Clear and Protestant Manifesto

ECCLESIA ANGLICANA, Or Dartons Clear & Protestant Manifesto.

A Ntipater King of Macedon, being presented with a Treatise of happiness: and that most sublime, and for his contemplation, answered the Philosopher, the composer of so sweet a pandect, (notwithstanding the superexcellency, and rarity of such a transcendentall System,) Ego non sumotiousus, I am not at leisure, &c.

And truly Sir, I read of Felix, (as bad or worse, and therefore merited the most hideous and dismal character, of a most extreme, unhappy man, that he did most incomparably dishonor the glory, of that his place and function, when after that S. Paul had made his heart to tremble, with his Gospel-Logfek; yet to do the Jews a pleasure, would needs leave him bound. Act. 24. 27. Application S ^r , I shall make none at present,

For if the innumerabilitie of your warlike actions, and your exceedingly preoccupated time and leisure, be so extraordinarily preingaged, with necessitated militaries, as that they cannot seasonably admit of a little view upon so small a tender, I shall sorrowingly doom these my paper overtures, (which indeed ate but a naked prologue, or an innocent and a conscientious Apology, for the sincere preaching of the pure word of happiness) to be a very Apocrypha with your more then serioas negotiations, and myself a nothing.

However Sir, leave not Paul bound. Oh let not your unusual power to that, scare Christ's holy ambassadors, into an unwilling slothfulness, and like wether beaten Mariners, enforce them to run aground the now wrackit and torn Constantine of all their indefatigable studies, upon the barren sands, of most hateful and contemptible silence, when rather with a promised sun-shine, most radlantly beaming forth from your new enlightened Zodiac, (liberty of conscience in God's service, being a kind of an Elisium here, in your judgment▪) they should launch out into religions deep, for the discoveries of God's wonders there.

Truly S ^r , the Temple doors of the perishing Law, were always open upon God's holy Sabbaths, and shall the Gospelo gates in these illuminated days of yours, be secured and shur up, with a seeming Evangelical Percullis, and the preaching sword?

Certainly, S ^r Peters faith Sir, is far more considerable, and of a greater unproportionable value and consequence, then Aaron's holiest of holies, & the dispensation of the Gospel, then the promulgation of the Law. Now Sir, if that the Temple of the Jews (which indeed was but a mere type, and shadow as I conceive, of our Gospelline Protestant Church, and which is as we usually say, in the West, namely at her sun-set and gone) I say if that this Temple was free, and open for, and to all religions sacrificers, shall S. Peters Church in the East, and S. Thomas in the West, be irreligiously barracaded, and lockup from Christ's painful GosPellers?

Oh remember Sir, that most holy expression of the most holy spirit in this very case provided, [to wit,] The Ministration of the Gospel must exceed in glory now, since the ministration of the Law was most glorious then.

And again Sir, tis most infallibly true, and beyond all contradiction, that should some most holy and most piously minded men (who in my conscience, rather then they will turn Apostates, and for swear themselves, will endure, were it possible, a thousand deaths for their conscience sake) I say, should such most orthodox and most profound Divines be coercivelie tongue-tied, and unchristianly constrained (in this age of pretended liberty, to lie irreligiously kenneld up amongst the most abhominable litters of our unpreaching dumb dogs, and S. Paul's most holy obedientialls, and S. Peters most holy supreme subjection (two special garlands of the Gospel's peace) would consumption themselves into a mere Anatomy, and that rare gift and grace of God, so much spoken of through the whole * scriptu • es, and beyond all the sacrifices of our actings and pretensions, would dwindle away, and be clean forgotten.

Many Sir, I confess of our own cloth and calling, and more too than a good number, do preach, tis true, and that out of season as well as in, but what do they preach? Is it Christ, and him crucified? Is it the Gospels golden rule? [ qua mensura, quo judicio? Mat. 7. 2. With what judgment you judge you shall be judged, and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again. Do they preach that? Or do they press this home unto the erroneous conscience? and apply this, oh this sacred cataplasme unto the poor and weak and extremely wounded soul?

Oh Sir, they dare not so much as once harp upon that dissonant, that ear-tingling, and con • ounding string to them, seeing with Ahab they have taken possession, and Naboth is dead and gone; I mean their unperjur'd and incomparably learned Betters either dead or as bad or worse, that is to say, in plain English, Dispossest, and out of doors a begging.

No, no Sir, their preaching, I mean the aspiring labors of some of our Diotrepheses, and (as you clearly ken already) is to preach themselves into power and government, into an authority (I dare be bold were but Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction their desired freehold) that hath an intended capacity, not only to correct the scepter, were it in Caesars hand, but to cramp the soldier too in his greatest victories; though of late years, tis confessed, the huge and unlimited bug-bear (as they said) of prelaricall jurisdiction, was the only tyrant that they seemingly covenanted against, whereas a little before with their most learned and then authorized several Diocesans, they swore directly to maintain it.

Such men's innumerous pretensions Sir, to that superexcellent, and so so much talkit of enjoyment, of a most holy Reformation, are most discernably apparent to be nothing more, than Sir Thomas Moors Vtopia, ot at the best, but like a Scottish Decoy, or a Geneva▪ like stalking Horse, whereby they may entrap the bird, with the more facility and approbation.

The Independant party Sir, in my hearing, & to my knowledge as well as Royalists Nauseate already at such conceived insupportable pressures, and I really dare say, rather than their rigid careere, of domineering like universal Popes, (though in show, but little Foxes) should have its full swing, and implantation, would turn Episcopists [contra Gentes,] and keep holy day with a Lirurgy.

Oh dear Sir, you yourself can sufficiently Rhetoric, what an unparalleled plague it is, and an infandous curse and misery, for our Antiepiscopists (who once cried so much against Popery, as that the very clothes we wore upon our backs, and the very meat that went into our mouths, were stigmatiz'd to come either from the whores Wardrop, or from Rome's Kitchen) that they should take upon them now to govern, (I will not say to tyrannize ovet) the weak and tender consciences of most pious and conscientious Christians; (a practice most exteamly prejudicial, (as they onee asserted, and obnoxious to the whole body of Divinity,) and more then that, Most insultingly to compel the broken in heart, to the strict observation of such innovations of theirs, in the very service of God, which God himself doth anathamatize, in holy scriptures, and good souls abominate.

Truly Sir, for your own part (and give me leave to publish it, without slatterie) you have had (since my late being in Oxford, and that from a general vote both amongst scholars and Citizens too) the general applause, for and to be of so much civility and mildness, to everybody, as that we are in good hopes, that liberty of conscience shall not be made a Mock-beggar. Alas Sir, is it not a shame of shames, that the professors of piety should more obstruct it, then promote it? and impede the servants of the everliving God from the hearing of the word of truth? What and if some congregations be thin▪ and others are thronged with multitudes, ought holy men therefore to be offended at the publication of the word and sacraments? What and if the people desire to be edified by a Pastor of their own election, shall therefore that way of serving God, be proscribed for malignant? What if some of our highly exalted Sermonists be not affected as they desire to be, do you therefore judge it meet, that they should have a Monopoly, upon Divinity? and a Monopoly upon Churches? & a Monopoly upon men's consciences?

Farthermore, what and if some scandalized for delinquency, have both the Universities and the Cities audience, is it therefore either sound Logic or Religion, that evil eyes should be their censurers, because theirs are good? Truly Sir, I remember the Psalmists dictate is, how that God gave the word, and great was the company of the preachers, and is it fit then, or consentaneous to religions equipage (I appeal to your own conscience for indicature) that man should give a word to the contrary, whereby great must be the company of the silenced? Sir, tis heresy, or blasphemy, or treason, or sedition, or scismaticall faction, or an irreligious, and profane, and most scandalous conversation, that should incense Moses against Aaron, and cause him to put him by▪ that he should not offer the bread of his God. It is not the love of the people, or the greatness of our Congregations, or the flocking of the University, or the numerous resorting of the City, for their souls health; that should be a bar to any holy duty. God's people have great cause to Joy, the more that the Lord is sought after, and when that the fear of the Lord is pressed unto men's consciences, and the conversion of the poor soul sincerely aimed at, oh how should you even you rejoice to be even where such and such things are acted in all godliuesse, and sobriety?

Truly Sir, tis the glory of God, and the advance of Christ's holy incarnation, and his most satisfactory death and passion, and the flourishing of the blessed Gospel, and the Protestant faith, and the peace and preservation of this embroiled kingdom, that we daily preach up and pray for, and should any depraving natures (whose mere life is lying, palliating their deceitful words, with the false and counterfeit dress of pretended holiness) inform the contrary, we stand upon our justification, and most heartily implore their pardon.

But put case (Governor) that malicious tongues besmeare us, because that the University and City do frequent our Auditoriest put case their seats are empty, when ours are superabundantly replenishit, and that the generality of the kingdom, thirst after their endeared protestancy: What? shall therefore the house of prayer want her Angels to declare God's messages, and the people of the parish be like the multitude in the Wilderness? Mark. 6. 34. absit.

Oh Sir, let neither injurious informations, nor any prejudicare opinion anticipate your certain knowledge, or corrupt your opinion or understanding, or judgment about my sermons, that I preached of late in public.

For certainly had I preached them before the Parliament, or Army, or Kingdom, as I did at S. Peters in the East, and I should not have varied one Tittle in the whole contexture, but sHould have delivered the very same doctrines, and in the very same precise terms, as I did then entirely. And besides Sir, should God's all seeing providence destine me your ears Apollos as that I had but opportunity to speak home unto the conscience, and I am really confident your choice palate in Divinity, would never a whit disrellish our spiritual cookery, sithence wedish up before God's people nothing but his own quail and Manna, and how ready still he is to broch his spiritual Horeb, for the satisfaction of our spiritual thirstings.

Believe it Sir, we preach not our own inventions, we daub not the people over with untemper'd mortar, we are no weather-cocks in Church, or out of Church, we stand to our first principles, and we abhor as much as we do even Hell it self, to divine lies, saying thus saith the Lord, when the Lord never spake it.

That which we publicly remonstrate before God and the holy Angels, and before God's own people and his congregations, is the most holy breathings of God's own most holy spirit and not of ours, the most sacred rule of his own most blessed will and pleasure, and not of ours, the most holy character of his own eternal justice, and not our unrighteous babblings, & the most indeleable Magna Carta, or Court Roule, of his own Saints and servants most incomparable benedictions, and not the naked ordinances of our most vain imaginations.

Seriously Sir, we would most gladsomely (and in the very integrity of our hearts be it spoken) and with a most willing alacrity, show ourselves to be the most luminating lights of the world, did we not most unhappily here and there meet with some certain extinguishers, that have a delight to darken us, and to quite snuff us out. Again we would painfully plough up the most rocky and the fallow fields of this unto ward and crooked generation, were we not muzzled when we should tread out the corn. We would most cheerfully prove ourselves to be the salt of the earth, were we not most uncharitably deemd to be unsavorie, & thrown out unto the dunghill.

In a word Sir, were there not some of our own cloth and calling of Aesop’s dogs disposition, that neither would eat hay himself nor suffer the poor horse to do it, and without all scruple or controversy, there would not be a Church in this Kingdom, but would be furnished with her preaching Angel; whereas now oh tell me (dear Sir) what a number both in London, and in York, & in the Universities (which is a foul shame, and a reproach especially) and in Worcester and in Gloucester, and in all cities and counties of the Kingdom, that are quite destitute of God's holy word, and Sacraments.

Now truly Sir, when most sadly and serious • y I dive into some thoughts for such accustomed practices, and that my most grieved soul makes an exact entrance into the narrow disquisition, and consideration of so great a famine, of so many Church doors shut up, so many parishes without a pastor, and of such a scantness or scarcity of most holy preaching in many places; and the original cause I find at length thus, Some of our famous pulpit men, whose greatest learning is to get into the [Learneds Livings] are so covetous and for filthy lucre, as that they account it an undervaluing for them to lend an ear, to the low mufique of those Bels, that ring not two hunder'd pounds, or a hunder'd a year at least, whereby we easily perceive that where the Benefice is small, and the Tythes in an Impropriators pocket, there the church doors must be sealed up, rather than they will officiate there, and the people turned agrazing without Sacraments seven years together.

We Sir now for our parts, who are not ashamed of our bonds, who patiently undergo at present, and with God's assistance shall for the future too, all crosses for the cross of Christ, that without repining, submit to the loss of all things, for the testimony of a good conscience here, valuing the crown of glory, far beyond the whole masle of vanity, oh take notice Sir, that we do so long to perform our functions in the dispensation of God's holy word, as that we thirstingly covet after the erecting of God's holy Tabernacle, though we bring but Goats hair to the building of it, and rather Sir, then we will show ourselves such ungospelline trivants, as to stand all the day idle, when we should sweat for it God's vineyard; be confident, and full assured, that we will into the high ways, and hedges, that God's feast may be full, and labor that all may have the wedding garment, and that none may become speechless.

The lyme-twiggs of preferment Sir, hang not about our heels, we set more by the Lord's small and little flock, then by the worlds richest and biggest fleece; Judas his thirty pieces cannot make us to betray our Master, nor Achan's stolen wedg tempt us to forsake our God. When we light into Pharohs thralldom, we are fain to make brick without stubble, and when we speak against Herod's lust our heads must be dauncit off next. Miserie and calamity are entayl'd upon our Ministry, and tis as homogenious Sir, to that christianity we profess, for to take our cross willingly, as to follow our most blessed Savior cheerfully.

All that we desire in this world, is that we may preach the word most purely, for such as preach Christ out of envy, will be most grievous losers by it in the end. When our Churches are ingrost by our superintendants, we resolve the fields and the high ways shall be our pulpits next, and truly sir, rather then we will be negligent in the service of the everliving God, or persunctorily desert the most pious and laudable execution of our most high and holy calling, we will to the sea shore, that the very waves may roar out our painfulness, and the unstable waters attest our integrity and perseverance.

Means we look not after, for that is scarce enough for our Ecclesiastic reformers, and for those that study our goods; that which must support us, us I say, in particular, will be the uncertain revenue from cold charities exchequer, either at the Church door, or elsewhere; for now Wicklifs old doctrine is revived anew again (to wit) Our salarie must be alms in poverty.

But dear sir, tell me, I beseech you, what you think is become of the pluralities that once our Diotrepheses cried down for antichristian? What think you? are they not [ in rerum natura. are they dead and gone? Do not our Calvinistical Directors pretend to those sacred morsels as much right as once the Mitre did, or the surplisse, or the Dean & Chapters power?

Truly sir, their holiness I will warrant you, can most gree dily swallow such sweet bits as these, without any sin at all in them, thought was a deadly crime in others, and in an high de gree abhominable.

And again▪ sir, their▪ works they know to be so superabundantly meritorious, having a saintlike propriety to all the good things of the earth, as that in point of preferment they conceive they may spotlesly parle amongst themselves▪ [viz.] And why not that? And why not more?

Now I will not say sir, good luck have they with their honor, or ride on still, because of the word of truth; for truly, they ride on too fast, and Jehu like, drive on too furiously & therefore my Christian oblation to my God for them shall be, that they may conscientiously lay to heart their former oaths and undertakings, as once Aaron did his, after that (to please the people) he had polluted himself with his moulten Calf, Ex. 32

But alas and thrice alas, why do I trouble you, you, you sir, with these solicismes, & mere impertinencies? It is the church door at S. Peters in the East, that I so vehemently knock at, & that I woutd have open to all believers both in the University City and Country. Oh sir, shall not God's house be frequented by his Saiuts, and upon God's own day? shall not God's holy word and sacraments there, have free passage as in other places? If I be not the man, oh let your providence get another to officiat there; for my part I can live (God be blessed for it) and have more means than that prisoners pittance, in any part of all the Christian world. Alas tis not lucre but my love to them I do this; there is very little to be had for maintenance, your judgment can censure it, not half enough to maintain a preacher. Take notice thereof sir, I look on them, as Christ did on the multitcde, Oves sine Pastore. Even sheep without a shepherd: Mark. 6. 34.

But you will say peradventure that the College should take care for that, and that it is [ extra spharam, and our of your orbe to progress in such a motion▪ Truly sir, tis confessed and granted that others should carry on this overture, and make it their [ hoc agere ] to see God's house provided for. But what of that? What and if Aaron and his sons being set apart, for the Priests office be unclean and unholy, must not Moses by his authority wash them at the door of the Tabernacle? sir, tis the glory of Magistracy to advance piety to its purest luster; but in case the magistrate & those concerned now should not mind this holy work, but mind themselves, and forget their God, nay should they rather retard so great a blessing from the people, than any way give a countenance, or an approbation to the same; oh then sir, what an honor would it be to the sword, should it unlock those doors, and welcome in the king of glory, that hath been shut out a great while?

Sweet sir, let it then be far from your power and jurisdiction, to imprison God's holy word & sacraments, or to cause the candlestick to be broken & dashed to pieces. Suffer God's own people to enjoy their own parish Churches. They have a right and a propriety to those holy places, more then common or ordinary. Their Churches upon God's most holy Sabbaths, are God's peculiar Market, houses, where the servants of the ever living God may buy Wine and Milk without money and without price. Yea they are God's most royal exchange where we get gold for drosle, and pearls would we but leave our puddles.

Should you exclude them thence, where would you have them go? Conventicles they will have none, as long as God's house is standing; Taverns, and Tap▪ houses are to be shunned upon God's holy rest. Where then? Would you have them to be idle & to be unprofitable servants in God's harvest? Oh sir, believe it, and take it for a certain truth, that spiritual sloth upon God's day, and the more when they are debard from God's house, is an abomination in their eyes. Their poor souls would fain sing their [ Te Deums to their God. since Atheism is so rife in England, and would fain warble forth Mary's Magnificat by reason that the Di • tie is so lessened by Heretics, and Nullfidians.

To be brief then, suffer ihe people of God to enjoy their religion; the very Turk will do it, to those that are his Tributaries. Suffer them to use their liberty of conscience as you desire to use yours, for the Parliament hath always promised it. They are willing to repair God's house, willing to maintain their Minister, desirous of the word and sacraments, and willing to embrace the truth. Oh therefore let not your inhibition be a Remora to retard their piety, let them not be driven to seek to and fro for the food of their poor souls, when God's glory is the [ White ] they shoot at.

For my own justification sir, that which I have divulgd before God and Angels and Men, I have had warrant for, from the word of truth. Hath any one taxed me of sedition, or blasphemy or heresy? I desire to appear face to face. Do I meddle with state matters? Alas my way as thousands in this kingdom will freely attest unto you, tis the way of peace. Sir, I pray for peace, and I preach for peace, and I long for peace, & I study for peace, and I am confident (notwithstanding the worlds opposals) I enjoy the God of peace.

Again sir, pray tell me, am I a ring-leader of any sect in the University? Are not the souls and consciences of diverse pious and holy Christians both Scholars and Citizens troubled, that they cannot enjoy him in the Gospel, whom they desire should preach to them Christ Jesus? Infallibly sir, as the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church, so the repressing and restrainment of our Protestancy, makes thousands the more to hunger, and to seek for it with most sharp affections: Sir, we abominate Popery, we act not the part of Jesuits, mutinies and disturbances we detest even as the hell itself. Our congregations loath divisions, for we aim at the kingdoms quiet, and there are no disaffected strivings that come within our labors. Farther did you ever hear that our holy meetings were stigmamatizd with factious sermons? You will say I draw the people, and I pray God I may still to God ward. The mystery of godliness is explained to men's tender consciences, else we speak not mystically as you perchance may censure▪ God forbid then sir, that jealousies should put out the Gospels candle, or that needless fears should remove her candlestick.

To conclude sir, are we guilty of state-Invectives? Alas sir, he is neither ch • istian nor divine, that with the holy Archangel, cannot refrain from railing accusations, be it against the very Devil of hell. Truly sir be pleased to know then, our course is to beat down sin that hath so ruind the three kingdoms, and to cry up love that is so much wanting in all three; and had our Church and State incendiaries or our most furious kindle-coals (that preached ( Curse ye Meroz ) but sincerely laid to heart the price of blood, and what a fearful account they are to make for shedding innocent blood themselves, when they should have preached [blessed be the peace Makers Mat. 5. 9. had they cryd up [ that a kingdom divided cannot stand Mark. 3. 24. when that their doctrines were continually, fight, fight, and destroy till that your enemies lick up the dust▪ and I am confident sir, our swords long ago had been turned into mattocks, and our spears to pruning hooks, yea we had sat everyone under our own Vines, and under our own Fig-trees, and had eaten the fruits of our own labors, at our own tables, with peace and happinnesse.

But I pray God forgive the Clergy that have egg'd men unto blood, I pray God it may not be laid to their charge, when their souls shall come to answer for it, before God's great Tribunal at the last day. And in the interim, I desire them as brethren and in the bowels of Christ Jesus to study the sweetness of peace, in the bond of love, to study to love their enemies, and to bless their enemies, and to do good to their enemies, & to pray for their enemies. Mat. 5. 44. to study again (if it be possible) to live peaceably with all men, and not to study revenge. Rom. 12. 11. 19. & then the God of peace and love will dwell with them. 2. Cor. 13. 11.

In fine worthy sir, judge of me as God shall give you light' You & I one day shall come before the most righteous judge, that will judge us both. My crime at present (it seems) in your eyes) is for standing to my first principles, & that I have served God, in Oxford, as we all did before the wars. Truly sir, for this imputative offense, I appeal to my God for judgment, crying earnestly unto him, with a

Te Deum laudamus.

Te Dominum confitemur.