man to be delivered from Satan or absolv'd but he made him then pay for his Journey thither by Excommunication before ever he would suffer them to return by Absolution and as bad as trading goes for the Naked-Truth has almost quite spoil'd it yet it is to this day absolutely the best Trade I was going to say but that 's a lie but it is still the most gainful Trade in Europe for you run no hazard but of the first waftage to Satan and even then also if ever they be suffered to return they pay sauce they pay for all at last besides a man runs no great hazard in stock for a small stock will set a man up a little Wax and Paper and Pen and Ink except the place might cost somewhat at the entrance and admittance for a Garsome or Fine but however the Trade begins to brisk up again and sometimes they shall make you of one particular Soul especially if it be a Churchwarden's Soul ten or twenty waftages and for every waftage seven or eight pound if it be a weighty and rich Soul and long upon the Road or Voyage for they go both by Land and Water and of a poor Soul and quick passage perhaps not above ten Groats or such a matter I am sure I am within a shilling under or over if it be a poor Churchwardens Soul and sometimes thirteen shillings and four pence and sometimes I may well say a Guiney Well! 't is no laughing matter Gentlemen Proximus ardet it may be your own turns in good time there 's no body has cause to laugh that I know but the Pope and such as he first constituted Sumners Apparitor's Surrogates c. they indeed may well laugh they win There are two Books of Naked-Truth I ought to tell the Reader the third Part and fourth Part that are father'd upon me but they are spurious and unlike me or my style which is uniform at worst and some say so singular that I need not put my name thereunto 't is self-evident I never writ more Naked-Truths than This and the Second Part of Naked-Truth and the Vindication thereof against Fullwood Nor had I writ this but upon the said occasion nor troubled my self or the World with my Notions if I had not been troubled in their Spiritual-Courts for I love my retiredness having been cloy'd with the Flourish and Grandeur of the World before I chose to settle my self in an obscure and dormant Function in being a Priest In which silence I had for ever as my desire was lain hid but Providence will have it otherwise Yet after two or three experiments I think men are mad possest or bewitch'd to trouble me or trouble themselves with me incessantly to instigate and provoke a man that studies to be quiet if the Devil did not owe them a shame The Reader cannot reasonably expect that accuracy of method or spruce style in so hasty a Birth Conceiv'd and Digested long ago but writ every word in that Weeks stay I made at London in the throng of other businesses and far from my Study my Notes and my Books But he that will please to read St. Augustine in his 16th Sermon upon Gods Word in St. Matthew and in his first Book of the Lord's Sermon on the Mount and Athanasius Chrysostome and Theophylact and they will find that my Comment here upon Matt. 18.17 is not Heterodox nor Singular I have but one thing more to beg of the Courteous Reader viz. his Pardon for several escapes lapses and tautologies not to be avoided but by writing it over again But I have no leisure and less disposition to give it a second draught Let it go rough as it runs blunt and unhewn 't is natural and mine own But neither I nor the Reader will repent our cost and pains if this do but help to blunt that keen and fiery edg of Excommunication that has set all Societies in Christendom together by the ears and has been the great if not only bane of Charity the sole Test and Truth of any Religion The two most Learned Pen's Sir Thomas Moor and Erasmus Contemporaries and great Cronies together are both my Warrant and Authority as well as President for this Jocular way of writing on a weighty subject which is nauseous if it be affected and not free and natural But if it be genuine it is the most profitable way of writing upon a grave subject because pleasant For the most tough and sinewy Arguments are then most effectual when made pliable to the capacity and finely fitted to the head which the said two great names 't is rare two in one Age had got the knack of nor were any of their time more belov'd by some or more hated by others The former hated even to death The latter to damnation or rather Excommunication by the Pope and Fryars and yet for his great Learning pleasant and facetious way of Writing Canoniz'd by others for a Saint so that setting one against the other 't is fancied that he is neither in Heaven nor Hell but betwixt both in a Limbus of his own However the Town of his Nativity Roterdam as the seven Islands-Mediterranean contended for the Honour of being the Birth-place of Homer in eternal memory of his Immortal Name have set up his Effigies in Brass in their chief Church as I am informed styling him for their own Honour as well as his Erasmus Roterdamus But no man ever yet writ so well since the Christian World was and is so divided into factions as to get every bodies good word no not our blessed Jesus himself some said true of him as Peter Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God and others lyed and said Thou art a Samaritan and hast a Devil And it will always be so with the best of men some shall not love him so well but others shall hate him as much either through their Native Virulency Malignity and ill Humor or else in envy of his Fame Learning Parts or Prosperity will endeavour to blacken him and do him mischief And these Delinquents the Fools and the Knaves are by far the major part of the World and therefore 't is reputation enough and to be sure the most lasting and the way to be everlasting if men be but acceptable to the few honest and wise who shall eternize the memory for fools bolts are not sooner shot than vanisht and the envy of knaves expires and ceases and is buried with and in the Grave of the Worthy Besides Truth is always prevalent and strongest at long run if it be not smother'd by an Inquisition or a Jayl the Popish methods of old but not practicable now people are generally unhoodwinkt And yet I deny not but the World I mean the vulgar are not guided by Reason Truth or solid Judgment but by Interest Fancy Opinion and Superstition yet they are glad always at long run for their own sakes to suffer the few wise men to
course at Law with him and bring a Clausum Fregit or Action of Trespass against him before the Roman-Magistrates in their Courts of Judicatory as you may against a Heathen-man that is a Gentile or a Publican For the Publicans though many of those Excise-men Toll-gatherers or Custom-gatherers were Jews by Nation and Religion too and some of them Jewish Christians yet they were Herodians that is true Conformists to the Roman-yoke and Government and therefore odious to the Puritanical-Bygots the Hypocritical Pharisees that lookt with scorn upon all Man-kind and as Dogs despis'd and hated all if they were not of their Religion or rather foolish Superstition The best Comment upon Holy-Scripture is its self and the best Interpreter of our Blessed Saviour's sayings are his own and his Apostles Words and Actions A like Saying to this of Matt. 18.17 we have in Luk. 17.3 4. where our Saviour says If thy Brother trespass against thee if he repent forgive him that is if he pay the Trespass and make thee satisfaction and confess his fault and be sorry for it and promise amendment for without these there is no true Repentance then forgive him seven times and seventy seven times even as often as he shall sin against thee and neither Court him nor Sue him in the Spiritual-Court before the Sanhedrim or High-Priests-Court nor yet in the Temporal Courts of the Gentiles or Heathen-men and Publicans For our Blessed Saviour does not say Let him be to the Church as a Heathen-man or a Publican which the Pope to colour the Authority and Jus Divinum of his Excommunications as he does that of Christ to Peter Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church does without any ground or colour as politickly as sencelesly Construe and Interpret But our Blessed Saviour only says Let him be to thee to thee not to the Church as a Heathen-man or a Publican that is thou mayst lawfully then Sue thy Brother Jew at Law as well as any Gentile or Heathen-man or Publican Nor did ever any solid Scholar or Divine that was not prejudic'd and forestall'd in his Judgment which is usually the same with that of their Mothers and Catechisers for few men have wit enough to see and chuse their own way and know why and wherefore following like Horses in a Teame with Nose in Tayl of their Predecessors I say never an unbyass't man that ever I yet met with could prove Excommunication out of Matt. 18.17 But what may be concluded from the next Ver. 18. shall be examin'd by and by But Matt. 18.17 to my understanding sounds much like that of St. Paul 1 Cor. 6.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. Dare any of you having a matter against another go to Law before the unjust and not before the Saints Do ye not know that the Saints shall judg the world and if the world shall be judged by you are ye unworthy to judg the smallest matters Know ye not that we shall judg Angels how much more things that pertain to this life If then ye have judgment of things pertaining to this life set them to judg who are least esteemed in the Church I speak this to your shame Is it so that there is not a wise man amongst you no not one that shall be able to judg between his brethren But brother goeth to Law with Brother and that before the unbelievers Now therefore there is utterly a fault amongst you because you go to Law one with another Why do ye not rather suffer wrong Why do ye not rather suffer your selves to be defrauded So that when Jews or Christians happen to live in subjection under a Gentile or Heathen-Government than that of our Saviour Matt. 18.17 and this of Saint Paul 1 Cor. 6. is a Rule for them to walk by as to going to Law But if the Romans had not Conquer'd and given Laws to the Jews as they did in our Saviour's time and also if Christians do not live under a Heathen-Government then Matt. 18.17 and 1 Cor. 6. has no place nor is there any occasion for those Rules but they are Rules only in such cases nor is it heard of in an Age I know it that have liv'd amongst the Jews that the Jews go to Law one with another before the Christians or put them into a Court-Christian or Court-Mahometan But in a Kingdom or Country where the chief Magistrates are Christians or Jews there is no place nor occasion for this Rule namely Let him be unto thee as an Heathen-man or a Publican And therefore this Text is nothing to prove or colour Excommunication at this day nor ever was in our Saviour's time 't is nothing to the purpose but a foolish Popish groundless Comment But as this Comment arose from Popish Politicks and Prelatical Usurpation so it was grounded and is yet countenanced by and from a vulgar error Namely That the Synagogue or Sanhedrim amongst the Jews was only a Spiritual-Court or Kirk-Administration and that all the weapons they had was putting out of the Synagogue or debarring and excluding from the Sacraments Ordinances Divine-Service and all Spiritual and Ecclesiastical-Communion And not one of a thousand at this day but so accept it Whereas in truth the Sanhedrim Kirk or Synagogue was no more a Spiritual Ecclesiastical Court than those amongst us in Westminster-Hall or at the Assizes For the Sanhedrim or Synagogue acted by a standing Commission of Oyer and Terminer there was not amongst the Jews especially in our Saviours time when he spoke those words Matt. 18.17 two distinct Jurisdictions Ecclesiastical and Temporal one for the Soul another for the Body for such differen Courts are apt to clash and keep a quarrelling or ado with Prohibitions Consultations and I know not what But the Lord-Chief Justice was also High-Priest and Chief Magistrate and all the Inferiour Courts had Jurisdiction over all Persons and in all Causes Ecclesiastical and Temporal called the Sanhedrim the great the less and sometimes and usually the Synagogue Which Synagogue I say was carried on by Commission of Oyer and Terminer and never Excommunicated any man that is never debarr'd any man from the Sacraments Sacrifices and never shut any man out of the Church or Temple if he was a Jew though never so prophane But the Kirk or Synagogue Church or Judges or Justices of Peace Magistrates call them what you will for they were one and the same men as they are at this day in Turky Persia and the greatest part of the well-govern'd World as well as in the Theocratye of the Jews the Government of Gods own making Moses was Lord-Chief-Justice and Priest too and Consecrated and Ordain'd Aaron and his Son Moses Promulgated Canons and Constitutions not only temporal but Ecclesiastical Joshua nor Eleazar was commanded by God to look to and take care that the Israelites should be Circumcised the second time neither was he to except any amongst them or debar them from the Ordinance although
many People think 't is a hard world since the Inquisition and High-Commission-Court were dissolved now that Curst Cows have short Horns yet let them comfort themselves with Excommunication and the Writ de Excommunicato Capiendo for though the Writ de Heretico comburendo be burnt and we cannot burn an Heretick for our Lives yet the Writ de Excommunicato Capiendo shall imprison the Heretick and bury him alive in a Jayl and what would men have Methinks that should content them Enough Enough in all Conscience a man would think if they have any Conscience in them What would they be at Do they know Do they not know when they are well Will nothing serve but Hang the Rogue burn the Heretick or crop the Roundhead in a Pillory Time was Ay Ay Time was when a bold Fellow that durst speak the Naked-Truth or tell Rich men of their Roguery he had as good have eat his Ears in the merry days of the Inquisition and High-Commission But who can help the thing that will away Truly my Lord I daily expect the Effects of the Fury and Rage of the Devil and devilish men that rage so much the more as foreseeing their time is short But blessed be God my shoulders are as big and large of the largest size as the most of Mortals and can bear as much I doubt not but they 'll try my strength A whole Legion of Sell-Souls will fall upon me for this little Book better make one Back crack than not load the Wretch that takes away the Trade of the Higlers and Retailers of Heaven and Hell by which they have liv'd so long and so plentifully But I believe in God not without some Faith and Hope sure I have some grounds for it in your Grace and Clemency And for all your sayings that yet you will alter your word and not leave me to your Under-Officers Alas I am in their Clutches already they have begun to squeeze me already When shall I get out of their hands can you tell me How well will it become your Lordship to heal the Breaches and not stretch the Wounds wider they gape and are ghastly enough already and all that I have hitherto writ I told them so before but they would not believe is but an Earnest-penny of what I have at their service And to serve you and the Church I have much more in my head and heart I am scarce yet warm in my work extorted from me too and I do but play a little about the skirts of the business though some perhaps could wish me warm in Smithfield their Christian requital for my great pains if they might have leave to carry me and the Fagots thither But those days are not yet come To confute the Naked-Truth with the Arguments of Bloody Bonner a Bone-fire or a Jayl a Dungeon and a Pillory Here 's enough in all Reason for a Letter writ Raptim and in Haste I dare say your Grace never had such another Letter for length in your life And take it not in dudgeon that in memory of our mutual and spiritual Alliance I make bold to subscribe my self MY LORD Your most loving Brother Most obedient Son And most humble Servant COLCHESTER Decemb. 4. 1681. POSTSCRIPT THE said Bishop St. Ambrose was not asham'd of his spiritual Kindred to his Flock Vos mihi est is Parentes qui Sacerdotium tulistis vos inquam filii vel parentes filii singuli universi Parentes Ambrose Tom. 3. p. 89. in Luk. 18. No no Bishop Ambrose was not asham'd of his poor Kinsmen and Relations spiritual as high and stout as he was and scorn'd to Try them Judge them much less Curse them Silence them Stop their Mouths and Excommunicate them by Proxy or by his Vnder-Officers And yet he was a great Ecclesiastical Judge as well as your Lordship not a Judge at or of Common-Law Statute-Law the Municipal-Law but a Judge by and according to Canon-Law Canon-Law Ay if any Body can or does Judge by it this day Canon-Law Canon-Law four or five great Folio's of it too bulky to get well into any man's head that is already stufft full of Divinity Canon-Law 'T is as easie to make a Rope of Sand as to make the Canon-Law agree with its self one Canon and one Council does so thwart and thwack one another Canon-Law in which whosoever is vers't shall find enough to fit almost any purpose Had we not as good keep to the Canon of Holy Scripture as to be led to Sentence by Proxy and Lay-Doctors of Canon-Law even just as they shall nuzzle things into our heads But give me leave to mind you of one Canon-Law more most agreeable to our English Laws Concil Carthag 4. Can. 22 23 29 30 32. Episcopus si Clerico vel Laico crimen imposuerit deducatur ad probationem in Synodum Can. 30. Caveant Judices Ecclesiae ne absente eo cujus causa ventilatur sententiam proferant quia irrita erit imo causam in Synodo pro facto dabunt Let the Ecclesiastical Judges have a care and look to that they pronounce no Sentence in the absence of the Party accus'd nor without consent of a Synod of Presbyters if otherwise it shall be null and void c. And most reasonable such Presbyters too as are of the Neighborhood for shall not our Temporal Estates Free-holds or Monies no not in Trifles be given away from us without a Jury of the Neighborhood And shall our everlasting Souls and the liberty of our Bodies be given away by Proxy and a blind implicit Faith in the Certificavit or Significavit of a single malicious peevish interested and revengeful Sell-Soul Surrogate Official or Register King Balak himself could not with all his Gifts persuade the wicked and mercenary Prophet Balaam to curse whom God had not cursed but in spight of his teeth he was glad to say How can I defie whom the Lord hath not defied Yet he loved Cursing and Mischief in his heart and accordingly gave King Balak most wicked counsel which ended in mischievous Events on all sides No Judge that has any thing of a Man in him can pass Sentence of Death upon a Malefactor that deserves it without some yernings of the Bowels of Humane Compassion to Humane Kind And shall a keen-spiritual Judge make no more of it than to be yare and brisk and ready prest and bent to anathematize excommunicate silence suspend and curse to eternal death the Souls of poor Christians for every Trifle to the Pit of Hell and his Body to the Jayl Is this Christianity Is this Religion Learnt we this of our Saviour God forbid God forbid that Protestant-Bishops should be like the Bishops Luther speaks of for this cause To. 2. p. 310. Adversus falsum nominatum ordinem Episcop Perinde c. It is with these wicked Bishops all one as if the Devil himself should sit Mitred in the Chair and Rule the People The Introduction SOME that have thought