An exhortation to his Dearely beloued Countrimen all the Natiues of the Countie of Lanenster inhabiting in and about the Citie of London tending to perswade and stirre them vp to a yearely contribution for the erecting of Lectures and maintaining of some godly and painfull preachers in such places of that Country as haue most neede by reason of ignorance and superstition there abounding composed by George Walker Pastor of St. Iohn the Euangelists in Watlingstreet in LONDON MY deare and louing Countrimen whom God by his gracious prouidence hath together with my selfe transplanted out of our natiue Country the Countie of Lancaster which as it is at this day so hath much more in the dayes of our youth and within our memorie beene as a rough vntilled barren desert ouer-runne with ignorance superstition and poperie and hath planted vs by the waters of comfort in a wealthy and fruitfull place where all blessings needfull for soule and body are extended vnto vs as a flowing streame Isai 66.12 Luke 12.48 you are not ignorant of that saying of our Sauiour That to whom much is giuen of them much shall be required yea I doubt not but ye haue all learned this lesson that as God after grear deliuerance from great euills dangers and miseries requires much thankfulnesse to himselfe at the hands of the deliuered so also much compassion towards their brethren who still remaine in the same miseries and dangers and a readinesse to helpe and succour them vpon euery occasion and opportunity which shall bee offered This our Sauiour teacheth vs by his example and continuall practise in that he is touched with our infirmities and by the things which hee suffered being tempted Heb. 4.15 and 2 18. is become a mercifull high Preist able and readie to succour them that are tempted And this hee enjoynes vs all to put in practise in that charge which he gaue to his Apostle when thou are conuerted strengthen thy brethren Luke 22.32 Iohn 13.17 Now my brethren if ye know these things happy and blessed shall you be if ye also doe them as our Sauiour affirmeth in the Gospell And that you may by so doing obteine more easily this happinesse and blessednesse lo here I will shew you a short cut and a ready way euen one only worke of piety and charity which I will commend vnto you in which worke alone if you shall wisely and conscionably begin it and therein carefully cheerfully and constantly proceed and continue to the end according to that ability which God hath giuen to you ye shall at once performe all these workes and duties of Christianitie that is you shall render and returne vnto God increase and fruit according to the talents which he hath committed to your trust and the seed and cost of planting and tilling which he hath on you bestowed you shall offer vp to his majestie a most acceptable sacrifice of thankfulnesse for his deliuerance of your soules from dangers of ignorance superstition and prophanesse which ouer-spread the place of your natiuitie and withall you shall shew all Christian compassion and exerciâ—e brotherly charity and commiseration rowards your brethren and Country and by Gods grace and blessing on your indeauours become powerfull instruments and effectuall meanes of sauing many soules Acts 28.18 by turning them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan vnto God that they may become fellow Saints with your selues Colloss 1.12 and coheires and partakers of the inheritance of glory in light This worke to describe and set it forth plainely in that nature as it is here commended to you is no more but a free voluntary cheerfull and charitable contribution of such yearly summes of money as euery one of you by means of that wealth and ability which God hath bestowed vpon him may very well without impouerishing pinching or any way ouercharging of himselfe or impairing of his estate bestow for the maintaining of godly painefull and profitable preachers of Gods word in those parrs and parishes of our natiue Country of Lancashire in which â—â—ere is found to be greatest need and most grieuous want scarsity of preaching and maintenance for preachers that by their continuall labors zealous preaching and conscionable paines ignorance and superstition may be rooted out true religion planted Gods true worship set vp and established and that by the conuerting of many soules and instructing and consirming the weake Gods true Church may there increase and flourish and so that Country which is now in many places like a barren wildernesse may become a fruitfull garden and pleasant vineyard of the Lord of hosts well watered with plentifull showers of Gods heauenly and spirituall graces distilling from heauen and with fountaines springs and flowing streames of earthly and temporall blessings which follow and accompanie the publike enterteinment of the Gospell and the aduancement of Christs true Church in euery land This worke if wee should seeke no further but looke vpon it and take a view of it in it selfe as it is here in plaine words propounded to vs hath in it motiues sufficient of all sorts to draw vs and moue vs to put it in present practise First whereas in many other workes of bountie and liberalitie grace and nature are sound contrary and while the one perswades vs to doe them the other disswades vs from them as for example in the purchasing of great houses lands and reuenues for our children while naturall affection doth incite vs to disburse great summes and to imploy all out wealth and estate Grace on the contrary forbids vs to spend all on our children and fleshly kinred which perhaps may proue wicked prodigalls and abuse our riches to sinne and mischiefe and tells vs that we ought rather to honour God with our wealth by spending a great part there of in workes of piety and charity vpon the poore members of Christ And while Grace drawes vs to this naturall affection doth draw and pull vs from it vnto the other Now in this worke here commended to you there is no such opposition betweene grace and nature nor any such cause of distraction but both together doe draw pull and allure vs with ioynt forces Grace tells vs that this being a worke of pitty tending to Gods glory by the sauing of many soules the increase of his Church and aduancement of true religion and his holy worshippe no good Christian can refuse to put his hand vnto it but euery one ought to be and will be forward in it And because this worke is also a worke of charitie not towards strangers but towards our Countrimen and kinred according to the flesh euen towards our owne brethren and tends to this as one maine end to make our natiue Country blessed with all blessings heauenly and earthly therefore naturall affection doth strongly and vehemently pull vs and perswade vs vnto it and as we all naturally loue our Country and kinred so we cannot but by the instinct
by turning many soules from darknesse to light from profanesse to piety from ignorance and superstition to the sauing knowledge and true worship of God and from the slauery and power of Satan vnto the glorious liberty of Gods children as experience in some parts of our Country hath of late proued then many others as worthy and well quallified as they or they themselues are able to doe in these parts where the light of the Gospell hath shined from the dayes of our fore-fathers For as it is with vntilled ground ouer-growne with briets weeds and thornes the first yeares plowing sowing and manuring of it doth worke a greater and more visible change from barrennesse to fruitfulnesse then all plowing and manuring can doe in ground well tilled before because that onely continueth and increaseth the old doth not beget new fruitfulnesse 〈◊〉 it is with a people when the word is sent first among them If it doth preuaile with them at all and if they doe not vtterly reject but chearfully receiue it they are more visibly changed from profanesse and superstition to piety and profession of true religion in the first yeare then in a long time and many yeares after so that both the preachers which labor among them and the godly contributors who set them vp and maintaine them may behold with joy and gladnesse of heart aboundance of present fruit and increase arising from small cost and labour which is a strong motiue and encouragement to all Christians thus to imploy their talents which God hath committed to them and to shew and exercise their charity and piety in this kind To all these spirituall motiues and in couragements arising from spirituall in crease profit and benefit we may adde the multitude and aboundance of temporall blessings and benefits which the Gospell brings with it to the Country and people among whom it is generally and with publike consent receiued and imbraced For experience hath taught the world in all ages that as the heate and light of the Sunne accompanied with watering showers of raine and dew doe make the earth fruitfull in corne wine oyle and all other fruites which are required either for the profit and benefit or for the pleasure and delight of man So the light of the Gospell working the heate of true zeale in the hearts of a people and drawing from them the teares of true repentance and causing many such showers of heauenly moysture to distill from their eyes neuer hath failed but in all ages hath brought all store euen of earthly blessings with it and made Gods Saints and people honourable renowned and of high esteeme for their worldly greatnesse wealth and prosperity in the eyes of the heathen nations among whom they haue liued This was that which made religious and vpright Noah not onely the heire of the righteousnesse which is by faith but also brought temporall deliuerance and bodily safety to him and his family in the vniuerfall deluge and destruction of the old world and made him and his sonnes the repairers of mankind and the builders of the new world which followed as the Apostle hath obserued Heb. 11.7 This made Melchisedek the Priest sacrificer of the high God to liue and reigne a King of peace in all plenty and prosperity in the midst of the wicked Canaanites while all the bordering Kings and neighbors were ouer-runne with the calamities of warre and oppressed with the heauy yoke and bondage vnder Chedarlaomer and other forraigne tyrants as we may reade Gen. 14. This made Abraham the father of the faithfull and Isaae his son the heire of promise so to prosper and flourish in all prosperity wealth and riches that the heathen nations among whom they sojourned as strangers did esteeme and stile them Princes of God and potent Kings sought vnto them to enter into a league and oath of amity with them as appears Gen. 13.2 6. 21.22 23 6. 26.28 This made Iacob who fled ouer Iordan to his vncle Laban with a staffe in his hand so to grow increase and prosper that he returned with oxen asses flocks man-seruants and women-seruants wiues and children which made vp two troupes or bands as he himselfe confesseth to the glory of God that gaue them Gen. 32.5.10 This made Ioseph to prosper euen in all worldly affaires and all things whereunto he put his hand Gen. 39.2.3.23 This brought all blessings of victory ouer enemies abroad and of peace and plenty at home with all honour fame and renowne to Dauid Hezechiah Iosiah and other religious Kings of Israell and Iudah who receiued and beleeued the word of God obeyed it with all their hearts And that large promise which God made to Ioshua the first Iudge and ruler ouer Israell after Moses viz. that of he would religiously obey his word and law not turning from it to the right hand or the left he should certainly prosper whithersoeuer he did go in all things haue good successe Iosh 1.7 8 that same he actually performed verified and made good not onely to him and to all the people of Israell in his dayes but also to all the godly and religious Iudges which succeeded him and to the whole nation of the children of Israell vnder their gouernment as appeares Iudg. 2.18 And least any should thinke that these examples recorded in Scripture were extraordinary and miraculous we haue also experience of the like in all ages and euen in this age and in this land wherein we liue For notwithstanding all the Popes curses and thunder-bolts and all the open assaults which he hath made and the secret conspiracy which he hath put in practise against this land incensing and stirring vp all his instruments of violence and cruelty against it yet both in the dayes of King Edward and of Queene Elizabeth of blessed memorie who reformed religion and maintained the true preaching of the Gospell by publike authority this Land and Church hath prospered and flourished and in all worldly peace plenty and prosperity excelled all other nations and Churches of the world So that we may all vpon good experience with one mouth confesse that true religion and the holy Gospell of Christ which we haue receiued and lodged in this land vnder the reigne of our later Kings haue proued most profitable guests vnto vs they haue ouer and aboue the aboundance of heauenly knowledge and sauing graces which belong to eternall saluation out of their more then Kingly bounty royally paid vs with all safety security peace prosperity and plenty of all worldly blessings yea we haue plaine promises and testimonies in the sacred Scriptures that thus it shall be to all people of all nations who receiue and embrace the Gospell in syncerity and truth and professe true religion without hypocrisie Our Sauiour in the Gospell promiseth that if any seeke first the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof they shall haue all other worldly blessings which the Gentiles so carefully seeke ouer and
this Kingdome and the whole Christian world who being borne in our barren soyle and in their child-bood muzled vp in superstition so soone as God brought them to the light of the Gospell in the vniuersities the nurseries of learning and true religion they became famous and renowned professors of diuinity and most stout and strong maintainers of the truth against Papists and all other Heretiques I cannot passe by in silence but for example will name and mention with honour and reuerence that mirrour of learning and religion Doctor Whitakers our sometimes worthy professor in Cambridge whose name is still dreadfull to our aduersaries and his writings of greatest esteeme euen in forraigne Countries at this day and his memorie euer blessed Yea wee find by daily experience that in those parishes and places of our nature Country which haue heretofore beene most grieuously ouer-runne with ignorance and superstition while they wanted the meanes of knowledge the ministery of the word and where the word at the first preaching thereof hath beene strongly opposed now by meanes of a constant ministerie and powerfull preaching continued among them the people doe become generally so zealous for the truth so feruent in their zeale so forward in their profession so strict in their liues in the worship of God so opposit to all shadows of superstition that some thinke they haue more need of the bridle then else spurre like the Israelites in the wildernesse who offered so frankly abundantly to the building of Gods tabernacle that there was found much more then enough for the seruice of the work Moses gaue commandment and caused them by publike proclamation to be restrained from bringing any more Exod. 36. I my selfe doe know and can name for instance if neede require diuers parishes which within my memorie were deepely plunged in superstition and euen drowned in ignorance insomuch that the name of a preacher was as much scorned of many as the name of a babler and of some as much hated as the name of an heretique but now of late yeares I haue seene with mine eyes such a wonderfull alteration wrought by Gods grace and blesing accompanying the labours of some holy and godly preachers sent among them that they are ready and willing to run many miles to heare sermons when they haue them not at home and lay aside all care of worldly profit leauing their labour and worke on weeke dayes to frequent publike meetings for prophecy and expounding of Gods word and hardly can a preacher trauell through their townes and lodge there on any day in the week but they will by importunitie obteine a publicke sermon from him and in great troupes suddainly and vpon short warning assembled they will gladly and chearfully heare him with all reuerence and attention And therefore as St. Paul from his owne example the examples of a small remnant of beleeuing Iewes who by so many miracles much powerfull preaching of Christ himselfe and his extraordinarie Apostles and Prophets were called and drawne to beleue did conclude that God had not reiected and cast away the whole nation as reprobates past hope So may we much more strongly conclude from the example of our selues who are many and from the example of those worthy professors and pillars of the Church whom God hath raised vp out of our Country by ordinarie meanes and most of all from the great multitudes of godly Christians who by hundreds and thousands are daily called and turned by ordinarie preaching from the darkenesse of ignorance to the light of true knowledge and from blind zeale and loue of poperie and superstition to the feruent loue of the truth and zealous profession of the holy Gospell of Christ I say from these many examples we may as vpon stronger grounds of reason conclude that God hath not cast away our people nor rejected our natiue Country neither in so many places keepes his word from them as from a reprobate people neuer to be conuerted but rather doth suffer them to liue so long in ignorance and miserable blindnesse partly for a greater judgement on ouer-ruling Church-robbers that he may bring on them and their houses and families the blood of many soules which perish through their sacrilege and couetousnesse and partly to prouoke and stirre vp to pitty and charity vs whom he hath first conuerted and to minister vnto vs matter of true Christian charity and to giue vs occasion to exercise that piety which we professe that our faith by liuely fruites of good workes may be made to appeare more glorious to the eyes of the world and may shine in the midst of the Church and among all the people of God Lastly Deare brethren and Country-men for our full perswasion and steadfast assurance that our natiue Country notwithstanding the ignorance and blindnesse ouershadowing it and the blind superstition possessing the people generally in diuers parts thereof is a place which God hath chosen to put his name there and our brethren the inhabitants thereof are a people chosen of God and holy according to the election of grace let vs call to remembrance and daily set before our eyes what holy and excellent first fruites it hath brought forth vnto God I meane holy professors and martyrs in the first times of the pure light of the Gospell beginning to shine forth in this land Among all godly martyrs wichin the dayes of King Edward the sixth were great builders of Gods Church by their sound doctrine painfull labours and holy liues and in the bloody reigne of Queen Mary sealed the Gospell with their blood who more renowned in the historie of martyrs then Mr. Iohn Bradford a Lancashire man whose godly writings and meditations able to make a stonie heart to bleede remaine to the profit and comfort of Gods Church in all succeeding ages whose constant profession of the true faith vnto death in the midst of the fire was admired of his enemies shall euer bee remembred while God hath an elect and faithfull people in this land and whose memorie shall be blessed for euer Among the godly faithfull and learned men whom this land brought forth in those first times and which shined forth as lights out of darkenesse who after many cruell persecutions and banishment which they endured for the Gospell in Queene Maries dayes did suruiue her bloody reigne and in the dayes of Queene Elizabeth of euer blessed memorie flourished in this Church and were notable instruments of God in the restoring and establishing of religion who more admired for piety prudence learning and charitie then that most reuerend father in Gods Church Edwin Sandes borne in Fournfells in Lancashire who at the time of the decease of Edward the sixth being Doctor of diuinitie and vice Chancellour of the vniuersitie of Cambridge did so wisely and prudently behaue himselfe in the midst of those troubles and that great confusion especially in his publike sermon which he was commanded by the Duke of
of nature be forward in this worke Secondly this contribution is not like those antique taxes which heathen Emperours tyrants rather vsed by their constraining commandements and with strong hand to wrest from their euer-awed impotent vassals nor like the rigid pennance and grieuous penalties which Popish Priests and confessors doe often times inflict on their penitents as a satisfaction for their sinnes which either are aboue the strength of their bodies and tend to the endangering of their health and life or surpasse their abilities and estates and doe farre ouer-charge and much impouerish them but this is onely of so much as the spirit of God shall inwardly moue and perswade euery man to giue freely and cheerfully with all alacritie and which God hath inabled him to giue without impouerishing of himselfe or weakening and impairing of his estate and which may well be spared from other vaine expenses and needlesse superfluities so that here is no coulout of exception against this contribution no least cause for any to complaine grudge or murmure against it or to count it a burden here is nothing required of any but what he is able and willing to doe and that without any wrong losse or damage to himselfe at all Thirdly this worke is not one of those almes-deeds and workes of charity which are done in secret which few see but God this is a publike worke like a candle vpon a candle sticke which giues light to all the house besides the profit and comfort which it may bring to many and seuerall particular soules and the gracious acceptation and bountifull reward which it may find with God it shall vndoubtedly also bring great glory to Gods name and be a meanes of many thankes giuen by many vnto God in his publicke Church and congregation And as the multitude of them who receiue the benefit of this contribution shall haue iust cause to laud and praise God continually so many others euen all they who see it a farre of and heare the fame and report of it shall be prouoked and stirred vp by your example and hereby you shall cause your lights to shine before men that they seeing your good workes may glorifie your father which is in heauen as our Sauiour in the Gospell exhorteth And whereas in other cases a worke of piety tending to the publike good cannot be done without great cost and charge and requires a great summe here in this contribution euery particular man may for a small oblation offered vp with a free heart obtaine the honour and gaine the glory of a publicke worke and become an example and patterne of piety to many others and so bring great glory to God and much benefit to the Church of Christ with small charge to himselfe by reason of many hearts and hands conspiring together in this one worke Fourthly in many other workes of piety and charitie there are many doubts and discouragements often times as for example when a man must lay out a great summe either vpon a great hazard and aduenture being vncertaine whether it shall take good effect and yeeld any fruit at all to himselfe or those to whom he doth intend it as we see in many hospitalls and Colleges much subject to abuse the cost bestowed vpon which is like bread cast vpon the waters onely in hope of finding it after many dayes as wise Salomon speakes Eccles 11.1 Or when much is giuen away by men at their death in their last will to pious vses of which they themselues being dead can reape no benefit at all from the prayers of the poore who enjoy it as blind Papists would perswade the world nor any comfort from the sight of the good fruit which it yeelds to posterity But here in this contribution there is no such cause of doubting nor any such scruple to dishearten any man here is no great summe to bee aduentured or put forth vpon vncertainties but a small yearly bencuolence to be paid quarterly continued so long only as it shall manifestly appear to be well imployed to good purpose for present profit which payment also euery man shall haue in his power for his owne part to cease breake off and discontinue if he doth see no manifest benefit thence presently arising according to his desire but if it doth take good effect it shall much aduance Gods glory before men bring comfort light and sauing health to many soules and procure to the contributors many hearty prayers of their Country-men who shall by this meanes be conuerted and comforted which prayers vndoubtedly God will heare and accept and at their request turne many blessings into their bosomes here in this life where onely the prayers and thanksgiuing of Gods people haue power to helpe and profit those for whom they are made and offered vp in the name and mediation of Christ Fifthly whosoeuer hath a desire to put forth his talent of worldly wealth whatsoeuer it is more or lesse to the best aduantage and so to imploy it that it may bring in double and trible gaine surely he cannot finde a better way then this pious worke which is here commended vnto you For the first and immediate end of this contribution is the setting vp and maintaining of godly painfull and profitable preachers of Gods word in those parts of our natiue Country where the word of God is most rare and precious and there is greatest neede and scarsitie of preaching Wee doe not meane to feede idle droanes who will labour but little and looke for large allowance nor such as will labour and take paines but to small profit for want of the art of prophecying and method of profitable preaching nor men of scandalous and vngodly life who will doe more hurt by their example then good by their doctrine But godly painefull and profitable preachers who will preach and teach and labour out of conscience to God with an hungring and thirsting desire not to get wealth and maintenance but to saue many soules and to increase the Church of Christ who also for a small stipend will take much pains and will teach as well by good example as by doctrine Now where such preachers are set vp and maintained there will follow plentifull preaching and hearing of the word of God the word heard will beget faith and bring many to beleeue in God and in Christ faith will bring forth the the true worship of God and holy inuocation or calling vpon his name and true deuout and faithfull calling vpon the name of the Lord is the sure way to saluation as may easily be gathered from the words of the holy Apostle Rom. 10.13 14 15. But especially when such preachers are sent into barren places and among a people ouer-runne with ignorance superstition and profanesse for want of instruction as in our natiue Country they doe more preuaile with their godly labours and bring more plentifull fruit and increase to Gods Church in one yeare and work more strang effects
and to conforme our selues to our head Christ so let the great danger of our natiue Country and Country-men in which they lye and the slauish superstition and blindnes by which their soules as well as their bodies are held in captiuitie vnder the Pope and the Deuill stirre vs vp to vse this and all other meanes which God hath reuealed in his word and experience of all ages hath discourered to be helpfull remedies against all such maladies Secondly If we examine the cause of this head-strong blind zeale which ouer-spreades our Country and take true notice of the meanes which maintaine this Popish superstition and ignorance in our people they will appeare to bee such as may justly more incourage vs in this worke then any way dishearten or discourage vs from it It is true that some places Cities and Countries for some notorious pollution are hated and cursed of God and set apart to bee spectales of his wrathfull vengeance and examples of dreadful I desolation as the plaine Countrie and Citries of Sodom and Gomorrha And some people are reprobates whom God in his secret counsell hath rejected and therefore either doth with-hold from them all meanes of saluation esteeming them like swine before whom he will not cast the precious pearles of his word and saraments at all as we haue plaine examples Act. 16. where the Spirit sorbad the Apostles and would not suffer them to goe to preach in some Countries and to some people or else doth send his Gospell and the ministers of his word and sacraments vnto them not for their good to conuert them but as a curse for their greater condemnation to harden them as his word and miracles by Moses were sent to Pharaoh Exod. 7.3 and to be vnto them as the Gospell preached is to perishing reprobates euen the sauour of death vnto death 2 Cor. 2.16 Now when and where ignorance superstition and blind zâ—ale proceede from these causes and grounds they are desperate and incurable and whatsoeuer cost or labour is there bestowed proues vaine is like water spilt on the ground But sometimes ignorance blind zeale superstition and idolatrie are found to ouer-spread some Countries and strongly to possesse some people through want of means and good instruction because God suffers his word and Gospell to be with-held from them for a time either through the malice and negligence of their rulers and ouerseers vpon whom hee hath a purpose to execute his just wrath to the full by bringing vpon them the blood of many poore soules which through their default doe perish or else for to trie proue and exercise the charity of their brethren and neighbours who are called and conuerted already before them and haue receiued grace to bee Gods people whom the Lord hath a purpose to prouoke to pittie and charitie by setting before them such examples of miserable blindnesse which haue great neede of their helpe and commiseration In these cases the greatest ignorance most blind superstition and most head-strong zeale standing for errors and a false religion are not desperate but haue great hope of cure by the word of God and such meanes applied to them yea such head-strong zealous and superstitious people when the true and cleare light of the Gospell once shines vnto them by meanes of an able and powerfull ministery are by experience found to become no lesse but rather more zealous for the truth and for God and godlinesse then before they haue beene for falshood and errors And that this is the very case and condition of our natiue Country and of our blind zealous and superstitious brethren and neighbours inhabiting it appeares plainly by two strong and infallible arguments First that their ignorance and blind zeale proceede from want of ordinary meanes to wit the preaching of the word and good instruction experience plainely proues and no man can with any colour of reason denie For although our Country of Lancashire is one of the largest shires in this Kingdome yet it hath for the publike worship of God onely thirty six Parish Churches within the large circuite of it as our histories shew and some Parishes forty miles in compasse to my knowledge wheras some other shires not much larger then one dinision or hundred of Lancashire are knowne and recorded to haue two or three hundred Parish Churches in them and those farre better furnished with meanes for maintenance of an able ministery then ours are for example the hundred of Fournesse where I was borne which for spatious compasse of ground is not much lesse then Bedfordshire or Rutlandshire it hath onely eight Parish Churches and seuen of those eight are impropriate and the liuings in the hands of Lay men and in some of those Parishes which be forty miles in compasse there is no more ordinary and set maintenance allowed for the ministery of the word and sacraments but ten pounds or twenty nobles yearly And therefore though the people were naturally the most tractable vnder the Sunne no man could in reason looke for any thing but abundance of ignorance ruling among them till it please God to stirre vp the publicke state or the spirits of some godly priuate Christians to prouide some maintenance for the constant ministery of the word to be set vp and continued among them yea considering what large spacious walkes and how many couerts and lurking places there are in those thicke mists and shades of ignorance and darknesse for Iesuites and seminary Priests those sonnes and ministers of darknesse who commonly find best intertainment for their flattery and painted hypocrisie among such people as being naturally disposed to deuotion and religion are notwithstanding held captiue in ignorance for want of meanes and also finde most libertie and best roome to bestirre thmselues and greatest freedome from discouerie in those Parishes where there are no learned Preachers nor vigilant Pastors let reason judge how vnlikely and almost impossible it is for that people to be free from blind head-strong zeale and that Popish superstition and Idolatrie should not generally possesse them Secondly as Saint Paul argues for the nation of the naturall Israelites Rom. 11.1 and proues that they were not vtterly cast away of God because hee himselfe and diuers others of them were gathered vnto Christ by the Gospell and an elect remnant was found among them in the dayes of Christ and his Apostles when generally they persecuted the truth and seemed to be most opposite and stiffenecked So we may much more and vpon stronger grounds of reason argue for our blind superstitious Countri-men that they are not a reprobate people whom God hath cast away and giuen ouer to desperate blindnesse and obstinacy neuer to be conuerted because not onely we our selues being many haue by Gods grace extended plentifully vnto vs receiued the word and doe beleeue in Christ and professe true Christianity but also many noble worthies haue sprung vp and flourished in the Church of God and shined as lights through