which was given for thee build thee up in thy body and in thy soule unto everlasting life These formes of words though they seeme to differ in the letter and sound yet they fully accord in sense and signification yet these verball differences in the pronunciation not signification of the words wrought such effects in the heart of this seduced man that he strongly conceited in his vaine thoughts and could never bee reformed and rectified by advice that the gesture of kneeling in the act of receiving was a Posture of body not onely idolatrous but absolutely rendred us incapable of that spirituall Nourishment which from the sacred Body and Bloud of our LORD did diffuse and stream it selfe into all the faculties oâ—â— our soules and all the parts oâ—â— our bodies For in the site oâ—â— gesture of kneeling said thâ—â— ENOCH the legs are cast behind the rest of the body and receive not that influence oâ—â— Nourishment spirituall at leasâ— in proportion and measure oâ—â— attraction as the rest of the body doth This is a conceit 〈◊〉 sublimate fine and subtile that it rightly fals under those elegant expressions which God Spirit hath made touching that Grand Impostour the Divell for his wiles and sleights attermed p 2 Cor. 211. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subtile devise to entangle mens thoughts And q Revel 3.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 depthes or profundities For these conceits are so subtill deepe and profound that Hales Aquinas or Scotus could never in their curious and deepe speculations rise to the height or fathome the bottome of them The gestures which this vaine light and seduced man conceited to himselfe as most convenient in that sacred act of GOD'S worship were either standing and bowing or sitting and bowing of the body For the gesture of standing hee alleaged full wisely I warrant you the words of our LORD and SAVIOUR IESUS CHRIST r Rev. 3.20 Behold I stand at the doore and knocke if any man heare my voice and open the doore I will come in unto him and sup with him and he with me For the gesture of sitting he had no Scripture at all to alleage nor any other warrant or argument but the apprehension of his owne dull and depraved imagination In these strange opinions of his Å¿ 2 Thes 2.10 we may behold the powerfull Working of Satan with all deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse For the postures of standing of sitting oâ— kneeling being all naturall and bodily actions without the addition of bowing which isâ— mentall and spirituall action and hath relation to some other nature either in the Creator or in the creatures to whom it is directed are iâ— themselves as they are action bodily and naturall neither good nor evill at all And doâ— onely partake of goodnesse or illnesse as the motion of bowing with intention of Adoration is added unto them And yet this Dolt not versed in the Principles of Catechisme touching worship given to creatures by bowing of the body would presume to talke to censure and peremptorily to judge of things he understood not and therein resist his wise learned and religious Superiours But Pride and Ignorance are these mens cognisance 5 Now touching this ENOCH that I may give you the true and just measure of him for person and qualitie Know Good Reader that he was the son of one EDWARD ap EVAN a countrey Farmer of the Parish of Clunne in the Countie of Salop and Diocesse of Hereford a man who by a long course of industrious painfulnesse in the execution of his vocation and frugality of disposition in the governement of his family and management of his affaires had acquired unto himselfe a competent estate of livelihood for his owne support and the preferment of his children so that he passed in the reputation of all his neighbourhood among the number of rich men living in peaceable manner in the course of his life and good estimation among men of his ranke This EDWARD as he told me himselfe had two sons and five daughters His two sons Enoch aged 34. and Iohn aged 31. he detained in his owne family with himselfe and educated them in the practice of Husbandry to execute his affaires and to be a comfort and support unto him in his elder yeares Iohn the younger brother was of persontall strong and proper of quality affable and sweet natur'd of countenance comely most dutifully obedient to his Parents carefull of their welfare and thriving and never known in one and thirty years to have given any froward stubborne or undutifull reply in words to his father or mother though his father was of condition austere and held a severe hand of government and command over him Enoch was a fellow of a middle stature of complexion swarthy under the predominance of the humour of melancholy of Countenance nothing alluring and lovely but sowre and dejected 6 In this family of Edward ap Evan some sense of religion joyned with the domesticke worship of GOD had for some yeares made entrance and received entertainement For they had as Enoch told mee prayers twice every day not such as were conceived in their owne hearts by the private motions of the Spirit the raigning practice of this age but more commendable and regular being orderly read out of the Service-book of our English Church by Enoch one day by Iohn another in a constant course of well-ordered discipline at which all persons in the family were required to be present This taste of religion stirred up in Enoch a desire of further proficiencie in the knowledge of GOD'S will so that he bought him a Bible which he seldome omitted to carry about with him in his pocket in so much that at the plough in the field and in the barne when he threshed his fathers corne hee borrowed some time from his present imployments to cast his eye on this Sacred Booke so sharpe and insatiable was his thirstie desire of holy reading This practice of his grew in short time to a great forwardnesse in the profession of Piety to the eye of the world and an itching desire to bee accounted more zealous than his neighbours so cunningly wrought it selfe into his affections that his practice therein contained not it selfe within the sober limits of prudent moderation For hee was not contented to stint and confine his solemne and publike worship of GOD to the LORD'S day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 1.10 commonly called Sunday which together with those few other Holy-daies appointed by the wisdome of our Church might have satisfied a wise man andâ— sound Christian but hee busily harkened after weeke-day Lectures and would oftentimes ride three or foure miles to heare sermons the ordinary practice of this formall age Having continued this course by the space of two yeares 〈◊〉 began to distaste some ordinances of our Churches constitution for the peaceable and
unlearned as himselfe who busily and frequently proposed questions unto him and were not able rightly to conceive his answers nor the nature of their owne questions proposed unto him For both he and they wanting the true apprehension of so high and sacred a Mystery as is the Nature and Quality of our LORD IESUS CHRIST His glorified Body tooke libertie unto themselves to talke at randon of high and mysterious secrets and thereby lost themselves in their vaine janglings His faith and judgement was very right in this point according to the small measure of his understanding But he wanted apt termes to explicate his conceit in so deepe a matter When therfore I acquainted him with some termes frequent in the Fathers and Schoole-men in the enodation of an Article of our Faith so abstruse and difficult and transcending the sphere of vulgar apprehensions telling him that the Body of our Lord was passive mortall liable to violence in the state of His Humiliation Impassive immortall glorious and exempt from infirmities and injuries in the condition of his exaltation he freely assented submitted himselfe and confirmed that to be his meaning that our LORD His blessed and glorious Body was changed onely in qualitie not in substance But that for want of Theologicall termes he was not able to unfold himselfe And then the Conclusion touching his opinions is this he was neither Anabaptist Enthusiast or of any other odde sect whatsoever but only a silly Ignorant and downe-right English Puritane 35 On Tuesday the twentieth of August this Malefactour the staine of Nature and reproch of mankind was carried on horseback from Shrewsbury thirteene miles to the place of his execution When hee was come to Bishops-castle Towne hee desired in his Inne to receive the holy Communion of the most sacred Body and Bloud of our LORD IESUS CHRIST which I had refused to administer unto him because he would not take it in the decent and Reverent gesture of kneeling The Minister of that Towne a learned Gentleman refused likewise to give it unto him unlesse hee would receive it in obedience to his Superiours and kneele downe Reverently in that holy Action A while hee continued obstinate but overcome at last by perswasions hee yeelded as hee said to gratifie the desires of a Gentleman there present Thus the man who in the furious zeale of an inraged heart drew that bloud that bred and nourished him comming to the point of his death shrunke in his courage or rather his contumacie and either to please men or to procure favour in the mitigation of execution of Iudgement upon him fell from the ground of his unhallowed profession Which convincingly proveth that obstinate Hypocrisie producing disloyalty in contempt of Authority is built upon a weake a slippery an unstable foundation 36 This Malefactor being now come to the place where the Gibbet was erected for his exemplary punishment Hee kneeled downe and made a short prayer to GOD. And having finished his devotions and being commanded to ascend the steps of the ladder as soone as the Executioner had put the rope over his head into his necke hee was instantly so surprized with the feare of approaching death that in all the parts of his body hee trembled with great perturbation and anguish of Spirit And when hee was ready to bee turned off hee cryed twice with a loud voice God bee mercifull to mee a great Sinner And then being cast off and strangled to death to the great Agony and regreet of his friends and kindred the beholders thereof testified by three shrill â—kreekes and cryes he was trussed up into a frame of Iron brought thither for that purpose And his body though deprived of sense to feele it the truth of that Iudgement denounced in the Scriptures p Prov. 30.17 The eye that mocketh at his Father and despiseth to obey his Mother the Ravens of the Vally shall picke it out and the young Eagles shall eat it For as well the Father was mocked as the Mother despised when his bloudy heart and hand robbed the Husband of his Wife and deprived the Father of both his Sonnes When hee had hanged forth waving in the ayre more then a fortnight and lesse then three weekes some Brethren of his owne disposition and faction who are restlesse in wilfulnesse that I may not say wickednes contrived a device by rearing up a ladder in the night a worke of darknesse to saw off that part of the Gibbet where his body hanged and tooke it away even then when the smell and stench thereof was so unsavory and noysome as hardly able to bee indured unlesse they were provided with stronge Antidotes to correct the loathsome savour of his putrified carkasse but it was a messe good enough for such contemners of royall Majestie and the wholsome lawes of the best governed Republicke upon the face of the earth 37 And now in few words to touch the fact of those Persons who by gracelesse disloyalty have opposed the practice of Law and Iustice did they not know that the body of every Malefactor after legall conviction and judiciall condemnation is wholly at the dispose of the King as a part of His Royall Prerogative by vertue of the violation of His Lawes Rom. 13 1 2 3 4. The right of the King Himselfe therein which Hee hath received from Gods sacred Ordinance is by delegation of subordinate power transmitted to the Persons of the Iudges and they by pronunciation of Iust and legall sentence are to command the execution of what the letter of the Law hath given in charge Out of which just and formall gradation descending I draw this consequence and regular deduction ascending He that resists or nullifies the sentence of the law pronounced by the Iudge opposeth therein the Naturall law of humane equity familiarly knowne to all men and dishonoreth the Person of the Iudge from whom that sentence proceeded The dishonour of the Iudge being the Deputy substitute of the King falls directly on the royalty of His most sacred Person The dishonour of the Kings Person being the vicegerent of the LORD of Hosts rests not there but ascends to the contempt of the Divine Majestie of God Himselfe whose constitution it is Gen. 9.6 Who so sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud bee shed for in the Image of God made he man Did not then the stealers away of the putrified corps of this Malefactor know these things before hand To charge them with Ignorance of such things which the Dictates of naturall reason hath imprinted upon the table of every Mans heart is to make them brutish and to range them with beasts To say they knew these things and yet against their owne knowledge and conscience they contemned all peaceable obedience therunto is to make them peremptory and Rebellious against both Divine Majestie in the nature of God and Humane Majestie in the person of the King Thus I have put them upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a
Gospell For as the wisdome of GOD in the old Testament prescribed the rule of his will unto his people for their direction saying e Malack 3.7 The Priests lips should keepe knowledge and they should seeke the Law at his mouth for He is the Messenger of the LORD of Hoasts So hath the divine and constant wisdome of the same our GOD declared the Canon of His will in the New Testament to continue in the Church to the dissolution of this World f Ephes 4.11.12 CHRIST gave some to be Prophets some Apostles and some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the ministry for the edifying of the body of CHRIST till we all come in the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the SONNE of GOD unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ. Now these holy Arts and Ordinations of GOD's wisdome and love unto His people are the Constant rules of direction and order to be observed and obeyed by all His faithfull children whiles here they remaine in their militant condition 2 And though secular persons are both warranted and directed by our LORD and SAVIOUR for their preservation in faith and obedience g Mat. 7.15 To beware of false prophets which come unto them in sheepe◠cloathing but inwardly they are Ravening Wolves And are also commanded in the practice of holy and gracious vigilancie over their own soules h 1 Ioh. 4.1 To trie the spirits of men whether they be of God or no yet this warrant direction command are not so vast and universall but that they are limitted and confined within their owne proper bounds Not giving libertie unto i 2 Pet. 3.16 Vnlearned and unstable persons to wrest the sacred Scriptures to their owne destruction Nor to judge and censure their Teacher either in his doctrine or spirit if his upright and sound judgement accord not with their light and seduced fancies or his Method of preaching arride not their vaine and selfe-pleasing Humour And further if any branch of doctrine shall bee publikely delivered by any Minister of the Gospell not exactly consonant with the Canon of the Scriptures the analogie of the Christian faith and the orthodox doctrine and judgement of the Ancient and Moderne Church Lay persons are not presently to presume of themselves that they are so qualified with judgement or armed with power as to reprove their pastours because as the Apostle hath told us k 1 Cor. 14.32 The spirits of the Prophets are subject unto the Prophets All that any Lay-person can or ought to doe in matter of his owne private judgement is no more but to submit himselfe to that rule of the HOLY GHOST l 1. Thes 5.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Trie all things and hold that which is good And to this triall and retaining of sound doctrines they are for action and practice of life to adde that of another Apostle m Iude 20. By building up themselves in their most holy faith and praying in the HOLY GHOST keepe themselves in the love of GOD looking for the mercies of our LORD IESUS CHRIST unto eternall life They may indeed if erroneous doctrines be taught in publike congregations dangerous to the soules of GOD's people give notice thereof by way of information to their and our Superiours the Bishops who for the maturitie of their judgement the gravitie of their persons and the weight of their authoritie are able to rebuke reprove exhort convince of errour any unsound doctrine repugnant to the sacred Scriptures And when by weight of Argument and pregnant conviction of errour any doctrine taught shall deservedly be reproved if the teacher thereof shall obstinately persist in his errour and refuse to be reformed by the wisdome and authoritie of his Governour the sentence of suspension excommunication or deprivation is justly to proceed against him 3 This course of Ecclesiasticall discipline being for substance Sacred for antiquitie Venerable and for forme and processe therein so exact that mans wit cannot reprove it they that preferre their owne private spirits and opinions before this prudent judgement and practice of the Church as fantastick separatists do plainly discover themselves to have their part in that description which by the spirit of prophecie is given of all such n 2 Pet. 2.18 Presumptuous they are selfe-willed they are not afraid to speake evill of Dignities With this kinde of high and overweening spirits our English Church hath of late years beene much pestered and disquieted so that many godly Ministers of rich talents worthy endowments and able gifts have not received that sweet comfort to their soules which from the profitable and painfull execution of so sacred a calling is by command of GOD'S Spirit due unto them For the Apostle hath strictly charged all Christians o Hebr. 23.18 To obey them that have the rule over them and to submit themselves unto them for they watch for your soules as they that must give an account that they may doe it with joy and not with griefe for that is unprofitable for you Yet notwithstanding the weight of this charge such is the insolent pride and contumacie of spirit in this kinde of men strongly conceited of the spirituall favour of GOD unchangeably setled on their particular persons that unlesse both the observance and which is more the obsequiousnesse of the Minister both in doctrine and practice be accommodated to give them content and flatter their fancies they will maligne his person traduce his name and scorne and vilifie him with all basenesse of contempt yea although his life bee most conscionably led in the feare of GOD and his outward conversements with men adorned and made gracefull with all Humanity Humility and Integritie 4 In the ranke and number of these bold and busie Scripturists wee are to range one ENOCH ap EVAN a fellow of very meane quality and small understanding as able only to reade English and no more yet of high thoughts touching his owne personall worth in spirituall abilities For so cunningly and yet powerfully had Satan insinuated himselfe by spirituall illusions into his understanding for opinion and into his heart for affection and inclination to his owne dull and extravagant conceits that he became presumptuously bold to dislike not only the Gestures and rites prescribed by the Governours of our Church for conservation of uniformitie peace and unitie among GOD'S people and ratified by Regall and Legall Authority But hee proceeded so farre as to reprove the forme of words used by the Minister in the delivery of the sacred Communion into the hands of God's people For whereas the wisdome of our Church prescribes the forme of words thus The Body of our LORD IESUS CHRIST which was given for thee preserve thy bodie and soule unto everlasting life The pride and ignorance of this fellow no◠able to conceive the strength and significancie of these words would have them to be new moulded corrected and framed thus The Body of our LORD IESUS CHRIST
THE LOOKING-GLASSE of SCHISME Wherein by a briefe and true Narration of the execrable Murders done by Enoch ap Evan a downe-right Separatist on the bodies of his Mother and Brother with the cause mooving him thereunto The disobedience of that Sect against Royall Majesty and the Lawes of our CHURCH is plainly set forth By PETER STUDLEY Master of Arts and Minister of GODS WORD in SHREVVSBVRY PRO. 30.12 There is a Generation that are pure in their owne eyes and yet is not washed from their filthinesse Habent Artificium quo prius persuadent quam doceant veritas autem docendo suadet non suadendo docet Tertul. adversus Valentinian Lib. 1. LONDON Printed by R. B. for THOMAS ALCHORNE and are to be sold at the signe of the greene Dragon in Pauls Church-yard 1634. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THE occasion of this Relation touching the Barbarous and inhumane crueltie of Enoch ap Evan ariseth not from any inclination in my owne disposition to be pragmatical and busie in matters of writing but from the serious apprehension of disloyalty which some eminent persons in our State have made touching the contempt of our Lawes testified by the stealing away of his putrified corpes who by sentence of righteous and prudent Iudgement was deemed to hang forth in the aire to the open view of all men for exemplary punishment of his bloudy facts Till the consumption of his flesh his nerves and ligaments had dissolved the composition and structure of his bones parted them asunder made them fall to the earth and by Vltimate Resolution returne ad materiam primam their first matter whereof they were framed And moreover the false and dishonest reports touching this Malefactour scattered abroad by many whose profession of Religious purity should have yeelded better fruits have pressed mee on to this suddennesse of writing And for the matter it selfe here delivered I doe assure thee in the word of a Minister thou hast a relation of such substantiall Truth as I will maintaine against any person living upon the face of the earth I have not delivered one word in this ensuing Treatise which may justly offend any good Christian or honest minded man and therfore if any shall be displeased towards mee it is from an offence taken by himselfe not given by mee for GOD the searcher of my heart is my witnesse together with the integritie of mine owne conscience that I have proposed to my selfe herein as the object and levell of all my aymes The glory of his most sacred Name the Honour of our King in the vindication of his innocent Lawes and the desire of our Churches tranquillitie and peace now torne into pieces by wilfull Schisme Proud Faction and Peremptorie Disobedience to Prudent and Peaceable government I deliver onely in this Tract my owne observations in matters of fact and the dangers I conceive which may accrew to our Church and State unlesse some wholesome and speedie course of wise and religious policie shall be maturely applied for the cure or correction of such insolent persons as trouble the peace of our Sion And for the event hereof I referre it as becomes me in dutie to the Royall wisdome of sacred Majestie in our King and the vigilant care of those prudent Governours to whose godly oversight these matters are committed Ne quid Ecclesia Detrimenti capiat That our Church sustaine no eclipse of her glory but gratiously display the beames of peace and splendour For obloquie and traducement wherein I know before-hand I shall have a large share from the maligne disposition of Schismaticall persons let mee anticipate and prevent them by telling them that as Angry Curres will barke and snarle at peaceable passengers so men of factious disposition will speake evill when they are not thereto provoked And for my owne part I am resolved that the â—ongue of a Puritane is no Slanâ—er since it spares no rankes or degrees of men who runne not with them in their exorbitant and delinquent courses of pride and vanitie I wish to all those men on whom this small Treatise may seeme to reflect as much good in all the parts of goodnessâ— as they themselves with more perverted judgements and worse composed affections doe wish unto themselves And so GOD blesse them by bending them 〈◊〉 peace and unitie And multipâ—â— on this Church and Kingdom 〈◊〉 his favours and Graces Shrewsbury this fourth 〈◊〉 November 1633. Thine in the LORD PETER STUDLEY Recensui tractatum hunc cui titulus Schismatis speculum in quo nihil reperio quò minùs cum utilitate publicâ imprimatur THOMAS WEEKES Episcopo Lond. Cap. domest Tantum religio potuit suadere malorum THE Looking-GLASSE OF SCHISME IT is a Prophecie of GOD'S Spirit a 2 Tim. 3.1 2. that in the last dayes Perillous times shall come for men shall be lovers of themselves Covetous Boasters Proud Blasphemers disobedient to Parents Vnthankfull Vnholy without naturall affection Truce-breakers c. And our LORD and SAVIOUR IESUS CHRIST that Oracle of wisdome and divine wisdome it selfe hath foretold us b Matth. 34.12 That because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold To wit cold in Piety toward GOD gracious obedience towards our Superiours and it office of Humanity Charity and mercy towards all other persons For this Inundation and overflowing streame oâ— Iniquity being slily insinuated into mens understandings tâ— poyson their Iudgements with Soule-confounding errors and of his strong suggestions darted into their wills to irritate the Native malice and to excite them to furious attempts we cannot expect any better event in the lives and actions of wicked men left by the wrath oâ— GOD under the power of their owne corruption and Satans rage then that by Infidelitie Impiety Atheisme Apostasy and all other wickednesse they should revolt finally from GOD and give heed as the Apostle sayes c 1 Tim. â— 1 To seducing spirits and doctrines of Divels For as Satan himselfe by pride and infidelity fell from that Angelicall perfection of his created nature and is become of an Angell of light a spirit of darknesse So by stirring up in the hearts of unmortified persons a spirituall pride in an high conceipt of their gifts the assurance of their election their illumination conversion and the imaginary sense of their adoption he so transports them beyond the bounds of Christian humilitie that they utterly reject that rule of the Apostle d Rom. 12.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be wise unto sobrietie And it a strong conceit of their owne spirituall understanding by the immediate presence of GOD's Spirit which they conceit to bee in them they take upon them to glosse and expound the sacred Scriptures agreeable to their owne deluded fancies Which attempt of theirs transcending their understandings and no way sorting with their vocation of life being lay and secular persons must need produce both heresies in judgement and schismaticall divisions in practice in the visible Churches of the
hold of CHRIST for all this sinne of mine Min. Our LORD IESUS CHRIST is indeed the true the only the immoveable foundation of the Church and children of GOD But he is to be apprehended and applied to the soules of Christian men by pietie vertue and the constant feare of GOD and not by every idle imagination and fleeting fancie which springs up in the minds of carnall men But tell mee is our LORD CHRIST in your power to bee held or let goâ— at your pleasure His owne words are these c Ioh. 6.44 No man comâ—â—â—â— unto 〈◊〉 except the Father who hath sent me draw him But undoubtedly GOD the Father doth draw His children to His SONNE CHRIST IESUS by faith and that faith workes in their hearts by love d Gal. 5.6 But Love and Murder are qualities of contrary nature each unto other they cannot actually subsist and have being in one and the same heart at one and the same time For the repugnancie and contrariety of their natures doth mainely labour to destroy and extinguish each other If the true faith cannot have being without pure Love its gracious and inseparable companion by what gift or grace within you doe you thinke to lay hold on and retaine our LORD IESUS CHRIST unto your selfe Enoch I hope by my repentance to recover my faith againe Min. Your sect is frequenâ— and much in talking of Faith which makes the Papists inâ—â— proud scorne to call Protestants Soli-fidians Tell me 〈◊〉 you can What is faith whereof you so much presume Enoch I thinke faith is to trust in GOD for salvation Min. To trust in GOD for salvation is one principall act and practice of the Nature of Faith as it stands in relation to GOD's mercy and his promises But as Faith is a supernaturall Qualitie wrought into mans soule by GOD's Spirit it hath many more actions and operations than only affiance in the Love and Mercy of GOD. For true Faith purifies the hearts of all those who are endued therewith It begets Humilitie of heart unity peace 1 Ioh. 3.3 and love with all true beleevers Acts 4.32 But none of all these vertues have any affinity or agreement with your facts of cruell murder 1 Pet. 1.22 For if wee search all the volume of the sacred Bible and examine the ancient records of Infidels and Heathens No fact of man in any age may stand parallel with this of yours And therefore flatter not your selfe with a vaine opinion of the truth or the strength of your faith for had true faith been of any vertue and force in any faculty of your soule either in your understanding to guide your cogitations or in your will to rectifie your resolutions and actions you had never so fearfully and desperately fallen into these barbarous murders Enoch Doe you thinke then that there is no meanes or way left for me to recover GOD's favour and the pardon of these great and crying sinnes Min. Yes upon your deepe Humiliation and repentance undoubtedly GOD will pardon your facts stoppe the crie of bloud and receive you to grace and mercy Now the ground-worke of repentance for a man in your case is first to cast off all flattering and deluding conceit of your imaginary faith 2. To labour to bee convinced in your soule that your facts were wrought and acted by the Immediate presence of Satan within you 3 To Abhorre from the very heart and soule the things you have done 4. To powre out your soule continually to God in fervent and secret Prayer craving of His mercy to pardon your sinnes and to checke and restraine the malice power and prevailing of Satan against you 5. To cast away all presumptuous thoughts which you shall finde to spring up in your owne carnall heart and to be secretly conveighed into your minde by that infernall spirit These things if you shall carefully set your selfe to performe in singlenesse of heart GOD's promise is made and shall never be annulled At what time the wicked shall turne from his sinnes Ezek. 18.21 22. which hee hath committed and keepe all my Statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right he shall surely live hee shall not die But tell mee wherein differed you in opinion from your mother and brother Enoch Touching the Gesture at the Communion they would kneele and I would sit and bow my body Min. And did you for this very cause shed their bloud Enoch My wrath kindled for that cause only against my brother and in that wrath I slew him Min. Many persons in this Towne who have conferred with you are not of that opinion and do report other cause thereof Enoch Sir I told you I would confesse to you as unto CHRIST Himselfe as I hope to be pardoned of GOD I and my brother never differed nor disagreed in all our life but in that matter onely and in our difference therein I slew him Min. The Gesture of kneeling at the Communion is commanded by the Authority of our Soveraigne Lord the King with the assent of all the learned Bishops in our Land venerable for piety learning and vertue confirmed with the approbation and publike Testimony of both the Vniversities and the godly learned therein ratified by Act of Parliament And lastly obeyed by many thousands in this Land who neither want thâ— light of divine truth to direcâ—â— them nor the true feare oâ— GOD to warrant their practice And thinke you of youâ— selfe that you are wiser oâ— more righteous than all these Enoch I should not doe so and with this answer hee caâ— downe his countenance anâ— lifted up his hands Min. This spirituall prideâ— the fault of all your sect fâ—â— no sooner doe any of you begin to looke toward Sion anâ— in your owne conceits to reliâ—â— the things of GOD. but iâ—â— stantly you so over-value youâ— owne small worthes that 〈◊〉 the learning and pietie in thâ— Kingdom is not able to equâ—â— your petty devotions eitheâ— for soundnesse of judgement truth of faith or uprightnesse of walking No doubt but we should have a jolly Church if you and your conceited companions had the new-moulding and rectifying of it Enoch I should not thinke so of my selfe And with this short reply he cast downe his countenance againe and lifted up his hands a very little Min. How came you at first to entertaine these opinions and to dislike the gestures of your betters for wisedome knowledge vertue and the true feare of GOD and constant integrity in all their wayes Have you got these itching toyish and vaine conceits by conference with any Ministers disaffected to peace and unitie Or were you privately perswaded thereto by some of your aâ— quaintance or have you heaâ— any Minister publikely to 〈◊〉 clare his dislike of the prese forme of government and â— this gesture in special or weâ—â— you moved thereunto by 〈◊〉 example of any whose perseâ— you reverence for wisedoâ— and piety or have you by râ—â—ding any schismaticall
booâ— received taint and infectâ—â— herein Enoch By none of all the meanes but by reading GOD's Word Min. I never knew any â—â—â— of your vulgar educatioâ— meane capacitie and small 〈◊〉 lent of knowledge so acuteâ— to extract an opinion of tâ—â— nature from GOD's woâ—â— which GOD by His Spirit â—â—ver put into His Word you passe all the Alcumists that I have ever heard or read of But this is the effect of spirituall pride of heart in such men as you are For when you have beene secretly deluded and seduced e Eph â— 14 By the cunning craftinesse of such as lye in wait to deceive and thereby your judgements depraved with errour heresie or schisine you glory therein and adde contumacie of heart to your opinions desirous to arrogate unto your selves the praise of your inventions and to be thought that by the sharpnesse of your owne wits and penetration of your understandings you have found out some hidden truths revealed only by GOD to the children of His grace and election by sharpening the understandings with His enâ— lightning Spirit to conceivâ—â— and perceive more holy truthâ—â— than all the godly learned 〈◊〉 the Land besides But take heed of these things and leâ—â— my counsell take place with you change your opinionâ— which have alreadie Inveigleâ— and thereby wounded youâ— soule with desperate sinnes exposed you to the infamie oâ— the world given infinite scandall to the Church of GOD and her children cast you ouâ— of the love and favour of aâ—â— good men and will undoubtedly abridge your dayes by the stroke of Iustice in the just and exemplary execution oâ—â— Law For f Gen. 9.6 Hee that sheddeâ— mans bloud by man shall hâ—â— bloud be shed for in the Image of GOD he created him Enoch I doe yeeld my body to the Law which I have offended Min. What Law doe you think you have violated whether the Morall Law of GOD and Nature or the Humane and Temporall Lawes of this Land Enoch I thinke I have offended against GOD's Law Min. Doe you but thinke you have offended GOD Doe you not feele the gripes and convulsions of a wounded Spirit sensibly impressed into your soule from the wrath of GOD Enoch I am much troubled in my minde but I will still hold fast Christ my Lord and Saviour Min. A wounded and oppressed conscience never heâ—â— fast our LORD IESUS CHRIST before the burdeâ— thereof was removed and thâ— pangs dulced and asswaged iâ— His bloud applied by faith uâ—to the soule This must beâ— gained by a deepe and seriouâ— repentance the qualities and properties of which repentance are fully and exactly set forth 2 Cor. 7.11 Without this repentance and the consequent vertues thereof never was the expiating and purging vertue of our LORD His bloud truly apprehended and effectually applyed to the soule of any Man But let mee understand from you that since you are not willing to be thought that Satan stirred you up to these facts by what other cause doe you think you fell into them Enoch Surely Sir by sin Min. By what sinne thinke you Enoch That doe not I know Minist But I know that by you that you doe not or will not know by your selfe and can readily assigne that particular sinne by which you fell into these desperate and raging Murders Your sinne was as I appeale to your owne conscience for confirmation hereof your hypocrisie in making a fairer shew of holinesse to the eye of the world than the course of your life in secret did fully reach unto for had you beene of Nathanaels temper g Iohn â— 47 A true Israelite in whom there is no guile Then had your soule received the blessing of that promise from GOD h Pâ—a 25.12.14 What man is hee that feareth the LORD him will He teach is the way that he shall chuse The secrets of the LORD are among them that feare Him and He will shew them His Covenant Youâ— were and are but a Novice in practicall Christianity and do not understand this hidden Mystery That unlesse the practice of a mans life in sound Pietie upright integritie and gracious puritie doe not onely equall but farre surmount and preponderate the profession hee makes the root of his imaginary Zeale will prove to be but rottennesse For know you for your learning that although it is thâ— hardest thing in all the world to be a true and sound Christian by denying and Renouncing our selves our Desires and appetites for CHRIST His glory Yet it is the easiest thing in all the world to be a formall Sectary such as men commonly call Puritans for therein is neither marrow spirit or power of true godlinesse which is placed in piety charitie unity For I can name if I were disposed even in this towne of ours where I live men of your formalitie in profession who eagerly followed Sermons without missing one on a weeke-day used family Prayers kept company and conventicles with persons of whose true feare of GOD I am well perswaded yet many of these unsound and rotten hearted fellowes have beene discovered and knowne for secret whore-mongers drunkards cheaters and such as have revolted from the faith of Protestants wherein they were baptised and this truth beene knowne right well to the better sort of Non-conformists for practice of Religion They answer for themselves as one of them this very morning answered me touching your very person who had never seene your face i Iohn 2.19 They went out from us they were not of us for if they had beene of us they would no doubt have continued with us But they went out that they might bee made manifest that they were not at all of us This answer I willingly admit on their parts namely that men who are endued with true grace and the holy feare of the LORD do so co-operate and apply their owne desires actions and vigilant care over all their wayes unto GOD's Spirit and grace within them that thereby they are established and preserved from desperate impiety or finall backsliding But this answer of theirs toucheth not that purpose for which it is brought nor impugneth at all the Argument which I made For I intend onely to shew the truth and no more But wicked and ungodly men doe frequently delude the eye of the world with the lustre of a faire profession till GOD in justice unmask and discover them With this answer unto him I so cast him downe with an inward sense of his owne guile and guilt that from this time I was very deeply in his favour and he professed openly in the Prison-house that Mr. Studley brought a sound heart to comfort him and to do him good Hereupon having spent an houre and halfe in conference with him I bade him fare-well for that time Enoch Good Sir before you goe I pray you answer meeâ— one question more and that is this Doe you thinke that I have no faith in my heart Minist I am in that matter past
thinking For I know right well true faith such as you flatter your selfe to be endued with and effectuall conversion to GOD are the whole substance of a Christian mans New-birth by the Spirit of GOD and this Regeneration where it is sound and effectuall sets the soule of that man free from Satans prevailing in such measure and degree as he hath done in your heart and in all the powers of your soule For it is the testimony of Gods Spirit in His Apostle â— Iohn â— 18 They that are borne of GOD sinne not but hee that is begotten of GOD keepeth himselfe that the wicked one toucheth him not Enoch Sir I have heard some Preachers teach that faith once had can never be lost Min. And by hearing such doctrine preached your imagination deluded and Satanically bewitched became presumptuous bold and desperate to commit those vnnaturall flagitious and crying Sinnes which by continuall clamour call for vengeance at the hand of GOD's Iustice But better it were that such doctrines were never preached unlesse those just limitations prescribed in GOD's Word were both carefully judiciously and continually added thereunto The method and manner of the delivery of this doctrine by Ministers of your acquaintance and familiaritie is neither sound nor true For such Ministers suspend and hang the whole matter of a Christian mans preservation in grace in faith in obedience after his Conversion upon the Mercy the Will and the Act of GOD's power grounding themselves upon these Scriptures Rom. 11.29 The gifts and calling of GOD are without repentance And againe 1 Pet. 1.5 Yee are kept by the power of GOD through faith unto salvation And by these places of holy Scripture and such like the whole act of a Christians support in faith and holinesse is transposed and put off from the will and care of man himselfe unto the will the mercie the power of GOD. And thus the best of men who are naturally prone to selfe-flattery selfe-pleasing and spirituall securitie have the edge of gracious care vigilancie and circumspection blunted and abated But our LORD Himselfe in whose love mercie and holy degrees our preservation and salvation â—â— firmely established commands all His children Matth. 26. To watch and pray that they enter not inâ—â— temptation the spirit is readie but the flesh is weake And the Apostle of our LORD gives a caveat to all the true and faithfull people of the LORD 1 Cor. 10.12 saying Let him that thinketh hee standeth take beeâ— lest he fall And further by the same Apostle Philip. 2.12 13. Worke out your owne salvation with feare and trembling for it is GOD that worketh in you both to will and â—â— doe of his good pleasure And the Apostle Iude hath pressed this godly care very home upon the hearts of all true Christians saying Iude 20 21 verse 20 21. But yee beloved building up your selves on your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Ghost keepe your selves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ unto eternall life Vnlesse then our understandings wills affections and all that is in us doe willingly submit themselves to the gracious motions and operations of GOD's holy Spirit within us we shall not onely grieve the holy Spirit of GOD Ephes 4.30 1 Thess â— 19 but also wee shall quench the lively flame therof in our hearts and soules By all which places of sacred Scriptures so pregnant and convincing we may informe our understandings that in mans preservation in faith and obedience after effectuall conversion there is a mutuall concurrence of two speciall agents The one supreme and principall and that is GOD our Father Psal 37.23 24. our LORD and SAVIOUR by His Spirit enlightning guiding and supporting The other inferiour subordinate and concurrent with the principall and that is mans understanding will and all other his faculties and powers readily apprehending sweetly embracing joyfully concurring with the divine motions issuing from Gods blessed Spirit according to that voice of the Church Draw me Cant. 1.4 we will run after thee And if this latter at any time be intermitted neglected or suspended The actions of GOD's Spirit in mens soules cannot possibly yeeld any spirituall joy delight and comfort no nor so much as be sensibly felt in the soule of any man But it growes late I must bid you for this time fare-well Enoch Good Sir let me see you again as soone as you can I like well your speeches and I hope you are sent of GOD to doe me good Min. I will GOD-willing see you again the next weeke in the meane time know there is no comming for you to heaven but thorow the suburbs of hell I meane a great measure of Humiliation and Repentance This being our conference at that time I left him to his prison cold irons and spirituall meditations And after this the first newes that I heard concerning him was a common report spread in five daies space throughout our whole Towne and Countrey that â— was the man with whom hee had greatest desire to conferre and to impart himselfe by revealing and discovering what hee intended to make knowne And his reason was that although many Ministers had questioned freely with him to search out his opinions and the secrets of his heart yet none had at that time administred any counsell or directions unto him but my selfe and therefore he conjectured at my intentions by my actions 20 This purpose of Enoch concerning me being publikely knowne by the generality of report The Puritans of whose generation he was were greatly displeased herewith And one of them no honest man I warrant you said of mee Hee is of a great and ungodly Wit and comes to this man of purpose to discredit our party and will worke him to his owne will And godly persons shall thereby sustaine disgrace by the unnaturall cruelty and wickednesse of this bloudie man This report I heard and digested it with silence and patience being by many yeares residence here inured to their bitternesse of spirit and frequent railings But I doe hereby challenge all the Puritanes of this Kingdome of England to charge if they can my Wit or my Will with any peece of ungodlinesse in the execution of my calling or the course of my conversation For I never thought nor they shall never prove it That to defend the Orthodox doctrine of the Church of England against the Papists k Iude 3. Bâ— contending earnestly for the faith once given to the Saints Or the ancient discipline of the samâ— Church against the Puritanes â—â— be any branch of an ungodly Wâ—â— But on the contrary part the resolved and constant practice thereof in my publike Ministrie as occasion was incident to be a gracious inclination to solid pietie and a publike declarat on of an honest heart disposed to peace and unity 21 On the Munday following being the fifteenth day of Iuly 1633. Two messengers from Bishops
piety of former ages in charging Idolatry and superstition upon them I would be a testimonie of more wisedome and moderation in them to suspend all censure of their intentions and reall expressions of devotion and let them stand or fall to their own Lord their Creator their Father since these men themselves in pleading the justification of their knowne and convinced errours desire the same libertie to be granted to themselves But let 's returne to Enoch from this short digression 33 Vpon Sunday morning following immediately the day of Enoch his condemnation the Hang-man being in the Prison-house was seene of five prisoners condemned to dye at that Assises And one of these persons condemned for the murder of a maid whom he had devirginated and defloured said to the rest of his fellowes in Enoch's presence I could finde in my heart to breake yonder knaves pate but that it is a sin and I have enough of that upon me already To whom Enoch replied It is no finne to kill death and had I knowne that knave to bee the Hang-man I would have beaten out his braines if I could have come at him These words of his begate over all the Prison-house consisting of many persons great exclamations against Enoch his wickednesse being himselfe a condemned person and should have imployed his thoughts upon better matters The next day in the morning as soone as I was come to the prison-house to see this condemned malefactour and to know how hee stood prepared for death Three persons severally one from another gave me notice of Enoch his words uttered the day before in the hearing of manyâ—â— appointed his overseer to bring him unto me in a private roome who being come and nothing dejected in minde or countenance but rather inwardly jocund in his owne soule I said unto him Did you Enoch utter such words concerning the Hang-man as divers persons do both testifie against you and are also greatly displeased with your desperate and furious outrage Hee replied unto mee I spake indeed those words in jest In jest quoth I unto him are you being a condemned person by judiciall sentence a fit person to utter jests do you not know that no Kingdome of the world can possibly subsist in Iustice and Honour without the service of such persons as shal be assigned to execute those lawes upon the persons of malefactours if Law condemne by just and upright sentence the wicked facts and persons of such men as by violating equitie disturbe the peace and welfare of Kingdomes and Governments are those Lawes of any force without the ministry and service of such men as shall put them in execution Surely Enoch the eye of your heart and judgement is not yet open to see your abominable villanies which doe yet rage and swell within you nor is your minde with the illumination whereof you have so much in secret pleased your selfe guided by GOD's Spirit For had these gifts of GOD taken place in your soule as you have still pretended the person of the Hang-man would have beene rather pleasing than offensive unto you as being the instrument of GOD's mercy to let out your soule surcharged by gripes of your conscience with fearefull tremblings into the glorious presence and welcome imbracements of CHRIST your SAVIOUR But looke to your selfe I admonish you for your time of life is short flatter not your selfe in thinking to escape the stroke and infliction of Temporall Vengeance due unto you If you die in these desperate and unchristian moods it is more than greatly to bee feared for it is evident and apparent that your owne personall election whereof you have so much talked was but a presumptuous errour and a gracelesse opinion by Satanicall delusion 34 Now touching this fellow and his opinions hee was charged to hold some points of Anabaptists and Enthusiastes matters I dare be bold to say because I know it right well farre beyond the reach of his apprehension for excepting only his distlike of our Church-ceremonies and his proud opinion of his owne spirituall estate in the favour of GOD he was a most ignorant mâ—â— in all parts of knowledge belonging to religion The matters of Opinion wherewith hee was suspected were principally these First that the soule of a regenerate man is perfectly pure and cleane within him by vertue of his New-birth and consents not either in the understanding by approbation or in the will by election and inclination to any act of sin But that it is only the body and flesh which remaining unsanctified and naturally defiled sollicites urges provokes unto all evill and executeth all acts thereof in the elect of GOD after their conversion and regeneration This opinion is a monster in nature not onely divorcing the soule and body each from other it the time of this life but also attributing unto the body without all motion influence or concomitancie of the soule the producing of actions and operations reall and sinfull This Enoch though of meane apprehension in philosophicall matters understood right well and his opinion herein was onely this and no more That for as much as sanctification which is very rightly and aptly tearmed Inherent Righteousnesse by repairing the decayes of originall grace in our soules and re-inducing the Image of GOD into us is not perfect in this life therefore in all reall acts of sindone by a childe of GOD in state of grace there is a consent to that act both in the understanding and the will the most â—oble and principal faculties of our soules for without assent of these no act is ever produced but it is such a consent as carries not with full sway and violence either of these powers within us pleasingly with strong delight and approbation to prosecute those actions but rather by infirmity under the strength of temptation they themselves are seduced to assent and execute things evill and are thereby for the present supplanted And of this his opinion he was desirous to make illustration in his owne person affirming that his regenerate soule in the very time and act of these murders stirred up some reluctancie within him and suspended his fulnesse of consent in the perpetration thereof His opinion I allow as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 orthodox and sound and confirmed by the experience of all good men in the world But for his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or illustration thereof in his owne person it is Heterodox unsound and of all good men to bee abhorred For an act of wrath resolving it selfe into malice contrived in the minde for the execution and terminated in bloud and murder cannot possibly be admitted to participate of infirmity His Second opinion charged upon him was this That CHRIST our LORD is not now in heaven in that body which by sanctified conception and incarnation Hee tooke of the substance of the holy and blessed Virgin and in which Hee conversed among the Iewes His answer to this was that he was mistaken by certain persons as
logicall forme of reasoning so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of catching the delinquent on both sides Let them now take whether part they will either to be concluded bruit beasts in the shapes of men by their stupid ignorance or saucy Rebells under the visour of Puritanisme And full time it is to subdue their insolent contempt of all Lawes Ecclesiasticall and temporall and to keepe them in order For when the constitutions of the Church are proudly violated and the Lawes of the Commonwealth contemptuously vilified yea even the ever blessed and pure Ordinances of God Himselfe rejected to satisfie Arrogant selfe will what obligations or bonds are existent in nature able to represse the disorders of unruly persons And thus I have done with the county Prisoner 38 And now to vent my owne hearts griefe for many yeares supprest and stifled in my troubled bosome and a little to inlarge my selfe and to make knowne the quality of that people with whom I live Know good Reader that this Towne of Shrewsbury the place of my birth and residence is greatly troubled with a sect of Men and Women with whom I have had much intercourse of conversement not by way of intimate familiarity approving their waies but of vexation and trouble of minde that I could not in thirteene yeares painefull Ministry among them reclaime them from their wandring fancies and reduce them to obedience of supreame Majestie in the persons of two most illustrious and Royall Kings the Father and the Sonne But the more I laboured therein as their consciences can and doe witnesse unto them the more I incurred thereby their secret hate and detraction of my person with detriment and losse to my temporall estate 39 They had about fourteene yeares agoe a learned and Reverend Preacher Mr. Bright who by the practice of two and twenty yeares Ministry among them with divers conferences and perswasions to loyalty and obedience could never worke any thing upon their perverse and peevish dispositions When he grew aged and decayed in his strength these persons laid their counsels purses and powers together and provided them of a Lecturer who concurred in opinion practice and faction with them The man being come among them setled in his place and supported with countenance favour feasts and liberall contributions by underhand collections in all the Parishes of our Towne entered upon his Ministry and mightily laboured with his best abilities to encourage them to constancie in their supposed zealous but in truth in their erroneous schismaticall and disloyall courses These things being wisely observed and the portion of his gifts and Talent noted by that Reverend Gentleman not long before his death Hee being invited to the house of a Gentleman of our Towne and entring conference of these things at the table brake a wittie jest upon their Lecturer and as it were Prophetically signified the truth of this event of his factious courses saying p Genes 21.4 The leane Kine will eate up the fat For indeed in the issue it so fell out in our Towne A leane factious and schismaticall Ministry obscured the light of better parts in men of the same calling and to strengthen a partie and to countenance disorder with Thewda◠boasting himselfe q Act. 5.36 37. to bee some bodie and with Iudas of Galilee hee drew away much people after him But as they perished in their Tumultuous uproares so this practice little inferiour in action and working in a few yeares dissolved of it selfe and onely the ruines thereof remaines yet among us The Reverend man lying on his death-bed The Magistrates of our Towne repaired to visite him in his sicknesse To whom hee gave in strict charge that as they Tendred the glory of God their owne loyaltie to their Liege and Soveraigne whose Ministers they wereby deputation of dignity and authoritie peace and welfare of their Corporation they would carefully resist the purpose of many who laboured to obtrude upon the Towne to succeed in his place a Non-conformed Minister And he told them further what hee himselfe had noted in his wife observations to wit that where any of this sect of disloyall and factious Ministers entered and were entertained by any people there in very short time they proved Incendiaries and by meanes of their owne personall disobedience to the prudent and pious Lawes of our Church that Corporation Towne Parish or Village became rent into faction and cleaving unto parts by violation of unity and Christian peace 40 This Reverend man being laid in his sepulchre in peace and honour one Mr. Browne a learned and godly Minister of exemplary vertue and pious conversation was elected to succeed him and this man exercising his labours among them by the space of thirteene yeares was so rudely and unchristianly handled in their insolent contempt of his talent and paines that by an invective and bitter Libell consisting of fourteene leaves in quarto cast into his garden they disquieted his painefull and peaceable soule and shortened the date of his troublesome Pilgrimage They are a generation of men strongly addicted to heare no other Ministers but those of their owne character and print and such men though of lightest talents and meanest parts they extoll and advance up to the clouds in raptures of admiration runne after them from place to place to be partakers of their sanctified gifts and holy exhortations In the meane time neglecting the Ministry of those learned and godly men whom their owne judgements though depraved with errour and sinister surmises and their consciences though misguided by selfe will cannot choose but prefer by many degrees before their owne bosome Darlings But humility and patience must be the guides of godly Christian men submitting themselves to the holy pleasure of GOD's Divine will who in these crosses of disgrace and contempt from others exercises thereby their piety wisdome constancie in bearing with the rods of his fatherly correction whereby he conformes them in holy suffrings to the person of our Lord and Saviour CHRIST IESUS that Sonne of His love r Rom. 8.29 And His holy decrees being made knowne to His Church must poize and hold in even temper of prudent moderation and godly subjection unto them the soules of all His children to whom He hath made knowne ſ 2 Tim. 4.3 4. That the time wil come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their owne lusts shall heape unto themselves teachers having itching eares and they shall turne away their eares from the Truth and shall bee turned unto fables For among the great fables of the world which attempt to defile the sacred puritie of the Gospell this of Non-conformitie holdeth a choice and principall place For though the object of its proud ambitious and peremptory discontent use the varnish and pretense of harmelesse Ceremonies to raise up their cavils and perpetuate their secret railings yet the traine of consequences depending on these lighter matters will bee found not to terminate in
of sensible lamentation by such men who are spiritually gifted and qualified for prayer and other holy offices presently they are so soft and flexible to receive any impression that they even of their owne accord without any further motives hasten to this conclusion of their owne wise making Surely these are good men and by their prayers and Ministry doubtlesse salvation is brought unto them and all other blessings upon their families And if these good Christians the entertainers of these holy men shall take some liberty to themselves to love the world and worldly things under the names of frugality good husbandry and provident circumspection in all their affaires and also shall now and then stretch their consciences for the enlargement of their temporall estate whereby they are made capable of dignities and precedencies in the Common-wealth yet for all this they know their zeale is pleasing unto the LORD their good GOD Because their houses and their bowels are open and not straitned against His Saints For our LORD and SAVIOUR IESUS CHRIST hath assured them h Matth. 10.41 He that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shall receive a Prophets reward and hee that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous mans reward And thus the common people to countenance an artificiall vantie masked with sinceritie are willing and forward to delude their owne soules 2 Having thus laid their ground-work by traducing the Church-government with intimation of their owne pietie in that they cannot apply themselves to submit to the practice of it then they raise the goodly structure of their Babylonian Tower and effectuate thereby their designed projects for then they are presently admitted into Christian families among the richer sort of people who out of a spirituall ambition which their wealth hath begotten in them are strongly addicted to please themselves and to be voyced abroad for religious persons in giving entertainment to godly Ministers Hence growes a familiarity in the LORD betweene these Ministers and their kinde friends so that after supper wherein the blessings of GOD have beene plentifully received by eating of the fat and drinking of the sweet they goe to a solemne prayer and thankesgiving for the blessings they have presently received But in this Prayer the King the Queene and the regall off-spring are very rarely or to speake more home to their practice are never mentioned though thereby through their omission of so gracious a duty they contemne and violate an expresse precept of the new Testament 1 Tim. 2.1.2 I exhort that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thankes be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty And under a tyrannicall State by conquest and severity of usage GOD's people are commanded Ier. 29.7 Seeke the peace of the Citie whither I have caused you to bee carried away captives and pray unto the LORD for it for in the peace thereof ye shall have peace If this be the revealed will of the LORD that neither tyranny captivity vassallage or oppression ought to interrupt the gratious and charitable current of our devotions to GOD but that we are expresly commanded by our LORD and SAVIOUR Love your enemies Matth. 5.44 blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them which desitefully use you and persecute you What can these Ministers think of themselves who living under the peacefull Regiment of a pious Prince graciously affected to advance the glory of our LORD in propagating the lustre and power of his sacred Gospel but that they themselves are lively described by the ancient Pagans For Diogenes could say of the flatterer Diogenes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Speeches uttered to the pleasing of men are an hunnied halter wher with by adulation the flatterer strangleth his flattred friend And another Philosopher sayes of such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is better to fall among Ravens than among flatterers for those devour onely carcases these eate up living men For in the prayers which these Non-conformed Ministers doe make they never faile to mention their owne friends and good benefactours But zealous raptures are cast up to heaven craving of the LORD in His love and mercie i Iob 29.4 That He would shine upon their Tabernacles and powre out Rivers of Oyle and Butter vpon them And though this kinde of Ministers have no better abilities than other men have in prayer and spirituall devotions who dare not for feare of dishonouring GOD and defiling their owne consciences with hypocrisie and adulation intrude and creep into their neighbours houses to eate up their family provision and to lighten their purses yet by this their fawning upon good Christian people they knit up the knot of firme binding and religious familiarity And these Ministers grow hereby in the houses of strangers to exercise masterly authority over the children and servants And happie is the master but especially the mistresse when shee sees it so And unlesse these men farre remote in place of Habitation from them will deigne many times in the yeare to ride twentie thirtie fortie miles to come and visite their friends newly found and preach unto them and pray with them These vaine ignorant and selfe-pleasing Laickes thinke themselves scarse blessed of GOD by the neglect of their Pious and their new friends spiritually qualified with fervour of devotion 3 These Ministers make their friends to know that they could be content for their sakes and to doe them spiritual good to enter upon a Lecture and preach unto them but for Pastorall charge clogged with Incumbencie and residence which may hinder their vagaries and restraine them from travelling to visit their profitable friends whereby they are in danger to lose their acquaintance and abridge the liberal benevolences of their good Benefactors and which may also tye their strict and reserved consciences to performe all ministeriall acts furnished out with Romish Ceremonies as they terme them ô this their tender hearts and queasie stomackes cannot endure even as the Fox in the Fable cares not for grapes because they hang out of his reach For if many excellent men of worth and parts living in the Vniversities the Fountaines of Divine and Human literature are rarely called forth for their merit to enjoy and execute Spirituall Livings abroad in the country but are suffered to their griefe Consenescere in studiis to wax old and spend the strength of their dayes in their private studies unlesse they will travell abroad make a noise in the world and comply with the Gentry by servile adulation What may we thinke of these seeming Saints who are of the meanest gifts for the most part in our kingdome Surely unlesse these men worke by policie fawne flatter apply to their good friends and spirituall Zelots they are like many times
circumference of their own In-conformity But let them delude and flatter themselves in their Toyish Imaginations as long as they will and persist to affront Authoritie in the person of their Prince and the commaund of his Lawes It is my hope and confidence and I trust all good men concurre with me therein That as the Lord in mercy and holy love unto his Church among us hath given Pure Wisedome to his Anointed Vice-gerent to discover these obliquities and Impostures and also Royall courage to attempt the reformation and suppression thereof So he will also strengthen and uphold his Princely Arme in his proceedings therein till he have brought the same to a gratious and to a glorious perfection And then will this Church and Kingdome know both in the generall body therof and also more specially in these Non-conformists theselves both Ecclesiasticall and Secular when their eyes are opened to behold their owne errours That they have beene long deteyned and deluded in adoring vaine fantasies not worth the regarding And then they will also blesse and magnifie the LORD'S great mercies and returne the Tribute of thankfull and of loyal hearts to their gratious Sovereigne by whose pious care so laudable and glorious a work hath beene prospered and atchieved For though now errors in their soules do dimme darken and even blinde the eye of their Iudgements and not suffer them with the cleere light of sanctified Reason to behold this wholesome and profitable truth shine forth unto them Namely That Vnitie and Peace betweene the Prince and his People and with all the People mutually among themselves are the true and proper glory of Earthly Kingdomes typically figuring the celestial Vnity in blessednes and glory in the Triumphant Church of GOD And that Schisme Division of any people into variety of opinions and affections is the bane and subversion of the Tranquillity of a Church Nation resembling the confusions and perturbations of satans infernal regiment Then will they cleerely see to the infinite joy and comfort of their own soules that this disobedience to Royall Majesty and prudent lawes for things of indifferent nature is no more but a selfe-pleasing fantafie which every good man may verie well spare and yet remaine a faithfull sonne to GOD his Father a sound member of that particular Church wherein he was baptised and a loyall and obedient subject to the Majesty of that gratious Prince in whose Dition and Principality he first drew his native breath and being And if these men will but entertaine that one rule of our LORD and SAVIOUR IESUS CHRIST Matth. 11.28 Learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart and yee shall finde rest for your soule And by this rule wil strive to take downe the height of their owne elate and haughty spirits and humble themselves to submit to the wisedome of their King and State and to suspect their owne wisdomes as every wise man ought to doe surely then the things proposed unto them for obedience and the setling of uniformitie over the body of this Church and Kingdome will shortly be universally admitted and pleasingly entertained And when they have cast away that prejudicate and troublesome opinion which they have of the persons of the Bishops who for their wisdome piety gravity sincerity deserve all due respect of veneration to bee given unto them Then the blessed experience of the manifold commodities which accompany peace and unity will not onely prove an inward comfort to their soules but will also make them to bee greatly offended with themselves for their obstinate contumacie against their lawful Superiours when they shall cal to minde how long they have deprived themselves of so great a blessing as is Vnitie of Heart Minde and Iudgement by dividing themselves from the obedience of their spirituall Mother the Orthodox and pure Church of GOD in this Kingdome For in all humane matters and these of ceremonies are no other all sound knowledge and judgement is attained by experience which though it be said to be the Mistresse of fooles by shewing unto them and imprinting on their hearts their manifold errours yet she is no foolish mistresse but the best informer and reformer of our understandings and wills by which it pleaseth GOD to reduce from wandering His straying sheepe and gratiously confine them within His owne fold witnesse the wanton Prodigall who running riot from his father and from the true principles of knowledge in his owne soule never returned againe to GOD or to himselfe till sensible experience of his owne vanity had pinched him and made him as the Scriptures report 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 15.17 to come home to himselfe by the gratious view of his errors directed thereunto by the Spirit of God And these Non-conformists whether Church-men or Lay-men they are no other but Wanton and Prodigall fugitives and Run-awayes from their spirituall Father the LORD who requires of us and them 1 Pet. 2.14 To submit our selves to every ordinance of men for the LORD'S sake And fugitives also they are from their Politike Father the King by rejecting his Authority given him by GOD. And till some few gentle stripes with the Rod of Princely power prove unto them as the famine did to the Prodigall open their eyes and give them sensible impression and experience of their sullen Pride and Vanity they wil never returne soundly to their GOD to their Prince to themselves but they will riotize in selfe-opinions and deluded imaginations to the hazard and endangering of their owne soules by incurring the wrath of God And for mine owne part I am perswaded that if all the Non-conformed Ministers in this Church were divided into foure equal parts three of them have never read any controversies of our Church-discipline but perhaps some of the railing Libels of Master Cartwright and his companions a part by themselves which passe underhand from man to man amongst them without the learned Antidots of contrary writings to expell the maligne poison and infection therof But these men looke only upon the practise of the times and seeing that to incline to this faction is a faire way of thriving both in reputation of credit with this sort of people and also in meanes of livelihood by private and underhand Benevolences Gratuities Contributions they are thereby inticed on to these disloyall and factious courses which in multitudes of Lay-persons of severall rankes and degrees is growne to a great height of strength and power And yet neither their multitudes nor their power so great but that wise men may discover in them that they are not persons of any courage to hold out opposition against Authority to the incurring of danger either to their persons or to their estates which cowardize of Spirit in persons otherwise of so high insolent and daring spirits as they are plainly convinceth the truth of the over-ruling hand of GOD'S power in all mens hearts and also pleadeth and acteth in their owne
bosomes the Iustice and Equity of the Kings cause now taken in hand by impressions of sensible feare making them to tremble at the mention of Humane Authority as it is the execution of divine power for Temporall government For were their persons as cleare and innocent as they pretend by ostentation of the uprightnesse of their consciences in the cause of GOD or their judgements right and sound in that they hold with dissent from their wise superiours or their cause it selfe a matter of importance wherein the Honour or Dishonour of GOD stands Interessed and Ingaged surely then the LORD would fortifie and adde spiritual vigour to their masculine and high spirits and not suffer them to shrinke under the practice of Humane power urged for their correction and amendment And let me further certifie this irregular generation that if their fancies had been of GOD and decreed for His fetled ordinance It had not received such a wound as of late it hath done by the hand of Princely power which already hath made their building to nod and totter and incline to subversion For the Argument of Gamaliel uttered by the present inspiration of GOD'S Spirit is invincible Act. 5.39 Mans power cannot overthrow that which is of GOD which impregnable and sacred Truth I will demonstrate in this syllogisticall processe Whatsoever is of GOD decreed for continuance and propagation Major can neither bee dissolved by Humane power nor weakened and abated This Novell Toy of resisting authority Minor is by Humane power weakened and abated and drawes on to dissolution Therefore it is not of GOD by ordinance for Propagation Conclusio The whole force of this Argument so clear and conclusive is drawne from the practice of GOD Himselfe in the Primitive infancie of the Christian Church when the Roman Tyrants mighty in power and extention of authority over most parts of the habitable earth raged against the glory of our LORD IESUS CHRIST in the lustre of His Gospell and vowed the extinction of His Name and memory but the more their fury increased and insulted over the poore sheepe of CHRIST daily dragged unto slaughter by Martyrdome the more they found to the check of their infidell pride and immanity that Sanguis Martyrum erat semen Ecclesiae The bloud of Martyrs was the springing seed of the Church both for the increase of the number of professors and dilatation of the glory and power of our SAVIOUR If any shal reply unto mee that Humane power may for a time suppresse the outward growth and spreading of this disobedience to our King and his Lawes yet for as much as they are godly forsooth and doe it for conscience sake their practice will still retaine spirituall heat and vigorous warmth in the root and secret heart thereof and thereby sprout out againe and declare it selfe to bee of the LORD'S plantation To these men I reply no more but thus That I wish all such persons to suspend their owne rash and sinister perswasions for a time and to expect the event of the LORD'S will therein which in doubtfull cases is never knowne but by the sensible and apparent manifestation thereof 51 Now for this firy fancie and exquisite fascination of our Non-conformity I will freely and openly deliver my opinion thereof and that is this That when she was in her greatest ruffe and glory deckt with all the plumes of her pride and best acceptation which ever she had in this Kingdome I conceive of her that then even then she was no more but meretrix cerussata a whited painted and artificially coloured strumpet exposing her selfe to her most profitable wooers and entertainers But now that by time and age shee is become Rugosa cadaverosa wrinckled and decayed shee goes on I hope to her grave with infamie and dishonour The reason of my opinion is this I suppose that if her stoutest champions who have long with the secret increase of their private estates supported her glory could now come off fairely from her without detriment to their livelihood and eclipse of the brightnesse of their former reputation for Piety and Sincerity That then not one of them would either depart this Land or endure to bee silenced and restrained from preaching but being shut up in a strait by reflecting on their owne hearts and calling to minde what high and transcendent prayses they have in corners given to this their fancie the engine and instrument of all their delusions and the artificial and fine-wrought key whereby they have opened the Closets and Cabinets of their deare and privat friends if now they should shrinke from it they overthrow for ever the reputation of their integrity And therefore having within their owne bosomes a troublesome conflict betweene their hearts puffed up with the remembrance of their late glory and deare esteeme among their friends and their consciences now secretly prompting them that the grounds of their Schisme were things light triviall and of no moment The pride of their hearts beares downe with strong power the plea of their consciences and makes them resolve rather to endure a silencing with hope to retaine the under-hand benevolences of their tender hearted friends than to supplant the pleasing contentments they have received to themselves in appropriating to themselves the words of GOD's Spirit Prov. 12.26 The righteous man is more excellent than his neighbour But let such men call to minde the judgements of GOD's wrath against that slothfull person Matt. 25.30 Who wrapped up his Talent in a Napkin and hid it in the earth For if Saint Paul could say in the case of planting of Churches 1 Cor. 9.16 Necessitie is laid upon mee yea woe is mee if I preach not the Gospell I cannot yet understand nor themselves neither of any dispensation or relaxation that Ministers have in these dayes to sit idle at home in vayne speculations and to neglect the Watering of those Churches and feeding of those flockes which by other mens labours have beene prepared and made ready to their Ministry Yet this liberty to please themselves by voluntary or imposed silence and the Iustice and Aequitie thereof on their parts in submitting to so sharpe a censure is still by them constantly assevered And thereby they strive to uphold the good conceits which their friends have of the puritie of their consciences and of the Iniquity Idolatry and Prophanenesse of those Antichristian Ceremonies which are urged against them for better termes or Titles they know right well they never afford them And this is the true cause why I was so bold and plaine with them as to tearme their practice of Non-conformity by the odious name of a Painted Strumpet because a learned Philosopher describing the Arts and subtilties of such wanton and uncleane persons sayes of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As Strumpets wish all sorts of happinesse may befail their lovers except understanding and wisdome to discover their own wickednes so doe flatterers
wish unto all those persons with whom they converse and are entertained And even so this sect of men wish to their profitable friends all other kindes of happinesse riches honours dignities affluence of all worldly contents answerable to the desires of their owne hearts But that their understandings should be inlightned to discover their owne former errours and to find out the frauds and alluring enticements wherewith they use to insnare them and tye them fast to themselves This part of divine wisdome they never wish unto them but mainely labour to hold them backe from attaining therunto for if once this bright ray and beame of divine truth glance into their soules and be received by them with pause deliberation and more prudent inspection into their former courses than formerly they have used then these men know right wel Actum est de illis their Acts are discovered and their Play is exploded For now silencing from the execution of so sacred a vocation is become in this age for temporall emoluments farre more profitable to this kinde of men than the godly labours of religious Ministers in the constant imployment of their talents proves unto them So miserably are Gods people led blindfolded into spirituall captivity But if the bosomes of these men were transparent and the close-wrought veyle wherein all their policies are enwrapped were Translucent and thereby their sleights exposed to the view of all men I make no question but that the leprosie of corruption would bee sensibly discovered to have maculated their hearts and consciences For it is not possible that Gods Spirit should erre in describing the Acts and Qualities of seducers I beseech you Brethren marke them which cause divisions among you and offences contrary to the Doctrine that yee have learned and avoyd them for they that are such serve not the LORD IESUS but their owne belly and by good words and faire speeches deceive the hearts of the simple And these men in Saint Paul's time in the Church of Rome were reputed as sincere up right holy and spiritually qualified with gifts of divine grace as are our Non-conformists in the Church of England And certainely unlesse this worke of the Kings most excellent Majesty and his pious and prudent Bishops were directed by GOD Himselfe in their hearts it could never have received so great approbation in the hearts of most men and they wise religious and vertuous as of late it hath done in this Land for not only many thousands who had a kinde of charitable opinion of these men though they did not familiarly converse with them entertaine them in their houses or comply with them in their cōceits begin now much to distaste them and greatly desire the suppression of them But which is more even their owne friends also who were wholly theirs begin to faint in their courage and in some degrees to distaste those courses if they could handsomely shake them off and yet preserve the reputation of their former zeale For this is the maine blocke which most of them stumble at namely Not feare of dishonouring GOD nor hurting the purity of their owne consciences if they should shake hands and bid farewell to their niceties and follies But how to keepe up their credits in the hearts of those men who being honest vertuous and worthy of good respect they have much vilified dis-esteemed in matters of religion in comparison with themselves But this is a needlesse and superfluous care for I am of opinion that all honest hearted Christians both Ministers and Lay-people who zealously desire the peace and flourish of our Church and Kingdome will readily give them the right-hand of unfained fellowship receive them into their bosomes with alacrity and joy for their return to the obedience of their spirituall Mother the Church and never twit nor upbraid them with their former toyish errours And here let me put you my Brethren of Shrewsbury in minde which you ought to take in good part and thankfully at my hands from the sense and experience thereof in your owne bosomes That I have observed in divers of your persons that your zeale and fervour in your once approved cause doth begin to slake and remit of those intensive degree which it formerly had in you So that there is nothing wanting unto you but the application and pressing of authoritie unto your wavering mindes which are easily taken off from your former course And I am perswaded upon very pregnant grounds that there are of you who beginne to smell out either the fraud or Art or what other terme is apt for that fine peece of policie wherein you have beene long enwrapped by errour of your judgements to your cost and expences And which hath made many Gentlemen of this Kingdom to say in the words of our LORD though in a contrary sense Zelus Domus tuae exedit me Ioh. 2.17 The zeale of thy house hath eaten me up And many of your well-willers as your selves know very well being but halfe brothers and percell gilt are content to sooth and flatter you in your opinions but they will looke well enough to their purses and have care of the maine as though they had learned that axiome in Philosophie Noli perdere substantiam propter accidens Destroy not thy substance for an accident to wit a Toy My hope is therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with GOD that our Prudent Governour lately placed over us Bishop Wright in whose Person wisdome and courage conjoyned with gracious Affability and mildnesse of spirit doe strive for precedencie will execute that Authority wherewith the sacred Majesty of our King hath entrusted him and by correcting your insolencies which are nothing else but selfe-pleasing vanities and the proper effects of pride and weaknesse of judgement will reduce you to obedience of righteous Lawes and keepe you in order for untill the rod of power and discipline bee imposed gently for your correction your affections wil stray from that regularity of obedience which Gods sacred Word and the obligation of your owne consciences borne under the Law of natural alleagiance to the Majesty of your Prince require at your hands For it is an ancient and profitable saying and which holy David found true in spirituall matters Psal 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I have kept thy Commandements 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Corrections whether Divine or Humane do instruct the children of GOD which I hope you are to wiser and more obedient intentions and actions 52 And here I am forced much against my will to Apologize for mine owne integrity and innocencie in a particular matter which lately fell out among us in which I have beene by many of this factious Brother-hood most impudently abused The matter would be very long to relate it with all circumstances incident thereunto take it therefore thus with al the brevity I am able The most Reverend Father in God the L. Bishop of our Diocesse preached a