TO THE HONOURABLE

COLONEL JAMES BERRY,

ONE OF THE COUNCIL OF STATE, &c.

SIR,

PROVIDENCE having deprived me of the opportunity of nearer converse with you, which heretofore I have enjoyed, yet leaving me the same affections, they work towards you as they can; and have chosen here to speak to you in the hearing of the world, that my words may remain to the ends intended, when a private letter may be burnt or laid aside. Flattery, I am confident, you expect not from me, because you know me, and know me to be your friend. (And yet my late monitor hath made many smile, by accusing me of that fawning crime.) I am told what it is to bless my friend with a loud voice, Prov. xxvii. 14. I have learned myself, that, "open rebuke is better than secret love;" and that, "faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful;" Prov. xxvii. 5, 6. And therefore 1 shall do as I would be done by. Faithfulness and usefulness shall be the measure of my message to you; and they have commanded me to set before you this lesson of selfdenial, and earnestly entreat you, that you will faithfully read, and learn, and practise it. Though I judged you have learned it long ago, I think it not needless to mind you of it again; my soul being astonished to see the power of selfishness in the world, even in those that by confessions and prayer, and high professions, have frequently condemned it. Yet this is the radical, mortal sin. Where this lives, all sins virtually live. Say that a man is selfish, and (in that measure) you say all that is naught of him, as to his inclination. That selfishness is the sum of vice, and the capital enemy of God, of commonwealths, of order and government

of all grace and virtue, of every holy ordinance and duty, especially of unity and brotherly love, and of the welfare of our neighbours, and of our own salvation, I have manifested to you in the following discourse. But alas, what need we words to manifest it, when the flames of discord, and long continued divisions among brethren, do manifest it! When hatred, strife, variance, emulation, backbiting, violence, rebellions, bloodshed, resisting and pulling down of governments, have so long lamentably declared it! When such havoc is made by it before our eyes, and the evil spirit goes on and prospereth, and desolation is zealously and studiously carried on, and the voice of peace-makers is despised, or drowned in the confused noise! "Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they have not been afraid to speak evil of dignities;" 2 Pet. ii. 10. To speak evil? Was that the height of presumption and self-willedness then? Alas, how much further hath it proceeded now! Even under the cloak of liberty and religion! How many conquerors that have often triumphed over their enemies, are conquered by themselves, and live in continual captivity under this homebred, most imperious tyrant !

Whence is it but for want of self-denial, that there is such scrambling for rule and greatness, for riches and honours, among all, as if they thought it more desirable to fall from a high place than a low! And at death, to part with riches than with poverty! And at judgment, to have much to answer for, than little! And to go to heaven as a camel through a needle's eye, than by the more plain and easy way! Whence is it but for want of self-denial, that men are so hardly convinced of their sins, be they never so open, and odious, and scandalous, if they be but such as will admit of an excuse before the world? Most sins that are confessed, are such as seem not to be disgraceful, or such whose justification would double the disgrace, or such as are confessed in pride, that the confessor may gain the reputation of humility.

Whence is it but for want of self-denial, that Christian love is grown so cold, while all profess it to be the badge of Christ's disciples? And that so many professors have so little charity for any but those of their own opinions; unless it be a slandering charity, or a persecuting, or murdering charity? That all is commendable, or excusable, that is

done by men of their own conceits; and all condemnable, or a diminutive good, that is found in those that differ from them; especially if they dispute, or write against them.

Whence is it but for want of self-denial, that men who know that whoredom, and drunkenness, and theft, are sins, can yet be ignorant (in the midst of light) that discord and church-divisions are sins? And that they hear him with heart-rising, enmity or suspicion, that doth declaim against them? As if uniting were the work of satan, and dividing were become the work of Christ. I mean not dividing from those without, but dividing in his church, and among his members; who are all baptized with one Spirit, into one body (1 Cor. xii. 13.), even the body of Christ, (not of the pope,) of which even apostles are but members, (and therefore Peter was not the head) (1 Cor. xii. 27, 28.); which is so tempered together by God, that there should be no schism in it, but that the members should have the same care one of another (1 Cor. xii. 24, 25.); and that for all the plain and terrible passages against divisions, that are found in the word of God, it seems to some a venial sin, and to others a commendable virtue, if not a mark of Christian piety. I may seem to speak incredible things of the delusions of selfish professors of religion, if they were not attested by the common and lamentable experience of the times.

And whence is it but for want of self-denial, that peacemakers succeed no better in their attempts? That while all men cry up peace and unity, most men are destroying them, and few are furthering them, and fewer do it with zeal and diligence; so few, that they are borne down in the crowd, and speed no better than Lot among the rabble of the Sodomites, that cried out against him, "This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee than with them;" Gen. xix. 9. How long have some been longing, and praying, and moving, and labouring for peace among the professed sons of piety and peace in England; and all (for ought I see) almost in vain ; unless to the condemnation of a selfish, unpeaceable generation! (But yet let the sons of peace plead for it, as long as they have a tongue and breath to speak).

Whence can it be but for want of self-denial, that magistrates professing a zeal for holiness, regard no more the interest of Christ; but that the name (and but the name) of

liberty (a liberty that hath neither moral good or evil in it), is set in the balance against the things of everlasting consequence, and thought sufficient to overweigh them? And that the mere pretence of this indifferent carnal liberty, is thought an argument of sufficient weight, for the introduction of a wicked damning liberty, even a liberty to deceive and destroy as many as they can, and to hinder those that endeavour men's salvation? And what is the argument pleaded for all this? It is partly a pretence of tenderness and mercy; and partly because men cannot be made religious by force. And must such ignorant and juggling confusions serve turn, to cheat a nation of their religion and liberties, and many thousands of their salvation? As if all the controversy were, whether we should force others to be of our religion? When it is only or principally, whether we may hinder them from robbing us of our own; and from tempting unstable souls to sin and to damnation; and from hindering the means of men's salvation; and from the open practice of idolatry, or ungodliness: and if we cannot force them to the Christian faith, cannot we hinder them from drawing others from it? And are we unmerciful to them, if we give them leave to damn themselves (for that is the mercy that is pleaded for), and only hinder them from damning others? Is it cruelty, or persecution, to hinder them from enticing souls to hell, as long as they may freely go thither themselves? I should rather think that if we did our best to save themselves, it were far from cruelty: for example; if infidel or Papists' books be prohibited, what cruelty or persecution is this? If Quakers be hindered from railing at God's ordinances in the open streets and assemblies, what cruelty or persecution is this? But some think it enough for this toleration, that they think as confidently they are in the right, as we do that they err! And so do heathens, Mahometans, and infidels. And what! shall every man have leave to do evil, that can but be ignorant enough to think (or say he thinks) that he doth well? And must magistrates rule as men that are uncertain whether there be a Christ, or a church, or a heaven, or hell, because some are found in their dominions so foolish or impious as to be uncertain of it? In plain English, is it any hindrance to men's salvation, and furtherance of their damnation, to be made infidels, Papists, and such as deny the

essentials of Christianity, or not? If not, then away with Christianity and reformation; why do we pretend to it ourselves? But if it be, will merciful rulers set up a trade for butchering of souls; and allow men to set up a shop of poison, for all to buy and take that will? Yea, to proclaim this poison for souls, in streets and church-assemblies, as if men's souls were no more worth than rats, or mice, or hurtful vermin, or it were some noble achievement to send as many as may be to the devil? Judge impartially, whether all this be not for want of self-denial. If selfish interest led them not to this, and if they were more tender of the interest of Christ than of their own, than of men's souls than of their flesh, it would not be thus. But the same argument that tempts the sensual to hell, doth tempt such magistrates to set up liberty for drawing men to hell. The wicked sell their souls to spare the flesh, and let go heaven to enjoy the liberty of sinning; and run into hell to escape the trouble of a holy life and such magistrates sell the people's souls to spare the flesh of the deceivers; and in tenderness and mercy to their bodies, they dare not restrain men from seeking their damnation. Is faith and holiness propagated by persuasion, and not by force? Surely then infidelity, popery and ungodliness, are propagated by persuasion too? Again I tell you, self-love doth make such rulers wiser than to grant commission or liberty to all that will, to entice their soldiers to mutinies or rebellion, their wives to adultery, their children to prodigality, or their servants to thievery : but their love of Christ and men's salvation is not so strong as to satisfy them whether men should be hindered from raising mutinies in his church, and from destroying souls! Forsooth they tell us that Christ is sufficient to look to his own cause. Very true, (and they shall one day know it). But must he not therefore teach or rule by men? Is not adultery, murder, theft, rebellion, against the cause of Christ, and his laws, as well as popery and infidelity? And must they therefore be let alone by man? Christ is sufficient to teach the world, as well as to govern. But doth it follow that men must be no teachers, under him? Nothing but selfishness could cause this blindness.

And because I know that this stream proceeds from the Roman spring, and it is their great design to persuade the world, that it belongs not to magistrates to meddle with re