ther it be this puritanical, precise way of serving God which only deserves the name of holiness? and whether they be not as truly godly and sanctified that say their prayers morning and night, and go to church on Sundays, and follow their businesses the rest of the week, without any more ado?'

Answ. Either it is the substance of holy duties, or but the circumstances, which you quarrel at as puritanical and precise. If it be only the circumstances (as whether we should receive the Lord's supper standing, or kneeling, or sitting? whether we should pray publicly without book, or in the book? and whether a Scripture form or another be better? and whether a continued speech, or versicles, anthems, and oft-repeated words and sentences be better? What form of church government is best? by diocesan bishops, or by all the pastors? and the like), it is not such things as these that I am pleading with thee. Though some of them are matters of considerable moment for the helping or hindering men in godliness; yet it is greater matters than these that I am now contending for. Agree with us practically in the substance; in faith, repentance, love, obedience, mortification, heavenliness, humility, patience, and serious diligence and zeal in all, and then I am none of those that will condemn or censure you; but one that will rejoice in you, as those that I hope to rejoice with for ever.

But if it be the substantial duties of godliness that you resist, while you own but the name of godliness in the general, I must tell you that it is not names and generals that will save you; nor prove that you have yourselves one spark of grace. Nothing more easy and common than for the most ungodly to say, they are all for a godly life; and God forbid that any should be against it; when yet they hate and reject it indeed, when it comes to the practice of those particular duties in which it doth consist. It is not godliness that they hate and reproach, but it is fervent prayer, holy conference, meditation, self-denial, mortification of the desires of the flesh, heavenlymindedness, &c. In general, they will say that God's law must be obeyed, and his will preferred before their own. But when it comes to the particulars, they love him not above all, they take his name in vain, they keep not holy his day, they disobey superiors that would reform them, they are envious, malicious, covetous, lustful, and break all the commandments in particular, which

in general they profess to keep. As if your servant should promise to do your work; and when you set him to it, one thing is too hard, and another he is not used to, and so he hath his exceptions against the greatest part which he undertook. As if one should wound one of you in the head, and stab you to the heart, and cut off an arm or a leg, and say, 'I wish the man no harm. It is not the man that I hate or hurt, but only the head, the heart, the arni, &c.' Even so it is not holiness that these men hate, and speak against; but it is so much praying, and meditating, and reading the Scriptures, and making such a stir about religion when less ado may serve the turn.

But, wretched soul, if thou have not the wit to see the contradictions of thy deceitful tongue, and the venom of thy malignant heart, dost thou think that such sottish shifts as these will blind the eyes of heavenly justice, and save thee from the vengeance of a holy God, which he hath denounced against rebellious hypocrites? But come on; let us try whether the several parts of godliness which thou questionest, or callest Puritanism or preciseness, are not most expressly and peremptorily commanded in the word of God.

:

1. Is it so much preaching and hearing sermons that thou quarrellest with? Hear then how Christ and his apostles preached, and how they required men to hear: "And in the morning rising up a great while before day, he went out and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. And Simon, and they that were with him followed after him; and when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee. And he said, Let us go unto the next towns, that I may preach there also; for therefore came I forth and he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee;" Mark i. 35. 37-39. "And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them; no, not so much as about the door, and he preached the word unto them;" chap. ii. 2. "And they went into a house, and the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread: and when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him; for they said, He is beside himself;" chap. iii. 19-21. "And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ;" Acts v. 42. "They that were scattered went every where preaching the word;" chap. iv. 4. "I kept

1

back nothing that was profitable to you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house.

-Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Therefore watch, and remember that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears;" chap. xx. 20. 28.31. "How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" Rom. x. 14, 15. "Every way whether in pretence or in truth Christ is preached, and I do therein rejoice, yea and will rejoice;" Phil. i. 18. pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe;" 1 Cor. i. 21. "Whom we preach, warning

"It

every man, and teaching every man, in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus," &c. Col. i. 28, 29. "I charge thee therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom, preach the word; be instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and doctrine;" 2 Tim. iv. 1,2. "Necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe unto me if I preach not the Gospel ;" 1 Cor. ix. 16.

What say you now? do we not fall much short of those that we should imitate, rather than do too much in preaching? But what need we more than the text itself, where for hearing, Mary is so commended, and her sister blamed for neglecting it, though it was to make provision for Christ himself and those that were with him? "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them, being to depart on the morrow, and continued his speech until midnight;" Acts xx. 7. "Let every one be swift to hear;" James i. 19. "He that hath an ear, let him hear;" Rev. ii. 7, &c. "Jesus said, My mother and my brethren are those which hear the word of God and do it;" Luke viii. 21. I hope you see this duty is past question.

2. Is it the reading of the Scripture that is the Puritanism, or too much ado that you blame? Or is it the frequent meditating on such high and holy things? Hear what the Spirit saith of this. "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of

66

sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night. The ungodly are not so-;” Psal. i. 1, 2. O how I love thy law! it is my meditation all the day. Thy testimonies are my meditation. Mine eyes prevent the night-watches, that I might meditate in thy word;" Psal. cxix. 97.99. 148. "I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food;" Job xxiii. 12. "The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver;" Psal. cxix. 72. Have ye not read the Scriptures?" Mark xii. 10. The eunuch "sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet;" Acts viii. 28. Give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine;" 1 Tim. iv. 13. I hope you see also that this part of godliness is past question.

3. Is it much and fervent prayer that is the preciseness or too much ado that you make question of? Hear then what the Holy Ghost doth say of that. "In every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;" Phil. iv. 6. "Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks; for this is the will of God concerning you;" 1 Thess. v. 17, 18. "And he spake a parable to them to this end, that men ought always to pray and not to faint;" Luke xviii. 1. "I say unto you, though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity, he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. And I say unto you, Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you;" Luke xi. 8, 9. "He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God;" Luke vi. 12. Daniel would not give over praying three times a day in his house, for thirty days' space at the king's command, no, not to save his life from devouring lions. David saith, "Seven times a day do I praise thee;" Psal. cxix. 164. "Arise, cry out in the night; in the beginning of the watches pour out thy heart like water before the face of the Lord;" Lam. ii. 19. It is part of the wicked atheists' description that 'they call not upon the Lord;" Psal. xiv. 4. "Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and the families that call not on thy name;" Jer. x. 25. "The Lord is nigh to all that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth;" Psal. cxlv. 18. When Paul was converted, the

Lord lets Ananias know it by this token, "for behold he prayeth;" Acts ix. 11. "These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication;" Acts i. 14. The three thousand converts "continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine, and fellowship, and breaking of bread, and in prayers;" Acts ii. 42. "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same, with thanksgiving; withal praying also for us, that God would open to us a door of utterance, to speak the mysteries of Christ;" Col. iv. 2. Continuing instant in prayer;" Rom. xii. 12. "The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much;" James v. 16.

"For every

creature is sanctified by the word of God and prayer;” 1 Tim. iv.5. "She that is a widow indeed and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day;" 1 Tim. v. 5. Praying in the Holy Ghost;" Jude 20. Night and day praying exceedingly;" 1 Thess. iii. 10. "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; and for me, &c." Ephes. vi.

18.

"What prayer or what supplication soever shall be made of any man, or of all thy people Israel, when every one shall know his own sore, and his own grief, and shall spread forth his hands in his house, then hear thou from heaven, &c." 2 Chron. vi. 29.

I hope by this time, if you have eyes, you see that more frequent and fervent prayers than any of us use (and that without book), were used by the ancient servants of the Lord, and were not thought too much ado, nor more ado than God requireth of us.

4. Is it constant, diligent teaching, instructing and catechising your families, and labouring that yourselves and they may understand and practise the law of God? Hear also what the Spirit saith of this; and then judge, whether it be too much preciseness.

"My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee, so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thy heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hidden treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God;" Prov. ii. 1-5. "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy