Naked popery, Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
YOU deſcribe to us four ſuppoſed Parties. I. The Puritan. II. The Prelatical Proteſtant, (whom your Fitz-Simmons calleth, The Formaliſt.) III. The Papiſt, as you ſuppoſe us falſly to deſcribe him. IV. The Papiſt, as you ſuppoſe him truly deſcribed, whom you call The Apoſtolical Chriſtian. In all which you ſhew that you are far from Infallibility, and a man unfit for your Relations to truſt in ſo great a Caſe.
I. I confeſs you give the Puritan a very laudable deſcription, in compariſon of the Prelatiſt Proteſtant, and the feigned Papiſt. And you tell us, that you were once a Puritan your ſelf, and you own ſtill that which you deſcribe as Puritaniſm, only adding Popery to it, which you think it wants. I confeſs you ſpeak incomparably more honourably and charitably of Puritans, than ſome malicious intereſſed Perſons, of their own Proteſtant Profeſſion will do. But,
1. You deal not informingly, in your deſcribing a Puritan, before you diſtinguiſh that ambiguous ill-made word. It hath three common acceptions among us at leaſt.
Firſt, The ancienteſt, as it ſignifieth the old or later Cathariſts, who held that they were perfect (if they are not belyed:) And none come nearer theſe than the Papiſts and Quakers, certainly Proteſtants are far from it.
Secondly, the old Non-conformiſts had the name of Puritanes put on them, by thoſe that were againſt them: For what reaſon, I leave them to anſwer to God.
Thirdly, and becauſe theſe Non-conformiſts lived ſtrictly, and were for much preaching, and praying, and holy conference, and ſpending the Lords-day in holy Exerciſes, and ſerious diligence in working out our Salvation, and were ſharp againſt drunkenneſs, ſwearing, and ſuch other ſins, therefore the vulgar Rabble of vicious ones, that durſt not rail at Piety under the name of Piety, took the advantage of the Biſhops diſpleaſure at the Non-conformiſts, and of the name Puritane, and put that name upon all Chriſtians among them, that were notably ſerious in practical Godlineſs, perſwading themſelves that they were all but Hypocrites: And ſo the name among the vulgar Rabble grew common to godly Conformiſts and Non-conformiſts: And as if loquendum cum vulgo had been a Law, by this means the Devil did more hurt both to godlineſs (rendring it among the vulgar to he but odious Hypocriſie and Singularity) and to Epiſcopacy (making Multitudes that diſliked the wickedneſs of the Rabble, to think that all this came from the Biſhops,) and it did more to advance and honour the Non-conformiſts, (becauſe the name was formerly theirs as ſuch) than by any one thing that I remember in all my younger days. This the godly Conformiſts grievouſly complained of, (as Biſhop Downame in his Spit…le Sermon, called Abrahams Tryal, and Mr. Robert Bolton, who ſaith, that he believeth that never poor perſecuted Word paſſed through the Mouths of wicked Men with more bitter ſcorn, ſince Malice firſt entred into the Heart of Man:] Really the permitting of the common Rabble of all the debauched Sinners of the Land to make ſerious godlineſs a common ſcorn under the name of Puritaniſme, had as great a hand as any thing I know in all our Confuſions.
Fourthly, and it added Fuel to the Fire when ſome brought up a fourth ſence of the Word (ſome ſay, Mar. Ant. de Dom. Spalatenſis was the inventor of it,) and that was Doctrinal Puritanes, by which name they underſtood thoſe by ſome called Calviniſts, by others Anti-Arminians, who held the Doctrine of your Dominicans, or of the Janſeniſts.
Now who can well tell which of theſe ſorts of Puritanes you were, and talk of, while you Characterize the ſecond ſort, as well as the firſt, and yet diſtinguiſh them from Prelatick Proteſtants?
2. But which ever it is, obſerve here that you own the Puritanes Religion ſtill, and ſay, [I have not ſo much left Puritaniſm, as Prelaticks call it, as added that to it wherein I found it come ſhort of the holy Apoſtles Doctrine and Inſtitutions,] p. 1. And when you have deſcribed the Puritane as one ſeriouſly conſcionable and regardful of his Salvation, (at large) you add, [If this be to be a Puritane, would to God all the World were Puritanes! I am ſo far from being Converted from thus much of a Puritane, that I moſt heartily wiſh I could Convert all the World to it.]
3. But yet your deſcription of him is ſo very falſe, that I may conclude when you turned, as you think, from being a meer Puritane to be a Papiſt, you never knew what a Puritane is, nor indeed ever were a Puritane your ſelf, unleſs you take the word as fitted to your ſelf, and ſuch as you.
If you had meant by a Puritane a meer Non-conformiſt as ſuch, you would not ſo laudably have deſcribed the work of God upon his Soul and Life as you have done: For if moſt Non-conformiſts be ſuch, yet ſo are many others as well as they. And it's eaſie to ſee what a deceitful courſe it is to take up a name of many ſignifications, and ſuch as ſignifieth no different Religion at all, as to any one Article of Faith, nor any more difference in, or about Religion, than ſuch as is among moſt Chriſtian Churches; and much leſs than is among your ſelves.
Beſides that the plainer name of a Non-conformiſt is of no determinate nor certain ſignification, ſave only in general to notifie one that Conformeth not to all that is impoſed on him; but what that is, the name doth not ſignifie.
A Non-conformiſt in Scotland is one thing, in England another thing, as the Impoſitions are different. Nonconformity twenty years ago, or fourty years, was one thing. Non-conformity ſince 1662. is quite another thing. And Non-conformiſts differ among themſelves: If twenty things be impoſed as neceſſary to the Miniſtry, he is a Non-conformiſt who conſenteth but to nineteen of them; and ſo is he that conſenteth but to eighteen, or to ſeventeen, or to ſixteen, and ſo on, as well as he that conſenteth to none of them. And that there is ſo much difference among them is no wonder to them, nor any conſiderate Man; for they hold Chriſtian Love and Communion with thoſe that agree with them in the foreſaid common Principles and Practice of Chriſtianity, (as far as they require not them to ſin:) And they are not of a different Religion from every one that faſteth not on Fridays, or Saints Vigils, &c. as you ſeem to be, nor from every one that doth ſo; nor from every one that thinketh not in every thing as they think, or that prayeth in other words than they; for no two Men in the World ſhould on ſuch Terms be of one Religion: They believe Socrates and Sozomen, who tell us of the great diverſity of Rites and Orders in the ancient Churches, which all conſiſted with the ſame Religion, Faith, and Love. They abhor the Principle of hating, perſecuting, yea and ſeparating from one another for ſuch differences as will unavoidably adhere to the imperfect condition of Chriſtians here on Earth.
At this time in England a conſiderable part (if not the far greateſt) of the ſilenced Miniſters are for the Primitive Epiſcopacy, and ſome Liturgie, as you may ſee in their offer of A. Biſhop Uſher's Reduction to the King, and their deſires of a reformed Liturgie. Among the old Non-conformiſts, there were divers degrees: ſuch as Dr. Regnolds, Mr. Perkins, Dr. Humfrey, Paul Bayn, &c. did yield to more than ſome others could do. How can you tell then by the name of a Puritane, what to charge any ſingle Perſon with?
But it ſeemeth you take their Non-conformity in General, and their temper of mind and life together. But then you greatly wrong them, and ſeem not at all to know what their Religion is.
There are two things which you ſay they miſtake in: 1. Their Doctrine of Imputed Righteouſneſs, and the Covenant, and not ſolicitouſly endeavouring after the acquiſition of Virtue, becauſe they truſt to the Imputed Righteouſneſs;] your words are too large to recite: You partly here unworthily injure them by aſcribing to them the very opinions and words of the Antinomians, whom they have better confuted than ever you did. And as to their Doctrine of Imputed Righteouſneſs, even Bellarmine in one ſenſe owneth it: And whether our ſenſe be ſound I provoke you to try particularly by your peruſal of my own Writings on that Subject, eſpecially a late Treatiſe of [Juſtifying Righteouſneſs and Imputation,] and a Treatiſe called [Catholick Theologie:] In which if there be nothing which you dare or can confute, judge whether your meer deriſion of [Imputative Righteouſneſs] be not deluſory: If you dare ſay, that you truſt not to Chriſts Sacrifice, and meritorious perfect righteouſneſs, as procuring you pardon and life, (Jus ad Impunitatem & Regnum Coelorum,) enjoy your ſelf-confidence while you can. But if you ſay in this as we, then make publick Confeſſion of the injury of your reproach of ſuch Imputed Righteouſneſs, as you truſt your ſalvation upon your ſelf.
I imagine you will ſay, that my judgment is no certain ſignification of the judgment of the Puritans; for I am ſingular, and therefore what I ſay in theſe Books is no proof of the ſenſe of the Non-conforming Puritans. But, 1. my judgment of their ſenſe is as good as yours. 2. Do you know of any one Nonconformiſt that hath publiſhed any diſſent to what I have written? (Dr. Tully was a Conformiſt.) 3. You profeſs (before) to borrow the name [Puritan] from the Prelatiſts. And I have this to ſay for my Authority in declaring the ſenſe of Puritans, that one or more (whoſe genius is of kin to the Roman, but far leſs mild than yours) who are Prelatical or ſuper-Prelatical, have about 17 years ago (being Maſters of that Language) branded me with the Name of [Purus putus Puritanus, & qui totum Puritaniſmum totus ſpirat.] (The Pſeudo-Tilenus hath juſt the ſame ſtile as the late Unmasker of the Presbyterians, who revileth modeſt, judicious, pious, and peaceable J. Corbet, and in the moſt ingenious ſtrain of wrath and malice doth valiantly militate againſt Love.) Therefore Prelatiſts being Judges, I may as credibly as another tell you what is the Puritan Judgment.
2. Your ſecond accuſation of the Puritan is, that [He begins to quarrel with all external Worſhip and Ceremonies.] But this is alſo ſpoken ignorantly and untruly: You before miſtook the Antinomian for the Puritan, and here you ſeem to take the Separatiſt for the Puritan. Read the Reformed Liturgy, and other Papers offered at the Savoy to the Biſhops, and you may ſee that though they are not for ſilencing, excommunicating, and damning men for a Ceremony, nor for making as many Religions, as there are differences about Ceremonies, yet they are for doing all things to edification, decently and in order; and for external as well as internal Worſhip of God: As knowing that the Body is his, and made to Worſhip him as well as the Soul, and therefore ſhould fall down and kneel before him, and reverently and holily behave it ſelf in his Service.
You ſay, p. 5. [He is much confirmed in this his imagination, by conſidering the open profaneneſs, and little ſenſe of God, he obſerveth generally in zealous Conformiſts. And on the other ſide he taketh notice of his Brethren the Non-conformiſts, that they are generally free from open and ſcandalous ſins, and at leaſt ſigh and breath after interior ſpirit and devotion, which certainly muſt be that muſt give us a title to Heaven, rather than a few Cringes, and exterior Verbal Devotions, which any one though never ſo prophane may eaſily exerciſe.]
1. But do you not here and in your former deſcription quite contradict your ſelf, when you charge them as neglecting inherent righteouſneſs?
2. We are not ſo fooliſh as not to know, that the unreverent hypocritical abuſe of Gods external Worſhip, by others whoſoever, will not excuſe us for neglecting it. Of the Conformiſts we muſt ſpeak anon.
3. By the way I would you could impartially conſider, if the Puritans be ſo good men, as you fairly confeſs them to be, what the reaſon is that Papiſts generally are far more fiery againſt them than againſt thoſe whom you ſpeak ſo meanly of as Prelatical Proteſtants? Remember how your Writer after the London Fire, anſwered by Dr. Lloid, did flatter theſe as more ſuitable to the Papiſts genius in compariſon of the Puritans: And the Unmasker againſt J. Corbet will tell you out of Watſon (an honourable Witneſs hanged for Treaſon in Cobham's, &c. Conſpiracy) how bad the Puritans are, (comparing them with the Jeſuites:) And if your Laws took place in England, what abundance of theſe Puritans would you make Bonfires of? yea your own Relations were not like to ſcape you. They have told me to my face, how quickly they would otherwiſe ſilence me than the Prelates do, if I were in their power. And the Decrees De Haereticis comburendis & exterminandis more fully tell it us. Yea, whence is it, that moſt certain experience proveth it, that by how much the nearer any Proteſtants genius is to the Papiſts, by ſo much the more bloody, cruel, malicious, or ſlanderous and unmerciful he is to the Puritanes?
You'll ſay for both, that it is becauſe the Puritans are moſt againſt them, and Intereſt ruleth the World. But I anſwer, 1. God's Intereſt is higheſt with every true Chriſtian: 2. I confeſs it's true, that Puritans are moſt againſt Popery: But truly as far as I have been acquainted with them, they are not moſt againſt your Perſons, nor would have any injuſtice or cruelty exerciſed againſt you: But the fear of your Faggots, or Powder-Plots, and ſuch Maſſacres as were in France, (of Thirty Thouſand, or Forty Thouſand;) or in Ireland, (of Two Hundred Thouſand,) hath made them think your Power inconſiſtent with their ſafety: 3. And you muſt remember that the Poſitive Additions of the Church of Rome, are in the Judgment of the Puritans very great ſins: But you have truly no charge againſt the Puritans, for any one Article of their Religion; but only for not receiving, and for proteſting againſt your Additions.
4. But I perceive, p. 5. your Inſtances of their defectiveneſs are, that they are not for [faſting days, particular Garments for Prieſts, ſet Forms, Chriſtmas-day, Good-Friday, Aſcenſion, Whitſuntide, &c. which they take for meer Humane inventions and Will-worſhip; Becauſe they think that the New Teſtament was written to inſtruct us Chriſtians in the whold Body of Goſpel-worſhip, &c.
But you are beſt prove this only by telling us that you know ſome perſons of that mind: And when you have done, I will demand your Proof that thoſe Perſons are no more than Puritans: They have oft told you that their judgment is, that for all that ſubſtance of God's Worſhip which is of Univerſal neceſſity to the Church, and is of Divine Inſtitution, the holy Scripture is a ſufficient Rule: But that very many Circumſtances and outward Acts have in Scripture but a General Law (that they be all done to edification, decently, orderly, in Concord, &c.) and it is left to Humane Prudence to order them by ſuch Rules: We condemn no one that uſeth holy Faſts or Feaſts, but think them needful: We judge not thoſe that celebrate the Memorial of God's great Mercies to his Church, by giving him thanks for the holy Life and Doctrine of his Eminent Saints, &c. But will you plainly have our judgment?
We think Saint Paul was in the right that taught the Church of Rome it ſelf, both the Rulers and the Flocks, that they muſt neither judge nor deſpiſe each other for differences about Meats and Days, but receive each other (to Communion notwithſtanding ſuch differences) as Chriſt received us, Rom. 14. and 15. And we will not believe your Grand-Father, nor Great-Grand-Father, if they told us that the Apoſtles by Tradition did inſtitute Holy-days, and Vigils for St. Tecla, or St. Bridgit, or St. Thomas Becket, or any that were not born till they were dead: And any one Day or Order which you truly prove to us that the Apoſtles by Tradition ordained for the Univerſal Church, we profeſs our ſelves ready and reſolved to obey.
But if you plead not Tradition for any of theſe things, but the Churches Commands, (as you muſt do, or be ſingular, or aſhamed;) here you come to the quick of our difference: 1. We know not of any Univerſal Vicarious Law-giver under Chriſt that hath any power to make Laws to the Univerſal Church throughout the World: and we dare not own any ſuch Uſurper leſt we be guilty of Treaſon againſt the only Head of the whole Church.
2. We know not of any power that the chief Biſhop in the Roman Empire hath over other Empires, Kingdomes, or Churches.
3. But to our own true Paſtors which are ſet over us according to Chriſt's order and his Apoſtles recorded in Scripture, we Puritanes will ſubmit in all ſuch Circumſtantials, as aforeſaid, which are left to their prudent determination, not putting us on any ſin.
But, 4. We deteſt making ſuch things as you here name to be taken for the Characters of diſtinct Religions, or diſtinct Churches, as if we might not with Love, Peace, and Chriſtian Communion, differ about a Garment, a Holy-day, Faſt, or Vigil. Thus far then you ſeem not to know what a meer Puritan is.
II. But, Sir, I have much more than all theſe little things againſt your Deſcription of a Puritane: I plainly perceive in your greateſt praiſes of him, that you know not what his very Religion it ſelf is; or elſe you would never deſcribe him as only taken up with fears and cares, and good deſires to be better, having yet greedy deſires of the things of the World, without any mention of the Love of God above all, and of his Neighbour, and a holy and heavenly Mind and Life, with ſelf-denyal, mortification of the Fleſh, &c.
Either you judge of a Puritane by what you were your ſelf, or by what your acquaintance were, or by what they commonly profeſs to be their Religion.
For the firſt you have no reaſon: It followeth not that they have no better a Religion, becauſe you had no better.
For the ſecond you had no reaſon: For it's ten to one you knew not the hearts of your acquaintance, ſo well as to be able to know that they had not the Love of God, &c. And if you were ſo unhappy in your acquaintance, what's that to other Men?
Thirdly, Therefore as you look that your own Religion ſhould be deſcribed, not as we find it in this or that man, but as your Church profeſſeth it, ſo do we: And I have told you before what our Religion is. I have the more boldneſs in ſpeaking the ſenſe of others, as I ſaid, both becauſe I am as aforeſaid ſtigmatized for a total Puritan, and becauſe the generality of all of them of my acquaintance as far as I can diſcern are of this mind.
A Puritan then, as the Word is commonly taken by the Rabble, is a ſerious Chriſtian Proteſtant, who truly believeth and practiſeth what he doth profeſs, and doth not mortifie that Profeſſion which ſhould help to mortifie his Sin: His Religion is, to be underſtandingly and ſincerely devoted in the Sacramental Covenant to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt; renouncing the Vanities of the World, the Luſts of the Fleſh, and the Deluſions of the Devil: He believeth that all that truly conſent to this Covenant, have a right, and part, in, and to, the Love of God the Father, the Grace of the Son, and the Communion of the Holy Choſt; and that he that hath the Son hath Life, Pardon, Adoption, Juſtification, and Right to Life Eternal; and that this Right is continued, he performing his Covenant, and continuing in that Faith which worketh by Love, and not living impenitently in ſin, but ſincerely obeying God his Father, Saviour, and Sanctifier: He taketh the fear of Gods Juſti…, …nd godly Sorrow, to be but the lower ſteps of Holineſs; but that the Kingdom of God is (not Meats and Days, but) Righteouſneſs, Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghoſt; and that the Spirit of Chriſt, without which none are his, is not the Spirit of Bondage, but of Power, Love, and a ſound Mind; even a Spirit of holy LIFE, LIGHT, and LOVE, which are the Eſſentials of true Holineſs; and the Spirit of Adoption, and Supplication, cauſeth us with Love to cry to God, and truſt him as a Father: They take Chriſt to be the only Mediator between God and Man, whoſe ſufficient Sacrifice for Sin, and perfect Righteouſneſs, Habitual, Active, and Paſſive (as called) advanced in dignity by the Divine Nature, is the Meritorious cauſe of all their Mercies to Body and Soul, Remiſſion, Juſtification, Holineſs, and Glory: They put up all their Services, as into, and by, the Hand of Chriſt; and from his Mediatory Hand they expect all mercies: They take the Holy Ghoſt within them to be Chriſt's Advocate and Witneſs to them of his Truth and Love; and their Witneſs, Earneſt, Seal, Pledge, and firſt Fruits of endleſs Life: They take Eternal Glory for their full Felicity, and this World, and Fleſh, (Pleaſure, Riches, and Honour,) to be ſo far uſeful as they ſignifie Gods Love, and further our Love and Service to him; but to be Vanity as ſeparated from God in our Hearts, and Enmity, or Miſchief, as Competitors, or as againſt him. In a word, Faith working by Supream Love and Obedience to God, and Brotherly Love to Man, by Honour to our Superiours, Juſtice to all; and by all the good that we can do in the World, and by Repentance for our Sins, patience in ſufferings, and by a Heavenly Mind, and Life, is the Sum of their Religion; or plainlier as is ſaid at firſt, The Goſpel-Covenant as expounded in the Creed, Lords Prayer, and Decalogue, as the Summary of things to be believed, deſired, and practiſed; and the holy Scriptures as the full and comprehenſive Records of the Doctrine, Promiſes, and Laws of God, containing the Eſſentials, Integrals, and neceſſary Accidentals of Religion. This is the Chriſtian Religion, and the Puritan in queſtion is but the SERIOUS CHRISTIAN diſtinct from the HYPOCRITE, or dead Formaliſt.
But if you add Non-conformity to the ſenſe of the Word, and to his Character; ſo I need not tell you what the Impoſitions are which ſome deny Conformity to, as to Oaths, New-Covenants, Subſcriptions, Declarations, Practices, &c. which he proteſteth that he would never deny Conformity to, if after his beſt enquiry he did not believe that God forbiddeth it: (As you may ſee at large in their Savoy Petition for Peace to the Biſhops.) Theſe two it ſeems you join together; and what their Objective Religion is, I have better told you, than you have told your Relations. But as to the clearneſs of their Judgment in it, and the meaſure of their Practice of it, there are, I think, as various Degrees as there are Perſons, no two Men in the World being in all things juſt of the ſame Degree.
And now Sir give me leave patiently to ask you theſe two Queſtions: 1. Why would you by temerity go about to deceive your Relations, and other Readers, by talking to them againſt that which you did not underſtand? Even then, when you blame others as dealing ſo by the Papiſts? And why do you diſhonour your own Relations ſo, as to make ſo bad a Deſcription of them? Are they ſuch as have no Love to God as God, no delight in Holineſs, no Heavenly Minds? nothing almoſt but fear and its effects? Have they ſtill the Flames of Concupiſcence, and greedy deſires of Money and the things of this Life, &c. If it be not ſo, you ſhould not have told the World ſo of them: If it be ſo, I am ſorry for them: I ſuppoſe it is contrary to their profeſt Religion; and you may have the greater hopes to make them Papiſts?
II. What wonder is it that you that were no better a Puritan than you deſcribe, are turned Papiſt? You that profeſs you were a Puritan, muſt needs be judged to tell us what a one you were your ſelf, when you tell us what they are? Alas poor Man! How came you to be ſo falſe to your own Profeſſion, againſt your Baptiſmal Vows, as to keep ſo much of the World at your Heart, in greedy deſires after Money, and to have no more Love to God and Man? no more Righteouſneſs, Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghoſt? Could you think that a Man could be ſaved without Love and good works? Were you deluded by ſuch Antinomian conceits as you deſcribe, and took that for Puritaniſme? How elſe did you quiet your Conſcience in ſuch a ſtate of Hypocriſie? If God and Holineſs had not your chief Love (as well as Fear) you were but an Hypocrite.
And here give me leave to repeat what I have oft written: What wonder is it at any Mans turning Papiſt? when according to your own Principles, no Proteſtant, Puritan, or other Chriſtian turneth Papiſt, that doth not thereby declare that he was a falſe-hearted Hypocrite before, and had no true Love to God in his Heart: And was not this your caſe? For, 1. You affirm that all Men that have true prevalent Love to God are in a ſtate of Grace, and have right to Salvation, (till they loſe it:) 2. You affirm that none of us are in a ſtate of Grace and Salvation, that are not of your Church, that is, the Subjects of the King, or Pope of Rome: 3. Therefore it followeth that you take none but ſuch Subjects or Members of your Church, to have the true prevalent Love of God. But you know that in our Chriſtian Covenant and Profeſſion we all take God for our God, the infinite and moſt amiable Good, our Father in Chriſt, and Love it ſelf, and that Faith working by Love is our Religion: And if any Man, ſaith Saint Paul, love not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, let him be Anathema Maranatha: And he that loveth the World, the Love of the Father is not in him, 1 Joh. 2. 15. So that by turning Papiſt you confeſs that before you were no true Chriſtian, nor had any true Love to God and Godlineſs, nor to Jeſus Chriſt: And if ſo, you were a falſe-hearted Hypocrite: For as a Chriſtian you profeſt and Covenanted it. And what wonder then if God forſook you and gave you up to ſtrong deluſions, when you would not receive the Truth in the Love of it, that you might be ſaved, 2 Theſ. 2.
And note here, that if any Man know that he truly loveth God and Goodneſs, you tell him that he is none of thoſe that you perſwade to Popery: For you perſwade none to it, but thoſe that are ungodly Hypocrites, having no true Love of God within them.
But can you think, Sir, in good earneſt, that Popery tendeth more to fill Men with the Love of God, than our ſimple Chriſtianity doth? Is not Popery a Religion of Bondage and Servitude, conſiſting mainly in Terrour, and its ſuperſtitious effects? What are moſt of your Tasks of Pilgrimages, Penances, and abundance ſuch, but the effects of ſervile fear? The beſt of Religion next Heaven ſhould be that which is neareſt to Heaven. And do you think you can love God better in the Fire of Purgatory Torments, than if he took you unto Chriſt in Paradiſe? Could you love God better in this Life, if he tormented you in the Fire, than if he give you comfort by his mercies?
You ſay that the Puritan [is made negligent (by his truſt in Chriſt) to adorn his Soul with Piety, Charity, Meekneſs, Patience, Humility, and other Chriſtian Vertues; partly thinking them impoſſible to be attained, partly deeming there is no abſolute neceſſity of them to his Salvation, he having nothing to do but to believe that Jeſus Chriſt hath done all for him.] Anſw. I had hoped there had been few ſuch left in England: Even Criſp and Saltmarſh, were ſcarce ſo erroneous: And were you ſuch a one? O miſerable Man that was ſuch a Puritan! Who did bewitch you ſo groſly to contradict the whole Tenour of the Goſpel? It is juſt with God to leave you, to ſet now as light by the Meritorious Righteouſneſs of Chriſt as procuring you Pardon, Grace, and Glory, as you did then ſet by Chriſtian Virtues, Piety, and Love? But what if it was ſo with you, will that allow you to belie ſo many others? How many ſcore Volumes have the Puritans written which aſſert not only the poſſibility, but the abſolute neceſſity of Piety, Charity, Humility, &c. without which none can ſee God, (Infants Caſe is not here medled with.) I know not one Perſon in all the Land, or World, that will not abhor, as falſe, what you here charge in common on the Puritans, unleſs he be a very groſs Antinomian, or ſome groſſer Heretick here unknown: Proteſtants, Puritans, Separatiſts, Anabaptiſts, yea, Quakers, all abhor it: And yet you feared not to put this in Print? Perhaps you will pretend for it the Doctrine of Juſtification by Faith alone? But they that ſay that Faith alone going firſt with Repentance, doth juſtifie them, by procuring the pardon of their ſins, and their Union with Chriſt, do ſay that at the ſame moment of time it alſo ſanctifieth them, by procuring from Chriſt the Spirit of Sanctification, giving them Love, Humility, Piety, &c. And that this is of abſolute neceſſity to their Salvation, Heb. 12. 14. Mat. 18. 3. Rom. 8. 1. 6. 7. 13. So much of your falſe ſelf-condemning deſcription of a Puritan.