repute and Calumnies to get footing hath beene the encrease of manslaughter and the continuance of enmity in all ages Many beleeve that nothing which is done would be knowne if this meanes of dispersing privie calumnious speeches were not used whereas little is knowne because it is used for falshood constantly affirmed for truth sometimes deceives and when it does not but is knowne to be falshood yet it forces to some suspension of judgement and makes us yeeld some way even to that which we beleeve not This is most apparant at this day in this Kingdome in the Case of Puritans for did accusation and legall processe take place few crimes would be proved against Puritans and did not malicious calumny prevaile as few men would be proved Puritans whereas now nothing is so monstrous which is not branded upon Puritans and no man is so innocent as to escape that brand So great also is the audacity of those which lacerate the fames of Puritans and with so much confidence doe they vent their obloquies that they which know the falsity thereof and easily perceive that the same aspersions are more truely due to the Autors and raisers of them yet they are dazeled and driven to some doubtfull admittance thereof Neither could this audacity be so prevalent amongst the vulgar but that Scholars and the greatest of the Clergy are now become the most injurious detesters and depravers of Puritans having taken up in Pulpits and presses almost as vile and scurrilous a licence of fiction and detraction as is usuall in Play houses Taverns and Bordelloes Some men divide generally all Protestants into Puritans and Antipuritans but I shall admit of subdivisions in both for all men are not alike which either affect or disaffect either Puritans or Antipuritans Antipuritans I shall thus divide Some Antipuritans are so tearmed because they are no Puritans but such I dislike not for I my self am neither the one nor other I neither merit the name of Puritan neither doe I hate them so as to professe my self an Antipuritan Others are accounted Antipuritans because they are of the Romish Religion and so professe themselves but their enmity is but a due antipathy and as a necessary consequence of their Religion and such I take no notice of I think Puritans expect no other from them Others again there are which are very averse from some Puritanicall Tenets and hold Puritans in very many things erroneous but yet they mean well themselves and bear no hatred to the persons of Puritans they allow Puritans sound in the most and weightiest matters of faith they hold dissent in disputable things no ground of malice and they attribute no infallibility to themselves in those things wherein they dissent from these men I am but little removed The worst sort of Antipuritans and they which ought only to be so called are they which bitterly hate and persecute many good men under the name of Puritans and many goods things in those which are Puritans whose antipathy is to mens persons as well as opinions in opinions those which are sound as well as those which are erroneous These are the Antipuritans which I shall now strive to detect whom I now hold to be of great number and power in the State at this day whom we may account the chiefest causers and procurers of all those mischiefs and plagues which now incumber both Church and Commonwealth and to be guilty of all those crimes which falsly they charge upon Puritans being therein like Caesars enemies which therefore onely hated him because they had deserved hatred from him By such Antipuritans is all love to goodnesse and zeal to the Protestant Religion and all hatred of vice and dislike of Popish Superstition brought into contempt For as they admit all true of Puritans which Papists object against Protestants so they account all Protestants almost besides their own faction Puritans By such is the Religion of the Scots made ridiculous by such is the amitie of the two Nations and therein the Honour and safety of the King his Crown and Progeny endangered By such is Calvin the Reformers of our Religion for hearkning therein to Calvin traduced and another reformation attempted by such is Antiquity preferred to obscure Scripture Uniformity in Ceremonies to the disadvantage of unity in hearts by such is the outside and walls of Religion trimmed and decored whilst the soule thereof is neglected and defaced by such is the Kings heart stolne from his Subjects and the Subjects estranged from the King by such is the Name of Royalty pretended whilst a Papall Hierarchy onely is intended by such is dissention nourished in the State that they may fish in troubled waters by such is truth in other men styled faction and faction in themselves styled truth by such are innovations preached and printed for necessary points whilst necessary doctrines in other men are prohibited In the power of such it now remaines to teach and publish all things consonant to their owne ends and to quash and silence all gainsayers and either to promote or detrude all Suiters for preferment at their discretion being absolutely possessed of Presses Pulpits and the eares of great men by such are many good men reviled and oppressed for their constancie to the true Religion whilst many factious semipopish Dunces are unduly preferred every where for neutrality in Religion or some worse innovation by such are Puritans made as Sinks and Sewers to unlode and discharge their own filth into whilst their black railing tongues expume nothing against Puritans but what is true of themselves These things if I am not deceived will appeare in this ensuing discourse In all ages true Religion hath been odious amongst Heathens and true devotion amongst Sensualists Judaisme appeared to Painims meer Superstition Christianity seemed to the Jewes grosse blasphemie and now amongst Christians Protestantisme is nothing else but Heresie and amongst Protestants Zeal is misnamed Puritanisme But in this word Puritanisme is a greater mystery of defamation then ever was before it may well be called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} it is a word of depravation fit onely for these times wherein the shine of the Gospel is at the brightest and the malice of Satan at the highest This word sprung up almost with the Reformation no sooner had the woman brought forth but the Serpent pursued her to devoure her issue and she being fled into the Wildernesse this streame of infamy was spued forth after her to overtake her The Bishop of Downe in Ireland in his Visitation speech 1638. endeavours to make it credited that Puritans have increased since the Reformation by degrees both in number and malice but the contrary is most apparently true Dissent in Ecclesiasticall Policie about Ceremonies and other smaller matters being not of the substance of Religion first gave occasion to raise this reprochfull word Puritan in the Church but since that time mens minds being better satisfied and peace being more firmly
Heretiques and King James made a frivolous distinction Such stuffe as this had not mis-beseemed a Papist but it s very odde in a Protestant Bishop except we consider him as one who hath lookt back towards the Onions and Flesh-pots of Egypt and is inamored againe upon those glorious Titles and Ensignes of Honour and Pompe which Rome confers upon her Courtiers But to conclude this point I wish Princes would not allow such Bishops to be carvers to themselves and make them Iudges in cases of their owne interesse they are surely good spectacles for Princes in Theologicall deliberations as Temporall Counsellors are in State affaires but miserable are those Princes whose eyes cannot see without such spectacles If Religion did not prosper worse if peace were not more violated if persecution were not more common in Countreys where Bishops governe than where they are expelled we might suspect the Scots as Hereticall and rebellious by nature for chusing all the plagues of war rather than Bishops but when we see the contrary we may as well listen to the Scots against Bishops as to Bishops against the Scots So much of the Ecclesiasticall Puritan next after whom sprung up the Puritane in Religion of whom I shall speake very briefly There are many men amongst us now which brooke Bishops and Ceremonies well enough and perhaps favourably interpret our late innovations and yet these may bee too grave to escape the name of Puritans To be a Protestant may be allowed but to dispute against Papists smels of precisenesse to hold the Pope fallible is tollerated but to hold him Antichrist is abominable Puritanisme to go to Church is fashionable but to complaine of the Masse or to be grieved at the publique countenance of Popery whereby it intwines our Religion and now drinkes up that Sap which is scarce afforded to Protestantisme or at all to take notice how farre some of our Divines are hereat conniving if not cooperating is a symptome of a deepe infected Puritan He that is not moderate in Religion is a Puritan and he that is not a Cassandrian or of Father Francis Synclers faith is not moderate he favours too much of Calvins grosse learning exploded now by our finest wits Sir Robert Cotton professes that he stands much amazed to behold the magnificence of Churches built by our Ancestors we their Successors being scarce able to keep up the same but that hee is farther beside himselfe with exceeding marvaile when he casts his eyes back upon the excellent ground-worke of Religion laid by our Fathers in the Reformation and yet sees the same so ill built upon and so negligently seconded by us their children But this he says is not to be attributed to the hanging up of Pius 5. his Bull upon the Bishop of Londons gate or to that favour which has been shewd to Priests but it is the idlenes and insufficiency of many of our own teachers conspiring with the peoples cold zeale that has wrought this apostacy The Name of Recusant was scarce known till the II. of Queen Eliz. the Marian persequution being yet fresh in memory and great zeale being begotten thereby and the finger-worke of God being so apparent in the suddaine alteration of Religion Then did the Layty and Clergy with holy emulation strive who should shew themselves most affectionate to the Gospell then were our Ministers as frequent in great mens houses and as active as Jesuites now are then were Praying and Preaching both equally pretious to great and small The name of Papist smelt then ranke even to themselves all sorts resorting dayly to Church to avoyd the shame thereof untill Arch-bishop Grindals disgrace and Hatfields hard conceit of Prophecies brought the flowing of these good graces to a still water But when Sanders the Coripbeus of Catholicks had slily pinned the Name of Puritans upon all such as were most forward in encouraging and couragious in opposing Catholiques and when he perceived that the word was pleasing to some ill affected of our own side He quickly heated some of us beyond the temper of discretion And now with the crosse tumults of both factions in extreme choler vented in Pulpits and Pamphlets most men grew to be frozen in zeale and so benummed that whosever as the worthy L. Keep Bacon observed in those days pretended a little sparke of earnestnesse seemed red-fire-hot in respect of others Thus it betided Protestants as those which fare the worse for ill neighbours for whilst they curbe Papists or reproove idle drones they are incontinently branded with the ignominious name of Precisians See here Sir Robert Cottons Iudgement as touching the occasion and originall of our Religious Puritans and see also his censure of the State as touching the same For where hee taxes the indiscreete zeale of those who were so violently incensed at Sanders his nickname so maliciously and subtilly fastened upon them there in his Margin his Note is this If these mens zeale had beene imployed otherwise and a taske set them to do some good they might have been reformed or made harmelesse by diversion But I passe from this kind of Puritan to another whom I shall call my Political Puritan for the bounds of Puritanisme are yet larger and inclose men of other conditions Some there are yet which perhaps disfavour not at all either Ecclesiasticall Policy or moderate Papists and yet neverthelesse this is not sufficient to acquit them from the name of Puritans if they ascribe any thing to the Laws and Liberties of this Realme or hold the Prerogative Royall to be limitable by any Law whatsoever If they hold not against Parliaments and with Ship-money they are injurious to Kings and to be injurious to Kings is proprium quarto modo to a Puritane Our present civill nay more than civill warre with Scotland and all the mischiefes thereon attending the disaffection between the King and his Subjects and all the mischiefes thereon attending the discontinuance of Parliaments the proper remedies of all State-maladies and universall grievances which is a mischiefe whereby all mischiefes become incurable all are caused by the abusive mistake and injurious mis-application of this word Puritan The Scots are Puritans and therefore enemies to Monarchy the English are Puritans and therefore haters of Royall prerogative both the Nations have been hitherto famous for their devout reverence and obsequious zeale to their Princes but now Puritanisme has infected them and perverted them to disloyalty Thus is the Kings heart alienated from his Subjects and by consequence the Subjects loyalty blunted towards him to the incomparable almost irreparable detriment of both neither is this disaccord bâ—tween the King and his best Subjects more fatall and pernicâ—ous to the Common-wealth then his accord with the Recusant faction Papists have now gotten the repute of the best Subjects and fittest for trust in places of eminent service nay 't is almost necessary that forraine Papists be brought in for the supporting of the indangered Royalty for though the Popish faction
setled about those indifferent things the more few Puritans remayned and the more moderately those few became inclined the more furiously their enemies raged against them Bastwick Prin and Burton the onely men which Law can take hold of are Names now as horrid in the world as Garnet Faux Ravilliack Precisians have now wonne the Scene from Iesuites Poysoning of Emperours massacring of Provinces blowing up of Parliaments are all now grown into oblivion and drown'd in the stories of Ceremony-haters Howsoever as amongst Antipuritans so amongst Puritans it must be confessed there are some differences to be observed Some Puritans think all Puritans alike to be loved and all Antipuritans alike to be hated but sure there is truer affinity in minde between some which are Puritans and some which are not then between some Puritans and others or some of the contrary opinion and others Paul unconverted equally opposes Peter as Simon Magus does and in regard of this joynt opposition both are unanimous but even in this opposition both have their opposite ends Magus opposes maliciously for ambition and lucres sake but Paul ignorantly seeking thereby the same Gods Honour whom Peter serves in a truer way Therefore in regard of the mayne end there is more unity and consent betwixt Paul the persecuter and Peter the persecuted then betwixt Paul and Magus though both persecuters of the same cause The like is now visible in England for every man which is an Antipuritan is not so for the same Reasons some have more of malice others are more ignorant some are pestilent Engineers and through the sides of Puritans knowingly stab at purity it self others are but Engines misimployed or by their owne blind zeal misled and these perhaps whilst they persecute Gods children imagine they doe God a gratefull service therein In Samaria from an unkindly mixture of Israelites and Syrians a strange heterogeneous of-spring different in Religion from both did arise and the like is now in England nay it may be said here as it was in Constantines dayes There are almost as many Religions as Opinions and as many Opinions as Men Papists have their differences Protestants theirs therefore needs must there be many more differences where Papists and Protestants live so confusedly blended together For examples sake how many differences have we even about indifferent Ceremonies and that meerly amongst Protestants Some men loath Ceremonies out of Antipathy to Popery which too superstitiously extols them others againe admire them for Antiquities sake which before Popery innocently yea and perhaps profitably for those infant times of the Gospel used them These two sorts of men though different are not dangerous Again some men are thought to disrelish Ceremonies out of stomack to that authority which commands them but if there be any such I thinke they are very few and scarce visible to the eye of man Others on the contrary give reverence to them for Poperies sake which depends so much upon them and I feare there are many such amongst us Again some men stand devoted to Ceremonies as they are the lightest things of the Law like the Tythers of Mint and Annis in the Gospel embracing them instead of weightier matters and none are more unmercifull then these to scrupulous minded men Others in the mean while account all things of the same moment both great and small pretending to spie some faults and some truths on either side and therefore they hold it indifferent to assent to either or dissent from either in any point whatever But the wisest sort conceive there may be errours on both sides but not alike grosse and pernicious and therefore such eschew the wrong and apply themselves to the right in either side yet neither honour nor despise either side alike And these instances shew that all men doe not professe or condemne Puritanisme alike or from the same ends and yet in the Chaos of this Countrey as things now stand Frigida cum calidis pugnant humentia siccis Mollia cum duris sine pondere habentia â—ondus I could wish therefore that all well meaning men would take notice of these things and affect by reason not passion for since some good men are Puritans and not all and since some ill men are Puritans and not all this ought not to be a rule of love and hatred in all cases alike That which is most objected to Puritans is fury faction and hypocrisie if I see these in a man reputed no Puritan yet to me He is a Puritan and if I see not these in a man reputed a Puritan as to me He is no Puritan If Gracchus be invective against Sedition I censure him by his actions not by his words and if Cato be accused of mutiny I censure him by himselfe not by his accusers I condemne none meerely because condemned by others for it is usuall for the Wolfe to sit on the Bench and condemne the Lambe at Bar for that which is most proper to the Wolfe most unnaturall to the Lambe and yet this proves the Wolfe the more a Wolfe and the Lambe the more a Lambe I cannot but professe it there is nothing more scandalizes me at this time then to see Puritans being so few in number so despicable in condition so harmelesse in example so blamelesse in opinion yet sentenced and condemned in judgement as if they were the greatest Incendaries and the only Innovators in the Christian World Doctor Heylin a violent pamphleter against Puritans calls Burton the great Dictator of Puritans and the Law hath past upon him with great severity yet Burtons crime was that He wrote against Altar-worship and it was adjudged that his style was seditious It is not manifest that his intention was seditious therein and if it was so it is manifest that He was most vaine and absurd therein as our State is now establisht and as our King is generally revered They which pretend great danger to the King likely to ensue out of such paper machinations as these may have three mischievous ends therein First that they may be thought the only solicitous men of the Kings safetie Secondly that they may disparage the common peoples loyaltie Thirdly that they may crush their adverse Puritanicall party but it is thought they which pretend most danger hereby to the King doe least believe themselves and therefore they doe spin that affection and division out of the sufferings of Burton c. which his attempts could never have effected My Lord of Canterbury in all his invectives against Puritanisme ever made fury and turbulence the ground of all his hatred and enmity against it and yet let the whole world judge if the earth ever brought forth any thing more furious and turbulent then himself At the same time whilst he adjudges torture to that incendiary Burton c. for writing a Pamphlet against Altars c. He himself is busie in sowing the Dragons teeth I may say the great red Dragons teeth all over England Scotland
and Ireland and putting all the three Kingdomes into a posture of warre that like earthen vessels they may be dashed to peeces by conflicting one against the other To whom can it be credible that Burtons quill should blow the flame of warre amongst Nations so combined in spirituall carnall and politicall consanguinity under the protection of so peacefull a Prince in such Halcyonean dayes of tranquillitie when even my Lord of Canterbury himself with all his ill accomplices at home and Spanish Italian French confederates abroad ought for ever to be admired for his prevalence in that vast stupendious dis-service Howsoever as the times lately were we beheld sedition grievously upbraided and punished in Burton by my Lord of Canterbury and that old verse applyed as a proverbe Quis tulerit Gracchos de seditione loquentes But it s no wonder that Burton should be an incendiary in that mouth wherein Calvin was a knave Good God could he think the Reformed Religion any thing else but knavery when he calls Gods most sanctified and best inspired instrument of Reformation Knave Because God doth not now work by miracles as he did in the first plantation of the Gospel are not therefore his works as sacred and his instruments as venerable And since the Redemption what work hath God ever performed more noble and for ever to be exalted then the Reformation for what was that worke but a reviving of lost salvation and a new restauration of the buried Gospel amongst us and in that glorious worke who was anoynted by God for a more egregious charge then Calvin Is it not therefore the same sin in kinde if not in degree so to conspurcate and defile this blessed messenger of this blessed tidings with impure termes of obloquie as it was to ascribe the worke of our Saviour to Beelzebub O the execrable gall of that breast and venome of that tongue which through the sides of Calvin did strive to defame the most gracious services of Calvin nay that most pure and fiery Spirit of God himselfe which enabled Calvin for those services Needs must he hate and prosecute all Puritans whatsoever and reject and disrelish all things whatsoever in Puritans which is so maliciously bent against Calvin himselfe meerly because Puritans have him in so high esteeme for that holy Spirits sake which rested so aboundantly upon him But let us a little further 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 pietie and certainly the number of such men is too small and their condition too low and dejected but they which are the Devils chief 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 shaâ—l 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 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 stronger 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 questioned 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 among 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 Puritanicall 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 be charged but proceeding from Puritanisme Some scrupulous opinions make Say Brooke c. Puritans Puritanisme inferres them mutiners mutinie makes all that they can doe or say all that they forbear 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 wee will yet further evidence by plaine instance how broad the devils net is in the vast application of this word and how deep his pit is by its abominable sence and the nature of its importance that we may the better discover that net which intangles so many and 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 ceremonious 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 means whole Kingdomes are familiarly upbraided 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 and rellish the late proceedings of both the houses which is the maine 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 King 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
the love and reverence due by the people to draw it to themselves To bring these 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 scatteringly 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 Bookes printed in Italy but in diminution of Secular authority and exaltation of the Ecclesiasticall And now the people have scarce any other Bookes 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 onely not for conscience but that every intimation of Ecclesiasticall persons is equivolent 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 appears by a book printed 1607 called Index Expurgatorius and Clement the Eighth in 1595 published a rule in his Index that all Catholike Writers Bookes 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 judgements 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 stifling and repressing all adverse disputes and of authorizing and publishing all arguments whatsoever favouring their cause as the Court of Rome does Thirdly that I might produce the same Author against himselfe in those points wherein he taxes Protestants Wee will yeeld that for the space of nine hundred yeeres the See of Rome did not usurpe over other Sees but did acknowledge equall subjection to the Canons and that the division and separation of the Easterne Churches happened when Rome arrogated above Canons but withall we must have it yeelded to us that those Canons had been composed only by Clergy-men and that in too much favour of Clergy-men and too much abridgement of Temporall Rights and Priviledges and that they did concerne matters more then meerely spirituall and speculative and things known by meere revelation So that though one Prelate did not usurpe over another yet all Prelates had usurped over the Laity from the times of Constantine almost It is true the Church had Bishops before in its times of persecution but of what power or pompe It is said of Calvin that in regard of his sway in Geneva he wanted nothing but the Name of Bishop and it may be as truly said of the Bishops before Constantine that they wanted all but the Name The power of Bishops before the installment of Christian Princes was rather like that of Arbitrators then of Judges and that held in all cases alike Civill and Spirituall but in case of disobedience they did not intrench so farre upon the Lay power as to inflict any pecuniary or corporall punishment but they did deny the Sacrament and eject delinquents out of the Congregation and this was then an abscission from Christ being done Clave non errante that is whilst God did inspire according to his promise a miraculous power of binding and loosing infallibly The Priestly function was then an Office not a jurisdiction of sacred dignity not power but the Function of a Prince was ever sacred both for honour and power for dignity and command Constantine the Great was the first Prince which tooke upon him the care and protection of the Church after that it had suffered contempt and poverty for 300 yeares and now did even that authority and protection cease and devolve into his hands which the poore persecuted Bishops had but feebly managed before but such was the extraordinary indulgence of this pious Emperour as well to religious persons as to Religion it selfe that taking little notice what the Church had gain'd by him as its Head and Governour He heaped up greater Titles and Honors upon Bishops Archbishops Patriarchs and Popes as if some other supreme Ruler more sacred and competent then himselfe were necessary Neverthelesse it is thought that this was as poyson poured into the Church and not Balme for from that very time Clergy-men began to be more glorious but lesse gracious more rich outwardly but more poore and vile inwardly Within a little space after Constantine there was just cause of complaint that excessive Honours had corrupted the Church and that Religion had prospered better in former times when it had wooden Chalices and golden Priests then now when it had golden Chalices but wooden Priests It is remarkable also that soon after Constantine the temporall power being too much restrained and abased and the spirituall as much inlarged and exalted the whole face of Christendome began to be imbroyled with wars and poysoned with heresies so that the Historians of those times have almost nothing else to write of but the forcible investing and devesting by armes of such Bishops and Patriarchs and of the oppositions of such and such Councels and Synods and of the Appeals Iars Schismes Excommunications and Commotions of such and such Priests and Monks Nay such were the ill effects of those ages which were certainly more zealous then politike that they cannot yet be wholly rectified and purged in these our latter times which are growne too too contrary being more politike then zealous Thus did the Church fare for 900. yeares till the Romane Bishops began to Empire above all and then did the greatest part of the Clergie themselves especially East from Italy make their departure and separation Neither did the Romish Vice-god after this great rent and division in the world hang his head for shame or seeke any re-union by letting fall his pompous painted plumes but audaciates himselfe rather to mount higher yet and to detrude the Western Emperour quite out of the bounds of Italy And in this his industry failes him not for after much bloud-shed in many cruell conflicts Hee gaines in Italy a Temporall and in all Europe besides a spirituall Monarchy making a triple
unite nor fils whole Kingdomes with bloud but out of love to Order Such was sure Diogenes his humility trampling upon Plato's Couches such was Nero's uniformity setting on fire the streets of Rome such was Procrustes his symmetry cutting his guests according to his beds And therefore it s thought Puritans are not so much hated for their opposition to Ceremonies as Ceremonies are multiplied and inforced for suppression of all zealous Christians under the umbrage of Puritans and that for the same purpose the enemies of Piety have blown those coales which they might have quenched Hooker that sweet and noble Antagonist of Ecclesiasticall Puritans says much in defence of the Churches authority in imposing of Ceremonies but he says nothing in defence of the Churches Charity in imposing many and displeasing Ceremonies So S. Paul might have justified himselfe as fitter to be subscribed unto and complyed withall then his scrupulous brother and he might have justified his case concerning eating of such and such meates but S. Paul in wisdome and Charity would doe neither S. Paul made not his strength an Argument to make his brother yeeld who was weake but he made his brothers weaknesse an Argument whereby to prevaile and win upon him being strong And why then does our Mother the Church maintaine her authority against her own scrupulous and tender-minded infants If in Iustice and rigor they ought to obey her and conforme to her wise commands does it therefore follow that in Wisdome and Charity she ought not to pity and preferre their foolish groundlesse doubts and jealousies Is it honorable for the Nurce to contest about authority with a forward Childe when by indulgence she may better still it If Ceremonies bee but things indifferent they are not so valuable as peace for that is necessary Admit fit and decent Ceremonies to bee the outworkes of Religion the better to secure it from contempt and prophanation Yet let not the outworks be too vast least they take up more admiration than they repulse disregard Neither let us suppose that all times are alike liable to prophanenesse Before Moses Religion was very naked and simple in her Ceremonies and yet we must not thinke that God did then make ill provision or was carelesse of the government of his Church but under the Law Ceremonies were strangely multiplyed to the Iews and that by Gods owne appoyntment and yet in those times I cannot thinke that any Discipline could bee invented more honorable for Religion I shall desire therefore to walke between two extremes neither wholy condemning all Ceremonies as superstitious nor embracing many as necessary besides the Ceremonious use of water in Baptisme and of Bread and Wine in the Eucharist the Gospell recommends no externall rites but such as the generall rules of decency inclose to our observation but it seemes utterly to discountenance all Iewish carnall ordinances yet certainly if multiplicity of pompous ceremonies had been very usefull where knowledge abounds and to be look't upon as the outworks of Religion the Gospell would not have been so silent as it is concerning them Were we now to plant a Church in the West-Indies amongst rude Salvages perhaps the externall splendour of our worship might bee as convenient as it was amongst the Iews to attract Proselytes Or had we now such a dreadfull presence of God residing amongst us as the Iews had in their Oracle perhaps Musick Vocall and Instrumentall and Statelinesse of attire and fearefulnesse in our Gestures and Postures would beseeme us in our solemn addresses and Festivall celebrations but the difference betwixt these times and those and these Christian Countreys and those that are Barbarous is very great What manner of Divine Service the French Protestants and the Scots use and some other Nations I cannot tell but I hope it is not so nasty and slovenly as some of our Formalists would make us believe for it seemes not impossible to me but that in times of so much Light as these are God may be very honourably and zealously served without many Stately Ceremonies The Bishop of Downe makes a very sharpe speech to the Puritans in Ireland as being very disobedient and animated therein by the Scotish Covenanters but his chiefest eloquence is uttered against his own Countreymen the Scots whom bee paints forth as the chiefest Traytors Perjured Rebels Heretiques and Hypocrites in the World nay he denounceth them worse than Anabatists and such as have more than justified the Powder-Traytors and all the rebellious practises of the Iesuites Afterwards hee addes also That Puritanisme is not the Nationall sin of Scotland only but that they of the same faction in England had been as deep in the same condemnation had they had so much power See here the lively portraiture of an Antipuritane see a true Bâ—ner revived againe but in Protestant habit and for ought I see here are none exempted from this black venomous censure in all the Kings Dominions but those of the Popish and Episcopall Faction It 's not to bee wondred at that the King thinkes ill of his subjects or that Burton or Prin suffered worse than Traytors merits It s rather to be wondred at that our streets do not runne with bloud dayly since this is the Gospell our Reverend Fathers of the Church preach This Speech was thought worthy to bee dispersed in Print over all our Kingdomes in English but since because it redounds so much to the honour of the three Nations and the repute of Protestant Religion it s Translated into Latine and Coppies are Printed for all Christendome to take notice of In this Speech it s urged that Puritans who began about 80 yeares since have proceeded from bad to worse by sixe degrees first they did dislike then contemne Bishops then they did disobey their Jurisdiction then separate themselves then they fell into the Heresie of holding no difference between Bishop and Presbyter lastly they rebelled and grew more immoderate than Anabaptists And here S. Cyprian is alledged who says that the contempt of Bishops is the beginning and ground of all Heresies and Schismes Here we see what Puritans are the most cursed Miscreants on earth next we see who Puritans are all such as hold not with Episcopacy that is in probability halfe Ireland more than halfe England all Scotland and many other Protestant Countryes King James did put a difference betwixt such as disâ—relisht Bishops and Ceremonies meerly and such as under that pretext fraudulently sought to perturbe the State and make a factious separation But here the difference of all Puritans is graduall only not substantiall for dislike of Bishops is the beginning of all Heresie and must needs end in Anabaptisme and rebellion How plainly dâ—es it here appeare that Episcopacy is the true Helena of all this war and yet S. Cyprian is to bee understood of the Pastorall function not of the Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction of a Bishop or else in his sense the Genevans and the greatest part of Protestants are
at Court be strong and active enough for matter of Counsell yet for matter of force the Puritans in City and Countrey be too predominant The Bishop of Downe in his visitation speech layes all the calamities of Church and Common-wealth upon Non-conformists and for proofe thereof instances in the Covenanters whom he charges of rebellion charging withall that rebellion upon Puritanisme The first thing says he that made me out of love with that Religion was their injurious dealing with Kings which I observed both in their Practice and Doctrine Hee taxes first their Doctrine because they deny the Kings supremacy in causes Ecclesiasticall and allow Subjects to resist nay and depose their King if he be a Tyrant Surely Ahab could say little for himselfe if he could not lay his owne crimes upon Elijah but see here by what art of confusion all Scots are called Puritans and all Puritans rebels King James spoke not so confusedly as if Puritanisme were a Religion and all that disliked Bishops and Ceremonies were of that Religion and all of that Religion were enemies to Kings If a Bishop needed any proofe it his {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} were not unquestionable I would desire him to prove all Covenanters Puritans denyers of the Kings supremacy or to instance in any Kings which have been deposed or murthred by Presbyteriall authority How far Bishops have incroached upon Kings is knowne to all the world our Protestant Bishops lately have by Oath and Canon combined together to bind the Kings hands though hee bee Supreme that hee shall not governe our Church but by Arch-bishops Bishops Arch-deacons c. And yet these troublers of Israel have the face to taxe Elijah of their own sinne Presbytery indeed has heretofore passed her bounds yet not of late but Episcopacy has ever from Constantine claimed an independance of Divine right till this instant I conceive there are not in all the Kings Dominions three men except Papists and Anabaptists which hold it lawfull to depose or 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 themselvs against the unjust sword of misled Kings because they cannot fly or otherwise save themselves and this they take now to be their own case whereas our Court Divines in England hold that in such case we 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 reckons up some Fasts in Scotland appointed by the Presbytery without King Iames 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 hee condemne all Scots alike or all Bishop haters alike or joyne the English in like condemnation We know well enough that King James called rebellious precisians Puâ—itans but he never called all Puritans rebellious precisians He never used those termes as conveâ—tible but declared his contrary meaning by a manifest difference taken between them But the Bishops maine â—nstance is in the present Scotch insurrection this he cals a rebellion of Puritans and far greater than the Powder-treason For says 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 be 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 preferred before the whole sect of Puritans The sin of the Powder-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 diabolical bloudy practice and conspiracy And it ought not to be charged upon the meere actors as a symptome of discontent onely wee know how far the Romish Religion it selfe favours and gives ground to such damned feats and how far 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 Iesus Christ the Light never discovered any treason more ugly and horrible Now to out-match this deed of darknesse the Scotch Nation by a strange general unanimity have armed themselves to oppose the ill government of Bishops and other alterations in the service of God and the administration of Iustice 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 Country 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 thinkes that the Major part disturbing the Minor is more trayterous than the contrary The unanimous act of a whole Kingdome ought to bee presumed to bee lesse injurious and more wise than the act of any small inconsiderable party for it hath scarce ever been seen that a whole Kingdome or the majority thereof hath ever been treasonable to its selfe in procuring its own 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 censurers 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 Vnfortunate Rehoboam stands as a Seamarke to warne all Princes how to
and therefore there needs not that vocall power or indisputable force to remaine in the breasts of Princes as was of old The Courts of Parliament and their unquestionable Acts and Ordinances and their infallible avisoes are now in all well-governed Countries the very Oracles of all Policy and Law they are the fountaines of civill bloud spirits and life and the soveraigne antidots of publike mischiefes That Prince was never yet deceived which relied upon them nor can he chuse but be deceived which thinkes he can be assisted with any more wise or faithfull advertisement then that which is given him by his whole Realme united and contracted in a lesse circumference What end can all the flower of the Nobility Gentry and Commonalty of a Nation being wise and religious have in seducing their Soveraigne or in limiting that Soveraignty by which alone they are protected Or what one party of particular men can better understand the true limits of sufficient Soveraignty and the profit thereof then this collective universality whole rayes like the Suns are every where dispersed and yet whose body of light is here as in a refulgent Globe concentred Individualls may have many particular ends severed from the Princes or the States but Communities can ayme at nothing but the common good as the lesser fountaines scatter their branching streames up and downe in various Maeanders whilst the Sea containes it selfe in an intire body within its constant bounds Individuals also have but their owne particular set limit of perfection and have judgements beside apt to be darkened by their owne severall interests and passions whereas the common body enjoyes a confluence of severall perfections and hath the lesse force from abroad to overcloud them Of all men therefore it will most concerne Princes to suspect them which are enemies to publike assemblies and to confide in them most whose ends are not divided from the generalities and as they tender their owne happinesse to expect it chiefly from that generality by which they are Kings to 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 waies busie but in their own particular affaires and yet it behooves that these men too be brought in within the opprobrious compasse of Puritanisme To the Religious Ecclesiasticall and Politicall 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 contended 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 another 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 Here I may alledge even Hooker himselfe in justification of this Ethicall Puritan that good ingenuous man in these dayes though he opposed them in polity yet honoured them in morality and certainty if he were now living he would strongly inveigh against their opposers in this respect He cites Aristotle in his 5. booke of Ethicks and 3. cap. that many men in domesticall things may be vertuous and yet offend {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} yea I am perswaded sayes he that of those with whom we strive in this cause there are whose betters amongst men could hardly be found if they did not live amongst men but in some wildernesse amongst themselves And the cause sayes he of their disposition so unframeable to Society is for that what they thinke privately to be convenient and just with some shew of probability the same they thinke themselves bound to practise and uphold notwithstanding any Law of man to the contrary and thus by following the Law of private reason where the Law of publike should take place they breed disturbance See here the maine taxation of Puritans amongst their honest and wise opposers such as I allow Hooker to bee is this that in things indifferent they will not recede from their owne consciences for any command whatsoever in all necessary points of morality there cannot be found better men I cannot tell I am left to pronounce here with the Poet Crudelis Mater magis an puer improbus ille Improbus ille puer crudelis tu quoque mater I will only wish that neither the child would be so disrespectfull of his mothers judgement in indifferencies nor the mother so unpittifull of her childes weaknesse in scruples Hooker also in his preface confesses that Puritans at first were pityed only in their errors and not much withstood by any for the great humility zeale and devotion which appeared to be in them was in all mens opinions a pledge of their harmelesse meaning The hardest sayes he that men of sound understanding conceived of them was but this O quà m honestâ voluntate miseri erant and for this cause Luther made request to Fredericke of Saxony that within his dominion they might be favourably dealt with and spared for that their error exempted they seemed otherwise right good men So then whilst their meaning is honest and whilst their honest meaning tends onely to make themselves miserable that is objects of scorne and punishment favour ought to be shewed T is true Hooker after complaines that this favour produced ill effects amongst Puritans who by meanes of such mercifull tolleration gathered more strength then was safe for the State but under favour this does not appeare so with me In France Scotland and those parts of Germany where Zealots have had most liberty and favour I doe not see any effects so evident thereof as these that Popery hath the sooner vanisht and enmity beene the better prevented It seemes to me that England of all Protestant countries has least cause to boast of her rigorous discipline towards Puritans having never yet been either quiet or safe til this instant and now scarce being able to beleeve that great worke of deliverance which God hath mercifully wrought for us It cannot be denyed but the yet unsettled condition of these times hath been scandalous in multitudes of Anabaptisticall sectaries