A SECOND LETTER TO A MEMBER Of this Present PARLIAMENT, AGAINST Comprehension.  
By the Author of the former Letter for Liberty of Conscience.  
London, Printed in the Year 1668.   

A Second Letter TO A MEMBER Of this present PARLIAMENT.  
SIR,  
I Conceive an universal indulgence in Point of Religion not only to be advantageous to the Trade and strength of this Nation, and agreeable to the suggestions of each private man's breast, as well as natural Justice, and the determinations of the Scripture and primitive Church: but it is particularly prudential to his Majesty that now Reigns. For, whatever some persons may say, all Monarchies subsist by the counterbalance of Factions; and he who must see with other people's eyes, and hear with their ears, and act by their Councils, (as great Monarches must always do) becomes obnoxious, and a prey to his followers, and Counsellors, if they too strictly correspond. During the Ministry of the late Chancellor how palpably was this truth seen! How did he usurp not only all Power unto himself, but even the ostentation of it; and having by the uniformity of the Church obliged to his Sentiments the Bishops, how did he establish himself, and separate the Church of England from that correspondence which it ought to have had with its Head? In the like manner almost, when the Bishops under Queen Elizabeth abandoned the Interest of the Crown to pursue that of the Pope, that excellent Queen had been deprived of all Sovereignty thereupon, had she not fomented the Puritan-Party. And it is very remarkable that she was very well served in her Wars, and in her Councils, as long as she upheld the two Parties of Puritans and Conformists in some balance; but after that she suffered the Episcopal Party to depress the other, and almost totally subvert it, she was neither well served any where, nor much regarded: Her Bishops forgot their Pastoral Cures; her Clergy grew lazy and dissolute; the Papists increased; the Protestant Religion declined; and she lived to see herself as little regarded, as is the declining Sun: Whilst despair drove the Puritans to Court the presumptive Heir: and the growing hopes of the Papists directed them also thitherwards to secure their growth; and Prudence or Court-subtilty made those into whose Power she had put herself to forecast how they might continue with her successor those Dignities and Emoluments her favour had promoted them unto, and her indiscretion had incapacitated her of bestowing upon others. This she too late discovered, and repent of when it was too late to redress it: Albeit she had endeavoured by all means to obscure the pretences of all Heirs apparent, and intrigue the Succession as far as it lay in her Power. I do therefore say it is peculiarly necessary for a Monarch to establish his authority by such a balance of Factions, as many Pseudo-Politicians decry now, who little apprehend how undeniable a Truth this is in a Monarchy supported by Laws and not Arms; and in which the supreme Authority is more mixed then in despotical Governments, and yet in the last sort of Governments this course is prudential.  
And further, Liberty of Conscience will infinitely contribute to the security of his Majesty's Government. Upon this account the Nation is very well satisfied with him, as it is evident by their acquiescing, notwithstanding the several opportunities, which the Landing of the Dutch, the Fire of London, and other junctures of affairs presented them with. How willingly have they paid their Taxes? How courageously have several that were Sectaries fought against the Dutch? Besides, the falsehood and baseness of their former Leaders, hath made the followers of the several Parties so jealous of them, that they would willingly abandon all those suspicious adhaerencies, to live peaceably according to their Consciences under his Majesty: not being willing to be cheated a second time by specious pretences. And this is a thing evident to any that shall consider how the leading Persons of England have lost their followers, so as not to be able to engage them implicitly to any action, or fix them to follow their fortune by any personal affection. If it be thus; why do you go about to give these persons a strength, and force under their shelter a Party so formidable, whether they will or no? These great, these leading persons, that now seem so powerful will be but so many single persons, and of a suspected honesty, if you establish but Liberty of Conscience. All Parties will adhere to the King as their Patron, to the Monarchy as their Protection, and avoid a Commonwealth, which can never be established by men of so corrupt Principles, as those old Leaders of theirs have showed themselves to be.  
I shall now present you with those further considerations (I promised you) about Comprehension upon equivocal subscriptions and condescensions; and illustrate further the ineffectualness of general Confessions to be subscribed unto. Consider that when the Question about the Divinity of Christ was fiercely agitated in the Church, there was a Council called at Nice 
† All this is manifest out of the Histories of those times: particularly out of Mariana his Spanish History: and the Writings of St Hilary, who was an enemy to the Arrians, and lived in those times. , where the Nicene Creed was made: Three hundred and eighteen Bishops there did determine the controversy, and framed a Creed, to which all that were accounted Orthodox should subscribe. This was so far from establishing the peace of the Empire, that it divided it more. The Arrians got another general Council at Ariminum 
† All this is manifest out of the Histories of those times: particularly out of Mariana his Spanish History: and the Writings of St Hilary, who was an enemy to the Arrians, and lived in those times. , and there determined the Point quite otherwise concerning the Trinity; and by 630 Bishops decreed another Creed and Test of Orthodoxy. This uniformity was as troublesome to the prevailing Arrians, as the other had been to the Orthodoxarians. After this another Council was called at Sirmium 
† All this is manifest out of the Histories of those times: particularly out of Mariana his Spanish History: and the Writings of St Hilary, who was an enemy to the Arrians, and lived in those times. , there Hosius, Bishop of Corduba did publicly ask forgiveness for having troubled the Church with the disputes about the Trivity, and the distinctions of Essence and Person in the Deity. Another kind of comprehensive Creed was framed, to which both Parties might agree, and be reputed Orthodox 
† All this is manifest out of the Histories of those times: particularly out of Mariana his Spanish History: and the Writings of St Hilary, who was an enemy to the Arrians, and lived in those times. . But behold the fate of this Comprehension! neither Party was satisfied; neither Party abandoned their Sentiments; but grew up as Factions, and the Empire was divided, and distracted, and weakened, till Theodosius the great restored a perfect Liberty of Conscience: and the very memory of the Council of Sirmium, and it's Comprehensive Creed, is almost totally extinguished.  
I will trouble you with another instance under Charles the fifth, when the Lutherans, Zwinglians, Calvinists, Carolstadians, Anabaptists, and other Sects divided and distracted the Popish Empire of Germany: after sundry Wars and Factions which weakened the Empire against the Turks and other neighbouring Enemies, several conferences were had, as betwixt Bucer and Julius Pflugg; betwixt Luther and Cardinal Cajetan, and others about some way of moderation for healing those Ecclesiastical breaches: Several things were condescended unto on both sides, and forms agreed unto sometimes in order to a mutual accommodation of that Schism. But with what success? Each party thought the other rather to design the subversion than Conversion of the other; each was jealous of the other that they would but temporise at best; and perhaps only make use of those ambiguous concessions, or condescensions, to the prejudice of the other: So that they always became ineffectual. At length some moderate and Pious persons contrived a mixed Religion out of Popery and Protestancy, in which Godly Melanchton, as well as Cassander, had an hand; but this displeased all parties, and the interested persons in framing of it became hated and detested by their followers. How many successeless contrivances have there been to reconcile the Lutherans and Calvinists; and have not both Parties at last found that the most assured way for them to live peaceably together, was not to confound the two parties by uniting Churches, but by living comfortably together under different Confessions, Ceremonies, and Church-Government? Put case here in England some Presbiterian Ministers, that are now leaders of that party, should be admitted into the Ministry upon such conditions as have been proposed: Can any man who knows that party imagine the peace of this Nation secured? Nay, can any man think it so secure as it is now? If these postliminary Divines must declare they conform to the Service, and less offensive Ceremonies, and Episcopacy, as convenient in themselves; or only because imposed, though otherwise a Directory, and the old Synodical way were better? If the former, than they conform only as so many single persons, and the acquests of such men is not worthy of the concessions; If the latter; it is evident, that the peace of the Nation is more endangered then ever, when we give a sort of men opportunity to inform the souls incharged to them, that Episcopacy is useless, and of humane (if not Antichristian) constitution; that all these Ceremonies and the Service of the Church are unnecessary and impertinent, or sterile acts of Devotion, to which they submit on no better terms than Peter du Moulin offered to Preach the reformed Religion upon at Rome; he avowed he would be content to Preach in a fool's Coat so the Pope would but let him Preach there. If they give their flocks this testimony of their Zeal, that they will upon such difficult terms submit to become their Pastors: Let every man examine if it will not unavoidably follow that these obliged Parishioners shall endeavour to discharge their Pastors from such impositions as are burdensome to them in carrying on the work of the Lord; and hinder them in that edification, unto which were these Episcopal Courts, and Church Ceremonies, and Service removed: Or can we think ambition, or pretences of Zeal will be so extinguished in them, that they will not go about to signalise themselves in their old formalities of propagating the Gospel, whereby to draw upon them the eyes of the Nation for their exemplary pains and Piety? and if this happen, what circumstances is the Government of this Nation reduced unto? If they be preferred, the National Church of England, is ruined, and all the Gentry and Nobility: If they be not, than what clamours must we expect from the populace for the contempt and disregard of Godly and Orthodox men? I conceive the best way to avoid these difficulties, is by establishing the Church of England as it is, with its public emoluments and honours, with the due regulation of the Episcopal Clergy, the discountenancing of Arminianism, and a pious and laborious Catechising, I am confident one age will restore us to our ancient glory: It is but just that public Churches should be like public Highways, at the King's disposal, and not for every man to build upon: So the demesnes and revenues belonging thereto, aught to be continued without grudging: since no particular man is damnified by them: The Tithes are no particular man's loss; being not bought, nor sold, nor any part of his lease: So that no Sect ought to refuse this payment. But, continuing this, let them maintain their Teachers and Churches themselves, if they will decline the public assemblies of the English Church. By this Toleration we shall reap these benefits: First, the Episcopal Clergy will be reduced to a greater diligence in Preaching, and Catechising, a more exemplary life than is now found among them: Next the Presbiterians and others not having the disposal of their Parsonages to their creatures, will not be able to give those encouragements to them that are factiously bend, which they will have by this comprehension: And they will be so watched by the Sectaries on one hand (who must fall, if they rise) and the Church of England on the other, as never to be able to sway the balance of this Nation. And the Sectaries will acknowledge their subsistence to be so dependant upon the prosperity of the Church of England, that they will reckon the enemies of the Church to be theirs. And all Parties will be zealous to protect and support this balance of the Nation, under this Monarchy, lest any other Governor or Government should alter their condition: All will strive to advance trade, all will strive to serve so gracious a King, all will decline or endeavour to suppress any growing faction by which they may run an hazard of ruin. No ambition will move the generality, who will have all they can desire, except the power to oppress others: And for the Grandees, they must be quiet and public spirited; when all pretences of grievances upon the people are removed: which is the only course they can take to inviegle a party to follow them, since all other obligations of villainage is extinct. Thus the King shall reign absolutely over the persons and hearts of his subjects; and be as much redoubted abroad, as beloved at home: Riches and plenty shall be the consequences of his united strength; unconstrained piety shall flourish, hypocrisy vanish, and Morality be restored again. But if this course be not taken, the Dutch and New England will draw from us the trading and industrious part of our Nation, with their stocks: our reputation and foreign leagues will decline with our interest and strength: Continual fears and jealousies will possess the Land; the Episcoparians will not be able to bear up against the Presbyterians; and the Sectaries will contribute to their own and the general ruin, whilst the Land may become in fine a prey to the powerful and ambitious French; or be overrun by the rich, united, active, subtle Papists, betwixt whom and any Protestant there is no tye Religious, Moral, or Generous.  
FINIS.   

POSTSCRIPT.  
I Thought fit to remark unto you (that there may be no mistake in any that have a mind to object to my former Letter) how considerable a Party of Dissenters were tolerated by the Jews: For in all they are computed under Solomon to be above 150000 men, besides women and children, 2 Chron. 2.17. a fair Number for Non-conformists to be in two or three English Counties.  
If any are displeased at Calvin's saying St. George was an Arrian, I am afraid they will be more angry with Hottingerus, who (I think) in his Oriental History (pag. 100) doth demonstrate from the Turkish Writers, that St. George was a Mahometan; is one of the Turkish Saints: he was cut in pieces, and put into a pot to stew, and after that (say they) revived and lived as a miraculous confirmation of the Musulmens Faith.  
Thus is our Calendar filled with Jews, Turks, and Papists, whilst our Prisons are filled with Protestants.