The Cure of MISPRISION Or Selected Notes upon sundry questions in controversie of main concernment Betwen The Word and The World Tending to Reconcile mens judgements and Unite their affections Composed and Published for the common good as being A probable means to Cure Prejudice and Misprision in such as are not past Cure by R. Junius Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you for so did their Fathers of the false Prophets Luke 6. 26. LONDON Printed by Tho. Paine for Benjamin Allen and are to bee sold at his shop in Popes-Head Alley 1646. To the Reader COurteous Reader The disease to which this Cure is applyed is epidemicall The hearts of men beeing anatomized it will bee found that the grand cause of their alienation from and opposition unto the waies of God is a secret obstruction arising from that which as the seed of it the Author calls Misprision This Book describes the disease very lively in the Symptomes of it and prescribes the Cure in a very artificiall method laid downe in great variety of matter and elegancy of conveyance The receipt is made up of well chosen ingredients strong and therefore likely to be operative sweet thereby inviting the patient to take it If the Jaundies be removed out of thy eye wherby the things of God have been represented to thee in a false colour Let the chief Physitian have all the glory of thy recovery which is all the reward the confectioner expects for his paines THO GOODVVIN JO. ARROVVSMITH RICHARD VINES To all such as speake evil of the Way of Truth and of the things which they understand not 2. Pet. 2. 12. by way of Preparative WEc desire to heare of thee what thou thinkest for as concerning this Sect wee know that every where it is spoken against Acts 28. 22. They cal evil good and good evil put darknes for light light for darknes bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter They iustifie the wicked and take away the righteousnes of the righteous from him Isay 5. 20. 23. By honour and dishonour by evil report and good report as deceivers and yet true 2 Cor. 6. 8. They think it strange that ye runne not with them unto the same excesse of ryot therefore speake they evil of you 1 Pet. 4. 4. These things will they do unto you for my names sake because they have not known the Father nor me Job 15. 21. and 16. 3. We speake the wisdom of God in a mystery even the hidden wisdome which God ordain'd before the world unto our glory which none of the Princes of this world knew for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2. 7. 8. Because they received not the love of the truth thaâ— they might be saved for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeve a ly that they all might be damned who beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnes 2 Thes 2. 10 11. 12. And this is the condemnation that Light is come into the World and men loved darknesse rather then Light because their deeds were evil For every one that evil doth hateth the light least his deeds should bee reprooved John 3. 19 20. Should men hold their peace at thy Lyes and when thou mockest others shall none make thâ—e ashamed Job 11. 3 We would have Cured Babylon but shee would not be cured Jerm 51. 9. This peoples heart is waxed fat and their ears are dull of hearing and their eys they have closed leâ—t they should see with their eyes hear with their eares and should understand with their hearts and should bee converted and I should heale them Matth. 13. 15. Consider what I say and the Lord give you understanding in all things 2 Tim. 2. 7. The Cure of Misprision or selected Notes upon sundry questions in controversy of main concernment between the Word and the World tending to reconâ—ile mens judgements and unite their affâ—ctions Section 1. Question WHy is there so much jarring and discord so little love and peace amongst us since wee all professe our selves men the best of creatures Christians the best of men Protestants the best of Christians Answer It proceeds primarily from the variousnesse of our dispositions for since the fall there is not more variety of faces voyces hand-writings c. then of humors As take twenty men where you please as they dwell or passe the streets there will not be two of them conditioned alike as were David and Jonathan yea goe into the same Church be it in City or Country where is a mixt audience of men seeming to professe the same Religion and cull out the like number may it not be said of them Quot homines tot sententia so many men so many mindes or may they not be stiled or described much after this manner the Rich worldling the Civill Justiciary the Loose libertine the Temporary beleever the Opinionist the Formalist the Weake Christian the Experimentall Christian the Atheist the Papist the Moderate man the Common Protestant the Newter the Ignorant Man the Prudent Man the Proud Man the Persecutor the Profound humanist the Cunning polititian the Cauterized drunkard c. And are these likely to agree in all poynts of Religion which are infinite when the same sermon shall be admired by one slighted by another deeply censured by a third yea when a fourth shall weepe at it a fâ—â—tlcoffe and jeere at it a sixt tremble at it a seventh curse and blaspheme both at it and the messenger our Saviours own case John 7. which yet is no wonder since some are as deeply in love with vice and error as others are with vertue and truth But secondly What hope is there that we should all agree when the holy Ghost who best knowes our rame compares severall men to almost every several rall creature in the universe purposely to shew that the Epicure is not more like a Swine the lustfull person a Goat the â—raudulent man a Fox the backbiter a barking Dog the slanderer an Aspe the oppressor a Wolfe the persecuter a Tyger the Church-robber a wild Boar the seducer a Serpent the traytor a viper c. then every one of them is unlike another Which yet is not all for let carnall men be at never so much ods one with another yet they will concur and joyne against the â—odly as for example Edom and Ishmael Moab and the Hagarius Gobal and Ammon Amaleck and the Philistins the men of Tyre and Assur had all severall Gods yet all conspire against the true God Psal 83. 5. to 9. Manasses against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasses but both against Judah Hâ—rad and Pilate two enemies will agree so it be against Christ they will fall in one with another to fall out with God the Sadduces Pharises and Herodians were sectaries of divers and adverse factions all differing one from another and yet all these joyne together against
but not themselves without a glasse so they looke to others not to themselves and they have much the more quiet for so doing an evill conscience beeing like a bad wife that will either bee gadding abroade or scolding at home Sect. 26. But could I prevaile with these men I would wish them to be sure that what they heare of such a professor be true because First report and that from the Devils servants is not a witnes of sufficient credit to make them passe sentence upon a servant of God Indeede if thou wilt bee led by report no marvell that thou condemnest them to the pit of hell for thou shalt be told that such a puritane will not sell a pennie-worth of Aqua-vite upon a sabbath to save a mans life That another will refuse to receive mony npon a bond or morgage to day being the Lords day that he may take the forfeiture or a good round composition to morrow That another hath undone such a man by extortion and sutes and being desired to let him out of prison makes answer No hee shall rot there for he is a wicked man and it is Gods will I should punish him In fine thou shalt be told that all professors will ly and Cozen though they will not sweare and judge all to bee damned reprobates who are not of their own sect with a multitude of the like Every one of which reports is as true as that Naboth was a blasphemer of God and the King Ieremiah an enemy to the State Paul a polluter of the Temple Steeven a destroyer of the law all the Disciples deceivers and Christ himselfe a wine bibber a Sabath breaker a seducer of the people a Belzebub c. Which slanders were generally reported and confidently beleeved in their severall times as the like are at this present Wherefore go not by heare-say except thou lovest lyes more then the truth Yea in this case if thou didst but know what wicked and malicious hearts some have against the Godly and how full they are of the Serpents venom as being Satans seede and partaking of his nature thou wouldest acknowledge that report joyned with the relaters own oath that he saw it and knows the same to be true is too weake a ground whereon to build so heavy a sentence as the imputation of an hypocrite As I could instance from experience did not the scripture afford examples thereof as in the case of Naboth Steven our Saviour Christ c. But Sect. 27. 2. Secondly For I will yet goe farther with thee Suppose thou art an eye and an eare witnesse of one mans being drunke of anothers swearing or lying of a third convicted of adultry and the like Each of them making an holy profession and shew of godlynesse yet this is not a sufficient ground for thee to conclude they are Hypocrites for to conclude any man an Hypocrite for one or two single acts of impiety when the tenor and maine course of his life is a current of honesty and goodnesse is against the rules both of Divinity Physick Experience and Philosophie Yea if one or a few sinfull acts were a demonstrance of an Hypocrite what would become of those Champions and Worthies recorded in holy writ where we read that Noah was drunke that Lot committed incest that Abraham told lyes that Ioseph swore prophanely that Jacob used indirect meanes to get the blessing that Aaron mutined against Moses and made a molten Calfe for the people to worship that David committed both adultry and muâ—ther that Peter denyed and forswore his master and the like of many other the deare Saints and servants of God My mâ—ttter leads me to produce these instances the better to aswage their malice and stop their mouths who are so rash and uncharitable in judgeing their brethren in the like cases Nor should I deal uprightly if I passed them over But I grieve to thinke what a desparate woefull and contrary use many of them will make of it for as sundry of St. Pauls hearers Spider like wrested his Epistles and other Scripture unto their own destruction 2 Pet. 3. 15. 16. So these being of a serpentine nature aâ—d Satan by his policie working upon their depraved judgements and corrupt hearts when they heaâ—e of the slips and falls of these holy men will â—oâ—thwiâ—h decoâ—kt the mercy of God into poyson and applâ— them as presiâ—ents for imitation yea as warrants for their continuing in their evill courses For alâ—hough evill was never made to bee imitated but goodnesse yet they will follow them in what they did amisse imitate none of their vertues nor once take notice of their repentance And although God never intended one tittle of his word for a temptation yet what is recorded therein of the Saints falls and his unspeakable mercy in pardoning the foulest sins hath proved by accident the losse of many thousanâ— soules But let such know that there cannot be a more grosse and sottish delusion for what indeed is an argument of â—eare they make an argument of presumption in sinning and what they hope shall excuse them doth but more properly condemn them because they had that warning before them What Pilote that were in his right wits when he seeth Seamarkes purposely set to give warning of Rocks Sands Shelves where on others have made shipwrack will take occasion therby to run his Ship upon them So what wise man that tenders the safety of his owne soule when he heareth these examples which are recorded for our warning wilâ— not make them as so many monitors to warne him to take â—eed For if they being so godly had their slips and falls let him that thinketh he stands take heed least â—e fall Nor will any that have grace make their sinnes and the mercy of God in pardoning them any incouragement to goe on more securely in a sinfull course but rather a caveat aud a spurr to worke out their salvations with fear and trembling as the Apostle exhorts Phil. 2. 12. And whosoever doth otherwise is like w th that foolish builder Lu. 14 28. to 31. to come short of his reckoning For their falls are written to raise us up when we are downe nor to cast us downe when we are up And appointed for our consolation afterward not for one presumption before They sinned that thou mightest not presume they were pardoned that thou mightest not dispair Sect. 28. Besides there is a mighty difference between the same sinnes in thee and in them whom thou so uncharitably censurest Namely between entertaining an evill once and often between falling into sinne and wallowing in it like a filthy swine or continuing therein a long time Between an action and an occupation between sins of infirmity and the common practice of sinne Betweene that which we strive against and grieve for and that wherein our whole delight is Between hating what we doe and our selves for doing it together with griefe and sorrow afterward And being glad of it
bid Go ye cursed into everlasting fire Which is the portion of all wicked men Matth. 25. 41. They above all other sinners shall have a double weight or portion of vengeance the lowest and deepest place in Hell As is plaine Matth. 23. Where our saviour not only pronounceth Woe to you hypocrites but repeats it eight times in one Chapter saying Woe Woe Woe to you hypocrites for you shall receive greater damnation vers 14. The hypocrite strives to loade Christ with manâ— sinnes therefore Christ loads him with many woes and curses Though the maine ground is from the nature of this sinne For nothing more greatens any sinne then simulation of holinesse Nor is any mischiefe so divelish as that which is cloaked with piety The better vice shews the worse it is and the worse it is the better it desires to shew Yea the better colour is put upon any vice the more odious it is both in the sight of God man For as every similitude adds to an evil so the best adds most evil The face of goodnesse without a body is the worst wickednesse Cloath an Ape in Tissue and both the beauty of the Robe and the resemblance which hee carrieth of a man does but add more scorne to the beast And without contradiction an ill man is the worst of all creatures save the Divel himselfe an ill Christian the worst of all men and an ill professor the worst of all Christians Professed Curtizans if they bee any way good it is because they are openly bad And it shall be easier for theeves and Adulterers at the day of judgement then for hypocrites Mat. 21. 31. Wherefore if thou beest unsound within soil not the glorious Robe of truth by putting it upon thy beastlines To bid thee repent and strive for Sincerity were to small purpose for which is strange in all the Scriptures wee never reade of an hypocrites repentance And a notable reason may be given Wickednesse doth most rankle the heart when it is kept in and dissembled And thus far our opinions jumpe Sect. 75. But touching the next query our judgements are as diametrially opposite as the two poles For who are these verball orrall occular professors Those who are called puritans or those that terme and repute them so this is the main question and it would be throughly examined We say they are the only men guilty of this crime they say the like of us but the tryall is all and how shall wee try it surely by bringing each side and every of their actions to the rule And first to bring them to the tryall who call all professors of Religion puritans and raile against them under pretence that they are not as they seeme If hee be an hypocrite who is much in profession and nothing or clean contrary in his practice then there are none greater hypocrites then Protestants at large viz. Prelaticall and Scandalous Ministers Civil and Morall Men. Prophane and Ignorant Persons Cunning Polititians who joyne all together in crying downe and barking against profession I know the assertion will seeme strange Yea the grossest hypocrite of them all will presume that hee can Herod like wash his hands of this sin And with David touching Nathans parable which made him passe sentence against himselfe think that this foule evil does no way concern him Or as Ahab thought of the Prophets parable when his own mouth condemn'd him for letting Benhadad go free 1 Kings 20. 39. to 43. But I shall make it appear that there are no greater hypocrites nor Puritans under Heaven then they who rail and cry out so much against hypocrisie and Puritanisme It faring with them as it did with Sabillus the Sicilian who slew the tyrant Cleander and was after found to bee a worse Tyrant then he Or as it did with that Pharisee in the Gospel who brake his neighbours head when he should with the Publican have smote his owne breast Oh that men would observe what I shall say but asmuch as it concerns them that they would well consider how Satan gulls them and how grosly they gull themselves But this is the gift of God alone for to plant and water is nothing except it receive blessing from above I will therefore do my utmost and leave the rest to him that can doe what hee will and will doe what is best Sect. 76. 1. And first let me examine such of the Ministery who altogether in their sermons enveigh against puritans for being one in their profession and shew to the world and another yea cleane contrary in their life and practice their consciences shall give evidence against them if they be not cauterized with continuall handling of holy things without feeling That whereas they call themselves by the generall name of Christians by the speciall and particular name of Christs Ministers and Ambassadors pretending they represent his person spend their whole times in reading and preaching Gods word receiving and administring the Sacraments in praying and visiting the sick get their whole livings under a shew of service done to Christ Yea their very garments forsooth must pretend holinesse and purity then which there can be no greater profession yet these men these great pretenders are the least of any obedient to his lawes Yea none greater enemies to Christ and his kingdome then they for either in their preaching they doe what they can to draw from Christ to the world his mortall enemy by discouraging the good and incouraging the evil by turning the truth of God into â—ly as it is Rom. 1. 25. A thing more frequent with Prelaticall preachers then most men have wit to observe I wish their admirers would reade their severall Characters in a late abstract and be better informed or that such unpreaching ministers were marked in their foreheads that their people might the better know and take heed of them I confesse it is strange that these Gehazies who receive in so much truth at their eares should not have one word of truth in their mouths Yea to an ordinary capacity it sounds above beleefe that they who are Gods mouth to the people should bee so wicked and false as out of the mouth of God to give not the judgement of God but of their owne wicked hearts stifned with the serpents enmity But consider the reason and the case is plain The hypocrite is a secret Athiest saying in his heart there is no God Psal 14. 1 and without controversie Thou art an Athiest for if thou didst beleeve there is a God thou durst not bee so bold as to withstand him to his face and with his word to wound his own people Or secondly if they doe preach the truth yet by their lives they confute their owne doctrine as their Rhetorick may bee prittie and their Lodgick wittie when their practice is naughtie Yea are there not many hundreds in this land some whereof the Parliament have sound out and cast out like Balaam then whom never Prophet