THat thou mayest discern the mischief of Ecclesiasticall Anarchy , the monstrousnesse of the much affected Toleration , and be warned to be wise to sobriety , and fear and suspect the pretended New Lights , I approve that this Treatise , discovering the Gangrene of so many strange Opinions , should be imprinted .

I Here present you with a Catalogue or Black Bill of the Errours , Heresies , Blasphemies , and Practices of the Sectaries of this time , broached and acted within these four last years in England , and that in your Quarters , and in places under your Government and Power , for which I tremble to thinke lest the whole Kingdom should be in Gods Black Bill : I much fear lest the subject matter of this Catalogue may prove unto England ( unlesse some speedy and effectuall course be taken to prevent it ) like the Bill of Divorce given to Israel ; Jer. 3.8 . like the Roll of the Book commanded from God to be written by Jeremiah against Israel and Judah , Jer. 36.2 . like the Roll of a Book sent by a hand to Ezekiel , Ezek. 2.9 , 10. wherin was written , lamentations , mourning and wo ; or like the hand-writing upon the wall against Belshaz . Dan. 5.5 . & the flying Roll in Zech. c. 5. v. 1 , 2. a curse going over the face of the whole land . And unto whom , Right Honourable , should I present and make known these things , but unto You , who are the supreme Iudicatory of this Kingdom , having that sufficiency of Power , which only is able to remedy and redresse them , who are our great Physician 's , and have been wont to cure the worst maladies and diseases of our Church and State , who are by God himself stiled Gods , and therefore should above others lay to heart and be sensible of the injuries and dishonours done to God and his name . And I humbly pray your Honours to beare with me in my addresses this way , as having no other meanes but this , of acquainting You with the sad state of things in our Church : And yet 't is necessary You should hear of these things , for as 't is said in the Prophet Jeremiah , concerning the making of that Roll , It may be the house of Judah will hear all the evill which I purpose to do to them , that they may turne every one from his evill way , it may be they will present their supplications before the Lord , that he may forgive their iniquity and their sin ; so it may be some good may come of this Book , to cause an humiliation for , and a suppression of heresies and schimes , as being a more free and f●ll discovery of our times then ever yet was made , and therefore I send it abroad in this way , whereby it may be read by all Judah : and I doubt not but some faithfull Baruchs , who are not shut up , but do preach before You on Fast dayes , will cause You to hear the words of this Book in the Lords house , by applying them to your consciences , and making them a Catalogue of sins for matter of humiliation to you on those dayes , showing how far they may become yours in suffering without punishment and censure too many of them . And now , Noble and worthy Senatours , be graciously pleased to pardon the boldnesse I shall take in dealing plainly with you in this present Epistle , and not to impute it to any malignity and disaffection to your service , or to peremptory saucinesse , and disrespect of You , ( for besides that some worthy Members of Parliament to whom I am known can testifie the contrary , all my Actions from the beginning of Your sitting , my Sermons , Prayers , Prayses , Discourses , Actings for You speak otherwise : I am one who out of choise and judgement have imbarked my self with Wife , Children , Estate , and all that 's dear to me in the same ship with You , to sinke and perish , or to come safe to land with You , and that in the most doubtfull and difficult times , not only early in the first beginning of the war and troubles , in a malignant place among Courtiers , and those who were servants and had relations to the King , Queen and their Children , pleading Your Cause , justifying Your wars , satisfying many that scrupled : but when Your affairs were at lowest , and the chance of war against You , and some of the Grandees and favourites of these times were packing up , and ready to be gone , I was then highest and most zealous for You , preaching , praying , stirring up the people to stand for you by going out in person , lending of money , in the later going before them by example ; And as I have been your Honours most devoted servant so am I still yours , and you cannot easily lose me ; and I do humbly 〈…〉 self ▪ and Book at the feet of your wisedome and piety submitting both to your ple●s●re but to the matter and contents of this Book , and to the present state of things . I am bound and stirred in spirit , to see the people so given to errour and schisme , and the zeal of Gods house and glory constrains me , and I can no longer forbear speaking my whole heart to you . The evills of this kinde are grown to such a height as there is the more time for silence , or for being afraid , but of crying out and speaking plainly . And I am confident when your Honours have read over my Book ( which I humbly desire you in the fear of God , and for the glory of Christ to do , as Luther bespeaks the reading of an Epistle of his ) that will be a just Apologie with you for my freenesse and boldnesse . O the evil of ●hese times would put zeal into the heart of any man , who hath any l●ve to the glory of God , his truth , and the souls of people , and make the stammering tongue to speak 〈…〉 to speak and cry out . Croesus son who was born dum●be , whe● he saw one going to kill his Father , spake and cryed out , O kill not Croesus . And now when our Father , our Saviour and blessed Spirit are wounded by damnable heresies and blasphemies , and many precious souls destroyed , can we be silent ! O cursed be the silence and flattery that is in such a time as this : For now things are grown to a strange passe , ( though nothing is now strange , ) and every day they grow worse and worse , and you can hardly conceive and imagine them so bad as they are ; no kinde of blasphemy , heresie , disorder , confusion , but either is found among us , or a coming in upon us ; for we in stead of a Reformation , are grown from one extreme to another , fallen from Scylla to Charibdis , from Popish Innovations , Superstitions , and Prelaticall Tyranny , to damnable Heresies , horrid Blasphemies , Libertinisme , and fearfull Anarchy ; our evils are not removed and cured , but only changed ; one disease and Divell hath left us , and another as bad is come in the room ; yea , this last extremity in which we are fallen , is far more high , violent and dangerous in many respects ; all which in an Epistle cannot be contained , but are laid down in the following Book in many places , specially in the eleventh Corollary . Luther in an Epistle to Spalatinus , calls want of freedome in a Minister , irremissible peccatum , an unpardonable sin ; and silence in the neglecting of truth , a wicked silence ; and in an Epistle to Staupitius saith , Let me be found any thing , a proud man , an adulterer , murderer , and guilty of all wickednesse , so as I be not convicted of wicked silence whilst the Lord suffers . The consideration of which , makes me well contented to run the venture of being accounted proud , saucy , peremptory , and of incurring the hazard of your displeasure by speaking freely ( though I hope better things ) then to let the glory and honour of Christ and his truth suffer any longer by my silence ; for I call the most High GOD to witnesse , that ( so far as I know my own heart ) what freedome I here use , in laying open the state of things before you , is not out of any sinister respect , or any pleasure I take in this liberty ( for I have had many carnall reasonings and conflicts in my spirit against it ) but only out of the great necessity of the times , moved thereunto out of love and zeal to the glory of God and his truth my faithfulnesse to your Honours , compassion to the souls of those for whom Christ dyed , and the delivering of my own soul in the discharge of my conscience . Great Persons , as Princes , Nobles and Counsellours , through their high places , Tantis & tam eximijs vir●utis ornamentis enituit , tum Episcopus , tum Imperator : U●rumque enim admitor , alterum propter ingenuà Ioque●di libertatem , alterum propter facilem obedientiam . And Theodosius speaking of Ambrose , saith ; Aegre tandem reperi veritatis magisu●m : Nam solum Ambiosium novi Episcopum diguum eo nomine , Tantum com●odi re●p●ebensio a viro virtu●e praestanti ad hibira secum apportate solet . Theo. Eccl. Hist. l. 5. c. 16 ▪ 17. multitude of affairs , flatteries , are subject to great failings and infirmities , as both Scriptures , and all Histories shew : but this hath been the praise and honour of some of them , that upon being minded by faithful Ministers of their faults , they have laid it to heart . Theodosius that Noble Emperour had many infirmities , as that cruell fact of his against the inhabitants of Thessalonica , as his being angry out of measure against the people of Antiochia , as his lenity towards Arians , whom he permitted to keep Conventions in chief Cities ; but in all his faults this is observed and admired by the Ecclesiasticall Historians who writ of him , that he ever gave place to wholsome admonitions , and amended upon being dealt with , as by Flavianus Bishop of Antiochia , Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium , Ambrose Bishop of Millain ; and he took Ambroses liberty of speaking to him so well , that he did not only give him thanks , but said of him to his praise , I have at length found a master of truth , for I have known Ambrose only a Bishop worthy of that name . It was one of the sins of the Prelates and Court Chaplains ( for which among others God hath cast them out ) to flatter , and the sin of the Court , that the Ministers that preached there , must sing placentia , speak smooth things . Now far be it from such a High Court of Parliament as you , ( who above other Parliaments are in solemne Covenant with God for Reformation , Nationall , Dom●sticall , Personall , and have professed to engage your hearts for God and his work ▪ ) and from the Ministers who stand up for you , and adhere to you , to be faulty in the same kinde : Be pleased therefore in the midst of your many great affairs which even swallow you up , and by reason of which you have not time to hear and know all things concerning the State of Religion , to suffer one of your daily Remembrancers to God , to be Gods Remembrancer to you . You have , most Noble Senatours , done Worthily against Papists , Prelats and scandalous Ministers , in casting downe Images , Altars , Crucifixes , throwing out Ceremonies , &c. but what have You done against other kinds of growing evills , Heresie , Schisme , Disorder , against Seekers , Anabaptists , Antinomians , Brownists , Libertines and other Sects ? You have destroyed Baal and his Priests ; but have you been zealous against golden Calves , and the Priests of the lowest of the people ? are not these grown up , and dayly increase under you ? are any effectuall meanes used against them ? You have made a Reformation , and blessed be God who put it into your hearts to do such things ; but with the Reformation have we not a Deformation , and worse things come in upon us then ever we had before ? were any of those monsters heard of heretofore , which are now common among us ? as denying the Scriptures , pleading for a Toleration of all Religions and worships , * * Book intit . Toleration Justified , page , 7.8 . printed in this last January . yea for blasphemy and denying there is a God . You have put down the Book of Common Prayer : and there are many among us have put down the Scriptures , slighting , yea blaspheming them . You have broken down Images of the Trinity , Christ , Virgin Mary , Apostles : and we have those who overthrow the Doctrine of the Trinity , oppose the Divinity of Christ , speak evill of the Virgin Mary , sleight the Apostles . You have cast out the Bishops and their Officers : and we have many that cast down to the ground all Ministers in all the Reformed Churches . You have cast out Ceremonies in the Sacraments , as the Crosse , kneeling at the Lords Supper : and we have many cast out the Sacraments , Baptisme and the Lords Supper . You have put down Saints dayes : and we have many make nothing at all of the Lords dayes , and Fast dayes . You have taken away the superfluous excessive maintenance of the Bishops , Deanes : and we have many take away and cry down the necessary maintenance of the Ministers . In the Bishops dayes we had singing of Psalmes taken away in some places , conceived prayer , preaching , and in their room , Anthems , stinted forms and reading brought in ; and now we have singing of Psalms spoken against and cast out of some Churches , yea all publike prayer questioned , and all ministeriall preaching denyed . In the Bishops times Popish Innovations ▪ were introduced , as bowing at Altars , &c. and now we have anointing the sick with Oyle ; then we had Bishopping of children , now we have Bishopping of men and women , by strange laying on of hands , as is related in this following Book . In the Bishops dayes we had many unlearned Ministers , and have we not now a company of Jereboams Priests ? In the Bishops dayes we had the fourth Commandement taken away , but now we have all ten Commandements at once by the Antinomians ; yea all faith and the Gospell denyed , as by the Seekers . The worst of the Prelats , in the midst of many Popish , Arminian tenets , and Popish Innovations , held many sound doctrines , and had many commendable practices ; yea the very * * Calvini Instructio Ad●ersus Libertinos , cap. 4. pag. 104. Papists hold and keep to many Articles of faith and truths of God , have some order among them , encourage learning , have certain fixed principles of truth , with practises of devotion and good works ; but many of the Sects and Sectaries in our dayes , deny all principles of Religion , are enemies to all holy Duties , Order , Learning , overthrowing all , being vertiginosi spiritus , whirlegigg spirits ; and the great opinion of an universall Toleration , tends to the laying of all waste , and dissolution of all Religion and good manners . Now are not these Errours , Heresies and Schismes , spots and blots in our Reformation ? do they not blemish and cast a dark shadow upon all the light part ? are they not the dead flies in the Apothecaries ointment , sending forth a stinking savour ? are they not the reproach and rejoycings of the common enemy ? the scandall of the weak , the blasing star of the times ? and are not Sectaries strangely suffered , connived at , keeping open meetings in the heart of the City ? yea printing with * * M Salimarsh Smoak In the Temple , in which are some desperate errours . Book about Baptisme , and calling maintenance by Tithes Iewish and Popish undeniably . License their erroneous opinions , and daring to give into some of your hands such Books as 't is a shame to speak of ? being let so alone , that they are grown up to many thousands both in City and Country . Christ in Revel. 2.19 . highly commends the Angel of the Church of Thyatira for his works service , faith , patience , &c. but yet reproves and threatens him for suffering without punishment false doctrines to be taught , and disorders to be practised in the Church : But I have a few things against thee , because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel , which calleth her self a Prophetesse , to teach and to seduce my servants : And be pleased to observe what truth that Scripture holds out , namely , that a connivence and suffering without punishment false Doctrines and Disorders , Persons to preach whom God hath not called , and to preach Errours , Heresies , blemishes and dashes the most glorious works , and provokes God to send judgements ; a Toleration doth eclipse and darken the glory of the most excellent Reformation . God accounts all those errours , heresies , schismes , &c. committed in a land , but let alone , and suffered without punishment by those who have authority and power , to be the sins of those who have power , and he will proceed against them as if they were the authors of them . A man comes to be pertaker of other mens sins , by countenancing , consenting and suffering withou punishment , as well as by formally committing them . * * Ames . Animad. in Remonstr. Synodal . Script . super Artic. 5 de Persev . sanctorum , cap. 7. de Solomone . Certum est Solomonem non introduxisse ●ut admisisse idola in demum Dei , neque adegisse popul●m ut vel ●ei verum cultum desererent , vel colerent idola ; neque probari potest ●um in sua propria persona coluisse idola . Hoc tantum cercum est de ejus idololatria , quod infatuatus á mulieribus idololatricis permiserit eas construere . Aquinas in Ephes. 5.12 . Istis ergo nolite communica●e imitando , coadjuvando , conlentiendo Sed certe hoc non ▪ sufficit , nisi etiam eos reprehendatis . Solomon in 1. King . 11. from ver. 1. to 15. is counted by God to be guilty of all the Idolatry committed by his wives and their followers , and accordingly God is angry with him and threatens him , because being a King , he had power in his hands to hinder it , not that Solomon did bring into the house of God Idols , or ever commanded the people to forsake the worship of God and to worship Idols , or that he did in his own persont worship Idols ; This only is certain , that he suffered them to build Altars , and sacrifice to strange gods . Ephes. 5.12 . 't is the command of God , to have no fellowship with the unfruitfull works of darknesse , that is , not by consenting , helping , imitating & suffering them without reproof ; Now a Magistrates reproving , is by using coercive power to punish and suppresse evills , as is evident in the example of old Eli to his sons , who though he did reprove by words , yet because he punished them not , he was partaker of their sins , and was severely punished by God for it , 1. Sam. 2.23 , 242 , 5. chap. 3.13.14 . Now , Right Honourable , though You hold none of these Opinions , practise not these wayes , neither command any of these things , but have put out Declarations , wherin there are some passages against Anabaptists , Brownists and other Sects , and made Orders and Ordinances for the preventing and remedying of many of these evills ; as that Order of Febr. 16. 1643. That Ministers suffer none to preach in the places where they have charge , but such as they will be answerable for ; as the Ordinance against the preaching of Persons not ordained in this or some other Reformed Church ; as the Ordinance of not printing without License ; yea upon complaint have questioned and troubled some Sectaries for their Errours and pernicious Practises ; yet notwithstanding there is a strange unheard of suffering and bearing with them , and such a one , as I beleeve all things considered , never was there the like under any Orthodox Christian Magistrate and State . How do sects and schismes increase and grow daily , Sectaries doing even what they will , committing insolencies and outrages , not only against the truth of God and the peace of the Church , but the Civill state also , going up and down Countries , causing riots , yea tumults and disturbances in the publike Assemblies ! how do persons cast out of other Countries for their Errours , not only live here , but gather Churches , preach publikely their Opinions ! what swarmes are there of all sorts of illiterate mechanick Preachers , yea of Women and Boy Preachers ! Vide●etit ●etit . of the Lord Maier Aldermen , and Com●●n● of the City of London presented to the House of Peers , Jan. 16. what a number of meetings of Sectaries in this Citiy , eleven at least in one Parish ! what liberty of preaching , printing of all Errours , or for a Toleration of all , and against the Directory , Covenant , monethly Fast , Presbyteriall Government , and all Ordinances of Parliament in reference to Religion , and most of these persons either never questioned at all , or if questioned , abusing those in a high manner who question them , coming off one way or other , and afterwards going on in spreading their errours more then before , or if committed by some below , whereby they are hindred from preaching and dipping , then brought off and released by some above ( of which they bragg and boast ) yea many Sectaries countenanced , imployed and preferd to speciall places both of profit , honour and trust , and that which is saddest of all ( and yet too true ) Orthodox worthy persons , who being in places of Power , for preventing mischiefs and evills questioning some Sectaries for their unlawfull meetings and false Doctrines , have been lookt upon ever after with an evill eye , and opportunities watcht to molest and displace them . In a word there hath not been to this day any exemplary restraint of the Sectaries ( as ever I heard ) by vertue of any of your Ordinances , but they are sleighted and scorned , and as it was formerly with the Kings Proclamations against the Iesuits , Priests , Papists , and forbidding to go to Masse , there were the more Priests in the Kingdom , and more went to Masse ; ( the Proclamations being never looked after , and when any zealous Protestants in place did go to execute them , they had little thanks for their pains , and those they questioned were to hard for them , getting off ; ) so preaching of lay-men was never more in request then since your Ordinance against it ; Presbyteriall Government never more preached , printed against , then since your Votes , Orders and Ordinances for it ; never more dangerous unlicensed Books printed , then since the Ordinance against unlicensed printing ; and when men have been complained of for the breach of Ordinances , as that of lay preaching &c. how are they dismissed , and preach still , infect still ? look what wayes were taken heretofore by the Popish party and Prelates who pretended to be Protestants , in favour of the Papists , Arminians , and discountenancing zealous Protestants ; the same will be found to be now in use in behalfe of the Sectaries against Presbyterians ; and if you be but pleased to review your own Remonstrances , either in former , or in this present Parliament , or remember the maximes and grounds you proceeded upon in questioning many , and by what rules you judged of intentions to overthrow the Protestant Religion , and to advance Popery , Armianisme , and then look upon the Proceedings of some , you will finde the same steps trod in now , and the same course taken in favour of the sects : ( But an Epistle is too narrow a compasse to particularize all things of this kinde , and a word is enough to the wise ) And yet I do not say Your Honours have done these things ; for there are matters of this nature you hear not of , and upon complaints of things that have come immediatly to Your Houses , there hath been some redresse ; yet such things are done by Committees , or Persons under Your Power and Government , and no effectuall wayes taken to prevent , discover or remedy these things . Now I humbly submit to Your deep judgment , whether God account not men guilty of that which is committed by others under them , they having power to hinder it ; as also , whether it will not be interpreted by men , that there is certainly great countenance and favour above , or else persons below dare not do as they do . And be pleased to suffer me , as a Minister of Christ , to bring to your remembrance ( which I do in all humility , ) these following Scriptures . Levit. 26.25 , 1 Sam. 2.29 , 30 , 31 , 32. cap. 3.12.13 , 14. 1 King . 12. cap. 31.13 . cap. 33.34 . 2 King . 10. from 19. to 33. Jerems . 30.31 . Dan. 5.5.2.2 , 23.24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28. Amos 2.9 , 13.14 . Hag. 1.2 , 4 , 5. Gal. 6.7 . Revel. 2.13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 18 , 19 , 20. Which texts of Scripture , with the examples laid down in them , I name not as if I would compare your Honours with Jeroboam , Belshazzar , &c. or charge on you their facts in kinde , or that I wish such evills should come to You ; no , let the interpretation of these Scriptures be to your enemies , and the fulfilling of them to them that hate You ; but because whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning , and all the things which were threatned and hapned to Eli , Jeroboam , Jehu , Belshazzar , &c. were for examples , and written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come ; therefore I minde You of these Scriptures , that you may fear to fall into any such kinde of sins , or to suffer such to be done when 't is in Your power to hinder .

The sects have been growing upon us ever since the first year of Your sitting , and have every year increased more and more ; things have been bad a great while , but this last year they are grown intolerable ; and if Schisme , Herosie , &c. be let alone and rise proportionably for one year longer , we shall need no Cavaliers nor enemies from without to destroy us . Certainly God looks for other manner of fruit from you ; the great Deliverances , Victories , Successes , the solemn Covenant , Protestations , Remonstrances , Declarations made to God , this Kingdom , the Kingdome of Scotland , and all the Reformed Churches , call and speak for other kinds of things . The Reformed Churches abroad wonder at these things , and say , Why may not the King as lawfully tolerate Papists , one false Religion , as the Parliament suffer all sects to grow ? Besides their love , zeal and prayers for you begins to languish and grow faint . Our dear Brethren of Scotland stand amazed and astonished , and had they not seen these things , could not have beleeved them . The Orthodox , godly considerable party , both Ministers and people in City and Country , by whose means under God , you are now so strong and lifted up above your enemies , are grieved , offended , and much discouraged ; the common enemy scornes , blasphemes , and reproaches the Reformation , looking upon us as given up to a spirit of giddinesse and errour . The Malignants every where turne Sectaries and Independents , siding with them and pleading their cause ; and they do wisely , there being no such way as that to save their purses , live quietly , and to undermine you and effect the enemies work . And what can think you will be issue of these things ? It is high time therfore for your Honours to awake and be doing , to suffer no longer these Sects and Schismes , these disorders and confusions that are in the midst of us , but to fall upon some effectuall wayes , as you in your great wisdomes shall finde out , and to do something worthy a Parliament in this kinde also . Do this and God is on your right hand to helpe you , and you shall not be removed for ever , the Kingdom of Scotland , the Reformed Churches , this great City with the Ministers to stand by you and to honour you : Do it not , but let things still run on thus , and all kinde of errours , confusions , &c. increase , and know God is a righteous God , and will require it at your hands , visit and be avenged for these things . And let no man flatter you with your great prosperity and successe , that your mountain is now so strong that you shall never be moved ; but remember that God is a God changing the times and seasons , that removes Kings and sets up Kings , Dan. 2.21 . that can quickly bring down that part of the wheel below which was highest , that made a sudden change to Belshazzar in an hour , Dan. 5.3 , 4 , 5 , 6. That God who is said to scatter Kings , can scatter you : Psal. 68.14 . Look upon the Court party , the great Counsellours of state , and Prelates , whose height was like the height of the Cedars , and were strong as the Oaks , yet the Lord destroyed their fruit from above , and their root from beneath ; and cannot he do so to you ? I beseech you fear , considering the great dishonour of God and his name , and the sad estate of things under your Goverment , lest God bring some great afterclap upon you , and have an after reckoning , either giving you up at last to the hands of those that are now in armes against you , or sending an evill spirit of division among your selves and the two Nations , or making use of the Sects ( that party when grown stronger , who have been so much suffered to grow under you , ) to become thorns in your sides , and pricks in your eyes , to cast You out , and to teach you new Law and new Divinity , as they have done already in many of their Books ( as Englands Birthright , A Letter from an Utter Barrester , A Letter call'd Englands lamentable slavery , Lilburns Letters to Mr Prynn , to a Friend , Innocency and truth justified , cum multis alijs , ) or by sending some other judgement , as the Pestilence , &c. ( all which I earnestly pray God to prevent . ) And truly when I think of things by my self , and behold to what a height Errours , Heresies , &c. are come , and withall reflect upon the great things God hath done for you , the many powerfull Sermons you have had preached before you about the Nationall Covenant , and against the Sects , the many Petitions representing the evill and danger of these things , and yet how little is done , our evills of this kinde rising higher and higher , in the increase of false doctrines , and a greater multiplication of schismes every day then other ; I tremble for fear , lest for the want of zeal in suffering so many dishonours of God , and his House to lie so long waste , the word be gone out of his mouth already which he spake against Eli ; I said indeed that thy house , and the house of thy Father should walke before me for ever : but now the Lord saith ; Be it far from me , for them that honour me I will honour , and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed . But to draw towards a conclusion , there is no other way to prevent all this wrath , but to be zealous and repent , to do something speedily and effectually against the Errours , Heresies , Schismes , Blasphemies and confusions of these times .

Ob. But if any shall object , It cannot be done now , it will discontent and disingage the Sectaries who are a considerable party , and so may prove dangerous to the Parliament in this juncture of time , by causing many to fall off their Service .

Ans. Are we afraid of discontenting , disingaging and losing a few men , and not discontenting and losing God! shall God be displeased to please men ! shall we fear the want of mans helpe whose breath is in his nostrils , and not fear God! O that we would once cease from man , for wherein is he to be accounted of ?

Secondly , I Answer , This objection is taking counsell , but not of God ; a covering , but not of Gods spirit ; Isa. 30.1 . this carnall policie of suffering corruptions in Religion for fear of losing a party , and strengthening Kingdoms , hath proved the ruin of families and Kingdoms ; be pleased to remember Jeroboam , Jehu , &c. who out of policie for fear of losing a party and strengthening the other side , set up and suffered the golden Calves and Priests of the lowest of people , and this very thing became a snare , and the losse of the Kingdom to them ; and I might shew out of Ecclesiasticall Histories many examples of sad things befalling Princes , who out of policies or any carnall respects , have suffered all sorts of Sects and Heresies ; but I will only instance in one out of * * Ex quo etiam sonte manavit , ut idem Valentinianus senior sineret in Occidente inter Christianos quam quis vellet fidem amplecti atque pro arbitrio haereses consectari . At quam consulte exitus declaravit , ambo enim factione ac proditione Gentilium necati sunt , Gratinnus á Maximo Valentinianus junior or laqueo strangulatus . Baron tom. 4. Ann. 1376. num. 2. Baronius , of Valentinianus senior , who suffered in the West the Christians to embrace what faith every one of them would , and to follow what Heresies they pleased , but how well and safely the end of it declared ; for both his sons were slain by the faction and treachery of the Gentiles , Gratian by Maximus , Valentinian junior was strangled in a halter : And yet afterwards the same Emperour by edict commanded the houses and places where the Maniches met to be confiscate . 't is storied of Amaziah , that he had hired a hundred thousand mighty men of valour for a hundred talents of silver , but a man of God came to him to dismisse his Army , namely that part of it the children of Ephraim , and told him in answer to his carnall objections , that God had power to help and to cast down ; and for his hundred talents , the Lord was able to give him much more then this : 2 Chron. 25.7 , 8 , 9. so say I , whoever or what numbers soever shall desert the Parliaments Army and Service for their suppressing the Sects , and putting in execution their own Ordinances , God hath power to help , and cast down , and is able to cause many more then these , to adhere to them ; and no question , besides Gods help and blessing which uses to accompany setling true Religion , and destroying false ; the hands of the Kingdom of Scotland would be the more strengthened , the City of London , the Ministers , and all who love truth , peace and order , would adhere more firmly , and the Parliament would be both stronger , and make themselves famous both at home and abroad to all generations . Thirdly , supposing the Sectaries to be as potent as is falsely surmised by themselves , yet I humbly conceive it stands not with the Honour , Power , Wisedom nor Piety of a Parliament , for fear of losing a party , to be afraid of maintaining their own Ordinances , and punishing those things that they know are bad ; In such a case fiat justitia , ruet coelum . Fourthly , the sons of Zeruiah are not now too hard for you , God hath made you stornger then ever , Vide more of this in M. Pryns Epist. Dedicat. to the High Court of Parliament , in his Book imis . A fresh Discovery of New lights . by giving you many victories , battell upon battell , and one strong hold after another ; so that if any will fall off from you for doing your duties , you need not care ; and who knowes but that all these victories are sent to take away all excuse , to answer this objection , and to encourage you to this work ? God inforces upon turning the dayes of fasting into feasts , therefore to love the truth and peace ; and from deliverances to pay our vows , and make good our Covenants , as in Zech. 8.19 . Nahum . 1.15.16 . Psal. 16.14 , 17 , 18 , 19. And thus having in some poor measure discharged my conscience towards God , your Honours and this Kingdom , in the Discovery made in this Book of many sects and Sectaries , I leave the issue and successe to God , humbly taking my leave , as Dr Holland that learned man and Doctor of the Chair in Oxford was wont to do of his Colledge upon going journies , Vita . Holland . Commendo vos Dilectioni Dei & odio Papa●u● . saying , I commend you to the love of God and hatred of Popery ; so do I commend both Houses of Parliament to the love of God and his truth , and the hating of all Sects and Schismes , earnestly praying to God , that none of the things which You and we have cause to fear may come upon You and the Kingdom , but that God would mercyfully pardon that too great suffering , countenancing , spreading and prevailing of Errours , Heresies and Schismes which hath been in this Kingdom these four last years , and would fil you with such a love and zeal to his truth and house , that you might throrowly purge out all things that offend , and cause the false Prophets and the unclean spirits to passe out of the land , speedily and effectually lay the top-stone upon the building , the foundation whereof you have laid long ago , fully settle this Church and the Government of it , Whereby we may be brought into one , and become terrible as an Army with banners , and like a strong and fenced City , both against schismes that may arise from within , and the assaults of enemies without .