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
that truly fears God ought most carefully to avoid The Church of England loves Religion and Goodness in all Men and declares there 's nothing more Valuable in the World but cannot excuse the Body of Dissenters from being the Occasion of many Impieties in the Nation Their very Separation destroys the true Spirit of Religion which is Charity it le ts loose great Numbers who cannot govern themselves moving them to live Atheists or Idolaters to pour Contempt upon the whole Church of Christ confirms Men in their evil Courses and exposes the Church as a Prey to the Common Enemy Gentlemen give me leave to say That to propose Maintenance of Charity and all Virtue by overthrowing the Church is as improbable a Project as his who in Henry the Seventh's time propos'd a Rebellion without Breach of the Peace When the Government of King and Bishop was subverted there were presently as many Religions as Men monstrous Swarms of Errors and Heresies broke in upon us more than had been before known in the Church of God and upon this an Inundation of all sorts of Wickedness over-spread the Land So horrible was the Effect that one of their own Authors tells us That for many hundred Years there had not been a Party pretending Godliness Tenderness of Conscience Strictness above other Men as this Party did that has been guilty of so many Sins horrible Wickedness provoking Abominations as they are Hell seem'd to be broke loose to have invaded all Quarters in despite of their Covenant and all the little Schemes of their so-much-magnified Reformation That they have overpass'd the Deeds of the Prelates justified the Bishops in whose Time never so many nor so great Errors were heard of much less such Blasphemies and Confusions We have worse things amongst us more corrupt Doctrines and unheard-of Practices than ever were in all the Bishops days Our Reformation is become a Deformation We first put down the Common-Prayer and then some put down the very Scriptures slighting and blaspheming them Some cast down Bishops and their Officers others cast to the Ground all Ministers and all the Reformed Churches Some had cast out the Ceremonies in the Sacraments others had cast out the Sacraments themselves With abundance more too tedious to repeat Another of their Authors tells the Parliament in a Sermon That the Covenant cries God grant not against you for the Reformation of the Kingdom the Extirpation of Heresies Schisms Profaneness c. These Impieties abound as if we had taken a Covenant to maintain them since it was taken These Sins which we have Covenanted against have more abounded than in the space of ten times so many Years before Another makes this Remark That one of the Fruits of this Blessed Parliament and of those two Sectaries Presbyterians and Independents is That they have made more Jews and Atheists than are in all Europe besides Gentlemen of the Jury You may see by what means it was that this Nation came to be pester'd with Opinions and Practices beyond the Example of former Ages to the infinite Prejudice and dishonour of our Religion and Nation You may guess what a blessed Reformation we may expect from the Ruine of the Church The same Causes set on foot by the same Principles will eternally produce the same Effects And tho' Men at first may mean never so well yet Temptations will insensibly grow upon them and Accidents occur which in the Progress may carry them infinitely beyond the Line of their first Intention and engage them in such Courses out of which when they come to discern their Errour it may be too late for them to retire Diss Advoc. 'T is in vain to plead against Matters of Fact but I would have you know our Dissenters are more for Spirit and Truth more modest and peaceable than those of that Time we are more conformable to the Laws less turbulent and offensive to Government and generally speaking did we believe that our Schism or Separation from the Church was a Sin or the Occasion of Sin we should no longer remain in the Practice of it but presently join with the Church and never more forsake her Communion Ch. Advoc. You may guess at the Spirit and Temper of the Dissenters by their obstinate and indefatigable Stiffness in Opposing the Church Let the World judge let themselves be Judges in this Case When the Church requires no Popish no Antichristian Terms of Communion when the Dissenters can offer no Argument that has not been abundantly answer'd they entrench themselves within their strongest Holds of Stiffness and Resolution never never to yield tho' they are sufficiently convinc'd and baffl'd If the Dissenters have any thing more of Moderation and Peace than appear'd in the late Times of Anarchy and Confusion we are oblig'd to the Church the Pillar and Ground of Truth and to the Civil and Ecclesiastical Laws that lay some restraint upon them But once remove This Church or quite let loose the Reins of Government and we shall soon find what manner of Spirit does influence these Men. The first Race of Dissenters were far more for Unity and Peace than these are they meddl'd not with Things out of their Line nor mixt themselves with Matters of State All they desir'd was to have no Violence offer'd to their Consciences When they could not conform as Ministers they did as Private Christians Men that were most eminent amongst 'em for Learning Piety Preaching Writing Experience and Fame have done more towards the Unity of the Church than our Modern Dissenters do at this day They have own'd our Communion lawful they have receiv'd the Communion kneeling they have bred up their Children to the Ministry of the Church they have join'd in the Liturgy they have been married according to the Form of it The ancient Nonconformists would not separate tho' they feared to subscribe But now the Government has been so kind to settle Liberty of Conscience by a Law our Conscionable Men turn their Backs upon the Church and make no scruple tho' by causeless Separation to cut themselves off from its Communion not considering that nothing next to the Glory of God shou'd be more heartily desir'd and endeavour'd by all Men than the Unity and Peace of the Church and consequently there 's scarce a greater Sin than Schism is that rends and divides it A Sin if you believe the ancient Fathers that shuts Men out of Heaven a Sin that cannot be expiated by the Blood of Martyrdom This is the Sense which the best and most pious Christians that ever liv'd had of it That 't is better to suffer any thing than that the Church of God shou'd be rent asunder That 't is every whit as glorious and a far greater Martyrdom to die for not dividing the Church than for refusing to sacrifice to Idols That a Person going from Church to Schismaticks tho' in that capacity he should die for Christ yet can he not receive the
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
Sects are more inclin'd to favour Popery whatever their Clamours may be to the contrary than to encourage the Church and vote for the Defence of it For my part I 'll try what Service I can do in pursuing this Method 1. Enquire out the Author 2. Discover the Errors of the Book 3. Bring our Cause to a fair Trial. 4. Determine according to Truth 1. First For the Author 'T is hard to find out who this Friend Henry is whether Quaker or not If I own the Truth he was a wise and honest Man and were it not in hopes of securing Voices by People's Ignorance I cou'd heartily wish all English-men knew and consider'd so much as he has written O Interest Interest I cannot like any thing that crosses Thee Plain Dealing 's a Jewel but have a care of the latter part of that known Proverb Why should any Man create Enemies to himself Had he not medled with our Diana and the Crafts-men to expose them had not he defended Monarchy Episcopacy and the Whole Religion and Government of the Church of England at such a conjuncture in which we are contriving to subvert 'em I cou'd have more freely excus'd and pardon'd that Author Now we must wait long enough for a Republick we have been plagu'd with Bishops for above Sixteen hundred Years already and 't is to be doubted we shall ne'er get rid of 'em while the World endures We have blacken'd the Church with more than bare Suspicions of Popery and must never again use that Trick to deceive the People All the Dissenters in the Kingdom if they understand Sense and the force of Argument must confess that the Church of England is Orthodox and Apostolical and that no just Imputation of Popery can be fastned on her I desire the Author in his next Edition to abate something of his Virgin Modesty in concealing his Name and Residence The Hornets may buzz about but cannot sting him or if they do he has many Friends Men of Honour Art and Integrity to take care that the Venom may not prove Mortal The Danger is not worth naming when the Religion-Broker is so pleas'd with his Gainful Recipe that he offers Twenty Pounds in Requital Mr. Maggot seems concern'd that the Author wou'd not give him leave to be grateful Our Knight extravagantly promises a Full Bottle of the Best and to give him the Honour of seeing the Parliament for his Reward The Church-men are more oblig'd for those convincing Reasons on their side which require some Time and Skill to answer Porringer and Mouth may be excus'd for Charity 's grown cold among their quondam Benefactors If a Woman one of the Fair Sex as some say was the Author and is as lovely in Body as Mind our good Members earnestly desire to be most intimately acquainted with her If Law Divinity and Physick as most think were engag'd in this Composure w' are over-match'd by far All we can do besides This Trial is by way of Recrimination which will neither invalidate the Book nor extenuate our own Faults Truth will prevail We may endeavour to blemish their Reputations attempt to render these Gentlemen as immoral and vile as we are yet without all peradventure the Envy Hatred Malice Lying Spiritual-Pride Beastiality Deceit and Treachery too commonly approv'd and practis'd among Dissenters do by as many Grains out-weigh the smaller Infirmities and Failures of the Church of England as the solemn and deliberate Crimes of riper Years do the Extravagancies of inadverting Youth Whoever was the Composer we shall hardly dance after his Pipe He has set a fairer Copy than the Dissenters of Scydromedia will transcribe in one day In compliance with their Temper I 'll try if I can spoil the Musick blot and blur the Book to make it less valuable For though I cannot discover the Author I have found out 2. Secondly The Errours of the Book which I intend to bring in as Evidence against it I should begin at the wrong End a preposterous Method is most agreeable to all our Proceedings 'T is very true of Making Books there 's no End This is not the first time our choice Friends have been read in Print and cannot be the last I doubt not but we shall daily afford fresh Matter for ingenious Men or Women to try their Wits on Oh! If we had truly fear'd God and kept his Commandments we had never been troubled to answer this Untoward Book It may not be judg'd a Matter of Imprudence in entring first upon the Conclusion of it there being but here and there a little in the Body and substantial Part but what 's too firm and unanswerable However at present we 'll call it a silly vain scurrillous Pamphlet meriting not so much Regard as the bare reading it amounts to let the Church-men say what they will of the Validity of its Arguments of the Truth of its History That this Conference has done the Church of England Right and the Inhabitants of Scydromedia no Wrong there are yet some Errata's or Mistakes to be retracted or amended in the next Edition else by my Consent it shall never pass Muster amongst the Saints But for the better Satisfaction of the World and that Truth and Justice may take place the COURT has impanell'd a Jury of several Persuasions that the Book with the Persons and Matters therein represented may have fair Play The Jury indifferently chosen are Five Church-men Four Presbyterians Four Independents and Four Quakers Honest Men and True stand together and hear your Charge viz. Judge A late bold Pamphlet call'd The Best Choice for Religion and Government written in favour of Church and King questioning the Reputation of the Saints under the Names of Latitudinarians Presbyterians Independents Seekers c. who have here put themselves upon this Trial of Truth You are to enquire therefore without Favour or Malice Whether Guilty or not Guilty And to take special Care before Verdict given That you duly and impartially consider the Matters and Things urg'd on both Sides that Sentence may pass accordingly You Gentlemen of the Jury I am farther to inform you that the Matters in Question are Matters of Fact whereof You are the proper Judges Attend then First To the Evidence for the Saints drawn out of the Errours and Insufficiencies of that Book no less than Fourteen of ' em Mr. Mouth complains of the Book for Flattery and Untruth His Father was no Committee-Man in the late Blessed Times of Plunder and Rapine He was one of your honest Sequestrators one of those conscientious Men that first seiz'd and then took away the Goods of Church and Kingdom Religiously converting them to better and more holy Uses leaving a well-gotten Inheritance to his Children We have an English Proverb Bless'd is the Son whose Father goes to the Devil true enough of such Fathers who swell'd with Pride hardned with other Vices and given over to Invincible Prejudice Invincible Perverseness do seldom end with True
half so industrious so hearty so united in their Endeavours to preserve their Church in its due Splendour and Reputation as others are to eclipse her Glory and depress her to the very Ground The Book you see is faulty in this Particular The Dissenters are wise they do all within the compass of their Power to keep up their Conventicles with Number and Riches while the careless Church-Men mind little but to talk drink or swear for their Religion and so leave it As to the fearful Bill or Charge drawn up against the young Counsellor 't is found defective in Form tho' the Matter seems true 'T was at first very surprizing he knew not what in the World to say to it Now the Saints are inclin'd to think 't is all a perfect Mistake because He flatly denies the Accusations begins to appear again in Publick and follows Mr. Month's Ghostly Advice p. 25. For who can believe the Man guilty of an evil Act that with Heart of Stone and Face like Brass can tell the World he is not so If the Relations are for Law He has Skill enough in that to evade their Trial. He knows when to demurr and when plead If they would punish him in any other Members than the Offending Ones out comes an Audita Quaerela Let 'em demand the Bold Pyrate's full Restitution of the Virgin-Treasure He returns a Non est invent ' in nostrâ Ballivâ And to secure his Right of Elections proceeds by a Quare Impedit and is able to produce divers loose Precedents in these known Cases But if all these Shifts and Projects fail he can hide his Head in the Low-Countries till Time has worn out the Memory of his Crimes lest by continuing in any Part of this envious Nation he should be stopt with a Ne Exeat Regno and be undone for ever 'T was one blind side of the Book to propose the Best Choice for Religion and Government as sufficient to persuade Dessenters to unite with the Church where both these are in greatest Perfection You may silence but shall hardly persuade them see it in Mr. Maggot's Case At first reading the Book he was startled and crept close into his Wool for shelter But now being warm'd and reviv'd by his Sheep's Cloathing begins to be more brisk and airy will not allow the Church to be the Best Choice because we the dissenting Brethren can't endure to own our Errours and Imperfections 'T is a Rarity to find one of a hundred that will be prevail'd on by good Reason and Argument the far greater number consulting with Men of Stout and Obdurate Consciences in which the Spirit of God never dwells will sooner die or venture the Ruine of Church and Kingdom than recede one small step from their belov'd and destructive Practices But why all this noise about the Church as if the Church was injur'd in our Choice of Sir Anthony Is not he the Son of a Church a moderate Church-Man He goes sometimes to Church and has been heard say He was never at a Conventicle in all his time Now if Sir Anthony does sincerely love the Church as every true Member of it ought to do He 'll certainly in all Things in all Times Cases and Circumstances espouse her Interest give her all the Demonstrations of Kindness and Fidelity that can be given Can any Man consent to pull down that Church wherein if at all he hopes to be sav'd To despise or neglect much less to spurn against a most Pious Mother that has provided to make him happy in both Worlds If by a Moderate Church-Man is meant One that cares not how little he 's concern'd in the Communion of it One that 's indifferent or cold in all the Parts of its Worship that is not strictly ty'd up to the Rules and Orders of it but is at Liberty to prevaricate upon any Worldly Consideration That to please or gratifie a Party can omit alter or abbreviate the Church's Prayers play fast or loose with his Religion can betray the Church to serve himself He 's properly no Church-Man at all no true no sound Member of it Is rather like a Wooden-Leg ty'd on and taken off at pleasure than by natural Ligaments and Nerves knit to the Ecclesiastical Body The Church often suffer'd and can have no good from such loose such false Professours I see no Reason to engage the Dissenters to chuse such a Moderate Church-Man as before describ'd since it is not very probable that a Man can be true to another Party kind to other Religions who is unfaithful to his own But if by a Moderate Church-Man is signify'd one who being a true Christian cannot dissemble with God and the World gives Caesar and the Church their due Respect and Deference is yet of that sober meek patient and charitable Temper as to pity and pray for his very Enemies Is not for taking advantages of all Offenders not for insisting strictly on the Summum Jus the utmost Rigour or Extremity towards them But demeaning himself so equitably and fairly in the Administration of Justice in Differences and Contests and generally in his Dealing with all Men as to promote the Wellfare of Mankind and as much as is possible for an honest Man to do for preserving of Concord and Amity one with another Such a Benign Lovely Christian Temper does the Church of England above all others commend and practice at this day Has ever esteem'd it her Glory to keep the Medium between the Two Extremes of Severity and Remissness Such Moderation as the Dissenters never us'd towards her when they had the Power nor can they shew it to one another when ever their Circumstances shall happen to require it Oh! But Sir Anthony was a Fellow-Sufferer with the Dissenters was secur'd and carried to Prison when the Government was in Danger and he suspected as an Enemy though he call'd himself a Church-Man And have not Dissenters Reason to look on him as a Friend whate'er the Book says to the contrary 'T is no matter for considering the Cause whether our Persecution was or was not for Righteousness sake whether Dissenters then suffer'd as Christians or for some other Reason But suffer they did That remains so fresh in our Memories that we can neither forget nor forgive it We are unwilling to remember on t'other side how miserably the Loyal Episcopal Party were plunder'd sequestred decimated dungeon'd starv'd and often stunk to death what Oaths and Covenants were rigorously impos'd on the Wicked what restraints were laid upon their Liberties both Civil and Ecclesiastical tho' all this while they had Law and Right standing for them But the Saints at that time Ruling by the Law of Liberty and good Conscience publish'd an Ordinance of Parliament in the Year 1645. That if any Person hereafter shall at any time use or cause to be used The Book of Common-Prayer in any Church Publick Place of Worship or in any private House or
succeed Teach Men the Art of groping Hens And Grope for Grope makes them amends Wou'd every Man his Butt'ry shut Then neither Mealman's Dog nor yet A sharper Curr cou'd steal a bit Cheer up my Friends Flesh has its failing What if in Burrough 't is prevailing The matters not worth our bewailing For I have made it very plain Our Neighb'ring Saints are much more vain If this piece of Poetry works kindly for the Dissenters we 'll set a pleasant new Tune to 't it may be more grateful to some of our Saints than any Hymn or Psalm of David metred and set by the greatest Art of honest Hopkins and Sternhold in the Beginning of the Reformation Now we have sweetned the Court and put all into some good Harmony before the Jury goes out to agree upon their Verdict 't is proper to hear some able Counsel on both Sides relating to this Cause Between the DISSENTERS and the CHURCH Judge If you say no better for the Saints than has been hitherto offer'd in their Defence against the Book I give my Opinion That after all their Articles about the Errours and Insufficiencies of it the sober Party are Ten or Fourteen times worse than they seem'd before this Trial. But let the Jury do as they see fit I am not to prejudicate I am bound to let you know what I apprehend to be good Sense and Law to instruct not to govern you Pray attend to the Counsel for First the Dissenters Secondly the Church We 'll hear them with Patience Dissent Advoc. My Lord and Jury I 'm retain'd in the GOOD OLD CAUSE I 'm for Conventiclers against Church-Men I must tell the Court That the Cause before you at this time is very weighty the Peace of our Town the Wellfare of our Country depends upon it The first Argument I shall offer for the Saints is their Infallibility Every Dissenter from the Church carries an undoubted Pope in his own Breast so that 't is strange nay almost impossible for him to be mistaken in my Opinion Though all other Men find the woful Infirmities of Humane Nature the Weakness and Short-sightedness of their Understandings and the daily Experience how prone they are to Errours and Misapprehensions yet the Saints are alway sure positive and peremptory that they are in the Right and all others in the Wrong that differ from them The early Prepossessions of their Opinions the powerful Prejudices of Education an implicit and unexamin'd Belief of what their Guides and Leaders teach 'em have such mighty irresistable Force upon their minds That they no more doubt the Truth and Goodness of any Cause they 're engaged in than they question the Certainty of the Scriptures or the plainest Demonstrations in the Mathematicks Can it be suppos'd that Men who pass for Saints can have any Pride Partiality or Self-Conceit to put them out of the Right Way or that they can possibly think more highly of themselves and their Way than in Duty they ought to think If not The Conventicle is better than the Church Church Advoc. My Lord and the Court I am for the honest Church-Men was in hopes That the Dissenters had been sick of their Old Cause I know some of the Wisest of them wish they had never been at Controversie with the Church they have had such ill luck as to be worsted in all their Arguments In answer to this of Infallibility The Church-Men truly say That as there 's but one Independent so but One Infallible Being which is GOD. We derive all our Gifts from that Fountain and no Man can be sure of any Point of Faith but as he 's directed by the known Dictates of that Infallible Wisdom That the Dissenters are not void of Mistakes seeing they do apparently contradict and oppose each other and frequently themselves too in Matters of Religion That the things wherein we differ are confessedly disputable and therefore not certain and every Dissenter agrees to this That the Church is the Best Religion and Government next to that of his own particular Fancy and Opinion and by consequence must be really best as being held so in the most general Esteem and Approbation of Religious Men. The Presbyterian would rather turn Church-Man than be an Anabaptist The Independent would do so than be a Quaker The Quaker was he to change would chuse the Church sooner than any other Pesuasion in England so that the Church being voted for on all hands to have the second Place to be approv'd before and above all other but that which the particular Dissenter pretends to it may well be concluded by Majority of Voices to be the BEST to be preferr'd to any single Opinion whatsoever which has no other Foundation to support it but it self And this particular Opinion upon due Enquiry may proceed from nothing but Humour or Interest the Conduct of a mis-inform'd Judgment Passion Self-Love Fancy or Mistake more than the Real Concerns of Truth and Piety Both which are constantly defended by This Church A Church founded on the firmest Rock against which the Storms and Tempests the Policy and Force of Hell have not yet totally prevail'd nor ever will unless by our Divisions and Contempt we provoke the Vengeance of Heaven to remove her from us Dissent Advoc. Yet Brother we have terribly shak'd your Church and it seems but in a tottering Condition at this time Though Hell can never prevail so far but that there shall be a Church to the end of the World yet this is not meant of a National but the Universal Church of Christ Ch. Advoc. I grant that many National Churches where Christian Religion had a long time slourish'd have been deliver'd up into the Hands of Turks and Infidels we have then the greater reason to look about us And if there should be no Remedy but that our Church must fall shall English-Men throw it down Will it be any Credit to Dissenters to overturn the Church or to grow unreasonably fond of those methods to strengthen the Protestant Interest which the Malice and Subtilty of the Devil and his Instruments have contriv'd to destroy it Diss Advoc. That in all their Divisions the Dissenters will tell ye they have no ill Designs upon the Church only are for the Advancement of the Reform'd Religion into a greater Perfection than the Church of England is yet arriv'd at in these four Points Doctrine Worship Discipline and Life Ch. Advoc. I wish you had no worse Ends than these in your Separation and that upon fair Trial it may appear that these Ends are possible to be obtain'd by this Means the People are put in Expectation of a Blessed Change a fine New Church-Government a Presbytery for an Hierarchy and perhaps not long after a Government of State instead of a King Diss Advoc. Let me proceed distinctly I hope I may be able to satisfie the Court. First For Doctrine we are for proposing higher Notions than that Church ever taught To feed the
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
our You to a single Person since it has in it the fore-named Excellencies If you know not what belongs to a Synecdoche read 2 Cor. 4. and you shall find the plural Number put for the singular almost throughout the Chapter He that has look'd least into Ancient Authors will find long before Ignatius Loyola or the Pope the Plural put for the Singular and the Singular for the Plural and this Spiritual Fancy of Youing and Thouing cou'd never have taken place with any sort of Men that had not been Strangers to Grammar Logick Metaphysicks good Learning or Sense If the Quakers are so 't is Loss of time to spend it on so trifling a Subject Call in the Jury Friend Henry Verily Friends there 's enough said to convince us of great Folly in standing so much upon this odd proud conceited piece of Singularity Judge I 'm glad to find any one of your Party so truly ingenuous as once to confess you 're in the wrong the Court will hear you with greater Regard in what remains Here 's a Bill of Complaint or an Indictment against You and other Dissenters for using false Lights for having false Hearts false Spirits for being guided by such Principles as are not of God The Reasons of this Enquiry are from the many sorts of Lights and Spirits in the World as Light Uncreated and Created Light Proper and Metaphorical Light of Nature and of Scripture Light of Sense and Reason Light Innate and Light Created So there are many sorts of Spirits besides good Ones A Familiar Spirit a Lying Spirit a Spirit of Perverseness a Foul Spirit a Deaf and Dumb Spirit a Spirit of Errour and Delusion a Spirit of Slumber a Spirit of the World and a Spirit of God The Question is Which of these Lights or Spirits the Quakers and other Separatists are guided by Quak. We are not for troubling our selves with a speculative Discourse concerning Lights or Spirits but we declare that there is in us and in all Men a Light sufficient to instruct and govern us in Matters of Faith and Life This is it we desire to walk by and so long as we do so we hope none will blame or condemn us for it Judge Whom will you be try'd by Quak. By the Sturdiness and Strength of our own Perswasion which it is our will and pleasure to call the Testimony within us Judge You shou'd be try'd by God and the Country but if you wou'd be try'd by the Testimony within we must examine whether that be a sure Test or Rule of Trial For if the Test be false the Trial must be uncertain and foolish Let me ask How you know your Testimony within is from the Holy Ghost Quak. We know it by this That God has given us of his Spirit 1 John 4. 13. Judge How do you know he has given you of his Spirit Quak. We know it by this that we cannot sin 1 John 3. 9. Judge How are you assur'd that you cannot sin Quak. Because we are born of God 1 John 3. 9. Judge How know ye that ye are born of God Quak. We know it by this Because we have a new Name given us which no Man knows but he that hath it Rev. 2. 17. Judge How do you know of a new Name given you Quak. We know it by that Spirit which dwelleth in us Rom. 8. 11. Judge How do you know the Spirit of Truth from the Spirit of Error Quak. Our Answer is still at hand and out of the Scriptures too He that knoweth God heareth us and he that is not of God heareth not us 1 John 4. 6. Judge What Witness have you to prove it Quak. The Spirit beareth witness with our Spirits Rom. 8. 16. Judge Produce your Witness Quak. He that believeth hath the Witness in himself 1 John 5. 10. Judge Friends I have catechiz'd you till I have lost you you run in a circular identical way of Discourse turn round till you grow giddy you wrest and misapply the Word of Life God grant it may not be to your own Destruction You argue very weakly You have the Spirit of God because you are assur'd of it You are assâ—â—'d of it because of the Spirit that dwells in you The best that I like in you is your seeming to depend upon the Scriptures These are the best Criterion or Touch-stone to try whether your Spirit and Light be True or Counterfeit But then we must not fix upon dubious disputable Texts but the plainest and most easie whose Sense and Meaning is agreed on by Men of all Judgments Texts deliver'd in such clear and univocal Terms that opposite Parties do apprehend them in the very same way and these cannot well be Matter of Cavil and Dispute Quak. I may not object against this Judge The Spirit that is of God is 1. A Spirit of Truth 2. Of Holiness and Purity 3. Of Unity and Love 4. Of Meekness and Order 5. Of Knowledge Wisdom and Understanding If any Man who is outwardly of a seeming good Life is yet of very ill Judgment in Points essential to Christianity as to deny the Sacraments and other Parts of Religion instituted by the Spirit of Truth he must needs be misinstructed by the Spirit of Errour and Fascination let his outward Conversation be what it will let his visible Course of Life be never so plausible or severe On the contrary If a Man be Orthodox and at the same time Dishonest of some good Opinions but evil Practice holds the Truth but in Unrighteousness so as to allow abet and encourage Villanies he is not season'd by the Holy but the Unclean Spirit let his Judgment be what it can For an honest Heathen is not so bad as a Christian Knave If a Man makes Division in a Church or Kingdom dissolves the Bond of Peace and shall endeavour to crumble Religion into as many small Pieces as idle Heads can suggest they are misled by that Spirit whose Name is Legion that old cunning Serpent that deceives the World Mar. 5. 9. Rev. 12. 9. If any in pretence of being meek ones who are by right of Promise to inherit the Earth demurely tread upon Crowns and Crosiers and would be levelling all that by God's Providence overtop them These must be guided by the Spirit of the bottomless Pit Rev. 9. 11. Lastly If Men do cite and urge Scripture against the whole Tenor and Stream of it and wander into the wrong way even by that very Word which does direct them into the right one we may soon discern what manner of Spirit they are of the Spirit of Slumber the Spirit of dead Sleep that has blinded the Mind Rom. 11. 8. Isa 29. 10. These Rules are proper for the Trying of our Quakers and other Men's Spirits But Gentlemen of the Jury there 's one thing more to be added That Vices are apt many times to pass for Vertues many Lies to Flesh and Blood are more plausible than
be Impiety because 't is prosperous and permitted that is not hinder'd by Force and Violence inconsistent with a free Moral Agent then the Great Sultan and the Great Cham and the Great Mogull as well as the Great Bishop of Rome are by an equal Sound-Consequence the greatest Favourites of Heaven And then the Argument of Symmachus had been unanswerably conclusive against the Primitive Christians who for 300 Years and upwards lay groaning under the Yoke of the Heathens Tyranny or Lastly If Permission were still a Mark of Approbation then Dionysius or Diagoras had argu'd logically well when having robb'd the Delphick Temple and immediately after escap'd a Shipwrack He gave it out that the Gods had approv'd his Sacrilege Not at all that he believ'd but laugh'd at Providence Riches and Prosperity are not always Blessings to the Enjoyers of them but very often bestow'd on the worst of Men to their hurt The Divine Wisdom reserving a better Reward for his dearest Servants in the World Presb. and Indep My Lord We are not satisfi'd that our dividing and separating from the Church of England deserves so bad a Name as that of Schism if it does we must expect a very severe Sentence and the Court must be justifi'd in its Proceedings against us Judge You have had enough offer'd before by the Church's Advocate but to leave the Matter more clear take the Judgment of your Principal Men who when time was reason'd thus against those that subdivided from them If we be a Church of Christ and Christ hold Communion with us why do you separate from us If we be the Body of Christ do not they that separate from the Body separate from the Head also If the Apostle calls those Divisions of the Church of Corinth wherein Christians did not separate into divers formed Congregations in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper Schisms 1 Cor. 1. 10. may not your Secession from us and professing you cannot join with us as Members and setting up Congregations of another Communion be more properly call'd Schism You gather Churches together out of your Churches and set up Churches in an opposite Way to our Churches and all this you do voluntarily and unwarrantably not having any sufficient Cause for it In the same Book they tell us of a Twofold Schism Negative and Positive Negative when Men do peaceably and quietly withdraw from Communion with a Church from which they are departed The other is when Persons withdrawing do consociate and withdraw themselves into a distinct and opposite Body setting up a Church against a Church which say they Camero calls a Schism by way of Eminence And farther tells us there are Four Causes that make a Separation from a Church lawful 1. When they that separate are grievously and intolerably persecuted 2. When the Church they separate from is Heretical 3. When 't is Idolatrous 4. When 't is the Seat of Antichrist And where none of these Four are found there the Separation is insufficient and Schism Now we are fully assur'd that none of these Four Causes can be charg'd upon our Congregations Therefore you must not be displeas'd with us if we blame you as guilty of positive Schism All which is as true now as it was then and as applicable to us and them and it was to them and their Dissenters The Presbyterians and Independents are indeed more guilty of Schism in separating from the truly Apostolical Church of England than they could be in dividing from each other Seekers But we think there are some things in the Constitution of that Church might be contriv'd to better Purposes and we would find out a Church that needs no Amendment no Alteration Judge Then you must be of no Church on this side Heaven you seek in vain because such Perfection is not in this World yet as great a Degree of it in the Church of England as in any Church or Congregation on Earth and for ought yet appears much greater But that every suppos'd Corruption in a Church is not a sufficient Ground of Separation or Warrant enough to rend and tear the Church in pieces Let Mr. Calvin judge between us who says That where-ever the Word of God is duly preach'd and reverently attended to and the true Use of the Sacraments kept up there is the plain Appearance of a True Church whose Authority no Man may safely despise or reject its Admonitions or resist its Counsel or set at nought its Discipline much less separate from it and violate its Unity For that our Lord has so great a Regard to the Communion of his Church That he accounts him an Apostate from his Religion who obstinately separates from any Christian Society which keeps up the true Ministry of the Word and Sacraments That such a Separation is a Denial of God and of Christ And that 't is a dangerous and pernicious Temptation so much as to think of separating from such a Church the Communion whereof is never to be rejected so long as it continues in the true use of the Word and Sacraments Though otherwise it be overrun with many Blemishes and Corruptions Which is as plain and full a Determination of the Case as if he particularly design'd it against the Doctrine and Practice of the Modern Dissenters from our Church Quak. I hope the Nation will yet believe us to be very honest harmless Men who deal fairly and kindly with all Persons never oppressing griping or defrauding any Man we are at a Word avoid abundance of that vain unnecessary Talk which others use in Trading and therefore I humbly desire that the Court would acquit us Judge You have forfeited much of that good Opinion that the Nation once had of you and all the Riches you boasted of were gotten by Peoples Credulity trusting you too much before they try'd you All your Religion is now dwindled into a bare Pretence of Honesty which at best is not equal to that of the more Ancient Heathens Your YEA or NAY your Single Word shall bite as much as a Thousand a Lye may soon be told and if the World complains of you for any Dishonesty in over-reaching or deceiving your Neighbours all is put off with your Spiritual Distinction 'T is not say you downright Cheating of Men but a sanctifi'd Out-witting 'em which is own'd and practised amongst you Presbyt My Lord We have two or three Gentlemen to produce in our Vindication Judge Who are they Presbyt St. Hierome Aerius and Honest John Calvin The first says That Bishop and Presbyter are all one The second That they differ nothing in Order Dignity and Power And the last was so offended with Episcopacy That he threw out the Bishop of Geneva and turn'd the Name of Bishop into that of Superintendent and under that Title He and his Godly Successours have there about one hundred Years govern'd that Church Judge Hierome must be a Saint now for letting fall one single Sentence in favour of the Presbyterians But
Government therein establish'd Be you unbyas'dly true to that Church lay aside all those unhappy Feuds and Animosities which these English Jesuits the Dissenters have rais'd amongst you Meet often understand one another maintain a friendly Correspondence with all that have any Favour for this Church Agree as one Man in every Publick Election And let those who are to serve in Parliament be sure constantly to attend on that Trust repos'd in 'em not to receive the Honour only but faithfully to do the Service for which they are chosen not by absenting or any inadvertency to leave the Church to the Mercy of those Men who whilst their Master is roaming about sit still there seeking whom they may devour Let all honest Churchmen favour and encourage the Conformable Clergy set a good Example to their Tenants and Neighbours to fill the Churches Serve your King and Country with all chearfulness Let no Mans Estate or Quality raise him above the Care of seeing Justice duly administred lest by forcing the Government to find Magistrates and Juries among inferiour illiterate and ill-principled Men you venture your Rights and Liberties Estates Religion and Lives more valuable than Ease in very dangerous Hands Nothing can be carry'd against you nor to the prejudice of King or Church if you appear for your selves and them Remember once more that Dissenters are ever for dividing of you and by your Divisions to encrease their own Party that so often as you differ on any Publick Occasions so often you disable the Church and weaken your own Interest Can it be any Fault to use the same Policy for preserving the Best Churoh in the World which the several Sectaries use to advance themselves by They unite and besides that they rarely lay out any Money but with those of their own Party So the Donatists upheld their Separation from the Church and kept their Party fast together by Trading only within themselves by employing none to Till their Grounds or be their Stewards but those that wou'd be of their Side nay sometimes hiring Persons by large Sums to be baptiz'd into their Party as Crispin did the People of Mapalia How evident is the same Policy among our modern Quakers It needs neither Proof nor Observation Independency was a Faction not matter of Conscience needy broken decay'd Men who knew not how to live and hop'd to get something became Sticklers for it Thus it was in the Late Times and thus it is Now. Look into the Trading Part of the Nation and he must be an heedless and indiligent Observer that does not take notice how Interests are form'd and by what Methods Parties and Factions are kept up How many thousands of the poorer sort of Dissenters depend on this or that Man for their Work Livelihood and Subsistence how many depend on others for Trade and Custom whom accordingly these Leading Men can readily produce to give Votes and encrease Parties on all Publick Occasions And which is no less remarkable what very small Encouragement any Man finds from them that once deserts 'em and comes over to the Church of England If we that are Gentlemen and all that wish well to the Church wou'd cease to enrich our Opposers by Trading or Dealing with them but wou'd unanimously agree to Encourage our Friends by dealing with no others We shou'd never lose the Day at any Election nor need any more Laws to bring Men to Church For the Dissenters wou'd soon grow weary of their ungainful their unprofitable Separation Here ends the TRIAL Court Huzza Huzza Church and King Church and King THE EPILOGUE WHen truest busie Fame all o'er Such Rumours spread ne'er heard before From Stew or Pit from Carp and Cage Unless in Conventickling Age Old Putt and Tickler slily came I an ancient Town with fine new Name Thinking at sight to have subdu'd The noisie talking Multitude Or by their known Dissimulation To Milk or Ride the Corporation Else if in Charter but one Flaw To make all void by Dint of Law But Good Old Cause the Devil 's in 't And Members too appear'd in Print Prevailing Truth that plaguy Book With this Impartial Jury took And Stranger yet the Cause when try'd 'T is thought not one forswore or ly'd Safely I swear Whoever writ it Did to all Sorts and Sizes fit it Left nought untouch't not am'rous Oak Disguising Periwig or Cloak Bold Pyrate Chamber-Practice Rape Cou'd not that Author's Pen escape The Sober Party justly fitted Lost is their Cause the Church acquitted Cast and condemn'd the Whiggs are crost With Grief and sore Amazement tost 'T is vain to boast of Innocence Or colour Vileness with Pretence Say ye Sir Say ye one Saint cry'd We never more shall stem the Tide Not all our Violence and Spite Can take away the Churches Right If Judge Sincere and Jury Loyal We 'll never move for second Trial. How well-advis'd the Bell-man lurks Shunning to try his Water-works While some perhaps of blest intent Are doom'd to suffer Banishment Be gone then Hotspurs cross the Main Freach up Presbytery in Spain Why shou'd your Bond of Conscience be By Inquisition 's Danger free Bewitching Elymas no more Thy Thievish Porringor adore Tell Pope this Truth Thy Cant and Whine Are Friends to Rome Then he 'll be thine There great Reward thou maist obtain Till Mischief sends thee back again Mouth who canst bellow bray or bark And speak all Lingua 's of the Ark Go among Wolves and Tygers go On these thy mighty Gifts bestow Creatures of Reason better know Let Maggot never turn to Fly More generate or multiply Lest he proud Swarms of Insects breed That may this Sheepish Nation bleed Ne'er out of Fleece once shew thy Head Till we conclude The Maggot 's dead Ponteus purge Presbyter John Much griev'd with Superstition Swell'd with a Tympany of Pride And damn'd ill Qualities beside Give him a swinging Dose repeat Till thou hast made the Cure compleat However carry on the Cheat. Friend Henry Thou of all the rest Deserv'st to be accounted Best Stay Friend Thou hast the Churches Voice The Wise and Good applaud thy Choice No Church-Whiggs or Dissenters Crew None but the honest Church-man's true None else give God and King their Due FINIS Sal. lib. 3. Sir H. Ch. See the Case of Elections stated * Case Vid. Case Errour 1. Errour 2. Errour 3. Errour 4. Errour 5. Errour 6. Errour 7. Errour 8. Errour 9. Errour 10. Errour 11. Errour 12. Errour 14. A new Poem In Imitation of Hudibras D. Crisp p. 274 275. Ruth on Dan. 6. xxvi before the Commons in the Year 43. 2 Tim. 4. 5. Vid. Catalog and Discovery of Errours Vid. View of Troubles 2d Part Edw. Gan. Edw. Gangr Jenkyns Serm. 46. 1648. Vid. The Lawfulness of hearing the Publick Ministry by Mr. Nye Mr. Robinson c. See Mr. Corbet 's Nonconformist's Plea for Lay-Communion Mr. Marshal Hist Indep Dionysius the good Bishop of Alexandria Vid. Euseb l. 6. c. 45. Cypr. de Unit Eccl. fol. 181 182. Synecdoche est cum totum ponitur pro parte aut pars pro toto Numerus singularis pro plurali Numerus pluralis pro singulari Vossius lib. 4. c. 6. Lev. 20. 27. 1 Kings 22. 22. Isa 19. 14. Mar. 9. 25. 2 Th. 2. 11. Joh. 14. 17. Rom. 1. 4 18. Eph. 4. 3 4. 1 Cor. 4. 12. Isa 11. 2. 1 John 4. 6. Heb. cap. 5 6 7. Impudentia pro telo Ignorantia pro scuto Exod. 39. 10 11 12 13. A Vindication of the Presbyterian Government 1649. p. 130. Instit lib. 4. Sect. 10 11 12. fol. 349. Matt. 15. 6 7 8. Vid. Aug. Ep. 173. ad Crisp * Scydromedia