both for obiects and instruments VVhen they saw they could not blow vp religion with French powder into heauen they now try by this Moabitish plot to sinke it downe to hell Those silly women which are laden with sinnes and diuers lusts must now bee the stalls of their spiritual fornications But for that these enterprises want not danger that both parts may securely succeede beholde publike liberty of dispensations whether for dissembled religion or not vnprofitable filthinesse These meanes are like the Authors dishonest and godlesse Adde if you please hereto those which pretend more innocent policy their common dependances vpon one commaunder their intelligences giuen their charges receiued their rewards and honors perhaps of the Calender perhaps of a red hat duely conferred Neither may the least helpe be ascribed to the conference of studies the conioyned labours of whole Societies directed to one end and shrouded vnder the title of one Author to large maintenances raised from the death-beds of some guilty benefactors from whence flow both infinite numbers and incomparable helpes of Students Vnder which head for the time past not a fewe are mooued by the remembrance of the bounteous hospitality of the religious who hauing ingrossed the world to themselues seemed liberal in giuing something like vnto some vaineglorious theeues which hauing robbed wealthy Merchants bestow some pence vpon beggars Further the smothering if not composing of their frequent strifes and confining of brawles within their owne thresholds with the nice men aging of their knowne oppositions hath wonne many ignorant friends Lastly the excellent correspondence of their doctrines vnto nature hath been their best solicitor Wee haue examined particulars in a former Epistle wherein we haue made it euident that Popery affects nothing but to make nature either proud or wanton it offers difficulties but carnall and such as the greatest louer of himselfe would easily imbrace for an aduantage That we may therefore summe vp all I neede not accuse our carelesnesse indifferency idlenesse loose carriage in all which would God we had not aided them and wronged our selues Nor yet their zeale and forwardnesse worse meanes are guily of their gaine In short the faire outside which they set vpon Religion which sure is the best they haue if not all their pretended miracles wilfull vntruths strait prohibitiōs bloody secret inquisitiōs deprauations of Ancient witnesses expurgation of their owne gay and gairish sights glorious titles crafty changes of names shapes habits conditions insinuations to the great oppugnation of the weaker sexe falshood of answers and oathes dispensatons for sinnes vniting of forces concealing of differences largenesse of contributions multitude of actors and meanes accordances to mens naturall dispositions Where wee on the contrary care not to seeme but to bee disclaime miracles dare not saue the life of religion with a lie giue free scope to all pennes to all tongues to all eyes shed no blood for religion suffer al writers to speake like themselues shew nothing but poore simplicity in our deuotions got euer and looke as wee are teach the truth right-downe in an honest plainenesse take no vantage of imbecillity sweare true though we die giue no hope of indulgence for euill studie each retyred to himselfe the muses publish our quarrels and aggrauate them anger nature and conquer it Such gaine shall be grauell in their throates such losses to vs in our not daring to sinne shall bee happy and victorious in all other regards are both blame worthy and recouerable What dulnesse is this Haue we such a King as in these lists of Controuersie may dare to grapple with that great infallible Vicar for his triple crown Such Bishops as may iustly challenge the whole Consistory of Rome so many learned Doctors and Diuines as no nation vnder heauen more so flourishing Vniuersities as Christendome hath none such blessed opportunities such encouragements and now when we want nothing else shal we be wanting to our selues Yea aboue all these the God of heauen fauours vs and doe wee languish The cause is his and in spight of the gates of hell shall succeede though wee were not our neglect may slacken the pace of truth cannot stay the passage VVhy are we not as busie as suttle more resolute Such spirits and such hands as yours reuerend Lord must put life into the cold brests of this frozen generation and raise them vp to such thoughts and indeuors as may make the emulation of our aduersaries equall to their enmitie To my Lord Bishop of Worcester EP. II. Shewing the differences of the present Church from the Apostolicall and needlesnesse of our conformity thereto in all things I Feare not to say those men are but superstitiously curious Right Reuerend and honorable which would call backe all circumstances to their first patternes The Spouse or Christ hath been euer cloathed with her owne rites And as apparrell so Religion hath her fashions variable according to ages and places To reduce vs to the same obseruations which were in Apostolicall vse were no better then to tye vs to the sandals of the Disciples or the seamlesse coate of our Sauiour In these cases they did what we need not and we may what they did not God meant vs no bondage in their example their Canons binde vs whether for maners or doctrine not their Ceremonies Neither Christ nor his Apostles did all things for imitation I speake not of miraculous Acts. We neede not be silent before a Iudge as Christ was wee need not take a towel and gird our selues and wash our seruants feet as Christ did we need not make tents for our liuing as Paul nor go armed as Peter nor cary about our wiues as he and the other Apostles I acknowledge the ground not onely of separation but Anabaptisme and wonder that these conceits doe not answere themselues who can choose but see a manifest difference betwixt those lawes which Christ and his great Ambassadors made for eternall vse and those rituall matters which were confined to place and time Euery Nation euery persons sinnes that obserues not those These for the most part are not kept of the most and are as well left without sinne by vs as vsed without prescription or necessity by the Authors Some of them we cannot doe others wee neede not which of vs can cast out diuels by command Who can cure the sicke by ointment and imposition of hands The Disciples did it All those Acts which proceeded from supernaturall priuiledge ceased with their cause who now dare vndertake to continue them Vnlesse perhaps some bold Papists who haue brought in grosse magicke instead of miraculous authoritie and daube very chrcasses instead of healing diseases There be more yet which we neede not doe VVhat neede wee to choose Ministers by Lot VVhat neede we to disclaime all peculiarity in goods VVhat need wee to Christen in riuers or to meete vpon their bankes VVhat need wee to receiue Gods Supper after our owne VVhat to leane in each
and redresse to this foule vncharitablenesse Alas how ready are wee to tosse the fore-part of our Wallet whiles our owne faultes are ready to breake our neckes behinde vs all the world sees and condemnes their ordination to be faulty yea none at all yet they cry out first on vs craftily J thinke least wee should complaine that Church-gouernours should ordaine Ministers hath beene the constant practise of the Church from Christs time to this houre I except onely in an extreame desolation meerely for the first course that the people shoulde make their Ministers was vnheard of in al ages Churches till Bolton Browne and Barrow and hath neyther coulour nor example Dooth not this comparison seeme strange and harsh Their Tradesmen may make true Ministers our Ministers cānot who but they wold not be ashamed of such a position Or who but you woulde not thinke the tyme mispent in answering it No lesse friuolous are those exceptions that are taken against our worshippe of God condemned for false and Idolatrous whereof Volumnes of Apologies are written by others we meet together pray read heare preach sing administer and receiue Sacraments wherein offend we How many Goddes do we pray to Or to whom but the true God In what words but holy whom do we preach but the same Christ with them what point of faith not theirs What sacraments but those they dare not but allow Where lyes our Idolatry that we may let it out Jn the maner of performing in set Prayers Antichristian Ceremonies of crossing kneeling c For the former what sinne is this The Original and truth of Prayer is in the heart the voyce is but as accidentall if the heart may often conceiue the same thought the tongue her seruant may often vtter it in the same words and if daily to repeat the same speeches be amisse then to entertaine the same spirituall desires is sinnefull to speak once without the heart is Hypocriticall but to speake often the same request vvith the heart neuer offendeth What intollerable boldnesse is this to condemne that in vs which is recorded to haue beene the continuall practise of Gods Church in all successions Of the Iewes in the time of Moses Dauid Salomon Iehosophat Ezekiah Ieremie Of the auncient Christian assemblies both Greek and Latine and now at this day of all reformed churches in Christendom yea which our Sauiour himselfe so directly allowed in a manner prescribed the blessed Apostles Paul Peter in all theyr formall salutations which were no other then set prayers so commonlie practised for the other least I exceed a letter tho wee yeild thē such as you imagine worse they cannot be they are but Ceremonious appendances the body substāce is sound Blessed be God that we can haue his true Sacraments at so easie a rate as the payment if they were such of a few circumstantiall in conueniences Howe many deer children of God in al ages euen neere the Golden times of the Apostles haue gladly purchased them much deerer not complained but see howe our Church imposes them not as to bind the Conscience otherwise then by the common bonde of obedience not as actions wherein Gods worship essentially consisteth but as themselues Ceremonies comely or couenient not necessarie whatsoeuer is this a sufficient ground of seperation Howe many moderate and wiser spirits haue we that cannot approue the Ceremonies yet dare not forsake the Church And that holde your departure far more euill then the cause You are inuited to a feast if but a Napkin or Trencher bee misplaced or a dish ill carued do you run from the Table and not stay to thank the hoast Eyther be lesse curious or more charitable Woulde God both you and all other which either fauor the seperation or professe it coulde but read ouer the auncient Stories of the Church to see the true state of things and times the beginninges proceedings increases encounters yeildings restaurations of the Gospell what the holy Fathers of those first times were glad to swallow for peace what they helde practised found left whosoeuer knowes but these things cannot seperate and shal not be contented onely but thankful God shall giue you still more light in the meane time vpon the perril of my soule stay and take the blessed offers of your God in peace And since Christ sayeth to you by my hand wil you also go away Answere him with that worthy Disciple Maister whether shall I go from thee thou hast the words of eternall life EPIST. VI. To Mr. I. B. ¶ A complaint of the mis-education of our Gentry I Confesse I cannot honor blood without good qualities not spare it with ill There is nothing that I more desire to be taught then what is true Nobilitie What thanke is it to you that you are borne wel If you could haue lost this priuiledge of Nature I feare you had not beene thus far Noble That you may not plead desert you had this before you were long ere you could either know or preuent it you are deceiued if you thinke this any other then the body of Gentility the life and soule of it is in noble and vertuous disposition in gallantnesse of spirit without hautinesse without insolence without scornfull ouer lynesse shortly in generous qualities carriage actions See your error and know that this demeanor dooth not aunswere an honest byrth If you can follow all fashions drinke all healths weare fauours and good cloths consort with Ruffians companions swear the biggest Oaths quarrell easily fight desperately game in euery inordinate Ordinary spend your patrimony ere it fall looke on euery man betwixt scorne and anger vse gracefully some gestures of apish complement talke irreligiously dally with a Mistris or which tearme is plainer hunt after Harlots take smoake at a Play-house and liue as if you were made all for sport you thinke you haue doone enough to merit both of your blood and others opinions Certainly the world hath no basenesse if this be generosity Wel-fare the honest and ciuill rudenesse of the obscure sonnes of the earth if such be the graces of the eminent The shame whereof methinkes is not so proper to the wildnesse of youth as to the carelesnesse or vanity of Parents I speake it boldly our land hath no blemmish comparable to the mis-education of our Gentry Infancy and youth are the seed-times of al hopes if those passe vnseasonably no fruit can be expected from our age but shame and sorrow who should improue these but they which may commaund them I cannot altogether complaine of our first yeares How like are wee to children in the training vp of our children Giue a childe some painted Babe he ioyes in it at first sight and for some daies wil not abide it out of his hand or bosome but when hee hath sated himselfe with the newe pleasure of that guest hee now after a while casts it into Corners forgets it and can look vpon it with no care Thus
goe as farre as the reach of my warrant at least perhaps beyond it since the Apostle chargeth Meete againe lest you bee tempted not meete when you are tempted But to say absolutely and for euer renounce by consent the conuersation of each other what temptation soeuer assault you is directly not beyond but against Paules diuinitie no lesse then my assertion is against yours The ground of all these errors in this head of Matrimony is an vnworthie conceit of some vnchristian filthinesse in the marriage bed Euery man will not vtter but too many holde that conclusion of Hierome It is good for a man not to touch a women therefore to touch her is euill whom I doubt not but Saint Austin meant to oppose while he writes Bonum inquam sunt nuptiae contra omnes calumnias possunt sanâ ratione defendi Marriage I say is a good thing and may by sound proofe bee defended against all slaunders well may man say that is good which God saith is honorable and both good and honourable must that needs be which was instituted by the honourable author of goodnesse in the state of mans perfect goodnesse Let vs take heede of casting shame vpon the ordinance of our maker But there was no carnall knowledge in Paradise But againe in Paradise God said increase and multiply there should haue beene if there were not Those that were naked without shame should haue beene conioined without shame because without sinne Meates and drinks and acts of marriage saith Austin for these hee compares both in lawfulnes and necessitie are as they are vsed either lawful veniall or damnable Meates are for the preseruation of man marriage acts for the preseruation of mankind neither of them are without some carnall delight which yet if by the bridle of temperance it bee held to the proper and natural vse cannot be termed lust There is no ordinance of God which either is of more excellent vse or hath suffered more abuse in all times the fault is in men not in marriage Let them rectifie themselues their bed shal bee blessed Here need no separation from each other but rather a separation of brutishnes close corruption from the soule which whosoeuer hath learned to remoue shall finde the crowne of matrimonicall chastitie no lesse glorious then that of single continence To Master WILLIAM KNIGHT EP. X. Incouraging him to persist in the holy calling of the ministery which vpon conceit of his insufficiency and want of affection he seemed inclining to forsake and change I Am more glad to heare from you then sorry to heare of your discontentment whereof as the cause is from your selfe so must the remedy Wee Schollers are the aptest of all others to make our selues miserable you might be your owne best counsellor were you but indifferent to your selfe It I could but cure your preiudice your thoughts would heale you And indeed the same hand that wounded you were fittest for this seruice I need not tell you that your calling is honourable If you did not thinke so you had not complained It is your vnworthinesse that troubles you Let mee boldly tell you I know you in this case better then your selfe you are neuer the more vnsufficient because you thinke so If wee will bee rigorous Paules question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will appose vs all but according to the gracious indulgence of him that calls things which are not as if they were wee are that wee are yea that we ought and must be thankefull for our any thing There are none more fearefull then the able none more bold then the vnworthy How many haue you seene and heard of weaker graces your owne heart shall bee the iudge which haue sate without palenesse or trembling in that holy chaire and spoken as if the wordes had beene their owne satisfying themselues if not the hearers And doe you whose gifts many haue enuied stand quaking vpon the lowest staire Hath God giuen you that vnusuall varietie of tongues skill of Artes a stile worth emulation and which is worth all a faithfull and honest heart and doe you now shrinke backe and say send by him by whom thou shouldst send Giue God but what you haue he expects no more This is enough to honour him and crowne you Take heede while you complaine of want least pride shroude it selfe vnder the skirts of modestie How many are thankfull for lesse You haue more then the most yet this contents you not it is nothing vnlesse you may equall the best if not exceede yea I feare how this might satisfie you vnlesse you may thinke your selfe such as you would bee What is this but to grudge at the bestower of graces I tell you without flatterie God hath great gaines by fewer talents set your heart to imploie these and your aduantage shall bee more then your masters Neither do now repent you of the vnaduisednesse of your entrance God called you to it vpon an eternall deliberation and meant to make vse of your suddennes as a meanes to fetch you into his worke whom more leasure would haue found refractarie Full little did the one Saul thinke of a kingdom when he went to seeke his Fathers straies in the land of Shalishah or the other Saul of an Apostleship when hee went with his commission to Damascus God thought of both effected what they meant not Thus hath hee done to you Acknowledge this hand and follow it Hee found and gaue both facultie opportunitie to enter finde you but a will to proceede I dare promise you aboundance of comfort How many of the Ancients after a forceable Ordination became not profitable onely but famous in the Church But as if you sought shifts to discourage your selfe when you see you cannot maintaine this hold of insufficiencie you flie to alienation of affection In the truth wherof none can contoll you but your owne heart in the iustice of it we both may and must This plea is not for Christians we must affect what we ought in spight of our selues wherefore serues religion if not to make vs Lords of our owne affections If wee must bee ruled by our slaues what good should we do Can you more dislike your station then wee all naturally distast goodnesse Shall we neglect the pursuit of vertue because it pleases not or rather displease and neglect our selues till it may please vs Let mee not aske whether your affections be estranged but wherefore Diuinitie is a mistresse worthie your seruice All other Artes are but drudges to her alone Fooles may contemne her who cannot iudge of true intellectual beautie but if they had our eies they could not but bee rauished with admiration You haue learned I hope to contemn their contempt and so pitty their iniurious ignorance She hath chosen you as a worthy client yea a Fauorite and hath honored you with her commaunds and her acceptations who but you would pleade strangenesse of affection How many thousand sue to