Printed by _J. D. & R. I. for Stephen Bowtell_, at the
signe of the Bible in Popes Head-Alley, 1647.
THE
SIMPLE COBLER
OF
AGGAWAM IN AMERICA.
Either I am in an Appoplexie, or that man is in a Lethargie, who doth
not now sensibly feele God shaking the Heavens over his head, and the
Earth under his feet: The Heavens so, as the Sun begins to turne into
darknesse, the Moon into blood, the Starres to fall down to the ground;
So that little Light of Comfort or Counsell is left to the sonnes of
men: The Earth so, as the foundations are failing, the righteous scarce
know where to finde rest, the Inhabitants stagger like drunken men; it
is in a manner dissolved both in Religions and Relations: And no
marvell; for, they have defiled it by transgressing the Laws, changing
the Ordinances, and breaking the Everlasting Covenant. The Truths of God
are the Pillars of the world, whereon States and Churches may stand
quiet if they will; if they will not, He can easily shake them off into
delusions, and distractions enough.
Sathan is now in his passions, hee feeles his passion approaching; hee
loves to fish in royled waters. Though that Dragon cannot sting the
vitals of the Elect mortally, yet that Beelzebub can fly-blow their
Intellectuals miserably: The finer Religion grows, the finer hee spins
his Cobwebs, hee will hold pace with Christ so long as his wits will
serve him. Hee sees himselfe beaten out of grosse Idolatries, Heresies,
Ceremonies, where the Light breakes forth with power; he will therefore
bestirre him to prevaricate Evangelicall Truths, and Ordinances, that if
they will needs be walking, yet they shall _laborare varicibus_, and not
keep their path: he will put them out of time and place; Assascinating
for his Engineers, men of Paracelsian parts; well complexioned for
honesty; for, such are fittest to Mountebanke his Chimistry into sicke
Churches and weake Judgements.
Nor shall hee neede to stretch his strength overmuch in this worke: Too
many men having not laid their foundation sure, nor ballasted their
Spirits deepe with humility and feare, are prest enough of themselves to
evaporate their owne apprehensions. Those that are acquainted with Story
know, it hath ever been so in new Editions of Churches: Such as are
least able, are most busie to pudder in the rubbish, and to raise dust
in the eyes of more steady Repayrers. Civill Commotions make roome for
uncivill practises: Religious mutations, for irreligious opinions:
Change of Aire, discovers corrupt bodies; Reformation of Religion,
unsound mindes. He that hath any well-faced phancy in his Crowne, and
doth not vent it now, fears the pride of his owne heart will dub him
dunce for ever. Such a one will trouble the whole _Israel_ of God with
his most untimely births, though he makes the bones of his vanity
sticke up, to the view and griefe of all that are godly wise. The devill
desires no better sport then to see light heads handle their heels, and
fetch their carreers in a time, when the Roofe of Liberty stands open.
The next perplexed Question, with pious and ponderous men, will be: What
should bee done for the healing of these comfortlesse exulcerations. I
am the unablest adviser of a thousand, the unworthiest of ten thousand;
yet I hope I may presume to assert what follows without just offence.
First, such as have given or taken any unfriendly reports of us
_New-English_, should do well to recollect themselves. We have beene
reputed a Colluvies of wild Opinionists, swarmed into a remote wildernes
to find elbow-roome for our phanatick Doctrines and practises: I trust
our diligence past, and constant sedulity against such persons and
courses, will plead better things for us. I dare take upon me, to bee
the Herauld of _New-England_ so farre, as to proclaime to the world, in
the name of our Colony, that all Familists, Antinomians, Anabaptists,
and other Enthusiasts, shall have free Liberty to keep away from us, and
such as will come to be gone as fast as they can, the sooner the better.
Secondly, I dare averre, that God doth no where in his word tolerate
Christian States, to give Tolerations to such adversaries of his Truth,
if they have power in their hands to suppresse them.
Here is lately brought us an extract of a _Magna Charta_, so called,
compiled between the Sub-planters of a _West-Indian_ Island; whereof
the first Article of constipulation, firmely provides free stable-room
and litter for all kinde of consciences, be they never so dirty or
jadish; making it actionable, yea, treasonable, to disturbe any man in
his Religion, or to discommend it, whatever it be. Wee are very sorry to
see such professed profanenesse in _English_ Professors, as
industriously to lay their Religious Foundations on the ruine of true
Religion; which strictly binds every conscience to contend earnestly for
the Truth: to preserve unity of spirit, faith and Ordinances, to be all
like-minded, of one accord; every man to take his brother into his
Christian care: to stand fast with one spirit, with one mind, striving
together for the faith of the Gospel: and by no meanes to permit
Heresies or erroneous opinions: But God abhorring such loathsome
beverages, hath in his righteous judgement blasted that enterprize,
which might otherwise have prospered well, for ought I know; I presume
their case is generally knowne ere this.
If the devill might have his free option, I believe he would ask nothing
else, but liberty to enfranchize all false Religions, and to embondage
the true; nor should he need: It is much to bee feared, that laxe
Tolerations upon State pretences and planting necessities, will be the
next subtle Stratagem he will spread, to distate the Truth of God and
supplant the peace of the Churches. Tolerations in things tolerable,
exquisitely drawn out by the lines of the Scripture, and pensill of the
Spirit, are the sacred favours of Truth, the due latitudes of Love, the
faire Compartiments of Christian fraternity: but irregular
dispensations, dealt forth by the facilities of men, are the frontiers
of errour, the redoubts of Schisme, the perillous irritaments of carnall
and spirituall enmity.
My heart hath naturally detested foure things: The standing of the
Apocrypha in the Bible; Forrainers dwelling in my Countrey, to crowd our
native Subjects into the corners of the Earth; Alchymized coines;
Tolerations of divers Religions, or of one Religion in segregant shapes:
He that willingly assents to the last, if he examines his heart by
day-light, his conscience will tell him, he is either an Atheist, or an
Heretique, or an Hypocrite, or at best a captive to some lust:
Poly-piety is the greatest impiety in the world. True Religion is _Ignis
probationis_, which doth _congregare homogenea & segregare heterogenea_.
Not to tolerate things meerly indifferent to weak consciences, argues a
conscience too strong: pressed uniformity in these, causes much
disunity: To tolerate more than indifferents, is not to deale
indifferently with God; He that doth it, takes his Scepter out of his
hand, and bids him stand by. Who hath to doe to institute Religion but
God. The power of all Religion and Ordinances, lies in their purity:
their purity in their simplicity: then are mixtures pernicious. I lived
in a City, where a Papist preached in one Church, a Lutheran in another,
a Calvinist in a third; a Lutheran one part of the day, a Calvinist the
other, in the same Pulpit: the Religion of that place was but motly and
meagre, their affections Leopardlike.
If the whole Creature should conspire to doe the Creator a mischiefe,
or offer him an insolency, it would be in nothing more, than in erecting
untruths against his Truth, or by sophisticating his Truths with humane
medleyes; the removing of some one iota in Scripture, may draw out all
the life, and traverse all the Truth of the whole Bible: but to
authorise an untruth, by a Toleration of State, is to build a Sconce
against the walls of heaven, to batter God out of his Chaire: To tell a
practicall lye, is a great sin, but yet transient; but to set up a
Theoricall untruth, is to warrant every lye that lies from its root to
the top of every branch it hath, which are not a few.
I would willingly hope that no Member of the Parliament hath skilfully
ingratiated himselfe into the hearts of the House, that he might watch a
time to midwife out some ungracious Toleration for his own turne, and
for the sake of that, some others. I would also hope that a word of
generall caution should not be particularly misapplied. I am the freer
to suggest it, because I know not one man of that mind, my aime is
generall, and I desire may be so accepted. Yet good Gentlemen, looke
well about you, and remember how _Tiberius_ plaid the Fox with the
Senate of _Rome_, and how _Fabius Maximus_ cropt his ears for his
cunning.
That State is wise, that will improve all paines and patience rather to
compose, then tolerate differences in Religion. There is no divine
Truth, but hath much Celestial fire in it from the Spirit of Truth: nor
no irreligious untruth, without its proportion of Antifire from the
Spirit of Error to contradict it: the zeale of the one, the virulency
of the other, must necessarily kindle Combustions. Fiery diseases seated
in the spirit, embroile the whole frame of the body: others more
externall and coole, are lesse dangerous. They which divide in Religion
divide in God; they who divide in him, divide beyond _Genus
Generalissimum_, where there is no reconciliation, without atonement;
that is, without uniting in him, who is One, and in his Truth, which is
also one.
Wise are those men who will be perswaded rather to live within the pale
of Truth where they may bee quiet, than in the purliev's, where they are
sure to be hunted ever and anon, doe Authority what it can. Every
singular Opinion, hath a singular opinion of it self; and he that holds
it a singular opinion of himself, and a simple opinion of all
contra-sentients: he that confutes them, must confute all three at once,
or else he does nothing; which will not be done without more stir than
the peace of the State or Church can indure.
And prudent are those Christians, that will rather give what may be
given, then hazzard all by yeelding nothing. To sell all peace of
Country, to buy some peace of Conscience unseasonably, is more avarice
than thrift, imprudence than patience: they deale not equally, that set
any truth of God at such a rate; but they deale wisely that will stay
till the Market is fallen.
My prognosticks deceive me not a little, if once within three seven
years, peace prove not such a penny-worth at most Marts in Christendome,
that hee that would not lay down his money, his lust, his opinion, his
will, I had almost said the best flower of his Crown for it, while he
might have had it; will tell his own heart, he plaid the very ill
husband.
Concerning Tolerations I may further assert.
That Persecution of True Religion, and Toleration of false, are the
_Jannes_ and _Jambres_ to the Kingdome of Christ, whereof the last is
farre the worst. _Augustines_ tongue had not owed his mouth one
penny-rent though it had never spake one word more in it, but this,
_Nullum malum pejus libertate errandi_.
_Frederick_ Duke of _Saxon_, spake not one foote beyond the mark when he
said, he had rather the Earth should swallow him up quick, then he
should give a toleration to any opinion against any truth of God.
He that is willing to tolerate any Religion, or discrepant way of
Religion, besides his own, unlesse it be in matters meerly indifferent,
either doubts of his own, or is not sincere in it.
He that is willing to tolerate any unsound Opinion, that his own may
also be tolerated, though never so sound, will for a need hang Gods
Bible at the Devils girdle.
Every Toleration of false Religions, or Opinions hath as many Errours
and sins in it, as all the false Religions and Opinions it tolerates,
and one sound one more.
That State that will give Liberty of Conscience in matters of Religion,
must give Liberty of Conscience and Conversation in their Morall Laws,
or else the Fiddle will be out of tune, and some of the strings cracke.
He that will rather make an irreligious quarrell with other Religions,
then try the truth of his own by valuable Arguments, and peaceable
Sufferings; either his Religion, or himselfe is irreligious.
Experience will teach Churches and Christians, that it is farre better
to live in a State united, though a little Corrupt, then in a State,
whereof some Part is incorrupt, and all the rest divided.
I am not altogether ignorant of the eight Rules given by Orthodox
Divines about giving Tolerations, yet with their favour I dare affirme,
That there is no Rule given by God for any State to give an Affirmative
Toleration to any false Religion, or Opinion whatsoever; they must
connive in some cases, but may not concede in any.
That the State of _England_ (so farre as my Intelligence serves) might
in time have prevented with ease, and may yet without any great
difficulty deny both Toleration, and irregular Connivences, _salva
Republica_.
That if the State of _England_ shall either willingly Tolerate, or
weakly connive at such Courses, the Church of that Kingdom will sooner
become the Devills Dancing-Schoole, then Gods-Temple; The Civill State a
Beare-garden, then an Exchange: The whole Realme a Pais base, then an
_England_. And what pity it is, that that Country which hath been the
Staple of Truth to all Christendome, should now become the Aviary of
Errors to the whole World, let every fearing heart judge.
I take Liberty of Conscience to bee nothing but a freedome from sinne,
and error. _Conscientia in tantum libera, in quantum ab errore
liberata._ And liberty of Error nothing but a Prison for Conscience.
Then small will bee the kindnesse of a State to build such Prisons for
their Subjects.
The Scripture saith, there is nothing makes free but Truth, and Truth
saith, there is no Truth but One: If the States of the World would make
it their sumoperous Care to preserve this One Truth in its purity and
Authority it would ease them of all other Political cares. I am sure
Satan makes it his grand, if not onely taske, to adulterate Truth;
Falshood is his sole Scepter, whereby he first ruffled, and ever since
ruined the World.
If Truth be but One, me thinks all the Opinionists in _England_ should
not be all in that One Truth, some of them I doubt are out. He that can
extract an unity out of such a disparity, or contract such a disparity
into an unity; had need be a better Artist, then ever was _Drebell_.
If two Centers (as we may suppose) be in one Circle, and lines drawn
from both to all the points of the Compasse, they will certainly crosse
one another, and probably cut through the Centers themselves.
There is talke of an universall Toleration, I would talke as loud as I
could against it, did I know what more apt and reasonable Sacrifice
_England_ could offer to God for his late performing all his heavenly
Truths, then an universall Toleration of all hellish Errors, or how they
shall make an universall Reformation, but by making Christs Academy the
Devils University, where any man may commence Heretique _per saltum_;
where he that is _filius Diabolicus_, or _simpliciter pessimus_, may
have his grace to goe to hell _cum Publico Privilegio_; and carry as
many after him, as he can.
_Religio docenda est, non coercenda_ is a pretty piece of _album
Latinum_ for some kinde of throats that are willingly sore, but _Haeresis
dedocenda est non permittenda_, will be found a farre better _Diamoron_
for the Gargarismes this Age wants, if timely and throughly applyed.