parties to prepare things for an Accommodation that he might confirm it by his Royal Authority Hereupon what do they Notwithstanding this happy Conjucture of his Majesties Restauration which had put all men into so good a humour that upon a little moderation temper of things the Nonconformists could not have stuck out some of these men so contriv'd it that there should not be the least abatement to bring them off with Conscience and which infinuates into all men some little Reputation But to the contrary several unnecessary additions were made only because they knew they would be more ingrateâ—…ull and 〈◊〉 to the Nonconâ—…ormists I remember one in the Let any where to False Doctrine and Herâ—… they added Schism though it were to spoil the Musick and cadence of the period but these things were the best To show that they were men like others even cunning men revengeful men they drill'd things on till they might procure a Law wherein besides all the Conformity that had been of former times enacted there might be some new Conditions imposed on those that should have or hold any Church Livings such as they assur'd themselves that rather than swallow the Nonconformists would disgorge all their Beneficâ—… And accordingly it succeeded several thousands of those Ministers being upon one memorable day outed of their subsistence His Majesty in the meantime although they had thus far prevailâ—…d to frustrate his Royal Intentions had reinstated the Church in all its former Revenues Dignities Advantages so far fâ—…om the Authors mischievous aspeâ—…sion of ever thingking of converting them to his own use that he restored them free from what was due to him by Law upon their first admission So careful was he because all Government must owe its quiet and continuance to the Churches Patronage to pay them even what they ought But I have observed that if a man be in the Churches debt once 't is very hard to get an acquaintance And these men never think they have their full Rights unless they Reign What would they have had more They roul'd on a flood of 〈◊〉 and yet in matter of a Lease would make no difference betwixt a Nonconfoâ—…mist and one of their own fellow sufferers who had ventuâ—…'d his life and spent his â—…state for the King's service They were 〈◊〉 to Paâ—…liament and to take their places with the King and the Nobility They had a new Liturgy â—…o their own hearts desire And to cumulate all this happâ—…ness they had this new Law against the Fanaticks All they had that could be devised in the World to make a Clergy-man good natur'd Nevertheless after all their former sufferingâ—… and after all these new enjoyments and acquâ—…sitions they have proceeded still in the same traâ—…k The matrer of Ceremonies to be sure hath not only exercised their antient rigor and severity but hath been a main ingredient of their publick Discourses of their Sermons of their Writings I could not though I do not make it my work after 〈◊〉 great example to look over Episâ—…les Deâ—…icators but observe by chance the Title page of a Book ' toâ—…herday as an Eâ—…bleme how much some of theâ—… do neglect the Scripture in respect to their darling Ceremonies A Rationale upon the Book of common-Common-Prayer of the Church of England by A Sparrow D. D. Bishop of Exon. With the Form of Conseâ—…ration of a Church or Chappel and of the place of Christian Buriâ—…t By Lancelot Andrews late Lord Bishop of Winchester Sold by Robert Pawlet at the Sign of the Bible in Chancery Lane These surely are worthy cares for the Fathers of the Church But to let these things alone How have they of late years demean'd themselves to his Majesty although our Author urges their immediate dependance on the King to be a great obligation he hath upon their Loyalty and Fidelity I have heard that some of them when a great Minister of State grew burdensome to his Majesty and the Nation stood almost in defiance of his Majesties good pleasure and fought it out to the uttermost in his defence I have been told that some of them in a matter of Divorce wherein his Majesty desired that justice might be done to the party agriev'd opposed him vigorously though they made bold too with a point of Conscience in the Case and went against the judgement of the best Divines of all parties It hath been observed that whensoever his Majesty hath had the most urgent occasions for supply others of them have made it their business to trinkle with the Members of Parliament for obstructing it unless the King would buy it with a new Law against the Fanaticks And hence it is that the wisdome of his Majesty and the Parliament must be exposed to after Ages for such a Supoeerâ—…eation of Acts in his Reign about the same business And no sooner ean his Majeâ—…ty upon his own best Reasons try to obviate this inconvenience but our Author who had before our-shot Sibthorp and Manwaring in their own Bows is now for retrenching his Authority and moreover calumniates the State with a likelihood and the Reâ—sons thereof of the return of Popery into this Nation And this hath been his first Method by the Fanaticks raising disturbance whereupon if I have raked farther into things than I would have done the Author's indiseretion will I hope excuse me and gather all the blame for reviving those things which were to be buried in Oblivion But by what appears I cannot see that there is any probability of disturbance in the State but by men of his spirit and principles The second way whereby the Fanatick party he saith may at last work the ruine of the Church is by combining with the Atheists for their Union is like the mixture of Nitre and Charcoal it carries all before it without mercy or resistance So it seems when you have made Gun-power of the Atheists and Fanaticks we are like to be blown up with Popery And so will the Larks too But his zeal spends it self most against the Atheists because they use to jear the Parsons That they may do and no Atheists neither For really while Clergy men will having so serious an office play the Drols and the Boon-companions and make merry with the Scriptures not only among themselves but in Gentlemen's company 't is impossible but that they should meet with at least an unlucky Repartee sometimes and grow by degrees to be a tayle and contempt to the people Nay even that which our Athour alwayes magnifies the Reputation the Interest the seculiar grandure of the Church is indeed the very thing which renders them rediculous to many and looks as improper and buffoonish as to have seen the Porter lately in the good Doctors Cassock and Girdle For so they tell me that there are no where more Atheists than at Rome because men seeing that Princely garb and pomp of the Clergy and observing the life and manners think therefore the meaner of Religion For certainly
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-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
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
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
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
Superiority over other men further than positive Order agreed upon among Christians hath preâ—…cribed Time hath taken leave sometimes to fix this name of CONVENTICLES upon good and honest Meetings Though open Assemblies are required yet at all times while men are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pious all Meetings of men for mutual help of 〈◊〉 and Devotion wheresoever and by whomsoever celebrated where permitted without exception In times of manifest Corruption and Perseru-tion wherein Religious Assembling is dangerous Private Meetings howsoever besides Publicâ—… Order are not onely lawful but they are of necessity and duty All piâ—…us Assemblies in times of Persecution and Corruption howsoever practised are indeed or rather alone the Lawful Congregations and Publick Assâ—…mblies though according to form of Law are indeed nothing else but RIOTS and CONVENTICLES if they be stained with Corruption and Superstition Do you not see now Mr. Bays that you needed not have gone so for a word when you might have had it in the Neighbourhood If there be any Coherence leâ—…t in yâ—…ur Scull you canâ—… but perceive that I have brought you Authority eâ—… to prâ—…ve that Schism for the reason we may discourse another time do's at least rhime to Ism. But you have a peculiar delight and selicity which no man 〈◊〉 you in Scripture-Drollery â—…othing less 〈◊〉 taste to your Palat whereaâ—… otherwise you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so far in Italy that you could not escape the Tiâ—…les of some Books which would have served your turn as well Caâ—…dinalism Nâ—…potism Putanism if you were in a Parox 〈◊〉 of the Ism's When I had â—…rit this and undergone so grateful a P. 〈◊〉 for no less than that I had transcribed beâ—…ore cut of â—…ur Author I could not upon compariug them both together but reflect most seriously upon the difference of their two ways of Discoursing I could not but admire that Majesty and Beauty which sits upon the forehead of masculine Truth and generous Honesty but no less detest the Deformity of falshood disguised in all its Ornaments How much another thing it is to hear him speak that hath cleared himself from forth and growns and who suffers neither Sloth nor Fear nor Ambition nor any other tempting Spirit of that nature to abuse him from one who as Mr. Hales expresseth it makes Christianity lackque to Ambition How wretchedly the one to uphold his Fiction must incite Princes to Persecution and Tyranny degrade Grace to Morality debauch Conscience against its own Principles distort and mis-interpret the Scripture fill the world with Blood Execution aâ—…d Massacre while the other needs and requires no more but a peaceable and unprejudicate Soul and the native simplicity of a Christian-spirit And me thinks if our Author had any spark of Vertue unextinguished he should upon considering these together retire into his Closet and there lament and pine away for his desperate follie for the disgrace he hath as far as in him is brought upon the Church of England by such an undertaking and for the eternal shame to which he has hereby coudemn'd his own memory I ask you heartily pardon Mr. Bayes for treating you against Decorum here with so much gravity 'T is possible I may not trouble you above once or twice more in the like nature but so often at least I hope one may in the writing of a whole Book have leave to be serious Your next Flower and that indeed is a sweet one Dear Heart how could I hug and kiss thee for all this Love and Sweetness Fy â—…y Mr. Bayes Is this the Language of a Divine and to be used as you ometimes express it in the faâ—… of the Sun Who can escape from thinking that you are adream'd of your Comfortable Importance These are as the Moral Saâ—… calls them in the claenl est manner the thing would bare Words left betwixt the Sheets Some body might take it ill that you should misapply your Courtship to an Enemy But in the Roman Empire it was the priviledge of the Hangman to deflour a Virgin before Execution But sweet Mr. Bayes for I know you do nothing without a precedent of some of the greatest wits of the Nation whose example had you for this seeming Transport of a gentler Passion Then comes Wellfare poor Macedo for a modest Fool. This I know is matter of Gazette which is as Canonical as Ecclisiastical Policy Therefore I have the less to say to 't Onely I could wish that there were some severer Laws against such Villains who raise so false and scandalous reports of worthy Gentlemen And that men might not be suffered to walk the streets in so confident a garb who commit those Assassinates upon the reputation of deserving persons Here follows a sore Charge that the Answerer had without any provocation in a publick and solemn way undertakâ—…n the Dâ—…fence of the Fanatick Cause Here indeed Mr. Bayes You have reason and you might have had as just a quarrel against whosoever had undertaken it For your design and hope was from the beginning that no man would have aâ—…swered you in a publick and solemn way and nothing would vex a. wise man as you are more than to have his intention and Counsel frustrated When you have rang'd all your forces in battel when you have plac'd your Canon when you have sounded a charge and given the word to fall on upon the whole Party if you could then perswade every particular person of 'm that you gave him no Provocation I confess Mr. Bayes this were an excellent and a new way of your inventing to conquer single 't is your Moral Vertue whole Armies And so the admiring Drâ—…ve might stand gaping till one by one you had cut aâ—…l their throats But 〈◊〉 Bayes I cannot discern but that you gave him as much Provocation in your first Book as he has you in his Evangelical Love Church Peace and Unity which is the pretence of your issuing this Preface For having for your Dear sake beside many other troubles that I have undertaken without your giving me any Provoration sought out and perused that Book too I do not find you any where personally concern'd but as you have it seems upon some conviction assumed to your self some vices or errours against which he speaks in general and with some modesty But for the rest you say upon full perusal you find not one Syllable to the purpose beside a perpetual Repetition of the old out-worn story of Unscriptural Ceremonies and some frequent whinings and sometimes â—…avings c. Now to see the dulness of some mens Capacities above others I upon this occasion begun I know not how it came at p. 127. And thence read on to the end of his Book And from thence I turn'd to the beginning and continued to p. 127. and could not all along observe any thing but what was very pertinent to the matter in hand But this is your way of excusing your self from replying to things that yet you will be medling with and
and that â—…erefore they are unlawful Our Authors Answeer handling this Argument does among other things â—…ake use of a pertinent Passage in Saint Austin Signa â—…uum ad res divinas pertiâ—…t Sacramenta appellantur What does Mr. Bayes in this case for it went hard â—…ith him Why as good luck would have it not being willing that so great a Politician to the irrepaâ—…able damage of the Church shonld yet be destroyâ—…d J. O. had forgot to quote the Book and Page Now though you send a man the length of your Weapon and namâ—… your Second Yeâ—… Mr. Bayes being as you see 〈◊〉 admirably read in the Laws of 〈◊〉 knew that unless the Time and Place be appointed there is no danger He saith therefore p 452. of his second Book that he should have advantage on his side if he should lay odds with him that there is no such passage in all the Volumns of Saint Austin But however that it is neither civil nor ingenuous to trouble him with such Objections as he cannot answer without reading over eight or ten large Volumns in Folio It was too much to expect from one of so much business good Augustulus Quum tot sustineas tanta negotia solus Res Sacras Armis tuteris Moribus ornes Legibus emendes S Which may be thus translated When you alone have the Ceremonies to defend with Whipping-posts Rods and Axes when you have Grace to turn into Morality when you have the Act of Oblivion and Indemnity and the Ecclesiastical Declaration of March to tear in pieces it were unreasonable and too much to the dammage of the publick to put you on such an Imployment I ask your pardon Mr. Bayes for this Paraphrase and Digression for I perceive I am even hardned in my Latine and am prone to use it without fear or reverence But Mr. Bayes there might have been a remedy for this had you pleased Where then were all your Leaf-Turners a sort of poor Readers you as well as Bishop Bramhal ought to have some Reverence for having made so much use of them to gather materials for your Structures and Superstructures I cannot be perswaded for all this but that he knowâ—… it well enough the passage being so remarkable in it self and so dirtyed with the Nonconformists thumbs that he could not possibly miss it and I doubt he does but laugh at me now when to save him a labour I tell him in the simplicity of my heart that even I my self met with it in Ep. 〈◊〉 ad Marcellinum and the words these Nâ—…mis autem longum est convenienter disputare de 〈◊〉 fignorum quae cum ad res divinas pertinent Sacramâ—…nta appellantur But whether there be such a place or no he hath no mind that his Answerer shoâ—…d make use of it nor of the Schoolmen whom before he had owned for the Authors of the Church of England's 〈◊〉 but would bind up the Answerer to the Law only and the Gospel And now Mr. Bayes saith he will be of the School-mens opinion as long as thâ—…y spâ—…ak Sense and no longer and so I believe of Saint Ausâ—…'s that is to say so long as they will serve his â—…urn for all Politicians shake men â—…ff when they have no more use of 'm or find them to 〈◊〉 the design But Mr. Bayes why may not your Answerer or any man else quote St. Austin as well as you may the Scriâ—…re I am suâ—…e there is less danger of perverting the place or of mis-interpretation And though perhaps a Nonconsormist may value the Authority of the Bibâ—…e above that of the Fatâ—…ers yet the Welch have a Proverb that the Bible and a Stone do well together meaning perhaps that if one miss the other will hit You that are a Duellist know how great a bravery it is to gain your Eeâ—…emys Sword and that there is no more home-thrust in dispuâ—…ation thâ—…n the Argumentum ad hominem So that if your Adversary fell upon you with one of your own Fathers it was gallantâ—…y done on his part and no less wiâ—…ely on yours to fence in this mâ—…nner and usâ—… all your shifts 〈◊〉 put it by For you too Mr. Bayes do know no man better that it is not at all times safe nor honourable to be of a Fathers opinion Having escaped this danger he grows nor can I blame him exceeding merry and insults heavily over Symbolical wheresoever he meets with it for in his Answerer I find it not But wheresoever 't was it serves to good purpose For no man would imagine that he could have received so universal a Defeat and appear in so good humour A terrible Disputant he is when he has set up an hard word to be his Opponent 'T is a very wholesome thing he knows and prolongs life for all the while he can keep up this ball he may decline the Question But the poor Word is sure to be mumbled and mowsled to purpose and to be made an example But let us with Mr. Bayes his leave examine the thing for once a little closer The Non-conformists as I took notice before do object to some of the Rites of the Church of England under the name of Symbolical or significant Ceremonies They observe the Church of England does in the discourse of Ceremonies printed before the Common Prayer Book declare that the retaining of those Ceremonies is not onely as they serve for decent Order and Godly Discipline but as they are apt to stir up the dull mind of man to the remembrance of his duty to God by some special and notable significancy whereby he may be edified They further observe the Church of England's definition of a Sacrament That it is an outward visible sign of an inward spiritual Grace They find these Ceremonies so constituted impos'd upon them by Authority and more-over according to our Authors principle made a new part of the Divine Law They therefore quarrel and except against these under the notion of Sacraments and insist that the Church is not impowred to institute such Ceremonies under such obligations and penalties as they are imposed Or if you will in stead of Church you may say rather the Magistrats for as much as our Author hath pro hac vice delivered the Keys and the whole power of the House into his hands Now the Author having got them at this lock crys Victory Nothing less will serve him than a three days triumph as if he had conquered Europe Asia and Africa and let him have a fourth day added if he please over the Terra Incognita of Geneva There is no end of his Ostentation and Pageantry and the dejected Non-conformists follow the wheels of his Chariot to be led afterwards to the Prison and there executed He had said p. 446. of his Second Book Here Cartwright begun his Objection and here he was immediately check'd in his Carrear by Whitgift you might Mr. Author for respect sake have called him at leaft Mr. if not Archbishop
that â—…he offering of some grains of Incense was only to perâ—…ume the room or that the delivering up of their Bibles was but for preserving the Book more carefully Do you think the Christians would have palliated so 〈◊〉 and colluded with their Consciences Men are 100 prone â—…o err on that hand In the last King's â—…ime some eminent Persons of our Clergy made an open defection to the Church of Rome One and he yet certainly a Protestant and that hath deserved well of that cause writ the Book of Seven Sacraments One in the Church at present though certainly no less a Protestant could not abstain from arguing the Holiness of Lent Doctor Thorndike lately dead left for his Epitaph Hic jacet câ—…pus Herberti Thoradike Praebendarij hujus Eccleâ—… qui vivus veram Reformatae Ecâ—…lesia rationem modum precibus studiisque prosequebatur and nevertheless he adds Tu Lector requiâ—…m ei beatam in Christo resurrectionem precare Which thing I do thus sparingly set down only to shew the danger of inventive piety and if Men come once to add new devices to the Scripture how easily they slide on into Superâ—…tition Therefore although the Church do consider her self so much as not to alter her Mode 〈◊〉 the fancy of others yet I cannot see why she ought to exclude those from Communion whose weaker consciences cannot for fear of scandal step further For the Non-conformists as to these Declarations of our Church against the Reverence to the Creatures of Bread and Wine and concerning the other Ceremonies as before will be ready to think they have as 〈◊〉 against the clause That whosoever should atfirm the Wednesday Fast to be imposed with an intention to bind the Conscience should be punished like the spreaders of falso news which is saith a learned Prelate plainly to them that understand it to evacuate the whole Law For all human Power being derived from God and bound upon our Conscinces by his Power not by Maâ—… he that faith it shall not bind the Conscience saith it shall be no Law it shall have no Authority from God and then it hath none at all and if it be not tyed upon the Conseience then to break it is no sin and then to keep it is no duty So that a Law without such an intention is a contradiction It is a Law only which binds if we please and we may obey when we have a mind to it and to so much we are tyed before the Constitution But then if by such a Declaration it was meant that to keep such Fasting-days was no part of a direct Commandment from God that is God had not required them by himself immediately and so it was abstracting from that Law no duty Evangelical it had been below the wisdom of the Contrivers of it no man petends it 〈◊〉 man saith it no man thinks it and they might as well have declared that that laiw was none of the ten Commandments p. 59 of his first Book So much pains does that learned Prelate of his take who ever he was to prove a whole Parliament of England Coxcombs Now I say that thâ—…se Ecclesiaâ—…ical Laws with such Declarations concerning the Ceremonies by them 〈◊〉 might mutaâ—…is mutandis be taxed upon the same Topâ—…k But I love not that task and â—…hall rather leave it to Mr. Bayes to paraphrase his learnd Prelate For he is very good at correcting the 〈◊〉 of Laws and Lawgivers and though this work indeed be not for 〈◊〉 turn at present yet it may be for the future And I have heard a good Engineer say That he never 〈◊〉 any place so but that he reserved a feeble point by which he knew how to take it if there were occasion I know a medicine for Mr. Bayes his Hiccough it is but naming J. O. but I cannot tell certainly though I have a shrew'd guess what is the cause of it For indeed all his Arguments here are so abrupt and short that I cannot liken them better considering too that â—…requent and perpetual repetition Such as this Why may not the Soveraign Power bestow this Priviledge upon Ceremony and Custom by virtue of its prerogative What greater Immorality is there in them when determined by the Command and Institution of the Prince than when by the consent and institution of the people This the Tap-lash of what he said p. 100. When the Civil Magistrate takes upon him to determine any particular Forms of outward Worship 't is of no worse Consequence than if he should go about to define the signification of all words used in the Worship of God And p. 108. of his first Book So that all the Magistrates power of instituting significant Cerem-onies c. can be no more â—…rpation upon the CONSCIENCES of Men than if the Soveraign Authority should take upon it self as some Princes have done to define the signification of words And afterwards The same gesture and actions are indifferently capable of signifying either honour or contumely and so words and therefore 't is necessary their signification should be determined c. 'T is all very well worth reading p. 441. of his Second Book 'T is no other usurpation upon their Subjects Consciences than if he should take upon him to refine their Language and determine the proper signification of all phrases imployed in Divine Worship as well as in Trades Arâ—…s and Sciences p. 461. of the same Once we will so far gratifie the tenderness of their Consciences and curiosity of their Fancies as to promise never to ascribe any other significancy to things than what himself is here content to bestow upon words And 462. of the same So that you see my Comparison between the signification of Words and Ceremonies stands firm as the Pillars of the Earth and the Foundations of our Faith Mr. Bayes might I see have spared Sir Salomon's Sword of the Divine Institution of the Sacraments Here is the terriblest weapon in all his Armory and therefore I perceive reserved by our Duellist for the last onset And I who am a great well-wisher to the Pillars of the Earth or the eight Elephants lest we should have an Earth-quake and much more a Servant to the Kiag's Prerogative lest we should all fall into consusion and perfectly devoted to the Foundations of our Faith lest we should run out into Popery or Paganism have no heart to â—…his incounter lest if I should prove that the Magistrates absolute unlimited and uncontrolable Power doth not extend to define the signification of all words I should thereby not only be the occasion of all those mischiefs mentioned but which is of far more dismal Importance the loss of two or three so significant Ceremonies But though I therefore will not dispute against that Flower of the Princes Crown yet I hope that without doing much harm I may observe that for the most part they left it to the people and seldome themselves exercised it And even Augustus Casar though
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
that this Book of Sibthorps called Apostolical Obedience was Printed there came out another of the same stamp Intitled Religion and Allegiance by one Doctor Manwaring It was the substance of two Sermons preached by him at Whitehall beside what of the same nature at his own parish of Saint Giles Therein he delivered for truth That the King is not bound to observe the Laws of the Realm concerning the Subjects Rights and Liberties but that his Royal word and command in imposing Loans and Taxes without common consent in Parliament does oblige the Subjects Conscience upon pain of eternal Damnation That those who refused to pay this Loan offended against the Law of God and the Kings supream Authority and became guilty of Impiety Disloyalty and Rebellion That the Authority of Parliament was not necessary for raising of Aids and Subsidies and the slow proceedings of such great Assemblies were not fitted for the supply of the states urgent necessities but would rather produâ—…e sundry impediments to the just designs of Princes And after he had been questioned for this doctrine nevertheless he preached again That the King had right to order all as to him should seem good without any mans consent That the King might in time of necessity demand Aid and if the Subject did not supply him the King might justly avenge it That the Propriâ—…ty of Estate and Goods was ordinarily in the subject but extraordinarily in the King that in case of the King's need he hath right to dispose them He had besides entring into comparison called the refusers of the Loan temporal Recusants and said the same disobedience that they the Papists as they then called them practise in spirituals that or worse some of our side if ours they be dare to practise in temporals And he aggravated further upon them under the resemblance of Turks Jews Corah Datâ—…an and Abiram which last said he might as well liken themselves to the three Children or Theudas and Judas the two Incendiaries in the daies of Caesar's tribute might as well pretend their Cause to be like that of the Maccabees as what the Refusers alledged in their own defence I should not have been so large in these particulars had they been only single and volatile Sermons but because this was then the Doctrine of those persons that pretended to be the Church of England The whole Quire sung that Tuno and instead of the Common Law of England and the Statutes of Parliament that part of the Clergy had invented these Ecclesiastical Lawes which according to their predominancy were sure to be put in Execution So that between their own Revenue which must be held Jure Divinâ—… as every thing else that belong'd to them and the Pâ—…ince's that was Jure Regio they had not left an inch oâ—… propriety for â—…he Subject It seem'd that they had granted themselves Letters of Reprisal against the Laity for the losses of the Church under Henry the Eight and that they would make a greater havock upon their Temporalities in retaliation And indeed having many times since ponder'd with my greatest and earnest impartiality what could be the true reason of the spleen that they manifested in those daies on the one hand against the Puritans and on the other against the Gentry far it was come they tell me to Jack Gentleman I could not devise any cause but that the Puritans had ever since the Reformation obstructed that laziness and splendor which they enjoyed under the Popes Supremacy and the gentry had sacrilegiously divided the Abby-Lands and other 〈◊〉 morsels of the Church at the Dissoluâ—…ion and now was the time to be revenged on them While therefore the Kingdome was turned into a Prison upon occasion of this Ecclesiastical Loâ—… and many of the eminentest of the Gentry of England were under 〈◊〉 they thought it seasonable to recover once again their antient Glory and to Magnificate the Church with triumphant Pomp and Ceremony The three Ceremonies that have the Countenance of Law would not sussice but they were all upon new 〈◊〉 and happy was he that was endued with that capacity for he was sure before all others to be preâ—…'d I here was a second Service the Table seâ—… Altar wise and to be called the Altar Candles Crucisixes Paintings Imagery Copes bowing to the East bowing to the Altar and so many several Cringes and Genuflexions that a man unpractised stood in need to entertain both a Dancing Maâ—…er and a Remem brancer And though these things were very uncouth to English Proteslants who naturally affects a plainness of fashion especially in sacred things yet if those Gentlemen 〈◊〉 have contented themselves with their own Formalitie the Innovation had been more excusable But many of these Additions and to be sure all that had any colour of Law were so imposed and prest upon others that a great part of the Nation was â—…'n put as it were to Fine and Ransom upon this account What Censures what Excommunications what Deprivations what Imprisonments I cannot represent the misery and desolation as it hath been represented to me But wearied out at home many thousands of his Majesties Subjects to his and the Nations great loss thought themselves constrained to seek another habitation and every Country even â—…hough it were among Savages and Caniballs appear'd more hospitable to them than their own And although I have been told by those that have seen both that our Chuâ—…ch did even then exceed the Romish in Ceremonies and Decorations and indeed several of our Church did therby frequently mistake their way and from a 〈◊〉 kind of Worship fell into the Roman Religion yet I cannot upon my best judgement believe that that party had generally a design to alter the Religion so far but rather to set up a new kind of Papaâ—…y of their own here in England And it seemed they had to that purpose provided themselves of a new Religion in Holland It was Arminianism which though it were the Republican Opinion there and lo odious to King James that it helped on the death of Barnevelt yet now they undertook to accomodate it to Monarchy and Episcopacy And the choice seemed not imprudent For on the one hand it was removed at so moderate a distance from Popery that they should not disoblige the Papists more than formerly neither yet could the Puritans with justice reproach these men as Romish Catholicks and yet on the other hand they knew it was so contrary to the antient reformed Doctrine of the Church of England that the Puritans would never imbrace it and so they should gain this pretence further to keep up that convenient and necessary Quarrel against Non-conformity And accordingly it happened so that here again was a new Shiboleth And the Calvinists were all studiously discountenanced and none but an Arminian was judg'd capable and qualified for imployment in the Church And though the King did declare as I have before mentioned that Mountague's Arminian Book had been the occasion of
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