such Pious Raptures such Religious Impressions How sweet and perswasive are thâ—se Baits and Temptations that hurries the Sinner another way How frail is Nature How encroaching is Error How weak is resolution How strong is Passion and Lust How soon does the Man that had form'd such fine and curious Ideas of Religion and Virtue begin to falter and languish in his Duty when he is brought forth to action or engaged in a passive vindication of the Truth How is his Soul put into an uproar at the least touch or appearance of Evil while his Affections and Senses dispute the goodness of the Cause and his Rational Faculty stands by and unconcern'd The Man confesses that his obligation indeed is very great but yet it is cruel too 'T is good but yet not necessary 't is just but yet indiscreet and therefore tho' he can sometimes advance to a single Act of Piety yet to groâ—â— up to an â—niversal and Habitual goodness is a talk and torture not to be endur'd And now he begins to reflect a little upon the common Genius and Fashion of the World and accutely observes that the general Bent and Vote of Mankind is directed another way And why should he aspire to a Superiority of knowledge beyond his Brethren or pretend to be a wiser or a better Man than they Nay he has more nicely observ'd that a down-right simplicity regularity and decorum of words and Actions do's but recommend the good Man to the title of a Fool and expose him to Laughter beggery and contempt That dissimulation and baseness are the nearest steps and ascent to dignity and splendâ—d accommodations while honesty is contented with a few worthless Caresses and pines and starves under Airy and Complemental Applauses Thus wearied quite with this perplexing Subject this devout and melancholly Employment he thinks it high time to bid farewell to the World as it was fashion'd and design'd by God and to go into the same as 't is new modell'd and tranform'd by the pride and artifice of Man His Affections have hitherto been confin'd as it were to the Cell and Cloyster and yet he found it hard to keep 'em chaste and unspotted of the World but now like Dinah they must go abroad to see and visit the Daughters of the Land His Thoughts are now let loose to all the tempting varieties all the charms and attractives of the sensitive World He studies all the meritorious Arts of Flattery and Persuasion and rallies together all the force and vigour of his soul and body to greet the opportunities of secular Greatness He courts Religion no longer as a Mistress and out of Love but makes use of her as a Hand-maid to serve his turn and advantage sometimes we find him in the House of Rimmon and sometimes in the Temple one while he seems to worship God and yet when a good occasion doe's invite he can readily bow the knee to Baal And at another time he holds it convenient for the design in hand to hover in a dark Neutrality between both THE Common-Wealths-Man UNMASQU'D Or a Just REBUKE To the Author of the Account of Denmark IF this be not sufficient to illustrate the Vanity of Fallen and Darkened Mankind I shall give a more full and comprehensive Character of it as it lies contracted within the compass of one Man I mean the puissant and Heroical Author of the late Account of DENMARK who while he pretends to new Lights and Discoveries and more than ordinary Refinements is himself as great an instance as I know of the depravation of of Humane Nature He seems to carry at once an infallible Chair and a High Court of Justice within the narrow circumference of his Brain fancies himself to be wiser than the Clergy both Universities the King and Parliament to boot and there is nothing extraordinary honourable or sacred but what he has perverted by a knackish and politick Construction And all this he has done under the specious pretence of the All-attoning Freedom of the Subject and masque of popular Liberty such a Liberty I suppose and 't will appear by the sequel as happen'd heretofore when there was no King in Israel and every Man did that which was right in his own Eyes Now in order to carry on this Antimonarchical Project and that Affairs may go on in true Fanatical Decorum 'T is first necessary That the Clergy should be defam'd and blacken'd with invidious Reflections These are the main support and known Pillars of the Throne And therefore that the one may be more advantagiously pull'd down it is held convenient by the choice and secret ones to run a Tilt without distinction against the other This was the exact method of the Saints in the days of Civil Broils and Desolation when they were carrying on the luscious Work and blessed Trade of Sacriledge and Plunder Every Loyal and Conforming Minister was render'd as Antichristian and vile a piece of Formality as a Dancing-Master was at Geneva at the beginning of the Reformation and he that was blest with a comfortable and plump Benifice was in as Eminent Danger as the Fat-man in London-Derry These things are too universally known and infamous to be any longer insisted upon Let us see how near our Prefacer's Copy approaches the Original Pref. The Ecclesiasticks of most Religions who are allowed to understand and prosecute their own Interest best of any People tho' they be generally persons whose function obliges them to a sedentary and studious course of life c. As some of the well affected heretofore blended Popery and Prelacy together that they might the better destroy both under one Denomination so here the Popish and conforming Clergy are involv'd in the same condemnation and none seem excepted but the new Mechanical Priest-hood 'T would have been much more Civil and ingenious had he cry'd out in a Language of a Modern Poet That Priests of all Religion's are the same This is a very black and invidious charge and only lets us understand that Travellers may talk by Authority I do ingeniously own that I know not one Quality more unbecoming a Man that aspires to true Christian Wisdom and Philosophy than an immoderate thirst after Wealth and Dignity and may he be branded with the Name of Judas for me that sets too high a value upon this glittering insignificant Lumber of the World and dare's grasp at more than an Honourable Maintainance which the Scripture allows but our Prefacer seems to deny 'T was one main scope of the Evangelical Writings to extinguish in us an inordinate Love of all Earthly Things and so long as the Primitive Fervours did remain all such unchaste and idolatrous Desires were restrain'd and mortified But when the love of the World began to be advanc't to an undue pitch the love of God was proportionably abated and the mystery of Godliness was quickly chang'd into the Mammon of Iniquity When the Episcopal Office which was at first accounted a degree of
Man arriv'd to before his time And as the Philosophers acquir'd an Immortality to themselves so they gave a kind of Reputation and Lustre to their Kindred and Acquaintance too 'T was an Honour heretofore to a Gentleman to have been at Athens and convers't with the Grecian Sages Olorus had not been remembred by Posterity but for his Son Thucidides and Seneca observes That the name of Sophronischus had been buried in oblivion but for his Son Socrates Nor had Aristo and Gryllus been known to after Ages if it had not been for Xenophon and Plato Pref. Germany was freer than any other part of Europe till at length 't was Lorded by Captains which in process of time grew Princes and Electors and by Bishops with Temporal Authority who may thank Charles the Great a very bigotted Prince for their double Sword of Flesh and Spirit And again They speaking of the Clergy have cast off the Opinions of Rome in the Supremacy of the Pope and other Points but they would retain the Grandeur belonging to that Church and applaud us for doing both so dextâ—rously Account cap. 16. p. 230. This is all over the exact Genius and Spirit and almost the very stile of a broken-hearted Covenanting Brother as will appear to any that shall peruse the Sayings of the great Lights o' th Church or new Reformation 1641. c. Nay if I well remember the Sweet-singers of Billingsgate canted in this Tune and much after the same manner The Oyster-women lock't their Fish-up And trudg'd away to cry no Bishop Here is a strong mixture of Ignorance and Ill-manners nor is it easy to determine which is the most predominant Ingredient Every Prince it seems that is zealous for the Honour of the Church and Clergy is with him an half-witted Bigot and consequently not fit to Govern and every Modern Prelate and Usurper Nothing doe's more dazie envious and weak Eyes than Ecclesiastick Splendor and a peaceable flourishing Condition of the Church He could make no question as bold a stroke at the Picture of Constantine himself upon occasion and I shall venture to tell him That he has already libell'd most of the Courts and Governments of Europe For the European Princes upon the the first entertainment of the Evangelical Codes admitted the Episcopal Order into their Courts of Judicature so doe's Adam Bremensis particularly speak in Relation to the State of Denmark Starovolscius of Poland Loccenius of Sweden Hinâ—mâ—r and Bignonius of France The Toletane Councils of Spain and Arumaeus a German a much better Lawer and Protestant than our Prefacer speaking of Bishops sitting in the Diets both as Prelates and Princes commends the Wisdom and Justice of that Constitution in relation to true Polity and safety of Religion Indeed the imperial Constitutions before the Papacy began give allowance to Bishops to be Judges in Civil Causes as well as Ecclesiastical which I presume laid the Foundation of this sort of Episcopal Rights and Jurisdiction and all Donations and Favours of this kind from Princes in After-Ages were only a glorious Transcript of this Original The Prefacer seems to have espous'd the Doctrine of the Leviathan part 3. cap. 47. where Mr. Hobbs endeavouring to over-throw Christ's Kingdom in this world represents that Notion as a design or artifice of the Roman Clergy to support their secular Greatness But how Christ's Kingdom upon Earth should be a Popish Imposture to advance ambitious Ends when this Doctrine was first preached by our Saviour himself afterwards by his immediate Disciples and propagated by succeeding Apostolical Men in the Ages of Persecution is a mysterious Riddle which I cannot comprehend But this State of Affliction was not to be perpetual and unalterable for when Kings should become Nursing Fathers of the Church the Evangelical Priesthood was to make a more Glorious Figure in the World St. Peter mentions a Royal Priesthood and this is so far from carrying a new and surprizing sound to the more rational part of Mankind that it has been ever own'd by the more polish't and civiliz'd Nations Among the Romans the Pontifices were carried in a Charriot of State to the Capitol and were allow'd to interpose in matters of Polity and civil Concernment as well as of Religion as Cicero speaks at large in his Oration for his Hoâ—se Among the Bâ—â—ylonians and Egyptians as Josephus writes in his Tract against Appion and which I would have the Author of the Account of Denmark particularly observe there were none thought worthy to be honoured and entrusted with the Office of an Historian but the those of the Sâ—cerdoâ—al Character Every pedling Observator was not then thought fit to communicate the Actions of Princes and brave Men or recommend the Examples of Heroe's to Posterity To give an Account of tâ—â— vast Affairs of State the Revolutions of Governments the various turns of Providence in the advancement declination and fall of Empires and of great Personages to discern the more hidden Springs the private Walks and all the Masques of Villany to trace fallen Vertue through the Cloud and Veil to distinguish nicely betwixt the Prosperous and Brave the Bad and the Unfortunate was thought a task that requir'd a great and unwearied industry a penetrating Judgment a sublime Learning an impartial Reason and other extraordinary Accomplishments in the Undertaker But now each Youthful or Grey-headed Pedant aspires to the Historical Faculty 't is but rambling a little about the Globe casting his eyes around and travelling till he is tired and then he shall lye down fall into Dreams and Visions and rise up an illuminated Historian in a moment and not contented to take the Office out of the Rightful Hands he fancies it to be his peculiar Province to expose the Sacred Office to contempt and ridicule the Priesthood like the Evil Spirit that perpetually haunts him he seeks but can find no rest And that worm of impertinence that is got into his Brain can never lye still till the whole Nation 's disturb'd by it's wrigling Secondly Another preparatory Step towards the carrying on an Antimonarchial Project is making a senseless pother and noise about Tyranny and Arbitrary Power For the people are govern'd by Names and the power of Words and seldom see beyond the surface of things and any little Jâ—ggling Poliâ—itian can in the view of the people make an unfortunate Sally an involuntary Tax or some other trivial Digression appear â— terrible advance towards Tyranny and absolute Dominion This was heretofore the Logick of the Saints as well as of Gottam to uplift the Good Cause in the days of Regeneration and to shew how good Wits can jump upon occasion I shall set down the very words nay the Heart and Soul of the Prefacerâ— Pref. Good Learning as well as Travel is a great Antidote against the Plague of Tyranny The Heroe's celebrated in the Books of the Antients are for the most part such as had destroy'd or expell'd Tyrants Good Learning indeed which the
THE Common-Wealths-Man UNMASQU'D Or a Just REBUKE TO THE Author of the Account of Denmark Quem Discordiae quem caedis civium quem Bellum civile delectat eum ex numero hominum Ejiciendum ex finibus Humanae Naturae exterminandum puto Cicero Philip. 3. In Two Parts London Printed and sold by Randal Taylor near Stationers-Hall 1694. TO THE KING'S Most Excellent Majesty May it please Your Majesty THE Indignation I conceiv'd at the Reading of the Author of The Account of DENMARK and the Rude Affront that is therein offer'd to Your Sacred Majesty has Transported me into this Presumption of Address 't is true the Performance looks like an Exhalation rising from the Bowells of the meanest and the basest Earth but such Exhalations have often darkened and sometimes Eclips'd the Sun I might here take occasion to insist largely upon Your Majesty's Character but I consider I speak to a God by Deputation therefore my words shall be few The more Brave and Generous among Your Reputed Adversaries confess you deserve to be Universal Monarch if the highest Personal Merit and Valour may lay claim to such a thing and may Your Imbitter'd Enemies at length see their own Errors by the help of that Light and Glory that shall surround You. May the King of Kings conduct You in the Right Way and lead You on to a just Establishment of the Nation 's Tranquility and Your own Which is the hearty Prayer of Your Majesty's humble and devoted Subject and Servant S. S. THE INTRODUCTION I Have been for some time no unconcern'd Spectator of those improvident Heats and darling Contentions which to the loss of the Common Cause of Christianity have long since spread themselves over the Western World and being quite tir'd out with contemplating the deformity of this black and melancholly Scene I was willing to give my Thoughts some Diversion by applying 'em to such worthy and important Considerations as might afford some little ease and serenity even in sullen and dark times and make the short life and leisure I enjoy to pass away with some tolerable satisfaction Riches and Honour or the Respect of men are pretty popular Beatitudes and all sensual complacencies in their outward appearance are very sweet and alluring but consider'd in their final issue and event they do rather amuse than satisfy the mind and more affright than caress the Understanding so that upon a full and impartial prospect of things unless we can find out some more solid Principle or Basis of Security the condition of mankind will appear sufficiently sad and uncomfortable in this World For man is become a forlorn and miserable Creature and tho' he thinks himself Lord of this Lower World yet he 's born a poor helpless indigent Slave full of wants of fears and disappointments He fancies indeed that he is some God-like Being and complements himself with Divine Epithets and Titles of Renown but they serve only to add Solemnity to his shame and advance the sport and Triumph of his Misfortunes Imaginary Fears and Jealousies devour his Spirits and insult over his blessings nay he is often imprinting that evil upon himself by an improvident anticipation which can but once befall him in this life He superstitiously trembles at the evil Influences of the Stars above and dreads every little Meteor of the Night he sinks under the apprehension of Eclipses Comets and ill Aspects of Heaven while he carries the causes of his Misery within himself Could he but look within and take a true prospect of his own deprav'd Constitution he would soon discern That his Affections and Lusts are the only false Lights that misguide and betray him that Pride Self-Love Ambition and Discontent are the only bad Omens and amazing Prodigies Neither are his hopes any better founded or more proportionate than his fears they are not directed by the inherent worth or quality of the Object nor ballanc't by any determinate measures but hurry him violently to precipices and dangers to vain Transports and Fantastical Illusions He meets with nothing that can terminate his desires or allay the eagerness of his restless inclinations He proposes indeed strange possessions to himselef his thoughts are still busied with imaginary draughts of Elizium and Golden Provinces and if he could but compass the design in hand he could fancy himself install'd in Paradise again But alas He knows not the vanity of the thing he admires 'till the enjoyment of it has undeceived his judgment and rectified his notions And then he soon finds the disappointment as certain as the desire and he is now more tormented with the dissatisfaction and loss than he was before with the Expestation Thus as David phraseth it Man walks in a vain Shadow and disquieteth himself in vain He falls in Love enjoys and abhors he chooses and hates the same thing 'T is true his reason commands him to be contented happy and composed in every condition of Life and yet he finds by experience he cannot â—e so in any but as if he were still harast with some Malignant Distemper he lies changing and tossing from side to side between undue Objects and immoderate Desires One while perhaps through the unhappy Instinct of his Original Pride he effects the great and venerable name of Philosopher of Lord and Master over the Intellectual World He considers with himself that a Philosophical Life and insight into Nature is one of the Noblest Badges of true Honour the greatest Perfection and most useful Qualification that â—â—n adorn a Rational Creature But finding at length that this Lamp within him serves only to discover those Errors and mistakes that before lay hidden and unobserv'd perceiving also that the more he understands the more he sees his own Errors and the greatest knowledge he has hitherto acquir'd serves only to make him sensible that he wants it his discontent begins proportionably to increase with his acquisitions and his Hopes are driven to downright desperation Besides he observes that all knowledge is attended with great Toil and Vexation with ungrateful relishes and many painful Impressions That each single Science will cost him many a Pang in the Performance and that much Study is a weariness to the Flesh. He feels his Soul extended as it were upon a Rack and all his faculties suffering a Convulsion and as if he had adopted the Womans Curse also and Contracted the whole Apostacy within himself he Travails with Pain and brings forth with sorrow Being thus tir'd out with his Learned drudgery in the next place perhaps he betakes himself to Morality and Religion he has often been transported at the sight of some brave and Virtuous Exploits and resolves to make such delightful Scenes the future subject and entertainment of his Thoughts He has heard of Socrates and other celebrated Worthies that illustrated and Adorned the Heathen Martyrology he loves and even huggs the remembrance of 'em and pronounces 'em good and happy among Men. But alas How vanishing are