THe Worthy Author, that he might not seem a Plagiary, doth with much modesty call his Book, The Rehearsal, willing to inti­mate, that, what-ever may be accounted any thing in it, was taken from others; and that he may more particularly own whence he receiv'd all his Flowers [Page 2] (excepting what he calls the Rap­ping-flower) he lets it still keep the old name of the Farce. So that a Rehearsal it is, and more than so, Transpros'd. If you ask why Transpros'd? I say in his behalf he did it like a Prince, to shew the Authority he had to mint words, and with an Or, to shew what this must pass for. But you will say, why doth he then discourage Kings from the like Sovereignty? If you know not that, you are not fit to talk with a Senator. It was that he might enjoy the whole peculiar Jurisdiction to himself; just as the man disswaded his rich neigh­bours from the Sin of Vsury, that he might have the sole Trade of Extortion. He is so kind, as to [Page 3] bestow the Impression on the Assigns of Iohn Calvin and Theo­dore Beza. It is a valuable Gift, and will bring good profit, as other Books which are written against Government, or printed in a Corner. I hope the Assigns of these first Fathers of the Church are not Ministers, if they be, Happy had it been for the Nation, happy for themselves if they had never been so enriched, seeing he observes so many mis­chiefs that happen by reason of the flourishing condition of Church-men. But he meant it kindly, and has thanks due for his bounty, the more because he is not wholly of their Church: yet is he not at all of that Church which was Mother to Sibthorp [Page 4] and Mainwaring. Now that the Assigns may have sale for the Book, these are to give notice that you may buy it at the Sign of the Kings Indulgence. What! do you not understand him? you look as strange and simply, as if he had told you of the sign of the Counter-Tenor-Voice, or of the Noise in the Air: whereas the Sign is a fair double Sign: The Indulgence is a sign of the Kings Goodness, more than their deserts. It was a conjectural Sign too, of what would follow, to wit, Preaching and Praying against the established Church, though this was strictly forbidden. Up­on the same Sign-post is drawn the Posture of a Garrison almost forced to a surrendry; at last ob­training [Page 5] a Cessation of Arms, and in that time fitting it self to repel the Besiegers. The sign is large, and hath more than that in the Strand containing the several Coats of the 13 Cantons of Swit­zerland. But still you are never the better, except you know at what Market Town this new Sign is hung up. It is on the South side of the Lake Lemane: the Town is better known by the Name of Pure Geneva.

But now I have told you, it is ten to one against you, that you find it not. It is like Delos, a pretty spot of floating Ground, only it is not so bold as that, to lanch out into the Deep; but like a little sneaking By-lander, it creeps [Page 6] and coasts about the Shore of the Lake; now it is South, but by then as you can read about 50 Pages of the Rehearsal, Whip, it's got to the West side of the Lemane; but the next time we take it there, we will get an Archimedes, or some Cunning Man, to remove and fix it on the South. Still I am glad to hear the Kings Indulgence is at Geneva, for then his Supre­macy must be in the same place: and who knows but his best Sub­jects may do what the rest can­not, and prevail with their Dear Brethren: but the Project is not worth pursuing, 'tis a bad Air for Kings, and would kill them sooner than the infamous Hun­dreds, or Sheerness. But if Mo­narchie cannot have health, yet [Page 7] Indulgence surely will make a good shift among them, 'tis not to be doubted. They will indulge themselves, and all others who profess the single and onely Re­ligion of their City; but no other can be suffered to be believed and discoursed; for they look upon themselves as the True Protestant Dominicans, and as the Popish part of that Order have by an old Pre­scription the principal Power of the Inquisition, by the same right doth the other exercise this Authority over all within their reach, who believe not that Pres­bytery is the Government, that the Pope is the Antichrist, and that a Man is almost no Man.

They can further justifie them­selves by their own great Princi­ple, [Page 8] and affirm that they ought not to shew any favour to dif­fering Opinions, no though the doubting Persons should come both to their Churches and Sa­craments. This befitting Gen­tleness is called a halting betwixt God and Baal; a cursed Neutra­lity, a Laodicean Luke-warm­ness, and far from an Ardent Zeal for the Cause of God. The Reason upon which they pro­ceed so, is this; Religion, which is an imitation of Him whom they profess to worship, requires that they should make their De­crees against men in such a man­ner as the Dominicans and they do (much what alike,) believe that God enacts in the Case of Absolute Reprobation: which Sanction is [Page 9] so farr from any Tenderness or Indulgence, that Calvin himself calls his own Doctrine in this Article, The Horrid Decree. But I had almost forgot one Piece of Toleration, which the Rehearser and others report; Though there is no Toleration in the Genevian Church, yet after Church time on Sundays, they tolerate Sports. This Liberty is not (I suppose) desi­red by the Indulged; no, they have more Loyalty sure; they have heard it Preached, that it was the Wicked Book of Sports (not a word of Rump and Army) that brought the King to the Block. As for Geneva, had it not been that Democracie both in Church and State had made some a­mends, you had been told ere [Page 10] now that it tumbled into the Lemane Lake, or that it had been destroyed like Sodom and Gomor­rah. By this time, without doubt, you have enough for a Title Page, now make room for the Rehear­sal or Animadversions.

The Book begins like a Course of University-Studies, with Lo­gick, and before he hath done, you will find him as Universally learned as the Renowned Knight in our English Poet.

You have Page 1. a Dilemma against the Preface for being writ­ten after Declaration that he would write no more. Now a Dilemma is otherwise called, A two-horned Argument; whereas most men would have believed [Page 11] that he could have made neither two horns nor one, since he left the Colledge, but here they are; Beware of a cu [...]s'd Ox, though his horns be short. It had been un­mannerly and false to call so great a Master of Wit a Bull. Now you wi [...]h your Preface look to your self, What can you say in your own defence? Do you plead with the Casuists, that any man may dispense with his own Promise, where the Non-perfor­mance prejudices no one? Accor­ding to this Rule you are gone, for by writing again, you have offended the sweet-temper'd Au­thor of Evangelical Love. You have affronted Atheism, which is accounted by Ricaut a considera­ble Sect amongst the fatal Turks, [Page 12] and which in this Town, under the like Patronage of Leviathan and Absolute Necessity, is not of a despicable strength. But this is not all; You have hereby pro­vok'd my Author to waste much precious time in an Answer: For he like the Humorous Lieutenant, was taken up in great and Im­portant Affairs of State: The Parliament may sit in February, and then the GOOD OLD CAUSE, and The Work of all the Faithful in the Land, require his Counsel in Cabals, and his Spee­ches in Publick, as the most sufficient States-man and exact Orator that their Party does af­ford. Now would it not vex a man to be thus unseasonably di­verted from the weightiest Busi­ness [Page 13] of this Nation, and of one or two besides? Certainly he has cause [...]o complain in the words of his Old Masters Wife, after the death of her Husband, That the burden of three Common-wealths lies upon those shoulders.

I hope, Sir, he hath paid you off with his Logick; and to shew you that he is good at more Wea­pons than one, have at you with his Chronology. Page 5. The Press, that Villanous Engine, in­vented much about the same time with the Reformation. I suppose by his former kindness, that he intends the Honour of the Refor­mation for Mr. Calvin, who is placed in the Tables of Chronology to the Year 1550, and the Press was invented 1440; a Villanous [Page 14] Engine, that it should be so much before the Reformer. Now, though we had but few hun­dreds to turn in, we shou'd have brought Press and Reformation nearer together than, as at present they stand, 1 [...]0 years distant; but for one sinister Accident, had not that hindred, the Refor­mation should have been attribu­ted to Luther; who, though he still took his Commons in a Mo­nastery, wrote against Indulgen­ces in the Year 1517. Let not the weak Brethren mistake, as if he had been a Persecutor of the Sober Party: it was only against the Popes Indulgence, which was a sort of good natur'd Liberty of Conscience for men to sin Scot-free, paying only for it a small [Page 15] Rent of Acknowledgment to his Holiness. That which must for ever exclude Luther from this glo­rious Title of Reformer, is, That he was not contented, Page 295. with three Ceremonies, but he had the Table se [...] Altar-wise, and to be called an Altar, Candles, Crucifixes, Paintings, &c. so that Calvin is your Man, so useful an Instru­ment that I could wish, for the sake of my Author, he had been heard of but one hundred years sooner. But if you make the worst of it, what signifies this in comparison of so many thousands as the World is old: and if you set it over against Eternity, he is not so much as one moment out in his Computation. But since this Chronology is a dry Study, [Page 16] and Printing very laborious, he makes a facetious transition from the Printing Press to the Wine Press.

If his thirsty Wit be so pretty, what may we expect from his new Wine? Here it comes, Page 64. He was the Cock Divine and Cock-Wit, and walked among the Hens. Oh how I love to see much made of a little! Some pretending Wits are so lazy that they will take no pains with a Joke, except it will come easily they let it alone; they, like un­skilful Carvers of a Calfs head, cannot find the best bits; but our Author rather than miss any, will break his own brain. He is in splitting Jests as famous as those celebrated men in their se­veral [Page 17] Professions, of whom one is called Doctor Tear-Text, the other the Pick-Lock of the Law.

Another Piece of the same Wit, is Page 10. where he tells us of contrary Assignations, where the Phansie is up and Breeches down; with the rest, of which Modesty forbids to make a Rehearsal, his excuse must be that of Hilkiah the Quaker for his plain Song of Window-woing, He said it when the vain Spirit was upon him. What­ever he says ill now, he recants Page 65. He declares that he does not hear for all this, that he practised upon the Honour of Ladies. This is very charitable and true: but if this accusation had been just, the candor of the Vindication had been wonderful. The jealous [Page 18] Fellow in Green-street was not so favourable to the Blew-Gown, whom he caught in that Posture with his Wife; for like an ill-bred Clown he used him unto­wardly, and so that it is a shame to tell. Thus far my Author hath shewed a kind of Apotheg­matical short Wit; now to shew that he can offer somewhat more stately and large, he performs the fear of Aristotle's Rarefaction, that is, he gives you much of exten­sion upon a little of matter. He takes but two letters I. O. and with these alone he writes from Page 80. to 91. Never did Bow-Bells ring more Changes than these well tuned two. Say but what you would have, and here it is. I. O. is a Talisman, though [Page 19] the Owner thereof is neither Conjurer nor Cunning Gipsie; I. O. is Paean, Daughter of Inachus, Iudicious, Iealous, Oraculous, Obscure. This is an Abridge­ment of the Design carried on through 10 Pages, excepting some stragling digressions, One is his advice to the Alphabet to fetch a Warrant from Justice Bales against the Prefacer. I think he had better advised them to another, except they meet with his Clerk at home, for since the Justice left practising Law, he hath almost quite forgot these Clients. Further, If this Alpha­bet should joyn its whole stock and lay it out to most advantage, it can only give words, which is the same as to deceive: besides [Page 20] that, at the best, bare words are but slender pay for a Suburb-Justice. When all is done, it is (methinks) a dishonourable and cowardly trick for four and twen­ty to swear the Peace against one, and to desire to have a man bound who wears no Sword. The Letters, I am sure, had more courage in the Roman Empire: A few of them is those days put Augustus to flight, though he was one of the most victorious Emperours that the World ever saw. It shews a strange degene­racie, and is of ill consequence; for if the Letters are so timorous, they may in time shun the ac­quaintance of my worthy Au­thor; but they have not served him so yet; for in stead hereof [Page 21] they have furnished him with some words which are so much his Propriety, that no man hath been acquainted with them be­sides himself; they are great ra­rities every where but with him: I will give you some of them, Super-inducing Ornaments, Page 40. Vnhoopable Iurisdiction, 246. Pick-thankness of the Clergy, 284.

I have not yet sufficiently ad­mired his mighty Parts, how wonderfully they lie towards Amplifications. A necessary Fi­gure if a man were to manage a Parliamentary debate till three in the After-noon, in spight to a Dinner bespoke at the Cock or Quakers: for by making sure of two ribs of cold Mutton, and a Speech measur'd by a Brewers [Page 22] Glass, you may perform won­ders, and earn a Congregational Supper. He who is now Re­hearser of the Farce, anon of the Close Committee, and, for length-sake of himself again, is as tough and lasting as a Stone-horse in a race; yet I have heard those who use the Newmarket-Course say that the Colingwood-Gelding would hold it out to the end as true as the best. This Gentleman formerly lov'd the sport, and thereupon I hope he will not count it an impertinent Tale Another Excellency or Flower in his Book, is a particu­lar happiness in synonymous Ex­pressions. As for example, Pag. 18. I knew but lately, and now learn, the sense of this, if any, is, that [Page 23] his knowledge is such, of which Metaphysicks speak, wherein past and present is all one, but they except his, and tell us that this sort of knowledege [...] only to the [...] [...]; or else the meaning is, that his Knowledge and Learning are two things. In this our Au­thor was very lucky, but quickly you shall se [...] him in full triumph, having utterly routed his Adver­sary Page 50. what a Bramble that had Agents abroad and an Indefatigable Bramble, who ever heard the like? for my part not I, excepting once, and that was in an old Piece, called the Book of Iudges, where one Iothum speaks of a Pragmatical Fellow, by name Abimelech, whom he repre­sents [Page 24] to be a Bramble, and brings in this Bramble making a Speech; now that he was an indefatigable Bramble, will appear if you can but meet with the Book. I have heard Hugh Peters preach in Noll's days at Cambridge upon this Parable, endeavouring to prove that the the Bramble-Govern­ment was better then none at all. I begin to think that you are alike displeased with the Comparison in both places. It may be you are no friend to Iotham the right­ful King of Sechem, but rather have an honour for the memo­ry of Abimelech the Usurper.

What if your Adversary should find a patch'd hole about you? Page 49. You must be conjured upon the Stage as oft as Mr. Bays will [Page 25] ferret you. This one line has Witchcraft, Play-houses and catching of Rappads. O de­lightful variety, how soon he changes scents and hunts a fresh Metaphor! There shall be no Conjuring Shows (fear not) at the Play-house, if the Devil can hinder; lest one of the Poets should be perswaded that there are Spirits. But still Mr. Bays will be a Ferret, for he bites keen­ly: what will you then make of your self, one that mumps with a pretty seeming Innocence, yet scratches and undermines the Ground on which we tread? Well, now you had best carry the War into the Enemies Country, and assault the Town at the Le­mane Lake. This Town surely [Page 26] was design'd for more Contro­versies, besides those in Religion and Government: it is strange that it should set men together by th' ears about its scituation; that this Contention, like the Leprosie' crept into the Walls, should infect the very Geogra­phical Charts, you may see them divided like Hostile Sails, some standing Southerly, and others West and by North. But if the old Report of Atlas be true, that he holds the World to rights, this Geneva stands to the South of the Lake.

If you ask who this Atlas is, know that he speaks English, and discourses particularly of the Le­mane Lake, and taught Heylin his skill; he hath been shewn [Page 27] publickly by Mercator, and is still to be seen at Moxon's. I know some Arbitrators who would serve you in this Contro­versie, and award that the Trans­proser should place it on what side the Lake he pleases, provi­ded that he do not Trans— it to this side of our Herring-pool. My Author next presents you with his skill in Anatomy, which, with great pain, he learned at the Uni­versity: Page 50, 51. Smiling and frowning are performed in the face with the same Muscles, very little al­tered. If this should prove false, he is to be excus'd, seeing he meant it for a good comparison, which, except you be charitable, will be quite spoil'd; it may be his Muscles are quite different [Page 28] other mens, he being an extraor­dinary production of Nature, who, as appears by his Book, smiles and frowns in such quick interchanges, that for more expe­dition, the same instruments were made on purpose for him to serve both uses: but he seems to say it of the Adversary, who, notwithstanding the strange Bill of Fare brought in for him, has a Face like other men, and (I be­lieve) just such Muscles. In short then the mistake is this. He had read of the Muscles of the temples descending down to the lower Jaw, and there giving motion. He had likewise read in the La­tine Poets the two words for Temples and Fore-head us'd often promiscuously, as Raphe [Page 29] and Ralpho for the Verse sake; but he never consider'd that A­natomy was more distinct than Poetry; and that the fore-head had Muscles of its own, where­by we frown at pleasure, and that these end in the eye-brows. For all this the Gentleman is not dis­countenanc'd, but he gives ano­trial of Anatomical knowledge, Page 67. his Cerebellum was so dried up, that there was more brains in a Wallnut, and both their shells were thin and brittle; here the Ce­rebellum and the shell of the Wall­nut are compar'd: it is likely he means it of a Wallnut not yet fit to gather, then it is green and un­ripe, and such, as he would per­swade, is the head of his Adversa­ry; but it had been more ac­cording [Page 30] to Art, to have made the resemblance betwixt the Cerebel­lum and the Kernel, save only that the Cerebellum is much the softer substance, but agrees in this, that it is covered like the Kernel; but since he is displeased with the thin shell about the Brain, which I thought had been a sign of a good Head, as it is of a good Nut; I with him much joy of a thick Scull. The Author, being aware that the Cerebellum was empty, raises the Hypochondria Page 50. into the Region of the Brain. Beware, Sir, left some Quibler and Anatomist, like one you know, shall say, that he has then guts in his Brains: a Proverb ex­pressing a Man of Wit and Parts. I shou'd propound another con­siderable [Page 31] Instance of your Learn­ing, but that I am afraid of set­ting the Anti-Mathematician on your back. I will only give such a hint as you and I and no other can understand. You re­member the Square-Cap, Colledge-Quadrangle, Round World, and Qua­drature of Circle. How would Mr. Hobbs take it, to be thus robb'd of his late Glorious At­chievements, that an Vniversity Capper, or any idle Fellow that turns or drinks about till the ground runs round with him, shou'd, as truly as he, discover the Quadrature of the Circle.

Next come your Reports out of History, which are choice like your new-found words, Page [Page 32] 123. Julian himself, who I think was first a Reader, and held forth in the Christian Churches, before he turned Apostate, &c. Well, Sir, if you miscarry in History, as you had a casual slip in Anatomy, I would advise you to renounce the use of all in Writing, except Phansie and Censure. It might be doubted, whether Iulian were a Reader in the Church: Socrates Scholasti [...]us says he was design'd; Sozomen, that he was judged fit; though Theodoret affirms, that he did publickly Read the Scri­ptures; but except this be preach­ing and holding forth, which cer­tainly will not pass with you for a Sermon, Iulian was never a Holder-forth. To be a Reader as he was, is no more than to be a [Page 33] Lay-Clerk in a Cathedral. The business of Preaching was scarce permitted to Priests in the Primi­tive Church; for though we find that the Readers at Alexandria did Interpret, that is, Translate to them the Scripture; yet the Hi­storian who relates this, to wit, Socrates, adds that Arius was the first Priest who did ever in that City preach to the Assemblies of Christians: but it may be Iulian did it in the Independent way, as a Gifted-Brother, and that would please your Client I. O. or else as a Reader, he was of the Cler­gie, and in Holy Order, and there­by you gratifie the Papists. It will do good service which way so ere it falls, seeing both of them oppose the Common Enemy; [Page 34] the Church of England. But if you could place this Iulian in some Cure of Souls, and had once discovered that he was ei­ther Parson or Vicar, you wou'd easily conclude that he did Hold­forth. You may conclude that you have done the business by the authority of Ammianus Mar­cellinus, who in his 22. Book ha­ving spoken of the Christians immediately before, adds, Iulia­nus quinetiam Exvicario earundem partium nimius fautor, &c. which you thus construed, Iulian from being a Vicar, became too great a Favourer of that Party. O brave Merry Andrew! this i'le warrant it pleases you. But what pity it is, in that Age of the Church there were neither Vicaridges, [Page 35] nor Impropriations. And fur­ther, this Iulian was not the Apo­state, but a Deputy under Con­stantius, turn'd out by Iulian the Emperour, as is signified by Ex­vicario, which word is by Marcel­linus barbarously set as the No­minative in apposition to Iulia­nus; as is evident in the next line, where he calls Artemias the Ex­duce Egypti: so that he seems to have learned his Accidence, but not Grammar; he thinks that where-ever he meets with the Preposition Ex, the next Nown, though part of the same word, must always be the Ablative Case. But I am now quite tir'd with these petty Criticisms, so that for your farther satisfaction in the Grammatical part I refer, [Page 36] you next see him, to blind M. who teaches School about M [...]re-fields. What think you of this sorry Latinist, Marcellinus? was he not fit to have serv'd as La­tine Secretary about those Times when the Super-Reformists inten­ded to have made Masters and Fellows of Colledges like Reformed Officers? when the Gustices (with a G) of B—shire set their marks to a Petition for suppressing Uni­versities; doubtless at that time when Latine was the Language of the Beast, he might have kept in Office, because what he wrote differ'd much from what the Beast bellow'd.

If you are not weary of hear­ing, he shall present you with more History; Page 204. He [Page 37] would not, as Heliodorus Bishop of Trissa, I take it, that renounced his Bishoprick rather than his Title to the History of Theagenes and Chari­clea. If you dare believe a faith­ful Historian, ancienter than any who affirms the contrary, the Author of the Aethiopicks or the History of Theagenes and Chari­clea was not Heliodorus, but Theo­dorus, not a Bishop, but at large a Clergy-man, which by his Tran­slator is rendred a Priest, not of Trissa but of Triva; this account is given by Socrates, but he says not a word of his renouncing his Office in the Church: He only notes that he was the Ring-leader of that peculiar Custom in Thes­saly that Priests should renounce their wives. The first, who af­firmed [Page 38] that he preferred his Book above his Clergy, was the fabulous Nicephorus; one, who when he does not steal, invents either gross scandals, or feign'd Miracles: so that you may put up your Trumpery, this Ware will not pass, except with those who endure not to read the Hi­story of the Primitive Church, because it is so unlike their own, however it will make chat a­mong the Brotherhood. Iulian the Apostate, formerly a Prea­cher of a National Church, ex­chang'd his Faith for Idolatry; and Bishop Heliodore chose ra­ther to be silenc'd, than condemn his vain and frothy Romance. But you afford your Friends bet­ter entertainment in pointing at [Page 39] some of the Church of England lately dead, as if they were Po­pishly affected. He who begs the Requiem, had good cause, it seems, to bespeak the favour, that his memory might be bles­sed, as 'tis hoped he is, and that his good name might be at rest as well as his body: for you have laid the greatest blemish in the World on him, that he should accuse a Church of Schism be­fore God, and still live in the Communion and Ministery of the same; it had been better that you had writ his own words im­mediately from his Book; he says it with an If, &c. which he endea­vours to disprove to be the reason of the Separation; your leaving out the supposition, and affirm­ing [Page 40] it as an absolute assertion, inverts his meaning utterly, so that the accusation is like that of Serapion to St. Chrysostom against Severianus, for saying that Christ was never incarnate: whereas his words were, that if Severia­nus died a Christian, Christ was never incarnate.

But something is the matter that he is so offended with these Episcopal men: he tells you Page 209. It's a shame they shou'd keep such a pudder for symbolical Ce­remonies. He cou'd have endured if they had signified nothing, for then they had been like his wri­ting against them. O but they are made Sacraments, says he, yet he affirms not that any pre­tend in their behalf, eiher a be­stowal [Page 41] of Grace, or a Divine Institution: So that it is not the Church but he that makes them Sacraments; and on such terms he needs not quarrel with the 7 Sacraments, but may multiply them to 77. He wou'd have it be in the Church as of late in the Commonwealth, that those who are placed in subjection might chuse whether they will obey or not. I doubt if he might have a Child, he wou'd not reckon it his duty to yield to the Tender weak one, when his Commands are disputed, of how small moment or indifferency soever they be in themselves. Let me advise him as Lycurgus did the Petitioner for Democracy in Spar­ta, to practise it first in his own [Page 42] Family. Thus he takes away all Power in the Church, even in the least things, not leaving as much as any petty Corporation enjoys, to make By-Laws not contradi­ctory to the Publick; no, in this the thing is uncapable, and in others the persons are.

Page 300 he whispers though he looks another way, That the Clergy are not so well fitted as others by education for Political Affairs. I confess indeed, they want one or two pieces of fitness with which this Gentleman is plentifully fur­nish'd, Ambition and Conceited­ness of Sufficiency. But as to the rest, it may be said, that there were no notorious Misfortunes that in former Ages befel their State-Ministeries; they have been [Page 43] both imploy'd and approv'd by the wisest Princes in Christen­dom at their Council-Boards, and in weighty Embassies; and at this day it cannot be percei­ved that the Order, either by Natural Endowments, or Edu­cation, is more uncapable than their Predecessors. But now he is making his approaches to fall upon the Government of King Charles I. and according to old Custom, the Guard of Church­men must feel the first blows. How unfortunate on Earth still is this blessed ROYAL MAR­TYR? that when his Enemies are forgiven, he cannot from them obtain a pardon for his Innocence, though he sought and di'd for Religion and Liberty of his Subjects, [Page 44] yet to depose and murder him again his Rebells deprive him of this glory of his present Crown. Now, Sir, you shall excuse me, if I can­not so smoothly pass over your want of due Loyaly, as I have your mistaken well wishes to Learning.

Before he comes to his Apo­logy for the Rebellion, he begins to throw dirt at the most resolute opposer of its contrivance, the truly Great and Worthy Arch­bishop LAUD: Pag 301 Though so learned, so pious, so wise a Man, he seemed to know nothing beyond Ceremonies, Arminianism, and Man­waring. Dull and unmannerly! Does it (think you) become the Son of Vicar to prate thus of an Archbishop? 'tis done like a [Page 45] Ianizary, who though he be the Son of a Christian, is the worst Enemy to the Profession. Is this your Complement, to em­brace him, that you may stab him? Is it your Protection for railing whole Pages, that you Preface the Libel with his just Titles of Pious, Learned, and Wise? Do you think the World so dim-sighted, that they cannot discern what is under so thin a Veil? Such as you, have need of a good memory; for your little cunning and pernicious malice put you upon flat contradictions in the same period. Though he was Pious, Learned, and Wise, yet he seem'd to understand nothing beyond Ceremonies, &c. What, nothing more! seemed he to [Page 46] know nothing of the Primitive Religion Restor'd? Nothing how to root out, both by Disputation and Discipline, the abuses and en­croachments of the Church of Rome? was he ignorant of these, or is all this nothing? He knew too the dangerous Correspondence between the seditious Projectors of a War at home, and in Scot­land: to this Design he put a stop, and had, if others would have done their parts, put a hap­py end.

Another of your Inconsisten­cies is, Page 301. I am confident the Bishop studied to do both God and his Majesty good service: yet p. 302. resolv'd what ever came on't to make the best of him. Though you change the number, yet the [Page 47] whole process of the Discourse convinces, that the Archbishop is not excepted. How do these agree? to study to do his Majesty good service, and to resolve what e're came on't, whether to his advantage or not, to be gainers, and make the best of him. No such matter. He was assur'd that the advice which he and the Noblest Temporal Lords gave the King, was for the inte­rest of Religion and Peace. And he was in like manner sensible, that thereby he did expose him­self to a storm, foretelling his Friends that he saw it hanging over his head. You know not what it is to serve your Prince for Conscience-sake, nor what unde­signing Generosity lodg'd in his [Page 48] brest, who could propound no greater reward to himself, than the satisfaction of doing his duty aright. To make the best of a Master, is a Character better be­fitting a little Fellow, who had formerly been a whissling Clerk to a Vsurper, and afterwards turn'd Broker for all Phanatick Ware. Now you come closer to the Point, and begin the War again with a Declaration of the Causes drawn with as much ten­derness as if it had been penn'd by a Committee of the Long Parlia­ment; having first imposed silence on those who renew the memory of what hath been done against the Old King, you will have the Case argu'd only in behalf of his Enemies. What is this but [Page 49] to muzzle the Dogs while the Wolfs do range? Would you have the Indictment confessed by standing MUTE, when as the Witnesses are the only Malefactours? Your account of the Original of the War which was lately, is (there­by) known to be untrue: how­ever you deserve a salary from the Impenitent Rout of Sequestrators and Army-Officers. Alack, Dear Hearts! Harmless Good men! they wou'd not háve wrong'd a Worm with their good will! they had never lift up a hand against the King, or injur'd any of his Friends to the value of an English Penny, but that they were con­strain'd to do what they did, or else lose their Religion and Li­berty! So that henceforth they [Page 50] ought not to be troubl'd, for the Act of Indemnity has acquit them from punishment, and the Re­hearsal, has absolv'd them from suspition of Guilt: This is the certain meaning of that slie insinuation, Page 303. Whether it were a War of Religion or of Li­berty, is not worth the labour to en­quire, which soever was at the top, the other was at the bottom. Now let his Party get this Clause with­out Book, and by Authority hereof, boldly to the very teeth call all the Old Royalists Figh­ters against God, Plotters against Publick Wellfare, and undeser­ving of that which they endea­vour'd to overthrow; but if they will please in this accusa­tion to pass by the Chief person [Page 51] that ever appeared in Arms a­gainst them, they expect to have the Civility acknowledg'd by his Heir. But it may be thought perhaps that I am too severe and uncharitable to the Author, and put too harsh a sense upon his words: as if he were an Advo­cate, when he only plays the Hi­storian; that he only tells us their pretences, not as if they were just grounds: or that he defends these things as a good Cause of War. 'Tis true indeed, he says only, that it was too good a Cause to be fought for. Now, according to Natural Logick, whatsoever is too good, is good enough, and more to spare. As if I should say of the Transproser, in the course way of speaking [Page 52] wherein he treats others, that he was too much a Knave to be trusted with any Office in the Kingdom; this would include that he was Knave enough.

Now we speak of imploy­ment in the Commonwealth, he is sure to be excluded from many places, for refusing to declare that it is not lawful upon any cause what­soever (yea, though it be too good a cause) to take up Arms against the King. But to sweeten the harshness of what he last gave, he adds, the Arms of the Church are Prayers and Tears; It is true indeed, but the Adversaries of the Church have other Arms, yet they use the saying to good purpose, and sing this in mens ears till they have lull'd them asleep; [Page 53] where they intend to make an an onset. It hath been observ'd that this very sentence was the subject of a Papist's Book in Q. Elizabeths reign, to make the Governours more secure, whilst they were restless. Yet this Au­thor pretends so much respect to Government, that he fairly warns Princes of the danger which may ensue again, if they invade Religion and Liberty. Page 304. The fatal Consequences of that Rebellion can only serve as Sea-marks unto wise Princes to avoid the Causes. It only serves for Princes, he was not sensible that the People were losers. For his own part he does not find that he had cause then to complain, but as for Princes, to them they [Page 54] stand as Sea-marks, they shew that if they touch there abouts. they shall be split as sure as if they dasht upon a Rock: as they love themselves, let them avoid giving the People these Causes of a War. What if they will not take fair warning? why then they must take what comes. How much better might he have assign'd, as the cause of the War, A wanton Pride of the People, bred out of Prosperity and long ease, infected with a touch of Le­velling Principles, deriv'd over to their Politicks from the New Models of Church Government. He might farther have demon­strated, that these materials were wrought by Aemulation and Co­vetousness. Not forgetting that [Page 55] some Grandees ordered the Puri­tan Lecturers, like Apothecaries, to make up, according to their prescriptions, a Bolus with some counterfeit drops of Gods Glory, that the Well-meaning multitude might more glibly swallow the Poison.

I have now upon the matter done with you: Let me only advise you as a Friend, suddenly to clap up a Peace with the Go­vernment upon this single Arti­cle, that neither might suffer by the other. As to what you have wrote against the Author of the Preface, the most part has either been answered to your Principal I. O. or else needs none. Or if it seem so to require, it carries a solution near the difficulty. What [Page 56] you object against the Church of England, is Rehearsal; and as it hath been repeated oft by several, so has it been oftner confuted.

Let me leave you with a pas­sage in History, and the conside­ration in how many Circum­stances this is, and may be your case. The short of it is thus; Eutropius the Eunuch was a busie Solicitor with the Civil Magi­stracy, to have a Law made a­gainst the Priviledges and Power of the Church, not long after it happen'd that he was utterly ruin'd by the very same contri­vance, which his malice against Ecclesiastical Politie had framed.