those elder Times Times of less Learning and more Honesty shou'd have occasion with other Spirits to enter our inchanted Castle and Corporation they might see sufficient Reasons for the change of its Name and cou'd not but wonder at the many Vicissitudes of Time Place and Manners But Sir Antbony Putt and I will not pretend to be much seen in the Antiquities of our Town and Country that 's a Study we must resign to a more Able Faithful and Judicious Antiquary who has already detected our Mistakes in point of Elections and will publish them in due time 'T is no Prudence for Men of our small Reading and less Judgment to print more than they can make out or come under the Correction of the more Learned To prevent such farther Disgrace we ask Pardon of that Worthy Gentleman for once daring to invade his peculiar Province without leave Well waving Antiquity in this case let 's survey the present State and Condition of this Burrough What deplorable Alterations it has suffer'd within our Memory How unnaturally have some Men degenerated from the Principles Honour and Temper of their Ancestors Where the Grandfather and Father were constant Blessings in their Piety Beneficence and Good Example to all Men the Son unlearns all his Parents Virtues and becomes a Reproach to his Family a very Curse and Plague to the Plate he wells in He that a few Years ago pass'd for an undoubted Oracle every Word of his was a Law with the Common People was as Infallible as the Pope Himself has now alas lost Ground to amazement His Cardinal Dissenters begin to have other Sentiments to think in good earnest they may be safest without him their Liberty as sure their Traffick more unlimited and their Reputation more clear if by laying him aside they free themselves from their unpolitick Practice of opposing the Church The meanest of the People have their Eyes open can now see as far into a Mill-stone as other Men can tell ye that all is not Gold that seems so that there 's difference betwixt Words and Deeds Pretence and Truth and do mortally hate to be deceiv'd They see plainly what was meant by setting up the Burrough against the Corporation the mighty Out-cry of Danger Danger like Fire Fire to amuze and confound the Multitude that had they either not Voted at all or join'd with the Mayor and Aldermen against Sir Anthony their Danger and Loss had not been so great in setting aside a Man greedy of Honour as the Injury and Mischief of destroying the Unity and Friendship of the Town dividing it into Parties and begetting Hatred and Malice one against another They now believe that the Civil Rights and Liberties of Scydromedia may well be maintain'd without his Help and that the Advice and Assistance of Honorary Freemen in chusing the fittest Men to serve in Parliament can be no wrong to a Corporation That to rob Men of their Peace Reason and Religion is a greater Crime than to hinder a few insignificant Votes if that had been intended The Poorer sort had not created Enemies by confronting the Rich on whom their Work or Relief must depend Time and Consideration do Wonders some Men that heretofore wou'd venture starving rather than not Vote for our Worthy Patriot now are of Opinion they had better stay at home and stand neuter and then tho' they strictly oblige neither Party yet by leaving it to others of better Judgment they enrage none People are afraid of a Glorious and Just Design because such a Pretence once ended in the most Barbarous Murder of King Charles I. They made him in truth a Glorious King but sent him to find a Kingdom in another World ever since that time the Wind of Reformation has blown over us we have breath'd in an unwholesom Air. The Contagion has spread into all adjacent Parts some leading busie Dissenters like diseas'd Sheep have infected not the whole Flock but very many that came near them Poor Sir Anthony I 'm sure is the worse for 'em he has no mind to be made a Tool to any Power or Interest whatsoever if he was not forc'd to it by his belov'd Honour Being puff'd up with that he and his Magna Charta pass some coarse Compliments on Mr. Mayor the Aldermen and all the Church-Party calling them Arbitrary Infolent Magistrates Multipliers of Electors Thieves Treasonable Impudent Fools Injurious Time-servers Carriers on of Tricks Men of black Designs Men of no Reason Frantick Undertakers But we must suppose that these Words are to be taken Ironically that he meant just contrary to what he said And truly without the help of this deceitful Trope we had been hard put to 't to take off the Absurdities and Contradictions of that printed Paper Now let 's try at the Book if we can answer that justifie the Saints and preserve our Members the Work 's done Sed hic Labor hoc Opus In order to it let Sir A. put on as good a Face as he can genteely frisk about the Town visit every diminutive Cottager say Sir I 'm your humble most faithful and most obedient Servant you 're all mistaken in me I am the same Man I was in King Charles II. 's Time that no Revolution can change my Temper that with all my Faults you had better have one you do than one you do not know If he meets a Man that has but an Hose or Clout on his Head let our obliging Knight bend his Body with Hat and Hand to the Ground and in all Circumstances act the Part of Popularity to the life I Confess he 's too great a Master that way than to need my Directions Let my Lady Castle spend no more of her precious Time in vainly Coaching to Park or Play in making unnecessary unwelcome Visits to the Gentry these will never promote our Cause Mrs. Maggot or any other of the Holy Sisters or whatever they are that will help to carry on our Good Design must have the Honour of being my Lady's Companions nay she shall attend them in House Street Coach in all Places and seem fond very fond of 'em for want of better Society Let the ' Squire forbear watching and waiting under his amorous Oak the Prize is taken and was I fit to advise a Counsellor that Tree should not longer stand as a living Monument of his dying Honour Let him not altogether lurk within doors but try his Skill upon the Dissenting Females some more than common Familiarity with them may chance to turn the Tide for all this The Leading Presbyterians are sure Cards to oppose Church and Kingly Government the Independents may be easily wrought into any pious Mischief and the Quakers are generally too proud to submit to the plainest Truth or go one step out of their own way And yet the wisest Heads amongst 'em are stagger'd at the Book and know not well what to say against it But to our comfort I perceive all
those that are acquainted with St. Hierome's Writings well know that this Passage was intended to beat down the Usurpation of the Deacons at Rome who then began to out-top the Presbyters on this Account he was tempted to magnifie and extoll the Place and Dignity of Presbyters in the Church And though he said that Bishops and Presbyters are all one He yet in other places excepts the Office of Ordination and Government And does at other times plainly and frequently assert the Authority of Bishops over Presbyters and did himself constantly live in Communion with and Subjection to Bishops John Calvin could not advance himself at Geneva without the Bishop's Fall and yet had all things belonging to a Bishop but the Name As Old Noll had in the Monarchy but the bare Title of King The Geneva or Presbyterian Discipline was begotten in Rebellion born in Sedition and nurs'd up by Faction Aerius was one of the worst Friends you cou'd have produc'd he was vex'd to see himself slighted and not preferr'd to a Bishoprick as his Companion Eustathius was And this made the haughty Man start aside and talk extravagantly against Bishops â—â—at the Church branded and excommunicated him for an Heretick and Epiphanius represents him little better than a Mad-man distemper'd by Pride Emulation Envy Covetousness Ambition These were the Causes of his opposing Episcopal Government If you consult Blondell Salmatius and Daillé whose great Parts Learning and indefatigable Industry cou'd if any thing have made out the contrary you 'll see they have been forc'd to grant That Episcopacy obtain'd in the Church within a few Years after the Apostolick But our Church can safely carry it higher even to the Apostles themselves so much you urg'd me to speak concerning the Antiquity and Dignity of Bishops in the Church Dissent We all acknowledge we have had Freedom enough to speak for our selves we have but one thing more to plead and then we shall submit to your Lordship's Determination Our Separation from the Church must be allow'd because there are in it many wicked People scandalous ill Livers who for want of due Exercise of Discipline or by the Inadvertence or Connivence of its Governours do remain in it and so give us just occasion of Offence and Separation There are two Texts of Scripture for us in this Case 2 Cor. 6. 17. Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing so Rev. 18. 4. Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues Judge This I take to be none of the least Absurdities the Dissenters are guilty of Are there no such Mixtures no Offenders no ill Livers amongst you Are they all holy harmless and pure that come to your Congregations If not you have the same Reasons to separate to come out from among them as to withdraw from the Church for fear of Pollution and by the same Argument you must never join in any Communion while the World endures The want of Discipline we may thank you for You You Dissenters are the Cause that so many Immoralities are now tolerated That Excommunication and other necessary Censures of the Church which formerly kept People in good Order and preserv'd the Honor and Reputation of Religion are by your Encouragement of Disobedience both omitted and mock'd at And were you truly Men of tender Consciences this one Consideration would make your Hearts ake Look into the State of the Church under the Jewish Administration and you 'll find that the Sins of neither Priest nor People owning the True God became at any time the occasion of Separation to them What Sins could be greater than those of Eli's Sons And yet did not the People of God Elkanah and Hannah by Name refrain to join with them in the Publick Worship 1 Sam. 2. 17 24. In Ahab's time when all Israel halted betwixt God and Belial yet then did the Prophet Elijah summon all Israel to appear on Mount Carmel and held a Religious Communion with them in Preaching and Praying and Offering a Miraculous Sacrifice 1 King 18. All along when both Prince Priests and People were very much deprav'd and debauch'd in their Manners we don't find that the Prophets at any time exhorted the Faithful and Sincere to separate from the rest or that they themselves set up any separate Meetings but continu'd in Communion with the Church preaching to them and advising them to Repentance Look into the New Testament you 'll see in the Apostolick Churches of Corinth Galatia and the seven Churches of Asia many of the Members were grown very Bad and Scandalous yet we don't read the Example of any Good Man separating from the Church or any one Precept rightly understood from the Apostles so to do They don't tell them that the whole Body was polluted by those filthy Members and that if they would be safe themselves they must withdraw from their Communion but exhort 'em to use all Means to reclaim them And if neither private nor publick Admonitions and Reproofs wou'd do then to suspend them from the Communion of the Church till by Repentance and Amendment they render'd themselves capable of being restor'd to Peace and Pardon Our Blessed Saviour knew the Jewish Church to be a corrupt Church Priests and People lewd and vicious yet kept in Communion with it and commanded his Disciples so to do We read that the Scribes and Pharisees who rul'd the Ecclesiastical Chair at that time had perverted the Law corrupted the Worship of God were blind Guides devoured Widows houses were Hypocrites and such as only had a Form of Godliness yet did not our Saviour separate from their Communion but was made under the Law freely submitted himself to all the Rites and Ceremonies of it He was circumcis'd on the Eighth Day redeem'd by a certain Price being a Son and a First-born observ'd the Passover and other Feasts enjoin'd by their Law Yea and that of the Dedication too which was but of Human Institution was baptiz'd amongst them preach'd in their Temples and Synagogues reason'd with 'em about Religion exhorted his Disciples to hear their Doctrine though not to follow their Practices Now what greater Cause on the Account of Corruption and Manners could be given to separate from a Church than was there Yet how carefull was our Saviour both by his Example and Precept to forbid and discountenance it Consider the Representations of a Church given in Scripture and elsewhere to shew that it is a Mixture of Good and Bad 'T is call'd a Field in which Wheat and Tares grew up together a Net wherein are Fishes of all sorts a Barn wherein there is Corn and Chaff a Vine that has fruitful and barren Branches an House in which are Vessels of Gold and Silver and of lesser Value a Marriage-Feast at which were wise and foolish Virgins c. St. Hierome compares the Church to Noah's
succeed Teach Men the Art of groping Hens And Grope for Grope makes them amends Wou'd every Man his Butt'ry shut Then neither Mealman's Dog nor yet A sharper Curr cou'd steal a bit Cheer up my Friends Flesh has its failing What if in Burrough 't is prevailing The matters not worth our bewailing For I have made it very plain Our Neighb'ring Saints are much more vain If this piece of Poetry works kindly for the Dissenters we 'll set a pleasant new Tune to 't it may be more grateful to some of our Saints than any Hymn or Psalm of David metred and set by the greatest Art of honest Hopkins and Sternhold in the Beginning of the Reformation Now we have sweetned the Court and put all into some good Harmony before the Jury goes out to agree upon their Verdict 't is proper to hear some able Counsel on both Sides relating to this Cause Between the DISSENTERS and the CHURCH Judge If you say no better for the Saints than has been hitherto offer'd in their Defence against the Book I give my Opinion That after all their Articles about the Errours and Insufficiencies of it the sober Party are Ten or Fourteen times worse than they seem'd before this Trial. But let the Jury do as they see fit I am not to prejudicate I am bound to let you know what I apprehend to be good Sense and Law to instruct not to govern you Pray attend to the Counsel for First the Dissenters Secondly the Church We 'll hear them with Patience Dissent Advoc. My Lord and Jury I 'm retain'd in the GOOD OLD CAUSE I 'm for Conventiclers against Church-Men I must tell the Court That the Cause before you at this time is very weighty the Peace of our Town the Wellfare of our Country depends upon it The first Argument I shall offer for the Saints is their Infallibility Every Dissenter from the Church carries an undoubted Pope in his own Breast so that 't is strange nay almost impossible for him to be mistaken in my Opinion Though all other Men find the woful Infirmities of Humane Nature the Weakness and Short-sightedness of their Understandings and the daily Experience how prone they are to Errours and Misapprehensions yet the Saints are alway sure positive and peremptory that they are in the Right and all others in the Wrong that differ from them The early Prepossessions of their Opinions the powerful Prejudices of Education an implicit and unexamin'd Belief of what their Guides and Leaders teach 'em have such mighty irresistable Force upon their minds That they no more doubt the Truth and Goodness of any Cause they 're engaged in than they question the Certainty of the Scriptures or the plainest Demonstrations in the Mathematicks Can it be suppos'd that Men who pass for Saints can have any Pride Partiality or Self-Conceit to put them out of the Right Way or that they can possibly think more highly of themselves and their Way than in Duty they ought to think If not The Conventicle is better than the Church Church Advoc. My Lord and the Court I am for the honest Church-Men was in hopes That the Dissenters had been sick of their Old Cause I know some of the Wisest of them wish they had never been at Controversie with the Church they have had such ill luck as to be worsted in all their Arguments In answer to this of Infallibility The Church-Men truly say That as there 's but one Independent so but One Infallible Being which is GOD. We derive all our Gifts from that Fountain and no Man can be sure of any Point of Faith but as he 's directed by the known Dictates of that Infallible Wisdom That the Dissenters are not void of Mistakes seeing they do apparently contradict and oppose each other and frequently themselves too in Matters of Religion That the things wherein we differ are confessedly disputable and therefore not certain and every Dissenter agrees to this That the Church is the Best Religion and Government next to that of his own particular Fancy and Opinion and by consequence must be really best as being held so in the most general Esteem and Approbation of Religious Men. The Presbyterian would rather turn Church-Man than be an Anabaptist The Independent would do so than be a Quaker The Quaker was he to change would chuse the Church sooner than any other Pesuasion in England so that the Church being voted for on all hands to have the second Place to be approv'd before and above all other but that which the particular Dissenter pretends to it may well be concluded by Majority of Voices to be the BEST to be preferr'd to any single Opinion whatsoever which has no other Foundation to support it but it self And this particular Opinion upon due Enquiry may proceed from nothing but Humour or Interest the Conduct of a mis-inform'd Judgment Passion Self-Love Fancy or Mistake more than the Real Concerns of Truth and Piety Both which are constantly defended by This Church A Church founded on the firmest Rock against which the Storms and Tempests the Policy and Force of Hell have not yet totally prevail'd nor ever will unless by our Divisions and Contempt we provoke the Vengeance of Heaven to remove her from us Dissent Advoc. Yet Brother we have terribly shak'd your Church and it seems but in a tottering Condition at this time Though Hell can never prevail so far but that there shall be a Church to the end of the World yet this is not meant of a National but the Universal Church of Christ Ch. Advoc. I grant that many National Churches where Christian Religion had a long time slourish'd have been deliver'd up into the Hands of Turks and Infidels we have then the greater reason to look about us And if there should be no Remedy but that our Church must fall shall English-Men throw it down Will it be any Credit to Dissenters to overturn the Church or to grow unreasonably fond of those methods to strengthen the Protestant Interest which the Malice and Subtilty of the Devil and his Instruments have contriv'd to destroy it Diss Advoc. That in all their Divisions the Dissenters will tell ye they have no ill Designs upon the Church only are for the Advancement of the Reform'd Religion into a greater Perfection than the Church of England is yet arriv'd at in these four Points Doctrine Worship Discipline and Life Ch. Advoc. I wish you had no worse Ends than these in your Separation and that upon fair Trial it may appear that these Ends are possible to be obtain'd by this Means the People are put in Expectation of a Blessed Change a fine New Church-Government a Presbytery for an Hierarchy and perhaps not long after a Government of State instead of a King Diss Advoc. Let me proceed distinctly I hope I may be able to satisfie the Court. First For Doctrine we are for proposing higher Notions than that Church ever taught To feed the