THE unjust Man's DOOM: AS EXAMINED By the several KIND'S of Christian Justice, AND THEIR OBLIGATION.  
WITH A Particular Representation OF THE INJUSTICE & DANGER OF Partial Conformity.  
By William Smyth, D. D.  
LONDON, Printed by W. Godbid for Walter Kettilby at the Bishop's Head in Ducklane, 1670.   

A PREFACE TO THE READER.  
I Would willingly meet so much Charity and Ingenuity from thee, to be believed, while I profess that I propound to myself these two Designs in Publishing these Papers: First, That (by the former part of my Discourse) I might contribute something towards the restoring the lost Principles and Practices of Christian Righteousness; & free the Notion of it from such Prejudices and Misprisions which some men's Doctrines, and manner of Preaching the Gospel, have brought upon it. And that the Scandalous Distinction (which the world have had too just a temptation to make, by the observation of some Professors Actions) between Godliness and Civil Honesty, Piety, and Obedience, might for ever be removed and forgotten; and that all persons designing to be Religious, and that do not fully understand their indispensable obligation to the performance of every part of that Justice in order to their Salvation, might be delivered from the Ignorance of so considerable a part of Christianity, and their Duty to God. For it is too notorious, that many earnest Pretenders to Religion, (by being so especially and continually called upon by their Teachers, to be righteous by the Person, and not the Religion of Christ, by the effects of his Merits, and not as necessarily by obedience to his Precepts) even while they presumed to engross the Vulgars' belief of being the only men that are Godly and honest, have in contradiction to the very design of Christianity, & to the shame of it, been grossly Unrighteous before God and man, by being so to their Superiors (both civil and Ecclesiastic) as to Distributive Justice, nor so careful to free themselves from the imputation of being unjust in their dealings & transactions, as to Commutative. And though I have cast my Discourse of Christian Justice into the Mould of a Sermon, occasionally preached, to represent the Danger of unjust persons; yet if any man, being convinced of the necessity of doing Righteousness, that he may be Righteous, (1 John 2. 7.) shall resolve to engage himself in that excellent part of his Obedience to God; I hope I have so carefully drawn the several Lines of Evangelical Justice, that he may be sufficiently instructed in that part of Christianity, which may be accounted the Universal Religion of the World; that is, as extensive as God's Love to Mankind or Christ's Death for it, and by which men of every Nation, even among them that are invincibly ign●●●●● of Christianity, and so not criminally unbelievers, (if Charity may be allowed to speak her Sense) may be accepted for Christ's sake: that is, such as fear God, and do righteousness) or Justice (for they are of the same signification) Acts 10. 35. according to the light God hath given them of their Obligation to it.  
The next Design (in the latter Part of my Discourse) is to represent the Danger and Injustice of Partial and Shuffling Conformity, and to measure the Dimensions of those many wrongs that have been done to the Church of England by it, in all her concerns: and that in order to the finding out the best Expedients, how to redress them And this I have done without the least uncharitable reflection upon any Man or Parties of men, unless to reprove their miscarriages, which do so nearly entrench upon the very Design of Christianity and the Church's Peace, may be so interpreted. And I find upon the most serious examination of the Affairs of the Church since the Reformation, and the most unpassionate observation of things which have been seen done in our time (to which a great part of this present Age can give testimony) That Minister's Puritanizing in their Congregations in compliance with some Foreign Churches of different Models, Persuasions and Practices against all their Obligations to do the contrary, (with consideration had to our many sins for which God hath laid those heavy Punishments upon us) to be the Original cause of the great Evils that befell the Church of England in the days of her Late calamity, of the many present Discomforts that are now upon it, and the threatening dangers that are before it. For these men so managed their business in their Churches, that the common People (many of which had honest minds, and upright designs of being good) are insensibly betrayed into such a dislike of the Government, Service, and universal Constitutions of the Church, that they were prepared upon the least check of Authority to require Conformity from them, to make it the Cause of God, and an eminent Act of Zeal for him, to deny all Obedience to it, if not to endeavour the universal overthrow of all its Peace and Order. So that I am not so uncharitable as to think, that all the People that were Enemies to the Church of England, hated it because it was good and innocent, but because (through these men's either designed project of keeping them in Ignorance; or through their own Inability to instruct them better) they understood it not; and being once prejudiced with an ill Opinion, and presumed not to be Masters of so much Reason as to be able to extricate themselves from their Mistakes, and not likely to entertain an instruction from them, whom they were taught to suspect and oppose, it's no wonder if they became such zealous & implacable Enemies to a Church of the most Catholic and Primitive Constitution in the World. Now the grand Argument which they put into the People's Heads, to perpetuate their enmity against the Church of England, is, That the present Constitution is a Disposition to Popery, and that the increase of it is to be imputed thereunto, when themselves are only guilty of it: For though the Designs of the Factious & the Romanists are as distant as the two Poles, yet in this they Centre, that they aid one another in the boldness of their Separations, and allow a plausible temptation to such (who consult nothing but the Interest of an unsecure and palliated Peace, or rather to prevent some little trouble of preserving the Church in its Integrity) to endeavour an universal Toleration of all Persuasions, to the established Churches infallible fall and ruin. But concerning this and all other wrongs done by them to the Church, the Reader is refer-red to the Discourse itself.  
Now if by God's blessing I may in any measure attain both my Designs; If by the first I may fully instruct Souls to live (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) Justly, one part of Evangelical Obedience in St. Paul's Division, (Tit. 2. 12.) And if by the second I can contribute any thing towards the cure of the Church of England's present Distempers, I shall not much consult what Entertainment they shall have among such as are resolved enemies to both, and perhaps for that reason will be so to their Faithful Monitor,  
W. S.   


The unjust man's DOOM.  
As examined by the several Kind's of Christian Justice, and their Obligation.  
In a SERMON at the Assizes at Bury St. Edmunds in Suff. Sept. 13. 1668.   

The unjust man's DOOM.  1 COR. 6. 9 The unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. 
SO far as the principal Design of Christianity is universal Obedience, and the far greatest part of that Obedience is Morality; (Duties to be performed from Man to Man) And the most excellent parts of that Morality, are the Grand Transactions of Government, Regular Administrations of Common Justice, and Preservation of Mutual Rights in all Societies: And so far as the Rule by which all those are accomplished, is Law, grounded upon Right Reason, of which the Gospel (above all Institutions that ever were is highly & designedly perfective) so far, I say, a Divine ex officio, while he moves in his own Sphere, may (must) be especially serviceable to such Assemblies as these: For it is certain, that the happy event of your Affairs, (which is judicially to do all men right, that here appear for it) depends upon every man's uprightly doing his Duty, 〈◊〉 the part he acts, in this Scene 〈◊〉 Justice; from the Judge that sentenceth, to the Advocate that pleads; from the Witness that gives evidence, to the Jurates that determine.  
Now because that every one of these should do right in his place, a civil account (at best) can advance to no other obligation, but that it is fit and worthy to be done; (too weak an Argument, to resist a Temptation from Profit, or Passion, to do the contrary;) therefore they are to be religiously instructed, (which makes this present exercise reasonable above all Apologies and Answers for the practice of former times among us, when Divines sat upon the principal Seats of Justice) I say, men are to be further instructed, that to do Civil Right, is, now, of Divine Obligation, and a necessary condition of every man's Salvation; under Encouragements of infallible Rewards, which no man shall lose, that brings but (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) the least refreshment or assistance to a just procedure; and under the terror of dreadful threatenings, which none shall escape, that pervert Judgement, do wrong, and shall any way be instrumental to the violation of another's Right: And certainly the severest of all of them is this in my Text; They shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.  
My Text being thus brought to hand, offers these two Grounds of Discourse: 

1. The guilty persons, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the unrighteous, or the unjust, words Synonimous, and so are promisevously taken all over the Scripture.  
2. Their Doom and Punishment, Shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.     

1. As to the first, the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, unrighteous, or unjust, is not here to be taken in its larger acceptation, by which it is synonimous with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sinners in general, and names the persons, that live in disobedience to all, or any of God's Commandments indefinitely, as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used, (Rom. 2. 8.) unrighteousness or unjustice for all ungodliness: And that because, (as C●…. Alex. observes) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, every sinful act is injurious, frequently to others, always to ourselves.  
But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here to be understood strictly, and so denotes persons guilty of the breach of Justice in its limited and natural sense, as it stands distinguished from other Virtues in the Moralists Scheme: And being brought over to be a part of Christ's Religion, was established as such, when he made love to our Neighbour (that is, the love of practice, to do all men right and good) to be of like obligation with Love to God, as practised in the most immediate Duties, and Services of Faith and Worship: For so saith Christ (Mat. 22. 39) The second is like unto it (that is) equally, and as indispensably necessary to Salvation, Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thyself. Now for the Measures of that Love, and (the principal design and excrcise of it). Justice, he gave one general Rule, (ut primum principium): All things whatsoever you would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them; that is, Suum cuique tribuere (the Definition of Justice) to give to every man his Right and Due. The Offenders then against this Rule of Justice, in this strict sense, are the guilty persons in my Text, as the words before it, (and the very occasion of it) doth fully evince; where the Apostle chargeth them, (v. 8.) that (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) Ye do wrong and defraud. And thence infers, that such as do so, are unrighteous, or unjust; and shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.  
But our Christian Obligation of doing right to all, having an influence upon all the conversation we have with men, that is, almost all the actions of our Lives; It's necessary (that we may throughly find out the guilty in my Text) to make a strict enquiry after this Christian Justice, as it is distinguished by its several Objects, and Relations, and by the various kinds of Right, we owe one to another; the breach of every part of which, doth expose us, as to the guilt, so to the severe sentence of my Text.  
The first kind of Gospel-Justice, (as it respects differing Relations) is that which is called Distributive, that is, the reciprocal Deuce and Rights which Christians must pay one to another, in matters of Superiority and Subjection to it; from an Empire, to the little Dominion of a Family.  
The first of that kind, is, the mutual Duties of Princes and Subjects. As for the Duties which Princes owe to their Subjects, or rather to God for them; it is not our business to inquire after. And St. Paul in his Epistles, when he carefully provided Rules for all distributive Justice, makes no mention of the duties of Princes; intimating, that they are accountable to none but God, whose (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) Ministers they are. We must not curse them (Eccl. 10. 20.) not slight them, so the Hebrew, (ne detrahat Regi) not disparage them, so the Vulgar Latin, in the most retired thoughts of our Bedchamber, for their miscarriages; For which, (when at the greatest) we must pretend to no other remedy, but the Primitive Churches powerful Engines, Prayers and Tears. But then the Subjects are bound in Christian Justice, to pay their Prince Honour, Tribute, and Obedience. And those that fail in any part of these duties, that is, that shall whisper Jealousies into the heads of the Multitude, to defraud them of their honour; or refuse, or decline their Tribute, the price of their own protection; or disobey their Laws, the Nerves of all Communion and public safety, they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, they have wronged their Princes, and are unrighteous, unjust persons, in the sense of my Text. But if their unrighteousness in these cases shall ferment to rebellious Designs, (let them pretend to as much Saintship as Corah, or common Justice as Absolom, or Reformation as both) they are not then only unjust to a Prince in his Personal Capacity, contrary to the Rule of doing to all men, etc. And though he be a Tyrant, act contrary to an express Precept (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) not to resist evil, not allowable among private persons: But as he is a public person, they are guilty of a National wrong; they wrest out of God's hand the Ordinance (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Rom. 13. 2.) the only expedient of Mercy, by which the Rights of all men are preserved, and the world kept from Confusion; and are therefore answerable for all the Blood, Ruin, and miserable Consequences of a Civil War, that is of a Princes Military defence of himself, and faithful Subjects that adhere to him, in the day of Rebellion. So that a Rebel is an unrighteous person, by a complication of guilt and an accumulation of wrongs.  
But now permit not your thoughts, nor will I my Tongue, to make application, by reflecting upon the unparallelled Tragedy of Evils done and suffered, upon the breach of this Justice in our late Rebellion. If I have said so much, as may teach the Guilty Repentance, and others that were not engaged, their duty, it's enough; let us bury all the rest in Prayers and Charity.  
But further, if the Nation be Christian, there is another Authority invested in a Prince, over Ecclesiastic Persons, and Cases; for he is concerned as well in the (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,) the Religion, as the Civil Concerns of his Subjects (1 Tim. 2. 2.) And there is a Due of Obedience to be paid him in Christian Justice on that account also. This Power was apparently conferred by God on the Kings of the Old Testament; Moses had both the Trumpets; David ordered the Courses of the Levites, and the Solemnities of the Public Service: Joash had the Testament given him in his hand, as well as the Crown on his Head, (2 Chron. 23. 11.) Hezekiah and Josiah reform the Church by their Royal Authority. And as Christ found it (there being no retrenchment of that power in the Gospel) so he left it, as his own general Laws expressed and interpreted by the Church's after-practice, can testify above all exceptions. Ex quo (saith Socrates) Imperatores facti sunt Christiani, ab ipsis res Ecclesiae dependebant. After that the Emperors became Christian, the Church's Affairs depended upon them. Thus was Constantine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. And Leo the Third could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. that is, they were mixed persons, they were concerned in the Government and Protection of the Church. But of this Right, hath the Romanist, and Assemblies, defrauded their Princes; the one gets away half of their Crowns, the other of their Sceptres; both rob them of their Authority, and of their Subjects full Allegiance. And thus it is with us, while we have a Profession established by Law, by a power next to God (Solo Deo minorem, saith Tertullian) and by such Constitutions, as God and Man cannot be pretended to stand in competition for Obedience. The Bishop of Rome hath a superior power acknowledged by some, and the Assembly by others, and both profess a Religion in Obedience to those Usurpations, and in opposition to their Lawful Sovereign's Commands and Laws: So that the King is robbed of his Subjects, they, of their Allegiance, and the Church torn in pieces by them both, as between two Millstones (as the late Archb. in his Preface to his Controversy) This wrong is done on either side, and for that reason they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, unjust, unrighteous persons that do it. This as to the first part of Distributive Justice, in the Concerns of Princes and their Subjects.  
The next kind of Distributive Justice in the larger Circles of it, is, the reciprocal Deuce and Rights, which the Governors of the Church, and their Charges, are in Christian Justice obliged to pay to one another. Without the mutual performance of which a Body of men can be called no more a Church, than a Tumult can be called an Army, or an ungoverned Rout, a City. Now as it is in Civils, though the King be (Supremus Judex) Chief Judge in the Law, yet he administers Jujustice by his commissioned Justicers to whom also an Obedience is due on that account: so in ecclesiastics, he exerciseth his supreme authority, for the care of the Church, by proper Officers (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) set apart for that design; whose Calling though it be governed and protected by Princes, is yet immediately from Heaven (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Heb. 5. 4.) they are called of God to it. and (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Acts 20. 28.) Whom the Holy Ghost hath made Bishops, or Overseers; and for that reason a right of Obedience is due unto them on that account also.  
First then, the Pastors of the Church are bound in Justice (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) to feed the Church of God, by pastoral Government and Preaching, by Sacraments, and Offices of Discipline, and instituting Canons, for fit Circumstances, that all things may be done (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 1 Cor. 14. 40.) decently, & in order, or uniformity in the Church of God. If they fail of their duties, they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, unrighteous, and must answer deeply for the wrong they have done to their Charges.  
On the other side, their people in Christian Justice owe them Reception, Love, Honour, and (which for the Church's sake, is most especially required) Obedience. Obey them that have the rule over you, (Heb. 13. 17.) And as S. Ignatius, (the best Interpreter of the Apostles meaning and practice) saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) It is necessary that nothing be done in the Church, but in obedience to the Governors of it. And this was the Sense and universal Practice of the Church, it its primitive purity, and best Integrity. But if their Charges shall condemn their Callings, contemn their persons, separate from their Administrations, and refuse conformity to their Rules of Order, in the service of God; they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, unjust persons, they have defrauded their Spiritual Rulers of their, due, and (by infallible consequence) the Church of the very Essentials of its well-being, Peace, and Unity; the ends for which Spiritual Government was especially designed: Of which Unity the Church being once deprived, in comes the Inundation of Atheism, Profaneness, Contempt of God's Service, Heresies and Factions; for all which those unjust persons must answer, when they happen. And of all this, our own woeful experience is too convincing an evidence. For as it is certain, that those miseries are now upon us, so it is as certain, they own their beginning to the breach of this Christian Justice, and commenced from the days the Disciplinarians first withdrew their obedience from their lawful Superiors, and taught the people to despise, and quarrel with them about indifferent Rites. Which undutifulness afterward, fermenting, and gradually increasing, hath in the various agitations of several ages, brought upon the Church, and the Pastors thereof, all these Infelicities and wrongs they now unjustly suffer: Grown too great (without a gracious divine Deliverance) for hope of relief. The Church being in that Commonwealth's case, quae nec ferre sua possit vitia, necremedia, neither able to bear its miscarriages nor remedies. But I desire the severe Character of my Text may be applied to no particular persons alive, unless it be in our Prayers, to beg forgiveness for them, as they were instrumental to these heavy punishments, and for ourselves, that (for our sins) have justly deserved them at the hand of God.  
Thus I have gone over the parts of Distributive Justice, which Christians are to act in the greater Circumferences of Public Relations; I now contract my Discourse to the lesser Circles of it, in Domestic Concerns: Which though they be less considerable, are not at all less necessary. Our salvation depends upon every part of that Justice, as much as the other: Loyalty to a Prince, or conformity to the Church, cannot make us just, if we do wrong at home to our Wives, Children or Servants. Now the Christian Justice of the Family-Relations, are the reciprocal Deuce of Husbands and Wives, Parents and Children, Masters and Servants; bread to Dogs, throw it away in luxurious expenses; or if both, or either of them, by their carelesseness in education, or by evil Examples, shall endanger the loss of their children's souls: If the Children, on the other side, grow rough, and untractable, making no Conscience to disobey a Father's Commands, and disoblige a Mother's tender care; or when their Parents are in want, to evade their duty, shall tell them, with the Pharisees, it is Corban, (Mark 7. 11.) a Gift, not to the Temple (yet that would not exempt them from their Duty) but perhaps to a proud entertainment, or a Female Prostitute: Such Parents, such Children, are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, unrighteous, unjust in the sight of God.  
Lastly, As to the third, of Family Relations, Masters and Servants: First, Masters owe their Servants, in Christian Justice, civil regard, kind usage, and just rewards for their Labours: And they again, owe their Master's Honour, Obedience, and Faithfulness. But if the Masters shall use their Servants like Brutes, nay like senseless Engines, like Bodies without Souls, (for so Slaves are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, ●poc. 18. 13.) making their Burdens too heavy, and their Rewards too light. And if Servants shall be (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Tit. 2. 9) contradicters, or answerers again, and deny their Reverence; or shall serve (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Col. 3. 22.) with eye-service, and lose their diligence; or shall be (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Tit. 2.) Purloiners, and depart from their Faithfulness: these are wrongs done on either side, and are all unjust, unrighteous persons, on that account: And (as it is of the other Relations) if they had nothing else to answer for, had guilt enough, to be disinherited from the Kingdom of God. These are they, which depart from Christian Justice in Family-Relations.  
Having thus found out the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the guilty of Injustice, by the Rule of Distributive, we shall now examine the actions of men by the li●●● of Commutative Justice: Which Aquinas defines to be that, by which a man is directed in such Rights, as are interchangeably to be paid, from one man to another. Now the ground of this Justice is this, God hath so ordered it in his wise disposition of the world, that the well being of every man should depend on the mutual help of one another; to the performance of which, all men being obliged by right reason and Religion, it becomes every man's right, to be done to him in Christian Justice as his duc. Upon this, St. Paul grounds his exhorta●●● to his Philippians, to look (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Phil. 2. 4.) to the good and concerns of others, as well as their 〈◊〉. He therefore that shall with●●●d this Right, so that his Neighbour is injured in any capacity of 〈◊〉 well-being, he hath done wrong and defrauded, and is an unjust, and an unrighteous person. Now ●●at we may know, how far this ●●stice extends, for the further discovery of the Guilty in my Text, we must examine the several cases 〈◊〉 which a man's well-being consists, and accordingly a right to be done 〈◊〉.  
First, As to his spiritual well-being, we owe the right of saving one another's Souls, which God hath put in our power to do, as St. James intimates, (Jam. 5. 20.) And this is done, by brotherly correction, Counsel, Prayer, exemplary Life, and such like Acts of spiritual Justice: But on the contrary, 〈◊〉 any man hinders the salvation 〈◊〉 another, by neglecting those 〈◊〉 or shall really prevent it, by scandal, ill example, or by tempting him to assist in social sins, 〈◊〉 Uncleanness, Conspiracies, and the like, that man hath wronged a Soul, he hath destroyed his Brother, for whom Christ died, (Rom. 14. 15.) and so is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, an unjust person on that sad account.  
2. We owe the right in Christian Justice of preserving one another in our Temporal well-being: And the first of those, next our Neighbour's life (which we suppose to be a case too apparent to need our present consideration) is his Honour. He therefore that shall defraud him of that precious Jewel, either by eclipsing an innocent worth, through a subtle detraction, or wound his Credit, by dispersion of false slanders, (following Machiavel's rule, fortiter calumnia●…, & aliquid adhaerebit; cast dirt enough that some may stick) or shall publish his private infirmities, 〈◊〉 his disgrace, or make use of them any way, but in following St. ●aul's direction, to restore him with the spirit of meekness, (Gal. 6. 1.) ●ath robbed his Neighbour of his honour, hath done him wrong, and is an unjust person on that account. The second right we owe in Christian Justice, as to the temporal well-being of our Neighbour, is the preservation of his Estate and Fortune; which whosoever shall violate, upon any temptation, is one of the unrighteous persons in my Text. And we consider not this, as done by acts of horrid oppression only, when the Beams and Stones are disquieted with the cries of Orphans, tears of Widows, 〈◊〉 perpetuated sorrows of ruin'd Families; nor only by the intrenchments that are made upon it, by secret thefts or notorious Rapine but whosoever shall disadvantage another, by fraud, or subtlety, in any Negotiation, Bargain, Trade or Commerce whatsoever, beyond the ordinary profit allowed to all Callings, by custom and consent of honest minds; or in any kind of Vocation or employment, deal otherwise in every single act, than he himself would be dealt with, is unrighteous, one of the guilty, and consequently one of the unhappy persons in my Text. Lastly, We owe in Christian Justice (as to our Neighbours temporal well-being) the right of preserving one another's Health, Limbs, and Peace; therefore he that shall wrong him in the first, by engaging him in intemperate courses, or deprive him of the second, by any act of private hostility, as Duelling, or the like; or defraud him of the third, by uncivil usage, or vexatibus Suits and Controversies; so far as in any of them, or in any other way, a man is disadvantaged in the comfort of his Life, or means of Livelihood, there is a wrong done, & he that hath done it, is an unjust, an unrighteous person, and as such, stands upon the necessity of restitution, or in the danger of his exclusion from the blessed Inheritance.  
Thus having gone over the Breaches that are made upon the several Branches, both of Distributive, and Commutative Justice; there remains two more to be considered apart; because they have a mixture of both. Of the first of these I would give a is the Devil (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 3.) The Devil hath filled their hearts with the Design.  
5. God's certain vengeance upon that wrong, by the fatal fall both of the one, and of the other. I shall not controversially apply this evidence, but must (for shortness sake) leave it to your serious reflections, for the ends I mentioned it. Now that portion which hath been set apart for God, and the maintenance of 16000 Servants of his Worship among us, are either Lands, or Tithes. As for the wrongs done to the first, they are commonly acted (per Sorices Palatii, as Bish. Andrews calls them) by the unhappy men about the Courts of Princes; who as they thirst after them, so would not stick to suck the milk of Orphans, drink the tears of Widows, as well as devour the Demeans of God's Servants (because as defenceless as either) as Sacrifices to their pride and luxury. But it is alleged by the Favourites of this Design, that the supreme Judicature may, (when they please) take them away: I answer, they may (impunè) without control; and their Authority ought not (must not) be resisted; but whether (justè) righteously, or whether every one that hath a vote in their alienation, doth not thereby rob God and man, and may justly fear God's vengeance for doing so, I leave it to the former Evidence to determine. As for the wrongs done to the Church in point of Tithes, (Decimam meam as St. Austin supposeth God to speak) there depraedations happen upon lower contrivements; as when either the powerful man's heavy hand first presseth out the Vintage for himself, and then leaves some few drops; enough rather to upbraid, I intended should reflect upon the occasion of this Assembly, where the proper business is judicially to administer right to them, that cannot otherwise obtain it. Let every one then, that hath to do this day with the tender Rights of men, (whether they be the Ministers of the Law, of every sort, Witnesses, or Juries) have a care what they do; their Souls are at stake, the Oath of God is upon them, the Curse of God over them, the Cries of the oppressed about them, the Evidence of my Text, and the Law of Christ against them; if therefore any unjust Cause goes away triumphant, if any man's right be impeached, through any defect in the discharge of their trust, they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, unrighteous persons, and wheresoever it lies, must either make a timely satisfaction, or one day appear at the great Assizes of the world, to receive for the wrong that he hath done in this, and where there shall be no respect of persons, Col. 3. ult.  
Thus I have finished the whole Scheme of Christian Justice; to the universal performance of which, the Gospel doth so strictly oblige us. And now who would think it possible, that a Christian Nation, possessed with so many advantages of Religion, should in contradiction to the clearest Evidence of God's Will, so generally degenerate from the practice of it in every part; and that not among them only, that have thrown off all Concern for Religion (that were no wonder) but amidst the very Professors of it, even among them, that pretend to a greater Zeal than others, in appearance for it, I cannot but think, that there hath been some psal. 73. 6.) they were exhorted to the getting the Robe of Christ's Righteousness about, and imputed to, them; and all was well. By these and the like unhappy Modes of teaching the Gospel, men have been driven from their Reason, and Religion, and set their Consciences lose to all unrighteousness. And hence it is, that they are grown every where so cross and intractable to all Authority, Laws, and Order, and the State is full of Rebels, the Church of Schismatics, our Houses of undutiful Children, and untrusty Servants; and men are made universally false and unfaithful one to another. But let them pretend what Religion they will, they shall not so escape; all unjust persons (such as I have described) are upon the Rock, the severe Sentence of my Text; They shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.   

PART. II.  
So at last I am arrived at the Second Part of my Text; The Unjust man's Doom or Punishment: They shall not inherit, etc.  
In which, are two things to be observed; I. The Nature of the Punishment; it is a disinherison. ●, The Quality of the State, The Kingdom of God.  
In the first, here's a case in Law, a Title supposed, and a Disinherison expressed: A Title, these unjust persons had, and heirs at Law they were, (and so were all that are, or shall be deprived of that eternal Blessing) or they could in no sense be said to be disinherited: 'Tis true, that Adam once forfeited the Estate, but it was purchased again, or redeemed, by Christ, not with Silver and Gold, but with the dear price of his precious blood, (1 Pet. 1. 18.) And that Redemption was made as large, as the Forfeiture, as St. Paul discourseth, (Rom. 5. 18.) So that the Reason why any man is now disinherited, must be upon another account; not because Adam sinned, or that the Covenant of Grace was renewed with any number less than all men, (1 Tim. 2. 4.) or that Christ died for fewer than (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) for every man, (Heb. 2. 9) but because that universal Covenant, and Redemption, was made conditional, and required terms to be performed on our part, which, whosoever should refuse to keep, should forfeit his Title to that new purchased Inheritance. Now the Conditions of this new Covenant made in Christ, are Faith and Obedience. To which Repentance is to be added, as Tabula post Nausragium; of which, more anon.  
The sum than is, That the unjust man, as such, in all the particular cases I have mentioned, shall not inherit the Kingdom of God, because he failed in both the Condition's.  
1. Every unjust person hath failed in the first; he is not a true Believer in the sense of the Gospel. For the clearing of which, we are to consider, that Evangelical Faith, when man's Salvation or Justification is wholly attributed to it, (as when 'tis said, that He that believeth shall be saved, John 3. 16. and justified by Faith, Rom. 5. 1. and saved by Faith, Eph. 1. 8. and the like) intends not any Act or Habit of believing, in any strict sense, but a comprehension of all Christ's Virtues, and the whole Body of Christianity, of which a just life is the most considerable portion Therefore St. Paul upon the breach of distributive Justice, in one particular Instance of it, that is, a Child's not providing for his Parents, (which by Family, 1 Tim. 5. 8. is undoubtedly intended) affirms, that such a person (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) hath denied the Faith, and is an unbeliever, so much worse than an Infidel, as a practical Atheist is a greater Prodigy than a speculative. But if Faith be taken in a stricter sense, as sometimes it is; and particularly by St. James.; (Jam 2.) unless it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, (Gal. 5. 6.) except it worketh, or is consummate by Love, (of which Love the greatest part (in the Gospel sense) is Justice) it avails not; it cannot, it is dead, saith St. Jam. that is, as useless to a man's Justification as the Faith of Devils. Whosoever therefore is an unjust person in any of the senses I have described him, whether a Rebel to his Prince, or refractory to the Church 〈◊〉 its Order and Institutions, as to Distributive Justice; or does wrong to his Neighbour as to Commutative, let him pretend to what Faith in Christ he will, let it be a receiving, laying hold, or reliance upon him, or howsoever he hath been taught to define it, he is (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Col. 3. 6.) a Child of Unbelief; and upon the non-performance of the Condition of Faith, (in the account of the Gospel) he shall be dealt withal as an Unbeliever; he hath forfeited the Inheritance, he shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.  
But then 2. Faith is not the only Condition of the Convenant, by which we may preserve our Title common peace and happiness of the world; that all Superiors might have entire Subjection, and all others Peace and right. So that a Rebel, a Schismatic, and the unjust of the lesser Orders, may not be said only to disobey, but to frustrate the prime purpose and design of the Gospel, and to offer the greatest affront and contradiction to the very Spirit of Christianity. For wheresoever the Grace of God is predominant, it will certainly, and observedly (as its prime and signal effect) reduce the Soul to the greatest innocency and simplicity, tractableness and obligation of doing right, and good to all; with all which, the sins of Injustice in every kind, are perfectly inconsistent, and irreconcilable. The Sum is, whosoever is an habitual Offender against any part of Christian Justice whether Distributive or Commutative, hath broken not only a particular, but an universal Commandment of Christ, and is grossly disobedient; and so hath forfeited his Inheritance, his Title to the Kingdom of God.  
Thus I have shown you the unjust man's Doom in the nature of his Punishment; He shall not inherit: which will appear so much the greater, when we consider the quality of the Estate, from which he is disinherited; The Kingdom of God. Which is the next thing to be discoursed.  
The Kingdom of God is a Figurative Expression, designed to exalt our Imagination of the blessed state to come: And that because we cannot now behold its unconceivable happiness, but as (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 1 Cor. 13. 12. per Speculum) through the dark Perspective of Sense, and a clouded Intellect; and therefore it must be represented to us (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) by little Riddles and Shadows of the best humane Felicities; Here it is by a Kingdom, the greatest and noblest possession this world affords; and so enough to confirm us, that (the Design of that lofty Metaphor) the future Bliss, is too great a loss, for so small a recompense, as the most prosperous unjust man gains by his unrighteous practices. But that the unjust man may be more fully upbraided for the greatness of his Loss, let me improve the Metaphor, by saying, that first he loseth God; that is, the Beatifical Vision of his Blessed Countenance, which is better than Life itself: He loseth the Comforts of his Blessed Redeemer, who shall now appear to him with the terrible Aspect of Flaming Fire, taking vengeance on him, and all them that obey not his Gospel, 2 Thes. 1. 8. He loseth the possession (to make use of the most sensible Description of the happy issues of an holy Life) of the City of the Living God, the New Jerusalem, the Society of an innumerable company of Angels, of the General Assembly of the first born, & of the spirits of just men made perfect, Heb. 12. Lastly, He loseth his own Soul; that is, he brings himself into such a State, (that praestat nunquam natum) it were better for him he had never been born, or that a Millstone were hanged about his neck, and were drowned in a Sea of Forgetfulness, and Annihilation. And all this he adventures that he may add one handful of Earth more to the Turf of his worldly possessions; one grain more to his accumulated heap; one garnish more to the pride of his Life; from all which, and from whatsoever else he enjoys in this world, he shall possibly within a few Minutes, probably within a few Months, certainly within a few Years, be as much a stranger, as he that holds up the Train of the Persian Emperor, or the Infant that hangs upon his Mother's Breast. These are the miserable measures of the unjust man's Doom and Punishment.  
But is he passed the utmost Confines of Hope? Is his evil an irreparable loss, an irrecoverable danger? Certainly no: For though the Gospel have drawn up the Indictment against him, it is not yet come to Judgement: He is in a state of damnability, but not Damnation. Not so shipwrecked, but that there is (Tabuta post Naufragium) one Raft left to land him safe, one remaining condition of his recovery, and that is, a timely Repentance; For (saith God) if the wicked man shall turn away from his unrighteousness (his Injustice) and do that which is lawful and right, etc. if he shall restore the Pledge, and execute judgement between man and man, he shall save his Soul alive, Ezek. 18. 27. When first by Repentance, must be understood nothing less, than (what is necessary for all other sins) a real departure from all unrighteous Actions and engagements: Whatsoever is called Repentance, and brings not this change (be it Sorrow, Contrition, or Confession) ought in no reason to be accounted sufficient for Evangelical Reconciliation. Much less will (Lachrymula & Suspirium) a Tear and a Sigh at the last period of our Life (by such measures of Mercy as are revealed to us) expiate the guilt of the sin of Injustice, or any other sins, habitually and reigningly continued in, to that helpless hour. Therefore 2. Besides this Repentance, which is common to all other sins. The unjust (which doth much heighten the sin of Injustice above all others) are obliged to restore the injured persons (to their utmost capacity) to that Right, of which they have deprived them. Otherwise all other Acts of Repentance, (even to the departure from any further Commission of the sin) will be accounted fair, but abortive Attempts. Now in the several cases of Injustice, where the Scene lies not for restitution, as in the cases of Rebellion, Schism, and the like, the unjust person must make satisfaction, and amends, by acknowledgements and recantations, and those to be (if possible) as publicly and earnestly done, as those wrongs had been before committed. For if those attempts of satisfaction be not made (if in his power) whatsoever other acts of Repentance he had performed, (let no man deceive himself, nor mock God) he hath yet no title to the Blessing of the penitent. But where the unjust man (in the cases of the breaches of Commutative Justice) hath defrauded any man by Oppression, Theft, or Subtlety, in any Employment, or Contract whatsoever, so that another is damnified by him, if that person should weep an Ocean of Tears for his sins, and pray till his knees became callous, like a Camels, for the pardon of it, if the unjust thing lies upon his hand, if there be not restitution made, to the injured person, (according to his power) or if he be dead, to his Heirs; or if neither can be found, to the Poor; (whose Right then it is, by an Escheat to the Sovereign Lord, whose Exchequer they are) he cannot be numbered among the Penitents, he is still an unjust man, and shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. It was upon Zacheus noble Restitution, that our Saviour pronounced, This day is Salvation come to thy House, (Luke 19 19) And, Si res aliena (saith St. Austin in his Epistle to Macedonius) cum reddi potest, non redditur, non agitur poenitentia, sed fingitur; If the unjust thing be not restored, the Repentance may be feigned, but is not performed.  
And now I beseech all those persons here this day before me, whose Consciences can inform them, that they are so unhappy as to be unjust in any of the measures I have mentioned, first, that they take no offence at the Religion, that requires, nor at me that preach, so severe a Method (as men may be apt to think) of their recovery; for they ought to consider, that it was their own wilful prevarications of the most reasonable Rules of Justice, and not the Religion, that made it necessary.  
And let me further assure them, that whosoever shall give his Soul leave (for his own salvation) to engage in the performance of this Duty of Restitution (how unkind or difficult soever it may appear at the first view) let him not be discouraged (my Soul for his) he shall find such a sensible return of sweetness and satisfaction in the very Acts, and much more in the Issue of it, that he would not exchange his Comforts, or have neglected his Duty, for all the Pleasures and Enjoyments in the world. His Soul shall dwell at ease, and he shall lie down in peace; his bed shall be no more shorter, but that he shall stretch himself upon it, nor his Covering narrower, but that he shall wrap himself in it, (Isa. 28. 20.) that is, he shall have a quiet mind, while he lives; and when he comes to die, he shall not be tormented with the confluence of direful Furies about his Bed, nor behold dreadful Aspects hanging about his Curtains, the usual Attendants of unjust men, living and dying.  
What if thy House shall stand one Story lower by removing the Chambers built by wrong, (Jer. 22. 13.)? Or contract the compass of thy Land by hedging out Naboth's Vineyard? Or lay aside some Circumstances of a splendid Life? Nay: what if thou shouldst be reduced to a retired condition, or the narrow circles of a low fortune, by restoring what is another's right? the assurance of God's Favour above thee, the enjoyment of a good Conscience within thee, the view of a glorious hope before thee; (in a word) a contented life, a peaceable death, and a blessed eternity, will be a redundant compensation for all thou shalt so nobly part with. Thus have I adventured a prejudice in your opinion, by choosing these unwelcome (though very necessary) Doctrines of universal Justice, and upon the breach of it, Satisfaction, and Restitution. My comfort is, if I have not pleased you, I have done you right, I have dealt justly with you. And I do not despair, but I have met here many persons of David's Choice, and Ingenuity, (Psal. 141.) who would rather be smitten friendly, and reproved, than to hear the pleasing Balms of unconcerning and indulgent Doctrine, to break their heads, destroy their souls. With whom (I hope) these Instructions may so far prevail, that it may be said of them, as St. Paul said of his penitent Corinthians, in the Verse following my Text; Such were some of you, but ye are washed, ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.    


A particular Representation of the Injustice of Partial Conformity to the Clergy.   

A POSTCRIPT.  
Representing the Injustice and Danger of Partial Conformity.  
I Have in this Sermon (as fully & faithfully as I could) made an universal Survey of the several Branches of Christian Justice, and given notice, that the wilful Transgressor's of any part of it, stand arraigned and condemned for unrighteous persons, as to their guilt, and cannot (upon the Gospel's requiring universal Obedience in general, and doing right to all men in particular, as the Conditions of Salvation by it) inherit the Kingdom of God, as their punishment.  
But amongst the great numbers of unjust men, I have (in the former part of my Discourse) sorted those persons, who deprive the Supreme Magistrate of his due, in that part of his Authority which concern Spirituals; and the Governors of the Church of their right of Obedience from their Charges; by refusing to conform themselves to the Commands of both, so far as they are invested with a power from God, to institute Laws and Canons, for the Peace, Order, and Unity of the Churches, under their Rule and Conduct.  
Now because not only the People in general are concerned in that part of Evangelical Righteousness; but the Ministers also of Parochial Congregations stand most especially obliged to it, and because their offences against it, are of far more dangerous consequence, I have for their sakes, who are of the Clergy, made this enlargement in that particular Branch of it, as to them.  
And this I have done the rather, because (at this present time) this kind of Injustice is so spreadingly, and unconscionably committed and practised; that (what with the miscarriage of some, who out of worldly prudence, of others, who out of weakness, of most, who out of wilfulness, neglect their due conformity to the established Laws) a great number of the Churches are made irregular and disordered in the public Administrations of God's service: By which means the Laws are baffled and despised, the Government suspected and defamed, the Priesthood in general reproached as false and careless, and the whole profession of our established Religion, is made a scorn at present, and ready to be made a prey in future, to our enemies on every side.  
My Brethren, let us have a care therefore in time, we do not too much, and too long (for the narrow Concerns of our present quiet or profit, or to conciliate vulgar Love or Fame) not only wickedly and unjustly, but weakly and imprudently comply with the humours of any party whatsoever, in the neglects of our Duties, or partial performance of our Offices: For it is certain, that no man can do it, (upon what pious Motives soever he pretends to be induced to it, as favouring infirmities, or tender Consciences, and the like) but besides his real offence against the Laws of Christ strictly obliging Obedience to his Superiors just Commands, he doth thereby promote and cherish a Faction in his own bosom; which being once warmed into a sufficient strength, shall upon the next advantageous opportunity, not only destroy the Church in its Legal Constitution, but in the same pitch and posture of abasement, to which the condescension was made.  
And of this, let our late experience be an impartial Judge. For when some Bishops, and other eminent persons of the Church, who out of a pious tenderness to some men's dissatisfactions, and designing the upholding their own, and the Church's Respect & Credit among them (for which they were distinguished from their Brethren by the name of Puritans) did either not urge, or not practise strict Conformity, found at length their own grand mistake in the frustration of all those ends which they propounded to themselves, as the reasons of their compliance: For neither themselves, nor the Church for their sakes, found any mercy at all from them, in the days of their Power and Fury, when nothing less would satisfy them, than the confusion of both. Little did those Reverend Persons think, when they strained their Candour to that Party, beyond the bounds of their due Obedience to Law, that such a petty show of tender Piety, and Consciences so demurely nice (that could not digest so much as a Ring on the Bride's Finger, the Infants wearing the shadow of a Cross three minutes at its Baptism, upon its Forehead, or but the colour of the Priest's Vestment; for they pretended then but such little offences) should cover such black Designs, of the most unwarrantable practices that ever were acted in the world.  
It behoveth us therefore to suspect, when we meet with Conscience-scruplings about such, or the like indifferent Rites and Circumstances that there lodgeth underneath an unsatisfiable dislike and dissatisfaction to the whole establishment; so that if our Ingenuity should be tempted to debauch our Obedience, by a partial conformity to indulge them in those lesser things, it were prudence to believe, that we should be so far from giving them full satisfaction, that it would but the more advance and strengthen an unruly appetite, which nothing could determine, but the destruction of all. Of this their unsatiable humour, our late experience can convincingly inform us▪ when their first modest desires of a Moderated Episcopacy, ended in nothing less, than its extirpation▪ and of regulating some offensive parts of the Liturgy, in its utter abolition. And when (as among many of them) after the Cross, followed Baptism itself; after removing the Rails and Genuflexion, went away the Sacrament: And when they had been at first a little gratified with the taking away the Habits, they were never quiet, till they had renounced the very Order & Calling of Priesthood itself. Such effects, and no better than these we must expect from the greatest condescension that can be made, to men of this temper and complexion.  
In stead therefore of any sinful ●●●pliance with any Faction what●●●ver, by remitting our Duties, 〈◊〉 please them, as Friends (which 〈◊〉 will be no longer than they ●●●●ot be otherwise) let us gird ourselves in all our spiritual Armature against them, as the Churches, ours, and their own, destructive Enemies; that is, let us fast and pray, and weep against their Ignorance and Perverseness in private: Let us preach down their Follies in public: But especially let us guard the established Church against their designs of unsettling the people's ●●herence to it, with an entire con●●mity to its legal Constitutions 〈◊〉 every Circumstance; and then let us conquer their prejudice with innocency of Life and simplicity of ●anners, till by these holy Methods, and God's blessing, we have ●●tained (or at least endeavoured to administer the most reasonable means to obtain their recovery, 〈◊〉 Sense and Obedience.  
And though, if after all this, we cannot prevail, yet it will be 〈◊〉 honourable and safe (before G●● and Man) for us, who are the Physicians of Souls, that they may be said to perish under, than without the application of the most sufficient remedy. And if truth must 〈◊〉 to the ground, yet let it not 〈◊〉 without a competent witness gi●●● to it, whatsoever we suffer for it. But by no means, let nor futurity lay it to our charge, that we have helped to betray the best constituted Church in the world to ruin, by neglecting our Duty, to hu●●● and indulge a perverse generation of men, whom no kindness could reconcile, no remissions or condescensions satisfy.  
For he that thinks, that the lessening, or laying aside his Conformity, or the concealing some necessary Truths, because distasteful 〈◊〉 their vitiated Palates, or the ●●pping on to some degrees of combrance with their popular Modes 〈◊〉 Praying and Preaching, will se●●re the Church from the danger 〈◊〉 those Factions; shall find his ●●pedient as unsuccesseful, as that physician's, who leaving the Cause 〈◊〉 the Distemper behind, thinks 〈◊〉 obtain health for his Patient, by ●●ring the Symptom for the Dis●●se; or as absurd as his expectation, who would hope for a regular ●●●fect, from the most equivocal ●●ause. For it is observed (and we are ready to make the Observation good by several Instances) that 〈◊〉 Congregations have contributed greater numbers to the Herds of the different Factions, than those that have been under the conduct of such, who would have the pieced, and partial Conformity and popular Compliances, esca●● under the specious, yet mista●●● Title of Moderation.  
I must confess, amongst the Enemies of the Church of England, think that sort of amphibious Clergy, not the least, nor less dangerous than any; who forfeit the Fidelity to their solemn Subscriptions and Declarations, and treacherously decline the work they have assumed, and act their Offices in the Church, in such a manner, that the People may believe, that there is something that is very evil in them, and that they repented themselves of what they had undertaken.  
These are they, that set up Altar against Altar in the same Church that join the Liturgy and Directory together, at the same Assembly but as much as possible to the Disadvantage of the former, which they shuffle over with such an undecent and undevout Mode of Delivery, and then manage their Volunteer Effusions in Prayer, and their Hints and Corollaries in Preaching, with such Zeal and Fervour, as if they designed to tell the People, that they never were in earnest till then, or that those Offices in the Pulpit might be interpreted to serve no better end, than to undermine the credit of what they had done (or undone) in the Desk.  
Such unconformable Conformists as these began the Church of England's danger at first Reformation, and the miserable Series, of almost all its Troubles since, hath been propagated by them; and if a timely care in Governors, and the Resurrection of a good Conscience in themselves, do not prevent it, they will yet contribute as much, (if not more) as any enemy we have, to make the present Distempers in the Church, to become an uncurable Disease, an unsuperable Evil.  
These men's Congregations are the Fountains, from whence the crooked Rivers, and Rivulets, the Mother and Daughters of Factions, have derived their streams, to that swelling greatness, as they now run among us, and almost over us▪ They were the Seraglios, where the late Warriors against the King and the Church, were trained up and disciplined: And what the Seminaries beyond Seas, are to the propagation of Popery, these are the same to the keeping up of all Factions among us. So that all attempts for the recovery of the Church's Peace, and Unity, by suppressing Conventicles (in which are many serious, though abused Souls, who would the rather be ●itied (so far as can possibly conist with the Church's safety) because they received their first prejudice by them, whom we have too much or too little reason to call ourselves) will be found uneffectual for that end, so long as the Nurseries of Faction within the Church, are permitted to perpetuate a Succession of such, who upon the least check or discontent, have prepared Principles and Affections to depart from us, and to supply their places. And this will easily be believed, when it is considered, that the difference between some Ministers practices in Churches, and those of unlawful Meetings is so small, that ofttimes the separation may be rather accounted a Change of Places, than Professions.  
But that these Clergymen may be more regularly convinced of their sin and folly, and find Arguments, both from Conscience and Prudence, to change their destructive practices of popular compliances, into a Design of preserving the Church of England's general safety, by a faithful conformity to its Institutions; I shall here offer to their considerations, (besides those which I have already intimated in general) a particular Series of Evils, certainly consequent to their Disorders.  
1. From these men's Miscarriages, and the teaching their People to adhere to them (where they are) it comes to pass that the Enemies of the Church, have contrived an Argument, by crying up the numbers of Dissenters (which by their means are more numerous in Churches, than without) as great and formidable; to tempt, and terrify the Civil Power, from protecting the Church, under its present danger and oppression. Whereas, as I believe the allegation to be false (especially if a lesser number of men in power, and of learning, and honour, may be allowed to compensate a greater, of the mean and ignorant) so, if this one Expedient were tried, that all Clergy men might be compelled to serve God in public, in one uniform submission to Law, without any liberty to extravagate from that Rule; and so no more Beacons on fire in any neighbouring Churches to alarm the Vulgar, to run up and down to gratify their natural love of Opposition and Novelty; and a diligent care taken that no Factions without the Church, might be headed by men of Orders, or Parts (though the common people were less prosecuted with afflictive penalties) I am persuaded in a few years, the numbers of Dissenters, would be so far from being formidable, that they would not be considerable for any thing, but our pity and Charity. And I have this ground to assure me of the possible successefulness of this Expedient, because it is certain, that where the strictest Conformity hath a long time been constantly used, there are fewest that do trouble themselves, or their Governors about the Design of Relaxation from it; and that there are none that hate conformity so much, as they who live in places where it is discountenanced and neglected. And this appears by the disloyal and undutiful temper of those that dwell in Cities and greater Towns, where, because there was no provision in Law for them, that would obey it; the people were resolved to bestow their Contributions on none, but such, by whom they might be instructed and indulged in an assured opposition to the Church.  
To which one cause, most of our former and present miseries refer, 〈◊〉 effects; as when from those places were elected Burgesses of Parliament of the same Principles, to create troubles above (whose heavy ●and, our late Gracious Princes of Happy Memory felt sufficiently, even to the loss of the life of one of the best Kings that ever was:) and 〈◊〉 when the People of the Neighbour-Villages flocked to their Market Lectures, and were there trained up, in dislike and enmity to the established Church, and prepared to contemn their own Shepherds at home; unless they became such as themselves, which very oft they did, when younger Divines (who for want of Parts or Government, had little encouragement to continue in the Universities) made it a piece of their Education, to go thither, to scribble Notes for their own Pulpits, and to learn the Tones, Gestures, and Phrases, which might give their own People contentment at home.  
Whereas if our present Parliament (as it was the Design of many) had upon the King's Restauration found out a way, to have settled a competent legal maintenance, and men of the greatest Integrity and Learning (whose abilities are commonly either lodged up in Colleges and Cathedrals, or obscured in little Villages) planted in those greater places; and where they are popularly elective, if they had been brought under the Patronage of the Crown (whose safety is especially concerned in it) and a way found out, to embetter Trade, in the stead of Factious Lectures, there could not have been a Stone laid, which would have added more to the defence and security of the Church and Throne.  
But to recover myself from this Digression, I am confident that this Expedient that I have mentioned, (whatsoever is pretended to the contrary by them that have a design to ruin us) will give far less trouble to the Civil Power to preserve the Church, than a Toleration of all Religions (by the making and maintaining so many Rules to limit it, and so many Provisions to prevent the dangers that will ensue upon it, half of which cannot be be foreseen) will cost to destroy it: Besides the Dishonour of discountenancing that Party, which are the only assured Friends to undoubted Loyalty, all other Parties lying under a stain of being unfaithful to the Crown; of confounding the most absolute platform of Primitive Christianity, which no other Persuasion makes any such pretence to; and in defending of which, we have so far prevailed in all rational Debates, that our enemies stand ashamed, and baffled on every side: Of making that Church which hath appeared hitherto the honour of the whole Reformation, to become vile and contemptible in the eye of the world, by giving advantage for the encouragement and immixture of as many false and ridiculous Professions at one time among us, as all the Ages of the Church ever knew in its successive Periods: Of contradicting the sense of both the Universities, and of the principal of the most Learned men of the Age, with a great Blow to Learning itself: Of opening a door to the increase of Atheism and Profaneness, which if they have thriven so much under a loser hand of Discipline, what will they come to, when all the Bars of Ecclesiastic Government are thrown down? Lastly, (with many more evils which a better and more experienced skill might foresee) besides the dishonour of treading upon the Blood and Ashes, and of blemishing the Fame and Actions of our Late Gracious King and Martyr, who died to prevent the admission of those evils among us.  
The Sum is, It is no wonder, (while so many Churches continue in their Irregularities) why the Arms of the Civil Power are wearied and discouraged, when all their Endeavours for the establishing an universal uniformity by the method of dispersing unlawful Assemblies, may be too justly interpreted to be but an emptying the streams, while the Fountain is kept running; and cutting down the Branches, while the Root is left entire, to propagate a new progeny of the same kind and spirit. So that when some Civil Magistrates have had their aid required, for the redressing of Misdemeanours without the Church, it hath been reasonably answered, and objected by them, let the Churches own work of Reformation and Order be done at home, and we are ready to give our assistance to endeavour it abroad.  
2. From these men's Disorders it comes to pass that it is no wonder that the Government and Discipline of the Church is baffled and despised, and men are tempted to reproach them as ineffectual, and consequently useless; when it is considered, that besides the known Dissenters, who impudently oppose them without, the R. R. Bishops universal care of their Churches (every Parish being their proper Charge) is executed by so many Curates, who are Traitors to them and their Authority within. Who contrary to their trust (given and taken with all possible Religious and reasonable Obligations) of keeping up the Reverence and Esteem of their Persons, Calling, and Discipline, by conducting Souls, in one legal uniform performance of their Offices, in Canonical Obedience (which by Oath they stand obliged to) and Filial submission to them; they tempt and teach the people to decline all respect and obedience to their Authority, by setting up a new mode of Worship, by the Rubric and Canon of their own Fancies, and in opposition to their Orders and Injunctions.  
Thus in stead of those excellent enjoined Prayers, and Regular Forms of Worship, which they either omit in whole or part, or render unacceptable by an irregular usage, they substitute such an unsavoury Offering of their own inventions, ofttimes so full of Ridiculous Clamours and Gestures, and odd Familiarities, if not of nonsense and blasphemies (against which evils, neither the Church, nor themselves, will be secured, while they are permitted to assume a liberty of uttering what they please, and of gaining a reputation by it, of praying by the Spirit) that the wiser sort of the Friends to the Church of England, are scandaled and ashamed, and forsake the Public Assemblies, whither by Law they are engaged to go; and the ignorant and credulous Vulgar trained up and disciplined, in the Love and Admiration of an irregular Devotion, and in an irreconcilable disaffection to the rational settled Service of the Church, and an insuperable hatred to the Laws and Persons that oblige and require it.  
And then, as to the executing the Churches tender care of instructing Youth in form and manner, as they are engaged by Law and Duty, they either wholly omit that sweet and charitable Office, and convert it at the time appointed, into a Discourse, that neither for matter or manner, doth suit with either their needs or capacities; or instead of conducting them in the knowledge of the duties of Christianity, by the Church-Catechism (which doth so concernedly design it) they have presumptuously substituted a great company of other Forms, full of private Opinions, and Heads of controverted Doctrines (as those of absolute Election, Justification by Faith alone, and the like) which have no influence upon, if not a contradiction to, the very reason of Christian Obedience; and thence Parents and Tutors, and the Children themselves are left to a strange uncertainty, when (upon change of places) they are either committed to the conduct of men of other Fancies, or to those that follow the Church's Order in their Institutions. Now what kind of Youth such irregular usage of Children is like to make, may be judged by them, which they trained up in their▪ Twenty years' Liberty, to use their own Methods without control.  
Then as to the improving the Church's care of instructing men by the Office of Preaching, in the Duties of Justice, and Mercy, Peace and Innocence, Subjection to Authority, and (which is the Sum of all) universal Obedience: the People's ears are accustomed to the noises of new invented Phrases, and impertinent Notions; with the Discourses of Gospel-Priviledges, Christian Liberties, and controverted Opinions (such as of the Famous five Points, and their dependent Articles). And instead of Preaching upon the Renowned Sermon upon the Mount (in imitation of our Saviour's own example) and pressing the Rules of Life contained in it, the People hear the weight of their Salvation laid upon some occasional expressions in the Epistles of the Apostles, (especially those to the Romans and Galatians) or else they send them to Patmos, to busy themselves about opening some of the Seals of the Revelation.  
By which kind of Preaching, the People (as their Practices do too pregnantly declare) are kept in Ignorance (some think, greater than in the darkest Age of Popery and Superstition) of those Christian Duties, but especially of their necessary obligation, for the attaining Eternal Salvation: which doth evidently appear, when it is observed, that no sort of People of the Nation, are so defective in most of them, nor (as to the case in hand) so cross & intractable to all Authorities, nor so apt (on all occasions) to rebellious designs against them (which if a strict observation were made what places did most especially afford the greater numbers of them, that were lately engaged against the King and the Church, would easily be proved) than those that have been under the conduct of such Ministries.  
Hence ingenuous persons may consider, what grand and confused difficulties (made so through these men's disorders) the Ecclesiastic Jurisdiction hath to deal with, to preserve the Church in any degree from a present sinking, into a total ruin; and (as things stand) how impossible it is (were its power executed to the greatest perfection) to attain its end of universal Peace and Order.  
But if all Ministers of Congregations were compelled to do their Duties exactly according to Law, and not one permitted to perform any thing in the public Worship of God, by his own choice or fancy, whereby one Church should be distinguished from another; and so none be presumed to come to Church, nor meddle with any Offices or Business about it, but such as come thither (there being no temptation from any thing else) in a willing submission to conformity, which ('tis supposed) none would do but such, as would also be worthy and civil to the Government of the Church: And that all professed Dissenters were looked upon as excommunicate persons (all which are really so, either, by the Sentence of the Church, or by their own wilful Separation) and so no further to belong to the Church's Jurisdiction (while they resolve obstinately to continue so) than an Heathen, or an Alien: And that then the secular power would look upon them as only their proper Province, to regulate them by such Laws as they are, or shall be impowered withal, made on the most Charitative Design to restore them to the Church; its Discipline would do its own work with honour, and all that live under its excellent conduct, enjoy it with comfort and safety to their Souls.  
Whereas, while so many Churches remain in their irregular, and mixed conformities, and for that cause as dangerous enemies, as any the Church of England is oppressed with, continue a kind of Communion with it, in her public places; no wonder, when such persons are either made Officers, or any otherwise dealt withal, by the Church's Jurisdiction, that they appear, either, to affront it, or to render it as trifling and ridiculous as they can: and when the Secular Power by due execution of Laws, shall bring any man to some public Churches, it's a question whether he be restored to the Church of England, or only removed from a lesser Conventicle to a greater; and so the Law be made use of, rather to confirm the Dissenters in their opposition, than to restore them to the peace and order of the Church.  
3. By these men's humouring the poor people with their Directorian Conformity, it is, that the True Sons of the Church, who in Conscience of their duty to God, shall entirely conform themselves to the Laws established, are made the scorn and hate of the people: who are taught to reproach them (for want of an accusation that hath truth or sense in it) by the names of Popish & Superstitious: whereas their own Teachers might with less Injustice, and upon a nearer agreement than we have with either the Pope, or the Worship of Daemons (as I can show them if they desire it) be called Jews or Turks, did not a good Cause solemnly abhor such Unchristian Defences, though a bad one (and it is a convincing sign it is so) hath no other to protect it.  
And then upon the temptation of those reproachful. Names that signify and prove no determinate thing (had they said Conformity had been against any Law of Christ, and shown us a Precept general, or particular to prove it so, they had done like men and Christians) the people think themselves acquitted towards God, if they persecute their conformable Pastors, with all imaginable acts of Cruelty, to make their lives bitter and vexatious to them: To which evils they add this also (with him in the Psalm, imagining God to be such an one as themselves) that if any sad Accident (in common contingencies) shall befall them, it shall be recorded as a Prodigy from heaven to argue Gods disowning them And whatsoever Faults (be they true or false) their watchful eye of envy can find in their lives, they shall (with all possible disadvantage to their Reputation) be rumoured abroad as Scandals to their Profession, and as Arguments against the Church. Not considering that the Juggling of their own admired Guides with Christian Obedience in some things, and their gross Disobedience to Authority in others, (to the universal wrong both of their Civil and Ecclesiastic Superiors) are sins so much more scandalous against the Gospel, than any their Malice pretends to lay to the Conformists Charge (if the miscarriage of some were allowed to be a just Accusation of all) as the Hypocrisy of a Pharisee is worse than the open Offences of a Publican; and as a sin that passeth under a pretence of Godliness, is much more dangerous, than those sins, whose shame is written on the Offenders Foreheads; and for which there is no approbation or allowance from those of their own persuasion, and (so oft as their Spiritual Governors can have it signified to them) for which, some have been obliged to submit to the Penances of public Recantations; as hath been done in this particular Diocese.  
But a wise man may easily discover (though the People cannot) the difference between the Solid Piety, and Innocency of a true Son of the Church (by which as he hath no design, so, to which he hath no temptation, but to please and honour God, and is not much concerned if any but his Allseeing Eye shall know it) and the Sheeps-clothing of Wolves, the Angelical Light which the Devil puts on, when he turns Fanatic, and the Form of Godliness of a Deceiver, that is so much outward Sanctimony and framed Piety, as will (by a subtle observation of the People's humour) gain an acceptance and reputation from them of being Godly, without any regard to the common Peace of the Church. And if any of them shall chance to fall into any apparent acts of sin, which they dislike, and of which they so bitterly accuse others, and the Church for them, so long as they comply with them in their disobedient humour to the Church, all the condemnation they shall have, shall amount to no more, than, It 〈◊〉 pity for the man, and God in his 〈◊〉 time will show him his Error, and call him home; but he shall not lose the opinion of an honest man. But woe to the poor Conformist, if he falls into the same.  
4. From the example of these men's Disorders it comes to pass, that the ignorant and easy Dissenters are increased, confirmed, and hardened in their Separations, beyond all possible recall; when they understand, that what they depart from in the whole, is but that which those men (who by mistake enough and by incompetent Judges are accounted the only Godly Ministers do in their Churches reject in portions. And when, as to that little they observe, the matter is so ordered, that they may be believed to do it, but in their own defence unwillingly, and by constraint, and as resolved to continue the doing it no longer, than they can get themselves set free from the burden of Authority.  
But this mischief ends not here & that which makes it much worse is, that such persons, who are yet unconcerned as to any Religion, and are tempted through Idleness, or Business, or some little Offence to the person of their Priests, to stay at home; do answer all inward Checks of Conscience, and all outward Persuasions against their neglect of serving God according to the order of the Church, by alleging to themselves, that they absent themselves from nothing but that, which those that are accounted Godly, do make it their Religion to scorn, and forsake, and would fight to destroy; and those that use it, seem to be oppressed by it, and seek to avoid it as much as they can.  
By which it comes to pass, that great numbers of Men (I dare not say how great I think them) and of Youth especially (O unhappy they that gave the occasion!) by continued absence from the Blessings and Ordinances of the Church, and the means of Grace and Knowledge are grown Atheistical and Barbarous, Vile and Vicious, Bold and Hardened in their opposition to 〈◊〉 Virtue and Goodness.  
Hence it is (what with the one and the other) that some places look like (if they really be not) an universal defection from Christianity: And some Priests who faithfully perform their duty, could not without great shame and oppression of Spirit, be serving God in the Public Place, with so few about them (perhaps two or three in some populous places) but that they comfort themselves, that their little Handful, compared with the Flocks that attend Faction, look so like the different Numbers in the Narrow and Broad way, mentioned in the Gospel, and the unequal proportion of the good and evil in the world; and by considering, that Multitudes (when Differences are upon the Stage) seldom (and that by accident) entertain the right side, but do usually suffer themselves to be conducted by such Impostors, who because they cannot satisfy their Pride and Ambition in being considerable in real worth and weight, will endeavour to make themselves so, in Throngs and Numbers.  
5. From these men's disorderly performance of God's Service in the Church, and the Confusions which they bring upon the Government by it, the Romanists (whose Ends are chiefly served by it) have their Hands daily strengthened, and Hopes advanced, for the accomplishing their Designs. And I am assured (of which sufficient Reasons and Instances may be given that nothing can so fully defeat their Endeavours for the introduction of their Spiritual Empire amongst us, as an entire practice Uniformity in all our Churches, and a full adherence to, and a faithful preservation of, the established Ecclesiastic Government; as the main Bulwarks, which they endeavour to overthrow, and which we must chiefly trust to (under God for the Churches universal Safety.  
But the truth of this is so infete●ed with Riddles, and made so like the doubtful Answer of an Oracle to the People, that they are perfectly cheated into the Belief of a Sense as contrary to it as it it's possible and so are delivered into an Opinion of pursuing the Church's safety against Popery, by that Method, which is the only probable means of delivering up the Church unto it.  
The Romanists know, that they can never bring this Nation back to their Religion, but first the established Church must be overthrown; and they know also (no other danger yet appearing) it must be done, by improving the Dissenters Maice, and the People's Folly, to confound the Peace and Order of it, by the ruin of Episcopacy and Liturgy: which that they may do with the greater Zeal, the Cheat 〈◊〉, they must be made believe, that all that they do is to pull down Antichrist, and keep out Popery; and to hate the Conformist, as designing to uphold both: whereas there is no man, but he, that prevents the setting up of both among us.  
Thus the best Prince, Prelate, and Statesman then in the world, lost their Lives, by being first rendered the People's hate, as designing to bring in Popery; when wise men knew, that there were not three persons under the Sun, whom the Romanists would rather have removed out of the way, as the grand hinderers of their Design. The people are taught not to conform to the Liturgy, because it is Popish; whereas the Papists hate it, because it is not so; and when some of them have been dispensed to hear our Sermons, they are always prohibited to hear the Service.  
And whereas the Factions are at work to make the People ruin Episcopacy, as Popish; there is nothing the Romanists desire to see rather, than its confusion; as knowing that it was that Order of men, that did at first throw, and now keeps out their Usurpations. And it is known, that the strictest Adherers to the Pope, are but back-friends to the Order of Bishops in the Countries of their own persuasion; and that the Order of Jesuits was first raised up, and now continued in its greatness, on design, to retrench the power of Bishops, as an Order that can only endanger the Pope's Usurpations, and yet themselves stand upon a firm bottom of primitive Catholocisme.  
But fully to confute the People's grand Mistake, who have been so falsely and disingenuously tempted, and instructed, to suspect the strict Conformists, as inclinable to Popery (the spiteful Artifice of the Factions to render them odious) I wish them to consider, against whom hath the Romanists bent their Forces in all their Debates, and with what bitterness they have sometimes managed them (to instance in Mr. Serjant's Schism-disarmed, against Dr. Hammond) not against the Factions, one or other, but always against the established Church of England? And who hath maintained the Disputes against them, but the strictest Adherers to it, and those generally of the Episcopal Order itself? And if this cannot sufficiently manifest the falseness of the Accusation, and how far the Faithful Sons of our Church are from being Favourers of Popery, what can be said or done more to convince them?  
Then let them consider on the other side, what kindness the Romanists have shown to the Factious, (not that I think they love them more than us, or would not destroy them also, when they had done their work of confounding us) of which none can be ignorant, that will inquire after so many Stories that pregnantly prove it, and that are Printed, and not Confuted: Of which there is hardly any Clergyman, but can say something from the Circle of his own Observation. Let the world therefore judge, whether they that have so unworthily prejudged the People with a suspicion of us, have not given occasion to be accused as really guil●● of the same themselves.  
The Sum is, So far as a partial Conformist, doth by his unworthy usage of his Offices, cherish in the People a dislike and disaffection, to the Service, Orders, and Government of the Church, whereby they are prepared to oppose them, (if not to destroy them) on all occasions; so far he must be supposed to be doing the Papists work, to be digging down the Wall, plucking up the Hedge, which fence and secure the Church against them; and laying all open to give them opportunity to re-enter and possess the holy Vineyard of God amongst us. And I think of this they have been sufficiently forewarned, by the late Incomparable Prelate and Martyr, when in his dying Sermon, he foretold what a Harvest the Pope would make of our Confusions; though for his good will, and dying-tender care of the Church, the Head of a Faction, (who afterward lost his own) was so impudent, as in a Triumph, to dip his Handkerchief in his Blood, in requital for his Kindness.  
6. And Lastly, By these men's undutiful practices it comes to pass, that the Parochial Officers, who should inform Authority of the Miscarriages of Congregations, are for their sakes, tempted to break their solemn Oaths to God, given and taken, for the good end of the Church's Order and Unity, and of the purity of Life in the Members of it, which are wholly defeated by it.  
Of which Oaths so broken, those Ministers cannot but be highly guilty, as being in no capacity to reprove them, and necessarily obliged to indulge them, in their abominable sin of Perjury: And all to save themselves from being justly questioned, for their own Disorders and Disobedience.  
And the event is, that most Churches will be (without all visible remedy) kept unreformed from the grossest Abuses; and the Nation in general will be taught by such remarkable Precedents of Perjury, almost in every Neighbourhood, to contemn all other Obligations by the solemn Religion of an Oath; that the King can promise to himself little assurance of Fealty, from them that have sworn it; and no man secure of his Life or Fortune, when both are committed to the trial of the Law, when only the tye of an Oath can assure any man to have right done him. And there are already Complaints made of gross Miscarriages, where Favour or Interest have tempted men to deal unfaithfully, and to betray the Truth, to the preservation of which, they stood engaged by oath.  
And if men still proceed to be so Atheistical, and hardy, as to make no Conscience of an Oath, and consequently not of the lesser ties of Honour, and common Honesty; the whole world will in a short time be sensible, that we are a false, perfidious, and perjurious People, abominable to God and Man.  
All these evils (till they shall endeavour to convince me to the contrary, which if they do, I shall either give them a sober Reply in my own Defence, or a just acknowledgement of my Mistake) I conclude to be done or occasioned by them. And do yet believe, that without Repentance towards God, and a sincere endeavour to make satisfaction to the Church, for the wrongs they have done, they must answer deeply for them, at the Bar of Divine Justice, and be reckoned among the urighteous in my Text.  
As for the People who are abused by them, in their Judgement and Affections against the Church of England, so many of them as are invincibly prejudiced, that is, such as having derived their Error from the force of an unhappy Education, and since been kept up in their prejudice, by the strong Temptation of their Teachers seeming Godliness (in which it is no hard matter to deceive a weak, though innocent, mind) and have not natural capacities to discover their Mistake, by the help of an ordinary and general Means of Conviction; My Charity tells me, that such may be dear and beloved Servants of God, and such as may attain the end of the Gospel in pure and innocent lives, that is, that would not for any earthly advantage, wilfully and deliberately persist in any evil way, (except in the Instance of their (which I suppose) invincible Mistake) whereby God should be offended, or dishonoured by them.  
And I wish that the best care might be taken in every part of the Nation, to distinguish them from those, who observedly, out of a ●●oss humour, pride or envy, wickedly maintain their opposition against the Church, and that then there were a particular application made to them, managed with the greatest meekness, and prudence, to undeceive them; and that all Churches did the same thing without distinction, and no subtle heads of Factions permitted any more to abuse them, and that Churchmen would be exactly careful of giving them no offence, by the Irregularities of their Lives, I am persuaded in a short time, the greatest part of the Innocent Dissenters might be gained to the Church, and be an Ornament to it, and the obstinate would either hide their Faces in shame and discouragement, or manifest their Falseness by the evidence of some grosser universally acknowledged Miscarriages.  
But as to the persons whom I am now reproving, as it is not possible but they must know the tenur of their Oaths, Subscriptions, and Engagements, and cannot but understand that a departure from them, to a contrary practice, must needs be a wilful transgression of their duty to God & man, so I know not yet what Argument to give myself, upon which I may ground a charitable interpretation of their Irregularities and Compliances.   

Thus have I (laying aside all apprehension of Fear or Favour from any man, or parties of men whatsoever) dealt plainly and faithfully in this great Concern of the Church of England, by laying the occasion of the present evils of it, on them that practised, and do yet continue to practise their Partial Conformity and Compliance with the Factious humour of the Age in the Public Churches. If I have touched a tender Sore, it is because I in tended to cleanse and heal it not to inflame or torment it If any man becomes my enemy for telling the Truth, it is none of my Fault, and so shall be none of my Discomfort. But 〈◊〉 the Representation (which I have made) of the Sin and Danger, shall prevail with any one (〈◊〉 but one) who hath hitherto halted in his Duty, to entertain a Resolution in future to keep a good Conscience, consult the Right of his Superiors, and the Safety of the Church, by keeping himself strict to his Obedience, I shall have a sufficient Compensation for whatsoever I shall suffer from that angry Generation of men I have to deal with, and an ample Reward for whatsoever is here done, by him, who among the Servants of Jesus, is   
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, sept. 18. 1669. W. S.