THE TRUE CAUSE Of all our MISERIES, Discovered in their Visible Effects: As I find it (to my great Satisfaction) most manifest, in The Lay-man's Religion, lately published. Licenced, Octob. 1. 1690.  
Which vindicates the Doctrine of the Church of England, (above all others,) to allow Liberty of Conscience, according to the Tenor of the Gospel.  
Unveils the Undermining Jesuit, and Designing Sectary: And detects the grossest Frauds and Cheats, imposed on the Honest, and Well-meaning, under the most sacred Vizors and Pretences.  
Worthy to be received, and seriously considered of Ministers of State, Lords, and Commons, as well as all other inferior Subjects, (of every Persuasion,) in order to our lasting Safety and Settlement.  
We find it impossible to prevent the sly and subtle Whispers of Designing Hypocrites; who in secret do  the best of Their Majesty's Subjects, to create a Misunderstanding of them, and their best Actions, only to gain a good Opinion of themselves, and to carry on their own Designs. But none (without a Forehead of Brass) dare openly question such experienced Truths, as have been exemplified in Bloody Tragedies, within the Compass of our own Memory.  
Therefore it must be acknowledged, That  
Whoever is the Author of that Book, he deals plainly and impartially with all; beginning at Home, with censuring the Criminals of his own Party, both Clergy and Laity; exposing Hypocrisy and Immorality (as the two Extremes) in All.  
And therefore I have singled out this Sheet, as the best Service I can do Their Majesties, and the Government; hearty wishing it might be distributed throughout the whole Kingdom, for Instruction to all, in order to secure and transmit our Civil and Religious Rights to Posterity: Which therein thus follows, Page 21.  
AS God Almighty hath various Ways and Methods to reform and discipline his Children, according to their various Tempers and Dispositions; so the Devil, by his Janissaries, Designing Hypocrites, and Time-servers, (who can readily take any Impression in Religion, be of two or three persuasions at once, to promote their own Interest,) puts himself into various shapes, and baits his Hook with various Objects, suited to men's different Inclinations, that he may catch both Pharisee and Publican; as well the spiritually proud, as the Debauchee, that no Fish may escape his Net, and (if it were possible) the Elect too should be cheated by him.  
Thus he baits the Luxurious with Pleasure, the Avaricious with Riches, and the Ambitious with Pride, Dominion, and worldly Design.  
When he designs to subvert a Kingdom, or overthrow a Government, he doth not appear immediately in Arms and open Hostility; but first under a Disguise of Zeal for Reformation, which he generally prosecutes, by removing all Foundation laid in the first Principles of Religion; and then proceeds to create various Opinions in the Minds of honest and well-meaning Persons, of easy and credulous Dispositions; continually raising Niceties and Scruples, (before any Foundation be laid in fundamental Knowledge of the first Principles of our Religion, contained in the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commands, and the Creed,) and those Niceties and Scruples are more and more irritated by subtle and designing Teachers, under a Disguise of Liberty of Conscience.  
God forbidden Liberty of Conscience (if regulated by the Standard of the Scriptures,) as it is the Birthright of every Christian, should be denied to any that in sincerity desire it, to live peaceably under the Government in all Godliness and Honesty; because many persons of honest and well-meaning Principles, may, from their Education in Foreign Parts, or in Families of different Persuasions, either misapprehend, or not rightly understand the Truth of our Doctrine and Discipline established among us.  
And many others, in the simplicity of their Hearts, when they see the vicious Lives and Actions of some of our Members, or the Scandal of some of our Clergy, in things that are open and manifest, may be imposed upon by Jesuitical Whispers, on the one hand, and private insinuating Teachers, on the other hand; as to imagine that our Religion established, must either countenance or allow of such Evils in the Professors of it. Which is the Case of the Gospel itself  
Now forasmuch as our Government is founded in the Law of God and Nature, and our Religion established, is settled and framed from no other Model or Original but God's revealed Will in the Scriptures, and so both may be a just Standard for all other Governments; It must therefore be a Strain of great Arrogance and Presumption in any State-Mountebank to propose any Foreign Precedent for alteration of either.  
And to silence all Complaints but theirs, whom nothing less than All will satisfy, as our Religion and Government so established, do allow a peaceable and innocent Liberty of Conscience, the Grand Charter of Christianity itself; (which we have found by experience, no other differing Persuasion but ours would ever allow any longer than they wanted power to restrain it;) so none can deny it to be both prudent and just in the Government, (from the Law of self-preservation,) to take care of, and secure itself against all abuse of so great a Blessing, by such, who have pure Religion only in their Mouths, but the rankest Poison of Ambition and Worldly Design in their Hearts making no Scruple (as Opportunity serves,) to devour Widows Estates, as well as the Houses and Patrimony of them and all others, to make way for their own Ambitious Designs; For we find it most certainly true, by woeful experience, that it is impossible to secure any Government in the World on a lasting Foundation, but by annexing it to the Religion established, so as to make them inseparable, according to the Policy of New-England; (where Liberty of Conscience first planted their Lawmakers.) They that do not first approve of, and embrace our Religion established, aught to have no share in our Government.  
But such as would come into the Government on other Terms, have Liberty of Conscience only in their Mouths, but Ambition and Worldly Design in their Hearts; which they carry on by multiplying Sects, under several Leaders, (each ambitious to be Head of his own Party,) who, by their Influence on credulous and well-meaning Persons, enclose them, as in so many Peculiars, each Pastor to incline and lead his own Flock; the only Method to divide, and consequently to weaken both the Government, and Religion established; that whenever their Interest is in danger, they may easily, (as hath been practised in like Cases,) by the same Art, dispose all, to unite (for the same End) against the Government they live under.  
And thus one and the same common (though invisible) Enemy of Mankind, putting himself into various Shapes, and baiting his Hook with proper Objects, suited to Men's various Inclinations and Dispositions, (which all centre in Self-Love,) can first divide and weaken, and again unite and destroy the best Religion and Government in the World; though the designing Party are ever lurched in what they aim at, which is Dominion and Rule.  
For no sooner is any Party gotten uppermost, but the same Principle of Ambition and worldly Design animates the rest (that are under) to supplant that, in order to advance themselves into the Government; so that their whole Babel of Designing and Contriving, ever ends in Anarchy and Confusion; which hath caused many of their chief Builders (convinced by their own woeful Experience) at last to acknowledge their Error, and to declare, That to seek a Kingdom in this World by carnal Means and Weapons is no true Badge of the blessed Redeemer's Followers.  
What clearer Demonstration can we have, that there is always such a designing Party at the Bottom, under the most specious Vizor of Zeal for Reformation, and Liberty of Conscience, than to see those who pretend to the greatest Purity and Sanctity (though of several Persuasions,) all to unite, and diligently to apply themselves to such Patrons and Leaders, whose Interest and Influence may best promote their Design, though they all know them to be of no Religion at all; nay, such as are guilty of the greatest 
* Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo.  Immoralities; who can thunder out bloody Oaths without Reluctancy, and make use of their Power and Interest to oppress others, and engross the Widow and Orphans Estates. Such Men as these are proper Objects of all the Courtship and Address of those consecrated Politicians; for they well know they are adapted for their Turn, who readily prostituting their Conscience to their Interest, can be most serviceable to their ambitious Designs. And as they are Favourites in the highest station, so they are capable of the greatest Acts of Oppression and Injustice therein; as they may (by alienating the Hearts of Subjects) contribute more to dethrone a Monarch, or subvert a Government, than Ten Thousand armed Men, especially as those designing Hypocrites manage it to their own Advantage; who, though they always carry the Flattery of a Loyal All hail in their Mouths; yet, by secret Trumpets in every Corner, they arraign the Prince himself, as Author of all Acts of Injustice and Oppression, done by such his Ministers, to render Monarchy uneasy to the People; and at the same time, with no less Industry, both in public and private, expose the most faithful and loyal Counsellors and Magistrates, who are most true to the Church and Government, and the very Pillars and Security of the Throne, as Betrayers of their Country, their Laws, and Liberty; rendering them odious to the Prince and People, that they may remove them, in order to get Champions and Agents of their own Faction, into all Places, and Offices of Trust and Power, in the Government.  
This discovers plainly, that the Patrons and Clients are both governed by one and the same Principle of Self-Love, which ebbs and flows with their own Interest, the vital part of their Religion; and so disposeth them to divide, or unite, against that which opposeth their Designs, and at length to quarrel among themselves about (what they all aim at) Dominion and Rule.  

The Result of all which may be this; To put us upon a Modest Enquiry,  
WHat Endeavours have been made by all the separate Congregations in general, towards an universal Reformation of Manners; and allaying our Heats, to heal our Divisions, in order to Union among ourselves; the only Means under Heaven, to secure us, in these perilous Times, against our Foreign Enemy.  
And wherein Christian Charity, and Purity of Life, (farther than in the cheap and easy Fruit of the Lips,) hath appeared in Dissenters, or those that separate from our National Communion, and pretend to Extraordinary Call, and Conversion, so as to distinguish them by any visible Change in their Lives and Conversation, from those of our Communion, who live according to the Doctrine and Discipline of our Church, or from what they themselves have ever before been in their Life-time.  
And also, what visible Effects the late Indulgence, granted to Dissenters, hath wrought for the better, in procuring more meek, humble, and peaceable Spirits; or abating Pride, Murmuring, or Discontent; railing against, and censuring of others, (even among their own Party,) in order to heal our Breaches, and compose our Differences.  

* It is manifest our Religion and Government is undermining: Therefore, O England, England! Consider, in this thy Day, the Things of thy Peace, before it be too late. At last, for shame, lay aside passionate Heat, and furious Zeal for particular Interests, and (as becomes Christians) calmly consider the public Weal. Be wary (in Choice of Magistrates) of the two Extremes that poison all Religion and Morality; the Designing Hypocrite, and the Profane Atheist. Choose Men fearing God, and hating Covetousness; such as have been sincere and constant to our Kingly Government, and Religion established: And be wise as Serpents, to countermine and evade the most glorious and specious Pretences of all others.  Nay, We may modestly inquire, whether the Scope and Tendency of all Endeavours in the Leading Party among them, hath not been more after Dominion and Rule here below, than to advance the Kingdom of Christ in the Hearts of Men? And, in order to that, Whether they have not, with the greatest Subtlety and Partiality, improved their Factories and Agency by Humane Policy, to direct, order, or influence the Choice of Magistrates and Officers in every Colony among us, from whence the greatest Heats and Disturbances have arisen, let the visible Effects speak for themselves?  
And when we have so done, we may (from the History of the last Age) reflect upon that happy Union, which continued among Protestants in this Kingdom, in the open Practice of Piety, Sobriety, and Righteousness, from the first time of the Reformation; but especially during the Forty four Years of Queen Elizabeth's Reign, when all (as one Soul) joyfully and constantly assembled together, at the set Times appointed by the Church, to celebrate Divine Service, and hear the Scriptures daily read; as the only Means to keep up a venerable Awe and Sense of the holy Majesty of God in the World, and in the Mind of every individual Person; and to maintain and increase Christian Charity, and Brotherly Kindness, (the alone Medium of Union in a Kingdom;) as being all fully persuaded in their Minds, it was a Service most acceptable to God; without any other Discipline, or Way of Worship, than what had been so settled among us by those pious and learned Martyrs, (the Founders of it,) who carried their own Faggots, (not loving their Lives unto Death,) to bear their Testimony for it.  
By which Means that happy Queen so long reigned in Peace, (by Love,) in the the Hearts of all her Subjects, and a Terror to all her Enemies; whereby our National Church became the Envy of Rome, and the only Sanctuary for all distressed Protestants abroad.  
All this plainly demonstrates, That pure and undefiled Religion, founded in Piety, Sobriety, and Righteousness, may be easily known of all, as it consists in Humility, Self-denial, and sincere Practice of what we know, (all epitomised in Good Living,) and not in profound Knowledge, needless Disputes, long Prayers, or fruitless Discourses.  
If these things were laid to heart, so as to be well weighed, and considered, by all sincere and well meaning Christians, who now separate from our public Communion, into private Congregations; that from thence they might be awakened, to examine, and (with me) seriously inquire into the Truth of Things, they would soon find how miserably they have been imposed upon, and drawn into Prejudice, and an ill Apprehension of the purest, and best established Religion on the Earth, by such designing Leaders, as can be contented to sacrifice the Peace and Safety of the whole Kingdom, to promote the Interest of a Party, in order to gratify their own Ambition, and Worldly Design, though under a Disguise of Liberty of Conscience; when in truth, by Separation from us, they do but exchange one Shell of Religion for another; for so I reckon (and so our Church doth esteem) the most resined Discipline, or outward Way of Worship to be; and lays no more stress in it, than Decency and Order requires. Therefore it is no wonder that the most Ignorant, and , and such as look no farther into Religion than the outward Appearance, but are never capable of discerning the vital Substance, should, from the Scandal of some wicked Members, (from which the Gospel itself was not wholly exempt,) be so apt to despise our established Discipline, and yet at the same time idolise another Form, or Way of Worship; as if God were more pleased with one Shadow, than another.  
Whereas we esteem our outward Discipline no otherwise than as outward Means, composed and adapted by the most pious and learned Men, from the sacred Fountain of the Scriptures, suited to every Capacity through a whole Kingdom: the Lest Knowing, as well as the Most Learned; that all may join together. In which, the pious, and well-disposed Christian may worship God in the Beauty of Holiness; and the Youth and Ignorant, as with a Leading-step, may be trained up, from the first Principles of Religion, to the greatest Perfection; and whereby also the Profane and Lose are, by a venerable Authority, influenced and reclaimed, at least kept within some Bounds, from scoffing at Religion; which is daily occasioned by the Separation of such who are still subject (with their Neighbours) to the same Infirmities attending Humane Frailty, as well as to Pride, Ambition, Self-Love, (in the inordinate Love of the World,) Railing at, and Censuring of others, and yet, puffed up with a false Conceit of their own Way, do herd and distinguish themselves, under their several Leaders, into so many and various Ways, Opinions, and Persuasions; (I wish it were not so near a Resemblance of the several Orders in the Church of Rome;) and all under Conduct of their peculiar Guides.  
From whence it comes to pass, that vain and lose Persons, beginning first with light Thoughts of Religion, and by degrees declining the public Prayers of the Church, and private Family-Duties; and from thence giving scope to boundless Lusts, at last cast off all Religion, and become downright Debauchees, and practical Atheists.  
This may satisfy any but such as are in love with a false Persuasion, and beforehand resolved to know no better, that the Offence is taken, and not justly given, by those that thus separate from our National Communion; especially when they may be all so clearly convinced, that the original Cause of Separation from our Communion did not arise from any thing either in our Doctrine, or the Discipline of our Church; but from what was acted by Temporal Rulers, (as they were steered by Jesuits, and Popish Interests,) in Ecclesiastical Courts, procuring a Toleration of Sports on the Lord's Day; and Indulgence to be granted in other Matters, which our holy and pure Religion expressly condemns and abhors; which could not but be very offensive to many honest and well-meaning Persons, especially when so industriously improved by subtle Jesuits, and whispering Sectaries, (the secret Enemies of our Church,) who insinuated into the Minds of the Easy and Credulous, that our Religion did countenance such Evils, and thereby drew them into separate Congregations; whereby they had opportunity to introduce so many strange Doctrines, and variety of Persuasions, the Seed and Cause of all our Heats, Divisions, and Animosities, on the one hand; and of Practical Atheism, Debauchery, and Immorality on the other: Both which (as gross Hypocrisy, and bare-faced Impiety) do equally expose us to the Divine Vengeance, and lay us open to our Foreign Enemies. For it is most Plain, the Enthusiastic, as well as the Debauchee, when thwarted in their Designs, have an equal Tendency to Rebellion and Treason.  
I say, were sincere, (though mis-persuaded,) well-meaning Persons but once fully sensible of these great Truths, and of the unavoidable Necessity of their Returning into our Communion, as the only Means left to unite and save us, by restoring True Piety, and Christian Charity, in Sobriety and Righteousness among us, it is impossible they should sleep quietly one Night, before they returned into this Bosom of Safety: For (God knows) I fear there is no other Cure left for our universal Distemper; and it is high time to begin so happy a Work,  
Wherein their Leaders, if they have (as they all pretend to have) the Spirit of Primitive Christianity, may (as faithful in God's Vineyard) outstrip all our idle Labourers in painful and powerful Preaching; and especially, by their exemplary and holy Living, so influence their Doctrine on the Mind, as to reclaim many profane Persons, who now take occasion, from their Separation, into so many Forms and Shadows of Religion, to inveigh, and rail against them all.  
And the Lay-Menbers, if they return into our Communion, and live up to what our holy Religion (which is defective in nothing but good Living,) doth most plainly and powerfully teach, may boldly reprove, (by our Church-Authority,) and put to silence many open Transgressor's, and Evil-doers, who now take occasion, from so many Fashions of Religion among us, to deride and scoff at all Religion in general; and also (to their great comfort) may thereby shame a scandalous Clergyman into a Reformation of his Life, by saying, (with the Spirit of Meekness,) in the Language of the holy Prophet, I have more Understanding than all my Teachers; for thy Testimonies are my Meditation, Psal. 119.  
And this (I bear witness) is countenanced by all our reverend and pious Fathers and Pastors, who would have all come to the Knowledge and Practice of the Truth, and who (it is most manifest) are willing and ready to comply with any thing that may tend to heal our Breaches, and to purchase Union with their Dissenting Brethren, if desired in such a way, and to be done in such a manner, as may preseve Peace and Unity in the Church.  
Which we can never reasonably hope should be done, without some orderly Application of such as must own themselves inferior to those whom the Government (under which they live) have made their Superiors; which nothing can hinder, or obstruct, but Pride, Obstinacy and Worldly Design, all which are directly contrary to the meek, yielding, and selfdenying Temper of Primitive Christianity.  
And here I may with an humble Confidence, enforce this Argument from the greatest Example, and the most excellent Pattern; even that of His Sacred Majesty, now in the Throne, the Head of our Government, and Chief of our Communion; whose incomparable Perfections (whether we consider Him as a Man, or as a Christian,) are sufficiently known to the whole World.  
WHO, to give us the clearest Evidence of his Zeal and Sincrity, hath exposed himself to the greatest Dangers, for Defence of the Reformed Religion. And though his Education was in a different Persuasion, (the Discipline established in his native Country;) yet, to demonstrate both his Piety and Prudence, when he had searched into, and was fully satisfied, that the vital Part of that Religion wherein he was bred, and the Doctrine here taught in our National Church, was one and the same, he was neither tenacious in his own Opinion, nor  to the outward Form, or Persuasion, (which is but the Crust and Shell.)  
But, (as best became the Head of his People,) he, together with his Royal Consort, (as one Soul,) do openly profess our established Religion; the greatest Blessing Heaven could bestow, if we know our Happiness. And Oli that all Their Majesty's Subjects would resent it accordingly!  
And farther, I might urge another eminent Instance in His Royal Highness the Prince of Denmark, whose Education was most strict in the Lutheran Church, (the established Religion of that Kingdom,) where the Discipline is as different from that of the Calvinists in Holland, as ours is from both; and yet, from the same Christian Principle, founded in the vital Substance of Truth and Goodness, and not wedded to the Shell and Shadow, finding the pure Doctrine still the same, he joins himself with His Sacred Majesty, in the same Communion.  
Who both, during their late Expedition abroad, in the defence of their Religion and Country, have constantly, in a devout manner, offered up their Morning and Evening-Sacrifice at the Public Prayers, according to the Discipline established in our Church.  
From whence we may appeal to all impartial Christians herein, whether such as are Natives of our own Country, and Fellow-Subjects with us in one Kingdom, and do all pretend to hold Unity in Doctrine with the Reformed Churches abroad, and with us too, in our National Church, and can so readily conform to the Fashions, Garb, and Attire of the present Age, and are apt enough to insist upon the least minute Particle of Precedency (with the rest of Mankind) in Honour, according to Order and Decency in Temporal Government; yet are so tenacious in their Opinion, and wedded to their own outward Form, or Shadow of Divine Worship, as, by a continued Separation, to sacrifice our Religion, and the Peace and Safety of our Government, our Laws, our Liberties, and our Lives, as a Prey to our Foreign Enemies, rather than, with those most Illustrious Persons, and many other eminent modern Instances, (who were all as strictly bred in different Persuasions, under Foreign Governments,) to embrace that holy and pure Religion, so here established and settled among us from the first Reformation, by those pious and learned Martyrs, the Founders of it: I say, whether this Stiffness and Obstinacy doth not arise from Ignorance and Prejudice in the honest and well-meaning, who are seduced, and imposed upon; and from Self-Love, Ambition, and worldly Design in the Leaders and Seducers; rather than from any pure Principle of Primitive Christianity, I leave to all Persons concerned herein, to be themselves Judges of the Matter.   

I shall only add (to complete this Discourse) these following Paragraphs, out of the Second Part of the same Lay-man's Religion, published since the First. Licenced Nou. 13. 1690. Page 13.  
I Do not hereby charge all Nonconforming Clergy, as culpable herein; (God forbidden:) For I am fully satisfied there are many reverend, pious, and sincere Christians of that number, who have great Veneration for our Established Religion; yet have so far engaged themselves in their different Persuasions, as they judge themselves uncapable (Salva Conscientia,) entirely to communicate with us, without some Accommodation in those things which have hitherto obstructed so happy an Union; to which, it is well known, the most holy and learned Fathers of our Church have been, and still are, readily, and most willingly inclined, if such Application were made as, according to the decent Rules of Civil and Religious Order in Government, is required.  
And to stop the Mouths of such as endeavour to render such an Accommodation either unpracticable, or impossible, whoever shall read, and will consider the 34th Article of our Established Religion, may be fully satisfied, that as the pious Founders of it took care nothing therein should be repugnant to the Word of God, so they never intended the Rites and Ceremonies, (which are the Shadow, or Crust and Shell of Divine Worship,) established in our Church, should (like the Laws of the Medes and Persians) be unalterable; thereby declaring plainly, that as those Rites and Ceremonies might be changed, according to the diversity of Countries, Times, and Manners of Men; so every particular, or National Church, (not particular Parties, or private Judgements,) hath Authority to ordain, change, or abolish them; so as all be done to edifying.  
But it cannot be reasonably supposed, such an established Discipline (the alone Medium of Unity, and the Nerves and Sinews of all Government) should be so from time to time changed, much less abolished, to gratify every Leader or Founder of a Sect, or different Persuasion, that separates from our public Communion, into gathered Churches, (though on never so specious Pretences,) no more than may be reasonably required of a Master of a Family to alter the Oeconomy of his Household, to gratify the Humour of every petulant Servant; or of Magistrates in Corporations, to endanger the Peace and Safety of their Civil Established Government, by a Change or Alteration therein, only to remove or prevent the Murmurs or Complaints of every discontented Citizen, that through Ignorance, Interest, or Design, shall scruple or refuse to comply with the Rules and Orders made, long before they were there Inhabitants, for the Safety and Wellbeing of the Place. Every reasonable and  Person, that shall seriously consider these things, and well weigh the Consequence of it, must necessarily conclude, that such a Condescension in Superiors herein, would quickly unhinge all Government, and turn all settled Order, in the best Constitution in the World, into Anarchy and Confusion.  
How infinitely happy then would it be for this Kingdom, if all that are Men of Learning and Parts, and every way fitly qualified for their high and holy Calling, (to whose Judgement I humbly submit the Consideration of these great and growing Evils,) would labour after such an Accommodation, in so sacred and weighty Affairs; that they might all, as Fellow-Labourers, join in the promoting and endeavouring after so desirable a Blessing, as Harmony in Divine Worship; the only Means to heal our Divisions, and effect an universal Reformation of Manners among us.  
For as it is most plain, Separation was the original Cause, and hath increased all our Miseries; so nothing but such an Union can heal and effect our Cure.  
God grant all Their Majesty's Subjects may approve themselves herein, as worthy Members of such a Communion, (in order thereto,) by following the Royal Pattern and Example of our Sovereign, and chief Member, himself, now on the Throne.  
But after all, I would be so understood, (as I have plainly, in the First Part, already declared,) that I do not aim at (in any thing I have said) the least Abridgement of that honest and innocent Liberty of Conscience, (the Christian's Birth 〈…〉 live peaceably under the Government, in all Godliness and Honesty. But still I say, it is both equal and just, that till such Persons shall be so rightly informed, and convinced in their Judgements, as to conform to our Religion established, they ought to be content with such Liberty of Conscience, and Indulgence, as the Law allows them, and not to make it a Stalking-horse to serve their Worldly Interest, or Design; for it is from Lucifer, and not from Heaven, if they aspire after, or attempt to share in the Government, upon any other Terms.   
FINIS.   

LONDON, Printed for Walter Kettilby, at the Bishop's Hea● in St. Paul's Churchyard, 1690.