The right method for a settled peace of conscience, and spiritual comfort in 32…

And as this is true in Doctrines, so is it in Worship, and Discipline, and Pastoral Authority and Government. When the Serpent could not get the World to despise the poor Fishermen that published the Gospel, (the Devil being Judged, and the World Convinced by the Power of the Holy Ghost, the Agent, Advocate and Vicar of Christ on earth) he will then be the forwardest to honour and promote them: And if he cannot make Constantine a Persecutor of them, he will persuade him to raise them in worldly glory to the Stars, and make them Lords of Rome, and possess them with Princely Dignities and Revenues. And he hath got as much by over-honouring them, as ever he did by persecuting and despising them. And now in England, when this plot is descried, and we had taken down that super••uous honour, as Antichristian, what doth the Devil but set in again on the other side? and none is so Zealous a Reformer as he. He cries down all as Antichristian, which he desireth ⟨p. 360⟩should fall: Their Tithes and Maintenance are Antichristian and oppressive (O Pious Merciful Devil) down with them! These Church-lands were given by Papists to Popish uses, to maintain Bishops, and Deans, and Chapters: down with them. These College-lands, these Cathedrals, nay these Church-houses, or Temples (for so Isle call them, whether the Devil will or no) all come from Idolaters, and are abused to Idolatry: down with them. Nay think you but he hath taken the boldness to cry out, These Priests, these Ministers, are all Antichristian, Seducers, Needless, Enviers of the spirit of Prophesy, and of the Gifts of their Brethren, Monopolizers of Preaching: down with them too! So that though he yet have not what he would have, the old Serpent hath done more as a Reformer by over-doing, then he did in many a year as a Deformer or hinderer of Reformation: Yet if he do but see that there is a Sovereign Power that can do him a Mischief, he is ready to tell them. They must be Merciful, and not deal Cruelly with sinners! Nay it belongs not to them to reform, or to Judge who are Heretics and who not▪ or to restrain false doctrine, or Church-disturbers. Christ is sufficient for this himself.] How o•t hath the Devil preached thus, to tie the hands of those that might wound him?

And as this is true in Doctrines, so is it in Worship, and Discipline, and Pastoral Authority and Government. When the Serpent could not get the World to despise the poor Fishermen that published the Gospel, (the Devil being Judged, and the World Convinced by the Power of the Holy Ghost, the Agent, Advocate and Vicar of Christ on earth) he will then be the forwardest to honour and promote them: And if he cannot make Constantine a Persecutor of them, he will perswade him to raise them in worldly glory to the Stars, and make them Lords of Rome, and possess them with Princely Dignities and Revenues. And he hath got as much by over-honouring them, as ever he did by persecuting and despising them. And now in England, when this plot is descryed, and we had taken down that superuous honour, as Antichristian, what doth the Devil but set in again on the other side? and none is so Zealous a Reformer as he. He cryes down all as Antichristian, which he desireth