9. The evils and inconveniences of this constitution of an autho- ritative national church-state have been greatly increased and pro- pagated in this nation, as unto the heightening of divisions among Protestants, by the endeavours that have been [made] to confirm and continue this state in an extraordinary way. Such were the oath called " Et cetera,"^ and the late oath at Oxford,^ whereon many sober, peaceable protestant ministers have been troubled, and some utterly ruined; which hath much provoked the indignation of the people against those who occasioned that law, and for whose sake it was enacted, and increased the suspicion that those who manage these things would have men believe that their state and rule is as sacred as the crown or religion itself, unto the great disparagement of them both: which things are effectual engines to expel all peace and union among Protestants.
] 0. Those who are for tlie presbyterian form of an authoritative
1 The convocation of the English church held under Laud in 1640, drew up seven- teen ax'ticles, entitled " Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiastical," etc. They contain extreme views of the royal preiogative, and authorize the infliction of ecclesiastical and civil penalties upon Dissenters. The sixth canon embodies an oath to be taken by the clergy of the church ; and in this oath these words occurred, " Nor will I ever give my consent to alter the government of the church by archbishops, bishops, deans, and arch- deacons, etc." This " etc." was the subject of complaint, and gave rise to the nickname by which the oath is commonly known. — Ed.
2 While the plague was ravaging London in 1665, the jiarliament met at Oxford, and imposed an oath on all Nonconformists, binding them never to take iip ai-ms against the king, or " endeavour any alteration of government, cither in chui'ch or state." All who rei'uscd to take the oath were forbidden to approacli within five miles of any city that returned a member to parliament, and any place where they had been ministers, or where they had preached after the act of oblivion. Strange requital for the faithfulness which many nonconformist ministers were at this time evincing in abiding by their posts in London, and sujiplying consolation to its inliabitants, diseased and dying in multitudes around them! — Ed.
UNION AMONG PROTESTANTS. 523
national church-state do, indeed, cut off and cast away most of those things which are the matter of contest between the present dissent- ing parties, and so make a nearer approach towards a firm union among all Protestants than the other do; yet such an authoritative church-state, in that form, is neither proper for nor possible unto this nation, nor consistent with that pre-eminence of the croAvn, that liberty of the subjects, and freedom of the consciences of Christians, "which are their due. But this being not much among us pretended unto, it need not farther be spoken of
11. It is evident, therefore, that whilst the evils enumerated are not separated from the present authoritative national church constitu- tion, but the powers of it are put in execution, and the ends of it pursued, it is altogether vain to expect peace and union among Pro- testants in England. It neither hath been so, nor ever will be so ; fire and fagot will not be able to effect it. Who shall reconcile the end- less differences that are and have been about the power, courts, and jurisdictions of this church-state, whether they be agreeable unto the laws of the land and liberty of the subjects? The fixed judgment of many, that they have no legal authority at present, nor any power given unto them by the law of the land, whereon they dare not sub- mit unto them, is no less chargeable, dangerous, and pernicious unto them, than are their uncouth vexations and illegal proceedings unto them who are unwillingly forced to submit unto them. And, what- ever may be expected, the people of this nation wiU never be con- tented that then- persons, goods, or liberties shall be made subject unto any law but the public royal law of the kingdom, administered in legal courts of justice. Who shall undertake that all Christians or Protestants in this nation shall ever submit their consciences and practices to a multitude of impositions no way warranted in the Scriptures? or how any of the other evils that are the causes of all our divisions shall be removed, cannot easily be declared.
12. If it shah, be said, that if this authoritative national church- state should be removed, and no other of another form set up in the room of it, or be divested of the powers claimed at present by it, it will be impossible to preserve the protestant religion amongst us, to keep uniformity in the profession of it, and agreement amongst its professors, it is answered, — (1.) Nothing ought to be removed but what is a real cause, or unnecessary occasion at least, of all the de- formity and disorder that is amongst us, and is likely so to continue. (2.) That whilst we have a protestant king and a protestant parlia- ment, protestant magistrates and protestant ministers, with the due care of the nation that they may so continue, and a protestant con- fession of faith duly adhered unto, I shall not, under the blessing of the holy Providence, fear the preservation of the protestant religion