Numb.VIII. P END IX 121 ping but one: And they are not like thofe that they call the Scripture Diocesans, for they (fa theft Doctors) had but tingle Affemblies. Thefe Men I confuted in my Treatifeof Epifcopacy, and other Books, But the Scribe or Printer omitting my Dire&ion, to put 1ír11 [ The fore-defcribed Prelacy and Church ] inléad of [ The Englifb Prelacy and Church] I was put to number it with the Errata, and give the Reader notice of it in thePreface and Tide Page, and have fine vindicated the Church of England herefrom. XXV. I hear the angry Prete/laxt Recafanta fay, [' It is juft with God that he that bath done more than all others to draw Men to the ParilhChurches, and hath theta Thirty years been Reconciling us to the Papifts in Doetrinals, and is now called Belarminus junior for his Arguments for Liturgies and Forms ; and in his Paraphrafe bath fo largely and earneltly pleaded for Charity to Papifts, as not ' Babylonilhor Antichriflian, should be the firlt that should luffer by them, and that for this very Book that foextraordinarilydoth ferve their Intereft]. To which, I fay, take heed of mif-expounding Providence: that Errour bath colt Englanddear. If I be put to death by them , I !hall not repent of any of chofe Conciliatory Doctrines and Endeavours ; I have reviewed my Writings, and am greatly fatisfied that I fuffer not for running into either Exrream, nor for any falfe Doetrine, Rebellion, Treater', or profs Sin; but that I have fpent my La- bour and Life again(} both Perfecuting and caulcleß Separating : And that I (hill leave my Teftimonyagainft both to Pollerity ; and for what could I more comfortably fuffer? It is by decrying their Perfecution and Cruelty that I have angred the hurtful Papifts, and by confuting their grofs undoubted Crimes, more effetually than you do by the Name of Anticbrifl, Babylon, and the Whore : And if their Cruelty on me Ihould prove my Charge againft them true, I !hallnot be .guilty of ir. Nor will their Sin abrogate God's great Law of Love, even to Enemies, and if it be póble,as much as in you lyetb,livepeaceably with all men ; followpeace with all men: bled are the peace-makers, &c. Thediforderly tumultuous Cries and Petitionsof fach ignorant Zealots for Ex- treams under the Name of Reformation, and crying downall moderate Motions a- bout Epifcopacy and Liturgies, and rufhing fiercely into a War, and young Lads and Apprentices and their like, pricking forward Parliament Men, had fo great a part in our Sin and Mifery from 164r. till z66o. as Imutt give warning to Pofle- rity to avoid the like, and love Moderation. I repent that I no more difcouraged ignorant Ralltnefs, in 1662. and 2663. but I repent not of any of my Motions for Peace. XXVI. I am Pure that my Writings ( betides Humane Impperfe&ton) have no guilt of what they are accufed, unlels other Men put their fenfe on my words5 and call it mine: and fay, I meant the Ruler, when I fpake of Popilh Interdi&s, Si- lencings and Perfecutions. And by that meafure, no Minifter muff fpeak againft any Sin, till he be fure that the Rulers are neither guilty , nor defamed of it, left he be thought to mean them : and fo our Office is at an end. If the Text and the general Corruption of the World lead me to fpeak againft Fornication , Perjury a Calumny, Lying, Murder, Cruelty, or anyVice, mutt I tell Men whom I meats by Name? I mean all in the World that are guilty t Andwhy muff my meaning be any more confined when I with the Text fpeak againft Perfecution, and unjult Silencing the faithful Minigers of Chri(t, while Ifay, that Rulers may juffly Silence all that forfeit their Commion, and do morehurt thangood. XXVII. Can any Man that bath read Church-Hiffory, Fathers and Councils, be ignorant how dolefully Satan bath corrupted and torn the Church, by theAm bition and Tyranny of many Popes, Patriarchs and Metropolitans, while the humble fort ofBishops and Patters have kept up the Life and Power of Chrigia- pity? Or can any Man that maketh not Chrilt and his Church a nicer Servant to WorldlyInterell, thinkthat this fhould not by all true Chrigians be lamented ? Let fuch read Nazianzen's fad Defcription of the Bilhops of his time, in ftrivingfor the higheft Seats, and his with that they were equal : And the fame with of Iftelore Pelufota; andthe (harpReproof hereof byCbryfoflom: Great Grotiut expoundeth Math. 24.29. of thePowers of HeavmPalen, thus, [ ` It is the Chriftian Laity , ' who after the Apollles times began tobe marvellougy lhaken, by the Tyranny of the Prelates who loved Pre - eminence, and to Lord at over the Clergy by math !Ex.
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