$6 The LIFE of the LIB. I. was impoffrble to bring them to any good Confiffency, did quite change their Minds when they faw what wasdone at RiderminJier, and began to think now, that it was much through the faultinefs of the Parilh Minifters, that Parifhes are not in a better Cafe ; andthat it is a better Work thus to reform the Parifhes, than to gather Churches out of them, without great NeceiBty. And the Zealand Knowledge of this poor Peopleprovoked many in other parts of the Land. And though I have been now abfent from them about fix Years, and they have been affaulted with Pulpit-Calumnies, and Slanders, with Threat- nings and Imprifonments, with enticingWords, and feducing Reafonings, they yet Rand fait and keep their Integrity ; many of them are gone to God, andfome are removed , and tome now in Prifon, and molt Bill at home ; but not one, that I hear of, that are fallen off, or forfake their Uprightnefs. § I37. Having related my comfortable Succeffes in this Place, I (hall next tell you by what, and how many Advantages this muchwas effeEted ( under that Grace which worketh by means, though with a free diverfity ) ; which I do for their fakes that would have the means of other Mens Experiments, in mana- ging ignorant and finful Parifhes. r. One Advantage was, that I came to a People that never had any awakening Miniftry before ( but a few formal cold Sermons of the Curate) : For if they had been hardened under a powerful Miniftry, and been Sermon Proof, I lhould have expeEted lets. 2. Another Advantage was, that at firft I was in the Vigour of my Spirits, and had naturally a familiar moving Voice ( which is a great matter with the common Hearers) ; and doingall in bodily Weaknefs, as a dying Man, my Soul was the more eafily brought to Serioufnefs, and to preachas a dying Man todyingMen ; for drowfy Formality and Cuftomarinefs doth but ftupify the Hearers, and rock them afleep : It muff be ferious Preaching, whichmuft make Men ferious in hear- ingand obeying it. ;. Another Advantage was, that molt of the bitter Enemies of Godlinefs in the Town, that rofe in Tumults againtt me before, in their very Hatred of Puri- tans, had gone out into the Wars, into theKing's Armies, and werequickly kill'd, and fewof them ever returned again ; and fo there were few to makeany greatOp- pofition to Godlinefs. 4. Another, and the greaten Advantagewas, the Change that was made in the Publick Affairs by the Succefs of the Wars; which, however it was done, and thoughmuch corrupted by the Ufurpers, yet it was filch as removed many and great Impediments to Mens Salvation : For before, the riotous Rabble had Bold- nefs enough to snake ferious Godlinefs a common Scorn, and call them all Puri- tans and Precifrans that did not care as little for God and Heaven and their Souls as they did ; efpecially if a Man werenot fully fatisfied with their undifciplined, difordered Churches, or Lay Chancellors Excommunications, &e. thenno Name was bad enough for him: And theBifhops Articles enquiring after fach, and their Courts and the High Commiffion grievoufly af$idling chofe that did but Fan and Pray together, or go from an ignorant drunken Reader, to hear a godly able Preacher at the next Parini, ethc. this kept Religion among-the Vulgar under ei- ther continual Reproach or Terror, encourageing the Rabble to defpife it and revile it, and difcouraging thofe that elfe would own it. AndExperience tell- ethus, that it is a lamentable Impediment to Mens Converfion, when it is a way every where fpoken againn, and profecuted by Superiors, which they mutt em- brace ; and when at their firft Approaches they mutt go through filch Dangers and Obloquy as is fitter for confirmed Chriftians to be exercifed with, than un- converted Sinners or young Beginners: Therefore, though Cromwell gave Liberty to all Seas among us, and did not fee up any Party alone by Force, yet this much gave abundant Advantage to the Gofpel, removing the Prejudices and the Ter- rours which hindered it; efpecially conlderingthatGodlinefs had Countenance and Reputation alto, as well as Liberty; whereas before, if it did not appear in all the Fetters and Formalities of the Times, it was the way tocommon Shame and Ru- ine: Hearing Sermons abroad when there were none, or worfe at home; Faring and Praying together; the I4i61 .Obfervation of the Lord's Day, and fùch like, went under the dangerous Name of Puritanifm, as well as oppofrng Bilhopsand Ceremonies. I know in theft Times you may meet with Men that confidently affirm, that all Religion was then trodden down, and Herefy and Schifm werethe only Piety; but I give Warning to all Ages by the Experience of this incredible Age, that they
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