fruits may we exspect from those roots of bitternesse which have sprung up amongst us I mean the contentions and divisions of thy children which have troubled our peace and whereby so many are defiled Heb. 12.15 Jam. 3.16 seeing that where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evill work The truth of which hath been for a long time exemplified not only in their strange disorder and chaos-like confusion of all things but also in their cruell demeanour and more then barbarous practises one towards another no lesse hatefull to God the author of order unity and peace the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort then pernicious to men created after his own image and likenesse And however more pretend to holinesse now then in former times And this indeed is the very soul of our Christian profession few of ordinary prudence and conscience are so weak sighted that they cannot look through their thin vail or fine web of hypocrisie and plainly discern this form of godlinesse from the power thereof For albeit they have the voice of Jacob and would be thought thereby to have the heart of Jacob also yet the roughnesse of their hands and their manner of hunting evidently shew that there is in them the profanenesse and cruelty of Esau who for one morsell of meat sold his birth-right and then purposed with himself to redeem it again with the price of his Brothers bloud Gen. 17. But what was the cause that they so carefully put on the outward disguise and mask of holinesse Surely to omit the great repute which they gained by this means at a very cheap rate with those of their own opinion and faction and those high titles of singularity and spirituall preheminence above others in the world generally accounted of by them as wicked and reprobate persons because not of their society and fellowship the which they usually received from their chieftains and leaders as properly belonging to themselves and their disciples and those worldly advantages to say no more which privately at least attended on their novell profession This perchance was not the meanest that they might thus check and shame the open profanenesse grosse impiety irreligion and sinne of their professed adversaries the which to speak the truth was so eminent oft-times and notorious in many of them as might startle a meer naturall conscience to hear or behold it and cause therein an abhorrency from their courses so opposite as well to right reason as to sanctifying grace much more in a minde enlightned though with the smallest ray of Evangelicall truth For what could be more strange or hatefull unto men in whom was any spark remaining either of common Grace or of morall Vertue and who were not wholly possessed with Atheisme and carryed on with fullest bent to Libertinisme and ungodly practise then to hear those that did professe themselves to be the followers of Christ to have communion with him by faith and to expect glory from him scoffing at the purest acts of his worship blaspheming or profaning his holy Name by causlesse oathes fearfull imprecations direfull execrations and such like speeches not to be expressed again without horrour and amazement and not only so but glorying likewise in this their abominable wickednesse and in other of like damnable nature namely 1 Pet. 4.3 4. in lasciviousnesse lusts excesse of wine and of strong drink revellings wherein they thought it strange that others ran not with them to the same excesse of riot speaking evill of them What Christian eye could behold this and not melt with sorrow and indignation against it What pious heart can think thereon and not both detest it and sigh for it In the mean time how much did this their apparent and over daring impudence in sin commend and grace the seeming Saint-like conversation of their adversaries Many of which notwithstanding all their glorious profession and shew of godlinesse were no better then those Scribes and Pharisees against whom our blessed Saviour cloth denouounce so many curses for their inward hypocrasie and iniquity veiled with the specious dresse of outward sanctity Mat. 23. see especially vers 27 28. Luk. 11. where see vers 39 44. And this was sufficiently attested by their spirituall pride high disdain and contempt of others never so little differing from them in judgement or in practise by their spirit of contradiction and rebellion against the present power whether secular or spirituall unnaturall affection injustice and falshood in common commerce by their rigour and cruelty shewn upon all occasions to the diffenting Brethren In a word by their want of mercy and barrennesse of good works towards the indigent and needy not to mention the envie emulation strife and division with the corrupt fruits and effects which proceed from these very rife and ordinary amongst themselves As for some who gave them the right hands of fellowship we cannot without manifest breach of charity judge of them otherwise then that they were simple harmlesse and well meaning men who being offended and not without cause at the corruption of the times and scandalous lives of many in the sacred office of the Ministry and deluded by the fair speeches good words smooth carriage plausible pretences of religious aims and ends not warrantable only but necessary also of those who made it their businesse to cause divisions and offences between thy children were drawn first into a dislike of thy policy and afterward to a separation from thee if not in appearance yet in heart though at last in both when it was more safe and advantagious then before And indeed their strict conformity in other respects to the precepts of the Gospell with their constancy in suffering for the defence of their cause did argue as much to moderate men and not possessed with prejudicate hatred of their opinions and persons for such as these could never be induced to entertain a good conceit of them no not in the least measure but contrariwise judged their best actions to be counterfeit and false and thought their greatest sufferings to proceed from pride and contumacy of spirit rather then from blinde ignorance of the truth or from errour of conscience Now as it comes to passe between those who extremely hate one the other that they endevour as much as in them lyeth to be unlike each the other in their manner of life outward behaviour garbe and fashion and every thing for the most part which is pleasing to the one is displeasing to the other and oft-times for this reason only because his adversary taketh delight therein so it fared in this case for what the one party did approve and allow of in their practise the other would dislike and condemn upon this weak and causlesse ground and in like manner perchance as readily receive and embrace what the other did refuse and reject for the same reason or indeed rather want of reason For what can be more irrationall yea senslesse
as being overswayed by them whose creatures you are who think it reasonable that as ye have served your selves of their power when time was so you should by way of compensation now serve their will and obey their commands and surely however the case standeth thus much they do expect and require at your hands as might appear by severall instances But enough of this I have but one word to say more and it is by way of admonition to the ingenuous and well minded among you who have been carryed away by errour of the times an errour discernible by the fewest of men that live in them unto those practises which they would loath and detest if they saw the true shape of them which is ugly and deformed and were not deluded by false glasses and counterfeit representations of them in the disguises of justice and honesty but as yet allow because they are not conscious to themselves of any malice or evill intention in what they do that they would devoutly implore the grace of the Almighty for illumination to see and direction to follow those things which make for their peace lest otherwise they live and die in their sin and what will be the sequell thereof they cannot be ignorant who know the truth and terrour of God In the mean time let them and all take heed how they manage their present fortune lest they also become a prey to others as others have been made a prey to them For it is to be seared that your gaudy prosperity is an eye-sore unto them who have power over your estates and lives and will finde matter enough of quarrell against you if there be not a change of manners and this wrought with discretion and speed Neither will this happily serve the turn to prevent those designes which as we hear are now on foot to alienate the Colledge-lands from publick use for the maintenance of learning to the propriety of private men the dangerous effects whereof both to Church and State not in this present age only but also in the generations to come I tremble to imagine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To the Judges Lawyers c. I Have but little to say to you being altogether unacquainted with your profession and your wayes For I never as yet sued any man at the Law and was never sued by any for trespasse or wrong done unto them wherefore experience cannot teach me what to speak of you Neverthelesse there hath been a generall complaint of the people in the land for some years past and as lowd as it durst break forth against the iniquity and oppression of your Courts of Judicature as if might or favour or money could more prevail in them then equity or law neither is it silent unto this day Whether your sin were according to the clamour of the people or no I cannot tell But of this I am assured that God will require much at your hands in the last and generall day of Judgment there being no men alive who have more frequent and signal remembrances of their duty or alarms of their account before the Almighty then you besides the speciall Obligations of solemn Oaths and common ties upon your conscience to doe the thing which is lawfull and right Happy is it for you now and for the State in which ye live and much more happy will it be for you hereafter if ye lay these things to heart and practise as you learn and know Judgement and Truth on which as on the the basis the Peace and safety of every Common-wealth doe rest and thrust aside war calamity and ruine doe ensue without remedy Your proceedings are many times intricate and dark not to be traced by popular and ordinary sent There be many windings and turnings in the Law which few can finde out mazes and almost inexplicable labyrinths to those who are not guided by your clew But still remember who standeth in the midst of you even a God that seeth in darknesse to whom the darknesse and light are both alike secret and hidden things are open and manifest Heb. 4.13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom they have to doe Let therefore the eighty second Psalm be your mirror wherein to behold what you are what ye should be if amisse and not upright according to the minde and will of God And not hear only but obey also his commands in the Ministry of the Word A time there was when the sober admonition and milder reproof of the Preacher would not goe down with some of you but were distasted by your corrupt palates And therefore a Minister was warned of his Diocesan being then to preach before the Judges not to touch upon this string it liked them not forsooth to hear that which did pertain to their office and duty or rather did tacitly check their omission and transgression thereof so often repeated in their eares Who were most faulty in this particular the Judges that did refuse to be admonished the Bishop who advised the Minister to gratifie them in their desire or the Minister if he did obey the will of his superiour in this thing let God judge But I presume it was not after this manner every where nor with all persons neither did it as I suppose continue thus long And God forbid this usefull and necessary liberty should be diminished or restrained in any part thereof For can men too often hear of that which they are to doe at all times and which is of everlasting concernment to them Bee instructed therefore ye Judges of the earth Psal 2.10 11. serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling Now these are the things that ye shall doe Zech. 8.16.17 speak ye every man the truth to his neighbour execute the judgement of Truth and Peace in your gates And let none of you imagine evill in your hearts against his neighbour and love no false Oath for all these are things that I hate saith the Lord. To the City of London I Am to speak now to a very great body of people yea the greatest in this Nation considering the narrow compasse of your abode and would to God I were able to speak unto you all at once by the vocal sound of my mouth that I might the better testifie the inward affection of my minde towards you and not be constrained to bespeak you severally by the whispering language of my pen. But what voice can be sufficient for the audience of so vast a multitude wherefore accept my reproof and counsel as it is tendred unto thee Thou art the largest City in this Island for the extent of bounds the fairest for magnificence of structure more populous rich and mighty by far then any of thy other sisters But according to the usuall and unhappy sate of great Gities and famous Empories thou hast not more abounded with people then
deceive themselves with the shadow of faith namely a vain and causelesse presumption which they embrace for the substance in the mean while giving no evidence thereof to the world and hating those that call upon them for the practice of repentance and good works yea and persecuting them sometimes as we have found by experience But to slight admonitions of this nature is almost every mans guilt however scarce accounted of as a crime by any The truth is ye would fain have and some openly declare as much a religion exempt as well from duty as from charges and expence ye would goe to heaven and yet stirre not one foot in the journey receive the reward of glory but do no work of grace for it And notwithstanding your frequent confessions and protestations of faith in God many are yet found among you who give more credit to the sayings of Diviners and Astrologers though seldome but false and ever uncertain then to the writings of the Prophets and Evangelists and more seek unto such as these then to their Maker in the time of their distresse Now how far ye are from obeying the precepts of the Gospell or the commands of that Lord to whom ye have given up your names and vowed your selves to be his faithfull servants unto death let your own works witness against you and your conscience judge of you according to this evidence for Isa 9.17 every ones heart is set upon their covetousnesse every one is an hypocrite and an evill doer and every mouth speaketh villany Ye idolize wealth in all your habitations set up this stumbling block of your iniquity in your heart and before your face for the many which ye have removed out of the way serving this mammon of unrighteousnesse more then the true living God To gain riches ye generally speak not what you think do not what you speak and neither speak nor do as ye know and ought To retain your ill gotten goods ye dispense with your selves for swearing what you list breaking oathes at pleasure violating covenants made with God or man no tye so sacred or solemn which can hold you against your profit or to your present disadvantage It is your received principle that ye may get wealth at any hand for your selves and children Si possis recte si non quocunque modo rem And your measure is as much as ye can by all means possible how base soever Insomuch as your trades as they are now commonly used seem to be but so many mysteries of iniquity or deceitfull baits for sinfull gain Pro. 21.6 The getting of treasares by a lying tongue being a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death For the restitution of ill gotten goods whether by violence or by deceit is a thing not thought upon in these daies wherefore men usually dye in this sin without recognition much lesse repenting of what they have done amisse Nay some there be so vain in their conceits so corrupt in judgement and depraved in their will partly by education partly by the custome and manners of the age that they imagine it no sin at all to defraud or go beyond their brother in any matter taking this to be a warrantable principle in all matter of contract and bargaining with others that they may make as much of their goods as they can without any respect had to the benefit and advantage of the buyer a thing most opposite to justice and charity and as if this were not enough they glory in their deceit and over-reaching one another especially of the Clergy and University men whom all deceive with one consent abusing their simplicity and want of experience in the things of this life to the dammage of them and to their own unjust profit In like manner they do without equity or measure exact upon strangers wheresoever they come in the price of all commodities notwithstanding men of the same countrey and religion with themselves little considering to what exigences men of this condition may be reduced on the way and are subject at all times Others there be that entertain this opinion or perswasion in their mindes that they may wrong and deceive as they lift or as far as they are able any man who is of a different judgement or faction from them in religion whom they call the wicked and ungodly and look upon as them that have no right to the creature by reason of their unregenerate and unsanctified estate of life whereby indeed they get and lay up treasure for themselves Luk. 12. but are not rich towards God Thus do fools make a mockaâ—sin Prov. 14. and it is a sport to them to do mischief And like the Florentine each one getteth his wealth by carrying about with him a dogs soul as he said to make no conscience of any thing so it might be for his gain And from whence proceedeth this immoderate desire of worldly wealth Doth it not from hence that you may consume it upon your lusts Jac. 4.3 or heap it up to no use and purpose but to seed your unsatiable avarice or to reserve it for your children though little wanting it against the time to come This indeed is the vulgar pretence and common excuse for all that ye do whether right or wrong ye must provide for your children and families they that come after you must not want in any case And indeed so ye leave them a temporall inheritance or a good portion in this life you care not what may become of them hereafter in another world wherefore as well by your precept and by your example which is continually before their eyes ye teach them to be hypocrites and deceivers like your selves and applaud them for their covetous practises and every course they take be it good or bad to preserve or encrease this worlds good not caring in the mean time whether they be godly and vertuously educated or no This is the least thing you minde in all your thoughts for them Neither will your fond and overweaning affection many times suffer you to have them brought up after a sober and austere manner lest forsooth they should too much lay it to heart and pine away with secret discontent Now this soft and remisse education of them in your own houses and under your own wings or by such as know and are willing to serve you herein according to desire that they may serve themselves of you for their own advantage hath taught them almost every where to be rebellious against God against you their parents and against their governours also to despise their superiors and betters and to be impudent in their behaviour towards all And you either not at all or else but sparingly reprove them seldome or never correct them for these exorbitances yea some of you stick not to uphold and encourage them therein Thus do ye honour your children above the Lord as Eli did 1 Sam. 2.29 1 Sam.
before you and give it for a possession unto strangers whom ye have not known in times past and whose language ye cannot understand The best tenure of your land is the gracious will of God and the condition of his will your obedience If ye be willing and obedient Isa 2.19 20. ye shall eat the good of the land But if ye refuse and rebell ye shall be devoured with the sword for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it And if this thought may not startle your mindes sleeping on the bed of sinfull sloth and carnall security let that I pray you of a far greater and more destructive evill awaken you from sleep the removing of the candlestick out of his place after that the star is vanished away or set in obscure darknesse never to rise again For ye have a long time turned the grace of your God into wantonnesse and you plainly see that the light beginneth now to shine much more dim then formerly and not at all in many corners of the land and is there not just cause to fear Mat. 21.43 lest that the Kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof And the rather for that the Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and eares to hear * Mic. 9.7 the rod and who hath appointed it unto this day vers 6.10 11 12. For are there not yet the treasures of wickednesse in the house of the wicked and the seant measure that is abominable shall I count them pure with the wicked ballances and with the lag of deceitfull writs For the rich men thereof are full of violence and the Inhabitants thereof have spoken lies and their tongue is deceitfull in their mouth Jer. 9.3 And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies but they are not valtam for the truth upon the earth for they proceed from evill to evill and they know not me saith the Lord Ch 5.29 Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord. shall not my soule be avenged on such a Nation as this Ye are guilty of the sins of Israel and can you hope to escape the judgements of Israel you have seen what heavy judgements have been executed upon them from time to time by the hand of Divine Justice for the same sins which you dayly commit and not upon them alone but upon the neighbouring Nations round about you the war pestilence and famine which wasted and consumed thero and is there not cause why after so many warnings by the sad examples of others you should exspect greater judgements or the same in greater measure then did light upon them Luke 13.3 Jam 4.8.6 9 10. Surely except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Draw nigh therefore to God and he will draw nigh to you cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double minded Be afflicted and mourne and weep let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heavinesse Humble your selves in the sight of the Lord and he shall lift you up Believe and obey those Ministers that most powerfully dehort from sin and exhort you unto righteousnesse both by their preaching and by their living and not them which decry duty and secretly perswade you to libertinism and licentiousnesse of life or who flatter you in your sins bearing you in hand that ye are better then you are or not so bad as some account of you for though this be pleasing and plausible yet God knoweth and you will finde so at the last it is pernicious doctrine whereby ye are brought into the snare of the Devill Neither rejoice to hear the sins of other men reproved as the costome is but truely grieve for them and much more for your own when they are represented to your conscience by the Lords Messenger not storming at his rebuke or having indignation at his person as the manner is by which means he is often discouraged in his Office and you ever hardned in your sins In a word let it be the faithfull endeavour of you all as much as in you lyeth to reform your own lives and the lives of other men O ye Ministers of the Lord O ye Magistrates of the land O ye People both small and great minde this one needfull matter and no longer dote upon private personall interest with the neglect of the publick and to the ruine of the whole prefer not any more the State to the Church the world to Christ gain to godlinesse 1 Pet. 1.15 and earth to heaven But as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation suffer him once to rule in your hearts who hath so often been in your mouths and of whom ye have made so frequent mention with your lips Mat. 7.21 saying unto him Lord Lord but not doing the will of his Father which is in heaven Be his servants in deed and not in word onely his Disciples in truth as well as in shew and in outward profession not for what ye may gain here but for what ye shall enjoy hereafter If ye know these things happy are ye if ye doe them Now that ye may be able to doe them by him who can doe all things Phil. 2.13 and worketh in you both to will and to doe of his good pleasure The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen FINIS A Post-script to the Reader HE that undertaketh freely to reprove the faults of many must expect the various censures of many and so do I but fear them not and trust I have no cause much to passe by them my conscience bearing me witnesse that I have had a tender respect in what I write to the glory of God unto truth and to the spirituall good of my brethren 1 Cor. 74.25 as one that hath obiained mercy of the Lord to be saithfull yet as a man compassed with infirmity and subject to many failings though in the present businesse free from malice or desire of revenge neither do I plead guiltlesse my self while I thus seem to accuse others Far be this from me as already it is I know and acknowledge my own sins in those of other men with whom God knoweth I have been in too great a measure guilty of the common errors of the times whereby we have mutually drawn downe the past and present judgements which the Lord hath executed and doth still execute upon this sinfull nation Psal 51.3 and my transgression is ever before me But blessed be his name for that I have learned by his fatherly rebukes and chastisements both to loath and to leave the follies and iniquities of my youth And oh that I were as free from the inbred corruption of my heart But alas it still cleaveth very close unto me and I have found