that are in authoritie that they may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlines and honesty For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God their Saviour who will have all to be safe and come to the knowledge of the truth They wish from the desires that lodge within their breasts long life unto his Majesty a secure reigne a safe house valiant armies a faithful counsel good people a quiet world Et quaecunque hominis Caesaris sunt vota They stand by that reformation that hath been so profitable and comfortable these threescore yeares by past giving more reasons for it then hath been or can be clearly answered How can it stand then with the grounds either of good policie or Christian equity for removing dissentions to yeeld respect countenance support and authority to the other party neither having nor giving evidence of reason for their pretended novations against the received truth Although the inferior law were inacted as God forbid yet in all Christian Prudence it ought to give place to the royall law of love and unity as being of a more noble descent But since unity forbids and peace declares her miscontentment in the beginning how shall this ever contentious and unruly Hagar be heard to contest with Sarah Were not this a way to bring a further rent and desolation upon the house of Abraham Vpon this ground what great tollerations have been granted by Christian Emperours and Kings all men know who know any thing in History It is better somtime to give connivence then by untimous cures to waken diseases And as one sayd to Augustus It is a speciall poynt of wisedome not to suffer new names or ought else wherefra discord may arise The cause wherein they stand and for the constant defence wherof they are traduced under the odious names of Puritanes precisians schismatickes Anabaptists and the like is an article of your honours owne worthy profession and confessioÌ„ of faith wherof the adversaries themselves were preachers and practisers of late and have never yet made any publicke repentance for their former heresies Augustine could say albeit in a different case Let them exercise crueltie against you who never were deceived with the like error wherewith they see you deceived but as for me I am not the man that can be cruell against you whom I must beare with now as I did comport with my selfe then But they have forgotten what they were and make my ministers to find the truth of that which is in the French proverb Quison chien veult tuer larage luymeâ— sus He that is disposed to have his dogge killed will first have him thought to be madd As I will have them for their part to resolve with Daniel to sustaine the wrong of such Assyrian nick-names and by the grace of the God of Daniel wil have them both to abstaine from these impurities and to professe the detestation of the least shew of them So I would wish your honours upon the other part not to judge of them according to mens calumnies but to the truth of God And consider upon your beds who they are that yeeld what are they that stand and upon what inducements Ye can hardly poynt at any one of my ministers but hee is in some good measure fitted for the work of the ministery And howsoever according to the diverse roomes in my habitation lesse or greater all have not the same measure of light some torches for more publick places and others smaller lights for their own cottages yet every one makes conscience of residence to shine in his own roome both in the purity of doctrine and life to my great joy and your benefit by the blessing of God upon their labours hardly any one of the other side but hee is either c. They have large rents if not great wealth the others portion is but meane The one is encouraged with outward assistance the other enfeebled with cries crosses and ensuing dangers the one richly rewarded for proud practises the other are boasted for painfull labours to clear and defend a just cause the one men of glorious state and great pompe in the world the other trode upon as unworthy of the countenance of the world The one take leasure from their charge to invent and publish their pleasure the other have no time froÌ„ the charge of their flockes to cleare the truth To the one the presses are open and free to the other it is neither safe noâ— possible almost to print a few words of this sort faâ—r lesse labours of greater moment and better use The one gets money for their hungry pamphlets the other counts charges hazard gaine The one are both parties and judges of the cause the other dare scarcely make provocation in publick to the Lord Iesus The one finally by their defection rise and become Princes of the world the other for their constancy are thrust downe and tyed fast to the crosse Wherby ye caÌ„not but see whether the love of the world or the zeale of God be the spirit that blowes in the sailes of their affections Know yee not that howsoever they bee counted few silly and of base resolution yet if they esteemed not more of a good conscience then they who make a covenant with death and hell and put the evill day farr from them they might speed as well as others in worldly projects Can it bee denied but they preferre the peace of their soules and purity of their profession to the pleasures of the world wherewith others are pampered Were it proclaimed by the Emperour Let us take from them these hurtfull riches for that were a work of charity the zealots of this course would grow key cold Suffer not then poverty paucity pusillanimity prisonings wardings difficulties of writing printing uttering and countenancing Gods cause and thousands of such disadvantages be a prejudice to that truth whereof ye are convinced in your mindes Be not deceived with this new fond and false glosse of indifferencie look to God to his word to the parties to your owne soules and to that great day of the revelation of Christ Iesus As the pretext of conformity the visor of unity the null-authority of a pseudo-synod wanting formality fulnesse and liberty should not bee a Gorgons head to terrifie them so should it neither by serpeÌ„tine slight deceive you In conformity there is to bee respected 1. The substantiall truth of God wherein all true Conformitants must agree 2. The sincere ministery and sorts of ministers appoynted by the sonne of God for our edification in the truth 3. Christs incommunicable prerogative in appoynting of the Sabboth and solemne ministration of the word sacraments and discipline 4. The edificative use of these ministrations in the several ages Kirks kingdomes of the world â— A clear distinction between divine and ecclesiasticall rites the indifferencie in nature the expedience of use the diversitie
generation which knew not the Lord nor yet the work which he had done for Israel A generation not onely unthankfull but contumelious against that glorious work of God worthie instruments therof and therefore ready to bless that which the Lord hath cursed and to build that which he hath destroyed For is there not start up of late within my skirts a new sect of shameless mishapen formalists my indignation cannot bear such monsters who blush not to joyne with my enemies the papists in breathing out reproachful obloquies against your reverend fathers and brethren Calvin Beza Knox etc. as though their zeale against Romish idolatrie the deformities whereof by new colours are now beginning to seeme beauties had been excessive and by disparaging their credite to bring the truth preached by them in suspition and that glorious work of reformatiō wherin they were so worthy instruments into question He that is the keeper of Israell vindicat his owne cause from the blasphemous mouth and uncouth stratageme of this generation of vipers Finally that the Lord might shew that he left nothing undone haue ye not experienced the blessing of Abraham hath he not blessed them who blessed you and cursed them who cursed you he hath been not onely our sunne but our shield What instrument framed against you hath prospered What tongue arysing against you hath not the Lord cōdemned that all the world might know that God was your saviour and the strong God of Iacob your avenger Your forraigne enemies haue bene made the objects of your pitie and so many as haue rent my bowels within have perished tragically in their own divices No sooner began they till now to reedifie the cursed walls of Iericho but they have beene buried under the ruines of them All which hath proceded of his own good pleasure If ye should say that the cause were any worthynes in your selves above other nations not onely my spouse Christ and his faithfull servant Moses would cry out against you but all the world that knowes what ye are in other respects would laugh you to scorne The Lord who shewes mercie on whom he will shew mercie hath done it It is wonderfull in my eyes and should have moved the most obdured and stonie hearts amongst you to melt answerably to spend themselves to his honour in the duties of holines and righteousnes which alas ye have not done as now shall appeare by the sequel of your iniquities casting me your poore mother into so great a doole desolation which is the second point of your Christian consideration propounded in the beginning Would God it might please him to blesse your senslesse soules with a holy remembrance of that which ye once were and from whence ye are fallen Ye would surely finde that as in manners and conversatiō from small beginnings by degrees ye are now come to great abominations so both in the lyfe of your profession and in the outward worship of God ye are further fallen from that which of late ye were then now your case is distant from that which ye feare To let pass the desperate profaness of many crying sins even beyond the cry of Sodome considering all the circumstances of the mercie of God of the meanes and space graunted to you to repent by continuall importunitie deaving the eares of divine justice that had not the Lord had respect to some of his secret ones who kneele before him day and night to continue his gracious favour with you misregarded of the world but my chariots and horsmen had he not a purpose to prevent the insolencies of my enemies I have sayd I would scatter them abroad I would make their remembrance to cease frō amongst men save that I feared the furie of the enemie lest their adversaries should waxe proud And which is principall did not the Lord for his own names sake and the praise of his mercy spare me we had long since beene consumed and the enemy had entered within my gates To let passe that lukewarmenes careles mediocritie in the matters of God that neutrall adiaphorisme in my affaires which hath in it a native and proper power to hasten at the hand of God the removall of my candlestick and to bring in the famine of the word For how can the Lord without indignatiō suffer men to esteeme basely of the least circumstance which he willeth to be observed And not to insist in that fall from your first love decay of your wonted zeale secret indevotion even in true christians where is that wonted power and demonstratiō of the spirit in preaching that cheerfulnes in holy exercises that circumspect walking before God in all your wayes that preparation to divine dueties that spirit of deprecations that spiritual profite of hearing communicating meditation and conference that consciencious diligence in winning of others working upon your acquaintāce to bring them within the bosome of my love that jealousie over your hearts that indignation against errours idols Apostates Is not the life of religion condemned under the names of hypocrisie singularitie melancholie simplicitie puritanisme etc. And the light thereof either smothered under the ashes of this errant tyme◠or put in a theefes bowet so that the godly now born down with a bastard modestie and spirituall pusillanimitie dissemble and conceale the grace of God for eschewing the shame offence of the world which the wicked not long since did simulat and counterfeyt for currying of credite with me and my follovvers But leaving all these I come to complaine of the alteration made upon my outvvard face and goverment May not I novv as once the vvorld becomming Arrian poure out my sighes and vvonder hovv so suddenly I am changed from that vvhich I vvas and become that vvhich novv I am All the rites of Rome are not more odious to many novv then my present ceremonial cōstitutiō vvas to them of late The formes and fruites of preaching fearfully changed the crystalline fountaines of holy Scripture troubled with the mudd of mans putide learning the ministration of the Sacraments brought in under a new guise of mans shaping the painfull ministerie turned into a busie Lordship and these who are set over soules should warre unto God are become seculars intangling themselves with the affaires of this life nothing but a pompous shadow for Gods simple service Demas Diotrephes are become the paterns of wisdome and praeeminence Chrysostome is thrust out and Arsatius placed in his rowme beloved Liberius is set a syde and lightlied Foelix is set to feede the flock pratling tymeservers are become preachers powerfull pastors put to silence plaine and frequent preaching reproved a redd liturgie commended Alevite for a Preist and lesse then a levite for mouth and messenger to Gods people Non residents with their flattering varlots sit in the chaires of dignitic fed with pluralitie of benefices and painfull promoovers of the Kingdome of Christ and subverters of Antichrist
name profaning of the Lords day and contempt of his sanctuarie and service so universally overflowing this land not onely in the persons of poore ignorants in a manner tyed to these horrible crimes by a cursed custome beggerly necessitie but even in the more honourable sort whose damnable example encourages their followers to sinne without feare with such additions as may represse and restraine these crying abhominations in all without respect of persons 2 A safe liberty to enjoy the profession of our religion as it is reformed in doctrine sacraments and discipline and hath been openly professed by Prince Pastors and people of all rankes your predecessors of worthy memory your selves us all yet living these threescore yeares by gone and above 3 A full deliverance from and a sufficient defence against all novations and novelties in doctrine sacraments and discipline and specially such as by constitutions of the Kirk confessions of faith louable lawes of the countrey and long continued practise hath been condemned and casten out as idle rites and Romish formalities under what soever pretence they plead for re-entry 4 That no act passe in derogation or prejudice of the actes already granted in favour of Reformation liberty of Assemblies convenient execution of Discipline c. or for corroboration of new opinions against the same concerning whether Episcopacie or ceremonies the shadow thereof which for the peace of the Kirk by heavenly wisedome should bee rejected before they be ratified 5 That all ministers provided to Prelacies and admitted to vote in Parliament be urged to observe the Act granted in their favours to that place especially the provision expressed therein 6 The happinesse to live under his Majesty and his highnesse ordinary Iudges and Rulers established by lawes and custome and that our cause he lawfully cognoseed according to order and justice before any sentence passe against our persons places estates In the name of Iesus Christ intreating and commanding all worldly and personall respects set apart yee look with a single eye upon the matter controverted not suffering your faith in Iesus Christ to bee blamed with partiality ye try all with the touchstone of the Temple and ballance of the Sanctuarie Consider the example of Moses when hee saw the Israelite Egyptian fight He spent no time in rebuking them for the strife but drew his sword and slew the Egyptian But perceiving a debate betwixt two Israelites he sayd Ye are brethren why strive yee If the intended novelties be Israelites then may yee say Why strive yee but if they be of that Egypt from the bondage wherof the Lord your God miraculously hath set you free then may they not be reconciled to the truth but being slaine by the sword of the Spirit must also bee proscribed by your authoritie Vse the triall of Elias against Baals Priests albeit without the miracle of Eliah take my bullockes and theirs that is the urged novelties and the possessed liberties or alas the liberties that I once possessed for now whether I possesse them or not it is uncertaine lay their peeces on the altars and on which God sends the holy fire of zeale in the powerfull preaching of the word and consuming of sinne let that bee received When no man was able to discerne betwixt Alexander the sonne of Herod before put to death and a certaine craftsman like unto him who gave himselfe out for Alexander as though hee had escaped by favour of the executioner the noble and wise Augustus by griping his hand tried him to be an Artificer and punished him for his falshood Would it please your honours whilst so many learned and wise are deceaved with the counterfeit face of these novelties but to gripe their hand a little and to try what hath beene their frootes where they have been admitted from the beginning ye shal incontinent finde that they have been voyd of the sap of grace and that their best workes evidently declare that they never were begotten nor blessed by the father of peace Their own maintainers confesse that the controversie about them hath brought confusion breach of the second command of love rent my body into divers parts divided my people into divers sects and the sheep to despise their Pastors and estranged them from the love of their flockes It hath confirmed the prophane in their impieties and given way to the common enemies distracted the mindes of the multitude and shaken their faith who for the most part knew no other difference betwixt Christ and Antichrist but that which consists in externall shewes and formalities It hath brought the ruine of Christs kingdome and increase of Satans partly in superstition and partly in impiety And in a word generally hath put out the life of true religion and brought in Atheisme Bee not satisfied with a fashionable and superficiall triall but examine them from the very root and from the ground rip them up As wise Nehemiah tried who had right to the Priesthood by searching their lineall descent from Aaron It was not sufficient for them to cleare their genealogie by writ from Levi and Coath for so the childrē of Habaiah and Barzillai had been admitted had brought the wrath of God with them Men may alledge and perhaps prove by writ some such customs as they urge for some hundreth years in my neighbour kirks but except it can bee cleared that they have their pedigree frō Christ or his holy Apostles they ought to be esteemed uncleane and should not be receiued as belonging to me or my ministers All these and many moe have vexed me before and being mans inventions in the matter of Gods worship waxed old and weak As it fareth with every errour contrary to the course of verity which groweth ever greener and stronger and at last dying were cast out of my habitations as vile and stinking carrion that now the opening of their grave raiseth a noysome fleur in every spirituall and exercised sense and if they bee taken up againe shall make many poore soules of weake constitution to perish through their pestilent contagion It cannot be denied but they have been defended by some and digested by others by way of Interim till opportunity of further reformation in the Kirks and countries where they had place But before this time we dare be bold to say never any kirk countrey or cōscientious Christian did so much as enter in deliberation whether they should have been repossessed where they have been displaced Let the two renowmed maisters of English ceremonies profound Hooker and fordward Saravia be heard in this poynt The one sayes In as much as they goe about to destroy a thing which is in force and to draw in that which hath not as yet been received and to impose that which we think not our selves bound unto and to overthrow things whereof we are possessed that therefore they are to take them to the opponents part which must consist in one of two
grieved them whoÌ„ he should have made to rejoyce had made theÌ„ rejoyce whom he should have grieved Many speeches as lots are offered to your Princely consideration but the disposition is of the Lord whom we pray to grant that the best cause may have the first lot And who knowes but your Honors are advanced at this time to intercede for me that his highnesse may blesse and reward you for hindering hard courses against his harmlesse ministers and most dutifull subjects sincere professors of the Gospell Dorotheus and Gorgonius men of great authoritie and place and of the Emperours privie chamber when they beheld the punishment of one Peter with them spared not to say Wherfore O Emperour why doe yee punish in Peter that opinion which is in us all Why is that in him counted an offence which wee all confesse wee are of that faith and religion which he is off The truly noble Terentius for all other suâ—es which the Emperour desired him to make craved onely liberty for Christians and beeing refused of that gathered up the peeces of his riven supplication and could not be induced to seek any thing else The Lord requires not onely profession but confession at your hands in this case Wheâ— can yee better make your affection knowen then when the Lord Iesus in the persons of his spouse and your owne mother becomes a petitioner unto you As yee would wish to see his face in mercy in that day of his second comming make not by your unkindnesse his countenance to fall down upon you now send him not away with a repulse He hath run many times like the Roe or the yong Hart over the highest mountaines of difficulties to succour you in your distresse when ye have called upon him Let no pretended impediment be an hinderance unto you to help his cause most instantly suing for support at your hands If there bee any iniquity in my children let them suffer for it spare them not But if they be innocent smite them not Open your mouth for the dumbe Iudge righteously the afflicted and poore Deliver the oppressed that they may offer sacrifice and pray for the life of the king and his sonne If hard courses be taken against faithfull ministers and people let not your honours wash your hands of that harme It is all one to doe them evill and not to helpe them against wrong done by others The hoast of Israel spake in great courage for the life of Ionathan and Ionathan for David to the danger of his life Ebedmelech spake a good word for Ieremie and was saved when his master Zedekias was slaine But curse yee Meroz curse the inhabitants thereof because they came not to the helpe of the Lord against the mightie although they had no hand against them God that hath given you grace and credit with his highnesse requireth that ye bestow it upon his matters and that yee reserve it not for your own Remember the example of that worthy Courtier Nehemiah who esteemed a libertie to build up the walles of the Citie of God a sufficient reward for all his faithfull service As your solicitude is great to leave the common wealth and your own honorable houses in good case so dilapidat not my libertie Leave me not of whom ye have both your first second birth in worse estate to your own incredible griefe and the desolation of your posterity Invenistis marmoreane ne relinquitâ— lateritiam Vpon the wall that yee have found rather build a palace of silver Cant. 8. 9. It was that name of Iehovah and holinesse to the Lord put upon the head of the high Priest that was the greatest beautie and crowned all the other inferiour ornaments The truth of religion and the purity of your profession as it hath been so let it still bee your glory and the luster of all those inferiour gifts wherewith the Lord hath inriched you As this is the first great triall of your hearts Love to Christ and me so it may be your last occasion It is not long since the places which ye possesse were filled with your ancestors of worthy memory whose constancy in defending the liberty of Gods worship is frequently observed in your owne history who now are passed to their eternity and ere be long according to the succession of generations one after another others shal have their time of your present dignities both in degree and continuance Bend your wits and credit to do good while ye haue time Hazard not the happinesse of your eternity Do not that which at the least while yee live will be a bleeding wound in your soules Set your eyes upon him that is invisible and that recompence of reward so shall yee esteeme the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of AEgypt And shall choose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season The Lord who searcheth the reignes sees you and the secrets of your deliberation and conclusions and could make them to found again outwardly in your eares and to the hearing of others All your thoughts are legible to that piercing eye from which nothing is hid Look not what ye may say for your excuse or what one partie may say against another whether in private conference or publick velltation by print or dispute But in the sight of God coÌ„sider upon your beds by the light of his spirit whether of the two courses from the beginning ye find to be of through and for God And we have no great feare but ye shal be moved to break down that wall of ceremonies hurtfull to all and profitable to the souls of none that both the houses may be one as the Lord himselfe abolished the Iewish ceremonies and put none in their place I have many children some aged some poore some consumed with godly griefe not so much for their own trouble as for the decay of purity and my desolation They would doe all things for pleasing all parties wherin God is not displeased and their consciences not disquieted But the honour of God and peace of their soules they dare not but regard And albeit obedience to the word should destroy their own all other mens worldly estate yet they must still and uncessantly urge it If in times past your honors have been pleased to hearesome of them in pulpit and in privat in the matters of religion and have not despised their speeches when there was greater probabilitie for suspition there is greater reason now when they are in hazard of suffring to beleeve and take to heart that which they say and require Wherof as they must be couÌ„table to the eternall Iudge of all the world so shall yee be for your hearing and shall not escape his hand if yee harken not for disobedience to the truth The world may well dally for a time and make men so drunke with the wine of wickednes that through security they