PREFACE. 45
and gorgeous apparel, as if we sent them into the world a-wooing. Hence, what- ever it is, it must be temple building, — God's government, — Christ's sceptre, throne, kingdom, — the only way, that for want of which, errors, heresies, sins, spring among us, plagues, judgments, punishments come upon us. To such things as these all pretend, who are very confident they have found out the only way. Such big words as these have made us beUeve that we are mortal adversaries (I speak of the parties at variance abovit government), — that one kingdom, communion, hea- ven cannot hold us. Now, truly, if this course be followed, — so to heighten our dif- ferences, by adorning the truth we own with such titles as it doth not merit, and branding the errors we oppose with such marks as in cold blood we cannot think they themselves, but only in their (by us supposed) tendence, do deserve, — I doubt not but that it will be bitterness unto us all in the end. And, query, whether by this means many have not been brought to conceive the kingdom of Jesus Christ, which himself affirms to be within us, to consist in forms, outward order, positive rules, and external government. I design none, but earnestly desire that the two great parties at this day litigant in this kingdom, would seriously consider what is hke to be the issue of such proceedings ; and whether the mystery of godliness, in the power thereof, be like to be propagated by it. Let not truth be weighed in the balance of our interest. Will not a dram of that turn the scale with some against many arguments ? Power is powerful to persuade.
Thirdly, Not to measure men's judgments by their subscribing or refusing to subscribe petitions in these days alwut church government. For subscribers, would that every one could not see, with what a zealous nescience and implicit judg- ment many are led ! And for refusers, though perhaps they could close with the general words wherewith usually they are expressed, yet there are so many known circumstances restraining those words to particular significations, directing them to by and secondary tendencies, as must needs make some abstain. For mine own part, from subscribing late petitions about church government, I have been with- held by such reasons as these : —
1. I dare not absolutely assert, maintain, and abide by it (as rational men ought to do every clause in any thing owned by their subscription), that the cause of all the evils usually enumerated in such petitions is the want of church government, taking it for any government that ever yet was established amongst men, or in notion otherwise made known unto me ; yea, I am confident that more probable causes in this juncture of time might be assigned of them. Neither can any be ignorant how plentifully such evils abounded when church discipline was most severely executed. ^ And, lastly, I am confident that whoever lives to see them sup- pressed by any outward means (when spiritual weapons shall be judged insufficient), will find it to be, not any thing either included in, or necessarily annexed unto, church discipline that must do it ; but some other thing, not unlike that which, in days of yore, when all the world wondered after the beast, suppressed all truth and error, but only what the arch enemy of Jesus Christ was pleased to hold out to be believed. But of this afterward.
2. I dare not affirm that the Parliament hath not established a government already, for the essentials of it ; themselves affirming that they have,^ and their ordinances alaout rulers, rules, and persons to be ruled (the " requisita " and mate- rials of government), being long since extant. Now, to require a thing to be done by them who affirm that they have already done it, argues either much weakness or supine negligence in ourselves, not to understand what is effected ; or a strong imputation on those that have done it, either fraudulently to pretend that which is false, or foolishly to aver what they do not understand. Yet, though I have
1 Vid. catal. ha?ret. apud Tertul. de jn-aescript. Epiphan. Aug. Vincent.
2 " Ego ancillae tua; fidem habui : nonne tu impudens, qui uec iiiihi ipsi credis : " — Philos. apud Plut. Apophtli.
46 PREFACE.
learned to obey, as far as lawfully I may, my judt^ment is exceedingly for from being enslaved; and according to that, by God's assistance, shall be my practice ; which, if it run cross to the prescriptions of authority, it shall cheerfully submit to the censure thereof. In the meantime, all petitioning of any party about this busi- ness seems to thwart some declarations of the House of Commons, whereunto I doubt not but they intend for the main inviolably and unalterably to adhere. Add hereunfo, that petitioning in this kind was not long since voted breach of privilege, in them who might justly expect as much favour and liberty in petitioning as any fif their brethren in the liingdom ; and I have more than one reason to suppose that the purpose and design of theirs and others ^^•as one and the same.
3. There are no small grounds of supposal that some petitions have not their rise from amongst them by whom they are subscribed, but that the spring and master-wheels giving the first motion to them are distant and unseen ; myself having been lately urged to subscription upon this ground, that directions were had for it from above (as we used to speak in the country); — yea, in this I could say more than I intend, aiming at nothing but the quieting of men's spirit.s, needlessly exasperated ; only I cannot but say, that honest men ought to be very cautious how they put themselves upon any engagement that might make any party or fjiction in the kingdom suppose that their interest, in the least measure, doth run cross to that of the great Council thereof; thereby to strengthen the hands or designs of any, by occasioning an opinion that, upon fresh or new divisions, (which God of his mercy prevent !) we would not adhere constantly to our old principles, walking according to which we have hitherto found protection and safety. And I cannot but be jealous for the honour of our noble Parliament, whose authority is every day undermined, and their regard in the affections of the people shaken, by such dan- gerous insinuations ; as though they could in an hour put an end to all our dis- turbances, but refuse it. This season, also, for such petitions seems to be very unseasonable, the greatest appearing danger impendent to this kingdom being from the contest about church government ; which, by such means as this, is ex- ceedingly heightened, and animosity added to the parties at variance.