offenders whether they be delinquents in doctrine or manners And although Christians by the Gospel are freed from the ceremoniall Law yet wee are not freed from the substance of it for he that said to the Israelites be ye holy as I am holy saith also to all Christians be ye holy as I am holy 1 Pet. 1. so that although the ceremony be abolished yet the substance remaineth still in force and although the rigor of the judiciall law be taken away and Christians are not tyed to that manner of administration of justice yet the equity of that law doth still continue and righteous judgements is every where amongst all Christians to be executed and satisfaction to be made to all such as have been unjustly damnified and although we are freed from the curse malediction and coaction of the morall law yet we are not freed from the obedience of it so that whatsoever was commanded in it to the Israelites or forbidden them the same is both commanded and forbidden to all Christians to the ends of the world and whatsoever was death by the law of God and nature then for ought I know ought to be punished with death now amongst Christians as blasphemors wizards witches idolaters and all such as despise Moses law under the mouth of two or three witnesses if they be people within the pale of the Church and make profession of the Christian Religion for Christians have nothing to do with those that are without to judge them except they offend against the civill and municipall laws of the Country and against the laws of nations and nature when they live amongst them for Christ came not to change the morall law but to ratifie it in all things And although the Sabbath be changed in respect of the day yet for the holinesse of the first day of the week which is the Christians Sabbath and which is in place of it I am confident it ought most carefully to be observed and that the whole day ought in all sanctity and holinesse to be kept and besides the fourth Commandment for the sanctification of a seventh day we have the example of the Primitive Christians and blessed Apostles who alwayes had their meetings on the first day of the week and spent the whole day in the duties of piety and charity for in the 20 of the Acts we read that on the first day of the week the Disciples came together to break bread that was for the hearing of the Word and for the administration of the Sacraments and for the exercising of all holy duties and that Paul preached there untill midnight and that when Eutichus was fallen downe with sleepe Paul restored him to life againe to all their comforts so that here we have one president that the whole Lords day wasspent by all those Christians in the workes of piety and charity Againe in the first of the Revelations Saint John saith that hee was in the Spirit on the Lords day that is the first day of the weeke called by Saint Iohn the Lords day and there the Angel preached unto him that day and commanded Saint Iohn to take so much of his Sermon by writing as God in his wisedome thought fit to reveale unto his Church and hee that shall diligently reade what is there written will gather that the whole day was taken up by Saint Iohn and spent in hearing and writing and meditating of what hee had heard for without doubt Saint Iohn made it his whole dayes worke to be spiritually imployed and as the holy Communion is called the Lords Supper and all the time of that action is holily to be imployed as being ordained by Christ himselfe to that end even so the Lords day being a day dedicated unro Christ and ordained by him for holy duties and for the hearing of the Word and for the administration of the Sacraments and prayer the whole day ought both privately and publikely to bee taken up in the imployments and workes of piety and charity as hearing reading meditating prayer repetition of Sermons in their Families and catechizing and instructing their children and servants singing of Psalmes in visiting the sicke and them that are in prison relieving the poore and necessitated c. These examples of the Primitive Christians are for our imitation for so Saint Paul in the third of the Philippians in the 17. verse saith Brethren bee followers together of mee and marke them which walke so as ye have us for an example for our conversation is in Heaven And in the 4. chapter verse 8. hee saith Finally brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue if there be any prayse thinke on these things Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seene in me doe and the God of peace shall bee with you By the which testimonies to omit many more we are tyed to follow the examples of the Apostles and to imitate them in all that is holy and good and of good report now it is prayse worthy and of good report to spend the whole Lords day in holy imployments and wee have the Apostles examples and the Primitive Christians for so doing and therefore wee ought to spend the whole Lords day in the workes of piety and charity and by this the sanctifying of the Christian Sabbath which is every seventh day is ratified the prophanation of the which in the reformed Churches and in many places through these three Kingdomes has beene one of the causes of all those heavie judgements the whole Christian world now groanes under and so much more would the Lord bee provoked by the toleration of all Religions amongst us which would give just occasion of violating of all the Commandements of God and of disobedience both to God and man for it is most sure that the Morall Law is not altered in any thing for substance and that God that by it injoyned but one Religion to the Israelites and commanded them to keepe that pure and undefiled and to punish all Idolaters Blasphemers and Seducers hath injoyned the same to all Christians and hath not suffered or permitted them to tolerate all Religions or any sects or heresies which by the Apostle in the fifth of the Galatians are called the workes of the devill who declareth there also that they that do them shall not enter into the Kingdom of God So that those that would bring in a toleration of all Religions have a desire to send men to the devill which is one of the greatest impieties and wickednesses that can bee perpetrated by the sonnes of men Truly if God had such a care for the preserving of the very natural life of man that charissimum animal as hee made a Law that it should be death in any to tolerate or suffer any beast to goe at liberty and range abroad if
not the onely Saints nor the old Puritans of England over-growne for it is notorious that all of them abhorred all these their ungodly proceedings and therefore the way of Independency is not the way of righteousnesse but the open way of sinne heresie and apparent Rebellion But I will yet in a few things more compare the old Puritans of England and the Sectaries and Independents together before I come to speake of the prayer of that Homothumadon brother I first made mention of It is well knowne that the old Puritans of England were all of them very zealous for the sanctifying of the Lords day and their whole imployments on that day sufficiently declared to all those that were familiarly acquainted with them that they were heavenly minded men and such as were truly mortified and dead unto the world who denyed unto themselves usually those ordinary necessaries on that day that at other times they would more freely partake in they dressed but little meat on that day no more then very necessitie called for not out of any penuriousnesse but for this end that their servants might be eased from all toyling workes that they might the better attend upon the duties of the day and they were especially carefull that both they and their children with the strangers that were within their gates should sanctifie that day they left none of them to ramble whether they pleased they had well learned that Lesson that they and their men-servants and maid-servants with the stranger within their wals should keepe holy the Sabbath day and did both by themselves and with their families take order that no duty of the day should be omitted the whole day being taken up either in prayer or meditation or reading of the holy Scriptures or hearing the Word or repeating of Sermons or singing of Psalmes or instructing and catechising their Families or in the works of charity or visiting the sick or in holy conference or in reading godly books or in performing of some duty or other that might bring glory to God and honour to their holy profession and their houses were generally so well ordered and all things carried in such comelinesse and decencie as he that had beene brought up in profane company and had accidentally lighted into owne of their houses would as much have wondred to see the excellent carriage of all things there as the Queene of Sheba did to behold the ordering of Solomons house I may truly speake this to their immortall praise that I never saw in their Families the least disorder on those dayes nor never saw a Feast on that day though at other times they were very free in their entertainments and much given to Hospitalitie and nigardly in nothing and commonly they caused their Table-cloath to be spread on the Saturday before they went to bed and they were carefull that all that were well in the Family should go to Church with them and they had a singular care that all their servants might have no hindrances or impediments by any worldly imployments that might in the least disturbe them or dictract them from the duties of the day all these things I can witnesse with thousands more besides my selfe were the practices of the old Puritans of England and this was the way of Righteousnesse that they walked in for the sanctifying of the Lords day Now if the practice of the Independents and Sectaries about this busines and point of obedience be looked into there will be found a vast difference betweene them and the old Puritans of England for it is well knowne that they ordinarily make all their greatest entertainments on that day as that I spake of before for instance and many more that I could mention where the whole Church was feasted to no small distraction to their poore and godly servants that were taken up with more attendance that day then Martha was on an ordinary day in entertaining of Christ himselfe which not withstanding hee then blamed in very godly and beleeving Martha who had learned to give Christ an honourable confession of her faith concerning her beliefe in him and doubtlesse if Martha were then blamed by Christ and had from him a reproofe for her too much care about many things in entertaining himselfe I beleevee the Independents and Sectaries will receive but little thankes at his hand for profaning his owne day and causing others to doe the same and for their thus breaking and violating his holy Lawes and hindring of his servants by their needlesse entertainments from the duties of pietie and holinesse that he requires at their hands on those dayes and he will say to them at the last judgement as for these their disorderly walkings so for their new and needlesse traditions who required these things at your hands nay did I not forbid these things will the Lord say Truly it is most notorious that the Sectaries and Independents are very loose in the sanctifying of the Lords day and although many of them before they fel into the way of Independencie were very conscionable observers of that day and were greatly displeased with the King for granting but a toleration for sports on that day and could then say that very sinne alone had beene enough to bring downe the judgements of God upon the whole Land yet since they turned Sectaries they can now not only feast and ryot on that day but if need be work on the same in their ordinary imployments as can be proved and many of them that were then great zealots for the performances of all duties of holinesse that day with all their Families now regard not that day no more then an other nay they let their servants and children goe whether they please leaving them all to the liberty as they speake of their owne consciences and it is ordinarily observed that all the Independents and Sectaries in the Armie and through the whole Kingdome will frequently journey on that day and for the Homothumadon Predicants they are trundled about on the Lords day in their Coaches with foure Horses needlessely disquieting both men and beasts that they have a command to give rest unto A Tumbrell or a Dung-cart were fitter for these proud and profane Fellowes to be carried about in and if they will not leave these their licentious courses and surcease thus to profane the Lords day I see no reason but that the Magistrate should take some order with them and punish them for profaning it it being not only against the Lawes of God but contrary unto the Lawes of the Land It may be that is one of the Lawes that the Sectaries would have abrogated and made null for most certaine it is their practises are both contrary to that Law and the knowne Law of God and the practise of all the old Puritans of England and therefore the way of Independency in this point also is not the way of Righteousnesse but of profanesse and licentiousnesse neither are they overgrowne Puritans in this But
consideration of the which the better to stirr up thy attention makes me boldly to conclude of them all That whatsoever they pretend and whatsoever shews of seeming holinesse they hold out to the world they are unsound root and branch and neither the godly party nor the praying people nor the only Saints but the most pharisaicall brood that ever yet appeared in the world and more injurious to Christ the King of his Church and to his royalty and to all his holy faithfull Ministers and Servants then ever the Pope or any of the Prelaticall party were and more malicious and treacherous to the Saints and truly godly and precious ones and more opposers of all Reformation then ever the Cavaliers were and many of them greater enemies to Church and State and the welfare of both then either Strafford or the Prelate of Canterbury And as for the Independent government as it is most certain it hath neither precept nor president for it in all Gods holy Word so it is far more tyrannicall and lordly then that of the Pope or Prelates tending to nothing but an Anarchy and confusion in Church and State And therefore that they with all their trumperies and desperate practices with all their unrighteous dealing ought to be abhorred and abominated whatsoever seeming sanctimony they make shew of by all such as truly fear God and wish the peace of Zion and the good of the State and Kingdomes in which they live Now they that have a desire to see this charg made good against them shall find it with the whole impeachment fully proved and made evident in the following discourse But in the interim it will not be amisse to produce some few instances more of their practices for the proving of their Independency not to be the way of righteousnesse If a man but look upon their superlative pride especially the conceit they all of them have of their own holinesse and sanctity we shall find that it exceeds that of the very Scribes and Pharisees for all the Independents and Sectaries stile themselves the holy people the godly party the praying people the generation of the just the Saints yea esteeming the very retrimentitious part of them to speak in their own dialect Saints calling their most blasphemous opinions and practices the infirmities of the Saints in the mean time excluding the most godly Presbyterians from those titles calling them the Antichristian brood the enemies of Jesus Christ and his Kingdome the sons of Beliall and what not all which dealing with their brethren is not the way of righteousnesse yea in their very prayers to God they like the Pharisees boast of their own knowledge slighting and vilifying all their Presbyterian brethren disdaining so much as to pray for them yea in their publike Assemblies and in their publike prayers they have been heard contemptuously to speak of those in authority asserting that they were not worthy of the prayers of the Saints and it is well known that many of them will neither publickly nor privately joyn with their Presbyterian brethren in any duty of piety accounting them all as an Antichristian and unsanctified generation of men and all this out of a strong and confident perswasion of their own holiness out of an uncharitable opinion of their brethrens impurity then the which strain of pride the very Pharisees never exercised a greater all which practices of theirs sufficiently declare that the way of Independency is not the way of righteousnesse for greater unrighteousnesse there cannot be then this as will by and by appear But I will now come to some instances Not long since at a great entertainment and festivity on the Lords day when they were all met together one of the Homothumadon brethren a great man amongst them beginning the duty of the day in his Prayer before his Sermon speaking unto God by way of complaint against the Presbyterians said unto Him with many tears Lord they meaning the Presbyterians hate us because we know more of thee then they do but we beseech thee Lord give us still to know more of thee and let them hate us more if they will But before I come to speak of this their prayer and of some other passages of their other good prayers I shall take the liberty here to say something of the difference between these mens practices and the old Puritans of ENGLAND and so much the rather I do it because they would perswade the world that there is little difference between them and the old Puritans yea one of their Itinerary Predicants not long since preaching in a publike Assembly affirmed that there was no other difference between the Independents at this day and the old Puritans of ENGLAND but that the Independents were over-grown Puritans which I conceive he meant in this sense that the Independents outstripped them in all duties of piety and charity and in all comely seemly orderly and temperate walking in an unblameable conversation before God and men This I say I conceive to be his meaning by the word overgrown for I would not willingly put a worse interpretation upon his expression and understand by overgrown that he meant they were become monstrous Which notwithstanding too too many of them are therefore if his words be taken in the better sense by overgrown he understands that the Independents have attained unto a higher degree of perfection then ever the old Puritans had attained unto and that they now walke more closely in the way of righteousnesse then ever they did I will first therefore set down some of the practices of the old Puritans with the paths and wayes of righteousnesse they walked in omitting many things for brevity sake though worthy of eternall memory and our everlasting imitation For the old Puritants of ENGLAND as those that have read their writings and knew their practices and were familiarly acquainted with them they can testifie of them that they were an humble self-denying people ever groaning under that burden of the remnant of sin crying out with the Apostle Paul Rom. 7. Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death they never dreamed of a perfect holiness nor never thought themselves more holy then others or presumed to call themselves Saints and if that title had at any time been given unto any of them by such as truly honoured them for their singular graces you should ever hear them complain of their imperfections and with the Apostle Phil. 3. ver 8 9. counting all things losse for the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ esteeming all their righteousnesse but dung that they might win Christ and be found in him not having their own righteousnesse c. Now they that are acquainted with the Independents doctrine words and practices hear them talk of nothing but of their own sanctity and of their perfection saying God can see no sin in them and although some of them do not professe so much in words yet in deeds
despise Dominion and speake evill of Dignities hee cals them raging waves of the Sea foming out their owne shame wandring stars to whom is reserved the blacknesse of darkenesse for ever against whom he saith the Lord will execute judgement for all their ungodly deeds and for all their hard speeches stiling them Murmurers complayners whose mouths speak great swelling words having mens persons in admiration because of advantage desiring all men to remember the words of the Holy Apostles and of our Lord Jesus Christ who fore-told the people of God that there should be such Mockers in the last times who should walke after their ungodly lusts and that they might the better take notice of them and know who these men both Christ and the Apostles spake of he saith they were such as should separate themselves sensuall not having the spirit he describes them to be an unsanctified race of men whatsoever seeming holinesse they make a shew of and such as ought to be avoyded and shunned of all such as desire to please God and avoyd that condemnation that was denounced against all such as despised dignities and resisted authority and even as the Lord by his servants commanded the people to separate from the company of Corah Dathan and Abiram and to goe from their tents lest they were involved in the same miseries and calamities that were coming upon them for their rebellion against Moses so ought all the people that indeed do truly fear God decline the companies and societies of all such as now oppose authority and make themselves the soveraign Lords of the Kings and Rulers and Judges that God hath appointed over them for surely a greater unrighteousnesse cannot be perpetrated against God then thus superciliously to trample upon authority and to despise those that are over them which is the dayly practice of the Independents and Sectaries all which unrighteousnesse the old Puritans of England were not guilty of having been better taught and therefore in this part of duty the Independents are different from the old Puritans of England who walked not in this way of unrighteousnesse and therefore the Sactaries have not out-stripped them in this point of obedience to authority but they are indeed overgrown and are become monstrous in their rebellious practices Yea so far they are from reverencing those in authority as they are grown to that height of pride and unrighteousnesse as many of them will not so much as pray for the very Parliament or the Assembly either privately or publickly as can sufficiently be proved by such as are acquainted with them and their practices for not long since in a great Assembly and Congregation of Independents one of their Predicants being in prayer after he had put up many petitions and requests in behalfe of their fraternity thus expressed himself speaking unto God Now Lord saith he we should come to pray for the Parliament and Assembly but they are not worthy the prayers of the Saints and so with disdain he passed them by as unworthy of their prayers then the which what could be spake more wickedly and contrary to the practice of all the old Puritans of England who in all their prayers and supplications private and publick ever with tears prayed for all in authority I affirme that this practice of the Independents is not onely one of the highest strains of all unrighteousnesse and contrary to the practice of all the old Puritans of England but contrary to all the practice of all the Saints that ever yet lived in the world and contrary to all the commands of God both in the Old and New Testament For we have read how earnestly Moses prayed for the rebellious Israelites wishing himselfe rather to be blotted out of the book of life then that the Lord should destroy them and so did Paul wish for his Countrymen the Jews Samuel also when the people desired him to pray for them 1 Sam. 12. v. 23. God forbid saith he that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you c. So that the holy Prophet makes it a sin in either Ministers or people not to pray for their brethren and especially those in authority for this was the practice of all the Prophets the Lord told a heathen King that Abraham his servant should pray for him yea father Abraham prayed for the very Sodomites and the Kingdoms in which they dwelt Gen. 18. And the people of Israel when they were in captivity in Babylon had a command from God himselfe to pray for the welfare of very Babylon and the Princes of the same and we have read what supplications Daniel Ezra and Nehemiah put up in behalfe of those heathen Princes under which they lived as well as for their own Countrymen And Saint Paul gives it in charge to all Ministers and people 1 Tim. 2. to pray for all men ver 1 2. I exhort saith he that first of all supplications prayers and intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men For Kings and all that are in authority that we may lead a peaceable and quiet life in all godlinesse and honesty For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour So that here there is not onely an exhortation to all Christians in generall but in speciall to Ministers to pray for all men but primarily for those in authority and reasons grounds are also given by the Apostle of incouragement to this duty viz. because that it is a good and acceptable thing in the sight of God tending also for the peace quiet and tranquillity of them all and which is more to all godlinesse which is the glory of all peace and therefore that they ought to pray for those in authority And this exhortation of the Apostle all the old Puritans of England did ever most diligently observe and follow praying for them that were in authority night and day whereas the Sectaries were never in private heard pray for either King or Parliament or the Scots or Assembly How wicked a thing therefore is it in the Independents and Sectaries and what a part of unrighteousnesse is it in them dayly to omit this duty who will neither pray with their brethren nor for them but separate from all their societies as from a people unholy yea how impious and rebellious a thing is it in them against both God and all authority to say and that in a disdainfull manner even in their publike meeting places and congregations that neither the Parliament nor Assembly are worthy their prayers yea it is well known and can be proved that they pray against them and the King himselfe and that not onely privately but in their congregations publikely Surely if either the Parliament or Assembly or the Presbyterians were as bad as the Kings of Babylon or the persecuting Jews yet they ought to be prayed for For we have a command to pray for all men yea for our enemies and those that persecute us and
lies to this day upon all Ministers and people and all those Priests knew very well that this duty lay also upon them and that by a speciall command from God long before given them who had said that the Priests lips should preserve knowledge and that the people should seek the law will and good pleasure of God from their mouth Now then if all Christians and all the Servants of the Lord in all ages studied to teach their friends and families the knowledge and fear of the Lord as we see in Abraham and Jacob and Joshua and all the Patriarks and they had a speciall command also to do it as we see Deut. the sixt and Deut. the eleventh and when it was the practise of all people truly converted to do the same as I said before and we see it likewise in the woman of Samaria how quickly she brought her neighbours and fellow citizens unto Christ after shee was converted then I say we ought to think yea we ought much more to beleeve that these Priests being thus wonderfully converted spent their strength and might now to gain Disciples unto Christ and that by how much the more they had been his enemies and persecutors And the people without all controversie would be the readier by far to give heed unto what they taught them because they knew that they were learned and in that they had a command from God himself to seek the law of God from their mouths who said that the Priests lips should preserve knowledge and wisdome Yea Christ himselfe sent the lepers at any time when he had cured them to the Preists and the Scriptures sufficiently declare that the Priests were in great esteem among all the people and that they did mightily prevaile with them so that they could perswade them to do any thing they would have them Now when the people saw that their Priests in great companies were converted without doubt they still followed their Pastors and waited upon their Ministry and the law of love binds us to beleeve that abundance of the people also were dayly converted and added to the Church by their Ministry and Preaching and this ordinary reason and dayly experience will perswade every man to beleeve for we see here amongst us what mischiefe a few whibling and unlearned fellows that were Ministers have done in seducing of the people after they revolted from the truth upon whom they still depend and what distractions among all sorts of men and women a few unstable and unconstant Presbyters hourly make when for base ends they fall from their principles and turne Independent Praedicants and Itinerany Preachers we see I say that they have in a very short time with the leaven of their doctrine with their sottish wicked and groundlesse opinions sowred the whole lump of the sweet truth of the Gospell and seduced many thousands both of men and women if their gloriation be true Now if a few illiterate seducers in these our dayes have misled and perverted such multitudes with their novelties and that without any miracles without all controversie that great company of Priests that were converted preaching then unto all the people the truth of God and the glorious Gospell of glad tydings and not their own fantasies and the people seeing it also dayly confirmed unto them with such stupendious miracles they prevailed greatly to the converting of thousands for the example of such men as the Priests were wrought very much upon the people yea we see how it has been in all ages when great and rich men whether Magistrates Ministers or people imbrace any new opinion what way they go the common people ordinarily follow whether it be truth or error rather following example then precept as we may see it When Moses was but gone up into the Mount and that Aaron had built them a calf they all began to dance about it and when Jeroboam set up his calfâ—s ten tribes revolted with him yea it is said Hee caused all Israel to sinne And we may observe it daily amongst us if these grolls seduce but any giddy-headed Gentlewoman that is rich or but any inferior Lady and make them but turne Independents what a noise there is by by through the Kingdom of it and how staggering other poor unstable women begin to be But if any great Noble man or Courtier or Parliament man or some of our temporizing Presbyterian Ministers but turn Independents or is but rumor'd to favour that way we see what revolt amongst unsetled and ungrounded people their examples make in many places Whereas the truely godly such as are well grounded know that the stars shall fall from heaven and that they usually chang themselvs into Angels of light and seem to be the Ministers of righteousnee that they may the better seduce yet I say such as fear God and are rightly instructed are not moved but they abhor the evill of their wayes and cleave the faster to the truth and are of such discerning spirits as they can well perceive that it is for base ends and worldly respects that many have turned Independents and it is well known and can be proved That the Independents have perswaded many if they would prosper in the world that they should turn to their party for that was as they said the thriving way And it is taken notice of also that very few but Independents are either greatly countenanced or preferred or at any time rewarded for any service they have done their Country Now every generous spirit especially a constant well grounded Christian detests and abominates all such base dealings and such base fellows as will be of any religion for earthly fading momentary and uncertain things and therefore stand more stoutly to the truth and their ancient principles yet such as have a mind speedily to get into the chayre of preferment or to be in any Office or to grow rich they turn Independents and I am most confident that whereas the Independents brag that many of the Lords are Independents they notoriously belye them but this I dare presume that if Sir I. S. can from his great and rich Independent friends procure a yearly and certain pention to be confirmed upon my lord Tapps that upon that condition he would turn independent and so then they should be sure to have one lord of their party and then also Sir I. S. might haply attain unto the honour to be my lord Tapps his Chaplain which he is very fit for and might also reside in Cambridge where he may so indoctrinate his plumbeous cerebrocities as he may speedily be able to divisinate a snayle pye or a mushrome into two particles But to be serious if a few obscure Presbyters here amongst us that were never really guilty either of learning or honesty revolting once from the truth through covetousnesse and other base ends have notwithstanding with their fayned holinesse and under pretence of their long prayers devoured so many widowes houses