AN Earnest Request TO M R. JOHN STANDISH, etc.  
Upon Occasion of a SERMON of his Preached at WHITEHALL, before His MAJESTY.  
September 26. 1675.  
FROM PATROPOLIS, Directly over against IRENOPOLIS.  
Printed in the Year 1676.   

AN EARNEST REQUEST TO M R. JOHN STANDISH.  
SIR,  
THere is a Sermon of yours, which having flown up and down the City a Quarter of a Year, is at length come into the Country, and hath reached my meanness, who am one that very seldom sees those new Books that come abroad, but was Tempted by what I heard of your Discourse to send for it, and satisfy myself about it: For I was very loath to believe Common-Fame, or to trust to any men's jealous surmises, as I doubt you have done; especially since it would cost me no great pains, nor much Money to see the truth myself. It was a good while before I could procure it; but when it came, and I had Read it over, I was soon convinced that you are not wronged, however you may have wronged others. For I found there such an heavy, nay Bloody Accusation of your Brethren, that it raised a trouble in my mind, beyond what you, (who enjoy your ease in a sweet University-Retirement) can imagine. So great it was that I could not Sleep till I had expressed my Resentment of it; which moved me immediately to take my Pen, and publicly declare the sense of many honest men, with whom I discourses concerning it.  
They are amazed, Sir. To think in what condition this poor Church and Kingdom is, if all that you say be true; or if it prove a Slander▪ Either way they are astonished, to hear from White-Hall-Pulpit, either that this Church nourishes such Vipers in its Bosom as you have given notice of; or, if your notice be false, that any man should have the Face to appear there; and Spit such Venomous words against his innocent Brethren. For you tell his Majesty that there are certain men, who would Supplant Christian Religion with Natural Theology, and turn the Grace of God into a Wanton notion of Morality; who impiously deny both our Lord and his Holy-Spirit; who make Reason, Reason, Reason their only Trinity; and Preach up Natural and Moral Religion without the Grace of God, and Faith in Christ. The Fruits and consequents of whose Doctrines are, that there is no such thing as Supernatural Grace; That every man must be his own Saviour, or he is Damned for ever, etc. And these Deceitful workers, these false Apostles, (you would have His Majesty and the Bishops think) are crept in among us. Else you have laid out your pains and Oil (to use your own Phrase p. 12.) to as little purpose as they that spend their Breath in declaiming against Sins quite out of fashion etc. And your Sermon would have served better, and been more proper for the swaggering Polanders (you speak of p. 28.) then the Court of England. You are an Ambassador, no doubt, Of more than Common Prudence, Sagacity, and Judgement, one that understands his errand throughout (as your words are, p. 10.) And therefore, it is to be presumed, would not give a Prince and his Court a false Alarm, nor be so impertinent as to trouble that great Assembly with your entreaties, and Beseeching to beware of men who are not where to be found among us; nor have expressed your fears lest they grow the only Divines in vogue by the next Age; nay, that we may live to see our youth trained up in the Cracovian Catechism, unless you intended they should think, that they are at work already in our Church to supplant Christianity, batter down the Trinity, and exalt Nature, Rreason and Morality above the Grace of God, and Faith in Christ.  
It is no less charge than this which you have brought against some of our Preachers. A Charge which contains Crimes of so high a Nature, that either you, or they whom you mean, deserve the severest punishment. Who they are you particularly aim at, I am ignorant; but I something wonder that you are not called upon by the whole Body of the London Clergy, who are most likely to be concerned in this matter, to interpret your meaning, and declare who these Pests are, by whom the Church is endangered. For whilst the Charge remains thus General, and no body is named, the very best of them shall be branded by malice, as occasion serves, with these fearful Crimes. There are many Calumnies, I know, which a wise man should rather slight then take any notice of: But there are others of such a nature, that they ought not to be despised; but of which the greatest men in the Church have ever endeavoured to clear themselves. You are not ignorant I suppose of that which some Laymen understand very well; how St. Hierom and St. Augustine are concerned to purge themselves, when lesser Crimes than Heresy are objected to them. And therefore since you endeavour to fix even this horrid Brand on some or other of our Clergy, and leave us at liberty to suspect any body, because you name no body; there is none of them but has reason to ask, as the Apostles did our Saviour, when he told them one of them should betray him, Sir, is it I? is it I?  
Speak, Sir, for God's sake, though they think fit to be silent, and say nothing; speak, and tell us who the men are, on whom you have set so black a Character. You are bound to answer, and give us some account of it, both for the sake of us poor Laymen, and for the sake of the rest of your Brethren.  
First we of the Laity have reason to demand of you who they are, that we may carefully avoid them, and preserve ourselves from being missled by them. As you love the salvation of all men, which now the Church prays, in this Ember-week, its Ministers may set forward; do not deny us this request. For we poor Souls are in a dangerous case, if we follow those, with such veneration as is due to the Ministers of Christ, who carry all these Pestilent Heresies in their Breasts. They will not fail to insinuate them into us, when they have once insinuated themselves into our esteem and affection. And they cannot easily miss of that, since you tell us they are men whose Lives are specious, that appear outwardly very innocent, and can carry matters slily, Amusing men with other fears, while they are pecking at the foundation of our Faith with their Axes and Hammers, that is (as you interpret it) With their great Blasphemies, and less Criticisms. We have the greater reason to press you to discover these close Hypocrites, as you call them, who are ever pecking with those dangerous damnable Tools, and yet make no noise. For we are in an apparent hazard, unless you help us▪ to be Cozened by such cunning Crafts-Masters: Who have the skill, I suppose, to put off these poisonous Doctrines as cleanly, and with the same Artifice that they manage their lives. I must call to you therefore again, in the name of a number of Pious souls, that you would tell us, where these men live, and what are their Names. For they are Devils it seems, who walk up and down in the shape of Saints. And therefore, again I beseech you, if you have any compassion in you, let us know where they haunt, and who they are, lest they draw us to Hell with them, persuading us all the while we are safe, and in the way to Heaven.  
Which I also beg of you, for the sake of your Brethren of the Clergy: who shall never be able to say any thing against the enemies of our Religion, but presently the names of Socinians and Pelagians shall be cast in their teeth; and a Sermon of Mr. J. Standish before the King shall be their voucher. For while you leave it uncertain who they are, any body, (as I said) may be drawn within your Charge; and Malice and ill Nature will be sure to fix your Character on those, who shall most zealously oppose their Frenzies. This is no vain surmise; for to my knowledge there are those who do God and his Church much service, on whom some fasten this suspicion; though they are as far from any such Heresies, as Mr. J. Standish himself. You have gratified those at a very high rate who wish our destruction; for they are the men that cry up your Sermon, (being extreme glad to hear so much ill of us) not the Children of the Church of England. I am sure all that I have met withal in our parts are sorry to see you doing the work of our enemies; whose art it hath still been (as they learn from our Great Archbishop in his Book again Fisher) To blast their opposers with the name of Heretic; for this serves to shriule the Credit of the persons, and the persons once brought into contempt and ignominy, all the good they desired in the Church, falls to dust, for want of creditable persons to back and support it.  
Speak out therefore, Good Sir, I again most earnestly entreat you. Let not the Credit of any person be blasted by your means. Leave not ignorance and Malice any longer to their guesses, who the men are you intent. But tell their names plainly, fix your Character upon the very persons that deserve it: That so they may retain no longer any Credit to do mischief, and the rest of your Brethren may not lose the credit which they have to do good. I know not by what rules you judge of yourself: But I should not take myself any longer to be a lover, of God of my Brethren, and of the Church, if I were in your case, and did not answer these reasonable desires. You can do it far more easily sure, than you composed your Sermon. The men's names, I should think, are at your finger's ends, since you are so well acquainted even with their close Hypocrisy. Therefore by the next return of the Carrier, after this is come to your hand, they at London may expect to hear that you have sent to the Press a list of those men, who you suspect at least believe no Trinity, but Reason, Reason, Reason, and who believe there is no supernatural Grace, and that every man must be his own Saviour.  
And if you please, oblige us so far as to tell us by the way, why you scorn Reason so much; which distinguishes you from a beast, and hath made you choose, I hope, to be a Christian. For what was it that led you to the belief of Christianity? Do you own it only to your Education? Is there no Reason why you believe one God in three Persons? We have been taught even by those, whom you miscall, and vilify that there is the greatest Reason, or in your Phrase, Reason, Reason, Reason for it. Because God hath revealed himself in this manner, and the Church hath always thus understood him, and next to the voice of God, we reverence the voice of the Universal Church. Whom do you gratify by decrying Reason? Need you be remembered who they were that pretended the Spirit against all your learning, and would have pulled down the places, wherein you acquire it? What greater advantage could they have desired then some such Champions as you to have joined with them, in kicking Reason out of doors: And then they had soon thrown you all out together with it.  
But I am ashamed to say any more of this. I believe you are able to give a good reason for any thing, unless it be of this, why you think or fear there are such men among us as you have described. Why you said it, many guess the reason: but what reason you have to think it true, none can imagine. And therefore desire you would be pleased to tell us; that we may join with you in crying them down, as much as some do Reason. We will lift up our voice, and instead of Reason, Reason, Reason, we will cry as long as we have Breath, down with them, down with them, down with them; out of the Pulpit, even to the Ground.  
But if you stop your Ears, and will not vouchsafe to hear or regard these earnest Petitions which I send you in Print, and in the name of divers true Children of this Church; there will be great reason to think that there is a Gild lies at your door. little less foul than that you lay at other men's. And then the R. R. Fathers the Bishops of the Church are most humbly beseeched that they would hear our cry, and call you to an account: making you open your mouth either to confess those wicked men, or else to condemn yourself. I have heard that Apelles Painted Calumny, with many Companions, and strong Supporters, such as Envy, Ambition, Whispering, Backbiting, and Treachery, etc. But behind her there followed Repentance, with her head hanging down to the earth, in a mournful habit, with tears and shame beholding Truth appearing afaroff. There are a great many think that they see a very bare-faced Calumny painted by Mr. J. Standish in his Sermon If they be not mistaken, her Companions and Upholders are very visible. But they can as yet see no such attendant waiting on her, and following her as Repentance; no Tears, no Blushing, no Shame. The reason is they cannot tell how to make Truth appear; unless our Spiritual Fathers will be pleased to cause him to finish what he hasbegun, and to bring her forth.  
We humbly therefore implore their help, and cry to them with as much earnestness as consists with the duty of Children, Search out the Truth, search out the Truth, in this matter. It is your power R. Fathers to make this Gentleman Blush, if instead of a Sermon, he hath sent a Libel into your Dioceses; as many fear he hath. But if he have not, you will not quite loss your labour; for I hope you will be able, if he be found faithful, to put those to shame whom he convicts of such Heresies. You ought, (with due Reverence to your High Place and Office be it spoken) to have so much care of the Flock committed to your Charge, as to make enquiry after such Grievous Wolves as he describes: Who is the only man, as far as I can learn, that knows them, and is able to inform you where they lurk. Let him be summoned therefore to appear before you and required to do the Church of God so much service, as to detect those Wolves; that their Sheeps-clothing may be pulled off, and Mr. Standish, not they pass for innocent.  
He may be willing perhaps to do that privately to your Lordships, which he will not do openly to the World, give in a list, that is, of those men's Names who deprave the Christian Religion among us by those forenamed Heresies. There is the greater reason he should do it, because he pretends cause to fear, lest we live to see our youth (unless effectual care be taken) trained up in the Cracovian Catechism, instead of that of the Church of England. A sign that he thinks these Pestilent Heretics very numerous; unless he and his partakers (if he have any) have instructed their youth so ill and suffered them to be so corrupted, that they will be as ready to catch any infectious Doctrines, as some bodies do the Plague. Call upon him therefore to let you know where these Pests are: Let not such a blot lie upon this Church, over which God hath made you Overseers, as either they or he have cast upon it. This will be the most effectual care you can take (which he beseeches from you as well as I) to prevent this evil from overspreading us. It will do more good than his preaching, if he will be persuaded to make a discovery of these dangerous men to you.  
Whom we beseech you to examine, sift, and try if they be found guilty, let them be expelled the Church as they deserve, and suffer such punishment as the Law inflicts. I am no Advocate for them, nor shall I beg for the least mercy or mitigation, if you proceed in the most rigorous manner with them: Being as great a stranger to their Heresies as I am a stranger to Mr. Standish, whose face I never saw. And therefore I hope none will so much as fancy I have any spleen at him, when I move on the other side; that if no such men can be found, than Mr. John Standish may be severely punished for his slander. Which is the greater, because it is against God's Priests, and before His Sacred Majesty, and with so high a confidence, from a man that knows his duty better. Let not this man go away without some special mark either of your kindness, or of your severity. If he can produce these Antitrimitarian and other Heretics, let him be preferred to those Dignities, which perhaps A. B. C. D. and I do not know who enjoy. But if there be none of this stamp that can be produced, then let Mr. John Standish be punished (I will not say as the old Law requires, in the same manner that he would have served others) but with the loss, at least, of his Chaplains place, which he hath so notoriously abused. Use your best endeavours that he may never more appear before His Majesty: But be put rather to some open shame for defameing those so boldly and publicly, who piously apply their endeavours, it's like, to serve God and his Church with much labour and industry; whilst such as he (if he have any followers) sit still, and do little, as far as appears, but study invectives against their Brethren.  
Pardon this Vehemence I most humbly beseech your Goodness, which I doubt not is equal to your Wisdom and prudence. If I have been too bold in pressing that, which I conceive to be the duty of my Superiors, and shall hear that this Paper is condemned by you; I will condemn it too in my own private thoughts, and beg pardon of Almighty God for my rashness. Though I think I have great reason for what I have done, yet I will not be so presumptuous as to oppose my thoughts to yours: But shall condemn that myself, which you shall judge imprudently done, or not with sufficient modesty.  
I am in good earnest, and very sincere in this Profession; which perhaps Mr. Standish may not think unfit to imitate. For if you my Lords, will not be pleased to concern yourselves in this Calumny, (as all that I meet withal think they have reason to call it) than I must return back to him, and earnestly beseech him to call himself to a strict account, and examine upon what grounds he hath indicted his Brethren of, at least the suspicion of such foul Crimes, as if they be true, make them most detestable. Let him ask himself what moved him to it. Was it pure zeal for the glory of God, and the good of souls? or was it Envy at the Reputation which some men have got, by their diligent preaching and writing, in the Church of God: and fear lest they should step into those preferments, of which perhaps he thinks himself far more worthy? I accuse him of nothing of this nature, because I know him not; but it will be safe for him to search his heart, whether something of these or such like ill affections, do not lurk more secretly there, than he fancies Socimanism doth in others. I will not put him upon any inquiries about the rest of his Sermon (though some I perceive would fain be satisfied about many particulars besides this) let him only ask himself again, what assurance he hath that he did not wrong the innocent, in this part of it: For a number of grave persons, whom I have spoken withal, and that know the world better than he, are very confident, upon particular search that they have made, there are no such men as he hath described, among our Clergy. And if he find that his declamation was grounded on weak surmises, and there is nothing substantial to support so dreadful an accusation; let him condemn himself for a grievous offender. Let him fall upon his knees and beg God's pardon: let him inflict that penance on himself, which his fault deserves, though the Church suffer him to escape without any Censure. It will be too much perhaps to expect that he should make satisfaction to his Brethren whom he hath wronged, by open confession under his hand, that he was rash and too easy to believe evil of others (to use no harsher word) If I were as they, I should take his silence for such a confession; and look upon him as a man truly sorry for his sin, if after this he hold his. Peace  
I have but one word to add to him, and a word to some others, who I hear are prone to entertain the same Jealousies, and then I have done.  
Mr. Standish, let me beseech you once more to consider (together with all that hath been said) how rude and barbarous a thing it was for you who live in the shade, as I may say, in a cool delightful retirement, to come out of it merely to revile those men, many of which it is thought, bear the Heat and Burden of the day. If you had not accused them of Heresy, (let that be set aside) yet you cannot but think it a piece of very ill nature, when you seriously reflect upon it, for you who live at your ease, and enjoy a pleasant life in a College, to appear with your Flourishes before the Court, and there vapour over your deserving Brethren, those Painful Laborious, men who have the constant Cure of Souls, and contend in that station with innumerable difficulties. They have load, (one would think) enough upon them; you needed not have laid on an heavy load of Reproaches. They meet with enemies too many, it is very hard, that their Friends become their Enemies: they with whom they walk to the same House of God in company, rise up against them. This is bitter; and needs a deal of patience to bear it.  
And the more, because there are a sort of men I hear, who as they have been prone to entertain these suspicions, so will not suffer themselves to be disposessed of them; notwithstanding all that those men, whom they aim at, have said and done both in public and private, to purge themselves, and all their acquaintance of all such Heresies, or any thing that looks like them. These are persons of a strange disposition, whose bare surmises must be believed against other men's downright protestations. They pretend it seems to see into the heart. They are not to be informed by words what their neighbours think; but they look into them, as they say Angels do into one another's thoughts, by I know not what immediate intuition. There is no way to deal with these men: Patience is the only refuge in this case, together with serious appeals from them to the Allseeing God, who knows the hearts of those that censure (and what they aim at) as well as of those that stand susspected. And I am sure some of those whose names are endeavoured to be blasted, address themselves to him, in the words of Susanna. v. 42. O everlasting God, that knowest the secrets, and knowest all things before they be; thou knowest that they have born False witness against me, and behold I am condemned; where as I was never guilty of such things as these men (though I hope not Maliciously) have invented against me, And the Lord who, as it there follows, heard her voice, will sure hear theirs: and will make their righteousness (to use the Psalmists words) as clear as the light, and their just dealing as the noon day. Which will move many good men, To praise God with a loud voice, who saves them that trust in him. and teach even. you, Mr. Standish to learn that lesson better, which you have often no doubt heard, 11. Eccles. 7. with which I shall conclude.  Blame not before thou hast examined the truth: understand first, and then rebuke. 
FINIS.