Person and Crown to defend Arch-bishops the rest of the Bishops to defend all the Clergy the Church of England against the Pope and all his Cardinals against the Jesuites and all the Popish Party they being Enemies to the King and whole Kingdom as it is a Protestant Kingdom and though the Dissenters may differ from the Church 〈…〉 some things from one another yet the Church of England and the Dissenters 〈…〉 of the King Kingdom I also who am not ashamed to own my 〈…〉 self such a Loyal Subject to 〈◊〉 King such a faithâ—â—◠〈…〉 fore is expres◠〈…〉 according to 1 Tim. 1.2 and let the Pamphleteer lay to heart those words Psalm 52. verse 3. Thou lovest evil more than good and Lying more than to speak Righteousness verse 4. Thou lovest all devouring words O thou Deceitful Tongue O Abominable and Stupendious Forgery Seventhly Hypocrisy is plainly demonstrated in the said Pamphlet A brief account take as followeth in several particulars First In the Pamphleteers pretending to find fault with Persecution in page 2. and yet reckoneth it with other good things as a means to bring Dissenters to Church see page 1. 2dly In his pretending to plead highly for the Church of England all along in his Pamphlet as being the only Church and the Clergy the only men in the whole world for Christianity and yet doth basely insinuate a Confedracy between them and the Papists as being influenced by the Papists to Persecute the Dissenters see page 2. 3dly In that he doth basely reflect upon the Dissenters for Erecting so many new Meeting-places when it is well known that he would have been heartily glad to have had one himself so as to have been set as Chief Preacher and Governour over some Separate Congregation either a new or old Meeting-place would have served to stop his mouth with a good maintenance but missing of his expectation he is so fallen into vexation that he doth not care what he foameth out against the poor Dissenters page 12 4thly In that he chargeth the Dissenters with the total neglect of that great Moral Duty to pay unto God the tenth of their Encrease Now that the tenth of Increase was once payable to God by reason of a Precept in the Old Testament I grant but how it will be proved a moral duty flowing from a Moral Law written in all mens hearts I do not understand but here is the mans hypocrisy that he chargeth that upon others when himself will have a very hard task to prove that he hath made it his own duty in the performance of it consider Mat. 7.5 Thou Hypocrite first cast out the Beam out of thine own Eye then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the Moat out of thy Brothers Eye and yet it is well known that the Dissenters do make Conscience to serve God with their Substance 5thy In that he concludeth page 14. that if the Dissenters are not the True Church nor the Church of England the True Church then it must be the Church of Rome and doth not at all deny the Church of Rome to be the True Church as he hath denyed the Dissenters 6thly His Hypocrisy will further appear page 14. in that he speaâ—eth favourably and lovingly of the Church of Rome in these very words Though Sir I do love the People of the Romish Communion well But harken Brethren what a double faced man is this yea what a double hearted man is this as doth appear by his double tongue in pleading so highly for the Church of England and at last to say If the Dissenters nor the Church of England be the true Church then the Church of Rome must or else where shall we find it 7thly Hypocrisy doth further appear in that he saith Tho' he loveth that Church well yet he is loth it should be counted the true Church because it may be inconvenient upon divers accounts and then he reckoneth up some politick considerations respecting outward damages viz. Then we shall be in danger of a Popish Parliament then all our best Ministers will be turned out of the best Benefices the Writ de Heretico Comburendo will be restored thereby the best Defenders of our Religion against Popery be forced to pledge Philpot Ridley Granmer Latimer in a warm Cup of Smithfield Flames then all our married Clergy most be reputed Fornicators their Wives Whores their Children Bastards then our Nobleâ— and Gentry will lose a great part of their Estates which was formerly Church-Lands then will London much abate in in its Trade and Grandeur then all our Protestant Merchants will be put to flight into other Countries to save their own and the lives of their beloved Ladies then England will be inslaved by a red Coat Army besides many do fear if Popery comes in there will be yet many more places set on sire to the prejudice of the whole Kingdom and amongst all these things he doth not forget to speak faintly in behalf of the Common-Prayer-Book saying Then our good Book of Common-Prayer will be changed which I think few or none can make a better Harken Brethren here is not one word to bewail the loss of the Holy Bible in which there is an infallible discovery of Gods Holy Will and our Holy Duties not a word to bewail the loss of the most powerful Preachers upon the account of their being Instruments in the hand of God to Convert poor souls he only sheweth a little unwillingness that the best Ministers should be turned out of the best Benefices and not a word to bewail the loss of the holy Sacrament and to have instead thereof that abominable Idol called the Sacrament of the Altar Harken Brethren yet further notwithstanding this Pamphleteer doth know all these miseries that may â—â—end the faithful Protestants yet he has the confidence to say he loveth those of the Romish Communion and doth not say he cannot in conscience own them to be a true Church at all but saith he is loath it should be accounted a true Church in England and that onely because it is inconvenient and doth not deny those of the Romish Communion to be a true Church at Rome and in other Countries and he hath left himself an empty space to be filled up with Conformity unto those of the Romish Communion when he shall find a Conveniency O Abominable Hypocrisy in the Pamphleteer to undertake the Cause of the Church of England against the Protestant Dissenters and at last speak faintly of Rome speaketh favourably of Rome speak lovingly of the Church of Rome yea saith he loveth that Party well even that Church who is the implacable enemy of the poor Church of England and longâ—â—â— to put out the Eyes and pluck out the Heart and Cut off the Head of the Protestant Church of England as hath been made evident by the late Damnable Popish Plot. Therefore let all true Protestantâ— be at peace one with another and be in love one to another and joyn head and heart and hand together against this bloody Enemy that has stained many Countries with Protestant Blood And let all sorts of Protestants beware of a False Brother and let the Church of England beware of a False CHILD Prov. 27.8 As a Bird that wandereth from her Nest so is a man that wandereth from his place FINIS
person might have mist of it also 9thly I believe that for as much as Sinners in general have deserved Damnation and none of them able to give Divine Justice satisfaction for themselves the great and glorious God may magnifie his Mercy upon some and glorifie his Justice upon others as seemeth good unto his Insinite Wisdom see Rom. 9.22 What if God willing to shew his wrath and make his power known endured with much Long Suffering the Vessels of wrath fitted for destruction Verse 23. And that he might make known the Riches of his glory on the Vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory also see Rom. 9.20 Nay but O man who art thou that repliest against God And let the Pamphleteer consider what he hath done in speaking so reproachfully of the Servants of the Living God both amongst the Dissenters and the Church of England also and in drawing such blasphemous Conclusions concerning God from their Principles Fifthly High and desperate Rayling is in the said Pamphlet Take notice of page 11. in these words Now if a sound true notion of God be the first and foundation principle of Religion and consequently of a true Church then such as have it not but the manifest conâ—rary can be no true Church because upon a wicked false foundation such as I am sure is among the Sectaries and if such a villanous Body of people is the best and true Church that even in their first principles thus bloodily murder their Maker in his most admirable Attributes of Wisdom Holiness and Goodness I do wonder what kind of people the world is And then over again he has these words VVhat shall we say of such monsters that murder God their Maker shall we join with them as a pious Church Now consider a few Queries upon this bloody matter First What has the poor Wretch forgot what Work he was about viz. High pleading for the Church of England as the only Church of God in the World and now strike deadly strokes at her heart through the tender sides of the Dissenters in a most Abominable abusing both the one and the other about the Eternal Decrees of God as if their Opinions in those things were an in-let to all the most Abominable Wickedness that is in this World and a murdering of God our maker to boot 2dly What doth the man think that the Church of England will receive such a Child as a true Son who most boldly affirmeth that such as hold Gods decrees to be unalterable cannot be a true Church of God but a villanous body of People when it is well known that the Dissenters who are Calvinists and the Church of England do very well agree about the Eternal Decrees of God 3dly What has the child a mind to call his Mother Whore as soon as he is born O what a Monster is this that after two or three times sucking hath got sharp Teeth and long Nailes and most unnaturally falls a biting and scratching his Mothers tender Breast It s well known that the Breast of the Church of England doth afford the same good Milk as is among those Dissenters that he doth so highly and bitterly rail against viz. The Doctrine of Gods unalterable Decrees concerning the children of men 4thly What is the man mad in his mind because the Protestant Dissenters do not believe that the living God is not such a one as he is who hath altered changed and shuâ—…ed in his Opinions Principles and Practises about Religion the Lord rebuke his Soul with that Word Psal 50. vers 20. Thou thoughtest I was altogether such a one as thy self And now let it be soberly considered how the Pamphletere hath strained himself in railing against the poor Dissenters now in the time of their Affliction even as Shimei did rail against poor David 2 Sam. 16.7 Come out come out thou bloody man and thou man of Belial Now mark this mans Words of the Dissenters A villanous body of People that in their first and main Principle thus bloodily murder their Maker in his most admirable Attributes and useth the Words of Jacob Cursed be their anger for it was fierce and their Wrath for it was Cruel O my Soul come not into their secret unto their Assembly mine honour be not thou united what shall we say of such Monsters that murder God their maker shall we join with them as a pious Church Now these Dissenters that he meaneth are those called Calvinists and what their Principles are is well known to and approved of by the Church of England except it be some particular Clergymen called Arminians as also some Dissenters are who notwithstanding do abhor this Abominable Stupendious Railery and though they differ in their Opinions about the Decrees of God yet they have charitable Apprehensions of each other and a cordial love to each other each party knowing that there is a Godly care on both sides to maintain a Godly Conversation in themselves and make sure of Salvation for themselves But as for the Pamphletere who is a shame to himself and others let him read his Transgression and punishment in Psal 50.19 Thou givest thy mouth to Evil and thy tongue frameth deceit Vers 20. Thou sittest and speakest against thy Brother thou slanderest thine own Mothers Son Vers 21. These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest I was altogether such a one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in Order before thine Eyes Sixthly Forgery is in the said Pamphlet at an abominable rate in that the Pamphleteer doth heap up many particulars which he cannot prove therefore they must be charged upon himself as matter forged and framed in his own Working Pate Consider page 12. where he formeth several questions and Answers according to his own mind which take as followeth First Would they have the Arch-bishops down Yes no doubt Secondly Would they have the rest of the Bishops down Yes Thirdly Would they have the best Clergy about the City and Subburbs down Yes Fourthly Would they have all the Clergy in England down Yes Fifthly Would they have all the Ecclesiastical Revenues viz. The Unlawful Maintenance by Tythes down Yes Sixthly Would they have all the Schools of Learning down Yes because the Language of the Beast that opposes the Spirits Teachings set forth by Samuel How comes from thence Seventhly Would they have the Laws for maintaining of the poor down Yes From which particulars consider these things First consider how like a Child the pamphleteer doth behave himself who not being able to throw sticks at a live Cock makes a paper Cock and then taketh great pains to throw it down Secondly Consider how hard he is put to it to make up the number of seven follish Questions in making two about the Bishops and two about the Clergy Thirdly Consider his base design to render and Represent the Dissenters Obnoxious and Odious to the Bishops and Clergy and to stir up
Testament 1. I find it to be a company of persons whether few or many who are converted to God by the Word and Spirit of God of this we have plentiful proof in the Scriptures those that were converted as being turned from darkness to light from the Power of Satan to God and so of Sinners made Saints by the Ministry of the Gospel were called the Churches of God and of Christ in Jerusalem in Samariah in Antioch in Corinth and many other places Secondly I find the Church of God to be such as were baptized in Water for Water Baptism was always previous to Church communion at the Lords Table thus it was in the primitive Church Act. 2 41.42 After convertion then followed Water Baptism and so Church communion Thirdly I find that besides convertion and Water Baptism there must be a Congregating together by a loving Agreement and free consent of the mind of each party from a Principle of Love to God and love to each other without any force or Compultion for Christ hath not made any penal Laws such as fines or Imprisonment to bring persons to his Church and Ordinances and let this be considered that conformity to Gods own Worship by compultion is not right Christian Religion because the conformity is to man and not to God 4thly When thus congregated together holiness of conversation must be maintained by every particular person or else they will be unfit for Church Communion thus have I humbly offered my Opinion and Apprehension as a description of a true Church God in the World which in the sum and substance of it neither the Dissenters nor the Church of England will disown yet it may be that both the Church of England some congregations of Protestant Dissenters may not give their Ascent and consent to every particular as before expressed concerning the true church of God as a true description of it however this matter considered amongst the Dissenters as differing one from another or considered in the Church of England as differing from the Dissenters it looks to much like the Devil to conclude of or call each other the Synagogue of the Devil for whether one or other or whether any of them at all have all the Essentials of a true church according to the primitive constitution yet so far as any of them in their particular persons and in their publick Assemblies do maintain godliness among themselves and promote it amongst others they ought to conclude and deem each other as christian Assemblies and not Synagogues of the Devil Fourthly the aforesaid author goeth on further and saith in his childish way of arguing he that shall communicate with the good members of the church of England shall certainly communicate with as good men as any is under the copes of Heaven for if we refer to the clergy then for Excellency of Natural parts Profoundness of Learning evenness of temper generosity of Principles most admirable Sermons and Doctrines holiness of life and largness of charity we challenge the whole Earth to over-match them now from the foregoing matter consider these following things First he speaketh of communion with the good Members of the church of England and as good as any under the copes of Heaven which words doth intimate that the rest are bad Members and it may be as bad men as any under the copes of Heaven 2dly Consider who these good Members and sâ—per excellent men of the Church of Eagland are First negatively not the brave Protestant Nobility 2dly Not the Gentry 3dly Not the good Church-men of the City 4thly Not the good Church-men of the Country but he fixeth upon the Clergy 3dly Consider the Author of the aforesaid Pamphlet would fain have all persons to whom his Pamphlet may come believe or suppose that he is well acquainted with all the Clergy in the Church of England and is thereby able to be an Evidence of their excelling goodness which seems to be a cunning introduction to some Ecclesiastical Function 4thly Consider that the aforesaid Author has been a greater Traveller then he mentioneth in page 10. viz. to the utmost Mountains for in this page 7. he speaketh of the Dominions of the whole Earth under the Copes of Heaven and doth challenge the whole Earth to over match the English Clergy what would the man have those that read his Pamphlet believe that he has travelled with him that spake boldly to God in Job 1. verse 7. Going to and fro in the earth and walking up and down in it As if he were Observator of the Universe I will not say to be a guide but to give a trancendent Character of the English Clergy but truly I think it best to appeal to all the Parishes in England to give a character of their particular Clergy-men they being best acquainted with their Natural Parts their Temper Principles Sermons Charity and Conversation and let them judge whether they be so good as none better can be expected till Elias cometh with extraordinary Revelation to restore all things however I do believe in my conscience that some of the Clergy of the Church of England are Holy Humble and charitable men and that take delight in Gods Blessing their Labours in mens Conversion and hate Persecution of any of the Kings Subjects by Penal Prosecution they well knowing that forced Conformity is not like to the Lasting pray consider well the Conformist Plea for the Nonconformist and I do not question but believe that worthy Gentleman hath some brethren like himself Sons of the Church of England 5thly The Author still goeth on and reasoneth page 8. if it be dangerous and unsafe to Communicate with the Church of England it is because she is no Church at all or at best but an Antichristian Church unto which I Reply First There is no necessity to conclude the one or other concerning the Church of England what has the man a mind to wheadle some unwary persons into danger and set the Dissenters and the Church of England at a greater variance than they are by drawing and defending some dangerous conclusion concerning the Church 2dly Surely the man hath forget or hath not well considered the good old Proverb all is not gold that glisters suppose upon sight of a piece of Mettle a man should affirm if it be not pure gold it must at best be brass another man of better understanding in the Mettle may affirm it is neither pure gold nor brass and upon bringing it to the touchstone may find it to be a mixt Mettle 3dly If it should be granted that the Church of England were as true and good a Church as the Church at Corinths yet it may be as unsafe and dangerous to partake of the Communion in the one Church as it was in the other viz. persons may in Communicating Eat and Drink their Damnation 1 Cor. 11.27,28 And now from the whole of what the Pamphleteer hath said in his arguings and conclusions concerning
hatred and rage in them against the poor Dissenters who are already under Sufferings in this City and many parts of England and hereby he hath plainly discovered that he is for the same thing that he saith the Adversaries have been long labouring about see Page 2. viz. to divide the Protestants and to put the Protestant Clergy upon Persecuting the Dissenters and it is hereby evident rather then there shall be any empty space in Persecution what is wanting by the Old Adversaries he will set his helping hand to supply by doing farther mischief in stirring up the Clergy against the poor Dissenters and so much more divide those that should be in greater Unity because they are agreed in the highest things of Christianity and all in the same danger of the Old Enemy of Protestants viz. Rome and thus the Pamphleteer is guilty of those Evils mentioned in Prov. 6.16 These six things the Lord hateth yea seven are an Abomination to him Vers 17. A proud look a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood Vers 18. An Heart that deviseth Wicked immaginations feet that he swift running to Mischief a false Witness that speaketh lyes and him that soweth discord among Brethren Fourthly Consider whether the Pamphleteer hath any just cause to Write and Print thus of the Dissenters in general and therefore I will take a brief Notice of his particulars First Concerning Arch-bishops and Bishops though the Dissenters cannot account them to be such Bishops as were in the primitive Church because they cannot find any mention of Arch-bishops or Lord bishops in the new Testament yet for as much as it pleaseth the King and is agreeable to the Constitution of the Government the Dissenters are very well contented to live under such Government in all peaceable manner and give that Reverence and Respect to them as becometh Christianity and Humanity and then I think the Bishops have no cause to complain of the Dissenters as being any abusers of them and for my own part I am apt to think that if the Kingdom had not them there might be worse in their Room Secondly Concerning the English Clergy and their Maintenance it is well known that the Dissenters in City and Countrey have a venerable esteem of such as are known to be men of good Learning good Natural Parts good Preachers and especially men of Spiritual Goodness viz. Men of Godly Conversations as for their Maintenance both in City and Country it is Chearfully paid not as an Act of force but as their Right by Law as other things are the Right of other men by the same Law and it is but a few Dissenters that must be excepted in this matter compared with the whole body of Dissenters throughout the Kingdom and they are deemed by their friends to be more scrupulous then they need or ought to be and besides it is well known that those Parish Ministers who are obliging to their Parishoners do not onely Receive their Due by Law from the Dissenters but do also partake of their love Fourthly As concerning the Schooles of Learning in both Universities it is well known that Learning was highly incouraged and Sobriety was well maintained in those times wherein such as are now Dissenters were concerned both as Heads and Schollars in those Noble Schools and the Dissenters do now rejoice in the maintaining of Learning in both Universities and in other good Schools of the Kingdom and yet Dissenters have good cause to believe that though humane Learning is a very good thing and although men may arrive to high degrees in it yet they may be very ignorant of Divine Misteries which is indeed the Teachings of the Spirit of God it was not for want of Humane Learning that Nicodemus a Ruler and Master in Israel did not understand the new and Spiritual birth when he said How can a man be born when he is Old Can he enter the second time into his Mothers Womb and be born again John 3.4 Neither was it for want of humane Learning that the Greeks did count the Preaching of Salvation by a Crucified Christ Foolishness 1 Cor. 1.23 Nor is it not for want of Humane Learning that the Jesuites and other great Schollars brought up in the Popish Schools do not turn Protestants and it is basely done of the Pamphleteer to reflect upon Mr. Samuel How who hath been in his Grave a great number of years who though he was but a mean man in the world he deserved great honour as a man of good natural parts and an able Preacher of Gods Word a gracious Soul and a man of holy life and Conversation 5thly Concerning the Laws for maintainance of the poor in the several Parishes of England of which the Pamphleteer saith the Dissenters would faln have them down also this seems as if he would stir up a Spirit of Rage in the Poor against the Dissenters to fall about their Ears as being the worst of the Poor's enemies but blessed be God it is well known throughout this Kingdom that the Dissenters do most Cheerfully pay the Parish Taxes for the supply of the Poor and rejoice that there is such a provision made for them besides being Charitable to them other ways Thus have I briefly replyed unto this part of the mans forgery in Charging the poor Dissenters in general with things of which they are not guilty But hearken Brethren here iâ— a very large empty space and seeing Nature abhors a vacuity consider what provision the Pamphleteer has made to fill up again in the room of those things before Rehearsed First you shall in the room of the two Arch-bishops viz. Canterbury and York have a Tinker and a Taylor men of great confidence and long standing 2dly For the four great Bishopricks of London Winchester Eli and Durham you shall have a Water man a Shoomaker a Coffee-man and a Hat-dresser and for the other Bishops and the Glergy about the City and Suburbs of London you shall have men of an inferiour rank And then the poor desperate Wretch contrives how this may be made known to France Germany and the Low Countries and all these things he chargeth upon the Dissenters page 13. as their contrivance to make such an alteration in the Government And now I will most humbly and modestly reply and therein solemnly appeal to all the Church-men of England of what degree soever who have any considerable knowledge of and acquaintance with the Dissentrs and their Principles that the aforesaid Charge is most notoriously and abominably false for as much as it is well known throughout the Kingdom that such persons as are before mentioned are not at all desirous of such things it being quite contrary to their known and professed Principles to have such Ecclesiastical Dignities conferred upon them and yet they are such friends to the present Government as it is Established by Law that they can freely when ever His Majesty shall have occasion venture their lives to defend his