Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A30368
|
An enquiry into the reasons for abrogating the test imposed on all members of Parliament offered by Sa. Oxon.
|
Burnet, Gilbert, 1643-1715.
|
1688
(1688)
|
Wing B5813; ESTC R4008
|
13,002
|
8
|
An ENQUIRY into the Reasons for Abrogating the TEST imposed on all Members of Parliament Offered by Sa. Oxon. WHEN the Cardinals in Rome go abroad without Fiocco's on their Horses heads it is unstood that they will be then incognito and they expect nothing of that Respect which is payed them on other Occasions So since there is no Fiocco at the Head of this Discourse no Name nor Designation it seems the Writer offers himself to be examined without those nice regards that may be due to the Dignity he bears and indeed when a Man forgets what he is himself it is very natural for others to do it likewise It is no wonder to see those of the Roman Communion be stir themselves so much as they do to be delivered from the Test and every thing else that is uneasie to them and tho othres may find it very reasonable to oppose themselves in all the just and legal ways that agree with our Constitution to this Design yet it is so natural to all that are under any Pressure to desire to get free from it that at the same time that we cannot forbear to withstand them we cannot much condemn them but it raises nature a little to see a Man that has been so long fatned with the Spoils of our Church and who has now got up to a degree so disproportioned to his Merit to turn so treacherously upon it If he is already weary of his comfortable importance and will here give her into the bargain and declare himself no body will be surprised at the change of his masque since he has taken much pains to convince the World that his Religion goes no deeper than his Habit yet tho his confidence is of a piece with all his other Vertues few thought it could have carried him so far I confess I am not surprized but rather wonder to see that others should be so for he has given sufficient Warning of what he is capable of he has told the World what is the worst thing that Dr. Burnet can do p. 50. but I am sure the Dr. cannot be quit with him to tell what is the worst thing that he can do it must needs be a very fruitful Fancy that can find out all the degrees of Wickedness to which he can go And tho' this Pamphlet is a good Essay of his Talent that way yet that Terra Incognita is boundless In the Title Page it is said that this was first writ for the Author 's own Satisfaction and now published for the benefit of all others whom it may concern But the words are certainly wrong placed for the truth of the matter is That it was written for the Author 's own benefit and that it is now published for the satisfaction of all others whom it may concern In some sense perhaps it was written for the Author 's own Satisfaction for so petulant and so depraved a mind as His is capable of being delighted with His Treachery and a poor Bishoprick with the addition of Presidentship being too low a Prize for His Ambition and Avarice He resolved to assure Himseif of the first great Bishoprick that falls the Liege Letter let us see how far the Iesuits were assured of him and how much courted by him and that he said that none but Athiests supported the Protestant Religion now in England yet how many soever of these may be among us He is upon the point of lessening their number by one at least and he takes care to justifie the Hopes which these Father 's conceived of Him. They are severe Masters and will not be put off with Secret Civilities Lewd Jests Entertainments and Healths drank to their good Success so now the Price of the â—residenâ—ship is to be pay'd so good a Morsel as this deserved that Dr. Stillingfleet Dr. Tillotson Dr. Burnet and some other Divines should be ill used and He to preserve the Character of Drawcansir which is as due to Him as thâ—t of Bays falls upon the Articles of the Church and upon both Houses of Parliament It is Reproach enough to the House of Lords that He is of it but it is somewhat new and a Character becoming Sa. Oxon to arraign that House with all the Insolence to which He can raise his wanton Pen. Laws that are in being are treated with respect even by those who move for their Repeal but our Drawâ—ansir scorns that modest strain He is not contented to arraign the Law but calls it Barbarous and says that nothing can be more Barbarous and Prophane than to make the renouncing of a Mystery so unanimously received a State Test pag. 133. pag. 64. But he ought to have avoided the word Prophane since it leads men to remember that He had taxed the praying for the King as under God and Christ as Crude not to say Prophane when in the prospect He had then 36 of a Bishoprick he raised the King above Christ but now another prospect will make Him sink Him beneath the Pope who is but at best Christs Vicar But this is not all there comes another Flower that is worthy of Him He tells us That the TEST was the First-born of Oats 's Plot and brought forth on purpose to give Credit and Reputation to the Perjury pag. 5. and because this went in common between the Two Houses He bestows a more particular mark of His Favour on the House of Lords and tells them That this was a Monument erected by themselves in honour of so gross an Imposture ibid. But after all the Royal Assent was added and here no doubt it itched somewhere for if it had not been for the manner of the Late King's Death and the Papers published since His Death He would have wreaked His Malice upon His Memory for He will never forgive His not Advancing him And the Late King being so true a Judgâ— of Wit could not but be much taken with the best Satyr of our Time and saw that Bays's Wit when measured with anothers was of a piece with hiâ— Vertues and therefore judged in favour of the Rehearsal Transpros'd this went deep and though it gave occasion to the single piece of Modesty with which he can be charged of withdrawing from the Town and not importuning the Press more for some years since even a Face of Brass must grow red when it is so Burnt as his was then yet his Malice against the Elder Brother was never extinguished but with his Life But now a strange conjuncture has brought him again on the Stage and Bays will be Bays still He begins his Prologue with the only soft word in the whole piece I humbly conceive but he quickly repents him of that Debonarity and so makes Thunder and Lightning speak the rest as if his Designs were to Insult over the two Houses and not to convince them He who is one of the Punies of his Order and is certainly one of its justest Reproaches tells us pag. 8. That to the shame