Proh Tempora! Proh Mores! Or An unfained Caveat to all true Proteſtants, not in any caſe to touch any of theſe three Serpents: Mr Erbery's Babe of Glory, The Mad mans Plea And Mr Chriſtopher Feaks Exhortations.

IN this ſhort Diſcourſe, I ſhall not lay open to publike view the ſummum totale of Mr. Erbery's painted Je­zabel, nor ſo to mention it word by word in way of an Anſwer, if ſo, I might finde enough of his com­buſtible matter to fill a large Volume, and that for theſe two Reaſons.

Firſt, Becauſe the chiefeſt matter therein con­tained, is onely what he hath often expreſſed at Sommerſet houſe in the Strand by word of mouth, in the hearing of many of my friends, and now he cryes, Cur non liceret ſcribere, ſi licet effari, ſo that where his breath cannot reach, his ſting ſhall.

But ſecondly, Becauſe he hath in his book neither head nor foot, but on­ly a rabble of news from North Wales, brought to London by a ſeduced Di­ſciple, I know not wherein I can piece one whole ſentence worth an Anſwer; and for this cauſe I ſhall onely ſpeak generally concerning Mr. Erberys book ſtiled, The Babe of Glory.

And firſt for the Title of his book, I do conceive according to their grand Ordinance, Except ye be rebaptized, you cannot enter into the kingdom of Heaven, upon this account of theirs, I hold it my duty to new name this Babe, and as I ſuppoſe it is the Babe of Antichriſt, or the dawning of the falſe Prophets ſpringing forth out of North Wales, and extending to the utmoſt cape of its continent, generally termed the four corners of the earth; (but bleſſed be God) that he doth not draw all men after him, I am bold that it is but yet a little while and thoſe that ſee as it were in a glaſs, ſhall ſee cleerly the duration of theſe men to be but for a moment, the devil may prevail long with men whilſt he is in an Angels clothing, but this is ſure, he ſhall not continue long, but Chriſtians may ſee his mutability and his ſub­tile wiles wherewith many are led captive.

Mr Erbery tells us of our becoming ſo like unto God, as that we ſhall not know how to commit ſin, and of our ſuper-glorious condition, even in this life, for my part, I ſear the continuance of it, and therefore to ſhew you their ſainting in their unheard of Principles, I ſhall ſpeak the truth and ſhame that ſpirit which is ſhameleſs in the hearts of many of them; there­fore I do affirm, and nor unwillingly, but as I muſt appear before God, that3 a man may pray eloquently, expound Scripture after the manner of Apoſtles, and ſooth his hearers with his ſugred and Antinomical tongue, (for in gene­ral, men and women do delight to live under ſuch a Miniſtery as is all for Faith and no Works) men do rather affect to hear of King Jeſus, then of Jeſus Chriſt in all his Offices, I ſay a man may do all this as we ſay,〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉and yet want true Grace; I do deſire that thoſe which read this ex­preſſion may admire and wonder at it, even unto aſtoniſhment; now expe­rience is the beſt teacher, which experience although at certain times grie­vous to conſider, yet in time hath produced ſuch good effects as Patience and Hope, which Hope makes me not aſhamed of the truth, but to grow as it were in an Extaſie, and be amazed that I ſhould be received to mercy. Indeed the Lord for reaſons beſt known to himſelf, doth ſuffer you to in­creaſe & to go on in your way of ſeducing, perhaps for the tryal of our Faith, and on the other ſide as the ſaying is, the higher you are gain'd, the likelyer to fall, ut lapſu graviore ruatis, but take it from me, there is no ſurer diſcerner of an hypocrite, then by his non-perſeverance in that good and true way which he ſo much pretended for, but it is he, and he onely that endures to the end that ſhall be ſaved. Let Mr. Erbery but conſider well of that Scri­pture in Jam. 1.8. and that alſo in. Rev. 22.18, 19. and I am confident for the firſt, he is the very Idea of a weather-cock, and the proper ſubject to whom that verſe does relate; & ſo for the other it would amaze any man that reads his book, to ſee what addition here, and what diminution there, what man­gling and barbarous diſſecting he makes of the holy and divine Oracles, but I will let him ceaſe becauſe I do not now intend Polugraphy, & therefore you that read this may have a great care of a Pamphlet ſtiled, The Mad mans Plea, whom I ſuppoſe to be more Knave then Fool; My friends, he that toucheth pitch will be defiled, it may be if you once go to hear theſe men (for I know that people were never more curious then now) I ſay perhaps becauſe of the ſweetneſs of their Syrenlike voice, you may be enticed to go again, and chiefly becauſe you are not as they ſay, come to Mount-Sinai ▪ where you ſhall hear the Law with its terrible voice, like Johns preaching in a rough garment, but unto their Mount-Sion, where you are paſt Law and the true Ordinances of Jeſus Chriſt adminiſtred in its right form & method, let me tel you that ſeparate your ſelves in this age from the true way & man­ner of hearing the Word, that there is many of you have fallen very foully and ſcandalouſly, for all your ſmooth and gloſſy tongue, I could name ſome of you that did gain as many followers in that time of your excelling hy­pocriſie, as that Sorcerer Theudas did Jews by his ſpecious pretences; but I could be more comforted to hear you lay it open your ſelves, even in your publike Aſſemblies and Meeting-houſes, you do in a great meaſure derogate from that heavenly Apoſtle of whom you make often mention, concerning his diſ-eſteem, and his undervaluing of learning, if you do remember Scri­pture ſo well, as you commonly have it at your fingers end, and ſomething more by this then ordinary, in making of this ſin, when we call the days of the week after Heathen names, much forgetting if that had been ſin, St. Paul would rather have omitted the ſhips name that carryed him that dangerous voyage, then to have uſed this new found ſinful expreſſion, whoſe ſign was Caſtor and Pollux, but to omit this, I ſay, if you take notice, this ſaid Apo­ſtle in all his Epiſtles, does never conceale his former arrogancy, his maſſa­cring4 the Saints and ſervants of the moſt high, but where ever he did come he was very apt to ſay, I am that Saul the perſecutor, and did once ſtudy earneſtly to commit this kind of murder, and that with fervent zeal, which words were no otherwiſe ſpoken, but onely that he might adde more ſplen­dor to the exceeding love of God in Chriſt, which makes him to cry out with great admiration, that I Paul ſhould be received to Mercy; that ſhewed no Mercy; this did therefore cauſe him to give greater diligence, this makes him to be more zealous and fervent for Jeſus Chriſt his maſter and Lord, then ever any before him or after him; this makes Paul not onely love the brethren, but to luſt ſpeedily after the converſion of others wherever he ſojourned: but my friends that ſtile your ſelves mad men, onely in an up­braiding way; to you I ſay thus much, that you are ſo far from Pauls minde and do ſo much ſlight that Scripture in Jam. 5.16. as that you do act clean contrary, and ſpeak contrary, onely as you ſay in deſpight of the Papiſm, and that becauſe the Papiſts from that Scripture do uſe ſo much confeſſion before men, and one man to another, therefore you do uſe the leſs before God, and for the moſt part in your Prayers, you talk proudly with God, in a faſhion more mandatorilike then ſupplicatory, as if ſo be God was but your equal makes you in your Oriſons ſay, Lord thou muſt do this thing for us, and thou muſt make our State to cauſe their ſhips and men, and that very ſuddenly, to go and bring away home with them the new Roman King, and when that is done, they bid the Lord not to ſuffer the ſhips to lye by the wals, but in the next place to ſail up the Straits with the next wind, and ſo to Rome, which is myſtical Babylon, &c. Indeed the three things which do chiefly ſtick in theſe mens throats are theſe: Learned Miniſters, Infant-Bap­tiſm, and ſinging of Pſalms amongſt the mixt multitude; And firſt for our Miniſters, the mad knave calls them Baals Prieſts, idle ſhepherds, Dumb dogs, lazy Sir Johns, &c. all which Titles Mr. Feake that Arch Prophet of our times doth greatly affect and approve of, as I ſhall declare, as if ſo be, becauſe learned, they were not capable of the Spirit; now let me tell ſuch carping momuſſes, that Grace is adorned and beautifyed by Learning, and more then this, God doth uſually ſend that bleſſing of bleſſings, even the ſpirit of Prayer, and teaching, to accompany that ſincere and pious care which many Parents take in the vertuous education of their children, which becauſe many of you want, do therefore poſſeſs ſtrong deluſions; I ask any of you whether the Spirit of God did teach you to read Engliſh? I deny not but that ſome men may have much humane Learning, and yet want that Spirit that you ſo much boaſt of, and does it therefore follow that they are all ſo? 2ly, Remember your own congregational baſeneſs, and great relapſes of your own members, who when God hath brought ſome of them out of your extraordinary, and your ſupernatural liberty, it hath rejoyced me to hear them with ſuch vehement deteſtings of your prophaneneſs and inſtability, even in all your ways, neer upon reſting, and yet never at reſt in your bye judgements, I believe that there is a ſpirit of madneſs raigning in many men, you ſay you need no Prieſt, becauſe you are all taught of God, and you are above common Ordinances, as hearing publike Prayers, and publike Preaching, which laſt one of your Sect told me that they could all do as well as the Prieſts; nay better, for ſaith he, they are fain to ſtudy for5 it, and that was a ſign they knew not, neither were acquainted with the ſpirit of God, for we ſaith he, having God within us, are able to preach (or rather ſeduce) ex tempore at any time, though I fear that there is few of you that have true fellowſhip with the Father or his Son Jeſus Chriſt, this being another reaſon as I conceive, becauſe you are ſo ſeated in your moſt unholy and unſtable Faith, as that you will not be convinced by Argument, theſe are ill ſignes that you worſhip no God but your own fearleſs and hope­leſs Creed. Ah my friends, when any of us come to this paſs, to have a low eſteem of Miniſters and the ſtanding Ordinances of Jeſus Chriſt, and to make ſin of that which is no ſin, of this ſort is that of breaking bread amongſt the known and unknown people, when as none more vile in the ſight of a pure God then themſelves, theſe are your time-ſervers, Stand by (with the Phariſee) for I am holier then thou, but the Apoſtles never uſed any ſuch needleſs curiouſity; and for my part, if I may lay down mine opinion in this matter, it is thus: that when the devil that crafty obſerver of the overtures in States and Kingdoms, did finde that all his labour and pains were in vain, whereby he thought to have erected Popery here amongſt us in Eng­land, and ſeeing that all his Machiavel plots were diſcovered by ſome of thoſe that love the Truth and Peace, he then according to his ancient Fox-like policy cauſeth breaches and rents to be made in the Church, whereby ſome falſe brethren do impede as much as in them lies, the ſtanding and perma­nent Ordinances of our Lord, now remaining in all Proteſtant Churches, for if Athanaſius want a perſecuting Emperour, yet without doubt he ſhall not want a falſe brother, which Arrius by his external writings, and plauſible Arguments to the then preſent Government, did get into the great mens af­fections, even then when true and faithful Athanaſius together with his Ni­cene Creed, were baniſhed exiles into a remote Countrey, now I ſay, when the heat of the Tyrants cruelty was in ſome kinde abated, yet the devil was not idle nor weary of his torturing the chriſtians, but did work ſo craftily by that Arrian hereſie, that Athanaſius and the reſt of the ſincere Chriſtians were never ſo moleſted and toſſed by the Tyrants, then they were by ſuch kinde of ſchiſmaticks, yet this is the aſſociate of a true chriſtian, that for all this he was that perſevering Athanaſius, when his enemies were aſhamed at the ignominious downfal of their chieftain Arrius: like unto Daniel without worldly comfort, and yet Daniel ſtill; ſo I am confident the faithful Miniſters of this Land although reproached, and emulated, and perſecuted yet they will be Miniſters ſtill, in deſpight of all opponents.

But the ſecond thing they carp at is Infant-Baptiſm, which an Anabaptiſt as he calls himſelf, or as I call him an Antibaptiſt, being more proper to their profeſſion, did ſuppoſe at a meeting in Warwick ſhire to have quite over­thrown that Ordinance, and thereupon ſome of their Synagogue did pre­ſently ſet forth a book called Baby-Baptiſm routed, let any one judge of the rout, being not half ſo big as that rout which the Miller of Bynley made a­mongſt ſome of their fellow creatures when he found them Denudated, la­ving and defiling his chriſtalline torrent with an unheard of cuſtom, and let me tell you, this does add to your Religion more contempt, becauſe that al­though you have gotten head amongſt us in England, and a meeting place allowed you to exerciſe your ſelves in, yet you are not herewith content,6 but do deviſe to through down al Religion, ſave that which bears your mark in the front of it, and to bring all Learning in ſubjection to your proud and ſcof­fing Wills, chiefly inveighing againſt the Blackcoats; in my weak opinion a veſture more beſeeming the Leaders of people, then a cloak trimmed with Gold Buttons, but I do with confidence aver, that although theſe people have as much power and prevalency in England, as Arrius had in the Eaſt; you will fall with the ſelf ſame deſcent as your predeceſſors have done before you, and if you do intend ſeeing you cannot diſſolve the ordinances which we muſt retaine. I will onely write this ſentence concerning this matter, for your own proper admonition, that except you do deviſe ſome ſafer and more facetious ſtratagem in that external ordinance of wading, then was uſed to an old Marron in Warwick ſhire ſome yeers ſince (as I ſuppoſe not unknow to prophet Erbery) being to the utter loſs of that daily uſe that before ſhe had with her limbs (the waters ſo benumbing her) I ſay if this be not altered, you will have but few Diſciples, and did I grant to you that our manner of Baptiſme was onely an Ordinance inſtituted by men (believing with the Apoſtle, that neither circum­ſion nor uncircumciſion avail any thing, except a new creature) I conceive you ought to ſubmit to it for conſcience ſake.

Now for ſinging of Pſalms, I mean that which Mr. Feake derides; I am confident, that for all their ſcoffes; as when I have come to Chriſt Church, onely in contempt of the Ordinance. I have beheld a great part of the people to ſit with their hats on in a deriding poſture: This it ſeems is one of Mr. Chriſtopher Feake's Exhortations, and indeed is it not a comly one, when I compare it with that of the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 8.24. Paul was of that heavenly con­diſcending temper, that if by eating meat his brother was offended, he would never eat meat more. And does Mr. Feake think that this hat-waring and laughing (at our howling as they call it) doth not offend us that ſing. Let them look to it, for the words are plain, Yea in ſo doing ſin againſt Chriſt.

But, 2. Mr. Feake doth exhort them, and ſtir them up to ſing that new ſong of the Lambe, they now being upon mount Zion; and to that intent the Spirit of God having taught it him, he ſong it, together with the Congre­gation; but ſuch was his Semi-Reformation, or deformation, that when he had compiled his Hymne of praiſe, He was fain to make uſe of one of our Prelatical Tunes (as they call them) a thing that as I thought did much dero­gate from that ſpirit which was preſent with him at the peaning of them. You ſay old things and reliques are paſt and out of date, and you will make all things new if you can; you will reform and you will not, you cannot tell what you would have your ſelves, onely Mahomet-like, who though he hate Judaiſme, yet commands that all Muſſelmen be circumciſed, being no other then a crafty wile that the devil did infuſe into the mind of Sergius that wicked Alcoran-founder, knowing that it would make their Faith and their Religion more accepted amongſt men. So though our leaders make new ſongs, they either will not or cannot make new tunes, but will have our Quireſters tune, though they ſay it doth relliſh of the beaſt, being onely for this cauſe, that the people may reliſh their novelties with the greater affectation. Auguſtine ſayes, Quomodò debitè poteſt Deo pſallere, qui ignarat quid pſallat? So how can we praiſe God as we ought to do, when we cannot underſtand your ſtrange no­tions, but our old w•y of ſinging the Pſalmes of David are not ſtrange nor irkſome to us; and therefore we are able to bleſs and praiſe God, and that7 knowingly and ſencibly of his great mercies toward us; but if I remember my own former reproof to you, it may be a matter of offence in the eyes of Mr. Feake, who accounts of the Fathers and their knowledge, as to baſe and ſordid an element, for to be the ſubject of his Metaphyſical and moſt capacious fan­cy. He ſaith indeed when he was a child he minded ſuch childiſh things as the peruſing of Antiquaries, but now he ſaith, Ego non ſum ege, or elſe he is tranſ­planted ſure into another Region: he ſaith nought ſave the Bible. I fear he did forget the Kentiſh Prophets book of Navigation, which the laid Prophet affirmeth will be of like duration. But indeed if Mr. Feake do remember that when he went to School, they had an expreſſion which remaines firme and inviolable even to this day, amongſt thoſe that he calls Sir Jehus, and that is this, Satis eſt quod ſuffocat: and truely I do believe, that in that eternal and di­vine Scripture, He with the reſt of his followers which are ſo reſolutely bent to trample down humane Learning, may meet with matter enough, not onely to ſatisfie and ſilence all ſuch curious novations as thoſe, which caſt a ſcandal upon all ſuch Miniſters as will prefer Learning before unſtable Doctrines, but alſo to choak and mortifie all confident, and overwiſe turn-coats. Such is the ſtupidity of this deplorable age, that if people were not blind, they might ſee Antichriſt in colours, even in our own country; for do not we ſee theſe men that do pretend great and ſupernatural gifts, to preach nothing more then that which may ſet us all together by the ears: is any thing more rife in their expreſſions then the convenience of our diſſentions, and upon this account they do much wrong that Scripture where it is ſaid, That offences ſhall come. Is not their vain glory ſeen in this which they onely adhibite to themſelves, as a token of their ſpecialty, and ſingularity from the mixt multi­tude in their private conventicles? Is not the major part of Mr. Feakes pray­ing and preaching taken up in the encouragement of the hearers, to go firſt to the skirts and borders of Italy, which they ſay are the friends of the great whore; ſo that there may be none left to way-lay; or like the Banditi, to re­ſiſt Mr. Feake in his way to Rome; and above all this, is not this admirable and terrifying their Job-like patience, that men do not Apoſtles-like, leave all and do what they bid them do; But ſhall I tell my brethren according to the fleſh, that as our proverbe is, Rome was not built in one day; ſo to this day amongſt thoſe forlorn Greeks that yet remaine, they have a Proverb, that Greece loſt but one eye in one day; fair and ſoftly is the wiſemans ſteps. For my part let theſe men be ſo quick as they will or can, I do ſeriouſly believe that this preſent Pope Innocent the tenth, being a man of very old age, will be gathered to his Fathers, before Mr. Feake or any of his ſtout intenders ſhall arive at the ſweet river Po; and therefore I do conceive that his rigid expreſſions are nothing, except unſound reſolutions without Chriſtian deliberation, Saint Paul ſayes, Covet to propheſie, but forbid not to ſpeak with tongues; it is thus in the Greek〈…〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; and this hold forth by it conjunction copulative, that the tongues are a great help unto propheſie, much leſs a diſgrace, as they ſay, and do moſt commonly accompany each other, then the word Forbid I finde to ſignifie, not to impede, nor to caſt durt in the faces of a Miniſter, becauſe he is a good Scholar, ſo that he which is paſt or a­bove our ancient writers, I fear he is paſt grace. I may truly think this, for when I ſee men ſtrive to rent us in pieces by upbraiding our teachers, and8 caſting vile aſperſions upon them, it is an ill ſigne of true brethren, elſe why can they not like the Apoſtles become all unto all men, that they might gaine the more; it makes me to cry with the Father, of an accurſed toleration, but I hope that God will ſhew theſe men their folly, and what heavy judgements this their ſeparation may produce. Oh, when ſhall we be one ſheepfold, un­der that onely great Shepherd Jeſus Chriſt, even before the Lords bow is bent againſt us; and in my weak judgement, I do rather fear the Atheiſm of the heathens, then the Papiſm of Rome to overwhelm us, leaſt God remove our Candleſtick, becauſe of our ingratitude, that although we poſſeſs the great means of ſalvation, yet we are murmurers, deceivers, & yet being deceived. And I will ſay thus much to thoſe that are zealous in a good cauſe and in a ſound Religion, I ſay let this keep up your ſpirits, and make you ſtick cloſe unto the publike Ordinances; Becauſe, firſt, This is no new thing to meet with falſe brethren. And ſecondly, becauſe it is but for a moment that your tryal ſhall laſt: now although the primitive Chriſtians endured above ten yeers perſecution under the Emperors, yet it was but a little while in their eſteem, which made the Father to cry out, Iſthoc nobile vincendi genus patientia eſt; it muſt be with much patience that you ſhall poſſeſs your ſouls; and therefore have a care to your ſteps, alwayes bearing in your minds this remembrance of Aſias former glory, and her preſent doleful eſtate, wherein ſhe now remaines, as alſo what dreadful wars and famine were effected in the Low-countrys, only by the ſedition of ſuch like men as now rail againſt all Religion ſave thein own, which I am ſure is much defiled.