PHARISAISM DISPLAYED, OR Hypocrisy Detected. IN A SERMON Preached in St. Mary's Church in Stamford, August the 21st, 1690.  
Being the Triennial Visitation of the Right Reverend Father in God, Thomas Lord Bishop of LINCOLN.  
By GEORGE TOPHAM, Prebendary of Lincoln.  
LONDON: Printed for Thomas Fox, at the Angel in Westminster-Hall; and are to be sold by Mr. Caldecot, Bookseller, in Stamford, Lincolnshire, 1690.   

PHARISAISM DISPLAYED, OR Hypocrisy Detected, etc.  St LUKE xii. v. i. 
Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.  
REligion and a Holy Life is so necessary for the making all Humane Societies Happy, that thereupon it has constantly been recommended by the wisest Men, and greatest Philosophers: The very Poet could observe this to his Countrymen the Romans, 
Dîs te minorem quòd geris,  
Imperas;  that they owed their Success to their Piety, and were made Commanders of the World for their Obedience to their Gods.  
'Tis of such concern for the establishing Government, that all Lawgivers have thought it necessary to prohibit the Violation thereof; and it carries so much of the Image of God in it, that all his Revelations to the Patriarches and Prophets, especially that by the Blessed Jesus to the Christian Church, do mainly insist upon it.  
When the Heathen World went greatly astray, by their abominable Idolatries, even in their pretended Religious Rites, the Doctrine of the Gospel appeared to turn them from the power of Satan unto God: And when the Jews (but chief the Pharisees) had so strangely degenerated in their Principles and Practices, from the great Design of the Law, our Lord protests against them, and gives his Disciples this caution, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.  
From which words I shall observe, 

First, Who these Pharisees were.  
Secondly, What this Leaven of theirs was, which our Saviour cautions his Disciples against.  
And then, thirdly, Consider how much of this sour Leaven is spread abroad amongst us, and give some Cautions against it.    
First, Who these Pharisees were:  
They were a particular Sect, proudly affecting singular Opinions and Practices different from the other Jews, and such as were not enjoined in the Law of Moses: The Name Pharisee is to separate and divide; and themselves were distinguished into several sorts, as the Jewish Writers tell us.  
Some were called the Sechemitical Pharisees; these made a Trade of Religion, and all their pretended Sanctity, was only to veil their inward Villainies, that so they might the more demurely Cheat. Others were styled the Stumbling Pharisees, who for an appearance of Humility, would scarce lift up their feet in the Streets. Others they called the Winking Pharisees, because they shut their eyes as they passed along, lest they should (as they gave out) behold a Temptation. And others they styled the Boasting Pharisees, because they pretended not only to do whatsoever the Law required, but even to Works of Supererrogation, to perform a great deal more; and upon this account, boasted that God himself rejoiced in them, and that they were infinitely dear to him.  
Yet if we may credit Josephus, they did not withdraw themselves from the Synagogue, or Temple public Worship. Tho' concerning the Synagogue-Worship, there is probable Evidence, that the chief Sects among the Jews, and therefore the Pharisees, as one of them, had their distinct Assemblies: And 'tis certain, the Pharisees did reject the best of Men from their Synagogue-Communion, merely for confessing that Jesus was the Christ, and becoming his Disciples. And in the Temple-Worship they were guilty of a kind of Separation, under an appearance of Communion; for whereas the Daily Sacrifice in the Temple was a Burnt Offering, and therefore appointed for Expiation and Atonement, the Devotions of those who attended at the Hours of Prayer and Sacrifice, aught to be conformable thereunto; but the Pharisees Prayer there, as our Saviour describes it, had nothing in it of Humble Supplication for Mercy and Favour, but he thanks GOD that he was not as other men. And this Spirit of Division was so much worse in them, because 'twas founded in a high conceit, and great confidence in their own Piety, when all the while there was nothing in it but Hypocrisy.  
Which brings me to the second Considerable, what this Leaven of the Pharisees was, which our Lord and Master cautionizes his Disciples against: And this Leaven (as he Expounds himself) was of two sorts; the Leaven of Corrupt and Superstitious Doctrine, Mat. 12. ver. 16. and here the Leaven of Hypocrisy: Now 'tis the nature of Leaven not only to spread and diffuse itself, but also to swell the Lump 'tis mixed with: so this Leaven of the Pharisees did sour and embitter their Minds, puff and fill them with Hypocrisy, Cruelty, and Pride. Hypocrisy is an affectation of seeming to be what a Man is not, in point of Piety towards God, or Love and Charity towards Men; and at this Art, the Pharisees were subtle Masters: Whenever they designed to devour Orphans or Widows Houses, long Prayers, and Fasting twice a Week, must usher in the Inhuman Villainy. If any Covetousness, or Cruelty of more than ordinary Size was to be committed, they presently covered it with Corban, and were Deceivers of Men in the Name of God. Their Study was to be circumspect and wary in their Wickedness, Noctem peccatis & fraudibus addere nubem; They sinned out of sight as much as might be, and made it their business only to appear unto Men to be Righteous: And therefore well might our Saviour give it in charge to his Disciples, to beware of their Leaven or Hypocrisy. And because he did so, I shall give some Instances wherein this their Pharisaical Hypocrisy did consist:  
First, They placed much Righteousness in their being a peculiar Party, and maintaining a kind of Separation, and pretended to a greater Holiness and Devotion, an exacter Knowledge of the Law, and a more perfect Obedience to it, than any of the rest of the People; and by these Pretences gained strangely in the Opinion of the unthinking Rabble. Our Lord himself brings in the Pharisees openly boasting a greater Piety, a stricter Life, a higher Righteousness than any other sort of Men. In the 18th of St. Luke, verse 8. Two Men (says he) went up into the Temple to pray, the one a Pharisee, the other a Publican: The Pharisee stood, and prayed thus with himself; God, I thank thee, that I am not as other Men are, Extortioners, , Adulterers, or even as this Publican. Where we find him making a Distinction, between himself and other Men, in the very first words he speaks to God. Yet for all this, if we observe the Character our Saviour gives of them, we shall find them so far from being better, that they were worse than other Men; that though they professed they were no Extortioners, yet they devoured Widows Houses, and that for all their pretended outward Sanctity, they were within full of Extortion and Excess.  
Secondly, Their Righteousness did much consist in such a Zeal as was disorderly, fierce, and censorious. They declared a great Respect to the Memory of the Prophets, but this was only to gain Credit to their own Dictates. Their Zeal was a violent espousing the Interest of their own Errors, and was not so much for God and his Law, as for themselves and their own Party. They were far more nice, far more scrupulous in lesser things, than they were in those of greatest Moment, far more punctual in the Observance of their own Precepts and Institutions, than those that were of God's appointment. They were strict in washing those hands which remained polluted by Evil Works; and were careful to tithe Mint, Anise, and Cummin, but omitted the weightier Matters of the Law. For what Law more Sacred and Indispensable, what more Natural and Agreeable to Humanity, than that which requires us to Honour our Parents, to Relieve and Assist them in their Necessities and Wants? Yet such was the Blindness of the Pharisees, that with respect to their unlawful Vow of Corban, they could without Regret dispense with the Law of God, in not honouring their Parents.  
Another Instance of their Hypocrisy was, That they prescribed to others what themselves would not practise. They were forward in binding heavy Burdens on other men's shoulders, but were not willing themselves to stoop to the Duties of Subjection and Obedience. They were so little Friends to Caesar, that by them the Question was propounded, Whether it was lawful to give Tribute to him, or no? And were (as Josephus relates) constantly disaffected to their Governors, and frequently Turbulent and Seditious; for they were of a haughty and proud Spirit, and scorned to pay Respect to any Rule or Order, without it carried the Impress of their own Invention, looking upon themselves as the only Pious, and Favourites of Heaven, and therefore fit to manage all Affairs, both in Church and State. And when they had the Power in their Hands (notwithstanding their pretended Humility and Mortification) none were more violent and bloody than they, as appears from their barbarous Cruelties under the Government of Alexandria, and especially in their being concerned in prosecuting our Lord to death, and his Apostles after him with various methods of Cruelty, and particularly murdering James the Just, the first Bishop of Jerusalem.  
The last instance I shall give of their Hypocrisy, lay in their flaming Zeal to proselyte to their Party, to make Disciples to their Sect, whilst they made them worse and not better, greatly more worse than they were before: This our Saviour objected to them in the 23 of St. Matth. v. 13. woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; for ye compass sea and land to make one Proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. And so indeed they did, for the Proselytes made by these Pharisees, became much worse than themselves, the Scholars far outdid their Masters in their wicked lives. This was observed by Justin Martyr, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The Proselytes (says he) that are made by you, do not only not believe, but do blaspeme the Name of Christ twice as much as you yourselves; the Gentile exceeds the Jew in his Unbelief.  
Thus having given some instances of the Hypocrisy of the Pharisees, I shall now proceed to consider how much of this sour Leaven is spread abroad amongst us, and give some Cautions against it: yet I shall not strain Resemblances to make the Cases parallel, but only take notice of things as they really are, to observe how far there is a likeness to, or compliance with the Spirit of Pharisaism. And by the way give me leave to declare, that I cordially wish well to all Men of what Party or Persuasion soever; and therefore whatever I shall say, that speaks the Error or Danger of any of them, is not out of design to blacken or cast reproach, but out of this true charitable end, to warn others to beware thereof: And for my part, I look upon it as my Duty, to speak out; for whilst the Sons of the Church of England were in pursuit of the Jesuit, an unexpected Party came behind, and I am afraid, still lies lurking to reward them with Joab's Compliment under the fifth Rib. Do we not daily hear them bespatter the purest Church in the Christian World, revile her whole Government, Discipline, and Service, traduce her Clergy of every Rank and Order, and endeavour by all Arts and Slanders, to poison the World again with their old Pharisaical Leaven of Sedition and Faction. Now shall we, whilst the Papists on one hand call us Heretics, and charge us with Schism? and the Separatists on the other hand (notwithstanding our late opposing the Romish Designs, when we know who they were that readily joined) charge us with Popery, and give our Worship the title of Antichristian; be silent, bear the Charge, and not plead for ourselves? God forbidden; I shall therefore in as few words as I can, lay open the Leaven of both these Parties, and give some Cautions against it.  
And first for the Papists:  
Our Case with respect to that of the Church of Rome, is much like that of the Apostles, with regard to the Scribes and Pharisees, for when they professed the Christian Religion, and Worshipped God after the way which they unjustly called Heresy, the Pharisees sentenced them to be put out of the Synagogue: And Jesus himself (as the Talmud of the Venice Edition, has been observed to affirm,) was excommunicated with the Shammatha, or Great Excommunication: And because we (as we ought) reject the Evil and Corrupt Romish Doctrines and Practices, which are all laid (Pharisee like) in Hypocrisy, to maintain their own Grandeur, and make good their Regalia Papae, they let fly their anathemas in the various Canons of the Conventicle of Trent, and Annually (with all the Solemnities of a proud and malicious Zeal) Curse us in the Bull in Caenâ Domini. And tho' they at Rome keep to their public Worship, as the Pharisees did, yet are they grossly guilty of Schism, by unjustly rejecting all other Christian Churches. And herein they pass Sentence, as the Pharisee did against the Publican, upon those who are much better than themselves.  
And as 'twas one quality of the Leaven of the Pharisees to be fierce and cruel, for where they could not prevail by their Hypocrisy, when they had any Credit or Authority in the State, they made use of that (tho' after the most barbarous and inhuman manner) to proselyte to their Party. And do not the Romanists take the same Methods? Are not their chiefest Arguments drawn (where they have power) out of Bonner's Logic, Fire and Faggot? Is it not by Bloody Inquisitions, Massacres, and Rebellions; by horrid Treasons and cruel Conspiracies, that they propagate that their Romish Religion?  
In short, as the Pharisees of old, so the Romanists of late, put themselves into all Garbs, and suit themselves to all Dispositions, the better to proselyte to their Party; if to day they are full of Processions, Fast, and Whip, to morrow shall gratify them with Masquerading, Plays, and Jollity; if upon one Door there be an Excommunication, casting down to Hell all Transgressor's, upon another you'll-see a Jubilee, or Pardon for all Transgressions; if on one side of the Street a House of Veiled Nuns, on the other, a House of open Courtesans: Their promising of Pardon of Sin, upon condition of Performances unnecessary and insufficient, such as undertaking Pilgrimages to the Shrines of Saints, Visiting Churches, making War upon Infidels and Heretics, contributing Money, repeating so many Ave Mary's and Pater Nosters, what are they but Religious Cheats? And though they spare no pains, but compass Sea and Land to make one Proselyte; yet when he is made, (as our Saviour told the Pharisees) they make him twofold more the child of hell.  
The next that falls under my consideration, are our Dissenting Parties at home; and 'tis strange we should have any such at this time of day amongst us; I know that the sour Leaven of Division was once deeply moulded into our People's breasts, and they were envenomed with an Opinion, That the Bishops and Clergy, nay, all the Members of the Church of England, were Popishly affected; and this Calumny how weak soever, was yet so unhappily strong, as to carry off many well-meaning, but weaker Brethren from our Communion. But now that the Fathers and Sons of this Church, have given (especially under the late Trial) such good assurance to the contrary, we hoped, (as justly we might) that these Misrepresentations would easily have been seen through, and abhorred by all our Dissenting Brethren; and that they would readily have come in, and joined with us in one Public Worship, and lent a helping hand to preserve that Church which the common Enemy thrust at with so much Malice and Envy: For if there were any such Tincture of Popery, or Papistical Inclination in the Sons of the Church of England, as the Romanists have taught our Pretenders to a further Reformation to say and publish, why should the Emissaries of Rome be more industriously intent upon our Destruction, than upon the Extirpation of all other Protestants in the World?  
Indeed the reason is, That the Church of England has for her Faith resisted to Blood; that this Church has sent into Heaven whole Colonies of Confessors and Martyrs for the Truth; that this Church has constantly (and of late as much as ever) maintained her own Cause, and the common Cause of all the Reformed Churches; that this Church is still (thanks be to God, and their Sacred Majesties) the Ornament and the Apology, the Support and the Protection of all the Protestant Churches throughout the World: Our Brethren beyond the Seas cannot be rooted out with ease, or but persecuted with safety, whilst there is a Church of England to stand as a Rampire in the way between them and Ruin: but destroy or extinguish this Church, and all the Reformed Churches abroad, will soon be shattered and made a Prey: O that our Separatists were wise! that they understood this! that they would but consider who they are actuated by: They little think that they are but Journeymen to their and our worst Enemies the Jesuits, who drive a Trade of Divisions in Church and State, in hopes one day to sacrifice them both to their Revenge and Avarice.  
Now there's nothing more dishonourable to the nature of Man, or more to the shame of his understanding, than to be made another Man's Property, or Tool; yet such is the sottishness of too many amongst us, that notwithstanding all the Arguments that have been used, they are still resolved to be overreached and abused by Men ingenuously wicked, are still as industrious Agents to spread abroad their Leaven of Separation, as ever. And therefore my Reverend Brethren, (with submission I speak it) I think 'tis the Duty of every one of us, in our several Places and Cures, to Cautionize our People to be ware of them: And good reason we have for it, if we cast but an eye about us, and see how zealous they are to proselyte to their several Parties, and how maliciously they Mis-figure us to the more weak and unwary, to draw them from our Communion. They cannot but acknowledge, (and some of the Ringleaders of them have done it in print) that we have all the Fundamentals of the true Religion, both in respect of Faith and Practice: We agree in all Essentials with all the Protestant Churches of Christendom, as the Harmony of Confessions will satisfy every Man, who will be but at the pains to read them.  
We add no Articles of our own making to the Apostles Creed, (as we know who do) nor do we snip one of the Ten Commandments, and then slit another to make up the number: We do not equal the Apocrypha with the Canonical Scriptures, neither do we prohibit the Laity the consulting those Sadred Records, but as much as in us lies, endeavour to persuade them to read and meditate on them: We have but two Sacraments, according to our Saviour's Institution; and our Public Service is performed in our own Language: We do not buy or sell Pardons, nor do we trust in any Merits save those of our most Blessed Redeemer Jesus Christ: We pray for nove who are departed this Life, much less do we Invocate any of the Saints: We renounce the strange Doctrine of Transubstamiation, as we do all pretensions to Infallibility upon Earth. What pretence can they then have, not to join Communion with us? If some things indifferent and uncommanded in Holy Writ, do make them divide from us of the Church of England, they must (for the very same reason) not only separate from all the Reformed Churches of Europe, but from themselves too, wherein some things must be indifferent.  
Yet notwithstanding all this, how pievishly are they bend against us? And outrun the Pharisees in the way of Separation; for those, though they were for Prayers of their own, yet joined in the Public Prayers of the Jewish Church; but these are so far from joining with us in Prayer, that they cry out against our Public Service, and condemn the Form, only because 'tis Uniform: Yet were they not as Ignorant as they are Envious, and as stubbornly resolved not to be Informed, as they are both, they might soon be satisfied, that set Forms of Prayer have been the constant Practice of the Church of GOD in her Public Worship, in all Ages, both Jew and Christian. For as no Form of Prayer is the Mother of Confusion, so several Forms by Persons of the same Church, are the Means and Inlets of Division: and therefore to prevent all Divisions in the Church, and to avoid all ignorant, insignificant, and extravagant ways of expressing our Minds unto God in Prayer; as also that we might Communicate in each others Prayers, and reap the benefit of each others Fervency and Devotion, these were the great and weighty Reasons wherefore a set and standing Form of public Prayer, has ever been prescribed and used in the Church.  
Again, as the Pharisees of old were constantly backbiting and speaking Evil of the Highpriest, so our Modern Phnrisees make it a piece of their Religion, to bespatter and slander, despise and contemn the Persons and Commands of our Reverend Bishops, whom they ought to serve and obey in the Lord; Episcopacy being an Apostolical Institution, as appears from the Bishops which they Ordained in several Churches: And St. Jerom assures us, that 'twas the Judgement of the whole Christian World in his time, (that for avoiding of Schism and Heresies) it was necessary there should be one Bishop in every Diocese.  
But to come nearer home, the Learned Doctor Du Moulin wrote a Book to Vindicate the French Reformed Churches from being a Pattern to any Scottish or English Presbyterians to reject their Bishops, where he gives us also the severe Censures of Zanchy and Calvin against those who deny Obedience to their Lawful Bishops a Tester me Deo, says Zanchy, I protest before GOD and in my Conscience, that I hold them no better than Schismatics, who account it a part of Reformation, to have no Bishops in the Church. And says Calvin, They are worthy of any Execration, who will not submit themselves to that Hierarehy, which submitteth itself unto the LORD. And Calvin for his own part, though he had not the Title, had as much Authority as ever Bishop of Geneva had; and Presbytery itself is little else than a Multiplied Episcopacy, setting up a Diocesan in every Parish, only with the Addition of an Unparallelld Pride, and Insolency into the Bargain. Beza the great Patron of Presbyterian Eldership, yet onfesses it to be necessary,  Presbyterio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 essit, & permaneret; That one be Prelate over the Presbytery; and this not pre tempore, but to continue; and allows St. Jerom's Reason why it should be so, In Remedium Schismatis; For the avoiding of Schism. And I hope this Age will not yet forget, that when the Reverend Bishops were laid aside, when the influences of those Lights were restrained, what a Night of Darkness overspread the Face of the English Church; not unlike unto that which now threatens our Northern Brethren: for the same Arguments which the Presbyterians had fiercely used against the Bishops, were by the Independants unanswerably managed against themselves: and then there succeeded more Sub-divisions, the Anabaptist got up and bore Sway; the Fifth Monarchy Men made bustle for the Rule; and at last, up starts the Quaker, and he'll hold forth to them all.  
Thus (though they could all but too well agree to Ruin the poor Church of England) yet no sooner had they done that, which was, and still is their Design, but you see how they fell out among themselves about their particular Ends; and when they had pulled down that which they maliciously called Babylon, the English Jerusalem, their Language was so divided, that they could none of them build a Babel of their own.  
Thus Religion, whose main business and design is to persuade Men to Unity, was generally made the occasion of Quarrel; for no sooner had they gone off from the peaceable and pious Ways of the Church, but into how many By-paths of Error did they run? and fled as fast from one another, as they did at first from us. And God knows this Leaven of Separation gins now to spread again as much as ever, and there are not wanting those, who as boldly as impiously give out, that the Unity of the Spirit cannot be better kept than by Dis-uniting; that is, (though they differ amongst themselves) by uniting against the Established Religion, and make that blessed Spirit whose Fruit is Peace, and Love, and Gentleness, the Author and Fomenter of Discord and Strife, as if the fiery Tongues, he appeared in, had been designed for Incendiaries, and the Zeal, signified by those sacred Flames, could not be better expressed, than in unkind Heats, and uncharitable Animosities; and the rushing of the Wind, which filled the Room where the Disciples were met, portended only Storms and Tempests to the Christian Church, and those to be bred within her own Bowels.  
But to proceed; another piece of the Hypocrisy of the Pharisees was; in that their making long Prayers, and pretending to greater Mortification, Self-denial, and Contempt of the World, was only that they might the more easily and readily Defraud the Widows and Orphans; and at the same time that they pretended to scorn all Secular Interests, they were the most covetous Persons living. And our homebred Pharisees do not only imitate, but have outdone the Copy: for though they cry themselves up to be the great Lovers of the Life Eternal, yet if you mark them in their several Employs, and observe how they'll Equivocate and Lie to gain their Ends, and advance their Interests, you'll see that they prefer the Temporal, and that Gain is their Godliness; and that though they give out, they are all upon the spur to the New Jerusalem, are yet for all their haste, (if they had the power in their hands) as ready to make a Halt again in Church Lands as ever.  
Again, as the Pharisees of old boasted a greater Tenderness of Conscience than other Men, when all the while 'twas but Hypocrisy; for though they strained at a Gnat, they had a Conscience so wide as to swallow a Camel: So our Modern Zealots, though they are so tender as to scruple at a Ceremony, yet they have a Conscience so tough as to bear a Schisin. They are no Sabbath-Breakers or Swearers, (for those are Sins of no Profit) nor are they ordinarily drunk with Wine, without it be at another Man's charge, for that's both a disgraceful and a costly Sin; but they are serious demure in all their Projects, and seek the Ruin of a Church in as great Sobriety, as Julius Caesar did that of a Commonwealth.  
Another part of the Religion of the Pharisees lay in deriding the Persons, and cenfuring the Faults of other Men: And does it not pass (with several of our Separatists) for a very considerable piece of Religion, to speak contemptuously of others, to scorn a Priest, deride a Bishop, and mock a whole Profession. This is the Piety of too many of them, this is their Religion, and this is the thing for which they so highly prise themselves; and if they should be denied this, if they should be stripped (as 'tis fit they should) of their Zeal in scorning those they ought to value, if all that Heat which appears in them against the Persons of other Men were quenched, all that sour Leaven of theirs cast out, they would have very little to say for their being of any Religion: For if their Faith be observed by their Works, such as Patience, Humility, and Righteousness, those Graces wherein the Kingdom of GOD consists, you'll find them (without breach of Charity) far from being what they imagine themselves to be, namely, truly Pious. Nay, 'tis now become (such is the Age we live in) a main part of the Religion of some, first to invent and forge Lies concerning the Persons and Lives of those who will not join with them in their Separation, and then with the greatest Pharisaical Demureness, spread and report them for Truths. And they are so far from accusing themselves for this, that they applaud themselves in it, and instead of looking upon themselves to be worse, (which I am sure every good Christian ought to do) they believe themselves to be better Men for so doing.  
Again, as the Pharisees when ever they had the Power in their hands, were constantly cruel and bloody, so we have not forgot, how when our Saints in Buff had the Sword in hand, and their Blasphemous Teachers such Texts as this in their mouths, To bind their Kings in chains, and their Nobles with links of iron, how many Loyal Heads they brought to the Block; and to fill up their Inhuman Cruelty (true Pharisee like) they murdered the best of Princes; and the Thirtieth of January will for ever blush in our English Calendar, as well as the Fifth of November.  
Lastly, The Pharisees were a proud and selfconceited Sect: And for our homebred Separatists, notwithstanding their outward show of Humility, they are inwardly full of Pride; and of this take one Instance for all: Can there be a greater piece of Pride, than for a Person of very low Parts, and little Learning, of contemptible Education, and small Improvements, to separate from a Great and Admired Church, the Church of England, and from the Devotions of the same in her Public Liturgies, all contrived by the Wisdom, directed by the Learning, embraced by the Piety, Established by the Authority of such a Nation, Confirmed by many Acts of Parliament, and by as many Convocations, or Representatives of the Clergy, Signed and Sealed by the Sufferings of many Confessors and Martyrs, I say, for an Audacious Schismatic full of nothing but Ignorance, to scorn or pity all his Teachers, as Fools and Blind, is such an Arrogance, Selfconceitedness, and Pride, as no Rhetoric can express, no Charity excuse, no Humility not censure.  
Thus do our Modern Separatists run parallel with the old Pharisees; And give me leave to tell you, (my Reverend Brethren) that 'tis the Duty of every one of us, to Caution the People committed to our Care and Charge, to beware of their Leaven: I know Prudence is to be consulted how to reprove Dissenting Brethren, but Courage and Resolution is never to be laid aside, and the more prevalent and resolute any Party is, the more need of Courage to oppose it. Let them but once show some true signs of their Repentance for what is past, by joining Communion with us, and no Men living shall rejoice more than we. But if instead of this, they study to raise their old Devil of Sedition again in the likeness of a Prophet, are still as active to spread abroad their sour Leaven, and are still as industrious to proselyte easy natured Men to their Faction as ever: shall we be so cowardly and treacherous to that Church of which we have the honour and happiness, not only to be Members but Ministers too, as not to tell our People (for all their coming in Nomine Domini) that Religion is but Hypocrisy, and endeavour (as much as in us lies) to lay open their Delusions, that they may not be twice poisoned (by these Mountebanks in Divinity) in less than one Age.  
And for you my worthy Brethren of the other Cloth, I hope a few Motives will persuade you to beware, especially if you please to remember, into what a sad Condition this Leaven of Hypocrisy once moulded this flourishing Church and Nation: For what things are there in Holy Writ (how Essential soever to Christianity) which have not been questioned and disputed, if not denied and rejected, since this sour Leaven has been spread abroad amongst us? 'Tis to this alone we own the raging of the Sea, and the roaring of the Waves, whereby the Madness of the People is oft expressed: 'Twas this Leaven of Schism, made Sacrilege and a Sale of the Crown-Lands, and Murdered GOD's Anointed in order to it; but for this we had never heard either of Plunder or Sequestration, the sound of those Names had not reached our English Ears: In short, to this alone we own the Legion not only of Creeds of Dogmatizing here amongst us, (since the Year 41. in especial manner) but even of Skepticism, Apostasy, and Atheism.  
And now to conclude, (for I fear I have been too tedious) with a word or two to our Separating Brethren, and I hearty wish that I were but as able, as from the bottom of my Soul I am willing, to persuade them to join with us in the Public Worship of God: One would think our common Enemies ought to make them our Friends, and 'twould certainly do it, if they would but permit themselves either in Piety or Prudence to be provoked by them to Emulation: For if all sorts of Papists, even the Sorbonists, and the Jesuits, the Dominicans, and the Franciscans, however differing in Opinions, and burning in Heats one against another, do yet agree against the Protestants, what should hinder all sorts of Protestants, the English especially (however divided in Opinions) from meeting together, and agreeing in the same Church of England, whose Reformation is made Authentic by the highest Authority under Heaven? But if they will not come in, if they will not cast out this Leaven of theirs, but are still resolved (let what Arguments as will be used) to be peevishly bend against us; yet we'll Treat them with Candour and Charity, and not cease to Pray to GOD for them, and humbly beseech him (for the sake of his Dearest Son, and our and their Blessed Saviour) in his due time, to heal all our Divisions, and make up all our Breaches, that so we may Serve him with one Mind and one Mouth, to the Glory of his Holy Name, the Good of his Church, the Honour of Their Sacred Majesties, and the Peace and Prosperity of the Nation, which He of his Infinite Goodness grant.  
Now to God the Father, to God the Son, and to God the Holy Ghost, be ascribed, as is most due, all Glory, Honour, and Praise, both now and for ever. Amen.  
FINIS.