CHAP. I. Of Sureties in Baptism.

AND now, you may see by the Picture I have drawn, that a Ce­remony-monger's Soul, and Conscience is neither rul'd by Holy Scripture, Right Reason, nor by the Law of the Land; but in de­spight of all these, some of them are such only through Custom, Igno­rance, blind Devotion, implicite Faith, and apish Imitation; others, and those no small Fools, upon design, duckoy'd by Avarice and Ambi­tion: But, Custom is a second Nature, even in Religion too, or more properly, Superstition: Custom is the Father, and Ignorance is the Mo­ther of their Devotion: As soon may an Ethiopian change his Skin, or a Leopard his Spots, as a Ceremony-monger his foppish Superstition, he is so accustomed to it. Custom can beget nothing upon a Man of Reason, a Man whose Reason is not clouded; and yet Custom has a Brood in the World far more numerous, than Truth could ever beget; because Truth, the Father of wise men, can never beget any thing, but upon Reason the Mother of true Devotion: But these Mothers are but few, and therefore there are but few of the Breed, very few rational Men, and rational Chri­stians, in comparison of the Numbers of those that go the broad Way, and go in at the broad Gate that leadeth to Destruction; and many there be that go in thereat, namely, all those, whose Religion and Worship has no other Ground, except Custom (in Conjunction with Mother Ignorance) for their foppish Devotion; and Covetousness, for their Knavish Superstition.

Thus the poor silly naked Indians, In America, (I have catechized, them) and ask'd them the Reason, Why they did bow to such an Idol, that was nothing more than other. Wood and Trees of which it was made: They had all one and the same Answer, namely, Custom, and their Peel's Peel's, What are they? but a certain crafty sort of Men amongst them, that lead the rest of the Fops by the Nose, by some Superstitions of their own Invention, Peel's, that is, Priests of the Devil, whom they worship in that [...]owing Idolatry! for they never worship God, (whom they acknowledge in dark apprehension) for they say, God is good; and some of them will say. God is a good Man, and will not hurt them, and therefore they worship the Devil to asswage his mischievous Wrath.

Even so, our English foppish Ceremony-mongers answer, (when I ca­techize them) and ask them the Reason of their bowing to the Altar [Page 45]when there is no Idol, and to the East when there is nothing Divine more than in the South and North, and the Altar nothing, but a piece of Wood, made of the same Wood and Trees with the Pues, the Stools and the Pulpit: then, just like the naked Indians, that are but just one degree (if they be so much) remov'd from a Monky, answer, that it is a Custom and their (Peel's: or) Priests do so, and therefore the poor Apes imitate, that's all.

Oh! but the Priests are crasty, and have some more Reason (though a wicked One) to bow to nothing; they do not bow for nothing, they get a Place by it, and Preferment; and therefore are forc'd to get as ma­ny Fools as they can to be their Disciples and Followers; for, when Owles are alone, they are houted at, but not Birds that fly in Flocks, tho they be Jack-dawes.

I have ask'd some of them a Reason for their confus'd and profane. irrational and unscriptural babling together the Reading Psalms! and all their Answer is, that [It is granted, that) It is a confus'd Noise, and therefore unintelligible; but their priests do so, and the Singing Boys; and they are accustomed to it: It is a very honest Confession; but is this Man-like, or Baboon-like?

I have ask'd some account also, of others, how the Organs got into Church, to make such a Noise, and at so great a Charge and Expence, In the first purchase and continuance; Judas his Question is proper here, To what purpose is this waste? Had they not better be sold, and the Organist's Sellary retrench'd, and given to the poor?

They answer, that Mr. Alderman was willing withal, and that he could not stay a long Hour or two out of his Counting-house, at Devotion, with­out sleeping; and therefore, how clunch-fisted soever he used to be at other times, yet on this occasion he nimbly opens his Purse to pay the Musick, for that it either keeps him from sleeping, or joggs and awakens him, and makes him stare and look up; therefore, &c. Ay, say no more; you have said enough, and you deserve to be a Laureat, as well as Sir John Suckling's Alderman; come, clap the Lawrel upon the Alderman's Head.

But of all the brisk Reasons of my Ceremony-mongers, that of a She Ceremony-monger was very surprizing, when being ask't why she, in de­fiance of plain Scripture, spoke in the Church, answered nimbly, That her Tongue was so us'd to wagg at home, that it could not lie still in the very Church? and yet the same Church-pratter, was silenc'd, when questi­oned, why she, in imitation of the Doctor's bowing his Noddle to the Al­tar, Madam Limberham made a Courtesy, and bow'd both her Knees? no Reason could be got for that Mimickry; that is no more like, than an Apple is like an Oyster.

And all the Reason that some Bishope can give, why they ordain many times, rude, illiterate, unthinking Don's to the Pulpit, to teach others, and know nothing of the Matter, nothing of their own Knowledge, no Divinity is concocted or digested, and made their own, and in their Head and Heart, (the Body of the Law is digested by a Lawyer, before he is fit to come to the Bar; and the Body of Physick, by Physitians, before they are fit to feel the Pulse, or be Licensed).

His Answer is, That he trust; to his Deacon, or Arch-deacon, by im­plicite Faith, He believes as the Arch-deacon tells him; and that the form and manner of ordaining Deacons, Priests, and Bishops, requires no more: well, it is well, 'tis very well answer'd, and most Episcopally;

And why do you Confirm, and lay Hands suddenly upon so many igno­rant Persons that understand not one Article of Faith, nor can so much as say the Creed? The answer is, The Common-prayer Book requires no more than to believe oy Implicit Faith, the fitness of all that the Parish Priest says is fit, he must take it for granted, and believe as the Priest be­lieves, and see with other Mens Eyes; but that is the Fault (Brother!) of your Constitution, that obliges you no more Work and Inspection, than any Mortal can perform.

Besides, where do we read (except in the Mass Book, and Common-Prayer Book) of such a thing in Scripture, as Confirmation by a Bishop? That Scripture of little Children coming to Christ, and he laid his Hands upon them, and blessed them, is, in the Common-Prayer Book, apply'd to infant Baptism, in the Office of Publick Baptism; and most incongru­ously (too) for that purpose; for Jesus baptized none, neither Men, Women, nor Children, but his Disciples did that; Nay, the great Apo­stle of the Gentlies went about confirming the Disciples by sound Preach­ing, but he baptized very few; one, or two, or three, he confeiles that he did baptize, and if he had baptized any more, he had forgo [...]; there­fore he did not make such a business of it in his own Person: And as for laying Hands upon any Children, or other, there is not the least men­tion of any such Matter. How came it then into the Church; I'le tell you:

Infants being not able to make a Confession or Profession of Faith and Repentance, which two are required of all persons before they be baptiz­ed, (as saith the Church of England in her Doctrine Catechistical in the Common-Prayer Book, and so said St. Augustine, but I believe neither of them).

But, because that Infants, by reason of their tender Age cannot per­form them; therefore they do perform th [...] by Proxy, [...] by [...], because the Sureties do promise (a wise Reason, for [...]ises may be broken) they shall perform both Faith and Repentance, when they come to Age.

Ay! Here's a wise Reason for a Learned Church, and enough to make all Rational Men (that have not lost their Reason) be Anabaptists, or, at least, like Witches, to deny their Baptism so Infancy.

For all Promises and Vowes are either broken or kept, but the Promises and Vowes of God-fathers and God-mothers in infant Baptism, are seldom or never kept; but are broken Vows, and broken Bonds and Promises.

The Sureties Promise and Vow, that the poor Insolvent Child (that can­not speak for it self) shall when it can hear (for Faith comes by hearing) have Faith; and when it can speak, and gets Wit, then it shall have Grace to confess and repent.

But, suppose the Child live to have Wit enough to be a Ceremony-mon­ger; Had ever any Man or Woman of them the Grace to confess, recant and repent? And then the Promise of the Sureties is not worth more than some Lord's Promise, nor worth a Farthing.

Again, suppose the Child prove Deaf, or Dumb, or a Fool, the Sure­ties Vow they do not know what; nay, if it live to be hang'd, as many are for Thieves, Witches, Murderers; Hlow is the God-fathers and God­mothers Vow and Promise perform'd, when they vow'd and promised for poor Child in Baptism, that it should forsake the Devil and all his Works, the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World, and all the sinful Lusts of the Flesh. 2dly, They vow and promise that Child shall believe all the Articles of the Christian Faith; do they not break their Vow, If poor Child prove to be a sceptick, a Hobbist, or an Athlest? 3dly, They vow that the poor Child shall keep God's Holy Will and Commandment, and walk in the same all the days of its Life; Do they not break their Vow, if, poor Child, for whom they swore a solemn Vow and Promise, in the presence of God, being an Oath, happen to turn Apostate, Papist, Ma­hometan, or Infidel, are not the Sureties all forsworn? And though they be, or be not, there's the mischief, no good can possibly come of it, but that which is lucumbent upon Parents, and which Sureties seldom or never mind, namely, Christian Education; and if so, they should not Swear and Vow in the Child's Name, that the Child does or shall believe and repent; It is enough to promise good Education (if the God-fathers and God-mothers be barren, or old and past Children; in such case, it is enough to [...] kind and careful of another Man's Child: But if they have Children of their own, or likely to have any, it is too much, because Charity should begin at Home. And therefore the said Vow and Pro­mise, is, but usually like the common Discourse of Hectors and Bullies; (I swear and Vow, they cry on all Occasions) when they intend nothing; by Vowing and Swearing, but forswearing; and adding a Lye to the Pro­mise and Vow.

First, Then the Sureties promise that which no honest Man can honest­ly promise, who makes Conscience of a Vow, because he promises that which is impossible for him to perform.

Secondly, If the Insolvent Child be bound by Sureties and good Bayl, if he leave them in the lurch, he wrongs them not, he gave them no such Commission, Power, Deputation, Authority, or Request to promise and vow in his Name: And therefore that talk of a Vow in Baptism, it non­sense, idle, and vain: How can a Man break a Vow, or a Bond that he never made; but his Sureties made it in his behalf; Ay, without his or­der, knowledge, care, or desire: How is Child concern'd therein, any more than other Children in the World? I have to hear Non-sense, much more to preach it, except I were sure, I was to preach to none but Fops, that swallow every thing that the Priest puts in their Mouth (like the Wa­fer God) without chewing.

Thirdly, Suppose another Man's Faith or Repentance (that has enough of both) for his own Salvation, and also Merits (called Works of Super­erogation by the Papists) to spare, heaped up and running over, which the Saints departed, St. Bridget, St. Winifred, St. Francis, St. Ignatius Loyola, St. Coleman, &c. has left at their Departure, as a last Legacy to the Pope (as the Papists hold) Faith and Repentance enough to save all the Whores and Rogues in the World, to whom the Pope gives, no Sells, to any that has Money, and is willing to Buy.

If Works of Supererogation be true, it is the first Market I would make; I had rather buy Heaven than a Knight-hood, or a Bishop [...]ick.

But, suppose the Fool and his Money be soon parted, and a Man get nothing but Hell by another Man's Graces of Faith and Repentance, by relying thereon, as Church of England holds; then much more Nonsense it is for Church of England, on such idle and false Principles, to talk of Faith and Repentance to be performed, (tho never so much promised to be performed) by Proxy, or by Sureties.

If God Almighty would (like some Creditors) take Sureties, and quem pro quo, that if Child could not perform and pay Faith and Repen­tance, then fall upon the Sureties, and make them smart for it; then you speak to purpose. But, God is Just, the Soul that sinneth it shall die, and the Soul that believes and repents shall be Saved, but I fear the best Pro­testant has nothing to spare for a poor Insolvent Child.

Fourthly, Suppose (which is possible) that the Sureties are Insolvent and have not Faith and Repentance for themselves, then all this great Fat is in the Fire; they can never perform nor pay a Debt for another, that have not wherewith to discharge their own Debts, let them promise, and vow and be Bound in as many Bounds as they please for other People; any Fool or Beggar can promise to pay a Thousand pounds for another, but what signifie Promises, Vows, or Oaths, made only to be broken and forsworn?

Lastly, Which is the saddest Case of all, (or not a Pin to chuse) sup­pose that poor Child is baptized without Sureties, as are the greatest num­ber by far, in this populous own; and in private Baptism, neither Sure­ties, nor the Sign of the Cross is required; then they must bring Sureties afterwards to Church, and then it shall be signed with the Cross. But half the Parishes in this Town have no Churches, and they are not obliged to carry Child to another Church. Now you are gravell'd, Mr. Ceremony-monger, and you do not know what to do, or say.

Again, those that have Churches, will not, nor cannot, for Love nor Mony, get such good patur'd and kind Sureties, to promise, vow or swear for the Child; What will you do now? now you are worse gravell'd.

For either the Child in private Baptism, without Sureties, and the Sign of the Cross, is baptized aright, truly and fully, or no?

If not, then half of the Kingdom are unchristned Infidels; there's one of the two Sacraments half lost by your foolish Reasonings, and fond Doctrines; except you confess that the Child is rightly baptized without Sureties, or the Sign of the Cross.

Which if you do, I have conquer'd thee, and thy silly Doctrine, of making Faith and Repentance requisite, before a Child be capable of Bap­tism: And when you had made so great a Flaw in Divinity, you sodder it worse with a nonsensical Whimsey of Sureties performing Faith and Re­pentance for poor Child by promising both, Sureties, Sponsores, Custo­mers not more silly than Ancient, even in the 2d, or 3d. Centuries, as I remember, but have no time to turn to it, but an Error not so old as that of Papias, viz. Christ's reigning here upon Earth a thousand Years per­sonally, as the Millenaries hold; and a hundred more Errors of older Stile.

Besides, the Vow and Promise of Sureties gives either true Faith and Repentance, or not: If only false, it is nothing worth, 'tis false Coin, it cannot, shall not pass current any longer: If true Faith and Repentance come thereby, then is this believing and penitent Child capable also of the other Sacraments of the Lords Supper; for no other Qualifications can be requisite; Faith and Repentance fits them for Heaven and Glory; and if so, it must needs fit them for the means of Grace, in the way to Glory. St. Augustine, good Man. was thus run to the Wall with this Argument, and so must Church of England, 'till they get a better Reason for Infant-Baptism, than they tell us in their Catechism and Common-Prayer-Book, and must rationally fall into the Error of St. Augustine, who put the Holy-Supper, like Spoon-meat, down the Childrens Throats, thus prophaning, because not discerning the Lord's Body.

But the Sureties do it for them; then let them eat and drink also for them, take both the Sacraments in their Name and stead, and go to Heaven also in their Names and stead. And what will poor Child get by all this? He will never know any thing of those Heavenly Joys which his Proxy and Surety enjoys.

Therefore to salve this Sore, make room then for Confirmation, a Ro­mish Sacrament. Well, (you'l say) you can expose Mother-Church, and shew her Nakedness; but can you cover it? Yes! that I can, and have done it many Years ago in my printed Book called—Gregory Father Gray-Beard: If I be forc'd to lance my poor Mother's Sores, I always sprinkle sympathetick pouder on my Lancet, that it may heal the Wound. It is forc'd to make, to let the corrupted Quitter out. But, if she be so wil­ful and proud, that she scorns my Hand, my charitable Hand and Help, march on, let the Blind lead the Blind; when you are in the Ditch, we shall hear you cry for help; though now, like the wild Ass in the Wilder­ness, she tosses up her head, and runs snorting away, in her month we shall find her.

CHAP. II. Of Escapes in the Common-Prayer-Book, in reference to the Act of Uniformity.

WHat! shall we have no Ceremonies at all then? Oh! yes, your fill, so you'l be content, and not impose your small sense upon others in Canons, and Acts of Uniformity; which are not only vain Attempts hi­therto, (even since the first General Council of Nice) but all the great Wars in Christendom, upon the score of Religion, the Innocent Blood spilt betwixt the Arrians and Athanasians, the Papists and the Protestants, the Conformists and Non-conformists the Animosities. Jalls, Ruin, Fines, Im­prisonments, Smithfield Friers, and Bloody Inquisition, must all be charg­ed at the foot of this Account.

It is very strange that Christians will not be content with the Imposition and Acts of Uniformity, which God, the Holy Jesus and his Apostles have provided. Hast thou Faith (saith the Apostle) have it to thy self? Hast thou a ceremony, thou art fond on, it may be good, it may be bad, make much on't, keep it to thy self; to thine own Master thou [...] or fallest.

We have general Rules, as to honour God with our Substance, or Estates, in Works of Charity, which is the greatest Thing in Religion, and without which all thy Faith and Hope is nothing, as saith St. Paul; or is a dead Carrion, as saith St. James, because Charity, the Soul of Faith, is de [...] ­ed, when thou evidences thy Faith to be a nothing Faith, a dead Faith, by destroying Charity, in killing and imprisoning thy Brother for Faith's sake; and perhaps thy weak Brother, for whom Christ died, through thy Imposition, and Penal Acts of Uniformity; Acts that are not only mischievous in breaking the Peace and Unity of the Brethren, not only uncharitable in beating thy Son, or thy Brother, because he is blind; re­store him to his Sight, in the Spirit of Meekness, is the Apostle's Rule, blows will never cure his Blindness.

Besides, Uniformity is an unnatural, impossible, and therefore an irra­tional, wicked, and vain attempt: Go, teach God to make a new Heaven, with Uniformity of Stars, and Skies spangled uniformly, they are now all of different Forms and Features: Go, reach him to make Men uniform, they are all now of different Forms and Features; Go teach him to make a new Earth, and set a new Face on it; The Landskip now looks so much the more lovely by the Variety, which God and Nature seems to de­light in; And wilt thou (thou silly Ceremony monger, and Projector) be wiser than God?

If thou hadst seen our blessed Saviour sometimes stand and pray, some­times kneel and pray, sometimes ly on a Bed or Couch, and eat the Ho­ly Supper; sometimes fall on his Face and pray; if thou hadst seen this variety, thou wouldst have Excommunicated him, then caplass'd and jal­led him, if thy fierceness had not kick't him, and spurn'd him up, hadst thou but had an Act of Uniformity to back thee.

We are bound to honour God with our Substance, In Works of Chari­ty (the greatest Duty) but how much; when, and how, in particular, is left to the discretion and liberty of every Man, no rule of Imposition is, or can be made about it.

We are obliged to honour God with our Bodies, the least thing in true Worship, for bodily Exercise profiteth little, but how much, when, and how in particular, is lest to the discretion and liberty of every Man, no Rule of Imposition is or can be made about it.

Then, you'l say, the Church of England was mistaken in one of her XXXIX. Articles, that says, The Church has power to appoint Ceremo­nies: And also the King and Parliament were mistaken in the Act of Uni­formity, that enjoint all Bishops and Clergy-men, on pain of Deprivation, to subscribe, assent, and consent to all and every thing, as true, which is contained in the Common-Prayer Book.

Here is a heavy Charge, Convocation-House, and Parliament-House, both upon my back; but, come, one at once, and I'le deal with them both, one after another, as well and as fast as I can.

First then, I say, in general, that any Decree under Heaven, that is either unlawful, or Impossible to be obeyed, is not at all Obligatory: This is so plain, that it needs no further Proof, it is like the Light of the Sun, self-evident; if the Sun shine, no man doubts it, but he that is blind, or [Page 51]winks on purpose, lest he should be convinc'd. And as to that Article, viz. The Church has power to enjoin Ceremonies—it confounds all the Ceremony-mongers amongst us. And in all my Travels, Reading, and Discourses, I never met with any Man; Bishop, Priest, or Lay-man, that ever did, could, or durst explain what is there meant by Church.

If it be taken for the Clergy, either in (or out of) Convocation, or Sy­nod, viz. That they have of themselves a Jus Divinum, a Divine Right, to enjoin Ceremonies to the People of England, they all incur a Praemunire, that claim such a Power, and justly, for they there by set up a Legislative power, independent of, and distinct from the King and Parliament, (the only Legislators) and is of most pernicious Consequence, and found to be so in all Ages; And by the Statutes of Provisors, made both by Popish and Protestant Kings and Parliaments, condemn'd as most pernicious and insufferable, by invading the only Legislative power, [Kings, Lords, and Commons] the great Fundamental of our Government, and setting up a Thing called, A Church, independent of, and equal with, or above the State, and bearding the State, if it be so bold as not to please them, or should dare to displease them. Better it is, not to be a State, than to be such a pitiful State, at this precarious rate, that dare not but be Priest­ridden: Our Noble Ancestors, in Popish Times, scorn'd the motion, and were true English Men: This distinction of Church and State, is a Popish and pernicious distinction; two higher powers is one too much.

But if by the Church in that Article, be meant, the King and Parlia­ment, the Representatives of the whole Body of the people, the Convoca­tion and Canon-makers will by no means acknowledge that; for that makes them Cyphers, and [as many people account them] useless Tools: And never did King and Parliament, neither, make Laws coercive in matters of Religion, or Uniformity in Religion, but Confusion, Divisions, Schisms, Tumults, Sedicion, Blood, Ruine, and civil Wars, were the dismal consequences in England; whereas there would be none of these, no dissentions, no penalties, no complaining in our Streets, if the Legis­lative power, unsuborned by Priest-craft, make no Laws but what are proper for their cognizance, and for the peace, welfare, good manners, and good abearing in the State: And then, where there is no Law, there can be no Transgression; and those odious Names of Dissention and Sedi­tion, Conformist and Nonconformist, will find an eternal Grave.

I'le give but one Instance in that same Act of Uniformity, which re­quires all Clergy-men to give their assent and consent to all and every thing (for Truth) which is contained in the Common-prayer Book.

But, who made the Kings and Parliaments of England infallible Popes, since the Church of England confesses she may Err?

And how irrational and unaccountable is it for men that confess their ignorance, and yet with the same mouth will vote a Law, or Imposition of their Sense in Religion upon all Mankind under their Jurisdiction? For ought they know, they may command and enact that all Clergy-men shal assent in their Judgments, and consent in their Wills, to a palpable er­ror, lie, or untruth; or else, take their choice, to starve, lie down and die; for Farm they may not, Thrash they cannot, and if they Beg, they are sent to Bridewel.

And this is our very case this day; We may not chuse what Chapters for Lessons, what Collects, Epistles and Gospels, we list to read, but must read those that are appointed for the day: And the last year they were all falsly appointed, or else those words in the Common-prayer Book are false, that fixes and ascertains Easter Sunday (the Aera, or beginning of the Account, whence all the Lessons, Collects, Episties and Gospels, are computed, nominated, and appointed).

But that is not only silly, and uncertain, but false and contradictory in the Common-prayer book, and therefore both the said Aera's cannot be true. As for example, by one Common-prayer Book Rule, the last Ea­ster Sunday should have been kept upon April 8, because Easter Sunday (whence all other Feasts, Lessons, Collects, are computed all the year af­ter) is always the first Sunday next after the first Full Moon which hap­pens after March 25, which was April 8, last past: But by another Rule in the Common prayer Book, it was (and so we kept it) upon April 15 last past.

They cannot both be true, but one of them is a Mathematical untruth, (and which no body can deny); yet Bishops and Curats must all assent and consent, that this falshood is a truth, and such a falshood it is, and of so evil consequence, that it makes a blunder, and confounds all our wise Me­thods of uniformity in Common-prayers, Episties, Gospels, and Lessons: And if we do not confess and subscribe that this falshood and untruth is [...] truth, then starve and dir.

I can give several other instances of our irrational Doctrine and Disci­pline, but I am loth to offend, let them even go on, they'l give me but little thanks for my pains already; but, I thank God, I do not find the fault, to expose it to shame, but to cure it, I know how: And, let me tell you, it requires some skill in the Cure, Why may not Lightning sometime come from a black Cloud? and a dull By-stander see better sometime, than he that play? Some part of that seven-hill'd City (Rome) is scituat­ed in a Vale, as well as Westminster Hall; and therefore no wonder [...] sometimes both of them be in a Fog.

And if it abate the proved, pragmatical, imposing, self-conceited, dog­matical and imperious Spirit, that confounds the whole Creation by Me­thods and Aims of Uniformity, point blank against those different Measurer of God and Nature, it is well.

CHAP. III. Concerning Bishops.

WHat I am going to speak concerning Bishops, may the more fa­vourably be received, because so contrary to self-interest, the worst of evil Counsellors.

For why may not I, as well as any other, live in hopes of a pair of Lawn Sleeves, rightly put on, since nothing else keeps me from making as good a Speech in the House of Lords, as that which of late was only a Speech without Doors; and proves so genuine and well aim'd, that all of it [...] (now a Speech within Doors. However I could serve as well as the best, to make up the number of the Yea's or No's: And that's all the wise Speech [Page 53]that some men ever did make: (I do not say) that ever they can make; for the more frugal any man is, and the less he spends, the greater is his Stock.

But if I had been so hasty as to bespeak the Lawn-Sleeves, this Sheet (that I am going to write) will spoil all my finery▪ And certainly there cannot be such a Fool in England, or the World, as to think that the King's Letters Patents, or Conge de Slyer, can make the Baronet or the Bishop, a Linguist, or a Learned Man, except he was so before, though usually the Vulgar are of Opinion; that if a Bishop, or a Lord says it, writes or preaches it, O Heavenly! because O Earthly? and is a Judgment as pre­posterous a [...] that Action of the Orator, when pointing to the Earth, he de­claimed—O Caelum!

But, it is a received Maxime,—No Bishop, no King: I know not who invented it, but it may be true, in some sense; but it is false, If it be meant —no Rich Bishop, no King; for that the Rich Bishops were so Rich, that what with the Hank they got upon silly Mens Consciences, and the Inte­rest that their Lands, good Leases, and Dependencies, their Tenants, Ser­vants, and Friends, they were so prevalent, when united, that, when our Kings have (sometimes) been so hardy and boid as to displease them, they have either taken the Crown from his Head, (as the Rich Bishop of winchester unking'd his Brother King Stephen) on whose Head that Nim­rod of a Clergy-man had, without any right, clapt it on; and upon dis­pleasure, the Bishop chiefly unking'd him again, and (in effect) spurn'd [...] off, as Pandolfus the Popes Nuncio, did the [...]rown off King John's Head, which say groveling at his Foot, whilst the proud Prelat, put it on: and to shew the Ecclesiastical Insolence of some Lawn-Sleeves, he up with his foot, and kick't it off from the Kings Head.

So that—no Bishop—no King (Stephen, or John) and a Bishop— no King (Stephen, or John); for that Rich Bishops, like other Rich Lords, are a Strength to the Crown, when it does not displease them; and on the contrary, have been too great and dangerous when controul'd, grow­ing musty and morose; a King had as good be a Slave in Turky, as to be at the mercy of such Popish-like Ecclesiastical Pride.

Nay, did not the very Dean of westminster, and the Arch-bishop of York (chiefly, though with others bandyed) make the Reign of Hen. 4. and Hen. 5. very uncasie? For which cause the wise King Henry 7. Invented a way to pull down the Stomacks of the great Temporal Lords with their own hands, by enabling them to alienate and sell their Lands; of which many were so glad, that it was the first Bargain they would make, [to chuse]; away runs the Foot-man for the Usurer and Scrivener, who were as glad to buy as the other to sell, when both sides are willing, the Bargain is soon struck up, and Time was unwing'd till the Entail was dockt.

Then his Son Hen. 8. he reform'd the Clergy with a Witness, and poc­keted up the Reformation by Act of Parliament; and excluded from the House of Lords, all the spirtual Lords Abbots, and [...]ut their Lands in his Pocket by Statute Law. Edw. 6. and Queen Elizabeth, were his own Children too; for they, and their wise Counsel, finding, that though the Spiritual Lords [Abbors] were excluded the House of Lords, yet the other [Page 54]Spiritual Lords [Bishops] were so proud sometimes, and high; that no Body could imagine them to be the best Disciples of Christ; who was meek and lowly; therefore Edw. 6. took at once from the Arch-bishop of York, about 37 great Mannors; and were annext to the Crown; and Queen Elizabeth, amongst other things, took all the Lands belonging to the Prince Palatine of Ely (Bishop, in the Vacancy, and gave 2000 l. to be paid out of the Exchequer, Annually, a sufficient Competency, and an Injury to no Man, for the Bishoprick was in Abayance, as the Law calls it, in nubibus, it being in posse any, bodies, but in esse no bodies.

So that I also am so much a Friend to that Proverb—No Bishop, no King—and so very much a Friend to Bishops, that where there is one now in England, I wish there were twenty; and as old as I am, I hope to live to see it: and yet not take one Farthing from the present Incum­benrs, nor in the least diminish the vast Revenues and Grandeur of, my Lords, the Bishops that are in possession; let them keep it (I say) till they die; and die they must, and then their Bishopricks being vacant, (by Death however, if not sooner justly forfeited) it will be no Injury to any Man, to share out and divide the vast Incomes to many Bishops, who must take the pains, and perform the Work of a Bishop, in their pro­per persons, which is now done by Proxies, Sureties, and Implicite Faith.

And, I doubt not but that all my Lords the Bishops would be of my mind herein, as to the Work of a Bishop, which they themselves; and all English-men, find to be so great a Work, and a Burden so much too hea­vy for any single Shoulder, that they are forc'd to perform the great Acts of a Bishop, in Ordinations, Confirmations, Excommunications, Absolu­tions, &c. only by Foppish as well as Popish like Implicite Faith, see­ing with other Mens Eyes, and hearing with other Mens Ears, that it is no wonder that they err so often.

Oh! but the Wages then must be divided, as well as the Work, Flesh and Blood cannot bear this Doctrine:

No, it cannot; therefore Flesh and Blood cannot enter (neither) in­to the Kingdom of Heaven: But a Bishop (of all others) ought not to consult with Flesh and Blood, and self-Interest, which above all things in the World does bribe Mens Judgments, that they cannot (because they will not) give their Assent and Consent to so great a Truth.

King Charles I. was tenaciously in love with Bishops, as now in England constituted, even to death, so great was his Opinionatree in the Case; [...]nd yet he says, they were not Bishops Jure Divino, by Divine Right, and yet neither contra Jus Divinum: But, I think quite contrary, viz. that [...]here is nothing in Scripture more plain, than that Bishops are Jure divino, and nothing more plain than that the Bishops in Eng­ [...]and, now constituted, are contrary (absolutely contrary) to Jus Divi­ [...]um: or Divine Right, so far as they act like Novices in Implicite Faith: Tim. 3.3. A Bishop must neither be a Novice, nor given to filthy [...]ucre. For any B [...]y-Bishop, any ignorant and unlearned Bishop is as [...]ood as the best, in those Acts of Implicite Faith; any Novice can see [...]ith other Mens Eyes, and hear with other Mens Ears; any Novice can, [Page 55]and the greater Novice the fitter too, believe as others believe, without any other Reason.

Therefore, since the Holy Scripture says, a Bishop ought not to be a Novice; if he be a Novice, that sees but by Implicite Faith; then tell me, count them if you can, How many Novices have we in England that do all their greatest Acts by Implicite Faith? This is as bold a Stroke, you'l say, as ever was; and yet not a jot too bold to strike at so Grand, so Poppish, so Popish a Folly, as Implicite Faith; by which, it must be granted, and cannot be denied, our protestant Bishops do all their mighty Businesses, and is the cause of such a contemptible and ignorant Glergy, ill grounded Excommunications and Absolutions, and [...]apias's thereupon; and such unscriptural, irrational, and Blind Confirmations, perswading the Ignorant that they are fit to receive the other Sacrament of of the Lord's Supper, when they know nothing of the Creed; and some­times were never listed or matriculated into Mother-Church by the Initia­ting Ordinance of Baptism.

But that is the Fault of the Person, not of the Constitution; If that were true, it might be amended; but it is false, for it is not the Fault of the Person only, but the Fault of the Constitution, which obliges no Bishop in his Office, and performance of these great Episcopal Acts, but only to the knowledge of a Novice, or implicite Faith.

Nay, if our Constitution did oblige him, it would oblige him to Impos­sibilities, for his Work is more than any Mortal can perform in propriâ personâ; and the great charge of Souls, which he takes upon him, more terrible, if his Conscience be awake, or not brib'd with the Wages, it must be sensible, that no Plety, Parts, or Prudence can possibly discharge, except as now, by implicite Faith, which any Bay, a [...] Child, a [...] Nevice can perform as well as the best.

It was Covetousness therefore, and Ambition, that first made Bishop­ricks so large (for the sake of making all the Bishops Lands therein one Man's Monopoly); and also made Bishops Consciences so large, as to gape and swallow all, the relishing Bit was so gustful and grateful to a greedy Gut; but from the beginning it was not so.

Now every County must have a Bishop, nay, sometimes two, or three, or four Counties will scarcely hold one great Bishop, nay, to them too, must be added sometimes a Rich Deanery. Is it not strange that a Bishop should be a Deacon again, for the Mony sake, and a Parson again by Com­mendum, for the sake of some bulky Parsonage, like Wiggin in Lancashire, in Commendum held by Dr. Cartwright Bishop of Chester, now advanc'd to be a non-such Protestant Reader in Popish France, and Curat to a Popish Prince in the Protestant Chappel in the Castle of Merli.

And I am perswaded they will have the Grace to blush, if it do not also make their heartsake before I have done, at the horrible Burthen they have undertaken, which the Shoulders of the strongest and ablest Apostles of Christ never did or durst renture to take upon themselves, no Mortal ever did or can discharge it, but in this Novice way, by Proxy, or blind [Page 56]Implicite Faith; God, in his Mercy, forgive them, they know not what they do.

Philippi. (nay, Jerusalem) a little scanty City, not so big and populous as Colchester by half, and yet had several Bishops at a time therein; Philip 1.1. To all the Saints which art at Philippi, with the Bishops and Deacons. How many Bishops of London, at this rate, must there needs be in London, not to mention the three Counties of Hartford, Essex, and Middlesex, into the bargain.

Ay, but the House of Lords will not hold so many Bishops.

No, I grant! There are Bishops [...]now there already, as some have laid, and angerly grudge that we Clergy-men (who are as much represented in the House of Commons, as any Commoners in England, and make as great a bustle at an Election of Members, to get Men for our turn) should also be represented in the other House, which no other Commoners are; and that my Lords the Bishops are tried by their Peers, that is, by their Equals, Commoners, but the Lords are Conciliarii Nati: It is part of their Inheri­tance to be the King's Councellors, and a Seat in the House of Lords is part of their Estate and State. But such Men talk like those that say, that we had English Parliaments before Bishops and Abbots sat in the House of Lords, and many Statutes (the Judges say are good Law) tho made in several Parliaments, excluso Clere, the Lord-Bishops and Lord-Abbots be­ing shut out of Doors, and not permitted into the House of Lords; nay, the Lord Abbots that had as good and as antient Right to sit in the House of Lords, as Lord-Bishops, are Long ago, and to this day excluded? Not­withstanding my known Devotion to my Lords the Bishops, (I confess) I have not skill enough to answer such Reasons and Records; It behoves them that have more wit, and are more concern'd than I, to give this a Ra­tional Answer; I consels my Ignorance, but my Devotion to them is well enough known.

And I cannot deny, but that the Bookish-men (as my Lords are bred) and usually Fellows of Colledges, by that state they take upon them in the Colledge, all but themselves going bare to them, if they do but see them at the further end of the Court, let it Hail, Snow or Blow; this inclines Men to be pedantickly proud ever after (I knew it too experimentally) being made a fellow of Gonvil and Cajus Colledg in Cambridge, when I was but Junior-Batchelor, and not 19 Years of Age, till Travel and Experi­ence in the World (which all Bishops have not) refines this Insolence, and makes it more sociable and complaisant.

But let no Man envy the Liberality of our Ancestors, in endowing the Bi­shops and Universities so plentifully: a few that are truly worthy and Learned Men may well compound for the generality of a contemptible Clergy; that would not have been so truly contemptible, but that my Cere­mony-monger in bad Reigns got possession too often of the Steeple, the losti­est Piece of the Church, by Popish-likes and Foppish Ceremonies; and then it behov'd him to keep open the Door by which he enter'd, to such only, as were like him, and followed his Steps, and ezclude all others to his uttermost, whose Vertues and true Learning must necessarily [if set near him) ruddy his Cheeks, and make him blush for shame.

But crafty young Lads finding that easy way to the Wood, and that it was much more easy and profitable to go to a Dancing-school, than to the Laborious Schools of Worth, and Crabbed Learning, to which it is so diffi­cult and not so unprofitable (as times hath been) to bend the [...]nd; and also so very s [...]cile, honourable and beneficial to bend his Body, in filly Cringings and Bowings; farewel Books, saith he, and dry, unprofitable Studies, I'le go to the Ecclesiastical Dancing-school, and commence Doct­or Ignoramus.

Hence it is, that our Wise Men of England have made our English Bi­shopricks out of two poor words in Tit. 1.5. [...]; ill under­stood; in every City making Elders (or Bishops) saith St. Paul to-Titus, as I have appointed thee; [...], [...]u every City.

Thence it is, that such a pother wa [...] made to make such a little Town' as Carlisle, a City, for why? Forsooth, and Colchester an Ancient City, and twenty times bigger than Carlisle, to dwindle to a Village, for why? Forsooth.

Because every Bishops See must be a City. ( [...]) and but one City in a Bishop [...]ick, and therefore little Ca [...]lisle must be a City, and Col­chester, which to my knowledge is Ten times bigger, and Forty times more Rich and Populous, must dwindle from a City (as Antiently it was the on­ly City of Essex) and why?

[...] has done its business, City and Bishopricks must be Convert [...]es, and London being the greater City and Bishops See, or Seat, E [...]go &c. [...], which I confess, Origen (lib. 8. contrae Celsum) does Paraphra [...], [...] much like Chrysostome [...] 1 Tom. Homil. 1 in every City; thus the Lifeless Feather of on [...], con­sumes an other Feathers that are near it, and in the Nest; whereas not on­ly the hest Greek Authors, but the Holy Scripture, confounds the word [...] and [...] a Village and a City, in several places, both in the Old and New Testament; as for Instance, in 1 Chron. 4.32. their Villages were Five Cities, (Exam, & [...])

So, in the New Testament, St. Luke calls Bethlehem, [...] the City of David, (Luk. 2.4 but St. John calls it [...] the Village of David and I'l [...] call Bethlebem, as I'le give Colchester a Name too (why not? Since I have help't to Christen a great part of the Town these Seven and Twenty Years) [...], a City, Town, though the Bishops See or Seat at the great City of London, has taken its good Name from it most Scandalously and nureasonably, to give it to little Carlisle for the sake of [...]; a word, the Ceremony mongers never right understood, they were so busie about Ceremonies they had no more leisure to understand, Tit. 1.5. than Philip. 2.10. both of them falsely Interpreted, and the latter false­ly constructed, and falsely Translated, either through Ignorance or fraud, to make room for a Nonsensical Ceremony.

There were 1000 Bishops in Armenia, says Baron [...]us (ad An. 1145.) And Justinian the Emperour (Petravon, and Novel. 31. c. 1.) says, there were but Twenty Cities in Armenia in his time, and they have decreast ever since; how could 1000 Bishops then Sit in Twenty Cities, except there were many Bishops in one City, or many Bishops in Villages and small Towns?

Nay, to go no further than Ireland, St. Patrick Founded there 365 Churches, and as many Bishops, saith Nemius, and also Bishop Usher, late Primate of Armagh; and yet there never were 365 Cities, and now but Ninteen.

In St. Augustin's Time there were 900 Bishops in Africa (August. Tom. 7. de [...]estis cum Emerit.)

And yet not half so many Cities, and many of the Cities in St. Augustin's Time were Heathens; nay, the Inhabitants of the famous City in Syriae, called Heliopolis, were all Idol [...] to or [...] (Theodores lib. 4. c. 29. Eccles. Hist.) [...] nor a Man of them would hear (saith Peter of Alexandria) the Name of Christ.

And yet there was then a Bishop of Heliopolis, says Bishop Eusebius Pam­philus (vit. Constantine l. 3. c. 5.6.) a Bishop, that had a Flock like that of Bishop Mills, in Arabia, who had not got one Convert in his City, nor any thing else but blows (Sozom. l. 2 c. 12.) these two Bishops had fewer Souls by Seven in their Diocess to Excommunicate than Bishop Ischyras, who had but just Seven, whereas our Diocesses are as much too big, nay. Moustrously too big, as the other too little; Is there no measure in us? No Medium? No midle way for true Vertue, which always sits Enthron'd betwixt the two Extreama?

In Gospel Times, the Bishops were chosen by the People, and most Voices carried it for two, of which God chose one by Lot, the Lot fell upon Matthias, and 260 Years after (Cyprian tells us) that all the Peo­ple, that is, the Majority consented, or else no Bishop was chosen, Cy­prian l. 2. Epist 5. Convocat [...] plebe tot [...], & de universae fraternitatis suf­fra [...]io, and Caec [...]lianus was chosen Bishop of Carthage, totius populi suffra­gio, Optat. lib. 1. by the general Vote of the People. No Man was Excom­municated, (Cyprian lib. 3. Ep. 14.) nisi causam acturus apud universam plebem? Not every sneaking Register, and peaking Surrogate could send a Soul to Satan, for refusing or neglecting to give the Knave a Groat, or the like; brave Ecclesia [...]ical Discipline of Church of England! It is just so in Spain and Portugal, but not so bad as here in our (said to be) Reformed Church of England; Reform'd? In what? Oh! the Service Book is in En­glish, and made Intelligible by the Peoples alternate babling, like those il­legal Irrational, and unscriptural Mock-songs of the Singing-men, and Singing boys, to feed which Mouthing Tribe, so vast an Income is Yearly thrown away in Gathedrais, that would easily supply, together with the Sleepy Prebendaries when Vacant, all the scandalous Livings in England.

For what Heart can a poor Minister of Twenty, or Thirty pound per annum have to Study? (A Carpenter Journey man has more) be­sides out of that, Synodals, Procurations, First Fruits, Tenths, Delapida­tions, Repairs, Poor-Rates, Arms, Assesments and Taxes, besides a great deal of Money most unconscionably to the Rich Bishop, or his Secretary, for Ordination, Seven or Eight pound more for Institution to the Bishop, then to the Rich Arch-deacon for Induction, &c. though he seldom or ne­ver stirs one foot about it, but he and his Register agree to Pocket up the Money, these charges Preliminary must be payed, out of the poor Pittance, and Trade he cannot, Farm he may not, nay, Beg he may [...]; Starve he [Page 59]may, except his great Task be to Study how to get Bread, Drink and Cloaths, and how to keep out of his Creditors Clutches, Serjeants and Bum bailiffs; This is his greatest Study, and closest concern; If he can spare a Six-pence or two to buy a Printed Sermon, his Study has Books enow; whilst the Lazy Fat Prebend and Ceremony-monger, with two Livings, a Prebendry, or Deanry, and Arch-Deaconry, and two or three more (unseen) Incomes, Advantages and Pluralities, Drink Wine in Bowles, and is not affected with the affliction of Joseph, but as Red in the Gills as a Turky-cock, or his Searler hood, ever since he was made Doctor by Mandamus, or the Morrocco Ambassadour.

Vertue and Learning always Shoot low. If there he not some high, and glorious Mark set to aim at? Never greater Warriors in the World, nor more Succesful than the Old Romans: Why? They were not so big as the Gauls, much less then the Germans, nay, less then the little Don Diego the Spaniard, yet Conquer'd them all, wherefore? The Historian tells us, by the great Triumphs, Priviledges and Rewards they gave the Emperours or Generals, with all his Souldiers, which made them Fight like Mad.

This is certain; Would you have a good Army? Pay them well: A Learned Ministry? Pay them well; but do not permit (as they do in some Fish-ponds) Ten or Twenty great Jacks to devour all the small Fry: Yet too great Preferment breaks a good Back by over loading it; A Scanty mean, Presbyterlan-level of Preferments, makes Scanty and mean Schol­lars, (for who will mend his pace and pains, when fast or flow is all one, all of a price, all of one Reckonine?) And poor Scandalous Livings must make a poor and Scandalous Glergy, and reduce us again to Barbarism.

How would such a Primitive episcopacy as I have shown here, Reconcile the difference betwixt Presbyterians, & Episcoparians, & so truely construe that saying of Jerom (Epist. ad Evagrium) I know not what a Bishop has more than a Presbyter, except Ordination; which is by our Bishops, for want of Numbers, now performed by [...]he laying on the Hands of the Presbyters, in Conjunction with the great Bishop, who yet knew no more of the mat­ter, as to the Fitness of the Person Ordain'd, than the Bishop himself, viz. by Implicite Faith in oculo Episcopi, called Mr. Arch-deacon, or some Surrogate (as is usual) in his Room.

The Apostle Paul from Miletus sent to Ephesus, and called the Elders of the Church, Acts 20.17. which are there called, ver. 28. Bishops.

Nay, Mr. Mede, in his proof for Churches, in the second Century, e­vidences, That no one Bishop had more than one Altar, and that o [...]e Bishop, and one Altar were Correlates.

But Pride, Avarice, and the Pope (first) made one Bishop serve ma­ny Altars, by Curates and Journey-men, and in requital they made the Pope, The one great Bishop of Bishops, [Papa] as every bulky Bishop is usually Styled in our Ecclesiastical Histories, a Pope, Pater Patrum, [...]ay, the Pope himself called our great Bishop of Canterbury, alterius orbis Papa.

And Mr. Fuller, a great Friend to our Episcopacy, confesses (in his History of the Holy War, lib. 2. c. 2. p. 45, 46.) that Bishops were set (of old) too thick for all to grow, Tall, and to such a Height, as now, and Pale­stine [Page 60]fed too many Cathedral Churches to have them generally fat: Lid­da, Jamnia and Joppa, three Episcopal Towns, were within four Miles one o [...] a [...]other, [...]d surely many of their Bishops, to use Bishop Langham's expression, had high Racks, but poor Mangers; (Ay! this alone will breed the quarrel against all that I have said; my lean Project starves greedy Avarice, that will be ready to eat me for my pains; well, actum est de Episcopatu meo▪ this is not the way for me to get a pair of dain­ty Lawn sl [...]eves,) I have read my own Doom, and may use the Words of Bishop Chrysostome upon Heb. 13.17. [...]. The fear of that threatning [as they that must give an account] makes my [...]ul to tremble continually: And the p [...]ous Learned Bishops will thank me heartily; and those that are otherwise may live to amend: Here, has been a sad do with some of them in this poor Kingdom, and all, to keep up that Eccles [...]stica [...] Grandeur that God never made; which makes Chrys [...]stome say [in Hev. Hom. 34.] I wonder how it is possible for a Bi­shop, [...]o go to Heaven, or to be saved.

Read se [...]ously his Homilles in Tit. in Act. in Heb. and if thou hast Grace, thou wilt not so strive so for a Bishoprick; and if thou hast not Grace, thou arr not fit for a Parish-Priest; to whom Bishops allow no part of Discipline or Government, they are are only to Feed, not to Rule the Flock: But the Learned Fuller proceeds—after this Interrupti­on, ‘Neither let it stagger the Reader, if in that Catalogue of Tyrius, we light on many Bishops Seats, which are not to be found in Mercator, Or­telius, or any other Geographer; for some of them were such poor places, that they were ashamed to appear in a Map, and fell so much un­der a Geographers notice, that they fell not under it:’ No, but as little as [...] [pace tuâ, quaint Mr. Fuller] it is a great Bull] for in that Age Bishops had their Sees at poor and contemptible Villages.

The Apostles, Paul and Barnabas, ordained Eiders, Bishops, In every City, at Antioch, Iconium, Derbe and Lystra, the three last are there cal­led Cities, Acts 14.

Antioch was a great City, the third in the World, but in that almost all the Christian Inhabitants could meet together in one place to hear a Ser­mon. Act. 13.44 And I [...]onium was but a small Village, says Strabo, l. 12. [...], or [...]: And Derbe, only a Cittadel in Isauria and Lystra, only [...]. [...] Village in Isauria too; And, as for the Names of Bishops and Presbyters, or Elders, of Aldermen, they are in holy Writ Indifferently used, to signifie one and the same Grand Seigniour: Why are the Arians so condemned by the Orthodox, as Theodor, Synod. ep. l. 2. c. 8. for not being contented with small Bishopricks, and no bigger than a Bishop might superintend in his own person, If Rapin be no sin?

It was never [...] good World, since [...]he Clergy and Layety drove on two several Interests, and two Bodies distinct, and made the Church one thing, and the State another; If the Clergy endeavour to keep the people in sub­jection, and under their Girdle Canonical, by Impositions, Canons, and Acts of Uniformity; endeavouring to Lord it over God's Heritage the Layety; no wonder, that they strugle for life and liberty, and that the Feuds and Animosities betwixt them are Immortal; but they would die, [Page 61]cease and decease, If Clergy-men studied to restore sinners and erroneous persons in the spirit of meekness.

Ay, but the obstinate will not so be restored; then, let him alone, perhaps he knows more than thou dost, that art his Teacher; However, to his own Master he standeth or falleth, and thou by giving him Warn­ing hast deliver'd thy Soul; as to matters of Faith and Opinion; but as to evil works, that is the Magistrates Province and care to correct and pu­nish.

But, if we cannot fright our Parishoners, they will not care a Pin for us.

No? (you should say) they do not care for you, nor love you, be­cause you are such Scare-crows, and Bug bears, that would be; If they fear you only, they'l never love you: Do but labour diligently in the Word and Doctrine, and fear not, but that all good men will give thee of all men living (as the Apostle says, double honour, which is due to a Ruling Elder, much more to the Ministers [...]hat labour in the Word and Doctrine; though with us. (quite contrary to Scripture) The Ruling El­der, or Bishop, is the man of double Honou [...] amongst us, and the Pa­stor, or Teaching Elder, must [...]carce keep his Har [...]on in the presence of the great Ruling Bishop, to who [...] the Apostle indeed commands us to give double honour but more especially to the Ministers or Pastors, that Labour in the Word and Doctrine: Those are the most honourable, the most reverend Jure divino, if you believe the holy Scriptures. But Fops mind chiefly who speaks, not wha [...] is spoken, if it be the word of a Lord, It is with them more valued and obey'd, than the Word of the LORD.

These are unjust and corrupt Judges; but, I will not punish them, (if I had power) as King Cambyses did one of his unjust Judges of the Kings-Bench, viz. pull'd his Skin over his Ears, stuf [...] it with Straw, and there Hung my Gentleman over the Bench, in terrorem, that other Tresylians might learn to beware of undermining (the chief Pillar of any Govern­ment) the Fundamental Laws.

Since therefore, to give a Ruling Elder or Bishop more honour than a Paster, or a good Preacher, is expresly against holy Writ, as aforesaid, look you to that; but that great Scripture, which they bring to prove, that every City had a Bishop, and but one Bishop, and every Bishop had but one City, you see by what has been said, both these assertions are sufficiently prov'd to be false: though we had no other instance than in Tit. 1.5. For this cause left I thee in Greet, to ordain Bishops, [...] (that is) [...]: Greet, is an Island that [...] a hundred Cities, and was therefore called [...] in the Reign of Leosophus the Emperor, and Anno 880. there were but Twelve Bishops; but all that time, why should we imagine that they were all Christians? when the third great City of the Empire, Antioch, where Disciples were first called Christians, and bigger than any City, except Rome and Alexandria, yet had no more Christians in is, than one Church will hold, Acts 13.44. Nay, Jerusalem (where our Lord was Crucified) had so few Christians fourty years after, at the destruction thereof, that all the Christians be­ing warned by God to depart, did depart to Pella; a poor little Village, says Eusebius (lib. 3. c. 5.) held them all.

But, we will take it for granted, that Titus ordain'd in every City (in the Island of Creet) a Bishop, namely a hundred: And, which is not at all likely, that all were Christians (for till Constantines time, one Church held all the Christians in Rome; and one great Church in Alexandria held all the Christians there, as their Bishop Athanasius gives an account in his Epistle to Constantius, the Son of Constanine) yet Heylin in his Cosmeg. p. 263, says, There are in Creet but two hundred and seven Parishes, then by that account the great Bishops will get but a Plurality, two Parishes for their Diocesses.

And ever since, that Bishops first Monopoliz'd so many Parishes, all un­der their Ecclesiastical Government: There has been no Ecclesiastical Government at all, but a meer Anarchy and confusion, as at this day, and has been the occasion of setting up so many Independent Churches, to the care of themselves and one another, for whom the Ruling Bishop could not poisibly take care; E [...]grossing all Government, we have none at all but some silly face of it, in a poor surrogate and Register, that minds little else than to singer the Pence, and shear the poor Clergy and Church-Wardens twice a year, in Visitations, &c. Deliver your Purse; Poor Sheep escape better than we, they are clipt but once a year, and the Ma­ster that seeds them has the Wool, but they that shear us poor Lambs, take our Wool, but seed us not; they have it for nothing, and their great Revenues will not satisfie, but (as I said in my naked truth) It is not a sin for a rich man to rob the Spittle?

Let such hard hearted Clergy-men, who have such exceeding many Flocks and Herds, read their Neck Verse, 2 Sam. 12.5, 6. In Nathan's Parable of the Lamb, and the Sentence.

And David's anger was greatly Kindled against the man, and he said to Na­than, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die; and he shall restore the Lamb four fold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

And, what do they visit for? To see that all be Uniform; Pish! it is not to be done; they themselves are not Uniform, nor their Cathedral Worship Uniform with one another, nor with Countrey Churches, nor with the Act of Uniformity; And what harm? So all things be done de­cently, and in order, it needs not, by order of Uniformity; Nay, Pope Gregory the [...] Six hundred years after Christ, commends variety of U­sages, In unâ fide nibil officit—Sanctae Ecclesiae diversa consuetudo.

Let them show us one such Diocesan Bishop as we have got in England, In the best and purest Times, or one Bishop that ever durst pretend to Govern the Church by Implicite Faith in others, for the first three hun­dred years, or any thing like it, In holy Scriptures or any reason for it, or any possibility to discharge that heavy charge; And I'le strike out A­varice and Ambition, as the great cause, and Surrogate a better Reason in the room, and be their Profe [...]te; Nay, I'le stoop lower, I'le conde­scend to be my Lord's the Bishops Chaplain, and Apologist.

But, If all their skill cannot do it, then it is high time to Recant and Repent, that iniquity may not be our ruine: and to restore the Lamb four-fold: and because rich Dives had no more pity of his brethren, [Page 63]whom the rich Diocesan calls (according to the Style in the Primitive Church) Reverend Brother, and Brother, but looks over the head of his Brother Elder, or Presbyter, as if a Conge d'Fslier had made him a Saul, and higher by the Head, when he only Struts (being Rich) and stands a Tip-toe, but is not a better man, nor a better Scholar than he was be­fore.

It may binder his Worth and Learning, rather, by Avocations, run­ing from Ordinations, to the House of Lords, thence to the Council-cham­ber, thence to confirmations, thence to Visitations, &c. If these do not hinder a Mans Study and Improvement, I have lost my aim.

Let them but Read Mr. Baxter's Learned Book of Episcopacy, or Arch-bishop C [...]nmer's Opinion or Ordination; This latter a Learned and Holy Martyr, The former a most Learned and pious Confessour; or let them bu [...] read the New Testament, and there is little or no difference at all, betwixt a Presbyter, or Elder and Bishop; what in one Verse is called Presbyter, in the next is called Bishop; as Bethlehem the Town, is the same with Bethlehem the City aforesaid: And a Parish signifi'd the same with Dioce [...]s.

But, in alter [...]mes, when Christians Multiplyed, if a Presbyter could not Watch over all their Souls, they allowed him a Co-adjutor, and for distinction and Precedency sake called him a Bishop, who sometimes had not one Presbyter under him, as aforesaid, most commonly, but one; and till Bishops begun to Scramble for more Ground, and like other Princes to enlarge their Dominions and Jurisdictions, which was not till the Em­perour Constantine made them so bigg, that in the Fourth Century, the great Work of Councils and synods was Perambulation, to Mark out the Bounds of the [...] [...], their Parishes or Diocesses, to keep the Peace bet wixt the Encroaching Bishops in that Fourth Century, called Ambitio­nis seculum, The Ambitious Century; not that Bishops in after Ages grew more humble, or were Ensamples to the Flock, in Self-denial, Modesty, Humility and Contempt of Worldly Grandeur, and (as they say they Vow'd in Baptism) to forsake the Devil and all his Works, the Pomps and Vanitles of this Wicked World, &c. But then (first) they begun to be ambitious of large Diocesses more than possibly they could ( [...] or,) oversee; then they got Journey-men, and Surrogates, and Registers, and Apparitors, and all that Tribe; to Feed whom, the Church Wardens are the Spaniels (Sworn) to Hunt and Flush the Game, that the hovering Jar-Faulcon, the Register, may Pounce them, (there's all) and make a Prey of Poor Sinners, never to be Redeem'd, but by Silver or Gold.

The Golden Key always gets Absolution, which in Gospel Times, and the Primitive Times, never was purchased but with Tears, in the midst of the congregation (as Jerom of Fabiola, ep. ad ocean. Episcopo, Presby­teris, & omni p [...]puio Collachry-mantibus, &c. The Bishops, Presbyters, and all the People Weeping for Joy at those Peultent Tears; and at the Return of the Prodigal, mixing their Tears with his. (Heb. 13.17.) Obey them that Rule over you, for they Watch for your Souls, as they that must give an Account, &c. A woful and sad Account must that Bi­shop make, when God calls him to give an Account, which will be very [Page 64]shortly, of his Bishoprick, for he shall be no longer Bishop; Howought he to Tremble at the Thoughts of it? When in [...]ead of Watching for the Souls committed to his Charge, he has only wa [...]ch't for their Pu [...]es; And instead of Guiding them, he has sent out Doctor's Commons-men to Watch all England over in the Bishops Room: we Trace them by the Footing, at a Visitation, &c. What have they been doing? Citing. Ad­monishing, Excommunicating, Jayling, Absolving, (this Twenty Nine long Years) in all this Kingdom; What [...]en [...]en [...]s have they made? What Penance? What Repentance? Is it not a great Chear that defeats all Repentance? By Commuting (as the Papists and we say) turning the Whores Sins (by which she got Money, they Joy in her▪ for they go Ships) into Money, and a few great Whores are [...]how to Maintain all the Ecclesiastical free-booters in Doctors-Commons, she is the Thief that Pick's Men's Pockets, they the Receivers; Oh! the Jubi [...]ee's they make, when the Apparitor has found out a Rich Wh [...]re and a Rich Bastard; which (least they should miss) let the Church-Wardens look to it, for they Swear the Ecclesiastical Span [...]el (always) to quest upon a Haunt; if he do not, he is forsworn; Oh; most Preciou [...] Ecclesias [...]ical D [...]sci­pline! that begins with Perjury, and ends with Mercenary Repentance or Bribery!

Why should not the King and Parliament be as careful of their Subjects Souls as their Bodies? For they also must give an Account: But, what an Irrational account would it be, if it was to be feared, that an Enemy should Land and Invade us at Harwich or Canterbury, to say, I have set a Watch-man upon the Top of Paul's, or (to make sure) upon the High­er Steeple of Lambeth? (call to the Watch-men) is the Enemy Landed at Harwich? How angry would they be at such a non-se [...]sical Question? And say, Surely you are Mad; Do you think any Mortal Man can see from London to Harwich? Or, from Lambeth to Canterbury? There may be a Hundred Thousand Enemies Landed for ought we know; How is it pos­sible for us to Watch and Ward at this Distance?

In the [...]nte [...]im the Kingdom is well look't to. And the Coasts well Guar­ded, are they not, We are the next Door to Ruin, if more Watch men be not set, and stronger Guards, which is easie and no charge, or ex­pence at all, when the Pay (that two Watch-men have ingrost) would well pay and maintain fourty of as good Vigour and Ability, and (in some Sence) better-sighted, and better Tongu'd Watch-men, to Feed and give Warning; Or, are the wellfare of our Lands and Bodies only the care of Governours? And as for Mens Souls, one Watch-man is enough betwixt this and Canterbury?

But, (you'le say,) a Man is but a Man, he does what a Man can do? Nemo tenetur ad Impossibilia, I grant; But who bid him undertake such a Charge, that no Mortal can discharge? Who? Who think you, but Fil­thy-lucre, and Ambition.

The Council of Sardica in the Fourth Century, Anno 347. saw this Devilish mischief coming Trowling into the Church, and a perpetual strife and comest about the Borders and Limi [...]s, as Litigious, as now at Do­ctors-Commons, about the Probate of Wills, and about Letters of Admi­nistration; [Page 65]namely, who shall get the Money, whether the Bishop's or Arch-deacon's Courts of that Diocess where the Man Died, or else a P [...]ero­gative Case, by the bona notabila, of the value of Five or Ten Pounds, old doings there were; Wherefore the said Council made a Decre [...], Can. 6. That no Bishop should be made in a Village or little Town, for which one Presbyter might well suffice; because it is not necessary to make a Bishop's See there, least the Name and Authority be rendred con­temptible. There were Three Hundred and Fourty Bishops there, which exceeded the Number of the General Council of Nice, and they took care for the Honour of their own punction, yet they add, That when the Peo­ple in a Town shal grow so Numerous, a Hundred and Fifty was the Com­mon st [...]or a Presbyter's Care and Cure, Then that Village deserves to have a Bishop, and ought to have one.

By this Rule, London had need have more than Fourty Bishops; And this would wher Industry, and make M [...]u S [...]udy to be Work-men that need not to be ashamed, least the People should never chuse them, as of old they did, wherea [...] now if they can but Buy an Advowson, or next Avoid­ance, or a Patron, &c Let the People go whilstle, they are their Feed­ers and Pastors in Spich of their [...]eeths:

But, how can Men Rellish what is Cra [...]n'd down their Throats, as Ca­pon's are serv'd, or given them with a Horn like a Drench? This makes an Immortal Feud and Disgust, generally, betwixt the Physi [...]k's Patients, and their Ecclesiastical, not Father's but, Far [...]iers, that force open their Mouths, and pour down what they please; thus are the People Treated like Bru [...]es rather than Men, and Christians, they are like to be good ones; But what cares the Reading Don of the Pulpit? He crys, I am In­stituted and Inducted, come to your Parish Church, the Horse and the poor A [...]s must Graze where he is Ty'd; I'le feed you in spight of your Teeth: Ay, and Starve us too, in spright of our Teeth.

There is neither Reason nor Religion for this; If he were never so good a Physitian of Souls, all he says is accepred with Prejudice, and Dis­gustful; for let his Potion be never so wholesome, It goes against any Wife-mans Stomach to be Drench't; this is the Fault (also) of our Con­ [...]ution, and wonderful are the Inconveniences that follow this, as Ant­mosi [...]es E [...]ernal betwixt Minister and People, Suits at Law about his Maintenance, for they Pay as they Heat, only so much as they are forc't to, and as for the Care of their Souls, they'l trust him no more than they will their Bo [...]ies with a Physi [...]ian of another Mans choosing.

Patron's will lose nothing by parting with their Advowson's, not a Far­thing honestly; yes. you'le say, he may make it a Portion for his Daughter, or to his Waiting-Maid, to a poor Parson that will Leap at her

But, this is the worst of Simonies, and such never thrives no more than other Symonists a Curie attends it and blasts all; this Smock Symo­ny; In other Symonies, Money makes the Mare to go; but in th [...], the J [...]de make the Par [...]on Ride, that must otherwise have gone on Foot.

Besides, the most of the Livings in England are in the Kings Gift, At [Page 66]the Chancellours, or the Bishops, or the Universities, few have private Patron's, except Noblemen, Gentlemen and Papists, the former are all t [...]o Noble to C [...]yn their Advowion's▪ and the l [...]st, the Papi [...]is are very un­fit, nay, they are by Law Inc [...]p [...]c [...]ared after Conviction.

I [...] is certain, that, wherever the Carcase is, there will the Eagles be g [...]thered together; every Man that is at a lo [...]s for Preferment, or for great [...]r Preferment, will be sure to inquire, which is the way thither? And if Sym [...]ny, Smock Symony, or a Ceremony be the way and the Doo [...], thi­ther the Clergy make Application, it is their great Aim and Study; thence comes the common Ignorance, Lazin [...], D [...]ed and Duil Freach­ing, or rather Reading, because it is [...]asie, most in equest with the great D [...]n's that can do not better, and is therefore more acceptable than the best.

But, If you make Merit, the only way to preferment, then you will ha [...] a [...] Learned, Loving and Lovely Clergy, that will go H [...]nd in Hand, and Heart in Heart with their People, and nothing though [...]? [...] good for them; but, now what they get, is only got with Scrambling, in all places, especially in [...]luraliti [...]s.

By Pluralitles, I do not mean Two or Three Parishes, for one Pa [...]ish may be Ten times more a Plurality, (as S. And [...]ws Ho [...]born) than Twenty Norfolk or Essex Livings in some Places.

And I wish, that the Right Reverend Clergy man who was so Sa [...]aci­ous (at some little Animals are) to leave the failing House, and the e­fore left his Seat in the High Commission Court, least i [...] he stay'd any longer, it had fallen upon his Head, would also be as Sag [...]cious, as to leave his Inco [...]sistent Pluralities; what Sence is it for a Bishop to be a Deacon? For the due joining of (which two) words in Coustruction; Subintelli [...]itur, Avaritia.

And (by way of Parenthesis.) now I have Named that High Com­mission Court, I cannot but remember one word used by my old F [...]iend, Lord Jeffery, soon after in my Lord of London's case, repeated, viz. [...]ptim, we do all things here (quo [...]h he) Raptim, rashly, in ha [...]e, without thinking, without consi [...]eration, without W [...]ing, without so much as a Clark, or Register; Ay, the Wiser, for litera Scripta Manet, (but enough of that) and of Bishops, at present.

CHAP. IV. Of Ordination, &c.

I Never could understand any thing by Ordination, but what Arch bishop Cr [...]nmer makes it, a setting apart Bishops; as a Constable, a Justice, or a Judge is Ordain'd for some special work.

And the grea [...]er and more Sacred the work is, the greater and more Sacred is the Ordination.

The Church, the whole Church did this in the Gospel Times and long after; so sayes Ierom. Requiricur in Sa [...]dote ordinando etiam populi prae­sentia, the Peoples presence is necessary when men are Ordain'd▪ not as here, by a Mockery of this Ancient Cu [...]tom, Ordaining Men in a Congregati­on, who are as Ignorant as the Bishop in Reference to their Person. Con­versations, [Page]Learning or Abil [...]les; but, in the Pur [...]st and Primitive Times, they were always O [...]a [...]n'd by the Church, as well as in the Church, and sometimes by Laying on of H [...]nds of the P [...]esbytery alone, as Titus; and sometimes by the whole Church, as Barnabas and Paul, the Laying on [...]f H [...]nds was only a Jewish Custom or Ceremony, Pointing out the Persion Ordain'd, It was not the hands did any thing, none are so foolish to think that [...]x [...]ept Vertue could go out by touching, as when our Saviour touchen the Woman (not willingly) which had an Issue of Blood; none are so Blasphemously silly as to pretend h [...]t; indeed the [...]ign is taken often for the thing S [...]gnified; as, for this C [...]use Bow I the Knee to the Fa [...]her; and sine stantibus non staret mundus; and, neglect not the Gift of God that was given thee by the Laying on of the H [...]nds of the Presby [...]ery; by all wh [...]c [...] Ceremonies of Kneeling, Standing and Laying on of Hands, is only meant P [...]ayers made when they were in that po­sture; now, who can Imagin then that the Prei [...] of a Bishop i [...] more needful than the Presence of the Presby [...]ers or People, except he could Pray more heartly, and more Sp [...]ri [...]ually than the rest?

Which he u [...]ually was supposed to do, because his Worth, (no [...] his Friends, Relations, Mon [...]y or K [...]nd [...]ed) advanc' [...] him, in Gospel Times, and in the Primitive-Tin [...]s: When Timothy was Ordain'd a Bish [...]p, the Presbyters only did it, except Presbyters; and Bishops be only two Names for one person, as undoub [...]edly they are; after-times did d [...]inguish them, how? Only by P [...]ec [...]dency, as the Chair Man of a Comm [...]tee, the Speaker, he that in Sessions gives the Rule of the Court, but no better Men, nor other Character [...]han his other Brethren the Justices, or Mem­b [...]rs, except for Order sake Precedency.

And therefore for Order-sake, the Bishop with the Presbyters, or the Presbyters, or (in default) any Church Member, or the whole Church, might have L [...]id on Hands, as well as have Prayed at an Ordina­tion, thus when the holy Ghost had chosen Paul and Barnabas, th [...]y had their Mission from the whole Church, Acts 13.2, 3. Je [...]om and Chrysostom agree; that there is no difference be [...]wix [...] a Pr [...]by [...]r and Bishop; but only Ordination; and that was by Custom, as the best man, not as the sole men; he never could Lawfully Ordain but in his own Church, and his own Church Members only, and by the consent of the rest of the Members; for Bishops, for Three Hundred Years after Christ, had no more Souls in their Diocesses than they were intimately and familiarly ac­quainted with; this makes Chrysostome say, that (notwithstanding the Cu­stom of a Bishops Presence at Ordination, yet betwixt Presbyters and Bi­shops there was little or no difference (Homil. 11. in 1 Tun) [...], very little difference: and in Scripture times nothing at all; Theop [...]lact calls it, ferme ni [...]il, next to nothing; namely, Precedency; but the Church in Scripture, or the Faithful, Ordain'd as many Bishops as was needful, and may not Presbyters Ordain now, without a Bishop's Presence, as well as of old in Scripture Times, or as well as Bishops do Ordain Arch-bishops and Metropolitan's?

But, in Holy Writ, if any had the Precedency, the Presbyter had it The Presbyter's that are amongst you (saith St. Peter, I exhort, who am also a Presbyter, 1 Pet. 5.1. no greater Titles of Honour can be gi­ven [Page 68]than what Age and Nature gives, thence comes, Sieur, Monsieur, Syre, and Sir; or Father; Ma [...]am, a diminutive, of Dame, or dam, Madam, my dam, or Mother; and Age being Honour [...]ble, the greatest Title of Honour is thence deriv'd, Senior, Seniore, Seignior, G [...]and Seniore, in Spanish, Italian, and Lingua Franka; Presbyter amongst the Greeks, El­der or Alderman, or Earl, all is one derivative from Seniority; to that if People be Ambitious of a Name, Presbyter or Earl, Alderman or Earl of the Church, is far before Overseer, or Bishop; whose Diocess was at first no bigger, than that he might [...]asily Oversee it, or see over it, now it is Monstrous.

The burden of a Bishop is so great, and the danger greater in Male-ad­ministration, that [...], H [...]mil. ult 23 6. 13 in Heb. 12.17. says. [...]; What [...] for Sours? Y [...], and at his [...] too; Does not the Horrid Hazard threaten his Head?

But, what cares some Men for the Thunder of Heaven's Vengeance till it fall upon them, they are Stouter than those two Atheistical Empe­rours, Tiberius and Caligula, they would Run under Ground in Yaults and Caves when it Thunder'd; but some are as unre [...]enring as the High. Priest of Rome called Julius Caesar, that notwithstanding that he Rea [...] Di­vinity Lectu [...] in Rome to the People, was the greatest Robber and Mur­derer in the World and Sacrific'd to his Ambitious and Greedy Rapacity, the bravest C [...]mmon wealth that ever the Sun saw; but he fell in the height of h [...]s J [...]li [...]y and to shall all [...]erably, whose Portion is, as they d [...]sire, in this [...] only.

In short, the difference betwixt Presbyter and Bishop in Holy Writ is nothing at all; no not in Ordinations: As in Asrica Presbyters did Or­dain, and so now, at this day, in Germany, France. and in the most Pro­restant Churches; And must we Schismatice from Scripture? And from all the Protestants in the World to follow a Custom they got into the Greek Church. (Fourty Customs they had besi [...]es this contrary to Scrip­ture Customs) Chrysostome being a Greek Bishop; and Hierom though Writing in Latin, yet dwelling and conversing amongst the Greeks, but would never make so bold a venture as to be a Bishop, in those times so the Fourth Century, when the Task was fourty times easier, because the Province or D [...]cess was fourty times less, nay a Hundred times less than now in England and Wales, besides [...](make the most on't) is but per Civitates, alongst the Cities, which being a Hundred in Creet, and the Parisheth [...] two Handred and Seven, and not a Tenth part Chil­mans, this [...] is only sillily Construed to make such Havock [...] it has both in the State and all true Devotion.

Yet Men drink Healths to the Prosperity of the Church of England; I they mean hereby a good Health to the Protestant Head of the Church, and the Protestant Members (the only True meaning) with all my Heart, let it pass

Bu [...], if by the Church of England, they Scandalously mean, there by only the great Diocesan's that cannot possibly Watch over Sou [...]s excep [...] by [...] Faith in the Black Guard of Apparitors, Sumners, Register [...] [Page 69]Proctors, Canonists, Lay-V [...]cars, Vicar-Generals, Commissaries, Offici­als, Surrogates, (or I do not know who) at the General Randevo [...]z, and Head Quarters at Doctors-Commons; What an affront is this to the True Protest [...]nt Church of England?

I grant, that the [...] have all this whole Ragged Regiment, and by the same Names too, and for the same Service in their Popish Muster­Roll.

But, God forbid, That the Reformed Church of England should sig­nally d [...]ffer from Popish Church Discipline, not so much as Nominally, and so little really, and to purpose, that some have only been Starved to Death in a J [...]yl, and many Hundreds (and their Families) undone, whilst the Smith field Fire's were fierce indeed, but the [...]ortures did not last long; Our Marciful Hands made Men feel Death long and often, before that King of Terrors was permitted to end the Pains: Oh! blessed Refor­ma [...]n!

Y [...], you'le say, our L [...]rany is in English, the Mass Litany in La­tin; and the Saints are omitted; and Te D [...]um is [...]ung in English, or half Jabb [...]rd over unintelligibly after the firth Le [...]n; We praise thee, O God, We Ack [...]ow [...]ge thee to be the Lord, All the Earth doth worship thee, &c. All the Earth [...] wish it did; but in my little Travels, I know it is lasse; for more than half the Earth are Infidels to old Day: There we are out of the T [...]uth, whatever be the Tune; And why do all the People say this Verie? There's no Rule, no Rubrick for it? Or, is it because the Ministers are wise and know better things, and therefore will give the loolish unthinking M [...]mick's leave to tell that false Story.

But, I am quite Tyced, It is end [...]ess to find fault; I had much rather see it amended; the Common-Prayer Book is the more Amiable to me as Old Gold is more acceptable than New, it has been long Tryed and has endured the Test pretty well, which is more than can be said of any other Desultory Prayers, that like New Guinees may many times be Counter­feit; but as the most Tryed Gold will well endure, to it may sometimes need the Refiners Fire.

But as for the said Black-Guard of Sumners, Surr [...]gaces, Apparitor's, Informers, Registers, &c. that Live by the Sins of the People, it is as much beyond the Art of Man to 'mend them, as it is to 'mend a broken Cob-Web, and when you have u [...]'d your utmost skill, it will not quit cost: I have Studied the Point, and yet am I not one jot the better Artist at it, than I was Seven Years ago, when my advice (in my Naked Truth (was to dress them according to the Vertuoso's Receipt, to dress [...], viz After you have wash't them, in several Waters, then Salt them, Pepper them, and lastly, the surest way to prevent their Ma­liguity, is to throw them on the Dunghill.—A Racr—To bring the Pillory in D [...]sgrace. Fruges consumere nati, as if they were born for no o­ther end, but (like Rats, M [...]ce, Polcats, and other Vermin) to cat up the Victuals, Hunt about for a Prey, and Run Squeaking up and down.

N [...]ver was there such Church Discipline, and such Ecclesiastical Fel­lows to Manage it, in the whole Christian World (except amongst the Papists) they indeed have the like Harpyes, but every private Priest [Page 70]there is more than a Bishop here, can take Confessions; search their En­tra [...]s, and enjoyn Pennance.

Whereas we are Cumber'd with the same great Diocesan's, but every P [...]st there has Power to Rule as well as Feed the Flock; and the word [...](in 1 Pet. 5.2.) Si [...]infies both, to Rule and Feed; God commands both to every Presbyter, but the Bishops Counter-check God's Commands, and will take all the Weight upon themselves, with the help of Sumners, Notaries, Register's, &c. Well, God help them, and forgive them; they can take the Charge, and strive for [...], and think it a great Honour; Ay, so it is, if rightly d [...]arged; (which is impo [...] ­s [...]c in our present Circumstances) therefore have a care that the great H [...]nos [...]e not too great an Onus, a Burthen heavy enough to break the Back of any Mortal; no Apostle duest undertake it, but took care to leave Re­s [...]entiary Bishops in Creet, one for every Two Parishes, when the Tenth part of those were not Christians neither; but the generality of our Peo­ple also differ from [...]fi less only in Name, or the Baptismal Vow of Su­reties in Baptism, (if ever they had any) and is not worth a Rush; nay, it is [...]orse than nothing, by the P [...]rjury.

And in Italy at this Day they have many Diocesses that are not half so bigg, nor by half so Rich and Populous as the Pa [...]ish [...]s of St. Andrews-Holborn, St. Margarets-Westminster, Sr. Martins Stepney, St. Giles, and many others? yet not any of these, is thought a Charge great enough for one single Shoulder under the Bishop; whereas good St Augustine knew not how to discharge alone the Eplscopal Work of little Hippo, without Co adjutors; and in the little Teritory Adjoyning, there were many Bi­shops, (as one at the Castle Synica, near H [...]ppo; another at the Castle Eussula, ad Ecclesiae H [...]pponensis Paraeciam (August, de Civitate Dei, l. 22. c. 8 Epist 261. Epist. 68) Ecce Interim Episcopos nosires, qui sunt in Regione Hepponensi ubi a vestris tanta mala patimu [...], convenite: Aslemble our Bishops, that are in the Territory of Hippo, &c. B [...]shops that had a City to Govern, did not use to Bishop it, in the Ter [...]ory Adjoyning; the Bishop of Rome never pretended that his Diocess of Rome reached be­yond the City; for at this Day there are Forty Bishops in the Ter [...]tory of Rome and of old, there were Sixty Nine Bishops there, and not one of their Diocesles is so Great, so Populous, and so Rich as St. Andrews-Holborn.

Pope Innocent I. (Epist. ad Descentium Episcopum Eugubi. Ep c. 4) cum omnes Ecclesi [...]e nostrae intrae Civitatem Constitutae sunt. All the Churches of my Diocess are within the City; and Acts 14.23. A Bishop or Elder had but one Church. And Bishop usher (Irish Relig. p. 63.) says, that the Diocess of the Bishop of Duplin in Ireland, did not Reach over the Ci­ty Wall; tantum intra muros exercet Episcopale Offi [...]ium.

This which I have said is enough to pious Bishops; but to such as are given to Filthy Lucre, nothing will satisfie but more Mammon, more, more; even Pope Leo himself Condemns such Bishops, saying, Domìnarì magis quam Consulere subditis quaerunt, They make it their business to Do­minter, but not to Consult the Welfare of those under their Charge: Pope Gregory Appointed Twelve Bishops in the County of York, (Respon. ad 8. Interrog.)

Surely, our Bishops and great Doctors have contemptible thoughts of the Common Prayers, as a Mean, Underling Office, or else, why do they put mean Underling Curates, and Singing men, Sadlers or Coblers that can Sing, and therefore, made Deacon's to serve to Road Prayers and [...]lo [...] them, to some Tune; and as soon as that Drudgery is over, then a way goes the Quer [...]ster to his Shop, whilst the Doctor and the Bishop re­serve themselves, for the Topping Pulpit, if they say any thing, except benedicite, leaving the Common Prayer to Readers, some School-boys, not yet [...]n [...]ncipated from School-dames, will Read more Audibly and di­stinctly than many of them: In short, the Common-Prayer, if 'mended will serve for a Crutch to the Lame; and though I, blessed be God, need none, yet, the Crutch must not be thrown out of the Church; for then you must throw the Parson after it, general'y, all England over: The Common Prayer Book? Oh! 'Tis all in all, it is a Crutch to the Lame Parson, Eyes to the Blind Parson, and puts Words into the Mouth of the otherwise, Dumb Parson; nay, it is Ears too to the Deaf Disciples, and Musick Ceremony monger, the very O [...]accusticon of the Spirit; There­fore, here's my Hand to it▪ it shall have my Vote, for my poor Brethrens sake; upon condition, tho' that it be not G [...]amb'd down other Men's Throats, that need not be so Fed, but can Chew what they swallow; and also upon condition, That we do no longer exclude a great part of Holy Scripture to make Room for Tobit and his Dog, I mean, The A­pocrypha.

Have we not Apocryphal, and unscriptural Ceremony-mongers enow that fill up the Steeples and High Places in the Church, l [...]ke a great Crack't Bell, that is good for nothing but to fill up the Vocancy; But must Apo­cryphal books too Justle the Holy Scriptures also out of the Church? You'l say, the Mass-book did it before we did it: Yea, that's true; so a Popish interest also possibly brought this great Crack't Bell into a Protestant Steeple; (What does it do there?) there it hangs, but had never been hang'd so high, but that it was crack't, and good for nothing but to give an unintelligible and Jarring sound, to keep out a better, and in room of a better, it will serve well enough to make up the number of the Yea's, and the No's.

Well may this Crack't Ceremony monger dread a wise and a pious, and honest English Parliament, more than he sears either God or the Devil, more than Heaven or Hell, lest they spy this Church-Cobweb, (though it hang alost) and sweep it down, or new Cast this useless Crack't Bell.

You may know him by this certain mark; for conscious of Guilt, and of his own uselessness and Futility, (through well-grounded sear) like the murmuring Israelites, he longs for the Flesh pots of Egypt again, Egyp­tian or Popish d [...]rkness, which has cover'd (as darkness does) all his faults, this Pope Joan (in the dark) has been as good as my Lady) and a Popish King (he joyes in) to chuse, rather than Angels food, Manna, (What is it?) he knows not, he relishes it not.

For he loves Popery in his heart (as the Carpenter loves his Ladder) because it helps him up so high, to overlook his betters; Well! let him (even) march then, after his Brother Cartwright, he is fit for nothing [Page 72]so well, as to read Common-Prayer in the French Protestant Chappel in the Castle of Merli.

Thus have I run him to an Inavoidable Dilemma, one of the Horns whereof must Gore my Ceremony-monger; for, it he obstinatly persist in his irrational and illegal Ceremonies, the Law and the next Jury de­prives him by his own Celebrated Act, The Act of Uniformity, which condemns all Ceremony mongers, and all Ceremonies, not contained in the Common-Prayer Book; and then the King may in the Vacancy (with­out Invading any mans propriety, like Queen Elizabeth) put this unpro­fitable and impossibly to be performed Nusance to its proper use, and to a good use.

But, if he Recant, Abhor, Repent and Forsake his Illegal and Popish-like Ceremonies, we have got the day, he is converted to be a good man; and will then voluntarily relinquish that burden, which no mortal can bear, for fear of the Torments Eternal, which none can bear; the saying of St. Chrysostome (in Heb. 13 7. H [...]mil ult. 24) will penetrare his hard Heart and [...]cared Conscience [...] &c. I wonder in my heart ( [...]) [...] it is posh [...] for a chief Bishop in the Church to be saved, &c. High Priest Aaron said, Nolo E­piscopari, Moses also was as loath to come into the Collar, Send by the hand of whom thou wilt send, said he, in a Pet, to God Almighty; fore­seeing the dreadful burthen: St. Chrysostome in that Homily says in effect, concerning a great Bishop, as one said of an Executor, viz. If I had a mind to send a man to the Devil, I would make him my Executor, and if I had a mind to send a man to the Devil, I would make him a great Lord—Bless me! That vain ambitious man should hope to comb Hea­ven by that very sin of Haughtiness and Pride, which made Lucifer a De­vil.

I well know that in this Juncture, every Projector is full of his Notion, which may do well to in Utopia, but is not practicable here.

And I'le Answer such well-meaning Noddles (is a grave Senator of Old Rome did his pious Friend, that brought him an excellent Model of Government) my Friend? This would do well in Plato's Common-wealth, but it is not feazable for us who live in the Dregs of Romulus.

But nothing is here propos'd but what is easie, good for all, sound, pure, primitive and practicable, as well as profitable, and hurts no bo­dy, no not the great Diocesan and sleepy fat Prebend, in their present Incumbencies and Possessions, if they can (with a safe Conscience) con­tinue them.

For St. Chrysostome is bolder with such Bishops as are so addicted to fil­thy Lucre, that he quite incapacitates their for the place, [...] in Ep. ad Tat. c. 1.) [...], & [...], [...]; hic ut indigenus Sacerdotio est removendus; Let him be Depos'd, nay Degraded, as unworthy of that holy Function.

Some Repairs of necessity must be done, as the Wisdom of a Pious King and Parliament shall think meet, upon those that have by their filly, illegal, and foppish, and Popish-like Constitutions and Ceremonies, re­duc't [Page 73]all true Devotion to a meer Pharisaical and Out-side Superstition, (which is also very silly and non-sensical) to boor.

Does not St. Cyprian tell us, (Ep. 68.) That in the Ordination of Sa­binus, the Bishoprick was conferred upon him by the Suffrage (that is, the Vote) of the whole Fraternity, or Brethren, and by the Judgment of the Bishops that mee together in our presence? &c.

That Exhortation in the Common-Prayer-Book, before the Communion, concerning the quieting of a troubled Conscience, (when the guilty person thinks himself not qualified sufficiently for the receiving that blessed Sa­crament) gives the Minister power of Absolution; that is, power of the Keys, the Church Keys [good reason] of his own Church, whereby I judge, that every Minister has power to loose what any R [...]gister, or Bishop, or Surrogate, has [...]ound, if he think fit, tho' they also have bound the Spirit down to Hill, or his body afterwards lies bound, for want of Ab­solution, in a ayl; I think, a Minister has power, like Orphtus, to setch him back from Satan, but not from the Jaylor; is not this to give the power of the Keys to a Minister by the Stature or Common Prayer Book, which the common practice or Canons do not allow or admit? This is to give and take again; this is to give we do not know what; this is to give the great Bishop more eyes, than those same large eyes, called Arch­deacons; this is to give Ministers the power that Christ gave them, to Ru [...]e and Feed, for [...] in 1 Pet. 5 2. Signifies both Feed and Rule, and one as much as the other, God has joy 'd them together, and wo be to him that sepatates those whom God hath joyned together, only to gratifie his own ambitious and avaricious Claw, that grasps more than it can possibly hold, and by endeavouring to be Mr. Do all, becomes Mr. Do ill; this is to mock the Presbyrery, give and take again: this is just like the silly Charm, In-Dock, Out Nettle. Ye shall, saith the Stature; Ye shall not, says the Present Discipline; here is wise work, and most cou­sounded clashing, and irreconeileable Ministrations Ecclesiastical; well, it is well (in Apology) that we can say, it was made in haste; but, we have had time to 'mend it: Yes? but, those that Steer'd then, must have acknowledged their Frailty, Weakness and Mortality, which flesh and, blood cannot deny, but is most unwilling to grant and coufess; which Popish (English, not Italian) pride, I fear, will put in a Caveat, as formerly, a­gainst Reformation.

Never could any Bishop or Priest, (with whom I ever yet did discourse the point, either here or beyond Sea) alledge any Reason, why the Pres­byters should not be helps in Government, rather than filly and Rascally Registers, Sumners, Officials, Canonists, &c. except that the work be­ing divided amongst his Brethren, in time the Wages would be divided also; whereas the other Free-booters Ecclesiastical, or rather Mongrels [party-per-pale,] Lay-Elders, went, no purchase no pay, and perhaps gave Money too, to purchase such a spiritual Letter of Mart; Ay, and get good Booty too by the Venture.

In short, such monstrously bulky Bishopricks, as now we have, has formerly been found too dangerously big for the King and Kingdom, as well as uneasie for the people, and [like a Shoe, too big] useless, ex­cept [Page 74]it be stuft out with those said refuse Stuff and Excrements, Sumners, Registers, &c. or, if a great Shoe be too disparaging and disagreeing: Metaphor for such High-Top-Knots Ecclesiastical, (the Pride as well [...]s the Mode of our High Church Man) [...] compare them to the poor [...] that has got the [...], which [...] the poor Limbs, to make a mon­strous great Head, stuft like a Bladder, sometimes with more Wind and Vapour than Brains: Verifying the Proverb, A great Head and little [...], not, that the Diverb is always true, but it is often so when a Whore or a Jesuite made that great Head; so, that the Head had never grown so Ghastful a Portent, had it not been for a very carnal Heart.

Me thinks it looks like Tom a Lincoln, (the great Cathedral Bell there) too big for use, or to call men to Church, it would well make ten good and useful Bells, if well Cast, whereas now it serves for nothing but a show; and only the name Rings all the Kingdom over, but good for no­thing but to be gaz'd at, and admir'd by Women and Fools, for its huge Dimensions: And is certainly a too much overgrown thing, since the days of the Martyr Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, and contemporary with some of the Apostles, when he says, Every Altar should have a Bishop, meaning certainly a Presbyter, or something very little different; Nay, in his E­pist. ad Smyr. he says, It is not lawful without the Bishop to Baptize, or hold a love Feast, or any Ecclesiastical Assembly, &c. Certainly then a Bishop was not Omnipresent, or an Ubiquitarian, or else nothing like to the Bi­shops Office (at this day) amongst us performed.

Shall we call those separate Congregations, Schisms, from the Catholick Church, when they keep to the Primitive Rule from which our Consti­tution has swerv'd? What Vote Avarice and Ambition had in making such a Constitution by President from the Hierarchy of Rome, let others judge, I shall not Dogmatically determine.

But, (some say) Tho' the Bishop cannot see from the Cathedral what is done all over the County, Shires and Towns of his Diocess, yet he can Ride about, and go the Rounds, and Visite them; and so he is bound to Go or Ride once in three years.

And what Improvement is made by such Triennial Visits in any thing except his Purse, and the thing he calls Confirmation? Can he possibly be a sufficient Shepherd and Bishop of Souls, or Physitian of Souls, that has not so much as spoke with, or visited one of a thousand in his Diocess?

Nay, grant that he do nothing else all the year (if it be not a Parlia­ment year) but visit his Flock, we'll grant him for every Town, Village or Parish two or three days in one year, and by that account, in that two days, he cannot have Examin'd above the tenth part or Tyth of the Pa­rish, nor heard their Causes and Complaints, for above one tenth part, and what shall become of the other nine? Nay, what shall become of that same tenth part till the next years visit; the Patient may be dead in that time, as well as all the nine, that get no relief from his Episcopal hands.

Oh! but other Curates, Journey-men, and Apparitors, &c. do the Work for him; that Surrogated folly has been sufficiently Answered al­ready, not but that sometimes he may by Implicite Faith, shooting at Rovers, hit the mark, but it is no the Blind-man shot the Crow, more by Luck than by Wit.

In short, when a bounteous Prince publishes the Bines betwixt a nee dy, greedy Doctor, and a great Fat, Bulky, Unweildy Bishoprick, the Match is food made up, generally, tho' Conscience ( [...]arried a little at the Tremendous Account and impossibility and impotency of perfor­mance) does whisperingly perhaps forbid the Banes; Avarice and Am­bition are leud and loud Speakers, and can soon silence the Whisper of a Conscience, that like some drowsie Judge, is scarcely awake, when he passes Sentence: And the Contract once Solemnized publickly in the Church, the Divorce is not so easie.

No? Is not the Divorce easie in case of Impotence, and Impossibility of giving the Church due benevolence, the only design and end of such a Contract? The Civilians cheat us, if such an impotence be not a sufficient, a lawful and necessary cause of divorce; Nay, worse, it is (some say) ip­so facto void, where there is Error personae, or not a sic man for the turn: But, I'le urge no Parabolical Arguments so far as, (of I lift) I can make them go; if before God, and in foro Conscientiae they can answer it, I leave them to those two Judges; Is it any wonder to see a Church bar­ren and unfruitful of any thing, but Puppet-like, and Apish, as well as ir­rational Ceremonies, superficial and perfunctory Devotions, (the only fruits of such Decrepit Sons of the Church) which are begot, when im­potency is supply'd by Fumbling Registers, Apparitors, Lay-Chancetours, or Lay Elders, and forsworn Church-Warde [...]?

Sr. Paul (indeed) had upon him the care of all the Churches; name­ly to advise them, and leave Presbyters and Bishops to Guide, Rule and Feed them, but, did not Excommunicere, or Ordain by implicite Faith: When Presbyters were Ordain'd, he left the whole Government and Management of the Church to their care and prudence; but he never undertook the Load of a whole County, two or three, upon his own single Shoulders, least with such a Weight he could never mount Heaven, but [...] be cast down to the nethermost Hell, and become a cast-away by Male-Administration, and Impossibility of performing that Office and Undertaking. The Apostle himself could not manage a Plurality.

A Plurality? What's that? Not such a thing as it is commonly taken and accepted to be, viz. two or three poor Parishes; for one Perish (such as St. Andrews-Holborn) has twenty times more people than twenty Countrey Parishes, so unequally are Parishes divided, both [...] to Num­bers and Estates: A Plurality then is more people than any one man can probably visit and regard, either by reason of their numbers, or distance of place; no men did rule or feed the people (in the Scripture times, purest and primitive times) by Proxies, Journey-men-Curats, Sureties, Registers, Surrogats, or Implicite Faith; 'tis Non sence all over, as well as Irreligious, until blind men can learn to see (as our great men do now) by other mens eyes, and implicite Faith: I grant, that the blind Beggar of Bednal-green did do his business by the eyes of his Dog and a Bell, and got (they say) thereby a great Estate, but, still, in Spirituals, it will not hold good, and if it would, it would be no great honour for a Bishop, to be accounted, the great Blind-beggar-Ecclesiastical; yet, so he must al­ways [Page 76]ways beg the Question, and do his great Church-works, by blind impli­c [...]te Faith, or else be cannot possibly do business.

Therefore, some Repairs must of necessity be done, and in time too, or else a Church so Cr [...]zy in her Discipline, and [...]o Non sensical in her Cere­monies, cannot stand long, propl [...] how we can.

The Papists upholds theirs with Dragoons, Constables, Jaylors, Summers, Registers, [...]ng m [...]n, and the Inquisition, with Cu [...]ses, An [...]them [...] [...]. To [...] and Jayles; if [...]ny body m [...]k [...] [...] [...]ment of like Props, they'l [...]d th [...]m [...], and give them the slip now in there day, and [...], when Governours (whose duty it is) to Reform, do negl [...] [...]o long [...] years ago in [...] the people could beat no longer, and took them to do; but the people are but Tinker-like Re­for [...]ness; if they mend one hole; they make two.

Force and Jayles, Impositions, & [...] [...]ght do in the Days of Ignorance, A German Writer tells us, ‘That the people were [...] [...]illy there, before [...] ­ther's time, and so Devoutly priest-ridden, that i [...] the priests had [...] them, they would have Eat G [...]s, as our Asses and Ja [...]s do.’

But, those happy Days are done and past; nor must we expect such suc­cess; formerly the Pe [...] were the only Clerks, the only Schollar [...], and the G [...]ntry went to no School, but the Dancing School; but now qui [...] con­trary, the G [...]ntry are the most Accomplish' [...] Vertuoso's, [...] knowledge, and the great Accomplishment of a Clergy Ceremony mon [...]er, is [...] to [...] his [...], bowings, and Alamode postures Ecclesiastical [...] the two Art demiss. (those two Fountain) of such Dancing [...]ature, [...] Ceremonies; wherein, being pretty well improv'd so Seven Years, [...] hot and long a Skirmish of Ergo versus Ergo, is but Addressing to [...]me [...] Chamber maid, or Groom to a Patron that has a void Living in his G [...] and he is forthwith, by the help of Implicite Faith, made free of the [...] pit; This may be done, because it is frequently done, and then the Flo [...] are no [...] guideable by such a Novice; but go to the Conventicles, and [...] out for better Pastures; What then? Then they are prefound; and [...] then? Then the Registers Shears them takes their Fl [...], and [...] go, to [...] more Wool against the [...]x [...] the next Vis [...] ­on, which begins (as all other matter of that Nature) with a Nomin? [...] [...] to be ready to pay th [...] [...] to the Registers, whi [...] the Bishop's great E [...] [...] is getting himself a [...], with Wine and Oysters; [...] nex [...] Question is — I D [...]ncer R [...]ady? Then, after Dinner, call [...] to pay; there the poor C [...]ergy mu [...] pay again after D [...]er, when the had pay'd for it once before, in their Procucations, and Synodal [...], [...] they Eat a bit: well, the World grows worse and worse, Old Bishop Humfrey, Late Bishop of London, did, indeed, makes us pay our Visie, o [...] Pro [...]ations (incended and given at first) to be [...] charges, and pay the Common Reckming, and so he did; we never pay'd Twice, but that la­novation came in, as soon as he was Dead.

Then after [...]nuer to Church they go again, (when the Clergy are Short to do as much to the Church-Wardens, and Swearing them to be forswor [...] (for no Man ever did or can keep that Oath,) sometimes a Church-Wat [...] den [Page 77]pays Four or Five Shillings, sometimes Two Shillings and Four pence; the Sell-Soul seldome refuses ready Money, then take in their Present­ments, and having thereby notice where the Covy lies, by the help of his Stalking horse, (the Apparitor,) he catches some to be sure in his Net, whence they never escape, but with the loss of some Fathers at least.

Well, may the Fops say, Here's a Hea [...]th to the Church of England, for never did any Sickly Church stand in more need thereof; if by the Church, they mean, the said Black Guard, and Ragged Regiment of Sumners, Jay­lo [...], Sworn (I had almost [...]aid, for [...]word) Church-Wardens; Appari­tors, Registers, Surrogates, Officials, and Ceremony-Mongers; here's an Ecclesiastical Body of a Church for you, the like of it is no where in the World; for though the Papists have the same Tools, and for the same use, and by the same Names called and known, yet every Priest Secular, be­sides the Swarming Monks, and Itinerary Frier's) performs more Ecclesi­astical Discipline in their way▪ than the best Bishop does here, in making Pen [...]nes; Is it not high time for our Governours to Imitate our blessed Saviour, and make a Whip of small Cords, and Slash these Ecclesiastical money-changers our of the Temple?

When [...]urrs get into the Church, the Sexton does not stand asking how they came in (when he sees the Doors stand open) but Whips them out▪ Even so, it is a folly to spend time in inquiring how these Ceremony-mon­g [...]s, and Ragged Regiment got so high into Church, but Slash them out: For tho' the favour of a Jesuite or a Court-Whore, might have done Won­ders in pu [...]ing a great Fapping-Cap upon my Ceremony-monger's Head, yet I cannot Imagine how they could open his Skul and put in more Brains, except Schollars and Wits could be made, (like Knights) by Dubbing, or as Kings make Lords, by Letters Patents.

Not, but that the Vulgar, and the Fool himself thinks himself some bo­dy for W [...]t, and knowledge (forsooth) Vertue and Valour, more than before his Father or Elder Brother Dyed, or before he got (I know how) to be a Court-favourite.

But, Anatomize and Rip him up, and you will not find him to be made of Clay one jot more Refined, then the other Mortals, by the Sound or Title of Honour; but he that was a Fool and a Coward before, is to still, tho he had Fools Fortune, the luck to have a King for his God-father, an [...] to give him a Name, but, in all other respects, he is just as God Almigh [...] made him, and as his Sin and Ignorance has Polluted him, only a great de [...] more Lofty, and Confident, (I dare not say) impudent, Proud and High.

But the Canons of our Church, now in force, I'le prove, foreseeing the Arrogance Ecclesiastical, took care (as well as our Saviour did) to pre­vent it; nay, even in Minute matters, such as that, namely, That a Bishop should not suffer a Presbyter (his Reverend Brother) so much as to stand bare, or keep off his Hat in his Presence, and Imitate our Saviour in Wash­ing his Disciples Fee [...], both of those Significant Ceremonies had no other meaning, but the Ruin of Prelatical Pride, which begun amongst the very Twelve Apostles, as soon as ever they came from Receiving the Sacrament or first Holy [Page 78]at S [...]ife amongst themselves, who should be Pope, or Arch-bishop.

Just like the Mother of James and John, the Love of Prelatical Price made her Pray (such was the height of her Devotion) that her Sons might fit Check by Jowle with our Blessed Saviour upon the Throne, one on the Right Hand, and the other on the Left, let not my Ink, herein, seem too Corrosive; it is the more proper Remedy to cure this spreading, Cancrous and Ecclesi [...]stical Ring-worm, that defaces the Beauty of a Church-Man, making him more like Lucifer than Christ, who was meek and lowly.

I have compar'd Popeth Prelacy (which I have s [...]en beyond S [...], as [...]ll as Read of) with our English Prelacy, and I profess in the prescence of Al­mighty God, and before Men, that I could not discern any the least diffe­rence, within nor without, more than what was between two Crows-Eggs; no specifical difference, but mostly Individual, and where there is any dif­ference, the Papists have much more Reason for theirs, than we have for ours.

For an Italian Bishop has not the Hundredth part so big a Diocess, nei­ther in N [...]mbers, not Extent, as is the Bishoprick of London; nor scarce a Twentieth part of the Value; and yet in that little Extent of a Diocess he has a hundred times more Presbyters to help him in Discipline, or Pen­nance, then the [...] of London; we are suffered indeed (if We Bleare the Bishop) to Prea [...] sometim [...]or to Feed, but as to Church-Discipline, we are just so many Cyphers; [the Papists defrand the People of half the Sacrament, and the Bishops take from their Brethren the Presbyters half the Work of a Presbyter; that they may be the Domini Doe all's, and yet they can­not do at all, except by Sell-Soul Registers, and Sumners, of whom a Pres­byter is but the meer Eccho: What a Church have we got? The Rulling Elder, in Scripture, i [...] worthy of double Honour, but especially the Preach­ing Elder, that Labours in the Word and Doctrine, but quite contrary with us: For the Preaching Elders is no body to the Register, Bishop or Arch-bishop, who if they be not Ruling Elders, are some of them nothing at all; for Preach they do not, Rule they cannot, except by Proxy, Su­reties or God-father's, and Implicite Faith; Where lies their chief use [...]hen, more than of old, [...], and Antiquated Statutes, long laid aside amongst old Almanacks, and out of Date?

Ay, say some, but old things and old Men must not be cast away: No, God forbid; no more then Novices or little Children; but, wo be to that Land whose King is a Child, and the Land Rul'd by Sureties, God-Fathers Proxies, and Administrators; so wo be to that Church whose Ecclesiastical Men are Nozices, or Antiquated, and Twice Children, an old Lawyer is not cast away, when he casts himself off, as unfit for the Bar, being half Deaf, and half Blind; 'tis time to have done, when Nature gives a Man—his Quietus est.

Oh! but no matter who does the Work, (say some) yet the Profits, the Profits, the Wages, the Wages.

To that, I'le Answer; Avarice, Ava [...]ice, (which made an Apostle [...]ell his Lord) the work, the work, which none but a God that is Omnipresent [...] discharge honestly, except by Deputies and Curates, a Name unknown [...] and the Primitive Church, till Pride and Covetousness [Page]would stoop to that Load, that is enough to break the Back of any Mortal, bonâ interim Conscientiâ fremente intùs & objurgante, saltem susurrante meliora; we hoped, and are still not without some hopes, that as we have lately chang'd our Popish Task-Master, our Popish Bondage also would have been eased; for it is meer Hypocrisie, and Mocking of God, to make a Thanks­giving for our D [...]llverance from Slavery and Popery, if we be only Trans­lated, Latin into English, and the Amendment only in words, meer words, of the same Tenour and Signification, and are really Comrades Ecclesiasti­cal and Prelatical, whom our Lord has Condemn'd, in every thing, ex­cept for Order or Methods sake, our Saviour has past a Sentence against all Spiritual Lordships, but Temporal Lordships, and Temporal Lords only does he admit, Excluso Clero.

I know not how, when, or how soon it shall come to pass, but the time shall come, (I'le say with my Saviour.—Mat. 15.13.) that every Plant which my Heavenly Father hath not Planted, shall be Rooted no.

The Devil and the Popes made certain Laws called Canon-Laws; and to encourage Men to profess the Magick or Black Art, a thing was advanc't called a Professor or Doctor of Cannon-Law, and we are such Wise Re­formers, as to Chuse our Officials, Commissaries, Registers, and Chancel­lours out of this Rubbish; it will cost a Man honestly 500 l. before his Son can he Free of the Sell-Soul Trade; but then; then, when he happens to have a Sell-Souls Place given (given said I? Fool that I am! I mean grant­ed) to him, when he gets understanding to know the English of Conside­ratis Considerandis, or the meaning of a Gratulty, an Income or a Fine, he may get the Devil and all of Money, and a Purse as large as his Conscience. As for Instance: I my self Read an Absolution in my Church of All-Saints. lent to me from Doctors-Commons to publish, in pain of the Law; namely, I must cure a Young Lady, by Absolving her, that was Excommunicated, for breaking her Leg, or coming before her time; and because she was loath to Repent, she punish't her Purse, sent up the Guinees to Doctors-Commons, where a Proctor, that shall be Nameless, for 'tis usual, Swore in my presence before the Vicar-general, in animam Dominae, for the Soul of his Mistriss (the said Young Lady whom he never saw, nor ever will see, for she is Dead) that he did believe her very penitent, for her Sin of Fornication; 'tis true, she never spoke to him, nor to the Register, nor to the Vicar, nor Surrogate, nor to any of that stabble, but her Guinees did, to my knowledge; this is no telling Tales out of School, for I always defy'd them and all their Works, they are so profligate, and pro­stitute, without shame, or Conscience.

A Whore in Rome may have a pardon or Absolution for a Julio or two, and for Twelve Royals (a Noble English Money) in Spain or Portugal: but our Sell-Souls have no Conscience in them; if they get a Rich Whore into their handling: Besides, The papists Colour over the pick pocket Ra­pin, with Enjoyning some penance, as to say Forty Ave-Maries, or sit all Night Naked upon a Cold Stone, to Cool and Mortifie them at least, to Colour the Robbery of their Purses; but our [...]i [...]ciplineri [...]ans bare [...]ac't, bid you deliver your Purse, (full of Guinees sometimes) or else go to pound, or pind-sold, (the Devil) and Jayle; but open your Purse, and you sha [...] not need to open your Mouth, and confels your Sins.

I have seen a great part of this Moety, or one side of the Globe of the World, and somewhat of the other Hemispheres beyond the Aequator, but in all my Travails, Read­ing or Discourses, I never me [...]th such a Ro [...]en, Senceless, Shameless Church Disci­pline, as ours is, for it is nothing but a Money-matter, without any Sconce, or Colour; the Papists are as bad, but more Cunning and modest Sinners, they have some Cloak for their Knavery; They Worship Mammon their god, as much as any Church of England Man does, but they make some presence of Penance, and Repemance.

Nor is there a Church of England-man that will ever come to Heaven, but, before he comes there, he will and must thank me (or such as me) for stopping his Carreer to Hell, (full speed) without Check or Remotie; they'le find, that neither Almighty God, nor the People will long be Mocked.

If they can defend their Baal and Babel like Christians, Schollars or Gentlemen, let them come forth and Answer me; but, hitherto they never durst Encounter my Na­ked Truth's, but with a Pick't sury, that Credited a single Witness, in Contradiction to Five unconcern'd and unby ast, as well as substantial Witnesses; (but neither God nor any King has Pardoned Perjury, there is a time for all things.) It was well for him, as well as for me, that I fell into the Hand's of a Noble Person, that Scorn'd to make Money of his Honour, promising upon his Honour, that he would never take advantage of that Verdict of 2000 l. till I should Commit some other Crime, that might deserve so great a Penalty; whereas Truth, and Reformation is so far from being a Caime, that none can have such a Thought, but an Athiest, or he that defies all honesty & the God of Truth,

The God of Heaven then has Decreed, that Pride and Cruelty prelatical, shall have a sudden and Dreadful fall; stand clear there, and look to your Heads, for prope it, and shoulder it up who will, they have been, and still shall be Buried in its Ruines.

Oh! but the popishly invented Writ de Heretico Combutendo is taken away by Act of Parliament! Yea, I do not say that prelates Burn Dissenters, (they cannot if they would) but there has been Ten times more Ruine to Families by Cruel and long Imprisonments, by Vertue of that other-popishly Invented Writ, de Excommunicato capicndo, that had the same Original and End with the Burning-Writ; they were neither of them plants which my Heavenly Father hath planted, and therefore you know their doom.

Pillories. Excessive and Vnmerciful Fines, (the late cruel Whippings of Gentlemen is a new Invention, the Welsh Monster must have the Honour of that base Cruelty, that even the Bloody Romans never used to any that out liv'd the infamy, nor to any, but such as were Condemn'd; Does not the Welsh Perilius deserve to Roar by reason of his own Brazen Bull? That the Welsh Blood of his back may Refund a little for the English Blood so shamefully Slash't out, and Spilt; but, (I say,) pillories. Excessive and Vn­merciful Fines, Imprisonments Eternal and to Death, (devising thereby Hell upon Earth,) cropping off Eare, Imposing of silly ceremonies, and Arbitrary Taxes, and Oppressions, (in the Reign of little Arch-bishop Laud) were the occasion at least (I well remember) of so many Dissenters, and the peoples pretence (at least) of Rasing in Arms, which were not laid down with his Death, north crimes and Blood Expiated, bu by comitting greater, in ayn unnatural, and Bloody civil War of tweny long years standing.

But, the Sarcasme put upon Arch-bishop Laud, by (Archee) the King's rester, I cannot forgive; in any other Man; namely, when at his Request, King Charles I, ad­mitted the Fool to say Grace (his Grace little Dactor Laud then in presence) viz.

For a Ceremony-monger (that Church-Cob-web) can no more be mended (as a­foresaid) then other totter'd and broken Cob webt, and if you could, 'tis not worth the while; a Broom will do it: However, some repairs are as speedily as necessarily to be done: least England become Allegorically Famous (as Denmark is in a literal Sence) for abundance of Wood-cocks, with long Bills, gay-feathers, narrow Tongues, and little Brains.