THE INTEREST OF ENGLAND STATED: OR, A FAITHFUL AND JUST ACCOUNT OF THE AIMS OF ALL PARTIES NOW PRETENDING. DISTINCTLY TREATING OF THE DESIGNEMENTS OF THE ROMAN CATHOLICK. THE ROYALIST. THE PRESBYTERIAN. THE ANABAPTIST. THE ARMY. THE LATE PROTECTOR. THE PARLIAMENT. With their Effects in respect of themselves, of one another, and of the Publick. CLEERLY EVIDENCING The unavoydable ruine upon all from longer contest: AND Offering an Expedient for the compofure of the refpective Differences; to the security and advantage, not onely of every single PRINTED IN THE YEAR 1659 AND, PROBABLY, ABOUT THE 20TH OF JULY. THE INTEREST OF ENGLAND STATED. To have a thorough fenfe of our present Sufferings, and a certain knowledge of the inevitable ruine, which our divifions (if not compofed) will bring upon the Publick; as it is a matter of little difficulty in its felf, fo [is it] of very inconfiderable use. That which would be more behoveful, were to find-out an Expedient, for the alleviating the ills we now feel, and the prevention of those we fear; both of which, having been by feveral means, during a long tract of time, in vain attempted, the cafe is now by many given-over, as incurable. But, upon ferious Confideration, it appears, that not the Malignancy of our difeafe has occafioned thofe mifcarriages, but the ill application of remedies has done it. In particular, that men have not either defired to know, or to remove, the distempers of the Publick, but laboured to throw-off their Single and immediate preffures, and, to that end, endevoured to advance the party they adhered-to, and to beat-down all others: whereby it came-about, that Divifions, inftead of Compofure, have ftill grown wider; and paffionate Hates, instead of being allayed, have risen higher, and been more exasperated. But, it being certain, that the real good of the Nation, confifts not in the private benefit of fingle Men, but the advantage of the Publick; and that is made-up, not by the Welfare of any one Party, but of all; 'tis evident, that the only means to procure procure the general good, must be commenfurate unto the whole Community; looking upon all perfons, not as Heads, or Partisans, of any private faction or Intereft, but as Members of the Nation; and the pretentious of fingle Men, or Parties, however numerous, are only fo far forth to be purfued, as they advance the other general Interest. Which being laid down as evident and certain truth, the next confideration will be, what are the Interefts of all the feveral parties of the Nation now on foot, and what the Publick is; that so discovery may be made how confiftent the private aims are, both among themselves, and with the general: and alfo how poffible it is to find-out an Expedient, for the atcheivement of the common good. the designs of the dif If we take a view of the feveral pretentions, carried- A view of on in the Nation apart, we shall find the most confiderable to be, the Roman-Catbolick, the Royalif, the Presbyterian, the Anabaptift, the Army, the Protecto- Nation, rian, the Parliament. 1. Tis the Roman-Catholick's aim not only to abrogate the penal Laws, and become capable of all employments in the Common-wealth; but to introduce his religion, to reftore the rights of the Church, and utterly eradicate all that he esteems Herefie. 2. 'Tis the Royalift's defire to bring-in the King a Conquerour, to recover their loffes in the late War, be rendered capable of civil employment, and have the former Government of the Church. 3. 'Tis the Presbyterian's defire to set-up his difcipline, to have the Covenant re-inforc'd, and only fuch as take it, to be employed in Church or State; to be indempnified in reference to what they have done, and fecur'd of what they poffeffe. 2 F ferent Par ties in the 4. "Tis the wifh of the Baptized Churches, that there might be no Ecclefiaftical Government of any kind, nor Ministerial function, or provifion for it; and that onely perfons fo minded, should be capable of employment; likewife to be indempnified for what they have done. 5. "Tis the aim of the Army, to govern the Nation, to keep themfelves from being disbanded, or engaged in war, to fecure their pay, and to be indempnified for all paft action. 6. 'Tis the defire of the Family of the late Protector to establish the Heir of his House, that they may rule him, and he the Nation, and fo both preferve and advance themselves. 7. 'Tis the wifh of the prefent Parliament, (as far as they have one common defign) to continue themfelves in abfolute power, by the fpecious name of a popular Government; to new-model and divide, and, at laft, take-down, the Army; and, finally, under the pretence of a Committee of Parliament, or Council of State, fet-up an Oligarchy, refembling that of the thirty Tyrants in Athens. Laftly, 'Tis the general Intereft of the Nation to eftablish the ancient fundamental Laws, upon which every one's propriety and liberty are built, to fettle Religion, to procure a general Indempnity for all actions paft, to revive their languishing and almost dead trade, gain an alliance with our neighbour States; to put the Government in such hands, as, befides prefent force, can plead a legal title to it; into the hands of fuch with whose private intereft that of the publick not onely confifts, but in which 'tis neceffarily involved; which likewife does leaft contradict the aims of parti cular cular parties: Laftly, the hands of fuch, whofe counsel is fit to direct in matters of deliberation, and courage fit to vindicate the injuries of the Nation. Having impartially propofed the feveral Interests that each Party defigns to it felf, we come now to confider how far they are attainable; or, if attained, how confiftent with the publick benefit; next, how confiftent with that of all other parties refpectively; and, in fine, how productive of the real benefit of themselves. Catholick First, as to the Roman-Catholick pretenfions of The Roman reftoring to the Pope bis ancient revenue and jurifdic- Party. tion, and the Church all that was alienated in Henry the eighth's time, 'tis no way feizable; the Perquifites of the See of Rome, and the payments to the Pope, being greater than our Contributions fo much complained-of; and the impoffibility of reftitution of Church-Lands is plain from what was done in Queen Marie's days, when the greatest zealots for that profeffion, chofe rather to throw their Beads into the fire, than refign their Conveyances of Abby-land. Then, as to his religion, 'tis visibly the ruine of all other parties; Q. Marie's reformation by fire and faggot, with all the terrors of the Inquifition, being infeparable attendants on it. Now, the bulk of the Nation being possest of the usage they should have from the Roman-Catholicks if they prevailed, befides all other Antipathies deeply radicated in the minds of far the greatest part of the Nation; it is morally impoffible it should ever be introduced without a forraign force of fuch ftrength as to make an abfolute conqueft; which would involve the whole Nation, and the Papifts themselves, in one common ruine: The sword not diftinguishing the Catbolick from the Heretick; and baving onely this kindness for its friends, to send them speedily to Heaven, when the others NB, |