ENGLAND'S FAITHFUL REPROVER AND MONITOUR.  
LONDON, Printed by E. Cotes, for Richard Royston at the Angel in Ivy-lane, 1653.   

The Contents.  

1. TO the Church of England.  
2. To the inferior Ministers of the Gospel.  
3. To the Nobility and Gentry.  
4. To the expulsed Members of the University, and to those now abiding therein.  
5. To the Judges, Lawyers, etc.  
6. To the City of London.  
7. To the seduced of this Nation, and to as many as have separated themselves from the Communion of our Church.  
8. To the whole body of this Nation.  
9 A Postscript to the Reader.    

ENGLAND'S Faithful Reprover AND MONITOUR.  

To the Church of England.  
ALthough I am not ignorant, that many will hardly allow thee the honour of this Title in the present disorder and confusion of all things; yet because thou hast a name that thou livest and ere'rt dead: 
Apoc. 13.1.  or supposing that there is yet remaining in thee some little spark or weak degree of life, notwithstanding the whole head is sick, 
Isai. 1.5, 6.  and the whole heart faint, and from the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in thee, but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores; let me have liberty to speak unto thee, as to a languishing and dying body; neither let it seem strange if I pour Wine as well as Oil into thy wounds, seeing that a deep spiritual Lethargy doth possess thy organ of sense and motion; and there is need of a loud and shrill voice to rouse and awaken thee from sleep. And because thou sayest, 
Apoc. 3.17.  I am rich and, increased with goods, and have ne●d of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked; I shall endeavour to represent unto thee as in a glass thy many deformities, blemishes, and defects, not to shame thee, but to humble thee; not to reproach thy person, but to reform thy life: Although perchance the shame of the world and the reproach of men are generally more prevalent with thy children, than the hope of heaven; or the fear of hell, than the love, or the terror of their Maker. Wherefore if this my weak and imperfect labour shall be any ways serviceable for the discovery of thy maladies, and the recovery of thy health, or in any respect instrumental to thy spiritual welfare, I have the desired fruit and reward thereof, and let glory be given unto him, to whom alone it doth of right belong.  
It was once the happiness and glory of thy children, that they had Pastors both learned and faithful, instructors peaceable as well as pure, who adorned the truth of their Doctrine with the holiness of their conversation, and were careful to preserve thy unity no less inviolable, than that incorrupt. But alas, this thy goodness was as the morning cloud, 
Hos. 6.4.  and as the early dew it went away: And thy glory like that of Ephraim, did fly away like a bird, from the birth, 
Hos. 9.11.  and from the womb, and from the conception. For the leaders of thy people soon caused them to err, and thy chief shepherds sent forth unskilful and blind guides among them, who knew not the way of their steps, or such who loved to wander themselves; and by their lewd example drew others aside from the paths of righteousness and of peace; or those who were sluggish and cared not for the flock, but for the fleece only, preferring their own bodily ease to the welfare of their brethren's most precious souls, and the short pleasure of sin to the lasting comfort of a good conscience: yea how many of thy children did love to have it so, that there might be like Priest like people? and being corrupted by long prosperity and peace, or prepossessed with pride, worldly interest, covetousness and desire of gain, or blinded with passion and prejudice against their Teachers, or glutted with the common use and plenty of their spiritual Manna, they could no longer endure sound Doctrine, or those who taught is as the truth is in Jesus. But after their own lusts, 
2 Tim. 4.3.  heaped to themsolves teachers, having itching ears: who well perceiving the levity and inconstancy of some, the pride and wantonness of others, the leaven of hypocrisy with the spirit of contradiction and contention in all in thought it now no time to sleep, but made use of so fair an opportunity and grateful season of arriving to the haven of their respective desires and hopes. Wherefore some of them strake sail for their ambition, others for their covetousness, and not a few for their discontent and malice against the present government and governor's; although it was not possible only, but probable also, that some at lest had a zeal of God in tais strange act of opposition and gainsaying, but not according to knowledge. As for the rest, the contempt and reproach which lay on them, whether for their poverty (which is seldom or never without disgrace in flourishing and prosperous times) or for the suspicion of being factious and disaffected to the then ruling power, and unequal administration of justice and law, both in Church and State (the sure forerunner of national calamities) was no small incentive to set them on with greediness in those counsels and courses, the sad effects whereof we see and feel unto this present day.  
In the mean while the general pretence and profession of all is, that they desire and aim at nothing more, yea, at nothing besides, than the true doctrine and discipline of Christ Jesus, especially the latter. And to this specious design an open way seemed to be made by the great profaneness and vicious living of the oppolite party, who while they were zealous for conformity to the ordinances of men, and thought a main part of Christian duty to depend upon the observation of them, did allow themselves carnal liberty in violating the precepts and commandments of God. And this they did as from that inbred corruption which is common to all men: so likewise from a private spirit of opposition against the adversaries of their cause.  
Thus while some were zealous indeed for the outward and formal discipline of thy sons, but cold or lukewarm in the profession and maintenance of thy doctrine, or denying it by their works, though they did confess it with their lips: other zealous (at least in show) for thy doctrine, but slighting thy discipline, or zealously bend against it, even to a distemper sometimes of rage and violence, and the greater part resting quiet in an indifferent or neutral disposition and affection towards both, the staves of beauty and of bands, were soon cut quite asunder and broken in pieces; even the covenant of truth, order, and peace, with the entire bond of Christian brotherhood; whereby many have made shipwreck of the faith and of good conscience to the extreme hazard of their immortal souls. And many more are like to fall daily after the same example of misbelief, error and Apostasy. For what other fruits may we expect from those roots of bitterness which have sprung up amongst us; I mean the contentions and divisions of thy children which have troubled our peace, and whereby so many are defiled: 
Heb. 12.15. Jam. 3.16.  seeing that where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work? The truth of which hath been for a long time exemplified not only in their strange disorder and chaos-like confusion of all things, but also in their cruel demeanour and more than barbarous practices one towards another, no less hateful to God the author of order, unity, and peace, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort, then pernicious to men created after his own image and likeness. And however more pretend to holiness now then in former times, (And this indeed is the very soul of our Christian profession) few of ordinary prudence and conscience are so weak sighted that they cannot look through their thin vail or fine web of hypocrisy, and plainly discern this form of godliness from the power thereof. For albeit they have the voice of Jacob, and would be thought thereby to have the heart of Jacob also: yet the roughness of their hands, and their manner of hunting, evidently show, that there is in them the profaneness and cruelty of Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright, and then purposed with himself to redeem it again with the price of his Brother's blood. 
Gen. 17.   
But what was the cause that they so carefully put on the outward disguise and mask of holiness? Surely, to omit the great repute which they gained by this means at a very cheap rate with those of their own opinion and faction, and those high titles of singularity and spiritual pre-eminence above others in the world (generally accounted of by them as wicked and reprobate persons, because not of their society and fellowship) the which they usually received from their chieftains and leaders as properly belonging to themselves and their disciples, and those worldly advantages (to say no more) which privately at least attended on their novel profession: This perchance was not the meanest, that they might thus check and shame the open profaneness, gross impiety, irreligion, and sin of their professed adversaries: the which (to speak the truth) was so eminent ofttimes, and notorious in many of them, as might startle a mere natural conscience to hear or behold it; and cause therein an abhorrency from their courses (so opposite as well to right reason as to sanctifying grace) much more in a mind enlightened, though with the smallest ray of Evangelicall truth. For what could be more strange or hateful unto men, in whom was any spark remaining either of common Grace, or of moral Virtue; and who were not wholly possessed with Atheism, and carried on with fullest bent to Libertinism and ungodly practice; then to hear those that did profess themselves to be the followers of Christ, to have communion with him by faith, and to expect glory from him, scoffing at the purest acts of his worship, blaspheming or profaning his holy Name by causeless oaths, fearful imprecations, direful execrations, and such like speeches, not to be expressed again without horror and amazement; and not only so, but glorying likewise in this their abominable wickedness, and in other of like damnable nature, namely, 
1 Pet. 4.3, 4.  in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine and of strong drink, revel, wherein they thought it strange, that others ran not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of them? What Christian eye could behold this, and not melt with sorrow and indignation against it? What pious heart can think thereon, and not both detest it, and sigh for it?  
In the mean time, how much did this their apparent and over daring impudence in sin commend and grace the seeming Saintlike conversation of their adversaries? Many of which, notwithstanding all their glorious profession and show of godliness, were no better than those Scribes and Pharisees, against whom our blessed Saviour cloth denovounce so many curses for their inward hypocrisy and iniquity veiled with the specious dress of outward sanctity, Mat. 23. see especially vers. 27, 28. & Luk. 11. where see vers. 39, 44. And this was sufficiently attested by their spiritual pride, high disdain and contempt of others never so little differing from them in judgement or in practice, by their spirit of contradiction, and rebellion against the present power, whether secular or spiritual; unnatural affection, injustice, and falsehood in common commerce by their rigour and cruelty shown upon all occasions to the diffenting Brethren: In a word, by their want of mercy and barrenness of good works towards the indigent and needy; not to mention the envy, emulation, strife, and division, with the corrupt fruits and effects which proceed from these, very rife and ordinary amongst themselves. As for some who gave them the right hands of fellowship, we cannot without manifest breach of charity, judge of them otherwise then that they were simple, harmless, and well meaning men, who being offended (and not without cause) at the corruption of the times, and scandalous lives of many in the sacred office of the Ministry, and deluded by the fair speeches, good words, smooth carriage, plausible pretences of religious aims and ends, (not warrantable only, but necessary also) of those who made it their business to cause divisions and offences between thy children, were drawn first into a dislike of thy policy, and afterward to a separation from thee, if not in appearance, yet in heart, though at last in both, when it was more safe and advantageous then before. And indeed their strict conformity in other respects to the precepts of the Gospel with their constancy in suffering for the defence of their cause, did argue as much to moderate men, and not possessed with prejudicated hatred of their opinions and persons; for such as these could never be induced to entertain a good conceit of them, no not in the least measure: but contrariwise judged their best actions to be counterfeit and false, and thought their greatest sufferings to proceed from pride and contumacy of spirit, rather than from blind ignorance of the truth, or from error of conscience: Now as it comes to pass between those who extremely hate one the other, that they endeavour as much as in them lieth, to be unlike each the other in their manner of life, outward behaviour, garb, and fashion, and every thing for the most part which is pleasing to the one is displeasing to the other, and ofttimes for this reason only, because his adversary taketh delight therein: so it fared in this case; for what the one party did approve and allow of in their practice, the other would dislike and condemn upon this weak and causeless ground; and in like manner perchance as readily receive and embrace what the other did refuse and reject, for the same reason, or indeed rather want of reason: For what can be more irrational, yea senseless and absurd, then for men to esteem or vilify, love or hate any thing, not according to the worth or unworthiness thereof, not as it may be useful or hurtful in its own nature to them, but in opposition to others, without due discretion or judgement had of the matter in question, or thing, what and how it is or may be in itself, to account it vile because they have a good opinion or honourable conceit thereof, and for no other reason to detest and loathe it, then for that their enemy's fancy or bear a liking to it? First loving or hating it, and afterward searching out (if possible) rational motives and arguments, to give a just account of either to the world. And yet such was the condition of these bitter and eager adversaries, as may appear by the following instances.  
For to begin with the received set form of Prayer and Liturgy (once generally used in the Assemblies of thy people for the worship and service of their Maker, though since become through the subtle malice of Satan the main bait of their furious and lasting contentions) what could have been more profitably devised for the instruction of the ignorant than this? What more conducing to order and peace than it in a settled Church? What more inoffensive and harmless than the rites and ceremonies thereof? What less obnoxious to any just exception of superstition, error, impertinency, or absurdity? And yet notwithstanding, the grosser ignorance of the vulgar people is solely or chief imputed unto it by the opposite party, together with the general profaneness of life, and mere external formality in the acts of piety and devotion every where conspicuous in the nation. And it hath been thought by some a sufficient ground not of separation only from the unity of thy body; but of war also between thy members, even unto rapine, spoil, conflagration, and blood; at least a fair pretence for these and like courses not inferior to them. Besides this, it is too well known what large accusations have been brought against it by many, of Idolatry, will-worship, contradiction, tautology, indecency, inadvertency, redundancy in some, deficiency in other parts thereof, and what not, which might in any respec: detract from the worth thereof, or make it contemptible and odious with the people? To omit the taunts and reproaches, which were usually cast upon the orders and ceremonies thereof, and the great indignities offered to the persons of them, who according to their conscience, office, and duty, maintained it by their preaching and practice. All which being taken into the consideration of prudent, moderate and peaceable men, were judged by them to be nothing else then the fruits of giddy passion, or of distemper in judgement and in zeal. And indeed he that shall but indifferently weigh and examine the reasons and exceptions, which the dissenting and separating brethren allege against the use of the English Liturgy, will find them for the most part so invalid and weak, that one strong argument may be drawn from hence to prove it lawful, because whatsoever hath been hitherto brought by way of reproof to evince the unlawfulness thereof, hath had in it no greater strength of reason and demonstration, very requisite in a cause so important as this, and in a charge so furious as was made against it. But however reason and truth were wanting to their cause, the opinion and confidence of both resting on their side, was so deeply rooted in them, that I verily believe it would be an hard matter to find any sect either modern or ancient, who have more obstinately adhered to their principles, or more vehemently prosecuted their designs than they. As if they had been acted with a spirit of infallibility, and carried on thereby in these proceed, when that of error, contrariety, and spleen against the adverse party, seemeth to have been their chief, if not only guide, wherefore they oppose themselves with might and main against the established order of prayer and diseipline; and to disgrace and depress the former, they highly commend, and above measure extol, and likewise use upon all occasions unpremeditate, or (as some term it) conceived prayer: (A very forcible engine raised by them against Church-conformity, and in all likelihood that which hath more upheld, strengthened, and increased their faction then any one means whatsoever) honouring it with the glorious title of praying by the Spirit, and that by way of propriety, in opposition to praying with any set form of words composed beforehand, or framed to our ordinary use. As if the Spirit of God did immediately suggest unto their minds both the matter and form, sense and words of these their supplications, but was not assistant to the other, or the other inconsistent with the grace and help thereof: whereas upon due search into the Scriptures concerning this point, we shall find this pretended praying by the Spirit, not to be so much as mentioned therein: and for this cause at the best but warrantable and lawful for us by the general rule of indifferent things, the which are left to the judgement of Christian prudence to be done or omitted by us, as we shall see it most convenient for ourselves or for other men, not of necessary use (as many of them suppose and maintain) seeing that they cannot produce any express or implicit command for the same out of the written word of God. For although mention be made there of prayer and supplication in the Spirit: 
Ephes. 6.18.  yet it canbe proved either by that which precedeth, or by that which followeth in the Text, that the Apostle doth mean by this form of speech, the same kind of praying which they so much magnify and contend for. But rather he understandeth by prayer in the Spirit, that in which the hearty affection is joined with the mouths expression, and the desire of the soul is answerable to the positure and devotion of the body (see Rom. 1.9.) or that assistance of the Spirit whereof he speaketh Rom. 8.26, 27. Otherwise the Apostle in this place, and by these words doth show what it is to pray always, namely, not to be continually muttering prayers with our lips, (as some have vainly imagined) but to be in a perpetual disposition of the heart towards this holy exercise, yea, and to be assiduous and constant in desire of those things which we want, without slothful intermission or faith less fainting in case we do not perceive a sudden grant of our requests; 
Luk. 18.1.  either of which is fare different from the former, as appeareth at the very first sight thereof: And yet how great advantage have they gotten upon their adversaries by their facility of utterance and volubility of speech in prayer without thought (as they profess) and premeditation in the least measure of what they were to say? Many of which, though learned and eloquent men, either because they were ill affected to this practice, or for that they did not exercise their gifts and parts this way, being unwilling, or unable to match them at this weapon, which they had been taught to handle and wield as they listed from their tender years; were scorned of them, and traduced to the ignorant sort as mere natural men, not having the Spirit of God; whereof they did pretend this to be a sure note and character. Although indeed if we offer up our prayers unto God from a pure heart with steadfastness of faith and fervency of affection, it matters not, whether we do it in a set form, or by sudden ejaculation: Provided that we ask things agreeable to the mind and will of God, entertain no thought in ourselves, that the one is better than the other absolutely considered, or more acceptable in itself with him, approach with reverence both of body and of soul to the throne of Grace, and utter words beseeming the Majesty and holiness of him, with whom we have to do.  
And now I shall only take a view of one exception which hath been frequently alleged in my hearing, against the received form of Church prayer (knowing how much hath already been said, and that effectually in defence thereof by men eminent for learning and piety) and so conclude this point. And it is the very same which I have formerly mentioned: namely, that by the use of this service men were generally nursed and brought up in gross ignorance, profaneness, and formality of Religion. The which exception if it were just or true, who could doubt, but that the Liturgy was to be exploded out of the congregation as impious in itself, and therefore unlawful to be used at any hand? But that it is altogether groundless and false, might be made manifest by several arguments proving the contrary; one shall suffice for the present, which is taken from the substance or matter contained therein. For this being either some part or portion of the word of God, faithfully interpreted according to the Analogy of Faith and mind of the holy Ghost in all things which concern our salvation, or what may be deduced from it by rational consequence, or that which doth no way contradict and thwart the precepts thereof, how can it possibly be a cause or means of ignorance and profaneness to the which it is so opposite, unless light may produce darkness, heat cold, and good evil? How then came it to pass that very many who had the continual use and benefit of this form, were so grossly ignorant of the mysteries of godliness, so dissolute in their life and so formal in their profession, as they were throughout this whole nation? Surely not because this was a covert to their eyes that they could not see the light, or a fly postern gate, opening a way privily unto sin, or licentiousness (as they falsely do imagine) but from the corruption of men's hearts, 
Joh. 3.19.  whereby it is that they love darkness rather than light beeduse their deeds are evil; and content themselves with a mere show, or slight touch at the furthest of Religion, as being most agreeable with flesh and blood by reason of the lightness and easiness which is therein, and the liberty it doth indulge unto those lusts which are most common and predominant in humane nature; whereas the sincere and practical profession of Christianity doth confine and restrain our unbridled affections, locks up our wand'ring desires, and ties the knot hard upon our lose pleasures and delights, obliging us to abstinence and austerity of life, and therefore doth it generally distaste with men, and universally with all whose hearts are not seasoned with true sanctifying grace, or (as the Apostle speaketh, Heb. 
Heb. 13.9.  13.9.) established therewith.  
Besides it is too well known how little care hath been taken by those who had the oversight of the people to inform them concerning the use and end of their public devotions, and of those circumstantial rites pertaining to the same, or make them understand the sense and signification of those things which were so often inculcated into their ears by others, or which themselves uttered with their lips: yea not a few of their teachers were so forsaken of knowledge, and destitute of exemplary holiness, (notwithstanding their place and function did require eminency of both) that either they were unable to instruct their charge aright, or what they taught them carried no weight of reverence or authority with it, but rather was the less esteemed of by the people for their sakes who did commend the same unto them, being witnesses of their levity and sin, and of their continual practice fare disserent from their own profession and doctrine. And yet such was the force of custom with many, joined with ignorance and indiscretion of the nature of things, that they verily thought every parcel of the Common-prayer-book, and every ceremony prescribed thereby, to be of no less than divine institution, and that a slight perfunctory use of its forms in praying with the other rules and directions of external worship observed by them, was sufficient to bring them unto heaven without any more ado.  
To this we may add the remiss and slack hand of Ecclesiastical discipline as another main cause of the general ignorance and profaneness of these times, which reached no farther for the most part to the inferior Clergy (how peccant soever otherwise) in the exercise thereof, then in point of disconformity to Episcopal orders, Provincial or Synodical constitutions, touching external government: neither did it call the people to a due account (if any) of their proficiency in the knowledge of Christ Jesus, or censure them for nonproficiency therein, yea scarcely for gross and scandalous crimes, if they were persons known to be well affected towards the present government, though upon the weakest perchance and worst grounds which can be imagined; namely, the defects and failings of those who did administer the same.  
In like manner the sleeping or not executing of necessary penal statutes upon offenders against the Law of God, hath been a chief cause of open profaneness in the land: for had these been impartially executed upon every convicted transgressor, after some care taken to find them out, I am persuaded by this time we should not have seen many drunkards, or heard many swearers throughout this whole populous Hand. And indeed I can speak it upon my own knowledge, that a town of good note in the Western parts of the the Land not far distant from the Sea, heretofore famed for all manner of riot and disorder, by this course of late years hath been reduced to that order and discipline, that it is a rare matter to see a man there at any time distempered with wine or with strong drink, or to hear a rash oath proceed from any man's mouth, no not when there is most frequent concourse of people thither from all the neighbouring parts: so careful are men to keep the Law, where (as the Apostle speaketh, Heb. 2.2.) 
Heb. 2.2.  every transgression and disobedience receiveth a just recompense of reward. So easy a matter is it for Ministers and Officers, mutually conspiring together in the same work, to reform a city or town as they list, and proportionably a whole nation under the chief Magistrate, if he interpose not against it. Therefore it is reported of Queen Elizabeth, that in her progress visiting the county of Suffolk, and seeing every Justice of Peace with a Minister next to his body, said, she had oftentimes demanded of her Council, why her County of Suffolk was better governed then any other County, but never understood the reason thereof till now: It must needs be so (said she) where the Word and the Sword go together. But what may we expect when both these comply not, or jar one with another? wherefore had this one course alone been taken for the suppressing of common and odious sins, there needed not to have been so loud a cry for a reformation in the midst of thy people; nor so much of thy children's blood shed like water round about thy cities, and within the gates, and also on the furrows of the field, in prosecution of this specious design, which can hardly be compassed, if at all in any wise, by means so unproportionate as these to the end for which they are appointed by those who would be master bvilders in this work.  
Lastly, the great and common neglect of teaching the younger sort, and educating them in a catechetical way of doctrine and instruction, as it occasioned at first the blind ignorance, open profaneness, and mere formality in this Nation: so it hath still continued and fomented the same unto this present day. And from hence we shall draw another instance to show the great force which enmity and opposition do gain in the minds of men to hinder a mutual consent and joint concurrence together in those ways which tend to life and godliness. For what could more conduce to the furtherance and increase of sacred knowledge, to the effectual planting and growth of piety in the hearts of Christian youth, than this necessary and profitable means of institution, so much commended by the divine Spirit of God to our imitation and practise 
* see Gen. 18 19 ? Train up (or chastise) a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not departed from it. 
Pro. 22 6.  Neither was there wanting the advice of a prudent and learned Prince for the setting on foot this practice with us, by changing the afternoon Sermons into this more useful exercise. And yet the Ministers of the opposite party could never (for aught as I can learn) be induced to entertain a good opinion of it, at least so far as cordially to embrace the counsel, and submit to the judgement of their superiors therein, notwithstanding the visible and apparent benefit thereof, and nothing might be reasonably said against it. And what was the cause of this? Surely in all probability the ill affection and hatred which they bore against the Bishops, who did also commend and prefer it to their inseriour brethren in the Ministry as more needful and profitable for the people than their claborate and painful preaching (so much magnified by their Disciples above other Ordinances, and who could not be pleased without a double portion thereof every Lord's day) although (as some object against them) with too great limitation and restraint, but however, better thus, than not at all. For (as a chief Ruler well observed of thy children) the omission of this fundamental way of instruction, and the custom of notional teaching (in which was more plenty of words then of matter) have given occasion to the Apostasy or falling back of so many from thy Communion, some to Popish superstition, others to Monasterian confusion, while after many years groundless and therefore unprofitable institution, they were like rasae tabulae, or unsealed wax, apt to receive any impression or form of doctrine whatsoever. The truth whereof hath more than enough been confirmed by the experience of succeeding time: in which we meet every where with aged Infants, I mean such, who when for the time ought to be teachers, 
Heb. 5.12.  have need that one teach them again, which be the first principles of the Oracles of God, and are become such, as have need of milk, and not of strong meat; who notwithstanding have been constant hearers of Sermons for divers years together, some twenty, others forty, and some perchance more, that we may justly admire and be even astonished at their dulness and stupidity in learning. Do we not consider how unsuitable this kind of teaching is with the minds of the rude and unprincipled multitude to make them skilful in the word of righteousness, it being all one in effect, as if a man should seek to raise a frame of building where no foundation is laid before, or to nourish an infant with strong meat in stead of milk which is proper for him, because unable to bear the other, 
1 Cor. 3.2. Heb. 5.14.  as belonging to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil? Wherefore in them also is fulfilled the Prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, 
Mat. 13.14.  and shall not understand: and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive. For this cause so many of the Nation at present being children in understanding, 
Eph. 4.14.  are tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, fixing on nothing long through the weakness of their judgement to discern what they hear, and want of reason to maintain what they embrace as truth; although upon trial we have found some of their deceivers or false teachers like those 2 Pet. 
2 Pet. 3.16.  3.16. Unlearned and unstable themselves while they boldly took upon them to instruct and guide others, wresting the Scriptures both to the destruction of their Disciples, and of themselves; or like them, of whom the Apostle S. Paul speaketh, 1 Tim. 1.7. 
1 Tim. 1.7  Desiring to be teachers of the Gospel (as they then did to be teachers of the Law) and yet understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. But indeed their pretence of an immediate calling from God by the motion of his Spirit to the work of the Ministry, and gathering of Churches here on earth like that in heaven glorious, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but holy and without blemish; 
Eph 5.27.  together with their strange outward confidence and presumptuous ostentation of themselves in a business of this high nature, far exceeding the measure of their inward parts or gifts of mind, easily begat in the weaker sighted and unsettled brethren an answerable opinion or erroncous belief of them, that they were such in truth as they were in show, or professed themselves to be, who therefore received them as Angels of God, 
Gal. 4.14.  even as Christ Jesus: When as they were indeed no other than false Apostles, 
2 Cor. 11.13.  deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ. Wherefore many pious and learned Ministers do no doubt, though happily too late, see their failing in omitting the necessary and beneficial exercise of catechising their younger people, and do bewail it in the daily defection which is made from them to these novel seducers.  
But what help and remedy can be found to cure the present, or prevent the future growth of this almost general contagion? For although some have attempted now at length to put the same in practice for this very end and purpose: yet they could not bring it to pass according to their desire, partly through the pride and arrogancy of some, much slighting (and yet as much wanting) this inferior kind of instruction; partly through the bashfulness and shame of others, conscious to themselves of more ignorance than did become their riper age, or Christian education; and partly through that lax and boundless liberty which these times allow to all men in point of duty and conscience, whereby every one doth gratify his own will and humour in Religion, holding that in opinion which seemeth to him best, and doing that in order hereunto which liketh him most; in the mean time rejecting the counsel and direction of those who were over them in the Lord, and both able and willing to afford them spiritual help for the furtherance of their faith and salvation of their souls.  
A third instance I shall take from the Anniversary fast of Lent, and other weekly fasts or days of abstinence from flesh: the original of which I shall not now dispute, because it hath been already sufficiently done by many, the use I shall briefly examine, yet not the civil (which is manifold perchance, and much concerning the public good of humane society) but that which is religious or tending thereunto, and this no farther than may serve my present purpose, knowing how far men much more learned than myself, and throughly acquainted with this way have traveled therein. The use then of these fasts in order to devotion, is the chastening of the flesh, or as the Apostle expresseth it, 
1 Cor. 9.27.  1 Cor. 9.27. Keeping under the body, and bringing it into subjection, namely, to the Law of the Spirit, by sobriety and abstinence, as appeareth from vers. 25. See also 2 Cor. 11.27. 
vers. 25.  Now that this discipline and exercise of the body is very profitable for the subduing and mastering of those corrupt lusts, and inordinate motions of concupiscence which do evermore accompany the pampering of our flesh and fullness thereof, experience as well as Scripture doth manifest unto us. For where do we find more lasciviousness, wantonness, and uncleanness of desire: where do we see more levity, and looseness of behaviour, then in great houses abounding with wealth and plenty of all things? where there is idleness and fullness of bread, riotous eating of flesh and drinking of wine, table's continually overspread with costly dishes, and superfluous varieties of meat, the choicest dainties which sea or land can afford at the several seasons of the year, these ministering fuel unto the fire, and as it were oil unto the flame of sinful lust and indisposing the soul to spiritual watchfulness and sobriety, as appeareth from Luk. 21.34 On the contrary, they who feed sparingly, and drink moderately, and in stead of gross diet use that which is slender, and less cherisheth the body, especially at certain seasons, and sometimes impose upon themselves the harder task of abstinence from meat, or fasting, are in no wise subject as the former to the desires and motions of evil coneupiscence, and experimentally find in themselves a better disposition both of body and of mind to the worship and service of their Maker. And however we can in no respect commend, or approve of the Fasts of the Romish Church, as being too short for the time, and serving rather to sharpen and prepare the appetite for the delicacies of a Feast, then to bridle and chastise it: for as much as after a slight forbearance of meat, they proceed to the dainties of a luxurious banquet: (and therefore as I am informed, the German nobility heretofore thought no time more convenient for to visit their Bishops, than their Fasting days, as affording them better entertainment then ordinary) yet those Fasts wherein we truly and unfeignedly afflict our souls before the Lord, are very commendable and useful exercises of piety and devotion. But notwithstanding thus much and much more may be said in the defence and commendation of regular and well ordered Fasts, (in which hypocrisy is not added to superstition, as in the Romish practice, and an absolute necessity of observation with opinion of merit affixed to them, as in their doctrine) and in like manner of set times appointed for this use: the antiepiscopal party could never be brought to conceit well of Church Fasting days, much less to have them in esteem, or to keep them as the rest of their brethren did. But expressed an utter dislike of them upon all occasions, where they might utter their thoughts with safety; and so far were they from observing them according to order, that many of them at least would take these days to choose, for the eating of flesh and for more than usual feeding, in opposition, no doubt, to the Bishops and their party, who were sometimes very hot and zealous in pressing the strict observation of the same on the inferior and middle sort of people; some whereof, and those not a few, had them in the greater esteem for this reason, because the other did vilify and despise them, yea therefore ascribed a kind of moral holiness to mere bodily abstinence from meat without any addition of inward spiritual devotion to it: an opinion of very dangerous consequence, though unperceived of those with whom it resteth.  
A fourth instance we shall borrow from the custom of genuflexion or bowing of the knee to God, in our common supplications and prayers; the which though in times past observed with awful diligence of those who came into the Congregation, and of necessary use still in our devotions, when no just cause doth discharge us from it, whereby we may excuse our omission thereof, as being commended by by God himself, and commanded unto us, by the exemplary practice of his Saints in all ages, yea, and of Jesus Christ himself, when he lived on the earth, see Psal. 95.6, 
Ps. 95.6, 7.  with 7. (where the reason or argument alleged for the action, is worth our serious consideration) and Mat. 26.29. 
Mat. 26.39. Luk. 22.41.  with Luk. 22.41. hath been for a long time intermitted as needless and superfluous by many of the antiprelatical brethren, who can produce no thing of weight, or which hath in it the least show of Scripture ground for it, but have been led herein as in other things by their own will, or rather wilfulness in opposition to their adversaries. And whereas men generally used at their first entrance into the Church to address themselves by private prayer to the Almighty for preparedness, no doubt, and assistance from him in his public service, witnessing the inward devotion of their souls by this humble positure of their bodies: now for the most part they rush into the Assembly with less reverence than they usually do into the houses of their familiar friends, at least of those who are in any degree superior to them; and what is yet more strange, they deride and scoff at others who approach with religious manners, to the solemn performance of divine worship, and against common sense would be thought and pretend themselves to be greater Saints by far than the other in the presence of God, because more irreverent in their behaviour than they at the same time in the sight of men, as if the religious demeanour of the body on this occasion, were repugnant to the holy disposition of the mind, and not rather subservient to it, and expressive thereof; or as though we could not honour the Lord with the former without superstition in the latter. And however we have great cause to fear it of many, and they boldly charge as much upon their adverfaries' account, that they did chief, if not wholly, place the worship of God in this exterior or bodily exercise of religion, and therefore think they have sufficient cause to omit or reject the use thereof: yet this doth no more free them from this tye of outward service, than a greater obligation doth exempt us from the performance of a less, according to that of our blessed Saviour in another case, 
Mat. 23.23.  These things ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Each duty claiming from us its due estimation, and our obedience necessary to both, without preferring the less to the greater, or in honour to the greater, despising, or laying aside the less. For no commandment of God may be slighted by us in any case, how small soever; neither may we count the least unworthy of our observation; see Mat. 5.19. Now as we do plainly perceive from what hath been already said, the causeless prejudice of this active and violent party against those who differ from them in judgement and practice concerning the holy things aforementioned: so we may take notice withal of the high conceit which they entertain of themselves in relation to the public service of God, appearing by their forbearing to invocate his name for his grace and assistance in this weighty business after the received manner in the congregation, and neglecting those external actions and gestures of the body, whereby alone they can testify unto men the internal reverence and humility of the soul, as though they were in a continual preparedness or readiness for the acts of divine worship, or needed not the same with other men, at least not those means commonly used by them for this end and purpose, as being improper for men of their stamp and unbeseeming such as themselves were, who had attained to a greater measure both of knowledge and of sanctity than the rest of their brethren, or those whom they accounted of no better than of mere natural and carnal men. For this cause their Ministers would not (as the custom formerly had been, and was still observed by those of the contrary part) privately implore the help and blessing of the Almighty upon themselves and the work which they were forthwith to begin immediately before their prayers with the people premised to their Sermons, but commonly at their first entrance into the Pulpit, without any signal reverence shown either to God, whom they did represent in that place, or to the Auditory whose care and burden lay upon their conscience, or sense of the great difficulty and labour of their employment, sat them down until the Psalm was finished: whereby no doubt as well as by other omissions of like nature they gave no small occasion to the people of thinking less honourably both of their persons and of their calling, than they did in former time, and opened a wide gap to that irreverence and profaneness which are now every where visible in our Church assemblies.  
To this instance I shall add another of like nature from the uncovering of the head in the congregation at the time of public devotion, and custom not decent only and reverend in itself even by the light of nature, and well beseeming the Majesty of God, but warranted also and enjoined by his word, as appeareth from 1 Cor. 11. vers. 4. with 7. And how the contrary practice of thy neighbouring sisters may be reconciled with this precept, I am as yet to learn. As for thine own children, they even glory in their shame, when not as masters, but as scholars; not as teachers, but as Disciples, they sit covered at their most solemn holy meetings, without difference of place, degree, age, season, or of any personal relation whatsoever, as if they might securely and lawfully slight their superiors in this place, because they give not God his due honour here, or withdraw that respect from them in the Church, which they yield unto them every where besides: although we have known some, and those not a few, who have presumed to sit covered in the presence of God at such a time as this; but when a great person hath come into the Assembly, have honoured him with the uncovering of the head, as though civil respect towards a mortal Prince, were to be expressed by more evident signs of submission from the outward man, then religious worship towards the immortal God. Surely it may well amaze an indifferent person, to consider that the youth who always standeth bare in the shop, as well in his master's absence as presence, and that in token of subjection, and service, which by virtue of his covenant he oweth to his master, should nevertheless stand and sit covered not only in presence, but also in conference with his grand Master, or Master's Master which is in heaven? And is not the case thus here, when the Minister prayeth or praiseth God in the words of the Psalmist, as he frequently doth? At which time every one almost is vailed, who notwithstanding, presently condemn themselves in this very thing which they allow, forasmuch as they all uncover the head when the same Psalms are sung by them only changed into Meeter, and that perchance for the worse, certain it is not for the better, as if the tone or tune could afford just cause of this variety and difference in respect of outward carriage, and reverence towards God, or the same attention of the mind, affection and devotion of the heart, were not due from us to the Lords Word, when the Minister readeth it in our ears, as when we ourselves utter it with our lips; and yet the most precise seem to scruple at the one, but startle not at all at the other, however the same reason appeareth for both. Wherefore we cannot imagine less, then that this covering of the head in the congregation, where infirmity or sickness doth not plead for it, tendeth to the dishonour of Jesus Christ, whose servants we profess ourselves to be, especially at this time, and to the contempt of his messenger representing the Office and Person of Christ before our eyes; surely, this is not to call the holy of the Lord honourable, as we find it Isa. 58.13. 
Isa. 58.13.  but to make him a reproach.  
A sixth instance we shall take from the Lords day, by some called the Sabbath, with a good meaning perchance, but not without impropriety of speech, because not known by this name, either in the primitive times, or in the ages immediately following, for aught as I can learn; but I shall not contend about words. That which is observable of the day to our present purpose, is the different esteem and observation thereof with the two adverse parties, the one ascribing too much, the other too little unto the same, the one keeping it with almost Jewish rigour and extremity, the other after a lose and formal manner at the best; (to omit their unchristian profanation thereof upon several occasions) and each walking contrary to other in their practice from the spirit of oppofition, as well as from other principles. For although it be no easy matter to assure ourselves, much less to convince others, that this day is of divine institution, as the sabbath was among the Jews, and we should be loath with many to give the strict outward observation of the time pre-eminence above all other moral duties and acts of Religion, (in which respect as I remember some have thought a slender trespass or offence thereon worthy to be expiated by the death of the offender) yet it cannot be doubted again, but that there is a necessity of separating or setting apart such a day as this, for the honour and public worship of God, as well in regard of humane wickedness as weakness; and of their proneness to superstition and Atheism, as well as of their worldly business and employment; the which they would never intermit of themselves, without the restraint laid upon them, or else wholly bestow the remaining time upon the service of their own lusts and sinful pleasures. Wherefore they cannot be excused, who in times past loosed the reins of discipline to the people yet more (when God knows they were too remiss already) and permitted them free liberty to spend a part, and that not the least, of this day in vain sports and pastimes, scarce beseeming a bride-ale or marriage feast, much less such a season as this: of which abuse, a Divine of the Northern parts sent thither by the King to preach the Gospel there, doth greatly, but justly complain in an Epistle to the Bishop of Chester, as that which did exceedingly hinder the courses of Religion, and frustrate the fruits of their Ministerial labours; and withal observes, that they who did most abet and maintain public piping and lascivious dancing on the Lord's day, were the open and professed enemies of our Religion. Of so bad consequence are these merry sundays (as a profane person once affectionately called them, saying, that it was a good time when they did enjoy the former liberty; but for whom, I cannot tell, except it were for him who is the author of all evil) in which we sow unto the flesh, and not unto the Spirit; serve our own lusts, and not the Lords will. Wherefore it is needful that this first day of the week be in due manner observed by us in all places, especially considering that from the Apostles time hitherto it hath been consecrated by the Church of Christ to this holy use.  
A seventh instance we shall borrow from the Lords Proyer, the which we must acknowledge for the true and perpetual pattern of our supplications unto the world's end. And yet how much hath it been of late decried and vilified by some not as needless only, but as hurtful also? Who have therefore rejected the use thereof in public Assemblies, and derided those who took pleasure therein, and others have laid it aside for fear of displeasing the powerful party, however they still approve it in their judgement, and have done by their practice heretofore. Many pretend for the disuse thereof, that the people did idolise it, and impute a kind of holiness to the bare saying or repeating of the same: the which, supposing it to be true, can in no wise warrant their omission of this form, if it be good, much less their preaching or speaking against it; for if we may condemn every thing as bad in itself, or noxious to us, because it may or doth occasionally prove so through our perverse use or abuse thereof, what can escape our censure, be the thing never so good? yea shall we not then very often call evil good, 
Isai, 5.20.  and good evil, put darkness for light, and light for darkness, bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter? The patience of God we know is abused daily, and his grace turned into wantonness by wicked and ungodly persons, and yet it were the height of impiety to think the worse of either for this reason, the fault solely resting upon man. In like manner every creature of God, which (as the Apostle witnesseth, 1 Tim. 4.4.) is good, 
2 Tim. 4.4.  and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving, is made subject to our vanity and corruption, and become the idol of our pleasurable, or of our profitable lusts. How much better were it therefore for the Ministers in this case to show the people their error or failing in the use of that which is good, then to possess them with a false opinion and wrong conceit of the thing itself as evil, and to be avoided of them, the which they use not dexterously, and as they should. But such is, and ever will be the force of faction and schism in the heart; of men to make them opposite one to another in judgement and in practice, without and against all reason whatsoever. The which also we may further discover in the length and brevity of their prayers, in the manner and matter of their praying, in the affected difference of tone and voice, of words or forms of expression, of gesture and behaviour in the acts of solemn worship, and such like, with easy observation.  
And so far hath their malice proceeded one against another, that neither of them would by any means admit so much as praying for the adverse party, though expressly commanded by the precepts of the Gospel, but openly cursed each the other as desperate enemies of God and of his cause.  
And now I shall crave leave to address my words unto thy sons, according to their several orders and degrees, entreating them all to bear with the rude plainness of my counsel, and not to be offended at the liberty of my reproof, being free from malice and bitterness of spirit, from partiality, from guile and hypocrisy. And first I shall direct my speech to those who were the chief Rulers of thy people, and acknowledged by many for the same unto this present day. The time was when no man durst mutter against you, much less reprove you openly for what you did amiss, the height of your honour, the intimacy of grace and favour ye had with the Prince and (that which doth for the most part ever accompany so great felicity) an answerable opinion of your own virtue and worth, would by no means admit of this boldness and presumption in inferior persons, how well meaning soever, and devoted to the service of your power and place in the Church of Christ. As for others, there was cause enough perchance, why ye might except against their reproof, as proceeding from pride, faction, hatred, or contempt of your persons, and government; tending to the reproach of your authority & exercise thereof, or directly intended to defame and make odious both yourselves and administration with the people. And as it was no small crime in these men to kick against your authority, when it was at the highest pitch: so it would be no less, if not greater in any to spurn at it now, when it is at the lowest ebb, much more to trample upon it lying as it were in the dust. For what could savour more of inhumanity and cruelty, than thus to deal with a professed enemy? Wherefore, far be it from me to insult upon your fallen dignity, or to use this freedom towards you with any private sinister respect unto myself. All that I aim at, God knoweth, is this, with filial reverence and love to admonish you of what you seemed formerly to be ignorant, at least not observant according to your Fatherly duty, and for which we ought now to be humbled, that God may be glorified. And indeed how happy had it been for yourselves, and likewise for the flock of Christ committed to your charge, if ye had in times passed duly laid these things to heart, which I shall at this present offer to your view, not from any confidence of reason and knowledge in myself, more than in you, or in any measure equal unto that which remaineth with you, but from an assurance that ye were then blinded with worldly interest, and therefore could not so clearly see, as was needful, your many failings: or may at this day, since the hand of the Lord hath been very heavy upon you to chasten and try you, and (as we hope) not only for your own private instruction and benefit, but for the common good of his whole Church and people also in time to come, who wait with patience upon him who hath promised that all things shall work together for good to them that love him, to them that are called according to his purpose. And now with what depth of sorrow ought we to recount your past errors, partly through neglect of duty, partly through abuse of power? God the wise disposer of all things in the world, was pleased to set you as so many greater Luminaries in the firmament of his Church, there to shine forth by the rays of pure Evangelicall doctrine, and by the glorious example of holiness for the illumination and direction of his people; you he appointed as grand Instructors and Teachers in the School of Christ Jesus to inform his Disciples concerning his Law and will, to reform them (when need did so require) by the rod of his discipline. But were ye faithful in your trust? did ye diligently instruct the ignorant? severely punish the disobedient? endeavour to reclaim those who walked disorderly, and contrary to the Gospel? Did ye reprove all indifferently? censure all impartially? not respecting or considering the persons, but the crimes of men delinquent? That ye were violently bend against faction and schism, against singularity and nonconformity; all confess, a few excepted, who thought nothing too much, yea nothing enough in this kind, how opposite soever to Christian mildness, prudence or conscience: But in the mean while by reason of your connivance, or supineness in the Episcopal office, ignorance, and superstition, every where misled the people; and caused them to wander in darkness, not knowing whither they went: Profaneness like a rank pernicious weed overspread the field, and vineyard of the Lord; and as it fares with plants of different nature and quality growing in the same soil, which oftentimes thrive the better one for another, because the one sucketh that moisture and nourishment from the earth, which are improper for, or perchance destructive to the other: so it came to pass here; for the profane and vicious lives of those who stood up in defence of your government, occasionally gave increase and added strength to the opposite factious party, who alleged this as one main ground of their separation from the church, that those who adhered to it were for the most part unworthy to have communion with any orderly well governed Congregation of Believers, because of their lose and scandalous manner of living, the which for that they could not redress, they did pretend at least they were bound thus to shun and avoid, as hateful to God and to good men. Wherefore ye did not carefully separate between the precious and the vile, but consulting with flesh & blood what ye were to do in this case, thought in humane policy, to break the power of one party, by strengthening the hands of the other, or not binding and restraining them with the cords of Ecclesiastical Discipline. Thus while you opposed profaneness against schism, or did let that lose at this, or secretly favoured and upheld it in hope to suppress the later by the former; the one grew too strong by the violence of opposition for yourselves, and both for the Church in order to peace and holiness.  
As for your labour in the work of the Ministry, how little it hath been for many years together, it is even a shame to mention, some of you wholly exempting themselves from this necessary burden of their calling for ease and pleasure, others supposing it a task and employment too low and inferior for them, as men entirely addicted to the government of the Church, and of another sphere fare above the labouring Minister; the rest for the most part slightly or seldom heaving it with their shoulders, and laying it aside presently, as that which concerned other men, and not themselves any longer than they listed, or their superours imposed the same upon them. And thus far it had been, or perchance might have been pardonable with men, had care been taken by you to see this work duly performed of the Clergy in your several Dioceses, and Cities of Residence, or to provide able and sit Pastors for the people throughout your particular Congregations, or parochial charges within the limits of your jurisdiction. But alas! there were not wanting of you, who did not only wink at the wilful neglect of their inferior brethren in this main point of Ministerial duty, but did countenance and savour such as were most peccant therein, judging them most averse from faction, who were least conscious of preaching to the people, and fuirest friends to the present government, who were lose enough (God knoweth) in respect both of their office and also of their conversation: whence it came to pass, that very many who professed themselves for you in the time of trial, were ignorant and dissolute men, dishonourable to your party, and Indeed to Christian Religion, the which they did continually profane by their words and works: so unsuitable is humane policy with Evangelicall simplicity, and unsuccessful when it is used at any time to support and uphold the regiment thereof. And in stead of sending forth meet Labourers into the Lord's harvest, fit Pastors into his flock, you dismissed those who were idle shepherds, loving to slumber, given to sleep, altogether like yourselves, careless of the Lords heritage, either unwilling if able, or if willing unable, or neither willing nor able, rightly to divide the Word of Truth, giving them their portion in due season. As for those to whom God had given both ability and will to preach the Word, ye permitted them not the free use and exercise of their gifts: but forbade them to teach the people as often as they saw it convenient or necessary for their edification; and though ye did at first commend unto them the way of catechising the younger sort, as best beseeming their want of years and experience in the word of righteousness, allowing them some liberty & latitude herein: yet afterward (I know not upon what grounds, or for what reason) ye so far limited and restrained the Minister in this pious and profitable practice, that ye did in a manner take away the key of Knowledge from the people, 
Luk. 〈◊〉 52.  or make it useless for them so that they could not enter in thereby.  
And herein remarkable is the judgement of the Almighty towards you, in that he hath made some of those unworthy members instrumental to your downfall, whom contrary to reason and conscience ye authorised for a work to which God never called them, promoted to that honour, of which they were uncapable, either for your own gain, or to gratify your Officers and domestic servants, or your friends and favourites, or for other ends as bad as these, best known unto yourselves; For who have more raised and maintained a party against you, than such as these? or have been more subservient to the ringleaders of faction than they? or more diligently scattered abroad the seeds of schism, and opposition against government in the Church of Christ, of which they have seen plentiful increase, and have found success of this their labour, if not above their desire, yet surely beyond their expectation, notwithstanding it be hard to say whether their indigency of parts, or want of subsistence was the greater, which no doubt at first made them so pliable as they were to popular will and humour.  
But ye will reply, that the Canons of the Church were not strict or strait enough to debar unworthy persons, especially in point of learning, from the Office of the Ministry; besides that you admitted none unto the work, but those who were commended unto you for their sufficiency and ability, in all respects, for this service by letters Testimonial from the University, or from Ministers well reputed and reported of in the Diocese from whence they came, or where they lived, in former time. But who knew not, (and yourselves more than any) how invalid and weak this testimony was, being now reduced to a mere formality, by the custom and manners of the times, as corrupt in this particular practice as in any other whatsoever. Again, did ●ye ever apply yourselves to the Supreme Power of the Nation for the rectifying of these Canons, or at any time sought to reverse or alter them in your solemn Convocations? Whether ye did thus or no, I cannot well tell, but of this I am assured, that nothing was reform afterward in your Ordinations, it being as free, and indifferent for all who came as ever. And supposing that those testimonies might probably carry with them some right and credit, were ye therefore to forbear your own search into the parts and gifts of those men whom they did commend to your approbation? and not rather to inquire more narrowly into the Truth, and see how far the commendation did agree with the Person of whom it was made, or how well it did suit with his learning and life? Considering that the account hereof was chief to rest on you, when the general Day of reckoning did come before chief Shepherd and Bishop of our souls. 
1 Tim. 5.22.   
The like excuse some frame for the gross corruptions of your Prerogative Courts, for commutations, unjust, partial, and unreasonable censures of excommunication, issuing forth from thence upon offenders, for unlawful (to say no more) suspension of the meaner and poorer sort from the Ordinances of Christ Jesus, for nonpayment, or rather disability of paying pecuniary mulcts and fees imposed on them, and without equity exacted of them by your profane and greedy Officers. They pretend the power of the Chancellor to be distinct and separate from that of the Bishop in many points of spiritual jurisdiction, and therefore exempt from it, or  by it, however proving illegal and exorbitant in the proceed thereof: whether use and custom had thus determined of the matter or no, I am as yet to seek; but this I take for certain Truth, that the Chancellor's power at the first was in every respect derived from the Bishop, and afterward wholly depended on his will, notwithstanding it is otherwise come to pass in following ages by the negligence or absence of the Bishop from the seat of his Diocese. And in case they had in process of time, thus encroached upon the Episcopal Sea, it had been an easy matter for you the Bishops, to have reduced again, & confined them to their ancient legal bounds upon complaint thereof made unto the Prince, showing the great necessity and common benefit of such a change, and also in your Synods, as occasion served, and so have freed the Church from this iniquity and oppression of men. And surely it may seem strange to any considerate person, that ye who did so much strain your authority for the introducing of new ceremonies into the Church of Christ, (savouring of superstition, and begetting jealousies in men's minds of Popish innovations intended by you) without prudence or conscience, and used it so rigorously rously for the enforcing of the old upon many illaffected to the observation of them, absolutely requiring conformity to the Church Liturgy in every point of all men (notwithstanding rebus sie stantibus & profligata Disciplina, some forms thereof were not appliable to divers persons) would not extend it to the utmost measure for the ratifying of those great abuses which had by the insensible degrees crept in & corrupted the true primitive Discipline, that every transgressor might have been censured, according to the desert and scandal of his crime, without respect had to his person or place in the Commonwealth, as it is in other reformed Churches of different government from this under which we live. But Court-employment, State-flattery & sinful compliances with great Persons, were the main lets, which hindered you from the due discharge of your Office both in Preaching the Word, and exercising the the Rod of Christ according to his mind and will, while ye thought in carnal reason such means as these most effectual for the acquiring and retaining of your greatness, and despised those which the prudent simplicity of the Gospel did offer and commend unto you. Wherefore it is no wonder if vice did reign there, where flattery did abound, and that in the chief Ministers and messengers of Truth, if injustice and oppression did bear sway, where one and all were taught not what they should and ought to do according to their duty and conscience towards God, but what they could or might do by power without control from man; If men were secure in their sins, where peace was proclaimed, and war to be denounced against them; where a profane company heard nothing for the most part decried in the Pulpit, but faction, from which perchance they were alone free. And what could be expected from the common people but blind ignorance, love of pleasures more than of God, greater regard of this world, then of the world to come, when ye their chief Leaders caused them to err, not only through your negligence, but also by your example, falling fare short of that integrity and holiness, which was conspicuous in the actions and sufferings of those, who were not long before you resident in the same places of dignity and pre-eminence. For although they lived upon earth, they had their conversation in heaven, and shone as the stars of heaven for brightness, not only in their life, but in their death also, which was precious in the sight of their Redeemer. As for you their successors, ye appeared in comparison of them but dim and earthy lights; and I would to God some of you had not proved false likewise and deceitful to your brethren, whom ye perverted from the way of Truth and Peace by your own departing from it, doing quite contrary to what yourselves taught and professed before the people, preaching contempt and hatred of the world to others, yourselves continuing in the mean while fast friends of the world, exhorting them to become spiritual and as Angels, when ye were carnal yourselves and walked as men, showing them the way to heaven with hearts and eyes fixed on the earth. For who more immoderate in their ears for the things of this life than you? who more eager in the pursuit of riches and honour? more tenacious in withholding good from the owners thereof then yourselves? who were more set upon the usual course of enriching above measure, and raising your families on high? If a dignity or office worth the having, sell within the compass of your Diocese, who was presently judged of you more worthy to possess and manage it, than a son, or a nephew, or a kinsman, or an Ally? although they were many times altogether uncapable of the honour and trust to which ye preferred them in the house of God, either because they wanted ability of parts requisite thereunto, or had not as yet attained to maturity of years, being not much past their nonage, as we have known some of them to be, or in all respects undeserving persons. And yet men of age and experience, eminent also for learning and piety, must stand unveiled before such as these, to receive directions and commands from them, to whom they were able and sit to give the same, who through the just judgement of the Almighty have been since as much and more scorned of the meanest and most abject of their inferiors, than they did now scorn others, every way their superiors, but in place only. Now what was this in effect, but to honour your sons above the Lord, as Eli did; while ye did thus prefer natural affection to spiritual duty, and the care for a child before the welfare of the Church? Satis vos vobis attendere & rei vestrae populi vox est, sat is vos strenue ditandis filiis, dotandis filiabus attendere, tam vero vos hac ex parte attentos esse ut haeredum magna vobis attentio, successorum exigua (& si quae exigua est, aliqua est) ut prae haeredum attentione, nulla sit successorum. Thus a Prophet of your own (Lancel. Andr. conc. ad cler.) and in this respect, much more a Prophet, that he forewarned you so long ago of the present calamity which is now come upon you in these words. Enim ve o●nisi vos vobis hae parte caveatis; optimae Principis gratia, Proce 'em favour, Leg●m terror diu vobis eavere non poter●nt.— Si doctrina ludibrium est, si vita scandalum, fortasse non momento uno, non ictu oculi, sed sensim tamen senefcet, evanescet, tendet ad interium Ordo vester, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. How far different the Apostles carriage in the work of the Ministry was from yours (whose successors notwithstanding ye were) let one speak or themal, and hear ye him. 
1 Thes. 2.3, etc.  Our exhortation was not of deceit, etc. not as pleasing men, etc. For neither at any time, used we flattering words, etc. nor of men, etc. But we were gentle, etc. so being affectionately, etc. wherefore God hath profaned the Princes of the sanctuary, (or, holy Princes) and have given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches. And what he threatened of old is brought to pass this day upon you, that they who despise him shall be lightly esteemed. 
1 Sam. 2.30. Hou. 4 6, 7.  And because his people were destroyed for lack of knowledge, ye also rejected knowledge, the Lord hath rejected you, that ye should be no Priests to kim, seeing ye have forgotten the Law of your God, he also hath forgotten your children. As ye were increased, so ye sinned against him: therefore hath he changed your glory into shame. 
job 14.9.  Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them, but the transgressors shall fall therein.   

To the inferior Ministers of the Gospel.  
HOw great in all likelihood had the happiness and glory of the Church been unto this day, and not the Churches only, but yours also, had ye all spoken the same thing still as at the first, and that there had been no divisions amongst you, 
1 Cor. 1.10.  but that ye had been perfectly joined together in the same mind, and in the same judgement, according to the Apostolical precept, 1 Cor. 1.10. Mutually conspiring with one consent to promote the Truth and Peace of the Gospel, by the purity of doctrine and holiness of example, preferring these to close worldly interests, and carnal ends of pride, vainglory; strife, covetousness, and desire of pre-eminence above your brethren, yea what hopes might we yet conceive of peace and happiness after our hot and bloody contentions about that which hath not been hitherto fully determined what it is, and the wasting calamities of unnatural war, were there a true affection, with faithful and universall endeavour in you towards the composure of your own and of popular differences in judgement according to the mind and will of Christ Jesus? But alas! it is greatly to be feared, the breaches are so wide that it passeth humane industry or skill to make them up again, this being a work of his wisdom, who knoweth all things, and of his power, who doth all things, as seemeth best to his godly will. For that which most hindereth this desired union doth still stand in the way; Namely, the unwearied practice of powerful, subtle, and secret Agents to continue and enlarge your divisions, even to the utter confusion and desolation of the Church. And would to God your own disaffection unto peace, error from the Truth, and unequal conversation in respect of Evangelicall parenesse and perfection, did not too much further the hellish designs and attempts of these men. For doth not the same fire of distempered zeal still burn in the breasts, and flash sometimes in the mouths of those who did heretofore set all on a flame? is not your power rather restrained then your will reform? and if there be a change, is it not because of your present condition, not from your inward disposition and affection? 
Judas 11.  to preserve the fruit of falsehood and the reward of unrighteousness, after which ye have greedily ran with Balaam, and I pray God ye perish not in the gainsaying of Core. Can you be so vain as to imagine that the specious pretences, and plausible excuses wherewith ye have smoothed the ears of men, to make way for their good conceit of your bad proceed, will find like acceptance with God the searcher of the heart? Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed in his sight as the potter's clay. 
Is. 29.16. with 15.  Now such as these, as well as others, have risen of your own selves in the last and worst age of the world, speaking perverse things against the Doctrine, Discipline, government and Governors of the Church, to draw away Disciples after them, as it is Act. 20. handling the word of Christ deceitfully; and forming their Doctrine not according to the impartial rule of Truth, but after their own fancy, and as it might best suit with the present humour, and passion of the giddy multitude, preaching, or rather crying up one point of doctrine to the disparagement of another, Faith to the vilifying of charity and good works, of repentance and mortification, as though there was no necessity of these in order to salvation, because not concurring with Faith in the business of justification: Insomuch as some have been traduced by their followers as Popishly affected for no other reason, but for that they did inculcate and press upon the consciences of men in their homilies or Sermons the duties and works of sanctification, as necessary in our Christian practice both in respect of God's command and man's obedience due unto it, and also of the heavenly reward; notwithstanding nothing can be more consonant thenthis doctrine to the precepts of Christ Jesus. In like manner they limited the gracious Act of Divine Predestination, to those of their own sect or faction only, as if they alone had been the truly called of God, the rest of men no better than castaways; for some of their disciples, and those not weakly principled according to their fashion, have in our hearing accounted of others who did not adhere to their way, as of carnal, or at the best but mere civil and moral men, who were perchance partakers of common grace, but aliens from that which they term Special, and is of a saving virtue. Neither have there been wanting those who have proceeded yet farther like the false Prophets of old, & false teachers among the people now under the Gospel foretold by the Apostle S. Peter, privily bringing in damnable heresies, 
2 Pet. 2.1.  even denying the Lord that bought them, & (as it is to be feared) bringing upon themselves swift destruction: the which because unfit to be mentioned, I shall pass by at the present, and the rather for that many have already more then enough enlarged themselves upon this subject.  
As for the universality of Redemption, and liberty of humane will to accept or to reject divine grace offered to the choice thereof, with such like doctrines agreeable to these, or directly thwarting the same, not to be comprehended perchance by man's understanding, at least not to be clearly evidenced or proved unto either opposite party by any deductions of reason from the word of God, so far as to satisfy all objections, and to reconcile all seeming repugnances of controverted places, (the which both adversaries hold forth as their bestweapons whether for defence, or for offence in this fight) what fierce contentions and hot disputes, to say no more, have some raised about these, as if Salus ecclesiae did wholly depend upon them, and not rest upon a sure foundation of evidence and truth; enlarging the power of man's will, or freedom thereof, to a moral capacity of admitting or resusing grace, tendered unto it according to its pleasure: while others did as much contract and limit it, or rather indeed utterly deny it this pretended liberty, as inconsistent with primigenial corruption and privation of original righteousness, common to all who naturally descended from the loins of our first Parents, and being in truth nothing less than a spiritual death of that living soul which God first breathed into mortal flesh; one part maintaining the divine decree concerning man's salvation or damnation to be absolute in God, the other to be conditional in man, grounded upon prevision of faith and obedience in the elect, of unbelief and disobedience of the truth in those that are reprobate, and from hence endeavouring to shake the others confidence and certainty of perseverance unto the end, the which they did apprehend that apply unto themselves from the immutability of God's counsel, purpose, and will. In the mean while, what shift and fallacies have been used of both to hold their ground, and to evade or elude the force of the adversaries reason, insomuch as some have taught themselves and others to say in defence of the absolute decree, as just and equal in itself, contrary to the express word of Christ himself, 
Mat. 26.24.  Mat. 26.24. that it is better to have a being though in endlosse torments under the wrath of the Almighty, than not to be at all: a mere speculative nicety of Metaphysical heads, and too small a wire whereon to hang the weight of such a controversy.  
But what did the people gain by these mutual combats and fiery skirmishes between their spiritual leaders? They might happily learn from them to discourse and argue amiss concerning matters too high for them; to live well they could not, this being a business of action, not of contemplation; of real practice, not of verbal dispute: whereas had they both laid aside these sublimated differences, or discussed them upon occasion with meekness and sobriety, spending their time and pains in teaching the people those truths of sacred Scripture which all are bound to know, all to believe and obey upon necessity in order to salvation, both themselves and they who were instructed by them, had without all question received much more comfort and benefit, than they did, or have done, since these superlative mysteries or points of Theology first gave occasion to the doubtful disputations, afterward agitated between the learned of both factions.  
Of a more inferior nature, but not unlike consequence have your eager disputes, and furious contestations been concerning the Church-worship, and outward ceremonies thereof: Some of you crying them up above measure and beyond reason, in your Sermons to the people; others crying them down as much besides, and without reason when opportunity served their turn: and both neglecting in the mean while the more weighty duties of your calling. By which omission and imprudence, ignorance and faction, secretly crept into the Church, saith and a good conscience became vile and of little or no esteem with men, while every one thought it religion enough to be zealous for his own party, and quocunque modo, to honour and advance it, not considering whether the way were warrantable or no, as it usually comes to pass in designs and actions of this nature. And however some of you were much reputed of for your frequent and painful diligence in the work of the Ministry; yet what a pious Bishop of the first reformation said of Popish preachers in his time, that happy were the people if such preached seldom: the same may we say of you, unless ye had more aimed at peace and holiness, than ye did in your ordinary and prolix orations to the multitude.  
And here we may in no wise pass by without observation, the strange levity and inconstancy, that I may not call it treachery 
* see Zephan. 3.4. , of many of you, who having just now as it were attested your approbation of the Church's Doctrine and Discipline, both by oral profession, and also by manual subscription, (yea, and some highly extolled the same in the congregation, as perfect and exact in every respect) presently (without the least account given to the world of this sudden and unexpected change) condemned both, the one as erroneous in some points, the other as vain and superstitious; and what may seem yet more strange, became as in a moment violent persecutors of their fellow Ministers, who out of conscience of their duty, kept their first faith, and adhered to their former principles. And yet these are the men who arrogate to themselves a greater measure of knowledge with sanctity of life above the rest of their brethren, especially those of a different mind and judgement from them, concerning external rites of divine worship, wherein they hypocritically and falsely complied with them, till they had gotten power into their hands to do without control contrary to what they protested and practised before. But the merciless cruelty, which they had shown to their fellow labourers in God's harvest, and their miserable families utterly impoverished, or (for aught they know or care) perchance famished by reason of these bold unjust intruders into their lawful possessions, if there were nothing else besides, doth sufficiently declare (notwithstanding all their fair pretences and professions of holiness) that they are inwardly ravening wolves, 
Mat. 7.15.  how ever they appear outwardly in sheep's elothing. This having been always the garb of false Prophets, by soft words and smooth carriage to conceal their falsehood and wickedness, the more easily to impose upon the ignorant and undiscerning people. The Lord reform them, that he may forgive them.  
But although these men were so clamorous and loud in the Assembly against their adversaries, and maintained the fight with more than ordinary resolution, some of you were quiet enough, and indeed more then enough; I mean those silent, yet not silenced ministers, whose character we find, Isai. 
Isai. 56.10, 11.  56.10, 11. For as in other respects there mentioned, they were like unto those watchmen condemned by the Prophet: so in this as well as in any, that they all looked to their own way, every one for his gain from his quarter, and for the same end many times as they did, expressed vers. 12. They cared not for the flock; so they might  themselves with the fleece, every Benefice they had, was unto them a fine cura, for they carelessly deserted their congregations, and either committed the oversight of them to men altogether unskilful and unable to instruct them; or if they lighted by chance upon men more sufficient and fit for this work, who also made conscience of doing their duty, and discharging their office according to that power wherewith God had enabled them, labour they might, but scarce eat for their pains; so little encouragement were they to expect from from these hard taskmasters, who did bind heavy burdens and grievous to be born, 
Mat. 23.4.  and lay them on the poor Curates shoulders, but they themselves would not move them with one of their fingers. And yet not a few of them were ingenious men, and eminent for learning, that we may well wonder, how they do so much forget their own education, and so little commiserate and regard men of the same habit and profession with themselves: but chief that they did so much despise God from whom they received their office and trust, and for which they were so straight accountable to him at the last day. For could they think it reasonable, or in any respect warrantable from his Word, that he who took not upon him the care of one Parish or Church, should receive the revenues of two, or more perchance upon occasion, and these far distant each from other? or if never so near adjoining, seldom visited by the owner, and far removed from his thought and solicitude for their souls? But the wisest men are not always the best, neither is learning the mother of grace at any time, and many times destitute of this blessed corupanion: wherefore God hath justly cast you forth of his inheritance with contempt and scorn from your enemies, and turned it to others, while divine chastisements are upon you for your ancient sloth, formerly abused wealth and plenty, and other high offences against his sacred Majesty. And oh that ye were as sensible of your sins as ye are of your unishments. Yea much more grieved for the miscarriage of your life and abuse of your calling, then for the loss of your estates, for that I am sure doth more concern you then this; and thus to resent your errors is to gain by your loss, and to bone it by your pain.  
I have but a word more to speak unto you, and I shall conclude. It is concerning your lives: The which I would to God were not so well observed and known of the people to your prejudice and dishonour, as generally they are throughout the whole land; for than should I with reverence to your calling, gladly pass by your failings in silence: But the dimness of light cannot be concealed, 
Mat. 5.14.  and a city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Ye every where complain, and not without cause, that scorn and reproach are cast upon you by the basest of the people, that men detain your right from you contrary to Law and conscience. But consider with yourselves whether ye have not excessively deserved this usage from them at the hands of God. For what do they yet see, or have seen heretofore in many of you worthy of imitation or honour? Have ye lived after the pattern of your own doctrine, and not rather destroyed by your example, what ye built up by your teaching? For ye who preached holy contempt of the world unto others, were yourselves lovers of the world ye who exhorted others to self-denial, and obedience of the Gospel, did yourselves lead lives unbeseeming the Gospel of Christ Jesus; ye that were above others in respect of your office and place in the Church of God, did  times live beneath the meanest of them, who were committed to your charge, being infamous for your pride of lise, lightness and looseness of behaviour, excess of wine and strong drink, and for other crimes dishonourable in the life of the meanest person professing the Gospel, much more in the conversation of a Pastor. Now what in all probability could be expected from these courses, but that the people would at length entertain a low opinion of yourselves and calling, yea, and of Religion itself? as we see it come to pass this day. Forasmuch as they live after your example, and make no account of your precept, be it never so well grounded on the word of truth, or powerfully laid home to their conscience by the passion and eloquence of the speaker: so little regard have men for the most part to the words of their spiritual leaders, and so much to their works, especially, when agreeing with that carnal disposition or corruption, which is predominant in the minds of the major and worst sort of the world. Although not only the leaders of the people which cause them to err, 
Isa. 9.16.  but they also that are led of them, shall certainly be destroyed in the end.  
These things I writ not to shame you, but as my beloved brethren I warn you, not as an instructor, but as a follow-disciple with you of that one and only Master Christ Jesus; And, witness the common Father of us all, in meekness and sincerity of love. Accept therefore I pray you, my plain, but wholesome counsel, seasonable, though rude advice, affectionate, though not affected according to the fashion of the times. Be henceforth pure and uncorrupt in your doctrine, speaking not what humane passion may suggest unto you, but what ye have learned from the word of truth: not crying down the Law (as the manner of some is) under pretence of advancing the Gospel, as though the Law were against the Promises of God, and not rather subservient to them, 
Gal 3.21.  but discreetly handling both accordingly as ye meet either with proud and obstinate, or with humble and broken hearted sinners, that the gate of mercy may not seem shut up towards these, nor a way laid open for Libertinism to them. Do the work of the Lord neither deceitfully nor negligently, be unblamable in your life, austere and grave in your conversation, just and peaceable in your actions and deal with men, peacemakers and peace-keepers, moderate and abstemious in the use of bodily refreshments, not addicted to pleasures, liberal and charitable in ministering to the necessities of the Saints where ability is present; not covetous or greedy after this world's good, when it is wanting, much less when it doth abound. Be as far eminent above the vulgar sort for holiness of life, as ye are already for dignity of place in the House of God. Be admonished and reclaimed from your sins by past and present sufferings, lest a worse thing come unto you, and iniquity prove your ruin. In a word, so live for the time to come, as it behoveth those who are now, if ever, 
1 Cor. 4.9.  made a spectacle to the world, and to Angels, and to men; that they whose eyes are upon you, may no longer think the profession of Christ to consist in a mere formality or bare show of holiness without the substance thereof, but judge it (as it is indeed) a matter of greatest difficulty and nearest concernment to themselves of any thing in the world; That the reproach which is cast upon you may cease and turn to your adverfaries; that ye may be blessed in the work whereunto the Lord hath called you, not in respect of others only, but of yourselves also; and not complain as one of your brethren not many years ago did unto his servant at his death, who representing to his master at his earnest request for comfort from him in the midst of despair, the same consolations, which according to his office he usually ministered to others in his life time, that had been in the same condition with himself now ready to breathe out the last: the poor disconsolate man replied, that he well remembered what was suggested to his mind. But alas! saith he, I did not myself then believe those things to be true which I preached unto others, and therefore cannot now find any comfort in them, when I most stand in need thereof. Finally, my brethren, whatsoever things are true, 
Phil. 4.8.  whatsoever things are honest (or venerable) whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, 
Rom 15.5, 6.  think on these things. Now the God of patience and consolation, grant you to be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus; That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the father of our Lord Jesus Christ. To him be glory, Amen.   

To the Nobility and Gentry.  
I Shall not divide you in my reproof and counsel, however the Law and custom of your nation hath made a wide difference between you, forasmuch as ye both are the Nobility of the land, though with great inequality of power, place, and honour in the Commonwealth, especially in former times. But the similitude, or rather parity of your sins hath brought you into a fare nearer distance one from the other, or indeed made you one and the same for guilt and crime, both in the sight of God, and before men. Wherefore I also shall address my speech unto you, as to one rank and order of men in the State, yet not as a flattering Chaplain, or domestic servitor of your greatness, who wait at your tables, whom necessity, or hope of benefit from you, or else some other by-interest have taught seemingly at least to admire your persons, and to praise you in every thing ye speak or do, how mean soever it be, and many times worthy of sharpest reproof: but as a true and faithful friend, who have no dependence on your favour, and fear not your frown, commend that truth unto you without partiality or dissimulation, which doth more concern you then the free enjoyment of your large possessions, were the compass and extent of them according to your desire, much more vast than now it is. Neither do I assume unto myself this liberty, because of your present low condition. This I pity and bewail, being myself perchance by a long series anciently descended from the best of you, however now a mean and obscure person, but with due respect of love and reverence to yourselves and families. Ye are or should be very eminent in the body politic, and far above the other members, as in dignity of place, so likewise of desert: But alas, with grief and shame I mention it, many, that I may not say the most part of you, have not been so high above them in respect of your birth, and external honour annexed thereunto, as ye have been beneath them for real inward worth of goodness and virtue, by which alone ye can approve yourselves unto God, and become truly honourable in the judgement of men. Ye may happily much pride yourselves in the antiquity and splendour of your families heretofore, in the valour and exploits of your progenitors: but do these tend to your glory, and not rather to your infamy and reproach, who have so far degenerated from your ancestors, that ye retain nothing of them now, but their name with the outward badges or ensigns of their gentility; besides the sins and vices of their persons, which partly pleasure, partly profit, and partly ambition, have made as hereditary to your houses, as the lands which ye do possess. And are not these so many spots of your nobility, as well as of your Christian profession? I mean your sacrilege, contempt of religion and of the religious, open profaneness, and scoffing both at the simplicity of godliness, and at the iniquity of sin, swearing, pride of life, voluptuousness, excess of riot, unsatiate lust, oppression of your olients, boundless covetousness, with others of the like nature, the which I shall not stir at this time. For how many servants and messengers of the Lord, have with their whole families been reduced by your means to worse extremities than I am willing to express, and could obtain no relief from you, without base flattery, and unfaithful compliance with your lewd and sinful courses of life? a thing every way dishonourable to the calling of a Minister, so near approaching unto God himself as this doth. In the mean while what use ye made of the Lords portion forced from the right owner thereof, is sufficiently known to the world. For did ye not like those Amos 6.4, 
Amos 6.4.  etc. lie upon beds of Ivory, or of such choice and precious matter as this, and stretch yourselves upon your couches (or abound with superfluities) and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall? Did ye not chant to the sound of the viol, drink wine out of bowls, and were not at all grieved for the afflictions of Joseph? And all this sometimes, of the most part upon the Church's patrimony? Besides this, which is as bad, yea much worse; how many poor souls, by this withholding of good from the owners thereof, have perished in the land through famine and thirst, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord, which have been either altogether destitute of a teaching priest, or committed to the charge of one as ignorant as themselves, to save your purses though with the loss of their most precious souls, the guilt of which will one day lie more heavy upon your conscience, than thought is now able to conceive, much less tongue to express. And although the large and ample revenue; that some of you enjoyed over and above the lot of Christ, might well have prompted to you a better mind towards his worship and the Ministers thereof: yet neither this consideration, nor the improsperity of your families, with those strange remarkable judgements observed by many from the Almighty upon your houses, have been in the least measure prevalent with you for repentance and restitution of what ye have thus gotten or detained from his Church unto this present day. Neither will prescription or time bear you out in this matter: for Nullum tempus occurrit Regum Regi; and if the King had this prerogative in times past, much more doth it belong to God for ever.  
As for your profaneness and contempt of Divine Worship, besides the apparent and notorious wickedness of your lives, your coniving at sin, in places of authority and public Trust, or indeed (secret at least) maintaining and encouraging thereof in the more lose and vicious sort of people, at the best, but weak and faint opposition made by you against it, (And in truth with what face could ye punish or control those enormities in other men, whereof yourselves were more guilty than they in your own conscience?) Besides these I say, let your irreverent and irreligious carriage in the Church of God at the time of solemn service on his day attest the truth of this charge, the which generally was far more vain and light, than did become Saints at any time, especially in the more immediate presence of the most holy, and indeed then that, which yourselves would expect from your servants, or inseriours in your private houses, or can with patience endure from them. For what whispering, smiling, want on passages of gesture, discourse, and other not sit to be named, did fill up the measure of that hour (and of your own iniquity) which the Minister did bestow on praying and preaching of the Word? whereas if ye at any time came into the Congregation, your poor Tenants must intermit their devotions, and stand up to honour you, though with the dishonour of their Maker: a respect not to be required of any at such a time as this, no nor to be received from any if offered, or admitted by any person how great soever, because displeasing unto him, who is a God jealous of his honour, and will not give his glory to another. Now had it not been much better for you in respect of your own souls, the which ye did so foully slain by this ungodly behaviour, and of the souls of your brethren, whom ye did offend and grieve, or corrupt by your lewd example, and less hateful to the Lord, not to have been present at all at his Ordinances, than thus grossly to profane them? But this impious presumption and over daring boldness of sinning and provoking your Redeemer to his Face, ye took to be the privilege of your birth and place, and therefore other men were more cautious and sparing herein then yourselves, or made more conscience than you, of what they did at such a time, and in such a place as this is.  
It may seem incredible what I have been informed of a Peer of the Realm, and yet I cannot distrust the truth thereof, both for the Relatours' sake, and for the relation which is common in and about that place where he lately lived. He used every Lord's Day, when he went with his Family to the Church, to have his Mastive go before him, with a Marmoset, or some such creature near of kin to this, upon the Dogs back; a strange Pageant for such a solemnity, what his end and aim at was in this I shall forbear to censure, because he hath already stood or fallen to his own master. 
Rom. 14.4.   
Now touching your unnecessary, rash, frequent and many times false swearing, by the terrible and fearful name of the great God of Heaven and Earth, and by his eternal Son Jesus Christ, equal to himself in Majesty and Power (whose blood and wounds, passion, parts and properties were seldom or never mentioned by you, but in this sinful way of profanation) and your usual imprecations of his wrath upon your souls, where no just occasion I am sure, if any at all, were offered of so deep asseverations and protestations against yourselves before the faithful witness, and impartial Judge of all hearts: what can we say of it, but that it was the Gentleman's ordinary Rhetoric, the common grace of his speech, and the supposed Ornament of his discourse; Oaths being with him pigmenta orationis, wherein he did much glory, and whereof he did make special use (though bad enough God knoweth) when matter of dispute, or elocution did fail him, although he might well consider how that which is highly esteemed among men, is abomination in the sight of God. 
Luk. 15.16.  And oh the pernicious influence of evil example, from superiors upon the inferior sort! how general hath this contagion been in the land? how far hath this canker overspread the body of this Nation? Derived (as we have just cause to imagine) from you as from the fountain, and so by your dependants and followers, as by so many corrupt channels, conveyed to the rest of the people. Insomuch as many at this time, account no more of this needless, but great transgression of the Divine Law, than they do of any idle word, which proceedeth out of their mouths without thought or premeditation of what they were to speak.  
And here I should take occasion next to reprove you for your pride; I mean that which doth manifest itself to the world by outward garb and fashion of the times: but that I have just cause to believe, at least am willing to hope of many of you, that the grievous and sad calamities, which by the just hand of God have fallen upon your estates and families in these dysastrous times of war, have in some measure humbled and abased your spirits, and taken off from the vanity and lightness both of your behaviour and apparel: so much is sorrow better than laughter, 
Eccles. 7.3.  for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. And yet alas, not a few of your degree even to this day, are so far from being truly sensible of their sufferings, that they seem to be more hardened in their pride at this present then before, and wax more wanton against the Lord, since his hand hath been upon them for trial and correction, then in former times, like those of whom we read Isa. 9.9, 10. The Lord pardon and reclaim them from the error of their ways.  
And now I shall proceed to speak of your Epicurean or voluptuous manner of living, together with your riot and excess, because of their near affinity. First then, if nothing else could be laid to your charge, than a continual prosecution of interchangeable pleasures, or endeavour without ceasing to gratify sinful concupiscence with whatsoever it desireth, or lusteth after, were not this enough to condemn you before the just tribunal of your Maker? For did he who came to redeem you ever lead such a life as this upon the earth? or commend it to his Disciples and followers? no surely. For mourning, mortification, self-denial, taking up, and bearing the cross, or patiented enduring of reproaches and persecutions, (ever attending on the sincere and zealous profession of the Gospel) tender compassion toward our brethren in misery, with present relief of their necessities according to our power and ability. In a word, contempt of this present world, and abhorrency from the enticing pleasures thereof, are the subject matter of all his Sermons, the pith of his Doctrine, the marrow of his Divinity. And do ye still think that a paradise of earthly pleasures is the way to an heavenly paradise of comfort and delight? or that an heaven of carnal happiness here may in likelihood be a passage unto an heaven of spiritual and eternal felicity hereafter? The Israelites of old could not arrive to the land of Canaan, but by the long and dangerous way through the Wilderness; and the Gospel which doth promise us a Kingdom in the world to come, doth withal assure us, 
Act. 14.22.  that we must through much tribulation enter in to the Kingdom of God. And ye hope, or rather dream of a Canaan in the way, and another at the journey's end; ye would fain wear the Crown, and yet not bear the Cross; obtain the victory, and never enter into the battle, rejoice in the triumph, and not sweat in the fight. But oh consider I pray you, and lay to heart that curse of your confidence 
* Luk. 16.25. , and what hath often founded in your ears, but never as yet entered into your hearts, ye especially who every day glut yourselves with the choicest dainties which the Sea or land can afford, feeding yourselves without fear, 
Judas.  drinking without measure or restraint, ye who are mighty to drink wine, 
Isa. 5.22.  and men of strength to mingle strong drink, 
Hab. 2.15.  ye that give your neighbour drink and put your bottle to him, and make him drunken also, that ye may look on their nakedness. Behold your sins in the truest glass, and tremble to think on the curses which attend them, that ye may not henceforth drink in foolish imagination the health of others to the real perdition of your own souls, that your tables may be no longer covered with vomit, lest the banquet of them that siretch themselves be removed; 
Amos 6.7.  Lest the cup of the Lords right hand be turned unto you, 
Hab. 2.17.  and shameful spewing be on your glory. And indeed the Lord hath already brought to pass what he hath threatened to do in many of your habitations, where we may find no small diminution of that luxuriant plenty and abundance which ye formerly had, but abused to the dishonour of him who gave it, partly through your riot and excess, whereby ye have viciously and shamefully wasted those godly estates, which the industrious care and travail of your forefathers transmitted unto you their unworthy progeny, and sometimes purchased for themselves and you at much a dearer rate, even with the desperate adventure and hazard of their precious lives, or through the iniquity of the present times, whereby God hath already in a very great measure scourged you for the superfluity of naughtiness, the which he saw in you, and will yet punish you more even to utter extirpation, if ye do not timely meet him in the way of his judgements, and make your peace with him, by the humble acknowledgement of your sins and speedy turning from them unto him, who smiteth you for this cause, that ye may repent and be healed.  
To this we may add, your wantonness or unlawful lust, the true and proper daughter of riot and excess. In which how far ye have transgressed within the compass of a few years past, let your own actions and behaviour visible enough God knoweth, and manifest in this particular witness against you, besides the testimony of your own conscience; Are not your meetings at the Park and Garden by the great City known to all the world? To omit your mixed and lose Dance, Table-communications, Cup-discourse, and such like, what meaneth I pray you the effeminate delicacy, attire and garb of the masculine sex? The fashion, dress, gate, painting and patches of the Female? Doth not the show of their countenance testify against them? although the men also have of late been so vain as to borrow this uncivil fashion from the women, I mean the wearing of patches on their faces, which are indeed but so many blemishes to the reputation of both, and marks of dishonesty, not (as they take them to be) garnishing spots of comeliness and beauty. And yet with how great care and expense are some of these procured for you? I am ashamed to mention what hath hath been reported to me for a certainty concerning this thing. Oh strange and unheard of luxury to those who are gone before us! how many empty bowels might charity refresh, how many naked bodies cloth with this waste and altogether needless cost? As for your Ladies former Ball-conventicles, wherewith they have been publicly upbraided on the Theatre, and your famed compositions in secret with the lascivious Courts, for liberty and allowance in lust, with your unsonable banquet, and novel irritations invented or used by you for this unclean purpose, let them never be remembered any more, or made known to those who shall come after; neither list I to stir any farther in this puddle or sink of corruption. I shall not speak much of your oppressing and racking your poor Tenants, occasioned, no doubt, many times as well by your luxury and costly manner of living, as by your covetousness and immoderate desire of enlarging your possessions: Forasmuch as that doth often cast you upon those necessities which ye cannot relieve but by this unjust way whereunto ye have compelled yourselves by your foregoing sin. Now as ye have by this means generally lost the good opinion and affection of the people, (according to late and sorrowful experience thereof towards your persons and proceed) so have ye highly provoked the wrath of God against yourselves and families, and as much, if not more, by your unsatiate covetousness; whereby many of you indeed (and who not in desire?) join house to house, 
Isai. 5.8.  lay field to field, till there be no place, that ye may be planted alone in the midst of the earth: Not fearing nor minding the curse of the Almighty, which he hath denounced against you in the next v. by the Prophet, notwithstanding it hath already entered into many of your habitations, for of a truth, even to this day many houses are desolate, and though great and fair, without inhabitant. But to what purpose is all this care and much ado? Surely, to make your families great & mighty upon the earth, to leave your children vast inheritances of land, and treasure which knows no bottom. But oh that ye could have a prospect now in your life of two or three generations to come, would you not then condemn your present folly, and perceive a great deal of improvidence in this your providence and solicitous care for them? for than might you see according to the common course of the world, one descended from you prodigally spending that substance which your diligence and pains thriftily got for him; another desperately running himself out of all through carelessness and dissoluteness of living; and now become more miserable in his want, than the poorest man that breaths, because of that plenty and prosperity which he enjoyed in times past; a third made a prey to them who are more potent and powerful than himself, for the rich patrimony which ye have les● him, and in the same day perchance discharged from his estate and life together. But which is most considerable in itself, though least of all thought upon by you, their wealth through the secret yet just judgement of the Almighty for your unjust acquiring thereof, like their table, is made a spiritual snare, 
Rom 11 9  and a trap, and a stumbling block, and a recompense unto them; for nothing is more pernicious to the soul then outward prosperity in this world, without grace to use it aright. And yet notwithstanding this, your inward thought is, that your houses shall continue for ever, and your dwelling places to all generations, ye call your lands after your own names, nevertheless man being in honour abideth not, 
Psa. 49 11.12 13.  he is like the beasts that perish. This your way is your folly, yet your posterity approve your say. And I pray God that may not be your own portion, which the Prophet foretelleth should be theirs of whom he speaketh, 
v. 14.  v. 14. after ye are gone from hence and be no more seen.  
I have but one word of reproof more, and I am sure it will be unexpected of you, the Lord grant that it be not unwelcome also; It is concerning your Domestic Chaplains, whom partly your own pride, partly the evil custom of the Times hath taught you to entertain in no better fashion, then as honorary servants in your houses; whereby the worthy calling of the Ministry is much debased from the dignity thereof, and no small contempt drawn upon it from the vulgar sort of people, especially those that depend upon your greatness, which are very many. For this is far from receiving a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, or the Messenger of Christ with that honour which is due to Christ, to place him in the rank of those who continually expect your commands, and are at your devotion. Besides this, it is a great shame, that men of ingenuous education, sometimes not inferior to yourselves in birth, and scarce ever not above you in respect of intellectual parts, and endowments of the soul, should nevertheless be constrained to stand as servitors at your tables, or to sit in the meanest place belonging thereunto, scarce daring to peep or mutter without a brow-check or control from their fastidious patrons; and all this to serve your state, to which also their praying, preaching, and other acts of their Ministerial Office must submit both for the manner, extent, and other circumstances pertaining to the action, or else there is no long abode for them with you. To omit the many scoffs, verbal and real indignities they are fain ofttimes to put up with patience not only at the hands of children, but of servants also for quietness sake, if not rather for their present necessity, unless they purchase respect from them with a good part of that stipend, which they receive from you. Insomuch as one not unaptly (as the case stands now) termed a Chaplain in a Nobleman's house, a black servingman. Wherefore God hath justly given you up unto contempt and reproach, so that the vilest of men are become Lords over you, because ye have thought light of his Worship, and the Ministers thereof, and have made both it and them contemptible in the sight of others by your example.  
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, 
1 Pet. 5.6.  that he may exalt you in due time. 
Jac. 4.9.  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep, for the sins of your Fathers the which ye do inherit as well as their lands, for your own personal sins which are great and many, for the sins of your families, for the sins of the people, which they have been bold to commit through your connivance, or after your pattern, for all, but chief and above all for your glorying in sin, which is your shame, and the reproach of your Maker, the height of impiety and deepest stain of sinful guilt. And learn henceforth to honour that Religion which ye have hitherto despised, to be zealous for the truth of God, to reverence and support the Ministry of Christ, to call the Sabbath a delight, 
Isa 58.13, 14.  the holy of the Lord honourable, that ye may delight yourselves in the Lord, and he may cause you to ride upon the high places of the earth; To countenance and encourage all that live according to the Gospel, and not prefer vain and scurrilous persons before them. Esteem not of men (as your custom is) more by their outward garb and apparel, then by their inward worth, but respect them in the first place for this, and show it by your carriage toward them. There is a sort of men in the world, who for pride, or upon pretence of noble birth; though of decayed families, or in a remote distance from those that are flourishing, follow your mode and fashion, the which are the most foolish, dishonest, and many times the poorest as well in purse as in conditions, that are in the Nation; do not favour or uphold them in their courses, lest they prove mischievous to yourselves and others. Banish far from you all flattering Parasites, and those whom ye liberally feed with your meat, because they feed you with the corrupt air of their vain discourse, or of their false slanderous reports: Be careful to maintain and execute justice impartially, where you have authority: Be moderate and abstemious in your pleasures, use them as condiments of study and labour, as refreshments of life, not make them the business and end thereof. For is it not a foul shame for a Gentleman or Noble Person, while he is yet alive, to be so buried in pleasure, and sloth, as to deserve an High situs est? and yet as the Apostle teacheth us, 1 Tim. 5.6. Such a one that liveth in pleasure is dead while he liveth. And when he is dead, no better Epitaph upon his monument, then, Fuit, non vixit. Be industrious therefore and active in your life, that ye may be honourable while ye live, and also after death. Let your communication be without the impiety of swearing, and impurity of lust Be humble in your carriage towards all men, remembering the common original of all, and the grace of God free for all. Be good to your Tenants as those who labour for your pleasure, sweat for your repose, and daily disquiet themselves for your ease. Let them not be slaves to you, that you may become more servile slaves to your own lusts. Be bountiful to the poor and given to hospitality 
* See 1 Pet. 4.9, 10. , desiring rather charitably to improve that abundance which ye have, then covetously to get that which ye have not, and need not to have. Beware of idleness and vacancy of employment to prevent sin, to escape judgement; For can you think it reasonable with men, much less with God, that all should labour for you, and ye alone be idle? The Minister in his study at his Book, the husbandman in the field at his plough, the tradesman or Artificer in his shop? especially, while ye defraud the first of his Tithes, oppress the other in his vent, and despise the last for the meanness of his calling? 
Mat. 20.  Did any receive the Lords penny, who did not at all labour in his Vineyard? much less may they expect it, who in stead of working therein lay it waste or gather the grapes thereof. 
Mat. 22.  Give therefore unto God the things that are Gods. For, if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, 
Luk. 16.  who shall give you that which is your own? Lastly, provide yourselves of able and pious Chaplains, and respect them according to their Office and worth; Give them liberty to admonish you of your duty both in public and in private, to reprove you with freedom, when you speak or do amiss, use them for the good of your souls, for the virtuous and godly education of your children, for the instruction of your Families in what they ought to know and do: not for the pride or state of your persons, nor yet to gratify your spiritual ease and sloth. For we are all partial judges of ourselves, and therefore need the continual censure of other men, who are for the most part diligent enough to discharge their duty and conscience in this particular, where they know they may be bold without offence. As for those who think themselves too good to do God service, them will he count not good enough to receive his reward. Thus shall God establish you upon the earth, and your children after you, make you truly happy in your life, blessed in your death, and after death blessed for evermore, Amen.   

To the expulsed Members of the University, and to those now abiding therein. 1. To the expulsed Members.  
I Do not undertake to reprove or admonish you as one more knowing then yourselves, far be this arrogancy and self-conceit from me: but as a friendly Remembrancer unto you of what ye already know, but mind not, and therefore know not as ye ought. I speak as unto men corrupted in judgement, and blinded with passion, whereby ye are unable to see the light that shines about you, like the Athenians of whom Tully giveth this testimony, 
Cat. Maj.  Athenienses seire quae recta essent, sed facere nolle, or like them in the Gospel, 
Mat. 23.3.  which did say and do not: your light of knowledge resembling that, which men carry with them in a dark lan●horn, when it is upon occasion turned from them, which served only to enlighten others, so that while they did, or at least might have walked in your light, yourselves went stumbling in the dark. Your lines (through the merciful Providence of the Almighty) were fallen unto you in pleasant places, 
Psal. 16.6.  yea you had a goodly heritage, as it is Ps. 16.6. But ye soon forgot his great goodness towards you, and turned the same into wantonness. Therefore did his wrath wax hot against you, and his hand is heavy upon you, as it is this day. And though he gave you timely warning before of the approaching evil, ye were not admonished thereby, that ye might repent, and so meet the Lord in his judgements for reconciliation and peace. But idleness and fullness of bread, excess of wine and of strong drink, profaneness and dissolute living, public and private faction with emulation and strife, perjury and corruption, with such like practices filled up the measure of your sins before God, until the time of judgement and recompense was fully come. For how many of you thought an University life to consist in vacancy from all employment, even that of the mind as well as that of the body, and in the pleasure of recreation and sport, to say no worse, abstracted from study and contemplation? I am ashamed to mention, and would to God it were in my power to conceal the sloth and Epicurism of others, who divided their whole life to those natural actions of eating, drinking, and sleeping, as natural brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed: 
2 Pet. 2 12.  Corrupting themselves in those things which they knew after their manner; 
Judas 10.  being so many spots and reproaches of learning, and not of Christian only, but of humane society also. These were the men that scoffed on their Ale and Wine benches, at the painful industry of their fellow Members, as if it had been a sin, at least a shame to be studious, arrogating in the mean while to themselves (that of which God knows they were not guilty) eminency of parts above their diligent brethren, for which they would be beholding to nature only, and to their sottish company. But enough and too much of these.  
As for faction, how closely did it lurk every where in the Colleges? And yet how openly did it declare and publish itself in the University? The Arminian against the Calvinian, & the Calvinian against the Arminian, declaiming publicly upon all occasions in the pulpit, and as ●ar as the reverence of the place would give leave, odiously exagita●ing the positions and tenants one of another; and in the Schools fiercely bandying each against his adversary, and all striving for mastery, not for truth. In the mean while what libellous defamations were secretly composed and subtly spread abroad, sometimes by this, and other while by that party, tending to the infamy and disgrace both of the cause and of the persons that maintained the same. As for the Arminian faction, it was undoubtedly upheld and encouraged by the superior power, though under pretence of silencing both, as it did appear by an injunction from supreme Authority inhibiting these disputes and contentions which had so much disquieted the peace of this grand seminary of the Church. But the partiality that was ever shown towards them which did transgress on the higher ground, the countenance and favour with preferment cast upon them by those who sat at the stern, together with the rigour and severity used in censuring the opposite delinquent party, gave sufficient evidence to the world what their meaning was, who imposed cessation and silence upon the pens and tongues of these eager and bitter adversaries. For notwithstanding this specious prohibition, that party which did most pretend to obedience, did say and do as before, without check or control from their superiors; knowing full well what their mind was concerning this thing, and finding by experience ofttimes, that it did smooth a by-way for them to the end of their ambitious desires. And here it seemeth strange to me, that they who did recede from their former principles & grounds of doctrine to join with the Arminian faction, became for the most part more lose in their life, and dissolute in their manners then before; confuting and destroying their newly received opinion of free will by the licentious courses of their conversation, which they did assert by argument and discourse of reason against them which did oppose the same, like men destitute of that grace, the which they endeavoured to weaken in the force and operation thereof upon the soul of a sinner. And some we have known in times past most zealous advocates for the Arminian doctrine, since quite fallen away from the reformed Church to the superstition and idolatry of Rome, being perchance the more easily induced thereunto by the progress which they had made in the way before: the causes and motives whereof, one at least hath divulged to the world for the justifying of his Apostasy; as for his intentions, these are known to God only and to his own conscience, to whom we leave him. For it was a wonder to hear what virulent speeches were uttered by men of this stamp, against the first reformers of the Church: Perfecto odio odi Calvinum, was reported to be the expression of one famed for other parts as well as for those of learning among you. But I had rather omit then recite: passages of this nature for divers reasons, not to be mentioned at this present time.  
As for the other faction, their late proceed have given in sufficient evidence against them of their treachery and falsehood, and represented a full, but foul character of their persons to all wise and discerning men, however many through ignorance, or affection, or self-interest entertain an honourable conceit of their way and actions unto this day. And now we shall proceed to the consideration of your perjury, an Academical surely (if any other) sin, which though an offence of high nature before God, was common with the major part of your society, that I may not say generally slighted by all because of the ordinary and customary practice of men herein. For it was very frequent, and indeed a matter of course with them to attest upon oath the sufficiency or ability of any person to receive a gradual promotion in the University, how illiterate and otherwise unworthy soever he was of that favour. A●scio was tendered and accepted in his behalf where a credo had been too much, a nescio was due, or in truth a nego rather. And what a congregationvote for the same purpose was, I need not to explain. Surely, such men had either a very low esteem of the religious tye of any oath, or scarce thought these of their corporation obligatory in point of conscience, but rather ceremonies of mere formality or custom. Although I have often heard it reported of a very learned and pious Bishop now with the Lord, that in his confessions to God he usually craved pardon of him for his University oaths, the which probably he had readily taken, but slackly performed as well as the rest of his brethren.  
Neither did this sin reign in public only, but also in private societies, as your corrupt Elections did evidently show. In which the fear or favour of great persons in hope to rise by them, especially of one who could do all in his time, respect of birth, or love of money, and what besides I list not now to name; were more prevalent with you, than conscience of oath or duty. Desert being for the most part laid aside by you, and learning not regarded when it did enterfeer with the former. And yet how strictly were you bound by your Collegiate oaths to austerity of life, gravity of carriage, brotherly love and accord one with another, especially to incorrupt dealing, as in other matters, so chief in relinquishing your places, and electing others into vacant rooms. The thought whereof (as I have been informed by many) gave courage and confidence to the governor of a College in Q. Elizabeth's days after receiving a Mandate from her Majesty to proceed unto an unstatutable election of one into the house, who was uncapable thereof, to call for a pair of balances, and to lay the Queen's letters in one scale, the statute-book in the other, demanding withal of those who were then present, which of the two weighed down the other, and replying, that the command of a Prince ought to give place in any thing where our obedience is due to God before. How far different your practice hath been on like occasions from this worthy example. I am ashamed to speak, and let one for all testify, who having not long before an Election, encouraged a young youth of meet capacity for the place in all respects, and (as I remember) promised him his vote against another competitor, much inferior to him every way, age only excepted, upon an unexpected receipt of a letter in the behalf of the latter from a person very opportune for his advantage, and powerful with the highest, suddenly changed his mind, not blushing to say, that the former was indeed the more deserving scholar, but he might not by any means displease them, which had commended the latter to his choice; although he could not be ignorant what he was bound to do by oath and conscience in this case. But this was the general carriage of things at that time, partly through men's own inclinations, and partly through the remiss and corrupt government of their Praepositi or heads, who for aught as could be discerned by them, made the least conscience of any, of keeping their oaths, and acting according to the tenor of them; whether in reference to themselves, or unto others committed to their charge; for they freely tolerated, or at least connived at your manners, how vicious soever, and contrary to the local statutes, that ye might be (as in seemeth) the more obnoxious to their unjust will after Court-example in another case. In the mean time suspecting and hating virtuous and sober men, who conscionably opposed or disliked their proceed: which for the generality tended to this, how they might serve their superiors in what they did command, without disputing the lawfulness or unlawfulness thereof, and so make way for their own advancement. And therefore would they sometimes as well by their authority as by their example, draw others into the snare, and make them guilty with themselves of this grand delinquency against the Almighty. And indeed they wanted not at any time enough or more then enough, who stiffly adhered to the factions, and readily followed their pernicious counsels and courses without contradiction or demur, for their own vile and base ends. Thus would they both as occasion served, break at pleasure those religious bonds of conscience (I mean their more than penal oaths) as Samson did his green with'hs or new ropes, 
Judg. 16.  though many times perchance no fewer than these. Now such was the devotion of these poor creatures to their unworthy masters as well in other respects as in the former, that they must undergo the heat and burden of the day for them in their Academical turns of preaching, and likewise in their country charges on the weekly solemnities, not far distant from the University. For (whether it were idleness, or for prelatical state, or for both these, I cannot tell) your governor's begins now generally to neglect, if not to desert, this necessary work of the ministry, as not pertaining to their office, and though they were well content to receive the profits of many live year by year, it was done without any noise or benefit to the people; Forasmuch as they seldom or never discharged their duty in one of those samished congregations, for whom they are to answer and give an exact account to Christ at the last day. The Lord lay not this sin to their charge.  
Not inferior (as I conceive) to your perjury was your falsehood in giving forth the same Letters testimonial for all men without exception, that requested the same at your hands: but of far more dangerous consequence to the Church of Christ, which by this means, no doubt, became worse provided of pastors in the nation, than any of the reformed Churches throughout the Christian world. Sed mulus mulum scabit. Wherefore God gave you up as a prey and spoil to those men whom he did in times past more despise then any living upon the earth: To merciless enemies, who did confound the innocent with the guilty in censure and punishment; no ingennity of parts, no eminency of learning or piety, no true pretence of conscience could serve the turn, and be admitted to plead for them. Every information was accepted from the false brethren; any one, how uncapable soever, of the faction, was preferred to what place he best liked. Neither (as I am informed) did one of them noted for his intemperate zeal, stick to say, that they must not leave one of the old brood remaining in the University: a speech most inhuman, as well as unchristian, especially considering the tendency thereof; which was (as time hath since made manifest) to make way for the introducing in their stead a new generation of creatures not much unlike those of whom we read Mat. 
Hab. 1.12, 13.  3.7. O Lord thou hast ordained them for judgement, and oh mighty God thou hast established them for correction. Thou art of purer eyes then to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he? Therefore as ye multiplied oaths to sin, so God make oaths a snare or bait of judgement unto you, that he might cast you forth of those goodly habitations and possessions which ye enjoyed, but were now become altogether unworthy any longer to continue in them by reason of your sins, wherewith you had for many years before provoked the eyes of his glory. And oh that ye had truly repent of them even at this day I but alas, the excess and riot of many of you with other crimes do still testify against you, not as yet relinquished by them in any measure; no nor concealed from the eyes of the world, though hateful to your adversaries, and opprobrious to yourselves: except necessity doth sometimes lay a restraint upon your power, where will is present and ready at all times.  
Learn therefore I pray you, though late, for the Lords sake, for your own sakes, for the Church's sake, to be more temperate in your lives, more austere in your behaviour, more vigilant and sober in all respects than ye have hitherto been. And now since that the Almighty hath in his providence and justice scattered you as with a-whirle-winde amongst this & other nations also, 
Zech. 7.14.  beware that ye do not publish your own shame and the confusion of your mother to them, by the lewdness of your example. For what is this but to justify as much as in you lieth the proceed of your enemies against you? and to stop the current both of divine and of humane pity towards your calamitous sufferings? But be seasonably admonished by God's fatherly rebuke, reform by his loving and gentle correction; And let your repentance be as remarkable as your sin, yourholinesse of life as eminent as your knowledge of the truth, 
1 Pet. 1.15.  that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, and not the ignorance only, but the malice also of your enemies: Then hear the word of the Lord, 
Isa. 66.5.  ye that tremble at his word; your brethren that hated you, that cast you out fornny-names sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified, but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.   

To the new Academics.  
I Shall not question your title at this time to what ye do possess, let your own awakened conscience judge thereof in this world (because there is no other Tribunal) and God the supreme Judge of all examine the matter at the last day. In the mean time they who have suffered by you ought patiently to wait for this general Assize, at which all causes that have passed man's censure and determination in this life must receive an after trial and sentence not to be revoked again. Now it may justly raise the wonder of any indifferent man not interested with you, nor yet a friend of the other party, to consider what a low and vile esteem ye have of the ejected members, by whose loss you have gained, and upon whose ruins you have raised your present flourishing fortune. Forasmuch as ye account of them no better then of the Canaanites and those other nations whom the Lord cast forth of old before his chosen people to plant them in their stead, yourselves being (in your own eyes at least) the only true Israel of God in this whole nation: and thus (as I have been credibly informed by them which are conversant with you) have ye termed them in your hasty devotions to the Almighty, yet withal more truly acknowledging, that not for your own righteousness, but for their wickedness he was pleased to bring you into houses which neither ye nor any of your families built before you, and into gardens which neither you nor they planted, to possess them as your own, and I may add with truth, that many of you came not hither for your learning, as ye did not for your goodness (their ignorance in this respect; be as notorious as their guilt in other matters) Let 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 explained and prosecuted in that sense by a worshipful Doctor before the learned multitude, 
Heb. 5.11.  give in public evidence of what hath been spoken in this particular. Now as touching the former, consider I pray you, how much conceits and speeches of this nature do savour of the leaven of the Pharisees, 
Luk. 12.1. with 18.9, etc. with 16.15.  the which is hypocrisy mixed with pride and vainglory: whence we may perceive the nature and quality of this sin, which ofttimes maketh so glorious a show in the eyes of the world, and how odious it is in the sight of our maker. Besides, let him that standeth take heed lest he fall, 
1 Cor. 10.12. Gal. 6.1.  and he that is spiritual consider himself, lest he also be tempted. But are ye indeed altogether free from the just imputation of those crimes which you lay to the charge of your adversaries? 
2 Chr. 28.10.  or are there not with you, even with you, sins against the Lord your God? your levity and pride of apparel (no obscure sign nor fallible testimony of your vanity and sin) exceedeth by far that of your predecessors, and would better become the place which you so much abhor, I mean the theatre or stage, than the University where ye thus flaunt it out contrary to former statute and custom of civil and sober men. And here observable is the strange impudence of the junior sort towards their elders and betters, whom they durst affront openly by the boldness and imimmodesty of their carriage, whereas in times past, a junior did scarce presume to look steadfastly upon any that was much his senior in the house, so far were they from behaving themselves contemptuously or unseemingly in their presence as now they do: an argument, no doubt, of remiss, or of ill-managed government. And for this cause the youth (as I have been informed) were bold to supplicate the Parliament, that they might be exempt from the usual respect which was formerly given to their betters in the College, and still required of them as too much entrenching forsooth upon their liberty. A Petition (I believe) of which nature the like was never before framed, and presented to that Assembly. Neither can ye (for aught as I can hear) acquit yourselves of their excess, however secrecy be joined with sin, and domestic privacy makes the crime less clamorous to the world, though perchance alike heinous before the Almighty. But for mine own part, I cannot lay this sin to your charge, and well it is if ye are clear in your own conscience from this bestial pollution of humane nature.  
Ye much boast of your dexterity and frequency both in preaching, and unpremeditated praying (a novel rarity in that place wherewith it was not acquainted in times past, or else so closely locked up, that few had the knowledge thereof). But granting some of you a primacy in the former, I suppose many of you have cause to blush at the mention of the latter, remembering what mistakes, impertinencies, tautologies, inconsequencies, to say no worse, have passed from you in this rash and inconsiderate motion. Although the better advised and wiser sort among you, to avoid such inconveniences as these, are thought to present us with composed forms of prayer many times, yet so as they would have them taken of their Auditors for the issues of sudden meditation; and indeed the phrase and language of the same intimate as much, being for the most part more apt and elegant then that which they use in their popular Sermons. Wherefore one of your faction and of your society heretofore, well reputed of for his learning with you unto this day, did not many years ago privately impart his mind concerning this thing to a friend of his well known unto myself (of whom also I received it) and that to this effect, to wit, That he had so many forms of prayer lying by him, or else committed to memory by the interchangeable use of which (notwithstanding the same for words, or but little varying upon some special occasion) he was thought by the people always to pray without premeditation. How warrantable this delusion may be with men, I cannot tell; but with God surely it cannot pass the note of hypocrisy and of vainglory: From which the Apostle was so free, that he did forbear to say the truth in such a case as this tending to his own honour, lest (saith he) any man should think of me above that which he seethe me to be, 
2 Cor. 12.6.  or that he heareth of me.  
But be it so as ye would have it, this cannot add either to the efficacy of your prayers, or to the acceptation of your persons in the presence of the Almighty: albeit it is to be feared that some of you entertain this conceit thereof secretly in your hearts, for otherwise they would not condemn, at least so peremptorily as they do, the use of set forms in other men. Neither can good and diligent preaching, advantage your souls without answerable living, though ye never so frequently and fervently cry down in the Assembly, self, and flesh, and nature, and world, with whatsoever appertaineth to their several proprieties. I know full well that ye are good at this in the Pulpit (laying aside your affectation of new coined words, unusual tone and gesture; the which some have in part relinquished for very shame) but in your conversation ye are as other men, especially when ye are called upon by your profession for contempt of the world in your practice and example. Witness this the leaders and chieftains who brought and settled you where ye now abide: For as they did displace at pleasure, all those that did not yield to their demands, so they wrought themselves into those places made vacant by them which were of greatest benefit and advantage, at least most opportune for their private ends of covetousness or ambition. And albeit this might seem a point of wisdom in them to the eyes of the world, I am sure it was not that wisdom which descendeth from above, and which they so much commend by their doctrine to the conscience of others, but that which is from below, even the wisdom of this world, 
Jam. 3.15.  or of the flesh, of which see Jam. 3.15. And yet perchance it was a kind of imprudence too, in respect of the common cause which they did then maintain: the which without doubt could not but suffer hereby some diminution of its former credit and repute with all indifferent men. But it is an hard matter even for the deepest dissemblers to conceal themselves, and not to put off their disguise in such concerning cases as these: and therefore having so fair and singular opportunity of advancing themselves, they accumulate places of honour and trust: so high was their opinion of their own worth, so immoderate their desire of worldly wealth and greatness, according to the custom of their faction who are generally accounted provident ingatherers, and layers up in store for the future, but niggardly dispensers of what they have and can well spare to the necessities of their poor brethren, whose mouths seldom bless you, because their bowels are seldom refreshed by you, but curse you often because of your frequent incompassion towards them. The Lord forgive both you and them. Yea, some were known to be penurious and sordid towards themselves and their families, and so cruel to their own bowels as well as to other men. Now what good works will follow you after death, according to this account, I need not speak. For your laudable pains in the work of the ministry cannot further you in the way of salvation, 
1 Cor. 9.27.  without exemplary holiness of life.  
And here we may not pass by without just censure, those men who have contrary to former oaths, entered into others right, and possessed themselves of their places, violating hereby the statutes of the house, which they had sworn ever to maintain. One of them eminent for place among you, though not for parts, being urged upon a certain occasion with the statute of the College by another who sought his right on this ground, and disputed the case as warrantable and just from principles of this nature, was not ashamed to reply in defence of the contrary part, that no oaths could bind the conscience against the reformation (a strange reformation that cannot be effected without the gross and palpable perjury either of the reformers themselves, or of them that are to be be reform by them) For indeed the licentious manner of living in these times, even of the best, is not capable of a strict conformity to Colledgestatutes formerly established; so austere and rigid are they, especially some of them, and not suiting with the long accustomed looseness of our age. Insomuch as it were reformation enough, and (as most men would count) more than enough, if (Popery and superstition laid aside) men were exacted the obedience only of those statutes which concern moral duty, and behaviour in common life one towards another. But notwithstanding this man's great zeal for the reformation, time hath since declared to the world, that neither protestation, league, or covenant could sufficiently bind him for the work against his preferment, profit, and ease. So little conscience do they show in time of trial, who most pretend for it in a more calm and quiet season.  
As for your Elections, I have not much to witness of them, and yet some have feelingly complained in my hearing, that desert, whether of learning, or of other parts, finds as cold a welcome with you (if poorly attended or elad) as ever it did in times past, and that preferment runs as heretofore in the corrupt channel of favour and affection; not in that of equity and right. But for this, happily ye may be excused in part, as being overswayed by them whose creatures you are; who think it reasonable, that as ye have served yourselves of their power when time was, so you should by way of compensation now serve their will, and obey their commands; and surely however the case standeth, thus much they do expect and require at your hands, as might appear by several instances.  
But enough of this: I have but one word to say more, and it is by way of admonition to the ingenuous and well minded among you, who have been carried away by error of the times (an error discernible by the fewest of men that live in them) unto those practices, which they would loathe and detest if they saw the true shape of them, (which is ugly and deformed) and were not deluded by false glasses, and counterfeit representations of them in the disguises of justice and honesty; but as yet allow, because they are not conscious to themselves of any malice or evil intention in what they do, that they would devoutly implore the grace of the Almighty for illumination to see, and direction to follow those things which make for their peace, lest otherwise they live and die in their sin; and what will be the sequel thereof, they cannot be ignorant, who know the truth and terror of God. In the mean time let them and all take heed how they manage their present fortune, lest they also become a prey to others, as others have been made a prey to them. For it is to be seared, that your gaudy prosperity is an eyesore unto them, who have power over your estates and lives, and will find matter enough of quarrel against you, if there be not a change of manners, and this wrought with discretion and speed. Neither will this happily serve the turn to prevent those designs, which (as we hear) are now on foot to alienate the Colledge-lands from public use for the maintenance of learning to the propriety of private men, the dangerous effects whereof both to Church and State, not in this present age only, but also in the generations to come, I tremble to imagine; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   

To the Judges, Lawyers, etc.  
I Have but little to say to you, being altogether unacquainted with your profession and your ways. For I never as yet sued any man at the Law, and was never sued by any for trespass or wrong done unto them, wherefore experience cannot teach me what to speak of you. Nevertheless there hath been a general complaint of the people in the land for some years past, and as loud as it durst break forth against the iniquity and oppression of your Courts of Judicature, as if might, or favour, or money could more prevail in them then equity or law, neither is it silent unto this day. Whether your sin were according to the clamour of the people or no, I cannot tell: But of this I am assured, that God will require much at your hands in the last and general day of Judgement, there being no men alive, who have more frequent and signal remembrances of their duty, or alarms of their account before the Almighty than you, besides the special Obligations of solemn Oaths, and common ties upon your conscience to do the thing which is lawful and right. Happy is it for you now, and for the State in which ye live, and much more happy will it be for you hereafter, if ye lay these things to heart, and practise as you learn and know Judgement and Truth, on which as on the the basis the Peace and safety of every Commonwealth do rest, and thrust aside, war, calamity and ruin do ensue without remedy.  
Your proceed are many times intricate and dark, not to be traced by popular and ordinary sent. There be many wind and turn in the Law, which few can find out, mazes and almost inexplicable labyrinths to those who are not guided by your clew. But still remember, who standeth in the midst of you, even a God that seethe in darkness, to whom the darkness and light are both alike, secret and hidden things are open and manifest, 
Heb. 4.13.  Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom they have to do. Let therefore the eighty second Psalms be your mirror, wherein to behold what you are, what ye should be, if amiss, and not upright according to the mind and will of God. And not hear only, but obey also his commands in the Ministry of the Word. A time there was, when the sober admonition and milder reproof of the Preacher would not go down with some of you, but were distasted by your corrupt palates. And therefore a Minister was warned of his Diocesan, being then to preach before the Judges, not to touch upon this string, it liked them not forsooth to hear that which did pertain to their office and duty, or rather did tacitly check their omission and transgression thereof so often repeated in their ears. Who were most faulty in this particular, the Judges that did refuse to be admonished, the Bishop who advised the Minister to gratify them in their desire, or the Minister if he did obey the will of his superior in this thing, let God judge. But I presume it was not after this manner every where, nor with all persons, neither did it (as I suppose) continue thus long. And God forbidden this useful and necessary liberty should be diminished or restrained in any part thereof. For can men too often hear of that, which they are to do at all times? and which is of everlasting concernment to them? Be instructed therefore ye Judges of the earth, 
Psal. 2.10, 11.  serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Now these are the things that ye shall do, 
Zech. 8.16.17.  speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour, execute the judgement of Truth and Peace in your gates. And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour, and love no false Oath, for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord.   

To the City of London.  
I Am to speak now to a very great body of people, yea the greatest in this Nation, considering the narrow compass of your abode; and would to God I were able to speak unto you all at once, by the vocal sound of my mouth, that I might the better testify the inward affection of my mind towards you, and not be constrained to bespeak you severally by the whispering language of my pen. But what voice can be sufficient for the audience of so vast a multitude? wherefore accept my reproof and counsel as it is tendered unto thee. Thou art the largest City in this Island for the extent of bounds, the fairest for magnificence of structure, more populous, rich and mighty by far, than any of thy other sisters: But according to the usual and unhappy sat of great Gities, and famous Empories; thou hast not more abounded with people then with sins. And thy sins have not been more pernicious to thyself, then hurtful to this whole Nation by exeraplary contagion, much like thy plagues in former times. For thy pride, deceit, hypocrisy, faction, and other spiritual maladies have breathed forth that poison from thee, the which hath transused itself through the politic Body, leaving no part thereof free from infection and sickness; thy heresies and schisms have corrupted and divided, or rather torn in pieces this Church which was once pure in Doctrine, sound in the Faith, entire in itself, and at peace with all her neighbours. 
Micah 1.13.  Thou wert the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion; for the transgressions of Israel, (England) were found in thee, as it is said of Lachish: for how lofty is thy pride notwithstanding all thy sufferings unto this present Day? 
Isa. 9.9, 10.  yea the pride and stoutness of thy heart hath been like that of Ephraim, and the inhabitant of Samaria; increasing in thine affliction, and arising yet higher from thy fall, forasmuch as thy vain but costly garments instead of those of widowhood are still upon thee, and thy children are become more gorgeous in their apparel, and lose in their behaviour, then in preceding times; thy daughters also like those of Zion, 
Isa. 3.16.  are haughly and walk with stretched forth necks, and wanton eyes, walking and mineing as they go. Likewise disfiguring their countenance with spots of immodesty and impudence, thereby publishing their own shame. Yea thy servants and handmaids do now challenge the Nobles of the more remote Country for pride of clothing and bravery of attire; if not outstrip many of them. And what will ye do in the end thereof?  
Now touching thy deceit, let the subtle contrivance of thy shops, or dark situation of them for the delusion of all eyes that behold the baits of thy profit and gain, witness against thee and thy children, who generally and with one consent say concerning evil it is good, put darkness for light, 
Isa. 5.20.  and bitter for sweet, though never perchance guilty of inverting the practice as the Jews than were, unless the scene be altered, and in stead of selling to others, they buy of others those commodities whereof they may make advantage for the future; for then as it is Prov. 20.14. they say of every thing, 
Pro. 20.14.  It is naught it is nuaght, but when they are gone their way then they boast, Thus they bend their tongues like their bow for lies, Jer. 9.3. or as it is v. 8. 
Jer. 9.3.  Their tongue is an arrow shot out, it speaketh deceit, each one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait, vers. 8. Take ye heed therefore every one of his neighbour, and trusi ye not in any brother, for every brother will utterly supplant. And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth, they have taught their tongues to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity. 
v. 4.5.  And not content herewith themselves, they also train up others after the same manner from their tender years, 
Zophan. cap. 1.9.  who like those in Zephan. cap. 1.9. leap on the threshold, and fill their master's houses, if not with violence, yet surely with deceit, abusing the ignorance and credulity of the simple and unexperienced in their fallacious ways of dealing, to the sinful advantage of those whom they serve and cannot please without iniquity.  
And all this they fairly disguise with the mask of seeming sanctity, in profession, in word, in gesture, in conversation, in pretences, promises, asseverations, Oaths, every way. But more especially and solemnly is this appearance made on the Lord's Day, wherein the dress of their apparel, and the show of their devotion are both alike: the former above their outward rank and quality, the later exceeding their inward affection. For what eager concourse then of all sorts to the Church? what thronging and thrusting for places and seats approximate to the Preacher? what earnest attention to the Sermon? what demure carriage all the while is seen in the Assembly? how many diligent notaries are present to receive, whatsoever droppeth from the Ministers lips? what sighing may you hear oftentimes, and groaning of the Auditors? what expressions may we behold almost in every countenance of sorrow and remorse? what elevation of the eyes to heaven? And yet alas how soon is all this vanished and forgotten? For after one night's sleep (notwithstanding repetition in private houses of what was publicly delivered in the Church, and other acts of duty proper for the season there performed by them) they return with all greediness to their wont courses of unjust dealing and unlawful gain, by lying, falsehood, perjury, deceit, equivocations, mental reservations, merely Jesuitical, and almost to as bad a purpose, though not upon so great necessity. Thus like the Gallant they seem at the Church porch to bid Religion stay there for them until they come thither again, as often as they depart from the house of God, or at the most retain but a weak and faint relish thereof until the day be over past: so little do they practise of what they learn in their life, all the week after, as if the whole business of Christianity did consist in nothing else then in hearing, or talking of what we ought to do, and not in obedience of the Truth.  
But they will be ready to say, we have private and constant devotions at home, as well as those we use in the Lord's house, and therefore all our Religion doth not rest on public duty.  
I answer, That which they allege in their own defence doth make the more against them, for what is this your daily exercise of devotion, but an hypocritical profanation of holy duties, when you use it for a pretence only of Religion, for a show of piety, or rather for a veil of iniquity. Surely such feigned holinesseas this is as distaste full to the Almighty as open profaneness: 
Mat. 23.14.  And indeed no service of God can profit us, or stand us in the least stead, without justice and mercy towards man, as appeareth from Prov. 15.8. Isa. 1.15. and from many places more of holy writ, which plainly tell us that where innocence and integrity are wanting in the Person, there can be no acceptance of the Action before God, whatsoever it be for the naure and quality thereof. In a word, the substance of our Christian Profession consisteth in obeying the practical precepts of the Gospel from faith unseigned, 
2 Tim. 1.5.  And this to obey is much better than any sacrifice and oblation of prayer or praise we can offer to the Divine Majesty.  
Now concerning the faction of thy children, proceeding from thy pride and abundance of all things, to which some impute the common sufferings of thy Nation, it is strange to consider by what slender wires and subtle motions it hath been conveyed through thy whole corporation; and though it be more than probable that worldly interest is most predominant in the several opposite parties, yet every one is taught to open his mouth wide for the cause and truth of God, and none more than they who most blaspheme his name by their impure doctrines, which they commend to the world for those of Christ Jesus, though as contrary to what he spoke as darkness is to light. And because these are the fruits of faction and schism sometimes, (as it is now apparent with us) as well as the causes thereof at other times, I wish men all to remember how deep and sad their accounts will one day be, who have any ways procured these dangerous maladies to the State and Church, or fomented the same by word or deed. For we plainly see to what condition both are reduced at this present, and every man may be so far a Prophet as to soretel yet greater calamities like to come upon us, except the Almighty doth wonderfully appear for us, and that speedily; but I for bear, neither shall I stir the coals of their lusts, nor strike the drunkard's cup in indignation out of his hand; nor rouse thy delicate Dames from their bed of pleasure and sloth, whose life is nothing else but sleep and lust, and putting on of apparel not becoming women professing godliness and costly fare with ease and sport, 
1 Pet. 3.3. with 1 Tim. 2.10.  according to the several varieties of them all. Nor shall I labour to dissolve the Adamantine hearts of thy creditors into humane pity towards their poor obnoxious debtors. For have not these been the frequent and faithful endeavours of thy learned and pious Ministers from time to time for many years together? 
Jer. 9 ●.  But their habitation was in the midst of deceit, 
Zech. 7.11.  through deceit they refused to know the Lord; yea thy children refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears that they should not hear; Or were like those of whom the Lord complaineth, and describeth to the Prophet Ezekiel, chap. 33.31, 32. who with their mouth shown much love, (to the Prophet, and to his message) but their heart (in the mean while) went after their covetousness, to whom he was as a very lovely song, of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument: for they heard his words, but they did them not. In like manner thy sons and daughters were only hearers of the Evangelicall word, but left the doing thereof to others, who were better affected with the same then they, contenting themselves with this empty shadow of godliness, that they were continually present to the outward Ordinance of the word, & did countenance or favour the messengers thereof; wherefore hath the Lord of hosts melted them and tried them, 
jer. 9.7.  for how should he otherwise do for the daughters of his people? And oh that thy children had been admonished and reform by the corrections of their heavenly Father! 
Isa. 59  But alas! their transgressions are multiplied before the Lord, and their sins testify against them, for their transgressions are with them, and as for their iniquities they know them, In transgressing and lying against the Lord, and departing away from their God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. And judgement is turned away backward, and justice standeth a for off, for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter, yea truth faileth, and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey, (or is accounted mad) yea, they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me saith, the Lord. Shall he not therefore visit for these things? and though he defer his wrath for a season, expecting with patience their repentance and conversion unto him, will it not break forth at the last, to consume his adversaries as in a moment? For while they be folded together as thorns, 
Nah. 1.10.  and while they are drunken as drunkards they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry. Thou hast occasioned and seen with merciless hearts and eyes, the grievous sufferings of thy country, and shalt thou go altogether together unpunished? is thy sin less, yea is it not much more than theirs? have not thy lamps shined forth most gloriously to thyself and others when they have sat in darkness? And yet thou hast loved darkness rather than light, because thy works were evil. For thou dost represent unto us the wickedness of the whole Nation, contracted indeed into a lesser volume, but more polished and refined by the art of thine iniquity, overlayed with the fair gilt of hypocrisy, but underneath more foul and ugly then that of the people, both in the sight of God, and of those who know his ways a right. Thus deceit is with thee more elegant and smooth in expression, but more dangerous and dark in the mystery, than it is with those of the Country. In like manner other sins go more fine and trim in their dress here then in the rural Towns or inferior Cities, but the skin underneath is much blacker, and the shape more deformed than it is with them: Only impudence is more daring in thy children then in any of the Nation, who generally are as yet uncapable of that immodesty, which is every where common with thee: And may they never learn more of that from thee, of which perchance they have too much already.  
Now as thou hast in thee the sins of those ample and glorious Cities which the Lord destroyed in times passed for their wickedness, but are still set forth for example of his Divine justice to us that are alive this day, as well as to them that have gone before us, and to all generations to come: so fear and expect their judgements, and the more because his mercies of all sorts have been greater towards thee then them, and thy warnings also of approaching vengeance more frequent & signal, then theirs; and yet behold their memorial is perished with them. 
Psal. 3.6.  But the Lord shall endure for ever, the same in justice as in mercy to all men, throughout all ages. Take heed therefore lest with an overflowing flood he make an utter end of the place thereof, 
Nah. 1.8, 9  so that affliction rise not up the second time, Security is the daughter of sin, but the mother of danger. 
Prov. 16.18.  Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Thou mayest happily (as thy elder sisters did before thee) dream of perpetuity, when desolation is at hand: But oh remember that there is no stability with iniquity, no safety in sin, no peace to the wicked. Babylon, thou knowest, that was heretofore given to pleasures as thou art now, dwelled carelessly as thou dost, said in her heart, as thou perchance speakest to thyself, 
Is. 47.8, 9  at this time, I am and none else besides me, I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children; But these two things came to her, as the Prophet foretold, in a moment in one day, the loss of children and widow hood, and both in their perfection, for the multitude of her Sorcerers, and for the great abundance of her enchantments. 
v. 13, 14.  Her Astrologers, Stargazers, and monthly prognosticators, could not stand up and save her from those things that were to come upon her, but became as stubble themselves for the power of the flame: neither shall thine be able to celiver thee, nor their own souls by all their wisdom and knowledge from the evil which the Lord hath determined against thee, vers. 13, 14. Wherefore O Jerusalem, (London) wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved: how long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? There is but one way left of escape for thee, The Lord show it thee, and direct thy steps therein, for his sake, who is the way, the truth, 
Joh. 14. ●  and the life. To whom with the Father, and with the blessed Spirit, be ascribed all honour, glory, might, majesty and dominion now and for evermore. Amen.   

To the seduced of this nation, and to as many as have separated themselves from the Communion of our Church.  
WEre I now to address my speech to an humble though deceived people, I might the better hope to prevail with them: but I am to deal with men who generally are proud as well as ignorant, and have added to error in judgement, obstinacy of will, and a strong presumption of truth; arrogating to themselves immediate assistance and infallible direction from the divine Spirit in what they maintain for the undoubted Gospel of Christ Jesus. And who can shake this your confidence? Nevertheless I shall endeavour as powerfully as I can, to convince you of your self deceit and falsehood, and persuade you to another, but sounder mind, leaving the success to him, with whom all things are possible and easy to be done: First then let me inquire of you, why ye did so long adhere unto this Church in times past, and why ye are so soon removed from it as in a moment? What is the cause of your forrner communion with us, and your sudden departure from us? Surely the first must needs argue great weakness of judgement, and want of consideration in you; and how ye can defend the last from the just imputation of unstableness in religion and levity of mind, is more than I can learn you. If your new pretended Pastors, and (as you deem them) extraordinary Teachers in respect of their calling, deliver you the same truths which ye received or might have received from the old, why are they better accepted with you now then heretofore? or why are they better taken at the hands of the former then of the latter? Is it for the grace and manner of delivery, or for their persons who commend the same unto you? If either, or both of these be the cause of this change; do ye not look on things after the outward appearance, 
2 Cot. 10.7. Joh. 7.24.  and not judge righteous judgement? You will say perchance, that the power of the Almighty doth manifest itself unto them, because though ignorant and unlearned men they pray and preach with the same facility or with more dexterity sometimes then men of learning and parts; But can ye show us that God did ever work a needless miracle, either in revealing his truth, or witnessing it to the world? Hath any man spoke with tongues, or done mighty signs and wonders by the power of the Spirit of God, since the Gospel was preached to all 
* See 1 Cor. 14.12.  nations? If ye know such a one produce him without delay, that we may see also and believe him with you. But this is not likely to come to pass, however (as I am informed) some have gone about, though in vain, to persuade us the truth of things as incredible as these to justify their cause.  
Besides this, who will take you to be competent judges of those gift; in other men, whereof ye have so small a portion yourselves, or perchance no share at all? Lastly, the means of knowledge in this nation, have been so plentiful and common every where for many years together (Blessed be the Lord for this his unspeakable gift) partly by the teaching, and partly by the writing of the learned, that it is an easy matter now for men of good natural parts with ordinary inclustry used in hearing and observing what is taught them by mouth, or in reading what is published from the press, to gain enough whereby to set themselves forth with credit and repute of knowledge for a time in the mystery of preaching (especially, if confident and bold above measure) amongst the ignorant and vulgar sort, of which note ye are; and to delude your simplicity, while they boast of things without their measure, that is, of other men's labours, or in another man's rule and line of things made ready to their hand, 
● Cor. 10.16.  repeat unto you in one place, those Sermons which they have heard before in another from men called to the work; yet so that you must take them to be theirs, and as the sudden issues of their invention, not second accounts of their memory, which they have immediately received from the Lord, and not from man. 
Ibid.  But, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.  
Again, if they commend unto you contrary doctrines to those that ye formerly received, or new and strange of which ye have not heard in times past, be wary and well advised how you entertain them, lest they feed you with chaff in stead of wheat, give you a stone for bread, or a serpent in stead of a fish, or present you with a draught of deadly poison while they promise you a cup of pure wine. To this end take heed I pray you of their spiritual flattery, whereby they secretly insinuate into your minds an high, but groundless and false conceit of knowledge and Saintship; not only above, but also with exclusion of other men, not agreeing with you in opinion or faction from these supposed privileges. For besides that this pride of spirit doth lay you open to their sly and dangerous insinuations of heresy, and every false doctrine whereby they do impose upon your faith, it is an abomination in the sight of the Almighty, as appeareth from Luk. 18.9, etc. 
Luk. 19.9, etc.  And surely it is almost beyond all belief how far this tympany of spiritual pride hath swollen in many of you: or that they have imagined themselves to be in a state of perfection above divine ordinances, namely, prayer, preaching, Sacraments, and if there be any other act of duty pertaining to the worship of God, notwithstanding the Apostles and Jesus Christ himself, do every where commend and command the use of these to the Church, not by their precept only, but by their example also; for how often do we find it testified of the Lord by those who were from the beginning eye-witnesses and Ministers of the word, as the Evangelist speaketh, Luk. 
Luk. 1.  1. that he prayed to the Father when he lived on the earth? See especially, Luk. 6.12. & 22.42. with 44. Is not this then unheard of, and more than Pharisaical pride in you? 
Mat. 10.24, 25.  For, the Disciple is not above his Master, nor the servant above his Lord. It is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master, and the Servant as his Lord. Not unlike this is your assuming to yourselves the honourable and glorious title of Saints, and yet refusing to own the Apostles by this name, as if their Saintship were questionable, yours certain and without all doubt: neither can the Popish custom any ways plead for, or excuse this disuse; for, that they were Saints as well as you, ye durst not deny, why then ye may not call them Saints, you have nothing to affirm; especially considering that the holy Ghost doth bestow the honour of this appellation upon them, 
See Eph. 3.5. with 1.1. & 2 Cor. 1.1.  and not upon them only, but upon their disciples also, far inferior to them in grace and holiness.  
And now consider with me I pray you, the perilous consequence of your schism or separation from the Church, to the renouncing of the ministry and baptism which ye received first from it. For if our Church be indeed a true Church, what have ye done less in thus deserting it, than renounced Jesus Christ himself? as appeareth from 1 Thess. 1.1. where we plainly see the ground and foundation of every true Church: and likewise from Luk. 10.16. where we perceive the first original of ministerial power in the Church, and how far the contempt thereof reacheth, even unto God himself. There can be no salvation then out of the true Church, this alone like Noah's Ark doth preserve us by Baptism from the deluge of divine wrath; 
2 Pet. 3.20, 21.  
Act. 27.31.  or like the Ship, Act. 27. in which we must abide at any hand, or cannot else be saved. In like manner none can publicly teach, none can baptise without commission and authority from Christ the head of the Church, as is manifest from Mat. 28.18, 19, 20. where we may evidently discern that the Apostles authority to teach and baptise, vers. 19, 20. is immediately derived from the supreme power of Christ which the Father gave him by virtue of his office, vers. 18. Wherefore no man can teach with profit as a Minister, no man can baptise but a Minister in the Church of God, who hath by the Apostles and their successors received this power of the Lord Jesus, who did not preach himself before he was sent, 
Joh. 20.21.  and but for that he was sent.  
You see then clearly how much you hazard your most precious souls in forsaking our Church, if it be a true Church; and in case it be a false one, ye have neither judgement to discern, nor reason to prove that it is so either for your own, or other men's satisfaction in this point; and (as I do believe) no man living upon the face of the whole earth. And indeed to say the truth, your ignorance and want of due instruction at the first, was the true and main cause of your seduction and schism: for who have more fallen off from fellowship with us, than those that were never yet acquainted with the principles of our faith, and grounds of the doctrine which we profess? And though ye pretend indeed, that the Antichristian calling, false teaching, and scandalous living of our Ministers, gave you just cause of separating from us; the former upon examination would prove loud and lewd slanders of ignorance, or of malice; and as for the latter, it cannot excuse you in this matter before God, as appeareth from a like case, Mat. 23.2, 3. Wherefore God hath suffered that curse, 2 Tim. 3.13. to light upon many of your seducers, 
2 Tim. 3.13. Chap. 2.16.  and also upon you who are deceived by them, in whom their word doth eat as doth a canker. For who hath yet given in a full catalogue of all your errors and heresies? So many and manifold are they, and yet increasing more and more every day, whereby the truth of God is almost denied in each part and article thereof, the authority of the Apostles, questioned by some vilified and derided of others, as I may be bold to speak upon mine own knowledge. For I well remember, that a certain woman of your faction, in discourse at the table with myself and others maintaining a point of doctrine not agreeable to the Analogy of faith, and being urged to the contrary by us with the words of Christ and of his Apostle St. Peter: replied, that she did regard what Christ spoke, but as for that which Peter said, she gave no more heed to it, and cared no more for it, then if it had been spoken by some other man.  
As for the Apostasy of some, it is so great and general, that they seem wholly to degenerate from the profession of Christ Jesus or to Atheism and utter unbelief of the truth. For who can excuse them that are termed Ranters from this dreadful imputation, that shall recount the damnable tenants, which they maintain, and practices wherein they glory; the which to mention or express were to defile the paper whereon I writ? surely these (if any now) are the men whom God hath given over to a reprobate mind, 
Rom. 1.28.  to do those things which are not convenient: Wherefore ye that are more sober minded then your fellows, and not so much forsaken of divine grace as they, be admonished by their follies to relinquish that profane society to which you have adjoined yourselves through the deceitfulness of error and sin under the colour of truth and holiness, the new but false lights which these ill guides hold forth unto you, lest as ye do partake in their abominations, so ye partake with them also of the judgements and punishments which they have deserved. 
2 Cor. 6.15.  For what concord hath Christ with Belial? Wherefore come out from among them, 
Verse 17, 18.  and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Now consider what I say, and the Lord give you understanding in all things. As for the rest who oppose themselves, 
2 Tim. 2.25, 26.  God give them also repentance to the acknowledging of the truth, and that they may recover themselves (awake) out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive (alive) by him at his will, Amen.   

To the whole Body of this Nation.  
HE that doth but indifferently observe the manner and course of your lives (O ye sinful English people) shall generally find you to be such as walk quite contrary to the light and truth of the Gospel, which ye do profess and have vowed to maintain. For first ye are either openly profane in your conversation, not only abstaining but abhorring from the appearance of that which is good, or put on the rough garment of seeming sanctity and austerity of life, to deceive the credulous part of the world by this disguise of hypocrisy in a good opinion of you: the better to accomplish your ambitious or covetous ends. And therefore to swear rashly without advice or cause is as common with many as their ordinary speech. The neglect and contempt of God's worship both public and private, with the Ministers thereof more notorious than ever, as may appear by the following instance. For the vulgar country people make it no matter of conscience on the Lord's day to absent themselves from the congregation as often as they list, upon the least, and without any just pretence whatsoever, and come thither pass a pas, like their ox, slowly and tardily at the best, although they will be sure to be at their markets in due season, and therefore hasten to them with nimble pace and measure; yea, like men affrighted sometimes or pursued by their enemies, with like motion do they precipitate themselves or tumultuously departed out of the Church assoon, and frequently before the Minister's blessing: And during their presence at the Assembly, good God, what drowsiness, want of attention, sporting, smiling, wand'ring of the eyes after every person that entereth in, gazing upon the habit and countenance of those that are present with themselves, and other irreverent gestures may we perceive in the auditory? As for those who by their coming, anticipate the time of divine service, or tarry after it in or near the place thereof: they wholly mind their worldly business, discoursing of their land, cattles, corn, bargains of the season, weather, and such like, to omit worse matters, though these be bad enough, so little do they remember or regard for what end they came to the Church, what they heard there, and to whom they must one day give an account for both. And in this particular as well as in many other, the most professed enemies of our Religion, the Turks will condemn you at the last day, who at their common devotions, count it no small trespass against the Majesty and honour of God, so much as to scratch the head, or to use any other indecent or impertinent gesture, imagining their prayers by this means to become ineffectual and fruitless for them before the throne of the Almighty, 
Bus●equ.  as one long conversant among them hath observed. And for this cause they will usually transgress the bounds of a sabbath day's journey in travelling to some other remote Church, there to serve God as they pretend upon any worldly occasions, or concerning profane business of commerce and such like, when they will scarce make a step out of their houses to their own congregation, though the place or Church be never so near unto them, unless perchance they have an errand to do there of the same nature with the former. Thus God is served in pretence, but the world in truth, or in deed; or indeed the Devil, who setteth them a work, though upon their own business.  
Now what gross ignorance doth every where blind the eyes of this people? For many, notwithstanding they have been so long accustomed to the hearing of Sermons, and can yield you an oral confession of their faith, understanding no more what they say, though in their mother tongue, than their sorefathers did, of that which they were taught by their Priests, to repeat in a strange and unknown language; neither can they distinguish between a precept and a prayer, but usually confound both as one in their orisons and private devotions. Hence it is that they scarce look higher than to the common providence of God in all their ways, giving them seasonable weather, and fruitful seasons, with other common blessings of life, or withholding these from them, when he is displeased with them for their sins. In the mean time they are altogether senseless of his saving grace in Christ Jesus: and as they seel not the want, so it is to be seared that they never obtain the benefit thereof. And indeed they wilfully close their eyes against the light, either grossly neglecting, or obstinately refusing to know more than they do, at least so much as they ought. For they neither respect nor make use of a minister for his gifts, whereby he is able to instruct them, nor consider the necessity and unspeakable benefit of his office in order to a better being then this present life, but if he be a man given to hospitality, no exacter of his tithes, easy and willing to be deceived in matter of contract and right, they more regard him for this bounty, and facility of manners, then for all the good he can do them in reference to their precious souls, like those of whom we read, Joh. 6.26. that followed Christ for his meat, not for his miracles and doctrine. And therefore men of the other temper have been very evilly entreated by them in these obnoxious and dangerous times.  
In like manner the Bible is laid aside by the ruder sort, as well in respect of domestic use as of public practice, and where it is received into their houses, and read at certain seasons, it is a shame to see how slovenly it is tossed up and down, and soiled by those places where it is carelessly thrown as if it were some base utensil of the kitchen, or of some other room belonging to the house, not a pearl of that price whereat every sober Christian doth esteem it, or at least ought to do. And I would to God this were not a general fault throughout the Nation, and the Index of a greater; I mean the inward slighting of that word which we outwardly thus vilify and disgrace: for although I should be loath to persuade others, or allow in them a superstitious reveverence towards the Book; such as the Turks use towards their Alcoran (who count it an horrible crime for any man, though unwittingly, to sit upon it, 
Busbiq. Ep. 1.  and punish the same with death in a Christian:) yet I cannot but mind you of that which is comely and agreeable to the nature of the thing, without which we must needs bewray a kind of irreligion or contempt of that which is holy, and give occasion of scandal to those who are of different profession from us: wherefore it is storied of Edward the sixth, that godly young Prince and first reformer of this Church, that being upon some occasion to look out at a window in a house where he was, and having a Bible brought to him to stand thereon for his better conveniency of sight, he utterly refused to make use thereof for this purpose, but devoutly kissing it, in the presence of them that stood by, he laid it down on the place again: a truly royal example of piety, by which he shown how great happiness the world might have expected from his future government, if God had not then judged him too good for an earthly, and counted him worthy to receive an heavenly kingdom.  
Now concerning your demeanour towards the Ministers of the Lord Christ, it may very well seem very incredible to all men of other professions in the world, to whom ye give place for love and honour, usually given to such as serve them in holy things, that I may not say far outstrip and go beyond any of them in malice and mischief towards your spiritual Guides, especially of late years since you have had more free and safe opportunity of showing your disaffection to them, or spleen against them, then in preceding times. It hath ever been your practice received from your forefathers to remove (as much as in you lay) the ancient Landmark, and to entrench upon the bounds and the inheritance of the Clergy; and this ye have done by concealment of known rights belonging to the Ministry by pretended, but false prescription and custom against both humane and Divine Law, by Defalcation of Tithes, unjust payment or detention of them, evasions, collusions, and by other ways as bad as these. But now ye desire a release of this debt, or nonpayment thereof, some (as they make show) for conscience sake, because it is in their account part of the levitical Law, or of the old Jewish bondage from which they are wholly exempt by Christ Jesus, others for no other end either in show or in truth, then to spare this cost of Religion, and to lay the gain to their own private treasures. And surely we have cause to believe that if the common Country people might be freed from this ungrateful pension, or might Tithes (as they speak) be laid asleep, they would not much care, if the Ministry also slept with the same; for as they count the one an extreme burden to their purses, and therefore never yet paid Tithes with a willing mind: so they feel the other a burden to their conscience, from which they would be delivered, did not a superior fear limit and restrain them in this impious desire and ungodly will; For they cannot endure to see a Minister thrive by their labour, though pining with his own, and for their sakes in the Lord's harvest.  
As for the other sort, whose conscience (as they profess) will not permit them to be Tithers according to the Law by which we are governed, for fear of subjecting themselves to a Ceremonial rite or duty now abrogated by the Gospel, it is strange to consider, both how vain their fear is in this case, because this burden is not imposed on them by virtue of the Mosalcall Law, but by the civil Power for the maintenance of the Gospel; neither can it be proved, that it is a part of that shadow, whereof Christ is the Body; and also how false their pretence is of Christian tenderness in this business, because the same persons who allege against the Ministers that they receive of the people, that portion which was properly due to the levitical Priesthood, do at the same time complain that they pay more now to the Minister under the Gospel, than the Jews did to the Priest under the Law, namely, a fifth for their tenth part; which if true, the rate is much different now from what it was then, and they do apparently pluck down with one hand, what they built up with the other. But the truth is, that which ye both driveat, and all the people of this once flourishing Island together with them, is how ye may serve the Lord at the easiest hand. A cheap religion, by which ye may save most, and thrive best for the world, wherein is least trouble and most gain, doth alone suit with your carnal dispositions and earthly minds, although (as one well said) he that thinketh to save any thing by his Religion but his soul, will prove a loser in the end. And yet we have known a man in our times below the rank and quality of a Gentleman, who year by year presented to his Minister a free will offering of that value, which heretofore would have been accounted a liberal stipend for a serving Curate, and doth now pass for a tolerable salary in gentlemen's houses for a Domestic Chaplain, especially where the Patron is a man of the novel profession Of a far different and worse mind was that witless and graceless Justice (if I mistake not) of the County of Buckingham, who was not ashamed to say openly at the meeting of his fellow Commissioners, that he valued the labour of a Minister no more than he did two days work of a day-labouring man. But happily there be many more of the same mind with this young novice, although they have more discretion then to utter it thus freely as he did; as for the other I must confess, I have not as yet found a companion for him, and know not where to seek one. And now I shall take a further view of your wicked practices against those who have faithfully served you in the Gospel of Christ Jesus.  
The time was when your Progenitors made a lamentable complaint (as they term it) by way of supplication to the High Court of Parliament for a learned Ministry, 
A Petition, 1585.  and withal requested that the full maintenance of Tithes, might be again restored to the Church, with what intention, God knoweth to whom I leave it. But the time is come in which you their unhappy posterity delight more in unlearned then in learned Ministers, and many of you have made humble addresses to the present power, that ye might be freed from the decimal charge as too grievous for you to bear, and more than the necessities of the Pastor, or (as you imagine perchance) the dignity of his calling doth require. And however the rest were close or silent in the matter, it is justly suspected by some, that it was not so much the love of the Ministry, as fear lest they should be only posted off to more rigorous exacters of this payment, not eased of the burden which deterred them from joining with then former in the same request. But this happily may seem rather a matter of covetousness for yourselves, the of malice against your Ministers, or indeed a pernicious effect of both; your other proceed loudly publish and proclaim to the world the malice and bitterness of your spirits against them. For with what eagerness of mind and earnest endeavour have ye prosecuted the ejection of many a worthy labourer in God's harvest out of his lawful possession? And by how slight means have ye set on foot, yea and accomplished also your mischievous designs? sometimes by slender and uncertain informations brought against them, otherwhile by frivolous accusations, and sometime again by false imputations of malignancy, popery, superstition, and of such like crimes, laid to their charge, from which they were altogether free, not without the subornation of false witnesses sometimes to attest the same. And in case new matters of scandal were wanting, whereby to make them odious to the ruling Power, those which time had almost buried in oblivion, were revived again by you to the infamy and damage of your Pastors, as if they were not men compassed about with infirmity, as well as others, or yourselves free from all iniquity, not needing the mercy of him who is the common Redeemer of you both, and though ye need it, how can ye with confidence expect it, if that be true as ye find, 
Jam. 2.13.  Jam. 2.13. For he shall have judgement without mercy, that hath showed no mercy? For neither your words nor deeds have been such toward them as do become men that shall be judged by the law of Liberty, 
Vers. 12.  because ye have used rigour and extremity in them both, not advising in the least measure with the Law of Christ: For otherwise ye would not have aggravated after this manner every small matter which might any ways tend to their prejudice, but rather have passed by such as these, and either concealed the greatest where there was hope of repentance and amendment, or followed the same with all meckness and moderation considering the persons whom ye did pursue, and the sad calamities which were likely to befall them and their families, if judgement should proceed against them.  
And surely it is strange that the painful industry of many years in the work of the Ministry could not prevail either with you who did partake thereof to conceal, or with those that were their Judges, and without doubt knew as much, to pardon one or a few errors of their life upon promise of more strict conversation for the time to come. Ye did pretend indeed that zeal for the Truth only, and love of God's people did set you thus in opposition against the scandalous Ministers, or those whom ye were pleased to term so: but I fear, your own conscience will one day tell you plainly (and I pray God not too late) that private quarrels, personal interests, and self ends carried you all along in these unwarrantable courses of mischief and persecution; for some of you, to our knowledge, who have been most forward to thrust forth of the Lords inheritance them that for many years together had ministered unto you in holy things, have been the first that fell into dislike of their own new choice, and refused to give them maintenance according to the Law. So weak and unstable is your judgement, so sickle your affection, so immoderate your desire of novelty, so blind your conscience in discerning your own hearts, so squeamish your minds to receive truth, if it doth any wise make against your worldly advantage, or touch upon your sins, the which though never so grievous and manifest, 
Hos 4.4.  no man must strive, or repove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the Priest.  
Neither are ye offended only with the Minister for open, but also for secret rebukes, yea and for private admonitions and correptions sometimes, be they never so necessary and gentle withal, as I have seen it by often experience verified in many; one more especially, a very lewd person indeed, who being mildly reproved by a Minister in my hearing for some scandalous sin, replied again; It were better for us if ye Ministers held your peace, because than we might sin with the less guilt and punishment. To whom then shall I speak and give warning that they may hear? Behold, 
Jer. 6.10.  their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach: they have no delight in it. Wherefore he that doth not please your humour, or advance your faction, or gratify you in your beloved corruptions, or sparing you strikes at your adversaries; in a word, will not be partakers of your sins by connivance or practice, strait ways grows out of request with you as an unprofitable teacher, or rather one not fit for your purpose, however he be accomplished in all other respects: and thus he is by little and little abandoned of you, and another sought out more agreeable to your fancy, and mind, for a short season, until the date or time of pleasing you be expired also: Insomuch as one Parish not many miles distant from the University of Oxford, hath been known since these Times of trouble and distraction to have disliked and changed their Ministers as often, if not more often then there be seasons in the year, and yet scarce afford maintenance for a single man to live with them. It is past belief what foolish exceptions they have had against those men who have upon trial, or other occasions preached before them; besides many against several Ministers, this they had against one not unknown to myself (if I am not misinformed) that he preached too long upon the same Text. I pray God this spiritual delicacy doth not presage a spiritual famine in the end, whereby men may hunger and thirst after that Word which they despise and loathe now because of the plenty and fullness thereof.  
And here I may not pass by in silence a common but very dangerous error that possesseth your minds, whereby ye fond and falsely imagine that the success of the Ministry doth depend upon the personal gifts of the Minister, and not wholly upon the ordinance of Christ, for which cause ye magnify some above measure, and despise others in comparison of them, calling the first powerful Preachers, and not acknowledging the last for such, because not men so well qualified for the work of the Lord as they. The which conceit (if I mistake not) is not the least cause of your non-prosiciency by the means of grace. For how can ye reap benefit from the Ordinance, if ye come not duly prepared to it? and how can ye come duly prepared to it, if ye have not a just esteem of it, that ye may answerably submit unto it? For, 
1 Cor. 3.7.  neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth: but God that giveth the increase. Let men therefore learn to have greater respect to the blessing from above, then to the means below; to the grace and gift of God, then to the abilities and endowments of men in the great busmesse of their conversion and edification.  
Again, ye English people are generally indifferent or luke warm in Religion, and so ye may enjoy the world's good, care not what doth become of the Truth of God, the which ye hear indeed, but learn and know not, like those of whom we read 2 Tim. 3.7. ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth; or if ye know it, receive it not, neither believing it with your hearts, nor obeying it in your lives: for although ye all profess faith, and pretend to it, as the main ground and pillar of your hope in God, yet it is but a bare profess on and mere ostentation of that which ye have not in truth; a few excepted, who testify the same by their innocent and holy conversation, 
Jac 2.26.  without which faith is dead being alone. The rest deceive themselves with the shadow of faith; namely, a vain and causeless presumption, which they embrace for the substance; in the mean while giving no evidence thereof to the world, and hating those that call upon them for the practice of repentance and good works, yea and persecuting them sometimes, as we have found by experience. But to slight admonitions of this nature, is almost every man's guilt, however scarce accounted of as a crime by any. The truth is, ye would fain have, and some openly declare as much, a religion exempt as well from duty as from charges and expense, ye would go to heaven, and yet stir not one foot in the journey, receive the reward of glory, but do no work of grace for it. And notwithstanding your frequent confessions and protestations of faith in God, many are yet found among you who give more credit to the say of Diviners and Astrologers, though seldom but false, and ever uncertain, then to the writings of the Prophets and Evangelists, and more seek unto such as these then to their Maker in the time of their distress.  
Now how far ye are from obeying the precepts of the Gospel, or the commands of that Lord to whom ye have given up your names, and vowed yourselves to be his faithful servants unto death, let your own works witness against you, and your conscience judge of you according to this evidence: for, 
Isa. 9.17.  every one's heart is set upon their covetousness, every one is an hypocrite and an evil doer, and every mouth speaketh villainy. Ye idolise wealth in all your habitations, set up this stumbling block of your iniquity in your heart, and before your face for the many which ye have removed out of the way, serving this mammon of unrighteousness more than the true living God. To gain riches ye generally speak not what you think, do not what you speak, and neither speak nor do as ye know and aught. To retain your ill gotten goods, ye dispense with yourselves for swearing what you list, breaking oaths at pleasure, violating covenants made with God or man; no tye so sacred or solemn, which can hold you against your profit, or to your present disadvantage. It is your received principle, that ye may get wealth at any hand for your selves and children, Si possis recte, si non quocunque modo rem. And your measure is as much as ye can, by all means possible how base soever. Insomuch as your trades (as they are now commonly used) seem to be but so many mysteries of iniquity or deceitful baits for sinful gain. 
Pro. 21.6.  The getting of treasares by a lying tongue, being a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death. For the restitution of ill gotten goods, whether by violence, or by deceit, is a thing not thought upon in these days, wherefore men usually die in this sin without recognition, much less repenting of what they have done amiss. Nay, some there be so vain in their conceits, so corrupt in judgement, and depraved in their will, partly by education, partly by the custom and manners of the age, that they imagine it no sin at all to defraud or go beyond their brother in any matter, taking this to be a warrantable principle in all matter of contract and bargaining with others, that they may make as much of their goods as they can, without any respect had to the benefit and advantage of the buyer: a thing most opposite to justice and charity; and as if this were not enough they glory in their deceit and overreaching one another, especially of the Clergy and University men, whom all deceive with one consent, abusing their simplicity and want of experience in the things of this life, to the damage of them, and to their own unjust profit. In like manner they do without equity, or measure exact upon strangers wheresoever they come in the price of all commodities, notwithstanding men of the same country and religion with themselves, little considering to what exigences men of this condition may be reduced on the way, and are subject at all times. Others there be that entertain this opinion or persuasion in their minds, that they may wrong and deceive as they lift, or as far as they are able, any man who is of a different judgement or faction from them in religion, whom they call the wicked and ungodly, and look upon as them that have no right to the creature, by reason of their unregenerate, and unsanctified estate of life; whereby indeed they get and lay up treasure for themselves, 
Luk. 12.  but are not rich towards God. Thus do fools make a mocka●sin, 
Prov. 14.  and it is a sport to them to do mischief. And like the Florentine each one getteth his wealth, by carrying about with him a dog's soul (as he said) to make no conscience of any thing, so it might be for his gain.  
And from whence proceedeth this immoderate desire of worldly wealth? Doth it not from hence, that you may consume it upon your lusts? 
Jac. 4.3.  or heap it up to no use and purpose, but to seed your unsatiable avarice? or to reserve it for your children (though little wanting it) against the time to come? This indeed is the vulgar pretence, and common excuse for all that ye do, whether right or wrong, ye must provide for your children and families, they that come after you, must not want in any case. And indeed so ye leave them a temporal inheritance, or a good portion in this life, you care not what may become of them hereafter in another world: wherefore as well by your precept and by your example, which is continually before their eyes, ye teach them to be hypocrites and deceivers like yourselves, and applaud them for their covetous practices, and every course they take, be it good or bad, to preserve or increase this world's good, not caring in the mean time, whether they be godly and virtuously educated, or no; This is the least thing you mind in all your thoughts for them. Neither will your fond and overweening affection, many times suffer you to have them brought up after a sober and austere manner, lest forsooth they should too much lay it to heart, and pine away with secret discontent. Now this soft and remiss education of them in your own houses, and under your own wings, or by such as know and are willing to serve you herein according to desire, that they may serve themselves of you for their own advantage, hath taught them almost every where to be rebellious against God, against you their parents, and against their governor's also; to despise their superiors, and betters, and to be impudent in their behaviour towards all. And you either not at all, or else but sparingly reprove them, seldom or never correct them for these exorbitances: yea, some of you stick not to uphold and encourage them therein. Thus do ye honour your children above the Lord, as Eli did 1 Sam. 2.29. 
1 Sam. 2.29.  while you transgress his covenant to gratify and please them in their lusts, and more deny the faith by your sinful caring and carking for them, than they that do not at all provide for their families, whom notwithstanding the Apostle doth count worse than Infidels, 1 Tim. 5.8. Wherefore ye generally neither get riches as ye should, nor use them as ye ought, but get them either by violence, or by deceit; and when you have them, consume them on your lusts: so that ye are cursed both in the purchase, and in the possession, and your posterity for your sake to whom is entailed as well the curse as the reward of your unrighteousness, because of their inseparable union.  
To your corrupt ways of getting riches, ye have added one above many as bad as these of spending what ye have gotten, I mean your excess of wine and of strong drink. For there is hardly any bargain or contract now which is not begun and finished at the cup; no meeting, no fellowship in these times without this evil custom of drinking and swilling: when nature, as well as grace, prescribes moderation and sobriety in the use of these creatures, ordained for the necessary comfort of the body, not for the superfluous appetite of the soul. From whence it is that those Pests reipublicae, I mean your tippling house;, are increased to so vast a number every where in the land, and do yet increase daily, as so many snares spread in the way of those that pass by, and are about their lawful employments: and the masters of them by their subtlety and base compliance with every man's humour that spends his money and time with them, draw more expense from them, and suck more of their labour and substance, than many honest callings in the nation put together. Neither is this all, but they usually are the nurseries of idleness, prosanenesse, and all manner of vicious living; and indeed what can we expect besides such fruits as these, from that sin which is the mother of all uncleanness, and of whatsoever is displeasing unto God, or hurtful to man, as the common and sad disasters occasioned hereby, both to private persons, and to whole samilies do more then sufficiently witness? and though an instance of the profaneness at such meetings may seem altogether unnecessary, because nothing more usual than this: yet I cannot forbear to repeat a speech, which I lately heard from the mouth of an ungodly companion drinking with his fellows on the Alebench, who said, If all the Devils in hell stood round about me, I would drink my cups.  
Oh the sleepiness and deadness of Magistrates! the remissness of government! the want of care and conscience in the inferior Ministers of justice to execute their office, and discharge their trust! For otherwise how easily might many of these houses be suppressed, that without licence sell this abusive commodity? how many more that sell it indeed with licence, but suffer all licentiousness to pass in the use thereof, uncontroled, through concealment at least, if not encouragement of what is done in contempt both of divine, and also of humane laws by lewd persons, who make these places their daily or continual hunt? And both in short time reduced to a much smaller and more necessary number? Remeraber therefore oh ye Justices of the peace, and you likewise who receive warrants from them, how much it concerns the welfare of the nation, and the quietness of your own conscience to inquire after and rectify these disorders as speedily as you may: let not an omne bene be brought in upon oath at your sessions in stead of an omne male as the custom hath a long time been, and is still in use, or if it be, not find so easy admission as as it hath heretofore done. But what hope of reformation? surely, If a man walking in the spirit and falshoed do lie, saying, 
Mic. 2.12.  I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink, he shall even be the Prophet of this people. Now though that the Almighty hath for many years together admonished you of these and other your great and heinous sins by the messengers of his word, and of late severely chastised many of you for them with his rod, who is there among you that repenteth of the evil of his do? 
Jer. 8.6, 7, 8.  I harkened and heard, but they spoke not aright: no man repent him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the Horse rusheth into the battle. Yea the Stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times, and the Turtle, and the Crane, and the Swallow observe the time of their coming, but my people know not the judgement of the Lord. How do ye say, we are wise, and the Law of the Lord is with us? Nay, do ye not rather add to the iniquity of your sins? and are ye not become more vile and abominable in the Lord's sight by your lewd practices then before? For behold your injustice is more exorbitant every where now, then in times past, your covetousness more close and sharp of appetite, your pride of apparel more gorgeous; the Hind now exceeding the Farmer that was heretofore, in the trimness and cost of his habit, the Farmer the Yeoman, the Yeoman the Gentleman, and the Tradesman all these in bravery, every one mounting above his degree, and going beyond his estate in this sumptuous vanity; your hypocrisy more profound than ever, your contempt of God's worship never so open and apparent as now: so that ye seem generalry to be incorrigible like those in the Prophet Jer. 5.3. For, though God hath stricken you, yet have ye not grieved; he hath consumed you, but ye have refused to receive correction ye have made your faces harder than a rock, ye have refused to return.  
As long indeed as the dissolute plundering party were abroad in the country, and were a terror and scourge unto you, ye appeared as men mortified and weaned from the world; but no sooner was the rod laid aside, than ye returned every one to his former ways, more strongly grasping, and closely emoracing this world then before; as it comes to pass between friends after a long or dangerous parting one from the other: like the people of Israel, of whom the Prophet witnesseth, Psal 78.34, etc. that when God slew them, than they sought him, and returned and enquired early after him, and they remembered that God was their Rock, and the high God their Redeemer. Nevertheless, they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant. So ye after the same manner did but dissemble in your hearts both with God and with man in the time of your distress, notwithstanding all the show and profession you made of repentance and turning unto him, who smote you for your transgressions. And to say the truth, your hypocrisy is not tranparent only in the fountain, to him who seethe and knoweth the hidden things of darkness: but in the streams also which flow from thence, I mean the external actions and courses of your life, to men who judge according to the appearance and sight. For he that narrowly considereth and examineth without prejudice, the usual motion and carriage of things in these times, shall find very few, at least not any considerable number of men in comparison of the rest, who have not sided with the several unhappy divisions or factions of the nation according as they were led by private interests of dependence, gain, honour, liberty, and such like personal advantages, notwithstanding their fair pretences of conscience and religion in reference to the cause which they did maintain. Under the same colour do you still as formerly by't and devour one another, as if that religion which teacheth mercy, and enjoineth the exercise thereof even towards the worst enemies both of its professors and of itself, could any way countenance before God, or discerning good men, proceed of this nature so contrary to the precepts thereof: and although according to the custom of hypocrites you pride yourselves in this, that you are not so debauched in your life, and lose in your manners, as those are known to be who are opposite to you: yet ye cannot quit yourselves of that imputation which the Lord doth fasten on the Pharisees and Scribes of his time, namely, that they did strain at a gnat, 
Mat. 23.24.  and swallow a camel: for as they then were double diligent (as we say) in observing what the Law did require in point of ceremony, and circumstance of divine worship, as also every vain tradition received from their foresathers, but omitted the weightier matters of the Law, 
Vers. 23.  judgement, mercy, and faith; forbearing to est with unwashen hands, lest they should transgress; 
Chap. 15.2. Luk. 11.39.  and yet desiling their conscience with ravening and wickedness; and afterward with the blood of the Son of God: so ye with whom an innocent ceremony would not go down, heretofore, and is an abomination unto this day, now can swallow down all manner of injustice without remorse or distaste thereof in the least measure, 
Mat. 23.14.  and devour widow's houses, as they did, under the same pretence also of prayer and devotion.  
But some of you place all the duty of a Christian, or Saint in the external observation of those things that pertain to the worship of God, or in a professed zeal for the Sabbath (as they term it) and hearing of the word as opportunity is given them; others in the mortal performance of what the Law prescribes in point of justice and common honesty: both with like deceit and danger, setting these two at odds one against the other, which by the will and commandment of God, are to be inseparably joined together in our Evangelicall obedience, and cannot be parted without practical apostasy, or manifest forsaking of Saintlike integrity necessary in order to salvation for every man that will be a disciple and follower of Christ Jesus. Now what more evident sign of hypocrisy, than such partial respect as this to the Commandments of the Lord, whereby we pick and choose some, refuse and reject others according to our own pleasure, or as they best suit with or disagree from our corrupt affections and sinful lusts.  
To which we may add also your nonproficiency under the means of grace: for never had a nation more plentifully sown among them the incorruptible seed of the word, that yielded so bad or sparing increase thereof, as ye have done. Never any yet who know so much, and practise so little as yourselves, on whom greater light have shone, and yet more love and walk in darkness, than you of this untoward, stubborn, 
Psal. 78.8.  and rebellious generation, a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit is not steadfast with God: Insomuch as it is an aspersion cast upon you by your adversaries, (and I would to God without ground or just cause) that our forefathers in this land under their religion, were faster tied by their bare word and promise, than Protestants at this day by their most solemn oaths: a charge indeed against us never more verified by our practice, then at this present time, but little making for them or for their cause, whose leaders have taught them to err more concerning this thing, than any in the world besides, framing mischief by a law, or art of dissembling unknown to men in times past, and to be abominated throughout all ages.  
Be ashamed therefore O ye English people, and confounded in yourselves because of all your transgressions. And fear him who hath so often turned his anger away, 
Ps. 78.38.  and not stirred up all his wrath; Lest he at length cast upon you the fierceness. 
V 49.  of his anger, wrath, and indignation and trouble, and as he hath begun, so accomplish is fury in the the midst of you or behold ye have already seen the tokens of his displeasure against you, in that he hath taken from you those ill gotten goods by the hand of violence and rapine which ye procured to yourselves at the first by oppression, or by deceit, having given your substance and your treasures to the spoil without price, and that for all your sins, even in all your borders. And because you have not believed the Lord speaking unto you early and late by his spirit in the Ministers of truth and righteousness, he hath in his just judgement sent the spirit of delusion and error among you, in those that preach unto you without calling and commission from him the imagination of their own heart, not his word.  
Now these with the like proceed of the righteous Judge against thee in judgement, are so many gentle forewarnings to thee, O Nation not desired, of timely repentance and conversion to thy God; but in case of impenitency and obstinacy against the gracious counsel of his will, certain forerunners of greater plagues, both upon the bodies, and also upon the souls of thy children. Fear therefore that if thy vain thoughts still lodge within thee, and thou haste not to appease the wrath of thy Maker, 
Zeph. 2.2.  before the Deeree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lords anger come upon you: Fear, I say, lest your houses shall be turned unto others, 
Jer. 6.12.  with your fields and wives together, and the whole land be devoured by the fire of his jealousy. 
Zeph. 1.18  The Lord hath planted you in a good land flowing with milk and honey, like that of Canaan, but your unthankfulness for his blessings and abuse of them to sin and provocation of the eyes of his glory, when the measure of iniquity is already full (as it seemeth now to be) may soon cause him to cast you forth of this goodly inheritance, as he did them that were before you; and give it for a possession unto strangers, whom ye have not known in times past, and whose language ye cannot understand. The best tenure of your land is the gracious will of God, and the condition of his will, your obedience. If ye be willing and obedient, 
Isa. 2.19 20.  ye shall eat the good of the land; But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. And if this thought may not startle your minds sleeping on the bed of sinful sloth and carnal security, let that I pray you of a far greater and more destructive evil awaken you from sleep, the removing of the candlestick out of his place, after that the star is vanished away, or set in obscure darkness never to rise again. For ye have a long time turned the grace of your God into wantonness, and you plainly see that the light beginneth now to shine much more dim then formerly, and not at all in many corners of the land, and is there not just cause to fear, 
Mat. 21.43  lest that the Kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a Nation, bringing forth the fruits thereof? And the rather for that the Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear (
* Mic. 9.7.  the rod and who hath appointed it) unto this day. 
vers. 6.10, 11, 12.  For are there (not) yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the seant measure that is abominable? shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the lag of deceitful writs? For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the Inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth. 
Jer. 9.3.  And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies, but they are not valtam for the truth upon the earth: for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me saith the Lord, 
Changed 5.29.  Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord. shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation as this? Ye are guilty of the sins of Israel, and can you hope to escape the judgements of Israel? you have seen what heavy judgements have been executed upon them from time to time by the hand of Divine Justice, for the same sins which you daily commit, and not upon them alone, but upon the neighbouring Nations round about you, the war, pestilence, and famine, which wasted and consumed thero, and is there not cause why after so many warnings by the sad examples of others, you should expect greater judgements, or the same in greater measure, than did light upon them? 
Luke 13.3. Jam 4.8.6, 9, 10.  Surely except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Draw nigh (therefore) to God, and he will draw nigh to you, cleanse your hands ye sinners, and purify your hearts ye double minded. Be afflicted and mourn and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Believe and obey those Ministers that most powerfully dehort from sin, and exhort you unto righteousness, both by their preaching and by their living; and not them, which decry duty, and secretly persuade you to libertinism and licentiousness of life, or who flatter you in your sins, bearing you in hand, that ye are better than you are, or not so bad as some account of you; for though this be pleasing and plausible, yet God knoweth, (and you will find so at the last) it is pernicious doctrine, whereby ye are brought into the snare of the Devil. Neither rejoice to hear the sins of other men reproved as the custom is, but truly grieve for them and much more for your own, when they are represented to your conscience by the Lord's Messenger, not storming at his rebuke, or having indignation at his person, as the manner is, by which means he is often discouraged in his Office, and you ever hardened in your sins. In a word, let it be the faithful endeavour of you all, as much as in you lieth, to reform your own lives, and the lives of other men, O ye Ministers of the Lord, O ye Magistrates of the land, O ye People both small and great, mind this one needful matter, and no longer dote upon private personal interest with the neglect of the public, and to the ruin of the whole, prefer not any more the State to the Church, the world to Christ, gain to godliness, 
1 Pet. 1.15.  and earth to heaven But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation: suffer him once to rule in your hearts, who hath so often been in your mouths, and of whom ye have made so frequent mention with your lips, 
Mat. 7.21.  saying unto him Lord, Lord, but not doing the will of his Father which is in heaven. Be his servants in deed, and not in word only, his Disciples in truth, as well as in show and in outward profession, not for what ye may gain here, but for what ye shall enjoy hereafter. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them: Now that ye may be able to do them, by him who can do all things, 
Phil. 2.13.  and worketh in you both to will and to do, of his good pleasure, The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all, Amen.   
FINIS.   

A Postscript to the Reader.  
HE that undertaketh freely to reprove the faults of many, must expect the various censures of many, and so do I, but fear them not, and trust I have no cause much to pass by them, my conscience bearing me witness that I have had a tender respect in what I writ to the glory of God, unto truth, and to the spiritual good of my brethren, 
1 Cor. 74.25.  as one that hath obiained mercy of the Lord to be saithful: yet as a man compassed with infirmity, and subject to many failings, though in the present business free from malice or desire of revenge, neither do I plead guiltless myself, while I thus seem to accuse others. Far be this from me, as already it is. I know and acknowledge my own sins in those of other men, with whom God knoweth, I have been in too great a measure guilty of the common errors of the times, whereby we have mutually drawn down the past and present judgements, which the Lord hath executed, and doth still execute upon this sinful nation, 
Psal. 51.3  and my transgression is ever before me. But blessed be his name for that I have learned by his fatherly rebukes and chastisements, both to loath and to leave the follies and iniquities of my youth. And oh that I were as free from the inbred corruption of my heart! But alas, it still cleaveth very close unto me: and I have found it by experience in myself more difficult to struggle with it, and to strive against it with success, then to bear the cross, or to suffer reproach and persecution from men for the Name of Christ Jesus. For I am by nature very prone to impatiency, especially at certain seasons; and this I look upon as my worst enemy here on earth, against which I pray and fight continually. As for those that have any way done me wrong either in goods, or in good name, or any way else besides, 
Psal. 59 3.  (not for my transgression, nor for my sin O Lord) I freely forgive them in the presence of the Almighty, and daily pour forth a supplication for them before the throne of grace. In the mean while comforting myself in this, 
2 Cor. 7.1.  that I have wronged no man, corrupted no man, defrauded no man: and waiting for the appearance of that day wherein every man's work shall be made manifest, 
1 Cor. 3.13.  and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. And surely I might much more comfortably endure mine own afflictions, did not the thought of present public calamities, and of those that are likely to follow upon the head of these, perplex my mind, and add a great weight to the burden of the former. For God hath apparently declared his displeasure against the nation by altering the natural course of things in the seasons of the year, in our bodies, and in what not besides these? It is hard to tell whether the like immoderate drought as of late hath ever been known in the land before, the most aged are silent and wonder at it with cause enough of admiration and astonishment. Now that both this and our many sicknesses are the sure effects of God's wrath and curse upon us, appeareth from Dent. 28.22.23. Neither may we hope for better things, but are still to expect worse than these which have already befallen us, because our sin like that of Judah is written with a pen of iron, 
Jer. 17.1.  and with the point of a diamond, it is graven upon the table of our heart. The Lord take not his peace from us, as he did from them, even loving kindness and mercies.  
Some indeed glory much in the success of the Army hitherto very great and strange, and promise as much, or rather much more from them for the future, as also from the Navy. In like manner they count much upon the prudence and policy of those who sit at the stern, but sin nevertheless unrepented of by the people, and unreformed by the magistrate doth still threaten us with wrath and vengeance from the Almighty. And what safeguard can a Navy at Sea, though never so well set forth, or an Army on foot in the land, how numerous and resolute soever, afford us from the Lord of sea and land? 
Job 9 13.  If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him: What wisdom, understanding, or counsel against him, that disappointeth the devices of the crafty, 
Ch. 5.12, 13, 14.  so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise: who taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong. They meet with darkness in the day time, and grope in the noonday as in the night. 
Job 9.4.  He is wise in heart and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered? What confidence in any thing before him, who hath cursed all confidence but that which is reposed in him? 
Ch. 8.13, 14.  So are the paths of all that forget God, and the hypocrites hope shall perish: whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web, and their hope as the giving up of the ghost, 
Ch. 11.20.  or a puff of breath.  
He that duly considereth the state of things in this land immediately preceding the several devastations by foreign invasion, and shall compare the same with our present times, may find that correspondency between them, which will justly make him fear, lest the time of our desolation be at hand also; but I forbear, and God forbidden. I have but one word more to speak unto thee, and it is by way of request, that if thou be learned, thou wilt not be offended with the rudeness of the stile, and vulgar plainness of the expression which thou findest in this book, remembering that the major part, whom it doth concern, are either the ignorant, and more simple sort of people, or not so knowing as those who have diligent education and training up in the schools of Philosophy, or of more polite literature. And whosoever thou be that dost peruse this little treatise, if by reflection thou chance to see those spots and blemishes in thyself, of which thou tookest no knowledge before, or in case thou didst perceive them, pass them by unregarded, never seeking to wipe them off from thee; do not with brutish fury, or childdish indignation break the glass in pieces for being true unto thee; but rather imitate in this particular him, who doth present and hold the same before thee, that is, reform what is uncomely, purify what is unclean, rectify what is a miss by the Image or shape, which it doth represent unto thy view: Who so loveth instruction, 
Prov. 12. ●.  loveth knowledge, but he that hateth reproof is brutish. It is an hard matter, as the case now generally standeth with us, either to speak or to hear Truth as we ought, so great and common is men's prejudice against it. And what Salvian complained of in his time, may justly give occasion of complaint to us concerning the present times wherein we live. Tam imbecilla sunt judicia hujus temporis, ac penè tam nulla, ut qui legunt, non tam considerant quid legant, quam cujus legant, nec tam dictionis vim atque virtutem, quam dictatoris cogitent dignitatem. Praefat. ad Salom. Finally, if thou receive any benefit by what thou readest herein, give glory to God, and pray for the Author, as he prayeth for thee, and for those who have reviled and despitefully used him without a cause. Now the Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. 
2 Tim. 4.22.  Grace be with you, Amen.  
Deo Gloria.   

A Catalogue of some Books lately extant and Printed for Richard Royston at the Angel in Ivy-lane, London.  
A Paraphrase and Annotations upon all the Books of the New Testament by Henry Hammond D. D. in fol.  
The Practical Catechism, with all other English Treatises of Henry Hammond D. D. in two volumes, in 40.  
Dissertationes quator, quibus Episcopatus Jura ex S. Scriptures & Primaeva Antiquitate adstruuntur, contrasententiam D. Blondelli & aliorum. Authore Henrico Hammond, in 40.  
A Letter of Resolution of six Quaere's, in 120.   

The names of several Treatises and Sermons written by Jeremy Taylor, D. D. viz.  
1. The Great Exemplar of Sanctity and Holy Life according to the Christian Institution: described in the History of the Life and Death of the ever blessed Jesus Christ ●● Saviour of the World.  
2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, A Course of Sermons for all the Sundays of the Year; Fitted to the great Necessities, and for the supplying the wants of Preaching in many parts of this Nation. Together with a Discourse of the Divine Institution, Necessity, sacredness, and Separation of the Office Mininisterial, in fol.  
3. Episcopacy asserted, in 40.  
4. The Liberty of Prophesying, in 40.  
5. An Apology for authorized and Set-forms of Liturgy, in 40.  
6. A Discourse of Baptism, its institution and efficacy upon all Beleivers, in 40.  
7. The Rule and Exercises of holy living, in 120.  
8. The Rule and Exercises in holy dying, in 120.  
9 A short Catechism for institution of young persons in the Christian Religion, in 120.  
Certamen Religiosum, or, a Conference between the late King of England, and the late Lord Marquis of Worcester concerning Religion, at Ragland Castle; Together with a vindication of the Protestant Cause, by Chr. Cartwright in 40.  
The Psalter of David, with Titles and Collects, according to the matter of each Psalm, by the Right honourable Chr. Hannon, in 120.  
Boanerges and Barnabas, or Judgement and Mercy for wounded and afflicted souls, in several Soliloquies, by Francis Quarles, in 120.  
The Life of Faith in Dead Times, by Chr. Hadson, in 120.  
Motives for prayer upon the seven days of the Week, by Sir Richard Baker, Knight, in 120.  
The Guide unto True Blessedness, or a Body of the Doctrine of the Scriptures, directing man to the saving knowledge of God, by Sam. Crook, in 120.  
Six excellent Sermons upon several occasions, preached by Edward Willan Vicar of Hoxne, in 40.  
The Dipper dipped, or the Anabaptists ducked and plunged over head and ears, by Daniel Featly, D. D. in 40.  
Hermes Theologus, or a Divine Mercury: new descants upon old Records, by The Wodenote, in 120.  
Philosophical Elements concerning Government and Civil society, by Tho. Hobbes of Malmesbury, in 120.  
An Essay upon Statius, or the five first books of Pabl. Papinius Statius his Thebais, by Tho. Stephens, Schoolmaster in S. edmond's Bury, in 80.  
Nomenclatura brevis Auglo-Latino Graeca in usum Scholae westmonasterionsis, per F. Gregory, in 80.  
Grammatices Graecae Enchiridion in usum Scholae Collegialis Wigorniae, in 80.  
A Discourse of holy Love, by Sir George Strode Knight, in 120.  
The Saint's Honeycomb full of Divine Truths, by Rich. Gove Preacher of Henton S. George in Somersetshire, in 80.  
Devotion digested intoseveral Discourses and Meditations upon the Lords most holy Prayer: Together with additional Exercitations upon Baptism, The Lord's Supper, Heresies, Blasphemy, The Greatures, Sin, The souls pant after God, The mercies of God, The souls complaint of its absence from God; by Peter Samwaies, Fellow lately resident in Trinity College, Cambridge, in 120.  
Of the Division between the English and Romish Church upon Reformation, by Hen. Fern D. D. in 130.  
Directions for the profitable reading of the Scriptures, by John white M.A. 80.  
The Exemplary Lives and memorable Acts of 9 the most worthy women of the world, 3 Jews, 3 Gentiles, 3 Christians, by Tho. Heywood, in 40.  
The Saints Legacies, or a Collection of Promises out of the Word of God, in 120.  
Judicium universitatis Oxoniensis de Solemni Lega & Federe, Juramento Negativo, etc. in 30.  
A Treatise concerning Divine providence, very seasonable for all Ages, by Tho. Morton Bishop of Duresme, in 80.  
An account of the Church Catholic where it was before the Reformation, by Edward Boughen D. D. in 40.  
An Advertisement to the Jurymen of England touching Witches, written by the Author of the Observations upon M. Hobbs Leviathan, in 40.