over-much sharpness in good Policy to be thought fitter for abrogation by non-usance than repealed by a publick decree 11. Moreover it is fore-thought by some that if these Seminaries be onely restrained that they may prove hereafter like a Snake kept in the bosome such as Bonner Gardiner and others of the same Livery shewed themselves to be after Liberty obtained in Queen Mary's days and if the loss of their Ghostly Fathers agrieve them it is probable that they will take Arms sooner and with more courage to free the Living than to set up a Trophy to the Dead 12. Howsoever the Jesuits Band is known in their Native Soyl to be defective in many respects which makes them Underlings to the Protestants as in Authority Arms and the protection of the Laws which is all in all Nevertheless they insinuate themselves to Forraign Princes favouring their Party with promises of strange assistance at home if they may be well backed from abroad To which purpose they were wont to divide the Inhabitants of this Realm into four Sects whereof ranking their Troops in the first place as due to the pretended Catholicks they assumed a full fourth part to their property and of that part again they made a Subdivision into two portions namely of those that openly renounced the established Church of England and others whose certain number could not be assigned because they frequented our Service our Sacraments reserving their hearts to their Lord God the Pope The second Party they alot to the Protestants who retain yet as they say some Reliques of their Church The third Rank and largest was left unto the Puritans whom they hate deadly in respect that they will hold no indifferent quarter with Papistry The fourth and last Maniple they assigne to the Politicians Huomini say they Senza Dio Senz Anima Men without fear of God or regard of their Souls who busying themselves onely with matters of State retain no sense of Religion Without doubt if the Authors of this Partition have cast their Account aright we must confess the latter Brood is to be ascribed properly unto them For if the undermining of the Parliament-house the scandalizing of the King in Print who is Gods Anointed and the refusal of natural Obedience be works of those that neither stand in awe of God or Conscience well may the Papists boast that they are assured of the first number and may presume likewise of the lasts friendship when occasion shall be offered For the preventing of which Combination it is a sure way to cut off the Heads that should tye the Knot or at least to brand them with a mark in the Forehead before they be dismissed or after the opinion of others and custome of Sweden to make them unwelcome to the feminine Sex which now with great fervency embraceth them These are for the most part Arguments vented in ordinary discourse by many who suppose a Priest's breath to be contagious in our English Air. Others there are who maintain the second part of the Question with Reasons not unworthy of observance Death is the end of Temporal Woes but it may in no wise be accounted the Grave of memory Therefore howsoever it is in the power of Justice to suppress the person of a man the Opinion for which he suffered conceived truly or untruly in the hearts of a Multitude is not subject to the edge of any Sword how sharp or keen soever I confess that the Teeth are soon blunted that bite onely out of the malice of a singular Faction but where Poyson is diffused through the veins of a Common-wealth with intermixture of Bloud good and bad Separation is to be made rather by Evacuation than by present Incision The greatest biter of a State is Envie joyned with thirst of Revenge which seldom declares it self in plain Colours until a Jealousie conceived of personal dangers breaketh out into desperate Resolutions Here comes it to pass that when one male-contented Member is grieved the rest of the body is sensible thereof neither can a Priest or Jesuit be cut-off without a general murmur of their Secretaries which being confident in their number secretly arm for opposition or confirmed with their Martyrs bloud as they are perswaded resolve by patience and sufferance to glorifie their Cause and to merit Heaven Do we not daily see that it is easier to confront a private Enemy than a Society or Corporation and that the hatred of a State is more immortal than the spleen of a Monarchy Therefore except it be demonstrated that the whole Roman City which consists not of one brood but of a succession of persons may be cut off at the first stroak as one entire Head I see no cause to think our State secured by sitting on the skirts of some few Seminaries leaving in the mean time a multitude of Snarlers abroad who already shew their Teeth and onely wait opportunity to bite fiercely I will not deny that whom we fear we commonly hate provided always that no merit hath interceded a Reconciliation for there is great difference between hatred conceived against him that will take away the life and him that may justly do it and yet in Clemency forbears to put it in effect for the latter breedeth reverent awe whereas the former subjecteth to servile fear always accompanied with desire of Innovations And although it hath been affirmed of the Church of Rome Quod Pontificium genus semper crudele nevertheless out of Charity let us hope that all Devils are not so black as they are painted Some or perhaps many of them there are whom Conscience or in default thereof pure shame of the world will constrain to confess That his Majesty most graciously distinguisheth the Theory of Popery from the Active part thereof as being naturally inclined Parvis peceatis veniam magnis severitatem commodare nec poenâ semper sed saepius poenitentiâ contentus esse 2. Mistaking of punishments legally inflicted commonly proceeds from fond pity or the interest which we have in the same Cause both which beget blinde partiality Admit then that the Papal side affecting merit by compassion may be neerly touched with the restraint of their Seminaries that cannot be denied I hope except they had the hearts of Tygers that in humanity they will prefer their ease of durance before the rigor of death And albeit that Parsons Bellarmine and the Pope himself constrain their spiritual Children to thrust their fingers into the fire by refusing the Oath of Allegiance yet we have many Testimonies in Judicial Courts and printed Books that the greater part of them are of that Theban Hunters minde who would rather have seen his Dogs cruel acts than have felt them to his own cost Garnet himself also in one of his secret Letters lamented that after his death he should not be enroled amongst the Martyrs because that no matter of Religion was objected against him yet it plainly appears in his demeanour that he would gladly
use but the first elements thereof are to be learnt at home And these which we learn from our Parents stick most surely in our mindes What was the cause why the Spartans continued their Government so many Revolutions of times without mutations Histories record that Learning their Country-Customs from their Infancy they would not be induced to alter them And in this our Native Soil we perceive that the Common Laws which rely on antient Customes are better observed than late Statutes of what worth soever they be So doth it fare with the poor People who being once seasoned with the old Dregs of Papisme will hardly be drawn from it till the learning of the true Faith be grown to a Custome I will prescribe no order or affairs to effect this but I suppose that the antient laudable course by the Bishops Confirmation will not be sufficient to fulfil so great a task the Ministers must and ought to be the principal and immediate hands to give assistance to so gracious a work and in case any be defective in their Duty the Reverend Fathers of the Church may take notice thereof in their Visitations Perhaps it will be thought a hard task to constrain old People to learn the A B C. of their Christian Belief But how hard soever it be I hold it no Incivility to prepare people of all Ages for the Kingdome of Heaven It was not the hanging up of the Bull of Pius Quintus on the Bishop of London 's doors or the forbearing to hang up Priests that hath wrought this Apostasie But the Idleness and Insufficiency of many Teachers conspiring with the Peoples cold Zeal that hath been the contriver of this unhappy Web. Until the eleventh year of Queen Elizabeths Reign a Recusants name was scarcely known The reason reason was because that the Zeal begotten in the time of the Marian Persecution was yet fresh in memory And the late Persecutors were so amazed with the sudden alteration of Religion that they could not chuse but say Digitus Dei est hic In those days there was an emulation between the Clergy and the Laity and a strife arose Whether of them should shew themselves most affectionate to the Gospel Ministers haunted the Houses of worthiest Men where Jesuits now build their Tabernacles and poor Country-Churches were frequented with the best in the Shire The Word of God was precious Prayer and Preaching went hand in hand together Until Archbishop Grindal's disgrace and Hatfield's hard conceit of Prophecying brought the flowing of these good Graces to a still water The name of a Papist smelt rank even in their own Nostrils and for pure shame to be accounted such they resorted duely both to our Churches and Exercises But when they saw their great Coryphaeus Sanders had slily pinned the name of Puritans upon the sleeves of Protestants that encountred them with most courage and perceived that the word was pleasing to some of our own side they took heart agrace to set little by the Service of God and Duty to their Soveraign therewith start up from among us some that might have been recommended for their Zeal if it had been tempered with discretion who fore-running the Authority of the Magistrate took upon them in sundry places and publickly to censure whatsoever agreed not with their private conceits with which cross humours vented in Pulpits and Pamphlets most men grieve to be frozen in zeal and in such sort benummed that whosoever as the worthy Lord Keeper Bacon observed in those days pretended a little spark of earnestness he seemed no less than red fire hot in comparison of the other And as some things fare the worse for an ill Neighbours sake dwelling beside them so did it betide the Protestant who seeking to curb the Papist or to reprove an idle Droan was incontinently branded with the ignominious note of a Precisian All which winde brought plenty of Water to the Popes Mill and there will most men grind where they see appearance to be well served 12. If without great inconvenience the Children of Papists could be brought up out of their company it were a happy turn but I find it to be full of difficulty there is provision made to avoid Popish School-masters but there is no ward against Popish School-mistresses that infect the silly Infants while they carry them in their Arms which moveth me to suppose that the former proposition to examine how Children and Servants are brought up and truly to certifie the List of the Communicants and Recusants will be the readiest means to let His Majesty know the yearly increase or decrease of the Church in every Diocess and whosoever shall send his Children or any of His Majesties Subjects to be placed in Monasteries or Seminary Colledges or Popishly to be brought up in Forraign parts I think that for punishment both the one and the other worthily might be disfranchised of the Priviledges due to natural English-men so far forth as any good by the Laws may descend to them but not to be exempted from the penalties thereof or the Regal Jurisdicton of the Crown I know well that contradiction is odious and makes a man seem ambitious to be thought more understanding than others in which case the Spaniard useth onely to term him presumptuous whom he would call Fool if civility would bear it But in my Defence I hope it shall suffice again to revive my former protestation that I discourse by the way of proposition rather than arrogance of defining any thing with pardon therefore may I be permitted to say That the first easie Law of Twelve pence inflicted on him that could not give a reasonable excuse for his absence from Church on Sundays was one of the best Ordinances that hath hitherto been enacted but while we sought to make new Statutes savouring of more severity we neglected the old and were loath to execute the new for it is a certain Rule that whosoever in policy will give liberty and yet seem to suppress a Crime let him procure sharp Laws to be proclaimed which are only necessary for some times and rare occasions to be put in execution but not to be an ordinary work for every day of the week Daily use likewise teacheth us that it is less grievous to punish by an old Law than by a new Forasmuch as Truth it self seldom gets credit without proof and it is hard to free the people of suspition that new Laws are not rather invented against the particular persons and purses of men than against the corrupt manners By force of which reason I am induced to conceive that the old use of the Church contained in good nurture and Ecclesiastical censures will much more prevail to muzzle Popery than any fresh devices whatsoever Neither do I think it blame-worthy to affirm that our Cause hath taken harm by relying more on the Temporal than the Spiritual Arms for while we trusted that Capital punishments should strike the stroak we have neglected
A MODERATE EXPEDIENT FOR Preventing of Popery AND The more Effectual Suppression OF JESUITS and PRIESTS Without giving them the Vain-glory OF PRETENDING to MARTYRDOM By a Person of Quality I Am not ignorant that this latter Age hath brought forth a swarm of busie heads which measure the great Mysteries of State by the Rule of their self-conceited Wisdome but if they would consider that the Common-wealth governed by grave Counsellours is like unto a Ship directed by a skilful Pilot to whom the necessities of occasions and grounds of Reason why he steereth the Helm to this or that point of the Compass are better known than to those that stand aloof off they would perhaps be more sparing if not more wary in their Resolutions For my own particular I must confess that I am naturally too much inclined to his opinion who once said Qui bene latuit bene vixit and freshly recalling to mind the saying of Functius to his Friend at the hour of his untimely Death Disce meo exemplo mandato munere fungi Et fuge ceu Pestem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I could easily forbear to make my Hand-writing the Record of any Opinion which nevertheless I protest to maintain rather problematically than by the way of a conclusive assertion therefore without wasting precious time any longer with needless Prologue I will briefly set down the Question in the Terms following Whether it be more expedient to suppress Popish practices against the due Allegiance to his Majesty by the strict execution of the present Laws touching Jesuits and Seminary Priests or to restrain them to close Prison during life if no Reformation following The doubt propounded consisting of two Branches necessarily requireth to be distinctly handled that by comparing either part the conveniency mentioned in the Question may be cleered with more facility 1. In favour of the first Division there are not a few who grounding themselves on an ancient Proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A dead man bites not affirm that such are dangerous to be preserved alive who being guilty condemned and full of fear are likely for purchase of life and liberty to engage their utmost in desperate adventures against their King and Country 2. No less is it to be feared that while the Sword of Justice is remiss in cutting off hainous offenders against the dignity of the Crown the misled Papal multitude in the interim may enter into a jealous suspence whether that forbearance proceed from the fear of exasperating their desperate humours or that it is now become questionable whether the execution of their Priests be simply for matter of State or pretended quarrel for Religion 3. And whereas in a remediless inconvenience it is lawful to use the extremity of Laws against some sew that many by terrour of the Example may be reformed what hope can there be that Clemency may tame their hearts who interpret his Majesties grace in transporting their Priests out of this Realm to be a meer shift to rid the Prisons of those whom Conscience could not condemn of any capital Crime 4. Neither are their vaunting whisperings to be neglected by which they seek to confirm the fearful Souls of their Party and to inveigle the ignorant doubtful or discontented persons for if the glorious extolling of their powerful Friends and the expecting of a golden day be suffered to win credit with the meaner sort the relapse cannot be small or the means easie to reform the Errour without a general combustion of the State 5. Let experience speak somewhat in this behalf which hath evidently descried within the current of few years That the forbearance of Severity hath multiplied their Roll in such manner that it remains as a Corrosive to thousands of his Majesties well-affected Subjects 6. To what purpose serves it to muster the names of the Protestants or to vaunt them to be ten for one of the Roman Faction as if bare figures of numeration could prevail against an united Party resolved and advised aforehand how to turn their faces with assurance unto all dangers while in the mean time the Protestants nestling in vain security suffer the Weed to grow up that threatneth their bane and merciless ruine 7. Sometimes the Oath of Supremacy choaked their presumptuous imaginations and yet could not that infernal Smoak be wholly smothered nor the Locusts issuing thereout be cleansed from the face of this Land Now that the Temporal power of the King contained in the Oath of Allegiance is by the Papal See and many of the Adorers thereof impudently avowed to be unlawful shall the broachers of such Doctrine be suffered to live yea to live and be received of us for whose destruction they daily sigh and practice 8. To be a right Popish Priest in true English sense is to bear the Character of a disloyal Renegade one that hath cast off his natural Obedience to his Soveraign by swearing Homage to a Forreign Head Whom if by connivance he shall let slip or chastise with a light hand what immunity may not traiterous Delinquents in lesser degrees expect or challenge after a sort in Equity and Justice 9. If there were no Receivers there would be no Thieves Likewise if there were no Harbourers of the Jesuits it is to be presumed that they would not trouble this Isle with their presence Therefore Rigor must be extended against the Receiver that the Jesuit may be kept out of doors were it then indifferent Justice to hang up the Accessary and let the Principal go free namely to suffer the Priest to draw his breath at length while the Entertainer of him under his Roof submits his body to the Executioners hand Without doubt if it be fit to forbear the chief it will be necessary to receive the second Offender into protection wherewith a mischief must ensue of continual Expence and scandalous restraint of so great a number 10. Reputation is one of the principal Arteries of the Common-wealth which Maxime is so well known to the Secretaries of the Papacy that by private Forgeries and publick impressions of Calumnies they endeavour to wound us in that vital part Howsoever therefore some few of that stamp being better tempered than their fellows in 〈◊〉 of our Government have not spared to affirm That Tyranny is unjustly ascribed thereunto for so much as Freedom of Conscience after a sort may be redeemed for money Notwithstanding there want not many Pamphleteers of their side who opprobriously cast in our teeths the converting of the Penalty inflicted on Recusants and refusers of the Oath of Allegiance from the Kings Exchequer to a particular Purse Surely we cannot presume that these Libellers may be disswaded from spitting out their Venome maliciously against us when they shall see their Priests mewed up without further process of Law for either they will attribute this calm dealing to the Justice of their Cause the strength of their Party or Patience or that tract of time hath discovered our Laws importing
4. He that forbeareth to sow his ground in expectance of good Winde or a favourable Moon commonly hath a poor Crop and a lean Purse So shall it fare with this State if private Whisperings of discontented persons that never learnt to speak well be too nicely regarded yet ought they not to be slightly set at nought lest our Credit grow light even in the Ballance of our dearest Friends The Papistical Libels inform against us as if we were desirous to grow fat with sucking of their Bloud the very Walls of their Seminary Colledge at Rome are bedawbed with their lying Phansies and in every corner the Corner-creepers leave some badge of their malicious Spleen against us crying out of Cruelty and Persecution But if the penalty of Death be changed into a simple indurance of Prison what Moat can they finde in our Eyes to pull out or with what Rhetorick can they defend their obstinate Malipertness which with repaying us ill for good deserve to have Coals of Indignation poured upon their heads Visne muliebre confilium said Livia to Augustus let Severity sleep a while and try what alteration the pardoning of Cinna may procure The Emperour hearkened to her Counsel and thereby found his Enemies mouths stopt and the malice abated Some there are perchance that will term this Clemency Innovation and vouch the Precedent of that City who permitted none to propound new Laws that had not a Cord about their necks ready for Vengeance if it were found unprofitable But let such Stoicks know that there is great difference between the penning of a new Law and advice given for the manner of executing it neither by their leaves are all Innovations to be rejected for divine Plato teacheth us That in all Common-wealths upon just grounds there ought to be some changes and that States-men therein must behave themselves like skilful Musicians Qui artem Musices non mutant sed Musices modum 5. That an evil Weed groweth fast by example of the new Catholicks increase is cleerly convinced But he that will ascribe this Generation simply to his Majesties Heroical vertue of Clemency argueth out of the fallacy which is called Ignoratio Elenchi Was not the Zeal of many cooled towards the last end of Queen Elizabeth's Raign hath not the impertinent heat of some of our own side bereft us of part of our strength and the Papacy with tract of Time gotten a hard skin on their Consciences Parva metu primo mox sese attollit in altum But if we will with a better insight behold how this great quantity of Spawn is multiplied we must especially ascribe the cause thereof to their Priests who by their Deaths prepare and assure more to their Sect than by their Lives they could ever perswade It were Incivility to distrust a Friend or one that hath the shew of an honest man if he will frankly give his Word or confirm it with a sacred Oath But when a Protestation is made upon the last gasp of Life it is of great effect and possesseth those that cannot gain-say it upon their own knowledge The number of these Priests which now adays come to make a Tragical Conclusion is not great Yet as with one Seal many Patents are sealed so with the loss of a few Lives numbers of wavering Spirits may be gained Sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae And though these Priests having indeed a disadvantageous Cause are in very deed but counterfeit Shadows of Martyrs unto a true understanding yet will they be reputed for such by those that lay their Souls to pawn unto their Doctrine with whom if we list to contend by multitude of Voices we shall be cryed down without all peradventure For the gate of their Church is wide and many there are that enter thereinto 6. By divers Means it is possible to come to one and the self-same End seeing that then the sum of our well-wishings is all one namely That Popish Priests may have no power to do harm it is not impertinent to try sundry paths which may lead us to the perfecting of our Desires Politicians distinguish Inter rempub constitutam rempub constituend according to the several natures whereof Statists are to dispose of their Counsels and Ordinances Were now the Rhemists and Romulists new-hatched out of the shell the former course of Severity might soon bury their Opinions with their Persons But since the Disease is inveterated variety of Medicine is judiciously to to be applied The Romans did not punish all Crimes of one and the self-same nature with extremity of Death For some they condemned to perpetual Prison and others they banished into an Island or some remote Countrey Even in the case of Religion they were very tender to dip their fingers in Blood For when Cato was Consul and it stemed good unto the Senate to suppress with violence the disordered Ceremony of the Baechanals brought by a strange Priest into the City he withstood that Sentence alledging that there was nothing so apt to deceive men as Religion which always presents a shew of Divinity and for that cause it behoved to be very wary in chastizing the Professors thereof lest any indignation should enter into the Peoples mindes that somewhat was derogated from the Majesty of God Others more freely have not spared to place Religion I mean that Religion which is ignorantly zealous amongst the kinds of Frensie which is not to be cured otherwise than by time given to divert or qualifie the fury of the Conceit Tantum Religio potuit suadere malorum Howsoever in valuing the power of a City or strength of Arguments quality and worth is to be preferred before number Nevertheless where the uttermost of our force is not known it imports much to have it conceived that the Multitude stands for us for Doubts and Suspicions cast in an Enemies way evermore make things seem greater and more difficult than they are indeed We have by God's Mercy the Sword of Justice drawn on our behalf which upon short warning is able to disunite the secret Underminers of our Quiet we have a King zealous for the House of the Lord who needeth not to fear less Success in shutting up of Priests than Queen Elizabeth had in restraining them in Wisbich-Castle where lest their factious Spirits should grow rusty they converted their Canker to fret upon themselves and vomiting out Gall in Quodlibets shewed that their Disease was chiefly predominant in the Spleen What Tempests they have raised in their Colledge at Rome their own Books and many Travellers can witness the storm whereof was such that Sextus Quintus complained seriously of the vexation which he received oftner from the English Scholars than all the Vassals of his Triple Crown And untruely is the Magistrate noted of Negligence or overmuch Severity that lays wait to catch the Foxes and the little Foxes which spoil the Vineyard though afterwards without further punishment he reserve them to the day wherein God will take
Majesty into the disposition of zealous distributers who will not be afraid to conclude Perdat fiscus ut capiat Christus Neither need we seek any further succour to repair decayed Castles and therein to defray the charge of the Priests with a sure Guard to keep them than the aforesaid Forfeitures that by the Justice of the Law may be collected Which course if ever it come happily to be entertained and that Recusancy cause to be an ignominious prey to the Subjects the proceedings for Religion shall be less blamed and perhaps altogether unjustly accused by any graceless Gretzerus or Cacodaemon Johannes tincting their Pens in Gall and Vinegar For besides occasion of Calumniation given by Suits of that nature it is evident that many Recusants that would be Indicted for the King and the effecting of the Project aforesaid shall escape without punishment and be born out against the Power of a private person begging them to no other purpose than hath heretofore been used and albeit the Penalty be rated at 20 l. a Moneth yet was it never the Law-makers intent that such as were not able to pay so great a Summ should go Scot-free but that according to the proportion of their Ability they should do the penance of their Purses for their Disobedience whereas now if the Voice of the People which is said to be the Voice of God is to be credited the poorer sort is skipt over as if they ought no Souls to God nor Duty to their Soveraign a poor man saith one is to be pitied if he offend through necessity but if he do amiss voluntarily he is more severely to be chastised forasmuch as wanting Friends and Means to bear him out it sheweth that his Fault proceedeth from Presumption 10. Let us now presuppose that all the whole Regiment of Jesuits and Seminaries were lodged in safe custody may we then perswade our selves That Popery will vanish like a dumb Show I am clearly resolved that though it receive a great Eclipse notwithstanding without other helps the Kingdom of Antichrist will only lye hidden as a weed that seems withered in Winter and is ready to sprout out with the Spring Temporal Arms are Remedies serving for a time but the Spiritual Sword is permanent in Operation and by an invisible Blow works more than Mortal Man can imagine The Word of God carries this two-edged Weapon in its mouth which is to be used by faithful Ministers of the Church whom pure Zeal without respect to worldly Promotion or persons ought to encourage Of Judges the Scripture saith Estote fortes and daily we see that sitting in their Judicial Seats God inspireth them with greater Courage than when as private persons they are to give their Opinions No less is the Power of the Holy Ghost in his Servants that out of the Pulpit are to deliver his Embassage Let them therefore not be dismaid to speak out plainly and tell the truth without running a middle course between heat and cold Unprofitable descanting upon the Scripture with an old Postel or for want of better matter waste the poor time shut up in an Hour-glass with skirmishing against the worthy Pillars of our own Profession Rumour which is ever ready to take hold of evil hath raised a secret though as I hope a causeless suspicion that there should be some secret combination under-hand by changing the state of Questions to put us in our old days to learn a new Catechisme and when they have brought us out of conceit with the Reverend Interpreters of the Word to use us then as the Wolves mentioned in Demosthenes Apology handled the Shepherds when they had delivered up their Dogs Most sacred was that Speech of our most gracious King concerning Vorstius He that will speak of Canaan let him speak the Language of Canaan How can we draw others to our Church if we cannot agree where or how to lay our Foundation Or how may we cleanse the leprous Disease of Dissention which the Papists which are least assured to themselves and most doubtful of their Salvation are not ashamed to ascribe unto many of us I would not have Ministers indiscreet like Dogs to bark against all whether they know or know them not I like better the opinion of Aristotle who adviseth those that stand in guard of a place to be curst only to such as are about to endamage the City If Pursevants and other Civil-Officers would learn to keep this Rule they might go about their business with much credit The imagined fear of inviting the Romish Faction by force to deliver their Ghostly Fathers out of Prison moves me not a whit For I cannot believe that they esteem them at so dear a price that they would run the hazard by freeing others out of Hold to put themselves into their places Some will say That a man of straw is a head good enough for a discontented Multitude That the Papists are very Cholerick it appears sufficiently by their Writings Yet it hath pleased God to send those curst Cows short horns that when they could not finde a man of sufficiency to serve their turn they were fain to do Homage to Garnet's Straw forgetful as they are that such stubble cannot endure the Trial of Fire But unto us that ought to be Doers as well as Professors of the Gospel let this remain as a memorable Theoreme Religion is the Mother of good Order good Order is the cause of prosperous Fortune and happy Success in all Counsels and Enterprises Wherefore in what estate soever there wanteth good Order it is an evident Argument that Religion goes backward 11. I have ever held it for a kinde of Injustice to omit the execution of mean Laws made to prevent the effects of Idleness and then to apply main extremity of the Sword when the proling habit gotten by that Vice comes to light No less is the course uncharitable with pardon for this presumption be it spoken when we spare them that have no Religion at all and censure those that can give account of somewhat tending to that purpose He that is in Misery must be born withal if he speak miserably and when the Child from his Mothers Breast hath suckt nothing but Popery a man had need to be angry with discretion if he hear him speak in the voice of a Papist God calleth some by Miracle but the ordinary means is his Word If that means in many places of this Land be wanting of what Religion is it likeliest the people will be I suppose that few men will gainsay my Assertion that outward sense will direct them to Popery which is fuller of Pageants than of Spiritual Doctrine And what is the cause that after so many years of preaching of the Gospel that the common People still retain a scent of the Roman perfume The Cause is For that the formal Obedience of coming to Church hath been more expected than the Instruction of private Families publique Catechising is of great