Popery Anatomized, To the reader
UNTO THE GODLY AND CHRISTIAN READER IN THIS LAND, Grace, Mercy and Peace, from GOD the Father, and JESƲS CHRIST his Son, our LORD and only Savior. Amen.
WHen I think, Christian Reader, of the unſearchable mercies (for ſo I may call them) which the LORD, according to his rich grace, whereby he hath been abundant towards us, (if ever towards any) hath vouchſafed upon us; and of our great ingratitude and manifold iniquities wherewith we have recompenſed him again; I cannot but tremble to think of theſe moſt fearful judgements of GOD, which we have moſt juſtly deſerved, and which cannot but moſt aſſuredly fall upon us, unleſs with moſt ſpeedy and earneſt repentance, of all ſorts, they be prevented and averted. For unto what Kingdom or Nation under heaven, hath GOD been more liberal in communicating the inſearchable riches of his dear Son in his Goſpel, Eph. 3 8. as unto us in this Nation? Nay, unto what one Kingdom under heaven hath God been ſo rich and ſuperabundant in mercy, as unto this? There are but few Kingdoms upon whom the Lord hath cauſed the glorious light of his Goſpel to ſhine upon, a groſs darkneſs covering the moſt part of the Kingdoms of the earth: and yet Scotland hath found this favor in the eyes of the moſt high GOD. So that that may be moſt truely ſaid of us, which is written of the land of Zabulon and Nephthali, Matth. 4.16. A people that ſate in darkneſs ſaw great light: and unto them which ſate in the region of death, light is riſen up. Many Kingdoms upon whom this light is riſen, are but in part delivered from the bondage of that ſecond beaſt, Rev. 13.11. & 17.4. and from that abomination of Babel, a part worſhipping the LORD, and a part worſhipping Baal, I mean the idol of the Maſs, and their idols of ſtock and ſtone. But our deliverance was full, from that bondage; for that was fulfilled in us which was promiſed and propheſied of old, Zech. 14 9. That the LORD ſhould be but one, and his Name one. And in theſe Kingdoms where the LORD is but one, and his Name one; that is, where he only is worſhipped, ſome of them have embraced him, but as a Prophet, to teach them, and as a Prieſt to ſatiſfie for their ſins, and to interceed for them: but not as a ſoveraign King to rule them, and govern them by that form of government, which he hath preſcribed in his Word, with his own Lawes, Offices, and Officers, retaining yet a part of that hierarchie of Babel, with ſome of her Lawes, Offices, and Officers. But the LORD was rich in mercy towards us, in beſtowing himſelf upon us, not only as a Prophet to teach us, and as a Prieſt to ſatiſfie for our ſins, and to interceed for us, but alſo as a ſoveraign King, to govern us with that ſelf ſame form of government, which he hath commanded in his Word, and unto the which only he hath annexed the promiſes of his bleſſing and preſence, with his own Laws, Offices, and Officers. So that as the Prophet ſaith, Zech. 14.9. He was not only one in us, and his Name one: but alſo a ſoveraign King in our land.
O Scotland! what Nation was like unto thee, that had the Goſpel ſo freely preached, his Sacraments ſo purely miniſtred, his cenſures and all the priviledges of his Kingdom, in ſuch liberty executed, as thou hadſt? For what one Nation under heaven, hath God done ſo great things, as for thee? What one Kingdom is to be found in the whole earth, where Idolatry was ſo fully rooted out, wherein all the means of his glory, and all the priviledges of his Kingdom, was ſo fully reſtored to their own integrity and perfection, as they were firſt inſtituted, wherein all theſe means of the Word, Sacraments, and Diſcipline, hath continued for ſo long a ſpace in ſuch peace, in ſuch purity, in ſuch liberty, without hereſie or ſchiſm, as in thee? O Scotland! So that thy day hath been like the day of Joſhua, When the Sun ſtood in Gibeon, and the Moon in Aialon, Joſua 10.12. For I know not if ever Nation or Kingdom hath had ſo long a day of the Goſpel, in ſuch peace, purity, and liberty, as thou haſt had? Or if ever Nation after us, ſhal have ſo long a day, after ſuch a manner again. And it ſeems to me, that as the LORD confirmed Ezechiah of his promiſe, by cauſing, 2. Kings 20. the Sun to return back again miraculouſly, by the degrees whereby it went down: So the LORD hath confirmed his ſuperabundant love towards us, in cauſing the light of the Goſpel to return again (as it were) oft times, and that moſt wonderfully and miraculouſly, by the degrees whereby our iniquities in the righteous judgement of God, did haſten it to go down upon us. Yea, the bleſſing of Abraham hath come upon us. For he hath bleſſed them that bleſſed us, and hath curſed them who hath curſed us, he hath ſtriven againſt them who hath ſtriven againſt us, and hath made our oppreſſors to eat their own fleſh, and to drink their own blood: no inſtrument formed againſt thee, (O Church of Scotland!) hath ever proſpered: and the tongue that hath riſen againſt thee, the LORD hath condemned, that all fleſh might know that GOD was thy Savior, and the ſtrong GOD of Jacob thy avenger. And certainly, if ever people might have been called Jephzibas, Eſai 62.6. that is, the LORDS delight, or their land, Beula; that is, married unto him; the Church and Kingdom of Scotland might have been ſo called. For the LORD had delight in us, and our land hath a husband, even the LORD our Redeemer, he was an ornament unto us, Eſa. 60 19. he ſet his beautie on us; Ezech. 16.14. he crowned us with glory, and a Diadem by the hand of our GOD, was ſet upon our heads, Eſai 6.2. And true is that of us, which our Savior ſpake to his diſciples, Luke 10.24. Many Kings and Prophets hath deſired to ſee the things that we have ſeen, and hear the things that we have heard, and have not ſeen them nor heard them. So who are ſo ladened with mercy and kindneſs as we have been? for we have been made the head and not the tail, Deut. 28.13. as the LORD promiſed. And ſurely if ever people ſhould have been Joſhurim, Deut. 32.15. that is upright and ſtraight in the eyes of the LORD, we ſhould have been ſo. No, who ſhould have been ſo holy as we? Who ſo ſtrong in CHRIST, and rooted and grounded in him, as we? Coloſſ. 2.7. Who ſo rich in all grace, and fruitful in all good works, as we? For who had ſo many and ſo glorious means, to have made us to have abounded in all grace, as we had? What could the LORD have done more to us, then he hath done, Iſai. 5.4. For we wanted no mean that ever the LORD commanded in his Word, either to have bred grace in us, or to have preſerved it and increaſed it? But they to whom much is given, much ſhal be required at their hands again. For as the LORD made us a ſpectacle of his mercy, wherein he did demonſtrat the riches of his free grace in CHRIST JESUS, unto all the Kingdoms of the earth, and above them all: So it had been our part proportionably, to have met him with thankfulneſs again: and to have been examples of all grace, godlineſs, righteouſneſs, and of all good works, unto all others, and above all others. But, alace! ſinful Nation, laden with iniquities, Eſai 1.4. who is ſo ſinful as thou art? What Nation ſo polluted with all abomination and wickedneſs, as thou art? Thy iniquities are mo then the ſand of the ſea, they are grown up ſo high, that the top of them reach up to the very heavens, Hoſea 9.7. and the cry of them is like, yea beyond the cry of Sodom: there is ſuch a burden of iniquity upon this Land, that (conſidering all circumſtances both of the means, and of the time and ſpace the LORD hath given us to repent) I know not if ever Nation, was ſo great in the eyes of the LORD as this Land is. For may not that which the Prophet ſpake of Juda. Ezechiel 22. be moſt juſtly ſaid of thee? O Scotland! For art thou not repleniſhed with blood, from corner to corner, ſo that blood touches blood? Are not thy Nobles in thee, every one ready to ſhed blood? In thee the father and the mother are deſpiſed: in the midſt of thee, the widow and the fatherleſs are oppreſſed: In thee the very abominations of the Gentils are committed. The diſcovering of the Fathers ſhame, and adultery with thy neighbors wife: thou art ſo laden with adulteries, inceſts, and whoredooms, that the Land groans under thee: thou haſt prophaned his Sabaths, deſpiſed his Law, contemned his Goſpel, withholden from him the fruits of his Kingdom, and haſt trodden under foot the blood of CHRIST, and haſt grieved that Spirit of grace. So that when I think of the number and greatneſs of our ſins, I cannot but wonder that the LORD ſhould not have withdrawn his Kingdom long ſince from us, and have given it unto others, that would have brought forth the fruits thereof, Matth. 21.41. Yea, I wonder, that he hath not cauſed the Land to vomit us out, for the abominations and ſins wherewith we have defiled it, in ſo great a light. And ſurely, when I think of the ſeverity of the Juſtice of GOD, in puniſhing other Nations and Kingdoms, for the contempt of his Goſpel, and the withholding of the fruits of his Kingdom from him, my ſoul trembles. For wherefore did the LORD reject the natural branches, that choſen generation, of whom the Fathers was, and of whom CHRIST was according to the fleſh, Rom. 11.2…. & 9.5. and gave them and their poſterity over to the hardneſs of their hearts this 1500. years and more, to be damned for ever and ever in that everlaſting darkneſs, and yet his wrath is not turned back: but becauſe they would not be gathered, and knew not in that their day, the things that belonged to their peace, and would not render to him the fruits of his Kingdom in due ſeaſon? Matth. 23.37. Luke 19.42.43. Mat. 21.41. And wherefore did the LORD remove his Candleſtick, Rev. 2.5. from a great many of the Churches, both of the Eaſt, and of the Weſt, which were planted by the Apoſtles, and were once lanterns of light, and hath given them over to ſtrong deluſions to believe lies, 2. Theſ. 2.10.12. the one to the impiety of Mahomet, and the ſavage Tyrant of the Church: the other to the bondage of that ſecond beaſt, and fearful darkneſs of that bottomleſs pit. Rev. 13.11. & 9.1. But becauſe they received not the love of the truth, but had pleaſure in unrighteouſneſs, as the Apoſtle ſaith? 2. Theſ. 2.12. Now if GOD ſpared not them, but gave them over to a moſt fearful bondage, both of ſoul and body, both ſpiritual and corporal, temporal and eternal; how ſhould we not fear, as great, or rather greater judgements, ſeeing we had all theſe as examples before us, to have fore-warned us, and to have made us to fear? For we are not to think, as our Savior ſaith to the Galileans, that they were greater ſinners then we; but unleſs we all repent, we ſhal likewiſe periſh, Luke 13.3. And as though all our former ſins were too light to pull down and to haſten the LORDS fearful departing from us, this darkneſs of the bottomleſs pit, Rev. 9.1. which is ſpreading it ſelf again in this corner of the Countrey, and this abomination of deſolation, the idol of the Maſs, which is ſet up in the privat families of this Countrey, is added unto all the reſt, and above all the rest. So that it is to be feared, unleſs it be prevented by a moſt ſpeedy and earneſt repentance of all ſorts in this Land, that as we have been lifted up to heaven through his Goſpel, Matth. 11.23. ſo ſhal we be thrown down in the bottomleſs gulf of the LORDS fearful wrath and vengeance: and as we have been made a ſpectacle of his mercy unto all Nations, and above all other; ſo we ſhal be made a moſt fearful ſpectacle of his wrath unto all other Nations, and above all other. O therefore that the LORD would powr upon us that Spirit of grace and deprecation, that even from the houſe of David to the houſe of Levi: Zech. 12.10.11.12. that is, from the Kings houſe, to the Miniſterie, and from them to the people, from man to wife, that we might all look up to him, whom we have pierced through with our iniquities: and mourn upon him, as for our firſt or only begotten ſon: and that we might mourn publickly & privatly, together and a part, every Congregation by themſelves, and every family by themſelves, and every perſon by himſelf. Oh, that we had hearts to repent; at the leaſt, in the evening of this our day, before the Sun went down altogether upon us: and then there is no queſtion the LORD would not remove his Candleſtick from us, Rev. 2.5. nor make his glory to depart, 1. Sam. 4.22. but would continue his covenant with us and our poſterity, and would cover all our enemies faces with ſhame, as with a garment: yea, he would ſcatter that darkneſs that is beginning to overſpread this Land again, and Dagon ſhould fall before the ark of the Lord: 1. Sam. 5.3.4 and his laſt fall ſhould be worſe then his firſt. Let me therefore be bold with you, to beſeech you, yea to charge you in the bowels of JESUS CHRIST, by the price of his blood, and by his glorious appearing to judgement, as ye would have it comfortable to you, and as ye would have his glory to remain with us and our poſteritie: yea, as ye would not be arraigned guilty, in that great day of the LORDS baniſhment, and removing of his glorious preſence out of this Land. (For if we repent not, the LORD, as he hath begun to depart from a great part of this Countrey, ſo ſhal he moſt aſſuredly depart from the reſt of this Land.) I ſay, Let me beſeech you, that every one of you would try and ſearch your ſins, by the light of his Spirit in his Word, both the ſins of our perſons and callings, that we would humble our hearts for them, and powr them out as water in his boſom, mourning for them, and for the ſins of the Land: Ezec. 9.4. and that we would turn our feet to walk in all his precepts and commandments. And let us who are the Watch-men over the houſe of Iſrael, begin firſt, Ezec. 3.2. & 33. For the judgement of GOD will begin at his own houſe, and at the Sanctuary. For if we that are the lights of our people be darkneſs, how great muſt their darkneſs be? And if we that is the ſalt of the earth to ſeaſon them with grace, become unſavory, wherewith ſhal either they or we be ſeaſoned? Matth. 5.14. & 6.23. And if that we that is the ſtomack and the heart; as it were, become ſenſeleſs, and dead; is it any wonder ſuppoſe all the reſt of the members be dead and ſenſeleſs? Let us therefore firſt convert our ſelves, and then let us with tears and mourning cry aloud to our Congregations, and ſpare not. Let us lift up our voices as a Trumpet, that the deafeſt and deadeſt may hear. Let us ſhow them their ſins and defections, that at the leaſt, they periſh not for want of warning, and ſo their blood be craved at our hands, Ezec. 3.3.4.5. Let us be inſtant in ſeaſon, and out of ſeaſon, to preach the Word, improve, rebuke, exhort, with all doctrine and long-ſuffering, as we are moſt gravely charged by the Spirit of GOD. Let us admoniſh every man, and inſtruct every man publickly, and privatly: that we may do our endeavor at the leaſt, to preſent every man perfect, Col. 1.28. as a pure Virgin to JESUS CHRIST. And if they will not hear, let us ſay to the earth, Earth, earth, hear the word of the LORD: let us riſe up and contend with the mountains, and let us make the hills to hear our voice, and take them as witneſſes againſt them. And then ſhal we have this comfort in the dayes of our afflictions, that we have not kept back the word of the holy One. Job. 6.10. And then ſhal we be a ſweet ſmelling ſavor in CHRIST, as well in them that periſh, as in them that are ſaved. Let you that are the people walk worthy of that great ſalvation that is brought unto you, and be fruitful in all good works, denying all ungodlineſs, and worldly luſts: living godly, ſoberly, and righteouſly, waiting for that bleſſed hope, and glorious appearing of that great GOD our Savior, the LORD JESUS, 1. Theſſ. 2.12. Heb. 2.3. Tit. 2.11.12. And you that are Princes of the Land, and Magiſtrats of the Countrey, Remove iniquity from your tents, and let not your families be houſes of iniquity, Job 11.14. Mic. 26.10. Mat. 5.16. Phil. 2.15. Shine before your tenants, ſervants, and houſe-holders, as lanterns of light; for ſuch Maſter, ſuch ſervant. Be examples to them of godlineſs, ſobriety, and righteouſneſs. Cleanſe your hearts and hands from blood, oppreſſions, whoredoms, adulteries. Be an eye to the blind, and a foot to the lame, and a ſtaff of comfort to the oppreſſed. Deal your bread to the hungry, and hide not your eyes from your own fleſh, Eſai. 58.7. maintain the godly, and be a terror to the wicked, Rom. 13.3.4. That your faces may chaſe away iniquity, and fin may hide its ſelf from your preſence. Take vengeance on all evil doers, and ſpare not where the LORD bids ſtrike. And becauſe a great many of you, through your moſt cruel and barbarous covetouſneſs & ſacrilege (the like whereof I think hath not been heard of, no not among the Turks, and barbarous Americans, that they ſpoil their GOD, and let their worſhip decay for want of maintenance, as ye do in Scotland:) are the cauſes of the everlaſting damnation of a great part of the poor people, for want of the preaching of the Word of ſalvation unto them. For their blood are found under your wings: Jerem. 2.34. and their blood cry more ſtrongly from the low hells, to the high heavens againſt you, for wrath and vengeance, then ever Abels blood did againſt his brother Cain, Gen. 4.10.
Now therefore at the laſt, repent you of it. Purge your hands of it; and at the leaſt vouchſafe ſo much upon every Church; as may ſuſtain a Paſtor to break the bread of life unto them: and think the damnation of ſo many millions of ſouls of your poor brethren, who might have been ſaved, for ought that ye know, if they had had the Goſpel of ſalvation preached unto them: too great guiltineſs, ſuppoſe ye had not blood upon blood. Otherwiſe, if ye will not, I call heaven and earth to witneſs againſt you, Deut. 30.19. that the indignation of the LORD ſhal root you and your poſterity out of the land of the living: and their blood that periſh for want of teaching, ſhal be laid to your charge, and ye ſhal be arraigned as murderers of their ſouls, in that great day. And not only that curſe ſhal fall upon you, which was commanded to be pronounced upon Mount Hebal, Deut. 27.23.18. for cauſing the blind to go out of the way, whereunto all the people ſhould ſay, Amen: But alſo, that moſt fearful and irrevocable ſentence ſhal be pronounced, and executed upon you in that great day, (by the Judge of the whole earth,) Depart from me ye curſed, in that everlasting fire of hell, to be damned with the Devil and his Angels for evermore. Matth. 25.41. Lay it therefore to your hearts, and flatter not your ſelves in a carnal and vain preſumption. Be not cruel to your own ſouls, and to the ſouls of the poor people any more: otherwiſe ye ſhal moſt aſſuredly drink of the wine of the wrath of God, and be caſten in the great wine-fat of his wrath, where there ye ſhal be tormented day and night. Let every one of us therefore in the conſcience of ſo great and ſingular mercies, which the LORD hath vouchſafed upon us, in ſuch a plentiful meaſure, Harden not our hearts while it is called to day: but let us rent them, and turn them unto the LORD our GOD; Heb. 4.7. Joel. 2.13. and let us not delay it, while he calls upon us by his word, and ſpreads out his arms unto us. Otherwiſe, if we will not, but deſpiſe the day of our ſalvation. then I proteſt unto you in the Name of the great GOD, that he will hear the cry of our ſins, and will abhor us greatly, as he did Iſrael, that he ſhal forſake his glorious Tents and Tabernacles in this land: and firſt give over his ſtrength to captivitie, and his glory to the hands of our enemies, Pſal. 78.49.60.61. &c. And then accounting no more of us, then of the myre in the ſtreet, he ſhal deliver us over, both old and young. Paſtor and people, to the ſword of the enemie. For this, I dare ſay, if he take his Kingdom from us, he ſhal not let Scotland be a free Kingdom, Matth. 21.43. as it hath been before. For true is he who hath ſaid it, The Nation and Kingdom that will not ſerve thee, ſhal periſh, and theſe Nations ſhal be utterly deſtroyed, Eſai. 60.12. And if he ſpare not his own ſtrength and glory, I mean his glorious Goſpel, but deliver it over into captivity; into the hands of his enemies, he ſhal have no compaſſion of us, but ſhal ſurrender us over to the edge of the ſword to be conſumed thereby: and as the LORD hath been more abundant in his mercy towards us, then towards any others: ſo ſhal his wrath be accordingly. For if other Kingdoms or Nations, yea if Tyrus or Sidon, Sodom or Gomorrha: Matth. 11.21.22. yea if the Turks or barbarous Americans had heard the things that we have heard, they would have repented long ſince in ſackcloth and aſhes: and therefore our condemnation ſhal be heavier, then any condemnation under heaven. Now therefore if there be any conſolation in CHRIST, if any comfort of love, if any fellowſhip of the Spirit, Philip. 2.1. if any love to his glorie, to his blood, to his Goſpel, and if there be any compaſſion and mercy in your hearts, to this poor and ſinful land, and his poor Church and Kingdom therein: repent you of your ſins, reconcile you to GOD, take hold of his blood, waſh you and cleanſe you in it, until ye be white and bright in his eyes. Rev. 7.14. Bring him into the chambers of your hearts, and make him to dwell in you, Eph. 3.17. Galat. 6.14. that he may crucifie your ſins, and bury them in the grave with him, Col 2.12.13. and may quicken and raiſe you up together wi…h him: and may ſet you in thoſe heavenly places with himſelf, Eph. 2 5 6. And then having rooted and grounded your hearts in him, Col. 2.7. and having filled your ſouls with the abundance of his preſence, bring him out firſt to your families, and then to your tenants, ſervants, neighbors and people. According to your callings inſtruct them, rebuke them, admoniſh them, correct them, and reform them, and reſt not till ye have ſet him up as a LORD, and a King in their hearts; or at the leaſt, till you have obtained this aſſurance in your conſciences that ye have been ſo faithful and ſincere in your callings, that if CHRIST be hid from any, to whom your callings or occaſions have reached, he is hid from ſuch only as periſh.
Now, oh! that the LORD would give us theſe hearts, and ſo purge us, that we might be thus fruitful to the praiſe of his glory: then aſſuredly would he repent him of all the evil that he hath thought againſt us; then ſhould he have delight in us, & in our poſterity: and then theſe Canaanites, (I mean the relicks of that curſed generation of Babel, the Church of Rome) which is yet left unrooted out of this land, to try us and tempt us, if we will ſerve the LORD our GOD, and to be pricks and thorns in our ſide, ſhould not bring us in bondage again, but ſhould be made tributaries to JESUS CHRIST: yea, our latter eſtat, ſhould be more glorious then the former. Now let us find this favor in thy eyes, O LORD, our Redeemer: and glorifie thy great Name among us, by converting our hearts, at the leaſt the hearts of all thy children, in mercy rather, then by confounding and conſuming of us in thy wrath and indignation. For wherefore ſhould thy enemies ſay, Take up their GOD and their Goſpel? Wherefore ſhould they, O LORD our GOD, blaſpheme thy holy Name, when they ſhal ſee thee angrie with thy own inheritance, and redeemed ones? Oh! turn us unto thee, and put us not away from thy face: and let not thoſe that are thy enemies, triumph over us. Purchaſe thy ſelf an everlaſting Name, through our converſion and repentance, that the enemie and the avenger may be ſtill: and our hearts may be inlarged, and our mouthes may be opened, to proclaim the everlaſting mercies, and to ſhout forth thy praiſes. Turn you unto him, you that are his children, and delight in his Tents. You that love the beautie of Sion, and the glorious preſence of his Redeemer, fill your privie chambers with ſtrong cryes and many tears. Cauſe heaven and earth to be filled with groans and ſighs of his own Spirit in you: and take a claught of that Prince of life, ere he remove altogether: and before he have ſtollen himſelf far away, that he cannot be found again. And wreſtle with him, as Jacob did, and let him not depart out of your hearts: entreat him, yea enforce him, as it were, by your tears and ſorrowful cryes, not to leave his own Tents and Tabernacles in this Land: not to give over his glorious Goſpel, which is his ſtrength and glorie, into captivity, in the hands of their enemies. Remember that he cannot abide the interceſſion of his own Spirit in his own. He cannot hide his eyes from his own fleſh and blood: he can deny nothing to his own beloved Son, that makes interceſſion for his Saints. Let us therefore ſtep up to that Throne of grace with all confidence: and aſſuredly, as he is true who hath promiſed, we ſhal find grace and mercy in the time of this our need: both comfort to our own hearts, and it may be peace in our dayes, that our eyes ſhal not ſee the evils that are to come: and at that bright appearing of our LORD of life, all tears ſhal be wiped away from our eyes. We ſhal be clothed with thoſe long white robes, and ſhal be fed with the fatneſs of his houſe, and ſhal drink of the rivers of his pleaſures, which is at his right hand for evermore. For Sions ſake in this Land, Chriſtian Reader, have I thus written unto thee: and for Jeruſalems cauſe, have I not kept ſilence at this time, that her glory and wonted brightneſs may be renewed, & that the Church of Scotland which was the beauty of Europe, and the praiſe of the whole earth, for her liberty, purity, and diſcipline, might be eſtabliſhed in the ſame; and her ſalvation and righteouſneſs, might break forth as a burning lamp, to all the Nations of the earth: and that other Churches in other Kingdoms, which deſired to ſee our beauty and ſpiritual glory and accounted them bleſſed which might have had the occaſion to have dwelt in our Tents, to have ſeen and enjoyed the ſame: yea who would have been content to have bought it with the price of their blood to their poſteritie: that they, I ſay, may ſee the continuance thereof and may rejoice. Turn thou, O LORD our GOD, our hearts unto thee, that thy glorious preſence may be continued with us for ever, for JESUS CHRIST his ſake, our LORD and Redeemer, to whom be all praiſe and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
Now I come to this matter in hand: the occaſion of it was this. There was one who was ſometimes an hearer of the word with me, who ſhew me that he had been in conference with a Papiſt, and he had brought him thus far, that if he would ſhow him of any that profeſſed our Religion before Martin Luther, he would renounce his Papiſtry, and therefore deſired me to ſet them down in writ. The which I did: and ſet it down in this form, as thou ſeeſt it here. So this being carried to M. Gilbert Brown, he writs an anſwer to it, and ſent it to me. Unto the which I have made this reply. Thou haſt them all three here: firſt, that which I did write, then his anſwer to it, and then my reply to his anſwer.
Indeed it is true Chriſtian Reader, that there was many things that did hinder me & withdraw me from this reſolution, either to make any anſwer to it at all, or yet to let it go forth to the light. As firſt, that ſo many things have been written already by the lights & lanterns of this age againſt that ruinous Babel, that all further cōvictions ſeemed to be ſuperfluous. Next, the conſcience of my own tenuitie and weakneſs, together with a continual burden of a fourfold teaching every week in my ordinary charge, beſide others both privat and publick duties, which not only my own people, but alſo this deſolat Countrey craved, whereby I was let to afford that time and ſtudie unto it, as the gravity of ſuch a matter required. And laſt of all, the conſideration both of the perſon and work of the adverſary▪ that neither the one nor the other would be accounted worthy of any anſwer at all himſelf being both rejected and excommunicated, according to the expreſs commandment of the holy Ghoſt, as an Heretick, being perverted and damned in his own conſcience, and delivered over unto Satan, that he might learn, if it were poſſible, not to blaſpheme the everlaſting truth of GOD any more, Tit. 3.10.11.12. 1. Cor. 5.5. 1. Tim. 1.20. And alſo denounced his rebel, for his treaſonable attempts, both againſt this Church and Kingdom: his work alſo being ſo fooliſh in its ſelf, as both I heard his Majeſtie affirm, that he was a fooliſh reaſoner in it: and alſo I hope, the indifferent Reader ſhal ſee the ſame: his reaſons & arguments being alſo ſo oft anſwered unto by the learned of our ſide, ſo that it ſeemed but actum agere, to make any further anſwer thereunto: yet notwithſtanding of all theſe impediments, theſe motions and reaſons prevailed with me at the laſt, both to anſwer it, and alſo to let it go forth to the open view and ſight of all men: to wit, the conſcience of that duty which I ow unto the truth of GOD, being ſo highly blaſphemed and evil ſpoken of: the unfained love of the ſalvation of my Countrey-men, who for the moſt part, are blinded with the ſmoke of the darkneſs of that bottomleſs pit: the railing and thraſonical bragging of the adverſary, both by word and writ, that it would never be anſwered: and that the Miniſtery would never ſuffer an anſwer to come to light, becauſe they knew the anſwer to be unworthy, and none other was able to anſwer to it: the moſt earneſt preſſing of a great many of my brethren, who knew the lamentable eſtat of this blind Countrey: the conſtant deſire of all men in this Countrey to ſee the ſame: together with his Majeſties moſt gracious acceptation of my endeavor, and moſt favorable judgement of this my labor, and moſt humane counſel to publiſh the ſame, which did not a little incourage me: and laſt of all, the expreſs commandment of the holy Ghoſt, Anſwer a fool according to his follie, leſt he ſeem wiſe in his own eyes: the which if it have place in any thing, it muſt have place here, where not only this ſeeming wiſe in his own eyes, would undoubtedly follow upon my ſilence, but alſo a ſeeming wiſe in the eyes of all this part of the Countrey almoſt: both to the prejudice of the everlaſting truth of GOD, and alſo to the ſtumbling of the weak, the further obduring of the obſtinat, and the wounding of the hearts of the godly therein. Auguſtin. lib. de Trinitate, cap. 3. & lib. cont. Mend. cap. 6. hath a notable ſentence to this purpoſe. It is to be wiſhed, ſaith he, where hereſie flowriſhes, that all theſe who have any gift of writing, that they all write, ſuppoſe they ſhould write not only of the ſelf-ſame matters or questions, but alſo the ſelf-ſame things or arguments, ſuppoſe perchance in other words. For, ſaith he, it is expedient that Hereticks underſtand that there are not only one or two, but many in the camps of the Catholicks, who dare with open face meet them. And he ſaith, There is another commodity that comes by the writing of many: to wit, that by this means, the Catholicks books themſelves are more ſhortly and eaſily brought unto the hands of all men, ſo that while as ſome fall upon one, and ſome fall upon others, yet notwithſtanding they are all instructed to uſe the ſame weapons in their common dangers. The which how fitly it agrees unto this purpoſe of mine, I leave it to the judgement of all men, who know the eſtat of this blinded Countrey, wherein that darkneſs of the Antichriſtian Kingdom is ſo far ſpred, the confident brags of the adverſary are ſo univerſally credited, the people ſcattered as ſheep without ſhepherd…, Matth. 9.36. lying wide open to all the aſſaults of the Devil: and the deceits of theſe ravenous wolves, and their hands ſo full of Papiſtical books, the deadly weapons of their own deſtruction, without any one book, almoſt, for ought that I know, whereby either theſe that are perverted, may be revoked from their errors, or theſe that are aſſaulted, may be ſuſtained from yeelding to the adverſary, or thoſe that are weak may be confirmed. Not unlike the miſerable eſtate wherein the Hebrews were brought unto, through the tyranny of the Philistims, wanting both ſword and ſpear in the time of their warfare, having no ſmiths in their whole land, whereby they were compelled to go to their enemies to ſharpen their cowter and ſock, and other instruments, 1. Sam. 13.19.20 22. Now as for the work it ſelf, I ſay nothing of it, but only recommend it to the bleſſing of GOD in all your hearts and conſciences. The which alſo hath been my earneſt deſire to GOD, from the firſt time that I put in hand to the pen, continually, that his effectual preſenc… might be joyned therewith, both to convict the contra… minded, and to confirm the godly. Read ye it theref… with that affection of heart wherewith it was written, an… deſire ye that bleſſing in the reading of it, as I did in th… writing of it: and then I hope through GODS bleſſing, ye ſhal reap ſome profit by it. Now the GOD of all mercy, and the Father of all light, illuminat all our eyes more and more, and cauſe the light of his glorious Goſpel to ſhine in our hearts, and bleſs all the means thereof, that we may be the children of light here, and may be partakers of that everlaſting weight of glory hereafter in CHRIST JESUS. Amen. From Air the 18. December 1602.
Yours in the Lord, M. Iohn Welſch, Preacher of Chriſts Goſpel.