A Late Great Shipwreck of Faith, Title page – Dedication
A late Great Shipwrack OF FAITH: Occaſioned by a fearful VVrack of Conſcience. Diſcovered in a SERMON Preached at Pauls the firſt day of July, 1655.
By Dan. Cawdrey Preacher of the Word, at Great Billing in Northamptonſhire.
1 Tim. 3.9. Holding the myſtery of the Faith in a pure Conſcience.
1 Tim. 4.1, 2. 1. Now the Spirit ſpeaketh expreſly, that in the latter times, ſome ſhall depart from the Faith, giving heed to ſeducing ſpirits, and unto doctrines of divels.
2. Speaking lies in hypocriſie, having their conſcience ſeared with an hot iron.
Pack Maior. Tueſday the third day of July 1655.
O…dered that Mr. Daniel Cawdry be deſired from this Court, to print his Sermon at Pauls the laſt Lords day. Sadler.
London Printed for Joſeph Cranford, and are to be ſold at the Phoenix in St Pauls Church-yard, 1655.
To the Right Honourable CHRISTOPHER PACK. Lord Major; and to the Honourable Court of Aldermen, of the Famous City of LONDON.
RIGHT HONOURABLE.
BEing at your request (which was to me little leſse then a command) prevailed with, to tender my ſervice and paines before you at Pauls, I began firſt to thinke, that this unexpected Providence of God, had ſome intention for good to be done; And then to conſider with my ſelf, not what might be moſt pleaſing, to ſcratch an itching eare, 2 Tim. 4.3.but what Doctrine might be moſt ſeaſonable to the time and place, and moſt uſefull and profitable for that great Panegyris, or Solemne Aſsembly. And I could pitch upon nothing, (in ſo ſhort a warning) that might (as I conceived) be more beneficiall, then this preſent Diſcourſe (now humbly preſented to your Eyes, as then to your Eares) concerning the ſad, and never enough lamented Shipwrack of the Faith, amongst many profeſſours of the Goſpel: my aime being, if not to recover the fallen (who Adder-like refuſe to hear us) yet, by Gods bleſsing, to prevent the fall of others. And truly, had it not been clearly forepropheſied of theſe laſt and worst Times, that many ſhould depart from the Faith,1 Tim. 4.1. 2 Tim. 3.1. 2 Pet. 2.1.3.3, we ſhould have wondred the more, to finde this Apostacie, after ſo much light of the Goſpel, ſo long enjoyed; and after ſo ſerious and ſtrict profeſſion of it by many, even to ſuffering much for it; Not only the truely Religious people of the Land, who ſtand faſt in their old Integritie, do wonder at the monſtrous and blaſphemous Opinions, now lately hatched amongſt us, by the power of Hell, and Prince of darkeneſse (aſſiſted by thoſe Locuſts, the Jeſuites) that craule amongſt us) under the notion of New lights; But the whole Chriſtian world do ſtand amazed at it: yea ſome reproach and deride us, as if Amſterdam, (the late ſinke of all Religions) were now removed into England. The Conjectures of men, at the cauſes hereof, are almoſt as various, as themſelves. Severall Heads ſeeke out, and have found Several Reaſons of this Apoſtacie: We will hear what they ſay.
Firſt, Some (the Prelaticall partie) charge it upon the Abandoning of Epiſcopall Goverment, which with a watchfull eye, and ſtrict hand, did Suppreſse, and keep them under. For that, I have theſe things to ſay. 1. They, the Biſhops, did indeed ſuppreſs all ſects (as they called them) that were oppoſite to their Hierarchicall Pompe, and Tyranie, but tolerated (yea countenanced) many Popiſh Superſtitions, and much Romiſh and Arminian Doctrine; which now ſome great ones of their own, and moſt of the preſent Sectaries, do openly Preach and publiſh. It is obſervable, that many points of Poperie, and Arminianiſme, are now vented by theſe ſeverall Sects; I know not, to what to impute it, but either to the Jeſuites Subtletie, who profeſse and Act every Sect; or to the ſuitableneſſe of many of thoſe errours, to corrupt nature; that even ignorant and unlearned men, fall into them without any Teachers; as well as ſome Learned Rabbies; I wiſh, they would conſider it. 2. We may truly ſay of the Biſhops, ſome of them, they hatcht and bred thoſe Sects and Hereſies, which we now labour under: They, by their rigour, in exacting Conformity, to needleſse Ceremonies, firſt drave many to Seperation, and then to fall from one errour to another; which now ſhew themſelves, in this time of Anarchicall Liberty. 3. It is indeed want of Government ſetled in the Church, which is the Inlet to all theſe errours, and Hereſies; Here was the beginning of our miſery, that ſome were haſty to pull down one Government, but had no minde to ſet up another; and ſo left the Church, as a Vineyard without hedge or Wall, to be trampled down and eaten up by all the Beaſts of the Forreſt.
Secondly, others impute it to the charge of thoſe, who firſt pleaded for Liberty of conſcience, and prevailed with Authority for connivence at themſelves; which they intending perhaps, only to be indulged to truly tender conſciences, (which ought to be regarded) that doore of Liberty being but a little opened, the violence of others widened, and kept open the door, for the reſt to ruſh in, and it could never ſince be ſhut.
Thirdly, Others lay it at the door of that Power, which repealed the Paenall Statutes, for not being preſent at Church, the place of publique meetings; which (ſay they) was an Implicit toleration for all Religions. This Key hath ſerved ever ſince to open the doores of all the conventicles in the Land; where every ſubtle Jeſuited Sect-maſter, hath free Liberty to vent his own poyſonous Opinions, and none to controll him. Nothing (it is thought) hath more gratified the Pope and his Jeſuites, ſince theſe late troubles began, then that repeal. I wiſh, they (now at their leaſure) may conſider the miſchiefs done; who had their hands and votes, in that repeal. Theſe and ſome others, of the like nature, are the conjectures that are made, concerning the riſe and original, of this grand Defection from the truth. I cannot but think, theſe, or ſome of theſe have done much towards our preſent miſeries and Church-diſtractions: but I beleeve, there may be found, other cauſes, nearer and more imediate, in the men themſelves, who have of late, made this Apoſtacie, this Shipwrack of the Faith: And they are theſe three, or one of them.
1. Ignorance, in many of our miſled Proſelytes, hath ſlaine ten thouſands. Ignorance, I ſay, of the very firſt and Fundamentall principles of Religion: people were never well catechiſed, or grounded in the truth; and ſo carried away with every new winde of Doctrine. The common prey of Seducers, of old were ſilly women, and Children, not ſo much for age, as diſcretion: Look upon the followers of our new Maſters, and they are for the moſt part younglings of eith…r Sects, but moſt females, who from the begining were moſt capable of Seduction. There are many of theſe ſpeake with them, about the principle of their own Sect or way, and they are ready and nimble, to diſpute it; as about Infant-baptiſm, and the Church way &c. But examine them about the points of Catechiſm, what Faith is, what Repentance &c. They cannot give any reaſonable account. I my ſelf have known ſome, that were Zealous Anabaptiſts, and the like, who could ſufficiently finde Language to cry down a Steeplehouſe, and Tythes, and raile at the Miniſtry, who were ſo farre from ſpeaking the Language of Scripture in p…aineſt principles that they could not ſpeake reaſon or ſenſe, in their common diſcourſe. Little do moſt men thinke or know, what deſperate ignorance there is to be found, in moſt ordinary people; No marvell if Seducers, by good words and fair ſpeeches, deceive the hearts of the ſimple. Rom. 16.18.
2. Pride (if they have gotten any more then ordinary knowledge) pride of parts, pride of gifts, confidence of Spirit, nimbleneſſe of fancy, volubility of Tongue, &c. theſe puffe up ſelf conceited Novices, w…th ſcorn and arrogance, that they thinke themſelv…s abler then their Teachers; and wiſer then 7 men, yea 7 Miniſters that are able to render a Reaſon for what they ſay or do; Theſe young Lapwings runne away, with the ſhell on their head; and forget by whom they had their hatching. Theſe turn Teachers and Preachers, and ſcorn and diſdain thoſe from whom they borrowed their light. Nothing ſo much diſcovers a light and a vaine head, and the Levitie and falſity of their waies, as firſt that pride and ſcorn manifeſted to all not of their own way; and that railing and reviling of men, far better then themſelves for wiſdome and pietie. Truth makes men humble, eſpecially to thoſe ſuppoſed to be in errour and that meerly out of conſcience: ſhewing all meekneſs to all men for we ourſelves were ſometime fooliſh deceived &c. Tit. 3.3. But marke St Peters deſcription of thoſe falſe Teachers, who ſhould bring in damnable Hereſies: 2 Pet. 2.10.12. Preſumptuous are they ſelf-willed, they are not afraid, to ſpeak evil of dignities: theſe ſpeak evil of the things they underſtand not &c. That's a ſecond; Pride.
3. Hyprocriſie; open, or ſecret corruption of mens hearts, doth often betray their heads into errours. This is the ſubject of the following Sermon; I muſt not here Anticipate my own diſcourſe. Only let me tell you my owne and others obſervation; It is too well known, that many (I will not ſay, most) of them, who have left the old truths, for new, and the old waies for others, are ſenſibly grown far more looſe and remiſſe, in the practicall parts of Religion, then they were, before they departed from us: even ſome of thoſe who pretend to the pureſt way of Religion, and ſtricteſt way of Church Government are become more careleſſe of themſelves and Fam…li…s, in ſecret and private duties; Men and women that once durst not omit, reading, praying, catechizing their families, now can neglect all: Holding it, ſome of them, a profanation for to teach their Chidren, any Catechiſm, or forme of Prayer, or to ſpeake of Scripture: But generally (which is obſervable) all the Sests cry down the morality of the Sabbath, make every day, (that is, no day) a Sabbath: can make it a day of recreation or eaſe; and neglect the Aſsemblies: moſt of them (except the Quakers, who cry down pride and faſhions, upon another Monkiſh deſigne) are as faſhionable, in their haire and habits, as any the moſt vaine and gariſt amongſt us; and call it a part of their Chriſtian Liberty: what may be the cauſe of theſe Defections, in opinion and practiſe? I feare ſome ſecret luſt, or corruption of their hearts, which accounted the former ſtrictneſs and preciſeneſſe of the way of Religion, their burden; and now is diſcovered by ſome Doctrines of Liberty. Hence it is, that they generally fly and forſake their old Teachers, who know their lives, and touch their luſts, and ſeek out ſuch as preach novell and high ſpeculations, with ſwelling words of vanity, which never ſtoop ſo low, as to touch their pride and wantoneſſe, Covetouſneſſe and worldly mindedneſs, &c. But theſe things are more fully proſecuted in the following Sermon; and I feare, I have held you too long from it, I commend it to your Honourable peruſall, and to the Bleſſing of God, upon all that ſhall vouchſafe to reade it: In him I am
Right Honourable; Your humble Servant, for your furtherance in the truth. Daniel Cawdry. From my ſtudy; July 23. 1655.