Comprehension with Indulgence.  Nihil est jam dictum quod non suit dictum prius. Terrence. 
IT hath pleased His Majesty, by several Gracious Overtures, to commend a Union of his Protestant Subjects to the Consideration of Parliament. A Design full of all Princely Wisdom, Honesty, and Goodness. In this Achievement there is a double interest (I apprehend) to be distinguished and weighed: that of Religion itself, and that of the Nation. The advance of Religion does consist much in the Unity of its Professors, both in Opinion and Practice, to be of one Mind, and one Heart, and one Way (in Discipline and Worship) so far as may be, according to the Scriptures. The advance of the Nation does lie in the Freedom and Fluorishing of Trade, and uniting the whole Body in the common Benefit, and dependence on the Government. The one of these bespeaks an Established Order and Accommodation: the other bespeaks Indulgence, Liberty of Conscience, or Toleration. For, while people are in danger about Religion, we dare not launch unto into Trade (say they) but we must keep our moneys, seeing we know not into what straits we shall be driven; and when, in reference to their Party, they are held under severity, it is easy for those, who are designing Heads, to mould them into Wrath and Faction; which, without that occasion, will melt, and dissolve itself into bare dissent of Opinion, peaceably rejoicing under the enjoyment of Protection.  
The King, we know, is concerned, as Supreme Governor, and as a Christian, Protestant Governor. As he is King, he is to seek the Welfare of the Nation; as he is a Christian, the Flourishing of Religion: and the Protestant Religion particularly is his interest, as this Kingdom doth lie in balance, (He being the chief Party) with its Neighbour Nations.  
The Judgement now of some is for a Comprehending Act, which may take in those who are for our Parochial Churches, that Severity than might be used for reclaiming all whosoever separate from them: The Judgement of some others is, for a Free and Equal Act of Grace to all indifferently, (the Papist with most excepted) whether Separatists or others, abhorring Comprehension, as more dangerous to them, upon that account mentioned, than all the Acts that have passed. Neither of these judge up to the full Interest of the King and Kingdom, as is proposed. It becomes not the Presbyterian, if his Prinriples will admit him to own our Parochial Churches, and enjoy a Living, to be willing to have his Brethren, the Independent, given up to Persecution: and it becomes not the Separatist, if he may but enjoy his Conscience, to repine, or envy at the Pesbyterian for reaping any farther Emolument, seeing both of them (supposing the latter may do so) have as much at the bottom as can be, in their capacities, desired of either. It is an Act therefore of a mixed Complexion, providing both Comprehension and Indulgence for the different Parties, must serve our purpose.  
And to this end (as we may humbly hope) there is a BILL at present in the House, A BILL for the Ease of the Protestant Dissenter in the Business of Religion. Which that (upon this present Prorogation) it may be cast into this Model, I must present the same, yet in a little farther Explication.  
There are two sorts (we all know) of these Protestant Dissenters. One that own the Established Ministry, and our Parish-Congregations, and are in capacity of Union upon that account, desiring it hearty upon condescension to them in some small matters: The other, that own not our Churches, and so are uncapable of a Conjunction, who do not, and cannot, desire it, or seek it.  
For the One, that which we propose is a farther latitude in the present Constituted Order, that such may be received; and this we call Comprehension, or Accommodation. Let us suppose, that nothing else were required of a Man, to be a Minister of a Parish, than there is to the Parishioner, to be a Member of a Parish-Church, as part of the National: If a person baptised will come to Church, and hear Common-Prayer, and receive the Sacrament, and does nothing worthy of Excommunication, he is, he may, he must be received for a Parochial Member: In like manner, if a Minister first ordained (and so Episcopally, or Classically approved in his abilities for that Function) will but read the Book of Liturgy, and administer the Sacraments according to it, and does nothing which deserves Suspension (we appeal to all the indifferently sober) why should not this suffice a Man for the enjoying his Living, and exercising the Office unto which he is called?  
For the Other, there is indeed nothing can be done to bring those in, & join them with us in Parochial Union; yet is there this to be proposed, that you bear with them, and not let any be Persecuted merely for their Consciences; and that we call Indulgence, or Toleration. If the Presbyterian now may be Comprehended, he will be satisfied, to act in his ministry without endeavouring any Alteration otherwise of Episcopacy: If the Congregationalist be Indulged, he will be satisfied, though he be not Comprehended; for that he cannot submit unto, and so shall there be no Disobligation put on any, but all be pleased, and enjoy the Ease of this BILL. Let but the Grounds of Comprehension be laid wide enough to take in all who can own and come into the public Liturgy (which we suppose as yet to be the greater weight of the Nation), and when the Countenance of Authority, and all State-Emoluments are cast into one Scale, and others let alone to come of it, without Persecution to Inflame them, or Preferment to Encourage them, (especially if one expedient be used, which shall not pass unmentioned in the close, that such as come in may find it really better to them, to be a Priest to a Tribe, than a Levite to a Family,) we need not doubt but Time, the Mistress of the wise and unwise, will discover the peaceable issue of such Counsels.  
And here let me pause a little; for methinks I see what Icesicles hang on the Eves of the  at this Motion, what Prejudices, I mean, and Impressions have been laid on the Members by former Acts. There was a Speech delivered, by the then Chancellor in Christ-Church Hall in Oxford, to the Parliament there, and the Scholars assembled, wherein the Glory of contriving the Oxford Oath, and consequently of the like former Impositions, was most magnificently, as well as spitefully enough arrogated to its proper Author. It was, it seems, the designed Policy of that Great Man, to root those Principles out of men's minds, upon which the late Wars (as he supposed) were builded, and he would do it by this invention, to wit, the imposing upon them new Declarations, Oaths and Subscriptions, of a strain framed contrary to those Principles. I do remember now the Sentence of Esdras to the Apologue of the Anglel, where the Woods and the Seas would encounter one another. Verily (says he) it was a foolish puopose; for the Trees could not come down from the Hills, nor the Waves get up from the Shores. I must say the same of this Policy. It was really a great vanity to think that Folks should be made to swear away their Thoughts and Beliefs. Whatsoever it is we think or believe, we do think it, we must think it, we do believe it, we must believe it, notwithstanding any of these outward Impositions. The honest man indeed will refuse an Injunction against his Conscience, the Knave will swallow it, but both retain their Principles; which the last will be the likeliest to put any villainous Practice. On the contrary, there is nothing could be advised more certain, to keep the Covenant, and such Principles alive in men's hearts, and memories, than this perpetual enjoining the Renunciation of it. Nor may you wonder, if that Lesson sink deep into men's flesh, which you will teach them with Briars and Thorns, as Gideon taught the men of Succoth. Besides, it is the most unpolitick thing that ever could have been, for such Contents, as are of that dangerous consequence to Majesty and the Government, to have them once disputed, or brought into question, to be put into these Declarations, Oaths and Subscriptions, which necessitates the examination of them to so many. It was the Wisdom of the ancient Church, instead of Contention about the Jewish Ceremonies, to take care they might have an honourable Burial: and I dare say, if that Great Lord Chancellor had but put off his Cap to the Covenant, and bidden it a fair adieu only, he should have done more towards its Extirpation, than by all this iterated trouble to men's Consciences. And if it shall therefore please the succeeding Ministers of our State, instead of going to root out the Principles of Innovation which are got into people, by this means (which is no means to do it, but the means to rivet them more in us), to endeavour rather, to root out the Causes from us, which make men willing to entertain such Principles, and desire change: I suppose their Policy will prove the sounder. The way to establish the Throne of the King is this, to make it appear, that all those Grievances, and all those Good things which the people in the late times expected to be removed, or to be obtained, by a Commonwealth, or a change of the Government, may be more effectually accomplished by a King in the Acts of his Parliament.  
I am sensible how my Theme rises upon me, and that I begin to shoot wide: I take my aim therefore again, and two things, in earnest, I would expect from this BILL, as the sum of what is necessary to the End of it, our Ease, if it be made to serve the turn. The one is, that Bishop Land be confined to his Cathedrals: and the other, that Chancellor Hyde be totally expelled our Acts of Parliament. By the first, I mean, that the Ceremonies in the ordinary Parish-Churches be left to the liberty of the Minister, to use, or use them not, according to his Conscience, and Prudence toward his own Congregation: and by the latter, that all these new devised Oaths, Subscriptions and Declarations, together with the Canonical Oath, and the Subscription in the Canons be suspended for the time to come. If that be too much, I shall content myself with a modester Motion, that whatsoever these Declarations be, that are required to be Made, Subscribed, or Sworn, they may be imposed only as to the Matter and End, leaving the Takers but free to the use of their own Expressions. And this Expedient I gather from my Lord Cook, who hath providently, as it were, against such a season, laid in this Observation. The form of the Subscription set down in the Cannons, ratified by King James, was not expressed in the Act of the Thirteenth of Elizabeth. Instit. p. 4. c. 74. And consequently, if the Clergy enjoyed this Freedom until then, in reference to the particulars therein contained, what hinders why they might not have the same restored, in reference also to others?  
It is true, that it may seem hard to many in the Parliament, to undo any thing themselves have done: but though this be no Rule for Christians, who are sometimes to repent as well as believe, if they be loath to Repeal any thing, what if they shall only Interpret or Explain? Let us suppose then some Clause in this BILL, or some new Act, for Explanations. If any Nonconformist cannot come up to the full meaning and intent of these Injunctions rightly explained, let him remain in statu quo, under the state only of Indulgence, without benefit of Comprehension; for so long as those who are not Comprehended, may yet enjoy that Ease as to be Indulged in some equal measure answerable to his Majesty's Declaration, whether Comprehension be large or narrow, such terms as we obtain are pure advantage, and such as we obtain not, are no loss: But if any does, and can honestly agree to the whole Sense the Parliament intends in such Impositions, why should there be any Obstruction for such a man, though he delivers himself in his own Words, to be received into the established Order with others? Unless men will look on these Injunctions only to be contrived for Engines of Battery, to destroy the Nonconformist: and not as Instruments of Unity, to edify the Church of God.  
I will not leave our Congregational Brethren neither, so long as I have something more that may be said for them, not ordinarily considered by any. It is this, that though indeed they are not, and cannot seek to be of our Churches as they are Parochial, under the Diocese or Superintendency of the Bishops: yet do they not refuse, but seek to be comprehended within the Church as National under His Majesty. I will explain myself. The Church may be considered as Universal, and so Christ alone is the Head of it, and we receive our Laws from him: or as Particular, and so the Pastors are Heads, Guides, or Bishops over their respective Flocks, who are commanded therefore to obey them in the Lord: or as National, which is an accidental and external respect to the Church of God, wherein the King is to be acknowledged the Supreme Head of it, and as I judge no otherwise: For thus also runs the Statute, That our Sovereign Lord shall be taken and reputed. the only Supreme Head in Earth of the Church of England, called Ecclesia Anglicana. Now if it should please the King and Parliament, to allow and approve these Separate Meetings, and Stated places for Worship, by a Law, as His Majesty did by his Declaration, I must profess that, as such Assemblies by this means must be constituted immediately integral parts of the Church as National, no less than our Parish-Congregations: so would the Congregate Churches (at least those that understand themselves) own the King for Head over them, in the same sense as we own him Head over ours, that is as much as to say, for the Supreme Coercive Governor of all (in this accidental regard), both to keep every several Congregation to that Gospel-Order themselves profess: and to supervise their Constitutions in things indifferent, that nothing be done but in Subordination to the Peace of the Kingdom.  
Well, let us suppose then a Liberty for these Separate Assemblies under the Visitation of His Majesty and his Justices, and not the Bishops; I would fain know what were the Evil you can find in them. If it lie in any thing, it must be in that you call Schism. Separation then let us know, in itself simply considered, is nothing, neither good nor evil. There may be reason to divide, or separate some Christians from others out of Prudence, as the Catechumen of old from the fully instructed, for their greater Edification; and as a Chapel or two is added to a Parish-Church when the People else were too big a Congregation. It is not all Division then or Separation is Schism: but sinful Division. Now the Supreme Authority as National Head, having appointed the Parochial Meetings, and required all the Subjects of the Land to frequent them, and them alone, for the acknowledging, glorifying, or National serving and worshipping the one only true God, and his Son, whom we have generally received: and this Worship or Service, in the nature of it being intrinsically good, and the external Order (such as that of Time and Place, and the like Circumstances) being properly under his Jurisdiction, it hath seemed to me hitherto, that unless there was something in that Order or Way prescribed which is sinful, and that required too as a Condition of that Communion, there is no man could refuse his attendance on these Parochial Assemblies, without the sin of Disobedience; and consequently his Separation thereby becoming sinful, proves Schism: but if the Scene be altered, and these separate Assemblies made Legal, the Schism, in reference to the National Church, upon the same account, does vanish. Schism is a Separation from that Church whereof we ought or are bound to be members: if the Supreme Authority then lose our Obligation to the Parish-Meeting, so that we are bound no longer, the iniquity (I say, upon this account) is not to be found, and the Schism gone. Lo here, a way opened for the Parliament (if they please) to rid the trouble and scruple of Schism (at once) out of the Land. If they please not, yet is there something to be thought on for the Separatist in a way of Forbearanee; that the innocent Christian, at least, as it was in the time of Trajan, may not be sought out unto Punishment: Especially when such a Toleration only is desired, as is consistent with the Articles of Faith, a Good Life, and the Government of the Nation.  
And now I turn me to the Houses. My Lords and Gentlemen! I will suppose you honest Persons, that would do as you would be done unto; that would not wrong any, or if you did, would make them recompense. There hath been very hard Acts passed, which when the bills were brought in, might haply look smooth and fair to you: but you saw not the covert art, secret machination, and purposely contrived snares against one whole party. If such a form of words would not, another should do their business. By this means, you in the first place yourselves some of you were overstript: Multitudes dispossessed of their Live: The Vineyard let out to others: The Lord Jesus the Master of it, deprived of many of his faithful Labourers: And the poor sheep (what had they done) bereft of their accustomed spiritual food, to the hazard of their eternal Souls. Among many Arguments therefore for Liberty in other Papers, from Policy, Convenience, Reason of State, and Reason of Religion, I have this one to offer you of a more binding nature, an Argument from Justice, Rigtheousness, and Restitution to the Displaced. It is true, that the Places they once had are filled, and disposed: but there are others enough. There are many of those who possess theirs, do also keep their own, and keep more. There are many, who are Canons, Deans, Prebendaries, that are also Parsons, Rectors, Vicars; who have Benefices and Honours by Heaps, and by the Bushel. If it shall please You therefore in this BILL on the Anvil, or in another, to take cognizance of Pluralities, that for the preventing an idle, scandalous, covetously overgrown, unprofitable Ministry, every man who hath more than one Cure of Souls, or one Dignity, shall give them up into a public stock, or to a general Distribution, you shall do the Church right, and the Ejected right, you shall give such Drones their due, and God his due, and strew the way by this means for the making your Grace intended in this Bill, of signification. In the name of God Sirs, let me move you to this, if it were only Hac Vice, for a present needful conjunction of us at this season. We see the jaws of Popery and the Sectary opening upon us, if the sober Protestant interest be not united, we perish. I know who will be ready to stamp here and throw dust in the Air, for it is these Sons of the Horseleech whose voice is still Give Give that will never be contented with a single Portion. A Dignity therefore with a Living, let them be allowed: but one Dignity and one Cure of Souls should be all, though they cut themselves with Lances. It is this damned hard objection at the bottom, the Priest's covetousness and corruption, rather than their dispute about things indifferent, that really hinders the Church's Peace and Prosperity.  
To conclude. According to what every man's mind is most upon (the Public interest, or his Own), such is his value more or less.  
The End.