a business To conclude the Author gives us one ground more and perhaps more Seditiously insinuated than any of the former that is if it should so prove that is if the Fanaticks by their wanton and unreasonable opposition to the ingenious and moderate Discipline of the Church of England shall give their Governours too much reason to suspect that they are never to be 〈◊〉 in order by a milder and more gentle Government than that of the Chuâ—…ch of Rome and force them at last to scourge them into better manners with the Briars and Thorns of thâ—…ir Discipline It seems then that the Discipline contended about is worth such an alteration It seems that he knowes something more than I did believe of the Design in the late times before the War Whom doth he mean by our Governours the King No for he is a single person The Parliament or the Bishops I have now done after I have which is I think due given the Reader and the Author a short account how I came to write this Book and in this manner First of all I was offended at the presumption and arrogance of his stile whereas there is nothing either of Wit or Eloquence in all his Books worthy of a Readers and more unfit for his own taking notice of Then his infinite Tautology was burâ—…ensome which seem'd like marching a Company round a Hill upon a pay-day so often till if the Muster master were not attentive they might râ—…ceive the pay of a Regimâ—…nt All the variety of his Treat is Pork he knows the story but so little disguised by good Cookery that it discovers the miserableness or rather the penury of the Host. When I observed how he inveighs against the Trading part of the Nation I thought he deserved to be within the five mile Act and not to come within that distance of any Corporation I could not patiently see how irrevorently he treated Kings and Pâ—…inces as if they had been no better then King Phys and King Ush of Bâ—…anford I thought his profanation of the Scripture intolerable For though he alledges that 't is only in order to shew how it was misapplyed by the 〈◊〉 he might have done that too and yet preserved the Dignity and Beverence of those Sâ—…cred Writings which he hath not done but on the contrary he hatâ—… in what is properly his own taken the most of all his Ornaments and 〈◊〉 thence in 〈◊〉 sâ—…urrilous and sacrilegious sâ—…ile insomuch that were it honest I will undertake out of him to make a better than is a more ridiculâ—…s and 〈◊〉 book than all the Friendly Debates bound up together Me thought I never saw a more bold and wicked attempt than that of reducing Grace and making it a meer Fable of which he gives us the Moral I was sorry to see that even Prayer coulâ—… not be admitted to be a Virtue having though hitherto it had been a Grace and a peculiar gift of the Spirit But I considered that that Prayer ought to be discouraged in order to prefer the Licargy He seem'd to speak so little like a Divine in all those matters that the Poet might as well have preâ—…ended to be the Bishop Davenant and that description of the Poets of Prayer and Praise was better than out Auâ—…hors on the same Subjectâ—… Canto the 6th where he likens Prayes to the Ocean For Prayer the â—â—â—an is where diverâ—â—â— Men steer their course each to a several coast Where all our interests so discordant lye That half beg winds by which the rest are lost And Praise he compares to the Union of Fanaticks and Atheists c. that is Gunpowdâ—r Praise 〈◊〉 Devotion fit for mighty minds c. It s utmost force like Powder is unknown And though weak Kings excess of praise may fear 〈◊〉 when 't is here like Powder dangerous grown Heavens vault receives what would the Palcae tear Indeed all Astragen appear'd to me the better Scheme of Religion But it is unnecessary here to recapitulate all one by one what I have in the former Discourse taken notice cf. I shall only add what gave if not the greattest yea the last impulse to my writing I had observed in his first Book P 57 that he had said Some pert and pragmatical Divines had filled the world with a Buzze and Noise of the Divine Spirit which seemed to me so horribly irreverent as if he had taken similitude from the Hum and Buz of the Humble Bee in the Rehearsal In the same Book I have before mentioned that most unsafe passage of our Saviour being not only in an hot fit of zeal but in a seeming fury and transport 〈◊〉 Passion And striving to unhook 〈◊〉 hence P. 152. of his Second Book Swallows it deeper saying Our blessed Saviour did in that action take upon him the Person and Priviledge of a Jewish Zealot Take upon him the Person that is Personam inâ—… And what part did he play Of a Jewish Zealot The Second Person of the Trinity may I repeat these things without offence to take upon him the Person of a Jewish Zealot that is of a notorious Rogue and Cut Throat This seemed to proceed from too slight an Apprehension and Knowledge of the Duty we owe to our Saviour And last of all in this Preface as before quoted he saith the Nonconformist Preachers do spend most of their Pulpit-sweat in making a noise about Communion with God So that there is not one Person of the Trinity that he hath not done despight to and lest he should have distinct Communion with the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost for which he mocks his Answerer he hath spoken evil distinctly of the Father distinctly of the Son and distinctly of the Holy Ghost That only remain'd behind wherein our Author might surpass the Character given to Aretine a famous man of his Faculty Qui giace ill Aretino Chi de tutti mal disse 〈◊〉 d' Adido Ma di questo si sensa perche no'l conobbe Here lies Aretine Who spoke evil of all except God only But of this he begs excuse because he did not know him And now I have done And I shall think my self largely recompensed for this trouble if any one that hath been formerly of another mind shall learn by this Example that it is not impossible to be merry and angry as long time as I have been Writing without profaning and violating those things 〈◊〉 are and ought to be most sacred FINIS
of Canterbury But if he have not by marriâ—ge barr'd his way and it should ever fall to his lot I am resolved instead of his Grace to call him always his Morality But as he got no Preferment that I know of at Court though his Patron doubtless having many things in his gift did abundantly recompence him so he mist no less of his aim as to the Reformation of Ecclesiastical-Government upon his principles But still what he complains of pag. 20. the Ecclesiastical Laws Were either weakâ—ned through want of Execution or in a manner cancell'd by the opposition of Civil Constitutions For beside what in England where all things went on at the same rate in the neighbouring Kingdom of Scotland there were I know not how many Mas Johns restored in one day to the work of their Ministry and a door opened whereby all the rest might come in for the future and all this by his Majesty's Commission Nay I think there was a thing of very ill example an Arch-Bishop turn'd out of his Sea for some Misdemeanor or other I have not been curious after his name nor his crime because as much as possible I would not expose the nakedness of any person so eminent formerly in the Church But henceforward the King fell into disgrace with Mr. Bayes and any one that had eyes might discern that our Author did not afford his Majesty that Countenance and Favour which he hath formerly enjoy'd So that a Book too of J. O's happening mischievously to come out at the same season Upon pretence of answering that he resolved to make his Majesty feel the effects of his displeasure So that he set Pen to Paper again and having kept his Midwife of the Friendly Debate by him all the time of his pregnancy for fear of miscarrying he was at last happily delivered of his second Child the Defence of the Ecclesiastical Policy in the year 1671. It was a very lusty Baby and twice as big as the former and which some observed as an ill sign and that if it lived it would prove a great Tyrant it had when born all the Teeth as perfect as ever you saw in any mans Head But I do not reckon much upon those ominous criticismes For there was partly a natural cause in it Mr. Bayes having gone so many months more than the Civil Laws allowes for the utmost term of legitimation that it was no wonder if the Brat were at its birth more forward than others usually are And indeed Mr. Bayes was so provident against abortion and careful for some reasons that the Child shoâ—…ld cry that the onely question in Town though without much cause for truly 't was very like him was whether it was not spurious or suppositious But Allegories and Raillery and hard words appear in this his second Book and what I quoted before out of Bishop Bramhal p. 18. with allusion to our Author is here faln out as exactly true as if it had been expresly calculated for Bayes his Meridian He finds himself to have come too near nay to have far outgone an Erastian That he had writ his Ecclesiastical Policy before he was come to maturity of Judgement that one might desire Mr. Bays in Mr. Bays that something had been changed in his Book That a more authentick Edition was necessary that some things which he had said before were not his Judgment after he was come to maturity in Theological matters I will not herein too much insist upon his Reply where his Answerer asks him pertinently enough to his grand Thesis what was then become of their old â—…lea of Jus Divinum Why saith he must you prescribe me what I shall write Perhaps my next Book shall be of that Subject For perhaps he said so only for evasion being old excellent at parrying and fencing Though I have good reason to believe that we may shortly see some Piece of his upon that Theme and in defence of an Aphorism of a great Prelate in the 〈◊〉 King's time That the Kiâ—…g had no more to do in Ecclesiastical Matters than Jack that rubb'd his Horses hâ—…els For Mr. Bayes is so enterprising you know Loâ—…k too 't I le doo 't He has face enough to say or unsay any thing and 't is his priviledge what the School-Divines deny to be even within the power of the Almighty to make Contradictions true An evidence of which though I reserve the further instances to another occasion that draws near does plainly appear in what I now principalâ—…y urge to show how dangerous a thing it is for his Majesty and all other Princes to lofe Mr. Bâ—…s his favour For whereas he had all along in his first Book treated them like a company of Ignorants and that did not understand Government but that is pardonable in Mr. Bayes in this his second now that they will not do as he would have them when he had given them Power and Instructions how to be wiser for the future He casts them quite off like men that were desperate He had you know p. 35. of his first Book and in other places vested them with an universal and unlimited Power and uncontroulable in the Government of Religion that is over mens Consciences but now in his second to make them an example to all incorrigible and ungrateful persons he strips and disrobes them again of all those Regal Ornaments that he had superinduced upon them and leaves them good Princes in quâ—…po 〈◊〉 he found 'm â—…o shift for themselves in the wide World as well as they can Do but read his own words p. 237. of his Defence parag 5. and sure you will be of my mind To vest the Supreme Magistrate in an unlimited and uncontroulable Power is clearly to defeat the Efficacy and Obâ—…igatory force of all his Laws that cannot possibly have any binding virtue upon the minds of men when they have no other inducement to obedience but only to avoid the penalty But if the Supreme Power be absâ—…ute and unlimiâ—… it doth for that very reason remove and evacuate all other Obligations for otherwise it is restrained and conditional and if men lye under no other impulsion than of the Law it self they lye under no other obligation than that of prudence and self-inâ—…est and it remains intirely in the choiâ—…e of their own discretion whether they shall or shall not obey and then there is neither Government nor Obligation to Obedience and the Principle o mens Complyance with the mind of tâ—…ir Superif ours is not the declaration of their will and pleasure but purely the determination of their own judgments and therefore 't is necessary for the security of Government though for nothing else to set bounds to its jurisdiction Otherwise like the Roman Empire c. I know it would be difficult to quote twenty lines in Mr. Bayes but we should encounter with the Roman Empire But observe how laboriously here he hath asserted and proved that all he had said in
too into the baâ—…gain and they may be gâ—…atified with some new Ecclesiastical Power or some new Law against the Fanaticks This is the naked truth of the matter Whereas English men alwayes love to see how their money goes and if theâ—…e be any interest or profit to be got by it to receive it themselves Therefore Mr. Bayes I will go on with my business not fearing all the mischief that you can make of it There was saith he one Sibthorp who not being so much as Batchelor of Arts by the means of Doctor Pierce Vice-Chancelor of Oxford got to beconfer'd upon him the title of Doctor This Man was Vicar of Brackley in Northamptonshire and hath another Benefice This Man preaching at Northampton had taught that Princes had power to put Poll-money upon their Subjects heads He being a man of a low fortune conceiv'd the putting his Sermon in Print might gain favour at Couâ—…t and raise his fortune higher It was at the same time that the business of the Loan was on foot In the same Sermon he called that Loan a Tribute Taught that the Kings duty is first to direct and make Laws That noting may excuse the subject from active obedience but what is against the Law of God or Nature or impossible that all Antiquity was absolutely for absolute obedience in all civil and temporal things And the imposing of Poll-monie by Princes he justifi'd out of St. Matthew And in the matter of the Loan What a Speech is this saith the Bishop he observes the forwardness of the Papists to offer double For this Sermon was sent to the Bishop from Court and he required to Licence it not under his Chaplin but his own hand But he not being satisfi'd of the Doctrine delivered sent back his reasons why he thought not fit to give his appâ—…obation and unto these Bishop Laud who was in this whole business and a rising Man at Court undertook an answer His life in Oxford faith Archbishop Abbot was to pick quarrels in the Lectures of publick Readers and to advertise them to the Bifhop of Durham that he might fill the Ears of King James with discontent against the honest men that took pains in their places and setled the Truth which he call'd Puritanism in their Auditors He made it his work to see what Books were in the Press and and to look over Epistles Dedicatory and Prefaces to the Reader to see what faults might be found 'T was an observation what a sweet man this was like to be that the first observable act he did was the marrying of the Earl of D. to the Lady R. when she had another Husband a Nobleman and divers Children by him Here he tells how for this very cause King James would not a great while endure him 'till he yeilded at last to Bishop Williams his importunity whom notwithstanding he straight strove to undermine and did it at last to purpose for saith the Arâ—…hbishop Verily such is his undermining nature that he will under-work any man in the World so he may gain by it He call'd in the Bishop of Durham Rochester and Oxford tryed men for such a purpose to the answering of my Reasons and the whole stile of the Speech runs We We. In my memory Doctor Harsnet then Bishop of Chichester and now of Norwich as he came afterward to be Arch-bishop of York preached at White-Hall upon Give unto Caesâ—…r the things that are Caesars a Sermon that was afterwards burned teaching that Goods and Money were Caesars and so the Kings Whereupon King James told the Lords and Commons that he had failed in not adding according to the Laws and Customs of the Countrey wherein they did live But Sibthorp was for absolutely absolute â—…o that if the King had sent to me for all my Money Goodâ—… so to the Clergy I must by Sibthorps proportion send him all If the King should send to the City of London to command all their wealth they were bound to do it I know the King is so gracious he will attempt no such matter but if he do it not the defect is not in these flattering Divines Then he saith reflecting again upon the Loan which Sibthorp called a Tribute I am sorry at heart the King 's Gracious Majesty should rest so great a Building on so weak a Foundation the Treatise being so â—…lender and without substance but that proceeded from an hungry Man Then he speaks of his own case as to the Licensing this Book in parallel to the Earl of Essex his divorce which to give it more authority was to be ratified judicially by the Archbishop He concludes how finally he refused his approbation to this Sermon and saith it was thereupon carried to the Bishop of London who gave a great and stately allowance of it the good man not being willing that any thing should stick with him that came from Court as appears by a Book commonly called the seven Sacraments which was allowed by his Lordship with all the errours which have been since expunged And he adds a pretty story of one Doctor Woral the Bishop of London's Chaplain â—…olar good enough but a free fellow-like man and of no very tender Conscience who before it was Licâ—…nsed by the Bishop Sibthorps Sermon being brought to him hand over head approved it and subscribed his namâ—… But afterwards heâ—…ring more of it went to a Counsel at the Temple who told him that by that Book there was no Meum nor Tuum left in England and if ever the Tide turn'd be might come to be hang'd for it and thereupon Woral Woral scrâ—…ped out his name again and left it to his Lord to License Then the Arch-bishop takes notice of the instructions for that Loan Those that refused to be sent for Souldiers to the King of Denmark Oaths to be administred with whom they had conference and who disswaded them such persons to be sent to prison c. He saith that he had complain'd thrice of Mountagues Arminian Book to no purpose Cosins put out his Book of seven Sacraments strange things but I knew nothing of it but as it pleased my Ld of Durham and the Bp of Bath so it went In conclusion the good Arch-bishop for refusing thâ—… Licence of Sibthorps Sermons was by the under-working of his adversaries first commanded from Lambeth and confined to his house in Kent and afterwards sequestred and a Commission passeâ—… to exercise the Archie piscopall Jurisdiction to the Bishops of London Durham Rochester Oxford and Bishop Laud who from thence arose in time to be the Arch-bishop If I had leisure how easy a thing it were for to extract out of the Narrative a just parallel of our Author even almost upon all points but I am now upon a more serious subject and therefore shâ—…ll leave the Application to his own ingenuity and the good intelligence of the Reader About the same time for I am speaking within the circle of 20 30 and 40. Caroli
wore a sword of price Keen as a Frost glaz'd like a new made Ice That cracks men shell'd in Steel in a less trice Than Squirrels Nuts or the Highlanders Lice Then he saith ' t is true the Church of Ireland was the largest Scene of his Actions but yet there in a little time he wrought out such wondrous Alterations and so exceeding all belief as may convince us that he had a mind large and active enough to have managed the Roman Empire at its greatest extent This indeed of our Author 's is Great and yet it reacheth not a strain of his fellow Pendets in the History of the Mogol where he tells Dancehment Kan When you put your foot in the Stirrop and when you march upon Horseback in the front of the Cavalry the Earth trembles under your feet the eight Elephants that hold it on their heads not being able to support it But enough of this Trafh Beside that it is the highest indecorum for a Divine to write in such a stile as this partplay-partPlay-Book and part Romance concerning a Reverend Bishop these improbable Elogies too are of the greatest disservice to their own design and do in effect diminish alwayes the Person whom they pretend to magnifie Any worthy Man may pass through the World unquestion'd and safe with a moderate Recommendation but when he is thus set off and bedawb'd with Rhetorick and embroder'd so thick that you cannot discern the Ground it awakens naturally and not altogether unjustly Interest Curiosity and Envy For all men pretend a share in Reputation and love not to see it ingross'd and 〈◊〉 and are subject to enquire as of great Estates suddenly got whether he came by all this honestly or of what credit the Person is that tells the Story And the same hath happened as to this Bishop while our Author attributes to him such Atchievments which to one that could believe the Legend of Captain Jones might not be incredble I have heard that there was indeed such a Captain an honest brave fellow but a Wag that had a mind to be merry with him hath quite spoil'd his History Had our Author epitomiz'd the Legend of sixty six Books de Virtutibus Sancti Patricii I mean not the Ingenious Writer of the Friendly Debates but St Patrick the Irish Bishop he could not have promis'd us greater Miracles And 't is well for him that he hath escaped the fate of Secundinus who as Josselin relates it acquainting Patrick that he was inspired to compose something in his Commendation the Bshiop foretold the Author should dy as soon as 't was perfected Which so done so happened I am sure our Author had dyed no other death but of this his own Preface and a surfeit upon Bishop Bramhall if the swelling of Truth could have choak'd him He tells us I remember somewhere that this same Bishop of Derry said the Scots had a civil expression for these Improvers of Verity that they are good Company and I shall say nothing severer than that our Author speaks the language of a Lover and so may claim some pardon if the habit and excess of his Courtship do as yet give a tincture to his discourse upon more ordinary Subjects For I would not by any means be mistaken as if I thought our Author so sharp set or so necessitated that he should make a dead Bishop his 〈◊〉 so far from that that he hath taken such a course that if the Bishop were alive he would be out of love with himself He hath like those frightfull Looking-glasses made for sport represented him in such bloated lineaments as I am confident if he could see his face in it he would break the Glass For hence it falls out too that men seeing the Bishop furbish'd up in so martial accoutrements like another Odo Bishop of Baieux and having never before heard of his prowess begin to reflect what Giants he defeated and what Damsels he rescued Serious Men consider whether he were ingaged in the conduct of the Irish Army and to have brought it over upon England for the Imputation of which the Earl of Strafford his Patron so undeservedly suffered But none knowes any thing ofit Others think it is not to be taken literally but the wonderful and unheard-of Alterations that he wrought out in Ireland are meant of some Reformation that he made there in things of his own Function But then men ask again how he comes to have all the honour of it and whether all the while that great Bishop usher his Metropolitane were unconcerned For even in Ecclesiastical Combates how instrumental soever the Captain hath been the General usually carries away the honour of the Action But the good Primate was engaged in Designs of lesser moment and was writing his de Primordiis Ecclesiae Britanicae and the Story of Pelagius our Countryman He honest man was deep gone in Grubstreet and Polemmical 〈◊〉 and troubled with Fits of Modern Orthodoxy He satisfyed himself with being admired by the blue and white Aprons and pointed at by the more 〈◊〉 Tankard Bearers Nay which is worst of all he undertook to abate of our Episcopal Grandeur and condescended 〈◊〉 to reduce the Ceremonious Discipline in these Nations to the 〈◊〉 Simplicity What then was this that Bishop Brambal did Did he like a Protestant Apostle in one day convert thousands of the Irish Papists The contrary is evident by the Irish Rebellion and Massacre which notwithstanding his Publick Employment and great Abilities happened in his time So that after all our Authors bombast when we have search'd all over we find our selves bilk'd in our â—…on and he hath erected him like a St Christopher in the Popish Churches as big as ten Porters and yet only imploy'd to sweat under the burden of an Infant All that appears of him is first that he busied himself about a Catholick 〈◊〉 among the Churches of Christendom But as to this our Author himself saith that he was not so vain or so presuming as to hope to see it 〈◊〉 in his dayâ—…s And yet but two pages before he told us that the Bishop finished all the glorious designes which he undertook But this Design of his he draws our in such a circuit of words that 't is better taking it from the Bishop himself who speaks more plainly always and much more to the purpose And he saith pag. 〈◊〉 of his Vindication My design is rather to reconcile the Popish Party to the Church of England than the 〈◊〉 of England to the Pope And how he manages it I had rather any man would learn by reading over his own Book than that I should be thought to misrepresent him which I might unless I tarnscribed the whole But in summe it seems to me that he is upon his own single judgment too liberal of the Publick and that he retrenches both on our part more than he hath Authority for and grants more to the Popish than they can of right pretend to It
for thwarting mine own principles because I have censured the impertinency of a reedless Provision in an Act of Parliament Observe these are not the Answerers but Bayes his own words whereby you may see with what Reverence and Duty he uses to speak of his Superiors and their Actions when they are not so happy as to please him I may obey the Law though I may be of a different perswasion from the Law-givers in an Opinion remote and impertinent to the matter of the Law it self nay I may condemne the wisdom of enacting it and yet at the same time think my self to lie under an indispensable Obligation to obey it for the formal reason of its obligatory power as any Casuist will inform him is not the Judgment and Opinion of the Law-giver but the Declaration of his Will and Pleasure Very good and sound Mr. Bayes but here you have opened a passage and this is as imperâ—…t in you and more dangerous than what you blamed in that Act that the Non-Conformists may speak against your Ecclesiastical Laws for their Casuists then tell them that they lying under an indispâ—…sable obligation not to conform to some of them do fulfil and satisfie their Obedience in submitting to the penalty I looked further into what he sâ—…ith in defence of the â—…gistrates assuming the Priesthood what for his Scheme of moral Grace what to palliate his irreverent expressions concerning our Blessed Savioâ—…r and the Holy Spirit what of all other matâ—…ers objâ—…cted by his Answerer and if you will believe me but I had much rather the Reader would take the pains to examine all himseâ—…f there is scarce any thing but slender trifling unworthy of a Logician and beastly railing unbecoming any man much more a Divine At last having readit all through with some attention I resolved having failed so of any thing material to try my fortune whether it might be more lucky and to open the Book in several places as it chanced But whereas they say that in the Sortes Virgilianae wheresoever you light you will find something that will hit and is proper to your intention on the contrary here thâ—…re was not any leaf that I met with but had something impertinent so that I resolved to give it over This onely I observed upon the whole that he does treat his Answerer the most bâ—…sely and ingratefully that ever man did For whereas in his whole first Book there was not one sound principle and scarce any thing in the second but what the Answerer had given him occasion to amend and rectifie if he had understanding after so great an obligation he handles him with more rudeness than is imaginable I know it may be said in Mr. Bayes his defence that in this his second Book he hath made his matters in many places much worse then they were before But I say that was Bayes his want of understanding and that he knew not how to take hold of so charitable an opportunity as was offered him and 't was none of the Answerers fault There are amongst men some that do not study always the true rules of Wisdom aâ—…d Honesty but delight in a perverse kind of Cunning which sometimes may take for a while and attain their design but most usually it fails in the end and hath a foul farewell And such are all Mr. Bayes his Plots In all his Writings he doâ—…h so confound terms he leaps cross he hath more doubles nay triples and quadruples than any Hare so that he thinks himself secure of the Hunâ—…ers And in this second Book even the length of it was sâ—…me Policy For you must know it is all but an Epistle to the Author of the Friendly Debate and thought he with himself who hath so much leisure from his own affairs that he will read a Letter of another mans bâ—…siness of eight hundred pages But yet thought he again and I could be content they did read it in all matters of Argument I will so muddle my self in Ink that there shall be no caâ—…ching no finding me and besides I will speak always with so Magisterial a confidence that no modest man and most ingenious persons are so shall so much as quetâ—…h at me but be beat out of Countenance and plain men shall think that I durst not talk at such a rate but that I have a Commission I will first said he in his heart like a stout Vagrant beg and if that will not do I will command the Question and as soon as I have got it I will so alter the property and put on another Periwig that I defie them all for discovering me or ever finding it again This beside all the lock and advantage that I have the Non-confâ—…rmists upon since the late times and though tâ—…ey were born since and have taken more sober Principles it shall be all one for that matter And then for Oratory and Railing let Bayes alone This contrivance is indeed all the strength of Mr. Bayes his Argument and as he said how properly let the Reader judge pag. 69. before quoted that Moâ—…al Virtue is not only the most material and usefulpart of all Religion but the ultimate end of all its other Duties So Railing is not onely the most material and useful part of his Religion his Reason his Oratory and his Practise but the ultimate end of this and all his otherBooks Otherwise he iâ—… neither so strongly fortified nor so well guarded but that without any Ceremony of Trenches or Approaches you may at the very firâ—… march up to his Counters-scarp without danger He puts me in mind of the incorrigible Scold that though she was duck'd over head and ears under water yet stretched up her hands with her two thumb-nails in the Nit-cracking posture or with two fingers divaricated to call the man still in that Language Lousy Rascal and Cuckold But indeed when I consider how miserable a wratch his Answerer has rendred him and yet how he persists still and more to rail and revile him I can liken it to nothing better betwixt them than to what I have seen with some pleasure the hawking at the Magpy The poor bird understandâ—… very well the terrible pounces of that Vulture bâ—… therefore she chatters amain most 〈◊〉 and spreadâ—… and cocks her tail so that one that first saw and heard the sport would think that she insulted over the Hawk in that chatter and she 〈◊〉 her train in token of courage and victory when alas ' 〈◊〉 her fear all and another way of crying the Hawk mâ—…cy and to the end that the Hawk finding nothing but tail and feather to strike at she may so perhaps shelter her body Therefore I think there is nothâ—…g in my way that hinders me but that I may now go on to the History of this M. Bâ—…yes his third Book the Preface to Bishop Bramhall and to what Juncture of Affairs it was reconciled His Majesty perhaps upon Mr. Bayes his frequent Admonitions both
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