sin they would receive a greater benefit thereby than my self Yet he urged for another answer again and again but I dismissed him without any other answer The fourth was James Longley who for this peece of service was created Clerk by Mr. Thompson so soon as he had possession When it was reported that he was to be a witness against me an honest man of the Parish went to him and asked him whether that report was true He replied it was Why what can you testifie against Mr. Beaton replied the other To which demand he gave him this answer I will testifie that Mr. Beaton said The King caused his death by marrying an Idolatry woman Are you sure these were the words saith the other Yes saith he that I am I am sure those were his very words using a strong asseveration And though being urged by the same person to repeat the words he still confidently affirmed without the least variation that the words were Idolatry woman yet he differed every time more or less in the others Which being observed and he being told that he and his fellow Witnesses would in all likelihood discover themselves by their contradicting themselves and one another No no saith he Mr. Thompson hath promised us the words shall be read to us out of a Paper Of all this I was informed by this man who heard him speak these words Wherefore on the day of tryal I made a motion to the Justices that no paper might be read giving this relation for my reason which motion was seconded by three Justices but it was carried against them by the major vote and then this man that had affirmed with asseverations that the words were Idolatry woman and no other swore Harlot and adulterous woman Now Reader I appeal to thee whether when the Reverend Rector next reads the ninth Commandment this Cleark whatever the Fanaticks say to the contrary hath not great reason to cry out for himself and his Companions Lord have mercy upon us The last was John Collen whom I do exceedingly pity above them all though I pity them all This young man I can prove was prompted just as he was called in but having a worse memory than any of them though none of them had such a one as men of their profession ought to have he forgot the first part and swore in these words He said that the Queen was a harlot and an adulterous woman and being asked whether I told what Queen answered that I said the Queen that reigned last in England and being asked whether I spake of the King answered he did not hear me speak of the King at all which was indeed the very truth for he confessed since to an honest man that he was at Hâ—slemore when these words were said to be spoken by me and his elder brother coming a little after to my house desired I would forgive his brother for he was meerly drawn in to do what he did Sure by this time I may conclude my Reader fully satisfied that no credit at all is to be given to these five credible Witnesses and he will be ready to conclude this following Certificate though alone sufficient to ballance a hundred such credible Wintesses yet after so plain a discovery needless Yet having promised it and referred to it I have now annexed it Whereas Mr. Nehemiah Beaton Minister of the Gospel at Lurgarshal in the County of Sussex hath been accused that about the latter end of March or beginning of April 1660. in a Sermon preached on Prov. 21. 1. he uttered these words viz. That the late King caused his own death by marrying with an adulterous woman and a harlot whereby he adulterated his whole Generation We whose names are underwritten Inhabitants of the said Parish and his constant hearers do testifie and are ready when called lawfully thereunto to confirm the truth thereof by our oaths as followeth 1. That we were not absent from the Church neither on any Lords day or other day when any Sermon was preached by him in our Parish Church iâ— March April May or June that year 2. That Mr. Beaton preached not on Prov. 21. 1. either in March or April nor untill the latter end of May. 3. That he did not in any of the Sermons preached on that text so much as name the late King or Queen nor did we ever hear him then or at any other time use that or any other expression of a like sense Nay 4. We know that we may safely swear he never used them in any of those three moneths fore-mentioned nor we believe at any other time Sure we are that by the Sermons we have heard from him and the private discourses we have had with him we judged him to be one that truly desired his Majesties happy rest au ration Lastly We testifie that we are witnesses of his holy unblameable exemplary peaceable conversation painful and profitable Preaching Catechising and other Ministerial duties so that we should esteem his removal a dreadful curse upon this place Richard Launder of Ramfold John Hook John Allen. Richard Mills John Cooper John Launder Edmund Carter Thomas Wallis Richard Launder junior George Wakeford William Boxold William Wakeford And many others I must desire thee to observe 1. That though there were many more that were confident of my innocency yet because they had but once or twice been absent in a quarter of a year they were not capable of certifying for me for they that witnessed against me named no day nor certain moneth 2. That two of these wrote my Sermons one in short hand the other in long hand But what though I have more than balanced the testimonies of those five credible persons It seems I have Hydra to fight with and when I have cut off one head five grow instantly in the place of it for saith J. Thompson and twenty five more being ready if required to depose the same Although when I first read this passage I verily believed it was as notorious a Thompsonism as ever man called Minister was guilty of Yet I must confess Obstupui steterunt que comae not out of the least fear of this his numerous reserve but because whether true or false it renders that Parish to which I bear a most hearty affection so miserable and odious If it be false how could it be more unhappy in a Minister unless the father of lyes himself take orders and serve him as he hath served me If true that besides himself and the five credible Witnesses there are yet twenty five more to swear that falshood then aâ— one and thirty it puts down all the Parishes in England But Reader I hope thou wilt be more charitable than to believe that there are twenty five yea or five more that dare do what this man affirms they are ready to do Sure I am I have spoken with many very many of Lurgarshal and the parts adjacent about this passage and they are most confident
but yet we should look on God as the Primum Mobile and his hand as turning these Wheels about All this while he hath had and held all their hearts in his hand Come therefore let us rejoyce in him this day and glory in the God of our salvation and beware that we make not this a day of wickedness and provocation instead of a day of thanksgiving and praise To prevent this 1. Let us see acknowledge and be sensible of every one of us his own and the whole Nations sinfulness and great unworthiness of such a mercy Alas if we consider what wickedness is amongst us how by all sorts and kinds of sins we have provoked the Lord we may wonder that instead of the voice of joy that we hear this day the Lord had not caused us to hear the voice of weeping the confused noyse of War and to have seen Garments rolled in bloud 2. Let us give the glory to God we are so apt to fail herein and 't is a sin that the jealous God is so highly provoked by that although I have already much pressed it I cannot but once more urge it upon you God will let no creature share with him if he have not all the honour he reckons he hath none yea he counts himself highly dishonoured 3. Let us prize this mercy according to its worth and let us not because we have not all we look for over-look all that we have Consider how unlikely it was not long since that we should have been in so good a condition as now we are Certainly whatever any of us may think now we should have thought this a great mercy if the Army and late usurping Power had gone a little farther Truly God hath exceeded our hopes in this mercy 4. Let us beware of provoking God now he is coming towards this Nation in a way of mercy to stop and turn from us and do us hurt after he hath done us good 5. Lastly If there be in us any fear of God any love to the King let not any of us dare this day to call or count that an expression of joy and thanksgiving which is a breach of Gods Law or that tends to his dishonour Thus far on day of Thanksgiving Afterwards upon the coming forth of the Kings Proclamation against Prophanness I resumed this Texton June 10. having read the Proclamation and repeated the foregoing use I added to it as followeth Let us bless God for this most seasonable Proclamation and for all those pious and gracions expressions in it To what a height of impudence in sin were some graceless wretches grown amongst us Drunkenness Swearing Cursing and reviling those that refused to run into the same excess of riot with themselves these were and yet are the dayly practices of many in all places and of some in this place and though by this their wickedness they only prov'd themselves subjects and vassals to the Prince of darkness yet they cloaked over their abominable villany with pretences of loyalty and affection to the King and this their prophaneness they dar'd to call and expect that others should count a testimony thereof In the mean time those that had any fear of God and true affection to the King were grieved at the very soul at this horrible wickedness knowing it did highly offend and provoke God dishonour yea and endanger the Kings Majesty and therefore they earnestly besought the Lord that he would put it into his heart to discountenance and give some check to this growing will by declaring his detestation and abhorrency of these their lewd courses And the Lord hath heard them and given them the very desire of their hearts For how fully and excellently hath his Majesty declared himself So fully that we may say What can the man say that comes after the King Hear again his Majesties words Pulchra sunt his dicenda and so I again repeated his Majesties Declaration to them And here because one of those hath openly affirmed some few daies since that this was not nor could not be the Kings Declaration but was put out by some Rogues in his Name I shall propound and answer that Objection Object How do we know that this is the Kings own Declaration Answ 1. Let us inquire whence it is that these Objectors are thus doubtful 2. Let us consider how offensive these words are 1. For the first 'T is because it so extreamly disappoints and crosses their hopes and expectations men are alwaies very backward to believe what they passionately desire should be false Had it been a Proclamation for the encouragement of Vice and Wickedness you should never have heard any one of these made any question of the truth of it 2. Take notice of the great offence these Objectors are guilty of 1. This their doubting and these their words are full of reproach and very injurious to the Kings Majesty their words betray them you may see by this what thoughts these men have had and still have of the King They thought him altogether such a one as themselves a lover and encourager of Prophaneness else what mean they when they say this cannot be the Kings Declaration Now what can be more dishonourable to the King 2. Their words shew you what that love and affection to the King of which they boast was grounded on viz. a hope and perswasion that he would not cross them in their sinful courses 3. These words are guilty of Rebellion they open a gap to all disobedience it seems if any Laws and Proclamations come out which cross our desires we may decline obedience and say they are none of the Kings Laws none of his Proclamations But to leave these and conclude this Use Let all of us bless God for this mercy this is the way to have more mercies in this kind God can make him yet a farther and greater blessing to these Nations and let every one of us in our place observe and obey this Proclamation and bring to punishment those that will not 4. This Doctrine informs which is the readiest and only sure way to obtain any good for our selves or the Church of God from the King for if God have his heart in his hand can we but make sure of God if we wrestle with him by Prayer and prevail with him the business is done he can command the heart of the King and cause it to meet with our desires Solomon discovers and secretly checks the folly of those that neglect this course Prov. 29. 26. Many seek the Rulers favour but every mans judgement cometh from the Lord. As if he should say Men that desire to obtain any thing of Princes they presently run to him but alas they begin at the wrong end would they begin at God though that seem the farthest way about 't is the nearest way to speed for every mans judgement is from the Lord. As if he had said The Prince of himself cannot dispose of his own favour
NO TREASON TO SAY Kings are Gods Subjects OR THE SUPREMACY OF God opened asserted applyed In some Sermons preached at Lurgarshal in Sussex by N. B. then Rector there Accused of Treason by James Thompson Vicar of Shalford in Surry and the Author ejected out of the said Rectory for preaching them With a Preface Apologetical vindicating the Author and Sermons from that false Accusation relating the manner of his Ejection and fully answering the Narrative of the said Vicar now also Parson of Lurgarshal By Nehemiah Beaton Minister of the Gospel Insimulari quivis innocens potest revinci nisi nocens non potest Apul. Apolog. A man that beateth false witness against his Neighbour is a maul and a sword and a sharp arrow Prov. 25. 18. LONDON Printed for S. Gellibrand at the Golden Ball in St Pauls Church-Yard 1661. A PREFACE APOLOGETICAL Courteous Reader I Know my self too well to think any thing of mine worth publishing in so knowing and learned an Age. Yea so free am I of the itch and ambition of being in print that I have against the concurrent advice and continued importunity of many worthy friends forborn to make publick these Sermons and this vindication of them and their Author from those false accusations under which both have many months suffered and now at last I as unwillingly consent they should be thus pressed to life as men choose to be pressed to death But unless I will by an obstinate silence be interpreted to consent to the truth of that black and ugly charge now printed against me I can no longer avoid appearing in print For so vast and unsatiable is my Adversaries malice that having devoured my living he is nothing satisfied My good name and many good friends he sees are still left me which so enrageth him that after the example of the grand Accuser of the Brethren Rev. 12. Lest these should escape him he hath cast out of his mouth a floud of Calumnies and reproaches to overwhelm and destroy them I say a flood of Calumnies nor need I retract it as too exuberant an expression nor be beholding to an hyperbole to salve the truth of it though his whole Book be but one single sheet For he hath crouded so many notorious falshoods into it that it is like that sheet in Peters Vision wherein were all manner of unclean beasts and fowls The title he gives it indeed is A true Narrative But frequently Tituli habent remedia Pyxides venenum Mithridate or some soveraign cordial may be written without when Rats-bane or some other rank poyson is in the inside The truth is he hath so fouled his sheet with lying so very frequently in it that it hath been very offensive to me to touch it and I cannot but fear that having stirred it and taken off that thin covering he had cast over it the vile stench of it will greatly displease the religious and ingenious Reader But I hope all such will consider that I am much to be pitied and not at all to be blamed seeing my Adversaries malice hath forced me thus to fetch èstercore gemmam It having left me no other way to save and preserve my good name more precious than the most precious Jewel than by turning up and down this unsavoury dunghil in which he hoped I should certainly lose it and which I cannot stir but it will stink the more for Plus foetant stercora mota Yet shall I do it in as cleanly a manner as I can possibly and strive to express his foulest practises in the fairest language I can without injury to truth and that thou maiest he sure I do him no wrong I will set down his whole charge in his own words so that he shall have no occasion to accuse me as Caius Fimbria did Q. Scaevola Quod non totum telum corpore recepisse◠Thus then he begins with me James Thompson Not long since I was presented to a Rectory by a person of known honour whom as formerly we truly call Lord Viscount now the undoubted Patron thereof though Sir Richard by some calumniation would have found out another Doner which Parsonage was void by death but illegally possessed by one Nehemiah Beaton Reply N. Beaton Should I say here are more lies than lines I might perhaps be thought to have forgotten already my promise Yet what other answer can I give to a Paragraph in which there is scarce any thing but falsehood I have thought of this expedient Because the word lye is a broad one and not fit to fall from the pen of a Minister so that if I should use it as often as he gives me occasion I fear I should give offence I have resolved to use another word viz. a Thompsonism which wheresoever the Reader finds he is desired to remember that no other thing is meant by it than what in an ordinary man we call a lye but that having to do with so Reverend a person as the Vicar of Shalford and Bramley Parson of Lurgarshal c. I will be more mannerly than to call a spade a spade There are then in this period of his four notorious Thompsonisms First That Sir Richard Onslow would have another found Doner of the Rectory of Lurgisale then the Lord Montague Secondly That he sought it by calumniations Thirdly That the said Rectory when he the said J. Thompson was presented to it was void by death Fourthly that it was illegally possessed by Nehemiah Beaton A short relation of what is indeed the truth as to these four matters of fact will sufficiently satisfie the Reader that I have not miscalled nor miscounted these my Adversaries falshoods When by the death of Mr Thomas Stafford the Rectory of Lurgars-hall became void in 1657. The Parishioners not a man dissenting without any application of mine to them desired I might succeed him And to that end almost all of them subscribed a paper which I have still by me in which they expressed that desire and earnestly besought all persons concerned in the disposal of that Rectory not to obtrude any other person whomsoever upon them But what person or persons had the disposal of it neither I nor they certainly knew The most general and probable opinion was that the Lord Montague was the Patron I was therefore advised to enquire of Mr Thurland who being of counsel for that Lord was a probable person to resolve this doubt To him therefore I applied my self and was by him in the presence of Sir Richard Onslow assured that the Lord Montague was indeed the Patron but had made over that with all other Livings in his gift in Sussex to Mr Yalden Senior of Blackdown adding that he did not question but the Lord Montague would be willing at the desire of Sir Richard to present me and freely offered himself upon Sir Richards account to write to that Lord on my behalf which he also did accordingly With his Letter and another from Sir Richard Onslow I soon
after waited on the Lord Montague at Cowdry who after the reading of them told me he would shortly give an answer to them but he must first speak with his Servant Turner Mr. Yalden Senior who had then the power of presentation knew of my application to the Lord Montague to whom at the same time by his Son Mr. William Yalden he sent to signifie his willingness and desire to present me and after he had heard this answer of the Lord Montagues told me he was resolved to present me and no other only he would waite the Lord Montagues answer whose consent though not necessary he desired All which when I had communicated to Sir Richard Onslow he advised me by all means to stay for the Lord Montagues consent which accordingly I did but with no great exercise of patience for within a week or two the Lord Montague sent Mr Turner his servant to Mr Yalden to desire him to sign a Presentation of me to the foresaid Rectory which he the said Mr. Turner drew up and delivered into my hands For which favour of the Lord Montagues unto me when shortly after Sir Richard Onslow meeting him returned him his thanks the Lord Montague not only professed he had presented me for Sir Richards sake but he added he thought he owed many thanks to Sir Richard for presenting such a person to him Now Reader judge whether Sir Richard sought to find out another Doner than the Lord Montague who when the power to present appeared and was by the Lord Montague confessed to be in another though the right originally in himself yet was so tender of that right that he would have nothing done without that Lords consent To procure which he wrote a most civil Letter to the Lord Montague in which for as is most usual in such cases I had a sight of it there were these words There shall be all possible care used to preserve your right and corroborate it also as your Council shal advise Secondly If he were thus far from seeking another Doner how far was he from seeking one by Calumniations Thirdly If the Lord Montague himself by his Trustee filled the Rectory of Lurgarshal and his Presentee was alive when Thompson was presented what is it to affirm the Rectory void by death at the time of his Presentation Fourthly was N. B. illegally possest of it who was presented by the Lord Montagues Trustee not only with the connivance but explicite consent and express desire of that Lord who Mr Thompson saith is undoubted Patron of that Rectory Thus Reader I have satisfied thee that I came fairly into the Rectory of Lurgarshal and was legally possessed of it Thou shalt next hear how I came out James Thompson Who did in or about April last 1660. preach these words in his Pulpit in the forenoon concerning the death of his late Majesty and the occasion thereof You say these and these were the Kings Enemies nay quoth he but I will tell you who were the Kings Enemies viz. those that caused him to marry with that harlot and adulterous woman For in marrying with that Papist Queen he did adulterate his whole Generation and did make it a National sin and the whole Nation must suffer for it and we have suffered for it all this time Which being proved by the oaths of five credible Witnesses and five and twenty more being ready if required to depose the same before nine of his Majesties Justices of the Peace at Midhurst on the nineteenth day of December last though three of the said Justices viz. Mr Shirly Mr Henry Onslow Mr Lee took little notice of it and refused subscription a judgment was ordered to be drawn up and signed by the other six Justices That the said N. B. had maliciously preached against his sacred Majesty that now is his right and succession to the Crowns of these Realms and that he ought not to be confirmed into the Rectory into which he had intruded N. Beaton It is a received Rule in the Civil Law Mendax semel mendax semper praesumitur He that hath been taken once in a lye is not afterwards to be credited May it not then be supposed that he that hath told so many Thompsonisms about my coming in may be guilty of far more in this his far larger relation of my Ejection If Isidore may be credited it cannot be otherwise He that in the beginning swerveth from the truth will in his proceedings roll farther away from it and end at last with some foul or shameful Catastrophe or other Sure I am if this his general rule have any exceptions this my Adversary is none of them For to his whole Charge I may truly reply in the very words of that holy Writer whose name I bear Nehem. 6. 8. There were no such things done as thou saiest but thou feignest them out of thine own heart And although I have alwaies suspected and detested unnecessary protestations and appeals yet against such a Charge and under such a Condemnation I think no man will judge it needless or unlawful I do therefore solemnly as in the presence of that Great God at whose judgment seat I expect shortly to stand protest and declare That I never did in any Sermon on any Text whatsoever utter those words of which I am accused nor any other words of such a sense Which protestation I make without any equivocation or mental reservation and should most willingly renew it and confirm it by Oath if I were lawfully required though I knew certainly I should the very next moment pass into Eternity From my Accuser and Judges do I therefore appeal to that Righteous Judge of all the world before whom not only nondum judicata but male judicata shall be tried knowing that when that bright and blessed morning comes in which the righteous shall have dominion over his most insulting oppressors He will bring forth my righteousness as the light and my judgment as the noon day In the mean time though it be not possible unless by the repentance and confession of the contrivers c. fully to disclose all the secrets and circumstances of this mystery of iniquity yet such a discovery I shall make that when the Reader hath heedfully observed and weighed it unless he be corrupted by malice or interest I dare challenge him to believe or suspect me guilty if he can And first I must inform him for my Adversary wisely concealed it who was the person that exhibited this Charge against me No worse Man I assure thee than this James Thompson that now publisheth it A man whose face till I was forced to confront him as my accuser I never to my best remembrance had seen and who as himself confessed was as much a stranger to me How then came he to be my â—ccuser Nay Reader thou shalt answer thy self and I think thou wilt not complain that I have put a hard task upon thee when I have farther informed thee of
returned into the Crown-office and upon the motion of Sir William Wild in the publick Court of the Kings Bench at Westminster upon reading the Record confirmed by my Lord Chief Justice and three more of his Majesties most reverend Judges upon the eleventh day of February last N. Beaton To what purpose are the Kings Bench the Crown Office Sr William Wild the Lord Chief Justice the most Reverend Judges mentioned unless to perswade the Reader that I had a second hearing But this he durst not affirm it would have been too gross Let the Reader then know that though I therefore obtained a Writ of Certiorari because I was informed it would produce a second hearing yet I found my self wholly deceived for no Witness was examined pro or con nor enquiry made into the truth of any matter of fact or the merits of the Cause c. What advantage then is this to his Cause now managing against my Reputation What if the Judgment had been thus confirmed a thousand times is it any proof of my guilt But Reader we have both now appealed he by printing his Charge I by publishing my defence to a Court of Equity thy Conscience and here sure the reading of the Judgment or his suggestions will not without more ado produce a confirmation But thou wilt hear and weigh both parties and then though my Adversary being first in his own tale might seem righteous yet when thou hast considered how I have come after and searched him I am as certain I shall by thy justice be absolved as Mr. Thompson is I was by the Justices condemned Which absolution of all sober unbyassed persons though it leave me as far from my Living as before yet would I not exchange for more than my Adversary enjoyeth by my condemnation For though a good name be not as precious as it is to be named with a good conscience yet it is to be prized above a good yea the best Living But if it should be the lot of these Papers to fall into the hands of persons whom malice prejudice or interest will not suffer to receive satisfaction or at least will cause still to pretend they are unsatissied As I regard not their censures so can I easily foresee and could as easily obviate and answer all their cavils and objections but shall take notice only of one for the sake of some honest but very weak persons whom they may think to startle with it Object But can any man imagine that such a Charge could be forged or framed without any ground That five men would have sworn it that c. Answ Consider Reader whom these Objectors wound whilst they thus strike at me They not only offend and accuse the whole Generation of the righteous but do Crucifie again the Lord of Glory and put him to open shame For if a man must needs be guilty because condemned Then what an Impostor and Malefactor must he be who is holy harmless separate from sinners For he was accused of blasphemy condemned as a Traytor and enemy to Caesar his prosecutors Priests the Witnesses many and of considerable quality And if they thus called and condemned the Master of the house is it any wonder that they deal thus with those of his houshold Mat. 10. 25. I am accused for calling the Queen Harlot Adulteress Why with the very same train did the devil blow up the Ministry of that holy Father and faithful servant of Christ Chrysostome Adversus Joannem calumnias struunt Sermones ipsius quosdam assumentes ut dictos in probrum Reginae invidiose divulgantes They forged calumnies against him taking hold of some speeches of his and maliciously spreading and divulging them as spoken in disgrace and reproach of the Queen But what stirred up his Accusers Why he had so freely and sharply reproved their wickedness and prophaneness that they resolve some way or other to rid themselves of such a burden and this was the likeliest way What if I never spake against his Majesties right of Succession Yet I had spoken against some mens Swearing Cursing Debauchery c and that was not put into the Act for confirming of Ministers as a cause why they should not be confirmed and the other was I shall conclude with the words of the learned Bishop Sanderson for they are as his use to be worth the transcribing That there should be mighty ones sick with longing after their meaner neighbours vineyards that there should be crafty heads to contrive for greedy great ones what they unjustly desire that there should be officious instruments to do a piece of legal injustice upon a great mans Letter that there should be Knights of the Post to depose any thing though never so false in any cause though never so bad against any person though never so innocent that an honest man cannot be secure of his life so long as he hath any thing else worth the losing Of all this saith he here is an instance in my Text. He doth not say that of all this my Case is an instance nor will I now but when any man goes about to shew wherein the parallel failes he may know more of my mind till then no more as to my own vindication But though I began with my own vindication and have hitherto solely attended it yet shall I not conclude till I have also vindicated that noble Knight Sir Richard Onslow from those ealumnies and slanders which in this sheet he hath published against him for he hath done me the honour to abuse me with that worthy and honour able person With whose vindication I should have begun as the more considerable and noble subject had not I considered that till I had cleared my self I should but sully another by undertaking his defence And here though I shall not set down his words at length as before yet shall I not do him the least wrong but give thee the substance such as they have of them Only first I must acquaint thee with the occasion of this his Schedule Some malicious persons had published several Libels against Sir Richard Onslow for the smoak of envy and detraction will alwaies pursue the fairest in which they accused him to be the great enemy and ejector of many learned loyal and Orthodox Divines That is they accused Moecenas to be a hater of Poets and Alexander an enemy to valour Well against these Libellers Collonel Gardiner sends out a hue and cry in which he discovers the folly and falshood of that accusation and names many learned loyal Orthodox Divines whom Sir Richard was a refuge to in the late storms and amongst others his only mistake reckons up this James Thompson Which I call a mistake not that Sir Richard had never done him a Curtesie but because he reckons him amongst Learned Orthodox Divines Now in answer to this hue and cry of Collonel Gardiners comes forth this narrative A great part of which he spends in telling his Reader
what he hath done and suffered in the late Wars Six times he was imprisoned but for what we do not know nor where nor by whom I fear saith a sober Royalist that suffered much for his Majesty in a book of his recommended by Dr. Hammond if the Martyrology even of these suffering times were scanned Venus and Bacchus would be found to have many more Martyrs than God and Loyalty But what if he were six times imprisoned and for his Loyalty what 's that to Sir Richard Onslow Truly as much as any thing that followeth For how think you doth he prove Sir Richard Onslow turned out Orthodox Divines Why he names several that were turned out in Surrey and some of them within a few miles of Sir Richards house and then sure any sober loyal Orthodox Divine will conclude Sir Richard turned them out Is not this rare Logick Sure his Shalford Commoners that preferred those Articles against him which Sir Richard put up in his pocket would have used better than this or they had not deserved to have lived on a Common among Geese Suppose one of those Articles was that Mr. Thompson was guilty of Fornication and they had had no better proof of it than this that several bastards were born in Surry and of some of them within no less than two miles of Mr. Thompson I am very confident if they had had no better proof than this if Sir Richard had been his Judge he would have taken some notice of it and refused subscription Well but though he be so bad an opponent it may be he is a much better Respondent which is the task he next undertakes For Col. Gardiner had named Mr. Smith Mr. Outred Mr. Smith of Sheer Mr. Bradshaw and Mr. Thompson as men whom Sir Richard had used his interest to preserve in their Livings Mr. Thompson denies it and these are his reasons Mr. Smith was a very civil person Mr. Outred was a great Mathematician favoured by Mr. Selden and laid by Mr. Thompson and Mr. Smith in his grave Mr. Smith of Sheer lived 39. years within two or three miles from Sir Richard and was old and blind Mr. Bradshaw he had no acquaintance with And will any man now say Sir Richard was a means of preserving these men in their Livings But for himself though after all that he hath said to the contrary I am still of opinion he was beholding to Sir Richard Yet I must do him that right that he hath sufficiently made it appear that Col. Gardiner greatly wronged him in numbering him among those persons before-mentioned So that I think he may be for ever secure from any fear of such another injury And now Reader thou mayst understand the meaning of that which follows that relation of my Ejection For he brings it in as an instance of Sir Richards enmity to Orthodox Divines and to him in particular his words are these J. Thompson Such notwithstanding was the zeal of Sir Richards affections to Orthodox Divines and to me in particular that he put in a Caveat against me unturned about the latter end of December and stopt my Institution several weeks to my great trouble and expence c. And this he did though he had been assured of the truth of the premises against him by a person of honour and knew the Judgment to be confirmed in Westminster Hall before the Reverend Judges N. Beaton Here is Sir Richards offence and then two wonderful aggravations of it And what if all this were true that Sir Richard entred a Caveat notwithstanding c. It would amount to no more than this that Sir Richard Onslow was willing to have succoured and relieved an innocent person although he knew he had many and great enemies But Reader here are again three most notorious Thompsonisms For 1. Sir Richard Onslow never entred any Caveat against him in December nor any other moneth as I can prove by above five Witnesses whom thou wilt count credible 2. I am authorized from Sir Richard to assure thee that no person of honour nor without honour ever came to him to satisfie him of the truth of the Charge 3. But these are nothing to this last Mr. Thompson tells thee he entred this Caveat in December though he knew the Judgment was confirmed in Westminster Hall Why when was that Judgment confirmed Mr. Thompson told thee but now it was not till the eleventh of February following So that Sir Richard Onslow knew in December that the Judgment was confirmed in February following I confess I knew a very large measure of knowledge might justly be attributed to Sir Richard Onslow but never thought we might ascribe fore-knowledge to him Wilt thou think I have dealt too harshly with this man if he will never write one line of truth How is it possible to answer him more civilly than I have done unless thou wouldst have me not discover his falshoods But I am very glad this ungrateful task which his malice unavoidably constrained me to is almost at an end For he concludes in these words J. Thompson And now I hope though the Collonel be a Kinsman of his Sir Richard Onslows he means he will be no enemy to truth but will acknowledge Amicus Plato amicus Socrates magis amica veritas For these are the civilities I must confess to have received from Sir Richard Onslow and shall expect the like when he hath power to shew them and I occasion to use them which to use his late Majesties words to me in another case immediatly after Edgehil fight I hope will be ad Graecas Calendas N Beaton That Col. Gardiner may call Plato Socrates and truth it self friends the character I have had of him from good hands abundantly satisfies me But for your part you have sufficiently proved that you are altogether a stranger to Plato and Socrates and an utter enemy to truth It is hard for a man that knows you only by this Schedule to determine which are worst your Intellectuals or Morals For there are but few lines in which we can find either sense reason or truth Latine I confess we find spilt upon all occasions without any choice or discretion for which and the jest of Sword-man and word-man sure those honoured friends for whom only you say you intended this Schedule will admire you as a great Scholard But alas they are such pitiful old ends and shreds that when I had read them I could not forbear remembring Overburies Character of a Dunce but I will not apply it though I transcribe it His jests are either old flead Proverbs or lean starved hackney Apophthegms or poor verbal quips out-worn by Serving-men and Tapsters But though I cannot hinder it but ingenious Readers will smile at your wit and Latine I will warn them as they love themselves to take heed how they despise your Logick for though it seemeth so pitiful yet if ever they have that experience of you I have had they will find you an
excellent man at proving and that Aristotle Plato and Socrates were but meer bunglers to you For if once you bring your five or twenty five the controversie is at an end and their mouths are stopt But I hasten to his conclusion As the King told me c. What did the King tell him He hoped Sir Richard Onslow would never have any power till the Greek Calends That had been to his purpose indeed and more to Sir Richards dishonour than a thousand such Schedules but no such matter he tels us it was in another case Therefore the King is quoted for a most pitiful Proverb which every Tayler and Barber hath worn threadbare What learned Loyalist that bears a due reverence to the memory of that learned Prince can without indignation read this your conclusion What monuments hath he left behind him of his Wit and Eloquence His Learning and Wisdom was such that it was admired by the greatest Enemies of his Person and contemners of his Authority And must he be quoted for a pitiful Proverb that would not credit a School-boy But it is Mr. Thompson that is to be credited by the quotation for that 's the design of it that we should know that the King spake to Mr. Thompson But for that we have only Mr. Thompsons word which if in this insignificant business we should take he would not perhaps gain much more honour by it if we knew what it was his Majesty indeed said to him then that fellow did who having been at Court vapoured much amongst his Companions in the Country that the King had spoken to him The truth of which being questioned and he urged to say what it was Why saith he I stood in the Kings way and he said to me get you out of my way you unmannerly Coxcomb That Mr. Thompson might give his Majesty some such provocation to speak to him those that know the impertinency and the impudence of the man will not judge very improbable This is all I intend now to say to him To which if he shall have the forehead to reply it is my resolution to throw away no more hours upon him For I know it is impossible he should say any thing against the truth of any part of this Vindication which any Reader that hath or will read it cannot by the help of it easily discover to be false or frivolous And to use his late Majesties words on such an occasion My patience I thank God will better serve me to bear and my charity to forgive then my leisure to answer the many false aspersions which some men have or shall cast upon me The foregoing answer to the false and scandalous Narrative of Mr. Thompson I drew up as thou now hast it so soon as I could procure one of them But when I should according to my own reason and resolution the advice and expectation of others have sent it to the Press that unreasonable unwillingness to be seen in Print mentioned in the beginning of this Preface so far again prevailed that I threw it by and for some moneths it hath now lain by me nor hadst thou now nor I think ever been troubled with it had not I not only been informed lately out of those parts how much my adversaries and accusers glory and triumph in my silence but also found that it doth exceedingly animate Mr. Thompson to further injuries For within these few daies he hath commenced a suit against me for dilapidations though it be notoriously known that I left the Parsonage house and buildings by many pounds better than I found them and found them as fair and good as most Ministers houses in Sussex But what if he had found it an old rotten ruined house c. We have a Proverb That it is not fit to look a given horse in the mouth Sure it were far more unreasonable to look in the mouth of a stollen one But was it ever heard that such a one should sue the right owner because he was not younger or require him to furnish him with Bridle and Saddle How Mr. Thompson came by my house is pretty well known that afterwards he would have forced me to furnish it for nothing thou hast heard he is now suing me because it is no better Canst thou forbear Courteous Reader pitying a man a Minister that would fain live in peace follow his Studies and fulfil that Ministry which he hath received of the Lord but is fallen into the hands of one of those Ministers which Paul himself so feared that he begs the prayers of others that he might be delivered from them viz Unreasonable and wicked men as we render it but unreasonable and troublesome men it may be rendered Yet alas there are others in the world who are far more to be pitied and whose misery lyeth heavier on my spirit than mine own troubles and losses I mean those miserable Flocks that have such devouring contentious beasts as the Apostle speaks of in the place forecited obtruded on them for Shepherds such lewd and lying Ministers as that Priest was of whom Sir Thomas Moor said jestingly That he would not for any good hear him repeat the Creed left he should take it for a lye coming out of his mouth That there are many such Priests amongst us is too evident what hope there is that those places which are plagued with them may be freed from them the Sermons which are herewith put into thy hands will inform thee which though they are so mean and plain in respect of style and composure that without an inevitable necessity it would have been ignorance and arrogance to have made them thus publick yet are they as to the matter of them I am sure so true honest and useful that under such a necessity I am not at all ashamed that the world should know who preached them They were prepared for a plain very plain Country Auditory without the least imagination that they should ever have been made more publick than the preaching of them made them But it being sworn positively that it was in these Sermons preached on Prov. 21. 1. that I uttered those words for which I was Ejected it seemed absolutely necessary for my vindication that I should print these Sermons which I have done without concealing adding or altering any thing which might make them have any other sense than they had when preached Nay I think I may safely say that it is scarce possible to print a Sermon more exactly as it was preached And the truth of this not only mine own Notes in which as my constant custome is I penned every word that I intended to deliver but also the Notes of others who wrote the Sermons from my mouth when I preached them will testifie Now they are thus against my will gone abroad into the World will the Lord but bless them to do the least good to the souls of men Nay could I but know that any one soul might be