Christ her husband neuer diuorc't her No his loue is still aboue their hatred his blessinges aboue their censures Do but ask them were we euer the true church of God If they deny it Who then were so Had God neuer Church vpon earth since the Apostles time till Barrow Greenwood arose And euen then scarce a number nay when or where was euer any man in the worlde except in the Schooles perhaps of Donatus or Nouatus that taught their Doctrine and now still hath hee none but in a blind lane at Amsterdam Can you thinke this probable If they affirme it when ceased we Are not the pointes controuerted still the same The same Gouernment the same doctrine Their minds are changed not our estate Who hath admonished euinced eccommunicated vs and when All these must be done Will it not be a shame to say that Francis Iohnson as he tooke power to excommunicate his Brother and Father so had power to excōmunicate his Mother the Church How base and idle are these conceits Are we then heretickes condemned in ourselues wherin ouerthroew wee the foundation What other God Sauiour Scriptures Iustification Sacraments Heauen do they teach beside vs Can al the Maisters of seperation yea can al the churches in Christendome set forth a more exquisite and woorthy confession of Faith then is contained in the Articles of the Church of England Who can hold these and be hereticall Or from which of these are we reuolted But to make this good they haue taught you to say that euery trueth in Scripture is fundamentall so fruitfull is errour of absurdities Whereof stil one breedes another more deformed then it selfe That Trophimus was left at Miletum sicke that Pauls Cloake was left at Troas that Gaius Paules hoast saluted the Romaines that Naball was drunke or that Thamar baked Cakes and a thousand of this nature are fundamentall how large is the separatists Creed that hath all these Articles If they say al Scripture is of the same author of the same authority so say we but not of the same vse is it as necessary for a Christian to knowe that Peter hosted with one Simon a tanner in Ioppd as that Iesus Christ the son of God was born of the Virgin Mary What a mōster is this of an opiniō that al trueths are equal that this spiritual house should be all foundation no wals no roofe Can no man be saued but hee that knowes euery thing in scripture Then both they and we are excluded heauē wold not haue so many as their Parlor at Amsterdam Can any man be saued that knowes nothing in Scripture It is far frō them to bee so ouercharitable to affirm it you see thē that both al truths must not of necessity be known some must these we iustly call fundamental which who so holdeth al his hay stubble through the mercy of God condemn him not stil he hath right to the church on erth hope in heauē but whither euery truth be fundamētal or necessary discipline you say is so indeed necessary to the wel-being of a church no more it may be true without it not perfect Christ cōpares his spouse to an army with banners as order is to an army so is Discipline to the Church if the troups be not well marshalled in their seuerall ranks moue not forward acording to the discipline of warre it is an army stil cōfusion may hinder their succes it cannot bereaue thē of their name it is as beautiful proportiō to the body an hedge to a vineyard a wal to a Citty an hem to a garment seeling to an house It may be a body vineyard Citty garment house without them it cannot be wel and perfect yet which of our aduersaries vvill say wee haue no Discipline Some they graunt but not the right as if they sayde Your Citty hath a Bricke-wall indeede but it should haue one of hewen stone your Vineyard is hedged but it should be paled ditched while they cauill at what wee want wee thanke God for what wee haue and so much we haue in spight of all detraction as makes vs both a true Church and a worthy one But the mayn quarrel is against our Ministery and forme of worship let these be examined this is the Circle of their censure No Church therefore no Ministery and no Ministery therefore no Church vnnatural sons that spit in the face of those spirituall Fathers that be got them and the Mother that bore them What woulde they haue Haue wee not competent guifts from aboue for so great a function Are we all vnlearned vnsufficient Not a man that knowes to deuide the word aright As Paul to the Corinthes is it so that there is not one wise man amongest vs No man vvill affirm it some of them haue censured our excesse in some knowledge none our defect in all What then Haue we not a true desire to do faithful seruice to God and his Church No zeal for Gods glory Who hath beene in our harts to see this Who dare vsurp vpon God condemn our thoughts Yea we appeale to that only Iudge of harts whether he hath not giuen vs a sincere longing for the good of his Syon he shall make the thoughts of al hearts manifest and then shall euerie man haue praise of God if then wee haue both ability and will to do publick good our inward calling which is the mayne poynt is good and perfect for the outward what want wee Are we not first after good triall presented approued by the learned in our Colledges examined by our church-gouernors ordaind by imposition of hāds of the eldership alowed by the congregations we are set ouer do we not labor in word doctrine do we not carefully administer the sacraments of the Lord Iesus haue we not by our publick means won many soules to God what shuld we haue do more Al this yet no true Ministers we passe very little to be iudged of thē or of mans day but our ordainers you say are Antichristian surely our censurers are vnchristian tho we shold grant it some of vs were baptized by hereticks is the sacrament annihilated and must it bee redoubled How much lesse ordination which is but an outward admission to preach the gospel God forbid that we shold thus condemne the innocent more hands were laid vpon vs then one of them for the principall except but their perpetual honor som few immateriall rites let an enemy say what they differ from Super-intendents can their double honor make them no elders Jf they haue any personal falts why is their calling scourged Looke into our Sauiours times what corruptions were in the very Priesthood It was now made annual which was before fixed singular Christ saw these abuses was silent heere was much dislike and no clamour we for lesse exclaim seperate euen personal offences are fetcht into the condemnation of lawfull courses God giue both pardon
do we by ours Their first times finde vs not more fond then carefull we doe not more follow them with our loue then ply them with instruction When this delight beginnes to grow stale we begin to grow negligent Nothing that I know can be faulted in the ordering of Child-hood but indulgence Foolish Mothers admit of Tutors but debarre rods These while they desire their Children may learne but not smart as is sayde of Apes kill theyr young ones with loue for what can worke vpon that age but feare And what feare without correction Now at last with what measure of Learning their owne wil would vouchsafe to receiue they are too earely sent to the Common Nurseries of Knowledge There vnlesse they fal vnder carefull tuition they study in iest and play in earnest In such vniuersal meanes of Learning all cannot fal besides them what their company what their recreation would either instil or permit they bring home to their gladde parents Thence are they transplanted to the Collegiate Jnnes of our common Lawes and there too manie learne to be lawlesse and to forget their former little Paules is their VVestminster their Study an Ordinary or Play-house or Dauncing Schoole some Lambert their Polydon And now after they haue not without much expence learned fashions and licentiousnesse they returne home full of welcomes and gratulations By this time some blossomes of youth appearing in their face admonish their Parents to seeke them some seasonable match Wherein the Father inquires for Wealth the Sonne for Beautie perhappes the Mother for parentage scarce any for Vertue for Religion Thus setled What is their care theyr discourse yea their Trade but eyther an Hound or an Hawke And it is wel if no woorse And now they so liue as if they had forgotten that there were Bookes Learning is for Priests and Pedants For Gentlemen pleasure Oh! that eyther wealth or wit should bee cast away thus basely That euer Reason should growe so debauched as to thinke any thinge more worthy then knowledge with what shame and emulation may wee looke vpon other Nations whose Apish fashions we can take vppe in the Channelles neglecting their immitable examples and with what scorn do they looke vpon vs They haue their solemne Academies for all those qualities which may accomplish Gentility from which they returne richly furnished both for action and speculation They account knowledge and ability of discourse as essential to great nesse as bloud neither are they more aboue the vulgar in byrth then in vnderstanding They trauel with iudgement and return with experience so do they followe the excercises of the body that they neglect not the culture of the mind From hence growes ciuility and power to mannage affayres either of Iustice or State From hence incouragement to learning reuerence from inferiors For those onely can esteeme knowledge which haue it and the common sort frame either their obseruance or contempt out of the example of their leaders Amongst them the sons of Nobles scorne not either Marchandise or learned professions and hate nothing so much as to do nothing I shame hate to thinke that our gallants hold there can be no disparagement but in honest callings Thus perhaps I haue abated the enuy of this reproofe by cōmunicating it to more which J had not done but that the generality of euil importunes redresse I wel see that either good or euil descends In vain shall we hope for the reformation of the many while the better are disordered Whome to solicit heerein J know not but all How gald should I be to spend my light to the snuffe for the effecting of this I can but perswade and pray these I will not fayle of The rest to him that both can amend and punish EPIST. VII To Mr. Ionas Reigesbergius in Zeland ¶ Written some whiles since concerning some new opinions then broached in the Churches of Holland and vnder the name of Arminius then liuing perswading al great wits to a study and care of the common Peace of the Church and disswading from al affect ation of singularity I Receiued lately a short relation of some newe Paradoxes from your Leiden you would know what we thinke I feare not to be censured as medling your truth is ours The Sea cannot deuide those Churches whom one faith vnites I know not howe it comes to passe that most men while they too much affect ciuility turne flatterers and plaine trueth is most where counted rudenesse Hee that tels a sicke friend he looks il or termes an angrie tumour the Gowt or a waterish swelling Dropsy is thought vnmannerly For my part I am glad that I was not borne to feed humors How euer you take your owne euils I must tell you wee pittie you and thinke you haue iust cause of deiection and we for you not for any priuate cares but which touch a Christian neerest the Common-wealth of God Behold after all those hilles of carcasses and streames of bloud your ciuill sword is sheathed wherein wee neither congratulate nor feare your peace lo now insted of that another while the spiritual sword is drawn and shaken it is wel if no more Now the politick State sits stil the church quarrels Oh! the insatiable hostility of our great enemy with what chaunge of mischiefes dooth he afflict miserable man No sooner did the Christian world begin to breath frō persecution but it was more punished with Arrianisine when the red dragon cānot deuour the child he tries to drowne the mother when the waters fail he raises war Your famous Iunius had nothing more admirable thē his loue of peace when our busy separatists apealed him with what a sweet calmnes did he reiect them with a graue importunity cal'd thē to moderation How it wold haue vexed his holy soule now out of the danger of passions to haue forseene his chaire troblesom God forbid that the Church should find a challenger instead of a Champion Who would thinke but you should haue beene taught the benefite of peace by the long want but if your temporal state besides either hope or beleefe hath growne wealthy with War like those Fowles which fatten with harde weather yet be too sure that these spiritual broyles cannot but impouerish the Church yea affamish it Jt were pitty that your Holland should be stil the Amphitheatre of the worlde on whose Scaffoldes all other Nations should sit and see variety of bloudie shewes not vvithout pitty and horror Jf I might challenge ought in that your acute and Learned Arminius I vvould thus solicit and coniure him Alas that so Wise a man should not know the vvorth of peace that so noble a Sonne of the Church shoulde not be brought to light without ripping the wombe of his Mother what meane these subtle Nouelties If they make thee famous and the Churche miserable who shall gain by them Is singularity so precious that it should cost no lesse then the safety and quiet of our
goe as farre as the reach of my warrant at least perhaps beyond it since the Apostle chargeth Meete againe lest you bee tempted not meete when you are tempted But to say absolutely and for euer renounce by consent the conuersation of each other what temptation soeuer assault you is directly not beyond but against Paules diuinitie no lesse then my assertion is against yours The ground of all these errors in this head of Matrimony is an vnworthie conceit of some vnchristian filthinesse in the marriage bed Euery man will not vtter but too many holde that conclusion of Hierome It is good for a man not to touch a women therefore to touch her is euill whom I doubt not but Saint Austin meant to oppose while he writes Bonum inquam sunt nuptiae contra omnes calumnias possunt sanâ ratione defendi Marriage I say is a good thing and may by sound proofe bee defended against all slaunders well may man say that is good which God saith is honorable and both good and honourable must that needs be which was instituted by the honourable author of goodnesse in the state of mans perfect goodnesse Let vs take heede of casting shame vpon the ordinance of our maker But there was no carnall knowledge in Paradise But againe in Paradise God said increase and multiply there should haue beene if there were not Those that were naked without shame should haue beene conioined without shame because without sinne Meates and drinks and acts of marriage saith Austin for these hee compares both in lawfulnes and necessitie are as they are vsed either lawful veniall or damnable Meates are for the preseruation of man marriage acts for the preseruation of mankind neither of them are without some carnall delight which yet if by the bridle of temperance it bee held to the proper and natural vse cannot be termed lust There is no ordinance of God which either is of more excellent vse or hath suffered more abuse in all times the fault is in men not in marriage Let them rectifie themselues their bed shal bee blessed Here need no separation from each other but rather a separation of brutishnes close corruption from the soule which whosoeuer hath learned to remoue shall finde the crowne of matrimonicall chastitie no lesse glorious then that of single continence To Master WILLIAM KNIGHT EP. X. Incouraging him to persist in the holy calling of the ministery which vpon conceit of his insufficiency and want of affection he seemed inclining to forsake and change I Am more glad to heare from you then sorry to heare of your discontentment whereof as the cause is from your selfe so must the remedy Wee Schollers are the aptest of all others to make our selues miserable you might be your owne best counsellor were you but indifferent to your selfe It I could but cure your preiudice your thoughts would heale you And indeed the same hand that wounded you were fittest for this seruice I need not tell you that your calling is honourable If you did not thinke so you had not complained It is your vnworthinesse that troubles you Let mee boldly tell you I know you in this case better then your selfe you are neuer the more vnsufficient because you thinke so If wee will bee rigorous Paules question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will appose vs all but according to the gracious indulgence of him that calls things which are not as if they were wee are that wee are yea that we ought and must be thankefull for our any thing There are none more fearefull then the able none more bold then the vnworthy How many haue you seene and heard of weaker graces your owne heart shall bee the iudge which haue sate without palenesse or trembling in that holy chaire and spoken as if the wordes had beene their owne satisfying themselues if not the hearers And doe you whose gifts many haue enuied stand quaking vpon the lowest staire Hath God giuen you that vnusuall varietie of tongues skill of Artes a stile worth emulation and which is worth all a faithfull and honest heart and doe you now shrinke backe and say send by him by whom thou shouldst send Giue God but what you haue he expects no more This is enough to honour him and crowne you Take heede while you complaine of want least pride shroude it selfe vnder the skirts of modestie How many are thankfull for lesse You haue more then the most yet this contents you not it is nothing vnlesse you may equall the best if not exceede yea I feare how this might satisfie you vnlesse you may thinke your selfe such as you would bee What is this but to grudge at the bestower of graces I tell you without flatterie God hath great gaines by fewer talents set your heart to imploie these and your aduantage shall bee more then your masters Neither do now repent you of the vnaduisednesse of your entrance God called you to it vpon an eternall deliberation and meant to make vse of your suddennes as a meanes to fetch you into his worke whom more leasure would haue found refractarie Full little did the one Saul thinke of a kingdom when he went to seeke his Fathers straies in the land of Shalishah or the other Saul of an Apostleship when hee went with his commission to Damascus God thought of both effected what they meant not Thus hath hee done to you Acknowledge this hand and follow it Hee found and gaue both facultie opportunitie to enter finde you but a will to proceede I dare promise you aboundance of comfort How many of the Ancients after a forceable Ordination became not profitable onely but famous in the Church But as if you sought shifts to discourage your selfe when you see you cannot maintaine this hold of insufficiencie you flie to alienation of affection In the truth wherof none can contoll you but your owne heart in the iustice of it we both may and must This plea is not for Christians we must affect what we ought in spight of our selues wherefore serues religion if not to make vs Lords of our owne affections If wee must bee ruled by our slaues what good should we do Can you more dislike your station then wee all naturally distast goodnesse Shall we neglect the pursuit of vertue because it pleases not or rather displease and neglect our selues till it may please vs Let mee not aske whether your affections be estranged but wherefore Diuinitie is a mistresse worthie your seruice All other Artes are but drudges to her alone Fooles may contemne her who cannot iudge of true intellectual beautie but if they had our eies they could not but bee rauished with admiration You haue learned I hope to contemn their contempt and so pitty their iniurious ignorance She hath chosen you as a worthy client yea a Fauorite and hath honored you with her commaunds and her acceptations who but you would pleade strangenesse of affection How many thousand sue to
common mother If it be truth thou affectest what alone Coulde neuer any eyes till thine bee blessed with this obiect where hath that Sacred verity hid her self thus long from all her carefull Inquisitors that shee now first shewes her head to thee vnsought Hath the Gospel shined thus long and bright and left some Corners vnseene Away with all newe truths faire and plausible they may be sound they cannot some may admire thee for them none shall blesse thee But graunt that some of these are no lesse true then nice poyntes What doe these vnseasonable Crochets and quauers trouble the harmonious plain-songs of our peace Some quiet error may bee better then some vnruly truth Who binds vs to speak all we thinke So the Church may be still would God thou wert wise alone Did not our aduersaries quarrell enough before at our quarrels Were they not rich enough with our spoils By the dear name of our common parents what meanest thou Arminius Whether tend these new-rais'd dissentions Who shall thriue by them but they which insult vpon vs rise by the fall of truth who shall be vndone but thy Brethren By that most precious and bloudy ransome of our Sauiour and by that awefull appearance we shall once make before the glorious Tribunall of the son of God remember thy selfe and the poore distracted limbes of the Church let not those excellent parts wherewith God hath furnished thee lye in the narrow way and cause any weake one eyther to fall or stumble or erre For Gods sake either say nothing or the same How many great wittes haue sought no By-paths and now are happy with their fellowes Let it be no disparagement to goe with many to heauen What could hee reply to so playne a charge No distinction can auoid the power of simple truth I know hee hears not this of me first Neither that learned and woorthy Fran. Gomarus nor your other graue fraternity of reuerend Diuines haue beene silent in so mayne a cause I feare rather too much noyse in any of these tumults There may too many contend not intreat Multitude of sutors is commonly powerfull howe much more in iust motions But if either hee or you shall turne me home and bid me spend my little moisture vppon our owne brandes I graunt there is both the same cause and the same neede This Counsell is no whit further from vs because it is directed to you Any Reader can chaunge the person I lament to see that euery where peace hath not many Clients but fewer louers yea euen many of those that praise her follow her not Of old the very Nouation men Women Children brought stones and morter with the Orthodox to the building of the Church of the Resurrection and ioyned louingly with them against the Arrians lesser quarrels diuide vs and euery diuision ends in blowes and euery blow is returned and none of al lightes beside the Church Euen the best Apostles dissented neither knoledge nor holynesse can redresse all differences True but wisedome and charity could teach vs to auoyde their preiudice If we had but these two vertues quarrels should not hurt vs nor the Church by vs But alas self-loue is too strong for both these This alone opens the flood-gates of dissention and drownes the sweet but low valley of the Church Men esteem of opinions because their owne will haue truth serue not gouerne What they haue vnder-taken must be true Victory is sought for not satisfaction Victory of the Authour not of the cause Hee is a rare man that knowes to yeeld as wel to argue what shold we do then but bestow our selues vpon that which too many neglect publicke peace first in Prayers that we may preuaile then in teares that we preuaile not Thus haue I beene bold to chat with you of our greatest and common cares Your old loue late Hospitall entertainment in that your Island called for this rememberance the rather to keepe your English tongue in breath which was wont not to bee the least of your desires Would God you could make vs hapy with newes not of Truce but sincere amity vnion not of Prouinces but spirits The God of Spirits effect it both heere and there to the glory of his Name and Church EPIST. VIII To W. I. condemned for Murder ¶ Effectually preparing him and vnder his name whatsoeuer Malefactor for his death IT is a bad cause that robbeth vs of al the comfort of friendes yea that turnes their remēbrance into sorrow None can do so but those that proceed from our selues For outward euils which come from the infliction of others make vs cleaue faster to our helpers and cause vs to seeke and finde ease in the very commisseration of those that loue vs whereas those grieses which arise from the iust displeasure of Conscience will not abide so much as the memory of others affection or if it do makes it so much the greater corrasiue as our case is more vncapeable of their comfort Such is yours You haue made the mention of our names tedious to your selfe and yours to vs. This is the beginning of your payne that you had frends If you may now smart soundly from vs for your good it must be the onely ioy you must expect and the finall dutie wee owe to you It is both vaine and comfortlesse to heare what might haue beene neither would J send you backe to what is past but purposely to increase your sorrow who haue caused al our comfort to stand in your teares If therefore our former Counsailes had preuailed neyther had your hands shed innocent bloude nor Iustice yours Now to your great sinne you haue done the one and the other must be done to your paine and we your welwillers with sorrow and shame liue to be witnesses of both Your sin is gone before the reuenge of Iustice wil follow Seeing you are guilty let GOD be iust Other sinnes speake this cryeth and will neuer be silent till it bee answered with it selfe For your life the case is hopeles feed not your selfe with vaine presumptions but settle your selfe to expiate anothers bloude vvith your owne Would God your desert had beene such that we might vvith any comfort haue desired you might liue But now alas your fact is so heynous that your life can neyther bee craued without in-iustice nor bee protracted without inwarde torment And if our priuate affection shoulde make vs deafe to the shouts of bloud and partiality should teach vs to forget all care of publicke right yet resolue there is no place for hope Since then you could not liue guiltlesse there remaines nothing but that you labour to dye penitent and since your bodye cannot bee saued aliue to endeuour that your soule may bee saued in death Wherein howe happye shall it bee for you if you shall yet giue care to this my last aduice too late indeede for your recompence to the Worlde not too late for your selfe You haue deserued