Out of this Head Springs alfo that Error of fome, who do attribute all disorder and personal faults of men about execution of Laws, unto the Laws themselves, and unto the very Policy of the Church: Thereupon gathering with themselves, that the Plot of Difcipline (if it might come in place) will furely ferve as a Mithridate, and a fovereign Salve, to heal (with short applying) all Difeafes and Sores both of Church and Commonwealth. Certain be fo bewitched (in like fort) by a kind of admiration of that, which is (in it felf) most neceffary, as that in the mean time they overflip matters of no lefs importance in the Life of a Chriftian, because they think it fufficient to be occupied only about the other.

Hereupon it cometh, that fundry do attribute So much to the bearing of the Word preached, that neither publick nor private reading of Scripture, Works of Charity, Praying, nor practice of that which is preached, is any whit almost regarded of them. Whereby they are always learning, but never come unto the knowledge of the truth, as if the very work wrought of bearing alone could make them good and perfect Chriftians. So that where in old time there were certain Hereticks called &xir, who did nothing but pray: So (not without caufe) bave fome feared, left fuck Perfons would bring in an Herefy of axisy, putting all Religion in bare bearing of Sermons. Divers alfo there are, who are Jo whetted against the abuse of things, that the Seducer bereby taketh opportunity to draw them to omit even the good and commendable use of them. Such are thofe, that because they will not seem to confirm

God's

God's truth by human Teftimony, do therefore defpife all light and help of good Arts, and learned Interpreters, and instead of them, do in their Sermons nothing else, but blaze out their own frivolous and unfound Collections, trifling out the time (without order and method) by an heap of earnest and refonant, but undigested words, vain Repetitions, Tautologies and Battologies, without any fubftance of matter, to the great abuse of their Auditory, and of that excellent Work. Ma ny alfo are fo afraid to fall into fuperftitious obfervation of days, commanded for abftinence and avoiding of most nutritive Diet, that at fuch times they do ufually most pamper their vile Flesh, even with a purpofed and fetled contempt of good Laws, in that behalf provided. Neither will this kind of Perfons (for the most part) use any private fafting, for fubduing the Body, but must have a whole fide of a Country, or a whole family at least, know when they fast, and will not stick to ride out a dozen or twenty Miles from home to fast with others for company (though without publick Authority) there to make oftentation of great humbling themselves, by abstaining perhaps from one Meal, how plentifully and delicately foever they do fare at Suppers, or at their next Meal. Likewife, to avoid opinion of Superftitious worship of the outward Elements at Communion, fundry do refuse to kneel at the perception of it: And of the contrary fide do fall to a prophane and finish (at least outward) irreverence of that bigh and excellent Mystery. Others there are, who in avoiding Superftition, are themselves become little less than fuperftitions.

For

For albeit the Holy Ghoft condemneth want of 'Asoggi natural affection as a fin; yet fuch Perfons, when Rom. 1. their Husbands, Parents, or Friends do die, are fo far from moderate forrow or mourning for them (left haply they should feem to do it fuperftitiously and exceffively, as thofe do, who have no hope) that on the contrary, they do, (even with a kind of fuperftitious fingularity) avoid all fhew of forrow, as if it were a matter unlawful for any Chriftians, of their degree of perfection. And therefore they take unto themselves at fuch times, Mufick, Rofe-mary Branches, and other tokens of joy and great folace. Howbeit, the Holy Ghost greatly commendeth the devotion of them, who buried the Martyr St. Stephen, and A&ts 8. 2. made great lamentation for him. Of whose refurrection nevertheless unto Eternal Life, thofe Mourners bad as good affurance, as any man now can have touching fuch, whom thefe do so pleafantly and jocundly tumble into the Pit. Many alfo be deceiveth and drowneth in fin and impiety by fome fimilitude and resemblance that it hath unto vertue and godliness, as, by making that which in deed is deλognozeía, Will-worship, to feem to be nothing else, but an earnest care to ferve God: Superftition, to be taken for obedient Devotion: Hypocrify, for true fincerity: A fhew of bumbling a man's felf by a meal or two's abftinence, and hanging down the bead like a bullrush, for true fafting, and fubduing of the flesh: Calumniation, flander, and difdain of others, for an batred of fin: Rancour and male-contentment, for zeal of God's glory: Schifm and Divifion, for an avoiding of the works of darkness, and of pollution

pollution by them: Seditious Innovation, for lawful Reformation: Prefumptuous expoftulation in prayer with God, for fervency of the Spirit: Bitter invectives against others in praying, for defire of amendment in them, and to advance God's glory: Over-weening Conceits, for extraordinary Callings and Gifts: Hot and bloody pangs of Malice and Cruelty, for motions of God's Spirit, and revelation from him, with fuch like a great many, more than a good number, All these, and fuch like, are usual practices and fleights of Sathan, whereby even in the time of the Gospel, he cunningly inveigleth and flily entrappeth many, to the danger of themselves, to the fcandal and down-fall of others, and to the obloquy of true Religion. It is neceffary (faith Christ) that offences come; yet woe be to them, by whom they come. And there must needs be herefies, (faith St. Paul) that fuch as be approved, may be made manifeft. But of all the other, the last fort of them (being fuggefted by Sathan, under the vizard of Vertue, Godliness, and Religion) are most pernicious and devilish: And the poison of them Spreadeth and rankletb furtheft, to the disturbance and peril both of Church and Common-wealth, because hereby the Devil transformeth himself into an Angel of light. For as the most noble Creature engendred, is most loathsome and bafe in his corruption: So is the untrue pretence and colour of Piety and Religion (things of themselves of chiefeft price and excellency) the most dangerous Snare, and deadly dart, that Sathan can fhoot Macchiavel. forth. The prophane Politick of our Age could obferve,

in

obferve, That fhew of Piety and Religion was
the readieft and fureft way to blind and feduce a
multitude. If then this Imp of his could mark
it, fhall we doubt, but that Sathan himself, the
Forger of all Subtilties, can fee it, and accord-
ingly alfo put it in practice? Yea, be hath
put
ure this most dangerous Device, not only in this
Action (whereof we entreat) done in our late
fight and knowledge, by his feduced Inftruments,
William Hacket, Edmund Coppinger, and
Henry Arthington; but at fundry other times
alfo, by other bis like Factors, fince the last re-
newing of the Gospel, begun in Germany, in our
Fathers days. One or two of the most memora-
ble of which Examples recorded in Hiftory, it shall
not (I trust) be amifs to compare with thefe late
Attempts and Actions; both that the one and the
other may
be better known, and avoided bere-
after, and that the efficacy of this ftrong Illu-
fion may more fruitfully be weighed and confi-
dered.

In Military Inftructions it is prefcribed, not to Polyænus in ufe a Stratagem twice together in one Age, for Stratag. fear of over-fresh remembrance, and thereby of prevention. Therefore Sathan an old Leader, might not in his great Policy, fo foon after, have again aflayed this Practice fo like (in most points) to the former in Germany, had he not perfectly known (by experience) the efficacy and rare working thereof, and therefore did repofe in it, an ef pecial confidence for raising of Tumult, fhedding of Blood, and overthrow of States.

But