worship why what would you have I make them no more But bodily worship yet that But is such a But that it will prove a But-end against Modern Orthodoxy for ever to all that honestly and with a good heart free from partiality prejudice and passion do consider and believe Gods Holy Word and their own eyes How does the Apostle beg of the Romans with many imprecations for the Ceremonies of bodily worship in Gods holy Worship as a most reasonable service to him A holy acceptable and living sacrifice unto God Rom. 12. 1. And bids them all to open their mouths together in Prayer Praises and Worship of God as if they had but one mouth among them all as well as one mind in glorifying God Rom. 15. 6. And also calls upon the Corinthians not only to do the great duty but the lesser duty not only to glorifie God with their spirits but with their bodies 1 Cor. 6. 20. And that for a very good reason because the body is Gods purchase as well as the soul Christ hath bought both paid a price for both both therefore body as well soul must glorifie God by reverent postures and gestures as kneelings bowing sometimes even to the very ground after the Pattern and example of our Saviour Mat. 26. 39. These blasphemous wretches of Oliverian and Modern Orthodox would have called our Saviour superstitious and as well too St. Paul kneeling Eph. 3. 14. and St. Peter bowing down to the ground Luk. 5. 8. and kneeling Acts 9. 40. St. Stephen at last gasp kneeling Acts 7. 60. with many other devout men in the Old and New Testament Dan. 6. 10. Psal. 95. 6. Acts 20. 36. Acts 21. 5. 'T is true the worship of the mind is more profitable than of the body which profits but a little yet that little since it much helps the reverence of my mind and spirit ought I not to follow the Example Precept and Pattern of the Holy Ghost in Scripture who sure best knows what is spiritual worship after the Holy Example of our Saviour the Apostles and all Saints in the Ceremonies of kneeling bowing c. in bodily worship rather than to follow the Precept and Pattern of new Oliverian Orthodox men Dissemblers Murderers Hypocrites Cheats and Antick Foppish Jugglers and wresters of Holy Writ as ever did gull silly souls Ceremonies then are one part of Spiritual worship and Sermons are none much less are their Sermons any that have been full of trumpery and railing against Ceremonies thereby also railing against our Lord and Saviour and all holy men Let Baal look to his hits he 's gone else for ever from the Communion of Saints and ingenuous men for this Generation that yet feels the smart of their delusions and jugglings and knows to their cost all I say to be true by lamentable experience As for Faith you find all its Articles in the Apostles Creed believe but that and be sav'd so far as faith can save you but faith without good works can never save you but is a dead faith if you will believe your own eyes Jam. 2. more than those Juglers that cast a mist before you to keep you blind and lead you by the nose by calling good works without which no man shall go to heaven or be happy either in this world or the world to come most blasphemously popery superstition and I know not what but be but so good as to give them your Monies your Plaâ—…e your Bodkins your Thimbles c. Oh! then it is no Popery nor Superstition but stroaking the tools on the head gives them a coaks and a flap with a Foxes tail and makes them believe they do a very good work and help the Lord also and if they can perswade some old fop man or woman to part with a good Estate to maintain a weekly Lecture or else mouth will not open except that same annuity be in the case and then the old Fox dies a charitable good man not guilty of popery by that good work no not he He that gives to Monks and Fryars and English Clergy he is popish and and superstitious but to give to Modern Orthodox for a weekly Lecture and Sermon Oh heavenly thank you lovingly As for the seals of Faith you have the Sacraments Initiating Baptism strengthening The Supper of the Lord. Prayers and Praises which both for private Family and publick Devotions are incomparable and without fear of nonsence rashness or blasphemy contained in the Liturgy which should be the daily sacrifice of Prayer and Thanksgiving either in your houses or better if you can get company in your Churches every morning and evening as well as once a week and always was frequented by Holy Church till Modern Orthordoxy that abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the Prophet was set up in the room thereof c. the Holy Liturgy taken away contemned and despised by wicked men thereby to set up themselves their own superstitions and inventions If in the Explication of the Liturgy Sacraments or Creed or that Text Matt. 7. 12. Thereby to order mens conversations aright you speak as pathetically fully and plainly as you can whether in the Church or from house to house catechizing the ignorant on Sundays or other Holy-days or working-days whether on a single Text or as our Saviour usually did on twenty several subjects in delivering Truths most seasonable and most useful to your Hearers whether an hour half an hour or half a quarter of an hour according to your discretions what and how long may be most profitable and convenient Fear not but in so doing you do the work of an Evangelist with true honour and approbation of God and all good men And leave canting stories whimsees and and cheats to the Modern Oliverian Orthodox they are unworthy the high calling whereunto you are called and the benefit of the Clergy of the Church of England and only fit for Taylors Weavers Coblers Chimney-sweepers and such spiritual Juglers Canters and Gypsies I have comprized in those six Verses the best things and all that are needful things which accompany salvation of which now I will not further speak It had been happy for the King Kingdom the People and the Prayers too if they had kept themselves to that Divinity alone contained in those six Verses infinite treasure and blood had been saved which has been spent and spilt through the whimsees and superstitions of these Oliverian Orthodox men Can any wise or good man imagine that the Almighty and merciful God would leave the way to Heaven so hard to find that no body can find it out but he that has heard twenty or a hundred or a thousand or ten thousand Sermons Foppish and bejuggled mankind Our Saviour and his Apostles converted millions with a few short plain words Religion is the work of the whole man all the days of his life consisting in the constant practice of piety and not in prating of piety in idle and
this bait 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing but a few canting new-coyn'd words and with these they have made shift to get the good old Coyn out of their Pockets and sometimes Plate Bodkins Thimbles Horses Armes and Silver-spoons or whatsoever comes is welcome All is fish that comes to net whilst these Hugh Peters Baxters Marshals and Owens laugh in their sleeves to see how soon the fools and their moneys are parted and how parted do they not know of the going on 't and how it is laid out what they get for it Yes they tell the poor souls they get Christ for it Oh get Christ whenas indeed they get nothing but a little canting new-coyn'd Fanatick phrase or so there 's all Be not offended that I call this expression get Christ get Christ meer canting jugling and delusion beguiling unstable soules for I will give you a reason for it unanswerable by all the Canters and Cabala of Juglers in England with whom and the best of them or all their great heads put together I am not afraid to encounter in vindication of all and every thing in this Letter occasion'd by the bold undertaking of their friend Gregory Graybeard who puts for Apochrypha and so sets it down in a different Character the great Truth that Christ our Lord ever deliver'd to the world viz. To do as we would be done by which is the great end of the Law and the Gospel namely the best regulation of our manners or as p. 100. Moral vertue being the most material and useful part of all religion which has but two parts Phanaticism and Morality Which last is comprehended in that great way of Truth so much evil spoken of by some Christians as being the practice even of some heathens and therefore not the summ of Law and Prophets But let me live and die like such Heathens rather than live and die like such Christians as dare preferre any thing above this or any part of Religion above this which my Saviour has told me is the summe of all And he that believes Christ in this word as a true Prophet and conforms his life and conversation to this Law as given by his King Jesus shall assuredly find him a Priest to pardon and forgive him and bring him to glory where he now sits And this is that which in the beginning I call'd my Religion not but that many others are of it yet but few where I live For I dwell in New-Amsterdam where Satans seat is the Head-quarters of the Legions and the Randevouz of Hell the very Sink of all heresies and sects and the Kennel where all the neighbouring filâ—…h of Religion disgorges its self and disembogues And as we never read of any Pharisee converted by our Saviour except one or two yet very many Publicans and Harlots so here we find true that of our Saviour that Publicans and Harlots shall get into the Kingdom of Heaven before these our modern Pharisees in English Separates or Schismaticks as the word signifies And the great Reason why this great Rule and summe of Christs Message or Gospel was no more believ'd by the Pharisees than now by our modern Pharisees or Schismaticks called now modern Orthodox is because the heart of this people is waxed fat and their cars are dull of hearing and sâ—…eng they see and not perceive and hearing they hear and not understand They say they believe Gospel show them Mat. 7. 12. and ask them if they believe that that Rule before their eyes is the summe of all and they 'l rail presently at you and cry out good works good works the man presses us to good works and merit Popery Arminianism and Manwaring They say they believe St. Paul's Epistles to be God's word shew them 1 Cor. 13. 1 2 3. and the rest of the Chapter and ask them do you believe that your Preacher you so cry up for a precious man when he tells you of incomes and experiences and getting of Christ is a meer empty Kettle a meer canting jugling noise a meer feign'd new-coyn'd sound if he does not preach up good works and charity to you all contain'd and included in doing as you would be done by They will presently fly out in rage and wrath against you saying you rail at Gods Ministers God ways and Gods people and look upon all you say as prophane and coming from a prophane and loose spirit Though with never so much meekness you entreat them to take heed how in so saying they blaspheme God and his holy spirit who says altogether so much as I have said in that first vers Though I speak with the Tongue of men and Angels and have not charity I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling Cimbal that is a meer empty Kettle sound and noise yet they see this with their eyes and yet will blaspheme and will not believe Tell them further that this precious Preacher does not yet speak with the tongue of an angel let his whinings and snivellings and gruntings and groanings be never so tuneable they will not believe you but when for the good of their immortal souls you bid them beware of the juggle and take heed they be not cheated with new-coyn'd and feigned words meer Canting as Gypsies that have a peculiar dialect and phrase of their own Yet then they will revile you rendring you hatred for your good will slandering you in blaspheming Christ and the truth you declare to them and think all this while they are lying standering and railing you which is far from Charity that they do God good service and vindicate precious men Ask them further whether those be not â—…eigned fictitious new-coyn'd words as the Apostle St. Peter says false prophets make merchandize or make good markets with through covetousness which the Holy-ghost in Holy Scripture uses not and which Gods Holy word is not acquainted with and they will confess that they must be new-coyned and feigned by false prophets and juglers if not coyn'd there by the Holy-ghost But then say these expressions viz. incomes get experiences look over your experiences get Christ and the indwellings of the spirit such like many hundreds of them produc'd with a wonderful long whine and twang are neither the words of the Holy Ghost Prophets Christ or his Apostles and therefore are feigned words which these spiritual merchants get money with as Gypsies do by Cantting and Singing And they will blaspheme and rail at you though you say no more than St. Peter has done and though they cannot find one such new-coyn'd word in all the Bible Is not the heart of this people hardned and seeing they do not see they will not see nor perceive but like the Pharisees look upon all your reproof to be a reproach to them and the ways of God They cannot be converted because not convinced they are not convinced partly by reason their Preachers are not faithful to their souls but instead of shewing them the
when Gods Commandments seem to justle for precedence and strive for the place As they often do and no man can truly fear God and obey him as he ought that understands not these Laws of Honour and rules of Precedency We cannot err when our Saviour is the guide and leads us the way I 'le instance in a few cases for example The Pharisees of old just like our modern Pharisees in their modern Orthodoxy were marvellous men for the worship of God and Gods day of worship the Sabbath-day Oh the Sabbath-day and then for prayers long long prayers sacrifice and indeed for all the worship of God prescribed in the four first commandments who but they Good very good thus far who can otherwise think but that these who are so much for God and his glorious worship should be Gods own People the Godly Party and Almighty God as much for them Who dare check them lest he seem thereby to fight against God Who dare speak against their ways lest he seem to bid heaven battail and speak against Gods ways The Lawyers amongst them who were the chief Preachers took it wonderful hainously that even our blessed Saviour himself should dare to reprove them and when he made so bold as to do it they took it as a very high affront Thus saying thou reproachest us also us also and reproachest not reprovest but reproachest us also taking for granted that to reprove was to reproach them Yet for all this in the first Sermon our Saviour makes he assures his Auditory That except their righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees they should in no wise enter into the Kingdom of God What Would not the worship of God in his own way bring them to God No. Would not a zealous and holy keeping Gods holy day bring them to God No. Would not the being cry'd up for the most pure and godly party bring them to God No. Would not prayers many and long and good too and preaching many Sermons and full good and Orthodox and saving Truths bring them â—…o God No Yet our Saviour gives them his Testimonial that they did not only preach well but also nothing that was ill whatsoever they bid you observe do And to give those Pharisees their due they did not only go Heaven-wards but they did far over-go many of our Pharisees and Preachers Heaven-ward For the Pharisees sat in Moses's chair preached Truth and nothing but the Truth whereas Bind your Kings with chains and your Nobles with fetters of Iron This honour have all the Saints Curse ye Meroz c. and many other good Truths were miserably wrested you know by many nay most of our godly Party that pretended above all others to fear God on purpose to dishonour the King But I lay not the stress upon that but granting that any man preaches and prays keeps Gods holy day and worships him how divinely truly and sincerely soever yet all this exceeds not a Pharisee nor shall ever bring him to the Kingdom of God Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name cast out Devils Depart from me saith our blessed Lord I know you not What not know thine own Preachers prophesying in thy name and such as have prayed too Lord Lord No. I know you not saith he why Ye are workers of iniquity Workers of iniquity Who are they or rather who are not so In respect of the first Table the four first commandments the Pharisees of all men living were not so workers of iniquity And in respect of the four first commandments such as prayed and preach'd in Christs name stood for the Lords worship and consequently Gods times of worship and the Lords-day were of all men living the least workers of iniquity Therefore since Christ knows not these there is a greater thing than Gods worship awanting and which is the one thing necessary and what 's That Our Saviour tells us in the same Sermon even to do to others as we would they should do unto us for this is the Law and the Prophets Mat. 7. 12. That is to say The summe and great design of the Law and the preaching of the Prophets have all but this one scope and end to prevail with mankind to keep the second Table or six last commandments which do more particularly direct us how to observe this great general rule Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them So that as food and â—…ayment is for the preservation of the body Preaching Gods holy word Prayers keeping days holy and all the worship of God whatsoever has but one main scope and end even to make men good good to our own bodies and souls by temperance and sobriety good to others by demeaning our selves peaceably justly and mercifully one towards another as we are particularly directed in the six last commandments Which six last Commandments God himself our blessed Saviour and the Prophets and Apostles do therefore prefer much above the first table and four first Commandments in so much as the end is more noble than the meanes to that end as the life is more than meat and the body than rayment meat and rayment being but the meanes designed for that great end namely the preservation of the body and life Therefore as he that clothes himself with rayment how good warm soever it be and presently throws it all off again and he that eats and eats and eats and either presently vomits it up again or that the meat Lienterically pass through him without alteration and digestion must needs be starved so he that takes in never so much of spiritual food and digests it not according to the great design and end for which God sent it namely to observe the six last Commandments that is to be good to himself and others he must needs have a ruin'd and starv'd soul. The Doctrine how wholesome soever being worthless for want of the use and these great Sermon-mongers are at best but the great-eaters the spiritual Maynards and Wood of Kent Mr. C. of Norwich W. B. of Yarmouth For can all our worship of God prayers praises and preachings observing Lords-days and Sacraments profit God Is he the better for them Job 35. 7. 8. If thou be righteous what givest thou him or what receiveth he of thy hand Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art and thy righteousness may profit the son of man but cannot profit God Therefore when Almighty God first promulgated his sacred Laws he tells his people wherefore he ordered them to keep his Commandments Deut 10. 13. even for their good not his own And excellently does his Prophet Micah tells us to this purpose the great duty of man Micah 6. 6 7 8. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and how my self before the high God Shall I come before him with burnt-â—…fferings c. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord
Ceremonies of true Religion the true Religion it self and Gods holy Sion but yet the Governours in the City will watch over thee punish thee and keep thee off because thou art an enemy to the holy City to the true Religion or else thou wouldst not have overturned and trampled upon the Suburbs If you understand this you have the true notion and understanding of a Ceremony if you do not I will not further explain my self Wilt thou not suffer thy child to loll and jear with his hat on whilest thou art praying and kneeling with thy hat off though he pretend conscience for his disobedience and wilt thou not kneel then when they bid thee kneel that are thy Superiours in Church and State and be uncoverd when they bid thee be uncovered Hast thou power to enjoin Ceremonies in thy family and have not thy Superiours as much power to ordain Ceremonies in the Church Dost thou that pleadest the fifth Commandement against thy wicked disobedient son servant never plead it against thy self Dost thou say to thy son and servant you must needs be subject and that for conscience sake and dost thou never send that Scripture home to thine own heart thou that sayst a man should not steal or be disobedient dost thou steal art thou disobedient What need of Jayls or Acts of Indemnity or Uniformity Licences or Liberty Indulgence or no Indulgence It is all one to him that is of this Religion which will not suffer a man to pray and lye slander and preach fast and murder talk of incomes and getting Christ whilest he goes the way to hell There can be no Rebel-Saints of this Religion I 'll tell you in one word how truly to get Christ whilest Canters belabour you with a sound and an empty noise To get Christ is to get to Christ and there is no getting to Christ but in his own way his own way is what he taught himself for the sum of all Religion Law and Prophets Mat. 7. 12. which we have been treating of which is ready at hand always to direct thee in thought word and deed believe the Creed say the Lords prayer and the Liturgy frequent Sacraments and this is religion enough to carry thee to Heaven But you 'll say perhaps and object against me that if this be my religion why do I not practise it and again ask me whether in this Letter I have done to others as I would they should do to me that is would I be willing to be so sharply reprov'd and check'd as I sometimes check Father Grey-beard and the Canters To which I answer I not only would be content to be so us'd but if I were such a wretch to trouble and confound the Kingdom where I live with arts and methods that do tend and as by sad experience we have found have tended to blood ruine wars and desolation I would esteem him the best friend that I had in the world that could either convince me and the people seduced by me of our villanies or laugh me and them out of such fopperies by representing me and them upon the stage in as ridiculous a posture if it were possible as ever they were acted by me or them or Hugh Peters himself when multitudes of poor fools strove who should first part with their silver-bodkins and Plate body and soul for the Good Oâ—…d Cause And if it were not to do both the seducers and seduced good by this plain dealing I had not writ a word in this Letter for I know my reward from most of them is that hatred for my good will railing lying and slandering me as the worst of men and yet cannot evidence in one particluar where I have transgress'd this great rule of doing as I would be done by this ten years Which I speak not as a fool or a Pharisee to boast of for fame nor honour nor dishonour riches nor poverty good report nor evil report safety or hazard can seem to me or any that are well grounded in this religion of Christ of doing as we would be done by any thing to move me towards the least desire of applause for I know this justification of my self is the way to create great envy and great reproach against me in those that know no duty so great as the four first Commandements namely the worship of God his days Sermons mysteries discourses and disputes of their ways of worship they are full of that but yet can envy lye slander and rail and then I tell them but they believe not that all their praying hearing keeping Sabbaths are not worth a Louse nor their faith neither though it is the very words at least the sence of what they read with their eyes 1 Cor. 13. 2. only here 's the difference I speak more worthily of their prophesying and their faith than the Apostle does allow to such idle mysteries where charity is wanting for he says such a man as has the gift of prophesying understands all mysteries all knowledge has all faith without charity is nothing whereas I only say such a man's gifts knowledge mysteries and faith are not without charity worth a Louse So that I have therein out-bid the worth of them a Louse is good for something I will not tell all its vertues it is good for the Jaundice c. but all knowledge mysteries prophesying and faith without charity the Apostle makes good for nothing at all Away with mens prate of Religion and admiring this and that precious man this and that precious piece of worship when it only puffs men up makes them more proud more scornful more headstrong more cruel more bloody more rapacious greater lyers greater slanderers more malicious than they were before and more a Devil than any man in the world is Turk Jew or Cannibal Shew me not the meat but shew me the man if these people that prate of their precious heavenly food they have had in these late times have in the mean time such starv'd souls empty of all goodness but a little outside holiness and vizard of worship but are full of such horrid sins as envy malice injustice lying cheating defaming and sometimes murdering and plundering and sequestring that on this side Hell there 's no such treacherous false and unsociable villaines then by this it is evident that like Ephraim they sed upon the wind liv'd like Camelions upon air sound whineing canting feigned words and if perhaps they have cast out some one Devil of swearing or Sabbath-breaking they have entertain'd in the room seven other Devils more wicked than the former and the last state of that man is worse than the first I know with this plain dealing I stir in a nest of wasps and because I have cryed down these feigned words with which craft these silver-smiths and juglers get their wealth these dearly beloved tones and whinings that did so affect the silly women thus undervalued spoils the trade Gâ—…e me pen and ink and paper
will the juglers say this must not be suffered we must use some course speedily to blacken I say blacken the author and impair the value of his Letter or our trade is gone Join your forces up and be doing truth is strongest ye fight against your Saviour S. Peter and S. Paul to the Corinthians if you quarrel me for this come meddle then if you dare And if you do provoke me I will not only spoil the sale and market of your new-coin'd feigned words but I 'll cry down your market-day too on which you sell your empty sounds to fill your pockets Not that I am against preaching up charity and goodness and faith and hope too in order unto charity and upon the Lords day too if so be that preaching praying or worship hearing or faith doth not hinder better duties viz. works of mercy mercy to my own body to my beast to my family to my neighbour But if keeping any day of worship or performing any duties of worship hinder any of those greater duties then I sin in doing those duties of worship which hinder those greater duties of mercy Yet I say if I can do both both worship God and keep a holy day to him and also perform the greater duties of mercy then both is better God has join'd them together let not man put them asunder faith is a good grace and hope is good and charity good and preaching and prophesying knowledge and mysteries are all good it is a pity they should be parted but if we want charity we want the great accomplishment the greatest of these is charity And if any body think that I herein speak too slightly of keeping the Lords day let them know that if they think so they do but censure amiss and like the Hypocrites and Pharisees condemn me for that that was the very cause why our Saviour himself was accounted a sinner as you may see Jo. 9. 14. 16. 24. The Sabbath day and all other days were made as all things else and as all Commandments were made viz. only for the good of man not for his hurt and dammage if you will believe our Saviour The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath If my neighbours house be on fire as I am going to Church I ought to get my bucket and throw water and help to quench it for all going to a Sermon and God likes me better with my pail in my hand at that time than the Bible in my hand or a prayer in my mouth when charity to my neighbour supersedes my worship of God as being superiour to it as our Saviour tells the Pharisees upon the like occasion Mat. 12. 9. I will have mercy and not sacrifice that is not sacrifice when it hinders the greater duty of mercy And if a flood be coming down ready to flow my meadows when my Hay had need be carried away with my cart or else it will be carried away with the flood I should sin at that time if going to Church or any worship of God should prevent me from harnessing my horse and going to cart on the Lords day and my servants should sin grievously with going to Church when a work of mercy to my poor family and cattle called them another way And though our modern Pharisees and Hypocrites will condemn me herein yet they cannot tell how to confute it by Scripture nor reason and if they had known the true Religion or what this meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice they would not have condemned the guiltless I might give many other instances in making ready food in mercy to my body I mean not only necessary food to keep life and soul togethet as we vulgarly say but such food as is most convenient good hot victuals and good drink on the Lords day for watering a man's Horse and Ass on the Sabbath day is not necessary for life they will live as hunting horses often do a longer time without water but it is not convenient so to make them fast and being a work of mercy though but to your beast therefore does not every one of you think it lawful to do this convenient good on the Sabbath day That is supposing the fourth Commandment had the same force and efficacy that other Ceremonies and Types had in our Saviours time But alas the case is alter'd now those types and shadows are now of no more force than Circumcision and new Moons which in respect of Gospel discoveries are but weak and beggarly elements whereunto our modern Pharisees desire again to be in bondage and lest the hope of their gain should be gone they are wonderful zealous for the morality of the Sabbath and the morality of the fourth Commandment that yet are the most unmannerly sawcy peremptory people under the Heavens endeavouring to shew morality no where but in their market-day where they get much gain with as light frothy ware as ever was sold poor people are cheated and have a hard penny-worth of it as ever men had if they give a penny for these fictitious words such as this the ten moral Commandments and the morality of the fourth Commandment which all the art they have can never prove nor that there is since Christs death any more intrinsecal holiness in one day than another nor any more holiness in the Lords day than any other Holy-day mentioned in the Act of Parliament for that purpose wherein are these words These days shall be kept holy namely every Sunday in the year then follow all the Saints days and holy days to which the King and Parliament may adde more holy-days if they please and as they have done and as they are of humane institution can also take away some if they judge convenient Nor ought any man to keep the Lord's day in conscience or duty more than any other Holy-day And the ground of a man's keeping the Lords-day and all other Holy-days is in obedience to the fifth Commandment not the fourth Commandment Which if it were moral i. e. perpetual in their sence it is not in the power of the Church nor King nor Parliament to alter the day from the seventh to the first but all Sabbath days were like the new-moons and other Jewish festivals mere shadows of things to come but the body is Christ which being come the shadows vanish And those that zealously affect men with this Jewish conceit of keeping days c. do zèalously indeed affect men but not well nor honestly I know men are apt enough to take liberty to themselves in this licentious age to any prophaness but I deny that it is prophaness for me to dress convenient food for my self and family hot and good if I can get it on the Lords-day and Greg. does acknowledge himself and all that he knows of his party to be of this opinion herein in this one thing then we do agree and this is the first particular we have concurr'd in since we
comfortably But let J. O. and R. B. that writ Oliver's Maxims of Policy and damnable Treason and the poyson to the Antidote of his Saints Everlasting Rest together with all the Modern Orthodox and your self in the first place I should have said Mr. Greg. alleviate and take off the weight of this interpretation of Curse ye Meroz which I impose upon you and all of you put together have not Art enough to shake it off Though thus you are bereav'd of your Darling-Text that sent so many poor souls to the Devil so many thousands to an untimely and desperate end and so many millions of blood and treasure cast away and lost by your leasings and lies told so speciously upon this Text. I know I had better have stirr'd in a Hornets nest than thus to fret and anger the Modern Orthodox the Leven of whose Religion makes them waspish peevish touchy clamorous and malicious slanderers and backbiters But I am as much above the reach of their malice as above their low and base Principles and unmanlike as well as ignoble and effeminate Practices Answering a man's Arguments with a Libel upon his Person and clapping upon him such a beastly character as did the Heathens when they arrayed the Christians in Bear-skins on purpose to set their dogs at them according to their keeness either to bite or barke Let them oppose the strength of my Arguments and reasonings with answerable skill and force and then the danger is over as soon as it appears though the Cabala club for the shot as the whole Assembly of Divines did six years together with joynt and united forces to make only at last a Catechism for little children when Ball 's Catechism new printed had done the feat much better These are brave fellows for whose sakes the Government and Laws must give place and bow which way they please I know wise men know them well enough but because some look upon these Demagogues and Incendiaries as the great Lights and Luminaries against Ignorance and Atheism as Greg. suggests p. 313. I 'le but draw the picture of one of them in the pulpit and barely represent the words that a thousand witnesses yet alive are ready to depose unto as the very language of the Pulpit of Hugh Peters particularly when they gull'd the people of their souls bodies money arms and plate by their damnable doctrine from that blessed Text Judg. 5. 23. Curse ye Meroz It had been happy for England the King Parliament people and themselves too if they never had preach'd nor ever should be suffer'd to preach on any other Text than Matt. 7. 12. And because their Pulpit Buffonery on so sacred a Text as Curse ye Meroz was all drolling stuffe I have suffered my Muse to make use of her Rhime but not her Fancy in this Pourtraicture in which I can plead no propriety other than the Chronologer does in the villanies of Wat Tyler or Jack Straw the bare Historical relation I neither have nor can claim any right or share to this representation and interpretation of that sacred Text nor this following Seâ—…mon of Hugh Peters thereupon more than he that writ Sermon-notes after him to which I have added only the Rhime and abridg'd Hugh Peters idle Tautologies and some slovenly as well as prophaner expressions unworthy my pen. The Historical relation and dress is mine own but the Buffoonery is well known to be the Pulpit stuffe of Hugh Peters in many Congregations thwack'd full all the Kingdome over to listen to that prophane Hocus and paid him well for his pains They shall have it therefore as freely as ever it was mine they have bought it and paid dear for it therefore do I give it them put it in print for them that keeping it by them they may yet have something for all the Plate Thimbles and Bodkins the poor fools gave him with such a liberal hand I am sure I deserve more for representing it in Droll but they 'l be far enough before they 'l give me so much as one silver spoon for my pains or perhaps so much as thanks which is all I look for or need I thank God though my design is purely for their good and to show them their folly and madness in so desperate a cause to throw away their estates body and soul for such foppery as Hugh Peters's Sermon upon Judg. 5. 23. Curse ye Meroz Represented like it self in this Drolling Pulpit-stuff HId in these words it plain appears Lie men and arms 'gainst Cavaliers I see them clear as any thing Both Foot and Horse against the King Couchant I grant Perdue they lie Nor seen indeed by Carnal eye Because they lie in Ambuscade But ready are for a Parade Arm'd Cap-a-pee and One and All To come when we do beat a Call Drum-Major I on Pulpit Drum Am therefore now beloved come With Bible in Geneva Print To turn up All this Text has in 't In which two Parts at least I câ—…unt Here 's Gerazim there 's Ebal Mount Here lies the Blessing there the Curse Take you the better parâ—… the worse Is good enough for Cavaliers And such as dare not shew their eares As Round-heads do in good Old Cause For Liberty Religion Laws For which who dies is cursed never From which who flies is cursed ever For which who dyes is blessed ever From which who flyes is blessed never Since I was with you last I 've been To tell you Truth in Hell and Heaven You 'l say perhaps it is a great way Yet to the first it is a neat way And to be found out very easie And down-hill all way to 't an 't please ye Nor is 't far off ye may come to 't In one day though you go on foot And Bare-foot withâ—…ut shooes or hose Of all days in the week I chose The Sabbath taught by Master Gurney To speed the better in my Journey For one may preach and cant and pray Yet never be out of the way When I came there who do you think I spi'd as I stood at Pit's brink Except the Cavaliers not one And only one Committee-man With Sequestrators three at th' door Only condemn'd for being poor And baâ—…king of a Bishop's land Sentenc'd for ever there to stand My foot stood just at brink of pit A little more I 'd been in it Truly I durst not come too near As I good reason had to fear Long Prayers there are no assistance I therefore still did keep my distance And loth to stay the fiends to shun Like Hâ—…re before the Hounds I run And I though fat away did hie To see what I in Heaven could spie And to that purpose I did gather In Arabs a great Phoenix feather To fly withall a pretty thing Daedalus ne're imp'd such a wing Resolving with my self to flie Above the Clouds and starry skie Hoping the better to get in Because my name-sake is in Heaven St. Peter at the door yet I Thinking
on 't better â—…th to fly So high a Pitch had cause to fear I never should find entrance there On that acount but was to blame Peter was not my Christian name Besides I fear'd St. Peter should Owe me a Grudge because I would Often for which I now am vext Make a holdsally from my Text Against the Pope who is alli'd To Peter by the surer side Fearing success and loth to climb I put off 'till some other time The Journey I desisting then Can tell you no great News from Heaven Therefore I 'l keep me to my Text That with some dâ—…ubts is much perplext But I 'l resolve All out of hand And first in order as they stand Curse ye Meroz What is Meroz Some Infidel will not come near us Nor to us will Horse and Arms bring But rather send them to the King And go himself and men to boot But for the Cause not stir one foot This is that Cursed Meroz that To th' Parliament will send no Plate But from us if he can will lock it And keep his money in his Pocket So much for that Another word There is to clear Help of the Lord. Help of the Lord What 's that Lord Bishop Or House of Lords Not so I hope Nor Lórd Newcastle nor Lord Goring With whom the wicked go a whoring Help of the Lord is One and All Help the Lord Essex General But that 's not All for moneys are The Nerves and Sinews too of War For Powder must be had for Gun We had as good else ne'r begun If the Red-coats have not their Pay They 'l from their Colours run away Nor will they willing be to die Nay and perhaps may mutinie For want of Pay where are we then We may go hang our selves for men Except we money have The Gold Must here be found as I 'l unfold Help of the Lord then is Dear honeys Help the poor Red-coats with your moneys Down with your Dust then come be nimble Plate Bodkins Tankards Spoon â—…r Thimble All these then as if at a stand And into pocket putting his hand All these like Barber's Teeth being strung On Red cloth ready as they hung Holding forth said all these good People From Colchester St. Peter's steeple Are all clear gains and I assure ye As many more I got at Bury Then lest the people should discover His sleight of hand and so give over Finding the Juggle out and mock it He put his hand in th' other pocket As feeling for some other strings But in the interim flyly flings His right hand into th' left behind And then the better them to blind His hands met under 's cloak in brief As the receiver with the Thief He held it out then to be seen As if some other string 't had been And said This other string of Plate I from the Wives of Ipswich got The Butcher's Wife did freely give All the poor soul had I believe I got all to her very Plackit And can have more still when I lack it Help of the Lord then is Dear Coneys Help us dear Petticoats with moneys List for I hear this Text plain lie Fine Ends of Gold and Silver crie Beggars must be nâ—… chusers whether Silver broken or whole bring 't hiâ—…her Good Wife or Wâ—…nch the Widows mite Oliver C. shall you requite If you 'l not credit what he saith I 'l give you then the Publick Faith Methinks I hear the Proverb started A fool and 's money is soon pâ—…rted That Proverb does belong to those That part with money to ouâ—… foes Help who the King No. Nosuch thing Help Parliament not Help the King When we say King and Parliament The Parliament alone is meant So much for this time then I say Desiderantur Caetera By this you have heard how the juggle has been done the story is good because 't is true and thousands to this day witness it to their cost to the loss of their goods plate and estates and which is more to the loss of the bodies and souls too it is too probable of their dear relations Was the holy word of God ever before in any age or Kingdom so vilely abus'd by such abominable wrestings and interpretations and to such base and bloody ends and designs as by these Peters Owens Marshals Baxters c. are not these worthy cares for the Fathers of the new Church of modern Orthodoxy are not these within an inch and a half at least as bad as a Rationale upon the sacred Common-Prayer could the Devil of hell ever abuse and wrest the Holy Scriptures as these modern Orthodox juglers and Sermon-mongers have done nay the Devil to give him his due was not so impudent Mat. 4. For though he was Devil for taking the sacred word into his mouth since he hated to be reformed yet those Sermon mongers in these times were much more Devils in that particular and outvyed Beelzebub himself For He Mat. 4. quoted the Scripture truly but not fully omitting in the sixth verse of that Chapter as his children used to do in the seventeenth verse of 1 Pet. 2. the latter clause as that which made not for their turn But these children have out-done their Father in hellish craft upon those Scriptures Curse ye Meroz give them blood to drink Bind their Kings with chains and their Nobles in fetters of Iron and a hundred the like not in concealing the full sence of them as the Devil did but being more devillish and out witting Hell it self in wresting them to a quite contrary sence the Devil went not so far these modern Orthodox herein making the Devil an Ass. Are not these worthy cares Mr. Grey beard for your Learned Fathers Considering therefore these things with my self as one whose fate it was to be born and bred up in schismatical times and a factious University sucking in Schism with my mothers milk in two sâ—…nses and consequently when I was a child did as a child and was gull'd and cheated into their Fopperies as much as I must needs have been into Mabometanism if I had been born and bred up amongst the Turks whom yet I have found the honester of the two though both bad I say considering with my self when I came to years of consideration what devillish bloody and rapacious villains these Modern Orthodox Preachers and Sermon-mongers were so that Hell it self could not match them and withal considering that those people that most haunted those Preachments Sermons Lectures and Stories were above all mankind whether Turks Cannibals Indians or Jews the most false malicious revengeful slanderous envious liars cheaters treacherous bloody perfidious rapacious plunderers Sequestrators Oliverians Committee-men Gifted-men cruel Dissemblers Lovers of their own selves alone together with them of their gang covetous Boasters proud Blasphemers disobedient to Parents unthankful unholy Traitors heady high-minded Lovers of pleasures more than Lovers of God having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof c. Presently I think
seared with a hot iron that though the poyson of Asps is perpetually under their lips and they spit their venom against their Superiors yet recant not repent not nor do their tender Consciences feel any remorse or regret Thus Ver. 6. when the Post went out with the Letters from the King and his Princes throughout all Israel and Judah and according to the Commandment of the King requiring the people to Conform and not to be stiff-necked v. 8. as their fathers were but yield themselves unto the Lord so is the Law of the King and Council there called But what entertainment did the people give it This is the question at this day Truly the people were then as now some of them Conformists and some of them Non-conformists The Nonconformists were Ephraim wholly and part of the Tribe of Manasseh and part of Zebulon v. 10. The Conformists were all Judah part of the Tribe of Ashur part of Manasseh and part of Zebulon v. 11 12. Here stand the two Pparties the Non-conformists jearing and laughing and scorning and mocking at the Messengers or Ministers of the King declaring the Kings pleasure and the Law v. 10. And the Ministers were right serv'd I am sure Father Gray beard will say he would have chastised them for their worthy eares nay I fear he would have cried out ruine and desolation all Scotland and part of the Church of England c. is quite undone Here is man's Post against God's Post man's Threshold against God's Threshold Antichrist against Christ and the King's Law against the Positive words of God's Law But perhaps some will say Hezekiah though a good King yet had his faults and so might his Council too tell us not what they did but tell us how God did approve and like of what they did in making a Law against his Law who did God own the Conformists or Non-conformists can you tell us that Yes that I can 2 Chron. 30. 12. This commandment of the King and the Princes against the positive rule of God's Law being made for a good reason moving the King and his Council thereunto is not withstanding called the Word of the Lord and the band of the Lord was with the Conformists God is on our side may they say For the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the Commandment of the King and of the Princes by the word of the Lord. Thus tempting of Moses is called tempting of Christ 1 Cor. 10. 9. This I had not now urged but that Greg. and such fellows as he will take upon them to read Politick and Divinity Lectures to the World in Print when they know nothing but Modern Orthodoxy read Books and hearken to Preachers of their opinion wherein thus confirm'd they admire their Gigantick Improvements and then bid defiance like furious Orlando's to all mankind when indeed they are big with nothing but a soft pate huft and blown up with their own dear humours of self-conceit Nor do I think Governours have warrant from that instance to disannul Gods Sacraments but as to Circumstances and Ceremonies of time place habits gestures and the like according to their Judgement and necessity or conveniency moving them have an unanswerable Right Let Greg. and his Modern Orthodox men mitigate this too I fear them not nor all their snivellings and whinings which no body admires but blew and white aprons and the more ingenious Tankerd-bearers And let them consider without prejudice and in the fear of Almighty God that when the Sons of Jonadab the Sons of Rechab in obedience to him their Superiour submitted to his Humane-law in drinking no Wine nor building Houses nor planting Vineyards which certainly are all very good things and God likewise tells man that all the good creatures he made on purpose for him and his use every herb bearing seed and every tree bearing fruit commanding it should be to mankind for meat c. yet in obedience to the first commandment with promise they would not take the liberty and priviledge warranted to them by God and his Word but would obey the commandment of Jonadab their father and keep all his precepts And God did so love them for it that he blesses them for it saying Jer. 35. 18 19. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father and kept all his precepts and done according to all that he hath commanded you Therefore thus saith saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever Happy would it be for the people of England in soul and body and estate here and hereafter on earth and in heaven if they would observe these thing rather than the wily wrestings of Holy Writ by crafty Seducers that have no way to cheat the people and be admired by them but by such Artifices as cheat them of their souls too and make the Kingdom so disturbed and their followers too and the bottom of all these juglings is but to get a paltry sneaking livelyhood and a little popular applause And then must our Governours and the King in especial be therein happy too and verifie every way the Anagram of his name in Latine Carolus Stuarte Anagr. Clarus sorte tua When Nero set Rome on fire he played upon the Ho-boy all the time and laid the blame on the Christians and thus Greg. J. O. and the rest of his friends the Modern Orthodox set these three Kingdoms on a flame with a brand fetch'd from Geneva and the Covenant and yet they make themselves merry with our misery lay all the blame upon King Charles Arch-Bishop Laud Ceremonies and Imposition of the Liturgy assassinating again those two glorious Martyrs in their Honour and Innocence and endeavouring to justifie the bloody Villains that murthered them Nor must his Majesty so much as think of their bloody and unparallel'd Cruelty because Augustus Caesar's Father too was murthered and his Kinsman Henry IV. of France likewise and Henry III. and such Gentlemens Memories had their Successors and the Cabinet-Council that they let the murderers escape scot-free and if piety and good nature would move for a stricter vindication of his Fathers death yet in Policy have a care displease not the Villains as you love your Kingdoms for a sturdy Swiss and a malepert Fisher-boy in Naples overturn'd all by a basket of Apples With such stuffe as this does Father Grey-beard and his Modern Christians wipe their mouths with the whore in the Proverbs and say they have done no wickedness but all the fault is in thine own people in King Charles I. Arch-Bishop Laud Fathers of the Church Superfetations Parliaments and evil Counsellors And if I have beat all these Butt-ends of his upon his own Pate and vindicated King Charles I. his Reign from that deformity wherewith both it his Majesty and Arch-Bishop Laud are by this bold Author as falsly and maliciously as well as most unseasonably in this Juncture maligned I have my end But who this Malignant is for my part I am not solicitous nor did I ever see any man that was taken for him upon suspicion I have dealt with him all along as is prescribed in the method for cure of unruly and vain talkers and deceivers Tit. 1. 13. namely rebuk'd him as sharply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cuttingly to the quick as near as I could with honest design by such harmless incisions to let out the impostumated Quitter and prepare for his cure odi vitium non virum And now I have done and to write after him p. 325. but withall to set him a better Copy I shall think my self largely recompen sed for this trouble if Greg. and others shall learn by this Example that it is not impossible thus long to be merry and angry as he was but to be merry and angry and yet not sin by traducing the most innocent and honourable Persons dead and alive by such superfetation of Rayling as he has done I am Your servant Edm. Hickeringill FINIS Dr. Bruges
way to Heaven fill their poor heads with nothing but sound and noise and whining and feigned words and partly do they continue unconvinc'd and unconverted by reason they think they are converted already yet have as little reason to think so as if they were Turks Jews or Heathens nay I 'le maintain it and avouch to be true before God and men that I have by my own experience found more goodness more kindness more truth more honesty more sincerity among man-eaters or Cannibals in India and Turks in Arabia than amongst the best of these Professors Read Jam. 2. 14 15 16 17 20 21 22 24. Mat. 16. 27. Eph. 2. 10. Tit. 3. 8 Phil. 1. 27. Nay put in their Preachers and all into a sack together and the first that comes out shall have incomparably more pride malice wrath lying slandering and evil speaking and rejoycing in iniquity when they can hear of any faults or judgments with which any are overtaken that are not of their gang than any Turk Jew or Indian Man-eater that ever I converst with and I have converst with thousands and if these be the people of God the Lord in his mercy deliver me from them and the evil way they walk in by Companies running headlong to the bottom and end of that way eternal destruction and striving who should first come there and run the fastest as if they were afraid they should not come at the Divel in good time Whereas my Religion namely this of my Saviour in Mat. 7. 12. like the Sun in his full strength and light carryes its own evidence and speaks sufficiently for it self leading men into unerring paths bringing quietness and peace and light to mankind nor can any man walk in darkness or do any thing of the works of darkness that walks by this rule but peace must be upon them as upon the only true Israel of God no canting no hypocrisie no feigned words needs here but Righteousness and Peace embrace each other both here and to Eternity In which Religion I doubt not by Gods grace to continue all the dayes of my life for of all the Idols of the Heathens there is but one true God and of all Religions there is but one true one one Christ one way one truth one life one light and this is it Would God think you leave men a way to Heaven revealed by his Son if it were not to be found without a great many Fathers decrees of Councils Glosses Homilies Sermons infinite and as large and of as little purpose the most of them as the writings of Mr. Prin Whereas this way of Christ is soon found soon got my heart easily remembred readily applyed And if no other Text had been preacht upon this 30 years and practised England had seen no warrs nor bloodshed ruine nor rapine murder and rebellion that had almost quite destroyed us neither had the war been carryed on with a few canting words and misapplyed scriptures prating and praying seeking of God as Cromwel called it when he went to prayer with the Officers of the Army to seek God and know his mind whether he should murder the King or no whereas he had resolv'd it long before like Jezabel seeking God by prayer and fasting when the bottom and design of all is nothing but rapine and covetousness to take Naboth's life that thereby she might get the better footing in Naboth's vineyard But if this little Rule be practis'd down goes Diana of the Ephesians and the Idols fictions and imaginations of the heart of man No man could steal nor covet nor be a rebel nor disobedient to his superiors if he keep to this Rule Why because he would be loth to be so serv'd himself loth men should take away his goods his servant his daughter his wife or his lands or good name No man would be a rebel or disobedient to his superiors that is of this Religion Why because he would not endure that his servants his children and family should be disobedient unto him there would be no living no keeping house with them if they did not obey for if he command one son in seed-time to go plow and another to sow and his son or servant say nay but it is better to thrash or fan and more needful this disobedience will make them all smart for it in a little time a house thus divided cannot stand long Nay in spiritual things the master of the family calling his servants children to prayers in the morning at noon or night he will not permit a servant or a child to be hallowing and playing abroad whilst he is praying nor to lie lolling upon a couch or chair laughing and jearing with his hat on whilst he is praying and kneeling or singing of Psalms there is not a Phanatick in England will suffer this but will reprove rebuke exhort and chastise such a jearing irreverent son or servant thinks God requires it at his hands and would send judgements upon him and his family with a grievous curse if when his sons are vile he restrain them not though they tell him it is their conscience to be vile and irreverent And tell them moreover how God punish'd old Eli for neglecting to restrain his sons let them pretend what conscience they will he will likewise have the liberty of his own conscience which tells him if it be their conscience to be thus disorderly vile irreverent and disobedient it is also his conscience to restrain their vileness irreverence and disobedience and will further ask them if they were in his condition and were masters of a family whether they would be content that their servants and sons should do what they list and what was right in their own eyes and whether it is possible a house so divided can stand long This every Phanatick in England pleads to his family and brings the fifth Commandment to confirm and warrant all that he saith to them adding that it is the first Commandment with promise as the Apostle calls it that is with promise of present reward in this life even length of days whereas men by disobedience to their natural fathers or spiritual or temporal fathers in Church or State shorten their lives as the rebels Baanah and Rechab Achitophel Absalom Sheba and the rest of them in all ages Now apply this that I have said examine thine own heart call it to account seriously before thou come before Gods Tribunal to receive thine eternal Doom when it is too late to amend and try in any particular where thou disobeyest thy superiours in Church or State whether thou wouldst suffer such disobedience in thine own family First as to Ceremonies which are but the outskirts the suburbs of true Religion this one true Religion I am speaking of yet it is a sign that thou art an enemy to the City of God and holy hill of Sion if thou burn plunder or pull down the Suburbs not because the Suburbs are the City or