Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	evil_a	good_a	suspicion_n	1,645	5	12.6412	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61639	Naphtali, or, The wrestlings of the Church of Scotland for the kingdom of Christ contained in a true and short deduction thereof, from the beginning of the reformation of religion, until the year 1667 : together with the last speeches and testimonies of some who have died for the truth since the year 1660 : whereunto are also subjoyned, a relation of the sufferings and death of Mr. Hew McKail ...	Stewart, James, Sir, 1635-1713.; Stirling, James, 1631-1672?	1667 (1667)	Wing S5683; ESTC R3435	226,444	388

that professed Reformed Protestants should stand in so litle aw of a solemn Oath and Name of the great and living God But I exhort and obtest you all that so much the more as others have made void His Covenant you would esteem it the more precious and closely follow the Reformation vowed in every Article thereof upon all occasions given you of the Lord And that you abhor detest and refuse any engagement whatsoever that may wrong your Oath in the Covenant directly or indirectly as ye would escape the wrath of God that is coming on such breaking of Covenant but rather choise the greatest extremity of affliction then the least sin of this sort as Moses did who refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter but chused rather to suffer reproach for Christ And be not afraid of suffering for Christ as though it were an evill thing neither scar ye at His cross for the Lord Himself saith My yoke is easy and My burthen light Yea it is lighter to us then to many that stand by Believe Faith maketh all burthens light to the believing Sufferer And now I beseech you believers in Christ abide in Him and bring forth fruit unto Holiness and study tenderness in all manner of conversation and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord And let not this profane and mocking Generation have any thing to reproach you with but that whereof you would not be ashamed that when you suffer ye may not suffer as evill doers that whereas they speak evill of you they may be ashamed that falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ It is not knowledge nor a bare Profession that glorifieth God but Tenderness Holiness and Righteousness that do commend Religion and His Cause to all men and shall convince your Adversaries of their Wickedness in wronging you and make them the more inexcusable in that day when they shall be judged Yea what know ye but ye may win others by your tender and good conversation I recommend to you that ye would be much and fervent in the use of that precious duty of Prayer wherein most near Communion with God upon earth is to be found Be much in prayer with and for others Forsake not the assembling of your selves together as the manner of some is I wish they may see the evill of it who neglect it but exhort one another and so much the more as ye see the day approaching Earnestness and diligence will hasten the Lord's coming with relief unto you and to the Lords born-down Work and your slackness in this may make the wheels of His chariot to move the more slowly For the effectuall fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much with God It will do more then Armies of men and weapons of War for your defence and deliverance I beseech you also my dear Friends that you acquaint yourselves with the Word of God in the Holy Scripture that ye may have acquaintance with Jesus Christ who is clearly set forth therein that ye may know Him in His excellency and come to love and believe in Him whom ye know that ye may be acquainted with His revealed will therein and may know what is truth and cleave fast thereto from a sure persuasion that it hath the warrant of His Word and may be guarded against every error of the wicked and that ye may fully know what is good and what is evill And that ye may suffer with confidence when ye are brought forth thereto as I am Finally my dear Friends be ye perfect be of good comfort be of one minde live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you JOHN WODROW The Copy of JOHN WODROW His Letter to His Wife dated Decemb 22. 1666. which was the Day on which He suffered My Heart REverence the good Providence of the Lord our God who can do nothing wrong For whatsoever He doth is well-done and my Soul faith Amen I had not a will of my own my Heart since that day wherein Yow and I parted My Lord and my God captivated it brought it to a submission unto His will I bless Him for evermore for it that I was never left to my own will Praise O praise Him all ye living And O thou my soul praise the Lord for it I bless the Lord for evermore that ever He visited my Fathers Family that ever He condescended to come unto my Fathers Family and to give a visit to the like of me He visited me there and set his Love upon me and hath chosen me for this very end to be a witness for his covenanted Reformation For this my Soul is glad and my Glory rejoyceth for this Honour wherewith He hath honoured me And that though I be condemned to die by men on earth yet am I justifyed of God through the blood of my Saviour Jesus Christ who standeth in our nature in Heaven and hath made me free through his imputed Righteousness made over unto me in which I stand for ever And within a few hours I shall see Him in peace as I am seen of Him and behold and wonder and wonder behold for evermore even that most glorious excellency which is in Him All that which is spoken of Him is but litle O my Heart my dear Love come and see I beseech yow I thought I had known something of my dearest Lord before that I had some love from and to Him before But never was it so with me as it hath been with me since I came within the doors of this Prison many a precious visit hath his gracious Majesty given unto me He is without all comparison O love love Him 0 come to Him O taste and see and that shall resolve the question best The thing I suffer for is the Covenanted Reformation I bless God and all that is within me doth bless and magnify His Holy Name for this tnat Scotland did ever enter into a Covenant with the Lord into a sworn Covenant with the hand lifted up to the Lord And I have now sworn and renued this Covenant again for my self you and my four Children in all the parts and points thereof And I pray God help you to abide in the Covenant for ever And now I give you and my four Children unto the Lord and commit you ro Him as your Covenanted God and Husband my Childrens Covenanted Father I say no more but either study to be indeed a sincere Christian a seeker of His face in sincerity or else you will be nothing at all I recommend you and your young-ones to Him who is God All-sufficient and aboundeth in Mercy and Love to them that Love Him and keep his Covenant The blessing of the Covenant be upon you so fare you well So saith Your loving and dying Husband JOHN WODROW The Testimony of RALPH SHIELDS An English-man who died in Edinburgh Decemb. 22. 1666. My Friends I Am come here to die and I thank God it

answere for itself if according to the Patience Learning Justice of many thow do not Refute and condemn before thow know it or brandish big words as he who upon a Coronation-day offereth duell to all who question the Kings Right when he knoweth that for Major Vis none dare appear in the contrary But in the passing take a word of the National Covenant the Solemn League and Covenant and Solemn Acknowledgment of Sins and Engagement unto Duties that at one view thow may'st see Scotlands Engagements and Breaches the Faithfulness of many flood of Sin and Suffering that hath overflowed the Land Here is the Terminus a Quo and ad Quem of our Backsliding whereof though the most skilled Artist cannot pourtray to the life the whole body the form is so monstruous Complexion so strange he may well darkly represent some Lineaments of fingers and toes that the reader may know Ex ungue leon●m yet the Author hath nervously asserted the Truth and drawn matters of Fact with such True Collours that he can only be accused for a Picture fairer then the live-face of many Persons Actions To winde up all be not discouraged upon the one hand nor insult upon the other by the Death of many Mighty men of God Co-workers and Eye witnesses of his Work within these few years past and the stripling-stature of many survivers who have not attained unto the dayes of the years of the life of their Fathers and being but of yesterday can know little of the Lords ancient kindness to the Land except what th●ir Fathers have told them For as he hath reserved a numerous remnant of Holy Learned and Faithful men a rich cluster wherein there is a blessing and we have reason to bless Him who gave not our Church dry breasts a miscarrying womb so he can make the barren bear seven become a Joyful mother of many Children and as he hath work for them will raise up both Shepherds and Principal men It is true alas there is grown up a most degenerat Off-spring of all Qualities some whereof and not the meanest being as profane as Machiavel who teacheth Rulers to keep promise and Oath no longer then with pretended advantage they can break and that it is a prejudice to be Really Religious but not so honest as He who notwithstanding affirmeth a Necessity of Seeming to be Religious which they are not accompt no man to be a Man who by Whoring Swearing Drinking Spending all or more then they have do not class themselves into their new Profane Orders become as Cartesian in their Religion by Atheistical doubtings disputings about God the Holy Scripturs Heaven Hell c. as others are in their Philosophy But here is an Advantage that by Discovery and distinguishing betwixt the precious and the vile the Lord hath made this Defection contribut more to the Facility as well as Necessity of a future Purgation of the Church then all her Judicatures could ever effectuat without it And further as he hath frustrated many chief Authors and Promotters thereof of their Hopes and Designs and called Nobles Prelats and others to an accompt before they well tasted the expected sweetness or were warm in their Places or Promotions So though Herod Pilat may aggrie against the Innocent yet where men are like Samsons foxes only tied together by the tail of common Corrupt Principles whilst their heads of Self Interest and designs look different wayes what such a Position Conjunction and Aspect prognosticateth let Scripture Reason and Experience be consulted and they will tell Let us not in the meantime mistake Gods Work Wayes Doings nor Intentions neither be envyous at evil doers nor yet be Curious nor Anxious about futuritions much less limit the Holy one to Means Method or Time but bear the Indignation of the Lord because we have sinned till he plead our cause waiting upon him who is a God of Judgment and waiteth that he may be gracious and in patience possess our souls for though we do not he knoweth his own thoughts toward us it may be they are thoughts of peace and not of evil to give an expected end and that when he hath ripen'd Deliverance he will bring us forth to the Light we shall behold his Righteousness It is a crime of the highest nature with our Rulers to complain or supplicat for redress Others are either of deaf ears or feeble hands and cannot help and seeing we can do no more for the Cause and Covenant of God for our Mother-Church the Land Ourselves Our Brethren Posterity let us open our cause to him who tryeth the Righteous O Lord Hear O Lord Forgive O Lord hearken and do Defer not for thine own sake O my God For thy City and thy People are called by thy Name AMEN The Testimony of M R JAMES WOOD Minister of the Gospel and Professor of Theology in the University of S. Andrewes for Presbyterial Government I MR JAMES WOOD being now shortly by appearance to render up my Spirit to the Lord find my self obliged to leave a word behind me for my just Vindication before the World It hath been said of me that I have in word at least reseiled from my wonted Zeal for Presbyterial Government expressing my self concerning it as if it were a matter not to be accounted of that no man should trouble himself in the matter practice thereof It is true being under sicknes I have some times said I was taken up with weightier matters then any external ordinance and what wonder I said so being under such wrestling an●nt my interest in Iesus Christ which is a matter of for greater concernment Surely any Christian in this Church that knows me will judge there is a wrong done to me For since the day that the Lord convinced my heart which was by a strong hand that it was the Ordinance of God appointed by Iesus Christ for governing ordering his visible Church I never had the least change of thoughts concerning the necessity of it nor of the necessity of the use of it And now I declare before God the World that I account so of it still And that however there be some more precious ordinances yet that this is so precious that a true Christian is obliged to lay down his life for the profession thereof if the Lord shall see it meet to put him to the tryal And for my self if I were to live I would account it my glory to seal this word of my testimony with my blood Of this my declaration I take God Angels and Men to be my witnesses and have subscribed thi● presents with my hand the 2 of March 1664. about 7 hours afternoon before Mr William Tullidaf and Mr John Carstairs my Brother in Law and John Pitcarn writer hereof M R JAMES WOOD. AS the Matter of this Testimony is very considerable especially from so Great a man as Mr Wood was So the occasion

unto that Laodicean luke-warmness more desperate and incurable then coldness and death it self 3. The faithful Ministers being outed and the hedge of Presbyterian Government removed as prophanity and wickedness doth yet more abound so there came out of this smoak Locusts upon our Church even a crue of Curates for Insufficiency Vanity Lies and Prophanity the very Scorn of Reformation Scandal of Religion We need not here adduce particular instances there is none who in the least observe their doctrine and maner of conversation but will easily acknowledge it And the certainty of what we here affirm is so obvious unto all that a particular condescendence would either prove an infinite labour or too much abridge the extent of so sad a truth It s true there are some who being convinced and others who supposing the truth of what is here alleadged do either doubt or deny these things to be the proper effects of Prelacy but rather of the licentiousness of men and such accidents which may be incident to the best constitutions But if it be considered 1. That that thing which inseparably and infallibly attends another may with more then ordinary probability be concluded to depend thereon by a certain influence 2. That that which is no Ordinance of Jesus Christ but the visible product of the Devils malice and mens pride and lust can never be effectual for the establishing of Truth or promoting of Holiness 3. That such who not only discover in themselves the foresaid evils but by open and most notorious Perjury do usurp and invade and hold the Offices they pretend to must of necessity hate the light because their deeds are evil it will be very easily granted that Prelacy Prelates and their dependants to whom all these things are clearly applicable are not only the proper causes and authors of all the Prophanity and Wickedness under which this poor Land now perisheth but most naturally introductive unto all these Superstitions and Abominations wherein the Devill by the same means did and hath involved the Christian World under the Roman Papacy 4. The Prelates and Curates being thus established from the ground and warrant of the Acts mentioned several Proclamations and Edicts for the more effectual execution thereof and pressing conformity thereunto for the suppressing conscientious adherence to or so much as is possible the very remembrance of our former Engagements and Covenants and the holy Ministry and Government therein contained are emitted and published We have already mentioned that at Glasgow and these others to the same purpose which did ensue upon it The first what we here note is that the Prelates conceaving that their persecutions already practized and to be practized might excite the compassion of some to a charitable supply of the afflicted more to express their cruel malice then really to hinder that which at best is not worth the noticing under the pretext of Dis●rder they procure a discharge of charitable Collections And now let it be here observed once for all that such is the cruelty not only of the malice but of the very Acts procured by the Prelates against conscientious Non-conformists that if they were followed with a sutable compleat execution there should remain no comfort to any abiding stedfast other then that of Arcadius mercy to the children of Traitors that life should be their grief and death their relief There was another Proclamation emitted at the time of the first planting of the Curates that all persons should keep their own Parish Churches and should not repair to any other except in case of vacancy under pain of twenty Shillings Scots toti●s quo●ies to the effect that such as could not in conscience attend the Curats Conventicles might be also deprived of any mean of edification which the opportunity and neighbourhood of a faithful Ministry might afford Then thereafter there is another Edict published against unwarrantable Preaching Praying or Hearing whereby even such Exercises without which the Communion of Saints can hardly be intertained are restrained discharged in so much that if a faithful outed Minister should repair to any private family or two or three moe then the Domesticks of one House be found together though only imployed in the most Christian edifying Exercises of Praying Lecturing or Godly Conference their meeting is declared an unlawfull Conventicle and all such as are accessory punishable accordingly By a fourth Proclamation men are required to be assistent to and concur with the Curates in the exercise of Discipline as they shall be thereto called though they be not told either by what warrant or in what capacity they are to meddle in the Matters of God for our Adversaries do both disown Elders allow Deacons no rule There is a fifth Proclamation discharging all Conventions meetings whatsoever under the pretence of Religion which are not allowed by Authority certifying all persons accessory that they shall be looked upon and punished by pecuniary and corporall pains as seditions persons at the arbitrement of the Council and especially that the Ministers exercising therein and their resetters or countenancers in any sort shall be liable unto the highest pains due to seditious Persons And lastly there is a sixt commanding all Masters of Families to cause their Servants and all their dependents and all Heritors and Landlords to cause their Tennants and Tax-men to obey all Acts of Parliament or Council enjoyning Conformity and particularly to frequent their Parish Churches and to submit and conform to the Curates their Ministry or else to remove them summarly from their service and eject them out of their Possessions And also that Heritors take bond and security of their intrant Tennants in time coming that they and their Cottars and Servants shall give obedience as said is and lastly that all Magistrates of Burghs cause their Inhabitants give Bond for the like obedience for which effects these Heritors and Magistrates are warranded to charge them under the pain of Rebellion And whosoever shall contraveen this Edict is certified and declared lyable to the same pains due to the Non-conformists themselves for whom he hereby is made answerable This is the last Act Proclamation for Conformity not only in course but even in the utmost of extremity and rigor whereby as many persons having a freedom as to their own practise are further urged contrare to all the rules of charity and moderation to compel others towards whom they may rather desire a Christian Forbearance and Indulgence to be used so the generality of the Land without any exception whatsoever are reached and obliged to all the Complyance with and Conformity to this wicked Apostasy and accursed and abjured Prelacy whereof they are capable and that under such Pains as if generally incur'd and execute should infallibly reduce the Land to utter Desolation and confusion But the Lord heareth and regardeth and Oh that men would also hear the voice of this poor Church that bewaileth her self and spreadeth

is not for evill doing that I now suffer although I be charged with Rebellion against the Kings Authority yet 1 declare before God and you all that in all this matter I never intended to wrong his Majestie 's just Power and greatness but for conscience sake did respect Authority as the Ordinance of God appointed for the punishment of evill doers and that I wish his Ma all welfare both in this life and the world to come and that it may be his happiness to consider his Obligations to God and Perform the same that so it may be well with him and his Posterity to many generations and I pray God make him a friend to His Cause and the truly Godly who own the same though falsly called Phanaticks or turbulent persons I declare I have such persuasion of the Interest of Religion Reformed and sworn unto in the Covenant that I dare venture not only to lay down my own life but if every hair of my head were a man they should all be put to venture for this cause I would not have the world to stumble at the Cause because of my death after this manner for I rejoyce greatly in it and I desire every good Christian as they tender their own souls that they would grip fast lay hold on and cleave to Jesus Christ and His way My coming out at this time I say was not against his Majesty but for the Covenant which is now troden under foot my intention was for the Cause of Christ I take God to witness it was nothing else I came out for and for that I am free to lay down my life I bless God I am much encouraged in this and not at all afraid to die for so good and clear a Cause and I hope He will bring me thorow all my difficulties in this dark shadow of death I hope I have the peace of a good conscience and have had some glimpses from Jesus Christ of His countenance and reconciled Face since I came into this prison for which I desire to bless His Name with all my soul heart and spirit And I rejoyce that He hes made use of me to suffer for His Cause And I think it too litle not only to lay down my body but if it were possible even my very soul at the stake for that Cause and for Jesus Christ my good and kind Master who hath loved me and given Himself for me I give the Lord thanks that I had some of His Presence since I came into this condition and again I say I am much encouraged and not afraid to die and bless Him that I die not as a murtherer or evill door or Rebel to Authority but for such a cause as this O that it were the happiness of my Nation of England once to subiect themselves unto the sweet yoke of Christs Reformed Government under which this Nation of Scotland hath enjoyed so much of the Power and life of the Gospel by a faithful Ministry according to the Covenant sworn by them both And now my dear Friends in Christ and fellow-Covenanters though I be a stranger in this Land being an English-man but trifted by providence in the prosecution of my calling to have my residence for a time here in Scotland which I look upon as a singulare evidence of God's special love to me though I be a stranger I say to many of you yet I must be bold as a dying friend to beseech you by the mercy of God and by your appearance before Jesus Christ when we shall have to do with none but Him as our Judge that ye be faithfull and stedfast in the Cause of God and Covenant which ye have sworn with hands lifted up to the most high God which no Power on earth can loose you from and that ye keep you from snares unto the contrary and not suffer your selves to fall into a detestable Neutrality and Indifferency in that Cause of God And especially that ye keep your selves free of any Engagements by word or write that may wrong your Oath of the Covenant I commit my Wife and Children to His care who careth for them that put their trust in Him before the Sons of men not doubting but they shall be eyed with goodwil and favor by the Godly after I am gone And now I render up my Spirit to Him who gave it me and for whose sake I now lay down my life To this God my Covenanted God be glory blessing and praise for now and ever Amen That this is my mind and Testimony which I leave behind me I witness by my ordinary subscription R. SHIELDS The Testimony of HUMPREY COLHOUNE At his Death in Edinburgh Decemb 22. 1666. Dear Friends and Spectators I am come here this Day to this Place to die this Death for crimes for which I thank God my Conscience doth not condemn me My crime as is alleaged is for Disloyalty against the King's Majesty Yet I thank God that my appearing lately with the Lord's People was from my sense of my obligation in the Covenant and the sense of the wrongs done in the Land and the crying oppressions committed therein This was the end of my appearing for the Lord against His enemies to bear witness against the same The which obligation of the Oath of God I judge that none on earth can loose the Conscience from I bless the Lord again and again I die for this Oath and Covenant And I thank God also that I have by the great mercy of the Almighty God in Christ Jesus obtained mercy and forgiveness for all my transgressions both against the first and second Table of the Law And that through that Ocean of grace which is in the Lord Jesus Christ I believe that I am justified and sanctified and believe now to be glorified with Him by that blessed blood of His which hath purchased this Salvation to me through faith in the same made application of according to the good Covenant of grace He hath performed this out of his vvonderfull and incomparable free-grace And this is my joy and exceeding great rejoycing and consolation and all my salvation for vvhich I am Grace's debtor throughout all Eternity I die vvith this my Testimony my adherence to the National Covenant to the Solemn League and Covenant to the Work of Reformation a great length carried on and now overthrown most sinfully by ungodly Men vvho have established their Apostacy by Law which no just Power on earth could ever do Also I adhere to the Presbyterial Government the Confession of Faith Cathechisms Larger and Shorter And to the Solemn Acknovvledgement of the Church of Scotland And Publick Testimonies thereof against the sins of the time This day I rejoyce that He hath counted me vvorthy to lay dovvn my life for Him as one that beareth vvitness against the breach of all the Sacred Oaths and Ties that were established in this Land yea by the just Laws both of God and Man which never could

their obligation in the Covenant for mutual defence and assistance in the common cause of Religion and Liberty to joyn with them for their help Neither should I have adventured to insert these instances if besids the diligent care that was used in collecting of them making them credible the notoriety thereof whereby they were unquestioned in that part of the Countrey and many such-like things whereunto all that is mentioned is but like a preface committed since Novemb. 1666 especially in the Western parts rendering them probable they were not the native product of this Prelatical course betwixt which and them there is such connexion as is betwixt the natural cause and the effect and if the committers thereof had not had command example and encouragement for many of them from the Prelats whom they resemble as much as face answereth to face in water It is true the Prelats should no more bear all the blame then Sathan who restraineth none but tempteth to all should be charged with all the Sin of man and they were and are first and chief in the transgression who were their Authors and are their upholders and abettors and in retaliation of their flattery of the Powers and connivance at profanness in all and in subserviency to their interest and designe have perpetrated and permitted so much wickedness and oppression Yea the Peoples walking willingly after the commandement will never Excuse those who by Law Force Example make Israel to Sin yet it is above contradiction that Prelacy is the chief though not the only Interest in subserviency to which all these things are done and the Prelats themselves are a conjunct if not the Principal cause thereof These men having put off their former vizards no man needeth further to unmask them Let these who employed and maintained Sharp to agent their cause and others who promoted him to the Prelacy declare their own Experience of his continued series of ungrate deceaving and undermining of them and their Interests under Trust and professions to the contrary as all men know that he hath Impiously and Perfidiously betrayed the Church and Cause of God if they will not Let his own many letters written unto them be produced as in reason and for Vindication they should and they will evince him to be the Archest Traitor that ever Scotland bred And how can it otherwise be will he who is false to God be true to any man If that man escape some stupenduous and disgracefull remark by the hand of God or Man I will not say that Others need neither fear the One nor regard the other but sure I am that many more Experienced in the observation of divine Providence and forse●ing then I am are much mistaken Let the City of Glasglow and persons of all Qualities especially in that countrey-side ingenuously say whether that fiery Zelot for the height of English Hierarchy and Ceremonies and otherwise insignificant man Master Burnet prelate there doth nor in Just recompence of too many their enslaving their own light and conscience in flattery of him and complying with that course most insolently domineer over them as his slaves with as much Prid Ambition and Contempt as the most absolute Prince doth over his vassals Let these of the Synod of Glasgow remember with what deep dissimulation Mr Hamilton prelat of Galloway did by Express suffrage declare before the last Synod there against the same Prelacy which at that same instant of time he was clandestinly corresponding with the Rulers to establish This man of all others hath been the chief Cause of all the Oppression and persecution in that countrey and thereby the Occasion of the late riseing in Armes blood that hath followed thereupon One instance of Mr Honeyman prelate of Orkney I cannot ommit that in the year 1661 when Mr Sharp had discovered himself walking in his own garden he said to a famous person who can bear witness thereof Just as Balaam spake truth whether he would or not That Mr Sharp was as false as Iudas and I would gladly know to whom this Casuist who since hath embraced a Bishoprick will Compare himself for fals-hood except to him who entered into Iudas with the sop I need tell no man who knoweth the Persons of the brutish Sensuality of Mr Wallace P. of the Isles who studieth more the filling of his belly then he was ever fit for feeding of a flock nor of the hatred of Godliness and good men in Mr Guthrey P. of Dunkel who while he was Minister at Sterlin was an old persecuter of both nor the scandalous drinking of Mr Sraughan P. of Brechen let those who visite him in his own house declare how liberally he useth to entertain them with Wine there upon their own Expence It is true indeed that Mr Lighton prelate of Dumblan under a Jesuitial-like vizard of Pretended Holiness humility crucifixion to the world hath studied to seem to Creep upon the ground but alwayes up the hill toward promotion places of more ease honor Wealth as there is none of them all hath with a Kiss so betrayed the Cause and smiten Religion under the fifth rib and hath been such an offence to the godly so there is none who by his way practice and Expressions giveth greater suspicion of a popish affection inclination and design If these men had not put off their own vaile no pencil of the most skilled artist could have drawn them to the life but now by shewing of themselves they have saved others a labour or at least made it more easy And therefore I shall rake no more into this unpleasant dung-hil of the vilest vice which they and their Brethren in Iniquity whom not nameing here doth not Except from their part of the charg of Ambition Prid Sensuality Idleness Covetousness Oppression Persecution Dissimulation Perjury Treacheiy and Hatred of Godliness and Good men have heaped together in their own Persons and transsused to others over all the Land O the Immense long suffering and unsearchable Wisedome of God! who hearing the cry of these things stirreth not the Zeal of all to Execute his just Judgment upon these men but it may be that he is ripening and reserving them for a more God-like strok then any would be acknowledged to be wherein man were Instrumental Neither are their Mercenaries whom they hire as Postillions to ride upon the fore-horse of all their Wickedness less skilled but more foreward that way then their drivers It were as far above the faith of any who have not heard and seen to beleeve and might render any pen suspected of the want of truth or tenderness to write the Hundreth part as it it easy to instance incredibly much but endless to relate all that is true of the Ignorance Lightness Profaness of these men When I have told that several lying in known and acknowledged fornication without removall of the scandal have been admitted to the Ministry by the Prelats who knew it