aske why they thus slander and slight them I answer It is a chiefe principle in the Art of Flattery which these men mostly study to wind themselves into favour by working the more worthy into disgrace And this they effect not so much by spying faults and causes of dislike in the favoured wherein these men are as quicksighted as Eagles As by making use of all occasions that may multiply suspicions in the party favouring So they deale with godly Ministers as Iulian the Apostata did by their Lord and Master who tooke downe his Image in contempt that hee might set up his owne in the same place 2. Neither doe the people I meane the Religious fare better at their hands For they load them also with a world of Reproaches even out of the Pulpit on putpose to flout them out of their faith and forestall others with prejudice against them I need not tell you that in all ages it hath beene the custome of false Prophets which daub with untempered morter to brand the Religious with some odious name or other that so they might persecute the truth themselves with the lesse danger and opposition and make it hatefull unto others who looke no further then upon the outside or visard which they have put upon it The Scripture and Ecclesiasticall history abounds with instances As 1 King 18. 17. Psal 35. 11. Iob 4. 6. to 11. Nehem. 6. 6. Act. 6. 13. and 17. 6 7. 18 19. and 24. 5 6. and 28. 22. 1 Cor. 4. 10. 13. 2 Cor. 6. 8. And many the like which would be tedious to relate Neither were they thus dealt withall by a few or in some one place but the people of GOD and the Doctrine of CHRIST were every where thus used Act. 28. 22. And if it be not so now let the Reader judge Is it not the manner of all Court-Chaplaines Episcopall Preachers double benefic'd men Scandalous Ministers and the like upon as false and scandalous grounds to tell the people yea and the King too That wee are movers of Sedition Troublers of the State Rebels Doers against the Decrees of Caesar Publishers of new Factious and strange Doctrines Ring-leaders of Sects and Schismes Contentious Persons Hypocrites Puritans Brownists Anabaptists And that we preach in Tuhs With infinite suggestions of this nature able as they are plausibly urged to shake an ungrounded judgement Which termes favour of nothing but pure malice and venomous rancor against all grace and goodnesse Under which names devised by them and taken up from them how are the Religious hated persecuted reviled and scoffed at Neither matters it how just their accusations be but how spitefull Yea under colour of inveighing against Puritans how doe these unpreaching Ministers load the Persons and Doctrines of the honest hearted with reproaches What a multitude of slanders and calumniations doe they asually belch out against them To make them lothsome to the world Which Sermons a man would thinke were studied for the Whetstone yet beleeve them you must or they I take you for a Puritan too Thus like Samsons Foxes or Solomons Mad-man their tongues throw Fire-brands and are enough to set the whole field of the Church on a flame Yea the Hill Aema does not wherle out fire more furiously then such a Preacher throwes poyson out of his mouth For he accuseth even all the Religious not onely of what he hath seene and heard to have beene done by the worst of men but also of what he dreameth What one saith of the Papists namely that they never sound any error spued out by the ancients but they have licked it up superstitiously to abuse the same is appliable to these Ministers of Satan They never heare any scoffe slander or devillish invective formerly devised but they lick it up that they may spirit our againe in the faces of professors Briefly they so barke at the Religious with reproaches and so bite them with mischiefe when it is in their power and none have beene so potent with Bishops as they That they merit no other respect then that of Aristogiton the Athenian Orator who for his leud railing was called a Dogge And I could heartily wish that Authority would muzzle them Thus they take away the Righteousnesse of the righteous from them as Isaiah speakes of the false Prophets in his time Isa 5. 23. And make them accounted as the very filth of the world and off-scouring of all things as the false Apostles did the Christians in Saint Pauls time 1 Cor. 4. 10. to 14. Yea as once those mockets Act. 2. imputed the true worke of the SPIRIT to drunkennesse so these even traduce all the Graces of GOD in his children Onely they spake it ignorantly these I feare knowingly and maliciously Which makes it no lesse then Blasphemy like that of the Scribes and Pharisees Matth. 12. 24. For Blasphemy is a Witting and malicious speech of Derogation either against the truth of GOD or against the GOD of Truth or against the Friends of GOD and Truth However they are the enemies of the Crosse of CHRIST spoken of Phil. 3. 18. Unto whom those words of the Psalmist may fitly be applyed Thou givest thy mouth to evill and with thy tongue thou forgest deceit Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother thou slandrest thy own mothers Sonne Psal 50. 19 20. And againe Psal 120. 3. 4. Thy lying and deceitfull tongue is as the sharpe arrowes of the mighty and as the Coles of Iuniper which raked up as they say will keepe fire a Twelvemoneth And those other words Psal 52. Thy tongue imagineth mischiefe and is like a sharpe Rasor that cutteth deceitfully Thou dost love evill more then good and lies more then to speake the truth Thou lovest all words that may destroy O deceitfull tongue So shall God destroy thee for ever He shall take thee and plucke thee out of thy tabernacle and root thee out of the land of the living Vers 1. to 6. Quest But why may some say doe they preach thus Answ For sundry Reasons 1. One Reason is Covetousnesse They know that if the Doctrine of JESUS CHRIST should be preached purely it would quite cut downe worldly pompe covetousnesse and idlenesse in the ministery And feare also that if it should take place they must part with one or more of their livings and put themselves out of all hope of ever rising higher Againe they know the way to please the Bishops is to preach against the Puritans And the way to Preferment is by pleasing of them So their ambition of advancing their Owne house blowes out their zeale to GODS house I could confirme this by many examples But I am forced to maime the originall in every part that it may suit with the short breatht and with the times Onely take Ezekiels testimony Cap. 22. They destroy soules for their owne covetous lucre Vers 27. 28. 2. Another reason is Their envy and malice against the men and their graces Some saith the
or prophane a cursed swearer or a beastlike drunkard An uncleane person an oppressor an idolater a Sabbath-breaker Or if notoriously none of these He is a bitter Malignant against reformation and cannot endure him that walks strictly according to Rule Yea he so lates to be reformed that he cannot so much as endure the name of Reformation Like Lâ—wis the eleventh who fearing to die gave command That none should dare to name death within his Court This is so plaine that it needs no proofe For as in Jerusalem there were Factions by which as Josephus reports more of the natives and Citizens were slaine within the wals then without by the common enemy So it is now in every Citie and Towne in England Did not GOD in his goodnesse crosse their confederacy and carry on the worke by an invisible aide But suppose I should omit all men of qualitie And mention onely the Rabble that like beasts know no other end of their creation but recreation but to eate and drinke and sleepe what an Army of these might be mustred out of our Suburbs and so all the kingdome over whom idlenesse hath disabled to any service and who are neither fit for GOD nor man And yet did they but like Worms and Insects spend up the corruption of the land and leave us the lesse it were somewhat but they are worse even diseases and unwholesome Aires to breed infection among us Now whom may we thanke for all but the Ministery Either in their not using or abusing the Keies Or else in their not preaching or Serpentine preaching whereby a Flood-gate of iniquitie is set wide open Yea if the devill himselfe should be consulted withall to know which were the readiest way to throw downe the Gospell I doubt not but he would say this if he should choose Send a great number of those Preachers which are already sent Yea now I remember when he was once so consulted with These were his words I will goe out and be a false spirit in the mouths of all his Prophets To whom this answer was made Thou shalt intice and shalt also prevaile 1 King 22. 20 21 22. What Pyrrhus once said of Cineas his Counseller Namely That he more esteemed his eloquence then the valour of all his Captaines may be affirmed of them Satan more esteemes the sophistry of his Preaching Ministry perhaps of some one of them then all his Lay-servants for such an one will let in more wickednesse in one day then the Magistracy can throw out in many yeeres Neverthelesse let Authority looke to their castigation and these mens too or answer for their mischiefe But who are they with whom these false Prophets are thus prevalent Take this for a rule They are either 1. Ignorant Persons or 2. Wicked men beare with the distinction though he that is one is both 1. For the first of these Saint Paul gives testimony who speaking of these times and persons saith That with faire speech and flattering they deceive the hearts of the simple Rom. 16. 18. And it is a sufficient argument of these mens simplicity when they are like the Horse which neighed at the Picture of an Horse as if it had beene a true horse And like the Calfe in the Epigram which went to sucke the Teates of a painted Cow Sinne is strong when it meets with a weake resister How easie is it for error to domineere over ignorance They lead captive simple women led away with divers lusts 2 Tim 3. 6 Silly women are easily led captive by subtill men Now no marvell that Jacob tooke Leah for Rachel when it was in the darke or that Isaac tooke Jacob for Esau when he was blind 2. And to the second Solomon speakes home Prov. 17. The wicked giveth heed to false lips and a liar hearkneth to the naughty tongue Vers 4. And againe Prov 28. They that forsake the Law praise the wicked Vers 4. Though you need but looke upon their lives being like such as have a disease cald the Woolfe which is alwayes eating yet keeps the body leane See 1 Tim. 4. 1. 2 Tim. 4. 4. Exod. 23. 1. For I must be briefe As for wise and good men who have the mind of CHRIST 1 Cor. 2. 16. And are acquainted with GODS word They are so farre from being taken with them that they will not vouchsafe to heare their Sermons They are not ignorant That there are many false prophets gone forth That either speake out of their owne hearts Matth. 24. 5. 11. 24 Act. 20. 29 30 31. Phil. 3. 18 19. 1. Joh. 4. 1. Or else corrupt the word of GOD 2 Cor. 2. 17. On purpose to deceive And therefore are the more carefull with those Noble Bereans to try what they heare by the touchstone of GODS word As a man will be more wary to try every peece of Gold when he heares of many counterfeits And it behoves men in this case to be wise as Serpents that the subtill Serpent may not deceive them And upon triall they find them to speake Lies in CHRISTS name Jer. 23. 25. And as they are moved by Satan and their corrupt affections in which case the HOLY GHOST pronounces them be they Angels in appearance Accursed Gal. 1. 9. As when they flatter sinne and flout holinesse their end must needs be To make our soules drunke with the wine of their Fornications Revel 17. 2. For both exceedingly savour of the Serpent As touching the one they knew that if a man a Minister a Prophet yea If an Angell tell them that CHRIST can be too much obeyed he were not to be beleeved since the Judge of heaven and earth hath said to the contrary Heb. 12. 14. And for the other They are not to learne that a Parasite is the worst Traytor Prov. 26. 22. It is not sufficient to a wise man that they alleadge Scripture For so the Devill can doe Matth. 4. 6. Nor is it enough that they deliver some truth from the word Our Saviour would not give Satan audience even when he spake true Because that truth was but to countenance errour There is ever true corne strawed under a Pit-fall yea Those eares are full and weighty which are drest with Lime to deceive the poore Birds in a Snow 3. Neither will their Wit or learning win the wise to heare them Well remembring that our first parents beggerd themselves by hearkning after false riches and infamated themselves by listning after false knowledge Every moysture is not a preserver of the Lamps light For though Oyle maintaine the same yet Water quenches it And hee that expects profit from such a Sermon resembles him that seeking to light a Linke puts out the Lamp Alas They have more of the Serpent to beguile then wee naturally have to beware Therefore if our owne preservation be but as sweet to us as our destruction is to them It behoves us not to trust them In the Millars hand we lose but our Meale in the Farriers
the wicked So no lesse in discouraging the Godly whether 1 Ministers or 2. People 1. They use their utmost to discourage all godly Ministers both by flighting their Sermons and slandering their persons 1. Touching their Sermons A godly Minister especially if he be a zealous and powerfull Preacher any whit famous or much followed as many had beene more secure if they had beene more obscure He shall not be able to Pray or Preach upon any point of Doctrine but they will being disposed to cavill find some thing to carpe at at least as they will wrest his words And then cut his thtoate with his owne knife As the Fowler in the Fable wounded the Eagle with that shaft which was feathered with her owne quill And its easie to censure or contradict a truth for truth is but one seeming truths are many Besides judgements are from every tongue a severall No man can thinke that the Prophets Apostles and CHRIST himselfe delivered false Doctrine For they were moved by the HOLY-GHOST and spake as the SPIRIT gave them utterance Act. 2. 4. Yet wee know the Baalites continually busied themselves in finding fault with Elijahs Doctrine 1 King 22. 11. Zidkiah and the rest of those 400. false Prophets most fiercely opposed Micayahs preaching Neither could out Saviour CHRIST be able to deliver the truth so safely but the Pharisees will finde fault with him and except against many particulars If Philip labour to convert the Samaritans by preaching the Gospell there will be a Simon-Magus as earnest in bewitching them with sorceries Act. 8. And lastly where a zealous Paul is there will be false Apostles malicious Priests Epipicurean and Stoick Philosophers Elymas the Sorcerer Alexander the Copper-Smith and eloquent Tertullus to oppose him whereof some mocke him Others say He is a Babler a Preacher of Sedition and Schisme and a setter forth of strange Gods now Doctrins c. doing him much evill and withstanding his preaching sore on purpose to turne away his hearers from the faith Act. 13. 7 8. and 17 18. to 21. and 24. 5. 2 Tim. 4. 14 15. In like manner a zealous Minister of CHRIST cannot so preach as to escape the forked tongues of venemous detraction nor so deliver the truth but it shall meet with exceeding opposition from these false teachers foretold of by CHRIST and his Apostles That what the right hand of the LORD doth raise the left hand of Satan may destroy That wicked one the Devill will ever be sowing Tares in the field of the Church among the Wheat as it is Matth 13. 24. 25. Against which sowers the Minister may well take up those words of Paul to Elymas Act. 13. 10 O full of all subtilty and all mischiefe The child of the Devill and enemy of all righteousnesse wilt thou not cease to pervert the streight wayes of the LORD And those other words to Alexander the Copper-Smith 2 Tim. 4. 14. 2. Their next stratageme is to slander their persons For as the malicious Priests and false Prophets slandered Jeremiah of telling lies to the people Jer. 26. 8 9. and 18. 18. and 36. Chapt. Or as the Priests and Pharisees slandered John Baptist our Saviour CHRIST Saint Paul and all the Apostles Matth 9. 34. Luke 11. 15. Or lastly as those of the Synagogue Act. 6. slandered Steven who when they were not able to resist the wisedome and the Spirit by which he spake affirmed he had spoken blasphemous words against Moses against GOD and his Law Vers 11. 13. So deales Satans Ministers at this day with CHRISTS messengers As let any knowing man take notice of the severall foule slanders which Baals Priests have raised upon most of the godly Ministers of note about London now these discovering times and he cannot but wonder that the Devill himselfe should be so impudent as to broach them there being no colour of truth in any one of them I have my selfe offered to many of the reporters ten pounds for twelve pence if they were able to make proofe of any one word which they affirmed upon their own knowledge to be true And have used my best indeavour to sift things out whether there were any ground or pretence for the rise of such a report and in the upshot found them like that which the foule mouth'd Watermen for these twelve yeares have mocked a godly discreet neighbour of mine with viz. That he kild his Cat and knockt out the head of his Kilderkin on a Munday The one for killing of a mouse the other for working upon the Sunday before Saying O leud Cat O prophane Beere Without once taking notice that the first Deviser of this Jeere did both rot and stinke and die in a most fearefull and unusuall manner as if GOD intended the party for a dreadfull spectacle of his wrath and vengeance to make all scoffers and slanderers beware of abusing his poore servants because they faithfully serve him The remembrance whereof one would thinke should strike their hearts and soules with terrour and amazement But wicked men are flint unto GOD wax to the Devill And which is the mischiefe true or false the common people that ignorant Fry or Superstitious swarme for in respect of their aptnesse to beleeve and tell lies I cannot give them a terme odious enough will not once question it and few are so wise as not to suspect the men whereby their Ministery becomes almost ineffectuall For thousands hereby are either hindred in good or hardned in evill As lop off the arme of a tree and it bringeth downe a great number of small branches with it To which slanders they alwayes adde that they are ignorant sots no scholars not worthy top each in a Pulpit Who may answer them as John Barbevile did some Friers that cald him ignorant Asse Admit wee were so yet shall our preaching witnesse against such Balaams as you are Neither doe some of them speake more falsely then others write for its strange to see how these un preaching-Ministers sharpen their pens and how deepe they dip them in the gall of the Red Dragon that they may write bitter things against the faithfull Ambassadors of JESUS CHRIST not forbearing to name them Which were not sufferable were the accusations true For he who hates not the person but the sinne cares onely to mention the sinne not the person And though it is justice to prosecute the vice yet it is mercy in this case to spare the offender Thus they deale by the primest men As Timocreon a Rhodian Poet did by noble Themistocles who at the request of the Athenians that envied him for his vernies made report in his verses That he was a covetous person a violater of his faith and no keeper of Hospirality Yea out of malice and to please great ones they will doe as Vlpian the Lawyer did by the Christians of his time Who wrote a booke to instruct the Emperors how they should Torment and Punish them As Lactantius hath Now if you
their Bitter Pils with Sugar that they may be taken with Delight Though with nothing so honest a Guile And that the Word of GOD may seeme guilty of their invectives and not the Serpents Enmity These White Devils in their Sermons will so fit Scriptures to their purpose and make them so suite with their passion that Malice it selfe shall Vnsuspected raile in the very Phrases of the Holy GHOST And they will beat their enemies though GODS friends with Divinity And think they may speak what they will so it be in the words of Scripture though falsely wrested and applied Let them have a Seeming opposition of Vice though indeed it be a Vertue They care not how they rage Their reproofes shall be no other then Libels and their Sermons then Philippicks So the Abuse of Divinity shall be maintained by Divinity and she miserably forced to justifie and continue her owne wrongs and GOD forced to speak for Baal the SPIRIT for the flesh Even fathering lies on the Father of Truth and teaching the Bastards of their own braine to call the Wisdome of Heaven Father Indeed some that have not observed this deepnesse of Satan will hardly think it possible they should alleadge the Word of GOD so as to serve their turnes in this their way of preaching But they have learned in the Colledge of Cardinals and in the Vniversity of Rome no lesse then Eight Severall waies of corrupting the Word of GOD and deluding the world Which I out of my Slender Abilities and small reading can trace them in As will appeare when these Characters shall come forth at large which I cannot stand to amplifie in this Abstract I confesse the most common and usuall way that these prophane Belshazzers have to Drinke Carnall Carouses in the Spirituall Vessels of the Temple is by Mis-Application For if they cite not a Text with Mutilation nor with Distortion the Beginning without the End or the End without the Beginning by wronging the words nor wresting the sense by maiming nor perverting it Yet by Mis-applying it they will turne the Truth of GOD into a Lie As put the case they preach against Straining out Gnats and Swallowing Camels Or Making a Glorious Profession without Practise Against Singularity Censoriousnesse and Rash-judging Or such as are Pure in their owne eyes Crafty and unjust in their dealings Against Rebellion and Disobedience to Magistrates c. Or if their humour lead them to Extoll Sincerity Humility Charity peace patience Brotherly-love and Fellowship GODS Mercy and the like As these if you marke it are the usuall theames they make choyce of except they cry up Praying and praise Diligence in our Callings that they may cry downe Preaching and condemne so much Hearing and busying our selves so much about Religion And wherein they most excell whether in praising or dispraising It is strange to see how they will lay load upon the Religious under some disgracefuâ—l name or other applying the Excesse or Defect to none but them whose onely care indeed is if they were rightly considered without prejudice to live as if there were no Gospel and to die as if there were no Law When indeed if they did apply them to the right parties that are most guilty in committing those sinnes or omitting those duties namely All Carnall and Vnhallowed Divines who professe themselves Ministers of CHRIST and GODS mouth to the people yea who professe Holinesse and Innocency in their very Vestures profane people and ignorant persons As I could both easily and fully prove If I might stand to answer these and the like their Serpentine Subtilties in particular They could not but confesse as once David to Nathan that They and They onely are The men Guilty of those crimes which they so severely condemne in others But if they were not cunning Plaisterers how should they be fit to Daub with untempered mortar Ezek. 13. 10. Onely hence we may note who are False Apostles And that in Personall Application great heed must be taken For otherwise a man may be a False Prophet in speaking the truth if it be not a truth to the Person to whom he speaketh it It was a truth which Jobs Three Friends spake to him being considered apart from the Person and Case But as they spake it to him and applied it it was Vtterly False And GOD detested it in them One mans meat may be another mans bane And so I have given you some instances how these Juglers in Divinity wrest and pervert the Scriptures and make Truth it selfe maintaine and justifie their Falshood The time and my memory would saile me if I should undertake to set downe all that I have heard and read in this kind For there is not a Text in the Bible but Ministers that I could name will draw Inferences from it either to Discourage the Godly or Incourage the Wicked Whom I cannot enough admire though I honour them not at all In deed For the most part you shall find if you mark it that all the testimonies which they alleadge for their owne ends are either Tropes or Figures or Allegories or Parables or Allusions or Dark speeches which when they presume to expound without conference of other Scriptures they wander and stray from the mark For if they did not wrest and pervert the word it 's impossible the Truth should maintaine Error Therefore we see that Eve never erred untill she corrupted the Text Gen. 3. 3. And upon this file hang all those Dusty Cobwebs of Rome as Purgatory the Real-Presence the Doctrine of Merit in Blowing up States and Murdering of Princes c. Wherein they catch soules like Flies and prey upon them with their poysonous breath But as we should not draw more from them then there is in them So every place of Scripture is so to be expounded as it may agree with all and crosse none Besides it is an Axiome received in their owne Schooles That we may not fetch an Argument in Divinity from Allegories and Metaphors unlesse we can elsewhere shew that the same thing is taught in a Literall sense True There is not a Leafe in the Sacred Volume that makes either for Voluptuousnesse or against Holinesse and Purity For to Please Flesh and Bloud is the Doctrine of Devils Yea as it is well observed There is not One Obscene word in all the Hebrew tongue which is one reason why it is cald The Holy Language Neither will these Eagles plumes brooke the blending with common feathers This heavenly gold scornes the mixture of base and sophisticate metals Yet these men will make it a nose of waxe and with their wicked hearts decoct the very Goodnesse of GOD to Venome By these few instances you may see how that under the colour of alleadging Scripture they delude the people as the Egyptian Juglers by counterfeiting Moses miracles deceived Pharaoh That when they alleadge it saying with those False Prophets Ezek 22. 28. Thus saith the LORD It is other of otherwise
formality and stirres them up with great zeale to raile against all that are better informed which is the onely marke at which those Sophisters aime 5. Others there are that preach nothing to their people what ever their auditory be but Controversie that onely pleaseth themselves and some itching eares Therefore if it please not others they may turne the buckle of their girdle For to preach against sin and ignorance to discover Satans stratagems and the like were to thwart the bent of their peoples wils and their owne studies I blame not the preaching of it but the preaching of it onely But what is the effect of this their preaching Their simple hearers so lust after fruitlesse knowledge for so it is comparatively that they seldome finde any roome for that which they should know as Repentance Regeneration Faith and the like Yea in busying their heads about the highest matters their aspiring wits mount so high that they fall againe like Babel and runne into Doubts whiles they seeke for Resolutions reeling from Religion to Religion like a drunken man from wall to wall they go to and fro seeking and seeking which is the true Church like them which sought after Elias his body and found it not or like those blind Sodomites which wearied themselves to find Lots doore yet could not find it As I know some who have spent all their time in reading of Controversie yet have at this houre their Religion to chuse 6. Another sort of Men-pleasers are such as preferring Abana and Pharpar before the River of Iordan chuse rather to feed their people with he Onions and Melons of humane speculations then with the spirituall Manna of GODS Word Which is the cause their hearers have such leane and hunger starved soules There be a world of unhallowed Divines that being sent to sue for GOD wooe for themselves For all their aime and end is To set out their Learning and Reading and to breed admiration of their wit and worth Whence their Sermons are so richly compounded of all Arts and Daplod so full of Authorities from Poets Orators and Philosophers and so stuft with rich magnificent pompous and painted words well-couched phrases Oratory Figures and Patheticall Metaphors For they runne all upon Metaphors and by their good wils speake not without a Figure Together with Hebrew Greeke and Latin Sentences That no Roome can be afforded for Scripture Yea they Scorne the Grave Elequence the Stately Plainnesse the Rich Poverty that Humble Majesty that shines in the Simplicity of the Scripture The Contemptible Coursnesse of Scripture-Phrase grates their Delicate Eares and offends their Queasie stomachs For they are not able to Peise and so not to Praise how in Fewnesse of words there is Fulnesse of Matter That they are Thick and Short Pithy and Patheticall Briefe and yet Full Concise and yet Cleare Carelesse and yet Accurate Which men if they cannot instruct GOD how to deliver his mind better yet they are not so Well-pleased with the SPIRITS way of Expression as with their Owne when delivering their Words by Weight and Drawing their Notions into Knots and Borders placing them like Checquer or Fret-worke driving their Clauses to so Even a Cadency that they fall in a Iust-measure and sound And to give them their Due Their Discourses are so Curiously Couch'd so Neatly Starch'd and set Their Words so Ranked and meetly Marshall'd as if they were a Kinne to Him whose Name is Six-Hundred-Sixty-Six And yet excell they never so much in wit learning order elegancy and phrase Admit they deliver their words in Waxe with a Soring-sublimity of high Straines and Choice Composures Though it move Great Delectation of affection Suppose they transport their hearers with the wind of words and flouds of eloquence yet they are but Frothy and Vaine Preachers yea they preach no more in reality then Harpocrates the Egyptian who was alwayes painted with his finger in his mouth For as every sound is not Musick so every Sermon is not Preaching A maine end of Preaching is Converting as the end of Fishing is Catching But their Sermons tend to no such end Well may these Cobwebs of wit and learning be curious and admirable for their finenesse of thread and worke but they are of no substance or profit to the soule As for their converting of a sinner or building up of a Christian they know not what it meanes As let me appeale to their own Consciences whether in all their lives they have so much as Civilized or Philosophized one drunken debauched and vitious liver by this their manner of preaching Or can any one of their Applauders say Such a man hath made me an Hater of vice and a Lover of vertue No for their Sermons doe not more please the eare then they starve the soule being like that Golden Banket which Caligula set before his guests which onely delighted the eye but neither pleased the palat nor satisfied the stomach So that to speak rightly They Cosen the world with Copper for Gold with Glasse for Pearle with Seeming for substance and sell us breath for the bread of life to strengthen us and froth in stead of Cordiall and Celestiall water to comfort us The Prophet that hath my word let him speake my word faithfully What is the Chaffe to the Wheat saith the LORD Jer. 23. 28. Or if the hungry soule finds any thing in their Sermons to feed upon it is but like a meale of Crafish where is much picking very little meate or as a banket of Kickshawes which neither makes good bloud nor begets spirits neither strengthens the sinewes nor increaseth the marrow but onely procures lust makes the belly flatuous and swels the body I need not stand to amplifie it You finde in your owne observation and experience a great difference betweene these Speculative Preachers and experimentall Divines As heare the one that speakes spirituall things in spirituall words with spirituall devotion and zeale and you will be ready to say with those Disciples going to Emmaus Did not our hearts burne within us whiles he spake Luke 24. 32. Or with those Matth. 7. 29. He speakes with authority and not as the Scribes Or with him the Apostle speakes of 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. who hearing the secrets of his heart made manifest being convinced fals down and worshippeth saying God is in him of a truth Whereas heare one of these Speculative Divines preach perhaps like a discourse of Philosophy read the Invention the Eloquence and the Pertinency doth presently move you and tickle your spirit But there is nothing moveth or pricketh your Conscience For it is not to it they speak I know nothing pleaseth the carnall eare more then variety And that stomachs which within one moneth are weary of Manna set more by Sallats and Sauces and Kickshawes flashes of wit then Substantiall food the Word of GOD. And let such a Corinthian Preacher speake the Abortive sigments of his owne braine yet their superstitious applause shall
be Vox Dei The voice of GOD and not of man Acts 12. 22. For it is strange to see how such an Orpheus by his Melodious harping will draw these stones Birds and Beasts after him it being their manner to arrogate to the Instrument and derogate from the Agent Indeed they have small cause to joy in it For though they gaine this applause from men as carnall and gracelesse as themselves who are spiritually blind yet the solid and more judicious know that a Minister with a female wit is the worst Hermaphrodite and that these are no more like Sermons then Michals image of Goats-haire was like David Which yet is to be understood of the best of their Sermons For it 's possible some of them may be harmlesse though unprofitable resembling the herb John which being put into pottage gives no taste at all good or bad but an excellent colour whereas too often in stead of discovering of and rebuking for sinne Lam. 2. 14. which is the first step tending to edification and conversion they flatter the people in their sinnes as those Confederates of Corah did Israel The Congregation is holy enough Num. 16. 3. Or preach peace unto them as the Serpent to Eve Yee shall not die at all Gen. 3. 4 5. Or promise them good successe in an evill way as those foure hundred Prophets to Ahab Goe up and prosper for the LORD shall deliver it into thine hand 2 Chron. 18. 11. Which the Holy GHOST cals Dawbing with untempered morter Ezek. 22. 28. Yea they will taxe another of indiscretion that preacheth the plaine truth and applies it home So that sinne is rather increased then curbed and their hearers rather infected then instructed by their preaching being good onely to insect young mens wits as Plutarch speaks of the Poet Tirteus For as Spiders with a wonderfull Art spin out of their breasts curious threads and cobwebs So these beget and weave subtile snares with their wit whereby their people fare as one that whets his knife upon a chalkstone which doth not sharpen it but rather make it more dull and blunt True They perceive it not because these Melodious preachers like some curious Cook that by variety of sauces to please the tast marres wholsome meates and helps unwholsome They can please sensuall hearers better with flattery then others can doe with truth Who of all enemies are the deadliest For 1. Either in furthering sinne or in smoothering it they betray the peoplâ—â— soules Or 2. In stead of edifying to salvation they edifie to damnation being very rhetoricall to discourage the godly and incourage the wicked For all their excellency of eloquence is used not in adorning good but in colouring that which is evill in putting hatefull matter into good language for the same discourse like the same meat may be delicious to the palate and to the stomach deadly and wit and learning if it be not seasoned with humility and love is but Armata Injustitia as Aristotle speakes like a sword in a mad mans hand or like a flowing Edde or high-spring tide without bankes to limit the water And doe not many of these Preachers resemble Curio who was most wittily wicked and most singularly eloquent in mischiefe against the good being like an Over-grown-Toad which carries a jewel in her head but poyson in her heart which makes their mouths so overflow with pride and choler against the good 3. Or if they preach not wickedly in flattering or furthering of sinne yet as before they preach unprofitably as if they were resolved to connive at sinne as feeding their flocks rather with words then matter as caring onely to please not to informe forming their voice to the liking of their hearers not their hearers judgement to the voice of CHRIST in the Gospel and striving more to make them in love with the Teacher then with the Lesson Because they stand more upon their owne credit then their peoples benefit 4. Or if they labour to fill the head with knowledge they leave the heart empty of grace spending their time either in Curious Questions and vaine speculatious which kind of preaching tends rather to mirth then godly edification as it is observable that that age of the Church which was most fertile in Nice Questions was most barren in Religion The reason is It makes people thinke Religion to be onely a matter of Wit as Tying of Knots and unlying them Wherein the braines of men given this way are usually hotter then their hearts 5. Or if their preaching be more solid they rove altogether in Generalities which are no more ayding to practise thâ—â— an Ortelius Vniversall Map is to direct the way betweene London and York 6. Or in case they descend to Particulars They passe over the Grounds of Religion the most usefull part of all Divinity For this laies the Foundation the other raiseth the Wals and Roofe This informes the Judgement that stirres up the Affections And what good use is there of those Affections which run before the Judgement 7. Or lastly If they give you the Grounds of Religion and preach wholsome truths yet they bring forth their Doctrines as some women doe their Children Still-borne for want of application without which the former seemes to be no better then a Faire Image or Statue which is beautifull to Contemplate but is without Life and Motion It being the soule of preaching when the Word is brought home to mens Consciences and applied close For whereas those other Divine discourses inrich the braine and tongue This settles the heart changes the will and workes upon the affections But the Devill is wise In the time of superstition he put out Verbum Aedificatum the Word preached that men did scarce know sinne in generall In these dayes of Profanenesse he puts out Verbum Applicatum the Word Applied that few consider what sinne is in practise But neither Doctrine without Application nor Application without Doctrine makes a Christian And so long as the soule is not converted Satan eares not how or how many men preach And so you have the severall kinds of Non-preaching Ministers That you may the better discerne how GODS people are gulled and Satan advantaged thereby who deales with the Church as Vespasian dealt with Rome who intending to invade the Empire first made sack of Alexandria where were all the Granaries That so he might make them yeeld for want of food and become his vassals Wherefore take but a serious vew First of the Number of these Fruitlesse Preachers all the Land over Secondly Then of the Mischiefe they doe For though they seeme to be Neuters in comparison of those which remaine to be spoken of as doing neither good nor hurt yet they are Traytors to GOD and his Kingdome and guilty of the peoples bloud whom CHRIST the chiefe Shepheard hath committed to their charge Yea They are the sole Cause of all the ignorance and profanenesse in the Land As tell me If a man will take
for their profanenesse nor alone condemne such as they know vicious but think all the rest Ministers and Christians are such Save that they dissemble their hypocrisie and carry it more closely for they will argue as that strumpet did I wot not what books are nor what they meane by Wisdome and Philosophy quoth the Curtezan Lais but sure I am these kind of people knock as often at my gates as any other men Yea they make the way of truth evill spoken of as Peter hath it 2 Pet. 2. 2. For simple people will not onely condemne all good men for the faults of a few that are bad but their Religion too As the foulnesse of the glasse may cause men to dislike the good wine Read we not that the people abhorred the Service of GOD and became despisers of his worship because those profane sonnes of Eli were wicked and scandalous Nor was it the case of a few for Thirty Thousand and Foure Hundred of the people being scandalized thereby were destroyed 1 Sam. 2. 4. chap. From whence observe If Two scandalous Priests proved the ruine of so many what will a Thousand doe As there are not fewer in this Land if their number were taken You have another example in David whose sinne and scandall as it stumbled the good so it caused the enemies of GOD to blaspheme 2 Sam. 12. 14. Thus by reason of them the Saints are not onely reproached the truth disgraced and Religion it selfe scandalized but they give occasion to others to Blaspheme GOD and to doubt whether all Divinity be not meere Policy and the Scriptures a Fable wherein GOD himselfe and his Word suffers I confesse it ought not to be so No mans sins should bring the service of GOD into dislike For this is to make holy things guilty of our profanenesse and to offend GOD because he hath beene offended Yea to give him just cause to abhorre us because we abhorre his service unjustly Cannot the faults of men displease us but we must needs fall out with GOD But we see it is so The LORD pity us And thus you see That vicious and scandalous Ministers admit they be Good Preachers whiles they are Ill Christians doe the Devil service under a colour of serving CHRIST and destroy soules under a pretence of saving them that they sinne more by example then by act and with Samson pull downe those Pillars of Goodnesse that shall not onely quash themselves but be the ruine of many others Yea that they are such pernicious creatures that to damne their owne soules is the least part of their mischiefe For without Gods infinite mercy and goodnesse one of them will draw vengeance upon thousands as in the example of Eli his sonnes What their punishment will be may be collected from Exodus 19. 22. Levit. 7. 20. 10. 1 2 3. 22. 3. Luke 11. 28. 12. 47. Iohn 13. 17. Rom 2. 1. Luke 19. 22. What hope of pardon there is for a sinne of this nature may be gathered from 1 Sam. 3. 14 where GOD even swore unto Eli that the Iniquity of his house should not be purged with Sacrifice nor Offering for ever And how GOD abhors that a Drunken beast should be a Soule-keeper who is not worthy to be an Horse-keeper Or an Vncleane person or a Covetous wretch or any other Vnhallowed Divine of Vncircumcised lips and Vnwashen hands and that Hates to be reformed should Represent his Person administer his Sacraments and Preach his Holy Word we may easily discerne by his strict charge to the contrary and his heavy and severe judgements upon such as have presumed to doe it both under the Law and since the Gospel For which turne to Levit. 21. Ezek. 44. 9. Exod. 37. 23. 28. 30. Psal 50. 16. 17. 26. 6. Deut. 6. 6. 7. Jerem. 15. 19. Dan. 12. 3. Levit. 7. 20. 10. 1. 2. 3. 22. 3. 1 Sam. 3. 14. In the Old Testament And in the New to 1 Tim. 3. 2. to 13. 4. 12. 16. 5. 9. 10. Rom. 2. 1. 19 to 24. 1 Cor. 5. 11. 8. 10. 11. 13. Phil. 2. 15. 4. 9. Tit. 2. 7. 8. Matth. 11. 4. Luke 1. 16. 17. 12. 47. 22. 32. 1 Thes 5. 12. 13. Which Scriptures the Bishops might doe well to minde who admitted them into the ministery for they never came into it of GODS sending and who have many soules to answer for in that they doe not cut them off as rotten members and throw them out of the Church like dirt into the street by Excommunication when they will Honester men for not paying of Three Pence at Easter being as excrements and bad humours in the body of the Church that will never be at ease untill it be disburdened of them For which read Rom. 16. 17. 2 Thes 3. 6. 14. Ephes 5. 5. 7. 1 Cor. 5. 5. 11. 1 Tim. 1. 20. In the meane time they ought not by Saint Pauls rule to be admitted the fellowship of the faithfull neither ought we so much as to eate with them 1 Cor. 5. 11. And so much of the First sort of Vnpreaching Ministers 2. There are another Sort of Ministers for so they are called though no otherwise then the Heathen Images were called GODS that Edifie to Damnation by their false wresting and misapplying the Scriptures And these doe farre more harme then the former Yea one of them will Vnpreach and pull downe faster then many good Preachers can build up Which they effect by imitating the false Prophets of old who in all ages withstood and contraried whatsoever doctrine the True Prophets were commanded by GOD to deliver As you may see 1 King 22. 6. 23. 24. Jerem. 5. 12. 13. 31. c. 14. 15. 8. 11. 14. 13. to 19. 26. 8. 9. Acts 13. 7. to 12. And 17. 18. to 21. 20. 29 30. Ezek. 22. 25 26. 28. Deut. 13. 3. Matth. 7. 15. 24. 5. 11. 24. 2 Tim. 3. 8. 2 Cor. 11. 13. 2 Pet. 2. 1 2 3 Phil. 3. 18. The summe whereof is this Usually the Children of Israel were marvellous wicked walking in all kind of vice despising the holy word of GOD c. And when the LORD sent his Prophets unto them calling upon them to forsake their wicked wayes and to turne unto him threatning the judgements and vengeance of GOD against them unlesse they did returne The false Poophets laboured as fast on the other side to flatter them in their sinnes and make them beleeve they were in good case For instance The LORD complaines often and grievously in these and the like words They strengthen the hands of wicked doers that none doth returne from their wickednesse They say still unto them that despise me The LORD hath said Yee shall have peace and to every one that walks after the imaginations of his owne heart None evill shall come unto you Jer. 23. ver 16. 17. They have healed the hurt of the daughter
then ever the Author meant it sometimes taking the words against the meaning Often making a meaning against the words Either suppressing some of the words or not expressing the true sense As if they would conveigh away the Gold and throw us the Bagge That to utter their Damned Commodities they deale as some Tradesmen about their badde Wares Put out the True lights and set up False in their stead That they wound the truth in her owne coat And as Jacob put on the garments of Esau his Brother to deceive Isaak his Father So these in the apparell of their Elder Brother CHRIST seek to beguile the Church their Mother That they have not the Scripture so much for a Text as for a Pretext In choosing whereof they eâ—re also by inverting the order For they first make their Sermons and then look for a Text which they take out too with the left hand Though indeed there is not a Text of Sacred truth which their Glosse corrupts not For as GOD brings Good out of Evill so these bring Evill out of Good Wherein they come so farre short of Paul who comparing himselfe with the false Apostles 2 Cor. 4. 2. saith We walke not in craftinesse neither handle we the word of God deceitfully But in declaration of the truth we approve our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of GOD. That they are worse then Balaam who when Balaak said What hast thou done I tooke thee to Curse mine enemies And behold Thou hast Blessed them altogether answered Though he had as good a minde to Curse the Children of Israel as these the people of GOD and said Must I not take heede to speake that which the LORD hath put in my mouth Numb 23. 11 12. Being such false teachers as Saint Peter foretels of that Bring upon themselves swift destruction 2 Pet. 2. 1 2. And Saint Jude Jud. vers 4. Being ungodly men crept in unawares who turne the Grace of GOD into Lasciviousnesse being before of old ordained to Condemnation It is said Revel 22. which is the Closing up of the Bible If any man shall adde unto these things GOD shall adde unto him the Plagues that are written in this booke And if any man shall take away from the words of this booke GOD shall take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy City and from the things that are written in this booke vers 18. 19. I wish these men would minde it and what a faire businesse they make of it so wresting the Book of Grace that they quite wrest themselves out of the Book of Life Yea Destruction is threatned to every Prophet that shall but Conceale the truth or forbeare to Reprove Sinne sharply Ezek. 3. 17. 18 19. 23 8. 1 Cor. 9. 16. and other places How much more in this Case For alleadging Scripture to maintaine thy sinne and to revile holinesse is to presume to wrest GODS weapons out of his hand and as it were to wound him with his owne Sword And I wonder how they dare climbe up into the Pulpit with such a purpose for feare lest Thunder should strike them downe againe But to speake to them who have sworne allegeance to the Prince of darknesse is labour in vaine 2. Another slight of theirs is this Knowing that if the Cup of their poyson were not rubd with Hony it would not downe And that their base Coine would not passe except they mixe it with a considerable quantity of good money They will not vent their devilish Doctrines without a mixture of some wholsome Truths like as Gardeners will sow among the herbs that are wholsome and pleasant others noysome and venomous Or rather Hannibal who to intrap his enemies mixed their Wine with Mandrakes whose operation is betwixt Sleepe and Poyson Or as Avicen was made away by Annoynting the booke with poyson which he was to read Or rather like the Devil who as Lactantius saith many times spake truth in Oracles to the intent he might shadow his falsehoods the more cunningly These men are the Servants of the most-high GOD which shew unto us the way of salvation Acts 16. 17. Who would look for the Devill under the habit of such good counsell But what 's his reason He makes a shew of under-propping the truth but he meant to undermine it This old Fox like the Fox in the Fable never praiseth the Law but when it may make away for his booty Wherefore Paul cast out the soule Spirit that confest him For though he spake true he knew to what hellish purpose he spake it And our Saviour another who worshipped him and confest him to be the Sonne of the most-high GOD. Mark 5. 7. 8. Deceit gets credit in small matters that it may cousen in things of greater weight The Dequoy will suffer the simple man to winne for a while till he hath whetted him on Then he foists in false Dice and after leaves him in the lurch If fraudulent Merchants had not some Good Wares their Base ones would not be saleable But the Good must help away with the Bad. So if these spake nothing but true they could not deceive us if nothing but false we would not beleeve them Therefore they mingle the one with the other as men mingle poyson with good and savory meat when they intend to destroy And this their crafty and deceitfull kind of wresting and mis-applying the Word they have immediately learnt from the Devil him selfe whose Chaplaines they are For he hath used this kind of handling the Scripture ever since Adam was in the state of Innocency as appeares by Gen. 3. 4 5. and many other instances 1 King 22. 21 22. 1 Sam. 28. 19. Psal 91. 11. Matth. 4. 6. Mar. 1. 24. c. Yet to give the Devil his due I doe not finde Satan in all the Scripture to be so injurious against GOD as these men For what is recorded of him worse then this uttering it by the month of that Assyrian Monarch I will Ascend and be like the most-High Isa 14. 13 14. It was great blasphemy for the Devil to say so But it is greater blasphemy to Personate GOD and bring him in saying I will Descend and be like the Prince of Darknesse And what is it better to make the Scripture GODS owne Oracles to Descend to the Disgracing of Verme and true Religion And to the Magnifying of Vice and Impiety The Discouraging of the Good and Incouraging of the Wicked Surely this is to make GOD like the Devill CHRIST like Anti Christ and to bring downe the Holy GHOST in stead of the Likenesse of a Dove in the shape of a Vulture or Raven So that however these Beasts like thaâ— other Beast Rev. 13. 11. have Hornes like the Lamb would seeme to deliver nothing but Scripture yet they Speake like the Dragon Yea worse then the Dragen And it is hard for ignorant people who are unacquainted with these kind of wiles not to
be deceived by these Hornes of the Lamb. For there is no temptation so dangerous as that which comes shrouded under a Vaile of Holinesse and pretends Authority from GOD. The Holy Prophet himselfe was deceived by Such a Devil under another Prophets vizard 1 King 13. 18. to 24. Yea Satan made no doubt but he should Cousen CHRIST himselfe when he came to him with a Scriptum est It is written Matt. 4. If Hushai had not said I am for Absolom And whom Israel chuseth his will I be he had not disappointed the counsell of Achitophel which was then like the Oracle of GOD nor re-established David in his Kingdome 2 Sam. 16 18. So if these false Doctors should not say We are for CHRIST they could not withstand the True Ministers that deliver the words of GOD nor enthrone Anti-Christ in the Seat of CHRIST But besides Alleadging of Scripture and mixing Truth with Falshood they have other Great Advantages as 3. These Preachers are usually men of Extraordinary Parts being for the most part Exceeding witty subtile and eloquent did they imploy these gifts accordingly And still the Better their wit the Worse As the Earth the more fruitfull it is the more and more Pestilent are the Weeds in it if it be not sowen with good seed The sweetest Wine turnes to the sharpest Vineger The fairer the Stone is in the Toads head the more pestilent is the Poyson in her Bowels And it is commonly seene that a wicked man indowed with wit and learning is like a Spider and her Web wherein is more Venome then Aâ—â— as these verify For what Desperate advisements doe they give us in a Fine-filed Phrase And with what Powerfull and Partinent Expressions How doe they by their Elequence or Ornament of the tongue spread Sweet Snares and allure the hearts of men For they winne not by Battery but by Vndermining which is as secret as wicked So that what is wanting in the Goodnesse of the cause is supplied not onely in the Greatnesse of the Fees as I shewed before But also by the cunning of the Advocate And what they cannot performe by the Evidence of truth they seeke to attaine by the Eloquence of Aâ—â— which they improve to the utmost knowing that false things have need of foistings and filthy and foule things of ornaments and coverings In the meane time we have the same cause that Job had to say Our Enemies speake Eloquently against us But â—â—â—â—yâ—s â—ouâ—e oâ—â— tâ—ares unto God Job 16. 20. Not that we need be discouraged For more likely to be the Truth and we GODS Chosen because the wits of the world dispute against it and us Wit and Learning is like the Vnicorns horne which being in a skilfull mans hand is very precious and of admirable use But when in the Beasts head no lesse hurtfull and pernicious As the Church hath alwayes sound to her griefe How many learned and witty Hereticks doe we read of who were admired for their Fine Conceits and Elegant Expressions which fell from them whiles their Opinions and secretly-couched Doctrines were Dangerous and Mortall So that we may say of their Doctrines as Esâ—p said of his Tongues or Jeremy of his Figs Ier. 24. 3. Then the good and true nothing can be spoken better Then the bad and false nothing more perilous and vile Such an one was Balaam where he spake well never any Prophet spake more Divinely where he spake ill there was never any Devill spake more Desperatly He could not make Israel cursed by his Prophesie therefore he tries to effect it by his Policy He sends a Troop of Meabitish Whores among thom that so they might be tempted to offend GOD and GOD might cease to defend them He had confest before Numb 23. 23 That there could be no Inchantment nor Witchcraft against Israel No Devils but those Shee-Devils could doe it Numb 25. 4. As they are men of Extraordinary parts So they have Extraordinary Assistance from Satan which is another Prime Advantage That Satan is their Tutor to prompt and assist them to speake in and by them no man can doubt that beleeves Micajah the Prophet who relates before Ahab that there Came forth a Spirit and stood before the LORD saying I will goe forth and be a false Spirit in the mouths of all his Prophets To whom the LORD answered Thou shalt perswade Ahab and also prevaile Goe forth and doe so 1 King 22. 20. 21. 1 Chron. 18. 18. to 23. Or that Scripture Matth. 13. 25. where speaking of the Envious man sowing Tares among the Wheat Our Saviour tels them plainly That the said Envious man was the Devil v. 39. Or lastly Our Saviours words to Peter Matt. 16. 23 Get thee behind me Satan But their Practise sufficiently proves it For needs must that be a Serpentine Exposition which Gnaweth ouâ— the Bowels of the Text. Now if it be Satans Heart in their lips and that he doth prompt and assist them it must likewise be granted that he hath more knowledge learning and experience then any man alive Yea put all the wits in the world together and then adde Satans thereunto The last like figures in Arithmetick will more improve the same then all that went before it So that whatsoever a mans owne Mother-wit is he that hath Satans wit superadded is able to doe more mischiefe then many other men And it may be said of such an one as it was of Caesar There were in him Ten such as Marius Yea If it be true as it 's reported That a Serpent having swallowed a Serpent becomes a Dragon what must his Subtilty be that hath the Subtilty of this old Serpent infused into him We have known possessed men speak languages they were never taught and we have had experience that Maâ—iâ—ians through the permission of GOD were able to doe whatsoever the Devil himselfe could doe So that as an Ape is like a Baboone onely a Baboone is Bigger So these Little Seducers are like the Great Seducer onely he is the Elder and more experienc'd having used this Art now neere upon Six Thousand Yeares No marvell then that Falshood hath more wit to devise then Truth For He must needs goe that is Devil-driven As when any one goes about an Evill Businesse It is strange to see how ready the Devil is to set him forwards how carefull that he should want no furtherances So that if any man would but be Leudly-witty he shall be sure to be furnisht with store of profane jests jeeres and scoffs wherein a loose heart hath double advantage of the conscionable But more especially doth he assist his Clergy by whom and in whom he speakes as sometimes Clients doe by their Advocates When David had heard the Subtile woman of Tekâ—a how cunningly she had contrived her speech touching Absolom he presently perceived that Joab had an hand iâ— it The which she ingenuously confesseth saying Thy servant Joab bade me speak this And he put all these words into
my mouth Even so when we heare such a Sermon and finde it to excell their accustomed Orations in a Subtile kind of sophistry as though the Sea be in perpetuall agitation yet the Spring-tides rise higher then their fellows We may presently conjecture or rather conclude That Satan hath a speciall hand in this businesse And I doubt not if they would with her acknowledge the truth and neither Turne to the right hand nor to the left but they would confesse the same However Their zeale and fervency to defend the Devils cause proves it sufficiently 1 Jâ—â—n 3. 14. when in preaching for him or against the good and goodnesse they are like Câ—assus who even burst his sides in pleading for Pompey Or if neither of these It is enough we heare Saint James affirme That this Tongue full of deadly poyson issuing from a Corrupt heart fraught with Bitter envy and strife is set on fire from Hell And that this Wisdome is not alone Earthly and Sensuall but Devilish Jam. 3 6. 8. 14 15. Now put all together First Their Alleading GODS Word Secondly Their Mixing of truth with Falshood Thirdly Their Excelling in Wit and Learning Fourthly The Great Helpe and Supply they have from Satan And you will no whit marvell that their preaching so takes with men of the world who count that Preaching which saves soules no better then Foolishnesse For otherwise were not the danger more in the Men then in their Cause Had not these Two Great Curtizans of the world Profanenesse and Antichristianisme so Cunning Pandors I could not but wonder how they should get any but Foolish Customers where the Gospel in many Parishes is so purely taught But these false Prophets as they use the matter are able to seduce if it were possible the very Elect as our Saviour shewes Marke 13. 22. As let there be Two Ministers in the same Parish One a Simon-Magus that is Parson or Curate put in by the Bishop the other a Simon-Peter that is by a Speciall providence chosen Lecturer What 's the issue The one comes in CHRISTS name Therefore him they receive not The other comes in His owne name and him they receive John 5. 43. The Fore-noons man is Of the World and therefore speaks of the World And these men of the World Heare him 1 John 4. 5. The Afternoons man is Of GOD and they Heare him not because they are not of GOD verse 6. Simon-Magus his Sermons are made to Please But withall to Kill As All Poysons Kill not with Griping Torments Some cast into a sleepe Or make men Laugh till they fall downe Dead Simon-Peters to Profit Of whom the LORD speaks Jer. 3. 15. I will give you Pastors according to mine owne heart which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding The Doctrine of the former being like the Angels Book Sweet in the Mouth but Bitter in the Bowels Revel 10. 9. That of the latter like Mithridate Bitter to the Flesh but Soveraigne for the Soule Well knowing that a Mortall wound must be Throughly Searched ere it can be soundly healed And that no Purgative Medicine can bring Health without some Griping And where the LORD is pleased to place such an one It is the Greatest Blessing he can give to that Parish And the people are no lesse bound to him for the vertues he teacheth them then to their Parents for the life they gave them Yet woe is me Naturall and fleshly men are so blockish and withall so ingratefull That they are not onely better pleased with the former for his flattery then with the latter for speaking the truth But commonly they requite their faithfull Minister as Ahab did Micajah the False Prophets Jeremiah Herod John-Baptist and Demetrius Paul whiles they thinke nothing Too much for their Vn-preaching-minister It is not the Searching but the Soothing Ministery that carries away the peoples applause Because they had rather have their Itch clawed then Cured Counsels are like Faces That which is Faire pleaseth Yea for the most part it fares with Doctrines as it doth with meats Those that are least wholsome are most requested That pleaseth us which is sweete to the sense not that which is Wholsome to the Conscience Neither do the common people like these Wasps so much for the Hony in their Combs as for the sting in their Tailes wherewith they gall the godly For as their Memory is like the Boulter which casteth out all the Floure keeping onely the Branne And themselves like the Egyptians who behold the Sunne the Moone the Starres all the Glories of Nature without Admiration yea without Common Regard untill they espy a Crocodile an ugly Serpent and then downe on their Knees to worship it so they will passe over all wholsome Instructions applying whatsoever they heare especially Bitter Invectives and fearfull threatnings to others As This belongs to Puritans That to such and such an one not to themselves Even as one Monkie looking in a glasse things he sees another Monkies face and not his owne In a word These men will make no other use of what they heare then Spiders doe of what they receive Suck out all the Poyson and leave the rest And it is just with GOD it should be so Because they forsake my Law which I set before them and have not obeyed my voyce neither walked therein but have walked after the imagination of their owne heart and after Baalim which their Fathers taught them Therefore thus saith the LORD of Hosts the GOD of Israel Behold I will feed them even this people with Wormwood and give them waters of Gall to drinke Jer. 9. 13. 14 15. Againe more expressely 2 Thes 2. Because they received not the Love of the Truth that they might be saved For this cause GOD shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve Lies That they all might be damned which beleeve not the Truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse vers 10 11 12. This is a Sure but a Sore Judgement Will they not adhere to the GOD of Truth They shall be turned over to the Father of Lies Because Ahab will not beleeve Micajah Therefore a Lying Spirit shall deceive his Prophets to deceive him The Jewes had forbidden the Sober Prophets to prophesie Therefore they shall have Drunken Prophets that shall Propkesie of Wine and strong drinke and walke in the Spirit of Falshood Mica 2. 11. Jer. 5. 30 31. Isa 30. 10. 2 Tim. 4. 3 4. Such a people such a Prophet am I speaking of For 2. In stead of Converting he Perverteth his Hearers dealing with them as an Ill Physitian with his Patient that purgeth away the Good Humours and leaves the Bad behind them Or as Vermine doe by Poultry that suck out the best bloud from them and leave onely the refuse His Sermons being worse then so many infectious bits of meat For as that causeth all the wholsome food a man hath eaten to be vomited up so it selfe is vomited up with all
Whereas his Doctrines drive out the Truth as one naile drives out another and sticks fast in the roome Falshood after Truth is like Aloes strawed upon Hony a little whereof taketh away all the former sweetnesse Yea such a seducing Preacher shall be able with one Sermon to pull downe undoe and make void whatsoever a faithfull and powerfull Minister hath built up and established in the hearts of his hearers with great paines in many yeares And no marvell If we consider how averse we are from Good and how prone we are to Evil by nature As having the wind of Satans temptations and the tide of our owne affections to drive us forward A Ship at Sea is not carried on her voyage without great force of the wind whereas a little urchin fish call'd a Remora by sticking her horne into it will stop her though under saile in her full Careere Great trees which are long in growing may be rooted up in an instant Herostratus an Obscure and Base fellow could easily in one night burne the Temple of Diana at Ephesus which was 220. yeeres in building of all Asia at the cost of so many Princes and beautified with the labour and cunning of so many excellent workmen Indeed what things this Vn preaching Minister hath planted are like to last For he so rankles and festers the affections of his hearers that he leaves no possibility of their amendment They hatch Cochatrice egges saith the Prophet and weave the Spiders webbe He that eateth of their egges dieth and that which is trodden upon breaketh out into a Serpent Isa 59 5. His Sermons like Circes Potions are Too strong for all Antidotes And their condition like the Kings-Evill that none but GOD himselfe can cure For the parties hereby are so Metamorphos'd that either they become Stupid and Blind to all spirituall Objects like the spectators of Perseus when he put on Medusa's head for the redeeming of Andromeda resolving to cast off all care of their soules and never to heare other Preachers Forgetting that they vowed themselves to CHRIST in their Baptisme To be his Faithfull Souldiers and Servants unto their lives end And that if they keep not their Vow in doing their Vtmost their Sin is no lesse then perjury Or else in the next place they have the Tead of prejudice against all good ingendred in their braines which makes them see heare and take all things with the left eye eare and hand Act. 2. 13. 20. 9. Isa 5. 20. And then like a man out of his way The faster they runne the farther off And it becomes a greater worke to unteach them that then to teach them the whole duty of a Christian besides And indeed how should better cloath be made of such yarne Our blood cannot bee good if our diet be unwholsome Neither can our hearts or affections our words or our workes be good unlesse the milke be wholesome whereupon wee seed However their hearers learne this lesson from their Sermons to practise what they teach And Satan hath his ayme which is to make Sanctification an odious thing by fastning upon it out of the pulpit some vile reproach that men may be ashamed to serve GOD and be saved As for example Let a man but abandon his former foule sinnes live more circumspectly and warily then his neighbours about him Instantly this his holinesse growes very offensive to them and appeares to be but hypocrisie or at least idle scrupulosity Whereupon they brand him for a Puritan And this being the verdict of those who count themselves honest men and their neighbours thinke no lesse to whom civill men are almost Puritans like a Kennell of dogs they run away with the cry and barke out this terme against every good man they meet Whereby it fares with Religion and the professors thereof as it did with the Land of Canaan Numb 14. 36. Some wicked Ministers like the ten spies have brought up an ill name and report upon the way of truth and many of the people following their example increase the scandall See 2 Pet. 2. 1 2 3. 2 Tim 3. 3. So that the godly may take up Davids words against such a Minister and say Thou hast made us a strife unto our neighbours and our enemies laugh at us among themselves Psal 80. 6. And this is a sport to Satan who delights himselfe in setting us together by the eares Though indeed none but dogs by clapping of hands will be animated to fight Neither are these false teachers onely the cause of the peoples censuring and slandering the good But by their Serpentine preaching or not preaching faithfully they are the Sole cause of all the ignorance and prophanenesse in the Land As it hath fared in all former ages It is the LORD complaint by Isa 9. 16. And by Jeremiah 6. 13 14 15. and againe Chap. 8. 10 11 12. and Chap. 23. 9. to 22. Nor can we expect other in reason For when the Fountaine is troubled the streames will be muddy If the Spring be poisoned the waters are deadly He that would see whether a fish be corrupted doth look upon the head For this doth first putrefy So to know the state of the Flocke looke upon the Pastor And miserable is that people whose leaders in stead of discouraging and reproving plot and incourage wickednesse When a distillation of evill falls from the Head upon the Lungs of any parish there must needs follow a deadly Consumption What should direct the body but the head And what should direct the head but the eye Before Ahab would goe to Ramoth-Gilead to fall there he gathered of the Prophets foure hundred men who spake according to his owne heart 2 Chron. 18. 5. So when Herod thought to make fooles of the wise men and over-reach GOD himselfe he gathered all the chiefe Priests and Scribes together to heare their advice Matth. 2. 3. 4. The tides of the people move up and downe are rough or still according as the winds stirre more or lesse They have no other edge but what is given them by the whetstone of their Priests tongues And as from the heart all members have their life So from the ministery the people have their devotion The common people are so tractable that they will follow their leaders blindfold They practise an undiscreet surrendring of themselves up to the command of their superiours If Corah but kindle the fire of conspiracy two hundred and fiftie others will bring stickes to increase it Numb 16. 2. 3. If Sheba but blowe a Trumpet the rest are suddenly up in armes Like those beasts Deut. 14. They swallow and never chew the Cud. Therefore when Diogenes met a fellow that behaved himselfe â—udely he gave his Tutor a wherit on the care The kingdome is all overspread with Ignorance Atheisme and all manner of prophanenesse from the Court to the Cottage from the Robe to the ragged Coat Scarce one in ten of any degree or profession that is not Covetous
thirty or forty in a Shire were put out of their ministry at a time But who and what were they Dum-Dogs Or Non Residenciaries Or Men-Pleasers Or Scandalous Ministers Or these Serpentine-Preacherst No. Not One of them But such as were too Zealous and painfull That Preached twice upon a Sabbath day That had Tender-Consciences and would not Read and Allow of sporting upon the LORDS-day That were more Obedient to GODS Lawes then to the Bishops Canons Preferring an innocent and Holy Life before a White Surplice Such as were Flockt after As I have heard a Bishop at the High-Commission-Board Chafe at the Chaplaines in these and the like words Is it fit that such a one should be suffered to preach when all the Towne followes him He meant When so many soules were converted by him As who did feele the smart of their Censures so much as those Ministers who by their faithfull and powerfull preaching made their Heaâ—ers of Naturall men to become Christians Indeed such Courts were appointed for the Correction of Vices But now they Cherished Vice and corrected Vertue I may now blessed be GOD call A Spade a Spade Foure yeares since this Gall was so impatient of spurring that a Minister could not Speake the Truth without Hazarding the Pillory Whipping Post Losse of Eares slitting of Nostrils and Branding in the face The case of Doctor Layton for a Book that if wise men may be beleeved hath a world of worth in it As for Mr. Prynne Dr. Bastwicke and Mr. Burton they are fresh in memory And having silenc'd these Whom did they place in their roomes But such most of them that Even the Devill himselfe if he did make and send forth Ministers Could not finde worse upon the earth For if he would have worse he must bring them from hell The Synod of Constantinople out of experience did find that in those times among fifty Catholike Priests hardly one could be found that was not a Notorious Fornicator And that there was great want of Ministers onely for the Prohibition of Matrimony Which made Pius the second a Learned Pope contrary to his former practise leave this behind him in writing There is great cause why the Clergy should be deprived of Marriage But greater cause why they should be suffered to marry And doe not we in these times find by experience That among fifty of these Bishops-Priests hardly one can be found that is not a bitter Malignant to Holinesse and a Despiser of them that be good If he be not also a Rank-Whoremasteâ— or a Common Drunkard And that by this meanes there is great want of Good Ministers As hath beene plentifully proved to This Parliament and may be found upon Record Even such that if Holy David were now alive he would not admit A Man of them to be his Chaplaine I grant their wicked hearts help them to Pâ—â—tences that carry a Faire shew why they Silence so many Precisians and put in so many profane ones But their Consciences cannot but tell them of more and weightier Reasons why these should rather be Cashired and the Number of the other increased The Godly cherished and the profane curbed and utterly restrained But because they want honesty and ingenuity to confesse what they thinke I will declare them unto you 1. They ought to be Silenc'd First Because as I have shewne They are false Prophets and teach Lies in CHRISTS name Now if a man be opinionated against the Truth it is not Answerable Si quis docuerit But if a man teach such a Doctrine It is Abominable Or if they Preach not false Doctrine they will so sophisticate the Truth with the Leaven of maliciousnesse that there shall be no difference Like as if they should break the bread of life to the people and throw in Crooked Pins to Choak them Or we may say of them as Luther of the Popes They hold us out Bread on the point of a Sword And when we come nigh they beat us with the Hilt Or lastly If they deliver nothing but the wholesome Truth They will Turne it into a lie by misapplication And he is not worthy to be a Physitian who giveth Vomits in place of Cordials And Cordials in stead of Vomits 2. Because they infect almost all that heare their Sermons and make them as Bitter Malignants to Religion and scoffers at Holinesse as themselves as I have shewen And so in stead of becomming Instruments of their peoples Salvation they become as farre as in them lies Authors of their Damnation Now if one Breake the Law that 's a Personall-sin But if he Teach so that 's a Pestilent sinne 3. For that tâ—e Gospel and the Name of GOD is Blasphemed and an Evill scandall raised upon the Godly by reason of their slandring them and disgracing Goodnesse in their Sermons And how unsufferable this is in such as are GODS Ambassadors and have the charge of soules may be seene in the example of Eli's sons 1 Sam. 3. 4. chap. And in GODS dealing with Nadab and Abihu when he sent out Fire and devoured them for offering strange fire upon his Altar Giving no other â—eason but this I will be sanctified of them that draw neare me Levit. 10. 2. 3. Are such fit to succeed the LORD Jesus and have the charge of soules who preach lies in his Name even forcing GOD to speak for Baal the Spirit for the Flesh Or if they be connived at How fearfull shall their Reckoning be when they shall be summon'd to appeare before That High Judge at the great day of Accounts 4. Because so long as he supplies the Roome of a Minister he keeps out another that would Preach better and perhaps save those poore soules whom he destroyes An ill man in the Church is but like some Shrubby-Tree in a Garden whose shade not onely keeps better plants from growing but drawes away the nourishment from the rest that would beare us fruit Or as a great Oak in a Greve which not onely pines all the underwoods near it but spoyles the Grasse that should feed the Cattell So that it were better for the Perish to have no Minister at all then such a one For though it be miserable to want food for the soule yet better nothing then onely poyson A Blank doth farre better in a Roome then an ill filling 5. It is most just equall and proper That having so much abused their tongues they should in some sort lose the use of them We read That when Tiberius the Emperour past sentence at the barre upon a Great Talker and Railer with his Tongue he commanded that for part of his punishment he should not speak a word for the space of one whole yeare after but ponder upon what he had formerly spoken and study better how to speak when it came againe to his turne True Our Worthies in Parliament have Blessed be GOD taken the like course with many of them And I hope their many Eyes will find out