Stra. iVlLLIAM 3t. Qd.London. -^ 1 i # 2? 3 1j » ^ O CL o Division Section Number M. 1 S<:^B l^^2§ ^ w >^ar^rvcli Vame M^jrld : as thcu ha/t Inn tp me D ujlr tA^Aa JhadcftpJ th jjc J^ ieune wiik thee : C77/^ vtisean Vtta.ll Suhftan^^ j Ci>mntitt. tP^^tt- 'Ta hint that J Suhfiancc* ttfe LufhlltPve, yic*at:>ens hetrj- tas the Read- ing this fhort undeniable Evidence, to fave their Souls, while yet there is hope, from To dam- nable a ftate of Sin and Diabolifm. Efpecially Magiftrates and Clergy-men, who are Sacrilegious and Blafpheraous, if in the name of Chrift's Mini- fters, they turn thofe Sacred Offices againft him. L N D Ny Printed (or Tho. Par i^hurjl at the Bible and Three Crowns, at the lower end of cheap- fide, near Mercers Chapel. 1 6Bp. READER, THIS refrehenfive hamentation of Englifli Malignity^ or hatred^ and fcoYUy andperfecution of fe- rious Godlinefs, by them who profefs to believe in God, and to be Chri- ftiansy was written in prifon (but without any provoking fenfe of my fuffering) in Anno 1685. or i686. And by one that was not wholly ignorant y how much of the Papifts counf^l and power , wa^ caufal in our change fime the return of K. Ch. 2. 1660. And therefore it grateth fo much upon the Fa- piftsj though they were profejfed Prote- fiants who were the open Agents, It ivas written by one who can remember, at leaft fince 162J. that theferiom praHice of Gcdlinefs was the common /corn of the njuigar rabble ^ ayid he that did but read the Scripture, and Books of Piety, and pray in hk family, and catechize Children or Servants, or hear a Sermon at the next Pa- A 2 rtfo To the Reader. vijh Church from a Godly Conformtfl^ when he had none at home •, yea that did but feri- ouJJy tal\ofChrift or Scripture, or the Life to come^ or preparation for Deaihand Judg- ment, went under the name of a Furitane, which %va5 a reproach in the mouth of drunkards, ftcearers, fornicators, and aU the fenfual, worldly fort, both high and low. And that Conformable Minifters ( yea and Gentlemen ) that were but ferioujly Reli- gious, no fnore fcapt this fcorn than Non- conformifts ( who were then fo few, that they were in moft places unknown,) He fadly remembreth how greatly this malignant rabble triumphed in the Bijhops Vijitation Articles, and in the Preaching and lalk^of many Priejis, who jharpened their Sermons with Invectives againji Puritans as dange- rous Hypocrite'', though they had not a Nonconformift within many miles. He heard the Godly Conformable Minifters la- ment, that the Bijhops and Ecclejiafiical Courts by thtir jealoujie and heat againfl the Nonconformable Puritans, became the firength and encouragement of this malig- nant vitious rabble *, and that the young worldly Minifters took, it for the way to preferment, To the Reader. preferment^ to Freach againft Puritans, while they treated the multitude of Fro- phane prayerlefs families that had no fa- ,mur of feriom. Religion, as their good and peaceable flecks. He lived to fee the Godly Learned conformiflsy fo grieved for this, that they longd for a Reformation -, and many Conformtfts ( as Bifhop Robert Abbot, BiJhop.Dowmme, ts' divers others puhlijhed their Reproof and Lamentation for it : And good Robert Bolton ( in^ his Directions for walking with God) thinks that Jince Malice entred into the heart of man, there was never a word tojjed with ' more Malice in the mouths of drunkards and prophane men, than the word Q Furl- tan. 2 Hundreds and thoufands of thefe wicked fcorners of Religion, were either admitted (or driven) to the Sacrament, or lived quietly in great Farijhes while they defpifed ity while thefe poor Furit answer e JiriBly hunted after I And if they fafled and prayed with a dying or Jick^ friend, Without getting a Licenfe for it from the Btfhop, the Church-warden muft enter them into their Inquifition, or he forfworn, Ihefe Puritans having the greatefi B ^ avcrfenefs, To the Reader. averfenefs to Popery^ in fome things were toofufpiciom of all that they thought fmeWd of it : And when they heard that in Ire- land the Papifts had moft harbaroujly mur- dered the Frotejiants ( two hundred thour fand ) and that they hoafted that they rofe by the Kings Commiffionj and threatned td invade England, and that the Englifh ^'apifls were againfi the Parliament -j this made them thinks that the Protejiant Reli- gion was not fafe^ hut in the Parliaments part and care : Upon which the next year when our odious Civil War began, many of them went into the Parliaments Armies : But the -generality would fain have lived quietly at home, but the debauched rabble and their Patrons would not fuffer them ' But they turned the name Puritan into CRoundhead ] and [ Down with the Roundheads,"^ was the common Cry, I have my felf by that Cry been in prefent danger-) in p^'ffjng through a City where no man kliew me, hecaufe I wore not long Hair. ' If their Neighbours did hut pray, andjJng a Tfalm in their houfes,the rabble ivould ( like the Sodomites at the door of Lot) fet up a Cry againft them -in the " flreets, To the Reader. fireets^ and fay^ C Down with the Roundheads] the Rebels^ a Gowry, a. Confpiracy, tffcr\ Even where I lived they ajfemhled with weapons^ and foughp my life J and k^ockt down (jnortaUy by the iffue) even jlr angers in the fireets thap medled not with ihem^ hecaufe they were accounted friends to the Furitans. By this means the parliaments Gxrrifo^is and Ar- mies were filled with Religious men^ that were forced to flie from their houfes by the malignant jignor ant drunkards ^ to fave their lives : And thisy even this was the ruine o/iC. Charles, and his Army y and of the perfecuting Bijhops and Clergy. Neceffity made thoufands to be Souldiers that could not^ live at home : And tmfi were moved by an Argument , that was not cogent, Jiil^ fayingy []We cannot believe that God would fuffer the generality of the moft Religious to chufe the wrong fide, and the generality of the Papifts and igno- rant drunkards and malignants to be in the right.] O what fhame and pity is it that the Antipuritan Clergy no better remembred from 1660. tiUnowy by what means they A 4 fell; To the Reader. fell 5 and that they no more underjiood, nor yet underftand, what a torrent of fin^ of danger^ and of Jhame, is come upon them^ hy their fir engthmngthemfelves hyfheltrmg {to fay no worfe ) the fenfual irrekgiom malignant rabble ( Rich and Poor ) that they may tread down the Puritans y that hy their own doings are brought into a dijlike of them. Will God ever blefs a prophane rabble ( or Gentry) to he the honour and firength of the Churchy againft the Religious that dejire a Reformation ? It is not their new foolifb names and fcornsy ( as Whigs ^ 'trimmers, Presbyte- rians^ &c.) that will prove that it is not ferious Piety that they hate: As long as the moft filthy wicked livers are the Ene- mies and Accufersj and in their own ^arty and Companions^ the vileft de- bauchery pajfeth for fufferable, and a fmall difgracey and thoufands of fuch live at eafey when preaching the Gofpel, and praying without their Fetters or Book^j mujl coft men ruine, and imprifonment, and fcorn. And Sulpitius Severus his fhavp Inventive againfl Ithacius, Idacius, and the reft of the Bifhops in their Synod wasy that To the Reader. that in profecuting the Prifcilllan GnO" flicks J they brought the matter to that pafs, that if Godly men did hut f aft, and pray ^ and read Scripture , the'BiJhops made them fufpeBed as PrifciUianifls (even St. Martin himfelf.) Woe to them that turn the f acred Offices of Magiftracy and Miniftry againft^ God that did ordain them, to he ufed as in his name, and in fame reprefentation of himfelf facrilegioufly hlafpheming him as an Enemy to himfelf Shall the Throne of Iniquity have fellovrfhip with God, that frameth mifchief hy a haw, to make Jin comlnon and allowed ? By this the Reader may fee that there is a double Hiftory needful to the full underftand- ing of this Bookjj and of the nature and cau- ye J (?/ Malignity ^ that is, i. the Hiflory of Adam V fall, and the great depravation of humane nature thence arijing *, and the true meaning of the Enmity thence put between the Womans and the Serpents feed, exem- plified in the two fir fl Brothers born into the world 5 as alfo in Ifhmael and Ifaac, Efau and Jacob-, and frequently mentioned hy Chrijl and his Jpojiles. 2. The Hiflory of the advantages that Malignity To the Reader. Malignity hath got in England pYice the 'Reformation 3 and efpecially jince the return (?/Chaiies the fecond. This mufl contain the fad differences begun at Frankford in Q^, Marys days ^ the errours and extreams of both the differing Parties ^ the hyafjing determinations o/g!^ Elizabeth-, the differ rence between thefirjtBijhops that had been exiles^ and their Succejfors 5 the Presbyte^ rians provocations by over-oppofing Epifco^ pacfy and the Bifhops defign to root them out 5 and the making of the Canons to that end : The rife of a new fort of Bifhops, be- gun in Laud^ Neile, Howfon, Corbet and Buckeridge, with Mountague, and their growth under Buckingham againft the old Churchmen : the deftgnof a Coalition with Rome, and the French and Englijh at- tempts thereto : The interruption of this de- fign by the firfi Long Parliament , and the Wars: The Scots forcing the Parliament (that in their fir aits asked their help) to take their Covenant : The impofing that Covenant on • the whole Minijiry, and making it a dividing Engine on pretence of Unity : The Parliaments cafting out (with a multitude of flagitious Minifters) fome Voliorsy To the Reader. DoBorSy for being againfl thcm^ for tl\e Kivgj contrary to the defires. of Peace^ makers : Hhe Freshyterians under Monk re- fioring King Charles the fecond: The re- turn and preferment of his Do5lorSy and their revengeful refolutions : Their defign to get aU Church-power and Trefermenty and Academic k^Rule into the hands of them that moji hatedFuritanSyOr would endeavour their extirpation^ and would educate louth in bit- ter prejudice and hatred of them : The vul- gar hatred of feriows Godlinefs in Confor- mifts and Nonconf or mift sounder the name of Puritans : The power that a few returned DoBors had with the King and Chancellor in the difpofe of Preferments ^ and thereby to over-rule the Tarliament^ and toprocwe theJBs of Uniformity y Corporation Oaths ^ Fefiry and Militia Oaths y and the JBs for BanifhmentSy Confinement Sy ImprifonmentSy Fining, EjeBingy Silencing and Ruining fuch whofe Confciences pleaded Gods hdw and Authority againfl any of their Oathsy Impojitionsy and filencing prohibitions to preach the Gofpel : The great difference in the Wars (I meddle not with the Cmfe) be- tween the Adherents and ^uldiers of the ■ '"^"'~~' ^"^ - --.-.- ^^ To the Reader. K. (Ch J.) and the Parliaments in poim of Piety and Sobriety : 7he Animofity and implacable heaty hy which the before Con- queredy and now Ruling Party, proceeded to- wards the mine of thofe that they took, for Enemies to the Caufe Civil or Ecclejiafiick^ which they had owned : The unhappinefs of the thenprefent Miniflry, that beingyoung^ then^had never me died with War sjthat they mufi equally fuffer as Enemies^ for fearing the Impofed Oaths, Subfcriptions, Covenants and TraBices : The rejoycing of the com- mon fort of the luxurious y drunkards, whore- mongers and Infidels y that they had got fo many of the Religious into contempt, and fcorn, and mine : The woful increafe of WhoredomyLuxuryyand Impiety and Saddu- cifm hereupon : The great numbers of Reli- gious peopkywho before hoped for Teaceand a pwm Prelacy, that fell hereupon into an hatred of Prelacy y and a great difefteem of the Conforming Miniflry 5 and fo our Di- vijions are grown to a fixed faBious Enmi- ty',and malice and worldly intereft will hear no motions or petitions for Peace 3 and yet madly plead all for Love and Peace, while they implacably fight againfi them, andac- cufe To the Reader. cufe thofe as the Enemies of Peace^ who heg Peace of them^ and cannot obtain it. This is the fum of the doleful Hiftory which this Book, prefuppofeth : But Jhould I write it, the rage would he increafed. The foregoing Narrative is as much as is fit for this brief Dtfcourfe, which j if you will, you may fly le Acris correptio, m^/V^ Gildas 3 or Plan6tus Ecclefiae, with Alv.Pelag. Or the Groan^ of the Church, with a late Conformable Divine. It hath been caft by four years y at fir ft becaufe it would not be en- dured, and after in a vain hope that our Church Reformation would makg fuch a complaint lefs neceffary. But now I perceive the Devil wiU be the Devil, and Mankind mU be horn blind, (enfaaland malignant, tid there he a new Heaven and Earth in which dwelleth Righteouihefs. Come Lord Jefus, Auguft 24, (16S9.) The fatal Day of Silencing in England in 1662. Chap, (O Chap. I. J Lamentation for the cafe of the Deluded, Malignant, Militant World. 1' I. npH E depraved and miferable condi- 1 tion of Mankindjhath long been the aftonifhing wonder of the fober and inquifi- tivepart of the world; Philofophers were puzzled with the difficult queftions, whence it fir ft came f and why it is no more remedied ^ Chriftians are taught by the facred Scrip- tures how to anfwerboth, by laying it on mans mifufing of his free will^ fuppofing Gods permifli9a-^his tryal and temptations 5 and on his refiftarice and rejection of remedying grace, in the degree that it is vouchfaft or offered. But ftill there are difficulties, and ' our underftandings are dark, and hardly fitit fied. And whence ever it comes, the cafe is doleful, and w^e cannot but think of it with aftoniihment and lamentation. When we faw an hundred thoufand made dead corps by the London Plague 166^, it did not take off the terrour to know how it begun. And when w^e (aw the City on a dreadful flame, which none could flop, it cured not jhe general aftonifliment to conjedure how it was kindled or carried on : No doubt but Hell it felf pro- daimeth that God is Holy,Wtfe and J/^/^and ' B Devils Devils and Men are the caufe of their own everlafting punifhment. But yet- if we had a fight of it,amazement and dread would over- -\vhelm us. And, alas ! what a Map of Hell is the greateft part of Earth? Hell is a place of Lyings Malignant and murderous-, hurtful Spirit s^y miferable by and for their wickednefs : And is not this in a lower degree, a true de- scription of moft of the Earth ? § 2. Nineteen parts in Thirty of the Earth are Idolaters and Heathens ; And do I need to fay, how ignorant, wicked and mife- rable they are ? Many of them publickly wor- ihip the Devil, as Witches do with us h and •i|^,deludeth them, and appeareth in divers •^ mapes to them, and ruleth them as he doth Witches. And thofe that are more civil are ftrangers c«^ .enemies to Chrift : Six parts of the thirty are Ignorant Mahometans, de- ' ftroyers indeed of Heathenifh Idolatry, and fuch as take Chrift for a great and true Pro- phet, .but know him not as a Saviour, but equal or prefer a grofs Deceiver, and live un- der barbarous Tyrants who by violence keep them in the dark. The other five parts that are called Chriftians, alas! confift moft of people bred up in lamentable Ignorance, moftly barbarous or debafed by the oppref- fion of Tyrants ^ fuch as the Mofcovites,moft , of the Greeks, the Abaflines, Armenians,aQd many Eaftern Seds and Nations. What Ig- norance the vulgar Papifts are bred in, in Jtalyy (3) Jpalyj ^paWy Germany, Toland^ France, and Other Councreys, and what enmity to true Reformation prevailerh in Princes, Priefts and People 5 and by what Lying ^nd Cruelty they fight againft Triith, and what Inquifi- tions. Murders and inhumane Maflacreshave been their powerful means, I need not ufe many words to tell. And are the Proteftant Reformed Churches free from flellily, worldly, wicked men ? from ignorant malignant cruel Ene- mies to Truth, and Piety, and Peace ? §3. Our Kings Dominions are the beft and happieft Nations on Earth. Here is njbft Knowledge of the Truth, and moft propor- tionally that truly Love it, and live in a holy obedience thereto,andfain would live a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinefs, honefty and fobriety ; But, alas ! they muft be con- tented with their own perfonal uprightnefs and reward, and the peace of their Confer- ences in Gods acceptance. But with men there feemeth to be no hopes of common J^//^owj Piety, Love and Peace. We are all baptifed with one Baptifm-, we all profefs to be the fervants of one God,and the faithful followers of one Chrlft, and to believe in one Holy fandifying Spirit, and to believe the fame Canonical Scriptures as the Word of God, indited by tWat Spirit ; and to be of one Holy Catholick Church, which is all the Members of Clirift on B 2 Earth i (4) Earth •, and to hold the Communion of Saints: We moftly in England and Scotland agree in the Proteftant Reformed'Dodrine, arid Sa- craments •, Our concord inprofeffion is fo greatjthat if feme men had notdevifed fome Oaths, Profeffions, Covenants, Pradices and Knacks, and Engines of their own (which they dare not fay, God made ) to become the matter of our unavoidable diflent, they could hardly have known how to pretend any difference in religion among us, and hell would fcarce have found any Cloak for malicious accufetions, enmity and difcord. You fhall fcarce meet with a man that will not fpeak well of Love and Peace, and fay that ire mufi Love God above all^and our J^eigh- hours as, our [elves y and do as we would have o- thers do to m. And yet is there any Enmi- ty or Difagreement > Alas how great, and howuncureable? § 4. Who would think that knew us not by our Profeflion, but only by our A(5iions, but that the three Kingdoms confiiled of the deadliefl: Eopmies to each other ? Of Turks and Chriftians -7 of Wolves and Sheep, that I fay not of Devils and Men ? Yea Turks and Chriflians can live together in Hungary and all the Eaftern i^avxwxt^^Orthodox and He- reticks can live together, in Poland^ Helvetiay Holland, ico But Proteftantsand Proteftants cannot live together in Britain. Cities and Corporations, Countreys and Churches,' if not (5) not Families alfo, arediftraded in enmity and more than mental feuds and war. Gnelphes and Gibelwesj party againft party, fludying Accufations againft each other, as if they were Scholars daily exercifed in the School of him that is the Accufer of the Brethren. All their Learning and Wit is called up, and poured out, to render others as odious a^ they are able- All their power, intereft, friends and diligence are ufed to ruine and deftroy each other- No lies or perjury with fome feem unlawful to accompliih fo defired an effed:. In all companies, the difcourfe and converfe that ihould be to edifie each other in Love, and comfort each other by the. hopes of dwelling together in Heaven, is ta- ken up with (landers, backbitings, fcorning, railing and plotting the overthrow of the beft of their neighbours. Innocency never wants odious or fcornful names : As if they^ were acting their part that called Chrift ana his Apoilles, and the ancient Chriftians, De- ceivers^ BUfphemers^ Enemies to Cc^far, Ring- leaders oi Sedition J that taught mtn to worfhip God contrary to the Law, Every drunkard and wicked liver can as ealily make his confcio- nable neighbour a Rogue, or a Traitor, or a Schifmatick, or an Hypocrite, as he can open his mouth and fpeak. And to juftifie all this malice is become a virtue i hating the moll religious, is Zeal for Government and Order; deltroying Chrifts Members^ is (landing up B 3 for (6) for the Church s hunting them as Dogs do Hares, or as Hawks do the lefler birds, is a meritorious work, of fupererogatlon no doubt, and -will not finally lofe its reward : God is ferved by hating and fcorning them that are ferious in his fervice. It is Religion to make Religioh odious, and call it Hypo- crlfie, and to be for that which is uppermofl, and befriends their wdrldlylntereft' and to make him fufpeded of Difloyalty^who is for obedience to God. Confcience, and fear of finning, and of damnation, is the mortal ene- my ta be conquered or driven out of the Land 5 as if there were no quietnefs to be ^xpe(aed in mens minds, no concord in the Church, no obedience to the Clergy, or the Laws, no fafety from Sedition, till Confci- ence be filenced or banifhed, and men give Qver fearing God 5 or as if Chrift and C^fy- could not both reign, but God or Princes. ipuft be dethroned. " AndO that the facred Tribe v/ere inno- cent, and none of them were the leaders in fuch hypocritical malignity ! Their Ganons ^^/o/^^o excommunicate all (not excepting Princes, Parliaments or Judges ) that do but lay, that any of their Ceremonies^ LitHrgyy or Officers in Church Government ^ (not excepting the lowefl: or Lay-mens power of the Church Keys by decreeing Excommunications and Abfolutions) ^re repugnant to the Word of God • And when they h^vtipfofaao Excommuni- • cated (7) cated them all, they call them Separatife for not coming to their Communion : Think not the contradidion and hypocrify incredible: read bur the 5, 6,7, and B. Canons, and judge.. They have a Law, and by their Law he is cut off from the Church or Chrift, that doth but call any of thefe the Inventions of Pre- lates, finful, or fay that God forbids them 5 And the Jail muft be his dwelling till he die there, who in ten cafes remainech Excom- municate, and doth' not openly profels tha^ herepenteth, andjadgeth that to be finlefs, which he is utterly unable fo to judge. When we have preached feven and feven years, to perfwade a Drunkard, a Liar, and Prophane fwearer, an Atheift, to Repent, helivethquiecjy ontof the Jail though he repent not : But if a man repent not ( when h(? cannot ) of judging that God forbids fuch humane inventions and impofitioils in Reli- gion, take him Jaylor •, He tbat-will not be for our humane Offices, Ceremonies and Im* pofitions, (hall not be of our Church 5 And whenwe have cart him out, well fay, He feparateth : and if he be' not of our Church, he fliall be in Jail 5 As if , the Church and the JailV -Would hold all the l^nd, except his fin be 'filch a Peccadillo as Atheilm,Sadduceifm, Befliality, Hobbifm, Popery, Man-flaugh- ter. Adultery, Drunkennefs, Swearing, &c. xidt aggravated by'the crimes of breaking the "'" B 4 Canons (8; Canons in point of conformity y Or if many thoufands cannot or will not come within the Doors of the Parilh Church, fo they will go to no unlicenfed preacher, nor worfhip God in Houfe or Church at all, they live quietly out of Prifon. But if the mote of an Oath or Ceremony fcrupled be in their eye, that eye muft be pulled out fif the mote can- not ) or elfe the whole body be caft into their Hell. And if the Preacher be but a Candi- date of Domination, his way is oft to call to the Magiftrate to execute the Law upon fuch asdareprefumetoworfhipGod openly, till they hold all fuch impofed Oaths, Covenants, ProfefEons and Practices to be lawful : He is to make his auditory believe that fuch men are dangerous, intolerable perfons, and that their meeting to worihip God and learn their duty,is to cherifhSedition,Herefy and Schifm, and that Rebellion is in their hearts \ and that the Preachers that even to a thing indif- ferent are not of their mind and obedience, are deceivers, andfadious, and it is no facri- ledge, but adutyto forbid them to preach the Gofpel. If the -People dare not truQ the Parfon, Vicar or Curate of the Pari(h, ( be he what he will, whom a Patron choof- eth for them) with the Paftoral Ordinary cpadud of their Souls, or if he Preach not at all, ir they* go to the next Parochial confor- miftfor the Sacrament, he Is to be driven home;, and ufed as difobedient. Through (p) Through the great mercy of God while the Bible is Licenfed, a Preacher in England knoweth not how to fpend his hour, if he fay not fonaewhac for Faith and Godline(s, Love and Peace : And when they come down, none arefo hated by fome of them, as thofe that believe and do to their utmoft what they for falLion fake perfwaded them to believe and do. Their neighbours who have not a word with the Prieft of any thing but this World, nor read a chapter or put up a prayer in their families, thefe are good and quiet neighbours 5 But if any ferioufly pre- pai|^ for their everlafting ilate, and mind- their Salvation above the World, efpecially iiPhe pray without-book, anddiflike the ig- norance and fcandalous lives of forry Priefts, thefe are the dangerous troublers of the land, away with them^and give us thofe that trouhfe' us not with the talk ofGodand of death,and'. Heaven or Hell, of Scripture or of Confci- ence, and that fcruple nothing that we would , have them fay or do. If fuch pray, it is but ; inhypocrify ^ If they goto hear any other Preacher, it is in faftion. If they fpeak any words to God which are not written down for them td^i-ead, they fawcily prate to God and fpeak but nonfence •, If they be earneft as knowing what they pray for, they do but whine and cut faces, and fpeak through the Nofe, or are a pack of groaning Hypocrites. It is confeft that the fpiritof Adoption and Suppli- Cio) Supplication is Gods Gift-, and that thisSpirit taught the Bifliops and Co^voGation in what words to prav to God: But if the moft holy or learned manbefides them pretend to it,, and think that any niay pray by the Spirits help but the Convocation, there are reverend men that willderide thar^pint or thcit prayer J would u leaft they would let men pray by reafonznd the fenfe of their Souls neceffiHes- (as a Qiild will beg pardon .of an offended Father, ) if they ivill not give them leave to pray by that Spirit (which all muft live by that will be favedj Phyiicians ufe their patients with Ibme humanity, and will not fay to him that faiiri, TMy jtomach cannot tak^ down this Potions, I fljoUcafl' it up^XoHjl^alltak^itor die^ or go to Frifon: Or ifpne iky, ][This Pillis bigger than tny Throat canfwallow,'] They will rather {ay, Jtjballhe made tefs than they willcut his Throat wider to get it down. And (iire the realbn is becaufe the Law doth' make them; Phyiicians to none but Volunteers, and give them no compelling power: If it did, I know not what inhumanity they might come to : For I will not believe that there is any thing in Divinity which tende^I> to make men more inhumane than Pby(icians. I have feen Jf IP/ and others that. will eat no.' fwines fiefli ; And I have known. many that: a taft of Cheefe would call into a fvvoui^; near death: And I never knew any fay, W^- : • ' •'■'•■■ -^ • - fait Cii) Jhalleat thlsyOrdie : Nor that ever motioned the making of a Law that all men fhould be imprifoned, or forbidden all other meat.who refufed to eat SwineS'flefhj for fear of tole- rating Jews. But we have Prlefts too many, that will fav, Take every Oath, Tromife or Ceremony re- qmred of yon ^ or freach not^ nor wm-Jljip Cod openly at all: Take me for your Paitor, or you fliall have«none : Hear me, or hear no man : Receive the Communion from me^or from none : Deny not the lawfulnefs of a ! Ceremony, or be Excommunicate. • § 4. And is it now any wonder that the people fay as they are taught ? And thefe arc leflbns eafilier learnt than a Carechifm, or the Creed, or the meaning of Baptifm- How quickly can a man learn to call his Neigh- bour Whig, or Tory I Or to hate a Godly man, or in a Tavern or Ale-houfeto fcorn them, or drink and curfe to their confufion, and to fay, I hope to fee them allhangd'or banillied out ot the Land.; As a Prieit that knovvs not what Divinity or the Prieftly Office is,-may before he taketh many degrees, attain the abih'ty learnedly to call his Godly ' Neigl]bours,Schifmaticks, or Hypocrites or worfe ':, So no doubt a few fuch Sermons, if not ' a Taverit, can quickly teach them that never knew what Religion is, yea that can fjarce fpeak fenfe, to revile the wifeft and befl men,as.if they were finners againfl die" ' y ' ' true (I2) xrue Religion, if they will be feriousinany true Religion at all. § 5. O iinful ! OmiferableLand ! Who kindled all the hellilTi flames of thy maligni- ty and mad divifions ? And who continueth them, and for what ? What cloven foot hath entred. and expelled concord? What Spi- rit rulethlthee / Were it the Spirit ofChrift, it would be for healing, Love and Concords It would fet men on (ludyiilg to promote Love to all, even unto enemies, but much more to the moft holy. It would make men zealous of good works, and if it were poffible as much as in them lieth to live peaceably with all men, to blefs thofe that curfe them, to pray for thofe that hate and perfecute them, forbearing and forgiving one another, even as God for Chrifts fake forgiveth us. It would teach them while they have time to do good to all men, but efpecially to them of the houlliold of Faith-, Mens hearts would be conftituted of Love : It would become a nature in them. Their Speech and Converfe would be the Savoury breath of Love: Their dealings towards all men would be the works of Love : Their fharpefl: reproofs would be bat to do the finner good. > But alas another Spirit hath pofleiTed thee which ragechand teareth thee ; and is blind - and deaf 5 It calleth for Fire from Heaven, audit kindleth a fire of Hell: And fure his name is Ugton\ for there are many. It paffeth (13) pafleth under the names of Wifdom^ and Ha- tred of fome evil : But it muft needs be Earth- ly, Senfualand Devilifti, for it is neither Pure, nor Peaceable, Gentle, or Merciful and Impartial, but foameth with bitter envy and lirife,untoconfu{ion and every evil work: And yet thou knoweft not what manner of Spirit thou art of Is it Godthatfetteth rulers and people a- gainft each other. Doth he divide his own Kingdom, againft it felf, when he tells us that the Devil will not do fo by his. Is it God that fets the parts of the fame body m a ha- tred and War againft each other? As if it were the intereft of the nobler and the Ser- vile parts to weaken or deftroy each other ? Audit were an addition to the health and welfare of the one, which is gotten by Con- queft from tte other ? Is it God that mak- eth people defpife or diihonour their lawful Governours, orany Rulers to hate the bef{ Subjed:s,anddefire more to be feared than to be loved, and rather to have power to dQ hurt, than adiually to do good ? Is it God. that fets Corporations, and Churches and Neighbours and Families, in a flate of Ma- lice, Vexation, Strife, and a kind of War againft each other / Doth the Spirit of God indite the malicious Pamphlets, which exer- cifethe utmoft ofWit and Hatred, tode- ftroy/ Love, and to call the Nation into the Devils Camp, by mutual hatred to live as Enemies, ri4) Enemies, and Fight againft the Lord and the ways of Peace. And if any endeavour a re- conciling healing of our wounds, it's turned into fcorn, and his healing motiDns are re- prefented as the grand caufes of divifion ^ and to beg for peace is heinous Schifm, and next Rebellion againft the Church, and a crime fufficient to forfeit that mans Peace and Reputation : And he that tells m€h of the only poflible terms of Concord, is made the chiefeft caufe of difcord. Toferve and woriliip God no other wife than Peter aftd Panl di(iy and than God prefcribeth is enough to render us unworthy to live' on Englijh Earth? Andif£;?^/^Wmay not fufferfuch, why flhould any-other nation fufferthemf There are men that keep holy days for St, Feter^ sjid St. pW, and dedicateChurches to them, and their bellies are maintained ac Dwes rates, and their Wealth and Revenues and Grandure held up, by that which is dedi- cated to thefe Churches, (and to alienate any of this fuperfluity from their flefli were worte 5acriledge than tocaft out and filence a thou- sand faithful Preachers -, ) And yet if St. Vani were a Preacher now in Fr^me^ Spaing Italy or England^ and would worfhip God but as he did when he was on Earth, and would not fwear, fay and do as much more as the Bifhops Canons bid him, I think we Ihoald again hear thofe words, AUsii. 22. Away mthfmh a fellow from the Earthy for it is not fit that that he [Ijofild live ( here : ) Unlefs he wrougbt miracles to convince men : And whether thofe would prevail is a doubtful cafe ; or whether he would not pafs for a Deceiver and Fanatic k. § 6. As in times of War, all broken, beg- garly and idle fellows, turn Souldiers, as the ea/ieft trade to live by, and are never after goottf for anyortier trade, but tokiJl and rob men ; So the Love-killing Regiments^ have for- faken other trades, -^nd^is is like to put I down all. BookfeIlei^"'complain that they \ can fell few Books but News and Scorning or Inve(5tive Libels- And what is the fub- ijed of our (formerly weekly, and now daily) I News Books ? Why, they tell us that fuch a City or Conroration are alc^gether by the Ears as Enemies, forae choofing one Mayor and fom.e another ; Some called Whigs^ and others Torks 3 Som^e feeking the ruine and Blood of others, and fome Hardly efcaping the power of falfe Witnefles and Oaths] Oncjury acquitting a man whofe life is fought, and another condemning him : In fuch a Town or City fo many fined, and fo many, diftreined on, and fo many crowded into Jails, and fuch and fuch Preachers caft into Prifon, and fuch a one dead there, for pray- ing to God and openly worfhipping him without-book, or by no book but his own. In fuch and fuch a Country the people profe- cucing each other on fuch accounts, and fome (16) fome flying into other parts, and fome into America to feek that peace among Savages and Wolves, and Serpents, in Wildernefks, .which they could not have under facred Pro- teftant Prelates and their Clergy. In France the poor Proteftants hunted like Hares, nei- ther fuffered to live at home, nor to flie^ naked to beg their bread in other Lands; and all this for the concord and peace of the holy Catholick Church 5 a pattern fo wor- thy of imitation, that even fuch excellent men as Gmim think, . that it s worth all ha- zards, labour and coit, to reduce England mi the Lutherans to the French-Church-Con- fiftence, and to filence and ruine all as Cal- vinifts that are againft it. From Hungary we muft read, how the perfecuted Proteftants, after their utmoft fuffering and patience, are fain to call in Turks to fave them from the^ cruelties of Chriftians. And that thofe parts that are under the Turks have far more profperity and freedom in Religion, thaa thofe that are under the Emperor & Papifts.^ And Proteftants under them are kept ia continual fear, as knowing that it is their Law and Dodrine, that Princes are bound to do their beft to exterminate or deftroy them, on pain of Excommunication, Depo- fition and Damnation : And remembring the Inquiiitions, the 'Piedmont, French, Dutch, Iri(h, c^c. Maflacres : So that they are brought to this hard dilenima, Chafe whether yon y$umlibe Dead mtn^ or he proclaimed Rehelsl If whole Comtreys will not lie down and die patiently without fclf-defence, they are odi- ous Rebels. Thefe and fueh other arjs the fubjeds of our News-books, which have broken the poor Booksellers J who were wont to live by felling Books of Learning, and of pradical Divinity. And too many Preachers are fain to be fliort as well as formal in their Ser- mons for Chriftian Love, becaufe they fpend fo much time in Preaching up hatred and deftrudtion. Were there but any Art that could devife any Engine that could reach the heart, and turn it into the^hatred of thofe that never did them wrong (as they fay fome Philters and Charms will make men mad with Love Or if any Apothecary had an- efteaual Medicine againfl: brotherly Love, I doubt tliefe would become the molt accu- ftomed Shops and profperous Trades in all the City : But for want of fuch, fome Pul- pits, Printers, Bookfellers, Clubs, Drinking- houfes, and Play-houfes (topafsby fouler; mult lerve the turn. But if God have not mercy on the Land by reftraining them. Gunpowder-makers, Gun-fmiths, Sword- lellers, Souldiers, Swearers and Executio- ^u\ } f^^^lowup moft other Trades in ±e Land. It^s worth enquiry whether in :orerjghtof this, they fet not their Sons ro uch Trades as thefe, or Apprentices to fuch .\ C Lawyers Lawyers as are beft at preparative Accufa tions, and have learnt TertnllHs^s Art : Or tc fuch Schools and Tutors as can teach them the Learning of Zedekiah^ and the four hundred Prophets, i King. 22. § 7. And all this is the moreunexcufable! and lamentable, becaufe they came but late- ly out of the fire, which this fame malig- nant Spirit kindled ; Thevei^' fame caufes caftthe three Kingdoms into dreadful Flames and Blood. The Hiftoriesof the bloody murder of many hundred thoufands called j^lbigenfesj Waldenfes and Bohemians^ in Tiedmonty 6'ey/;?^;^)/ and elfe where, and of the Netherland cruelties, the i5p^«?^ Inquifition andlnvafions, the murder of thirty or forty thoufand at once in France^ and of two of their Kinp, the Powder Plot here, as well as the Bonefires in^ Q Marys days, and much more their Councils and Docftors de- fending and commanding fuch ufage of Pro- teftants, did fet all our Parliaments one af^ ter another into a vehement unwillingnefsto be fo ufed, and to fall into their hands that will do it if they can : And when the evil Spirit had raifed crofs interefts and diftrufts between King and Parliament, the Papifts feeming to be for the War and King, and iuddenly murdering in Ireland no fewer thaa two hundred thbtifand, and pretending the Kings Commiffibn, and threatning the like ikEngiandi^ afifrightned the People into the Army, AriHy, after raifed by the Parliament. And though I think all that War in England\i\\Yd not the fourth part fo many as the Papifts had murdered in Ireland 3 yet fo difmal and odious was it, and had fo direfal an end, as loudly told us how bad the caufes and be- ginnings were. Few parts of the Land were free from fpoil, plunder and poverty s yea or from terrible Sieges and fields of blood : EngliQi-men labouring todeftroy each other, and fome hiring Forreigners to help them ; And Lads running fronr their Parents to be is Apprentices to the Man killing Trade, bounties were againfl Counties,Cities againft pities, Neighbours againlt Neighbours, mgle perfons flying from Men as from Bears :nd Tygers,as after in the Plague-time,afraid )t almoft all that they met. And at laft the ^ery Armies falling out among themfelves : rhe nrft raifed for the Parliament, were naftered by a fecond Party, that brought 1 (as Auxiliaries) a newlmpoution 5 and that *arty after mattered and call down by a third [lat brought in a new Caufe 5 and that pre- ailmg,pulling down their Matters, an Ufur- ^^,9^^9^yy deftroying the King, and fetting P himfelf with another Tide, and fubduing ad ruining thofe that were againft it, even oth the Parties that began the War : And" St when he was dead, to ttiew the World 'hat divifions can^dp, that fame Vidorious, .ebellious Army, fell all into pieces by its G z owi^ own difcord, and was totally diflblved as by a miracle, without one drop of blood that ever I could hear of ^ and the Victorious leaders many of them hang'd,drawn and quar- tered,and their heads and quarters hang a up on the City Gates. And would not one think that a Nation of men in their wits, iliould after {o long and fad experience of the mifchiefs of hatred and divifion, be willing ofthe reviving of Love and Concord, and hate all motions of dividing any more? But alas, they hate them that would heal our wounds ^ and if any one lay on a healing Plaifter, there are halids too many both Lay and Clergy, ready with rage to pull it off, and yet it's all on pretence of healing us, that they willnotfuffer us to be healed j for the way of peace they have not known. Unhappy Surgeons, that know no Balfom but Corrofives and Diftilled Vine- gar, ^'^a no way of healing but by difmem- bring, even the ufefulleft members, of the Body.Having learned of the Romifh Leeches that live on blood, when they are for ex- haufting the vital Stdck, and caft the King' dom into a Palfy or Marafmi^, they tell you it was all but corrupt or hsemorrhoidal blood, and the lofs of it necefTary to cure tlie mad- ^ nefs ofthe Land. The beginning of fome reconciliation be- tween the firft contending Parties, began to flatter us with the hopes of Reftored Love and] (.21) and Quletnefs: Secret confultations prepared the way : Lords, Knights and Genclemen, Print theirProteftations forOblivion and Re- conciliation, and againft Revenge. Hereupon thofe that by Land and Sea, in the three Kingdoms had fought againfl the King, re- ftore him : The land rejoyceth in the fmiling hopes of reviving Charity and Concord : The King chiefly caufeth thefe hopes by his Declarations and Act of Oblivion, and fpeci- ally his healing Gracious • Declaration about Ecclefiaftical Affairs. The hcufe of Com- mons and the City Minifters give him thanks for it: Who would have thought now but fuch Experience, fuch Proteftations, fiich Obligations, fuch Authorities fliould have put the whole Kingdom into a longing de- fire to per fed: the work of Love and Peace? But it proved clean contrary:Some had other things in their Heads and Hearts; outlandifh ?a(hions, efpecialiy French^ have long been :he Badge of Engli^i folly ] There are men n Spain that trade much in the fire, and 2tieen Aiary brought the trade into England: There are men in many other 'Forreign ^ands, who are fo devout that their Canons md Religion rule their appetites ^ And they oye no meat like a Carbonado'd Proteftant, lor are pleafed with any Perfume or IncenftT much as with the fmell of a rofted Saint, irft caird a Heretick or -xhifmacick : Like he Roman Tyrant that gloried in che fweet- (22) mis of the fmell when he fmelt the fllnkof the ^ -arcailes which'he had laid to dung the Field, And there were men abroad that iearntthefe Fafhions, and ContracTrec^. fuch a familiarity pnd Lcveto Forreigners, as fhac for obtaii]i-' ing Union* with them, all the Divifions, Difrradions and Calairiicies o( E-j^gUnd and Scotland^ are not thought .too dear a Sacri- fice: And as fonie Sonsof Nonconformifts muft be doubly virulent to expiate the guilt of their Original fin ^ So fome Englijhmtn muft like Sampfon knd David, bring double Teflimony of their real enmity to the Phi- liftines, from their Skins, before they can be trufted abroad as real reconcilers : And they fay that there arefomie things that wiHbe' clofely united, by no cement (m well as by humane blood. Doubtlefs die Gofpel as ufed in E'^gliftj, and Preached by trueProteftants,; ( fuch as the Pfendo-Belidme in Philanax' 'lAngUcm hatefully Cd.WQihProteftams off S wee- \ rity^ ) goeth not with many beyond Sea, fori :the fame Gofpel which' they believe. And] therefore no^wonder if the Preachers of it .be unpleafing to them ; and he that will 'pleafethem, and unice w'ith them,, muft fi- •lence or oppofe thofe that they would bav^ to be filenced and difgraced. And fome thinf , that Union with many Kingdoms of Chrifti ans, which call themfelves the Catholic!^ Church, is much to be preferred before th^ Love and Concord of a hated party in oui Ifland. And as Dr. Sayn^eli ( the Matter of a Colledge and Bifliop Gmnlngs Chaplain) faith (to prove that there isaUniverfal Le- giilative and Judicial power in the Clergy, over Kingdoms as well Perfons 5 ) C '''If more ferfo»s or pdrticular Chnrches give offence by He^-efy, Schifm, &c. The CHURCH UNI- VERSAL, or the refi of the Bifljops m^y reprove them for it ^ and then there is no Reafon why ont man fhoHld he cen fared and many fhcdd go fretj and confequently our Saviour hath efiabUJIjedthe Authority of his Church over all Chriftians as well particular Churches as private men .* Churches ef Kingdoms and Nations have a SOVE- RAIGNTY^^ over them to whi-c-h they mu^ yield obedience^ I (a. 60, 1 2 . The Nation ' and . Kingdom that will not ferve thee^ fhall perijh : yea thofe Nations jhall be utterly wafied^ ^i^g. ^^3, Though Kings have no CivilUniverfal So- veraign over them but Chriftjyet it feems all the world both Kings and Kingdoms have ^n Ecclefiaftical Soveraignty over them all: Communion of equalls and ChriftianCounfel and Reproof is not enough, fuch as all Neigh- bour Princes may ufe towards one another ; Nor the denial of fuch Communion to the uncapable I But all Kings and Kingdoms muft be under one Church Soveraignty, which hath aLegiflative &]udicial power over them all, to excommunicate, abfolve them,e^c.And how much more /;/ or dine adspirituaiia the com- mon expofu ion of Ecclefialtical Power tells C 4 you : (H) yo.^-AsexperiencelongtolimanyKing(iom^ What the Excommunicating of aKing, andln- terdi^ting a Kingdom the worfliip of God,dc m^tytowafds their Dethroning or Invafion. ^^ And all this muft be done, not as for the ^ope, but under the name of a General Council and the poor Pope fliallhaveno power but,fay fbme, to call that Council, and call It General when there isnofuch thing, and prefide-init, and rule us as chief Pa- triarch and St. Feters Succeflbr, in the Inter- ^^^jofGeneralCouncils (that is, continually^ uru^ l^OC jirbitrarily, but by the Laws of the Church or Councils, (and no mortal man can tell which thofe Authorized Legislative Councils are, among the hundreds of erro- neousor contradiaingones.) So that Po- pery mEngUnd is an abhorred thing •, for i^ JS nothing with fomebut thePo^^j ahfolnte Government of the whole Churchy as withont or above Laws and EcclefiafikkJ arliamtnts. And can you reconcile all this to our ^^ff*^ of Supremacy, and the Canons that, ettabliih if, renouncmgallforreign Junfdt^ionf Yes eafily. we have been told it meaneth OX\\y forrelgn Civil jHrifdiBion which belongs to the Ktng, and not fornign Ecc left afiical Jurif ■diSiion, (which is all that the fbber Popes do claim, fave indiredly in or dine ad Spirit ualia) To Command a Nation on pain of Excom- munication aiid Damnation (according to di- vers Councils) to renounce their Allegiance to ( 25 ) ti^to their Excommunicate Prince, and to de- pofe him^ and fet up another, is no ad of Ci- vil, but of Ecclefiaftical Jurifdidion, which yet hath dethroned Emperours and over- thrown Dominions. And faith A, Bifhop Laud (in Dr. SHI- Ungfeet's defence of him, p. 540. [^It doth not follow^ hecaufi the Chnrch may err^ therefore She may not Govern. For the Church hath mi only a PASTORAL Power, to Teach and Direa, ^//t^PRETORIAN alfo, to controd and cenfnre, &C. And for external obedience to General Councils when they err^ [jZonfider whe^ t her it he not fit to^ allow a General council thap honour and privil edge which all other Great Courts have : Stillingfleet,/'. 5.?4-l So that inftead of a Council of equals for concord (as Princes ufe for peace with their neighbours,) We have mVniverfal Soveraign Court fet up with Pretorian Power, to make bind- ing Laws, and pafs Judgment to all the Chri- ftian World, and (fay fome) They are Schifma- ticks that obey not thefe Vniverfal Laws, and obedience to them, and fuppr effing all for bidden A f femhlies for bods worfljip is the only way to Chri^ fiian concord. And where this forreign Jurifdidion is madeoffuch abfolute necellity, that with- out fubjedion to it by Kings and Kingdoms, there is no concord to be had, nor any avoid- ing of die guilt ofSchifm, what wonder if fame can wifli that filencings, reproaches. ruines. (16) ^ ' rsincs, and ccnfufions may be thought nc dear price to obtain an univerfal union ; foi which Chrift and his Law are infufficicnt. Th^y that have read Grotins^ Caffander^ Baldwv2^Hojfmeifterj Erafmm^ ^.Bifliop Land^ Dr. Heydin of his Life, Bifhop" Sparrow^ A, Bifhop Bromhd2X\A\hQ Prefacer Bifliop Var k^ry Thortidiks-i Bifliop Gunmng and his Chap kin Pr Saywelly and fuch others, and againft them all have read Dr. Jfaac Barrow of the Supremacy againft Thomdik^^ &c. may under- fiand where our difference and danger lyeth. § 8. And is EngUnds felf deftroying diC eafe uncureableiGod hath in wonderful mercy given us peace, from forreign Enemies ? And is there no hope dT prevailing with Englilli men to livexogecher in peace > Muft that of J^i 4^. 3^. b^ our cafe, to eat our own Fiejhy and he drmkert iwith onr own .. Blood a^ withfweet Wint^ Alas, no counfel, no petitions, no tears, no experience, no judgnients of God by Plagues and . Flames, have hitherto one jot prevailed v But the Ulcer of mens minds grows more and more putrid and malignant 1 Two ways are by fbme propofed : Firfl^ that all the Confciencious worfliippers of God in the Kingdom, iliould bring their judgments to a full conformity, in every par- ticular to their rulers : Whenas fjrft they Gannor tell us who thefe muft ba*: fome fay to the King or Law? Some fay to the Bt- fliops in a National . Convocation ; Others fay. ad ^^^^ fQjfay, to the forefaid forreign univerfal Sove- ;jif raigntyof <^:^eneral Councils, ^with the Pa- /e/triarcte) If the firft be the way, what King- ,;/doms mufi: It be in ? Is it no where but in j Britain} Or alfo in Francey Spain ^ Itaiy^ ,^[ Germany^ ToUnd f And muft there be as ma- ny Religions as Kings and Laws will make ? And how far muft this go ? And where muft wefiop? Muft Kings choofe us a God? Or chufe whether we fliall have any God, any Chrift, any Bible, any worfhip of God, and fo any Heaven ? If it be theBilhops that muft be the common rule of ourReligion,whatCountreys and Ages doth this rule ferve for? Was it the rule where Princes arid Prelates were Arians, or Nefto- rians, orEutychianSjOr Monothelites,or Pa- pifts ? Is it the rule now in France^ Spain^ ha- ly,&c. Or was it fo in the Popes Catholick Church, from ^n. 700 till the Reformation. If it be General Councils,I am weary of re- peating the Proofs that there never was one, nor ever is like to be one, or ought to beJf it hQauEMropeanCounciljwho (hall call them,and who fhall judge whether it be equal, and fo far General ? And are not the greater num- ber of European Biihops known Papifts / And will they not then be the Major Vote ? And fo we muft be as bad as they ? And if the reft of the Chriftian world be not bound by them ( in Greece^ Ethiopia^ Armenia^ Sy^ ria^Scc.) Why'arewe? Isic the Council of Arimfntm^ (28)' Armlrmm, Sirmium, MUane, 8cc. or ofEphe- jHfz, Nice 2d many zt Conflamimple, at the t^ff'^ at Xj/.^/, at Flore-r,ce, at Conftarice, ztBafil,zt Trent, that are our Rule.' Muft all that mil beCathoIicks and faved, holdall the Herefies, Contradiftions, and Cerrupti- ons that Councils ^ave held, and obey all f"gf,Scc. are all difagreed, how many and Which Councils we muft obey, can all poor people know which is in the right? And hath Chuit Jeft Religion fo uncertain a thins ? Or 10 mutable that General Councils of Pre- lates may be (till increafing it ? If he was the the maker of it, by himfelf and his Apoftles, wemay knovv more certainly where to find « •, Moft Chriftians may fay, Chrifi^pe kpow, and Peter and PW, &c. we know ; But your Councils are too many, too voluminous, too uncertain, for us to know. But if they are (ueh an abfolutely neceflary rule as you pretend, why do not teachers preach them to us daily as they do the Sacred Scriptures? /f any would come down to confine thefe univerlalLawsonly to Things Indifferent, alas, muft the world be confounded and divided a- 0put things indifferent ? Are not things in- flitterent variable as Countreys and Ages are ? And rnuff the worid have one Soveraignty to make Laws for them? Cannot we have i-ite, Liberty, Peace and Love without things indifferent? Or without agreeing in T Up) them. Are there any two in the whol^ world,that are not ignorant,and that differ not about nnany greater matters than things in- different? Doth he knowhimfelf, or know what a man is, that thinks all tolerated Chriflians mufl be fo Skill'd in all things in- different, which men may impofe, as to know them to be fuch ? When it is fo hard to teach the people things neceffary, few and plain? AlaSjLord^ why muft the Churches be left in fuch hands ? § 9. But fome have found out another remedy for our divifions , and that is, That only theBifhops fhallbe engaged to aFor- reign Jurifdidion, or profefs the neceifity of obeying them, ( under the name of a Gene- ral Council, and in the intervals, of a Col- ledge of the Bifhops of the whole world, as one Ariflocracy, ) And that this (ball not be impofedon any Lay-Communicants,but their Confciences fhall be left at liberty ^ Nor at the firft on the inferior Clergy, till they are prepared to receive it ; But Qnly that the People obey the Priefts and Prelates, and the Priefts obey the Prelates and all their Governing Officers, and the Prelates only profefs obedience to the Pretorian Court called, The Catholkk, Church, Bifliop Qunmngs Chaplain tells m that the Laity are not required in order to Communion to declare for General Councils, Whfther they ufe the like Moderation ia frame^ Spaipj, Germany^ I know (30) know not, viz.. For the Bijhopi only to Profefs obedience to the F ope ^ and the Prie/?j to the BJJJjops, and the people to the Fr lefts and Bijhops, I hear they go further. AndJfConventules (as they will call them) are alfofuppreffed^we need Jioifear Religiom P^io^ lence^ Murder and Ruine^ {vipon a feared Roman Succeffour, ) For faith the fame Bijhops Chap- laifi, pag 283 . [] For matters may befo ordered^ that all Officers^ Ecclefiaftical^ Civil and Mili- tary^ and all that are employed in Power or Au- thority of any kin d^ he perfons , both of known Loyalty to the Crown ^ and yet faithful Sons of the Churchy and firm to the eftabUfied Religion^ and the Laws that they aEi by may befo explain- ed in the favour of thofe that conform to the pub- lick^ Worjhipyand the difcoHragement of all Dijfen- ters^thatwe muft reafonably be fee are from all 'Violence that the Fapifts can offer to force onr fnbmiffion : For when allovir Bi[h^ps and Clergy are under ftrict obligations and Oathsy and the people are guided by them 5 and all Officers Civil and Military are firrn to the fame inter e ft y and tinder fever e penalties if they aB any thing to the contrary , Then what probable danger can there be of any violence or difturbance to force us out of our Religion^ when all things are thusfecured^ and the power of External Execution is gene- rally in the hands of men of our own perfwafiou^ Anf The Dr. fays well : I am of his mind in this: When they have fubdued and caft out all Diflcnters (as they do in France) and the (31) he Bifhops and Clergy are fecled under z ^orreign Church- Jurifdiaioh,and the People etled in Obedience to them, and all Offices 3ivil, Military and Eccleuaftick in their lands, I do not think they need to fear that he Papifts will ufe violence to change theii^ kligion, whoever reigneth. But the Qiieftion is, whether this fuppole n Vmon with all in England that are now gainft a Forreign Jurifdidion, or only the ieftruEiion ofthenij or elfe the forcing them to he fe terms? As to a defiridJion of them^ Or arcing them to fnch terms y furely ^^ioknce nauft lo this. And what though the SubjeBs of For-- eip Power fear no f^iolence^ are all the reft that is,the ProteftantsJ of the Kingdom in- onfiderable f We fuppofe the old Church ^fLnglandy znd all our Parliaments fince the Reformation, were againft a Forreign Jurif- licftion : And will it be no lofs loEngUnd to leftroy fo many, that is, the Body of the 'and? But the Queftion is, Whether they may lot be thus brought to concord by confent ? [ anfwer, no, unlefs you fuppofe them to be nenthat indeed have no Religion, and there- ore can eafily part with the bare name. For. hey are fworn by the Oath of Supremacy a- ;ainft all forreign jHrifdiSlion : And pU^C the afe that the Pope and a Council, or the ICing of France would bring theEmperoUfs >r me Kings Army to ferve hira, and be at his r3^} his Command, and hevvould only defire that the General Officers and Colonels may be engaged to obey him, and the Captains and lower Officers to obey them, and the Soul- diers to obey the Officers •, but the common Souldierslhall be bound to no more, than this obedience to their Officers. Query, Whether all thefe Souldiers be not Traitors to the King or Emperour ? Cromwells com- mon Souldiers took no Commiflions againft King or Parliament ; they did but obey their Officers that pulled down both ! And were they therefore guiltlefs- Proteftants will not thus follow fuch Prelates, againft their Oaths, and agamft the known truth, and a • gainft their duty to God and the King. § lo. But though it be notorious thatDo- minaiion andjurifdidionbethe things which cauft the Papal Clergy to trouble and tear the Chriftian world, what is it that makes the Laity{Q mad,& getteth thisClergy fuch a mili- tant crowd againft their ownTranquillity and SaIvation?It"s as vifible as any moral thing,that theChurches Divifions and Wars,andMi{eries have about a thoufand years rifen, from Sa- tans thrufting fuch worldly, flefhly, unholy men into holy Offices, who feek them but to ferve their Pride and Covetoufnefs, and Flefhly Appetites, and Eafe, and who are Enemies at the heart to the ferious obedi- ence to Chrift, which formally they preach. Chrifts own Apoftles in their time of igno- rance. (33) ranccj^began to ftrlve which of them iliould be greateft ^ of which we have recorded his fliarp rebuke; which St. Peter himfelfdid after fecond, in i Pet, 5. i, 2, 3. in words fo pldn,' that if his pretended Succeflburs had not firft claimed a power ( as the Church ) to be the determining expounders of all the Bible, they had lain under the Condemnati- on of Chrift and Peter yNaktd, without a De- fence or Cloak : But rkA^Church-expomding amhority fets them above all the Word of God, which is now but what they pleafeto make it, and an inftrument to execute their wills ; And indeed it is now rather the Pope and his Prelates and Councils than Chrift, that are the Law-makers to the Church: For it is not he that maketh the words only that makes the Law, but he that giveth them ihtwfenfe. The words are but as the hody^ and thefenfe is the Soul of the Law. The Mi- nifterial Church now fcorn the name of Mi- nifters, and being become Pretorianmd Ma- gifterial, they give Chrift and his Spirit in' the^ Apoftles leave to make the words and body of the Scripture or Divine Lavr, • as jGod formed ^dams body of the duft, fo that they may give it the breath of Life, and alfo may make far more Voluminous Laws pf their own, and cut ofFand condemn all the Children of God, that cannot believe that t's lawful to obey them. And though the Ignorant think that the D clain^ (34) claim of univerfal Legiflation andjudgment^ in the univerfal Church and GeneralCouncils, be no Service to the Domination of parti- cular Clergy men, no nor to any, feeing there will never be a General Council, ] They underftand not the myftery of iniqmty^ and miftake. We hdyi^EngltflWrkers that havetold them, I. That indeed Power isfirfi given to /■/7e^o^j, (fine doctrine for Royalifts) but by the Body it is given to the Prelates to ufefor them. 2. That as a General Council hath the S^pream power ^ fo the Prelates under them have the Inferior Ruling power, and the executive in the intervals of Councils :^ 5. That as Coun- cils reprefent the Church in Soveraignty, fo every Bifhop is by his office, the true Re- prefentativeof theClerg'/ of his Diocefs,and every Metropolitan the Reprefentative of his Province, andeveryPatriarch of his Pa- triarchate; And then are not the Patriarchs ( at lead with the Metropolitans, ) Univer- fal Rulers in fuch Intervals? 4. And the Pope is the Patriarch of the Vv^e ft, and hath a pri- macy in the Church univerfal, and muft be ccnfeft to be principi^im unitatis Catholic^yZnd fay fome, to be the ^refident of Councils. 5. To which others add, that it belongs only to the prefident to call CoMncilsy and to Judg which are Lawful^ without whofe call they are fo far from binding my that they are themfehes but unlawful Roms, And what would you have more? But TJSJ But what's all this to the poor Priefts? What ? Why, 7. The people know not what the volumes of Councils fay, and it is the Priefts (or no body) that muft tell it them, (both what their expofition of Scripture is, and what their own additional Laws are) without which they cannot be obeyed : fo that indeed the peoples Faith is ultimately refolvedly into the authority of the Prieft, who tells them what the Biihop faith, who tells them what the Metropolitan and his Synod faith, who tells them what the Pa- triarch and his Synod faith, who tells them what the chief Patriarch and a General Coun- cil faith, who tell them determinatively what Chrift and the Scripture fiith and meaa- etb. t But what's this to Councils when there are none ? Yes, 8. Thofe that are part and gone,haveleft all thofe bindingLaws by which the prefent Biihops as an Ariftocracy muft govern alltheChriftian World. But are not they for Monarchy in the'ftate? How come they then to plead for a Soveraign Arifiocracy ovtv the Catholick Church, and how come even the French Clergy to be fer the power of a Church Parliament above the Pope ? I cannot anfwer that 5 let the Pope and they debate it. : But I wonder that A. Bi(hop Land^ (hould be for the derivation of all power from the 'Bo4y, 2iS Richitrd Hooker is; See Dr. Stillingfleets D 2 Defence Defence of him j&. 544.545. &C.C iVb Body colie^ive^ whenfoever it affembkd it felfy did ever give more power to the reprefenting body of it^ than a binding power upon itfelfand all par- ticulars -^ Nor ever did it give this power ^ other- wife^ than with this Refervation in nature^ that it would call again and reform^ and if heed were ^ abrogate any law or ordinances upon jufl caufe made evident yth at the reprefentingBody had fail- ed in trufi or truths -^nd this power no Body colleBive^ Ecclefiaftical or Civil^ can put out of it felf^ or give away to a Parliament or Council^ or call it what you willy that reprefents it — The power which a Council hath to order, fettle and 'define differences arifng concerning faith, it hath not by any immediate inftitution of Chrift, but it was prudently taken up by the Church from the Afoftles example. J See Dr. Stillingfleets De- fence. I confefs that the generality of Politicians and Lawyers, Heathens, Papifts and Pro- teftants go much this way, as to Civil Go- vernment, and fay that the Majeftas perfona^ lis is in the King or Senate, but the Ma- \efta6 realis m the Body w^hich giveth theOr- ganical power^ and on juft caufe may take it a way. It is no honour to be Angular in P o- liticks, and I have feid enough of this elfe- where {Chrifl.DireEl. p, I.) But if it be the Body of the whole Church on Earth that muft give Church Officers and Councils their power, and recal it when there is caufe, if ever ever the whole Chriftian World meet toge- ther to vote it, when it cometh to Poling, we will give both the Monarchical and the AriflocraticalConciliar Papifts three for one, to try who hath the power given by the Body. But while two or three parts do already dif- own almoft all theirCouncils,the cafe is decid- ed. But ifznoU Cornells Herefies, Erroursor Tyranny can be invalidated only by a newom that is trnly General^ or a new one as Papal di^ the laft, we confefs that Trent Canons are like to be the Law, to the end of the World. § II. But again, what is it that inaketh fo many of the Laity ferve the Popi(h Prelates univerfal claim, or keep up the deftrudive enmity and divifionsof the Chriftian World? A ftranger would think that it were chiefly caufed by fome great contrariety of real In- terefts, orthatone party adhered to. fome principles or pradices, which were really hurtful to the others rights ? While both were ferious for Chriftianity. But it is be- come by long experience notorious, that all the Chriftian Worlds calamitous divifions are principally from the old enmity between the Womansmd the Serpents Seed, and that all is but the Profecution of that which their firft Patriarch <^4i;^ began: exemplified after in the difcriminatidn of the Children of men and the Sons ofGod.and in Efau zndjacob^ljlj' waei and ^faac^ and fo down to the days of the Ds Apoft.les; (38) Apoftles : And, faith P^«/, y^s he that was born after the ftefhy perfecHted him that was horn after the fpirit'j even fo it is now. Among US it is notorious 5 that if we knew hovv^ to cure men of the radical Enmity of the fieila againft the fpirit, and of a carnal minds averfenefs to God and ferious Godlinefs, the reft of our differences were never like to continue our Wounds and cruel Fadions. In Families you may hear that this is the fundamental difference. Husband and Wife, Parents and Children, Mafterand Servants, upon themeer account of ferious Godlinefs, do live like Enemies, that are impatient of each other* If the Husband be ungodly, the Wife, Children or Servants that have but a care of their Salvation, are ftill under his reftraints,or frowns, or fcorns : This praying (efpecially if it be v;ithout Book) fo much preaching and hearing 5 yea any ferious talk of God, or Heaven, or Scripture, is a troublefom wearinefs to him ; and he tells them, it is but Hypocrifie, or more ado than needs; If any compaffionately tell him of the evil of his fwearing, or tipling, or pro- phanenefs, he tells them they are precife Puritanes or Fanaticks, and worfe than he. If they will needs hear Sermons, he will have them go but to fome cold or ignorant Preacher, or one that will pleafe him with a calumny or fcorn at Puritans, or that will fay as he doth, chat this ftir for Salvation, and (39) and medlingfo much with Scripture and Re- ligioiv is but proud, felf-conceited Fanati- cifm. In a word, it is ferious l^^reaching, and Hearing, and Reading Gods Word, ferious Praying, and Preparation for the Sacrament, ferious Difcourfe of the ftate of their Souls, and Preparation for Death, Judgment and Eternity, ferious fearing ajid avoiding fin5and fpeakingagainft the fin of others, that istiie common eye- fore and trouble of the world, which they fecrerly hate, and cannot bear with in their Families, in their Neighbours, in Magiftrates, in Minifters or People. And becaufe it eafeth their minds by vent, and by keeping up fome hopes that they may be faved without this ferious Godlinels themfelves, they cheriQi a conceit that the perfons that herein differ from them are as bad, if not much worfe than others ^ and gladly hear thofe that flander and deride them; Such Company, fuch Pamphlets,fuch Sermons pleafe them. And to make them odious, they have for them fome contemp- tuous, fcornful Nickname 5 which, though it be of no fignification, is as effectual as the trueft charge. Among the Roman Seds, do but call a man a Heretick, or Schifmatick, a Lutheran, a Calvinift,a Zwinglianj anddfe^ where do but call him a Sed'tary, a Schifma^ tick, a Puritan, a Calvinift, a Nonconfor- mift,an Independant,a Presbyterian,a Round- head, a Fanatick, a Whig, and it ferveth the D 4 turn (4o) turn as well as if you had proved him a proud Hypocrite, or a Rebel. And there be among the real Schifmaticks alfofome perfons,that if you do but call a man Epifcopal, a Confor- mift, an Arminian, a Churgh of England man, that gqeth to the Common-Prayer, they think that he rnuft needs be a Temporizer, Gracelefs or Dangeroufly unfound. , Add thus the miferies of the Land arq continued and increafed. But becaufe the fpirit oiCain is the Grand Incendiary, and the feimity agaiftft ferioHs Holinefs through- out all the world, is the principal caufe of Divifions, Hatred, Wars and Blood-flied, I will here annex many Reafons which, witl] men that have any Reafon left them, ftiould cure this Malignam Enmity to Holinefs^ if men will but foberly confider them. ^ I have faid fo much to fuch already, efpe- cially in my Sdms Refi-^ Now or Never 5 my Family Bbokj, arid a Saint or a Bvme^ that I cannot do this v/ork agaip wi^out repeat- ing much_ that's faid. But feeing all that doth not ferve, and the Ulcer breaketh out more dangeroufly than ever, till it come to a Noli me tangerz.^ we muft Continue fome hope and \i{t of means ; and if we lay on frelb Plaifters of the old materials, while .only Kavv^ Books are by fuch regarded, we are bound to do our beft: It is but fo much labour loft ; and it is not utterly loft to our felves, vv^hile we have peace of Confcience in Cods acceptance. But (4i) But being fure to be mifreported when I have done my beft to be onderfcood, that I be. not guilty of it, I will firft fhew what I mean by ferious Godlwefs, and next what I mean by Mdigniiy or £;^/«/Vj/ to ferious God- inels. Chap. II. Whom 1 mean J^ Godly Perfons, and whom by Malignant EnemJes tch Godlinefs, § r.T> Y GODLINESS I do not mean, AJ I. Any Super ftitio?!.^ or making Reli- gions, or Religious Duties which God never made, and extolling thefe^ and the Party that are for them. God hath made us Religious work cncgiigh ; Could we do that well, we need no more. Religion, fo far as it is made by men, is no Religion^ bur a comradi^ion or eqHivGcation 5 for Religion is OUr Obligation and Dnty to God, and Confcience of it. Could I be tor SHperfitticn, or more Religion than God hath made us, I might be for all the New Religions of Rom^ Francifcans, Domi- nicans, Carthufians, Jefuits, Oratorians, and all the reft : Anc I might be for their Works of Supererogation, their Mailings, worlhip- ing Bread, Angels, dead Saints Images, their Pilgrimages, Relicks, and all their pretended Traditions and Councils, their new mad^ Church- (42) Church-Laws 5 and I fhould know no end. §2. And 2. hy Godiiriefs I m^m not any pngnlar^ odd Opinion differing from the Scripture, and making a Seft, or any Errour whatfoever^ nor any Opinion which is con- trary to any thing which the whole Church on Earth did ever hold as neceflary to Sal- vation or Communion. § 3, Nor 3. Do I mean any Truth or I) my ofinferiour moment, which only makes to the well-being of a Chriftian, though this be an hifmoiir f^tofGodllnefs \ atleaftnot that 'which a godly willing perfon knows not to be his duty. ._- §4. Machlefs4. Do I mean any proiid falfe conceit of a mans own Godlineis, and becoming one of an unwarrantable Se6t5that he may be confpicuous to others, or cherifh this prefiimption in himfelf; and fay to others, Stand by^ I am holier than thou : Or as die Pharifee, I thanJ^thee Lord that I am not M this FMican : ( Though yet all that will be faved muft greatly differ from the ungod- ly, and muft with thankfulnefs own Gods grace.) § 5. Nor 5. Do I mean any unlawful pra- <5lice, which on the pretence of Godlinefs may be done, whether unjuft cenfures, backr biting,unwarrantable feparations,from other?, divifions, difobedience to Authority, Sedt tion, Rebellion, &c. Thefe are all contrary to (43) Godlinefs and true Religion. Chrift is the flriaeft condemner of them, and Godhnels ■he beft cure. If any Godly or Religious jerfon, be guilty of any one of thele, i. It -annotbeasknown and in a^ predominanc jegree ; 2. And it is his Difeafe us a Lepro- rietoaman^andnothisGodlinels. §6. But by GODLINESS I mean only the ferioKt Confem to, and Terformance of the Covenant which ' if e made_ with God m our Baptifm: That we ferioufly believe that there is One only Cod, of moft perfect Power, Knowledge and Goodnefs, our Creator, Mam-^ tainer, Cmiernour and End; whom v>e mHJt' Obey, and Serve, and Love ii>?ve dltCreatHres whatfoever ; and that he is the Rewardtr of them that diligently feekhim, and mil gtve everUjtmg bMednefs to the faithful, and everlaftmgly pu- nin, the ungodly. That we ferioufy heltew that Jefm Chrift is the Redeemer and S amour, who Teac'heth, Ruleth, Pardoneth, SanBifieth and Saveth all true penitent Believers ; who u our In- tercefr. Head and Judge. That we fertoufybe- lieve that the Holy Ghofi indued and fealedby his Gifts and Miracles the DoElrtne and Wn- tings of the Prophets and Jpoftles, now record- ed in the Scriptures, and that he is ient from the Father and the Son to Regenerate, Sanftifie, Comfort and Strengthen thole that (hall be faved. ^ ^ , Jnd that we ferioufly confent to Love ana Obey Cod our Father, Saviour and Sanfttfieraf (44) i his Creatures J SuhjeUs and Children in thefe Re-- lationsj that we may he pardoned andfaved hy him^ And that we be willing to forfake the Devil and his Works ^ and the World and Flejhy fifar as they woptld tempt us to breaks this Cove^, nam againfi God, and our Obedience and SaU 'vation. And hf^ly,. That we ferioujly or fmcerely (thougliflOt perfe6i:ly) endeamur in our lives to keep this Covenant, preferring God in our Love and Obedience ^and our Hopes of Life ever^ lapsing before aB the pie afar es and treafures of this Worldy and refifling the temptations of the Devil^ World and Flejlj^ which' would turn us from him J andfro'm our Obedience and Ho'pe : And that we truly (though not perfedly) tru^ Cbd and our Redeemer for the Heavenly Glory which he hath pr'omifed. This is plainly, diftindly and fully what I mean by Codlinefs or HoUnefs : And fuch are the perfons (though all imperfeft, and of di- vers degrees ) which I call Saints or Godiy i He that feignethme to mean any thing elfe, doth but abufe himfelf and nie : If there be none fuch, there are no Chriftians, and all the Word of God is vain. But every Duty commanded by God is a part of the matter of our Obedience and Re- ligion, -i^k. As according to the firfl Com-^ mandmenttotakeGodfor our God, to be* abfolutely Obeyed, Loved and Trufted, and to renounce all Idols, and neither to Obey^ Lqvq (45) Love w Trufl onrfehes or ^ny creature ■ before oim 'j So alfo according to the (econd Com- lTiandment,to renounce all fcandalous fymbo- jzing with Idolaters, in the outward w^or- ihipofGodin their finful way; efpeciaJly j)y Images, and other apearances of Idolatry: \nd that we worlhip God, according to his iVord. And according to the third Command- nentjthatwe avoid allProphanationofholy lings; All Perjury, falfe Vows, andfather- ng falflioods upon God or his Words, and a(h Swearing and Unreverent ufing of Gods 3/,mens Differences in Civil and Political Comrover'^, 7es. Though I take Popery to be half a Ci- ^il Gontroverfy, and to be unfuffer^ble by uch Princes and People whom they bind ■hemfelves to depofe and deftroy : And that :o Subjeft all the Chriftian world to the Legiflative, Judicial and Executive Govern- ment of one Pope, or one Pretorian Co^rty is no better than to proclaim fuch a Pope or Court, to be publick enemies and ufurpers to all Chriftian Princes and States.- But yec ibundance of Political ^differences may con- " \ with ferious Piety : My reafon is, h^tmk E God God hath not made Political CoiitroverGes Co clear as that all good Chriftlans can re- folve them. Neither the Light of Nature, nor the Bible, nor Tradition endeth them. Nor hath he put them into our Creed or die ten Commandments, nor laid mens Salva- tion on them, as he hath done on the Eflfen- tials of Religion : Nor commanded all mea tobefo well Skiird in Statute Books and Common Law as to be able to know which party is in the right. And therefore I joyn tiot with thofe Clergy or Lay-Gentlemen, who damn all that are not of their mind and fide, in differences of that nature. 1 often hear fome (ay that Kings and States do all receive their Authority from the Body of the Nation who are the chief feat of it. So Hooker y fo Landy and indeed as afore- iaid, fo Heathen, ^apiit and Proteltant Poli- Ucks ordinarily hold : 1 call not all thefe ma-- ft^^^^i-j, though lam fully fatisfied, i. That God is the Initituter of MagiftJ'acy h gemre^ 2, And that he hath fo far fpecified it as to determine of its unchangeable Eflentials ('that they Ihall as his Officers promote o= bedience to the ten ^-ommandments. ) 3. And that he never gave this governing power to the people. 4. But that all that the people do is, i . To fpecify it as to the number of perfons (a Monarchy, Ariftocracy or, mixc of thefe andlome Democracy.^ 2. To Vu mt it by determining of the Degrees of power. (50 power, about Property and Liberty, and all things which Gods Law hath left undeter- mined, and mutable, g. And to determine of the perfbns and Families that ihall receive the immutable power from God and the mu- table from men. I often hear fome mofi: magnify Democra- cy, and fome Ariftocracy, and fome Monar- chy, and forae a mixture ; and fome Englijh Clergy men are for a Civil Monarchy Sub- ject to a Catholick Clergy- Ariftocracy ; I call none Malignant siov any fucb diffe- rences. I find fome Papifts and Proteftants Politick writers faying that when it proveth hurtful to the Common- wealth, the people may re- trad the power given the Prince, and change the Government, and Hooker faith, Nodonbt rinfHch acafe aVrince will part with it : And A. Bifhop X^W, before cited, faith of the like,and abrogating Laws, This power no Body Colk^i've Ecclefiaftical or Civil, can pnt omofit felf and give away, And I find many that ex- tol Hookisr and Lafid, call this a principle of Rebellion. It is neither of them that I call Malignants, I find moft writers of Politicks agreed that tbe Law of nature AUoweth and Command- €th Kingdoms and Commonwealths ye//-^e- fence againft any pnblick^Enemies thatfeeh^to 4eftroy them. And that no man on pretence of Right to a Crown hath any rigac to de- E z ftroy ftroy the body of the people,^ or the Bonum pMwHmwhich is the EfTentiacing end of Go- vernment, nor can be Jimnl^ rex & pMkm hoftis, I hear others take this for an un- cbriftian dodtrine of Rebellion, and fay, that if a King woulddeftroy all the people of a Kingdom ( in revenge, or in fiding with another Kingdom of his own or anothers, ) they ought not to reiift him, or any that he Commiffioneth lo do it : And that if he fbould CommifTion a few men to kill all the Parliament as they fit, or to burn the City, it is Rebellion to fefift by felf- defence. I hear Lawyers themfelves at great difference on fuch matters, fome for more power, and fome for lefs : I find the great Defenders of Monarchy, fuch as Ba/cUy and Grotlm dejure -Se///,naming many cafes in which Kings may be refifted, yea and forfeit all : And I find o- thersam.ongus of a contrary mind. Yea! find the Conformable and Diacefam Pillars quite differ in fuch cafes, Bifhop^i//o^ naming many cafes in which retif lance is no rebelli- on, {To Snbje^i his Kingdom to aVorrelgn Re aim ^ or to change the form of the Common- wealth from Impery to Tyranny y or'negleti the Laws Efiablifhed by common confent of Prince and People^ to execute his. own pleafure 5 In thefe and other fuch cafes which might he namedy if the Nobles and Commons joyn together to defend their ancient and accuftomedLibertyyRegiment & Laws^ they may not well be counted Rebels y{?!i^ he, (53) he, o/OWie;/ce,-pag.52o. ) But I hear many now fay the contraryj and Condemn luch Doftrine as difloyal. I find fome joyn with the Papifts in accu- fing the Reformation as caufed by Rebelli- ons, in Germany^ Geneva^ France^ Belgi- um, dco ^ And I find Bifliop Jewel J Bilfon^mi other Bifliops defending the French defence^ and Dr, Feter Moulin of Canterhmy in his anfwer to Fhilmax Anglkm^ Contradicting their accufers, as falfe in Point of Hiftory. Abundance of fuch Political Controver- fies^ are now lately agitated, fome charging their adverfaries with Rebellion, and fome with Tyranny : Some faying, they are guil- ty of Treafonagainft the King , and others, They are Traitors againft the Kingdom : And too ordinarily damning one another ; as if thefe matters were Articles of our Creed. What a difmal difference is there now a- bout thofe words in the Declaration in the Corporation Adt 5 {_ There is no Obligation on we or my other perfon^ from the Oath called the folemn League and Covenant : Some fay t h^re are none but Rebels ivill refufe it 5 And that if mny obligation had been granted to things law- Jul or neceffary fome would have extendedit to Rebellion or Schifm. And therefore all Obli- gation is to be renounced. Others fay, tliat National perjury is a forerunner of Natio- inal Calamity or ruine *, and that where Oaths bind not, there can be no Truft 5 and E 3 no r54) no Truft, no Commerce : And they think as Dr. Sander fon^ and Cafuifts, Papifts and Pro- teftants do, that though an Oath or Vow be unlawfully Impofed and Sinfully taken, and pare of the matter of it be unlawful, and^ the Impofers and Takers are bound to re-* pent, and no one is bound by it to the un- lawful part, yet the taker is bound to that part of the matter which is lawful or necef- fary : And they take it to be lawful and ne- ceflary to Repent of fm ^to oppo fa Prophane fiefs y Scloifms, Herefy and Poperyy to defend the Kingy and therefore that it obligeth them to thefe. I meddle not with the Roman opinion* that it is the Henrician Herefy to fay that Kings have a power of invefting Bifliops, and difobeying the Popes Excommunicati- on i and oi inch as Cardinal Perron that dare not queftion or deny the power of the Pope and Councils to Excommunicate and depofe Kings, becaufe then they muft condemn ap- proved General Councils, which are their re - "Higion itfelf, and ( faith he ) muft grant that the Pope is Antichrift, and the Church erroneous that hath fo long ufed this. . I name all thefe Political Controverfies,* 1. To tell you that it is not fadious and paffionate Enmity to eacl) other oa fuch accounts, w^hich I mean by enmity to Religion.^ 2. And to remember men, that if in fo many and great points of Politicks and Go- vernment (55) vernment^the Learned and Chriftian World, havefo great diflference,what reafon is there that we Ihould Damn or Excommunicate,or hate each other about a hard opinion in Re- ligion, or a Ceremony. ^ 3. And to tell the Popifli Church, that if it were a good argument that there muft be one Pretorian Court or Church, to oblige all the World by an univerfal determination in what fence to expound the Scripture, be- caufe it is abufed to efrour by mens miftake, and there muft bean end of Controverfies^by the fame reafon there muft be an univerfal Pretorian Court to expound all human Laws, and end the controverlies of Lawyers 3 Yea and to ma(ler all mens Reafon; for Scripture is no more commonly controverted and abu- fed than Law is ■> And not h^lf fo much as. Reafon is, which is pleaded for almoft all the faKhood and wickednefs inthe World. § 10. Moreover it is not perfonal feuds between Man and Man that I mean by -Fz?- f/2/f^to Godlinefs; No though any fuch be againft an Innocent and Godly Man, where it is not for his Godlinefe, but fome other difference. §11.1 will fay more though fome diflike it, it is notaPapift as fuch that I mean by a Malignant Enemy of Godlinefs ; I know that Education, and Temptation, and want of hearing the confutation of their errours judicioufiy made, may caufe Godly perfons E 4 ^o ($6) to think that the univerfal Church muft be united in fome humane Head or Soveraign power 5 and that there is no other way to end controverfies and fchifms, and that ( as J^r. S ay well (zith) there mu ft be fonrie over Kingdoms or National Churches, as well as over particular perfonsvthat many may not efcape while a few are puniflied : It is eafy to be deceived by the pretences of Uni^ tyand Concord, while meo (ee the divlfi- ons and difcords of others : And the falfe pretences of Antiquity are fo confidently Mttered by their Clergy,that men unacquain- ted with the hiftory may verily believe them: And the plea for an uninterrupted fuc- ceffion of Minifterial ordination,. and that a Superior muft give power to the Inferiors, deceiveth many. If there muft be a Dioce- fane to ordain and rule all Presbyters, and a Metropolitan to ordain or rule the Dioce- fanes, and a Patriarch to rule them, from whom fliall the Patriarchs receive their power, or commands, but from a Pope ? The poor reafoning which the French now ufe with the Proteftants puzleth unskilful per ions 5 w-c.- Was there any Church before your reformation F Jfyea^ where was it f And had not you yom Minifierial power from it ? It vpa6' Rome or mne: And if it wa6 the true Church then,itisfo now. We anfwer them, there was and is one only Catholick Church .* Of this Chrift only is the Head or Univep- ; • A' (57) fal governour, and no man or men 5 Of this all Lawful Paftors are his official guides in their feveral Provinces, as many Juftices and Mayors of Corporations under one King : Thac all thefe having one King ( Je- fus } and one Law (of Chrift ) and one Spi- rit, and one Faith and Hope, are to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, and to ufe Synods when needful to that end, but not as a Pretorian or Regent Ariftocra- cy or Court. That the Church before Lu- ther was all over the World where ever there were Chriftians : in Ethiopia, Egypt^ Syria, Armenia, Georgia, Circajfia, AJia, and where ever the Greek Chriftianity is, in Mefcovy^ and in all Europe where there were true Chriftians. That the envious man hav- ing fowed Tares, this Church is unhappily fallen into' many corruptions, difeafes, and fa(ftious feds, almoft all cenfuring one. ano- ther : no part of it *s perfed: : That the Papal part is in Dodrine, Worfliip and Govern- ment one of the moft corrupted parts i Ye- fofar as their difeafes or errours nullify v.:-l their profeffion of Chriftianity, they c^e partSjthough leprous. And therefore thot., '' they are the moft uncharitable and fchifnru ticalpart, as they cut off or unchurch au the Chriftian World fave themfelves, yet being z'^Chriftians united to the reft in the common faith, their Baptifm & Ordinations are not nullities as they inveft men in the Chriftian (58) Chriftian Society and Chriftian Miniftry 5 though that part of them is a nullity which engageth men in a fchifm and in fin. That the Minifterial power is not the gift of Man, butonly ofChrift, who by the Charter cf his recorded Word, giveth the power and the obligation to that perfon who is duely chofen and called thereto : As the Kings Charter giveth the power to the Mayor of a Corporation duly qualified and chofen ; that the ordainers are but partly Judges of due qualification, and partly Minifterial In- verters, and not at all the Donors of the Power : that ordination is for order fake needful, when it may be had to keep men from being Judgers of their own fufficiency : But order being only for the thwg ordered^ (as the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath ) is not neceffary againft the end. That there is no neceffity that a Superiormuft ordain : but as the CoUedge ofPhyficians,Philofophers,^c. make Phy- ficians, Philofophers as approved, io may equals in the Miniftry : Do not Bifliops make or confecrate Bifhops. If this were ^otfo, who makes the Pope ? If he did not retend that his power is given him imme- diately from Chrift, he muft grant that there are fome men above him to give it him, and fo he is not the Soveraign. If they fay that the power of Popes ( and Kings > is given by the whole body ( theXhurch ) he (59) he is then no Pope : for it's known that three parts of the Chriftian World are againft ' him. If he will fay, None are the Church but thofe that are his party, any fed or re- bels may fay the like, and appropriate au- thority to themfelves. Nothing more cheateth the ignorant, than ambiguous words, and confufion : And explaining thofe words, and needful plain diftinilion, would fave the writing of many volumes, and would make truth eafilymeet the feeker, and unravel all thefpider Webs of deceivers. Do but well ufe thefe few diftindions and all Popery vanifheth into fmoak. i. Diftin- guifli between a Catholick Church as headed by Ghrifl 5 ( This we are all members of 5 ) and a pretended Catholick Church, headed by the Pope or any men ; This is another Church as to the denominating form, i hav- ing another informing, unifying head : And this is it which we deny. ■z-. Diftinguifli vifibility: Chrifts Church Is fo far vifible as to have a Head who was vifible on Earth, is vifible in Heaven, _and will vifibly come to Judgment, and vifibly reign for ever. It hath vifible Laws, Pro- tedion and Officers^ The fubjeds bodies and their profeflion are vifible ; And it is no far- ther vifible -, no not 'as to the Souls or real faith ofthQ fubjefts." The Papifts Church hath anUfurping Vifible Humane Head on earth. 3. Di- (6o) ' f. DIftinguifli of Baptifm and Ordination as into Chrifts Catholick Church, and done by Papifts as Chriftians 5 And as into the Popes Catholick Church and done by Pa-' pifts as Papifts. 4. Diftinguifh of SubieEhiony and Commn- nion : We owe Communion when we owe no Subjedion, and where men have no right to be our Governours. 5. Diftinguifh between Communion in Chriftianity, and that in Eflentialsjntegrals or Accidents; and Communion in errours and corruptions, or defeds. We have Com- munion with Papifts and all Chriftians in Chriftianity, (if they be Chriftians indeed ;) But we renounce Communion in the errours and fins of them and all others, as far as we are able to avoid them. AUChriftians have Union and Communion in the Eflentials of Chriftiaflity : No Chriftians have Union and Communion in all the Integrals ( on Earth) all being imperfed ; But the more fuch Union and Gomimunion, the better. No Chriftians have, or ought to have Commu- nion in all the Accidents. AH ihould avoid Communion in fin. 6. Diftinguiih between Communion of Hearts,Communion of Profeffion,and Com- munion in Local prefence ; ■ We have Heart Communion in one Elfential faith, Hope and Love with all true Chriftians on Earth. We/^ro/t^} allone Faith in the Eflentials: We (6i) We have nearer Communion, or fuller witk the Reformed Churches which are fougdeft in the Integrals, than we have with-'the more faulty and corrupt. But v\ e have Lo- cal prefence but in one place at once; and we ought to avoid Local pretence where we cannot have it without iin, though we have Communion in Faith, Love and Pro- feffion with the fame men. If a Reform.ed Church will not admit our Local prelence without fubfcribing fome one untruth, we muft be abfent, when we may be prefent with a worfe Church which excludeth us. not by any fuch Im.pofition. 7. Accordingly diftinguifh of Separation • We feparate not at all hom Union or Com- bunion with Papifts as they are Chriftians, )r as they hold any Truth: But i. We eparate from SiihjeEHon and Ohedis-^ce to hem, which we never owed them, or any )ther Church. 2. Wc feparate from Com- ■nunion with their Church, as it is a Policy nformed by an Ufurping Humane King or -lead. 3. We feparate from all their fins fo ar as we know them. 4. We deny Local )refence in their Mafs-worfihlp, becaufe of he fin impofed on us.both before it, and in 5. We are uncapable of Communion in 11 accidents, or mutable indifferent things. Underftand and ufe well thefe few plaia iilindions, and you need little more to an- ivcr ^11 the Papifts. And (61) ^ And I fear not to add, that were thePa» pifts in my power (as I never did) I never would ufe any inhumanity or cruelty to- wards them ; yea, I would ufc no Ofenftve, but only Defenfive force againft them 5 nor hurt one of them, further than they made it neceffiiry for the Defence of the Land, or thofe w^hom they would hurt. I knevv not till a Book called The Liher" ties of Enaiand lately told me, how many very fevere Laws are againft them. I am no Judge of the times that they were made in, norof their occafions: But I think that of late they hs ve done more Imn than good: For I. Some of them feem too fevere. 2. Some I cannot prove to be juftifiable •, viz., Thofe vi^hich would compel them to come to our Sacramental Communion, when many a good Minifter would not receive them i' they came ; And that which excommuni cateth them that never were of our Com- munion : And that which layeth the Excom- municate asiiich in prifon,<^r. 3. It greatly tendeth to mifinform Forreigners, who fee- ing thefe LawS; think they are all put in Execution 5 and fo believe thofe that tell them, that the Catholicks here are under conftant Cruelties, and frequent Martyr- doms 3 w^henas I never in all my life knew of one Papift that fuffered fomuch for his Religion, as I have done my felf, within thefe few years part, though my fufferings are (63) are fo fmall as to be no meet matter of ve- ry great complaint. 4. Thefe Laws being a continual danger to them, ffliould there be Governours that would execute them) doth put them on continual plotting and ftriving againftthem. Sufferings, or great dangers, put men by fear upon felf-defence, and.-the utmoft endeavours for deliverance, who would be more quiet if they found them- felves in fafety 5 and though their Clergy .would be (till plotting the recovery of the Papal power, to fuoje-fl King and Kingdom to the Sacred King oiFome, yet the Laity would be left againft the common Peace,, when they found that it was their ownPeace. § 12.- 1 have told you what I mean not by Malignant Enmity to Godlinefs\ I tell you now what I mean by it 5 viz. When the blindnefs and ungodlinefs of cor-- THpted Nature^ increafed by pratiice into Ser- pentine Enmity^ and turning mens hearh by un- belief and dtfaffeEiion from God and Heaven^ I doth pojfefs them with a deep diflih^ of a holy, k^avenly am^piritual life 5 firfi as to their own j^raBices^ and then as it is in others ; and be- caufe it is againft their worldly hopes andfepdy hftsj they hate it^ and reject it themfelves^ and then hate and Malicioufly ' oppofe it in others ; yea though Law^ Cuftom, and worldly Intereft draw them formally to prpfefs Chriftianity and Obedience to Gods Lawsy and to Vow that in Baptifmy they hate the [erioHi performame of their (^4) their own Trofefflon and V'ovos t and would he glad to drive it out of the world^ and to fet Hp Hypocrifie and Ceremony^ or a Stage Religion and Mummery:, or the toothless Mafs and For- malities in its ftead: And tf euftom or Jhame hinder them from perfecting or fcorning Truth andGodlinefsin its proper name^ they will fiew their mind by thefe things following, 1. They will fet up fome worldly, flelWy Intereft (like the Papal Kingdom^ which is contrary to the Chriitian and holy Intereft ; and then they Will perfecute Chriftians not oiChrifti^ns, nor as Godly in name, but as fuch indeed by pleading Confcience ancj Obedience to God, againft their inconfifteflt intereft and ways. 2. Among all that are againft their car- nal falfe intereftjthey will cull out the more ferious godly perfons to afflift. 3. ^mong all the faithful, they will cull out thofe who do Chrift moft fervice in the world s^ becaufe Chrifts fervice is it that is their diifervice, and oppofite to their fin. 4. They will make a fcorn of their very Religious duties, and take up mimical deri- fions, to make them feem ridiculous or con- temptible. 5. When they can charge them with no crimes, they will purpofely make Nets to catch them, as the Enemies of 2?^^/^/ did by him, Dan, 6. And as the Spider makes her curious Webs to catch and kill the Flies. 6. Yea ^ f ,. Yea-they^ ^vIJl m^ke fanhs by flander, and lies, if not by perjuries, if they can find none. /lT; Yea their virtue, piety and innocency fhall be alJ called Hypocrifie^ and when they cannot accufe their adions, they will accufe their hearts and fecret thoughts, and judge them as if they had a Cafen^ent into their breafts. 8. Yea if their inrioceiicy canhbt be (b Itained, they will hate them fo much the more, becaufe they cannot tread down their reputation. y^'J^fl ^i'Vfe^rch after, andaggravate all the failings of Religious people, and turn them into crimes. 10. If any one of them, or an Hypocrite, that s like them, be guilty of any notable fall, they will perfwade men that all the reft of their ivesis like that crimen yea and that all that profefs much fe^ioufiiefs in God- linefs, are as bad as they ; that all the reft of the hfeof Noah, Lot, David, Solomon, &c. wereasbadas the criminal part; and that all the Servants of Chrift are Feters, or jndas s. : ^ ^ • That it i^ not their fins,but their pie- ty which^ they hate, you will fee in that they live in far greater fin themfelves, and take It to be no great harm, but hate thofe chat reprove them, i 2. And they make light of the common F crimes {66} crimes of others. They c^an bear with an Atheift, an Infidel, a Drunkard, a prophane Swearer, a derider of Godlinefs, yea a Per- fecutor, a Fornicator, a man of no Religion, if he will but be for them, and (erve their intereft, and ivill ndc fcruple Communion with fuch : But men never fo fober, juft and godly, that crols their wills and carnal ways, they cannot endure : And if they be fuch Clergy-men, as the world hath too many, fuch ferious Godly men, for difliking their ungodlinefs, are made the common objeds of their Pulpit anddifcourfing {corn orac- cufitions, and perhaps are excommunicate ipfo faBo^ for diflenting from their Opi- nions or Wills. 13. Such ufually in former ages have been the chief Inftigators of Princes and Rulers, to hate men of ferious Religion, and to ftir up Perfecution againft thetn, and to render fuch odious to the world as Hereticks or intolerable Villains- O what difference is >' there between the true narratives of the ^i Lives oiLmhery Calvin^ Bez^a^and abundance fuch, and the odious lies and defamations f written of them by fome others. Yea,thofe who commend MdanMon^ Bucer, and many fuch for Learning and Moderation,hate their Dodirine of Reformation and ferious Piety. 14. And you may note, that in any flan- der of a Godly man, they will fooner be- lieve one or two ignorant malicious Drun- kards 4 (6l) kards againft them, that never knew tliem, than the teftimonies of hundreds of moft faithful perfons who praife and vindicate them, though they better knew them. 15. They feldom give the accu fed leave to fpeak for themfelves before they believe Accufations againft them ^ but conclude that they are as bad as back-bidng malice report- ech them behind their backs. 16. They are glad to hear of any infam.y of Religious perfons, and loth to hear them praifed without contradiction ; and are glad CO hear of any fuifering which befals them. 17. If there be any publick differences in a Church, City or Land, they are ufually againft that fide, which moft favoureth fe- rious Godlinefs, be they who they will. If ^he King, Parliament, and Bifiiops will be :br the perfons and ways of fobernefs,juftice md ferious Godlinefs, they would be on the )ther fide. And they will cry up any that vill cry them down, or would opprefs hem. 18. Laftly, The quality of the Enemies nay help with the relt to tell what it is hat they are againft : when it is the genera- ity of worldlings, proud, ambitious men, ?nfual drunkards, gluttons, fornicators,pro- hane and irreligious, who hate Godlinefs 3 far, as to drive it from themfelves and imilies, and rather venture on Hell fire, lan be truly godly , it'seafie to know what lefe hate in others. F ^ I (^8) I have told you "who I mean by Maltgnam Enemies of Godlmefsy that the miftakers and flanderers of my words may have no excufe. Couid.we now but prevail againft th^ Cainifm, or Devilifm, it would do much to recover the Peace of many Nations of the Earth : But Chriil hath toid us,that this En- mity between the feed of the Woman and the Serpent, of which Cain znd Abel were the fir ft fpecimen fince the Fall, will never ceafe till Chrift come, as is terribly defcri- bed, 2 Thef. 1. 6, ID, 1 1, 1 2. and Matth. 25. But yet {ovaQSams may become Panls^ and for the hope of the recovery of fuch, I will ad joy n fucb Reafons as (hould convince any that have the ufe of Reafon left. Chap. III. Undeniahle Reafons againfl Malignant Enmity to feviom Godlinefs. I. T^O deny that there is a God who is X the Supreme Governour of Man, to be mad in defpjght of the Whole worl< whicl) proveth it: And it depofeth all Kin| who claim their Authority as given them Cod, and as his Officers 3 for if there be God, there's none to give them Authority And to. grant that there is a God, and _, deny him our love, honour and obedience^ tofpeakgrofs contradidion, or elfe profefs open (69) open malice againft God himfelf. If he be God, he is perfedly H^ifs •, and ftould not per fed Wifdom govern us ? If he be God, fce is perfedly Good^ and mans chief Bene- factor ^ and iliould he not then have our chiefeft Love ? If he be God, he is of abfo- luce Powers and fhould he not then be obeyed ? If he be Gods he made us, and ftill maintaineth us, and we live continually by his will, and have all that we have of his bounty , and we, and all we have are whol- ly his own 5 and is not then all our thanks and fervice due to him ? If he be God, he is our Judge, and will bejufl: in punilhingand rewarding; and fliould we not then ferve him with the greateft fear, and witK the higheft hopes? Thefe things are undeniable. Dare any man that Believeth there is a God, fay, that man can Love him too much ? or too much honour him,or obey him ? Can we return him more than his due? ^It is therefore no lefs than practical Atheifm,or elfe a rebellious defiance of God, to blame or hate men, for loving, honouring and fer- vinghim to the very utmoll of their power. And to deny God, or defie him, is a thou- fand fold more damnable fin and treafon, than to deny and defie the King, or yocir. ovv^n Parents. 2. God hath himfelf commanded man, to Love him with all his heart, and foul, arid might •, and to obey him with his F 3 . greateft (7o) greatefl: fidelity and diligence, and to fear him more than any creature, and to place our chiefeft hopes on his promifed rewards, and to feek firft his Kingdom and Righte- oufners, and not to fin wilfully to fave our "lives, or gain ail the W'orld, Dent. 6, Sj 6. 7. &IO. 12. & 11,12,13,14. Mat. 22. ^j, Heh, II. 6. I Cor, 15.58. X4e 12.4.^^^12.28,29. Mar, 10. 39, 42. & i5. 2;j,26. & 6. ^^. Luh^ 14. 26, 33. Mat. y. ip, 20. And the Law of Nature fpeaks no lefs. And if God com- mand it, and you condemn it, do you not condemn God .^ If you command your Son, or Servant, or Subject any thing, he that blames him for obeying you, blames you more than him. If it be a fault of folly to love arid ferve God with all our heart, and mind, and might, the fault or folly would be Gods that requireth it, and not ours. And,, is fuch a blafphemer meet for humane So-; ciety, who will accufe his Maker ? If God be blame- W' or thy 3 he is not perfect : And if he be not perfect, he is not God : And fo to be againft our utmoft obedience, doth amount to no lefs than Blafphemy or Atheifm. 3. Do you think that Mzn- is a creature that needs to be blamed for loving or obey- ing God too much? Do you not know that Nature is vitiated by fin, and Man is nov backward to God, and all that's good an*. holy } You may as well blame a lamie msi '-^ ■ ' ^ : • -.. ■■■ ••,.:.-,,.'. ,..:....■;:-■ ■ for \ (71 )\ for running.too faft, asafinful man for o- beyingGod too much. It's more fbolifli than to blame a fick m.an for working or eating coo much that can do neither ? Qr to hold a man in 'a Confumptioo from go- ing up the Hill too faft ? Do you find your ovv n hearts fo forward to a holy life, as that you need pulling back or hinderance. when no exhortation or neceflity will perfwade you to it ? And if you need no fuch reproof or flop, why fliould you think others need it ? Do you not ufe to fay that all men are finners ? And do finners need to be blamed for obedience? Do you not daily confeft that you have done the things which ygn ought not to have done, and left undone die things that you ought to have done, and there is no health in you 5 And yet will you blame men for too much Obedience / It feems then that your Confeffions of fin are Profejifions of it 3 and while you tell what you have done, you do but tell what you mean to do, and what you would have all others do : or elfe you blame your felvesfor finning, and hate your Neighbours for not finning. 4. If you hate men for holinefs and avoid- ing fin, you hate Jefus Chrifl: moft: for he wa$ moft holy, and free from all fin ; And ypu hate the Angels and all in Heaven-, for they are holy and void of all trani^ref- fion. F 4 5. Have ^ 5. Have you atiy better Mafter to ferve than God ? or any better work to do than he commandeth, or any better thing to feek and hope for than he hath promifed ? If nor, ihould not the beft be preferred. What do you love and feek your felves > Is money or fieihiy pleafure better than God and Hea- ven .? Is Sin and Senfuality a better employ- ment than his Service ? Is your fiefhand luft a better mafter ?Compare them, and we are content that the beft be preferred. (5. Why do you take on you to believe in Chrift, if you be againft holinefs, and for fin > Chrift (came into the world to die for fin, to fhew Gods hatred of it : And would you havens wilfully to commit it, and todefpife his Blood? He came todeftroy the works of the Devil 5 and will you plead for them? He came by his Dodirine, example and grace to bring man to holy obedience : And do you hate men for the fame, and yet call your felves Chriftians? 7. How dangeroufly do you draw to- wards the fin againft the Holy-Ghoft, if you hate or blame men for being holy, orfeeking to befuch 5 when it is all the work of the Holy-Ghoft on mens Souls to make them holy ? It's a dangerous thing to hate the work of the Holy-Ghoft 5 and as it were defy him, and do defpite to him. 8c Are you not your felves in your bap- tifm (73) tifm Vowed and Devoted toGod the Father, Son and Holy Ghoft, renouncing the world, the Flefh and the Devil ? And do you hate men for being fuch as you have vowed to be your felvcs ? And do you think that God will not feverely reckon with you for fuch Perjury and bafe Perfidioufnefs. 9. Do you not in your daily hypocritical devotions condemn your felves by your own tongues?Do you not pray that the reft ofyonr lives may he Pure and Holy} And at the fame time hate Purity andHolinefs? Do you dot pray xhztGods will may be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven ? And can we have a higher, purer pattern ? Do you know any that dothGods will better than it's done in Heaven ? Or is it not damnable hypocri- fy to pray for that w hich you hate, and hate all men that defireand endeavour it ? When you fay or hear all the ten Commandments, you pray, [_ Lord have mercy npon us andin^ dine our hearts to keep this Law :] And do yOU hate men for endeavouring to keep it ? If you come to the Lords Table, youconfeft your fins, and bind your felves in Covenant to forfake them, and to live a holy life, and you take the Sacrament upon it ; And the Liturgy warneth you to take heed that you : diflemble not, nor be h'mderers of Gods holy word Je ft the Devil enter into you as he did into \ Judas, and fill you with all unrighteoup^efs. And if you hate or oppofe that holy obedience to God (74) God which youprofeiS, after all this, what rnu/t be the portion of fuch hypocrites.'' And in your Creed you pn^fefs to believe in God, the Facher, Son aad Holy-Ghoft, and to hold ax4oly Catholick Church, and the Communion of Saints i And yet do you hate Saints that obey the Father, Son and Holy-Ghoft, and hate their Commu- nion ? 10. Hath not God printed on mans nature fuch a fenfeof the difference between Good m and Evil, as that all Laws and Government f are founded in that fenfe ? And no man loveth to be counted or called a badorun- godly^or unconfcionable man:^ ALyar, a Knave, a Perjured manor a wicked man: And yet do you hate men for avoiding wick- ednefs ? 11. Do not youufe to accufe Religious men of fome fin or other. ( Truly or falfly) and think by chat to make them odious ? And yec do you accufe them, and hate them moft for not finning ? To be Sober, Juft and Godly is but to avoid fins of Omiffion and Commiffion. And do you at once accufe them as finners and hate them for obeying^ God, and finning no more? 12. Doth it never affright you to find the] Devils nature in you, as hating the Diving or holy nature which is in faithful Codl] xnen ? And to think how openly you fervi^ the Deviljand do his work? No man thai believetl (n) believeth there are Devils can doubt, but that the hatred of God, as holy, and the ha- tred of his holy Word, and Work^and Ser- vants, is the Devils malignity, and the op- pofing of them his work. If he were to WTiteyou his Commandments, they would * be contrary to Gods, and the chief of them fhould be, Q Thou fialt not Love God^ nor ferve him with all thy Hearty and Soulj and Mighty nor Love thofe that dofo ; but hate ^ de-- ride J oppofe and perfecme them. And is it honourable openly to ferve the Devil?Chrifl: tells fuch mQUyJoh. 8. That the Devil is their Father, becaufe they have his nature, and that his work they do, for he was from the beginning a Lyar, and a Malignant Mur- derer, and turned man from obeying God. Andean you think that he loveth you, or that his Service againftGod is better than Gods •, or his reward better? 13. Doth it never touch your Confcien- ces to confider that you are the Children and followers of curfed cdn ; and how pun&i- ally his cafe againft -^^e/, snd yours againft Gods Servants is the fame ? By faith Abel offered to God a 7nore excellent facrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witnefs that he was righteoHSy God teftifying of his Gifts ; and by it he being dead^ yet fpeaketh, Heb. 1 1. 4. Cain hated him becaufe God more accepted him and his ofliering*, i Joh, 5. 10, 11, 12. Jnthis the Children of God are manifeft^ and the ChiU dren dren of the Devil : Whoever doth not righteoftf- nefs is not of G'od^ nor he that loveth not his Bro^ ther : For this is the meffage that ye heard from the beginnings that we fhodd love one another : Not as Cain, who was of that wicked or e^ and flew his Brother : And wherefore flew /e him ? becaufe his own works were evil and his brothers righteous. 14. Is it poflible that any man can unfeign- edly believe a Heaven as the reward of holy obedience, and yet think we can do too much to obtain it, or be too careful to make it fure ? Is not everlafting glory worth the coft of a holy life ? Or can it be too dearly bought ? 15. Or is it poffible to believe Gods Judgment, and Hells Punishment, and yet to hate thofe that do their bell accord- ing to Gods own Counfel to efcape 16. What monftrous cruelty is it in you to wi(h poor Souls to do that which God hath cold us they )hallbe damned for ? God faith, Withoptt holinefs none Jha/lfee Gody Heb. 12.14. Except your righteoufnefs exceed the righteonfnefs of the Scribes and Pharifees^yo^ fhali in no wife enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, Mat. 5 . 20. Bleffedare the pure in hearty for they. Jha/lfee Gody Mat. 5. If ye live after the Flejh ye foall die, but if by the Spirit you mortify thi deeds of the Bodyyye Jhall live, Rom. 8- 7, 8. 1 Ji IVhra manner ofperfons ought ye to he in all hol_ Converfation i (77) ConverfamnandGodlinefs} 2 Pet. J. II. We receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved^ let us ferve God acceptably^ with Reverence and Godly fear J for our God is a Con fuming Fire^ Heb. 12. 28, 29. Be ftedfafij mmoveMe always abounding in the nork^ of the Lordy forafmuch as you know that your Labour is not in vain in the Lordy J^Cor. 15.58. This is the very tenor of the Gofpel : And would you wifh men to dan^n their Souls for nothing ? To lofe Heaven, .ind fufter Hell for ever, and all to avoid a pure and holy life? What a bloody motion is this ? Worfe than if you intreated us all to cut our o\^ n throats. Llgt us tryfirft whether you will do farleisat our requeft? Will you give the poor all your Lands and Eflates ? Will you run into Firfe or Water, or fet your own houfes on fire when any will but defire it ? It's like you have heard of the Woman who being tempted to adultery^ defired the tempter firft to hold his Finger in the Fire for her 5 Which when he refufed, fhe told him, ic was le(s reafon (helhould burn in Hell to Satisfy his luff. If you will not part with your Life or Effate when another defires you, why (hould we part with Hea- ven forever, and choofeHell at your de- fire? Yea we fee that you will not leave an ill- fottengain, or a Sport, or a Whore, era )runk€nCup, for all the Love of God, the blood blood of Chrift, and the hope of Heaven 5 And fhall we part with God, and Heaven, and Chrift to humour you ? And what is it that you offer us inftead of all that we muft part with ? And to eafe the pain which we muft undergo ? Nothing, or worfe than nothing. If we fliould re- nounce God and our hope of Heaven, you cannot give us health or wealth for it : Much lefs can you fecure thefe or life to us till to morrow. And will any thing that you can give us, be better than Heaven to us ? Or will it make Hell' toUerable? Will youundercake to anfwer for it at the bar of <^od, if we are charged with an ungodly,fle(hly life, or omitting our necella- ry duty ? Yau cannot anfwer for your felves but by trembling confeffion : You cannot fave your felves 3 Nor will all your wealth and honour gee you one drop of Water to cool your tongues. And fliall we truft that you can anfv/er for us, or fave us > When you would have any man wilfully to negled that holy life w^hich God enjoyneth, you would have him to be madder than one that would Burn his Houfe, and Kill himfelf, if| you did but require it. And what horridj cruelty is this? You are worfe than man-eat- ing Cannibals ? But the beft is you canndt force us to it; And if you think to hire 01 flatter us into Hell, you muft have fom^- what more to fay, and to offer us than yec' (7P) yet ever heard of 5 Much lefs are we fa much below Bedlams, as to forfake our Salvation, left you ihould call us Precifians^ or Puritans, or any fuch nick-name or word offcorn, as doth but Ihew the folly and mi- fery of the fpeaker. You will not be laught or mockt out of your Eilates, or Lives 5 Nor we out of our Salvation. .In fliort, Nature is not willing to lie in Hell^ and Grace maketh us delire Heaven ; And we never yet found that any thing eife was moredeiireable. 17. And what is there amifs in the Word or Work of God, and in a ferious godly life, that fliould make us be againft it ? Doth God make bad Laws? Are your wills and lufts and appetites a better law ? Or could you have taught God to amend the IBible, or to govern better ? God needs us not : His Laws are all made for our good ? All his ways are plea iantnefs, and all his paths are peace. Speak true reafon. Is it la better life to love a Whore, or to pleafe Luft and Appetite, than to love God? jWhat is there in Love and^Obedience to |God that Ihould make it 'detefiable, or m^e us miferable ? Is it a greater trouble [fo live in hope of Heavenly Glory, than to •live in the defpair either of a Sadducee or a [Rebel? You may wifelier tempt us to fall out with our food, or friends, or health. We know that Faith and Godlinefs, are not on- ly, ly mans duty, but his interefl, much more | than health is to our bodies, food to our ha tures, and the converfe of deareft friends tc our deh'ght. ' i8> ^Ve have had experience of bott ways,and would you have us mad againft oqi experience? We tryed the World and Sir too long, and found nothing in it but bru- tifh pleafureand lufcious ^oyfon: Nothing that will fave Soul, life or health : And fome tryal God in mercy hath given us of his love, and the life of obedient faith and hope ; And the more we try it, the better we find it ; Only we can reach to fo fmall a degree as doth but tell us how good it is, and make us long for more. And whether the Devil would perfwade, fcorn or affright us from it, by his own mouth or by yours, we hope it ihall be all in vain. 19' And who or what are you that would reafon, mock or affright us from a life of obedience to God ? Are you wifer than God, and dare you give him the lie, thatwd fliould believe you before him ? Or are you better than God, that you can make a better choice for your felves and us ? Are you more merciful than God, and would fave us from fom.e hurt that he would do us ? Are you truer than God, and more to be believed ? Are you greater than God, and; more to be feared? Or are you not the moft; fboli(l:i, ignorant and damnably your felves deluded (Si) kluded by the Devil : And Ihall the words )r mocks of fuch, drive us to forfake ouf^ iouls and God ? Should we obey you and ie in Hell for it for ever, it would be no mall part of the torment of our Confciences^ think that we came thither by regarding he threats or fcorns of worms and fools >efore all the Word, and Love of God and ►ur Redeemer. 20. And before v/e change our Obedi- nce to God for another courfe, let us know /hat we fhall change it for, and whether it e for fomething better : Hath your courfe lade youbetter or happier than the faith- j1 are ? Do we not fee and feel with for- . 3w, that the worldly, fleftily, ungodly fbrtj re in all Nations the Plagues of the Earth, nd worfe to mankind than Wolves and erpents ? They will not let the world live 1 peace; ftrivingand fighting for dominion Id mafteribip, and more of the world, they •e like Dogs about their Carrion, worrying id tearing one another : They turn Man ito a more odious creature than Swine or bads, by filthy lufts, and horrid prophane- ?{s ; They make their Countreys worfe lan Bedlam, raving againft that which the rod of Heaven hath commanded and made sceflBry to Salvation. And are thefe fuch 3pd and pleafant fruits as ihould entice us )5liange our mafter, work and hopes, for ii3,arid worfe that foUoweth it ? ' G And And who fliall be our Rule, if we forfak^j God and his Word? If Princesj how manf minds are they of through the world ? Anc are they all in the right? Or how fhall wt\ know which is right but by the Word oi i God? Or muft all men be for the God anc Religion of his K ing ? If it were Prelates of how many minds are they through the world, and how bitter in condemning one another ? If it muft be the major part, how ihall obfcure men know who thofe be that can have no juft cognifance of the ftate of the Earth, whether Papifts, Greeks, Jaco- bites, Neftorians, c^c be the major part ? And how fliall we know that the major part of the Clergy are the beft andfoundeft, when we fee that the major part of the Laity isufually the worft ? Or is it- certain that the Papifts Bifhops are founder than our Proteftant Bifhops, becaufe they are more ? If we forfake our Concord in God and his Word, we can have none. ' 21. What mean you to do mthCorjfcieme, your own, and ours, and other mens ? Con- fcience is Gods Officer in us, and judgethof men and anions as they ftand fubjeft to God and his Judgment. To drive Confcience out of the world, and to drive all reverence and obedience to God out of the world, is all one. To fobjed Confcience to Luft or Man, isto fubjed God to Luft or Man in our efti* mtioa and practice. And is God foeafily depofed ? C83) depofed? And will he give up his Scepter to a fcorner, a drunkard, or a perfecutor ? And what fhift will you make at home to quiet Confcience in your felves ? You little know how deep it biteth,and bow hardly it is quieted, when it is awaked, as (hortlyand certainly it will be: Then Judas will bring back his price, and fay, / have finned in be- traying innocent blood *, and all the comfort his companions will give him ib, See thou to that: What's that to m f And hanging or pre- cipitating himfelf is next. It's like he before thought as you do, that he could have better maftered his Confcience: But you may as wifely think to conquer pain and death. But whatever you do with your own, if we fhould leave our obedience to God, to obey you, or any men, we know not what we fliould do with our own Confciepces, nor how to quiet them- God hath brought us out of that Darknefs and Lethargy which quieted them in fin heretofore : And w-e cannot now be ignorant of that duty to God, that felf-intereft, that danger to wilful finners, and that evil of iin,which would be- gin Hell in us here; And are not your fcorns and threatnings eafier than this ? 22. Do not moft men at death fee the madnefs not only of enmity, but of neglect of a holy life, and wiQi that they might die the death of the righteous, and that their laft end might be like his ? Had you rather G 2 die (S4) die Z Dives or a Herody or a LaTLarm or a Fad} Is it not a fhame to your deviliih caufe and you, to fee men live in one mind and die in another? And fcorn, hate and perfecute ferious Godlinefs till the Sentence of death is part upon them, and then to wift they were fuch themfelves. Or if you be more hardened to the laft, you are the more hopelefs : But how quickly did fuch another change his note, and cry, jF^?/?er Abraham^ fend one to my five brethren to warn them, that they come not to this place of torment ? If you mock at thefe words, you mock at Chrift ] that fpake them, and fure you look not to befaved by a derided Chrift. And it'sbafe Hypocrify to deride him, and yet call your felves Chriftians, and go to Church as if you ferved him. Live as you would die and be judged,for you fliall be judged as you live and die. "Either hold to the mind that you will never change, or change it quickly before ic be too late. . 23. Ifyouknow whata manis,youknow that his Soul is better than his corruptible fie.bs And if you think your Throats and „ Guts and Fancies worth all the Coft and i| Care ?nd Labour which you beftow on them m the world, ihall not we think our Souls worth more? What Godly man that you think makes too much a do for Heaven,dorh beftow more time, and words, and labour for it, than you do for the Flefh and World ? Do (85) Do we not fee how men will labour at land, and venture through dangerqus Seas, and Bght in Wars, and Plot againft all that ftand in their way, and this all day, from year to year, and all for Provifionfor Jlefh and Fan- cy. And dothofe that you accU(e do more for their Salvation ? If you knoWnot now, you will fhortly know, which makes the better choice and bargain. 24. What harm doth Godlinefs and Con- fcience.doyou'in other men? Had you not rather have a fon that takes Difobedience, Whoredom, Gaming and Drunkennefs for fin, than one that makes noConfcience of them?Had you not rather have a Wife whofe Confcience reftrains her from Scolding and Adultery, and a Servant that makes Confcience of robbing or deceiving y^u, than one that doth not ? Sure unconfciorra- ble Servants and Debtors are more trouble- fom than they that fear God and believe that injuftice is a damning lin? But the truth is, moft wicked men are for fo much Confcience and Religion in others, as re- trains them from wronging or hurting ihem , but no more, nor for that much in themfelves which may reftrain them from hurting others. But if you refolve rather to be damned than to be Sober, Juft and Gcilly, and obey God againft the fleflr, Why cannot you bear with other men that make awifer choice^* G 3 ' What (S6) Whathurt doth their praying do you •, or their preaching, while they are refponfible for any ill Do6trine? What if they be read- ing the Scripture, or hearing 'Directions for a holy life^, while you are Drinking, or Gaming, or reading, a Romance, or Rail- ing Libel, doth their Piety hurt you? What if they dare not .Swear and Drink as yoii do, doth this do you' any harm ? What Is it but the Serpentine enmity that maketh you. hate thofe that never, hurt you ? 25. If you will believe God, it is fpr the fake of Godly men that God preferves the World from ruine : He would have faved Sociom had there been but ten fuch perfons in it ; He will not deflroy the world., till hehath gathered all his chofenout of it:And do they deferve to be moft hated ? 26. How exceeding dear a love hath God and our Redeemer expreft,to all holy, obe- dient believers ? God calls them his Jewels, hisTreafure, in whom he delightethj He gave Chrift fpecially for them : He fealeth them to Salvation by his Spirit ; he juftifieth them, and will glorify them in Heaven ; Chrift calls them Flelh of his Flefli, his Friends, his Spoufe, they are united to him, he waiheth them in his blood, .andfeedech them with his Flefh, and will make them equal to the Angels, and will cdndemn their Enemies : And are not you devilifli enenlies to (S?) to God and Chrift, who cull out thofe for your malice and Enmity, whom Gad choof- eth out to magnify the wonders of his Love on them for ever? 27. The Aagels of Heaven rejoyce at the Converfion of afinner, LHkiif.io, And rejoyce to be Chrift Servants for their de- fence continually : And is it not Devils then and their Servants and Souldiers that are againft them ? Take heed ; Gods Angels that fmote a Herod^ may do execution on you erelong. 28. The Holy Ghoft faith, i Cor. 6. That the Saints fliall judge the world, and even the Angels, that is, the evil ones ; Did you believe this, you would be afraid to hate and perfecute them now. 2p. Even Heathens are for much honour* ing and worfliiping their Gods ; yea many offer them too eoftly Sacrifice : What praifes doth Julian give to the Sun, and what ftriift- nefs of life doth he Coaimand his Priefts ? What great contempt of the Body and the Worldjdid thePlatonifts,the Stbicks and the ;Cynicks profefs > And fhall profeft Chrifti- ians hate thofe that are obedient to the true God yea to fhew that the War between :Good and Evil goeth on in all the World 5 rfven among Heathens thofe that w^re for 'true virtue were defpifed and hated by the feafual. ^o. And is it not afelf-condemning thing G 4 in (BS) in thofe that accufe Gods Servants as tnJ ing too much adoe in obeying the Law ? £h'f K ^'i ""^^^^^^ '^' Church of^o. doth ) abundance more Laws or Canons c then T; ^"If'^^ilV'-^ife obedience ' fn^KJol- K •%''' burn men ataStak, for breaking, their Laws •, Doth God mak. fSS-r"-^'" the Judgment of theil tVcTf -T "°' ^"°"S^ ^^'*out much more, mI r^^ ^"™.^^ ^^« Church of£««/W, ^hofe Canons / 5, 5, 7, 8. ) .>/./.#, ex- thing to be repugnant to Gods word in their Liturgy, Ceremonies or Church Governing rnAZL^"^^^'' yo"fhink that obeying God deferveth hatred, when difobeying men cl«Ierveth excommunication?Learn ofour iate Laws, which account all the Minifters of ^^W worthy to be caft out and filenced if tTe'Aa nAVT^'^'P^'^'?'' ^?'^''°'^hat tne Aft of Umformity impofetb; And as ffi''-"'' I' ^Y««hy. of reproach to be asftricftm obeying Gods known Laws, S^CaSf'"^'^^^^^^""^^--"^ 3 J . Even the Churcli of Rom applaadeth edoi'^'-fe'^^P"' f^'^^f'^^y haveallow- g?ea?ahftl°/^'^'''' ''^''t '-'^'' ''' them to great abfhneDce, to much praying, and feme (89 ) to much Preaching, fo that Religion is all their calling. And ihall the ftrift obeying of Gods known Laws render men odious 4- mong profefled Proteftants ? Yea the Pa- pi(ls honour the very Bones and Relicks of their dead Saints? And you your felves keep holy days for many Saints : And will you at the fame time hate and hurt thofe that endeavour to imitate them ? Will you imitate thofe Pharifees whom Chrifl pro- nounceth Woe againft5who at once honoured the dead Prophets with building them Mo- numents or Tombs, and murdered the liv- ing that fucceeded them /* 32. You can never come to Heaven,or be 6ved from Hell your felves,without ferious Holinefs, Juflice and Sobriety: And will you hate that without which you cannot be laved? 33- Scarce any fin doth more certainly prove you to be ungodly, than hating godli- nefs: What ever hope there may be of thofe that fin againft Confcience, and wifli t© be better, and purpofe Repentance, that man cannot be a truly Godly man, that is an Enemy togodlinefs, fo that this is a dread- ful deaths mark on you. ' 34. You would extirpate the principle of felf-love, which God hath made infepara- bl^ from us. There is fomewhat in our na- ture which we cannot lay by, which makes Bs unwilling to be damned. If you that be- lieve (po) lieve no FIell,dare venture into it, we can not do fo, who do believe it. If you fay. that it is oar folly to believe chat none fhal befaved without mii^efs, and mortifyins thedeedsof the body by the Spirit, be^ with that tolly which doth you no hajrm- It IS not Men or Devils that we had it from but the Holy Ghoft in Scripture. If ic be your wifdom to give God the lie, and be- ^pe a Drunken fot, or the Devil, before mm. It iliall be none of ours.: Speed as you dioofe, andletusfpeedas we choofe; we ftiall meet your Souls fliortly in another mmd and tune.Strive not to make us choofe damnation now our Eyes are open; We were once too eafily befoord: but cannot now fo hate our lelves. 35. Moreover, he that would not have a man live a life of holy obedience to God, would have him lay by that which he was made for, and that which God continueth his life for.and that which he hath his reafon and all his daily mercies for. What elfe have we to do in the World? Have men going to the Grave and Eternity, nothing to do but Eat and Drink, and Laugh,and Play, and run up and down like Ants with flicks and ftraws, and then die, and call all vanity and vexation too late ? If we may not fpend our time in making fure of a better Wofld, we had rather, we had never been born, or had died in infancy, or that we had a dofe of (91) f Opittm, that would make us fleep out the eft of our lives in quietnefs, rather than end it as you do/ and then give a fad ac- count of all; we had rather we had been iirds or Beafts, DogsorSwinethan Men, ;ere it not for that life which you hate, nd the hopes which depend on it. It had een a greater kindnefs to us to have mur- ered us at the birth, than to tempt us to Lve for our damnation. 36. What do you think it is that is Gods mage on mans Soul, you know that it's faid in cripture that -Godmademanat fir ft in his wn Image, and that Ghrift by his Spirit re- eweththemto that Image. What is it link you, God hath not hands and feet, and odily parts as we have ? It is the Soul that lath his Image. And do you think if is the ove of Money, and Luft, and Sport, or luttony , or Drunkennefs tha: is his mage ? Scripture faith Eph. 4. 23, 24. Cobf. .10. it [sHolinefs: And this is called the Oivine natnre^ as Coming from God, and in- lining nature unto God. Either Holinefe, ^ifdom and Righteoufnefs is Gods Image, )relfe there is none fuch on man. And hen you make Gods Word to be falfe. And if this be it, and this it v^hich you hate, ire you not haters of God ? And is not that :o be devilifli and hated by God ? • , > 37. While you are angry at them that fay few are faved, or that none but Saints or (92) or ferious godly obedient men are fav. you would fink all the World into utter di pair, and make none or next none to , faved. One part of the haters of godlim believe no life to come •-, And thefe wou have all men defpair. For if there be non there is none to be hoped for : and they th think men die but as Dogs & Swine do, mu be expeded to live like Dogs & Swine. TI". other part of you, labour by all means t make themfelves and others believe ths the profeflionof moregodlinefs than worlc Jy carnal men have, isbuttypocrify, an that fuch are at the heart as bad as others And if this be fo, what is the confequence but that none are faved <* For unlefs you vvi give God the lie, or be faved in fpite o him, you muft believe that none are fav^c that are not fanftified by the Spirit of Chrift. and live not after the Spirit, mortifying the flefli. Job. 2 ^, 5. ^^^. 12. 14. Rom. 8.d,7. 8, p, 15. 2 Cor. 5. 17. And that no man can , be laved that loveth the world more than God and Heaven, and fleflily pleafure more thanholinefs. And therefore if there be none fuch, then none are faved. Hypocrify will not fave men ; God tells us that Drun- kards, Fornicators, Covetous, Thieves, Ex- tortioners, Revilers, Effeminate, Idolaters, cannot enter into the Kingdom of God, I Cor. 6. p, 10. Eph. 5 5-. And if any man love the world ( beft ) the love of the Father i9l) not in him, I 'Joh. 2. 5. And if all that jccendto be better are hypocrites, than [meat allarefavedv It may be you have the kindnefs to ex- pt fome few. But if thofe few be all that ^jj? not either carnal men ( defcribed Rom. t(i, 5? ^) 7? 9.) or hypocrites, how few then ^ ) you make to be (aved, if God be true ? 1] 38. Who do you think it is that Chrift Jieaneth, when he faith, I fend yoa as Lambs [k^ong Wolves } Te Jloall be hated of aH men for jj> names fak§s j Bltjfed are they that fuffer per- IcHtionforrighteoufnefs fake ^ When they fay If manner of evil of yon fal fly for my fake :. The /or Id will hate yon as it hated me^ becaufe yon ^e not of the World, but J have chofenyou ont of }e World : Marvel not if the World hate yon ? U many as will live godly in Chrifi Jefm jhall 'fer PerfecHtion, &c Who do you think all lisis fpokenof? It is not of you, that are eflily, worldly, ungodly men 5 Who Perfe- uteth you for righteoufnefs fake ? Who ateth, revileth or imprifoneth, or fineth ou, for living ^o^/)/;»C^r//?Jefus? Do you Jiffer as much for reviling Preachers, as we lave done for Preaching ? What fuffer you for all the Oaths that be fworn daily in streets and Taverns, and the horrid pro- fenenefs, Atheifm, Sadduceifm, Infidelity Ihat men are guilty of? If you did fuffer I or Whoredom, Drunkennefs, BJafphen^y js that for Chrift or righteoufnefs? When the (94) the Holy Ghoft faith r ^^^ he that was l)jf] after the Flefh perfecHtedhim that was born ter the SpHr^ cvenfo it is now^ is it fuch asyli that he rneaaeth ? When P^^er faith, [tT fpeal^ evil of yon^ and falfly iiccufe yonrgi com erf at ion in Chrifi^ I Pet. ^.l6, whc meaneth he ? When he faith, i Vet.^. Tk thinkjt ftran^e that yon rim not with them to excefs of ryot (lafcivioufnefsy liijh, excefs wincy reveliin^y banquetinpj and ahominai idolatry ) who do you think he meaneth And when he faith, i.fet, 2.9. Te are chofen Generation^ a royal Priefl-hood^ a ho Nation^ a peculiar People ^ that ye fhodd jhe forth the praifes of him that hath called yon 0/ of darknefs into his marvellous light ; who is that he meaneth ? You'll fay,/t is Chriflians True: But is it Hypocrites/' Is it thofi that will {ay at laft. Lord we have Prophefiet in thy Name^and Eat and Drunk in thy pre fence to whom Chrift will fay^ Depart from me^ yi workers of Iniquity^ I know yon not f Sure falfe Chriflians are wwfe than Heathens. ; ^p. The way which you take againft Re- ligious perfons doth fliew who it is thatfets you on work, and what k is that is the root of your enmity. As Gods Image is in the under jianding^will and execmive power of man, fo is Satans ; and he is accordingly defcribed byChrifl, to be i. A Liar and Deceiver 5 2. A Malignant, Hater of Goodnefs, or Ho- liaelsj and a caufe of fin; 3. A hurtful murderer (95) iJmurderer or deftroyer. And thefe are the three ways by .which Godly people are pro- yfecutedin the world, i. Belying them is grown fo common with their enemies, that there is nothing fcarcely fo notorioully falfe ovv'hich they will not affirm of them, and its iwell if fome will not preach it, print it, or fwear it : And they make one another eafi- ly believe it. Till experience proved it, I did not think that humane nature had been liable to fuch imjpudent, monftrous lying, 2. The daily bufinefs of many is, by wit and diligence to draw men to hate Religi- ous men on falfe pretences : As plainly as Chrift preacheth and urgeth lot'e^as his great Commandment •-, fo plainly do thefe prefs and urge men to Hatred : But of this before. 3. And Hatred tends to Bimfywfsi What plotting and labouring is there in the ivorld, to ruine and deftroy each other ? The malignant fpirit is blood- thiriJy. It's [Irange how the unclean Devils thirft to iraw or fuck fome blood from Witches, nNothing more alienates me from the Papal ijKingdom, than that it lives like Leeches up- |on blood. To read over the Hiftory of the ilnquifition, and of their Maflacres, would make Men take Toads, and Adders, and imad Dogs, and Wolves, for harmlefs things in compar ifbn of fome Men. If any wouki requite them (or others) vfith the like, I jhatekm^i^oteftant or hpiflv TheTiate conquered conquered the Greek Empire, partly by th« mutinous divifions of the Chriflians, anc partly by promifing them Liberty of Reli- gion : And when the Chriflians thought they fhould have that, they yielded up the Empire with the lefs refiftance. And that which was fo advantageous to the Infidelsj might, w^ell ufed and limited, be more ad- vantageous to the Chriftian Truth and Church. But though good things may be ufed in an ill caufe, it is a figfi of a bad caufe which needeth bad means. That caufe which is carried on by Lying, Perjury and Deceit,by malignant Love-killing, endeavours, and by cruelty, and hurtfulnefs, and blood,is there- by made fufpicious to all wife men. It is a ^ wonder of impudency in Baromm^ BlnmUs' and other Papifts, to juftifie Martin, a Ca-^ nonized Saint, for renouncing Communion to the death with the Synods and Biftiops who pertwaded the Emperor to draw the Sword againft the Gnoftick Prifcillianifts •, ^ and themfelves to defend a thoufand-fold greater cruelties and murders in their own Church on the account of Religion : But fin is mad felf-contradi(5lion. 4. I conclude with this great truth: They j that hate and.oppofc Godly mens obedience . to God, do feek tofilence the chief Wit-:' nefs of Chrift, spd to caft out Chriftianity from the Earth. Chriftiani ty cannot be pro- ' ved' {91) /ed to be true, but by the Spirit, which is its Seal and Wltnefs. This Witnefs of the Spirit was not only extraordinary in Lan- guages and numerous Miracles, but alfo or- dinary in the work of Sandtificarion. This Seal is fet on all that {hall be faved in ill times and places. The Lord knoweth A'ho are his : And let him that nameth the lameofChrift depart from iniquity. Here- ieemed tts to purife to himfelf a peculiar peo^k lealous of good works : Teaching us^ that deny* ng ungodllmfs and worldly lufts^ we jhould live oberly, righteoHJly and godly in this prefent vorld : Looking for that blejfed hope, and the \loriop(s appearing of the great God and our Sa^ jioHr Jefpts Chrift^Tit, 2. 12, IJ, 14. By this iiealing work Chrift is known to be indeed )ur Phyfician, the real Saviour that faveth lis people from their fins. As man gene- ;ateth man, and the Father is known by the iimilitude of the Child 5 and as he is known o be a good Artift that can make others uch. This is Chrifts ftanding Witnefs in Jl times and places. And when you would urn this into fcorn, and cloud it with flan- ilers, or the charge of Hypocrifie, and vould have fuch judged an odious people, md have them driven out of the world, vhat do you in eflfea but fpit in the face )f Chrift, and crown him with Thorns, and :allhima Deceiver, and crucifie himafrelh, ted feek to expel Chriftianity from the H Earth? rp8) Earth ? What reafonable man could believe Chrift to be Chrift, the Saviour of the world, if he did not fan£tifie men^and make them much better and fifer for Heaven than other men ? So that in this you diredly militate for the Devil, the World and the Flefhjagainfl God the Father,Son and Holy Ghoftjagainfl the Holy Catholick Church, and the Com- manion of Saints, and the Hope of Refur- redion and life everlafting ; which if you did openly under the name of Infidels or Heathens, or rather as the profeft Souldlers of the Devil, it were lefs difingenuous and hypocritical, than to do it in the Church, and under Chrifts colours, and in the'Chri- ftianname. And you muft be fure that you are (Iron-' ger than God and our Saviour, if you will prevail to the laft. God hath undertaken the defence of the Juft: Chrift hath under-; taken to prefent them triumphant before his Father, and caft their Enemies into Hell. Are you fure you can overcome him? Vile Worms that cannot fetch a breath without him ] When began you to be ftrpnger than God ? Was it in the womb ? or in Infancy when you could not go? Or was it when the Devil and the Flefli made you mad or drunken in ignorant malice ? If fo, the drun- ken fit will foon be over, and God will awake a tormenting Wit# If you can con- quer (99) jquer God, try your ftrength firft on bis Iworks ; Stop the Sun : change Night, and Pay ; turn the Tide of the Sea : livewith- mt Meat or Air : refolve that you will ne- ither die : (ave all your Friends from death. Can you do none of this, and yet will you i7enture a War againft God ? Or do you think to fight againft his Servants, and bribe bim to be on your fide, and forfake rheni to ^our rage ? Did Chrift take Mans Natuie, ind die to fave them, and will he now turn m Satans fide againft them ? He overcame the Devils temptation on Earth-, yea called Pe^cr Satan, Mat. i6. when he would have tempted him not to die for his chofen. Let Men or Devils go try him in his Glory, whether he will change his mind, and take Sjour part againft his ownholy Truth and Servants. ;hap. IV. Objections andfalfe Accufations anfwered. BU T I know that as Chrift and his Apoftles were not hated, nor kille4 without pretended caufeandreafon,.nor the ^^artyrs murdered without accufation 3 fo lone will now juftifie the fcorning or per- fecuting an innocent perfon, or a Saint as uch, but they will firft make them odious, H 2 and (lOO) and feem worthy of all that is done againi them. They will fay, Jt is not godly mm^ hn wicked Hypocrites that we hate and profecnte afalfe and odiom fort ofperfonSy who are un 'ruly^ andfet up their own wit and will again ji the Laws and Governours of the fever al King- doms where they live : They are the very worfi of men, An\, If they are fo indeed, they are nom of the men that I am pleading for, nor you the men that I reprove. But before we come to particular Accufitions, it is your wifdon" to anfwer thefe few Queftions. 1. Have you particular matter againft them to make good this charge ? Or is it only a general malicious Accufation > \ 2. Is it individual perfons that you mean,| by whom it's proved? or do you thus accufe whole companies of men? What if one faid of Papifrs, Jews or Turks, They are Mufderers, Adulterers, Perjured, &c. Do you think he were not ^ odious flanderer, to fpeak that of all or m.oft, or the whole Party, which he can prove but by fome few? i 5. Do you know all the perfons whom you accufe ? And have you heard it proved ? Or do you not fay this of whole Congrega- tions affembled to worfhip God, of whoni you know not one of many? If this be fo, it's inhumane calumny. 4. Have the particular perfons been heard fpeak ( 101 ) (peak for themfelves, and give the reafonof :heir aftions ? and were they proved infuiE- :ient ? Or were they condemned unheard ? 5r was Gods Word derided and taken for 3oreafon? 5. Do you not know that the Devil is :he great Accufer of the Brethren? and that le hath malice and craft enough to fay as ?ad asyou can fay, by the beft of men ? and nuft he be believed ? 6. Are you fure you can make God be- ieve you, that thefe men are as bad as you ffirm? If not, and ifhefinda maninprifon or obeying his word, and ask who laid lim there, will you undertake to prove that le was laid there for fomecrim^ ? If God mn him, and fay, he is my Servant, will you onfute him,andfay,No,but he is a Schifma- ick, God knoweth a Saint from a Schifma- Lck better than you do. Sheep-fteelersufe 3 flieer theiheep and cut out the mark ; But ley have to do with men: Gods mark is /here man cannot take it away , And the 3undation of God ftandeth fure. The Lord nowethwhoarebis. :: ^.. 7. Know you not that Chrift, and his A- oftles and all the Martyrs were as deeply larged, and put to death as Malefactors ? Ve muft then have better proof than accu- ition. 8. If they prove faithful Chriftians whom oa thus accufe, Chrift, hath undertaken h J their (102) their Juftification : It is his office. And do you think to baffle him ? Can he not anfvver you? Rom. 8. 32, 33, ^'^. Who jhall lay my thing to the charge of Gods ele5i .^ It is God that juftifeth : Who is he that will condemn them? g. Have you not greater fins your felves thaii thofe whom you accufe ? If fb, youi condemn your felves. Would you have God judge of them as you do/* If fo, do you not tell him how to judge of you, and even crave him to condemn you ? 10. Doubtlefs you know that you are finners -• And how think you to be juftified at the Bar of God ? Is there any but Chrifl to jud^e and juftify you ? And do you think he will juftifie his Enemies, that hated, ac- cufed and condemned his Servants? 11. Thofe that dwell near godly Chri- ftians and fhould know them, are more un- excufable for their malice and flanders thar forreigners and ftrangers are. Men of ano- ther land or age may be deceived by lyin^ fam.e or hiftory. But you that are their Neighbours are without' excufe. I fpeal for none but perfons fearing and obeyini God : And you might eafily have knowr that they are neither Fornicators, Drun kards,Perjur'd>fwearers, Liars, Oppreflbrs Thieves, nor fuffer for, any fuch crimes a thefe. 12. And if the/'^re as wicked as you fay / wh3 C 105 ) why do you not profecute them for fuch wickednefs ? What are the French Pro- teftants now profecuted and ruin'd for? Have any Judicatures proved them guilty of any fuch crimes againft God or Man ? Or is it not only for worfhiping God contrary to the Kings and Prelates Laws? And how is that? As Chrifts Apoftles did : Theyrefufe nothing in Godsworlliip which God com-- manded, or any of Chrifts Apoftles ufed, or any Churches in their days or long af- ter. And did the Apoftles offer God fo I odious a worfliip as deferved hatred and de- iftrucSion ? When Daniels Enemies defigned his ruine, they faid, Dan, 6. We pall find m matter againft this Daniel except it be concern- ing the Law of his God ; And fo they got a Law made againft praying to any God but the King for a certain time. Daniel muft be caft to the Lions for breaking the Kings Law : The poor flies deferve death for coming into the Spiders Web : But did not the venomous Worm Spin it of purpofe out of her own Bowels, or condenfate ah*, to take and kill the flies by craft ? In England there are many that worfliip God as the French Proteftants do, and no better than Chrifts Apoftles did : If this be their hor- rid wickednefs that makes them unworthy to live out of Prifon, fay fo, and pretend no ocher.But if it be Herefie,falfe Dod^rine, Perjury, Fornication, Robbing, Treafon, Se- ll 4 dition M04) I ditlon or any other crime, why aretheyjfr^ not accufedofthefe before the Judges? And ^ why are thofe charged with them that never were fo accufed and proved guilty ? Will not all wife men take thofe perfons for ma- licious LiarSj who by their publifhed accu- fations thus odioufly charge multitudes, and never offer to prove it agaitift them at the Judicatures? Their accufation fhews they want not will, therefore their not profecut- ing themfor any fuch fort of crimes, (hews ths'icis truth that is wanting. i^. And if they be fuch wicked perfons, whence is it, that they are chargied meerly j with Hypocrify, by fuch as fay, that they live foberly and juftly and demurely, but they ai'e at t% heart zs bad as others. Their, accuiers#mmonly eonfefs that they are mo.c free ;lbm all immoralities, and have an outward fliew of righteoufnefs, but thefe heart- fearchers fee that their hearts are bad. And do they not by this confute their own accufations i' • 14. And why is it that they that know . them belt can fee none of the wickednefe which you accufe them of, (beyond thofe hu- mane infirmities of which they moft accufe themfelves ). As I have oft dqiie, I again folemnly profefs, as one that caiinpt be far from my account before the judge of'all the ' ihe World, that having now lived to the <$nd that now near my end, I fee fo great a difference in Holinefs, Juftice and Charity, between thofe commonly reviled for worrfiiping God but as the Apoftles did, and thofe that hate and perfecutexhem, as greatly helps me in believing that there is a Saviour and Sandi- fier, and Heaven for tHe faithful, and a De- vll tliat deceives the reft, and a hell that will receive them, which is^ven vifibly begun on Earth. Accufi But (fay they) it is not for their And are they odious cc^rupters of Religion, who omit no part of Religion, but only humane indifferent things? - Do (lop) 7. Do you not reverence the Church for fome hundred years after Cijrift, which im- pofed noLiturgieSjbut left every ^aftor to ufe his own Prayers? 8. Do you not harden the. Paplfis that call our Religion new, and ask where it was two hundred years ago, if you rpake the Li- turgy as now formed and impofed, our Reli- gion, when it is not two hundred years old. 9. The Godly Biftops of EngUnd have ever owned the other i'roteftant Churches, and their Communion, who have none of our Liturgies, nor any like it. 10. If this be the odious crime, why do you never Revile or Profecute the Atheifts, Infidels, Sadduces, Hobbifts, and thofe ma- ny thoufands that feldom if ever go to any Church, or woriliip God publickly at all ? Is the worfliip that Vmr and I'aui ufed worfe than irreligioufnefs and infidelity? 11. Who can believe that you are fin- terely zealous againft mifworfhiping God, when you can ordinarily your leives be in a drinking houfe or playing houie^^at the time of publick worship ? And when fo few of ■you ever fo much as worfhip God in your Families, by Prayer, or read the Scripture, I or Catechife your families? ! -I2. Is it not a flrange thing tohearm^n jaaufe others for notufing the Liturgy in ! Gods worfhip, and at the lame time would have riio) have them that refufe it, to be forbidden all publick worfliiping of God at all > Doth this fignify any diflike of their omitting Gods worfhip ? Which is the more ungodly omif- fion ? to omit all worfliip of CSod and live likeAtheifts, or to omit only To much of tlie Liturgy as the Apoftles ufed not ? I have known many that could not eat cheefe, as is faid before f nor fcarce fmell it withoui'^i danger of Death:) If you would have a I Law made that fuch fhall eat no other meat, few wifemenwill believe that it is their health and life that you defire. If a man fail in paying his Landlord fome odd aft of Service, will yow make a Law that he ihall pay nothing at all ? If aSubjea negle^ pay- ing fome excife, or ufing Bow and Arrows^ will you forbid him paying any thing, or ferving the King at all ? Sure they that for* bid men all publick worfhip, be offended at fomewhatelfe than that men do not rightly worfliip God, unlefs they think that not to worihip him at all is better than doing it without their Book. Obj. Bnt he Jhall be Competed to better worjhip. jinf. How? when he lieth in jail he can- not publickly worfliip God at allls that bet-r ter worfliip? I know it is baniihment whicb fome would have executed. And will men worfliip God any better among Heathens o« Infi h not this to make it neceflary to Salvation or Communion, to have fo much Learning 3r Knowledge, as to h^orv all Indifferent words and things in the world to be indifferent^ which men will impofe? I would all -hurch-Membcrs with your and others jknew all necejfary things. Do yoo believe in your heart that all, or half the Parifluo- lers do know thefe things to be lawful, or onderftand any more of them than thofe ;bat think otherwife r when thoufaods can- lot anfwer a neceflary queflion of the Creed or Catechifm 5 nor know who Chrifl: is, and how he faveth us ? Why is there not a Catechifm made con- taining the found proof that Lay-chancellors power of the Keys, and Diocefan Bi/hops^ :hat have no Biftiops under them, and our prefent Court-Church difcipline, and all the ilubrick, Ceremonies and Forms are lawful, if all muft be excommunicate that think md fay otherwife ? Obj. If they are fo ignorant that they can- not know Church Orders to h lawftely they arc not fit to communicate with the Church. Anf Make no Church Orders neceflary to Communion, but what Chrift and his Apoftles have made neceflary to it ^ and I 3t thert then caft out and fpare not all as ignorant that refufe them. 1" But again, d.o you believe that moft, or all that you keep in, are wifer and more knovvingthan thofe that you caft out? How fl:iall fuch as I believe you, who know that in all the Parifhes which my cohabitationj allowed me to know, it is the moft know-] ing and religious part that moft diflent, an( the generaUty of the grofly ignorant thaj underftand few Articles of the C reed, d< conform. As ignorant as! am, and hui dreds of my calling and mind, I would were not only filenced and imprifoned, bd put to death, on condition that all that yoi now receive as Members of the Church; had no more ignorance than we have. But it's our lot, to tire our felves with teach- ing poor people to underftand rheir Bap- tifm, Chriftianity, Creed, Lords Prayer, and Ten Comm.andments, and leave moft igno- rant when airs done, and yet our felves af- ter our hardeft and longeft ftudy^ to be judged fo ignorant about fomc Indifferent things, as to be unfit for Miniftry or Com- munion. Accul^ J f mm mil not ohey Cmrch Gover- murs and Laws ^ they are Rebels^ and nnfit for Chriftian Society, If every man^ Jhall follow hk own fancy y what Order will there he ^ Do mff ah (117) U churches require obedience to their Orders t^ ^'Anf. I. The Church hath Onellniver- il King, who hath made Univerfal Laws Dralls which muft be firft obeyed, and gainft which no man hath power. And et \\iSown Laws have things neceffary tO all, 1 which they muft unite, and Integrals and iccidents which all know not, in which ley muft bear with one another. No man nderftandeth all the Bible : And are many •aws and Books more neceflary than jiods ? 2-. Whoever depraveth the neceflfary Dints of Religion by his own fancies,fliould 2 rejected. But all men living err in ma- / lefler things. 3. In what Countreys is it that your Rule oJds, that Rulers muft be thus far obeyed Religion ? Is it in China, or Pe£Uy or Jn- ft-an^ or THrly? Or is it in Italy^^SpainyPo- dy Silefia^ Bavaria, or France f Or is it Geneva, Holland, or the Presbyterian ountreys? Or is it only in England, Scot- d and Ireland ? And was it fo here be- re Henry the 8th. or only fince > And w fliall any know where it is, unlefs lie ' and judge his Rulers Commands by the Iws of God ? Will you follow this Rule France ov Spain r Or fliall all Subjeds g€ of Kings qp2cities ? T - AccuC (ii8) Accuf. But, they hold mUwfd Affmblkr of their om, ^nd worship God contrary to Law, %d yield mtfo much as Pafi-ve Obedmce. Anf. I. You know the Mmitters are forbiiden their Office,, unlefs they ml take thofe Oaths, Subfcriptions, Profeffions and Sees, which they dare not take, for fear of fin and damnation : And they SoS be thankful if their Jtafonsmaybe; heard and if any will inftrua them better : , And theTae confirmed in their Opinion | by the a?fwers, or no anfwers rather, made to the reafons already given in. Apd theyi Se devoted or vowed to the facr^d^^^^ flry in their Ordination ;, Mi it there M Uafin as .^''^^''^^f «». *^ ^Am K^ are confident it were S^f«/f^^thm J. alienate themfchres fromAe Offke wh^. they have undertaken.As it is ^Pf^^^ cSifiiamyto violate our Baptifmal Vow thou&h men Hwuld command it, they doub, '^^St is perfidious ApoUcy fm^ S Miniftry, to violate the Ordmatton Vo^\ Soush Biihops filence them : As it x^Adu. «^fo violate the ConH-l ^-'f 'hS a Bifhoo fbould require it \ feeing he th. LS ied tS hati no power tounm^r Smrunlefs they do it firft themfelves, an Throve Defertors or Adulterers. ^ And the people that are excom.^ (lip) :ate, or forbidden to worfhip God publick- ly, unlefs they will do that which they think is fin, are flill under Gods command to-wor- liip him, and not to forfake Church-aflem- Dling for his worfliip.What would you have :he(e Minifters and People do ? They ftudy ind pray to God to convince them, if they :ake thefe Oaths, Subfcriptions, Profeffions and Pradices to be fin, and they be no fin : rhey refolve to be ruled by Gods Word •• They are willing to hear any thin^ that juay better inform them : They wonder pat men accufe them that have no more to (ay to change them. If they defert die Mi- piftry, they fear Gods vengeance : If thefe x)or people give over all Gods Publick Worfliip, and live like Atheifts, Confcience living or dying will torment them. If they io that which they are perfwaded is fin, when the Impofers call it but Indifferent, Paul hath antidated their Sentence ; ^e that donbteth is damned if he eatj becaufe he eateth pot of faith : for whatfoever is mt of faith is fin ^ \Rom, 14. Change their Judgment they can- not : fin they dare not: To give over wor- ihiping God, is to renounce Salvation : Change the Law or Canon, men will not, it feems to me a ftrange penalty to forbid !men to worfhip God at all, becaufe they I think fome Subfcriptions or Forms to be ifin: More ftrange than to (ay, uill that will Imt m^rCra^e fi^all go nak^d: Or, all that will I 4 71Qt (I20) vot eat j^nchozies jhdll eat nothing. If a man think the ufe of a Crucifix in Worfhip fin- ful, fure to give over all Worfliip is more finful : But men have their ways. 3.. What Worfliip is it that they offer God contrary to Law > They are willing to do all required in Scripture by Chrifl and his Apoftles : And were they Rebels and Rogues? Or is their Worfhip intolerable ? 4. What harm will it do their Neigh- bours, or any, if they only read the Scrip- ture, and praife God with PfalmSjand preach and pray as God prefcribeth, without Subr fcriptions or Ceremonies ? Are any hurt by this? Doth the fame Liberty to the Dutch here hurt any body^or break Peace ? Doth the difference of Cathedral and Pa- rifli Worfliip break Peace ; or of thofe Churches that have Organs and Altars, and thofe that have none ? The Papifls are the greatefl: pretenders to Unity, and moft cry down Schifm -, and yet if all will but be Servants to the Pope, he will Licenfe multitudes of Orders that more differ from one another than we from you: Jefuits, Benedidines, Dominicans, Carthufians,and abundance more. 5. Dare any mi^n of Self-knowledge and Confcience fay, that all your Worfliip is not more faulty, than is the omifTion of a Form or Ceremony I Will not all the ¥/orld be forbidden to worfliip Go^, if all as bad ( 121 ) bad as this be forbidden ? And how many worfliippers of God, think you, will be left in Erjgland, if all muft give over that have greater faults than the omiflion of a thing . called but Indifferent ? 6. As to what you talk of P^five Ohe^ dtence^ though the phrafe be a contradidion, yet the thing meant is a meer cheat of one that hath devifed that abfurd phrafe : And Cd\\sOmiffiv€ Obedience hy the name of P^/"- five-.Omittwg an Adion is not fuffering. Da- rnel was forbid to pray, and the Apoftles to preach : They would not yield this Omijjlve Obedience, but they yielded that which is commonly called Faffim, They patiently fuflfered. : 7. Do yod not know that about two i hundred thoufand in and n^diV London cannot come within the doors of the Pariih- Churches, (nor hundreds hear that can croud in 5) ftall all thefe be made Atheifts, or ta- ken for Rebels if they will not forbear to worfbip God ? 8. I fuppofe you know that many thou- fands flay at home in their Houfes, Shops, Taverns, in fin or idlenefs: Are thefe thought worthy of a Jail or Banidiment? Oris their courfe better than to worfliip God as Peter and Panl did ? O the difference ; between Gods Judgment and fbme mens i ijButGods Judgment fliall determine all. ^, p. Ai'e there no unfaithful and unskilful Miniflers? Minifters ? Will no Patrons chife fuch ? Is HOC the Minifters skill and faithfulnefs of great importance to mens Salvation ? What if Bifliops or Laws impofed an unskilful or untrufty Phyfician on you,and forbad you to chufe a better, would you die obediently, or rather fay, no one hath power fo to betray my life ? No nor your Soul nei- ther. ID. Ifyouhav^e the hearts ofChriftians coniider this undeniable confequence: If you will have no union or concord among Chriftians till they agree in all things that are of no greater weight and evidence, than your forms and ceremonies are, you would have no concord in the world,no not between any] two perfons ; And you may^s well fay, non( ihall be endured thatarenot jaftofthefami vifage and complexion: And then all th< doubt will be, who is the man that will' the ftrongeftand longeft liver, to poflefs all E^iglaf!dhi^i[el{ alone. Accuf. But they jhew that they are Terjured] falfe^ unconfcionable Rogues^ that tookon them ti fcrupk Oaths and oar Church Commnmon tU mWy and now can do all rather than be out ojj places oftrnfi. Anf, I. As to your Church communion^ can you blirid mens eyes, that they (hail no read, what the old Nonconformifts hav« wrio- mitten to perfwade men to it? See Mr.' HiUerfhanty Bradjhaw^ Gijford^ Paget^ Batl^ nd abundance more. And did not the pre- ent Nonconformifts (hew the fame judg- enc i66oand i66iin their treaty? And b not many come to your aflemblies ? And ould they not all thatare Minifters Preach there if they could have leave? And have younot, as is afore proved, Excommunica- ted them by your Canons 5,^.75 8. And is the Oxford Aet('^\\i(:h impriioneth them all fix months if they be feen within five miles ofa Corporation or any place where they have preached within 20 yearsj an invifible thing ? Do you lay men in Jail by it, and yet think it muft be unknown ? And he that knows it knows that it Sentences all fuch to Jail if they be feen in your Churches ? And is it the courfe of humane converfe, to fay, Jf yon come into any Chnrch within five miles &C. yon (hall lie in Jail fix months ; jind if you do not^yoH are Rogues and (hall lie in Jail for not coming ? Juft when the Minifters agreed to come more frequently than before^ this ad: came out, and drove them back. You'll fay, They can appear in their ownaffemhlies, -Anf. I. His Majefty encouraged them by granting them Liberty by his Declaration. 2. Tliey have more hope there of efcap- ing out of your hands, than they have in your own Churches. And do you not fee in Print what Mr. Tombes (124) Tombes the Anabaptift wrote long ago to perfwade his followers to your communion? And what Mr. Nye wrote to perfwade the Independantstocome to yourChurches?what great change is here of their judgments? Obj. But why did not the people dofo all thi- while f Anf. Becaufe their own Teachers did, as they though t,more profit them. Many a man thinks it lawful to wear rags that yet had ra-. ther wear whole and comely cloaths , and lawful to eat brown bread^and drink water, that will fare better when they can, and yet take thefe when they cannot. The people that had good houfes before the fire, did without any change of their judgments, gee into any poor rooms or cottages after it. 2. But fuppofe they lately change their judgments, ( as many no doubt have ) you that think it is for the better are ftrange Chriftians that reproach men for repenting and amending. Do you call them to Church and reproach them for not coming, and feek to ruin them for it, andnowaccufe them for coming? Doth not this fliew that fome men defined the prefent Impofi- tions, not for concord of all, but to drive fome away, left they fhould come in, and the land have concord ? And doth not this fliew what men we have to do with •, and that it is fomewhat elfe than non-conformi- ty which fuch men hat^ ? Your Juftice is 7^7" ^.^^5) 'Come to Church ^or lie in Jail as Schifmaticks: And ifyoii come you are perfidious ra^/rex.] Whe- ther they do or do not, all's one. to fi^h tidges ; who have fome other hateful mat- :er in their Eye. Obj. But their doing itjufi now to keep their Charter J and keep from fujfering^ proveth that they are perfidious Rogues, Anf, I. I pray tell men of brains and fenfe, for whas it is that you would have men Excommunicated, and laid in Jailor Fined, if they Conform not? Do you do all this v/ithout any purpofe or hope to (kive them to conformity ? And do you do it only to make them perfidious Rogues Jfinff^r- ing may not alter them, why do you ufe it oft them ? 2. But who knows not that fom.e things are lawful to avoid fuffering which elfe would not be lawful. It is lawful to caft your goods into the Sea to fave the Ship and mens lives; Whichelfe werea fin: It's law- ful to give a Thief your purfe to fave your life, which elfe were unlawful : It's lawful to blow up neighbours houfes to flop a fires Chrift pi'oved it lawful to break the Sab- jbath in cafes ofnecejGTity 5 he withdrew into Wildernefstnd far from Jerufakm^to >id the pharifees perfecution. And Fanl [was let down by the Wall in a baskets Which without danger of fuffering, had not Ibeea lawful : Though no fin mufl be done to to avoid faffering, yet that may and muft bj curtvv/iM friCorefervauon makes nolin, tedtjtToSaman that aflauks you Kurown defence is not the fame crime ns nnneceflarily to kill mm. BuTSto the other cafe of taking the Cor- «nr?ti?nOa h andDedaration, ifyou know Se cafe (as you ftiould dobefore you accufe in /you know that it is the true fence of Sm tS is all the controverfy : No body S&earing Loyalty, and f n^SI Rebellion and Sedition, atKl all unlawtui Ss of reformation: That which nuk If difficult is that on one fide, the proper Ske themS And they argue fubtilly to SoveStobethe true fence-. And our K-makers to whom it belongs will not «f7f1^controverfybyaaexpofttion. And Sn you wS h«e if menfluftuate mm S^Sv " And a late writer having given ffibS argumoitsfor the limited fence than S^eibffibefore, did perfwade many: XS ffthat limited fence twen^ N^c^ formiftMinifters.took the oath long age in Imdonzt one time- ^:ft,u,e :« ft But I i«ftify none that imftake m k (lit) great a matter. Anddoubtlefs if they finaccf God will not blels it to their good ; It will prove their fnare : And I am glad that we are agreed that Perjury is a Eeinous fin : I ibefeech you then toconfider, i. Whether ■ho(e men are fit to accufe them who drive :hem to it, and fay to Minifters, Swear or lye n Jail : 2, Or thofe who are of the mind of 'Srotius^ JBiftop Taylor and fuch others, that Lying is Lawful when it faves our felves, ind wrongs no other : And of thofe Divines hat fay, It's as lawful to defend my felffrom pernicious Impofers with my tongue as with ny hands. S. Let u§ all with fear (who believe lereis a God j avoid the dreadful crime of erjuring the whole land. This whole King- Om is fworn againft all Forreign Jitrifdi^ton i the Oatb of Supremacy ; andagainfl all Jdeavours to alter the Government of Cburck 'Statey by I. the Corporation Ad, 2. The 'eftry Ad, j. The miitia Ad, 4. The ifc/ori^ of Confinement. 5. And obliged by e Ad of Uniformity. Is it not perjury m to endeavour any alteration of it ? What (hall we then think of them that ould bring ia Popery > would they not per- re the Kingdom ? 2. What ihall we fay of em that write for a Forreign Church Ju- rdidion, under the name of General Coun- Is, or a CoUedge of Biihops, orofFor- m Patriarchs, of whom the Pope is chief, fi and (128) and the Principrnm unitaw^ to the univerfd Church^ Isitno change of our Church Go- vernment to brmg us uqder a forreign Ju- rifdidioji ? Is it no change of State Govern- ment to make the King and Kingdom, Sub- je6t to that forreign Jurifdi(ftion, who may excommunicate him, and fo bring on him all the evil which Excommunication infer- reth ? And what man in his wits knowethj not that Prelates and Priefts are much at the will and power of the Princes under whom they live ? Doth not our King exped that his Bifhops obey him ? And tho(ethatj muft have this Univerfal Jurifdidtion over our King and us, are the Subjefts of other Princes, of which the far greateft part arc Papiftsj Mahometans, Infidels, ^ Heathens, ot fiich asare called Hereticks 5 And if oui King and we be made Subjed to the Sul> jeds of the Turk, the Pope, the Kings oi Spain^ France^ FoUnd^ the Emperor, th( Mofcovite^ the Dukes of Bavaria^ Tnfcany and fuch like, is he not made a Subjed to their Lords and Mafters, and mucl worfe ? Will not this projed perjure Eng land} 3. Whether it be any alteration of Go vernment by them that would change tht Power and ufe of Parliaments, I leave «" Lawyers. 4. But I would fain be fatisfied of anothej cafe. Thefe Kingdoms of England and Scm lam ( 129^ land took a Covenant and Vow, fome Vo- luntarily, fome at their Compofitions, who. had been fequeftred for the King: This Vow contained divers matters,of which fome are notqrious duties, as to repent of their ilns, to oppofe PoperyjSchifm, and Prophanenefs, to defend the King, &c. It's not denied by moft that I meet with, that this Oath or Vow was unlawfully impofed, and unlaw- fully taken, and many think fome of the matter was unlawful, mz., to oppofe Prela- cy, d-c But feeing Cafuifts are agreed, that an Oath unlawfully both impofed andts^ken, bindeth to that part of t\iQ matter which is lawful and neceflary, notwithftanding the iConjundion of the reft. And the Corpora- tions of f/?^/^^-^ are all formed by a Decla- ration taken by all in power andtruft, that [ There is no Obligation^ ( without the leafl exception ) on me or any other per fon from the Oath called the Solemn League and Covenant 5 rhe doubt is whether every man may de- dare that, of all the thoufanas ofthre^King- ioms ( whom he never knew, ; no one is 30undby that Oath, or Vow, to repent of lis fins, or in his place and calling to oppofe ichifm. Popery, or Prophanenefs, or to de- fend the King ? and whether all may declare :hat the Londoners and Minifters, and the 'eftored old Parliament, and General Monks \rrny who reftored the King, as fuppofing :hey Were bound to it by that Oath, were K all all deceived, and were under no fuch obli- gation thence? And whether I am not bound in charity to think that the fequeftred Royalifts put a good fence on it, when they took it ? And fo whether all the Corpora- tions of £;^£/^W are free from - — And for what it is that God hath fingled them out for j Judgment? ! If you be agreed with us ( and with man^ kind ) againlt (o great a fin as Perjury, efpe- cially national, let us help one another with Love and Patience to refolvefuch doubts. Accuf. Bnt they have been guilty of Re- hellion in a Civil War ^ and therefore arejufily fiifpe^ed to Preach or hold Rebellions DoUrine . Afjf. I. Are thofe men lovers of Love and Concord who purpofely make ufe of pardoned ads to keep the Kingdoms wounds ftill open? Did not the King tell you in his Declarations and A61: of Oblivion, that the putting up of all (fave to the excepted perfons } and cloung for the future in mu- tual love, was the only way to the Nations peace? You would tempt men totiiinkthat you defire to fee fuch days again, by trying whether deftroying men wdll tempt nature to a felf-defence. 2. But you have oft had it proved (by Henry Fowlis^ Biiliop Barlow and abundance naore) that no Proteftants come near the Principles (131) Principles and Prafticesof the Papifts, as to King-killing and Rebellion. And if yet you know not that the War began between two parties of Epifcopal conformifts, here among theEngliili, you are unfit to judge of that which you know not : And by reading i?//)?;- wonh, Whitlockjdv any true Hiftories of fuch times and matters, you may be better in- formed : As you may of their different principles if you read Jewel, Bifhop Bilfo^^ and Richard Hooker on one fide, and Maw- warning 2XiA Sihthorp on theother. 3. But how few men are alive that had any hand in thofe miferable Wars ? You have oft been offered a thoufand thanks if you will filence and hunt no other that are as innocent as you, and more than many of of their accufers. And fliall thoufands fuffer for other mens deeds ? 3. What will wife men think of fuch a fort of men, as charge multitudes in general with Rebellious and Seditious Doiftrine, and have accufed fofew of any fuch thefe t wenty years, that I know not of one publickly Accufed, Tryedand Proved guilty, of all called Presbyteri- ins in all this Land ? If they are guilty prove it, and let the guilty fuffer, and not the innocent : Only had I my wilh I would Bar Perjury, andCondemning men unheard. i^CCuf. They are an nnpaace able fori of people, 4^f That's foon faid. Who hath thefe K 2 22 (I30 11 two years manifefted ixioft defires of Peace ? They that have beg d for it again and again : Pleaded and written for it : Offered their Oaths that they would obey any lawful Commands for it, and do any thing which they did not believe that God forbids? Orthofe Bifhops that would not have one Form or Ceremony, or needlefs Subfcription forborn, tofave thoufandsof Miniiters from being filenced and laid in Common jails, nor to fave many thoufand of the people fronr: fuffering, and to heal the divifions of the Church. One would think this ihould be as eafie aControverfy,as when Soldiers are plunaering the Country, and the people on their knees intreating for their goods and lives, to determine which of them is moft againft War. ^^ AccuC But what need they make fnch a ftir with their Religion : What ncfd they anymore than goto Church and live obediently and be quiet > Why will they be righteous over much '^will not kfs ado bring men to Heaven^ Why do they dtjfer from their Neighbours, and judge all car- nal that he not as ScriipHloHs as they? God ts 7nerctfd -, and will he fave none bm Purttansy or, prectle z^ealots ? ' i i .. Anf Now you come to the real matter of your diftall : Ididnot meddle with the cafe of Nonconformity as it is a Controverly between Godly men, but only asyou make a pretence of it, to exercife your enrlaity a- , gainft ferious Godlinefs, and a handle to lay hold on many whom Chrift will juftify and fave. To all before faid I add, 1. If you think they do too much, fearch the Scriptures, and fee whether it be notlefs than God commandeth ? And if fo; is it not God whom you accufe and reproach ? 2. If they do too much in obeying Gpd, why do Canon-makers impofe fuch abun- dance on them, as if God tiad not impofed enough? 3. Why do you never find fault with men for being too ftrong, too healthful, too rich, too great, but only for being too obe- dient to God? When Chrift faith 3 If we did all that God commandeth we muft fay, w£ are unprofitable Servants, we have done no more than was our duty, and the beft on Earth come (hort of duty. But this which is the Core I anfvvered before. And conclude, that all that be in their right wits can eafi- lier bear all your accufations and perfecuti- ons of us,as if we did too much in obedience to God, than the accufation ofConfcience and the difpleafure of ''^od for doing too litde: Which alas when we have done our beft would fink us into defpair, had we not the merits of Chrifts fuffering and perfect righteoufnefs to trnft to. K3 Chap; (134) Chap. V. An humble Expoftulation with the Englijh Papifls who by Information and Frofecutionfeek^ our mine, T Hough it be not Popery as fuch that I am here reafoning againft, the courfe that many Papifts take in feeking ourde- flru6Vion, giveth me caufe of this humble ex- poftulation : And I fpeak now of no o- ther, but of them. I mean, i. Thofe that write fo hotly and ragingly to provoke Su- periors to ruine us. 2. Thofe that make a trade of being delators againft us for wor- fhiping God as we do. 3. Thofe of them that break in upon us with greateft haugh- tinefs and fury, to take away all our goods, and feek our imprifonment. 4. Thofe j that feek to^ ruine us by thofe Laws whiA 1 were made againft themfelves. 5. Thofe that would make Superiors believe that our Doftrine is m^ore rebellious than theirs. To thefe I offer a few modeft queftions. ^. I. There are fome among you that profefs great Spirituality and ftrictnefs in Re- ligion : Serenm Crejfy wrote to me ( com- mending Bakers book which he publiflied) that he forfook the Church oi England be- caufe he found no Spiritual contemplation and devotion among us. Suchas Nerm^S ales ^ Kemplsj Gerfon Borrom(P.m^Rentf^ &c, are real-' ly the chiefhonour of your Church. Much of that for which lam hated by the Enemies of firioHsM ( ns ) feriom go^/i«e/}J acknowledge toGods praiie, I was firft chiefly awakened to by a hook written by one whom Watfon^ and others of your^party grievoufly accufe, I mean Parfons Book of Refolution corrected by Ennny, True Chriflianity and Godlinefs is the fame thing in all that have it. Your Prieft Mr. Hmchinfon-ialm Berry ^ writeth that the moft of feriou's Godlinefs among Protectants is found among thofe called Puritans : So chat I v?as fain to defend the Conformifts againft his charge : All this being fo, is it the Spirit of God that engagethand enragethyou with the moftdeftruftive bitternefs againft thofe men whom you confefs to be the moft Reli- gious,meerly becaufe they are ftiffeft againft your Church Government and way of wor- ihip ? And do you not know that it tendeth more fenfibly than difputes, to perfwade the people whom you thus hate and profecute, that your Religion is malignant, and enmity to real Godlinefs ? Qu, 2. Do you think it is prudent for you, as foon as ever you get up and before you dare openly own your nam.e and caufe, to begin with Malice, Rage and Cruelty, and that againft the moft religious (as you fay?) Will not this perfwade the people that all is •true thatisfaid of your intended cruelty, and makis them fear you, as io many Leopards or Wolves ? Will they not fay, if the young Serpents can fo eafily fting, what will the K 4 old old ones do ? And if your Infancy here be- gin with fuch deftrudive zeal,v\hat will you do when you are at full growth ? i^>3. You cannot be ignorant what cauie to accufe your Church with Cruelty and Blood, hath been given the world by your Church Laws and Practices : By the Council at the Later ane under Jmocem ^d the Council for damning Henrician Here- ticks, even Kings that claim Inveftiture of Bifliops, and thofe that decree the burning of all that you call Hereticks : By the mur- der of fo many thoufand Albigenfes^ Walden-^. fes^ Bohemians^ &c. By the Inquifitions mord inhumane cruelties in ^e/^//^/» and Spam^Scc By the Maflacres in France^ and the murder of Henry HI. and IV. By Queen Maries flames ; By the two hundred thoufand mur- dered m Ireland: And there be many among you who difown all this, and fay it is not from the principles of your Religion (when yet General Councils approved are your Religion it felf. J This being copioufly opened ( as I faid before by Henry Fowlis^ Birtiop Barlow, 8co ) had it not been more prudent for you to have begun with Lenity and Love, to have drawn men to think that you are better minded, than to perfwade them, that you are of your rulers and fore- fathers mind, and mean to imitate them ? ^.4- Have you not obferved that all par- ties have fain by forcing multitudes to be their their enemies by feeking to dertroy or hurt them? Moftmen lovequietneft, and will ■ive in peace, if others will give them leave : But when they fee that they muft offend o- thers^ornot defend themfelves, itfers all their wit and power on work againft their intolerable enemies : There are few crea- tures in the world that have not fome power and inclination to hurt others for their own defence. The Bee hath a Sting to defend her Hive and Honey. And do you not re- member that your fuflferings in England came moft by Queen Maries flames, and the Spa- mjh Invafion, and the many Treafons apjainft Queen EHz^abeth and by the Powder Plot ? And how the French Maflacre and Murders of Kings, and the horrid Inquifition fet all our Parliaments againft you ? And how the •Murder of 200000 in Ireland drove many thoufands into the Parliaments Army that elfe. would not have gone ? And will you yet ftir up all the Land to fear and hate you ? ^. 5. Is it not both imprudent and un- righteous for you of all men to turn thofe Laws againft us, which were made againft you, and have fo much flept, and little trou- bled yow^ You will by this call people to take notice of them, that did not before; For my own part, as I never hurt any of y9U5 fo I know not that any of theMinifters did, whofe ruine you endeavour. We hear of none of your fufferings by any fuch. In- deed (138) deed thefe late years many have died as for the Plot fo much talkt of. But by whom did they die ? Was it not by the accufation and witnefs of Papifts ? Were notOats, Bed- lovPy Dngdak^ THrhervlk^ Prance^ Dangerfield^ yenifon. Smithy alia^ Barry f the Yorfc-fllire Witneffes, and the reft befides the Irifti, all menofyour felves, that came out of your own Bofoms ? whether the men died juftly or unjuftly I leave to God^ Butfure it was men of your own felves that did it. And will you be revenged for this on fuch Proteftants that medled not in it ? And you I'hould remember that you and we have a Proteftant King, who hath fworn all his Kingdom againft allforreign jurif- didion, and all endeavour of any alteration of Government in Church or ftate, and fo much abhors Popery that he hath made x law feverely to punifh all that iliall but raife any fufpicion that he is a Papift. And you muft in reafon take heed of dirtionouring and defaming him, by defaming Proteftants in general. And fure fince Queen Eliz.aheths days we have had no Kings whom you canjuftly ac- rufe of cruelty towards you. No not King h, James when the Powder Plot had provoked him$if half be true that the Bifhop oiJmhnin ^aith of his conference with him* or that ^itjhworth and others fay of the Oath of the King, Prince and Council for Toleration, yoi|| ( I3P) ^ou are difingenuous if you accufe them of ruelty or rigorous feverity. In your Thilanax Anglicm (as formerly in he Image of both Churches) you make all cal- ed Prot eft ants oifincenty^ to be of Rebclli- )us principles, and their Religion introdu- ed by it;and yet profefs that you honour the ing, as if you would have men doubt whe- ler he be a Vrotefta?it of fwcemy, or elfe i^ereas bad as you defcribe. Had the fevere *^s been executed againft you, ejfpecially >r meer Religion, no one could wonder if ou defired relief : But w hile you live quiet- r^and Words and Paper hurt you not (that I ear of) to begin with fo much hurtfulnefe them that medled not with you, will ifferve your caufe. Qm. 6. Andi^lx. confiftent with reafon- >le modefty to go about to make tte Vorld believe that the Proteftant Dodrine lefs loyal than yours ? Do you think your ooks are invi{ible,& all your pradices for- otten:It is none of the bufinefs of this writ- g to accufe you herein, of any thing but Ifly accufing others, and feeking to deftroy ; on fuch accufation. Though you may thus eceive the ignorant that know no more of 3U than what you tell them, that will but im to your diilionour at laft.Are not your )refaid Council Canons which are your eligion, vifible f Have not the forecited riters truly cited them and multitudes of your XHo) your Dodors which may better inform men/ Are all the Wars o{ Italy, Germany,&c. a- gainft Princes and Emperors, for the Pope, forgotten ? Was it not a Council of your Bi(hops that decreed that all the carcaffesof thofe Bidiops that were for xhtHenrkUnHQ- refy fthat is, for the Emperors power of inverting Bifliops and his exemption from being excommunicated and depofed by the PopeJihould be digged out of their Graves, and Burnt i Was ic not a council that de- pofed LndovicpM-Pitis ? How many. more fuch ads have they done ? And are not your moft learned Dodors allowed topublifh the jufti- fication of the Popes power to excommuni- cate &c depofe Kings if they deferve it(in his judgment? ) Do not your politick Writers, Cafuifts and Divines ordinarily hold that the people give Kings^their power5and may take it away when they forfeit it, and that tyran- ny is fuch a forfeiture ? And that the people fhould notfuffer a Heretick to reign v" And that fubjeds may be abfolved from their Oaths of Allegiance, according to the fore- faid Laterane and Gregq, Roman Councils / But too much is faid of this by many^and the cafe is paft a modeft denial. Even thofe Proteftants that were in Arms for the Parliament, and reftored the King, were fo far from thinking th^t , their Oatffi of Allegiance may be difpenfed with, thatjj I knew any thing of thofe men and times, i' wa (141) was principally the Confcienc€ of two Oaths 'theOathof Allegeance, and the Oath cal- ed the Covenant) that by them overcame the oppofition of the other Army ,and brought home the King. It was this that engaged the Minifters of England againft both Cromwel and a Common- wealth : and the Minifters were followed by moft of the religious peo- ple of the land, which broke the adverfaries ftrength:It was this that engaged the exclud- ;ed members of the ( then ) long Parliament : It was this that engaged the City ci London: ;It feems it was this that engaged Gen. ^o?;^'s iArmy,when they fay in their addrefs to him, ( fee it, in Eng.ands Triuniph for K. Charks the ,2d ;'.85. )\J^ We hope to evince to his Majefty " and all the rvorld^ that we and all thofe that i ' have been engaged In the Parliaments caiife^ ^ j" are his Majefties heft and moft realfkbje^s 5 " and that yonr Excellency and the ^^rmtes ptn^ *' der yonr command^ have complied with the oh- ^^ ligations for which they were fir ft raiftd^ for the prefervation of the true Proteftant Religi- ** on^ the Honour and Dignity of the King, the '' Priviledges of 'Parliament ^theLiberty and Pro- ^^pertycf the SubjeEls^ and the Fundamental Laws of the land.^ I am not juftifying all that I recite^ I doubt not but they were much miftaken.But if they had then been told that fliortly ^// the Cor- poration Offices and Tru(}s in England (hSiW be conftituted by a perfonal Declaration of every I. ,.,.,„, .^■... . (I42> every one, that [ There is no obligation on any per Con from the Oath called the Solemn Cove- nant'] toreftore the King, oppofeSchifm,or toany thing whatever, the efFe£t would have been fuch, as makes me wonder that the Royalifts ( as then called ) ihoald be very eager to make all fuch declare, that all thefe Souldiers,Minifters,Parliament and Citizens that reftored the King as bound to it by that Oath, were therein miftaken, and no fuch obligation thence was on them. ^ 7. I need not name to you the forry ^.fellows out of the Jails,where they lay for in- * human villanies that have been our zealous, ranting, tearing, profecuters? And do you think fuch adtors are an honour to your caufe ^ If it be good, ufe good men in it. Qu, 8. Why do you play your game under board, and behind the Curtain ? If you are not afhamed of your caufe,openly own it. Is falfliood, lying and dilTembling befeeming them that fay they are of a Church out of which none can be faved?I remember when Terrety alias John fon, had feduced the eldeft Daughter of theCountefs o(Balcarres(whom they Hole away and made a Nun in France J^ and (he was after askt, why /he did fo long' go to our Churches, join in family worfliip, read Proteftant Books, and talkagainft the Papifls, and deride themjafterlhe was a Pa- pift her felf,(he anfwered that they had leave to do all that as long as they did not openlyj profefs CI43) Profefs their Religion^and were not detested. But when once they were difcovered and openly profefTed-themfelves Roman Catho-- licks, they muft then fufler any thing rather dian conform to us. I Gods caufe needeth not fuch jugling and iying. I jQji. p. Why do you not ingenuoufly plead four caufe againft us, fo as may fatisfy an un- derftanding Con{cience,befbre you feek our ieftrudion ? i. Your arguings are common- j.y fitted only to cheat the ignorant by am- piguities,and confu(ion,and equivocal terms; Your queries or methods to the French fuf- :Vers, are only a formed.cheat,by confound- ng, I. Subje<^iontoGovernours,andCom- iiunion with neighbour Churches. 2. Com- iiunion with yourChurch inChriftianityand -ommunion with its fins. 3, A Carholick "hurch informed only by the fovei-aignty of thrift, and a pretended univerfal Church in- brmed by the foveraignty ofMan (a Monarch i)r a Church-Parliament.) 4. The office of seeping, delivering and teaching men Gods ^a ws,and an abfolute power to Judge of their ence, and to make more as a fupplement to heir defeds, obliging all the world on pain f Excommunication and Death : And more tich. 2. Any writings which undeniably open our frauds,you take no notice of;nor vouch- ifcto anfwer upon the importunity of Mr- Johnfony Johnfon^ and divers others ; I have lately written 3' i. i\rQ'^\y to Johnfon, 2. Afmall book in anfvver to one of 7our Papers, to prove that we have a certainty of Chrifiyimty without Fopery, 3. Inanfwer to another, a fmall Book called. Full and Eafy fat isfaB:ion which is the true Religion,] '' _vir.