&c.

More modern writers; Damafcen, Rabanus, Pafchafius, Theophylact, Bernard, &c. And of the laft age; Luther, Melan&thon, Calvin, Beza, Zuinglius, Marlorat, Voffius, Grotius, Dalleus, Amaraldus, &c. And of our own country; Gildas, Beda, Alcuinus, Horn, Bracton, Grofteed, Littleton, Cranmer, Ridley, Jewel, Whitaker, Selden, &c. And, yet, I prefume, this will not be thought uncivil or rude. Why then is our fimplicity (and fo honestly grounded too, as confcience against pride in man, that fo eagerly and perniciously loves and feeks worship and greatnefs) fo much despised and abused, and that by profeffed Chriftians too, who take themselves to be the followers of him, that has forbid these foolish cuftoms, as plainly as any other impiety condemned in his doctrine? I earnestly beg the lovers, ufers, and expecters of thefe ceremonies, to let this I have writ have fome confideration and weight with them.

The

§. XXXVI. However, Chriftians are not fo ill-bred as the world thinks: for they fhew refpect too: But the difference between them lies in the nature of the respect they perform, and the reasons of it. world's refpect is an empty ceremony, no foul or fubftance in it: the Chriftian's is a folid thing, whether by obedience to fuperiors, love to equals, or help and countenance to inferiors. Next, their reasons and motives to honour and refpect, are as wide one from the other for fine apparel, empty titles, or large revenues, are the world's motives, being things her children worship: but the Chriftian's motive is, the fense of his duty in God's fight; first, to parents and magistrates; and then to inferior relations; and laftly, to all people, according to their virtue, wisdom, and piety which is far from refpect to the meer perfons of men, or having their perfons in admiration for reward; much lefs on fuch mean and base motives as wealth and fumptuous raiment.

§. XXXVII. We shall eafily grant, our honour, as our religion, is more hidden; and that neither is fo difcernible by worldly men, nor grateful to them. H 2

Our

Our plainness is odd, uncouth, and goes mightily against the grain; but fo does Chriftianity too, and that for the fame reasons. But had not the heathen spirit prevailed too long under a Chriftian profeffion, it would not be fo hard to difcern the right from the wrong. O that Chriftians would look upon themselves, with the glass of righteoufnefs, that which tells true, and gives them an exact knowledge of themselves! and then let them examine, what in them, and about them, agrees with Chrift's doctrine and life; and they may foon refolve, whether they are real Chriftians, or but Heathens chriftened with the name of Chriftians.

Some teftimonies from ancient and modern writers, in favour of our behaviour.

§. XXXVIII. Marlorat out of Luther, and Calvin, upon that remarkable paffage, I just now urged from the apostle James, gives us the fenfe thofe primitive reformers had of refpect to perfons, in these words, viz. "To refpect perfons (here) is to have regard to the habit and garb: the apoftle fignifies, that fuch respecting perfons are fo contrary to true faith, that they are altogether inconfiftent: but if the pomp, and other worldly regards, prevail, and weaken what is of Chrift, it is a fign of a decaying faith; yea, fo great is the glory and fplendor of Chrift, in a pious foul, that all the glories of the world have no charms, no beauty, in comparison of that, unto one fo righteously inclined the apoftle maketh fuch refpecting of perfons, to be repugnant to the light (within them) infomuch, as they, who follow thofe practices, are condemned from within themselves. So that fanctity ought to be the reason, or motive, of all outward respects; and that none is to be honoured, upon any account, but holinefs:" thus much Marlorat. But if this be true doctrine, we are much in the right in refusing conformity to the vain refpects of worldly men.

§. XXXIX. But I fhall add to these the admonition of a learned ancient writer, who lived about 1200 years

fince, of great esteem, namely, Jerom, who, writing to a noble matron, Celantia, directing her how to live in the midst of her profperity and honours, amongst many other religious inftructions, fpeaks thus: "Heed not thy nobility, nor let that be à reafon for thee to take. place of any; efteem not thofe of a meaner extraction to be thy inferiors; for our religion admits of no refpect of perfons, nor doth it induce us to repute men from any external condition, but from their inward frame and difpofition of mind: it is hereby that we pronounce men noble or base. With God, not to ferve fin, is to be free; and to excel in virtue, is to be noble : God has chofen the mean and contemptible of this world, whereby to humble the great ones. Befides, it is a folly for any to boaft his gentility, fince all are equally esteemed by God. The ranfom of the poor and rich coft Chrift an equal expence of blood. Nor is it material in what ftate a man is born; the new creature hath no diftinction. But if we will forget, how we all defcended from one Father, we ought at least perpetually to remember, that we have but one Saviour."

§. XL. But fince I am engaged against these fond and fruitless customs, (the proper effects and delights of vain and proud minds) let me yet add one memorable paffage more, as it is related by the famous Caufabon, in his Discourse of Use and Custom; where he briefly reports what paffed between Sulpitius Severus, and Paulinus, bishop of Nola, (but fuch an one as gave all to redeem captives, whilft others of that function, that they may fhow who is their mafter, are making many both beggars and captives, by countenancing the plunder and imprisonment of Chriftians, for pure confcience to God) he brings it in thus: "He is not counted a civil man now, of late years amongst us, who thinks it much, or refuseth, to subscribe himself servant, though it be to his equal or inferior. Yet Sulpitius Severus was once fharply chid by Paulinus, for fubfcribing himself his fervant, in a letter of his; faying, Take heed hereafter, how Thou, being from a fervant called

H 3

called into liberty, doft subscribe thyfelf fervant unto one who is thy brother and fellow-fervant; for it is a finful flattery, not a teftimony of humility, to pay thofe honours to a man, and a finner, which are due to the one Lord, and one mafter, and one God." This bishop was (as it feems) of Chrift's mind, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one.' By this we may see the sense of some of the more apoftolical bishops about the civilities and fashions, fo much reputed with people that call themselves Christians and Bishops, and who would be thought their fucceffors. It was then a fin, it is now an accomplishment; it was then a flattery, it is now respect; it was then fit to be feverely reproved; and now, alas! it is to deserve severe reproof not to use it. O monftrous vanity! how much, how deeply, have those who are called Chriftians revolted from the plainnefs of the primitive days, and practice of holy men and women in former ages! How are they become degenerated into the loose, proud, and wanton customs of the world, which knows not God; to whom ufe hath made these things, condemned by fcripture, reafon and example, almost natural! And fo infenfible are they of both their cause and bad effects, that they not only continue to practise them, but plead for them, and unchriftianly make a very mock of those who cannot imitate them. But I fhall proceed to what remains yet farther to be faid in our defence for declining another cuftom, which helps to make us fo much the ftumbling-block of this light, vain, and inconfiderate

age.

CHAP. X.

§. 1. Another piece of non-conformity to the world, which is our fimple and plain fpeech, Thou for You. §. Juftified from the ufe of words and numbers, fingular and plural. §. 3. It was, and is, the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin fpeech, in fchools and universities. §. 4. It is the language of all nations, §. 5. The original

original of the prefent cuftom defends our difufe of it. §. 6. If custom should prevail, in a sense it would be on our fide. §. 7. It cannot be uncivil, or improper; for God himself, the fathers, prophets, Christ and his apoftles ufed it. §. 8. An instance given in the cafe of Peter, in the palace of the high prieft. §. 9. It is the practice of men to God in their prayers: the pride of man to expect better to himself. §. 10. Teftimonies of feveral writers in vindication of us. §. 11. The author's convictions; and his exhortation to his reader.

§. I. T

§. I.HERE is another piece of our non-conformity to the world, that renders us very clownish to the breeding of it, and that is, Thou for You, and that without difference or respect to perfons: a thing that to fome looks fo rude, it cannot well go down without derifion or wrath. But as we have the fame original reafon for declining this, as the foregoing customs, so I shall add what to me looks reasonable in our defence; though, it is very probable, height of mind, in some of those that blame us, will very hardly allow them to believe that the word reasonable is reconcileable with fo filly a practice as this is esteemed.

§. II. Words, of themselves, are but as fo many marks fet and employed for neceffary and intelligible mediums, or means, whereby men may understandingly express their minds and conceptions to each other; from whence comes converfation. Now, though the world be divided into many nations, each of which, for the most part, has a peculiar language, fpeech, or dialect, yet have they ever concurred in the fame numbers and perfons, as much of the ground of right fpeech. For inftance, I love, Thou loveft, He loveth, are of the fingular number, importing but One, whether in the first, second, or third person: alfo We love, Ye love, They love, are of the plural number, because in each is implied More than One. Which undeniable grammatical rule might be enough to fatisfy any, that have not forgot their Accidence, that we are not befide