REASONS FOR AN UNION BETWEEN THE CHURCH AND THE DISSENTERS.  
WE have at this day many things to lament and complain of: and there is nothing that is a greater cause of General Sorrow than the Rents and Divisions that are amongst Protestants: It is confessed on all hands, that the only way to Repair these Breaches is, that both sides must yield; but who must led the way, is the first question, and to that I think there is a very Natural Answer ▪ which is this, That they who have the Care and Guidance of the Church, should by their condescension in some things that are indifferent, give a good Example to induce Dissenters to come up to be more conformable; for they that are the Guides are to led, and not to follow: As if there be a new Law made, whether they that are to see it duly executed, shall first put it in practise, or else neglect it till it be done by the Rabble: and in this I conceive there is no difficulty, neither can there be any doubt in the other. And there is yet a further Reason of it; For what hopes have Protestant D●ssenters to affect an Union, by coming up to some things, so long as they see the Bishops are so far from parting with one indifferent Ceremony, that they are daily re assuming several things that the first Reformers had cast away: So that they are at no certainty; for what knew they ▪ but when they have conformed to all that is now enjoined, then shall other new Things be imposed upon them? So that without Question, it is necessary that the Bishops do begin the Work; and methinks they should strive to have the Honour of so Famous an Undertaking, as to be the first Authors of Uniting Protestants; And it is to their Reproach that they have delayed it so long.  
It is true there is an Objection made against Remitting any Ceremonies, which is this; That Dissenters are not yet Resolved what they would be contented with; and therefore if you comply with them so far as they desire all things would be brought into confusion, and the Church would be laid desolate, and therefore the Ceremonies are to be kept to preserve Order and Unity in the Church.  
I do aclowledge that Order and Unity are very necessary to be maintained; but surely that is not the right way to preserve Order and Unity in the Church, by making things necessary that are indifferent( if that be the worst that can be said of them) to keep Thousands out of the Church; and me thinks that Man Ventures very far, who will make that necessary for which he has no Command from our Saviour, or the Apostles. I do also aclowledge, that there is no great hopes to bring in all Dissenters; But tho' I cannot gain all; yet shall we not bring in as many as we can? and he that has considered it without prejudice, can not but be of Opinion, that if three or four Things were taken away, or lest ad libitum, that several Thousands would comform, and be very good Sons of the Church. And these things which they desire not to have imposed on them, are not Fundamentals; and if they were taken away, would leave the Doctrine of the Church as sound as before, and the Discipline perhaps more pure, because it would come nearer to the Primitive Institution, which perhaps is that that makes the Morsel so bitter to their Lordships the Bishops. But besides this, these Ceremonies which Dissenters find fault with, are old Popish Ceremonies, and retained by the first Reformers to bring in the Papists that were inclinable to turn; and besides it had been as dangerous to have taken away all at a Clap, for Q. E. had seen the bad Effects of a sudden thorough Change both in the time of her Father, and her Sister Q M. And therefore she would not pretend to build Rome of a day, nor to take it down the next, but she proceeded by degrees, as she found people would bear it. For itis a dangerous thing to press any thing against the stream of the Nation, and who e're he be that thinks to carry it, will find himself grossly mistaken: Therefore she was forced to keep in many of the Popish Ceremonies, the better to Unite the People; And if that was her design in retaining these Ceremonies, then without Question we have no further occasion for them, because the design is at an end for which they were retained: And no Man can be so senseless as to think that the first Reformers had done all that was to be done, but that they left something for them that succeeded to finish: They had marked out the Work, and have done a great deal towards perfecting of it, but yet they left a great deal to do for them that came after: And I wish it were also considered, that in regard the first Reformers retained these Ceremonies to bring Papists into the Church; why should not we have the same Charity to lay them aside, and bring in Protestant Dissenters? Ought not we to have the same Bowels of Compassion that they had? As for my own particular. I can comply with every thing that the Church does Command, but it cannot but trouble any good Man to see his Brethren shut out of the Church, because he has not on such a suit of clothes, or will not bow to this or that Post.  
The Kneeling at the Sacrament. I wish there be not too much Idolatry in it, and bowing to the Altar is of the same piece: but I believe there are Thousands who have never considered these things so far, or perhaps not at all; who are very averse and do not comform, because they Savour of Popery; For the Temper of England is be●t against Popery, the Name of it is distasteful to those that knows not what it is: Therefore it is plain that it is not for the good of the Church that these Ceremonies are not laid aside, and the Bishops themselves do know that the Churches would be fuller if these Ceremonies were left indifferent: But the true Reason why they contend so strongly for Ceremonies, it is not to preserve the Church, but to support themselves; for they very well apprehended, that their sloth and neglect of their Cures, would be laid open by the Care and Vigilancy of many Pious and able Men, who would comform, if Ceremonies were left indifferent: And then it would not be so easy for them to engross such Multitudes of Livings and Church-perferments into one hand; They are afraid least Peoples eyes should be further enlightened, and a through Reformation should be wrough●; it is Terrible to them to think of Reducing Episcopacy to its primitive institution: They are Sensible that then it will be discovered that in the Primitive times there was no such thing as an Arch Bishop, and that it came in with Superstition and Blindness: These and abundance of other things that I could reckon stick on their Stomacks, but I will not Loose your time by Recounting of them.  
In Regard therefore that the enjoying of Ceremonies keep Thousands from comforming: I desire to be Answered, whether they who stickle for Ceremonies do not play th Pope's Game to his greatest Advantage, for that which the Pope has always made his design, is to divide Protestants, and he knows there is no other way to ruin them but by somenting differences amongst them; for all his other divices have proved nothing in Comparison of it.  
And yet these Ceremony Mongers do speak plain sometimes; for tho they pretend to be for uniting of Protestants, yet they will tell you that Presbyterians are worse than the Devil, and the Papists are to be esteemed of ten fold better than they, so that it will out slip them sometimes: do they not openly own their design, and when e're they mention the Plot; How plainly do they bewray themselves? with what difficulty are they brought to aclowledge the belief of it? But no sooner was that Faction of the Presbyterian Plot started, but presently they ran away with it as the greatest truth, every where arguing People into the belief of it: As if themselves had had a hand in it, or else were such well wishers to it, that they desired it might succeed: For it is not to be denied that no People can be less Active, if not altogether passive against the Popish Plot, than these Ceremony Idolaters, and the Bishops themselves: so that w●th Submission I take it to be plain that Popery is at the bottom; And whilst that prevails, there is little hopes of uniting Protestants by our dignified Clergy; and therefore the Parliament must do it, if ' ere it be done.  
If Ceremonies are of that Moment that we must suppose the Church cannot subsist if they be laid aside: Therefore I will let that pass, and Humbly offer one thing, that I Conceive will conduce greatly to the composing the differences that are amongst us, and I am the more confident to propose it, because altho it sail in this, yet I hope that thing will appear Reasonable. In short therefore it is this, That a Law be made to take away Pluralities and Non-residences: Not to have any Retrospect, for that I would not do, but to bar them for the Future; For by these it is that much of our Divisions are increased and high laid, and I●le show you how it comes to pass.  
They who are bread up to be Ministers are for the most part the Sons of such Parents, who are not capable of doing further for them than to maintain them at the University till they are capable to be admitted into a bnfice: And when they have done that, they turn them off to provide for themselves, who possibly have not five pounds in all the World, or a across( as we say) to bless themselves with; So that being put to shift for themselves, they find it difficult to get into a Living, for when any Vacancy is, it is ofter supplied by a Man that is beneficed already than by him that has none. Therefore what must he do, he has nothing to subsist on, he can get no preferment, he must not starve; Work he cannot, to Beg he is ashamed. Steal he dares not; What then is his Refuge? There is no way left, but to insinuate himself into the Opinion of them that separate from the Church, and to gain Approbation, he must Preach up a new fangled Doctrine, and so gain to himself a People; And these he must be sure to keep from the Church by speaking against it and telling terrible Stories of it, to fill them with fear and app●ehensions that they may not come at it; so that he is sure that if he can give them a disl●ke of the Church, their Benevolences will be the more Liberal and certain; Whereas it Room were made in Ecclesiastical preferments, by preventing pluralities and non residences, young Clergy-Men would not be so apt to turn aside, because they need not despair of Preferment; I aclowledge this would not wholly cure our Distemper, but I dare appeal to any Reasonable Man, whether it would not go a great way in the work.  
But to let this pass, I will proceed and mention a few things, and then let any Man, if he can, justify Pluralists, and Non-Residence. First, where do we find in Scripture that any one Man had several flocks committed to his Care; Nay that of a Bishop( which if allowable in any, ought to have the oversight of many Congregations) yet they are confined to one Church, by the Primitive Institution of them; when the Clergy made the Work of the Ministry their Business. Therefore I would fain be satisfied, how it comes to pass that the Work of the Ministry is or ought to be less the Care of the Clergy tha● heretofore: Fo● so it is now adays, and it plainly appears by their Coveting Pluralities. For how can he that has several Livings preach at them all; Visit and Comfort the Sick, and do all the Duties of him whose Care it is to watch for their Souls. And how unreasonable a thing is it, for one Man to have five, six, perhaps more Preferments, and five or six Me● of more Learning and Piety perish for want of Bread? It would make a Man begin to think that Church Preferments were ordained for these Pluralists, and not designed for every worthy Labourer, who well deserves his Hire; Besides, not to say any thing of the Debauchery, Pride, Covetousness, and Contention of the Clergy; What a shane is it to see how these Pluralists make choice of their C●rates; their Question is not, what is he? but how little will he take? as if Piety and Learning made no Matter, and were not requisite; And if a good Man be preferred to be a Curate, it is by accident and not by design. And therefore I humbly conceive that the Divisions of our Church are not a little occasioned by this, and Contempt brought upon it. And is it not sad to think, that Men shall be preferred to the Church, upon the Account of Interest and not for Merit, This being so plain, I will not multiply words upon it, but conclude with this, that every Man's Religion is, To do Justly, love Mercy, and to walk humbly with GOD, to Believe in our Lord JESUS CHRIST. and not to put our Brethren out of the Church, for which GOD Almighty will not shut Heaven Gates against us.  
FINIS.