Cain and Abel malignity that is, enmity to serious godliness, that is, to an holy and heavenly state of heart and life : lamented, described, detected, and unananswerably [sic] proved to be the devilish nature, and the militia of the devil against God and Christ and the church and kingdoms, and the surest sign of a state of damnation / by Richard Baxter, or, Gildas Salvianus ...

Chap. I. A Lamentation for the case of the Deluded, Malignant, Militant World.

§ 1. THE depraved and miserable condi∣tion of Mankind, hath long been the astonishing wonder of the sober and inquisi∣tive part of the world: Philosophers were puzzled with the difficult questions, whence it first came? and why it is no more remedied? Christians are taught by the sacred Scrip∣tures how to answer both, by laying it on mans misusing of his free will, supposing Gods permission of his tryal and temptations; and on his resistance and rejection of remedying grace, in the degree that it is vouchsaft or offered. But still there are difficulties, and our understandings are dark, and hardly satis∣fied. And whence ever it comes, the case is doleful, and we cannot but think of it with astonishment and lamentation. When we saw an hundred thousand made dead corps by the London Plague 1665. it did not take off the terrour to know how it begun. And when we saw the City on a dreadful flame, which none could stop, it cured not the general astonishment to conjecture how it was kindled or carried on: No doubt but Hell it self pro∣claimeth that God is Holy, Wise and Iust, and

Devils and Men are the cause of their own everlasting punishment. But yet if we had a sight of it, amazement and dread would over∣whelm us. And, alas! what a Map of Hell is the greatest part of Earth? Hell is a place of Lying, Malignant and murderous, hurtful Spirits, miserable by and for their wickedness: And is not this in a lower degree, a true de∣scription of most of the Earth?

§ 2. Nineteen parts in Thirty of the Earth are Idolaters and Heathens: And do I need to say, how ignorant, wicked and mise∣rable they are? Many of them publickly wor∣ship the Devil, as Witches do with us; and he deludeth them, and appeareth in divers shapes to them, and ruleth them as he doth Witches. And those that are more civil are strangers or enemies to Christ: Six parts of the thirty are Ignorant Mahometans, de∣stroyers indeed of Heathenish Idolatry, and such as take Christ for a great and true Pro∣phet, but know him not as a Saviour, but equal or prefer a gross Deceiver, and live un∣der barbarous Tyrants who by violence keep them in the dark. The other five parts that are called Christians, alas! consist most of people bred up in lamentable Ignorance, mostly barbarous or debased by the oppres∣sion of Tyrants; such as the Moscovites, most of the Greeks, the Abassines, Armenians, and many Eastern Sects and Nations. What Ig∣norance the vulgar Papists are bred in, in

Italy, Spain, Germany, Poland, France, and other Countreys, and what enmity to true Reformation prevaileth in Princes, Priests and People; and by what Lying and Cruelty they fight against Truth, and what Inquisi∣tions, Murders and inhumane Massacres have been their powerful means, I need not use many words to tell.

And are the Protestant Reformed Churches free from fleshly, worldly, wicked men? from ignorant malignant cruel Ene∣mies to Truth, and Piety, and Peace?

§ 3. Our Kings Dominions are the best and happiest Nations on Earth. Here is most Knowledge of the Truth, and most propor∣tionably that truly Love it, and live in a holy obedience thereto, and fain would live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness, honesty and sobriety: But, alas! they must be con∣tented with their own personal uprightness and reward, and the peace of their Consci∣ences in Gods acceptance. But with men there seemeth to be no hopes of common Wisdom, Piety, Love and Peace.

We are all baptised with one Baptism; we all profess to be the servants of one God, and the faithful followers of one Christ, and to believe in one Holy sanctifying Spirit, and to believe the same Canonical Scriptures as the Word of God, indited by that Spirit; and to be of one Holy Catholick Church, which is all the Members of Christ on

Earth; and to hold the Communion of Saints: We mostly in England and Scotland agree in the Protestant Reformed Doctrine, and Sa∣craments; Our concord in profession is so great, that if some men had not devised some Oaths, Professions, Covenants, Practices and Knacks, and Engines of their own (which they dare not say, God made) to become the matter of our unavoidable dissent, they could hardly have known how to pretend any difference in religion among us, and hell would scarce have found any Cloak for malicious accusations, enmity and discord.

You shall scarce meet with a man that will not speak well of Love and Peace, and say that we must Love God above all, and our Neigh∣bours as our selves, and do as we would have o∣thers do to us. And yet is there any Enmi∣ty or Disagreement? Alas how great, and how uncureable?

§ 4. Who would think that knew us not by our Profession, but only by our Actions, but that the three Kingdoms consisted of the deadliest Enemies to each other? Of Turks and Christians; of Wolves and Sheep, that I say not of Devils and Men? Yea Turks and Christians can live together in Hungary and all the Eastern Countreys; Orthodox and He∣reticks can live together, in Poland, Helvetia▪ Holland, &c. But Protestants and Protestants cannot live together in Britain. Cities and Corporations, Countreys and Churches, i••

not Families also, are distracted in enmity and more than mental feuds and war. Guelphes and Gibelines, party against party, studying Accusations against each other, as if they were Scholars daily exercised in the School of him that is the Accuser of the Brethren. All their Learning and Wit is called up, and poured out, to render others as odious as they are able. All their power, interest, friends and diligence are used to ruine and destroy each other. No lies or perjury with some seem unlawful to accomplish so desired an effect. In all companies, the discourse and converse that should be to edifie each other in Love, and comfort each other by the hopes of dwelling together in Heaven, is ta∣ken up with slanders, backbitings, scorning, railing and plotting the overthrow of the best of their neighbours. Innocency never wants odious or scornful names: As if they were acting their part that called Christ and his Apostles, and the ancient Christians, De∣ceivers, Blasphemers, Enemies to Caesar, Ring∣leaders of Sedition, that taught men to worship God contrary to the Law. Every drunkard and wicked liver can as easily make his conscio∣nable neighbour a Rogue, or a Traitor, or a Schismatick, or an Hypocrite, as he can open his mouth and speak. And to justifie all this malice is become a virtue; hating the most religious, is Zeal for Government and Order; destroying Christs Members, is standing up

for the Church; hunting them as Dogs do Hares, or as Hawks do the lesser birds, is a meritorious work, of supererogation no doubt, and will not finally lose its reward: God is served by hating and scorning them that are serious in his service. It is Religion to make Religion odious, and call it Hypo∣crisie, and to be for that which is uppermost, and befriends their worldly Interest, and to make him suspected of Disloyalty, who is for obedience to God. Conscience, and fear of sinning, and of damnation, is the mortal ene∣my to be conquered or driven out of the Land; as if there were no quietness to be expected in mens minds, no concord in the Church, no obedience to the Clergy, or the Laws, no safety from Sedition, till Consci∣ence be silenced or banished, and men give over fearing God; or as if Christ and Caesar could not both reign, but God or Princes must be dethroned.

And O that the sacred Tribe were inno∣cent, and none of them were the leaders in such hypocritical malignity! Their Canons ipso facto excommunicate all (not excepting Princes, Parliaments or Judges) that do but say, that any of their Ceremonies, Liturgy, or Officers in Church Government, (not excepting the lowest or Lay-mens power of the Church Keys by decreeing Excommunications and Absolutions) are repugnant to the Word of God: And when they have ipso facto Excommuni∣cated

them all, they call them Separatists for not coming to their Communion: Think not the contradiction and hypocrisy incredible: read but the 5, 6, 7, and 8. Canons, and judge. They have a Law, and by their Law he is cut off from the Church or Christ, that doth but call any of these the Inventions of Pre∣lates, sinful, or say that God forbids them; And the Jail must be his dwelling till he die there, who in ten cases remaineth Excom∣municate, and doth not openly profess that he repenteth, and judgeth that to be sinless, which he is utterly unable so to judge. When we have preached seven and seven years, to perswade a Drunkard, a Liar, and Prophane swearer, an Atheist, to Repent, he liveth quietly out of the Jail though he repent not: But if a man repent not (when he cannot) of judging that God forbids such humane inventions and impositions in Reli∣gion, take him Jaylor; He that will not be for our humane Offices, Ceremonies and Im∣positions, shall not be of our Church; And when we have cast him out, we'll say, He separateth: and if he be not of our Church, he shall be in Jail; As if the Church and the Jail, would hold all the land, except his sin be such a Peccadillo as Atheism, Sadduceism, Bestiality, Hobbism, Popery, Man-slaugh∣ter, Adultery, Drunkenness, Swearing, &c. not aggravated by the crimes of breaking the

Canons in point of conformity; Or if many thousands cannot or will not come within the Doors of the Parish Church, so they will go to no unlicensed preacher, nor worship God in House or Church at all, they live quietly out of Prison. But if the mote of an Oath or Ceremony scrupled be in their eye, that eye must be pulled out (if the mote can∣not) or else the whole body be cast into their Hell. And if the Preacher be but a Candi∣date of Domination, his way is oft to call to the Magistrate to execute the Law upon such as dare presume to worship God openly, till they hold all such imposed Oaths, Covenants, Professions and Practices to be lawful: He is to make his auditory believe that such men are dangerous, intolerable persons, and that their meeting to worship God and learn their duty, is to cherish Sedition, Heresy and Schism, and that Rebellion is in their hearts; and that the Preachers that even to a thing indif∣ferent are not of their mind and obedience, are deceivers, and factious, and it is no sacri∣ledge, but a duty to forbid them to preach the Gospel. If the People dare not trust the Parson, Vicar or Curate of the Parish, (be he what he will, whom a—Patron choos∣eth for them) with the Pastoral Ordinary conduct of their Souls, or if he Preach not at all, if they go to the next Parochial confor∣mist for the Sacrament, he is to be driven home, and used as disobedient.

Through the great mercy of God while the Bible is Licensed, a Preacher in England knoweth not how to spend his hour, if he say not somewhat for Faith and Godliness, Love and Peace: And when they come down, none are so hated by some of them, as those that believe and do to their utmost what they for fashion sake perswaded them to believe and do. Their neighbours who have not a word with the Priest of any thing but this World, nor read a chapter or put up a prayer in their families, these are good and quiet neighbours; But if any seriously pre∣pare for their everlasting state, and mind their Salvation above the World, especially if he pray without-book, and dislike the ig∣norance and scandalous lives of sorry Priests, these are the dangerous troublers of the land, away with them, and give us those that trouble us not with the talk of God and of death, and Heaven or Hell, of Scripture or of Consci∣ence, and that scruple nothing that we would have them say or do. If such pray, it is but in hypocrisy; If they go to hear any other Preacher, it is in faction. If they speak any words to God which are not written down for them to read, they sawcily prate to God and speak but nonsence; If they be earnest as knowing what they pray for, they do but whine and cut faces, and speak through the Nose, or are a pack of groaning Hypocrites. It is confest that the spirit of Adoption and

Supplication is Gods Gift; and that this Spirit taught the Bishops and Convocation in what words to pray to God: But if the most holy or learned man besides them pretend to it, and think that any may pray by the Spirits help but the Convocation, there are reverend men that will deride that Spirit or that prayer. I would at least they would let men pray by reason and the sense of their Souls necessities (as a Child will beg pardon of an offended Father,) if they will not give them leave to pray by that Spirit (which all must live by that will be saved.)

Physicians use their patients with some humanity, and will not say to him that saith, [My stomach cannot take down this Potion; I shall cast it up] You shall take it or die, or go to Prison: Or if one say, [This Pill is bigger than my Throat can swallow,] They will rather say, It shall be made less than they will cut his Throat wider to get it down. And sure the reason is because the Law doth make them Physicians to none but Volunteers, and give them no compelling power: If it did, I know not what inhumanity they might come to: For I will not believe that there is any thing in Divinity which tendeth to make men more inhumane than Physicians. I have seen Iews and others that will eat no swines flesh; And I have known many that a tast of Cheese would cast into a swound near death: And I never knew any say, you

shall eat this, or die: Nor that ever motioned the making of a Law that all men should be imprisoned, or forbidden all other meat▪ who refused to eat Swines-flesh, for fear of tole∣rating Jews.

But we have Priests too many, that will say, Take every Oath, Promise or Ceremony re∣quired of you, or preach not, nor worship God openly at all: Take me for your Pastor, or you shall have none: Hear me, or hear no man: Receive the Communion from me, or from none: Deny not the lawfulness of a Ceremony, or be Excommunicate.

§ 4. And is it now any wonder that the people say as they are taught? And these are lessons easilier learnt than a Catechism, or the Creed, or the meaning of Baptism. How quickly can a man learn to call his Neigh∣bour Whig, or Tory! Or to hate a Godly man, or in a Tavern or Ale-house to scorn them, or drink and curse to their confusion, and to say, I hope to see them all hang'd or banished out of the Land: As a Priest that knows not what Divinity or the Priestly Office is, may before he taketh many degrees, attain the ability learnedly to call his Godly Neighbours, Schismaticks, or Hypocrites or worse; So no doubt a few such Sermons, if not a Tavern, can quickly teach them that never knew what Religion is, yea that can scarce speak sense, to revile the wisest and best men, as if they were sinners against the

true Religion, if they will be serious in any true Religion at all.

§ 5. O sinful! O miserable Land! Who kindled all the hellish flames of thy maligni∣ty and mad divisions? And who continueth them, and for what? What cloven foot hath entred, and expelled concord? What Spi∣rit ruleth thee? Were it the Spirit of Christ, it would be for healing, Love and Concord; It would set men on studying to promote Love to all, even unto enemies, but much more to the most holy. It would make men zealous of good works, and if it were possible as much as in them lieth to live peacebly with all men, to bless those that curse them, to pray for those that hate and persecute them, forbearing and forgiving one another, even as God for Christs sake forgiveth us. It would teach them while they have time to do good to all men, but especially to them of the houshold of Faith; Mens hearts would be constituted of Love: It would become a nature in them. Their Speech and Converse would be the Savoury breath of Love: Their dealings towards all men would be the works of Love: Their sharpest reproofs would be but to do the sinner good.

But alas another Spirit hath possessed thee which rageth and teareth thee; and is blind and deaf; It calleth for Fire from Heaven, and it kindleth a fire of Hell: And sure his name is Legion; for there are many. It

passeth under the names of Wisdom, and Ha∣tred of some evil: But it must needs be Earth∣ly, Sensual and Devilish, for it is neither Pure, nor Peaceable, Gentle, or Merciful and Impartial, but foameth with bitter envy and strife, unto confusion and every evil work: And yet thou knowest not what manner of Spirit thou art of.

Is it God that setteth rulers and people a∣gainst each other. Doth he divide his own Kingdom, against it self, when he tells us that the Devil will not do so by his. Is it God that sets the parts of the same body in a ha∣tred and War against each other? As if it were the interest of the nobler and the Ser∣vile parts to weaken or destroy each other? And it were an addition to the health and welfare of the one, which is gotten by Con∣quest from the other? Is it God that mak∣eth people despise or dishonour their lawful Governours, or any Rulers to hate the best Subjects, and desire more to be feared than to be loved, and rather to have power to do hurt, than actually to do good? Is it God that sets Corporations, and Churches and Neighbours and Families, in a state of Ma∣lice, Vexation, Strife, and a kind of War against each other? Doth the Spirit of God indite the malicious Pamphlets, which exer∣cise the utmost of Wit and Hatred, to de∣stroy▪ Love, and to call the Nation into the Devils Camp, by mutual hatred to live as

Enemies, and Fight against the Lord and the ways of Peace. And if any endeavour a re∣conciling healing of our wounds, it's turned into scorn, and his healing motions are re∣presented as the grand causes of division; and to beg for peace is heinous Schism, and next Rebellion against the Church, and a crime sufficient to forfeit that mans Peace and Reputation: And he that tells men of the only possible terms of Concord, is made the chiefest cause of discord. To serve and worship God no otherwise than Peter and Paul did, and than God prescribeth is enough to render us unworthy to live on English Earth? And if England may not suffer such, why should any other nation suffer them? There are men that keep holy days for St. Peter, and St. Paul, and dedicate Churches to them, and their bellies are maintained at Dives rates, and their Wealth and Revenues and Grandure held up, by that which is dedi∣cated to these Churches, (and to alienate any of this superfluity from their flesh were worse Sacriledge than to cast out and silence a thou∣sand faithful Preachers;) And yet if St. Paul were a Preacher now in France, Spain, Italy or England, and would worship God but as he did when he was on Earth, and would not swear, say and do as much more as the Bishops Canons bid him, I think we should again hear those words, Acts 22. 22. Away with such a fellow from the Earth, for it is not fit

that he should live (here:) Unless he wrought miracles to convince men: And whether those would prevail is a doubtful case; or whether he would not pass for a Deceiver and Fanatick.

§ 6. As in times of War, all broken, beg∣garly and idle fellows, turn Souldiers, as the easiest trade to live by, and are never after good for any other trade, but to kill and rob men; So the Love-killing Regiments, have for∣saken other trades, and this is like to put down all. Booksellers complain that they can fell few Books but News and Scorning or Invective Libels. And what is the sub∣ject of our (formerly weekly and now daily) News Books? Why, they tell us that such a City or Corporation are altogether by the Ears as Enemies, some choosing one Mayor and some another; Some called Whigs, and others Tories; Some seeking the ruine and Blood of others, and some hardly escaping the power of false Witnesses and Oaths! One Jury acquitting a man whose life is sought, and another condemning him▪ In such a Town or City so many find, and so many distreined on, and so many crowded into Jails, and such and such Preachers cast into Prison, and such a one dead there, for pray∣ing to God and openly worshipping him without-book, or by no book but his own. In such and such a Country the people prose∣cuting each other on such accounts, and

some flying into other parts, and some into America to seek that peace among Savages and Wolves, and Serpents, in Wildernesses, which they could not have under sacred Pro∣testant Prelates and their Clergy. In France the poor Protestants hunted like Hares, nei∣ther suffered to live at home, nor to flie naked to beg their bread in other Lands; and all this for the concord and peace of the holy Catholick Church; a pattern so wor∣thy of imitation, that even such excellent men as Grotius think, that it's worth all ha∣zards, labour and cost, to reduce England and the Lutherans to the French-Church-Con∣sistence, and to silence and ruine all as Cal∣vinists that are against it. From Hungary we must read, how the persecuted Protestants, after their utmost suffering and patience, are fain to call in Turks to save them from the cruelties of Christians. And that those parts that are under the Turks have far more prosperity and freedom in Religion, than those that are under the Emperor & Papists.

And Protestants under them are kept in co••••••••al fear, as knowing that it is their Law and Doctrine that Princes are bound to do their best to exterminate or destroy them, on pain of Excommunication, Depo∣sition and Damnation•• And remembring the Inquisitions, the Piedmont, French, Dutch, Irish, &c. Massacres: So that they are brought to this hard dilemma, Chuse whether

you will be Dead men, or be proclaimed Rebels. If whole Countreys will not lie down and die patiently without self-defence, they are odi∣ous Rebels.

These and such other are the subjects of our News-books, which have broken the poor Booksellers, who were wont to live by selling Books of Learning, and of practical Divinity. And too many Preachers are fain to be short as well as formal in their Ser∣mons for Christian Love, because they spend so much time in Preaching up hatred and destruction. Were there but any Art that could devise any Engine that could reach the heart, and turn it into the hatred of those that never did them wrong (as they say some Philters and Charms will make men mad with Love;) Or if any Apothecary had an effectual Medicine against brotherly Love▪ I doubt these would become the most accu∣stomed Shops and prosperous Trades in all the City: But for want of such, some Pul∣pits, Printers Booksellers, Clubs, Drinking-houses, and Play-houses (to pass by fouler) must serve the turn. But if God have not mercy on the Land by restraining them, Gunpowder-makers, Gun-smiths, Sword∣sellers, Souldiers, Swearers and Executio∣ners, will swallow up most other Trades in the Land. It's worth enquiry whether in foresight of this, they set not their Sons to such Trades as these, or Apprentices to such

Lawyers as are best at preparative Accusa∣tions, and have learnt Tertullus's Art: Or to such Schools and Tutors as can teach them the Learning of Zedekiah, and the four hundred Prophets, 1 King. 22.

§ 7. And all this is the more unexcusable and lamentable, because they came but late∣ly out of the fire, which this same malig∣nant Spirit kindled; The very same causes cast the three Kingdoms into dreadful Flames and Blood. The Histories of the bloody murder of many hundred thousands called Albigenses, Waldenses and Bohemians, in Piedmont, Germany and elsewhere, and of the Netherland cruelties, the Spanish Inquisition and Invasions, the murder of thirty or forty thousand at once in France, and of two of their Kings, the Powder Plot here, as well as the Bonefires in Q Marys days, and much more their Councils and Doctors de∣fending and commanding such usage of Pro∣testants, did set all our Parliaments one af∣ter another into a vehement unwillingness to be so used, and to fall into their hands that will do it if they can: And when the evil Spirit had raised cross interests and distrusts between King and Parliament, the Papists seeming to be for the War and King, and suddenly murdering in Ireland no fewer than two hundred thousand, and pretending the Kings Commission, and threatning the like in England, affrightned the People into the

Army, after raised by the Parliament. And though I think all that War in England kill'd not the fourth part so many as the Papists had murdered in Ireland; yet so dismal and odious was it, and had so direful an end, as loudly told us how bad the causes and be∣ginnings were. Few parts of the Land were free from spoil, plunder and poverty; yea or from terrible Sieges and fields of blood: English-men labouring to destroy each other, and some hiring Forreigners to help them: And Lads running from their Parents to be as Apprentices to the Man-killing Trade. Counties were against Counties, Cities against Cities, Neighbours against Neighbours, single persons flying from Men as from Bears and Tygers, as after in the Plague-time, afraid of almost all that they met. And at last the very Armies falling out among themselves: The first raised for the Parliament, were mastered by a second Party, that brought in (as Auxiliaries) a new Imposition; and that Party after mastered and cast down by a third that brought in a new Cause; and that pre∣vailing, pulling down their Masters, an Usur∣per odiously destroying the King, and setting up himself with another Title, and subduing and ruining those that were against it, even both the Parties that began the War: And yet when he was dead, to shew the World what divisions can do, that same Victorious, Rebellious Army, fell all into pieces by its

own discord, and was totally dissolved as by a miracle, without one drop of blood that ever I could hear of; and the Victorious leaders many of them hang'd, drawn and quar∣tered, and their heads and quarters hang'd up on the City Gates.

And would not one think that a Nation of men in their wits, should after so long and sad experience of the mischiefs of hatred and division, be willing of the reviving of Love and Concord, and hate all motions of dividing any more? But alas, they hate them that would heal our wounds; and if any one lay on a healing Plaister, there are hands too many both Lay and Clergy, ready with rage to pull it off, and yet it's all on pretence of healing us, that they will not suffer us to be healed; for the way of peace they have not known. Unhappy Surgeons, that know no Balsom but Corrosives and Distilled Vine∣gar, yea no way of healing but by dismem∣bring, even the usefullest members of the Body. Having learned of the Romish Leeches that live on blood, when they are for ex∣hausting the vital Stock, and cast the King∣dom into a Palsy or Marasmus, they tell you it was all but corrupt or haemorrhoidal blood, and the loss of it necessary to cure the mad∣ness of the Land.

The beginning of some reconciliation be∣tween the first contending Parties, began to flatter us with the hopes of Restored Love

and Quietness: Secret consultations prepared the way: Lords, Knights and Gentlemen, Print their Protestations for Oblivion and Re∣conciliation, and against Revenge. Hereupon those that by Land and Sea, in the three Kingdoms had fought against the King, re∣store him: The land rejoyceth in the smiling hopes of reviving Charity and Concord: The King chiefly causeth these hopes by his Declarations and Act of Oblivion, and speci∣ally his healing Gracious Declaration about Ecclesiastical Affairs. The house of Com∣mons and the City Ministers give him thanks for it: Who would have thought now but such Experience, such Protestations, such Obligations, such Authorities should have put the whole Kingdom into a longing de∣sire to perfect the work of Love and Peace? But it proved clean contrary: Some had other things in their Heads and Hearts; outlandish Fashions, especially French, have long been the Badge of English folly! There are men in Spain that trade much in the fire, and Queen Mary brought the trade into England: There are men in many other Forreign Lands, who are so devout that their Canons and Religion rule their appetites; And they love no meat like a Carbonado'd Protestant, nor are pleased with any Perfume or Incense so much as with the smell of a rosted Saint, first call'd a Heretick or Schismatick: Like the Roman Tyrant that gloried in the sweet∣ness

of the smell when he smelt the stink of the Carcasses which he had laid to dung the Field. And there were men abroad that learnt these Fashions, and Contracted such a familiarity and Love to Forreigners, as that for obtain∣ing Union with them, all the Divisions, Distractions and Calamities of England and Scotland, are not thought too dear a Sacri∣fice: And as some Sons of Nonconformists must be doubly virulent to expiate the guilt of their Original sin; So some English men must like Sampson and David, bring double Testimony of their real enmity to the Phi∣listines, from their Skins, before they can be trusted abroad as real reconcilers: And they say that there are some things that will be closely united, by no cement so well as by humane blood. Doubtless the Gospel as used in English, and Preached by true Protestants, (such as the Pseudo-Bellamie in Philanax Anglicus hatefully calleth Protestants off Since∣rity,) goeth not with many beyond Sea, for the same Gospel which they believe. And therefore no wonder if the Preachers of it be unpleasing to them; and he that will please them, and unite with them, must si∣lence or oppose those that they would have to be silenced and disgraced. And some think that Union with many Kingdoms of Christi∣ans, which call themselves the Catholick Church, is much to be preferred before the Love and Concord of a hated party in our

Island. And as Dr. Saywell (the Master of a Colledge and Bishop Gunnings Chaplain) saith (to prove that there is a Universal Le∣gislative and Judicial power in the Clergy, over Kingdoms as well Persons;)

[If more persons or particular Churches give offence by Heresy, Schism, &c. The CHURCH UNI∣VERSAL, or the rest of the Bishops may reprove them for it, and then there is no Reason why one man should be censured and many should go free, and consequently our Saviour hath established the Authority of his Church over all Christians as well particular Churches as private men: Churches of Kingdoms and Nations have a SOVE∣RAIGNTY over them to which they must yield obedience, Isa. 60. 12. The Nation and Kingdom that will not serve thee, shall perish: yea those Nations shall be utterly wasted, pag. 343.

Though Kings have no Civil Universal So∣veraign over them but Christ, yet it seems all the world both Kings and Kingdoms have an Ecclesiastical Soveraignty over them all: Communion of equalls and Christian Counsel and Reproof is not enough, such as all Neigh∣bour Princes may use towards one another; Nor the denial of such Communion to the uncapable! But all Kings and Kingdoms must be under one Church Soveraignty, which hath a Legislative & Judicial power over them all, to excommunicate, absolve them, &c. And how much more in ordine ad Spiritua••ia the com∣mon exposition of Ecclesiastical Power tells

you: As experience long told many Kingdoms what the Excommunicating of a King, and In∣terdicting a Kingdom the worship of God, do signify towards their Dethroning or Invasion.

And all this must be done, not as for the Pope, but under the name of a General Council, and the poor Pope shall have no power but, say some, to call that Council, and call it General when there is no such thing, and preside in it, and rule us as chief Pa∣triarch and St. Peters Successor, in the Inter∣vals of General Councils (that is, continually) and that not Arbitrarily, but by the Laws of the Church or Councils, (and no mortal man can tell which those Authorized Legislative Councils are, among the hundreds of erro∣neous or contradicting ones.) So that Po∣pery in England is an abhorred thing; for it is nothing with some but the Popes absolute Government of the whole Church, as without or above Laws and Ecclesiastick Parliaments.

And can you reconcile all this to our Oath of Supremacy, and the Canons that establish it, renouncing all forreign Iurisdiction? Yes easily, we have been told it meaneth only forreign Civil Iurisdiction which belongs to the King, and not forreign Ecclesiastical Iuris∣diction, (which is all that the sober Popes do claim, save indirectly in ordine ad Spiritualia) To Command a Nation on pain of Excom∣munication and Damnation (according to di∣vers Councils) to renounce their Allegiance

to their Excommunicate Prince, and to de∣pose him and set up another, is no act of Ci∣vil, but of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, which yet hath dethroned Emperours and over∣thrown Dominions.

And saith A. Bishop Laud (in Dr. Stil∣lingfleet's defence of him, p. 540. [It doth not follow, because the Church may err, therefore She may not Govern. For the Church hath not only a PASTORAL Power, to Teach and Direct, but a PRETORIAN also, to controul and censure, &c. And for external obedience to General Councils when they err, [Consider whe∣ther it be not fit to allow a General council that honour and priviledge which all other Great Courts have: Stillingfleet, p. 534.]

So that instead of a Council of equals for concord (as Princes use for peace with their neighbours,) We have an Vniversal Soveraign Court set up with Pretorian Power, to make bind∣ing Laws, and pass Iudgment to all the Chri∣stian World, and (say some) They are Schisma∣ticks that obey not these Vniversal Laws, and obedience to them, and suppressing all forbidden As∣semblies for Gods worship is the only way to Chri∣stian concord.

And where this forreign Jurisdiction is made of such absolute necessity, that with∣out subjection to it by Kings and Kingdoms, there is no concord to be had, nor any avoid∣ing of the guilt of Schism, what wonder if some can wish that silencings, reproaches,

ruines, and confusions may be thought no dear price to obtain an universal union; for which Christ and his Law are insufficient. They that have read Grotius, Cassander, Baldwin, Hoffmeister, Erasmus, A. Bishop Laud, Dr. Heylin of his Life, Bishop Sparrow, A. Bishop Bromhal and the Prefacer Bishop Par∣ker, Thorndike, Bishop Gunning and his Chap∣lain Dr. Saywell, and such others, and against them all have read Dr. Isaac Barrow of the Supremacy against Thorndike, &c. may under∣stand where our difference and danger lyeth.

§ 8. And is Englands self destroying dis∣ease uncureable! God hath in wonderful mercy given us peace from forreign Enemies? And is there no hope of prevailing with English men to live together in peace? Must that of Isa. 49. 36. be our case, to eat our own Flesh, and be drunken with our own Blood as with sweet Wine? Alas, no counsel, no petitions, no tears, no experience, no judgments of God by Plagues and Flames, have hitherto one jot prevailed; But the Ulcer of mens minds grows more and more putrid and malignant!

Two ways are by some proposed: First that all the Consciencious worshippers of God in the Kingdom, should bring their judgments to a full conformity, in every par∣ticular to their rulers: Whenas first they cannot tell us who these must be: some say to the King or Law? Some say to the Bi∣shops in a National Convocation: Others

say, to the foresaid forreign universal Sove∣raignty of General Councils, (with the Pa∣triarchs.) If the first be the way, what King∣doms must it be in? Is it no where but in Britain? Or also in France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Poland? And must there be as ma∣ny Religions as Kings and Laws will make? And how far must this go? And where must we stop? Must Kings choose us a God? Or chuse whether we shall have any God, any Christ, any Bible, any worship of God, and so any Heaven?

If it be the Bishops that must be the common rule of our Religion, what Countreys and Ages doth this rule serve for? Was it the rule where Princes and Prelates were Arians, or Nesto∣rians, or Eutychians, or Monothelites, or Pa∣pists? Is it the rule now in France, Spain, Ita∣ly, &c. Or was it so in the Popes Catholick Church, from An. 700 till the Reformation.

If it be General Councils, I am weary of re∣peating the Proofs that there never was one, nor ever is like to be one, or ought to be. If it be an European Council, who shall call them, and who shall judge whether it be equal, and so far General? And are not the greater num∣ber of European Bishops known Papists? And will they not then be the Major Vote? And so we must be as bad as they? And if the rest of the Christian world be not bound by them (in Greece, Ethiopia, Armenia, Sy∣ria, &c.) Why are we? Is it the Council of

Ariminum, Sirmium, Milane, &c. or of Ephe∣sus 2, Nice 2d many at Constantinople, at the Laterane, at Lyons, at Florence, at Constance, at Basil, at Trent, that are our Rule! Must all that will be Catholicks and saved, hold all the Heresies, Contradictions, and Corrupti∣ons that Councils have held, and obey all their load of Canons? If the Italians, French, English, &c. are all disagreed, how many and which Councils we must obey, can all poor people know which is in the right? And hath Christ left Religion so uncertain a thing? Or so mutable that General Councils of Pre∣lates may be still increasing it? If he was the the maker of it, by himself and his Apostles, we may know more certainly where to find it: Most Christians may say, Christ we know, and Peter and Paul, &c. we know: But your Councils are too many, too voluminous, too uncertain, for us to know. But if they are such an absolutely necessary rule as you pretend, why do not teachers preach them to us daily as they do the Sacred Scriptures?

If any would come down to confine these universal Laws only to Things Indifferent, alas, must the world be confounded and divided a∣bout things indifferent? Are not things in∣different variable as Countreys and Ages are? And must the world have one Soveraignty to make Laws for them? Cannot we have Life, Liberty, Peace and Love without things indifferent? Or without agreeing in

them. Are there any two in the whole world, that are not ignorant, and that differ not about many greater matters than things in∣different? Doth he know himself, or know what a man is, that thinks all tolerated Christians must be so Skill'd in all things in∣different, which men may impose, as to know them to be such? When it is so hard to teach the people things necessary, few and plain? Alas, Lord, why must the Churches be left in such hands?

§ 9. But some have found out another remedy for our divisions; and that is, That only the Bishops shall be engaged to a For∣reign Jurisdiction, or profess the necessity of obeying them, (under the name of a Gene∣ral Council, and in the intervals, of a Col∣ledge of the Bishops of the whole world, as one Aristocracy;) And that this shall not be imposed on any Lay-Communicants, but their Consciences shall be left at liberty; Nor at the first on the inferior Clergy, till they are prepared to receive it: But only that the People obey the Priests and Prelates, and the Priests obey the Prelates and all their Governing Officers, and the Prelates only profess obedience to the Pretorian Court called, The Catholick Church. Bishop Gunnings Chaplain tells us that the Laity are not required in order to Communion to declare for General Councils. Whether they use the like Moderation in France, Spain, Germany, I

know not, viz. For the Bishops only to Profess obedience to the Pope, and the Priests to the Bishops, and the people to the Priests and Bishops. I hear they go further.

And if Conventicles (as they will call them) are also suppressed, we need not fear Religious Vio∣lence, Murder and Ruine, (upon a feared Roman Successour.) For saith the same Bishops Chap∣lain, pag 283. [For matters may be so ordered, that all Officers, Ecclesiastical, Civil and Mili∣tary, and all that are employed in Power or Au∣thority of any kind, be persons both of known Loyalty to the Crown, and yet faithful Sons of the Church, and firm to the established Religion, and the Laws that they act by may be so explain∣ed in the favour of those that conform to the pub∣lick Worship, and the discouragement of all Dissen∣ters, that we must reasonably be secure from all violence that the Papists can offer to force our submission: For when all our Bishops and Clergy are under strict obligations and Oaths, and the people are guided by them; and all Officers Civil and Military are firm to the same interest, and under severe penalties if they act any thing to the contrary; Then what probable danger can there be of any violence or disturbance to force us out of our Religion, when all things are thus secured, and the power of External Execution is gene∣rally in the hands of men of our own perswasion.]

Ans. The Dr. says well: I am of his mind in this: When they have subdued and cast out all Dissenters (as they do in France) and

the Bishops and Clergy are setled under a Forreign Church-Jurisdiction, and the People setled in Obedience to them, and all Offices Civil, Military and Ecclesiastick in their hands, I do not think they need to fear that the Papists will use violence to change their Religion, whoever reigneth.

But the Question is, whether this suppose an Vnion with all in England that are now against a Forreign Jurisdiction, or only the destruction of them, or else the forcing them to these terms? As to a destruction of them, or forcing them to such terms, surely Violence must do this. And what though the Subjects of For∣reign Power fear no Violence, are all the rest (that is, the Protestants) of the Kingdom in∣considerable? We suppose the old Church of England, and all our Parliaments since the Reformation, were against a Forreign Juris∣diction: And will it be no loss to England to destroy so many, that is, the Body of the Land?

But the Question is, Whether they may not be thus brought to concord by consent? I answer, no, unless you suppose them to be men that indeed have no Religion, and there∣fore can easily part with the bare name. For they are sworn by the Oath of Supremacy a∣gainst all forreign Iurisdiction: And put the case that the Pope and a Council, or the King of France would bring the Emperours or the Kings Army to serve him, and be at

his Command, and he would only desire that the General Officers and Colonels may be engaged to obey him, and the Captains and lower Officers to obey them, and the Soul∣diers to obey the Officers; but the common Souldiers shall be bound to no more, than this obedience to their Officers. Query, Whether all these Souldiers be not Traitors to the King or Emperour? Cromwells com∣mon Souldiers took no Commissions against King or Parliament; they did but obey their Officers that pulled down both! And were they therefore guiltless. Protestants will not thus follow such Prelates, against their Oaths, and against the known truth, and a∣gainst their duty to God and the King.

§ 10. But though it be notorious that Do∣mination and Jurisdiction be the things which cause the Papal Clergy to trouble and tear the Christian world, what is it that makes the Laity so mad, & getteth this Clergy such a mili∣tant crowd against their own Tranquillity and Salvation? It's as visible as any moral thing, that the Churches Divisions and Wars, and Miseries have about a thousand years risen, from Sa∣tans thrusting such worldly, fleshly, unholy men into holy Offices, who seek them but to serve their Pride and Covetousness, and Fleshly Appetites, and Ease, and who are Enemies at the heart to the serious obedi∣ence to Christ, which formally they preach. Christs own Apostles in their time of igno∣rance,

began to strive which of them should be greatest; of which we have recorded his sharp rebuke; which St. Peter himself did after second, in 1 Pet. 5. 1, 2, 3. in words so plain, that if his pretended Successours had not first claimed a power (as the Church) to be the determining expounders of all the Bible, they had lain under the Condemnati∣on of Christ and Peter, Naked, without a De∣fence or Cloak: But this Church-expounding authority sets them above all the Word of God, which is now but what they please to make it, and an instrument to execute their wills: And indeed it is now rather the Pope and his Prelates and Councils than Christ, that are the Law-makers to the Church: For it is not he that maketh the words only that makes the Law, but he that giveth them their sense. The words are but as the body, and the sense is the Soul of the Law. The Mi∣nisterial Church now scorn the name of Mi∣nisters, and being become Pretorian and Ma∣gisterial, they give Christ and his Spirit in the Apostles leave to make the words and body of the Scripture or Divine Law, as God formed Adams body of the dust, so that they may give it the breath of Life, and also may make far more Voluminous Laws of their own, and cut off and condemn all the Children of God, that cannot believe that it's lawful to obey them.

And though the Ignorant think that the

claim of universal Legislation and Judgment, in the universal Church and General Councils, be no Service to the Domination of parti∣cular Clergy men, no nor to any, seeing there will never be a General Council,] They understand not the mystery of iniquity, and mistake. We have English Writers that have told them, 1. That indeed Power is first given to the body, (fine doctrine for Royalists) but by the Body it is given to the Prelates to use for them. 2. That as a General Council hath the Supream power, so the Prelates under them have the Inferior Ruling power, and the executive in the intervals of Councils: 3. That as Coun∣cils represent the Church in Soveraignty, so every Bishop is by his office, the true Re∣presentative of the Clergy of his Diocess, and every Metropolitan the Representative of his Province, and every Patriarch of his Pa∣triarchate; And then are not the Patriarchs (at least with the Metropolitans,) Univer∣sal Rulers in such Intervals? 4. And the Pope is the Patriarch of the West, and hath a pri∣macy in the Church universal, and must be confest to be principium unitatis Catholicae, and say some, to be the President of Councils. 5. To which others add, that it belongs only to the president to call Councils, and to Iudg which are Lawful, without whose call they are so far from binding us, that they are themselves but unlawful Routs. And what would you have more?

But what's all this to the poor Priests? What? Why, 7. The people know not what the volumes of Councils say, and it is the Priests (or no body) that must tell it them, (both what their exposition of Scripture is, and what their own additional Laws are) without which they cannot be obeyed: so that indeed the peoples Faith is ultimately resolvedly into the authority of the Priest, who tells them what the Bishop saith, who tells them what the Metropolitan and his Synod saith, who tells them what the Pa∣triarch and his Synod saith, who tells them what the chief Patriarch and a General Coun∣cil saith, who tell them determinatively what Christ and the Scripture saith and mean∣eth.

But what's this to Councils when there are none? Yes, 8. Those that are past and gone, have left all those binding Laws by which the present Bishops as an Aristocracy must govern all the Christian World.

But are not they for Monarchy in the state? How come they then to plead for a Soveraign Aristocracy over the Catholick Church, and how come even the French Clergy to be for the power of a Church Parliament above the Pope? I cannot answer that; let the Pope and they debate it.

But I wonder that A. Bishop Laud should be for the derivation of all power from the Body, as Richard Hooker is: See Dr. Stillingfleets

Defence of him p. 544. 545. &c. [No Body collective, whensoever it assembled it self, did ever give more power to the representing body of it, than a binding power upon it self and all par∣ticulars; Nor ever did it give this power, other∣wise, than with this Reservation in nature, that it would call again and reform, and if need were, abrogate any law or ordinances upon just cause made evident, that the representing Body had fail∣ed in trust or truth. And this power no Body collective, Ecclesiastical or Civil, can put out of it self, or give away to a Parliament or Council, or call it what you will, that represents it—The power which a Council hath to order, settle and define differences arising concerning faith, it hath not by any immediate institution of Christ, but it was prudently taken up by the Church from the Apostles example.] See Dr. Stillingfleets De∣fence.

I confess that the generality of Politicians and Lawyers, Heathens, Papists and Pro∣testants go much this way, as to Civil Go∣vernment, and say that the Majestas persona∣lis is in the King or Senate, but the Ma∣jestas realis in the Body which giveth the Or∣ganical power, and on just cause may take it away. It is no honour to be singular in Po∣liticks, and I have said enough of this else∣where (Christ. Direct. p. 1.) But if it be the Body of the whole Church on Earth that must give Church Officers and Councils their power, and recal it when there is cause, if

ever the whole Christian World meet toge∣ther to vote it, when it cometh to Poling, we will give both the Monarchical and the Aristocratical Conciliar Papists three for one, to try who hath the power given by the Body. But while two or three parts do already dis∣own almost all their Councils, the case is decid∣ed. But if an old Councils Heresies, Errours or Tyranny can be invalidated only by a new one that is truly General, or a new one as Papal as the last, we confess that Trent Canons are like to be the Law, to the end of the World.

§ 11. But again, what is it that maketh so many of the Laity serve the Popish Prelates universal claim, or keep up the destructive enmity and divisions of the Christian World? A stranger would think that it were chiefly caused by some great contrariety of real In∣terests, or that one party adhered to some principles or practices, which were really hurtful to the others rights? While both were serious for Christianity. But it is be∣come by long experience notorious, that all the Christian Worlds calamitous divisions are principally from the old enmity between the Womans and the Serpents Seed, and that all is but the Prosecution of that which their first Patriarch Cain began: exemplified after in the discrimination of the Children of men and the Sons of God, and in Esau and Iacob, Ish∣mael and Isaac, and so down to the days of the

Apostles: And, saith Paul, As he that was born after the flesh, persecuted him that was born after the spirit; even so it is now. Among us it is notorious, that if we knew how to cure men of the radical Enmity of the flesh against the spirit, and of a carnal minds averseness to God and serious Godliness, the rest of our differences were never like to continue our Wounds and cruel Factions.

In Families you may hear that this is the fundamental difference. Husband and Wife, Parents and Children, Master and Servants, upon the meer account of serious Godliness, do live like Enemies, that are impatient of each other. If the Husband be ungodly, the Wife, Children or Servants that have but a care of their Salvation, are still under his restraints, or frowns, or scorns: This praying (especially if it be without Book) so much preaching and hearing; yea any serious talk of God, or Heaven, or Scripture, is a troublesom weariness to him; and he tells them, it is but Hypocrisie, or more ado than needs: If any compassionately tell him of the evil of his swearing, or tipling, or pro∣phaneness, he tells them they are precise Puritanes or Fanaticks, and worse than he. If they will needs hear Sermons, he will have them go but to some cold or ignorant Preacher, or one that will please him with a calumny or scorn at Puritans, or that will say as he doth, that this stir for Salvation,

and medling so much with Scripture and Re∣ligion, is but proud, self-conceited Fanati∣cism. In a word, it is serious Preaching, and Hearing, and Reading Gods Word, serious Praying, and Preparation for the Sacrament, serious Discourse of the state of their Souls, and Preparation for Death, Judgment and Eternity, serious fearing and avoiding sin, and speaking against the sin of others, that is the common eye-sore and trouble of the world, which they secretly hate, and cannot bear with in their Families, in their Neighbours, in Magistrates, in Ministers or People.

And because it easeth their minds by vent, and by keeping up some hopes that they may be saved without this serious Godliness themselves, they cherish a conceit that the persons that herein differ from them are as bad, if not much worse than others; and gladly hear those that slander and deride them: Such Company, such Pamphlets, such Sermons please them. And to make them odious, they have for them some contemp∣tuous, scornful Nickname; which, though it be of no signification, is as effectual as the truest charge. Among the Roman Sects, do but call a man a Heretick, or Schismatick, a Lutheran, a Calvinist, a Zwinglian; and else∣where do but call him a Sectary, a Schisma∣tick, a Puritan, a Calvinist, a Nonconfor∣mist, an Independant, a Presbyterian, a Round-head, a Fanatick, a Whig, and it serveth the

turn as well as if you had proved him a proud Hypocrite, or a Rebel. And there be among the real Schismaticks also some persons, that if you do but call a man Episcopal, a Confor∣mist, an Arminian, a Church of England man, that goeth to the Common-Prayer, they think that he must needs be a Temporizer, Graceless or Dangerously unsound.

And thus the miseries of the Land are continued and increased. But because the spirit of Cain is the Grand Incendiary, and the Enmity against serious Holiness through∣out all the world, is the principal cause of Divisions, Hatred, Wars and Blood-shed, I will here annex many Reasons which, with men that have any Reason left them, should cure this Malignant Enmity to Holiness, if men will but soberly consider them.

I have said so much to such already, espe∣cially in my Saints Rest; Now or Never; my Family Book; and a Saint or a Brute, that I cannot do this work again without repeat∣ing much that's said. But seeing all that doth not serve, and the Ulcer breaketh out more dangerously than ever, till it come to a Noli me tangere, we must continue some hope and use of means; and if we lay on fresh Plaisters of the old materials, while only New Books are by such regarded, we are bound to do our best: It is but so much labour lost; and it is not utterly lost to our selves, while we have peace of Conscience in Gods acceptance.

But being sure to be misreported when I have done my best to be understood, that I be not guilty of it, I will first shew what I mean by serious Godliness, and next what I mean by Malignity or Enmity to serious God∣liness.