Christian eares with more of their Blasphemous Tenents this is enough to turn the stomacks of Christians with indignation aginst them 4. 'T is a most uncomfortable Religion it is impossible to get or keep true peace of Conscience in that way Rev. 9 5 6. And their torments was as the torment of a Scorpion when he smiteth a man And in those dayes sâ—all men seek death and shall not find it but death shall flie from them That is saith a worthy Divine the Consciences oâ— poor sinners being stung with guilt and horror of sin and finding no satisfaction nor remedy in their way shall be endlesly perplext tortured with inward troubles of spirit which are like the stinging of a Scorpion so that they shall chuse death rather then life For do but consider 1 They are enemies to free-grace and all Gospel-preaching Gardiner would not have this gap of free-grace opened to the People See saith â—ontâ—â—â— a Jesuit The fruit of Protestantism and their Gospel praeching 2 They deprived the people of the Scriptures wherein are treasured up all the Cordial and soul-reviving Comforts of a poor distressed sinner If thâ— Law saith David had not been my delight I should have perished in my affliction and again This is my comfort in my affliction thy word hath quikned me Psal. 119. 3. They lay the stress of their hopes for salvation as you have heard upon their own merits and the merits of others like themselves so that all the comforts they build upon that foundation must needs be loose and deluâ—ory things debile fundamentum fallit otus every thing is as its foundation is Lastly they deny the possibility of the assurance of â—alvation in this life so coseqâ—ntly their Consciences must be alwais cauterized dead or fluctuating dubious O what a religion is this 5. Lastly it is a Damnable religion we have no ground from Sripture to concâ—ude the salvation of any among them that know the depths of Satan and live and dye in destructive Opinions Hear what the Scriptures say Rev. 17.8 The beast that thou sawest was and is not and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit and go into perdition and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder whose Names are not written in the Book of Lâ—fe from the foundation of the Word when they see the beast that was and is not and yet is 2 Thes 2.21 And for this cause God shall send them strong delâ—sions that they should beleive a lye that they all might be damned that beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteosness When their sorest plague shall come upon them they shall not have a heart given them to repent but shall blaspheme the Name of God because of them Rev. 16.9 And therefore to shut up this first Counsel you that love the Lord hate that by which he is so much dishonoured it will make your blood boil in your veines to see how he is Crucified Dethroned and trampled on by these his Enemies 2 COVNSL Use all proper preventive means to avert this threatning judgement of which sort I shall recommend these three in speciall Mourn for the abuse of former Light and Liberty and say O remember not against us former iniquities let thy tendeo mercy speedily prevent us for we are brought very low Psal. 97.8 O England What a day of Mercy hast thou had how hast thou been exalted to Heaven with Capernaum thou mightest once have worshipped God as purely as thou wouldest you might have been as holy as you would the lot of this generation was cast upon such an happie nick of time as is scarce to be found in the history of Ages past but the most glorious morning hath its evening the brightest Sun its clouds and time of setting We know not the time of our Visitation but were both wanton and barren under those precous Mercies God is now coming with his Ax in his hand to hew down barren Trees Nothing but unfeigned repentance and speedy reformation can reprieve us Romanae leges â—â—nam pregnanti deferunt Nothing but those fruits can be a good signe of mercy to England And will you not yet mourn for the loss of such a day such peace neglected and not mourn such liberties abused and for their abuses removed and not a tear So many flourishing Churches broken and the heart not broken So many shining Lights extinct and none lay it to heart Such black clouds of Popish darkness and blood gathering over us and none tremble Lord what hearts have we how wonderful is the stupifying power of sin O ye Professors of England that ye had known at leaâ—â— in that your day the things of your peace but now they are hid from your eyes You once had those mercies now you have them not and the Lord only knows whether ever you shall see them again I am out of hopes of them till I see the people of God more humbled for the sins that removed them Make up your breaches speedily it is time I think when the enemie is entring in at them Hear me all ye friends of Christ by what names so ever distinguished among your selves Will you some and be friends one with another have you yet enough of your Divisions how do the fruits of your Animosities Contentions and Reproaches relish now with you do you see who God is sending to part you canâ—t you yet pray together mourn together strive with God together Why then can you go to Prison together Will you stand quietly at the stake together What say you friends you profess to be the children of the God of Peace and I am sure Christ is the Prince of Peace and the Gospel the Gospel of Peace and will not you be the Sons of Peace if you will not yet unite let the ruine of England lie upon your score Do you make no more of the Commands of Christ the Credit of Religion the safety of the Nation Ah! methinks as Tertullian told Scapula Si non vis tibi parcere parce Corthagim If you have no pitie for your selves have pitie for the Nation dont sacrifice all to your unruly lusts If you profess love to Christ and yet have no love for those in whom is his Image if you pretend to be Saints and yet had rather hazard the honour of Christ then denie your passions and lusts pray pull off your Vizards fall into your places and appear as you are Brethren I beseech you seriously to consider these three Particulars and if there be any force in them or tenderness in your Consciences let them at last perswade you to love one another 1. That Scripture makes your love to the Brethren a positive mark of your Regenration 1 John 3.14 We know that we are passed from death â—o life because we love the brethren He that loveth not his Brother abideth in death And 1 Joh 5.1 Every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is
own fingers by our flames they have animaâ—ed and fomented that spirit of bitterness and wrath among us as one that sâ—ts two Cocks a fightingâ— that having kill'd each other he may sup upon them both at night This was the sad posture of Ierusalem when the Enemy entred in her Gates O England England thy destruction is of thy self If the hearts of the fathers be not turned to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers what can we expect but that God should come and smile the earth with a curse Mal. 4. ult Lord heal the breaches of England for it shaketh Psal. 60 2. 4. Fourthly and lastly that which much appals and daunts my spirit is they find us as deeply guilty of the abuse of the best mercâ—es as ever any Nation was So that I am afraid this enemy will prove the Hâ—gel um Dei the scourge of God as Totila of old from his cruel persecution of the Christians was called to avenge our unthankfulness for those choice favours which Heaven hath showered down upon this ungrateful Nation Saint Ieromâ— speaking of the Churches enemies By our sins saith he our enemies are made strâ—ng and History tells us that when Vesâ—asian had conquered Ierusalem he refused to have the Crown set upon his head saying I indâ—ed am the rod in the hand of God but it is their sins onely that have subdued them Vpon what Nation under Heaven hath God more richly heaped his blessings than upon England and â—haâ— people have more wantonly abused them or more comtemptuously spurned at the tender mercies of him that conferr'd thâ—m what blessing is it which deserves to be stiled matchless transcendent glorious that England hath not enjoyed If â—eace be it we have had it if Plenty we have had it if the Light of the blessed Gospel shining in its Meridian Splendor be it we have had it But Iesurun waxed fat and kicked O dreadful fore runner of National ruine What was it that gave the Saâ—acenâ— footing in the Eastern Empire but the wantonness of those Churches abusing the Light which they enjoyed how impatiently did the people of God in former times thirst for liberty to worship God purely and when they had obtained it What was the use they made of it horresco referens I tremble in speaking it Did we not play with our Light fight with our brethren by it till God blowed out the Candle and so I wish I could say ended the quarrel We may say of our liberty as the Philosopher speaks of waters Suis terminis diffisile continentur they are difficultly kept within their bounds why brethren did you think that God could suffer such precious mercies to run at the waste spout much longer Did you think he was weary of his mercies to continue them to such as little regarded them or that it was not as grievous to the blessed God that his children should smite one another as to see the Enemy smiting them no darkness is more formidable then that of an Eclipse which assaults the very vessels of light no taste more unsavoury then that of sweet things when corrupted and no sin more hideous then that which darkens the brightness of Gods love and corrupts the sweetness of his mercy O England thou hast abused a darling attribute of God thou hast sinned against the most dâ—eply ingraven Principle and Law of Nature The very irrational creatures yea the heaviest and dullest among them the Ox and Ass are not so deficient in gratitude to their owners as thou hast been to thy God Isa. 1.3 justly therefore may he upbraid thee and say be astonished O ye Heavens at this and be ye horribly afraid c. Sic ne rependâ—s Is this thy kindness to the God of thy mercies marvel not then if God pluck up the hedge of his protection from about thee and let in cruel foes upon thee to chastise thee for thine ingratitude and though he will not make a full end of thee yet may he say concerning thee as of Israel 2 Chro. 127 8. I will not utteâ—ly destâ—oy them but will grant them some deliverance and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by the hand of Shishack nevertheless they shall be his servants that they may know my service and the service of the Kingdoms of the Countries The Lord I truâ—t will not utterly forsake his dwelling place in England but verily I fear he may permit Antichrist for a time to afflict us that we may know the difference between the sweet and easie yoke of Câ—rist which we would not endure and the yoke of Antichrist that shall gall our necks and consciences with cruel servitude And because we served not the Lord our God with joyfulness and gladness of heart for the abundance of all things that therefore â—e shall serve our enemies which the Lord shall send agâ—inst us in hunger and thirst and nakedness and the want of all things Deut. 28 47. that so we may return to God with the Church and say as it is Isa. 26.19 O Lord our God other Lords besides thee â—ave had dominion over us but by thee only will we make mention of thy Name and as Hos. 2.7 I will return to my fiâ—st husband for it was better with me then than now These are some of the principal grounds of Englands fear at this day in reference to the Popish Party Let the serious and considering Reader lay them together allow them but a just and even ballance and doubtless it will hereby appear that how great soever our fears are yet our dangers much exceed them Having thus hinted the grounds of our fears what remains but that next I address my self to the principal work design'd iâ— these Papers which is to call upon England to awake out of her destructive security and not to suffer her enemies to surprize her slâ—eping and I would do it in the words of the Prophet Zeph. 2.1 2. Gather yourselves together yea gather together O Nation noâ— desired before the decree bring forth before the day pass as the chaffe before the fierce anger of the â—ord come upon thee O that I could â—ound this Admonition so loud that all in the Nation might hear it Had I any hopes that these poor Papers might be honoured with a glance of His Majesties Eye I would as it were prostrate my self at His feet and cry as that woman did 2 Kings 6.26 Help my Lord O King Great Sir the Lord hath done great thinâ—s for you and You are scarcely capable doing a gâ—eater service for him and his people then vâ—goâ—ously to withstand the Attempts and Encrochments of thiâ— subtil and formidable Enemy in that it hath pleased the Lord to move Your heart to send forth Your Royal Proclamation aginst them we accept it alwayes and in all places with all thankfulness and pray That he would not only secure Your Royal Peâ—sâ—n from their attempts but also make You a Shield to his
true observation That whosoever will attempt the overthrow of Religion must begin with the Ministery first â—hese are set for the aâ—â—ence of the Gospel It was the counsel that Adam â—onizen a deep-pated Achitophel of theirs long since gave in this case Suppres saith he the Ministers Et error cui patâ—acinium deerit sine pâ—â—nâ— concidet and then the error that hath none to patronize it will fall of it self So he calls the precious truth of Jesus Christ I dare not affirm that this was intentionally done to open a door of opportunity to them but that eventually ' its like to prove so who that exercises reason sees not When so many pious Ministers went off the Stage it was apparent enough what an opportunity these men had to ascend it and act their part 2. Secondly The destruction of our Famous City the strength and glory of the Nation whiâ—h they have laid in the dust a designe no douht contrived in the Popâ—sh Conclave they well enough knew how able London was to give check to their designes My heart bleedeth for thee London to see thee made of a City an Heap of a Defenced City a Ruine a Palace of strangers to be no City And if they can have their will that which follows in the text should be added It shall never be built If Parliaments will heaâ—ken to them they will perswade like Rehum and Shiniâ—ai Ezra 4.14 that it may lie stiâ—l in its Ashes and upon the same pretentions let search be made say they in the Book of Records of thy Fathers so shalt thou find in the Book of Records and know that this City is a rebellious City and hurtful unto Kings and Provâ—nces and they that have moved sedition within the same of old tâ—me for which cause it was destroyed But I trust the Lord will make our Rulers wise to discover their bloody intentions how speciously so ever palliated with pretences of Loyalty and Fidelity But mean while London is ruined that goodly mountain laid wasâ—ed the most glorious City in all respects that ever the Sun looked upon now a desolate Wilderness O London who can sufficiently bewail thy misery for mine own part as the Orator solemâ—izing a sad Funeral desired to have learned Mortality from another â—ubject rather then that of Scaliger So might it have pleased the Lord I should have been glad to have learned the vanity of all worldly glory from another example then that of Lonâ—â—n How doth the City sit solitary that was full of people she that was great among the Nations and Princess among the Provinces O London thou sealest up the summe and wast perfect in beauty Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day thou wast created untill inâ—quity was found in thee Thy renown went forth among the Heathen for thy beauty for it was perfâ—ct through the comliness thy God had put upon thee But thy heart was lifted up because of thy beauty thou dâ—dst corrupt thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness Therefore the Lord hath cast thee to the ground and brought forth a fire from the midst of thee which hath brought thee to ashes London hath grivously sinned therefore is she removed all that know thee among the people are astonished at thee thou art terrour to them London may now sit down by her Sister Ierusalem in the dust and say Is it nothing to you all ye that pass by see and behold was there ever any sorrow liâ—e unto my sorrow which is done unto me wherewiâ—h the Lord hath afflâ—cted me in the day of his fierce angerâ— They have heard that I sigh there is none to comfort me all mine enemies have heard of my trouble they are glad thaâ— thou hast done 〈◊〉 thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called and they shall be like unto me Let all thâ—ir wickedness come before thee and do unto them as thou haâ—â— done unto mâ— Mine enemies have devâ—uâ—ed me they hâ—ve crushed me and made me an empty vessel they have sâ—allowed me up like a Dragon The violence done unto me and to my flâ—sh be upon Babylon shall the Inhabitants of London say Remember O Lord the Inhabitants of Babylon in the day of London who said Raser rase it even to the foundations O daughter of Babylon that art to be destroyed happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast seâ—ved us Let no man think that I endeavour to obscure the righteous Hand of God which is to be own'd and trembled at in such a judgment Though London must acknowledge his justice in all that is come upon her yet the wickedness of Instruments is not in the least to be excused thereby God and man may concurre in the fame action and yet neither his holiness have any fellowship with their wickedness nor their Injustice be excused by his Righteousness Idem quod duo faciunt non est idem His work is perfect for all his wayes are judgment a God of truth and without iniquity just and right is He they have corrupted themselves Deut. 32.4.5 Wilt thou not confess London that thy sins were the sparks that kindled thy flames doubtless thou wilt such was thy pride Epicurisme Formality and Barrenness under such precious waterings as thou once enjoyedst above all the Cities in the world that thou mayest say it is of the Lords mercy thine Inhabitants had not all perished with their Habitations and that God had not made thee like Sodom for what couldst thou expect when thy Lots were going but that devouring flames were coming But to return from this sad though necessary digression hereby it is manifest the common Enemy hath obtained a singular and long expected advantage to their design often have they in vain attempted it but now God hath delivered it into their hands Well might they rejoice as they did to see its flames ascend and drink healths to its ashes For upon divers politick considerations it might easily be demonstrated that their cause and interest is revived and warmed by that fire 3. Lastly it cannot but much more heighten our fears if we consider the sad posture we are in at this day of our Eminent Danger Three or four sad particulars I shall here suggest and let none think it to be a laying open of our nakedness and weakness to the Enemies for I shall tell them no News in telling you that 1. They are much encouraged in that the Ceremonies of their Religion find such acceptation among us It was long since observed That as the morning ushers in the day so the Ceremonies of any Religion serve to bring in the Religion it self If we are heartily resolved against Popery What do we with their Garments Gestures Altars Crosses Liturgies and Officers among us upon this reason the Divines of Hamburgh withstood the Cerimonies of INTERIM of which they gave this account to Melancthon These indifferent things say they are nothing else but the seeds
there were many horrid Opinions A Wolf may as well give Laws to the understanding as he whose dictates are only propounded in violence and written in blood and a Dog is as capable of a Law as a Man if their be no choice in his obedience no discourse in his choice no reason to satisfie his discourse Are you not like to have the same measure you mete to us meted back to you again with an overplus if this enemy prevail and then you 'l find how good it is to afflict for Conscience sake Certainly if you resolve to be faiâ—hful to protestant Principles you will escape upon no easier terms then us Are not these very persons against whom you discharge your cannons and woory up and down by your apparitors like to prove as stiff assertors of the Protestant cause if God call for more blood to witness to it as your selves you find them I believe inflexible enough to your Ceremonies all your menacies and punishments cannot cudgel them into conformity with them because they find aliquid commune cum antichristo a spice and tang of Popish Superstition in them and doubtless they will as freely lay down their lives in defence of â—he fundamental and weightier points of Religion as their Places Liberties and Earthly Comforts for the lesser Circumstantial truths thereof and is it not pity that you should especially at such a time as this suppress afflict and silence such men whose abilities might now be improved to such singular advantage But aquilia non capit muscas Lordly spirits scorn to stoop to such mean composures or take notice of a creeping Pamphlet Let me therefore speak to the Body of the People and especially to those among the People who profess to fear the Lord and tremble at his Judgments Will you shut your ears to seasonable counsel also Will you despise your dangers till you are suprised by them O England Wilt thou not begin to fear till thou art past hope Shall thine Enemies find thee sleeping and leave the dead Wretehed England here is thy misery that thou knowest not thy time but as the fishes are taken in an evil net and as the birds are caught in the snare so wilt thon be snared in an evil time when it falleth on thee suddenly Ecles 8.12 May I freely express my apprehensions in the Case I much doubt thine Enemies have so contrived and laid their design against thee that in their apprehensions at least all thy struglings now are but as the flutterings of a bird in the net which instead of freeing doth but the faster intangle her However if God at last will but open thine ears to seasonable Counsel and perswade thine heart to thy present duties who can tell but the Lord may yet be gracious to his Land and spare his people It is not so much their confidence as our impenitence that is to be feared Haman was as confident as they can be and had cast Pur for the Jews as well as they for us Esth. 3.7 So was Pharoah too when he said I will pursue I will pursue God can quickly give their pregnant designs a miscarrying womb so that they which have conceived mischief shall bring forth but a lie and thou that fearest continuaâ—ly because of the Enemie shalt yet praise him and say The hâ—athen are sunk down in the pit that they made in the net which they hid is their own foot taken the Lord is known by the judgments which he executeth the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands Higgaion â—elah Psal. 9. 15.16 and when the Enemie cometh in like a flood the Spirit of thy God can set up a Standard against him if men cannot winds and waves shall fight for thee as they have done in former exigencies O nimium dilecte Deo cui militat aether Et conjurati veniunt ad classica venti Only obey the Counsels of God and let thine ear be circumcised and as ever you expect that a door of hope should be opened to you in this valley of achor let these following Counsels be speedily and heartily practised 1 COUNSEL Abhor Popery and be eminent in your zeal against it Rome is that Amalek with whom God will never make peace neither should we It was Queen Elizabeths Motto No peace with Spain and it should be ours No peace with Rome My dear Countreymen I beseech you be not deceived with vain words suffer not your selves too be circumvented by a Stratagem of the Enemy let not prejudice and discontents which they endeavour to beget and foment in you against your real friends cause any of you to fall in with the Design and Interest of your Enemies it is a dangerous thing to comply with that Interest which God hath engaged himself against and as sure as Christ sits at his Fathers right hand shall be destroyed and what cause you have to abhor Popery you will see by that time I have shewed you that it is a FALSE BLOODY BLASPHEMOUS UNCOMFORTABLE AND DAMNABLE RELIGION First It is a False Religion and that 's reason enough to abhor it You would be loath to be cheated with Counterfeit Coin especially if you were to receive your whole portion in it how much more with a False Faith when it amounts to as much as all your soules are worth in another World the falsity of the Popish Religion if it yet remain a question with any among us may be thus evinced That Religion which is not built upon the Foundation the Prophets and Apostles but stands in the wisdom of man is a False Religion But the Popish Religion is not built upon the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles but stands in the wisdom of man therefore the Popish Religion is a False Religion The maâ—or proposition is undeniable and stands upon the authority of these Scriptures Ephes 2 20 And are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ himself being the chief Corner Stone 1 Cor. 2.5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them The minor proposition is as evident For 1. the Papists themselves acknowledge that their worshipping of Creatures Mass Purgatory the Popes Supremacy and most other Doctrines wherein they differ from us cannot be confirm'd by Scripture Azâ—rius instit mor. par 2 d. lib. 4. ca. 18 2. They set up the Pope as a Judge above the Scriptures subjecting them to the Popes authority this many of their Learned Doctors are not ashamed expresly to affirme and defend Pighâ—us Hierarch Lib. 1 Cap. 2.3 4. Card. Cusan Epist. 7th ad Bohem. Cocteus Holliâ—s c. â—3 They reproach and deprave the Scripture calling it an uncertain thing dead letter an insufficient guide of it self without their tradition or unwritten Word Belar de sut Serip
people in these Nations It is not hid from Your Majesty what a perfidious and bloody Enemy this is whose principles as well a practise enâ— to the subversion both of Kings and Kingdoms One of them affirms it lawfull to murder any one though his own Prince if the Pope hold him excommunicate and another seâ—â— down rules how it may be doneâ— and thinks poysoning to be the best way What but Treason and Rebelâ—ion can flow from thoâ—e bloody Doctrines of the Popes temporal â— risdiction over Princes and his power to dissolve all Gathes and â—yes of Allegiance So that neither Your Person nor Honour can be safe in their hands or should Your Royal Person be exempt from danger yet if this Enemy prevaile How many Thousands of your poor Innocent Subâ—ects may fall by their mercilesâ— hands What a field of blood will they make Your Kidgdoâ— and surely the Eâ—nâ—my can never coâ—â— eâ—vâ—il the Kingâ— damage herein Esther 6.16 Most gladly at Your Command would we offer our lives on the high places of the field against them but to fall by trechery and be butchered in our beds â—s horrible to think And O that God would make our Honourable Representatives in Parliament still vigilant to observe and zealous to oppose the motions of this Enemy we bless the Lord for what you have already done in detecting them so far but yet we cannot think our danger over whilst they swarm in such numbers among us Hannibal was wont to say Magis se a non pugnante Fabio quam a pugnante Marcello timere he more feared Fabius not fighting then fighting Marcelus O be as zealous for the Protestant Interest as they are against it if they dare to smite with the fist of wickedness we hope you will not be afraid to smite them with the Sword of Justice Remember what a matchless salvation was once given to our English Parliament I mean from the Powder plot that Catholike Villany as one aptly calls it Such a delivernce as ages past cannot parallel in any History and of which we may say as the Historian in another case Si in annalibus non foret fabula videre ur Had it not been recorded in our own Annals posterity would never beleeve it They have indeed studiously endevoured in their late Bold Remonstrance to hide from your eyes the goodness of God in that deliverance that so by forgetting his goodness they might bury in silence their own wickedness we hope none of your actings against this Enemy will be stained with luke-warmness if justice be sprikled with a favorable hand like a few drop of water upon fire we doubt instead of quenching it will rather encrease the flame Rome is a nettle the more gently it s handled the more it â—â—ings My Lords and Gentlemen here is an Enemy that deserves your hotest zeale and greatest vigilance much better then honest loyal Nonconformists who plead with God night and day on your behalf 'T is acknowledged they differ in lesser matters from the established worship of the Nation but from the toleration of such Differences no Publike Danger can arise Some differences in Opinion saith an Honourable Author are as the striving of one Israelite with another and these Moses quiets and parts them fairly and some are like the Egyptian striving with the Israelites whom Moses smites down It was a noble Speech of Anâ—hony of Bourbon King of Navar to the Danish Ambassador this King being a Peer of France and first Prince of the Blood challenged the Regency of that Kingdom during the French Kings minoraty He told the Ambassadour that he hoped in a short time to procure a free passage for the Gospel throughout France the Ambassador was pleased with it but desired that Luthers Doctrine not Calvines might pass for current The King replied Luther and Caâ—vin agree in forâ—y Points and differ but in one Let those therâ—fore thaâ— follow the tenets of these two unite their strength aginst the common Enemy and at better leisure in a more conveniâ—nt season compound their own differences Grant that Nonconformists be in an error yet the difference is not fundâ—mental and the Famous Emperor â—heodosius did not only bâ—aâ— with the Novations but familiaâ—ly consult with their Leâ—râ—ed Pastors about Church-matters though differing in several Poinâ—s of Disâ—iplâ—ne and Constantine although â—e made a Laâ— in-terrorem yet in point of executiâ—on he spared them O that with one shoulder you migâ—t suppoâ—t the toâ—tering Interest of Christ in these Nations and beâ—st led the Saviours of England in this time of danger which wilâ— be a more Honourable Title then any other you are or can be dignâ—fied with I would also propound it as matter of serious consideration to the Prelates Whether this be a time to vex and persecute the Consciencious and Faiâ—hfull in the Land for Ceremonies and Trifles when the substance of Religion lyes exposed Will not the late dreadful Alarms by the Popish Party sound a Retreat and put an end to this work suffer me to propound two or three Queries to your Consciences Are not Papists hereby hardened in their errors and confirmed in their Cruel and Tyrannical impositions upon Conscienâ—es whilst they see you to use the same medium what plea is left you against their Tyranny if ever God permit them to re-kindle the Flames of Martyrdom â—n England If your way be good why is not theirs magis minus non variant speciem Is there not as much strength in their Arguments of Fire and Faggot to convince you as in your Excommunications Imprisonments Mulcts and Penaâ—ties to convince us of the lawfulness of your Ceremonies It 's said of Molineus Bonifacâ—us that his silly reasons for the Popes Supremacy did well enough being propoudded wish a Sword in bis hand a keen Sword will make a dull argument cut to the quick and if you cannot answer such Argument your selves me thinks you should be tender of urging them against others Sure I am Confiscations Imprisonments and Death are the most irrefragable Arguments for Popery and it is a thousand pitties we should tell the word that the reformed Religion must be supported by the like Artifices It would better serve their Designe in Spain then Christs Interest in England I am sure 't is the proper Cognizance of Antichrist and O that it might remain with them only Hear what a man of your own Character saith it is observed saith Doctor Taylor That the restraint of Prophesying and imposing upon other mens understandings being Masters of their Consciences and Lording it over their faith came in with the retinue and train of Antichrist that is they came as other abuses and corruptions of the Church did when the Churches Fortunes grew better and her Sons worse and some of their Fathers worst of all for in the first three hundred years there was now sign of persecuting any man for his Opinion though at that time