Cain and Abel malignity that is, enmity to serious godliness, that is, to an holy and heavenly state of heart and life : lamented, described, detected, and unananswerably [sic] proved to be the devilish nature, and the militia of the devil against God and Christ and the church and kingdoms, and the surest sign of a state of damnation / by Richard Baxter, or, Gildas Salvianus ... Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691. 1689 Approx. 220 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 82 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2004-08 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A26871 Wing B1195 ESTC R2643 13442834 ocm 13442834 99576 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A26871) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 99576) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 834:9) Cain and Abel malignity that is, enmity to serious godliness, that is, to an holy and heavenly state of heart and life : lamented, described, detected, and unananswerably [sic] proved to be the devilish nature, and the militia of the devil against God and Christ and the church and kingdoms, and the surest sign of a state of damnation / by Richard Baxter, or, Gildas Salvianus ... Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691. [14], 146, [2] p. Printed for Tho. Parkhurst ..., London : 1689. Advertisement on p. [1-2] at end. Reproduction of original in the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign Campus). Library. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Christian life -- Early works to 1800. 2004-03 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-03 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-04 Judith Siefring Sampled and proofread 2004-04 Judith Siefring Text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-07 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion Cain and Abel MALIGNITY , That is Enmity to Serious Godliness , That is , To an Holy and Heavenly State of Heart and Life : Lamented , Described , Detected , and unananswerably proved , to be the Devilish Nature , and the Militia of the Devil against God , and Christ , and the Church and Kingdoms , and the surest sign of a state of damnation . By Richard Baxter , or Gildas Salvianus , Who earnestly beseecheth all Enemies , Scorners , Opposers and Persecutors of serious Obedience to God , not to refuse so small a matter as the Reading this short undeniable Evidence , to save their Souls , while yet there is hope , from so damnable a state of Sin and Diabolism . Especially Magistrates and Clergy-men , who are Sacrilegious and Blasphemous , if in the name of Christ's Ministers , they turn those Sacred Offices against him . LONDON , Printed for Tho Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns , at the lower end of Cheapside , near Mercers Chapel . 1689. READER , THIS reprehensive Lamentation of English Malignity , or hatred , and scorn , and persecution of serious Godliness , by them who profess to believe in God , and to be Christians , was written in prison ( but without any provoking sense of my suffering ) in Anno 1685. or 1686. And by one that was not wholly ignorant , how much of the Papists counsel and power , was causal in our change since the return of K. Ch. 2. 1660. And therefore it grateth so much upon the Papists , though they were professed Protestants who were the open Agents . It was written by one who can remember , at least since 1627. that the serious practice of Godliness was the common scorn of the vulgar rabble ; and he that did but read the Scripture , and Books of Piety , and pray in his family , and catechize Children or Servants , or hear a Sermon at the next Parish Church from a Godly Conformist , when he had none at home ; yea that did but seriously talk of Christ or Scripture , or the Life to come , or preparation for Death and Iudgment , went under the name of a Puritane , which was a reproach in the mouth of drunkards , swearers , fornicators , and all the sensual , worldly sort , both high and low . And that Conformable Ministers ( yea and Gentlemen ) that were but seriously Religious , no more scap't this scorn than Nonconformists ( who were then so few , that they were in most places unknown . ) He sadly remembreth how greatly this malignant rabble triumphed in the Bishops Visitation Articles , and in the Preaching and Talk of many Priests , who sharpened their Sermons with Invectives against Puritans as dangerous Hypocrites , though they had not a Nonconformist within many miles . He heard the Godly Conformable Ministers lament , that the Bishops and Ecclesiastical Courts by their jealousie and heat against the Nonconformable Puritans , became the strength and encouragement of this malignant vitious rabble ; and that the young worldly Ministers took it for the way to preferment , to Preach against Puritans , while they treated the multitude of Prophane prayerless families that had no savour of serious Religion , as their good and peaceable Flocks . He lived to see the Godly Learned Conformists , so grieved for this , that they long'd for a Reformation ; and many Conformists ( as Bishop Robert Abbot , Bishop Downame , & divers others published their Reproof and Lamentation for it : And good Robert Bolton ( in his Directions for walking with God ) thinks that since Malice entred into the heart of man , there was never a word tossed with more Malice in the mouths of drunkards and prophane men , than the word [ Puritan . ] Hundreds and thousands of these wicked scorners of Religion , were either admitted ( or driven ) to the Sacrament , or lived quietly in great Parishes while they despised it , while these poor Puritans were strictly hunted after ! And if they fasted and prayed with a dying or sick friend , without getting a License for it from the Bishop , the Church-warden must enter them into their Inquisition , or be forsworn . These Puritans having the greatest averseness to Popery , in some things were too suspicious of all that they thought smell'd of it : And when they heard that in Ireland the Papists had most barbarously murdered the Protestants ( two hundred thousand ) and that they boasted that they rose by the King's Commission , and threatned to invade England , and that the English Papists were against the Parliament ; this made them think that the Protestant Religion was not safe , but in the Parliaments part and care : Upon which the next year when our odious Civil War began , many of them went into the Parliaments Armies : But the generality would fain have lived quietly at home , but the debauched rabble and their Patrons would not suffer them : But they turned the name Puritan into [ Roundhead ] and [ Down with the Roundheads , ] was the common Cry. I have my self by the Cry been in present danger , in passing through a City where no man knew me , because I wore not long Hair. If their Neighbours did but pray , and sing a Psalm in their houses , the rabble would ( like the Sodomites at the door of Lot ) set up a Cry against them in the streets , and say , [ Down with the Roundheads ] the Rebels , a Gowry , a Conspiracy , &c. ] Even where I lived they assembled with weapons , and sought my life , and knockt down ( mortally by the issue ) even strangers in the streets that medled not with them , because they were accounted friends to the Puritans . By this means the Parliaments Garrisons and Armies were fill'd with Religious men , that were forced to flie from their houses by the malignant , ignorant drunkards , to save their lives : And this , even this was the ruine of K. Charles , and his Army , and of the persecuting Bishops and Clergy . Necessity made thousands to be Souldiers that could not live at home : And most were moved by an Argument , that was not cogent , still saying , [ We cannot believe that God would suffer the generality of the most Religious to chuse the wrong side , and the generality of the Papists and ignorant drunkards and malignants to be in the right . ] O what shame and pity is it that the Antipuritan Clergy no better remembred from 1660. till now , by what means they fell ; and that they no more understood , nor yet understand , what a torrent of sin , of danger , and of shame , is come upon them , by their strengthning themselves by sheltring ( to say no worse ) the sensual irreligious malignant rabble ( Rich and Poor ) that they may tread down the Puritans , that by their own doings are brought into a dislike of them . Will God ever bless a prophane rabble ( or Gentry ) to be the honour and strength of the Church , against the Religious that desire a Reformation ? It is not their new foolish names and scorns , ( as Whigs , Trimmers , Presbyterians , &c. ) that will prove that it is not serious Piety that they hate : As long as the most filthy wicked livers are the Enemies and Accusers , and in their own Party and Companions , the vilest debauchery passeth for sufferable , and a small disgrace , and thousands of such live at ease , when preaching the Gospel , and praying without their Fetters or Book , must cost men ruine , and imprisonment , and scorn . And Sulpitius Severus his sharp Invective against Ithacius , Idacius , and the rest of the Bishops in their Synod was , that in prosecuting the Priscillian Gnosticks , they brought the matter to that pass , that if Godly men did but fast , and pray , and read Scripture , the Bishops made them suspected as Priscillianists ( even St. Martin himself . ) Woe to them that turn the sacred Offices of Magistracy and Ministry against God that did ordain them , to be used as in his name , and in some representation of himself , sacrilegiously blaspheming him as an Enemy to himself . Shall the Throne of Iniquity have fellowship with God , that frameth mischief by a Law , to make sin common and allowed ? By this the Reader may see that there is a double History needful to the full understanding of this Book ; and of the nature and causes of Malignity ; that is , 1. The History of Adam's fall , and the great depravation of humane nature thence arising ; and the true meaning of the Enmity thence put between the Womans and the Serpents seed , exemplified in the two first Brothers born into the world ; as also in Ishmael and Isaac , Esau and Jacob ; and frequently mentioned by Christ and his Apostles . 2. The History of the advantages that Malignity hath got in England since the Reformation ; and especially since the return of Charles the second . This must contain the sad differences begun at Frankford in Q. Marys days ; the errours and extreams of both the differing Parties ; the by assing determinations of Q. Elizabeth ; the difference between the first Bishops that had been exiles , and their Successors ; the Presbyterians provocations by over-opposing Episcopacy , and the Bishops design to root them out ; and the making of the Canons to that end : The rise of a new sort of Bishops , begun in Laud , Neile , Howson , Corbet and Buckeridge , with Mountague , and their growth under Buckingham against the old Churchmen : The design of a Coalition with Rome , and the French and English attempts thereto : The interruption of this design by the first Long Parliament , and the Wars : The Scots forcing the Parliament ( that in their straits asked their help ) to take their Covenant : The imposing that Covenant on the whole Ministry , and making it a dividing Engine on pretence of Unity ▪ The Parliaments casting out ( with a multitude of flagitious Ministers ) some Doctors , for being against them , for the King , contrary to the desires of Peace-makers : The Presbyterians under Monk restoring King Charles the second : The return and preferment of his Doctors , and their revengeful resolutions : Their design to get all Church-power and Preferment , and Academick Rule into the hands of them that most hated Puritans , or would endeavour their extirpation , and would educate Youth in bitter prejudice and hatred of them : The vulgar hatred of serious Godliness in Conformists and Nonconformists , under the name of Puritans : The power that a few returned Doctors had with the King and Chancellor in the dispose of Preferments , and thereby to over-rule the Parliament , and to procure the Acts of Uniformity , Corporation Oaths , Vestry and Militia Oaths , and the Acts for Banishments , Confinements , Imprisonments , Fining , Ejecting , Silencing and Ruining such whose Consciences pleaded Gods Law and Authority against any of their Oaths , Impositions , and silencing Prohibitions to preach the Gospel : The great difference in the Wars ( I meddle not with the Cause ) between the Adherents and Souldiers of the K. ( Ch. I. ) and the Parliaments in point of Piety and Sobriety : The Animosity and implacable heat , by which the before Conquered , and now Ruling Party , proceeded towards the ruine of those that they took for Enemies to the Cause Civil or Ecclesiastick , which they had owned : The unhappiness of the then present Ministry , that being young then , had never medled with Wars , that they must equally suffer as Enemies , for fearing the Imposed Oaths , Subscriptions , Covenants and Practices : The rejoycing of the common sort of the luxurious , drunkards , whoremongers and Infidels , that they had got so many of the Religious into contempt , and scorn , and ruine : The woful increase of Whoredom , Luxury , and Impiety and Sadducism hereupon : The great numbers of Religious people , who before hoped for Peace and a pious Prelacy , that fell hereupon into an hatred of Prelacy , and a great disesteem of the Conforming Ministry ; and so our Divisions are grown to a fixed factious Enmity ; and malice and worldly interest will hear no motions or petitions for Peace ; and yet madly plead all for Love and Peace , while they implacably fight against them , and accuse those as the Enemies of Peace , who beg Peace of them , and cannot obtain it . This is the sum of the doleful History which this Book presupposeth : But should I write it , the rage would be increased . The foregoing Narrative is as much as is fit for this brief Discourse , which , if you will , you may style Acris correptio , with Gildas ; or Planctus Ecclesiae , with Alv. Pelag. Or the Groans of the Church , with a late Conformable Divine . It hath been cast by four years , at first because it would not be endured , and after in a vain hope that our Church Reformation would make such a complaint less necessary . But now I perceive the Devil will be the Devil , and Mankind will be born blind , sensual and malignant , till there be a new Heaven and Earth in which dwelleth Righteousness . Come Lord Iesus . August 24. ( 1689. ) The fatal Day of Silencing in England in 1662. Chap. I. A Lamentation for the case of the Deluded , Malignant , Militant World. § 1. THE depraved and miserable condition of Mankind , hath long been the astonishing wonder of the sober and inquisitive part of the world : Philosophers were puzzled with the difficult questions , whence it first came ? and why it is no more remedied ? Christians are taught by the sacred Scriptures how to answer both , by laying it on mans misusing of his free will , supposing Gods permission of his tryal and temptations ; and on his resistance and rejection of remedying grace , in the degree that it is vouchsaft or offered . But still there are difficulties , and our understandings are dark , and hardly satisfied . And whence ever it comes , the case is doleful , and we cannot but think of it with astonishment and lamentation . When we saw an hundred thousand made dead corps by the London Plague 1665. it did not take off the terrour to know how it begun . And when we saw the City on a dreadful flame , which none could stop , it cured not the general astonishment to conjecture how it was kindled or carried on : No doubt but Hell it self proclaimeth that God is Holy , Wise and Iust , and Devils and Men are the cause of their own everlasting punishment . But yet if we had a sight of it , amazement and dread would overwhelm us . And , alas ! what a Map of Hell is the greatest part of Earth ? Hell is a place of Lying , Malignant and murderous , hurtful Spirits , miserable by and for their wickedness : And is not this in a lower degree , a true description of most of the Earth ? § 2. Nineteen parts in Thirty of the Earth are Idolaters and Heathens : And do I need to say , how ignorant , wicked and miserable they are ? Many of them publickly worship the Devil , as Witches do with us ; and he deludeth them , and appeareth in divers shapes to them , and ruleth them as he doth Witches . And those that are more civil are strangers or enemies to Christ : Six parts of the thirty are Ignorant Mahometans , destroyers indeed of Heathenish Idolatry , and such as take Christ for a great and true Prophet , but know him not as a Saviour , but equal or prefer a gross Deceiver , and live under barbarous Tyrants who by violence keep them in the dark . The other five parts that are called Christians , alas ! consist most of people bred up in lamentable Ignorance , mostly barbarous or debased by the oppression of Tyrants ; such as the Moscovites , most of the Greeks , the Abassines , Armenians , and many Eastern Sects and Nations . What Ignorance the vulgar Papists are bred in , in Italy , Spain , Germany , Poland , France , and other Countreys , and what enmity to true Reformation prevaileth in Princes , Priests and People ; and by what Lying and Cruelty they fight against Truth , and what Inquisitions , Murders and inhumane Massacres have been their powerful means , I need not use many words to tell . And are the Protestant Reformed Churches free from fleshly , worldly , wicked men ? from ignorant malignant cruel Enemies to Truth , and Piety , and Peace ? § 3. Our Kings Dominions are the best and happiest Nations on Earth . Here is most Knowledge of the Truth , and most proportionably that truly Love it , and live in a holy obedience thereto , and fain would live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness , honesty and sobriety : But , alas ! they must be contented with their own personal uprightness and reward , and the peace of their Consciences in Gods acceptance . But with men there seemeth to be no hopes of common Wisdom , Piety , Love and Peace . We are all baptised with one Baptism ; we all profess to be the servants of one God , and the faithful followers of one Christ , and to believe in one Holy sanctifying Spirit , and to believe the same Canonical Scriptures as the Word of God , indited by that Spirit ; and to be of one Holy Catholick Church , which is all the Members of Christ on Earth ; and to hold the Communion of Saints : We mostly in England and Scotland agree in the Protestant Reformed Doctrine , and Sacraments ; Our concord in profession is so great , that if some men had not devised some Oaths , Professions , Covenants , Practices and Knacks , and Engines of their own ( which they dare not say , God made ) to become the matter of our unavoidable dissent , they could hardly have known how to pretend any difference in religion among us , and hell would scarce have found any Cloak for malicious accusations , enmity and discord . You shall scarce meet with a man that will not speak well of Love and Peace , and say that we must Love God above all , and our Neighbours as our selves , and do as we would have others do to us . And yet is there any Enmity or Disagreement ? Alas how great , and how uncureable ? § 4. Who would think that knew us not by our Profession , but only by our Actions , but that the three Kingdoms consisted of the deadliest Enemies to each other ? Of Turks and Christians ; of Wolves and Sheep , that I say not of Devils and Men ? Yea Turks and Christians can live together in Hungary and all the Eastern Countreys ; Orthodox and Hereticks can live together , in Poland , Helvetia ▪ Holland , &c. But Protestants and Protestants cannot live together in Britain . Cities and Corporations , Countreys and Churches , i● not Families also , are distracted in enmity and more than mental feuds and war. Guelphes and Gibelines , party against party , studying Accusations against each other , as if they were Scholars daily exercised in the School of him that is the Accuser of the Brethren . All their Learning and Wit is called up , and poured out , to render others as odious as they are able . All their power , interest , friends and diligence are used to ruine and destroy each other . No lies or perjury with some seem unlawful to accomplish so desired an effect . In all companies , the discourse and converse that should be to edifie each other in Love , and comfort each other by the hopes of dwelling together in Heaven , is taken up with slanders , backbitings , scorning , railing and plotting the overthrow of the best of their neighbours . Innocency never wants odious or scornful names : As if they were acting their part that called Christ and his Apostles , and the ancient Christians , Deceivers , Blasphemers , Enemies to Caesar , Ring-leaders of Sedition , that taught men to worship God contrary to the Law. Every drunkard and wicked liver can as easily make his conscionable neighbour a Rogue , or a Traitor , or a Schismatick , or an Hypocrite , as he can open his mouth and speak . And to justifie all this malice is become a virtue ; hating the most religious , is Zeal for Government and Order ; destroying Christs Members , is standing up for the Church ; hunting them as Dogs do Hares , or as Hawks do the lesser birds , is a meritorious work , of supererogation no doubt , and will not finally lose its reward : God is served by hating and scorning them that are serious in his service . It is Religion to make Religion odious , and call it Hypocrisie , and to be for that which is uppermost , and befriends their worldly Interest , and to make him suspected of Disloyalty , who is for obedience to God. Conscience , and fear of sinning , and of damnation , is the mortal enemy to be conquered or driven out of the Land ; as if there were no quietness to be expected in mens minds , no concord in the Church , no obedience to the Clergy , or the Laws , no safety from Sedition , till Conscience be silenced or banished , and men give over fearing God ; or as if Christ and Caesar could not both reign , but God or Princes must be dethroned . And O that the sacred Tribe were innocent , and none of them were the leaders in such hypocritical malignity ! Their Canons ipso facto excommunicate all ( not excepting Princes , Parliaments or Judges ) that do but say , that any of their Ceremonies , Liturgy , or Officers in Church Government , ( not excepting the lowest or Lay-mens power of the Church Keys by decreeing Excommunications and Absolutions ) are repugnant to the Word of God : And when they have ipso facto Excommunicated them all , they call them Separatists for not coming to their Communion : Think not the contradiction and hypocrisy incredible : read but the 5 , 6 , 7 , and 8. Canons , and judge . They have a Law , and by their Law he is cut off from the Church or Christ , that doth but call any of these the Inventions of Prelates , sinful , or say that God forbids them ; And the Jail must be his dwelling till he die there , who in ten cases remaineth Excommunicate , and doth not openly profess that he repenteth , and judgeth that to be sinless , which he is utterly unable so to judge . When we have preached seven and seven years , to perswade a Drunkard , a Liar , and Prophane swearer , an Atheist , to Repent , he liveth quietly out of the Jail though he repent not : But if a man repent not ( when he cannot ) of judging that God forbids such humane inventions and impositions in Religion , take him Jaylor ; He that will not be for our humane Offices , Ceremonies and Impositions , shall not be of our Church ; And when we have cast him out , we 'll say , He separateth : and if he be not of our Church , he shall be in Jail ; As if the Church and the Jail , would hold all the land , except his sin be such a Peccadillo as Atheism , Sadduceism , Bestiality , Hobbism , Popery , Man-slaughter , Adultery , Drunkenness , Swearing , &c. not aggravated by the crimes of breaking the Canons in point of conformity ; Or if many thousands cannot or will not come within the Doors of the Parish Church , so they will go to no unlicensed preacher , nor worship God in House or Church at all , they live quietly out of Prison . But if the mote of an Oath or Ceremony scrupled be in their eye , that eye must be pulled out ( if the mote cannot ) or else the whole body be cast into their Hell. And if the Preacher be but a Candidate of Domination , his way is oft to call to the Magistrate to execute the Law upon such as dare presume to worship God openly , till they hold all such imposed Oaths , Covenants , Professions and Practices to be lawful : He is to make his auditory believe that such men are dangerous , intolerable persons , and that their meeting to worship God and learn their duty , is to cherish Sedition , Heresy and Schism , and that Rebellion is in their hearts ; and that the Preachers that even to a thing indifferent are not of their mind and obedience , are deceivers , and factious , and it is no sacriledge , but a duty to forbid them to preach the Gospel . If the People dare not trust the Parson , Vicar or Curate of the Parish , ( be he what he will , whom a — Patron chooseth for them ) with the Pastoral Ordinary conduct of their Souls , or if he Preach not at all , if they go to the next Parochial conformist for the Sacrament , he is to be driven home , and used as disobedient . Through the great mercy of God while the Bible is Licensed , a Preacher in England knoweth not how to spend his hour , if he say not somewhat for Faith and Godliness , Love and Peace : And when they come down , none are so hated by some of them , as those that believe and do to their utmost what they for fashion sake perswaded them to believe and do . Their neighbours who have not a word with the Priest of any thing but this World , nor read a chapter or put up a prayer in their families , these are good and quiet neighbours ; But if any seriously prepare for their everlasting state , and mind their Salvation above the World , especially if he pray without-book , and dislike the ignorance and scandalous lives of sorry Priests , these are the dangerous troublers of the land , away with them , and give us those that trouble us not with the talk of God and of death , and Heaven or Hell , of Scripture or of Conscience , and that scruple nothing that we would have them say or do . If such pray , it is but in hypocrisy ; If they go to hear any other Preacher , it is in faction . If they speak any words to God which are not written down for them to read , they sawcily prate to God and speak but nonsence ; If they be earnest as knowing what they pray for , they do but whine and cut faces , and speak through the Nose , or are a pack of groaning Hypocrites . It is confest that the spirit of Adoption and Supplication is Gods Gift ; and that this Spirit taught the Bishops and Convocation in what words to pray to God : But if the most holy or learned man besides them pretend to it , and think that any may pray by the Spirits help but the Convocation , there are reverend men that will deride that Spirit or that prayer . I would at least they would let men pray by reason and the sense of their Souls necessities ( as a Child will beg pardon of an offended Father , ) if they will not give them leave to pray by that Spirit ( which all must live by that will be saved . ) Physicians use their patients with some humanity , and will not say to him that saith , [ My stomach cannot take down this Potion ; I shall cast it up ] You shall take it or die , or go to Prison : Or if one say , [ This Pill is bigger than my Throat can swallow , ] They will rather say , It shall be made less than they will cut his Throat wider to get it down . And sure the reason is because the Law doth make them Physicians to none but Volunteers , and give them no compelling power : If it did , I know not what inhumanity they might come to : For I will not believe that there is any thing in Divinity which tendeth to make men more inhumane than Physicians . I have seen Iews and others that will eat no swines flesh ; And I have known many that a tast of Cheese would cast into a swound near death : And I never knew any say , you shall eat this , or die : Nor that ever motioned the making of a Law that all men should be imprisoned , or forbidden all other meat ▪ who refused to eat Swines-flesh , for fear of tolerating Jews . But we have Priests too many , that will say , Take every Oath , Promise or Ceremony required of you , or preach not , nor worship God openly at all : Take me for your Pastor , or you shall have none : Hear me , or hear no man : Receive the Communion from me , or from none : Deny not the lawfulness of a Ceremony , or be Excommunicate . § 4. And is it now any wonder that the people say as they are taught ? And these are lessons easilier learnt than a Catechism , or the Creed , or the meaning of Baptism . How quickly can a man learn to call his Neighbour Whig , or Tory ! Or to hate a Godly man , or in a Tavern or Ale-house to scorn them , or drink and curse to their confusion , and to say , I hope to see them all hang'd or banished out of the Land : As a Priest that knows not what Divinity or the Priestly Office is , may before he taketh many degrees , attain the ability learnedly to call his Godly Neighbours , Schismaticks , or Hypocrites or worse ; So no doubt a few such Sermons , if not a Tavern , can quickly teach them that never knew what Religion is , yea that can scarce speak sense , to revile the wisest and best men , as if they were sinners against the true Religion , if they will be serious in any true Religion at all . § 5. O sinful ! O miserable Land ! Who kindled all the hellish flames of thy malignity and mad divisions ? And who continueth them , and for what ? What cloven foot hath entred , and expelled concord ? What Spirit ruleth thee ? Were it the Spirit of Christ , it would be for healing , Love and Concord ; It would set men on studying to promote Love to all , even unto enemies , but much more to the most holy . It would make men zealous of good works , and if it were possible as much as in them lieth to live peacebly with all men , to bless those that curse them , to pray for those that hate and persecute them , forbearing and forgiving one another , even as God for Christs sake forgiveth us . It would teach them while they have time to do good to all men , but especially to them of the houshold of Faith ; Mens hearts would be constituted of Love : It would become a nature in them . Their Speech and Converse would be the Savoury breath of Love : Their dealings towards all men would be the works of Love : Their sharpest reproofs would be but to do the sinner good . But alas another Spirit hath possessed thee which rageth and teareth thee ; and is blind and deaf ; It calleth for Fire from Heaven , and it kindleth a fire of Hell : And sure his name is Legion ; for there are many . It passeth under the names of Wisdom , and Hatred of some evil : But it must needs be Earthly , Sensual and Devilish , for it is neither Pure , nor Peaceable , Gentle , or Merciful and Impartial , but foameth with bitter envy and strife , unto confusion and every evil work : And yet thou knowest not what manner of Spirit thou art of . Is it God that setteth rulers and people against each other . Doth he divide his own Kingdom , against it self , when he tells us that the Devil will not do so by his . Is it God that sets the parts of the same body in a hatred and War against each other ? As if it were the interest of the nobler and the Servile parts to weaken or destroy each other ? And it were an addition to the health and welfare of the one , which is gotten by Conquest from the other ? Is it God that maketh people despise or dishonour their lawful Governours , or any Rulers to hate the best Subjects , and desire more to be feared than to be loved , and rather to have power to do hurt , than actually to do good ? Is it God that sets Corporations , and Churches and Neighbours and Families , in a state of Malice , Vexation , Strife , and a kind of War against each other ? Doth the Spirit of God indite the malicious Pamphlets , which exercise the utmost of Wit and Hatred , to destroy ▪ Love , and to call the Nation into the Devils Camp , by mutual hatred to live as Enemies , and Fight against the Lord and the ways of Peace . And if any endeavour a reconciling healing of our wounds , it 's turned into scorn , and his healing motions are represented as the grand causes of division ; and to beg for peace is heinous Schism , and next Rebellion against the Church , and a crime sufficient to forfeit that mans Peace and Reputation : And he that tells men of the only possible terms of Concord , is made the chiefest cause of discord . To serve and worship God no otherwise than Peter and Paul did , and than God prescribeth is enough to render us unworthy to live on English Earth ? And if England may not suffer such , why should any other nation suffer them ? There are men that keep holy days for St. Peter , and St. Paul , and dedicate Churches to them , and their bellies are maintained at Dives rates , and their Wealth and Revenues and Grandure held up , by that which is dedicated to these Churches , ( and to alienate any of this superfluity from their flesh were worse Sacriledge than to cast out and silence a thousand faithful Preachers ; ) And yet if St. Paul were a Preacher now in France , Spain , Italy or England , and would worship God but as he did when he was on Earth , and would not swear , say and do as much more as the Bishops Canons bid him , I think we should again hear those words , Acts 22. 22. Away with such a fellow from the Earth , for it is not fit that he should live ( here : ) Unless he wrought miracles to convince men : And whether those would prevail is a doubtful case ; or whether he would not pass for a Deceiver and Fanatick . § 6. As in times of War , all broken , beggarly and idle fellows , turn Souldiers , as the easiest trade to live by , and are never after good for any other trade , but to kill and rob men ; So the Love-killing Regiments , have forsaken other trades , and this is like to put down all . Booksellers complain that they can fell few Books but News and Scorning or Invective Libels . And what is the subject of our ( formerly weekly and now daily ) News Books ? Why , they tell us that such a City or Corporation are altogether by the Ears as Enemies , some choosing one Mayor and some another ; Some called Whigs , and others Tories ; Some seeking the ruine and Blood of others , and some hardly escaping the power of false Witnesses and Oaths ! One Jury acquitting a man whose life is sought , and another condemning him ▪ In such a Town or City so many find , and so many distreined on , and so many crowded into Jails , and such and such Preachers cast into Prison , and such a one dead there , for praying to God and openly worshipping him without-book , or by no book but his own . In such and such a Country the people prosecuting each other on such accounts , and some flying into other parts , and some into America to seek that peace among Savages and Wolves , and Serpents , in Wildernesses , which they could not have under sacred Protestant Prelates and their Clergy . In France the poor Protestants hunted like Hares , neither suffered to live at home , nor to flie naked to beg their bread in other Lands ; and all this for the concord and peace of the holy Catholick Church ; a pattern so worthy of imitation , that even such excellent men as Grotius think , that it 's worth all hazards , labour and cost , to reduce England and the Lutherans to the French-Church-Consistence , and to silence and ruine all as Calvinists that are against it . From Hungary we must read , how the persecuted Protestants , after their utmost suffering and patience , are fain to call in Turks to save them from the cruelties of Christians . And that those parts that are under the Turks have far more prosperity and freedom in Religion , than those that are under the Emperor & Papists . And Protestants under them are kept in co●●●●al fear , as knowing that it is their Law and Doctrine that Princes are bound to do their best to exterminate or destroy them , on pain of Excommunication , Deposition and Damnation● And remembring the Inquisitions , the Piedmont , French , Dutch , Irish , &c. Massacres : So that they are brought to this hard dilemma , Chuse whether you will be Dead men , or be proclaimed Rebels . If whole Countreys will not lie down and die patiently without self-defence , they are odious Rebels . These and such other are the subjects of our News-books , which have broken the poor Booksellers , who were wont to live by selling Books of Learning , and of practical Divinity . And too many Preachers are fain to be short as well as formal in their Sermons for Christian Love , because they spend so much time in Preaching up hatred and destruction . Were there but any Art that could devise any Engine that could reach the heart , and turn it into the hatred of those that never did them wrong ( as they say some Philters and Charms will make men mad with Love ; ) Or if any Apothecary had an effectual Medicine against brotherly Love ▪ I doubt these would become the most accustomed Shops and prosperous Trades in all the City : But for want of such , some Pulpits , Printers Booksellers , Clubs , Drinking-houses , and Play-houses ( to pass by fouler ) must serve the turn . But if God have not mercy on the Land by restraining them , Gunpowder-makers , Gun-smiths , Sword-sellers , Souldiers , Swearers and Executioners , will swallow up most other Trades in the Land. It 's worth enquiry whether in foresight of this , they set not their Sons to such Trades as these , or Apprentices to such Lawyers as are best at preparative Accusations , and have learnt Tertullus's Art : Or to such Schools and Tutors as can teach them the Learning of Zedekiah , and the four hundred Prophets , 1 King. 22. § 7. And all this is the more unexcusable and lamentable , because they came but lately out of the fire , which this same malignant Spirit kindled ; The very same causes cast the three Kingdoms into dreadful Flames and Blood. The Histories of the bloody murder of many hundred thousands called Albigenses , Waldenses and Bohemians , in Piedmont , Germany and elsewhere , and of the Netherland cruelties , the Spanish Inquisition and Invasions , the murder of thirty or forty thousand at once in France , and of two of their Kings , the Powder Plot here , as well as the Bonefires in Q Marys days , and much more their Councils and Doctors defending and commanding such usage of Protestants , did set all our Parliaments one after another into a vehement unwillingness to be so used , and to fall into their hands that will do it if they can : And when the evil Spirit had raised cross interests and distrusts between King and Parliament , the Papists seeming to be for the War and King , and suddenly murdering in Ireland no fewer than two hundred thousand , and pretending the Kings Commission , and threatning the like in England , affrightned the People into the Army , after raised by the Parliament . And though I think all that War in England kill'd not the fourth part so many as the Papists had murdered in Ireland ; yet so dismal and odious was it , and had so direful an end , as loudly told us how bad the causes and beginnings were . Few parts of the Land were free from spoil , plunder and poverty ; yea or from terrible Sieges and fields of blood : English-men labouring to destroy each other , and some hiring Forreigners to help them : And Lads running from their Parents to be as Apprentices to the Man-killing Trade . Counties were against Counties , Cities against Cities , Neighbours against Neighbours , single persons flying from Men as from Bears and Tygers , as after in the Plague-time , afraid of almost all that they met . And at last the very Armies falling out among themselves : The first raised for the Parliament , were mastered by a second Party , that brought in ( as Auxiliaries ) a new Imposition ; and that Party after mastered and cast down by a third that brought in a new Cause ; and that prevailing , pulling down their Masters , an Usurper odiously destroying the King , and setting up himself with another Title , and subduing and ruining those that were against it , even both the Parties that began the War : And yet when he was dead , to shew the World what divisions can do , that same Victorious , Rebellious Army , fell all into pieces by its own discord , and was totally dissolved as by a miracle , without one drop of blood that ever I could hear of ; and the Victorious leaders many of them hang'd , drawn and quartered , and their heads and quarters hang'd up on the City Gates . And would not one think that a Nation of men in their wits , should after so long and sad experience of the mischiefs of hatred and division , be willing of the reviving of Love and Concord , and hate all motions of dividing any more ? But alas , they hate them that would heal our wounds ; and if any one lay on a healing Plaister , there are hands too many both Lay and Clergy , ready with rage to pull it off , and yet it 's all on pretence of healing us , that they will not suffer us to be healed ; for the way of peace they have not known . Unhappy Surgeons , that know no Balsom but Corrosives and Distilled Vinegar , yea no way of healing but by dismembring , even the usefullest members of the Body . Having learned of the Romish Leeches that live on blood , when they are for exhausting the vital Stock , and cast the Kingdom into a Palsy or Marasmus , they tell you it was all but corrupt or haemorrhoidal blood , and the loss of it necessary to cure the madness of the Land. The beginning of some reconciliation between the first contending Parties , began to flatter us with the hopes of Restored Love and Quietness : Secret consultations prepared the way : Lords , Knights and Gentlemen , Print their Protestations for Oblivion and Reconciliation , and against Revenge . Hereupon those that by Land and Sea , in the three Kingdoms had fought against the King , restore him : The land rejoyceth in the smiling hopes of reviving Charity and Concord : The King chiefly causeth these hopes by his Declarations and Act of Oblivion , and specially his healing Gracious Declaration about Ecclesiastical Affairs . The house of Commons and the City Ministers give him thanks for it : Who would have thought now but such Experience , such Protestations , such Obligations , such Authorities should have put the whole Kingdom into a longing desire to perfect the work of Love and Peace ? But it proved clean contrary : Some had other things in their Heads and Hearts ; outlandish Fashions , especially French , have long been the Badge of English folly ! There are men in Spain that trade much in the fire , and Queen Mary brought the trade into England : There are men in many other Forreign Lands , who are so devout that their Canons and Religion rule their appetites ; And they love no meat like a Carbonado'd Protestant , nor are pleased with any Perfume or Incense so much as with the smell of a rosted Saint , first call'd a Heretick or Schismatick : Like the Roman Tyrant that gloried in the sweetness of the smell when he smelt the stink of the Carcasses which he had laid to dung the Field . And there were men abroad that learnt these Fashions , and Contracted such a familiarity and Love to Forreigners , as that for obtaining Union with them , all the Divisions , Distractions and Calamities of England and Scotland , are not thought too dear a Sacrifice : And as some Sons of Nonconformists must be doubly virulent to expiate the guilt of their Original sin ; So some English men must like Sampson and David , bring double Testimony of their real enmity to the Philistines , from their Skins , before they can be trusted abroad as real reconcilers : And they say that there are some things that will be closely united , by no cement so well as by humane blood . Doubtless the Gospel as used in English , and Preached by true Protestants , ( such as the Pseudo-Bellamie in Philanax Anglicus hatefully calleth Protestants off Sincerity , ) goeth not with many beyond Sea , for the same Gospel which they believe . And therefore no wonder if the Preachers of it be unpleasing to them ; and he that will please them , and unite with them , must silence or oppose those that they would have to be silenced and disgraced . And some think that Union with many Kingdoms of Christians , which call themselves the Catholick Church , is much to be preferred before the Love and Concord of a hated party in our Island . And as Dr. Saywell ( the Master of a Colledge and Bishop Gunnings Chaplain ) saith ( to prove that there is a Universal Legislative and Judicial power in the Clergy , over Kingdoms as well Persons ; ) [ If more persons or particular Churches give offence by Heresy , Schism , &c. The CHURCH UNIVERSAL , or the rest of the Bishops may reprove them for it , and then there is no Reason why one man should be censured and many should go free , and consequently our Saviour hath established the Authority of his Church over all Christians as well particular Churches as private men : Churches of Kingdoms and Nations have a SOVERAIGNTY over them to which they must yield obedience , Isa. 60. 12. The Nation and Kingdom that will not serve thee , shall perish : yea those Nations shall be utterly wasted , pag. 343. Though Kings have no Civil Universal Soveraign over them but Christ , yet it seems all the world both Kings and Kingdoms have an Ecclesiastical Soveraignty over them all : Communion of equalls and Christian Counsel and Reproof is not enough , such as all Neighbour Princes may use towards one another ; Nor the denial of such Communion to the uncapable ! But all Kings and Kingdoms must be under one Church Soveraignty , which hath a Legislative & Judicial power over them all , to excommunicate , absolve them , &c. And how much more in ordine ad Spiritua●ia the common exposition of Ecclesiastical Power tells you : As experience long told many Kingdoms what the Excommunicating of a King , and Interdicting a Kingdom the worship of God , do signify towards their Dethroning or Invasion . And all this must be done , not as for the Pope , but under the name of a General Council , and the poor Pope shall have no power but , say some , to call that Council , and call it General when there is no such thing , and preside in it , and rule us as chief Patriarch and St. Peters Successor , in the Intervals of General Councils ( that is , continually ) and that not Arbitrarily , but by the Laws of the Church or Councils , ( and no mortal man can tell which those Authorized Legislative Councils are , among the hundreds of erroneous or contradicting ones . ) So that Popery in England is an abhorred thing ; for it is nothing with some but the Popes absolute Government of the whole Church , as without or above Laws and Ecclesiastick Parliaments . And can you reconcile all this to our Oath of Supremacy , and the Canons that establish it , renouncing all forreign Iurisdiction ? Yes easily , we have been told it meaneth only forreign Civil Iurisdiction which belongs to the King , and not forreign Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction , ( which is all that the sober Popes do claim , save indirectly in ordine ad Spiritualia ) To Command a Nation on pain of Excommunication and Damnation ( according to divers Councils ) to renounce their Allegiance to their Excommunicate Prince , and to depose him and set up another , is no act of Civil , but of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction , which yet hath dethroned Emperours and overthrown Dominions . And saith A. Bishop Laud ( in Dr. Stillingfleet's defence of him , p. 540. [ It doth not follow , because the Church may err , therefore She may not Govern. For the Church hath not only a PASTORAL Power , to Teach and Direct , but a PRETORIAN also , to controul and censure , &c. And for external obedience to General Councils when they err , [ Consider whether it be not fit to allow a General council that honour and priviledge which all other Great Courts have : Stillingfleet , p. 534. ] So that instead of a Council of equals for concord ( as Princes use for peace with their neighbours , ) We have an Vniversal Soveraign Court set up with Pretorian Power , to make binding Laws , and pass Iudgment to all the Christian World , and ( say some ) They are Schismaticks that obey not these Vniversal Laws , and obedience to them , and suppressing all forbidden Assemblies for Gods worship is the only way to Christian concord . And where this forreign Jurisdiction is made of such absolute necessity , that without subjection to it by Kings and Kingdoms , there is no concord to be had , nor any avoiding of the guilt of Schism , what wonder if some can wish that silencings , reproaches , ruines , and confusions may be thought no dear price to obtain an universal union ; for which Christ and his Law are insufficient . They that have read Grotius , Cassander , Baldwin , Hoffmeister , Erasmus , A. Bishop Laud , Dr. Heylin of his Life , Bishop Sparrow , A. Bishop Bromhal and the Prefacer Bishop Parker , Thorndike , Bishop Gunning and his Chaplain Dr. Saywell , and such others , and against them all have read Dr. Isaac Barrow of the Supremacy against Thorndike , &c. may understand where our difference and danger lyeth . § 8. And is Englands self destroying disease uncureable ! God hath in wonderful mercy given us peace from forreign Enemies ? And is there no hope of prevailing with English men to live together in peace ? Must that of Isa. 49. 36. be our case , to eat our own Flesh , and be drunken with our own Blood as with sweet Wine ? Alas , no counsel , no petitions , no tears , no experience , no judgments of God by Plagues and Flames , have hitherto one jot prevailed ; But the Ulcer of mens minds grows more and more putrid and malignant ! Two ways are by some proposed : First that all the Consciencious worshippers of God in the Kingdom , should bring their judgments to a full conformity , in every particular to their rulers : Whenas first they cannot tell us who these must be : some say to the King or Law ? Some say to the Bishops in a National Convocation : Others say , to the foresaid forreign universal Soveraignty of General Councils , ( with the Patriarchs . ) If the first be the way , what Kingdoms must it be in ? Is it no where but in Britain ? Or also in France , Spain , Italy , Germany , Poland ? And must there be as many Religions as Kings and Laws will make ? And how far must this go ? And where must we stop ? Must Kings choose us a God ? Or chuse whether we shall have any God , any Christ , any Bible , any worship of God , and so any Heaven ? If it be the Bishops that must be the common rule of our Religion , what Countreys and Ages doth this rule serve for ? Was it the rule where Princes and Prelates were Arians , or Nestorians , or Eutychians , or Monothelites , or Papists ? Is it the rule now in France , Spain , Italy , &c. Or was it so in the Popes Catholick Church , from An. 700 till the Reformation . If it be General Councils , I am weary of repeating the Proofs that there never was one , nor ever is like to be one , or ought to be . If it be an European Council , who shall call them , and who shall judge whether it be equal , and so far General ? And are not the greater number of European Bishops known Papists ? And will they not then be the Major Vote ? And so we must be as bad as they ? And if the rest of the Christian world be not bound by them ( in Greece , Ethiopia , Armenia , Syria , &c. ) Why are we ? Is it the Council of Ariminum , Sirmium , Milane , &c. or of Ephesus 2 , Nice 2d many at Constantinople , at the Laterane , at Lyons , at Florence , at Constance , at Basil , at Trent , that are our Rule ! Must all that will be Catholicks and saved , hold all the Heresies , Contradictions , and Corruptions that Councils have held , and obey all their load of Canons ? If the Italians , French , English , &c. are all disagreed , how many and which Councils we must obey , can all poor people know which is in the right ? And hath Christ left Religion so uncertain a thing ? Or so mutable that General Councils of Prelates may be still increasing it ? If he was the the maker of it , by himself and his Apostles , we may know more certainly where to find it : Most Christians may say , Christ we know , and Peter and Paul , &c. we know : But your Councils are too many , too voluminous , too uncertain , for us to know . But if they are such an absolutely necessary rule as you pretend , why do not teachers preach them to us daily as they do the Sacred Scriptures ? If any would come down to confine these universal Laws only to Things Indifferent , alas , must the world be confounded and divided about things indifferent ? Are not things indifferent variable as Countreys and Ages are ? And must the world have one Soveraignty to make Laws for them ? Cannot we have Life , Liberty , Peace and Love without things indifferent ? Or without agreeing in them . Are there any two in the whole world , that are not ignorant , and that differ not about many greater matters than things indifferent ? Doth he know himself , or know what a man is , that thinks all tolerated Christians must be so Skill'd in all things indifferent , which men may impose , as to know them to be such ? When it is so hard to teach the people things necessary , few and plain ? Alas , Lord , why must the Churches be left in such hands ? § 9. But some have found out another remedy for our divisions ; and that is , That only the Bishops shall be engaged to a Forreign Jurisdiction , or profess the necessity of obeying them , ( under the name of a General Council , and in the intervals , of a Colledge of the Bishops of the whole world , as one Aristocracy ; ) And that this shall not be imposed on any Lay-Communicants , but their Consciences shall be left at liberty ; Nor at the first on the inferior Clergy , till they are prepared to receive it : But only that the People obey the Priests and Prelates , and the Priests obey the Prelates and all their Governing Officers , and the Prelates only profess obedience to the Pretorian Court called , The Catholick Church . Bishop Gunnings Chaplain tells us that the Laity are not required in order to Communion to declare for General Councils . Whether they use the like Moderation in France , Spain , Germany , I know not , viz. For the Bishops only to Profess obedience to the Pope , and the Priests to the Bishops , and the people to the Priests and Bishops . I hear they go further . And if Conventicles ( as they will call them ) are also suppressed , we need not fear Religious Violence , Murder and Ruine , ( upon a feared Roman Successour . ) For saith the same Bishops Chaplain , pag 283. [ For matters may be so ordered , that all Officers , Ecclesiastical , Civil and Military , and all that are employed in Power or Authority of any kind , be persons both of known Loyalty to the Crown , and yet faithful Sons of the Church , and firm to the established Religion , and the Laws that they act by may be so explained in the favour of those that conform to the publick Worship , and the discouragement of all Dissenters , that we must reasonably be secure from all violence that the Papists can offer to force our submission : For when all our Bishops and Clergy are under strict obligations and Oaths , and the people are guided by them ; and all Officers Civil and Military are firm to the same interest , and under severe penalties if they act any thing to the contrary ; Then what probable danger can there be of any violence or disturbance to force us out of our Religion , when all things are thus secured , and the power of External Execution is generally in the hands of men of our own perswasion . ] Ans. The Dr. says well : I am of his mind in this : When they have subdued and cast out all Dissenters ( as they do in France ) and the Bishops and Clergy are setled under a Forreign Church-Jurisdiction , and the People setled in Obedience to them , and all Offices Civil , Military and Ecclesiastick in their hands , I do not think they need to fear that the Papists will use violence to change their Religion , whoever reigneth . But the Question is , whether this suppose an Vnion with all in England that are now against a Forreign Jurisdiction , or only the destruction of them , or else the forcing them to these terms ? As to a destruction of them , or forcing them to such terms , surely Violence must do this . And what though the Subjects of Forreign Power fear no Violence , are all the rest ( that is , the Protestants ) of the Kingdom inconsiderable ? We suppose the old Church of England , and all our Parliaments since the Reformation , were against a Forreign Jurisdiction : And will it be no loss to England to destroy so many , that is , the Body of the Land ? But the Question is , Whether they may not be thus brought to concord by consent ? I answer , no , unless you suppose them to be men that indeed have no Religion , and therefore can easily part with the bare name . For they are sworn by the Oath of Supremacy against all forreign Iurisdiction : And put the case that the Pope and a Council , or the King of France would bring the Emperours or the Kings Army to serve him , and be at his Command , and he would only desire that the General Officers and Colonels may be engaged to obey him , and the Captains and lower Officers to obey them , and the Souldiers to obey the Officers ; but the common Souldiers shall be bound to no more , than this obedience to their Officers . Query , Whether all these Souldiers be not Traitors to the King or Emperour ? Cromwells common Souldiers took no Commissions against King or Parliament ; they did but obey their Officers that pulled down both ! And were they therefore guiltless . Protestants will not thus follow such Prelates , against their Oaths , and against the known truth , and against their duty to God and the King. § 10. But though it be notorious that Domination and Jurisdiction be the things which cause the Papal Clergy to trouble and tear the Christian world , what is it that makes the Laity so mad , & getteth this Clergy such a militant crowd against their own Tranquillity and Salvation ? It 's as visible as any moral thing , that the Churches Divisions and Wars , and Miseries have about a thousand years risen , from Satans thrusting such worldly , fleshly , unholy men into holy Offices , who seek them but to serve their Pride and Covetousness , and Fleshly Appetites , and Ease , and who are Enemies at the heart to the serious obedience to Christ , which formally they preach . Christs own Apostles in their time of ignorance , began to strive which of them should be greatest ; of which we have recorded his sharp rebuke ; which St. Peter himself did after second , in 1 Pet. 5. 1 , 2 , 3. in words so plain , that if his pretended Successours had not first claimed a power ( as the Church ) to be the determining expounders of all the Bible , they had lain under the Condemnation of Christ and Peter , Naked , without a Defence or Cloak : But this Church-expounding authority sets them above all the Word of God , which is now but what they please to make it , and an instrument to execute their wills : And indeed it is now rather the Pope and his Prelates and Councils than Christ , that are the Law-makers to the Church : For it is not he that maketh the words only that makes the Law , but he that giveth them their sense . The words are but as the body , and the sense is the Soul of the Law. The Ministerial Church now scorn the name of Ministers , and being become Pretorian and Magisterial , they give Christ and his Spirit in the Apostles leave to make the words and body of the Scripture or Divine Law , as God formed Adams body of the dust , so that they may give it the breath of Life , and also may make far more Voluminous Laws of their own , and cut off and condemn all the Children of God , that cannot believe that it 's lawful to obey them . And though the Ignorant think that the claim of universal Legislation and Judgment , in the universal Church and General Councils , be no Service to the Domination of particular Clergy men , no nor to any , seeing there will never be a General Council , ] They understand not the mystery of iniquity , and mistake . We have English Writers that have told them , 1. That indeed Power is first given to the body , ( fine doctrine for Royalists ) but by the Body it is given to the Prelates to use for them . 2. That as a General Council hath the Supream power , so the Prelates under them have the Inferior Ruling power , and the executive in the intervals of Councils : 3. That as Councils represent the Church in Soveraignty , so every Bishop is by his office , the true Representative of the Clergy of his Diocess , and every Metropolitan the Representative of his Province , and every Patriarch of his Patriarchate ; And then are not the Patriarchs ( at least with the Metropolitans , ) Universal Rulers in such Intervals ? 4. And the Pope is the Patriarch of the West , and hath a primacy in the Church universal , and must be confest to be principium unitatis Catholicae , and say some , to be the President of Councils . 5. To which others add , that it belongs only to the president to call Councils , and to Iudg which are Lawful , without whose call they are so far from binding us , that they are themselves but unlawful Routs . And what would you have more ? But what 's all this to the poor Priests ? What ? Why , 7. The people know not what the volumes of Councils say , and it is the Priests ( or no body ) that must tell it them , ( both what their exposition of Scripture is , and what their own additional Laws are ) without which they cannot be obeyed : so that indeed the peoples Faith is ultimately resolvedly into the authority of the Priest , who tells them what the Bishop saith , who tells them what the Metropolitan and his Synod saith , who tells them what the Patriarch and his Synod saith , who tells them what the chief Patriarch and a General Council saith , who tell them determinatively what Christ and the Scripture saith and meaneth . But what 's this to Councils when there are none ? Yes , 8. Those that are past and gone , have left all those binding Laws by which the present Bishops as an Aristocracy must govern all the Christian World. But are not they for Monarchy in the state ? How come they then to plead for a Soveraign Aristocracy over the Catholick Church , and how come even the French Clergy to be for the power of a Church Parliament above the Pope ? I cannot answer that ; let the Pope and they debate it . But I wonder that A. Bishop Laud should be for the derivation of all power from the Body , as Richard Hooker is : See Dr. Stillingfleets Defence of him p. 544. 545. &c. [ No Body collective , whensoever it assembled it self , did ever give more power to the representing body of it , than a binding power upon it self and all particulars ; Nor ever did it give this power , otherwise , than with this Reservation in nature , that it would call again and reform , and if need were , abrogate any law or ordinances upon just cause made evident , that the representing Body had failed in trust or truth . And this power no Body collective , Ecclesiastical or Civil , can put out of it self , or give away to a Parliament or Council , or call it what you will , that represents it — The power which a Council hath to order , settle and define differences arising concerning faith , it hath not by any immediate institution of Christ , but it was prudently taken up by the Church from the Apostles example . ] See Dr. Stillingfleets Defence . I confess that the generality of Politicians and Lawyers , Heathens , Papists and Protestants go much this way , as to Civil Government , and say that the Majestas personalis is in the King or Senate , but the Majestas realis in the Body which giveth the Organical power , and on just cause may take it away . It is no honour to be singular in Politicks , and I have said enough of this elsewhere ( Christ. Direct . p. 1. ) But if it be the Body of the whole Church on Earth that must give Church Officers and Councils their power , and recal it when there is cause , if ever the whole Christian World meet together to vote it , when it cometh to Poling , we will give both the Monarchical and the Aristocratical Conciliar Papists three for one , to try who hath the power given by the Body . But while two or three parts do already disown almost all their Councils , the case is decided . But if an old Councils Heresies , Errours or Tyranny can be invalidated only by a new one that is truly General , or a new one as Papal as the last , we confess that Trent Canons are like to be the Law , to the end of the World. § 11. But again , what is it that maketh so many of the Laity serve the Popish Prelates universal claim , or keep up the destructive enmity and divisions of the Christian World ? A stranger would think that it were chiefly caused by some great contrariety of real Interests , or that one party adhered to some principles or practices , which were really hurtful to the others rights ? While both were serious for Christianity . But it is become by long experience notorious , that all the Christian Worlds calamitous divisions are principally from the old enmity between the Womans and the Serpents Seed , and that all is but the Prosecution of that which their first Patriarch Cain began : exemplified after in the discrimination of the Children of men and the Sons of God , and in Esau and Iacob , Ishmael and Isaac , and so down to the days of the Apostles : And , saith Paul , As he that was born after the flesh , persecuted him that was born after the spirit ; even so it is now . Among us it is notorious , that if we knew how to cure men of the radical Enmity of the flesh against the spirit , and of a carnal minds averseness to God and serious Godliness , the rest of our differences were never like to continue our Wounds and cruel Factions . In Families you may hear that this is the fundamental difference . Husband and Wife , Parents and Children , Master and Servants , upon the meer account of serious Godliness , do live like Enemies , that are impatient of each other . If the Husband be ungodly , the Wife , Children or Servants that have but a care of their Salvation , are still under his restraints , or frowns , or scorns : This praying ( especially if it be without Book ) so much preaching and hearing ; yea any serious talk of God , or Heaven , or Scripture , is a troublesom weariness to him ; and he tells them , it is but Hypocrisie , or more ado than needs : If any compassionately tell him of the evil of his swearing , or tipling , or prophaneness , he tells them they are precise Puritanes or Fanaticks , and worse than he . If they will needs hear Sermons , he will have them go but to some cold or ignorant Preacher , or one that will please him with a calumny or scorn at Puritans , or that will say as he doth , that this stir for Salvation , and medling so much with Scripture and Religion , is but proud , self-conceited Fanaticism . In a word , it is serious Preaching , and Hearing , and Reading Gods Word , serious Praying , and Preparation for the Sacrament , serious Discourse of the state of their Souls , and Preparation for Death , Judgment and Eternity , serious fearing and avoiding sin , and speaking against the sin of others , that is the common eye-sore and trouble of the world , which they secretly hate , and cannot bear with in their Families , in their Neighbours , in Magistrates , in Ministers or People . And because it easeth their minds by vent , and by keeping up some hopes that they may be saved without this serious Godliness themselves , they cherish a conceit that the persons that herein differ from them are as bad , if not much worse than others ; and gladly hear those that slander and deride them : Such Company , such Pamphlets , such Sermons please them . And to make them odious , they have for them some contemptuous , scornful Nickname ; which , though it be of no signification , is as effectual as the truest charge . Among the Roman Sects , do but call a man a Heretick , or Schismatick , a Lutheran , a Calvinist , a Zwinglian ; and elsewhere do but call him a Sectary , a Schismatick , a Puritan , a Calvinist , a Nonconformist , an Independant , a Presbyterian , a Round-head , a Fanatick , a Whig , and it serveth the turn as well as if you had proved him a proud Hypocrite , or a Rebel . And there be among the real Schismaticks also some persons , that if you do but call a man Episcopal , a Conformist , an Arminian , a Church of England man , that goeth to the Common-Prayer , they think that he must needs be a Temporizer , Graceless or Dangerously unsound . And thus the miseries of the Land are continued and increased . But because the spirit of Cain is the Grand Incendiary , and the Enmity against serious Holiness throughout all the world , is the principal cause of Divisions , Hatred , Wars and Blood-shed , I will here annex many Reasons which , with men that have any Reason left them , should cure this Malignant Enmity to Holiness , if men will but soberly consider them . I have said so much to such already , especially in my Saints Rest ; Now or Never ; my Family Book ; and a Saint or a Brute , that I cannot do this work again without repeating much that 's said . But seeing all that doth not serve , and the Ulcer breaketh out more dangerously than ever , till it come to a Noli me tangere , we must continue some hope and use of means ; and if we lay on fresh Plaisters of the old materials , while only New Books are by such regarded , we are bound to do our best : It is but so much labour lost ; and it is not utterly lost to our selves , while we have peace of Conscience in Gods acceptance . But being sure to be misreported when I have done my best to be understood , that I be not guilty of it , I will first shew what I mean by serious Godliness , and next what I mean by Malignity or Enmity to serious Godliness . Chap. II. Whom I mean by Godly Persons , and whom by Malignant Enemies to Godliness . § 1. BY GODLINESS I do not mean , 1. Any Superstition , or making Religions , or Religious Duties which God never made , and extolling these , and the Party that are for them . God hath made us Religious work enough : Could we do that well , we need no more . Religion , so far as it is made by men , is no Religion , but a contradiction or equivocation ; for Religion is our Obligation and Duty to God , and Conscience of it . Could I be for Superstition , or more Religion than God hath made us , I might be for all the New Religions of Rome , Franciscans , Dominicans , Carthusians , Jesuits , Oratorians , and all the rest : And I might be for their Works of Supererogation , their Massings , worshiping Bread , Angels , dead Saints , Images , their Pilgrimages , Relicks , and all their pretended Traditions and Councils , their new made Church-Laws ; and I should know no end . § 2. And 2. By Godliness I mean not any singular , odd Opinion differing from the Scripture , and making a Sect , or any Errour whatsoever ; nor any Opinion which is contrary to any thing which the whole Church on Earth did ever hold as necessary to Salvation or Communion . § 3. Nor 3. Do I mean any Truth or Duty of inferiour moment , which only makes to the well-being of a Christian , though this be an Inferiour part of Godliness ; at least not that which a godly willing person knows not to be his duty . § 4. Much less 4. Do I mean any proud false conceit of a mans own Godliness , and becoming one of an unwarrantable Sect , that he may be conspicuous to others , or cherish this presumption in himself ; and say to others , Stand by , I am holier than thou : Or as the Pharisee , I thank thee Lord that I am not as this Publican : ( Though yet all that will be saved must greatly differ from the ungodly , and must with thankfulness own Gods grace . ) § 5. Nor 5. Do I mean any unlawful practice , which on the pretence of Godliness may be done , whether unjust censures , backbiting , unwarrantable separations from others , divisions , disobedience to Authority , Sedition , Rebellion , &c. These are all contrary to Godliness and true Religion . Christ is the strictest condemner of them , and Godliness the best cure . If any Godly or Religious person , be guilty of any one of these , 1. It cannot be as known and in a predominant degree ; 2. And it is his Disease ( as a Leprosie to a man ) and not his Godliness . § 6. But by GODLINESS I mean only the serious Consent to , and Performance of the Covenant which we made with God in our Baptism : That we seriously believe that there is One only God , of most perfect Power , Knowledge and Goodness , our Creator , Maintainer , Governour and End ; whom we must Obey , and Serve , and Love above all Creatures whatsoever ; and that he is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him , and will give everlasting blessedness to the faithful , and everlastingly punish the ungodly . That we seriously believe that Iesus Christ is the Redeemer and Saviour , who Teacheth , Ruleth , Pardoneth , Sanctifieth and Saveth all true penitent Believers ; who is our Intercessor , Head and Iudge . That we seriously believe that the Holy Ghost indited and sealed by his Gifts and Miracles the Doctrine and Writings of the Prophets and Apostles , now recorded in the Scriptures , and that he is sent from the Father and the Son to Regenerate , Sanctifie , Comfort and Strengthen those that shall be saved . And that we seriously consent to Love and Obey God our Father , Saviour and Sanctifier as his Creatures , Subjects and Children in these Relations , that we may be pardoned and saved by him . And that we be willing to forsake the Devil and his Works , and the World and Flesh , so far as they would tempt us to break this Covenant against God , and our Obedience and Salvation . And lastly , That we seriously or sincerely ( though not perfectly ) endeavour in our lives to keep this Covenant , preferring God in our Love and Obedience , and our Hopes of Life everlasting before all the pleasures and treasures of this World , and resisting the temptations of the Devil , World and Flesh , which would turn us from him , and from our Obedience and Hope : And that we truly ( though not perfectly ) trust God and our Redeemer for the Heavenly Glory which he hath promised . This is plainly , distinctly and fully what I mean by Godliness or Holiness : And such are the persons ( though all imperfect , and of divers degrees ) which I call Saints or Godly : He that feigneth me to mean any thing else , doth but abuse himself and me : If there be none such , there are no Christians , and all the Word of God is vain . But every Duty commanded by God is a part of the matter of our Obedience and Religion , viz. As according to the first Commandment to take God for our God , to be absolutely Obeyed , Loved and Trusted , and to renounce all Idols , and neither to Obey , Love or Trust our selves or any creature before him ; So also according to the second Commandment , to renounce all scandalous symbolizing with Idolaters , in the outward worship of God in their sinful way ; especially by Images , and other apearances of Idolatry : And that we worship God , according to his Word . And according to the third Commandment , that we avoid all Prophanation of holy things ; All Perjury , false Vows , and fathering falshoods upon God or his Words , and rash Swearing and Unreverent using of Gods Name , and turning his worship into a lifeless form . And according to the fourth Commandment , that we worship God publickly in solemn assemblies , and devote the Lords day to holy exercises ; that we search the Scriptures , pray for what God hath promised , or commanded ; Meditate and Confer of holy things , and celebrate the Sacraments in the Communion of Saints . And so according to the second Table that we honour and obey our Parents , and ( as far as their right of Government reacheth ) all other that God sets over us : And dishonour them not , nor obey Civil , Ecclesiastical or Domestical Usurpers against them . That we do our best to save our neighbours Life and Bodily welfare , against Murderers or Usurpers ; and hurt no mans life or health either violently or by Iezabels pretence of Justice . That we keep our Senses , Thoughs , Affections , Passions and Actions , from all unchastity and immodest lasciviousness . That we wrong no man in his estate , but to our power help them . That we avoid all Injustice , Lying , false Witness , false Judgment and Oppressive , Unrighteous Government ; And promote Truth and Justice to our power . And lastly that we love our Neighbour as our selves , and take his welfare and his sufferings as our own , and do as we would have others do by us , and covet not to draw from him to our selves . So that he that pretendeth to love God and Godliness , and obedience to Christ , and yet loveth not such a life as this , he lieth , or says he knows not what . And he that hateth men or opposeth them , for any one of all these duties , ( for reading or hearing Gods Word , for praying for things promised , for holy Conference and Meditation , for sanctifying the Lords day , for desiring a Shepherd and not a Wolf ; for abhorring prophaneness , and other great sins ) doth thereby declare that it is so much of Godliness or Obedience which he abhorreth ; and it is through Ignorance doubtless if he seriously love and practise the rest of Gods Commands . § 7. II. By Malignant Enemies of Godliness , 1. I do not mean every one that hath any backwardness to any duty , which he overcometh in the practice : Nor every one that is guilty of some omissions : The spirit is willing , and the flesh is weak . § 8. 2. I mean not those that are Godly in the main so far as they can know , but through education or otherwise are ignorant of some Integral Truths or Duties , and have an opposing contentious Zeal against them by mistake ; and by factious company are taught therefore to speak evil falsly of those from whom they differ . I hear some revile all even with terms of enmity and unchristian threatnings , yea seeking their ruine , who do not swear , say and practise all that is required to English Conformity . I do not conclude them therefore Malignant Enemies of Godliness , if they live soberly , righteously and godlily in their way , and prefer God before Men , Heaven before Earth , the Soul before the Body , and a Holy life before the pleasures and profits of the flesh . If they are uncharitable against all that are not for Diocesans , Lay-Chancellours Excommunications , Symbolical Crossing of Children as a Covenanting sign of Christianity , and all the rest ; I wish them more Charity , but I call them not Malignant Enemies . I find Bishop Gunnings Chaplain thinks that he doth say well , when he saith , that [ Not only Murderers , Adulterers , Drunkards , but such Schismaticks as disturb the peace , and weaken the authority of the Churches Discipline ( their 's ) are to be excommunicated and reckoned among Heathens and Publicans ; and Enemies to the Gospel of Christ ( if they preach it without a Diocesanes license . ) p. 214. And that it is already our case , that it 's a very difficult matter to find a Iury and Witnesses especially among the Dissenters , upon whose credit we may rely . ) All this signifieth how little blind Faction is to be believed , and how far it conquereth even humane modesty and veracity : But yet I difference it from the Enmity to Godliness which I speak of . And that you may see that he is no Papist , though for a Forreign Iurisdiction , he tells you of Cromwell that [ There is too great , reason to suspect that he intended to settle Popery in the Nation , when matters had been ripe to go through with it . ] I confess this is news to me : I have roundly told him to his face of his Disloyalty in deposing our English Monarchy , and told the world then of his treacherous Usurpation , but it never came into my thoughts that he intended to settle Popery in the Nation . But if these words come from Clergy Truth and Modesty , they are very considerable . I hope the old Royalists will be against Popery the more if Cromwel was for it : And the Papists I hope will be no more angry with Dr. Moulin that answereth Philanax Anglicus , for making the Kings death to be caused and concluded by the Papists , if Cromwel was for them . But Faction will face men down , that Snow is black . So on the other side , I hear some that are against Infant Baptism , sharply censure all that are not of their mind ; And some over-sharply censure the Prelatists and Conformists ; And almost all the Christian world is divided into parties , that too little stick at the injurious censuring of others ; The Papists , Greeks , Abassines , Armenians , Nestorians , Jacobites , &c. And among the Papists , the Dominicans and Molinists , and Jansenians , &c. And among the Protestants , too many . This is no small sin , but it is not that enmity to Godliness it self which I mean. § 9. 3. And I mean not by malignity , mens Differences in Civil and Political Controversies . Though I take Popery to be half a Civil Controversy , and to be unsufferable by such Princes and People whom they bind themselves to depose and destroy : And that to Subject all the Christian world to the Legislative , Judicial and Executive Government of one Pope , or one Pretorian Court , is no better than to proclaim such a Pope or Court , to be publick enemies and usurpers to all Christian Princes and States . But yet abundance of Political differences may consist with serious Piety : My reason is , because God hath not made Political Controversies so clear as that all good Christians can resolve them . Neither the Light of Nature , nor the Bible ▪ nor Tradition endeth them . Nor hath he put them into our Creed or the ten Commandments , nor laid mens Salvation on them , as he hath done on the Essentials of Religion : Nor commanded all men to be so well Skill'd in Statute Books and Common Law as to be able to know which party is in the right . And therefore I joyn not with those Clergy or Lay-Gentlemen , who damn all that are not of their mind and side , in differences of that nature . I often hear some say that Kings and States do all receive their Authority from the Body of the Nation who are the chief seat of it . So Hooker , so Laud , and indeed as aforesaid , so Heathen , Papist and Protestant Politicks ordinarily hold : I call not all these malignants , though I am fully satisfied , 1. That God is the Instituter of Magistracy in genere . 2. And that he hath so far specified it as to determine of its unchangeable Essentials ( that they shall as his Officers promote obedience to the ten Commandments . ) 3. And that he never gave this governing power to the people . 4. But that all that the people do is , 1. To specify it as to the number of persons ( a Monarchy , Aristocracy or , mixt of these and some Democracy . ) 2. To limit it by determining of the Degrees of power , about Property and Liberty , and all things which Gods Law hath left undetermined , and mutable . 3. And to determine of the persons and Families that shall receive the immutable power from God and the mutable from men . I often hear some most magnify Democracy , and some Aristocracy , and some Monarchy , and some a mixture ; and some English Clergy men are for a Civil Monarchy Subject to a Catholick Clergy-Aristocracy : I call none Malignants for any such differences . I find some Papists and Protestants Politick writers saying that when it proveth hurtful to the Common-wealth , the people may retract the power given the Prince , and change the Government , and Hooker saith , No doubt in such a case a Prince will part with it : And A. Bishop Laud , before cited , saith of the like , and abrogating Laws , This power no Body Collective Ecclesiastical or Civil , can put out of it self and give away , And I find many that extol Hooker and Laud , call this a principle of Rebellion . It is neither of them that I call Malignants . I find most writers of Politicks agreed that the Law of nature Alloweth and Commandeth Kingdoms and Commonwealths self-defence against any publick Enemies that seek to destroy them . And that no man on pretence of Right to a Crown hath any right to destroy the body of the people , or the Bonum publicum which is the Essentiating end of Government , nor can be simul rex & publicus hostis . I hear others take this for an unchristian doctrine of Rebellion , and say , that if a King would destroy all the people of a Kingdom ( in revenge , or in siding with another Kingdom of his own or anothers , ) they ought not to resist him , or any that he Commissioneth to do it : And that if he should Commission a few men to kill all the Parliament as they sit , or to burn the City , it is Rebellion to resist by self-defence . I hear Lawyers themselves at great difference on such matters , some for more power , and some for less : I find the great Defenders of Monarchy , such as Barclay and Grotius de Iure Belli , naming many cases in which Kings may be resisted , yea and forfeit all : And I find others among us of a contrary mind . Yea I find the Conformable and Diocesane Pillars quite differ in such cases , Bishop Bilson naming many cases in which resistance is no rebellion , ( To Subject his Kingdom to a Forreign Realm , or to change the form of the Common-wealth from Impery to Tyranny , or neglect the Laws Established by common consent of Prince and People , to execute his own pleasure ; In these and other such cases which might be named , if the Nobles and Commons joyn together to defend their ancient and accustomed Liberty , Regiment & Laws , they may not well be counted Rebels , saith he , of Obedience , pag. 520. ) But I hear many now say the contrary , and Condemn such Doctrine as disloyal . I find some joyn with the Papists in accusing the Reformation as caused by Rebellions , in Germany , Geneva , France , Belgium , &c. And I find Bishop Iewel , Bilson , and other Bishops defending the French defence , and Dr. Peter Moulin of Canterbury in his answer to Philanax Anglicus , Contradicting their accusers , as false in Point of History . Abundance of such Political Controversies are now lately agitated , some charging their adversaries with Rebellion , and some with Tyranny : Some saying , they are guilty of Treason against the King ; and others , They are Traitors against the Kingdom : And too ordinarily damning one another ; as if these matters were Articles of our Creed . What a dismal difference is there now about those words in the Declaration in the Corporation Act ; [ There is no Obligation on me or any other person , from the Oath called the solemn League and Covenant : Some say there are none but Rebels will refuse it ; And that if any obligation had been granted to things lawful or necessary some would have extended it to Rebellion or Schism . And therefore all Obligation is to be renounced . Others say , that National perjury is a forerunner of National Calamity or ruine ; and that where Oaths bind not , there can be no Trust ; and no Trust , no Commerce : And they think as Dr. Sanderson , and Casuists , Papists and Protestants do , that though an Oath or Vow be unlawfully Imposed and Sinfully taken , and part of the matter of it be unlawful , and the Imposers and Takers are bound to repent , and no one is bound by it to the unlawful part , yet the taker is bound to that part of the matter which is lawful or necessary : And they take it to be lawful and necessary to Repent of sin , to oppose Prophaneness , Schisms , Heresy and Popery , to defend the King , and therefore that it obligeth them to these . I meddle not with the Roman opinion that it is the Henrician Heresy to say that Kings have a power of investing Bishops , and disobeying the Popes Excommunication ; and of such as Cardinal Perron that dare not question or deny the power of the Pope and Councils to Excommunicate and depose Kings , because then they must condemn approved General Councils , which are their religion itself , and ( saith he ) must grant that the Pope is Antichrist , and the Church erroneous that hath so long used this . I name all these Political Controversies , 1. To tell you that it is not factious and passionate enmity to each other on such accounts , which I mean by enmity to Religion . 2. And to remember men , that if in so many and great points of Politicks and Government , the Learned and Christian World , have so great difference , what reason is there that we should Damn or Excommunicate , or hate each other about a hard opinion in Religion , or a Ceremony . 3. And to tell the Popish Church , that if it were a good argument that there must be one Pretorian Court or Church , to oblige all the World by an universal determination in what sence to expound the Scripture , because it is abused to errour by mens mistake , and there must be an end of Controversies ; by the same reason there must be an universal Pretorian Court to expound all human Laws , and end the controversies of Lawyers ; Yea and to master all mens Reason ; for Scripture is no more commonly controverted and abused than Law is ; And not half so much as Reason is , which is pleaded for almost all the falshood and wickedness in the World. § 10. Moreover it is not personal feuds between Man and Man that I mean by Enmity to Godliness : No though any such be against an Innocent and Godly Man , where it is not for his Godliness , but some other difference . § 11. I will say more though some dislike it , it is not a Papist as such that I mean by a Malignant Enemy of Godliness ; I know that Education , and Temptation , and want of hearing the confutation of their errours judiciously made , may cause Godly persons to think that the universal Church must be united in some humane Head or Soveraign power ; and that there is no other way to end controversies and schisms , and that ( as Dr. Saywell saith ) there must be some over Kingdoms or National Churches , as well as over particular persons , that many may not escape while a few are punished : It is easy to be deceived by the pretences of Unity and Concord , while men see the divisions and discords of others : And the false pretences of Antiquity are so confidently uttered by their Clergy , that men unacquainted with the history may verily believe them : And the plea for an uninterrupted succession of Ministerial ordination , and that a Superior must give power to the Inferiors , deceiveth many . If there must be a Diocesane to ordain and rule all Presbyters , and a Metropolitan to ordain or rule the Diocesanes , and a Patriarch to rule them , from whom shall the Patriarchs receive their power , or commands , but from a Pope ? The poor reasoning which the French now use with the Protestants puzleth unskilful persons ; viz. Was there any Church before your reformation ? If yea , where was it ? And had not you your Ministerial power from it ? It was Rome or none : And if it was the true Church then , it is so now . We answer them , there was and is one only Catholick Church : Of this Christ only is the Head or Universal governour , and no man or men ; Of this all Lawful Pastors are his official guides in their several Provinces , as many Justices and Mayors of Corporations under one King : That all these having one King ( Jesus ) and one Law ( of Christ ) and one Spirit , and one Faith and Hope , are to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace , and to use Synods when needful to that end , but not as a Pretorian or Regent Aristocracy or Court. That the Church before Luther was all over the World where ever there were Christians : in Ethiopia , Egypt , Syria , Armenia , Georgia , Circassia , Asia , and where ever the Greek Christianity is , in Moscovy , and in all Europe where there were true Christians . That the envious man having sowed Tares , this Church is unhappily fallen into many corruptions , diseases , and factious sects , almost all censuring one another : no part of it is perfect : That the Papal part is in Doctrine , Worship and Government one of the most corrupted parts ! Yet so far as their diseases or errours nullify not their profession of Christianity , they are parts , though leprous . And therefore though they are the most uncharitable and schismatical part , as they cut off or unchurch all the Christian World save themselves , yet being as Christians united to the rest in the common faith , their Baptism & Ordinations are not nullities as they invest men in the Christian Society and Christian Ministry ; though that part of them is a nullity which engageth men in a schism and in sin . That the Ministerial power is not the gift of Man , but only of Christ , who by the Charter of his recorded Word , giveth the power and the obligation to that person who is duely chosen and called thereto : As the Kings Charter giveth the power to the Mayor of a Corporation duly qualified and chosen : that the ordainers are but partly Judges of due qualification , and partly Ministerial Investers , and not at all the Donors of the Power : that ordination is for order sake needful , when it may be had to keep men from being Judgers of their own sufficiency : But order being only for the thing ordered , ( as the Sabbath was made for man , and not man for the Sabbath ) is not necessary against the end . That there is no necessity that a Superior must ordain : but as the Colledge of Physicians , Philosophers , &c. make Physicians , Philosophers as approved , so may equals in the Ministry : Do not Bishops make or consecrate Bishops . If this were not so , who makes the Pope ? If he did not pretend that his power is given him immediately from Christ , he must grant that there are some men above him to give it him , and so he is not the Soveraign . If they say that the power of Popes ( and Kings ) is given by the whole body ( the Church ) he is then no Pope : for it 's known that three parts of the Christian World are against him . If he will say , None are the Church but those that are his party , any sect or rebels may say the like , and appropriate authority to themselves . Nothing more cheateth the ignorant , than ambiguous words , and confusion : And explaining those words , and needful plain distinction , would save the writing of many volumes , and would make truth easily meet the seeker , and unravel all the spider Webs of deceivers . Do but well use these few distinctions and all Popery vanisheth into smoak . 1. Distinguish between a Catholick Church as headed by Christ ; ( This we are all members of ; ) and a pretended Catholick Church , headed by the Pope or any men : This is another Church as to the denominating form , having another informing , unifying head : And this is it which we deny . 2. Distinguish visibility : Christs Church is so far visible as to have a Head who was visible on Earth , is visible in Heaven , and will visibly come to Judgment , and visibly reign for ever . It hath visible Laws , Protection and Officers ; The subjects bodies and their profession are visible ; And it is no farther visible ; no not as to the Souls or real faith of the subjects . The Papists Church hath an Usurping Visible Humane Head on earth . 3. Distinguish of Baptism and Ordination as into Christs Catholick Church , and done by Papists as Christians ; And as into the Popes Catholick Church and done by Papists as Papists . 4. Distinguish of Subjection , and Communion : We owe Communion when we owe no Subjection , and where men have no right to be our Governours . 5. Distinguish between Communion in Christianity , and that in Essentials , Integrals or Accidents ; and Communion in errours and corruptions , or defects . We have Communion with Papists and all Christians in Christianity , ( if they be Christians indeed : ) But we renounce Communion in the errours and sins of them and all others , as far as we are able to avoid them . All Christians have Union and Communion in the Essentials of Christianity : No Christians have Union and Communion in all the Integrals ( on Earth ) all being imperfect : But the more such Union and Communion , the better . No Christians have , or ought to have Communion in all the Accidents . All should avoid Communion in sin . 6. Distinguish between Communion of Hearts , Communion of Profession , and Communion in Local presence : We have Heart Communion in one Essential Faith , Hope and Love with all true Christians on Earth . We profess all one Faith in the Essentials : We have nearer Communion , or fuller with the Reformed Churches which are soundest in the Integrals , than we have with the more faulty and corrupt . But we have Local presence but in one place at once ; and we ought to avoid Local presence where we cannot have it without sin , though we have Communion in Faith , Love and Profession with the same men . If a Reformed Church will not admit our Local presence without subscribing some one untruth , we must be absent , when we may be present with a worse Church which excludeth us not by any such Imposition . 7. Accordingly distinguish of Separation : We separate not at all from Union or Communion with Papists as they are Christians , or as they hold any Truth : But 1. We separate from Subjection and Obedience to them , which we never owed them , or any other Church . 2. We separate from Communion with their Church , as it is a Policy informed by an Usurping Humane King or Head. 3. We separate from all their sins so far as we know them . 4. We deny Local presence in their Mass-worship , because of the sin imposed on us , both before it , and in it . 5. We are uncapable of Communion in all accidents , or mutable indifferent things . Understand and use well these few plain distinctions , and you need little more to answer all the Papists . And I fear not to add , that were the Papists in my power ( as I never did ) I never would use any inhumanity or cruelty towards them ; yea , I would use no Offensive , but only Defensive force against them ; nor hurt one of them , further than they made it necessary for the Defence of the Land , or those whom they would hurt . I knew not till a Book called The Liberties of England lately told me , how many very severe Laws are against them . I am no Judge of the times that they were made in , nor of their occasions : But I think that of late they have done more hurt than good : For 1. Some of them seem too severe . 2. Some I cannot prove to be justifiable ; viz. Those which would compel them to come to our Sacramental Communion , when many a good Minister would not receive them if they came : And that which excommunicateth them that never were of our Communion : And that which layeth the Excommunicate as such in prison , &c. 3. It greatly tendeth to misinform Forreigners , who seeing these Laws , think they are all put in Execution ; and so believe those that tell them , that the Catholicks here are under constant Cruelties , and frequent Martyrdoms ; whenas I never in all my life knew of one Papist that suffered so much for his Religion , as I have done my self , within these few years past , though my sufferings are so small as to be no meet matter of very great complaint . 4. These Laws being a continual danger to them ( should there be Governours that would execute them ) doth put them on continual plotting and striving against them . Sufferings , or great dangers , put men by fear upon self-defence , and the utmost endeavours for deliverance , who would be more quiet if they found themselves in safety ; and though their Clergy would be still plotting the recovery of the Papal power , to subject King and Kingdom to the Sacred King of Rome , yet the Laity would be less against the common Peace , when they found that it was their own Peace . § 12. I have told you what I mean not by Malignant Enmity to Godliness ; I tell you now what I mean by it ; viz. When the blindness and ungodliness of corrupted Nature , increased by practice into Serpentine Enmity , and turning mens hearts by unbelief and disaffection from God and Heaven , doth possess them with a deep dislike of a holy , heavenly and spiritual life ; first as to their own practices , and then as it is in others ; and because it is against their worldly hopes and fleshly lusts , they hate it , and reject it themselves , and then hate and maliciously oppose it in others ; yea though Law , Custom , and worldly Interest draw them formally to profess Christianity and Obedience to Gods Laws , and to Vow that in Baptism , they hate the serious performance of their own Profession and Vows ; and would be glad to drive it out of the world , and to set up Hypocrisie and Ceremony , or a Stage Religion and Mummery , or the toothless Mass and Formalities in its stead : And if custom or shame hinder them from persecuting or scorning Truth and Godliness in its proper name , they will shew their mind by these things following . 1. They will set up some worldly , fleshly Interest ( like the Papal Kingdom ) which is contrary to the Christian and holy Interest ; and then they will persecute Christians not as Christians , nor as Godly in name , but as such indeed by pleading Conscience and Obedience to God , against their inconsistent interest and ways . 2. Among all that are against their carnal false interest , they will cull out the more serious godly persons to afflict . 3. Among all the faithful , they will cull out those who do Christ most service in the world ; because Christs service is it that is their disservice , and opposite to their sin . 4. They will make a scorn of their very Religious duties , and take up mimical derisions , to make them seem ridiculous or contemptible . 5. When they can charge them with no crimes , they will purposely make Nets to catch them , as the Enemies of Daniel did by him , Dan. 6. And as the Spider makes her curious Webs to catch and kill the Flies . 6. Yea they will make faults by slander , and lies , if not by perjuries , if they can find none . 7. Yea their virtue , piety and innocency shall be all called Hypocrisie ; and when they cannot accuse their actions , they will accuse their hearts and secret thoughts , and judge them as if they had a Casement into their breasts . 8. Yea if their innocency cannot be so stained , they will hate them so much the more , because they cannot tread down their reputation . 9. They will search after , and aggravate all the failings of Religious people , and turn them into crimes . 10. If any one of them , or an Hypocrite , that 's like them , be guilty of any notable fall , they will perswade men that all the rest of their lives is like that crime ; yea and that all that profess much seriousness in Godliness , are as bad as they ; that all the rest of the life of Noah , Lot , David , Solomon , &c. were as bad as the criminal part ; and that all the Servants of Christ are Peter's , or Iudas's . 11. That it is not their sins , but their piety which they hate , you will see in that they live in far greater sin themselves , and take it to be no great harm , but hate those that reprove them . 12. And they make light of the common crimes of others . They can bear with an Atheist , an Infidel , a Drunkard , a prophane Swearer , a derider of Godliness , yea a Persecutor , a Fornicator , a man of no Religion , if he will but be for them , and serve their interest , and will not scruple Communion with such : But men never so sober , just and godly , that cross their wills and carnal ways , they cannot endure : And if they be such Clergy-men , as the world hath too many , such serious Godly men , for disliking their ungodliness , are made the common objects of their Pulpit and discoursing scorn or accusations , and perhaps are excommunicate ipso facto , for dissenting from their Opinions or Wills. 13. Such usually in former ages have been the chief Instigators of Princes and Rulers , to hate men of serious Religion , and to stir up Persecution against them , and to render such odious to the world as Hereticks or intolerable Villains . O what difference is there between the true narratives of the Lives of Luther , Calvin , Beza , and abundance such , and the odious lies and defamations written of them by some others . Yea , those who commend Melancthon , Bucer , and many such for Learning and Moderation , hate their Doctrine of Reformation and serious Piety . 14. And you may note , that in any slander of a Godly man , they will sooner believe one or two ignorant malicious Drunkards against them , that never knew them , than the testimonies of hundreds of most faithful persons who praise and vindicate them , though they better knew them . 15. They seldom give the accused leave to speak for themselves before they believe Accusations against them ; but conclude that they are as bad as back-biting malice reporteth them behind their backs . 16. They are glad to hear of any infamy of Religious persons , and loth to hear them praised without contradiction ; and are glad to hear of any suffering which befals them . 17. If there be any publick differences in a Church , City or Land , they are usually against that side , which most favoureth serious Godliness , be they who they will. If the King , Parliament , and Bishops will be for the persons and ways of soberness , justice and serious Godliness , they would be on the other side . And they will cry up any that will cry them down , or would oppress them . 18. Lastly , The quality of the Enemies may help with the rest to tell what it is that they are against : when it is the generality of worldlings , proud , ambitious men , sensual drunkards , gluttons , fornicators , prophane and irreligious , who hate Godliness so far , as to drive it from themselves and families , and rather venture on Hell fire , than be truly godly ; it 's easie to know what these hate in others . I have told you who I mean by Malignant Enemies of Godliness , that the mistakers and slanderers of my words may have no excuse . Could we now but prevail against this Cainism , or Devilism , it would do much to recover the Peace of many Nations of the Earth : But Christ hath told us , that this Enmity between the seed of the Woman and the Serpent , of which Cain and Abel were the first specimen since the Fall , will never cease till Christ come , as is terribly described , 2 Thes. 1. 6 , 10 , 11 , 12. and Matth. 25. But yet some Sauls may become Pauls , and for the hope of the recovery of such , I will adjoyn such Reasons as should convince any that have the use of Reason left . Chap. III. Undeniable Reasons against Malignant Enmity to serious Godliness . 1. TO deny that there is a God who is the Supreme Governour of Man , is to be mad in despight of the whole world which proveth it : And it deposeth all Kings , who claim their Authority as given them by God , and as his Officers ; for if there be no God , there 's none to give them Authority : And to grant that there is a God , and yet deny him our love , honour and obedience , is to speak gross contradiction , or else profess open malice against God himself . If he be God , he is perfectly Wise ; and should not perfect Wisdom govern us ? If he be God , he is perfectly Good , and mans chief Benefactor ; and should he not then have our chiefest Love ? If he be God , he is of absolute Power ; and should he not then be obeyed ? If he be God , he made us , and still maintaineth us , and we live continually by his will , and have all that we have of his bounty ; and we , and all we have are wholly his own ; and is not then all our thanks and service due to him ? If he be God , he is our Judge , and will be just in punishing and rewarding ; and should we not then serve him with the greatest fear , and with the highest hopes ? These things are undeniable . Dare any man that believeth there is a God , say , that man can Love him too much ? or too much honour him , or obey him ? Can we return him more than his due ? It is therefore no less than practical Atheism , or else a rebellious defiance of God , to blame or hate men , for loving , honouring and serving him to the very utmost of their power . And to deny God , or defie him , is a thousand fold more damnable sin and treason , than to deny and defie the King , or your own Parents . 2. God hath himself commanded man , to Love him with all his heart , and soul , and might ; and to obey him with his greatest fidelity and diligence , and to fear him more than any creature , and to place our chiefest hopes on his promised rewards , and to seek first his Kingdom and Righteousness , and not to sin wilfully to save our lives , or gain all the world , Deut. 6. 5 , 6 , 7. & 10. 12. & 11 , 12 , 13 , 14. Mat. 22. 37. Heb. 11. 6. 1 Cor. 15. 58. Luke 12. 4. Heb. 12. 28 , 29. Mat. 10. 39 , 42. & 16. 25 , 26. & 6. 33. Luke 14. 26 , 33. Mat. 5. 19 , 20. And the Law of Nature speaks no less . And if God command it , and you condemn it , do you not condemn God ? If you command your Son , or Servant , or Subject any thing , he that blames him for obeying you , blames you more than him . If it be a fault of folly to love and serve God with all our heart , and mind , and might , the fault or folly would be Gods that requireth it , and not ours . And , is such a blasphemer meet for humane Society , who will accuse his Maker ? If God be blame-worthy , he is not perfect : And if he be not perfect , he is not God : And so to be against our utmost obedience , doth amount to no less than Blasphemy or Atheism . 3. Do you think that Man is a creature that needs to be blamed for loving or obeying God too much ? Do you not know that Nature is vitiated by sin , and Man is now backward to God , and all that 's good and holy ? You may as well blame a lame man for running too fast , as a sinful man for obeying God too much . It 's more foolish than to blame a sick man for working or eating too much that can do neither ? Or to hold a man in a Consumption from going up the Hill too fast ? Do you find your own hearts so forward to a holy life , as that you need pulling back or hinderance , when no exhortation or necessity will perswade you to it ? And if you need no such reproof or stop , why should you think others need it ? Do you not use to say that all men are sinners ? And do sinners need to be blamed for obedience ? Do you not daily confess that you have done the things which you ought not to have done , and left undone the things that you ought to have done , and there is no health in you ; And yet will you blame men for too much Obedience ? It seems then that your Confessions of sin are Professions of it ; and while you tell what you have done , you do but tell what you mean to do , and what you would have all others do : or else you blame your selves for sinning , and hate your Neighbours for not sinning . 4. If you hate men for holiness and avoiding sin , you hate Jesus Christ most : for he was most holy , and free from all sin : And you hate the Angels and all in Heaven , for they are holy and void of all transgression . 5. Have you any better Master to serve than God ? or any better work to do than he commandeth , or any better thing to seek and hope for than he hath promised ? If not , should not the best be preferred . What do you love and seek your selves ? Is money or fleshly pleasure better than God and Heaven ? Is Sin and Sensuality a better employment than his Service ? Is your flesh and lust a better master ? Compare them , and we are content that the best be preferred . 6. Why do you take on you to believe in Christ , if you be against holiness , and for sin ? Christ came into the world to die for sin , to shew Gods hatred of it : And would you have us wilfully to commit it , and to despise his Blood ? He came to destroy the works of the Devil ; and will you plead for them ? He came by his Doctrine , example and grace to bring man to holy obedience : And do you hate men for the same , and yet call your selves Christians ? 7. How dangerously do you draw towards the sin against the Holy-Ghost , if you hate or blame men for being holy , or seeking to be such ; when it is all the work of the Holy-Ghost on mens Souls to make them holy ? It 's a dangerous thing to hate the work of the Holy-Ghost ; and as it were defy him , and do despite to him . 8. Are you not your selves in your baptism Vowed and Devoted to God the Father , Son and Holy Ghost , renouncing the world , the Flesh and the Devil ? And do you hate men for being such as you have vowed to be your selves ? And do you think that God will not severely reckon with you for such Perjury and base Perfidiousness . 9. Do you not in your daily hypocritical devotions condemn your selves by your own tongues ? Do you not pray that the rest of your lives may be Pure and Holy ? And at the same time hate Purity and Holiness ? Do you not pray that Gods will may be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven ? And can we have a higher , purer pattern ? Do you know any that doth Gods will better than it 's done in Heaven ? Or is it not damnable hypocrisy to pray for that which you hate , and hate all men that desire and endeavour it ? When you say or hear all the ten Commandments , you pray , [ Lord have mercy upon us and incline our hearts to keep this Law : ] And do you hate men for endeavouring to keep it ? If you come to the Lords Table , you confess your sins , and bind your selves in Covenant to forsake them , and to live a holy life , and you take the Sacrament upon it ; And the Liturgy warneth you to take heed that you dissemble not , nor be hinderers of Gods holy word , lest the Devil enter into you as he did into Judas , and fill you with all unrighteousness . And if you hate or oppose that holy obedience to God which you profess , after all this , what must be the portion of such hypocrites ? And in your Creed you profess to believe in God , the Father , Son and Holy-Ghost , and to hold a Holy Catholick Church , and the Communion of Saints ; And yet do you hate Saints that obey the Father , Son and Holy-Ghost , and hate their Communion ? 10. Hath not God printed on mans nature such a sense of the difference between Good and Evil , as that all Laws and Government are founded in that sense ? And no man loveth to be counted or called a bad or ungodly , or unconscionable man : A Lyar , a Knave , a Perjured man or a wicked man : And yet do you hate men for avoiding wickedness ? 11. Do not you use to accuse Religious men of some sin or other . ( Truly or falsly ) and think by that to make them odious ? And yet do you accuse them , and hate them most for not sinning ? To be Sober , Just and Godly is but to avoid sins of Omission and Commission . And do you at once accuse them as sinners and hate them for obeying God , and sinning no more ? 12. Doth it never affright you to find the Devils nature in you , as hating the Divine or holy nature which is in faithful Godly men ? And to think how openly you serve the Devil , and do his work ? No man that believeth there are Devils can doubt , but that the hatred of God , as holy , and the hatred of his holy Word , and Work , and Servants , is the Devils malignity , and the opposing of them his work . If he were to write you his Commandments , they would be contrary to Gods , and the chief of them should be , [ Thou shalt not Love God , nor serve him with all thy Heart , and Soul , and Might , nor Love those that do so ; but hate , deride , oppose and persecute them . And is it honourable openly to serve the Devil ? Christ tells such men , Ioh. 8. That the Devil is their Father , because they have his nature , and that his work they do , for he was from the beginning a Lyar , and a Malignant Murderer , and turned man from obeying God. And can you think that he loveth you , or that his Service against God is better than Gods ; or his reward better ? 13. Doth it never touch your Consciences to consider that you are the Children and followers of cursed Cain ; and how punctually his case against Abel , and yours against Gods Servants is the same ? By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain , by which he obtained witness that he was righteous , God testifying of his Gifts ; and by it he being dead , yet speaketh , Heb. 11. 4. Cain hated him because God more accepted him and his offering ; 1 Ioh. 3. 10 , 11 , 12. In this the Children of God are manifest , and the Children of the Devil : Whoever doth not righteousness is not of God , nor he that loveth not his Brother : For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning , that we should love one another : Not as Cain , who was of that wicked one , and slew his Brother : And wherefore slew he him ? because his own works were evil and his brothers righteous . 14. Is it possible that any man can unfeignedly believe a Heaven as the reward of holy obedience , and yet think we can do too much to obtain it , or be too careful to make it sure ? Is not everlasting glory worth the cost of a holy life ? Or can it be too dearly bought ? 15. Or is it possible to believe Gods Judgment , and Hells Punishment , and yet to hate those that do their best according to Gods own Counsel to escape it ? 16. What monstrous cruelty is it in you to wish poor Souls to do that which God hath told us they shall be damned for ? God saith , Without holiness none shall see God , Heb. 12. 14. Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees , you shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of Heaven , Mat. 5. 20. Blessed are the pure in heart , for they shall see God , Mat. 5. If ye live after the Flesh ye shall die , but if by the Spirit you mortify the deeds of the Body , ye shall live , Rom. 8. 7 , 8. 13. What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness ? 2 Pet. 3. 11. We receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved , let us serve God acceptably , with Reverence and Godly fear , for our God is a Consuming Fire , Heb. 12. 28 , 29. Be stedfast , unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord , for asmuch as you know that your Labour is not in vain in the Lord , 1 Cor. 15. 58. This is the very tenor of the Gospel : And would you wish men to damn their Souls for nothing ? To lose Heaven , and suffer Hell for ever , and all to avoid a pure and holy life ? What a bloody motion is this ? Worse than if you intreated us all to cut our own throats . Let us try first whether you will do far less at our request ? Will you give the poor all your Lands and Estates ? Will you run into Fire or Water , or set your own houses on fire when any will but desire it ? It 's like you have heard of the Woman who being tempted to adultery , desired the tempter first to hold his Finger in the Fire for her ; Which when he refused , she told him , it was less reason she should burn in Hell to Satisfy his lust . If you will not part with your Life or Estate when another desires you , why should we part with Heaven for ever , and choose Hell at your desire ? Yea we see that you will not leave an ill-gotten gain , or a Sport , or a Whore , or a Drunken Cup , for all the Love of God , the blood of Christ , and the hope of Heaven ; And shall we part with God , and Heaven , and Christ to humour you ? And what is it that you offer us instead of all that we must part with ? And to ease the pain which we must undergo ? Nothing , or worse than nothing . If we should renounce God and our hope of Heaven , you cannot give us health or wealth for it : Much less can you secure these or life to us till to morrow . And will any thing that you can give us , be better than Heaven to us ? Or will it make Hell tollerable ? Will you undertake to answer for it at the bar of God , if we are charged with an ungodly , fleshly life , or omitting our necessary duty ? You cannot answer for your selves but by trembling confession : You cannot save your selves ; Nor will all your wealth and honour get you one drop of Water to cool your tongues . And shall we trust that you can answer for us , or save us ? When you would have any man wilfully to neglect that holy life which God enjoyneth , you would have him to be madder than one that would Burn his House , and Kill himself , if you did but require it . And what horrid cruelty is this ? You are worse than man-eating Cannibals ? But the best is you cannot force us to it ; And if you think to hire or flatter us into Hell , you must have somewhat more to say , and to offer us than we yet ever heard of ; Much less are we so much below Bedlams , as to forsake our Salvation , lest you should call us Precisians , or Puritans , or any such nick-name or word of scorn , as doth but shew the folly and misery of the speaker . You will not be laught or mockt out of your Estates , or Lives ; Nor we out of our Salvation . In short , Nature is not willing to lie in Hell , and Grace maketh us desire Heaven ; And we never yet found that any thing else was more desireable . 17. And what is there amiss in the Word or Work of God , and in a serious godly life , that should make us be against it ? Doth God make bad Laws ? Are your wills and lusts and appetites a better law ? Or could you have taught God to amend the Bible , or to govern better ? God needs us not : His Laws are all made for our good ? All his ways are pleasantness , and all his paths are peace . Speak true reason . Is it a better life to love a Whore , or to please Lust and Appetite , than to love God ? What is there in Love and Obedience to God that should make it detestable , or make us miserable ? Is it a greater trouble to live in hope of Heavenly Glory , than to live in the despair either of a Sadducee or a Rebel ? You may wiselier tempt us to fall out with our food , or friends , or health . We know that Faith and Godliness , are not only mans duty , but his interest , much more than health is to our bodies , food to our natures , and the converse of dearest friends to our delight . 18. We have had experience of both ways , and would you have us mad against our experience ? We tryed the World and Sin too long , and found nothing in it but brutish pleasure and luscious Poyson : Nothing that will save Soul , life or health : And some tryal God in mercy hath given us of his love , and the life of obedient faith and hope : And the more we try it , the better we find it : Only we can reach to so small a degree as doth but tell us how good it is , and make us long for more . And whether the Devil would perswade , scorn or affright us from it , by his own mouth or by yours , we hope it shall be all in vain . 19. And who or what are you that would reason , mock or affright us from a life of obedience to God ? Are you wiser than God , and dare you give him the lie , that we should believe you before him ? Or are you better than God , that you can make a better choice for your selves and us ? Are you more merciful than God , and would save us from some hurt that he would do us ? Are you truer than God , and more to be believed ? Are you greater than God , and more to be feared ? Or are you not the most foolish , ignorant and damnably your selves deluded by the Devil : And shall the words or mocks of such , drive us to forsake our Souls and God ? Should we obey you and lie in Hell for it for ever , it would be no small part of the torment of our Consciences , to think that we came thither by regarding the threats or scorns of worms and fools before all the Word , and Love of God and our Redeemer . 20. And before we change our Obedience to God for another course , let us know what we shall change it for , and whether it be for something better : Hath your course made you better or happier than the faithful are ? Do we not see and feel with sorrow , that the worldly , fleshly , ungodly sort , are in all Nations the Plagues of the Earth , and worse to mankind than Wolves and Serpents ? They will not let the world live in peace ; striving and fighting for dominion and mastership , and more of the world , they are like Dogs about their Carrion , worrying and tearing one another : They turn Man into a more odious creature than Swine or Toads , by filthy lusts , and horrid prophaneness : They make their Countreys worse than Bedlam , raving against that which the God of Heaven hath commanded and made necessary to Salvation . And are these such good and pleasant fruits as should entice us to change our master , work and hopes , for this , and worse that followeth it ? And who shall be our Rule , if we forsake God and his Word ? If Princes , how many minds are they of through the world ? And are they all in the right ? Or how shall we know which is right but by the Word of God ? Or must all men be for the God and Religion of his King ? If it were Prelates , of how many minds are they through the world , and how bitter in condemning one another ? If it must be the major part , how shall obscure men know who those be that can have no just cognisance of the state of the Earth , whether Papists , Greeks , Jacobites , Nestorians , &c. be the major part ? And how shall we know that the major part of the Clergy are the best and soundest , when we see that the major part of the Laity is usually the worst ? Or is it certain that the Papists Bishops are sounder than our Protestant Bishops , because they are more ? If we forsake our Concord in God and his Word , we can have none . 21. What mean you to do with Conscience , your own , and ours , and other mens ? Conscience is Gods Officer in us , and judgeth of men and actions as they stand subject to God and his Judgment . To drive Conscience out of the world , and to drive all reverence and obedience to God out of the world , is all one . To subject Conscience to Lust or Man , is to subject God to Lust or Man in our estimation and practice . And is God so easily deposed ? And will he give up his Scepter to a scorner , a drunkard , or a persecutor ? And what shift will you make at home to quiet Conscience in your selves ? You little know how deep it biteth , and how hardly it is quieted , when it is awaked , as shortly and certainly it will be : Then Iudas will bring back his price , and say , I have sinned in betraying innocent blood ; and all the comfort his companions will give him is , See thou to that : What 's that to us ? And hanging or precipitating himself is next . It 's like he before thought as you do , that he could have better mastered his Conscience : But you may as wisely think to conquer pain and death . But whatever you do with your own , if we should leave our obedience to God , to obey you , or any men , we know not what we should do with our own Consciences , nor how to quiet them . God hath brought us out of that Darkness and Lethargy which quieted them in sin heretofore : And we cannot now be ignorant of that duty to God , that self-interest , that danger to wilful sinners , and that evil of sin , which would begin Hell in us here : And are not your scorns and threatnings easier than this ? 22. Do not most men at death see the madness not only of enmity , but of neglect of a holy life , and wish that they might die the death of the righteous , and that their last end might be like his ? Had you rather die a Dives or a Herod , or a Lazarus or a Paul ? Is it not a shame to your devilish cause and you , to see men live in one mind and die in another ? And scorn , hate and persecute serious Godliness till the Sentence of death is past upon them , and then to wish they were such themselves . Or if you be more hardened to the last , you are the more hopeless : But how quickly did such another change his note , and cry , Father Abraham , send one to my five brethren to warn them , that they come not to this place of torment ? If you mock at these words , you mock at Christ that spake them , and sure you look not to be saved by a derided Christ. And it 's base Hypocrisy to deride him , and yet call your selves Christians , and go to Church as if you served him . Live as you would die and be judged , for you shall be judged as you live and die . Either hold to the mind that you will never change , or change it quickly before it be too late . 23. If you know what a man is , you know that his Soul is better than his corruptible flesh ; And if you think your Throats and Guts and Fancies worth all the Cost and Care and Labour which you bestow on them in the world , shall not we think our Souls worth more ? What Godly man that you think makes too much a do for Heaven , doth bestow more time , and words , and labour for it , than you do for the Flesh and World ? Do we not see how men will labour at land , and venture through dangerous Seas , and Fight in Wars , and Plot against all that stand in their way ▪ and this all day , from year to year , and all for Provision for Flesh and Fancy . And do those that you accuse do more for their Salvation ? If you know not now , you will shortly know , which makes the better choice and bargain . 24 What harm doth Godliness and Conscience do you in other men ? Had you not rather have a son that takes Disobedience , Whoredom , Gaming and Drunkenness for sin , than one that makes no Conscience of them ? Had you not rather have a Wife whose Conscience restrains her from Scolding and Adultery , and a Servant that makes Conscience of robbing or deceiving you , than one that doth not ? Sure unconscionable Servants and Debtors are more troublesom than they that fear God and believe that injustice is a damning sin ? But the truth is , most wicked men are for so much Conscience and Religion in others , as restrains them from wronging or hurting them ; but no more , nor for that much in themselves which may restrain them from hurting others . But if you resolve rather to be damned than to be Sober , Just and Godly , and obey God against the flesh ; Why cannot you bear with other men that make a wiser choice ? What hurt doth their praying do you ; or their preaching , while they are responsible for any ill Doctrine ? What if they be reading the Scripture , or hearing Directions for a holy life , while you are Drinking , or Gaming , or reading a Romance , or Railing Libel , doth their Piety hurt you ? What if they dare not Swear and Drink as you do , doth this do you any harm ? What is it but the Serpentine enmity that maketh you hate those that never hurt you ? 25. If you will believe God , it is for the sake of Godly men that God preserves the World from ruine : He would have saved Sodom had there been but ten such persons in it : He will not destroy the world , till he hath gathered all his chosen out of it : And do they deserve to be most hated ? 26. How exceeding dear a love hath God and our Redeemer exprest , to all holy , obedient believers ? God calls them his Jewels , his Treasure , in whom he delighteth ; He gave Christ specially for them : He sealeth them to Salvation by his Spirit : he justifieth them , and will glorify them in Heaven : Christ calls them Flesh of his Flesh , his Friends , his Spouse , they are united to him , he washeth them in his blood , and feedeth them with his Flesh , and will make them equal to the Angels , and will condemn their Enemies : And are not you devilish enemies to God and Christ , who cull out those for your malice and Enmity , whom God chooseth out to magnify the wonders of his Love on them for ever ? 27. The Angels of Heaven rejoyce at the Conversion of a sinner , Luke 15. 10. And rejoyce to be Christ Servants for their defence continually : And is it not Devils then and their Servants and Souldiers that are against them ? Take heed ; Gods Angels that smote a Herod , may do execution on you ere long . 28. The Holy Ghost saith , 1 Cor. 6. That the Saints shall judge the world , and even the Angels , that is , the evil ones : Did you believe this , you would be afraid to hate and persecute them now . 29. Even Heathens are for much honouring and worshiping their Gods ; yea many offer them too costly Sacrifice : What praises doth Iulian give to the Sun , and what strictness of life doth he Command his Priests ? What great contempt of the Body and the World , did the Platonists , the Stoicks and the Cynicks profess ? And shall profest Christians hate those that are obedient to the true God yea to shew that the War between Good and Evil goeth on in all the World ; even among Heathens those that were for true virtue were despised and hated by the sensual . 30. And is it not a self-condemning thing in those that accuse Gods Servants as making too much adoe in obeying the Law of God , and yet make ( as the Church of Rome doth ) abundance more Laws or Canons of their own , and require precise obedience to them all ? Yea will burn men at a Stake for breaking their Laws ; Doth God make too much work in the Judgment of them that think it not enough without much more , as if Gods Law were too narrow and insufficient ? Yea learn by the Church of England , whose Canons ( 5 , 6 , 7 , 8. ) ipso facto excommunicate them that do but affirm any thing to be repugnant to Gods word in their Liturgy , Ceremonies or Church Governing Offices : And can you think that obeying God deserveth hatred , when disobeying men deserveth excommunication ? Learn of our late Laws , which account all the Ministers of England worthy to be cast out and silenced if they dare not take the imposed Declarations , Oaths and Subscriptions , and do what the Act of Uniformity imposeth ; And do you think it worthy of reproach to be as strict in obeying Gods known Laws , as is required to the Act of Uniformity and the Canons ? 31. Even the Church of Rome applaudeth great Rigor and Strictness of life , in such as will obey the Pope ; And they have allowed Orders of Fryars whose rules tye them to great abstinence , to much praying , and some to much Preaching , so that Religion is all their calling . And shall the strict obeying of Gods known Laws render men odious among professed Protestants ? Yea the Papists honour the very Bones and Relicks of their dead Saints ? And you your selves keep holy days for many Saints : And will you at the same time hate and hurt those that endeavour to imitate them ? Will you imitate those Pharisees whom Christ pronounceth Woe against , who at once honoured the dead Prophets with building them Monuments or Tombs , and murdered the living that succeeded them ? 32. You can never come to Heaven , or be saved from Hell your selves , without serious Holiness , Justice and Sobriety : And will you hate that without which you cannot be saved ? 33. Scarce any sin doth more certainly prove you to be ungodly , than hating godliness : What ever hope there may be of those that sin against Conscience , and wish to be better , and purpose Repentance , that man cannot be a truly Godly man , that is an Enemy to godliness , so that this is a dreadful deaths mark on you . 34. You would extirpate the principle of self-love , which God hath made inseparable from us . There is somewhat in our nature which we cannot lay by , which makes us unwilling to be damned . If you that believe no Hell , dare venture into it , we cannot do so , who do believe it . If you say , that it is our folly to believe that none shall be saved without Holiness , and mortifying the deeds of the body by the Spirit , bear with that folly which doth you no harm : It is not Men or Devils that we had it from , but the Holy Ghost in Scripture . If it be your wisdom to give God the lie , and believe a Drunken sot , or the Devil , before him , it shall be none of ours : Speed as you choose , and let us speed as we choose : we shall meet your Souls shortly in another mind and tune . Strive not to make us choose damnation now our Eyes are open : We were once too easily befool'd : but cannot now so hate our selves . 35. Moreover , he that would not have a man live a life of holy obedience to God , would have him lay by that which he was made for , and that which God continueth his life for , and that which he hath his reason and all his daily mercies for . What else have we to do in the World ? Have men going to the Grave and Eternity , nothing to do but Eat and Drink , and Laugh , and Play , and run up and down like Ants with sticks and straws , and then die , and call all vanity and vexation too late ? If we may not spend our time in making sure of a better World , we had rather we had never been born , or had died in infancy , or that we had a dose of Opium that would make us sleep out the rest of our lives in quietness , rather than spend it as you do , and then give a sad ac●ount of all : we had rather we had been Birds or Beasts , Dogs or Swine than Men , were it not for that life which you hate , and the hopes which depend on it . It had been a greater kindness to us to have murdered us at the birth , than to tempt us to live for our damnation . 36. What do you think it is that is Gods Image on mans Soul , you know that it 's said in Scripture that God made man at first in his own Image , and that Christ by his Spirit reneweth them to that Image . What is it think you , God hath not hands and feet , and bodily parts as we have ? It is the Soul that hath his Image . And do you think it is the love of Money , and Lust , and Sport , or Gluttony , or Drunkenness that is his Image ? Scripture saith Eph. 4. 23 , 24. Colos. 3. 10. it is Holiness : And this is called the Divine nature , as coming from God , and inclining nature unto God. Either Holiness , Wisdom and Righteousness is Gods Image , or else there is none such on man ; And then you make Gods Word to be false . And if this be it , and this it which you hate , are you not haters of God ? And is not that to be devilish and hated by God ? 37. While you are angry at them that say few are saved , or that none but Saints or serious godly obedient men are saved , you would sink all the World into utter despair , and make none or next none to be saved . One part of the haters of godliness believe no life to come ; And these would have all men despair . For if there be none , there is none to be hoped for : and they that think men die but as Dogs & Swine do , must be expected to live like Dogs & Swine . The other part of you , labour by all means to make themselves and others believe that the profession of more godliness than worldly carnal men have , is but hypocrisy , and that such are at the heart as bad as others : And if this be so , what is the consequence , but that none are saved ? For unless you will give God the lie , or be saved in spite of him , you must believe that none are saved that are not sanctified by the Spirit of Christ , and live not after the Spirit , mortifying the flesh , Ioh. 3 3 , 5. Heb. 12. 14. Rom. 8. 6 , 7. 8 , 9 , 13. 2 Cor. 5. 17. And that no man can be saved that loveth the world more than God and Heaven , and fleshly pleasure more than holiness . And therefore if there be none such , then none are saved . Hypocrisy will not save men : God tells us that Drunkards , Fornicators , Covetous , Thieves , Extortioners , Revilers , Effeminate , Idolaters , cannot enter into the Kingdom of God , 1 Cor. 6. 9 , 10. Eph. 5. 5. And if any man love the world ( best ) the love of the Father is not in him , 1 Ioh. 2. 5. And if all that pretend to be better are hypocrites , than none at all are saved . It may be you have the kindness to except some few . But if those few be all that be not either carnal men ( described Rom. 8. 5 , 6 , 7 , 9. ) or hypocrites , how few then do you make to be saved , if God be true ? 38. Who do you think it is that Christ meaneth , when he saith , I send you as Lambs among Wolves ? Ye shall be hated of all men for my names sakes ; Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousness sake ? When they say all manner of evil of you falsly for my sake : The World will hate you as it hated me , because you are not of the World , but I have chosen you out of the World : Marvel not if the World hate you ? As many as will live godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer Persecution , &c. Who do you think all this is spoken of ? It is not of you , that are fleshly , worldly , ungodly men ; Who Persecuteth you for righteousness sake ? Who hateth , revileth or imprisoneth , or fineth you , for living godly in Christ Jesus ? Do you suffer as much for reviling Preachers , as we have done for Preaching ? What suffer you for all the Oaths that be sworn daily in Streets and Taverns , and the horrid prophaneness , Atheism , Sadduceism , Infidelity that men are guilty or ? If you did suffer for Whoredom , Drunkenness , Blasphemy is that for Christ or righteousness ? When the Holy Ghost saith , As he that was born after the Flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit , even so it is now , is it such as you that he meaneth ? When Peter saith , [ They speak evil of you , and falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ , 1 Pet. 3. 16. whom meaneth he ? When he saith , 1 Pet. 4. They think it strange that you run not with them to all excess of ryot ( lasciviousness , lusts , excess of wine , revellings , banquetings and abominable idolatry ) who do you think he meaneth ? And when he saith , 1. Pet. 2. 9. Ye are a chosen Generation , a royal Priest-hood , a holy Nation , a peculiar People , that ye should shew forth the praises of him that hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light ; who is it that he meaneth ? You 'll say , It is Christians : True : But is it Hypocrites ? Is it those that will say at last , Lord we have Prophesied in thy Name , and Eat and Drunk in thy presence , to whom Christ will say , Depart from me , ye workers of Iniquity , I know you not ? Sure false Christians are worse than Heathens . 39. The way which you take against Religious persons doth shew who it is that sets you on work , and what it is that is the root of your enmity . As Gods Image is in the understanding , will and executive power of man , so is Satans ; and he is accordingly described by Christ , to be 1. A Liar and Deceiver ; 2. A Malignant , Hater of Goodness , or Holiness ; and a cause of sin ; 3. A hurtful murderer or destroyer . And these are the three ways by which Godly people are prosecuted in the world . 1. Belying them is grown so common with their enemies , that there is nothing scarcely so notoriously false which they will not affirm of them , and it 's well if some will not preach it , print it , or swear it : And they make one another easily believe it . Till experience proved it , I did not think that humane nature had been liable to such impudent , monstrous lying . 2. The daily business of many is , by wit and diligence to draw men to hate Religious men on false pretences : As plainly as Christ preacheth and urgeth Love , as his great Commandment ; so plainly do these press and urge men to Hatred : But of this before . 3. And Hatred tends to Hurtfulness : What plotting and labouring is there in the world , to ruine and destroy each other ? The malignant spirit is blood-thirsty . It 's strange how the unclean Devils thirst to draw or suck some blood from Witches . Nothing more alienates me from the Papal Kingdom , than that it lives like Leeches upon blood . To read over the History of the Inquisition , and of their Massacres , would make Men take Toads , and Adders , and mad Dogs , and Wolves , for harmless things in comparison of some Men. If any would requite them ( or others ) with the like , I hate it in Protestant or Papist . The Turks conquered the Greek Empire , partly by the mutinous divisions of the Christians , and partly by promising them Liberty of Religion : And when the Christians thought they should have that , they yielded up the Empire with the less resistance . And that which was so advantageous to the Infidels , might , well used and limited , be more advantageous to the Christian Truth and Church . But though good things may be used in an ill cause , it is a sign of a bad cause which needeth bad means . That cause which is carried on by Lying , Perjury and Deceit , by malignant Love-killing , endeavours , and by cruelty , and hurtfulness , and blood , is thereby made suspicious to all wise men . It is a wonder of impudency in Baronius , Binnius and other Papists , to justifie Martin , a Canonized Saint , for renouncing Communion to the death with the Synods and Bishops who perswaded the Emperor to draw the Sword against the Gnostick Priscillianists ; and themselves to defend a thousand-fold greater cruelties and murders in their own Church on the account of Religion : But sin is mad self-contradiction . 4. I conclude with this great truth : They that hate and oppose Godly mens obedience to God , do seek to silence the chief Witness of Christ , and to cast out Christianity from the Earth . Christianity cannot be proved to be true , but by the Spirit , which is its Seal and Witness . This Witness of the Spirit was not only extraordinary in Languages and numerous Miracles , but also ordinary in the work of Sanctification . This Seal is set on all that shall be saved in all times and places . The Lord knoweth who are his : And let him that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity . He redeemed us to purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works : Teaching us , that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts , we should live soberly , righteously and godly in this present world : Looking for that blessed hope , and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Iesus Christ , Tit. 2. 12 , 13 , 14. By this healing work Christ is known to be indeed our Physician , the real Saviour that saveth his people from their sins . As man generateth man , and the Father is known by the similitude of the Child ; and as he is known to be a good Artist that can make others such . This is Christs standing Witness in all times and places . And when you would turn this into scorn , and cloud it with slanders , or the charge of Hypocrisie , and would have such judged an odious people , and have them driven out of the world , what do you in effect but spit in the face of Christ , and crown him with Thorns , and call him a Deceiver , and crucifie him afresh , and seek to expel Christianity from the Earth ? What reasonable man could believe Christ to be Christ , the Saviour of the world , if he did not sanctifie men , and make them much better and fitter for Heaven than other men ? So that in this you directly militate for the Devil , the World and the Flesh , against God the Father , Son and Holy Ghost , against the Holy Catholick Church , and the Communion of Saints , and the Hope of Resurrection and life everlasting ; which if you did openly under the name of Infidels or Heathens , or rather as the profest Souldiers of the Devil , it were less disingenuous and hypocritical , than to do it in the Church , and under Christs colours , and in the Christian name . And you must be sure that you are stronger than God and our Saviour , if you will prevail to the last . God hath undertaken the defence of the Just : Christ hath undertaken to present them triumphant before his Father , and cast their Enemies into Hell. Are you sure you can overcome him ? Vile Worms that cannot fetch a breath without him ! When began you to be stronger than God ? Was it in the womb ? or in Infancy when you could not go ? Or was it when the Devil and the Flesh made you mad or drunken in ignorant malice ? If so , the drunken fit will soon be over , and God will awake a tormenting Wit. If you can conquer God , try your strength first on his works : Stop the Sun : change Night and Day : turn the Tide of the Sea : live without Meat or Air : resolve that you will never die : save all your Friends from death . Can you do none of this , and yet will you venture a War against God ? Or do you think to fight against his Servants , and bribe him to be on your side , and forsake them to your rage ? Did Christ take Mans Nature , and die to save them , and will he now turn on Satans side against them ? He overcame the Devils temptation on Earth ; yea called Peter Satan , Mat. 16. when he would have tempted him not to die for his chosen . Let Men or Devils go try him in his Glory , whether he will change his mind , and take your part against his own holy Truth and Servants . Chap. IV. Objections and false Accusations answered . BUT I know that as Christ and his Apostles were not hated , nor killed without pretended cause and reason , nor the Martyrs murdered without accusation ; so none will now justifie the scorning or persecuting an innocent person , or a Saint as such , but they will first make them odious , and seem worthy of all that is done against them . They will say , It is not godly men , but wicked Hypocrites that we hate and prosecute ; a false and odious sort of persons , who are unruly , and set up their own wit and will against the Laws and Governours of the several Kingdoms where they live : They are the very worst of men . Ans. If they are so indeed , they are none of the men that I am pleading for , nor you the men that I reprove . But before we come to particular Accusations , it is your wisdom to answer these few Questions . 1. Have you particular matter against them to make good this charge ? Or is it only a general malicious Accusation ? 2. Is it individual persons that you mean , by whom it 's proved ? or do you thus accuse whole companies of men ? What if one said of Papists , Jews or Turks , They are Murderers , Adulterers , Perjured , &c. Do you think he were not an odious slanderer , to speak that of all or most , or the whole Party , which he can prove but by some few ? 3. Do you know all the persons whom you accuse ? And have you heard it proved ? Or do you not say this of whole Congregations assembled to worship God , of whom you know not one of many ? If this be so , it 's inhumane calumny . 4. Have the particular persons been heard speak for themselves , and give the reason of their actions ? and were they proved insufficient ? Or were they condemned unheard ? Or was Gods Word derided and taken for no reason ? 5. Do you not know that the Devil is the great Accuser of the Brethren ? and that he hath malice and craft enough to say as bad as you can say , by the best of men ? and must he be believed ? 6. Are you sure you can make God believe you , that these men are as bad as you affirm ? If not , and if he find a man in prison for obeying his word , and ask who laid him there , will you undertake to prove that he was laid there for some crime ? If God own him , and say , he is my Servant , will you confute him , and say , No , but he is a Schismatick , God knoweth a Saint from a Schismatick better than you do . Sheep-steelers use to sheer the sheep and cut out the mark : But they have to do with men : Gods mark is where man cannot take it away ; And the foundation of God standeth sure . The Lord knoweth who are his . 7. Know you not that Christ , and his Apostles and all the Martyrs were as deeply charged , and put to death as Malefactors ? We must then have better proof than accusation . 8. If they prove faithful Christians whom you thus accuse , Christ hath undertaken their Justification : It is his office . And do you think to baffle him ? Can he not answer you ? Rom. 8. 32 , 33 , 35. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect ? It is God that justifieth : Who is he that will condemn them ? 9. Have you not greater sins your selves than those whom you accuse ? If so , you condemn your selves . Would you have God judge of them as you do ? If so , do you not tell him how to judge of you , and even crave him to condemn you ? 10. Doubtless you know that you are sinners : And how think you to be justified at the Bar of God ? Is there any but Christ to judge and justify you ? And do you think he will justifie his Enemies , that hated , accused and condemned his Servants ? 11. Those that dwell near godly Christians and should know them , are more unexcusable for their malice and slanders than forreigners and strangers are . Men of another land or age may be deceived by lying fame or history . But you that are their Neighbours are without excuse . I speak for none but persons fearing and obeying God : And you might easily have known that they are neither Fornicators , Drunkards , Perjur'd , swearers , Liars , Oppressors , Thieves , nor suffer for any such crimes as these . 12. And if they are as wicked as you say , why do you not prosecute them for such wickedness ? What are the French Protestants now prosecuted and ruin'd for ? Have any Judicatures proved them guilty of any such crimes against God or Man ? Or is it not only for worshiping God contrary to the Kings and Prelates Laws ? And how is that ? As Christs Apostles did : They refuse nothing in Gods worship which God commanded , or any of Christs Apostles used , or any Churches in their days or long after . And did the Apostles offer God so odious a worship as deserved hatred and destruction ? When Daniels Enemies designed his ruine , they said , Dan. 6. We shall find no matter against this Daniel except it be concerning the Law of his God ; And so they got a Law made against praying to any God but the King for a certain time . Daniel must be cast to the Lions for breaking the Kings Law : The poor flies deserve death for coming into the Spiders Web : But did not the venomous Worm Spin it of purpose out of her own Bowels , or condensate air , to take and kill the flies by craft ? In England there are many that worship God as the French Protestants do , and no better than Christs Apostles did : If this be their horrid wickedness that makes them unworthy to live out of Prison , say so , and pretend no other . But if it be Heresie , false Doctrine , Perjury , Fornication , Robbing , Treason , Sedition or any other crime , why are they not accused of these before the Judges ? And why are those charged with them that never were so accused and proved guilty ? Will not all wise men take those persons for malicious Liars , who by their published accusations thus odiously charge multitudes , and never offer to prove it against them at the Judicatures ? Their accusation shews they want not will , therefore their not prosecuting them for any such sort of crimes , shews that it is truth that is wanting . 13. And if they be such wicked persons , whence is it , that they are charged meerly with Hypocrisy , by such as say , that they live soberly and justly and demurely , but they are at the heart as bad as others . Their accusers commonly confess that they are most free from all immoralities , and have an outward shew of righteousness , but these heart-searchers see that their hearts are bad . And do they not by this confute their own accusations ? 14. And why is it that they that know them best can see none of the wickedness which you accuse them of , ( beyond those humane infirmities of which they most accuse themselves ) . As I have oft done , I again solemnly profess , as one that cannot be far from my account before the judge of all the the World , that having now lived to the 68th year of my age , and been most familiar since the age of sixteen or seventeen , with that sort of men whom the Vulgar then called Puritans ( described by Mr. Bolton and such other Conformists ) though I have met with many that had their mistakes and frailties , and troublesome differences in lesser things , and some Hypocrites intruded among them , yet I never knew any other sort of men comparable to them in Christian Knowledge , Faith , Obedience to God , Hatred of sin , Care of their duty to God and man , Sobriety , Temperance , Chastity , Truth , Heavenly desires , endeavours and hopes : And that they so far excelled the rest of my acquaintance , as made their grace amiable to me , and confirmed my belief of the Sacred Scripture : Yea more , if I had not had the happiness of knowing such a sort of men that in holiness , Justice and Love excelled the rest of my acquaintance , or at least credibly heard of such , I could not have believed in Christ , as a Saviour of men whom he made no better than Turks and Infidels ; Nor could I have believed a Heaven for men no better prepared for it . And that now near my end , I see so great a difference in Holiness , Justice and Charity , between those commonly reviled for worshiping God but as the Apostles did , and those that hate and persecute them , as greatly helps me in believing that there is a Saviour and Sanctifier , and Heaven for the faithful , and a Devil that deceives the rest , and a hell that will receive them ; which is even visibly begun on Earth . Accus . But ( say they ) it is not for their Godliness or Sobriety that we accuse them , but for their sin , and wickedness . Ans. Still this is but General , and signifieth nothing . But , 1. What is that odious sin ? 2. It 's Gods merciful Providence that keeps sin in general under such shame , as that the actors of it speak against it , even in their slanders . 3. But if this be the true cause why do you cull out those that have least sin to fasten your accusations of sin upon ? If there be a conformable Minister that is more Holy , Charitable , and Zealous against sin than the rest , he is one of those that is called a Puritan and accused of sin ? Why do we hear none of your furious charges against the common Drunkards Revellers , Gamesters , Whoremongers , Persecutors , Profane Blasphemers , Lyars , and the Families that call not upon God , shew no serious regard of any Religion at all ? You can live among these , and Swear and Drink , and Play with them , and never cry out against them as bad men . Accus . But religion , being the best thing , the Corrupters of that are worse than Drunkards , and Swearers , and Adulterers . Ans. Such corrupters there may be as are worse indeed : But what is it that they corrupt Religion in ? They subscribe to all the Bible , and the ancient Creeds ? And if need be to the English Articles of Religion . Is not all that enough ? Their many large published writings tell the world their Judgment in Religion ; Such as Mr. Arthur Hildershams , Mr. Perkins , Mr. Greenhams , Dods , Anthony Burges , Richard Alleins , and abundance such : What errors are in these ? 2. Why are they not these twenty years accused of Preaching false Doctrine , and proved guilty and punisht for it , if they are such ? 3. If it be not in Doctrine what is it ? Accus . They worship God contrary to the Law ; in not using the Common-Prayer book . Ans. 1. Those that constantly joyn in the Parish Churches in the Common-Prayer are as much hated , Reviled and Prosecuted as the rest . Therefore this charge is but hypocrisy . 2. What do they that for matter or manner is positively contrary to Law in Gods worship : They read Scripture , Pray , Preach , Praise God with Psalms , Communicate in the Lords Supper : Doth the Law forbid any of this ? 3. Not using the rest of the Liturgy is a Negation , and no Act at all , and therefore no act of worship , and therefore no unlawful act , no more than silence is : He that is silent , and he that omits the rest of the Liturgy , worships not God by using it ; but he doth nothing contrary to it , or forbidden by it . 4. If Peter and Paul were unknown in England , and worshipt God but as they did on Earth , would you therefore call them Rogues or Rebels , or lay them in the jail ? Did they worship God in an odious , intolerable manner ? Did the Holy-Ghost by them write an infallible Rule for all things necessary in Religion ? and yet are they unsufferable rogues that worship God but according to that rule ? 5. Are they wiser men than they that have made us another rule or worship ? or have they more of Gods Spirit , and more authority in religion ? 6. Do not the Imposers say that all which they add is no part of Religion , but things indifferent ? And are they odious corrupters of Religion , who omit no part of Religion , but only humane indifferent things ? 7. Do you not reverence the Church for some hundred years after Christ , which imposed no Liturgies , but left every Pastor to use his own Prayers ? 8. Do you not harden the Papists that call our Religion new , and ask where it was two hundred years ago , if you make the Liturgy as now formed and imposed , our Religion , when it is not two hundred years old . 9. The Godly Bishops of England have ever owned the other Protestant Churches , and their Communion , who have none of our Liturgies , nor any like it . 10. If this be the odious crime , why do you never Revile or Prosecute the Atheists , Infidels , Sadduces , Hobbists , and those many thousands that seldom if ever go to any Church , or worship God publickly at all ? Is the worship that Peter and Paul used worse than irreligiousness and infidelity ? 11. Who can believe that you are sincerely zealous against misworshiping God , when you can ordinarily your selves be in a drinking house or playing house , at the time of publick worship ? And when so few of you ever so much as worship God in your Families , by Prayer , or read the Scripture , or Catechise your families ? 12. Is it not a strange thing to hear men accuse others for not using the Liturgy in Gods worship , and at the same time would have them that refuse it , to be forbidden all publick worshiping of God at all ? Doth this signify any dislike of their omitting Gods worship ? Which is the more ungodly omission ? to omit all worship of God and live like Atheists , or to omit only so much of the Liturgy as the Apostles used not ? I have known many that could not eat cheese , as is said before ( nor scarce smell it without danger of Death : ) If you would have a Law made that such shall eat no other meat , few wisemen will believe that it is their health and life that you desire . If a man fail in paying his Landlord some odd act of Service , will you make a Law that he shall pay nothing at all ? If a Subject neglect paying some excise , or using Bow and Arrows , will you forbid him paying any thing , or serving the King at all ? Sure they that forbid men all publick worship , be offended at somewhat else than that men do not rightly worship God , unless they think that not to worship him at all is better than doing it without their Book . Obj. But he shall be Compelled to better worship . Ans. How ? when he lieth in jail he cannot publickly worship God at all . Is that better worship ? I know it is banishment which some would have executed . And will men worship God any better among Heathens or Infidels , or others ? Or why should other Countries endure them , if they be not to be endured in their own ? Are not English-men that worship God only by their own Book , as much Nonconformists when they are in other Lands , France , Spain , Italy , Germany , Holland , &c. as those are here that do not use it : And are they there intolerable and worthy of ruine ? Did the Apostles or first Churches banish any on such accounts ? Will Christ banish them from his Kingdom ? Hath he made any such Laws ? And is not he the absolute Soveraign ? Hath he left his Servants to the will of man , to use them how they will , or cast out of his Church whom they will ? Are you sure these are none of the number of whom Christ saith , I was hungry and ye fed me not , &c. In as much as ye did it not to one of the least of these my Brethren , you did it not to me , Mat. 25. Accus . But they are Schismaticks , and Separate from the Church ; and is not that a damnable sin ? Ans. 1. Being speaking only to malignant enemies of serious Godliness , I say ; It is not only Separatists that you hate , but Godly Conformists yea perhaps most of all , because you are more restrained from hurting them . How oft hear we Curses and Revilings against Conforming Puritanes , or as some call them [ Church Whigs . ] If they are not haters of their brethren , but Friends to Love and Peace , you nickname them [ Trimmers . ] And cursing those whom Christ blesseth , when he saith , [ Blessed be the Peace-makers , for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven ] You say , [ Cursed be the Trimmers , and would the Kingdom were rid of them . ] It is any that are for a holy life , and obedience to God , that you abhor . 2. As I said before , you spare those that come to the Parish Churches no more than others : The old Nonconformists wrote more against Separation than any else in England did . And yet were hated as intolerable . The reconcilers who are since made Nonconformists , did publickly offer to be Subject to Arch-Bishops and Bishops , to use the Liturgy themselves if reformed , and if it were not , yet never pleaded for separation : And yet are never the more endured . 2. But who is it that they separate from ? Do they not profess Union and Communion with the whole Catholick Church on Earth ? What separation do you mean ? Is it their Local absence ? And are not you such Separatists from all the world , saving the Assembly where you meet ? One cannot be in two places at once . Or is it that they dislike somewhat in your Forms of Worship ? so they may in others Forms , with whom yet they profess Communion : And in what is it that they shew dislike or separation ? They hold Communion with you as Christians , and as reformed from Popery : They separate not from Papists as Christians : And from you it is only for that which you say is no part of your Worship or Religion , but things indifferent ; which they think to be sin . And are those Separatists from your Church , who only separate from that which is no part of your Church or Worship ? 3. Are the French and Dutch Churches in London Schismaticks or Separatists , who profess Communion with our Churches , though they use not our Oaths , Subscriptions or Liturgy ? Liking their own mode better , and preferring it , is no Separation . If I like your Liturgy better than any in the Bibliotheca Patrum , is that separating from all Churches that use the rest ? 4. Who are the Schismaticks in France , Italy , Poland , &c. Those that are called so , and persecuted as such ; or those that impose on them the things which they judge sinful ? What if you were in a Presbyterian Land , where the Liturgy and Prelacy are forbidden , and another Form set up by Law ; and you should contrary to that Law use the Liturgy and Ceremonies ; or at least refuse subscribing against Prelacy , and for Lay Elders ? If they excommunicated or ruined you for this , who do you think were guilty of the Schism ? 5. Do they forsake the Assemblies before they are excommunicated ? Or is it not an odd thing for to excommunicate men first , and then accuse them for not coming to Church ? I have known Ministers stop in the midst of Publick Worship , and refuse to go on , till an excommunicate person went out . The whole representative Church of England do in their 5 , 6 , 7 , and 8 Canons ipso facto , without tryal or sentence , excommunicate all in England , who affirm any thing to be sinful or repugnant to Gods Word , in the Church Governing Offices whatsoever , in the Liturgy , Ceremonies or Articles . And shall they after this be called Separatists for not coming in ? Doth not the Canon shew that the Church would not have them come in , when they cast them out ? Obj. But the Church and Canon bid them repent of that their wicked errour , and publickly confess it , and so come in . Ans. 1. Is a mans Judgment absolutely in his power ? Can a man believe a thing to be a wicked errour meerly because the Canon saith so ? He that can believe what his list , believeth nothing truly . If this Belief be necessary to Church Communion , and to escape damning Schism , it is necessary to Salvation : Why then is it not in the Creed , Ten Commandments or Bible ? Do you call them the things Indifferent , and then call it a wicked errour to hold them sinful ? Is not this to make it necessary to Salvation or Communion , to have so much Learning or Knowledge , as to - know all Indifferent words and things in the world to be indifferent , which men will impose ? I would all Church-Members with your and others knew all necessary things . Do you believe in your heart that all , or half the Parishioners do know these things to be lawful , or understand any more of them than those that think otherwise ? when thousands cannot answer a necessary question of the Creed or Catechism ; nor know who Christ is , and how he saveth us ? Why is there not a Catechism made containing the sound proof that Lay-Chancellors power of the Keys , and Diocesan Bishops that have no Bishops under them , and our present Court-Church discipline , and all the Rubrick , Ceremonies and Forms are lawful , if all must be excommunicate that think and say otherwise ? Obj. If they are so ignorant that they cannot know Church Orders to be lawful , they are not fit to communicate with the Church . Ans. Make no Church Orders necessary to Communion , but what Christ and his Apostles have made necessary to it ; and then cast out and spare not all as ignorant that refuse them . 2. But again , do you believe that most , or all that you keep in , are wiser and more knowing than those that you cast out ? How shall such as I believe you , who know that in all the Parishes which my cohabitation allowed me to know , it is the most knowing and religious part that most dissent , and the generality of the grosly ignorant that understand few Articles of the Creed , do conform . As ignorant as I am , and hundreds of my calling and mind , I would I were not only silenced and imprisoned , but put to death , on condition that all that you now receive as Members of the Church , had no more ignorance than we have . But it 's our lot , to tire our selves with teaching poor people to understand their Baptism , Christianity , Creed , Lords Prayer , and Ten Commandments , and leave most ignorant when all 's done , and yet our selves after our hardest and longest study , to be judged so ignorant about some Indifferent things , as to be unfit for Ministry or Communion . Accus . If men will not obey Church Governours and Laws , they are Rebels , and unfit for Christian Society . If every man shall follow his own fancy , what Order will there be ? Do not all Churches require obedience to their Orders ? Ans. 1. The Church hath One Universal King , who hath made Universal Laws for all ; which must be first obeyed , and against which no man hath power . And yet his own Laws have things necessary to all , in which they must unite , and Integrals and Accidents which all know not , in which they must bear with one another . No man understandeth all the Bible : And are many Laws and Books more necessary than Gods ? 2. Whoever depraveth the necessary points of Religion by his own fancies , should be rejected . But all men living err in many lesser things . 3. In what Countreys is it that your Rule holds , that Rulers must be thus far obeyed in Religion ? Is it in China , or Pegu , or Indostan , or Turky ? Or is it in Italy , Spain , Poland , Silesia , Bavaria , or France ? Or is it at Geneva , Holland , or the Presbyterian Countreys ? Or is it only in England , Scotland and Ireland ? And was it so here before Henry the 8th . or only since ? And how shall any know where it is , unless he try and judge his Rulers Commands by the Laws of God ? Will you follow this Rule in France or Spain ? Or shall all Subjects judge of Kings capacities ? Accus . But , they hold unlawful Assemblies of their own , and worship God contrary to Law , and yield not so much as Passive Obedience . Ans. 1. You know the Ministers are forbidden their Office , unless they will take those Oaths , Subscriptions , Professions and Practices , which they dare not take , for fear of sin and damnation : And they would be thankful if their reasons may be heard , and if any will instruct them better : And they are confirmed in their Opinion by the answers , or no answers rather , made to the reasons already given in . And they are devoted or vowed to the sacred Ministry in their Ordination : And if there be such a sin as Sacriledge in the world , they are confident it were Sacriledge in them to alienate themselves from the Office which they have undertaken . As it is Apostacy from Christianity to violate our Baptismal Vow , though men should command it , they doubt not but it is perfidious Apostacy from the sacred Ministry , to violate the Ordination Vow , though Bishops silence them : As it is Adultery to violate the Conjugal Contract , though a Bishop should require it ; seeing he that married them hath no power to unmarry them , unless they do it first themselves , and prove Desertors or Adulterers . 2. And the people that are excommunicate , or forbidden to worship God publickly , unless they will do that which they think is sin , are still under Gods command to worship him , and not to forsake Church-assembling for his worship . What would you have these Ministers and People do ? They study and pray to God to convince them , if they take these Oaths , Subscriptions , Professions and Practices to be sin , and they be no sin : They resolve to be ruled by Gods Word : They are willing to hear any thing that may better inform them : They wonder that men accuse them that have no more to say to change them . If they desert the Ministry , they fear Gods vengeance : If these poor people give over all Gods Publick Worship , and live like Atheists , Conscience living or dying will torment them . If they do that which they are perswaded is sin , when the Imposers call it but Indifferent , Paul hath antidated their Sentence ; He that doubteth is damned if he eat , because he eateth not of faith : for whatsoever is not of faith is sin , Rom. 14. Change their Judgment they cannot : sin they dare not : To give over worshiping God , is to renounce Salvation : Change the Law or Canon , men will not . It seems to me a strange penalty to forbid men to worship God at all , because they think some Subscriptions or Forms to be sin : More strange than to say , All that will not wear Crape shall go naked : Or , all that will not eat Anchovies shall eat nothing . If a man think the use of a Crucifix in Worship sinful , sure to give over all Worship is more sinful : But men have their ways . 3. What Worship is it that they offer God contrary to Law ? They are willing to do all required in Scripture by Christ and his Apostles : And were they Rebels and Rogues ? Or is their Worship intolerable ? 4. What harm will it do their Neighbours , or any , if they only read the Scripture , and praise God with Psalms , and preach and pray as God prescribeth , without Subscriptions or Ceremonies ? Are any hurt by this ? Doth the same Liberty to the Dutch here hurt any body , or break Peace ? Doth the difference of Cathedral and Parish Worship break Peace ; or of those Churches that have Organs and Altars , and those that have none ? The Papists are the greatest pretenders to Unity , and most cry down Schism ; and yet if all will but be Servants to the Pope , he will License multitudes of Orders that more differ from one another than we from you : Jesuits , Benedictines , Dominicans , Carthusians , and abundance more . 5. Dare any man of Self-knowledge and Conscience say , that all your Worship is not more faulty , than is the omission of a Form or Ceremony ? Will not all the world be forbidden to worship God , if all as bad as this be forbidden ? And how many worshippers of God , think you , will be left in England , if all must give over that have greater faults than the omission of a thing called but Indifferent ? 6. As to what you talk of Passive Obedience , though the phrase be a contradiction , yet the thing meant is a meer cheat of one that hath devised that absurd phrase : And calls Omissive Obedience by the name of Passive ; Omitting an Action is not suffering . Daniel was forbid to pray , and the Apostles to preach : They would not yield this Omissive Obedience , but they yielded that which is commonly called Passive . They patiently suffered . 7. Do you not know that about two hundred thousand in and near London cannot come within the doors of the Parish-Churches , ( nor hundreds hear that can croud in ; ) shall all these be made Atheists , or taken for Rebels if they will not forbear to worship God ? 8. I suppose you know that many thousands stay at home in their Houses , Shops , Taverns , in sin or idleness : Are these thought worthy of a Jail or Banishment ? Or is their course better than to worship God as Peter and Paul did ? O the difference between Gods Judgment and some mens ! But Gods Judgment shall determine all . 9. Are there no unfaithful and unskilful Ministers ? Will no Patrons chuse such ? Is not the Ministers skill and faithfulness of great importance to mens Salvation ? What if Bishops or Laws imposed an unskilful or untrusty Physician on you , and forbad you to chuse a better , would you die obediently , or rather say , no one hath power so to betray my life ? No nor your Soul neither . 10. If you have the hearts of Christians consider this undeniable consequence : If you will have no union or concord among Christians till they agree in all things that are of no greater weight and evidence , than your forms and ceremonies are , you would have no concord in the world , no not between any two persons : And you may as well say , none shall be endured that are not just of the same visage and complexion : And then all the doubt will be , who is the man that will be the strongest and longest liver , to possess all England himself alone . Accus . But they shew that they are Perjured , false , unconscionable Rogues , that took on them to scruple Oaths and our Church Communion till now , and now can do all rather than be out of places of trust . Ans. 1. As to your Church communion , can you blind mens eyes , that they shall not read , what the old Nonconformists have written to perswade men to it ? See Mr. Hildersham , Bradshaw , Gifford , Paget , Ball , and abundance more . And did not the present Nonconformists shew the same judgment 1660 and 1661 in their treaty ? And do not many come to your assemblies ? And would they not all that are Ministers Preach there if they could have leave ? And have you not , as is afore proved , Excommunicated them by your Canons 5 , 6 , 7 , 8. And is the Oxford Act ( which imprisoneth them all six months if they be seen within five miles of a Corporation or any place where they have preached within 20 years ) an invisible thing ? Do you lay men in Jail by it , and yet think it must be unknown ? And he that knows it knows that it Sentences all such to Jail if they be seen in your Churches ? And is it the course of humane converse , to say , If you come into any Church within five miles &c. you shall lie in Iail six months ; And if you do not , you are Rogues and shall lie in Iail for not coming ? Just when the Ministers agreed to come more frequently than before , this act came out , and drove them back . You 'll say , They can appear in their own assemblies . Ans. 1. His Majesty encouraged them by granting them Liberty by his Declaration . 2. They have more hope there of escaping out of your hands , than they have in your own Churches . And do you not see in Print what Mr. Tombes the Anabaptist wrote long ago to perswade his followers to your communion ? And what Mr. Nye wrote to perswade the Independants to come to your Churches ? what great change is here of their judgments ? Obj. But why did not the people do so all this while ? Ans. Because their own Teachers did , as they thought , more profit them . Many a man thinks it lawful to wear rags that yet had rather wear whole and comely cloaths ; and lawful to eat brown bread , and drink water , that will fare better when they can , and yet take these when they cannot . The people that had good houses before the fire , did without any change of their judgments , get into any poor rooms or cottages after it . 2. But suppose they lately change their judgments , ( as many no doubt have ) you that think it is for the better are strange Christians that reproach men for repenting and amending . Do you call them to Church and reproach them for not coming , and seek to ruin them for it , and now accuse them for coming ? Doth not this shew that some men desired the present Impositions , not for concord of all , but to drive some away , lest they should come in , and the land have concord ? And doth not this shew what men we have to do with ; and that it is somewhat else than non-conformity which such men hate ? Your Justice is [ Come to Church , or lie in Iail as Schismaticks : And if you come you are perfidious rogues . ] Whether they do or do not , all 's one to such judges : who have some other hateful matter in their Eye . Obj. But their doing it just now to keep their Charter , and keep from suffering , proveth that they are perfidious Rogues . Ans. 1. I pray tell men of brains and sense , for what it is that you would have men Excommunicated , and laid in Jail or Fined , if they Conform not ? Do you do all this without any purpose or hope to drive them to conformity ? And do you do it only to make them perfidious Rogues . If suffering may not alter them , why do you use it on them ? 2. But who knows not that some things are lawful to avoid suffering which else would not be lawful . It is lawful to cast your goods into the Sea to save the Ship and mens lives ; Which else were a sin : It 's lawful to give a Thief your purse to save your life , which else were unlawful : It 's lawful to blow up neighbours houses to stop a fire ; Christ proved it lawful to break the Sabbath in cases of necessity ; he withdrew into the Wilderness and far from Ierusalem , to avoid the pharisees persecution . And Paul was let down by the Wall in a basket ; Which without danger of suffering , had not been lawful : Though no sin must be done to avoid suffering , yet that may and must be done , which self-preservation makes no sin , but a duty ; To kill a man that assaults you in your own defence is not the same crime as unnecessarily to kill him . But as to the other case of taking the Corporation Oath and Declaration , if you know the case ( as you should do before you accuse men ) you know that it is the true sence of them that is all the controversy : No body scruples swearing Loyalty , and renouncing Rebellion and Sedition , and all unlawful means of reformation : That which makes it difficult is that on one side , the proper universal sence of the words seems to them unlawful , and Oaths must be taken in the usual sence , unless our Rulers give another , yet on the other side , learned , sober Conformists profess that they take such words in the limited sence , or else they would not take them ; And they argue subtilly to prove that to be the true sence ; And our Law-makers to whom it belongs will not end the controversy by an exposition . And can you wonder here if men fluctuate in uncertainty ? And a late writer having given subtiler arguments for the limited sence than were published before , did perswade many : And in that limited sence twenty Nonconformist Ministers took the oath long ago in London at one time . But I justify none that mistake in so great a matter . And doubtless if they sinned God will not bless it to their good ; It will prove their snare : And I am glad that we are agreed that Perjury is a heinous sin : I beseech you then to consider , 1. Whether those men are fit to accuse them who drive them to it , and say to Ministers , Swear or lye in Iail : 2. Or those who are of the mind of Grotius , Bishop Taylor and such others , that Lying is Lawful when it saves our selves , and wrongs no other : And of those Divines that say , It 's as lawful to defend my self from pernicious Imposers with my tongue as with my hands . 3. Let us all with fear ( who believe there is a God ) avoid the dreadful crime of perjuring the whole land . This whole Kingdom is sworn against all Forreign Iurisdiction in the Oath of Supremacy ; and against all endeavours to alter the Government of Church or State , by 1. the Corporation Act , 2. The Vestry Act , 3. The Militia Act , 4. The Oxford of Confinement . 5. And obliged by the Act of Uniformity . Is it not perjury than to endeavour any alteration of it ? 1. What shall we then think of them that would bring in Popery ? would they not perjure the Kingdom ? 2. What shall we say of them that write for a Forreign Church Jurisdiction , under the name of General Councils , or a Colledge of Bishops , or of Forreign Patriarchs , of whom the Pope is chief , and the Principium unitatis , to the universal Church . Is it no change of our Church Government to bring us under a forreign Jurisdiction ? Is it no change of State Government to make the King and Kingdom , Subject to that forreign Jurisdiction , who may excommunicate him , and so bring on him all the evil which Excommunication inferreth ? And what man in his wits knoweth not that Prelates and Priests are much at the will and power of the Princes under whom they live ? Doth not our King expect that his Bishops obey him ? And those that must have this Universal Jurisdiction over our King and us , are the Subjects of other Princes , of which the far greatest part are Papists , Mahometans , Infidels , Heathens , or such as are called Hereticks ; And if our King and we be made Subject to the Subjects of the Turk , the Pope , the Kings of Spain , France , Poland , the Emperor , the Moscovite , the Dukes of Bavaria , Tuscany , and such like , is he not made a Subject to their Lords and Masters , and much worse ? Will not this project perjure England ? 3. Whether it be any alteration of Government by them that would change the Power and use of Parliaments , I leave to Lawyers . 4. But I would fain be satisfied of another case . These Kingdoms of England and Scotland took a Covenant and Vow , some Voluntarily , some at their Compositions , who had been sequestred for the King : This Vow contained divers matters , of which some are notorious duties , as to repent of their sins , to oppose Popery , Schism , and Prophaneness , to defend the King , &c. It 's not denied by most that I meet with , that this Oath or Vow was unlawfully imposed , and unlawfully taken , and many think some of the matter was unlawful , viz. to oppose Prelacy , &c. But seeing Casuists are agreed , that an Oath unlawfully both imposed and taken , bindeth to that part of the matter which is lawful and necessary , notwithstanding the Conjunction of the rest . And the Corporations of England are all formed by a Declaration taken by all in power and trust , that [ There is no Obligation , ( without the least exception ) on me or any other person from the Oath called the Solemn League and Covenant ; The doubt is whether every man may declare that , of all the thousands of three Kingdoms ( whom he never knew , ) no one is bound by that Oath , or Vow , to repent of his sins , or in his place and calling to oppose Schism , Popery , or Prophaneness , or to defend the King ? and whether all may declare that the Londoners and Ministers , and the restored old Parliament , and General Monks Army who restored the King , as supposing they were bound to it by that Oath , were all deceived , and were under no such obligation thence ? And whether I am not bound in charity to think that the sequestred Royalists put a good sence on it , when they took it ? And so whether all the Corporations of England are free from — And for what it is that God hath singled them out for Judgment ? If you be agreed with us ( and with manking ) against so great a sin as Perjury , especially national , let us help one another with Love and Patience to resolve such doubts . Accus . But they have been guilty of Rebellion in a Civil War , and therefore are justly suspected to Preach or hold Rebellious Doctrine . Ans. 1 Are those men lovers of Love and Concord who purposely make use of pardoned acts to keep the Kingdoms wounds still open ? Did not the King tell you in his Declarations and Act of Oblivion , that the putting up of all ( save to the excepted persons ) and closing for the future in mutual love , was the only way to the Nations peace ? You would tempt men to think that you desire to see such days again , by trying whether destroying men will tempt nature to a self-defence . 2. But you have oft had it proved ( by Henry Fowlis , Bishop Barlow and abundance more ) that no Protestants come near the Principles and Practices of the Papists , as to King-killing and Rebellion . And if yet you know not that the War began between two parties of Episcopal conformists , here among the English , you are unfit to judge of that which you know not : And by reading Rushworth , Whitlock or any true Histories of such times and matters , you may be better informed : As you may of their different principles if you read Iewel , Bishop Bilson , and Richard Hooker on one side , and Mainwarning and Sibthorp on the other . 3. But how few men are alive that had any hand in those miserable Wars ? You have oft been offered a thousand thanks if you will silence and hunt no other that are as innocent as you , and more than many of of their accusers . And shall thousands suffer for other mens deeds ? 3. What will wise men think of such a sort of men , as charge multitudes in general with Rebellious and Seditious Doctrine , and have accused so few of any such these twenty years , that I know not of one publickly Accused , Tryed and Proved guilty , of all called Presbyterians in all this Land ? If they are guilty prove it , and let the guilty suffer , and not the innocent : Only had I my wish I would Bar Perjury , and Condemning men unheard . Accus . They are an unpeaceable sort of people . Ans. That 's soon said . Who hath these 22 two years manifested most desires of Peace ? They that have beg'd for it again and again : Pleaded and written for it : Offered their Oaths that they would obey any lawful Commands for it , and do any thing which they did not believe that God forbids ? Or those Bishops that would not have one Form or Ceremony , or needless Subscription forborn , to save thousands of Ministers from being silenced and laid in Common jails , nor to save many thousand of the people from suffering , and to heal the divisions of the Church . One would think this should be as easie a Controversy , as when Soldiers are plundering the Country , and the people on their knees intreating for their goods and lives , to determine which of them is most against War. Accus . But what need they make such a stir with their Religion : What need they any more than go to Church and live obediently and be quiet ? Why will they be righteous over much ; will not less ado bring men to Heaven ? Why do they differ from their Neighbours , and judge all carnal that be not as Scrupulous as they ? God is merciful ; and will he save none but Puritans , or precise zealots ? Ans. Now you come to the real matter of your distast : I did not meddle with the case of Nonconformity as it is a Controversy between Godly men , but only as you make a pretence of it , to exercise your enmity against serious Godliness , and a handle to lay hold on many whom Christ will justify and save . To all before said I add , 1. If you think they do too much , search the Scriptures , and see whether it be not less than God commandeth ? And if so , is it not God whom you accuse and reproach ? 2. If they do too much in obeying God , why do Canon-makers impose such abundance on them , as if God had not imposed enough ? 3. Why do you never find fault with men for being too strong , too healthful , too rich , too great , but only for being too obedient to God ? When Christ saith ; If we did all that God commandeth we must say , we are unprofitable Servants , we have done no more than was our duty , and the best on Earth come short of duty . But this which is the Core I answered before . And conclude , that all that be in their right wits can easilier bear all your accusations and persecutions of us , as if we did too much in obedience to God , than the accusation of Conscience and the displeasure of God for doing too little : Which alas when we have done our best would sink us into despair , had we not the merits of Christs suffering and perfect righteousness to trust to . Chap. V. An humble Expostulation with the English Papists who by Information and Prosecution seek our ruine . THough it be not Popery as such that I am here reasoning against , the course that many Papists take in seeking our destruction , giveth me cause of this humble expostulation : And I speak now of no other , but of them . I mean , 1. Those that write so hotly and ragingly to provoke Superiors to ruine us . 2. Those that make a trade of being delators against us for worshiping God as we do . 3. Those of them that break in upon us with greatest haughtiness and fury , to take away all our goods , and seek our imprisonment . 4. Those that seek to ruine us by those Laws which were made against themselves . 5. Those that would make Superiors believe that our Doctrine is more rebellious than theirs . To these I offer a few modest questions . Qu. 1. There are some among you that profess great Spirituality and strictness in Religion : Serenus Cressy wrote to me ( commending Baker's book which he published ) that he forsook the Church of England because he found no Spiritual contemplation and devotion among us . Such as Nerius , Sales , Kempis , Gerson Borromaeus , Renti , &c. are really the chief honour of your Church . Much of that for which I am hated by the Enemies of serious godliness , I acknowledge to Gods praise , I was first chiefly awakened to by a book written by one whom Watson , and others of your party grievously accuse , I mean Parsons Book of Resolution corrected by Bunny . True Christianity and Godliness is the same thing in all that have it . Your Priest Mr. Hutchinson , alias Berry , writeth that the most of serious Godliness among Protestants is found among those called Puritans : So that I was fain to defend the Conformists against his charge : All this being so , is it the Spirit of God that engageth and enrageth you with the most destructive bitterness against those men whom you confess to be the most Religious , meerly because they are stiffest against your Church Government and way of worship ? And do you not know that it tendeth more sensibly than disputes , to perswade the people whom you thus hate and prosecute , that your Religion is malignant , and enmity to real Godliness ? Qu. 2. Do you think it is prudent for you , as soon as ever you get up and before you dare openly own your name and cause , to begin with Malice , Rage and Cruelty , and that against the most religious ( as you say ? ) Will not this perswade the people that all is true that is said of your intended cruelty , and make them fear you , as so many Leopards or Wolves ? Will they not say , if the young Serpents can so easily sting , what will the old ones do ? And if your infancy here begin with such destructive zeal , what will you do when you are at full growth ? Qu. 3. You cannot be ignorant what cause to accuse your Church with Cruelty and Blood , hath been given the world by your Church Laws and Practices : By the Council at the Laterane under Innocent 3d the Council for damning Henrician Hereticks , even Kings that claim Investiture of Bishops , and those that decree the burning of all that you call Hereticks : By the murder of so many thousand Albigenses , Waldenses , Bohemians , &c. By the Inquisitions more inhumane cruelties in Belgium and Spain , &c. By the Massacres in France , and the murder of Henry III. and IV. By Queen Maries flames ; By the two hundred thousand murdered in Ireland : And there be many among you who disown all this , and say it is not from the principles of your Religion ( when yet General Councils approved are your Religion it self . ) This being copiously opened ( as I said before by Henry Fowlis , Bishop Barlow , &c. ) had it not been more prudent for you to have begun with Lenity and Love , to have drawn men to think that you are better minded , than to perswade them that you are of your rulers and forefathers mind , and mean to imitate them ? Qu. 4. Have you not observed that all parties have faln by forcing multitudes to be their enemies by seeking to destroy or hurt them ? Most men love quietness , and will live in peace , if others will give them leave : But when they see that they must offend others , or not defend themselves , it sets all their wit and power on work against their intolerable enemies : There are few creatures in the world that have not some power and inclination to hurt others for their own defence . The Bee hath a Sting to defend her Hive and Honey . And do you not remember that your sufferings in England came most by Queen Maries flames , and the Spanish Invasion , and the many Treasons against Queen Elizabeth and by the Powder Plot ? And how the French Massacre and Murders of Kings , and the horrid Inquisition set all our Parliaments against you ? And how the Murder of 200000 in Ireland drove many thousands into the Parliaments Army that else would not have gone ? And will you yet stir up all the Land to fear and hate you ? Qu. 5. Is it not both imprudent and unrighteous for you of all men to turn those Laws against us , which were made against you , and have so much slept , and little troubled you ? You will by this call people to take notice of them , that did not before . For my own part , as I never hurt any of you , so I know not that any of the Ministers did , whose ruine you endeavour . We hear of none of your sufferings by any such . Indeed these late years many have died as for the Plot so much talkt of . But by whom did they die ? Was it not by the accusation and witness of Papists ? Were not Oats , Bedlow , Dugdale , Turbervile , Prance , Dangerfield , Ienison , Smith , alias Barry , the York-shire Witnesses , and the rest besides the Irish , all men of your selves , that came out of your own Bosoms ? whether the men died justly or unjustly I leave to God ; But sure it was men of your own selves that did it . And will you be revenged for this on such Protestants that medled not in it ? And you should remember that you and we have a Protestant King , who hath sworn all his Kingdom against all forreign jurisdiction , and all endeavour of any alteration of Government in Church or state , and so much abhors Popery that he hath made a law severely to punish all that shall but raise any suspicion that he is a Papist . And you must in reason take heed of dishonouring and defaming him , by defaming Protestants in general . And sure since Queen Elizabeths days we have had no Kings whom you can justly accuse of cruelty towards you . No not King Iames when the Powder Plot had provoked him ; if half be true that the Bishop of Ambrun saith of his conference with him , or that Rushworth and others say of the Oath of the King , Prince and Council for Toleration , you are disingenuous if you accuse them of cruelty or rigorous severity . In you Philanax Anglicus ( as formerly in the Image of both Churches ) you make all called Protestants of sincerity , to be of Rebellious principles , and their Religion introduced by it ; and yet profess that you honour the King , as if you would have men doubt whether he be a Protestant of sincerity , or else were as bad as you describe . Had the severe Laws been executed against you , especially for meer Religion , no one could wonder if you desired relief : But while you live quietly , and Words and Paper hurt you not ( that I hear of ) to begin with so much hurtfulness to them that medled not with you , will disserve your cause . Qu. 6. And is it consistent with reasonable modesty to go about to make the World believe that the Protestant Doctrine is less loyal than yours ? Do you think your Books are invisible , & all your practices forgotten : It is none of the business of this writing to accuse you herein , of any thing but falsly accusing others , and seeking to destroy us on such accusation . Though you may thus deceive the ignorant that know no more of you than what you tell them , that will but turn to your dishonour at last . Are not your foresaid Council Canons which are your Religion , visible ? Have not the forecited writers truly cited them and multitudes of your Doctors which may better inform men ? Are all the Wars of Italy , Germany , &c. against Princes and Emperors , for the Pope , forgotten ? Was it not a Council of your Bishops that decreed that all the carcasses of those Bishops that were for the Henrician Heresy ( that is , for the Emperors power of investing Bishops and his exemption from being excommunicated and deposed by the Pope ) should be digged out of their Graves , and Burnt ? Was it not a council that deposed Ludovicus Pius ? How many more such acts have they done ? And are not your most learned Doctors allowed to publish the justification of the Popes power to excommunicate & depose Kings if they deserve it ( in his judgment ? ) Do not your politick Writers , Casuists and Divines ordinarily hold that the people give Kings , their power , and may take it away when they forfeit it , and that tyranny is such a forfeiture ? And that the people should not suffer a Heretick to reign ? And that subjects may be absolved from their Oaths of Allegiance , according to the foresaid Laterane and Greg. 7. Roman Councils ? But too much is said of this by many , and the case is past a modest denial . Even those Protestants that were in Arms for the Parliament , and restored the King , were so far from thinking that their Oaths of Allegiance may be dispensed with , that if I knew any thing of those men and times , it was principally the Conscience of two Oaths ( the Oath of Allegeance , and the Oath called the Covenant ) that by them overcame the opposition of the other Army , and brought home the King. It was this that engaged the Ministers of England against both Cromwel and a Common-wealth : and the Ministers were followed by most of the religious people of the land , which broke the adversaries strength : It was this that engaged the excluded members of the ( then ) long Parliament : It was this that engaged the City of London : It seems it was this that engaged Gen. Monk's Army , when they say in their address to him , ( see it , in Englands Triumph for K. Charles the 2d p. 85. ) [ We hope to evince to his Majesty and all the world , that we and all those that have been engaged in the Parliaments cause , are his Majesties best and most real subjects ; and that your Excellency and the Armies under your command , have complied with the obligations for which they were first raised , for the preservation of the true Protestant Religion , the Honour and Dignity of the King , the Priviledges of Parliament , the Liberty and Property of the Subjects , and the Fundamental Laws of the land . ] I am not justifying all that I recite ; I doubt not but they were much mistaken . But if they had then been told that shortly all the Corporation Offices and Trusts in England shall be constituted by a personal Declaration of every one , that [ There is no obligation on any person from the Oath called the Solemn Covenant ] to restore the King , oppose Schism , or to any thing whatever , the effect would have been such , as makes me wonder that the Royalists ( as then called ) should be very eager to make all such declare , that all these Souldiers , Ministers , Parliament and Citizens that restored the King as bound to it by that Oath , were therein mistaken , and no such obligation thence was on them . Qu. 7. I need not name to you the sorry fellows out of the Jails , where they lay for inhuman villanies that have been our zealous , ranting , tearing , prosecuters ? And do you think such actors are an honour to your cause ? If it be good , use good men in it . Qu. 8. Why do you play your game under board , and behind the Curtain ? If you are not ashamed of your cause , openly own it . Is falshood , lying and dissembling beseeming them that say they are of a Church out of which none can be saved ? I remember when Terret , alias Iohnson , had seduced the eldest Daughter of the Countess of Balcarres ( whom they stole away and made a Nun in France , ) and she was after askt , why she did so long go to our Churches , join in family worship , read Protestant Books , and talk against the Papists , and deride them , after she was a Papist her self , she answered that they had leave to do all that as long as they did not openly Profess their Religion , and were not detected . But when once they were discovered and openly professed themselves Roman Catholicks , they must then suffer any thing rather than conform to us . Gods cause needeth not such jugling and lying . Qu. 9. Why do you not ingenuously plead your cause against us , so as may satisfy an understanding Conscience , before you seek our destruction ? 1. Your arguings are commonly fitted only to cheat the ignorant by ambiguities , and confusion , and equivocal terms ; Your queries or methods to the French sufferers , are only a formed cheat , by confounding , 1. Subjection to Governours , and Communion with neighbour Churches . 2. Communion with your Church in Christianity and Communion with its sins . 3. A Catholick Church informed only by the soveraignty of Christ , and a pretended universal Church informed by the soveraignty of Man ( a Monarch or a Church-Parliament . ) 4. The office of keeping , delivering and teaching men Gods Laws , and an absolute power to Judge of their sence , and to make more as a supplement to their defects , obliging all the world on pain of Excommunication and Death : And more such . 2. Any writings which undeniably open your frauds , you take no notice of , nor vouchsafe to answer upon the importunity of Mr. Iohnson , and divers others ; I have lately written ; 1. A reply to Iohnson . 2. A small book in answer to one of your Papers , to prove that we have a certainty of Christianity without Popery . 3. In answer to another , a small Book called , Full and Easy satisfaction which is the true Religion . None of them will you answer , nor those before written : But instead of a sober investigation of the truth , some of you raise odious slanders of my life , and threaten and seek my destruction . I never hurt any of you , as I said before , nor ever perswaded any to severity against you . I have long ago publickly proposed terms on which we might live together as neighbours in peace . But destruction and misery are in your way ( that I have observed ) and the way of peace you have not known . There are three things which alienate common Christians from you more than all other disputes . 1. That you can go so openly against the plainest words of God ( as in blotting out the Second Commandment , in notorious contradicting 1 Cor. 12. and Rom. 14 , and 15. about the terms of Church Union and Communion ; about Latin Prayers and Worship to the ignorant , denying the Cup to the Laity , denying sense in Transubstantiation ) . 2. That you befriend Ignorance so much , by the said Latin Worship , forbidding most to read the Scripture translated , and accuse Gods Spirit of writing obscurely , to cover this . 3. That your Religion liveth by cruelty and blood , and cannot stand without it : Which at least in prudence you should hide as long as you can ; Or at least not design to make the ignorant and vicious Protestants , your Proselytes and Agents conjunctly to ruin those whom your Consciences know to be the most Consciencious and seriously religious . By which already the flock of Christ do ( under your Sheeps cloathings ) so judge of you by your fruites , that if any man that is called a Protestant ▪ Clergy-man , do but Write and Preach for cruelty and ruin towards serious Conscionable Christians , people by this very mark do presently suspect that he is either a Papist or so near them as that he is ready to pass over to them , whom he so assisteth in destructive work . Qu. What must be the cure of Malignity ? Ans. When the heel of the holy seed is sufficiently bruised , the Serpents Head must be broken . 1. The War in Heaven which formerly cast down the Dragon , must break the supream Serpentine Head. II. Then his Heads military on Earth will be broken . I. The usurping universal Head called Ecclesiastical : II. The national Serpentine Heads . I. Exterior ; Mahometan and Heathen . II. Interior ; called falsly Christian : I. Serpentine Monarchs , that War against Christ. II. Serpentine Prelates and their Patrons , that fight against Christ as in his own name , and by his pretended commission . And all this by Christ , and not by sinful means . Reformation is begun à Minoritis at the lowest , for personal Salvation of the Elect : But a Majoritis , at the Heads for publick welfare : And God must raise Reforming Princes and Pastors to that end . FINIS . A Catalogue of Books Printed for , and Sold by Tho. Parkhurst , at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside , near Mercers Chapel . Mr. Baxter's Catholick Theology . Folio . A Third Volume of Sermons Preached by the late Reverend and Learned Tho. Manton D. D. In two parts . Folio . A Hundred Select Sermons on several Texts , of Fifty on the Old Testament , and Fifty on the New. Folio . Choice and Practical Expositions on four Select Psalms . Folio . Both by the Reverend and Learned Tho. Horton D. D. late Minister of St. Hellens , London . The true Prophecies and Prognostications of Michael Nostrodamus , Physician to Henry the Second , Francis the Second , and Charles the Ninth , Kings of France , and one of the Best Astronomers that ever were . Folio . Sixty one Sermons , Preached mostly on publick occasions , whereof five formerly Printed by Adam Littleton D. D. Rector of Chelsea in Middlesex . Folio . The Saints Everlasting Rest , or a Treatise of the Blessed State of the Saints in their Enjoyment of God in Glory . 4to . The English Nonconformity , as under King Charles II. and King Iames II. Truly Stated and Argued , By Richard Baxter . 4to . A Discourse concerning Liturgies . By the late Learned and Judicious Divine , Mr. David Clarkson . 8vo . A Discourse of the Saving Grace of God. By the late Reverend and Learned David Clarkson Minister of the Gospel . 8vo . The Vision of the Wheels seen by the Prophet Ezekiel ; opened and applyed : Partly at the Merchants Lecture in Broad-street , and partly at Stepney , on Ianuary 31. 1689. Being the Day of Solemn Thanksgiving to God for the great Deliverance of this Kingdom from Popery and Slavery , by His then Highness the most Illustrious Prince of Orange . Whom God raised up to be the glorious Instrument thereof . By Matthew Mead Pastor of a Church of Christ at Stepney . 4to . The Life of Faith in every State. By Rich. Baxter . 4to . Alderman Ashurst's Funeral Sermon . 4to . A Key for Catholicks to open the Juglings of the Jesuits : The first part of answering all their common Sophisms : The second against the Soveraignty and necessity of General Councils . 4to . Full and easy satisfaction , which is the true Religion : Transubstantiation shamed . 8vo . Naked Popery : Answering Mr. Hutchinson . 4to . FINIS .