half so industrious so hearty so united in their Endeavours to preserve their Church in its due Splendour and Reputation as others are to eclipse her Glory and depress her to the very Ground The Book you see is faulty in this Particular The Dissenters are wise they do all within the compass of their Power to keep up their Conventicles with Number and Riches while the careless Church-Men mind little but to talk drink or swear for their Religion and so leave it As to the fearful Bill or Charge drawn up against the young Counsellor 't is found defective in Form tho' the Matter seems true 'T was at first very surprizing he knew not what in the World to say to it Now the Saints are inclin'd to think 't is all a perfect Mistake because He flatly denies the Accusations begins to appear again in Publick and follows Mr. Month's Ghostly Advice p. 25. For who can believe the Man guilty of an evil Act that with Heart of Stone and Face like Brass can tell the World he is not so If the Relations are for Law He has Skill enough in that to evade their Trial. He knows when to demurr and when plead If they would punish him in any other Members than the Offending Ones out comes an Audita Quaerela Let 'em demand the Bold Pyrate's full Restitution of the Virgin-Treasure He returns a Non est invent ' in nostrâ Ballivâ And to secure his Right of Elections proceeds by a Quare Impedit and is able to produce divers loose Precedents in these known Cases But if all these Shifts and Projects fail he can hide his Head in the Low-Countries till Time has worn out the Memory of his Crimes lest by continuing in any Part of this envious Nation he should be stopt with a Ne Exeat Regno and be undone for ever 'T was one blind side of the Book to propose the Best Choice for Religion and Government as sufficient to persuade Dessenters to unite with the Church where both these are in greatest Perfection You may silence but shall hardly persuade them see it in Mr. Maggot's Case At first reading the Book he was startled and crept close into his Wool for shelter But now being warm'd and reviv'd by his Sheep's Cloathing begins to be more brisk and airy will not allow the Church to be the Best Choice because we the dissenting Brethren can't endure to own our Errours and Imperfections 'T is a Rarity to find one of a hundred that will be prevail'd on by good Reason and Argument the far greater number consulting with Men of Stout and Obdurate Consciences in which the Spirit of God never dwells will sooner die or venture the Ruine of Church and Kingdom than recede one small step from their belov'd and destructive Practices But why all this noise about the Church as if the Church was injur'd in our Choice of Sir Anthony Is not he the Son of a Church a moderate Church-Man He goes sometimes to Church and has been heard say He was never at a Conventicle in all his time Now if Sir Anthony does sincerely love the Church as every true Member of it ought to do He 'll certainly in all Things in all Times Cases and Circumstances espouse her Interest give her all the Demonstrations of Kindness and Fidelity that can be given Can any Man consent to pull down that Church wherein if at all he hopes to be sav'd To despise or neglect much less to spurn against a most Pious Mother that has provided to make him happy in both Worlds If by a Moderate Church-Man is meant One that cares not how little he 's concern'd in the Communion of it One that 's indifferent or cold in all the Parts of its Worship that is not strictly ty'd up to the Rules and Orders of it but is at Liberty to prevaricate upon any Worldly Consideration That to please or gratifie a Party can omit alter or abbreviate the Church's Prayers play fast or loose with his Religion can betray the Church to serve himself He 's properly no Church-Man at all no true no sound Member of it Is rather like a Wooden-Leg ty'd on and taken off at pleasure than by natural Ligaments and Nerves knit to the Ecclesiastical Body The Church often suffer'd and can have no good from such loose such false Professours I see no Reason to engage the Dissenters to chuse such a Moderate Church-Man as before describ'd since it is not very probable that a Man can be true to another Party kind to other Religions who is unfaithful to his own But if by a Moderate Church-Man is signify'd one who being a true Christian cannot dissemble with God and the World gives Caesar and the Church their due Respect and Deference is yet of that sober meek patient and charitable Temper as to pity and pray for his very Enemies Is not for taking advantages of all Offenders not for insisting strictly on the Summum Jus the utmost Rigour or Extremity towards them But demeaning himself so equitably and fairly in the Administration of Justice in Differences and Contests and generally in his Dealing with all Men as to promote the Wellfare of Mankind and as much as is possible for an honest Man to do for preserving of Concord and Amity one with another Such a Benign Lovely Christian Temper does the Church of England above all others commend and practice at this day Has ever esteem'd it her Glory to keep the Medium between the Two Extremes of Severity and Remissness Such Moderation as the Dissenters never us'd towards her when they had the Power nor can they shew it to one another when ever their Circumstances shall happen to require it Oh! But Sir Anthony was a Fellow-Sufferer with the Dissenters was secur'd and carried to Prison when the Government was in Danger and he suspected as an Enemy though he call'd himself a Church-Man And have not Dissenters Reason to look on him as a Friend whate'er the Book says to the contrary 'T is no matter for considering the Cause whether our Persecution was or was not for Righteousness sake whether Dissenters then suffer'd as Christians or for some other Reason But suffer they did That remains so fresh in our Memories that we can neither forget nor forgive it We are unwilling to remember on t'other side how miserably the Loyal Episcopal Party were plunder'd sequestred decimated dungeon'd starv'd and often stunk to death what Oaths and Covenants were rigorously impos'd on the Wicked what restraints were laid upon their Liberties both Civil and Ecclesiastical tho' all this while they had Law and Right standing for them But the Saints at that time Ruling by the Law of Liberty and good Conscience publish'd an Ordinance of Parliament in the Year 1645. That if any Person hereafter shall at any time use or cause to be used The Book of Common-Prayer in any Church Publick Place of Worship or in any private House or
those that are acquainted with St. Hierome's Writings well know that this Passage was intended to beat down the Usurpation of the Deacons at Rome who then began to out-top the Presbyters on this Account he was tempted to magnifie and extoll the Place and Dignity of Presbyters in the Church And though he said that Bishops and Presbyters are all one He yet in other places excepts the Office of Ordination and Government And does at other times plainly and frequently assert the Authority of Bishops over Presbyters and did himself constantly live in Communion with and Subjection to Bishops John Calvin could not advance himself at Geneva without the Bishop's Fall and yet had all things belonging to a Bishop but the Name As Old Noll had in the Monarchy but the bare Title of King The Geneva or Presbyterian Discipline was begotten in Rebellion born in Sedition and nurs'd up by Faction Aerius was one of the worst Friends you cou'd have produc'd he was vex'd to see himself slighted and not preferr'd to a Bishoprick as his Companion Eustathius was And this made the haughty Man start aside and talk extravagantly against Bishops â—â—at the Church branded and excommunicated him for an Heretick and Epiphanius represents him little better than a Mad-man distemper'd by Pride Emulation Envy Covetousness Ambition These were the Causes of his opposing Episcopal Government If you consult Blondell Salmatius and Daillé whose great Parts Learning and indefatigable Industry cou'd if any thing have made out the contrary you 'll see they have been forc'd to grant That Episcopacy obtain'd in the Church within a few Years after the Apostolick But our Church can safely carry it higher even to the Apostles themselves so much you urg'd me to speak concerning the Antiquity and Dignity of Bishops in the Church Dissent We all acknowledge we have had Freedom enough to speak for our selves we have but one thing more to plead and then we shall submit to your Lordship's Determination Our Separation from the Church must be allow'd because there are in it many wicked People scandalous ill Livers who for want of due Exercise of Discipline or by the Inadvertence or Connivence of its Governours do remain in it and so give us just occasion of Offence and Separation There are two Texts of Scripture for us in this Case 2 Cor. 6. 17. Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing so Rev. 18. 4. Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues Judge This I take to be none of the least Absurdities the Dissenters are guilty of Are there no such Mixtures no Offenders no ill Livers amongst you Are they all holy harmless and pure that come to your Congregations If not you have the same Reasons to separate to come out from among them as to withdraw from the Church for fear of Pollution and by the same Argument you must never join in any Communion while the World endures The want of Discipline we may thank you for You You Dissenters are the Cause that so many Immoralities are now tolerated That Excommunication and other necessary Censures of the Church which formerly kept People in good Order and preserv'd the Honor and Reputation of Religion are by your Encouragement of Disobedience both omitted and mock'd at And were you truly Men of tender Consciences this one Consideration would make your Hearts ake Look into the State of the Church under the Jewish Administration and you 'll find that the Sins of neither Priest nor People owning the True God became at any time the occasion of Separation to them What Sins could be greater than those of Eli's Sons And yet did not the People of God Elkanah and Hannah by Name refrain to join with them in the Publick Worship 1 Sam. 2. 17 24. In Ahab's time when all Israel halted betwixt God and Belial yet then did the Prophet Elijah summon all Israel to appear on Mount Carmel and held a Religious Communion with them in Preaching and Praying and Offering a Miraculous Sacrifice 1 King 18. All along when both Prince Priests and People were very much deprav'd and debauch'd in their Manners we don't find that the Prophets at any time exhorted the Faithful and Sincere to separate from the rest or that they themselves set up any separate Meetings but continu'd in Communion with the Church preaching to them and advising them to Repentance Look into the New Testament you 'll see in the Apostolick Churches of Corinth Galatia and the seven Churches of Asia many of the Members were grown very Bad and Scandalous yet we don't read the Example of any Good Man separating from the Church or any one Precept rightly understood from the Apostles so to do They don't tell them that the whole Body was polluted by those filthy Members and that if they would be safe themselves they must withdraw from their Communion but exhort 'em to use all Means to reclaim them And if neither private nor publick Admonitions and Reproofs wou'd do then to suspend them from the Communion of the Church till by Repentance and Amendment they render'd themselves capable of being restor'd to Peace and Pardon Our Blessed Saviour knew the Jewish Church to be a corrupt Church Priests and People lewd and vicious yet kept in Communion with it and commanded his Disciples so to do We read that the Scribes and Pharisees who rul'd the Ecclesiastical Chair at that time had perverted the Law corrupted the Worship of God were blind Guides devoured Widows houses were Hypocrites and such as only had a Form of Godliness yet did not our Saviour separate from their Communion but was made under the Law freely submitted himself to all the Rites and Ceremonies of it He was circumcis'd on the Eighth Day redeem'd by a certain Price being a Son and a First-born observ'd the Passover and other Feasts enjoin'd by their Law Yea and that of the Dedication too which was but of Human Institution was baptiz'd amongst them preach'd in their Temples and Synagogues reason'd with 'em about Religion exhorted his Disciples to hear their Doctrine though not to follow their Practices Now what greater Cause on the Account of Corruption and Manners could be given to separate from a Church than was there Yet how carefull was our Saviour both by his Example and Precept to forbid and discountenance it Consider the Representations of a Church given in Scripture and elsewhere to shew that it is a Mixture of Good and Bad 'T is call'd a Field in which Wheat and Tares grew up together a Net wherein are Fishes of all sorts a Barn wherein there is Corn and Chaff a Vine that has fruitful and barren Branches an House in which are Vessels of Gold and Silver and of lesser Value a Marriage-Feast at which were wise and foolish Virgins c. St. Hierome compares the Church to Noah's
those elder Times Times of less Learning and more Honesty shou'd have occasion with other Spirits to enter our inchanted Castle and Corporation they might see sufficient Reasons for the change of its Name and cou'd not but wonder at the many Vicissitudes of Time Place and Manners But Sir Antbony Putt and I will not pretend to be much seen in the Antiquities of our Town and Country that 's a Study we must resign to a more Able Faithful and Judicious Antiquary who has already detected our Mistakes in point of Elections and will publish them in due time 'T is no Prudence for Men of our small Reading and less Judgment to print more than they can make out or come under the Correction of the more Learned To prevent such farther Disgrace we ask Pardon of that Worthy Gentleman for once daring to invade his peculiar Province without leave Well waving Antiquity in this case let 's survey the present State and Condition of this Burrough What deplorable Alterations it has suffer'd within our Memory How unnaturally have some Men degenerated from the Principles Honour and Temper of their Ancestors Where the Grandfather and Father were constant Blessings in their Piety Beneficence and Good Example to all Men the Son unlearns all his Parents Virtues and becomes a Reproach to his Family a very Curse and Plague to the Plate he wells in He that a few Years ago pass'd for an undoubted Oracle every Word of his was a Law with the Common People was as Infallible as the Pope Himself has now alas lost Ground to amazement His Cardinal Dissenters begin to have other Sentiments to think in good earnest they may be safest without him their Liberty as sure their Traffick more unlimited and their Reputation more clear if by laying him aside they free themselves from their unpolitick Practice of opposing the Church The meanest of the People have their Eyes open can now see as far into a Mill-stone as other Men can tell ye that all is not Gold that seems so that there 's difference betwixt Words and Deeds Pretence and Truth and do mortally hate to be deceiv'd They see plainly what was meant by setting up the Burrough against the Corporation the mighty Out-cry of Danger Danger like Fire Fire to amuze and confound the Multitude that had they either not Voted at all or join'd with the Mayor and Aldermen against Sir Anthony their Danger and Loss had not been so great in setting aside a Man greedy of Honour as the Injury and Mischief of destroying the Unity and Friendship of the Town dividing it into Parties and begetting Hatred and Malice one against another They now believe that the Civil Rights and Liberties of Scydromedia may well be maintain'd without his Help and that the Advice and Assistance of Honorary Freemen in chusing the fittest Men to serve in Parliament can be no wrong to a Corporation That to rob Men of their Peace Reason and Religion is a greater Crime than to hinder a few insignificant Votes if that had been intended The Poorer sort had not created Enemies by confronting the Rich on whom their Work or Relief must depend Time and Consideration do Wonders some Men that heretofore wou'd venture starving rather than not Vote for our Worthy Patriot now are of Opinion they had better stay at home and stand neuter and then tho' they strictly oblige neither Party yet by leaving it to others of better Judgment they enrage none People are afraid of a Glorious and Just Design because such a Pretence once ended in the most Barbarous Murder of King Charles I. They made him in truth a Glorious King but sent him to find a Kingdom in another World ever since that time the Wind of Reformation has blown over us we have breath'd in an unwholesom Air. The Contagion has spread into all adjacent Parts some leading busie Dissenters like diseas'd Sheep have infected not the whole Flock but very many that came near them Poor Sir Anthony I 'm sure is the worse for 'em he has no mind to be made a Tool to any Power or Interest whatsoever if he was not forc'd to it by his belov'd Honour Being puff'd up with that he and his Magna Charta pass some coarse Compliments on Mr. Mayor the Aldermen and all the Church-Party calling them Arbitrary Infolent Magistrates Multipliers of Electors Thieves Treasonable Impudent Fools Injurious Time-servers Carriers on of Tricks Men of black Designs Men of no Reason Frantick Undertakers But we must suppose that these Words are to be taken Ironically that he meant just contrary to what he said And truly without the help of this deceitful Trope we had been hard put to 't to take off the Absurdities and Contradictions of that printed Paper Now let 's try at the Book if we can answer that justifie the Saints and preserve our Members the Work 's done Sed hic Labor hoc Opus In order to it let Sir A. put on as good a Face as he can genteely frisk about the Town visit every diminutive Cottager say Sir I 'm your humble most faithful and most obedient Servant you 're all mistaken in me I am the same Man I was in King Charles II. 's Time that no Revolution can change my Temper that with all my Faults you had better have one you do than one you do not know If he meets a Man that has but an Hose or Clout on his Head let our obliging Knight bend his Body with Hat and Hand to the Ground and in all Circumstances act the Part of Popularity to the life I Confess he 's too great a Master that way than to need my Directions Let my Lady Castle spend no more of her precious Time in vainly Coaching to Park or Play in making unnecessary unwelcome Visits to the Gentry these will never promote our Cause Mrs. Maggot or any other of the Holy Sisters or whatever they are that will help to carry on our Good Design must have the Honour of being my Lady's Companions nay she shall attend them in House Street Coach in all Places and seem fond very fond of 'em for want of better Society Let the ' Squire forbear watching and waiting under his amorous Oak the Prize is taken and was I fit to advise a Counsellor that Tree should not longer stand as a living Monument of his dying Honour Let him not altogether lurk within doors but try his Skill upon the Dissenting Females some more than common Familiarity with them may chance to turn the Tide for all this The Leading Presbyterians are sure Cards to oppose Church and Kingly Government the Independents may be easily wrought into any pious Mischief and the Quakers are generally too proud to submit to the plainest Truth or go one step out of their own way And yet the wisest Heads amongst 'em are stagger'd at the Book and know not well what to say against it But to our comfort I perceive all