' See Canterburian self-conviction. See Ld. Dee. Coll., &.c.
UNCHANGEABLE, FEEE MEECY. 29
[2.] They were such, as raked up the ashes of the ancient worthies, whose spirits God stirred up to reform his church, and rendered them contemptible before all, especially those of England, the most whereof died in giving their witness against the blind figment of the real pre- sence,^ and that abominable blasphemy of the cursed mass. In espe- cial, how did England, heretofore termed ass, turn ape to the pope, having set up a stage, and furnished it with all things necessary for an unbloody sacrifice,^ ready to set up the abomination of a desola- tion, and close with the god Maozim [□'••fyio, Mauzzmi, god of forces, Dan. xi. 38], who hath all their peculiar devotion at Rome?
[3.] They were ia the management of men which had divers dan- gerous and pernicious qualifications: as, —
\st, A false repute of learning; I say, a false repute for the greater part, especially of the greatest. And yet, taking advantage of vulgar esteem, they bare out as though they had engi'ossed a monopoly of it, — though I presume the world was never deceived by more empty pretenders, esjiecially in respect of any solid knowledge in divinity or antiquity ; but yet their gxeat preferments had got them a great repute of great deservings, — enough to blind the eyes of poor mortals adoring them at a distance, and to persuade them, that all was not only law, but gospel too, which they broached: and this rendered the infection dangerous.
'^dly, A great hatred of godliness in the power thereof, or any thing beyond a form, in whomsoever it was found ; yea, how many* odious appellations were invented for bare profession, to render it contemptible ! — especially in the exercise of their jurisdiction, thun- dering their censures against all appearance of zeal, and closing with all profane impieties; for were a man a drunkard, a swearer, a Sab- bath-breaker, an unclean person, so he were no Puritan, and had money, — " patet atri janua ditis," the Episcopal heaven was open for them all. Now, this was a dangerous and destructive qualification, which, I believe, is not professedly found in any party amongst us.
^dly, Which was worst of all, they had centred in their bosoms an imfathomable depth of power, civil and ecclesiastical, to stamp their apostatical errors with authority, — giving them not only the counte- nance of greatness, but the strength of power, violently urging obe- dience; and to me the sword of error never cuts dangerously but when it is managed with such a hand. This I am sure, that eiTors in such are not recoverable, without the utmost danger of the civil state.
' Coal from the Altar.
^ Aitare Christiaiium. Antidotum Lincoln. Case of Greg.
^ Sapientior sis Socrate; doctior Augustiuo, &c.; Calvinianus si modo dicare clam vel propalam, mox 'Jartaris, Moscis, Afris, Turcisque ssevieutibus, et jacebia execratior, &c.
30 A VISION OF
Let now, I beseech you, these and the Hke things be considered, especially the strong combination that was throughout the^ papal world for the seducing of this poor nation (that I say nothijig how this vial was poured out upon the very throne^), and then let us all be ashamed and confounded in ourselves, that we should so under- value and slight the free mercy of God in breaking such a snare, and setting the gospel at liberty in England. My intent was, having before asserted this restoration of Jerusalem to the good pleasure of God, to have stirred you up to thankfulness unto him, and self-humi- liation in consideration of our great undeserving of such mercy ; but, alas ! as far as I can see, it will scarce pass for a mercy ; and unless every man's persuasion may be a Joseph's sheaf, the goodness of God shall scarce be acknowledged. But yet let all the world know, and let the house of England know this day, that we lie unthankfully under as full a dispensation of mercy and grace as ever nation in the world enjoyed, and that without a lively acknowledgment thereof, with our o"\vn unworthiness of it, we shall one day know what it is (being taught with briers and thorns) to undervalue the glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus. Good Lord I what would helpless Ma- cedonians give for one enjojanent? O that Wales! O that Ire- land! 0 that France! — where shall I stop? I would offend none, but give me leave to say, O that every, I had almost said, O that any, part of the world had such helps and means of grace as these parts of England have, which will scarce acknowledge any mercy in it! The Lord break the pride of our spirits before it break the staff of our bread and the help of our salvation. 0 that the bread of heaven and the blood of Christ might be accounted good nourishment, though every one hath not the sauce he desireth ! I am persuaded that if every Absalom in the land, that would be a judge for the ending of our differences, were enthroned (lie spoke the people's good, though he intended his oa\ti power), the case would not be much better than it is. Well, the Lord make England, make this honourable audience, make us all, to know these three things : —