is in miserable condition which aboundeth with people but such as are running the way of ruine In the first place I rang religious and solemne Musicke because that doth not onely by the sweet modulation and harmony inchant the eare but much more by the cleare light of the words and sentences tuned to it instruct the mind and affect the will with holinesse The truth by that sweetnesse making way for it is most easily gotten and kept This appeares by the example of Arch-Hereticks and teachers of lies Paulus Samosatenus turned certaine Ecclefiasticall hymnes into obscene and enticing times The Arrians also and the Pelagians by this shooing-horne of errors destroyed the Faith and Discipline of the Church And so farre the audaciousnesse of some proceeded that they brought Soradicall * songs into the Church Nor are our Times made so infamous by the multitude and puddle of Sects by any other meanes so much as by songs that with sweet modulation insinuate heresies and sound forth the disgrace of the Truth Thus the Hymnes of Luther and Beza have slaine more soules then all their writings and declamations Why then should not an Orthodox Prince make use of that for curing which impostors have found out to be a meanes of destroying These things moved Austine of old lib. 10. Confes. cap 33. Oh how much have I wept in hearing of thine hymnes and songs being vehemently moved by the voyces of thy Church sweetly chaunting thy words did flow in at my eares and thy truth was even melted upon mine heart and from thence desires after piety burst out into a flame my teares trickled downe and then was it well with me by means of them And afterwards I flote up and downe betweene the danger of the pleasure and the experiment of the profit of Musicke And yet am I rather inclined not as one uttering an irrevocable conclusion to approve the custome of singing in the Church that the more feeble soule may rise up to affect piety by things which recreate and delight the eare Aristotle in his Bookes De Republica gives many rules about Musicke which yet some have censured as idle or at least dissentaneous to the gravity of the matter hee had in hand But certes Plato the Father of his Common-wealth and in Government a most skilfull Artist concurs with Aristotle Tully also lib. 2. de Legib. speakes to the same effect I assent saith he to Plato that nothing doth so much worke upon soft tender minds as the variety of notes in singing of whom it is hard to expresse how great force they have upon dispositions differently affected for it pluckes up the spirit of them that be ready to sinke and enseebleth them that be jovially disposed it both unlooseth and shuts up the minds of men The keeping to the ancient manner of singing was of great use to many Cities in Greece They whose manners were slipt into effeminate wantonnesse became altered answerable to the alteration of their Musicke either as one thinkes they grew depraved by this inchanting sweetnesse and corrupting Engine or rather when for other their vices their ancient gravity in their Musicke decayed there was then way made in their degenerated eares and mindes for this unhappy change to enter Wherefore that most prudent and incomparable learned States-man of Greece dreaded much this corrupting of Musicke for he denies that the lawes of Musicke can receive alteration without a change of the very lawes of the Common-wealth Germany and France have taught us as much For when they perceived mens minds to beginne to flag and to hang in suspence to whether side they should joyne themselves in stead of the ancient Musicke which was sweetly grave and a promoter of vertue a new kinde of Musicke somewhat more loose and joviall stept in and by the â—ntiseing sweetnesse of it put those embroidered heresies into the hands of uncautious minds to quaffe them off with delight It is therefore now the part of a prudent Physitian to give such a relish and pleasing tast to the truth and holinesse by sweetnesse of harmony excelling that of the other side lest those notes which are more harsh and unpleasant should light upon minds given over to dissolute delicacy and receive a refusall For this cause many learned men have after the example of David Asaph Idithon adornedmany hymnes with Musicall measures and Bishops have brought into their Churches holy songs to be sung in the mother tongue This remedy is pleasing yet not unwholesome That which followes is more severe yet neither injust nor difficult viz. that before the Bannes of Matrimony bee publiquely denounced both the contracted Spouse and his Bride be ordered and compelled to yeeld an account of their faith This course produceth not a few commodities for first they may by this occasion bee instructed and trained up in the truth By this meanes besides some care of Religion is injected into all and so while they promise to continue in the Church and ever to hold fast the antient faith they are by degrees fastened to the truth and cannot but love it Moreover Heretickes are to be hunted and taken with their owne Arts It being once mine hap to heare certaine Lutheraine Youths to vant of terrible designes upon the Calvinists whose Prince notwithstanding having thrust out Luther commanded Zuinglians to be taken into his roome I was cast into a wonder that these daring spirits had not yet driven not all other into that net And when I had demanded the reason how they came so to fall off from Lutheranisme in plaine field the Zuinglian reformation still gayning ground they returned answer that now those Youngsters did frolicke themselves in the liberty of youth not much setting by the threats of a raging Minister but there would come a time wherein they should finde themselves under yoke For when once they begin to aspire the married estate they must then give place to the Consistorian violence and together with a wife bee content to accept of a shamelesse Concubine to wit Calvinisme So hard is the condition of those that marry and are given in marriage among the Hereticks that still a new infection and spreading pestilence in hope to beget a new brood of the same kind must bee led into the marriage bed How then can an Orthodox Prince excuse himselfe to God if hee doe not plot a more effectuall meanes of saveing soules and by a publique law command that men together with the sanctity of that Sacrament and individuall nuptiall knot joyne also the truth of sincere and undefiled religion especially considering that the marriage Covenant is contracted without blemish of sinne onely among those of the Orthodox faith To this of Marriage other things may be adjoyned Let no Ceremonies but those of the Catholike Church approach the Laver of Regeneration Let none have the honour to be Godfathers unlesse they the sincerity of whose faith hath given good proofe of it selfe Let no
Looke About You. The Plot of Contzen the Moguntine Iesuite to cheate a Church of the Religion Established therein and to serve in Popery by Art without noise or tumult Plin. Sec. ad Vocon Nam stultissimum credo ad imitandum non optima quaqùe proponere Imprinted in the yeere 1641. Reader Hem. TRead softly peepe under these Curtaines and view the most lively Pictures of these Times for Innovation of Religion that ever thine eyes or the Sun himselfe beheld A subtile Iesuite like a crafty Cat lustily plaies on his Fidle Iesuited States-men like so many silly Rats and Mice full a dauncing after him as if they were mad The Iesuit laies his plot with no small cunning how to reduce a State to Romish superstition from the true Religion established therein by law and that without any noyse under pretence of bringing backe the true Relig on By the true Religion so often by our Author mentioned he meanes that Devilish fardel of Popish Idolatry which never accounts it selfe in its proper element till it swimme in blood nor ever set foote in any State once purged of it but it certainly overwhelmed if not the whole Common-wealth yet the person and progeny of the Prince that gave it any entertainement or harbour with a dreadfull ruine The use which at the present some Ecclesiasticks in some Countries improve it too is to leade in Arminianisme With this the Politicke Heads of the Popish faction are well content as holding those men the fittest Ministers and Arminianisme the best Engine to bring the Grand Plot to the wished perfection with most safety and speed How exactly these have kept their measures in dauncing after our Iesuits Fidle and how punctually they have observed his Rules and with what successe thou needest not goe farre for proofe scarce any State professing and maintaining the reformed Religion but can produce evidences enough and too many of their unwearied attempts in accomplishing the devilish designe of this Romane Machivell by whose Rules here laid downe they have most accuratly walked Viderit Vitilitas Looke about you The plot of Contzen the Moguntine Iesuite to cheate a Church of the Religion established therein and to serve in Popery by Art without noise or tumult As it is by him drawne out in his 18. and 19. Chapters of his second Booke of Politickes Translated by a Catholicke Spy CHAP. XVIII The way to bring backe the true Religion MOst of the things before spoken * touching the Conservation of Truth and Religion are profitable to reduce such as wander into the way Notwithstanding they must be diversly applyed by Politicke men Hardly is the Truth found out but much more difficult is it to perswade him that erreth It is neverthelesse the duty of a Prince even in this earnestly to bestir him that wicked opinions be taken out of the way Gods honour restored and care had of perishing soules The first meanes What Musitians observe in tuning their Instruments gently setting up the strings by little and little and what in curing diseases Physitians practise abating noxious humours by degrees and pauses the same must bee done in a Common-wealth labouring under the Malady of Errors and Superstitions I approve not lingring and bootlesse proceedings since they often beget a desisting from the designe What ever meanes can be used my counsell is that they be attempted but in a soft and sure pace for feare of a precipice Here mild commands and monitions doe very much further the worke The second this It is no difficult piece for any Prince in Europe to call backe mens minds to the ancient rites of our Predecessours if he list A matter heretofore held impossible to be effected But now men begin againe to love the old Religion Nor can they be so held on by their Ministers but that many doe every yeere returne to the Catholique unity Such force hath Grey Antiquity To turne from beardlesse Novelty What once they most greedily lusted after they now cast aside with disdaine yea they abhorre it That levity of the Vulgar to admire new things and contemne old is fatall Heresie therefore which while it was in the first carrire could by no force be stayed nor by Art restrained afterwards growing weary and faint goes on more leasurely and being in it selfe divided and bruised the violence of it abates and so at last it comes backe to the same point from whence first it departed Many Provinces of Germany have endured many Religions now they retaine none at all being more intent to the will of their Lords One cause of this is as I said but now Levity and ignorance of the Truth Another the impossibility of holding the people long ignorant of the leudnesse of Heresies and Heretickes and that they finde those men to shift their opinions almost every yeere Of their owne accord they depart asunder into divers fractions so that they cannot stand long It is as if you should set out a company of blind men to runne a race sooner would they all misse then any one get to the marke This Argument if a prudent Magistrate please to take up his people loathing so many intricate mazes into which they have beene led and having made triall of the sraudes of ungratious Apostates will readily suffer themselves to be reduced into the way With this lenity must the first proceedings be layd unlesse the Heresies be of that nature that without perill they admit no delaies Such are those of the Muncerians * Anabaptists and of them that rise up against the Magistrate For these like sharpe diseases deny place and opportunity to a slow course of Physicke and therefore must be repressed with a swift and dangerous remedy Thirdly Arch-hereticks and Teachers of Heresies are to be banisht the Common-wealth at once if it may safely be done but if not then doe it leasurely and by degrees There needes no proofe to make this course appeare needfull For turbulent and boysterous winds being sent packing that Sea whose very bottome they seemed to lay bare will of it selfe againe become calme and still and that Error which hath lost its Protector will without opposition put it selfe under ruine Never therefore can those Emperours bee praised enough who with banishment punished Arius Nestorius Nigilantius and other Heretickes But yet the Vandals deserve execration who having gotten together all the Priests and Bishops in Africa ranne upon them with their Horses or else utterly banisht them unto desert places There are many faire reasons of expelling such as being private men attempt alteration in matters of Religion albeit the people should hugge them whiles they scatter their poysons But a Prince may undertake such an enterprize lawfully and justly having meanes enough not to suffer himselfe to come under reproach for so doing Three mighty Princes of Germany to wit the Platine Elector the Landgrave of Hessen and the Marquis of Brandenburg an Elector also effected a change of the Lutheran Religion
that they might receive the Supper neverthelesse afterwards they stirred nothing but by degrees fell off to Calvinisme And the people much more willingly come on if at the same time they be whistled another way as to Arminianisme * or some other Sect that may seeme more odious Thirteenthly both sides fell to writing but that party which was most favoured at Court quickly prevailed Also the wickednesse of the Lutherans in their conversation being upon all occasions made knowne did much advance the cause of their Adversaries Wherefore they exautorated some of them with great disgrace even under the Gallowes it selfe The fourth meanes which I have seene put in execution heretofore and still kept on foot is this namely that such as are adverse to the true Religion be put by their honors dignities and publique Offices Nor is this unequall that he who gives impediment to the welfare of the Common-wealth should not be alowed the honors and commodities of it Men guilty of great crimes are thrust from their dignities why then should blasphemers and contemners of Truth bee admitted thereto Such a Law made Theodosius and before him the 3. Sonnes of Constantine They stript Hereticks of all priviledges granted to Professors of the true Religion De Haeret. l. Privilegia Frederick condemned not only Hereticks themselves but all their receivers and abettors and unles within the space of a yeere they tendred satisfaction he commanded them to be convicted as infamous He further enjoynes that they neither be admitted to any publique Offices or consultations nor alowed any voice in the election of others He also ads other penalties as heretofore hath bin observed in the Law it selfe The benefits of this device are many and great For if adversaries to Religion be suffered in places of honour they will have many pretences alwaies ready to thwart the Prince they will without his privity vex the subjects For no man that is a Patron of another Religion is so faithfull to his Prince as he is to others that concur with himselfe in Religion Besides the Subjects come on to the truth more slowly when they shall behold their disloialty honored in their companies in error Thirdly only the true and Catholique faith gets ground by persecution because that alone can erect an expectation of future felicity but superstitions unlesse in their first eruptions doe diminish and vanish by withdrawing the profits of those that imbrace them of how great import this course is some German Princes in the last Diet at Ratisbone well apprehended For they moved that Caesar might choose an equall number of Counsellors in this Court of either Religion when as yet themselves notwithstanding imploy no Catholicks in theirs no nor doe such as are Lutherans admit of Calvinists nor these of those A Fifth meanes When the whole body of an Heresy is to be pluckt up by the rootes and that not by mere power but by moderation and Art first of all let those particular Tenents which heare ill of the Vulgar and in their very first aspect carry absurdity in them even to the rude and ignorant be pulled out and load laid on them The Calvinists may serve for instance who to the end they might more easily grind to pouder the credit of the Lutheran faction often made honorable mention of Luther himselfe and those particulars which they grappled with they christened by another name terming them Flaccians * a Sect which even by the Lutherans themselves were accounted the most doltish and frantique men that drew breath So Pareus who in his heart wisheth all Lutherans had but one neck professeth notwithstāding that he medles with none but those violent enemies of truth the Vbiquitaries When those of Vtrecht practised in Synods to grub up rigid Calvinisme they carefully prohibited that which was the chiefe point in it viz. That all should beware not to teach those things wherby God may be thought the author of sin Wherfore an Orthodox Magistrate if he would reduce the ancient Religion of a long time given up for dead to the intent that the naughtinesse even of their opinions in whom there may seeme to be some more modesty may be laid open to the bottome let him especially take order that they may be daily rackt carped For some of them doe with good words cunningly raise and overshadow many things which if we consider in the very substance of the matter admit no pardon These are to be drawne out to their full length aggravated to the utmost that so by just hatred they may be discarded By this sluce all the credit of false Teachers thus taken in the very Act of a manifest fault will soone empty it selfe For the very bare discovery of such superstitions is confutation enough The Sixt meanes of reducing piety and of abolishing error is to make profit of the quarrels of erring men For what Prince might not reduce the Puritanes of England into order if hee would by force sufficient extort from thē an approbation of the Bishops And who could not worke as great a Cure upon the Puritans in the Netherlands if he would declare himselfe for the milder party * in the cōtroversies yet flaming amongst them For the variablenesse of the Princes beliefe makes those that erewhile took themselves to be cock-sure of the right now to grow doubtfull which way to take So that when the consent of the Prince goes over to the other sides of them that contend he overturnes the other part with case and puts the whole into his power to doe with them as he list Of this the Apostles example is instead of all who in that Councell which he found to bee made up of different Sects adhering to the opinion of the stronger faction was by it held worthy of the white stone of absolution And hee so brought it about that they hindred by his setting on foot their owne particular dissents could not joyne to make head against the truth This course I would above all other commend to an Orthodox Prince for by this meanes he shall be able to make as much advantage of the brawles of those that doe erre as he may expect from the agreement of such as hold the truth for the supplantting of error It is in this as in managing of Battles wherein not only the skill and stoutnesse of the Generall in Marshall affaires but even the oversights errours of the enemy doe put many faire occasions of victory into his hands provided that he have his eyes awake and doe attend the very moments of opportunity and be able to apply not only convenient but seasonable phisicke to every disease Good Diet and gentle Pyhsicke cureth many When Rigid Calvinisme was heretofore set upon by the Lutherans in the very heat of the fit the evill was but exasperated and rendred more fierce so that the violent forcing of it in that paroxisme brought much cause of repentance to the Assailants
all or but newly tainted with evill a good Law will soone cause that their riper age shall yeeld a sweet savour of goodnesse Verily I have knowne many Children Authors of their Parents conversion who also when they are growne up and changing the cloake for the gowne have undertaken either a tribe or a place of judgement approve themselves excellent servants to the Common-wealth This we finde many thousands in Germany especially in Bavaria Stiria Carinthia the Netherlands to make good before our eyes If therefore compulsory reformation should doe no good upon old standards in error yet it renders the younger sort a Catholique Fry The Ninth meanes and of all the rest most effectuall is that such as are in authority doe religiously practise and maintaine integrity of life and purity of manners I promised something of the manner of all sorts of men at the beginning Now I adde this advertisment in particular that the Reformation of Religion will prove very difficult and goe on slowly unlesse the Prelates and Doctors shall out-shine the whole Common-wealth not onely in eminent innocency but in reputation also and same of integrity For whereas superstition is so maglignant and slandering-ripe that it will detract from the vertue and esteeme of the holiest men with forged crimes traduce the most blamelesse Athanasiusses by the mouth of calumniating wretches and with purchased perjuries knights of the Post draw them before Tribunalls as if other mens fault were reason sufficient why they should not finally shake hands with their heresies who can doubt but that the wicked prankes of Priests made publique cannot be tolerated without infinite damage to Religion The filthy life of Clerkes of Clerkes I say it againe of Clerkes I meane evill ones made augmented and still doth uphold the heresies that are I have often entred disputation with Hereticks or their disciples and after that with a very little labour their Arguments have bin answered and retorted upon themselves they betake themselves to accusations of our Clergy and object such things as can neither be denied nor defended What therefore shall a Common-wealth doe in this case First let it labour earnestly that such Bishops and Prelates be chosen as are chast liberall sober couragious faithfull dispencers of Gods law and such as will doe their utmost for reformation of manners Let the Princes themselves also bring all the power they can to the work and so the cure wil not be difficult Let a Regular who is either a drunkard or a whoremonger let a scandalous Parish-Priest be opposed in his wickednesse let another capable of the same place and dignity be set up in his room he that is convicted let him be cashiered and his Bishoprick let another man take If the Prelates seeke to cloake and dissemble their vices and not reforme the sinnes of their Clergy let the Vicar of Christ grant full power and authority to Kings and Princes to reforme the Clergy it selfe as of late he hath done to a certaine renowned Prince to the great benefit of his Country But because I have spoken enough of this matter to wit the peace of Germany before and that this place requires the same things to be repeated I choose rather to transfer hither the things there spoken then in other words here to say over the same things againe In the first place I put downe the restitution of Eccleasticall Discipline where it is decaied and the keeping it still on foote where it is in vigor as the most necessary thing without which peace can neither be at all procured nor continue long if it were recovered The almost onely cause of all heresies and persecutions both ancient and moderne hath been the dissolutnesse of the Christian Clergy and people An old soare in the Church and still so much breaking out afresh that in the whole world it could never yet be anywhere found to wax so decrepit as to die away nor will ever be perfectly cured Our Lord saith St. Cyprian would that his family should be tried when he suffered persecution to breake in upon it he speakes of that which was under Decius when a peace of 38. yeers in Africa had gone before And because a long peace had corrupted that discipline which was given us of God a punishment from heaven rouzed againe that faith which had growne sluggish and I had almost said which slept the sleep of death And yet whereas we by our sinnes deserved to suffer far greater evills the most mercifull Lord so moderated all that all that was done against us seemed but a triall rather then a persecution Now every man turned his studies only to the encreasing of his possessions and men forgetting their faith their former zeale and good works which in the Apostles times so eminently shined and what constantly they should have continued to do with unsatiable covetousnes gave themselves wholy up to the enlarging of wordly pelfe In the Priests there was no devout relion in inferiours no sound faith in mens actions no mercy in their manners no discipline In men might be seene a disguised beard in women a painted beauty The eies adulterated from what Gods hand had made them the haire coloured into a lying hue To deceive the simple cunning frauds abounded and treacherous hearts to circumvent their brethren They joyning in marriage with Infidels and prostituted the members of Christ to Pagans They took liberty not only to sweare rashly but which is yet more to breake out into perjury with proud swellings of heart to contemne those that were set over them with venomed mouthes to speake evill of them and with endlesse hatreds to rend themselves in peeces one from another Many of the Bishops whom it would have well became to reclaime others by earnest exhortation and example despising the administration of holy things tooke upon them the ordering of secular affaires leaving the chaire forsakeing the people committed to their charge and roameing about in other mens Provinces they hunted after opportunities of gainefull merchandise the hungry brethren of the Church they supplied not but got as much silver into their hands as they could they pluckt from others their fields by deceitfull baites and sought by usury upon usury to augment their bankes These thinges uttered that holy Martyr touching such as had fallen euen in an age of Martyrs The causes of our calamities have been yet more grievous to wit a greater decay of discipline a mightier domineering of sinnes which at length brake out into heresie and rebellion Nor is it to be wondred at for without care to keep discipline on foote not onely not the peace of religion but even religion it selfe cannot be held fast Discipline is the guardian of hope the stay of faith the leader of the way to life the nourisher and feeder of towardly disposition the mistresse of vertue it causeth a man to abide in Christ to live unto God and brings to the possession of all celestiall promises and rewards
Cyp. De Discrip hab. virg. Nothing in these daies keeps back the most from returning to the ancient religion more then the wicked examples of such as are already in it For the common people esteeme of Doctrine by the conversation of such as professe it nor can they be brought to beleeve it possible to learne the doctrine of liberality chastity modesty from them whom they perceive to be slaves to their riches burning in lusts and even bursting with pride Doest thou wonder why straying scules be not brought home Doest thou marvaile why thou labourest therein without successe It is thy manner of living that makes them to doubt Thy faith if thou have any is mewed up in thy breast but thy sinnes are laid open to the view of all and these prevaile more to draw them into hatred of religion then thy uncertaine faith to bring them into love with it Thou promisest the food of Gods Word to such as are hungry but reachest it out unto them with an uncleane and festred hand and so thou causest them to grow jealous and enemies to blaspheme Gods name Thy sinne certainly is exceeding great before the Lord because thou holdest men backe from the sacrifice of the Lord from the sacrifice not of Rams and Bullocks but of praiers of faith of piety They are turned away from that God whose Ministers they discerne to be desiled with so many abominations By nothing in the world doe Heresies increase more then by the lewd practises of the Clergy and the sinnes of the Laity who do so infect their children with their owne vices that they know not how to turne their hands to any thing that is good This very Heretiks themselves may confirme who being convinced by Scriptures and reasons betake themselves to accusations of the Court of Rome and of the whole Ecclesiasticall State To them I shall give answer in another place In the meane time let them know that themselves are no more to be excused hereby then the children of Israell who withdrawing themselves from the sacrifice of the Lord by occasion of the wickednesse of Hophni and Phinehas fel to worshiping of Baalim and Ashtaroth Now I apply my admonit on onely to those who while they live of the Church are made fat with the Patrimony of Christ and receive large allowances out of the maintenance of our Lord and General doe yet by their slothfullnesse ignorance drunkennesse filthinesse be tray his Tents to the enemy never being any whit affected with the ruine of the soules of them that are ready to perish but placing all peace of the Church in the wealth of it and in the quiet enjoying of Prebends O Good God! If it be beter for him that offendeth but one of these little ones which beleeve in thee that a milstone were hanged about his necke and that he were drowned in the bottome of the sea What mountaines or stones may be sufficient to hang about the necks of so many for the drowning of them who so often scandalize not a few little ones alone but even the whole world great and small little ones that doe beleeve in thee great ones that they may cast off beleeveing and unbeleevers that they might not beleeve at all To all Christians is that spoken Be yee blamelesse and harmelesse the Sonnes of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom shine ye as lights of the world holding forth the word of life that I may rejoice in the day of Christ Phil. 2. But to the Bishops and Prelates it is said Be thou an example of the beleevers in word in conversation in charity in faith in purity 1 Tim. 4. And in all things shew thy self a patterne of good workes in doctrine in integrity in gravity sound words that cannot be condemned Tit. 2. And why so he addes the reason That he that is of the contrary part many be ashamed having no evill thing to say of you The Apostles themselves converted the world not by the Word alone but chiefly by their example And by examples it is that it now falls backe againe unto infidelity for while men put away conscience they make shipwrack of faith Because in that they live wicked in the sight of the people they doe as much as in them lies murder those of whom they are observed to lead such a life Every one that lives ill in the presence of them over whom he is set doth what he can to destroy them What then will you may some say proclaime an everlasting warre against all those parts of the Church where the discipline of it is cast aside Either warre or bondage or utter destruction If mens manners be reformed abuses taken away scandalls removed the warre will be very short and a solid peace shall give us entertainment But if God shall be further provoked by our sinnes such as erre shall be confirmed in their heresie those that yet are but wavering and doubtfull shall be altogether turned away from the faith and God will certainely drive out that licentiousnesse and lasciviousnesse ere he leave us as in many places he hath already done If the Bishops and Prelates through the wickednesse of some be growne peerelesse the jealous God will lend the stronger Revenger upon them whereby he may cut off both the wicked and his wickednesse together So the Turkes usurped Asia Egypt Greece while the inferior Clergy refused to obey the Bishops and while the Bishops fell off from the chiefe Pastor and their manners exceeded the wickednesse of the very Barbarians themselves And so we see it for the most part to come to passe that when sinnes have once attained to the height all things ruine together and then are they to be accounted to have come to the height when they be committed by a publique law custome and approbation or if they come to breake through all power and force of law and the authority of the Magistrate Religion will perish in Europe unlesse integrity of conversation become correspondent to the purity of the Religion What then may some one that both feareth and needeth a reformation say unto me doe you thinke needfull to be reformed Generally what ever is deformed and whatsoever may by any circumstances become a cause of deformation although it be not in its owne nature such CHAP. XIX Other inferiour helpes to reduce the true Religion THere are very many things which according to the variety of times and places wisdome and ingenious love to godlinesse will suggest as meete to be applied to men in danger of perishing that they may bee saved Without admiration of the Mathematicall Sciences those of Iapan are caught for they delight rather in a prudent unfolding of Morals many of the Indians in benificence The Americans in Ceremonies and Musicke All meanes therefore are to bee attempted for the salvation of men Since that vigilant Dragon turnes every stone to draw them into destruction For that Common-wealth