little more strength to this instance you know we have been informed how Mr. Baxter hath sped among them for daring to justifie the Argument of that Book Though methinks this may be said for him to his Brethren that he hath done it with as great caution as many distinctions as studious a weariness of wronging the Palladium as wit can possibly contrive Yet for all this even he cannot escape a suspitious censure From whence 't is obvious to collect that this is the noli me tangere this is the Talisman that secures the peoples affection to them And therefore must with all possible care and secresie be preserved this is that great Diana against whom not a word shall be spoken but there shall presently be a tumult amongst these Silver-Smiths who live by making and selling shrines of this great Goddess For Sir I dare be confident and peremptory in this belief that it is utterly impossible for any person of true Christian Principles to quarrel or be offended with the great Assertion of that Book but that other considerations engage men into an opposition of it and particularly that which I have been all this while endeavouring to prove these men guilty of i. e. the love of a dry empty Notional easie way of Religion And this I assign as the first and indeed main Cause of what we are enquiring after In which if I have been too prolix forgive me and your trouble shall be shorter in the rest that follow 2. Another Reason of this may possibly be a mighty shew of Zeal in all religious performances Of this you will find these men always most careful and truly but for this there were nothing extraordinary in their Religion nothing to tempt men into an admiration of it And therefore by this they labour to conceal or supply the defects and imperfections of it that what is wanting in substance and reallity may be supplied by appearance and pageantry How successful a method this is to captivate the minds of the people he is of no observation that cannot tell you Pompous shews and fair appearances do mightily affect and work upon the multitude and more strongly enchant their admiration and charm their reverence than the most solid and excellent things when not attended with these advantagious representations It was not without good reason therefore observed long since by Tully and others before him that Gesture is the thing most principally to be regarded by an Orator since a man that is lucky in that and by it hits the humour of his Auditory shall prevail more thereby than by ten of the most rational Arguments that he can fortifie his designed perswasion withal The people generally judge with their eyes and the Comedian too truly represents many as beholding with their mouths and therefore cunning men use to intrap them by complying with this humour by treating them with things gorgeous and fair and instead of dealing rationally with their judgments entertain them only with such things as may cause them to stare and admire and by this means commonly are successful You cannot but oftentimes as you have walked out into the Fields about Oxford have observed one pretty sleight that the Fowlers have to catch Larks withal which is by fixing a red Cross set thick with little pieces of a Looking-Glass near their Nets in a bright Sun-shine Morning this mightily glistering and casting abroad a mighty appearance draws the poor Lark into its admiration which while the poor Bird stays to gaze upon himself is easily Captiv'd and made a prey I know you 'l pardon the homeliness of the Emblem for so have I seen the Hunters for Souls use a method not much unlike to this which is by all means to make a fair shew a very great amazing appearance which while silly people have stared at they have soon admired and by that means been easily ensnared not only to espouse the errours but revere and honour the persons of the subtil Impostors And that I may bring this discourse close to the present instance it is obvious to observe that among all the instances of pageantry in Religion there is none that Seducers have been more careful of and successful in than a mighty loud Zeal and extraordinary fervency of Spirit in all their religious performances In this you will find they have always endeavour'd to exceed the true servants of God and thereby hoped to disparage them Let me present you with one instance of this recorded in the Old Testament it is the carriage of the Priests of Baal in that famous Sacrifice of theirs wherein they contended for honour and respect with the Prophet Elijah before King Ahab and all Israel If you read the story 't is recorded 1 Kings 18. you will soon find how for all the marks and signs of a great fervent Zeal they far exceeded even Elijah himself who yet you know is looked upon as the great and chief instance of the Zealotick Spirit They addressed themselves to the Sacrifice with all possible signs of a great and grave seriousness performed it with all the marks of a raptural transported Zeal continue their supplications several hours even with the most passionate fervency nay seem so far besides themselves by the vehemency of their Zeal as to cut and gash themselves and turn cruel unto and regardless of their own flesh While on the other side the Prophet calmly betakes himself to the repairing of Gods Altar quietly and without noise orders his Sacrifice and offers up his devotion evenly in a Prayer more concise and short than that of our Saviour Tell me Sir which of these the people were most likely to slave at and admire Sure it s no difficult matter to conjecture How could they mistrust the Religion of such zealous devoters how could they chuse almost but admire the zeal and fervour of such worshippers prefer these Idolatrous Priests before the Lords Prophet and the glistering and amazing service and worship of Baal before the less pompous service of the God of Israel If the succeeding miracle had not umpired the contest I can easily foresee on which side the votes would have fallen How well the ignominious name of Baal's Priests which with so much virulency they have cast upon the Orthodox Clergy heretofore may become these Preachers themselves in other respects I shall not contend but in this I fear you may truly say Ovo prognati eodem they seem very near of Kin and both to have the same art and method of deceiving What have you thought of these men when you have beheld the strange antick gestures the ludicrous postures of some addressing themselves to Prayer the strange amazing violencies that some have forced themselves into in that performance So as even to hale and gasp for breath at every period while the poor admiring people below have taken these for mighty agitations of the Spirit and been as ready to adore when the men came down as the Israelites
him alas this man shall be looked upon under the same notion that our blessed Saviour was by the Demoniacks in the Gospel one that comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unseasonably to trouble and disturb their thoughts and shall be as ungrateful to them as a Tormentor But he that can reconcile Paris and Paradise and render their sensual lives and great hopes consistent he that can sing one of the Songs of Sion to a wicked Babylonian that can preach up a possibility of leaping out of a Dalilah's lap into the Bosom of Abraham Oh no man hits their humour like this man Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci. Saith the ancient Adage and be confident 't is so in this instance He that will undertake to find out a way how the pleasant and good things here may be secure of the better that shall be hereafter How the merriments of the flesh shall hereafter continue and commence raptural exultations and joys of the Spirit He that can take the bunch off the unjust rich Camels back and smooth it so as easily to pass through the Eye of the Heavenly Needle He that can cut the Gordian knot of duty and solve the Aenigm how a man may be glorious hereafter without being vertuous here this man shall be the honoured Oedipus this shall be the Apollo whose Altars shall never be without incense this man shall be the Alexander whose Troops of adoring followers shall allways be full We may without any great fear of censure take upon us to tell those that deny these things that they are unacquainted with the humours of men have lived like so many Recluses in Caves or Rocks where they have come into no familliarity with things like themselves yea that they are perfect strangers perhaps to their own tempers And perhaps it may not be impertinent to the present subject to remark to you how plainly this humour still betrayed and discover'd it self in Gods chosen people of old according to those Memoirs that the Holy Ghost hath given us of them in those sacred inspirations of the Old Testament You may with a very little considering of them discover that the great business of the holy Prophets was still to beat down this fancy and convince them of a necessity of moral righteousness in order to true happiness to assure them that a few easie ritual observances was not all they were to regard and that the Ceremonial sanctity was nothing worth in Gods esteem without the moral purity And a very little conversing with those holy Histories will let you see what entertainment these good men commonly found for this truth and plainness They were hated as Enemies and pursued as disturbers of their peace a Prison or worse was sure to be the fate of him that cryed not still go up and prosper Alas these things hit not their humours these were not stories complying with their tempers and therefore the Preachers of them were sure to find no very good entertainment amongst them This the Royal Prophet Isaiah we shall find takes the liberty freely to tell them Cap. 30. 10. 11. Which say to the Seers see not and to the Prophets Prophesie not unto us right things speak unto us smooth things Prophesie deceits go ye out of the way turn aside out of the path cause the holy one of Israel to cease from before us Which words without the assistance of any Comment discover to us how little these people loved duty how much they desired to be indulged and soothed up in their immoralities to have Peace Peace cryed to them notwithstanding all their viciousness and how the only way to be respected by them was to comply with their humours and beloved carnallities And if you 'l please to consult the Prophet Micah Chap. 2. v. 11. You 'll find him charging them plainly with the same thing also If a man walking in the spirit and falshood do lye saying I will prophesie unto thee of Wine and strong drink He shall even be the Prophet of this people No matter at all how true or false the Prophets words were if they were but oily and smooth if they did but favour or countenance the beloved sensuality there was no man like him this should be their beloved Prophet And consonantly to this you will find that the false Prophets easily perceived this humour by all means complyed with it and hereby obtained an esteem and veneration above any of the Prophets of the Lord. One Zedekiah with these turns should push a thousand Micajah's out of all esteem with Ahab and his people And that this was the gainful practice of these deceivers we are assured therefore are they represented to us as men that cryed Peace Peace when their was no Peace Thus they soothed and flattered the people and the people largely rewarded them again and there was no Trade in Israel sure to bring in more profit than the sowing Pillows to mens Elbows and preaching up Doctrines that brought them ease and yet promised them happiness And if we a little further continue our course with these holy Writings and come to the New Testament we shall soon discover that this also was the method by which the Pharisees those great Doctors in Israel obtained such a veneration amongst the multitude For though it must not be denied them that they were extreamly strict and even critically austere in their carriage yet this may safely be added that all this strictness which they preached up or practised was only in very little and very easie instances such as were far enough short of any painful austerities and might well enough consist with and be performed by the most carnal and sensual Complexions For what great violence was offer'd to the adored Mammon by tything a sprig of Mint or a Pint of Cummin-seed little loss could result from hence to the estate and who would not readily be just in these minute things that he might neglect it in greater What great austerity in fasting twice a week so that a Feast might be allowed to their lusts all the days beside What great difficulty in a long Prayer while that would presently be recompensed with the Widows House What great hardship in washing before meat while the Soul was freely left to it's uncleanness What great unpleasantness in always washing when they had been in the Market all the while they brought thence such good pennyworths What course could be less contrary or afflicting to a scornful Pride than to take care never to eat with Publicans and Sinners And certainly the wearing broad Philacteries was no such mighty act of mortification but could well enough consist with casting Gods Laws behind their backs Now no men were ever surer of esteem and honour from the multitude than these were no men ever hit upon a more certain way to be admired than they For as strictness doth well so if it be but in easie small things it pleaseth too This exactly suits with
were Moses after his glorious converse with God in the Mount How often have you seen a Preacher heat himself beyond the need of any vestments throwing off his Cloak nay and his Gloves too as great impediments to the holy performance squeeking and roaring beyond the example of any Lunatick Sometimes speaking in a tolerable tone and presently again crying out as if under some immediate distraction While the people with great amazement have gaped upon him and when he hath finished given him this honourable Encomium well hee 's a rare man a man mighty zealous for the Lord a powerful Preacher and one that hath taken abundance of pains that day to the cherishing and refreshing of whose wearied Spirits the female Proselytes are commonly very actively contributive If any man be so uncharitable towards me as to imagine me an Enemy to Zeal in religious performances upon the account of this period or that this discourse intends the disparaging a fervency of Spirit in serving the Lord I shall take the freedom to tell him he uncharitably mistakes both No man more heartily wisheth that all the Clergy would be grave and serious and zealous in all their publick services and you can witness for me how much I have lamented and sometimes freely blamed some mens remissness and coldness herein but this I will readily acknowledge to all such persons that as I have an Apostolick Warrant for commending of Zeal only in a good matter so I think I have the same for requiring the expressions of it in a due manner also with which I am apt to believe the theatrical ludicrous postures of some men do no way comport 3. Another thing that perhaps may be influential on this business is a very great specious seeming Sanctity in carriage and common deportment Sir the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sheeps-Cloathing hath always been worn by all the Wolves that have broke into the Church and the Spirit of Heresie and Schism hath ever been careful to appear in the garb of an Angel of Light If you should search all the Ecclesiastical Antiquities you would constantly find that allmost all the Herisiaerks that have disturbed the Church and its peace have ever been extraordinary pretenders to Sanctity sometimes in their Doctrines but allways in their carriage and under this vizard and disguise have done most mischief For though all novelties are strangely taking with the inconsiderate multitude who are even naturally new-fangled and changeable yet when they appear thus dressed and habited then they quite fascinate and strongly charm their high opinions and admiration they are quickly drawn to wonder at and extol them And truly when they are once brought into these circumstances they are then as heated wax ready to receive any impression that their admired Leaders shall please to stamp them with This our great Enemy knowing very well hath taken great care allways to send forth his Emissaries in this garb and therefore you know the great Apostle in his characterising of these Factors omits not to put this into the description that they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a very great and glorious form and shew of Godliness I shall not bring my Charity in question by disputing whether these persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may not well admit the diminutive attendant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or no. I am certain then if ever this came to the notice of any of them I should be exclaimed against as a condemnor of the Saints and one that spoke against the Generation of Gods Children But this I will tell you that if it be but a Form yet 't is well trimmed if all be only personated the Actors are excellent Comicks if it be not castè yet cautè it is if it be only a paint 't is very lively It would go near the puzling of you I think to instance in any pharisaick nicety in outward Conversation which I should not be able to match in these men No men ever were better studied in all the little things that make a fair shew in the sight of the vulgar and carry with them any appearance of piety no men ever were exacter at Oral or gestural Sanctity than they are What their hearts are God and their own Consciences know we will not judge them Now Sir I need not tell you of what mighty advantage this is to them in this instance of gaining respect from their followers I wish that some of our own Clergy would consider how possible it is that some of them may be contributive here and how by their carelessness they become foils the more to set off their Adversaries glory It is a wounding spectacle to see the carelessness of some of these they little consider besides their own heavy guilt what cause they give these Enemies to blaspheme their holy Religion and what advantage those gain hereby towards the assuring their own dear reputation they greedily gape for these falls and they know how there out to suck no small advantage 4. Another Method by which these Persons attract a great veneration from their followers is the suffering a seeming Persecution and that as they endeavour to make them believe for Conscience and Righteousness sake Among all the Saints whose names are eminent and famous in the Dyptichs of the Church there are none that have more justly been honoured with the highest Eulogiums than the holy Martyrs who have attested the truth of their holy Faith by their own blood He that can have the valour to suffer for his Religion is in the sure way to Fame and Renown amongst his Party Now Sir these persons appear evidently on the suffering side and providence hath cast them upon acting the sadder Scene the Laws are something smart against them and they may thank themselves for it I wish they would thank the goodness of a merciful Prince who hath been pleased to suspend the Execution of these Laws against them and keep off the penalties which they threaten to them However this act of Grace hath now rob'd them of this Plea they cannot now sure call themselves the persecuted Saints But I must tell you Sir you are deceived if you think so Alas they are sufferers and the persecuted party still Are they not branded with the odious name of Phanaticks of Schismaticks and is it not as good allmost to take away their lives as their reputation have they not many of them parted with good Livings to preserve their Consciences pure and untainted Yes and more of them than would we know had they not been trapan'd by the rich Cabal at London that could live without these Livings and call you not this a suffering now yes and a great one too here 's silence in Heaven upon it or at least they hoped there would have been Alas the Ark is gone and do not they suffer in its Captivity This is a sore Persecution such as the Revelation tells you was to befal the Witnesses and all that adored and
therefore I further tell you that the only sure way for any man to obtain these honourable Titles is to join himself to their Assemblies for alas all out of these are Children of darkness the wicked of the earth the Sons of Belial and the Seed of the Serpent We know their Charity can afford us no better names Just so did the Pharisees of old mightily extol and honour their own Disciples whilst all men else in gross were but populus terrae or the best man in particular but isle publicanus but these men are Saints as soon as ever they are but of the godly Party I could tell you a story of a grave Doctor that for some months together every Sunday constantly prayed for his sick Maid under no worser a title than thy dear Servant E. 'till at length the good Saint was deliver'd of a fine Boy which some unlucky Women swore was very like the Father Now Sir How mightily do you think must this Courtship endear them to their people oh these fine names made a great noise in their heads they could not but dance to such melodious ayrs and the men that would treat them so kindly need never fear any Ostracism but should be sure to charm their greatest affection nay all they have shall be readily at such mens service how can they grudge such civil Gentlemen any thing He that can creep into the good Ladies Chamber and there affectionately pray for her as Gods Elect Lady his holy Servant his dear Handmaid and her religious and hopeful Issue those tender Plants of the holy Seed and polished Corners of the Temple may rise up with confidence of her hearty thanks nay may find he hath melted her heart into some yellow pieces as one of these once told a Confident of his who yet had not the Grace to conceal it but publish'd the saying to the uncircumcised This is a civility and honour to their people that you 'll scarce be able to parallel any where besides it far exceeds that of the Papists to their most religious Votaries those seldom Canonize any till after death and they do wisely because they can safelier fix on them Miracles c. which perhaps themselves would have blushed at the forgery of had they been living But these men Canonize all presently they are all precious Saints as soon as ever they become their Disciples and tell me then doth not one good turn deserve another you might count them ruder than the Boors of Scythia if they should not mightily honour such obliging and courteous Masters And now by this time Sir I suppose I may have hired you as well as my self in this Inquisition in which I do not intend to give you any further trouble only let me for a conclusion add that if these Causes be rightly ghessed at and assign'd there will these two or three observables be easily colligible from them First That the people have no such extraordinary great Reason to honour these men as perhaps they may imagine and that they act very little beyond the weakness and indiscretion of Children in adoring of them If their eyes ever chance to be truly opened to see what true Religion means and what the real Terms and Conditions of Salvation are they will find I doubt not that their Leaders have abused them and their Teachers caused them to err And then perhaps acknowledge they had no more true reason to honour these men than Children have to do the like to those Spirits as we call them who entertain their eyes and phancies with some pleasant toys 'till they have stollen them from their Parents and betrayed them into slavery Indeed if men love to be cheated and can take a delight in being shamefully abused then I confess they may have cause enough to honour these Persons for they can fit that humour well but otherwise if they be wise and detest imposture they 'l have little more cause to honour these as benefactors and dispensors of true Heavenly food than they would have to do so to those who when they called for Bread should give them Stones or when they expected Fish should treat them with Scorpions Secondly That these men themselves have no very great cause to glory in the acquist the applause of the multitude is in it self very inconsiderable and no wise man ever made much account of it but it is much less valuable when t is fraudulently obtain'd the guilt in the acquisition will quite damp and spoil the pleasure of the fruition And certainly the joy in seeing the people very much pleas'd will very poorly compensate the horrour that must needs arise upon the thought that God is most grievously provoked and offended There 's a Scripture Sir that we have heard frequently in the mouths of these persons to patronize and defend some of their actions I only wish 't were as much in their hearts to allay their Pride in being thus honoured Whether it be just in the sight of God to obey men rather than God judge ye certainly Reason would that men should ambition rather the honour that cometh from God though the multitude were displeased than to gratifie the vain humour and thereby acquire the as vain applause thereof by offending of God We find the Apostle of the Gentiles telling his Galatians that if he sought to please men he should not be the servant of Christ I doubt some men might read their fate out of these words and most certainly all may do so who purchase mans applause by ways that Christ hath not warranted Even in the midst of such laughter the heart may be justly sad when it reflects upon the reproach and ignominy the confusion and shame that will strike the Epilogue to all these Comick sports and turn the peoples present admiring acclamations into the most virulent curses and execrations for ever Were it not much better to be serious in preventing this direful Exit now in time by every man laying aside these poor low mean designs and quitting that peevishness and that Pride that necessarily engage men upon them Were it not much safer to cease quarrelling and disputing against things acknowledged by themselves indifferent the making vents and Schisms and parties in the Church which must be acknowledg'd extreamly dangerous and resolve to join cordially with their brethren in doing God and the Church service and bringing mens Souls into a love and pursuit of true Godliness all which are also acknowledg'd absolutely needful this I should think were a laudable method to Glory a way to assure the honour that cometh from God and only deserves that name if they can out-strip their brethren in this procedure let them say I have a Benjamins Mess and welcom No good man I am sure would grudge them this honour but rejoice to see them all have the reward due to true Prophets Nay I dare be publick security that hereby they should find ten times the comfort that they can possibly in