( 473 ) bloodor banifhment, or- you mils your ends, and will but be 'oppofed with greater animofity. - 4. 14. Reaf. 12. And then this will raife an ®diemupon your Government, andmake men look-upon you as tyrants : For naturally men pitty the fuffering party, efpecially when it is for the caufe of God, or Profeffion of more then ordinary exaetnefs in the obeying of Gods commands : And then mens minds will by this be tempted to difloyal jealoufies, and cen- fures, if not to the oppofitionofthe Rulers. g. is. Reaf. 13. And it were an evil which your Ceremo- nies will never countervail, if it were but the nncbaritableaefs that will certainly be raifed by them. When you will perfecute men, and force them againft their Confciences in fuch indiffe- rent things (as you call them) you will occafion them to judge you perfecutors; and cruel, and then they will cenfure you as ungodly, yea as enemies to the Church : And then you will cenfure them for fchifmatical, and felfconceited, and refraftory difobedient people. And fo Chriftian love, and theoffices of love will beextinguifhed, and you will be mutu- ally engaged in adaily courfe ofhainous fin. g. 16. Reaf. 14. And it will be the worle, in that yoùr per fe- cution will oft fall on the molt con fcienciousperlons. Hypocrites and temporizers dare do any thing; and therefore will follow the f}ronger fide, and obey him for their worldly ends. But theupright Chriftian dare not do that which is difplealing to God, for a world : He is theman that will be imprifoned, or banifhed, or rackt, or (lain, rather then he will go againft his Confcience. And is it not a horrid thing tomake fuch Laws, that the molt confcionable are liken to fall under, and to perifh by ? May it not make you tremble, to read that God himfelf cloth call finch his Jewels (Mal. 3. 16, 17.) and faith, he thac toucheth them, toucheth the apple of his eye, and that it were better for him be calf into the depth of the lea with a Milione about his neck, that offrideth one of there little ones ? Away with the Ceremonies that are unneceffary, and yet have fuch effects, and bring you into fuch darger, g. 17. Reaf. 15. And then a more grievous evill will follow : the Ceremony will devour the fubftance , and Phut out the preachers, and confequencly the word and worfhip of the Lord. PP For
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