣vernment, that it is suspected by some, and not altogether without cause, that most of the confusions of Kingdoms which have hap∣pened since, and especially the troubles of this Nation, have received incouragement, if not taken rise from thence. But whether that be so or no, it is certain that it hath fur∣nisht the Papists with a recrimination upon the Protestant Doctrine, when we have charged

theirs as blowing a Trumpet to Sedition and Rebellion. And though the true Protestant Doctrine be as innocent, as theirs is guilty in this kind, yet if it can be objected against us, that our Churches are alwayes infested with Divisions, and the States under which we live, imbroyled in troubles, we have rea∣son to be concerned, forasmuch as we have no reason to expect that our Adversaries will be so just or charitable, as to distinguish betwixt the faults of the Doctrine and the miscarri∣ages of those that Profess it, but will be sure to involve both in the dishonour. For it cannot be, but that either the Seed must be very bad, that brings forth such Fruit, or the Soil very corrupt, that makes good Seed so degenerate; that is, either the Religion must be very faulty, that fills men generally with so bad Principles, or at least, the Men must be extreamly evil, that debauch good Do∣ctrine. And whether soever of these two things be concluded on, (as it is certain one must and both may) we ill consult either for our selves or our Profession that by our divisions, disputes, turbulencies and disobedi∣ence, make the aforesaid dilemma inevitable. And all the wit and courage we shew in de∣fending our private opinions, and maintain∣ing

our several parties, when the common cause and interest is by this means rendred odious and contemptible, is but like the fool∣ish sollicitude of him that shall be adorning his private Cabin, when the Ship is sinking. And those men have little cause to triumph in their particular successes, who lose to a common Enemy whatever they gain upon one another.