SOME OBSERVATIONS UPON THE ANSVVER To an ENQUIRY into the GROUNDS OCCASIONS OF THE CONTEMPT OF THE CLERGY With some ADDITIONS In a Second LETTER to R. L. By the same Author LONDON Printed for N. Brooke at the Angel in Cornhill near the Royal Exchange 1671. THE PREFACE TO THE READER SInce I was last with you in this kind I have almost been of as many Professions and Employments as there be City-Companies and have had as many several Names as the Grand Seignior has Titles of Honour for setting aside the Vulgar and Familiar ones of Rogue Raskal Dog and Thief 〈◊〉 may be 〈◊〉 by way of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well as out of Prejudice â—…r Offence as also those of more certain 〈◊〉 as Mallolous Rogue ill-natur'd Raskal Lay-Dog and spightful Thief I say setting aside all these they have travell'd me almost quite through the Map For in a moment I got to the Streights shot the Gulph cut the Line and was presently Barbarian Indian Turk and Jew And notwithstanding this the Business went on at home all the while besides for there I was Rebel Traytor Scot Sadducee and Socinian and then you know I had but a little way to Antichrist himself I thought it therefore the best and most honest way not to conceal these things that you being fully satisfied of that pernicious poyson that was in the former you may carefully avoid the dander of being infected by this second but if you are so bold as to venture a blowing up look closely to it For the Plot lies deadly deep and t will be between your Legs before you be aware of it for this is full out as Jesuitically contriv'd as the other was said and thought to be But of all things have a care of putting it into your pocket for fear it takes Fire or runs away with your Breeches And if you can shun it read it not when you are alone or at least not late in the Evening For the Venom is strongest about Midnight and seizes most violently upon the Head when the Party is by himself And if you happen of any doubtful Expression be sure you take it for the present in the worst sense for you may abate again after the heat of the Weather be over And if at any time you find the Viper begin to creep upon you run instantly out of your Chamber and get into any company and fall to rayling immediately as hard as ever you can nay say somewhat to your self as you go along in the Streets for fury and passion whets the Blood and keeps the Enemy at a distance and is found to be as good against any Bookish Infection as a Glass of Sack is against the Plague I shall not tell you one Line of what is in it And therefore consider well what you do and look to your self But if you be resolv'd to meddle be sure have a care of catching cold and keep to a moderate diet for there is danger and jeopardy in it besides And I must desire that when you come at a Neighbouring Minister of the Answerers looking over his five hundred Sermons that you do not believe me For I find that he did not look them all over with his outward Eye but only call'd them over in his mind And I desire also that the Answerer would believe himself and not me For I would not by any means have him write a Book only about that Mistake And indeed whereas he says in his first page that one design of his Writing was to make an acknowledgment that a great part of what I writ was true I wish that either he would have let my Truth have shifted for it self without the help of his acknowledgment for I profess he has prevented me killing I know not how many Otters or else that he would have divided his Letter into two parts and have plac'd the Answer by it self and the Acknowledgment by it self Which if he had done and pick'd them duely and carefully he might have written all that which he calls Answer upon very little more than his Thumbnayle And I must particularly beg of the Scripture Non-Conformists that they be not too severe upon a small Lay-mistake For my Bible not lying just under my Elbow I find I have in one place made our Saviour say that which indeed John Baptist spoke before hand for him And because I am in the begging humour I must crave further that if any of you hear of a second Answer coming out against my former Letter concerning my putting the Tarts before the Chickens for I am given to undersâ—…nd that such an Objection is nâ—…ed that by all means you presently stop the Press for most certainly Chickens ought to have the precedence of Tarts both by an indispensable right of nature and by the justest rules and traditions of Cookery And I shall always be ready to acknowledge rather than defend such mistakes SOME OBSERVATIONS UPON THE ANSVVER To an ENQUIRY into the GROUNDS OCCASIONS OF THE Contempt of the Clergy c. SIR WHat Service you or I should do to Church or State by cracking of Nâ—…ts I do not understand excepting the case of Chesnuts upon which aâ—… it has been reported the Kingdom of Napleâ—… has some Mysterious dependance but however to this Employment our old Friend and Acquaintance W. S. advises us rather than to disturb the world with idle wishes and dangerous endeavours of doing any good For although what I sent you in my last may possibly be most of it true and might in the opinion of some hasty men be counted useful yet there be others of a more wary and deliberate Judgement that say it must not be true neither shall it be true because there is an ancient and received Axiome amongst Statesmen That all things that are true are not fit to be said at all times as the Answerer to my first Letter most politically observes Now Sir this same Friend of ours does not tell me plainly whether he expects to hear from me again and if he does for my part I know no more what to write than he knows me For his Love and Tenderness towards me is so very great that it will suffer him to answer but to very little of my Letter as you know Sir Friends if they be dear indeed and indeed are very loth to cross and contradict one another and therefore he troubles not himself much about that but only he assignes me over to God knows how many further Answerers as first of all I am to be quarrell'd with by all the School-Masters of the Nation for undervaluing the great Ordinance-days of Humiliation and Repetition Next oâ—… all I am to be versifyed upon parâ—…icularly by the Westminster Scholars who are to persecute me severely with Poetical Squibs and Crackers If these do not effect the Business then Cowley is to be raised from the Grave on purpose to make a Pindarique upon me After all this the Convocation is to meet
and verily thought the Author was innocent and free from all bad intentions It happened that afterwards he calls to mind that upon some odd time it might possibly be in that great Thaw the Answerer makes mention of his Text dropt or melted asunder into its particulars The Gentleman presently takes the Book and beginning again cries out aloud fire fire heresie rebellion so that now you can no more get him near that Book than a Colâ—… to a Wind-mill Another also I hear of who lives not â—…ar from another Oak who happening upon the foresaid Letter did in like manner read it and was very reasonably contented and thought most of it true Afterwards he found it out that he had married to a very true and literal Abigail Hah says he What! are yâ—…u there with your Bears Come give me pen ink and papâ—…r it is all of it a most dangerous confounded lye it is against both the Universities against both the Houses of Parliament and against all the Gentry and Commonalty of the whole Nation But by chance my Cosen call'd him to bed and he having slept the Book was pretty true again by next Morning And I suppose Sir you have seen a Book called the Friendly debate a Book that shews a very honest Author be he who he will but because he mix'd a little pleasantness with his unanswerable proofs of the folly of his Adversaries hereupon presently must he be call'd a Scoffer at Religion a droll upon all Godliness a Doctor of the Stage and I know not what besides Now Sir for my part I must confess thaâ—… I am no great weigher and measurer of words I have but one Rule the end of which is only to be understood and it is very likely that when I had occasion to mention such toys and triflâ—…s by the use of which Ministers do sometimes bring upon themselves contempt that I did not then call for a great Canopie and foot-cloth and setting my self magnificently in the Chair with set rebuking countenance and words as stiff as steel speak to the â—…ternal discouragement of pun or quibble and then summoning together all the harsh Mâ—…taphors and idle Similitudes of the Countrey bid them all be accursed and for ever shun my presence and whereas they pretend to be the glory of all sense and joy of the undâ—…rstanding tell them they are a companâ—… of empty Rascals and 〈◊〉 let them all be gone Perhaps this way might have done it is a very hard matter to please every body But as the Answerer hints there is one part of my 〈◊〉 that concerns the Poverty of the Clergy a Grave and Tragical subjâ—…ct which ought to be lamented not insulted ovâ—…r I know not how Sir to avoid his believing that I do most mightily pride my self over the mean condition of some of the Clergie though I should tell him never so often that the great design of my Book was to wish that there might be no such mean ones to be insulted over and though I should let him know that I am so far from any such unchristian humour that there is none more willing to devote part of his Estate for the raising of their Revenue if publick Authority should so think fit than my self but in the mean time what have you done what have you propounded sayes the Answerer towards this Indeed I was not so light-headed and fondly doting upon my undertaking as to imagine that immediately after the Printing of my Letter the Parliament should resolve themselves into a Grand Committee and forthwith consider of some present way of raising the Revenue of the meaner sort of the Clergie But for all that I am not so dead-hearted but to hope in time that wayes may be thought of to bring about such a great blessing to this Nation for howsoever despairing some may be yet I must confess it rejoyces my heart more than a little to call to mind how the Bâ—…shops have augmented the Vicaridges in their Gift and to hear oâ—… several sums of money now employed towards the redeeming of the great Tythes and to understand that there be many well disposed People that have already given back their Impropriations to the Church and that there be others thâ—…t have made such Purchases on purpose so to settle them afterwards and above all to consider the great care and good inclinations of our present Parliament towardâ—… the Church who are not only highly watchful to mainâ—…ain the Peace and present Rights thereof but seem to be as willing to contribute towards the further Prosperity of the same I have not indeed propounded any way as was said before but if you look Sir into â—… learned Author before mentioned you will there see a way propounded in the twentieth Chapter of his late Treatise And in the mean time I hope I have said nothing to abaâ—…e the charity or good purposes of pious Benâ—…factors or to stop the assisting hands of our present Governours And I perceivâ—… the Answerer by his Letter seems not to be much against what I have said but only does not approve of the manner of expression and would have had me to have pitied lamented and howled Now Sir suppose instead of speaking my mind as I did I should have covered my self with sack-cloth and besprinkl'd my head with ashes and with mournful and sad countenance and a long rope of Onyons to carry on the work of crying have taken a journey to visit the low condition of some of the Clergie and should have gone about with a Bell and a tone as doleful as the man that uses to carry it and have cryed alas alas poor Gentleman your House is ready to fall and your Glebe is very narrow and somewhat short Alas alas here take an Onyon I am come to cry with you this evening and to bewail your missortunes and mean circumstances This is the way indeed to kill the poor Minister before the following Sunday and to make Widows apace but what good else it should do I know not Or perhaps the Answerer would have had me to have drawn a Scheme of a small Benefice and have demonstrated that a Family of six or seven cannot be honourably mâ—…intained with twenty or thirty pounds a Year and so putting down A. and B. for the Minister and his Wife three or four of the following Letters for the Children and an U. for the Vicaradge have sciâ—…ntifically proved that A. B. C. and the rest that follow would easily eat up and wear out more than U. if they had it Indeed although I was not in all places thus Mathematically grave and serious yet where it was needful I was more considerate than the Answerer perhaps may imagine and did not frame and devise more inconveniences than the world is sensible of and where it was requisite I reckon'd up and well weigh'd all circumstances Although I did not use a Quadrant to take the height of every Vicaridge chimney nor cast up exactly how
before his short Catâ—…chism That a plain Câ—…techism dâ—…th more instruct a soul than a whâ—…le daies prâ—…e which some daily spit fâ—…rth to bid men get Christ and persecute â—…is servants for he was very well aware that these grâ—…at Zealâ—…ts that talk so much of Christ and his Interest wâ—…re as forward to cheat steal or coâ—…mit any villanies as those that had never heaâ—…d of Christ or the Doctrine that he preached And indâ—…d I had now taken but very little notice oâ—… what was then done amongst thâ—…m iâ—… that idle empty and insiâ—…nificant preâ—…ching had ceased with the tiâ—…s buâ—… still I find pâ—…ople so studious to deceive and so willing to be decâ—…ived that such prâ—…ttle amongst many still bears the name of the only saving powerful and edifying preaching And indeed though I will not accuse every one of that party that now stand separated from us of the utmost extravagancies of these folliâ—…s yet I am very certain that the greatest part or at least the most famous and 〈◊〉 amongst thâ—…m are so generâ—…lly addicted to câ—…nting insignificâ—…nt phrases and tedious tautologies that should we compare their continual religious non-sense with the indiscretions of the Câ—…nformists these would appâ—…ar tolerably sober and wary Rhetoricians And this is so plain from what has been already mentioned that very little need to be said further but only it happens that I have now by me a Book call'd Apples of gold for young men young women a Book so famous amongst them that it has to my knowledge deceived the World to no less than eight Editions and yet when we look into it notwithstanding the subject is very large and profitable we shall there find little besides Christ the Soul Conscience Eaith â—…nd such like very good words over and over repeated to very small purpose and as often usher'd in with an engaging and crying introduction of Ah! young men young men and sometimes Ah! young men and women It is all one Sir where you open the Book his Rhetorical humour is so very much the same Ah! says he p. 181. young men young men if you must needs be leaning then lean upon precious prâ—…mises lean upon the rock that is higher than your selves lean upon the Lord Jesus Christ as John did John leaned much Joh. 21. 20. and Christ loved him much Ah! lean upon Christs wisdom lean upon his power lean upon his purse lean upon his eye lean upon his righteousness lean upon his blood lean upon hiâ—… merit Now Sir we well understand and know the meaning of Chrâ—…sts Wisdom Power Righteoâ—…sness and the like but to make a huge clattering of Christ and a long empty tattle of leaning and to make people sigh and cry by meer repetition of Scripture words when perhaps there is little 〈◊〉 sign of sense than shaking of the head and wringing of hands hâ—…ve much more in it of popular deceit than populâ—…r Râ—…etorick but having set out with the word lean for the fine figâ—…rative noise and easiness together that is to bâ—… conâ—…inued as long as lungs can hold never minding â—…o what it is joyned or how it is appliâ—…d And whence do you think Sir camâ—… alâ—… this idle rant about leaning only from John's being placâ—…d next to our Saviour at Supper and laying his head or elbow in his bosom therefore young men if they would be leaning they must run their heads into our Saviours purse and put their elbows into his eyes And from this place of Scripture alone arise all thâ—…ir insignificant canting about a believâ—…rs lâ—…ning and rolling upon Christ it being no where else mentioned in the whole Nâ—…w Testâ—…ment but only where it is said that Jacob leaned upon the top of his staff And as he hâ—…re runs away with the word leâ—…ning so the very same method he uses â—…or any thing else that he shall happen upon It is said you â—…now Sir Mal. 1. 14. Cursed be the deceiver which hath in â—…is flock a male and yet offâ—…reth to the Lâ—…rd a corrupt thing Upon which 〈◊〉 â—…ollow Ah! young men and women who are like the Almond-tree you have manâ—… males in your flock your strength is a male in the flock your timâ—… is a male in the flock yâ—…ur parts are a male in the flock and your gifts are 'a male in the flock c. And whereas here he mentions only strength and parts in general as bâ—…ing males in the flock yet if his breath would have lasted he could have made every finger and toe that a young man has to be a male in the flock and I wonder how he miss'd judgment memory fancy and the five senses for these doubtless are all males in the flock if he had not forgot â—…hem And this is that in which chiefly consist the power and edifyingnâ—…ss as they call it of thâ—…ir preaching and by which they think themselves so far to excel the instructions of the conformable Ministers as if these could not say the word Christ as often in an hour as the most powerful and edifying of them and I wonder where lyes the mysterie and great difficulty of this gifted sort of Rhetorick I am discoursing suppose about the pardon of sin and I bring in that of the Psalmist Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven c. Upon whiâ—…h occasion I exert my gifts and pour forth thus It is not blessed is the honâ—…able man but blessed is the pardon'd man it is nâ—…t blessed is the rich man but blessâ—…d is the pâ—…rdon d man it is nâ—…t blessed is the learned man but blessed is the pardon'd man it is not blessed is the politick man but blessed is the pardon'd man it is not blessed is the victorious man but blessed is the pardon'd man Or I am preaching suppose about remembring the Creator in the days of our youth and I gush forth after this manner Ah that young men and women would but in the morning of their youth seek yea seek early seek â—…arnestly seek affèctionately seek diligently seek primarily seek unweariedly this God who is the greatest good the best good the most desirable good who is a sutable good a pure good a satisfying good a total good and an eternal good Now may not a Conformist though of an ordinary invention and not endued with the sublimest giftednesses of our Separatists say seek seek seek seek c. or good good good good c. I am very serious Sir and you know it and I wish those that I am now speaking of would think so too and lay aside their groundless pretences to gifts and preach like men and Christians for I bless Almighty God I love all the World and wish that all men were wise to the salvation of themselvâ—…s and others And notwithstanding that many of them are so â—…orward to boast of thâ—…ir spiritual attainments and improvements and will â—…ell you How often they have sweat at prayer and how long they frequented Ordinances and what abundance