THE DANGERS OF NEW DISCIPLINE, TO The STATE and CHURCH Discovered, FIT TO BE CONSIDERED By them who seek (as they term it) the Reformation of the CHURCH of ENGLAND.  
COMPOSED BY A TRUE PROTEstant, a Loyal Subject, a Loving Fellow Member of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, who daily prays for KING and PEOPLE and a Settled peace in all three KINGDOMS.  
Printed for W. R. ANN. DOM. 1642.   

A DISCOURSE to them who seek the Reformation (as they term it) of the CHURCH of ENGLAND.  
BRETHREN,  
THe wisdom of governor's you must not blame, in that they, forecasting the manifold, strange, and dangerous Innovations, which are more than likely to follow, if your Discipline should take place, have for that cause thought it hitherto a part of their duty, to withstand your endeavours that way. The rather, for that they have seen already some small beginnings of the fruits thereof in them, who concurring with you in judgement, about the necessity of that Discipline, have adventured without more ado to separate themselves from the rest of the Church, and to put your speculations in execution. These men's hastiness, the waryer sort of you do not Commend, you wish they had held themselves longer in, and not so dangerously flown abroad before the feathers of the cause had been grown. Their error with merciful terms ye reprove, nameing them in great commiseration of mind, 
1. Pet. 22.  your poor Brethren.  
2. They, on the contrary side, more bitterly accuse you as their false Brethren, and against you they plead, saying, From your breasts it is that we have sucked those things, which when ye delivered unto us, ye termed that heavenly, sincere, and wholesome milk of God's word, howsoever ye now abhor as poison, that, which the virtue thereof hath wrought and brought forth in us. 
Psal. 55.13.  Ye sometimes our Companions, Guides, and familiars, with whom we have had most sweet consultations are now become our professed Adversaries, because we think the statute-Congregations in England to be no true Christian-Churches, because we have severed ourselves from them, and because without their leave or licence that are in civil Authority, we have secretly framed our own Churches according to the platform of the word of God. For, of that point between you and us, there is no controversy. Alas! what would you have us to do? At such time as ye were content to accept us in the number of your own, your teachings we heard, we read your writings: and though we would, yet able we are not to forget with what zeal ye ever have professed, that in the English Congegations (for so many of them as be ordered according unto their own Laws) the very public service of God is fraught, as touching matter, with heaps of intolerable pollutions, and as concerning form, borrowed from the shop of Antichrist; hateful both ways in the eyes of the most holy: the kind of their Government by Bishops and Arch-Bishops Antichristian; that Discipline which Christ hath essentially tied, that is to say, so united unto his Church that we cannot account it really to be his Church, which hath not in it the same Discipline, that very Discipline, no less there despised, 
Pref. against Doctor Banner.  then in the highest Throne of Antichrist; all such parts of the word of God, as do any way concern that Discipline, no less unsoundly taught and interpreted by all authorised English Pastors, then by Antichrists factors themselves; at Baptism Crossing, at the lords supper kneeling; at both, a number of other the most notorious badges of Antichristian recognizance usual. Being moved with these, and the like your effectual discourses, whereunto we gave most attentive ear, till they entered even into our souls, and were as fire within our bosoms, we thought we might hereof be bold to conclude, that sigh no such Antichristian Synagogue may be accounted a true Church of Christ, ye by accusing all Congregations ordered according to the Laws of England, as Antichristian, did mean to condemn those congregations, as not being any of them worthy the true name of a Christian Church; Ye tell us now, it is not your meaning. But what meant your often threaten of them, who professing themselves the inhabitants of Mount Zion, were too loath to departed wholly, as they should, out of Babylon; Whereat our hearts being fearfully troubled, we durst not, we durst not continue longer so near her confines, lest her plagues might suddenly overtake us, before we did cease to be partakers with her sins: for so we could not choose but acknowledge with grief that we were, when they doing evil, we, by our presence in their Assemblies, seemed to like thereof, or, at leastwise not so earnestly to dislike as became men hearty zealous of God's glory. For, adventuring to erect the Discipline of Christ, without the leave of the Christian Magistrate, happily Ye may condemn us as fools, in that we hazard thereby our estates and persons, further than you (which are that way more wise) think necessary: but of any offence or sin therein Committed against God, with what Conscience can you accuse us, when your own positions are, that the things we observe, should every of them be dearer unto us then 10000 lives? that they are the peremptory Commandments of God; that no mortal man can dispense with them, & that the Magistrate greivously sinneth, in constraining thereunto; Will Ye blame any man for doing that of his own accord, which all men should be compelled unto, which are not willing of themselves? when God Commandeth, shall we answer that we will obey, if so be Caesar will grant us leave? Is Discipline an Ecclesiastical matter, or a Civil? If an Ecclesiastical, it must of necessity belong to the duty of the Minister. And the Minister (Ye say) holdeth all his Authority of doing whatsoever belongeth unto the spiritual Charge of the house of God, even immediately from God himself, without dependency upon any Magistrate. Whereupon it followeth as we suppose, that the hearts of the people being willing to be under the sceptre of Christ, the Minister of God, into whose hands the Lord himself hath put that sceptre, is without all excuse, if thereby he guide them not. Nor do we find that hitherto greatly ye have disliked those Churches abroad, where the people with direction of their Godly Ministers, have even against the will of their Magistrate, brought in either the doctrine, or discipline of JESUS CHRIST. For which cause we must now think the very same thing of you which our SAVIOUR did sometimes utter, concerning falsehearted Scribes and pharisees, THEY SAY AND DO NOT. Thus the foolish Barrowist deriveth his schism, 
Mat. 3.23.  by way of conclusion, as to him it seemeth, directly and plainly out of your principles. Him, therefore, we leave to be satisfied by you from whom he hath sprung. And if such, by your own acknowledgement, be persons dangerous, although as yet, the alterations which they have made are of small and tender growth; the changes likely to ensue within this land, in case your desire should take place, must be thought upon.  
3. First, concerning the supreme power of the highest, they are no small Prerogatives, which now thereunto belonging, the form of your discipline will restrain it to resign. Again, it may justly be feared, whether our English Nobility, when the matter came in Trial, would contentedly suffer themselves to be always at the talye, and to stand to the sentence, of a number of mean persons, assisted with the presence of their poor Teacher, a man (as sometimes it hapeneth) though better able to speak, yet no whit apt to judge, than the rest, from whom, be their deal never so absurd (unless it be by way of complaint to a Synod) no appeal may be made unto any one of higher power, in as much as the order of your discipline admitteth no standing inequality of Court, no spiritual judge to have any ordinary superior on Earth, but as many supremacies as there are Parishes and several Congregations.  
4. Neither is it altogether without cause, that so many do fear the overthrow of all Learning, as a threatened sequel of this your intended discipline. For, 
Sapien. 6.24.  if the World's preservation depend on the multitude of the wise; and of that sort the number hereafter be not likely to wax overgreat, 
Eccle. 26 29.  when (that wherewith the son of Syrack professeth himself at the heart grieved) men of understanding are already so little set by: how should their minds whom the love of so precious a jewel, filled with secret jealousy, even in regard of the least things, which may nigh way hinder the flourishing estate thereof, choose, but misdoubt lest this discipline which always you match with divine doctrine, as her natural and true Sister, be found unto all kinds of knowledge a stepmother? seeing that the greatest worldly hopes, which are proposed unto the chiefest kind of learning, ye seek utterly to extirpate as weeds; and have grounded your Platform on such propositions, as do in a sort undermine those most renowned habitations, where through the goodness of Almighty God, all commendable Arts and Sciencies are with exceeding great industry hitherto (and so may they for ever continue) studied, proceeded in, and professed. To charge you as purposely bend to the overthrow of that wherein so many of you have attained no small perfection, were injurious; only therefore I wish that yourselves did well consider how opposite certain your positions are unto the state of Collegiate Societies, wherein the two Universities consist. Those degrees which their Statutes bind them to take, are by your laws taken away; yourselves who have sought them ye so excuse, as that ye would have men to think ye judge them not allowable, but tolerable only, and to be borne with for some help which ye find in them unto the furtherance of your purposes, till the corrupt estate of the Church may be better reform. Your Laws forbidding Ecclesiastical persons utterly the exercise of Civil power, musts needs deprive the Heads and Masters in the same Colleges of all such authority as now they exercise either at home, by punishing the faults of those, who, not as Children to their Parents by the Law of Nature, but altogether by Civil authority are subject unto them, or abroad, by keeping Courts amongst their Tenants. Your Laws, making permanent inequality amongst Ministers, a thing repugnant to the Word of God, enforce those Colleges, the Seniors whereof are all or any part of them Ministers, under the government of a Master in the same vocation, to choose as oft as they meet together a new Precedent. For, if so ye judge it necessary to do in Synods, for the avoiding of permanent inequality amongst Ministers, the same cause must needs, even in these Collegiate Assemblies, enforce the like. Except peradventure ye mean to avoid all such absurdities by dissolving those Corporations, and by bringing the Universities unto the form of the School of Geneva. Which thing men the rather are inclined to look for, in as much as the Ministry, whereinto their Founders with singular providence have by the same Statutes appointed them necessarily to enter at a certain time, 
Humb. motion to the L. L. P. 50.  your laws bind them much more necessarily to forbear, till some parish abroad call for them.  
Your opinion concerning the Law Civil is, that the knowledge thereof might be spared, as a thing which this Land doth not need, Professors in that kind being so few, ye are the bolder to spurn at them, and not to dissemble your minds concerning their removal: in whose studies, although my self have not much been conversant, nevertheless, exceeding great cause I see there is to wish, that thereunto more encouragement were given, as well for the singular treasures of Wisdom therein contained, as also for the great use we have thereof, both in decision of certain kinds of causes, ariseing daily within ourselves, and especially for commerce with Nations abroad, Whereunto that knowledge is most requisite.  
5. The reasons wherewith ye would persuade, that Scripture is the only rule to frame all our Actions by, are in every respect as effectual for proof, that the same is the only Law whereby to determine all our Civil Controversies. And than what doth let, but as those men have their desire, who frankly broach it already, that the work of Reformation will never be perfected till the Law of Jesus Christ be received alone; so pleaders and Counselors may bring their books of the Common Law, and bestow them as the Students of curious and needless Arts did theirs in the Apostles time? 
Act. 19.19.  I leave them to scan how fare those words of yours may reach, wherein ye declare, that whereas many houses lie waste through inordinate suits in Law, 
Humb. motion P. 74.  This one thing will show the excellency of Discipline for the wealth of the Realm, and quiet of Subjects; that the Church is to censure such a party who is apparently troublesome and contentious, and without REASONABLE CAUSE upon a mere will and stomach doth vex and molest his Brother, and trouble the Country. For my own part I do not see, but that it might agree very well with your Principles, if your discipline were fully planted, even to send out your writs of surceace unto all Courts of England besides, for the most things handled in them. A great deal further I might proceed, and descend lower.  
6. But for as much as against all these and the like difficultyes your answer is, 
Counterp. 6. P. 108.  that we ought to search what things are consonant to God's word, not which be most for our own ease; and therefore that your discipline being (for such is your error) the absolute commandment of Almighty God, it must be received, although the world by receiving it should be clean turned upside down, herein lieth the greatest danger of all. For whereas the name of divine Authority is used to countenance these things which are not the commandments of God, but your own erroneous collections; on him you must father whatsoever ye shall afterwards be led either to do, in withstanding the Adversaries of your cause, or to think, in maintenance of your do; and what this may be God doth know: In such kinds of errors, the mind once imagining itself to seek execution of God's will, laboureth forthwith to remove both things and persons which any way hinder it from takeing place, and in such cases if any strange or new thing seem requisite to be done, a strange and new opinion concerning the lawfulness thereof is withal received and broached under countenance of divine Authority.  
7. One example herein may serve for many, to show that false opinions touching the will of God to have things done are wont to bring forth mighty and violent practices against the hindrances of them; and those practices new opinions more pernicious than the first, yea most extremely opposite unto that which the first did seem to intent, where the people took upon them the Reformation of the Church by casting out Popish superstition, they having received from their Pastors a general instruction, 
Mat. 15.13.  that whatsoever the heavenly Father hath not planted must be rooted out, proceeded in some foreign places so fare, that down went Oratories and the very Temples of God themselves. For, as they chanced to take the compass of their Commission stricter or larger, so their deal were accordingly more or less moderate. Among others, 
Anabaptists.  there sprung up presently one kind of men; with whose zeal and forwardness the rest being compared, were thought to be marvellous cold and dull. These grounding themselves on rules more general; that whatsoever the Law of Christ commandeth not, thereof Antichrist is the Author, and whatsoever Antichrist or his adherents did in the world the true Professors of Christ are to undo; and found out many things more than others had done, the extirpation whereof was in their Conceit as necessary as of any thing before removed. Hereupon they secretly made their doleful complaints every where as they went, that albeit the World did begin to profess some dislike of that which was evil in the kingdom of darkness, yet fruits worthy of a true repentance were not seen; and that if men did repent as they ought, they must endeavour to purge the truth of all manner of evil, to the end there might follow a new World afterward, wherein righteousness only should dwell. Private repentance they said must appear by every man's fashioning his own life contrary unto the custom and orders of this present World, both in greater things and in less. To this purpose they had always in their mouths those great things, 
Guy des Bres contre l'erreur des Anabapt. pag. 4.  Charity, Faith, the true Fear of God, the Cross, the Mortification of the flesh. All their exhortations were to set light of the things in this World, to count riches and honours vanity, and in token thereof, not only to seek neither, but if men were possessors of both, even to cast away the one and resign the other, 
pag. 5.  that all men might see their unfeigned conversation unto Christ. They were solicitors of men to fasts, 
pag. 16. pag. 118. pag. 119.  to often meditations of heavenly things; and as it were conferences in secret with God, by prayers not framed according to the frozen manner of the World: but expressing such fervent desires as might even force God to hearken to them. Where they found men in diet, attire, furniture of house, or any other way observers of Civility and decent order, 
pag. 120. pag. 116.  such they reproved as being carnally and earthly minded. Every word otherwise then severely and sadly uttered, seemed to pierce like a sword through them. 
pag. 124.  If any man were pleasant, their manner was presently with sighs to repeat these words of our Saviour Christ, 
Luk. 6.12.  Woe be to you which now laugh, for you shall lament. So great was their delight to be always in trouble, that such as did quietly lead their lives, they judged of all other men to be in most dangerous case. They so much affected to cross the ordinary custom in every thing, 
pag. 117.  that when other men's use was to put on better attire, they would be sure to show themselves openly abroad in worse, the ordinary names of the days in the week they thought it a kind of profaneness to use, and therefore, accustomed to make no other distinction then by number; the 1, 2, 3, day.  
8. From this they proceed unto public Reformation. First, Ecclesiastical, and then Civil. Touching the former they boldly avouched that themselves only had the truth. 
pag. 40.  Which thing upon peril of their lives they would at all times defend; and that since the Apostles lived, the same was never before in all points sincerely taught. Wherefore that things might be brought again to that ancient integrity which jesus Christ by his word requireth, they began to control the Ministers of the Gospel, for attributing so much force and virtue unto the scriptures of God read; whereas the truth was, that when the word is said, to engender faith in the heart and to convert the soul of man, or to work any such spiritual divine effect, these speeches are not thereunto appliable as it is read or preached, but as it is engrafted into us by the power of the Holy Ghost, opening the eyes of our understanding, and so revealing the mysteries of God, according to that which jeremy promised before should be, 
jer. 31.34.  saying, I will put my law in their inward parts, and I will write it in their hearts. The book of God they notwithstanding for the most part so admired, 
pag, 29.  that other disputation against their opinions, then only by allegation of scripture, they would not hear, 
pag. 27.  besides it they thought no other writings in the World should be studied, insomuch that one of their great Prophets exhorting them to cast away all respects unto humane writings, so fare to this motion they condescended that as many as had any Books, save the holy Bible, in their Custody, they brought and set them publicly on fire.  
9 When they and their Bibles were alone together, what strange fantastical opinion soever at any time entered into their heads, their use was to think the spirit taught it them. Their frenzies concerning our Saviour's Incarnation: the state of souls departed and such like, are things needless to be rehearsed. And forasmuch as they were of the same suit with those, of whom the Apostle speaketh, saying, 
2. Tim. 3.7.  They are still learning but never attaining to the knowledge of truth, it was no marvel to see them every day broach some new thing never heard of before, which restless levity they did interpret to be their growing to spiritual perfection, and a proceeding from faith to faith. 
pag. 65. pag. 66.  The differences among them grew in a manner infinite, so that scarcely was there found any one of them, the forge of whose brain was not possessed with some special mystery. 
pag. 135.  Whereupon although their mutual contentions were most fiercely prosecuted among themselves, yet when they came to defend the common cause, common to them all against the Adversaries of their factions, they had ways to lick one another whole, the sounder in his own persuasion excusing The dear Brethren, 
pag. 25.  which were not so fare enlightened, and professing a charitable hope of the mercy of God towards them, notwithstanding their swarving from him in some things. 
pag. 71.  Their own Ministers they highly magnifyed, as men whose vocation was from God: the rest, 
pag. 124.  their manner was disdainfully to term Scribes and Pharisees, to account their calling an humane creature, and to detain the people, as much as might be, from hearing of them. 
pag. 764.  As touching Baptism administered in the Church of Rome, they judged to be an execrable mockery, and no Baptism, both, because the Ministers thereof in the Papacy are wicked Idolaters, lewd persons, Thiefs and Murderers, cursed creatures, ignorant beasts; and also, that for to baptise is a proper action belonging unto none but the Church of Christ, whereas Rome is Antichrists Synagogue. 
pag. 748.  The custom of using Godfathers and Godmothers at Christen they scorned. Baptising of Infants, 
pag. 512.  although confessed by themselves to have been continued even since the very Apostles own times, yet they altogether condemned, partly, 
pag. 518.  because sundry errors are of no less antiquity: 
pag. 722.  and partly because there is no commandment in the Gospel of Christ which saith Baptise Infants, but he contrariwise saying, Go preach and Baptise, doth appoint that the Minister of Baptism shall in that action first administer doctrine, and then Baptism, as also in saying, whosoever doth believe and is Baptised, 
pag. 688.  he appointeth that the person, to whom Baptism is administered, shall first believe, and then be Baptised; to the end that believing may go before this Sacrament in the receiver, no otherwise then preaching in the giver, sigh equally in both, the law of Christ declareth, not only what things are required, but also in what order they are required. 
pag. 38.  The Eucharist they received (pretending our Lord and Saviour's example) after Supper: and for avoiding all those impieties which have been grounded upon the mystical words of Christ, This is my body, this is my blood, they thought it not safe to mention either body or blood in that Sacrament, 
pag. 122.  but rather to abrogate both, and to use no words but these, Take, eat, declare the death of our Lord; Drink, show forth our Lord's death.  
In Rites and Ceremonies their profession was, hatred of all conformity with the Church of Rome: for which cause they would rather endure any torment, then observe the solemn festivals which others did, in as much as Antichrist (they said) was the first Inventor of them.  
10. The pretended end of their Civil Reformation was, that Christ might have dominion over all; that all Crowns and Sceptres might be thrown down at his feet; that no other might reign over Christian men but he; no Regiment keep them in awe but his discipline; amongst them no sword at all to be carried besides his, the sword of Spiritual Excommunication. For this cause they laboured withal their might in overturning the Seats of Magistracy, because Christ hath said, 
pag. 841.  Kings of Nations; in abolishing the execution of justice, because Christ hath said, resist not evil; in forbidding Oaths the necessary means of judicial Trial, because Christ hath said, Swear not at all; finally, 
pag. 849.  in bringing in community of goods, because Christ by his Apostles hath given the World such example, to the end that men might excel one another, not in wealth, the pillar of secular authority, but in virtue.  
11. These men at the first were only pitied in their error, and not much withstood by any; 
pag. 40.  the great humility, zeal and devotion, which appeared to be in them was in all men's opinion a pledge of their harmless meaning. The hardest that men of sound judgement conceived of them, was but this, 
Lactant.  O quàm honestâ voluntate miseri errant; with how good a meaning these poor souls do evil! Luther made request unto Frederick Duke of Saxony, that within his dominion they might be favourably dealt with and spared, 
Just. lib. 5. cap. 19  for that (their error exempted) they seemed otherwise right good men. By means of which merciful toleration they gathered strength, 
pag. 6.  much more than was safe for the state of the Commonwealth wherein they lived. They had their secret corner-meetings and assemblies in the night, the people flocked unto them by thousands. The means whereby they both alured and retained so great multitudes were most effectual; 
Pag. 4. 20.  first, a wonderful show of zeal towards God, 
Pag. 55.  wherewith they seemed to be even rapt in every thing they spoke. Secondly, an hatred of sin and a singular love of integrity, which men did think to be much more than ordinary in them, by reason of the Custom which they had to fill the ears of the people with invectives against their authorized Guides, aswell Spiritual as Civil. Thirdly, the bountiful relief wherewith they eased the broken estate of such needy Creatures as were in that respect the more apt to be drawn away. Fourthly, a tender Compassion which they were thought to take upon the miseries of the Common sort, over whose heads their manner was, 
Pag. 6. 7.  even to pour down showers of tears, complaining that no respect was had unto them, that their goods were devoured by wicked Cormorants, their persons had in contempt, all liberty both temporal and spiritual taken from them, that it was high time for god now to hear their groans and to send them deliverance: Lastly, a cunning slight which they had to stroke and smooth up the minds of their followers, as well by appropriating unto them all the favourable Titles, the good words and the gracious promisies in Scripture; as also by casting the contrary always on the heads of such as were severred from that retinue. Whereupon, the People's common acclamations unto such deceivers was, These are verily the men of God, these are his true and sincere Prophets. If any such Prophet or man of God did suffer by order of law condign and deserved punishment, were it for Felony, Rebellion, Murder or what else, the people (so strangely were their hearts enchanted) as though blessed Saint Stephen had been again Martyred, 
Pag. 27.  did lament that God took away his most dear servants from them.  
12. In all things being fully persuaded, that what they did it was Obedience to the will of God, and that all men should do the like; there remained after speculation, practice, whereby the whole world thereunto (if it were possible) might be framed. 
Pag. 6.  This they saw could not be done without mighty opposition and resistance: against which to strengthen themselves, they secretly entered into a league of association. And peradventure, considering that although they were many, yet long wars would in time waste them out; they began to think whether it might not be that God would have them do for their speedy and mighty increase, the same which sometime Gods own chosen people, the people of Israel did. Glad and feign they were to have it so: which very desire was itself apt to breed both an opinion of possibility, and a willingness to gather arguments of likelihood that so God himself would have it. Nothing more clear unto their seeming, then that a new jerusalem being often spoken of in Scripture, they undoubtedly were themselves that new jerusalem, and the old did by way of a certain figurative resemblance signify what they should be and do. Here they drew in a Sea of matter by applying of all things unto their own company, which are any where spoken concerning divine favours, and benefits bestowed upon the old common wealth of Israel, concluding that as Israel was delivered out of Egypt, so they spiritually out of the Egypt of this World's servile thraldom unto sin and superstition; as Israel was to root out the Idolatrous Nations, and to plant instead of them a people which feared God, so the same Lords good will and pleasure was now, that these new Israelites should under the Conduct of other joshuas, sampson's, and gideon's perform a work no less miraculous in casting out violently the wicked from the earth, and establishing the kingdom of Christ with perfect liberty: and therefore as the cause why the Children of Israel took unto one man many wives, might be, lest the casualties of war should any way hinder the promise of God concerning their multitude from takeing effect in them, so it was not unlike that for the necessary propagation of Christ's kingdom under the Gospel, the Lord was content to allow as much. Now whatsoever they did in such sort collect out of Scripture, when they came to justify or persuade it unto others, all was the heavenly father's appointment, his commandment, his will and charge. Which thing is the point, in regard whereof I have gathered this declaration. For my purpose herein is to show, that when the minds of men are once erroneously persuaded, that it is the will of God to have those things done which they fancy; their opinions are as thorns in their sides, never suffering them to take rest till they have brought their speculations into practice; the rests & impediments of which practice, their restless desire and study to remove, leadeth them every day forth by the hand into other more dangerous opinions, sometimes quite and clean contrary to their first pretended meanings; so as what will grow out of such errors as go masked under the cloak of divine Authority, impossible it is that ever the wit of man should imagine, till time have brought forth the fruits of them; for which cause it behooveth wisdom to fear the sequels thereof, even beyond all apparent cause of fear. These men in whose mouths at the first sounded nothing but only mortification of the flesh, were come at the length to think they might lawfully have their six or seven Wives a piece. They which at the first, thought judgement and justice itself a merciless cruelty; accounted at the length their own hands sanctified, with being imbrued in Christian blood; they, who at the first were wont to beat down all dominion and to urge against poor Constables, Kings of Nations, had at the length both Consuls and Kings of their own erection; finally, they which could not brook at the first, that any man should seek, no not by law, the recovery of goods injuriously taken or withheld from him; were grown at the last to think, they could not offer unto God more acceptable service, then by turning their Adversaries clean out of house and home, and by enriching themselves with all kind of spoil and pillage, 
pag. 41.  which thing being laid to their charge, they had in all readiness their answer, that now the time was come, when according to our Saviour's promise, The meek ones must inherit the earth, 
Mat. 5.5.  and that their title hereunto, was the same which the Righteous Israelites had unto the goods of the wicked Egyptians. 
Exod. 11.2.   
13. Wherefore sigh the World hath had in these men so fresh experience how dangerous such active errors are, it must not offend you, though touching the sequel of your present misperswasions much more be doubted, than your own intents and purposes do happily aim at. And yet your words all-ready are somewhat, when ye affirm that your Pastors, 
Mart. in his 3. libel. P. 28.  Elders, Doctors, and Deacons, aught to be in this Church of England, whither his Majesty and our State will, or no; when for the animating of your Confederates, ye publish the Musters which ye have made of your own bands, and proclaim to amount unto, I know not how many thousands; when ye threaten, that sigh neither suits to the Parliament, nor supplications to our Convocation-House, neither your defences by writing, nor challenges of disputation in behalf of that cause are able to prevail, we must blame ourselves, if to bring in discipline some such means be used hereafter, as shall cause all our hearts to ache. 
Demonstr. in the Preface.  That things doubtful are to be construed in the better part, is a principle that ought not to be followed in matters concerning the public state of a Commonwealth. But howsoever these and the like speeches be accounted as arrows idly shot at random, without either eye had to any mark, or regard to their lighting place: hath not your longing desire for the practice of your discipline, brought the matter already unto this demurrer amongst you; whether the people and their godly Pastors, that way affected, ought not to make separation from the rest, and to begin the exercise of discipline, without the licence of Civil powers, which licence they sought for, and are not heard? Upon which question, as ye have now divided yourselves, the warier sort of you takeing the one part, and the forwarder in zeal the other; so in case these earnest ones should prevail? what other sequel can any wise man imagine, but this; that having first resolved, that attempts for discipline without superiors, are lawful, it will follow in the next place to be disputed what may be attempted against superiors, which will not have the sceptre of that discipline to rule over them?  
14. Yea even by you, which have stayed yourselves from running headlong with the other sort, somewhat notwithstanding there hath been done, without the leave or liking of your lawful Superiors, for the exercise of a part of your discipline amongst the Clergy thereunto addicted. And least examination of principal parties therein, should bring those things to light, which might hinder and let your proceed; behold for a bar against that impediment, one opinion ye have newly added unto the rest, even upon this occasion, an opinion to exempt you from takeing Oaths; which may turn to the molestation of your Brethren in that cause. The next neighbour opinion, whereunto when occasion requireth, may follow for dispensation with Oaths already taken, if they afterwards be found to import a necessity of detecting aught which may bring such good men into trouble or damage whatsoever the cause be. O merciful God what man's wit is there able to sound the depth of these dangerous and fearful evils, whereinto our weak and impotent nature is inclinable to sink itself, rather than to show an acknowledgement of error in that, which once we have unadvisedly taken upon us to defend, against the stream, as it were, of a contrary public resolution? Wherefore if we any thing respect their error, who being persuaded even as ye are, have gone further upon that persuasion than ye allow, if we regard the present estate of the highest Governor placed over us, if the quality and disposition of our Nobles, if the Orders and Laws of our famous Universities, of the profession of the Civil or the practice of the Common-Law amongst us, if the mischiefs, whereinto even before our eyes, so many others have fallen headlong from no less plausible and fair beginnings, then yours are: there is in every of these considerations most just cause to fear, lest our hastiness to embrace a thing of so perilous Consequence, should cause posterity to feel those evils, which as yet are more easy for us to prevent, than they would be for them to remedy. 
The Concl. of all.   
15. The best and safest way therefore for you, my dear Brethren, is, to call your deeds passed to a new reckoning, to examine the cause ye have taken in hand, and to try it even point by point, Argument by Argument, with all the diligent exactness ye can; to lay aside the Gall of that bitterness wherein your minds have hitherto overabounded, and with meekness to search the Truth; think ye are men, deem it not impossible for ye to err; fift unpartially your own hearts, whether it be the force of reason or vehemency of affection which hath bred and still doth feed these opinions in you. If truth do any where manifest itself, seek not to smother it with glozing delusion, acknowledge the greatness thereof, and think it your best victory when the same doth prevail over you.  
16. That ye have been earnest in speaking and writing again and again the contrary way, shall be no blemish nor discredit at all unto you. Amongst so many so huge volumes as the infinite pains of Saint Augustine hath brought forth, what one hath gotten him greater love, commendation, and honour then the book wherein he carefully collecteth his own oversights, and sincerely condemneth them? Many speeches there are of jobes, whereby his wisdom and other virtues may appear: but the glory of an ingenious mind he hath purchased by these words only, 
job. 39.37.  Behold, I will lay mine hand on my mouth, I have spoken once, yet will I not therefore maintain argument: yea twice, howbeit for that cause, further I will not proceed. Fare more comfort it were for us (so small is the joy we take in these strifes) to labour under the same yoke, as men that look after the same eternal reward of their labours, to be enjoyed with you in bands of indissoluble love and amity, to live as if our persons being many, our Souls were but one, rather then in such dismembered sort, to spend our few & wretched days in a tedious prosecution of wearisome contentions, the end whereof, if they have not some speedy end will be heavy even on both sides. Brought already we are, even to that estate, which Gregory Nazianzene mournfully described, saying.  

G. Naz: Apol.  My mind leadeth me (sigh there is no other remedy) to fly and to convey myself into some corner out of sight, where I may scape from this cloudy tempest of maliciousness, whereby all parts are entered into a deadly war amongst themselves, and that little remnant of love which was, is now consumed to nothing. The only godliness we glory in, is to find out somewhat whereby we may judge others to be ungodly. Each others faults we observe, as matter of exprobration, and not of grief. By these means we are grown hateful in the eyes of the heathens themselves, and (which woundeth us the more deeply) able we are not to deny, but that we have deserved their hatred. With the better sort of our own, our fame and Credit is clean lost. The less we are to marvel, if they Judge vilely of us, who although we did well, would hardly allow thereof. On our backs they also build, that are lewd, and what we object one against another, the same they use to the utter scorn and disgrace of us all. This we have gained by our mutual home dissensions. This we are worthily rewarded with, which are more forward to strive, then becometh men of virtuous and mild disposition. But our trust with the almighty is, that with us, contentions are now at their, highest float, and that the day will come (for what cause of despair is there,) when the passions of former enmity being allayed, we shall with ten times redoubled tokens of our unfeignedly reconciled love, show ourselves each towards other the same, which joseph and the Brethren of joseph, were at the time of their intervew in Egypt. Our comfortable expectation, and most Thirsty desire whereof, what man soever amongst you shall any ways 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 (as we truly hope there is no one amongst you but some way or other will) the blessing of the God of peace, both in this world, and in the world to come, be upon him, more than the stars of the firmament in number. AMEN.  

ECCLES. POLIT. LIB. 5. §. 79. ad fin.  
Such is the general detestation of robbing God or the church; that whereas nothing doth either in peace or war more uphold men's reputation then prosperous success, because, in common construction, unless notorious improbity be joined with prosperity, it seemeth to argue favour with God, they which once have stained their hands with these odious spoils, do thereby fasten unto all their actions an eternal prejudice; in respect whereof, for that it passeth through the world as an undoubted rule and principle, that sacrilege is open defiance to god, whatsoever afterward they undertake, if they prosper in it, men reckon it but Dionysius his navigation, and if any thing befall them otherwise, it is not, as commonly, so in them ascribed to the great uncertainty of casual events, wherein the providence of God doth control the purposes of men, oftentimes much more for their good, then if all things did answer fully their hearts desire, but the censure of the world is ever directly against them, both 
a Novimus multa regna & reges eorum propterea cecidisse, quia Ecclesias spoliaverunt, resque earum vastaverunt, alienaverunt vel diripuerunt; Episcopisque & sacer●otibus, a●que quod majus est, Ecclesiis eorum abstulerunt, & pugnantibus dederunt. Quapropter nec fortes in bello, nec in fide stabiles fuerunt, nec victores extiterunt, sed terga multi vulnerati, & plures interfecti verterunt, regnáque & regiones, & quod pejus est, regna coelestia perdiderunt, atque propriis haereditatibus caruerunt, & hactenus carent. verba Caroli Mag. in Capital. Caral. l. 7. c. 104.  bitter and peremptory.  
To make such actions therefore less odious, and to mitigate the envy of them, many colourable shifts and inventions have been used, as if the world did hate only wolves, and think the fox a godly creature. The time 
b Turno tempus erit magno cùm optaverit emptum. Intactum Pallanta, & cùm spolia ista, diemque Oderit. virgil Aeen. lib. 10.  it may be will come, when they that either violently have spoiled, or thus smoothly defrauded God, shall find they did but deceive themselves. In the mean while, there will be always some skilful persons, which can teach a way how to grind treatably the Church, with jaws that shall scarce move, and yet devour in the end more than they that come ravening with open mouth, as if they would worry the whole man instant. Others also who have wastefully eaten out their own patrimony, would be glad to repair if they might their decayed estates, with the ruin they care not of what, nor of whom, so the spoils were theirs; whereof in some part if they happen to speed, yet commonly they are men borne under that constellation, which maketh them, I know not how, as unapt to enrich themselves as they are ready to impoverish others; it is rheir lot to sustain during life, both the misery of beggars, and infamy of robbers.  
But though no other plague and revenge should follow sacrilegious violations of holy things, the natural disgrace and ignominy, the very turpitude of such actions in the eyes of a wise understanding heart, is itself 
c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Demost. Poenam non dico legum, quas saepe pe●rumpunt; sed ipsius turpitudinis quae acerbissima est, non vident. Cic. Off. lib. 3. Impunita credi● esse quae inviso sunt, aut ùllum supplicium gravius existimas publico odio? Senec de Benef. l. 3. c. 17.  a heavy punishment. Men of virtuous quality, are by this sufficiently moved to beware, how they answer and require the mercies of God with injuries, whether openly or indirectly offered.  
By means whereof the church most commonly for gold hath flannel, and whereas the usual saw of old was, Glaucus his changing, the proverb is now, A Church bargain.  
And for fear lest covetousness alone should linger out the time too much, and not be able to make havoc of the house of God, with that expedition which the mortal enemy thereof did vehemently wish, he hath by certain strong inchauntments, so deeply bewitched religion itself, as to make it in the end an earnest solicitor. and an eloquent persuader of sacrilege, urging confidently, that the very best service which men of power can do to Christ, is without any more ceremony, 
d 
Hu● ventum videtur (quod non sive gemitu dixeri●) ut magna hominum pars credat sese tùm demum verè regnum Antichristi evafisse, fi sum bonis Ecclesiae ludant pro libitu. Calvin. Ep. 33. vide etiam ep. 13.65.68.108. ubi de hac sacrilegà dissipatione queritur.  
In the time of Popery, the Church of Geneva was very richly endowed with great revenues. At the reformation, Calvin and Farell called upon the magistrates, as they would answer it to God, to employ all that holy stock only to pious and holy uses, assureing them they could not any other ways bestow any part of it, without the guilt of horrible Sacrilege. (So it is a degree of Sacrilege, any way to alter the wills and intentions of founders, so far as they are tolerable▪ They promised fairly; but having possessed themselves of the goods and patrimony of the Clergy, they set apart some small portions for the University, and the ministers, bestowing the rest in fortifieing their walls, and furnishing their magazine against the Bishop (the lord and owner of the town) and other more base uses.  
Calvin seeing this Sacrilege, and detesting it, was wont to say with great grief, I see we have taken the purse from Judas, and given it to the Devil. Several men of credit have heard this related by a grave learned French minister yet living (or very lately) in England.   to sweep all, and to leave the Church as bare, as in the day it was first borne; that fullness of bread having made the children of the househould wanton, it is without any scruple to be taken away from them, and thrown to dogs; that they which laid the prices of their lands, as offerings at the Apostles feet, did but sow the seeds of superstition; that they which did endow Churches with lands, poisoned religion; that Tithes and oblations are now in the sight of God as the sacrificed blood of goats, that if we give him our hearts, and affections, our goods are better bestowed otherwise; that Irenaeus, Policarps disciple, should not have said, we offer unto God our goods, as tokens of thankfulness for what we do receive; neither Origen, he that worshippeth God, must by gifts and oblations acknowledge him the Lord of all; in a word, that to give unto God is error, reformation of error, to take from the Church, that which the blindness of former ages did unwisely give. By these or the like suggestions received with all joy; and with like sedulity practised in certain parts of the Christian world, they have brought to pass, that as David doth say of man, so it is in hazard to be verified concerning the whole religion and service of God; The time thereof may peradventure fall out to be threescore & ten years, or if strength do serve, unto fourscore, what followeth, is like to be small joy for them, whatsoever they be that behold it.  
Thus have the best things been overthrown not so much by puissance, and might of adversaries, as through defect of counsel in them, that should have upheld and defended the same.   
FINIS.