mechanick Priest-Missionaries that came into England would prove the truth of that Letter better which will be suspected till then by all that consider how hard it would be to perswade lazy Priests to undergo the long fatigue of learning Handycrafts which would do them little service without the language of the Land And they who know the strict scrutiny made by Presbyterians and Independants e're they admit any as members of their Congregations or Ministers will be more affraid that such should thrust themselves in the Establish'd Churches than ours His 3d. Argument to prove that Toleration to Dissenting Protestants will increase Popery is because 't is the cause of our Divisions whereof the Papists take great advantage For proof whereof he cites Mr. Baxter A. That Papists and all other Adversaries make their advantage by our Divisions is seen and bewailed by all good men with Mr. Baxter but that our mutual forbearance of one another in matters not necessary to Salvation was ever the cause of divisions Mr. Baxter hath nor taught but the contrary Yet if he desire an account of the true causes of our divisions he may learn them from one of the Ornaments of the Church of England the memorable Mr. John Hales of Eaton in his Tract of Schism page 201. Who teacheth us that all Schisms have crept into the Church by one of these three ways 1st Upon matter of Fact 2d Upon matter of Opinion 3d. On point of Episcopal Ambition I call that matter of Fact when something is required to be done by us which we know or strongly suspect to be unlawful So the first notable Schism of which we read in the Church contained in it matter of Fact for it being upon Error taken for necessary that an Easter must be kept and upon worse than Error if I may so speak for it was no less than a point of Judaism forc'd upon the Church upon worse than Error I say thought further necessary that the ground for the time of keeping that Feast must be the Rule left by Moses unto the Jews There arose a stout Question whether we were to celebrate with the Jews on the 14th of the Moon or on the Sunday following This matter tho most unnecessary most vain yet caus'd as great a combustion as ever was in the Church the first separating and refusing Communion with the last for many years together In this phantastical hurry I cannot see but that all the world were Schismaticks neither can any thing excuse them from that Imputation excepting only this that we charitably suppose that all Parties out of Conscience did what they did a thing which befell them through the Ignorance of their Guides for I will not say their Malice and that through the just judgment of God because through Sloath and blind Obedience men examin'd not the things which they were taught but like Beasts of burthen patiently couched down and indifferently underwent whatsoever their Superiors laid upon them Further page 210. For in these Schisms which concern Fact nothing can be a just cause of refusal of Communion but only to require the execution of some unlawful and suspected Act for not only in Reason but Religion too that Maxim admits of no Release Cautissimi cujusque praeceptum quod dubtias ne feceris And speaking of the second Councel of Nice where Image-worship was established where was the first remarkable Schism upon just occasion of Fact he tells us The schismatical Party was the Synod it self and such as conspir'd with it for concerning the use of Images in Sacris 1. It is acknowledgby all that it is not a thing necessary 2. It is by most suspected 3. It is by many held utterly unlawful Can then the injoyning the practice of such a thing be ought else but abuse or can the refusal of Communion here be thought any other thing than duty here or upon the like occasion to separate may peradventure bring personal trouble and danger against which it concerns every honest man to have pectus bene preparatum so that in these cases you cannot be to seek what you think or what you have to do His 2d sort of Schism arising upon occasion of variety of Opinion is thus It hath been saith he the common disease of Christians from the beginning not to content themselves with that measure of Faith which God in Scripture hath expresly afforded us but out of a vain desire to know more than is revealed they have attempted to discuss things of which they can have no light neither from Reason nor Revelation neither have they rested here but upon pretence of Church Authority which is none or Tradition which is for the most part but figment they have peremptorily concluded and confidently impos'd on others a necessity of entertaining conclusions of that nature c. After he tells were Liturgies and publick Forms of Service so framed as that they admitted of no particular and private Fancies but contained only such things as in which all Christians do agree Schisms in opinions were utterly Vanished for consider all the Liturgies that are or have been and remove from them whatsoever is Scandalous to any Party and leave nothing but what all agree in and the event shall be that the publick Service and Honour of God shall no ways suffer whereas to load our Publick Forms with the private fancies upon which we differ is the most Sovereign way to perpetuate Schism unto the Worlds End Prayer Confession Thanksgiving Reading of Scripture Exposition of Scripture Administration of Sacraments in the plainest and simplest manner were matters enough to furnish out a sufficient Liturgy tho' nothing either of private Opinion or of Church Pomp of Garments of prescribed Gestures of Imagery of Musick of matter concerning the Dead of many superfluities which creep into the Churches under the Dream of Order and Decency did interpose it self For to charge Churches and Liturgies with things unnecessary was the first beginning of all Superstition and when scruple of Conscience began to be made or pretended then Schism begun to break in If the spiritual Guides and Fathers of the Church would be a little sparing of incumbring the Churches with superfluities and not over-rigid either in receiving absolute Customs or imposing New there were far less danger of Schism or Superstition and the inconveniency were likely to issue would be but this they should in so doing yield a little to the imbecillities of Inferiors a thing which St. Paul could never have refused to do in the mean while where ever false and suspected Opinions are made a piece of the Churches Liturgy he that separates is not Scismatick for it 's alike unlawful to make profession of known and suspected falsehoods as to put in practice unlawful and suspected Actions The third Cause of Schism is Episcopal Ambition p. 218 saith he Aristotle tells us that necessity causeth but small Faults but Avarice and Ambition are Mothers of great Crimes Episcopal Ambition
hath made this true for no occasion hath produc'd more continuing and more sanguinary Schisms than this hath done the Sees of Alexandria of Antioch of Constantinople and above all of Rome do abundantly shew this much and our Ecclesiastical Stories Witness no less of which the greatest part consists in factionating and tumultuating of Great and Potent Bishop c. This Episcopal Ambition shewed it self especially in two Heads one concerning plurality of Bishops in one See another the Superiority of Bishops in divers Sees As to the first he tells us That the general Practice of the Church since the Original of Episcopacy as now it is was never to admit at once more than one Bishop in one See and to prevent Spiritual Polygamy neither would they admit of two Cathedrals but from the beginning it was not so for even at Rome and Hippo there were two Bishops at one time neither doth it savour of Vice or Misdemeanour that it should be so still their Punishment sleeps not who go about unnecessarily and wantonly to infringe it But the other head of Episcopal Ambition concerning Supremacy of Bishops in divers Sees one claiming Superiority over another as it hath been from time to time a great Trespasser against the Churches Peace so it is now the final Ruin of it the East and West through the fury of the two prime Bishops being irremediably separated without all hope of Reconcilement and beside all this mischief is founded on a Vice contrary to all Christian Humility without which no Man shall see his Saviour for they do but abuse themselves and others that would perswade us that Bishops by Christ's Institution have any Superiority over other men further than that of Reverence or that any Bishop is Superior to another further than positive Order agreed upon amongst Christians hath prescrib'd for we have believed him that hath told us that in Jesus Christ there is neither high nâ—r low and that in giving honour every man should be ready to prefer another before himself which sayings cut off all claim most certainly to Superiority by title of Christianity except men can think that these things were only spoken to poor and private men Nature and Religion agree in this that neither of them have a hand in this heraldry of secundum sub supra all this comes from composition and agreement of men among themselves wherefore this abuse of Christianity to make it lacquy to ambition is a vice for which we have no ordinary name and an ordinary one we will not give it lest you should take so transcendent a vice for a trivial Thus the Memorable Mr. Jo. Hales And would to God all would consider his words most seriously by which we may see what are the true causes of Schism and who are the Schismaticks Whence also it will appear that a publick Indulgence to weaker Brethren in matters not necessary and suspected to be unlawful is no cause of Divisions but on the contrary an ambitious claim of Superiority imposing private Opinions and commanding suspected Practices are the true causes of them and ever will be The D's 4th Argument against Publick Indulgence is That they have not only fatally conduced to the perverting a considerable number of Protestants but also effectually hindred the conversion of many Papists who tho sensible of many gross Errors in Principles and ungodly Practices in the Worship enjoyn'd them by Rome yet have been so highly scandalized by the Divisions amongst us that they have rather chosen to continue in them c. A. Had not the D. trusted more to the Rhetorick than Logick of this Argument he had conceal'd it being a Sophism as they call it of non causa pro causa and is no stronger than this the legal establishment of one of the divided parties perverts many and hindreth the conversion of Papists because they are scandalized at our Divisions for a legal toleration of some is not the cause but consequent of our Divisions seeing Divisions must be before the necessity of a Toleration to the Parties divided 2dly If our Divisions scandalize the Papists as I am perswaded they do he may enquire at the Memorable Mr. John Halos who are the Dividers and to whom the Woe is due that belongs to such as cause Offences 3dly Such Papists as are sensible of gross Errors in Principles and ungodly Practices in the Worship enjoyned them and yet continue in them would have had the same object on against Christianity it self had they lived in Corinth in the days of the Apostles for then were Divisions nor do I see what loss the Church sustains by want of such Converts as can live for Union's sake in gross Errors and ungodly Practices whereof they are convinced And why Division should terrify them from Conversion I see not seeing if they will be converted to us they must divide from Rome 4thly But what if the rigid severity of the domineering party of Protestants against all who differ from them be the cause of Offence Sure Intelligent Papists are not ignorant of the Divisions among themselves but neither Party being permitted to bite and devour each other except by Pen and Ink they glory in their Union notwithstanding these Divisions Bishop Hall in his Letter to Mr. Laud afterward Archbishop Laud expostulating with him about his unsettledness in Religion hanging betwixt the Romanists and Protestants upon the account of our Divisions tells him Whither will ye go for Truth if ye will allow no truth but where there is no Division To Rome perhaps famous for Unity famous for Peace See now how happily ye have chosen how well have you sped So their Cardinal Bellarmin himself a Witness above exception under his own hand acknowledgeth to the world and reckons up 237 contraâ—â—â—â—â— of Doctrin amongst the Romish Divines no they are no more peaceable but more subtil they fight more closely within doors all our frays are in the Frield our strite is in Ceremony theirs is in Substance so the Decad 3 Ep. 5. The D's 5th Argument to prove that this legal liberty to Protestant Dissenters will advance the Popish Interest is taken from the different state of Denmark and Swedland from that of the United Provinces in reference to the numbers of Papists in these Countreys For as the strictness of the Laws against those who differ from these Established Churches hath been remarkably effectual for the rooting out of Popery from amongst them so the unlimited Toleration granted in Holland to all sorts of Religions hath multiplied the Papists there c. A. As the strictness of the Laws in Denmark and Sweden are remarkable for rooting out Popery so are they for rooting out all Protestants save Lutherans And if their strictness be their perfection we can tell him of more perfect Laws viz. the Laws of the Holy Inquisition which are as soveraign prophylactick for the Established Churches of Spain and Italy as these of Denmark and Sweden are so that he
may thus recommend Lords Inquisitors to the Parliament to be authorized as Guardian Angels to the Clergy of Ireland 2dly It is not want of strict Laws against Popery that hath preserved them in England but the not imploying the Laws made against them and mis-imploying them against the dissenting Protestants 3dly His comparing the state of the United Provinces with that of Denmark and Sweden to the desired Toleration is unjust seeing we plead for no Toleration to Papists as is granted in Holland That the rectricting the Indulgence to those pleaded for by the V. will not prevent the advancement of the Popish Interest here as he saith seemeth strange for if the Law granting liberty to two or three Parties excluding all others ruined prevent the creeping in of Priests and Jesuits amongst us how can tho Law Establishing the Church prevent the like among them For if the evil be prevented by virtue of the Law it may have the same influence to preserve both yea Experience teacheth us that it 's easier to preserve from being infected by such Vermin the poor and depressed Party than the prosperous and exalted Few play the Hypocrite to be thereby made miserable tho many may and daily do for Profit and Preferment His 6th Argument against this legal Toleration is that in stead of widening the Basis of the Protestant interest as is alledged by the V. this Indulgence would undeniably weaken the foundation of the Protestant Security in this Kingdom because each tolerated Party will rather industriously promote their own distinct Interest than unanimously oppose the common Enemy as Experience hath taught us And to make good his Assertion he instanceth the case of the Famous Mr. Houston in the North of this Kingdom A. If the Defendant would allow the Dissenters to be Protestants to which they pretend as good title as the Established Church seeing they protest against Popery as much as they then the increasing of their numbers would infallibly increase the number of Protestants and so both widen and strengthen the Basis of Protestant Interest But if he will monopolize the name of Protestant to the Establish't Church and by the foundation of its Security understand Penal Laws against the Dissenters tho the Indulgence might ruine that Foundation the Church might stand and be better secured by its Innocency and Affection of its Neighbours than by its own guilt and their enmity but it 's strange he should assert that experience hath sufficiently taught us that each tolerated Party will rather distinctly promote their own Interest than unanimously oppose the common Enemy when the experience of the whole Nation knows the truth of the contrary that we maintained no separated Interest from the common for as our Civil Interests are imbarked in the common so we cannot desert rhe one without destroying the other no more can we maintain our Religious Interest either without opposition to the Popish in Ireland His Instance to prove his Experience is as ridiculous as Mr. Houston himself who as he says scandalously separated from the main body of the Protestants in the North of Ireland and had not extraordinary Providence intervened the Intestine Animosities of these seeming Friends had been of more mischievous consequence than the open hostilities of our professed Enemies And the Divisions which these few pretended Protestants endeavoured to foment were really more formidable than the united Force and Power of a numerous Popish Army and had been more fatal to our common Interest A. All who know the truth of that Instance of Mr. Houston and his rise and retinue in the Diocess of Connor which many thousands were witness to will ridioule him for its motion for that man being Irregular was suspended and depos'd by the Presbyterians and had only a few silly ignorant people to adhere to him and when the whole North arrayed he also ranged his company to oppose the common Enemy so that this discovers the folly and unreasonableness of the D. in making use of it for it seemeth strange that about 200 men his compliment without Arms Ammunition or Order should be more formidable than the united force and power of the numerous well-appointed Popish Army nor did any in the North fear those mischievous consequences he talks of for by a prudent neglect of that man and his silly Followers we have lived to see them vanish into Smoke we know not what that extraordinary Providence was that prevented these fearful misohiefs except it be the Irish prevailing to scatter unprovided men and it would appear that the D. was not very apprehensive of the mischiefs of the open hostilities of our professed Enemies when he is more terrified with the thoughts of Mr. Houston's company who had little formidable in it except the Motto of his Bannar possibly a second 1641 would not have been so mischievous in its consequence in his opinion as the Divisions of these two parties of Dissenters whereby he discovers either little fear of Irish Hostility or too much of the ill consequences of Division among Dissenters The D. suspecting that all he had said might be of little weight with the V. attacks him with the judgment of a Protestant Parliament who in Feb. 25. 1662 in an Address to King Charles the 2d say We have considered the nature of the Indulgence proposed with reference to these consequences which must necessary attend it It will establish Schism by a Law and make the whole Government of the Church precarious and the censures of it of no moment or consideration at all It will be a cause of increasing of Sects and Sectaries whose numbers will weaken the true Protestant Profession so far that it will be at last difficult to defend it self against them and which is yet further considerable these numbers which by being troublesome to the Government find they can arrive to an Indulgence will as their numbers increase be yet more troublesome that at length they may arrive to a general Toleration and in time some prevalent Sect will at last contend for Establishment which for ought can be foreseen may end in Popery A. To this I shall return him the words of a moderate and learned Conformist in his Plea for the Non-Conformists Plea 2. pag. 39. Who saith That the House of Commons A. 1662. did argue against Indulgence and for keeping up the Act of the Uniformity by way of prophecy and fore-sight of consequences and their humble advices to the King contain the strongest reasons against an Indulgence that have been found out contain the great evils of a forbearance all which he reduceth to six Heads but answers to them all thus As Events prove Prophecies true or false so Events have proved these Arguments weak or strong That very Parliament the true Protestant part of it that did faithfully serve their King and Countrey with the additions made to them by a latter Election to fill up vacant places saw where they were and became sensible of the necessity of
the Discipline and Constitutions of the Church for 't is the selling the management of Church Discipline to Officials and Registers and their ways of exercising Church Discipline more by picking mens Pockets than bringing them to due Penitence that hath rendred Discipline odious and nauseous even to all sober Conformists while they see Ecclesiastical Discipline used as an Engine to drain mens Purses more than reform their Manners And the Keys of Heaven and Hell intrusted with such hands who for trifles deliver men to Satan but will not relax them without sums of Money whereby they shew themselves too liberal to the Devil but not so careful to deliver out of his power These are things not done in a corner but such as the Nation is dissatisfied with besides this the manifest partially in the Exercise of Discipline makes men think there is little regard had to Paul's charge given to Timothy 1 Tim 5. 21. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the Elect Angels that thou observe these things without preserring one before another doing nothing by partiality For 't is known that Great Mens Immorality tho' never so heinous escape without rebuke and the truly poor free to sin because they want Silver according to the Rule in the Official Court Deux 6. Ace non possunt six cinque non solvere volunt Hoc tamen est notum quater tres solvere totum By these and such like Methods many are driven to us If he say the Church does not allow these Practices why then are Dissenters Excommunicated for disobedience to that which the Church allows not of But lest our words shou'd give offence we hope Dr. Andrews will not which he Preached before the Convocation viz. The Church Censures now a days reach the Purse only Evil doers when they have paid their Fees return Scot-free If no Money then have at the Offenders with the Episcopal Sword presently at one blow they are cut off from the Church dilivered over to Satan proclaimed Publicans Heathens Anathema for the most ridiculous things and against every good Man these Brutish Thunderbolts do fly up and down and only to be fear'd of the Purse The D. having Arraign'd Dissenters as the chief Dividers of the Church has been so just not to make them the only Dividers but hath done them the honour to join the Magistrates as Fomenters of division with them which he chargeth 1. Upon the prodigious Licentionsness in a late Reign 2. The Governments too easy Condescentions at another time 3. The rigorous Executing the Laws against Dissenters at some times And thus he disciplins the Magistrates A. Seeing the Government hath had a hand in fomenting our Divisions he might have honour'd the King and Magistrates so far as to give them the preâ—eminence above Dissenting Preachers yet as to his Dividers 1. Prodigious Licentiousness he may enquire at Ezek. 33. 34. If the Clergy might have a hand in it and had they spent the one half of their Thunderbolts imploy'd against Dissenters against the prodigiously licentious they might have purg'd themselves from that Division caused by prodigious Licentiousness yet we know that great Men of the Church have caught That it is absolutely necessary to the Peace and Happiness of the Kingdom that there be set up a more severe Government over Mens Consciences and Religious Persuasions than over Mens Vices and Immoralities Thus Teacheth Bp. Packer in his Ecclesiastical Policy page 53. And that Princes may with less hazard give Liberty to Mens Vices than their Consciences page 55. And what he Taught others have Practci'd 2. For easy Condescentions to Dissenters The Church may safely purge her self from this guilt yea we assure her the Dissenters will be her Compurgators herein 3. The Rigorous Execution of the Laws we confess hath given cause to abhor the Executioners but then how can he be guiltless of the Sin of Dividing who pleads for the perpetuating these Laws which he confesseth gives just occasion to abhor them and are Pomenters of Division How inconsistent is he with himself and reason in this for if these Laws may not be Executed without prejudice to the Union of the Church why are they continu'd in force if Rigorous Laws foment Divisions as is confest these cannot be guiltless of the Divisions who urge the making and executing such Laws as the D. now pleads for The Lesson he prescribes to Magistrates That their behavior towards their People should resemble that of discreetly tender Parents towards their Children not indulging their folly by an imprudent fondness nor punishing their faults by too harsh a Correction but by constantly keeping a strict hand over them which will prove the most Effectual means of preventing or restraining their Exorbitancies This we hope the Magistrate will learn and look upon the Sons of the Church to be no more Bâ—stâ—rds than Dissenters but use the Rod of Correction to drive out that solly is bound up in their Hearts and so prevent or restrain their Exorbitancies The 2d Lesson this D. prescribes to Magistrates is That at present they keep a strict hand in managing the publick Affairs in this Kingdom c. His Reasons for their being strict are these 1. Within these 5 years many thousands of Families have come from Scotland to settle in this Nation 2. They and their Teachers are zealous for the Covenant 3. They have come from a place where Episcopacy is abolished 4. He fears from their aversion to the Ecclesiastical Policy of the Church when their Numbers and Preachers are increased they will overturn the truly Apostolical Government of the Establish't Church And then he prescribes an Antidote against this Plague viz. That their Preachers be obliged to perform their Quarantine and to undergo some Religious Test before they be admitted to Preach in their Conventicles A. This Admonition having apparently its rise from fear must be considered with its Causes and Remedy His fear seems to arise from his gift of Prophecy by laying aside which or prophecying better things he might cure himself of that panick fear for we dare assure him that some of us are so far from desiring the over-turning of the truly Apostolical Government of the Church that we could wish them over-turn'd who turn it out to turn in another of their own tho we are persuaded if the Bishops were turn'd out of Parliament from all their Civil Honours excessive Revenues and sole Exercise of Church-Jurisdiction and should be oblig'd to Preach the Gospel constantly and not to Lord it over God's Inheritance we should not lose any thing of the Apostolical Government which we may the more boldly say because we find in a Speech of the Lord Delamare's in Parliament against the Bishops Voting in case of Blood these words I like Bishops very well but I wish that Bishops were reduc'd to their Primitive Institution for I fear while there is in England a Lord Bishop the Church will not stand very steadily To
his first cause of this fear viz. The many thousand Families that are come out of Scotland whether the Government will judge it the Interest of the Kingdom to hinder its Planting with his Majesties Industrious and Loyal Subjects to gratify the D. and cure him and the Irish Papists of their fears is very doubtful But I believe those who value the Protestant and Brittish Interest in Ireland could wish that many more thousand Protestant Families were Planted here tho they were not all of the D's persuasion nor do we see that this would lessen the Revenue and Strength of the Kingdom abate Gentlemens Rents spoil the Nations Trade nor hinder the Clergys Tythes so that it is questionable wherein the Nations Interest can be to obstruct Protestants settling here If his fears be because such are Scotch 't is but the ordinary effect of such panic fear as to bereave Men of considerate thoughts which seems to be the D's Case For beside the little Religion he Evidenceth in his Antipathy against that Nation there is as little policy as piety in its seeing the Nobility and Gentry of that Kingdom whom he boasts to be Members of this Establisht Church cannot but resent such a publick affront done to their Nation To the second cause of his fear viz. Their Preachers Zeal to the Covenant If by it he means the National Covenant Subscribed by King James the 6th and all Ranks of Persons in Scotland in 1580 1581 and 1590 they will own it as the antient Confession of that National Church and we suppose his Scotch Episcopal Brethren dare not disown it seeing it was a part of that Contradictory Test which they impos'd the old professional part contradicting the new promissory part but we suppose he intends the solemn League and Covenant and here we believe he may be mistaken of their Zeal for that as it is a League with England and Ireland obliging them to a Reformation seeing as a these Leagues formerly made with France oblige England since the French have violated them The Antidote against Ireland's Planting by Protestant Subjects from Scotland smels rank of National Antipathy and smites his Majesty King William with his now blessed Consort Queen Mary as Plaguers of that Nation by Abolishing Episcopacy but yet let this Antidote be no worse than its words are and we refuse not to perform a just quarentine and undergo any truly Religious Test that His Majesty shall think necessary to promote God's Glory the Nations Peace and Prosperity by Yet Experience hath found some of these called Religious Tests to be National Pests and should others observe them no better then the D. and some of his Brethren have done the Government may possibly be rendered more secure but not more safe by them But we perceive the D's fears are increasing and therefore he would have all the Nation Allarm'd with the Danger of the Cameronians who as he saith are lately Landed in considerable Numbers A. These considerable Numbers of Cameronians lately landed must have come from Vutopia for there be no considerable Numbers of them now in Scotland and other Nations bring forth no such Fruit For since the late happy Revolution all except very few unite with the Establish't Church there and their Preachers now orderly and ordain'd Ministers one whereof is a Chaplain to a Regiment in Flanders and in good esteem with his Majesty for his Zeal and Courage whereof he hath given good proof And we dare say that those whom he calls so dangerous have spent more blood in the defence of the Protestant Religion and in the Service of their King and Countrey both at home and abroad than all the Episcopal Clergy in Brittain and Ireland for the truth of which we doubt not but the best of the three Nations will vouch But while he is allarming the Kingdom with 〈◊〉 from 〈…〉 doth he not also as a Faithful Watchman warn it of his Jacobitish Brethren who swarms hither daily and notwithstanding their publickly declar'd Contempt of His Majesty's Government and Authority in denying Allegiance to him in Scotland are entertain'd as bosom Friends by some Clergy-men in Ireland tho they perform'd not their quarantine by swearing Allegiance to K. William And if the Government desire satisfaction in this matter they may by search of Records in the several Counties where they are entertain'd find out the truth of this and much more concerning such course men The Vindicator had told That there had been avowed designs of Extirpating Protestant Dissenters declared by many Sanguinary Laws past against them both in England and Scotland and that there were later ones in Scotland that made it capital to be present at their Meetings which the D. reckons unpardonable disingenuity 't is well it is not the sin against the Holy Ghost and to prove it these irrefragable Arguments are produced 1. He never heard it 2. He is inform'd by those who have reason to know better then the Vindicator that there is not one Sanguinary Law in England against Protestant Dissenters and in Scotland not one except one which was August 13. 1670. A. To his first demonstration taken from his not hearing it it seems his ears are of a prodigious length when every matter both of Fact and Law must be within the sphere of their activity if things cease to be because he heard them not a great many have had no being of whom he never heard The next from his Informer is little better for Episcopal Informers have not been always men of the best reputation yet it is strange that they should be ignorant of those Laws by which they had so much of other mens wealth but it 's like that being now out of date they are not fond of owning their old friends lest they should purchase new Enemies But if the D. who sees by his Neighbours eyes will receive truer Instruction from a Dissenter we will make appear that what the Vindicator asserts is real truth To begin then with England because its Laws against Dissenters are of eldest date we will find that Sanguinary Laws were there First against the Soul Secondly against the Body Thirdly against the Estates of Protestant Dissenters And to give the Church the deserv'd pre-eminence in this case by her Canons made Anno 1603. eleven of these in the Van are levelled against Dissenters by most of which they are to be excommunicated ipso facto and not to be restored but by the A. Bishop after Repentance and a publick Recantation of such wicked Errors And when by this Canonical Cimiter they are cut off from the Church Militant and by vertue of the keys of Heaven committed to it the gates of Heaven which it seems were formerly potent are now shut against Dissenters and alti janua ditis made open and they delivered to the Devil lest he should prove too merciful in not receiving their Mittimus the poor Dissenters by a Writ De Excommunicato Capiendo is to be apprehended by
Dissenters in Ireland tho' it prov'd fatal to its Contrivers was by God's Providence a means of preserving the Dissenters who forsaking the Nation on that account were preserved from the Massacre 1641 and these same persons returning were the first relief that Ireland got which can be made evident by many yet alive and may be instructive to pasterity The V. having to prove the equity of giving free-born Subjects the same legal Indulgence in their Dissenting as is given to Foreigners asserted that the French Protestants if left to their liberty would chuse a Discipline and Worship more conformable to their own than that of the Establish't Church Hath this Answer We are not to pass judgment on a particular Church from the inconsiderate words and actions of some of the meaner sort of the Laity but by the solemn Declarations and constant Practices of the Learned Clergy of that Communion And to shew the Sentiments of the French Church produceth a triple testimony of three French Divines in favor of the Establish't Church and censuring the Dissenters separation from it from three Letters written fifteen years ago on this Subject by Monsieur Lamoyne M. D. Langle and M. Cloud which we shall not transcribe But 1. We think it strange that the Bishops of the Church of England shou'd own the French Protestants to be a Churh and to have a learned Clergy when in the mean time they deny them to have a Lawful Ordained Ministry and force them to be Re-ordained who come for Refuge into England and are willing to conform So that this seems to be but a complement given for these 3 Letters and no sincere acknowledgment of their being a Church A Reverend French Minister informs us that flying from Persecution into England he with some others were permitted to Preach in London but upon his refusal to be Re-ordained he was not only hindred to Preach by the Bishop of London but deny'd any part of the publick Charity collected for the French Protestants and so was necessitated to leave England The same entertainment others of them met with here in Ireland about Anno 1680 or 1682 who flying to Dublin and setting up the beginnings of several useful Manufactures but being averse to joyn in the Church-Service a certain charitable Peer lent them his House to Worship in where they served God according to the manner of the French Churches whereupon their Minister was seized imprison'd c. until for obtaining his liberty he consented to quit or abjure the Kingdom And yet Liberty was publickly allow'd the Papists And we are well informed how the Papists now insult over them as having by their disowning the validity of their own former Ordination and being Re-ordain'd by Bishops in England thereby declared that they have hitherto been no Church have had no Sacraments lawfully Administred among them which is a great addition to their former miseries so that whether it be worse to destroy the being of that Church in all time past or persecute some of its Members in time present be the greater severity and so whether the Popish or English Clergy have been more merciful to the Protestant Church of France we leave to be consider'd 2. The Testimony of these 3 Men are not the solemn Declaration and constant practice of that Church as he vainly says but the opinion of three private Doctors to whom he might oppose the Judgment of 3000 and the constant known practice of that Church solemnly declared in its publick Confessions of Faith and Synodical Constitutions disowning the Form of Worship and Disciplin of the Church of England And it seems as unequal to judge of a Church by the Sentiments of several of her learn'd Clergy as by the Laity What a Monster would the Church of England be if we were left to judge of her by the several opinions of her Learned Clergy whereof some approve others condemn Arminiasm some are passive obedient Doctors others not some for Episcopacy jure Divino others think it only jure Humano some have been for others are now against Liberty of Prophesying c. The justest way then of judging what are the sentiments of a Church is neither by the private practices or opinions of Clergy or Lay-men but by their Unanimous deliberate and publickly declared Judgment in their Confessions of Faith and Synodical Constitutions which had he produc'd against us had been some service to his cause And we have just cause to except against the Evidence Some of whom have conformed and have disgrac'd their Church by renouncing its Ordination so that these who have dishonor'd their Parents will little regard their Brethren 3. We know that indirect means have been used to obtain such Testimonies against us and can tell of one who had 4 good fat Benefices in England with a Faculty of Non-residence to Enable him to Traffick in France introducing Dissenters and Exalting and vindicating the Prelacy and Ceremonies of England 4. The Testimonies are not fairly produc'd but a part conceal'd of the Letters which had he repeated would have condemn'd himself And therefore M. Cloud in his Letter as Published by Dr. Stillingfleet p. 448. hath this I hope my Lord you will not be wanting in the Duties of Charity and Spirit of Peace and that when the dispute shall be only of some Ceremonies which are stumbling blocks and which in themselves are nothing in comparison of an intire re-union of your Church under your holy Ministry you will make it seen that you love the Spouse of your Master more than your selves And that it is not so much from your greatness and Ecclesiastical Dignity that you desire to receive your joy and glory as from your Pastoral Vertues and the ardent care you take of your Flocks M. De Langle tells you that even amongst these separating Brethren there is a very great Number of good Men whose Faith is pure Piety sincere And it seems to me that the good and charitable Bishops ought to say of them as Optatus Melivitatus said of the Donatists in something a different sense Si Collegium Episcopate notunt habere nobiscum tamen fratres sunt And I 'me sure saith he that if there were nothing wanting to cure your Divisions but tho abstaining from some Expressions the quitting some Ceremonies the changing the colour of some Habits you would resolve to do that and something more difficult But this the D. disingenuously conceals because of his Moderation which is contrary to his Nature or Design The V. having asserted also that a further security ought to be granted to Protestant Dissenters than to Papists for this reason that some difference should be made between them who deserve well and them who deserve ill of the Govarnment The D. allowing the reasoning to be unque6ionably true yet will have it understood with this supposition that if the Civil Parent be forced by the pressure of some unfortunate occurrences to a concession of such favorable and advantagious
true he Petition'd the Assembly who referr'd his Case to the Presbyteries of Lanerk and Hamilton where he had formerly been officiated but was by them rejected for his Immoralities which himself knows and all have cause to believe seeing Bishop Foley late Bishop of Down and Connor did for gross Immoralities fully proven against him deprive him of his Curacy he had got in the Parish of Dunean in the County of Antrim So that if he was barbarorsly robbed by Presbiterians in Scotland he has met with as little mercy from his Brethren in Ireland as the Records of the Diocess of Connor can testify His third Exception to these Gentlemens Letter is to these words in it viz. So far are they in Scotland from exercising severities against men for being Episcopal in their Judgment that a great part of the Ministers of that Kingdom who injoyed not only the Protection of the Government but the free and Publick Exercise of their Ministry together with the legal Established maintenance before the first of September last were or professed to be of the Episcopal Perswasion and had not at that time so much as taken the Oath of Allegiance to his Majesty and yet of these no more is required for their continuance in their Parishes than that they take the said Oath of Allegiance and Assurance and that they behave themselves worthily in Doctrine Life and Conversation as appears by the Act of Parliament past July 16. 1695. Before the D. can answer this he throws himself into a paraxism of astonishment at those who pretending to be more then ordinary strict and holy Ministers of Jesus Christ and the most faithful Servants of the God of truth that they can allow themselves the liberty of willfully misrepresenting the most notorious matters of Fact and the plainest State of publick Affairs and flatly contrary to truth and the mind of the writer of which he offers to prove the V. scandalously guilty But had he rightly pitcht on the guilty and as truly confest his own fault as he faâ—sly accuseth the V. he might have deserv'd compassion to cry out against those Sins in others which we nourish in our own Bosoms is hypocrisie But in answer to these words he first concedeth a matter of Fact viz. That the Episcopal Clergy in Scotland have enjoyed the free Exercise of their Religion and quiet possession of their Parishes c. which indeed many in the North yet do But saith he 1. These Instances are but seeming favours 2. They be produc'd as arguments of the moderation of the Presbyterian Government whereas they are nothing else but the effect of the weakness of the Party A. If the Protection of the Government in the free and publick Exercise of Religion with the Legally establisht maintenance be but seeming favours Let the Dissenters here have only such seeming favours and we shall promise in their name real thanks for the same But 2. He might have own'd them real favours had he consider'd on whom they were confer'd even the Abetters of Viscount Dundee's Rebellion For by his silence to the third Paragraph of that Letter viz. That at the Abetters of Viscount Dundee's Rebellion were or pretended to be of the Episcopal perswasion as have also all those that have made any Publick Commotion in that Kingdom since this happy Revolution he tacitly confesseth the truth thereof But thirdly that these favours were the effects only of the Presbyterian parties weakness will not be so easily believed by considering men for why should the Party be able to destroy the Root the Bishops and their prelacy and yet not be able to Lop off the Branches is improbable These sure who could extirpate prelacy in the North had Power to drive out Curacy there too But to make it evident that it was not the effect of weakness but their moderation they have now driven out all that rebellious brood who had contemn'd the King's Clemency and Churches moderation Yet farther had the Church of that Kingdom been weak the State was not but could easily extirpate them for he is mightily mistaken of Scotland if he thinks that many of that People would be Martyrs for Prelacy That the Episcopal Party in the North are a formidable Party and therefore kept it depends on the Credit of his Informers for were they such as he saith they 're neither stout nor kind in suffering their Reverend Fathers to be laid aside Why might not the Children who were able to secure themselves being so formidable been willing also to defend and continue their Fathers Yet his reason to prove them a formidable party viz. That part of Scotland on the North of Tay is known to be little less than the half of the Kingdom is not very formidable for if the Highlands and Isles of Scotland be comprehended in this his Geography may hold good but his reason 's lame for he will have little Credit of many of the Episcopal Highlanders who possess more Land than Religion And that the Episcopal Party there is eleven to one depends on the veracity of his Informers who we see are no friends to his Reputation and will at last cause him to turn Bankrupt of it if he continue to give such Left-handed News-mongers such Credit For deduce from the number Papists the most of whom are in the North he must abate of the proportion for in the Shires of Sutherland Stranaver Ross and Murray there might be and hath been a force which was a terror to it's Enemies raised to defend the Settlement of State and Church Besides all this considerable numbers are in every part of that Country and these as strict as any in Scotland by which we see he 's little acquainted with the State of that part of the Kingdom These favors then werenot the effect of weakness but the genuine supple fruit of the Clemency and Moderation of that Church which by long experience of the evil of oppression which is apt to make wise men mad are resolved upon it as the surest method to secure themselves and indeed their moderation is that which now is become most formidable to their wisest Enemies and the true cause why not the same moderation but distinct courses were taken with the Episcopal Câ—ergy in the North and in the West is because the Ministers in the North were generally men of better Learning and Lives and less concern'd in these Cruelties and Oppressions by which the West was harassed and so having done less harm were more favoured while those in the West met with Adonibezek's Reward Now from all this let the Reader judge if the D. had just cause for his so rash judging the Vindicator His 2. Reason to prove the V. scandalously guilty of Disingenuity and representing things contrary to Truth and his certain knowledge is that there are no Acts of Parliament in favour of the Episcopal Clergy save that of July 16. 1695. And therefore leaves it to the Reader to judge what sort of usage
that by these Intruders are chiefly means Episcopal Ministers thrust out by the Rabble who had repossess'd their own Churches A. This Act was made against allIntruders without exception Presbyterian or others and we suppose thought Rational by all reasonable men for the English Law justifies not a forcible Entry even tho' a Person hath a right And I doubt not but the Church of Engl. would condemn it in her own case for I question if the D. could defend the late Bishop of Down and Connor with the Arch-Deacon who looked on themselves unjustly deprived of Bishopprick and Livings by the late Regal visitation should they re-enter and possess themselves of what they have lost without owning Church or State But we say that those who were rabbled out neither have nor dare intrude into those Churches from which they were rabbled and challengeth him to instance one who hath so done But the truth of the matter is this some of those who were rabbled out in the West and South went to the North and there by the connivance of the Inheritors and some of the Parishioners did intrude into vacant Parishes some also had been deposed by the Church for Immoralities others who were put out of their Benefices by the Counsel for refusing to swear Allegiance to K. William and supported by the Jacobite party did enter into Churches in contempt of both Civil and Ecclesiastical Government Against these this Act was made so that none are counted Intruders meenly for repossessing the Church out of which they were turned by the Rabble seeing that by the Proclamation Aug. 6. 1689. all who had been Rabbled since the Settlement of the Government were restored to their Churches By this the D. as he thinks having proved the Parliament of Scotland guilty of great Severity for making an Act against Intruders concludes undoubtedly the reason of the V's not publishing that Act of Parliament July 16. 1695. not to be what is alledged but his fear of setting matters in a true light and exposing too plainly his gross and willful misrepresentations of the present State of that Kingdom A. We leave it to the Parliament of Ireland whether they will thank him for inveighing against the Parliament of Scotland thus at random when both have the same head and in all these Invectives his Sacred Majesty is reflected on But how ridiculous is it to reason thus The Vindicator durst not publish the Act of July 16. 1695. lest he should have exposed the severity of the Parliament against Intruders when there is nothing in that Act against Intrusion but it is as himself tells us by an Act July 5. 1695. what needs the V. fear the publishing that Act which all allow to be an Act of Câ—emency we are satisfied the V. had not seen that against which he so much Inveighs Nor needed he fear the publishing that other Act which was in Print yea so far were Dissenters from any sear from that Act that they industriously spread it amongst Members of Parliament here as a good precedent of Moderation The D. having discharg'd his spleen upon the Parliament of Scotland returns upon the Church Government saying by way of mock I must indeed acknowledge that we cannot boast of our coming up to or equal in the example which the present Presbyterian Government in Scotland has set us For first our moderation to Dissenters has not exprest it self in raising of the Rabble against them much less in returning them publick and solemn thanks for the greatness of their Zeal in so doing A. His first instance of this Churches negative moderation to Dissenters contains an unreasonable calumny thrown upon the Presbyterian Government of the Ch. of Scotl. for during the Rabble's Reign there was no legal Government in Church or State And therefore the Church is not chargeable with things done before it was re-established or had power That the Church gave the Rabble publick and solemn Thanks for their Rabbling is false but the truth was this the Prelates of Scotland with the Jacobitish Party headed by the Viscount Dundee having conspired against the Convention of States then assembled at Edenburg to settle the Crown of that Kingdom upon K William and Queen Mary had secretly conveyed 200 and upwards of armed men into the Town in order to scatter the Convention and so defeat the Nations Settlement Hereupon the Gentlemen and Commons of the West being then in Arms came with all expedition to Edinburgh whereupon the Viscount of Dundee with his party immediately fled and entred into an open Rebellion which ended with his Life at Killycrankie These Gentlemen who protected the Convention of Estates till they had established the Government are by him and his Episcopal Brethren in Scotland called the Rabble These indeed received the publick thanks of the Convention of Estates instead of their pay and so went all home peaceably But at this time there could be no Establish't Church seeing there was no Establish't Civil Government 2. That he and his have not raised the Rabble against Dissenters in Ireland we owe not to him or his but to the Rabble if any such be who if once up might possibly turn their rage upon others Yet he and some of his have not failed to incense the Magistrate against Dissenters who have thereupon imploy'd arm'd force against them For notwithstanding all that the Dissenting Ministers had suffered in the North for their Loyalty to Ch. 2. being all banished by Oliver for refusing the Oath called the Tender which many Episcopal Clergy-men easily swallow'd yet upon his Restauration the Prelates stirr'd him up contrary to his inclination to imprison all Dissenting Ministers and so persecute the People for Non-conformity which was accordingly done This the Living Generation can abundantly Testify A Second Evidence of the Churches Moderation to Dissenters he offers is That the Church of England Parliament in this Kingdom has not declared that Non-Conformist Ministers in exercising any part of their Ministerial Function have offer'd a high contempt of the Law as tending to perpetuate Schism and of dangerous consequence A. Seeing as he saith The Church of England Parliament hath not declared Non-Conformist Ministers contemners of the Law in exercising any part of their Ministry How cometh it to pass that the Church of England Clergy daily declare them guilty of offering high contempt to the Law As being Schismaticks that the exercise of their Ministry is of dangerous consequence We have cause to thank the Church of England Parliament for their Justice and Moderation but neither of us have reason to thank the Clergy for declaring the contrary And tho we may be satisfied with this Confession that there is no Act of Parliament against us vet we have cause to fear he will retract else he hath labour'd in vain in this Pamphlet The third Instance given of the Churches Moderation to us is They have not made an Act of Parliament against ut making Non-Conforming Ministers Intruders altho
they be really such into Parishes A. If the Law doth not make Non-Conforming Ministers Intruders by what Law doth he call them so The Law of the Land he vindicates from this Aspersion and we are sure the Law of God layeth no such crime to our charge For Ministers duly qualified and by the unanimous consent of a Christian People elected and call'd to be their Ministers are not intruders tho' their Election be not ratisy'd by the Civil Sanction else all the Ministers of the Gospel for the first 300 years of Christianity had been Intruders That a Christian People have power to Elect and call their own Ministers is according to the Primitive Patern Cyprian's Rule Lib. 1. Ep. 4. is consonant to Scripture viz. Plebs ipsa potestatem habet vel eligendi dig nos sacerdotes vel indig nos recusandi And even in Rome it self in Pope Leo's time it was a Rule Qui prae futurus est omnibus ab omnibus Elegatur And such we are able to make appear our Election to the Ministry to be 2. Nor hath the Parl. of Scotland made any Act against intruding into Parishes but against intruding into Churches and seizing upon Manses and Glebs which if N. C's here had done it 's possible they had both heard and felt that there are Acts of Parl. against such intruders The fourth instance of Moderation is that the Establish'd Church hath not forbid these Dissenters whom the Calamities of the late times had driven away to return and perform any Ministerial Acts in the places where formerly they held their Conventicles for want of a Legal Call A. Had Dissenters as obstinately refused to swear Allegiance to K. W. and Q. M. as his Episcopal Brethren did in Scotland we shou'd have had as little favour as the Non-jurant Clergy there have had and justly deserv'd it But why the Government of Scotland only shou'd be condemn'd for severity when both in England and Ireland the Non-jurant Bishops and Clergy have met with the same measure and yet he dates not tax the Government here or in England of severity upon that account so that he is either grosly impartial or a Jacobite in heart tho' he appear for King William The Fifth Instance of Moderation is That they have not here authorized or required the Mayors of Corporations and Justices of the Peace to remove all those who have intruded or shall intrude as they have done in Scotland A. If the Civil Magistrate were subject to the Authority of the Church we have cause to be confident of being otherwise dealt with than at present we are God be blessed for it We think he deserves a fee if he 'll make good that Dissenters may without counter acting Acts of Parl. enter and possess Churches and Tythes but then why makes he such a hideous out-cry against the Minister of Letterkenny for his intrusion His Sixth and last Instance of Moderation exceeding that of Scotland is that they have not ordered Writs of Rebellion against Dissenting Ministers in order to the removing them out of Parishes where they live and making them desist from exercising Ministerial Acts. A. For all this boasted of Moderation the time was when there were Writs out against all the Dissenting Ministers to apprehend them whereupon many were apprehended and imprison'd which is well known And we owe but little thanks to Church-men for the mercy we now enjoy But by this he insinuates that the Episcopal Clergy are by Writs and Capias's driven from living in any Parishes in Scotland which is a Calumny and by it we may see how safe his Majesty's Government is like to be under such Directors of Conscience who labour to possess his Subjects against him and his Government as cruel and severe notwithstanding all the Clemency he has us'd to such as are declar'd Enemies to his Authority The D. having triumph'd in the victory of the Establish't Church of Ireland over that of Scotland in point of Moderation seems to be mov'd with a Prophetick Spirit to â—oreteâ—l that in case such Revolution of Church Affairs should happen in this Kingdom as hath lately been in Scotland the V. and his Adherents would imitate the Presbyterians in Scotland and make the Episcopal Clergy desist from exercising any Ministerial Acts and Issue out Writs of Rebellion against them A. Either he fears what he supposeth will come to pass or not If he doth really fear such Revolution then we think 't were his wisdom to be preparing an Ark for saving himself and houshold tho it be no policy to declare his fears seeing thereby he incourageth Dissenters and weakens the hands of his Friends by representing us as a formidable party But if he believes no probability of what he supposeth he needs not trouble us or his party with such Prophecies for if he were not conscious to himself that he had deserved ill of Dissenters he would not fear ill from them To make his Prophecy probable he tells us that the Professors in Colleges of Scotland felt the rigor of the Presbyterian Visitation which he calls by the odious name of Inquisition practised upon the Professor of the College of Edinburgh in Aug. and Sept. 1690. according to an Act passed the 4th of July 1690. By which it is ordered that no Minister or Professor in any College or School shall be allowed to continue in the Exercise of his Function but such as shall subscribe to the Confession of Faith ratify'd by this present Parliament and submit to the Government of the Church now Establisht by Law A. To stigmatize the Visitors of the University's acting by his Majesty's Commission and Parliamentary Authority with the odious name of Inquisitors and the Visitation with the name of Inquisition doth palpably insinuate that tho the Heroick Ancestors of our King did drive the Inquisition out of the Netherlands yet he and his Queen have brought it into Scotland And tho he will swear he intended no such â—â—flection on his Majesty yet it 's too apparent he would make him and these acting by Authority under him successors to St. Dominick 2. He falsely attributes to the Church the Act of the State 3. When he wou'd prove a removal of Persons Episcopal from Civil Employments he instances in Professors of Divinity which are not esteem'd Civil Employments in Scotland 4. The ground of their removal was their refusing to swear Allegiance to K. W. and Q M. and the reason they gave for their refusal was that they were not crown'd K. and Q. of Scotland tho' they made no such scruple of swearing to K. James whether or no by justifying them in this he partake with them in their evil deeds let all Men judge 5. It 's highly hypocritical to rail at that as Sin in others which we applaud in ourselves as a Vertue for what more criminal is it in the Church of Scotland to oblige its Professors of Divinity to subscribe its legally Establish'd Doctrin and to submit to its
since the Revolution attested by several persons of known Prudence and Integrity in the North who have given an account of many hard things against two Ministers there both doctrinal and practical the first of these is Mr. Liston late Minister of Letterkenny the 2d is Mr. William Holms Mr. Liston is accused First of constant declaring the Church of England Popish and Antichristian 2. Praying for its destruction 3. Preacb'd against its Feastivals and said that they worshiped the Devil 4. Discharg'd his Hearers to entertain any Conformists as Servants but allow'd them to keep Popish Servants 5. That he perswaded the Parents of a Gentlewoman who had conformed to deny her Meat Drink and Lodging and to hang her for her Apostacy 6. He abus'd the Legal Incumbent and pull'd him out of the Church of Letterkenny A. Were this heavy charge as fully proven as it 's confidently alledged it would not amount to all that 's intended thereby viz. To make all the Dissenting Ministers of the North odious to the Government as a factious and violent people no more than the Simony Adultery Drunkenness habitual Non-Residence and neglect of Office prov'd against the Bishop and Clergy of Down and Connor at the late Regal Visitation will prove all the Clergy of Ireland guilty of the same crimes Tho some are of opinion that those on whom that Tower of Siloam fell were not the only Sinners but if other Diocesses had umdergone the same Ordeal these condemned might have some comfort in having more companions If any desiderate proof of this they shall have satisfaction from more Authentick Records than these produc'd to prove Mr. Liston's Lybel 2. Had he design'd impartial justice in this matter he had been as particular in naming the witnesses as he is in naming the accused and their crimes for before judgment pass the Law allows the Accused to see their Witnesses to know if they have any exceptions against them but by his hiding them he gives the world ground to suspect they are not evidence beyond exception And seeing the Civil Law denies them to be good evidence or have been but lately reconcil'd for this cause in offensus affectus iestiam queritur ne irati nocere cupiant laesi ulcisci se velint We have cause to suspect the Evidence for those who persecute men when alive and reproach them when dead are not their friends Yea all this evidence is but on hear-say seeing we have it from Conforming Clergy who could no otherways know what he Preach'd and Prayed constantly but by others testimony And the Law saith Testimonium quod ab aliena relatione dependet non valet And indeed to accuse a man long after his death as here Mr. Liston is when yet while alive he was not pursu'd though the Law both Civil and Ecclesiastical was open to them and the faults if proved punishable by the Judge is contrary to the Light of Nature and Law of Nations which teach that Citatio defensio sunt juris naturalis and condemn no man uncited unheard The Civil Law says that sententia contra mortuos ferenda non est for that were cum larvis pugnare to fight with mens ghosts which is neither Humanity nor Religion And several of the things asserted are so improbable that they must be scant in Charity who believe them As for the 2d Instance of Mr. W. H. It 's an arrow out of the same quiver the person being a Probationer upon the rumor of what is here alledg'd was call'd to account for it but vindicated himself sufficiently whereby it appears we incourage no such intemperate and indiscreet actions amongst any of our persuasion but bring them to account for it and we know by whose industry all the Aurea Legenda that can be collected in that part of the Countrey are confidently published with teste meipso From these Instances he draws as he calls it an undoubted conclusion that if Dissenters had the uncontrolable liberty of a legal irrestrictive Indulgence they wou'd be most turbulent insolent and tumultuous which he proves by the representation made by the House of Commons to King Charles the 2d above 30 years ago as we heard before A. Were these two Instances as true as we have made them appear to be false and malicious his conclusion might be doubted as much as a conclusion from the many Instances of Simony Adultery Drunkenness and constant Non-Residence judicially proved at the late Regal Visitation at Lisburn to prove all the Clergy of Ireland guilty of these Crimes and seeing he can produce no Instances of intemperate speeches and illegal violences of Dissenters in the North except these two pretended this may satisfie the Government how far we are from such a distemper as he reproaches us with tho we have had provocations from the intemperate speeches of some Clergy-men As for his only strong Argument his fear of the increase of the power and number of Dissenters and therefore the Establish't Church should not be over-fond of these seeming Protestants A. His Party hath no cause to thank him for his policy for by representing the Dissenters as so formidable a party he encourageth them and weakens the hearts and hands of his Brethren by these frightful Prophesies If he be so really affraid of our power and increase his wisdom will be seasonably to yield and unite with us For these penal Laws have not lessened our numbers or weakened our power seeing since their commencement we are in Ireland 100 to one and if upwards of 100 years experience of the absolute insufficiency of these Laws to prevent the daily growth of Dissenterâ— from the Establish't Church will not convince him of their being useless Engines to defend it we cannot help him more than these do his cause The V. having urg'd That a Legal Indulgence was needful in case another Rebellion which God forbid should happen else what Gentleman among us wou'd rise for others to command or wou'd Tenants cheerfully rise with them on whom they have no dependance and in whom they can as little trust The D. tells us there 's no danger of that for the generality of the Nobility and Gentry of the North are Conformists their Landlords and Acquaintances and men of great Estates to manage that A. If the Nobility and Gentry that are Conformists who in the late troubles promised fair things to Dissenters shou'd by the importunity of some of the hotter Clergy be over-persuaded contrary to their own moderate temper and interest to forâ—eit that place they have now in the esteem of Dissenters it would be impossible to induce reasonable men to trust them in a time of War who had deceiv'd them in a time of Peace But we hope the Nobility and Gentry value as and their own interest more than to sacrifice both to some implacable men for Ceremonies It would be no prudence to provoke such multitudes which in times of confusion little regard such distinctions as in Peace