Gildas Salvianus: The Reformed Pastor

But thus it came to pass that the enemy of the Church did too much attain his ends: such excellent men as Hildersham, Brightman, P. Bayn, Parker, Ames, Bradshaw, Dod, Nicolls, with multitudes more were laid aside and silenced; and multitudes of them that petitioned for liberty in Lincolnshire, Devonshire, and other parts, suppressed; and the Nation in the mean time abounding with gross ⟨p. 154⟩ignorance, was brought by observing the countenance of the times, to like their own Readers better then painful Preachers, and to hate and scorn the zealous obedience to the Laws of Christ, and all diligence for salvation, because they observed, that those men that were such, were so many of them hated and persecuted by the Rulers, though on the occasions before mentioned. And here was the foundation of our greatest misery laid: While some of the Rulers themselves began to turn their hatred against practical godliness (which corrupted nature hates in all) and the common people took the hint, and no longer confined the word Puritan to the Non-conformists, but applied it commonly through all parts of the Land, to those that would but speak seriously of heaven, and tell men of Death and Judgement, and spend the Lords day in preparation thereto, and desire others to do the like; that did but pray in their families, and keep their children and servants on the Lords day to learn the way to salvation, in stead of letting them spend it in gaming or revelling; they that did but reprove a swearer or a drunkard; these were become the Puritans and the Precisians, and the hated ones of the time; so that they became a by-word in all the Towns and Villages in England that ever I knew, or heard of (as to these things.)

But thus it came to pass that the enemy of the Church did too much attain his ends: such excellent men as Hildersham, Brightman, P. Bayn, Parker, Ames, Bradshaw, Dod, Nicolls, with multitudes more were laid aside and silenced; and multitudes of them that petitioned for liberty in Lincolnshire, Devonshire, and other parts, suppressed; and the Nation in the mean time abounding with gross ⟨p. 154⟩ignorance, was brought by observing the countenance of the times, to like their own Readers better then painful Preachers, and to hate and scorn the zealous obedience to the Laws of Christ, and all diligence for salvation, because they observed, that those men that were such, were so many of them hated and persecuted by the Rulers, though on the occasions before mentioned. And here was the foundation of our greatest misery laid: While some of the Rulers themselves began to turn their hatred against practical godliness (which corrupted nature hates in all) and the common people took the hint, and no longer confined the word Puritan to the Non-conformists, but applyed it commonly through all parts of the Land, to those that would but speak seriously of heaven, and tell men of Death and Judgement, and spend the Lords day in preparation thereto, and desire others to do the like; that did but pray in their families, and keep their children and servants on the Lords day to learn the way to salvation, in stead of letting them spend it in gaming or revelling; they that did but reprove a swearer or a drunkard; these were become the Puritans and the Precisians, and the hated ones of the time; so that they became a by-word in all the Towns and Villages in England that ever I knew, or heard of (as to these things.)