who Thus have you papifts, through many generations, "received for doctrine the precepts of men,' for much speaking, and facrificing of your own inventions, expect to be heard, whilft in the luftful, wanton, ignorant, and killing nature, which has been always fhedding the precious blood of thofe whom God in every age raised to teftify against your superstitions and will-worfhips: therefore woes from God Almighty to that Romish whore, who has corrupted the nations," and fits upon a fcarlet-coloured beaft "full of names of blafphemy, drunk with the blood "of faints, and martyrs of Jefus'; the hour of her "defolation is nigh, and in the cup which the hath "filled, fhall it be filled unto her double; for strong "is the Lord God of hofts who judgeth her." Come now, you that are called Proteftants, however denominated or diftinguifhed, who profefs the fcriptures for the rule of life and doctrine, ftand your trial by them and first those who are called Epifcopalians, who date your religion from the martyrs: that those who first protefted against the darkness and grofs idolatry of the popish antichrift, were directed thereto, and fupported therein, by the mighty power of God, is not denied; and that the feals of blood they fet to recommend their teftimonies to pofterity, are with us in high esteem, I openly affirm and declare: but that you of the church of England (who now perfecute us) have any more to do with them than had the Jews and Pharifees, who crucified the Lord of life," with Abraham, Mofes, and the prophets, is as pofitively difowned: for as they were out of the life and fpirit of thofe holy men, (though building and garnishing their fepulchres, and making great profeffion with their words) infomuch as that they flew those whom God fent in the fame fpirit, to preach a farther glory, and to discover a more excellent way; so are you out of the power and spirit your forefathers lived a Mat. xv. 9. Rev. xvii. 3, 4, 6. Chap. xviii, 6, 8. Acts vii. 52. and and died in, profeffing their words, but perfecuting the same spirit in others, and crucifying it in yourfelves: no wonder therefore you have made fo little progrefs fince the first dawning of reformation, being not yet got out of the borders of Babylon's form, and altogether in her luftful, proud, perfecuting, and wicked nature: for have not you, proteftant princes, condemned that in others, which you have and do allow in yourselves, contrary to your forefathers proteftations? Did you not return fevere perfecutions, not only upon the heads of the Roman Catholicks in Queen Elizabeth's time, who efteemed it antichriftian in them, but even your fellow-proteftants, who through zeal for God, declared against your backflidings? Witness her feverity, and what followed in the reigns of James, and the deceased Charles, but more ́ particularly the many thousands now of late that have been clubbed, bruised, imprisoned, exiled, poifoned to death by ftinking dungeons, and ruined in their outward eftates, contrary to law, chriftian or human: therefore well may I take up the lamentation and reproof that was of old, "Ye make offenders for a word, and lay "a fnare for him that reproveth in the gate: ye turn "afide the juft for a thing of nought, and lay bur"dens upon the backs of the righteous, whilft evil"doers pafs unpunished; you ftore up violence in your palaces, and many are the oppreffed that are "amongst you: yet do not your priests prophefy d fmooth things, that few pillows under your arms, "and cry peace? who provoke you to flay thofe, by "executing cruel acts, that should not die, and preach "fafety to them that fhould not live, like greedy dogs, fhepherds that cannot understand, they all "look for gain from their quarters; they teach for "hire; they divine for money, and you all judge for re"wards;" for all which abominations God is departed, "vision is ceased, the fun is gone down over you, d Įsa. xxix. 21. Amos iii. 10. Jer. xxiii. 17. Ezek. xiii. 19, 20. Ifa. lvi. 10, 11. Mic. iii. 5, 6, 11. L 3 "<< and and your day is turned into thick darknefs:" therefore it is you deny the neceffity as well as the present enjoyment of revelation to any, though without it, as Chrift faith," no man can know God, whom to know "is life eternal";" and place the ground of divine knowledge in human arts and fciences, that thereby you may ingrofs a function to yourselves, and keep up your trade of yearly gain upon the poor people; preaching fin for term of life, thereby rendering invalid the glorious power of the fecond Adam, and indulging people in tranfgreffion; though " he that committeth fin is of the devil, and without holinefs none shall "fee God; minifters he never fent, but were commiffionated by men, void of the Holy Ghoft, and therefore ye profit not the people; a badge infeparable to lying prophets, who run in their own name. Come and tell me now, ye of the church of England, that fay the fcriptures are your rule, where do they own fuch perfecutors, falfe prophets, tithe-mongers, deniers of revelations, oppofers of perfection, men-pleasers, time-fervers, unprofitable teachers (witness the abominations of the land) extollers of human learning, as the only way to know God; admirers of univerfities, (fignal places for idlenefs, looseness, profanenefs, prodigality, and grofs ignorance;) and where do we find the prophets, apoftles, and fervants of the Lord, to live in worldly pomp, poffefs hundreds and thousands a year, be called lords of their brethren, and exercife civil and fpiritual jurifdiction over the bodies and fouls of Chriftians in their days? Whence came your forms of prayers, and church-government; from the fcriptures of truth, and the practice of the primitive Chriftians, or the mafs-book, and popish canons? Where is it that mass-houses are called churches? and what precedent do you find for litanies, responses, finging, chorifters, organs, altars, bowing, furplices, fquare caps, hoods, rochets, fonts, babybaptifm, holy days, (as you call them) with much • John xvii, 3. f John iii. 8. Heb. xii. 14. Jer. xxiii. 32. more more fuch like dirty trafh, and foul fuperftition? Are thefe your fcripture doctrines, and this the fpiritual worship of the holy Jefus, his apoftles, and the ancient Chriftians? Stand up and anfwer me, ye mem.. bers of the church of England; but are they not the offspring of that idolatrous popifh generation, amounting at beft to will-worship, which is abominable to the God of heaven, who is now breaking forth in vengeance, to thunder down and confume all the fair buildings, and pleafant pictures of Babylonifh inventions? Therefore from you may I expect an answer to the question I asked the Romanists, in what nature and spirit is it, O princes, priests, and people, you hold and profefs religion, and worship towards God? Is it the divine and heavenly one, which is pure and perfect? Are you baptized by the Holy Ghost, and with fire; crucified through the daily crofs to the world; born again, and your affections fet on things above1? But alas, poor fouls! are you not at have mercy up' on us miferable finners, there is no health in us,' from seven to feventy? and as in truth it is to the fhame of religion, and deftruction of human fociety; how do you abound in evil! equalizing, if not outftripping papists and heathens (against whom you proteft in words) in all kinds of impiety: therefore, "Wo unto you proteftants, that are mighty to drink ftrong "drink, that give your neighbours drink, and put "the bottle to them that they may be drunk'; that "put far away the evil day, and cause the feat of vi"olence to come near; that lie upon beds of ivory, " and ftretch yourselves upon your couches; that eat "the fat of the flock, and drink the fweet of the "vine; that anoint yourselves with the chief ointments; that chant to the found of the viol, and in"vent to yourselves inftruments of mufick, but con"fider not the afflictions of Jofeph *." How sport you away your precious time, as if ye were born not Acts xix. 2, 3, 4, 5. h Col. iii. 2. i Ifa. v. 11, 12. * Amos to die, at least never to be judged? O what swearing, what uncleannefs, what drunkenness, what profanation, what vanity, what pride, what expence, what patching, what painting, what lafcivious intrigues, what wanton appointments, what publick unclean houses, what merry masks, what luftful infinuating treats at your plays, parks, mulberry and fpring-gardens, with whatfoever elfe may please the luftful eye, and gratify the wanton mind! Is not this your cafe and practice, ye gallants, young and old, men and women? and by these courfes, have not debts furprized your eftates, poverty plenty, difeafes health, debauchery chastity? Whole families ruined both in foul and body; yea, fuch a deluge of intemperance has fo overwhelmed the nations, that hard it is to light upon fobriety and virtue. Well, my friends, when I ruminate on these things, my heart affects mine eye, and grief overcomes my foul for your fakes: repent therefore, O ye proteftants, or else know," that for all these things God Almighty "will bring you to judgment';" and in the day that his indignation fhall be kindled, your religion of words fhall fly away, and your Lord Lord-cryings fhall be rejected, becaufe you were ftrangers to the fpiritual nature (though babblers of the name) of true christianity, and therefore fhall ye perish by the fword. Now as for you feparatifts of divers names, although I fhall not difallow the zeal that once you had, yet must I on God's behalf bear my teftimony concerning you; therefore be it known unto all," that you are "teaching and receiving for doctrine the traditions of "men," running and ftriving in your own spirits, "compaffing yourfelves with the fparks of your own "fire," being not yet come to ftand ftill and know that will done on earth which is done on heaven: you tell people, Chrift Jefus has fuffered and fatisfied for fins paft, prefent, and to come; and that though they 1 Mat. vii. 21. m Ifa. 1. 11. are |