THE True Loyalist Wherein is Discovered First The falshood and deceipt of the Solemn League and Covenant Secondly That there is no Salvation out of Christ Thirdly That the Pope is the Anti-Christ the Man of Sin or the Son of Perdition Cum multis aliis c. By a True Loyalist 1 Pet. 2.17 Fear God and Honour the King 1 Sam. 8.8 12.18 Quisquis Deum timet etiam Regibus honorem habebit Calvin LONDON Printed for the Author and are to be Sold by John Crump at the Three Bibles at the Little North-door in St. Paul's Church-yard MDCLXXXIII THE True Loyalist PROV XXIV 21. My Son fear thou the Lord and the King And meddle not with * Heb. Changers them that are given to change KING Solomon the Wise having by woeful experience seen much folly and vanity in all the passages of this life even in humane wisdom it self a Eccles 1. is thought most fit by the Holy Ghost to become our Master of defence and instructer therein to arm us against all their assaults with many wise Counsels and wholesom instructions in three Books gradually This his Proverbs his Ecclesiastes and his Canticles answerable to the three remarkable Periods of mans Age his Youth his Manhood and his Old age 1. In his Proverbs or wise sayings he hath given us many bitter pills to purge out our amorous and youthful lusts and many love-potions too to allure us unto good works by that Beauty and Lustre that is in vertue and from the reward of well-doing That our new Vessels being seasoned with Wisdom when we are Ephebi and Young may not taste of the cask of folly when we are old b Prov. 22.6 2. In his Ecclesiastes or book of the Preacher he hath discovered the perilous and painted Beauty of the world the deceitfulness and sophistry of Riches and Honour and all things therein together with the brevity uncertainty and evil of a mans days that when we are adulti more mature and confirmed in years we may be moved thereby to despise and repudiate the one for its deformity and insufficiency and get the more solidity by a serious reflection upon the vanity of the other 3. In his Canticles Epithalamium or mystical Love-song betwixt Christ and the Church from the consideration of natural and earthly things he ascends to the speculation and contemplation of things Supernatural and Divine That when we are Old Aged and well stricken in years we may not grow the more earthly the more we grow to the earth but have our minds there in a special manner possessed with Metaphysical and Heavenly meditations and fixed upon God and Christ where the Soul like Noahs Dove can only find rest and tranquillity For as St. * Bernard in Canticis Bernard hath taught us in primo pellitur superfluus amor Sui in secundo vanus amor mundi in tertio praescribitur castus amor Dei The Proverbs disswade us from Philautia the foolish and superfluous love of our selves The Ecclesiastes disswades the vain worthless love of the Vicious World The Canticles perswade the pure chast and perfect love of God So that these Books of Solomon being adapted to the three grand periods of mans age none may think themselves unconcerned and plead want of direction But all even from the days of their youth may remember their Creator c Eccles 12.1 and as they grow in years grow in grace always ascending up higher and higher upon Jacobs Ladder 2 Pet. 1. from one vertue to another till they come to glory And accordingly the Wise man hath directed this Proverb to all both young and old to instruct the one and remind the other of their duty of subjection and obedience to the Lord Analogia numeri the singular number for the Plural by a Synecdoche membri and the King under a sweet compellation but indefinite title fili mi my Son whereby are meant all the Sons and Daughters of Adam without discrimination And Secondly as this Proverb is universal in its direction so it containeth a duty no less necessary to be performed by all For it is observable that our Master useth this familiar and insinuating title fili mi my Son only here and two and twenty times besides in all his Proverbs to shew that though his other Proverbs which only suppose this title are in their proper Spheres very excellent for Wisdom and instruction yet those Proverbs that are inforced immediately with this winning and alluring compellation fili mi My Son are of nearer concern and more important Lessons for us to learn in his School of Wisdom or Righteousness And I may add too that this Proverb which we are now upon doth seem in regard of its great comprehensiveness to have an eminency above them all as including in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecclesiastes 12.13 by way of excellency the whole Duty of Man all the ingredients of a Christian to constitute the Essence or Being of a true Loyalist This will most clearly appear in the opening of its parts which are these two in general 1. A Precept My Son fear thou the Lord and the King 2. A Caution and meddle not with them that are given to change 1. For the Precept My Son fear thou the Lord and the King And therein two things are very worthy our consideration 1. A Conjunction of the Lord and the King 2. An Injunction of fear to them both In the handling of which order requires me that I first speak of the Conjunction of the Lord and the King And they are very fitly and wisely joyned together in three things 1. In regard of their Headship and Soveraignty for Deus magnus immortalis est Rex Rex parvus mortalis est Deus God is a great and immortal King and a King is a little and mortal God d Ps 82.6 Monarchy is Gods own Government he hath his Throne in the Heavens and his Kingdom ruleth over all the Kingdoms of the World e Ps 103.19 Isa 66.1 where he hath ordained terrene Monarchs for his Deputies and Viceroys to rule his Church externally in his stead as he himself rules it internally by his Holy Spirit And from hence he is emphatically styled the King of kings and Lord of lords f 1 Tim. 6.15 And Kings nursing Fathers and Queens nursing Mothers to his Church g Isa 49.23 2. In regard of the Prerogatives which are annexed to their Headship and Soveraignty The first whereof is Power and Authority God in proportion to his Grandeur and Headship over all the World hath absolute and Independent power in himself In which respect he is here called by his proper name Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Original the name of his Essence and Majesty deduced ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fuit as being a Being before and the Original of all Beings The same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ero qui ero
12.6 7 8 9. so the true Loyalist fears to offend his King not slavishly only for the sake of his power as the nominal Loyalist doth for fear of punishment but Evangelically out of a filial fear and perfect love to God Which as St. John saith casteth out all slavish and tormenting fear o 1 John 4.18 In a word the true Loyalist looks upon his King not humanely as one that hath only power and authority to terrifie and punish him if he do evil but spiritually and abstractedly as he is Gods Minister and Vicegerent ordained for that very end And therefore he fears and subjects himself to him of necessity not only for Wrath but also for Conscience sake p Rom. 13.4 5. Thus you see the nature and quality of fear which makes the difference between the true Loyalist and the false But now we must consider that as a filial and Evangelical fear being as it were the Royal Head the primum mobile or first mover in all the Spheres of Religion q Pro. 9.10 Job 28.28 doth in its progress produce 1. True honour to the King and that both of esteem and maintenance and 2. With true honour all the parts of obedience r Ecclesiastes 12.13 So these duties and commandments are counterfeited by the Devil Gods Ape either by corrupting the hearts of his Children with a servile fear or by changing himself in them into an Angel of light In all which the True Loyalist will also be discovered from the false by the difference of their originals For your better understanding whereof take this for a general Rule That the True Loyalist makes the fear of God the groundwork of all duties to his King he eyes God in all and doth all for his sake and to his glory Whereas the counterfeit Loyalist doth in all only eye either humane powers or his own safety sinister ends or vain glory As 1. The True Loyalist is one that honoureth his King not only for the fear of his power and authority and the Penal Laws of the Land as the nominal Loyalist doth but out of love and fear to God because so is his will and Commandment ſ 1 Pet. 2.15 in which respect St. Peter hath joyned them both together saying fear God honour the King t 1 Pet. 2.17 2. Though a Kings Majesty and Grandeur be the foundation of humane honour as well as his power is of a servile fear yet the True Loyalist honours his King not for the sake of them alone meerly as they are humane as the Carnal Loyalist doth but as his King receives them from God his only Lord and Master and in that respect are impresses of the Divine Yea and in regard of his supremacy Prerogatives too annexed to his headship 3. The True Loyalist honoureth his King not for any self-interest or by-end of his own as the time-serving self-seeking Jesuitical Loyalist doth but still only for the Lords sake because he is his Minister and Vicegerent Lastly The True Loyalist honoureth his King not in word only as lip-holy and heart-hollow Pharisees honour the Lord u Mat. 15.8 9. but ex animo sincerely from his very heart in deed and in truth 1 John 3.18 for duty and Conscience sake because God hath commanded him to give honour to whom honour is due w Rom. 13.7 And no marvel for thus the True Loyalist honoureth all his other Governours both in Church and State 1. He highly esteemeth in love all his spiritual Governours both Bishops and Pastors of the Church not for their persons x Rom 2.11 James 2.9 Jud. 16. but for their works sake not because they have the rule over him but because they are over him in the Lord and are Ambassadors for Christ to admonish and beseech him in his stead to be reconciled to God y 2 Cor. 5.20 1 Thes 5.12 13. Phil. 2.29 Heb. 13.7 17. Rom. 10.15 2. He much honoureth too all Magistrates and Civil Governours according to their several orders and Degrees whom his King hath put in authority under him in the State not for their powers sake but still for the Lords sake because they have received their power from him to execute his wrath upon evil doers and for the praise of them that do well z Rom. 13.4 1 Pet. 2.14 16. How much more then doth he honour his King who is a person not only Civil but Sacred too Civil in respect he is not to intermeddle with the Holy Function of a Minister any more than King Vzziah was to invade the holy Office of a Priest a 2 Chron. 26.18 or we are to meddle with them that are given to Change But Sacred in respect he is Gods Deputy and Vicegerent ordained under him Supreme Head and Governour over all both in Church and State as well the highest of the Clergy as the lowest of the Laity God himself always held the Scepter above the Miter to defend it and therefore King David calls himself expresly the Lord of Zadok the High Priest b 1 King 1.33 Yea in a word the True Loyalist considers that as his Lord God himself is the common Father of us all c Mal. 1.6 so hath he appointed the King his Vicegerent to be Pater patriae the Father of his Country And therefore he respects him accordingly above all as an obedient Son doth his Father that so he may neither stand in the light of his own honour by dishonouring his Lord God in contemning in his King the Image of his authority d 1 Sam. 2.30 nor withstand his promise of long life either in this World or the World to come or both by breaking the fifth Commandment This is enough to let us see that True godliness and Loyalty True Loyalty and goldiness the fear of the Lord and the fear of the King go hand in hand together both in the Affirmative and in the Negative 1. The consequence à majori ad minus is undeniable in the Affirmative He that doth the greater duty in Religion will not stick to do the lesser quisquis Deum timet etiam Regibus honorem habebit 1 Pet. 2.17 1 Sam. 8.8 12.18 saith Calvin he that feareth God will also honour his King And 2. The consequence à minori ad majus is as undeniable in the Negative He that refuses to do the lesser duty in Religion to be sure will not do the greater he that will not fear and honour his King no man can be so sottish to think that he feareth God Therefore what St. John saith concerning our love to God and our brother e 1 Joh. 4.20 I may as truly say of our fear to God and our King If a man say I fear God and dishonoureth his King he is a lyer no less than a Quaker for he that honoureth not his King who is visible how can he fear God whom no man can see and live f Exod. 33.20 From
consensit There was never any of my predecessors that would be called by this prophane title And in another Epistle * Gregory lib. 4. Epist 38. having resembled him to Lucifer he saith thus unto him Tu quid Christo Vniversalis Sanctae Ecclesiae capiti in extremi judiciies dicturus examine qui cuncta ejus membra tibimet conaris Vniversalis appellatione supponere What answer wilt thou make in the Tryal of the last judgment unto Christ the Head of his Universal Church that thus by the name of Universal Bishop seekest to bring under thee all the members of his body No wonder then if Anti-Christ and his Crue have endeavoured to suppress his works But to come nearer home Eleutherius * Fox's Acts and Monuments p. 146. And Isaacsons Appen of the Plantation Encrease of Christianity in the Isle of Great Britain who became Bishop of Rome A. D. 177. in a Letter to Lucius the first Christian King who began his Rule over the Britains A. D. 170. upon his pious request for instructions in Christianity acknowledgeth him to be Gods only Vicar in his own Kingdom And indeed if no such Testimonies could have been produced it must needs be a very Antichristian thing so much as to conceit that the holy Apostle St. Peter should be so wicked as to break any Canon of the Apostles who made on t * Canon 36. that no Bishop under pain of deprivation should dare to intermeddle beyond his own bounds in anothers Province as being no ways subject to him St. Peter then is free from giving beginning to Anti-Christ nor will the Primitive Bishops allow him his Supremacy Where then will he fix What in Lucifer His coming is after the working of Satan from him he derives his Pedegree The times were pure at first Anti-Christ then only began to work he rose in his mysterie f iniquity by degrees first above Bishops then above Patriarchs then above Councils then above Kings then above Scriptures then at last seeing he could mount no higher he as God sits him down in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God I need not plead that time cal's me away to other things this is enough to convince any rational man that the Pope is really the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very Anti-Christ the man of Sin and the Son of perdition Who then would be a Papist surely none but those whom the God of this World hath blinded u 2. Cor. 4.4 I know that there is no Religion in the World hath so great a Decoy in it to make Carnal men to profess it as Popery hath it is more self pleasing and gives fuller reins to flesh and blood than any other but nothing mor doth manifest it to be from the man of Sin * Richard Burton of the Wars in England Scotland and Ireland p. 49. Mervin Lord Audly and Earl of Castlehaven doth give us a very remarkable instance in this He was educated in the Protestant Religion but turned Papist to have the more liberty to commit wickedness in which he grew to so great an height that in the year 1631. being condemned by his Peers for Rape and Sodomy c. he impudently declared in the presence of some Lords that as others had their several delights some in one thing some in another so his delight was in Damning Souls by enticing men to such acts as might surely effect it And marel not that some of them have more art to hide their wickedness for Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of light w 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. 1. Therefore let us beware of these false Prophets and deceitful workers that are thus notoriously give to change from the fear of the Lord and the King lest we be also inserted with them into the family of Anti-Christ and adopted the Sons of perdition 2. Let us remember to render unto God due praise and thankfulness for all his former benefits x Psal 103. Psal 68.19 wherewith he hath continually loaded this undeserving Nation in many wonderful deliverances of our King and Country from their restless and unwearied Craft and Cruelty lest our ingratitude hold his hand from blessing us with future mercies For qui non est gratus datis non est dignus dandis He that is not thankful for benefits already received is not worthy to receive any more Lastly Let us not forget to pray unto God most earnestly that he will still confound all their plots and stratagems and maugre all their malice still protect his Majesty under the shadow of his Wings Psal 57.1 that he our King may enjoy a long and prosperous Reign over us and we his Subjects may lead a quiet and peaceable life under him in all godliness and honesty For happy is that people that is in such a case Yea happy is that people whose God is the Lord. y Ps 144.15 2. For the Fanaticks they bring up the Reer yet they march not far behind Yea time was when they went before and disquieted the Nation with this evil the greatest under the Sun Folly was set in great dignity and the Rich and Honourable were detruded into low places Thinkers and Coblers and such like heaved themselves upon the Horses of their Princes and made them walk as servants upon the earth z Ecclesiastes 10.6 7. Pro. 19.10 30.22 Neither was this the height of their ambition they fulfilled Mother Shipton's Prophecy before the time they called a Parliament of High shoes to rase the Palace with Hob-nails and tread down all Royalty and Loyalty They pluck't the King from his Throne and set upon it no better than a Brewer Yea they were tickled so much with pride and Covetousness that they did not only attempt as the Papists did but they actually made their King a Martyr Et quid non mortalia pectora cogis Auri sacra fames And what wickedness is there that the love of money doth not tempt the hearts of men unto Covetousness is rightly stiled the root of all evil the King being gone they quickly changed Monarchy Gods own Government into Oligarchy whereby they made the Common wealth our Common-woe both by changing the order of nature into Anarchy and Confusion and giving reins to their licentiousness to play Rex's both in Church and State As 1. Having cantonized * Hist Independ Compleat Part 1. p. 89. the Kingdom amongst themselves Prideaux the Post-master being King of the West-Saxons and murdered their King to maintain their unjust possessions they make a re-entry as it were upon what they had formerly usurped to lay the faster hold and make new divisions too of the best places and preferments in the Nation They imprisoned the Gentry and reduced †Hist Independ Compleat Part 1. p. 65. them to the condition of conquered Slaves they plundered and left them almost quite naked and enforced free quarter from all and would not suffer any
hence are justly condemned two sorts of men amongst us 1. Those that dare presume to stile themselves the Godly Party and yet refuse all Loyalty to their Prince That pretend very much to fear the Lord and yet are not afraid to dishonour their King And who are such but only our Pharisaical Puritans and Fanaticks Time was we know when those Godly-gulls and Holy-cheats made the deluded people of this Kingdom to believe that he did fear God the most who did the least honour his King that he was the most godly who would offer the most affronts and indignities to his Prince Nothing was counted with them a greater piece of Piety than to stir up the people against their Soveraign by raising jealousies and casting abroad rude and scandalous Pamphlets almost every day to libel and disgrace him Which as that Holy Martyr King Charles 1. Himself saith in his Divine meditations * ΕΙΚΩΠΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΗ that Golden Manual like sparks in great conflagrations did fly up and down to set all places on Fire Yea he was thought to be the most Religious who was the best Incendiary to set a well ordered Kingdom in a Flame Hist of Indepen Compleat Part. 1. p. 55. and could cheat the giddy multitude the most into Rebellion no Ambassador to him that was the greatest Herauld of War and like a Geneva Bull could roar out loudest from the Pulpit Up ye Fanaticks Arm Arm ye are the only Godly party who have as much right to Rob the King and his Loyal Subjects as the Israelites had to spoil the Egyptians g Exod. 3.22 all that you can find is your own But only you must not think that you like ravening Wolves can make a prey of their possessions unless you hide the designs of your pride and covetousness under Sheeps clothing h Mat. 7.15 If therefore you have any lingering mind after the wages of unrighteousness i 2 Pet. 2.15 as we know you have as any Balaams of us all then you must deal wisely k Exod. 1.10 imitate our Language and behaviour to the life know no other godliness but your espoused gain l 1 Tim. 6.5 and make Religion but a stalking Horse to Rebellion regard not the voice of Conscience lest it interrupt you but yet be sure to carry it always about you that it may be ready to further your sinister ends and proceedings with its outward shews and varnish Be ye as Hypocritical in raising a Rebellion against your King as ambitious Absalom was when he raised a conspiracy against his Father m 2 Sam. 15. though like David he be a man after Gods own heart yet pretend ye that there are some grievous abuses in Church and State which if you were made Rulers and Judges your integrity would quickly remedy that so your Godly party being strengthned by the stoln hearts of others you may accomplish your ambitious and covetous ends the more assuredly to the temporal ruin and downfal of your King and Country O! Tell this not in Gath nor publish it in the streets of Askalon lest the Daughters of Philistins rejoyce lest the Daughters of the uncircumcised triumph n 2 Sam. 1.20 For time was then too when these cursed Cains and Amalekites did all of them combine together and were not afraid to stretch forth united hands to destroy the Lords anointed o ver 14. And yet forsooth they pretended that it was out of fear to God to promote his Cause and his Glory Yea they thought they did God good service to kill their King and make him a glorious Martyr for God and his Country as Christ our Prince of peace foretold his Disciples of the like that was to happen unto them to make them stable in their persecutions p John 16.1 2 For as these Rebels did this Barbarous Villainous and unparallel'd act because they had no saving knowledge of God the Father and Christ God-man the Son q ver 3. So our Martyred Soveraign like King David in all his troubles though both had their failings demonstrated himself to be a true Disciple of Christ indeed for notwithstanding all the various modes whereby these proud and impudent wretches had him in great derision yet he declined not from Gods Law r Ps 119.51 But the guilty Consciences of these Parricides the true seed of Corah and his Complices two hundred and fifty Princes of the Assembly all of them Parliament men of their own Election ſ Numb 16. told them that the murder of their Soveraign was not enough to keep those Places Dignities and Power which before they had usurped from him unless they barred all his Heirs from succeeding Therefore though they consisted of two juntoes and were divided into two adverse Factions the one Presbyterians who to use their own distinction murdered the King in his Political Capacity and the other Independents who murdred him in his natural Yet they most firmly agreed in making an Act * Hist Independ Compleat Part 2. p. 140. p. 241. Part 4. p. 22. for the Dethroning of his Highness James Duke of York and all the Royal Family not sparing so much as the Kingly Office it self Especially therein they united themselves together against the next Heir to the Crown our now most gracious Lord and King as unanimously and as solemnly as those two deadly Enemies Herod and Pilate were made friends against Christ t Luk. 23.12 They hunted him from place to place for his life as Saul King David like a Partridge upon the Mountains u 1 Sam. 26.20 most inhumanely saying like the Husbandmen in the Parable w Luk. 20.14 this is the Heir come let us kill him that the inheritance may be ours Yet they had the impudence to pretend that all was but expedient for the good and welfare of the whole Nation the Glory of God the safety and liberty of the people Salus populi is the common pretence of all Rebels Caiaphas pretended the same for Crucifying Christ it is expedient saith he that one man die meaning Jesus and that the whole Nation perish not x John 11.50 And Cromwell too pretended the like for the murder of our Soveraign unless he die the whole nation must perish but as that which was pretended to be so much for the safety of the Jews brought a fearful destruction upon them so this which was pretended to be so much for the Glory of God and the Liberty of the People hath been seen by woeful experience for twelve years together to have been the very bane and ruin of the Nation When was there ever more slavery and bondage in the State And when more Anarchy and confusion in the Church Munster it self saw but the Prologue to our Tragedy But to maintain this their Usurpation they still persisted in their old Hypocritical zeal and re-inforced it too with such wonderful shews of godliness that if it were possible they
of Kings I know indeed that the major part of men in the World are more apt to follow them in bad examples than in good because they are not of God but of the world which lieth in wickedness n 1 Joh. 5.19 But I could heartily wish if it were Gods good pleasure that even the whole world would imitate our King in this pious example and accordingly those that are of his Dominions shew their subjection to him as he therein shews his subjection to the Lord. Not but the mode of paying reverence to God is indifferent according to the various States customs and manners of Nations before it be ordained in the Church as it would be indifferent whether we pay revevence to God by putting off the Glove c. if there were any such custom or whether by putting off the shoes as the Jews or whether by putting off the Hat as we Christians It is free for every Nation to do what they think fit in such cases so long as they keep to Gods general rule of order and decency o 1 Cor. 14.40 which binds now to uncover the head and is therefore ordained but as for the reverence it self it never was indifferent but is always necessary to be expressed by some Rite or other as being that without which Gods honour cannot subsist which as his word is more durable than Heaven or Earth p Mat. 24.35 Quorsum vero haec from whence then is this disobedience and prophaneness of theirs You may quickly guess it that it is either because they read not the word of God at all or if they read it read it but cursorily in a canting tone out of vain glory Or suppose some think themselves as learned as the Jesuits themselves yet that will but aggravate their torments in Hell q Luk. 12.48 and so much the more manifest their blindness and want of faith For surely had they the eye of Faith to behold God in his Temple who is invisible they could not chuse but reverence and honour so great a Majesty and if their great knowledge in the Scriptures which they pretend to were sanctified unto them then they would never perswade their seduced proselytes to believe that that is Gods service wherein he is the most dishonoured and that that is true Religion which consisteth in the contradiction of his Laws and Ordinances For what saith St. James If any man among you seem to be Religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart that is speaketh against his own knowledge and Conscience this mans Religion is vain But pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father saith he is this not to make any especially your Queen a Widow and her Heirs Fatherless but to visit the Fatherless and Widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the World James 1.26 27. Religion doth not license men to speak and do what they list it hath its name à religando from binding quòd hoc vinculo Deo religati sumus saith Lactan. Because by it as by a bond we are bound to God Whereby all our members are bound to their good behaviour Our hands from being stretched forth against the Lords anointed r 2 Sam. 1.14 our tongues from despising or speaking evil against him the Spirit of God puts the brand of the Sons of Belial upon them that presume to do it ſ 1 Sam. 10.27 either by reproaching his footsteeps or proceedings t Ps 89.51 or by controuling him in any of his ways or actions who may say to a King saith Solomon what dost thou u Ecclesiastes 8.4 And is it fit saith Job to say to a King thou art wicked And to Princes ye are ungodly w Job 34.18 and what should I say more our very hearts are bound by our Religion from cursing or wishing evil to the Lords Vicegerent Curse not the King saith Solomon no not in thy thought or Conscience x Ecclesiastes 10.20 Yet the Prophet Isaiah speaketh of a desperate generation of men that Curse their King their God and look upward y Isaiah 8.21 Of whom the Prophet speaketh this I dare not positively affirm But this I may safely say the words agree so exactly with these that stile themselves the Godly Party as if they were the very men pointed at in this Prophecy for who have been more infamous than they for Cursing their King and their God and for looking upwards withal to cover their wickedness with the vail of Hypocrisie They are not only that proud and supercilious generation which Solomon speaks of that have lofty eyes and eye-lids lifted up z Prov. 30.13 But also that Rebellious Generation which he speaks of too that curseth both their Natural Father and the King the Father of their Country and doth not bless their Mother nor their Queen a ver 11. Yea and finally that Hypocritical generation which follows next that are pure in their own eyes from whence they are called Puritans and yet are not washed from their filthiness b ver 12. But O ye Puritans be not righteous over-much neither make your selves over-wise why should you destroy your selves c Ecclesiastes 7.16 I know a man cannot be too Righteous or too wise so long as he lives according to the rule of Gods word but Omne nimium vertitur in vitium every extream degenerates into a vice if a man shoots at rovers in his Religion too much on the one hand by prophaneness or too much on the other by superstition he will never hit the mark Much less if he be pure only in his own eyes and make himself over Righteous and over wise out of spiritual pride and vain glory or on purpose to advance his own ends by deception For so he will demonstrate himself to be a perfect Emissary of Satan who when he intends to deceive the most appears not as a Devil but as an Angel of light d 2 Cor. 11.13 14. In a word therefore Let him that thinketh he standeth or in more fulness of sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that seems to himself to stand take heed lest he fall e 1 Cor. 10.12 and you that have a name that you are alive and yet are dead as having been formerly seduced by their seeming sanctity and yet are still infected with the leven of their Phanaticism let me advise you once again before it be too late that ye purge it out by a true and timely repentance And that ye be watchful for the future to strengthen those good and Loyal principles which yet remain and are ready to die that your works may be found perfect before God f Rev. 3.1 2. Have a care that you do not with-hold from God his due of reverence lest he destroy you for defiling his Holy Temple g 1 Cor. 3.17 much rather beware that you do not mock him h Gal. 6.7 by with-holding from