Which is a confessed Argument of our Charity and Moderation Secondly That the One Church of Christ is more likely to be found in all World than in a Corner As if there were no true Church in the World but theirs Thirdly In all Ages than of later Years Not considering that we had a Christian Church in England before ever Popery was known in the World. Fourthly That this One Church is rather to be found in Vnity than in Division Which we could easily recriminate and retort upon themselves For there are more and greater Schisms and Divisions in the Church of Rome than in any other Christian Church whatsoever Fifthly That they have a Succession of Bishops Priests and Deacons from the Days of the Apostles downward So have we as is fully evident from all our Antient and Authentick Records See Bishop Bamhal's Account of the Schism of the Church of Rome And they have quite forgotten that there were three Popes or Bishops of Rome at the same time What then became of their uninterrupted Succession Sixthly That the Bishop of Rome is the Supreme Head of the Church Vniversal and Christs Vicar in extraordinary upon Earth Which spurious Title and Vsurpation as we noted before is rejected by at least two parts of the Catholick Church at this day and disliked by some National Churches as 't is supposed of their own Communion who are inclinable enough if they knew but how to cast off that Papal and Tyrannical Yoke Seventhly That the Church of England is only a Branch lopt off or a Rag torn from the Coat and that we had no Church nor Religion before Luther This is a most gross and manifest Vntruth For we had a Christian Church in England before ever St. Peter came at Rome founded by Joseph of Arimathea and flourished under King Lucius the first Christian Monarch in the World. And we know very well by what Vsurpations and Encroachments and the time when Popery first got footing in England that Augustin the Monk caused some hundreds of that Order to be slain at Bangor to make way for it And 't is further evident by what Means and Methods the Bishops of Rome did work upon the Weaknesses and Credulity of some and the Necessities of others of our Christian Princes not having the Power or Courage or Resolution to cast off the Popes Supremacy till the Reign of Henry the Eighth King of England A Person whose Temper and Affairs let our Adversaries bespatter him as they please made him a fit Instrument to begin the Reformation which thro' God's Providence and the prudent and religious Conduct of his Successors has been happily carried on and perfected which we hope thro' the Favour and Protection of his Sacred Majesty who now Reigns may be continued a Blessing to Vs and our Posterity Hence therefore 't will appear to you That these are all thred-bare and stale Evasions and Subtersuges to colour and palliate their groundless and unreasonable Pretences to Antiquity Visibility Vnity Magnificence Right of Succession of and in their Church All which have been answered at least an hundred times by Worthy and Learned Authors as you 'l see afterwards But this Controversie has been so well stated and throughly canvassed by our Church of England Men in these last three Years that there will be more difficulty now than ever to persuade any Gentleman of Sense and Ingenuity to believe their incongruous and hateful Absurdities But yet there are some others of the same Foot-mark who having laid aside all Modesty and Candour their Foreheads are so steel'd with Confidence as to affirm That we have neither Church Priests Sacraments nor Religion amongst Vs and are so uncharitable as to load Vs with all the nonsensical and unjust Calumnies imaginable not regarding what they are so they be but spiteful and malicious observing the old Maxim Fortiter calumniari aliquid haerebit Nay they 'l even disclaim their own Popish Doctrins and Practices as the Invocation of Saints Worshiping of Images c. and do tell the credulous People that their Adversaries out of meer Spight and Malice do misrepresent them These Methods have been lately used by an Eminent Papist here of my Acquaintance and Neighborhood to some Persons of our Communion who were formerly my Parishioners and seem'd to be warping towards Popery They acquainted me with it and look'd upon those Sophisms to be nervous and strong Arguments and Motives and so indeed they were if they had been true to persuade them to change their Religion But such shuffling Tricks as these carry their own Confutation along with them for this is an old piece of Legerdemain which one would have thought should have been long since exploded And I find the very same Hocus pocus Illusions used by the Popish Priests about the beginning of the Reign of Q. Elizabeth For we know very well what Priviledges are allow'd them to swear and forswear and not only deny but even rail against their own received Doctrins Practices Church and the Pope himself for the Interest of the Catholick i. e. the Roman Religion Consult Dr. Nalson's Foxes and Firebrands and there you 'l find many of their jugling Devices and being Men of Latitude and Faculties to prepare Dishes for every Palate I have been a little more express in stating these Differences because I know those Popish Emissaries are crept into all Countreys and do every where lie in wait to debauch and corrupt Young Gentlemen both in their Principles and Manners There are not a few Instances of both who have been taken Captives by them I shall name Two particularly The one a Person of good Quality strong and quick natural Parts an excellent Scholar under the Conduct as 't was supposed of a well qualified Tutor well educated according to the Church of England by his pious and prudent Parents and yet for all this was perverted in his Travels and continues a zealous and cunning Papist There was another Gentleman also both of my Acquaintance not inferior to the former and every way as well fitted for Travel yet did contract such a habit of Lewdness and Debauchery to say no worse that in few years an Estate of above 2000 l. per Annum is intirely wasted and nothing remains but a bare puff of Honour without any Estate to support it I could tell you all the particulars by what Methods that unfortunate sweet and ingenuous Young Gentleman was allured and trapan'd into these Mischiefs who also died immaturely c. Which Examples amongst many others have been often in my Thoughts And tho there be not the least grounds of any Jealousie or Suspition of your Miscarriage yet I have set them in your View as Land Marks and Sea Marks to prevent the danger of splitting your Vessel so well built and richly laden either upon the Sands and Shelves of Debauchery and Prophaneness or the Rocks and Splinters of Schism and Superstition Therefore Dear Sir let me beseech you once more to
administred according to our Blessed Saviours own Institution We worship God viz. the One Divine Essence and Trinity of Persons in Spirit and Truth in and thro' Christ without the Mediation of Saints and Angels We hope for and believe the Remission of Sins and Salvation of our Souls and Bodies by the Merits of Christ alone thro' the Mercies of God and upon the condition of a sincere and unseigned Repentance Which Repentance in the Judgment of our Church implies a true Sight and Confession of hearty arrow for and the hatred and forsaking of all our former Sins with a stedfast Resolution never to return to them again with any consent delight or approbation and the use of all possible Endeavours to put these Resolutions in practice even to our Lives End So that if we shall at any time fall into the commission of the least Sin or the neglect of any Duty either wilfully or by infirmity and surprize we do again seriously and solemnly renew our Repentance and are never at peace with our Selves and in our Consciences till we be again reconciled unto God or our Neighbour whom we have offended And this we do as well after as before our Conversion not daring to continue in any one sin unrepented of unreformed When we have thus renounced and abandon'd Sin the World and the Devil as our deadly Enemies we think our selves further oblig'd to magnifie and adorn our Profession by the Works and Fruits of Piety and true Holiness Justice and Charity Purity and Sobriety Tit. 2.12 and to perform all and every one of these Duties both to God and Man without Partiality without Hypocrisie This is a short Specimen of the Doctrin and Fundamentals of our Religion which in all and every particular are warranted and recommended to Us by God's infallible Word and the concurrent Suffrages and Confessions of all the Churches of Christ in the Primitive and Purest Ages of the Gospel And as the Doctrin of our Church is Sound and Orthodox so Secondly Our Worship and Discipline is truly Antient and Apostolical For there 's not one single Passage in our Liturgy and Church Service and Circumstantials of Worship our most rigid Adversaries being Judges that is either Anti-Scriptural or Sinful but do all very much conduce to Decency Order Vniformity and the Edification of its Members All which I could easily make appear to you by an Induction of Particulars insomuch that there 's not one National Church under the Cope of Heaven that 's more Orthodox than Ours in Her whole Worship and Politie Consult and examine our Liturgy Articles Homilies Canons and Constitutions Ceremonies c. and there you 'l find a truly Primitive and Apostolical Spirit in the disposition of the several Parts for the Honour and Glory of God and Advancement of his true Religion and Worship amongst Vs And for a further Testimony hereof and your own particular Satisfaction read when you can have the convenience of those Books and leisure to read 'em Hookers Ecclesiastical Politie Dr. Comber's large Volume on our Church Liturgy and Dr. Falkner's Libertas Ecclesiastica which Triumvirate are sufficiently able to answer all the Doubts and Scruples of any unbiast and unprejudiced Reader Besides I can give you a Catalogue of such Books when you please to command it as have treated so learnedly judiciously and convincingly of the Religion of the Church of England in all the Points of Faith Worship and Discipline as will furnish you with such Reasons and Arguments as neither Papist nor Phanatick were ever yet able to answer Let your Religion then and that Church into which you were admitted and initiated by Baptism and in whose Communion you have been hitherto educated be as dear to you as your Estate and Life Remit nothing of your Love and Affection Zeal and Courage to defend it when you are thereunto lawfully called For the Doctrin and Worship of our Church has been transmitted to Us by our pious Ancestors with all the Sanctions both of divine and humane Authority and as sure as there is a God the Religion which you profess came down from Heaven For the everlasting Prince of Peace has consign'd and confirm'd it to Us by the Effusion of his own precious Blood and the Suffrage of many Saints and Martyrs in this Kingdom so that you have not the least reason to scruple your Compliance with and Conformity to it If therefore an Angel or Devil or any ill Men should at any time suggest the contrary to you have no Communication with him but reject him as an utter Enemy and Impostor And when you have more leisure opportunity and experience your Curiosity may lead you to read over and consider the Canons and Constitutions of the Greek and Latin Churches wherein you 'l find the true State of Things and Times the Beginnings Proceedings Increases Encounters Yieldings and Restaurations of the Gospel and what the Primitive Fathers did and suffer'd for the propagation of the Christian Religion and the interest of the Church And herein you 'l also see the Conformity of our Church of England Men since the beginning of the Reformation to the Primitive Pattern And when you have thus made some considerable Progress in inquiring into the Fundamentals and Superstructures of our Religion you 'l be better able to judge of the Opinions and Errors of those that differ from Us. But till you have more time and convenience to inform your self as to the Particulars I shall present you Secondly With a true and brief Account of Popery or the Doctrin and Practices of the Church of Rome as to those Particulars wherein they differ from the Church of England For which cause we are forced to separate from them since we cannot communicate with them without sin nor have we departed further from 'em than they have departed from Themselves and the Truth Now for Method's sake we shall consider also First The Principles or Doctrin And Secondly The Practices of the pretended Catholicks of the Romish Church Whereby 't will evidently appear that Popery if rightly understood is no such beautiful and charming Object as to allure any Man of Reason and Conscience to fall in love with it And First For the Principles of Popery and we are obliged to call them so because they are so esteem'd and accounted by their own Church For since their Council of Trent no Man can properly be admitted into the Romish Communion however in Popish Countries but shall be censured and condemned as a damn'd Heretick unless he believes as followeth viz. That a Mortal Man as the Pope in Cathedra or as some say with his Council of Cardinals is infallible knows all things and can err in nothing that he directs informs animates and commands both in Earth and Purgatory expounds Scripture forgives Sins canonizeth Saints creates new Articles of Faith and in all these and many other of the same Stamp and Character is as absolute and infallible as his Maker But
be continually upon your Watch that you may return with the same Soul and same Body you carried from hence and all the Tempers and Dispositions of both And for this End endeavor throughly to understand and then live up to the Principles and Rules of that Religion you have hitherto profess'd This will prove the best Antidote against that destructive Poison which might otherwise taint and infect both your Intellectuals and Morals and not only destroy the Christian but even the Man or rational part within you Let me advise you still more particularly not so much as to lend an Ear to hear nor a Tongue to discourse with those inchanting Syrens be afraid of their seeming Favours whose Errand is Deceit and under the pretence of Kindness and Respect will wound you to the very Heart Look not upon the pompous Ceremonies and costly Ornaments of that Religion wherein all things are outwardly glorious and pleasant to the Eye but keep close to innocent Truth and let your Soul be always deeply affected with that Worship whose Majesty is in the Heart not in the Face which we profess with the greatest comfort and satisfaction and may we ever do so in the Communion of the best of Churches Thus we have seen at length that the Errors and Superstitions of the Church of Rome wherein they differ from Us are Fundamental Points both of Faith and Worship Therefore have no communication with those of that Way unless it be where civil Relations and Offices of Humanity and Charity require your compliance Now to conclude this Point all the Members of the Church of England are called Protestants a Name common to Us with our Brethren of the Reformed Churches beyond Sea and so indeed we are For we do solemnly protest against the Popish Universal Hierarchy Infallible Judgment Dispensations with the Laws of God and Sins of Men Oral Traditions and other Sacriledges disposing of Kingdoms deposing and Murdering of Princes the Merit of Good Works in our Conversion the Priests pretended Power of transubstantiating Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Christ the Sacrifice of the Mass Adoration of the Hostie Images Relicks Prayers to Saints and Angels Power of Indulgences Doctrin of Purgatory necessity of Auricular Confession Prohibition of Priests Marriages Pilgrimages Prayers in an unknown Tongue multitude of Sacraments Penances Miracles and Indian Wonders and pretences of curing the Deaf Dumb Blind Lame and raising the Dead Equivocations mental Reservations pious Frauds legendary Fables devilish Incantations sacred yet diabolical Magick and all their other Delusions and Fopperies as damnable and anti-christian You 'l be pleased Sir to join with me in this Protestation the very naming whereof tho I cannot now insist upon all the Particulars might almost induce you to it and let all true hearted and reformed Protestants both here and every where say Amen There are also several other Religious Sects or rather Hereticks which do err from the Foundation and the true Faith Such are the Anti-Trinitarians Arians Socinians c. who deny the Doctrin of the Holy Trinity the Divinity of Christ and the Holy Ghost and our Saviours Satisfaction All which being excommunicated by Us you must avoid them as the Pests and Enemies of our Religion and have no Intercourse nor Communion with them There 's another silly Sect called Quakers a People so far fallen from Christianity that they do scarce retain any one Article of the true Faith slight and reject all the Ordinances of the Gospel and extol the Light within them above the Holy Scriptures as the only sufficient Rule they are obliged to walk by I only tell you in short what Quakerism is and shall need to say no more of it being there 's so little Temptation to that Opinion Thus much by way of Digression My method leads me Thirdly To consider those Pretensions Reasons and Arguments which our Brethren of the Non-conformity have urged in defence of their Separation from Us. But to do them all the Justice imaginable I must note to you in the first place That those called Antinomians Anabaptists Independants and Presbyterians do hold the Foundation tho they differ from Us in some Opinions not essential to Salvation and notwithstanding their uncharitableness to Us we account them Christians and Brethren as holding the Essentials of Christianity tho they build upon a weak Foundation And seeing Providence has led you into those Countries for the present where you cannot worship God according to your own Way the Church of England both in her Judgment and Practice allows you to communicate with those Sister-Churches of the Reformation to whom we have always given the right Hand of Fellowship tho there be some circumstantial Differences between Them and Us. But You 'l probably meet with some in your Travels as well as in our own Nation who will be very forward to find Faults with and censure our Liturgy and Discipline as we have many of that capricious Humour amongst Us tho they scarce understand it Therefore for the further Confirmation and Establishment of your own Judgment herein and that you may be better fortified with Reasons and Arguments to vindicate our Church and clear those Objections which may be urged against her We shall consider First The most material Objections which have been formed against our Liturgy and Church Politie both at home and abroad Secondly We shall draw some rational Inferences from those Answers and Solutions for your further satisfaction And Thirdly Lay down some Rules by way of caution which I hope may secure you and by your Influence many others from a groundless Separation Of these distinctly And First All the Scruples of our Non-conforming Brethren against our Discipline and Set Form of Worship are reducible to and comprehended under these two Objections And 1. They charge Us with Popery which we abhor as much if not more than they do because say they our Form of Common Prayer by Law establisht is taken out of the Popish Mass-Book that they are Popish Prayers and much of our Discipline and many of our Ceremonies are now used in the Church of Rome Which Objection at the first appearance seems to be very harsh and has so affrighted some weak yet well-meaning Christians that they dare scarce come near Us but hold off and separate from our Communion To which I Answer This Objection is so far from being of any force against Us that it do's very much approve and justifie the singular Moderation of the Church of England as most willing and desirous to communicate with the Papists in all Things wherein we can do it lawfully and with a safe Conscience Besides those Divines who compiled our Liturgy were all Men of extraordinary Parts Piety and Learning and several of them died Martyrs for our Religion Nor have our dissenting Brethren the least colour of Reason to brand our Church Service with savouring too much of Popery seeing the Papists always have and ever had our
A LETTER OF ADVICE TO A YOUNG GENTLEMAN Of an Honourable FAMILY Now in His TRAVELS Beyond the SEA'S For his more safe and profitable Conduct in the Three great Instances of Study Moral Deportment and Religion In Three Parts By a True Son of the Church of England LONDON Printed for R. Clavell at the Sign of the Peacock in S. Pauls Church-Yard 1688. LICENSED July 25th 1688. Honoured SIR MY Old Distemper returning suddenly upon me I could not wait on you as I design'd and see you on Ship-board Yet my hearty Prayers and Well-wishes have and shall ever attend you for the good Success of your Travels and safe Return I think my self also obliged to congratulate your happy Voyage and hopeful Settlement and as I am informed in a flourishing and well-govern'd University where you cannot want Means and Opportunities to improve your Parts considerably and enrich your Soul with such excellent Habits as none of your Rank and Years may out-do you in the most desirable Accomplishments of Knowledge Wisdom and Experience But Sir besides those many Obligations which I shall always recognize with the greatest Expressions of Love and Gratitude I have several other Motives and Inducements as you 'll see in the Sequel of this Epistle which have prompted me to give you the trouble of perusing these following Sheets And tho I am very sensible that you cannot want the Counsel and Advice of Men far more eminent for Learning and Observation than I durst ever pretend to yet my Endeavours may have their desired Influence and kind Acceptance as the Effect of undissembled Love and Fidelity and the Product of his retired and serious Thoughts who to his power ever was is and God willing shall be a true Friend to your Self and Family Yet I must beg leave to tell you before I proceed to the subject Matter of this Epistle that the Eyes of your Country are much upon you as the hopeful Son of such a Father and therefore you must expect as your Accomplishments so your Defects will be narrowly and critically observed You must therefore either study to equal and if possible out-do his eminent Vertues and Endowments or otherwise you 'll find that they 'll exceedingly lessen and eclipse your own Besides you have left your Country Relations and Friends for the increase of Learning and Experience we do all therefore hope to see the generous and worthy Fruits and Effects of your Care and Industry and as great a change in your Person as in the Climate Nor can it be much satisfaction to your self or others tho you be able to give an account at your return of the strange Occurrences of Nature or Event For the Fruits of Study and Travel should not rest there but your chief business will be to cultivate and beautifie your Soul with such useful and profitable Knowledge as may be a future benefit both to your self and others nor can any thing less than this counter vail the great Charge Hazzards and Fatigues of Travel You should also consider Sir that your Co-temporaries here are growing up apace and may be great Proficients in all sorts of Learning and therefore as you 'll have greater Opportunities so you must endeavour to make a sutable Improvement in all the gentiel ingenuous and vertuous Accomplishments both of Mind and Body But if by their Diligence they should out-strip you it would be no little Reflection not to mention the fruitless expence of Time and Money and the far greater Hazzards you run upon amongst Foreigners and Fugitives Nor will it be unseasonable to remark to you that several Young Gentlemen within the compass of your own observation have returned from beyond Sea's as ignorant to the full and more immoral and extravagant than if they had never left the Smoak of their own Chimneys They have indeed dearly purchased and brought over with them some new Modes affected Gestures if not the Diseases of the Country and such Language and Deportment as are not only ungentiel and unbecoming but unmanly and unchristian We shall have occasion to take notice of some Particulars afterwards insomuch that they are so far from being either wiser or better for their Travels that to give them their due they have only commenced Masters of that hellish and black Art of Debauchery Irreligion and Profaneness But These Examples Sir are only noted by way of caution For we know and shall always hope for and expect better Things and Fruits from you And your virtuous Temper and hither to religious Education will be a Sovereign Antidote and sure Defensitive against all the dangerous and charming Illectives you can possibly meet with To which give me leave to add the following Advice which I hope may be useful to you in all your Travels nor shall it be unseasonable whilst you continue in that well govern'd Society where perhaps the least Danger is neither fear'd nor suspected Not to trouble you with a longer Exordium What I have further to impart shall for Methods sake be comprehended under these Three following Heads of Discourse And the First will respect the well-husbanding and management of your Time in attending your Studies or Conversation with others The Second Your Morals and Civil Deportment And the Third Your Religion In all which I shall endeavour to lay down such Rules as I hope may direct and encourage you to imploy your Time to the best Purposes so that you may go on chearfully in your Business with the greatest success delight and satisfaction and return home thro' Gods Blessing every way accomplisht as a well-bred Gentleman a good Scholar and a sound Christian All which would be the greatest Comfort and Blessing to your Parents an Ornament to your Country and the most peculiar Happiness to your Self Of these severally and in Order And First A LETTER OF ADVICE TO A YOUNG GENTLEMAN Now in His TRAVELS Beyond the SEA'S c. PART I. Of STVDIES NOW Sir it would be an ill and unaccountable Application of your Time if your Quality as we have seen in too many should make you impatient of Discipline and Restraint or make you consult your Liberty and Ease the Effects whereof are usually dangerous and destructive For since God has blessed and ennobled you with the Priviledges of Birth and Blood and an ingenuous and religious Education you should imploy your Time and Faculties in the search of and pursuit after those things which now and in the after-course of your Life will afford you the greatest Advantages as well as Pleasure and Delight You must not fancy then that God made you only for Sports and Pastimes but gentiel and heroic Exercises Let those who understand no better please and divert themselves with their Horses Dogs Wine c. But what are all these to the more noble and worthy Endowments of a Gentleman and a Scholar And seeing God has been pleased to bless you with the understanding and all other Faculties of a Man and those
too in the best degree imploy the most considerable part of your Time especially now whilst you have Leisure Opportunity and few Avocations at your Book and in your Study For First As this will adorn your Soul with the greatest Treasures this World can afford so you 'l have cause to congratulate to your self your own Happiness and God Almighty will bless and prosper you in your Endeavours Who even in Paradise would not allow Pleasure to the first Adam tho certainly as Noble as any of his Descendents without Labour and Industry Nor can your retired and seeming Obscurity in your Studies lessen your Gentility since there 's no well-bred Scholar that can fail of the Reputation and Character of a Gentleman But besides Secondly You 'l hereby become not only more courteous and obliging to all you converse with but more capable also of managing with Prudence and Discretion those weighty Affairs which may await you at your Return and your Birth and Education will intitle you to both of Justice and State. Besides you 'l better understand what Respect and Encouragement is defervedly due to Learned Men such I mean as are diligent sober and pious and herein your dear and worthy Father may be a Pattern to you who by his discreet and obliging Carriage has extreamly endear'd himself to all Scholars but the Orthodox Clergy of the Church of England especially And hence 't is very observable that those Gentlemen only who have purchased to themselves the honour of Learning and true Breeding know best how to value and esteem and are most willing to encourage those Attainments in others which will also have a mighty Influence upon all your Dependents as well as others below you who do usually either respect or contemn wise and good Men by the Examples of their Leaders Consider Thirdly That whereas the Vertues or Vices of private Men do commonly pass without much Notice or Censure you 'l beset as it were a Beacon upon an Hill and as the Words of great Men are usually Maxims and Theorems so their Actions become Examples Rules and Presidents for others to steer and walk by Besides you 'l be no less esteemed and admired for the Excellency of your natural and acquired Abilities than herein for the sway and influence of your Authority nor can any thing be more base and inglorious than a Gentleman only by name whose Soul is ignorant and Life immoral Fourthly There 's nothing in this World which can countervail the great Expence of your Time and Pains c. but Learning and Experience as before which are only attainable by Study and a sutable Conversation with Scholars and Men of Parts for hereby you may be qualified both for Action and Speculation and excel the Mobile as much in Understanding and Vertue as Nobility of Birth and gentiel Extraction Now these are the genuine and proper Fruits of Education and Study and unless you imploy and improve your Time and Faculties to these purposes tho perhaps you may gratifie and please your Fancy with vain and empty Delights yet your Understanding will prove unfruitful and after many tedious and dangerous Traverses you may return Home with a shatter'd Body and a barren and empty Soul. These are all such generous Inducements as will prevail with your ingenuous Temper and Inclination to keep close to your Studies But as a further Obligation and Inforcement give me leave to remind you of the Miscarriages of some who would neither be persuaded to love Learning nor Books which may be a sure Caution to you to avoid those Sins and Indiscretions of licentious and ungovern'd Youth For alass we have many deplorable Instances the Sparks and Blades of our Age who consume their Time Parts Wit Estates c. in pursuit of the greatest Fooleries and Vanities in the World to the greatest shame and disgrace of themselves and scandal of others as if they were a distinct Species from all Rational Beings and made only for a Sword or a Horse or a Dog and the other brutish and sensual Exercises of Luxury and Profaneness I am no Enemy to moderate and innocent Pleasures but those Sots and Ignaro's make it their Trade and way of Living to observe all Modes and Fashions drink swear curse whore game sight and quarrel like Hectors and Madmen despise and scorn all below them and run on in a full Carreer of Sin and Extravagance Insomuch that I 'm afraid they have scarce leisure to say their Prayers or look on a Book and therefore wholly unfit for Christian or ingenuous Converse their Dogs Horses c. being usually the Subjects of their Discourse in their more serious Intervals By all which inhuman Methods many of them are become so barbarously Ignorant and void of all Learning that they have almost forgot that ever they were at Schools or Vniversity unless they happen to remember some Pranks they play'd there and are as much strangers to Humanity Philosophy History c. as if there had been never any such thing as Books or Learning in the World. Nor are these the Faults only of our home-bred Gentlemen for we have many learned wise and good Men who never had the Curiosity nor Convenience of Travel but even of those who have seen many Foreign Countries Cities Delights c. yet neglecting the Business they went about as we have observed already have returned home after many impertinent Wandrings more vain and prodigal wicked and irreligious than those Companions of Ignorance and Epicurism they left behind them For what pleasure and satisfaction has that Man who has seen all the Novelties and Curiosities in the World if he has studied nothing else but to please and pamper his own Appetite All that we can say of him is that he has bestowed much pains to no purpose or for that which is worse and bought his Sins and Vanities at a dearer rate than others Thus I have set before you those Arguments and Motives and Dangers and Hazards on the right hand and on the left which your Prudence will consider betimes so that you may improve all those Opportunities that fall in your way to the best advantages lest you should unhappily miscarry in your great Adventure as those miserable Instances we have already noted which the Lord of his great mercy avert Consider again that your Station Quality and Parts may dispose you at your Return for Offices of Honour and Trust wherein you may be highly Serviceable to your King and Country as your worthy Father is and has been before you Nor can any Magistrate be duly qualified to administer Justice or Counsel with ease and satisfaction to himself or for the benefit of others but by such habitual Accomplishments as are the proper Results of Study and Observation Insomuch that Charles the Great Emperour did solemnly declare That he had rather abound in Knowledge than Riches and Honour But besides those foregoing Topicks you 'l find by Experience that the Pleasures as
several Speeches Declarations Tryals and Transactions occasion'd by the late unhappy Wars in England wherein you 'l find more natural and useful Knowledge than is ordinarily to be met with in all the mouldy Records of antient Statists and Polititians Eighthly There will be no need to advise you what Authors you shall read in Divinity for I know sufficient care is taken for that already yet in my Opinion next to the Holy Scriptures and our Churches Catechism Dr. Hammonds Practical Catechism and those Books by the Author of the Whole Duty of Man are the best And indeed all our modern Writers of the Church of England for the last fifty or sixty years who have imploy'd their Parts Faculties and Time in treating de omni ente and out-done the greatest part of the World if accurately read and well digested will furnish you with variety of Matter all sorts of Methods and a delicate Style But then you should take Advice in the choice of such Books as are approved and most authentick upon every Subject that the whole Time of your Study may be profitably imployed for a few Books well read and throughly digested will more improve your Reason and Judgment than hundreds superficially turned over as many young Students do Yet there 's abundance of Pleasure in variety of Books for when your Faculties grow dull and weary of one you may pass to another as your own Genius and Inclination shall direct whereby the whole Time and Business of your Study will become a delight and benefit rather than a burthen to you Nor can any Recreation be so pleasant this I find by experience nor any Labour so profitable to a Scholar as Study And Lastly You 'l find it of singular use and advantage for the improvement of your Parts to imploy and exercise your Pen upon every Occasion Write often to your Relations and Friends for the neglect of that is a general fault in young Students Have always a Common-Place Book by you your Tutor will direct you to the most useful Heads and note therein the most remarkable quaint and ingenuous Passages you meet with in any Author which you may afterwards have recourse to immediately upon every occasion Observe likewise and note in writing all the Remarkable Occurrences in your Travel particularly the Situation of Places the Customs and Manners of the People their Religion Government Policies Traffique c. This will be of great ease to your Memory and of singular use and advantage in the whole Progress of your Life besides you 'l find that your Parts Style and Method will be the best improved by much Writing All Learned Men can witness this from their own Experience and is very remarkable in all our English Worthies insomuch that I dare be confident if you 'l apply your self to this method your Reason and Judgment will by degrees attain to such a Habit as will not dare to present you with any thing but what 's very curious and excellent Yet I would not hereby engage you to be so earnest in the pursuit of your Studies as to prejudice your own Constitution for there 's a Time for all things and too much reading may prevent the Access of a newer nearer and quicker Invention of your own Besides if your Body be strong as you 'l rather complain of the shortness of the Day than be wearied with Study so if it be weak and feeble the Decays of Nature may be repaired being also allowed to the strongest Constitutions either First By a sutable Conversation or Secondly By moderate and innocent Recreations For the first of these namely a sutable Conversation When you are wearied and indisposed with your Studies a door of Conference is open and the Conversation of learned wise and good Men is a greater Refiner of the Spirit than Books Yet let not this tempt you from your Studies in the Forenoon which is the most proper Time to be reserved and at your Book however whilst you continue in the Vniversity And herein let me advise you to lay down such Rules to your self in observing those stated Hours as no Man shall be able to persuade you to recede from them for that when your Resolutions are once known as no Person of Ingenuity will disturb you so you 'l find this Method of keeping this best part of the Day to your self will become not only practicable but very commendable and of singular benefit to you in more instances than I can readily mention But when Dinner is over so soon as you can with convenience and civility to the Company retire to your Closet and pray as in the Morning always concluding your Devotions in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the Lords Prayer Again read some portion of the Holy Scripture in the Old Testament and the Psalms for the Day and as before with attentive Observation And be as careful in performing your Evening Devotions with Thanksgivings for the Blessings of the Day and earnest Prayer for your Safety and Protection that night and for ever I do not doubt but you have good * As Common Prayer Book Patrick's Devotions c. Helps and particular Devotions by you for Morning and Evening which you may use with your own as God shall be pleas'd to enable you But be sure that you never lie down to rest till you have made your Evening Oblation that whether you sleep or wake you may be always safe under the shelter and protection of a gracious Providence But to return having performed your Devotions after Dinner then you may either go to or send for such Companions as you think fit and see that they be always choice and few for as the vitious and unlearned are not worthy of your Company and Acquaintance so too many of the more learned wiser and better sort will but increase the expence both of your Time and Money besides the Examples of others do usually prevail more and have a greater Influence than their Precepts and Counsels and by the opportunities of Converse either good or bad we commonly imbibe all the Tinctures of Vice or Vertue insomuch that 't is almost impossible for the most prudent Man to hold out long against the forcible Batteries of Custom and Opportunity But There are no certain Rules to be prescribed for Converse seeing all Discourses of that Kind are Occasional and depend much upon the Circumstances of Time Place Persons c. yet a Gentleman has usually the freedom to be as inquisitive as he pleases and what would be censured in others as humorous Moroseness or pragmatical Sawciness will be interpreted in you as an ingenuous desire and thirst after Knowledge Therefore 't is a singular and extraordinary Priviledge you have in this Kind above Persons of a lower Rank which being improved to the best Advantages may very much conduce to your Interest and Satisfaction for he 's a very weak Companion from whom you may not receive some benefit and
not indulge your self in any one Lust neither commit the least sin with delight and approbation because even those which we think are the smallest will prove Decoy's and Incentives to greater vain and sinful Thoughts proceeding to Words and Words to Deeds So that in this Progress of Wickedness a Man knows not where to stop till he has plunged himself into the most dangerous and irreparable Mischiefs And then on the other hand for your Positive Duties you should always propose God's Glory the happiness of your self and others as the End and his infallible Word and the Dictates of sober Reason as the Rule and Standard to govern all your Affairs by For without this your best Endeavours will prove either unprofitable or sinful Whereas if you observe this Method and your Intentions be sincere tho you fail in many Instances of Duty and unwillingly fall into some Sins and Errors yet God will be gracious in not imputing them and pass Judgment upon you according to the general Frame and Tendency of your Life if you do not wilfully and wickedly continue in any known Sin or the neglect of any known Duty 'T is observable hence what Obligations you lie under to avoid the most accursed and tempting Company of profane Swearers gluttonous Persons Wine-Bibbers unchast Men and Women c. I have singled out those Vices on purpose which are most incident to Youth and given you the most seasonable Advice I can think of to vanquish and overcome them Reject therefore every Temptation to sin and wickedness in the first Assault and the Conquest will be easie and certain Lament and deplore your past Failings and humbly beg the assistance of God's Grace and Spirit that you may be more watchful over your self and ways for the future Now the best and most certain Means to avoid greater Sins is to make Conscience of the less For the least Sin is damnable in the sight of God and when the work of Regeneration is wrought in you beware of Relapsing consider the dangers of habitual Sin and Apostasie from Grace and exert all your Endeavours to live in the exercise of a Conscience void of offence both towards God and Man For so the whole Time of your short aboad in this World will be pleasant and comfortable and your Death happy There are some other little things I desire to note to you before I leave this Point And First Beware of Swimming which you 'l probably be allured to in those Low Countries the most being dexterous in that Art For tho it may save a Mans Life in case of necessity yet a vain Currosity herein may expose you to the greatest Dangers and Hazards Therefore if you should attempt it for your Pleasure exceed not your own Depth and in seeking to save another have a care you drown not your self Secondly Your Gesture and Deportment should neither be light nor insolent nor wanton For the Life and Soul of true Honour is in generous Qualities and a modest and affable Carriage but yet with a comely regard to your self and such as becomes a Gentleman whose Mind is furnished with worthy and generous Spirits But in this Point as in his abstinence from the Vices and practice of all the Vertues hitherto recommended you have an admirable Pattern in your dear and worthy Father almost beyond Example whose temper and sweetness of Disposition has deservedly recommended him to the Favour and made him honourable and respected amongst all Persons of all Ranks and Conditions Yet be careful to avoid the other Extreme of affected Easiness or Compliance lest your good Disposition should be imposed upon by others Deceit and your own too much Credulity For too much Familiarity and Fawning is always rewarded either with Flattery or Contempt Thirdly What concerns your Bodily Deportment Wrestling Fencing and other Feats of Arms and Military Skill and how far all or any of these are expedient or necessary to be understood or practised I must leave to your self and better Judgments for Advice and Direction for these are not my Province What other Vertues or Vices may occur in your Conversation with others which my designed Brevity and the Occasion I write upon have persuaded me to omit you should note and observe them and make that use of them at least to improve and correct your own For what you dislike or admire in others study and endeavour to avoid the Evil and strive to imitate what is vertuous and commendable And when you have seriously consider'd all those several Rules and Arguments which under this Head do concern your Manners and Deportment you 'l be pleas'd to go one step farther to the last Branch of this faithful and friendly Advice which will have a more peculiar Respect to your Religion The End of the Second Part. ADVICE TO A YOUNG GENTLEMAN Of an Honourable FAMILY Now in His TRAVELS Beyond the SEA'S c. PART III. Of RELIGION THE Business of Religion is the grand Concernment that all of us are sent into the World to mind and our eternal Happiness or Misery depends on the right knowing and acknowledging of God or mistakes about it We had need therefore be very accurate in the choice of that Religion we intend to live and die in and venture our eternal Salvation upon Now there are many Opinions in the World concerning Religion and we may be easily imposed on and deluded if we make not a prudent and wise Choice I shall not trouble you with an account of Heathenism Mahometanism and Judaism For these are all false Religions and contrary to the whole scope and design of the Gospel which being without the Lines of Christian Communication we leave 'em to themselves and the righteous Judgment of God. We Christians know no other way to Salvation but One and that 's by Faith in Christ Jesus and therefore we think our selves obliged to believe the Principles of Christianity with all our Hearts and live according to them For there 's no other name under Heaven whereby we can expect or hope for Salvation but the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ Acts 4.12 Yet there are many Differences not only Circumstantial but Fundamental even amongst those that are called Christians which disturb the Peace of the Church and ruine the Souls of many private Persons as will appear more fully afterwards But 't is more immediately my Design to recommend to you and inforce the Belief and Practice of the truly Primitive and Reformed Religion as now solemnly and publickly profess'd and by Law establish'd in the Church of England I have not the least cause to doubt or suspect but that your Parents did seriously weigh and consider when they sent you abroad the Minority of your Age and Judgment which yet without your own extraordinary care and caution may hurry you unawares into the peril of Miscarriage For alas how many young Gentlemen have lost their Hopes and themselves in Foreign Adventures and return'd home as empty
of Grace and other vertuous Accomplishments as full of Words Vanity and other vitious Habits and Inclinations Now Sir if you should unhappily Miscarry which the Lord of his great Mercy prevent as it would be the greatest mischief to your self so not only your Parents hopes of your Youth but the Staff and Comfort of their Age will lie a bleeding to their unexpressible Grief and Sorrow These Considerations have very much affected me which I took the freedom to mention to some of your Friends when I first heard of their Design of sending you beyond Sea and upon more due and serious deliberation do now with more considence yet humbly communicate my Thoughts to you upon these Subjects For I am very well assured that considering me as a Divine and True Friend I shall not incur the least suspicion of being herein too bold or presumptuous and will think my self sufficiently apaid if thro God's Blessing I may be an happy Instrument in doing the least good to your Soul. I know it would be the greatest Happiness to your self as well as a Comfort to all your Friends if you be persuaded by any means to fall in love with Religion betimes and remember your Creator in the Days of your Youth Eccles 12.1 This has been for many Ages the glory and support of your Family which has been always eminent for Religion and Loyalty nor could there ever be less Danger of a degenerous Heir not to slatter you Sir nor puff you up nor greater Hopes of its establishment to future Generations But before we come to the Point give me leave to note to you for your greater Security That you 'l be in danger of meeting with many Brokers of Villany whose Trade and Business it is to pervert and do live upon the Spoils and Ruins of Young Gentlemen insomuch that scarce any Person of your Quality can travel into Foreign Parts but he shall be mightily caress'd and treated with so much respect and civility as if it were a pleasure to be seduced We know very well what Stratagems are used by some Men to undermine the sacred Foundations of the Doctrin and Worship of the Church of England insomuch that before his Majesties Declaration of Indulgence neither Laws nor Penalties could restrain them What then will they not dare to attempt within their own Territories and Jurisdictions especially when they meet with Persons of Temper and Quality who are inclin'd and dispos'd as you are to Religion And seeing also they have not only free scope and priviledge but encouragement to seduce so that 't is next to impossible not to be assaulted at least by their close and cunning Insinuations There have been alass too many perverted already the loss of whom joyned with the Churches we have sufficient cause to lament And indeed 't is a great wonder we have lost no more and let us praise God for it considering the importunate Methods and Plausibleness of our Adversaries on the right hand and on the left who like those infected with the Plague have always an itching desire of tainting others Wherefore none can blame the Clergy of the Church of England if we be as zealous for Truth as our Adversaries of Falshood which Argument alone might be a sufficient Apology for this Undertaking I have read Sir of some Countries I wish your Curiosity may not carry you thither whose chief Vertues modestly speaking do very much border either on Impiety or Superstition and yet those very Places as Travellers observe which are most worth seeing are of all others the most contagious Now 't is no small difficulty for a Young Gentleman to be chast and vertuous in the midst of Sodom and few have travell'd thither however they may please themselves with variety of Objects and returned home without some dangerous Tincture either of Sin and Wickedness or Schism and Sedition Thus I have noted in general what Temptations and Hazards you are exposed to amongst Foreigners and the greatest of all is the danger of being corrupted and contaminated in your Religion and Manners And 't is certain tho your Tutors be never so careful yet much must be left to your own Temper and Inclination how to sever Good from Evil For there 's no Man proves Factious Superstitious or extreamly Wicked on a sudden but thro several Declinations falls by degrees from Vertue and Religion Seeing then so many Temptations and Snares may await you in every Place where you come which no Mans Prudence can foresee and your own Heart prove deceitful and forward to betray you Therefore I beseech you be constantly upon your Guard and if your Tutors should either be negligent or persidious as many have been in the like Trust and I could name some of them yet thro the Assistance of God's Grace you may secure your Religion and Conscience inviolable But for the further prevention of their Machinations who lie in wait to deceive and your Establishment and Confirmation in the Religion of the Church of England I offer these Three following Particulars to your serious and impartial Consideration And First I shall give you a true tho short Account of the Constitution of the Church of England both as to her Doctrin and Worship or Discipline which I hope may for ever oblige you to continue in her Communion Secondly We shall enquire a little into the Principles and Practices of the Romish Church and Religion wherein they chiefly differ from Vs A Religion of all others within the Pail of the Christian Church the most pleasing and delightful to Flesh and Blood A Religion which no Man scarce can comply with especially if he has been bred up in the Church of England but must offer violence to his own Reason and Conscience if he pretends to either Thirdly We shall consider the Pretensions Reasons and Arguments which our Brethren of the Non-conformity have urged in their own Defence to palliate their Separation from our Communion and seduce others By all which I hope 't will evidently appear that there cannot be the least colour of Reason nor any thing like Argument to tempt much less to persuade you or any other Person of Parts and Education who is not blinded with Passion Interest or Prejudice to separate from the most truly Orthodox and best constituted Church in the whole World I mean the Church of England Of all these severally And First Of the Religion of our Church both as to its Doctrin and Worship or Discipline And First Concerning her Doctrin Wherein 't is most plain and evident That we have a clear Profession of all Fundamental Truths and Duties both to God and Man in our Creeds Commandments Lords Prayer and the Doctrin of the Two Sacraments which every Orthodox and Believing Christian in the whole World will readily subscribe and say Amen to Our Sabbaths are duly observed and kept with the greatest Reverence and Solemnity God's Holy Word is purely and faithfully preach'd his Sacraments duly
Worship in the greatest detestation and abhorrence because they know 't is impossible that Popery should ever return upon Us or be establisht again in England while our Common-Prayer-Book is kept unaltered For the whole Form of our Worship is point blank contrary to Image-Worship praying to Angels and Saints Propitiatory Sacrifice Doctrin of their Sacraments Transubstantiation c. And this is the true Reason why they do so mortally hate both Vs and our Religion And again those Prayers in our Liturgy which were taken out of the Mass-Book are many of them the Collects and Devotions of the Antient Fathers which were in use before ever Popery was known in the World which being purged from the Popish Superstition by our Reformers are now lawfully used by the Church of England according to their Original Institution Insomuch that those who cavil at our Service because some part of it is used by the Papists may as well find fault with the Epistles and Gospels Psalms Chapters Creeds Commandments Lords Prayer c. these being also in the Papists Mass-Book Having fully cleared this first Objection we pass to the 2. And they charge Us again with many Corruptions Additions Defects and circumstantial Errors in our Set Form of Worship and Discipline for they have no Objections against our Doctrin and Fundamentals and for those seeming Reasons they think themselves obliged to withdraw and separate from our Communion Answer This may seem to be a weighty Objection at the first sight and the most plead it being joined with the former which we have answered to the full as the Cause why they think and speak so hardly of our Church and desert our Communion But they might be persuaded to alter their Opinion if laying aside all Prejudice they would but seriously and impartially consider these few Things And 1. 'T is a true and undoubted Maxim that all Persons are obliged to hold Communion with the National and Establish'd Church where they live and must by no means separate from it tho there be some circumstantial Additions Errors and Defects in its external Worship Politie or Discipline For 't is plain that the Prophets and People of God did not separate from but held Communion with the Jews in their Publick Worship tho there were very many and great Defects and Corruptions c. both in their Doctrin and Practice This is clear in many Instances For the solemn Ordinances of God as Circumcision and the Passover were for a long time a-wanting and such Monuments of Idolatry were set up as not only the People thereby became superstitious and immoral but even the Priests also as Eli's two Sons c. brought a Scandal upon their Religion Were not these greater Faults than any of our fiercest Adversaries can charge upon us And yet for all that we sind not one President of so much as any single Person that departed from their Communion 2. At the time of our B. Saviours coming into the World the Jewish Worship was exceedingly corrupted with the Leaven of the Pharisees the Heresie of the Sadduces who denied the Immortality of the Soul and the Resurrection of the Body Besides the whole Service of God was intolerably prophaned the Temple polluted Religion subverted Judgment and the Love of God trampled upon and neglected many needless and superstitious Ceremonies interlarded with their Worship the People addicted to all manner of Wickedness and even the Priests themselves very heterodox and dissolute both in their Faith and Manners And yet at that time we find several religious Persons both Men and Women with great Zeal and Devotion worshiping God in the Temple as Zachary and Simeon Hannah and Elizabeth c. And our Blessed Saviour himself was by his pious Parents presented in the Temple according to the Custom and Law of Moses He afterwards kept the Passover and all the Festivals of the Jewish Church frequented and taught daily in the Temple in their Synagogues gave Honour and Reverence and paid Tribute to their Rulers nor did he ever desert their Communion till he was forced to retire to save his own Life So that he thought it necessary and so did those other Votaries to join in Gods Publick Worship notwithstanding those great Errors and Defects which thanks be to God are not chargeable upon Us. But 3. There were many Errors and Defects both in the Doctrin and Practice of the then slourishing Churches of Corinth Galatia c. and yet the Apostle S. Paul was so far from encouraging a Schism in and Separation from the Communion of those Churches that he threatens those Persons with the severest Punishments who were the Instruments in fomenting and promoting those Animosities and Divisions Nor is there any one Instance or President in the whole Scripture to warrant our departure from any Church that is Sound and Orthodox in her Principles however erroneous and corrupt in the Politie and Circumstantials of Divine Worship We might hereunto add 4. The concurrent Judgments and Opinions of the most Eminent and Reformed Divines beyond Sea who have unanimously declared their Dislike of a Separation from our Communion as Calvin Bullinger Bucer and many others And tho they dissented from Us in lesser Things yet held Communion and Correspondence with our Church Church-men as may appear by their several Letters to our Reformers and would have been glad if their Circumstances would have allowed our Form of Church Politie and deservedly preferr'd it to any Church Government in the World. But to argue yet more closely 5. If any will refuse our Communion and separate from Us because there are some pretended Errors in the Discipline and Circumstantials of our Worship which yet none have ever been able to prove against Us they 'l be obliged upon the same score to withdraw their Communion from all the Churches in Christendom For what Church Government shall they be ever able to assign that 's so pure and sincere as to be wholly exempted from Circumstantial Errors and Defects And were there not more Faults in the Worship of the Primitive Churches for the five first Centuries than are at present in Ours Are there no Errors in the Worship Constitutions and Ecclesiastical Government of Geneva and Amsterdam I 'm sure many of their Learned Divines have ingenuously acknowledg'd that all things were not according to their Desire and yet did not think it Prudence to alter the Government for the sake of some small Errors In short our Dissenting Brethren must either disclaim these Conceits or turn Hermits and Anchorets live in a Cell or Wilderness and even depart from themselves who as I could easily shew them are guilty of as many if not more and greater Faults and Errors in their little Assemblies than can be justly charged upon Vs or the Liturgy and Government of the Church of England Whither would not these wild and extravagant Fancies carry any Man that shall give way to them So that they must either prove their own Churches
to be infallible in point of Worship and Discipline which I think the most of them disclaim or for ever quit their Pretensions for a Separation from Us because of the little Errors which they have discovered in our Administrations Having thus fully answer'd the chief Objections of our Brethren for their unwarrantable Separation from the Church of England which I know will fully satisfie you We shall proceed Secondly To draw some clear and undeniable Inferences from the Premises for the prevention of all further Scruples in this Case And 1. It would be a strange Delusion and no less than absolute Prophaneness to cast off all the Publick Ordinances or neglect the Sacred and Solemn Worship of God because some things may be disliked or excepted against in their Administrations 2. The greatest Honour we can ascribe to God is to worship solemnly and devoutly in the Publick Assemblies of the Church And therefore it must be the most heinous Crime to make a Schism and Rent in any particular Church where Christ is effectually present by his Grace and Spirit Nor can any one have a sufficient Plea to withdraw from the Publick Ordinances in any Nation till Christ has deserted them which no Man can object against the Pure and Apostolical Church of England Wherein as before the whole World will acknowledge that the Word of God is purely preach'd and the Sacraments duly administred in that admirable Order and Vniformity which is scarce to be parallel'd in any National Church upon Earth Besides those who are so strait laced as to require absolute Perfection in the Administration of Divine Offices and Church Government must be guilty of that Popish Error in confining the Church with all its Priviledges and Immunities to their own Sect and Party and so cast off a considerable Part of the Catholick Church as the Church of England is at this Day which professes and practises all the Essentials of Faith and Worship Hence we also infer 3. That many great and unavoidable Mischiefs do always attend a wilful and unlawful Separation For a Scissure in and departure from a True Church as the Church of England is and none of our severest Adversaries can deny is most dishonourable and displeasing to God a scandal to Religion hinders the Success of the Gospel opens a wide Gap to Atheism and Prophaneness Heresie and Popery and is a dismal Presage of the removing of our Candlestick Mat. 12.25 Why then should any Persons withdraw and separate themselves from the Communion of our Church for the sake of a few Ceremonies and set up Altar against Altar and hereby put an Opportunity into the Adversaries hands to ruin both us and themselves But 4. Tho all Persons in this Nation are obliged to hold Communion with the Church of England seeing those pretended Defects in her are only modal and circumstantial which no Church in the World can be free from in this State of Tryal and Probation yet we are sorbidden to communicate with any Church in Sin And this is the true reason and ground of forsaking the Church of Rome because her Errors are Fundamental as we have seen already and the Conditions of Communion with her such as we cannot comply with unless we offer Violence to our own Reason and Conscience And we do always solemnly declare that if their New Articles of Faith and unchristian Practices did not hinder Us we should most freely and chearfully communicate with her nor do we further depart from her than she departs from Christ and her Self as to her antient Faith and Worship And again we have so much Love and Charity for our modern Dissenters in England that if any one has a truly tender Conscience so as after a diligent and faithful use of all convenient and necessary Means and Methods for his Conviction as earnest Prayer to God reading of good Books consultation with his Parish-Minister or some other Pious and Learned Divine of the Church of England he still remains scrupulous and unsatisfied yet rather than sin against his own Conscience we do not blame but pity him if he modestly withdraws from our Communion But I am afraid there are some who have not practised these Methods altho I have the Charity to believe that very many have and that most of those who have separated from our Communion have not done it through a wilful Obstinacy but meerly upon the account of Conscience 5. Our Brethren of the Non-conformity might do well to consider also that none gains any thing by a groundless Schism and Separation but that sort of Men whose chief Maxim to promote their own Ends hath always been Divide impera For 't is very observable that the Interest of the Reform'd Religion is daily weaken'd by our unchristian and intestine Divisions And 't is very certain that we cannot do our Enemies greater Service nor more precipitate our own Ruine than by crumbling our selves into Sects and Parties Insomuch that I am afraid that those who now separate from Us and in this juncture forsake our Communion will one day find and feel to their great cost not to mention the present Mischiefs that it were a thousand times better to swallow an innocent Ceremony than rend a Church seeing the greatest Sins shall have a lighter Punishment than Schism and Separation For the Eye that mocketh his Father and despiseth the Garment of his Mother the Ravens of the Valley shall pluck it out and the young Eagles devour it See further upon the Mischiefs of Schism Dr. Falkners Libertas Eccles from the beginning Which brings me to the Third and last thing Which will be to lay down some Rules by way of Caution and Advice which may secure you and by your Influence many others from a groundless Separation And 1. We must be subject to every Ordinance of Man for the Lords sake For they are Gods Ministers and the supreme Magistrate of these Kingdoms is invested with Sovereign Power and Authority to order and administer the Affairs of Government for the peace and benefit of Mens Souls as well as their Bodies and Estates Nor can this seem strange to any one who either understands the Scriptures or Ecclesiastical History For 't is plain that the religious Kings of Judah Israel as King David Solomon Asa Jehoshaphat Hezekiah c. and all the Christian Emperors as Constantine the Great and his Successors till the Bishop of Rome's Usurpation were as much concern'd in ordering of the Affairs of the Church as the Administration of Civil Government And indeed unless this Power and Soveraignty were allow'd to the Supreme Magistrate he should be unable to provide for the benefit of his Subjects nor could there be any such thing as Order and Vniformity in the Churches of Christ the Ecclesiastical Laws being only Bruta fulmina without the concurrence and enforcement of the Civil Power So that from hence it must needs follow that a cheerful Obedience to and a hearty Compliance
't is not the Province nor in the power of private Men to reform Religion this being wholly lest to the prudent management of those Governours whom the divine Providence has constituted and appointed to rule over Us. Wherefore that precipitant and rash Zeal which some miscall Puty will more disturb the Peace of their own Consciences and prejudice the Interest of the Church than their charitable and peaceable Compliance with those seeming Error and Defects which they so much cavil at and complain of 7. 'T is the greatest Argument then of Imprudence and Indiscretion to run upon manifest and real Evils upon those Fears and Jealousies which are meerly groundless and only imagin'd to be so Will any Man of Reason and Religion dare to forsake Gods publick Ordinances and make a Schism in the Church of Christ because perhaps there may be some probable Defects in her Communion For Gods Commands to attend his Publick Worship and endeavour the Peace of the Church are plain and positive whereas the Errors objected against us are dubious and disputable And now to cast the Scales the far greater number of pious learned judicious Men are on our side so that for any thing they know they may be mistaken But granting 'em that we do err let our Governours see to it we have a sufficient Rule for our Obedience nor dare we substract it for the sake of an Inconvenience only if their Commands be not sinful but they have none for their Disobedience And therefore seeing they have no lawful Authority to reform the least Error or Mistake in Government it would be the greater Prudence and more Christian like to pray mourn in secret for what they apprehend amiss than to disobey and exasperate their Governours stir up Divisions in the Church run upon the dangerous Hazzards of a licentious and unwarrantable Separation 8. We should be always more concern'd for promoting the Interest of the Gospel and our own National Church than the gratifying of our own personal and private Fancies and Opinions For it has been a great fault in most of our Brethren of the Non-conformity who have been so wedded to their own private Humours and Conceits that they have almost quite forgot the Peace of the Church and the true Interest of the Protestant Reform'd Religion Hence have sprung those Heresies and Schisms and that Atheism and Prophaneness which have so strangely over-spread the whole Nation to the great scandal of our Religion and Government and have done what in their power lies to yield up themselves and us a Prey to our cruel and merciless Enemies Whereas if they had the least sense of their Duty and Interest they would keep close at this Time especially to our Communion which under God would be their chief Refuge and yield in some small Matters tho less agreeable to their own private Sentiments and Opinions for the greater Benefit of the Publick 9. No Prejudice should prevail with any Man so far as to make him unwilling to recant and disclaim his Errors upon a through Conviction and return to the ways of Truth and Peace from which he has formerly erred And therefore 't is a great Fault in many who are unwilling to retract those Errors which they have espoused lest they should be censured by their Party as Renegadoes and Apostates from their Religion Whereas if they would but seriously consider it 't will be their greatest Honour as well as Interest and a special Evidence of their Integrity to acknowledg recant their Errors Mistakes nor need any Man be asham'd or afraid to confess he has erred St. Aug. writ a whole Book of Retractations for which he was deservedly as much esteem'd as for any of his other Works Nor can any Man come under the vile imputation and scandal of an Apostate who changes only some mistaken Errors and Opinions not his Religion And Lastly Others have been extreamly to blame in setting up their own private Glosses and Interpretations of the Holy Scriptures as infallible Maxims and necessary Conclusions insomuch that they I rather disturb the Peace of the Community than be persuaded to recede from them For being ignorant of the scope and meaning of those sacred and lively Oracles they presently sancy without the least true ground that every Passage founding that Way must be a strong and forcible Argument to prove and confirm their Opinion The Scriptures indeed be allowed and are of important and necessary use for the Conduct of their Faith and Manners in the ways of Religion But then shall every Mechanick presume to be an Interpreter and Judge and think himself as infallible as the Pope in Cathedra of all the abstruse and difficult Passages in Holy Writ Now what can it be but meer Enthusiasm and Delusion in any one to pretend to interpret the dark Points of Scripture which neither concern Mens Faith nor Manners without the use of those Means which are out of the reach of the Vulgar They 'l readily grant that in all other Professions Arts and Sciences a Man must be a considerable time and take great pains to gain Experience ere he can be capable of managing and must be an approved Artist before any one will entrust him with Business in his way of Dealings in the World. Shall every Novice then who can scarce read a Chapter distinctly in the Bible presume to have as much Skill in Divinity and the Holy Scriptures as he that has been train'd up all his life in the Schools of the Prophets has the advantage of all useful Books understands the Languages wherein the Scriptures were originally written and makes this Study his whole Business and Profession These are such wild and extravagant Conceits as one would think that no Man of common Reason and Prudence should once pretend to And yet there are several illiterate country Hobs and conceited Tradesmen in Market Towns and of my acquaintance as there are in most places of this Kingdom who 'l undertake to interpret the Scripture and preach according to their way and yet with more boldness and confidence than the greatest Doctors of the Chair But we leave such to their own Fancies and Delusions which can neither concern you nor me more at present than to pity and pray for them that they may come in due time to a true sense of their unaccomtable Errors and whilst unretracted unpardonable Mistakes These I am persuaded are such Reasons as will puzzle our Dissenting Brethren to answer and obviate all their Pleay and Pretences to a warrantable Separation from the Church of England However Sir such as they are are humbly offer'd to your serious Perusal and probably they may be useful to you in your present Circumstances having calculated them primarily for that Meridian Yet let not these or any other so bind you up as to neglect greater and better of your own For it will be your great Interest and Advantage to weigh and measure the Drift and Design of all Counsels by the Dictates of your own Reason and Judgment I doubt I have wearied your Patience with a tedious Epistle the Subjects being so copious have drawn it out to an undue Proportion Yet when you have seriously consider'd the Scope and Design of it in its full Latitude and Importance I hope you 'l candidly excuse not only the Length but all other Mistakes and Defects in it without any further Apology Whatever Indiscretions I have been guilty of either in the Undertaking or management and composure of this Discourse are wholly imputable to my Self none of your Relations or Friends being yet acquainted with it For all which I do most earnestly and humbly beg your Pardon Now that God Almighty may ever bless preserve succeed and prosper you in your Progress and Return and that all your Endeavours may be acceptable to Him well-pleasing to your Friends and a comfort and benefit to your Self shall be the most earnest hearty and constant Prayer of Prayer of Honoured SIR Your humble devoted Servant March 6h Stylo vetere 1687 / 8.