with dangerous errours, therby to found an occasion for the Clergy to
carry on the mystery of their profession; and so under pretence of suppressing
those dangerous Errors, they easily served themselves into the
Civil power, and for continuing it the surer in their own hands, they
made bold to baptise whole Nations with the name of Christian, that
they might (under the same pretence) gain a share of power and authority
with the Magistrate in every Nation: which they soon effected.
The Infant being thus nurst, grew up in a short time to a perfect man,
the Man of sin (if the Pope be the man, which is yet controverted by
some;) For, the Prelates having gotten the power in their hands, began
then to quarrel who should be the greatest among them. At length he
of Rome bare away the Bell; and so the next step was, that from National
Churches they proceed to have a Mother-Church of all Nations. A fair
progress and pitch indeed from a small beginning (from whence observ
by the way, that an Inch of power in the Clergy's hands soon becoms an
Ell;) for, now being up, they defied all with Bell, Book &. Candle, excommunicating
and deposing Kings and Emperors, &c. binding mens Consciences
still under the first specious pretence of suppressing Here sie, to
beheve only in their arbitrary Dictates, Traditions and decrees, which
are the greatest Blasphemies, Errors and Heresies that ever were in the
world. Now they were up, see what ado there was to get any part of
them down again. Oh, what a quarter and commotion was there in Germany,
when Luther first brake the Ice! and the like here in England, when
our first Reformers began their work! These men in part did well, but
having banisht the Popes actual tyranny, they left the seed and principle
of it still behind, which was a State-Ecclesiasticall united with the Civil;
for, the Bishops twisted their own interest again with that of the Crown
upon a Protestant accompt, and by vertue of that persecuted those they
cald Puritans, for not being Orthodox (they said) as themselves. This
tyranny of Bishops being reformed, then our late Clergy-Reformers cam in
play, who did wel in banishing Prelacy, but yet retaind the old Principle
of a distinct powerful body, and of being Quartermasters & Sharers
with the Civil power, which having obtained for a little time, they began
to persecute those they called independent, becaus they embraced Principles
of a purer nature than theirs, which they branded too with Errour
and heresie.
I fear I have bin too large, but could not avoid it, in regard you have
yet not half my minde; therfore to conclude, he that will conscientiously
and seriously consider, how from this specious pretence of suppressing
Error and Heresie, all these monstrous enormities did spring;
and how that very pretence of Clergymens having worldly power to defend
truth, hath from time to time bin the great impediment of its progress
and discovery (their worldly interest ever lying in the present
establishment,) And if it be considered likewise, that most of the Civill
Wars and broils throughout Europe, have bin occasioned by permitting
the settlement of Clergy-Interests with the Secular, in Nationall Forms &
Churches, it will doubtless be understood, that the division of a State into
Ecclesiastical and civil, or any thing like it, must needs be one of the
main Errors received in Christian policy.