of us Wrath emulations bitterness clamour evil speaking whispering backbiting and detraction lying and slandering c. all these sins and miscarriages are but the numerous and unlucky Off-spring of Recusancy and wilful Separation that I cannot but in anguish of Spirit cry out Cursed be the womb of SCHISME that bare these things and the Paps that hath given them suck For these things sake if not repented of the wrath of God must hasten upon us as wilful Children of Disobedience Neither hath this detestable sin made us thus miserable among our selves but hath rendred us unhappy among other Nations when it hath brought a dis-repute of us and a dis-esteem of our Religion almost in all parts of the World Turks Heathens Pagans Jews not only contemn but blaspheme our Church and Faith because of the divisions and dissensions of our Professors And when the concord of Professors Vniformity preserve the beauty and loveliness of a Church which attracts all mens admiration and affection undoubtedly Divisions and Factions must bring that deformity upon any Nation which must make it loathed and abhorred And how can we in reason expect that others should desire to be United to us who are not United among our selves We can never hope but they that are without will shun us as infectious as long as this deadly disease cleaves close unto us I hear the sad Complaints of my Countrymens fears That Popery is like to be brought in among us And this I confess is my fear also for while we wilfully maintain Divisions and Separations among us unquestionably we contribute to the utmost to that which we fear to fall upon us And the way hath not been made more plain this hundred years for the return of Popery than we have lately made it by our Divisions The Papists and Jesuits very well know they can never set up their own Church till they have pulled down ours which alone stand in competition for precedence and outvies them And to destroy this our Church of England which is the best ordered in the World by our Schisms and Sects we lend our helping hand most effectually Who doth not see that we are running into that Bondage we pretend to abominate while we endeavour to destroy Vniformity as it is prescribed For out of the Visible Church there is no ordinary way of Salvation And there is no keeping up the face of a Visible Church without Vniformity If therefore we wilfully persist by our Schisme to destroy Vniformity in the Church of England when there is none to be found in our separated Congregations what remains but we must willingly run to the Church of Rome if we will be saved All these things perpended it must be concluded That wilful Recusancy of Conformity or Schisme is not only an heinous but an hurtful sin in respect of those within us It renders us disesteemed and contemned by those without us It contributes to the introduction and prevalency of Popery into the Nation And It is a dangerous sin to Men themselves that are guilty of it when it renders them liable to the just condemnation both of Man and God We are most affected with those Evils that most nearly touch our selves Consider then thy own dangerous condition who ever thou art that separatest from the Church of England if thou persistest in thy wilful Disobedience and what must follow by the just Judgment both of Man and God Thou art guilty at the fairest of the dreadful sin of Schisme by thy voluntary departure and wilful separation from the Communion of that Visible Church whereof once a Member A sin by St. Paul branded with the odious name of Carnality 1 Cor. 3.3 Are ye not carnal walk ye not as men And Rom. 16.17 18. the same Apostle directs the Believing Brethren to set this note and remark upon such as caused and maintained Divisions they were such as did not serve the Lord Jesus Christ and were to be avoided Their fair speeches and smooth actions in this case could not acquit but condemn them whilst both of them were used with this end by them to deceive the hearts of the simple and pervert their practice from the Uniform Communion of a Believing Society It is sad but true that such from Believers Censure and Judgment if they will be directed by the Apostle and perswaded must lose the reputation of being Christians and be marked and noted for such as are not servants of Jesus Christ And further if it be questioned Whether continuing wilfully in a manifest sin be inconsistent with the state of Grace or not certainly upon serious Inquiry it must be determined Affirmatively And it must be granted upon the Reasons forementioned That wilful Omission of the necessary Duties of Piety is an open sin and such a sin as withdraw men from the kindly operations of Grace and makes God withhold and turn away his Spirit from a People who waits to be gracious to his Servants usually while in the exercise of Holiness This despising of Holy Duties puts a contempt and offers despite to the Spirit of Grace And certainly the consequence of that sin is sad enough that makes God withhold his Spirit from men such draw back to perdition by their visible Recidivation The effects and consequences of this sin in probability will be dreadful as you have heard among Men and there will be a sad issue of this sin from the Just GOD who not only will withdraw his Grace but will manifest his displeasure by his wrath which will come upon the wilful Children of Disobedience And good it will be for this sinner in time to consider That although he may possibly escape the condemning Judgment of fallible Man yet he cannot warrantably promise himself to escape in another day the condemnation of Christ Sins of Omission that are obstinately for the most part persisted in will fare worse than sins of Commission that oftimes are repented of and will meet with a more severe Sentence from the mouth of Christ And the mind of Christ is clearly discovered unto us in this particular Matt. 25.41 when as accursed they shall hear that fearful Discedite Depart ye into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels And the sin he chargeth them with and sentenceth them for was a wilful omission of Acts of Charity For I was an hungry and ye gave me no meat Thirsty and ye gave me no drink Naked and ye cloathed me not c. Now if for wilful Omission of such Acts of Charity sinners shall hear that fearful Ite maledicti how justly may they hear the like dreadful Sentence for omission of Acts of Piety You have not worshipped mein the beauty of Holiness You have not spoken to my Praise to make my Name glorious You have not held fast the open profession of your Faith c. For greater sins there cannot reasonably be expected a lesser Sentence or easier punishment from the most just Judge For sinning thus
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must have a double look the first look it must cast on the Rule the second it must cast on the Actions be they either necessary or positive or else it cannot be counted Conscience and from thy agreeing or disagreeing with the Rule so thy Conscience accuseth or excuseth accordingly And now I appeal to any sober mans Consideration since there cannot be contrary Rules justifiable whether there can be contrary Consciences Certainly then we may safely conclude in all Constituted Churches since for Belivers actions there is but one Truth but one true Rule there must be for all such Believers but one right Faith there can be but one sound Conscience SECT III. In such Constituted Societies Vnity of Faith must be signified by an open Vniformity GOD who created man for his glory designed him for Society that what comfort he could not get by separation he might compass by Communion And Communion in the state we are in cannot be maintained but by Externals by Bodily offices As the Communion of the Invisible Church must be maintained by Vnity of Faith so the Communion of the Visible Church or any part that is associated or united in obedience to the Faith must be maintained by agreement in the exercise of Religion and Vnity of Profession And this Unity of Profession is properly called Vniformity which is nothing else but a sensible form of an united Society agreeing in one Profession both in words and actions So if any one should ask What is the sign or mark by which we may know a visible Church by or any associated Company to be a part of it I must properly Answer by Vniformity And Vniformity as the word clearly speaks is an Vnity of the outward form of things or an agreement of visible practice and joynt concurrence in the Exercise of Religion both in wards and actions which ought to be in every Congregation of Believers Preaching of the Gospel and receiving the Sacrament of the People as well as of the Minister being indispensable signs of every one that would be accounted of the Church of Christ And first we will undertake to prove that Vnity of Faith must be signified by Vniformity of words and this is not only lawful but necessary and useful 1. Lawful as declared by the practice of all Nations that had a sense of Religion For if Heathen yet reasonably they agreed in the same Festivals and Solemnities in the same Sacrifices and Gestures in the same forms of Thanksgivings and Devotion which because written of by many and confessed by all it will be needless to cite Authors or any further to insist upon the proof of it no question but they Universally agreed in constituting and maintaining Vniformity amidst their Assemblies in all Religious observances If they were a People to whom God had more clearly manifested himself and the true Religion wherewith he would be well pleased these marks they gave of their associating and uniting into a Church by their Vniversal joynt concurrence in Religious Exercises in all Ages in their solemn Congregations And it is facile to prove that among the Jews they judged the fittest Medium to preserve Vnity was Ecclesiastical Vniformity from their coming out of Egypt till their dissolution in Canaan And in some measure the Jews maintain this to this day in their several Congregations They had their set Forms for Aaroniçal Benediction for hymns and praises and prayers of the People who agreed in one express assent to the Covenant and the Law delivered by Moses in the same Sabbaoths and Festivals in the same Sacraments and Ties of Obedience They agreed in the same Prayers composed by Jewish Teachers for their Disciples St. John the Baptist taught his Disciples to pray And Christ's Disciples in the last dispensation would be taught of him to pray as John before had taught his Disciples And our blessed Saviour not only taught his Disciples a Form but a Prayer which they were to say When you pray say Luke 11.2 Our Father c. To follow him can be no mistake Certainly deliberate Composures of Set Forms from Christs Example receive not only Toleration but sufficient Approbation And that the Apostles and their Successors in Primitive times used this Prayer in all their holy Administrations especially at the Sacraments we have more than probable Authority And that the Church had set Forms after the first Century is beyond all dispute And that Reformed Churches have their set Forms now generally is openly manifest except some Phanatical Schismaticks that out of a Spirit of Contradiction and precise singularity by the neglect of these things wilfully Unchurch themselves and would blot out all appearance of a Visible Church upon the Earth Mr. Calvin from the conviction of this Truth Epist 87. approves it That set Forms of Ecclesiastical Rights might be determined that it might not be lawful for Ministers in their Administrations or the People in their Attendances to vary from them And this he was forced to acknowledge from Example Practice and Reason God who cannot erre prescribes set Forms to the Jews and Christ to his Disciples And it would be a misapprehension yea a sin to think that They would injoyn or command what might be an hinderance to Godliness or a disadvantage to the Exercise thereof And the concurrent Judgment and practice of all Churches must convince any sober person of the lawfulness and expediency of set Forms both in Prayers and Worship which will be furthered by his own Reason if he please to consider Scripture directions 2. I shall prove set Forms lawful and expedient from Scripture St. Paul 1 Cor. 1.11 pathetically beseecheth the Church at Corinth by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that they would all speak the very same thing Verba sunt symbola mentis è consensu verborum colligimus consensum animorum Words are but expressions of our Intentions and from agreement in Words we conclude of agreement of Mind And sure enough it was not required there by the Apostle that the Speeches of the Corinthians in their Religious Assemblies should be of the same sense and meaning only but of the same expression not only contradiction of words is prohibited but diversity if they would grant his suit whle he beseecheth them to speak the same thing And well might this be injoyned in Religious Exercises for Vbi novae phrases ibi nova dogmata A quibus Vna fides ab iis requiritur Vna Confessio Where new phrases are used there will be new opinions And in whom there is expected but One Faith from them there is required but One Confession saith Mr. Calvin And when idolizing of the Gifts and Parts of the Ministers caused Contentions among the Corinthians the Apostle might adjudge it necessary that ostentation of Eloquence and excellency of Speech should be forborn among them even in exercises of Devotion and therefore earnestly beseecheth them to speak the same thing So by St. Pauls
Churches doth St. Paul injoyn that they should adorn their Profession that their Conversation should be becoming the Gospel that they should behave themselves orderly as in the House of God And now certainly it may be concluded both from Scripture and Reason from the practice of Saints in the Church Militant or Triumphant That as internal Vnity of spirit is to be indeavoured after to present us blameless to God so should external Vniformity in words and actions be endeavoured to be preserved in all believing Congregations And now I have plainly and perspicuously discoursed of every Section contained in this Chapter and I think convincingly to any sober Reason I may justly complain that there be too few will believe our Report Infaelix infirmitas ad se vocat medicus ut litibus occupatur aegrotus Peace and Vnity is praised of many◠but very few endeavour to preserve it And Wo is me that I am constrained to dwell in Mesech and have my habitation among the Tents of Kedar My soul hath long dwelt with them that are enemies to Peace And now I speak for peace I look that some are ready to prepare themselves for battle I look that that which is the lot of many good Physicians should be mine at this time that although my design God knows is not to torture my sick Country-men but to heal them that some like frantick Patients should run from me and that others now but touched should cry out of me Many either insensible of their sickness or else in love with their distemper are not only careless but backward to be cured I see and bewail it that many men are miserably wounded with and yet I justly lament it that I find a great unwillingness in most of them to be Healed For Vnity of Faith How many men either out of weakness or partiality or prejudice or interest or acquaintance have espoused rashly a wilful Opinion and set it up and idolize it And this fancy Opinion perhaps Perswasion they shall cry up and publish it abroad for Conscience Judgment Faith For which God knows if examined they have not the least shadow of a Rule or appearance of Reason So I may complain with St. Hilary ad Constant Aug. Facta est fides fides temporum potius quam Evangeliorum periculosum miserabile tot nunc fides existere quot voluntates Excidêrunt ab eâ fide quae sola est dum multae fiunt ad id coeperunt esse ne ulla sit I lament that too apparently to be seen in our daies what the Holy Father complains was to be found in his viz. That the Faith among us is the Faith of the Times rather than the Faith of the Gospel It is very dangerous and miserable that there should be among us as many Faiths as Wills and as many Consciences as obstinate Resolutions They have departed from that Faith which is One and while they pretend to have many Faiths they cease to keep any And if it be rightly considered what Faith or Conscience is there is scarce any true knowledge or practice of either to be found in too great a part of our Generation I hear the words frequently among us but I must publish it that I do not understand them May I not have liberty of Conscience May I not differ in Judgment from other men and yet agree in Affection May we not go several waies and yet meet together at the end of our Journey Were ever any such things reasonably vented in a Constituted Church Have not the men lost both Reason and Religion that dare confidently publish these things Can there be such a thing as Liberty of Conscience Are they not absolutely inconsistent Consider and it must be acknowledged If thou hast Conscience of any thing thou hast no Liberty if thou hast Liberty there can be no Conscience May not men differ in Judgment and yet agree in Affection What ad idem in respect to the same thing certainly No it is impossible If I judge a thing lawful and thou judgest the same thing unlawful our Affections must differ as much as love and hate and certainly these are contrary Affections Can we not go several waies and yet meet at the end of our Journey certainly No. The end of our Journey we both tend to is agreed on to be Heaven Happiness Now if Vertue be the right way to Happiness and that lies in a strait line as Morality teaches us sure there can be no declining this Line but there must be obliquity If the Way to Heaven be narrow and streight on as Divinity teaches us thou canst not go besides this Way but thou wilt at last fall headlong into the Ditch We must both of us keep the same way or else one of us must be in the broad way that leads to destruction And for Vnity of Affection where can we find that in a Family much less in a Parish or Congregation If ever the Complaint was true it is now in our daies that Fratrum concordia rara est We are all pretending to travel with the same design from Egypt to our Father in Canaan and we are Brethren but how few of us look to the Charge given us How few are they that take heed that they do not fall out in the way There be two Graces that Christ commends to us as the way to the kingdom of Heaven Humility and Charity but instead of these we see the contrary Pride and Contention All pretended Members of Christs body yet no sympathy no bearing one anothers burthen We are ready to laugh at each others infirmity and to rejoyce at each others misery Our iniquity aboundeth and love waxeth cold Our distinguishing Garment is rent clean in pieces which should be our Charity and that is the bond of perfectness This mans hope is that mans fear One mans joy is another mans sorrow And as we can hardly find Vnity in Judgment or Affections so rare it is to see Vniformity in Words or Actions For words instead of agreement what difference what opposition And for those that separate from the Communion of the visible Church of England where can we find that Congregation that agrees to speak the same thing We dwell among People of a strange Language The Trumpets have given from most Pulpits an uncertain sound and how can the Souldiers agree to prepare themselves to the Battle We may observe many of our Priests have been lingring to offer strange Fires such wild expressions and inconsiderate excursions as instead of helping have diverted our Devotions and distracted our Affections And for Actions instead of decency and order what distraction yea what confusion in all our separated Congregations By appearance one would judge them of Babel rather than of Jerusalem Such distractions as if every one had a peculiar God by himself or rather such universal profaneness or irreverence as if no God were thought of as present throughout their whole Congregations Our Neighbours
and Acquaintance stand aloof off from that Vniform worship of God that is prescribed and injoyned and no wonder if Strangers think and report that some dreadful Disease cleaves fast unto us I heartily lament many Crying sins that are generally spreading over the body of this poor Nation and yet upon sober Consideration I cannot judge any sin so manifestly destructive to the health and beauty of the believing Society and Church of England as is this of Schisme and Separation There is no one sin that tyrannizeth more over us but we may say to Schism as the Pirate did once say to Alexander Thou blamest and condemnest me for preying on single Persons and accountest thy self without fault while thou destroyest a whole Nation These things have I written and spoken to my dissenting Country-men not in wrath and bitterness to shame and torment them but with grief and compassion to warn and amend them that we may all agree to banish those Schisms and Divisions in the Service of God which are this day our shame and that we may endeavour to bring back that Vnity in Gods worship which was once the glory and joy of this poor Church and Nation My endeavour as well as my Prayers shall alwaies be that we agree to hold the Vnity of the spirit in the bond of Peace For Zions sake I cannot hold my peace nor for Hierusalems sake be quiet till I have manifested my study and endeavour to bring all the baptized Subjects of this Church and Kingdom to signifie the Vnity of their Faith by an open Vniformity CHAP. VI. The Canons and Forms established and prescribed by our Governours to direct and promote the General Uniformity of English Professours are most agreeable to the Rules of the Gospel and are the best and most convenient that are visibly extant to us in the World Section I. There must be Forms or Canons prescribed by Rulers to carry on Vniformity II. The Canons and Forms already established to this end in England are agreeable to the Rules of the Gospel Section III. These Canons and Forms are visibly the best extant to us upon sober Consideration SECT I. There must be Forms or Canons prescribed by Rules to carry on Vniformity GOD who by his wise Providence governs all the works of his hands rules them all by a Law And Governours subordinate as appointed and sent by him are to govern Rational men joyned in Society under them by a Law also As God in the World so Christ in his Church complying with the Necessities and Infirmities of his Subjects hath given Rules to direct them in Faith Devotion and Conversation by that New Law which is the Gospel by which superintendent Frame of Government his subordinate Governours are to govern his Church to the end of the World And so according to that New Law Christs Deputies are to establish Laws of Piety and Laws of Honesty We are now in this part of our Treatise to speak of those Laws that respect Piety and according to the two parts whereof Man consists some Injunctions of Piety must concern our Souls and some our Bodies The Injunctions of Governours that direct to purity of hearts and spirits may be called Counsels Monitions They cannot properly be called the Laws of Governours but Laws of Christ for they cannot oblige the Souls of the Subjects either by rewards or punishments having no cognizance when they obey or when they rebel when they heartily like or dislike such Injunctions Christ can only reward these according to their hidden works But Rules of sensible things for ordering mens words or actions those are properly called the Laws of Governours for of these they can make discovery The observance or omission of these things are discernable by Rulers and according to the Merits of their Subjects so they can recompence them And let no sober Person think that Laws about external demeanour or decent behaviour of our Bodies in our Religious attendances are such trifles toyes needless Circumstances childish insignificant Ceremonies as many irrationally and inconsiderately defame them when they are natural and necessary for our Communion in our present condition when true Grace operates the light within us directs and the Holy Spirit delights in these things being willing to admit of our Bodies to be his Temple when these Vessels are to be possessed in sanctification and honour And God hath called us not to uncleanness but holiness of these things When Christ by his Gospel hath ordered the hearing and preaching of his Word the administration and receiving the Sacraments the regarding our Conversations and Words by which we are either justified or condemned And these things are sensible and external And certainly an imputation of Rashness and Vncharitableness cannot be deserved by us if from such open and wilful opposition and slighting of Externals as unnecessary and inexpedient we should judge these men as wilfully bent to overthrow Humane Government when they would destroy that in a moment about which alone Government can be busied and employed It must then be granted That the publick exercise of Vniversal Piety ought to be the Governours first care and that their first Laws ought to be about injoyning Vniformity to their Subjects Now by Vniformity as it hath been set forth in the preceding Chapter is meant an Vnity or joynt assent and concurrence of Professors both in Words and Actions Confessions and Gestures fitly expressing and signifying a Religious respect and reverence to that Supream Majesty we meet to adore A service so useful and necessary that all Governours by their Laws have injoyned it and all Nations by their practice have attested it in all Religious Meetings through all Generations 1. Because GOD who is not a God of Confusion but of Order a God not of Division but of Vnity is best pleased and most glorified when no man draws back but when without distraction there is an Universal discovery of every mans evident respect to him When the Tribes go up the Tribes of the Lord unto the Testimony of Israel to give thanks unto the Name of the Lord. 2. Thus Neighbours are most edified Consent and agreement of others with us give a pleasure and content to us It gives a confirmation to our Judgment and practice when we receive approbation and allowance from the practice of others 3. Thus Infidels are most likely to be wrought upon and converted One mans preaching may make a man consider but certainly it cannot have so great an influence as the Vniformity of a whole believing Congregation We are ready to think those things not hurtful but beneficial which we see universally practised and we are easily drawn to the practice of those things which we see generally allowed and used by others So that if a man be converted or unconverted joynt Concurrence in Common Service and the Vniform Worship of God is more to be valued than any one mans Preaching being of a greater influence and of a stronger operation Since
these wilful Omissions would be accounted an unholy thing and so was doing despight to the Spirit of Grace and so throw away the probable means to get the helpful assistance of the Spirit of Grace which was ready to attend upon them that were frequently busied in those holy Ministrations For the Blood of the Covenant did sanctifie them as a visible Society of the Faithful to Religious exercises which if they fell away from they sinned wilfully and must look for a subsequent punishment And now I humbly beg of my well-meaning Country-men that separate and withdraw themselves from us that they would considerately receive these things with the same spirit that I have written them without gall of bitterness or desire of Revenge and with meekness and holy fear Be not wise in your own eyes think soberly of your selves and your waies Be not high-minded but fear Be not without fear to add sin unto sin weigh not things with a false Ballance put not light for darkness nor darkness for light good for evil c. This will bring woe and abomination This the way while you clamour against others Superstition to be guilty of the same you condemn while wilfully you stand upon your mistaken Perswasion I know not how far you may flatter your selves with the Opinion you have assumed to your selves and gained from others of your Sanctity yet upon right deliberation you must conclude with me While you wilfully omit or refuse to conform to the Preceptive Rules of Piety prescribed you are guilty of transgressing the greatest and most comprehensive Commandement And if thou beest involved in those Circumstances that usually attend and aggravate these sins if thou sinnest yet openly voluntarily perfidiously and impenitently thou wilt render thy self guilty of a most notorious Crime and without repentance and amendment thou wilt hasten thy own misery and contributest to thy power to bring speedy and inevitable ruine upon the most flourishing Church and Kingdom in the World And this puts me upon the fourth Section SECT IV. Recusancy is a dangerous sin and hurtful Disobedience IT is a great part of wisdom to ponder the way of our feet And now because considering the issue and end of our Actions will keep us from doing amiss give me leave mildly to represent upon an impartial survey the dreadful consequences of this sin those cursed effects it certainly brings upon all Orders of men throughout the whole Nation The injury it offers to King and Parliament and all thy Governours both Civil and Ecclesiastical while thou declarest manifestly thou suspectest their goodness doubtest of their wisdom despisest their Authority and to thy utmost by thy wilful Recusancy intimatest to others That they have rashly and inconsiderately imposed Commands that are unlawful and unwarrantable and by this evil Example misguidest thy Neighbour into a dangerous Disobedience For when other sins of Commission reach to the injury of a person or Family or two this sin of wilful Omission is extensively hurtful to all sorts of Men in the Society and disturbs the publick peace of all that are among us These 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are dreadful and detestable not only because making Divisions they certainly turn themselves out of Church-membership that are guilty of them but when these men run into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and separate into Sects and Factions and in their Meetings make it their business to deprave or defame the Divine Service and Vniformity prescribed by Religious Governours These things must highly aggravate their Crime and sadly increase our misery and this we sensibly perceive by too woful experience It is no pleasure to me to see what I heartily bewail the deplorable estate we are in at this time in this poor distracted Nation by that wilful Recusancy and sinful Separation that by our tameness and connivance we have suffered unhappily to thrive and spread among us When every person and party that hath deserted the Communion of our Church covers the deformity of this Errour with a Cloak of pretended Conscience and proudly and unyieldingly idolizeth his mistaken Judgment and limits his affection to his own Party of the same Perswasion and betrays his disaffections to those of sound Judgments by venting his opposition wrathfully with bitter Invectives against them And those Parts and Endowments men should use in closing and healing our Breaches they misemploy in widening them Every one is wiser in his own eyes than his Ruler or Teacher and pertinaciously defends his own Fancy and justifies unyeildingly his own Perswasion Diversity of misled Judgments and pretended Consciences have caused an alienation of Affections and hence wrath and bitterness hath broke out into contemptuous Carriages Sections and provoking Expressions That in Church matters our several Factions shew nothing but Ataxy and distraction And in matters of State from mens wilful disobedience to lawful Commands an inclination is discovered to tend to Sedition and Rebellion The religious Ruler and faithful Minister must needs be grieved and disquieted to see our Reformed Profession so much blasphemed the Gospel and its Faith so much disgraced and despised and the Name of Christ and his Cause so much dishonoured And what honest heart that loves the King and Church of England but must be sad and bemoan it That Peace and Love which are the cement and glory of any Church and Nation should by these our Divisions be seen to wax faint and languish and be even expiring in the midst of us And let any now that thinks most lightly of the Divisions and stands most for Liberty tell me if he can and instance in any one Order of men that is not injured by them For the King and the Parliament are rendred Vile and their Authority contemptible while their greatest and best Laws about the Publick exercise of Religion are neglected and despised The Protestant of England that is truly Religious must be offended and grieved to see his Neighbour by his wilful Separation continue in an open and heinous sin By this thy Relations Equals and Inferiours must be injured in all probability while thou seducest the poor and weak by thy evil Example and makest them to think meanly and dishonourably of our established Liturgy the most necessary and the most Religious Constitution that is visibly extant in the World By this especially hath come the Universal decay of true Christian Piety and epidemical disesteem and aversness from the publick Worship of God From this as from a Fountain hath that deluge of Sins flowed forth that hath overspread and overwhelmed this unhappy Nation We cannot deny but that almost every where we discover sinful prejudices superstition blindness of heart Rash judging and censuring both of holy Persons and sound Doctrines Pride vain-glory and hypocrisie Envy hatred malice and uncharitableness We cannot deny but Seditions and privy Conspiracies false Doctrine and Heresie hardness of Heart and contempt of Gods Word and Commandements are too manifestly to be seen in the midst