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A64639 Perez Uzza, Or, A serious letter sent to Master Edm. Calamy, January the 17th, 1663 touching his sermon at Aldermanbvry, December the 28th, intimating his close design, and dangerous insinuation against the publick peace : with some queries he is to answer, for the satisfaction of the world. Udall, O. 1663 (1663) Wing U17; ESTC R23555 20,153 32

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if you can but secure though the Catholick and Apostolick Faith once delivered to the Saints be indangered though the publick Worship be neglected though all Order Discipline and Decency be overthrown though the ancient succession of Bishops Pastors and Ministers be interrupted though the Word and Sacraments that make and support the Church be laid aside you can call the saddest times that ever we saw Gospel-times and you can say that you enjoy in purity and plenty the Ordinances of Jesus Christ But if that new way which Mr. Calvin in the year 1535. set up at Geneva be rejected as a novelty of an hundred years continuance by those that desire to live and die in that Christianity which hath been practised by all good men in all places these 1600. years If every Minister be no a Bishop in his own Parish If a few ignorant but devout souls shall not bear sway over all the 1 Neighbours as Lay-elders admitting whom they please to and turning whom they please from the Sacrament If every man be not at liberty to utter what words he please before God and neglect the wholesome form of sound words commended by the Church If a Minister must wear a linnen Ephod a harmless garment If a man must rather kneel humbly then stand untowardly in his devotion to God If men must repent of and so renounce their former rebellion If a few troublesome men be silenced and if they that oppose the Church be not preferred by it You say the Ark is removing the glory is departing the safety of Israel indeed was not in the Ark but in an uniform and constant obedience to the eternal Law of God kept in the Ark and our safety lieth not in any peculiar formality opinion or in any singular persons but in a sincere profession of the ancient Truth that hath upheld the Church in all ages in all places and in all conditions Object 3. We hear that you should say That the Ark of the Covenant would not preserve those that had broken Covenant with God no priviledge secures them that neglect their duty the best man that doth as a malefactour must suffer so too And Sir I pray consider that Religion cannot preserve you if you live not according to the known principles of Religion that it if you in conscience cannot resist authority yet speak against if you who have taken an oath to be true to your Governours will yet oppose them The word of the Lord came unto me saying saith Ezekiel say now to the rebellious house that by the keeping the Covenant that is your oath of allegiance to the king of Babylon mark it to the heathenish king of Babylon and not any Covenant against him the kingdome may stand but you rebelled against him i. e. your King to whom you had sworn allegiance shall he prosper shall he escape that doth such things or shall he break the Covenant i. e. his oath of allegiance to the King and be delivered In the place that the King liveth whose oath he hath taken saith the Lord to the king of Israel he shall dye the holy discipline cannot preserve them that have broke the oath of Allegiance the Oath of Supremacy the oath of Canonical obedience and the protestation and all the publick oaths they have taken before God and men I know you think you have been very tender of the Covenant of God and of any Covenant you have made with God I hope you have But as to that solemn League and Covenant I must needs say that I think you cannot keep your Covenants with God if you keep it How can you keep your Covenant before God in the oath of allegiance to the King if you keep that Covenant by which you fought against him How can you keep your Covenant before God in the oath of Supremacy if you keep this Covenant by which you oppose the Kings Supremacy How can you keep your Covenant before God in the protestation you made 1641. to defend Religion as it was then established if you keep that Covenant wherein you swear to alter the Religion established as the Ark secured not them if they kept not their Covenant with God so all the tokens of Gods presence among you cannot secure you if you break your many oaths of allegiance Supremacy Canonical Obedience Protestations made in the presence of God nay let me tell you further for I freely open you my heart that I doubt no token of Gods presence which you may imagine you have among you may secure you if you stand to the Covenant you have made against the Kings authority and will whose subjects you are against the established way of the Catholick Church members whereof you are against a government of Apostolical institution which hath been continued with such an universal uninterrupted unquestioned succession in all the Churches of God in all kingdoms that have been called Christians throughout the world fifteen hundred years together against all principles and rules of Government You cannot be safe untill you have sincerely endeavoured to lay aside all the new humours opinions practices which have been of late brought into the Church and trouble your selves and others no longer with any unquiet singularities but return peaceably meekly and humbly to the Communion of the universal Church standing soberly in the paths and seriously considering which is the old way of the people of God in all ages and walk therein that you may finde rest to your souls Object 3. And Eli sate c. saith the Text Eli you know was his priest for you need not be told that there were first Levites secondly priests thirdly higher priests among the Jews as there were 1. disciples 2. the seventy 3. Apostles among the first Christians and then by the Apostles institution with universal approbation 1. Deacons 2. Priests 3. Bishops and Arch-Bishops among us now as 1. the people 2. the Levites 3. the priests did abide in that calling wherein they were called whether the care of their families their own affairs and souls or ministry they waited on their ministry or they that teach on teaching or they that exhort on exhortation and they by prayer committed publick affairs to the providence of God and the care of Governours and Judges medling not with things too high for them Onely the high Priest the Governour for in those daies the Clergy had the care of civill affairs and the Common-wealth was not deprived of their excellent worth parts and usefulness in government and the Jews having any matter against others went not to law before the unjust but before the Saints And know ye not that we shall judge Angels How much more them of this life Eli I say the high Priest and Judge who had the government on his shoulder sate in the way and trembled because of the Ark his head onely was full of thoughts his heart onely was full of care for the publick other poor people studied to quiet and
granting though I hope you do not think so that Ministers are now weaker then they were must we hear in faith of mans power or rather must not we hear in the faith of the power of God whose strength is most apparent in weakness Ah! will some poor souls say precious Mr. Watson Mr. Calamy sweet Mr. Venning c. what is Paul what is Apollo what is Mr. Calamy what is Mr. Watson but Ministers by whom they believe even as the Lord gave to every man you plant others water God giveth the increase so then neither is he that planteth any thing nor he that watereth but God that giveth the increase tell me seriously whereas there is among you envying and strife and divisions are you not carnal and walk as men for while one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo and another I am of Cephas are ye not carnal O you can never receive the Word of God in the holy Ghost in power and in much assurance while ye have mens persons in admiration receive the faith of God in respect of persons Object 10 I am told you discoursed of the danger of loosing the Ordinances and Ministry of the gospel You know Mr. Calamy we are in danger of loosing nothing but what we never had until these twenty years there is no more danger that I see then that we are like to loose those novelties with which we have been troubled of late that we may gain that ancient way in which we have been happy as you say these hundred years for I am told that you said England hath enjoyed the Gospel this hundred yeas Had England the Gospel in the Episcopal or in the Presbyterian way after the Common-prayer or after the Directory with order and decency or in disorder and confusion Let all the world judge Came the Gospel from you to us who all know are of yesterday or came it not unto you from us We dare not make our selvas of the number or compare our selves with some that commend themselves but they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise 2 Cor. 10.12 13 14. We boast not of things without our measure that is of other mens labours only we hoped your ingenuity would have acknowledged that the Gospel Ordinances are not in any danger by your late removal for you know you found Gospel Ordinances here when you came into the world and I hope they may be found here after you are gone hence and are seen no more O do a few Ministers think that their removing is the removing of the Gospel that it should enter into a few mens hearts that they uphold the Church O if King Charles could say when he was advised to grant what he could to save upon which he Church depended God forbid that the Church of God should depend upon a mortalman O how much more may you say that you were nourished and brought up by the Church and depended upon it rather then it upon you some indeed preach Christ out of contention some you will say for gain notwithstanding Christ is preached and you may rejoyce Ob. 11. One reason they say you gave for Christians care for the Ark was their love to the place of Gods presence but do your people love the habitation of Gods house or rather this or that person that ministre●h there do they desire to dwell in the house of God to see the beauty of the Lord or to hear a friend judge you oh these things ought not to be If they love the Church it is as it was these many years if they love a party we know what you mean by the Ark. Obj. 12. You said as Mr. Cartwright used to say for Sion sake I will not hold my tongue O alas Mr. Calamy when the Government of the Church to which you they say swore obedience was subverted when 3000. Orthodox men were silenced sequestred and undone when the ancient worship of God was abolished which you once used for you know you and I were once of a judgment and practice when the Church was in the greatest danger that it hath been since the Reformation you were silent now a few opinions of yours about a few garments gestures words and other small formalities are not allowed a few men wedded to these opinions will not preach because they are not allowed you cannot be silent be not deceived God is not mocked Obj. 13. They say you said a child of God was careful of the Ark because of his interest therein by his care we might know the children of God here Mr. Calamy I am afraid poor souls may wrest the Scripture to their own damnation if you mean by the Ask of God the Church of God with his Ordinances after the primitive and universal all good take care of it and the King and Parliament at this time take care to establish it If you mean only your own way as every party cry up their own way for the only way of God and the way of others of the separation and make it a sign of a Child of God to be careful of you O Sir what a stone of stumbling do you cast before all the ages of the Church where there was one that knew much lesse was careful for this way But I hope you will not say Then it is a certain sign there were but few or none that were the children of God in those ages O Sir to be of a Religion that saves only a party is not a sign of the Child of God but of a man of contention O let me live and die in that Religion which if not neglected may save the world Object 14. You said I am informed That the Ordinances of God are the treasures of a Christian and the losse of them cannot but trouble them The Ordinances of God are Reading Hearing Sacraments and Prayer Common prayer in a wholesome form of sound words to which all could say Amen was neglected for mens private notion to which very few could say Amen Reading was quite disufed preaching the Gospel was turned to the preaching of Opinions and Parties and the Sacrament of Baptisme allowed to few and that of the Lords Supper denyed almost to all O Ely would have trembled at these things the wayes of Sion God knows mourned the ancient Ministers of Christ were driven into corners and were you troubled did you lay it to heart these are restored what alles you now Object 15. Christ Jesus you said is the joy of Christians and therefore when Christ is departing they cannot but be much troubled at it O Mr. Calamy take heed of perswading people that the advancing of this or that party is the advancing of Christ or that the discountenancing of them is the departing of Christ If any man say ●o here is Christ or there or here he is departed or there O teach poor people not to believe them for there shall arise
PEREZ VZZA Or A SERIOUS LETTER Sent To Master Edm. Calamy January the 17th 1663 TOUCHING HIS SERMON AT ALDERMANBVRY December the 28th Intimating his Close Design and dangerous Insinuation against the Publick Peace with some 〈◊〉 he is to Answer for the Satisfaction of the World Nulla CONCIONE excitatum 〈◊〉 quis Novit Tully Orat. LONDON Printed for George Bisaker 1663. PEREZ VZZA OR A SERIOUS LETTER Sent to Master EDMVND CALAMY January the 17th 1663 c. Sir BIshop Ridley and Bishop Latimer two good Men good Bishops godly reformers and holy Martyrs O Sir Bishops were employed by the Lord as Instruments to deliver us from Popery and which I never heard any of their adversarles did freely offered themselves as Martyrs against Popery could not agree in the way though they were Brethren yet they agree in the end though they were adversaries O in the end all sober modest and pious dissenters in the World will be of one heart of one mind then shall we see a gracious returne of our Saviours prayer that God heard him in that which he pray'd for that all Christians are one in Christ Ioh 17.23 as the Father is in Him He in the Father that they are one in the Father and the Son and then the World which by our many Religions is tempted to an unbeliefe of all will own one pure Religion and undefiled and will believe that God sent Christ into the World to teach it 2 You and I who never fell out in the way but were of one mind in those things whereunto we had already attained and in other things waited patiently untill the Lord revealed them unto us in an unhappy variety of opinion retaining a Christian Unity of affections the many things we agree in having a greater power to unite us then the few things we differ in have ●o divide us so that in things necessary we came up to an holy Uniformity in things indifferent we retained a Christian liberty in all things we maintained a Gospell charity I say you and I who never fell out in the way must now differ when we are come within view of that end you and I look for you and I hasten unto for you must I may I knew indeed you entertained other thoughts then I did of the ancient Primitive Apostolicke and Gospell Government of the Church of its pure and decent Worship and Devotion of its decent order and innocent Rites and Ceremonies but I knew withall how to pitty you as one subject to the like infirmities as well persuaded that we know but in part that something will be lacking to our Faith that our God divideth to every one severally as He will a measure of the gift of Christ as though we had not already attained or were already perfect but did follow after I knew you allowed your self another practice of the same Religion answerable to your thoughts then I could and I that could come up to the use of some harmelesse things enjoyned despised not you who could not as I hope you who could not come up to the use of them Ro 14.3 ☜ judged not me who could I think him happy who alloweth not himself the use of what he condemneth and he much happier who condemneth not himself in the use of that which he doeth or may allow I knew your different practice from the grand establishment of the Nation rendered you uncapable of those encouragements which are allowed by no Nation to any that oppose its publique constitution as what Government will maintaine them that oppose it I pittyed you now under discouragement under this frame of Government which you cannot approve as I hope you would pitty me if I should be and did pitty those many Orthodox and good men that were under discouragement under the frame of Government you do approve when I heard that your conscience guided by some singular apprehensions peculiar to those of your way perswaded you not to do some things which you have done formerly and think others may do now as things indifferent decent orderly harmeless enjoyn'd by the power ordained of God over you which you are to obey for conscience sake I was sorry and said O that any gracious soul should suffer it self to be so insnared as to be under a sad necessity either of going against his conscience which is dangerous or of going against Authority which is sinfull when I heard that your conscience guided by the general principles of Christianity where you could not cheerfully obey obliged you patiently to suffer the truth after Godlinesse in this case which good men professed was this I cannot obey though I die I can die rather then disobey I rejoyced and said 〈◊〉 Mr. Calamy 〈◊〉 serve God passively I must serve God actively I am appointed to glorifie God by obedience he must glorifie Him by patience even so O Father because so it pleaseth thee When I heard of your meeknesse and modesty your candour and ingenuity your humanity and charity your piety and humility under this late dispensation which rendred you with the reverend Doctor Bates Doctor Jacomh Doctor Manton Mr. Watson c. eminent and honourable in their eyes that differ from you virtus vel in hoste really we pitty what we see of man and we love what we see of God in you I said cum tales sint utinam nostrj essent my thoughts sometimes for here 's more freedome for thoughts in this innocent solitude a Paradise in all things but that here are no Serpents no temptations then in your throug of interests passions and men represent you unto me as serious as that man in the 10th of St. Mark asking what shall we do that we may inherit eternall life and you are answered honour reverence and obey your Superiours honour Father and Mother live honestly and peaceably with your neighbours defraud not thou shalt not c. You answer and say all these have we endeavoured to observe from our youth as it was said of our blessed Saviour there that beholding the Man he loved him c. so I seriously reflecting upon you cannot choose but love you onely one thing you lack O go your way part with all the esteem reputation and interest you have gained and devote it to the publick welfare and peace of Christendome Have you liberty to do or to forbeare some indifferent things O use it not this rich Jewell for the offence of the weak below nor the contempt of the strong above you 〈◊〉 so as upon the same grounds any man may make it a cloake of maliciousnesses Are you possessed of the precious Jewell of a tender conscience be fully perswaded in your own minds apart from all opinion fancy prejudice interest what part of the will of God by which you must be judged you and your conscience those things you scruple at are against what forbids white any more than black Garments kneeling any more then standing c.