THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF ILLINOIS 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 24-0 
 
 P38a 
 
 ' ^ mSTOftiCAl SLT.VEi 
 
 7 
 
/ * / ' ' ' 
 
 V. 
 
 N 
 
 / 
 
 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 f* 
 
 ■ ' 
 
 r ’ 
 
 
 . i ■' 
 
 
 
 i 1 ' '' 
 
 '‘ .V/' :.'• 
 
 > Iv, 
 
 \ 
 
 ,t 
 
 ■• ' ry 
 
 J ' ' 
 
 s 
 
 
 
 f 
 
 j 
 
 ) 
 
 ( 
 
 j 
 
 Vi. 
 
 I 
 
 j 
 
 % 
 
 :j ■. ; ■• 
 
 /J- 
 
 Vi 
 
 I'l ■ 
 
 \ 
 
 ^ ■ .-•;. .:s ■' 
 
 .4 5 .'(/■ . , .•■.> ^ 
 
 i, '- 
 
 i 
 
 ■\ 
 
 1 . • < . " N ' 
 
 I 
 
V 
 
 
 Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2018 with-funding from 
 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 
 
 0 
 
 https://archive.Org/details/addreSStOprOteStOOpenn_O 
 

 
 
 li. 
 
 

 . ^ df'P i’V , Hi Upllil tl;V Md(p: <c 
 
 
 
 ■"p Q 'f' 
 
 / 
 
 \ / Jp JiiL\( ff^iout jCilI ffjtil fiuiii ^ 
 
 S / ' ^ ^ — - / ■ • 
 
 UQt U I M&uX- ft //iV C/,’ . V 
 
 i/I 
 
 'f a n niii/f ir < 
 
 >,C'^ /-c:^ ' ^ 
 
 uitn noPhePi aiPeaOft ctdant^ ^ 
 
 
 // 
 
 ■ I 
 
 A 
 
 A 
 
 :/ 
 
 / 
 
 ' I 
 
 » 
 
 I 
 
 c- 
 
 
 
 / 
 
s/ 
 
 i; 
 
 ✓ 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
 
 
 f -<h 
 
 
 ) • 
 
 
 y 
 
 1 
 
 \ 
 
 
 % 
 
 / 
 
 y 
 
 
 / 
 
 
 'V 
 
 It 
 
 
 i 
 
 * 
 
 I 
 
 i 
 
 J 
 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 '\ 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 

 i,ir-cy ^ 
 
 
 I^^sj 
 
 Ca:i'trar(< -Moh'n 
 L ’ W/" c2y' n- 
 
 f cl'llran hfl'Hriiij f6 
 
 // ^ :^'/7 :?,' / 
 
 Cf / 
 
 y 
 
 - f 
 
 If 
 
 'k 
 
A N 
 
 ADDRESS 
 
 TO 
 
 PROTESTANTS 
 
 UPON THE 
 
 Prcfen 
 
 t 
 
 oniLinfture. 
 
 
 In II. Parts. 
 
 aTrotejlant,^A\i2im Penn. ^ 
 
 Printed in the Year 1^75?. 
 

 > i 
 
 ‘« 
 
 p 
 
 I 
 
 cfi 
 
 o 
 
 Sr 
 
 I 
 
 (U 
 
 r 
 
 (j) 
 
 
 40 
 
 TO TH E 
 
 REA 
 
 Sober %^ader) 
 
 • ^ 
 
 He Trefent Affairs oF this Kngdom are 
 _ upon a Strong and Z^nufual Motion to 
 what'Pomt they tend, or where they will Cen¬ 
 ter^ mull; reft with God, that Only is Omntjci- 
 ent. This makes i: Hard either to Wpte or 
 Speak', perhaps I fhall be able to do neither 
 without Difadvantage to my lelf ^ but 1 will 
 doit with as little to the Matter as I can. 'And 
 truly,I Fay it with fbme Comfort, the Clearing 
 of an O^preji^ yet ^^eaceable tonfcience pre¬ 
 vails more with me, than tne Safety oi Silence. 
 And yet I have no Reafon to think, there is an 
 Ha:^ard in theCafCjWhen thttubiuk Faft fecures 
 'the Undertaking; and that I am fure, I pro- 
 pofe nothing for my End befidesthe Glory of 
 Altntghty Godj the Good of Mankind^ and more 
 efpeciaily thsFeace and Happinejs of my own 
 
 - A 2 fowl try : 
 
 
 494fi?4 
 
/ 
 
 ( 4 ) 
 
 Country. In which if I fucceed not, k\$no 
 - more, chan whac hath befallen the Endea^oun 
 of Mefl Excellent Terfont: we muft not mca- 
 fure our Du:y by Succefs. Being therefore 
 not difeouraged in my felf, and having a - 
 ftron^Hope^ that Almighty God will favour 
 this Honeftwith his Bleifing. I bc- 
 feech thee, ^ader^ perufe it with a 
 and Compofed Mind^ and with that Sileeknejs 
 zndCbarityy which becomes a True ^roteftant 
 
 and a Chrijian to have. 
 
 Thine in Sincerity 
 
 W. Penn. 
 
 THE 
 
THE 
 
 CONTENT S- 
 
 READER, 
 
 Re»t Books feldona find Readers, and it may be the Times 
 
 may render this fuch ; for the motion of Affairs isfo fwift, 
 that Action treads hard upon the Heels of Writing, and there 
 is little time left to read-, befides, People had rather converfc 
 with the Living than the Dead, and fo all Books are to men in 
 bofinefs. This Refie^ion at firft danted me, the Tra^ being 
 thus grown under my hand; but believing what I have writ to 
 be both true and ufeful to our fo much nttdtd Civil and Ecciefi- 
 afiical Reformation, and takinfccncouragement by the ktnd 
 reception of fome former ElTays and Addreffes I made,! refolv’d* 
 to let it go,but with this care,that by prefixing Ciontents pag’d, 
 thou mayft readily turn to that part which may more immedi¬ 
 ately concern thee, or beft fuit and anfwer thy Inquiry. 
 
 The Contents in two Parts. 
 
 d TS5 Part I. 
 
 T f/elntrodu^ion*, if we believe a God and Providence, we 
 ought to furvey our ^Bions, more eJpeciaMy with rejpeB to the 
 frejent ConjuuBure. The danger of felf Flattery at fuch a time at 
 rAw,pagc5,6. 
 
 Five Crying Evils under the CorrtBion of the Civil Magifir ate. 
 
 The five Evils more Immediately relating to the State are, if, 
 Drunkennefs. zdly. Whoredoms and Fornication, idly, Er- 
 
 ( a ) cels 
 
^ The CONTENTS, 
 
 ccfb in Apparel, in Furniture and in Living. A^thly^ Profufe Gam¬ 
 ming. ^thly^ Oaths, Prophanenefs and Biaiphetny, page 7. 
 
 I. OF DRUNKENNESS. That it F'icUtesCj^ds Laws 
 
 rafionsgreat Mifehiefsy betrays Frier^djhipy viditffQfes to Euftnefy 
 depraves Humane Eaecy p. 7. Gods Woes again ft ity the diverfon 
 of too many abufe of Gods Merciesyit degrades men to 'Beajlsyip, S. 
 TheWantonnefs and Excefsof Drunkardsy p. 9. 
 
 II. OF WHOREDOMS AND FORNICATIONS,p.9. 
 
 England Degenerated from jintient Chaftityhy French Wanton^ 
 nefsy p. 9, ]0. 
 
 Marriage flighted*, the Extravigancy of thofe LoofeAiverSy 
 yet would he thought Chriftians : the Mifery that fcUorrs fuch in^ 
 jkf Latitudesy p. 11 . Religion is interejled CivilFoHcy to fupprefs 
 themy p. 11, 12. The Law and Judgment of Cod againfl fuch 
 PerfonSy p. 12 , i 3. ^ 
 
 • 
 
 III. The Third Crying Evf! in cur Land is EX CESS IN 
 APPAREL, IN.LIVING,* IN FURNITURE, p. 13,14. 
 
 ‘ The prefent Abufe of thofe things CentradiHs the End of them* 
 Fine Cloaths no true Quality or Honour, Dijfinilion confounded. 
 Effeminacy introduced'y it leads to Wafloy Prodgiality and Idlenefsy 
 p. 18. Cod'^s Reproof and Judgment Sy p. 15. The great Abufe of 
 an Efiate by P^'cluftuous Living. The Tanityof Eating and Eur^ 
 nitures. The Poor NtglePled^ Cods Dtfpleafure upon V^Auptuom 
 Mtny p.17,18. The Story of ]o\fb Chtidreny and Divesyprefiy 
 p. 19, 20. That men will reap what they few. The Felicity of the 
 Temperate^ The Mifery of the Luxurious. An Application to 
 the Civil Magi^r ate, to revive and execute the Laws, p. 22,23% 
 
 IV. A^hlyy THE EVIL OF GAMING ^ EpemytoBu- 
 
 fnefsy aConfumerofTimtyaThieftoFfiateSy the Ruin it brings 
 to Families. A difference betwixt this and other SinSy p. 24. An 
 * Enemy to Providence. Other Mifehiefsy p. 25. 
 
 V. The horrid Sin of OATHS, PROPHANENESS 
 
 and 
 
The CONTENTS. 
 
 and BLASPHEMY, p.25. T*he Prefumption mid ImfHdefice of 
 SweArerSy &c. p. 2-6. Not only tbs Rabhlcy bnt People of Gra¬ 
 vity And Power gnilty. Both Sexes gnilty. It infects Childreny 
 p. 27. /Jojp remote from ChriJPs Dollrtncy p, ^ 8. Aden tender 
 of their own Ndmesy not of Gods, Gods Prohibitionsy p« ^9. 
 
 Of prephAnenefsy it paffes for Witthe Folly as vcili h^'tlof 
 it. Men Abnfe their Wity toabufe him thatgAVe it themy p. 50. 
 j 4 general Dehor tat ion y p. 5 1. 
 
 An Addrefs to-the Magiftrates for Redrefs, upon Three 
 Bcdfons, i 
 
 FIRST, THE PRESERVATION OF THE GOVERN¬ 
 MENT V y^ice defrays it. The Strength, Wealth, InduAry-and 
 Txuihof the Kingdom are concernedy^, 33. Fice csft oHt the 
 anites, knin^d Saul, Enjlav^d the Jews to the Babylonians, p. 3 4 ^ 
 35, 36. f^ice preparedtbe^F[^y\ox)\ 2 in% to be Defir eyed by Gyrus, 
 p. 3 7, 3 8. The Perfians the fame way overthrown by the Greeks, 
 p* 39. The Reafon of the Creatnefs and Mifery of the Greeks 
 Republicky p. 40. How Grcce and the whole World fell into the 
 Lap of Rome. Her Virtue,Honefty,Courage and her Cue of 
 Youth, p.40,41. Her Overthrow. By what fhe defiroy^dher 
 own Peopley and fent for Sxi 2 LV\geis toProteSlherj p.41,4Z. ^Of 
 the Vandals m Africk Goths Spain: Oar Brittains and 
 S 3 iTCor\s at homey their rife and faHy and the plain caafes thereof 
 Virtue and Vice, andwhat has follow^ dwidfoSoWyp, ^2, 
 
 God minds not Sparrows more than Men, nor Private men more 
 than Governments. Superiors at helm have much to anf ver foryand 
 mujl anfwer at leafy p. 44. 
 
 The Second Reafn u THE BENEFIT OF POSTERITY. 
 No man cares to fee his Child f^itious. G ood Education y (f cod ChiT 
 dren\ a G oodTouth ,a G ood P eople y then ^oodGovernourSy p.4jf. 
 Education cjuite out of order 3 of the Gene us of our Nat ion y p. 46. 
 The Jefuits accurate for their own ends in this, p. 47,48. Pro^ 
 pofals for a better Education y p.49» As to Manners and Lear ningy 
 p. 49, 5 ^^ 5 ** T^hat it is under Godthe beji way to preferve the old 
 Government and Kingdom, p-5 2. 
 
 (a 2) 'The 
 
The CONTENTS. 
 
 'Tht Third mid Laji Rt*fm for the Supfrelfien of thefi five £- 
 vils it The Glory of God .• The Ingratitude of tkU Land. From 
 former Examples both dehorted and invited. No Vrofptrity if 
 Cj od be not on our fide. Then roe mufi Eye his Glory if toe will en- 
 g^e him. Our Sins our Enemies Strength. ’ 7 » our worldly Interefl 
 to fervt and fear God and avoid Evil. It makes befi for this 
 World, p. yi, 55, 54, 55^ 56. That though we uft means intbe 
 FrefentConjunIlure,yetthatoHrtrufi beinGod. The Story of Hi- 
 
 hcveh applied to our Condition, p. 57,5 8 . ad Prayer, p. 5 
 
 The Contents, Parr IJ. 
 
 F ive Capital Sins and Errors that relate to tht EctUfiafikal 
 State or Church Capacity of thefe Kingdoms. ^ 
 
 Firfi, Making Opinions Articles of Faith. 
 
 2dly, Miftaking the Nature of True Faith. 
 idly, Debafing the True Value of Morality under pretence 
 ©t higher things, Miftaking the End of Chrift’s Coming. 
 
 'A^hly, Preferring Humane Authority above Reafon and 
 Truth. 
 
 5 ffc/y, Propagating Faith by Force, and Impofing Religion 
 by Worldly Compulfion, p 61. Tlic Roman Church Mother 
 ‘of thefe things, yet Proteftants not clear, p. 61,62. 
 
 I. OF OPlNiONS GOING FOR FAITH, <Frov'd by 
 
 the Pralhce of fever al Parties of Proteftants, by the Controverfie 
 about Church-Government, p. 62, 6 ?. Next by the debates about 
 Free-wtH tn and fince the Synod o/Dort. The unnatural heats 
 that follow^d, p.64, 65. The Miferies of the Eajtern aurches in 
 the fourth and following Centuries about Opinions for pa th, p. 
 6 5,66. The expedient that rreuld have prevented this Mifchief 
 Wt. Plain and exprefs Scripture, no Comment, p.67. Theun- 
 r afonablenofs andprefumption of other Ways. The Language of 
 i he Revelation of God ficteft for me to exprefs nry Faith of that 
 
 Re VC- 
 
The CONTENTS. 
 
 Revelation in, p. 68,69. A cafe put *f the WHof a Dying JF4- 
 ther. The exprefsletter no Paraphrare, p. 69,70. The Glery 
 God, and Honour of the Scriptures, and Peace of the Chttreh 
 require Articles of Faith to be in the Words that Faith was firfi 
 de/tvered in, p 70, 71. Nice and unnectjfary ^uefiiohs, 
 h ave muth perplext the Church, and made vpay for Cretds 
 of Contention, p.72. AsChr\&\Atiiiy fophiiofiophy beforeit, by 
 fuch ffeculations Degenerated from Living to tS'rangling, p 73. 
 Truth obfeur’dandloft inthe Crorvdof Commentators. FolaminoHS 
 TraBs, afignef Vnclearnefs of Conception. The Writings of the 
 Evangelifts & Apoftles fewandfnad. The Prsfumptttoui Cnriofity 
 of menabotttGod,ChtiR,$[>nit,their Relations,<^c. p' 74 , 75 , 76 . 
 
 An Exhortationro¥rot€&Ants. 4 moderateufe of Paraphrafe, for 
 Edifcation allowable,not for Articles of Faith. The Devil Oppo¬ 
 nent and Defendent, p. 77. He manages mens pafflonstc his end. 
 Mifchkfs following the Trefumption, Fury and 'Vncharitablemfs 
 of men onthisfeore, p. 78. It had been happy if ther-e had been 
 no other Creed than what Chrift and his Apoftles left, p. 79. 
 
 II. The Second Evil, K MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE 
 
 NATURE OF GOSPEL FAITH. Such Faith is not only 
 net mens Opinions',but not the meer belief of the Truth or Authority 
 of S cripture, for the Devils do that and more, p. 80. Faith is 
 depending upon God doing his Wili,&c. that is the Faith the Jufi 
 lives byi p, 8 f . The various Appearances of God, and why, p. 82. 
 Cf Chrift two things are Important, his Authority his Go- 
 ftrine. Whence he came, and what he taught, and what it behoves 
 *uto be'ieve', with the judgment of of , fromp.^i, 
 
 to p. 97. What Chrift taught to be done as well as believeddrawn 
 into Fourteen Heads: a fummary of the whole in Two Heads. 
 Three Scriptures important re tisi point. A comparifon of Chrift and 
 his FoMowers. A Prayer, frotap. 97,10 p. ii6. 
 
 9 
 
 III. The Third Evil is A DEBASING THE TRUE 
 VA UE of morality , UNDER PRETENGE OF 
 INiCHER THINGS, MISTAKiNCi KHE VERY EN© 
 
 CHRIST’S COMING.' The Definition of Morality urt~ 
 
The C O H T E N T S. 
 
 f4^ionMe among thi Prophane Gallants. InjarM \iporfehyt89 
 narrow Profefors of Religion^ p. 116 , 1 17, 118 . Moral 
 Chriftians’^‘» a Scriptptrefenfe. Tho-jadgment of]. Hales ^^/Eatoa, 
 p, 119, 120, I 21, 122,123. '^Tisholy Life makes ths ChYi& 3Ln\ 
 not a Profejfion of the Hiflory of GhriftianitV, p. 123^ 124. A 
 Jealonfe of mens of the Endof Chrifis coming , it was to 
 
 learn men to efehew Evil and fave them as welifrom the commijfion 
 as guilt of Sin. Other Apprehenfions pernitious to Chriftianicy 
 and the Profejjors of it. Aden mujl he fudged by their Works tie 
 that commits fn is the Servant of Sin, Other pretentions and 
 claimsvain, p. 125, 126, i 27, i 28, 129, i 30, i 3 f, 13 2. Ad^ 
 vice, p. 133. 
 
 I V. The Fourth {(reat Ecclefa/lical Evil is PREFERRING 
 HUMANE AUTHORITY ABOVE REASON AND. 
 .TRUTH, p. 133. Prov^dy Firfl from Mens Opinions being made 
 Articles of faithy p. i 3 4 , t 3 5. Nexty the great power and fway 
 of the Clergy 13 6. The Canons of the Churchy the Decrees of the 
 T^rieftsy p. 137. The SPcopies implicite reverence and danger of 
 it. The degeneracy from the RefUrmationy p. » 37 >I 38 ,i 39 . The 
 punifhment of being a Bcrean, p. 140. The Mifchief of nar» 
 rovpnefs. The Apoflles latitudey p. 141, 142. Compare hU 
 largeneft with our limes. The Advice of the Old King to the 
 PrefentKing^ p. 142,143, Chrifi fubmits to Impartialinejuiry. 
 An impefing Churchy falfcy p. 144. The T^retences of the Roman 
 C hurch to Abnegation confidered y p. 144,145. No certainty in 
 that Religiony p.146. What is meant by believing at the Church 
 bclievesy and what is the Rule of her Faith mufi be their Rule that 
 believe hery p. 146, 147. The DoHrine Proteftantrs, andthe 
 reafen of that NamCy p. 148. The Tefimony of Scripture againfi 
 Impofiticny p. 149. Of the Church being the Rule and Judge of 
 Faithy p. 150. Of Chrif* swords Tells the Churchy p. 151, 152, 
 153. Of the wordC\\\ixc\i and its true extent y p. 154,155 The 
 ufe the Prieflhood has made of that Wordyand their Ordinationy p, 
 ^S 7 * judgment of that accute Italian ProPtfianty]siCo^ 
 
 busAcontius upon this Point, from p. 157, to p. 172. To this U 
 added the judgment of memorableHsilcs Eaton, and thecon^ 
 
 currance 
 
The CONTENTS. 
 
 tnrrence^f both tioofe Anthors in the ^reKt Points of the Chkreb 
 obfefv dy p. 172, to 176, More Scriptnres agair/ft Im^ofitton 
 and HsivtaneAhthority inKeligioriy p. 177,178, 179* AnOb^ 
 \eSlion of gredt Church-men anfwered ahokt the difficulty and 
 Judge of Scripture, 'Truth rewards Inquiry^ & makes amends for 
 the weaknefffes thatfclowsitjpA8o,^iSiy\S2y 183. The notion of a 
 vifble^JkdgCyto whom ad ought to fkhmit falfi in reafen either v^e 
 fliokld have had no Eyesy or vejhcuIdufethemyip.i'S^.yiS^, Se¬ 
 veral Scriptures to this Tcinty p. 1S5, 186. Of Ccnfciei.ccj and 
 it s bounds upon all men. Blind Obediencey no ConJcicr.ee, ISJo Con- 
 fcience no Many and fo no Ghriftian. Folly no piece of Religiony 
 And iftrufling men had been r oiv requiredy our condition had been 
 worfe than beforey p.186, 187, 188. Impofition inconjijlent with 
 mans Creation, Give Reafon or voork^ Miracle's, If the underJl and- 
 ing u mijlahen it may be rcSiiftdy but no under (landing can r.exer be 
 eonvineedyp 188, \^9-The lafi Argument againji Impofticnissid ho- 
 n)incmy from the Tranfation of the Scriptures y ^tis an appeal 
 the People then they not to he punifot for ufing them, If punijlj^ty 
 Proteftants, //^Papifts. The Conclufon of this Pointy p. 189, 
 190,191. 
 
 V. Thelajl Ecclefiajlical Evily is PROPAGATION OF 
 Faith by force, fad experience in our ownLandy 
 
 p. 192,195.0/zib^ things of Cafar and (?/God. What are Caefar’s 
 things Anfwer^d,The mtfehief that attendsCivil Government yWhere^ 
 k Perfecutes for Reltgiony in feveral refpeSlsy p. 194, 195> J96, 
 Arguments againJl it. ift, It dejlroys Property 3 to prtfrve 
 which Government was inf ituted. 2dly, It attributes more to 
 Church State. Sdly, It narrows and confounds Civil Go^ 
 vernmevst, 4thly, ^Tisunliki Godsgoodnefs. 5thly, It difcou- 
 rages Strangers. 6thly, Such Conformity helps not good Lifcy 
 or theTrade or Intereft of the Kingdom, ythly. It expofes them 
 that prctePl by their Labours the Government, , ^ is only 
 
 for a Modification, and not Religion it felfiy Fundamentals 
 greedu^on, 9thlyj Su&h cruelty bars aH further difeovery frofru^ 
 hence, i cthly, It fiifles Sincerity Hypocritesy and catches 
 good People, iithly. It is the way to Atheifm, in that it endea¬ 
 
 vours 
 
The C O N T E N T S. 
 
 ^eurs toextmgttijh the fenfe ef Cenjeienee. 12thly mi laftiy^ Je 
 ii d wdy that never Succeeiedy from p, 196^ t$ p. 202. 
 
 Of a Church Evangelical, mi its Fovser, p. 2©3*. Chrifis 
 $iptcchufonthU Text My Kingdom is not of this World, p. 
 203. Of binding and leofing, no Chains or Dungeons, The Nature 
 of Gojpel Weaponsy and Warfaresy p. 204,205, 2c6. ^S'everai 
 Scriptures difclaimwg all Coertion about Religiony p. 207,208, 209. 
 Of the Nature of the Apofiolick-Church-Governmenty & therein of 
 Hereticks,^ their punifhment.Of the GofpelMildnefs'^y & thepre^ 
 fent Cruelty. An Exhortation to Proteftants upon this account yjhew- 
 ing how much this oppofes Gods love to mankindy Chrifis DoSlritte 
 & ExampUyand Principles of Proteftants. A Book^offBiJhof 
 Taylor, and a difeourfe of J.TiWotCon recommendedy that all A- 
 nimofuiesbelaidaficytheprefent providence reverenced andpur* 
 fued.The befi way of doing ityby aftotcA^^nt Vnion 0 keepingajufi 
 Badance in the civil G overnment y a t oiler ation of tender and peace- - 
 ahleConfciencCy 'andpunifitnent of ad Impietyy fromp-i^9, to p. 
 230. 
 
 / 
 
 jin Appendix ef the Caufes «f TerfecHtiotJ. They are [even. The 
 firft, Want of Religion at Heart. The fecond, Miflaking the Na¬ 
 ture of Chrifis Church and Kingdom. The thied. That too many 
 things are made neceff'ary to be believed. The fourth, Is the freju- 
 %ceof Education. Tifee fifth, Alens Self love and Imfatitncy of 
 contradiBion. The fixth, Mens miftake about the word Religion, 
 accounting divers Opinions divers Religions, which is not true. 
 7l)f feventh and iifi is, That Holy living is not made neceff'ary 
 to, or the rule of happy and comfortable living, therefore good Men 
 that are Diffenters, are iH ufed, when ill Men that are Confermifti, 
 arecherijht and rewarded, p. 229, to p. 147. 
 
 ’ The judgment of King James and King Charles the frfi, 
 edtout PerfecHtioH, p. 147,148. 
 
 A N 
 
A N 
 
 T O 
 
 PROTESTANTS 
 
 UPON THE 
 
 A/v Friends und Country men ^ 
 
 I F ye believe, that there is a God, th it he is 
 
 and Gfod, that he Made us, that we Owe our 
 felves to him, & that he is not Carcltfs of us^but 
 the Con lant Obferver of our Thoughti and Anions •, 
 and that as he is the Rewarder of them that/f4r, love 
 and obiy him, fo he is the (evere Punifher of all fuch 
 as tranfgrefs his Law, and break his Righteous Com¬ 
 mandments; if (Ifay) ye believe thefe things, and 
 not only, that there is a Final Bay of Recktr,i»gf but 
 that God even in this World recompences his 
 rnents upon theWicked,and '^\^\tNAtions with his hot 
 Difpleafurc becaufe of their//»/>/Vjf^(which hath been 
 the Experience and ConfefSon of ail Ages) then it 
 
 belongs 
 
belongs to us of thefe Kingdoms to reflet upon our 
 fclves, and to take a true of our Actions, fince 
 Divine Kengeance is at the door. And for the Lords fake, 
 let lis have a Care in the doing of it,Once God will not 
 be mocked-, and that our mifearriage in fuch an Inquiry 
 will be as only our own Infelicity, fo of infinite Mo¬ 
 ment to us. I maft needs be Plain and Earneft here 5 
 for if we mifearry in the Searoh, we ftiall certainly 
 mifearry in the Cure. Sin gives the deadlieft of all 
 Wounds CO Nlankind ; I grieve to fay it, but ’tis too 
 truej there is no Wound lb flightily healed: we ra¬ 
 ther feek our £4/ir, thin OUT Secaritjt, like thole Fools 
 that love the plcAfente^^ not the frfeft Potions, It is ill 
 at all times, to flatter a Man’s but it is moft Fatal 
 about Re-pentATice : Something men would keep,lome- 
 thing men would hide 5 and yet they have to do with 
 that Seurcher of HeartSf from whom its impoflible 
 vhey Ihould hide any thing. This Fofly increafes our 
 Account, endangers our Cure and makes our Condi¬ 
 tion Defperate, if not Ir recover able. 
 
 O England.my Native Country, Come, to Judgment.^ 
 bring thy deeds to the true Light ; fee whether they arc 
 wrought in God or no. Put not off thy felf with Hayy 
 Straw and Stumble -, for they will burn, and the Fire is 
 at the Door., that will confume them.: he is coming, 
 whofe Reward is with him, and will give; every one 
 according to his Works. Let. us th^rchre Examine 
 ourfelves, Try our fclves. Prove our own fejvcs^ w he* 
 ther Chrifl: be in us ornot^ if his Spirit., h\s Nature^ 
 h'\s Meeknefs., his Patience., his gtQit Se/f.denyal dwtli 
 in us 5 ifnot, weare yet Reprobates, yetundertfie 
 Reproofs of the Almighty-, the Charge and of 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 Sin *, and his WitncTs in our own Confcicnces fends 
 up Evidence to Heaven againft us every day; this I 
 jnftly fear and take to be our Cafe. Let us therefore 
 ftridfly look into our Converfations, and with an im¬ 
 partial Eye take a view of thofe Sins,that rnoft feverc- 
 ly Cry to the Great againftus. And they ap¬ 
 
 pear to me to be of Two Sorts •, the one relating more 
 particularly to the siate^ the other to the Church (if I 
 may without Offence ufe that DiflinBion)iQv my Wit- 
 nefs is with God,I intend not Provocation_,but Edifica¬ 
 tion. 
 
 Thofe Impieties that relate more particularly to the 
 State tocoryeOrjare Drunkennefs^ Whoredoms and Forni¬ 
 cation Excefi^ in Affarel) in Furniture and to Living ; 
 Profufe Gaming ^ and finally Oaths^ Prophanenefs and 
 Blache my, 
 
 Drunkennefs^ or Excefs in Drinking, is not only a 
 violation of Cod^s Lau>yh\s\. of our own Natures 5 it doth 
 of all other Sins rob us of our Reafon, deface the 
 Impreffions of Vertue^ and extinguifh the Remem¬ 
 brance of God’s Mercies and oor own Duty; It 
 fits men for that, which they would abhor, if Sober. 
 Thcl/icefij Murder^ Robberies^ Fires othtiViSa- 
 nieSf that have been done in Drunken FitSy make 
 Drunkennefs a Common Enemy to Humane Society. 
 It renders men unfit hi Trufi or Bufinefs^ it tells Se- 
 cretSy betrays Friendfisipy difpofes men to be 
 ded and Cheated: Finally, it fpoils weakens 
 
 Humane Race^ and above all provokes the ^ujl jjr, ,0 
 God to Anger y who cried thus of Old ; Wo to 13 7.' 
 
 /Aif Drunkards <j/Ephriamf Drunkards * 
 
 •f 
 
(S) 
 
 of Ephriarn fhiii he trodden under feet : they b*ve erred 
 through Wine, and through Strong Drink are out of the 
 ty*y ; the Prieji and the Prophet have erred through 
 Strong Drink, they erred in Vfton^ they fumble in Judy-- 
 rnent. Again, n-'o unto them that are Mighty to drink 
 K’ine^ a>-fd men of frength to mingle ftrong drink, tvo 
 unto them that rife up early in the Mornings that they 
 
 ftrong drink •, that continue until nighty tii 
 
 Wine inflame them : and the Harpy and the Fiof the 
 Tabret and the Pipe^ and wine are in theirFeajls •, but they 
 regard not the Work of the Lordj neither confider the O 
 feratiom of his handsr Therefore Hell hath enlarged 
 her felf and opened her Mouth without meafure, and their 
 Glory and their Multitudey and their Pomf^ and be that 
 reioyceSy fhali defeend into it. 
 
 Yet you will bear me witnefs I do not wrong the pre- 
 fent Humir of too many in this Nationymd thofe not of 
 
 I he loweft Quality yin faying, that it is too often the be¬ 
 ginning and top^of their Friendjbip : it is their Common 
 l^iverfion and Enrerrainment, I might fafcly fay, the 
 P )or of England could be maintain’d by their Excefs. 
 Oh I hath the God of Heaven given men Plenty iov 
 
 .fioh Ends ? or wilithb kind of Improvement of their 
 Worldly Talent g\v& them Peace ia the Day of Judg¬ 
 ment f But that men thould do all this without ftiame, 
 nay, glory in it too, is greatly to be lamented 5 for ’tis 
 not only Appetite, but the Vanity of Conqueft ex¬ 
 cites not a few, as if it were matter of Triumph to 
 Drown a Man’s Reafon, and to Degrade him to the 
 « Bead. Let us hear upon the whole 
 
 ^ matter the Sentence pronounced a- 
 
 3O5 3^5 3 ^: 33- gainftthem by the Wife Manj Who 
 
 hath 
 
bdth 1^9I9k9 hath Strrtrv *. x»bo hath CententioHs ? 
 wb* hath Babling < who hath Wounds without Caufa ? whs 
 hath Rsdnefs of Eyes •: They that tarry long WIN E, 
 they thatf^o to feek ntixt WINE. Look net then uPen 
 /-&<rW INEj when it it Red, when it giveth hit Colour in 
 the Cuy, when it moveth it [elf aright 5 At the la^ it hi- 
 teth like a Serpent, and fingeth like an Adder, Thine 
 Eyes [had behold Jirange fvemeiij and thine Heart [bad ntr 
 
 in ?. 
 
 Here is mach vof the Mischief ol 
 Httie. tc F.x-k.'s jri4 
 ard, Bui' Ji J cvci' any Age coi7ie D'-jnr ourfij the 
 very Tafting Oi the ic'/eral il-irtsoi' ri^mc (that an: ii- 
 lierallv druni: ■■ f ai raanv Ta* Irs'i is s'nongh to difierai' 
 p«r a Teir.pm’.'V-.o ? 3ut J-iat (lach ExceiTss lliouid 
 Le, whi'C r u ' Backs oi' the Poor are almoft Naked, anti 
 their Bellies iroierably pinch’d with Hunger, is almoft 
 at great a fnaroe to oim pretccces to Policy, as thofe 
 (I iear) we Unwarrantai;Iy make to BMigitn, Oh 1 
 thatwe werg httorecciv'etfiat Heavenly Exhortatic ,1 
 oftheAp-ftkj, Be mtV>nmk.witlH^\v'X) siherein it 
 Excefs 5 but be fded with the Spiritj (but God knows j 
 this is mockt at. He goes on) (peaking to your (dve: 
 UKjt in Lanspoens nor obfeene Songs, that excite L .n%., 
 but) in-Pfa/ms, and Hymns and fpir itsal'S'jHgs, 
 and making Melody in your Hear t ss the Lord, rivi*-'^ 
 'Thanks always for xdthbigs Unto Ted a^dthe FAhcf, ^ 
 fii-i Name o f cur Lord fejiu Chrij'l. 
 
 _ • * ■' - * » ' 
 
 The Ne xt crying Sin is’iliabof rvhredom aeg '■‘i'- y:', 
 
 fathn.VHm esdays iljeCioaiiil Pecpk -ydci'l K ■ ■, 
 yfcar we are Oocr-vtic oae of tbv; msIt.THchrd:'’. J t irci' ’>• 01 . 
 
about Lofidoft.) The French have fumciently revenged 
 themfelves upon us by the lotje Manners they have 
 brought amongft us, of which this makes a great 
 part; but I muftneeds fay to their Credit, they 
 keep their Wits in their Dehaucheries^ whilft we by 
 Over-doing them in the Imitation of them lofe both, 
 VVhat is become of that Antient Education of the King¬ 
 dom? our Integrity^ Gravity and Manhood-^ which 
 gave our Men fo great Reputation in the World, 
 is it not turn’d into Swearing and Drinkings Fidling and 
 Dancings fine Cloaths^ a Duel and a wench ? their Fro- 
 fhanenejs is their Wit, and their hafe Crafts muft be 
 called Folicy. But where is that Retired Mreeding^which 
 wade our Women as famous for their Virtue^ as they 
 were always held for their Reauty f alas / there hath 
 been a fort of Induftry ufed to fubdue their Native Mo¬ 
 de fly if it were an indecent thing to have it, and Arts 
 praQifed to make them Hardy againft their own 
 Elufhes^ and mafter their fhy and bafhful Difpofition 
 (fo peculiar to Chaftity) into an Unconcerned Conf- 
 dence : as if it were their Perfeftion to be Infenfihle of 
 any ill, and to be Tame at all things. Strange 1 that 
 Sobriety (hould be turn’d into levity 1 and Luft called 
 Love! and Wantonnefs, good Humor \ to introduce 
 which, nothing hath been fo Pernitious, as the Ufe of 
 Flays and Romances amongft us, where the warm and 
 uneven Fafjions of our Youth, cafily tranfported beyond 
 the Government of their Reafon,hdive been mov’d and 
 excited to try that inEarneft, which they have fecn in 
 Jeft. 
 
 But which way foever this Ungodly Latitude came 
 in, certain it is, that what forty years not fit 
 
 to 
 
to be named, is now pradifed without any Scruple. 
 Marr/agfjWhich is Gods or^inunce^^ as lovely to ChAjle 
 Minis as lawful, is now grown a Dull Thing, old and 
 clomiih, kept up only for iffue, and that becaufe the 
 Law will have it fo 5 A fort of Formality not yet 
 thought fit to be abrogated, fo that, what was once 
 ordained of God for Many other and Comforts, 
 and permitted by the Holy Apoftlc to prevent Lull 
 ( Better MArry than Burn) is by the Extravagant Growth 
 of Vice turn’d to quite the Contrary. For fomc Men & 
 (which is worfe) fome Women too, have faid. They 
 could love their wives and Husbands, if they were not 
 their Wives and Husbands ;(tho that be the true Reafon, 
 why they ought to love them) It is in ftiort to fay: If 
 they were in that Condition, in which they ought not 
 to love them, they could love them 5 but being in that 
 Condition, in which they ought to love them, they 
 declare, they cannot love them: Yet Alas I Chrifiians, 
 & Children of God: what a lhame is this, & Scandal to 
 Society ! But for God’s fake, let this Impiety be laid 
 to Heart! let not the Marriage Bed be fo horribly de^ 
 filedl let not out Firginshc fobafely abufedl It de- 
 ftroyes Honour, Fortitude, Health ; it pollutes Houfes, 
 and makes the IlTue of the Nation Spurious; It occa- 
 fions great Unkindneflfs. Rents, Confufionsand Di. 
 vifions in Families Husband and JVife,Parents 
 
 and Children, MaJlers,MifiriJles and Servants : it fpots 
 theirNaihe} but above all, thcpoorC^//ir^»areun- 
 happy*,that wear anthey never deferved. In 
 fine, it teaches Toung-men to flight Marriage, and Mar-- 
 tied Men to break their CantraHs : If Religion were not 
 intereftedin it, yet the Breed of the Nation is Vifibly 
 
 B 2 injur’d 
 
V 
 
 (n) 
 
 iaiurd byit. Good Horie-mcn ire more Nice ind 
 Careful in their Sfuds^ the Policy of the Nation is 
 concern’d in preventing the Mifehiefs, that follow 
 fuch LicentioHs Vrs^Hces. But if we will confidcr tht 
 ftiare that Reli^io» has, both in Virginity and in Marri, 
 Age^ we fliall find many fevere Sentences pift upon the 
 Violators of them. Thou (bait not commit Adultery 
 
 P nrl rt r Adulterer (bai be fut 
 
 X .2 . .4. faith the fame God: 1 will be s 
 
 -. ^ frvift Witnefs againfl the Adulterer, faith 
 
 , j the Lord. Know ye not, that the Un- 
 
 ^ ^^ ’ righteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of 
 
 .p.20.ch,3,i7. miihcrVoi- 
 
 ricators_, nor Idolaters, Adulterers, nor Effeminate 
 perfons, nor Abufers of themjelves with Mankind. And 
 the H )ly Apoftle gives the Rcafon, The Body is not 
 Fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the 
 Body : Know ye not (faith he) that your Bodies are the 
 Members of Cbrijl f (hall / then take the Members of 
 Chriji, and make them the Members of an Harlot ? Cod 
 forbid! flee Fornication : he that committeth Fornicati* 
 on, flnneth egainfl his own Body, v/hat ! (faith h^flnow 
 ye not, your Body is the Temple of the Holy Choji, which h 
 i&you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own ? for 
 ye are bought with a Price 5 ‘thereforeglorifie God in your 
 Body and in your Spirit, which are God's, if Any Mam 
 deflle the Temple of God, him (had Cod dejlroy. O can 
 ixsa profefs to believe thefe things, and lead that 
 wretched Life they live / But yet again hear this 
 Man of God: But Fornication and aHUncleannefs or 
 €oveto'r^(iiefs let it rot be once named amongfl van, , ;j I t- 
 camtth diints 5 neither Fiithineis, nor fcfl’jb Tr'king 
 
 nor 
 
(n) 
 
 »or Csnvtnitut 5 kni r 4 thir giving 
 
 •f Thanks, F«r this ye knowyhat no W horemongcr,*#r 
 Unclean pcrfon, mr Covetous fn*n^ rvhok snldoUtefy 
 hath any inheritance in the Kingdom cfchrifi and Cod. 
 Let no man deceive you with vain Words j for hecauje of 
 tbefe things comcth the Wrath of Cod upon the Children of 
 Difohedience : Ze not ye therefore fertakers with them, 
 and have no fellowjbip with the Unfruitful Works of Dark - 
 nefs but rather reprove them : See then that ye walk 
 Circumj^etily^ not as Tools, but ns Wife, redeeming the 
 Time, becaufe the Dayes are Evil. {Ephef 5, 5,4^ 5, 5 , 
 7, II, 12,15) 16.) I (hall Conclude with thefc two 
 Ptflages ; Marriage is Honorable in all, and the Zed Un¬ 
 defiled-, Whoremongers Adul- 
 tcrers God willjudge I The other is this .* o ^ ^ o’ 
 
 But the Fearful and Unbelievingf and the ' 
 
 Abominable and Murtherers, and Whoremongers, and. 
 Sorcerers, and Idolaters, and all Lyars fbad have their 
 partinthe Lake, which burneth with Fire and Brimjlone, 
 which is the Second Death. This alone ought to deter all 
 People, who have any refpeGt for Holy ScripturCjand 
 do believe the Mind of God to be declared thercin.Let 
 
 then both Cities, Courts, Bmfes and Streets be fvvept 
 offuch Iniquity; let the Law have its courfe, let not 
 God be provoked to deftroy us: and let all fuch turn 
 to God by unfeigned Repentance; that Sobriety, Cha- 
 fiity and Vertuous Ccnvtrfation may return again a- 
 mong us; fo (hail we efcapethe Wrath, that for this 
 with otherEnormities is ready to break out againft us^ 
 
 The Third Crying Sin of this Land is, its Great Ex- 
 ti ff and .that in (everal Kinds ; Apparel, in Farm- 
 
 ture, 
 
tare^ In An Excefs is the Mifuftjtg of any 
 
 thing, by not obferving a Moderation; that which is 
 lawful in it felf, may be Al^ufed in the Ufe of it. What 
 is more Allowable, yet what is more Abufed than 
 €loths and v^i^uuls i The End of Apputcl is to cov^er 
 Nakednefs, keep People Warm, Diftinguifh Sexes; 
 but the End is perverted: kis ufed more for Or»a-> 
 ment^ for Tridej for to beget Efitem and to draw 
 Honour to the Perfon that wears it:A Mcanjan Effe¬ 
 minate, a Wretched way to Honour 5 yet fuch was the 
 EoRy of the Age.^ that few things are yet more Reve¬ 
 renced ; it opens Doors, gets Accel’s^, obtains Dif- 
 patches, carries away the Cap and the Knee from moft 
 other Pretences. The Truth is, this ranity abufes 
 the Reafoa of Juft RefteB : for True Quality, if plain, 
 is not to be known among Fine Cloths. But it does 
 not only Confound all Reafonable Eiftinclion^ and 
 thofe £ 7 iz^// Degrees that are among People 5 but it be¬ 
 gets Pride : they think themfelves fame Body^ if they 
 ztQ.Fine-^ Plain Cloths muft give them thefT^j-and 
 the Wall^ and keep its Diftance too. It introduces 
 Effeminacy^ and excites to Wantonnefs; it provokes 
 to Prodigality , and leads People to Idlencfs. Bur 
 there is a fort of Aiadnefs in it too; for ’tis not fo much 
 the Apparel,as the not the Cloths, but the 
 
 Cut) the Modiy the Figure ; and as often as this chan¬ 
 ges, Cloths grow Ufe/efs^ that are not half worn out. 
 This is an Iniquity againft the Good of the Govern-{ 
 ment^ as well as againft God ; and there is fo ftronga 
 Temptation in it, that not a Few turn Naught to be 
 Fine, as well as the Fine turn Naught. In fhort,there 
 is no Good, Prudence or Conveniency in this Excefs ; 
 
 the 
 
(IS ) 
 
 the Law of Coi and of the Lani is againft it: The third 
 Chapter of ll^Uh is almoft intirely employed 
 againft it, in which God does not only rebuke 
 the Hiughty Lfoks, the WAnttnEyes and Enticing Mean 
 and Behavicur of the Women of thofe Times 5 but 
 declares his Refolution to ‘‘Take away the Bravery 
 “ ef their Ornaments, Chains, Bracelets,Rings, Jew- 
 “ els and Changeable Suits of Apparel, and that their 
 Perfume fhould be turned into a Stink, and inftead 
 “of a Girdle there 111ould be a Rent, and inftead of 
 “ Well-fet Hair Baldnefs, and inftead of a Stomacher 
 “ a Girding of Sack-cloth, and Burning inftead of 
 “ Beauty. Thy Mea {[aid God) (hall fall by the Sword, 
 “and thy Mighty in the War : and her Gates ftiall 
 “ lament and mourn ♦, flie being defolatCjlhall fit upon 
 “ the Ground. 
 
 This was alfo the Sin of Tyrue^ as ye may fee Ezeki 
 "27. For fomy and Bride flie excelled in thofe days ; ftie 
 boajiedinher Splendor and fumptnom Livings, her Build¬ 
 ings were Lofty^ her Farniture stately^ her Apparel 
 Cojlly: but her End rvxs Terrible^and her Deftrn&^ion ve¬ 
 ry Great, And God exprefly threatens by his Prophet 
 Zephaniah 5 I willpunifb the Princes and the Kings Chil~ 
 dren^and ak that are clothed with ft range Apparel. What 
 is this firange Apparel ? is it New Fajhions ? then wc 
 are guilty with a witnefs. Or is it the Fafliions of 
 ftrange Countries ? it is ftill our own Cafe .• We have 
 been laore Careful t© receive the Law from France for 
 our Clothes, than fromChrift for our Converfation 5 
 and fo Prevalent is the Humor of that Country with 
 us, and Powerful the Ayendant it hath over us, that 
 wc feera to be French-Men^ only we live in England^ 
 
 But 
 
C i6) , 
 
 But in this, as alfo ia all other things the Cbrijti4» 
 lifieg excels, and that for the Good oi civil Society : 
 It reproves this Excefs, limits the Vain Mind ot Man^ 
 and teaches that decent Plainnefs, which becomes the 
 Providence and Gravity of Civil Government. Hear 
 the Language of the holy Apoftles, in vvhofe Doftrinc 
 
 Tim •» pretend to believe,- / will therefore 
 
 t im. .. that fVemen adernthemjelves 
 
 in Modeft Apparel^ with shamefacednefs and 
 Sobrietyj net with Breidered Hairy or Goldy or Pearls.^ or 
 Cofly Array 5 hut (irdich hecometh Women Prvfeflr^y 
 
 • Gtdlwefs) with ered Works. The lame 
 
 * * d:rine is repeated by the Aroflle Peteryss’hy 
 
 fpeaking to the Chrifikn-mmeny to whom 
 he wrote •, Let mt your Adorning be in th.it Outward Ad 
 dimming of Platingthe Mak) and of wear mg cf Held, or 
 of y at ting on of Afpar el 5 bat let it he the hidden Man of 
 the heart in that which is not corruptible, even the Orna¬ 
 ment of a Meek and Quiet Spirit, which U in the fight of 
 God of great Price: For after this manner in thfO/^ 
 Time the holyWomen alfo^who trufied in Godyadirned them- 
 felves. Would to God I I could fay for the Women of 
 cur AgeSj, that they tnifted in God too, and adoi nccl 
 themfsives with no other Ornaments, than what a- 
 greed with the Medefi and Humble Plainnefs of thefe 
 Chriftian Times. 
 
 But the Law of the Ler/d as w dl as thv 
 Zita? reproves this Extefs, they or;ly want to be re* 
 freflit and inforced by the Care ofour *, were 
 
 they StriH'y put in EXecutsen ,h •vtoadd not only prer'frd 
 much Mischief, enereafe the Wcihl) of ri’c KTii?,-’ 
 
 J t > 
 
 d. m, bur make Private Men in s iff*!'' imci ti: ...■ k the 
 
(l?) 
 
 ' JuJi Severity 0^ the Government. For it \vi!I help t® 
 keep them within Compas^ to preferve (vv hich is one 
 way toenereafe) theit Ejiate, to enlarge their Trade, 
 provide better for their Children, and open their hands 
 more Liberalij to the Pe^r : And this I am fure, God 
 requires at our Hands. 
 
 What I have faid againft' Excefs in Apparel^ Js alfo 
 applicable to Excefs in Furniture s. For as Finery is more 
 ; valued than Clothes, fo is the Furniture, than the 
 ' Boire. Is it notan Jnexcu^Able Superfluity, to beUow 
 EflAte Wills, dttis Cabinets, embroider 
 
 with an Hu.ndred other unpropaUe Pieces of State? 
 f'ich as MaiTy Plate, Rich chiny, Coftly Figures and 
 VnutQA Winders)s ofsvoufein the Earthy, only for Show 
 hindsight: the intsnfl of which Money lb ill em- 
 ployedj might probab ly Maintain the Peoro^ a Nu¬ 
 merous Pariih. O Lord God i haft thou given us 
 Plenty, and lliould we fee others Want? Ihouldwe 
 clothe our Dead WaUs, and let thy Poor go Naked ? 
 Can we feed our Eyes with thefe Obje^s, and not 
 feed ths Hungry with Bread i and fpend our Money 
 upon Lifelefs PiElurts, but ftiut up our Bowels to thy 
 “Living Image, the ?eor and Needy of the Earth ? 
 “ Rebuke this Evil Mind, ttnd' bring do vn the Pride of 
 [[allFle^, O Lord ! for thy Name’s fake. 
 
 The Lafl Excefs is that of Fealling, and Folupueuf. 
 nefs. Immoderate Eating and Drinking, with that 
 ft rain of Mirth and Jollity, which is the Mode and 
 Pra£l:ice of the Times. Dives\s alraoft got into eve¬ 
 ry Family, erpecially thofe of Note and Efface: it is 
 Want YFtalth, and n^t Will, that the GreateftPart 
 . C of 
 
08 ) 
 
 of the Nation is not guilty*, they moftly fin to their 
 Ability: that is fad 1 But the Sin of Folu^mt^'^nefs is 
 fwelTd to that Bulk, that there arc snore Receipts for 
 Eating and Drinking, than there are Precepts of Life 
 in the Old and New Law: the Book of Cookery is 
 grown as big as the Bible , and I fear, read^ to be 
 furc, prAclifed oftner. In this Art the Lufi of the 
 flefh is deeply concern’d •, there is not fo much Care 
 of the Stomach as of the PaUte^ of Health as Plea, 
 jure: ’tis the Tafle, the the that makes 
 
 the Visuals go down 5 therefore the SAwce is prefer¬ 
 red before the Meat, Twelve-penny worth of Flcfh 
 with Five Shillings Cookery may happen to make 
 zFAjhionable Dijh plain Beef -Mutton^ or any other 
 thing is become Dull Food: But by that time its Natu¬ 
 ral ReliiJy is loft in the Crowd of the Cook’s Inaredi- 
 entSy and the Meat fufficiently difguifed to the Eaters 5 
 it pafles under a French Name fdr a very Good Dijb, 
 But there is one thing in this Impiety more than ordi¬ 
 narily Condcmnable ^ it deftroycs Hofpitali’-y and 
 wrongs the Poor: For that Expence, which is now 
 flung away upon a Vicious Palate.^ upon a French Soup or 
 Sawce^ in former Times afforded fevcral Dilhes of 
 fubfiantial Vicluds •, which did not only feed Strangers 
 ®r Neighbours, but the Poor^ w'ho have now little 
 more than (what the Dogs had then) Empty Difhes to 
 lick. This is Abufing the Providence of GodjTyranni- 
 zing over the Creatures made for man’s Ufc, and fa- 
 crificing their Poor Lives not to our Livesy but to our 
 Lujls: ’Tis againft fuch as thefe,that the Creation groans, 
 and from whofc Intemperance it cries to be delivered. 
 
 God 
 
Gen. 6. 
 Mat. -^4* 
 37 > 38 , 39 . 
 
 09 ) 
 
 God in all Ages hath had a Controverfie with Fo- 
 Men, and the Teftimonics ol jacred Records 
 are Str. ng and Numerous againft them: I'will men¬ 
 tion a few ot them. Volu^titou’fnel^vf^s the Sin ot the 
 OUWrdd-i, thty 'WQVQ Eating and Drinktfsgy Marrying 
 and gi'ving la Marriage^ ^leafing the Lt$[i 
 pf the Eye^ the Lnjl of the Elcjh^ and the 
 Fride of Life^ until the Dayoi the Flood. 
 
 This all’o was the Condition of Sodom 5 
 Chrift himfelf has expreit it in thefe w*orcs: In the 
 Dayesof Lot they did eat^tb^J drank, they jq . 
 
 Loight, they fold they f Unted, they bniUcd', Ly}.g ,2. 
 the fame Day, th r Lot went o:tt of Sodova, 28,29. 
 it rained Fire and Brimjlone (tom Hea'ven, 
 anddejiroyedthem all. The Prophet Ez^ekielhis it in 
 
 thefe Words, Ipeaking to Jeru'alem •, Re- £^^1 
 hold., th.s WM the Iniejuitv of thy S/ferSo- cq. 
 dom, Pride, Fulnefs^/Bread and A un- 
 dar.ce of Idlcnefs waa in her and her Daughters ; nef 
 they didfje Ftrengthen the Hand of the Poor and Needy, 
 and they were Haughty, and committed Abomination be¬ 
 fore me •, therefore I took them away, as I faw good. And 
 it is very Remarkable, that the FAuptuou:nefs of the 
 Jjrselites vs as jtjyned with their Idolatry. It is faid, 
 that wh( n Mofs was in the Mount, the People Impa¬ 
 tient of fiis Stay (at down to Eat and to . 
 Drink.^ and rofe up to Play: they had got 
 zCalf of Geld, and were Dancing about it. But it 
 was a Difmal BaB,md they paid dear for their Junket - 
 for feveral Thoufands were Slain : and it is faid, That 
 Cod Plagued the People, ^of % Children had as Ill 
 Succeis in their they vient from -r . 
 
 Houfe to Heuje gating and Drinking', and a 
 
 C 2 Tempe j# 
 
( 20 ) 
 
 7 erf,f(P ro[e^A!td f?note the Four Corners cf the Hcaf'e and 
 KiSdthcm. But moft exprefs is that Complaint of 
 God by the Mouth of the Prophet the 
 
 Vtlupuctu J^ews : Te that pit fo far may the Evil Day^ 
 and caufe the S eat of Fiolence'te ceme near 5 that lie upon 
 Beds of Ivory and ftretch themfe/ves upon their €ouche.%^ 
 and eat the Lambs out of the Flockj and Calves out of the 
 midf of the StaU. That chant at the Sound of the Viof 
 ana invent to themfelves Inf ruments of ALufd’ like Dl- 
 Arjos6.3, vid : that drink Bowls of Wine ana anoint 
 4, 5,6, 7. thcmfelves with the chief Ointments but 
 &ch. 8.10. they are not grieved for the Affliciion of Jb- 
 feph. Therefre now (hall they go Captive with the Firfij 
 that go Captive^ and the Banquet of themy that Hr etched 
 themfelves'^ fhad be removed. And I wik turn your Feafts 
 into Mourning) and all your Songs into Lamentation ; and 
 I will make the End thereof as a bitter Day, 
 
 I lhall Sum ujo thefe Exceffes, and Conclude esYn- 
 ftanccs with the Story ot Divesj more commonly 
 known, then reverentl’^ believed : It is delivered to 
 us by the Great Lord of Truth in thcle Words. 
 “ There was as Certain Rich Man, which w^s cloath- 
 “ ed in Purple and Fine Linnenj and fared Sumptuouf- 
 
 !y every Day. And there w'as aCer- 
 Luk. 19-19 fc Beggar , named Lazarus^ which 
 
 ^ ^ ’ “was laid at his Gate full of Sores, and 
 
 “ defiring to be fed with the Crums, w'hich fell 
 “from the Rich Man's Table: moreover the Dogs 
 “came, and licked his Sores. And itcameto pafs, 
 “ that the Beggar d ied, and was carried by the Angels 
 into Abrahams Bofom. The Rich Man alfo died 
 
 and 
 
and was buried : And in Hell be life up his Eyes_, 
 being in Torments, and fectli Abraham afar olf and 
 “ Laxxrttt in his Bo (bin. And he cried and laid, Fa- 
 “ ther Abraham^ have mercy on me, and fend La- 
 “ zarw^th&t he may dip the tip of his Finger in water, 
 “andcool my Tongue, for I am Tormented in this 
 Flame. But Abrxham laid, Son, remember that 
 ‘Thou in thy Life-time rceeivedfl: thy good things,& 
 likcwife Lazarus Evil things^ but now he is comfor- 
 “ted,and thou art tormented. And bcfides all this,be- 
 “tween IS & you there is aGreatGulf fix’d,lb that they 
 “ which would pafs from hence to you,cannoc,neither 
 “ can they pafs to us, that would come from thence. 
 
 ThisG reat Pallage comprehends the State o^Men in 
 both Worlds; it fl^ews to us, what that Life is in this 
 Worlds which leads to Mii'ery in the Next, and what 
 to HaPp'mefs. 'Ho Senjual Man^ no VoluptHous Per Jot?, 
 not thofc that deck themfclves with Delicate Apparelj 
 a:id fare Sumptutufly every Day, that love their Back 
 and their Bally more then God and the Poor; lhall be re¬ 
 ceived into Abraham's B$fom^ or dwell in Bleffednejs 
 forever. Let none deceive themfclvcs, the Jealous 
 God mil not be mocked: If ye Sow to the Plefh^ ye fhall 
 reap Corruption ^ but if ye fow to the Spiritj ye ftall reap 
 Ltfe Everlafling. They that live in KiU the 
 
 Ju^j they Crucifie the Juft Witnefs in themfelves : 
 flich Treafare up tvrath again ft the Day of Wrath. Woj 
 Anguifh and Trumlation to every Soul that doth Evil, 
 whether Jew or Gentile, ProfeJJor or Prophane^ Cbrifi- 
 an or Infidel : For the Dives ujider all thef© Names 
 muft be turned into Hell-, butfuchas through 
 encf and Well-doing wait for Immortality, as poor 
 ■ Lazar fk 
 
 j 
 
.. I 
 
 'Laz.irm' did, after all their Tovsrtj NegleCi and Hunger | 
 lliall xtztVit cUry^ Honour zni Ear ml Life. And tru- I 
 ly, it is fomc Comfort to the Mij'erAble in this W orld, I 
 that they thall aot live always in it, and that they I 
 have to do with a God, who is no ReJ^e^er of Per- | 
 (ons: This Judge is impartial; the /curare upon | 
 Even Terms vvitlithe Rich ^ and it will not be ^uxUty^ i 
 but Integrity-^ not Riches but Ri^hteoufnefs^ vhich j 
 will recommend us to him. No wonder then, if the : 
 Prophet Jeremiah in the Name of God, charged the 
 Antient Jews Not tege intothe Honje of Feajfing ‘ and 
 thdiX. Ecclef 4 fies ftaould f.^y, Thn it is better to go to the 
 Htufe of Mournings than to the Htufe of Feajiing^ fince 
 fo many Evils follow it. But there is one Fe/fi^ that 
 even'Chrift himfelf allows us • though t h ive li tie 
 Reafon to believe, it will be Imitated, v^ben I confi- 
 der the Naturd A-rerfnef^ that is even among Prole ft 
 
 Chrifti&ns- to his Self-denying Vrecefts and 
 Luk.14.12, £y;amfle. Then fold When thouma 
 
 1 3 > H* /v/ 4Dinner or a Supper, not thyFriends er 
 
 thy Brethrenyieither thy Kinfmen mr thy RichNeighbmrs^ 
 lefi they alft bid thee Again^ and a Recommence be made 
 thee (This would beget Feafling, the thing which is 
 to be avoided : ■ no fuch matter.) But when thou ma- 
 4 Feaft, call the ■ Poorthe Maimed^ the Lame^ the 
 PTind.^ and then fhaltbe Blejjed^ for they cannot rtcom- 
 pen[e thee % but thou (halt be recomfenfed at the Re fur- 
 reciionofthejufi. There are few, that ftrive to obey 
 this Counfel ^ there is fo little of Fafhion or ofjnte- 
 refi in It. What / Perfons of Quality fcaft the ? 
 Carve for the Maimed^ and feed the Blindl ’tis too 
 Mean^ too Jgnomtnhm: Jfthey have the the 
 
 , Strafs 
 
( 21 ) . 
 
 Scraps], the Cfums, ’tiswcll: N", no, this Do£lriac 
 is too like him^ that taught it, to be prac^iled by thcra 
 that arc fo U/f/ih him •, they that t'ollow him in thefc 
 things, rauft Take up the Crefs^ ^Dejpije the Shame^ 
 attd Sere in Hope : But becaufe there is m Ever/ajiwg 
 tecomPence for thofe that do •, I fervently deiirc of 
 God, that it would picafe him to put it into the Minds 
 of both Magiftrates and People to Love Mercy-, Bo 
 Juflice,fVdk humbly with the Lord-^VAd Meekly zvA Chx- 
 r//'4'5i^ towards all men. I belesch you in the Tender 
 Bowels aChriftianMan to confider of the Prefent 
 Ctftjunclure : is this a Time fov Feajls and Reveils,Plays 
 and Pajtimes, when the very trrath of God feems to 
 hang by a jlender Thread over our Headi? 01 let 
 yom Moderation be known unto all raenjnow the Lord 
 is fo near at hand. 
 
 And I do humbly the Supreme Authority of 
 this Land, to puta fpeedy Check to thefe Exorbitan¬ 
 ces, to Difeountenance thefe Excefles by the Revival 
 of thofe Old Laws, and in making of fuch New Ones, 
 as may be thought convenient to prevent fuch Pride 
 and Prodigality. For I think, I may both with Mode- 
 fty and Truth affirm, if the very UnneceJJary Expences 
 of mofl Ranks or Degrees in this Kingdom could be 
 brought into one Publiek Purfe, they would arifeto 
 Three Times more Money, than either is given oris 
 requifite to the Maintenance of the Poor that are in it .* 
 and whether this be a thing Pramicable or no,it matters 
 not ; the very Preventing of that Excefs, which 
 is amongft us, will be pleafing to Almighty God, 
 and one Way or other Beneficial to the Govern^- 
 ment. 
 
 It 
 
r 24) • , 
 
 \ 
 
 It may not be improper for me here to add‘by way 
 of Appendix to this Head of Excefs the Sin cf GA¬ 
 MING^ an Invcrition of much Mifchief in the 
 World, & therefore inconfiliaat both with cbriJ}Umty 
 snd civil Government. The E-vils that attend it, arc 
 neither imall nor few; It is Firfi a Creat Enemy to 
 E^fine/Sf and that Juh Care, that people ought to 
 have for the Difcharge of their Refpedhivc Capaci¬ 
 ties if 3 their Civil AffAirs. Next^ It is one ot the 
 Grcateih Thieves ta Mens EftAtes : how many br u e 
 Families have been ruia’d by a GAmefierl That which 
 hath been got by the Care and Frudence ©f a Father, it 
 may be hath been lofl in one Night by rdLitExtravagAnt 
 H»m$r of a Son i But that the Reward of virtue 
 fhould be the Stake of Folly-^ and the Ac^uefl: of Wor¬ 
 thy Anceflors expofed to toe Chance and Hazard of the 
 jD/>, is ibch Impiety to Go£s Pr evidence. Ingratitude 
 to Parents p Injury to their own and Difgrace 
 
 to i\iQ. Government, that I conceive, it may very well 
 defervethe Care of qmt Superiors to prevent that £jf- 
 travagancy for the future. Thirdly, It is a great Con- 
 fumer of Time. T hey who are addifred to Gaming, 
 arc the moft Idle and Ufelcfs people in the Govern- 
 mcf.t 5 and give me leave to fay, that naen are Acceunt- 
 to the Government for their T/W; there ought 
 to be no Idlenefs in the Land 5 for that End Eridewels 
 arc provided. Of many other Sins people are Weary, 
 bur of this never, unlefs to ot Eat, or for Want 
 
 of Money to Play : We are commanded to Redeem the 
 Time, 'Ccc&ufe the Vayes are Evil 5 but thefe people chufe 
 rather to Lofe thtir Time, ^ndfall into the Evil., they 
 
 03 ou]d 
 
 I 
 
lliould avoid. A Csmefier and a S’ hriftUti^vz as oppo» 
 fite as a Saint and Sinner 5 for the ChriflUn looks to 
 God in the incrcafc of his Ejiate^ the Gamejier to Skill 
 and Chance •, and there is no more of God in his Mind* 
 than there is in his Game : and it cannot be other wife. 
 Fourthly-, Therefore Gaming deferves to be fuppreft, 
 becaule it has been the Occafion of Breach cfFriendfhip, 
 ^arrels^ Bloodied and Murder : if we ought to (hum 
 the Occafions of Evil, to be fure we ought not to in¬ 
 dulge them. 
 
 The Mifchief that belongs to Gaming ('v\ hich I 
 fliall mention at thistime) is tht Horrid OATHS and 
 fgffionate Imprecations ufed by the generality of Game- 
 fiers 5 but becaule they are not confin'd to Gamings 
 but run through the whole Converjation of men, they 
 may very well challenge a place among thofeFo«rCr;^- 
 in^ Sins^ihat I found my felf Obliged in Confcience to 
 Complain of to fuch, as have Power in theb.Hands 
 to puni/b and fupprefs them. I have therefore referved 
 to fpeak of Oaths and BiafphemiesiiW lafi^ becaufe I 
 take them to be the mofl: Provoking Sin. The other 
 Enormities of Drunkennefs. Whoredom and Excefs in 
 
 j J 
 
 Apparel.^ furniture^ Feajlings and Gaming do more im¬ 
 mediately relate to our ftlves •, and are therefore Sins 
 againftGod, becaufe they area Tranfgreflion of that 
 Ord^r, which he hath placed in the Nature of things : 
 but Oaths and Blafphemies muft be referred to God 
 himfclf 5 they are Sins comaaitted more immediately 
 againft his Beings his Name, and the Majefty and 
 Dignity of his Nature. It is Horrible to hear, how he 
 is called upon about every thing, be it never fo Trivial ; 
 yea, about nothing, and worfe than nothing. He is 
 
 D SuHtt 
 
 - ^ “ 
 
. () , • 
 
 Summon d at their their Sj) 6 rts, thzw Ohfce* 
 
 titties^ in their Dr unkennel’s-, Wkoredoms^ Murders. SLa- 
 fines znd Treachery \ there is a Generation that cannot 
 fpeak witbdiit him, though they live without him. 
 They would maka him a Veuehero^z\\ their Fa/fbeed 
 and a fvitnefs {or the'^ Lyes.^ as often as they v ould 
 have them believcdr But I tremble to Remember, 
 with whit Prejumftion [omQ Men, when traafported 
 into Rage, Invoke him to Damn th®fe, they arc ^ngry 
 with, yea, thcrafelves too / and how Impioufly they 
 fend him at their pleafure upon t^e Errands of their 
 Vengeance 1 . Can there be greater Blafphemy, then to 
 dare fo much as to think, that the tlely. Wife and fu/i 
 God Ihould be the Executioner of their Tajjlon, SeFuryy 
 and the Avenger of theirand Corrupt Inter¬ 
 ims ! And it is Obfervable, that if in any thing they 
 are Crofs’d or Difappointed, they fall a Swearing, 
 Curfngj Damning, Blaffheming, as if the Name of 
 God fliould make them Satisfaction 5 and that it were 
 a Sort of Eafe to them, to deliver themfelves of a Bur¬ 
 den of Oaths. 
 
 But that which aggravates this Evil, is the fmpH- 
 dence of the people that commits it: they arc not Con¬ 
 tented to ufc it at Home and af Ale-Houfes and Taverns 
 abroad 5 but in the open Streetsj Markets and fairs, 
 in the niofl: Notorious Places of Commerce and Traf- 
 fiek, to the Diflionour of God, the Grief and Offence 
 of Sober Men, and the Bad Example of thofc that arc 
 notfo. But this Shamefullmpiety ends not here; it 
 has not only prevailed with the Topulatie, the Cannale, 
 the Vulgar ; but the Men of Quality, the Gentry and 
 the Kobles of the Realm, to whom God in his Provi¬ 
 dence 
 
dence hath been more Propitious placing, them at the 
 piftaneeof Examfle and Imiuticn to the Multitude. 
 Even thofe,, that ought to be the BeaAs of our Tribes^ 
 the LeAcUrs of the people, whofe Virtue ihould at leaft 
 keep Pace with their Quality, are guiltf with this 
 lAfe cupm •, and too many of them mere concerned 
 in It, than the Meaneft of the People. And to carry 
 this Pradiceto the Utmoft Hight of that Mifchief it 
 feems Capable of doing, but too many (God 
 knows! ) of thofe in Authority ufe it, even the Men, 
 that by Ihould fupprefs it! And if Men of Of 
 fee and Porver ought in their fevcral Trufts to be a Ter- 
 ■ ror to Evil-doers, methinks, they Ihould net fufFer the 
 Bumeoixhc God oi Nation (whom they pretend 
 to worfliip') to be fo prophauely us’d a.nd blajfhemed^ 
 aadleaft of all, that they fliould be the Menthem- 
 felvcs, that Commit the Enormities, they Ihould 
 pMiidi. To fay Truth (and w ith Grief of Soul I fpeak 
 it) fo Univerfal is this Contagion in the Kingdom, that 
 not only the routh^Mt the children are infelled ; The 
 ■Boyes of fe.ven Years Old, that in my time did not 
 think upon an 04#^, arc now^ full of their God-damn- 
 yous and God-damn-mis at their Sports_and Playes / 
 And the rromen of our Nation (efpeeially thofe of any 
 Bank) who by a Referv’d Education and the Modefty 
 of their Sex were fcarccly ever heard to Curfe even 
 what they did not like,, (much lefs t® Smar up-, 
 on Ordinary Occafions) are fome of them grown 
 Hardy enough to do Eeth. At whofe Door muft all 
 thefc Mifehiefs lie ? I befcech God to put it into the 
 Hearts of our Superiors, to Ufc their Utmoji Diligence, 
 rebuke and fupprefs this and the like Impieties I 
 
 Da We 
 
 _ I ‘ 
 
We profefs our felves to be chriJiUtiSy FtRgwers of 
 that JESUS, intvhoje Mouth nt Guile w u ever feundy 
 what Preeeft did he ever give us ? what Examfle hath 
 he left us to Countenance this PraOiice ? ’Tis true, 
 he Charg’tf his Difciples, Not to Stveur At aR • but we 
 cannot think ©ur felves to Obey him, when w’e Steear 
 at Every thing ? pray confider the great Differ^ 
 ence there is betwixt Chrtfl and fuch ChrifiiAns. Chrifl 
 is Lord of a more Ferfeci Law, than that which came 
 by MofeSy that admits of in fomeCafes 5 but 
 they were Fw, and muft be kept upon great Penalties : 
 This New Law of J E SU S takes away Oaths by taking 
 away the Caufcaad Need of them, namely, Faljhood 
 and Dijirujl • and by planting Plamnefs, Truth and In- 
 tegrity in the Natures of Men , which makes them 
 fuch F aithfulDifcifles to him, and fo entirely brethren 
 to one another, that there feems no farther Ufe for 
 among Men under that ^alificathn, Te have 
 heard of Old Time f faith Chrift Jefus) Thtu [halt 
 not For-fwear thy felf, but Perform thy Tows unto the 
 Lord : This was not Swearing at Pleasure or Swear¬ 
 ing Vainly 5 this was thus far Good, it was the fer- 
 feclion of the Law. So it w'as Not to Kill, Not to 
 Commit Adultery *, but Chrift carries it higher: 
 ,Thou muft not be Angry’y Thou mxiA not look upon a 
 Woman to lufl after her j Thou nwuft not Swear 
 Mat. 5. At all'. Thou muft not do that, which was 
 Allowed or Difpenfed with under the Law, 
 For what the Law could not do through Weaknefs, I am 
 come to do : Therefore let your Tea be Tea, and your Nay, 
 Nay, Speak truth ; what is more, is Necdlcfs, nay, 
 
 ’tis 
 
 i 
 
( 29 ) . 
 
 ’tis Evil, This is the Doctrine of Jefus: Certainly 
 then there can be no Agreement between him and the 
 Srvearifig, DAmnin* Chrifiians of this Age, who are 
 f® far from Obeying him, whofe Name they take, 
 that they are not come to the Rightedufnejs of the Larvy 
 that condemns all Fxin SmAnng : but lie under the 
 Heavy judgment of the Lord tor the Breach of his 
 Third Commandment, f‘•^Thou lhalt not 
 take the of the Lord thy God in Exod.ao. 7. 
 
 vain: for the Ltrd will not hold him 
 Guiltlefs,that taketh hisA^^w^ in vain.^It is efteem’d 
 a Profhanathn of things fet apart for Divine ivorfhip^ to 
 imploy them in ©ur Common and Ordinary Services 5 
 and is it not Profhanation with a Fengeance^ to fuffer the 
 Name of the Great God to be proltituted at Every 
 Turn by Lewd and Debauch' ? Can we be fo 
 Careful of our own Names^ and fo Carelefs of Gods f 
 Is it Poffible, that we can be (o'Tender of our felves, 
 and fo Unconcern d for him ? for him, I fay, who 
 Maie\a%, and gives us Life, Breath, and Beings to 
 whom we O we our felves, and all that w'e are. But 
 that Men to Right thcmfelvcs,upon every littleAffront 
 Ihould oppofe their Lives to Utm fi Peril, and not find 
 ia their Heart fo much as to Rebuke the indignities 
 daily put upfiiin Heaven, is an III Proof of Zeal and 
 Religion. Butas Infenfible as fuch arcof their !>»//, 
 God is not wanting to his own Glory ; he has forbidden 
 thefe thihgs \ let Men difobey at their Peril, xt fsaH 
 not Swear by my Name falfy, faith God, neither Jhalt 
 thou Prophane the Name of thy Cod, lam the LORD. 
 HcarO ye Swearers, the Judgment of God has de- 
 aouac’d tgainft you / Every One that Sweareth {hai 
 
( 30 ) ^ 
 
 le Cut Cutoff ' 3 j^F ROM S O D t 
 
 Jcr.23. io. Again, The Land u fuU of Adulteries ^ AHd 
 ip.Zach.j.} becAttfe <?/’Swearing the Lxnd Mturnethi 
 
 Behsld ! the Whirl- mnd of the Lord Jb*ll hex-^ 
 •Vily fxU Hfon the Hexd of the Wicked. 
 
 To this I ihall add a Brief Refletio?f upon that 
 Pernicious Sin of PRO FflANENESS fo 
 nsar a kin to Oaths aad Blaffhemy. Such is tlis 
 . Degeneracy of the Age we are fallen into, that Prephane^ 
 nejs does not only go Unpunifht,but boldly lays Claim 
 ^to tvit^ and fills the Converfation of too many of thofe, 
 that think themfelves rais’d above the Genius of the 
 • Vulgar. He is reputed'>F<'mi/, that will not be Rude 
 to Sacred Things and a Man Infipid, of no Sence ov 
 Salt^who cannot tf eer Devotion : And which is ftrange, 
 they make the Bible a fort of Common Place 5 but ’tis 
 for Mockery.^ not f«r Piety. The Phrafes they ufcj are 
 piek’c to Abufe that Holy Book 5 and that Profhanenefs 
 is placed to the Account of Wit : But truly, if Men 
 mull: RalUe Religiomt t\is, Peril of palling elfe for Fu?//, 
 and Ahfife Scripture to purge themfelves from the fuf 
 pition^of Reverencing it, there is here an Unhappinefs 
 in being Confcientious., and on the fide of this World 
 the Temptation to be Prophane^ is ftrongcr than jthe 
 Encouragement tobtVirtuous. For this is my Soul 
 grieved, that Men Ihould ufe their Wit to Abufe him, 
 that gave it them : and that though there is more to 
 be faid for Religion.^ than there can be faid againft it, 
 both with Refpeft to its Reafonablencfs and Ufcful- 
 nefs, and that the Hazard of being Irreligious j is in¬ 
 comparably greater on the part of thefe Atheijlical 
 Scoffers, than of Men profefling, to fear God and bc- 
 
 ' lievf 
 
y 
 
 . ( 3O 
 
 licve another World 5 they would y*t he (oCon^Ant 
 and ohfitmte in their leofe and AW Cop-verfation ! But 
 if the frofham.^g of the leaft thin^ tiiat was Dedica¬ 
 ted to the Worlhipof God in the Timas of the Law^ 
 was fo Hainotu a Sin ; what fliould wc fay, when men 
 flick not ts ProfhAne iht Name Ged himfelf, and 
 feoff at his Revealed wiU^ fo much Greater, than either 
 T em^le, -or Altar ^ or any of thofe Rites belonging un¬ 
 to them I 
 
 And to you ajl, that live in the Pradiee of thefe 
 Crying Sins I have at this time infilled upon, this I 
 fay unto you in the Fear of God: REPENT OF 
 THE EVIL OF fOUR DO INC Si Bring not 
 down the judgments of Ged upon this Land 5 they 
 raay be theof many, but they will be your 
 funi^ment: yefliallpay the Reckoning ©f their^^/- 
 in the other World, and God will charge you 
 with the Calamity that they fliall Endure 1 Remember, 
 before it is too late. Dreadful Things are denounced 
 againft the Wicked % Therefore go not on to Gratifie 
 your Hearts Luf s and to forget the Living God 5 for 
 this fliall be the End of fuch Works^ that God will 
 certainly bring you to Judgment ; And who 
 may Abide the Day efthat Ceming ? and who (haS Ecclef. 
 f^and when he appears ? No Flejh can ftand in * 
 his Prefence. Confider the Awakening Say- , 
 ing of the Apoftle, That the Righteous Jcarce- 2. 
 ly are faved and if fo, Where (had the Un. 
 gedlvj where [had the Wretched Sinner appear ? How 
 iiall fuch be able to hold up their Heads in the Day of 
 hk Wrath ^ in the Hour ©f his Judgment^ at that Great 
 Time of Reckoning, when %Fmal Account lhall be pafl, 
 
 f SV.hGVt 
 
I 
 
 whea all muft render an Acemnt of the Deeds they 
 have done, and receive the Reward due unto them I 
 Therefore while tt is t 0 dayy harden mt your Hearts a- 
 gainft God and his Lavr : hatter not yourfelves 5 T« 
 be chrijiians^ ye inuft be like chriji : and if yc will be 
 Sav’d from n'rath^ yc muft be Redeem’d from Sin. 
 Encreafe not therefore Guilt upon your Confcienceshj 
 Rebelli«g againft the Light, that Ihines in them : but 
 lay your Imf ieties to Heart, mourn with trut Contri¬ 
 tion of S$hI^ ^and yet love Ri^hteoufHefs, and hate /»/’- 
 and ye will prevent ths civil Magi^rate, and 
 probably avert the indignation of God, that hangs over 
 the Nation. ^ 
 
 Having thus ended my Reflexions upon the Five 
 great Crying Sins oi the Kingdom, and my Reproof of 
 WteAXorsmd Promoters of them ^ give me leave to 
 make my Humble and Chrifiian Addrefs to you, that 
 arc in Authority. And in the Ftrjl place, I befeech 
 you to remember, that though ye are as Gods on Earth, 
 yet yc ihall Dye like Aden ^ that ye are Encompafs’d 
 with like Paffions, and are fubjeQ: to Sin. Such there¬ 
 fore of you, as may be concern’d in any of thefc £■> 
 mrmities ('to what-ever Degree of Guiltithe) I beg 
 you in the Name of God to fearehyour felves^ and to 
 be Juft to your own Souls. 0 1 let the Mercies and Pro¬ 
 vidences of God conftrain you to Unfeigned iegtM- 
 fence \ Turn to the Lord, Love Righteoulhefs, Hate 
 Oppreflion, and he will turn to you, and love you 
 and blefs you. 
 
 In the Next place, be plcafed to confidcr your Com- 
 wiffitn aad examine the Extent of your Authority: yc 
 
 will 
 
( 33 ) 
 
 will find, that God and the hith impovv- 
 
 cr’d you to puniQi thefc Impieties : and it is fo far Ironi 
 being a Crime, that it is your Duty. T his is not trou* 
 bliag Men for Faith^ nor perplexing People, for Ten- 
 deriiefs of Conscience: for there can be noPrefi nce 
 of Conjdencetohe Drunk j to rvhore^ to he VoiuyIuolkfy 
 to Game^ to Swear., Curfe^ Bla fpheme and Prophane no 
 fuch Matter; thefe are Sins again ft Nature and againft 
 Government'., as well as againft the written Laws of 
 God. They lay the Ax to the Root of humane Societyy 
 and'are the Common Enemies o^ Mankind: ’twas to 
 prevent thefe Enormities, that Government was inftitu- 
 ted*, and fliall Government Indulge that, which it is 
 Inftituted to Dejlroy ? this were to render Magifiracy 
 Ufclcfs, and the Bearing of the Sword Vain: there 
 would be then no fiich thin^ta Government, as ^ Ter¬ 
 ror to Evil-Doers •, but every one would do that w^hicli 
 he thought Right in his own Eyes. God Almighty 
 defend us from this Anarchy I 
 
 There are Three Great Rea fo ns , which inforce 
 my Supplication. The Firjl is, The. Prejervation of 
 the Government j w'hich by fuch improvidence and De- 
 hauchery is like to be greatly Weakened, if not De- 
 ftroysd. Thelndufiry, Wealth, Health and Authority 
 of the Nation are Deeply concern’d in the Speedy and 
 Exemplary Punishment of thefe Extravagancies. , This 
 is the Teice of Interefi for the Common Good of the 
 W hole Society, Rulers and Ruled. 
 
 But there is an Higher Voice, unto which Chriftian 
 Men ought to have Regard, and that is the Voice of 
 Cod, w'ho reopitresM^ to Fear him and obey his 
 ofts Commandments at the Peril of making him our Ene- 
 
 E my. 
 
^ ( 34 ) 
 
 my^ whom we ihould make our Common Friend and 
 Protector ^ for upon his Coodnefs depend our very Na¬ 
 irn aI and Civil Comforts. So that it is our Intcreft To he 
 Good : and that is none of the leaft Arguments for He- 
 ligion, that the Piety and Pradtice of it is the fe&ce 
 &nd Projferiy of Goverirtne/st ^ and confequentlyj that 
 Fice^ the Enemy of Religiofs, is at the fame tiffle the 
 Enemy of Humane Society. Who then fliould be more 
 
 concern’d for the Prefervation of Virtue.^ Govern- 
 mentl v/ho in its Aojlrail and TrueSenfe is not only 
 founded upon Firtue., but without the Prefervation 
 of Virtue it is impofTible to maintain the Bcjl Conjfitu- 
 tion., that can be made. And however fome particu¬ 
 lar Men may prejper^ that a.Tt Wicked, and feveral pri¬ 
 vate Good Men Mifcarry in the things of this World 
 (in W'hich I'enfc things may be faid to happen alike to 
 all, 'to the Righteom as to the wicked) yet I dare bold¬ 
 ly affirm (and challenge any Man to the Truth of 
 the thing) that in the manyVolumns of the Hiftory 
 of the Ages and Kingdoms of the World there is not 
 one Inftance to be found, where the Hand of God was 
 againfl: a Righteous Nation, or where the Hand of God 
 was not againft an Unrighteom Nation^, and where a 
 JttJl Government periih’t, or an Unjufl Government long 
 prolper’d ? Kingdomj arc rarely as short-livedtss Men, 
 yet they alfo have a Time to Tie : but as Temperance ^u 
 veth Health to Men, fo Virtue gives Time to King¬ 
 doms-, and as r/re brings betimes to their 6'r/Z'r/, 
 fo Nations to their Ruin: 'Tisthe Rcafon given by 
 God himfelf for the Tefirn^lion of thofe Countries,, 
 that he gave into the Hands of the Children of ifrael • 
 They n ere Full of Uncleannefs, Adulteries.^ Fornication 
 
and other Iffloteties, And thoughhc ,5 
 uri of tile World.and may clifpofcof tne Kingdoi.« 
 tlicrcin as plcafcth him (lor h: ikn pvts 
 may-. sDtihtthut hmUs, cm caft ixox’ and . .an.aila 
 is lint arf/;a»;at mil to receive or furrender at ms 
 lord’s Good tle.l^re;) T« he ufcth not that Preroga¬ 
 tive to Juftify his Gift of thute Countnes to the ^ejs : 
 but at the End of his Proiiib.tion ot llrdatrfut Mar. 
 riages and UnUrrfitt Lufit he charges them in toci- 
 
 words 5 Defile mt you year pelves in (tny 
 
 of tht^e things : joY ttf ali'thefethe Na- Levit. i8. a.4, 
 
 tiens are defied.^ which I cajiout hejorc 2^, 26,2^’ 
 
 you . Jnd the Land is defied : therefore 
 
 do JVift the Iniquity thereof ttfon it ^ and the Land H f^’f 
 
 y O MITET H OUT her Inhabit ants, re (hall there ■ 
 
 fere Keep my Statutes and my Judgments.^ and fhall not 
 Commit any of Abominations, neither any of your 
 own Nation., nor any Stranger., that fejeurneth among 
 you 5 that the Land Spue not you Out alfo, when ye defie 
 ity as it Out the Nations, that were before you. 
 
 So Saul's Disobedience was his Deflrubfien^znd. his Sin 
 made Way for David's Title: Saul died (faith the 
 Sacred Story) for his Tranfgreffionz, this made the 
 Philijlines Ctn.juerors : his own Sins Beat him and 
 Kill’d kirn. Saul died fir his Tranlgreffion-, then if 
 he had not finn’d, he had lived ; he had beaten his E- 
 ncmies and kept the Kingdom fyeSjthepIace implies 
 it. Thu then ftiould deter all Men, but Kings efpeci- 
 ally, who have fo much to lofe here, and fo much 
 to anfyyer for hereafter. But what was Saul's Sin ? 
 ItwasF/V/?, not keeping, but difoheyingthe^oxd of the 
 
 Lord, both as it came by the of God’s 
 
 E 2 Prophet, 
 

 Prop’netj snj as it fpoke the Mind oF GpJ toUiinin 
 his own Conscience (for Mo-es had faid before, that 
 
 (F 
 
 the werA of CoA. was nigh in the He^rn, andia Gods 
 Name commanded tiie Children to 
 
 ‘ O b ey B 0 it:) In fnort, lie reiufed tne Counfel 
 Q^Codj and God for his Counlehr. Fordn the 
 Next place he betakes himfelftoOne tliar hada f^- 
 milioir Spirit^ for Acivice (faith the Storyj. He enquired 
 net of the Lord) therefore he Slew him and turned the 
 Kins^dern unto David. There are too many people 
 tvoub\t^vo\i\\ Familiar Spirits ■ it were vvdi, if they 
 ■ were Itk Fami iar with them.' Had trufted m 
 God , he needed not to have been driven to that 
 
 Straight'^ He that Was made by God's Appoint¬ 
 ment and endued udth a Good Spirit^ fo A to de¬ 
 generate, as to runto'a for Gsunfel ! ^ To this 
 Darknefs and Extremity Iniqiiity v/ill bring Men. 
 And truly, ‘ 3 ?Wo follows all Rich perfons •, anfwerable 
 to that Expredion of God by the Prophet: fTo unto 
 them that take Counfel, and not of me. when Saul 
 (faith the place') was little in his own Eyes, God Jjoneur d 
 
 him • he made him Head and King of the 
 
 1 Sam. IS, 17. rrdes of Ifrael: but when Saul^ grew 
 
 Frond,Go^ deferted him,& for his Dtjo- 
 hedienee deftroyed him. And \\ 4 iat befell the Family 
 of Saul, in forae After-Ages befell both Kings and Pre- 
 fle, and Worfe . for their Land was Invaded by 
 the ^.gyptianS) and then by the Caldeans ^ and S-wilt- 
 mans : Their T emple was rifled, their Treajures 
 
 taken, and their Kings, Princes, Nobles, 
 
 2 Rings 24.14. Artificers, 2nd Mighty Men oi Haleur 
 
 (V^a ad- five tkQPocrefof tnc people)., 
 . ' wer €‘5 
 
( 37 ) 
 
 were jf/T d or carried aipaj/ Captive by the King of Sahi* 
 loH. The Reafonrendred is this; Becaule the Kinoj 
 did that j fv/jich vfas Evil in the fight of' God^ and fifned 
 their Necks, and h.irdned their Hearts from turning un¬ 
 to the Lord God of Ifrael 5 and becaufe the chief f the 
 Priefs and of the People tranfgrefjed verj 
 much after all the Abominations cf the Hea- 2 Chro. 3 ( 5 . 
 then: and when (iiiod fenthis Meffengers 
 to Reprove and VVarn them (and that out of his Great 
 Compaffon f) tb-y V/ickedLy Mocked his MeJJengers^'De- 
 fpifed his Words and Mif-ufed \\h*Prophets^ till his. 
 Wrath came upon them. 
 
 I will here End my fnftancescutof Sacred Story : 
 and let us now briefly Confider, what ihcHiflories of 
 other fUces'^’iW tell us-, that we may Obferve ionic 
 Proportion of Agreement in tfee Providences of God 
 throughout the'World. 
 
 The Firfl Empire had Nimrod’s Strength^ and the 
 Wifdom of the Caldeans to cRablilh it; and whilft their 
 Prudence and Sobriety lafted , they profper’d ; No 
 foonercame Holuptuoufnefs, then the Empire decayed : 
 aad was at laft by the Baje Effeminacies o\Sardanapalm 
 (in whom that Racetctdtd) transfer'cl to another Fa¬ 
 mily. It was the Policy of an Ajjyrian King to fub- 
 due the Strength of Baijlon (then under good Difci- 
 pline) not tu Invade it v\ ith Fcrce^ but to DEBAUCH 
 it. Where fore he lent in Playersj JHufeians^ Cooks'^ 
 Harlots, SiC. and by thofe means introducing Corrupt 
 tion of Manners, there was little more to do, - than to 
 take it. Nebuehadnezzarhy \mVirtue zxA Induflryihcn 
 in the Siege of Tyre and in many Great Enterprifes, 
 rcc( 5 V€r’d and enlarg’d the Empire ^ and his Dtfeipline 
 
 (ihofs 
 
 1 
 
 ^4 
 
( 38 ) 
 
 (tbofe Times confider’d) was To Excel'em^ that k was 
 praifd in Scripts re. Ikit whea he grew' frptil and 
 Ta'7//j'?;jforgeLiing that Frovid,cnce,^\\\x. Had ihown icfelf 
 10 kind to him, liebecimea and grated amongft 
 Ec^fts -; till God, whom he iiad forgotten, hidre- 
 tlor’cl him the Heart of a Man&nd his Thromto^tibtv. 
 
 He dv'ing [qxi E vil-Merodack'Hiw to his Crown, 
 not his Conduft, nor the knowledge of what 
 God had done by him: In hi* Tinfie Bride and Lt*x- 
 nry encreai’cl, but came not to its fud Pitch, till the 
 Reign of Bel[hazBL,ar^ who did not only as Nehmhad- 
 nez,zar^ iive^ but dye a Beafi, In him we have the Ex- 
 aft Example of a DifffUte and Miserable Prince ; he 
 thought CO fence himfclf againfl: Heaven and Earth, 
 ditlblv’d in Pleafarcs he w'orfhipp’d no other God: 
 f iis Story may make us well Conclude^ that Cod and 
 jylan deferts thofe, that defert themfelves^ and neglecf 
 the Mean\ of their §wn Prefervation. The City was 
 taken before he knew it, and the Smrd. almoft in his 
 Bowels, before he believ’d it: his <y<f;?/« 4 /i/^had w'rapt 
 him up in fuch a Dejperate Security, But he fell not 
 by the Hand of one like hinifelf •, God-, who had de¬ 
 termin’d the End, prepar’d the Means. Cyrirs and his 
 Per flans wore the Men: the people were Poor.^ 'Inhabi¬ 
 ting a Barren Country but and of Sober Man^ 
 
 ners, Cyrus God had endued with ExeeSent- Natural 
 ■^aiities, cultivated (as Story tells us) by the Care 
 of Four of the Mojl Temperate., J’u(l and Wife Perjons 
 of thofc Times: this w'as he, whom God honour’d 
 with the Name of his shepheard^ and was the Execu¬ 
 tioner of his Vengeance upon the Ajjyrians. While he 
 reigned, all w^as well j but after he and his Virtuous 
 
 Coynpanions 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
Tsf) . 
 
 Cttmfinioifs ^cccafed, their C^^idclren fell into |the Vices 
 of the A^yrUns 5 and though they Reign’d from the, 
 
 ’ jndfu to the Eetiefyoat, they fooh became the Conc^nefi 
 of the Greeks, 
 
 Never was there a greater Inftance given of the 
 VVeaknefs of Ptmf and Luxury ^ than in the Refiflance 
 made at TherrrJfoU^ wlifre ^00 Virtucus Spxrtans 
 counter’d the Vafi Armyfo^ Xerxes^ confining of no 
 lefs then Seventeen Hundred Then land Men, 1 h (liortj 
 the Defeats of sJmihy and pUteu, the Expeditions 
 of Xen&phen with Cyrus the Younger almoft into Baby- 
 Ion) and the Wars of AjeftUm into. Ajia made it Evi¬ 
 dent, that Greece wanted only Union and an Head) to 
 make her felfMiftrifs of tdmtVaji Empre, 
 
 Atlaftcomcsof Macedon^ with the bell 
 Difeiplin’d People that was then knowm: The Dif- 
 pute was Ihort, where Steel was againfl: Gold, Sobrie¬ 
 ty againft Luxury, and againft (Men that were 
 turi^d) Women, Thus the PerpanS) prepar’d by their 
 own VieeS) God deliver’d into the Hands of the Greeks, 
 who as much excelled them in their Virtue, as they 
 were Ihort of their Dominion' and tvealth. But this 
 lafled not long-, for Alexander, who died young,, 
 furviv’d his Virtue and Reputation by falling into thole 
 vices of the Nations God had given him Power to 
 Trample u'iader Foot •, infomuch that he, who was be¬ 
 fore Generous,^ became B.arbarous and Tyrannical. E- 
 Afa and Macedon held up their Heads a while 
 buffi<?c relifting the Torrent of Leivdn'efs, that came 
 upon them, fuffered thcmfelves to be over-whelm’cl 
 with Mifery and Confupon. 
 
 . , J^or has this Calamity been peculiar to Monarchies:, 
 
 \J 9 
 
r r ' ^ 40 ) 
 
 fox icv'erjil Rspah'icks hive tallefi by the fanie.Mifchief. 
 That of Luekimon or SfArtsi^ fo Severe in kcr 
 
 2.nd[o Remark Able for ths Virtue of her People 
 (and that for many Ages) at lad growing Hack in the 
 “'"’■’ution of her Laws,.and fuffcring Corru^tien in 
 
 JZ'i 
 
 
 icniioly to Creep into her AlAnners^ ihe became no 
 more Confiderable, but weak and Contemptible. 
 
 The fame may -befaid of Athens^ the GTGdX School 
 of Learnings and of all the Rcpublicks of Greece moil 
 Famoiii ior her Virtue and PhiloJifhj (when that- word 
 was under Hood not of Vuin Dijputing^ but of Pios.^ 
 Living) die no fooner fell into Luxury^ but Ctnfu^on 
 and Revolutions made her as Inconft^ern'dey as Ihc had 
 been Great. 
 
 Rome, as Ihe was the Greateft Common-weAlth^ fo 
 the greateft Example of Gentiles in Virtue and Vice^ 
 m J-Iappinefs and in Misery : Her Virtue and Greatnefs 
 are Commemorated by Auftin the Father, and the 
 Litter made the ErFe£f of the former, \lgod (faith he) 
 gave the Romans the Government of the Worldf as a Re¬ 
 ward for their Virtue,'] Their Manners were fo Good ; 
 and theirfo Plain and Juft, that nothing could 
 ftand before them. And truly, they feem’d to have 
 been employ’d by God to punidi vht Jmpiom^ and to 
 inftruCf the Barbarous Nations : and^fo very Jealous 
 was file of the Education of her Touth^ that Ike would 
 net fuftcr them to converfe with the Lnxuriom Cjreeks. 
 hutCarelefnefs with length of Time ovcrcomingthc 
 Resnarkable Sosriety of her Uanners, who before fccjji-i 
 ed Invincible y ftae falls Jnto if not Greater Mi- 
 
 fries, rlian thofe that went before her (though ftic 
 had not only Warning enough from thofe Examples, 
 
 but 
 
r40 
 
 but from B^nnihd% Army and her great Enemy) For 
 one Winter’s garter of Hinnibd and his Army in the 
 Luxurious City of CayHa prov’d a greater ©verthrow 
 to them,than a]! the Romm Confds and Armies » They 
 that had been riefors in Co many Buttles^ turn’d SUves 
 t) Dsneers ) Boufoons^ Cooks and Harlots • Co as from 
 that time they never did any thing Suuble to the Re¬ 
 putation gain’d by their Former Actions ; but fell with¬ 
 out much Difficulty into the Roman Hdnis. Nay, 
 not long before her felf encountered one of the 
 greatefi Dangers j that ever had befallen her by the Cor- 
 motion of her own People, in the fame Place, by the 
 like Means; and though t\Cis DefeBion was recover’d 
 by thofethat remain’d entire in their Manners 5 yet 
 aftar th^ Overthrow of AntiochMithridates^ Ty- 
 granes^ that the Riches and Bices of Ajia came with a 
 full ftream upon them, the very Heart of tha City 
 became infetfed : and the Lewd Afiaticks had this Re¬ 
 venge in their own Fatl^ that they ruin’d by their Bi¬ 
 ces thofe they were no wayes able to refift by their 
 Force^ like the Story of the Dying Centaurc. Thus 
 Pride^ Avarice, Luxury having prepared Rome for De- 
 ftru£tion, itfoon followed. Virtue now’ grew Into¬ 
 lerable in Rome, w’here Vice dared not for Ages to 
 fhew its Face, The tvorthieji Men w’ere cut off by 
 Proferiptions, Battles or Murders, as if flie refolvcd 
 ipfam Birtutem exfeindere : She deftroyed her own 
 Citiiiens, and lent for Strangers to protect her, w^hich 
 ruin’d her. Which proves,=that thelKingdom or State, 
 that under God doth not fubfift by its own Strength^ 
 Prudence and Birtue^ cannot ftand *, for the Goths, 
 and others defpifed toferve thofe^ whom they 
 
 F ex 
 
(40 
 
 excelled in Tmer and Virtue^ and inltead of CuArding 
 took their Domimon from, them. And truly, it might 
 rather be called -a Journey^ thzn a Military Exyeeinotty 
 to go and pillage Rome ^ fo weak had her Fices made 
 her: Ihe that was feared by all NAtioas^ became the 
 Pr<ry of all A’<*//Wjabo\sther. Thus ended that Once 
 Potent and Firtuom Commen-weahh. 
 
 The Fandals in Jfrick foon became Effeminate and 
 Lewd-, which brought upon themfelves ^eedy Ruin. 
 The Cotbes fet up a Powerful Kingdom in Spain md. 
 Part of France • by the Sobriety of their Manners it 
 flourilhed near Four Hundred Years: but its End was 
 not Unlike the reft. Two corrupt Princes /Y^//^;4and 
 Roderic by their dijjtlute Example debauch’d the Peo¬ 
 ple, infomuch that men run an Hazard to be Virtuaus: 
 This made their Vefiruciion EaCe to tfcofe, whom God 
 fent againft them ^ which w^ere the Mores, occafion’d 
 by the Lafi of theCe Kings difhonauring Count ^uXiAnd' s 
 Daughter. In the Time of his Calamity in vain did 
 he expedt the Aid of thofe that had been his Flatter¬ 
 ers, and the Companions ef his Vices : His Security 
 fthe of his was his Ruin. For w'hilft 
 
 bethought he had no body to Subdue, but his ow’n 
 People 5 by Ahujing them he Cutoff his omnArms, and 
 made himfelf an Eafte Prey to his Real Enemies'. And 
 fo he perifht with his Pejlerity, that had been the 
 Caufe the Mifchief, which befcl that Great King¬ 
 dom. However, fo it came to pafs, that the Remain- 
 der of the 'Goths mixing vith the Anticnt Spaniards 
 (to that Day diftinft) recovered the Liberty and Re¬ 
 putation of the Kingdom by an Entire Reformation of 
 Manners and a Virtue in Converfation as Admirable, 
 
 as 
 
(4?J 
 
 astheT/V^^, by which their Fathers had fallen;, were 
 Ahomimhle. But the prefentimpoverUht State of Spain 
 can tell us, they have not continued that Firtuons 
 ConduB of their Anceftors: the Increafe of their Vices 
 hath decayed their Strength^ leflened their People and 
 their Commerce. 
 
 But why Ihould we overlook our own Country ? 
 that whether we confider theof the Romans.^ 
 Saxotts or Normnns^ Neglell of Virtue and Good Difci- 
 pline (and xheprefent Inhabitants giving themfclves up 
 to Ea[e and Vleafure) was the Caufe (if GiUas the 
 Brittain^ and Andrew Horn may be credited ; for as the 
 Firfi bitterly Inveighed againft the Loofnefs of the Brit- 
 tains^ threatning them with all thofc Miferies^ that 
 afterwards followed *, fo the Lajl tells us, that the 
 Brittains having forgotten God, and being over¬ 
 whelm’d with Luxury and Vice^ it pleafed God to give 
 the Land to a poor People of the Northern Parts of 
 Germany3 called Saxons^ that were of plain and honejt 
 Manners^ God is Unchangeable in the Courfe of his 
 Providence as to thefe things 5 The like Caufes produce 
 the like EffeeJs^ as every Tree doth naturally produce 
 its own ’Tistrue, God is not Carelefs ©f the 
 
 Worlds ht feeds the young Ravens^ clothes the LiRies^ 
 takes Care of Sparrows^ and of us, fo as not an Hair of 
 our Head fads to the ground without his Providence : 
 but if Mendefpife ms Lawj hate to be Reformed, 
 fpend their T/W zn^Eflate in Luxury and perfift to 
 work Wickednefs ^ he will vifit them in his Wrath^ and 
 confume them in hu fore Difpleafure. To Conclude, 
 Wars, Bloodfhed^ Fires, Plunders, tVaftings, Ravijh- 
 ments. Slavery and the like, are the Miferies that fol- 
 
 V 2 low 
 
C44) 
 
 low Imwcrditles (the Common MiCehiefs of Irreligicn) 
 the Neglect of GeodD/fcipline end Government. No¬ 
 thing weakens Kingdoms, like^/V^-, it does not only 
 difpleafe Heaven, but difable them. All w'e have 
 faid, proves it; but above ail the Iniquity and I^olup- 
 tuoufnefoi theGod^s Chofen, who from being 
 the Moft Prudent) Pious and ViSioriouf People, made 
 theoifelvts a Prey to all their Neighbours. Their f^ice 
 had prepared thwem to be the Cojequeft of the Firji 
 Pretender ; and thus ftom Free-men they became .J/rfz es. 
 Is God afleep, or does he change ? {hall not the fame 
 Sins have the like Puni^ment f at leaft, fliall they not 
 bepunifbti Can we believe, There is a Cod^ and not 
 believe, that he is the Rewarder as ©f the Deeds of 
 Private Men, fo of the Works of Government ?, ought 
 we to think him Careful of the Le^er., and Cart^efs of 
 the Greater this were to fuppofe, he minded Sparrows 
 more than Men, and that he took more Notice of 
 Private Perfons than of States. ^ But let not OMtSupe- 
 riors deceive themfelves, neither put the Evil Hay afar 
 off; they are greatly Acmsntable to God for thefeKing¬ 
 doms. If every poor Soul Account for the Em¬ 
 ployment of the fmall Tdent he has received From 
 God, can we think, that thofe High Stewards of God, 
 the Great of the World (that fo often 
 
 with all others) muft never come to a Reckoning ' 
 themfelves? yes-, there is z FinalSef/tonS) a General 
 Ajjiz,e and a Great Term once for all, where he will 
 Judge among the J^udges^ who is Righteous in all bis ways ; 
 There Private Men fhall anfwer only for themfelves, 
 but Rulers for the People as well as themfelves. The 
 Difps.rityih^itisbere) will be obfevved there : and the 
 
 Great. 
 
Creatrsefs of fuch Perjons^ as fhall be then found Tar¬ 
 dy^ will be fo far from Extenuating their that 
 
 it will fling in the againfl: them. There¬ 
 
 fore giire me leave fl do befeech you) to be Earned in 
 ray Humble. A duress to you ^ why (Itould ye nct^ when 
 none are fo much concern’d in the Good Intention of it ? 
 Thus much for the of my Supplication. 
 
 My SECOND Meafon urging n c to this Hum¬ 
 ble and Ear»e(l Supplication j is the BENEFIT of 
 PO STE RITr. I would think, that there are few 
 People fo T'iciousy as to Care to fee their children fo 5 
 and yet to me it feems a plain Cafe,that As tve leave the 
 Government, they mil find it : If Come FftHnal Courfe 
 be not taken, what with and what with Ex- 
 
 ampley Impiety will be entailed upon our Children. 
 Certainly it were better, the World ended with us, 
 than that we fliould tranfmit our Tices^ or fow thofs 
 
 Evil Seeds m our'D slYi that will Ripen to their 
 
 and fill our Country with Miferiesy after we are 
 gone; thereby Expofing it to the Curfe of God and Tio- 
 knee of our Neighbours. But it is an Infelicity we 
 ought to be wail^ that Men are Apt to prefer the Safe 
 Pleafure of their Prefent Extravagancies to all Endea¬ 
 vours after a Future Benefit 5 which btfides the Guilt 
 they draw'’upon themfelves, our Poor Pofierity muft 
 be greatly injur'd thereby .* Upon this Occafion I fliall 
 take the Freedom to fay femething of Education. 
 
 The Truth is, wx are fo much cut of Order in the 
 Education of our Tcuthy that I wifli I could fay, that 
 we had only tbe^Sin of Neglect to anfwer for : I fear, 
 
 the 
 
, '( 4 < 5 ; 
 
 the Cttrs has rather been to Educate them in a Way of 
 luch tnity^ as ends in great Inconveniencks here, and 
 muft needs find Vexation oi iS^/V/r hereafter. Our U- 
 niverfities have made more Loofej than Learned ; and 
 what is begun-there, is Ufualiy perfei^- 
 
 ed Abroad, or at our ow n Inns oi Court at Home, that 
 now and then afford us a few JWe Lawyers 5 but the 
 Generality are like the Man of old^ who return’d 
 home Seven times Worfe than he went out. The Genim 
 of this Nation is not Inferior to any in ihe World ; 
 his induflriom^ ’tis vyife, ’ti$ Honejiy 'tis yaliant^ yet 
 Soft and Merciful. And (without Partiality) we have 
 had Men, that hive excelled in Every worthy flualif- 
 cation ; But I muft needs fay, it has been more ow¬ 
 ing to the Good^iefsof God in the Dirpofition of our 
 Natures^ than the Prudence and Care of thofe who had 
 Charge of x.\\q\v Education. It was the Saying of 
 a Wife Man ^ Train uf a Child, in the Way he 
 Prov.22.<5. jjjeuldgo •, and when he U Oldy hi will net de¬ 
 part from it. This is prov’d to us every 
 D ay-, but it is in the Wrong Way, in the Way of 
 JdlenefSy Wantonnefs and Impurity of Manners: ’tis 
 worth While and High Time to make the Experiment 
 the other Way 5 to try, what the Suppre/jion of Tice 
 and the Encouragement ®f Virtue will do c’ in this Gur 
 Superkrs muft begin, and give their Example^ as well 
 as (hew their Power. There is fcarcely any one thing, 
 that fo much needs theWifdom of xht Nation in the 
 Contrivance of a New Law^ as the Educatien of our 
 Youthy whether we confiderthe Piety or Prudence of 
 QMV Manner Sy the Good Life ox Jufk Policy oftheCo- 
 vernment: There isfuch an Example of what Jndu- 
 
( 47 ) 
 
 Sry may do, in the Practice ot the ^fefaits, that I hope 
 the Frejent ConjunBare will make the Propofal of the 
 'thing more welcome to you. 
 
 That the Interefi of the 'jeluiti is the Greateft in the 
 
 Roman church Empire^ is ib far 
 from being doubted, that all Prote- Non, The Jejuits 
 (lants wilh, it were ^ ’tis our Interefi, the GrtutcH 
 Trouble rather than our Scruple : iti the Romm Church. 
 it may be, fomc other Orderf 
 are of the fame Mind, being much Ecclipfcd fince the 
 Rife oi thh Great Intereji. Yeknow^ they appeared 
 about the time of the Reformation ^ and apply’d theni- 
 felves with all ConceivableIndujlry to fecure thoTotter-^ 
 ing Papacy 3 .ga.ia(l the Progrefs of it; In t\\\s Attempt 
 they Ventur’d fo much farther, than any of their 
 decejfors in the Church *, that they have been efteem’d 
 of Merit the Great Minifters and Governours of the 
 for Tome Lafl Ages. Indeed,they have ahnoftEn- 
 grofs’d the whole Power of Church and State *, to them 
 all other Orders Cetm but Small Retailers : their Great 
 Pcliticians^thciT Philofophersf)rators.^H:Jlorians and Ma~ 
 thematicians are generally found amongft this Society: 
 fo that we fcarce fee any thing of Note come out from 
 Men of that Religion, which is not fubferibed E.SJ. 
 The Fame and Apprehenfion of their Extraordinary 
 Learningy and the Arts they have to recommend it, 
 have made their Order the Choice of moft Princes and 
 Men of Ovality of that Religion for the Education of 
 their Children, in w'hom they have Carefully inftiird 
 with their Inftruftioias and Principles that/'rca/wr Ke- 
 fpecl to their own Society., as hath greatly ferv’d to 
 'ths Advancement o( it, when they have grown to Age 
 and Power, But 
 
But that which above all other Stratagems hath prc^ 
 vaU’d to extend their Dominion in the Roman Church, 
 has been their Erecting of Schools (where they have 
 Cehedges) for the Free Education oi Touth: The very 
 Doing of it Gratis makes it look like Charity vvich the 
 Foor^ that have little to give; .and vvitii the Rich^ that 
 feldom love to part with Money, to be fure, it is no 
 ohjeclion. Thus Obliging thethey fall 
 to making themfelves Grateful with the children : and 
 here they Exercife not a little SkiU. They §tri£tly 
 Obferve the Divers Humors and Difpojitions oftheir 
 Schollars,and take great Care not to baulk theirCapa- 
 city by Crofs or Unjuitahle Studies.But when once they 
 are fix’d, every Toutk according to his Genins it is riot 
 Eafie to be believed, what pains they take to Allure 
 them to their Studies • how they will Tempt them 
 \w\th Childifh Rewards, and Excite them to their Book 
 by raifing an Emulation among them ; So that to Excefl 
 is more than a Rod 5 and Victory, than any chajiifement 
 whatever. By thefe Arts they fit all Capacities with 
 Suitable Study^ and Cultivate them to the Pitch of 
 Learning, they arc Capable of5 and all with that obli. 
 fatten upon the Tcttth to Love them 5 that from thence 
 forward they become Partial Devotees to the Advance¬ 
 ment of the Honor and Intereft of that Society, To 
 Conclude, they have got into their Hands the Educati¬ 
 on of the Generality of the Touth of the Romijh Religion 
 in every Country, from the King to the Peafant ^ and 
 being Maflers of them, when Boys, they^ turn Go¬ 
 vernors and Confefl'ors to them, when they are Men, 
 fothat all feemto have fallen into their Hands, and 
 being but one EntireInterejl throughout the World,- 
 
 and 
 
■; 49 - J 
 
 and maintaining a mi)(l funchtal Corre^ondencL^ they 
 muft needs have the*Kuowledge and pif|x.>ral of the 
 ■ jijfairs of States and Kingdoms by that Share, tliey 
 have in the Co'infels of Princes., and that^r^’4/ RelidKce 
 that is upon their Judgment and Ability. Thisjif vve 
 regard only the Remifh Religien, (liews great Wit^DeJign 
 SLndlndufiryi but if we confider well how Formida¬ 
 ble thefe Arts render them to Pretefimt Kingdoms^ 
 it will become us to ufe our utmoft Prudence to Se- 
 care our [elves. And there feems not to me a more 
 Effectual Remedy, than a ivi^e znd Kirtaous Education 
 of om Touth. In order to it let us improve Methods 
 not inferior to theirs, but iov better Ends : Let us ufc 
 our Skill to improve the Childrens Natural Abilities 
 to excite them to Virtue and Endear the True interefi 
 of their own Country to them. I will briefly 1^ 
 down, what at prefent occurs to me as a goodfvay of 
 Education. 
 
 (i.) Firfl^ Let Care be taken To breed up Youth in 
 MORALITY: (ov Virtue prepares the Mind, helps 
 the Underftanding and gives Induftry tocompafs this. 
 Let no Books be ufed in Schools, in which there may 
 be the Icaft Indecencyy tliere were (and not witliout 
 Reafon) Ancient Canons againft the of fuch 
 
 Beathen Authors • and not a few Learned & Sober Men 
 haverebuked that Practice amonglf us : It is an Af¬ 
 front to chrijiianity, yea, to our Natures., to fetch our 
 irit or our Manners from them. It were well,if fome 
 Tra( 5 i:s of Moral Virtues and In veclives again If Vice 
 were written in xho^o Languages we would \\z.vtTouth. 
 to Icars : for in fuch Difeourjes they might obtain good 
 Manners vjitXi tnc Languages t, whereas by tying up 
 
 G Schools 
 
J 
 
 (50) 
 
 Sfhools to Hedthen Authors^ ©ur Youth has learned Bafe 
 Obfeemties and a Corrupt Cenverflit ion. 
 
 . (2.) In the Next place, I would propofe Tome of the ' 
 eafier Parts of Ma.thematicks and the Knowledge of 
 Plants and Natural Bodies to be compos’d on purpofe 
 Familiar Manner.^ that they may be Inftituted 
 in the Knowledge of and learn 7 hin£s at the . 
 
 fame time they learn tvords. 
 
 (3.) The Lajl Sort of Books, which I would re¬ 
 commend (and are in my Opinion mofi fuitable to 
 their Maturity of Age and Underfianding) are fuch as 
 relate to tht Hiftories and Tranfallicns of our own 
 Kingdom % the Interejl of the Tx^cPreteJlant Religion 
 and Civil Policy amongft us. But becaiife there are ve¬ 
 ry few (if any) of thefc Difeourfes extant, it were 
 Worth the Care of our Superiors^ and an A£V defer- 
 ving Praife, That fome Skilful.^ Soler and judicious 
 Men w’ere fet .to work for the Compofure of fome 
 fma/l Tracts of this Nature 5 and as an Appendix to 
 the whole, that there might be a Summary of the Mo^ 
 Virtuous and Infamous Actions of Former Times.^ with 
 the Rewards and Punifhments they have received from 
 God and J uft Government: that by the Pow'cr of Ex¬ 
 ample they may be deterr’d from Vice^ and provoked 
 to Emulation ot tht Virtues and Reputation 
 
 of the Antient?. 
 
 (4J In the Fourth place, CroJ^ not the Genius of 
 your Youth., Match their Talents well •, for if ye d@ not 
 f«tG their Studies to the\x Under fan dings., it w’ill be 
 Dor awing up Hill. Going again f -the Grain OT Swimming, 
 againfl the Tide: that which will be gain’d, will be 
 1 ittle i and with fo much Labour and Time too, as will 
 
 not 
 
(S') - 
 
 not quit Cofl-. It l^ould be greatly the Care ofthofe, 
 
 who have the Charge of Totith^ to make the Wayes 
 
 of Learning Eafie and Chcarftd ; which leadeth me 
 
 to- 
 
 (5.) My Lafi Obfervation : Let all Honefi Arts he it- 
 fed by Mafters 0/’Schools to pro^johe their Youth tc Lea/n- 
 t/jg )v. shout much ViercctitCs or Beating: For that Sort . 
 of Education has nothing of the Free and Generow Dif- 
 vofttion'm it-, which might be raifed and improved in', 
 Louth bw more Gentle and Reajonable Methods. They 
 that are taught to obey only for BareF<f/?r, make that 
 Fear and not Reafon the Rule of their Obedience 5 and 
 this grows in too many with thsir Age, that they 
 turn meer Mercenaries and worfhip Violence. In fborty 
 Make Inftruliion Eafie., GorrefLien Reafonable: Convince 
 them of their Mifcarriage with Mildne^y then Pardon 
 them s finally excite them to Amendment by Smiles 
 and Favour. This awakens the Nohle' Part 
 cites Louth to effe> 5 t that,, which may give them Favour 
 vtiththtiv Tutors who, if they at any time commit 
 an Error^ fhould rather Ihew themfelves affeQionatcly 
 ^orr^for them, than bitterly Angry. Plato being great¬ 
 ly difplcafed with his Servant, and going about to 
 Correct him, gave the tvand to one that Rood by, 
 faying : [Do thou beat him 5 for 1 am At^gry. Cba~ 
 Jliaoement f\\o\x\A be ufed withReafon and ReluYansy: 
 a Difcreet and Cool Hand may direft the Blow right 
 and hit the Mark; when Men of Fury rather eafe 
 their Paflion, than mend their Louth : efpccially, if 
 the Correction exceed the Fault t, for that hardens : Tins 
 XGvy Bruitifhnefs is more Injurious to the Nature of our 
 Louth^ than ufually their Injlruliion is beneficial. 
 
 G 2 Upon 
 
Upon the whole Matter I take the Soldnel's to lay, 
 That if we would Preferve our mui 
 
 endear it to the People. To do this (befides the ne- 
 celfity of prefent JuJl and Wtje things') we mull: Secure 
 xhtyouth: and this is not to be done but by the A* 
 mcndment of ^the fv^ty of their Education^ and that 
 wdth all Conceivable Speed and Diligence. I fay, 
 the Government is Highly oblig’d : it is a fort of ^ruji ee 
 for .the Xouth of the Kingdom, though now-yW/W/, 
 yet will have the Government^ when we are gone. 
 Therefore deprefs^/V^ and cherilh r/>///^,that through 
 good Edutution they may become Good ^ which will tra- 
 ly render them H^ppy in this World, and a Good 
 Way fitted for that wdiich is to come. If this be 
 done, they will owe more toyeur Memories iov ihtiii 
 EducAtion^ than for their Being, 
 
 My T HJRD and Lafi KCAfon for this Serious Sup¬ 
 plication to the Civil Magtfirate is f® Great, that I find 
 Difficulty to exprefs it: ’Tis the G Lo RT of that 
 COD, that Made us, that hath fo often Deliver’d us, 
 and doth fo plentifully provide for us-; who fent his 
 Son into the World to and waits every Day to 
 
 be Good and Gracious to us. But he hath fo particular¬ 
 ly and with that Tranfcendencf fet the Marks of his 
 Favour upon you, both in your Rejloratien and ProteCfi- 
 en, as fcarce any Age can parallel: O 1 Let a Steady 
 virtue be the Return ofthefe Mercies^ and a Pious Care 
 to Retrieve and Encourage Morality (the very Bajis of 
 our Government) be the Humble Token of your Gra. 
 tilude ! It is your Office ; ye do iut comply with the Rea- 
 [on of your own Jnjlitution : God expels it and Good 
 
^5 3 ) 
 
 Men beieech it from you. There is much in your 
 Power at this time, to make this the ISLAND 
 OF PlE ACE And lasting TranSL^il- 
 LiTr, Lofe not the Prejent Opportunity : Revive 
 the Laws agaiiift thefe Gnfs lni<^u!tiesi, terrihe all EviL 
 Doers^ Cherilh them that do well. Provide for the 
 tjiat their Stock may not be Abus’d^ nor their 
 Cr/Vr pierce Heaven againft you becaufe of Neglect 
 and God may yet youchfafe to fpare us. 
 
 Tour Sins (laid God of Old) have with-held Good 
 Things fr$myou : V/j RighteouTnefs thxt e> alts a Nati~ 
 on t, hut Sin is the Reproach of any people. Would yc 
 Profier ? then pleale God 5 and if ye m ill pleafe him, 
 yemuft put away tht Wicked from amongft you. It 
 was both his Complaint and the Caufe of his Judg¬ 
 ment in Former Ages: There are found Wicked Me a 
 among my people^ they lay tv ait ^ as he that fetteth Snares 5 
 they jet a Trap^ they catch Men : m a Cage U fud of Birds, 
 (o are their Houfesfull of Deceit, Therefore they are be^ 
 come Great and waxen Rich 5 they are waxen Fat^ they 
 jhine. They OVERPASS or OVERLOOK the. 
 Deeds of the tvicked^ they fudge hot the Caufe of the Fa- 
 therlejsyet .hey projper. Thefe were no Small Folks, 
 hut Men ot Power^ luch as got largely hy t\\& Got ern- 
 ment^ and employed thtir Authority to Enrich them- 
 felves, and not relieve iheOppreJJed. I muft needs 
 fay (and can with great Truth). That Mifgovernment 
 is thepccafion,though the Devil be the Caufe of that. 
 Mijehief tsuA Ruin^th^it attends Nations. 
 
 What Kingdoms hath God deftroyed, and Cities 
 turn’d int© Rubhify^ bccaufe oi National Evils too much 
 occaficned by the Remifnefs of Magijirates- ? the 
 
 f&ck 
 
(s^) 
 
 Jfack thzt thcRulers of Ifrael held over thxtTl,v^at>- 
 py people^ made Way for their Uni ubjefted Paflians and 
 C orrupt; Alfcftions to break out into moJlFile Impie¬ 
 ties: but if Men flaall be left to their o'wn Licentiouf- 
 nefs^ io Commit sin with Greedmefs^ and with Impuni¬ 
 ty both deipifethe Laws GedandMen, all lean fay 
 is this*, ‘‘God, who is jealous of his Glcry, the 
 “ Great Avenger of his Law upon RehcHious Nations^ 
 “ win with-hold his Mercies^ and haften his Jitdgments 
 “upon us 1 
 
 Hear the Word of the Lord (faid the Prophet fio- 
 u r children of Ifrael ^ for the Lord hath a, 
 
 j ,Controverfte with the inhabitants of the Land: by 
 * Swettrin Lying, Killing, Steal¬ 
 ing and Committing Adultery they break out^ and Blood 
 touches Blood 5 therefore fhall the Land mourn. And by 
 the Prophet MaUchi God threatens that pe iple 
 ^ ' thus : / will come near toyou^ and 1 will be a fwift 
 witnefs againfSorcerQTS, and againjl the Adul¬ 
 terers, Falfe Swearers and fuch as fear not 
 
 me^ faith the Lord of Hofts. Yea, to that Degree 
 was that Magijtracy dQgtntT2i.iQd) that they thought it 
 a Vain Thing to ferve God, to keep his Command¬ 
 ments : called the Proud Happy *, yea they that 
 
 worktWickednefs^ were fet up (they were Advanced to 
 Places of Honour and Truf) and they that tempted 
 God, were deliver’d : But th.Q Word of the Lord was 
 unto them a Reproach-^ they had no Delight iii it: 
 They made a Mock at Sin, laid Snares for the Inno¬ 
 cent,and {like us) made Men Offenders for a Word^ for a 
 good Word^ a tvord of Reproof or an Harmlejs Opinion, 
 Wdl but what followed ? shall I not vift for thefe 
 
 things^ 
 
things^ faith the Lerdi jjyall not my Sold be Avenged 
 fuch a Nation 04 this < Truly, ’tis our very Cafe 5 the 
 Impieties are daily found amongft us : Certain¬ 
 ly God is oifended his Spirit grieved, and Heaven is 
 fet agiinft us. For the Lord s fake. Do your Duty'm 
 this prefent Conjunblare^ and miftake not your Mea-^ 
 fures: Let every thing have its Due Weight 2iX\d Place 
 with you 5 that is the Way to Succeed. Ye arc now 
 Warmly concern’d in. the Difeevery and Profecution of a 
 tfefiuticd Plot (a Defign (it Teems) to Deftroy the 
 K;ng.^ and blow up your Religion and Wreft the Go~ 
 vernment out of your Hands) in this doubtlefs ye do 
 well ^ and dl Juft Care to preferve the Peace of the 
 Kingdom from iiich Mifehievous Confpiracies^ is Meft 
 Commenhhle in you, and deferves and draws all Due 
 Acknowledgments ftoYO Honeftand Englith Minds. But 
 
 o O' 
 
 I befeech you. Let God have a fliare in your Concern ; 
 Remember him as well as Yourfelves; Ycconfcfs, 
 this Great Difeovery is only owing to his Goodnefs 5 
 (hall we be then more Zealous for ou-r own Safety^th.2.a 
 for his who, when ad is done^ muft Save us or 
 
 we arc Loft. Let us make him our Friend, who is 
 ftronger,than the Combinations of all our Enemies 5 and 
 gytard our fehes agaihft that which can only bring their 
 EVIL DEVICES topafs, OUR SIN', for that is 
 their Strength and the Povjon of then Arrows; let us Con- 
 fefs and Forjake it 5 let us Humble our feJ ves under the 
 Miftoty Hand of God, ihat it may not Grind m to Powder, 
 And truly,if our hearts were not harder \hmAdA?nants 
 thisTeflimony he has given iis of his Care over usmot- 
 withlfandingall ouvit'p^^'td Prouocations given him) 
 (hould break us into deef Contrition, O I let his Long* 
 
 fuffering 
 
^ . . (56) 
 
 fuffcring prevail upon us to ti/7feigned Repentance l 
 ■then (ImU weftand Clear before God ; and if fo^ 
 he will quickly make our Enemies to fly before 
 us. If there be an/ Truth in Sacred Story^ any Cre¬ 
 dit to be given to Chrijlian Religion or the Experience 
 of Ages, this, that 1 fay of God and Government is 
 True-,-it is our Da!/*/, ysa^ ‘onv Inter eji^ the trueifl and 
 eafieft Way to Safety : for God has decreed, The Aa^ 
 tion and Kingdom-^ that will not ferve him, (hallperifb^yea, 
 ibofe Nations (hall he utterly wafted (Ifa. 60. 12.) But 
 Great is their Peace', 'that Love this Law ^ It fhaKgo well 
 with the Righteous, hut it fhaUgo III with the fVisked: up¬ 
 on them God hath threatned to Rain Snares, Difficul¬ 
 ties, Perplexities 5 they lhall not know, which way to 
 turn. I am not againfl: the Ufe of Means : Men 
 hivc not Wifdom znd Power for nothings but then let 
 them Life them in the and Name of God: Cur fed 
 is he that putteth bis Strength in Man^ and h s Confidence 
 in the Arm of Flefb. And in another place : tvo to 
 them^ that go down Egypt for Help, and fay 
 
 on Aorfes and trujl in Chariots, becaufethey are 
 ’ many I and in Hor [men, becaufe they are very 
 jlronn ; but they look not to the Holy One of Ifrael , nei- 
 ther^eek the Lord, ’Twas his Reproof to th^ Nation 
 that profefled him, That they (liould feek to the Stra¬ 
 tagems, and rely upon tho Strength oi Heathen. Nati¬ 
 ons, rather than upon Faith in him, the Living God t 
 and the Reafon he gives (in the third verfe) is gteat, 
 viz. The Egyptians are Men and not God, and their 
 Horfes Fleflj, and not Spirit: when the Lord fjadflretch 
 out his Hand, both he that helpeth, fsail fall, and he that is 
 holpcn, (ball fall down, and ptsey all [ball fail together. If 
 
 then 
 
(s?) , 
 
 then the Hand of God be-(b much ftronggr than Man, 
 for the Lord’s fake, let us lay hold of it-*, let that fight 
 our BAttels and decide the Confroverjie : He that trufi- 
 eth to the Lotd^ fjadnever bt confounded. It was the 
 faying of a Great King and a Great Conqueror, By thee 
 j hive IcAped over A Wad^ by thee I hAve run through a 
 Troop, &c. who prelerved the ifAelites from PharAoh’s 
 Fury, threw down the tvads of Jericho, when the 
 Priefts or founded i\\Q Rams^horns % with more of 
 
 the like kind. And we muft not think, that God is 
 alter’d, that Fuith is weaken’d, that no Wonders are 
 referved for the Lutter and chrifliAn Ages. The Truth 
 is, that FAtth (generally fpeaking) is loft, and that 
 holy Confdence now a days is efteem’d Prefumptton ^ *tis 
 become a Principle^ that fuch things Are not to be expend¬ 
 ed : fo that we ihut up or bar from our felves the True 
 and moft-Powerful wuy of DeliverAnce, Let us not 
 betake our felves to the Common Arts and Str At Aherns of 
 Nations Incredulous of the Strength of the God of 
 Ifrael, who is the God of True Chriflians too. O / 
 that our Faith may be greater than our Arms ! no mat¬ 
 ter for life Strength of our Enemies, if God be our 
 Strength : and truly, ’tis vain to acknowledge a Pro¬ 
 vidence in Humane Things, and not to confide in him 
 and rely upon him, that provides for us. I tvas Toung 
 (faid David) and notv 1 am Old, but I never fatv the Righ¬ 
 teous forfaken, nor his Seed begging Bread: It (hall go 
 well with the Righteous, Therefore fear God, put 
 away* the Evil that provokes him, and truft not in 
 Man, but in the Living God 5 and it [had yet go well with 
 
 England. 
 
 What Noble Feats did the Ancients do by FAITH ! 
 
 ' H and 
 
^ 58 ) 
 
 and lliall Chrifi'iAns have lefs than "jews had ? Is not 
 God. the fame ? yes he is UK^changeahle : but Alas ! 
 we are not the fame that’s our Mischief. Chrift did 
 not mzny Mighty fvorks infome places, becaufe they 
 believed not in him: if our Confidence be hot in God^ 
 our Hopes will prove and our Succefs will fail 
 
 us. We (hall but have MEN of oar fide, not God j 
 Flefh and not Spirit; and if we (hould be fo Unhappy, 
 as to make this our Strength 5 both the Helpers & Help- 
 ^^will fall together. But let Nineve teach us better 
 things, and may her Zealous King be the Example of 
 ours ; and let all the people fay Amen ! The Sutable- 
 nefs of which Story to our prefent Occafion makes 
 me chufe to End this Firfi Part of my Addrefs with it. 
 
 For Word came unto the King of Nineveh j Tct For¬ 
 ty Dayes^ and N ineve (hall be Overthrown, \ And he A- 
 rofe from his Throne^ and he laid his Robe from him^ and 
 covered him with Sack-cloth.^ and fate in Ajhes. And he 
 c.itifed it to be proclaimed and publijhed through Nineve 
 (by the Decree of the King and his'Hohlts) fsiying-y Let 
 neither Man r, or Beaf.^ Herd nor Flocktaf* any thing-., 
 let them not feed, nor drink Water. But let Man and 
 Beafl be covered with Sack-elothy and cry mightily unto 
 
 God: yea, LET THEM TURN EVERY ONE 
 FROM HIS EVIL WAY, and from the Violence, 
 that is in their Hands, who can ted, if Cod void turn 
 and repent, and turn away from his Fierce Anger, that we 
 ptrifo not. And God (aw their Works, that they turn'd 
 /row Evil Way ; and God repented from the Evil, 
 that he had faid, that he would do unto them, and he did it 
 not. 
 
 O 
 
 t 
 
0 (jody thou that ytorkeH IVondert 
 
 if} the Earthy ivhofe Toyter cannot be 
 
 Control’d, in yphofe Elands are the Souls 
 
 » _ 
 
 of Men and the Spirits of all.Flefo, rtho 
 cahfl turn them tn a Moment^- Turn 
 thou the Hearts of King and People un^ 
 to theCy and One unto another. T>o 
 thou proclaim a EASE Ad[ 
 
 SI lEf throughout thefe Sinful King¬ 
 doms • let \Vickednefs and Oppref- 
 fion find noplace among us, Turn a^ 
 y^ay thy Fierce Wrath, JEipe av^ay our 
 Reproach and Love us Freely, 0 God^ 
 for thy dear Son’j fakf ' 
 
SECOND PART 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 * *■ 
 
 Addrefs to Proteftants 
 
 UPON THE 
 
 Prefent Coniundure. 
 
 H Aving then fiaillit the FirJiP/irt of my Mdrefs' 
 relating to the Ir/m?ralities ©f the Times, and 
 lettit with the CIVIL MAGISTRATE fasinCon- 
 fciencc I found n>y feif Oblig’d to do) whofc Peculiar 
 charge It IS, and (I Earaeftly and Humbly deCrc and 
 pray, that it may be his) Great Care EneUually to 
 Rebuke them ^ I floall betake my felf to the Sectnd 
 Part of this Addrefs, that more immediately concerns 
 us as Profef Chriflians and Protefiants. But before I 
 begin, Tdcfirc to premife (andean with much Sirjce- 
 rity Declare) that I intend not the Reproach of any Per- 
 jon or Party : I ara weary v\'ith feeing jo much of it in 
 the World : Tor it gains nothing, that is w'orth keeping ^ 
 but hardens to a Vefperatenefs, what ’tis our Duty to en¬ 
 deavour to [often. But if without Offence I may 
 fpeak the Truth, that which to the beft of my Under- 
 lianding tends to the Prefent Settlement and Future Fe- 
 licityof my Poor Country •, I fhall (by God’s Help) 
 
(^ 1 ) 
 
 deHvcr Hiy with that Medefyy Plahxefs and 
 ?r/Vy, that becomes a Real CbriJliajt and a True Englifi- 
 Man, 
 
 Thofe Capital Sins and Errors^ihit relate to the EC¬ 
 CLESIASTICAL STATE or Church-Capacity of 
 thefe Kingdoms, and which are fo Inconfiftant with 
 ChrifiUn Religion and pureft ProteJlancji that above 
 all difplcafe Almighty God, are- 
 
 V'lT&i,Making OpinionsArticks of Faithyat leajlgiving 
 them the Reputation ofV3it\iy^nd making them the Bond 
 of Chriftian Society. 
 
 SQCOnddgyMiJiaking the Nature of True Faith, and ta- 
 king that for Faith, which is not Gofpel-Faith. 
 
 Thirdly, Dehafing the trsie Value Morality under 
 fretence of Higher Things, mi faking the •very End of 
 Chrift’s Coming. 
 
 Fourthly, Preferring Humane Authority above Rea- 
 fon and Truth, ' , , 
 
 Fifthly, ProgagatingYawda force andImpojing Re¬ 
 ligion byov\d\j QQm\iu\kiQn, . 
 
 1 » 
 
 Thefe I take to be thbfe Church Evilsy that have too 
 much infeffed even thefe Parrs ofthefreputed) Reform¬ 
 ed World. And though the Roman Church (or the moft 
 part hath tranfeended all other Societies in thefe Errors 
 (and may in a fenfe be faid to be the Mother of them. 
 She from whom they took Birth^ by Whom they were 
 brought forth and propagated ’ in Chrifendom ) yet 
 there hath not been that Integrity to the Nature of 
 chrifiianitjy and Firfl Reafon ok Reformation from 
 
(62 J 
 
 in our' own Ceuntry, as Iiad been and is our 
 Duty to conferve. 
 
 Firft, Opinions pafs forlTaiths-)'a»d are made 
 
 Articles of F xith a/id e/^joyn d to be embraced Ai the Bond 
 of Communion. 
 
 Th at this is io, let us take the moft impartial View 
 we can, and we Hiall find it to be true, both of the 
 National many other Select Societies. That I may 
 be underftood in the Signification of the word OPI¬ 
 NIONS, I explain it.thus: ^'Opinions are aB, thofe 
 Prop' fttiens er Conclufions made by Men Doftrines of 
 Faith 4»^Arciciis of Communion, which either are 
 not Exprclly laid down in Scripture, er net fo evidently 
 “ Deduce able /ri'w Scripture, m to leave no Reafon of 
 ‘‘ YDcVibx, in t lie ir Minds «f the Truth of them, who fincere^ 
 ly and reverently believe the’VtxX.i or la ftly fuch, as 
 have m New or Credible Revelation to avouch 
 them. 
 
 That this is our Cafe, let the fevcral of 
 
 Faith pablilhed by almoft every Party in England be 
 perufed, and ye will find fitch Propoftions tranflated 
 into Doctrines of Faith and Articles of Communion, as 
 are {Firfi) not. only net Exprefs^din Scripture, but per¬ 
 haps notDeduceable from Scripture. If one Party may 
 be but believ’d againft another, this we fliall want no 
 Evidence to prove the Point. And (in the A^^jcrplace) 
 fuch as are (though not Exprefl^ yet it may be) Deduce- 
 able as to the Matter of them 5 but cither carried fo 
 high, fpun fo fine or fo difiguifed by Barbarous School- 
 TrmJ, that they are rather a of Contention., than 
 a,Bendo£ to Religious Societies. Yet this has 
 
 been 
 
been the Unhappinefs even of this Kingdom after all 
 the Light of which God hath gracioufly 
 
 fcntamengftus^ Me» are to he received or reje^ed for 
 denying or owning of fuch Propofitions. Wilt thou be an 
 Episcopalian e then Sign the Thirty-Nine Articles^ Re¬ 
 nounce the Covenant and Coaforra to the Difciplinc 
 ^nd^urifdildionof the Church, Wilt thou hsa.Pref- 
 hyterian'l Embrace and Keep Covenant, fublcribe 
 the Wejiminfier-Conftffion and Directory ; and fo on to 
 the End of every Society, that grounds Communi¬ 
 on upon Conformity to fuch Propoftiens and Articles. 
 
 What a Stir have we had in England about the poor 
 word/ He that fays, it fignifies an Higher 
 than nf6?(3w7sf9f^ lhall have no part or fellowlhip 
 with us: ©n t’other hand, they that will dehafefi- 
 pifeopos to Preshyteros and turn LeveSers of Epifeopai 
 Dignity, (hall be Excommunicated, (ilened, punijh't. Is 
 Hot this f 4^ ? can any deny it, that love Truth more 
 then a Partyl The Fire kindled by Contention, 
 hath warm’d the Hands of Violence : It had been well, 
 if Men had entertain’d Equal Zeal Impiety, and 
 
 been but half asnauch Enemies to the Sin, as they have 
 be<ni againft one another. 
 
 If we look a little back, we (hall find, that the De¬ 
 bate of Unconditionalit<'/»ri?^4!//o« fill’d this 
 
 Kingdom with Incharitablencfs and Divifion. In 
 the Arch-Epifcopacy of Abhot (reputed in himfelf a 
 Good Man) who-ever held, that Chrift died fj for all 
 Men, that all men might he faved (if they would ac¬ 
 cept the Means) and that none were abfoluteiy de¬ 
 creed to Eternal Reprobation (laall be reputed an He^ 
 retick, and Excommunicated as an Enenay to the Free 
 Grace of God, which, it feems, lay in beino Narrow. 
 
 " In 
 
In the tini€ of Arch-Bi{hop the Ti^e turns: 
 thofe that hold an Absolute Electie/t and Re^r$bati9n 
 without regard had to the Good ox E vH Aliens of Men, 
 and aflert, that Chrijl only died for the Eled, and not 
 for all . mull be diicouQtenanc’d,difplac’d and point¬ 
 ed at as Mem out ot Fafoion, though at the fame time 
 Confc lent ioics^Sober and (at wov^^Mifaben^to be pittied 
 rather than profecuted, and informed rather than 
 confounded. 
 
 This Controverfie begot the Synod of Dort : he that 
 reads the Epifiles of that Judicious man f. Hails of 
 Eaton the Matter and Condudof the Ajjembly^ 
 will find caule of being fad at Hearty too many of 
 them talked of Religion without the Spirit of it. Men 
 perhaps Learned in Books,but few of the Sticklers gave 
 any great Teftiraony of their Proficiency in that 
 ence^ which is firfl: pure^ then peaceable^ gentle and 
 eaffe to he entreated. This Flame (kindled between 
 Arminins and Epifcopins^ &c. for the Remon^rants ^ and 
 Gomarus.^ Sibrandus^ &C. for the Predefiinarians) di- 
 ftraded Holland not a little, and had zn ill Jnfluenee 
 upon ahe Affairs of England., at leaft fo far, as con¬ 
 cern’d the But the Mournfullcft part of that 
 
 Hiflrory is,the III Ufage Martinius Crecius theBilhop of 
 Landaffand others had : who though they were ac¬ 
 knowledg’d to be Sound in the Fttith of thofe Times 
 (which generally followed the Judgmeat of Calvin., as 
 to the mean points contros'’ertcd) yet if at any time 
 they appear’d moderate in their Behaviour, gentle in 
 their Words and for Accommodation in fome particu¬ 
 lars with the Remonjlrators or Free.mllers 5 Gomarsts 
 and his Followers not obferving that Gravity of the 
 Aijembly the Rules of Debate, and leaft or all the 
 
 Meeknefs 
 
Metknefs of ChriflUn Csmmunion^ fell foul of their 
 Brethren j reproach’d their Tendernefsj and began 
 to fix Treachery upon their Endeavours of 
 commadatioH 5 as if they intended to execute as well as 
 maintain their Reprobation^ and blow up their Friends 
 rather, than not dettroy then Adverfaries. 
 
 But if we will yet rife higher in our Enquiry, and 
 view the Mifthiefsoi Earlier Times., the Fourth and' 
 Fifth Centuries after Chrift will furnilh us with In- 
 ftantes enough. Wc cannot polfibly forget the Hea^ 
 vy Life^ fome men made about the Obicrvation of 
 Eafler- Day, as if their Eternal Ffappinefs had been in 
 jeopardy 5 for fo far were they degenerated from the 
 Love a.sd Meeknefs of Cbriflianity, that about keeping 
 of a Day (which perhaps was no part, but to be fure, 
 no Ejfential part of the chrijlian Religion) they fell to 
 pieces, reproach'd., revil'd‘md hated one another. A 
 Dayvrzs more than Chrif, who was the Lord and End 
 of Days ^ and Victory over Brethren better, than the 
 feace and Concord of the Church, the Great Com¬ 
 mand ofjefns. 
 
 But the Remarkable and Tragical Story of Alexander 
 Biftiop of Alexandria and Arim his Prieft, in their 
 known Debate about the Nature and Exijlence of the 
 Son of God, with the Consequences thereof, 
 
 (as all Writers upon that Subject have related) witnef- 
 feth to the truth of what I fay.The Bl{hop'sCurio(ity, 8 c 
 the of Arim, the Prefumption of the one to' 
 
 expound beyond the Evidence and Simplicity of the 
 Text, and the Captious Humor of the other, that would 
 not bate the Bifliop any thifig for his Age or the Rank 
 
 I he 
 
 / 
 
( 66 ) 
 
 he held in the church •, but Logic ally exafted the Ucrm^ 
 of the Reckoning, began the Which, 
 
 as it became the Perplexity of Church and State foms 
 Ages, foit raged to Bleed i, and thofe that had been 
 perfecuted like by the Heathen not long before, 
 turn’d Wilves now to each other, and made I'port f@r 
 the Infidel^ doing their work. Nay lo much 
 moicChriJlian'fid^sThemi^im the Philofophcr^ that in 
 his Oration (called CONSUL) he commended and ad-- 
 vifed the Emperour -Jovian^ to Exercife Moderation^ 
 and to give that Liberty of Confcience, which profejl 
 Chriftians refujed to do to each other : who feem’d to 
 think, they never didi God better Service^ than ia 54- 
 cri ficing one another for Religion. 
 
 Did we d uly refleU: upon the Unnatural Heats^Divi- 
 fisns and Excommnnicathns among them, the many 
 Councils that were called, the ftrong and tedious De¬ 
 bates held, the Tranjlations of Sees.^ the Anathemas fkao 
 Banijhments., M'^ars^ Sackings^ Fires znd Blood-jhedthgt 
 follewed this Unnatural Divifion, that fprang from fo 
 nice a Controverfie ; one would verily believe ao lefr, 
 than that Religion it felf had been in Utmojl Hazard : 
 iha.t ^udaifrn OT Paganifm were over-running Chri- 
 ftianity ^ and not, that all this Stir had been made 
 about an Iota : For the whole dueflrion was, tvhether 
 HOMOUSIA or HOMOIUSIA fhould he received for 
 Faith? in which the difference is but the jingle Let- 
 ter Q / 3 Certainly, we muff do Violence to our Un- 
 derftanding, if we can think, that thefe men were 
 Followers of ihdxj efus yhii Lov d his Enemies gave hie 
 sUodfor the Worlds who hated their Brethren and 
 
( 67 ) 
 
 /bed 0»e mothers Blood for OPINIONS: The FJeatheit- 
 Philofophers never were fo Barbarous in their Differ- 
 ences. 
 
 But how eafily might all thefc Confufions have been 
 prevented, if their Faith about Chrift had been deli¬ 
 ver’d in the tFords oi Scriftnre ; fince all fides pretend 
 to believe the Text i and why (hould anymanpre. 
 fume to be Wiferthan the Holy GboJl< ’Tis ftrange, 
 that God and Chrifi ihould be wanting to exprefs or dif. 
 cover their ov'n mind i or that the words ufed by the 
 Holy Ghoff fhouldhave that Shortnefs, Ambiguity or 
 Obliquity in them, that our frail Cafacities fliould be 
 needed to make them more Eafie,Proper ahd Intclligi 
 blel But that we Ihould fcarcely deliver any one Article 
 of Faith in Scripture-Terms^md yet make fuch Abfs the 
 Rule and Bond of Chrifiian Communion) is in my Judg. 
 ment an Offence hainous againft God and HolyScripture^ 
 and very Injurious to Chrijlian Charity and Fellowfisip, 
 Who can exprefs any Man’s mind fo fully, as himfelP? 
 and lhali we allow that Liberty to our 
 fclves, andrefufeittoGod? The Scrip- ^ 2.1. 
 
 tures came notin Old time (faid the Apoftle by 
 
 the will of Man 5 but holy Men of ^od fpake^ as they 
 were moved by theWoly Ghoft. Who can fpeak bet¬ 
 ter or exprefs the Mind of the holy chofi plainer, than 
 the holy Obofi ? the Scripture is the Great Record of 
 Truth) that which all thefe Parties in Controverfe a- 
 gree, to be the Declared Mind and Will of God) they 
 Unanimoufly fay, it ought to be believd and profefi as 
 fuch. If this be true, in what Language can we fo 
 fafelyand properly declare our Belief of the Truths 
 
 I 2 tirrein 
 
therein contain’d, orexprefs thole Truths, as in the 
 very Language of the Scripture ? 
 
 And 1 cinnot fee/iow thofe Perfons can be excufed in 
 the Day of Ged'i JudgmentyWho make men Heteredoje or 
 Heretical for refullng to fubfcribe th^ir Articles of Faith, 
 that are not m Soripture-TermSy who at the fame time 
 offer to dedare their Belief of Spirity Man's 
 
 Laps or FalLy Repentance, Sancfiftathny j^uflificationy 
 Saivationy RefurrefUcn arid Eternal Re c$mpenee m the 
 Language of Holy Scripture ? ’Tis'prepofterous and 
 a Contradiciiony that thofe, who defire to deliver their 
 Faith of Frutb in the Language of Ttrutby Ihould not 
 be reputed True Believersyiov their Faith admitted; for 
 this were to fay, that therefore theiris not to be 
 received, becaufe it is declared in the Language ©f 
 that very Truth, which is the Ohjecl of thzt Faithy 
 for which it ought to be received, and which is on all 
 hands concluded to be our Duty to believe. It feems 
 then, we muff not exprefs our Belief oi God in his 
 Words, but our own ^ nor is the Scripture a Creed plain 
 or proper enough to declare a True Believer or an Or¬ 
 thodox chrifiian. 
 
 Are not things come to a fadpafsy that to refufc 
 any other Termsy than thofe the Holy Ghojl has given 
 us,and which are confeft to be the Rule or Form of found 
 Wordsy is to expofe a Man to the Cciifureof being Un- 
 pund in the Faith & unfit for Chriflian-CemmunionVfJiW 
 nothing do, but Mans Comment inftead of Godls Text ? 
 liisConfequences & Conclufions in the room ©f Sacred \ 
 Revelation ? I cannot fee, how any Man can be obli- ! 
 ged to receive er believe revealed Truths in any other 
 
 Language \ 
 
(dp) • 
 
 j thxn th^t of the Revel^tien ttfelf clpccislly if 
 thole that vary t\\Q.ExfrejJionf\2Mt not the to 
 
 lead them in doing Ib^ or that it appears not to me, that 
 they have the Guidance of that hely Spirit. If the holy Gbojt 
 hath left Doubts in Scripture (w hich is yet irreverent to 
 belicve;i fee not ho can refolve themf tis the H^ork 
 
 of that Spirit. And fince Men arc (b apt to Err jpeubts 
 are better left in Scripture., than by us. ^ut it is to 
 crofs that Order of Prudence and Wifdom among Men, 
 whochufeto C®nform their ExpreJJtons to the things 
 they believe. If any honeft Man hath related a Stcry 
 to me of fomething he hath feen, and I am to declare 
 my Faith about it, if I believe the I will chufe 
 to deliver it in the Terwj of the Pelator^ as being near- 
 eft to the Truth. 
 
 Suppofe a Father dying makes his Laji mil and Te- 
 f ament, and (as he thinks) Co plain, that there can be 
 no Miftake made by the Execuurs,but what is wilful .* 
 if they inftead of proving this tpid and aQ:ing accor¬ 
 ding to the plainnefs of it, turn Commentators, make 
 more Difficulties than they find, and perplex the whole 
 Matter to the Children and Legatees, and fend them 
 to the Z-<i>r for their Rights will we not efleem fuch 
 Executors id Men, and juftifie thole Perfons concern’d 
 in their Refufal of the Paraphrafe < God hath at fundry 
 times and in divers manners by his Prophets, his Beloved 
 Son and his Apofiles deliver’d to the World a Declaration 
 of his Will and Tefiament •, butfome have claim’d and 
 taken to themfelves the Keeping, Explanation and Ufe of 
 it; fo as thofe, that chufe to be concluded by the Let^ 
 ter and Text of this Tefiament in its wiof important 
 Points, expofe themfelves ta great prejudice ^ for 
 
 they 
 
( no) 
 
 they arefexcommunicated from all other Iharc in it, 
 than the pimijhment of the Breakers of it;, which is part 
 of their Anathema^ w'ho of all others are moft guilty 
 of Adding or Diminishing^ by undertaking to determin 
 (for others as well as themfclves; the Mind and Inten¬ 
 tion of the holy G ho fi in h» 
 
 But if it be true (as true it is') that fev/ have writ 
 of the Authority of Scripturcy that do not affirm, the 
 very Penmen of it to be not only infpired by the Holy 
 Chedy hut fo extraordinarily acledhyffwtiy as that they 
 were wholelyaflecp to their own WiUy Deeres oi Af- 
 fePbionsy like people taken out of themfelves, and 
 purely/’a'j^x'^ (as Clay in the hand of the Potter) to the 
 Ke-velatioHy will and Motion of the Sfirit, and for this 
 End, that nothing deliver’d by them might have the 
 leaji Poffilility of Mijlakcy Error or ImferfeUtiony but 
 be a Compleat Tejiament of the Will of God to men ^ I 
 cannot fee which way fuch Men can excufe themfelves 
 from Great Prefimptionythzt will notwithftanding have 
 the Wording of Creeds of Commmiony and reject that 
 Declaration of Faith 3 ls infufficient which is deliver’d in 
 the very Terms of the Holy GhoflyixnA deny thofe Perfons 
 to be Members of Chriji's Church j thatin Confciencc 
 refufe to fubferibe any other Draught, than their Lord 
 has given them. 
 
 Two things eppofe themfelves to this PraQiicc: 
 Tirfi^fhc Glory of God & the Honor of the Scriptures ^ for 
 it naturally draws people from the Regard Dueto Goddc 
 the Scriptures &begits too much Reflet for Men & their 
 Traditiens. This w'as the Difficulty Chrift met with and 
 complained ofinhis time^they had fet up fomany Rab- 
 - hies io\t 2 TUthcvsx Religion, that the Lord of the True 
 
 Religion 
 
telimn could hardly find a place amongft them. And 
 
 what did they do? They tmght for Doctrines theTruii- 
 tiensof Men: They gave their ow^n aad their Prede. 
 ceffors JPprehenfons^ Conftrnctions and Paraphrafes 
 «pon Scripture lor the Mind and Will of God^ the Rule 
 of the Peoples Faith. They were got near a# this 
 pafs in the of Corinth., when they cryed out, / 
 
 am for Paul, I am for Apollo, and / am for Cephas, 
 though they had not the fame Tempi ation. 
 
 And that which followed then, ever will follow in 
 the like Cafe, and that is DISTRACTION-, which 
 is the Contrary to that Second thing, that oppofeth it 
 felf to this Practice., and that is the Concord of Cbrifti- 
 ■ans. For Peace's fake confider it, Lo here and Lo there 
 always follow’d 5 one of this mind, and another of 
 that .* As mAny SeEls as Great Men to make and Head 
 them. This Was the Cafe of the Jem, and yet I do 
 not hear, that they devour’d one another about their 
 Opinions and Commentaries upon Scripture: but the 
 chrifiUtts have done both, Divided and Perfecuted too. 
 Firjty they have Divided, and that raoftly upon the 
 fcore* of Opinions about Religion : they have not been 
 Contented with the Expremonsof the holy choft', they 
 liked their own better. And when they w^ere fet up k 
 the Room ScripturejPitidi in the Name of SUB¬ 
 
 MISSION was required n'^onpain of worldly Punijh- 
 ments: This diffatisfied Curiofity, this Umv&rr ant able 
 (what lhall 1 fay ? ) this wanton Search has coft Chri- 
 fiendom dear, and poor England of any part of it. 
 
 I defign not to grate upon any to revive oXd Stories 
 orfcarchold Wounds or give thelcaft Juft Occafion 
 of DMeafure to thofe that are in Prefent Power : yet I 
 
 ^ mut 
 
( 72 ‘)^ 
 
 rtiuft needs fay, that oa one fide or t’other has 
 
 been the caufe of much of that Animosity zxidt. 
 
 Confnfio»j that have troubled this Kingdom. And 
 it fecii'is to have been ih.c great Stratagem of Satan to. 
 prevent the fprcading of the Gloriom Golpel oi Salva^ 
 r/V;? in the World, by taking men off from the feri- 
 ous purfuit of Piety and churity^ Humility and holy Li- 
 '‘vingj Peace 2.nd Concord and under pretence of 
 raifed Apprebenfions and fublime Knowledge of Religion 
 to put them upon introducing Curious and Doubtful 
 ^efiions^ that have given occafion for Contention and 
 Perjecution. This was no more uncondemned, than 
 
 unforc-feen of the Apoftle Paul who cx- 
 1 itn. o. |-jjg beloved Son Timothy^ To avoid 
 
 ■ thofe that doted about Quejlions (thofc Men, 
 that would be thought skilful^ Inepuifttive Searchers af¬ 
 ter T ruth^ fuch as love to exercile their Faculties and 
 improve their Talents-^ but let us hear his Judgment) 
 of which (fays he) cometh Strife, Railing, Surmifes, 
 perverfe Difputings of men of Corrupt Minds, And 
 the truth is, none elfe love fiieh Difputings ; they, 
 who feek a daily TicJoryovQi the mrld, the Flefj und 
 the Pifx'//,and prefs fervently after Fellowfhip with Cod 
 and that Confolation, that enfucs fuch an Employ¬ 
 ment of their time, have very little to lofc upon 
 Contention about Words, I could vvilh I were able to 
 fay,that Controverjie were not our Cafe ] But this 
 
 is not all. the Apoftle does exprefsly tell Timothy, that 
 if any man conjent not to wholfoni'Words, even the 
 Words of our Lord JcCus Chrift, and the DoHrine, that 
 is according to. Godlinefs^ he is Prottd^ knowing nothings 
 but doting about Quefiions, &c. fucli as ufed Philofphy 
 
 and 
 
( 73 ) 
 
 vain Deceit (as he writes to the 2.8, 
 
 Betvare^ fays he, Ujl any man ^oil you through 
 Philofovhy and 'v&in Deceit, Sjhat is^ draw them away 
 from the Simplicity of the Gol^sl and the wholjbme Words 
 of ChriO:] after the Traditions of men^ after the Rudi¬ 
 ments of the tvorlJ^ and not after Chr if. He ufed no- 
 
 humane Wifdom, yQthe fake Wifdmy but it was in a 
 APyf cry,not to the humble Difciples of Jefm-^ nothing 
 was plainer: but it was a Myflery to the H'^ife Men of 
 thXstvorld. And truly, they that are not unacquain¬ 
 ted with the more degenerate Ages of the Greek Philo- 
 Cophers^ how Philosophy (once taken for the Love of 
 firtue and felf-Denial^ which they efteem’d true(l 
 ivifdom^ and was begun by men of Ordinary Rank) be¬ 
 came little elfc, than an of Rangling nyson a mul¬ 
 titude of/^/<r and fo they entertain’d the A- 
 
 poftlc Paul at Athens) may -very well guefs, which 
 way Apojtacy entred among Chriftians; efpeGially, 
 when we confider, that in the third and fourth Centu¬ 
 ries the Heathen-Philofophers had the Education of the 
 ChriflianYouth, and that no man had any Reputation 
 among the Chrfian Doefors, who were not well Ini¬ 
 tiated in the Philofophy, Rhetorick and Poetry of the 
 Gentiles. Which made way ^ovlmpurity of Language., 
 and laid a Foundation for great Feuds in the Church t, 
 Chrift and his Doffrine muftbeprov’d by Arifotle 
 znA\\ts Philofophy. Yes, muff explain Scrip- 
 
 /»re,and by Degrees Methodize t\\tloof Partso^ it, and 
 reduce them to Formal Prepoftions^ Axiomes •, and by 
 the Help of fuch Philcfophers thtpeor FifJjermenvoGXQ 
 taught to fpeak Afetaphyfically., and grew Polite in the 
 Senfe ofthat (to fay true) had been neither 
 
 K guilty 
 
 I 
 
guilty of noR U/iderJimding it. But as the Fir (I 
 F/fles of Phil^bfhy were few and plain, and conlifted 
 I'dVirtuoirs Lizing • fo the Chrifiian Religion was de¬ 
 liver’d with much Brevity, yet much PUinnej^^ fuitsd 
 even to the Capacity cf the Youngs the Ignorant and 
 the Pforj to inform their underfiandings, fubdue their 
 affefiionsand convert their Souls to God, as well as 
 Perfons of more Kntxvleage “xxA Ability. 
 
 And truly, when we confidcr the Smalnefs of the 
 Writings of the Evangelijis^ the Shortnep of Chrifl’s 
 Sermonsy the cf the hpifiles wxix by the Apo- 
 
 fil^s^ and the Mxny and Great Volurnns of Comment Hot s 
 xpA Criticks wc may juftly fay, ThtTeott is almojl 
 Loji in the Comment^ and Truth hid father than revealed 
 in thefe heaps cf faRihle Apprehenfl.ns. Where by 
 the way let me fay, that the Foluminonfne/f of the 
 Books is no fmall token of the Wa<r/^4r^rl?of the Wri- 
 ■ ters-^ the more and better digefted any Mat¬ 
 
 ter is, the more e't^ie and {hort it will be in exprefling. 
 But after the Chriftians had declin’d the Simplicity oi 
 tlieir ow'n Religion^ and grew Curintu and Wanton ^ Lo¬ 
 ving- Ced above ali^ Their Neighbours as themselves and 
 Keeping the plain Commandments of chrifi.^ that relate 
 to good Life^ became but Ordinary and homely things 5 
 their Eafinefs rendred them Contemptible, They gave 
 but little pleafure to Speculative Minds *, they had no¬ 
 thing in them above Ordinary Capacities : and it feem- 
 ed .hard, that men of Inquifstive and Rais'd Spirits 
 fnould fit down with the RUSTICKS and 
 
 VEhSPiYiTSiPhilolophers did not do fo-,& they would 
 be like other Nations: ’Tvvas not enough now to 
 know. There was a God^ and that he was but One, fuft 
 
 and 
 
C 75 ). 
 
 and GJod^ the Obfer ver oi: cliek Abftons and the 
 Asr t\\Qii Deeds and that therefore they ihould 
 fervs him : But they muft be diftindily inform’d of 
 his N.iture and all his Anrihutes^ his Parp^fes and'hi;:; 
 Decrees, and the Suitablenefs of-them all to the Line 
 ■iXi^PU net of their Underftaniings : So that (jodw^cs 
 t) be, ivbxt their Conclufi jns wculd dhw.him to be 5 that 
 yet kneiv not themselves, their own Beings and their 
 Extents. Nor did itfatisfie that there was ^Chrijl, 
 that this chrifi \yasthe Sen oi God, that God, loved 
 Mankind, as beholding him in away ox De^ruZlun, 
 he bent his Son to proclaim pardon upon true Kepentance, 
 and offer’d a General Reconciliation to as many as re¬ 
 ceived and embrac’d his Tejlirnony •, and that to that 
 End he laid down his Life a Kanfom, Rife and Afcended, 
 and gave h\.s good Spirit 10 lead his Followers in the 
 tvayo^ Truth and Holinef. But they muft jearch into 
 Secret of this Relation, how and after what man¬ 
 ner he is the Son of God ? his Nature, Power and Per- 
 fon mufl be difeus’d ; they will be fatisfied in this_, be¬ 
 fore they can find in their Hearts to believe in him. 
 Next tvhethcr he be the Caufe or the tfFedf 0/’ God's 
 Lovel ifh&t w,is that Prize hr paid, that Ranlbm./?^ 
 gave ? and how he died for us f if Properly and JlriLi:^ 
 ly or Tropically a:;? elegantly to' fat isfe the Juftice of 
 God ? and whether God could or could not ha<ve Saved 
 man an other way? 'if this Mercy were offer'd to all 
 or but fomc I and whether Acceptance and Repentanc 
 be with the (doniont of the Creature, or by an Irrefiiti- 
 ble Grace? what Body he Rife (f'Afcended with 1 and %hat 
 Bodies we (hall have in the Refurreftion,. in Nature, 
 Stature Proportion ? Laftly, tvbat this Sffsnt 
 
 K 2 
 
 y 
 
 tha^ 
 
( 76 ) 
 
 th-it ctmes frotn Qhn^'i if it cemes from Go^ whe¬ 
 
 ther it be God, or An Inferior Miiiilier c" how it Exifls I 
 if & Perfon, in what Relation, Degree or Dignity r> 
 ftands to the Father 4:??i/Son ? with abundance more of 
 ihisUnreAfonahle StrAin^ flow ing from the Ungovern d 
 and, Rejllcf minds of men.' No man W'ould be ufed 
 by his Servant, as they ferve God: hemdjl \vaito»r 
 Lcafure, before we will receiveobey him; 
 his Meffage is Obfeure, rve don’t underf and it 5 he muji 
 gratife our Curiofity^ we defre to he better fatisfied 
 with it^ before we believe or deliver it ^ It comes not pre- 
 fentlj up to Metis’s UnderRandings ; ’tis too obfcurcly 
 expreft, we will explain it and deliver it with mere Cau. 
 tion, Clearnefs and S'uccefs, then it is deliver d to ws. 
 Thus God’s Revelation hath been fcan’dtind h'ls'Precepts 
 examin’d, before Licens’d : Men w'ould be vvifer then 
 God, more \w&vy ih.tn x.\\Q ho Ip G hof. 0«r Lord (it 
 Ihouid feem) tt-nderjlood not,, what a kind of Creature 
 Man w.ts ; he wanted his Wildom (belike) toadmonifh 
 hirntf the Danger or haply he thought not upon that 
 Corruption, vohich(hould befall hAztsliind in thefeh&t- 
 tQT A^ts of the World : which might require the A^\' 
 Xxuts of Men to frpplp //x* Waiits and Defedfs left by 
 
 the Holy Ghod/^ the Wordihg of the Scripture._ 
 
 I wrong not iXns. Pr orliic e^ I render it not more Odious 
 than it is ; ’tis an Inexcufable piece ef Prefumption % 
 that which debaftS the External Teflimony of God and 
 draws men off from that which is Eternal too. It in¬ 
 troduces the Traditions of men in the Room of God’s 
 Records, and miaketh their judgment and Refults the 
 Rule of Ch) ijlian Faith and Canons of Chrifi’c Church. 
 This is one of thofe Things, that made Rome fo hate- 
 
 ful 
 
( 77 ) 
 
 fui and her Take InuUrable to our Prede(ejj0rs : Preten¬ 
 ded Dedubliensfrom Scripture put in the Room of Scrip¬ 
 ture^ with a Superfedeas to all Difftnt upon neve^ to 
 JuJl a Ground of D if At is fact ion. 
 
 I bcfeech you Prctefants by the Mercies of God and 
 Love of Jejus Chrift ratified to you fn his mofhpreci- 
 OHS Blood) FLY R O ME AT HOME: Look to the 
 Enemies of youv own Houfe. Have^a care of this Pre- 
 fumption^ earry it not too high *, lay not Stref) where 
 God has laid none, neither ufe his Royal Stamp to Au¬ 
 thorize your Apprehenftons in the Name of his Infiltu- 
 tions. 
 
 I do not fay;, that men arc never to Expre f tlitii; 
 Minds upon any place of Scripture to Edification 
 there is a Chrijlian Liberty not to be denytd ; but ne¬ 
 ver to Articles of Faith) that ever ought to be in the 
 Very Language of HdyWrit, Yc fee^ how the Con¬ 
 trary hath been the great Make-bate m allAges^ and 
 the Jmpefitions of I’uch Opinions., the Priviledge of Hy^ 
 pxriteS) but the Snare of many honefi Minds ; to be 
 lurC;, the fad Occafon of Feuds and miferable Divifions. 
 It was plainly fecn, that by the many Difputes chat rife 
 from hence, Mens Wits were confounded with their 
 matters,was loft & Brotherhood deftrnyed : thus 
 the Dfx'z/aSed the Part both of Opponent and Defen¬ 
 dant., and managed the Pajfionsof both to his 
 
 End, which was DISCORD. And but too many 
 were ready to 'perfwade themfelves from the Mifia ^« 
 rUgcs on both fidesj that nothing certain could be con. 
 eluded about : for it fo fell out, that whilft: 
 men. were perpetually wrangling and brawling about 
 feme one Opinion of Religion, the moft Important Points 
 
Pr ■ > 1 •> . '7^ ^ 
 
 or Fauh aiici Ltp; vvcrc iictie regarded. So that a (To '.Ij/- 
 Mah was diltinguilli'd from an Ungodly by this one 
 thing (let his have been almoft. what it would.) 
 mat he feera’d To raAint&in the Opinions in Vogue; 
 And to abhor that Dobirine, nhieh infime ont or two 
 Points might be reputed Heretical. 
 
 O / that we could but fee how many and hove great 
 Defeats Satan hath givpn to the iFork of God in the 
 hearts of men 1 what Dcfolathns he hath nnade by this 
 . one Evil CONTROVERSIE, begot of and 
 
 oied for it ! and how few have Contended for the Faith^ 
 
 no tt IVas 0vce deliver'd to the Saints ! he muft be a Mm 
 of Bra^^ that could nor chiifs to weep at thefe Calami^ 
 Fes i Aad truly I mud defire to take leave rotnetimes 
 to be wail this of Chrijlendom^ and to 
 
 beftow my Tears in fecret upon thefe Common F<uins : 
 And I befcech God Almighty with a Soul fenfihly touch't 
 with the Mifehiefs, that naturally flow from this Pra* 
 <J>hce, to Aivaken you to a moJl^Speedy and Serious Confi. 
 deration^ your Prefent Standingznd AMENDMENT 
 of that Mifcarriage in this and all other points, that 
 may concern your Good and his Glory. Put away 
 tvrath ! away with cUtswrs ! au-ay with Arrogance and 
 Impatience rlj&tthsit H«ly Spirit o{ God, which we in 
 common profefs to be the chrijlians Guide , have the 
 Ordering of our Ulnderftandlngs in Spiritual things, 
 left Ignorance fliould miftake, Interefl wreft or Preju¬ 
 dice pervert i\\t Senfe of God’s Book, For as too many 
 are Tnorant of the Divine Truth throush their own 
 Concupijcence and 'vile AJfeciions (that carry them away 
 to the Defire of other things, and therefore eafily 
 mift ike about Nice or Obfeure Matters •, ) fo there are 
 
 not 
 
 
C X 79 ) 
 
 not a icw, who come to fearch the Scripures as with 
 
 Fre-plJefs d Minds are fbrry to meet w'kh a Centra- 
 
 aiciion to their own judgment inftead of being glad 
 
 to find the 'Tmthy and ufe their Wits tO' Rack out An9- 
 
 tber Senfe^ than that whioh ls genuine : which fort of 
 
 men uie the Scripure for its Authority not its Senfe or 
 Truth. 
 
 All this while the Head is fet at w'ork not the Heart. 
 
 tliat which Chrift mofi: infilled upon, is leaft concer¬ 
 ned in this lort of Faith “SSi^Chrifitanity \ and that is 
 
 keeping his commandments. For his 
 
 Opinion^ not Obedience, Notion and not Regenerati¬ 
 on^ that fuch men purfue; This Kind of Religion Ica- 
 veth them as bad as it finds them, and worfe ; for 
 they have fomething more to be proud of. Here is a 
 indeed, but of what? the Conduftons men t 
 and what to do ? to prove they believe in chrijl •, that 
 (itfeems) never made them. It had been happy for' 
 the World that there had been no other Creeds, than 
 what he and his Apoftles made and left. And it is 
 not the. leaft Argument againft their being needful to 
 Chrifitan Communion, that Ghrift and his Apoftles did 
 not think fo • who was not wanting to declare the 
 WHOLE COUNSEL GOD to the Church. 
 
 To Conclude , if ye defire Peace, love -Truth, feek 
 Ptety2.nd hate Hypocnfie, Difeord, all thofe things cal- 
 led ArtuUs Fdiith and Cam ns of the Churchy that are 
 not to be found in Express Terms in Scripture, or fo 
 p ainly Authorized by Scripture, as may with eafe be 
 dilcerned by every Hone(i and Confeientious Perfon. 
 And tn the Room of thok^Numereus and Difputed opi¬ 
 nions 
 
(8o; 
 
 mons (made the Bond of External Commttnh ny let feme 
 Plain, General & Nece^&ry Truths be laid down in Scrip¬ 
 ture Terms^ and let them be few : which leads me to 
 the point, and that is FAITH; generally mifta- 
 ken in the very Nature of it. 
 
 The Second Mischief, that is amongH: us, is the MiJ- 
 underjlanding of the Nature of FAl FH ; Whence it 
 comes to pafs, that men take that for Faith^ which is 
 not *, and fit down in a Security pernicious to their E- 
 ternxl Happinefs. I lhall briefly fay fomething, of 
 what is notVsAih, before I fpeak of that, which ap¬ 
 pears to me to be Truly and Scripturaiy fuch. 
 
 The Faith of our LordJefueChri/l is not only not be¬ 
 lieving mens Opinions and Determinations from the Sa¬ 
 cred Text (of which I have fo freely deliver’d my fclf) 
 but it is not meerlytbeBeliefQVtn of the things contain’d 
 in Scripture to be True: For this the Devils & Hypocrites 
 do,and yet very Bad Believers •, they refufe notthe Au» 
 thority of Scripture. The Devil made Ulc of it to Chrifl: 
 himfelf 1 but he would have the Explaining and Jpply- 
 ingoi it:and fince he could not hinder the Divine Jn/pi- 
 ration, if he may but be allow’d the Expofitionp]^ hopes 
 xofecure his Kingdom.SlncQthen the rerity Sc Authority 
 of borli Hiflory and Doclrine may be believ'd by the 
 Devil and Hypocrites, that are falfe to their own Faith 
 and Knoveledge'p^^t cannot without great Injuftice to the 
 Faith of our Lord ;TChrifl:, (which is the Faith 
 all hisFollowers)allov^’’,Ti64r 4 Belief oftheydrixy 
 Authority of the Hiftory and Doctrine of Scripture 
 is that true and precious Faifli. 
 
 Faith then in the Senfe of the holy chtjl is by the 
 holy Ghofl: thus defined; viz. The Evidence of things 
 
 not 
 
, ('80 
 
 notjcen anitm SubBance of things hspsd for. u,. 
 
 This is General and runs through ^[[Ages-, " 
 
 . but I lhall cxprefs it thus; True Faith in God^ is entire¬ 
 ly believing And trufing in God., confiding in his p ^ « 
 
 Goodnefs., refigning ufto his Wilf obeying his ^ ‘ ’ 
 
 Liw andrelying uppn his Conduitd an Mercies refieBing. 
 this Life and thattocome^ This is in Scripture called 
 the Gift of God : and well it may, for it is Supernatu¬ 
 ral'., licvoSi&sxht Pride,Confidence ^Vid Ltifi oi q . 
 man: It grows out of the Seedo^ Love, 
 fown by God in the Heart*, atleaft, it works by Love'- 
 and this diftinguiflies it from t^e Faith of Id Men and 
 Devils j that though they do believe, they don’t Love 
 God above aff but Ibmething elfe inftead of God, and 
 are full of PmV, ringer. Cruelty and all manner of 
 Wickedncfs. But this Faith that v^rks by Love, that 
 Divine which God plants in the Heart,it inclines 
 Man, and gives him Power to forfakc all that difplea- 
 feth God : and every fuch Believer becomes an Enoch 
 Tranfiated, that is. Changed from the Fajhion of this 
 tvorld, Earthly Image, t\it Corrupt Nature and is 
 renewed in the Likenefs of the Son of God and rvalks with 
 God. The JufiP mU live by ^a\i\\ t , they have tt l 
 inall Ages liv’d by this f4//^., that is, been 
 fufiaind, fupported, prefer ved *, the Devil within nor 
 t\\Q World without could never coni^usr them. They 
 walked not by Sight, but by Faith-, they had regard 
 to the EternalReeompenfe: No Vifible things pvevaded 
 with them to depart from the Invfiole God, to (juenoh 
 their Love or flacken their Obedience to him, the Great 
 Toflimoay of thdr Faith In him. Ihis Uoly Faith ex- 
 dudes no Age of the World j the fufi Men, th- 
 
 b Cornelius ■» 
 
f 
 
 (82/ 
 
 C0rneluis\ in every Generation have had ^ome degree 
 of it: ’twas moreefpecialiy the Faith of the simpler 
 of the World, fuch as tHofc, in whom the Pa- 
 triarchs lived, who haying not an OatveardLaw^ ht- 
 came a Laxv to them''elve$^ and did the thinos ‘containedin 
 the Law •, for they believed in God, and through Faith 
 obtained a good Report. But becaufe that it hath pleafcd 
 
 God ';ifl Order to Mans Recovery from that 
 Heb.i.i. grievous Laps y Difobedieuce hid ct^ him in¬ 
 to) at fundry times and in divers mtnners to 
 appear to the Sons of men,/r/?, by his Prophets j and 
 lafi of all by his Son-^ Sc ^hat thefe feveral Manifefiations 
 ■have had fomething peculiar to them & very remark¬ 
 able in them, fo that they claim a place in our Creed •, 
 It will not be aaiifs, that we briefly confidcr them. 
 
 The fr^ was that of the Prophets^ in which Mofes 
 preceded, by^whom thecame tothcy^r/w, but 
 Grace iXid to mankind by Jejus Chrijl. The jirft 
 brought Condemnation, the laft Salvation • the one 
 tfudgment., the other Mercy : which was glad Tidings 
 ind'Scd. The one did/i?rf’-r«» the other, asinOr^^^rof 
 Time., fo in Nature of Diffsn[atio»s : the Lasv sv'as the 
 GoJJ>el begun *, the ^ofpel the Laivfulfilled orfinifljt : They 
 cannot be parted. 
 
 The Decalogue or Ten Commandments t^’ere little 
 more, than what had been known and pra6tijed be¬ 
 fore *, for it feem’d but an Epitome and Tranfeript of 
 the Law writ in Man s heart by the Finger of God: 
 This is confeft on all hands and in all Ages fincc. This 
 therefore muff needs be a Part of our Creed 5 for it re¬ 
 lates to that Righteoufnefs., which is Indifpenfible ind 
 Immutable : The other part of their Confiitution (that 
 
 was 
 
 # 
 
(Si) 
 
 was pculinr to their Politic y Tyfical and Mat Me ^ the 
 £>^>j^r/is either Unconcerned in it, orelie ended it by 
 the bringing in of a more Enduring Sub (lance. But Grace 
 and Truth came by Jefus Chrijl : Grace is oppofed to the 
 Condemnation of t\it’LiWy and Truth to Shadows : 
 This is the rnofl-Excellent Difpenfation ^ it is ours, and 
 it becQnies us to weigh well our Interejl in it. 
 
 Codjvho at fundry times and in divers m tnners[poke iff 
 times pafl unto the Fathers by the at h 
 
 in thef lajl days fpoken to us by hu Son, For 
 God fo loved the Worlds that Rafter all the 
 World’s Provocations by Omifjions and Com- ' 
 oniffions) he gave hs Only Begotten Son into the Worldj 
 that the iForld through him might be Javed. 
 
 And here Two Things prefent themfelves to our 
 Confideration ; Firfi, the Perfon., who he was? what 
 his Authority < Secondly j his Mejjdge^ his Doftrine, 
 what he Taught: which though never Co Beafonable 
 in itfclf, depended very much in its Entertainment 
 among the People upon the Truth of his Mifjion and 
 Authority y that he was no Impijlor, but came from 
 God, the Promifed^ Mejjiih. This was done Two 
 Ways 'y by Revelation 2Si6. by Miracles, By Revelati- 
 ony to fuch^, as were as well prepared and inclined 
 as honeft Peter y the Woman of Samar iuy and thofe that 
 were mov’d to believe him from thtAutb$rtty in which 
 he fpake (oUnlike that of thtFormal Scribes.^y Miracles, 
 to thofe, that being blinded by Ignorance or Prejudice, 
 needed to have their fenfes ftruckwith CxtckxSupernatural 
 Evidences : from many ©f whom this Witnefs came, 
 that he wot the MESSIAH, the Chrift and SON of 
 GOD. 
 
 L a l” 
 
(84) ” 
 
 ■ lefifte, air was done within the Compafsof Peo¬ 
 ple, among whom he daily converfed, that was need¬ 
 ful to provCj he was from God and had God’s Menage 
 to declare to the World. Infomuch that when fome 
 of his Dirciplesw^erenotfo firmin their Belief of his 
 Authority^ as he deferved at their hands ^ he calls his 
 own-Works to prove his Commiffion and convict them 
 of Infidelity : ■ if ye rvili not believe^ that the Father is in 
 me^ that he doth thefe Works by me ; believe 
 mefcrthsvery\Noxytsfake^ Thus he argu- 
 Johnio with the Jews: Say ye of him Father 
 37 > fanclifed and fent into the Worlds that* 
 
 38 . ilaffbemejlj becaufs / faid^ I am tbe Son of 
 God < if I do not the Works of pty Father, 
 believe me not (this is reafonable •, he that will 
 tho tvorld^ offers to be Tryed himfelf^ he goes on) 
 But if 1 doy though ye believe not me^ believe Works, 
 that ye may know and believe^ that the Father is in me. 
 
 And he laid the Sin of the fews upon this 
 Jo *115- Foot, viz, 'lhatthoy rejeciedhim,, after he 
 
 had made f roof'o{ his Divine Mijjionhy fuch 
 Extraordinary ■ As no men among them tdcould 
 
 do : which (to give them their Due) they do not deny 3 
 but fliamefully pervert and fooliflvly abufe by attribu¬ 
 ting them to the Power of tbe Devil. To which Ma^ 
 lice and Slander he returned this Inccnfutable Anfwer i, 
 A Kingdom divided againjl it felfy cannot Jland : What / 
 cajl out Devils by the Prir.es of Devils t' Tis a Contradi- 
 lion, very Madnef it fclf. 
 
 I have nothing to do now with Atheifs., or thofe 
 that call themfelves Theijls ; but fuch as own them- 
 fclvcs Chrifiians : and (hall therefore keep to my Task, 
 
 namely; 
 
flarncly 5 Whxt $ftheChx\^i'i.uTy’i{^Qi\(o^xiQn ii foPcc»- 
 lUr Import Ant ^ m to challenge of Right the NAme of 
 Articles p/ Faith? I fay then. That the Relief of Jefus of 
 Nazareth t$ hethe Promis’d Mcfliah,r^^ Son And Chrift 
 of God, fent to refiore And Javc MAnkind^ is the ftr^ and 
 -wdiS then rke Only requifite Article f 4//^ without any 
 hzYg^Confeffions^ -or an Heap of Principles or Opinions 
 relolv’d, upon after and Tediotts Dehates by 
 
 Councils ox Synods and this may be proved botli by 
 Example and Dooirine, 
 
 It is evident from as in the Cafe of Petet\ 
 
 who for having believed in his heart and confeft with 
 his Mouth, Tkat JESQS xvm the Chrift ^ 
 
 And SON of GOD, obtained that Signal 
 ^BleffingfAzX.i 6. This made Nathaniel a 
 pie t , Rabbi (faidhC) thou art the Son of 45, 
 
 thou art theKingof\fxdL.Q\.\t was the WktConfef. 
 fan, tint made amends for incredulity^ when 
 
 he was fenfibly affured of the Refurreclicn of JeJusy 
 ■Jdy Lord and my God. This was alfo the Subftance of 
 Martha s Confejjion of. Faith to Jefus, when he faid to 
 her ; 1 Am the Refurreclion and th'S Life •, he that believe- 
 eth in me jhall never dye : believeji thju th at She an- 
 fwered ; Jea^ Lord^ I believe, that thou art the Chrift, 
 the Son of God, which fhould come into the World ?. She 
 anfwered him not as to that Particular of the Refurre- 
 Clion-^ but in General, that he was the Chrift, ^the 
 MESSIAH, that WM to come into the world, and that 
 fuffifed. ’Twas zConfeffion not unlike to this, that 
 the Rlind Man made, to whom Chrift gave 
 Sight, when Jefus faid but t@ him, Doji thou be- 
 litve on the Soxx of Go^ * Lord, faid he, Jdobe- 
 
 lieve 
 
Mat.8.10. 
 John 4. 
 Matth.15, 
 23^—28. 
 
 Mark 2. 
 ^th. 22. 
 
 4 > 5 
 
 (S6) 
 
 ivr/'lhipped'hif/f. What fhali we fay of 
 the rare Faith of the Centurion^ preferred 
 by Chrift himfclf before any in Ifrael^ 
 though a Gentile ? the Faith of the^^w*^^ 
 and Inhabitants Samaria., that he rvas the 
 MelTiah ? of that Importunate Woman that 
 cryed tO'JeJus, To cajl a Devil ou*^ of herpojjejl Daughter, 
 and would not be put ofF,to whom Chrid faid : o Wo¬ 
 man, great is thy Faith, be it unto thee even as thou wilt. 
 To which let me add the Faith of the People, that 
 
 brought the Man Sick of the Palfy to 
 Chrift, who uncover d the Roof to let 
 him down to be toucht: The Faith of tfai- 
 rui the Ruler 3 and of that Good Wo¬ 
 man, who prejfed through tht Croudto 
 touch the Hem of Chrift’s Garracnt^ 
 to whom faid, Be of good Com¬ 
 fort, Daughter, thy Faith has made 
 Thee whole: Alfo the Two Blind-Men, 
 that followed him out of the Rulers 
 Iloufe, crying ; Thou^&a of David, 
 hav'e Mercy on us \ To whom when 
 Jefsis had faid. Believe ye, that I am 
 able to do thhi they Anfwered, 
 YEA, LORD: then touch'd he their 
 Eyes .and faid. According to your Faith 
 he it unto you. Alfo the Blinii Man 
 near Jericho : The Leprous Samaritan 
 that Chrift cleanfed: And that No¬ 
 table Paflage of the woman, that ki^ed 
 his Feet and anointed his Head, ■ to 
 
 whom 
 
 Matth. 9, 20, 21, 
 22,27. 
 
 Luke 18. 35,42. 
 Chap. 17. 15,— 
 19 - 
 
 Chap. 7. 4 S>" 
 50. 
 
 Afts 3. 37,-47. 
 
 48. 
 
 10. 2.^,— 
 
 A£ts 8. 27,— 
 
 37 - 
 
(^ 7 ) 
 
 whom he proaounced this Happy Sentence • 
 
 Faith faved thee^ go in Peace. 
 
 I will conclude this with that Famous Inltance of 
 the Thief v^oa the Crofs^ whs neither knew 
 nor had time to make a Laroe ConfeJIienAikc. ^ 3 * 
 
 the Greeds of thefe dayes: but it leems he ^ 
 laid enough-; Lord, remember me., when thou eomeji in¬ 
 to thy Kingdom. And ^ef:*s faid unto him ; Vertly., / 
 jay unto thee., to day jhalt thou he with me in Paradije, 
 By which it is eahe to learn, that’twas the not 
 the Mouth, the sincerity not the Words, that made 
 the Conftjjion Valia. 
 
 Nor was this only in the Days of chrifi the Effe£i; of 
 his Gracious Difpenfation or peculiar Induigcfice, After- 
 times afford us the like Inflanccs. This was the main 
 Bent of Peter's Sermon: andwdienthe Three thoufand 
 believed., that he, whom the had crucified, was both 
 Lord and Chrift, and repented ef their Sins,^ and gladly 
 received his Word, they are faid to have aAsz 37 
 
 been in a state of Salvation. Thus Cor- _ ’ 
 
 nslius and his Houfliold and,Kindred, fo AAsio. 2*4, 
 
 foon as Peter declared Jefm to be the Mefft, - 48. 
 
 ah, and that they had believed,, the Holy ^*27, 
 
 Ghojl fell upon them ; and they were recei- 7 ' 
 ved into" the Chrifian Communion. But the Story of 
 thQ Eunuch \% vary pat to our purpofe ; As he rid in 
 his Charriot, he was reading thefe w'ords out of the 
 Prophct//4/4^,vi2.T/^4^ he was led as a iheep to theSUugh- 
 ter, and like a Lamb dumb before the shearers, jo opened 
 he not his Mouth. In his Humiliation his judgment was 
 taken away: and who jhaS declare his Generation ? for his 
 Life ts taken from the Earth. Philip joyn.’d to him 
 
 and 
 
(SS) 
 
 <L 
 
 nd askt him, if underwood ivhat ht resit he defi- , 
 red P/ 3 / 7 //'to incerpretthe mind of the Prophet, if he 
 /poke of him felf or another ^ Philip'vt^on the place 
 preached to him : the Eunuch was fa well per- 
 /Vaded by ' the Apoftie, that coming to a Water, he 
 faid, iVhit doth hinder^me to be Bsptiz^edl Philip an- 
 Iwered him ; f thou believeji with all thine hearty thou 
 mayfi : To this the Eunuch replyed ^ / believe^ that 
 Jefus Chrif is the Son of God. Upon which he was 
 , Baptiz,ed: and’tis faid, He went away rejoycing: which 
 indeed he might, well do, that felt the Comfortjof 
 his Faith^ the Remijfton of Sin and the Joys of the holy 
 Ghojl. 
 
 I will conclude thefe Examples with a Paflage in 
 the Acts of Paul zx. TheJJalonica^ his this : 
 2*^3 4 , us his manner was^ went in unto tbem^ 
 
 ’ ’ Thiee Sabbath-dayes reajoned with them 
 
 out ef the Scriptures^ opening and aUtdgind^ that Chrift 
 mujl needs have faffered, and rifen again from dead : 
 and that this ffaid he) whom 1 preach unto you, is 
 
 Chrid. And jome of them believed andconforted with 
 Paul Silas : and of the devout a great mul¬ 
 
 titude^ and of the Chief Women not a few. Thus 
 Vv'c may plainly fee, that they were Baptiz'd into the 
 Faith of ‘f'e^tisy and not into Numerous Opinions % and 
 tiiat this one Confeffion from true Faith in the heart was 
 . the ground & Principle of their Church-fellowfhip : then 
 God's church was at Peace ^ die thrive: there were then 
 no Snares Words made to catch Men of Confciencc 
 in. Then not many tvords. bat much Integrity^ no\^ 
 muchTalk^ little Truth: Many Articles^ hut 0ye of 
 little Faith 1 
 
 Nor 
 
Nor was this only the judgment and PrafHce of 
 that Time cut of Cendejcefjin/i to and Chiirity 
 
 to Ignorance •, for both Chrift JejUs himfclf and his 
 Apoftles (thofe blefl'ed Mejjengers of holy Truth) have 
 dodlrinally laid it down, as \.hQ great Te(i to Chri/f- 
 ans^ that which Ihould diftinguiih them from Infidels^ 
 and juftly entitle them to his Difciflefbip and Chrtjiian 
 
 one with another. Then fatd they to Jclns, 
 what jhall tve do. that n>e might work the Works of God < 
 Jefus anfwered and faid to them 5 Thh is the Work of 
 God, that ye BELIEVE ON HIM, whom Cod hath 
 fent, Kerily-, Verily^ 1 fay unto you., he that 
 ■believeth on me., hath EverUJiing Life. And 
 upon another Occ ifion to the fews he faid ; 
 
 For if ye believe not., that 1 am HE, ye (hall 
 die in your Sins' It muft follow then, that if 
 they did believe him to be the Meffiah, the A- 
 nointed efCodto Salvation, they(hould be faved. 
 
 Mofl:’plain is that Anfwer of the Apofiles to 
 the Coaler.^ when he came trembling to them 
 and faid ; Sirs., what muji I do to be faved ? 
 
 Believe (faid they) on the Lord Jefus Chrift, 
 and thou fhalt be faved. The Apoflle Paul 
 confirms thisTn his Epiftle to the Romans.^ 
 when he fays: if thou fhalt confefs with thy 
 mouth the Lord JcCus, and fhalt believe in thine 
 heart f that God hath raifed him from the Deadj thou fhalt 
 befaved. For with the heart man beliexieth unto Right e- 
 oufnefs, and with the mouth Confefjlen is, made unto Sal¬ 
 vation ; For the Scripture faithj Whofoever believeth on 
 him^fball not be afhamed. For there is no difference be¬ 
 tween the Jew and the Greek 5 for the fame Lord over 
 
 M - eli 
 
 John 
 28,:: 9. 
 
 -47. 
 
 Ch.8. 
 
 24. 
 
 A£ls 16. 
 30, 31. 
 
 Ro. 10. 
 8,9,10, 
 II, 12, 
 
 13. 
 
Deut. 30. 
 14. 
 
 ijohn 
 
 22. 
 
 2. 
 
 Chap.4. 2 , 
 -15. 
 
 Chap. 5.1. 
 
 (90; 
 
 4^ is rich ujtto 4^, that cud upon him. For tvhefsever 
 fhxU call upon the Name of the Lord, fhall he faved. 
 
 This was the tFerd of Faith which they 
 preached *, and he teftified, that it was 
 nigh in the heart j as Mojes had done be¬ 
 fore him. And faith the Apoftlc John on 
 this Occafion, Who is a Lyatj hut he that de¬ 
 nies h^ that Jefus is the Chrifi^. Hereby 
 
 know ye the Spirit of God every Spirit that 
 cor.fejjeth^ that Jefus chrijl is tome in the 
 Fle^^ is of God. Again fays he, whomever 
 fhatl confefsy that Jeliis is the Son of God, 
 God dwelleth in him^ and he in God: Yet 
 once more he affirms, Whojoever helieveth 
 that Jefus is the Chri(l^ is horn of God. 
 
 I will conclude thefe Dodrinal Teftimonies out of 
 , , Scripture with a Conclufive paflage ^ohn 
 jQ ” u-feth towards the end of his Evangelical Hi- 
 * " ftory of tfe ftis Chrift : And many other Signs 
 truly did Jefus in the Prefence of bis Dffciples., which are 
 not written in this Book: But thefe are written.^ that je 
 might believe., Jefus is the the Son of God, 
 
 and that believingye might have Life in his KJame, In 
 which place T wo things are remarkable ; Firfi, That 
 whatever things are written of Jefus, are written to 
 this end, that we might believej that Jefus is the Chrift. 
 Secondly, That thofe that fncerely believe j fhall through 
 him obtain Eternal Life. Certainly then, if this be 
 true, great mufi their Jncharity and Prefumption be, 
 who have taken other meafures, and fet another ir«/r 
 of Chrifiianityt than Jefus and his Apoftles gave. This 
 fincere Confejfon contented Chrift and his Apoftles; 
 
 but 
 
r 91 ) 
 
 butjit will n@t fatisfy thofe, that yet pretend to be¬ 
 lieve them: 'twas enough then for a Miracle and fal- 
 vation too, but it goes for little or nothing now. A 
 man may fincerely believe this, and be ftigmatiz’d for 
 a Schijmaticky an Hereticky an Excommunicate ; but i 
 may lay (as Chrift did to the Jews in another Cafe) 
 From the Beginning it was not fi. 
 
 But I expert here to be Aflaulted with this Ohjeli’ion-y 
 if this be ally that is necejjarjf to be believed to Salvation, 
 of what life is the reji of Scripture ? 
 
 lanfwery Of great llfOy as the Apeftle hirafelf teach- 
 cth us 5 All Scripture is gi ven by Ihjjiration 
 of Cody and is profitable for Do£lrine, forKt- ^ 
 proof, for Corre£tion,'/or Inftru£tion in ^ 
 Siighteoufnefsy that the Man of God may be perfect ythrougb 
 lyfurnifht unto all good Works. It concerns the whole 
 Life and Converfathn of a Man 5 but every palTage in 
 it is not therefore fit to be filch an of Faithy as 
 
 upon which Chriflian Communion ought or ought not 
 to be maintained. For though it be 2i\\ equally True, 
 it is not ali equally Important : There is a great Diffe¬ 
 rence between the 'T ruth and weight of a thing. For 
 Example.: ’Tis as that Chrift fuffered under 
 Pontius PilatCy as that he fuffered; and that he was 
 pierced, as that he died ^ and that he did eat after his 
 Refurrc^lion, as that he rife from the Dead at all 5 but 
 no Perfon of common Underftanding will conclude 
 an or Concernment in thefe things, bc" 
 
 caufe they are Equady T rue : The Death of Chrift was 
 of much greater Value than the Manner of it 5 his Re- 
 furrebtion, than any Circumftance of his Appearance, 
 
 > M a after 
 
( 92 -) 
 
 after he was rifen. The C^eftion is not, whe^ 
 therall the 'Truths contain’d in Scripture are not to 
 be believed-, but Whether thofe Truths Equally 
 Important < and if the Belief tvith the heart and Con< 
 feffion with the mouthy that Jelus is the Chrift and 
 Son 0/God, be net as jufficient now to entitle , a man to 
 Communion here and Salvation hereafter^ as in thofe 
 timest. againft which nothing can be of Weight ob- 
 
 je^bed. 
 
 If itbefaid, ihitihin Contradicts the Judgment and 
 Frail ice of many great and good Men. 
 
 1 anfwer I can’t help that. If they have been . 
 tempted out of their own Curioftty or the Corruption of 
 Times to depart from the Ancient Paths^ the Foot-fteps - 
 ©f pureft Antiquity and beft Examples -, let their Pre¬ 
 tences have been what they will, ’tis Prefumptian: 
 and it was Juft with God, that Error and Confufon 
 fliould be the Confcquence of thofe Adventures -, nor 
 has it ever fail’d to follow them. 
 
 Laftly if it be allcdg’d, That this will take in all 
 Parties, yea^ thatSc\\x(rc\^t\cks and Htittlclis will creep 
 in under this CeneralCenfeffion^ (ince few of themwillre- 
 fnfe to make it. 
 
 I do fay, ’Twould be an Happy Day. What Man 
 loves God and Chrift, feeks Peace and Concord., that 
 would not rejoice, if all our Animofities and Vexati¬ 
 ons about Matters of Religion \vClQhuiK^ in this one 
 Confeflion of ye/w, the great Author and Lord of the 
 chriftian Religion,^ (fo often loft in pretending tocon- 
 teft for it f ^ View the Parties on Foot in Chriftendom 
 
 among 
 
(9t} 
 
 among thofe called Protejimts^ obferve their Differen¬ 
 ces well, and how they are generally maintain’d 5 and 
 you will tell me, that they are rent and divided about 
 their own Comments^ Co/ifeqitencts and Conclujidns : 
 not the buttheMr<t»/>i(^; and that too, which 
 
 perhaps.is notinitfelf Ejje»tul to Sa vation (as the 
 betwixt the Lutherans and CAlvimfis^ tke 
 and PndeftinarUns and fuch like.) Is it not la¬ 
 mentable to think, that thofe, who pretend to be 
 Chrifluns and Refer me d ones too ^ fliould divide W'ith 
 the Winds and fight as fro Arts & Focis for fuch 
 things, as either are notExfre(ly to be found in Sertf- 
 ture^ or if there, yet never appointed or intended for 
 fuch Prime Articlesoi Faith by Chriff or his Apoffles* 
 Should they then ereci: their Commnniirt on another 
 Bottom, or break it for deviating frorn any other Do 
 
 n what they \in ttrminis) in fo many words 
 r’d to us for neceffary ? 
 con filer the Matter well, I fear it will be 
 ' the Occafion of Dfurhsrtce in the Church 
 h ill moft Ages been found to lie on the 
 fi-i i eff th >f.y who have had the Create ft Sivay in ir. 
 Verv pertinent to our prefent Purpofe is that Pafi'age 
 of f. ' f Eaion\ah\iTra^con- 
 ctroiog Sch’fm ^Mtharh (faith he) Trailo? Schifm, 
 bcGnihc Common Difeafe o{ Chrifi- (printed with 0- 
 ans from the B..ginning, not to things) pag. 
 
 ^'•content themfelves with that 2,12,213. 
 
 Meafure of Fa fh, which God and 
 ^'’Scriptures have cxprelly afforded us 3 but out of a 
 ''Vain Dcfire to know more than is Revealed^ they 
 
 have attempted to DISCUSS THINGS, of which 
 
 
 
 
 * t ", 
 
 
 " A* 'Y 
 
 i \ 
 
 f v.ind , 
 
 f 
 
 k if, 
 
 of Chrift I'i, 
 
 ii 
 
 
( 94 )* 
 
 .wccaniws neither from nor s^sve^ 
 
 Ution. Neither hive th^ rcfted here, but upon 
 pretence of Ch»rch~Authority (which is NONE) 
 “or Tradition (which for the moft part is but FIG- 
 “ MENT) they have peremptorily concluded and 
 confidently irnpofed upon others a Neceffityoi En- 
 tertaining Conciujions of that Nature ^ and to ftieng- 
 ^ then themfelvcs have broken out into Divifium and 
 ^^ ■TaU'lons^ 0'<^^o{m^Man Ko Martj Synod to Synoi^ till 
 ■' the of tkt Church vanilhed without ail Pollibi- 
 “ lity of Recall. Hcncc arofe thofe Ancient and ma: 
 ny Separations amongft chrijlians, Arianilm^ Buty- 
 chianifm^ Nejlcriamfm^ Photinianifm^ Sabeliianifm, 
 .(fahd many more both Antient and in our Time. 
 
 And as he hath told us one great Occa^on of the 
 DifeafCy fo he offers what follows,for the Cure: “ And 
 
 Liturgies (faycs he) ‘iX\.^Publick Torms 
 
 ^ 216^ ‘‘of Service fo framed, as that they adtnit- 
 ' , “ ted not of farticular and private Fancies^ but 
 
 218*. contained only fueh things, as in which all 
 “ Chriftians do agree, Schifnts on Opinion were 
 “ utterly vanilhed. Whereas to load our Publick Forms 
 “ with the Private Fancies upon which wc differ,is the 
 “ moft- foveraign Way to perpetuate Schifm unto the 
 ‘'World’s End. —Remove from them, vhatfoever is 
 “ Icandalous to any Party-^ and leave nothing,but what 
 “ all agree on : and the Event (hall be,that the Publick 
 . “ Scrvke and Honor of God ihill no vvayes fuffer.“~ 
 “ For to charge churches and Liturgies with Things 
 “ Unncceftiry, was the Firft Beginning of all Supers 
 
 jlition,- - -If the i’piritual Guides and Fathers of 
 
 “ th.e church, v'ouid be a little (paring of Incumbring 
 “ Churches with Suver/luities, and aot over-rigidei- 
 
 “thcr 
 
( 5 > 5 ) 
 
 ‘^thcr in reviving Ohfeleu Cufioms^ ®r inipoung AV«', 
 
 *■ tbere were far lef Danger «f Schifm or Suj/erjitthn _ 
 
 Meanwhile wherefoever falfe or fnjfeftedOpinhns 
 “ arc made apiece of the Church Liturgy^ he that fepa- 
 rates^ is net a Schifmattek: for it is alike Unlawtui 
 “ to make Profeflionof known or fulpe^fed Falihoods, 
 “astoputin Praffice Unlawful or SufpeU Adions. 
 He further tells us ia his Sermon of Dealing with Er¬ 
 ring Chrtftians^ That it is the Unity of the 
 “Spirit in the Bond of Peace, and not the i 
 “Identity (or Gnenefs,) of Conceit which 
 ‘‘the Holy Ghoft requires at the Hands of p.49 
 
 Chrifitans -“ Abetter Way my Conceit 
 
 cannot reach unto, then that we llaould be willing 
 to think, that thefe things, which with fomeShew 
 ‘‘ of Probability deduce from Scr 'ipure^ are at the 
 beft but Our Opinions, For this peremptory Manner 
 *’of fetting down our Conclufions under this High 
 “ Commanding Form of NeceJJary Truths^ is general- 
 “ ly one of the greateft Caufes, w'hich keeps the 
 “ Churches this Day fo far afl'under •, whenas a Graft- 
 00s Receiving of each other by Mutual Foibearance 
 *"40 this kind might peradventure in time bring them 
 nearer together. 
 
 Thus much of this Great Man concerning 
 thQ Caufe a.nd Cure of it; and for the Notion of He- 
 reticks he will help us altogether as w^ell. For though 
 they are generally taken for fuch as err in Judgment 
 about Do£lrines and Articles of Faith, yet if this 
 Maa may have any Credit (and perhaps none of his 
 Profcflion has deferv’d more) he tells us,that Hcrefie 
 “ is an Aff of the Wilh-not of Reafon, and is ind eeda 
 “Lye, not a MiRake ; elfe (fayes he) how could that 
 
 known 
 
: (96) 
 
 ' known Speech of ^////;* go for trae, BrrAre fsjjuTn, 
 H^ereiicm ejje nolo : I may err, bat lam unwil- 
 ling to be an Heredck. And indeed this is no o- 
 
 ther, than what Holy Scripture teacheth •, ji Man that 
 
 ^ is an Heretick, after the firfi and jecond^dmo- 
 joVi/.' r.ttion rejectkn&wi-ng^ that he that ii ftich^ U 
 (ubverteA ana ftnneth^ being C O N D E M N- 
 
 ED OF HIMSELF. Which is as much as to 
 
 fay, thatno body isan but he that gives the 
 
 Lye to his own Confcience and is Self.condemned ; 
 Which is not the Cafe of Men mecriy Miftaken, or 
 who only err in Judgment. And therefore the Term 
 of Heretick is as Untruly as Uncharitably flung upon 
 thofe, that Confeientioufly diffent cither in point of 
 Difeipline of Dofirine from any Society of Chriftiaas ; 
 and it is not hard to obferve, that thole who have beft 
 merited it, have moft liberally bellow'd it. 
 
 Bat to Ihow you. that neither true Schifmatick (who 
 is One^ that unnecejjarilj and umvarrantab/y feparates 
 from that part of the Vifiblc Church, of which hew its 
 once A Member) nor true Heretick (who is a wilful Sub. 
 “verier of True or an Introducer offalfe Doctrines 5 a Self 
 condemned Perfon) can ever ihelter himfclf under this 
 Common ConfcJJion of Chriftianity fincerely made, Let 
 us confider, t.^tt who-ever fo declares Jetns to be the 
 Mejfah^od Anointed Saviour of God to Men, mufl: be 
 fuppofed to believe all that of him, with refpcvf^ to 
 which he is fo called. . Now that for which he is fo 
 denominated, is that which God lent him to do .* the 
 Reafon and End of his coming he could befl: cell, who 
 hath told as thus *, / am come^ that ye may have Life^and 
 that ye may have it more abundantly. The World was 
 
( 97 } 
 
 as dcdd in Trerpaflcs and Sins, the guilt and defilement 
 of Tranlgrellienhad kill’d the Soul as to Spiritud Life 
 and Motion ; and from under this powerful Death he 
 came to redeem the Soul unto Life : in lliort, to re- 
 ftore Man from this Fearful Degeneracy,his Difobedi- 
 cnce to God had reduced him to. 
 
 The Way he took to accomplifli this Blefied Work 
 was F/V/?, To preach Repentance and the Approach of the 
 Kingdom of which is his Rule and his Authority in 
 the Hearts of men, which brings us to the Secondthing 
 to be believed, namely—:— 
 
 what he 'taught ? 
 
 I. Firft, his Dodfrinc led Men to Repentance: 
 Repentfor the Kingdom of Sod it at hand. 
 
 No Man could receive the Kingdom God^ 
 whilft he lived under the Kingdom and Pow¬ 
 er of Satan : fo that to Repent is not only 
 to bring their Deeds to the Light (which 
 Chriftexhorteth Men to 5) but to forfake that, which 
 upon Examination appeared to be Evil. Wherefore I 
 conclude, that fuch as have not been acquainted with 
 this Holy Repentance., do not fincerely believe^ neither 
 can Rightly confef jefus to be the Chrijl the Son of God.^ 
 the Saviour of the World. Therefore faith the A- 
 poftlc, Lit him that nameththe Name of the Lord, de^ 
 part from Iniquity: plainly implying, that thole do 
 rather Prophane than Confefs the Name of the Lord., 
 vohodionot Depart from their Iniquities. And (faith 
 the Apoftlc in another place) No man can caR Jefus 
 Lord, ^«rl^/^^Holy Ghoft: Which opens to us 
 the Nature of the True ConfefJion.,XQ wit. That the True 
 .. N Con- 
 
 John 3. 
 ao. 
 
 21. 
 
 t , • 
 
 
( 98 ) 
 
 Confedisa of he both'LoT6. and Chrift is from 
 
 fuch a Belief in the Hearty as is the Work of the Holy 
 Ghoft 5 and thofe that do not Confe$ him or call upon 
 him by Virtue of the Ovcrlhadowings of this Divine 
 Spirit and Power, are not truly Chriftians^ true Wor* 
 fliippers^ Believers and Difciples. •- 
 
 Purtnermore, they that receive chrijl^ receive his 
 Kingdom, his Power and Authority in their Souls j the 
 Jlrong Man that kept the hoafe, becoinas]^<>*W,-and his 
 Goods fpoil'd by this jlronger man the LORD’s CHRIST, ■ 
 who is come from Heaven to dwell in us and be the 
 Mope of our Glory ; for fo he was preached to the Gen- 
 tiles. This Kingdom (the Apoftle tells us) ftaads in 
 ^ighteeupnef. Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghofl : and 
 ChriR tells us, where if is to be fet up'* The Kingdom 
 of God is within you, faith the King himfelf-j and 
 whereIhould the King be, but in his own Kingdom? 
 they arc blelfed, that feel him to Rule and that live 
 under the fsvaying of his Righteisu tcepter : for when 
 
 this Righteous One Rules the Earthy the Sons of Men re- 
 joyce. 
 
 So that no Man can truly Confef and rightly Believe 
 Jefus to be the Chrift and Son of God, that do’s not re¬ 
 ceive him to be his ir;;;^,to rule his Heart &Affe£tions. 
 For can a Man be faid to believe in one, that he will 
 not receive c' but *To received Chrift of Old, 
 
 T tT' gave he Power to become the Sons of God, which 
 
 U were born not of Bloody nor of the WsR of the 
 
 * ’ FlefhymrofihewihofMaofutofCod. What 
 
 is this wiH of Cod ? Paul anl'wers the C^eftion: The 
 Will o/God is your Sanciifcation ; for this Chrift came 
 
 into 
 
into the World. So that thofc that helieve and receive 
 Chrift, he is made to them Rightcoufne^^ Sun- 
 efipiation and Redemption ^ that is, he has fa- ^ 
 vedthem from their Sins^ Guilt and Defile- ' 
 ment, and fan£l:ified them from their Corruptions : 
 they live now by the Grace of God^xhu teaches them to 
 be of a Sober) Righteoue^ Godlike Life. Te (hall knor^ them 
 by their Fruit Sf faith Chrift of &jt.fharif€s-^ fo fliali 
 Men know them, that fincerely helieve & cenfef chrift 
 by their fafictified Manners and BlamelefConverfations', 
 And tvo to them that make other Diftin(5lionsl for 
 God has made no other 5 there will be hut Goats and 
 sheep zt tht Laft Day ^ Holy zndUnholy\ fuft and Un¬ 
 juft, Therefore let that be our Diftiniftion, whiche¬ 
 ver was and wdil be God’s Difiinftion : for all other 
 Meafures are the ElTe£is of the Paffions and PrefumptL 
 0ns of Men, 
 
 But becaufc it may be expected, that I fliould fix 
 upon fome few General Heads of Chrifian HoFlrine 
 from the Mouth of Chrift and his Apoftles as re^uifite 
 to Chriftian Communion 5 I fhall proceed to mention, 
 what Chrift eminently taught. He that reads his 
 Sermon upon, the Mount, will find in the Entrance, 
 how many States and Conditions Chrift- w 
 tlejjed^ The Poor in Spirit^ The Mourners^ ^ 
 
 The Meek, They thit hunger after Righteoufne ft,. The 
 Merciful, tht Pure in Heart, and the Peace-makers • 
 which indeed Comprehend the whole of Chriftiani- 
 ty. By Mourners we underftand true Penitents, Men 
 of Unfeigned Repentance^ vj\\\c^ leads them not only 
 to Coofefs but Forfake their Sins. - This Gedly Sorrow 
 
 N 2 makes 
 
(loo) 
 
 mikes Men Poor in Sfirit^ Empty of themfeivcs, 
 wanftng the Lights Life and Power of fefi^ to fup- 
 port and fuftain them •, in which as they ftedfaftly 
 walk^ the Attonement of the Blood is felt, and it clsan- 
 feth them from all Unrighteoufnefs : which makes 
 them Pure in Heart. And in this Condition no Food 
 will ferve their Turn but Righteoitjnejs •, after this 
 they Hunger and Thirf more than for the Bread that 
 periiheth. They are full of Meeknefs and Merej^ 
 Making Peace and Promoting Concord^ where-ever 
 they come: For being ihemTelves reconciled to God, 
 they endeavour to reconcile all Men unto God and one 
 unto another. 
 
 In fliort, let us bring it home to our Confcieisces 
 and deal faithfully with our fclves. Do we know this 
 Holy Mourning ? this Godly Sorrow ? are we Poor in 
 Spirit ? not Self-conceitcd,but Humble^ Meek and Lowly 
 in Heart, like him that bid us be fo/* Do wq Hunger 
 after the Kingdom of God and Righteoufnefs of it ? and 
 are our Heartsgurifed by the Precious Faith of the 
 Sono^ Godl In fine) Merciful < ’Tender.heart¬ 
 
 ed ? Lovers of Peace more than lovers of our felvcs ? 
 Perfecuted rather than Perfccutors^ fuch as receive 
 Strides for Cbrift's fake, and not thofe that beat our 
 Fellow-Servants ^ No Man has true Faith in Ghrift 
 that is not acquainted withthefe Blefled Qua¬ 
 lifications ; This is Chrift’s Do£frine 5 and to believe 
 in him is toobeyit and be like him. 
 
 The great Intendment of this Sermon is to prefs 
 people to a more Excellent Righteoufnefs than that of 
 the Scribes and Pharifees. For (faith Tefus to the Mul¬ 
 titude, 
 
Verf. 
 
 xo. 
 
 Verf. 
 
 Verf. 
 
 23 ^ 
 
 22 . 
 
 24, 
 
 aj- 
 
 Verf. 28 
 
 ('®0 - „ 
 
 . titude) Except your Righteoufne fs IhaB exceed 
 the Righteoufnejs of the Scribes and Phari- 
 fecs, ye fball in no Cafe enter into the ^ing~ 
 dom of Heaven. 
 
 (I.) He taught, not only that 
 but Anger without a very Juft Caufe 
 is Unlawful to his Difciples. 
 
 ( 1.) he prefers Concord above'De¬ 
 votion, Mercy before Sacrifice*, He that 
 will not ufe his Utmoft Endeavour to 
 be reconciled to his Brother j fliall find no 
 place for his Prayers; Apd Every Man is 
 this Brother. 
 
 ( 3. ) He not only forbids Adultery^ 
 which the Law forbids ^ but LuB'. the 
 Ax of his Doctrine iS' Uid .to the Root of 
 the Tree ; it reaches to the Firfi Seeds of 
 things, to the Innermoft and inoft hidden 
 Conceptions of the Mind. 
 
 (4.) From Keeping and Perform¬ 
 ing Legal rows to not Swearing at all: and 
 indeed, what life can there be of any 
 Swearing, where Mens Tea is Tea, and 
 their Nay^ Nay. 
 
 ( 5.) He taught Not to n§ft Evil, but to fuffer Lofs 
 rather than enter into Contention: his ^ 
 
 Divine Wifdom did fore-fee, how much Verf. 39, 
 ca lien it would be, to Overcome the Violent 40. 
 
 faffions of Men hy Patience thaa Contro^ 
 verjie. And hethat confidersthe Unrulinefs of feme 
 Mens Difpofitions, their Heats and Prejudices^ it 
 will he found, that it is not alwayes a Real Injury or 
 
 Lofs, 
 
 > 
 
 2P, 
 
 30. 
 
 Verf. 33, 
 34. 
 
(lOZ 5 
 
 Lofs, but Pajjioity Revenge or Bxje intertfi^ that fets 
 them to Sutes aad Clamours, 
 
 ( 5.) He taught us the Highcft ComplcfaHce and 
 charity : if any Man compel thee go a Mile^ 
 Verr.4 r. go with him twain. Be of an Eafie and Rea- 
 
 dy Mind to Do Goody and to all Friendly Of 
 fees be cafily perfwaded 5 and in which rather exceed 
 than fall fnort. 
 
 ( 7.) Hs taught as, great Liberality and Charity 5 to 
 give to him that asks^ and from him that would 
 Vcrr.4z. horroWy not to turn away : in Ihort, to be 
 
 Stewards of our ExternalSuhfiance for the 
 Good of Mankind, according to our Refieciive Abi¬ 
 lities. 
 
 ( 8.) He advances the DoiJrine of Loving friends 
 to the Degree of Loving Enemies, re have 
 Verr.45, heard (faid Jefus) that it hath been faid^ 
 44,45. Thou [halt love thy Neighbour and [halt hate 
 thine Enemybut I fay unto you^ Love your 
 Enemiesy hie f them that Curfeyou^ do good to them that 
 hateyoUy and fray for them that defpightfuUy ufe you and 
 ferjecute you. Surely then, where no Anger dwells, 
 no Revenge can grow •, and if we muft love Enemies ^ 
 there is no Man left to be hated. This is the Do^rinc 
 of that ^efusy that laid down his Life for all; and 
 this is the End for which he preached it, That (fayes 
 he) ye may be the Children of your Father.^ which is in 
 Heavenly for he maketh his Sun to rife on thg Evil and on 
 the Goody and fendeth Rain on the Juft and on the Unjuft, 
 It is as much as if Chrift had laid; No Man can be 
 like God, that docs not Love his Enemies, and who 
 cannot do good to all : Confequently, he that docs Love 
 
 Ener 
 
(i03) 
 
 'Estmies^ and is ready to Ds ^otd unio aQ^ he is like 
 Ged the FAther^ that is in Heaven, who is Love. 
 
 () Chrift teaches us to avoid OfientAti- 
 on in our Charity : TAke heed thAt ye do not 
 your Alms before Men to be fee n of them. 
 
 (10.) He teaches us the Duty of ErAyer^ where 
 and what : not in the corners of the Streets 
 nor in the Synagogues to be feen of Men 5 but in 
 
 the C/^/<rr, in the lecret of the Heart betwixt 
 Cod and the Soul. 
 
 ( II.) He forbids Hoarding and Laying up of 
 Money in JSAnkt, prelTes Treafuriog up of WeAlth y r 
 in HCAven : and the Reafon is this, that the 
 one is Corruftible^^nd the other is Incorruptible. ' 
 
 (i2.) He teaches Dependence upon the Providence 
 of Cod-, calling the Dif-truftful, O ye of little Faith, 
 tyhicb of you (fays he) by taking Thought 
 can Add one Cubit To his Stature t therefore Ver 2? to 
 take no Thought, faying, fVhat fbad tve eat the end. 
 or what (bad we drink, or wherewith (ball we 
 be clothed': for after allthefe things the GqvhWqs feek 
 far your Heavenly father knoweth, that you have need of 
 ad thefe things. But feek ye firjl the King dom of God and 
 
 his Righteoufnef, and all thefe things (had be added unto 
 you. 
 
 (13.) He fets up a Diferimination or Diftiniftion 
 ten falfe true Prophets, thofe that are his Di- 
 fciples, from Counterfeits, re fhall knew them (laid 
 Chrift) by their Fruits ; Do men gather 
 Crapes of Thorns or Figgs ofThiftles f even Matth. 7. i y, 
 foevery good Tree bringeth forth Good i<5,17,18,19, 
 
 Fruit, but a bringeth forth 
 
 Evil 
 
(i04) 
 
 Evil Fruit. A Good Tree cantiot bring forth Evil 
 Fruit, neither can a Corrupt Tree bring forth good 
 Fruit; ivherefore by their yejhiU knovp them. 
 
 This was the Diftin^iion given by Chrift to his Fol¬ 
 lowers ; the Tree was not accounted Good or Bed 
 by tl'ic Leaves^ but the Fruits ^ not by the Opini- 
 ens, hmthc FJ0ly liyi^ig. The F^/Vi&inthatDay w’as 
 an Entire Refignation and Dependence upon Gody and 
 not a Sublcription to Verbd Proportions and Articles^ 
 though never fo True: that was the Work of After- 
 times^ move Corrupt znA Superjlitiofu Ares, But—— 
 (14.) Leijlly Chrift preaches the General judgment. 
 Ver t f^y tne in that Day (^what Dayf. 
 
 * with Mankind : ] Lord, Lord, have we 
 not prophefied in thy Name^ and in thy Name cajl out De^ 
 idls and done many wonderful ivorks ? And then (faid 
 Chrift) will I profe(s unto themy I never knewyou^ De^ 
 part from, me^ ye that work Iniquity, Not every one that 
 faith ^ Lord, Lord, [ball enter into the Kingdom of Hea¬ 
 ven 5 but he that doth the Will of my Father^ which is in 
 Heaven. Therefore whofoevtr heareth thefe Sayings of 
 mine and doth themy / wid liken him unto a Wife Man^ 
 which built hi Houfe upon a Rocky and the Rain defended 
 and the Floods came., and the winds blew and beat upon that 
 Houfe j and it fed not-, for it was buildedupon a Rock. 
 And every one that heareth thefe Sayinos of Mine., and 
 doth them not, fhad be likened unto a Foolifb Man, which 
 built his Houfe upon the Sand: and the Rain defended, 
 and tie Floods came and the winds blew, and beat upon 
 that Houfe, and it fed, and great was the Fall of it. And 
 it came topafs, when JqCus had ended thefe Sayings, the 
 
 Feo-^ 
 
r io5 ) 
 
 People were afiemjbedat his Do^rine: for he taught them 
 as one having Authority^ and not as the Scribes, 
 
 By all which it is moft- plain, that ss Chrift is the 
 Rock^ on which tXM&Chrijiians build-, fo none can be 
 faid truly to build upon this Reck, but thofe that keep 
 his Sayings, that do his CommandoiGnts, that obey 
 his Doctrine. Wherefore that Faith of JESUS to be 
 the SON and CHRIST of GOD muft be fuch a Faith, 
 as does the Will of the Heavenly Father, and keepeth 
 
 THESE SAYINGS of Chrift. 
 
 There are Two places, in which Chrift Teems to Turn 
 up his blefled Doctrine: One is xhli^There- 
 fore all things,whatfoever ye would,thatMen Matth. f. 12. 
 Jheuld do to you, do ye even Jo to them for 
 this is the Law and the Prophets^ Which Chrift came 
 not to deftroy, but to fulfill. But the other Paflage 
 fecnas to be more full, the ^rfi relating only to our 
 Dealings with Men this Second Pafjage comprehends 
 our Duty both to God and Men, viz. 
 
 Thou fjalt love the Lord thy Cod with all Matth. 22. jyj 
 thy Heart and with all thy Soul, and with 38, 39 * 
 all thy Mind 5 this is the firfi and great 
 Commandment: and the fecond is like unto it. Thou fijalt 
 lo ve thy Neighbour as thy (elf. In thefe two Command¬ 
 ments hang all the Law and the Prophets. 
 
 This is the Perfection of the Chrifiian Religion, the 
 Creat Commandment of Chrift, the Certain Token of 
 Difciplelhip. A new Commandment (Taid 
 Chrift) I give unto you, that ye Love one John 13,34, 
 another as I have loved you, that ■ ye 35 > 
 alfo love one another ; by this (hall all men 
 know, that ye are my Difciples, if ye have love one to 
 
 O another 
 
(Io5 ) 
 
 snother. Again, Chrift fpeaks to his Difciples ; If 
 ye keep my CemmandmeftlSj ye fhdl abide in my Love, 
 even 041 have kept my Esther s Cemmsndments^ snd a- 
 bide in his Love : and this is my Commindment^ thst ye 
 
 Love one another, tus 1 have loved you. 
 John 15. 10, Yet once more : Ye are my Friends j if ye 
 
 do^ n>hatfcever 1 command yousndthefe 
 things I command you y that you Love one 
 another*- He that hath my Commandments and keepeth 
 them^ he it is that loveth me^ and be that loveth me^ fhall 
 
 be loved of my Father^ and I mil love him 
 Jshn 14. 31. rnanifef my felf to him : but he 
 
 that loveth me not^ keepeth not my Sayings. 
 So that only thofe are Friends, and Difciples of 
 Chrifk-^epu that do his Sayings and keep hisCotn- 
 raandments, and the Great Commandment of all is 
 LOVE; for upon this One Commandni^nt all the 
 reft depend. » 
 
 For he loves God above allj will leave all for 
 God t notone of his Commandmsnts fhall be flight¬ 
 ed ; and he that loves Ans Neighbour^ will much more 
 love the Houffoold of Faith. Well may fuch be True 
 Chrijikans f when iht'ix Faith in Chrift works by 
 
 LOVE, by the Power of this Divine Love: 
 
 I John 4.16. he that dwells in this LovCy dwell in Gody 
 
 (if fehn fay true) for he is Love. Jhd in 
 this he recommended his Love unto us y that be fent his 
 
 only Begotten Son, _ that whofoever belitveth in himy 
 
 fbouldnot periffy but have Everlafling Life: 
 John 15.12, Alfo herein did Chrifi manifejlhis Love, in 
 
 laying down his Life for m. This is my 
 Commandment (faid Chrift) that ye Love 
 
 one 
 
(lO?) 
 
 one another, I have lovedyoa : and, Greater love 
 hath m Afajo than thie^ that a Man lays dawn his Life for 
 his sends ye are my Friends y if ye do ivhatfoever I 
 cc v< '//andyou. Indeed ne gave his Life for the World, 
 and oiFcred up one Common Sacrifice for Man- 
 ljind:and bythis One Offering up ofhimfelf once 
 for alike bath forever perfe^ed fthat is, quitted and 
 difeharged and taken into Favour] them that are Jan¬ 
 et fed ^ who have received the Spirit of Grace and San- 
 aipcation in their Hearts ; for fuch as refift it, receive 
 not the Benefit of that Sacrifice. 
 
 This HolyOfering up of himfelf by thtLternal Spirit ^ 
 is a Great Part of his Meffiahfhip •, for therein he hath 
 both confirmed his Blelfed Meffage of Kemiffion of Sins 
 and Life Everlajling to as many as truly believe in his 
 Name, and given himfelf a Propitiation for all that have 
 fanedy and fo came Jhort of the Glory of God: in fo much 
 that God is faid by the Apoflle Paul to be ftifiy and 
 the JuJiifer ofhimy rvhich beliehoeth Jefus, 
 whom God hath jet forth to be a Propitiation 
 through Faith in ^«Blood to declare his Rigb- 
 teoufne fs for the Remiffions of Sins that are 
 pajij through the forbearance of God. 
 
 Unto which I fhall Join his Mediatorfbip or Advocdl- 
 ey^ link’d together both by the Apoftle/'4»/and the 
 beloved Difeiple fohnx the firfl in thefe ^ 
 
 words i For there is One God and one Medi* ^ 1 
 ator hettpeen God and Many the Man Chrif 
 ^ efus, who gave himfelf a Ranfom for all to be tejifed in 
 due Time. The Apoftle expreffeth it thus : My 
 little childreny thefe things write J untoyoUythat ^ 
 you Sin not’y and if any Man fnneth, we have ] %. 
 
 O 2 
 
 Rom. 3.25 
 26, 27. 
 
 2. 
 
 an 
 
( 1 * 8 ) . . 
 
 A» Advocate mththe F^ther^ Jclus Chriji the Righte- 
 cuehe is the Prof itiation for our Sinsj and not for ottrt 
 cnly^ hut Alfofsr the Sins of the whole World, 
 
 So that (to be Brief) the Chriflian Creed fo far as it 
 is Declaratory, lies eminently in a Confelfion of 
 thef© Particulars. Of the Vh'ine Authority of the New 
 as well as of the Old Te(IKment Writings and therein 
 of ihefe Great, General and HecelTary Truths expref- 
 ly, to wit, Ol chriji^ his Miracles^ Doctrine^ Death, 
 Refurre^ion, Advocacy or Mediation, the Gift of his 
 Grace, Faith and Repentance unto RemiJJion of Sins, the 
 Neceffity of Keeping his Commandments, and laftly of 
 Eternal Recompense, —Lefs once than all this would 
 have done 5 and it does not fhe w the Age more Chri- 
 ftian, but more Curious, indeed more Infidel, ^ that 
 there is this Stir made about External Creeds of Com¬ 
 munion : for Difirufi of Brethren and Incredulity a- 
 moHg Chriftians is no fmall Sign of their Decay of 
 Faith towards God 5 From the Beginning ’twos not fo> 
 But it may be here Objedled, Hew fbaU we know, 
 that fucha Declaration p/ Faith « finceret I Anfw'er, 
 By recurring to that Evidence, -which God flaall give 
 us. They that can try Spirits mofi-Sheep- 
 
 like Clothing, have the moft-Immediate and Certain 
 Proof-, butlctitfuffife, that Chrifthath told bs, By 
 their Fruits ye (had know them, if any Man , fays 
 
 MatthitS’a Chrift, will come after me, let him take up 
 
 his Crojs and follow me'.'ass^ in another place 
 
 and I know 
 They are 
 Life, they 
 
 obey my Docirine, And the Apoftlc Peter affurcs us, 
 
 that 
 
 he tells us thus-, My Sheep hear my Voice, 
 
 -f , , them and they follow me t thatis, 
 
 John 10.27. , ,, /I. , ’ 
 
 led by ray spirit, they live my 
 
( «® 9 ) 
 
 that Trtte Faith furifies the Heart', andoo 
 Impurity can flow frorsa a fureHeart. You 
 may know this Faith by that Way, by which Ahra^ 
 ham i Faith was kn«wn to be 7 V«^, to wit^ Obedience, 
 He believed God, that is, Wg Obeyed God he fubmit- 
 ted to the Will of God and relied upon his Goodnefs : 
 He that gave me my Son by a Miracle, can 
 work another to Cave him ^ To God all things p”’: 
 are Poffi'le, It is call’d by the Apoftle 
 Paul The Sprit of Faith ; fomething more near and 
 inward, External Articles diHd DecUrationoi 
 
 Faith.^ that from whence all True Confejfions and good 
 works come 5 which naade the Apolble PWthus to 
 fay 5 tve give thanks to God always for you ally making 
 mention of you in eur Prayers, remembring , tu r, , , 
 mthout Ceafingy9ur^Qx\i of YzdCpi. e. . , . 
 
 ’Twas this true Faith, that brings forth Works 
 of Righteoufnefs, by which Abel Ofered to God, Enoch 
 was Tranjlated, Noah w^as faved : it is faid of him, 
 that he became Heir of the Righteoufnefs, which is by 
 Faith. By this Faith Abraham left his own Country, 
 and obey’d the V«ice of God. By Faith AFofes was 
 preferved from his Childhood 5 and when he cams to 
 years, refus’d to be called the Son of Pharaoh’s Daugh¬ 
 ter : by Faith he forfook Egypt, and palTcd the Red Sea. 
 By Faith the Waks ©f Jericho fell down, and Rahah 
 was faved. By Faith Gideon, Barak, Sampfon, Jephtha, 
 David, Samuel and the Prophets fubdued Kingdoms,' 
 wrought Righteoufnefs, obtained Promifes, „ 
 flopped the Mouthes of Lyons, quenched 
 the Violence of Fire y elcapcd the Edge of the 
 Srvord 5 with much more too large to be utter’d. 
 
 This 
 
( I io ) 
 
 This is that which the Apoftle magni¬ 
 fies againft all hX^zFa'ths : Fdth (fays he) if it hxi 
 
 mt Works, is de^d. A Min m&y fiy^ 
 Jam-2.17, i8, Thoit hifiand I have Works 5 
 
 24’ F^hh without thy Works, 
 
 ' ’ o'* / ivillfoew thee my Faith by my \Vorks. 
 
 And as if he bad fore-leen the Men of Creeds and Ar¬ 
 ticles^ he I peaks on this wife ; Thou believefl that there 
 is One G$d^ thou do(i well-, the Devils ilfo believe and 
 Irembte. But wilt thou knewy O Vain Mm, Faith 
 without W orks is dead. Was not Abraham our Father 
 jujitfed byoiks j when he had o feredjUzLZLC his Son 
 on the Altar < jeeji thou howiVzith wrought with his 
 
 Works ? and Works was Faith madeferfect, - 
 
 And he was called the Friend of God. 
 
 And the Exhortation of the Apoftle is a plain 
 p ^ Difcrimination of true Faith And btjtdes 
 
 ^ g ‘ this, giving aR Diligence, add to your Faith 
 
 ’ d ’ Virtue, and to Virtue Knowledge, and to 
 Knowledge Temperance, and teTemperance Patience, and 
 to Patience Godlinefs, and to Gedlint'^s Brotherly Kindnefs, 
 ana to Brotherly Kindnefs Charity, For if thefe things be 
 in you and abound, they make you, that ye fhoM neither be 
 barren ner unfruitful in the Knowledge of our Lord Jefus 
 Chrif. But he that lacketh thefe things, is blind, and 
 cannot fee far of, and hath forgotten that he was purged 
 from bis old Sins, ' 
 
 I will feal up thefe Scripture. Teftimonies of Faith 
 with xhzt Accouojt which is given us by theApoftle 
 ■ 1 John S For whatfoever is born of God, over someth 
 
 5. ^. the World: and this is the Victory, that over¬ 
 come tb the World, even our Faith • Who is he 
 
 that 
 
Cm) 
 
 that $v€rcomith the WorU, but he that believed, thxt Jc- 
 
 fus is the Son of God ? S@ that the Belief in the Son 
 
 of Cod rauft hav'e this Evidence to prove it true^ that 
 
 by it Men are born of God and overcome the World.: fo 
 
 that cIiGir PAtth is whom the tvorld Overcomesy 
 
 lam not of this World, faith Chrift Jefns neither can 
 
 that Faith be, that is called the Faith of the Son of 
 God. 
 
 left us upon Record bv 
 this Beloved Difciple ot feftu of Great Weight and 
 
 Importance to us 5 when jhc had difeourfed of the 
 Propitiation and Advocacy oi Ghrift, he does immedi¬ 
 ately add 5 A.itd hereby do n>e know that tvs 
 
 hmxv him, if tve keeg his Commandments. He 
 
 that faith, 1 know bim^ and keepeth not his 
 Commandments, ts a Lyar, and the Truth is not in him. 
 But whofo keepeth his Word, in him verily is the Love of 
 Godperfe^ed : hereby know we, that we are in him He ' 
 that fnth, he abideth in him, OUGHT HIMSEI F 
 SO TO WALK, even AS HE WAL- 
 
 IV cU* 
 
 7 h€ Second PalTage very pertinent to this prefent 
 matter is in the next Chapter 5 My little 
 children., let as not love in word neither in 3* ^ 
 
 tongue, but in deed and in truth. And here^ ' ^ ^ ^ 
 
 h^f know, that weare of theiruth, and 
 ihaUaffur^nr Hearts before him : Fsr if our Heart con- 
 demnos., God ts greater than our Heart, and knowet hall 
 
 t tngs. Beioved', if our Heart condemn us not, then 
 we Confidence towards Gcd: and whatfoever we ask, 
 toe receive of him, becaufe we keep his Commandments, 
 *nd do tbofe things that are pleafing in his fight. And tk s 
 
( 112 ) 
 
 t‘j his Comm^.nimeht^ thatrve[hoHUhtYiQ,s[Q on the Name 
 of his Son JESUS love one another^ as he 
 
 ■Itgave M Commandment, 
 
 The 7 T/>i and laft PafTage, which I (hall mention 
 on this Account is in his fourth Chapter of the fame 
 Epiflls., Viz. And we have feen and do tefifie^ 
 ^nap.4. Fa rher fent the Sen to be the Saviour of 
 
 16 the tf^orld. Hhofoever {hail confefs^ that JqCus 
 is the Son of God, God drvelleth in him and he 
 in God. And ,vs have known and believed the Lovej that 
 God fsAth to us: Godis LcvCi,af)d he that dwelletb in Love 
 avaellctn in and God in him. Herein our love it 
 made per feddy that tve may have Boldnejs in the Day of 
 
 judgmentj becaufe AS HE IS, SO ARE WE IN 
 THIS WORLD. 
 
 Thefe are the Holy Fruits of all xdsx'iX love God and 
 believe in Chrif, that are the Family of the Faithful, 
 regenerated and redeemed from the Earth 5 Where* 
 ever two or three of them are met together, Chrifl: is 
 in the midft.of them 5 they neither Ask nor Hope in 
 vain. Wim this Character let as take a View of all 
 Perfons and Societies of Chriftians throughout the 
 World not forgetting our felvcs : let us hereby try 
 j - their Faith and Religion and our own ^ if it 
 jam.i. 7. God the Father^ it is Pure md Undefiled, 
 
 it leads them that have it, to rifit the F.atberlefs and 
 widow in their Afflii^lion, and to keep themfclves 
 Unfpotted from the World : Is this our Cafe? 
 
 If it be Obieflcd, Which rvay [hall vee obtain this like 
 Precious Faith? lahfwcr: They muft take diligent 
 Heed to the Light and Grace, that comes by fefiss, 
 that Candle of the Lord, which he has fet up 
 
c 1J3 ) 
 
 ia our Souls: wc muft bring our Deeds to this Lfghf^ 
 lee if they be wrought in God or no ? For this gives 
 us to difeern betwixt the Precious and the^Vile ^ the 
 one gives Joy, the other brings a load of Guilt upon 
 the Soul: dowenot/^aw, that we Do the things %ve 
 ou'jht not < and that we Leave undone the things me 
 ought to do ? this will be our Judgment : For therefore 
 Men are Condemnablc, bccaule they knort. 
 
 Thefe therefore, that would o'^tain this precious 
 Filth} that overcomes the World, rauft embrace the 
 Gnce of our Lord Chrilt, by which this Faith is 
 begotten: and they, who believe not in this Graces 
 nor receive it in the love of it, nor give them elves 
 up to be taught and led by it, can never be laid truly 
 to believe in him, from whom it comes, any more 
 then the Jems may be faid to believe in God, w/hea 
 they rejefted him that came from God, his Beloved 
 Son. He that denyes the Meafure^ ean never own 
 or receive the bears Record, j ^ 
 
 thixhQ'Oi/ns Full of Cnee andTruth^ andtjeat 
 of his Fulnefs they received^ and Grace for 
 Grace : for the Lam was given by Moles, but Grace and 
 Truth came by Jeftss chrif : So that tis utterly Impoll 
 fibls for a Man to believe in Chrijf^nd not to be taught 
 by the Grace that comes from him and by him. 
 
 ’Tis a Common faying of People in thefe dayes, 
 
 fVe are net under the Lawy but under Grace 5 w'ho are 
 
 in Truth under sin and the Lam of Deaths Subje^s to 
 
 the Prince of the Power of the Air, who reigns in 
 
 the hearts of the Children of Difobedience j and their 
 
 Lives Ihow it: No 5 thofe are under Graceyhcit live the 
 
 holy Life of it.F^r theGrace of God,that bringeth Saha- 
 
 tknifiXth. the Apoftle Paul, Tit. z.n.xz.) hath Appeared te 
 
 p AH 
 
. (i!4) 
 
 AJ' Aien^ ttAching , that denying Ungedline^ and 
 Worldly Lufls we fhtuldlive Seberly^ Righteoufly and Gok- 
 ly in thisprefint World : Thefe are the People that be. 
 lieve'm Chrift unto thefaving of thcS^ul. This is 
 that Bleffed Lights which fhines in the hearts of thofe 
 that believe, and gives them the Knowledge of the Glory 
 of God in the face (5/Jefus Chrijl : the Ancients walk’d 
 
 John 8.12. *'■5 found Eternal Life by it. lam the 
 
 Light of the World, faid Chrift, he that 
 follows me^ jhad not walk in Darknefs^ but have the Light 
 of Life. The Saints Armed thenafelvcs with it a- 
 o gainft the fery Darts of Rat any and by the 
 
 Vertue and Power that is in it, were c«- 
 ’ ’ abled to overcome Temptation. And this 
 will be the Condemnation of Dfobedient Men^ that 
 they fee, but fliut their Eyes •, know the Lights bat 
 rebel againft r. Chrift by his holy Light in the Con. 
 fetence Ihews Men their Danger, warns them of it be¬ 
 fore it comes upon them: no Man on Earth can plead 
 either ignorance or Surprise. 
 
 ’Tistruc, the Candle of the Wicked if often put out - 
 But that it implies, ’tis often lighted^ and that men Sin 
 againft Conviffion, againft Sight and Knowledge: 
 ’tis wilfull, and that’s dangerous. No Faith in Dilb- 
 bed ience will do, no Faith without holy Fruits^ holy 
 ivorksy will fave. Men muft be born again^ if ever 
 they will enter into the Kingdom of God-: there is no 
 Fdlowlhip between chrifl and Belial-^ People muft 
 part with their File Af^blions and Inordinate Defres^ 
 or they are no Company for Chrift, they have no 
 Share in him. What part can PridehiVQin Humili¬ 
 ty i Wrath in Meeknefs e Lujl ia Self-denial i Revenge 
 
ia F'orgivenels ^ To pretend, to believe in Chrid',' 
 and not to belike hini', is a Contradiction. 
 
 Thisisthe Meffage ((aid the Beloved Difci- Jjofc. i.j. 
 pie) which we hAve bcArd tf him^ and declare 7 > 8,9- 
 unt@ you ^ that God U Light, and in him is no 
 Darknefs at aS : if we fay, that we have Eellowlhip with 
 him and walk in Darknefs, we lye and do net the Truth. 
 The Truth is, all fuch Faith and Profeflion,' are a Lye 
 in the Right Hand, a Cheat upon a Man’s Self. Bat 
 (fays he) if we walk in the Vighx as Cod k in the Light, 
 
 we have Felhwfhiy one with another, and the Blood of Je- 
 fus Chrifi hk Soncleanfeth us from ALL SIN. if we 
 fay, that we have no Sin [to be cleanfed from] we de¬ 
 ceive our felvesj and the Truth k net in us : But if we 
 confefour Sins, he is Faithful and to forgive us our 
 
 Sins, andto QhEkHSE us from ALL UNRIGH¬ 
 TEOUSNESS. 
 
 To Conclude, Chrift Jefus the Son of God and 
 Saviour of the World is Holy, Harmlejs and lindefiled, 
 and fo muft his Followers be *, he is no Head of a Cor¬ 
 rupt Body, nor Mafter of Rebellious Servants: he 
 that has not the tvedding Garment, muft be caft oQt 5 
 the Branch that brings not forth Fruit, will be cut off 
 But thofe that truly believe in his Name, walk in his 
 Light, aad arc taught by his Grace to renounce the 
 Luffs of the Eye, the Lufis of the Flefh and 
 Pride of Life ; the Unjud Profi's , Pleafurcs ^^ ^ ’ 
 
 and Poinps of this World, and chufc to 
 follow him in his own Holy \^ay of Re£ene’"&tion * 
 the fame is his Brother, his Sifter and bis Mother And 
 
 whatcveri^jthcy .may fuftain forhis 
 
 Names fake, they have the Promife of 
 
 P 2 aa 
 
an Hundred-fold here^ and the Inheritance of Ever- 
 
 Uf ing Life. . , ‘ a' j t 
 
 And I do fervently befeech Almighty God,-, the 
 
 Giver of all Saving Fuith, mercifully to Vouchfafe 
 
 more and more to beget a Serious Enquiry in us, What 
 
 that Edith is, which we have ? who is the Author of 
 
 it ^ and^vhat Fruits it hath brought forth ? that we 
 
 may not prophane theName of God by a unProfeJpon 
 
 of it, nor abufe our felves unto But 
 
 that we may endeavour (by God s AlTiftance) to ap¬ 
 prove our felves fuch Believ^ers, as fincerely fear God, 
 love.Righteoufnefs and hate every Evil Way, as be^ 
 comes the Redeemed of God by the pretious Blood tif 
 his Son. Since therefore we are not our own, but 
 the Lord’siViho hath bought us with that Great Price, 
 let us glorifie him in our Bodies, in our Souls and in our 
 spirits, which are his. Then (hall we be Children of 
 Abraham indeed, Heirs of the Promifes, partakers of 
 that Refurre£tion and Life, that Immortality and 
 Glory, which God the Righteous Judge wUl one 
 Day plentifully diftriSute to them that abide in this 
 
 pretious unto the End. 
 
 This naturally brings me to my Third Head, and 
 an U ihappinefs we have long labour d under, to wit; 
 
 ADebaftn^ of the true'^xV-iQ of MORALITY 
 pretence ef Higher Things, mifaHng the very Bud of 
 
 Chrift’s Coming. 
 
 By MORALITY I underftand Vertuous Living, 
 Purity of Manners, that Juftice, Temperance, Truth, 
 Charity and Blimelefnefs in ConverCation, which 
 
, ,, 
 
 may well Denominate the Man that lives that Life, a 
 MAN JUST j in fliort, one that does unto uS. men^ as he 
 tttuld have dU Men do unto himy this is the Moral Man, 
 It is Notorious, how fmall an Eftimate of 
 
 people have put upon him, the Propbane Pro- 
 
 fejjtrs (the Publican and the Pbarifee i) The Virfl de- 
 Tpifehim as \oo Squeamifi?^ Nice and formal^ they de¬ 
 ride his Regularity and make a JefI of his Precifenefs. 
 And thinking No Man can be goody becaufc they are 
 Nought 5 and that all naufl: needs fall by thofe Temp¬ 
 tations they will not refill ^ they confirue Sobriety to 
 be a Trick to decoy Mankind, and put a Cheat upon 
 the World. If they hear any one fay, Such a Man is 
 A Sober and JuJl Perfony. They have learned by them- 
 fclvcs to call him Knave that he. has a Dtjign upon 
 Ibme body by being in little things, to Cheat in 
 things of more Moment. This Man is very llnfafhi- 
 onable among Men of Immoral Principles j for his very 
 Looks and Life carry a Reproof with them upon* 
 Vitiom Meny who, as if Virtue were their Common E- 
 nemjy are in Combination againft the Lovers and En¬ 
 tertainers of her. Bccaufe fuch true Firtueji will nei¬ 
 ther do the Ill things, they would have them, nOr 
 flatter them in the Ills they do; and therefore where 
 Ill Men have thePower,€o0d Men are fure to be made 
 the Common Enemy. 
 
 But the Reproaches that Men of Morality rcceivc- 
 at the Hands of Lewd Men, arc more their Honour 
 than their Suffering. But that w hich is moft of alf 
 Anxious, is that Morality is deriyed to be Chrifiiansty'y 
 that Virtue has any Claim to Grace, and that thofe, 
 who glory to be called Cbrijliansy can be fo PartHl* 
 
(ii8) 
 
 and Cruel', as to renounce a M^n their So. 
 
 ciety, and fend him preaching among the for 
 
 Damnation. And pray, what’s, the Matter ? i^hy l 
 though this Perfon he a fober Liver, yet he is hut 4 Gene¬ 
 ral Believer •, his Faith is at Urge : ’7is true^ he believes 
 in God, but I hear little of his Faith in Chrift., Very 
 well; D ocs he not therefore believe in Chri^ ? or muft 
 he therefore be without the Pale of Salvation ^ Is it 
 poilible that a Man can truly believe in God and be dam¬ 
 ned < But as he that believes in Chrijl,^ believes in God, 
 fo he that believes in God, believes in Chrifl :: For 
 
 he that believes on him, that raifed up Jefus 
 Rom. 4.22, the Dead,, his Faith jhad be imputed to 
 
 2' 3 , 24. Righteoufnefs. And fays Chrift 
 
 John 5. ■’4 himfelf ^ He that helieveth my Word, and 
 
 belisvethon hint that fentme, hath Ever^ 
 lajling Life : Has he that believes in God^ no Intercft in 
 this Exprelfion ? But more particular is that place 
 ^ oi the Apoftle to the viz. For be 
 
 ^ ' that cometh toGod,^ mttjl believe that he is, 
 
 and that he is a Diligent Rewarder of them that feek him. 
 Now if thofe who fo believe, can come to God, the 
 Moral Mans Condition is aot Dangerous even in the 
 ftrifteft fenfe of the Word, not only fuch as have a 
 General Faith oi Chriflianity, and never adhered to any 
 particular(aSenfe, we lhall anon confider) but 
 even thofe, who never heard the Hifory of Chrift, 
 nor had a diftin£t Knowledge of him, as we profefs 
 him. 
 
 For it feems a m ^ft-unreafonable thing, that Faith 
 in God^adkzcping his Commandments ihould be no 
 Part of the ChrifiUn Religion i but if aP^rritbe (as 
 
 upon 
 
(•up) 
 
 upon ferious Reflexion who dare deny it) then 
 thofe before and fince Chrift’s time, who never had 
 the External Law nor Hiftory, yet have dehe the things 
 0»ntained in the their Conjciences not Acsftjing nor 
 Hearts Condemning^ hut exeufng them before God^ are ia 
 fome degree concern’d in the Charaffer of a true chru 
 ftian, For Chrift himfelf preach’d and kept his Fa¬ 
 ther’s Commandments ^ became to fulfil and not to 
 deftroy the Law'5 and that not only in his 
 own Perfon, but that the Righteonfnefs af the 
 Latv might he alfo fulfilled in U4, * 
 
 Lctusbutfobcrlyconfider_, }rh*t Chrifi if? and 
 we (hall the better know, whether Moral Men are to 
 be reckoned Chriftians? What is Chrift but MeeknefSy 
 Jafiice^ Mercy^ Patience^ Charity and Virtue in Perfe¬ 
 ction ? can we then deny a Meek Man to be a Chrift ian? 
 a ^ufi^ a Merciful^ a Patient^ a Charitable and a Virtuous 
 Min to be like Chrift ? By me Kings reignj and Princes 
 decree Ju(licef faich Wifdom, yea, the tvifdom that is 
 from above (fee Pr^jz/. 8. 15.) fo may 1 fay here 5 By 
 Chrift men are Meek^ Jufi\ Mereifuf Patientj charitable 
 arvd Virtuous. And Chrtfiians ought to be diftinguifh- 
 ed by their likenefs to Chrifi and not their Notions of 
 chrifi^ by his Holy Qualifications, rather than their 
 own Lofty Profeffions and Invented Formalities. 
 What fliall we fay then of that Extravagancy, which 
 thofe Men are guilty of, w’ho upon hearing a Jober 
 Man commended, that is not of any great VifiblePrrt*- 
 feffion^ will take upon them to caft him oflP with this 
 Sentence 5 Tufh i he is but a Moral Man : he knows • ns‘ 
 
 . thing of faying Grace y he may be damnd fer all his Mo- 
 I lality. Nay, fomc have, gone fofar, as to fay and 
 
~ (no) 
 
 preach (if not Print). Thst thm are ThiitfAnis o/Moral 
 Men in Hell. 
 
 But’tis worth our while to ccnfider, that he that 
 fins, u not fnved by Grace in that ftatc, and that the 
 Virtuous Man is the Gracious Man : for ’ris the Nature 
 and End of true Grace y to make Men fo. Unanfwcr- 
 able is that Palfage of the Apoftle, (to the Romans) 
 
 ^ Ther^ore if the Uncircumcifion keep the 
 
 ’ Riahteoufnefs of the Law, (hall not his Un- 
 circumcilion l/e counted for Circumci- 
 fion < and /ball not Uncircumcifion which is by Nature^ 
 if it fulfil the Law, judge thee^ who by the Letter and 
 Circumcifion dofl tranfgref the Law < For he is not a 
 Jew, whois one outwardly^ neither is that Circumtifony 
 rchich is outward in the Flejh 5 but be is a Jew, which 
 is one inwardlyy and Circumcifion is that of the Heart .. , in 
 the Spirit, and not in the Letter, whofe praife is not of 
 Meny but of God. So that he that keeps the Law of 
 God and abftains from the Impurity of ths World, 
 that is ihQgood Man^ the fufl Liver ; he is the Apo- 
 ftlc’s true Jew and Circumcifion. 
 
 Wherefore it is not Ill expreft by that extraordinary 
 Man J. Hales of Eton : ‘ The Moral Man (fays he) is a 
 ^ Chriftian^ the furer Side^ that isy Speculations may 
 ‘ faily Notions be mifiaken, Forms wither 5 but Truth and 
 ^ Righteoufnefi wiS jlandthe Tef: the Man that loves 
 themyWid not be moved. He tells us> That the Voithm 
 had that Opinion of the Sincerity of the Life of feme Hea¬ 
 thens, that they believed.^ God had in Store for Juch his 
 (even Saving) Grace, and that he would make them Pof 
 fejjors^ of his Ever lofting Kingdom. And mcafariug 
 their Satisfaction by the Pleafurc I took in reading, 
 
 what 
 
(i2i) 
 
 what the Author both quotes and Comments upon 
 thisSubjeifi, I will venture to tranfcribe him at largCj 
 
 Viz. 
 
 Let it not trouble you, (faith he) that I intitle 
 thfem to Tome part of our chri- 
 
 ftianfaith^ & therefore with- Hales oi Eton,Golden 
 
 “out Scruple to be received as i Of dealing 
 
 “ Weak, and not to be caft forth ^hnpans, 
 
 “ as Dead. Sd'^Unn-i difputing 
 ^ ‘ What Faith i$ • Quid eji igitur Credulitoi njcl fides 1 
 (faith he) Opinor fdehter hominem Chrijlo credere, id 
 eftj Ftdelem Deo effe, hoc eft, Ftdeliter Dei mandata 
 
 ^"ifervstre. What might this/'^///^ be? (faith he) I 
 “fuppofe, it is nothing clfe, but Faithfully to. believe 
 '"'‘Chrijl • and ciiis is to be Faithful unto God 5 which 
 ^ is nothing elle, but Faithfully to keep the Cemmand- 
 “ ments of God. Not therefore only a bare Belief, but 
 “ the Fidelity and Truftinels of God’s Servants faith- 
 fully accomplilhing the Will of our Maftcr, is re- 
 ‘'(^uired as a part of our Chrifian Faith. 
 
 Now, all thofe good things, which Aien 
 *''hy the Eight of Nature do, arc a part of God’s Will 
 “ written in their Hearts; wherefore fo fir as they 
 w'ere Confeientious in performing them (if Salvia- 
 his Rcafoa be good;) fo far have they Title and 
 Intereft in our Faith. And therefore that 
 
 “ Famous Roman, when he endured infinite Torments, 
 “ rather than he would break his Oath, may thus far 
 ‘‘be counted a Martyr and Witnefs for the Truth. 
 ‘‘For the Crown of Martyrdom fits not only on' 
 y the Heads of thole, who have loft their Lives, 
 
 I 
 
(tzz) 
 
 ratiicr than they would ceafe to prafcfs the of 
 “ cirrijl ; but on the Head of every one that fuffers For. 
 the Tediinony of a geod Conscience and for Righte- 
 oufitefs fake. 
 
 And here I cannot pafs by one veryGeneral grofs 
 f • Miftaking of our Age. For in our Difeourfes eon- 
 corning the Notes of a chriflim by what 
 
 Signs ws may know a Man to be one of the FifbU 
 “ Company of chrijl ; we have To tied our felvcs tothis 
 “ outward Profeffion, that if we know no other Virtue 
 in a Man, but that he hath Cond his Creed by heart, 
 let his Life be never fo prophane, we think it Argu- 
 inent enough for us to account him wdthin the Pale 
 * ^ and Circuit of the Chnrch. On the Contrary iide^ 
 
 ‘ ^ let his Life be never fo Upright, if either he he little 
 ‘‘ feen in,or peradventure quite ignorant of the Myfte- 
 ‘' ry of Chrift, we efteem of him but as dead. And 
 thofe,who conceive well of thofe Mora/good things, 
 as of fomc Tokens giving Hope of Life, we aceouac 
 ‘‘but as a kind of who thought, th® very 
 
 Earth had Life in it. I mufl: confefs, that I have 
 not yet made that Proficiency in the Schools of our 
 Age, as that I could fee, w^hy the Second Table and 
 “ the Atfis ofic arc not as properly the parts of Religi- 
 OH and ChrifiUnity, as the A£Fs and Oblervations of 
 ^‘^the Fir^i If I miftakc, than it is St, Raines that 
 hath abus’d me: for he deferibing Religion by its 
 ^proper Afts, tells us, that True Religion andunde^ 
 filed before God and the Father, it, to vifitthe Father‘ 
 le^s and the Widow in their Ajflicfion, and to keep him^ 
 ^^felf unjpotted of the World. So that the thing which 
 “in an Efpecial refine Dialect of the New chrifihn 
 
 Unguag 
 
(-123) 
 
 €C 
 
 fighifies nothing but M 6 rMiity^ud civility^ 
 that in the Language of the holy Ghoft imports Trus 
 Religion. Thus far Hdes. 
 
 He hath faid fo much on this Account, that 
 there is little need, I fliould fay any more *, yet 
 give me leave to add : Did Men mind the Language 
 of the Holy chofi more than their own Conceits, 
 they would not Stile thofe Moral Men in a way 
 of Dil grace, that ar.e not of their Forms-, it would 
 fufiice, rha.tthofe, that fear God and work jj 
 Ri^buoitjnefi'f in aR NaPions are accefted of him 5 54. , ^ 
 That Chrift himfelf hath faid. Be that doth ’ 
 the tvill of rny Father, which is in Heaven, (hall enter in¬ 
 to the Kingdom of Heaven ; and of them that work 
 Iniquity, Depart from me, I know you not. 
 
 My Friends, let us not deceive our (elves, Ged will 
 not be mocked -, Such as we fow, we fjall certainly reap. 
 The Tree is known by its Fruits, and will be Judg’d 
 according to its Fruits: The Wages of sin is n „ ^ 
 Death, Men will find it (b: and every - ’ ' ■" 
 Man (hall receive his Reward futable to his Wortk. 
 For People to talk of special Grace, and yet be carried 
 away by Common Temptations, it is Provoking to God ; 
 but to conceit,that the RighteoiisGod will Indulge his 
 people in that Latitude, which he condemns in < tlier 
 Men, is Abominable. ’Tis SanBification, that makts 
 Saint and Self-Denyal^ that conftitutes the chrifli- 
 an: and not filling our Heads and Elevating our Fan¬ 
 cies bv applying thofe Promifes t© cur I'elves, wliicli 
 as yet we have so Intcreft in , though we may tiii' k 
 they belong to no body eife: this Spiritual Flattery <.){ 
 our felvcs is mod pernicious. I cannot bur fiiy with 
 
 a 2 
 
 r n 
 t i-JL 
 
Rom. 2. 
 Gal, 6 . 
 Heb. 12 
 
 2 o 
 
 15 
 
 14. 
 
 (H4) 
 
 t!i 3 Apoftle, 'Tis Heithsr Cinumcifon nor 
 Uncircumcifion^ Jew wr Gentile (this nor 
 t’other thing) kut the Nsxv Creature ^ crea¬ 
 ted after Chrijl Jefus in Helinejs : fer with¬ 
 out H$li»fji no Man foall ever fee the Lord. And what 
 h Bilinejf but Abftaining from Wickcdncfs ? and 
 
 Plain hat’s that, but keeping'the Law of God ? 
 ’ Great Peace have theyj that love thy law., faid 
 Bavid^ that had known the Trouble of 
 Breaking it; Therefore it is, that Grace and Truth is 
 
 John I Jefus Chrid^ to help us to fulfidthe f 4iv, 
 
 j ' not to Excufe our Difobedienceofthe Law : And 
 ’ what before we were Unable, this giv^es us 
 Force to do. So that Chrifianity is not an Indulgence 
 of people under Weaknefs and Difobedience, but the 
 Complcating and Perfection of that RightcouTnefs, 
 which w'ithout him was but Short and ImpcrfeU:, 
 through that Grace and Power that came by tfetus 
 Chrift. 
 
 Give me leave, Ibsfecchyou, fori have a Godly 
 Jealoufy upon me ^ I fear, left the very End of chrijls 
 Coming is Miflaken: And of how Dreadful a Confe- 
 quence CuchaMi/iake would be, you cannot poffibly 
 be Ignorant that believe, there is IP0 Salvation in an¬ 
 other Name. Let us hear the Teftimony of Scripture: 
 They are the Words of Chrifl: hirafelf ^ Imufl i . 
 freach the Kingd-m of God., for therefore am I 
 fent. Now, what is this Kingdom God, but 
 God’s Government ? and wliere is this Kingdom and 
 ch 17 20 Government tobefet up, Chrift alfo tells 
 
 us* Behold the Kingdom of God ii within yon. 
 
 So that the Reafon of his being lent, is to defiroy the 
 
 Kingdom 
 
C ) 
 
 Kiftgdem /tffd Gsvernment of the Devil, the Strong 
 Man, that kept the Hauls, the Heurt^ and to ercdt 
 and eftablifk the Kingdom and Got ernment of God in 
 the Sfiid. Thy Kingdom come^ thy wiil be done : j, , ^ 
 
 Would to God, people would but conlider 
 what they Pray for! For they are Ibandal’d at the 
 thingthcy ask, and bochncglc( 5 t and revile the Sub- 
 ftancc of their own Prayers,. Thy Kingdom come^ and 
 thy tvill be done t, but believe neither. It was the 
 office God defigned his Son to. The Thief to. r i. 
 (fays Clirift) does not come^ but to kill^ to 
 flealand to dejlroy : Th'nt is •, To Jlea/ away the Heart 
 from God, and to ^/ 7 / zvid to defray ‘xW Good Defires 
 and Inclinations in the Soul : for the Devil is this Thief 
 ^.ndi’Defiroyer. But I am come^ fays Chrift, that they 
 might have Life, and that they might have it more abun¬ 
 dantly. 0 Death)! void be thy Death •, as if he had faid, 
 I will kill that, which kill'd the Soul. I w ill breath 
 the Breath of Life into it again 5 and by my Spirit and 
 Grace I will beget Holy Motions and kindle Heavenly 
 Defires in it after Gcd, after the Kingdom of God, 
 and the Righteoufnefs thereof .* This is the Newnefs 
 of L fe. And I will not only reftore that Life the 
 ^oWhasIoft^ but I will encreafe it: Twill add to it, 
 that it may have Life more a'oundAntly. 
 
 Indeed he was Anointed of God for this Purpofe, 
 and is therefore called the of Paths, the Re¬ 
 
 pairer of Breaches and th^Builder up of tvafe Placesy.hu 
 is, he is ordained of God for the Recovery of Man 
 from bis FaHen and Difoiedient State. This is the Rca- 
 fonofhis Marne; Thou (haltad his Name ^ . 
 
 jefus for he fsad fave his 
 
 P eepi- 
 
 / 
 
 4 
 
(126) 
 
 People from their Sms : Not from tvmth only, but from 
 Sift^ which is the Caufe of Wrath, Thatis^ Of Bad 
 Men he will make them really good Men, and of Sin- 
 tul and Unholy he will make tliem'Holy and-Righte¬ 
 ous Men^ who truly believe in him. This is the Bur- 
 
 den of Johns Teftiniony ; There ii one" (fays 
 Matth. 3. that cometh after me^ is mightier than /, 
 
 be (hall bafUze.jou with the Holy Ghoft 
 with ViTC'^rvhoJe Fan is in his hand^ he will THROUCH- 
 
 Johni.29. PURSE his Floor. And feeing Jefus 
 
 coming to him, faid,' Behold the Lamh of 
 God, which TAKETH AWAY the SIN of the world. 
 
 , ' I know the Ufe, that too many make of thefe Scrip¬ 
 tures, as if they were an Hehraifm borrow’d from the 
 old Sdcrifces ; which may be faid. To take away Sin by 
 taking away the Gnilt •, and not, that the Natures of 
 Men arc reftored and perfcdted. And indeed, this is 
 that Scnfe, w hich I dread above all others 3 becaufe 
 it perverts the£Wof ckrifts Corning, and lodges Men 
 in a Security pernitious to their own Souls. For 
 
 though it is moft true, that Remiffion ol 
 F preached hi his Name and 
 
 p. ci.i. 7. and that5/«in a Senfe maybe faid 
 
 to be Tal'en away,\\;hcn ihaGuilt of the Sins is removed 
 liy-Remiifion ; yet tliis is onlyof 5b that upon 
 
 Repentance are forciven : But this is not the Whole, 
 fuli and Evangelical Senfe, as Chrin’sown words.do 
 
 jfl linlrimport. For ('(ayslic) the Son <?/ 
 Matth. 18.11. fg thit which was Loft: 
 
 u ei>. 10. upon another Occafion heexprefleth 
 
 hiaaftlf to the fame purpofe, and ailmoft in the fame 
 Words^fi’rril’e Son c/’Man/r conte tofeek andtofave that 
 
 which 
 
( 12 . 7 ) 
 
 whkh rva 4 Lcfi. who is this that is Lc^^hut Mxi-P. 
 
 and in what Senfe can Maw be faid to but by 
 
 5 /w and Dijtbedience ? that which"caft hirn out pf the 
 Prefence and Garden of God, and put him in a Con¬ 
 dition of Eternd Misery. If Chfift then came to 
 Sxve Lofi Man, he muil be underflood to Save him 
 from that, which puts him into a Loft Condition,that 
 is Sin 5 for The Wages of Sin is Death, and t\\^ Servant 
 of Sin is a Son of Perdition. 
 
 Chrift has determin’d this Point beyond all Excep¬ 
 tion in his Difeourfe with th.Q^em {John 8. 31, 32, 
 33,54.) Then faid Jefus tothofe Jews, rvhich believed 
 on him, if ye continue in my fVordy then are ye myDifci- 
 ftes indeed ^ and ye fhad know the Truth, and Truth 
 fhaS. make you Free. What Freedom was this < Cer¬ 
 tainly from 5 futable to that paffage in I 
 his Prayer: Sanctify them through thy Truth, ^ ^ 7 '^ 7 * 
 
 thy Word is Truth. But fome prefent, proud of 
 their Priviledges, apprehended not the Liberty Chrift 
 fpokeof; and therefore anfwer’d himthus : tve are 
 Abraham’s Seed, and. were never in Bondage to any 
 Man-, horv fayefl thou, Te /ball be made fefus an- 
 
 fwered them 5 Verily, verily, J Jay unto you, rvhofoe^ 
 ver committeth Sin, is the Servant 0/^ Sin. In which 
 place it is very remarkable that Men are only to be 
 diftinguilla’d by their Works, that no Claims, Priv i- 
 ledges, Succelfions or Difl’ents arc available 5 but 
 that commits Sin,is the Servant of Sin. So that Chrift’s 
 Free Man is he that is Freed from Sin ; this is his Fol¬ 
 lower and Difciple. And as Chrift oppos’d the 
 Works of the 7(?jvr, (whounjuftly fought to kill him) 
 to their Pretenfions they raade to Abraham's Seed •, fo 
 
 muft 
 
Rom. 6. 
 4 , 6 , 11 . 
 
 ( *28 ) 
 
 muft wc oppofe the ><f^T/Vwof III Men to their better 
 TrofcHlens : we muft faithfully tell them *, He ih^t com¬ 
 mits Sin^ is the Serz’a.nt of Sin. From which Servi¬ 
 tude Chrift came to Save his people, and is therefore 
 called The SAyiOUR and the REDEEMER. 
 
 This Doftrine is clofely followed by the Apoftlc 
 Panl in his ^xth Chapter to tlie Romans, Therefore we¬ 
 ar e buried ivith him by Raptifm into Death) that 
 like as Chrifi w « raijed up from the Dead by the 
 Glory of the Tath~ r, even Jo' rve alfo fjould 
 walk in Hcwnefs Life -—- Knowin^thisybat our Old 
 
 Man is crucified with him.^ that theho^y.of Sia. might 
 be deflroyed : that henceforth we jhould not Jerve Sin# 
 '—Likewife reckon ye aijo your [elves to be Dead indeed 
 unto Sin, but alive unto God through Jefus Chrift our 
 Lord. As if he had laid 5 The Etfi o^chrijls Coming 
 is ro turn People from their Sins; and that thofe, 
 who perfift in their Difobedience, refift the Benefits, 
 that come by him. 
 
 Let not Sin therefore reign in your mortal Body, that ye 
 fljould obey it in the Lufts thereof. jTeither yield ye your 
 Members as Infiruments of UnrighteoufneJ's unto .Sin 5 
 
 but yield your [elves unto God.^ as tho[e that 
 Rom. 6 . 12, ^jrg Alive from the Dead., andyour Members 
 13,16, 20, Jafruments of^x^icou^nt^s unto God. 
 
 - - Know ye not^ that to whom ye yield your 
 
 [elves Servants to obey. his Servants ye are to whom ye o- 
 bey ; whether of Sin unto Death) or of Obedience unto 
 
 Rkhteafne f - For when ye were the Servants o/Sin, 
 
 ye were free from Righteoufnefs, What Fruit had ye 
 then in thoje thingS) whereof ye are new a[bamed i fer the 
 End of thofe things is Death, But now being made Free 
 
 from 
 
 21, 22,23 
 
1 
 
 Cm) 
 
 from Sill, a;fd yeco^ne Servants to 'Gedy ye have yom 
 FRUIT UNTO HOLINESS, -a.nd the End Ever^ 
 lajiiug Life. Fer the Wages of Sin is. Death; hut the 
 (jift of God ii Eternal Life through Jsfus CErift eur 
 I ord. 
 
 To ConcLudej nothing can be more apparent, then 
 that Freedom from Acdual Sinning, and giving Newnefs 
 *of Life to the Souls of Men, was the great Reafoii of 
 Chrifs Coming, and the for which he hath given 
 
 us out of his fulaefs of Grace and Truth, and Grace for 
 Grace, and that to be under and not under the 
 Laiv^ is not to have Liberty to do that now, which 
 ought not to have been done before (as the Ranters in¬ 
 terpret it ^ but to be Freed from the Condemnation 
 of the Law, Firft through Remiff on of the Sins that arc 
 fajl upon Faith and Repentance, and next, by Fulfil¬ 
 ling the Righteoufnefs of the Laro, in receiving and obey¬ 
 ing the Light and Grace that comes by “jefis Chri^. 
 
 Very pertinent is that Paffage of the Apoible Paul 
 (to Tittee) to our prefent purpofe, for it feems to 
 comprehend the End of chrtfs Coming, the Faith and 
 Duty of his people 5 which our Great Selden after all ' 
 his Painful Readings and Curious Inquilitions faid 
 but a little before his Death, was the Mofi-weighty 
 FaJJage of the whole Bible to him, as the Bible wm the bef 
 of Books in the World, viz : For the Grace of ^ . 
 
 God, that bringeth Salvation^ hath apyeand 13, ^4! 
 
 to ad Men, teaching m, that denying Ungod- 
 ■ linefCand Worldly Lufs we fhould live Soberly, Rigbteouf- 
 Ij andCodly in this prefent World,-looting for that Blejfed 
 Mope, and the Glorious Appearing of tbs Great God and' 
 our Saviour JcCus C hr if, who gave bimfelffor us, that 
 ’'',v R • be 
 
^ (150) 
 
 be might ree'eem tu^r0m ALL INIQUITY, And. furi- 
 
 jy uyJo hiwfelj dfeculiar peofle Ze,akuf cf Ccod Works. 
 
 In^v;hich ComprtheRfivc Paffagewe find tViG End 
 of Chr^JFs Cemlna to be Our Redemption jrem ali Jniqui- 
 quity ^hoth. to blot out our Sins that are pafl. & to puri¬ 
 fy our Hearts from the Sin that remains. We have the 
 means that works and brings this Salvation into our 
 Sohls, v\hich is the ^ and the Way, by which 
 this CfAce doth accomplifli it, is by Teaching m t$ deny 
 ■Ungedlinefs and Worldly Enjis^ and to li‘oe Soberly., Righ- 
 teoujly and Godly in this prejent H^orld, Which has 
 this great Encouragement joynedtoit, that thofe 
 who lb live, have only right to look for thatbleflcd 
 Hope and the glorious Appearing of the great God 
 ahd our Saviour ^efus Chrift. 
 
 I w ill add thcTt ftimony of bis Beloved Difciplc 
 ^chn^ w ho has defined to us the End of Chrifi's Coming 
 
 thus: whojoever committeth Sin, Tranf- 
 John, f 4, grejjeth aljo the Law • and ye Know., that 
 5 ) 7> o, fje Wits manifefted to take away our Sins. 
 
 ■ And to uiew that this is underftoed not 
 ■only^of the of Sinspaft, but of the Nature and 
 prefcBt Power of Sin in Man, obferve w'hat follow's 5 
 tEhoJoever ahideth in him (.Chrift) SINNETH NOT. 
 As if this Apoftlehad forefeen theprefent Mifchief 
 Chrijfianity hhoms under both on the fide of Evil Men 
 and but too many Mldaken Pro/e^ers, he adds ^ Lit¬ 
 tle Children, let no Man deceive you: he that detth Righ- 
 teeu'nefs is Righteow,. even oi he is PJghteoushe that 
 'fcotnmitteth Sin is of the Devil, for the Devil finned 
 from the Beginning f Now' comes his moft exprefs Paf- 
 iagfc to the Matter in hand^} For this purpofe the Son of 
 
 God 
 
Cod tffiU mdn'tfejiea^thAthe might H'BS'tROYthe Worlds 
 of the Devil: Which is more than the Remifjion of 
 that arc here is the DESTRUCTION of 
 the Power and K-ingdom of SAtm. They that know 
 not this, know not Chrili; for as we, fo our Lord. 
 is known by his Fruits, by the Works which he works 
 in us; therefore it isfaid, that His orv»Yf oiks f raije 
 him. 
 
 He therefore that lives in Sin.^ denyes chrifi by de¬ 
 nying the End of his Coming : The Peold'id not fay 
 W’ith his Mouth, but in his HeartThere isnoCedr^ 
 yet but too many now adays plead with their 
 Tongues and Pens, for Sin Termjo^ Life by endea' 
 vouring to (hew the Impoflibility of overcoming'sin. 
 But what'faith this Apoftle fu*rcher of the Bufinefs ? 
 whofoever is hern of Godj doth not commit Sin ; In this 
 ths children of God are manifejl and the Children of the 
 Devil, rvhofoever doth not Righteoufnefsj is not of God ; 
 neither he that loveth not his Srother. But if 
 pu walk in the Light, as God is in ths Light, ‘ 
 
 we have fellowfisip one with another.^ and the Blood of Jc- 
 {m chrifi his Son cleanfeth us from all Sin. Again; 
 Me that faith., be abideth in Chrifi ought - ^ 
 himfelf alfo fo to walk., even as Chrifi walked, ^ $■ 
 
 A little lower in the fame Chapter he fays: 
 
 I have written unto you Tcung Men., becaufeye are frongf 
 and the Word of God abideth in you, and ye have OVER¬ 
 COME the Wicked One. 
 
 I will add one Scripture-Teftimony more, in th® 
 prefent Gafe, and it is this ; Herein (faith 
 ^ohn) is our Love made perfeci^ that we may 4- J? 
 
 R' * - have 
 
(I 3 >> 
 
 hive Boldnefa i» the Day of JudgmenthecAufe M'he is^ ft 
 are xve inthii wcrld. 
 
 Behold now the true Dnd of Chrifi's Comings vi 2 . 
 To SAVE FROM SIN and to purge us trom 4 ;? 
 Iniquity-^ that he might prefent us to God without 
 Spot or Bleniiifli. Let us not then Flatter our felves, 
 for We Ihall be the Loofers; neither let us make the 
 Impollibility through our Infidelityjwhich’a Grain of 
 Sincere Faith can make not only PolTible but Eafie ; 
 W hat has been, may be again, nay, in this Cafe muft 
 te; Did the Firjt Chriftians overcome the Vf^iok~ 
 ed one f fd muft the Lafi Chriftians too: were thofc 
 Ages led by the Holy spirit and taught by the Grace of 
 God to live Cod. like ^ or like Godin the World/’ fo 
 muft we of thefe Latter Ages too, if we will be blef- 
 fed forever 5 that having put off the Old Man^ the 
 Devil and his Works ^ we may put on Chrift the 
 new and heavenly Man; thefecond Adarny with his 
 Holy Life and Works, fo .ftiall/i'r Fruits of his Spirit 
 
 Ihine through us, w hich are Leve^ Joy^ ^ 
 Ga!^5. 22, Peace^ Long-fuffering-. Patience^ Centleneff 
 
 Faithy MeeknefSy Temperance z, for they 
 that are Chrift’s have Crucified the -Flefhj, wnththc 
 
 Affcdf ions and Lufts: They hear his Voice 
 John 10. 4, ffj^f If ads ther 4 out of the Concupifcencies 
 
 of thisVile World,and they follow himyand 
 he gives unto them Eternal Life, and a Stranger they will 
 net follow:. The World,the Flelh and the Devil make 
 up this. Stranger, and thofe that are carried away by 
 this Stranger are in an Unreconciled State to God', 
 and fo dying muft inevitably perilh. 'VVell^ then 
 
 will 
 
(mb) 
 
 will be true Chriftians f Ha\^e we FAtth^ then 
 let us take the Advice of that good man ^ i « • 
 
 feter^ Let us addto eur Faith Firtae^ and o ■ 4^^ 
 
 > I f % ^ ^y 1 i • 
 
 to Firtue Knovel edge ^ and to Knowledge Tent- 
 perih'ce^ and U Temperance Patience^ and to Patience 
 Codlihefs^ and to GodUneJs Brotherly-Kindnefs., and to 
 Brotherly-Kindnejs charity ; For fays he, if thefe things 
 he in you and abound j they make you^ that ye (haS neither 
 be barren nor unfruitful in the Knowledge of our Lord 
 Jefus Chrifi. But he that Ucketh theje things is blind^ 
 andyannot fee far of^ and hath forgotten that he w.is pur- 
 ged 'f^dhi his old Sins, tvherefore the rather Berethren^ 
 give Diligence^ to make your Calling and Eleciion fure 5 
 for if ye do thefe thingsj ye fhall never fall. For jo an 
 Entrance fhall be minifired unto jou abundantly into the 
 Everlaftng Kingdom of out Lord and Saviour Jepss 
 ebrifl. 
 
 The Fourth Gr fMEecleftaflical Evif is Preferring ■ 
 HUMANE AUTHORITY above- Reafon 
 
 « 
 
 and Tiruib. 
 
 Th is & the next Evil (which is the Lafl: now to be 
 esnfidered, to wit. Propagation of Faith by Ferce^ Re¬ 
 ligion by Arms') are the Two Z.d’gj,upoH which ihcfalfe 
 Church hath in all Ages, under this, degeneracy w-e 
 find the Jewijh- Church at Chrift’s coming, and he 
 complains of ir, ye teach ftr T)ocf rines the Treditions of 
 men., ye (ee<k to kid me^ a man that has told you the Truth ; 
 But 1 challenge the whole Account of and 
 
 of the World, which arc come to the hands of 
 this Ag®3 to tell me, When^ where and by whom thefe 
 
 ' - . . Principles 
 
• (ti4\ 
 
 F'nne'ples have been receiv’d, improv’d and us’d with 
 any fort of Proportion or Caraparifoa, with thc- 
 Praftice of that Church, which has Ung prided be^ 
 felf with the Nime of Catholick and Chrlftian.. And 
 yet I oould wifli nothing of t\it(cT',vo llj. Principles had 
 found any place amongll: us, that call our felvcs Pre- 
 tcftmts. i, for to them are properly owing moft of that 
 Ignorance SuPerjlitionjdolAtry,Anifn»[ity^Per(ecnti0n and 
 3 l od‘fhedti\it hiwchtcnzmoag ChriJlianSj fihce the 
 Chriftian- Profefllon hath grown to any Pow'er in the 
 World. I (laall conlider them feverally (refpedjiing, 
 us) and in their due Order, with as much Brevityjas 
 well lean. 
 
 That Humane Authority preferred above 
 
 Reafon and Truth, that is., That the Appreherifions, 
 Interpretations, Gonclufions and Injunftions of Men 
 have been reputed the great Necelfaries or HlTentials 
 to Salvation and cAr/y?i 4 ;#-Coinmaion, infomuchas 
 a Sober and Reafonable DilTent hath been too often 
 over^r urd not by Weight of Argument or Evidence 
 Truth) but by the Power and Numbers of Men 
 in Ecclefiiftical Office and Dignity, is (that I may 
 fay Modeftiy) in fomc Degree true among us. The 
 Firfl £•!/;■/reprehended in this Difeourfej may 
 
 begin the Proof, and give the firft Witnefs upojnthis 
 part of the Charge, viz. OPINIONS ' 
 
 mate A R T IC L E S 0/ Faith) that iS) the C O N- 
 
 STRaerroNS and conclusions of men 
 
 from Sacred vFrit^ and not the T EXT it (elf have been 
 inpjnd (jp impos'd as ESSENTIAL to Eternal Salvation 
 and External chrijlian Communion, Inforauch as no 
 Reafon^ Scripture or purcft Anti^ity have fuffer’d to 
 
 * prevail 
 
^prevail | againft fuch DeterminaticEs, sn^ too often 
 not enough to excufc thofe, that have pleaded for a 
 Confeie^tious DiJIeaffrom them^the Authors of them 
 either refting upon the Authority of their own Judg¬ 
 ments, or confirraingthcmfelves to the Example of 
 Ages Icfs pure and clear. 
 
 I Confeientioufly refufe to name Parties, bccaufe I 
 am tender of giving the leaft Offence- but upon a 
 Juft Obfcrvance of thofe Revolutions of Proteftancyj 
 that have been amongft us, we may fee, with w hat 
 Stiffnefs (not to fay oifiiKucy) fevcral UuAelsQi Reli¬ 
 gion and Draughts of Creeds have been contended for. 
 I would bcfee«h every Party in Chrifbs Name to 
 , look into it fclf, for I don’t, becaufe fuch are beft able 
 (if they w'ill ,be Impartial and put no Cheat upon 
 thernfelves) to make the Application. However^ 
 will name thofe Points,about which the Authority of 
 Man as it Teems to me has been fo Pofitivs of to 
 his Prefcieaee and Predetermination; O^Ckrifi, as 
 to his Natures and Perfonality, and the Exteny of his 
 I Death and Interceffon ^ Oi FreeWtS znd Grace-, Of 
 I Faith and Works •, Qf Perfeverance and Falling atpxy ^ 
 i Of the Nature of the Church 5. And La ft!y,of the Dig¬ 
 nity and Power of the Clergy, 
 
 \ And if men pleafe but to lay their Hands upon 
 their Hearts, and caft their Eyes upon the Scriptures, 
 if they will but ufc the that God has afforded 
 them,^ and bring fuch Debates and Rcfults to the Tefv 
 cf that Light and the Sound Form oi words, ihtHtly 
 'Cheii hath preferv’d amongft us ^ I need not take the 
 Employment upon me of pointing to Humane Autho- 
 \ -W/y among the feveralof ProtePiantsz^ to thefc 
 i ;points^ 
 
f I3«) 
 
 points*, nothing will be clearer. Por it is about the 
 Meaning of this and the Intentkn of that place of 
 Scripture the Coniett hath been and is ^ and how to 
 maintain and propagate thofe Coftceits ; So that she 
 falling out is in the Wood uf our own Opinions, and 
 there the Contentian is kindled, tlfic c volumes all 
 about our Ears. O that we would be buc impartial 
 and fee our over-flu^ to the Scriptures, and retrench 
 that reclancy or keep itmodelfly 1 for ’tis an horrid 
 thing that we Protestants Ihould alTume a Power of 
 ranging our apprehenfions. with the Text, and in¬ 
 joining our Imaginations for Indifpenfible Articles of 
 
 Faith and Chriftian Communion. ' 
 
 ^ . * 
 
 B.ut the next proof of the prevalency of Httmane Au2 
 thority among (1: us Prottftants is The great Power an A 
 Sway of the Clergy, and the Peoples Reliance upon 
 them for the Knowledge of R eligion, and the Way of Life 
 and Salvation. This is fuch plain Fa£t, that almoft 
 every Parifh proves it. Is not Prophecy (once the 
 Church’s’) now engroftby them and wdiolly in their 
 hands? Who dare publickly preach or pray^ that is 
 not of that Clafs or Order 1 Have not they only the 
 Keys in keeping ? May any body elfe pretend to the 
 Powder of Abfoluthn or Excommunication ? muchlefs to 
 conftitute Minivers ? Are not all church Kites 2ind Pri^ 
 'viledges in their Culiody ? don’t they make it their 
 proper Inheritance ? Nay, fo much larger is their Bw 
 pire then C^fars, that only they begin w’ith Births and 
 end with Burials : Men muft pay them for Coming in 
 and out of the World. . To pay for dying is hird I 
 Thus their Profits run to the Grave^ and that w'hich is 
 
(in) t • 
 
 ehe tifs of othcrSj is their and a part of theif' 
 
 Revenue. 
 
 ’Tis of this great OrAer and Sept: of Men only, that, 
 all Synsds and ConvocdtUns arc (of modern Ages) 
 compounded 5 and what they determin, is called the 
 Ctinons or Decrees of the Church 5 though Alas / they 
 be only.to Ohey^ what they Ordain 5 giving us there¬ 
 by to underftand, that they want the Authority of her 
 Name^ where they deny her to have a part, or to be 
 prefent. 
 
 But they have not only been the Ufual Starters of 
 nerv Opinions , and the great Creed-Makers among 
 Chriftians, but the Srvay they have with the People^ 
 makes them fo Confidcrable an Intereft in the Eyes of 
 CivilMagif rate ^ that he often finds knot for his 
 Ends to difobliege them. Upon this it is, we fee 
 them fo Suceefsful in their SolicitatioHS of Publick Au¬ 
 thority to give its Sanction to their Opinions and Forms 5 
 and not only recommend them (which goes certain¬ 
 ly a great way with the People) but impofe the Re¬ 
 ception of them, and that on fevere Penalties ; in fo 
 much,tlvat either men muft offer up their underftand* 
 ings to their Fears, and dijjemhle Conviction to be fafe, 
 or perilh 5 there is no medium. Something of this 
 lies near us : God Almighty open our Eyes to fee 
 both the Truth and Mtfchief ©f this thing. 
 
 But what (hill I fay of that Implicit Reverence the 
 people have for the clergy and dependence upon them 
 about Religion and Salvation^ as if they were the only 
 Trujlees of Truth, and high Treafurers of Divine 
 Knowledge to the Laity: and we daily fee, that the 
 blind Opinion they have of their office f as that which 
 
 S is 
 
Ci3^) 
 
 IS peculiar to that order and not common to Chrifti* 
 ‘■ans, be their as they will) dlfpofes them to re. 
 ly entirely upon their Performances. The Mimfier 
 is Chsoferz-nd Ta/ierand every thing for them: They 
 feem to have deliver’d up their Spiritual SELVES, 
 and made over the bulineis of Religion, the Rights of 
 ihcir: Souls to thtir Pajtor^ and that Icarcely with any 
 ■ Limi t at f Off oi'T yuH too: and as if he were, or could 
 be their (74r4;2f(? in t’other World, they become very 
 infolicitous of any further Search. So that if we 
 w'ould examine the refpe^ive Parijhes of Prote^aat as - 
 well as Countries, we ihall find (and it is come 
 to that fad pafs) that very few have any other Religion 
 then the Tradition of their Priefi: They have givert 
 up their Judgment to him, and feem greatly at their 
 Eafe, that they have difeharged thcmfelves of 
 the Trouble of tverking out their own Salvation and Pro¬ 
 ving all things , that they might hold fajl that which it 
 good. And in the room of that care bequeath’d the 
 charge of thofc Affairs to a Standing Penjioner for the 
 ■purpofe. 
 
 Thus the Clergy are become a fort of Mediators be¬ 
 twixt Chrift and us, that as we muft go to Cod by 
 chrijly fo muft wc come to C^r//I by they muft 
 
 be, itfeems, like the under the that 
 
 only enter’d into the Holy of Holies ; whole Lip pe- 
 ferved Knowledge : and by w’hom we muft undefftand 
 a Divine Oracle. As if the Myfteries of Salvation are 
 not to be intrufted with the Vulgar ^ or that it were 
 a kind of Prophanation to expofe them to thtn View: 
 and the only way to make them cheap and contemptible 
 to Every Chrifiian to have the keeping of them ; 
 
 -(though 
 
 
ris9) , 
 
 (tliough they belong to tvtry ChriJiiAH.) But this 
 guage (thaaks be to God) is that of humAne Authority^ 
 that would magnify the Myfleries of SAlvation by the 
 Ignoranee of thofe, that (hould know them, as if tlie 
 Gofj^el-difpenfxtton were not that of a full Age, but In- 
 fanvy or Minority. 
 
 'Tis true, the State of people under the Lava and 
 th.Q Levitical Priefi-kood is ciilQd a Bondage^ Childhood 
 and Minority^ and the Law thereof is term’d a ^ , 
 Schotl.mAjler to bring to Chrift *, but it is as 
 true, that the State of Chriftianity is reputed’ the 
 Age of grACif freedom, mar/bood and Inheritance by the 
 fame Apoftle. And that we Ihould have external 
 Gmrdians of our Faith and Religion upon us after wc 
 arc come to Tears of Diferetion, iharmight be very al¬ 
 lowable under the; of our Minority, is not 
 
 to obtain greater Freedom^ but to make our Cafe 
 worfe. For it is more tolerable to be u fed as Children 
 when we are Children, and know nothing above that 
 Condition, then when riper Tears have brought us to 
 the Underftanding and Refentmentof Men. Bufit is 
 almoft as unpardonable as itis unfufferable, to make 
 thatthe Perfutionof the chrijlian-Religion, as 
 if there were nothing beyond wearing a Bib and being 
 fed, carried and govern'd as Nurfes pleafe •, that is, as 
 /^^■Priefts wiS, It is a Knowiag and ReaftnAble,md not 
 a blind Obedience, that commends a Man 5 Children 
 Ihould be ruled, becaufe they have no Underftanding 
 or Choice 5 but bccaufe 'tis riot fo with Men, Reafon 
 ought to conduft them in their Duty, that the Ser¬ 
 vice they perform to God may be fuch, as the Apoftle 
 calls, a Reafonable one: ThefT/Y/is no longer IVid if 
 
 S 2 not 
 
notiFrre^noTjCfifffiieftcg to be reputed Cenfciefiee^ where 
 compell’d. The is not the time of Ceremoaial 
 
 Works but Faith^ therefore not Coercive, beeaufe 
 , out of our OW'D power 5 it is the Giftoi God. 
 
 But though this be very unhappy, that Ib-excGlleRt 
 a Reformation, founded upon the freeft Principles of 
 ■ Inquiry , common to aii that had Souls to fave, 
 Thouldfo mifcrably degenerate into and J^- 
 
 fiorance^ Imflicit Faith and blind Obedience ^ yet that 
 part of ourHiftory is rnoft lamentable to me, where 
 we find the Noble Bereans^ the diligent Inquirers, 
 People that defire to frove all things^ that they may 
 heldfajl that which if good, fuch as would fee with their 
 own Eyes, and that dare not transfer the right of 
 Examination to any mortal man, butwhodefire to 
 make their zn 6 Religionf iht Faith znd Religion 
 of their Confcience and Judgment, that on which they 
 dare depend and reft their eternal Hafpinefs in the 
 Day @f Judgment^ that, thefe I fay, fltould inftead 
 of being cherifht, be therefore expofed to the Vifplea- 
 fure of the Clergy, the Scorn of the Rude Multitude, and 
 the Prosecution of the Civil Magiftrate: this I confefs 
 is very anxious to reaiember, and I only do it for this 
 purpofe, that it may,put us in mind ofour great De- 
 cleafion from Primitive Proteflancy^ and how’ much 
 Humane Authority hiscrt^iimo the h^i\r% of Religi¬ 
 on Cmce that time of the day, when we made it a 
 prime Article of our Protejiant Creed to eject and re¬ 
 nounce if. And that you may yet fee your fclves 
 fliort of ycur own Pretences, if not contrary to your 
 exprefs Principles, and how much you have narrow ei 
 ;your Iclves from theufe of^your Pirjl Principles. 
 
 ^uppofe 
 
Suppofc a 'Tmk be cx)nvinced, that Chrift is that;> 
 which he believed MAhtmct to be, the Greatefi of ai 
 Trefhets^ That Mabomep was an Impoftor, That 
 is the only Saviour and Mediator 5 but being Ca- 
 techiflically taught the Two Natures in one Perfon 
 (the Hyfofiatical Union) in fine, the Athanafan Creed 
 and oth^T Articles oi Faith j or Rites cf your Church 
 n 9 t lb clearly exprefs’d in Scriptures, and not eafie to 
 be apprehended or alTented to, will not this poor 
 Creature be look’d upon either as Infidel or Here- 
 tick < renounced all lliare in Chrift and Chriftian 
 Fellowlhip, becaufe his Weaknefs or Uaderflanding 
 will not allow him to come up to the full Inventory 
 qf Articles believed and impofed by you ? Certain¬ 
 ly you muft cither be partial, and give him that Li¬ 
 berty you deny to Perfons of equal Tendernefs, or 
 elfe you muftafter your prefent ftreightnefs conclude 
 him Infidel or Heretick. But I would bcfeech you 
 that we may confider if this bears any Proportion 
 with the Wifdom and Love of God, in lending Chrift 
 into the World to fave you and me a 
 
 The Apofllc hecame AH unto all to win feme z, but 
 becoming All unto none ^ to force all : he thereby 
 reconrimetids.the Comiefeention that can he law¬ 
 
 ful y but this ufe of Humane Authf-riiy about Faith 
 feems to make it unlawful to Condeicend : As if Force 
 were better than Love, and Conformity (how ever 
 it become at it ) than ChriJLian Condejeention. 
 
 The Blcfled Apoftle had his Eye to the Good In¬ 
 tention and Sober Life of theWcak^ and u(ed an 
 holy Ibrtof Guile to catch them : he feems, ds if he 
 -difteinbled the Knowledge of thofe Averfe Opinions 
 

 •« -v 
 
 15 
 
 whicn tn'e^^ held', 6r the hcccflity of their embracing 
 tbofe Doctrines, which as yet they might not believe. 
 He fell not to Debate and Canvafs Points hi Diffe* 
 pence between them, which inftead of Union w'ould . 
 have enflam’d the Difference and rais’d Contention 5 
 No, no: Ht tecame all unto nH^ that is, He ftoop’d 
 to all Capacities, and humbled himfelf to thofe De¬ 
 grees of Knowledge that men had, and valued that 
 which was good in all and with this Sw’eetnefs he 
 praftifed upon them to their further proficiency in 
 the School of Chrift. Thefe Allurements were all 
 his Injun( 5 lio.ns j nay, in this Cafe he makes it an In- 
 junction to ufe no other :• Let m therefore 
 ' ifays he) cumany as be perfeU be thus minded • 
 
 and if in any thing ye be OTHERWISE mind¬ 
 ed^ God jhallreveal even this unt§you. You fhall not 
 be impos’d upon, ftigmatiz’d or excommunicated for 
 Want of Full Satisfaction,, or becaufe you do not Con- 
 fent before Conviction 5 ioi Gedjhall REVEAL it to 
 yoH'^ you fiiall fee and know what you do, and to 
 God you (hall owx your Knowledge and Conformity, 
 and not to Humane Authority and Impoftion : your 
 Faith (hall not be implicit, nor your Obedience blind, 
 the Reafonof your Hope (hall be in you. 
 
 Pray let us compare this with the Language of our 
 own Times-, w^here People cannot come up to the 
 Preferiptions of men, but plead the Liberty of Diffcnt 
 (though with never-fo much Sobriety and true Tcn- 
 derrefs of Confciencc) they are upbraided after this 
 manner. Are you trifer than your SuperiourS ? Were our 
 Fore-Fathers out of the Way; Did no body knorv the Truth 
 till you came ? Are you Wifer than all our Minifters and 
 
 Bifijops 
 
^ ' - - 
 
 ( . • ■- ,' 
 
 B'i^9ps 4»dj6ur MotherGhurcfe .^ Cmt k conteij 
 y0ti to believe as Ihe believesi Js not this Pride and 
 Prefumption in 'you^ a Defgn to mAke 'and head Sects and 
 Parties < with the like Entertainoient. 
 
 Now this is that which you your felvgs, at leaft 
 in the Per (bus of your Ancelfors haveftifed POPE- 
 ^RY 5 yea, POPERY in the abftract, the Suai-Total 
 of that Myftcry its great Mafter piece, to wit, IM¬ 
 PLICIT FAITH and BLIND OBEDIENCE : 
 If fo ? then fay I, let us alfo have a care of Popsrym 
 Proteflant for that Popery is likely to do us moft 
 
 Injury that is leaft fufpected. 1 beg you by the Love 
 of God and Truth, and as you would lay a lure Foun¬ 
 dation Piece here, and eternal Comfort to your 
 own Souls, that you would confider the Tendency 
 of upbraiding and violently over-ruling the Dilfent 
 of Confeientious and Peaceable People; For if you 
 will Rob me once of the Liberty of ray Choice, the 
 Ufe of my Underftanding, the Diftinction of my 
 Judgment, no Religion comes amifs , indeed it leads 
 to No Religion. Twas the Saying of the Old King 
 to the then Prince of Wales and our prcfeiit King ; 
 -Make the Religion of your Educationthe Religion of your 
 judgment : which tome is of the Nature of an Ap. 
 peal from his Education to his judgment about the 
 Truth of his Religion : And that Religion^ which is 
 too tender to be examin’d is unfound. Prove all things, 
 and hold fajl that which h goody lies an Impeachment 
 againft Impofition, deliver’d upon Record by theA- 
 Toftlc Paul in the Name of the Holy Gh Jl. ’Twas the 
 fame Apoftle, that commended the Bereans of Old, 
 for that they diligently [earthed the Scriptures^ whether 
 
 •thole 
 
f H4) 
 
 thofe tbin'gs dcEVefcd by the Apoftles ceaccraing'^ie 
 MeffiAh^ were true. 
 
 Nay, Chrift himfelf to whom all power was given 
 in Heaven and in Earth, fubmitted himfelf to the 
 Te^: he did not require them to believe him, be- 
 caufe he would be believed ; he refers them to the 
 
 Witnefs, that God bore to him: if l be at 
 John 5. 31, wttKejs of my [elf my Witnef u not true. 
 3 ij 37 > 39 * fends them to the Scriptures, 
 
 pleads the Truth of his Authority from that of his 
 
 Do^riite MirAcles :• if J had nst done a- 
 
 •Hv 24 * mongthemthe Works whichi none other Man 
 did. And finally challenges them to convince him 
 * but of one Sin : Which of you convinceth 
 
 ‘ me of Sin and if I fay the Truths rvhydoye 
 not believe me ? He offers to reafon the Matter, and 
 fubmit himfelf'to Truth j and well he might, who 
 was Truth it felf. 
 
 But an IMPOSING CHURCH bears Wit¬ 
 
 nefs of her felf, and will be both Party and Judge: it 
 requires AfTent without Evidence and Faith without 
 Proofjtherefore falfe; Chriftian Religion ought to be 
 carried on only by that way by which it was introdu¬ 
 ced, which was P E R S w A S 0 N if any man mil 
 be my Difcifle.^ let him take up his Crofs and follow me ■: 
 and this is the Glory of it, that it does notdeftroy, 
 but fairly conquer the Underftanding. 
 
 I am not unacquainted with the Pretences Roma- 
 nifls to Abnegation to a Mortified and Self denying 
 Life ^ and 1 do freely acknowledge, that the Au¬ 
 thor of the German Theology^ Taulerm and Thomas 
 a Kempt anJ others of that' fort of Men in their 
 
 Com- 
 
Communion,have writtcjo jExccllentPraQlcalThings, 
 but there is fcarceijr any thing of this Violent P*fery 
 in thofc^Tracis; On the contrary, the very Nature 
 aad Tendency of them is Diametrically Oppofit to 
 the prefent Conftitution of that Church, and all others 
 thatpraQifelmpjhcion in Religion. 
 
 And as it is one great Mark of the Falfe Church to 
 pervert the right End of True Doctrine, to hath the 
 excelled in the Abufe of that Excellent Word SELF- 
 DEN YAL : For (he hath tranflited it from Life to 
 
 from Morals to Faith, Sui^jug^tre intel- 
 l;^um in olfjlrquiunf p^lei (,to fubje^ the Underftanding 
 to the Obedience ofFaith( is the perpetual Barden 
 of their Song, and Conelufion of their Conferences, 
 But what is this Faith? that which conquers the 
 World and purifies the Heart? by no means. But 
 ’tis to believe that the Church of Rome is the True 
 Church, and the Pope Chrift’s Vicar, andtheVifi* 
 ble Head of that Church. 
 
 So as Self deny al^ which relates to our Wills 
 
 and AfRdEons in a corrupt State, they apply to the 
 ur« of our Underftanding about Religion 5 as if it 
 were the fame thing to deny that which we under- 
 ftand and know to be Evil (which is the Cbrijlian 
 Self denjtl) and to deny that very Knowledge and Un- 
 derpanding^ which is God’s Gift and our Honour. 
 Whereas Religion and Reafon are fo Confiftent, as that 
 Religion can neither be underftood nor maintain’d 
 without Reafon. For if this muft be laid afide, I 
 am fo farfrom]bei ig Infallibly aftured of my Salvati* 
 OB, chat I am not capable of any Meafure of Good 
 from Evil, Truth from Falfhood. Why^ I have 
 
 T no 
 
no undeminding or ufe of any, which is the fanie. 
 All the Difad vantage the is under in this 
 
 is tha^t, of his greater Mcdeftjr, and that he fubmits fcis 
 Belief to be tryed, which the other refufes, under the 
 Pretence of unaccountable Infallibility to that Autho¬ 
 rity Reafon decides. 
 
 So that whereas feme people cxcufe their embra¬ 
 cing of that Religion by urging the Certainty that is in 
 it, Ido fay, ’ lis nothing but Presumption, For a man 
 can never be Certain of that, about w hich he has not 
 the Liberty of Examining,Uoderflanding or Judging: 
 Confient (I confels) he may, be $ but that’s quite ano¬ 
 ther thing than being Certain. 
 
 Yet I muft never deny, but that every Chriftian 
 ought to believe as the Church believes, provided 
 the Church be true •, but the Queftion is. Which is 
 ih. 3 .t true churchy And W'hen that is anfwered ^ as a 
 Man may Unlawfully Execute a Law'ful Sentence, fo 
 he may talfly as the believes 5 for 
 
 if I believe, what (lie believes, only bccaufe flie be» 
 lieves it, and not bccaufe I am convinced in my lln- 
 derftanding and Confciencc of the Truth of what 
 ihe believeth, my Faith is falfe, though hers be 
 true: I fay, it is not true to me, I have no Evidence 
 of it. 
 
 ^Vhat is this Church, or Congregation rather f as 
 worthy Tindal every where tranflates itf hut a Com¬ 
 pany of People a'^reed together in the fincere Profeffion and 
 obedience of the Go'ptlof Chrift, Now' look w hat In 
 ducement they fever ally had to believe and embrace 
 the Gofpel, that wc muft have to jejn with them: 
 for as they made not one another an infallible Autlao- 
 
rity to one another, upon which they fir ft embrac’d 
 the Gofpel;neithtT are we to ground our Bciief tiiere- 
 of upon their Authority \eyntly 5 but as they had a 
 Rule to believe and coniinune, fo muft we have the 
 lAme Rule to ei»brace their Communion. So that 
 that Church cannot be the R.uleofmy Faith^ that 
 have thel'arne Faith aiid Object for my Faith that Ihe 
 has. I argue thus, 
 
 I muft believe as the Church believes, that is, 1 
 muft. have the fame Faith the Church has 5 then I 
 muft have the fame Rule, becaufc the Church can 
 be HO more the Rale of that Faith, thenihc can be 
 that Faith of which fome would make her the Rule. 
 If then the Church has Faith, and that Faith a Rule j 
 and cf at ftie can no more be theRule of her own Faith, 
 then ihe can be that Faith it felf 5 it follows, ihe can¬ 
 not be the Rule of the Faith of her Members, becaule 
 thofe Members have the fame Faith,’and that they in 
 Society are this Church. For that which is the Rule 
 of the Congregatiofl’s Faith in general, muft reafon- 
 ably be the Rule of every Member’s Faith that makes 
 up that Congregation ; and confequently of every 
 Member that may hereafter adhere to it. So that to 
 talk of beitevbig as the Church believes ; to fotvrifb upon 
 that Self de/iyal and Humility^ which takes all upon 
 Trujly and revile thofe with the bitterefi Inveoiives that 
 arernodcjlly fcrupulouSy and aH the BEREANS5 fr 
 their Souls (who think that Eafinefs of Nature and 
 Condefeention might be better beftowed, and in this 
 occafion ill-tim’d and dangerous) is to put the Knife 
 to the Throat of ?rotefancy 5 and what in them lies to fo. 
 crificc it to implicit Faith and blind Obedience. For it 
 
 T 2 cannot 
 
(4S) 
 
 cannoi be denyed but that the great Foundatiofl of 
 our ProtefttRt Religion is ihc Divine Authority of the 
 Scriptures front voitheut ns j end the Tefimory ar.d iSu- 
 mimtioH of the Holy Sprit rviihin ne. Upon this foot 
 thefirft Reformers flood, and made and maintain’d 
 their Separation from aomcj and freely offered up 
 their innocent Lircs in Confirmation. With good 
 Caufe therefore it is the general Confent of%all fund 
 ProteftantWriters, Councils nor 
 Cinohs of any viable Churchy much lefs the Edills of any 
 civil Sefjion or jur fdiclion^ but the Scriptures only, in- 
 terpeted by the Holy-Spirit in give the find Deter¬ 
 mination in Matters of Religion, and that only in the 
 Confcience of every chrifiian TO HIMSELF. Which 
 Proteftation made by the firft publick Reformers a- 
 gainft the Imperial Edi£\s of the fifth itnpo¬ 
 
 ling Church Traditions without Scripture .Authori¬ 
 ty j gave fiirft beginning to the Name of Prvte- 
 fiant, and with that Name hath ever been received 
 this Dtoctrine. vehich prefers the divine Authority @f the 
 Scripture and Spirit to that of the church and her Tra¬ 
 ditions. And if the Chuich it not fufficient implicit¬ 
 ly to be believed, as v e hold it is not, what can there 
 clfcbe named of more force with us, but the Divine 
 IllumiBation in theConfcicncc, or Corfei- 
 ence in the beft Senfe of the Word, then 
 which God only is greater. But if any man 
 fliall pretend that the Scripture judges according to 
 his Conceptions or Confcunce for other men, and 
 that they muft take their Religious Meafuns by the 
 Line of his Dirtefion *, fuch a perfon makes himfdf 
 greater then cither Church, Scripture or Confciencc. 
 
 And, 
 
 1 John 
 ■3. 20. 
 
Aad, pray, let us confider if in any thing the Pope 
 is by our Proteftant Difinity fo juftly refembled t» 
 Ancichrift, as in affutning Infallibility over Cunfei- 
 cnce and Scripture to determine as he thinks fit 5 and 
 fointffj£t to give God, Scripture, Magiltratcs and 
 Confciencc the Lav'. To this they have 
 without fcruple applyed that to the Thejjs- ^ ^ ' 
 
 Unions y Sittingin the Temple of God, exalting 
 himfelf above aH that is cated God, 
 
 To check this exorbitancy, the Apoftle de¬ 
 mands, who AKt thtis that judgef} another s Servant? to 
 his own Lord he jfands or falls 5 which (heweth w’ith 
 gri.at Evidence that Chriftians of all fizes, great and 
 fmall, are but Brethren, aad confeqicritly all fupc- 
 riority, Lordfhip and Impofition are excluded*, But 
 if there be a Difference his in this, that as Chrift 
 taught, He that if greatefy is to be Sir vant to the reft i, 
 but w hat is more cppofice to a Servant then a Lord, 
 and to Service then Injundtion and Impofition, and 
 that on Penalties too ^ Here it is that Chrift is only 
 Lord and Lawgiver, who is only King of this tnw'ard 
 Kingdom of the Sou!; And his to be noted that the 
 
 Apoftle did not write this to a private Brothc!’, or in 
 fomc rpecial Cafe, but to the Church, as a General 
 and ftanding Truth, and therefore now as Authen* 
 tick and proper as then : And if this be true, I can¬ 
 not fee how any’joreven the moft part of the Church, 
 that are ftill but Brethren to the reft, of one volun¬ 
 tary Communion and Profeflion, can wirh any fhew 
 of Reafon impofe upon them and efcape the Reproof 
 of this Scripture ^ for all Societies are to govern tbtm- 
 fi Ives' decor ding to their Inf i tut ion and firfi Principle^ 
 
(. 150 .) 
 
 #/ Unioi, Where there is Violence upon this parr, 
 Tyrxnny And, mt Ordtr is intredused* Now fiace Per. 
 ftvafion and Conviclion began aii true Chriftian vSo- 
 ciecy, all Chriftian Soeisties mull uphold tfacmrclyes 
 upon the fame free Bottom, or they turn AntichrifliAn, 
 Ibefcech you here, let us examine our felves faithful¬ 
 ly, and l am of belief that fomeihingof this will yee 
 appear araongft us,that Ihevv great Reverence to that 
 free Name. 
 
 But po make good their unreafonable conceit of 
 Chutcb Authority^ they objetft Chiiit’s Words, GO 
 TELL THE CHURCH, that is, fay they, Tke 
 Churcb is the'Rule and. guide of FaithyvkAtever the church 
 Agrees upon and requires your ajjent to and Faith in,, tbit 
 you mu(i necejjarily Ulieve. But though, as before, 
 'tis confeft in a fenfe wc muft believe as the true 
 Church believes, yet not becaufs (he fo believes, but 
 for the fame Reafons that flie her felf does lb believe, 
 becaufe none can truly believe as flic believes, but 
 muft lb do upon the fame principles and motives, for 
 which they believ’d that firft made up thatChriftian 
 Church : To talk of being the Rule ar.d Guide in 
 
 point of Faith, is to contradici Scripture, and juftlc 
 Chrift out of the Office which is peculiar to him and 
 
 Ifaiah6 hisSpilit*, he is given to his Church an 
 Tj o’,. Utad, 'that is, a CounfeSor, a Ruler, a Judge, 
 
 and is called a Lawgiver ; and fays the Apo- 
 ftlc, The children of God are led by the Sf irit of God. 
 And he was tFifdom and Righteoufnefs to the Church A- 
 poftolick, and is fo to his own Church all the World 
 ever. Befides, ’tis abfurd that the Church can be 
 the Rule and Guide of Faith, for as foch, jbe muf be 
 
 her 
 
(ijO 
 
 her MM XhU inA Guiie^ the F/Uth tf the tic Miners heift* 
 tbdt tf the Chuf ch^ which caflsot be. 
 
 But what then can be the meaning of Chrifts 
 words^ Go tei the Church 1 Very well. lanfwcr/tis 
 Rot abou t h\ix. Injur yK that Chrifl: Ipeaks, and 
 the place explains it felf, which is this; uig ? 
 Mer cover ^ if thy Brother fhaSTRESPAsS a- 
 gAinJi thee, go aod teU him bis faulty be- ’ ’ 
 
 tween thee and him alone (here is fvrong, not Religion 5 
 InjuficCy iK)t Faith OT Conscience concerned, asfome 
 would have it,to maintain their Church power) if he 
 
 fhaS hear thee^ thou haft gain d thy Brother \ but if he will 
 not hear thecy then take with thee one or two morCy that in 
 the mouth of two or three tvitnefes every word may bee 
 Jlablifljed ; and if he [hall negit H to hear themy TELL iT 
 
 Unto the church ; but if he neglecT to hear the 
 
 church, let him be unto thee as an Heathen man and a 
 Pu'lican, Verily I fay unt0 you., whate ver ye jhaB bind 
 on Earthy jhall be bound in Heaven, and whatfoever ye 
 fballlvofe on Earthy fbaB be loo fed in Heaven ^ &c. 7 he 
 
 matter & manner of u hich paffaged eliver’d by Chrift 
 . Ihews that he intended not to fet up Church power 
 about Faith and iVorfbipNmo vchdeh all muft bow,even 
 W'ithcat, if not againft conviction. The word TRES¬ 
 PASS and FAULT, prove abundantly that he only 
 means private and perfonal Injuries, and that not on¬ 
 ly from the undeniable fignification and ufe of the 
 word TRESPASS and FAULT, but from the way 
 Cbrift commands for accommodation, viz. that the 
 ferfon wrong’d do [peak to him that commits the Injury 
 alon'y if that will not do, that he take one or two with 
 him • but no tnari can think that if it related to Faith & 
 
 tvorfhin 
 
 ^ t 
 
( 
 
 WjriJr-y, I o to recsiva the Judgment of one, or 
 tsVior three ig^ioft miae own. This his not been the 
 pritlics, at le*'!: o )t the prineiple ot the na)ft dege¬ 
 nerated Ghurci r'i i:o the Pfinaitive times ^ for moft, 
 if not all agree, ih u nothl^fz ^elow the Charth c.xu dett- 
 mifte dhiit m i'tirs of Faith., andevenmany withrei- 
 {loncinnot go lb far: yet Chrifl: feemuo fix a blame 
 upon him that complies not witn the Perfon he has 
 offended, but moi’e if he refuse to give facisfaction ,af- 
 teroncortwo havealfointreated him; therefore it 
 cannot relate to mittcrs of Faith and fcruples of Con- 
 feicncs,^«? perfomland private Injuries-'. Which is yet 
 clearer from this part of Chrift’s faying, viz. That 
 in the Mouth of trvo or three i 4 ^’itnejfes every fVord msy he 
 efixblifjed. Which Implies a Tryxls^nd ^ndicid pro¬ 
 ceeding as is cuftonaary in civil cafes, about perfon* 
 al and private Trefpaffcs 5 for it were not foproper to 
 fpeik of WicnelTes on any other acsount. This is in 
 
 rerpreted beyond exception by the Afofile 
 ic’tfr.6.1,2. Corinthians where he reproves and 
 
 forbids them, to go to Lirv one tvlth another before Unbe¬ 
 lievers., arguing thus. Do you not know that the Stints 
 jbaH ^itdge the World., and if the World (ball be j/tdged by 
 you, are ye unworthy to judge the fmtSef matters ? This 
 (hews the meaning of Church Authority is thofe 
 dayes, and is a natural Expofition upon Chrift’s 
 words (in cafe ofTrefipafs and Refraftorinefs) Teff 
 the church. And his yet the Praftice .of all fober, 
 juft and quiet People, raher to refer their Contro- 
 veffies to approved men, than to tare one another ta 
 
 pieces at Law. 
 
 But it is worth our notice that as any Decifion u p - 
 
on an arbitration oblieges only the Parties to fit 
 down concent with cha awardment of fuch /c/ ox gain 
 as they the Arbitrators think equal (as the next beft 
 way to accorarnodate differences, and not that fuch 
 awardtnent ihould alter their firft Thoughts and Opi¬ 
 nion they had of their right, or force them to declare 
 they are of the Arbitrators mind.) So is it moft un- 
 reafonible, where the Church is only an Arbitrator 
 about Perfonal trefpaffes or umpire at moft, to ima¬ 
 gine a Power to determine and impofe Faith,and that 
 upon reverse Penalties as well of this (unto which 
 Chrift’j Church has no relationas of the other 
 World s I fay^ this very thing well w eigh’d breaks 
 all their Fallacies to pieces, and decides the bufinefs 
 beyond all contradiftion between thofe that ftand up¬ 
 on ths Spirit:^ithin and the Scripture rvithout on the one 
 hand, and fuch as naeerly reji upon the 'traditions of 
 Men and Atsthority $f the Church on the other hand. 
 For if in an Arbitration I am not bound to be cf the 
 Arbitrators mind, though for Peace fake I fubmit to 
 their Awards and that the Church Powder in this 
 place controverted relates only to external and per- 
 fonal Trefpaffes, Injuries or Inj\iftices, as the place 
 it fglf plainly proves, there can be no fenfe, reafon or 
 modefty in the Earth, on the part of ihofc high 
 Church men,who would from hence wring and extort 
 the Power of defining^ refolving and impofng upon all 
 people^ under temporal and eternal punifhment^ Articles 
 of Faith and Bonds of Chrtfiian Communion, 
 
 I Conclude this of the Church with faying,that ’tis 
 not Identity of opinion^ but ^ufiice^ not Keligious Uni¬ 
 formity ferfonal Satisfaction that concerns the text^ 
 
 U and 
 

 ( ^ 54 ) 
 
 and therefore Reafon, (ober Confcienca and good 
 bcnfe may at any time lawful infift upon their claini 
 to be heard in all theirScruples orExceptions withoit 
 difrefpeft to that excellent Doctrine (when rightly 
 underftood) Go ttlithe Church, 
 
 To this let me add fomthing about this great Word 
 CHURCH. Some men think they are lure enough if 
 they can but get fvithinthefdeefthe c^*rc/&,that have 
 not yet confider d what it is. The Word CHURCH, 
 figniHcs anyAlTf mbly;,ro the Greeks ufed it^and it is by 
 Worthy Tindal every w'here tranflated Csngre^atiow, 
 It has a two fold fenfe in Scripture. Thefirft and 
 mofi: excellent Senfe is that, in which Are is called 
 the Body and Bride of Chrift. In this refpeft Ihe 
 takes in all Generations, and is made up of the Rege¬ 
 nerated^ be they in Heaven or on Earth, thus Eyhef, 
 1.22. 5. 23, to 33. Col. 1.1<5,17. 18. Heb, 12. 22, 23. 
 Rev. 21.2. Chap. 22. 17. Here Chrift only ern be 
 Head-, this Church is waRed from all Sin, not a 
 Spot nor a Wrinkle left •, ill men have nothing to do 
 with this Church, v\ithin whofe pale only is Salva¬ 
 tion ^ nor is this Univcrlal and truly Catholtck Qhmch 
 capable of being conveen’d tube told of Wrongs or 
 TrcrpalTcj. The ocher ufe of that Word in Scripture 
 is alwayes referred to Particular Aflemblies and Pla¬ 
 ces, that is the churchy which by Chrift’s Doctrine is 
 to be told of Perfona! Injuries, and whofe determina¬ 
 tion for Peace Gke is to be adhear’d to, muft cf ne- 
 ccfhty be the adjacent or moft contiguous company 
 of Chriftian Relievers, thofc to whom the Perfons in 
 didertnee are by external Society and Communion re¬ 
 lated ^ and that fuch private and diftinct Afftmblics 
 
 are 
 
[(IS5) 
 
 are fo called the Church, is apparent frorn the aifis 
 and writings of the Apoftles : the Church of Jerufa- 
 lefOy Antioch^ Corinth^ Ephefm^ Galatia^ Tksjja.lomca, 
 Crete^ &c. perufethefe places, Ach 5. 11. & 9. 31. & 
 
 ■ II. 22,26. & 14 13,27. Ro:rj.i 6 .‘). iCtr.iz. & 4. 
 17, & 14.4 Jiev. 2 & 3. Chap. By which it plainly 
 appsars/thattheUniverfal vilible Church, lomuch 
 bragg’d of for the Rule and Judge of Faith,&c. is an 
 upftart thing, and like mean Families or ill got 
 Goods, it ufes falfe Heraldry to give it a Title. 
 
 For the Apoftoilick timesjto which all others muft 
 vail and by whom they muft be tryed, know no fuch 
 conceit; and the Truth is, it was then firft.ftarted, 
 when the Pride of one man made him ambitious, and 
 his Power able to bid for Hendfhip, Empire and Sove^ 
 rAignitj'^ ’twas then needful to his being Univerfrl 
 head^ that he ftiould firft have an UmverjUihdj/. But 
 fuppofe fuchaChurch there were, ’tis utterly Impof- 
 lible that luch a Church could be called together in 
 anyone placc,or at any one time to be told or to deter¬ 
 mine ofany thing; fo that yielding the thing by them 
 defircd,it is ufelcfs and imprafficablc to the ends they 
 defire it for. But alas! who knows not, that loves 
 not to be blind, that the Church among them is 
 the Prieflhood^ the few cunning raen govern the Ma¬ 
 jority,and intitle their conceits, the c»»0»s of Chriji’s 
 churchy and humane Power and Force, the Policy 
 and Weapons of this world, muft back their decrees. 
 And all this comes from the Ignorance and Idlenefs 
 of the People, that give the Pride and Induftry of 
 the Clergy an opportunity to effect their crafts upon 
 them. For fo mean fpirited are the People as to 
 
 U 2 take 
 
ta ke all Tjpoii tmfi for their Souls^that would not truft 
 an Ar(h^Bi[hcf> about AptGr 04 t, 
 
 ’Tis prodigious to think what Feneration the friefi*^ 
 hoodh^\'c railed to thcmfelves by their ufurpt Cona- 
 milfion of Apoftlelhip, their pretended Succeflions, 
 and their CLINK CLANK of extraordinary 
 Ordination. ^FrieP a. God$» Earthy a. Man that has 
 the Keys of Heaven and Hell • do as he fays^ or he damn’d j 
 what po vei lik c to this ? The Ignorance of thePeo- 
 ple of their Title and Pretences, have prepared them 
 to deliver up thcmfelves into their hands, like a.Crafj 
 ty Ufurcr, that hedges in the Eftate on which he has 
 a Mortgage % and thus they make themfelvci ever in 
 Fee to the Clergy,and become their proper Patrimony. - 
 So that believing as the Church believes, is neither 
 more nor lefs then Rooking men of their Underftand* 
 ings, or doing as ill Gamefters are wont to do, get 
 by ufing falfe Dice. Come, come, 'tis believing as 
 the Priefthood beljeves, w'hich made way for that 
 .offence wife and good men have taken againft the 
 Clergy in every Age; And did the People examine 
 their bottom, the ground of their Religion and Faith, 
 it would not be in the Power of their Leaders to caufe 
 them to Err 5 an implicit Veneration to the Clergy 
 begun the Mifery 1 What ! Doubt my Mini- 
 fter! arraign his Dodrine, put him to the Proof 1 
 by no means 5 but the Confequence of not doing it 
 has been the in'roduftion of much falfe Doftrine.Su- 
 perftition and Formality, which gave juft occafion 
 for Schifm (for the Word has no hurt init, and im¬ 
 plies only a Separation, which may as well be right 
 as wrong.) 
 
 But 
 
But that I may not be taxed with partiallity'or up¬ 
 braided with figularity, there arc two Men, wbcle 
 Worth, Good Senfe and True Learning I will at a- 
 ny time engage againft an entire Convocation of ano¬ 
 ther Judgment, viz. Jacobui Acontiuiznd. John UAies 
 of EAtoHy that«re©f the fame mindwho, though 
 they have not writ much, have writ well and much 
 to the purpofo. I will begin with Jacebtu Acontim at 
 largc,and do heartily bsfeech my Readers to be more 
 then ordinarily intent in reading what I cite of hiin^ 
 their Care and Patience w'ill be requited by his Chri* 
 ftian and very acute Senfe. 
 
 ‘ It remains, that we fpcak'of fuch Caufes of the 
 *not perceiving, that a Change of Do£frine is intro- 
 ‘ duced,as confift in the Perfons that are taught. Now 
 they are cheifly twoj Carelefnefs and Ignorance. 
 ‘Carlcfnefs for the moft'part arifeth hence. In that 
 ‘ the people truft too much to their Paftors ; and per 
 ^fwade thennfelves, that they will not flip into any 
 ‘Error, and that therefore they h.ive fmall need to 
 ‘ have an Eye over them, but that they are bound ra- 
 ‘ther to embrace whatloever tb&y 'lhall hold forth^ 
 ‘ without any curious Examination. Hereunto may 
 ‘be added 'many other bufineifes, wbereunto men 
 ‘ addi^ tliemfelves .* Fur that S ..ying is of large ex- 
 ‘ tent, where mens Trexfure isJhere is their Heart 
 ‘that other, No manean ferve tm Makers. Now, 
 ^how it may come to pais that after a people hath 
 once had a great Know ledge of Divine Truths, the 
 ‘ l^id KnowJedge may as it were vanilh away, befides 
 «that Caufew^hkh hath been even now allcadged, 
 
(158) 
 
 ^ we (liali in another place make difcovcry of feme o, 
 ‘ther Reafons. We lhall for the prclent add only 
 ‘ this one *, That the people themfelves arc in a per- 
 ^ petual kind of Mutation, fome daily dying and de* 
 
 • parting, others fucceeding and growing up in their 
 
 * ftead. Whence it comes to pafs, That fince the 
 ^ Change which is made in every Age, isfmall, ci- 
 ‘ ther the people cannot perceive it t, or if they do ob- 
 ‘ ferveit, yet they efteem it not of fuch moment, as 
 ^ to think fit to move any Difference thereabout. 
 
 ‘ This thing alfo is of very great force, to keep the 
 ' people from taking notice of a Change inDoctrinc ^ 
 
 ‘ when men fliall perfwade themfelves, that they arc 
 ' not able to judge of matters of Religion, as though 
 ‘ it iif it ft net, and other words ufed in Scripture, do 
 ^ net fignifie the fame which they do in common dif* 
 
 ^ courre,cr as if nothing could j^e underftood without 
 * fome great Knowledge in the Ton'gucsand Artsor 
 ^ Sciences, and as if the Power of the Spirit w'ere of 
 ‘ no cficacy without thefe Helps. Whereby it c:- 
 *mcth to pafs,that whilft they think they underftand 
 ‘ not even thofe things which in fome fort they do 
 ‘ underftand , being expreffed in moft clear and 
 ‘ evident words they do at length arrive to that 
 ‘ Blockifhnefs that they cannot underftand themin- 
 ‘ deed i fo that, though they have before their Eyes 
 ^ a Sentence of Scripture fo clear, that nothing can 
 ^ be more evident 5 yet if they to whofe Authority 
 ‘ they in all things fubjedf themfelves, fhall fay any 
 ‘thing point-blank oppofite thereunto, they will 
 ‘ give credit unto them, and imagine themfelves not 
 f to fee that which they fee as clear as the Ligtit. 
 
 ‘And 
 
( 159 ) . 
 
 'And by thefe means verily it comes to pafs, That 
 ‘when the Dcdtrine of Religion is corrupted, the 
 ‘ Mutation is not difeovered : Furthermore, when 
 'the DoQrine is once begun to bechangedy itrauft 
 ‘needs be, that out of one Error another Ihould 
 ' fpring and propagate infinitely •, and God, for Juft 
 ‘Reafonsof his own, blinding them, men bring up« 
 ‘on tbcmfelves fo great Darknels, and flip intofuch 
 ‘foul Errors That if God out of Mercy open a 
 ‘ mans Eyes, and let him fee thofe Errors he lives in,' 
 ‘ he can fcarcely believe bimfelf, or be perfw’aded 
 ' that he was evar enveloped with fuch blind Errors, 
 
 ‘ Which thing is as true, and as well to befeen in 
 ‘ Miga of greateft Learning & Experience,Ifthou fhak 
 ‘ thorowly perufe the writings of fome of the Schooi- 
 ‘men (as they call them) thou (halt in fome places, 
 ‘meet with fo much Accutenefs, as will make thee 
 ‘admire. Thou (halt fee them oftentimes cleave a 
 ‘ fine Thrcd into miny parts, and accurate ly Anoto* 
 
 ‘ mife a Flea,and a litrle after fall fo foui!y,and avouch 
 ‘fuch Abfurdities, 1 bat thou canft not fitfticiently 
 ‘ ftand amaz’d 5 w'hereforc w-c muft obey that Advice 
 ‘ef the Poet; 
 
 Prweipijs fere meJicim ^aratur^ 
 
 Cum mala ferlan^as invAhiere morns, 
 
 Refift betimes ^ that Med’cine ftayes too long, 
 Which comes when Age has made the Grief toc 
 
 vftrsng. 
 
 ‘Kow there is need of a double Caution : \fL, 
 That there be no Chinge made in the Dodrine, 
 
 ‘ Vv’hen 
 
<26 o ) 
 
 t wfccti it is pure : And if any Change be made, that 
 ‘there be notice taken of it. Now look what Change 
 ‘ is mads in this kind^ all the Blame is laid upon thofe 
 ‘ whofe O^ce it is to inftruft the People ; for though 
 ‘themfelves are the Authors of the Change, yet 
 ^ will the people impute it to the Minifters Sitepinefs 
 ‘and want oif Care at leaft. It cdacernstherefore 
 ‘ the Pallors and Teachers to be Eagle eyed, and to 
 ‘ be very well acquainted with thofe Caufes where- 
 ' ‘ by the Change of Doffrine becomes undifeovered, 
 
 ‘ and to have them at their Fingers ends, and to be 
 ‘ wary, that on no hand they may milcarry. Now 
 •‘ it will be an excellent Caution for the keeping of 
 ‘ Doflrine pure, if they fliall avoid all curious and 
 ‘vain Controverfies: If they (hall fet before their 
 ‘Eyes thefcope and end of all Religious Dodrinc, 
 
 ‘ and likewife a Series or Catalogue of all fuch things 
 ^ as make to the attainment of that End (of which 
 ‘ we formerly-fpake 5) af they Iliali affeQ:not only, 
 ^the matter it felf, but aifo the words andphrafes 
 / which the Holy Ghoft in Scripture makes ufe of, 
 
 ‘ and exceedingly fufpeft all different Forms of fpeak- 
 ‘ ing. Not that F^ould have them fprak nothing ^ 
 ‘ bat Hebraifms 5 for fo their Language would not be 
 ‘ plain nor intelligible: but I wifh that they will fhun 
 ‘ all fuch Expreflions, as have been invented by over- 
 ‘ nice Difputantsj beyond what was neceffary to ex- 
 ‘ prefs the fence of the Hebreiv and Greeks and all thofe 
 ‘ Tenets which men by their own Wits do collcfl and 
 ‘ infer from the Scriptures. No w of what Concern. 
 
 ‘ ment this will be, we may gather by this inftance : 
 
 ‘ The think it ^nc and the fame thing to fay, 
 
 ‘TAe 
 
(i60 
 
 ^ The church cannot err and to fay in the words of 
 ‘ our Lord, Wherejoever two or three jhAli be gathered 
 ‘ together in my Slame^ there md 1 be in the midji 
 ‘ of them. Yet is the DiS'erence very great, 
 * which may thus appear; forafmuch as in cale any 
 ‘onernall conceive me Church to be the Fops, Car- 
 ‘ dinals, aiod Bifhops anointed by the Pope : he hear® 
 ‘ing the aforeiaid Sentence, will judge, that whatfo- 
 ‘ ever they lhall decree, ought to be of Force. Bjc 
 ‘ if he ttiall rather mind the words of our Lord, and 
 ‘ fliall confider that chole kind of men, do regard no- 
 ‘ thing but their own Commodity, Wealth and Do- 
 ^minion 5 he will be fo far from fo underlfanding 
 ‘ them, that peradventure not being able to allow 
 ‘ the Deeds and Practices of thele Men, he will corre 
 ‘ to hope from thofe words. That if hiralelf with 
 ‘ fbmc other good Men loving God w'lth their whole 
 ‘Heart, lhall come together, and unanimoufly im- 
 ‘ plore the Affiftance of God, lhall be better able to 
 ‘ determine what it is that ought to be believed and 
 ‘ prattifed for the attainment of Salvation, then if 
 ‘ they Ihdufd perfilt to put their Confidence in fuch 
 ‘ Paftors. Now this Rule, that the words of the 
 ‘ Scripture ought to be uied rather than any other, is 
 ‘then cfpcdally to be obferved, when anything is 
 ‘ delivered as a certain and tryed Truth, or as a Rule 
 ‘of Faith or Life, or out'of which any ocher thing 
 ‘is to be inferred. For in Expoficions and Explana- 
 ‘ lions, as there is need happily of greater Liberty, 
 ‘ fo is there Icfs Danger if it be taken. For, w'hcnas 
 ‘ thie Wtrd, .»/ Codj and the exyofition thereof, are at 
 
 X ‘ one 
 
* (>< 52 ) • 
 
 ’ one and the fame time both together in view, as it 
 ‘ were; there no man can be ignorant^that the Expo- 
 ‘ lition ii the mrdof Many fo that be m*y reje^ it^ in 
 ‘ cafe ii ftem impertinent. And look by what means 
 ‘a man may hinder theDo£lrinc of Religion from 
 'being changed^by the felt-fame he may find whether 
 ‘ it be chang’d or no. Nou’ every man otjght to com- 
 * pare the Doftrineof that Age wherein he lives,with 
 ‘ no other Do( 5 lrine then that which was out of que- 
 ‘flion fpotlefs, which is the Doctrine of the Apoftles. 
 ‘ Wherefore, notwithftanding that in our Age the 
 ‘ Gofpel is as it were revived, yet ought not any man 
 ‘ thus to think, That he ought to examin whether 
 ‘ the Gofpel hath loft any of that Purity W'hereunto 
 ‘ it had at this time arrived 5 he ought rather to look 
 ' again and again, whether fome Corruption do not 
 yet remain, w hether it be not in fome part, as yet 
 ‘not lufficiently reftored to its ancient Purity and 
 ‘ Luftre; and confidently perfwade himfftlf, That he 
 ‘ cannot be (that I may fo fpeak) fufhciently fuper- 
 ' ftitiotiS; in rejecting every word w'hich is not in the 
 ‘ Scriptures. Forafmuch as man will ever be moie 
 ‘ Wife and Wary than the holy Spirit, and can very 
 ‘ hardTy forbear to mingle femewhat from his ow n 
 'head: fo that whatever comes from man, canne- 
 ^ ver be fufficiently fufpefted. And becaiife a thing 
 ‘ will be fo much the better preferved, by how'’ much 
 ' the greater is the num.ber of thole that keep it: the 
 ' people ought often to be put in mind. That both 
 'the leading of the Scriptures, and the Ore cf Re- 
 ' ligion beUngs mt to the Pajiors of th: Church only 5 but 
 
 ‘ that 
 
‘ that every one that would be faved ought to make 
 ‘ diligent learch, whether any Corruption be already, 
 
 * or is for the future like to be introduced ; and this 
 ‘ to do no lels carefully, then if he were perfwaded 
 ‘that allbefidehirafelf wereallcep: and whadbever 
 ‘ is wont to take the common pseple off from fuch 
 
 * ftudies, Care muft be taken that that thing be whoh 
 ‘ ly taken away. Concerning which matter,we ihiU 
 ‘moreconvenientlydifeourfeanon. - 
 
 ^Now, forafmuGh as the profit will befmall, if 
 ‘fome private man lhall obferve that an Error is intro- 
 ^duced, unlefs he dilcover the faid Error, and lay it 
 ‘ open; there muft of neceffity be fome way how this 
 
 * may conveniently be done. Now there cannot be a 
 ‘ more fitting way, then that which the Apoftlc pro. 
 
 * pou nds to the CorinthUns. Let tm or three Profhets 
 
 ‘ fpe4k^ and let the reji judge 5 and if any thing ^ ^^ 
 
 ‘ be revealed to him that fts by Jet the former be 
 '■filent. for ye way aH frofhecy one by one^ that ai may 
 
 learn^ and aU may be exhorted. If fome one perfon ' 
 ‘ (hall alwayes fpeak in the Church, and no man at 
 ‘any time may contradi^ Jiim5 it will be a very 
 ‘ ftrangc thing, if that one man be not puffed up, if 
 ‘ he do not fall into fuch a Conceit of bimfelf, as to 
 ‘ think that he is the only man, that he only hath un- 
 ‘ deritanding, ha alone is wife: that all the reft arc 
 ‘ aconspany of brute Animals as it were, who ought 
 ‘ to depend only upon him, and‘to do nothing but 
 
 * learn of him. And if any man fhall think, that 
 ‘ hirnfelF fikewife hath fome ability to teach, he will 
 ‘ account that man an hainous offender. But what 
 
 X a ‘^fays 
 
( 164 ) 
 
 ‘ iafs the Apoftie to this? Did themrd of G«d come 
 *■ from you ? or came it unto you only? if any feem to be a 
 ‘ Prophet, or Spiritual ; let him acknowledge what I write 
 ^ unto you to be the commands of the Lord. But if any one 
 ‘ be ignorant, let him be ignorant. ' Wherefore Brethren^ 
 ‘ labour that ye may Prophefte, and forbid not to [peak with 
 ‘ Tongues, let ai things be done decently, and in order. 
 
 is exceedingly to be lamented, That thiscuftotn, 
 ^ and tlic prafticc of this command of the Lord, is 
 ‘ not again reftored into the Churches, and brought 
 ‘ i.uo ufe. But feme men may fay •, Such is the rafl^ 
 ‘ fiefs of this Age of ours^ iuch the boldnefs, fuch 
 ‘ the impudence. That if it w ere allowed to every 
 ‘ one to fpeak in the Congregation, there will be no 
 ‘’end of Brawls and Contention. Why fo ? Is a 
 ‘mananother kind of Creature now, then what he 
 ‘ was of Old < Thou wilt fay,he i<;. For mankind hath 
 ‘ continually degenerated, grown worfe and worfe, 
 ‘ and Teems now to have attained the top of Corrup- 
 ‘ tion. Is it fo indeed ? But,fuppofe it to be To ^ Thou 
 ‘ that art the Teasher of the people, art not thou alfo 
 * thy felf made of the fame Mold < Art not thou bern 
 in the fame Age ? Inafmuch as this ordinance princi- 
 ‘ pally was intended to keep Paflors within the 
 ‘ bounds of modefty ; that they may underhand, T hat 
 ‘they are not the authors of the Word of God, that 
 ‘ they have not alone received the Spirit by how 
 ‘much the more mankind hath degenerated, by fo 
 ‘ much the greater need is there thereof: for that there 
 ‘is now more radinefs. Arrogance,.Pride, then of 
 ^Old*, this is true, as well of the Pallors andTea- 
 
 ‘ ehers 
 
( ) 
 
 ‘chcrs, as of the reft of the people, Art thou aPro- 
 ^phet, haft thou any portion ot the Spirit 5* If thou 
 ‘ haft not, fo unfitting it is, that thou alone Ihouldft 
 * fpcak in the Congregation, that there will hardly be 
 ‘ found any that defircs rather to be filcnc t, then thy 
 ‘ fclf. But if thou art a Prophet, if thou haft the Spi- 
 ‘ rit, mark what the Apoftle fayes, Jckmwledgt (quoth 
 ‘he) thiit thofe things which I write ^ Ate the €ommAnd~ 
 ^merits ef the Lord. Goto then, On the one fide we 
 ‘have the judgment of our Lord, willing that Pro- 
 ^ phccy (for this is a Word that we are oblieged to 
 ‘ufe) (hoald bc cemraon to all, and that not for the 
 ‘ DeftruQiion, but the Salvation of the Church. On 
 ‘ the other fide, we have thy Judgment who feareft 
 ‘ left that may breed Contentions and Confufien 5 
 ‘ whofe Judgment now ought we rather ftand to ? 
 ‘If thou ftialt conceive we muft ftand to thine: con« 
 
 ‘ fider what thou affumeft unto thy felf, and what 
 ‘ will become of thy modefty. Our Lord, itftiould 
 ‘ feem, underftood not what a kind of Creature man 
 ‘was; he wanted thy wifdom btlrke. to admonilh 
 ‘him of the danger 5 or haply he thought not upon 
 ‘that Corruption which fliould btfali mankind , 
 ‘ whereby fuch a Liberty might prove unprofitable, 
 
 ‘ But P 4 «/anfwers thee, That God is net the anther of 
 Contention y but of Peace: Who w'tll knowing what 
 ‘might move Contentions, what beget Peace, and 
 ‘ not loving B®r willing to have Contention, but 
 ‘Peace, willed that this liberty of Prophecying 
 ‘ftiouldbc in the Charch. What can ft thou fay to 
 ‘the contrary ^ what haft thou to objcbl: againft God 
 
 ‘ hi m fel f 
 
V 
 
 (i6^) 
 
 * himrelF, wik thou ^ccufe him of indifcretion ? Ns 
 ‘man hath fo wicked a Tongue, as to dare t >do it. 
 ‘Yet if thou (halt diligently fearch thine Hiirt, thou 
 ‘ fliilt find there a certain difpoficion ready to contend 
 ‘even with God himfelf; Which motion hf thy 
 ^ Heart muft by no means be hearkned unto, but 
 ‘ iharply reprefled, and wholely fubjeded to the Spi- 
 ‘^ritof God. It may feem peradventure an abiurd 
 ‘ thing, That after I'omc very learned perfon hath 
 ‘ fpoken. foms conrenaptible perfon_rtiall.be allowed 
 ‘ to contradict him. Can fueh a perfon (b do with, 
 ^out great rartinefs and temerity < Were I tofpeak 
 ^according to the judgment of man, verily I could 
 ^ not deny it. But if we be really perfwaded, That 
 ‘the knowledge of matters Divine, ought not to be 
 
 * attributed to our Watching, Stuefies, Wits, but to 
 ‘God, and to his Spirit, wherewith he can in a mo 
 ‘ ment endue the fimplcft perfon in the World, and 
 ^ that with no more labour or difficulty,' then if he 
 ' were to give him to one that had fpent Nejitrs Age 
 ‘ in ftudy : What rcafon is there for me to iudge that 
 ‘this man docs rartily and unadvifedly, if he rtiaJI 
 ^ arile and contradict ? Is not the Spirit aole to reveal 
 ^(onaewhat to him, which he hath hidden from thee^ 
 
 ‘ Now, if the Spirit have revealed Ibmc what to him, 
 
 ‘ and to that end revealed it that he might coniradicr,' 
 
 ‘ that by his means the thing may be revealed to the 
 ‘ Church: rtiall.I fay that he hath done nrtily in obey- 
 ‘ ing the holy Ghoft? And if thou think otherwirc,ve- 
 
 * rily thou art not perfwaded that the Spirit is the 
 {Author and Teacher of this Knowkdge, but that 
 
iftv> 
 
 * all the praife thereof is due to Studies, Watchings, 
 
 ‘ and the Wits of men. And if this be thy judgment, 
 
 * I tell thee again,That thou art not only unworthy 
 
 * to be the foie Speaker,but worthy rather to be the 
 ' only perfon not permitted to fpeak in the Cosgret^ 
 ‘ gation. 
 
 'And that thou mayft the betterunderfland, 
 fthac the moft Unlearned ought to be allowed 
 
 * to fpeak, confider, God will have himfelf to be 
 ‘ acknowledged the Author oThis own gifts :he will 
 ‘not have his praife attributed unto our Studies or 
 J Wits, but unto himfelf. But if the man that hath 
 ‘ fpent all his Life in'Study, fpeak wifely, it is not 
 
 * attributed to God,but to ftudy: In word, perhaps 
 
 * it may be attributed to God, yet not without a ve- 
 ‘hement Reludaney of our Judgment: and this is 
 
 * that which (I fay) God will not abide. But if fo 
 'be thou (halt hear a wife word come out of the 
 
 * Mouth of fome unlearned Perfon^thou muft needs, 
 
 * whether thoa wilt or no, acknowledge God to be 
 ' the Author thereof. So, w hen God -Wi.s minded 
 'to give unto aViffory againft the Uid,ia,nites^ 
 
 ‘ under . the CondiuSfof Gideon r, and Gideon had ga- 
 ‘thered together Thirty Thoufand M^n, left the' 
 */fraelit(s ft.ould boaft that they had gotten the Vi- 
 ' ftory by tb^ir own Strength, and not by the Af- 
 
 ‘ liftancG of God, (w^hich might have been concei- 
 
 * ved, if Gidean had fought wdth fo numerous an 
 'Army) he wouldnot fuffer him to have above 
 ‘ Three hundred, that it might appear that he was 
 
 ‘ the 
 
^ the Ciiufcof the Victory, aad not the Number or 
 ‘Valour of thole that fought. Now, bclidcs the 
 ^ Glory of God, hereby great f^rotit docs acerue to 
 ‘the Charch. For if the Pcopk lhallfccnovr one 
 ‘ man, n nv another, endued vv ith the Spirit, be* 
 ‘yond all tixpeitacion ; many will cherwby bsen- 
 ‘ couraged to hope for the fame Gift,if they ihail ask 
 ^ it j many will learn and proHt 5 and it will there- 
 ‘ by C 9 me to paf>, that when Occalion lhall be to 
 ^ choofe a Mihiftsr, the Church diail not need to 
 ^call ftrange and unknown Perfons to that Office, 
 ‘but (he may hive of her own fuch as are fit to be 
 ^cholen. Men whofe Coaverfation and Manners are 
 ‘ fufficicatly known. And when the number of fuch 
 
 * as arc able to prophelie, Hull be great, the Church 
 ‘ will not be forced to ufe fuch Pallors as from their 
 ‘ very Childhood have propofed to themfelves fuch 
 ^ Offices as the reward of their Studies ^ and addidl- 
 ‘ echthemfelves to the ftudy of Scripture and R.eli- 
 ‘gion, nootherwifethen they would have done to 
 *lbme Trade, whereby they meant in time to get 
 
 . * their Living : So that a Man can expe^ but very 
 ‘few of them to prove other then Mercenary or 
 
 * Hireling Paftors. 
 
 Now, that it was the Cuftom oithQ Jeveifi 
 Luke 4 ^ Church,that all might thus Prophelie 5 we 
 ‘may hence con/e£lurs, in that it is upon 
 L Record, Luke 4. how our Lord, upoutbe sMath dsy 
 'I dceordiftg to the Cuftomj came into theSjuigogtige^ took 
 ‘ d Book and 'exfounied a place of Efay 5 and how, 
 
 ‘ hind 
 
 «>.%. ' c> 
 
 
( 1^9 ) 
 
 ^ being tmlve yeirs of Age he fate at Jerufalem in the 
 ‘ 'Temple among the Doctors^ and did aiffute. For he 
 ‘ could not fo do by vertue of«,ny ordinary office, for- 
 ^ afmuch ashis Age was uacapable, neither did the 
 ‘ Doctors know who he was. Yea rather, our Lord 
 in fo doing muft needs make ufe of the power which 
 ‘^wasgranted to everyone tofpeak. It remained in 
 ‘ the chrifiians Congregations until the times of Con 
 ’■fiantine at the leaft. Forafmuch as we have thefe 
 ‘ words of the Writer of Church 
 
 ^ : if any man infpred, by * ■ 
 
 the Grace ofCod^ fbould fpeak unto the Pecfle^ 
 
 ‘ they all with great file nee fxing their Eyes upon birn^gave 
 ^fuch attention^as if he had brought them fome Errand from 
 ‘ Heaven, So great was the reverence of the hearers? 
 ‘fuch order was feen among the Minifters. Oncaf- 
 ^ ter another, another after him. Neither was there 
 ‘ only two or three that Prophefied, according to 
 ‘ what the Apoftle faid^ but to all was given to fpeak •, . 
 ‘ fo that the wifti of Mofes feems rather to have been 
 ‘fulfilled in them, when he faid, Would God all the 
 ‘ People might Prophefie, There was no Spleen, no 
 ‘ Envy, the gifts of God were difpenfed, every one, 
 
 ^ according to his ability, contributing his affiftance 
 ‘ for the confirmation of the Church: And all was 
 ‘ done with love? infuchfort. That they ftrove mu- 
 ^ tually tojhonour each other, and every one to preC 
 ‘ fer another before himfelf. But to the end this com 
 ‘ mon prophecyiog may be profitable to the Church, 
 
 ‘ we muft diligently mark what the Apoftle advifes, 
 ‘For a furc thing it is, that the Pride of Manisfo 
 ‘great, that whatever hath once fallen from him, he 
 
 Y ‘ will 
 
(i70 ) 
 
 ^ will by any fncanshave it ftaad for a Truth, nskhtr 
 ‘ can he lufT;r that any man fliould infringe the fame. 
 ‘Sothat if he might be permitted to judge, that lall: 
 fpake, it wil! be a Miracle, if a man in his Life time 
 Ihould fee any one give way to him that contradids 
 ‘him: What is Pml’s advice thtrefore intliiscife ? 
 
 * Let trvo er three, Pr0fhets fpeakj And let the reft judge, 
 
 * He will nor therefore have the fame Perfons to be 
 ‘ Parties and Judges. And he adds a little after, A^d 
 ‘‘the Spirit of the Prophets.^ is fuhjecl to the Prephots j for 
 ‘God is not the Author of dtjjentitn^ hut ef Peace, So 
 ‘ that as foon as any man hath fp dten his own mind, 
 ‘he ought toreft himiHf fatisfied with the judgment 
 ‘ of the reft, and not obftinately to make no hud of 
 ‘contending: if this be nor done, afurethingir is, 
 ‘ there W’ili be no end of ftrifa. But what if any men 
 ‘ will not be content to fubmit lo the Jud|,ajtnt of the 
 ‘reft; Verily I w'ould avouch, that bting iharply 
 ‘ adm miihed, that he difturb not the Congregation, 
 
 ‘ and chat he go not againft the command of the Apo- 
 ‘ftle, or rather of our Lord, commanding the Spi- 
 ‘rits of the Prophets to be i'ubjedt to the Prophets ^ 
 ‘he ought to be caft out of the Society, though hc 
 ‘ Ihould hold the prime place in the Congrega.ion. 
 
 ‘ The people likcw'ifc muft frequently be admoniih- 
 ‘ ed •, th.ir liberty for any one to fpeak in the Congfe- 
 ‘ gad )o, is not therefore granted by the ApofDe, to 
 ‘the end every one fnould (peak what comes to his 
 ‘ Tongues end, as if he wtie in a Market s bur -w here 
 ‘as he gives liberty to him to fpeak to wdiom any 
 ‘ thing is revealed, he vould have all Rilhnefs and 
 ‘Impudence to be laid afidc.He that reverences not the 
 
 ‘Church 
 
(»7i) 
 
 'Chisrch of God, let that man know, hedefpifeth 
 the Spirit of God, who is Prefident there-, and 
 ‘ Ihall be fare not to eicape unpunilhed. Before a 
 *■ man propounds any thing to the Church, he ought 
 ' to confider again and again, how fure a maniieftati- 
 ‘ on he hath of that thing, ard whatever the matter 
 *be, let him be fure not to forget a fober, modefr, 
 
 ‘ balhful behaviour, without which vcrtues, doubt- 
 ‘ kfs no good can be tfFc^died. But here we muil: at* 
 
 ‘ tentively confider,both how far a man c ught tofub- 
 ‘ mirto the judgment of the Congregation, and who 
 ‘ may defervcdly be accounted a Troubler of the 
 ‘Church. Verily, I conceive a man ousht fo far to 
 ‘give way, as that after I have alledged what I had 
 ‘ to fay for my Opinion, if yet the reft ihall not allow 
 ^ of my Judgment, I ought to give over cUffending of 
 ‘ it,and ceafe to be troublefome to the'Congregation 
 ‘ concerning the fame : But 1 ought not to be com- 
 ‘ pelled to confefs that I have erred, or to deprecate 
 ‘ any fault, whiles I do not yet underftand that I have 
 ‘erred, for fo I (hould fin againft God. He there- 
 ^ fore is a Troubler of the Church, that will not, fo 
 ^far as we haveexpreifed, fubmitco the judgment of 
 * the Church, butgoethento be troutlefome ; but 
 ' efpccially that man who w'ould exaO: of another that 
 ‘ which he ought not to do 'viz. to recant, being 
 ‘ not perfw'adcd that he is in an Error. But thoie 
 ‘men are commonly reputed troublers of theChurch 
 ‘ who refuic to ratifie whatever fliall any ways fall 
 ‘ our of the Pallors Mouthes. Again, in this place it 
 ‘ may reafonably be demanded, whether, when that 
 ‘ a matter hath been once or twice debated, and fotns 
 
 Y a man 
 
( 172 ) 
 
 < man knowing the judgment of the Congregation, 
 ‘ would again reduce ic into Controverfie, he ought 
 ‘ to be heard, or enjoyned filence, and take the mat- 
 ‘ ter for determined. But of this we {hall in another 
 ‘ place more conveniently difpute. That which re- 
 ‘ mains therefore, is, that we wreftic with God, by 
 * daily Prayers, to grant that w^c may have the ufe of 
 ^ this fo foveraign and faving liberty, lo profitable to 
 ‘the Church, and that thereby we may reap abun- 
 ‘dance of Fruit« And that he would, to that end, 
 ^ tame and break our Spirits with his Spirit, and ren- 
 ‘ der them milde and gentle: and not fuflfer what he 
 ‘ hath ordain’d for the confirmation and eftablifliment 
 ‘ of his Church, to be by the fiubbornnefs and per-. 
 ‘ verfnefs of our Wits and Minds, turned to the mif- 
 ‘ chief and deftruiilion thereof. With much more to 
 the fame purpofe, too large to be here inferted. 
 
 What 1 have cited,raskes anApology for doing fo, 
 needlefsshis w holeBock is a moft accurate account of 
 Satans Stratagems yio caufe &keep up divifions among 
 Chrijlians. deferving a firfl place with the moft Chri- 
 ftian Writers fince the ApoftoHcal times. He was 
 an Italian^ of excellent Natural and Supernatural 
 endowments, Banifiitabout Luthers times for the 
 Gofpel. 
 
 Let us now inform our felves of the Judgment of 
 
 that great Man J. Hales upon the 
 
 fe- 
 
 J.Hales,O ujattcr in hand, viz ‘To your 
 
 ‘condQt'ery, Whether the Keys rv 
 ’ ’ * ^ confaed to the j 4 p?Jfles only f T 
 
 ‘ Anfwer is in no cafe hard to give^ it may perchance 
 ‘ in feme cafe be dangerous 5 for there is a Ceneratkn 
 
 ere 
 The 
 
( I7i^ 
 
 ‘ tf men in the. frorld ('#;&(?CLERGY they cxH themS tphfi 
 *■ impropriate the Keyes ante themfelves^ and would he ve- 
 ry angry to underjtand^ that others from thtmfelves 
 ^ fhould claim a right unto them. To your Qucftion 
 ‘ then, no doubt but originally none received the 
 ‘Keyes from the Mouth of our Saviour, but the Apo- 
 ‘ ftlcs only 5 none did nor ever could manage them 
 ‘ with that Authority and Splendor, as the Apudles 
 ' did, who were above all molt ' amply furniihed 
 ' with all things fitting lb great a Work. For where- 
 ' as you fceia to intimate, that the preaching Million 
 ‘was communicated to others, es the feventy two 
 ‘Difciples, as well as the Apoftles 5 you do but mi- 
 ' ftake your fclf, if you conceive that the Keyes of the 
 ‘ Gofpcl were any way committed to them; for con- 
 ‘ cerning the Myfteries of Jefus Chrift, and him cru- 
 ‘cified for the 5 ins of the World (wherein indeed 
 ‘ the opening of the Kingd ^m of He;wen did conlifl) 
 ‘they received it not, thev knew it not. To be the 
 ‘prime Reporters of this, was an honour imparted 
 ‘ only to the Apoftles: Yet were they not fo imparri 
 ‘ ted,as that they (hould be confin’d to them. Every ohs 
 ‘ that heard and received the Light of the Paving Do* 
 ‘ rine from them, fo far forth as ht had underftand- 
 ‘ ing in the W'ayf s of Life.^ had ww the Keys of ihe King- 
 ' dom of Heaven committed to his Power^ both for his cyvn 
 '’and others ufe. Every one^ of what State or Condition fo- 
 every that hath any occafien offered him^ to ferve ano- 
 ‘ ther in the wayes of Lifty CLERGY, or L A Y, 
 ‘ MALE or FEMALE, whatever he bcyhath theje fejs 
 ‘ not only for himfeify hut for the h nefit of ethers. For 
 
 ‘ if Natural goodnefs teach every man. Lumen de Ln- 
 
 ‘ mine i 
 
(^ 74 ) 
 
 ^ mhte^ trfmti cofstiter miitjlrAre vUm^ &c. Theij 
 
 * how much more doth Chriftian Gooduels require 
 ^ of every one, to his ability, to be a Light to thofe 
 *’ who fit in Darknefs, and direct their fteps,w’ho molt 
 ‘ dangeroufly mifiake their way ? To {avc a, Soul^ eve- 
 ^ ry minis a Pnefi. To whom I pray you, is that 
 ^ faid in Leintictu^ Tbpujhilt not fee thy Broiher Sin^ hist 
 ^ thots [Jjalt reprove^ and fave thy Brother i And it the 
 
 * Law binds a Man^ when he faw his Enemies Catccl 
 ^ to ftray, to put them in their way •, How muoh 
 
 * mors doth it obliegc him to do the like for the Man 
 ‘ himfelf? See you not how the w'hole vVorld cjn> 
 ‘fpires with me in the fame Opinion ? ' Doth note- 
 ‘ very Father teach his Son, every Mafterhis Servant, 
 ‘ every Man his Friend f How many of the Laity in 
 
 * this Age, and from time to time in rdi Ages, have 
 ‘ by writing for the pubUck good,propagated the Go- 
 ‘ fpel of Chrift, as if fome fecret in^inli of Nature 
 
 had put into mens minds thus to do, &c. 
 
 To this let me add his Senfeof the force of tbs F4* 
 
 Authority in the decifionof Ct-ntrovetfies, and 
 
 how far the Antients, whether Fathers or C© incils 
 
 ought to be interrefted in the debates of thefe times, 
 
 which may not be improper to the prefent rubjccr,be- 
 
 caufe not a few build upon theirbottOFRC. 
 
 ‘ Yoii (hall find (fays he) that all Schtfms have crept. 
 
 ‘into the Church by one of thefe 
 
 f o TraA < wayes : either upon matter 
 oiSchilrn, p. aoi, / • 
 
 or or matter or Opinion, or 
 
 ‘ point of Ambiticn. For the fir(f; 
 
 ‘ I cal! that matter of FaSt, when fomething is requi- 
 
 ^ red to be done by us, which either we know, or 
 
 ' ftrongly 
 
 202, 20g, 204, 
 
( ‘ 75 ) . ^ 
 
 * ftrongly fufpefl to be unlawful •, fo the firll notable 
 ‘ Schifm^ of uhich wc read in the Church eontaincd 
 ‘ ill it matter of Fact 5 For it being, upon Error taken 
 ‘ for neceflary, that an Eajler muft be kept •, and upon 
 ‘ worfc then Error,, if I may fo fpeak, Ubr it was no 
 ‘ Icfs than a point of JudaiJmSorcQd upon the Church) 
 ‘upon worle than Error, Ifiy, thought further ne- 
 ‘ceflary, that the ground for the time of our keeping 
 ‘that Feaft, muft be the Rule left by Mofes to the 
 '•Jsivst, there arofe a ftout Qiieftjon, whether we 
 ^ were to Celebrate with the ^exvs^ on the fourteenth 
 ‘ Moon,or the Su^daj/ following t" This matter, though 
 ‘molt unnecejj^ry^ mo& yet caufed as great a 
 
 ‘ Combuftion. as ever was in the Church •, The Weft 
 ‘ feparaiing and refufing Communion with the Eaft, 
 ‘ for many Years together. In this Fant^fiical Hurry, 
 ‘ I cannot fee, but all the World were Schifmaticks •• 
 ‘ neither can any thing cxcufetfcm from that Lnpu- 
 ‘ tatioH; excepting only this, that w'e charitably fup 
 ‘ pofe that all Parties out of Confciencedid what they 
 did. 
 
 ‘ A thiOiZ which befell them through the Iznorance 
 ^ if their Guiles^ (for I will not fay their mahce) and 
 ‘chat through the juft Judgment of God, becaa e 
 ‘ tbrouih(loith OBEDIENCE Men ex- 
 
 ^ ^ umiKed not the things. xThich thty were tm^ht ■, l^ut 
 ‘ like BcAjlsef Bur then g/itiently couched d'swny and 
 ^ indifferently underwent whitjoever their Supsriers Itid 
 '• ugm them. B; the way, by this you may plainly 
 ftc ths danger cA CUT appei] unto Antiquity, for re- 
 ‘ folution in Controverted p ints t^F Faith, and how 
 fm.rU Relief are to exped from thence. For if 
 
 ‘ the 
 
(176) 
 
 ‘ the dircretiGn of the ckiefeji Guides and Dire'hrs of 
 ‘ the churchy did in a Point To trivial^ fo incorfilerahle^ 
 
 ‘ fo mainly fail them-^ as not to fee the Truth la a Sub- 
 * jeer, wherein it is the greatejl Mar vel hoa> they could 
 ‘ avoid the fghtof it 5 can we without imputation of 
 ‘ extream grofnefs and folly, think (0 POOR SPIRI- 
 ‘TED perfons. competent Judges of the Q^tejlions nm 
 ^ on Foot betwixt the Churches ? Pardon lue^ I know 
 not what Temptation drew that Note from me. 
 
 How thefe men will come off 1 can’t tell ^ the y 
 have ventured fairly, and yet 1 think their calc r et 
 hazard us at all ^ you have them in tlirce points plain. 
 Firfy That relying upon the Clergy as Guardians of 
 , Truth to the People, and the Peoples not examining 
 the truth of things from them, is not Apc ftolical,but 
 Apoftatical. Secondly^ That no Councils or Fathers 
 ought to be the Rule or Judge of our Faith. Thirdly^ 
 That to fave Souls every Man is a Prieft 5 that is, the 
 people are interrefTed in the ChriftianMiniftry,which 
 is nottyed to Times, Places, Perfons and Orders, as 
 under the Law *, but free to all that have obtained 
 Mercy and Grace from God % and therefore calls 
 the believers a Royal Priefthood. So that every one is 
 ' Prieft to himfelf under the Gofpel. But all this I have 
 mentioned w'ith defign, if it be poTible, to beat men 
 off that fuperftitious and dangerous Veneration they 
 carry to the Names of Churchy Priejlhood and Fathers ♦, 
 as if they were to be faved by them,and not by Chrift, 
 who is only Bead and Saviour of the true Church. 
 And truly,when I confider the dependance fomc 
 
 people have upon the churchy w hilft they know not 
 w hat ftic is, and make it a Principle not t» Inquire^ I am 
 
 Amaz’d 
 
077 ) 
 
 with what Conridence they expofe their 
 Souls; This Principle it is, and not Inquiry^ that 
 makes rE'en carclefs and unaftive about their ownSal- 
 vation. But let none deceive themfelves, as they 
 So}v they mnjl Reap. ’Tis not to be favedj to be with¬ 
 in the Pak oE any vifible Church in the World. That 
 is putting an eternal Cheat upon our felves. lH things 
 are ill things, within or v*'ithoiit the pale •, that mat¬ 
 ters not t, and as 5 /»can’t be Chriftened., nor Impiety re¬ 
 conciled to C hrijlianity by no Arts of men, fo the tv ages 
 mil be Death eternal Death. To be therefore of 
 the Church, of which Chrifl: is Head, redeemed.^ 
 
 regenerated Church of Chrijl^ is quite another thing, 
 then to be of any vifible Society whatever; for in all 
 fuch Communions there aie but too m iny that have 
 no true Tiileto Chriflianity. If then that Immacu- 
 lateChureh of whichChrifl is head,be made up only 
 of holy and regenerated Souls throughout the Socie¬ 
 ties of Chrijlians ; this w ill adminfler but little Com¬ 
 fort to thofe that prefume upon their being within 
 the Pale of the Vihbk Church. 
 
 Bat to proceed to thofe Scriptures that oppofe 
 t'he?}fclves to humane Authoritt in maiiCi s of Faith, 
 Sc. ' • - ■ 
 
 There is one place of Scripture, that is irreconci- 
 lable to Implicit faith and Blind Obedience ; 
 1 Jo. n He that believeth, hath the Witnefs In HIM- 
 SELF: This general Rulerefpeffs no Per- 
 fons , ’cis the Refult of ihe Holy Ghoft to ail Believers. 
 Such have no need to go to Rome., nor tvinefriea s 
 WeK, to xdn&'Shrines of Saints, the friejls nor the 
 church, %)r a Proof of their Faith ♦, they havc'.an 
 
 Z Evidence 
 
 t 
 
 i 
 
I John 
 
 3. zo, 
 
 ZI. 
 
 ^ona. 
 8.16. 
 
 (178) 
 
 Evidence nearer home; they have the tvitnefs of 
 their Hdth and the of. their Hife IN THEM¬ 
 SELVES 
 
 'Tistrue, this is a Private Judge 5 but (as it hap¬ 
 pens) ’tis one of the Holy Ghtfi's fetting up, of all 
 things I confefs moft deftru£live to Pafxcy no doubt j 
 for here is i Judge in every man, that fincerely be¬ 
 lieves, to whom he mu ft ftandand fall in this and 
 the other World. For (faith the fame Apoftle) J/ 
 
 our Heart condemn God is greater then enr 
 Hearty and knoweth all things ; Beloved^ if cur 
 Heart condemn m not^ then have voe Cvnfdence 
 towards God-^ The Witnefs in our [elves dilchar- 
 ges us. The Spirit beareth Witnefs with our 
 Sfirits^ that wears the Ch Idren of God and Sons 
 of the true church ^ not (he, that hath fatted 
 her felf with the Flefn of Saints, and died her Gar¬ 
 ments in the Blood of Martyrs 5 who hath Mer¬ 
 chandized in the Souls of men; but of that Church 
 who is Crowned with Stars^ and Cloathed with 
 i)A^Sun^ andhas the under her Feet; aChurch 
 of Light and Knovvdedge, of Underftaoding ajid 
 Truth, and not cf implicite Faith and Blind obedience ; 
 one that tramples upon all Sublunary Glory; and not 
 fhe that makes her Pretences to Religion a Decoy to 
 catch the World. 
 
 Of like Tendency is that notable Palfage of the A- 
 poftle Paul to the Corinthians ; Examine your 
 [elves j whether ye be in the Faith 5 prove your 
 own [elves: Knowye not your own (elves j how 
 that Jtlus Chrifi u in you^ except ye be prohat a < 
 Here is not a Word cf the Pope nor an External 
 
 J udge., 
 
 I Cor. 
 
 13.5- 
 
( ) 
 
 Judge •, no humaae Inquifition or Authority. £jr- 
 your [elves, whether ye be in the Faith ? prove 
 your -own ftlves: but \thich way fliall wc do this? 
 by Chr/Jt, who is the great Light that ftiines in our 
 Hearts to give us the Kn-)w ledge of God and our 
 felves: He that believes in him, has the Witnefsin 
 himfelf, he is no Reprobate *, his Heart condemns 
 him not. 
 
 To v\hich I will add anotht r Paffage to the fame 
 Purpofe (in hk Epiftle to the GaUtians) But let 
 every Man prove h -> own tvork.^ then ihaR he have ^ 
 Rejtycino' in himfelf alone ^ an. i not in another: 
 
 FOR EVERY MAN SHALL BEAR HIS OWN BUR¬ 
 DEN. Here et'ery man is enjoyned to turn fnquiji 
 ror upon himfelf 5 and the Reafon rendred {]>e\vsthe 
 Juftipeof the thing-, bccaufc my Rejoycing muft b§ 
 in my [elf aloneand not in another : I Jland and Fall to 
 no man: fuch as 1 fuw', 1 muft reap at the Hand of 
 God, if Paul fay true. Meiis Pardons are Vain, and 
 their Indulgences Fiflions For every man fusil bear 
 his own Burden in thatgreAt Day of the Lord. It cannot 
 therefore be Realonable that another man Ihould 
 have the Keeping of my Under ft snding at mr/ Eter¬ 
 nal Coft and Charges, or that I muft entirely de¬ 
 pend upon the Judgment of a Man or Men, who er¬ 
 ring, (and thereby caufing me to err) canaot be 
 • damned for me,but 1 muft pay their Reckoning at thf' 
 ha 2 .ard of mv own Damnation. 
 
 I am not unacquainted with the great ObjedHon 
 that is made by Roman Cathduks and Ibme Protcflants 
 too, FlighcWo^>-we»perhaps, ihu Love the Treafon., 
 
 Z % but 
 
 I 
 
V 
 
 (178) 
 
 bathAte the Traytor t, that love this part of Poperyy but 
 hate the Pope, viz. There are doubts in Scnpiure, e^ 
 'ven about the moji important Points of Faith ; feme body 
 mujlguide the Weak, there muft be fome one ultimate^Ex- 
 ternd and Vijible ^udge to appeal to, who muJl Deter¬ 
 mine and Conclude ad Per(o>- s as to their Doubts and Ap~ 
 prehenfons concerning the Interpretatim of Scripture, 
 othrrivifeSo many Men, lb many Minds; the Church 
 would be ^lied with Controverde andCenfufion, 
 
 K 
 
 I anfvver, That the Scriptures are made more doubt¬ 
 ful than they are by fuch as would fain preferve to 
 thenifslves the Umpiridge & Judglhip of their Mea¬ 
 ning. I deny it in point of Facl, that Man’s Duty 
 is not moft plainly expreft in all that concerns Eter¬ 
 nal Salvation 5 but’tis very ftrange, that when^God 
 intends nothing more by the Scriptures, than to 
 reach the Capacities of Men as to things on which 
 their Eternal Salvation depends; yet that no Book, 
 if fuch men fay rrueJhould befoobfeure, norfubjedf 
 to fo many Various, nay Contradidbory Conftrufli- 
 ons. Name me one Author, Heathen, Jew or Chri- 
 Jiian, that ever wrote with that Obfeurity and Teem¬ 
 ing inconfifttney, which fome gladly pretend to find 
 mtYithoXy Scripture, that they might have theUfe 
 and Keeping of them from the Vulgar^ and make.thcir 
 own Ends by it. Is then every Body’s Bock to be 
 under flood but God’s ? Was that writ not to be under 
 fioodt In Ihort, one of thefe two things muft be 
 true. Either that God intended Not to be underjleod, 
 or To be underflood, in what he commandecTto be 
 written. If he rcfolved Not to be underflood, it had 
 
 been 
 
( i8i) ,. - 
 
 been bstter'there had been nothing writ *, bUt if it 
 was his purpole To he underjlood of Men, it miUl 
 be fuppoled,- that what he cauied to’be written^ was 
 plain enough for men to underhand, or hstnifl his 
 own Aim and End, and v. ric it to no parpofe, which 
 is abfurd. 
 
 If it Ihould be told me, Th*t it is not dtnyed hit 
 tmt the Scriptures mAj he under flood hy flrnc body^ but 
 not by every body •, for tbxt the Great^ Viftble Judge 
 tnuflneeds underfiand them^ becau'e it belongs to his of¬ 
 fice, to refolve thofe Douhs, and determine tbofe Contro- 
 ‘verfies that may arifie about underflandtng them, 
 
 Anfiv, I muft alfo fay, that this is falfcinF^.?. 
 For its ridiculous to imagine^ that Luke did not 
 vazktTheophilus his own Judge in the reading of what 
 he writ to him, or that the Apoftles in writing to the 
 fsveral Churches, as Rome, Corinth, Ephej'us, frc. 
 to whom they direfted their Epiftles,did not intend 
 that they fnould underftand what they writ, or that 
 they ereffed any fuch Officer in the Church, as an 
 Expounder of their Epiftlcs to the Aflembiy to be ne- 
 celTarily believed. For we know in thofe days The 
 People made the Church, they were the , the 
 
 CLERGY, however it came about that it be now en~ 
 grofjed into fewer hands 5 as you may fee in , 
 the Greee oiPeter t muT at KetlttK’jfiivo'/ln I**** 
 which is tranflated Heritage in all our 
 
 I^ibles. But this is as if the Prieft’s only were 
 ^he Lord’s Hiritagc, which can’t be, for a Rcafon ob¬ 
 vious to all, namely, that they reign as Lords over 
 
 Gods 
 
( i 82 ) 
 
 God’s Heritage or Clergy (forbid exprefly by 
 thtreforc not the Heritage and Clergy over which 
 they fo rule like Lords: by no means. I will fay no 
 more but this, ’tis no convincing Proof to me of their 
 Humility. But to fnut up this Agument about 
 the Difficulty of Underdanding the Scripture and ■ 
 pretended anccefficy of a Vifible Judge. I fay, Whit- 
 fteverniAj be If0ken^ mxy be veritten or thus, yvhxt- 
 feever 4 f^ijible.Jit.ige an norv the holy Pen men by 
 God’s DireFllon might hxve writtm •, and what an Om- 
 nifeient and OmnipotentGod did know and could do 
 for Man’s Salvation, an OMNIBENEVOLENT 
 God, that tells us, he delights not in the Death of ene 
 Soul^ but rather that he fould be faved, would have 
 done. And becaufc God is as Omnibenevolent as Qm- 
 nifeient and Omnipotent^ we muft conclude he has 
 done it ; and ’tis great Prefumption and a mean 
 Shelter to Ignorance to raiTe a credit to Hum inc De¬ 
 vices, by beating down the true Value of the Scrip¬ 
 tures. 
 
 They are dark ; what follows ^ they mujl not be 
 readl what follows thent" tt'hy then [uch Teachers 
 may do a-i they lift with the People. But did the Ph irifees 
 with their broad Phila(5l£ries know God’s mind bet¬ 
 ter then the Prophets ? or could they deliver it clear- 
 er < no Each matter ^ ’tis by the fame ftrange Figare 
 that the School-men know the mind of ClVrifl: better 
 then the A poftles, and that the Council of TRENT 
 can decl ire Faith more clearly then the holy Ghoft in 
 the Scripture hath donf •, and yet this is the Engliffi 
 of their Doctrine that hold to us thofe Lights to read 
 Scripture by,and that would have us feach their Ca- 
 
 nons 
 
( x83 ) 
 
 nons aad Decrees, to find out the Mind of the holy 
 Ghoft in Scripture. 
 
 The Confufions that are pretended to follow fuch 
 an Inquiry are but the wretched Arts of ill men, as 
 much as in them lies, to keep Light and Truth out of 
 the World: When the Net was caft into the Sea, 
 there came fome good fome bad Filh, that was not 
 the Filhers fault tney were no better. Inquiry is not 
 10 be blam’d for the ill ufe weak or worfe men make 
 of it ; The Berexns might not all believe, though 
 they might all fcarch^ for men don’t inquire with 
 equal Wifdom, Love and good Defire, feme feek and 
 find nst; Some ask and receive not*, there- j^mes 4 3. 
 fore muft none ask or feek after that which 
 is good ? or bccaule fome ask or leek amifs,w ill it fob 
 low that tlitc thing it felf is naught ? if Superftiiion, 
 Ejror, Idolatry and Spiritual Tyranny be detected, 
 and Truth difcover’djwill it more then^make amends 
 for all that Weaknefs and Folly fome men have 
 brought forth by the liberty of fuch an Inquiry ? The 
 Enemies of Light may be as Rhetcj'ical as they pleafe 
 upon the excels or Prefumpeion of fome, bolder then 
 wife, and more Zealous then Knowing •, but if they 
 had nothing to lofe by the difeovery, they would ne-' 
 ver be theEnemies of a prudent Seurch.Xi is to be fear’d 
 fuch get that Obedience by a blind devotion 5 which 
 no man could yield them upon better Information *, 
 and is it reafonable that men of that Stamp (hould fe- 
 1 cure their Empire by the Ignorance of the People ? 
 Ignorance ought to be the Mother of Devotion with 
 none but thole that cannot be devout upon better 
 , terms 3 it is the glory of a man that he is Religious 
 
 upon 
 
(184) 
 
 up^n Rcafon, and that his Duty and Sacrincc are not 
 blind or forc’d, but free and reafonabl'e ♦, Truth upon 
 Knowledge though vext with Schifm, wife and good 
 men will chufe before Ignorant Religion wnth Uni¬ 
 formity. Enough of this. 
 
 But this Notion of an InfdiibLe Vifi'de^ud,ge is as 
 filfein Re dm-iidm T Acf, Vor firflj ic takes away the 
 Ui'c cf every Man’s Renfon^ and it is a ContradidUon 
 to have any^ unlefs he were [»ch an Interpreter and 
 jMch a Judge^ tu would conclude tts by Cenvidiony and 
 not by Authority : that would be the moft-Well¬ 
 come,perfon in the World. But to over-rule my 
 ou.n Sight,fo give the Lye to my own Underftanding, 
 fay Blick U White^ and that T'o’o and Three make Ten. 
 thus, Subjugare intellectum in obfequium^dei^ to yield 
 my Qnderftanding to fuch an In-cvidcnt Way ot 
 Faith, hay, \v hich is worfe, to believe a Lyc: torlo 
 it is to them, to horn the thing to be beii&ved ap¬ 
 pears Untrue, is moft-Unreafonable. 
 
 If we mull be Led^ it had been eafier and better for 
 us to hive been born Blind, we might have follow’d 
 then the Dog and the Bell, for w'e could not mend 
 cur leloes ; but to fee^ and to be Led^ and that in ways 
 we fee to be fphi or wrong,this is Anxious. Here lies 
 the Difpute : and truly here the Qutftion might 
 fairly end. Either put out cur Eyes^ or let m « ? them : 
 butifsvehivc Eyes for our Minds. as well asforour 
 Bodies, 1 fee no Reafon, why we mould truft any man 
 or raehagainft the Eyes of our URderftanding. any 
 more than we ought to confide in them againft the 
 Senfe and Certainty of the Eyesjof our Bodies. 
 
 where is the pooreft Mechanick that would be paid 
 
(i85) 
 
 his Labour in Brafs half Crowns for Silver by either 
 Pefe or < and can we be fo bruitiib, as to think 
 our void of Diftinflion about thatTrea- 
 
 fure which is of eternal Moment i For though Pe. 
 ter was to feed the Sheep, yet the Sheep were not 
 to follow Peter b it Chrift: Mjf Sheep hear my Vetce 
 and foSew me^ and a Stranger they wild not 
 follow : Here is no Mediator betwixt Chrift y 
 and his Sheep 5 nor does any body elfe 
 hisr<?/V<f for them: but they hear his Voice them- 
 fdves. And though the shepherd may have many 
 Servants, yet he only is their Shepherd^ and they are 
 only t\\G sheep oi his Fold. 
 
 But there are three places of Scripture, that come 
 frclh into my Remembrance, that arc very pertinent , 
 to the prefent Occafion. The frjl is this: That which 
 may be known of God, is Manifejl in Men, d ^ 
 for God hath jhewe-dit unto them: That is, 
 
 The Spirit ofman being the Candleof t\\t Lord, God 
 hath enlightned it to raanifeft unto Man, what is ne* 
 ceflary for him to know both of God and himfelf. 
 Here is no nce i of trax Candles or Tapers, or a Vihble 
 Guide and Judge : for be that lelieves, h is the Witnefs 
 in himfelf. 
 
 Another Paflage is this; Followers u t 
 of me,even ns lam alfo of chrif.In \s/\\\chx\\t 
 Apoftle is fo far from fetting himfelf up a Judge over 
 the church of Corinthyhzx. he makes his appeal to them 
 concerning his Doctrine and Converfation bounding 
 both with that of his Lord Jefue Chrift, and making 
 them Judges of the Truth of his Conformity to that 
 Example. Be ye Followers of me : How ? after 
 
 A a what 
 
(i86) 
 
 what manners What! Abfolutely, wiihout Exami¬ 
 nation? muft \vc believe thee without any Tryaljand 
 take v/ha-t thou fayeft for granted v.ithout any more 
 to do ? no fuch thing. Be je Followers of mejevM as 
 Jalfi Am c/CHRIST : I fubtnit my felf to be ju^’d by 
 you according t© that Rule, and all Men and Churches 
 arc to be thus meafur’d, that hy Claim to the Name 
 of ChrifiUn, 
 
 The Third Paffage is in his Secend Epiflle to the fame 
 Church of Corinth, ’tis this : Therefore jeeing we 
 hive this Minifiry as we have received Mer- 
 2 or. 4. we faint not: hut have renounced the hid- 
 
 * den things of Dilhonejiy, mt walking in Craf- 
 
 tinejjes, nor handling rAr Word ofGo6 deceitfuBy 5 hut 
 hy manifejlation of the Truth, comme nding our [elves to 
 every man’s Confcience in the fight of God. Here is 
 the Utmoft Impofition the Apoftle makes ufe of: he 
 requires not Men to receive him ve\thoMt Evidence, 
 and refers himfelf to that of their own Conjciexces in 
 the Sight of God. This was the Way of making 
 Chriftians then, and this is the Way of making and 
 keeping Chriftians now'. 
 
 Confcience (in the beft Senfe ) has ever been al low’d 
 t@ be a sW-upen Men in all Religions •, But that Re¬ 
 ligion, which under Pretence of Authority w'ould 
 fupercced Confcience, and inftcad of making Men bet¬ 
 ter (the End of Religion) makes them worfe, by con¬ 
 founding all Diftinftion betwixt and £2^//, and 
 rcfolving all into an Implicite Faith aAd blind Obedi¬ 
 ence untc the Consmands of a yifible Guide and fudge, 
 is falfe, it cannot beotherwife. For to admire what 
 Men don’t know', and to make it a Principle not to 
 
 inqiurre 
 
( »S7 ) 
 
 inquire is the kji murk of Fo'ly in the Believer, and of 
 imfofiure 'm the Impofer. To be lhort,.a thriflUa im • 
 plies a Man, and a Man implies Confcience and lijtder- 
 fiaadt/tg • but he that has no Conjcience noi Underjltid¬ 
 ing (as he has not, that has delivered them up to the 
 Will of another Man) is no Ma/t^ and therefore no 
 ChrijlUn. 
 
 I do befecch you Protejlints of all Sorts, to confider 
 of the danger of this Principle with rcfpc» 5 i: to Retigu 
 Oft. of old ’twu theFool thxt faid in his Heart there is no 
 God j But now npon this Principle Men muft be made 
 Fools in order to helieve: Shallftf.^7,which is theSkame 
 (if not theCurlejof a Man,be the Perfe£lion of aC^ri* 
 fiUn ? Chrift indeed has advifed ns , to become Little 
 children, but never to become fiach Fools ^ for (as the 
 Proverb is ) this is to he led by the Nofe, and not by our 
 Wirs. You know that (jod hates the Satrifice of 
 Fools : / wii fray with the Sprit and with Under ft and. 
 ing4//i>, faith the Apoftle. Let us commend, that 
 Teftimony, which wc believe to be true, to the Con. 
 fciences of Men, and let therti have the Gofpel privi^ 
 ledge of Examination : Error only looles upon Trial. 
 For if tnis had been the Way to Chfifiianity, (with 
 Reverence be it fpoken) God had not made our Con¬ 
 dition better, but worfe; For this tranflates our 
 Faith and Dependence upon God, to Man, and the 
 Polfibility, if not Probability of Man’s erring expofes 
 us to greater infccurity than before. For where I ne¬ 
 ver t ruffed, I never could be deceived. Butifimuft 
 abandon my own Senfe and Judgment, and yield my 
 felf up to the Faith and Authority of another fto fay 
 no more of the Blindncfs and La nenefs of fuch Blisf 
 
 A a 2 and 
 
. , 
 
 and Devotion) vfhxt Security cun I h^ive^ thuttheMAu 
 cr Meity nhom Jtrup may not err A»d deceive me I and 
 that Deceit is irrcpairable. 
 
 Again, fince Mankind is a rcafoaable Creature, 
 and that the more rcafonablc he is in his Religion,the 
 nearer to his own being he comes, and to the VVifdom 
 and Truth of his Creator, that did To make him, a 
 Religion without Reafun, Impoled by an unaccount¬ 
 able Authority againft ReafonjSenfe and Convifticn 
 emnot be the Religion of the God ef Truth and Rea- 
 fon 5 for it is not to be thought that he requires any 
 thing that carries any violence upon thcNatureofhis 
 Creature, or that gives the Lye to that Reafon or 
 Sence, w hich he fiiR endow’d him w ith. 
 
 In (hort; Either Convince my underftandirg by 
 the Light of Truth and Power of Reafon, or bear 
 dowm ray Infidelity with the force of Miracles: for 
 not to give me Qnderftandi^^g or Faith^ and to prefs a 
 fubmiffion that requires both, is moft unreafonablc. 
 
 But if there w’cre no other Augument then this, it 
 got s a great w’ay with me, that as'to fuch as have 
 their underftanding at liberty, if they are raiftaken, 
 thirc may be hopes of reclaiming by Informing 
 them : but v\ here the Underjlunding and Confcience 
 are enflav’d to Authority, and w'herc Men make it a 
 Principal Dodfrine to rufpefb their own Senfe and 
 ftrive againft their own Convictions, (to move only 
 by other mens Breaih and fall down to their CorcIu- 
 Con?) nothing feems to he left for the foundefl Ar^umenti 
 ^ clearejl Truths to work ugcn.Thzy had almoft need to 
 be re Ci cated in order to be converted ^ for who can 
 reafcnably endeavour ro make him a Chriftian that is 
 
 D-Ot 
 
Hot a MiHjwhich he cannot be truly faid to be, who has 
 no undsiftanding,or refolves not to ufe it, but rqed it, 
 which is yet worfe ^ for he that has no underftanding 
 has no prejudice againft it,but he that putpofeiy denys 
 & abufes it, is fo much worfe, as that he turns Enemy 
 to him that has and ufes kis underftanding. He there^ 
 fore can never be conviaced of his Error^ n?ho U fre- 
 judiced againfi the necejjarj mesr/s of Convi^iion^ which 
 u the ufe of hisUnierfianding^ without which ’tis im- 
 poflible he fliould ever be Csnvinced. 
 
 To Conclude, I havt. referved till laft one Argu¬ 
 ment, which is unanfw'eraUe by us Prote- 
 
 ftxnts^ and without yielding to which we cannot be 
 confiftent with our felvcs, or be thought to do unto 
 others, w’hat we would have others do unto us, and 
 that is this; The Trtftjlation of the Stricture was the 
 painful w^ork of cur worthy Aacefers. This I call 
 their mof folemn Affeal to the People Asdinfi the Pope and 
 Trtdttions of Rome in the bujinejs of their Sef irathn, 
 For when the qu;ftion rofe of the divine Authority of 
 this or the other Pra£tice in the Doftrine orWorlhip 
 of the RomAn Churchy prefently they recar’d to the 
 Scrigtures^ and therefore made them (peak Esg/ifb, that 
 they might witnefs for them t > the people.This^^^/’^a/ 
 to the Pe ople in defence of their Separation, by ma¬ 
 king them Judges of their proceeding agiinR the 
 Church according to the Teftimony of the holy Scrip¬ 
 tures, puts every man in poflellion of them. Search 
 tire Scriftmesfx^ the ^x^Protefiants^ Prove all things:^ fee 
 if whit we fAy agAtnft Pope ^ Church of Koxnz he not true ; 
 and in cafe any difficulty did arife, they exhorted all to 
 wait upon God, for the divine aid of his Spirit to illu* 
 
 minatc 
 
... ^ . C Ipo ) 
 
 minate their UiSderftandings,that one fhouldnot im- 
 pofe upon the other, but cotnaiend them to God, be 
 Brotherly, Patient, Long fufFering, ready to help the 
 Weak, inform the Ignorant, (hew tendernefs to the 
 Miftaken, and with reafon and moderation to gain 
 the Obftinate. In fliort, Proteftancy « a refioring t0 
 every mAn his jujl right $f Inquiry and Choice 5 and to its 
 honour be it ever fpoken, there is greater likelihood 
 of finding Truth, where all have Liberty to feek af¬ 
 ter it, then where it is denyed to all, but a few Gran¬ 
 dees, and thofe too as Ihort fighttd as their Neigh* 
 hours. But now' let us Protejlants cxaminc.if w'e have 
 not departed from this Sobriety, this Chriftian Tcm-' 
 perance ? hovr comes it, that w'e w’ho have bten 
 forgiven much, have our felvcs fallen upon our fcl-* 
 low Servants, who yet owe us nothing ?, have not 
 we refufed them this reafonable choice ? have we 
 not threetned^ heaten and imfrifened them ? Pray 
 Confider, have you not made Creedsy fet Bounds to 
 Faith, form'd and regulated a Worfhip. and friHiy en~ 
 yoynd all mens obedience by the help of the Civil 
 Power upon pain of great Sufferings, which have net 
 been fpared to Dijfenters^ though in Common, Re- 
 nouncers and Proteftors with you againft the Pope & 
 Church of Rome^, for this the Landjmourns, Heaven 
 is difplcas’d, and all is out of due courfe. 
 
 To give Its the Scriptures^ and knock cur Fingers for 
 taking them I to Tran (late them that tve may readthem^ 
 and funijh us for endeavouring to underfland and uje 
 them as veeB. as xve can^ both with re [pelf to God, and our 
 Neighbour ; ’tis very unrcafonable upon our Frote- 
 Jlant Principles. I wifh wc could fee the naifehief 
 
 \vc 
 
we draw upon our felvesj&whkh is wonejour 
 fdr the P^fifi i.i this cafe afts according to his Prin- 
 eiplc,b«t wf againft our Principle, which (hews in¬ 
 deed, that we have the better Religion, but that we 
 alfo arc more condemnable. For if we will confidcr 
 it ferioufly, we ftiall find it not much more injurious 
 to Scripture, Truth and good Conicknee that wre 
 believe as the Church believes, then that w^e believe 
 as the Church fays the Scriptuie w'euld have usIjc- 
 fie VC. For w'here is the difterence, fince I am npt al¬ 
 lowed to ufe my underftanding about the Senfe of 
 Scripture any more then about the Faith of the 
 Church: and if I muft not receive any thing for 
 Faith or Worlhip from Scripture, but what is handed 
 to me by the Church, or her Clergy, I Ice my felf in 
 as ill terms,as if I had fat down with the oldDoctrine 
 of helie'ving as the church believes. And had the Con- 
 troverfie been only for the Word Scriffure^ without 
 the ufe and application ol it, (for at this rate that is 
 all that is left us) truly the enterprife of our Fathers 
 had been w'eak and unadvifed •, but becaufe nothing 
 lefs was intended by them,and that chcTranflan’on of 
 the Scripture was both the Jppeal and Legacy of thofe 
 Preteft&nt Anceftors, for the reafons before menti¬ 
 on’d,! muft conclude we arc much degenerated from 
 the fimplicity of Primitive Proteftascy, and need to 
 be admonilht of our Bickflidings-,and I heartily pray 
 to Almighty God, that he would quicken us by his 
 prefent Mercies and Providences to return to our 
 firft Love. 
 
 Let the Scripture be free^Soher Opinion tslerate f Good 
 i&fe iherifbt.^ fke punifit: away with Impc^tton. Nick- 
 
 Names, 
 
(‘ 92 ) 
 
 Names^ for the Lord’s fake 5 and let 
 
 H)ly iVrit lx ■ )Ur mon Cree l^ and Pit Living ihc 
 Teji o[ Chrifi-'^ntty that God may pleafeto perfett 
 the good work he has bpgun, and deliver us from 
 all our Enemies. 
 
 I am now c^me.to the laft point, and that is PRO¬ 
 PAGATION of FAITH by FORC?.. In which 
 s I fljall, with the Ecclt^aflieks^ conlider the Civil Mu- 
 giftrates lhare herein 5 for though the Church-Men 
 are principally guilty,that being profeft Minilfers of 
 a Religion w’bich renounces and condemns Force, 
 they inci'e the Magiftrate to ufe it both to impofe 
 their own Belief, and fupprefs that of other mens; 
 yet the Civil Magiftrate in running upon their Er¬ 
 rands,and turning Fcxecutioner to their Cruelty up- , 
 on fuch as dilTent from them, involves hicnfclf in 
 their Guilt. 
 
 That in this Proteftant Country Laws have been 
 made to profccute men for their Difference and Dif^ 
 fent from the National Worihip,and that ihofe Laws 
 have been executed, 1 prefume will not be denyed 5 
 for not only our own Hiftories fince the Reformati¬ 
 on will furniftius with Inftaaces, hut our ow n Age 
 abounds with Proofs. Thoufands hive been Excom- 
 municited ind Jmfrifenedy whole Fimiles Undone^ not 
 A Bed left in the Heufe^ not a Ctw in the Fields nor Any 
 Corn in the Birn'.Widovs ind Orphints Uncemmifented^ 
 »» regArdhad to Age or Sex: and w hat for ? only be^ 
 caufe of their Meeting to Worfhip God after Anotheriyyex. 
 not a Icfs Peaceable) Manner then Atcording to the wey 
 of the Church 0/ England. 
 
 Nor 
 
(' 93 ) 
 
 Nor have they only I'uffered this by Laws intended 
 againfl: them,but after an cxccllive rate by wa 
 
 to have been never defign’d againft them, zv^Aordy 
 i»teKdcd againji thi Papips and in thefc Cales four 
 tirnes the Vallue has not ferved their turn-, vi'ccati 
 prove 6o 1 . taken for 13 1 . and not one Penny re¬ 
 turned, as we made appear before a Committee of 
 the late Parliament, which is the Penalty of four offen 
 ces for one : to fay nothing of the grofs Abufes that 
 have been committed againft our Names and Perfons 
 by men of ill Fame and Life, that have taken the 
 Ad vantage of our Tendernefs, and the prelent Po- 
 ftureof the Law againft us to have their Revengeful 
 and Covetous Ends upon us. And though yet onre- 
 dreft, not aSeflion of Parliament has paft thefe Se 
 venteen Years, in which we have nor humbly re- 
 monftrated our fuffering condition : w^e have done 
 our Part, which has been patiently to Suifer and 
 modtftly to Complain 5 ’tis yours now to hear our 
 Groans, and if ever you expeQ: Mercy from God, 
 deliver us. The late Parliament juft before its Dift’o- 
 lutio 1 was preparing fame Relief for ns •, if that Par¬ 
 liament could think of it, yea, begin ic, we hope you 
 will finilh and fecure ir. 
 
 To remove all Scruples or Objections, that PolitU 
 (aBj or Lcclt^ifUcafiy on the part of the State or the 
 Church, may be advanced againft us in this requeft, 
 I lhall divide ifeis Difcourle into thefe two Parcs.’ 
 Eirft, Coefar s Authority next, the Church's Authoru 
 tyaheut Torce in things that relate to Faith avd Ccnfci- 
 ence^ with my Rcalous briefly to both. 
 
 B b 
 
 Our 
 
(' 94 ) 
 
 Our bkfiVd Lord aed SaviourJcfUs Chrift did long 
 fince didinguilh th^Thingscf f' omtbe 7hings of 
 
 Cod^ in his plain and notable Aniwer unto that cni'na- 
 ring Queflion of the Jetrs^ ahottt Tribute to Ci- 
 f ir. Render (Li-hhe) unto Qte the things th^it Are 
 Casfar’s, (tnd to God the Things thxt xre Gcd’s 5 tha. is, 
 Divine Wcr(hif, and all things relating to it telv ; g 
 unto God, Civil Obedience to CiejAr. God can only 
 bethc Author ofiighcAdls of Wcrlhipin the Mind; 
 this is granted by all: therefore it is not in the Power 
 of any Man or Men in the World, to fway or compel 
 the Mind in Matters of Worfnip to God. NVhere 
 this is attemped, God’s Prer®g^tive is invaded, and 
 C^Ur (by which Word I underftandtheCfz/i/Co- 
 vernment) hath Ad, For he d.i;th not only take his 
 own Thingsbut the things app.rtaining to Gcd alfo. 
 Since if God hadi not Confcience he hath nothing. 
 My Kingdom^ fays Chrift, is net of thisWorld,^ nor is 
 the Mashftrate’s of the other Worlds Therefore 
 he exceeds his Province and Commiftion when ever 
 he meddles with the Rites of it. Let Chrift have 
 his Kingdom, he is ft fficient for it, and let Cnfr have 
 his, ’tis his Due. Give unto Qx^-ix the things that xre 
 Caefar’s, andtoGodthe things that are Ge^s. Then 
 there arc things that belong net to Cafar, and we arc 
 not to give thofe to him/uch are Gods things, divine 
 things •, but thofc thaj belong to Cn^ar and his Earth¬ 
 ly Kingdom, muft be of Duty rendred to him. 
 
 If any fticuld ask me, what are the Things properly 
 belonging ^oCaslarC I infwer in Scripture Language 
 To love JuJlice. do -j uigment,^ rclteve the OppreJJed,^ 
 
 right. 
 
, (195 y. 
 
 right thi Fatherle^^ be a, Terror unto Ezil-aoerS) tind 
 a Praise to them that do well 5 for this is the great End 
 of Magiftracy. 
 
 But perhaps my Anfwcr ihali be reckoned too ge¬ 
 neral and anabiguous^, and a frefli Queftion ifarted^ 
 tvhs are the Evil doers.Jo vohom she Civil yJuthority ought 
 to be terrTolel But this ought in my Judgment to be 
 no Queftion with men that underhand the Niture 
 of Civil Authority-, for thole are the Evil-doers,that 
 violate thofe Laws which are necelTary to the Prefer- 
 vationof Civil Society, ‘xsThieves^ Murderers^Adul^ 
 terers., Traytors^ Plotters.^ Drunkards., Cheats.^ Tag.i,- 
 bondsy and the like mifehievous and difiolutc Per- 
 fons: M,:n void of Virtue, Truth and Sincerity , the 
 Foundation of all good Government, and only firm 
 Bond of human Society. Whoever denies me this, 
 muft at the fame Time fay, that Virtue is lefs necejjary 
 to Government than Opinion., and that the moft Vitiated 
 Men, profeffing but C^/ar’s Religion, arc ^ehefi Sub- 
 Je^is to Ccefar s Authority, eonfequently, that other 
 Men, living never fo honeflly and induhrioufiy, and 
 having cife as good a Claim to Civil Proteftion and 
 Preferment, lhall meerly for their Diffent from that 
 Religion fa Thing they can’t help 5 fe>r Faith is the 
 Gift of Godfse reputed the worfl of Evil- doers.*whieh 
 is followed with expofing their Names to O'oioquie, 
 their Eftates to Ruin, and their Perfons to Goals, Ex¬ 
 iles, and Abundance of other Cruelties. What is 
 this, but to confound the Things of Cafar with the 
 Things of God ‘ Divine Worfhip with Civil Obedi¬ 
 ence ; the Church with the Scate,and perplex human 
 Societies with encflefsDebatos aboutReligious Differ. 
 
 Bb 2 encesf 
 
(196) 
 
 ences ? Nay, 15 not this to ere< 5 t new Meafures to 
 try the Members of Worldly Societies by, and give 
 an Acceflfion to another Power, then that which is 
 necehary to the Conftitution of Civil Government ? 
 But that which ought to deter wife Rulers from af- 
 fuming and excrcifing fuch an Authority,is the Ccii 
 fideration of the pernicious Conrtqutnces of doing 
 fo. 
 
 For, It makes PROPERTY, which is the 
 firft and moft fixt Part of E»gli[h Government jloathg 
 and uncertain •, for it feems no Conformity to the 
 Church, no Property in the State 5 and doubtlefs, the 
 Infecunty of Preperty can be no Security to the Go¬ 
 vernment : Pra) think of that. 
 
 tdly^ It makes me owe more to the Church then to 
 the State ^ for in this Cafe, the Anchor I ride by, is 
 not my obedience to Laws, relating to the Preferva- 
 tion of Civil Society , but Conftrmity to certain Things 
 belonging to the Dodlrine and Difcipline of the 
 church •, fo that though I may be an hoHeft,induftri- 
 ous Englijh min., a great Lover of my Country.^ and an 
 Admirer of the I live under *, jetif Ire- 
 
 ful'e to profefs the Religic n that either now is, or 
 hereafter may be impofed, be it never To falfe that is 
 all one, I muft neither enjoy the liberty of my Perfen, 
 nor the quiet Pojffjjion of my Efiate, . 
 
 py. This not onlv alters the Coverrment.^ by faerh 
 ficing \Atv\s Properties •, for that which cannot be cal¬ 
 led a Sin againft Property an Offence to the Nature 
 
 of 
 
( 197 ) 
 
 61 civil Coverftmntt. if any Tranfgrcffion at all 5 but 
 it narrows the Intereji ard Power of the Governours : 
 For propcrtionably, what Number they cut off from 
 their Protection, they cut (IF from therafclves and 
 the Government, not only rendi ing a great Body of 
 People Ujelefs^hut provoaking them to be Dangeroue • 
 to be fare it clogs the Civil MAgifirAte in his Admini- 
 ftration of Government, m^ikiiig that naceflary 
 which is not at all needfary to him AS Ciy£SAR» 
 
 It is a Sort of DUUMVIR ATESHIP in Power, 
 by which the Civil Afoaarchy is broken •, for as that 
 was a Plurality of Men, jo this is a PlurAlity of Powers-^ 
 and to fpeak freely, the Civil Powi r is made to act the 
 Lackey, to run of all the unpleafant Errands the ffo- 
 ward Zeal of (he other fends it upon : and ti e bt ft 
 Preferment it receives for its Pains, is to be Informer, 
 Confahle or Coaler to fomc of the befl Livers, and 
 therefore the b;ft Subjects in the Kingdom. 
 
 Oh what greater Inju ft ice to 1 then to make 
 
 his Government vary by fuch Modes of Religion, and 
 him to hold his Obedience from his People, not fo 
 much by their Conformity to Him^ as to the Church. 
 
 e^^h'y^ This is fo far from refembling theUniverfai 
 Goodnefs of God, who difpenfes his Light, Air^ 
 Sho'wre*^, and comfortable Seafons to all (.and w horn 
 Cje(ar ought alwayes to imitate) and remote irom in. 
 creafing die Trade^ PofuUcy and Wealth of this King¬ 
 dom, that it evidently tends to the utter Rum of 
 Th oufands of Traders, Artifeers and Husband-men 
 and their Famili' S, thereby increafing the Charges^ 
 by increafing the Poor of the N-ition. 
 
 5 
 
ripS) 
 
 ^thlyj This mull: needs be a great DrfccarAgement 
 to Strangers, from com.ng in, and feeling themfelves 
 amongst us, when they have Reafon to appreliwiid, 
 chat they, and their Children after them can be no 
 longer Iccured in the Enjoyment of their Properties, 
 then they (hall be able to prevail with their Confd 
 entKSj to believe that the Religion v/hich our Laws 
 do now, or (hall at any time approve and impofe, is 
 undoubtedly true and the Way of worlhipping of 
 Godjwhich (hall at any time be by our Laws enjoyn' 
 ed, is, and ihall be more agreeable.to the Will of Gud 
 then any other Way in which God is worfliipped in 
 the World. 
 
 6 thly^ That way of Worflnp we are commanded 
 Conformity to, doth not make better Li^^ers (that’s 
 a Demonftration) nor better Artijls; for it cannot 
 be thought, that going to Churchy hearing Common- 
 Prayer^ or believing in the prefent Epifcopacy^ learns 
 Men to build Ships or Hottfes, to make Clothes^ Shoes^ 
 Vials or Watches^ B»y^ Sell, Tradtov Commerce^ better 
 then any that are of another Perfwafion. And fince 
 thefe things are UCejulyi not Requifite in Civil Society^ 
 is not prohibiting, nay, ruining fuch Men, becaufe 
 they will not comt to htzv Common-Prayer^ de- 
 ftruffive of Civil Society ^ pray (hew me better Sub* 
 jedts. If any objeQ:, Dijjenters have net alwayes been 
 fot, the Anfwer is ready, do not expofe them, pro* 
 te£f them in their Lives^ Liberties and Elates ; for in 
 this prefent Pofture they think they can call nothing 
 
 their 
 
(l99) 
 
 their own, and that all the Comforts they have in 
 this World are hourly liable to Forfeiture for their 
 Faith^Hepe and Prs 5 ike concerning the other World : 
 Is not this to dettroy Nature and Civil Government, 
 when People are ruined in their Nitural and Civil 
 Capacity, not for Things relating to either, but what 
 arc of a Supernatural Innport. 
 
 ']thlyy This'tieprives them of PfOte< 51 :ion that pro¬ 
 tect the Government. Di'ffenters have a great Share 
 in the Trade,which is the Greatnefs of this Kingdori'i 5 
 and they make a large Proportion of the that 
 
 maintain the Government. And is it reafonablemr 
 can it be Chri(iia>t^ when they pay Tribute to Ciefkrf 
 to be preferved in an UndifturbedPcfj JJtonof the Refb t 
 that the Reft (hould be continually expofed for the 
 peaceable Exercife of their Confciences to God ? 
 
 8‘6//,Neither is it a Conformity to True and So¬ 
 lid Religion,fuch as is neceflary to Eternal Salvation, 
 wherein moft parties verbally agree, but for a Modi¬ 
 fication of Religion, fame peculiar Way of W ordiip and 
 Difcipline: Ab'confefs One God, One Chri/}^ ©neHoly 
 Gh»(l^ and that it it indifpenfably requifiteto live Soberly^ 
 Righteoufly and Godlikely in this frefent evil World ^ yet 
 fs one profecuting the e ther lor his ConfcieBee,/i’/z>- 
 ingCorn^ driving away Cattel^breakingoptn Doorsjta- 
 king array and jpoilng of Goods^ in fume places not 
 leaving a Coi^ to give poor Orfhants Milk^ nor a Bed to 
 lie on \ in other Places Houfes have been ftvept To 
 clean, that a Stool hath not been left to fit on, nor fo 
 much as working Tools.to labour for Bread. To fay 
 
 no thing 
 
- ('•^00 ) 
 
 nothing of the O^pnhrioas sperthes^ Bloedp Blotss and 
 Tedioui iMprijonmsnts^ even co De ith it tclr^ through 
 Nafit^efs of Duagecnsy that many Innocent People 
 have fuffered tor their peaceable ConlGicuec only. 
 
 p^/y/y, Bjc this Way of proceeding for Mainte* 
 nines of the National Religion, is ot an ill Confe- 
 qjence upon this account, Heaven is barred from 
 all further l^umimtions. Let God fend what Light 
 he pleafes, it muft nor be received by La'Ar% People, 
 without far’s Licence ; and if it happen that C^far 
 bs not prefently convinced it is of God, at this rate 
 I muft either renounce my Convictions^ and lofe my 
 Soul to pleafe C^far, or profefs and perfevere in my 
 Perfrvajion, and lofe my L’fcj Liberty or Efixte to 
 pleafe God. This huh frequently occur’d, and may 
 again. Therefore I would entreat to confidsr 
 the fid Confe^uence of Impofi^ion^ and remember,, 
 both that God did never ask Man Leave to introduce 
 Truthj or make further Difeoveries of his Mind to 
 the World, and that it hath been a Wofal Snare to 
 thofe Governments that have been drawn to employ 
 their Power againft his Work and People. 
 
 lothly^ This Way of Proceedure endeavours to 
 ftifle, or elfe to punilh Sincerity-^ for Fear or Hofes^ 
 frowns or Favour prevail only with bafe Minds,Souls 
 degenerated from true .Noblenefs. Every Spark of 
 Integrity muft be cxtinguifht, where Confeience is fa* 
 crificed to iVorUly Safety and Preferment ; fo that this 
 J^et holds no Temporizers : Homjl Men are oll thc Filh 
 it catches; but one would think they ihould make 
 
 but 
 
( 201 ) 
 
 but an ill Treat to fuch as r-^ckon themfel ves generous 
 Men.^ndi what is 'ea.oTo.gChrlfiixns too; but iha: which 
 renders the Matter more unjuftiHable, is, the Ttm^- 
 txtion fuch puts upon menjnot hardy enough 
 
 tQ fuffer for Confcience, yet ftrongly perfwaded they 
 have Truth on their Side, to deTei t their PrincijiUsy 
 and fmochcr their Co»vi£fions^ which in plain Terms 
 is to make of Sincere Men Hypocrit' s, whereas it is 
 one great End of Government, by all laudable Means 
 toprelerve Sincerity \ for w'ithout inhere can be no 
 Faith or Truth in Nor is this all ^ fir 
 
 Maxim worthy of C<t''ars Notice, NEVER^TO 
 THINK HIM TRUE TO C^SAR THAT IS FALSE 
 
 TO HIS OWN CONSCIENCE-, bcfides, raped Con- 
 feienees treafurc up Revenge^ and fuch Perfons are 
 not likely to be longer Friends to C^efar^ than he hath 
 Preferments to allure them, or Power to deter them 
 from being his moft implacable Enemies. 
 
 iithly^ There is not fo ready 2iW&yto Atheifin, 
 as this of extinguishing the Senfe of Confcience for 
 Worldly Ends 5 deftroy that Internal Rule of Faith^ 
 Worfhip and PraBice towards God, and the Reafon 
 of ray Religion will be Civil Injunctions^ and not 
 •vine Convictions 5 confequently, I am to be of as ma¬ 
 ny Religions as the Civil Authority diall irapofe, 
 however untrue or contradiftory. This Sacred Tye 
 of Confcience, thus broken, farewel to all Heavenly 
 Obligations in ihs,%o\i\^ Serigture. Authority^ and anci¬ 
 ent Proteftant Principles^ Chrift may at this Rate be¬ 
 come what the ^ews would have had him, and bis 
 Apoftks be reputed Turners of the World upTidc 
 
 Xi c dowm, 
 
( 202 ) 
 
 down) as their Enemies reprefented them, and the 
 godly Martyrs of all Ages lo many Self-Murdertr>. 
 for they might juftly be efteem’d Relifters of if 
 ly Authority^ fo far as that Authority concern it .elf 
 with the Impofition of Religion, becaufe they rciu- 
 fed the Conformity commanded, even to Death. 
 
 And it may not be unworthy of Cjefar’s Confidera* 
 tion, if from thefe Proceedings People are tempted 
 to infer, there is nothing in Religion but Worldly Aims 
 and Eads^ bacaufe fo much Power is abus’d under 
 the Name of Religio»y to vex and deftroy Men for be¬ 
 ing of another Religion,that he hazards the beft Hold 
 and Obligation he hath to Obedience, which is Con- 
 fcience ; For where they are taught to Obey for /«• 
 tereji^ Duty and Convitiion are out of Doors. By all 
 Means let Confcience be facred, and Virtue and Inte*^ 
 grity vthough under diflenting Principles) cherilht s 
 Chdrityx^ more pewerful than Severity, Per'Jwaffou 
 than Feaal Laxvs. . 
 
 Lifily, To the Reproach of this Courfe with Wife 
 Men,it hath never yet obtain’d the End defir’d ; for, 
 inftead of compliance, the Difference is widened, the 
 Sufferers are pitied by Spectators, which only helps 
 to increafe the Number of Diffenters ^ for wh )ever 
 is in the Wrong, few think the Pcrfecutor in the 
 Right. This in sll Ages having been the IlTue of fe- 
 vere Profecution of Difl'enters for Matters of Kelioun ^ 
 what aCruel,Troublefom,ThankIefs,Succcflcs Office 
 is it for to be im ployed in? May he take bet¬ 
 ter Meafures of his Authority and Intereft, andufe 
 his Power to the Encouragement of all the Virtutm 
 
(203 ) 
 
 ^n^lniujirous, ind Juft Puniihtnent of tncz^^aod 
 Vieio is in all PerAvafions 3 fo lliall the Kingdom Flou- 
 ri(b, and the Government Pr«jfer. 
 
 church Ptwer fjppofeth a Church firft. It will not 
 fee impre per therefore to eximine-, What a 
 Scripture - New - Teftament Church is 3 and next, 
 what is the Scripture-Power belonging to fuch a 
 Ghurch-r A Scr p ure-Church,as fticmay be called 
 Vifible, is a CompU'/y or Society of People^ helieving^pro- 
 feffi»gA»d prA-Jifug according to the Dolirine and £jf* 
 ample of Chrifi Jef>^ and tok< Apo^leSj and not accord¬ 
 ing to the Scribes and Pharifees.th$.t teught for DoFlrine 
 the Traditions of men: They are fuch as w 
 are Mcvk in H:art, Lo wly in Spirit (a) ^ * ' 
 
 Chaft in Lif‘, <b) Virtuous in all Con- 
 verfarion, (f) foil of Self dcnyal, (,d) 
 
 Long-fuffering and Patient, (<?> not on¬ 
 ly forgiving, (/) but loving their ve¬ 
 ry Enemies 3 which anfwxrs Chrifts 
 own Character of himfelfReligion and 
 Kingdom, whichis the moft apt Diftin- 
 ction that ever can be given of the Nature of his 
 Church and he^A^stho^ity,^’/^. g) MY KINGDOM 
 IS NOT OF THIS WORLD. Which well coniitcts 
 with Render unto C*far the things that are w,. , - ,, 
 C*far*s, and unto God the things that are 
 God’s. 
 
 It was an Anfwer to a very fufpitious Queftions 
 for it was familiirly bruitd, that he rv4s , . 
 
 MlCingy andtfUme topoffefs his Kingdom^and 
 ft as hy feme eaSed the King of the J e ws. 
 
 Cc 2 
 
 b 1 Hct. 3.2. 
 2 Cor. 11.2. 
 ePhil. 4- 8. 
 
 1 Pet. 1.15. 
 </Mat.i6 24. 
 el Cor.4.6. 
 /Luke 6.37. 
 g Joh. 18.36. 
 
 The 
 
( 204 ) 
 
 The Jiwj being then fubjccted to the Rom/in Em¬ 
 pire, it concern’d FiUte, Cafars Deputjf, to under- 
 ftand his pretentions, w hich upon better information 
 
 Tohn j8 36 found to center in this, Mj’ Kwgdcm is 
 
 not of this Worlds elje vpould my Subjedrs 
 
 fight for me. As if he had faid, thefe Regorts are a 
 meer perverfion of my Peaceable and Self denying 
 Intentions, an Infamy invented bymilicious Scribes 
 znilPhurifeesshdii they might the better prevail wdth 
 C£'Ar to Sacrifice me to their hatred and revenge. 
 
 I am C^Jars Friend, I feek none of his Kingdoms 
 from him, nor will I fow Sedition, plot or confpire 
 his Ruin •, no^Let all Men render unto CdefiT the Things 
 that are Ciefar’s •, that’s my Doctrine \ for I am come 
 to erect a Kingdom of another Nature then that of 
 
 this World,to wit,a Spiritual Kingdom, 
 Luke 17. 21. yp the.Heart,and Confcicnce 
 
 Titus 2‘12 is my Throne, upon that wdll I fir, and 
 
 rule the Children of Men in Rightcouf- 
 nefs ; and whoever lives Soberly. Righteoufly and God- 
 lily in this ivorldj fnall be my good and loving Sub¬ 
 jects, and they will certainly make no ill ones for 
 Cafar, fince fuch Virtue is the end of Government, 
 and renders his Charge both moreeafie and lafethen 
 before. Had I any ether Defign then this, would I 
 fuffer Hiy felf to be reproached, traduced and perfe- 
 cuted by a conquered people f were it not more my 
 Ni cure to fuffer then revenge,would not their many 
 provocations have drawn from me fome Inftance of 
 another kind then the Forbearance and Fbrgivcncfs I 
 teach ^ certiinly w'cre I animated by another princi¬ 
 ple then the perfedion of Mcckncfs and Divine 
 
 Sweetnefs, 
 
Mat. 26.52- 
 
 SweetMefs, I (hould not have forbidaen 
 fighting, faying, Put up thy Swerd^ 
 or endo( 5 irinatcd my Followers to bear Wrongs, but 
 revenged all Affronts, and by Plots and other Strata¬ 
 gems have attempted Ruin to my Enemies, and the 
 acquefl: of w’orldly Empire; and no doubt but they 
 would have fought for me. Nay, I am not only pati- 
 cntlyi&'with Pity to Enemies) fenfibleof their barba¬ 
 rous Carriage towards me for my Good Will to them 
 (for their Eternal Happinefs lonlyfeek) but I fore¬ 
 fee what they further intend againft me, they defign 
 to crucifie me 5 And to do it, will- rather free a Mur¬ 
 derer then favc their Saviour. They will 
 perform thatCruclty with all theAggra- M3t.27.20’ 
 vation and Contempt they can, deriding 
 rae themfelves, and expofing me to the Ver.27,&c. 
 derifion of others ^for they will mock my 
 Divine Kinojbip with aCrovA n of Thorns, Verf! 29. 
 and in my Agonies of Soul and Body for 
 a Cordial, give me Gaul and Vinegar to Ver. 48. 
 drink: But not'^thftanding all this, to 
 fatisfiethe World that my Religion is above Wrath 
 and Revenge, I can forgive them. 
 
 And to fecure Cxfar and his iPcopIe 
 from all Fears of Impofition, whatever 
 Authority I have, and how many Legi- ^ 
 ons of Angels foever I might Command both to my 
 Deliverance.and the Enforcement of my Meffagc up¬ 
 on Mankind 5 1 refolve to promote neither with 
 worldly Power^ for itis not of the Nature of my 
 Religion and Kingdom. And as I neither affume nor 
 pradfife any fuch thing ray lelf, that am the great 
 
 Author, 
 
( ) 
 
 Author, Promoter and Example of this Holy Way 5 
 fo have I not only never taughc nay Diiciples to live 
 or a6t other^ile, or given them a Power I refufe to 
 afe nay Self; but exprefly forbid them, and warn’d 
 them in my Inftrudions, of cxercifi -g any the leaft 
 Rcvenge^Impofition or Coertion towards any. This 
 is evident in my SerraoiT preached upon the Mount, 
 where I freely, publickly and with much Plainnefs, 
 
 not only frehtbited Kevenge^ but irjyaed 
 4.1 4-6 A7* ^0 Enemies^ making it to be a great 
 
 * * * Token of true Difciplefliip to luffcr 
 
 Wrongs, and conquer Cruelty by Paa.:nce and For- 
 givcnels, which is certainly a great Way off Impofi- 
 tion or Compulfion upon other Men. 
 
 Furthermore, when I was ftrongly beat for jerufx- 
 lem^ & fent Meflengers before to prepare fome enter- 
 Lukco. tainmentfor me and my Company in a 
 54>5S»5*5* Village belonging t«) xht SAmaritAm^ 
 
 thePeople refufcd becaufcthey apprehen¬ 
 ded I was going to JerujAlem-^ though fome of my 
 Diiciples,particularly James and John^wQtt provok’d 
 to that Degree, that they asked me, if I were wil¬ 
 ling chat they Ihould command Fire from Heaven to 
 dcltroy thofe SamaritAns^ as Eli,ts in another Cafe had 
 done 5 I turned about, and rebuked them, faying, 
 Tfknow not what MAnner of Spirit ye are of 5 fr . am 
 net come into the tvorldto defiroy Mens Lives j?ttt by my 
 peaceable Doftrinc, Example and Life to fave them. 
 At another time one of my Difciplcs, relating to 
 I . me fome Paflages of their Travails,told 
 
 u • 9 ’ 49 > 50 ’ qP j certain Man they faw, that caft 
 
 out Devils in my Name, and becaufc he was not of 
 
 their 
 
. ^ r 2*7. . 
 
 their Company, nor follo A^ed them, faid hc^ v»e fot^ 
 bad him; as if they had thereby ferved and pleafed 
 me ; but I prefently teftified my Diflike of the Igno* 
 ranee and Narrownefsof their Zeal, and to inform 
 them better told them, they ftiould not hive forbid 
 him 5 /hr he that h net again ft m ts fer ut. 
 
 My Drift is not Opinion, but Piety*, they that 
 Gift out Devils, convert Sinners, and turn Men to 
 Rightcoufnefs, are n >t againft me, nor the Nature 
 and Religion of my Kingd3m,«& therefore ought to be 
 chtriiht rather then foroid. That I might fufficiently 
 declare and inculcate my Mind in this Matter, I did 
 at another Time, and upon a different Occalion, 
 preaeh againft all Coercion and Perfecution for Mat¬ 
 ters of Faith and Practice towards God, in my Para¬ 
 ble of the Sower, as ray Words manifeft,which were 
 thefe; The Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto a Man 
 which lowed good Seed in his Field ^ but while Men 
 his Enemy came^ and Cowed Tares among the wheat^ and 
 went his Way ^ hut when the Blade ffrung up^ and brought 
 forth Fruity there appeared the Tares alfo ; fo the Ser¬ 
 vants of the Houfboulder came and faid^ didft thou not 
 fow good Seed in thy Field < from whence then hath it 
 Tares ? he anfweredfan Enemy hath done i ?. 24,2 
 
 this t, the Servants faid unto him^ wilt 
 thou then that we go and gather them up ? 
 hut he faid NAY, left while ye gather up the Tares^ ye 
 root up algo the Wheat with themf let bo h grow together 
 tiSthe Harvefty and in the Time of Harveft / will fay to 
 the Reapers^ gather ye together ftr/t the Taret^ and hind 
 them in Bundles to burn the my but gather the Wheat into 
 t»y Barn* 
 
 And 
 
( 2o8 ) 
 
 And that I might not leave fonecelTary a Truth 
 mifapp'rehended of my dear Followers, or liable 
 to any Mif-conftructions, my Difciples, whenn^ge- 
 therjdefiring an Explanation,! interpreted my words 
 
 thus ; . ■ . 
 
 lie tfjAt fovffh the gsfd Seed U the Sen of Mxn ^ the 
 field is the iverld: the good Seed are the CkiL- 
 dren of the Kingdom i, but the Tares are the 
 ^ * children of the Wickedone I the Enemy that 
 
 ^ fowed them is the Devil ^ the Harveft it the 
 
 End of the tverld 5 and the Keaytrs are the Angels, 
 
 ' This Patience, this Long Suffering and great For¬ 
 bearance belong to my Kingdom and the Subjects of 
 it,my DoctrincTpeaks it,and my Example confirms it, 
 and this can have no poflfible Agreement with Impo- 
 fition and Perfecution for Con cience. ’Tistrue, I 
 once whipt out the Prophaners of my Fathers 
 Temple ^ but [never whip any in. 1 call’d, I cry’d 
 to every one that thirficd to come, and freely offer’d 
 my Afllftance to the Weary and Heavy Laden; but 
 J never impos'd my Help., er forced any to receive me % 
 for I take not my Kingdom by Violence, but by 
 Suffering. And that I might fufficiently deter my 
 Followers from any fuch Thing, as I profefs my felf 
 to be their Lord and Mafter, f'b have I commanded 
 them to love one another in a more efpccial 
 Jo 015. But if inftead thereof any (hall 
 
 grow proud, high-minded, and beat or 
 abufe their Fellow-Servants in my Religious Family, 
 when I come to take an account of my Houfhold, he 
 (hall be cut afunder,and appointed his Portion among 
 the Unbelievers. Behold the Rccompencc I appoint 
 
 te 
 
(iop) 
 
 toimpofing Lordly Perfons, fuch as count others In- 
 fidelsjand to make them fuch Believers as themfelves, 
 will cxcrcife Violence towards them, and if they pre¬ 
 vail nor,will call for fire fromHeaven to devour them, 
 and if Heaven refufe them, will fall a Beating and 
 Killing (and think, it may be, they do God good 
 Service) but their Lot fhall be with Unbelievers for* 
 ever. 
 
 Nay, I have fo efFedually provided againft all 
 Maftery, that I exprefly charged them, wt fo h many 
 Mafiers; for one ivoi their Majler : I told them, that 
 the greatejt amongf them xvxi to be Servant to the refi^ 
 nottoimpofe upon the reft; nay, that to be great 
 in my Kingdomi they muft become as gentle and 
 harmlefs as little Children, and fuch cannot force 
 and punifh in Matters of Religion. In fine, I firi£l- 
 ly commanded them to love one another, as I have 
 loved them, who am ready to lay down my Life for 
 the Ungodly, inftead of taking away Godly Men’s 
 Lives for Opinions ^ and this is the great Maxim of 
 my holy Religion, He that muld he my DifeipUy mufi 
 not crucific other Men, hut take up his Crofand follow 
 mty who am meek and lowly ^ and fuch fo enduring fliall 
 find Eternal Reft to their Souls •, this is the Power I 
 ufc, and this is the Power I give.* 
 
 How much this agrees with the Language, Do- 
 ftrine and Example of Jefus Ghrift, I lhall leave 
 them to confider, that read and believe Scripture 5 
 but fome afiPeffed to prelent Church- Power, and de- 
 firing their Ruin that conform not to her Worfliip 
 and Difeipline, will object. That Chrifi did give his 
 
 D d Churth 
 
church Poiver to bindund Isofe^ and bid Any Per fin ngrie- ' 
 ued teS the Church. 
 
 I grant it •, but what binding was that i w'ith out¬ 
 ward Chains and Fetters, ira nafty Holes and Dun¬ 
 geons ? nothirig Icfs: Or was it^ that his Churc;h 
 had that trucDifceraing in her,and Power with him, 
 that what fhe bound, that is condemned, or loo fed, 
 that is remitted, (liouldftand fo in God’s Sight and 
 'Chrift’s Account. 
 
 But tell the Church**, and what then ? obferve 
 Chrift’s Extent in the Puniftiment ofthc Offender j if 
 the O^ender iviS neither receive yrivAte Admonition^ nor 
 heur the Church, then^ (faysChriftj let him be to thee 
 as AH Heathen, e^c» Here’s not one word of Fines^ 
 nhips.; Stocks, Pilhries.^ G$aIs^ and the like Inflru- 
 msnisof Cruelty, topunilh the Heretkk j for the 
 Purport of his Words ieem to be no more than this ^ 
 If any Member of the Church refufe thy private Ex¬ 
 hortation and the Church’s Admonition, look upon 
 fwich a Perfon to be obftinate perverfe, no more of 
 you let him take his courfe, thou haft done well, 
 and the Church is clear afhim. 
 
 Well, but fay. the Church Fighters of our Age, 
 Did mt St. Paul irifh them cut ojj thut trtuhled the 
 church in hs time ? Yes; But wdth what Sword 
 think you ? Such as Chrift hid Peter put up, or the 
 Sword of the Spirit, w hich is the Word of Gpd ? 
 Give him leave to explain his own words ^ F.r though 
 n>e fpslk in the Fle[b \ WE DO NOT WAR AF- 
 TER THE FLESH •, for the WEAPONS of our 
 Warfare are NOT CARNAL, but mighty through 
 God^ to the pulling down of frong Holds^ tafling down 
 
 Jmagl. 
 
ImtginAtions^ And every high Thing thit exxlteth it [elf 
 AgAtnjl the Knevpledge ofGod^and bringing every 1 bought * 
 into obedience to Chriji. 
 
 Whac think you of thisc’ Here are Warfares, 
 Weapons, Oppofitions and Conformity, and not on¬ 
 ly no External Force about Matters of Religion ufed 
 ©r countenanced, but the moft exprefs and pathetical 
 Exclufion and Rsjeftion of any fuchThing that could 
 be given. 
 
 It was this great Apolfle that askt that Queftionj 
 
 JVha art thou that judgeji the Servant of another i j. 
 to his trvn Lord he (landeth offaBetb: but he [haU 
 fiand ) for God is 'able to make him fiand. Can 
 wc think that Imyoftion or Ferjeeution is able to An- 
 fwer him this Queftion in the Day of Judgments 
 Do wc with Reafon deny it to ths Papacy ^ With 
 what Reafon then can we affume it to our fcivcs ? Let 
 us remember who faid. Not that ree have Dominion 
 over your Faith ^ but are HELPERS of your 
 HELPERS, then not IMPOSERS nor PERSECU¬ 
 TORS. What Joy can there be in that to the Perfe- 
 cuted ? but if P<*»/had no fuch Commillion or Power 
 over Confcieace, I would fain know by what Autho- 
 rity more inferiour Minifters and Chriftians do claim 
 and ufe it. 
 
 The Apoftlc Peter is of the fame mind 5 Feed (fays 
 he) the Flock of Qod^ not by Cdnfiraint^ ^c, 
 neither as being Lords over Cod's Heritage. ^ 
 
 The Heritage of God is free, they have but 
 oac Lord in and of their Religion, ebrifi^efusy and 
 they are Brethren. . 
 
 Dd 2 
 
 The 
 
( 212 ) 
 
 The Apoftle VauI fiys, TkAt where the Sfirlt of the 
 Lord u there is Liberty.hut'whttt Cotrtioft^ 
 
 2 Cor. 3,7. and Goals are there is no Liberiy 
 
 Is it to be fuppofed that men inthefedays are inftru- 
 6ied by the Spirit of the Lord to deftroy People in 
 this World for their Faith about the other World ? it 
 eaa’t poffibly be, fuch mock at it ? Again, fays that 
 Gal % 13 Apoftleto the C^r/y?/it»jof his time. Ton 
 
 ’ Are caHed to Liberty, from what? Sin and 
 the Ceremonies of the Law, And Ihall the end of that 
 call be the enthraling Confcience to human Edids in 
 Religion under the Gofpcl < this would make our 
 Cafe worle than the Jews, for their V/orlhip flood 
 on divine Authority ; and if to make men free from 
 them Chrift came,and that thofe very Ordinances are 
 by the Ap^ftlc call’d beggerlyelements, is it rcafonable 
 that we muft oe fubjeft to the Injun^ions of men in 
 the Woifliip of God,that are not ofequal Authority? 
 
 The fame Apoftle yet informs us, For this end, fays 
 he, Chrijl both dyed and rofe again, that BE might be 
 " Lcrd both of the Dead and Living', But why doji thon 
 jud e thy Brother ? then W'hieh, nothing can more ex* 
 prefly oppvfe the Imfohtion, Excommunication and 
 Persecution . that are among us 3 ’tis as if he had faid, 
 Chrift is Lord of Chnjl ans, by what Authority doff 
 thou prerei-d to judge hisServahts? 'hou alfoartbut 
 one of them : A Brother at moft. Thou haft n® Do¬ 
 minion over his F ilth, nor haft thou Commiflion to 
 be Lord over his Confcience’cis Chrift’s right, his 
 purchafcjlie has paid for n.For this end he both dyed and 
 rofe aoatn^ that be might be Lord of Dead and Living ; 
 that he might refeue them from the Ja ws of Oppref- 
 
 fioa 3 
 
(213) 
 
 ficaj from thofe thatufuppt their Confciences, and 
 made a prey of their Souls. • But rvh)f dofl thoa judge 
 thy Brother < If not J-uige^ then riot Berfeeute^ pIuk> 
 der^ Beat^ to D^ath our Brethren, thatmuft 
 
 needs follow. Come, let us look at home, and view 
 ou» Aftions, and fee if we are not the Men. 
 
 In ftiort, Let every mm be fully PerJwAded in his own 
 mind, .and if any thing be jhort, God wiO. re- ^ 
 veal it ; let us be patient. It was not Fle(h ' 
 and Blood that reveal'd Chriflto Petetj they arc Chrift’s 
 words, therefore let us leave olF the ConfultatUns and 
 weafons of Flejh and Blood., and truft Chrift with his 
 own Kingdom j he hath laid, the Gates of Hell (hall not 
 prevail againfiit 5 and we carinot think that he would 
 feek to Hell Gates to maintain it 3 and if it is not of this 
 World, then not to be maintain’d by that Force and 
 Pollicy, which are the Props of the Kingdoms of this 
 World. God, the Apoftlc tells us, hoi chofen the weak 
 things of the tvorldto confound the mighty. Therefore 
 he has not chofen the Strength and Power of this 
 World to fupprefs Cpnfcientious People, that as to 
 humane force, are juftly accounted weakeft and moft 
 deftitute in all Ages of defence. 
 
 I will here conclude my Scripture Proofs with this 
 Exhortation or Injundion rattier of thcA- 
 
 poltle. Ye are bought with a Price, not to be 
 made the Servant: of men. The Subjeci, here is p.othu’^ 
 man,whercia humanOrdinanccs are to be obeyed,that 
 is not the Queliian, but Divine., and thofe that for 
 fear or favour of men defert their Principles and be¬ 
 tray their Confciences, they re lOuUce their Lord, de¬ 
 ny him chat bought them, and tread his Blood, the 
 
 PricC) 
 
 t 
 
( 214 ) 
 
 under Foot. Tc *re botight with a frucy 
 C?hrift has purchaft you: you are not yowr o wn, but 
 his that bought you, therefore be not the Servants of 
 men about God’s things or Chrift’s Kingdom, vail K) 
 no mans Jsdgmcnt, neither make mans determina¬ 
 tions your Rule, StA»d fxfl in the Liberty^ wherewith 
 - he hit made yen free^ & be not entangled again 
 
 Hcb ^ Bond age, for we are not come to that 
 
 Mountain that we cannot touch, to Sinai; we 
 are not now to be kept under like or Mi¬ 
 
 nors that Impofition might be ufcful then, which 
 is a bondage now. Mofes was God’s Servant, and 
 faithful, he faw, heard, and went upon the Mount for 
 the People • but Chrifiiahs are come to Mount Zion, to 
 Jerufalem, the Mother of Peace and Freedom. Much 
 then depended upon the Integrity of Mofes • it plcafed 
 _ God then to appear by thoft ways 5 hut now 
 the Law is brought heme to every mans Heart, 
 and every one ^^ad know God for himfelf . from the leaA 
 tothe greatefi. My Sheeft^ fays Chrift, hear my Voice, 
 
 is no frJJibilitj 
 no neceffity of 
 Pricey he not 
 
 Mat. 16. tnade the Servants of men. One is ycur-Lord 
 even ChriJlj and ye are Brethren. 
 
 But methinks I hear a flout Objection,and ’tis this: 
 
 M this rate you will overthrow al Church DifeiflinCy all 
 Cenfure ofErronSy if no maher men can determin. My 
 Anfwer is ready and fhort,No Scripturc:Church Di- 
 fei pi ine is hereby oppugn’d or wrakned, Let not the 
 Sentence end inViolence upon the Cenfcience unconvinced, 
 I^t whofo will expound,Qt determinyCo it be according 
 
 to 
 
 John 10 remember that there 
 
 of deceft ion herCy where there is 
 trufling. In fine, Te are bought with a 
 
 c 
 
to true Chorch-difcipline, which can be exercifed on 
 them only, whohave willingly joyn’d thcmlefvcs in 
 that Covenant of Union, and which proceeds only to 
 a reparation from the reft, aCifavowing or difowning 
 but never to any Corporal or Pecuniary Punilhmmt; 
 the two Arms of Anti chrift, or rather that great 
 Beafi which carries the whore. 
 
 But let us obferve what fort ofChurchGovernment 
 the Apoftlc recqmmends ^ Avoidfsslipj QufJ{ions,aK4 
 Ceaexlpgiesf and Ctf$tentions^ and Striving ako:it the 
 Law ; for they are unprofiuhle and vain : A Aian that is 
 an heretick^ after the firfl and jecond Admonition^ reject^ 
 knowing that he that if fuch. is (uhvertedand finneth^ 
 
 % CONDEMNED OF HIMSELF ^ or Self^ 
 condemned. 
 
 Its very remarkable ; Tirftt That this great Apo- 
 ftk; inft^d of exhorting Titos to ft and upon Nice¬ 
 ties, and facrifice mens Natur 1 Comforts and En¬ 
 joyments for Opinions of Religion, injoyns him to 
 ftiun Difputes about them, leaving People to their 
 own Thoughts and Apprehenfions in thofe Matters, 
 as reputing the Lofs of Peace in ftriving greater, than 
 the Gain that could arife from fuch an Unity and 
 Conformity : which excellently well coheres with 
 another Paftage of his Let us therefore^ as many as 
 be ferfecl^ be thus minded ^ and if in any thing 
 ye be otherwife minded., Cod jhaB REVEAL c'l en 
 this onto you : He did not fay. You fhall be 
 fiNED, PILLAGED, EXCOMMUNICATED & FLUNG 
 into Prifon, if yc be not of our Mind^ 
 
 Pfiils 
 
 15. 
 
^My^ That, in the Apoftks Definition, an He re¬ 
 tick is a Self conjouncled^Qx{6r\^ one cenfcicus to him- 
 felf of Error, and oroinacy in it; but that are not 
 Confeientious Diflenters 5 for many Ten Thoufands 
 in this Nation a£f as they believe^ and diffent from 
 the National Religion, purely upon a Principle cf 
 Confcience to Almighty God» And ndth Men of 
 any Tendernefs or common Senfe, their continual 
 great Sufferings in Prifon and Eftate, and their Pati¬ 
 ence under them, are a Demonftratibn, or there can 
 he none in the World. 
 
 Nor can their‘Perfecutors difprove them, unlcfs 
 they could fearch Hearts, and that is a little too far 
 for a Fallible Spirit to reach, and an Infallible One 
 they deny. So that the Apoftlc makes not the Here- 
 tick to lie upon the fide of Mif believing, or not co¬ 
 ming up to his Degree of Faith and Knowjedgs, but 
 upon the fide of Wilfully, Turbulently, Obftinately 
 and Self condemncdly maintaining inconfifting 
 Things with the Faith, Peace and Profperity of the 
 Church. 
 
 Granting us then not to be Obftmate and Self-con¬ 
 demned Diflenters (and you cannot reafonablc refufe 
 it us) how do you prove us Erroneous in the^ other 
 Part ? All Parties plead Scripture, and that for the 
 moft oppofite Principles ; The Scripture, you fay, 
 cannot determine the Senfe ofitfelfs it muft have 
 an Interpreter: he rnuft cither be FABihle or InfaUu 
 b'le; If the firft,we are worfc then before ♦, for men are 
 
 apt to be more confident, and yet are ftill upon as un¬ 
 certain 
 
(ziy) 
 
 certain Grounds. If the laft, this muft cither be an 
 external or an internal Judge if an externalj you 
 know whera you are without pointing 5 for there 
 ftands nothing between you and Popery m that Prin* 
 ciple. If 2kti internal Judge^ either it isour felvcs, 
 or the Spirit of Chrift dwelling in us 5 not our felvesj 
 for then the Rule is the Thing ruled, which cannot 
 be 5 and if it be the Spirit of Chrift Jefus (and the 
 Apart Ic tells us, That unlefs tve have the Spirit we are 
 nine ofchrifis) then is the Neck of Impofirion bro¬ 
 ken, and what haft thou to do to jedge me ? let me 
 ftand or fall to my own Mafter *, And upon this Foot 
 went Calvin^ Melanin on^ Bez,a abroad \ and 
 
 Craomery Ridleyi Hooper^Jewel^ Bradford^ fhilpot^^c, 
 at home, and as good Men, and conftant Martyrs in 
 Ages before them. 
 
 But rtippofe Confeientious Dirtenters as ill Men as 
 the Apoftle delcribes an Heretick to be 5 what is the 
 Pukilhment ? this is clofe to the Point 5 ftand it. 
 
 ^'lly^ A Manihit is an Heretick after the ^rjl and 
 fccond Admonition^ rejeil ^ that is, deny his Commu. 
 nion, declare he is none of you, condemn his Procee¬ 
 dings by a publick cenfure among your felves. What 
 more can be ftrain’d by the fierceft Profecutors of 
 Men for Religion out of thefe words ? 
 
 But will'we be govern’d by the Rules of Holy 
 Writ ? have we any true Veneration for the Exhor¬ 
 tations and Injunftions therein? ihen let us foberly 
 Gosrtder, what the Apoftle PW advifes and recom¬ 
 mends to his beloved Timothy upon the prefent Occi- 
 
 E e fion. 
 
( -i’S) 
 
 fion, and I dare prcraife an Erd to Conttft and 
 2 Tim ’ Pcrfeeution for Religion. F/ec Tcuth- 
 22,13 Lttjls but fsllotv Rightecufntjs, Faith^ 
 
 2j. charity^ Peace^ mih them that caAonthe 
 
 Lori out of a fare Heartbut ftcUjJji and 
 unlearned ^eflions avoidknming that they do gender 
 
 STRIFES, And THE SERVANT OF THE LORD 
 MUST NOT STRIVE, but BE GENTLE UNTO ALL 
 MEN, APT TO TEACH, PATIENT, IN MEEKNESS 
 INSTRUCTING THOSE THAT OPPOSE themjelves, 
 if God feradventure rvillgive them Retentance to t^e ac- 
 knorohedgingof the Truth, 
 
 There is fuch a depth of VVifdom lodged in this 
 one Paffage, that I find difficulty toexprefs my felf 
 upon it, and yet I fhall with pleafure endeavour it. 
 Here is both Faith and Goveniinenr, Religion and 
 Duty, all that becomes us cowards God, our Bre¬ 
 thren, our Neighbours, yea, our Oppofers and E- 
 nemies. 
 
 ‘ Flee Youthful Lujls : that is, avoid Sin. turn away 
 from every Appearance of Evil, flee the Temptation 
 asfoonasthou feed it, left it enfaare thee; but fol¬ 
 low Righteoufnefs, Charity and Peace-, feek and 
 love Holincfs,and there will be Charity and Peace to 
 thy felf, and in thee to all men. For the Kingdom of 
 God ftands in Righteoufnefs, and Peace, and Jt yin 
 the holy Ghoft; not in Conteft abr nt Words, nor in 
 maintaining foolilh and unlearned Quefiions, fuch as 
 reach not the Soul,nor carry any force upon our Affe* 
 ftions, that learn not men to be better,to have niorc 
 fkty,^vertHe,gc0dnefsf)^t are mcer Notions and Specu¬ 
 lations, 
 
( 219 ) 
 
 lations, chat h we no influeace upon holy Living, or 
 tendency to the Regiment ©f our Pafliuns. Such Que- 
 ftions as the Curiofity or Wantonnefs of Men’s Wit 
 or rcftlefs Fancy are apt toftart under Pretence of 
 Divine Truth, and S JoUmc Myfteries *, thefe Nice¬ 
 ties, Conceits and Imigiiiations of Men (not bot¬ 
 tomed on the Revtlationof the eternal Spirit, but 
 humane Apprehenfion and Tradition) fuch Quefti. 
 ons avoid, meddle not with them; but next to 
 Youthful Lulls, flee them by all means ; for they 
 draw to Strife, to Heats, Animalities, Envy, Ha¬ 
 tred and Perfecution, which unbecome the Man of 
 God; for fays the Apoftle, He mufi not STRIVE, 
 hut he gentle unto all men^ apt to tCAch, fat tent (be their 
 R mk, Notion, Opinion or Faith what it will, he 
 muft not be fierce nor cenfori jus, much lefslhould 
 hepcrfecuteorcxciteC^/^rtodoitforhicn, no fuch 
 matter) be mujl he aft to teach and inform the Igno* 
 rant; and in cafe it fucceed not, he ought not to be 
 outraglous, or go about to whip'or club it into him ; 
 he mull be patient, that is, he mull not think to 
 bend things to his own Will or Time, but commit 
 his hoaelt Edeavours to God’s BlclCng, that can 
 ratfeof the Stones of the Street Children unto Abraham. 
 The Want of this Patience has been the Undoing of 
 all. 
 
 But feme will objeQ, O hut it is not Ignorance^ 'tis 
 Obflinacy and Ofpjition : Hardly judg’d, my Friend ; 
 but admit it were fo, beret's a Recife for the Malady 
 too, and that of the Apoftle’s preferibing. Obferve 
 the following words Jn MEEKNESS in(lrttil~ 
 ing thje thxt OPPOSE themfehes; if God fera^d- 
 
 E c 2 venture 
 
( zao) 
 
 I'CHture ^iviHgive them Ref entance, to the aekmwledghg 
 of the Truth, Then not Finings Plundering. Bea'ing^ 
 Stocking.^ jnlfrijoning^ Banijhing 2ii:d K/ldng tv cn OP- 
 POSERS therolelves for Religion 5 unlefs there is 
 a Way of doing thefe things with Gentlenefs, Pati¬ 
 ence andMcekoefsi which I confefs 1 , and I think 
 no Body elfe ever heard of. 
 
 But as the Apofile gives Timothy another Method 
 then is now uled by the Sons of Violence, for re¬ 
 claiming Oppofers, fo the Reafon of the Counfel 
 makes all other Wayes unlawful 5 viz. if Cod ferad- 
 'l enture mdgive them Refentance to the ecknowleagment 
 of the Truth. I would hereupon enter the Lift with 
 a Ferf.cator \ Is Repentance in my owm Pow er, or 
 is it in thine to give me^ the Apoftle fajes neither; 
 Tis God’s Gift aioi.e {if God fer advent are win give 
 themRefentanee.,(^c.) fincc Repentance then is in the 
 Cafe, and that God alone can give it, of w^hatufe 
 ■ are Violent Courfes,which never beget Repentance.? 
 on the contrary, they have rarely fail’d toraife Pre¬ 
 judice and beget Hardnefs. 
 
 But was this the Evangelical Rule and Pra^ice ? 
 Yes, that it was ; Oh then whence* c6mcs Impofiti- 
 on. Force, Cruelty, Spoil of Goods, Imprifon- 
 ments, Knockings, Beatings, Bruifings, Stockings, 
 Whippings, and Spilling of Blood for Religicn ? 
 What Church is that, who.% Offi-cers are fo far from 
 clothing the Naked, as'that they ftrip the Clothed; 
 from feeding the Hungry, that they take their Bread 
 from them, and thole poor Widows and helpiefs 
 Orphans too ; and fo remote from,vififiRP the Sick 
 and Imprifoned,that they drag away their Beds from 
 
 under 
 
under them, andcaft their Perfcns into Priionfor 
 Confcience fake ? Nay, they hal cd aw ay an Honeft 
 Man from a Meeting to Goal at Readings (a while 
 lince) not permitting him to TaKE LEAVE of his 
 poor Wife, nctvly delivered, and in a DYING 
 Condition, though flic much defined it, and liv’d 
 but^'uft by thcMecting houfe whence they took him. 
 In fine, what are they that for no other Caufe pafs 
 fuch Bre Aiful ExcummunicAtions^ as render the Ex¬ 
 communicants little better then OutUvaed Perfons, 
 jub^jeciing their Civile Naturdl Rights to their Pride, 
 Palliin, lotercft or Revenge, unlefs they will pur- 
 chafe their Enjoyment at the dear rate of giving their 
 own Confcienecs the Lye ? For w hat clfe can be the 
 Confequcnce of conforming to that I do not believe? 
 Is not this to deftroy fincere Men, and make and 
 fave Hypocrites < 
 
 Oh, that fuch as are concern’d would foberly cm- 
 fider if any Thing is fo Scandalous to True Religion 
 as FORCE. Who caa think that Evidence Good 
 that is extorted ? And what a Church is that, which 
 is made up of fuch Profelytes, cr that employes 
 fuch Means to make them < ’Tis bafe Coyn that 
 needs Impofition to make it current, but true Mcttal 
 palTeth for its own intrinfick value O where is that 
 Chri^Un Mecknefs, Patience and Forbearance ? How 
 many have been ruined, that were never exhorted, 
 and Excommunicated ticforethey were once admo* 
 nifhsd ? This is nottoferveGod, butWorjdfy In- 
 tcrefi: its q^iite contrary ro Chrift’s Counfcl and 
 Doftrine: He came to fave, and not to deftroy Na. 
 
 cure 
 
ttlre to mignihe his Grace. Yju pretend to hate . 
 y, C^/tz/Vs unconditional Reprobation, yetpraftife 
 it 5 If you fay no, Conformity is your Condition: 
 
 I anfwerj that its as unreafonabie to require an im- 
 pofiibilicy, as cruel to dami Men for not doing it 5 
 For as you fay, hu Do Irine makes G dtt command them 
 to refent^ that cannot repent^ and yet damn them if they 
 repent not j So yon injoynMea to relinquijh their pre'-ent 
 faith and fVorjhip^ and conform to yeurs^ vrhich is not 
 in their pow;r to do^ yet damn them in a temporal rejpecl 
 tf thy refafe it For you ma'te Inch an univoi Jable 
 Dilient, puailhable with the Deifru^lion of Mens 
 Liberties and Eifates. You had better leave off valu¬ 
 ing your lelves upon the Mercy andWell-natur'dnefs 
 ot that Tenet of the Q.iiverUl Love of God to iMaa 
 kind, till you love more then your (elves, and abo- 
 m.nate that the Chiirch of fh^uld be fuch an 
 
 Elect to the Civil Governnieni as utterly reprobates 
 the reft, as you pretend todettftihe like Injuftice 
 in J. C^/zz/Vs Notion of Elefiion and Reprobation. 
 
 And the Truth of it is, this helps on Atheifm as 
 much as any Enormity in the Land: when Witty 
 Mm, not willing to take Pains to exa nine after the 
 Truth and Excellency of Religion, behold Men that 
 call themfelvcs Chrift’s Minifters, and the Apoftles 
 Succeflbrs and Followers', to affedi and feek Govern¬ 
 ment, and yet twice deny it, when they go to reecivc 
 it: That lame others grow Lordly, live Voluptu- 
 oufly, and watch after the biggeft Preferments, not 
 being excited by moft Service for God, but Earthly 
 Po wer and Wealth for themfelvcs 5 and at the fame 
 
 Time 
 
( 22 ^) , 
 
 Time psrfecuting Men ofmorcSei.Cdicnyalj for Mats 
 ters of Opinion about Faith and Woribip toward- 
 God 5 Co ihzt to this Chuich, No Pro- 
 
 teliiofi fromtheStatc. Which among Prctejiants i% 
 
 , fo much tlie more unreafonabie. Pi-'jiy Bj-caufe they 
 by thefcCourfes implicitly own and alfumc the high- 
 eft Infallibility and Pcrfe£fion-,and yet deny any luch 
 Thing. For it fuppofes that nothing is Truer, no¬ 
 thing Perfc< 51 er^ or clfethey both perfccute Men 
 to embrace a Fallible, and Inperfe£l Religion, and 
 with cruel Penalties provide againft any t!'»ihg nscrs 
 true or Infallible, and the greatt fl: Injury to the 
 World that can be ; for it is a plain Endeavour to fru- 
 ftnte all ihofe excellent Prophecies and gracious Pro' 
 miles God has given, and the holy Scriptures declare 
 ot the latter Days, Secondly j It expoftr you to 
 
 the lalh and fcorn of the Pafifl unavoidably ^ for at 
 this rate you,that with reafon think it Ignorance and 
 Irreligion in the Pafifi to imagin himfclf dilchargcd 
 in God’s account,fey believing only as the Church be¬ 
 
 lieves, conceive your felves at the fame time juftified 
 by bel ic veing only as a few of your own Doctors, or elfc 
 as the State believes. But if the Church can¬ 
 not ufe force in Religion, for this reafon, bccaufe Die 
 cannot Infallibly determin to theConfcience v ithout 
 convincement, much lefscana few D^diorsorthe 
 Civil Authority ufe force w'here they can nuich lefs 
 judge, Unlcfs you would make them the Civil Ex¬ 
 ecutioners of your difpleafure that have no Civil 
 Power to give them fuch Commilfion; and to be fure 
 no Ecclefiaftical to any Force or Violcrce ab( ut Re¬ 
 ligion. For the Papifi by judging bis Principles, pu- 
 aiihes them that believes not as the Church believes, 
 
 thouah 
 
' ( 224 ) 
 
 thiugh Agxinfi Scripiarf the ProteJiAnt^'^ho teaches 
 every one to believe the Scripture, thmgh againjlthe 
 Church, psrfecuccs againft his own Principles, even 
 them tlu: in any particular f > believe, as he in Gcnc- 
 nl teaches them to believe. This is hard, but true 
 up an the Protefluat • for what is plainer then that he 
 atHiQis Thofe that accoidins to his own Do^irine be- 
 iieve and honour holy Scripture, but againft it wili 
 receive no hum me Interpretation thoughUniverfal? 
 Them^ I lay, who interpret Scripture to themfclvcs, 
 pfbich by hisPvfi,h'a none but they to themfeives cunlater' 
 fret •' Them^ that ufe the Scripture no otherwife, by 
 his own Doftrine, to their hdification, than he him- 
 lelf ufesit to their puniihing, and fo whom his Do¬ 
 ctrine acknowledges true Believers, his Difciplinc 
 perfecutes as Heretic ks. 
 
 To fum up al’ at tnis time ^ If we muft believe as 
 C<ef*r appoints,why nor then as theChurch believes ? 
 But if not as either tvUhout Comincement^ pray how ’ 
 can force be lawful ? Ltt me recommend one Book to 
 vou, thatof Right chims a place i h you, and that 
 is Bifbop TuyUr's of L '^e’^ty of Prophecy, never anfwcr'd 
 that I nave heard of, and I have reafon to believe nc* 
 ver will be attempted ^ for indeed it is Unanfwer- 
 able. That was the Judgment of a Bilhop under 
 Perfecution,! could be glad if it might be the pra<fticc 
 of Biftrops in their power; I may fay the fame of 
 "fiHoifo/Zs foberand feafonabic difeourfe before the 
 Commons on the fifth of November, And the 
 truth is, I am the more earneft with you at this time, 
 becaufe I find thatGod dailj Iho ws us he ha gvtztgood 
 VfiU to poor EugUnd, O why Ihould we drive him 
 
 from 
 
Ci2s) . 
 
 from us by our difobedknee to hiiii, dsd bur Severi¬ 
 ties to one another. He has lately put a price into 
 our hands, and continues to prove his Favours upon 
 us •, all depends upon a fincerc Relbrnration and our 
 pcrfeverarce therein. 
 
 To givcTeSiraony cf this •, let m with our whole 
 Hfurts turn to kee^ his holy Law , and let us but 
 
 be jealous of his Glory by pu/Aflji/sg Vice.^ and ihenlbif’g 
 p^irtue^ and sve may allure* G‘urfclvcs ne will intereit 
 himfelfin our fafety. Of this vve cannot doubt, for 
 he who has begun to do it under our Difobedi- 
 ence, will not defert us in our finccrc Repentaucci 
 And as this is our Duty to God, without which we 
 
 vainly hope for deliverance,I’o is there a duty wc owe 
 to one anc thcr, that is the nextRequifue toourPie- 
 fervation. 
 
 Let all /ffeeities be avoided, Nick-Names hrhid- 
 den, and the opprejfed Protejlant deliver’d- Receive 
 • the noble Principle of Liberty ofcenjcience, on which 
 the Reformaiicn rile : For in vain do we hope to be deli¬ 
 ver'd Papifts, till we deliver eur felves from^- 
 pery. 'WdsCoerticnu^oviConfcience^ Perfecution 
 for Religion are that part of Popery^ which i* mod juft- 
 ly hated and fear’d: And if we either fear or bate 
 Popery iot its Cbt'>iodxSj\ [hallwepraclife the CRUELTY 
 we fear or bate it for ? God forbid : this were tiic way 
 to be deferted of God,and left to their Cruelty. The 
 fame Sins will ever fix the fame Odium, and find the 
 fame Punilhment w'here-ever they are. If they burnt 
 your Anceftors, don’t you flrip and farve your Bre¬ 
 thren. Remember the many Thoufands now perfe- 
 cuted in this Kingdom fbr the fa&c of theif tender and 
 
 F f ' ■ very 
 
( 2 id } 
 
 very peaceable Confcicnces 5 HushAnis are Hnn/tiurAL 
 iy fef ardted from their mves\ And Parentt from their 
 childreny their Corn^ (^Attel And Houjhould finff fwepi 
 Avay^ perhaps At the InfigAtioupf Jome letrd and indU 
 gent informer) or to pleafe the maiicn of an ill di[pos’d 
 Neighhour. la the tricaa time many, oiicc fufficient, 
 arc cxpQs’d to Charity, the fruits of their honeft La- 
 b3ur and Bread of tHcir Children being now-made 
 the Forfeiture of thsirConfciencs. 
 
 Friends and C .^uncry, men, there is deep Dofirine 
 'n this prefent Providence, examine it well, that )ou 
 may reap the beaeHt of it: And among the reft, ict 
 me tell you, this is notthe.Ieaft part of it, that ^od is 
 (hewing you Mercy, that you may fhew Mercy^ and 
 has awaken’d you at the brink of the Pit, that you may 
 help your Brethren out of it. Be wife and confiderate, 
 ’twill be much your own fault if you are not happy. 
 And truly I have no manner of fcruple, but God wdll 
 preferve us, if w will notcaft aw'ay our felves. For 
 our own SinsmA Fo/ly c^ti only direcl tht hand that 
 . feeksto Stab us; and flnll w© make it fuccesful to 
 ©ur own ruin ? Let tu therefore turn away from all Im¬ 
 piety I, let the Mdgijlracy dijeourage and puaifj itand 
 iet US forbearj andlove one another. If we begin with 
 God, v/c ihill end with God, that is, with Saccefs ^ 
 Elfc be allured, we {ball only inherit the Wind ©f our 
 ow'n Invention, and be deferted cf him, then, when 
 ws (hill moll want him. 
 
 la Hiort, reverence the prefent providence -, though 
 your Lives have not deferv’d it, let your Livcb now 
 be grateful, and not abufe it. Purfue your advan¬ 
 tages throughly, but wifely; be as temperate as zca- 
 
 iotis, 
 
( 227 ) 
 
 lous, and to your EnemieSj as generous as juft; In- 
 fuk not over ill men for the fake of their ill Principles, 
 but pity their unhappinefs, whilk you abhor the 
 caul’eof itj let them lee that you had rather inform 
 then dellroy them, & take more plcafurc in their Con- 
 verfion, then your own Revenge. This will be the 
 greateft confutation uponthera, that they Le taught 
 the Goo.dnefs of your Religion by the mildnefs of it, 
 and by its mercy, the Cruelty of their own. ' The 
 Indian Au^PAliba rejeQ:cd the Romijh bscaufe 
 
 oi t\\Q spAmjh whence Itw^as ufual with 
 
 thofe poor AmertCAns^ to defire they might not go to 
 HeAven if the Sfaniards west thither, i know 
 there be little Arts ufed to prevent Prote^Ant Unisn^ 
 and that in a Prttefixnt Guifej and ’tis a 'tricky not 
 ofyefterday, to put one Party of upon de¬ 
 
 vouring four or five, that both the ProteflAnt Church 
 may have the Odium of EAting or Devouring her own 
 ChildrtnjC^that another Interefi behind. theUangings may 
 find the more cafie and creditable accefs to the Chair: 
 ’Tis the Men of thisStrain^jthough under dirguire,that 
 now feck to diftraO; you, and to effect it the better, 
 old Stories muff be had up, AUs of Olivion violated^ 
 the dead difiurb'dj their Tombs rifl'd and they hal’d out 
 of their Graves to receive A nevo Sentence ^ That Con« 
 demning the Living of that intereft by the Dead^ they 
 might be deferted of thofe, that to fay w e cannot be 
 fafe without them. 
 
 If anything Sober and Judicious be propos’d for 
 allaying Afperities, accomodating Differences, and 
 fecuring toand Peopled, juft and legal Union cf 
 Intereft as our Government requires, we muft pre- 
 fently be told of 41. aHd42. as if there were a fort of 
 
 F f 2 AV', 
 
( 22 , 8 ) 
 
 ^tcromiftcy in th® aucnbers, or that the naming of 
 thofe Figures flong fiace midt Cyphers by znA.i of 
 Oblivhn) hath power enough toZ-e^ the active and ge-^ 
 n,crous Spirits of our times ; but they will find them- 
 felves miftaken in their Art, and-^that things as 
 well as limes are chang'd 5 the Mask is and he 
 that runs may read. 
 
 Mea in their Pleas and Endeavours for Truth, 
 Juftice and Sincere Religion will not be Over-born or 
 iftagger’d by fuch ftale and trifling Reflections, rarely 
 ufed of late but to palliate wretched Defigns, ordil- 
 credit good ones, with men of weak Judgments, 
 though perhaps of loyal Principles. 
 
 I befeech you,let us not be unskilful'm thefc Tricks, 
 that we may not be miftaken or abufed by them; I 
 cannot tell a time in which the Minds of all forts of 
 Protefiants have been fo powerfully and unanimoufly 
 engag’d to endeavour a good Underftanding between 
 the King and People 5 And as I am fure it was never 
 more needed, fo let me fay no Age hath put a richer 
 Price into the Hands of Men, or yielded a fairer Oc. 
 cafion to fix an happy and lafting Union upon: in 
 order to which let me prevail with yoa, that wc may 
 ftudy to improve this great Principle as the neceflary 
 means to it, viz. That Cod*s Providence and tut even 
 Conjlitution have made the Intertji of Prince and People 
 O N B and that their Peace and Great.^efs lie in a moji 
 indujlro!.^'! and impartial Profecutionof it. 
 
 Thofe that teach other Doctrine, zsthat the Prinoe 
 hath an Interejl apart from the Good and Safety of the 
 People^ arc the folc men that get by it, and therefore 
 find themfelves oblig’d to fudy ihew mifunderjktnd- 
 
(i^9) 
 
 i/tg becaufe they only are difappointcd andinfecured 
 by their Union. 
 
 Experience truly tells us, that fuch Pcrfons have 
 another Iiitcreft than that which leads to acommoa 
 Good_, and arc often but too artificiat in interefiing 
 Frinces in the fuccefs of it*, but prudent and generous 
 Frinces have ever feen that it is neither fafc nor juft 5 
 and that no Kingdom can be govern’d with true 
 Glory and Succefa, but there where the Inttrefi of the . 
 Cover sour is one with that of the Qoverned, and where 
 there is the ftricceft Care to ftcer all Tranfaetions of 
 State hy the Funiamentalsj tr frfi and great Principles of 
 their own ConfitutioWj efpccially fince fwerving from 
 them hath al wayes made way for Confufion and Mi- 
 fery in Governrsnent. Our own Storks are almoft 
 every where vext by this Neglect, 
 
 To Conclude,and fumup the whole Difcourle 5 If 
 you will both cure prefent, and prevent future Grie¬ 
 vances, it will greatly behove us to take a moft deli¬ 
 berate and unbyafs’d View of the prefent ftate of 
 Things, with their proper Caufes and Tendencies. 
 Let us confront our Ecclefiaftical Matters with the 
 plain Text and Letter of Holy Scripture ; this is 
 P ROTESTji nT: and let us compare our civil 
 Tranfaetions with the antient Laws and Statutes of 
 the Realm*, this is ENGLISH. And I do hum¬ 
 bly and heartily befcechAl mighty God, that he 
 would fo difpofe the Hearts of Prince and People, as 
 that now Foundations may be laid for a Juft and Lad¬ 
 ing T ranquility to thefe Nations. 
 
('230 ) 
 
 Of the CAUSE S of 
 
 PERSEC UTION 
 
 0 
 
 vT Impute all Pcrfecution for Religion to thefc Se- 
 ■J^ ven infuing Caufcs, though properly fpeaking, 
 there is but one Original Caufc of this and that 
 is the Devil, as there is but one Original Caufe of 
 Good, and that is Ced, 
 
 The firft Caufe of Pcrfecution is this, That the Au¬ 
 thors and lifers ef it have little er no Religion at Heart, 
 they art not fubje£f to the ground and firft Caufe of 
 true Religion in their otvn Souls; For it is the part of 
 true Religion to humble the Mind, break the Heart, 
 and [often ibe Alfefl:ion ; Tohim^O God I wilt thou have 
 regard, faid one of Old, who Uef a broken Heart, and 
 A contrite Sprit, and that trembles at thy word *, not one 
 that breaks Pates and plunders Goods for Religion. Blef- 
 fed are they that Mourn, faid Chrift, they ftiall be 
 comforted ^ not thofe that feS jofeph, and make Merty. 
 BlefTed arc the poor in Spirit, far theirs is the King¬ 
 dom of God } thofe that are low in their own Byes j not 
 
 fuch 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 t 
 
0 ^ 3 1 J 
 
 fuck ju divtuf i»d ddmn dithut themfelvis, Blefled arc 
 the meek, for they (hall inherit the Earth 5 fuck ds are 
 geatUi dhd ready to helf^ and net Tyranni&e oyer Neigh- 
 hoiin. Bleijed are the Merciful^ for they (hail obtain 
 Mercy; H'hat then jbali become of th&j^e that are Cruef 
 under pretence of doinglt for Gods fake, Biclfed are the 
 Peacc'fmakers, for they fliall be called the Children 
 of God ^ then Difurhers and Dejlroyers of their peace¬ 
 able Neighbours JhaB not be called fo, Blchcd are they 
 that hunger and thirft after Righteournefs, for they 
 (hall be filled; but not thofe that hunger and thirfi after 
 our Corn and Cattel^ Houfes and Land for Confcience 
 fake. And Blefled are you, fays Chrift, when Mcrt 
 fhall Revile and Perfecute you, ejrc. then not thofe that 
 Revile and Perfecute others,^ and thofe Sober and Harm- 
 lef: not one sUjfingto this Confcience-hunting Vobirint 
 and Pra^ict^ that devour the Widow ani^Orphant for Re¬ 
 ligion. Were men inwardly and truly Religious,they 
 would have that low Opinion of thcmfcives, that 
 tender regard to mankind, that awe of Almighty 
 God, that none of rhefe froward Paflions would have 
 any fway withtliem. But the mifehief is, unmorti¬ 
 fied PafJloHs pretend to Religion,^ a Proud, Impatient, 
 Arrogant mind would promote it, then which, no¬ 
 thing of Man is more remote from it, and miftaking 
 the Niture of Chrift’s peaceable Religion, nhich, if 
 the Ap jftle fames fay true, is to vifit the T&therlef and 
 WideW^ and keep our felves unfpotted of the World. They ' 
 ‘ turn Widow and Fatherlefs out of Houfe and Home, 
 
 . and fpot themfclves with the Cruelty and Injuftice of 
 nfurpin'g their poor pitreraony, the Bread of their 
 Lives, and Sfaftenanoif of theii Natures •, fuck tneh 
 
C ^ , . 4 
 
 as thefc are devoid of natural AfftclioH, their Reliei* 
 on has no Bawds,-or they arc withoiut Mercy in the 
 Profellion of it; which is the quite contrary to true 
 Reiigion, ihzt mitkes tu love Enemies^ do -^oadte them 
 that hate us, ajtd kindly entreat thofe that deflight fully 
 ufe us : and fo much ftronger, in Souls truly Religi¬ 
 ous, is the power of Love to Mankind then any Self- 
 revenging PaiTion, that from an humble and ferious 
 rcfleciion upc-n the Mercies and Goodnefs of Gcd to 
 them, tliey do not only fupprefs any tiling of Heart 
 agiinft their Ptrllcutors (much more againlt peace¬ 
 able Diifcnter5)but with much fufinefs &charii y com- 
 miferate their Ignorance and Fury ^ offering to in¬ 
 form them, and, praying that they may bciorgiven- 
 This is to be Religious,and therefore thofc that Perfe** 
 c utc for Religion are Irreliguw, 
 
 a<;^/r,The next Caufc of Pcrfccutior,is the grofsbnt 
 general Miftake w'hich People are.under concerning 
 the Nature of the C kurch 8c Kingdom of Chrift, fe'r the 
 lamentable Worldlincfs of mens minds hath put 
 them upon tbofe Carnal Conflructions, which have 
 . made way for all the external Coerfion and Violence 
 ufed by bad, and fuller’d by good Men on the fcore of 
 Religion from the beginning. And 40 wonder if or¬ 
 dinary Perfons tumble upon this Conftruction, when 
 the Difciplesof Jefus (hcw’dthemfelves fo ill read in 
 the Myftericsof his Kingdom, that after all the Inti* 
 raacy they had had with him, they refrain’d not to 
 ask, when fhaSthe Kinfdcm be refered to Ifrael. They 
 look’t abroad, had a Worldly idea in their minds 5 
 5 *^rfv*.Iike they warred for external Deliverance from 
 
( ^ 33 ) 
 
 the Power of the Rom^ms^ rather then an Internal Sal¬ 
 vation from the Dominion of and interpreted 
 
 that to Worldly lofs and freedom which did relate to 
 the lofs and Redemption of the Soulj but Jefus 
 taught them better things 5 yet fo, as not to deny or 
 flatly difeourage and rebuke them 5 that (though 
 true) might have been more then they could have 
 boruy therefore' he winds off with them upon the 
 Time and the Sexfon of the thing, knowing that the 
 Time was at hand, that they fhould be better taught 
 and fads fled of the nature of his Kingdom, unto 
 which he referred them. Whs^ the Spirit 
 ef Truth comes y it jhalllesdyou into uUTruth^ 
 
 &c. 
 
 That the Kingdom of Chrift is not of this World, 
 has been before obferved, and the Reafon isTo great, 
 that all men of common Senfemuft allow it upon 
 Chrift’s Principle j for fays he, then muU my Ser- 
 •V4nts fghtformey truly implying, that becaufc the 
 Kingdoms of this World are evidently fet up and 
 maintained by Worldly Force, and that he will have 
 no Worldly Force ufed in the Bufinefs of his King¬ 
 dom, therefore it is not of this World. Confe- 
 queatly, thofe that attempt to fet up his Kingdom 
 by Worldly Force, or make that their Pretence to 
 ufij it, arc none of his Servants ^ they are truly bat 
 Men of this World ; fuch as feck an Earthly, and 
 not an Heavenly Kingdom ; themfelves, and not 
 Chrift Jefus. Where by the way let me obferve, 
 That though the to engage FiUte the more 
 
 eafily to their fide, impeach't of being an Enc 
 my to C-^/ir, they were Enemies, and He a Friend to 
 
 Gg C^jer: 
 
 / 
 
( 134 ) 
 
 C^/^r: for he came to reform the Lives of tMen, t® 
 mak* them better Subje<5ls, to obey c^far, not for 
 Fear, but for Confcience Jah (,fo would C^Jafs Pro-; 
 vincchavc been eafie and ftife.) But the Javs would 
 have had him C^f/irs Enemy., one that ihould have 
 fercibly rescued tbtm fromCxdrs Fewerthey waited 
 for a Captain General to begin the Revof^ and with an 
 high Hand to over- bear and captive Carfar, ns he had done 
 them : and ’tis more than probable^ that his Appear* 
 ance being to another End, they therefore rejedied 
 him, their Heart being fet upon this. 
 
 . But to return; Chjift told his Difciples, he 
 hadchofn them cut of the World \ how ? not tocon- 
 verfe or live bodily in it ? no fuch matter: but he 
 had chofen or fngUd them from the Nature^ Spirit, Glc* 
 ry. Policy and Pomp of this World. How Perfons fo 
 
 qualified can make a Worldly Church or Kingdom, 
 unlcfs they defert Chrift*s DoiJrine, is paft my Skill' 
 to tell. So that the Capacity that Ghrillians ftand 
 in to Chrift is Spirituahvand not Worldly Or Carnal v 
 and therefore not Carnal or Worldly, bur Spiritual 
 Methods and Weapons only arc to be ufed to inform- 
 or reclaim fuch as are Ignorant or Difobedient. And 
 if We will give Antient Story credit^; we IhaM find 
 that Worldly Weapons were never employed bytfie 
 Chriftian Church till ihc becameffVr/i^jand fo ceaft 
 lObetruly Chriftiaa. 
 
 But whyfhould I fiy the Church ftfie moftabu- 
 ftd word in the World) her Leaders havte taught her 
 to erf, and that of believing as tihe C^reh believes., is 
 fo far from being true in point of Faith rfs well ai 
 Reafon, that the Church her felf h n, ever believed as 
 
 the 
 
(235v> 
 
 the clergy (that is_, the believed^ f me that fort 
 
 of Men hA've prabfifed Dijlincfien from and Superiority 
 upon the Laity. He that will perui'c the Ecclefiaftical 
 Story delivered us by Eufebius Pamphilj^ Socrates 
 Stcholafiictts^ Evagriou^ Ruffinus.^ Sescomettf &c, will 
 fir!(d but too many and fad Inftanccs of th® Truth of 
 this. 
 
 In (hort •, Peoples apprehending the Church and 
 Kingdom of Chnft to be yifible and Worldly, like 
 other Societies and Government, have thought it 
 not only to be Lawful but NccelTary to ufe the Arts 
 asd Force of this World to fupport that Church and 
 Kingdom, crpecially fince this intereft of Religion 
 hath been embodied with that of the Civil Magifirate 5 
 for from that time he hath been made Cufios utriufq'^ 
 tabuU^ and fuch as effend, though about Church 
 Matters, have becB reputed Tranlgreflbrs againft the 
 State^ and confequently the State intcrefted in punifli 
 ing the Offence. Whereas had chrifiians remain’d in 
 their primitive Simplicity and Purity, in the Self- 
 denying, Patient and Suffering Doffrinc of Chrijl^ 
 Ghriftianity hadftoed in Holy Living, not in World¬ 
 ly Regiment • and its Compulfion would have been 
 Love •, its Arms, Rcafon and Truth 5 and i(ts utmoft 
 Rigour, even to obftinate Enemies or Apoffates, but 
 Renoancing of their Communion, and that not till 
 much Forbearance had been ufed to them. 
 
 To fum up all; The Kingdoms of this World 
 ftand in outward Redily and Civil Matters, and here 
 the Laws and Power of Men retch and are effeftual. 
 But the Kingdom and Church of Chrift, that is cho- 
 fen out of the World, ftandsnot in Bodily Exercife 
 
 Gg 2 fwhich 
 
. . . . 
 
 (which the Apodle fays profits little) nor in Tknci 
 nor Places, but in Faith and that Worfnip which 
 Chrift tells us is in Spirit and in Truths to this no 
 Worldly Compulfisa can bring or lorce men, *tis 
 only the Power of that King of Righteoulhcfs, whofe 
 Kingdom is ia the Minds and Souls of the Juft, and 
 he rules by the Law of his own free Spirit, which like 
 the Wind, Blorveth where it lifieth : And as without 
 this Spirit of Regeneration no man can be made a 
 Member of Chrilfs Church or Kingdom, Co neither 
 is it in the Power of Man to command or give it, and 
 confequently all Worldly force employ’d to make 
 men Members of Chrifts Charch and Kingdom is qu- 
 hatural and ifieffeclual, I could be very large upon 
 this point, for’tis very fruitful, and fomuch the caufc 
 of Perfeeution, that if there were never another to 
 beadign’d, this were enough ^ for upon due confidc- 
 ration it muft needs meet with every mins Judgment 
 arid Experience. I will here add the fenfe of memo, 
 rablc /f^/es of B-Aten upon this fubjeQ:. 
 
 ' ^ 
 
 * When our Sat iour in the A^s after his Refur- 
 
 * rcilicn w'as Difeourfing to his Difciples concerning 
 
 • ^ the Kingdom of God, they 
 J. Hales GoldenEfays, ‘ prcfently brake forth intoithis 
 
 in his Sermon upon ‘ O^ieftion, Wilt thott n»rp re- 
 
 iV F^§* ^tre the Kingdom u»t9 \Cxz.t\? 
 
 ‘ Certainly this C^eftion bc- 
 ‘ trays their Ignorancetheir thoughts ftill ran upon 
 ‘ a Kingdom like unto the Kingdoms of the World, 
 
 * notwithftanding they had To long and fo often heard 
 ‘ cur Saviour to the contrary : Our Saviour therefore- 
 
 ‘ fliortly 
 
<*J7) 
 
 * fliortly takes them up, Ntneft vefirum. • your Que- 
 ‘ftion is nothing to the purpofe^' the Kirjgdom that 
 ‘ I have fpokea of is another manner of Kingdcm, 
 ‘ then yoa conceive. Sixteen hanBrcd Years, et cfuotL 
 
 * excurrity hath the Gofpel been preached unto the 
 ‘ World, and is this ftain fpunged out yet c' I doubt 
 ‘ it; Whence ai ifc thoie novel and late Difputes, ae 
 ‘ w/if Ecelcf^^of the notes and vifibility of the Church. 
 
 * Is it not from hence they of R$me take the Wcrld 
 
 ‘ and the Church to be like and Sc^x \n fUu* 
 
 ‘//w his Comedies, folike one another, that one of 
 ‘ them rauft wear a Toy in his Cap, that fo the Spe- 
 ‘dators may diftinguiih them 5 whence cemes it that 
 ‘they ftand fo much upon St Ate and Ceremony in the 
 
 * Church ? Is it not from hence, that they think the 
 ‘ Church muft come in Wiz^AgrifyA and Bernice in the 
 ^ Acis fA'O'ct <i>c./,ccrici{y as Sf. Zftfe fpeaks, ..with^a 
 ^great deal «f Pefn^y and Train, and .Shew, and Va- 
 
 * nity; arid that the Service of God doth, neccflarily 
 
 * require this noife and tumult of outward State and 
 
 * Ceremony ? Whence comes it, that we are at our 
 'Wits ends, when wc fee Pcrfecution, and Sword, 
 ' and Fire to rage againfl the. true ProfefTors of th« 
 ‘ Gofpel ^ is it not becaufe, as thefe brings Ruis and 
 ‘ Delolation upon the Kingdoms of the Worlds 
 ‘ fo wc fu ppo/e they work no other effeO: in the King- 
 'dom of Chrfff ^ all thefe Conceits, and many more 
 'of the like Nature, fpringout of do ether Foun- 
 ‘ taia then that old inveterate Error which is fo hard- 
 
 ’ ly wiped out of our Hearts ; That the S/ 4 te of the 
 church and Kingdom of Chrift doth hold fome fre- 
 0 mc /ikenefs mtk the’^4/^ and managing 
 
 ‘of 
 
V 
 
 ‘(23S-^ 
 
 * tfiitptral Km£<bmf: Whfrefca'e to fJlucb out 6f 
 
 OUT HczTtS^ffpfHto^tm tumhfitamy tarn vetufitm^ a 
 ‘‘Conceit fo anticqt,ifo deeply roeted in us, ourSavi- 
 ouffpake moft excdlleKtly, moft pertinently, and 
 ‘ moft fully, when he tells usy that his Churth^ -tlxat 
 ‘ fis Kingdom is not of this tv or Id. 
 
 ‘In which Word of his, there is contained the true 
 
 • ‘art of difeovering and knowing the true Nature and 
 ' ‘ Eflence of the chursh. For as they w bich make Stn^ 
 
 ‘ tues^ cut and pare aw^ay all SupGifiuities'of the mat- 
 ‘ ter upon u hich they work^fo our Saviour, to Ihw us 
 
 • ‘ the true proportion and feat ire of the prunes 
 
 ‘ away the World andall fuperfluous Excrefccntics and 
 ‘ fends her to be .feen, as he did cur firft Rareots in Pa* 
 
 ‘ radife^ftark naked : As thofe £/<^m in the Afrocry^l 
 ‘ Story of Sufanna, when they would fee her Beauty, 
 
 ‘ commanded to.take, oif.her Mask : So he that lengjs 
 ‘ to fee the-Beauty of the Churchy muft pull off that 
 ‘ Mask of the tVerldtnd outward Ihcv*'.' For as Juda 
 ‘in the Book of Gene (is y when ThAmarht Vail’d by 
 ‘ the Way-fidc knew not his Daughter from an 
 ‘Where: So whiift the cA«rrA, the Daughter and, 
 
 * ‘ Spoilfe of Chrift fits vail’d with (he worlds and Pontp 
 ‘ and shewy it will be an hard matter to difeern her 
 ‘ from an Harlot, But yet further, to make the dif- 
 ‘ fercnce betwixt thefe-Kingdoms the more plainly to 
 ‘ appear, and fo better to fix in your iMcniorics, I wRl 
 ‘ briefly touch feme of thefs Heads, in which they 
 ‘ are moft notorioufly differenced. 
 
 ‘ The firft Head wherein the Difference is feen, arc ; 
 ‘the Perfons and Subjects of this Kingdom; F^r as ! 
 ‘ the Kingdom of Chri^ u not of this tvarldy So thc. 5 y^- [ 
 
 je'ifs : 
 
 ) 
 
 I 
 
( 239 ) 
 
 ^jclts 01 mii Kingdtm znt Men or gnciherwcrUy zrA 
 ‘ not erf this. Every one of us bears a double Per. 
 ‘ (bn, and accordingly is tht Suhjelf ofa double King- 
 ‘^dom : The Holy Ghoft by the Pfalmift divides 
 ‘ Heaven and Earth betv^ ixtGod and M^n^ and tells 
 ‘ us, as for God, He is in HeAvetty but the Earth has he 
 ‘given to the Children ef Hen : So hath the fame Spi- 
 ‘ rit by the Apoftle St. divided evefy one of our 
 ‘ PcFfo.ns into Heaves and Earth_> into an outward 
 ‘ and earthly Man, and ipito an inward and heavenly 
 ‘ Man ; This Earthy that is, this Body of Clay hath 
 ' he given tothe of Men^ to the Princes undtr 
 *whofe Government we livc^ but Heaven^ thzt 'iSi 
 
 * the and fpiritual Man y hath he refirved unto 
 ^^imfelf: They can fc ft rain the outward Man^ and 
 ‘ moderate oxsx outward ABions hy Edicts znd Eaws^ 
 ‘they canty c o\ix Bands and our Tongftes iSa fe 
 
 * jaBat in aula t/£ol/sj : Thus far they can go,and when 
 
 * they arc gone thus far, they can go no farther : But 
 ‘ to rule the inward iu our Hearts and Souls y \o 
 ‘ fee up an Imperial Throne in our Underftaodings 
 ‘and Wills, this part of buf Government belongs 
 
 * to Cod and to ChriJ: Thefe are the Subjects, this 
 ‘the Government of his Kingdom *, Men maybe; 
 
 ‘ Kings of Earth and Bodies, but Chrift alone is the 
 ‘ King of Spirits.and Souls. Yet tlds inw^fd Govern- 
 '■ ment hath influe-nce upon our outwardABions For 
 ‘ the Authority of Kings over our outward Man is 
 ‘pot fo abfolute, butthat it fu^rs a great Reftraintj 
 ‘ jit rauft ftneteh no farth(5r fhep the Prjnce of our m- 
 ^ ward’ Man pleafes; for if fccular Prihccs ttretcli out 
 
(HO ) 
 
 ‘theSkirts of their Authority to command ought 
 ‘ by which pur Saals ar,e prejudiced the King of Souls 
 ‘hich in this cjfe gi^en us a greater. Command, Th^ 
 
 ^wsrither obey G&d ih^^ * ' - 
 
 ' 1 
 
 ^dly, A third great Caufe of Perfecution for Reli¬ 
 gion is this, me» jHAke. too.mAny things necejjary tf be 
 believed to SilvAti^n And'^CommuniQn. , Perfecutivn cii* 
 tred with Creed, waking t, for it fb falls out, that 
 thofe w ho diftinguilh the Tree in th-p bulk, cannot 
 w'ith the like cafe difeern every Branch or Leaf that 
 grow s upon it 5 and to fun out thejneceflary Articles 
 of Faith to every good ©r true thing that the Wit of 
 Man naay deduce from the Text, and fo too, as that 
 I ought to have i iiRinO: idea^cT ^fprehesifion of cvq- 
 ry one of them, and nauft run them over in my mind 
 as a Child w'ouldcon aLelTcn.by Heart, and that, as 
 ti e Creed of which 1 mull not mil's a tittle upon my 
 Salvation ; this I think to be a Temptation upon men 
 to fall into Difpute and Controveifie, and then we 
 are taught, by long Expericnce,,that he that has moft 
 Pow’cr, wiir cpprcfs.his QpibioiJ that is weaker,* 
 w hence cemes Pcrfecuriofi •, this puts Unity & Peace 
 too mjuch upon the Hazard. Marys Choice there- 
 ' fore was not oF-many things, bnt the »ne 
 
 ^ thing neveffjry^y as Chrift terms it, the Lord* 
 
 , oft he true Divinity •, and pray w'hat was 
 this one needful thing, but Chrijl Jefus himtelf^ and 
 her Faith,, Love and Obedience in and tv hint: here is 
 no pcrplextCrced to rubrcribe,no 5 ^A/w^ of Divinity 
 to change the Head W^ith, this One Needfttl thin^ was ^ 
 
 Marys 
 
( mO . 
 
 Choice & Blcffing; may itbe ourSjand I fliould 
 hope a quick End to ControvcrfieSjand c'onfequently 
 to Psrfecations. 
 
 * 
 
 AnotherCaufe of Perfecution, \sThefre- 
 judice of Education^ and thut Byafs TrAdition gives te 
 th fe men^ whohAve mt mAde their Religien the Religion 
 of their tfadgment : For fuch will forbid all the In^ 
 quiry, which might queftion the Weakncfs or Falf- 
 hoqdof their Rcligion_, and had rather be deceiv’d in 
 an honorable Decent, then be fo uncivil to the memo¬ 
 ry of his Anceftors, as to fe^k the Truth which found 
 muft reprove the Ignorance of their Ages; of this 
 (the vaincti of all Honours) they are extreara careful, 
 and at the very mention of anything, to them new 
 (though as old as Truth, and older then this World) 
 arc eafily urg’d into a Tempeft, and are not appeafed 
 but by a Sacrifice. This Ignorance and want of In- 
 quiry helps on Perfecution. 
 
 ^fh/y^ Another Reafon and that no fmall one, is 
 Self-love aad ImfAtiency of Men under contrsdiclion^ be 
 it out of Ignorance, that they are angry with what 
 they caanot refufe, or out of private Inteicfl, it mat¬ 
 ters not % their Opinion muft reign alone, they are 
 tenacious of their own fenfe and can’t indure to have 
 itqueftion’d, be there never fo much reafon for it 5 
 Men of thefe Paffions are yet to learn they arc Igno¬ 
 rant of Religion, by the want they have of Mortifi¬ 
 cation, fuch Perfons can eafily let go their hold c n 
 Charity, to lay Violent hands upon their Oppofers 5 
 if they h ave power, they rarely fail to ufe it fo •, not 
 
 Hh remembring 
 
( ^ 4 ^) ' j 
 
 remcmbring, that when ihey abfolv’d themfelves 
 from the ty<i of Love, Mecknefs and Patience, they 
 have abandon’d true Religian, and contend not for the 
 Faith once deliver’d to the Saints, (which flood there¬ 
 in) but for mcer Words. 
 
 It is here proud Flelh and a capricious Head that 
 difputesfbrReligion, and not an humble Heart, and 
 a divine frame of Spirit. Me» tbxt xre (tn^ry for God, 
 FAffiohiite far Chrifij tkut caS N^mes f$r Religion^ And 
 fling Stones and Perfeente for Faith, may tell us they 
 3.Ti$ chrifians if they will, but no body \ymuld know 
 them to be fuch by their Fruits, to be furc they arc no 
 ChriJliAns Chrift’s making. 
 
 I would to God chat the Difputants of our time did 
 tut coolly w’eigh the Irreligioufnefs of their own 
 for Religion, and fee if what they contend for 
 will quit the Coft, will countervail the Charge of de¬ 
 parting from Charity and making a Sacrifice of Peace 
 to gain their point; upon Co feafonable a reflection I 
 am confident they would find that they rather fl:ow 
 their l )ve to Opinion then Truth, and fcck Victory 
 more then Concord. 
 
 Could men be contented as he, whom thevcall 
 their Lord, was/<? declare their Meffagejand not Jirive 
 f^/r Prefelites, nor zrx for Conquejl, they would re¬ 
 commend all to the Confcicnce, and if it mufl: be fo, 
 patiently endure Contradiction too, andfo lay their 
 Religion, as he did his, not in Violence but Suffer¬ 
 ing 5 But I mufl freely profefs, and in duty and Con* 
 fcience I do it, that I cannot call that Religion, w’hich 
 is introduced againft the Laws of Love, Meekners & 
 'Friend ihip: Superfticion, Intcreft or Faction I may. 
 
 T here - 
 
There is a Zeal without Knowlcdgcj^ that is Supir- 
 JlHion 5 there is a Zsal agaiuft Knowledge, th.it is In¬ 
 ter efi or Fa tioA (the true flerefe-^) ihere is a Zeal with 
 Knowledge, that is Religion-!, therefore blind obe¬ 
 dience may berupcrrticion;,itcan’t be Religion rand if 
 you w ill vhevv theCountries of Crueltyjyou ihall find 
 them Supcrflitious rather then Religious. .Religion 
 is gentile, it makes onsn better, more Friendly, Lo¬ 
 ving and Patient then before. And the fuccefs, 
 ■which followed ChriJlUmty whilfl: the antient Profef- 
 fors of it betook themlelves to no other defence,plain- 
 ly proves both the force of thofe pafilve Arguments 
 above all corporal Panilhments, &that wemufi: never 
 hope for the fame Profperity till we fallint^ the fame 
 Methods, Are men impatient of having their conceits 
 own’d f they are then moR to be fufpected. Error 
 and SuperRition,like crachtTitles^tf^j/y fear to be toucht^ 
 And. run for Authority And number. Truth is plain and 
 ftedfaft, without Arts or Tricks, will you receive 
 her, well: if not, there is no compulfion. Bat pray 
 tell me, what is that defired Uniformity that has not 
 Unity? and that Unity, which has not Love, Mcck- 
 nefs and Patience in it c* I bcfcech you hear me, for 
 thofe men depart from the Spirit of chrijlianity., that 
 feek with Anger and Frowardnefs to promote it. Let 
 us not put fo nfiferable aChcat upon our fclvcs.nor af¬ 
 front uponC hr ifunity as to think, a mof gentle and 
 fat lent Religion tin be advanc'd by mof ungentle and im- 
 pAtieni Ifhould foouer fubrait to an humble op- 
 pofition then to the greatcR Zealot in the World, and 
 focnerdeiiv^er my felf up to him that would raodeft- 
 lydr. p a controverted Truth, then to fi'cb as feek 
 
 Hh 2 tempc'luoufly 
 
( f44) 
 
 icmpeftuoisfly to carry it^tbr even Error^bamfully and 
 pati'cntly detended endangers Truth in the manage* 
 ment ci impudent & hafiy Zeal ^ and gives to it that 
 Lnftre which only good Eyes can /ee from Gold.Alas/ 
 his for want of Confidering, that men don’t/cc, that 
 to diforder the mind in ControveiTie is a greater mif- 
 chief then to carry the point can be a benerit j in that 
 it is not to beReiigious to appreljend rightly,but to do 
 well ♦, the latter can fcarcely be without the former, 
 but the former ®ften is without the latter, which 
 brings me to my fixth Caufe of Perfecution. 
 
 6 Another,and that no fraall caufe of Ferjecution 
 
 is a mifapprehenlion of the word. Religion, For w'hen 
 cnce the Ignorance or Prejudice of men has perl’wa. 
 tied them to lay more weight upon their own Opinion 
 or D jjentof their Neighbours then in truth the thing 
 will bear, to excufc their Zeal or juftifie their Spleen, 
 they prcftntly heighten the difference to a new Keligi- 
 -fin • w hence we fo frequently hear of fuch refltdf ions 
 asthefe, new Go [pels and Fait ks^ upji art Religions and 
 Lights,, and w ith the liks Stare-crows amufe the Vul¬ 
 gar and render their owm defign of ruining hone ft 
 men the more practicable. But I would obviate this 
 mifehief ^ for a new Religion has a new Foundation,, and 
 Confequently where there is the fame Foundation., 
 there cannot be a new Religion, Now the Foundation 
 of the Religion is and that only is a- 
 
 nothcr Religion then the Chrijlian^ which profefTcs a- 
 nother Foundation, or corruptly adds to that Foun- 
 dation by adding other Mediators, and introducing a 
 new w'ay of Remiflion of Sin: Which cannot be faid 
 
 0 / 
 
, ( 145 ) 
 
 of the feveral forts of Pretefiants ? therefore for Pro- 
 . te^AtJts to reproach each other with new Religions and 
 Gofpels, and by their Indecent and Unchriftian beha¬ 
 viour to enflave their own Reckoning, and draw in¬ 
 to more difeord, is a Sin againft God, an Injury to 
 the common Caule of Protefl'ancy^ and to the Security 
 of the Civil Intcreft of that Country where ihc In¬ 
 habitants arc of that Religion, as well as a real In- 
 juftice to one another 5 for Pretepants don x. only agree 
 mt\\Q[ame Fundamentals ok Chnfii&mty^ but of Frcle- 
 fiancy too^ that is, in the reafons of Separation from 
 RomCj which indeed is chrtJUamty. Let not every 
 eircumftantial difference or Variety of Cultht Nick¬ 
 named * new Religion^ neither fuffer fo ill an ufe to be 
 made of fuch Diflents as to carry them beyond their 
 true bounds; for the meaning of thofc Arts of ill men, 
 is to fet the People further off from one another then 
 they really arc *, and to aggrevate Differences in 
 Judgment, to Contrariety in affeflion, and when 
 they have once infla'm’d them to Variance and Strife, 
 nothing can hinder Perfecation but want of Power, 
 which being never wanted by the ftrongeft fide, the 
 weakeft, though trueft, isopprefi, nothy Argu nent^ 
 but Worldly Weapons. 
 
 The feventk and lajl Caufe I (hall now' aff gn for 
 Perfecution is this, That Holy living is become no te^ a- 
 mong unlejs againfi the liver. The Tree was once 
 know'n by its Fruits, ’tis not fo now ; t/he better Li¬ 
 ver, the more dangerous, if not a Conformift .* this 
 has made way for Perfecution. There was a.time, 
 
 ♦wlien 
 
(hC) 
 
 whsn ViFtuc was Venerable and good Men admired, 
 that’s derided, and Opinion carries it. 
 
 He that can perfwade his Confcicnce to comply 
 with the times, be bt Vitiom^ KnAvijh, dteurdly^ Any 
 th'ingt, he is protected, perhaps preferr’d. A Maiv 
 of Vv’ifdom, Sobriety and .Ability to ferv^c his King 
 and Country,//’ & Diffenterimwix be blown upon for a 
 fhinAtkk^ a man ol Faction, of difloyal Principles, 
 and what not. 
 
 Eewards And Pmi[bments Are the M^g^ltrates duty Afid 
 the Governments intereji And jupport. Rewards are 
 due to Virtue, Puniihmentsto Vice. Let us not mi- 
 flake nor mifcall things ; let Virtue be what it al. 
 wayes was in Government, goed Manners^ filer Li¬ 
 ving-, and Vice, ill MAnners and id Living, Reduce 
 all to this: let fuch goed Men have the Smiles and Re- 
 fpards, and fuch ill Men the Frervns and funifhments ef 
 the Government •, this ends Perfecution, and lays O* 
 pinion to deep. li! men will make no more advan¬ 
 tages by fich Conformity, nor good men no more 
 fuffer for want of it. 
 
 In fnort, As that Religious Sodfety deferves not 
 the Protection of the Civil, which is inconfiftcat 
 with the Safety of it 5 fo thofe Societies of Chrilli- 
 ansj that.arenot only not Deftructivc of the Civil 
 Government, but Lovers of it, ought by the Civil 
 Government to be fecured from Ruin. 
 
 God Almighty open our Underftandings, & pour 
 out the Spirit of thorow Reformation upon us, that 
 wc may be ail Confcicatioufly Difpos’d to feek and 
 ^ purfue 
 
. ( 147 ) 
 
 purfuc thofe things which make for Love, l^eaee and 
 Godlincfs, that it may be well with us both here and 
 forever. 
 
 per yet a little while, and the Wicked Jhall not be .* yea, thou (halt 
 diligently conftder hie place,and it Jhall not be'^but the MeekifliaS 
 inherit the Earth, and Jhall delight themfehes in abundance of 
 Teace. The Wicked PLOTTETH againfi the jHjly and 
 gnajheth u^ 9 n him with his Teeth ; the Lordfljall laagh at him ^ 
 for he fecth that his Day is comingy Pfal.37- 10,11,12,13. 
 
 The Judgment of King Jania &. King ChurUs 
 the firft about Pcrfecucion fer Religion. 
 
 X 7 T 7 E find it averted by King ']ames in his Speech to the 
 V V Parliament in the yean 609. whofaid, That it is a 
 ^ure Rale in Divinityy That God never loves to flant his Church 
 with Violence and Blood ; and furthermore faid, It n^as ufually 
 the Condition of Ckriftians to be Perfecuted^^^^t not to Pcriecute. 
 
 And we find the fame things in fubftance j^flTerted again by his 
 Son, King the firtt, inhis Book known by the Name 
 
 EIKON BA2IAT kYi? printed for asfolloweth* 
 
 Pag. 67. In his Prayer to God he faid, Thou feefi hot^ much 
 Cruelty amongji Chriftians is ailed under the colour of Religion 
 as if we cour'dnot Chriftians?, unlefsrre Crucifie one another, 
 
 Pag. 28. Makethem at length ferioujlyto confider yt hat nothing. 
 Violent 4 / 7 ^ Injurious, canbeReUgion, - 
 
 Pag. 70. Nor is it fo proper to hew out -Religiopu Reformations 
 by the Sy^ordy astQpolli[h them by fair Dilputations, 
 
 among thafe that are mofl concerved in the ^Differencesy whowy not 
 'Force hut Rea fan ought to convince. 
 
 Sure in Matters of Religion^ thofe Truths gain mefi upon mens 
 Judgments and GonfcienceSy which are Icafl urged with fecular 
 •ViokRce, which weakens Jruth With Trejudkes. 
 
fi48)'' '■ 
 
 Pag. 11 5. It being an Ojpce 7 iot only sf Hummity, rather t» 
 ufe Reafon than Force, bat alfo af Chriftianity uo ftek Peace and 
 enfue it. 
 
 ' Some Words of Advice from King Charles the 
 the then Prince of ^aUs^now King of En^land^ico. 
 
 < 
 
 t • 
 
 Pag. 165'. My Cchnfel (tnd Charge t&you Uj That yoHferioH[ly 
 ccnfder the former Real or Ob^eEled MifeUrriages^ which mighe 
 my Troublesy that you may avoid themy &c, 
 
 ^Beware of Exafpcrating any Factiony by the Crofnefs and A- 
 fperity of fome mens Paffions, Humours and private Opinions, 
 imployedby yoUj grounded only upon Differences in leffer mattersy 
 which are but the Skirts and Suburbs of Religiony wherein a than 
 ritable Connivance and C hriftian Toleration, often dijjipates their 
 Strengthy when rougher OppoftionfortifieSy and puts the Defpifed 
 andOppreffed Tarty into'fuch Combinationsy as may mofi enable 
 them to get a full Revenge on thofe they count their Perfecutors. 
 
 Pag. 166. Take heed that Outward Circumjiances and Format- 
 litiesvf Religion devour not aHa 
 
j ini 'mfdi 
 
 X sfnfjAZl \ 'Ai9C{t X fiCj l \ \ liri A Q^ftx Siqt it I 'nU9tUUA2{lOQl oi ] SSt d 
 
 •app jpwt? St ] liz A fwiX 6t \ > zz A *9fiA%x9at ^z\L z A '9fii(i9A x 
 gij >it d •^ui 0 punziz \ 6izA^’^icfvuojvxx ttsi x^\ \z\z A •fxst^pcidox^x 
 4< [ gotd ‘pJUAJjUOXX ZOzA pXpUQfUt X pfpnxtuf zz J l6l d *99ACjt X 
 9j9qt f I j'> 'f \ A'sni9iX()z\^%'i A tt n pup J 8 ^ 1 * ' ] 8 ^ ^ *uncf x 
 
 O S I -ADdO J A9,13 it 19^1 d • [PUojAsd X fi<Z19 t S { H I d *9XV3i Aof J ^ ^ I d 
 '};^3f9A J 3 z I o 1 d 'UHjj9jA9^ J Ez ^ -^9^1 ^xofsA^qt X 6 \ 6ii A 
 
 X lz]2^lA '9CitxC'dqtg\Li\A^'U33q9(ivcixzl l^ilA *poo^s3i^x\^z\ 
 ^ £ I d ‘sjqjJJodufi ipqt J g [ £ i d AnoiCx Apqi zi ] ® z i d . fut^xvdx ^utq^pOAd 
 
 z\ b X ^ d qrsd^spq i i [ lid ’Uo X ut Vz j Soi d *9$PiJdiqvxniu i i | Eg d 
 •qjiqcn. .t ^ [ tg d ‘ pxpjjtp x 91 1 ‘app 11 6 ^ d *Ano^Jo j ot | 34 d 
 
 •ffotuit iX9q pPCff I i I 'i)iJp ^izz\ ^9 d '^i^P W 1 ^ ^ c? J 
 
 •^qi xsiqt I n 9S d -cqcn x6 \z^A dumwip^ xo\\ 6 ^A *9apq x qtPq i i Ud 
 .^pp/o-i? -r-^x d 'jo •xqtiirt'^ '\ 'lz d -mpj ^x aitrj :^z '^J^qi x T 
 9 J 3 P *[‘9^ *d 'H •xsrc(i*oi'\ •t'l'd ’$pqt^^!^pj p^^^ *oi '8 
 
 . pasiny put 3jn3xg 
 
 k^xA udiT[a\ ^si^nrj^uioj p^uoijf d 30 Sunuud ui sapiriDyfTQ 
 
Difficulties in printing have occafion*d fome Faults, which pray 
 
 txcufc and Amend. 
 
 I • 
 
 P age S.linc iS.aftcr^/i/i/^add m frying, p 14 l. io. wof t U. p.i6. 1/ <, 
 thefe r tbo{c 1 . ly. Lavs r, Lawsl p. %y. 1 5 voltht of. p 1 ji o/dclc. 
 p.g ^ 1 1 bath T have, p 39 1 * o r Salamin p 5 ^ 1 9 r vsh., p 5 6 1 11 this r thy. 
 p* 5 }i 21 the dele. ] ^ 1 and r if not. p 7 8 1 20 r of your, p 79 11 dele. 1 16 
 r difeard all/^c, p 82 1 i -wbom 1 which, p 83 I i r mutableftate, p^io5 1 14 in* 
 X on. p 1 I 1 J 1 r heUeveth. p 11 8 1 2 preaching t Packing, p 110 I their r 
 your, p 13 I 8 r that impo{pbJe. p 13 3 1 14 f *^ges flood, p 134 1 3 ^ r have 
 been, p 3 3 7 1 6 they r fre- p 13 8 1 zy at the. p 1391 9 r therefore. 116 read 
 imbecsl. I'l 3r PerjeBicn. * p M o 1 18 r rejehd. p 143 I 14 rforpeace, p 15 3 I 
 32 civil r perfonaJ, p 156 1 1 3 ever rover. 1 30 r hurt, p 178 1 7 Pope r 
 judge, p 183 1 11 rfe dele- \ r andu it. p i 84 I 261/f/wr. p 1 85 1 
 r three, p i9i 1 “^.z intruded r intended p J02 1 4. r concerned, p 208 1 1 7 
 t Propha lers. p 11 2 1 16 r is It reafonahle. pa 19 1 if rundoing, p 215 I 18 
 receive r revive p veer true, p zzg\.%^ r laid y^^tii^and^ele. 
 
 p 13^ 1 10 r Goicrnmentf. 1 13 this r the. p 241 I n hie r their, laire/we r 
 f(jute. p 13 r imprudent, p 245 I 4 cnjlavexencreafr. 
 
 • a ■ ^ 
 
 the end. 
 

 C^f'i'yc^vp 
 
 0 mmu 
 
 I 
 
 
 \ 
 
I 
 
 I 
 
 f 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
 •\ r 
 
 \ 
 
 
 / 
 
 >