nibling at and 't is besides a pretty knack the Non-conformists have it not alone of frighting or discouraging sober people from reading those dangerous Treaâ—…ises which might contribute to their better iâ—…formation I cannot but observe Mr. Bayes this admirable way like fat Sir John Falstasse's singular dexterity in sinking that you have of answering whole Books or Discourses how â—…ithy and knotty soever in a line or two nay sometimes with a word So it fares with this Bâ—…ok of the Answerers So with a Book or Discourse of his I know not of the Morality of the Lords Day which is answered by a Septonary Portion in the Hebdomadal Revolution So whether Book or Discourse 〈◊〉 also know not of the Self-evidâ—…ncing light of the Scripture where Bayes â—…ffers and iâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strange to produce as good proofs for it out of 〈◊〉 Alcoran So I show'd you where he answers Deâ—… with 〈◊〉 And one thing more comes into myâ—…mind where after he has blunder'd a great while to bring himself off the Magistrates exercisâ—…ng the Pristhâ—…od in his â—…wn person he concludes wiâ—…h an irresistible defence against his Answerer This is suitable to the Genius of his iâ—…genuity and betraies him as â—…uch as the word INTANGLEMENT â—…hich it the Shiboleth of all his Writings So he defeats all the gross bodies of Orthodoxy with calling them Sysâ—…emes and Syntagmes So you know he answers all the Controversial Books of the Calvinists that ever have been written with the Tale of Robin Hood and the mighâ—…y Bramble on the South-side of the Lake Lâ—…man Mr. Bayâ—…s You cannot enough esteem and esteem this Faculty For next to your single beating whole Aâ—…mies I do â—…ot know any Virtue that you have need of so often or that will upon trial be found more useful And to this succeeds another Flower I am sure though I can scarce smell â—…ut the sense of it But it is Printed in a distinct Character and that is always a cerâ—…ain sign of a Flower For our Book-sellers have many Arts to make us yield to their importunity and among the rest they promise us 〈◊〉 at it sâ—…all be Printed in fine Paper aâ—…d in a very large and fair Letâ—…er that it shall be very well examined that there be no Errata that wheresoever there is a pretty Conceit it shall be marked out in another Character But my greatest care was that when I quoted aâ—…y Sertenâ—…e or word of our Author's it might be so discernable â—…lest I should go for a Plagiary And I am much offended to see that in several places he hath not kept â—…ouch with me The Word of Mr. Payes's that he has here made notorious is Categoricalness and I obsâ—…rve that wheresoever there comes a word of that termir 〈◊〉 shows it the â—…ame honour as if he had a mind to make Bayes a Collar of Nâ—…sses What the mystery is I cannot so easily imagine no more than of Shiboleth and Intanglâ—…ment But I doubt Mr. Bayes is sick of mary complicated Diseases or to keep to our â—…hime Sicknesses He is troubled â—…ot oâ—…ly with the Ismes but the Nesses He might if he had pleased here tâ—…o to have show'd his wit as he did in the others and have told us of Sheernâ—…ss Dorgioness Innerness aâ—…d Cathness But he might very well have â—…mitted it in this place knowing how well he had acquitteed himself in another and out of the Scripture too which gives his wit the highest relish 'T is p. 72. of his first Book where to prove that the fruitâ—… of the Spirit are â—…o more than Morality he quotes Saint Paul Gal. 5. â—…2 Where the Apostle enumerates them Love Joy Peace Patience Gentleness Goodness Faith Meâ—…kness and Tâ—…mperance but our Author traâ—…slates Joy to Chearfulness Peace to Peaceablenâ—…ss faith to faithfulness What Ignorance or ratâ—…er what Forgery is this of Scripture Religioâ—… Who is there of the Systematical German Geneva Orthodox Divines but could have taught him better who is there of the Sober Intelligent Episcepal Divines of the Church of England but would abâ—…or this Interpretation Yet when his Answerer I see â—…bjects this to him p. 200. Bayes like a dexterous Schâ—…lastical Disputant it being told him That Joy is not â—…ress but that Spiritual Joy which is unspeakable that Peace is not Peaceableâ—…ess in his Sense but that Peace of God which through Jesus Christ is wrought in the bearts of Believers by the Holy Ghost and that Fâ—…ith in God is there intended â—…ot faithfulness in our Duties Trusts or â—…ffices Wâ—…at does he doe p. 337. He very ingenuâ—…usly and wisely when he is to answer quite forgets that Faith was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and having supprest that as to the rest he wipes his Mâ—…uth and rubs his Forehead and saith the Cavil is but a little one and the Fortune of Caeâ—…ar and the Roman Empire depend â—…ot upon it and therâ—…fore be will not trouble the Reader with a Critical Account of the reason of his Translation No don't Mr. Bayes 'T is very weâ—…l let it alone But though not the Fortunes of Caesar and the Roman Empire I doubt there is something more depends upon it if it be matter of Salvation And I am afraid besides that there may a curse too belong to him who shall knowingly add or diminish in the Scripture Do you think Bâ—…shop Bramhall himself if he had seen this could have abstained p. 117. before quoted from telling our Author That the promisâ—…uous Licence given to people qualified or unqualifiâ—…d not only to read but to interpret the Scriptures according to their private spirits or â—…articular fancies without regard either to the Analâ—…gy of Faith which they understand not or to the Intâ—…rpretation of the Doctors of former Ages is more prejuâ—…icial I might bettâ—…r say pernicious both to whole Soâ—… than the over-rigorous restraint of the Romanists The next is a piece of Mirth on occasion of some discourse of the Anâ—…werers about the Morality of the the Lords-day Where it seems he useth some hard words which I am naturally an enemy to but might be done of purpose to keep the Coâ—…roversy from the white-Aproâ—…s within the white Surplices to be more learnedly debated But this fares no better than all the rest There is no kind of Morality I see but Rayâ—…s will try to debauch it Oh what â—…difying Doctrine saith be is this to the Whitâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aâ—…d doubtlâ—…ss thâ—…y would with the Jews soâ—…r roast themselves than a small joint of 〈◊〉 upon the Sacred Day of Rest. Now I do not neither I believe does Bayes himself know any of them that are thus superstitious So that Mr. Bayes might if he had pleased have spared his jibing â—…t that day which hath mâ—…re sacredness in it by far than many nay than any of those things he pleads for But when men are once Adepti and have attain'd Bayes his height and Divinity at least is rightly understood they have a Priviledge it seems not only to play and
of a closer importance But being more comfortable too I conclude it must be one of these three things either his Salvation or a Benefice or a Female Now as to Salvation he could not be so much concern'd for that care was over there hath been a course taken to insure all thar are on his bottom And he is yet surer of a Benefice or else his Patrons must be very ungrateful He cannot have deserved less than a Prebend for his first Book a Sine-cure for his second and for this third a Rectorship although it were that of Malmsbury Why thenof necessity it must be a Female For that I confess might have been a sufficient excuse from writing of Prefaces and against the importunity of the Book-seller 'T was fit that all business should have given place to the work of Propagation Nor was there any thing that could more closely import him than that the Race Family of the Railers should be perpetuared among Mankind Who could in Reason expect that a Man should in the same moments undertake the labour of an Author and a Father Nevertheless he saith he could not but yeild so far as to improve every fragment of time that he could get into his own disposal to gratifie the Importunity of the Bookseller Was ever Civility graduated up and inhanc'd to such a value His Mistris her self could not have endeared a Favour so nicely nor granted it with more sweetness Was the Bookseller more Impotunate or the Author more Courteous The Author was the Pink of Courtesie the Bookseller the Bur of Importunity And so not being able to shake him off this he saith hath brought forth this Preface such an one as it is for how it will prove he himself neither is nor till 't is too late ever shall be a competent Judge in that it must be ravish'd out of his hands before his thoughts can possibly be cool enough to revive or correct the Indecencies either of its stile or contrivance He is now growing a very Enthusiast himself No Nonconformist-Minister as it seems could have spoke more extempore I see he is not so civil to his Readers as he was to his Bookseller and so A. C. and James Collins be gratified he cares not how much the rest of the World be disobliged Some Man that had Iess right to be fastidious and confident would before he exposed himself in publick both have cool'd his Thoughts and corrected his Indecencies or should have considered whether it were necessary or wholsome that he should write at all Forasmuch as one of the Ancient Sophists they were a kind of Orators of his Form kill'd himself with declaiming while he had a Bone in his Throat and J. O. was still in being Put up your Trumpery good noble Marquess But there was no holding him Thus it must be and no better when a man's Fancy is up and his Breeches are down when the Mind and the Body make contrary Assignations and he hath both a Bookseller at once and a Mistriss to satisfie Like Archimedes into the Street he runs out naked with his Invention And truly if at any time we might now pardon this Extravagance and Rapture of our Author when he was pearch'd upon the highest Pinacle of Ecclesiastical Felicity being ready at once to asswage his Concupisence and wreek his Malice But yet he knows not which way his Mind will work it self and its thoughts This is Bayes the Second 'T is no matter for the Plot The Intrigo was out of his dead But you 'l apprehend it better when you see 't Or rather he is like Bayes his Actors that could not guess what humour they were to be in whether angry melancholly merry or in Love Nay insomuch that he saith he is neither Prophet nor Astrologer enough to for etel Never Man certainly was so unaquainted with himself And indeed 't is part of his discretion to avoid his acquaintance and tell him as little of his mind as may be for he is a dangerous felllow But I must ask his pardon if I treat him too homely It is his own fault that misled me at first by concealing his quality under such vulgarcomparisons as De-Wit and the Burgomasters I now see it all along This can be noless a man than Prince Volâ—…cicius himself in dispute betwixt his Boots which way his mind will work it self whether Love shall detain him with his closer Importance Parthenope whose Mother Sir sells Ale by the Town Wall or Honour shall carry him to head the Army that lies concealed for him at Knightsbridge and to incounter J. O. Go on cryes Honour tender Love saith Nay Honour aloud commands Pluck both Boots on But safer Love doth whisper put on none And so now when it comes that he is not Prophet nor Astrologer enough to foretel what he will do 't is just For as bright Day with black approach of Night Contending makes a doubtful puzzling Light So does my Honour and my Love together Puzzle me so I am resolv'd on neither Yet no Astrologer could possibly have more advantage and oportunity to make a Judgment For he knew the very minute of the Conception of his Preface which was immediately upon his Majesties issuing his Declaration of Indulgence to Tender Consciences Nor could he be ignorant of the moment when it was brought forth And I can so far refresh his memory that it came out in the Dog-dayes the Season hot and She too near 〈◊〉 mighty Love J. O. will be undone According to the Rule in Davenant's Ephemerides But the â—…eads which at this moment and under the present Schemes and Aspects of the Heavens he intends to treat of pure Sidropdel are these two First Something of the Treatise it self Secondly of the seasonableness of its publication and this unless his Humour jade him 't is come to a Dog-trot already will lead him further into the Argument as it relates to the present state of things and from thence 't is odds but he shall take occasion to bestow some Animadversions upon one J. O. There 's no trusting him He doubtless knew from the beginning what he intended And so too all his story of the Bookseller and all the Volo Nola's and shall-I shall-I's bebetwixt them was nothing but fooling And he now all along owns himself to be the Publisher and alledges the slighter and the main reasons that induced him Would he had told us so at first for then he had saved me thus much of my labour Though as it chances it lights not amiss on our Author whose delicate stomach could not brook that J. O. should say he had prevailed with himself much against his inclination to bestow a few and those idle hours upon examining his Book and yet he himself stumbles so notoriosly upon the very same Fault at his own threshold But now from this Preamble he falls into his Peface to Bishop Bramhal though indeed like Bays his Prologue that would have serv'd as well
but for all men at home of their perswasion if he meet them in the dark he runs them thorow He usurps to himself the Authority of the Church of England who is so well bred that if he would have allowed her to speak she would doubtless have treated more civilly those over whom she pretends no Jurisdiction and under the names of Germany and Geneva he rallies and rails at the whole Protestancy of Europe For you are mistaken in our Author but I have worn him thread-bare if you think he designs to enter the Lists where he hath but one man to combate Mr. Bayes ye know prefers that one quality of fighting single with whole Armies before all the moral Virtuesput together And yet I assure you he hath several times obliged moral Virtue so highly that she ows him a good turn whensoever she can meet him But it is a brave thing to be the Ecclesiastical Draw-Can-Sir He kills whole Nations he kills Friend and Foe Hungary Transvâ—…lvania Bohemia Poland Savoy France the Netherlands Denmark Sweden and a great part of the Church of England and all Scotland for these beside many more he mocks under the title of Germany and Geneva may perhaps rouse our Mastiff and make up a Danger worthy of his Courage A man would guess that this Gyant had promised hâ—…s Comfortable Importance a Simarre of the beards of all the Orthodox Theologues in Christendom But I wonder how he comes to be Prolocutor of the Church of England For he talks at that rate as if he were a Synodical Individuum Nay if he had a fifth Council in his belly he could not dictate more dogmatically There had been indeed as I have heard about the dayes of Bishoy 〈◊〉 a sort of Divines here of that Leaven who being dead I cover their names if not for healths sake yet for decedcy who never cou'd speak of the first Reformers with any patience who pruned themselves in the peculiar Virulency of their Pens and so they might say a tart thing concerning the Foreign Churches cared not what obloquy they cast upon the histo ry or the profession of Religion And those meâ—… undertook likewise to vent their Wit and 〈◊〉 Choler under the stile of the Church of England and were indeed so far owned by her that whaâ—… preferments were in her own disposal she raâ—… ther conferred upon them And now when theâ—… were gone off the Stage there is risen up 〈◊〉 Spiritual Mr. Bayes who having assumed to himâ—… self an incongruous Plurality of Ecclesiastical Ofâ—… fices one the most severe of Penitentiary Uâ—… niversal to the Reformed Churches the otheâ—… most ridiculous of Buffoon-General to the Churcâ—… of England may be henceforth capable of anâ—… other Promotion And not being content to enâ—… joy his own folly he has taken two others intâ—… Partnership as fit for his design as those twâ—… that clubb'd with Mahomet in making the 〈◊〉 an who by perverse Wit and Representatioâ—… might travesteere the Scripture and render 〈◊〉 the careful and serious part of Religion odioâ—… and contemptible But lest I might be mistake as to the Persons I mention I will assure thâ—… Reader that I intend not Huddibras For he is man of the other Robe and his excelleut thaâ—… hath taken a â—…ight far above these Whiflers thaâ—… whoever dislikes the choice of his Subject caâ—… not but commend his Performance and calculatâ—… if on so bâ—…rren a Theme he were so copious whaâ—… admirable sport he would have made with an Ecâ—… clesiastical Politician But for a Daw-Divine not onely to foul his own Nest in England buâ—… to pull in pieces the Nests of those beyond 〈◊〉 't is that which I think uncedent and of very ill exâ—… ample There is not indeed much danger 〈◊〉 Book his Letter and his Preface being writ in Enâ—… glish that they should pass abroad but if they 〈◊〉 printed upon incombustible Paper or by reason of the many Avocations of our Church they may escape a Censure yet 't is likely they may dye at home the common fate of such Treatises amongst the more judicious Oyl-men and Grocers Unless Mr. Bayes be so far in love with his own Whelp that as a Modern Lady he will be at the charge of translating his Works into Latin transmitting them to the Universities and dedicating them in the Vaticane But should they unhappily get vent abroad as I hear some are already sent over for curiosity what scandal what heart-burning and animosity must it raise against our Church unless they chance to take it right at first and limit the Provocation within the Author And then what can he expect in return of his Civility but that the Complement which passed betwixt Arminius and Baudius should concenter upon him that he is both Opprobrium Academiae and Pestis Ecclesiae For they will see at the first that his Books come not out under publick Authority or recommendation but only as things of Buffoonery do commonly they carry with them their own Imprimatur But I hope he hath considered Mr. L. in private and payed his Fees Neither will the Gravity therefore of their Judgements take the measures I hope either of the Education at our Universities or of the Spirit of our Divines or of the Prudence Piety and Doctrine of the Church of England from such an Interlooper Those Gardens of ours use to bear much better fruit There may happen sometimes an ill Year or there may be such a Crab-stock as cannot by all ingrafting be corrected But generally it proves otherwise Once perhaps in a hundred years there may arise such a Prodigy in the University where all Men else learn better Arts and better Manners and from thence may creep into the Church where the Teachers at least ought to 〈◊〉 well instructed in the knowledge and practice 〈◊〉 Christianity so prodigious a Person I say may 〈◊〉 there be hatch'd as snall neither know or 〈◊〉 how to behave himself to God or Man and 〈◊〉 having never seen the receptacle of Grace or 〈◊〉 science at an Anatomical Disfection may 〈◊〉 therefore that there is no such matter or no 〈◊〉 obligation among Christians who shall 〈◊〉 the Scripture it self unless it will conform to 〈◊〉 Interpretation who shall strive to put the 〈◊〉 into Blood and animate Princes to be the 〈◊〉 tioners of their own Subjects for well-doing Aâ—… this is possible but comes to pass as rarely and 〈◊〉 as long periods in our Climate as the birth of false Prophet But unluckily in this fatal Year Seventy two among all the Calamities that 〈◊〉 logers foretel this also hath befaln us I woulâ—… not hereby confirm his vanity as if I also belieâ—… ed that any Scheme of Heaven did influence 〈◊〉 actions or that he were so considerable as 〈◊〉 the Comet under which they say we yet labouâ—… had sore-boded the appearance of his Preface 〈◊〉 no though he be a creature most noxious 〈◊〉 he is more despicable A Comet is of far
Debates Now though this had very much of probability I had yet a further Conjecture that this J. O. was a Talisman signed under some peculiar influence of the Heavenly bodies and that the Fate of Mr. Bays was bound up within it Whether it be so or no I know not but this I am assured of without the help either of Syderal Magick or Judicial Astrologie that when J and O are in Conjunction they do more certainly than any of the Planets forbode that a great Ecclesiastical Politician shall that Year run mad I confess after all this when I was come to the dregs of my phansie for we all have our infirmities and Mr. Bayes his Defence was but the blewJohn of his Ecclesiastical Policy and this Preface the Tap-droppings of his Defence I reflected whether Mr. Bayes having no particular cause of indignation against the Letâ—…ers there might not have been a mistake of the Printer and that they were to be read in one word Io that use to go before Paean that is in English a Triumph before the Victory Or whether it alluded to 〈◊〉 that we read of at School the Daughter of Inachus and that as Juno pâ—…rsecuted the Heifer so this was an He-Cow that is to say a Bull to be baited by Mr. Bayes the Thunderer But these being Conceits too trivial though a Ragoust fit enough sor Mr. Bayes his palate I was sorced moreover to quit them remarking that it was an J Consonant And I plainly at last perceived that this J. O. was a very Man as any of us are and had a Head and a Mouth with Tongue and Teeth in it and Hands with singers and Nails upon theâ—… Nay that he could read and write and speak as well as I or Master Bayes either of us When I once found this the business appear'd more serious and I was willing to see what was the matter that so much exasperated Mr. Bayes who is a Person as he saith himself of such a tame and softly humour and so cold a complexion that be thinks himself scarce capable of hot and passionate impressiâ—…ns I concluded that necessarily there must be some extraordinary Accident and Occaon that could alter so good a Nature For I saw that he pursued J. O. if not from Post to Pillar yet from Pillar to Post and I diserned all along the Footsteps of a most inveterate and implacable Malice As oft as he does but name those two first Letters he is like the Island of Fayal on fire in threeâ—…ore and ten places You see Mr. Bayes that I too have improved my wit with reading the Gazettes Were you of that Fellows diet here abour Town that epicurizes upon burning Coals drinks healths in scalding Brimstone scraunches the Glasses for his Desert and draws his breath through glowing Tobacco-pipes Nay to say a thing yet greater had you never tasted other sustenance than the Focus of burning Glasses you could not shew more flame than you do alwayes upon that subject And yet one would think that even from the little sports with your comfortable importance after Supder you should have learnt when J. O. came into play to love your Love with an J. because he is Judicious though you hate your Love with an J because he is jealous and then to love your Love with an O. because he is Oraculous though you hate your Love with an O. because he is Obscure Is it not strange that in those most benign minutes of a Man's life when the Stars smile the Birds sing the Winds whisper the Fountains warble the Trees blossom and uuiversal Nature seems to invite it self to the Bridal when the Lion puls in his Claws the Aspick layes by its Poyson and all the most noxious Creatures grow amorusly innocent that even then Mr. Bayes alone should not be able to refrain his Malignity As you love your self Madam let him not come neer you He hath been fed all his life with Vipers insteed of Lampres and Scorpions for Crayfish and if at any time he eat Chickens they had been cramb'd with Spiders till he 〈◊〉 so invenomed his whole substance that t is much safer to bed with a Mountebank befoe he hath taken his Antidote But it cannot be any vulgar furnace that hath chafed so cool a Salamander 'T is not the strewing of Cowitch in his Genial-Bed that could thus disquiet him the first night And therefore let 's take the Candle and see whether there be not some body underneath that hath cut the Bed-Cords There was a worthy Divine not many years dead who in his younger time being of a facetious and unlucky humour was commonly known by the name of Tom Triplet He was brought up at Pauls-School under a 〈◊〉 Master Dr. Gill and from thence he went to the UuiversityThere he took liberty as 't is usual with those that are emancipated from School to tel Tales and make the Discipline ridiculous under which he was bred But not suspecting the Doctor 's intelligence comming once to Town he went in full School to give him a Visite and expected no Iess than to get a Play-day for his former acquaintance But instead of that he found himself hors'd up in a trice though he appeal'd in vain to the Priviledges of the 〈◊〉 pleaded Adultus and invoked the mercy of the Spectators Nor was he let down till the Master had planted a Grove of Birch in his back side fot the Terrour and puplick Example of all Wags that divulg the Secrets of Priscian and make merry with their Teachers This stuck so with Triplet that all his life-time he never forgave the Doctor but sent him every Newyears-tide an Anniversary Ballad to a new Tune and so in his turn avenged himself of his jerking Pedagogue Now when I observed that of late years Mr. Bays had regularly spawned his Books in 1670. the Ecclesiastical Policy in 1671. the Defence of the Ecclesiastical Policy and now in 1672 this Preface to Biwop Bramhal and that they were writ in a stile so vindictive and poynant that they wanted nothing but rime to be right Tom Triplet and that their edge bore always upon J. O. either in broad meanings or in plain terms I begun to suspect that where there was so great resemblance in the Effects there might be some parallel in Effects there might be some parallel in their Causes For though the Peeks of Players among themselves or of Poet against Poet or of a ConformistDivine against a Nonconformist are dangerous and of late times have caused great disturbance yet I never remarked so irreconcileable a spirit as that of Boyes against their Schoolmasters or Tutors The quarrels of their Education have an influence upon their Memories and Understandings for ever after They cannot speak of their Teachers with any patience or civility and their discourse is never so flippant nor their Wirs so fluent as when you put them upon that Theme Nay I have heard old Men otherwise sober peaceable and
bind on at first their Ecclesiastical Laws with the straightest knot and afterwards keep them in force by the soverity of their execution 223. speaking of honest and well meaning men So easy is it for men to deserve to be punishment for their Consciences that there is no Nation in the World in which were Government rightly understood and duly managed mistakes and abuses of Religion would not supply the Galles with vastly greater numbers than Villany P. 54. of the Preface to Ecclesiast Policy Of all Villains the well-meaning Zealot is the most dangerous p. 49. The Fanatick Party in Country Towns and Villages ariseth not to speak within compass above the proportion of one to twenty Whilst the Publick Peace and settlement is so unluckily defeâ—…ted by quarrels and mutinies of Religion to erect and create new Trading Combinations is only to build so many Nests of Faction and Seditâ—… c. For it is Notorious that there is not any sort of People so inclinable to Seditious practices as the Trading part of a Nation And now through many as material Passages might be heaped up out of his Book on all those and other as tender Subjects I shall conclude this imperfect enumeration with one Corallary more to which indeed his grand Thesis and all the superstructures are subordinate and accommodated P. 166. Princes cannot pluck a pin out of the Church but the State immediately shakes and totters This is the Syntagm of Mr. Bayes his Divinity and System of his Policy The Principles of which confine upon the Territories of Malmsbury and the stile as far as his Wit would give him leave imitates that Language But the Arrogance and Dictature with which he imposes it on the World surpasses by far the presumption either of Gondibert or Leviathan For he had indeed a very Politick fetch or two that might have made a much wiser man then he more confident For he imagined first of all that he had perfectly secured himself from any mans answering him not so much upon the true reason that is because indeed so paltry a Book did not deserve an Answer as because he had so confounded the Question with differing terms and contradictory expressions that he might upon occasion affirm whatsoever he denyed or deny whatsoever he affirmed And then besides because he had so intangled the matter of Conscience with the Magistrates Power that he supposed no man could handle it thorowly without bringing himself within the Statute of treasonable words and at least a Premunire But last of all because he thought that whosoever answered him must for certain be of a contrary Judgment and he that was of a contrary Judgment should be a Fanatick and if one of them presumed to be medling then Mr. Bayes as all Divines have a Non-â—…bstance to the 〈◊〉 Ceciltanum and â—…o the Act of Oblivion and Indempnity would either burn that or tear it in peices Being so well fortified on this side upon the other he took himself to be impregnable His Majesty must needs take it kindly that he gave him so great an accession of Territory and lest he should not be thought rightly to understand Government nay lest Mr. Bayes by virtue of p. 171. should not think him fit to govern he could not in prudence and safety but submit to his Admonition and instructions But if he would not Mr. Bayes knew ay that he did how to be even with him and would write another Book that should do his business For the same Power that had given the Prince that Authority could also revoke it But let us see theresore what success the whole Contrivance met with or what it deserved For after things have been aid with all the depth of humhne Policy there happens lightly some ugly little contrary accident from some quarter or other of Heaven that frustrates and renders all ridiculous And here for brevity and distinction sake I must make use of the same priviledge by which I call him Mr. Bayes to denominate also his several Aphorisms or Hypotheses and let him take carâ—… whether or no they be significant 1. The Unlimited Magistrate 2. The Publick Conscience 3. Moral Grace 4. Debauchery Tolerated 5. Persecution recommended And lastly Pushpin Divinity And now though I intend not to be longer than the nature of Avimadversions requires this also being but collateral to my work of exam ning the Preface and having been so abundantly performed already yet neither can I proceed well without some Preface For as I am oblged to ask pardon if I speak of serious things ridiculously so I must now heg excuse if I should hap to discourse of ridiculous things seriously But I shall so far as possible observe decorum and wâ—…atever I talk of not commit such an Absurdity as to be grave with a Busfoon But the principal cause of my Apology is because I see I am drawn in to mention Kings and Princes and even our own whom as I think with all duty and reverence so I avoid â—…peaking of either in jest or earnest lest by reason of my private condition and breeding I should though most unwillingly trip in a word or fail in the mannerliness os an expression But Mr. Bayes because Princes sometimes hear men of his quality play their part or preach a Sermon grows so insolent that he thinks himsels fit to be their Governour So dangerous it is to let such creatures be too familiar They know not their distance and like the Ass in the Fable because they see the Spaniel play with their Masters Leggs they think themselves priviledged to paw and ramp upon his Shoulders Yet though I must follow his track now I am in I hope I shall not write after his Copy As sor his first Hypothesis of the Unlimited Magistrate I must for this once do him right that after I had read in his 12th page that Princes have power to bind their Subjects to that Religion they apprehend most advantageous to publick Peace and Traâ—…quility a long time after not as I remember till pag. 82. when he bethought himself better he saith No Rites nor Ceremonies can be esteemed unlawful in the Worship of God unless they tend to debaâ—…ch men either in their practices or their conceptions of the Deity But no man is in Ingenuity obliged to do him that service for the suture neither yet doth that limitation bind up or interpret what he before so loosly affirmed However take all along the Power of the Magistrate as he hath stated it I am confident if Bishop Bramhall were alive who could no more forbear Grotius than Mr. Bayes could the Bishop notwithstanding their sriendship he would bestow the same Censure upon him that he doth upon 〈◊〉 p. 18. When I read his Book of the Right of thâ—… 〈◊〉 Maâ—…estrate in Sacred things he seem'd to me to come too near an Erastian and to lessen the power of the Keys too much which Christ left as a legacy to his Church It may
in his first and sâ—…cond Book that Princes should be more attentive and confident in exercising their Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction though I rather believe he never design'd to read a line in him but what he did herein was only the result of his own good understanding resolâ—…ed to make some clear tryal how the Non-conformists could bear themselves under some Liberty of Conscience And accordingly he issued on March the 15th 1671. His Gracious Declaration of Indulgence of which I wish His Majesty and the Kingdom much joy and as far as my slender judgment can divine dare augurate and presage mutual Feliciâ—…y and that what ever humane Accident may happen I fear not 〈◊〉 Bayes foresees they will they can never have cause â—…ent this Action or its Consequences But here 〈◊〉 Bayes finding â—…at the King had so vigorously exerted his Ecclesiastical Power but to a purpose quite contrary to what Mr. Bayes had always intended he grew terrible angry at the King and his Privy Council so that hereupon he started as himself says into many warm and glowing Meditations his heart burnt and the fire kindled and that heated him into all this wild and rambling talk as some will be forward enough to call it though he hopes it is not altogether idle and whether it be or be not he hath now neither leisure nor patience to examine This he confesses upon his best recollection in the last page of this Preface Whereupon I cannot but animadvert as in my first page that this too lies open to his Dilemma against the Non-conformists Prayers for if he will not accept his own Charge his modesty is all impudent and câ—…unterfeit If he does acknowledge it he is an hot-headed Incendiary and a wild rambling talker and in part if not altogether an idle fellow Really I cannot but pitty him and look upon him as under some great disturbance and dispondency of mind that this with some other scattering pasâ—…ages here and there argues him to be in as ill a caâ—…e as Tiâ—…erius was in his distracted Leâ—…ter to the Senate There wants nothing of it but the Dii Deaeque me perdant wishing Let the Gods and the Goddesses confound him worse than he finds hiâ—…self to be every day confounded But that I may not lâ—…se my thred Upon occasion of this his Majesties Gracious Declaâ—…tion and against it he writes this his third Boâ—… the Preface to Bisâ—…op Bramhad and accordingly wâ—… unhappily delivered of it in June I had forgot or July in 16â—…2 For he did not go his 〈◊〉 time of it but miscarried partly by a fright from J. O. and partly by a fal he had upon a Closer â—…portance But of 〈◊〉 his three Bolts this was the sooneâ—… shot and 〈◊〉 't is uo wonder if he misâ—… his mark 〈◊〉 no care where his arâ—…ow glanced But what he saith of his Majesty and his Couâ—…cil being toward the latter end of his Discourse 〈◊〉 forced to defer that a little because there being no method at all in his wild rambling talk must either tread just on in his footsteps or else I shaâ—… be in a perpetual maze and never know when I coâ—… to my journeys end And here I cannot altogether escape the mentioning of J. O. again whom though I have shown thâ—… he was not the main cause of publishing Bayes 〈◊〉 Books yet he singles out and on his pretence 〈◊〉 down all the Nonconformists this being as he imagined the safest way by which he might proceâ—… first to undermine and then blow up his Majestiâ—… gracious Declaration And this indeed is the leâ—… immethodical part in the whole Discourse For 〈◊〉 he undertakes to defend that Railing is not only lawful but expedient Secondly that though he haâ—… Railed the person he spoke of ought 〈◊〉 to have â—…ken notice of it And Thirdly that he did not Raiâ—… As to these things I do not much trouble my my 〈◊〉 nor interest my self in the least in J. O.'s 〈◊〉 no otherwise than if he were John a Nokes and heard him raâ—…l'd at by John a Stiles Nor yet wouâ—… I concern my self unnecessarily in any maâ—… behalf Knowing that 't is better being at the beginning of Feast than to come in at the latter end of a Fray Foâ—… 〈◊〉 so 〈◊〉 should as oâ—…ten it happens in such Rencounâ—… 〈◊〉 only draw Mr. Bayes but J. O. too upon my back I should have made a sweet business on 't for my self Now as to the Lawfulness and Expedience of Railing were it not that I do really make Conscience of using Scripture with such a drolling Companion as Mr. Bayes I could overload him thence both with Authority and Example Nor is it worth ones while to teach him out of other Authors and the best precedents of the kind how he being a Christian and 〈◊〉 Divine ouht to have carried himself But I cannot but remark his Insolence and how bold he makes upon this Argument p. 88. of his Second Book with the Memories of those great Persons there enumerated several of whom and particularly my Lord Verulam I could quote to his confusion upon a contrary and much better account So far am I from repenting my severity towards them that I am tempted rather to applaud it by the Glorious examples of the greatest Wits of our Nation King James Arch-Bishop Whitgift Arch-Bishop Bancroft Bishop Andrews Bishop Bilson Bishop Montegue Bishop Bramhal Sir Walter Rawleigh Lord Bacon c. and he might have added Mr. Tarlton with as good pretence to this honour as himself The Niches are yet empty in the Old Exchange pray let us speak to the Statuary that next to King James's we may have Bâ—…yes his Effigies For such great Wits are Princes fellows at least when dead At this rate there is not a Scold at Biâ—…gsgate but may defend her self by the pâ—…ttern of King James and Arch-Bishop Whitgift c. Yet this is passable if you consider our man But that is most intolerable p. 17. of the Preface to hiâ—… first Book where he justifies his debauched way of writing by parallel to our Blessed Saviour And I cannot but with some aw reflect how near the punishmenâ—… was to the offence when having undertaken so profâ—… an Argument he was in the very instant so infatuateâ—… as to say that Christ was not only in an hot fit of Zeâ—… but in a seeming Fury too and transport of Passion But however seeing he hath brought us so good Vouchers let us suppose what is not to be supposed that Railing is lawful Whether it be expedient or no will yet be a new question And I think Mr. Bayes when he hath had time to cool his thoughts may be trusted yet with that consideration and to compute whether the good that he hath done by Railling do countervail the damage which both he in particular and the Cause he labours have suffered by it For in my observation if we meet with an Argument in the Streets both Men Women and Boys that are
the Auditory do usually give it on the modester side and conclude that he that rails most has the least reason For the second Where he would prove that though he had railed yet his Answerer J. O. ought not to have taken notice of it nor those of the party who are under the same condemnation but that he should have abstracted and kept close to the Argument I must confess it is a very secure and wholesome way of railing And allowing this he hath good reason to find fault with his Answerer 〈◊〉 he does for turring 〈◊〉 his Book though without turning it over I know 〈◊〉 how he could have answered him but with his Hat 〈◊〉 with Mum. But for ought I can see in that only answer which is to his first Book he hath been obedient and abstracted the Argument sufficienâ—… and 〈◊〉 he hath been any where severe upon him he hath done it more cleanly and much more like a Gentleman and it hath been only in showing the necessary infeferences that must follow upon the Authors Maximâ—… and unsound principles But as to any answer to Bayâ—… his second Book or this third for ought I can see J. O. sleeps upon both Ears To this third undertaking to show that he hath 〈◊〉 rail'd 〈◊〉 shail not say any thing more but let it 〈◊〉 judg'd by the Company and to them let it be refer'd But in my poor opinion I rever saw a man thorow all his three Books in so high a Salivation And therefore till I meet with something more serious I will take a walk in the Garden and gather some of Mr. Bayes his Flowers Or I might more properly have said I will go see Bedlam and pâ—…k straws with our Mad-man First he saith that some that pretend a great interest in the holy Brother-hood upon eveâ—…y slight accident are beating up the Drums against the Pope and Poâ—…ish Plots they discry Poâ—…ery in every common and usual chance and a Câ—…imny cannot take fire in the City or Suburbs but they are immediately crying Jesuites and Firebals I understand you Sir This Mr. Bayes is your Prologue that is to be spoke by Thunder and Lightning I am loud Thunder brisk Ligh ning I. I strike men down 〈◊〉 fire the Town Loâ—…k too 't Wee 'l do ot Mr Bayes it is something darg rous medling with thâ—…se matters As innocent persons as your self have 〈◊〉 the fury of the wild multitude when such a Calamity hath disordered them And after your late Severity against Tradesmen it had been better you had not touched the fire Take heed lest the Reasons which sparkle forsooth in your Discourse have not set their Chimnyes on fire None accuses you what you make sâ—…ort with of burring the Ships at Chatham much less of blowing up the Thames But you ought to be careful lest having so newly distinguished betâ—…t the Fanatick and his Wealth they should say That you are distinguishing now betwixt the Faâ—…icks and their Houses These things are too edged to be jested with if you did but consider that not onely the Holy Brotherhood but the Soâ—…er and intelligent Citizens are equally involved in these sad Accidents And in that â—…mentable Conflagration which was so terrible that though so many years agoe it is yet fresh in mens memories and besides is yearly by Act of Parliament observed with due Humiliation and Solemnity It was not Trade onely and Merchandise suffered which you call their Diana and was not so much to be considered But St. Pauls too was burnt which â—…he Historians tell us was Diana's Temple The next thing is more directly levell'd at J. O. for having in some latter Book used those words We cannot conform to Arminianism or Socinianism on the one hand or Popery on the other What the Answerer meant by those words I concern not my self Onely I cannot but say That there is a very great neglect somewhere wheresoever the Inspection of Books is Iodged that at least the Socinian Books are tolerated and sell as openly as the Bible But Bayes turns all into Mirth He might as well have added all the isms 〈◊〉 the Old Testament Perizzitism Hittitism Jebusitism Hivitism c. No Mr. Bayes that need not and though this indeed is a very pretty Conceit and 't were pity it should have been lost yet I can tell you a better way For if rhiming be the business and you are so good at tagging of points in a Garret there is another word that will do it better and for which I know not how truly you tax your Answerer too here as if he said The Church of England were desperately Schismatical because the Independents are resolved one and all to continue separate from her Communion Therefore let Schism 〈◊〉 you please rhime to 〈◊〉 And though no man is obliged to produce the Authority of the greatest Wits of the Nation to justifie a Rhime yet for your â—…ear sake Mr. Bayes I will this once supererogate The first shall be your good friend Bishop 〈◊〉 â—…ho among many other memorable Paâ—…ages whiâ—…â—…elieve were 〈◊〉 â—…on that he never thought fit 〈◊〉 print his own Book p. 101. teacheth us not absurdly that It was not the 〈◊〉 Opinions of the Church of Rome but the obtruding them by Laws upon other Churches which warranted a Separation But if this will not doe Vous aveâ—… Doctor Thâ—…rndikes Deposition in print for he I hear is lately dead The Church of England in separating from the Church of Rome 〈◊〉 guilty of Schism before God I have not the Book by me but I am sure 't is candidly recited as I have 〈◊〉 it Then to show too that there is a King on this side his present Majesty's Father in his Declaration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1628. affirms that a Book entituled Appello Caesarem or an Appeal to Caesar and published in the year 1625. by Richard Montague then Batcheler of Divinity and now Bishop of Chichester had opâ—ned the way to these Schisms and Divisions which have since ensued in the Church and that therefore for the redress and remedy thereof and for the satisfaction of the Consciences of his good People he had not only by publick Proclamation called in that Book which ministred matter of offence but to prevent the like danger for the future reprinted the Articles of Religion established in the time of Queen Elizabeth of Famous Memory and by a Declaration before those Articles did restrain all Opinions to the Sense of those Articles that nothing might be left for private Fancies and Innovations c. And if this will not amount fully I shall conclude with a Villanous Pamâ—…let that I met with t'other day but of which a great 〈◊〉 indeed was the Author And whereas Mr. Bayes 〈◊〉 alwayes desying the Nonconformists with Mr 〈◊〉 Ecclesiastical 〈◊〉 and the Friendly Debate I 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 ' though I have a great Reverence for Mr. Hooker who in some things did answer himself That this little Book of not full eight leaves
the Emperour must lead the Patriarchs Ass all his life-time And little better do I like your We may rest satisfied in the present security of the Church of England under the Proâ—…ection of a wise and gracious Prince especially when besides the impregnable confidence that we have from his own Inclination it is so manifest that he never can forsake it either in Honour or Interest This is a prety way of cokesing indeed while you are all this while cutting the grass under his feet and animating the people against the exercise of his Ecclesiastical Supremacy Men are not so plain-hearted but they can see through this oblique Rhetorication and Sophistry If there be no danger in his time of taking a Pin out of the Church for that it is you intended why do you then speak of it in his time but that you mean mischief but here you do not only mow the grass under his feet but you take the pillow from under his head But should it ever happen that any King of England should be prevail'd with to deliver up the Church he bad as good at the same time resign up his Crown This is pretty plain dealing and you have doubtless secur'd hereby that Princes favour I should have thought it better Courtship in a Divine to have said O King Live for ever But I see Mr. Bayes that you and your Partners are very necessary men and it were dangerous disobliging you But in this imprudent and nauseous discourse you have all along appropriated or impropriated all the Loyalty from the Nobility the Gentry and the Commonalty and dedicated it to the Church So I doubtyou are a little too immoderate against the body of the Nonconformists You represent them to a man to be all of them of Republican Principles most pestilent and eo nomine enemies to Monarchy Traytors and Rebells such miscreants as never was in the world before and fit to be pack'd out of it with the first convenience And I observe that all the Argument of your Books is but very frivolous and trivial only the memory of the late War serves for demonstration and the detestable sentence and execution of his lute Majesty is represented again upon the Scaffold and you having been I suspect better acquainted with Parliament Declarations formerly upon another account do now apply and turn them all over to prove that the late War was wholly upon a Fanatical Cause and the dissenting party do still go big with the same Monster I grew hereupon much displeased with my own ignorance of the occasion of those Troubles so near our own times and betook my self to get the best Information concerning them to the end that I might If it appear'd so decline the dangerous acquaintance of the Nonconformists some of whom I had taken for honest men nor therefore avoided their Company But I took care nevertheless not to receive Impressions from any of their party but to gather my lights from the most impartial Authorities that I could meet with And I think I am now partly prepared to give you Mr. Bayes some better satisfaction in this matter And because you are a dangerous person I shall as little as possible say any thing of my own but speak too before good Witnesses First of all therefore I will without farther Ceremony fall upon you with the but-end of another Arch-bishop 'T is the Arch-bishop of Canterbury Abbot in the Narrative under his own hand concerning his disgrace at Court in the time of his late Majesty I shall only in the way demand excuse if contrary to my fashion the names of some eminent persons in our Church long since dead be reviv'd here under no very good character and most particularly that of Archbishop Laud who if for nothing else yet for his learned Book against Fisher deserved for another Fate than he met with and ought not now to be mentioned without due honourâ—… But those names having so many years since escaped the Press it is not in my power to conceal them and I believe Archbishop Abbot did not write but upon good Consideration This I have premised for my own Satisfaction and I will add one thing more Mr. Bayes for yours That whereas the things now to be alledged relate much to some Impositions of Money in the late King's time that were carryed on by the Clergy I know you will be ready to carp at that as if the Nonconformists had and would be alwayes enemies to the Kings supply Whereas Mr. â—…ayes if I can do the Nonconformists no good I am resolv'd I will do them no harm nor desire that they should lye under any imputation on my account For I write by my own advice and what I shall alledge concerning the Clergies intermedling with supplies is upon a particular aversion that I have upon good Reason against their disposing of our Money And Mr. Bayes I will acquaint you with the Reason which is this 'T is not very many years ago that I used to play at Picket and there was a Gentleman of your Robe a Dignitary of Lincoln very well known and remembred in the Ordinaries but being not long â—…ince dead I will save his name Now I used to play Pieces and this Gentleman would alwayes go half a Crown with me and so all the while he sate on my hand he very honestly gave the Sign so that I was alwaies sure to lose I afterwards discovered it but of all the money that ever I was cheated of in my life none ever vexed me so as what I lost by his occasion And ever since I have born a great grudge against their fingring of any thing that belongs to me And I have been told and show'd the place where the man dwelt in the late King's time near Hampton Court that there was one that used to rob on the high-way in the habit of a Bishop and all his fellows rid too in Canonical Coats And I can but fancy how it madded those that would have perhaps been content to releive an honest Gentleman in distress or however would have been less griev'd to be robb'd by such an â—…ne to see themselves so Episcopally pillaged Neither must it be less displeasing alwaies to the Gâ—…ntry and â—…ommonalty of England that the Clergy as you do Mâ—… Bayes should tell them that they are never sui Juris not only as to their Consciences buâ—… even as to their Purses and you should pretend to have this Power of the Keys too where they lock their Money Nay I dare almost aver upon my best observation that there never was nor ever will be a Parliament in England that could or can refuse the King supplies propoâ—…ionable to his occasions wiâ—…hout any need of recouâ—…se to extraordinary wayes but for the pickâ—…hankness of the Clergy who will alwaies pâ—…sume to have the thanks and honour of it nay and are ready alwayes to obstruct the Parliamentary Aids unless they may have their own little project pass
be he did write that before he was come to full maturity of judgement and some other things I do not say after he was superannuated but without that due deliberation which he useth at other times wherein a man may desire Mr. Bayes in Mr. Ba yes Or it it may be some things may be changed in his Book as I have been told by one os his nearest friends and that we shall shortly see a more Authentick Edition of all his Works This is certain that some of those things which I dislike were not his own judgment after he was come to maturity in Theological matter And had Mr. Bayes as he ought to have done carryed his Book to any os the present Bishops or their Chaplains for a Licence to print it I cannot conceive that he could have obtained it in better terms than what I have collected out of the 108. page of his Answerer Notwithstanding the old Pleas of the Jus Divinum of Episcopacy of Example and Direction Apostolical of a Parity of Reason between the condition of the Church whilst under Extraordinary Officers and whilst under Ordinary of the power of the Church to appoint Ceremonies for Decency and Order of the patern of the Churches of old all which under Protestation are reserved till the first oportunity I have upon reading of this Book found that it may be of use 〈◊〉 the present 〈◊〉 of Affairs and therefore let it be printed And as I think he hath disobliged the Clergy of England in this matter so I believe the favour that he doth his Majesty is not eqvivalent to that damage For that I may with Mr. Bayes his leave prophane Ben John son though the gravest Divines should be his Flatâ—…erers he hath a very quick sense shall I prophane Horace too in the same period Hunc male si palpere 〈◊〉 undique tutus If one stroke him ilfavouredly he hath a terrible way of kicking and will fling you to the Stable-door but is himself safe on every side He knows it's all but that you may get into the Saddle again and that the Priest may ride him though it be to a Precipiece He therefore contents himself with the Power that he hath inherited from his Royal Progenitors Kings and Queens of England and as it is declared by Parliament and is not to be trepann'd into another kind of Tenure of Dominion to be held at Mr. Bayes his pleasure and depend upon the strength only of his Argument But that I may not offend in Latin too frequently he considers that by not assumining a Deity to himself he becomes secure and worthy of his Government There are lightly about the Courts of Princes a sort of Projectors for Concealed Lands to which they entitle the King to begg them for themselves and yet generally they get not much by it but are exceeding vexatious to the Subject And even such an one is this Bayes with his Project of a Concealed Power that most Princes as ee saith have not yet rightly understood but whereof the King is so little enamour'd that I am confident were it not for prolling and momolesting the People his Majâ—…sty would give Mr. Bayes the Patent sor it and let him make his best on 't after he hath paid the Fees to my Lord Keeper But one thing I must confess is very pleasant and he hath past an high Complement upon his Majesty in it that he may if he please reserve the Priest-hood and the Exercise of it to himself Now this iudeed is surprâ—…sing but this only troubles me how his Majesty would look in all the Sacerdotal habiliments and the Pontifical Wardrobe I am asraid the King would find himself incommoded with all that furniture upon his back and would scarce reconcile himself to wear even the Lawn-sleeves and the Surplice But what even Charles the fifth as I have rerd was at his Inauguration by the Pope content to be vested according to the Roman Ceremonial in the habit of a Deacon and a man would not scruple too much the formality of the dress in order to Empire But one thing I douâ—…t Mr Bayes did not well consider that if the King may discharge the Function of the Prest-hood he may too and 't is all the reason in the world assume the Revenue It would be the best Subsidy that ever was voluntarily given by the Clergy But truly otherwise I do not see but that the King does lead a more unblamable Conuersation and takes more care of Souls than many of them and understands their office much better and deserves something already sor the pains he hath taken The next is Publick Conscience For as to mens private Consciences he hath made them very inconsiderable and reading what he saith of them with some attention I only found this new and important Discovery and great Priviledge of Christian Liberty thar Thought is free We are howexer obliged to him for that seeing by consequence we think of him what we pleaser And thii he saith a man may assert against all the powers of the Earth and indeed with much reason and to great purpose seeing as he also alledges the Civil Power is so far srom doing violence to that liberty that it never can But yet if the freedom of thoughts be in not lying open to discovery there have been wayes of compelling men to discover them or if the freedom consist in retaining their judgments when so manifested that also hath been made penal And I doubt not but beside Oaths and Renunciations and Assents and Consents Mr. Bayes if he were searched hath twenty other tests and picklocks in his pocket Would Mr. Bayes then perswade men to assert this against all the Powers of the Earth I would ask in what manner To say the truth I do not like him and would wish the Nonconformists to be upon their guard lest he trapan them first by this means into a Plot and then preach and so hang them If Mr. Bayes meant otherwise in this matter I confess my stupidity and the fault is most his own who should have writ to the capacity of vulgar Readâ—…rs He cuts indeed and saulters in this discourse which is no good sign perswading men that they may and ought to practise against their Consciences where the Commands of the Magistrate intervenes None of them denies that it is their duty where their Judgments or Consciences cannot comply with what is injoyned that they ought in obedience patiently to suffer but further they have not learned I dare say that the Casual Divinity of the Jesuites is all thorow as Orthodox as this Maxime of our Authors and as the Opinion is brutish so the Consequences are Develish To make it therefore go down more glibly he saith that ' t is better to err with Authority than to he in the right against it in all doubtful disputable cases because the great duty of Obedience outweighs the danger of a little error and tittle it is if it