TO him that being ſatisfied in judgment of the lawfulneſs of Epiſcopal Government, doth yet conceive that the parting with it is no change of Religion, and conſequently, that the ſtanding for it at this time, when it is oppoſed, is but the preferring the intereſts of ſome inconſiderable men before the conveniences and common Wiſhes of all, I earneſtly deſire (in the Bowels of Compaſſion to my bleeding Country, and from a ſincere Paſſionate wiſh that the cure of this dangerous wound may not be an imperfect cure) to preſent ſome few ſad conſiderations, which I ſhall caſt under two heads (proportionable to the two parts of the former ungrounded ſuggeſtion) the one, That parting with the preſent Government is no change of Religion; the other, That ſtanding for it at this time, is the preferring the intereſts of ſome before the common wiſh of all, the peace of this Nation.

Concerning the former, I offer to conſideration, Firſt, whether the Government of the Church be not a conſiderable part of Religion? That it is ſo, I ſhall make appear by theſe Reaſons. 1. That Government is as neceſſary to the preſervation of the Church as Preaching the Goſpel was to the Plantation of it, and that therefore it was always the Apoſtles practice, as ſoon as ever they had converted a City or Province, or any conſiderable number of Men in it, to leave it in the hands of ſome faithful Perſons, to dreſs, tend, and water, what they had thus planted; and therefore though it were poſſible for a Chriſtian to be deprived of this benefit, and yet to remain Chriſtian (as to want ſome limbs, or to abound to monſtroſity in others, is yet reconcileable with life and being of a Man) to retain the doctrine of Chriſtianity without any Government, to be a Chriſtian in the Wall or in the Wilderneſs, a Stylita or Anachorite Chriſtian (in which caſe there is no doubt the uſe of the very Sacraments, Inſtituted by Chriſt himſelf, would not be neceſſary to Chriſtianity) yet would it be little leſs than fury for any to deſign or hope the proſperity or duration of a Church, or viſible ſociety of ſuch Chriſtians, without this grand neceſſary (though not of ſingle being, yet) of mutual preſervation, this principle not of eſſence but of continuance, without which (it is the learned Breerewood's obſervation from St. Auguſtine) that the preſervation of a Church was once by experience found to be an impoſſible thing, no other engine being able to repair the Want or Supply the place of that.

A ſecond reaſon may be drawn from the concurring pleas of all the moſt diſtant pretenders for the ſeveral Forms of Government in the Church, as well thoſe that have eſpouſed the Papal, the Presbyterial, the Independent, as thoſe which are for the preſent Engliſh Form by the King and his Biſhops, &c. all vehemently contending for the neceſſity of that Government, which they affect in the Church, and none ſo calm or modeſt in their claims, as the Aſſertors of the Engliſh Prelacy; which moderation or want of heat, is ſure one reaſon that ſo many Sons of this Church are now tempted to think Government ſo unconſiderable a thing, and ſo extrinſecal to Chriſtianity; though this thought thus grounded, be a double injuſtice, 1. In ſuſpecting that truth, for want of aſſerting, which is therefore not ſo vehemently aſſerted, becauſe it is ſuppoſed truth, 2. In encouraging heat and violence of diſputes (the greateſt plague in a Church) by ſhewing them that the Eagereſt pretenders ſhall be moſt heeded, and that meekneſs ſhall not inherit the earth, though both David and Chriſt promiſed it ſhould. A third argument may be had from the judgment of our State, which hath thought fit to make the Government of the Church matter of one of the Articles of our Religion, and ſo to joyn in honour the care of it with the care of the Doctrine, and to require as ſtrict a ſubſcription to the eſtabliſh't Government, as to the reſt of the 39. heads of Doctrine, by which you may evidently ſee, that to change the Government is to change the Doctrine, and where Doctrine and Government both are changed, can we poſſibly think the Religion to be the ſame? I ſhall add no more Proofs of this, becauſe I conceive them unneceſſary; the contrary miſapprehenſion being, as I ſuppoſe, not grounded by Arguments, but of its own accord ariſing from an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 an experiment, which many men, eſpecially perſons of quality, think they have made, that in their whole lives they never reaped any benefit from Government, never received any acceſſion or encreaſe to their ſpiritual weal from that, as from the Doctrine and Liturgy of the Church, they acknowledg to have done. To this ground of miſpriſion, as being perhaps the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the cauſe of the whole miſtake, it will not be amiſs to make ſome anſwer.

1. That many benefits we receive from Government, which we do not viſibly diſcern, and that therefore, when we diſcern our ſelves to have received ſome growth, and cannot but know that it was wrought by means, we ſhould rather confeſs our want of ſenſe or gratitude to the true means, than imagine thoſe not to have been the means, only becauſe we have not that ſenſe of them.

2. That thoſe means which have been more viſible to us, the diſpenſation of the Word and Sacraments, have been reacht out to us by the hand of Government, to which therefore we owe our acknowledgments in the ſecond place for our preſervation and growth, as to the hand of ſupreme previdence for our being or life ſpiritual.

3. That if the benefits of Government have not been really very diſcernable and notable to all, that is not yet in any juſtice to be imputed to any defect that way in Government it ſelf, to any barrennes in the nature or particular temper of it, but to ſome default (which will deſerve obſerving and reforming) in the Perſons, either of the Rulers, or of thoſe which are under rule, or of a third ſort whoſe dutie it is to be the Rulers Perſpectives and Otacouſticks, to preſent to their knowledg, the wants of inferiours, which till they are known, are not likely to be repaired. The defaults in each of theſe ſeverals are, or may be ſo many, and ſo obnoxious to common obſervation, that it will be much more reaſonable for each to reſolve to amend his part for the future, and ſo make it a buſineſs of Reformation, than to charge the defaults of Perſons to the defaming of Government, and ſo to undervalue and ſcorn what our ſins firſt, then our phanſies have defamed.

The comfort is, that it hath been the clemency as well as the ſloth or cowardice of Governours, which have deprived men of the great fruits of Government; and if it may be agreed that it is very expedient, and will be taken in good part, that Governours hereafter be more ſevere, as well as more diligent, more couragious, as well as more laborious, in uſing the Weapons of their warfare, to cut off or to cure, without any reſpect of perſons, whereſoever there is need of them; I ſhall hope this objection will then be throughly Anſwered, if as yet it be not.

A ſecond conſideration apportioned to the former head will be this, whether (ſuppoſing Government of the Church to be a conſiderable part of Religion) the change of it from Eſtabliſhed Epiſcopacy to any other (namely to that of Prebytery by many, without any Superiour over them, or as that is oppoſite to Epiſcopacy) be not a ſin againſt Religion? That it is, or will be ſo, I ſhall endeavour to convince the gainſayer by theſe ſteps or degrees of proof, which though perhaps not each ſingle, yet all being put together will, I believe, where prejudice doth not hinder, be ſufficient to doe it.

1. Becauſe this Government by Biſhops, ſuperiour to Presbyters, is of Apoſtolical Inſtitution. But this being an affirmation, as demonſtrable by Eccleſiaſtical Records, as any thing can be, or as the Canon of Scripture which we receive, is demonſtrated to be the Canon of Scripture; and in regard it hath by others been ſufficiently proved, I ſhall therefore wholly ſpare the repeating of that trouble, and add unto it. 2. That it hath the example, though not the diſtinct precept of Chriſt, who with his twelve Apoſtles, and the many other Diſciples in time of his reſidence upon Earth, ſuperiour one to the other, are the copy, of which the Biſhops, Presbyters and Deacons in the following Age, were a tranſcript, who are therefore by St. Ignatius, S. Johns Contemporary, allowed to receive honour, the Biſhops as Chriſt, the Presbyters as the Apoſtles, the Deacons as the Seventy. 3. That as far as concerns ſuperiority of one order to the other (which is ſufficient to eject the Presbytery which ſuppoſes an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or equality of all) it is Authorized by ſacred Scripture-practiſe, where it appears, Acts 1. that when Judas fell from his orbe of motion, the dignity of being one of the Twelve, is by the direction of the Spirit, and by lot beſtowed upon Matthias, who, though before a Diſciple of Chriſt, was not till then aſſumed to that dignity. Fourthly, that ſuppoſing it to be in this manner Apoſtolical, there is little colour of reaſon to doubt, but that the preſerving of it is of as great moment as many Doctrines of Chriſtianity, not only becauſe many doctrines were not ſo explicitely delivered by Chriſt, but that they needed farther explicating by the Apoſtles, (and are therefore by the Church grounded not in any words of the Goſpel, but in the Epiſtles of the Apoſtles) but alſo becauſe it was in Gods providence thought fit, that Government ſhould be ſetled not by Chriſt perſonally, but by the Apoſtles, that is mediately by Chriſt; as doctrine was by Chriſt immediately. Chriſt in his life time gives them the ground of a Church, divine truth, the word of his Father, the acknowledgment of which is the rock on which his Church is built, on this the Apoſtles are to build, and gather members, and to ſettle the whole edifice 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or ordinately, and that they may not err in that work, the Holy Ghoſt is promiſed to deſcend upon them, and Chriſt by that power of his to be with them in eminent manner, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to the end of the world. And Government being neceſſary to the ſetling, was undoubtedly thus referred and left to them by CHRIST, and ſo their Authority in inſtituting that which they inſtituted, as evidently deduced from CHRIST, as their power of Preaching what they preached, or baptiſing whom they baptiſed. And having gone thus far, I cannot but reſume my conſideration thus far made more conſiderable, and appeal to any ſober conſcience, whether it be not ſome irreligion thus to diſplace or remove that which the Apoſtles (to whom only by Chriſt it was intruſted) according to Chriſts own Samplar and Scripture-grounds, thought fit to ſettle in the Church, ſuppoſing it to be a matter of Religion which is ſpoken of, as before we proved; nay, whether if an Angel from Heaven were to be anathematized for teaching any other Doctrine than what one Apoſtle had taught, it would not be matter of juſt terrour to any that ſhould have any part in the guilt of inſtituting any other Government than that which the Appoſtles had inſtituted, eſpecially when the acts of Councels tell us, that what S. Paul denounces againſt the heterodox Angel, the Church did practiſe againſt Aerius, anathematized him for impugning this Government, which now we ſpeak of. And if ſtill the Authority of all this be blemiſht by this one exception, that this inſtitution af the Appoſtles is not affirmed in Scripture, or there commanded to poſterity to continue, and retain for ever.

To this I anſwer, by ſaying that which may be a fourth Argument to prove the irreligiouſneſs of ſuch change, That there is as much or more to be ſaid (in both thoſe reſpects, both for mention of this inſtitution in Scripture, and for Apoſtolical precept for continuing of it) for this Government, as for ſome other things whoſe chang would be acknowledged very irreligious. I will only inſtance in one, the Inſtitution of the Lords day, of which there is nothing can be ſaid to the ſetting up the Authority and immutability of it, which will not be ſaid of Epiſcopacy. A ground of it there was in nature, ſome Time to be ſet a part to the ſpecial publick ſervice of God; and the like ground there is in nature for this, that ſome Perſons ſhould be deſigned to, and rewarded for the ſpecial publick ſervice of God. A pattern of that there was among the Jews, one day in the ſeven deſigned for Gods Quotum or portion; the like pattern there is among the Jews for this; a Government by High-Prieſts, and Levites. That was an Inſtitution not of Chriſt in his life time immediately, but of his Apoſtles, after his departure inveſted with ſuch power; the like Inſtitution there is of this by the ſame Apoſtles after Chriſts Aſcenſion, directed and aſſiſted by the holy Ghoſt. The occaſion of pitching on the firſt day of the week was a ſolemn action of Chriſt his Reſurrection on that day; the occaſion of this, the ſeveral diſtinct orders in the Church in Chriſts time, Chriſts Apoſtles, Diſciples, and the manifeſt ſuperiority of him before all of them (who affirms himſelf their Lord, even when he ſpeaks of his office Miniſterial, his coming to Miniſter to them) and of the Apoſtles before the Diſciples, as even now was ſhewed. The mention of that was found once in the Revelation diſtinctly, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Lords day, and twice or thrice in equipollent terms, the firſt day of the week; and the mention of Epiſcopacy is as clear, the Angel of the Church of Epheſus, &c. in the Revelation (which hath been cleared by irrefragable evidence to belong to this matter) and the Ruling Elder in S. Paul, that muſt have double honour, and Titus left in Crete to ſet in order the things that were wanting, and to ordain Elders in every Church; and many other more clear mentions of the ſerveral titles and officies of Biſhop, Preſhyter, and Deacon, than there is of the name and duties of the Lords day. The obſcure mentions of that in Scripture were explained in the writings and Stories of the firſt age of the Church, particularly in the Epiſtiles of Ignatius, and the obſcurities of the Sacred Texts concerning Epiſcopacy, are as clearly explicated and unfolded by the ſame Ignatius even in every one of thoſe Epiſtles of his which Vedelius (as great an enemy of this Order as Geneva hath produced any) after his fiery tryal of that Author hath acknowledged to be his. The uſe of that continued from the Apoſtles time (though not univerſally till the Jewiſh Sabbath was fairly laid a ſleep) till theſe days in the univerſal Church, and all perticular Churches, that we read of; and the like uſe and practiſe of this continued univerſall without any exception from the Apoſtles time, till this day in the univerſal Church, as that ſignifies the Eaſtern and the Weſtern Church, and in each particular Church, till about this laſt Century, and in this of ours from the plantation of the Goſpel till this day. Theſe are paralleſs enough to even the ballance (and I profeſs to know no one more which might weigh it down on that ſide) and to make it now ſeaſonable to demand, whether it would not be thought an act contrary to Religion (whether that ſignifies Chriſtian Piety, or meekneſs, or awe, to all that is Sacred) for any particular National Church or part thereof, without any more warrant then is now offered for this preſent change, to remove the ſervice of God from the Lords day to any other day in the week, (which ſure is as ſmall a differnce, as that betwixt Presbyterial and Epiſcopal Government can by any be conceived to be) or inſtead of our firſt day of the week to ſet apart either an eight, or a ſixt day, and ſo to change that Apoſtolical inſtitution. If that ſeem ſtrange, or be ſtartled at, as unfit to be ventured on, or yielded to, I ſhall deſire the ſame plea may be entred for this, and that conſcience may be ſecured, that either both are lawfull, or that the difference is clear, and the advantage on the Lords days ſide, or that it may be reſolved that this is unlawfull as well as that.

A fift Argument will be this, That the making (or yielding to) this change, will be a ſcandal (very worthy to be conſidered) in them that ſo yield, toward thoſe which oppoſe this Government as unlawful; for this yielding will be an appearing acknowledgement, that their contrary Pretentions are true, and ſo a confirming them in their errour (which is no light one, but the ſame for which Aerius was, and any other appoſer would certainly have been anathematized, and turned out of the Catholick Church for an Heretick,) which is one ſpecial kind of Scandalizing or occaſioning the fall of our Brethren, and withall a nouriſhing them in their uncharitable opinion not only of us, but of the ancient Fathers of the Church, (who were all Antichriſtian if this be ſo) which is another cauſing my Brother to offend: nay a kind of countenancing that unchriſtian (am ſure unproteſtant) Doctrine, of the lawfulneſs of taking up Arms, againſt lawfull Superiours and Eſtabliſht Lawes, and propagating our opinions in Religion by that means, which perchance ſome may be betrayed to by this example, others brought to believe conſentaneous to Proteſtant Doctrine, if they which are thus guilty be thus gratified; which as it were a change in our Doctrine, if it were really acknowledged, ſo is it, in this reſpect, another act of Scandall, if it thus aprear to be acknowledged, and that which would make any Heathen Prince unwilling to embrace our Religion, if this diſloyal perſwaſion were conceived to be a part of it.

A ſixt Argument (which to me is of no ſmall force) I will yet but name, and refer it to others to conſider of, That no man is a Prieſt, or lawfully ordained Miniſter of any Chriſtian Church, but he that is called and ſent by God; that there is now no way in this Kingdome, to have that calling or miſſion duly but from Biſhops, who are the only perſons who have their power of Ordaining others, given to them in their aſſumption to that Order by thoſe who had it before, and can drive it from the Apoſtles, who had it immediatly from Heaven: and whatſoever other power a Prieſt or Preſhyter may be thought or ſaid to have common with a Biſhop, it is yet the conſtant judgment of the univerſal Church for 1500, years, that this of Ordination is not competible to one or more bare Presbyters without a Biſhop, and it will be eaſie to ſatisfie any reaſonable man in whatſoever may be produced of ſound, or probability to the contrary: and therefore if any Office, or Order, or Miniſtry in the Church be conſiderable, this which is the ſtanding well-head and ſpring of all the other, muſt be thought ſo alſo.

Having premiſed theſe Arguments of ſo much weight, ſufficient to ſupport the burthen deſigned to them, I ſhall add, ex abundante ſome inferior ones (though they amount not ſo far, as alone of themſelves to conclude it direct irreligion, yet to add to the former heap ſome aggravations. As,

1. That to yield to this change, is to diſclaim thoſe bleſſed means of Gods providence which brought us to our Baptiſme, to all our ſpiritual life and growth that we have attained to, and that is a great ingratitude to that Government.

2. It is an act of pride and inſolency, to prefer any ſcheme of humane and modern invention before that which the Apoſtles, the Primitive, and (for ſo many years) the Ʋniverſal Church had authorized, and therefore I could almoſt adventure to believe, that the framers of the Covenant had obliged themſelves ſecretly to maintain Epiſcopacy by putting in thoſe words, [the beſt Reformed Churches] that I might eſcape thinking them ſo inſolent as to prefer any Churches before thoſe, which they cannot but know have uſed Epiſcopacy.

3. It ia a great tempting of Gods providence, in not being contented with that Form which hath proſpered ſo happily with us, and the whole Chriſtian World, (though ſubject (as all that is humane, or mixt with fleſh, is even the very grace of God in us) to be abuſed) any putting it to the adventure, whatſoever inconveniences the next may be ſubject to. Of the inconveniences that Preſbytery doth infallibly bring along with it, and the unreconcilableneſs of them with Monarchical Government in the State, ſufficient evidences have been given; and if there were no other but this, that the endeavouring to bring it in at this time hath brought this tempeſt and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 upon this Kingdom, and that this hath been but the general conſequent of that Government, whereſoever it hath but begun to heave, caſting out Peace, and obedience to lawful Authority together, it would well deſerve to have this mark of reprobation or non-election ſet upon it, if it were but for this, that the proſperity of ſuch attempts ſhould not encourage others to the like. This and the like inconveniences are of ſuch weight, that for men to be willing to exchange the certain benefits of the one, for the uncertain advantages and ſtrongly probable calamities of the other is a ſin, that may provoke and tempt God to puniſh them yet further with greater and unexpected curſes, and therefore may deſerve in 'its place to be conſidered.

4. It is an act of infidelity and practical Atheiſme for thoſe eſpecially who being convinced with the former reaſons to acknowledg any irreligion or ſin in ſuch change) to ſacrifice any thing to our own preſent conveniences, to make any change in ſacred matters meerly out of intuition of our own ſecular advantages; Atheiſme, in thinking that God cannot as eaſily blaſt that convenience ſo acquired, as thoſe many which came more directly to our hands; and infidelity, or diſtruſt, in thinking that God will not in his time give thoſe conveniences and advantages (if they be ſuch indeed) by means perfectly lawful, which now we covet by unlawful. To which might be added the wants and omiſſions of thoſe duties of confeſſion of Chriſt, in not defending and ſtanding to thoſe truths which we are convinced to be ſuch, in time of their being oppugned and perſecuted; ſelf-denial, in not depoſiting our own carnal ſecular aims and intereſts, and of taking up the Croſs, in not ſuffering willingly and cheerfully when it lies in our way to the preforming of any act of obedence to Chriſt. But I would not inlarge to theſe, but • nly conclude this proof with a fift difficulty of ſeparating ſin from changes, when they are great, and in matters of weight: It is the wiſe mans advice that occaſioned this obſervation, My Son, fear thou the Lord and the King, and meddle not with them which are given to changes: The changes are ſure changes in Government, and thoſe are named indefinitely, without any reſtraint, and the very medling with them that are inclined to ſuch, is oppoſed both to Piety and Loyalty, Fearing of God and the King.

I have done with the conſiderations proportioned to the firſt part of the ſuggeſtion. I proceed to the view of the ſecond part of it, and there the conſideration ſhall be only this, whether,

The change of this Government, be not a common intereſt of all, as well as of thoſe who are now Clergy-men. That it is ſo, may appear probable, becauſe the revenue or honours which belong to them in Government are not the ſole, or main part of Govenrment; there is a weight and office, which our forefathers thought worthy to be encouraged and rewarded with thoſe payments, and if any man ſhall think them ill proportioned, I ſhall not doubt to tell him S. Chriſoſtomes judgment, that the burthen of a Biſhop was formidable, even to an Angell to undergo, and if the corruptions of latter times be affirmed to have changed that ſtate of things, I anſwer: that the reſtoring Epiſcopacy to its due burthen as well as reputation, were a care worthy of reformers, and it is ſo far from my deſire that any ſuch care ſhould be ſpared, that it is now my publick ſolemn Petition both to God and Man, that the power of the keys, and the exerciſe of that power, the due uſe of confirmation, and (previous to that) examination, and tryall of youth, a ſtrict ſearch into the manners and tempers, and ſufficiencies of thoſe that are to be admitted into holy Orders, and to be licentiate for publick Preachers, the viſitation of each Pariſh in each Dioceſs, and the exerciſe of Church-diſcipline upon all offenders; together with painfull, mature and ſober Preaching and Catechizing, ſtudies of all kinds, and parts of Theological Learning, Languages, Controverſies, Writings of the Schools and Caſuiſts, &c. be ſo far taken into conſideration by our Law-makers and ſo far conſidered in the collating of Church-preferments and dignities, ſo much of Duty required of Clergie-men, and ſo little left arbitrary or at large, that every Church-preferment in this Kingdom may have ſuch a due burthen annexed to it, that no ignorant perſon ſhould be able, no lazy or luxurious perſon willing or forward to undergoe it. And if this might be thus deſigned, I ſhould then reſolve, that the direct contrary to the fore-mentioned ſuggeſtions would be truth, that the ſetling and continuing of this preſent Government would prove the common intereſt of all, and only the burthen of thoſe few that have thoſe painfull offices aſſigned them; and leaſt any may think this word a boaſt (which I can ſafely venture with the world at this time, and not have reaſon to fear a ſurpriſal, or being taken at my word) I ſhall venture another offer in the name of my brethern of the Clergy? (not that I have took their particular Votes, but that I perſwade my ſelf ſo far of their Piety.) That rather than the Glory ſhould thus depart from Iſrael, by the Philiſtines taking the Ark of the Lord, laying waſt this flouriſhing Church of ours, or tranſforming it into a new guiſe, every one ſingle of us, that have any poſſeſſions or titles worthy any mans envy or rapine, and ſo are thought now by our own intereſts to have been bribed or fee'd Advocates in this cauſe, may forthwith be deprived of all that part of the Revenues of the Church wherein we are legally inveſted; and he that ſhall not cheerfully reſigne his part in the preſent proſperity of the Church, on the meer contemplation and intuition of the benefit that may now, and after his life redound to others, let him have the guilt of Achans wedge laid on him, and the charge of being diſturber of the State. I hope we have learnt to want as well as to abound and to truſt God (that can feed the young Ravens when the old have expoſed them) for the feeding of us, and our families, though all our preſent means of doing it were taken from us. If this may ſerve turne to ſatisfie the thirſt of thoſe that gape, and the ſuſpicions of thoſe that look unkindly on us, we offer to free you from all blame of Sacriledg, or oppreſſion, or injuſtice (from one of which, no other means imaginable can free a change of Government by our own voluntary Ceſſion or reſignation, as far as our perſonal intereſts reach: and ſhall think the Peace of this State, and continued proſperity of this Church, a moſt glorious purchaſe, moſt cheaply bought, if it be had upon ſuch terms as theſe. And if the Function it ſelf, with the neceſſary adjuncts to it, be not ſwept a way in the calamity, we ſhall be perfectly pleaſed whatſoever befall our Perſons, and deſire, that tryall may be made of the Ingenuity of Clergy-men, whether we have not thus far profited under Gods rod, as to be willing to yield to any poſſible propoſition (which will bring no guilt of ſin upon our conſciences) towards the averting the judgments of Heaven, which are now (I wiſh I might ſay for our ſins only) moſt ſadly multiplyed upon this Land.