LEt God arise, and let his ene­mies be scattered; so begins this Psalm, and it shall be the subject of my discourse.

When the enemies of God rise up against his Church, it is time for the Church to fall down to God, to im­plore his aid against those enemies. Holy Prayers are more powerful then profane Swords: It is not so much the arm that imploys them, as the cause a­gainst which they are employed, that [Page 2] makes the swords profane. The vigour of faith in humble devotions, hath a greater prevalency, then the valour of the arm in an abused instrument of cruelty.

Samuel wrought no less deliverance for Israel, then Gideon or Sampson; and yet I never find him in the head of their Troops, The people fought, but it was he obtained the victory. In vain is that Religion, whose Patron cannot shield its Professors: In vain are any attempts against it, if he can. It is good seeking help from an all­powerful hand. If the Bulls roar for rage against the Church, it is time for the Lambs to bleat out for rescue. Re­buke, O Lord, the company, &c.

A secret ordination summons all things to the end of their being, the glory of God. The very malice of his enemies shall set forth the try­umph of his mercy and power, in the preservation of his Church. It may [Page 3] be strongly opposed, but not wholly ru­in'd.

What can the Church do against so many adversaries, and so violent? The less help it finds on earth, the more it seeks from heaven. The more vio­lent are her adversaries, the more ear­nest are her prayers. Rebuke, O Lord, the company, &c.

The words contain, First, A Decla­ration of God's enemies. Secondly, An Imprecation against those ene­mies.

The enemies are marshalled into four ranks.

1. A company of Spear-men, or (as some Translations read it) the Beast of the reeds.

2. The multitude of the Bulls.

3. The calves of the people.

4. The men that delight in war.

The Imprecation is also two-fold; The first more gentle; it is but Rebuke the Spear-men; and that with a limi­tation [Page 4] too; till they submit themselves with pieces of silver.

For they that will not, but delight in war, more severely deal with such, Scatter them; Scatter the men that de­light in war.

Before I enter upon the description of these enemies of the Church, ac­cording to their several ranks, observe first from the general scope of the Text,

That the Church of God never wanted enemies, never will. There is no peace to the wicked, saith God: There shall be no peace to the godly, say the wicked. The wicked shall have no peace which God can give; the godly shall have no peace which the wicked can take away.

God is the Lord of all the earth, it is fit that all parts of the earth should yeild him some tribute of souls. There may be seven thousand and one in one part of the earth; but alas, what is [Page 5] seven thousand and one in one part, to scarce one of seven thousand in all the other parts: Sure I am, God's flock is but a little one; all the rest are ene­mies. Whoever are the enemies, great is their enmity; and proportionable thereunto, their cruelty.

Whoever are the enemies: for there are enemies without the pale of the Church, and there are some within. Some without. There are, that hate the Church, the seed of the Serpent, their father's own brood: Ye are of your fa­ther the divel, saith our Saviour Christ. There are, that mock it; an Ishmaeli­tish issue: There are, that deride, San­ballets progeny. There are, that rail at it, Rabshekah's race. There are, that curse it, Balaams brood; All seek to destroy it.

There is no agreement between good and evil: Neither of which can subsist in any part of the other: Meet they may, but not unite: There is no­thing [Page 6] good which is not wholly so. The least defect changeth the title. Thus stands it also between truth and falshood: Truth is but one, it hath no subsistence but in it self admits of no agreement with what is not one with it. Look then what difference there is in the nature of the things which are entertained; such difference there is in the affections of those that do pro­fess them.

Religion is the surest tye of love: where this knits not the hearts, there can be no perfect Union. A seeming truce there may be, but no true con­cord. It is their Religion (true or false) which all Nations of the world believe themselves most engaged, both to defend and propagate. When this comes into competition, that spurious concord which is knit by secular re­spects, like some goodly Fabrick founded upon the sands, is suddenly overthrown with every puff of passi­on [Page 7] or misprision. Enmity grounded on difference of Religion, may be lull'd asleep by some secular interests, but cannot be extinguished: If the cradle be not continually rocked, it quickly wakes; like a fire which hath some while lay smothering under the pile, breaks forth ere long more violently into a sudden flame.

If disagreement in m [...]tters of faith causeth enmity, the more contra­ry one faith is to another, the greater is that enmity. The world ha [...] em­braced three, and but three several Religions; the Jewish, Christian, and Mahumetan. The Jews expect their Messiah yet to come, who with great state and glory, shall subdue all Nati­ons to his Scepter, and reigne glori­ously with them upon the earth.

The Mahumetans have their Savi­our already come; and shall come a­gain, and receive them into a paradice above, to all fleshly delights: Wine, [Page 8] and Women, Musick, Banquettings, and all things that delight a sensual and brutish appetite.

Neither of these are so contrary the one to the other, as the Christian is to both; teaching against the one, that the Saviour of the world is already come; whose Palace was a Stable, and his Couch a Manger; whose Crown was Thorns, and his Scepter a Cross; whose Revenews was poverty, and his State humility; whose Sword was his Word, and his conquest Dying. In a word, whose Kingdom was not of this world.

Teaching against the other, nothing but spiritual joys, and incomprehen­sible consolations in the glorious visi­on and fruition of God.

Go to now, O thou Christian, go to the Jews first, and tell them, You are a faithless Nation; your Messiah is come, and ye have rejected him, and with cruel hands have crucified [Page 9] the Lord of life; and therefore your expected felicity is turned to misery [...]your glorious reign over all Nations, to a no less strange, then sad dissipati­on over all the earth; and your car­nal security, to spiritual confusion: Wilt thou tell them this, and not ex­pect their enmity?

From the Jew, go to the Turk, and tell him, abused Musselman, your Prophet is an Impostor, his law, a lye, the carnal delights which he has pro­mised you, will turn to unutterable dolours of soul, his beautiful women into mishapen hags, your harmonious musick, into hideous howling; and your delicious fare, into surfe [...]s of wo and bitterness. Wilt thou tell him this, and not expect his enmity?

2. But secondly, There are ene­mies within the pale of the Church too: It is not (saith David) an open e­nemy that hath done me this dishonour, for then I could have born it: But it is [Page 10] thou, mine own familiar, we walked in the house of God as friends, &c.

A stab from a friend, wounds the heart deeper then the body: while the body weeps in blood at the stroke, the soul bleeds in tears at the unkindness: Brutus received a greater wound from Caesar then he gave, and Caesar a great­er wound from Brutus then his wea­pon, when he cryed, & tu fili Brute!

That misfortune doth most amaze, which we do least expect; and those injuries do most trouble, which we least deserve. No sight so uncouth, as to see children pierce those Breasts which gave them suck. Good milk turns to bad blood in a wicked heart. The juice of the same Flower which becomes honey in the Bee, converts to poyson in the Spider. Corrupt af­fections abuse the greatest blessings.

O dear and sacred Mother! My soul shall weep in secret for thy un­grateful sons: these Birds had not [Page 11] peck'd out thine eyes, hadst not thou brought them out; nor kick'd against thee▪ hadst not thou fed them full of such excellent viands of knowledge, which thus puffs them up. Hast thou purchast such a pure Reformation for them, from that adulterous Syna­gogue of Rome, with so much blood of thy dearest children, that they should turn their weapons into thine own bowels, to seek for a new one there?

There are sure some crudities in their ill-disposed stomacks, that have turned the wholsom food of the Church into these venomous practi­ses: My Meditations have suggested four.

1. Scrupulosity. 2. Envie. 3. Igno­rance. 4. Ambition or Pride. Upon which, these four Beasts in the Text do act their enmity against the Church: Scrupulosity sets forth un­to us the Beast of the reeds: Envie▪ the [Page 12] Bulls: Ignorance the Calves, and Pride the men that delight in war.

Scruples are the reeds: the Beast that lurks in them, is a peevish spirit: which thence takes all occasions to prey upon the peace of the Church. Every blast of wind shakes the bend­ing reed to and fro: every idle scru­ple staggers the unsetled humorist in his obedience. Were these doubts the zeal of a well meaning mind, there might be place for pity, though not excuse. Ignorance hath no praise, but what it gains by yeilding. There is safety in the greater and less degree of knowledge, whiles the middle sort lies open to all assaults. The greater doth surmount all captious apprehen­sions: the less, out of conscience of its own weakness, submits to the gui­dance of more able judgements: while the middle degree finds force enough to lead them into many labyrinths of doubts, but none to conduct them out.

But if their hearts be not as faulty as their heads, there is the spirit of meekness to restore, whom the spirit of errour hath misled. 'Tis the Beasts in the reeds that marreth all. A peevish spirit in a scrupulous conscience. When love of contention would seem desire of assurance, every straw seems a block▪ How many foolish doubts are proposed, wherein nothing is disco­vered, but the weakness of him that raised them. A weak brain, and a wilful heart, commonly go hand in hand: The one begins the quarrel, and the other maintains it. To endeavour their conviction, in stead of quench­ing the fire, does but blow the coals: Where satisfaction is but pretended to, it is never received; or if haply▪ really intended, yet if not received, suspition is but augmented; in either case, further dispute doth more exas­perate then reclaim. They fear in ar­guing nothing but present contradi­ction, [Page 14] which though they cannot scape, they will not acknowledge; and though they cannot divert con­viction, as usually they do, by starting to some other matter, if they cannot (I say) divert conviction, they yet will smother it in an outbraving contempt: A perverse generation, which will not open their eyes to see a truth, which either they do not know, or not affect: Nothing can silence them, but either their own confusion, or else the Churches. And this is the first, the beast of the Reeds; a peevish spirit in a scru­pulous conscience.

The second is Envie, herein fitly emblematized by the Bull; for who can stop an enraged Bull? And who can stand before envie? saith the wise man, Prov. 27. Nothing is either more mischievous or lasting, then enmity, whose foundation is laid upon envie.

First, where envie is, there is con­fusion, and every evil work, saith St. [Page 15] James. It is impossible they should be good themselves, that maligne o­thers for being so: or, that grieve, not because themselves want, but that an­other hath: Not because themselves are evil, but because another will not be so too: Mischief must needs be their greatest delight, whose greatest grief is anothers good,

Neither is it more hateful for its ef­fects, then for its continuance. An injury may be forgotten, where suf­ferance makes not the offenders more insolent. But envie never ceaseth, because that ceaseth not which occasi­ons it. Will you see one of these en­vious Bulls? You shall find Zedekiah with his iron horns, bellowing out de­fiance against Micaiah, in the voice of exprobation: Which way went the Spi­rit of the Lord from me to thee? How hath innocence and desert been batted by the salvage Bulls of these times? Goring the sides of their reputation [Page 16] with the horns of misprision and de­traction: And like that elder brother of theirs, the fore-named Zedekiah, blaspheming the Spirit of the Lord, by ascribing thereunto the acts of that spirit, that lusteth unto envie. But more of these in the proper place. Let this suffice for the second ground of their enmity.

The third is ignorance, discovering its self in the Calves of the people. Calves you know are but stollida ani­malia, silly creatures, do but follow where their Sires do lead them. Those Calves of the Jewish Nation, had ne­ver cryed up the Lord Jesus to be cru­cified for a seducer, had not themselvs been seduced by those envious Bulls, the chief Priests and Scribes, who perswaded the people to ask Barabbas, and crucifie Jesus. I wist now (Bre­thren) that thorow ignorance ye did it, or else you would not have crucified the Lord of life, saith St Peter. Ignorance [Page 17] is the mother of all mischief, whatso­ever it be that leads it, miserable are the effects thereof.

Somtimes it is lead by passion, which oversways the judgement. No­thing doth more unman us, then this vice: a violent passion of grief at the prosperity of the wicked, transported even David himself, almost to con­demn the generation of God's saints: his own testimony shall be our war­rant; So foolish was I, and ignorant, e­ven as a beast before thee. Another fit of furious zeal (for zeal is but a passion, if it be not according unto knowledg) enflamed Saint Paul to a bloody per­secution of God's Church.

Somtimes it is lead by affection, which blinds the judgement. Great affection is subject to great deceit: It first believes a possibility of that, to the liking whereof it is enchained: then strains the wit to find out argu­ments to prove it as possible, as pleas­ing: [Page 18] The possibility of it thus fancied, begets a conceit that easily clothes it self in a contented errour.

Somtimes ignorance is lead by self conceit, which seduceth the judgment. The conceit of knowledge, ruines al­most as many as the professed want of it: How many had been better taught, if they had not thought they needed it not? How many had been happy, if they had had more knowledge, and less opinion of it? Knowledge puffeth up, saith St Paul, but that the conceit of it only should do so too, is not more lamentable then usual. Busie ignorance is ever accompanied with an opinion of wisdom.

Nor do such more offend in the o­pinion they have of themselves, then in that they have of others: They have a bad opinion of all that flatter not that good one they have of them­selves: Corrupt minds hate those that love not that which they like in them­selves. [Page 19] This is another ground of that enmity that springs from ignorance. Let's see a fourth.

Somtimes it is lead by a prepossessi­on, which prevents the judgement: There is nothing more dangerous, then an hasty admittance of any thing into our allowance: What hath once won consent upon the Will, is hardly removed. Deliberation presupposeth doubt, and tends to choice; where choice is made, and we are already resolved, deliberation is excluded as needless; and the errour is both swal­lowed and digested, ere the truth is proposed; and when it is, it is reject­ed: for prepossession begets affection, affection is impatient of contradicti­on: where we love to retain, we love not those which would disswade us from it, that's another.

Somtimes it is lead by self-interest, and that corrupts the judgement. If godliness be great gain, as St Peter [Page 20] saith, what are they that make great gain out of their godliness? A man may possibly reap secular advantage by that service which he does for God: but not greedily affect it, with­out the just censure of guilt. Abra­ham would not be made rich by the King of Sodom. Either greedily or unjustly to heap up profit to them­selves in the prosecution of God's service, is an undoubted argument that it was their own benefit, and not God's glory, that gave first motion to those endeavours; although the desire of gain may so blind the eyes, and pervert the judgement, as to deem the service will acquit the guilt of those corrupt affections. Saul had ne­ver impleaded the intent of sacrifice in the reservation of the Amalekitish cattel, had it not yeilded him some hope to wipe off the guilt of his dis­obedience thereby. And although I dare not affirm, yet I dare suppose, that [Page 21] his words did but speak his thoughts, and yet those thoughts gave no dimi­nution to his sin, because it was an e­vil eye first conveyed the motion of that service into his heart.

When men make self-interest the sphere of their actions, they neither see, nor understand beyond it. And therefore St Paul made self-seeking one character of the Churches ene­mies: All seek their own. The primi­tive Christians did justly glory in the community of these outward things, as one evidence of their integrity. If this community did first help to sup­port the Church, for ought I know (so far as it pleaseth God to permit) self interest may help to pull it down. These are the five grounds of that en­mity which springs from ignorance.

The fourth general ground is pride, which sets forth the men that delight in war. The analogie holds in this: Other sins hate the light, Pride only [Page 22] loves to be seen: The commission of other sins is attended with shame, per­haps we are humbled for them too, Pride only delights and glories in it self; as therefore pride delights in its own enormity, so do they that de­light in war, glory in their cruelty: sober minded men wage war out of necessity, and have peace for their end, blood-thirsty and deceitful men raise war for delight, and have tyrannie for their aim. It is a prodigious pride in the hearts of these men in the valuati­on of themselves, that think the blood of others a price low enough for their ambitious ends: But all may not aspire: there is also a spiritual pride, which as it is more epidemical, so is it more de­structive to men and Religion: Both the knowing are infected with it, and the ignorant too: It befools both, and by a strange kind of working, it makes the knowing more learnedly ignorant, and the ignorant more opiniately [Page 23] knowing; In both, it works a delight to disturb the peace of the Church.

In reference to the first: There is nothing more dangerous then know­ledge without grace, humility, and charity. The greatest heresies have sprung from the deepest wits. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge have pervert­ed thee, saith the Prophet Isaiah. Knowledge is good, without which the mind is not good, saith Solomon: but it oft proves bad, because they are bad who use it. Those reaches of the brain, which tend not to unity, are the buds of fury, not discretion; and ar­gue more a love of contention, then desire of Reformation; whether it be in opposing established truths, by straining the wit to find out how rea­son might back their dis-affection to them, or else, by forging of errours, by casting a fraudulent shew of reason upon those things which are indeed reasonless: Either way yeilding an [Page 24] equal glory, stirs them up to shew the bravery of their busie spirits. And there is no ignorance so mischievous as perverted knowledge; nor doth Pride work only upon the knowing, but upon the ignorant also: Som­times by arrogating a conceit of those abilities, which as far transcend their capacities, as their conceit transcends their abilities. The men are in a dream, conceit is no more, but that's enough to beget a faculty supersentiendi; by vertue whereof they are able to teach their teachers: if these were as for­ward to learn, as they were to in­struct. Somtime again, by condemn­ing all they cannot understand; and contemning learning, because them­selves want it: as if (as that Oracle of humane wisdom did once observe) reason were the only enemy of Reli­gion, and childish simplicity the mo­ther of ghostly wisdom. Thus doth their practise justifie the wise man's [Page 25] constant asseveration, by pride only cometh contention.

Thus have I shown you that the Church hath enemies both abroa [...] and at home; and the grounds of that enmity: A word of their cruelty, and then I will shew you what Beasts they be.

We can as little expect, as find mer­cy at the hands of the professed ene­mies of the Church: Their Religion doth as much commend, as their in­clination excite their cruelty: But that the waters of the Sanctuary should be turned into blood, is the astonishment of Angels as well as men. Oh that the blood of the Covenant God made with men, should be turned into a co­venant of blood, the engagement of Christians to devour one another! A Turkish cruelty befits them, who have practically translated Christ's Gospel into Mahomet's Alcoran.

Nor does the retained name of, and [Page 26] profession of Christianity, serve to any other end, then that by seeming religious, they may be more securely malicious. Agreements in some points, does but heighten the hatred occasi­oned by difference in others: False zeal transports them, fury knows no mean; doth neither fear, nor is satis­fied with revenge. Like as we see in some sudden tumults, where there is store of pates, there is store of con­fusion; in which, while any one breaks forth into outrage and mischief, emu­lation and desire to seem no less zeal­ous then he, prompts the second to act the like, or a greater mischief, till some few hands hath conveyed the example to all. So likely, when difference of opinion causeth difference of affecti­on, it breaks forth into all hateful ef­fects; the heart is enflamed with ma­lice, that kindles the tongue to all bit­ter invectives, hateful revilings, terms of reproach, envious detractions, caus­less [Page 27] slanders, false accusations. The tongue summons up the hands to acts of violence, and hastneth the feet to shed innocent blood, till at length all the affections joyn in the conspiracy, and help to set forward the mischief: love to their errors doth excite them, hope to prevail doth encourage them, passion precipitates them, and fear suggests necessity upon them, to go on, where nothing but ruine is ex­pected in desisting: for that Religion being a matter of highest concern­ment, the undispensable prop of States, the opposers thereof expect no favour, if success in the defence there­of prove answerable to the endea­vours; and it is usual to shew no mer­cy, where we expect none; much less to expect any, where we have shewed none; they must be cruel.

Thus far of the proposition raised from the general scope of the Text. I must now produce the enemies them­selves, [Page 28] and will first draw them up, and shew them in a full body, and then set them in their several stations.

First, the Beast of the Reeds are a certain sort of people, that undermi­ning the peace of the Church by a fained shew of holiness, these heap up Teachers to themselves, who make a breach in the quiet state thereof, and are the Bulls of the Text: who by bellowing out reviling reproaches a­gainst the ecclesiastical policy, beget the Calves of the people, who con­fusedly run to their assistance, who ar­riving at the very point of bringing their long endeavours to a wished pe­riod, up starts a fourth sort, the men of the Text that delight in war, I mean, this spiritual warfare, in whom alone (thanks be to some Romish Je­suites for it) the art and policy of the other three do joyntly meet: As first, pretending as great, nay, greater shew of holiness. 2. Arrogating bet­ter [Page 29] abilities of teaching by inspiration, and yet as very Calves as the rest; and these like Jehu (though not in act, yet in desire) march furiously on, beat down all before them, snatch the power out of the others hands, beat down Churches, disanuls all Orders, overthrows all Ecclesiastical policy, confounds Religion, and delight in it too, and glories in their mischief. Thus have I shown the enemies in gross, observe them now in their particular ranks.

1. The Beast of the Reeds, some translations read, a company of Spear men; the word in the Original re­conciles the reading: It signifies both a company, and a Beast, say Exposi­tors upon the text. If we translate it a company, it imports a rank of men, armed with Spears, made of a certain kind of Reeds: Spears were in use in David's time, they used then that wea­pon to gore the sides of his mystical [Page 30] body, with which a wretched caitiff pierced the side of his natural body, John 19. 34. But if we refer the sense to the signification of a Beast, it de­notes some perillous beast, which out of the covert of their reedy thickets, attends the opportunity of their desi­red prey, the specification of these o­ther Beasts in the text, prompts my inclination to this sense. What man­ner of Beast this should be, my for­mer reading determines not; Our Christian Seneca out of Cassiodor [...], conjectures it a Lyon, Leones canneta reliquerunt, saith he. Give me leave to add Pardus unto Leo; If Leones, Ly­ons, for their proud insulting; Leo­pardi, Leopards, for their cunning insinuating. The great Naturalist ob­serves it of this beast, the Leopard, that being by nature endowed with a sweet odoriferous scent, but of a formida­ble aspect, will hide it self in some secret place (what better then a thick­et [Page 31] of reeds?) for otherwise, the ug­liness of its shape would more af­fright, then the sweetness of its scent allure: the terror of its sight being thus secured, his sweet savour and scent allures other Beasts to the place, upon whom, when they come within the compass of his reach, he seizeth thence upon, as his desired prey.

Your thoughts cannot fall besides the application. The Hypocrite is this Beast. A generation of such beasts have made this age infamous to all posterity, who cloak their mischievous intent under a shew of sanctity. Holy semblances, religious protestations, pretences of Reformation, are the sweet allurements, whereby they at­tract the hearts, and steal the affections of the silly Calves; whom, when the pleasing savour of these Saint-like professions, have drawn into an en­gagement with them, they make the instruments of their own thraldome, [Page 32] and the Churches ruine. As the Di­vel did of old, so still his ungodly imps, betray others to the guilt of evil practises, by faming some good to be reaped by it. There be many secret reaches in the mystery of iniquity; they pretend good, when they act e­vil; and intend evil, when they act good. Crafty and subtle men seem al­ways good, that they may be once bad to purpose. All operations tend to some end: It was an aim at an higher degree of perfection, that first occa­sioned sin in the world; and the great­est evils are still occasioned by pre­tending it.

When men appear so good, and are not, they must have some evil end, or else some ill intent: The first thing they conceive withal, is glory and ap­plause: Who take upon them the semblance of doing like Saints, but are not, although they stand condem­ned of themselves; because they know [Page 33] how to be good, and are not: yet men usually dare not think them to be bad, whom they see know so well how to be good. Glittering pretences dazles the eyes of men, God only judges of the action by the heart, man of the heart by the actions. When as there­fore God hath placed majesty as well as beauty in the face of Vertue, that where the one cannot allure, the other may enforce respect: Hence it is, that wicked men admire and reverence that power of godliness, which yet they deny to practise; and vain-glo­rious men practise that godliness, the power whereof they yet deny: covet­ing more to be honoured for it, then bettered by it▪ So glory is the first.

Self-interest is the second. Religi­ous they will be, and't be but for the benefit they receive thereby. Saul will be devout, that he may preserve such goodly cattel; he will keep them to sacrifice to the Lord: some perhaps to [Page 34] God, but most to his belly. The peo­ple of Sichem's country will enter in­to the covenant of God with Israel, on condition that Israel's substance might be theirs, Gen. 34. 23. It is the hateful practise of these times, where­in the encrease of knowledge hath been the bane of practise, to pretend Religion, and intend Promotion: But God and Mammon cannot dwell to­gether. Religion was never the prin­cipal end of those undertakings, where they that manage the cause, thrive so fast upon it, and grow more rich, then they were before devout. A rich man may be truly pious, but they are justly suspected, who so greedily work rich­es out of piety: the blessing is promi­sed to them that lose all for Christ, not to them who gain all by him. It is very hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of heaven, but it is hard­er for them that make themselves rich by pretending to it. They can expect [Page 35] no reward from God, that pay them­selves so well for the service they do for him. Self-interest then, is the se­cond end.

But thirdly, Will you see the very Divel in Samuel's Mantle? Here comes malice and mischief under the cloak of piety too. How often hath malice wrought out its own satisfacti­on, wherein the pretence hath been on­ly zeal to Religion? How often have men, by how much the more they have pretended service to God, by so much the more injurious violence have they harboured under that pre­tence, to prosecute their dissenting Brethren? They that dare rob God of glory, less care what outrage and mischief they do to man, so they may do it with credit, advantage, and safe­ty. And although to a more vigilant observation, hypocrisie is seldom without those practises, without which we should not know it to be hypocri­sie, [Page 36] God permits them to go so far, that till by their fruits they might be known, yet vulgar eyes sees not the malice and mischief that is palliated under such specious and plausible in­sinuations. I had almost said, that mischief is ever intended by specious pretences, which are ever assumed for the effecting of it. And the gall of this bitterness is, that this mischief is not to be diverted, either by lenity, or benefits, or by wisdom: First, not by lenity; for if they think they do well, (as many of the seduced Calves may do, like those in Jerusalem, who fol­lowed Absolon in the simplicity of their hearts) upon this account, they think toleration of them, to be an effect of that awful regard which is due unto such pretensions, and not of lenity: which gives more encouragement to proceed, then works any relenting submission. Or if the spirits either of malice, or of contention, or of the [Page 37] world employ them, as without doubt one of these spirits does the Bulls of the Text, forbearance then does but serve for an incitement more contem­ptuously to provoke. Secondly, The mischief is not to be diverted by be­nefits; sor that advantage is always greater, which they hope to gain by successful commotions, then undeser­ved favour. Lastly, Not by wisdom, for strong pretensions, if they win not belief, yet they make even wise men suspend their judgements; if they draw not help, yet they make men that they do not oppose. And to be sure, hypocrites put not off their counter­feit shape, till they have so far advan­ced their intended wickedness, till it be past redress. Nor do they receive discouragement from the discovery of a few more piercing eyes, for, for the most part, men are generally ei­ther ensnared by it, or else amated; either engaged to help, or resolved not [Page 38] to oppose; and who are back'd with the assistance of many, fear not the power of a few. In a word, there is nothing more easie then to be succes­ful, where men dare make Religion a cloak for their wickedness, and dare allow in themselves, violation of oaths, and the perpetration of any un­just and ungodly actions, that may promote their designs. And these are the first rank, the Beast of the Reeds. Rebuke, O Lord, the Beast of the Reeds.

The second is a multitude of Bulls. The effects of the rage and brutish qualities of these beasts, are found in none more eminently, then in a sort of factious Ministers, who creep into the Church of God, and occasioneth this sad confusion of it. The Pastors are become brutish, saith the Prophet Jeremiah, chap. 10. 21. Brutish is a general term, set down to express the various effects of their cruel dispositi­ons, which are not to be comprised in [Page 39] any one particular word. Hence it is, that for the waste they make in the Church, they are called Boars, Psal. 80 for their factious Schisms, Foxes cubs, Cant. 2. 15. for devouring souls, they ate called ravening Wolves, Mat. 7. 15. for their poysonsome malice, Serpents, and Vipers, Mat. 3. for their greediness, dogs, Phil. 3. 2. for their bloody persecution of their Brethren, they are called Bulls of Basan, Psalm 22. 12. which Psalm is a Prophesie of Christ, the principal actors of whose death, were the chief Priests and Scribes▪ to this Beast the text resem­bles these their Successors. Bulls, especially if enraged, are fierce, head­strong, mad, they roar, spurn, scrape up earth, traverse the ground, exalt their horns, breath out fury, and scorn all opposition whatsoever. Such are the qualities of those factious and schismatical Ministers which did infest the Church▪

First, They are fierce: Men of lean abilities, what they cannot attain by desert, will endeavour by faction; and it is easie to find exceptions, when we resolve to oppose: what a nume­rous issue did they pretend burdened their weak and tender consciences? but all begotten by envie, upon mis­apprehension; but how weak soever their exceptions be, they are violently insisted on: What bitter invectives did they froth out against a few inno­cent Rites, and things of unimporting consequence, in comparison of those many horrid blasphemies, heresies, and frenzies, that have hurried so ma­ny thousand souls since to hell and damnation? Every fancied dislike transports them into rage and fury; they are all on fire in detestation, though the things that incense them, carry no other blame, but what their misconstruction gives them. Their hands and their feet speak as loud, as their [Page 41] tongues, saith the Wiseman, Prov. 6. 13. as if there were as much sense in the noise of the one, as in the voice of the other: The less reason they have for the disturbance they make, the more would they seem to have; they would have the bitterness of their malice, evince the betterness of their cause; and the vehemency of con­tending, prove them to have some great reason for the doing that, which indeed shews they have neither reason nor Religion: An indiscreet passion in all strifes, either imports some se­cret guilt, or else betray us to it.

Secondly, Nor are they more fu­rious then head-strong. There is no tyrannie like to that of a slave, whom vilany hath set a cock-horse: Nothing can divert him from that mischief which he hath once resolved; so it is in the Isle of Man. When corrupt affections have inslaved the judgment, it is to no end for the captive to give a Law [Page 42] to the Law to the conquerours, which will admit none. When the affecti­ons which are the servants to the su­periour powers of the soul, get the mastery, they commonly beget an in­vincible resolution not to alter our perswasions: Shame will not permit them to yeild, whom desire of glory caused to contend▪ The more zeal they have shown in a wrong cause, the more ignominious would their con­viction be; and consequently, their resolutions more engaged to persist. The Church must be pulled down, to make up the breaches of their reputa­tion. Nothing is more terrible to con­tentious spirits, then to read their own shame in the suppression of mischief fruitlesly attempted: Reputation must maintain what ignorance did broach. To mis-apprehend, denotes a man. 'Tis head-strong persistance that de­grades him into a Beast: Silliness and stubbornness fattens them in that Be­stiality.

3. In this fury and obstinacy, they out-run their wits: a violent prosecu­tion of their religionated designs of mischief, transports them into ridicu­lous fits of madness: The Prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, saith the Prophet Hosea, chap. 9. 7. what is folly but a tame madness? What is madness, but a raging folly? The fool rageth, ond is confident, saith the wise man: mad conceits, mad gestures, mad practises, make up these mad Bulls.

1. Mad conceits; They run to hell, and say they are going to heaven: They practise the Divel, and say they are taught of God so to do. They con­found Religion, and say they restore it: Sacriledge they would christen in blood with the name of devotion; their confused and incongruous inter­mixture of the different parts of pray­er, vain battologies, yea unsavory non-sense, they conceive for method, [Page 44] the direction; for matter, the imme­diate dictates of the holy Spirit; and many such like mad conceits they have.

2. Mad gestures; Staring, grin­ning, gnashing, tossing themselves, this way, that way, up and down; thumping, beating, stamping, and the like; these they deem the becomming deportments of holy zeal, and divine ravishment.

Lastly, Mad actions; Like him who took up a stone to beat off a fly from his neighbor's forehead, which knockt out his brains: Or like that other, that to shave the hair, cut off the head. I need not speak the application. O once most glorious Church, now mended into ruine! O monstrous Reformati­on! But the proper work of such frantick Bulls, They are mad.

Fourthly, They are roaring Bulls: With what strained throats do they stund the giddy multitude into won­der [Page 45] and seducement? What Civil A­theism do they bellow out against that Authority, to which the Law of God, and man, and themselves had subject­ed them? With what impetuous cla­mours do they blaspheme God into an engagement with them, by chal­ging a protection from him, in their sacrilegious and unjust proceedings? As if they would level heaven with hell in the allowance of their practi­ses. With what loud clamours do they cry up the Lord Jesus into a pretend­ed Throne, prepared for him in the F [...]rge of their own fancies? With what swelling words of ostentation, would they deifie their Cause, with a presumptuous Warrant of its happy success? To whom the Proverb hath hapned true, None more shamefully de­ceived, then those that thought themselves most confidently assured. Lastly, How do they thunder out damnation against all opposers of them? For they are roaring Bulls

Fifthly, They scrape up earth. No far-fetch'd embleme of these spiritual Bulls, in their greedy scraping up these hardned clods of white and red earth. The desire of wealth and preferment, hath tanght them to be religious. God must be beholding to Mammon for the service these men do for him. They have prepared Christ Jesus a Throne, but they will be paid well for the set­ting it up. Wicked men hold that Religion best, which they most thrive by; nor will set up any, but by what they may: They had not that prefer­ment which they desired, but consi­dered not they desired that which they deserved not; and it is not so ea­sie to counterfeit Learning as Religi­on. What? Are they so good? and yet so covetous? Surely these men are the only men that have got a way to reconcile God and the world toge­ther.

Sixthly, They exalt their horns: [Page 47] They are as proud as covetous; a pair of sins that usually go hand in hand, saith pious Bernard. There is nothing so hateful as a proud Priest; because the holiest Calling makes the greatest sinner. Pride was first begot in Hea­ven, by the reflex of an Angel's un­derstanding upon his own excellency, and it still aspires to an eminency in eminency in them, who profess them­selves most heavenly. Holy semblan­ces hath set upon them an high esteem in other mens opinions: Self love doubles it in their own. True piety humbles us; It is no marvel if their fained piety puffs them up in a proud estimation of themselves, they despise others: Come not near, for I am holier then thou. With what a scornful eye do they look upon those, who have not learn'd an high estimation of, and a due submission to them, as the only supporters of Religion. Surely Saint Paul when he said, Let every one think [Page 48] others better then themselves, spake not to them who make a proud contempt of others, all the arguments they have of their own excellency:

Seventhly, They breathe out fury: In what bloody characters do they write the evidence of their pride and covetousness? What they cannot at­tain by the sword of God, they will by the sword of Gideon: who ever knew errour not accompanied with violence and cruelty? They sow Se­dition, raise tumults, rend the Church, and run to violence for security. They more fear the power of men, then of God; or else they would never seek to secure themselves from the one, by those mischievous practises, which doth more incense the other.

Lastly, Like enraged Bulls, they break thorow all opposition; for what can restrain them?

Can perswasions? No; for reason can never perswade them to desist, [Page 49] who had no reason to attempt, but hope to prevail. They who have no reason but their Will, will hear none against it.

Secondly, Can Conscience? No; for they will not fear to commit sin against their Conscience, who dare to pretend Conscience for the sin which they do commit. That Conscience which will for its own end patronize some sins, to advance those ends will act any.

Thirdly, Can Duty restrain them? No; for while they pretend to high­er perfection then is taught in the Church, they forget to acknowledge that degree whereunto she hath brought them; and are more ready to quarrel at her defects, then to reve­rence her graces, as if those might better justifie a separation from her, then these challenge any thankfulness or duty to her.

Fourthly, Can Laws restrain them? [Page 50] No; for the use of Law is not to per­swade, but to enforce: But their Conscience, they say, may not be forced. A true principle, but they may either ignorantly apply it, or else maliciously: Though the coercive power of the Law hath no just domi­nion over the Conscience, yet may not every silly pretence of Conscience be obtruded, to render the power of Laws of none effect. They ignorantly apply it, who make those things mat­ter of Conscience, upon which the Conscience has no immediate influ­ence; as certainly it cannot have up­on things which are not directly pro­hibited by God's Word. Where o­bedience is required by lawful Autho­rity, wherein yet, a man doubteth whether he may obey or not; that man cannot without sottish ignorance, be said to be perswaded in Conscience that he may not obey, unless he can produce some just prohibition from [Page 51] Scripture, of the things whereunto his obedience is required. Or secondly, They may maliciously apply it, and often do so too, when 'tis the Autho­rity that enjoyns them, that doth more distaste, then the things enjoyned. In vain shall they complain of severity, that do all they can to provoke it; but in the mean time, whether they apply it ignorantly or maliciously, they make no Conscience to violate those Laws which they pretend would force them against their Conscience.

Fifthly, Can shame restrain them? No; for the fear of that can never deter them, which they presume shall never happen, especially where there is certain shame in desisting, and a conceited assurance both of gain and glory too in proceeding: Powerful arguments both, to win upon corrupt affections: For some will be always found to commend those attempts, that are by never so wicked means [Page 52] crowned with success.

Sixthly, Will a personal Oath re­strain them? No; for an Oath, which is a most sacred thing, cannot partake of any thing which is evil, Herod sealed his promise with an Oath, but that Oath had no obligation from the strumpets demand. If Herod had broke that Oath, it could not have made him perjured; because no Oath can binde to an unlawful action. Whence they may have argued, that they may safe­ly renounce that obedience, though by oath engaged to it, which an after new light hath discovered to be contrary to the power of Godliness, but if this new light be nothing el [...]e but either 1. A setled resolution to do what we have a mind to. Or, 2. Some violent prevailing f [...]ncy, that hath stole first upon our affections, then upon our judgements. Or 3. A strong per­swasion begotten by private ends, and received growth from false principles. [Page 53] Or 4. Diabolical Infusion; for it must needs be so when injurious, ma­licious, and apparent ungodly practi­ses are used for the promotion of pre­tended piety; if it be (I say) any of these pretty Images (which this new light hath insinuated into these men) disguised under the name of Consci­ence, what shall become of them? What will they do? when they shall lie under the stinging lashes of a guilty Conscience, and the either dreadful apprehensions, or unsufferable strokes of divine wrath and indignation, both for their own breaking through the sacred tye and band of a just, lawful, ancient, solemn, and holy oath, and cancelling all other bands of Religion and Reason; but also, as if men did not run fast enough to hell and dam­nation before, for that they should hold forth this light to others, to make them run the faster.

Seventhly, and lastly, Will a Nati­onal [Page 54] Covenant restrain them? No; for that Covenant which they entered into for self-ends, it failing to effect those ends, they will as readily break, and (if they can) work their desires in­to fruition by any means, though ne­ver so contrary to that League, or any part thereof: Who fear not to take an oath contrary to God's Law, will not fear to break, if contrary to their own, not so much as unlawful, but as invalid: Not, out of conviction that they ought not advance their own ends by it, but out of vexation, that they cannot.

Thus have I shown you the Bulls of the Text. Now let us see the Calves of the people, whom they mislead in their trains of errour. They cause my people to err, by their lightness and lies, saith the Prophet. There are no such plagues to a Commonwealth as sedi­tious Priests. The infection of errour is worse then the guilt; it no sooner [Page 55] finds approbation in one, but it bor­rows his perswasions for entertain­ment in another. But keep we to the Bulls, the grand ring-leaders of all; how many pernicious Tenents have found both allowance and entertain­ment in vulgar minds, from the au­thority of them, whose positions they have found to jump with their own affections and private ends, whence proceeds an admiration of their per­sons for advantage sake, as the Apo­stle speaks, which comes at length to a belief of the infallibility of their po­sitions in all things, whom they finde uncontrollable in some, and remark'd for men that pretend to a greater measure of sanctity then others. Now when these begin to make a breach in Church, those incitations against▪ the present state of things, never want favourable audience, which have pre­pared their way by the opinion of their holiness from whom they pro­ceed: [Page 56] with what spungy souls do these poor Calves soak in these waters of the Sanctuary, which their applauded Teachers have either ignorantly or deceitfully corrupted, to intoxicate them! They are first induced to be­lieve, then to defend; and the bold predictions of success from the Zede­kiahs of the times, and a mischievous confidence in the swelling numbers of their partisans, gives them encourage­ment to all acts of violence and out­rage. Wicked men ask no leave to do, when they find their hearts in their hands; I mean, their power an­swerable to their will: And now tra­velling with the pangs of a false zeal, they fall in labour of a monstrous Re­formation: Religion, and Liberty of Conscience, are made the grounds of their quarrel. An easie perswasion wins the assistance of the Vulgar to those attempts, whereby they are taught to believe, they shall at once do [Page 57] service to God, and right to them­selves. But hear, O ye seduced Calves of the people! It is the shew of good­ness that maintains sin in the world: The world could not be so bad as it is, if all that were bad in it did appear so. These Bulls could not have train'd you on to these acts of violence and outrage, but by dissembled piety: but you must know, it is almost as great a crime in matters of Religion, to be deceived, as to deceive. God will re­quire your blood at their hands, but you also may die in your sins; and when you are in hell, it will be no case to you that they are more tormented. There is nothing more pleasing to the Divel, then to see his malice against the Church, to tryumph in your folly and misprision. It was once piety to build Temples to the publique service of God, and is it now piety to pull them down? Did you pretend to fight for Religion, to keep it from the [Page 58] violation of others, that ye might commit a rape upon it your selves? But alas, the wound is incurable; Here is no room for expostulation; let us therefore see in a word the Religion this many headed monster hath hatch'd, and the liberty of conscience they would have: These also having their particular aims, either secular ad­vantage, or desirous to pass for men enflamed with a godly zeal, or rather led by both together, for they have learned this art from the Bulls, their Sires, to have reconciled gain and godliness, profit and zeal; profit pricks forward zeal, as provender does the Ass, and their zeal counte­nanceth them in the profit they get, and then it is piety in them to pull down Churches, which was once pi­ety to build up: It is pure devotion that consecrates their fingers to the committing of sacriledge: It is the fire of zeal that kindles their tongues [Page 59] to all manner of bitter invectives, a­gainst all kind of Order and Govern­ment; It is love to the truth makes them lovers of themselves in standing for it: It is hatred of sin makes them so malicious: It is separation from the wicked that makes them void of Christian society, and common Mo­rality; and so full of pride, scorn, and contempt: It is fear of maintaining idleness, that makes them so unchari­table: It is the correction of nature, makes them without natural affection: and the rooting out the wicked, makes them unjust: and their liberty of con­science, is the practise of all this impi­ety permitted with impunity. The sum of all, It's a Religion that will give them liberty to break down all the Houses of God in the Land, and seize upon the Revenews thereof, and tye the Ministers of Jesus Christ to their allowance; a Religion that may give them liberty to commit sacriledge, to [Page 60] speak evil of Dignities, to turn the wicked out of their estates, and invest them in their inheritance: Briefly, a Religion that may tolerate and coun­tenance, yea, and justifie them in their covetous, malicious,, cruel, unnatural, uncivil, proud, contemptuous, and un­charitable actions. This is only the Religion and Liberty of Conscience that will please the Calves: In the sweet pastures whereof we will turn them to grass, and come to the fourth rank, The men that delight in war.

There be five marks of the delight men take in war.

First, When they attempt it upon fained causes.

Secondly, upon frivolous causes.

Thirdly, When they attempt it a­gainst the rules of that faith which they profess.

Fourthly, Out of pride and vain­glorious ends.

Fifthly, The cruelty with which they manage it.

Answerable hereunto, there are five things which in the spiritual ap­plication of it, will make up these men of blood. Bloody Brains, Bloody Consciences, a Bloody Religion, Bloody Affections, and lastly, Bloody hands.

1. When it attempted upon fained causes; There be bloody brain'd men, who are witty in nothing more, then in picking quarrels. It was a wise argu­ment of a wicked King of Israel, con­cluding a quarrelsome intent in the Syrian King, in the request of a thing beyond the compass of humane pow­er, the cure of Naamans leprosie, Am I in God's stead, that he should seek occa­sion against me? The Syrian did not, but the conjecture yet was grounded upon good reason. There is a gene­ration, saith Solomon, that seek rebellion: that is, do all that they can to pro­voke, that out of enforced justice they may seek occasion of revenge: and [Page 62] then like Jonah, they dare out-face God and his word, that they do well to be angry. They seek offences, that they may commit them: and oft times nothing grieves them so much, as when they can find no occasion to be provoked; which when they find not, they fain; if they meet not with, they make: What black comments do they write upon the fairest actions? All offers of peace they translate into the language of suspition, and measures others intents by their own guilt. Da­vid's piety in talking to them of peace, is but policy in their gloss; they had no mind to believe what he spake, that had no mind to that of which he spake; and the preparations which they make to offend him, they pretend but a necessity, to defend themselves: While I speak to them of peace, they make themselves ready to Battel, saith he: but let them subtlely insinuate necessary defence, sure enough the preparations [Page 63] they make, shew a delight in war. Nor are they more crafty in laying the grounds of their hostile designs, then in managing the prosecution of them. So far as piety may advance them, they can counterfeit innocence, while they oppress it. But when it comes to gross wickedness, they can both defie and practise it. And this is the first thing that make up these men of blood; bloody Brains, that plot out occasions of commotion.

The second mark is, When they at­tempt it upon frivolous causes: Bloo­dy Consciences! Men that out of conscience can make those quarrels deadly, which indeed deserve not to be quarrels: Consciences that can swallow down whole draughts of Christian blood, to the effusion where of a wretched scrupulosity in things of indifferent nature prompted them. Estridge Consciences, that can digest iron, but not straw. Consciences that [Page 64] startle at doing of what God forbideth not, but without remorse or scruple, can fall upon those inhumane practises which God abhors; as if a superstiti­ous nicety in smaller matters, could by way of commutation expiate the guilt of such bloody outrages, which needs must damn. These are the second mark.

3. The third mark of the delight they take in war, is, when they at­tempt it contrary to the rules of that faith which they profess. Bloody con­sciences beget a bloody Religion. Christ will own [...]o Religion, but what is christned in his own blood; It is the divel's (of whom Mahomet learn'd it) that is dipt in the blood of men. Our Saviour came indeed to bring a sword, but Peter must not use it. Hear O ye Christians! mistake not your Saviour, meddle not with this sword. Nec [...]ssary it is that offences come, but wo unto them by whom they come. [Page 65] Christ came indeed to die, but they were never the less wicked that killed him▪ Can the necessity of his suffer­ing justifie that malice, cruelty, and injustice by which he suffered? God bringeth good out of evil, because o­therwise he could not permit it a mo­ment in the world, without destroy­ing it: But doth God allow the evil for the good? Permission is no allow­ance. Or can he make that which is evil in it self to be good? He may not impute a sin to a man, yet cannot but repute it for a sin; he may remit the guilt of sin, but not alter the nature of it: But it seems these men can do more then God, they can legitimate any wickedness, with a fiat from the uner­ring Court of their own Consciences; for if they cannot, those actions sure­ly which caused the death of Christ, can never give life to his cause. He suffered through injustice for our fakes, but does he require we should [Page 66] do it too for his sake? Oh the myste­ry of this new light! (for the mystery of it is as dark as the pit out of which it came) It was once, Thou shalt suf­fer wrong of others for his sake, but now it seems we may do it too for his sake: It was once you shall be perse­cuted for my cause, but now, we may persecute: It was once, ye shall be killed for my sake, but now we may kill. Nay, so many, the most inhu­mane, cruel, bloody actions; such, which no generation but this ever did the like; and at which the ears of all posterity shall tingle, have been done, and yet a cause we have can make them lawful; a light we have can ju­stifie them: nay more, none truly en­lightned, none zealous for the cause of Christ, but such who either act, or side with the actors of them. But O my soul! Come not thou into the secrets of this cause; and by this light, my better, be not thou directed: For [Page 67] that cause, or that Religion which is planted by sedition, watered with blood, that brings forth pride, feeds ambition, maintains sacriledge, nou­risheth hatred, malice, uncharitable­ness, and injustice, and is upholden by lying, however strength of conceit may seduce the judgement, hath no author but some of those wicked spi­rits, who have broke loose from their chains of darkness, and transformed themselves into Angels of light, that they might range a land, to seduce the minds, and pervert the ways of a peo­ple, whose hearts, pride, self love, and self conceit had prepared for their entertainment. In a word, 'tis a wicked Religion, especially professing it self Christian, that dares justifie proceed­ings, contrary to the rules of Christ's Gospel, and they are men of brazen brows, and reprobate sense, that shall presume to divide Christ himself, as well as his coat; I mean, to enforce [Page 68] a belief upon us, that he would teach us one thing by his Gospel, and his Gospel another thing by them: Or, that that Religion which tolerates the worst actions, should demonstrate the best Christians: Or, that that Reli­gion which teacheth us to supprese sa­crilegious and unjust actions, should tolerate the same actions, though in its own defence, is a riddle to men and Angels. And thus much of their Reli­gion.

4. When they attempt it for proud and vain-glorious ends: Bloody Af­fections. Pride first bred the quarrel between God and man. Adam would have been a God, before he knew well what it was to be a man; and while he thought to betroth a Deity, he betrayed humanity; and fell, I had almost said, as much below himself, as he thought to have been above. And there is still a secret pride in the heart of man, that lifts up it self to a [Page 69] secet affectation of a Deity: and there­fore as a just and proper punishment, men still as men, aspire to be what they are not, and reaching in their fan­cies at an higher degree of perfection in knowledge, they disquiet both themselves and others in the pursuit thereof, How did the Arian heresie fill the whole world with war and blood? If discontent first broach'd that heresie, yet it was pride of heart that brewed it, and stirred up his busie spirit, by inventing some notable no­velty of doctrine, to insinuate to the world, how far his competitor came behind him, who was yet preferred to that Ecclesiastical Dignity before him. Of all affections, the desire of being Authors of some new device in matters of Religion, is (if not the strongest) yet to some most pleasing. There are some contentious spirits, that hugely delight to swim against the stream. While the thoughts are [Page 70] tickled with the sweetness of fame, the itch of vain glory presently infect the powers of the soul▪ and there is no man which (if that lovely pair, chari­ty and humility interpose not) but will dote upon the issues of his own brain, and propose them to general enter­tainment: yea, they will at once both wonder, and be angry, wonder at the incapacity, and be angry at the obsti­nacy of any that shall refuse to yeild that approbation and reception of them, which themselves, the Authors, think them worthy of. Whence springs an earnest desire (and that de­sire whets the endeavours, by any means whatsoever, to win entertain­ment for them in the allowance and be [...]f of men; nor do they regard what practises they use to effect it. The wickedness of the means, is guilded over with the splendour of the repu­tation they hope shall be gained by it: either fear or favour, inability to re­sist, [Page 71] or affection to defend, strike re­prehension dumb, and somtimes blind, measuring justice in the cause, by the sword she holds in the one hand, and not by the ballance in the other; but it is not more pleasing to the Authors, as pernicious to the Church. Like as we see in secular in­terests; No man can rise, but by the fall of another. Every one covets his own advantage, which depending on the destruction of anorher, he seeks it there. So it is here, Errour can­not rise, but truth must fall; what the one doth gain, the other loseth; the interest of either, depends upon the ruine of the other; and truth and errour never happen to quarrel, but they leave bloody marks behind them upon the body of the Church. But the gall of this bitterness too, is, that when the success of errour hath crown'd the endeavours of those, whose pride of heart and vain-glory [Page 72] gave it birth; the very fruition of their desires stops not the issue: for what is acquired by violence, must by vio­lence be preserved: Heresie would have less guilt, if the defence thereof did not necessitate the addition of more, or at least, the continuance of the same mischief, which the intro­duction gave beginning to: wherein they are not unjustly said to delight, if not as the principal end of their desires yet as a means for the accomplishment of that end. That's the fourth mark of them that delight in War, attem­pted for proud and vain-glorious ends.

5. The last mark is, Their cruelty which they shew in managing of it. If there be a bloody heart, there will be a bloody hand too. Men would think it vain to be wicked, if they should not make use of their wickedness: whose covetous and other b [...]e ends, have carried them beyond the bounds [Page 73] of Law and Equity, care not whither they run: The apprehension of their danger, frights them into all acts of violence, for their security. They think all plot their ruine, that side not with them; and therefore seek their own safety, though it be with the ru­ine of all. But safety, which first oc­casioned this cruelty, ends it not. For guilty fear brings malice with it into a wicked heart; when that is eased, this will also be satisfied. So that now disposition causeth cruelty, as well as necessity, and that safety which at first was sought by it, ends at last with a delight in it. And thus much of the enemies, I will briefly touch the im­precation.

The Imprecation is made up of two terms, but [...]f different [...]ffections; [...] is bu [...] Rebuke the three first; it is Scat­ [...]er the [...]ourth. Whence we note,

That [...] must be propor­tioned as well to the manner of of­fending, [Page 74] as the nature of the offence. Circumstances, though they do not alter the nature, yet may aggravate the hainousness of crimes. It is the in­tent that extends the guilt: and the manner of committing the offence, ei­ther shews it capable of being restrai­ned in a wholsome rebuke, or else worthy of judgement in a just dissi­pation. Rebuke, and Scatter.

To Rebuke, tends to a possible con­viction, that ends with Reformation. To Scatter, tends to an otherwise im­possible frustration, that ends with confusion. Rebuke to amendment, they may submit: Scatter to confusi­on, for they delight in mischief, and it shall happen to them. Imprecations are of a dangerous consequence, they are, I grant, rather to be feared then imitated: yet on the other side, I doubt not to affirm, that as our cha­rity to man commands our prayers to God for the conversion of the weak, [Page 75] and seduced enemies of the Church; so our zeal to the truth and glory of God, may warrant us to pray for the dissipation of the wilful and malicious enemies thereof. The writings of the Prophets are full of these▪ Imprecati­ons. And although St Augustine, a miracle of understanding, supposes those to be only prophesies of what should come to pass, then requests of what they desired; yet his charity herein is rather to be commended, then his sentence in all those to be embraced. For how these words of David (Be not merciful unto them who offend of malicious wickedness) should be reducible to the form of a Prophe­sie, is not so easily apprehended: Nor that St Paul, when he wished, I would that they which trouble you were cut off; meant only with the sword of excommunication, is not so easily believed, as some would have it. Pa­tience in our own sufferings, is Chri­stian, [Page 76] but when God suffers, it is im­pious. God suffers when his Truth is persecuted and martyred: when therefore wicked men shall meerly ei­ther out of fained scrupulosity, as doth the Beast of the Reeds; or else out of envie, as doth the Bulls, or out of ignorance, as do Calves of the people; or else out of ambition, as do the men that delight in mischief; when I say, wicked men upon no other ground but such as these, shall with bloody brains invent, as did the Beasts of the Reeds, and with bloody consci­ences allow; and with a bloody Reli­gion defend, as did the multitude of the Bulls, and with bloody affections advance, as did the Calves of the peo­ple, and with bloody hands execute, as did the men that delight in mischief, such sacrilegious and bloody practises as these; then it is time for us to say, Rebuke, O Lord, &c.