The Cure of Misprision, Section 83 – Section 85
S…ct. 83.
Again if Authority commands a Faſt to bee kept: they will obſe…ve it with the reſt of their neighbours: yea like thoſe hypo…it…call Jews, Iſay. 58. 5. they will hang downe th… heads like b…lr…ſ…es; when yet their hearts ſtand upright enough. And …aſt they will from meat by all means (which is but the ſhell o… out ſ…de) but not from ſinne, the Kernell or ſoule of faſting. Yea they will hold out that whole day, that they may be able afterwards to bragge: how many ſermons they heard, and how many houres each Miniſter was in praying. Yea ſo pious are they, that they da…e not paſſe through Pauls with their hatts on: or out o… it before they have kneeled downe to a pillar; though they be in haſt, and their company wai…e the while.
I need not tell you how zealous▪ this blind and ſuperſtitious ſwarme are: for the Booke of Common prayer, The Apocrypha, the Croſſe, Surplice, the Ring, rails, &c. Holy dayes, proc…ſſion, and the like rites and ſuperſtitious Cuſtoms: for experience ſhewes; that they will looſe their Lawes, Liberties, r…ligion, and deareſt blood, rather then their goddeſſe Diana ſhall not ſtill be worſhipped, and had in honour.
Againe obſerve them at home: they can upon occaſion …epeat ſo much of the ſermon as concerns their wives, children, and …ervants: if it make for their owne ends; what was ſpoken againſt Idleneſſ…, Waſtfulnes, Stubborneſſe, Lying, and the like: though all the …eſt of the ſermon, goes in at one eare, and out at the other: ſo pointing to them the right way of living well; while by their practice, they lead them the cleane contrary. As that Actor in the Co…edy, ſaid with his mouth O Coelum: but with his finger pointed to the Earth. Yea they give their Children ſuch ill …xample; that not ſeldome of parents to their bodies, they become murtherers of their ſoules, as Barnard obſerves. For notwithſtanding all this their profeſ…ion, no generation of men, are more notoriouſly diſ…olute for they are as prophane as very Turks; notorious Drunkards, Common Adulterers, Quotidian ſwearers and Curſers, Malicious ſcoffers at religion, and accuſers of the Godly; and indeede what not? For no place but hell it ſelfe, can yeeld worſe creatures then theſe. And yet no people under Heaven, thinke better of themſelves: For as Micah could dotingly ſay; Now I know, that the Lord will be good unto me; ſeeing I have a Levite to my Prieſt. Judges 17. 13. Or as thoſe, hypocrites, J…r. 7. 4. injoying the Oracles of God; and having received the cognizance of Circumciſion: could boaſtingly cry out, the Temple of the Lord; the Temple of the Lord; when they even hated the Lord of that Temple: ſo theſe thinking themſelves ſanctified, by ſome outward works and priviledges. Iſay. 66. 3. 4. will boaſt; that they were borne of Chriſtian parents, have been waſhed with holy water; and are dayly fed with the ſpirituall Ma…na, of the word and ſacraments, &c. though in effect, they renounce their Chriſtendom; and are become profeſt enemies, to the Croſſe of Chriſt, and perſecuters of his members.
Sect. 84.
True, as the pretended Mother, that ſtole away the live child, 1 Kings, 3. 16. to 28. profeſſed before King Solomon; as great love to it, and pleaded as hard for it, as the naturall mother could do: and yet ſo little did ſhe care for it, that ſhe was content to have it devided: which ſhewed plainly, that love of ſtrife, and envie to the true mother, prevailed more with her, then true affection to the thing ſtriven for: ſo theſe men pretend as great love to the true religion, as her beſt and trueſt friends: but when it comes to the tryall, ſhe hath no greater enemies▪ For, for matter of Religion, they are much like the Romans; whom a ſenſualiſt would ſuſpect to be very religious, and conſcionable; for they allowed of the ſervice of all gods, and to that end, built a Temple to all gods, calling it Pantheon: yet it was evident they were not, becauſe they would never admit of the true God, to wit Iehovah. So theſe men (and indeed all the former) are very religious: for they will conforme to any religion the State ſhall eſtabliſh, were it popery it ſelf▪ reſembling ſhel-fiſh, that increaſe when the moon increaſeth; and decreaſe as it doth. Where note by the way, that onelyonly dead fiſh are carried away with the ſtream. As when ſuperſtition and idolatty were re-advanced in England, by Queen M…ry: what was mens greateſt care, but to ſerve the times? were not nineteen, or rather ninety nine parts of the land, ready to ſay, as once Huſhai to Abſalom? Nay but whom this people, and all the men of Iſrael choſe; her… will I be, and of her religion will I be of. 2 Sam. 16. 18. Or as Naomi to Ruth; Thy people ſhall be my people, and thy God, my God. R…th 1. 16 And indeed, men that ſcoffe at the power of godlines are for any religion, ſo they may enjoy their immunities, Let them have the favour of great ones, and gain well by it; any religion ſhall ſerve their turn: for you ſhall never know them to ſuffer for a good conſcience. No they will rather worſhip a calf with the Iſraelit…s: Exod. 32. 4. Or a golden Image, with the Caldeans. Dan. 3. 7. Or a filthy ſtrumpet, with the people of Rome: w…o worſhipped dame Flora, a common harlot, for a goddeſſe; becauſe ſhe made them her hair, of a great ſum of money, which ſhe had got by common bawdery. Yea, if the divel himſelfe ſhould but ſay unto theſe men as he did once to our Saviour, Matth. 4. 9. all this will J give thee, they would ſtraightwaies fall down and worſhip him.
Nor can you wonder at this their indifferency: for notwithſtanding they have enjoyed the meanes, this 20. 30. or 40▪ years: they are ſtill as ignorant of God, of themſelves, and all ſaving truths, as the very heathen: if ye doubt it, do but ask them a reaſon of their faith: their own tongues will tell you, I ſpeak but the truth.
And the reaſon is this, they perform holy duties in formality onelyonly, and out of cuſtom, without reverence and feeling: Ez…k. 33. 31. which by little and little, does cauterize their conſciences, and blind their minds.
Sect. 85.
I confeſſe many of them are honeſt infidels▪ harmleſſe beaſts; or if you will, good negative chriſtians, or ſecond table men, for matter of act: they are loyall ſubjects, live civilly amongſt their neighbours, pa… every man his owne: are neither drunkards nor adulterers: but deny the power of Godlines, and are reprobate to every good worke: for (to let paſſe other things) ſcarce one in forty of them, will allow God upon his own day, above four hours: Or that duely prays in his family: yea, this is a ſuperfluous expence of time▪ and a means to hinder each one in their ſeverall ſtations: For as touching that of the Prophet, Pour out thy fury, upon them that know thee not, and upon the families which call not on thy Name: Jer. 10. 25. it is a hard ſcripture, and out of their reading: yea, of theſe civill honeſt men, ſcarce one of an hundred that fears an oath, or makes conſcience of a lie: for at leaſt they will …wear by their faith and troth: I do not ſay they will forſwear themſelves for an advanvantage: but I that ſcarce know what a tryall in law is, have not a little ſuffered b… their wicked anſwers in Chancery. And as for lying, and commanding others to ly, what more uſuall? then to bid a wife or ſervant, if ſuch an one ask for me, ſay I am not within: which none dare do that fear God, or that have any truth of Religion in them. Indeed others often pay them in their own coyn, with ſhame to boot: as once Cato ſerved Naſica. And ſometimes God reckons with them for all their lyes together: for it often falls out, that a ſervants denying his maſter to be at home, brings him within compaſſe of the ſtatute for banquerupts; a juſt puniſhment for ſuch as will be wiſe without God, and good without grace,