o grave to trouble himself
with Martin's conceits. Cartwright seeks the peace of the
Church no otherwise than his platform may stand." He was
accused before the commissioners in 1590 of knowing who wrote
and printed these squibs, which he did not deny.--ED.

[409] I give a remarkable extract from the writings of Cartwright.
It will prove two points. First, that the _religion_ of
those men became a cover for a _political_ design; which was
_to raise the ecclesiastical above the civil power_. Just
the reverse of Hobbes's after scheme; but while theorists
thus differ and seem to refute one another, they in reality
work for an identical purpose. Secondly, it will show the not
uncommon absurdity of man; while these nonconformists were
affecting to annihilate the hierarchy of England as a
remains of the Romish supremacy, they themselves were
designing one according to their own fresher scheme. It
was to be a state or republic of Presbyters, in which _all
Sovereigns_ were to hold themselves, to use their style, as
"Nourisses, or servants under the Church; the Sovereigns
were to be as subjects; they were to vail their sceptres and
to offer their crowns as the prophet speaketh, _to lick the
dust of the feet of the Church_." These are Cartwright's
words, in his "Defence of the Admonition." But he is still
bolder, in a joint production with _Travers_. He insists
that "the _Monarchs of the World_ should give up their
_sceptres and crowns_ unto him (Jesus Christ) who is
_represented by the Officers of the Church_." See "A Full
and Plain Declaration of Ecclesiastical Discipline," p.
185. One would imagine he was a disguised Jesuit, and an
advocate for the Pope's supremacy. But observe how these
saintly Republicans would govern the State. Cartwright is
explicit, and very ingenious. "The world is now deceived
that thinketh that the _Church_ must be framed according to
the _Commonwealth_, and the _Church Government_ according to
the _Civil Government_, which is as much as to say, as if
a man should fashion his house according to his hangings;
whereas, indeed, it is clean contrary. That as the hangings
are made fit for the house, so the Commonwealth mu