The unlawfulneſs of them will never be pretended by any true Son of the Church of England. For this were in ſhort to give up the whole Cauſe; and to lay the charge of Schiſm at our own Doors. Becauſe, that Church which requires any thing unlawful, as a condition of her Communion, is doubtleſs Schiſmatical.

But ſince thoſe Laws and Conſtitutions, which were at firſt Legally eſtabliſh'd, may by the alteration of Circumſtances, be very burdenſome to the Subject, and as ſuch ought to be Repealed; let us conſider the juſtneſs of their pretences herein. And if upon inquiry it do appear, that the continuance of theſe Declarations is as neceſſary for the preſervation both of Church and State as their firſt enforcement; I do then humbly petition Authority to conſider the excellent words of this preſent Votes of the Houſe of Commons, Feb. 5. 1662. againſt Indulgence. Parliament.

It will no way become the Gravity or Wiſdom of a Parliament, to paſs a Law at one Seſſion for Uniformity, and at the next Seſſion (the Reaſons of Uniformity continuing ſtill the ſame) to paſs another Law to fruſtrate or weaken the Execution of it.

It will expoſe your Majeſly to the reſtleſs importunity of every Sect or Opinion, and of every ſingle Perſon alſo, who ſhall preſume to diſſent from the Church of England.

As to theſe Declarations; the Aſſent and Conſent in the former, and the Renunciation of the Covenant in the later, are thus rationally grounded.

The end and deſign of Government is, Salus Publica; it is to take care, Ne quid detrimenti capiat communitas: Or in the Apoſtles phraſe, That we may live a quiet and peaceable Life in all Godlineſs and Honeſly. For the obtaining of which happy end, his Sacred Majeſly, who is Cuſlos utriuſque tabulae, out of a due care of his People, by the advice of his Council, hath Enacted: That no Man be admitted into any Office Sacred or Secular, who, when his Place requires it, ref • ſeth by Oaths, Subſcriptions, or Declarations, to give aſſurance to the Publick, that he is Orthodox and Peaceable.

Now ſince different Opinions and Practices in matters of Religion (eſpecially when cheriſhed and indulg'd) do naturally improve into contentious Diſputes; and thoſe Diſputes, if not reſtrain'd, break out into Civil Wars. For, Mr. Newcomes Serm. before Parl. Sept. 12.1644. pag. 36. Men will at laſt take up Swords and Spears inſtead of Pens; and defend by Arms what they cannot do by Arguments. Since things are thus; 'Tis at leaſt Prudence, if not Duty, in the Supreme Power, to remove the occaſion of this Ruine, by enjoyning the Publick practice of theſe Duties in one Uniform way; that all his Subjects may ſpeak the ſame thing; and that there be no Diviſions amongſt them, perſectly joyn'd together in the ſame Mind and in the ſame Judgment.

And therefore the Act for Uniformity moſt prudently enjoyneth, That no Man be permitted the publick Exerciſe of his Miniſtry, till in this firſt Declaration, he hath given his unfeigned Aſſent and Conſent to the uſe of all and every thing in the ſaid Book contained and preſcribed: I ſay unfeigned; Hypocriſie being hateful both to God and Man, and deſtructive to humane Society.

As to the other Declaration in brief thus.

It being notoriouſly known with what deſign the Covenant was firſt Impoſed; even the ruine of that Covernment which the Kings of England in their Goronation-Oath do ſwear to Maintain: And the ſad Effects being as Obvious, to which that League was in a great meaſure Inſtrumental, Authority could do no leſs, without being wanting to its own Preſervation, than to require an aſſurance from all Perſons to be admitted into the Miniſtry; that there lies no Obligation from this Oath, to endeavour any Alteration of Government either in Church or State. In which words whoever refuſeth to declare doth in effect aſſure us; That though at preſent reſtrained, yet he is ſtill obliged, when occaſion ſhall offer it ſelf, in his Place and Calling to root out Popery, Prelacy, i. c. Government by Arch Biſhops, Biſhops, Deans, Chapters, &c.

If it be replied, That there is no Alteration of Government intended by theſe moderate Diſſenters, whoſe Comprehenſion is deſir'd; but that it is another Clauſe in the Declaration, which juſtiſieth their refuſal, viz. There lies no Obligation on me or any other Perſon, &c. Which, ſay they, cannot ſafely be declar'd, becauſe, though they do not approve the whole Oath; yet there are ſeveral indiſpenſable Duties contained in it, which can never be renounced.

To this I Anſwer:

The Alcoran, Romiſh Breviary, or Miſſal, may by any one that hath ſubſcrib'd them be lawfully renounced; and yet doubtleſs there are in them ſeveral Duties of Morality, whereto he was obliged before, and to which he was further obliged by his own Perſonal act in ſubſcribing, as being a part thereof. Yet may he renounce In hac forma. And ſo it is with the Covenant; which may in like manner be renounc'd, notwithſtanding thoſe good things that are contained in it. The reaſon is, Becauſe Subſcription was to the Totum complexum, i. c. to the whole Frame of the Covenant as ſuch; and therefore the Abrenunciation of it muſt be to the whole as ſuch: The Obligation whereof being renounc'd, muſt reach to every Branch and Clauſe therein; ſo as no Man ſtandeth obliged to the performance of any one Branch thereof (though otherwiſe not only lawful, but even neceſſary upon ſome other account) as it is a Branch of the Covenant.

As to that trifling Scruple; That though they themſelves are not obliged by it, yet it is too much conſidence to declare; There lies no Obligation on any other: This, I ſay, ſcarce deſerves Confutation. For, ſince Nemo t • netur ad impoſſibile, and Juramentum non eſt vinculum iniquitatis; if it be in it?ſelf an unlawſul Oath (as hath upon occaſion been ſufficiently prov'd) it can neither oblige them, nor any other whatſoever, to any thing but Repentance.

But the moſt plauſible Pretence in behalf of theſe Diſſenters (and which it ſeems hath influene'd ſome loyal Noble Breaſts) is this.

The Union of Proteſtants in his Majeſties Kingdom's, is a very bleaſſed and deſirable Work; and accordingly it is the Duty of every good Subject, in his Place and Calling, faithfully to promote it: This being the moſt effectual Method to ſuppreſs the common Enemy the Papiſts; who are doubtleſs more encourag'd by our Diviſions, than any other Motives or Endeavours of their own Party. And therefore were there but ſome little Relaxation granted, whereby the moſt eminent Presbyterians might be receiv'd into the Church; What a conſternation would this ſtrike into the Papal Faction? What ſignal Service might the Church of England receive from theſe famous Champions, whoſe Zeal and Learning are ſo notorious to the World?

This is their Plea: The weakneſs of which may thus eaſily appear.

The Union of Proteſtants, Reformation of abuſes of Religion, with ſuch like ſpecious Names, being the uſual Vizards wherewith Men of inſatiable Avarice or Ambition diſguiſe their baſe unworthy Intentions, that the uglineſs thereof may not appear to vulgar Eyes: It concerns Authority to be very deliberate in their Councels, and not be too forward, upon every ſlight pretence, to innovate good Laws, for the ſad conſequents of which Change they can never be anſwerable to Church and State.

Few are of ſo weak Capacity, but publick evils they eaſily eſpie; fewer ſo patient, as not to complain, when the grievous inconveniences thereof work ſenſible Smart, ſaith judicious Mr. Hooker. Hence it is that the very name of Reformation carrieth with it a great deal of outward Glory and Luſtre, ſilling the Hearts of Men with expectation of much Happineſs to enſue, and in that Hope is evermore entertain'd with general Applauſe, eſpecially of the Vulgar ſort: And therefore Covetous, Ambitious, Diſconted Perſons, have always improv'd this Inclination to their own advantage. So that ſeldome hath any Sacrilegious or Seditious attempt appear'd abroad in the World, and been countenanced either by the Great ones, or the Many, which hath not been uther'd in by this piece of Hypocriſie; although upon the Poſt-fact we have ſadly experienc'd; that the pretence of a thorough Reformation ſerveth as a Foil to ſet off the blackeſt Crimes that ever the Chriſtian World was guilty of.

This general Conſideration firſt premiſed (and 'tis no unſeaſonable Reſlection) to the preſent Propoſal, I thus

Anſwer.

That the Union of Proteſtants is indeed a very bleſſed and deſtreable Work, as being the moſt effectual Method to ſuppreſs the common Enemy the Papiſt; and accordingly that it is the Duty of every good Subject in his Place and Calling faithfully to promote it. Thus far is eaſily granted. But then whether this Comprehenſion be ſo ſuitable a method to promote that bleſſed Work; or wether theſe Presbyterians would be ſo conſiderable a ſupport to the Proteſtant Cauſe, were the Walls of the Church, like thoſe of Troy, pull'd down to receive them, may beſt be judg'd by their own Confeſſion. For now they begin to ſpeak plain. The Mask of Hypocriſie by long wearing is grown ſo thin and uſeleſs, that it is fit for nothing but to be thrown by. That which ſo falſly and invidiouſly hath been objected againſt the Prelates, is too ſadly true of theſe Presbyterians, They have a Pope in Their Belly.

This, you'll ſay, is a very harſh and uncharitable Reſlection: And I do acknowledg the Charge, were I not able thus to prove it.

In this very Pamphlet, call'd the The Peaceable Deſign, p. 71, I ſind theſe words.