threatning it proceeds to acting so that you are punished then you will do wisely to consider whether the cause of suffering-will make it persecution He who is persecuted takes up Christs Cross and follows him he suffers not as an evil doer It is saâ—d to pull upon 1 Pet. 4. 15 our selves self-created Crosses It is saâ—d to bear the Cross and not follow Christ If our Cross is Christs we then suffer for the same cause to bear witness to the truth In the same manner patiently charitably thankfully and for the same end as Christ to take away sin so we to further mortification and be stir'd to repentance How loudly do the Papists cry out of persecution when they are punished and do you think justly How do the Quakers glory much of their persecution for Christ yea and the Donatists and Priscilianists of old have defended their Heresies to death which they counted Martyrdom and Persecution yea the most of men molested for their opinions do the like all thinking they suffer for Christ for righteousness sake and so conclude they are persecuted It is good when we suffer to see for what it is that we suffer and so should it be as you fear or fancy for your Meetings Then consider seriously and conscionably whether in so doing you do well or ill or not well Authority languisheth where it is not feared But if you do well fear no persecution Scripture assuring us that Rulers are not a terror to good works that is works the effect for the cause but to evil works To understand Rom. 13. 3 4. what are good or evil works we are to know that works are so Theologically taken so a good work is that which is done of faith and of a sincere mind for the glory of God it is ill when not done so The Magistrate cannot judge of these because they are inward but of good or Mr. Parre evil civilly so which are according to or contrary to the Law divine humane positive municipal of Kingdoms Cities and Corporations whereby the necessary discipilne of every State is established Of these he judgeth Wilt thou not be afraid do good namely obey and resist not He doth not mean the profession of Christianity for that was then hated but such good which was so in the judgment of the Heathen a civil honest conversation agreeable to the Laws of the State wherein they lived Then he is the Minister of God for such mens good But if thou do evil ver 4. namely moral or civil evil contrary to the Decalogue or positive Law of the place where thou livest fear for he beareth not the sword in vain since we must be subject and their Laws obeyed not only for wrath 1. Of God who is angry with such who resist Authority 2. But also of the Magistrate whom we provoke by disobedience justly to punish but also for conscience sake namely conscience of our brother it being an offence to a peaceable and loyal subject to see any to take liberty to break the Laws of the Magistrates as of our selves lest we wound our own consciences every soul being bound in conscience to obey his lawful Magistrates every part of Gods Law binds conscience And to obey Magistrates is part of Gods Law As we are to render to all theirs so to Caesar his due to Caesar the things which are Caesars Well what saith the Magistrate what saith the Law Mat 22. 21 Do they allow of your Meetings Give me leave to tell you how St. Augustine commends a Law Imperial made against the Donatists and Schismaticks in his time which was That they who separated from the Church and had private Conventicles should be punished with pecuniary mulcts their Leaders with banishment the place wherein they met to be forfeited to the Emperor they should have no power to bestow their own Goods by will nor enjoy any Legacy bequeathed to them Object But you perhaps will say If there is any Law against such Meetings it is not good Answ 1. Will not Papists Quakers and who not object the same of Laws made against them 2. Is it tollerable that a Statute made upon long deliberation by so many wise men and such in Authority should be disclaimed for the private opinions of some novel Divines and unletter'd persons 3. We should be modest and not think our selves wiser than we are Rom. 12. 3. 4. A good subject examines not what is best but what is commanded and submits to it it being lawful 5. If in making Laws every mans fancy was to be regarded there would be no end nor order 6. If men doubt of the lawfulness of things commanded let them go for resolution to such who are peaceable and Prov. 24. 21. not consult in matters of obedience with such who refuse to obey 7. In matters doubtful follow the safe Rule hold that which is certain leave that which is uncertain leave reasoning and obey the Magistrate that is certain It is our duty 8. Hear reverend Dr. Sibs who saith The Laws under which we live are particular determinations of the Law of God therefore ought to be a Rule unto us so far as they reach although Sib's souls conflict Edition first fol. 364. pag. 2. I note the Edition because later Editions have corrupted the Author so that what he speaks in general they restrain to some things of the second Table it be too narrow a Rule to be good only so far as mans Law guides unto yet love being the joynt reason and consent of many men for publique good hath an useful guidance of actions that fall under the same where it ☞ dasheth not against God's Law what is agreeable to Law is agreeable to conscience Object If any of you say as some do Authority will not save souls Answ Give me leave to tell them That the Religious commands of Authority such as of David Jehosaphat Josiah Hezekiah for the keeping of the Passeover and order in the service of God such as of our Kings and Governours for the observation of the Lord's day for the hearing and preaching of the Word with other such did and doth save souls and far more than your Meetings yea so much as a thing well and legally done furthers it more than a thing done illegally and disobediently Besides if all which is taught in your private Meetings is good and warrantable yet it is so far from converting that it perverts many souls causing them to judge amiss of wholsom Laws and good Government causing them to slight the Ministers of the Gospel whom they are to hear and obey making rents and divisions in the Church hardning Papists profane people in their unwarrantable ways and making many well-minded people at a stand not knowing what to do And as it is certain that the commands of such who are in Authority over us concerning matters of Religion tend to the conversion and edification of men so it is without all
That killing themselves to avoid punishment for their errors is Martyrdom They said the Son was inferiour to the Father the holy Ghost to the Son and they boasted of Revelations In the fourth Century arose above twenty of which the Pelagians was one of Pelagius who taught that Adam should have died if he had not sinned That Adams sin did hurt only himself That there is no Original sin That men have free will sufficient to do well and that God gives grace to the merits of works The fifth Century had some and the sixth brought forth as some others so those grand errors of Mahumetanism and Papism Mahumetanism of Mahomet which hath overspread many Kingdoms under the Turk and other Kings They deny the being of persons in the Trinity They say God is corporeal That Christ was not God but a creature yet a great Prophet That Christ did not suffer nor was not crucified That the Devil in the end shall be saved That Eternal Life consists in bodily pleasures They observe Circumcision Washings with some other Judaical Ceremonies They swear by Creatures and War for Religion to which they say men are to be compelled They allow of many Wives and Divorce without cause They hope to be saved by works They deny pardon for ever to them who forsake their Religion They hold venial and mortal sins They pray towards the East a set number daily but not for unbelievers And they take away the Sacraments ordained by Christ Papism arose under Phocaâ— the Emperor and Boniface the third Popes of Rome Luther was born at Isleben in Saxony Sleidan Anab. 1483. He when Leo the tenth sent forth pardons 1516. opposed them Preaching in Saxony there arose Nicolas Stocks and Thomas Muncer preaching that goods should be common Upon this fourty thousand rose in Suevia and Franconia plundering and killing but the Princes arming took Frantus executed Muncer Phifer and hundreds more The City Munster having received the Gospel John Becâ—ld a Taylor came from Leyden thither where keeping Conventicles in few months he gets a great party they obtain freedom for their Religion and after grow so strong as to drive all the Protestants out This John of Leyden is made King he gave leave to have many Wâ—ves himself took fifteen Being vanquished he with Knipperdoling were tyed to a stake their flesh pul'd in pieces with hot pâ—ncers he recanted his errors Knipperdoling did not but died like a mad man These Anabaptists maintained as Mr. Paget shews us ten errors not to be tollerated in the Church Four not to be suffered in a Common-wealth and three not in a Family as community of goods putting away of Wives of a contrary Religion and that Christians may have many Wives Thousands of these perished in Germany by the sword and in Qâ—een Elizaâ—eths time some of them in England recanted and some were burnt After these arose the Brownists called Separatists because Mr. Paget they separate from all reformed Churches then one from another Robert Brown School-master in Southwark preached in a gravel-pit neer Islington Mr. Fox refused to talk with him Mr. Greenham perswaded him but could not prevail so to little purpose for he led his company beyond Sea where seeing their divisions he left them returned into England took the Parsonage of a Church in Northamptonshire and died as I have been informed since the beginning of our late troubles He and his followers left our Church as they said for our many abominations The Barrowists following yet more they compared our Church to Sodom Babylon Egypt as Barrow Brewis Bois Rutter c. The Wilkinsonians went a step higher affirming they were the Apostles and denied Communion to all who would not give them that title Mr. Paget The Lemmarists maintained a monster of Heresies Mahumetanism denying the Trinity and the eternal Godhead of Christ Judâ—ism affirming Christ to come shortly to reign on the earth Papism affirming a meer creature may be worshipped Lutheranism maintaining consubstantiation Anabaptism affirming that Christ took not flesh of the Virgin Mary Libertinism holding no visible Church on earth Brownism holding separation separating from all Churches excommunicating and cursing on another Mr. Paget also tells us that the begining of the Independents was thus Mr. Robinson leaving Norwich in discontent became a rigid Brownist but after by conference with some learned men he recanted his opinions yet derived this his way of Independency to his separate Congregation at Leyden and part of that Congregation did carry it to Plymouth in new England where the ashes of Independency did break out into a burning flame And Mr. Bâ—yly sets down the fruits of Mr. Bayly this Independency in new England in the opinions of some for I suppose he speaks not of all there being amongst them many sober Ministers and Magistrates who opposed and overthrew those opinions And they refusing to own the late powers is an Argument of their sobriety Besides there hath been great conversion of the Indians in so much that the Bible is translated and Printed in their Tongue as I am informed How it placeth many thousands of Christians in the condition of Pagans how it marr'd the conversion of Pagans to Christian Religion how it brought forth the foulest Heresies that ever yet were heard of in any Protestant Church to the number of fourscore and eleven That their piety seemed singular their malice was singular against all who opposed them especially Orthodox Ministers That their contempt of Magistrates was grievous their errors in opinion did draw on such seditious practises which did well near overturn both their Church and State That their proud obstinacy against all admonitions was marvellous that in the midst of their profession of piety the prophanity of many of them was great Of these particulars he speak largely and shews his warrant for what he saith in many particulars In Queen Elizabeths time Mr. Barrow Greenwood Percy and some others were executed Studly Billet and Bowly had judgment to be so The first Proposition is clearly evident That men yea the best of men are subject to err humanum est errare and have need to be called on not to err for they who have most light here have much darkness in them and we are more prone to follow the darkness of our spirits than the light of Gods Spirit He who thinks he cannot err reckons himself more than a man for whilst there remains corruption in the will the understanding cannot be wholly free from corruption The wills affections and understandings of Saints on earth have some corruption remaining in them as their practise so their opinions are soyld and faulty yea oftentimes good men continue long in error Jobs friends did multiply but not mend their answers for as it is hard to part Job 21. 34 with an evil practise so and much more with an ill opinion c. error in opinion because that reflects on the reputation of the best faculty the judgment And
4. That they may be ashamed And (3) 2 Cor. 10. 8. 1 Cor. 5. 6. 1 Tim. 5. 20. to bring them to repentance So in regard of the Church that it may appear she maintains no vile persons that other members may be free from infection and that others may fear In Rom. 16. 12. there is a double duty commanded To mark To avoid The parties to be avoided are described from the effects Divisions and Offences they who cause these are to be marked avoided The rule to which they are contrary the doctrine they had heard namely of Salvation of Christ which they had learned in that Epistle or their first Converters False teachers then are to be marked so that we be not deceived by them they causing Divisions and Offences A watchful eye is to be upon all such Mat. 7. 14 15. Phil. 3. 2. who by their opinions or life cause divisions contrary to the doctrine of salvation Divisions and Scandals striking at the â—eart of Religion and of the Church The Apostles reasons to avoid such are The one Negative q. d. you think they serve Christ but they do not not submitting to his will not seeking to please him in all things The other Affirmative they serve their own bellies themselves their own turns their profit ease maintenance vain glory ambition carnal affections they aiming at their own gain and credit and not the glory of God Object We think they are good and honest men and their wayes good they being so successful they multiplying so much Answ 1. For their goodness and honesty I will give you Mr. Hodges answers in a Sermon upon 2 Pet. 2. 2. before the House of Commons March 10. 1646. You hear saith he what the Apostle sayes That many have a form and yet deny the power of godliness 2 Tim. 3. 5. The Wolf in the Fable that he might not be suspected but the more easily make his prey of the silly sheep put on a skin of theirs c. 2. Why saith he should you think to say he is an honest Pag. 58. or a pious man should be a foolish plea in case of abusing coyn theft treason or the like and yet should be of weight and force in this far greater business and more horrid mischief 2. For their increasing it is no argument of goodness 1. The Arrians did so overspread the Church that it was Miratur mundus se factum esse Arianum St. Hierom. a saying Athanasius against the World namely of Christians and the World against Athanasius 2. Popery did spread so fast and far that Papists triumphingly said and do Where was your Church before Luther and they make universality a note of the Church 3. Mahumetanism is so spread not only over the Turks dominions See Mr. Fox tom 2. p. 993. See Breerwoods Enquiry of Languages and Religions which are large and many in Europe Asia and Africk but in other Kingdoms and Countreys which are not under the Turk it having spread over Persia India China Tartaria c. Mahomet arose about six hundred years after Christ yet he hath bewitched so great a part of the World although his Alcaron contains such absurdities which are rather to be laught at then named Object But what need you to trouble us with such like things we being free from the one and the other Answ We living where and when errors do abound for we cannot all be in the truth holding contraries it is very necessary 1. Mr. Paget names about 143. errors and heresies which lately sprung up and shewed themselves not naming the Quakers of whom there was no notice when he did write that Book Among this swarm he names Papists praying in an unknown tongue holding Transubstantiation Purgatory c. Familists blasphemously affirming they are Godified with God Anabaptists affirming Baptism to be the mark of the Beast from Antichrist Antinomians teaching no Law no sorrow such an easie way to heaven that many follow them concerning whom Mr. Baxter saith I do not sit down in Pref. to Inf. Chur. memb an Antinomian conceit that I have nothing to do but express my joy and thankfulness Independents pretending to have a model of Government revealed to them better than all reformed Churches Sabbatarians affirming the Jewish Sabbath is to be kept Anti-Sabbatarians teaching there is no Sabbath every day being a Sabbath to Christians Thraskites observing many Jewish Ceremonies Millenaries believing that Christ shall reign a thousand years on the earth Socinians teaching that Christ did not satisfie for sins Arrians denying Christ's Deity Soul-sleepers Divorcers and others He dedicates his Book to the Lord Major and some chief Citizens of London He tells them that he had lived almost fifty years amongst them He commends their care against the infection of the Plague he minds them that the plague of Heresie is greater he shews how Antioch was consumed being a Nursery of Hereticks how Nicomedia a meeting place for Arrians was swallowed up how the Anabaptists meeting in Conventicles surprized Munster and how hardly Amsterdam escaped them Then he gives from Mr. Calvin he from St. Augustine notes of them They are great boasters of their own worth and actions as Simon Magus and the Gnâ—sticks They are blown up with pride which drives some to Rome some to Amsterdâ—m They are deceitful slanderers Separatists in this equalling the Jesuits They are treacherously seditious not preaching peace but division They have a shew of austerity and holiness Then he shews the end of his writing to be to give warning to well-meaning people to avoid errors fore-warning them to this end to beware of private Conventicles and to keep close to the Ministry of the Word and Communion of Saints in the Church 2. Mr. Baxter saith there are Devils abroad in the shape of Angels of light and Wolves within as sheep without 3. Mr. Vines in his fast Sermon before the House of Commons March 10. 1646. saith Are not the errors which are â—ife amongst us either by infecting persons of place and quality grown into that boldness or by carrying away Barnabas also crept into that credit or by spreading far and wide risen to that strength that they do face if not seem able to put into danger of routing our common saith publick worship authorized Ministry long and much expected promised reformation This to the common enemy is the Cape of good Hope the sound part are afraid lest the truth should come to beg for poor quarter and be led captive following the chariot of triumphing liberty 4. Mr. Hodges in his fast Seâ—mon at the same time and place saith How sad a sight is it to behold the spreading of this infection the shoals that being perverted follow these pernicious wayes to see how fast these tares thrive this leaven spreads this gangrene frets The Kingdom looks like a lazar house or field fought in many places by reason of this how many are there of all ages insnared by them The
hoary head that is ready to descend to the grave and your hopeful spring that seemed to promise life and happiness to the Church and State And in his Epistle he saith The Prince of flies hath raised such swarms of flies in every corner of our Land that many of our Congregations and Families are miserably fly-blown with heresie and corrupt tenets Also in his Sermon he hath this passage Did ever former ages produce more hideous monsters than we have risen up amongst us in this poor Island Are there not Arrians who Valenâ—inians who Gnosticks who The Nazareans opinions The Corinthians form the Carpocratians improbity and the Christians profession 5. Mr. Bayly hath discovered and numbred swarms of errors and heresies amongst us and saith that the greatest hazard of the Church this day comes from the evil of errors 2 Tim. 2. 17 2 Pet. 2. 1 2. it eating up the soul as a gangrene the body and bringing destruction 6. The Parliament which was 1646. were so sensible hereof that they appointed a Fast to be kept March 10. for the suppressing and preventing of the growth and spreading 2 Pet 2. 1. 2 Pet. 2. 2. of Heresies and Blasphemies the forenamed Mr. Vines and Mr. Hodges preached before the House of Commons their Text in the Margent 7. Mr. Edwâ—rds hath Book after Book to this purpose discovering the swarms of gross errors maintained in our times to the number of above an hundred and seventy He gâ—ves us a Catalogue of their many blasphemies of strange passages in their prayers and then parallels them with the Donatists in St. Augustines time The Donatists complained of persecution so do these The Donatists were violent against those who opposed their way so are these Donatists were great flatterers extolling their parties for gifts and abilities so do these Donatists condemned that in others they practised themselves so do these Donatists were unwilling to have their writings examined by judicious men but kept them in the dark because they cannot agree together or amongst themselves because they know not how long they shall be of one mind and how far they shall go because they would not offend their own party and because they would not discover their own weakness so these The Donatists did much wrong to Authors misquoting them so do these He parallels them with Jesuits affirming that Separatists and Jesuits agree so that both send out emissaries to spread their errors both use pious frauds to propagate their cause both infinuate into great mens houses both are full of equivocations saying one thing meaning another both are active restless spirits never without plenty and fine designs both work by instruments unsuspected getting their work done by others both will run great hazards being daring to effect their ends He parallels them with divers others amongst whom with Julian the Apostate as Julian was a scoffer of Christ of Christians of Scriptures so some Sectaries of Christ some of the Trinity some of the Ministry some of the Oâ—dinances Julian was a great enemy to learning so these He was a Patron of toleration which these seek for Then he sets down 28 of their evil practises of which these are some They ascribe all good done to be by their party They call themselves the godly and well affected They pretend one thing and mind another They strive to have the Church without Ministers They would have no Church Government or if any with a toleration Some of them put down all singing of Psalms and keep on their hats at prayer Some of them pretend to miracles visions revelations for their way to confirm their Doctrines When Books come out confuting them they tell the people they are or shall be confuted and â—nswered to delude the people Some of them have strangly abused Baptâ—sm dressing a Cat and in scorn and contempt of the Ordinance baptized it When they print they give their Books glorious titles as Innocency and truth triumphing The storming of Antichrist c. They will seem to be what they are not until they have served their turn waiting opportunity to make void all they seemed to grant They are restless to promote their cause observing all tempers and humours They desperately judge of the estates and actions of all men who are not for them unsainting them as fallen from grace They walk more loosly and at large over what they did before they turned Sectaries and in comparison of Presbyterians doing He was one many things under the name of Christian liberty which Professors formerly did not nor durst do when they have set to their hands to many things they have desired to see the papers and would not restore them They upbraid Presbyterians for former conformity as time-servers to make people believe the Presbyterians are not consciencious only time-servers whereas these were Conformists forward Episcopal men thrusting others out who would not be so naming seven yea some of the chief of them went further in conformity then Presbyterians naming three Thus he Although the words of these men shew abundantly the swarming of errors yet they forget that some of themselves and of their party were the parents of these spurious births by opposing and destroying the worship of God and Government of the Church which whilst vigorous did curb and suppress them with good success We living therefore when and where errors abound I desire you not to take it ill that I use mine endeavour that neither you nor I may live or die in error and as beloved brethren to desire you not to err I am a man therefore subject to err but such a one who desire not to live in any error but erring to be reformed And since you and I do err in somethings being so contrary in our opinions I will shew you my grounds perswading me that I am in the right and that it is you not I that do err And in doing this I aim at no mans prejudice I shall shew no passion although I have been chollerick and passionate yet I have been so long a Scholar in Christs School as to know my self my duty and not to be overswayed by such corruptions I beseech you therefore in meekness in cool blood as you and I shall answer at the great day the great Judge of the world to consider conscientiously a few following particulars The First I did and do think I was and am still perswaded that the taking up of arms lately amongst us as for King and Parliament but indeed against the Kâ—ng was unlawful and a rebellion to be repented of As many others so some of you did and perhaps still think otherwise one of us must needs be guilty of a gross and grievous error I am confident that I in this err not since as I judge we may not take up arms against a lawful Soveraign should he be vile wicked unjust an Idolater and that ours against whom arms were taken was neither My grounds are 1. The sacred Scriptures
effects of justifying grace they as causes we as the way wherein we must walk unto they as the meritorious cause of eternal felicity We with them believe two Sacraments but we with them believe not seven We and they believe a real presence so in the Sacrament that the worthy Communicant really partakes of Christ's body and blood spiritually but we with them do not believe that the bread is transubstantiated into the body and blood of Christ so that dogs and mice may eat it We and they believe there is an heaven and hell but we with them believe not Purgatory Christians therefore they are Object But they are Idolaters Answ 1. And they say we are Hereticks and Schismaticks Saying only proves nothing 2. Call them Idolaters I think they are so and what you please yet I am sure as in many things you differ from them for whereas they make seven Sacraments some of you will not make use of two They ascribe too much to Sacraments you too little They keep too many holydayes some of you keep none They are blamed for saying the Lords prayer too often some of you for not at all So in some things you agree namely in Separation and Recusancy They forsake our Church as Heretical some of you as Antichristian I fear since you are come to say our Church and yours Object Say we not right that your Church is Antichristian since your Common-prayer-Book is Popery taken out of the Mass-Book how can we then abide it may we not justly leave it and for it your Assemblies Answ 1. Take heed what you say the first offence is an hundred marks the second four hundred marks and imprisonment the third is loss of all a mans goods and imprisonment duing life Laws which sleep a while may be awakened 2. But what one word or syllable is in it savouring of Popery Is there any praying to Saints for the dead Is there any allowance of merits of Purgatory name any one point of Popery if you can 3. Whereas you say it was taken out of the Mass-Book who told you so did you or they ever see the Mass-Book do you or they know what it is But admit it is taken out of it and that the Mass-Book is bad as it is Is it the worse Is gold refined from dross wheat cleansed from chaff at all the worse for the dross and chaff As for the Mass I abhor it as injurious to the Priesthood of Christ to the sacrifice or death of Christ as an hindrance to an holy life and contrary to Gods will and therefore I am far from defending it The word Missa or Mass by some is derived of Missoth or Mincha an Oblation by some from the Latins who used these words Missus Missa c. The ancient Roman Idolaters dismissed the people from their sacrâ—fices with these words I licet Missa est Depart it is permitted and so the Assembly was dismissed And these words are now pronounced Ite Missa est scilicet concio sive Ecclesiâ— signifying a leave given to the company to depart Let it be what it will or come from this or that we have it not neither name nor thing Demand of them I desire you who inform you that our Common-prayer-Book is taken out of the Mass-Book so Popery If ever they saw and read the Mass-Book And if they have seen and read it demand of them then 1. Whether all the Mass-Book is in our Common-prayer-Book They must say no. 2. Whether all our Common-prayer-Book is in the Mass-Book They must say no. 3. Whether that which is in our Common-prayer and in the Mass-Book is good or bad They cannot but say it is all good I am perswaded they can prove none of it to be bad 4. Whether it being good the being of it in the Mass-Book can make it bad or whether we are to reject all the good in Popery as the name of Christian with much more Mr. William Rathband who put forth a modest confutation of Separatists agreed upon long before as he saith by the joint consent of the godly and learned Ministers of this Kingdom who stood out and suffered in the case of Uniformity They in it shewing the Church of England to be a true Church of Christ and therefore separation from it to be unlawful He with Mr. Thomas Langley Mr. Simeon Ash Mr. Francis Woodcock and Mr. George Crosse all so far as I can conjecture Non-conformists put forth a Book of Mr. Joâ—n Ball a Non-conformist wherein he writes learnedly and The tryal of the grounds of separation he put forth himself piously against Separation he writes in defence of sett forms of prayer and that men are not to separate from the Church because of ours He saith many are the Objections which are made against sett forms of prayers and particularly against our Book of Common-prayer all which I have endeavoured saith he to answer severally not because they are of so great weight but because I desired to satisfie fully every doubt And whereas it was objected The Common-prayer-Book was taken out of the Mass-Book He saith It followeth not that therefore it is a Pag. 8. false worship for many things in the Mass-Book are good a pearl may be found upon a dunghil 2. If out of the Mass-Book How cometh it to pass then saith he that it hath those things directly contrary to the Mass-Book He instanceth in many Further he saith It is more proper to say the Mass was taken out of our Common-prayer for Pag. 10. most things in our Common-prayer were to be found in Liturgies long before the Mass The prayers and truths of God taught in that Book pertain to the Church as her prerogative Pag. 11. the Church of God may lawfully make claim to those holy things which Antichrist hath unjustly usurped Now since I find that erroneous opinions once entertained are not easily gotten out of the heads and hearts of men for they quickly root deep take strong hold and cannot easily be pull'd up as we see in Christ's time The Pharisees held corrupt opinions about (a) Mat. 15. 2. working (b) Mat. 7. 11. dispencing with childrens obedience about (c) Mat. 23. 32 33. swearing (d) Luk. 15. 12. fasting and many errors about the (e) Mat. 5. Law Did Christ get these errors out of them He brought the cleerest light that ever any did they for all that lived in darkness The Sadduces denyed the (f) Mat. 22. 23. resurrection Christ laboured to convince them they held their errors in St. Pauls (g) Act. 23. 8. time (h) 1 Tim. 1. 20. 2 Tim. 2. 18. Hymineus and Philetus and Alexander had rather be delivered to Satan than to deliver up their corrupt and damnable opinions Therefore as all of us should be careful to take heed what opinions we receive to this end to try the spirits not take things on trust for the learning seeming holiness and
preaching against the true Christ preaching against the Scribes and Pharisees and they affirming him to be a deceiver And I dare maintain that what they preach contrary to what we preach in publick if they do to be contrary to sound doctrine Object You say you do nothing but what is good you set open the great doors and little doors not caring who sees who heareth you Answ 1. Admit that what is preached is good yet it is not well done good things should be well done according to rule and order 2. The Tree is known by the fruits and by your such Meetings we see the publick Ordinances slighted neglected contemned 3. I cannot accuse what is delivered in your Meetings but if it is contrary to what we preach in publick it is not good doctrine And let me tell you that John of Leyden infused his dangerous opinions in private Meetings and how our Mr. Thrask in publick preached sound truths but in his private Meetings he did indoctrinate his followers with his pernicious principles Object They who preach to us in private Meetings are pious men the other are profane vicious scandalous Answ 1. If this be true that some of us are such we are sorry for it yea such we will not justifie and when was it otherwise nor is all done by the other justifiable 2. There are more sins than swearing and drunkenness who can forget the swarms of sins in our late Tragedies and who were actors of many of them in it 3. For the present Are not despising of Authority disobedience Cobler of Gloc. to wholsom Laws sins from which are these men free 4. Blessed be God although we all are proclaimed to be profane and naught yet there are very many as free from idleness drunkenness swearing and such like vices and as painful pious charitable and inoffensive as the strictest in your commanded company 5. But to be plain with you All professions whilst kept under it is their interest to be orderly but when these men of late had their liberty we are able to prove the profane excesses of some of them even to publick scandal by Epicurism intemperance and uncleanness to say no more For my part I cannot think but that the respect such who are in Authority bear to themselves their care to have their Laws and Religion upholden their obedient Clergy not vilified and people kept from Atheism and rebellion will awaken them in time strictly and by severity to do that which their clemency will not do You cry out much against Popery yet your doings endeavour to bring it in and set it up it is a Jesuitical plot to sow division amongst us to make our Religion odious and that they may fish in troubled waters From a good Author I will tell you a story which is this Before our troubles one Meridith an ancient Dr. Nicols and learned Jesuit told one reconciled to the Church of Rome that in England they had been long and industrious about the work of conversion but it went on slowly and so would do until they took a wiser course Two things there were that must be done before they should bring their business to a full effect they must first find a way to remove the Bishops and Ministers in whose rooms they must bring it so about that all should have liberty to preach Then secondly they must get down the Common-prayer-Book and suffer every man to use what prayer he list And we cannot but remember how far they effected this in our sad troubles Besides if you expect such priviledge why may not they expect the same They being Christians they being subjects they and some of you being Recusants why not they their Mass as well as you your Meetings Object Why Those you hear in your Meetings have rare gifts they are pious and precious men Answ I envy no mans gifts but bless God for other mens parts and piety 2. Comparisons are odious otherwise we could say as St. Paul of the false Apostles in his time Are they thus and so so are we 3. The forbidden fruit without doubt was excellent yet it had been good for our first Parents to have contented themselves with their allowed Trees and fruits Many mens Wives and Diet come short of other mens yet it is fit their own should content them 4. Blessed be God your allowance is large you may hear every week three Sermons in an approved way and none of them to be contemned And as for Popish Priests do you not think theâ— will say for their Priests and Jesuits the same that you do for your Preachers you say yours are rarely gifted men great Scholars pious painful and what you will more They will not conform to the Book of Common-prayer nor observe the Orders appointed by the Church of England they will not assent and consent They can and will say the same of theirs If you say yours will take no Livings they can say the same and add not Wives neither If you say that yours live by providence going about to do good they can say theirs have no setled abiding but are sometimes here and there to promote and spread the Catholick cause and are maintained by the peoples bounty We acknowledge that we and Papists are Christians agreeing in many things for we and they acknowledge unity in Trinity but we with them acknowledge no Queen of heaven to pray unto We and they acknowledge the Scriptures to be the Word of God but we with them make not the Apocrypha Canonical We with them make the Word of God the ground of faith but we with them make not unwritten traditions of equal authority We and they agree in admitting doctrinal traditions agreeing with Scripture or thence deduced yea ritual for order and decency left to the disposition of the Church although but of positive and humane right they not being childish nor accounted parts of God's Worship nor with opinion of merit nor burdensom for multitude But we with them believe not traditions obtruded as Articles of Religion grounds of faith and parts of God's Worship they not being deduced from Scripture by inference nor expresly commanded such we reject We and they receive and believe the three Creeds but we with them receive not the Creed of Trent We and they believe the true God is to be worshipped in Spirit and truth we with them believe not that he is to be worshipped by Images We and they believe that we are to pray with fervency and sincerity but we with them pray not in an unknown tongue We and they pray to God but we with them do not pray to Saints and Angels We and they acknowledge Christ to be our Mediator of redemption and intercession but we with them do not at all rely upon the intercession and merits of Saints and Angels We and they do honour Saints departed but we with them do not worship them We and they do urge to good works we as necessary