Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

zeal; nor will wife men believe it to be any thing more than a trick to weaken Proteftancy, that her declared enemy may with lefs hazard gain the chair. And there is not fo much reason to fear profeffed Roman-Catholicks, as thofe gentlemen, who valuing themselves by their refpects to the church, and tenderness of its independent honour, have the opportunity, with lefs fufpicion, of letting in Popery at the back-door. Thefe are men that pay off the fanatick in the name of the church, but for the good of the Pope, to whofe account thofe endeavours must be placed.

But it will go a great way to our deliverance, if we are not careless to obferve the fecret workings of those that have vowed our mifery; and, of them, fuch as are in masquerade, and wear the guife of friends, are most dangerous. But fome men are purblind, they can fee danger as near as their nofe; but in a difficulty that is not a foot from them, they are prefumptive, reftive, and not to be governed. Could fome church-men but fee the irreparable mifchiefs that will attend them (if fincere to their prefent profeffion) unlefs prevented by a modeft and Chriftian condefcenfion to Diffenting Proteftant Chriftians, they would never fuffer themselves to be mifguided by stiff and rigid principles at this time of day.

If Christianity, that most meek and felf-denying religion, cannot prevail upon them, methinks the power of intereft, and that self-intereft too, fhould have fome fuccefs; for in thofe cafes they use not to be obsti

nate.

But I expect it fhould be told me, That this is the way to ruin the church, and let in an anarchy in religion: Cujus contrarium verum. I am glad to obviate this, before I leave you, feeing the contrary is moft true; for it leaves the church and church-men as they are, with this distinction, that whereas now conformity is coercive, which is Popish, it will be then perfuafive, which is Chriftian. And there may be fome hopes, when the parfons, deftitute of the magi

ftrate's

ftrate's fword, fhall' of neceffity inforce their religion by good doctrine and holy living: nor ought they to murmur, for that which fatisfied Chrift and his apostles, fhould fatisfy them: his kingdom is not of this world; therefore they should not fight for him, if they would be his fervants, and the children of his kingdom. Christ, and not civil force, is the rock his church is built upon. Nor indeed has any thing fo tarnished the cause of Proteftancy, as the profeffors of it betaking themselves to worldly arms to propagate their religion. David could not wear Saul's armour; and true Proteftants cannot use Popish weapons, impofition and perfecution. In fhort; it is the very intereft of the church of England, to preferve the civil intereft intire, or elfe Popery will endanger all: but that cannot be, unless all of that civil interest be preserved; therefore Proteftant Diffenters should be indulged.

But some will fay, There is a difference, even • among Diffenters: fome will give a fecurity to the civil government by taking the oaths; others will not and be it through tenderness, how do we know but Papifts will shelter themselves under the wings of fuch Diffenters? And fo, in tolerating Protestant Diffenters to fortify Proteftancy, in reality Popery ' will be hereby fheltered incognito.'

I answer, first, That fuch oaths are little or no fe→ curity to any government; and though they may give fome allay to the jealoufy of governors, they never had the effect defired. For neither in private cafes, nor yet in publick tranfactions, have men adhered to their oaths, but their intereft. He that is a knave, was never made honeft by an oath: nor is it an oath, but honefty, that keeps honeft men fuch. Read story, and confult our modern times; tell me what government stood the firmer or longer for them? Men may take them for their own advantage, or to avoid loss and punishment: but the question is, what real benefit or fecurity comes thereby to the government? It is certain they have often infnared a good man, but never caught one knave yet: we ought not to put fo

great

great a value upon oaths, as to render the fecurity of our government fo low and hazardous.

God's providence, and the wisdom of our ancestors, have found out a better teft for us to rest upon, and that is, our common intereft, and the laws of the land DULY executed: thefe are the fecurity of our govern

ment.

For example: A man fwears he will not plot, yet plots: pray what fecurity is this oath to the government? But though it is evident that this be no fecurity, that law which hangs him for plotting, is an unquestionable one. So that it is not for wife governors, by fwearing men to the government, to think to secure it; but all having agreed to the laws by which they are to be governed, let any man break them at his peril. Wherefore good laws, and a juft execution of them, and not oaths, are the natural and real fecurity of a government.

But next: Though fome may fcruple the oaths, it is not for the fake of the matter fo much as form; which, you know, is not the cafe of Roman Catholicks, (pray diftinguifh); and thofe very perfons, whoever they be, of Proteftant Diffenters, I dare fay they will very cheerfully promise their allegiance on the fame penalties, and fubfcribe any renunciation of pope and foreign authority, which the art of man can pen: nor fhould it be hard for you to believe they fhould fubfcribe what they have always lived.

To that part of the objection which mentions the danger of Papifts concealing themselves under the character of Proteftant Diffenters; under favour I fay it is moft reasonable to believe, that those who will deny their faith upon record, (as those that subscribe your declaration do) will fwallow the oaths too: for the declaration flatly denies the religion, but the oaths only the pope's Supremacy, which even fome of themselves pretend to reject. Therefore thofe that can fincerely fubfcribe the declaration cannot be Papists.

If it be yet objected, That Papifts may have dif * pensations to fubfcribe the teft, or a pardon, when

⚫ they

[ocr errors]

they have done it;' I answer, they may as well have difpenfations to take the oaths, or pardons when they bave taken them; and thefe laft fix months prove as much. There is no fence against this flail. At this rate they may as well be Proteftants, as Proteftant-Diffenters; minifters or bishops in churches, as fpeakers or preachers in meeting-boufes: this objection only fhews the weakness of both oaths and declarations for the purpose intended; and not that they can hide themfelves more under one people than another. For they that can have a difpenfation or pardon for one act, can have it for another; especially when the matter of the declaration is of a more general weight to them, than that of the oath: all which confirms my former judgment of the infecurity of fuch oaths to any government.

Give me leave then upon this to ask you, if you will bring a certain ruin upon any Protestant Diffenters for the fake of fuch an uncertain fecurity to yourfelves? For this is the queftion: I befeech you to weigh it as becomes wife and good men: fhall they be reprobated for tenderly refufing, what, being performed, cannot fave or fecure you!

Confider, you have no reafon to believe, but those that are allowed to fubfcribe the declaration, or that will be pardoned when they have done it, may be allowed to take the oaths, or will be pardoned or abfolved when they have taken them: but you are certain, on the other fide, that the impofing of the oaths will be a great fnare to many Proteftant Diffenters, that love the government, and renounce both pope and Popery: they will be ruined; which, to me, is of the nature of an argument for those people: for their not taking the oaths, proves plainly, they have no difpenfations, nor hopes of abfolution, and therefore no Papists: fhall they then lie under the severities. intended against Papifts, who have none of their difpenfations or abfolutions to deliver them from? This is (with fubmiffion, but in plain terms) to make the cafe of the kingdom worfe; for it deftroys those who

are

are not guilty, and whom, I believe, you would not destroy.

Having brought the matter to this, I fhall first offer you a new teft: next, the ways of taking it, with most aggravation against the party rejecting or breaking it and laftly, how you may fecure yourselves from Papifts difguifing themselves amongst ProtestantDiffenters; that fo nothing may remain a remora in the way, that shall not be removed, to leave you a plain and even path to peace and safety.

I

The New TEST.

A. B. do folemnly and in good confcience, in the fight of God and men, acknowledge and declare, that King Charles the Second is lawful king of this realm, and all the dominions thereunto belonging. And that neither the pope nor fee of Rome, nor any elfe by their authority, have right in any cafe to depofe the king, or difpofe of his kingdom, or upon any score whatever to abfolve his fubjects of their obedience, or to give leave to any of them to plot or confpire the hurt of the king's perfon, his ftate or people; and that all fuch pretences and power are falfe, pernicious, and damnable.

And I do farther fincerely profefs, and in good conscience declare, that I do not believe that the pope is Chrift's vicar, or Peter's lawful fucceffor, or that he or the fee of Rome, feverally or jointly, are the rule of faith or judge of controverfy, or that they can abfolve fins: nor do I believe that there is a purgatory after death; or that faints fhould be prayed to, or images in any fense be worshipped. Nor do I believe, that there is any transubstantiation in the Lord's fupper, or elements of bread and wine, at or after the confecration thereof by any perfon whatfoever. But I do firmly believe, that the prefent communion of the Roman-Catholick

church

« EdellinenJatka »