were reformed and all granted therein which I have proposed alas there is so much to be done for the Reformation of the Persons that must execute good Laws Lords Bishops Patrons Priests c. without whom Laws are but a dead letter and against whose enmity and oppositions they are unlikely to prevail that I die the more willingly because I see no appearance of any such Golden Age or amiable Reformation and general Concord as might tempt me to desire to live much longer on Earth The Reformation of our Universities Clergy Nobility Gentry and licencious Youth and malignant Haters of Serious Godliness is a work for Omnipotency and would afford me matter for a Volume were I to write on such a Text as Ezek 37. 3. Son of man can these bones live And I answered O Lord God thou knowest In the mean time it giveth me matter for Groans Tears and Prayer but no belief of that good man's Prophecy who confidently foretelleth us of that Blessed Age about eight years hence If the Second Part of my Moral Prognostication written with more doubt than hope should prove as true as the First Part did of this Progress of Malice and Divisions I doubt it is but some small Rudiments or Preparations for such a Blessed Change that the men of the present times must see I should rejoice if They I mean God by them confute my fears CHAP. LXII Fifty Questions to unjust Silencers GOD IS LOVE AND HE THAT DWELLETH IN LOVE DWELLETH IN GOD AND GOD IN HIM Iohn 4. 16. The most fundamental and comprehensive Article of Natural and Evangelical Religion How Angels fell from Love and became Devils malignant Spirits is not revealed fully to us but that such there are both Scripture and too great Experience certify us But how Man fell is told us in the Scripture It pleased God to make a rank of intellectual Animals left to their understanding self-determining free-will between the Brutes which are determined to things Sensible and the confirmed Angels who are determined to things Spiritual It pleased him to oblige and allure Man by his Blessings to live still in the love of God but withal to permit the malignant Tempter to try whether by his allurement and deceit he could win him from this Holy Love As if a man should leave his Daughter to be his Wife who could win her own consent The malignant Spirit prevailed and turned man from the Reigning Love of God to the Love of SELF Self-pleasing Self-ruling and Self-trusting and having won man's Will he is by just permission become his Prince as long as he can keep the Will which he hath won But Infinite LOVE first promised and then gave his SON to be the PRINCE OF LOVE and so the Captain of our Salvation His Incarnation Doctrine Life and Suffering his Resurrection Ascension Intercession and Government are but the works of LOVE for Man's Salvation which is to recover the Will of Man to the Reigning Love of God from the Carnal Sensual self-love A war is thus commenced between Christ and Satan Christ's warfare is to Conquer malignant Enmity and set up a Kingdom of Love. The Devils work is to assimilate man to himself and to make him a Lyer Malicious and a Destroyer Thus two Kingdoms are set up in this World which are in continual war against each other The Subjects of each are discernible by their works TRVTH LOVE and DOING GOOD are the works and marks of the one and LYING HATRED and HVRTFVLNESS are the works and marks of the other and HOLINESS and DEVILISM constitute this world Cain and Abel were the leading instances Heb. 11. 4. By faith Abel offered a more excellent Sacrifice unto God than Cain by which he obtained witness that he was Righteous God testifying of his gifts and by it he being dead yet speaketh He conquered but died as did our Saviour 1 Ioh. 3. 12 14. Cain was of that wicked one and slew his Brother And why slew he him Because his own works were Evil and his brothers Righteous In this warfare we must live and die Marvel not my Brethren if the world hate you though we die as Abel we know that we have passed from Death to Life because we Love the Brethren He that loveth not his brother abideth in death though as Cain he kill and seem to conquer All that believe not a better life which will abundantly make up the loss of this are his subjects who is called the GOD OF THIS WORLD who blindeth the minds of unbelievers 2 Cor. 4. 4. Devils are called The Rulers of the Darkness of this world Eph. 6. 12. The Princes who set up a Worldly interest against or above the Heavenly interest are called The Princes of this world that come to nought 1 Cor. 2. 6. And to be Wise only for an interest is The Wisdom of the world which is Foolishness with God 3. 18 10. Thus Christ fighteth by Love to win Souls to Love for the Glorious World of Love and the Devil by Malice to destroy Love and separate them from the God and World of Love by fighting as Dogs about their Carrion for their fleshly interest in this deceitful world but the time is short and the War will be short but the Victory sweet and the Crown everlasting And it is greatly to be considered that as Christ's Cause Subjects are contrary to the Devils so also is his manner of Fight and Conquest Christ and Christians fight not by Wrath and Hatred against their Haters but by loving them as Men and praying for them even when they suffer by them And in this course it is that they are more than Conquerours Rom. 8. 37. And heap Coals of Fire on their Heads which will burn them for ever that would not on Earth be melted by them It seemeth a strange thing to us to see the poor French-men come hither from their own pleasant Land in Raggs and Bodily Distress And who expelleth them And for what Who caused all the blood and banishments that have been exercised on Christians since the Heathen Persecutions And for what Who destroyed those many thousands of Christians called Albigenses and Waldenses and Bohemians in History mentioned And for what Who set up the Inquisition as against Protestants and Tormented and Burnt so many And for what Who caused the French and Irish and other Massacres and Murders And for what Who keep out Truth and Reformation from all Kingdoms subject to the Pope It is men in the Sacred Offices Ecclesiastical and Civil We all own Reverence to Magistrates and Pastors Satan is not so foolish as to do his work in his own name nor to put its proper name upon his work Did you ever hear or read of Persecutors who openly said We are the Servants of the Devil and come against you for his Interest and in his Name to perswade or persecute you from Christ and your obedience to God and your Salvation No It is as for
and plain It is the Vnnecessary things that are most controvertible and doubtful There are many Circumstances that are so Necessary to actions that they cannot without them be performed e. g. He that will Preach must open his mouth he must speak audibly he must use a Language understood he must have some capable Place and convenient Time Psalms must be sung in some Tune c. some Clothing some posture of Body must be used and all men know that to choose these according to the general Rules of Charity Edification Order and Decency belongs to the Guides of the Assemblies And where do you see any great division about any such things as these except in cases of accidental scandal And if any should be so childish or ignorant as to think it unlawful e. g. to be Vncovered or to Kneel at Prayer due Instruction and gentle Rebuke may easily cure such weakness and is meeter than an extirpation If any were so silly that they scrupled e. g. singing our Metre or Tunes of David's Psalms but are only for the Cathedral singing of the Prose it 's fitter to let them be silent or let them go only to Cathedrals than to Excommunicate or Destroy them and if any be so weak that they think a Lawful Form or Gesture unlawful it 's fitter if they cannot be convinced to let them be silent or Worship God among themselves in another Form or Gesture than to Excommunicate or Extirpate them But what are these easy intelligible Circumstances to all the Ceremonies unnecessary even in genere What are they to the Vows of God-fathers without the Parents or to the dedicating Symbol of the Cross or to adhering to a bare Reader when the next Parish hath an able Teacher whom the ignorant have great need to be instructed by to say no more now of all the Oaths Declarations Subscriptions Covenants and Professions required of Ministers I again say therefore if you extirpate all Subjects that cannot unite with you in all things required by the Rubricks and Canons you will wrong the King by weakning his Kingdom and robbing him of more of his Subjects than He or the Welfare of the Land can spare And you will keep the Kingdom in a state of division and like Antioch that was so oft and terribly shaken by Earthquakes that it was in continual danger of ruine and even honest â—rajan lodging there did hardly scape through a window while the falling houses kill'd his Souldiers And the Dissenters are not all of one mind and temper All that are wise and good will suffer patiently and peaceably for I incline to think that the expositors mistake who apply Soloman's words to Sufferers Oppression maketh Wise men mad and that as some Criticks tell us it rather meaneth Rulers that an affectation of an oppressing power and the exercise of it maketh wise Rulers forget the very obvious Reasons of Morality and Interest and to act as men distracted But there be Dissenters of dangerous Principles which are fitter to be restrained than by dâ—speration to be enraged as hap is the Behmenists and Quakers are against War and the old Anabaptists were so reported but some of them have shewed a contrary judgment but it 's known past doubt that the Papists are a sort of Dissenting Conventiclers who have so strong a back beyond Sea to encourage them and are so instructed by multitudes of learned Clergy-men and Friars and so taught by General Councils which are their very Religion that many of them will think it merits Heaven to kill such Kings as would extirpate them King Iames is deeply censured by some for doing so much as he did towards a Toleration and for what the French Bishop of Ambrun writes of him But for my part I verily believe that he did it in fear to secure his life when Queen Elizaâ—eth's death had been so oft attempted and when two great Papist Kings of France had been murdered because they were not zealous enough for the Pope and that so desperately by single men that did it to merit Heaven and when he had so narrowly escaped the horrid Gun-powdâ—r Plot and when they still told him that he should not escape what wonder if he were afraid And so great confidence have the Papal Clergy in this terrifying of Kings as in constant danger of death if they be against their Church that the Pope and his close Adherents could never to this day be procured to disown the Decree of Lateran and other Councils for Deposing Excommunicate Heretick Princes no nor to deny the lawfulness of killing such yea even in France Perron himself their Learned Cardinal so defends the Pope's power of Deposing Kings that deserve it that in his Oration to the States he professeth That if it be not true the Pope is Anti-Christ and the Church Anti-Christian that hath so long owned and practised it L. You seem to intimate in all this that you would have the Papists Tolerated for fear least they should kill the King and so the worse that Men and their Principles are the more they must be Tolerated for fear of them But who lived in greater safety than Queen Elizabeth who supprest them even when the Pope had Excommunicated her M. I would have the King and Kingdom Church and State secured from a Foreign Iurisdiction of Pope or Prelates and to that end I would have Papists kept out of Government Civil Military or Ecclesiastick and I would wish that the King. 1. By the Vnity of his Subjects 2. By Navies and Military provision 3. And by just Confederacies abroad be still so strong as not to fear the force of Foreigners and these things being secured without fear of any mens censure I say 1. That I would have all Men used as Men and all Peaceable-men as Peaceable be they what they will. 2. I would have no hurt done to any Papist for his Religion but Defensive that is such as is necessary to the forsaid Ends viz. to save King and Kingdom from a foreign Jurisdiction and from Invasion and to save the Souls of the People from subversion by unreasonable liberty of Seducers 3. I would not have punishments excessive that shall drive multitudes into desperation Lest undone desperate men be carried to Revenge or to think Treason lawful when they can no otherwise be saved from death and ruine Man hath not a despotical power over all passion And some passions do almost necessitate errour of Judgment or else sudden Action against Judgment Take the most meek conscientious man that knoweth the evil of Revenge and try his patience by buffetting him and it 's two to one but passion will make him strike you again Much more if you buffet him twenty year every day patience may be overcome at last There is scarce any Creature Beast Bird or Venmin but will use all the resistance it can in case of hurt and fear of death The Devil could say Skin for skin and all that a Man hath
wickedness that wicked men destroy the just and as for sinning that they persecute them that will not sin It is for Religion that Religion is impugned and for the Church that the true Children of the Church are Persecuted And is it for the Gospel that the Preachers of it are silenced and destroyed Without the Church a false Religion is set up against Christianity But within it an Image of Christ and of the Church and of Concord and Religion is set up against Christ Church Concord and Religion and men in the Garb of Magistrates and Pastors do prosecute the War as by Christ's Commission and in his Name And sin is defended and propagated by false pretended opposition If the Iews had known him they would not have Crucified the Lord of Glory Heathens would not for Idols fight against God nor Mahometans for a Deceiver against Christ if they knew what it is that they are doing Christ who was Crucified as a Blasphemer and Rebel foretold his Disciples that they should be kill'd as an act of service to God. Where the Gospel is believed it is a crime so horrid to silence and destroy Christ's faithful Ministers and forbid his publick Worship and render his most conscionable Servants odious and plot their extirpation and ruine that none dare do it but those that know not what they do When Christians as a Sect were every where spoken against Paul was exceeding mad against them and persecuted them to strange Cities and verily thought that he ought to do many things against the Name of Jesus Act. 26. But when he heard from Heaven Why persecutest thou me it stopt his rage and changed his judgment But alas How slender a means will serve to deceive the wicked A meer nick-name or malicious slander yea the avoiding of a sin which they think to be no sin is enough with them to make the best men seem the worst while Perjuries Adulteries Blasphemies Prophaneness Cruelty and Persecution are tolerable motes in the eyes of their Companions All the Holiness Wisdom and Miracles of Christ and his Apostles would not serve to make them pass for good yea or tolerable men while Sadducees who denied Spirits the Resurrection Ceremonious hypocritical blood-thirty Pharisees went for meet Rulers of the Flock And how can it be expected that he who thinks not Holiness desireable to himself should think it any excellency in others Or that he that thinks his own sin but a tolerable frailty should much abhor it in the World Satan then hath his Army not only among Infidels but nominal Christians And it is commanded by Honourable and Venerable Names and he pretends a good and righteous Cause whereever he fighteth against Christ and Holiness But by the fruits he may be known in the greatest pretenders whatever names he call them by It is the most profitable Preaching which he laboureth to suppress and the most faithful Pastors that he would silence the most conscionable Christians whom he striveth to make hateful and the more Spiritual Worship of God which he would hinders And therefore even among Christians we have great cause to warn men to fear least they be enticed into Satan's service against Christ and their own Profession and Salvation And especially in an age 1. Where worldly and cross Interests are set up against the Interest of Christ and Conscience 2. Where these worldly and cross Interests have already wasted Christian Love and Contentions have begun a Mental War. 3. When these have prevailed by scorns and slanders to make Conscionable Christians pass for some contemptible criminal or erroneous Sect and this Reproach is fortified by Honourable and Reverend Names Lest therefore such Causes too visible in the World should draw the ignorant and rash into the dreadful Sin of fighting against the Interest of Christ and Souls by hindering Christ's Ministers from their necessary Work and faithful Christians from worshipping God I will humbly beseech all that are in danger of such Temptations but seriously to exercise their own Reasons in the present Consideration of these following Questions and to take up with no other Answer to them which will not bear weight at Death and Judgment when worldly Pomp and Pleasures leave them and not worldly Interest Wit or Grandeur but the Righteous Lord the Lover of Holiness and Holy Souls will be the dreadful and final Judge The Questions to be well Considered Quest. 1. ARe we not on all sides agreed that we are Mortals posting to the Grave Doth any Man think he shall not die And is striving or mutual Love and Quietness a fitter Passage to the dust Do not all Men constrained by natural Conscience at a dying Hour repent of hurting others and ask Forgiveness of all the World Yea if you are not worse than most Heathens Are we not agreed That Man's Soul is immortal and that we shall all be shortly in another World and that it shall be with us there as we live on Earth If any doubt of this should not the least probability of such an everlasting Life of Joy or Misery prevail against the certain Vanity of such a shadow as this World Or if yet they believe not another Life Why should they not let those live in quietness that do believe it and dare not hazard their everlasting Hopes for nothing as long as they do no hurt to others Q. 2. Do not all Christians believe That the Knowledge of God our Creator and Redeemer and a holy Heart and Life are of necessity to our Salvation Do we not see That Children are not born with Knowledge nor free from fleshly and worldly Inclinations Doth not the World's Experience tell us how hard and how long a Work it is to make the Ignorant understand the very Articles of Faith and necessary Duty to God and man and as hard to perswade their Carnal Minds to the hearty Love and Practice of them and to save them from the damning Love of sinful Lust and worldly Vanities and how wofully the best Teaching is frustrate with the most Q. 3. Are we not all Vowed to God in our Baptism renouncing the Seduction of the World the Flesh and the Devil And do all understand and keep this Vow And is not the perfidious Violation of it a most damning Sin And when Thousands of full Age are yet to learn what Baptism is and what they Vowed Have they not great need to be plainly taught it Q. 4. Is a Baptized Infidel or ungodly Person any better or safer than the Turks or the Salvages in America Will the Name of Christians save perfidious Hypocrites Or Will it not be easier for Sodom than for such Q. 5. If Christian Knowledge and Practice be not necessary Why pray we for Conversion of Heathens and Infidels And Why doth the Article of the Church of England condemn those that hold That all may be saved in their several Religions And what are we better than Turks and Heathens Q. 6. Are not all Men