A Letter from Scotland, WITH OBSERVATIONS UPON THE Anti-Erastian, Anti-Praelatical, and Phanatical Presbyterian Party there: By way of a Dialogue between Anonymus and Antipraelatus.
I Acknowlege my self extreamly your Debter for the constant Intelligence you send me, affairs are going in the right Channel, and cursed be he that diverts their course: I receive your Observator every Post, the Author does discover the underminers of Authority, and consequently of your Peace, in very Intelligible Characters; and since we are endangered by a Malicious, and restless faction of Phanaticks, I shall endeavour to represent them in their true collours. I am confident this will give no offence to Authority, whose only Crime is the weakness of its Author: Others might have done it more effectually, but it were unreasonable for me to refuse to fight for my Prince, because others might do that better: And now I cannot but regret our circumstances, when I consider how our affairs are misrepresented abroad: I must confess we live among a Generation of Vipers, whose teeth are set on edge to tear out the Bowels of their Mother, tho they cannot reach her, but through the sides of a most Indulgent Father his Sacred Majesty: But I can assure you that Party is very inconsiderable and dayly loses Ground, while Loyalty gains it: Certainly if Rebellion and Witch craft where not of kin and Fascination in the case, Men would not be at so much pains to ensure to themselves Damnation; is there any Crime more severely threatned in Scripture than Resisting Authority? they that Resist shall receiue to themselves Damnation; the Laws of the Land threaten it, and Reason will allow it no favour: For before we ingage in any thing, we ought to consider the conveniencies and inconveniencies, that attend the undertaking, but reason and experience the best School-Master will instruct us, that a Civil War (the most intollerable of all burthens) is the natural product of Resistance, therefore Resistance, as the greatest evil; ought to be abandoned Neither can Gratitude admit of it, for we owe so many blessings to the Government, that it were the higth of Injustice to fly in its face: The Government of a Caligula is desirable, if compared with the Miseries of that Land, Where every Man, does that which seems good in his own eyes: So that it is evident that none but Knaves invented, and Fools approve, so Unchristian, Illegal, Unreasonable and Ingrate principles. Sir, this is a peice of Service I owe to my King and Country, however I have resolved to give better Testimonies of the sense I have of my Duty when an occasion shall offer, and till then let me be known by no other Title than that of,
News publick and private explained, the Party in a bad taking. A Man may salva conscientia indulge the flesh a little, so it be done in the fear of God, of protecting Preachers and others. Resistance the Soul of the work. Of Whiggs, Preachers, Packmen, and dealers in books.
I See you have been in the Coffee-House: What News are stirring?
I can hear no good news, the Pillars of the Cause are tottering, our Private News bring no comfort; and what can we expect from the Publick, but matter of grief? Now I fear the Cause will down.
I remember, to have heard the distinction of Publick and Private news ring in the streets, a while ago: But now the import of these terms, as you use them, is almost out of my head.
Private news are these which our correspondents send us exactly Calculated for the Meridian of the True Phanatical Presbyterian, Anti-erastian, Anti-Praelatical party, however dispersed in any place of the Earth: Publick news are these which go abroad Cum Privilegio.
I remember the private news that the City of London, was in Armes, and that the Dutch had joyned with them in Petitioning for a Parliament, that his Royal Highness was fairly repulsed when he came last to London by 50000 Men in Arms, did tickle the Party a little, but methinks, the disappointments they met with should be very insupportable after such hopes: But what private news are now current? Be igenuous.
Not one word of news is stirring, except what is made publici: Our Informers abroad will not send bad, and cannot send good news: And as for affairs here, you see how they go, we have been praying for an English Parliament, but have got no return, neither by Dreams, nor by Ʋrim, nor by Prophets: We are in Sauls condition, before he caused to raise Samuel to him.
Well if you would consult a woman of a familiar Spirit, alias a Witch, as did Saul; you will have less difficulty of finding her, tho a great many of that sort of late, be added to the number of your Martyrs: I must confess you are but in a bad taking, your friends in England do not agree with the air there, but are gone in search of more healthful Climats, and our Kingdoms [Page 2] cold as it is, is too hot for your Polititions here; you have nothing left but a few Tools ready for any work, but none to set them a going; and without being used they will rust and be of no use. I imagine, I hear the Cause at the last gasp complaining, its Votaries are pursued to, and hunted from their last and safest refuge, the Bed-Chambers and Closets of Keeping (I mean protecting) Ladies: They have oftimes given proof of their Manhood there: By their skill at close fighting, as well as Preaching: They are still in Duty one way or other: You know a Preacher, who in a Ladies Family improved that precept, increase and multiply extreamly; and such effect had his Doctrines and Ʋses upon the Ladies Daughter; that it was evident by the fruit his seed had been sown in good ground.
I must interrupt you since it runs in my head; and vindicate that Preacher you speak of; I had the Narration from his own Mouth of that affair: Several of his Majesties Guard having in the night time invaded the Ladies House, in search of my Friend, she for his security, Charitablely did take him to her own Bed, and left him there with her Daughter, while she waited upon the Guard, and had got them dispatched, in the mean time my Friend fell a trembling; and the young Lady his Bedfellow out of Charity, could not but cherish and embrace and such effect had her Embraces, that the temptation grew too strong to be Resisted: Nay he gave me instances of several Saints who had done the like, even while they conversed with none but those in the state of Grace: And yet their Saintship was never called in question: The truth is betwixt you and me (when Scandal can be avoyded) a man may salvâ conscientiâ, indulge the flesh a little that way so it be done in the fear of God, and not with the Daughters of the Land: It is not for the interest of the Cause to deny it.
I love thy Ingenuity; I have heard what strange feats the Cause has done, it has Sanctified greater crimes indeed; have not the worst of Murtherers been reputed Martyrs? Is not Rebellion made the Test of the sincerity of Religion? You know I could give many instances to prove this and much more. Yea Buggery, Bestiality, incest, Adultery, clame interest: In your Cause: But I shall at this time forbear.
I shall let you rail on; but do not you think that Ladies meet with hard Measure to be carryed before Criminal Courts for receipting honest men, who have no other retreat, in time of danger? Is it not Barbarity.
No, I neither think it hard nor Barbarous: For Women are certainly in this case the cause of our ruine, when they Keep Preachers, who Sow poysonous seed in the Land. And if they might plead Impunity because of their Sex, we should never remove the cause of our disturbances, we should never enjoy peace nor tranquility: Your principle of Resistence is so far improved, that the Kings Authority is declined, and a War Proclaimed against him; It is thought Duty at any rate to destroy his Dutiful Subjects; and must Authority tamely suffer Women, to harbour Instruments to put in Execution your bloody designes? This were a Barbarity indeed, but to the Government: Especially when your Murthering Martyrs, have sealed that Principle with their blood, that it is not only Lawful but Duty to Murther his Majesty and all his Servants: A Principle that Humanity, must blush at.
That is but the principle of a few; but may not honest well-meaning Men be protected? Who do not Preach up Resistance, and whose Conscience will not permit them to comply with the times.
Authority Protects honest men; for no honest Man will disobey the Laws of the Land where he lives, and those who obey, their obedience is a surer safeguard, than a Ladies Chamber. Those who are not pleased with our Laws, let them go and search for better elsewhere, or stand to their hazard at home: But the truth is whatever you may pretend Resistance, is the Soul of your whole work, was not your Covenant that Monster of Religion, brought fourth and mantained by Rebelling, was it not nursed with, and yet thirsts after Christian blood? I hope you will acknowledge these things, since they cannot be suspect of falshood: We have learned from the principal Standards of the Party; (who are living instances of his Majesties inclination rather to pardon penitent, than punish obstinate offenders) that the Interest of a few Men of broken Estates and no Conscience. Was the Spring that acted the people as they pleased; but now when the Mobile is left to it self j you [...]e what effects furious Zeal in Conjunction with ignorance hath produced; have not a party of you burnd the Bible, Renounced their Baptisims; committed Adulteries every Man with his Neighbours Wife of late at a Meeting near Borrowstouness, retaining nothing of Saintship but that of having all things Common. But you are not ignorant of hundreds of such instances perhaps not come to my knowledge. Therefore be ingenuous, confess all to be a Cheat, you have an Indulgent Prince: And besides it will be the greatest despight you can do the Devil for frustrating your hopes.
vou mistake me perhaps, and think I will divulge the Secrets of the Saints; Shipwrack my Conscience, lose my inward peace, and Break my Staff of Bread.
I have more Charity than to think it was a principle of Conscience made you Phanatick; I had rather think you Knave than Fool, for Knaves may repent and make amends by their after services to the Government, but little to be for hoped from fools, and the division of the Party in Fools and Knaves is exact: And if (as I must p [...]sume) Interest led you from the way; Let the same [...]otive now bring you back; there are many ways of living honestly, and tho your Gain be less yet your safety will cast the Ballance: You can have no place of retreat now.
I will be so ingenuous as to acknowledge I was never satisfied with the methods taken by the Party, I have told them of their Errors over and over again; but it would do no good: However you must pardon me to think your Complement but very course: And your motives for my return not at all convincing: There are yet places of retreat even at home, but I can live abroad: If one Trade fail me I can fall to another.
I thought you only dealt in Rebellion, (I would have said Religion.) But it seems you deal in other Commodities; pray inform me further.
It is true, the propa [...]tion of Religion is the end I aim at, but I use not alwayes the same means: In Scotland I am Preacher, in England Pedler, in Holland I deal in Books.
How much pains are you at, to do the Devils business; to raise a flame to consume three Kingdoms; He dilate you to his Majesties Advocate as an Incendiary a Wilful fire raser.
Then to be alike with you, I shall dilate you at our next publick Meeting as an Incorrigable Enemy to God and his Cause; and as a person not worthy to live. This will be Sentence of Death without further proof than my assertion; and when ever occasion offers none of the Party will think it below him to be your Executioner, for this Crime. And tho you should dilate me, your Evidence wil, be no proof.
You talk so [...]aturally of Evidence, that I believe you would make a Swingeing witness if Occasion offer, and this would be another means to promote the Cause: But now I must be going, and if you will meet me here again to Morrow, we shall talk further of affairs.
Ile not fail to meet you.