A LETTER sent to Mr. William Gurnal, the 5th of August, 1663.

WHether it was my happiness, or unhappiness, to hear of, and be in some degree (though remotely) acquainted with your gifts and parts in preaching; your (sometimes) seeming zeal for God, piety, and holiness of life, &c. I cannot well determine: for though all manner of knowledge, either of persons or things, be in some kind or other beneficial, it being an undoubted maxime, that, Verum & Bonum convertuntur: yet some know∣ledge may be accompanied with such circumstances that may render it more burdensom and offensive, than commo∣dious or advantagious. You have of late made such a disco∣very of your self, & unvailed (your face, shal I say? or rather) your heart, that the meanest round about you have gained thus much, to say, Now they know you: But (alas) this gain hath occasioned such a considerable loss in the things of the peace and joy of your real Christian Friends, that they have cause in abundance to wish for their former ignorance con∣cerning you, and that you had given them no such new Character of your self, as now you have done. Indeed it cannot but deduct much from the comfort of your cordial Friends, to see you, who in former days had obtained a large proportion of that Name, which the Wiseman saith, is better than precious Oyntment †: yea, who were esteemed as a Ma∣ster in Israel; an Armed Souldier of Jesus Christ; and an eminent Labourer in Gospel-things; who for your work-sake, were had in double honour; I say, to see you, now the Sun of your life seems past its Meridian, and the evening of your dayes to approach; when (for any thing you know to the contrary) your Race was almost run; your Victory well nigh obtained, and your Crown near ready to put on; then to for∣sake Page  10sake your Colours, face about, and change your course; to lose the things that you had wrought, turn Renegado from those Truths of Christ which you had professed at so high a rate of zeal and fervency, and to pull down and destroy, as with both hands, what formerly you had been labouring so many years to build up and plant: in short, to see the favour of your precious Name here, turned into a noisom & stinking Dunghil †: and your eternal Crown hereafter hazarded, if not forfeited and lost *: how can it but grieve the hearts and sad the spi∣rits of such as sincerely love either you or Jesus Christ? And sorry we are that Mr. Gurnal should dash his foot against that stone at which the prophane Formalists of this world, stumble and fall from day to day: What! could you not in∣dure one encounter for Christ? Could you not stand against one on-set? Where was your Spiritual Armour become? Had you parted with it all to others, and kept none of it for your own use, when you stood in most need? Had you for∣got your Lord and Master, who when the great Enemy temp∣ted him (not only with a small pittance of this worlds glory, which was the highest of your temptation, but) even with all the Kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them †: yet could not prevail with him to conform in the least? And what can you plead by way of excuse for your Conformity, but might have bin argued in our Saviors case with ten degrees of plau∣sible probability more than can be in yours? Can you plead the lawfulness of your conformity in it self? [Surely all such pleadings will make you ashamed, being in direct opposition to the Truth; as now begins to be evidently visible and ma∣nifest to all consciencious and seeing Christians:] But in our Saviours case, what hindred but Christ might lawfully make bread of stones †, since at another time he made wine of water *? —Can you say, You conform, not to get honour or great estates in the world, but only for a competent maintenance for your self and family, which must not starve; for you are bound to take care of, and provide for them? [Is not this sinfully to distrust the providence of God, as if he had not provided honest and lawful means for the maintenance of his People?] yet however, in our Saviours case, it was only for Page  11bread, not superfluity of dainties; and that too, not to please his appetite only, but to satisfie hunger †. —Can you yet again argue, They are things indifferent that you submit un∣to? [This will certainly put all the wit, and parts, and learn∣ing you have (with all the Colledge of Episcopal Doctors be∣sides) upon the Rack to justifie and make good, and yet will it be too hard for you all at last.] But in our Saviours case, it was only stones that he was solicited to take and make bread of: and what more indifferent thing could he have taken than a few stones? No man would claim a propriety in them; who could have charged him with wronging them in such a case? Once more, Can you plead you break no positive Law? [Your proof for that is to seek, and will never be found so long as Lordly Episcopacy lives in the world.] But in our Saviours case, What positive Precept had he broke?—But come on a little further; Will the goodness of your end ju∣stifie your Conformity? Is it your zeal to the Gospel, and the preaching thereof? [This Argument is light as vanity it self: for, as the wrath of man worketh not the Righteousness of God †: So the Gospel of Christ is no wayes promoted by mans sin; We must not do evil that good may come of it; nor sin to make grace abound *] But in our Saviours case, the end proposed was as good as yours can be, viz. the mani∣festation of himself to be the son of God. If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread †. Yet notwith∣standing all these plausible pretences, being imposed upon him by the Devil, he disdains all conformity. But this grand Adversary sends a smaller force against you, only some of his Emissaries and Agents to assault you, with a less prevailing motive, to a more notorious act (at least less capable of a plausible plea) imposing on you things manifestly unlawful; derogatory unto Christ; destructive to the power of Godli∣ness; scandalous to the World; offensive to the Saints; uncharitable to your Imposers; and prejudicial to your own Soul: And you cowardly, not like a man, much less like a good Souldier of Jesus Christ, retreat, even before the fight began; the very threatnings of your enemy wrought the conquest over you, causing you to quit the Banner of Christ, Page  12and like (if not worse than) Issachar's Ass, bow downan prostrate your self unto the impositions of his adversary.

But Sir, methinks I am in an extasie of admiration at the thoughts of your Conformity above many others, when I con∣sider your former Zeal and Eminency: What, Mr. Gurnal conform! concerning whom men were almost ready to say, (as sometimes Peter said of himself) though all men forsake Christ, renounce the Covenant, and submit to Episcopal conformity, yet Mr. Gurnal will not. How did you, when time was, preach up, Curse ye Meroz, &c? How many Soul∣diers did you (by Arguments and Exhortations) thrust forth into the Warrs? How did you voluntarily, and zealously both take the Covenant, and importunely urge and press it upon others? Doth it become the same persons one day to sing Hallelujah, and cry Hosanna to the Son of David †; and another day to cry, Crucifie him, crucifie him *? Give me leave to query with you, as sometimes the Apostle did with the Ga∣latians, (with a little variation of words) Oh foolish Cur∣nal, who hath bewitched you, that you should not continue in the Truth, before the eyes of whose mind Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth? Are you so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are you now made perfect by the flesh? Have you preached so many things in vain †? Are you now resolved to pull down with all your might what you have (by your preaching and writing) been labouring to build up all your dayes? Or, do you not take a direct course hereunto? For he that shall vo∣luntarily, solemnly, and in the presence of God, Swear to endeavour the Reformation of Religion, according to the Word of God, and the Example of the best Reformed Churches; the extir∣pation of Prelacie, and Superstition, or the Government of the Church by Arch-Bishops, Bishops, their Chancellors and Comissa∣ries, &c. and not only so, but shall importunely press the said Oath upon others; and continue in the zealous pro∣moting thereof for near twenty years together; and yet af∣ter all this, conform to, and live in the practise of what he had thus solemnly Sworn to extirpate, he doth in effect de∣clare himself to be a False Prophet, and one who is either weake in judgment, and not able to distinguish between good Page  13and evil: or else, which is worse, of a debauched Conscience, sining against his own light, yea against his solemn Oath: either of which render him most unworthy to be called a Minister of Christ, and must needs make it a very dangerous, or ensna∣ring thing, for such as fear God in truth, to attend upon his preaching. For if Episcopal ordination of Ministers make it unlawful for Christians to sit under their Ministry, as is easie to demonstrate beyond contradiction: How much more unlawful is it to attend upon the Ministry of such an Episcopal Conformist, who hath laid the foundation of his Conformity, in the ruins of his own Conscience, by breaking so solemn an Oath?—But Sir, Will you be pleased to take a view of some few of your own lines, 〈◊〉 preached, and afterwards print∣ed to the veiw of the World, pressing the Country to be care∣ful in their choice of a Parliament man: thus you argue †: Consider the Solemn Obligation that lies upon us, by a National Covenant, (famous through the Christian world, and we in in∣famous for the breach of it) to promote and procure with our ut∣most endeavours the Reformation of the Land. God hath, I be∣lieve, most of your hands to shew for this, and darest thou who hast bound thy self in such a Covenant, give thy voice for an un∣worthy man to sit in Parliament, whom thy conscience, (if thou wouldst have patience to hear it) will tell thee, he will never be the man that will help on that work with any Vote of his, yea that is an enemy to it, and fears it more than desires it? if thou hast got the Mastery of thy Conscience so far as to do this bold a•l, let me tell thee what thou dost; thou comest this day to declare in the face of all the Country, yea, before God, Men and Angels, that thou art a FORSWORN VVRETCH; and if thou gettest this brand upon thy forehead once, go where thou wilt, thou draggest a chain after thee, that will bind thee over to the fearful expecta∣tion of God's Wrath; that (come it sooner or later) will take hold on thee. And now tell me, hadst thou not better have been asleep in thy bed, yea, sick in thy bed, yea, dead in thy grave, than to have come hither to do so unhappy a dayes work? O think when thou goest this day to give thy Suffrage for any, that thou didst see the Covenant with thy hand at it, spread before thee, &c. This and more to the same effect in the foresaid Sermon.—Upon Page  14which, Sir, give me leave to reason a little with you; Did the simple breach of the Covenant render men infamous? What then shall the renunciation or abjuration of it do? If a man must master his conscience before he could give his vote for a Parliament man, that would not help forward the work of the Covenant; to what degree must that Conscience be sea∣red that can renounce or abjure it? If he that should only give his Suffrage in this case, declared in the face of all the Country, yea before God, Men and Angels, that he was a FOR∣SWORN VVRETCH; How many degrees more vile than a forsworn wretch is he that shall appear in the Pulpit to break this Oath, and shall under his hand renounce it? If the for∣mer draggs a Chain after him, that will bind him over to the fearful expectation of God's wrath; how much sorer punishment, and dreadful indignation shall he be thought worthy of, that shall accept authority to preach from those, whose extirpa∣tiod he swore to endeavour? If it were better that a man had been dead in his grave, than give his vote as aforesaid; were it not much better that the Abjuror or Renouncer had been thrown into the Sea, with a Milstone about his neck, before ever he had submitted to Episcopal conformity, or subscribed the Renunciation? — But, Sir, can you mock God, and dis∣semble with men, and think to go unpunished? Be not decei∣ved †. It is the Fool that makes a mock at sin *. What then must he be that makes a mock of God and Godliness? Or are not you partaker in a high degree, and more than ordina∣ry manner in the wickedness of this iniquity? Preach and unpreach: Build up, and pluck down: Reform Superstiti∣ons in Worship, and conform to Superstitions Worship: Swear, and forswear: solemnly Covenant, and with hands lifted up to the most high God, swear, that you will sincerely, really, and constantly endeavour a Reformation according to God's Word; and the extirpation of Popery, Prelacy, and Superstition, &c. and then abjure, or renounce this Covenant, and conse∣quently this Reformation: which to do, what is it less than to renounce or forswear all obedience to God's Law? Oh desperate Atheism! Oh abominable Prophaness! HEAR, O HEAVENS! and give car O Earth; and let all the In∣habitants Page  15of the world be astonished: Was there ever such gross impiety perpetrated under the vizour of Godliness? May we not (with some alteration) allude to that of the Wiseman, and say, Many sons of the Church (so called) have done wickedly, but those of this age have surmounted them all †. Was there ever any day wherein it might be more truly said (with the Prophet Hosea, ch. 9.7.) The Prophet is a fool, the Spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine ini∣quity, &c? And again, the Lord said, The Prophets prophesie lies in my Name, I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: They prophesie unto you a false Vision and Divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart *. And thus saith the Lord, The Priests teach for hire, and the Prophets divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us †? But Wo unto the Pastors that destroy and scatter the Sheep of my Pasture, saith the Lord *. And Wo unto the foolish Prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing. O Israel, thy Prophets are like Foxes in the desarts.— They have seen vanity, and lying divi∣nations, saying, The Lord saith; and the Lord hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope, that they would confirm the word. Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I am against you, and mine hand shall be upon the Prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the Assembly of my People, &c. †

And as Christ sometimes wept over Jerusalem, so may we not weep over the Inhabitants of Lavenham, together with all other places, who are led (by such blind, shall I say? * nay but) by such prophane and hypocritical Guides? Justly may we take up the complaint of the Prophet, O my People, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths. Thy Teacher (O Lavenham) doth cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths; by tempting thee (if not in words, yet by actions and practices, which have the louder voice) to despise the Covenant of thy God, in building up those things, the extirpation whereof he solemnly swore to endea∣vour. And now what remains? But (to allude to that of the Prophet, Mic. 2.10.) Arise ye and depart, for this is not Page  16your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you even with a sore destruction. Let all that fear God forsake the tents of these men; and say every one to his own soul; Oh my soul, come not thou into their secret: unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united †. But flee out of the midst of Babylon, and de∣liver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity *. Take the counsel of God Rev. 18.4. and obey the exhortation of the Apostle 2 Cor. 6.17. so shall you escape the wrath to come, and obtain a Crown of glory, When the times of refresh∣ing shall come from the presence of the LORD.