I Am perswaded that whosoever shall cast a ju­dicious eye upon the present state, and condi­tion of Affaires in this KINGDOME; and shall examine the cause of the unhapy Distractions, and Distempers that raigne in it; will soone discerne that they have their spring and nourishment, rather from spirituall, than from temporall interests, for that in this latter, all the Subjects of this KINGDOME concurring, and agreeing in the same ends, it is but one worke to satisfie every single mans desire; when the Liberty of mens persons, the propriety of their goods, and their being governed by the Lawes of the Kingdome is secured; every mans heart will be at quiet (for what concerneth temporall regards) [Page 2] and in securing and satisfying one man, the whole Kingdome, and each single man it, is likewise thereby contented and se­cured.

But the differing interests between men in spirituall re­gards, cannot so easily be reconciled by any obligatory san­ctions or determinations; For that which may stand with the liking of one party, cannot be hoped to be allowed of by [...]he Adverse; but rather we may believe, that since there are many severall perswasions among eminent men (yea all men in this Kingdom; It cannot be expected, but that the satis­faction of one, must needs carry along with it the displease of all [...]he rest; And this discrepance of opinions, being in a busin [...]sse of the highest concernment that can be (as import­ing no lesse then every mans eternall happinesse or misery) it must needs follow; that whil'st any party is in Jealousie, or apprehensi [...] of the others getting the advantage, so as to impose their Doctrine and practice upon consciences go­verned b [...] different Principles; there cannot choose but be nourished in their mindes a great alienation of their affecti­ons one from another; and a strugling of each side to get the mastering hand; And a distrust and su [...]pition of each others actions; so as whiles every one striveth to put his Adversary into a condition of not being able to hurt him, the whole frame of the Common-wealth is weakned, and disjoynted by each Members drawing and pressing a severall way; It were to be wished that the cure of this disease, might be effected by bringing into one fold all the sheepe, that beare the Marke of our supreame Shepheard Christ, and have given their names to be Souldiers in his Militia. But si [...]ce this is a blessing rather to be wished, than hoped for (mens appre­hensions being so various: And the principles depending of them, whereby they governe themse [...]ves, being so different, that they are not easily to be reconciled.)

[Page 3] The next remedy of the present inconveniences, surely is to provide that they may not destroy one another; but eve­ry party being at ease, and contented within themselves, in those affaires that regard God and their owne Consci­ences, and being secured from any encroaching or pressures upon them that way, they may then with unanimity and comfort, joyne all their endeavours together for promo­ting, and advanceing their temporall emoluments.

Which course certainly is not onely the most judicious, and the most prudent in humane wisedome; But is also the most pious, and the most godly in Divine respects, nay, to doe the contrary, were most impious and wicked; for since it is cleare, that no man could be so much an Enemy to him­selfe, as to undergoe present and evident inconveniences for matters of Religion, if his conscience did not assure him that God required it at his hands, and that it is no lesse then a matter of damnation, wilfully to deny his obedience to his maker, the great God of Heaven and Earth, and to give it to human power, It cannot therfore be denyed, but that it is a high impiety for any power to force another unto what he beleiveth to be sacrilegious and damnable, and extream cruelty and tyranny, to punish one for doeing what in his conscience he is clearely convinced, is the only best; mans reason cannot be forced by outward violence; all that can be expected from such a course, is to have weake mindes through humane frailty become Hypocrites; for this is un­denyable, what is not of faith is sinne, yea it comes neere that sinne against the Holy Ghost, if that sinne be to doe in the Worship of God contrary to the expresse dictamens of their owne conscience.

The Tenor of Gods proceedings in propagating Religi­on is quite different from this inhumane course; he hath power to ruine, and destroy in a moment, those that shall be [Page 2] [...] [Page 3] [...] [Page 4] refractory to his Lawes; yet he imposeth no feare or con­straint upon any man; he disposeth all things sweetly, and leaveth every man in this World, the freedome of his owne choyce proceeding therein as stands with Iustice, and the truth of God, with the Councell of his will and nature of his Decree determined, that is not without Christ the satisfa­ction of his Iustice, nor yet without free consent of the crea­ture, which is by his owne grant a free power in nature, un­compellable, especially by humane power; God accepteth onely the free giver, he rejecteth the worship of them that unwillingly pay it him, nor will he let them goe with Gide­on to fight his battell, that have more mind to stay at home.

We may then safely conclude, that since true Religion is a supernaturall thing, and a meere gift of God, not possible to be forced into mens soules by humane compulsion; The establishing of it in mens mindes ought wholly to be left un­to his Divine wayes of working and planting it, for it is an effect that floweth from a supernaturall principle of grace, which worketh upon our hearts, by those inscrutable paths that none but God can tread: Let us then take heed of intruding our unworthy sickles into his harvest, lest with Ʋzziah, we be in this life or the next, stricken dead for presuming to prop up his Arke unwarrantably.

But that it may appeare yet more evident, how unfit it is to make coercive Lawes for Religion, and mens Consci­ences, let us consider how unagreeable such a proceeding is aswell to reason, as to the rules of Gods wisedome and goodnesse; those that make such Lawes are men: who sup­posing them never so good, and never so wise, yet as long as they are men, they are still lyable to errour; and all their Ordinances may be defective: we finde no spirt of infallibi­lity promised to humane consultations; Amongst the Apo­stles, Peter was found reprehensible; even after receiving [Page 5] the holy Ghost, and as great confirmation and riveting in faith and piety, as humane nature is capable of: if then any misapprehension, or mistaking should creep into their Councells, and their Orders or Lawes thereupon prove er­roneous, and unwarrantable; how lamentable a case were it, that the godly tender-hearted that are in the right (as they must be that oppose them) should suffer either in per­sons, or Estates, for adhereing to truth and Iustice.

Certainly the rule which Christ prescribeth of giving to Caesar those things which are Caesars, and to God what is his, doth fully determine this point, and setteth a period to all further questions about it; Reverence, Duty, and Obedi­ence in temporall matters belong to the civill Magistrate, and whosoever shall breake the tye of civill Society, let him suffer for it, by the hand of humane Iustice; But to take Gods owne peculiar worke out of his hand, let no man pre­sume: He onely hath the flood-gates of Grace in his power; he onely can speake to our hearts, and from his whispers and instructions onely can true Religion be derived. To his infinite goodnesse then, let that taske be wholly re­ferred; It is our part to pray, and use such other helpes for the instructing of others as God hath directed in his word, but his onely with power to effect it.

But peradventure you will aske then, whether the godly may use no weapon against those that have a spirituall War with them by being different in their Iudgement, & practice? yes surely (if it be sinfull) they may use that weapon which God hath put into their hand to sight with in this Cause; It is aspitituall weapon, and therfore proportionable to a spiri­tuall conflict; Let wicked persons and unbelievers bee cut off from the rest of the Church, by the sword of excommu­nication, not from the world by the Sword of Justice: for that is directly contrary to the Apostles rule.

In this particular, where he appointeth the use of excom­munication, and telleth the Church, they must with pati­ence expect repentance and amendment from such offen­ders; which expectance being ordained by the Holy Ghost, surely it must be a great impiety, to disobey this Divine Constitution, and presse further by any impious zeale, to extirpate by civill power those plants, that are blasted by a spirituall breath; so that the result of this discourse is, that it cannot be hoped, that any Kingdome or State, should be hap­py, or flourish under Gods blessing, untill all mens hearts are united together, and made to concurre joynely, and una­nimously, in advanceing the temporall interests of it, by eve­ry mans being secured, and quieted in the possession of his spirituall ones, which can be done no way but by free­dome in matters of Religion; wherein though a certaine tenor of Faith and forme of Divine Worship be agreed of, and established in generall for those that have their consci­ences, moulded that way; yet others, that cannot yeild their assent thereunto, may to themselves enjoy the freedome of their conscienes as long as they do nothing to interrupt the civill society.

And if any worldly man, that taketh a scantling of the wayes of God by a humane measure, should apprehend that such a toleration (as men call it) might in tract of time suffer a false Doctrine to take so deepe roote, as at length it may grow so strong, and spread so wide, that the now preva­lent party may in the end be put to the worst, and when they are growne to be the weakest side, may not be treat­ed with such moderation as is now desired at their hands.

All which may appeare possible enough (saith he) to who­soever shall consider, how without carefull weeding, the best corne will soone be choaked up with thistles, and such other perverse excrescences of depraved nature.

I shall but desire him to examine seriously and calmely, in the particular progresse that must bee allowed to such a turne, how improbable, or rather impossible it is; And not content himselfe, with a specious objection, drawne from generalls, that in their due sense are true; but are wrested in their application to this purpose, let him consider, how unlikely it is that falshood should prevaile against truth (for so he conceiveth it) when it carrieth with it no bias of hu­mane advantage, to warpe mens mindes that way: number, power and reputation, is yet of his side, what should after­wards supplant it? what invitements, or allurements, hath the other, to bewitch men to forsake Divine truth, to their temporall prejudice? for all the advantage the other can boast of, is but impunity. It is discountenanced, they have power, are not cherishing Fathers, nor nurceing Mo­thers to it; It hath no weapons to fight with; it must wre­stle naked against the others advantagious Armes, so remote a Providence then, or rather such a distrust, argueth some secret consciousnesse of inward deficiency and weaknesse, and then, why should they not conclude with Gamaliel, that if the Doctrine, whose progresse they apprehend be of God, it is not in their Power, nor of all mankind together to hin­der the growth of it?

But if they believe it false, and are firmely perswaded of the perfection and verity of their owne; they should not doubt, but that God who made the Aegyptian Magicians stickes breake in pieces at their Encounter, with Aarons rod, And that made Dagon fall to the ground at the ap­proach of the Arke, and that consumed Baals Priests with sire, When they stood Competition with his true Prophet, will also unmaske the Counterfeit beauties of a false Reli­gion, when it raiseth it selfe agaist the true one, and hath no support of temporall Advantages, to underprop it.

[Page 8] Now that which I draw from the former grounds, and upon which I conclude the truth of my conceit, is, that as it doth in every part singularly well agree with it selfe, so no way thwarting, but agreeing also most fully with these seven things, viz. Election, Predestination, Grace, Faith, Redemption, Religion, and with God. and that with se­ven things in the nature of God, viz. his infinite Essence or Law of his omnipotent power; his excellent wisedome, his wonderfull Goodnesse, his free love, his exact Iustice, his unspeakeable mercy, and his unfaylable truth, all which may be declared in their place.