A TREATISE OF RELIGION AND GOVERNMENT WITH Reflexions vpon the Cause and Cure of Englands late distempers and present dangers .

THE ARGVMENT Whether Protestancy be less dangerous to the soul , or more advantagious to the State , then the Roman Catholick Religion ?

THE CONCLVSION That Piety and Policy are mistaken in promoting Protestancy , and persecuting Popery by penal and Sanguinary statuts .

Permissu Superiorum . An: Dom: M.DC.LXX .

THE end which most Authors propose to themselves in writing Prefaces , is , to incline m●n to read their books : but the books are now so many , and of such groat busks , that even the Prefaces are not perused . Notwithstanding this superfluity and surfeit of books , I have ventured to add this one to the number , not without hopes that the Title will invite men to read the Preface , and perhaps the Preface may persuade them to read the Book . For , Religion and Government , being the two things wherin mankind is most concerned ( the one being the ground of everlasting happiness , the other of temporal prosperity ) and I having vndertaken to direct men to the best Religion , ( wherof depends the best Government ) the Conscience of some , and the curiosity of others will furnish me with Readers . Some Raylers I must expect ▪ to have , because I endeavor to demonstrat that the Crown may lawfully seise on the Church Revenues ; but I am content to b●●●ld at , so the commonwealth be not rallied out of so necessary a support .

And least J should be thought too partial ●o my own Religion , I desire but a tol●ration for it , as I do for all other Christian profession● albeit to obtain this toleration for the Catholick I am forc't to compare it with the protestant , and to prove th●● no Religion is so conscientious , or so convenient as the Roman . The truth of this may ●●●ily be discerned by a Comit●e of the layty , if publik conferences of Religion be permitt●d in English ; And truly 〈…〉 Scriptures are permitted to be read and interpreted by every English lay man , J se● not why the layty may not judge of Controversies , and confer●●ces of Religion ; and according 〈◊〉 they find the interpretations of every Congregation consistent with the word of God , grant or not grant liberty of Conscience .

There are few who 〈…〉 often heard how pressingly a●●●ertinently som of the wisest members of Parliament have spoke for Liberty of Conscience in the late sessions ; how they made it appear , that our decay of trade , and our fall of rents ( wherof Merchants and Land-lords do so much complain ) is wholy occasioned by the severity of our laws against Recusants , and nonconformists ; for , what credit or security can Merchants or Tradesmen have in England , when their stock and substance , may be legaly confiscated , whensoever they refuse to take an oath , or frequent a Church , contrary to their conscience ? what commerce or correspondence can we expect from beyond the Seas , when he that this day is an able Banquier amongst vs , to morrow must turn Bankrupt , if he will not contrefait himself a Conformist . The Tenants Cattle and Corn may be seised vpon ( and by consequence the Landlord deprived of his Revenue ) whensoever a ceremonious Parson , or an officious Church-warden , or a malicious neigbor will inform , that they come not to the common Prayer , or Communion ; so that the Nonconformists being two parts of England , in a few years two parts of the Kingdom will be destroyed .

If our penal statuts against Non-conformists , did make this Monarchy as peaceable as they make it poor , perhaps som Polititians might think it advisable to continue them . But seing it is impossible to govern an empoverish't multitude without a standing Army ( which England will hardly brook ) and that Religion persecuted makes Rebellion plausible , all disinteressed persons may with reason admire , that the Bishops themselves do not Press and pray for liberty of conscience . For , though they should be so short-sighted as not to foresee future inconveniencies , yet they cannot be so insensible as to forget the former effects of persecution . And they will find great difficulty in persuading even the most devoted to their own calling , that the same cause will not produce in 70. the same effects we have felt since 40. If they imagin that their spiritual censures will prevail against the temporal power of a discontented multitude , they must maintain ( contrary to late experience ) that God will work Miracles to support the Church of England against Presbyterian sectaries . § As for the Kings restauration I confess it looks like a Miracle , but why our English Bish●ps should attribut so great a blessing rather to Gods will of countenancing their strange caracter , then to his will of continuing lawful Monarchy , or of manifesting the late Kings innocency , or of rewarding the constancy , and of relieving the indignity of the Cavaleer party , can never be vnderstood by any that knows the grounds of our Protestant Episcopacy , and how it was raised by Q. Elizabeth rather to exclude the succession of the Stevards from the Crown , then to establish a succession of true Bishops in the Church . There is much more reason to think that his Majesties restauration was decreed by God in order to the performance of his Declaration at Bredà for liberty of conscience , then in order to the non-performance of so publick and solemn a promise .

And albeit I cannot say that our desired peace will be so absolutly secured by liberty of conscience in England , as it is in other Countries by the Tenets and vniformity of the Roman Religion : yet is it manifest , that persecution for promoting Prelatick Protestancy will rather increas our confusions , then work our conversion ; not only becaus the non-conformists , are the more numerous party , and by consequence can hardly be forc't to obey laws against their Consceince ; but also becaus it is confessed by the very Prelaticks , that Christians may be saved though they do not conform to the Church of England ; nay they must grant , that such as do conform to its doctrin and disciplin , may be damned for so doing , becaus it is a fallible ( and by consequence for ought they or any one knows a fals ) Church . That a Church believed by the members therof to be infallible , and the only way of salvation , doth persecute such as revolt from its faith and obedience is thought by some a rational ( though by me a rigorous ) practise : but that the Church of England , wherof it is a fundamental Article , that the whole visible Church , or all Christian Congregations ( and by consequence it self ) hath erred , or may err in doctrin , should persecute such as revolt from it , or men of a contrary persuasion , for having a stronger faith , grounded vpon Christs promis of never forsaking vs , and a better opinion of Gods providence , and of their own Churches doctrin , seems not agreable to the rules of the Ghospel , nor of human prudence . For , whether the Protestants sectaries persuasion of their own privat spirits infallibility , or the Roman Catholicks belief of their general Councells infallibility , be true or fals , the Church of England will never be able to persuade or prove , that any Christians ought to be persecuted by penal and sanguinary statuts , for not exchanging that assurance of Divine faith which themselves are persuaded they have , for a bare Prelatick probability of the same faith ; or for a confessed possibility of being mistaken in the doctrin of salvation . Seing therfore of two evils the least ought to be chosen , and that if liberty of conscience be an evil , it is a less one then persecution , becaus it will cause less dangers and disturbances in the Nations , then laws which force the Prelatick probability , and vniformity : It seems to be against the rules as well of piety as of policy , to continue the penal and sanguinary statuts in favor of the confessedly fallible Church of England .

And when I plead for liberty of conscience in England for Presbyterians and Fanaticks , I hope it will not be ill taken that I beg the same freedom and favor for Roman Catholicks , especially if I prove ( as I have vndertaken ) that our principles are not only more ●ound in point of Christiatity , but more safe in order to the government , then any others . And though it be a common and true saying , that the greatest Clerks are not the wisest men , and by consequence , not so fit to prescribe rules for governing as wordlings that are not Divines , or as wranglers that are Lawyers ; yet I humbly conceive that when the misfortunes of a government proceed not from want of judgment or resolution in the Councel , but from want of faith , or ( which is the same ) from an acknowledged vncertainty of faith in the Church , Catholick Divines ( seing we are unanimous in matters of Christian belief and do persuade the best part of Christendom that our Church is infallible in the same ; and if heard , we doubt not to prevail with these British Nations also to credit vs in that important point , however improbable , it may seem to them at first sight ) I hope this supposed , we Catholick Divines may without offence pretend to be better able to shew and salve the spiritual sore of this state , then any Protestant Statists or schoolmen , who want sufficient unity , and assurance of faith in themselves , to make their cure and care credible to others .

Seing therfore the foundation not only of Christian Religion , but of a peaceable government , doth consist in a firm persuasion of the people governed , that the doctrin professed and established by Law is infallible ▪ and of Divine inspiration , not of human invention ; and by consequence that the decrees and determinations of the State ( which in all Governments ought to be proportioned to the doctrin of its Church ) are lawfull , and intended for the common good ; not designs , or devices to fool the multitude , feed the ministery , or favor the soveraign ; and that not only evidence of falshood , but vncertainty of truth , in matters of Christianity , must needs render the Church and State that profess such an vncertainty , so weak and contemptible , that the subjection to either cannot be otherwise secured then by the force and fear of a standing Army ; and that such a subjection doth savor more of a Turkish slavery then f●●a Christian Society , or of a civil subordination to publick authority , and ( therfore ) is the cause of continual discontents , and frequent rebellions ; and that no Church but the Roman Catholick , doth as much as pretend , or can persuade , it s own infallibility in matters of Religion ; seing I say , all this is manifest by reason , and our wofull late experiences , I question not but that the Parliament will be pleased to take in good part this humble proposal of saving our souls ; and of setling this state , by the doctrin of the Roman Catholick Church , and by the Revenues of the Protestant Prelatick Clergy ; especially if the corruptions of Scripture , and falsifications of Councells and Fathers , wherwith I do charge that Clergy ( and wherby alone they maintain their Protestancy ) be cleerly demonstrated in this Treatise , and patiently heard in a publick Trial.

It 's now above a Century of years since the great Statsmen of England have employed their wit and industry , in devising how to setle Monarchy vpon Protestancy ; but ( vnder favor ) we Catholick Divines do shew ( and all Protestants may suspect by the success ) that in so great an affair they have proceeded like vnskillfull Architects , that busy themselves altogether in proportioning and adorning the superstructures , without inquiring into the strength and solidity of the foundation : They mistook sand for stone , fals translations for true Scripture , a lay ministery for a lawful Clergy , a temporal soveraignty for a spiritual supremacy : They layd for the first stone of their New fabrik , a sworn spiritual rebellion ( the oath of supremacy ) against the chief Prelat and common Father of all Christendom S. Peters Successor . No marvail then if this fundation yeelded , and the whole fabrik fell to the ground in our late distempers ; for , by an evident parity of reason it must be concluded , that it is as lawful for Protestants to depose Kings , as Popes , by vertue of their privat and arbitrary interpretations of scripture . If notwithstanding the legal and long possession or prescription , of a suprem spiritual superiority , the Bishop of Rome may ( by the principles and prerogative of Protestancy ) be reformed , and reduced to be only Patriarck of the West , or a privat Bishop ; what temporal soveraignity can be absolute or secure among Protestants ? The same arguments , the same texts of Scripture , the same spirit , the same interpretations of God's Word , that Luther , Calvin , Cranmer and all other Protestants objected against the Popes supreme spiritual authority , did the Presbyterians , and other Protestants press ( by an vnanswerable paralel ) against the late King 's temporal Soveraignty . Wherfore it is much to be feared that notwithstanding the extraordinary prudence of our government , we shall be frequently involved in as great troubles and dangers , as formerly ; and that the privat spirit , and English Scripture ( interpreted by Protestants ) will prevail against lawfull Monarchy , whensoever the like circumstances do concurr ; viz. a Zealous Parliament , a mild King , a covetous Clergy , a stubborn people , and resolute Rogues to lead them , and declare to the Multitude their own strength , as wel as the fundamental principles and priviledges of all Protestant Reformations .

In Catholick Commonwealths all these circumstances do meet ( the principles of Protestancy only excepted ) and yet the Catholick subjects remain immoveable in their obedience in regard of the credit and authority of their Church and Clergy , which in privat confessions , and publick exhortations continualy inculcat , how inconsistant any privat or arbitrary interpretation of Scripture ( and by consequence any pretext of superiority over the Soveraign ) is , with the Christianity and obsequiousnes of Catholick faith ; and how principal a part it is of that ●aith to believe not only that the Church is infallible in its doctrin , but also that temporal Soveraigns are Gods Vice-regents , and absolut in their government , and therfore as such , ought to be revered , and obeyed . And when ( by reason of heavy taxes , or other such accidents ) the fire of sedition somtimes breaks forth among Catholicks , it is ( generally speaking ) suddenly quencht by the authority and severity of the Clergies Censures against the Authors , or by the devotion and reverence which even the most Irreverent of our profession exhibit to the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar , that is shewn ( vpon such emergencies ) to the mutinous people , which ( notwithstanding their fury and madness ) immediatly fall down to adore their God and Redeemer ; and for respect of him ( whom they beleeve to be realy present ) are appeased or at least give ear to their Pastors reasons and exhortations , with more patience and better success then any Protestant people in the like occasions . Wherfore though we Catholicks should grant ( as we neither do , nor can ) that the Protestant or Prelatick reformation is as safe a way to Heaven , as the Roman Religion , yet methinks such Protestants as desire to live peaceably , or govern prosperously , ought to preferr Popery before Protestancy .

That K. Henry 8. in the heat and height of an amourous passion was so blinded , that ( to satisfy his carnal lust ) he assumed and annexed a spiritual supremacy to a temporal Crown may be attributed to the fondness and fancies of love . That a Babe ( K. Edward 6. ) was taken with such a bable as that same supremacy , may be imputed to the tenderness of his age , and to the imprudence of his Vncle and Protector Somerset , who by promoting that Oath , and the Protestant reformation , put the Kingdom into a Babylonical confusion . That Dudley Duke of Northvmberland ( seing the Church and state so confounded ) did ground a title for the Lady Jane Grey , and for his own son to the Crown , vpon the principles and Zeal of Protestancy , is but the ordinary practise of Politians ; that the Lady Elizabeth did re●●ive her Fathers supremacy and the Protestant reformation , wherby alone shee could pretend to be legitimat ( against two acts of Parliament never yet repeald ) is not so blameable in her , as in them that but four years before , had by an vnanimous vote in both Houses declared An Bullens marriage voyd , and that same supremacy , and Protestancy to be heresy . That K. Iames did pardon and promote his mothers murtherers , and conform himself to that Religion wherby shee and himself had bin so long excluded from their right , was great clemency , or a cuning compliance , without which he covld hardly have compassed his ends , and restored the line of the Stenarts to the British Empire . That K. Charles 1. did endeavour by Ordinances and Laws to restrain and reduce the variety of Protestant opinions ( grounded vpon the liberty of interpreting Scripture ) to some kind of vniformity , and subordination to Princes and Prelats , had bin an act of great prudence if it had not shaken and shock't the very fundation of all Protestant Reformations , that consists in an arbitrary interpretation of the obscure Texts of Scripture , from which foundation and fountain necessarily floweth the priviledge of denying obedience to all civil and Ecclesiastical authority that commands any thing contrary to those interpretations of Scripture , wherby every privat person , or any leading men of the Protestant Congregations will be pleased to direct themselves , or guide others . That the Zealous and precise sort of Protestants did convene , and covenant against the King and Bishops , for endeavoring to deprive them of this their Evangelical liberty of the Reformation , was but a natural result of the same fundamental principle of Protestancy . That Oliver Cromwell by counterfaiting Zeal and piety , and by humoring the privat spirits and interpretations of Protestant Sectaries , did ruin his King , and rais himself from a mean subject , to be absolut Soveraign , needs not to be enumerated among the casualties , or favors of fortun , there being not any thing more feasible then to dethrone a Protestant Monarch by his own Religion ; because it is nothing but an arbitrary interpretation of Scripture , and by consequence gives such a latitud for justifying rebellion vpon the score of refining the reformation by a new sense of Scripture , that every Protestant ( without violating the principles , but rather sticking to the prerogative of Protestancy ) may embrace any more pleasing and popular sense of the Text , however so prejudicial it prove to his lawful Soveraign , or however contrary it be to the sense of Scripture established by law , or by acts of vniformity .

But , that notwithstanding so many warnings and wars as we have had , so great and grave a Councel as the Parliament of England , should think fit to continue the same vnsuccessfull cours of setling Monarchy , the same statuts wherby Q. Elizabeth excluded the right heirs and now reigning family , the same fundamental Tenet of the Reformation wherby every subject is made interpreter of Scripture , and by consequence Iudge of his Soveraign , and of the Government ( which must be subordinat to Scripture ) is not only to me , but to the Christian world , the cause of greatest admiration . And becaus every Religion hath some incomprehensible mysteries , I will number this among those of Protestancy ; but withall must beg pardon for thinking that it is rather against , then above reason ; for , to grant the principle , wherupon the independency or Soveraignty of every Protestant subject is grounded ; and yet to make Acts of Parliament ( in favor of the Church of England ) against the same subjects independency , or Soveraignty , is a kind of contradiction . So discerning a people as the English , can hardly be hindred from seing the manifest connexion that is between the Protestant subjects liberty of interpreting Scripture , and the not submitting their judgments , or actions to any human laws or Government , if contrary to their own interpretations . And so Religious and scrupulous a people as they are , will not be easily persuaded , that an Act of Parliament is sufficient to dispense with their obligation and inclination of sticking to that fundamental Tenet of Protestancy .

I confess that in some Countreys ( as in France ) the Protestant people are now kept in so great subjection , that they dare not go so far as the principles of Protestancy lead ; and in other more Northern Climats , they are of so dull and peaceable a constitution , that they want either curiosity to examin , or courage to assert the priviledges of the reformation ; and therfore are apt to submit their Iudgments ( by an implicit faith ) to the opinions of Luther , or Calvin , or of their own Clergy . But with us , where every one thinks his own spirit as divin , and his Iudgment as good , as that of Luther , or Calvin , or of the Bishops ; where the stoutness and stubborness of our nature makes us venture vpon any thing whe●her sacred or profane , where every Peasant is warranted by the law , to question the prerogative of his Prince , in such a Countrey I say , and in such a constitution of the Government , it is not to be expected , that men will be less contentious in the Church , then they are in the Courts ; nor content with less then with that supremacy of judicature allowed by the principles of Protestancy to be the spiritual-birth-right of every Protestant subject .

These are some of the inconveniencies whervnto the government is lyable by the principles and profession of Protestancy ; and though I humbly conceive that nothing but liberty of conscience can content so many dissenting parties , yet I am of opinion that before such a liberty be granted , some previous conferences concerning Religion , ( like that of Hampton Court in K. James his reign ) be allowed , but without excluding from those Conferences Papists , or any party that will offer to give reason for their Religion . For , as to accept of a Bill of comprehension before men examin the consequences and qualifications of the Religions comprehended may breed greater confusion ; so to except any Christian Religion from being examined , doth argue that in our Conferences we consult not conscience . But it is to be feared , that education and interest ( the two greatest prejudices not only against truth , but against the examination therof ) will make the Bishops and their Bigots avers from any conferences of Religion , wherby their title to the churchs-livings may be questioned . They will pretend and preach , ●hat it is against the rules as well of piety as of policy to inquire into the truth of doctrin , or into the right of possession , after 100. years prescription ; But they do not consider , or at least would not have others consider , that the Roman Catholicks prescriptiō of 1000. years in England , and our Prelats legal possession of lands for the same space of years , was not judged by Q. Elizabeths Bishops , or Parliaments , a sufficient Plea against the pretensions of the Crown to the Church revenues , notwithstanding the Church ( then ) was thought to be infallible in doctrin ; and the revenues therof were first intended for , and annexed to the Prelats and preachers of the same Roman Catholick doctrin and Church . Now , if the Protestant Bishops think that the Catholick Bishops were legally and lawfully dispossessed of their revenues , and their Doctrin legaly and lawfully condemned , and changed by Luther , Calvin , Cranmer , or the Prelaticks interpretation of Scripture , confirmed by Act of Parliament ; how can they imagin to make the world believe that it is now either a sin or sacriledge , to be dispossessed themselves of the Church revenues , by an Act of Parliament , confirming as probable an interpretation of Scripture as theirs , or as that of Luther , or Calvin is ; especially seing they confess their doctrin fallible , and that the revenues were never intended ( by those that gave them ) for preaching or promoting any kind of Protestancy ? Doubtless this incoherency , and their backwardness in reasoning of Religion , will render their Zeal for the Church revenues , as much suspected , as their forwardnes in persecuting tender Consciences , hath renderd their persons odious .

And that there may be no ground for them to work vpon , nor to doubt of the Roman Catholick Clergy's loyalty and sincerity in petitioning , and pressing for publick conferences of Religion , it will be found ( I doubt not ) in case any such security be desired , or valued , that we shall as readily now , as in Queen Maries reign , resign all the right we can pretend to the revenues of the Church , and ( as then ) bestow them vpon the Crown , for the use and ease of our Country . By this it may appear , that we have no design , but the duty of subjects , or the devotion of Christians , in desiring that the Protestant Clergys title be examined : But they deterr the illiterat layty from this necessary scrutiny , by often repeating the word Sacrilege , without declaring its signification . We know ( and so do they ) that it hath bin the ancient practise of God's Church , to contribut with all that is Sacred ( without the least fear or scruple of Sacriledge ) to the maintenance of the State , when the layty is so much empoveris'ht with wars and taxes , as we are both in England and Ireland . Wee see that in all Catholick Countreys the Clergy doth imitat the example of the ancient Church in the same practise . Why our English Bishops , Deans , and Chapters , ought to be exempted from so reasonable and general a custom , vnless it be that they are burthend with wives and Children , I do not vnderstand . But sure their having wives and Children can neither ●make their revenues more Sacred , nor ●heir Contributions more Sacriledge , on cases of publick necessity . As a ●ompetency of maintenance for themselves , and for their Childrens education and application to some honest Trades , is an act of Charity ; so to apply the rest of the Church revenues to publik uses , for soldiers , and seamen , and to the payment of the Crown debts , is not against Christianity .

In the conclusion of this Preface I must endeavor to excuse the bulk of my book , and the positivenes of my Assertions . For the first , I could hardly draw into a narrower compass so transcendent a subject ; and yet I have placed in the end of this Treatise an Index , wherin the substance of the whole book is contained ; to the end every one may find out with ease any point he hath a mind to read . As to the positivenes of my assertions , most of them being articles of my faith , or deductions from my Creed , I could not but utter them in the Tone of our infallible Church . But becaus I speak to Protestants that condemn our infallibility , I attempt to demonstrat , their censure against the same is as rash , as they fancy our belief is ridiculous . J must also ingenuously confess , that it is part of my design , to diminish the authority of the Protestant and Prelatick writers ; but seing my arguments are taken out of their own writings , and are no other then their wilfull and vndeniable falsifications of Scripture and Fathers , I hope none that detests so horrid a crime , will condemn my Censure , or defend their credit . Whether I have bin faithfull in setting down their falsifications , I must submit to the Iudgment of my Readers , as also beg pardon for intermedling with so much of government as necessarily depends of Religion , and ought to be proportioned therunto ; our Protestant Statesmen , will not only pardon , but protect me , when they reflect vpon the impossibility there is of regulating the motions , or appeasing the mutinies of a body politik , by a faith so vncertain as that of the fallible Church of England ; or by a rule of Religion so applicable to rebellion , as the letter of Scripture is , when left to every privat mans arbitrary interpretation .