THE Royal Remembrancer, OR, A Healing Letter, WITH, ARGUMENTS and REASONS, to the Presbyterians and Nonconformists; Seasonably Offered, From divers learned and Conforming Persons, to the view of Mr Calamy, Mr. jenkin's, and others.  
London, Printed for Josias Allen 1663.   

A Declaration, and Proposals to the Presbyterians, and Independents, etc.  
SINCE man became a Traitor to his Creator; he has not feared to Rebel against his King, his Titular God: Shimei cursed David. Good Princes do too too often meet with Railing, and Blaspheming Subjects; whereas they ought not to conspire against, or with violence resist, a wicked King, their lawful Sovereign. Flattering Absalon, that unnatural Son, that smooth faced Traitor, had his wise Achitophel, as the Devil's Oracle, to be his companion in his Treacherous Design; And, was not that Famous Counsellor, and notable Politician, rarely well qualified for a Judge, or for a Precedent? How cunningly did the Grand Rebel Absalon, by his false pretention unto Justice unjustly steal away the hearts of his Father's Subjects? How wisely did he apply himself unto the People? How did he catch them with a Bait most proper, suitable and convenient? thus sighting out an Interjection of dissembling affection (except unto Ambition) Oh that I were made judge in the Land! that every Man, which hath any Snit, or Cause, might come unto me, and I will do him justice: complaining of the present Government, saying, That there was no man deputed of the King to hear men's Controversies; addressing himself with most familiar language unto the People; and expressing towards them much Condescension, great Affability, and extraordinary Courtesies. When any man that had a Controversy, came unto the King for Judgement then, Absalon called unto him, and said, Of what City art thou? And when any man came nigh unto him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him: he also who had so well studied the humour of the People, was not Ignorant concerning their Prince's inclination; and therefore endeavours to frame and fashion himself unto the devout mind of his good old Father; abusing his Innocency, and Credulity with a specious pretence o● Piety, and Devotion; saying unto the King, I pray Thee let me go, and pay my Vow, which I have Vowed unto the Lord in Hebron; for thy Servant vowed a Vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria, saying, If the Lord shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, than I will serve the Lord; and the King said unto him Go in peace: After the common guise of dissembling Rebels, in this very Treason there was a profession of Equity, and Piety; Justice, and Devotion; and mention made of a Religious Vow, as there has been of an holy Covenant. It was therefore no wonder that we read of 200 men, who being called, went with Absalon in their simplicity, and they knew not any thing. May we, because of so glorious a profession, joined with such a practice, wisely conclude that Abs●lom and his adherents were most just and Devout, then pious King David? Who as we read in 1 Chron. 18. 14. reigned over all Israel, and executed judgement, and justice among all his People. Adoni●ah treading in the same presumptuous steps, plays the Traitor also; strengthening his Rebellion with the confederacy of Abiathar, and joab; the one a pious Priest, the other a valiant and politic Commander, a famous General.  
Many more Testimonies, in the Holy Bible, may be ppoduced of Faction, Treachery, Treason and Rebellion: Histories both Sacred and Profane, afford us many Relations of this Nature; wherein has been recorded not only the perverseness, and perjury of Infidels, but also of Christians, yea of good and believing Christians (of all Ranks and degrees) unto Lawful Authority; And this indeed is the drift I aim at, that it may not seem wonderful unto us, to see men otherwise very Good, Religious, and Conscientious engaged in Faction, and infected with Schism; the one pernicious to Civil Societies, the other to Ecclesiastical; and indeed, what the one is to the State, the other is to the Church: Among these very Corinthians, whom St. Paul affirmed to be Saints, santified in Christ jesus, to have received the Grace of God, to have been enriched by God in all knowledge, to have been called unto the fellowship of Jesus Christ our Lord, among those (I say) were found Schisms, Strifes, Envyings, Divisions, and Factions: while one boasted to be of Paul, another of Apollo, another of Cephas, and another of Christ as if Christ had been divided: And although I do not peremptorily charge that great Apostle St. Peter as a Schismatic, yet may I as a Temporizer, one who through fear, and cowardice, did separate himself for a time from Communion with the Gentiles, because of the circumsed jews; twice through fear did St. Peter offend; with him at this time did Barnabas, and divers jews also dissemble, so as to withdraw from converse with the Gentiles, upon which they were justly taxed by St. Paul for not walking uprightly according to the Truth of the Gospel: And did not their Separation upon this account almost amount unto a Schism? And now I will not wonder at the Temporising, or Time-serving; yea, or at the Schism of a Presbyterian Moderator: Little reason has he to wrangle at that Translation, Be fervent in Spirit, applying yourselves unto the Time; I only affirm, that Good and religious men have sometimes been Rebels, and Schismatics, through the darkness and ignorance of their Understanding; and through the obstinacy and perverseness of their own Wills. This Consideration calls for deep Humiliation, and serious Repentance from those amongst us, who have made great profession of Religion; and, yet contrary to the Command of Christ, requiring subjection to Lawful Authority, have Rebelled against their Sovereign; and being too too forgetful of our Church's Peace, Happiness, & Welfare, have separated, rend, and divided themselves from her Communion; and have bereft her of many of her dear Children by their most uncharitable practices; these are they, who have preferred their private Opinions, wild Fancies, and strange Enthusiasms, before the Sound, Orthodox, and Established Doctrine of the Church of England.  
I profess Ingenously, That I have much Charity for many who have been accounted Presbyterians, Independents, Anabaptists, and Quakers; and therefore I heartily desire them to beware of Spiritual pride: Consider seriously, how great a blow, how great a fall, Religion has received by your Pride, Hypocrisy, & Ambition: Remember how sad a woe Christ hath pronounced against those, through whom offences come.  
Consider, That you of all Parties, that ever were in the World, have most of all arrogated unto yourselves the names of Holy, Godly, and Religious men: Let nor the Truth and Ways of God be any longer blasphemed, or evil spoken of for your sakes; but now give glory unto God▪ and satisfaction to the Church; return unto her Communion, and despise her not: be less Censorious, and more Charitable towards others, who are sinners, Knowing that you are also in the Body: be not highminded therefore but fear. God Almighty so defend me by his Grace as that I may not so sin, as to rejoice that you have thus sinned; or to insult over you, that you are, or may be miserable, because you have thus sinned. In Ecclesiastical Matters (seeing God's Word commands not expressly any one certain Form of Church-Discipline, to be imposed upon the Churches of Christ,) he expects your submission unto the Episcopal Discipline as his established Form of Church Government, most agreeable to the Word of God, or at least, not repupnant unto it; and most commonly, and generally, practised by the most pure, Primitive and Apostolical Churches of Christ; and lastly, as most agreeable, suitable, and convenient for, and unto the Temper and Constitution of this English Nation: And for the Ceremonies, which if I may so say) are Pendent upon, and appertaining unto that Form, as they are Cirstances of it, and themselves of an indifferent and Adiaphorus nature; yet belonging to Order Decency, and Conveniency, they be wisely prudently, and justly, enjoined by the King, whose Power is exercised about indifferent things. I will herein so freely declare my judgement, as to assert, that though I approve not of a Church gorgeously decked and trimmed with Superstitious Ceremonies; yet am I not so mad so rude, & so slovenly, as, with many of our Non-conformists, to desire to honour, or embrace, a Church in this World naked of all outward Beauty, Splendour, Ornaments, or Comeliness whatsoever. It must be granted, that visible and external things are many times serviceable, and profitable, for the attainment of things invisible, and internal: The serious observation of the making that Transient and AErial Cross on the forehead of the Child without any Superstition, may many times become unto us an occasion of true devotion outlasting the aforesaid Action. Our AErial Cross cannot be a Relic, and Monument of Idolatry, because the word Monument is deduced from Remaining; neither our particular transient Crosses ever worshipped by Papists; our Cross is not of the same kind with the Popish, deferring therefrom in operations; their Cross is said to drive away Devils, and to consecrate things unto God which things we ascribe not unto our Cross: Now the diversity of Opperations doth sufficiently distinguish between things Artificial, or the kinds of things Artificial, of which number is the Cross: The Cross is a sign, yet not Sacramental, but humane; and voluntary; not of our Covenant with God, but of our Profession towards Men: it doth Historically, not Sacramentally, describe unto us Christ's Death: Therefore it is a Slander that we add it to Baptism, as Sacramental, or Essential; this out of divers good Instances I have chosen out, for the sense of seeing. Now for the Sense of hearing, I shall speak a little concerning Church-music; which (as I have read) has been partly erected, partly allowed of, by Athanasius in the East, Ambrose in the West and Augustine in the South: As God loves a cheerful Giver, so he loves a cheerful Worshipper; Music is Requisite, that Devotion may be refreshed by delectation; there is a Natural Sympathy between Man's soul and Melody: Of what excellent use are our Bars herein for the furtherance of our Piety! As long indeed as we are in this World we shall stand in need of divers external helps for our Devotion; we shall need the pedagogy of Forms, and Manduction of Ceremonies. I shall not now descend down unto other particulars; but shall define the Reader to consider, that I only endeavour to vindicate the established, and well known Ceremonies of the Church of England; not any which have been introduced merely by the bold Innovation of presumptuous Intruders.  
In a word, sundry Memorable and most Excellent Testimonies, might be produced, in order to the vindication of the Church of England, yet causelessly many of the Non-conformists, grieved at our established Ceremonies, and did mourn because of our Liturgy; when others of them did (as causelessly) mock at them, and deride them. Oh! that these ungodly mockers would at length arise up out of the seat of the Scornful, and meekly sit down in the School of Repentance. These men who were so curious, nice, and narrow-throated, that they could not swallow down the Commands of their lawful Superiors; when time was, did both Feast and Fast, and take Oaths too, as fast as Usurpers did command; and indeed then, what did they leave undone, when commanded by that unlawful power? yet than they pretended unto as good Consciences▪ and as great Sanctimony, as every men could lay claim unto. But their Hypocrisy being so amply discovered, in a notable and ingenious Discourse, in Folio, (Entitled, A Proposal humbly offered, for the farming of Liberty of Conscience) It will not be here Requisite to declare their Game any further; I rather desire their Conversion and that every Soul would be subject to the Higher Powers; for we ought not only to pay Tribute to our King, (as our King) but we are also all of us, in our several Stations, places, and capacities; bound by the Law of God, of Nature, and of Nations, to the uttermost of our powers, to defend and protect his Royal Person, and to maintain his Dignity, and Supremacy, against all opposers whatsoever. And very careful ought all his Majesty's Subjects to be, to endeavour after, and to keep the peace of the Kingdom, and the Unity of the Church.  
Thus of old, writ Dyonisius, (the good Bishop of Alexandria) to Novatus, an Enemy to the Truth; Thou shouldst have suffered any thing, Rather than to Rend asunder the Church of God. So says a late friend to the Non-conformists; Cast off that Babe (meaning the Covenant) whose production, wrought such a wilful and hardened obstinacy, against the famous Liturgy of our English Church that it made them not only to dispense with their Covenant with God, but also to break Covenant with their lawful Sovereign; earnestly desiring them to come in, and embrace the Discipline of their Mother Church; and no longer to remain amongst such, whose Doctrines and Principles were chiefly grounded upon Pernicious Errors.  
FINIS.