People with stronger Meat than with which the Church has fed her Children To preach the Doctrine of God's Secret Decrees To make the People Believe that the Lord has no more to lay to the Charge of an Elect Person yet in the height of Iniquity and Excess of Riot committing all the Abominations that can be committed than he has to lay to the Charge of a Saint Triumphant in Glory That God permits Sin that there may be room enough in the Play for Pardoning-Grace And many other such Doctrines as tend more to the Edification of the People than you can meet with in the Church of England Ch. Advoc. 'T is strange that Men should glory in their Shame value themselves for such wild Notions as never before obtain'd in the Church of God! Herein you excell the Church in Fancy in Errours but not in Truth Our Doctrines are Faith Hope Charity Humility Peace Meekness Justice Patience Obedience and Perseverance to the End Our Ministers teach the same Truths that our Dear Saviour and his Apostles taught Sound and Orthodox The Words of Eternal Life tending truly to Edification to build Men up in the Unity of the Church To grow in Grace in Knowledge and in all Vertue I would to God the Dissenters might be in Love with such Edifying Doctrines as these are But alas This talk of higher Notions of greater Edification is many times mere Wantonness and Instability of Humour and too often rather Fancy than Effect Men conceit that they are better edified not when they are more fully instructed in any weighty Point of Faith or more perfectly inform'd in some necessary Duty or more efficaciously mov'd to the Practice of what they know but when they are more gratified and pleas'd at the hearing of a Sermon or the like Those that are troubled with these itching Ears instead of being edified are commonly the most ignorant of all Men they often make an unwise choice in their Teacher and provoke God to leave them to the Vanity of their own Minds when they depend rather on the suppos'd Abilities of a Man than the Blessed Influences of the Holy Spirit and look more at Paul that plants and Apollos that waters than at God that gives the increase For it is the Blessing of God alone and not any Man's Skill in dispensing them that make the Word and Ordinances any way beneficial to us with the help of his Grace those Means of Instruction which we sometimes the most undervalue may be profitable to our Salvation without it our Ears or Fancies may be entertain'd But we cannot be edified by the most fluent and popular Tongue nor the most melting and pathetical Expressions in the World but much less by such Doctrines as were taught by the Dissenters when the Church was down I tremble to name them That the Scriptures cannot be said to be the Word of God and are no more to be credited than the Writings of Men being not a Divine but Humane Tradition That God has a hand in and is the Author of the Sinfulness of his People not of the Actions only but of the very Pravity which is in them That all Lies come out of his Mouth That the Prince of the Air that rules in the Children of Disobedience is God That in the Unity of the Godhead there is not a Trinity of Persons but that 't is a Popish Tradition That the Doctrine of Repentance is a Soul-destroying Doctrine That Children are not bound to obey their Parents at all if they be ungodly That the Soul of Man is mortal as the Soul of a Beast That there is no Resurrection on at all of the Bodies of Men nor Heaven nor Hell after this Life These are only a Taste not all nor the hundredth part nor the worst of those Doctrines taught by Dissenters in the late unhappy times when the wholsome Food of the Soul and the Dispensers of it were quite laid aside So much for Doctrine Diss Advoc. I protest Brother you have been too hard for me in this but Gentlemen of the Jury Truth may be on our side next time If we don't excell the Church in Doctrine let 's try for Worship Do you think that our Spiritual way of Worship is not better than the Forms of the Church That a Liturgy though made and review'd with that Prudence and Moderation Care and Circumspection Wisdom and Piety as any thing extant in that kind can be so good as the sudden indigested extempore Effusions of our Gifted Men Do you imagine that Inspir'd Men can be guilty of any undecent incoherent irreverent Expressions as some will complain of 'em for Or that a Form of Prayer can be so prevalent with the God of Order as a saying just what the Spirit hints What say you to that Ch. Advoc. I am sorry you should so far undervalue the Prayers of our Church and your own Judgment in comparing any performances of Prayer in your way to the most excellent Liturgy of the Church of England I durst put it upon this Expedient Let any Prayer made occasionally and extempore by the ablest and most cautious of those that magnifie the Conventicle way and despise ours be taken exactly in Writing and publish'd to the World I am very well assur'd that one Man without any great pains may find more things exceptionable in that single Prayer in a short time than the several Parties of Dissenters with all the Diligence they have hitherto used have been able to discover in the whole Service of the Church in more than a hundred Years Our Prayers as to the Substance are what Christ and his Apostles us'd in a Language understood by all those that are concern'd in them to which we may all safely say Amen But for sudden Prayers though they may happen to be good yet for the greatest part they are dangerous something of Heresie in every Sentence some Indecencies and Absurdities may be in every Word Reflect upon the Dissenters in that time when this Liturgy was out of use and every one left to his own Liberty 'T is scarce possible to believe what wild and prodigious Extravagancies were upon all occasions used in Holy things especially in Prayer the most immediate Act of Worship and Address to God 'T is an Affront to the Majesty of Religion that there shou'd be any thing in it Childish and Trivial Absurd and Frivolous that its Sacred Mysteries shou'd be expos'd to Contempt and Scandal by that Levity and Distraction that Heat and Boldness those Weaknesses and Indiscretions those loose raw and incongruous Effusions which in most Congregations of those times did too commonly attend it How can there be that Sobriety that Sense and true Devotion in an Extempore Prayer where the Mind is employ'd to find out Words and looks more like studying or making of a Prayer than Praying as in those Publick Forms which are consider'd and fixt where the Spirit or Soul has no more to
Truths hardly any thing can be so false but may have Colours and Probabilities to set it off and that a Multitude of ignorant People do often swallow the grossest Errors in the disguise of the greatest Truths taking them all down at once without chewing For this reason you cannot pass a right Judgment upon Pretenders to the Spirit until you have search'd into the main or general Current of their Lives as well as the meer Conduct and Carrying on their Designs with the Means they make use of as well as the End they seem to aim at with all their Actions in a Lump as well as with the most specious and fairest of them And when this is done thorowly then let the Hypocrites and Impostors be what they will let the Features of Religion be never so artificially and neatly drawn let the Colours be laid on with never so delicate a Pencil and let that Pencil be manag'd with never so exquisite Address 't will be most easie to find the Difference betwixt the Picture and the Life Let Zeuxes lively Grapes be never so apt to deceive the Birds yet the Deadness of his Boy will unfold the Cheat. And truly the Arts of Deceiving are very obvious Men that will be infatuated and deceiv'd by them must be Men of the lowest Size in Understanding Judge In like manner as the Spirit so the Light is to be examin'd Whether the Light within you be a true Light or a false one Whether indeed it be Light or only the Appearance of Light in the Soul Men in this Case shou'd set themselves as before an Earthly Jury and say thus There 's a Light which I talk of and perswade others to walk after But what does it shew me That all whatsoever is forbidden in holy Scripture must be avoided whatever it requires must be obey'd 1. Does it teach you not to employ your selves in Things secret and unreveal'd Deut. 49. Not in Fables and endless Genealogies 1 Tim. 1. 4. Not in the Tattling of wandring idle Busie-bodies 1 Tim. 5. 11 13. Not with them which teach otherwise than the Apostles or that consent not to wholesom Words 1 Tim. 6. 3. Rom. 16. 17. Not with them which dote about Questions and Strife of Words 1 Tim. 6. 3 4 5. Not in opposition of Science falsly so called 1 Tim. 6. 20. Not in Words to no profit but the subverting of the Hearers 2 Tim. 2. 14. Not in foolish and unlearned Questions 2 Tim. 2. 23. Not in thinking more highly of our selves than we ought Rom. 12. 3. Not to be wise in our own conceit but to condescend to others Rom. 12. 16. Not in rioting and drunknness chambering wantonness strife and envying Rom. 13. 13. Not in judging and setting at naught our Brother Rom. 14. 10. Not rendring evil for evil nor railing for railing Rom. 27. 17. 1 Pet. 3. 9. Not using our liberty for a cloak of maliciousness 1 Pet. 2. 16. Not to believe them that say Christ is in the secret chambers Mat. 24. 26. These are plain undeniable Scriptures And now Does thy Light teach thee that all these things are to be avoided That Riotting and Drunkenness are to be avoided Or if perhaps it do ask farther Does it shew thee that all the other Particulars are to be avoided as well as Drunkenness See my Friend does thy Light shew thee that thou must not exercise thy self in things that are Secret and Unreveal'd Does it forbid all that the Scripture forbids O look into thy Soul Is there a Light in it against all that teach otherwise than the Apostles that consent not to the form of wholesom words committed to Timothy and other ordain'd Ministers Is there a Light in thee against those that dote about Questions and Strife of Words against opposing of Science against Science one Light against another Christ the Light against the Light of Christ the knowledge of the Quakers conceiv'd Light to make the Knowledge of the Scripture useless and impertinent Does the Light direct thee not to think highly not to be wise in thy own conceit not to judge or set at nought thy Brother not to render railing for railing not to use thy Liberty as a cloak of maliciousness nor to hearken to or believe them that say Christ is in the secret Chambers Meetings and Conventicles Put the Case to thy self Does the Light I talk of direct me to avoid all these or does it not If not then 1. It is no Light Isa 8. 20. If they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in ' em 2. It is great Darkness St. Mat. 6. 23. If the Light that is in thee be Darkness how great is that Darkness 3. It is Satan transform'd into an Angel of Light 2 Cor. 11. 14. No marvel if the false Apostles and deceitful Workers transform themselves into the Apostles of Christ For Satan himself is transform'd into an Angel of Light This Friends is the Light within you if it teach you not to avoid all these things that are against the Scripture and if you find your Light within you doth shew that unreveal'd Truths belong not to you that Doters about Questions Opposers of Reveal'd Truths Non-consenters Contemners Railers Cloakers of their Sins with the Pretence of Liberty are to be avoided Then 2. Ask farther How is thy Life See what Rays thy Light has cast upon all thy Faculties Does it shew you a Light to exercise Brotherly Love in honour preferring one another Rom. 12. 10. If it be possible to live peaceably with all men Rom. 12. 18. To have Faith to our selves Rom. 14. 22. To hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering Eph. 4. 14. To follow the Churches of God 1 Thess 2. 13 14. To study to be quiet and to do our own business 1 Thess 4. 11. To esteem the Clergy very highly for their work sake 1 Thess 5. 13. To please others for their edification not our selves Rom. 15. 2. 1 Cor. 10. 33. To be of a condescending and yielding temper Rom. 12. 16. To walk by the same Rule Phil. 3. 15 16. To practise Godliness Meekness Long-suffering forbearing one another Unity of the Spirit Eph. 4. 1 2 3. Women to keep silence in the Churches to be under obedience and learn at home with all silence and subjection 1 Cor. 14. 34 35. 1 Tim. 2. 11 12 14. This is the Truth of the Infallible Scriptures which hath been deliver'd to you and to me not now only but by all our Christian Predecessors This is a sure Word of Prophecy whereto we must take heed if we will not be carried about with divers and strange Doctrines Henry Truly my Conscience as a thousand Witnesses comes in against me 'T is a folly to make a Defence when a Man finds himself condemn'd in his own Breast Judge I take Friend Henry to be a very honest Man one that loves and speaks Truth Pray let 's hear him a little farther
in this Matter Henry I confess These are Truths not to be deny'd many Particulars to be avoided and many to be practised by every good Christian I know that the World is grown to that pass that the repeating of the plainest Texts is accounted by many as unconcluding in Divinity as in Philosophy But 't is time for us to lay aside all our Sophistry and to prefer the Wisdom of God before our own O! my deluded Brethren have we not troubled the Nation and our selves too much with unreveal'd Secrets hearkning to Fables and rejecting the Truth Have we not been for making a Church a Saint a Minister a Heaven a Christ a Light a God in our own Imagination while the Truths in Scripture are nothing worth in respect of These Have we not delighted in Tattlings Wandrings busying our selves in Things which concern us not Are not our Opinions new Opinions contrary to the Church Don't we use our Liberty for a Cloak of Disorder a Cloak to Sacrilege a Cloak to usurp the Divinest Imployments To cry All are one in Christ Jesus therefore all are one in a Kingdom a Church a Family We are all free from beggarly Rudiments the Rudiments of the Ceremonial Law therefore we are free from Ceremonies of Order and Decency among Christians therefore no Tythes to be paid no Priests to be maintain'd tho' the Priesthood of Christ be not a Levitical but long before a Levitical Priesthood a Priesthood after his Order that received Tythes a Tything Priesthood before the Levitical Law was instituted and that not for a short duration but for ever after the Order of Melchizedech We have declaim'd against Priest to destroy Minister we say Christ is an High-Priest and yet have deny'd his Ministers to be Priests of an Inferior Order Our Lives have been questioning tatling opposing railing damning Lives And truly Friends such Lives are contrary to the Light of Christ the Light of the Word or any Light but that which the Scripture calls Darkness And however we may come off before an Earthly Judge 't will be too hard for you to answer these Things at an higher Tribunal Then Brethren 't will be better for you to say Lord we have believed trusted hoped in thy Word than We have disputed question'd and contemn'd it Better for our Light to say O Lord we have receiv'd thy Prophets in thy Name give us we beseech thee a Prophet's Reward than We have slain thy Prophets revil'd and set at naught thy Ministers and their Ministry Therefore as you love your Salvation as you desire the Favour and Fruition of God if your Souls Reputations and Consciences are dear to you no more of these Things which the Light of Eternal Truth tells us we must avoid Judge What say you to the Practical Part of Religion Can you clear your selves in the foregoing Particulars Henry I wish we could do so But alas when I examin'd my Life by the Rules of Truth I found little of the Christian in me while I adher'd to my own Light For is this Brotherly Love to separate from the Church and think nothing worth our Labour but what opposeth it Is this to prefer one another in Honour when we think our selves so holy that we abhor the Congregations of Church-men think we are polluted to join in Prayer and Communion with them so wise that all Words besides our own are vain Words all Books but ours are meer Errours that we and none else have the Light the Word the Truth all Privileges Is it to live peaceably as is possible when we think it an excellency to disturb Order to find fault with every thing but our own Inventions and agree in nothing but to disturb that which is establish'd Is this the Peace we are to exercise Is this the Quietness of Illuminated Christians The True Light shews us That if we have Faith we must have it to our selves not to disturb the Church of God with it We may all be Christians and yet have our several Opinions But if we have our Opinions different from the receiv'd Opinions of the Visible Church we ought to keep them to our selves not to divulge or disperse them to disturb our Brethren How can we say that we hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering when we scarce know what Article of Faith we have not rejected We dispute of Heaven or Hell of any Light or Way to Heaven but that within us First We contemn'd and threw off the Bishops the Worship and Discipline appointed and approv'd by them Next We contemn'd the Presbyters which we us'd as a Means to destroy Bishops We rejected the Independents which shew'd us a different Way from Presbytery Is there any thing we now approve in any of them but the Extempore's And not them neither but as they serve a Turn Is this holding fast to seek all new to reject old Doctrines old Principles Rules and Ceremonies We are Waverers Questioners of all things Holders of nothing The Truth tells us We are to study Quietness to esteem a Minister very highly in Love for his Works sake to withdraw from every Brother that walks disorderly to follow the Churches of God But our Lives do directly oppose the Truth Nobis quiet a movere merces videbatur We have always been for Troubled Waters if we cou'd but question or contradict put an odious Gloss or Interpretation upon the Church That was a Pleasure to us We love the Clergy so well that we wou'd detain their Tythes that Poverty might make them Blessed We rail against Tythes not that we think 'em unlawful but for other Reasons We have a long time made it our Business to revile the Clergy of England to finite the Shepherds that the Sheep might be scatter'd and to draw the Hearts of the People from them Are not we to withdraw from every Brother which walks disorderly And does not he walk disorderly who walks contrary to those Duties which the Apostles have taught in their Epistles Are we not to follow the Churches of God But we have followed every Separation a Meeting-house a Desart a Secret-chamber a Schism-shop a Seducing-school any Place but a Steeple-house How do we follow the Apostles if we don 't as they require Do we practise that Lowliness Meekness and many other Christian Duties Do we agree with others as far as we can and wait till God shall be pleas'd farther to reconcile us We shou'd not permit Women to lay aside their Silence and Subjection and to become Speakers in our Seducinghouses I 'm sure they don't instruct in Meekness but question with Impudence evade by Ignorance gloss by Impertinence and conquer by no Dispute but violent Bawling and invincible Insolence Women's Disputing lost us Paradise and Women's Preaching can do no less than lose us the Truth of our Doctrine and the Peace and Safety of the Church And if my Brethren would duly consider the Plainness and Authority of these unerring Rules
of Christian Light and Life and what the Spirit has said to the Churches in the Holy Scripture they wou'd soon be of my mind the Difference betwixt us and the Church of England wou'd here be ended Judge Did not I tell you that Friend Henry wou'd shew himself an honest Man Has any of that Party more to offer for themselves Let them come forth and they shall be heard Quakers We object against the Clergy of England That they are no true Ministers as being sent by Men whereas St. Paul declares that he was not of men neither by men but by Jesus Christ Gal. 1. 1. Judge The Apostle may be consider'd either in respect of his First Calling which we commonly call Internal or Extraordinary Calling and so indeed St. Paul was not called of man nor by man but by Jesus Christ Acts 9. 4 5 6. Or in respect of his Second Calling that is External or Ordinary Calling and so St. Paul was called by man as much as any Minister in our Church was called by Man For 1. He had the Hands of Ananias put upon him to receive his Sight and to be fill'd with the Holy Ghost Acts 9. 17. 2. He was separated in the Church at Antioch by Fasting and Prayer 3. He was not to be believ'd till he had the Testimony of Barnabas as Letters of Orders or Commendation from the Church Acts 9. 27. 2 Cor. 3. 1. 'T is necessary that Extraordinary Ministers should have an extraordinury Assurance of their being sent of God Moses must work Miracles and Christ must work Miracles But Ordinary Ministers are to give but ordinary Assurance that they are ordain'd by the Church and that they preach nothing contrary to the Form of sound Words reveal'd in the Scripture Deut. 13. 1. Gal. 1. 7 8 9. 1 John 4. 1. Quak. Is this all the Evidence we must expect of the Truth of a Minister Judge This is as much as can be expected in Cases of this Nature Miracles are sometimes requir'd but never unless upon extraordinary Occasions And these Miracles our Dissenters can no more pretend to than the present Clergy of the Church of England and to reject all their Admonitions by enquiring into the Proof of their Authority or Christ's speaking in them was an old Wile of Christ's and St. Paul's Enemies which they do not resolve but pass by as if that were to be suppos'd not disputed Vid. Mark 11. 28. 2 Cor. 13. 3. Quak. But your Priests take too much upon them Why all these Robes Riches Tythes Oblations Why shou'd the Priests be so well provided for Every one of us is as holy as deserving as any of Them Judge It has ever been the Practice of Separatists to envy and misapply the Privileges of the Church Look into the Congregation of Korah not one of them thinks he but was at least as good as Moses and Aaron Methinks I hear 'em say How much do they take upon ' em How do they lift up themselves above the Congregation of the Lord Why all this Blue and Purple and Scarlet all this Linen Gold and Jewels for one Priest What a Plating and a Wyring and Cunning Work 's here Here 's a stir about Ephods Curious Girdles Breast-plates and Coats Cannot the Priest be well enough without these Linen Coats these Surplices Mitres and Bonnets What a Lording it do they keep with their curious Garments their costly Hems their intermix'd Bells and Pomegranates 'T is not enough for them to have Robes but they must have plated Gold too nay Plates of Gold are not enough neither but they must have Jewels enclos'd in them What Jewels Yes Rows of Jewels 1. A Ruby a Topaz a Carbuncle 2. An Emrald a Saphire a Diamond 3. A Lygure an Agate an Amethyst 4. A Beryl an Onyx a Jasper Here 's Pride upon Pride Here 's taking upon 'em to purpose What are these Priests more than we that they shou'd be thus robed we naked and ragged Gold Plated Gold Plates with Jewels Jewels in whole Rows Rows ingraven Ingravings of the most curious manner The Ingravings of a Signet We may well be poor whilst we must maintain all this Pride of Aaron and his Sons This is like to be a Soul-saving Priest that has as much in every Jewel as wou'd provide sufficiently for many of us If Judas shou'd be Judge he wou'd cry All this Waste at the annointing of Jesus And what did they against Aaron or Christ which you do not carry on against the Clergy of England And what do you object against the present Clergy that was not objected against Moses and Aaron Talk ye of the Pride of the Priests So did they Talk ye of taking too much upon them So did they Talk ye of the Priests being above you So did they Talk ye of the Holiness of your Congregations So did these abominable Conspirators Ah! Holiness If this be Holiness 't is Holiness to be abhorr'd Mouth-Holiness Heart-Hellish-Holiness If this be Holiness then be as plain as the conspiring Jews were against our Saviour Not this man but Barabbas Not Moses but Korah Not Aaron but Abiram Not Jesus but Judas Not God but the Devil Judge Well Gentlemen you have heard a long and fair Debate the Arguments and Proofs on both Parts for and against the Church with divers Objections against The Best Choice for Religion and Government Tell me Are you agreed upon your Verdict Jury All agreed Judge Is the Book Guilty or Not guilty Jury Not guilty my Lord. Judge Because I wou'd have no Mistake Do you find for Church or Conventicle Jury Unanimously for the Church against all Dissenters and all their Adherents Judge The Verdict's just and you have shew'd your selves Men of great Integrity in this Case Call the Heads of the Latitudinarians Presbyterians Independents Seekers and Quakers Have you any thing more to say why Sentence shou'd not pass upon you Young Couns My Lord we plead the Act of Parliament for Liberty of Conscience which we all interpret as a sufficient Authority to impower us to do what we please and may excuse if not justifie all our Proceedings Judge You do strangely abuse and misinterpret that Law it was design'd in favour of Tender Consciences but not to take away all Conscience I wish the Dissenters may all shew themselves those Good Men who truly deserve Favour Quak. We are a rich and thriving People we prosper whereever we go and this we offer as an Argument that Heaven favours us and that we justly expect Encouragements from Men. Judge Is God's permitting Men to be prosperous or to sin on with Impunity any good Reason of his approving them God permits what he abominates his own Dishonour How patiently did he permit the Disobedience of the First Adam And the Crucifixion of the Second All the Villanies in the World do come to pass by God's Permission however contrary they are to his Rules and Precepts If prosperous Impiety does therefore cease to
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
Ark wherein were preserv'd the Clean and Unclean And without Vanity I may speak it though we have too many wicked People belonging to the Church of England yet there are at the same time a far greater Number of truly pious Christians that live up to the Strictness of Religion to be found in the Communion of this Church than amongst all the Dissenters in the whole Kingdom As for the two places in Scripture produc'd for your Separation read like truly Wise Men consider the Coherence and Design of them and it will plainly appear that by the first Text is meant That Christians in the Church of Corinth shou'd not meddle with Unclean and Abominable Practices that were us'd by the Heathens in the Worship of their False Gods These they were not to touch to have no Fellowship with them in these but rather to reprove them that is in Judgment to condemn by Word to reprove and in Conversation to avoid them So that this is nothing at all touching the Duty of one Christian communicating with another though it has too often been so abus'd and mis-interpreted And for the second Text it is certainly to be understood also of Idolaters and according to most Interpreters of the Roman Idolatrous Polity and is a Command to all Christians to forsake the Communion of That Church lest they endanger their own Salvation by Communicating with her in her Idolatrous Worship And if this be the true Sense of the Words it abundantly justifies our Separation from the Roman Church but affords not the least Plea for Dissenters to separate from Ours And now I pass to THE SENTENCE YOU Latitudinarians Presbyterians Independents Seekers and Quakers You have had a fair and impartial Tryal upon an Indictment for your Opposing and unjustly Separating from the Church of England The Jury has brought you in Guilty You stand condemn'd by many Laws of this Realm You are condemn'd by the Holy Scriptures you are condemn'd by the Practice of the Church of Christ for above 1500 Years together and by that of all Reform'd Churches who were zealous for Episcopal Government us'd Liturgies and Publick Forms of Prayer had Festival Commemorations of Saints not to pray to 'em but to praise God for 'em had their Rites and Ceremonies in their Publick Worship more in Number and more liable to Exceptions than those us'd in our Church at this Day You are separated from a Church that was planted by our Lord and his Apostles water'd with the Blood of Holy Martyrs and redeem'd by the Blood of the Holy JESUS You are withdrawn from a Church that proposes no sinful Terms in all her Communion a Church wherein a Man may be as faithful a Servant of the True God as Loyal a Subject to his Prince as Honest a Man in his Dealings as good a Neighbour and as firm a Friend as can be found in any Church or Society of Men in the Christian World Therefore You Sir Anthony ' Squire Mouth Maggot and Ponteus with all the rest who are obstinate Opposers of so Excellent so Incomparable a Church You must go to the Place from whence your many Erroneous Opinions came Rome or Geneva there to be dealt with according to your Merits And the Lord have mercy upon your Souls Here follow their several CONFESSIONS Sir Ant. Here now behold upon my bended Knees I confess the Justice of the Court ask Mercy of this abus'd Corporation and bid Adieu to it and all my silly and credulous Votaries in these mournful Words Good People I own that our Rise was unjust Our Fall the Desert of Deceit and of Lust Squire O Pan aliique Dii Dat mihi ut intùs Sim pulcher I know not what God can be a Friend to me I invoke them all that tho' I appear in the darkest Colours to the Worlds Eye I may not always suffer the gloomy Storms of an evil Conscience nor be continually frighted with the Deformities of my Soul Siccinè perpetuo cruciantur crimina Luctu Hic turpem spectate virum ludibria Fati Ah scelus Ah Facinus me vix mercede potitum Sub Veneris Ouercu Threnis mea Musa reliquit I who once was a great Man amongst Poets Historians Linguists Orators especially in the Opinion of the Fair Sex have scarce a Word left to plead in my excuse I must withdraw Time and true Repentance may do much but 't is impossible I can presently retrive my lost Reputation and what signifies a Chair of State without it I 'll then make a Vertue of Necessity in this Publick Place abdicate my Office and with all Humility resign That which I cannot hold Farewel Scydromedia when I am gone Farewell for ever Judge I heartily wish that All Dissenters wou'd make such ingenuous Confessions as these two Gentlemen have now made However I shall in another Place fairly represent this their Civil Behaviour towards the Court to gain 'em a Reprieve and if possible a Pardon The first I do the latter I dare not promise Quak. Verily Friends our Light within us our Personal Light we have trusted to like an Ignis Fatuus has led us upon many perillous Boggs and amazing Precepices and there left us Presbyt Ah Brethren I that have often preach'd Hell and Damnation to others enough to scare People out of all Sense as well as Religion am now under the Sentence of Condemnation My Soul alas is like a glimmering Candle in a dark deceitful Lantern a Lantern I say whose Sides are all Dark I can give but little or no Direction to the People I have a small Degree of Light or Comfort now left to support me And Oh! I must expect less when I come to die Indep My Spirit is like very like may well be compared unto I say 't is like a poor venemous disturb'd Spider in a broken Cobweb it makes all the haste it can to escape the Broom of Impartial Justice Seeker 'T is as plain as the Sun in a Cowcumber that there are some few good meaning People among the many Sorts of Dissenters I have sought pry'd and narrowly look'd into them and truly have never been able to fix in any of their Persuasions to my content Since I foolishly departed from the Church of England in vain have I pursu'd what is not to be had in Error and Schism namely True Peace and Satisfaction of Mind Judge I observe our Phanatical Canters are very unlucky at Simile's and after all their Juggling when they come to be serious to make a right Discovery they 're at a loss Then they cry out Alas Sirs how sadly have we been cheated misled and deluded nay almost inevitably ruin'd our selves and others by forsaking the Church of England And I need use no more Words to advise the Dissenters to return speedily to that Pillar and Ground of Truth which cannot deceive them The SPEECH to the CHURCH ALL you Gentlemen Lovers of the Church of England of that most sound incomparable Religion and