Nathan or as Solomons incontinence was to all the world or as Manasses his Idolatry yet why should I suffer more then they What new coercive vindicative authority have Priests gained over Princes by Christs Gospell which the Jewish Priests never used claymed or heard of If Excommunication c. be now necessary sure it was in use before Christ and then wee should have heard of some Kings Excommunicated c. by some Priests for if the Temporall power had not of its owne nature a competent force and habitude to restraine all things repugnant to publike quietnesse and honesty a Spirituall power was necessary and yet we read of none such But if there was a sufficiency in the Temporall power as is most manifestly apparent then we cannot imagine that Christ came to take away any of this authority from Magistrates but that power which he added was rather an excellency of grace and vertue in matters of faith and illumination It cannot bee alleadged by you that that punishment is meerely spirituall and so no politicall evill for as it puts other men into the condition of Publicans Heathens and worse so it further yet degrades disables and oppresses Princes How shall he be honoured and obeyed as the Vicegerent of God in all causes whom the Laity sees ejected out of the Church and expelled out of the Communion of the faithfull as a rotten contagious member how shall hee be held more sacred then a Priest whom the sentence interdiction and the confounding blow of a Priests spirituall execration shall render so contemptible miserable and abominable in the eyes of the world Saint Paul being accused in matters of Doctrine made his appeale to a wicked Heathen Emperour and yet now a Christian godly Emperour being accused by any Church-man no appeale is allowed though in meere civill accusations Saint Peters Keyes did either endure some new power not before known to the world or not if it did then our Saviours Gospell came into the world to the detriment of civill government which is contrary to Religion and all reason and if no new addition of power were imported then Tiberius himselfe though a Heathen and Tyrant remained as absolute as before and yet in his time there was more necessity of an Ecclesiasticall judicature then is now But you will say if Princes be not subject to some chastisement then some scandals must passe unremediable Not so for here God is the revenger and strikes often as he did Vzziah but if not yet either the Temporall or Spirituall Governour must passe unchastiz'd which is all one for two Supreames cannot be nor no entire government without some supremacy nor no supremacy without immunity and exemption from judgement The perpetuall conflicts and contestations betweene Princes and Prelates which are likely to ensue will soone cleere this that either Princes must at last submit to the tribunals of Church-men and raigne at their discretion or else Church-men must submit to them for both tribunals cannot stand compatible For my part I excuse so grave a Father as you are of ambition herein and therefore I am the lesse cautious in submitting my selfe at this time but I conceive this Doctrine may bee the ground of dangerous consequences to others and therefore I desire it may not from me passe into a president for the time to come Let not proud Prelates from this my voluntary humiliation arrogate to themselves as if it had beene due or derogate thereby from the more sacred order of Princes neither let Princes from this particular learne to yeeld to any Spirituall Monarchy whatsoever My beliefe is that the Prince is the Head the Fountaine the Soule of all power whatsoever Spirituall or Temporall wherein he ought not to indure at all any kinde of rivality of Ecclesiasticall persons nor can admit of any diminution in any part of his jurisdiction without offence to God dammage to his charge and danger to himselfe So much for Theodosius and so much for that jurisdiction which is due to Prelates I should now speake of the exercise thereof as it is granted by the favour of Princes but this is a very tender point It seemes to some that Princes ought not to incumber men in Sacred Orders in any kinde of judicature which is not purely Spirituall nor that Prelates can accept of any Temporall imployment whatsoever without dishonour to their Orders and neglect to their cure of Soules and yet now none so greedy of such imployment A sacred place may not be put to secular uses that 's prophane but a sacred person may that 's honourable A Bishoprick now adayes is but a Writ of ease to dismisse from Preaching and attending Gods service whereby the man is preferred from the Church to the Court from the Altar to some Tribunall from Gods spirituall to the Kings temporall affaires In the High Commission at the Councel Table in the Star-chamber and the Chequer Churchmen are now more active then in their owne Consistories and yet their ambition further aimes as 't is said to the Chancery Court of Requests c. which could not chuse but redound to the scandall of Religion the obstruction of Justice and vexation of the Subject if there were not learned and skilfull men enough in Policy and Law to serve the King unlesse Divinity were deprived of some of her followers there were some seeming umbrage why the King might borrow of God but when Gods more holy office is neglected that the Kings meaner may be the worse administred the world much gazes and wonders at it The functions of Divines are too sacred for any secular person to officiate and therefore it should seeme their persons also ought to be too sacred for secular functions for it seems prepostrous that it should be thought an honour to Priests to relinquish spiritual and adhere to temporall imployments Nic Machiavell did observe that Christian Religion had long since falne to the ground had not the regular strictnesse of poore inferiour Priests and Fryers held and propped up the reputation of it in the World as much as the pride and luxury of the great Cardinals and Prince like Bishops did strive to sinke and demolish it The same observation holds true amongst us Protestants at this day for the more our Prelates enjoy the more still they seeke and all our three Kingdomes are growne so sicke of their pride injustice and pragmaticall faction that scarce any remedy but bloud-letting can cure them We finde in Scripture the most high and holy Offices of Religion performed by Princes even amongst and above the greatest of Priests but we scarce finde any instance at all where Priests intermedled with any State affaires either above or under Princes and yet with us now the imploying and entrusting of Clergy-men in Temporal businesses is held as politick as it was in times of Popery although no time could ever justly boast of that use But to passe over Temporal businesses how violent have our Bishops beene
by any force to violate the persons of Kings how ill soever The Scotch Divines indeed maintaine that a great body of men may defend themselves against the unjust Sword of misled Kings because they cannot flye or otherwise save themselves and this they take now to be their owne case whereas our Court Divines in England hold that in such case wee ought all to yeeld our throats without defence This seemes unnaturall and truth was never unnaturall but I forbeare to dispute a point so horrid to mans imagination The Bishop next instances in the rebellious practices of Puritans and reckons up some facts in Scotland appointed by the Presbytery without King James his privity and some other seditious Sermons and actions whereby he was much annoyed But what did not King James know his owne enemies or how to blame them did he condemne all Scots alike or all Bishophaters alike or joyne the English in like condemnation we know well enough that King James called rebellious precisians Puritans but he never called all Puritans rebellious precisians He never used those termes as convertible but declared his contrary meaning by a manifest difference taken betweene them But the Bishops maine instance is in the present Scotch insurrection this he cals a rebellion of Puritans and far greater then the Powder-treason For sayes he that plot was but the act of a few discontented Gentlemen but in this rebellion of the Puritans they have ingaged a great part of the Kingdome so that this may bee said to be the common sin of that sect. What could have beene raked out of Hell more slanderous to our Religion more Apologeticall for Popery The Powder-Traytors are here prefer'd before the whole sect of Puritans The sinne of the Power-Traytors was that they being but an inconsiderable party sought the destruction of their King and his issue and the flower of the Nobility Gentry Commonalty and the extirpation of the true Religion by a most diabolicall bloudy practice and conspiracy And it ought not to be charged upon the meere actors as a symptome of discontent onely we know how farre the Romish Religion it selfe favours and gives ground to such damned feats and how farre it has owned some having proved prosperous and justified the doing thereof in nature as impious though perhaps in degree not so hainous as this For take this as it was conspired and questionlesse since the crucifying of Jesus Christ the light never discovered any treason more ugly and horrible Now to outmatch this deed of darknesse the Scotch Nation by a strange generall unanimity have armed themselves to oppose the ill government of Bishops and other alterations in the service of God and the administration of justice and being invaded therefore by another Nation have used force to defend their lives and seeing that defence not safe in their owne Countrey they have since pursued it further by way of prevention in the Countrey of their Invaders That is the greatest act of rebellion whereby the common peace and safety of a Kingdome is most disturbed and impeached but by the common act of a whole Kingdome that mischiefe cannot be effected therefore the Bishop failes in his politiques when he thinks that the Major part disturbing the Minor is more trayterous than the contrary The unanimous act of a whole Kingdome ought to be presumed to be lesse injurious and more wise then the act of any small inconsiderable party for it hath scarce ever beene seene that a whole Kingdome or the majority thereof hath over been treasonable to its selfe in procuring its owne ruine Many States have perisht by the machinations of a few ill affected ill advised Counsellors scarce ever any perisht otherwise but the totall body and collection has never been guilty of its owne ruine and if it were such Treason could not be so great as that which is plotted by a few Whilst the Scots contained themselves within their owne territories and were considered as a kingdome within themselves as they were when the Bishop past his censure they were not rightly so censured neither was he then privy to their intrusions that they would infest our kingdome with the same combustion and so prove a disturbance to the greater part of our British Monarchy whereof they themselves are but a member of lesse bulke and value Cursed therefore are those uncharitable exasperating censures whereby the King is too far incensed and by whose rash instigations the commotions themselves become the harder to be appeased Great insurrections are like great fires wherein delay is mischievous and small remedies rather turne to fuell then extinguish and violent counsell against an inraged multitude is like oyle or pitch cast into the flame The wise politician proportions his remedy according to the mischiefe if water will not prevaile he useth milke if a little quantity will not suffice he powres as the combustion it selfe requires Unfortunate Rehoboam stands as a Seamarke to warne all Princes how to shun this rocke of violent counsell against a people violently inraged and aggrieved Some men have interpreted the designes of the Scots to have beene treasonable from the beginning and wholly bent upon the spoyle and havocke of the English Nation from their first stirring Others have wholly justified their intentions and proceedings hitherto as defensive onely and inforced by necessity both these I conceive are too rash and head-long in their guesses In so great a body of men there must needs be variety of opinions and its likely contrariety of affections and therefore it behooves the King to be the more tender moderate and circumspect in his deliberations as wel for the one side as the other especially since the Scots have not evidently and universally as yet declared themselves for the worse We may at once be charitable in hoping the best and wise withall in preventing the worst nay a charitable and sweet demeanor if it be not too fond may prove a great part of our prevention doubtlesse Rehoboam himselfe had hee not beene wilfully devoted to young rash and violent Counsellors might have easily retained within his obedience many of his well-meaning Subjects and reclaymed others of more moderation and by that meanes have divided and dissipated the most obstinate head-strong and furious of all the rebellious party Some Princes thinke themselves bound in Honour to doe unwise things and this was the errour of Rehoboam his aged Counsellours advised him to that which was most politick concluding that to be most honourable but his Genius rather led him according to the advise of his young Gallants to conclude that most politick which to his haughty stomack seemed most honourable but what was the event to avoid the scorne of young men he incurred the scorne of old men to avoid the unjust censure of fooles he incurred the just censure of wise men to gaine the honour of appearing stout he purchased the dishonour of being rash to shew a contempt of danger he made himself a prey to
a little farther search into the mysterious abuse and misapplication of this word Puritan Those whom we ordinarily call Puritans are men of strict life and precise opinions which cannot be hated for any thing but their singularity in zeale and piety and certainly the number of such men is too small and their condition too low and dejected but they which are the Devils chiefe Artificers in abusing this word when they please can so stretch and extend the same that scarce any civill honest Protestant which is hearty and true to his Religion can avoid the aspersion of it and when they list againe they can so shrink it into a narrow sense that it shall seem to be aimed at none but monstrous abominable Heretickes and Miscreants Thus by its latitude it strikes generally by its contraction it pierces deeply by its confused application it deceives invisibly Small scruples first intitle mee to the name of Puritan and then the Name of Puritan intitles me further to all mischiefe whatsoever The Scots rise up against Episcopacie it is questioned by some whether they so rise up for the good of Religion or for the overthrow of wholsome Discipline Answer is soone made that Episcopacie cannot be unpleasing to any but Puritans there is no opinion can smell sharper of Puritanisme then that of a Church parity and of Puritans what good can be expected but the Scots also desire redresse in other grievances and here their intention is againe question'd Answer is as soone made again That the Scots being declared open Puritans they must needs be enemies to Monarchicall government and that no redresse can ever satisfie them but such as shall debase royall dignity and establish a popular rule amongst them But some of the Scots in some actions doe very much misdemeane themselves and here it 's thought by some that this ought not to redound to the prejudice or blame of the whole Nation but strait the Antipuritan steps in againe with answer to the former purpose that the same faction which makes them all Puritans makes them all mutiners and that there is no trust to be given nor favour shewed to any whose very religion is disobedience Other the like examples may be instanced in Parliaments of late in England have beene jealous of religion this laudable zeale made them at first come into contempt as Puritanical and then the imputation of Puritanisme made this laudable zeale contemptible and so by degrees as any thing else might be charged upon Puritans as disobedience and disaffection to Monarchy so nothing could bee charged but proceeding from Puritanisme Some scrupulous opinions make Say Brooks Puritans Puritanisme inferres them mutineers mutinie makes all that they can doe or say all that they forbeare to doe or say it makes their very thoughts wicked and perverse Thus wee see what a confused imposture there is in this infamous terme of Puritan but we will yet further evidence by plaine instance how broad the devils net is in the vast application of this word and how deepe his pit is by its abominable sense and the nature of its importance that we may the better discover that net which intangles so many shun that pit which ingulphs so sure Puritans as I said before were at first Ecclesiasticall only so called because they did not like a pompous or ceremoneous kinde of discipline in the Church like unto the Romish but now it is come about that by a new enlargement of the name the world is full of nothing else but Puritans for besides the Puritan in Church policie there are now added Puritans in religion Puritans in State and Puritans in morality By this meanes whole Kingdoms are familiarly upbrayded with this sinne of Puritanisme As for example All in Scotland which wish well to the Covenant though some Papists some Courtiers and almost all the whole body without exception have now declared themselves for it yet all these are manifest Puritans So also in England all the Commons in Parliament and almost all the ancient impartiall temporall Nobility and all such as favour or rellish the late proceedings of both the houses which is the mayne body of the Realme Papists Prelates and Courtiers excepted nay and its likely all Scotland and more then halfe Ireland all these are Puritans They which deprave this great Councell of the Kingdome suggest to the K. that the major part is gull'd and dorde by the Puritan party but this is only because they are ashamed to speake it out openly in grosse termes that all the major and better part in the Court of Parliament is Puritanicall But this suggestion is utterly false and impossible for such as the major part in Parliament is such are those that chose them and sent them thither and such are those that now approve their actions there and both in the elections of Parliament men and in the consultations of Parliament affaires the Kings party is as wise cautious and vigilant if not more as the other party and no subtilty could circumvent or cheat them out of their votes if the Puritans were so small and inconsiderable a side as now they make them No man of what capacity so ever can admit this it is to all undeniable that the blame of a parliament is the blame of the whole Kingdome But I returne to my Ecclesiasticall puritan Though it be true that Ecclesiasticall puritans are fewes now then heretofore they have been yet it is as true that Ecclesiasticall puritanisme is made a larger thing by farre then it was being now spread abroad like a net to ensnare the more as our many late additions and innovations testifie which have crept into the Church as may be scared for the vexation and molestation of such men as were not disquieted with former ceremonies It is generally suspected that our prelates have aymed at two things in the novelties which they have lately induced into the Church first the suppression of those which are enemies to their pride avarice and ambition by them termed puritans secondly their owne further case promotion and advantage Both these ends seeme to be leveld at in sanctifying the Altar and unsanctifying the Lords day in advancing auricular confession and corporall penances by externall mortifications and crying downe lecturing and preaching for if we marke it these new Doctrines doe not only serve to terrifie and scandalize tender consciences and thereby to deprive and silence many painfull good Ministers and to scare away into forreigne Plantations whole troups of Laymen and to enwrap the rest in opposition but each of these doctrines besides hath a further reach in it of benefit to the Clergie The Communion Table hath lately gained a new Name a new Nature a new Posture a new Worship that Emperours and Kings may be brought again to take notice how far the persous and offices of Priests excell in sanctity the persons and offices of Princes Theodosius within one hundred yeares after Prelacie began to arrogate to
use then but not now The Spirit of God did then internally incite such and such men at such times to reside preside in such such places and some of the Apostles at some times could judge by inspiration without proofes allegations and could execute sentence of death or other spirituall punishment upon secret hypocrites not intrenching upon temporall authority but in these times this discipline is uselesse therfore decayed Whatsoever the offence then was what injury or trespasse soever betwixt brother and brother the only remedy was Dic Ecclesiae and yet that precept serves as strong for temporall as spirituall trespasses so that it cannot be enforced now to continue unlesse wee meane to drowne all temporall authority As for the extent also of spirituall power in those dayes I will onely cite a learned Politician of the Popish religion who admitting it seemed that the keyes of heaven were given to Saint Peter alone and his Successours and not to all Bishops and Ministers whatsoever thus proceeds By the keyes given to S. Peter many Holy Fathers mean the one of knowledge the other of power and that that power ought not to be understood universally but only concerning the Kingdome of Heaven which is spirituall for the Civill Royall and Temporall power is expresly forbidden him by Christ Even so that also of knowledge it is not to be understood of natural politike or morall things but as Saint Paul saith of Christs mysteries only Wherefore in matters of faith Ecclesiasticall authority may approve and Secular cannot condemne but in matters or policy what all the Prelates in the World approve temporall authority may condemne It is a great wrong to pretend because Christ hath given Saint Peter the cognizance and power of the Kingdome and forbidden him the earthly contrary to this precept to extend spirituall things to temporall Saint Augustine often saith That Grace doth not destroy any thing in Nature but leaveth her all her owne adding moreover divine perfection The Temporality hath of its own nature power to forbid all things repugnant to publike quietnesse and honesty and Christ came not to take away this authority from Magigistrates He only adds power to his Ministers in matters of faith not knowne by nature but revelation For ought wee know this power of opening or shutting Heaven of binding and loosing sins was miraculous and so but temporary but admit it in this Catholike Writers sense yet we plainly see it is no prejudice at all to limit Secular Princes thereby The same learned Papist writes That the Easterne and Westerne Churches continued in unity and charity for the space of nine hundred yeares after Christ and this peace was easily kept because the Supream power was then in the Canons to which all Churches acknowledged themselves equally subject Ecclesiasticall Discipline was then severely mayntained in each Country by its own Prelates not arbitrarily but absolutely according to Canonicall rigour none of them intermedling in anothers government No Pope of Rome did pretend to conferre Benefices in other Bishops Diocesses or to get money out of others by way of Dispensations and Buls but when Rome began to shake off all subjection to Canons then notwithstanding any ancient order of the Fathers Councels or Apostles themselves instead of her ancient Primacy she brought in an absolute Dominion free from any Law or Canon this made the division Neither could any re-union bee brought to passe within these 700 yeares because this abuse which caused the Division is not remedied Whilst the union held Saint Pauls doctrine was joyntly observed that Every one should be subject to Princes no man pretended to be free from punishment Nay and after the division the same opinion remayned that every Christian in temporall businesses is subject to the Prince And nothing is more temporall then offence because nothing is more contrary to the Spirit Amongst the Greeks also it is still held that Bishops ought to judge what opinion is found what Hereticall but to punish those of hurtfull opinions belongeth to the Secular The State of Venice as well as other Catholike Kingdomes walks between two extreames betweene Protestants which have no other ayme but to diminish Ecclesiasticall authority and the Court of Rome which hath no other ayme but to increase it and to make the Temporall her servant Those of the Court of Rome making use of Religion for worldly ends and respects under a spirituall pretense but with an ambitious end and desire of worldly wealth and honour would free themselves from obedience due to the Prince and take away the love and reverence due by the people to draw it to themselves To bring those things to passe they have newly invented a doctrine that talks of nothing but Ecclesiasticall greatnesse liberty immunity and jurisdiction This doctrine was unheard of till about the year 1300 then it began to be written scatteringy in some books but till 1400 there were not written above two Bookes which treated of nothing else after this such Writers increased a little but after 1560 there were scarce any Books printed in Italy but in diminution of Secular authority and exaltation of the Ecclesiasticall And now the people have scarce any other Books to read nor have the Confessors any other doctrine or need any other learning Hence comes this perverse opinion that Magistracy is a humane invention and to be obeyed for policy only not for conscience but that every intimation of Ecclesiasticall persons is equivalent to a divine precept there want not in Italy pious learned men which hold the contrary but they are not suffered to write or print Neither are forraine Books permitted or ancient Authours left ungelded of all which serves for Temporall authority as appeares by a book printed 1607 called Index Expurgatorius and Clement the Eighth in 1595 published a rule in his Index that all Catholike Writers Books since 1515 might be corrected not only by expunging but also by interlining and this hath beene practised though not publikely above seventy yeares Thus we finde the Court of Romes but not the Authors meaning and finally wee are sure to have no book true I have hitherto cited this egregious Politician for these purposes First That we may see how easie it is for Clergie-men to wrest all authority out of the Temporalties hands if Princes will be so easie to be hood-winkt and deluded by them and to resigne their judgments to them in such cases as concern their profit and advancement Secondly That we may take notice how far the learnedst of Papists themselves doe discover and detect the errours and tyranny of the Court of Rome and that mysticall way of deceiving whereby all hope of remedy is cut off I observe this also the rather because our Prelates in England at this day assume to themselves almost as vast and unquestionable a power of shifting and repressing all adverse disputes and of authorizing and publishing all arguments whatsoever savouring their
but if individuals cannot be thus convinced by the Bishop how shall these signes and symptomes be applied to whole Sects Religions Kingdomes The most ordinary badge of Puritans is their more religious and conscionable conversation than that which is seene in other mens and why this should make them odious or suspected of hypocrisie amongst honest and charitable men I could never yet learne A seeming religious consists in doing actions outwardly good and the goodnesse of those actions is apparent to man but the false hypocriticall end of them is onely discerned by God and therefore with what conscience can I condemne that good which is visible for that evill which is not visible Say Brooke Dod Clover c. are knowne to me yet no otherwise but as men singularly devote and as all the Prophets and Apostles would if they were now living and shall I conclude because they seeme so therefore they are not so I am so far from this that my owne conscience bindes me to honour them and that in those things wherein I have not the grace to follow them I have beene a diligent inquirer into Puritans and have exactly tryed them three wayes First in themselves and so I finde them zealous at least seeming so outwardly and distinguisht principally from other men by their remarkable and singular zeal to God and the Truth and this to me is no ground of uncharitable censure Secondly in those which in these times thinke and speake charitably of them and they are so many in number and of so good quality that indeed to the Popish and Episcopall faction all the Kingdome almost seemes Puritanicall but for this I cannot thinke the worse of them But thirdly when I consider Puritans and compare them with their common notorious adversaries then their goodnesse seemes most evident to me as if it were legibly ingraved in the open wickednesse and scandall of their chiefe opposers Nothing but Truth Holinesse and Goodnesse seemes to me to be the cause that Papists do so implacably abominate them that our proud Hierarchists Ambidexters and Neuters in Religion do so uncessantly pursue their subversion that Court-flatterers and time-serving Projectors and the ravenous Caterpillars of the Realme doe so virulently prosecute them with defamations and contumelies that Stage-poets Minstrels and the jesting Buffoones of the age make them the principall subject of derision lastly that all the shamelesse rout of drunkards lechers and swearing ruffians and the scum of the vulgar are so tickled with their reproach and abuse Certainly nothing but an unappeaseable antipathy could be the cause of all this and no testimony of goodnesse can be more sure un-erring and unanswerable then such antipathy Amongst wicked men there may be particular hatred but not a generall antipathy One wicked man hates not another as wicked but rather loves him therefore or else the World did not observe a decorum in loving her own and hating strangers As there cannot be division in Satans kingdome so there cannot be communion or compatibility betwixt Christs and Satans Subjects But 't is a miserable thing to see how farre this word Puritan in an Ethical sense dilates it selfe Heretofore it was Puritanicall to abstaine from small sinnes but now 't is so to abstaine from grosse open sinnes In the mouth of a drunkard He is a Puritane which refuseth his cups In the mouth of a swearer He which feares an oath In the mouth of a Libertine He which makes any scruple of common sinnes In the mouth of a rude Souldier He which wisheth the Scotch warre at an end without blood It is sufficient that such men thinke themselves tacitly checked and affronted by the unblameable conversation of Puritans Bishop Lake that good and godly man moved at the declining state of his time is said to have expressed his regret thus We feare saith he a relapse into Popish error and superstition but my heart misgives me worse than so Vtter irreligion and Atheisme me thinkes begins to prevaile strangely amongst us we are not so likely to lose the light of truth as the heate of zeale and what benefit is in Religion where the name of it is honoured but the power of it is not at all seene where Gods will is truely understood but his commands are wholly slighted where men know like Christians but live like Heathens The soule of Religion is hearty devotion and that growes dayly more and more ridiculous amongst us and yet Religion without the soule of it is rather a curse than a blessing to us No impiety is so hainous in an ignorant Sodomite as want of piety is in a right instructed Israelite In this wise I have heard that good Prelate did complaine and this makes me think that he had in his complaint some respect to this word Puritan then which certainly the Divell hath not a more fatall engine whereby to confound Religion and to subvert all true zeale goodnesse and devotion Thus farre it appeares what a vast circumference this word Puritans has and how by its large acception it is used to cast durt in the face of all goodnesse Theologicall Civill or Morall so that scarce any moderate man can avoid its imputation And thus it does mischiefe to men not commonly noted for Puritans but if a man be so noted though perhaps irregularly then it is farther otherwise abused for all such a mans evill shall be charged upon his Puritanisme and all his good defaced for his Puritanisme Such a man is condemned for murther and adultery and at his death gives strong assurances of unfaigned repentance and contrition of heart He was a Christian a Protestant a Minister a Puritan yet this crime is recorded and blowne abroad not for the shame of Christians Protestants Ministers but of Puritans And as for his attestation of deep humiliation how excellent soever the honour of them if any be acknowledged shall redound to the Christian the Protestant the Minister to any thing else except the Puritan Howsoever in the first place it ought to be observed that an uncleane streame does not alwayes receive it's uncleannesse from the filth of the Fountaine but in the second place a pure streame necessarily infers a pure Source 'T is true Trees are knowne by their fruits and so are Men generally by their workes but this similitude holdes not in all men at all times for good men sometimes commit foule sinnes and bad men performe laudable services David defiles Vriahs wife and to conceale it from the world makes drunke and murders Vriah and together with him casts away the lives of many other faithfull Souldiers yet nothing moved at this his owne mis-doing at the same time He sentences to death a Subject of his for damnifying a neighbour to the value of a poor Lamb What might Joab the other privy Ministers of these his foul deeds censure all this while of this his externally professed sanctity and purity and strictnes in point of justice to other men or of his
which they are Gods from which their very Diadems receive honour and sanctity to which their very Royall Order imparts life and breath and necessary subsistence I come now to my Ethicall Puritan The name of Puritan must not rest here for there may be some moderate well inclined facile men whose education may be such that they are not much vers'd or insighted either in matters of Religion or matters of State they may be such as are no wayes busie but in their owne particular affaires and yet it behooves that these men too be brought in within the opprobrious compasse of Puritanisme To the Religious Ecclesiasticall and Political Puritan there must be joyned also an Ethicall Puritan This detested odious name of Puritan first began in the Church presently after the Reformation but now it extends it selfe further and gaining strength as it goes it diffuses its poysonous ignominy further and being not contented to Gangrene Religion Ecclesiasticall and Civill policy it now threatens destruction to all morality also The honest strict demeanour and civill conversation which is so eminent in some men does so upbraid and convince the Antipuritan that even honesty strictnesse and civility it selfe must become disgracefull or else they which are contrary cannot remaine in grace But because it is too grosse to deride vertue under the name of vertue therefore other colours are invented and so the same thing undergoes derision under an other name The zealous man is despised under the name of zealot the Religious honest man has the vizard of an hypocrite and dissembler put upon him to make him odious Puritans by some are parallelled to Jesuites Jesuites are called Popish Puritans and Puritans Protestant Jesuites yet this is not indeed disparageable to them For doubtlesse fiery zeale and rigour were not blameable in Jesuites were not their very Religion false as celerity and expedition in a Traveller is not in it selfe faulty but commendable though the Traveller being in a wrong path it causes him to stray the further from his journeys end My Lord of Downe professes that the first thing which made him distest the Religion of Puritans besides their grosse hypocrisie was sedition So grosse hypocrisie it seemes was the first What is grosse or visible hypocrisie to the Bishop I know not for I can see no windowes or casements in mens breasts neither doe I think him indued with Saint Peters propheticall spirit whereby to perceive and search into the reines and hearts of hypocrites but let him proceed It is a plausible matter sayes he with the people to heare men in authority depraved and to understand of any liberty and power appertaining to themselves The profession also of extraordinary zeale and as it were contempt of the world workes with the multitude When they see men goe simply in the Streets and bow downe their heads like a Bull-rush their inward parts burning with deceit wringing their necks awry shaking their heads as if they were in some present griefe lifting up the white of their eyes at the sight of some vanity giving great groanes crying out against this sin and that sinne in their superiours under colour of long prayers devouring widowes and married wives houses when the multitude heares and sees such men they are carryed away with a great conceit of them but if they should judge of these men by their fruits not by outward appearance they should find them to be very farre from the true Religion See here the froth of a scurrilous libeller whereby it is concluded that he that is of severe life and averse from the common vanities of the time is an hypocrite If these descriptions of outward austerity shall not onely shew what is an hypocrite but point out also who is an hypocrite our Saviour himselfe wil hardly escape this description doubtles our Saviour and many of his devoutest followers did groane shake their heads and lift up their eyes at the sight of some publick sins and vanities and did not spare to taxe the vices of Superiours and to preach too and admonish the meaner sort of the people yet who but an Annas or Caiphas will infer from hence that therefore their inward parts burne with deceit and that their end is meerely to carry away the multitude such as judge onely by outward appearance and have not their senses exercised to discerne betwixt good and evill It is likely the High Priests and Pharisees did thus blaspheme in those dayes and that the rather because from their owne fayned sanctity they were the more apt to suspect the same in others But what must we needs follow them or this Bishop in this But to proceed with this Bishop Saint James sayes he gives us a full description of true Religion Wisedome from above is first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits without judging and hypocrisie None of these properties will agree with the Religion of Puritans It is not pure for it allowes Vsury Sacriledge Disobedience Rebellion c. It is not peaceable for these men are the incendiaryes of Christendome It is not gentle nor easie to be intreated for they are more austere then Cato and not to be moved by perswasion or command It is not full of mercy and good fruits for they are all for sacrifice nothing for mercy for the first Table not the second for faith not charity they pull down Churches but build no Hospitals It is not without judging for they are known to be most rigid censurers And he is an hypocrite which spyes a moate in his brothers eyes and not a beame in his owne Here is a confused proofe that such Puritans are hypocrits but no proofe at all that this man is such a Puritan If my Lord Say be such a Puritan this denotes him an hypocrite but this does not prove that my Lord Say or Brooke or Dod or Clever c. or any the most famous Puritan living is guilty of Vsury Sacriledge Rebellion pulling downe of Churches setting the World on fire or of renouncing the second Table and all workes of justice and charity or of censuring and condemning malignantly other men If these things were true of particular men calumny were needlesse Accusation would better suppresse them And sure it is not out of favour that Law proceeds not for malice has often enough shewed her teeth and would have bitten if she could neither would she now calumniate if she could accuse The Bishop expects not to be beleeved if he puzzell and worke some into doubt it is sufficient but since bitter censuring and calumnious condemning of others is so infallible a signe of hypocrisie how does the Bishop wipe this off from himselfe Can Puritans speake worse of any then he doth of Puritans Sure they may well joyn with him upon this issue that the greatest slanderer is the greatest hypocrite and yet seeke no further for slanders then this very speech wherein he so eagerly inveighs against slander