O what a dangerous person is every mistaken Zealot Sure it is of all Villains in the world the Religious Villain is the worst As for other Villains who are inwardly convinced that what they doe is naught and wicked they cannot chuse but now and then find some remorse regret and such checks within them as must needs damp their spirits and gall their souls and put some little stop to their Iniquity But as for the Devout and Pious Villain what Trouble can possibly invade his spirit what Pangs of Soul can he feel within him what can make him so much as once demurr and pause in the least when his own Conscience being misinformed and sadly deluded doth so far chear him as to bid him expect a reward for that Sin which it doth not onely represent but commend and applaud as a Duty which God requires and will certainly bless We need no other Instance in this case but that great one of Saint Paul Whilest he believed the old Religion of the Jews to be the onely true one whilest he was possessed with Prejudice against Christianity and took the Gospel to be but a meer Juggle a new Imposture and a false way of worship what strange havock did he make of the Church of Christ and that in the defence of a wrong Religion and the Persecution of a right All the excuse which he pleads for himself is onely this I did it through Ignorance Yea had but Saint Paul's knowledge then been as great as his zeal he would rather have laid himself then others in the Gaol had he but examined matters a right and found Christianity to be indeed the Religion of God he would have been so far from shedding other mens bloud that in the defence thereof he would ten thousand times rather have lost his own But O the direful effects of a mistaken Zeal This is the thing to which we must ascribe the most inhumane actions that the world ever saw From hence proceeded that bloudy Massacre of Paris and that unparallel'd and hellish Powder-Treason from hence hath proceeded the Assassination of Princes the Subversion of Empires and the Ruine of Churches And what if I tell you that misapprehensions of Religion have hung the Son of God upon the Cross and laid his Servants in the flames It cannot be imagined that the Jews would ever have crucified the Saviour of the World and their own Messias too had not an ignorant Zeal inclined them to it Nor can we reasonably conceive that the Papists are such Monsters rather then men that they would ever have burnt so many Martyrs had they not thought that Religion did require it And if so if the Consequences of a mistaken Religion be so dreadfull then surely we are highly concerned to make sure of the Truth of ours lest perhaps an Errour in our choice should put us upon the Commission of those horrid Crimes which none but a Religious and Zealous sinner dares attempt 2. That person who is mistaken in his Religion is very like to lose that which is the blessed fruit reward and end of that Religion which is sound true and right 'T is such a Consideration as methinks should mightily quicken us to the duty in the Text Prove all things But why so why alas a mistake here would utterly undoe us That the Consequences of Religion are of the greatest concern imaginable 't is beyond dispute so great that it cannot be a thing indifferent whether our Religion be right or wrong unless it be a thing indifferent too whether we are blessed or cursed whether we shall to Heaven or Hell That Religion which is right is the onely way through Christ that leads to Heaven and that Religion which is wrong is one of the nearest and quickest ways to Hell I remember the Scriptures mention the Doctrine of God the Doctrine of Christ the Doctrine of the Apostles these being embraced and obeyed will surely make us happy but on the other hand the same Scriptures mention other Doctrines strange Doctrines the Doctrines of men yea and the Doctrines of Devils too which being entertained will surely make us miserable But you 'l say how shall we know them how shall we pass a judgement whether such and such a Doctrine be indeed the Doctrine of God Devils or men I answer 1. All matters of Religion must be examined proved and determined by the written Word of God This is the onely sure Balance to weigh and Touchstone to try all matters of Faith and Worship To this the Prophet directs Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony To this our Saviour sends his hearers Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures and again How readest thou And which is remarkable the Ignorance of Scripture doth he make the onely occasion and ground of Errour in Points of Faith so he tells the Sadducees Ye erre but why not knowing the Scriptures It seems that it is the written Word of God which must be our Guide in matter of Religion 't is this which is the onely infallible Rule and unalterable Standard to measure all the Doctrines and Practices which such or such a Church doth teach recommend or require from us But 2. The Decrees of General Councils those I mean that were convened in the first and purest times before the Superstitions and Idolatries of Rome that crept in by degrees through Carelesness Vice and Ignorance had overspread the Church are of great use in this case too True it is the Scripture is man's onely authentick Rule to walk by and this Rule of ours in the most material and concerning Points of Faith is obvious plain and easie but yet there are some other matters of Religion though not of absolute Necessity yet of considerable Import and moment about which the Scriptures are not so intelligible at least to ordinary Readers but that they want some good Interpreter And who more fit to declare the sense of doubtfull and difficult Texts then the first and best of Councils I reade of the Council of Nicaea called by Constantine the Great against the Heresie of Arrius the Council of Constantinople summoned by Theodosius the first against the Heresie of Macedonius the Council of Ephesus called by Theodosius the second against the Heresy of Nestorius the Council of Chalcedon called by Martian against the Heresy of Eutyches These Councils occasioned by these early Heresies and consisting of some hundred Bishops having the Glory of God in their Hearts the Settlement of the Church in their Eye and the Bible in their Hands did establish several Canons for the extirpation of Errour and the confirmation of the most concerning Truths of our Religion And certainly the Determinations of these Councils whether it be in the great or some less Concerns of our Religion being made up of Persons so exemplary for their Piety and so eminent for their Learning who resolved on nothing but with mature Advice and Deliberation are of as great Authority and afford as much
Religion wherein we are to instruct and help our Brother for if not 't is like enough that we may be cheated what we rashly take for the Doctrines of Christ may perhaps upon a review prove the Doctrines of Devils what we unadvisedly take for the Institutions of God may perhaps upon a stricter survey prove nothing else but the Impostures of men and if once we come to propagate these what greater pleasure can we doe the Devil what greater disservice can we doe the Church of God what greater injury can we doe our Neighbour our bosom Friend our darling Child Certain it is we are much engaged to sift the Grounds of that Religion which we are to propagate in the world and teach our Brother lest otherwise through our own mistake and idle confidence we become guilty of cruel Charity and prove instrumental to damn that Soul whom we inâ—end and are obliged to save 3. We are obliged to examine our Religion and see 't is right by all that kind respect which we owe the Church and Nation where we dwell That the Welfare of Kingdomes doth but little depend upon the truth of their Religion may perhaps be objected from that known example of the Turks and some other Nations where Idolatry reigns and yet success power and wealth attends them But surely that such Nations flourish 't is not from any Covenant or Promise but from the general Providence and perhaps the Wrath of God 't is not from the consideration of their Religion but rather from the want of ours Solomon tells us Prov. 14.34 Righteousness exalts a nation Yea where Vertue thrives where true Religion flourisheth 't is sure that Kingdome will do so too We reade that whilest the Jews retained their Religious Worship in its Purity they were a rich and thriving Nation beloved of God and therefore feared of men but when once they suffered Idolatry and Superstition to steal in amongst them 't is very remarkable that this very sin proved the subversion of their State and the ruine of their Church Methinks this dreadfull Instance should make us exceeding wary what Religions we admit amongst us Certainly it will be our wisedom not to permit much less to establish by Law any Doctrine whatever that hath already been not onely suspected but upon mature advice condemned too except we are now fully satisfied by clearer Arguments that it is at least reconcilable to those Divine Truths which our Saviour hath taught and our God approves For if we doe otherwise if our Folly Carelesness Ignorance or Vice shall prove a means to retrive those erroneous Doctrines and superstitious Practices which the wisedom Piety and Zeal of our Fore-fathers have justly banished it we shall reduce those superfluous vain and burthensome Ceremonies of the Roman Church which our noble Progenitours have so deservedly exploded if we shall basely let goe those great and concerning Truths which our heroical Ancestours have derived unto us sealed with their dearest bloud if we shall exchange a good Religion for a bad what can we expect but that our holy God who is so jealous of his great Name should be angry with us even till he hath quite conjumed us It is true God indeed may bear with the Idolatries of poor ignorant Turks and Pagans who neither do nor can know what 's better But as for this Nation of ours we have his Law and his Prophets we have his Evangelists and his Apostles we have the Gospel of his dear Son to confirm and settle us in our most holy Faith and if so should we turn Apostates should we embrace a false Religion and become Idolaters so dreadfull would the Consequences be that we may justly tremble so much as once to name them If therefore we have any bowels of mercy towards the womb that bore us if we have any kindness for the breasts that feed us if we have any compassion for the Nation that warms and cloaths us let us never close with any other Religion except it produce some better warrant then our present Church can shew and that not from a Priest not from a Jesuit not from some pretended forged and abused Father but from a Prophet from an Evangelist from an Apostle one of whom is of more value and greater credit then the whole Romish Conclave and all their Councils though every member thereof were a better man and more Infallible even the best of Popes 4. We are obliged to examine our Religion by all that respect which we owe unto our selves See why in 2 Particulars 1. That man who never troubleth himself to search into the Grounds of his Religion and by infallible Arguments to secure himself that his Faith and Worship is sound and right must needs be in doubt whether it be good or no. For 't is very possible that the Report which he hears concerning it may be false the persons that recommend it to him may be mistaken his Fore-fathers from whom he derives his Religion might be deceived nay that particular Church whereof he is a Member may possibly be in an Errour too For tell me how grosly was the Church of the Jews mistaken though they had all the Prophets to inform them concerning that which they were most obliged to know the Person Doctrine and Miracles of their own Messias and how stifly doth the Church of Rome this day contend for those foul Errours and abominable Superstitions for which there is very little to be pleaded save onely the Practice and Tradition of their Predecessours amongst whom Ambition Pride Avarice Luxury and Ignorance did so prevail that they had little of true Religion left to transmit and bequeath to their Posterity so that to believe as the Church believes is to believe at best but at a venture and he that doth so hath no assurance that his Faith is right Now what Inconveniences will arise from bare Doubts Jealousies and Suspicions of our Religion we may see in 2 Particulars 1. That person who is thus uncertain and doubtfull of his Religion can never expect any great satisfaction comfort pleasure in any of those Religious acts which he doth perform Doubtless that Joy which ariseth to a good man and knowing Christian from the true Service of God is very considerable and exceeding great My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness saith holy David who well knew what he did when he served his God thus and thus And without all controversie there is not so much delight to be found in any thing whatever as there is in the Worship of God The consideration of God's special Presence his favourable Interpretation of our desires his kind Acceptance of our poor endeavours the Smiles of his Countenance the Testimony of his Spirit how do they fill the heart with Joy But withall sure it is that these things cannot be expected by that Soul who is not sure that his Religion is right If a man be uncertain whether he present to God a sheep
THE TRIALL OF RELIGIONS WITH CAUTIONS To the Members of the REFORMED CHVRCH AGAINST Defection to the ROMAN By FRAN. GREGORY D. D. Rectour of Hambleton in the County of Bucks and one of his Majestie 's Chaplains in Ordinary LONDON Printed by E. Flesher for R. Royston Bookseller to His most Sacred Majesty Anno 1674. To the Right Reverend Father in God WALTER Lord Bishop of Worcester and Dean of his Majestie 's Chappel c. MY LORD 'T IS well known to every man that hath the least Acquaintance with our late and modern Historians or Divines that the Adversaries of our Faith have been very Industrious and Active ever since the happy Reformation of our Religion to reduce the Superstitions of the Roman Church once more into Ours That such Attempts may not onely be still continued but prosecuted with greater Vigour the Emissaries of Rome taking occasion from our late Confusions and present Indulgence have encouraged themselves to come amongst us as all men believe in unusual numbers though not without their wonted Disguise and Vizards What their Business is no man is ignorant and that they want no Arts to carry on their Designs who doth not know If Flattery and Courtship can prevail with Persons of Quality if external Pomp and Pageantry can prevail with our Ladies of Honour if Ostentation and shews of Devotion can prevail with Religious and Pious Souls if Indulgence and Liberty can move the man of Pleasure if Gold and Silver can tempt the Poor if Promises of Pardon can work upon and win over the Guilty if Sophistry and Fallacies can perswade the Weak and Ignorant they want them not But certainly that which gives our Enemies the greater Advantage against us is the gross Ignorance and desperate Debauchery of this unhappy Age wherein we live the Ignorant Person doth not know the Debauched Person doth not care what Religion is best 'T is no difficult Task for some subtle Priest or Jesuit to reason an Ignorant man out of his Faith nor is it an hard matter to perswade a Vicious Person that hath no Religion indeed to pretend any even the Roman if some secular Advantage doth so require These Confiderations might well give me just occasion to compose these Sermons wherein my present Design was to confirm my own Parishioners in their present Faith and to warn them against all Temptations to the Roman That I have now made them publick 't is not as if I thought that the Church of England wants them no whosoever is acquainted with the Works of our Learned and Reverend Divines already extant Hooker Whitaker Reynolds Jewel Laud Morton Davenant Featly and many other deceased or yet alive must needs acknowledge that as there is no Church so capable of a sound Defence as ours so there is none better provided with it But yet notwithstanding as the very little Finger may afford some Help even to the strongest Arm so perhaps the weakest of God's Servants may lend some small Assistance towards the establishment of that Religion which is already so well maintained with the strongest Arguments and those managed by better Heads and Hands My former experiences of your Lordship's Favour have emboldned me to dedicate this Discourse to your Lordship's Name not that I think it worth your View but that I know it wants so great a Protection No man can blame me for chusing such a Guardian whom the world knows to be so willing to encourage the Friends of True Religion and so able to confute its Adversaries And the Truth is I am not in the least Capacity by any other means to testifie that cordial Respect and Veneration which my self and every man else that loves our Church must needs have for your Lordship 's inward Worth and Personal Excellencies nor could I think of any other way to make a Gratefull and Publick Acknowledgement of those various Obligations which your Lordship hath laid upon the meanest of God's Servants and our Churche's Sons FRAN. GREGORY THE TRIALL OF RELIGIONS WITH CAUTIONS to the Members of the Reformed Church against Defection to the Roman 1 THESS 5.21 Prove all things hold fast that which is good WE reade in Sacred Writ and Ecclesiastical History that the Christian Church in its infancy as well as the Jewish in its elder years had in it several persons that were really endued by God with the spirit of Prophecy and others who did but pretend it Where-ever God had his Church the Devil endeavoured to have his Synagogue too To that end it was the great design and policy of Hell to send its Residentiaries and Legates amongst those persons where Heaven had its commissioned and faithfull Embassadours If Christ send forth his Simon Peter the Devil will send forth his Simon Magus too if Christ send forth a Saint John a Saint Paul and other Apostles the Devil will not fail to send forth a Cerinthus a Marcion and other Hereticks too The true Prophets of those times did reveal nothing else but what was certainly the mind of God but the false Prophets and counterfeit Apostles delivered the Suggestions of Satan or at best the Dreams and Fancies of their own fantastick brain And yet so politick was the Devil that he veiled his Errours with a disguise of Truth and that with so much artifice that it was no easie matter for the young Novices of that Age who were but lately become Proselytes to Christ to distinguish betwixt false Doctrines and true betwixt tares and wheat betwixt the Devil's counterfeit and God's real Pearls In this conjuncture of time when Hereticks pretended to be Evangelists when wild Enthusiasts acted by the Devil pretended to be inspired of God when at the same season and in the self-same places Divine Truths were preached by some and devillish Errours broached by others the Servants of God and Apostles of Christ who were entrusted with the Concerns of his Church and the care of his Souls could not but think themselves obliged to do whatever in them lay that their late Converts to the Christian Faith might not either unworily admit what was indeed an Errour nor yet unadvisedly reject what was indeed a Truth To prevent this double Hazzard Saint John 1 John 4.1 doth thus command them Try the spirits whether they are of God There was it seems even thus early in the Church a great variety of spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Oecumenius Prophets true and prophets false and yet even these Impostours too pretended to be from God Well what must the Christians doe in such a case as this Must they receive all Doctrines because some were certainly true or must they reject all because some were certainly false No such matter the Apostle gives them and us another Rule to walk by and that 's this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Try the spirits Be not rash in receiving be not rash in rejecting neither Perhaps the Doctrines that are delivered by such and such
or a swine a lamb or a dog what Acceptance can he look for If a man be doubtfull whether he offer up to his Maker incense or snuffe sacrifice or sin how doth he know whether he doth please his God or provoke him The Scriptures tell us Rom. 14.23 Whatsoever is not of faith is sin And if so that person who dares perform such and such an act at a venture whether right or wrong hath cause enough to expect from God a Frown rather then a Smile and a Check rather then a Commendation Wherefore if ever we desire to feel the Comforts of Divine Worship if ever we desire to taste the pleasures of God's Service it must be our care and 't is our Concern to secure our selves by infallible Arguments that our Religion is such indeed as our God requires likes and blesseth 2. That person who doth but onely suspect and doubt the truth of his Religion though peradventure it may be sound and right yet notwithstanding he will be easily moved to renounce and leave it if not through perswasions and flatteries yet at least through cowardise and fear of suffering Indeed that prudent and pious Christian who hath throughly examined the nature of his Religion and is fully convinced and satisfied that it is indeed the Religion of God dares not part with it upon easie nor indeed upon any terms whatsoever but that uncertain and wavering Soul who having never tasted the matchless Pleasures of Religion doth still lie under suspence and jealousies whether that Profession which he yet owneth be right or wrong how easily will he quit it If perhaps some other Religion be recommended to him by such and such persons whom he loves how quickly will he yield If such and such a Profession be urged upon him by such and such plausible Arguments which perhaps he cannot answer how soon will he be perswaded If perhaps he be fairly invited to embrace such and such Doctrines by Promises and Hopes of advantage how soon will he give his consent Or if perhaps he be pressed to own such and such Practices by Threats and Menaces how suddenly will he condescend True it is we are commanded and that under the pain of eternal death if need be to suffer for our Religion a Gaol a Dungeon a Gibbet Fire and sword whatever Devils can invent or Tyrants inflict must be endured if God so please and Times should so require But tell me will that man doe this that questions whether his Religion be true or not Can we think that he who doubts will die too Is it imaginable that he who is not throughly satisfied that such and such Doctrines are certainly of God will ever confirm and seal them with his bloud Every man will tell you that Estates Liberties and Lives are things of greater value then to be thrown away upon bare Peradventures and Possibilities 't is not credible that any man will lose what he counts so dear in the defence of his Religion except he be first convinced that this Religion of his is so good so holy so Divine that the Vindication thereof will infallibly turn his bloud into a Sacrifice and his death into a Martyrdom Thus Saint Paul 2 Tim. 1.12 For this cause I suffer these things What things doth he mean Persecutions reproaches bonds imprisonments and indeed what not But why all this Himself tells us in the self-same Verse I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded c. When a man knoweth his Faith is right when he is fully perswaded that his Religion will certainly bear him out and make up all his losses O with what alacrity and chearfulness may he suffer But on the other hand if we are not acquainted with the goodness and excellence of our Profession but continue strangers to it how easily shall we shake hands with it and in stead of being noble and faithfull Martyrs become so many unworthy Renegadoes and prove like Julian false and base Apostates 2. That person who takes no care to inform and satisfie himself concerning the matters of his Religion but takes it up as he finds it may very easily be mistaken and close with a wrong in stead of a right So great is the variety of Religions in the world so politick is the Devil so plausible is the Heretick so subtle smooth and insinuating is the Jesuit that if we have not a watchful eye and a discerning spirit if we are not the more carefull to enquire of God and good men 't is like enough that their fair and specious Pretences may deceive us 'T is very possible that Vice and Vertue Truth and Errour the Counterfeit and the Pearl may look so like to another that there is none but an Artist who hath a prudent Head and a piercing Eye that can readily apprehend and see the difference That severall persons are most miserably trepanned and sadly deluded the Scriptures tell us Thus the Evangelist John 16.2 Whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God good service Here 's Murther took to be Religion and innocent bloud thought to be a Sacrifice Saint Paul himself was thus deceived Acts 26.9 I verily thought with my self that I ought to doe many things contrary to the name of Jesus but what made him think so he tells us elsewhere sin deceived me Rom. 7.11 And certainly if Saint Paul that eminent and learned man were thus mistaken if such an one as he took Persecution to be Devotion Sin to be Service and an high Trespass to be a Duty how then are we concerned to take heed lest we take up something for Religion which indeed is not so lest we close with such and such Superstitions and Vanities and yet count our selves devout in doing so O remember how easie and usual it is to be mistaken If we take up our Religion as it seems Jacob did his wife upon trust and in the dark 't is like enough that we may be cheated 't is like enough that in stead of being that beautiful Rachel which we expected it may prove no better then a blear-eyed Leah And if so what grand Inconveniences are like to follow give me leave to shew you though but in 2 Particulars 1. That person who is mistaken in the choice of his Religion if he be what Religious persons should be devout and zealous in his way is in great danger to run himself upon the commission of the greatest sin except perhaps he can plead an invincible Ignorance for its extenuation Doubtless whosoever he be that makes Religion the main business of his life will think himself concerned to promote that Religion which he owns and takes to be true and that with vehemence and zeal 'T is the nature of Religion whether true or false to propagate spread and establish it self and that it may so doe it becomes importunate and restless till it have removed by force or argument what-ever seems to stand in its way and be its Rival And if so
then my soul shall have no pleasure in him Such a man without a serious and timely repentance shall suffer the just Indignation of God possibly in this world but certainly in the next 'T is such a Consideration as doth mightily oblige us in the defence of our selves as well as Truth to be constant to our Religion whatever it cost us 'T is a great deal that we can doe sometimes to avoid the wrath of man we dare even sin we betray our Reason we wound our Conscience and all this to escape the displeasure of man But if the wrath of man who is but a Worm be dreadfull the wrath of him who is the strong and jealous God is so much more Man's strongest Arm is nothing to God's little Finger the hardest blows the heaviest stroaks the very utmost that man can inflict is not to be named with one angry word with one sour look one frown from Heaven Well then here lieth the Apostate's Folly to pacifie or please a man he provokes a God to escape the sting of a Wasp he throws himself into the Eagle's claws to escape Man's wrath he adventures and stirs up God's Or if perhaps he change his Religion in hopes of some Advantage his Folly is the same because such hopes of earthly gain are like to end in the sad despair and loss of Heaven O let us then remember that concerning expression of our Blessed Saviour Matt. 10.33 Whosoever shall deny me before men him will I also deny before my Father c. That person who shall unworthily deny his Saviour his Truths his Religion before the Tribunal of Man him will Christ disown before the Judgment-seat of God if we make that our Sin Christ hath made that our danger too and if so if our Religion be good what desperate fools shall we shew our selves if we do not hold it fast Vses I. Consider how much to blame those persons are who do not concern themselves for that which is good but most stifly retain and resolutely hold fast that which is stark naught That every debauched and vicious person doth so indeed the case is plain the notorious Offendour cannot but know that his present Course of life is wicked and yet he will not mend it 't is impossible for the Sinner to be ignorant that his Adultery Fornication Drunkenness Gluttony Swearing Cheating and the like are certainly evil things and yet he will not leave them Nor is it thus with vicious persons onely but so stands the case with those that have taken up such and such false Religions too Such is the perverseness and obstinacy of men that although it be but an easie matter by strength of Argument to confute such and such a Papist yet 't is a difficult task to convert and bring them off so stiffe resolute and sullen is the poor deluded Quaker that although we produce the clearest evidences of Scripture and Reason against their wild and extravagant Opinions yet where is the man that can reduce them The truth is so inclinable to evil so averse from good is the corrupted nature of man so great is the power of Education so considerable is the prevalence of Prepossessions and Prejudices and so almost irresistible is the Tyranny of evil Habits and Customes that when once a man hath taken up and been wont to such and such Opinions or Practices how unhappy soever 't is an hard matter to prevail with him even by the strongest Arguments to change his Religion or Course of life though it certainly be ten thousand times for the better But what should be the Reason what is it that makes the Sinner so resolute and settled in his evil way that no Argument can move him Doth man indeed count it a dishonour to exchange Vice for Vertue Falshood for Truth that which is naught for that which is good is it indeed a reproach to our Judgment to acknowledge our former mistake in the choice of a false Religion by our present embraces of a true Certainly there is that spiritual Pride in the heart of man which doth mightily retard and with-hold him from recanting those Errours which hitherto he hath vigorously maintained Methinks it is with a stiffe Sectary in a bad Cause as with a stout Souldier in a good though he see himself overcome and beaten yet he will rather die then yield rather then quit the ground whereon he stands his dead Carkasse shall cover it so here there are some Papists Hereticks and Sectaries in the world so settled upon their Lees so dogged and resolute in their Heterodox and false Perswasions that although we beat them out of all their Holds though we baffle all their Arguments though we evidently prove the Soundness of our Profession and Vanity of theirs yet nunquam dimoveas they are so far from renouncing their old Opinions that they will rather die in them yea and hazard their being damned too And if so how well would it be both for our selves and the whole Church of God if every good man and Orthodox Christian would but hold Vertue and Truth with that tenacious fixed and unshaken Resolution wherewith the Sinner and the Sectary do hold fast Vice and Errour II. Consider what abundant cause we have not onely to justifie the Innocence but magnifie the Piety and applaud the Prudence of those worthy Persons who were the Reformers of our Religion What various Censures the Reformation of our Church lies under 't is perhaps no news to tell you it lieth under the Contradiction of sinners being blamed upon different accounts both by the Papist and Sectary too The Papist blames our Church as if we had laid aside too much the Sectary blames our Church as if we had laid aside too little the one finds fault that we have thrown away some things of theirs and the other finds fault that we have not thrown away all But such was the Wisedom of our first Reformers and so great is the Prudence and Piety of our present Church that they have justly thought themselves less concerned in the contradictory and groundless Cavils of men then in the holy and just Commands of God 'T is well known that those Learned and Pious Persons who were first employed about this honourable Work were not men of Luther's hot and fiery spirit they did not doe it with Precipitance Rashness and Haste but with mature Advice Deliberation and Counsell 'T is sure enough that they well knew and duly considered what my Text requires Prove all things they did so again hold fast that which is good they did so too For the Roman Faith which was then the established Religion of the Nation being strictly examined in all its Points and all its Doctrines and Practices being exactly measured by the Rule whatever was found to be crooked erroneous heterodox they cast away but as for that which proved good necessary or laudable they still retained it And methinks this Consideration alone should be enough to take