and have undergone great persecution for Religigion as they publish to the world in their writings If it be tolerable therefore and praise-worthy in the Independents to oppose the Truth notwithstanding they have been sufferers will any rationall man count it an intolerable thing in me to oppose the errors and novelties of the Independents which they would impose upon the people of God as his lawes when they are but their own inventions and as things necessary to salvation And will any reasonable creature call this a persecution in any if in his own person to the uttermost of his abilities he labours to defend the truth and convince error and exhort all those that fear God to do the same because he hath been a sufferer I conceive upon deliberation he will have a more charitable opinion of such an one And if this be a crime in such as have suffered for Religion to resist Error the Independents are guilty of the same as deeply as any other for they also should remember they have bin sufferers yet they maintain their Novelties for truths and exhort all their followers to do the same and to oppose all gain-sayers which they do to the uttermost of their power in words and deeds and count this their honour and a great virtue yea valour and yet blame it in me and in all the Presbyterians and I know no reason why I or any Presbyterian should not be as valiant for truth as others should be for the upholding of their errours and Innovations especialiy when they fly so high in their Expressions as to make them the onely way to heaven and that whosoever is not in that their way they are in the broad street to perdition and exclaim against all such as oppose their opinions as persecutors of the wayes of God for this is their usuall dialect yea their ordinary language and custome to call all writing and preaching against the Errors and Heresies of the time Persecution in all the faithfull Ministers and people which duty notwithstanding they are bound unto by Christ and all the holy Prophets and Apostles who are by them commanded to lift up their voyces like a Trumpet to oppose and rebuke all gainesayers and to contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints And this is the language of that Author that writ the Arainment of Persecution and he that writ that malicious Pamphlet against M. Prynne who calls him and all the Presbyterians Persecutors whose wicked and vaine Cavils by which he laboureth to prove the necessity of a tolleration of all Religions are these following His words are these Six impossibilities which do necessarily accompany Persecution for cause of conscience 1. It is impossible that the Gospell should come to be preached unto all Nations if men may be questioned for matters of conscience 2. It is impossible that such as know but in part should grow in knowledge or from one measure and degree of Faith unto another 3. It is impossible that in a rationall way there should be a firme secure peace throughout the World nay not in a Province City or Towne so long as men may make a point of conscience to compell one another to their opinions 4. It is impossible to prescribe such a way for suppressing new and different opinions whatsoever which to any State or Church may seem Hereticall but there will still be left a gap a possibility of fighting against God even when such State or Church think they fight for him most of all 5. It is impossible that either the weak Believers mis-believers or unbelievers can be wonne by our godly conversation as is required 1 Pet. 2.12 and 3.1 2. and 1 Cor. 7.12.16 so long as we will not suffer them to live amongst us 6. It is impossble for a man to hold fast the truth or be fully perswaded in his owne heart of what he does of what Religion he makes choise of unlesse after he hath searched the Scriptures and tryed the spirits whether they be of God or no it be lawfull for him to reject that which shall appear to him as evill and adhere to that which seems good in his own judgement and apprehension These are the formall words of the Author that writ that Pamphlet by which he endeavours to maintaine that hellish opinion The tolleration of all Religions To the which I shall briefly answer after I have set down some testimonies out of holy Scripture concerning Persecution Yet before I go any further I desire all men by the way to take notice that whiles I labour to shew the vanity and invalidity of this Cavillers assertions I animate no man to persecute the truth For I know that persecution of the true Religion is the greatest sin in the world one only excepted and therefore that all men should ever be carefull to offend in this kinde lest they bring speedy distruction upon themselves by it but they must also be as diligent to take heed lest whiles they would shew a vice they neglect not their duty and decline a vertue which is to oppose all errors and falsehood in Religion for that is as great a sin on the other side But now I will produce some testimonies out of holy Scripture and reasons from thence to shew that to be questioned for matters of conscience or persecution as they call it for cause of conscience imposes not an impossibility as they would infer that the Gospel by this meanes should be preached unto all Nations nor hinders not the growth of grace in Christians nor the measure and degrees of faith in them which is the first and second of these Propositions and the which to speak the truth are the main and chiefest of all the Independents Arguments by which they labour to evince the necessity of a tolleration of all Religions that prodigious Tenent lest forsooth otherwise the course of the Gospel and the increase of grace in the Saints should be hindred if men should as they pretend be persecuted for cause of conscience which is no better then whiles they seeme to dispute to blaspheme and to give Christ and the Spirit of God the lye who teach the contrary and to fight against the holy Scripture and truth it self as will by and by appear First therefore I shall desire that Christs own words may be heard and then what the holy Apostles have spoken concerning these points Christ in Matth. 10.17 18 19 c. speaking to his Disciples saith Beware of men for they will deliver you up to the Councels and will scourge you in their Synagogues and ye shall be brought to the Governours and Kings for my sake for a testimony against them and the Gentiles but when ye are delivered take no thought how and what ye shall speake c. For the Brother shall betray the Brother to death and the Father the Sonne and the Children shall rise up against their Parents and shall cause them to dye and yee shall be
to that end in the Frontispieces of their books set downe Christs words Matth. 10 34.35 36. where our Saviour saith Think not that I came to send peace on earth I came not to send peace but a sword For I am come to set a man at variance against his Father and the Daughter against her Mother and the Daughter in law against her Mother in law and a mans foes shall be those of his own household Out of the which words misunderstood they would perswade the people and make them believe that they have good warrant and ground to fight against their Christian Brethren for the maintenance of their own whimsies whereas although they had been Wolves in times past yet being now Christians indeed and really converted and in whom there is a through change wrought in their hearts they would have laid aside their wolvish nature so that the Wolfe and the Lambe would have peaceably dwelt together according to the prediction of the Prophet they then would be loving and kinde Brethren and would not come out to fight against them for that Scripture speaketh only of such as who living and continuing in their naturall state and in an irregenerate and unconverted condition and in whose souls the work of grace was not yet wrought shold hate their very Parents Brethren and Sisters and nearest allies that were truly converted to the faith and believed the Gospell as the seed of the Serpent will alwayes hate the seed of the Woman as Cain did Abel and that in regard of that enmity God hath put between them so that the righteous is an abomination to the wicked and the wicked to the righteous be their relations never so nigh together in respect either of consanguinity or affinity and this all Gods people by their daily experience finde according to Christs prediction That their foes and enemies are they of their own houshold But doe these words of Christ give liberty to those that are Believers and children of the most High the very sonnes and daughters of God to come out and make warre against their Brethren and to fight against them and that for their own inventions and traditions I think not And yet the Independents from this place of holy Scripture not the Novices Yonkers and fresh-water souldiers only but grave men in their great white basket-hilted beards with their swords in their hands come out to fight against their Brethren for their Independency and justifie this their grollery from Christs words which if it be not to abuse the holy Word of God then nothing ever was an abuse of divine authority But they have a singular faculty in making every portion of Scripture serve their purpose as where Christ saith in Luke chap. 13. vers 24. Strive to enter in at the straight gate from thence they conclude That the Independent-way is that straight way and that all Presbyterians being out of it are in the broad way that tends to perdition But I will not abuse the patience of the Reader with relating their dotage as they abuse the Scripture to maintain their faction and to speak the truth it is no better for they boast of such a party in the kingdome if their own words may be credited as they now think by the sword to be able to make their own Laws and have been frequently heard say That they had many abettors in the Assembly and in both Houses of Parliament and in many parts through the Kingdome besides in all the Armies and they were all resolved to have the Liberty of their Consciences or else they would make use of their swords which they have already in their hands So that most certain it is that the Religion of too to many of them is a meer faction And now I will take a little liberty to speak something upon my own experience about this businesse for at my return from my last Imprisonment I having declared my different opinion from them in the point of Independency to many of that fraternity and professing that I looked upon many that went that way as upon people truely fearing God and such as were his deer servants who I pittied to see so misled and yet for the way in which they went I ingeniously told them that I saw no ground for it in Gods Word and that I purposed God willing to write something concerning that subject and that I doubted not to prove the Presbyterian way of Government to be Gods Ordinance and not Independency notwithstanding some of the Independents reported about the City that I was of their judgement and agreed with them in their opinion which was not fairely done of them but all this was acted to strengthen their own party But for such of them as really beleeved that I intended to write something slighted it and made a meer push at it exceedingly vilifying and under valuing what I could either say or doe against their Tenent depending it seemes on their Champions strength in the Assembly who they magnified for such great Schollers as if nothing could bee set forth or written by mee that they would not speedily confute and gloried as if the field were already wonne and all the Presbyterians vanquished and by such expressions as these the party grew dayly more powerfull and into that numerosity it now is But in fine some of their worthies who had a more honourable opinion of me profest unto such as were ordinarily accustomed to slight me for I had very good information of their underhand dealings that if I did write against them they were fully perswaded that it would be more prejudiciall to their cause than any thing writ before and they pleased to speak something in the praise of my schollership that howsoever two or three Doctors in the town made nothing of me yet they knew very well that if I undertook and businesse I would mannage it with more learning than they that traduced me were able to judge of and for their praises I was beholding to them but they sayd the onely course would be for them to take me off from that imployment and put me upon some other subject or at least to perswade me to stand Neuter All which was neither Christianly nor candidly done of them For if they had indeed had a desire that the truth should come to light and if they had any reall opinion as they pretended either of my integrity in my religion or of that learning God had given me they would have came to me rather and have importuned me to write something of that Subject that they might see what reasons I had to convince them or to perswade them to have better thoughts of the Presbytry for hitherto they had not received satisfaction from any that had formerly writ about it But none of all this but on the contrary some of them very churlishly and loftily demanded of me what calling I had to meddle in Divinity and to put my self upon that imployment Which I
as idolatry and errours is a cause of Gods wrath and by that a cause of all troubles so the removing of the cause is the way to settle the peace of Kingdomes And if we reade the History of the Judges and indeed all the Prophets and holy Scriptures we shall finde the not questioning and bringing of the Seducers and false Prophets to condigne punishment was the cause of all their captivities and of all the warres and troubles the Israelites were continually imbroyled with And therefore they that are acquainted with the holy Scriptures may easily see the falsity and impiety of this assertion to say nothing what all Ecclesiasticall Histories and the Stories of all Ages relate of the continuation of peace in all those Nations and Kingdomes as long as men were both questioned and punisht for bringing in of Heresies and teaching of false doctrines and as long as they preserved the truth of Christian doctrine amongst them which no sooner begun to be corrupted and errors set up but immediately upon it Gods wrath was kindled against those Kingdomes and Countries and if we will give credit unto the Word of God and to the Annals of times the suffering and tollerating of errors in religion amongst them was the cause that the Lord was angry with them and removed at last their Candlesticks from them as we may see at this day in the seven Churches of Asia and all the Easterne and Westerne Churches and if we will not shut our eyes we may see also it has been the cause of all these miserable distractions and troubles that now these three Kingdomes are involved in which if they had established the Gospell in its purity and kept out Idolatry and all Heresies wickednesse and Schismes we should not have thus been afflicted on every side at home and abroad for the neglect of our duties in not keeping out of errors in religion hath brought down all these judgements upon us and therefore the tollerating of them all would much more increase our misery and disturbe the peace both of the Cities and countrey and therefore all such as plead for a tolleration of all religions ought to be spued out of the Kingdome as prophane and impious men And this shall suffice to have been spoken of this third assertion which is indeed to make war against God himself and not against us only For the fourth where he saith That it is impossible to prescribe such a way for suppressing new or different opinions whatsoever which to any State or Church may seem hereticall but there will still be left a gap a possibility of fighting against God even when such State on Church think they fight for him most of all This Position also is not only contrary unto the Word of God but indeed overthroweth all authority and by this no justice should be done against any blasphemous Seducers or against any impious offendours in points of Religion or against such as offend against the Lawes of Kingdomes and Nations because for footh by doing of their duty which God requires at Magistrates hands there will still be left a gap and a possibility of fighting against God as if to do good and that which God enjoynes them would leave open a gap and a possibility of fighting against God I have read That we may not do evill that good may come of it I have also read that God can create good out of evill and bring light out of darknesse but I have never read in the Word of God That Christian Magistrates and Rulers should be deterred from doing their duty suppressing of Schismes Errors and Heresies because through the wickednesse of men and the craft and subtilty of Satan there may sometimes troubles immediately arise to any Nation by it All good Magistrates are to do their duty and what God commands and leave the successe to God and to commend themselves and their endeavours to the Lord who hath a recompence of reward in store for them for their well doing and ought not to be deterred from their duties by such poor cavils as these which are both impious and ridiculous And whereas in the fifth assertion he affirmeth That it is impossible that either the weak believers misbelievers or unbelievers can be wonne by our godly conversation as is required 1 Pet. 2.12 and 3.1 2. and 1 Cor. 7.12 16. So long as we will not suffer them to live amongst us What is this but openly to fight against Gods Word and God himselfe Who Deut. 13. and in many other places of Scripture commandeth that Secucers should be put to death and exterminated and cast out from amongst Gods people whose wicked conversation would corrupt others and be so far from winning weak Believers mis-believers or unbelievers as it would make them all worse and worse and utterly vitiate all the places they dwell in as daily experience teacheth us and as the Scripture affirmeth which assert that A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump 1 Cor. vers 6. As for the places of Scripture he there citeth as they make nothing for his purpose so they sufficiently shew that he is a meer stranger in Divinity and in the Word of God as I could evidently make appear if I studied not brevity And it might also be made evident that the banishments and persecutions of many of Gods people as well as their presence and co-habitations amongst the wicked have been the cause of many thousand mens conversions who seeing men willingly to relinquish all earthly things and leaving their own countries and nighest relations for their religion made others the more to look into that doctrine and to enquire after that religion that men for the love of would lose all things yea liberty and life it selfe which I say hath been the cause of the conversion of many thousands so that not only the presence but the absence of men is the cause of many others conversion by which the vanity of this assertion is also sufficiently manifest But it seemes strange to me that this wrangler should use this Argument to prove a Tolleration of all Religions when the practise of the Independents is contrary who cast all that are of a different opinion from them out of their Congregations and where they have power in their hands banish them from amongst them and yet here in England they would have all Religions tollerated to do mischiefe when Saint John notwithstanding in his 2 Epistle to the Elect Lady forbids her and in her all Christians to receive false teachers into their houses or so much as to bid them God speed lest they that shall so do partake with them in their evills by which doubtlesse he never gave a tolleration of all Religions but as I said before it is well known that people are converted many times as well by the absence of men as by their presence whether it be for errour or for the Truth for by enquiring after the cause of it and why they were
banished they come to the knowledge of the truth and errour and so to shun the one and love the other And now I come to the sixth and last It is impossible for a man saith he to hold fast truth or be fully perswaded in his own heart of what he does or what Religion he makes choice of unlesse after he hath searched the Scriptures and tryed the Spirits whether they be of God or no it be lawfull for him to reject that which shall appear to him as evill and adhear to that which seemes good in his own judgement In a word by this mans Divinity without there be a tolleration of all Religions and that it be left arbitrary for every man to take and choose what Religion he pleaseth it is impossible to hold fast the truth for this is his meaning now if this be good doctrine then the devill is a good teacher for this came from hell but because this his Position hath the greatest appearance of reason of all the rest with the simple people who much conside in the strength of it it will not be amisse to say something to it although with any rationall men if it be well considered and weighed it can never infer a necessity of a tolleration of all Religions an opinion so hetrogeniall to the holy Scripture and so contrary to piety for the Word of God which must be the rule of our faith in diverse places declares Gods dislike of all strange opinions and doctrines commanding all ministers and people to cleave unto the Law and to the Testimony Esa 8. And that they should teach no other doctrine 1 Tim. 1.3 And that they should take heed of fables c. vers 4. That is of mens inventions And that they should hold fast the form of sound words 2 Tim. 1.13 And if any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholsome words even the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is according to godlinesse that they should withdraw themselves from such 1 Tim. 6.3.5 And that they should hold fast the faithfull Word as they have been taught Tit. 1.9 And that they should rebuke men sharply that they may be sound in the faith not giving heed to Jewish fables and the Commandements of men that turn from the truth ver 13.14 And that they should not be wise above that which is written 1 Cor. 4.6 And that whosoever teacheth a contrary doctrine tending to seduction should be put to death Deut. 13. All this the holy Scripture teacheth in numberlesse places Now then when Christians know the good will and pleasure of God and are likewise taught out of the Word of God as Deut. 6. and Deut. 11. And in divers other places that it is their duty that they should bring up their children and families in the nurture and fear of the Lord and instruct them in the knowledge of his Commandements that is that they should educate them according to the Will of God and in the knowledge of the holy Scriptures as Timothies grand-mother and mother did him from his child-hood I say when all Christian Parents bring up their children and indoctrinate their families after this rule and manner they may hold fast the truth very well and be fully perswaded of it in their own hearts although they never so much as hear of any Heresie or of any strange opinion For as our Saviour saith Matth. 22. Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures c. So that the knowledge of the Scripture it self is able to keep all men from error as teaching the way the truth and the life c. And as all wilfull ignorance of the Scripture is both sinfull and blame-worthy amongst all good men so there is a learned nescience which is as commendable as the other is vituperable and that is when men desire not to be wise above that which is written for so they are commanded so that the understanding of that which is written in the Book of God and to know God to be the only true God and him who he hath sent Jesus Christ which is life eternall Iohn 17. This is the only knowledge necessary to salvation and all this a man may learn and attaine to without a tolleration of all Religions which they call liberty of conscience which is a most irreligious opinion and no way beseeming a Christian for as Saint Paul saith Let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from evill 2 Tim. 2.19 Now tolleration of all Religions is such an evill as there cannot be a greater and more displeasing to God for it is a very fighting against God And for that liberty of conscience the Scripture speaketh of it is no other then that all Christians are now freed from the yoak of all legall Ceremonies and traditions and inventions of men and from the curse and rigour of the Law but from that liberty to infer a tolleration of all Religions is most impious and absurd and it is as wicked to conclude that we are not tyed to the obedience of the Law both Morall and Evangelicall for this is against all the tenure of the holy Scriptures and against all sound reason as will by by appear And therefore all Christian parents ought to instruct their children and housholds in the Law and Gospell as they will answer it before God at his dreadfull Tribunall And if their children will not by kindness be induced and brought to that that is good they are to be forced to it by the Rod and correction for Solomon so instructeth all Parents in diverse places of the Proverbs And it was the sinne of old Ely in 1 Sam. 2. that he did not chastize his children and severely punish them for their wickednesse and force them to obey the commands of God and this was the cause of the Lords displeasure against him that he cast off his Family from being Priests and removed the place of his worship from Shilo to teach all Christians to take heed by his example saying I will honour them that honour me and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed of So that to see sinne and errors in children and to connive at them and not to punish them for it is to despise God And therefore they ought to force them to obedience unto that religion God hath appointed and if they will yet persevere and continue to be rebellious against God and their Parents they are to be cut off by the Law of God Conscience here must be forced the Will of God must be obeyed there is no dispensation given to transgression or to commit evill though good might come of it and that Will and good pleasure of God we have set downe clearly and evidently in the holy Scriptures Psal 19. The knowledge of which is enjoyned to all Christians as necessary to salvation But for all vaine opinions and new Doctrines and traditions and inventions of men under the name of New-lights if a
man never hears so much as the mention of them he may very well go to Heaven and hold fast the truth and be fully perswaded in is heart of the truth of his religion and this truth the Word of God holdeth out to all those the god of this World hath not blinded their eyes that they should not see the glorious Light of it so that there needs not a tolleration of all Religions for their illumination to finde out what Religion they will make choice of as this presumptuous gain-sayer infers who peremptorily concludes That it is impossible for a man to hold fast the truth or be fully perswaded in his own heart of what he does or of what religion he makes choice of unlesse it be left arbitrary to him to reject or chuse what seems good to him in his own judgement which if it be not a piece of blasphemy I never read any or any thing more tending to the overthrow of the authority of holy Scripture and to subject the Will and pleasure of God to the will pleasure and judgement of man then the which there 〈◊〉 be nothing more intolerable for God teacheth us one thing and this Doctor teacheth the clean contrary and by his doctrine leaves not only a gap a possibility of sighting against God but it is a doctrine in it self that fights against God and gives the Spirit of God the lye which confirmes the contrary And if such doctrines as these may be tolerated and such Teachers as these go unpunished they will in time reject the whole Scripture both Law and Gospell as many of the Sectaries have already attempted to do to the unsufferable dishonour of God and to the provoking of his displeasure against the whole Nation And such doctrine as this is is hereticall and so is a great deale more of the Independent doctrine which is one of the reasons which makes me so much oppose it For as the false Teacher Acts 15. vers 1. and Gal. 5. taught the Brethren besides the Gospell that except they were circumcised after the manner of Moses they could not be saved which was a Heresie and that that Saint Paul speaking by the Spirit of God told them would exclude them out of Heaven as is evident Gal. 5. vers 2 3 4. So now the Independent Ministers impose their own inventions and traditions upon the people as things necessary to salvation which makes it a Heresie And therefore when they preach up their own novelties as necessary to life eternall proclaiming unto the people that their way is the straight way to Heaven and that they that are out of it are in the broad path to destruction as can be proved by a cloud of witnesses and indeed their daily practise teacheth it and when they urge this doctrine upon the people as necessary to happinesse I affirme it is an hereticall doctrine and ought of all Gods people as much to be detested as any Popery for it is Popery it self in new clothes which all the faithfull in the Land have taken a covenant to expell and so much the more they ought to have a singular care that this doctrine spread not too far nor that this Faction get not a Head For I heard it not long since from the mouth of a very godly Gentlewoman of a good Family who affirmed it in the presence of an Independent Ministers Wife That to her knowledge there was an hundred pound at one time sent up to London or at least procured to be paid by some from Oxford for the gratifying of some here that were very great Sticklers and Promooters of the Independent party for their farther incouragement and animated them by any wise to uphold that faction for they conceived it would be one of the best means for the attaining of their own ends and the common design for the ruin of us all and the enslaving of the whole City and Kingdome Now I say if this Independent Doctrine be so prejudiciall to us all for soul and body and so dangerous in every respect it concernes not onely the Parliament and great Councell but the whole City and Kingdome to looke about them and take heed how they have their hands in supporting of it or any way how they soment it as they tender either the glory of God or the present or future good of soul or body of this Nation and the good of the Church and State And truely if there were nothing to bring a man into a detestation of their wayes but their uncharitablenesse unto their brethren it were enough to make any good christian dislike them for they never speak of them but with contumelious names and with vilifying and blasting language such as is too low for any people of virtue reputation and honour using to call them all at every word the enemies of Jesus Christ Presbyterian Persecutors dehorting people from hearing our Godly Ministers or for reading any thing written by them or any other against their opinions after the manner of the Jesuits slighting the most learned Preachers and their Orthodox writings as things of nothing saying that every boy and silly woman in their Congregations can answer any thing any Presbyterian can write and then set one or other of their confounded widdows or some such creature upon that imployment who scrible non-sense as familiarly as a Jackanapes cracks nuts and this is admired amongst all the Independents as an incomporable peece and their authorities are often cited in the Pamphlets of their learned Ministers Neither is it among themselves onely that they count all the Presbyterians the children of the Devill but publikely also and that in presence of Noblemen and Peers of the Kingdome and in the hearing of many Gentlemen of the Parliament and others and in their very Companies they can slight all the faithfull of the Land besides themselves for I being not many dayes since at Westminster where there was a Sagomore of the Independents amongst some honourable company I formerly mentioned and I taking an occasion to speak to him about Independency and the Noble man also speaking to him about it and others in the presence of them all he uttered these words That all the godly in the Kingdome and all such as were well affected to Religion were of that way and this I say he speaks in the hearing of them all to which the Nobleman and one of the Parliament men replyed Then it seems say they that all that are not Independents in your opinion are neither godly nor well affected to Religion and so the Noble man departed the roome and left the great Independent there Now if this their opinion of themselves be not a most Pharisaicall proud and uncharitable one I leave it to the judgement of any advised Christian so that they cannot look upon their brethren with any love who they think ungodly and men not well-affected to Religion and in their writings call the profest enemies of Jesus Christ and enemies of
much as in them lyes the very company of such as they count Presbyterians and rarely if ever come at our assemblies And in New-England it self it is well knowne that they doe not only cast those out of their Churches that differ from them in opinion but also expose them to banishment and to greatest misery and think all they do to be their duty and publish it to the world for the imitation of all other their Churches and Congregations and I am most assured had they the authority in their own hands here in England they would be as severe towards the Presbyterians as ever the Prelates were against the Puritans And I am induced so to believe both from their words and writings for what can be more bitterly uttered against them then that they daily speak upon the least occasion if any but preach or write the least thing in opposition to their opinions professing that all such Preachers ought to be hanged and had they the power in their hands they would trusse them up as many can testifie and witnesse and in their writings how prodigiously daily they abuse with all manner of calumnies and reproaches and with all reviling speeches the Presbyterians all that have patience to reade their blasphemous Pamphlets can tell so that whiles in them they pleade for a tolleration of all Religions they will not tollerate the Presbyterians to defend their own by which they sufficiently declare what favour they would shew them if they were in their hands on whom they look as the profest enemies of Christs kingdome Now I say if neither the example of Gods dear Saints and Servants nor the Word of God can move us to our duty nor the example of the Papists and Hereticks of all ages then at least let us follow the example of our Brethren both in New-England and Old-England for they as all men know remove all from them that differ from them in their Church-way and seperate themselves from us and gather congregations by by themselves Independent refusing to communicate with us as an unholy people and not suffering or permitting us to communicate amongst them in the Ordinances either of baptisme or the Lords Supper but upon their own tearmes and account us all as unclean things and to be separated from which I affirme should move all solid Christians and such as truly and unfeinedly desire that God may be glorified and his truth every where set up to oppose all their errors and novelties in religion under what pretenses soever they be brought in and under whatsoever seeming holinesse they be set forth and so much the more care is to be had and diligence used both by the Magistrates Ministers and all the reall godly of the land by how much they know the craft and subtilty of those that seduce them for there was never yet any Sect whatsoever that came to any rise perfection or name in the Church of which the first venters and contrivers had not some seeming shew of godlinesse and holinesse of life and that more then ordinary to which they usually added the bravery of language and fine alluring speeches and cunning craftinesse as they were many of them men of singular elocution and deep subtilty as the Prophets and Apostles through the whole Scripture signifie And Paul in the 16 chap. of his Epistle to the Romans speaking of those that made divisions contrary to the doctrine that he had taught them hath this expression Verse 18. For they that are such saith he serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and faire speeches deceive the hearts of the simple Here we see the false Teachers of his time made use of good words faire speeches to deceive the hearts of the simple And in Gal. 4.14 the Apostle there exhorting them saith Henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every winde of doctrine by the slight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lye in wait to deceive In this place the Apostle gives all Christians a charge to take heed of all erroneous doctrines and withall sets down the manners and ordinary carriage of all seducers that they might be the more carefull to shunne them for such saith he use in the deceiving of you the flight of men and cunning craftinesse This has ever been the method of all false teachers as Saint Peter also in his 2 Epistle chap. 2. vers 1 2 3. c. witnesseth for speaking of the false teachers of those times he lived in and of those in future ages that should bring in damnable doctrines even denying the Lord that bought them and bringing upon themselves swift distruction he foretels also that many should follow their pernicious wayes by reason of whom the way of truth should be evilly spoken of And then also he sets down the manner and customes of those seducers and amongst other things he saith of them that through covetousnesse and with their faire words they should make merchandize of the people So that we may see all false teachers clothe their craft with their rhetorick and fained words for otherwise they would prevaile but little Now by how much more the Christians in this our age have to deale with a generation of cunning and crafty Juglers who seeme to equallize if not to transcend all others in holinesse and godlinesse in their outward cariage at least it concerneth every one I say more diligently to take heed of them and of all their new-wayes their new born truths and their New-lights for God himselfe by his holy Prophets and blessed Apostles has commanded us not to decline from those wayes we have learned of him and those truths that he hath taught us in his holy Word Neither to the right hand nor to the left Dut. 4.5 Iosh 1. Prov. 4. Nay if an Angell from Heaven should teach otherwise then God hath taught us by Christ and his Apostles we are to account him accursed Gal. 1. And in the expresse words above specified we are prohibited to be carried about with every wind of doctrine So that all those that vent those new-truths and set up those new-lights which are all indeed new-lights of doctrins be they never so seemingly holy are all cunning deceivers fighters against God And all those Christian Magistrates for ought I know that tollerate such and all those orthodox Ministers that connive at them and are so meal-mouthed as they dare not preach against them and forwarne the people of them neglect their duty and are not faithfull Watchmen over their flocks committed to their charge and are blameworthy for it And all those people that being so often taught by God himself in the holy Scriptures to take heed of all such as come to them in sheeps clothing and with their fained holinesse with their fair speeches to deceive them and make merchandize of them and yet will not take heed of these novelties doe as much as in
them lyes resist the Spirit of God for the Lord has againe and againe commanded all his people to shun such men as in Tim. 1. chap. 6. vers 5. From such saith Saint Paul to Timothy and in him to all Ministers and people in all ages to the end of the world withdraw thy selfe Now if an Evangelist so learned a man so well grounded a preacher as Timothy was to withdraw himselfo from all such as taught otherwise than Paul Christ himself the other Apostles had taught how much more now ought all Christians that come so far short and are so inferiour to Timothy for all indowments and graces of knowledge to beware and take heed of all such as bring in their new-born truths their new-Lights and all their new wayes when especially we are commanded to enquire for the old and good way which will indeed bring rest unto our souls Jer. 6. And to omit innumerable places to this purpose that of Saint Iohn in his second Epistle to the Elect Lady should ever be in our memory where Saint Iohn in expresse words forbids that Lady and her family and in them all other Christians To receive any that bring not the doctrine of Iesus Christ into their houses or bid them God-speed and gives a reason of this his prohibition For saith he he that bids him God-speed is partaker of his evill deeds Now all these new doctrines are not the doctrines of Jesus Christ and therefore whosoever bringeth them ought not to be received into our families nor their doctrines into our hearts no more then stolen goods into our houses and closets for God hath both forbid it and set down the danger that will ensue upon it for by that means we make our selves equally guilty and partakers with them in their evill and therefore all such as shall still notwithstanding whatsoever God hath spake unto us by his holy Prophets and Apostles follow those new teachers and those new truths by their so doing in conclusion they will be found fighters against God and partake with them in all those punishments the Lord hath threatned against all such as will be led about with every wind of Doctrine which will be the ruin of themselves and others and if people will be disobedient and obstinately go on to make Schisms and rents slighting Gods threats and menaces and cast his word behind their backs then it belongeth unto all Magistrates Ministers Fathers and Masters of Families that are Christians for I speake not of such as are without the pale of the Church seeing what already these new Sects have with all their Art and cunning invented contrived and with unwearied paines and ungodly policy brought forth into the world that the Magistrates are counted intollerable to the people wives are taken from the bosomes of their husbands or so alienated from them as they repute theâ— a burthen unto them the Husbands from the Wife Children from their Parents and Patents from their children and the Servants from their Masters and Mistresses Friends from Friends the Ministers from the people and the flocks from their Pastors and that all the lawes of God and Nature by these means are violated I say in all these regards it is high time if they will prevent those evils that are comming upon the Land by these fractions and divisions now to quit themselves like men not caring for all the reviling languages of Seducers who yet never spake well of any but of their own party for it is against the nature of Sectaries to give any a good word but their own complices and therefore it concernes them all to goe about the work as men of courage and in the fear of God And truly if men think it as it is indeed an unsufferable thing to tolerate those Men-stealers who they call Spirits or a new generation of Fayries to seduce and carry away their children and servants then much more it is an unsufferable thing to tolerate those that steale away not only the bodies of men and children from Magistrates Ministers Parents Masters and Mistresses Friends c. but their very hearts and affections and are no better in so doing then a company of spirituall Plunderers and are to be looked on as so many enemies of the Church and kingdome Neither is there any breach of charity in speaking truth with love and an unfained desire of their reformation for if they be not reformed nor their New-lights extinguished and put out they will in short time dim and darken the truth it selfe and provoke the Lord to give us all over to error because we imbraced not the truth in the love of it 2 Thess 2. But I must confesse I look upon many of the Independent Ministers as the most dangerous Sect that ever yet the world produced in respect of the consequences of their doctrines and the sad effects they have brought forth already wheresoever they have spread it For they carry themselves more cunningly then any other Schismaticks or Hereticks that ever yet appeared since mortality inhabited the World For all other Sectaries tenents are recorded in all the severall Councels and in the Monuments of the ancient Writers so that every man knowes their opinions and doctrines but what these men hold besides their whimsey of Independency and the manner of their gathering of Churches wherein they doe not all agree neither no man knoweth nor never shall know for they intend to set up many other New-lights but yet with a reserve never to be constant to any thing what they either say or write for this I have received from the mouthes of their Disciples and followers That if that which seemeth a truth to them to day do to morrow appear otherwise by some new light were it any Article of the faith and they be convinced by that light that they were in an error before they are to relinquish their former tenent whatsoever it were and to follow that new light that God hath appeared to them in And this doctrine is taught by all the Independents I ever saw or heard of Yea they count it a great honour unto them to be thus uncertaine in their opinions as we may see in a rayling and rediculous Pamphlet not only against Mr. Prynne but against the Parliament lately set out by an Independent call'd The falshood of M. William Prynnes Truth Triumphing where pag. 16. Sect. 2. in these words You accuse the Independents saith he as believing most things with a reserve according to their present light with a liberty of changing as new-lights shall be discovered unto them but did ever man so overshoot himselfe saith he certainly this is so high a character of the Independents compleatest posture ensuing or growing stature in the Schoole of Christ as could be applyed unto them wherein they glory not a little and place it as the only ground work and foundation without which they cannot grow in grace from one degree of faith to another untill
must confesse was a question that did not beseem them of all other men for they think that any gifted man as they call them may dispute write and preach not onely privately but in a publike way and glory that the very boyes and women in the Congregations can confute the learnedest of the Presbyterians and many of them as it is well known that were none of their Pastors have set forth many scurrilous and blasphemous pamphlets in defence of their Independency which have been allowed of by them with great applause and that these men now should demand of me what calling I had to defend any truth in Religon against the errors of the times I say it may seem strange to any rationall man But for answer in brief though I am not solicitous to please them in all things let them take notice of this That if it be lawfull in any of their fraternities to maintain their erronious opinions it is likewise lawfull in any other Christians to oppose them and to defend their truth for they also must give an account how they have imployed all those severall talents of knowledge learning or any other thing God hath bestowed upon them and this they also in their Pamphlets frequently make mention of to warrant their scribling in divinity But Saint Paul in the fourth of the Colossians vers 6. Saith Let your speech be alwayes with grace scasoned with salt that you may know how to answer every man And Saint Peter in his first Epistle chap. 3. v. 15. Saith sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready alwayes to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meeknesse and fear And Saint Paul in his Epistle to the Philip. chapt the 1. ver 27. Onely saith he let your conversation be as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ that whether I come and see you or else be absent I may hear of your affaires that ye stand fast in on spirit with one minde striving together for the faith of the Gospell And Saint Iude in his Epistle Generall ver 3. Exhorteth all Christians That they should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints And many other places to this purpose might be produced which warrants Christians that they may strive for the faith and earnestly contend for it against what enemies of it so ever and in speciall we are command that we should be alwayes ready to give an answer to every man that asketh us a reason of our hope and that we should know how to answer every man Now then when many of the Independents came to me and asked a reason of my faith concerning the Presbytery I demande of any well-grounded Christian whether or no I have not a very good calling to answer them which when they are so much displeased at me and so highly magnifie it in their own party I have very good reason to believe that they contend not for truth but for victory and to make a faction and division in Church and State And Saint Paul in Phil. 3. vers 2. speaking of the false Teachers of his time that but urged the ceremoniall Law Cals them Dogs and bids them take heed of them Beware saith he of Dogs beware of evill workers beware of the concision all such were to be taken heed of as made divisions and cut the Church into little pieces and sucking congregations and therefore are called them of the concision for they indeed made separations and therefore Saint Paul bids them beware of them as of a company of doggs that are ever snarling or biting and as of evill workers that spoyled the work of the Gospell which was to unite men first to God and then one to another that they might be of one spirit and one minde and these evill workers divided them all one from another and made factions and therefore they and all such as they are are to be detested and abhorred that make strifes and divisions in all Churches and Countries where they are while they contend for their own novelties and new born truths and all those that oppose them have a call from God and his Word for their warrant in their so doing But others of them carried themselves as more craftily so more gentily and seemed to come to me in the way of love pretending they honoured me and they demanded of me Whether or no I intended to practice Physick again and told me that if I had such a purpose they would yeeld me their best furtherance for the procuring of me Patients for which their love I returned them many thanks telling them withall that for practising of Physick I had little hopes of doing any good that way in the City for some Independent Doctors of Physick and others had so villified me amongst all good people and had made such a peece of ignorance or nothing of me in that faculty as they had taken away my reputation in as much as in them lay so that were my skill or knowledge in that Art never so great yet I might not in this place ever expect to regain any esteem in it so powerfull all black-mouths are to darken any mans credit though I blesse God I had known as well what belonged unto that faculty as they that maligned me and had through his assistance done as great cures as ever they did any and added farther that I doubted not in time to make it appear that those that had so abused me had neither honesty nor learning in them whatsoever the world esteemed of them for their seeming Religion which they had ever made use of but for their base and covetous ends And they demanding the names of those men I told them ingenuously and that their calumnies were one of the chiefe causes of the ruin of me and my poor family as I could prove by a cloud of witnesses if that could do me any good to which they replyed they were very sorry and confest that those men were never heard speak well of any and that which makes me wonder I never came in the company nor never changed a word with them that thus traduced me But then they offered their service unto me and profest they should be very willing to do me any curtesie that lay in their power to get me some honourable imployment by which I might comfortably support my family for they thought that my means was not great and they thought truly in that and they knew that the charity of many was now waxed cold and that since my being at London there was a great change of mens mindes and those that were formerly my friends went now another way and they heard that I was for the Presbytery which they conceived would be worse then the Prelaticall government and if I should write any thing in the defence of that cause that then I would totally lose those that as yet were well affected to me