§ 1. WHat you foretold, and I expected, is come to pass; our zealous Brethren are angry at me. A sad dis­appointment this! When 'tis so obvi­ous, I design'd to court and flatter their Holiness. But it seems 'tis no less difficult to oblige than to convince them: They are proof against soft and friendly Counsels, as well as rough and impar­tial [Page 4] Satyrs. They are (like the great Fabricius) neither to be caress't, nor to be vanquish't: Their Resolutions are invincible. Nor force nor flattery can make impression upon such constant and unyielding Tempers. They are all Anvil and Adamant. Their minds are not so sheepish as to be wheedled, or so fickle as to be argued out of their Eternal Principles. Attempt fu­gitive and unsetled Spirits; but their constancy is impregnable. 'Tis not an hu­mane Enterprise to shake the Vigour of their minds. Their hearts are of a true Roman Composition, neither to be broke, nor to be softned.

So stubborn a thing is holy Zeal when blended with spiritual Pride, it quickly eats out all sense of common Modesty and Ingenuity, it hardens every prejudice in­to flat presumption, and steels the Under­standing against all the force and power of Conviction; so that you can neither soften it into any pliable temper by gen­tle Reproofs, or hammer it to an inge­nuous attention by hard Arguments. 'Tis shameless and impudent, and can outface all the confidence of Truth, and all the evidence of Demonstration. It was this that sear'd the Consciences of [Page 5] the Scribes and Pharisees of old, against the force of Miracles, and the feats of Omnipotence, and made their Errors in­curable, and their Reformation despe­rate; they would rather choose to de­fie and blaspheme the most undeniable Effects of Almighty Power, than be prevailed upon so much as to suspect their own Hypocrisie.

And this is the bloated Complexi­on of our Modern Pharisees, they are puft up with windy conceits of their own dear Sanctity, their fancies are ena­mour'd of themselves, and ravisht with gay reflections upon their own beauty and bravery, and Saintship; and are sa­tisfied with a fair opinion of their own way and Party, and admire them as the most splendid and gorgeous sect of Professors, and appropriate to them all the titles of a more choice and illustri­ous Godliness. And whilst they stroak and applaud themselves as the peculiar darlings of Heaven, and keep their habi­tation in the Clouds; with what con­tempt do they look down upon the resi­due of Mankind, and disdain all out of their own Herd as Carnal Gospellers, and Formal Professors? and if they will allow us the titles of Civil and Moral [Page 6] men, they will not endure that any but themselves should pretend acquaintance with the great and spiritual Mysteries of the Gospel. This affords them that plea­sing satisfaction of sawcy and ill-natu­red Comparisons; this raises them to some advantage and preheminence above their Betters; every mean Fellow may be enabled, through Mercy, to fancy himself a better man than his Governors; and a Begger that has Grace, may think with­in, that he ought to take the wall of a Gentleman that is unregenerate; and how luscious is it to Clowns and rude Mechanicks to look upon their Superi­ours with pity and disdain? For no pas­sion is either so natural or so pleasing to Mankind, as Pride and Self-conceited­ness; and every man would have some­thing to swell himself up in his own Opi­nion, and to enable him to scorn and trample upon his Neighbours. And therefore those People that can never pretend to any other Abilities to [...]eed this Humour, can easily support it by Singu­larities and Affectations in Religion: And he that neither is nor can be ho­nourable, nor beautiful, nor witty, nor learned, can easily be Religious; and when he pretends to be so, with what [Page 7] Confidence may he despise all those other Accomplishments that he can never have? With what a scornful state shall some su­percilious Saints trample upon all the great and all the learned men in the World? And with what Disdain shall they look down from aloft (as they conceit, like La­zarus from Abraham's Bosom) upon these reprobate and unregenerate Wretches?

§. 2. And now when haughty men are thus bravely perch't and plumed in their own Conceits, is it (think you) an easie task to strip them of so fair a disguise, and to take them down to the pitch of ordinary Mortals? For suppose it your own case, that you sate at ease in a fair Opinion of your own high Attainments in the ways of Godliness, and had long lull'd your self up in a pleasant security of your special Inte­rest in the love and favour of God: would you take it well to be rudely a­wakened out of this transporting dream? Would it much edifie with you to be roundly told, that you befool your self? How would you stomach a smart reproof? How would it sting and in­rage, and grate upon your soul? And with what Impatience would you swag­ger [Page 8] at the Man that should dare to im­peach you of Hypocrisie? You would infinitely disdain his Presumption, and hardly ever after vouchsafe him good look or kind thought. What greater displeasure can you possibly do a man, then to rob him of his self-complacen­cy? Or what complacency so delight­ful as that which springs from spiritual Pride? No sensual delight so charming as its gratifications, 'tis the strongest and the most impetuous appetite of hu­mane nature: so that to be defeated of such an infinite satisfaction, is a disap­pointment neither to be pardoned nor to be endured. And therefore wonder not to see some men so tender and im­patient of Reproof, because there is no reproach so upbraiding to Pride as Cor­rection, nor any Pride so incorrigible as that of Religion. This Vice has been the bane and dishonour of all Instituti­ons in the World, and is the only es­sential Ingredient of the Hypocrisie of all Ages.

And the truth is, if we consider how incident and delightful this vanity is to humane nature, how difficult for a wise man to escape its smooth and pleasant temptations, how secret and undis­cernable [Page 9] its workings, how incurious most men are of the inward thoughts of their minds, and how unacquainted with the first springs and motives of their Acti­ons: If, I say, we consider all this, 'tis no wonder they should be so easily intoxi­cated with this sweet and luscious poi­son; and when it has conveyed it self into all the Recesses of their Souls, sei­sed on all their Powers, infected their best and purest Thoughts, and swoln up even their Zeal into vanity and ostentati­on, 'tis a less wonder they should be so insensible of their distemper; when this Vice works like other poisons, it stupifies whilst it infects; and what in Nature so difficult, as to convince a man of this inward Leprosie? 'Tis not like common diseases that discover them­selves by outward spots and blemishes, but 'tis a Plague that lodges in the heart and vital Powers, and sooner destroys than it appears. The proudest man on Earth is insensible of this Illusion, and though he is ready to burst with his own inward swellings, yet he defies and disclaims this hated vice with as much confidence as the meekest Saint in Heaven; and all the world knows his folly, except himself.

[Page 10]But above all Pride, Spiritual Pride is the most dangerous and incurable, 'tis an Apoplexy that dazzles the Judgment, infatuates the Mind, and intercepts all the passages of light and conviction, and confounds all pure and impartial Reasonings, and disables men from ma­king any ingenuous Reflections upon their own Actions; it makes them con­fident in their own Impostures and self-illusions, and bears them up against all Reproofs by Zeal, and Conscience, and Religion. Their Faith, their Zeal, their Prayers, their Fastings, their con­stant Communion with God, their dili­gent Attendance upon Ordinances, their Love of the Lord Jesus, their hatred of Antichrist, or their spleen against the Pope, are impregnable Fences against all Assaults, and Answers to all Argu­ments. They are so dotingly enamour­ed of themselves for these signs of Grace, and characters of God's People, that you may more easily induce them to suspect the Truth of all things, than their own Godliness. And nothing in Nature so im­possible, as that such strict and serious Professors, such humble melting and broken-hearted Christians should in the issue prove no better than Proud and Pharisaick Hypocrites.

[Page 11]And though their Pride discover it self in their opinionative Confidence, in their bitter Censoriousness, in their im­patience of Affronts and Reproofs, in their Rage and Revenge against all that undervalue them, in their haughty and disdainful Comparisons, and in their in­flexible Waywardness, especially to the Will of Superiours, and Commands of Authority. And though these are the most natural Results, and most obvious Symptoms of this inward Plague; yet are they not able to discern such cer­tain appearances of them in themselves, because they are aforehand from other ac­counts so abundantly satisfied in their own Humility and Broken-heartedness; and the strength of this conceit so blinds their minds, that they cannot see the clearest and most palpable Indications of this Vice. But they are all adorn'd with soft and gentle Titles; and those excesses and irregularities that in an un­regenerate man must have been accoun­ted Eruptions of Pride and Passion, are now to be ascribed to the warmness and vehemence of holy Zeal.

§ 3. In brief, sad is the condition of those men that abuse themselves with this [Page 12] naughty Godliness; 'tis this, and not moral Goodness, that is the greatest lett to Con­version; not only because it seals men up in impenitence by false prejudices, and bars up their minds against all thoughts of Reformation, by perswading them they are good enough already: But besides that it prevents the efficacy of the means of Grace, it does withal (what is more mischievous) directly oppose and contradict them. It rots and putrifies the soul in its whole constitution, it gangrenes all its faculties, it breeds a base and caitive temper of mind, it introdu­ces a direct contrariety to all worthy and ingenuous inclinations, and delivers the man over to the power and possessi­on of the blackest and most accursed sins; 'tis detraction, 'tis spite, 'tis ran­cour, 'tis a malicious contempt to all wise and honest Counsels, 'tis a wil­ful frowardness to all sober and ratio­nal convictions, and in a word, 'tis all spiritual wickedness.

And for this Reason it was that I pro­fess't to despair of any success upon this sort of men; I was assured that as long as Pride over-ruled their Consciences, all Reproofs would certainly exaspe­rate, but could never correct the Fa­natique [Page 13] humour; and therefore what hopes could I conceive to make any breach upon their prejudices, whilst they were guarded by such a sturdy and unyielding Principle? For if it be so diffi­cult either to convince men of this Vice, or whilst this remains, of any other; it were a vain thing to expect that all the Reasonings and Attempts of convi­ction in the world should ever make any impressions upon such unapproachable minds. And as long as Professors will continue regardless and insensible of this leading sin, I shall never hope to see them reformed to a more calm and more governable temper. But if instead of a­musing themselves with experiences and phantastick observations about the un­accountable workings of the Spirit of Grace; about the difference between the Convictions of the Spirit, and those of natural Conscience; about the de­grees and due measures of Humiliation, with innumerable other wise conceits of their modern Theology; if, I say, in­stead of attending to these dreams and crazy fancies, they would be at leisure to observe the risings and workings of this deceitful vice, to study its symptoms and indications, and to keep a constant [Page 14] and habitual restraint upon its motions and attempts; we should quickly see the lovely fruits and effects of true Religion in the world, instead of the unruly blu­sters and juglings of Enthusiasm. But till men will be induced in good earnest to set themselves with a parcicular con­cern against the Inclinations of this Lust, and till they will be careful to lay humi­lity at the bottom of all their goodness; instead of their yielding to the power of truth, conviction shall only enrage their malice; and all the requital they shall give you for disabusing them, shall be to abuse you with incivility and foul language. And here, Sir, give me leave to present you with a short account of their deportment towards my self and all that ever yet opposed or endeavoured to undeceive them, which you may peruse, as a further Character of their modesty and good humour.

§ 4. (I.) Reproach and contumely is their first reply to all Arguments; and to re­vile the Author, the first Confutation of his Book; whoever dares to despise or discover their wretched delusions, is im­mediately answer'd with volleys of slan­ders and Calumnies, and utterly oppres­sed [Page 15] with multitude of lyes and detracting stories. Their dissolute and unruly tongues are let loose to tear in pieces his good name; What abusive Tales, and Legends do they invent? With what bold and audacious slanders do they as­sail his Innocence, and with what crafty and oblique ways of detraction do they undermine his Reputation? with what ea­gerness do they listen to any spiteful and mischievous report? With what zeal do they spread and propagate and improve it? With what partiality will they add or detract circumstances, as shall be most conducive to enhanse the ugliness of the slander? They attend to nothing with a more transporting satisfaction then to defaming stories; 'tis their choicest Luxury, and what so luscious in their esteem as a smooth and specious Lye? Ah! 'tis marrow and fatness.

There is not any Affair so trifling up­on which these People cannot erect a stately Lye; nor any Authority so slight, by which they cannot warrant its Truth and Credibility; 'tis but foisting in two or three ugly Circumstances, and they can improve a facetious story to a pri­vate Friend into a publique Calumny, and aggravate a pleasant passage in fa­miliar [Page 16] conversation into a blasting and dishonourable scandal: Every report they touch, they immediately turn into slander, they make but an easie havock of the Good name of us Philistins, heaps upon heaps with the Iaw-bone of every Ass.

They have their Spys and Emissarys in all corners to fetch in Informations; they have their Agents in all parts to commu­nicate Reports; they have their Factors in all places to traffick for News, and to carry on the important Trade of Tales between City and Country; and they have amongst them a pedling sort of idle People that are always ranging up and down streets in quest of fresh Intel­ligence, and, as Beggars do, importune e­very man they meet to contribute some­thing to their stock, and compose their countenance into serious posture to beg News: If you are empty of Intelligence, they shake hands, and will not wast time in such barren and unprofitable Compa­ny, but hasten to ply the next comer. Every man makes good his post, and e­very man picks up something to contri­bute to the common stock. And if they chance to meet any of their associates up­on the Frontiers of their respective Walks, they frankly impart what they [Page 17] have gain'd to each other, as Beggars do their Fragments. However, they have some common place of Rendezvous, where every particular Member partakes of the joint Collections of the whole So­ciety; and that is the Staple of News▪ and then 'tis no wonder if all Reports flie abroad with such winged speed, when it is every mans business to blazon them in­to all quarters. And if they get a story by the end, that is not in it self full e­nough of remark and wonder, they will vamp it with new Circumstances of their own, alter, improve, and refine it till they have made it plausible and big e­nough for the publick view: They will vouch it with grave Nod, and solemn Face; they will look earnestly, talk shrewdly, and descant upon it with a thousand pretty Conjectures: They will whisper in your ear some subtile and no­table observation of Circumstances; and with wise and politick forehead, will suspect impossible Plots, foresee un­thought-of Designs, and foretel strange and prodigious Events; and by these and the like arts, they will spread and divulge any Tale, till it grows up into a Vulgar Report, (and it is but whispering it in an Authentick Coffee-house, or at a Meet­ing [Page 18] of the Gossips, and that makes it so) and then it shall maintain it self upon its own Credit and Reputation, and the publick voice shall justifie the story. How can you doubt or suspect its truth, when 'tis the talk of all the Town? every one knows it, and every one believes it; all Parties agree in the Report, and none so strangely diffident as to dispute, much less to deny its certainty: No, no, assure your self, Sir, 'tis too true, and out of all possibility of falshood; you must not, nay for shame you cannot be so uncivil to the judgement and discretion of Mankind, as to demur upon the Credibility of such an universal and acknowledged Report. And thus do Lyes first beget Publick Re­ports, and then do Publick Reports main­tain Lyes. And from hence issue all those numberless swarms of Tales, that are per­petually flying and buzzing about this City: their beginning is unknown and unobserved; they breed in corners and obscure places, but if they once get wing, all places are immediately filled with their noise and murmur, and all men annoyed with their importunate buzze and tumult.

§. 5. In brief, 'tis not unpleasant [Page 19] to observe the spring and the progress of these Vulgar Tales: for as you have seen small Streams raised into large and beau­tiful Rivers, by the accession of Brooks, and Showers, and Land-floods; so does it happen in these Reports, which, though they arise from weak and inconsiderable Beginnings, yet quickly swell into migh­ty Torrents, from those additional Des­cants they receive as they roll along through the mouths of the holy Brother­hood, (for they are the Common-sewer of all unclean Reports) and by this means they in a little time grow so formidable, and rise into such an irresistible Confi­dence, as to bear down all before them. And yet would you trace this Stream to its Fountain, you do but seek the head of the River Nile; which though it falls in­to Aegypt with such a vehement and im­petuous Flood, and over-runs the Coun­try with its swelling streams; yet if you would seek for the rise of all these mighty Waters, after you had tired your self in the discovery of infinite Brooks and Rivulets, and little Additions, at last you would be forced to derive the main Stream (as some of the Ancients did) from the Mountains in the Moon. And thus (as the Bishop of Derry speaks con­cerning [Page 20] the Fable of the Nags-head Or­dination) If a man should search for the Au­thor of these fabulous Relations, he shall be sure to have them fathered upon some very credible Persons without Names, who had them from Iohn-an-Oaks, who had them from Iohn-a-Stiles, who had them from No-body. And if you will but observe and examine all Re­ports that bear the Fanatique stamp, (as Chrysippus did the Oracular Lyes of Apollo) you will find, as Chrysippus did, not one in five hundred that is not apparently forg­ed and counterfeit; and yet to search out their first spreaders, is the same difficulty as to discover the Coiners of false Money. In the mean time you may observe what tender and upright Consciences those men have, that mint such bold and shame­less Lyes; and what honest and good na­tur'd People those are, that are willing to take them for current Coin, and to pass them to others for Authentick Truths, onely because they gratifie their own ma­lice, and blast their Neighbours inno­cence. This is the spite of Witches, who, so they may vent their revenge, care not though they do it upon harmless Infants. This is the Character of the worst of Re­probates, Without are Dogs, and Sorcerers, and Whoremongers, Rev. 22.5. and Murderers, and Idola­ters, [Page 21] and whosoever loveth and maketh a Lye. And lastly, This is the Trade and Em­ployment of Fiends, that are always bu­sied in spiteful Offices, and in making or spreading Lyes and false Accusations.

And now (Sir) must not these meek-natured Men, that are so thoroughly pos­sest by the Spirit of Slander, needs be out of all danger of the Spirit of Persecution? They that are so impatient of an Adver­sary, and pursue him with all the rage and malice of a revengeful Tongue, would no doubt, were their Power proportion'd to their Fury, indulge this dissenting Per­son in his Endeavours to obstruct the glo­rious Attempts and Purposes of a more thorough Reformation. They that rail and persecute with foul slanders, and false aspersions, when they can no more, would not persecute with Fire, and Sword, and Sequestration when they can. Is there not as much malice in the false Accusati­ons of a virulent Tongue, as in the Pro­scriptions of an outragious Tyrant? They arise from the same temper of mind, agree in the same purposes, and differ onely in their Abilities. When Malice wants strength and interest, and is not able to oppress Innocence with real Injuries, then its onely refuge is to load it with false [Page 22] and infamous Aspersions. Calumny is the sanctuary and support of weak Re­venge. And when this cannot wreak its fury in rude and churlish Actions, it is forced to vent it self in spiteful and mali­cious Reports; and never spits its poi­son, but when it wants teeth to bite. Men slander onely for want of opportunity of doing worse; and if ever they gain the advantage, they will strike to more effe­ctual purposes. They will change their Weapons with the change of Affairs, and their Adversaries shall quickly feel shar­per strokes then those of a malicious Tongue.

§. 6. And here (that I may dispatch this unpleasant Theme at once) we may observe the Venom of Pharisaick Princi­ples, and what a mighty force and effica­cy they have to embitter and enrage the Minds of Men. So fatal and irresistible is their Poison, that there is nothing in Nature of force enough to damp or defeat their Malignity. It strikes them with Pride, Malice and Envy, and all manner of dark and corroding Passions: It eats out all sense of Honour and Civility, and lays waste all principles of Good Nature and Good Manners. And for this, what [Page 23] more convictive Evidence can I give you, then the Experience of our own Conver­sation? There is no City in Europe can boast such a number of Worthy and Ge­nerous Inhabitants, as that You live in: You may know a Citizen of London, if he have had the Good Fortune to escape the Fanatique Infection, by the Obligingness and Decency of his Deportment, by the Sobriety and Discretion of his Behaviour, by the Calmness and Modesty of his Dis­course, and by the Ingenuity and Plea­santness of his Humour. All his Con­versation bears the Characters of Honour and Integrity. His Conscience is tender of a rude and uncivil Action; he avoids all appearances of an ungentile Humour, and dreads an Affront as bad as Scandal. This is the Humour and Genius of your City; 'tis the seat of Gallantry, and place of Education: there may we learn Philosophy, and the Science of Conver­sation, as well as Merchandize, and the Arts of Traffick. Your Shops and your Ware-houses are Schools of Wit and Good Manners. You are not a Race of raw Citizens, and illiterate Mechanicks; your Designs are not confined to your Profit and your Trade; your Humour is pleasant, and your Conversation grace­ful; [Page 24] and you may vie with Athens and old Rome for Ingenuity and Politeness of Manners. These are your Vertues, and this your Character.

But though the Air you breathe be so sweet and wholsom, yet 'tis not able ei­ther to vanquish or correct the Influences of the Fanatique Spirit: 'Tis too power­ful for the Genius of the Place, its Poi­son is too strong for the soundest Com­plexions; and into whomsoever it enters, it is portentous if it drive not away his good Humour, and distemper his Mind with a salvage and phrenetick Zeal. The Man immediately loses all sense of the gracefulness of Courtesie and Good Man­ners, withdraws himself from his Neigh­bourly Conversation, affects a stern pas­sionate and untutor'd Humour, becomes churlish to his own Domesticks, and prag­matical to his Neighbours. He vents his sullen fits in malapert Censures of the in­nocent Mirth and Cheerfulness of his for­mer Acquaintance, and in unneighbourly Inquisitions (according to the Geneva Dis­cipline) into the Disorders of private Fa­milies. 'Tis strange how he delights in spiteful and malicious Stories, and what secret pleasure he takes in the mischiefs of the World. He feeds upon other mens [Page 25] Mis-fortunes, and is inwardly satisfied with their Disgraces and Disasters. He is ever sighing and complaining for the badness and degeneracy of the present Age; and perhaps believes himself a Per­son of extraordinary Good-will and Ten­derness to Mankind, because he is so very apt to be concern'd in their Evils and Ca­lamities: though his querulous humour arise from nothing else but an odde base­ness and churlishness of spirit, that natu­rally delights in malicious Censures and Reports; and takes a supreme content in displaying other mens deformities, and making ill-natured and unhandsome Re­flections. And hence their Breath, like Infection, never spares to taint and tra­duce the soundest Reputations: they live, and are supported by slanders and ill acci­dents; and with them the badness of a Report is the strongest evidence of its Truth; and a sad story, especially if it reflect upon the wisdom and sufficiency of their Superiours, needs no proof, for 'tis its own; and every seditious Report is as heartily embraced, as if it were a first Principle of Reason, or a Fundamental Article of Faith.

§. 7. But the greatest vent of their [Page 26] spite and rancour, is to belch out filthy slanders and reproaches against the Con­forming Clergy; they are set up by them as the common Mark for the hatred and malice of all Parties to shoot at. To cen­sure and reform them, is the most plau­sible vent of peevishness and ill-nature; and to abuse them, is the onely evidence of some mens Godliness, as it is of other mens Wit. With what transport of At­tention will these Godly People listen to a foul story of an Ungodly Parson? And with what indefatigable Industry will they spread and improve the Tale? You cannot endear them more then by sup­plying them with scandalous Reports; and a Zealous Brother will even abate you something of the Price of his Com­modities for your Good News. It puts him into a pleasant and jolly Humour, and the Demure Man grows Witty and Saty­rical, and glosses upon the story with no­table Essays of Sanctified Wit and Rail­lery. Though if you take these meek Christians in their more serious Moods, and preciser Humours, then their Mirth degenerates into Railing, and downright Contumely; Baals Priests, and the Lo­custs of the Bottomless Pit, are the civil­lest Titles of Honour they can bestow [Page 27] upon Clergy-men, and nothing more vul­gar then to affront and revile them as they walk the Streets; a rudeness never yet known in any Civilized, no nor Bar­barous Nation in the World: And some of their Children are not so soon instruct­ed in their Catechism, as they are taught to revile a Cassock.

But the Tongues of these Dove-like Innocents are never so virulent as when they are inveighing against the Church-Revenues; they are strangely fluent up­on this Theme, and 'tis their Everlasting Argument. For here their Envy settles upon its proper Object; nothing dazzles them more then Riches, because they va­lue nothing more: and they can endure any thing in a Clergy-man with some pa­tience, rather then a fair Revenue; and they scarce account any true Ministers of the Gospel but Lecturers, and such other Mercenary Preachers, as subsist entirely upon the Benevolence and arbitrary Pen­sions of the Good People. With them 'tis the most glorious piece of Reformati­on to make the Priesthood vile and sor­did; and to disrobe them of all secular Pri­viledges and Dignities, is to bring them to the Pattern of Christ and his Apostles. And 'tis the Duty of Christian Princes to [Page 28] keep the Clergy in as mean and despised a Condition, as they were reduced to by the Persecution of Heathen Emperours; and to suffer themselves to be abused, is the indispensable Duty of the Ministers of the Gospel; and Contempt and Poverty are the peculiar Ornaments of a Ministe­rial Spirit. All Ecclesiastical Grandeur is Popish and Antichristian; but in all Protestant Churches their Godly Mini­sters are content with a Poor and Beggar­ly Competence. In brief, they deem Contempt and Penury as good Qualifica­tions for the Priestly Office, as some not long since thought Ignorance and Ill-Manners; and to allow them a just and honourable Maintenance, is to make them Hirelings and Loyterers. But though this be their hard Reckoning with the whole Profession, yet their own Minister (poor Man!) is sure to pay the Shot, and they seldom fail to wreak their Zeal and Indignation upon him: 'Tis a shame to observe how industrious some of them are to thwart and affront him upon all occa­sions, and how studious of all opportuni­ties to provoke him with open Insolencies and Indignities. With what Malapert­ness will they censure his Sermons, carp at his Expressions, and condemn his Do­ctrines? [Page 29] With what Insolence will they pity his Ignorance and Insufficiency? And when they vouchsafe him their Company, 'tis not so much to be instru­cted in their Duty, as to pick Quarrels, and make Exceptions to his Discourses. Though, the truth is, in this piece of mo­desty they are out-stript by the She-Pro­fessours. Every conceited Dame that drives a Trade of Gossipping from House to House, to tattle of Religion, though for no other design then to gratifie her Itch of Talking; and to this purpose has always at her Tongues end (and her Re­ligion seldom lies deeper) Melancholy Complaints of the Hypocrisie of her Heart, her Deadness in Duties, her Wandrings in Prayer, and her Unprofit­ableness under the Means of Grace, and other sad Stories that she has learn't by roat: Yet after all this puling and seem­ing Humility, 'tis neither unusual nor al­together unpleasant to observe with what arrogance this supercilious Gossip shall shake her head at the Ignorance of her Spiritual Guide, and pity his unacquain­tedness with the Workings of the Spirit of God in the Hearts of Believers; and caution her Family, and her unbelieving Husband, (for so he must be, if not listed [Page 30] into her own Gang) against his dangerous Errours, and lamentable Mistakes; which, poor Man! he often Preaches, though not out of any bad Design, but out of meer Ignorance. The poor Wretch (she tells them) I think is an honest Man, and I believe means well; but it is a weak and a shallow Divine, and an utter stranger to the more inward Mysteries of the Cove­nant of Grace. And now under the Ap­pearance of this Christian Tenderness and Compassion to the poor Soul, how insolently will she despise his Person? how Magisterially will she censure his Sermons? how confidently will she cavil at his Doctrines? and how indecently will she laugh at his uncouth and ridicu­lous Mistakes?

§. 8. Do not think (Sir) I fancy things Imaginary, and meerly possible, and cre­ate to my self Artificial Men to suit them to my own extravagant Characters. I speak mine and your own familiar Expe­rience, and you meet with these things and these persons in every days Conver­sation. Neither mistake me, as if I char­ged this Churlish Humour upon every in­dividual Professour; 'tis enough if it be the Character of the Generality, and 'tis [Page 31] all I intend. For I know there are some that dissent from us, of a more modest and submissive temper; that are not so restive and inflexible to Authority, so head-strong and confident in their own Folly, nor so abusive and pragmatical in their Demands. But then the Dissent of these Men is silent and peaceable, they make no noise and tumult in the Church; they are not hasty to censure, slander and backbite their Neighbours, but study to win their love by courtesie and fair de­portment. These Good Men are as sen­sible of the Zealous Insolencies of their Brethren as I can be: But then they nei­ther lead the Faction, nor contribute much to support it, and follow purely the blind guidance of Prejudice and Educa­tion: And as for such, I pity their Weak­ness, and love and honour their Integrity. And others there are, whose Veins are fill'd with such brisk and generous Blood, that there is no Leaven sowre enough ut­terly to pervert the natural sweetness of their Humours, but they will in the En­tercourses of Humane Life, keep up in spite of the most Malignant Principles, the Urbanity of common Conversation; and yet in the affairs and discourses of Religion, you cannot dissent from their [Page 32] Opinions without inflaming their Passi­ons; and if you persist to contradict them, you blow up their heat and anger to an o­pen Impatience; their Zeal cannot be ci­vil to a Friend of a different Perswasion: they will silence all your Arguments with rude and reviling Language; oppress you with Noise and Clamour, and impertinent Talk, and force you to yield to their in­tolerable Folly. And you know (Sir) some of our Acquaintance, that (and 'tis a sober Truth) have no fault but their Religion; and who, were it not for that, might have proved good Men and good Christians: But so powerful is this sowre Humour, as to vanquish that Candour and Ingenuity that is natural to the Peo­ple of the English Nation; and so con­tagious, as to poison the purest and most untainted Constitutions, and to pervert the soundest Minds, and the sweetest Dis­positions. It is Leaven in both its Pro­perties, as well in that it sowres, as in that it swells the Minds of Men. In brief, setting aside those three excellent Graces, of Spiritual Pride, Ill-nature and Ill-manners, I can perceive no great matter these Saints and Gracious People have to brag of, above us Moral Men, and Grace­less Professours.

[Page 33]§. 9. And 'tis this sullen Humour lies at the bottom of all our Disturbances: They quarrel the Constitutions of our Church, not so much because they cannot be satisfied, as because they affect Dis­satisfaction. The Common People have no understanding of the Grounds of their Exceptions, and they talk their Scruples by roat. The most zealous and the most clamorous of the Herd, are not able to give the least tolerable Account of their Zeal and Displeasure, but run away with any pitiful and unintelligible Pretences, and resolve to make good the Cause at all adventure by heat, and noise, and passion. How do they dread the Superstition of a Symbolical Ceremony? though they as little understand the true signification of that word, as they do the Orthodox Notion of a Procatarctick Cause. And therefore 'tis not this hard word that scares them from the Churches Communion, but 'tis their own conceited and pragmatical Humour, that affects and triumphs in Contradicti­on. They think it a gallant thing to make a Noise in the World, and to correct the Wisdom and Discretion of Publick Au­thority; and that is a fine thing indeed! This extravagant Pride is strangely a­greeable to the Original Itch and Vanity [Page 34] of Humane Nature, and is more natural to Mankind then the Follies of Lust and Wantonness; and there is no Inclination that is so difficult either to govern or to vanquish, as this petulancy of spirit. And men had need to be very watchful and very serious to get the mastery of so fierce and impetuous an Instinct. And there­fore if we consider how insensible the Peo­ple are of the Enticements of this Spiri­tual Lewdness, and how unconcern'd to resist the Importunity of its desires, or to subdue the force and vigour of its Incli­nations; 'tis no wonder if so vehement a Passion gain without their own express Allowance, so entire and absolute a Pow­er over all their Thoughts and Actions: So easie (you see) it is for well-meaning Men to mistake Humour for Conscience, though not out of deliberate Malice, yet through Ignorance and Inadvertency. And therefore think not (Sir) that 'tis the scope of my Design to scoff at their Faults, and upbraid their Follies; 'tis no­thing but a Cordial Love to Vertue and Themselves that put me upon these free, open and ingenuous Reprehensions. For could we but affect the Minds of Men with a serious sense of their Spiritual Wickednesses, and prevail with them to [Page 35] make use of all the ordinary methods of Reason and Christian Prudence for the Mortification of their Original Pride and Sullenness; and could we but reduce them to the softness and gentleness of a Chri­stian Temper, how ashamed would they be of this brawling and contentious Hu­mour? And they would then scarce think it decent to be bold and malapert to their Superiours for any cause of Religion: nor would they think it worth the while to sacrifice the indispensable Duties of the Gospel for every scruple and weak Propo­sition, nor disturb the Publick Peace, nor affront the Publick Laws for Impertinen­cies and trifling Opinions. They would then live quietly in their own Families and Neighbourhoods, and pursue the In­terest and Employment of their Callings, instead of carrying Tales, and sowing Dissentions. And the precious time they now wast in quarrelling for Opinions, and in arguings and disputings for Trifles and impotent Fancies, they would then im­prove in Offices of Love and Charity a­mong their Neighbours, in relieving the Necessitous, in reconciling Differences, in stifling Slanders, and in clearing inju­red Reputations. To conclude, so far would Tenderness of Conscience be from [Page 36] pleading Scruple and Nicety in Oppositi­on to the Commands of Publick Autho­rity, that it would not be more tender and curious of any Duty then Obedience and Humility. The serious sense of its own Weakness, its Reverence to the Per­sons and Authority of Superiours, its love of Modesty, Meekness, Humility, Peace and Ingenuity, would easily prevail with it to offer up all its private Conceits and uncertain Opinions, to so many Advan­tages of Peace, and so many Vertues of Obedience.

§. 10. (II.) They are not content to run down the Author with Lyes and Calum­nies, but to make sure work, they will slander his Reasonings, and raise false witness against his Arguments. They will alter and pervert his smartest and most convictive Proofs, till they have made them as weak and trifling as their own Pretences. With whatsoever plain­ness and perspicuity he express his Thoughts, 'tis all one for that, they are a People of an undaunted and shameless Brow, they will look Truth and Reason out of Countenance, they will insult over his Modesty, will triumph in their own Insolence, and silence all the Reason in [Page 37] the World with Affronts and rude Beha­viour. They are resolved to joyn Throats to Vote him down; and if they do, to what purpose is it to Complain or Re­monstrate? all he shall gain by it, is to be laugh't at for the vanity of his At­tempt. They blush not to commit a pub­lick Rape upon the Understandings of Mankind; and will impose upon us with that boisterous Rudeness, as if they con­spired to force all the World out of their common senses. No Author must chal­lenge the liberty of being his own Inter­preter; the Power of Expounding Asser­tions, is the Priviledge of the Subject, and the Prerogative of the Multitude; and if they please, they can enforce any Writer to accept a sense that contradicts his words. And if they do, there is nei­ther Remedy nor Appeal; their Judge­ment is final and arbitrary, and what they will have, they will have. No Cau­tion is sufficient to prevent their Cla­mours; their Leaders can easily descry a foul Design under the fairest Disguise; and 'tis but setting themselves to contrive some dull and malicious Mistakes, and ob­truding them upon their blind and sturdy Proselytes, and then they are confident and impatient against his whole Dis­course, [Page 38] and the poor Man without any more ado is knockt down with grievous and dead-doing Objections. If Mas Iohn do but whisper some ugly and ill-contri­ved suggestion, away 'tis carried with Clamour and Tragical Declamation, the Noise propagates like Thunder, and spreads like Lightning, and the whole City is filled with Tumult and Uproar. And now after all this, 'tis no less impos­sible to perswade them not to rail at my Book, then it is to read it: No! 'tis pro­phane, 'tis stuft with wicked and ungodly Opinions, it strikes at the whole Power of Godliness, and the very Foundations of Religion; and then let me affirm and deny, say and prove what I can, the Peo­ple must and will persist in their Anger and their Clamour; they will refuse to be satisfied, affront their own Consciences, and turn Recusants to their own Convi­ctions, onely that they may not want pre­tences and opportunities to rail at me.

Now what shall a Man do in this case? You will say there is no Remedy but Pa­tience; that is the onely Antidote against the Venome of malicious Tongues, and let your own Innocence be your Defence and Apology. But, alas! this Morality is too high a Cordial for my present exi­gence; [Page 39] my Spirits are not so fainting as to stand in need of Philosophy to relieve and support them. I am too proud (you know) to be affected with all the assaults of Noise and Clamour; nothing but Rea­son can ever move or humble me; and what am I concern'd if impertinent Peo­ple fret and rail? or why should it offend me if Clowns want Breeding and Good Manners? Would you not think it a fine piece of Pedantry, should you see a Phi­losopher comfort himself with Grave Ma­ximes, and Stoical Paradoxes, against the Affronts of those Creatures, whose Na­ture it is to grin and snarl. However, it is in vain to reason with boisterous and ill-bred People, and to discourse the Multitude to patience and calm enquiry; and when they are resolved to be rude and uncivil, better give way to their Folly, then contend with their Madness: And as they snuff in their Prejudices like wild Asses, so 'tis but natural they should bray and be impatient at all Opposition.

§. 11. But yet one pleasant Scene of their Ingenuity in this kind, I cannot for­bear to represent, and that is the advan­tage they have taken from my Discourse of Trade, to expose me to Popular Ha­tred, [Page 40] and to raise an uproar among the People: for though the plain meaning and design of that Discourse is neither more nor less, then to intimate that the Improvement of Trade is not of equal Importance to the Commonwealth, with the security of Publick Peace and Setle­ment. And yet upon this innocent Sug­gestion, how have they bestirred them­selves to inflame and enrage the Multi­tude, by representing to them, as if un­der pretence of Writing against Liberty of Conscience, my main design had been to Write against Liberty of Trade: How (say they) does this young Rabshakeh blas­pheme, beyond the Precedent and Exam­ple of all former Ages? He pours forth his Blasphemies both against your Gain and your Godliness too; he would raise a Persecution upon your Purses as well as your Consciences, and bring Trade and Grace to the stake together. What can the Prelatists design by such Discourses as these, but to perswade his Majesty to reduce you to Beggery, that he may the better reduce you to Obedience? To sack the City, to burn your Houses, nay to blow up the Thames, would not bring up­on you such a fatal and irreparable desolati­on, Surveigh. Pag. 80. as that which the pursuit of this Counsel [Page 41] must inevitably produce. Such is the talk of these Crafts-men, to expose me to the rage and violence of the Rascality, that are always most forward in Zeal, and Muti­ny, and Reformation, as if I had Preach­ed expresly against their great Goddess Dia­na. And they have so bestirred them­selves to keep up this Out-cry, as if they had seriously design'd to draw down their Myrmidons to the Palace-Gates, (according to the Pattern of Modern Reformers) to make Uproars, and tear their Throats in crying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. And yet after all this Noise, there is no T [...]de endanger'd but that of Conventicles, by which Craft, Demetrius and his Accomplices get their Wealth. I have indeed told the Peo­ple, that the Image they worship never fell down from Iupiter, but that the Shrine-men abuse them with a Puppet of their own framing, and then call it the Image of Diana. That 'tis not the Cause of God, (as is pretended) but the Interest of a few seditious Men that first raised, and still keeps up the Tumults in the Church; and that the Doctrines, on whose behalf they have made so many Uproars, are no Go­spel-Truths, but their own fond and no­vel Inventions; by all which, there is no Trade or Occupation jeoparded, but [Page 42] theirs who live by making Schisms and Factions. But where their Interest lies at stake, all Asia shall be concern'd, and their Cause shall be made the Quarrel of Mankind. Otherwise, how could every young Prentice be taught to rail at me, as an Enemy to his Preferment? For what can be more apparent then that I have af­firmed nothing positively, either for or a­gainst it, but have flatly waved it as an impertinent Enquiry to my present De­sign? Let them discover one Syllable that may tend to perswade its Discou­ragement, and I will be content (and I think it is but a just Penance) to pay a double Price for all the Commodities I buy. But though Malice and Popular Rage will not be tied to the strictness of Reason and Logical Discourse, and may be allowed its Priviledge to find any Con­clusions in any Premises; yet methinks Writers of Books should be more severe and cautious, because their Integrity may be exposed, if they prevaricate, though the Multitude cannot. And in this instance of Ingenuity, I find my Great Surveyor as faulty as the rudest He of them all; and He rails as lavishly at me, as if I had Fired the City, or the Ships at Chatham. Pag. 80. But what is it that has mo­ved [Page 43] so much Zeal and Choler? Nothing but that I have been so presumptuous as to affirm in Print, That the Setlement of Pub­lick Peace in the Nation, is a more comfortable thing then the Improvement of Trade. Pro­phane Counsel this! and if pursued, must prove more fatal to the City of London, then the late horrid Conflagration. But to be brief and serious, The scope and plain design of all that Discourse, was to represent, That Liberty of Conscience could not be supposed to be conducive to the Improvement of Trade, because it was destructive of Peace and Publick Se­curity; it being a certain and a granted Truth, That Peaceable Times are doubt­less the best Seasons of Traffick; and that it cannot be expected honest and peace­able Industry should thrive so well in the Dangers and Confusions of a Civil War, when no Trade goes forward but that of the Saints, Plunder and Sacriledge; and therefore men that design to enrich them­selves onely by employments of Peace, will not seek their Gain in any ways that tend to its dissolution: So that if this Supposition be true, That Liberty of Conscience is one of the most Fatal Hin­drances of the Security of Government, and Setlement of Society, the Conse­quence [Page 44] is infallible, That for that reason onely it was not to be endured in the Commonwealth, though it were suppo­sed otherwise never so much serviceable to the Advancement of Trade. And therefore had our Author design'd to re­ply at all to the purpose, he must have made out either the Vanity of my Suppo­sal, viz. That Liberty of Conscience naturally tends to the subversion of the Publick Peace; or the Absurdity of my Inference, That though it were really serviceable to the Interest of Trade, yet it was not to be endured, if it were as really destructive of the Interests of Govern­ment. But this Logical Severity concerns not him, 'tis his custom to balk Premises, and fall foul upon Conclusions; and therefore without regard either to the truth of my Supposition, or my Inference, he in his crude way of declaming, inveighs against me as an Enemy to Trade and In­dustry, though the next time he writes he may with as great a shew of Rea­son impeach me of Sorcery and Witch­craft.

Pag. 80.§. 12. For is this to Discountenance Trade, to say, that Liberty of Conscience is but an ill way to improve it?Pag 79. Is this to per­swade the King to draw out the Vital Spi­rits [Page 45] and Blood of his Kingdom, to say, 'tis but an Impolitick Trick to sacrifice the Security of his Crown to the Wealth of a few Fanatick and ungovernable Subjects? Is this to suspend all thoughts of the En­couragement of Trade,Pag. 81. till all Men are brought to an Uniformity of Religion, to say, it more imports Governours to stifle Fanatick Factions and Animosities, then to enrich Trades-men? And may they not at the same time project the Im­provement of Trade, and the Establish­ment of Uniformity, and Enact Laws to suppress Schisms, whilst they Establish Priviledges to encourage Manufactures? Is this to discourage industrious Men in a peaceful way of improving their own In­terests,Pag. 77. to prevent and restrain them from doing it in unpeaceable ways? The Per­sons I discours't of, were not Trades-men, but Fanaticks, that are greater Enemies to Peace, then Friends to Industry; Peo­ple of such peevish and restless Dispositi­ons, that no Government can satisfie them; of such furious and ungovernable Spirits, that no Indulgence can appease them; of such proud and arrogant Tem­pers, that no Courtesie can oblige them: 'tis these phantastick and supercilious Mushromes to whom I would not have [Page 46] Liberty granted, because as it is pregnant with many other Mischiefs, so if it im­prove their Interest, it does but pamper their Insolence, embolden their Presum­ption, and tempt them to raise Rebellions out of Pride and Wantonness. And the time is well known when this Capricious Humour involved a flourishing Kingdom in woful Wars and Desolations, for no other reason, then because it was blessed with more Peace and Plenty then it ever before or since enjoyed. But as for Men of peaceable Spirits, and sober Principles, they neither need nor desire Liberty of Conscience for the Advancement of Trade; nay, nothing can more discou­rage their Industry then Factions of Zeal, and Animosities of Religion, that keep the Minds of Men in a perpetual posture of War and mutual Hatred, and that break out upon every occasion into open Ruptures and Embroilments; and if a few factious Priests will but sound an A­larm to Reformation, the Multitude are immediately all in Arms; and when-ever the Rabble take a Toy against Antichrist and Superstition, (i. e. any thing against which their Preachers are wont to in­veigh) the whole Kingdom must be em­broil'd for an idle word, and an extrava­gant [Page 47] humour. Now what wise Man will care to appear abroad in such broken and uncertain Times? or to lanch forth among such Fanatick Herricano's? No, he will rather chuse not to improve, then to en­danger his Fortune; and thinks it better Husbandry to bury, then to drown his Wealth. And therefore you may observe, that none are more Zealous then the more Gentile and Intelligent sort of Merchants for the setlement of Uniformity in order to the security of Trade; for their expe­rience of the horrid Mischiefs and Deso­lations brought to pass in other parts and other Religions of the World, by the Fol­lies and Frenzies of Fanatick Spirits, makes them sadly apprehensive of the danger of this hot and giddy Humour, and fearful of venturing too far among such wild and unconstant Cannibals. And as for wise and peaceable Persons, that sit warm in their own Fortunes, they are as little enamour'd of Factions in the Church, as of Disturbances in the State; and therefore if our Author speak one­ly concerning such Issachars as these, he speaks neither to my Purpose, nor to their Approbation.

But to dispatch this Head, To what purpose does he Catechise me,Pag. 78. Whether I [Page 48] have really considered what the meaning of that word [Trade] is, unless he could prove it signifies more then that word [Peace?] To what purpose does he represent, that if Trade decay,Pag. 79. Noblemen and Gentlemen must be content to eat their own Beef and Mut­ton at home, unless he could prove it more comfortable to be forced to beg their Beef and Mutton abroad, as they were not long since by the scrupulous and holy Brethren, whilst themselves kept house for them at home, and made merry with Songs upon This hard word will be ex­plained in the sequel of this discourse. Sigionoth? With what Honesty does he upbraid me for professing to smile at those who labour with mighty projects for the Improvement of Trade, when 'tis so no­torious I onely smil'd at the Pedantry of those Men, that are so wonderfully eager upon petty Designs, without any regard to the great Concerns of a Nation? such as is the Erecting little Manufactures in Villages and Burroughs, when compared with the Advantages of Publick Peace and Setlement; and at such half-witted People all the World will laugh as well as I. With what Ingenuity does he repre­sent, as if I had scoff't at his Majesties Council appointed for the Improve­ment of Trade, unless it must be taken for granted, that the Commissioners have [Page 49] no more wit then to oppose or neglect the Publick Peace and Setlement, for the In­terest of that Project? And if he will be so rude as to suppose it, I will be so bold as to make a wry mouth at such preposte­rous Follies. With what Conscience does he tell the People, that I have repre­sented all Trades-men as Seditious, when 'tis so notorious I onely suppose that some of them may be tainted with Seditious Principles? and upon that Supposition I have concluded Seditious Trades-men to be more dangerous then Seditious Far­mers. And is it the same thing to affirm all Trades-men to be Seditious, as to say, that when they are so, they have more advantage of doing mischief then Coun­trey-folk? If I should affirm, That when the Nobility or Clergy are possest with Principles that incline to Rebellion, and Disloyal Practices, they are of all Rebels the most dangerous, should I be thought to Impeach them of Treason and Disloyalty? In brief, it is not the Rich Citizen, but the Wealthy Fanatick that I have branded for an Ungovernable Beast; and that not as Wealthy, but as Fanatick: Remove the Fanatick, and neither the Man nor his Wealth will do any harm. And now if after all this, [Page 50] Men will still be Clamorous, and say I have perswaded the Discouragement of Trade, there is no Remedy for me, and no Cure for them; I cannot vanquish their Rudeness, and by strength of Rea­son force them to be Ingenuous; and if they are resolved to abuse their own Un­derstandings, that they may abuse me, let them take their Course, and enjoy their Humour. But yet let them not please themselves with the conceit of their ha­ving spited and disappointed my design, by their being boisterous and uncivil, when it was no more then what I expect­ed, and what (as they know) I foretold: I was not unacquainted with those base and mean Artifices, wherewith the Ring-leaders are wont to inveigle their credu­lous and besotted Drove. I knew before­hand with whatsoever clearness and cau­tion I exprest my Thoughts, they could fasten what sense they pleased upon my Words; and that all their Followers would passionately embrace their violent and distorted Interpretations; and when they have imposed upon themselves, they grow zealous and impatient, they are deaf to all Remonstrances, incurious of all Ra­tional Pleas and Defences, and you can­not prevail with them, no not to attend [Page 51] to the Perswasions of their own Under­standings; and in defiance to all Syntax and Propriety of Speech, this shall be your meaning, and be it enacted and decreed, That all the Godly Party embrace this and no other: And then 'tis a Law of the Medes and Persians, and your Sentence is as irreversible, as the decree of absolute and irrespective Reprobation. But to con­clude, You already see what work I am like to have with this Man, not so much to vindicate the honest Truth, as the sense and Grammar of my Assertions. They have sufficiently upbraided my presump­tion for the boldness of my Conclusion, viz. What I have written, I have written; and now I am convinced I was too confi­dent, for I see that is the onely thing in all my Book I shall be put to prove. But my Resentments of his shameless Rude­ness and Dis-ingenuity, have carried me beyond my design, and beside my method, into this particular Skirmish, to let you see his Weapons, his Wiles, and his way of Fighting, before I closed and engaged with the main Battel: to which I now proceed, as it follows under the next Head.

§. 13. (III.) The Multitude having by [Page 52] the fore-mentioned ways of Incivility and foul Language performed their part, and discharged their Duty, their last me­thod of defence is to engage particular Champions, that are known to be migh­ty in dispute, to enter the Lists against all Adversaries: And then they are se­cure of Triumph, though not of Victory. Every reply shall be voted unanswerable, obscure words shall pass for depth of Rea­son, and huge Confidence for strength of Demonstration; Popular Noise shall make good the Performance, and the Vogue of the Party shall justifie all their Arguments, and baffle all our Answers. The Cattel they stear are hood-winkt, and as long as they drive, will never bog­gle at any thing. And therefore they never stand upon regular Proofs and Rea­sonings, but their Weapon is their Con­fidence, and bold Affirmations are self-evident, because their boldness is their onely proof. They presume upon the Understandings, and are secure of the Suffrages of their own Herd: To them all their Empty Talk is infallible as O­racle and Inspiration; every slight Pre­sumption is a mighty Proof, and every shadow of Proof bright and forcible as Demonstration.

[Page 53]And to this purpose have I been assaul­ted by three puissant Aggressours; the first whereof I conjecture by his Latine, his Wit and his Manners, to have been either Pupil or Apprentice to the Re­nowned Cobler of Glocester. And the truth is, from the days of Newman down to our own, the Men of that Trade and Profession have been the greatest Instru­ments and the best Work-men at a Tho­rough Godly Reformation. My second Adversary seems more modest, and better bred; and is, I am confident, an upright and well-meaning Man: But how desi­rous soever he has been of a Reply, I shall not vouchsafe to do him so much right, or rather so much wrong, not one­ly because he has scarce ventured to at­taque any thing in my Book beside the Contents, but chiefly because I shall have occasion to examine all his more material Impertinencies in my third Assailant. And therefore I shall dismiss these two yelping Pamphleters, as hurried on to this Enterprise by nothing but their own hot heads and busie humours; and ad­dress my self entirely to my sage Survey­or, as being not onely a man of known pu­issance and experience in Dispute, and of mighty bruit and renown in Controver­sial [Page 54] Encounters; but also as a Champion sent forth, if not by the Choice, yet at least by the Approbation of the whole Party, that have testified their esteem of his Courage, and their assurance of his Success, by a general shout and applause: and nothing less is expected from this Man of Gath, then that he should give the Flesh of his Adversary unto the Fowls of the Air, and to the Beasts of the Field. But as he stalks about to view his help­less prey,V. pag 84, [...]78. his bowels begin to melt into tenderness and compassion, and he looks down upon the unfortunate Youth with equal pity and disdain. It is a pretty and an hopeful Stripling, and 'tis pity to nip him in his youthful Bloom; and there­fore in stead of crushing him to death and nothing, as men kill Snails, he will onely chastize the rash and forward Boy, and by the smartness of his Correction, make him repent the folly and unadvisedness of his Undertaking. And I doubt not but the People insult over the severity of my Rebuke, and think I have done sufficient Penance for my presumption.

They turn over the Leaves, and tell the number of his Pages, and that is enough to justifie their flattest and most peremp­tory Censures; 'tis no matter for an at­tentive [Page 55] and deliberate perusal, they al­ways pass their definitive sentence, not according to the evidence of Reason, but according to the inclinations of Preju­dice, an [...] the interests of a Party: so that the Book, be it what it will, is secure of their Applauses and Acclamations. Ne­ver did Man write a more coherent and unanswerable piece of Reason; never were Arguments more smartly urged, nor Objections more dexterously assoil'd: ve­rily it is a wonderful precious Man! And yet bating a few Cavils foreign to the main matters in debate, they understand not either what he drives at, or what he opposes, and are not able to give the least tolerable account by what Engines and particular Reasonings he has undermin­ed (as he words it) the principal parts and seeming pillars of my whole Fabrick: and excepting that 'tis known by vulgar hear-say, that he writes for Liberty of Conscience, and I against it, they know nothing of the Grounds and Principles of our difference. But he braves it confi­dently in general Terms, insults over this Argument, despises that; tells of lamen­table Misadventures in one place, and palpable Inconsistencies in another; ac­cuses this Proposition as a new and un­heard-of [Page 56] Heresie, slights that as an old and cashir'd Errour: vaunts every where of his own Feats and Performances, and upon every occasion drops Censures and Challenges, and bears up through the whole against all that either has been, or ever shall be objected with Gallantry of Mind, and assurance of Success: And this is at once both Triumph and Victory. Their Confidence is the most effectual and perswasive Argument with their Fol­lowers, that have no ground for their dislike but the Warrant and Prescription of their Example; they have boar'd their Ears to their Dictates, and subjected their Reasons and Consciences to their Autho­rity; and therefore the Assent of the one is ever proportion'd to the Confidence of the other; and if these will be perempto­ry in their Assertions, they will be infle­xible in their Belief; 'tis in vain to at­tempt their Constancy, they are (as a Poet speaks of the old Romans) immove­able as the Capitol; and you may soon­er remove Mountains, then shake their Confidence.

But is it not prodigious to see people so jocundly satisfied with a Book, written with so much looseness, as if its Author had either utterly forgot what I had ut­ter'd, [Page 57] or cared not what himself was to prove: a Book wherein 'tis hard to find a passage that is not coarsly false or imper­tinent, and very few that are not appa­rently both: a Book in which you shall meet with nothing singular and remark­able, but horrid Untruths and Falsifica­tions.

§. 14. But however, a Book he re­solved to write, without regard to Truth or Falshood; and though he were not so lamentably costive as a late Brother of the scribling humour, that was so far to seek for an Exordium, that he was forced to take his rise at the day of the Moneth, and the year of our Lord; yet he was much more unhappy to make his entrance with such an awkerd acknowledgement, as must for ever defeat and discredit the design of his whole performance, by con­fessing, that all his Pleas, how solemn and serious soever he may appear, are but dissembled and hypocritical Preten­ces: When he tells us, that 'tis none of the least disadvantages of his Cause,Pag. 1. that he is enforced to admit a Supposition, that those whom he pleads for are indeed really mistaken in their apprehensions. But though this may seem a rash and unadvised Concession, yet [Page 58] if you examine it, you will find it a nota­ble wily and cunning device. For unless he will give place to such a Supposition, or if he will rigidly contend, that what he pleads in the behalf of, is absolutely the Truth, and that O­bedience thereunto is the direct Will and Com­mand of God, there remains no proper Field for the Debate about Indulgence to be managed in: For things acknowledged to be such, are not ca­pable of an Indulgence properly so called, because the utmost Liberty that is necessary unto them, is their right and due in strict Iustice and Law. And yet the whole scope of his Apology, and the onely Fundamental Principle up­on which he builds, is that they are obli­ged to do what they do out of Obedience to the Will and Command of God; and by consequence the things they contend for, are not capable of any Indulgence, but are matters of indispensable duty and Divine right: so that were the Govern­ment of Church-Affairs at their disposal, they must establish the things that they desire to be indulged in, as duties of strict Iustice and Law, and restrain all other dif­ferent forms and practices out of regard to the Divine Command; and then to tolerate ours, or any other way of Wor­ship distinct from their own, would be to permit men to live in open defiance to the [Page 59] direct Will and Command of God, that has precisely injoyned a different Form of Worship. So that it seems all pretences for Liberty of Conscience, are but arti­ficial Disguises for the advantage of far­ther Designs; and when they gain it, then the Mask falls off, and the Scene is shift­ed, and Petitions for Indulgence imme­diately swell up into Demands of Refor­mation. So unfortunate is this Man in his whole performance, that by all the Principles he has made use of to plead for Indulgence, he is obliged to plead against it. And there is not a more effectual Ar­gument against Toleration of different Forms of Worship, then their Fundamen­tal Conceit, that nothing ought to be practised or establish't in the Worship of God, but what is precisely warranted and authorized in the Word of God: For this restrains and disavows all Forms but one, and ties all the Christian World to a nice and exact Conformity to that compleat and adequate Rule of Worship.

But suppose he were to speak to the Na­ture of the things themselves, and not to the Apprehensions of them with whom he has to do: Then farewel all soft and gentle Lan­guage, and you shall hear nothing but Thundrings against Superstition, Will-worship, [Page 60] Episcopal Tyranny, Popish Cor­ruptions, Rags of the Whore, and the Dregs of the Romish Beast.Sermon be­fore Parl. Octob 24. 1651. Pag. 12. By J. O. Then what is Prelacy but a meer Antichristian Encroachment upon the Inheritance of Christ? And he that thinks Babylon is confined to Rome, and its open Idolatry, knows nothing of Babylon, nor of the New Jerusalem: the depth of a subtle mystery does not lie in gross visible folly; it has been insinuating it self into all the Nations for 1600 years, and to most of them is now become as the marrow in their bones; before it be wholly shaken out, these Heavens must be dissolved, and the Earth shaken, (i. e. as he expounds both himself and the Text, the setled and esta­blish't Government of the West must be subverted:) Their Tall Trees (i. e. Kings and Princes) hewed down and set a howling, and the residue of them transplanted from one end of the Earth to the other. Or as the same Author expresses himself upon another occasion,Sermon be­fore Parl. April 19. 1649. Pag. 25. The Heavens and the Earth of the Nations must be shaken, because in their present Constitution they are directly framed to the In­terest of Antichrist, which by notable advanta­ges at their first moulding, and continued insi­nuations ever since, hath so rivetted it self into the very Fundamentals of them, that no digging or mining with an Earthquake will cast up the Foundation-stones thereof. And therefore the [Page 61] Lord Iesus having promised the service of the Nations to his Church, will so far open their whole frame to the roots, as to pluck out all the cursed seeds of the Mystery of Iniquity, which by the craft of Satan, and exigences of State, or methods of advancing the pride and power of some Sons of Blood, have been sown amongst them. And then abundance of Scripture and dark Prophesie is pour'd forth, to make good these mild and peaceable Do­ctrines: It is the great day of the wrath of the Lamb. The Land shall be soked with blood, and the dust made fat with fatness; for it is the day of the Lords vengeance, and the year of recompence for the Controversie of Zion. Ibid. Pag. 21. All the Kings of the earth have given their power to Antichrist, endeavouring to the utmost to keep the Kingdom of Christ out of the World. What I pray has been their main business for 700 years and upward, even almost ever since the Man of Sin was enthroned? How have they earned the Titles, Eldest Son of the Church, The Catholick and most Chri­stian King, Defender of the Faith? Hath it not been by the blood of the Saints? And now will not the Lord avenge his Elect that cry unto him day and night? will he not do it speedily? Will he not call the Fowls of Heaven to eat the Flesh of Kings, and Captains, and great Men of the Earth? Rev. 19.18. All [Page 62] this must be done,Sermon of Octob. 24. 1651. pag. 27. to cast down all opposition to the Kingdom of the Lord Christ, and to ad­vance it to its Glory and Power. That con­sists mainly of these three things, that he there reckons. 1. Purity and Beauty of Or­dinances and Gospel-worship. 2. The full cast­ing out and rejecting of all Will-worship, and their attendant Abominations. 3. A most glo­rious and dreadful breaking of all that rise in Opposition unto him: never such Desolations. So that we see nothing will ever satisfie their desires and demands,Sermon April 19. 1641. p. [...]. unless all Gospel-Ordinances be reformed to their primitive power and purity, according to the appointment, and unto the acceptation of the Lord Iesus. Or as the same Author expresses himself more fully in his Sermon of April 29. 1646. p. 29. ‘The darling Errours of late years (of the Bishops) were all of them stones of the old Babel, closing and coupling with that tremendous Fabrick, which the Man of Sin had erected to dethrone Je­sus Christ; came out of the belly of that Trojan Horse, that fatal Engine, which was framed to betray the City of God. They were Popish Errours, such as whereof that Apostacy did consist, which onely is to be looked upon as the great adverse State to the Kingdom of the Lord Christ. Heedless and head­less [Page 63] Errours may breed disturbance e­nough unto the people of God; but such as tend to a peace and association [...]um Ecclesiâ malignantium, tending to a total subversion of the sacred State, are far more dangerous. Now such were the Innovations of the late Hierarchists; in Worship, their Paintings, Crossings, Crucifixes, Bowings, Cringings, Al­tars, Tapers, Wafers, Organs, An­thems, Litany, Rails, Images, Copes, Vestments; what were they but Ro­man Varnish, an Italian Dress for our Devotion, to draw on Conformity with that Enemy of the Lord Jesus? In Doctrine, the Divinity of Episco­pacy, (a notable piece of Popery that) Auricular Confession, Free-will, Pre­destination on Faith, yea Works fore­seen, (what Antichristian Doctrine is that too?) Limbus Patrum, Justification by Works, falling from Grace, Au­thority of a Church, which none knew what it was, Canonical Obedience, Holiness of Churches, and the like in­numerable, what were they but helps to Sancta Clara, to make all our Articles of Religion speak good Roman-Catho­lique? How did their old Father of Rome refresh his spirit, to see such Cha­riots [Page 64] as those provided to bring England again unto him? This closing with Popery was the sting in the Errours of those days, which caused pining, if not death in the Episcopal Pot.’

§. 15. Here is no shuffling, nor any shifting pretences, 'tis plain dealing, and plain English. Antichrist and all its Ad­herents must be destroyed by Wars and horrid Desolations: This is the way that the Lord Christ has chalkt out to his peo­ple, both by his Promises and his Provi­dences, to introduce the purity and beau­ty of his Ordinances. The Prelatists are Members of the Whore and the Beast, and imitate the Antichristian Apostacy both from the Worship and the Doctrine of the Gospel;Ibid. Pag. 3 [...] ▪ nay, the Vial of Popery is poured out upon the very Throne it self, as it was when Charles the First sate in it. And now what is the result of all this Gibbe­rish, but that the Saints, when-ever Pro­vidence alarms, or (as he manageth the business) opportunity invites them to the great and glorious Work of a more Tho­rough Godly Reformation, may and ought to shake and subvert the establish't Government of the Nation, that is com­bined with the Interest of Antichrist, to [Page 65] set up their way of Gospel-worship, or the purity and beauty of Christs Ordinances? which is the onely thing urged and plead­ed for by our Author. You see, Sir, (to bate him some worse Inferences) what stout Patrons these Men are of the Indul­gence they plead for, when every Opini­on that they judge erroneous, must be branded for a Popish and Antichristian Errour; when every slight Difference shall be resolved into Atheism and Blas­phemy; when a Scholastick Nicety about the unaccountable workings of Eternal Providence, shall be made an eminent in­stance of Antichristian Apostacy; and when to dissent from him in a thing of no greater importance then a Metaphysical Speculation, shall amount to no less Charge then of betraying the Gospel of Christ, and hewing at the very root of Christianity, as he speaks of some Syste­matick Niceties, that he is pleased to call Arminian Heterodoxes,Display of Armin. Ep. dedic. and whose Abettors he denounces with the Confi­dence of an Apostolical Authority, unca­pable of our Church-Communion. Nay,The duties of Pastours and People distin­guished, Pag. 52. his Zeal against them did not confine it self to his own Native Country, but ex­tended its fervours (as himself informs us) to a Foreign Commonwealth, and [Page 66] vented its heats against their Indulgence, and plea for Toleration, and a Liberty of prophesying beyond the Seas. To what party of Dissenters is it that this tender-hearted Man would extend the favour of his Indulgence, that resolves every petty dissent into an inexpiable Apostacy from the Gospel; and has branded all parties with such foul names as render them un­worthy the Compassion of the State, and uncapable of the Communion of the Church? 'Tis true, many Pamphlets he has publish't in behalf of Toleration and Liberty of Conscience; but yet he still so orders the matter, as to exclude all Men whatsoever from claiming any be­nefit or advantage from that pretence, excepting onely the salvage and the fran­tick Sectaries of the Army: And that is the whole mystery of his Good-Nature. The Independents had vanquish't the Royalists, and supplanted the Presbyte­rians, and were perkt up into a Suprema­cy of Power and Interest: But being un­able either to secure or to support their Tyranny, unless by the assistance of those Religious Miscreants, who were the one­ly faithful Adherents to their Godly In­terest, they must sooth and treat them with all brotherly love and tenderness; [Page 67] and all their Fanatick Frekes and horrid Blasphemies must be winkt at as pitiable Mistakes and Miscarriages of weak Bre­thren. For if we exasperate them by gi­ving check to their Exorbitances, we lose our Friends and Confederates, abate our Power, and endanger our Interest; and 'tis more eligible for humble and self-de­nying Men to bear with all the wild and Fanatick Enormities in the World, ra­ther then part with the delicious sweets of Government and Sovereign Authority. What other imaginable account can be given of this Mans Zeal for Toleration, when he has so peremptorily stript all Parties of their right to it, excepting onely those Sons of Anarchy and Confu­sion? For not onely the Papists, the Pre­latists, and the Arminians, but even their dear Brethren of the Presbytery were transformed into Limbs of the Anti­christian L [...]viathan: so that (not to pur­sue this advantage too far) you see the naked and undisguised Truth of these Mens Perswasions, maugre all their de­mure Concessions and jugling Pretensi­ons. All the World are fallen short of the Truth of God but themselves; and out of the Churches of their Pale, there is none Orthodox, no not one. We have [Page 68] all revolted from the Kingdom of the Lord Christ, to the Corruptions and Su­perstitious Idolatries of Antichrist; and therefore we are all to be accounted and treated as Members of that Whore, whom the Saints hate, and shall make desolate and naked, and shall eat her Flesh, and suck her Blood. This is the true state of the Controversie between us. But Af­fairs, it seems, are not yet ripe enough for the discovery of such bold and dange­rous Truths; and therefore our Author, as the present posture of things stands, thinks it more prudence to stifle and dis­semble such thoughts. The New Lights and Doctrines of 49. are not seasonable in 69. Then I. O. in a Sermon preach't before his Masters of the Rump, (the scope whereof is to prove that the Lord Jesus Christ is resolved to embroil all the anci­ent Kingdoms, and subvert all the setled Governments of the West, to restore the purity of his Gospel-worship: i.e. in plain­er and less Canting English, to carry on the great work of a Thorough Reforma­tion by Civil Wars and Rebellions) a­mong many other rare Notions, wonder­fully tending to the peace of Christendom, he informs the World,Pag. 35. Every Age has its peculiar Work, has its peculiar Light; now what [Page 69] is the Light which God manifestly gives in in our days? Plainly, the peculiar Light of this Ge­neration, is that discovery which the Lord has made to his People of the Mystery of Civil and Ecclesiastical Tyranny. This Light was fit to be hanged out to the People, when they had murther'd their Sovereign Prince, banish't the undoubted Heir to the Crown, and proclaimed him a Tray­tor to his own Subjects. But, alas! those happy days are gone, and those attempts of Liberty defeated, and the Nation is once more relaps't into its Civil and Ec­clesiastical Slavery; and that is no pro­per season for the Revelation of his My­steries. And therefore he is not unwil­ling to forego the mighty advantages of these New Lights, and is content his Party should pretend to grant this false Supposition, that by so much seeming Modesty they might win upon their Su­periours to requite them with a real In­dulgence: Though methinks 'tis neither wisely nor kindly done of him, in this publick manner to betray their secret thoughts and purposes to their most im­placable Adversaries. However, I am sure 'tis far from being artificially contri­ved, that when he design'd to act in a dis­guise, he should at the first entrance upon [Page 70] the Stage unmask himself to all the Spe­ctators, onely that they might know him not to be in good earnest, nor the Person he appears to be.

§. 16. But however, from these thoughts he starts his Discourse; and though he stumble into his Career, that is no hin­drance to the swiftness of his Course, but away he flies like Lightning, and is not able to curb his Pen, till it comes to the end of 410 Pages. For by heating his Brains with this Introduction, he quick­ly fills his Fancy with an innumerable swarm of vagrant fortuitous and heedless Imaginations, that come fluttering forth in such a preposterous and impetuous stream of Words, that he could scarce gain leisure to range them into Gramma­tical Syntax. Every conceit that thrusts its self into his thoughts, he pours out in­to his Book: His Work must be finish't in a few hasty minutes, and at idle hours, how then can you reasonably expect he should have time to weigh the strength and per­tinency of his Arguments, or digest his Notions into method or propriety of Speech? And had I either so much Pa­tience, or so little Employment as to re­present to your view the short Contents [Page 71] of his whole Book, how would you bless your self at such an undigested heap of Rubbish, and such an immethodical Rhap­sody of Words? Take a short taste, and supply the rest with your own Observati­on. ‘Pag. 2. Those who plead for Li­berty of Conscience, are forced to dis­semble in their Pretences. Pag. 3. The design of the Ecclesiastical Polity is to prove that the Law of the Civil Magi­strate, is the sole Rule of Religious Worship. Pag. 4. The Principles of that Book are new and uncouth. Pag. 5, 6. Neither Church nor State is con­cern'd in them. Pag. 7. There is no love lost between us, as being no Ac­quaintance. Pag. 8, 9. Young Men are confident, Old Men cautious. Pag. 10. I am more a Philosopher then a Christi­an. Pag. 11. Rails at me for railing at them. Pag. 12. Engages to be civil; and for a taste of his Civility, Pag. 13. charges me with the height of pride and boasting. Pag. 14. Many are dis­pleased with my scoffings and revilings. Pag. 15. The Nonconformists will not be jear'd out of the Profession of the Gospel. Pag. 16. Challenges all our Learned Men to a Disputation. Pag. 17. Demands a personal Conference [Page 72] between W. B. and the Author of The Friendly Debate. Pag. 18. Cites my De­scription of the Nonconformists Preach­ing. Pag. 19, 20. What if I am de­ceived. Pag. 21. Another Challenge to all Men of Learning. Pag. 22. There are Fools of all Parties.’ Should I pro­ceed after this manner to shew you by what Tautologies, from what Topicks, and with what Materials he has made up his full Tale of 400 Pages, you would (so endless, and yet withal so trifling are its follies) pity that Man that is condemn'd to squander away his Time and Parts in winnowing such an heap of Chaff, and such a Mass of Impertinencies. In short, in stead of spending a few hours to exa­mine the principal Parts and seeming Pil­lars of my whole Fabrick, he has onely hid and buried them under Loads of Rub­bish; and to clear that, will be the Work and Drudgery of my Reply, rather then to strengthen my own Foundations. And to that purpose I will give you a general Account of the way of his Writing, and main Heads of his Arguing: which being dispatch't, there will remain but a very small pittance of pertinent Matter for my Review.

[Page 73]§. 17. 1. In stead of following the plain and evident drift of my Discour­ses, he starts some Collateral Reflection, that was occasionally intimated upon supposition of the Truth and Evidence of my main Principles and direct Assertions; and this Chase he pursues with Noise and deep-mouthed Crys through two or three Pages, till he chance to stumble up­on some fresh Proposition of the same na­ture, and then that is his Game, and that he follows with the same empty Noise and Clamour, till some new Theme di­vert him to a new pursuit; and if he can run it down with a few idle Descants, im­pertinent Queries, insipid Exclamations, abused Texts, and thread-bare Apo­phthegms, the day is his own; if not, it escapes his fury; he must not lose his variety of sport, by wasting too much of his time and spirits in the over-eager pur­suit of a single prey. And when he flies out into these unruly Digressions, his Fancy is pregnant, his Pen is brisk and spritely, and he is lavish of his Ink and Paper: But when he returns towards the Track of my Discourse, his Career checks, his Confidence abates, it is not altogether so pert and Dogmatical; its [Page 74] Censures are not so full of scorn and neg­lect, nor his Determinations so Magiste­rial and presumptuous, but the Man con­descends sometimes to the modesty of a Perhaps, and a May-be, I fear, and It seems. And he usually stops his Course before he comes to the main issue of the business; and like a discreet and reserved Man, seems to keep back the main thing that he could say; the whole Secret is not to be unriddled at once. No! the Reader must content himself with a transient tast at first, and then feed his expectation with the gracious Promise of future Discove­ries and Revelations never to be reveal­ed. But he has his Magazine of unan­swerable Arguments and Objections, that I am confident we shall never Answer, though for no other reason then because we shall never hear them.

You have read the Memoirs of Tom Co­riat, whose custom it is to enlarge upon Toys and Trifles; He is circumstantial in his Remarks upon his Hosts Beard, and in his Description of his Sign-post, but scarce takes notice of any thing great and glorious, and passes by Princes Palaces, Forts and Citadels, and all the greatest Strengths and Ornaments of Kingdoms. And to the same purpose has this Man [Page 75] spent his Travels through my Book; where he lights upon any passage that is less important in it self, and more remote from my main design, he dwells and ex­patiates upon it with double diligence. And so industrious is he to collect the smallest and least considerable passages, as if he were resolved nothing in my Book should escape his Correction. And how bravely does he amplifie upon Words and little Trifles! as if he had determined not to spare the nicest Errour to expose my Ignorance, but had engaged to sift me with such an exact and merciless dis­quisition, that rather then any thing should escape him, he would measure A­toms, and weigh Grains. But when he approaches my main design, how slightly does he balk the weightiest Reasonings? how nimbly does he frisk over the great­est Difficulties? and how dexterously does he beat beside the main Questions? and if he now and then stay to glance at any more enforcing proof, 'tis extraordi­nary: But some Arguments he winks at, and some he out-faces; those he confutes with a Pish, and these with a Vapour, and heaps up every where I know not what general Censures and Exceptions, but nothing is either proved or specified; [Page 76] and he is so admirably accomplish't in all the arts of tediousness and impertinency, that he can waste a whole Page of Words to no other purpose,Vide Pag. 19, 20, 72, 73, 74, 75, 83, 84. and with no more sense then to deny a Proposition, or slight an Argument, and yet not allow a Line to confute it. He is fluent, and runs o­ver in Expressions where there is no need; but where there is, he immediately be­comes dry in his Discourse, and thrifty of his Words; and has consumed more Pages in loose and precarious Censures, then he has in making Premises and Con­clusions: And if such Talk may pass for pertinent Replys, he may undertake the Defence of any Cause, and 'tis indiffe­rent which side he abets; his Answers will serve equally at all turns, and to all purposes; he may turn the same Decla­mations upon his own Castles in the Air, and then they are all beaten down about his ears: but if he would have allotted all that time, and all those Pages to con­fute my Arguments, that he has spent to rail and declaim against them, his Book would not have been so much less, as it must have been better. Instances of this sort are innumerable, and therefore I shall not here be so tedious as to accumulate particulars, because it would be endless; [Page 77] onely let me request you to reflect upon this suggestion as you travel through his dry and barren Pages, and then your own Observation will too pregnantly confirm and justifie mine: And therefore quitting this more general Consideration, that is onely forcible upon impartial and inge­nuous Minds, I shall address my self to some more particular and convictive Re­marks.

§. 18. 2. One of his choicest Helps to swell up the Bulk of his Answer, is to break out at every turn into Tragical Complaints against the tartness of my Invectives and Satyrical Expressions: and this Topick he seems to keep for a reserve upon all occasions; and when­ever he runs himself out of breath, and out of Argument, here he recovers his wind, and recruits his forces; at this Post his Pen always both starts and stops his Career. And he sallies forth so often into this Complaint, that by Computa­tion I judge it fills up above the fifth part of his Reply. But all this is no more then Rubbish, and serves to no Nobler use then to fill up void spaces, and a­mounts to no higher purpose then imper­tinent Talk. For whether I have incur­red [Page 78] this Censure, is not to be determi­ned by any smartness of Expressions, but by the Truth and Evidence of things: for some tempers and principles there are, that can never be exposed with too much sharpness and severity of stile; and there­fore if the tender Man, in stead of de­claiming against the unmerciful Carriage of my Pen, had been at leisure to write pertinently, he should have proved it was undeserved: But if Evidence of Proof, and Notoriety of Fact, do justifie my ut­most Charge, my Expression must have come short of my Theme, had I arraign'd such hateful Crimes in softer Language. A Man may without offence represent Vice in its blackest Colours, and expose the ugliness of Pride and Insolence with the roughest and most Satyrical Chara­cters; and for this no stile can be too chur­lish and vehement; and 'tis no Cruelty to lash a naked Crime with Scorpions and Whips of Steel: yet when it puts on the Mask of Religion, and gains its opportu­nities under the protection of a tender Conscience, then we must court it with gentle and respectful Language; to dis­cover the Imposture, is to expose Religi­on; to inveigh against the foulness of the abuse, is to rail at the power of Godli­ness; [Page 79] to uncase the Hypocrite, and to wash off his Varnish and false Colours, is to lay open the Nakedness of Piety to the scorn of Atheists and Worldlings: and therefore we must be tame and pati­ent, and suffer them to debauch Religion and disturb Government, to affront Au­thority and trample upon Laws, to spread their Infection, and broach their seditious Doctrines, to raise violent Schisms and Factions in the Church, and mislead the People into a Rebellious Reformation: and lastly, toss us up and down in Eternal Dissetlements, because they Pray and Fast often, and enjoy Communion with God, and attend upon his Ordinances, and love the Lord Jesus, and hate Antichrist. So that though a Man may declaim a­gainst naked Villany with the severest In­vectives, yet it seems we must flatter Hy­pocrisie, though it enhanse the foulness of the Crime, by the falshood of its Pre­tences. And because 'tis bold and shame­less, we must suffer it to look Truth out of Countenance. 'Tis an holy and a pre­cise Man, and it looks demurely, and then what if he be sawcy to his Superi­ours? what if he scorn and trample upon his Betters? what if he be peevish and impatient of Contradiction? what if [Page 80] every Affront transport him into all the Disorders of Passion and Revenge? and what if he shrowd Pride and Insolence under the covering of a sheepish Humili­ty? We must not presume to discern the clearest Symptoms and most palpable In­dications of these Vices in such an emi­nent Professour, but must wipe off all his blemishes with a few soft and gentle Words: alas, Good Man! they are but the Infirmities and Indiscretions of his Zeal, and the spots of the best of Gods People. Nay, what if we should observe melting, humble, broken-hearted Chri­stians to affect a demure and sanctimoni­ous Niceness, thereby to gain advantage and reputation to their black Designs? What if they have abused the most sa­cred Oaths and Protestations, to cheat the Simple, and betray the Innocent? What if they pretend the instigation of the Spirit of God, to Authorize the foulness of their Enterprizes? What if they make shew of higher attainments of Mortification, to gain the handsomer op­portunities of wallowing in the most beastly and dishonourable Impurities? What if in their practices they bid open defiance to all the Principles of Justice and Conscience; and under pretences of [Page 81] holy Zeal, dare to act those Villanies at which a Wicked Man would startle and recoil? We must needs suppose these Infirmities to be easily incident to Good Men; and when they break Oaths, rob Temples, and murther Kings, 'tis but an oversight of Zeal; and what sweet and precious Communion may they enjoy with God in the midst of Murthers, Trea­sons and Massacres? And to describe their Wickedness, and to call them Vil­lanies, is reviling and intemperate Lan­guage. And thus can they do their bu­siness, as they please, by an ugly Word. Their Followers understand nothing of the Truth and Nature of things, but are acted purely by the Power of Words; and judge of the good or evil of Actions by the Titles that their Masters give them. And if they will but call a true Accusation a foul Slander, 'tis no matter for clearing their own Innocence, that is enough to wash off any aspersions what­soever; and all the Evidence and De­monstration of Proof, is too little to bear out the Truth of the Indictment against the Authority of their Not Guilty.

§. 19. The Truth is, all things have two Names as well as two Handles, a [Page 82] Black one that they always fasten upon us, and a White one that they ever appro­priate to themselves; and thus what in them is Godly Zeal, is in us Malice and Persecution; what in them is sanctified Wit, is in us Prophaneness and Scurrili­ty; and what in them is Tenderness of Conscience, is in us Superstition. When they are peevish and censorious, they are onely offended and scandalized; and when they are cruel and unmerciful to dissent­ing Brethren, they are then zealous for God and his Truth. But do we expose the Follies of their Divinity with any briskness of Reason? that is Arrogance. Do we upbraid the Impostures of their Superstition with any sharpness of Wit? that is Prophaneness. Do we demon­strate any of their Notions of Practical Godliness to be giddy and unwarrantable Conceits? that is to blaspheme the In­fluences of the Divine Spirit. Do we but press People to an Imitation of the Life of Christ? that is enough to brand us for Socinians. Do we urge the abso­lute necessity of Good Works, or an Ho­ly Life, (for that is the same thing) as an indispensable Condition of our accep­tance with God? what can we be but Pa­pists? And do we assert the practice of [Page 83] Morality to be the great and most essen­tial Design of Religion? we are Heathen Philosophers, and preach Plato and Sene­ca, and our selves, but not Iesus Christ. And thus can they with ease countermine all our Endeavours, to disabuse the Peo­ple by a few odious Names, and blast and deform the most rational Discourses, one­ly by crying out Railings, Revilings, Scoffings, despightful Reproaches, Sarcasms, scornful con­temptuous Expressions, false Criminations. But if to rail be to assault with foul Language and reproachful Nick-names, in stead of true Wit and Reason, what think they of themselves, who when they are de­manded to give a Rational Account of their Outrage against the Government, and Discipline of our Church, onely in­veigh against it in rude and unmannerly Phrases, and manage the Quarrel by cal­ling Names? and in stead of propound­ing modest Exceptions, stuff their Pam­phlets with boisterous Words and un­clean Invectives, and familiarly salute us with the cleanly Titles of Locusts of the Bottomless Pit, The Limbs of Antichrist, Baal's Priests, Romish Wolves and Foxes, Belzebub of Canterbury, Antichristian Beasts, Bishops of the Devil; with innumerable others of the same generous strain. In this sort of Elo­quence [Page 84] our Adversaries have ever been the most able and most accomplish't Ora­tours in the World. How infinitely have they excelled all the Wits of former A­ges in this Noble, but neglected Art? and with what success have they improved and cultivated this Field from the good days of Queen Elizabeth down to our own? No Age nor Nation in the World can vie with ours for these Beauties of Stile and Embellishments of Speech. And I could name a Friend of his and mine that abounds as much with these Flowers as the bravest Oratour of the Party: but I suppose I need not recal to his memory some Sermons as plentifully adorn'd with these foul-mouthed Flourishes, as any Pamphlets of the rudest Zealot in the pack. Let them discover any such un­cleannesses in my Book, and then let them impose any Penance, and I will pro­mise to undergo it, though it were to write a Panegyrick in praise of the Good Nature of the Presbyterians, and the Sincerity of the Independents. But, a­las! they will never descry any thing there like foul Language, unless cleanly words may be defiled by expressing foul things. 'Tis not any bitterness of ex­pression that afflicts them, but the sharp­ness [Page 85] of Truth, and that is a biting thing indeed. They are gaul'd with the Evi­dence of Conviction, and whilst I rub their sore (and therefore tender) Con­sciences, that and onely that makes them fret with such impatience at the Liberty of my Reproof.

But to dispatch: You (Sir) are privy to the secrets of my Soul, and can bear testimony to the integrity of my Intenti­ons: How oft have I discoursed to you, that as deeply as I adore our blessed Savi­our upon the score both of his being the Son of God, and the Redeemer of the World, yet methinks my Devotion is never more passionate and transporting, then when it muses upon the Goodness of his Laws: Laws so excellent, that their own Goodness might be their own Eter­nal Obligation: Laws becoming the Wis­dom of God, and agreeable to the Rea­son of Man: that purifie our Minds, re­fine our Natures, and perfect our Under­standings: Laws that bind us to the Hea­venly Pleasures of Love, Innocence and Charity; that restrain every thing that disturbs the quiet of the World, and the peace of Society, and that command no­thing but what is useful and rational, and conducive to the happiness of Mankind: [Page 86] Laws of Meekness and Justice, Mercy and Patience, Contentedness and Pity, Kindness, Obedience and Humility. And now if the Gospel be an Institution so pregnant with Vertue, and Wisdom and Holiness, how can any Man that is ten­der of his Saviours Reputation, tamely suffer these brain-sick People to debauch the Divine Wisdom of his Religion with childish and trifling Follies? And to re­present the design of Christianity in so odde a guise, as to suit it chiefly to the Conceptions of Children, and inclinati­ons of old Women, and make it most a­greeable to weak Reasons, soft Spirits, and little Understandings? And how can any Man that is enamour'd of the Beauty of real Goodness, think any Satyrs too rough for such bold Impostors, as make it a Mask for Pharisaick Hypocrisie, and stave off their Proselytes from the pra­ctice of real Righteousness, by amusing their little Understandings with trifling and unprofitable Gayeties? That em­ploy a seeming Godliness to supplant all that is real, and oppose all the great ends and designs of Religion, under more gor­geous Pretences to advance them; and are not onely content to exchange the Reality and Substance of true Goodness [Page 87] for its Varnish and Colours, but have been so untoward as to contrive a seeming and hypocritical Sanctity, that does not more counterfeit then oppose true Holiness: in brief, choaking all the most beautiful Graces of Christianity, by over-running them with rank and noisom Impostures. Now if these things are so, who can charge the utmost severity of Expression with intemperance of Speech? And that they are so, if I have not sufficiently proved it already, I shall have occasion to enforce its Evidence by some too clear and con­victive Proofs in the sequel of this Dis­course. And therefore 'tis but a vain thing to make loud and tragical Complaints of railing and intemperate Speeches, unless they had first discover'd that there is not truth enough in my Accusations to war­rant the sharpest and most vehement Ex­pressions. I have not thrown out hard words at all adventure, nor confuted the Cause by giving bad Language, (as 'tis some Mens custom to stick an Odious Name upon an Adversary, and then he is baffled:) No, I first endeavoured to con­vict them by Evidence of Reason, and after that to reprove their Errour; and if they resolved to continue obstinate, to upbraid their peevishness with some [Page 88] sharpness of Expression. And if Men will not distinguish between Railing and sharp Reproofs, there is no remedy but the best and wisest Persons of all Ages must pass for the greatest Railers. And so far am I from recanting my severity towards them, that I am rather tempted to ap­plaud it by the glorious Examples of the greatest Wits of our Nation, King Iames, Archbishop Whitgift, Archbishop Bancroft, Bishop Andrews, Bishop Bilson, Bishop Mountagne, Bishop Bramhall, Sir Walter Rawleigh, Lord Bacon, &c. And what can you imagine more hateful to such wise Men as these, then to see mean Peo­ple borrow the Face of Religion to make them bold and impudent against Govern­ment? In short, I could name some Per­sons so vile and abominable, that 'tis not in the power of Slander to abuse them; and there is a Faction of Saints in the World, whose Villanies and Falshoods and Perjuries are so utterly destitute of excuse or palliation, that no History of any Age or Nation can afford us the like impudent and execrable Examples of Baseness and Hypocrisie. And there­fore let not the living man complain, &c.

§. 20. 3. Another pregnant and ser­viceable [Page 89] Topick of Argumentation, is to load his Adversary with Consequences of Atheism, Popery, and Mahumetanism; though, for any Reason I have given him, he might as plausibly have charged me of Magick or Necromancy, or (what perhaps may seem more monstrous) of Fanaticism. But this is one of the most elegant Idiotisms of their Language, and most powerful Figures of their Logick; whatsoever they touch is immediately turn'd into Atheism; they can wring this Conclusion out of all Premises, as they can draw some Doctrines out of all Texts. 'Tis an odious Inference, and then 'tis no matter for its Truth and Coherence; a wide Mouth and a bold Face shall make good the Charge; and what they want of Rational Deduction, is easily supplyed by Noise and Confidence. Their Fol­lowers (they know) never examine things by the Rules of Reason and Discourse; put but an ugly Consequence into their Mouths, and they swallow it with a glib­ber satisfaction then the purest and most refined Reasonings, and peremptorily conclude you guilty of all the horrid Te­nets and Assertions that their Leaders will throw upon you. And there lies all their strength, in the Ignorance and Cre­dulity [Page 90] of the Multitude: Instances of this nature are innumerable, their great Anak of Disputation I. O. (to mention no more) never commenced a Dispute against any Perswasion, but he immediately brought the Controversie to this issue. He cannot Arraign the Lords Prayer it self, but Atheism and Blasphemy must in­to the Indictment, The asserting that Form of Words (says he) confirms many in their A­theistical Blaspheming of the Holy Spirit of God, and his Grace, in the Prayers of his People. And when some Learned Men of the Church of England publish't the Biblia Po­lyglotta, the chief Contriver of that No­ble Work writes some Prolegomena suita­ble to the nature and design of the Un­dertaking; especially to defend and as­sert the Certainty, Integrity and Divine Authority of the Original Texts: but a­mong other Discourses, (he happens to assert the Novelty of the Hebrew Pun­ctation, (an Opinion own'd by the con­current suffrage of almost all the best skill'd in the Hebrew and Oriental Learning) and to acknowledge various Readings in the Original Text; and last­ly, to prove that to be no way prejudicial to their Purity and Integrity. Now with what outragious Declamations does I. O. [Page 91] set upon these harmless Assertions? and with what foul-mouthed Crys and Con­sequences does he pursue them? and what an horrid Noise do we hear of Atheism, A­theism, Atheism? We are told of a new Plot or design amongst Protestants after they are come out of Rome,V. Doctor Walton's Considera­tor con [...]id. pag. 1. a design which they dare not publickly own, p. 329. The Leprosie of Papists crying down the Original Texts, is bro­ken forth among Protestants, with what design, to what end or purpose, he knows not, God knows, and the day will manifest, Epist. p. 14. That this design is own'd in the Prolegomena to the Bible, and in the Appendix; that they Print the Original and defame it, gathering up Tran­slations of all sorts, and setting them up in com­petition with it, Epist. p. 9. That they take away all certainty in and about sacred Truth, E­pist. p. 25. That there is nothing left unto men, but to chuse whether they will turn Papists or Atheists, Epist. p. 9. That there are gross Corruptions befaln the Originals, which by the help of Old Translations, and by Conjectures, may be found out and corrected, p. 205. As pernicious a Principle as ever was fixed upon since the Foundation of the Church of Christ, E­pist. p. 21. That it is the Foundation of Ma­humetanism, the chiefest and principal prop of Popery, the onely pretence of Fanatical Anti­scripturists, and the root of much hidden Atheism [Page 92] in the World, p. 147. That he fears, The pre­tended infallible Iudge, or the depth of Atheism lies at the door of these Considerations, p. 161. That they are enough to frighten unstable Souls into the arms of an infallible Guide, p. 169. That (setting aside two Theses) there is no Opinion ventilated among Christians, tending to the depression of the Worth, and impairing the Esteem of the Hebrew Copies, which is not directly, or by just consequence own'd in these Prolegomena, p. 205. All these black Charges must be set off with Shrieks and Tragical Exclamations of dreadful distem­per which may well prove mortal to the truth of the Scripture, p. 314. Of horrible and outragious Violence offer'd to the sacred Verity, p. 315. That men take upon them to correct the Scri­pture, p. 344. To correct the Word of God, p. 180. And all these prodigious and un­parallel'd Reproaches he is not ashamed to pour forth with a profession of all Chri­stian candour and moderation of spirit, p. 151. 'Tis a wide and frightful Gulf that lies between his Adversaries Premises and his own Conclusions; but yet, so well is his Confidence mounted, that cannot scare him from often leaping it: 'Tis the way and spirit of the Man, and he does it by custom and by instinct: Nothing more frequent and more familiar in all his [Page 93] Writings, then these horrid Consequen­ces in behalf of Papists, Atheists, Anti­scripturists and Mahumetans. And I could produce out of a certain Author, (that may be guessed at) a large Cata­logue of the same odious Inferences char­ged upon any Man that can be so blind or so prophane as but to doubt whether the success of the Rump Parliament, the Mur­ther of the late King, the defeat of his present Majesty at Worcester, were not spe­cial and extraordinary Projects of Divine Providence for carrying on the Kingdom of the Lord Christ. But I will not be too unmerciful, though such dirty and disho­nest Arts can never be exposed with too much severity. However, provided for the future they will take warning to for­bear such black practices, from me they shall hear no more of them: but if they will not, let them thank themselves for what may follow; for we must not suffer them to abuse the people with such coarse and wretched Juglings.

§. 21. 4. Another way of trifling, is upon every occasion to drop in some Learned Shreds of Latin, and Scholar­like Sayings of ancient Poets and Philo­sophers. And had they been collected [Page 94] out of their Original Authors, what a no­table Proof had he given the World of his Encyclopediacal Reading? However, methinks 'tis pretty to observe with what neatness of fancy he sets off his own con­fused and indigested Rubbish, by be­sprinkling it with these little Fragments of Wit and Poetry, as in some places you have seen them adorn their Mud-walls with bits of any thing that shines and gli­sters. But though this trifling Artifice might have passed for Wit and Learning in the days of Queen Elizabeth, and may now perhaps dazzle and amuse unlearned People; yet to Men of Learning, Reading and Ingenuity, (to whom our Author writes) their Vulgar Use has sullied their Lustre, and abated their Value: so com­mon are they in Modern Controversies to the same or the like purposes of Wit; and so few do I meet with in our Author, that are not scatter'd up and down in the Po­lemick Rancounters of I. O. (and indeed he seems wonderfully conversant in the Writings of that Learned Man, not one­ly by his See-saws, but his Stile, his Phra­ses, and his Arguments:) so that whatso­ever shew of Learning these pedantick Impertinences may make among the Dames and the Prentices, yet (I say) to [Page 95] his Men of Reading that can trace him, they will bring him under suspicion of filching other Mens Wit; so little will they add to the Reputation of his own. Nay, such a Magazine is there of these Weapons in the Polyanthea, that they will not so much as tempt the wonder of School-boys, that are familiarly furnish't with choice and variety of them out of the Original and Classical Books them­selves; and therefore to them and to our Author I shall leave these Learned Tri­fles, and yield the Victory at these Chil­dish Follies. And whereas pag. 8, 9. he bobs my Confidence with a Trite and Re­verend Apophthegm out of old Aristotle, That Bearded Men are cautious, but Beardless Boys are confident, should I nick him with a Repartee of as grave a Saying out of as grave an Author, [...],Thucydid. [...] Ignorance is bold and peremptory, whilst Knowledge is modest and distrustful; and then gloss and expatiate upon my Theme as solemnly as he has done upon his, would not this (think you) wonderfully edifie the Reader, and de­termine the Controversie? And to con­clude, can you forbear to smile when you hear a Grave Divine, and one that writes himself D. D. defie all Men of Learning, [Page 96] Reading and Ingenuity, to cap Verses? for in truth this pelting Sentences is scarce a more manly or a more Scholastick Exer­cise, then that Olympick Sport of Coun­try-Schools.

§. 25. Another little Stratagem he of­ten suggests to defeat Arguments and de­lude the People, is to ascribe all the Ap­pearances of Reason that seem to sparkle in my Discourse, to the Elegance of its Stile and its Composure: for he is wil­ling to allow it all the Perfections of Beauty, so it may but want strength and sinews, and let it be any thing, if it be not rational; and then how smoothly does this Censure pass among the Peo­ple, who make the same Judgment of Reason as they do of Gospel-Preaching, and value it by its dullness and want of Fancy? So that if we set off the severest Reasonings with any gloss and Ornament of Speech, they are taught to call it Ju­venile Rhetorick and Declamation; and we can never make them understand or (what is more difficult) acknowledge the reasonableness of any Discourse, if we set down our Thoughts in any other Scheme of Expression beside Syllogisms in Barbara; otherwise if we write with all [Page 97] the Power and Demonstration of Reason, 'tis but calling it a Rhetorical Declama­tion, and then 'tis cashier'd and slighted. But as for my own way of Writing, I confess Men of greater Fancies would have discoursed of my subject with more quickness of Wit, and Men of better Judgments with more closeness of Rea­son: but I have followed the humour of my own Genius; and have so endeavour'd to be rational, as not to be flat; and so to be fanciful, as not to be impertinent; not leaving the Coherence of my Matter to run after a witty Conceit, nor so stub­bornly avoiding all Ornament of Speech, as not to cloath my Matter in some Ele­gancy of Expression: And as I have not used Resemblances in stead of Argu­ments, (though I know who has) so nei­ther have I refused to set off Arguments with Allusions; but have ventur'd some­times to express them by borrowed and allusive terms, where it might be done without hazarding the strength or the perspicuity of the Discourse. I have no where played with Phrases, nor argued from Metaphors and Similitudes; and if any of my Words may happen to be fine, they are none of them empty; and the most pompous and lofty Expressions con­tain [Page 98] under them Notion, and Thing e­nough to fill out their Sense, and warrant their Truth. A multitude of Evil Tou­ches, and less important Intimations, I must both forgive and omit, as well to a­void the suspicion of being too unmerci­ful, as the inconvenience of being too te­dious: Nay, to what a Voluminous Bulk must I swell, should I specifie all the more weighty and unexcusable Miscarriages, and reckon up all his palpable Untruths, affected Calumnies, labour'd Falsificati­ons, studied Mis-understandings, shame­less Impertinencies, ridiculous Evasions, numberless Tautologies, and infinite Re­petitions? together with his frequent Challenges, Appeals to Heaven and the Day of Judgment, denouncing Woes, and letting flie Threatnings of the Divine Wrath and Vengeance, with innumera­ble other Tricks of shuffling and bold im­pertinency. In short, when I first peru­sed this Reply, (if I may give it so fair a Name) I ran it over with equal Wonder and Satisfaction; with Wonder at the boldness of the Man, that blush't not to impose upon the Publick, as well as upon my self, with such an heap of foul and notorious Falsifications: With Satisfa­ction, when I consider'd whoever under­takes [Page 99] to contradict the evidence of that Truth I had pleaded for, must first do vi­olence both to his Reason and to his Con­science, (for you will meet with some Forgeries so palpable, that Inadvertency can never excuse them:) And it confirm'd me in the Reasonableness of my Opinion, when I saw Men were forced to pervert and falsifie its plain meaning, before they could pretend its Confutation. Prodi­gious Instances of this kind you will meet with in the sequel of this Discourse, when I proceed to more particular Remarks; to which Work 'tis high time to address my self. And I shall first begin with his Re­view of my Preface.

§. 1. THe first considerable passage we meet with, after his first unfortunate sally, (of which you have heard al­ready) is the Account he gives us of his Humour and his Undertaking, how he prevail'd with himself, Pag. 4. much against his Incli­nations, to spend a few hours in the Examina­tion of the principal parts and seeming Pillars of my whole Fabrick. I shall not mind him of the uncouthness of his Language, (though if it were consider'd, it will be found that to examine a Pillar, is scarce more proper English then to explicate a Post) but shall onely observe, that some Men are so accustomed to Hypocrisie, that they dissemble when they least design it; [Page 103] and this trifling Pretence is now grown so familiar with this trifling Man, that it thrusts its self in of course, and challenges a place in all his Writings by the right and title of Prescription; and though he has served himself so often of it in all his former Squabbles, yet he can no more forbear to mention this Apology, then he can to need it. But methinks 'tis strange this cold and watry Elf should survive thus long out of its proper Element; and had it been a Salamander born, it could not have better endured the heats of Contention: And yet methinks 'tis more prodigious still, that a Man should do per­petual violence to the most puissant bent of his own Inclinations, and for ever doom himself to irksom and unpleasant Employments. Had he been possest by the Spirit of Scribbling and Contention, he could not have been more pragmatical in his medlings with other Mens Writings, then he has ever been, without any other provocation then that of his own petulant Humour. And is it not pleasant to see him excuse himself of unkindness to his own temper, by forcing it to such una­greeable Undertakings, when he is the known and common Barreter of the Age he lives in? He falls foul upon every [Page 104] Book he meets with; and there is scarce an Author that can escape the disgrace of his publick Censure and Correction; and what Motto could have better suited him, then that wherewith he has flourish't and adorned his Title Page, Sed sumpsimus Ar­ma? 'Tis pity he should have borrowed a Bush so proper to his purpose from ano­ther Mans Door. But had this Mighty Hero sought opportunities of Chivalry a­broad, and ranged the World in quest of Adventures, (though all places were still as full of Giants and Enchantments as they were in the Age of Barbarism and Romances) he could not have encoun­ter'd more Difficulties and Exploits then he has engaged upon at home. And if he have forced himself upon this trouble with reluctancy and violence to his Hu­mour, what havock had he made, had his Stars destined him to this Heroick Em­ployment? How might he have scowr'd the World, as once Theseus did? How might his Immortal Pen have clear'd the Age of the pest of Writers, as Herc' les Club did Greece of Thieves and Robbers? He might ere this time have ransackt and confuted all the Libraries in Europe, and out-done the Goths and Vandals in the De­struction of Books. But length of time [Page 105] and continual use have worn this coun­terfeit pretence so lamentably thin, that in stead of shrowding his Vanity, it onely serves to betray and discover it; and therefore hereafter I would advise him, either to write less, or to write with less regret, and not to imagine the World so silly, as to be perswaded that a Man, that has such an Antipathy to Writing as he pretends, should be so prodigal of his Ink as he is. But the truth is, Men that have the Itch, as they are ashamed to own it, so they cannot forbear upon all occasions to discover it.

But however, this Book, as he informs us, was finished and dictated at a few Idle Hours. I beseech you, Good Sir, will this Mans bashfulness never leave him? Will he suffer his youthful shamefacedness to overwhelm him in his old Age? Did you ever read a greater strain of Modesty and Humility? What a mean Opinion has this Weak Nothing of his Parts and Learn­ing, that can think the rash and imma­ture Products of his Idle Hours, fit to present, if not to oblige the Publick? With what want of Confidence does he presume upon the World, to expect its acceptance of all his crude and undigested Thoughts? And 'tis no boldness in him [Page 106] to thrust upon the Publick View every rash and precipitate Conceit that thrusts it self upon his wandring Fancy. But this Man does not always consider what he says; he has contracted acquaintance with certain Schemes of Speech, that stand always ready at his service, and he brags and dissembles by rote; and this Vaunt of the Vigour and Pregnancy of his Wit, is as familiar with him in all his Writings, as the excuse of his Reluctan­cy; and he scarce ever Pen'd or Publish't any thing, but with mighty speed and mighty remorse. But this Information he might well enough have spared; his imperfect and unlick't Notions are them­selves evidence enough of their own over­hasty Birth and Conception; and all he gains by this pedantick Boast, is to give in clear proof of his Pride, but none at all of his Sufficiency: for no Man that is not fool'd with a darling Opinion of his own Abilities, could ever have abused himself with so dear and fond a Conceit of his own hasty and fortuitous thoughts. And perhaps his bold Attempt upon the Biblia Polyglottae, was scarce a stronger Es­say of Confidence, when he takes upon him to chastise Persons that had given such a publick and unparallel'd proof of a [Page 107] thorough Insight into that kind of Learn­ing,Pag. 150. with a brisk Confession of his own superficial Skill and Knowledge. Tell me a more becoming Instance of Modesty, then for a smattering Sciolist to censure and provoke even Rabbies of the greatest fame and deepest skill. And therefore you have no reason hereafter to wonder at such fulsom Intimations of self-con­ceitedness; especially if you consider, that when Confidence grows old, it is changed into something more Monstrous, and the Serpent becomes a Dragon.

§. 2. But to leave him to his own dar­ling Self, and proceed to his Book, where you shall find my Account of their way of Preaching to be the first Object of his Indignation.Pag. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22. Upon this they principally value themselves, and for this he is desi­rous they should be principally maligned by others; though it must needs be a pi­tiful low and creeping Envy that fastens upon an Object so mean and despicable: And for my own part, I could name some Popular Oratours, that are as often as the most eloquent Clack of the Party, sur­rounded with crowding and numerous Congregations, the dexterity of whose Talk would sooner tempt my Envy, then [Page 108] their loose and ranging Preachments; the main knackishness whereof, as far as I could ever observe in their printed Ser­mons, consists in their surprising Extra­vagance and Impertinency: A thousand Instances of this nature might be produ­ced out of a Treatise publish't by I. O. concerning the Saints distinct Communion with the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost: i. e. as he accurately explains him­self,Chap. 2. Sect. 1. Distinctly with the Father, distinctly with the Son, and distinctly with the Holy Ghost: though by the way, this doubty Explica­tion can do no great service towards the unfolding of this great Mystery: for to enjoy Communion distinctly with each Person of the blessed Trinity, is not much more intelligible then to enjoy distinct Communion with them; and (by reason of its Resemblance to it) calls to my mind a Direction prescribed elsewhere by the same Author for carrying on the Work of Watching, viz. To be always awake; it being a certain and undoubted Truth,Of Tempt. p. 134. That no Man can watch whilst he is a­sleep: But little absurdities start up so thick in my way, that they divert me from my main quest; and therefore let me onely desire you to consult the fore­mentioned Treatise, and then tell me [Page 109] whether some of them have not acquired a notable knack at spoiling the Scri­ptures, and fooling with the Divine O­racles. And what else can be expected from the design and nature of the Dis­course it self, that endeavours to make out such a nice and Metaphysical Devo­tion? But here his Zeal burns and kin­dles, and vents its self in an unusual heat and vehemence of Declamation, though all the Noise of three or four Pages a­mounts to no more, then barely to tell the Reader that I am not able to prove the Charge, and to Challenge me and all my Associates to make it good before any equal, competent, and impartial Tribunal under Heaven. But the passage he in­veighs against, is transposed out of the second Chapter of my Book, and there­fore shall in its proper place be justified to purpose: for there you shall meet with all the same stuff again, according to his method, though (as himself professes) contrary to his design, Pag. 117. in haste oftentimes speak­ing the same things over and over. But in the mean while to give some check to this boldness, I accept his Challenge, and defie him to a defence of the printed Ser­mons of I. O. which if he dares under­take, I will engage to give in such an [Page 110] Evidence against them, as shall infinitely make out and exceed the particulars of my Charge. And though he think not himself obliged to justifie every individu­al Person, yet perhaps by reason of his Relation to, and Concernment for that Author, this Challenge may bring him under an absolute Engagement to that Performance. Is it not strange to see Men that are so obnoxious, to be so con­fident? But if by their importunity they will force and provoke us to expose their shame and folly, they have reason to charge the blame upon nothing but their own rashness and presumption. And yet so far is this or any of his other Brags from being any real Transports of Cou­rage and Resolution, that nothing could more palpably have betrayed his Vanity and his Cowardize. 'Tis, you know, the Humour and the true Character of a Co­ward, when there is no Danger or Enemy near, then he insults, he threatens, he defies, he triumphs, he is all rage and fierceness, he breathes nothing but Slaughter and Destruction, and talks not under the rate of his Thousands and his Ten Thousands: But if an Enemy ap­proach, and an Engagement be offered, 'tis not then so utterly impossible to per­swade [Page 111] the Man, you need not use vio­lence to make him attend to calm and so­ber Counsel, he is not deaf to all advice, but can hear Reason and his Friends; and then if you press upon him, and upbraid him with his own Vaunts, his Rage im­mediately begins to cool and vanish, his Heart melts and dissolves, his Spirits re­tire, his Colour alters, and all the Co­ward can do, is to look pale and tremble. And such is the defiance of our Author; he looks big, & he threatens high; he will not endure our Affronts and Insolences, but is resolved to redress those Wrongs, and avenge those Indignities we have of­fer'd to the Nonconformists, and nothing will appease his Rage, but Blood and De­struction: Come forth you and all your Associates, and if you dare be so hardy, prove your force against me before any Tribunal under Heaven; for I am resol­ved to chastise your Insolences, and make you see the folly and the danger of your Undertakings. Now who (think you) can withstand all this Rage and Fury? We must flie and disperse as the defence­less Flock of Sheep did before the Zeal and the Sword of the Phrenetick Knight: for who dares to resist so steel'd a Cou­rage? and that so whet with Provoca­tion, [Page 112] and so eager upon Revenge? And yet if you will bear up a little bravely to him, and with a brisk and undaunted look accept his Challenge, and dare him to stand to his own defiance, the Man will quickly begin to treat and consider, he will bridle his Rage, and appease his Fierceness; for his part he means no harm, he is a good-natur'd Man, and is willing to live peaceably;Pag. 178. he neither desires nor designs Serram reciprocare, (as our Author Classically expresses himself) or to engage in any Controversial Discourse with you: And do but press and pursue him to stand to his own Challenge, he slinks out of the Field, and is vanquish't without danger and expence of Blood. This, as­sure your self, will be the undoubted E­vent of my closing in with his own moti­on; and though I once more upbraid him with his own Summons, and dare him to his own Defence, be confident you shall never hear more of him: for as stout as he is, he will never be so rash as to expose himself at so great a disadvantage. I say no more, he knows my meaning.

Pag. 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60.§. 3. And whereas, that he may for ever dash this Reproach of mine out of Countenance, he gives in a large Cata­logue [Page 113] of harmless and useful Arguments, upon which they are wont to treat in their Sermons, that concerns not our Charge; though as they order their Theology, we tax them for defeating the efficacy of their own Doctrines, by their own un­warrantable Additions, and mixing such Propositions with the Precepts of the Go­spel, as sadly enervate, or utterly eva­cuate all their Obligation to a holy and a vertuous Life. But this Controversie is not to be managed in Prefaces, and as well requires as it deserves a Volume: And therefore in answer to all that lurry of words, I shall at present onely mind him, that his Systeme of Preaching Di­vinity, is vastly more lame and imperfect then my Scheme of Religion, and that he has supprest at least one entire Table of their Decalogue: for easie it were to re­count as long a roll of Matters, that they insist on with as much zeal and lowdness, as upon any Theme that he has reckoned in his Catalogue, that are as little Countenanced in Holy Writ, as they are by Supreme Authority. Let our Author onely reflect upon some Discour­ses (that he knows of) concerning Di­vine Providence, and that will satisfie his Curiosity. What thinks he of Songs [Page 114] upon Sigionoth? What thinks he of a Vision (seen by himself) of Gods un­changeable Free Mercy, and uncontroul­able Eternal Purpose in sending and con­tinuing the Gospel unto this Nation, maugre all the Opposition of King and Bishops? What thinks he of accounting for the Equity of Gods Judgments, in re­compencing the Sins of the King upon the People, because they that set him up may justly be called to answer for his Miscar­riages, if by vertue of their retained So­veraignty, they do not restrain him in his provoking ways? What thinks he of the Lord Christs shaking and translating the Political Heights and Governments of the Western Nations, in order to the bringing in of his own peaceable King­dom? What thinks he of ensuring Success to Cromwel's Army against their Soveraign, by dark passages out of the old Prophets? What thinks he of Good Principles be­coming wicked and abominable, when taken up against the Providence of God? What thinks he of Monarchic Govern­ments being a Jewish Ceremony, a part of their Pedagogy and Bondage, and a­bolish't by the coming of the Messiah? What thinks he of the Kings being a Son of Tabeal, i. e. one that would have usurpt [Page 115] the Crown without Right or Title? What thinks he of Gods hardning the late Kings Heart, to carry on the Mighty Work of a Thorough Reformation; and of laying stubbornness and obdurateness upon his Spirit, to preserve us from ruine and final destruction? In brief, What thinks he of the Advantage of the King­dom of Christ, in the shaking of the King­doms of the World? or Providential Al­terations in their subserviency to Christ's Exaltation, applyed to his Majesties De­feat at Worcester? If such harmless Pro­positions as these were searched into, and displayed to the view of the World, it would soon be satisfied whether we have not just Reason to complain of their Do­ctrine. And yet so civil was I as to wink at such black Discourses; and it was up­on the account of less odious Miscarriages that I taxt their Sermons, for corrupting and embasing Divinity, not for infecting his Majesties Subjects with Doctrines of Treason, and Principles of Rebellion: But if they will grow sullen under mild and more gentle Chastisements, they do but force us to take down their stomachs and their stubbornness by severer and more smarting Corrections.

[Page 116]§. 4. But as deeply as he resents my contemptuous account of their Preach­ings, yet he stomachs nothing more then that scorn I have reflected upon their Preachers. And this is a warm Provo­cation indeed, Touch the Mountains and they will smoke. Thus whereas Pag. 253. I charged the Guilt of all our Schismatical Ruptures upon the perverseness of about an hundred proud, ignorant, and sediti­ous Preachers: he snaps me up with an hasty Inference, as if I had affirmed there were not above an hundred Preaching Ministers among the Nonconformists. But by his leave, are there not in this, as in all other Factions, some busie and prag­matical Incendiaries, that animate their Companions to seditious Attempts and Practices, that widen our Differences by their Frantick and outragious Zeal, that make Separation an indispensable Duty, and lead the People into an open Defe­ction from the Church, and make all our Distractions incurable, by their sturdy and insolent Humour? The number of these hot Spirits is not great, and 'tis these onely to whom I ascribe the conti­nuance of our Schisms and Subdivisions, and 'tis these onely against whom I would [Page 117] have the Laws particularly levelled; Se­verity upon them would quickly make the rest more cool and tractable; and 'tis well known how by the punishment of a few Ringleaders under the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, the whole Faction was awed into a milder and more peaceable Deportment. The very face of Disci­pline is enough to dash those that are not so utterly Frantick, out of their Confi­dence; and but to shake the Publick Rods over them, will quickly scare them into better Obedience.

And what I have spoken contemptu­ously of their Preachers, as to their Ig­norance and their Duncery, is applicable onely to these pert and busie Promoters of the Schism: Men of more Learning are more modest and peaceable; and though their Consciences and Mis-appre­hensions of Things devest them of their Publick Employment, they do not imme­diately run themselves into open Separa­tion, but submit to that Conformity that is requisite in private Christians; there being nothing required by our Church of such Persons, that can drive People of any Wit and Sobriety from our Publick Congregations; and therefore these Men quietly submit to their own Fate and the [Page 118] Laws, and are not such Wretches as to Fire an House to Roast their own Eggs, and embroil a Kingdom for their own pet­ty Ends and Envies; and as for these, I love and honour their Integrity, and pity their unhappy Fate, in that they have brought themselves into such a straight, as makes their private Interest inconsi­stent with Publick Peace. But besides these, there is a sort of Pedling Theo­logues, whose Ignorance onely makes them able Divines, who might have wanted Grace as well as their Contempo­raries, had they not wanted Parts and Learning. It was Duncery and defect of Wit that qualified them with Ministe­rial Abilities; the Pulpit was their Re­fuge from the University, and they flee to the Altar onely to take Sanctuary a­gainst Scorn and Contempt. And 'tis pleasant to observe upon what shifts and artifices these empty Puffs are put to up­hold the credit of their Sufficiency; and they never discover any thing of Wit and Ingenuity, but in their slights and stratagems to cover their Ignorance. None better skill'd in the management of Looks, or more dexterous in the com­mand of solemn Face and judicious Fore­head: They can so improve their defect [Page 119] of Knowledge, as to make it pass for depth of Judgment; and whatsoever part of Learning they understand not, they either despise as notional and un­profitable, or seem grave and reserved; and with Learned Shrug intimate some­thing they can, but will not communicate; or give a sturdy and peremptory Deter­mination of the matter in debate, and then the Decree is past, 'tis not to be dis­puted; they will carry the Ball away by Clamour and Confidence, and stand a­mazed if you will not admit what they know not how to prove. But if neither these, nor any of their other Tricks will relieve them, but that they are pursued so close, that they cannot escape your dis­covery, the last Refuge of their Folly is Scripture and Religion; they put on seri­ous Brow, and fall into a fit of Preach­ing; and what Text so suitable to be a­bused to their purpose, as St. Pauls, I desire to know nothing but Iesus Christ, and him cru­cified? Like the Fox in the Fable, who having no Tail of his own, preach't a­gainst all Tails as deformed and burthen­som Excrescencies. And thus do these Men become acquainted with the Work­ings of the Spirit, because they are not capable of understanding the Methods of [Page 120] Reason, and Laws of Argumentation; and they scorn to defend their Doctrine by Humane Learning; and but to oppose their Fables and ridiculous Falsities about the Mechanical Process of Regeneration, is to blaspheme the Spirit of Grace. And they will Rebuke all your Rational Ar­guments and Demonstrations with sawcy and pragmatical Reproofs; and in stead of replying to your Objections, will shake their Heads, and pity your Igno­rance in the Mysteries of the Gospel; and then malapertly exhort you to beware of Pride and Carnal Reason, and preach the great danger of leaning too much on your own Understanding. And thus these bold Fellows, when they cannot out-argue, will out-face you: a thwacking Contra­diction shall neither stagger nor astonish them; they will firmly stand their ground against all the dint of Argument; and by the assistance of the Spirit of God, maintain Conclusions in defiance to their Premises: Say what you will, prove what you can, demonstrate the incohe­rence of their Notions, and the wildness of their Conceits, they will foil all your Wit and Carnal Reason with a caution against vain Philosophy and Humane Learning, and a disdainful reflection up­on [Page 121] the Natural Mans Ignorance in the things of the Spirit. And thus shall the Spirit of God be forced to vouch and pa­tronize their Folly, the Divine Oracles shall be heapt together to cover their Ig­norance, and they will guard their phan­tastick Impertinencies with abundance of Chapter and Verse; and if you offer to assault their Truth, they will beat you off with Volleys of Texts, and pour them so thick upon you, that you shall never be able to storm their Ignorance. But if you will not be out-pelted at Scripture, the next Specimen of their Learning is to refer you to some of their own Authors, (that have written to as wise purpose as themselves talk) and if at that Weapon you prove too hard for them, their last refuge is still Reverend Dullness, they look demurely, turn up the White, and shake the Head at your Prophaneness and Blasphemy. And then if you have any Grace or Modesty, you are obliged to blush and be silent. And if there be any Female Proselyte in company, (for such are the usual Associates of their Zeal and Conversation) she must outwardly pity, and inwardly scorn you: Alas, poor Man! this 'tis to be a stranger to the Workings of the Spirit of God, and to be ignorant of [Page 122] the Mysteries of the Covenant of Grace. What a vain thing is this Humane Learn­ing without Grace, and the Teachings of the Spirit? How is this Man puft up with a conceit of his own Knowledge? and yet what a silly Wretch is it in the Mysteries of Religion? What strange Conceptions has the poor Soul of Regeneration, of the Spirit of Bondage, and the method of Conversion? Alas, poor Thing! he un­derstands it no more then I do his Arabick or Algebra. What a comfortable Light have I, that am but an unlearned Idiot, in the most inward and experimental parts of the Mysteries of Godliness, by the Teachings of the Spirit, and precious Mr.—whilst a Vail of Darkness hides these gracious Comforts and Priviledges from the Eyes of this Natural Man. And thus they prostitute the Dignity of Reli­gion to the Impertinencies of every Gos­sip, and uphold the Noise and seeming Interest of the Party, by the Zeal and Clamour of that Sex. Nothing so reso­lute as they at holding fast Conclusions; they will die Martyrs to their Truth, be­fore they know their Premises; and if they once chance to fasten upon a Propo­sition, they will never quit their Hold while they have either Teeth or Tongue.

[Page 123]§. 5. And therefore it has in all Ages been the peculiar Artifice of such creep­ing Impostors, to tamper with the warmth and the weakness of that Sex. Wo unto you, ye Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites; for ye devour Widows houses, and for a pretence make long Prayers. Why Widows Houses more then any others? Why! because they had the management of their Estates at their own disposal, and so were more liable and likely to be cheated: but chief­ly, because their sorrowful Spirits were more prone to Superstition and Melan­choly Devotions, and so more apt to give good Entertainment to these demure and white-eyed Comforters. And St. Paul giving a personal Character of some Re­ligious Juglers in his days, describes them to be such as creep into houses, and lead captive silly women, i. e. such as under great shews and pretences of Holiness, insinuate them­selves into Wealthy Families; and by their plausible Arts and demure Preten­sions, seduce the weaker Sex, that by reason of the feebleness of their Minds, and timorousness of their Consciences, are most apt to credit their sad and sor­rowful Stories, and suffer themselves to be abused and led any way by these pre­cise [Page 124] and Saint-like Pretenders, and (which is the main) to reward their pains with good Fees and good Meals. Neither are the foolish Women so easily taken by these holy Cheats, modest, sober and ver­tuous, but they are wicked as well as sil­ly, laden with many lusts and vices, such as are willing to reconcile their passions and lustful desires with a state of Religion, and under its vizor to maintain their pride, their peevishness and their wan­tonness. And the more handsomly to de­lude such silly Wretches, these Gospel-Pharisees are ever canting to them in empty and senseless forms of Speech, and stuff their Memories with a set of insigni­ficant and unintelligible Phrases, that they may know how to prate perpetually of Religion, without knowing any thing of its true Nature and Efficacy; and all the fruit of their much Hearing, is much Talking; and (as I once heard it obser­ved in the Pulpit) 'tis their highest em­provement to be able to gossip in the Lan­guage of St. Paul. By these and such like little Arts, they decoy in Female Prose­lytes to their Party; and 'tis their onely Master-piece to inveigle their hot and eager Spirits: An Artifice that any Sot may manage, that can but whine and [Page 125] flatter. 'Tis such Mountebanks as these, that are the great Apostles of the Cause, and whom I branded with the Marks of Pride, Ignorance and Sedition. How my Character suits with their Humour, I must leave to your own Experience and Obser­vation; though I could give you in a suf­ficient Catalogue of some of their most famous Preachers, and choicest Wits, that you would deem better qualified to plant Tobacco, then to propagate the Gospel. The greatest Idols of the Peo­ple would have a mighty Resemblance to that hated one of Bell, that as the Story tells us, was Brass without, and Lead within, were it not that they want no assistance to devour their own Sacrifices. And now who can endure not onely to hear such Idiots to talk, as if they were infallible, but to set up their Standard, and display their Colours in defiance to all the Wisdom of Government, and the Authority of Laws? You see I never upbraided them with their meer Igno­rance, it was their Pride and their Inso­lence that I laid open to Publick Severi­ty; would they learn to be humble and submissive, and be sensible of their own Folly and Ignorance, and would not eve­ry Mas Iohn set up for a Patriarch, we [Page 126] would never expose them for their weak­ness and simplicity: but when they will combat Government, affront the Decrees of Princes, trample upon all Publick Constitutions, and oppose their own sin­gular Conceits to the Prescription of A­ges, and the Consent of People; when they will not yield up so much as a Meta­physical Speculation to the will of their Prince, and peace of their Country; and when all the Laws and Fundamental Rules of Government must be subverted, rather then the least of their Sentiments shall be reversed: in brief, when their Folly must prescribe to the Wisdom of Mankind, is it not time, think you, to take down their Stomachs, and to expose their Ignorance to the Publick Scorn, and their Insolence to the Publick Rods?

§. 6. But suppose my Censure of their Ignorance and defect of Learning, had aimed at their chiefest Rabbies, and their deepest Clerks, I could have justified my self by some great Examples of his own Fraternity, (where a Man can scarce ever want Authentick Presidents for any sort of Rudeness and Ill-manners.) Particu­larly what thinks he of his Friend I. O. who giving a Character of the Episcopal [Page 127] Clergy, beside Tyranny, Persecution, and a rank hatred of all Godliness, adds,Sermon to the Parl. April 29. 1646. pag. 30. A false Repute of Learning, I say, A false Re­pute for the greater part, especially of the Great­est; and yet taking Advantages of Vulgar E­steem, they bear out as though they had engrossed a Monopoly of it; though I presume the World was never deceived by more empty Pretenders, especially in respect of any solid Knowledge in Divinity or Antiquity? Goodly! How does this Modest Censure of the greatest Prelates that ever flourish't in the Church of England, become the State and Gran­deur of the Vicar of Coggeshal? What empty and shallow Pretenders to Know­ledge were Archbishop Laud, and all his Favourites, if compared to this unfledged Curate? And to what an heighth of Confidence was the young Sizer perk't with the success of his Rumford-Perfor­mances? But who so presumptuous as those Smatterers, that have onely Learn­ing enough to prefer them to the Pillory? And what less Disgrace can that Caitiff deserve, that shall dare to Arraign the Ghosts, and invade the Reputations of the greatest Worthies and Ornaments of the English Nation? Whitgift, and Ban­croft, and Laud, empty Pretenders! Know, Wretch, their Works shall live to remote [Page 128] and distant Ages, Monuments of their own Glories and the Churches Triumphs: when thy Spiritual Bombast shall never survive to be devoured by Famine, or the Teeth of Time, but shall in a few days be reduced to the shameful and dishonou­rable condition of Waste-paper; and when thy wretched Pamphlets shall be expell'd Libraries, and banish't the Com­pany of Learned Authors, and be enter­tain'd no where but in the Corners of old Womens Closets, and Cooks Shops. But the Rashness of this bold and busie Man has since been justly, and (I think) sufficiently chastised by some of these Empty Pretenders; whom he would conti­nue to affront and challenge, till he for­ced them to expose him to the scorn and pity of all Learned Men: For certainly there is not a more bafled Person upon Record then the Considerator upon the Bib­lia Polyglotta. Sir, you may think this blunt Work; but what other way have we to check and take down the Confi­dence of such bold and abusive Scriblers, then to discover them to themselves and to the World? However, such Insolen­cies against the most Reverend Fathers of the Church, are not to be endured from every pert and conceited Fellow; and [Page 129] proud Men must not be suffer'd to raise their own petty Names upon the Ruines of the greatest Reputations. Indeed, as for the Ignorance of the Bishops, and the Episcopal Clergy in Ecclesiastical Antiqui­ties, 'tis so notorious to all the Christian World, that I confess I should think him a very strange Man that should undertake their defence. And how piteously have they in their Treatises against the Church of Rome, exposed both their Cause and themselves to the scorn of Papists, and (what is more shameful) to the grief of Puritans? 'Tis evident, no doubt, by Archbishop Laud's Book against Fisher, he had never so much as look't into any of the Fathers, or Primitive Writers; yet however, methinks it is not manners for every Vicar in his Province to upbraid his Grace with Ignorance and want of Let­ters. But suppose this dishonourable Brand should have been clapt upon the Memory of that great and immortal Pre­late, by one that was then so far from ha­ving any thorough insight into Church-Antiquities, that after that he was for­ced to put himself upon no small pains in the first Rudiments of Literature, to en­able him to deal with the Boys at West­minster-School; would you not have set [Page 130] up this Man for a Pillar of Modesty and Bashfulness to all future Ages? But what­ever sort of Learning we may pretend to, yet as for skill in solid Divinity, they are the onely able Men. And in this lies the difference between your empty Preten­der, and your true substantial Divine. But what is this Dainty Thing they value at so dear a Rate? Why! 'tis a sort of O­pinionative Knowledge, or rather Learn­ed Ignorance that makes Men confident and talkative; 'tis a skill in Schemes and Systemes of New Opinions, and a power in Talk and Disputation. And to wran­gle for a Scholastick Hypothesis, is to contend for the Faith once deliver'd to the Saints; and to rend their Throats in Scolding for the Calvinian Rigours, is to spend themselves for the Lord Jesus Christ. They are a sort of Men, that first submit their Understandings to the Opi­nions of some haughty and imperious Di­ctator, and stuff themselves with uncer­tain and vulgar Prejudices, before they attain the very first Rudiments of Know­ledge, and so never arrive at freedom of Judgment enough to examine the folly of their Proleptick Absurdities; and but to question their undoubted Truth, is an In­jection of Satan, and a Temptation to In­fidelity. [Page 131] And therefore ever after this, they expound all Articles of Faith by A­nalogy to their own Prejudices and fond Perswasions; and they either wrack or suborn the Holy Scriptures, till they force them, in spight of their plainest and most unquestionable Intendment, to give in their suffrage to their own wild and un­warrantable Tenets; and here they set bounds to their Zeal and to their Know­ledge, and all their after-industry is swal­lowed up in vain Endeavours to make out the Reasonableness and Divine Autho­rity of their own Dreams and Subtilties. And what indefatigable Pains will they take to distinguish rank Blasphemy into Orthodox Divinity? With what Zeal will they justifie the Equity and Good-Nature of a fatal and irrespective Decree of Reprobation? With what assurance will they excuse its seeming Horrour and Cruelty, with a more horrid Injustice, when they plead in behalf of the Almigh­ty, that at the same time he devoted so many Myriads of his Creatures to Eter­nal Anguish, he also resolved to take care they should commit those Sins that might deserve it, that so he might not want a fair and plausible pretence to wreak his Indignation upon them? With [Page 132] what Evidence of Demonstration will they make out from the Tenour of the Covenant of Grace, the Believers Title to Heaven and Everlasting Happiness, by a naked Faith in Gods absolute Promises, without any Conditional Obligations to an Holy Life? This is the Imployment of their Wit, and these the Objects of their Studies: And now when such gross Errours lie at the bottom of all their En­deavours, I leave it to you to judge, whe­ther all that Knowledge that is built upon such Principles, be not a more laborious and improved Duncery, i. e. a greater Confidence and Ability to Talk Non­sense. This is that profound Theology, in which these Gospellers so much excel the Regular Clergy; and they never make their People more gaze and admire, then when they discourse to them of the Order of Gods Eternal Decrees, of the Condi­tional Obligation of Absolute Promises, and of the Fatal Determination of Free-Will. These are their Abilities in the Schools; but in the Pulpit their Subtilty improves into down-right Impertinency. And it were not unpleasant (did not the Cause of Religion suffer by their folly) to ob­serve in their Practical Discourses what Mysteries they will descry, and what O­racles [Page 133] they will extract out of every ob­scure Text. With what Curiosity will they strain for knackish and extravagant Applications of Holy Writ? With what labour will they beat about into the most secret corners of the old Prophets, for Ar­ticles of Faith, and find them out among their Rods, and Pots, and Trees, and Wheels, and Lamps, and Axes, and Ves­sels, and Rams, and Goats? And with what dexterity will they fetch about a Prophetick Parable, and draw the Fun­damentals of Christianity out of Ezekiel's Wheels? So that if the sense of Scri­pture were as clancular and Mystical, as 'tis made by their uncouth way of apply­ing it, the Spirit of God has left us rather Hieroglyphicks then Articles of Religi­on, and our Faith is lockt up in Caba­listick Schemes, and no Man is able to unriddle the Secret, but by the Helps and Rules of Mythology; and the Scripture is written with the same design, as (they say) Aristotle writ some of his Books, one­ly to be understood by the Sons of Art and Mystery. However, by this Artifice they inveigle the silly and unwary Peo­ple both to follow and admire them; for when they are perswaded the outward Element of the Text is but the Cabinet [Page 134] to the Jewel, and the precious Mystery, they so manage the business, as to possess them with an apprehension, that no Key can open it, but what is made at their own Forges. And if any of us attempt to explain a Text by the Coherence of the Discourse, by the Propriety of the Phrase, and by the Idiom of the Lan­guage, we are Moral Men, and dull Li­teralists, and utter strangers to the in­wardness of the Spirit: but 'tis they that are the practical & experimental Preach­ers, and that see into the depths of the Mystery of the Covenant of Grace. And by this means do they gain the advantage to obtrude upon the People, whatever can neither be proved nor understood, as Profound Divinity.

§. 7. But whatsoever Truth, Candor and Ingenuity, there is in my Character of these Men of the Flock, he knows how to revenge their wrongs by bold and confi­dent Recriminations: if Reproaches be the Weapon, he understands his advan­tage; and when Controversies come to be managed by mutual Accusations, there they never want for Ammunition, their Magazine is inexhaustible. Thus our Author stands amazed that Heresie [Page 135] should complain of Schism,Pag. 34. Quis tulerit Gracchos, &c. Shall the Pot call the Pan Burnt—? And is it not strange, that whilst one writes against Original Sin, another preach­es up Iustification by Works, and scoffs at the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ to them that believe? Yea, whilst some can openly dis­pute against the Doctrine of the Trinity, the De­ity of Christ, and the Holy Ghost? Whilst In­stances may be collected of some Mens impeach­ing all the Articles almost throughout, there should be no reflection in the least on these things? Some Mens guilt in this nature might rather mind them of pulling out the beam out of their own eyes, then to act with such fury to pull out the eyes of others, for the motes which they think they espy in them, &c. What a strain of Flattery is here? There is question­less no Poison nor Calumny in these leer­ing Suggestions; it is an harmless Cha­racter, and strikes at no Mans Reputati­on: no doubt he nev'r intended to relieve himself and his Party from my foul Re­proaches, by false or fierce Recriminations, Pag. 37. nor to write any thing that might disadvantage me in my Reputation or Esteem. Pag. 12. But some Mens Tongues traduce by instinct, and are so venomous, that they cannot touch but they will poison your Reputation: Their Throats are open Sepulchres, and the poi­son [Page 136] of Asps is under their Lips, and they cannot open their Mouths but out flie stings and blasting vapours. So that I am now forced to confess my self a dull and trifling Satyrist, that have charged them with nothing but their own avowed Prin­ciples and notorious Practices, and never use tart Language but to express vile Things; and go far about to convict them of their Guilt, before I dare venture to lash and chastise them for their Folly; and all my Satyrical Reflections are the natural Results and Inferences of some foregoing Reasonings. But this Man strikes with more sure and deadly Blows, he can stab with a doubtful Intimation, and dispatch with an oblique Look: 'tis no matter for evidence of Argument, and certainty of Fact; this fending and pro­ving is a tedious course; 'tis but dropping a Train of sly and malicious suspicions, and that is enough to blow up your Re­putation. He knows all Men have a touch of Ill-nature, and are apt enough to make the hardest surmises upon these ugly suggestions. Nothing sets an hand­somer Gloss upon a Lye, then to shew it by these dark Lights; and indirect Insi­nuations, are the most artificial Schemes of Slandering; they heighten and enrage [Page 137] Mens Curiosity, and then leave it to their ill Humour to finish the Story, and then it shall never be spoil'd for want of spite­ful and ill contrived Suspicions. And every Man has Wit enough to pick out the Categorical meaning of these oblique Reproaches; and had he in direct terms charged me for impeaching the most Fun­damental Articles of Christianity, it had not been more familiar and intelligible English. But as for my own part, I am no more moved with the Charge, then I am concern'd in the Crime: I know none in the Church of England that pub­lish any such false and Heretical Do­ctrines; or if there be any that vent them in Corners and Conventicles, I can onely say, as one did that was treated as I am, Let him be Anathema. But the Ingenuity of these Men can dispose of other Mens Faith and Religion at their pleasure, and they can with as much ease make Here­tiques, as they once could Witches and Malignants: if a Neighbour incur their displeasure, that is enough to make the Indictment; and to be charged, is enough to make it good. Thus, you know, they dealt with the Ghost of the great Hugo Grotius, one would needs have him a rank Socinian, and another a thorough [Page 138] Papist; though how he could be both, can never be unriddled, unless Hugo were one, and Grotius the other; though the evident reason why he might be either, is no other then that he was no Calvinian, and then he might be any thing what they pleased. This way of aspersing has ever been the offensive Weapon of pee­vish and angry Disputers, though never did any Man weild it with more Dexte­rity then our Author: he never encoun­tred Adversary, that he did not transform either into Atheist, or Papist, or Socinian. But it seems the Charge of Socinianism is become the [...] of our Age, and many Men suffer under its imputation, though (as it always happens in Cases of Slander) I know none more clear from the Infection then those that have been most suspected and avoided for it. Of which Injustice I can conceive no other imaginable account then some Mens proud & imperious Confidence, that have adopted their own unlearned Wranglings into the Articles of Religion, and put as great a weight upon their own novel Do­ctrines, as upon the plain and easie Pro­positions of Scripture. Now if a sober Man discard their wild and unwarranta­ble additions, 'tis all one as if he renoun­ced [Page 139] the Article it self. They will not en­dure a contradiction, nor suffer you to suspect the infallible certainty of their Resolutions; and if you doubt or dispute the Ius Divinum of a Systematick Subtilty, you make them impatient, and they make you an Heretick. If we are not confi­dent that our blessed Saviour suffered the extremity of Hell-torments at the hour of his Passion, even to the Horrours of Despair, 'tis with some positive people the same thing as if we called in question the Merits of his Death and Sufferings. If we smile at the Vanity of his Attempt, who would demonstrate out of the Can­ticles, that the Saints enjoy distinct Com­munion with the three Persons of the Trinity; it exasperates some bold and confident Men, that are fond of their own thin and crazy Conceits, as much as if we should pervert the first Chapter of St. Iohn's Gospel. And we scoff at Justi­fication by Faith, if we despise a Thou­sand vain and empty Speculations where­with they have involved that Article. As whether Faith justifies from any peculiar Excellency of its own nature, or barely from the Divine Appointment; whether it be an instrumental Cause of Justifica­tion, or onely a Procatarctick Cause; if [Page 140] instrumental, whether an active or a pas­sive Instrument; if Procatarctick, whe­ther Procatarctick formal, or Procatar­ctick objective; with a multitude more of the like wise and important Enquiries, that could never have enter'd into the most curious and whimsical Understand­ing, had not some idle people loved to amuse themselves with inventing pro­found and curious Nothings; and had not one Keckerman, and some other dull Fellows, been at leisure to write foolish Books of Logick and Metaphysicks; whose Theorems must be blended with the Doctrines and Propositions of St. Paul, and then Mens little Quarrels about this Motley-Divinity, must make new Sects and Opinions in Religion, and they must measure the Orthodoxy of their Faith by their subtilty in wrangling, and their power in disputing, by their skill and dexterity in Terms of Art, and by their being able to understand the precise and Orthodox Notion of a Procatarctick Cause. These are the useful and won­derful Profundities to which the dispu­ting Men of this Age are such zealous Votaries: they value their Learning by their skill in these dry and sapless En­quiries, and their Agility in the Combats [Page 141] of Disputation; and a Disputant with them signifies the same thing as a great Scholar. To this purpose they furnish their Memories with abundance of noti­onal Querks and Subtilties, to keep up their pert and talkative Humour, and spend all their time in learning Distincti­ons that may maintain and reconcile pal­pable Contradictions. With what fetches of Wit will they distinguish themselves round about, till they come at last to af­firm what at first they denied? And with what severity of Judgment will they spin out a long train of wary Apho­risms, and subtile Propositions, to prove that 'tis Faith alone that justifies? and yet so explain the Notion of justifying Faith, as to make it imply and include in it all other parts of the Condition of the New Covenant, i. e. Good Works; and those that are able Divines, can write whole Volumes of Problems and Dispu­tations to make out this important My­stery, That Faith alone justifies, i. e. as 'tis not alone. And now if you compare the vanity of the Opinions with the talk­ative Humour of the Opiniators, you will cease to wonder at their rude Carriage toward persons that profess to pursue more useful and less difficult Studies: [Page 142] they are brim-full of talk; and no Man that pretends to Learning can come in their way, but they immediately engage him in Disputation; and if he with some Railery expose their learned and studied Ignorance, and confute the silliness of their Systematick Notions, 'tis a bold af­front to the Orthodox Faith, and he drolls upon the most Fundamental Articles of Divinity: for they lay no less weight up­on their own Subtilties and singular Con­ceits, then on the plain and practical Pre­cepts of the Gospel; so that you cannot sweep away their Cobwebs, but down drops the whole Fabrick of Religion. Neither does this pragmatical Humour run onely among the Pretenders to Learning, but the Infection spreads a­mong the People; every sage Trades-man sets up for a deep and an able Divine, and talks as confidently of Predestination, as if he had served his Apprenticeship to a Dutch Professour: Every zealous Shop­keeper understands the management of Ecclesiastical Discipline as well as the Nicene Fathers; and a Jury of Button-sellers shall determine a Controversie of Faith with more assurance then a General Council. These of all others are the fiercest and most implacable Assertors, [Page 143] because their Zeal is proportion'd to their Ignorance; and therefore you cannot make your self pleasant with their pert and conceited Pedantry, (and 'tis a piece of Railery that is hardly to be forborn) but you draw upon your self whole Volleys of Anathema's and hard Names, they can en­dure any Indignity rather then an affront to their Clerkship; and you may with more safety play with a Spaniard's Beard, then sport with their grave Ignorance. That is an Insolence that can never pass unrevenged, but your Reputation is im­mediately stabbed with some ugly word, or poisoned with some malicious Report; and it becomes the great business of their Zeal, to brand you with foul imputations; and in all places, and upon all occasions to blazon abroad your gross Errours, and your horrid Blasphemies. This short Character of their Humour, may serve for a satisfactory account of their dirty and disingenuous Demeanour towards such persons as pretend to so much knowledge as to despise the Ignorance of their Lear­ning. I design it not for an Apology, ei­ther for my self or any of my Friends: I know none so poor-spirited as to stand in awe of such petty Arts: the most perti­nent Reply to such a poor and beggarly [Page 144] Malice, is Neglect and Disdain; though in truth such Wretches as stick not upon every slight occasion to sacrifice not onely our Good-Names, but our Livelyhoods (for that is our Case) to their own Chil­dish Picks, deserve to be answered by the Pillory and the Whipping-Post.

§. 8. Many other ugly Insinuations he has, as if I were prompted to this Un­dertaking by lewd and naughty Intenti­ons; or as if he knew some Stories that he can, but out of Tenderness and Civi­lity to my Reputation, will not vent. I will not so much assist his Malice, as to transcribe all his white-liver'd Suggesti­ons to this purpose; but whether in this way of proceeding he has discover'd more Boldness, or more Imprudence, is hard to determine, when he knows himself to lie under such vast disadvantages at this Weapon, by lying open to so many stab­bing and inevitable Hits: But this is one of their Topicks, and comes in by the Rules of their Method and Ingenuity; and all the Defenders and Champions of the Church of England, have ever been thus accosted by their civil and unpassio­nate Adversaries. And never did any Man give them a smart and severe Blow, [Page 145] but immediately they threatned to tell Tales. And where Men have not the advantage of Truth, Calumny is their best and surest Weapon: For though its Wounds do not always fester, yet they usually leave a scar behind them: at least he gains the Advantage of his Enemy, that gives him the diversion to wipe off Reproaches; and all Apologies in defence of a Mans own Innocence, leave behind them (through the common Ill-nature of Mankind) some ill-contrived suspicion of Guilt in the Minds of Men. And there­fore I will not so far submit my self to the power of his Malice, as to make Prote­stations to the World, or Appeals to Heaven, as some tender Constitutions would have done. But I defie all the weak Attempts of malevolent Tongues: False Slanders as they spread, so they vanish like Lightning; and to Men wise and honest, the flash appears and dis-ap­pears at once; and he that is concerned for the good Opinion of such as are nei­ther, puts himself upon an harder Game then I am willing to play, or able to ma­nage. And though in three Lines I could not onely answer, but shame his base and proofless Surmises of the Unworthiness of my Aims, by making it appear that so [Page 146] far I was from having any ill design, that I was not in a Capacity of having any at all: yet I will rather chuse utterly to neg­lect this, and all his other mean and un­worthy Arts of Malice, as being satisfi­ed, that when Men would discredit their Adversaries by such unhandsom Reflecti­ons upon their Persons and private Af­fairs, as are altogether impertinent to the Matters in debate, they prove nothing but the strength of their Malice, and weakness of their Cause. Nay, so out­ragious is our Author,Pag. 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70. that when he comes to reflect upon my Satyr against A­theism, he blows upon it with as much scorn and rancour, as upon the sharpest and most pointed Invectives against them­selves. As if no Man could write against their Party, but he must immediately be stricken with a Spirit of Infatuation, and forfeit all use of his Reason and his Un­derstanding, and were not able to dis­course pertinently upon the most pregnant and most noble Argument in the World. But so it is, though you speak with the Tongues of Men and Angels, and though you understand all Mysteries, and all Knowledge; yet if you have not Charity for them, you are no better then sound­ing Brass, and a tinkling Cymbal. And [Page 147] yet had he onely slighted and scorn'd my weak Essay upon this Theme, it would have been none of the most remarkable Instances of his Incivility; but to spit his rankest Venom at it, is unexemplified Candour and Ingenuity. And among all the ugly Suggestions he has darted at me, he has not aimed any with more malice and bitterness of spirit, then those he has bolted upon this occasion: but whatso­ever foul Language I may deserve upon other accounts, I appeal to the hottest Zealot of his own Dispensation, whether it were discreetly or civilly done to cast Reproaches at me, whilst I was exposing Prophaneness and Irreligion to publick shame. A man that had not been utter­ly transported with Rage and Envy, would have had the discretion to have vented his Choler upon more seasonable opportunities: for now, alas, he effectu­ally defeats his own Malice, by treating me with the same rudeness when I de­serve well, as when I deserve ill: from which way of procedure, what else can the World conclude, but that the Man raves, and cares not what he says, so he may abuse and defame me?

But upon this occasion he has intima­ted a considerable Truth, viz. That there [Page 148] is less danger in this kind of Atheism that vents its self in little Efforts of Wit and Drollery, then in those Attempts, that under Pretences of sober Reason, propa­gate such Opinions and Principles as have a direct Tendency to the Subversion of the Grounds of Religion. It is well ad­vised, and they would do well to consider it, that invalidate the Rational Accounts of the Christian Faith, and destroy all so­ber Grounds of the Divine Authority of the holy Scriptures, that undermine the Evidence of Miracles, and Universal Tra­dition, and resolve the Motives of its Credibility into vain and frivolous Pre­tences. What greater Advantage can any Man give to the Enemies of Religi­on,O [...]ig of the Script. pag. 105. then to inform them, That the Alcoran may vie Miracles and Traditions with the Scri­pture? and then in their stead produce no other proof of its Divine Authority, then what the Alcoran may as well plead, without their concurrence; and such is the Testimony of the Spirit, if it con­vince not in a rational way, and by the use of Motives and Arguments: for re­move their Evidence, and then all pre­tences to Inspiration become uncertain and unaccountable, and there remains no [...] to distinguish between a true and a [Page 149] false Testimony. And what greater dis­service can any man do to the Interest of Religion, then to draw bold and horrid Consequences in behalf of Atheists, Pa­pists, and Antiscripturists, from every petty Controversie? Does not he effe­ctually invite Men to a neglect of the ho­ly Scriptures, that tells them, they can have neither Truth nor Certainty, if there be various Readings in the Original Texts? and yet confesseth, that Ocular Inspection makes it manifest, [...]. Consid. consid. p. 13. that there are va­rious Readings both in the Old Testament and the New; and it's confessed there have been failings in the Transcribers, who have often mistaken; and that it is impossible it should be otherwise. I must acknowledge my self a little surprised to hear our Author questi­on whether there be such a thing as spe­culative Atheism in the World, and yet himself can discover a wide door to it in every Proposition, even in the Lords Prayer it self: It is somewhat prodigious, that when so many Men in all Ages have made so many Attempts to enter at this Door, they should never be able to light upon such an easie and such an open pas­sage.

[Page 150] Pag. 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43.§. 9. Another passage that he chides and cavils at, is the account I gave, why I instill'd so much tartness and severity into some Expressions, from the Example of our Saviours behaviour in the Temple; where I observed, that there was but one single instance, in which Zeal or an high Indignation might be just and warranta­ble; and that is, when it vents its self against the Arrogance of haughty, pee­vish, and sullen Religionists. The Rash­ness of this Assertion he checks and con­trouls with authentick Precedents and Examples out of the old Testament, though every illiterate Peasant could have inform'd him of the vast difference between the Jewish and the Christian Oeconomy: theirs was a more harsh and severe institution, the temper of their Zeal was more fierce and warlike; and in some Cases to kill a Brother out of hatred to Idolatry, was a commendable Action; and at some times Swords and Daggers were the means of Grace, as they lately were of Reformation. Their Zealots were priviledged to execute any more notorious Offender without the Forms and Solemnities of Legal Process. But their Examples are no warrantable [Page 151] Precedents for our Practice; and our Au­thor might as pertinently have prescribed to my imitation the Act of Elias for a blameless and a justifiable instance of Zeal, as that of Phinehas. And as for the Example of our blessed Saviour,Pag. 38. he pre­tends grievous Resentments for the Irre­verence of my Expressions towards him, such as hot fit of Zeal, seeming Fury, and transport of Passion: though I know not how I could have expressed my self in more abating Words: for if it were but a seeming Transport, that directly im­plies it was no real or criminal excess; and this word seeming has such a soft and qualified signification, that it evacuates the malignity of the hardest Expressions: for it is properly of a Negative Import, and serves onely to supplant and remove the Affirmation to which it is prefixt; so that a seeming fury is in propriety of Speech no fury at all: and therefore I can­not see how I could have described this Action in more tender and cautious words, for I think a kind of Fury (as Do­ctor Hammond phraseth it, that is not wont to speak irreverently of his Saviour) is not near so soft Language as seeming Fury. But the true Reason why I used these Ex­pressions, was, because our blessed Savi­our [Page 152] did in that Action take upon him the Person and the Priviledge of the Jewish Zealots; a sort of Men that profest to be transported by some extraordinary im­pulse, beyond the ordinary Rules of Law and Decency, and by consequence must be acted with a greater heat and vehe­mence of spirit; and therefore when our Saviour imitated their way of proceed­ing, it must needs carry in it a great ap­pearance of their passionate and extatick Zeal. And I think the reflection of the Disciples themselves upon this Fact, has more seeming harshness in it then my Re­mark; for upon this occasion they call to mind that passage in the Psalms, The Zeal of thy House hath eaten me up, or has fed and gnaw'd upon me, and that is an angry and fretting thing.Pag. 41. But (says our Author) this Attempt could not be performed with a seeming transport of passion, be­cause it was a Miracle, and done with the evidence of the Divine Presence upon him; as if he could not exert an Act of Omnipotence with an appearance of pas­sion, when 'tis inseparable from all Acti­ons of Justice and Severity. You see how upon all turns I am forced to invali­date weak and slender Cavils, because they are urged for mighty and vehement [Page 153] Informations: 'tis their method to asto­nish the People with frightful words, and every Objection must be pursued as high as Atheism and Blasphemy. Their wide Mouths scorn to indict for petty Crimes, and therefore they are resolved to charge every misprision and little miscarriage of High Treason. But the main design of his Assault upon this passage, is not so much to beat down my Fences, as to let us see his deep Stores of Ammunition in Jewish Learning: for some Men are mighty Rabbies at the second hand, and can furnish great Volumes with a power of Hebrew, as Brokers do their Shops with old Cloaths. And I have read a famous Writer (though he shall be name­less) that abounds with Rabbinical Quo­tations, all which if you would trace them, are trivial in Modern Authors. But though Men by such borrowed Gays may make the Vulgar gaze and admire them, yet they do but expose their Igno­rance and Vain-glory to the Learned World. And what a flourish does our Author make here with his description of the Temple, and its several Courts and Apartments, though 'tis known to every School-Boy that has read Godwin's Anti­quities? And therefore he might have [Page 154] supposed (as I did) the known difference between the inward Court of the Jews, and the outward Court of the Gentiles, as distinct from the Court of the Priests and Levites; and not have lavish't away two whole Pages to describe them, before he made his approach towards the pur­pose, viz. To prove that it was not the Gentiles Court out of which our Saviour whipt the Buyers and Sellers, (as I af­firm'd) but the other that is proper and peculiar to the Jews. And here what a gaudy shew of Learning might I make? what Sholes of Hebrew, Greek, and La­tin Quotations might I heap up, in my own defence? there being so great a mul­titude of late Writers, that have collect­ed Variety of Proofs out of the Ancients in defence of my Opinion. But I shall rather chuse to leave this superannuated Pedantry to those who more affect it, and perhaps more need it; and shall content my self with the Reasons of one plain English Author, more then in the bare Authority of twenty Latin ones; and that is Mr. Mede, in his first Book and second Discourse, where the Reader may peruse an excellent Account of the Truth and Reasonableness of my Opinion. I shall only transcribe two passages that are most [Page 155] material to my purpose; the first to prove it could not be the Court of the Jews; and the second, that it must of necessity be that of the Gentiles.

‘1. Those who were so chary that no uncircumcised or unclean Person should come into their place of Worship, who trod the Pavement thereof with so much Religious Observance and Curi­osity,Antiq. l. 20. c. 7. who would not suffer (as Iosephus relates) any other Building, no not the Palace of Agrippa their King, to have any prospect into it, lest it should be polluted by a prophane Look; how un­likely is it they would endure it to be made a place of Buying, Selling, and Bartering, yea, a Market for Sheep and Oxen, as Iohn 2.14. it is expresly said to have been? Neither will it serve the turn to excuse it, by saying, It was to furnish such as came thither with Offerings; for the Sheep and Oxen whilst they were yet to be bought to that purpose, were not sacred, but pro­phane, and so not to come within the sacred limits.’

‘2. The place alledged to avow the Fact, speaks expresly of Gentile-Wor­shippers; not in the words [...] one­ly, but in the whole Body of the Con­text. [Page 156] Hear the Prophet speak, Esay Chap. 56. Vers. 6, 7. and then judge: The sons of the stranger, that joyn themselves to the Lord to serve him, and to love the Name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the Sabboth from polluting it, and taketh hold of my Covenant, (name­ly, that I alone shall be his God) even them will I bring to my holy Mountain, and make them joyful in my house of Prayer; their Burnt Offerings and Sacrifices accepted upon mine Altar. Then follow the words of my Text, For my house shall be called (i. e. shall be; it is an Hebraism) a house of Prayer for all people. What is this but a Description of the [...], or Gen­tile-Worshippers? And this place a­lone makes good all that I have said before, viz. That this Vindication was of the Gentiles Court: otherwise the Allegation of this Scripture had been impertinent; for the Gentiles (of whom the Prophet speaks) Worshipped in no place but this.’ You see the prodigious trifling of this Man, that runs after such wild and stragling Impertinencies to so little purpose. One would have thought that when he insisted so severely on a mat­ter so remote from my main Design, he would have been secure of mighty Ad­vantages [Page 157] on his own side, and not have blunder'd so horribly in such far-fetcht Digressions.

§. 10.Pag. 16. His next great Assault (and 'tis a furious one too) is upon the Author of the Friendly Debate. And here he flings down his Glove, bids defiance to the stout­est He of us all, and sends a bold Chal­lenge to all Men of Learning, Reading, and Ingenuity. To what purpose does this Author press his Wit and Parts to write Dialogues, and endeavour to make the Nonconformists ridiculous by his Comi­cal Representations? Let him come forth, if he be a Man of Skill and Confi­dence: Leave off his Dramatick Railery, and encounter me in Scholastick and Lo­gical Disputation. What a Flower of Chivalry is this? Is there nothing to take down his Stomach, and asswage his Courage? Still courting Dangers, and still swaggering after so many Foils and Disgraces? Will not Age slake the Heats of his flaming Blood? 'Tis time to enjoy his Glories and his Laurels, and not to hazard his Renown with future Adventures. This Fortune is a fickle thing, and the World full of Tartars. And yet methinks after all this Bravery, [Page 158] this Challenge savours not a little of Co­wardize, and betrays some Qualms and frosty Apprehensions. 'Tis a meer shift to discharge themselves of their Engage­ments, to do Reason to the Friendly De­bate, by beginning his Controve [...]sie afresh upon other Grounds and in other Me­thods; and 'tis a certain sign of a baffled person, when he Challenges at a new Weapon, that is sufficient Confession of his being master'd at the old. And thus because they are not able to stand against the Wit and Reason of that Author, they except against his way of Procedure, and refuse to hear any thing we can urge a­gainst them, unless we will fling up all we have gain'd by his smart Discourses, and yield to Treat and Dispute with them in the Language of the Budge Do­ctors of the Schools. As if we could not discourse as coherently in Dialogues, as in Syllogisms: Reason is equally certain, with what dress soever it be cloathed, and in what method soever it is deduced: if the Train of Consequences be aptly con­nected to Premises, 'tis pertinent, and according to the Arts of Logick, and the Laws of Reasoning: but if there be any flaw or incoherence between Principles and Conclusions, the Chain of the Dis­course [Page 159] ceases, and 'tis easie to discover where the Break begins. And therefore if there be any Non-consequences and Impertinences in the Friendly Debate, let them specifie the Particulars; but till then, 'tis ridiculous to tell the People 'tis no Rational Discourse, because composed in a Dramatick, not a Logical method: for if it is true and pertinent, 'tis Logi­cal; if not, it is not Dramatick; the Rules of Reasoning are the same in both: so much do they shuffle by these general Exceptions, till they can discover parti­cular Defects and Impertinences; and to so little purpose does our Author chal­lenge that Gentleman to argue according to Rules of Method and Art: for if that be to state the matters in difference be­tween them, to confirm his own Judge­ment, and to confute theirs with substan­tial Reasons and Arguments, that is it he has undertaken; and if he have not performed, they are able to shew it; if he has, there wants nothing of the exact­ness of Logical and Scholastick proce­dure, but the dull formality of Ob. and Sol. and videtur quod non.

But 'tis unmanly to carp at Phrases, Pag. 16, 17. Expressions, Manners of the Declaration of Mens Conceptions collected from, or falsely fa­ther'd [Page 160] upon particular Persons, the greatest guilt of some whereof it may be, is onely their too near approach to the Expressions used in the Scri­pture to the same purpose. Behold the confi­dent Arts of these Men! When an Au­thor has collected so many pregnant In­stances of their Folly, and has warranted the Truth of his Testimonies by particu­lar References to the Original Authors, they can defeat a thousand Authorities with a May-be, and a Perhaps: 'tis but say­ing those absurd passages he produceth out of the Writings of the Nonconfor­mists, may be falsely father'd upon them, and then all is well. What a strange Man is this Author of the Friendly Debate, to amass together so many Quotations out of W. B? may they not be falsely fa­ther'd upon him? And what though he has justified the faithfulness of his Col­lections, by the most exact and scrupulous References? Let him not think I am bound to examine the sincerity of his Re­lations. If a Man of my Confidence tell him at all adventure that perhaps he has abused them and the World too by his own Forgeries, that is enough for ever to abate their Certainty, and evacuate their Authority. Nay farther, The great­est guilt of some of the Phrases carpt at, it may [Page 161] be, is onely their too near approach to the Ex­pressions used in Scripture to the same purpose. And it may be their guilt is, that they a­buse the words of Scripture to set off their own wild and unwarrantable Fancies; and it may be the Sky will fall to mor­row; and it may be Saint Paul's Steeple, as soon as it is re-built, will remove it self to the East-Indies. To what purpose is it for us to write Books, if they can in­validate all our Evidences, and arrest all our Demonstrations with these pitiful May-be's? Or rather, what a confident Man is this, to expect his groundless Sup­posals should have credit enough in the World to put a Baffle upon clear and un­deniable Proofs? But 'tis time, for shame, to leave off this intolerable trifling; they have been sufficiently teased for it alrea­dy by the Author of the Friendly Debate, and yet they cannot support their despe­rate Cause but by words that may salve any thing.

But is it not a mean design for a Man to press his Wits and Parts to carp at other Mens Ex­pressions? No: for if Men place Myste­ry and Spirituality in uncouth and affect­ed Phrases; if they trifle away the most weighty Arguments in Religion with childish Fancies, and feed the People with [Page 162] nothing but empty Words, and insignifi­cant Phrases; they may deserve to be exposed, though not to be confuted, be­cause they have not sense enough to be capable either of Truth or Falshood; and therefore though they can never be pro­ved false, yet they may and ought to be­made ridiculous. And what other course can be taken with such Triflers as T. W. and R. V. that have labour'd to burlesque the Gospel, and to turn the Holy Scri­ptures into clinch and quibble? Would it become a serious Man to confute Jin­gles with grave and Scholastick Argu­ments? to encounter a wretched Fancy with a Rational Discourse? and baffle a School-Boys Phrase out of the Word of God? And when the poor People are ravish't with the chiming of empty words, and hug such phantastick Triflings for Gospel-Mysteries, what other way is there to undeceive them, then by letting them see, that they are not suited to the spiritual Condition of any Professours, that are not still under the Dispensation of Rattles. But though to expose the silliness of their Expressions, be a part of his design, and that an useful one too, yet so far is it from being the main drift (much less the onely one, as our Author [Page 163] intimates) of those Composures, that 'tis least of any thing pursued: and the Bulk of those Treatises is taken up with disco­vering (as I before observed) the feeble­ness of their beloved Notions, the wild­ness of their Practices, the unwarrant­ableness of their Schism, the prevaricati­on of their Pretences, and the inconsi­stency of their Principles. This was his Theme; and had it been his Title, his Performance would not onely have justi­fied, but exceeded his Undertaking. But all this is obstinately overlook't, and the whole business is every where represented by our Author, as if all that Ink and Pa­per had been wasted onely to carp at un­couth Phrases and Expressions. With such Confidence and Dexterity can these Men slight what they cannot answer. But upon this occasion you may observe the Reasonableness of a Motion I made, That Preachers might be obliged to speak Sense as well as Truth: Because these Men cajole and a­maze the simple Multitude with palpable Non-sense; and when they pour forth a senseless Jargon of Kitchen-Metaphors, and Rascal Similitudes, the People ad­mire the preciousness of the Mystery, and they talk like Men encircled with Glo­ries, and dictate their Cant with the [Page 164] Raptures of an Angel, and the Authority of an Apostle; and 'tis they onely that understand the secrets of the Gospel, and the spirituality of the Covenant of Grace; and this betrays them unavoidably into a Fanatick Enthusiasm, fills their little Heads with wild Frenzies, and infatua­ting Conceits, and the whole business of Religion is transacted in their Imaginati­ons. And they take it for a special work of Conversion to be affected with preci­ous Mr. Such-an-one's Doctrine, and to profit under his Ministry, i. e. to sigh at his Sermons, and look demurely half an hour after. And what can be more ob­vious to any Mans Observation, then that all the Change that appears in most of their Converts, is, That their Tongues-ends are tipt with a new set of Phrases, that they talk by roat and by chance; and under this demureness of Language they shelter their old Vices of Envy, Peevishness, Arrogance, Spight, Hatred, Malice and Covetousness? These Infirmities are not any where so gross and visible as among Professors, they are the surest Marks, and most distinctive Chara­cters of the Godly Party; and 'tis hugely rare to meet with any of these new-fang­led Saints that does not discover the [Page 165] clearest and most irksom appearances of some or all these Vices. Their natural sense of Religion is not onely appeased, but abundantly satisfied with this phan­tastick Godliness; and this staves them off from all farther Thoughts of a Tho­rough and Effectual Reformation. And now upon this account it is that I propo­sed to have Preachers obliged to speak Sense as well as Truth: but is not this an un­couth Motion? (says our Author) seeing hitherto it has been supposed that every Proposi­tion that is either true or false, Pag. 21. has a proper de­terminate Sense; and if Sense it have not, it can be neither. And is not this Eristically spoken, and as becomes a Man puissant in Polemick Squabble? Who could have nickt me with such a subtilty, but one that knows all his Advantages, and is thoroughly experienced in all the shifts of Cavil? But yet by his leave, because every Proposition, that is either true or false, must have a determinate Sense, is it therefore necessary, that what has no de­terminate Sense, must be either true or false? If it be not, then Men may speak Non-sense, and yet speak neither, and then what becomes of this pert and doub­ty Exception? And when these Men do as much dis-service to Religion by Non-sense [Page 166] as by false Doctrine, what can be more seasonably proposed, then that they should be as well obliged to speak Sense, as they are to speak Truth; and as well punish't for Canting, as for Heresie? see­ing (as they manage it) 'tis as pernicious to the Peace of the Church, and the In­terest of Religion.

Pag. 17.§. 11. But our Author proceeds: Some of the Things reflected on, and carped at, are such as those, who have used or asserted them, dare modestly challenge him in their defence, to make good his Charge in a Personal Conference. This is somewhat pitiful, and methinks his high Spirit stoops below it self: for there is no such submissive Confession of a publick Overthrow, as to demand pri­vate Conferences; 'tis the Refuge of all baffled People, and all the Triflers in the World may shelter themselves in this Sanctuary, though they can never reco­ver it unless by flight. And I doubt not but Philagathus himself can brag among his Neighbours and Acquaintance, that the Author of the Friendly Debate dares not accept this Challenge; and that if he could but talk with him, he could easi­ly revenge himself to purpose, aye that he could. And though never was poor Man [Page 167] more piteously bruised and havock't, yet by this lamentable Cordial he makes shift to asswage the pain of his Disaster, and to support the spruntness of his Hu­mour. But, alas! this is plain crossing the Cudgels, when they perceive them­selves overmatch't: they are ashamed to confess a baffle, and yet not able to bear up against the briskness of their Assai­lant; and therefore to abate the publick­ness of the disgrace, they desire to finish the Combat in a private Corner; and then though they are beaten, they can boast the Victory, and can crow and strut and triumph when they flie the Pit. But Men that can speak Reason, can certain­ly pen what they speak; and therefore if they cannot defend themselves by Wri­ting, they can never be able to do it by Talking. And if W. B. can prove by word of mouth his Hoops, and his Wall [...]ps, and his Vermin, to be Gospel-Mysteries, 'tis no great pains to dictate the same words to a Brachygrapher.

But our Author tells us,Pag. 51. That the wisest man living, when he is gagg'd with a Quill is not able to speak; and yet he may write for all that, for Gaggs tie not Mens hands; and therefore I see not how 'tis possible W. B. should better clear himself by word of [Page 168] mouth, then by Ink and Paper. There is no way imaginable, but by eating his Gagg, and recanting what he has writ­ten. However, the Author of the De­bate is not at leisure to attend to the Im­pertinencies of every Talking Man. His design was to discover their lamentable Follies and Impostures to the World; let them clear themselves to the Publick, and he is satisfied: but upon his own ac­count he neither needs nor desires satisfa­ction. So that in short, these Demands of Personal Conferences, are but a more cleanly way of yielding the Cause: for no Men will ever sit down under a pub­lick baffle, that know how to help them­selves.

Pag. 17, 52.But if nothing will stop our Mouths, our Author thinks he can easily threaten us into better manners. For if they would retort upon us, and give in a Charge against the cursed Oaths, Debaucheries, Prophaneness, va­rious Immoralities, and sottish Ignorance, that are openly and notoriously among those whom we countenance and secure, what havock might an ordinary Ingenuity make among the Conforming Clergy? But he is merci­ful. How does this Man both vanquish and oblige us by his Civility? And though he proclaim us to the World a [Page 169] pack of Sots, Dunces, Drunkards, A­theists, yet he is resolved to spare our Reputation: if this be his kindness when he forgives, what would it be when he retaliates? What enraged Malice could have struck with a more angry sting? White's Centuries, and the Cobler of Glocester's Tales, are civil and cleanly Stories, if com­pared to the baseness and insolence of this Suggestion. But suppose it carried with it as much Truth as it does Rancour, yet it would be but an impertinent Calumny, and no material Recrimination to our Charge. We pry not into their Conver­sations, nor set Spies upon their secret Practices; nor do we upbraid them with any Wickedness, from which they may be recovered by their own Convictions. But the Follies we endeavour to expose, are such as they esteem Gospel-Mysteries; and the Vices we correct, are such as they adopt among their choicest Vertues, and by which they rate and value themselves. If they can discover any such pestilent and destructive Impostures among us, let them reprove them with the roughness of Satyrs, and the severity of Zealots. But as for these Miscarriages he pretends to load us withal, they are such as no Man will justifie; and if any be obnoxious to [Page 170] his Charge, who will plead their Inno­cence? And they stand condemned not onely in the Opinion of the World, but their own Judgments too. Whereas the onely things we lay to their Charge, are such pretences whereby they not onely e­lude, but satisfie their Consciences. And we discover the sottishness of such Delu­sions, not out of any design to expose their Persons to Contempt, but barely to dis­abuse the deluded multitude. 'Tis not the personal Faults of W. B. the Friendly Debate aims at, but those of his Schisma­tical Way and Spirit. He has by his ri­diculous abuse of the Holy Scriptures, perverted the whole design of the Go­spel, and adulterated almost all the Arti­cles of the Christian Religion. And if so, 'tis great Charity in us to deliver the People from the danger of such pernici­ous Impostures; whereas it can be no­thing but Malice in them, should they attempt to revenge themselves by perso­nal Disgraces and Reflections.

§. 12. But our Authors Apology is not yet at an end,Pag. 47. he proceeds: Though Learn­ed Men, such as Plato and Cicero, may ar­gue candidly and perspicuously in Dialogues; yet it cannot be denied that advantages may be ta­ken [Page 171] from this way of Writing, to represent both Persons, Opinions and Practices, invidiously and contemptuously, above any other way: so that by this means brave and worthy Persona­ges may be rendred ridiculous, as Socrates was by Aristophanes. By which his Ene­mies gain'd the advantage of exposing him to publick Contempt, and thereby prepared a way for the management of an open Accusation against him, and his Charge was Nonconformity to the Esta­blish't Superstition of the Church of A­thens. Did ever any Man make such wretched Apologies? 'Tis a sad symptom when such positive People are driven to such sceptical and doubtful Pretences, and are still forced to take Sanctuary in a naked May-be. Socrates was abused, and so may any good Man; what then? what is this to the Friendly Debate, and the Non­conformists? Must they be acquitted, be­cause Socrates was not guilty? Because some honest Men are maliciously tradu­ced, shall that discharge all others of just Accusations? They may be justly char­ged by the Friendly Debate, though the ho­nest Philosopher was foully and durtily slander'd by Aristophanes. Verily, Sir, this is no better (to say no worse) then popu­lar Stuff, and Shop-Logick. But 'tis his [Page 172] great Weapon of Defence, and thus he tells us elsewhere,Pag. 15. St. Paul was accused of Canting as well as W. B. and the Non­conformists: he was so, and that very unjustly; but what necessity is there that they should be as wise or as honest as that great Apostle? There is no imaginable Connexion that I know of between his and their Actions; to what purpose then is it to defend themselves with his Inno­cence? St. Paul was able to account for the Truth and Reasonableness of that Doctrine, which they call'd Canting: If they are able to do as much for their Phrases, let them do it, and that will si­lence all our Clamours and Cavils, and we will no more endeavour to shame them out of the Profession of the Gospel, by crying out Canting, Phrases, Silly, Non-sense, Metaphors. But otherwise we will pursue the Cry till we shame them out of their Folly and Confidence; and assure your self, we will not suffer them to obtrude their own af­fected Non-sense upon the People, as the choicest and most important Mysteries of Religion. But to return to the case of Socrates; his Vertue is abundantly clear'd to all Posterity by his Apology; and when they have given as satisfactory an An­swer to the Friendly Debate, as Socrates did [Page 173] to his Accusers, they shall not be treated as Socrates was; but till then, they are nev'r the wiser for his Philosophy, nor the better for his Innocence.

But however, no Man will affirm that Aristophanes Dialogues were absurd and in­artificial, and yet they are sufficiently a­busive; and therefore in that way of Writing, a witty Man may, if he have no regard to Truth or Falshood, make a­ny thing look uncouth, and any Person appear ridiculous. If our Author had in­stanced in Ben Iohnson's Alchymist, or his Bartholomew-Fair, in stead of the [...] of Aristophanes, the People would have been able to discover the wide impertinency of this Exception, (though it is in my Opi­nion one of the most plausible Hits in his whole Book:) for they might then have known, there is no Analogy between the Friendly Debate, and those waggish Come­dies: he does not represent W. B. as the Poet did Ananias; nor confute him in a Disputation with a silly Puppet, as he did Brother Buisy. He does not personate him with Antick Postures and Actions, nor fasten upon him Roguish and unlucky Stories, nor put into his Mouth ridicu­lous Words of his own unhappy Inventi­on. That way indeed a witty Man may [Page 174] expose the best and the wisest to publick scorn; but then the Artificial Contri­vance of such Dialogues consists not in a­ny regard to Truth and Reason, but in the unhappiness of the abuse. Where­as the Genius of the Friendly Debate is as remote from this Comical Waggery, as the Dialogues of Plato and Cicero, that are sometimes facetious, but never abusive and disingenuous. The body of his Dis­course is Rational and Argumentative; and though it may be sometimes set off with pleasantness of Humour, and pic­quancy of Wit, yet he never seeks ad­vantage by counterfeit Follies, and Co­mical Abuses: And if they can charge him with any thing of this nature, I will undertake in his behalf he shall make them publick satisfaction. But when A­ristophanes is exemplified to make good the surmise, that is plausible and taking with the Common People; for they imagine all who write Greek and Latin to be grave and serious Men; and therefore if Aristo­phanes could by the smartness of his Drol­ling and Satyrical Wit, cast Contempt upon the brightest Example of Vertue, that ever appear'd in the Heathen World; why may not the Author of the Friendly Debate by the same Arts and Advantages [Page 175] expose Nonconformists and the Profession of the Gospel, (for they are always ven­tured in the same Bottom) to the same popular Scorn and Abuse? But any one that is acquainted with the Genius of the Grecian Comedy in general, and with the Humour of Aristophanes in particular, will be ashamed to compare such wild Satyrs and extravagant Farces with the Friendly Debate. That Poet never defign'd any appearance of Truth; he represents not Socrates his Opinions, nor confutes them by sober and Philosophick Reason­ings; he intended nothing but onely to abuse him by Buffoonry and Apish Tricks; and the most taking piece of Wit in the whole Farce, was to bring the grave Phi­losopher upon the Stage, dancing in a Sieve. But as for the Friendly Debate, if it has represented any of them ridiculous, it has onely painted them in their own real Colours: There is no Poetick Inven­tion, nor Comical Extravagance; and it takes no advantage but from Truth and Reason: so that if he make any of their Opinions appear ridiculous, he does it not by the unluckiness of his Wit, as A­ristophanes did, but by the strength of his Arguments. Our Author adds indeed, to strengthen this faint Exception,Pag. 51. That [Page 176] 'tis a facile thing to take the wisest Man living, after he is lime-twigged with Ink and Paper, and gagg'd with a Quill, so that he can neither move nor speak, to clap a Fools Coat on his back, and turn him out to be laughed at in the streets. This is lofty and Comical, but yet nei­ther true nor witty. For the wisest Men will never be lime-twigged with Ink and Paper, nor gagg themselves with Quills; or if they should be so rash and unadvised, yet I see not how the strong Metaphor can restrain them either from opening their Mouths, or moving their Hands. For the plain English of all this lofty rumb­ling of Lime-twigs and Gaggs, is no more then to be in Print; and how can that hinder any Man from justifying his own Writings? For if Men Publish Sense, all the World can never make them ridi­culous; if Non-sense, they make them­selves so. And no Gaggs nor Lime-twigs can disable them from defending their Books against any Adversary, but either a bad Cause, or an ill Management, or (what is their case) both: so that if they are lime-twigged with Ink and Paper, 'tis with Rods of their own laying; and if they are exposed in a Fools Coat, 'tis with one of their own making.

[Page 177]§. 13. His last Remark upon the case of Socrates is extraordinary; when he in­sinuates as if the Crime for which he suf­fered was Nonconformity to, and Sepa­ration from the National Church of A­thens; as if he were the Proto-Martyr of Independency. And the People are won­derfully taken with these sly and oblique Strokes; and as wofully impertinent as this is, they admire it for a notable Essay of Wit. And yet if this trifling were of any importance, the advantage would run vastly on our side: so easie is it to make it appear, that Socrates suffered not so much as a Nonconformist, as an Ene­my to Fanaticks; and that his Offence was no other then an Endeavour to per­swade the Men of Athens that Grace and Vertue were the same thing. The Story is briefly this: All the former Ages of Greece were led rather by a giddy and ignorant Enthusiasm, then the sober Dictates of a wary and well-advised Reason. And though some of the more ancient Vertuosi, seem'd to have made some handsome use of their intellectual Faculties in Physio­logical Enquiries, yet as for matters of Religion, they either altogether negle­cted their Speculations, or treated of them [Page 178] with as much wildness and vanity as their Poets, who pretended to derive their The­ological Theories from Enthusiasm and Prophetick Frenzies; imagining Reason and Devotion to be things incompetent, and that Religion consisted barely in En­thusiastick Raptures, and Prophetick Heats; and therefore they depended more upon the Information of their Dreams and Fancies, then their consistent and waking Faculties; and the best Visionist was the ablest Divine. Their most cele­brated Professors of Divinity, who pre­tended to the more inward, practical and experimental Mysteries of Religion, were a sort of silly fanatick and illiterate Poets, who being Men of giddy and over-heated Imaginations, pretended to derive all their Knowledge (as others do their Igno­rance) from Inspirations and Divine Il­lapses; and thereby so entirely engross't the Profession of Divinity, that they gain'd an absolute Soveraignty over the Faith, not onely of the rude and Vulgar sort of Mankind, but also of the Sages and Professors of Wisdom; the Philo­sophers themselves, howsoever otherwise Men of eminent Parts and Ingenuity, re­signing up their own Reasons to the Au­thority of these Fellows Whimsies and [Page 179] Inspirations. Then comes Socrates and preaches down all their pretended Myste­ries, for raw and lamentable Impostures, and endeavours to draw them off from the Pageantry of their Superstition, to the habitual Practice of Vertuous Actions: And to this purpose he teaches his Fel­low-Citizens, that they must gain an In­terest in the favour of the Gods, not by their diligent Attendance upon the Eleu­sinian Ordinances, but by a Life of Vertue and Goodness; and that Love, Humili­ty, Meekness, Obedience, Chastity and Temperance, are more acceptable to the Eternal Deity, then all their Mysterious So­lemnities in honour of the Mother of the Gods. This alarms the Zealots and hot Spirits of the City, and the Good Man is immediately cited before the Consistory of the Areopagitical Elders, and is by them condemn'd as an Heretick to their Or­thodox Faith, for setting up Carnal Rea­son against the Spirit of God, and for presuming to fathom the sacred Depths of their Eleusinian Mysteries, with the Line of his short and shallow Understand­ing: for how exorbitant soever they might appear to his Fleshly Reasonings, they were derived from the Off-spring of the Gods, and own'd by the most Practical [Page 180] and Spiritual Preachers of their Religion. And though his private and depraved Reason might judge them the brutishest and most licentious Practices in the World, (for so they really were) yet in spight of all their seeming Beastliness, they were the highest strains of Godliness and Spiritual Devotion. This was re­presented to the zealous and giddy Mul­titude, and then the Cry is, Crucifie him, crucifie him. And thus fell this great Man a Sacrifice to the Zeal and Fury of a Fa­natick Rabble.

You see with what vain and succesless Attempts they fasten upon those Dis­courses; and the truth is, in so foul and thick a Cause, the more they struggle, the faster they stick; and therefore they would be well advised not to dally too much with that Author: for though I know him to be far from an angry or a Cynical Humour, yet I am able to discern such an hatred and antipathy to Hypocri­sie from the Genius of his Writings, that if they will tempt him to unrip all their Folly and Knavery, he is apt enough to discover such thick Blasphemies against Divine Providence, and such unparallel'd Abuses of Religion in their most sumptu­ous Pretences, and most plausible Practi­ces, [Page 181] as shall represent the Men of great­est Reputation amongst them for Wisdom and Learning, in as ridiculous a Guise as T. W. and the Men of greatest Vogue for Conscience and Integrity, under as sedi­tious a Character as W. B. and no Man more obnoxious upon both accounts, then I. O. And who can endure to see Men, that are so horribly bemired, bear up with so much State and Confidence?

§. 14. But the great Nuissance of my Preface, is some unkind and unhappy Re­flections, that I chanced, I know not by what Mis-fortune, to cast out upon their Gift of Prayer: This is the dear Palladi­um of their Pulpits, and they will as soon fling up the whole Cause, as forego this Priviledge of Talking: 'Tis the Ephod and the Teraphim of the House of Micah, and nothing shall ever wrest it from them but Fine, Force, and Invincible Resolu­tion; and therefore where this is endan­ger'd or invaded, our Author (you may be sure) will lay about him with all the power of Words and vehemence of Zeal; so that here I must struggle to purpose to carry off this Darling of the Cause. In the first place then the Man is Wonder-strucken,Pag. 23. that I should design all along to charge [Page 182] my Adversaries with Pharisaism, and yet should instance in their Confession of Sin, when it is the Characteristical Note of the Pharisees, that they made no Confession of Sin at all. But to awaken him out of his amazement, he may know that the Pharisaick Hypocrisie consists neither in long Prayers, nor short Confessions, no more then it does in long Robes, or short Cloaks: Spiritual Pride is its onely Essential Character, and it is of no Concernment which way, and in what Expressions it vents and discovers its self. There is a creeping as well as a vaunting Arrogance, and this Vice is ne­ver so confident as when it appears in the Garbs and Postures of Humility. And thus when Men dissemble with the Al­mighty, when they know that they belye themselves with false Accusations; when they mourn for Sins, of which they think they stand clear and innocent; and pre­tend to be humbled for those Offences, of which they are not seriously convinced; Tell me a greater instance of Pride and Insolence in the World, then this jug­ling and counterfeit Humility: for what else can these Men think within, but that they oblige and complement the Almighty, by being content to be thought viler Wretches then they think them­selves, [Page 183] onely to advance the Interest of Gods Glory, and set off the greatness of his Free Grace? And what an obliging Favour is this, when they will sacrifice their own Reputation to the Glory and Renown of his Attributes? So that 'tis apparently a coarser piece of vanity to confess those Sins of which we are not guilty, then not to acknowledge those of which we are. And that there is some­thing of this Leven lurking at the bot­tom of all this Humiliation, is notori­ously evident; for as much as howsoever humble and complemental they are in their Talk to God, yet in their Conver­sation with Men, the Scene immediately alters; then they return to the old Pha­risaick Vomit; and then, Publicans, keep your distance; and then they censure and despise their Neighbours as Carnal Go­spellers, and applaud themselves that they are not as the Men of the World. Then we bless the Lord for humbling our proud Hearts, and for emptying us of all our Self-righteousness; thereby to bring us effectually to an experimental sense of the deep and more spiritual Mysteries of the Gospel; to an heavenly taste and relish of the sweetness and preciousness of the Lord Jesus, and of that Soul-ravishing [Page 184] delight wherewith his People are affected in their spiritual Closings with him; and lastly, to an inward feeling of the glori­ous Discoveries, Manifestations and Co­mings in of his Spirit upon the Hearts of Believers in all his Ordinances. This is the inward, practical and experimental part of the Mystery of Godliness; where­as your Formalists and meer Moral Pro­fessors make a great Noise about their dry Devotions, and Self-wrought-out-Mor­tifications. But, alas, poor deluded Wret­ches! they never viewed the Ugliness of their Nature in the Glass of the Law; they never lay under the Horrours of the Spirit of Bondage; they never had a hum­bling sight and thorough sense of their Sins, and were never perfectly emptied of their own Self-righteousness; and though they can do good Actions, yet they cannot deny them, and make woful Complaints to Almighty God, that all the Duties they perform, though they know them to be agreeable to his Laws, are wicked and abominable. Ah! this Corrupt Nature is a proud Thing, and hardly driven out of its Trust and Confi­dence in its own Righteousness; nothing but an absolute and thorough Conviction of its own Self-emptiness, Self-abhorrency, [Page 185] and Self-despair, can ever bring it to a full and absolute Close with the Lord Christ. This is the Block at which Millions of poor Souls stumble everlastingly; and 'tis the Lords distinguishing Mercy that has taken the Veil from off our Eyes, and enabled us to see the danger of a Self-righ­teousness. So that this Pageantry is the main ground of all their Spiritual Pride and Arrogance; upon this they build the lofty Conceits of their own peculiar God­liness, and their insolent Contempt of all others, that have more Wit or less Vanity then to be as fond and phantastick as themselves; and in the result of all, this formal and counterfeit Humility, is made the specifick difference between the Peo­ple of God, and the Men of the World.

But here his Pen takes occasion to flie out (for 'tis very unruly) upon a Censure of mine, against an Insolence of theirs; for confining the Elect and the Godly to their own Party, and esteeming of us as no better then the Wicked and the Repro­bate of the Earth.Pag. 24. Wherein (says he) I am satisfied, that he unduly chargeth those, whom he intends to reflect upon: However, I am none of them; I confine not Holiness to a Party, not to the Church of England, or to those that dissent from it. This his Confi­dence [Page 186] dares affirm, though 'tis so notori­ous that never any Party of Men in the World (no not the Jews) did with great­er assurance appropriate to themselves all the Titles and Characters of the People of God: For what else mean their Ac­counts and Descriptions of the Power of Godliness, by the Singularities of their own Superstition? What mean those Flatteries and Congratulations where­with they besprinkle their Followers, as if they were the onely People that are ac­quainted with the Mysteries and Spiritu­alities of the Gospel? What means their Confinement of the Preaching of the Covenant of Grace to their own Do­ctrines, and their own Congregations? What means their boasting of themselves as the onely powerful, Soul-searching, ex­perimental and spiritual Preachers? In brief, what means their bestowing nothing but fair Words upon themselves, and no­thing but foul Language upon us? Sure he cannot forget the Words of their own Party, and who they were, that were The Godly, Professors, Sion, God's Jacobs, the Is­rael of God, God's Inheritance; when we were Aegypt and Babylon, Enemies of the Power of Godliness, scoffing Edomites, Men of the World, Antichristian Apostates, Idolaters, and Fol­lowers [Page 187] of the Whore. He certainly must needs be a very young Professor that is unacquainted with this Language. But however, what is all this to our Author? He (you may take his word) is none of them. But what is that to me? Did I ever ac­cuse him? My design was to describe the Genius of the Party, and not the Hu­mour of every individual Professor. But 'tis the mis-fortune of indiscreet People to betray themselves by their own unne­cessary Apologies, and to cry Not guilty, before they are indicted, when their own Consciences Arraign and Convict them. For our Author (I perceive by sundry Passages and Notions in his Book) is a Brother of the Independent Communion; and therefore let him (seeing he has put himself upon it) produce me but one Wri­ter of that Fraternity, that is not noto­riously guilty of this piece of Pride and Partiality. I confess I am not very con­versant in their Writings, yet I have by chance read one (of whom I am confident he has no very small Opinion) that ex­ceeds all the Scriblers I ever had the for­tune to meet with, or the leisure to pe­ruse, in these foul and malapert Cen­sures; and that is I. O. one of the great Patriarchs of the Congregational Churches: [Page 188] All whose Pamphlets are little better then so many Libels against the Church of England; and had we been down-right Miscreants, or the most wretched Ap [...] ­states in the World, he could scarce have given us more unfriendly Language: 'Tis hard to dip into a Page of his Writings, that is not embellish't with some or other of these decent and beautiful Expressions. It was the peculiar way of his Sermons and Discourses to magnifie the Parlia­ment-Reformation for a wonderful and providential Recovery of the departed Gospel to these Nations; and to repre­sent the design of that Holy War as be­gun and carried on by the Power and Pro­curement of the Lord Christ, in order to the final Overthrow of the Episcopal An­tichrist, and the Restauration and Esta­blishment of his own Kingdom. He has publish't many excellent Sermons to this purpose; such is that entituled, A Vision of unchangeable Free Mercy, in sending the Means of Grace to undeserving Sinners: where­in Gods uncontroulable eternal Purpose, in send­ing and continuing the Gospel (by which they all along intend nothing else but their sweaty way of Preaching) unto this Nation, in the midst of Oppositions and Contin­gencies, is discovered, &c. preached before [Page 189] the Honourable House of Commons, A­pril 29. 1646. Where, beside the appa­rent scope of the Sermon it self, he rec­kons up three Departures of the Gospel from England: Pag. 27. That by the Saxon Con­quest, that by the Roman Harlot, and that in our days by an almost universal trea­cherous Apostacy from the Purity of Worship, from which the Free Grace and good Pleasure of God has made a great Progress again towards a Recovery. So that the Episcopal way of Worship is a perfect Apostacy from the Purity of the Gospel; and had it been u­niversal, it had been total. And again, such is his Sermon Of the Branch of the Lord, or the Beauty of Sion, preached at Edinburgh 1650. where compiling a Catalogue of the Enemies of the House of God in all Ages, he reckons up Pharaoh, Pag. 10, 11. Nebuchadnez­zar, Dioclesian, Iulian, and the late Pre­lates, whose Rochets (he adds) were for that Reason, together with other Gar­ments of their Adherents, and the Impe­rial Robes of the forementioned Empe­rours, roll'd up in Blood by the Divine Vengeance, and hung up in Gods House, as the Spoils of Gods Enemies; And 'tis, no doubt, no unpleasant reflection to his People, to consider how willing and pro­digal their gracious Father is to sacrifice [Page 190] Crowns and Mitres, Kingdoms and Churches to the Interest and Plunder of his secret ones: Preface to Cromwel. For so our Author stiles them; I suppose because no body knows or suspects them to be Gods People be­side themselves. And in his Dedication to the Supreme Authority of the Nation, the Commons Assembled in Parliament, prefixed to his Sermon preached Octob. 24. 1651. being a Solemn Day of Thanks­giving for the Destruction of the Scots Ar­my at Worcester, with sundry other Mer­cies, he tells his Patrons, That as whatever there has been of Beauty, Glory, or Advantage unto the People of God in the late Transactions, (at Worcester) hath been eminently of unde­served Grace; so the dreadful Vengeance, which the Lord hath executed against the Men of his Enmity and Warfare, hath been most righ­teously procured by their clothing cursed designs of Revenge, Persecution, Bondage in Soul and Body, Spoil and Rapine, with the most glorious Pretences of Zeal, Covenant and Reformation, and such like things, which never came into their Hearts. Here the dear Brethren of the Presbytery, as well as the Reprobate Cavaliers, were Listed among the Ene­mies of the Cause, and of the Church of God; and now all People and all Parties in the three Kingdoms, except onely the [Page 191] Army-Saints and their Adherents, were become perfect Aegyptians: And so they were upon this Account, that the People of God had gain'd a certain Right to Rob and Plunder them by Divine Commission. And here also you may observe, that I.O. (bold Man!) and God Almighty were al­ways of the same side and the same Com­munion; and whatever he was for, was doubtless the Cause of God. They were for Presbytery, and Independency, and Democracy together, and never parted Counsels and Designs, till the Lord grew weary of these right Godly Men, and so was at length pleased to turn Cavalier. And that upon good grounds, for by this time his old Friends were become as bad or worse then his old Enemies. For so the same Author informs us, (to mention but one place more, though I omit as ma­ny as would make a Volume) in a little Treatise of Temptation, pag. 65, 66. where, giving an Account of the Tem­ptations, which in those days had even cast down the People of God from their Excellency, and had cut their Locks, and made them become like other Men, he reckons in the first place the specious Pretence of Christian Liber­ty and Freedom from a Bondage-frame, at which door sundry had gone out into Sensua­lity [Page 192] and Apostacy, into a neglect of Sabbaths, Publick and Private Duties, Dissoluteness and Prophaneness. In the next place he adds, The pretence of leaving Publick things to Providence, under which Professors had disputed themselves into wretched Carnal Com­plyances, and the utter ruine of all Zeal for God, the Interest of Christ, or his People in the World. He subjoins in the last place, These and the like Considerations, joined with the Ease and Plenty, the Greatness and Promotion of Pro­fessors, have so brought things about, that whereas we have by Providence shifted Places with the Men of the World, we have by Sin shifted Spirits with them also. We are like a Plantation of Men carried into a Forreign Coun­try; in a short space they degenerate from the Manners of the People from whence they came, and fall into that of the Country, whereinto they are brought; as if there were something in the soyl and Air that transformed them. Give me leave a little to follow my similitude; he that should see the prevailing Party of these Nations, many of those in Rule, Power, Favour, with all their Adherents, and remember that they were a Co­lony of Puritans, whose Habitation was in a low place, as the Prophet speaks of the City of God, translated by an high hand to the Moun­tains they now possess, cannot but wonder how soon they have forgot the Customs, Manners, [Page 193] ways of their own old People, and are cast into the m [...]uld of them that went before them, in the pla­ces whereunto they are translated — What were those before us that we are not? What did they we do not? Here is pregnant Doctrine for many excellent Inferences, but time will not permit; and therefore from hence I shall only observe, that though they were grown as lewd and wicked to all intents and purposes, as in their great Charity they could ever suppose us to have been, yet notwithstanding that they still were the people of God, and we the men of the world, which you remember is somewhat more than I undertook to prove against them. You may from hence see how this Mans Rashness provokes us even in our own de­fence to lay open his Friends follies, and perhaps you (that are a suspicious Man) will be apt to make this farther conclusi­on, that Lying as well as some other little sins may put in for a place among the In­firmities of Gods people. So little Conscience do some men make of what they say, that they will not stick to say contradictions for their present turn; & yet so obnoxious are they, that contradictions cannot relieve them: how­ever 'tis hugely unadvised for men notori­ously guilty to boast their own innocence, be­fore they are challenged, for that is to up­braid [Page 194] us to an Impeachment. And what­ever shame and disgrace may follow, 'tis purely extorted by their own confidence. But I must return.

§. 15. And therefore in the next place, our Author might have spared his flat and tedious Invective against me for reproach­ing of poor sinners with the deepest acknowledg­ment of their sin before the holy God. Pag. 23. For there is not any virtue that I value at an higher rate than true Humility, 'tis the beauty and the ornament of all Good­ness and all Religion: But I hate these sneaking and beggarly tricks of Hypo­crisie, and nothing irks me more than to see such a bloated Pride creep up and down in the Garbs and Postures of Hu­mility. I cannot endure to hear men pre­tend so loudly to loath themselves in the presence of Almighty God, and yet to favour nothing but themselves; to make such vehement Invectives against their own Baseness, and yet at the same time to brave and plume it with inward Con­ceits of their own singular Godliness; and under the deepest shews of Self-ab­horrency, commit Wantonness with their own Thoughts, by the most arrogant and vain-glorious Reflections. There is not [Page 195] in the World a more shameless and a more irksome instance of Hypocrisie, than for men under the demurest looks, and most prostrate behaviour, to shrowd and cherish the rankest and most hateful In­solence, soothing themselves with proud and flattering Comparisons, entertaining their thoughts with Admiration of their own Worth, and Contempt of other mens, and making their own Fancies the Stages where they display their own Vir­tues and Perfections. And to prove that this is the Mythology of all their deep and prostrate Humblings, what more pregnant Evidence can we have, than that they will not endure to be charged and upbraided with their own Confessi­ons? In other mens mouths they imme­diately turn into Slanders and impious Reproaches; and whoever should dare to represent them half so vile to their own Faces, as they represent themselves to the Almighty, would be thought to have a Mouth as black as Rabshakeh or Lucian; and but to suggest a suspicion of their Pride and Vanity, is an Unpardonable Affront, and raises all their Zeal and Choler: though there is not a more in­fallible symptom of a mans being proud, than to be angry for being rounded in the [Page 196] Ear that he is so. Now how is it possible Men should be serious in these black In­dictments of themselves, when they think them no better then foul Aspersions, and unjust Reproaches to their Innocence; and shall be so highly displeased with any Man, that shall be so credulous as to take them at their word? And you need not question but they would take it with wonderful kindness and patience if we should turn their own familiar Confessions into serious Accusations. If they would accept the Charge, they are lewd People still; if they would not, they are proud Hypocrites, and there is my old Dilemma, and it will return upon them, though they drive it away with a Fork: so transpa­rent is this Vanity through all its demure and grave disguises! Many other evident Proofs there are of this folly, as that they are most sparing in the Confession of those Sins, of which they stand most guilty; and that the Crimes they be­moan most largely, are such as they sup­pose peculiar to Gods People: but what I have already remarked, is more than e­nough to lay open the palpable coarseness of this Delusion.

Pag. 27.But in these Confessions, (he tells us) they have more respect to the Pravity of their [Page 197] Natures, then the outward Perpetrations of Sin. But this is an idle pretence, and is so far from justifying, that it will not blanch the Matter. For in the method of their Prayers, Original and Actual Sin are enu­merated as distinct Heads of Confession. They first expatiate at large upon all the parts and branches of Original Corrupti­on, as it diffuses and spreads it self over all the Faculties both of the inward and the outward Man; and after that, they pro­ceed to the distinct Enumeration and Ag­gravation of their Actual Sins, where they reproach themselves with a long Catalogue of the blackest Impieties, and then exaggerate their Impieties with the lewdest and most emphatical Circumstan­ces; so that all that baseness they stand indicted of by their own Confessions, can­not relate to the pravity of their Natures, but onely to the wickedness of their Lives. Beside, 'tis a lowd mistake to fasten any guilt at all upon the depraved Tendency of Nature, for there are but two Parts of Original Sin, viz. either the imputation of Adam's particular Of­fence, of which we stand guilty as par­ties of the Covenant; and this is all the guilt we are chargeable with upon the ac­count of the first Transgression: for 'tis [Page 198] certain, Adam could derive no more guilt to his Posterity, than what himself con­tracted; and therefore no other instance of disobedience can be imputed to us, than that in which he prevaricated: Or real Communication of a decayed and ill-addicted Nature; and this is not a Crime, but an Infelicity that was inflicted by God himself upon Mankind, as a Punishment of Adam's Sin; and what is an Act of his Will, can be no fault of ours. We may in­deed thank our first Father's Apostacy for this Disaster, because it was justly inflict­ed upon himself and his Posterity for that Offence: but what was intended meerly as a Punishment, to impute to our selves as a Crime, is, I think, new, I am sure crude Divinity. But however, suppose all the unhappy Inclinations of our Na­tures may be charged with actual guilt; yet what is that to outward Transgressi­ons? Can any Man be so oddly absurd, as to affirm that the bare Tendency of his Nature to sin, has prevaricated such and such particular Commandments in Thought, Word and Deed? And yet it was onely these, and the like circumstan­tiated Confessions, that are not capable of being applyed to any thing but Actual Sin, that were the matters of my Re­proof.

[Page 199]§. 16.Pag 28. But this curst Dilemma has not such short Horns, but that it will gore St. Paul as well as the Nonconformists, that acknowledges the former sins of his life, when he was injurious, a Blasphemer and a Per­secutor, (which sins I pray God deliver others from.) As for the uncivil censure sug­gested in this Parenthesis, I accept it as an eminent Issue of his Charity and Good Nature. But as for St. Paul's acknow­ledgment, that stands far enough out of harms way from the reach of my Dilem­ma; for there is no possible way to acquit that blessed Apostle of the guilt of those enormous Impieties, unless he would be so bold as to give the Lye to St. Luke as well as to himself.Ibid. But (he adds) when an Apostle, he professes himself the chiefest of sinners. But 'tis apparent that this Con­fession refers not to his present Condition, but to the time of his being Injurious, a Blasphemer and a Persecutor; when no Man reviled the Son of God with fiercer Zeal and Confidence, or persecuted the Church of Christ with more barbarous Outrage and Inhumanity: which being so great a Crime in its own Nature, and so bold an Affront to the Divine Will, had he not reason (think you) to mark [Page 200] himself for one of the greatest Sinners that ever obtained pardon? For as for such as had affronted the Holy Ghost, and blasphemed the Name of Christ against the Convictions of their own Conscience, they came not into this account of par­donable Offenders, as being fatally con­sign'd up to a state of Impenitence and Unbelief: but among all Sinners that were within a capacity of Mercy, he knew not a greater Wretch than himself. Though this Confession relates to the Malignity of the Crime, not to the Ma­lice of the Criminal: for he is so far from affecting to make a sad Story worse, that he abates the guilt of his sin by the most excusing and allaying Circumstances, in that he did it in Ignorance and Vnbelief; and it was this that so greatly asswaged the horrour of the Crime, and (as himself reports) so greatly disposed him for Par­don and Repentance. But how will this plain dealing justifie such Professors, as pour forth daily Confessions of the black­est and most presumptuous Sins? of de­spising the Riches of Gods Goodness, and Forbearance, and Long-suffering; of trea­suring up wrath against the day of wrath, and Revelation of the Righteous Judg­ment of God; of treading under foot the [Page 201] Son of God, and counting the Blood of the Covenant wherewith they are sancti­fied, an unholy thing, and doing despight unto the Spirit of Grace. All this and much more, set off with all the Circum­stances of Aggravation; not onely in the days of darkness and unregeneracy, but since the glorious Gospel has shined into their Hearts; since they have rested in it, and made their boast of Christ, and known his will, and approved the things that are more excellent. Is not this wild work for choice Believers to talk such extrava­gant Contradictions, when the former passages, and innumerable others com­mon in their Mouths, do apparently sig­nifie nothing less than either an incorri­gible Infidelity, or a total Apostacy from the Gospel?

But what do I think of the Confessions of Ez­ra,Ibid. of Daniel, and others, in the Name of the whole People of God? I think they were as full of Truth as Horrour; and the Peo­ple of God he here speaks of, were such goodly Saints as had revolted from the Worship of the true God, to all manner of Idolatry and Moral Wickedness. If the Congregations of the Nonconformists are such redoubted People of God as these, I have nothing to oppose to the [Page 202] largest and blackest Confessions of their sins. If they worship Idols, as they did, let them with their wonted familiarity make bold with the Expression of the Pro­phet Ieremy to that purpose: We have com­mitted two evils, we have forsaken thee the Fountain of living waters, and hewn out Ci­sterns, broken Cisterns that can hold no water. And if they can vie Lewdness and Hypo­crisie with that holy Nation, let them continue to foist into their Prayers those dark Characters wherewith the Prophets described the unparallel'd Wickedness of that People: nay, far be it from me to a­bridge them the Liberty of helping out their stiff Fancies, by purloining lofty Expressions out of the Prophetick Wri­tings. If the Israel of God be not endu­ed with more Grace at present than it was twenty years since, as I. O. describes them before the Supreme Authority of the Nation, the Commons Assembled in Parliament, April 19. 1649. pag. 39. We have called World Christ, and Lust Christ, and Self Christ, working indeed for them, when we pretended all for Christ. Now this Doctrine was either true or false; if false, what a bold and ungodly Slander was this to brand these Darlings of Providence, these precious Servants of the Lord Christ, [Page 203] these Patriots of their Country, these Fathers of the publick Liberty, (our Au­thor may remember who flatter'd them with these special Titles) with such a a monstrous and profligate Hypocrisie? If true, then what Anointed Saints were those, who under colour of setting up the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus, and rescuing the People of England from the dismal Oppressions both of Civil and Ecclesiasti­cal Tyranny, (he may understand this Language too) had imbroil'd the Nation in a Bloody War, had sacrificed so many thousand Lives, and had butcher'd the best of Kings, onely to carry on the puny Concernments of their own narrow and accursed Interest?

But we must proceed,Ibid. and in the last place I am catechised to give an account of my Thoughts of David's self-abasements, that far exceed any thing that Nonconformists are able to express. Truly I think the pas­sionateness of his Repentance was but proportion'd to the horrour of his Sin; he lay under the fresh Convictions of the most horrid Villanies of Murder, Adulte­ry and Drunkenness, and his guilt was en­hansed with the most shameful and disho­nourable Circumstances; and whilst he continued in this dismal Condition, what [Page 204] Cries and Accents could be too doleful to express the Bitterness of his Grief and Horrour? If they are in the same plight and condemnation, I will not then up­braid them for cloathing their acknow­ledgments with the blackest of his Ex­pressions; for they will then have sad oc­casion to sing their penitential Psalm elsewhere: if they are not, then to use such mournful Ditties in their familiar Addresses to Heaven, falls under my for­mer censure of trifling and fooling with the Almighty.

Pag. 25. But to despise Men for the deepest humblings of their Souls before God, can arise from no other Principle but an utter unacquaintance with the holiness of God, the accuracy of the Law, and the deceitfulness of my own Heart. As for the deceitfulness of my own Heart, I confess my self a stranger to it, and am not at all desirous of its acquaintance, for I hate nothing more then a false Bosom-Friend: But however, my Heart and my Self are of the same Church, and the same Reli­gion; there is no Schism between us, that I know of, nor do I remember when we parted Communion: And I think we e­ver had the same Thoughts, Designs and Resolutions; and therefore as long as I am careful to preserve my own Integrity, [Page 205] let my Heart prove false and treacherous if it can: the Hearts indeed of all Hypo­crites and wicked Men are deceitful, be­cause they themselves are so; but we shall never understand how an upright Man should keep an hypocritical Heart, unless we can divide himself from himself. So that when the People of God make fre­quent and piteous moans of the hypocrisie of their own Hearts, unless still they fool and trifle, there is no remedy but the Peo­ple of God must pass by their own Con­fessions for rank and self-convicted Hypo­crites: for it was never known that any Man was better than his own Heart, or that a perfidious Heart was found in the breast of an honest Man.

As for the Purity and Holiness of God, I am affected with such reverential appre­hensions of it, that I would have Men ap­proach his presence with an awful and re­ligious distance, and not always present themselves before him in such a foul and unclean pickle, and so full of Vermin; I know not a bolder affront to his Purity, than to presume he will vouchsafe Communion with such polluted Souls. 'Tis high Pre­sumption for an habitual Sinner, continu­ing such, to expect the forgiveness of his sins; nothing can reconcile us to the favor [Page 206] of God, but an effectual and a persevering Repentance; this is an absolute and in­dispensable condition of every accepta­ble Prayer: and therefore Men that ac­knowledge any habitual disobedience to the Laws of Christ, put in a bar against their own Petitions; and do not onely stave off the Divine Pity by being unfit Objects for it, but provoke the Divine Displeasure by presuming of his Favour to such unworthy Wretches. And when Men tell the Almighty in good earnest, (for otherwise they do but trifle with him still) ‘Lord, we offend daily against all thy Commandments in Thought, Word and Deed, sinning against thee with an high hand, and a bold forehead, against Knowledge, and against Conviction; all the Thoughts of our Hearts are evil, onely evil, and that continually; work­ing all uncleanness with greediness; drawing Iniquity with Cords of Vani­ty, and Sin as it were with Cart-ropes, &c.’ What other Answer to their Prayers can such debauch't Wret­ches expect, but the utmost Severity of Wrath and Indignation, and the Doom of the worst of Hypocrites and Unbe­lievers?

[Page 207]§. 17. But Ministers, Pag. 27. who are the Mouths of the Congregation to God, may and ought to acknowledge not onely the Sins whereof them­selves are personally guilty, but those also which they judge may be upon any of the Congregation. I shall not urge him with the rash exam­ples of some of their godly Ministers of greatest Fame and Reputation for Piety, that have proclaimed themselves not on­ly to the present Age, but to all Posteri­ty, proud, and selfish, and hypocritical, and desperately and mortally wicked. Certainly these must of necessity be ei­ther very naughty Saints, or most hor­rible Dissemblers: However, I am sure such ratling Confessions cannot but have a sad and woful Influence upon the Lives of their popular Admirers. For what can they more naturally conclude from thence, that if precious Mr.— that e­minent Servant of Jesus Christ in the work of the Gospel, be so full of sin and wickedness; in how many more and greater Infirmities may I be indulged, that am but a private and an ordinary Professor? But to let this pass. What unclean Congregations are those that have such foul Mouths? Methinks it be­comes not such pure People to have their [Page 208] Mouths always full of such uncleanly Confessions. And whether it be true or false what I. O. informs us,Sermon at Margarets Westm. Feb. 28. 1649. pag. 10. That 'tis the Duty and Priviledge of sincere Believers to unlade their Vnbelief in the bosom of their God, I know not; but this I know, that 'tis an unmannerly and horrid prophane­ness, whenever they make their Ad­dresses to the Almighty, to disgorge themselves of the most filthy and abomi­nable Loads of Sin in his Presence. The Prayers of wicked Men, or habitual Sin­ners, (as I told you before) are an abo­mination to the Lord, and he loaths no­thing more then the boldness and pre­sumption of their Addresses: And there­fore if they can suppose any in their Con­gregations guilty of those heinous Enor­mities, they are wont so familiarly to con­fess, yet they ought not to suppose them to have any share in the Publick Wor­ship: For when Men meet together to join in the Duties of Devotion, none ought to be supposed Members of the So­ciety, but what are qualified for the per­formance of the Duty; because all that others can contribute, is not to be rec­koned a part of Divine Worship; and therefore Ministers ought onely to repre­sent such Persons as are supposed capable [Page 209] of the Duty; and all that are not so, to disclaim their company, and refuse their assistance, as much as if they stood excom­municate from the Congregation; for so they are as to all the real designs and pur­poses of Religious Worship.

However, Publick Offices ought to be so contrived as to suit Publick Ends, and to serve the Needs of the whole Body; and therefore is the Confession of our Publick Liturgy expressed in such general Terms, as may comprehend the Concerns and Consent of all Members of the As­sembly: For the peculiar end and useful­ness of this part of Religion, is no other than that Men should agree and join to­gether in the Worship of God; so that it is not so properly the Office of particular Persons, as of the whole Communion; and therefore ought so to be managed, as to take in the joint Devotion of the whole Society. And when it descends to the particular Regards of private Per­sons, it is then no Office of publick Wor­ship, but private Prayer; a Duty that is not proper for open Congregations, but for Closets, and private Retirements; where, if any Person have any blacker and more enormous Crimes in his Calen­dar, he may be more particular in his [Page 210] Confessions without shame and scandal. But it is an odd and preposterous course, when Men associate themselves together to join in an Office of Devotion, that they should divide into so many separate and distinct Parties or Congregations, and e­very individual Member should pick and cull his share of the Duty, and lie at catch for some particular passage to which he may be able to bob in his Amen. But without this sleight, they could never be able to keep up their affected Singularity of Pharisaick Length and Lowdness.

To conclude: This is a New Light newly discovered by this Man of Revela­tions: for I am confident it was never before heard of in the Christian World, that when Men assemble together for the joint performance of Publick Worship, every individual Person has his Oratory apart, and joins not with the Community, but casts in a distinct Symbol of his own, in which the residue are not more con­cern'd then in the private Devotions of his own Closet. However, this faint E­vasion (were it to any purpose, as I have shewn it is to none) is a secret to the com­mon People; they are not wont to weigh and examine every Confession before they assent and seal to its Truth, but swallow [Page 211] all that the Minister pours out with an implicite Confidence: they will confess any thing that he puts into their Mouths; and those that are serious and most in good earnest, make the rufullest faces at the ugliest Crimes, and groan most pow­erfully at the lowdest and most thwack­ing Confessions.

Now when the People are accustomed to such large and foul Catalogues of sin, and when they hear such sad Stories from their own Mouths, and when it is confessed in their Name, that they have broken e­very Commandment of both Tables, to which are reduced all the kinds and in­stances of Wickedness; and when this vast heap of vile things is exaggerated with the heinousest and most emphatical circumstances of Baseness; in brief, when they are grown familiar with the Confes­sions of such lewd Offences, as are not fit to be named any where but in an In­dictment; what will they more probably conclude with themselves, but that 'tis common for Gods People to fall into these foul Miscarriages, and yet never fall from Grace? Especially when these Confessi­ons are generally clogged with some un­lucky words that appropriate their guilt to the best and most holy Professors; and [Page 212] when it is the most vulgar Scheme of their Eloquence to enhanse the heinousness of the Offences, in that they were com­mitted in the days of Regeneracy and Profession. And if the Lives of the Re­generate be stained with so many faults, and such foul blemishes, what is the Con­clusion, but that the difference is not so wide between them and the wicked as is imagined? Alas! the righteousness of the holiest Men is as filthy rags; 'tis not for the Sons of Adam to think of perform­ing a good Action, and we deserve Eter­nal Wrath for the most Vertuous Work we were ever guilty of attempting. What is Man, that he should be clean? or he that is born of a Woman, that he should be righteous? And now what remarkable difference re­mains there between the Infirmities of the Children of God, and the Impieties of the Wicked and Unregenerate? when it is the unavoidable fate of Humane Na­ture, to be enslaved to a necessity as well as to a body of Sin: and after we are brought into a state of Grace, there re­mains a Law in our Members rebelling against the Law of our Minds, bringing us into capti­vity to the Law of Sin: so that even the Children of God are Slaves to their Lusts and Passions; and by reason of the invin­cible [Page 213] power of indwelling Sin, are as ve­hemently inclined, and as frequently be­trayed into actual and outward Trans­gressions, as lewd and graceless Persons, onely with this difference, that they en­ter upon the commission of their Sins with more regret and reluctancy, in that they do what they would not: i. e. they act more boisterously against the Light of Reason, and do greater violence to the Convicti­ons of their own Conscience. And now upon this Principle, what plausible rea­son and title have Men to pretend to Grace and Saintship, though they sin ha­bitually, frequently, and easily, upon e­very opportunity, and every temptation? 'Tis but crying out against the weakness of Nature, the body of Death, and the invincibleness of indwelling Sin, and to be sensible of that, is the Character of Saints and true Believers.

§. 1. HEre his first Attempt is, to spit his Gloom, and cast darkness and ambi­guity over the design of my Discourse: How has he bestirred himself to raise Mists upon my clearest and most perspicuous Expres­sions? [Page 216] And what Clouds of Words has he pour'd forth to involve the Evidence of my Arguments, and the plainness of my Method? How dexterously does he cull out a single Proposition to oppose to the scope and plain meaning of the coherent Discourse? And when he has got the poor, naked and defenceless Thing alone, how unmercifully does he turn and tease it into a thousand postures? and how wantonly does he tire himself with insult­ing over the feebleness of its supposed Escapes and Subterfuges? But to give you some particular Instances of this wo­ful way of trifling.

In the first place, he quarrels my first Paragraph as obscure and ambiguous.Pag. 88. Why! because it gives not any Definiti­on of the Nature of Conscience, nor any Account of the Bounds of its Liberty, nor determines divers other great and weigh­ty Difficulties relating to the present En­quiry. What a monstrous fault is this! Not to couch the sense of three hundred Pages in one single Section; and what a fatal Misadventure, not to decide a per­plexed Controversie before 'tis fairly pro­posed? Pray, Sir, by what Rules of Art am I bound to determine the Right of the Cause, when I onely undertake to repre­sent [Page 217] the Pleas and Pretences of the diffe­rent Parties? If I have not accurately enough described the Competition be­tween the Liberties of Conscience, and the Prerogatives of Princes, (which is the onely thing I pretended to attempt in that Paragraph) let him cavil at that: but if I have, it seems but an untoward humour to quarrel me for not crowding the Dis­course of my whole Book into the com­pass of the Contents of one Chapter. But Men, resolved to be peevish, are ne­ver to seek for Grounds of Contention. Of the same nature, and to as wise pur­pose is his Cavil at my first Proposition, viz. That 'tis absolutely necessary to the Peace and Government of the World, that the Supreme Magistrate of every Commonwealth should be vested with a Power to Govern and Conduct the Con­sciences of Subjects in Affairs of Religion. And though I have at large proved this Assertion from that Powerful Influence that Religion has upon the Peace of King­doms, and the Interests of Government; yet as for Proofs, he always scorns them, as neither pertinent to his purpose, nor worthy his Cognizance: 'Tis below his State to answer Arguments, he can bear them down with scorn and confidence; [Page 218] 'tis the Work of his Generation to establish final Determinations of Controversies, and he was born to put an everlasting Period to all Disputes and Scholastick Brawls. And therefore having first pour'd forth above two Pages full of positive and rambling talk upon this occasion,Pag. 92, 93 with what severity does he afterward school me for so crude and unlearned an Asser­tion?Pag 9 [...]. For who (says he) understands what are the Affairs of Religion here intended, all or some? What are the Consciences of Men? what it is to govern and conduct them? &c. What a strangely nice and delicate Confessor have I, that will not allow me the Liber­ty to use any known and vulgar Word, till I have first defined it with solid and Scholastick exactness? Methinks 'tis somewhat too severe this, a Man had bet­ter hold his peace than be put to this pe­nance for every word he speaks. But the plain truth is, I thought (simple as I am) every Swain that understands but Coun­try English, could not be ignorant of the literal meaning of those terms, Affairs of Religion, Conscience, Government, &c. and therefore I did not dream it was necessa­ry for avoiding ambiguity, to guard eve­ry common Expression with rigorous and Logical Definitions. But yet what if [Page 219] after all this, I have distinctly accounted for these things, and set restraints upon their signification, as far as it might con­cern the matters of my Enquiry? What if I have expresly declared what affairs of Religion they are that are subject to the Government of the Supreme Magistrate, viz. not all, but some, i. e. matters of out­ward Worship, and that are not in them­selves apparently or essentially evil? What then can be the importance of this mighty Cavil? Nothing but this, that I am a crude and unskilful Writer, be­cause I have not been so happy as to couch the whole state of an intricate Controversie, nor to clear off all Diffi­culties and Objections relating to it, in the compass of five Lines. And if this be a Miscarrriage, yet my Adversary has not stuff't his Words so full with Sense and Notion, that he should object it as a defect to any Man for not being able to reduce the sense of an ordinary Volume into one single Proposition: other Men have more Cry then Wool, as well as my self. And yet he is so unmerciful and un­reasonable as to expose my Title Page for not expressing my particular Determina­tions of the whole Matter in Debate;Pag. 85. and often produces that as a shameful in­stance [Page 220] of my loose way of stating Contro­versies. But this Man would snarl at the Title of the New Testament, because it contains not every particular Story re­corded in the four Gospels; I am sure he might do it with as just reason, as urge the Title of my Book for proof that I have not distinctly enough represented my particular Thoughts and Conceptions of the whole matter under debate. Did e­ver Man burthen the Press with such slen­der stuff, or present the World with such pitiful entertainment? And yet he has vast stores of this Ammunition; and he never charges upon me with more fierce­ness then when he shoots these Paper-Pellets.

§. 2. Thus you find him in the same Page ratling my carelesness for calling Con­science sometimes every Mans Opinion, some­times an Imperious Faculty, which surely are not the same. Though I might with warrant from good Authorities have stiled it a Domestick God, a Guardian Angel, the Mirrour of the Divinity, the Law of the Mind, the Practical Understanding, the Repository of Moral Principles, a Book and a Table, with innumerable other Ap­pellations, given to it as it bears Analogy [Page 221] and Resemblance to other Beings; all which Names may agree to Conscience as vastly as they disagree among them­selves; and it is a very little proportion of likeness that you will find between a God and a Book, and yet Conscience is both. But however, I discoursed not of this important matter in such fanciful and allusive Expressions, and kept my self close to the rigour and propriety of Scho­lastick Terms; and so I might warrantably call it both an Opinion and a Faculty, upon the account of its several Accepta­tions: For every Novice (that has seen but a Dutch Systeme of Divinity) knows, that 'tis sometime taken for the Faculty of the Practical Understanding, sometime for an habitual Recourse to its Practical Principles, and sometime for a single A­ction and Exercise of Conscience; from which variety of Apprehension, it is not onely capable, but necessary to be cloath­ed with as great variety of Expression; and though a Faculty and an Opinion are not the same thing, yet Conscience is both: And therefore I doubt not but I may often have promiscuously sign'd it with these and other different Titles, without any uncertainty of signification, according as the design of my Discourse [Page 222] might demand, and its Coherence may justifie; though where I have, as I am not able to remember, so neither is our Author pleased to direct us. But his cu­stom is to except against any thing, upon what account soever it is spoken, as if it were intended for a scrupulous and exact Definition. Whereas there are innu­merable other Reasons and occasions of Speech, that must be expressed in as diffe­rent Schemes and Contextures of Lan­guage; though had I undertaken to de­fine the signification of Conscience, I might safely have called it either an Act or an Habit, or a Faculty; and yet he will never discover any such uncertain Expressions in any thing that pretends to the Office of a Definition. And I re­member when I call Conscience an Impe­rious Faculty, 'tis by way of Irony, when Subjects make bold to infringe the Rights of Sovereign Princes under its pretence and protection.

The next following words are not so near in their Neighbourhood to these, as in their Kindred; 'tis a Cavil of the same Breed and Family,Pag. 85. viz. That I sometimes plead for the uncontroulable Power of Magi­strates over Religion and the Consciences of Men, sometimes assert their Ecclesiastical Iu­risdiction [Page 223] as the same thing; whereas (he sup­poses) no Man ever yet defined Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction to be an uncontroulable Power over Religion and the Consciences of Men. Nei­ther yet do I: What! Can I not use the Terms of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and uncontroulable Power, but one must im­mediately be thought a Definition of the other? Though Ecclesiastical Jurisdi­ction may be an uncontroulable Power, yet it may not so properly be defined by it, because it may have more necessary and more material Attributes, whereby its Nature may be more distinctly under­stood. Our Author often tells us, that my way of Discourse agrees not with that way of Logick in which he has been in­structed: I would advise him therefore to acquaint himself with the Philosophy of the five Predicables, that will quickly in­form him, that all the ways of Predica­tion are not primary and essential, and consequently that 'tis not impossible but that one thing may (as they word it) be affirmed of another, without being an in­separable Ingredient of its specifick Con­stitution. Did I ever dream (dull Beast as I am) that when I asserted and proved the Power of the Supreme Magistrate o­ver Affairs of Religion to be uncontroul­able, [Page 224] as exclusive of an Ecclesiastical Ju­risdiction, distinct from the Civil, (for those words were spoken particularly up­on that occasion,Vid. c. 1. S [...]ct. 10. and to that purpose) that I should be called to so hard an account for crude and ill-contrived Definitions? I presumed a Man might assert an Ortho­dox Proposition without being thought to define the precise Notion of the thing asserted. Alas! I did but vindicate his Majesties Supremacy against the En­croachments of the Pope and the Pres­bytery, that would usurp a Dominion o­ver Princes, by instating themselves in an Ecclesiastical Soveraignty. If I have not made good my Argument, let him not spare it; if I have, I hope it is no disparagement to a good Argument that 'tis no good Definition. I have some­times at Idle Hours (the time when this Man writes Books) recreated my self with observing the Impertinencies of tri­fling Scriblers, but cannot remember that ever I met with such slight and horrid stuff as this. And seriously these Ex­ceptions are so frivolous and unconceive­ably thin, that I cannot fancy any thing either in Art or Nature that more ap­proaches the Notion of Superficies dis­join'd from Body. And yet we are not [Page 225] arrived at the end of these poor and beg­garly stratagems, we have divers others as miserable & slender shifts to impose upon the ignorance and credulity of the Multi­tude. And to this purpose are distant and remote Propositions hudled together, and represented as if they related to the same matter, and had been spoken upon the same occasion. Nay, he spares not to accuse me of contradictory Assertions, because some of my Answers deny what was affirmed in some of my Objections. Thus out of my first Section he picks this Sentence,Pag. 89. Conscience is subject and accountable to God alone, and it owns no Superiour but the Lord of Consciences. And then this he matches with another, cull'd out of my second Section, That those who make it ac­countable to none but God alone, do in effect u­surp their Princes Crown, defie his Authority, and acknowledge no Governour but themselves. This last Assertion I there made good by clear and undeniable evidence: but Ar­guments are too hot for our Authors Fin­gers, and therefore in stead of handling them, he onely blows upon Assertions; and in lieu of discrediting the truth of this Proposition, by defeating the evi­dence of its proof, he onely attempts to expose its silliness, by representing its [Page 226] gross inconsistency with the words im­mediately foregoing. And is it not a shameful Incongruity, that my Reply should contradict my Objection? And yet that is the plain state of the Case: for if you look no farther than the bare Contents of the Chapter, you will find that the scope of the first Paragraph is to represent the Competition between the Power of Princes, and the Consciences of Subjects; where I more particularly aim­ed to set off its Pleas and Pretences for its Exemption from Soveraign Authori­ty; and then in the next Paragraph, I endeavoured in answer to the former Plea, to display the horrid Mischiefs that must unavoidably follow upon the admit­tance of these Pretences for the absolute Exemption of Conscience from the Juris­diction of the Supreme Power. And now what a prodigious inconsistency is this, that my Answers should grapple with my Objections, and that Ob. and Sol. should run a tilt at one another? And when I had shewn the danger of what had been urged in the Exception, by its di­rect tendency to the Dissolution of Go­vernment, what a strange Affront must it be to my own Teeth, to retort upon my supposed Adversary with an Infe­rence [Page 227] contradictory to his Objection? Certainly never was any Man before me upbraided with this sort of Contradicti­ons. And if this be to speak Daggers, how heavy will the Charge fall upon all the Professors of Controversial skill?

§. 3. Another Impeachment near a­kin to this, you may meet with Pag. 86. where 'tis charged upon me as a notorious Barbarism, that I should affirm the Supreme Magistrate may oblige his Subjects Consciences under Penalties, and yet punisheth none for their Crime, but for the Example of others. A grave and profound Nothing this! For where lies the Inconsistency between these two Propositions? Are not all Pe­nalties both threatned and inflicted pure­ly as Inducements to Obedience? and are they not indifferently serviceable to that end, whether they are design'd to deter the Person himself by his own Ex­perience, or any other by his Example from the like Practices? Temporal In­flictions are but accessional strengths to the Obligations of Conscience, that Men may be concern'd to avoid the Punish­ment as well as the Crime; and there­fore though it be punishable to affright o­thers from the same Enormities, what [Page 228] hinders but that Men may be obliged in Conscience to forbear them under the Sanction of an higher Penalty? The pure Reason of all Humane Punishments, is nothing but the Publick Interest; and therefore their measure is ever proporti­on'd to the influence that the Crimes have upon the Concerns of the Commu­nity: and Malefactors are executed, not to revenge their Injuries, but to prevent those Mischiefs the Publick would sustain by their Impunity. And if this be any reason why Humane Laws should not pass any Obligation upon the Conscience, be­cause their Penalties are inflicted for▪ the sake of others, then no Capital Laws can ever bind the Conscience, because all Capital Inflictions neither have nor can have any other end but what relates to o­thers. What else can this Man design by such crude and blundring Cavils, but meerly to amuse, or (what is the same with them) satisfie the People? They run over these Lines; and because they cannot find where the Crisis of the Excep­tion lies, they pass it by for a deep and Scholastick Subtilty: Though all the My­stery lies in the palpable folly; and the onely difficulty that amazes the common Reader, is its having none at all.

[Page 229]This was an Essay of his Skill, but his next attempt is a proof of his Courage: for it is no doubt an Heroick Act of Bold­ness, to dare to impose upon the Publick with meer and ungrounded Forgeries; and such is that Assertion he would fasten upon me, as a further proof of the incon­sistency of my Thoughts, viz. Pag. 85 That I confine the whole Work and Duty of Conscience to the inward Thoughts and Perswasions of the Mind. This in down-right English is a shameless Lye. Sir, you must pardon my rudeness; for I will assure you, after long meditation, I could not devise a more pertinent Answer to so bold an one as this: I confess 'tis no extraordinary conceit, but 'tis the best Repartee my bar­ren Fancy was able to suggest to me upon so rude an occasion. Suppose it were your own case, that you could be so ill-advised as to print Books, should any Person be so bold and disingenuous as not onely to pervert your meaning, and disturb your method, but (what is base without allay) fasten upon you Assertions equally false and wicked, without any reference to Page or Section, and without any imagi­nable foundation of his mistake; what other return would you vouchsafe to make to such an unmannerly attempt, [Page 230] than what I have made? Meer Calumny as it deserves no more serious Resentment than utter neglect, so it is capable of no more civil Confutation than flat denial. I could take occasion from this falshood to add some Reflections of another Na­ture; but it is so utterly groundless that it needs, and so grosly disingenuous that it deserves, no other Baffle but pure dis­dain. Perhaps a Scotch-man would only have told him, (as the Bishop of Derry tells a Man of as lavish a Pen as my Au­thor) that he is very good Company; but I am a blunt English-man, and hate a Lye as I do Idolatry or Witchcraft; and there­fore you must pardon my plainness if I call a Fable a Fable. Now beside this Argument drawn from a Topick so vile, that you see I am almost ashamed to name it, the sum of all the other Exceptions a­mounts to this; That I do not define when I argue, nor distinctly state my own Determinations when I remonstrate to o­ther Mens: That I do not propound and solve Difficulties in the same Words, and that my Answers contradict my Objecti­ons: That every Paragraph does not dis­charge the Undertaking of my whole Book: That the Reasonings of each Chapter are not fully and distinctly ex­press't [Page 231] in its short and general Contents; and that all the particular Notions and Determinations of the Discourse, are not comprized in the Title-Page: In brief, that I have fail'd of the Glory to dispatch all Difficulties and decide all Controversies in one breath. Woful Misadventures these! It were easie to present you with vast heaps of Instances to the same purpose; but I have neither leisure nor patience to reckon up more particularities (to spare harder Expressi­ons) of his folly. 'Tis enough that his whole Book is nothing but a Treasury of Cavils; and that he draws his Argu­ments not from any Principles of sincere Reason, but from the Topicks of prating and vulgar Talk. You cannot dip into a Page, but you will light upon some such lank and windy Exceptions, as I have a­bove recited; and yet I must not stay to glance at them, they are so innumerable: these that I have already represented, lay first in my way, and in the very entrance, and upon the very threshold of his Book, and they may suffice for a short Specimen of that singular Logick he pretends to. And if the Reader will be at the pains (as I fear he will not) to compare his Ca­vils with my Replys, that will infinitely [Page 232] satisfie him of the impertinency of this Mans way of scribling: but if he will not, I shall be ashamed of entertaining him so long with such poor and unedify­ing Remarks. And therefore I shall not waste more time in pursuing such slender Trifles, but shall rather, to prevent him hereafter from abusing the People with these and the like mean Artifices, set down a short Model of the Parts, the Co­herence & the Design of my former Trea­tise: for few vulgar Readers (I perceive) have either Patience or Ability to carry along with them the Method and Con­nexion of a large Discourse.

§. 4. In the first place then, I begun with a more general account of the abso­lute necessity of investing Soveraign Prin­ces with an Ecclesiastical Power and Ju­risdiction over the Consciences of Men in Matters of Religion; and this I pro­ved at large, by representing what migh­ty and powerful influence it casts upon all the most important Ends and Interests of Government; so that to exempt its due Conduct and Management from the Au­thority of the Supreme Civil Power, is apparently to strip it of its greatest securi­ty, to disable it from a right discharge of [Page 233] its Office and Jurisdiction, and to expose the Publick Setlement to the Whimsies and Exorbitances of every crazy Zealot. And having laid this large Foundation upon the firmest Principles of Reason, and the most undeniable Experience of Mankind; I proceeded in the next place to erect a more particular Hypothesis of the Nature and Extent of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction: where I run a Parallel be­tween the Affairs immediately relating to Religious Worship, and the Duties and Offices of Morality; proving Moral Vertues to be more material Parts of Re­ligion than any outward Expressions of Worship whatsoever. And from hence I thought it but a very modest and rea­sonable Demand, That Men would but yield to allow to Supreme Power the same Authority and Dominion over the Means and subordinate Instruments of Religion, as they are ready enough to ascribe to it over its more important Ends and De­signs; and so agree to set the same Bounds and Measures to both Jurisdictions. And now having reduced them to this Equa­lity of Power, I advanced to a more par­ticular state of the whole Controversie, by shewing to what Affairs in both kinds the Exercise of all Humane Authority is [Page 234] extended, where it is limited, and in what cases it is restrained. And here I first exempted all the inward Actions of the Mind, from the Cognizance and Jurisdi­ction of all Humane Authority; and with­al, shewed how the substantial part of Re­ligious Worship is performed within, and so is in its own Nature beyond the reach of the Civil Magistrate; and how all Expressions of External Worship, as such, are no Essential Parts of Religion, and therefore that he is not in any capacity of doing direct and immediate Violence to Religion it self. The Controversie be­ing thus stated, as to the inward Actions of the Mind, the next Enquiry is con­cerning outward Practices; and they are of two sorts, either such as are apparent­ly and antecedently evil, and these are a­bove the reach, and beyond the Obliga­tion of all Humane Laws; their Mora­lity is already so determined, that no Humane Power can alter their Nature, or rescind their Obligation; but every thing forbidden becomes an intrinsecal and un­alterable Sin, and every thing command­ed an eternal and unchangeable Duty. Or else they are such as still remain in the state of indifferency, and are left unde­termined as to their Morality, either by [Page 235] any certain Law of Nature, or any clear positive Law of God; and these are lia­ble to the Commands and Determinati­ons of Supreme Authority, and are the proper Objects of Humane Laws, in that there is no other restraint set to the extent of their Jurisdiction, but the Counter­mand of a Superiour Power; and there­fore whatsoever Matters are left at Li­berty by the Divine Law, must be sup­posed determinable either way by the Commands of Soveraign Authority. These are the most distinct Rules of Con­science in this Enquiry, in reference to the Nature of the Actions themselves: But besides these, there are other accessi­onal Reasons of Good and Evil, that a­rise from the apprehensions of the Minds of Men concerning them; and they also are of two sorts; either such as relate to the Conceptions of other Men, which may in some cases lay a restraint upon our Practices, as in cases of meer scandal, and this by some is pretended to excuse their disobedience to the Churches Con­stitutions; and therefore I have distinct­ly examined the Nature and the Reason­ableness of this Pretence, and shewn how the Commands of Authority abolish all the Pretences, and supersede all the Ob­ligations [Page 236] of scandal. Or else they are such as relate to a Mans own apprehensi­ons, and this takes in the pretence of a doubtful and unsatisfied Conscience, which is so zealously pleaded by most of our Separatists in justification of their Schism; and therefore because I deem'd it was of more close and immediate Con­cernment to our present Affairs, I have with greater exactness examined and sta­ted the Obligatory Power of a weak and a tender Conscience, and have largely proved the manifest absurdity of pleading Doubts and Scruples in opposition to the Commands of Authority; and shewn that nothing can or ought to check with our Obligations to Obedience, unless it cross with Matters of certain and appa­rent Duty; and that all cases capable of Doubt and Uncertainty, cannot be sup­posed of importance enough to weigh a­gainst the great Sin and Mischief of Dis­obedience: So that the Result of my whole Discourse will at last run it self into this plain and easie Proposition, That Obedience is indispensably due to all the Commands of Supreme Authority that are not certainly and apparently sin­ful.

And now tell me how I could have [Page 237] drawn up the state of this Controversie in a plainer or more familiar Method? For the Propositions, you see, are distinct and comprehensive, they take in all the par­ticular Actions and Affairs of Humane Life; and I cannot think of any imagi­nable Difficulty or Objection relating to the present matter in debate, that does not apparently fall in under one of the forementioned Heads of Action. Or how I could better have avoided the Inconve­niences of both extreams, and which way else I might have determined the matter by such easie and moderate Principles, as may fairly satisfie all Mens Consciences that are ingenuous, and condemn all that are not.

§. 5. For (1.) to vest the Supreme Ma­gistrate in an unlimited and unaccount­able Power, is clearly to defeat the Effi­cacy and Obligatory Force of all his Laws, that cannot possibly have any binding Vertue upon the Minds of Men, when they have no other inducement to Obedience than barely to avoid the Pe­nalty. But if the Supreme Power be ab­solute and unlimited, it does for that ve­ry Reason remove and evacuate all other Obligations; for otherwise it is restrained [Page 238] and conditional; and if Men lie under no other Impulsive than that of the Law it self, they lie under no Obligation than that of Prudence and Self-interest; and it remains entirely at the choice of their own discretion, whether they shall or shall not obey, and then there is neither Go­vernment nor Obligation to Obedience; and the Principle of Mens Complyance with the Mind of Superiours, is not the Declaration of their will and pleasure, but purely the Determination of their own Judgments. And therefore 'tis ne­cessary for the security of Government, (though for nothing else) to set bounds to its Jurisdiction; otherwise like the Roman Empire it sinks and dissolves by its own weight, no Humane Power is a­ble to support it self, and the Thrones of Princes are establish't upon the Dominion of God; remove his Authority, and the force derived upon their Laws by vertue of his Commands, and you untie all the Bands of Government, and set Men at Liberty from all Obligations to the Duty of Obedience.

Or else (2.) to grant Subjects a law­less and uncontroulable Liberty in all matters and pretences of Religion, is to dissolve one half of the Government in­to [Page 239] to perfect Anarchy, and yield up the Con­stitution of all Publick Affairs to the Hu­mour and the Insolence of every wild En­thusiast; and every pert Fellow that can abuse either himself or others with Fa­natick Whimsies, has it always in his own power to expose the setled frame of Government to the zealous folly of the Multitude. If he have but a warm Brain and a bold Face, with what ease may he fire the Rabble into Tumults and Godly Seditions? 'Tis but pouring forth dark Prophesies, and Scripture-Allegories, and declaiming against the Oppression of Earthly Powers, and then with what eagerness will the Capricious People flow into Cabals of Zeal, and Musters of Re­formation? What Maxime in Policy is so fully ratified by the Histories of all Nations, as that there is nothing equal­ly dangerous to the Publick Tranquil­lity with the Zeal of the Multitude? and 'tis not easie to determine, whether Mankind have smarted more deeply by the Ambition of Tyrants, or the Impo­stures of Religion. However, 'tis suffi­ciently verified by the experience of A­ges, that there is not any Passion so inci­dent to Humane Nature as Popular Zeal, nor any Madness so ungovernable as that [Page 240] of Religion; and therefore what can more become or import the Wisdom of Governours, than to keep a watchful eye upon all its designs and pretences. But these things I have already represented in smarter and more elaborate Periods, and therefore I will forbear to abate their e­vidence by these crude and hasty Sugge­stions. But onely supposing it is not im­possible (what our Author has not gain-said, nor indeed can, without out-facing the experience of Mankind) but that the Factions and Hypocrisies of Religion may create Publick Disturbances, the dedu­ction is easie and natural, that to grant it a total exemption from the Soveraign Authority, is at all times to expose the Commonwealth to great Disorders, and oftentimes to unavoidable Dissolution.

And therefore seeing an unbounded Li­cence on one hand, and an unlimited Power on the other, are so pregnant with Mischiefs and intolerable Inconveniences, the onely proper Determination that this Enquiry is capable of, is to assign the just extent of a limited Jurisdiction, and to state as distinctly as the Nature of the thing debated will admit, how far, in what cases, and over what matters it may be safely exercised, and within what Li­mits [Page 241] it ought to be restrained; and he that prescribes the most useful and pra­cticable Measures, makes the fairest Es­say at the Decision and Atonement of this Controversie. This was the At­tempt, whatever was the Success of my Discourse: and to say nothing of some more particular Rules and Directions, the two great Lines wherein I have enclosed all matters of Humane Laws, are of such a wide and comprehensive extent, that in the midst of all the variety and intricacy of Humane Affairs, 'tis both easie to dis­cern their lawful Bounds, and unneces­sary to transgress them. For (1.) let Authority beware of imposing things certainly and apparently evil, and then there is no danger of their doing any vi­olence to the Consciences of peaceable and sober Men, or of their suffering any disturbance from them: For the proper Office of Humane Power, is to consult the Peace and Interest of Humane Socie­ty; and the only immediate use of Pub­lick Laws, is to secure and provide for the Publick Good. 'Tis no part of their Concernment to institute Rules of Moral Good and Evil; that is the Care and the Prerogative of a Superiour Lawgiver; and therefore provided they do not cross [Page 242] with the express Declaration of his indis­pensable Will and Pleasure, all other matters fall within the Verge of their Legislative Power: For as nothing that carries with it an antecedent Irregula­rity, can ever be supposed either necessa­ry or advantageous to the Publick Good, and therefore may without any danger of impairing the strength of its Power be lopt off from the Rights of Soveraign Ju­risdiction; so also many things left alto­gether indifferent and uncommanded by the Law of God, may in all the various postures and turns and circumstances of Humane Affairs, prove sometimes bene­ficial, and sometimes pernicious to the Commonwealth; and therefore the Su­preme Magistrate being appointed the Supreme Judge of the Publick Good, there is no remedy but they must fall under the Guidance of his Laws, and Conduct of his Government. Now 'tis very easie for Christian Princes to move within so fair a compass; and if any go beyond it, as it is not for their Advan­tage, so it is not of our Concernment: For that Man must talk after a wild rate, that should pretend to discover an evi­dent Opposition in any of the Laws of our Kingdom, to the plain and indispen­sable [Page 243] Duties of the Gospel: or if they will be so precipitate as to pretend this, we are very well content to devolve the issue of the Controversie upon that Un­dertaking; and then are they brought under an engagement to prove a certain and undeniable repugnancy between the Laws of our Church, and the Laws of God; and to suspend their disobedience to them, till they can warrant its neces­sity by some plain and express Text of Scripture: And if they will but perse­vere in Conformity, till they are indeed able thoroughly and satisfactorily to con­vince themselves of its evident unlaw­fulness, that would for ever prevent all thoughts and attempts of Separation. And this crosses me over to the opposite Bound of this Enquiry, from the Power of the Magistrate to the Duty of the Sub­ject, Viz. That they would not scruple or deny Obedience to the Commands of lawful Superiours, till they are sincerely (not in pretence onely) convinced of the certain and apparent unlawfulness of the Command.

§. 6. And if we stop not the Subjects Liberty to remonstrate to the Commands of Authority at this Principle, we shall [Page 244] be for ever at an utter loss to set any cer­tain Bounds to the just and allowable Pre­tensions of Conscience: For if they will not consent to have their Pleas of Ex­emption confined within the certain and evident Measures of Good and Evil, but desire to be excused as to all other Pre­texts and Perswasions of Conscience, howsoever doubtful and uncertain; then must every Conceit that may either be mistaken or pretended for a Conviction of Conscience, be permitted to over-rule all the Power, and baffle all the Wisdom of Government: For be it never so wild or so extravagant, if they are strongly or seriously possest with the Phantasm, that and onely that shall ever exercise any Au­thority over their Thoughts and Actions; and if Magistrates shall in any case think good to curb its heats and exorbitances, they offer violence to the sacred and in­dispensable Obligations of Conscience; and this unavoidably exposes the Peace of Kingdoms to all the Follies of Zeal, and Impostures of Enthusiasm, and pro­stitutes the Power of Princes to the stub­bornness and insolence of Popular Folly. Every one that is timorous or melancho­ly, that has an indisposed Body, or a trou­bled Mind; that wants Sleep, or wants [Page 245] Company; that has an hard Spleen, or a soft Head; that has a strong Fancy, or a weak Judgment; a bold Ignorance, or a conceited Knowledge; an impertinent Opinion, or a restless Humour; a Whim­sie in the Crown, or a Vapour in the Hy­pocondria, may upon that account exempt himself from all the Authority of the Laws, and all the Obligations of Obedi­ence: For you know what a vulgar Phae­nomenon it is for these and the like ef­fects of folly and weakness, to abuse the Consciences of well-meaning Men into Scruple and Irresolution; and therefore if every Man that has or (what is the same thing in reference to Government) can pretend to tenderness and want of sa­tisfaction, shall be allowed to plead Ex­emption from the Duty of Obedience to the will of his lawful Superiours, there will be no avoiding the Co [...]sequence, at least as to the practice of the World, but that all the Power and Wisdom of Au­thority must submit to the Follies, Passi­ons and Extravagances of the Multitude; and howsoever Men may wind themselves up and down in Mazes of endless Nice­ties and Distinctions, they will never clear themselves from the unavoidable e­vent of Anarchy and Confusion, as long [Page 246] as they promiscuously admit the Pretensi­ons of an unsatisfied Conscience; and yet that they will be forced to do, if they stop not at the plain, the easie and the discernable Measures of Duty; and therefore Men must not be allowed to ex­cuse themselves from the Authority of Humane Laws upon slender grounds and weak surmises, nor conclude the matter of the Law to be antecedently unlawful, unless it be certainly and apparently so. And this will farther appear highly rea­sonable from the Nature of Gods Laws, that are always plain and easie; and the Nature of the Matters about which they are employed, that are always of a great and evident necessity: so that things re­ally liable to doubt and disputation, are not of importance enough to be reckoned in the number of indispensable Duties; and unless they are clearly and apparently evil, that is an unquestionable evidence that they are not intrinsecally so: the perspicuity of the Law, and the impor­tance of the Duty, are to an ingenuous Mind uncapable of doubt and uncertain­ty; and therefore where there appears no certain and express Repugnancy to the Law of God, that is presumption enough to satisfie any sober and peaceable Man in their lawfulness.

[Page 247]§. 7. But that which is most material to the Determination of Conscience in this Enquiry, is this, That there is no Rule of Life and Manners more express and unavoidable, nor any Duty in the Gospel enjoined in more positive Terms, and under more severe Penalties, than this of Obedience to the Commands of Su­preme Authority; and God has tied all their just Laws upon our Consciences, by vertue of his own Authority, and under pain of his own displeasure; and as Men would acquit themselves in their Obedi­ence to his Laws, they are bound under the same Sanctions to acquit themselves in their Obedience to theirs. And now upon this Principle no truly upright and conscientious Man will ever go about to riggle himself out of his Duty to his law­ful Superiours, out of any regard to any Law of God, when he is not as clearly and abundantly satisfied of the certainty and necessity of its Obligation: Nay, he can­not with safety and without violence to his own Conscience remonstrate to the Commands of lawful Authority, unless upon Reasons more bright and forcible than the express words of St. Paul, It is ne­cessary that ye be subject, not onely for wrath, [Page 248] but also for Conscience sake. And if Men would (as they ought) suspend their Scruples and Exceptions till they can make it out to themselves that they are as certain, as necessary, and as universal Duties of Religion as Obedience to the Commands of lawful Superiours, we could not desire a more effectual Bar to all our Schisms and Distractions: For none of the matters of our difference can either pretend to, or are indeed capable of equal evidence with this express Pro­position of the blessed Apostle; and there­fore if they would stand firm and loyal to this Doctrine, till they can produce more clear and convincing Scriptures to vouch their own singular Conceits, that must for ever stifle all former Quarrels, and pre­vent all farther Dissentions. v.g. Where­as our Author is required by his lawful Superiours to use the Sign of the Cross in the Sacrament of Baptism, he puts in his Exception against the lawfulness of the Command, in that it enjoins a Symboli­cal Ceremony; and every Symbolical Ce­remony is of the Nature of a Sacrament; and no Sacrament can or ought to be in­stituted but by Divine Authority; and therefore for any Humane Power to esta­blish new Symbolical Ceremonies, is to [Page 249] invade Gods own peculiar Royalty and Jurisdiction. In which Cavil are invol­ved a great number of dark, uncertain, and perhaps indeterminable Enquiries: yet however, to keep to the main pre­tence, let him but conform to this Injun­ction, till he can alledge any Text of Scripture that affirms in as clear and dog­matical words, that every Symbolical Ceremony is of the Nature of a Sacra­ment, as are those of St. Peter, Be ye sub­ject to every Ordinance of Man for the Lords sake. And then we shall neither need nor desire any farther security to prevent his defection from the establish't Discipline of the Church in that Affair: So that if Men would learn to be peaceable and in­genuous, this plain and obvious Principle would either forestal or supersede all their scruples. And in truth the Commands of Authority so much surmount their Obligation, and anticipate their Pre­tence, that the very Plea of a tender and unsatisfied Conscience in Opposition to Publick Laws, is in it self a direct Prin­ciple of Sedition, and an open Affront to Government; and therefore whoever they are that vouch and pretend its prohibiti­on to the proceedings of lawful Authori­ty, deserve for that reason alone the [Page 250] shame and correction of sturdy and irre­claimable Schismaticks. And here 'tis a woful Impertinence for Men to oppose (as our Author has done) the Authority of God and of Conscience to that of Men,Pag 107, 144. for that is to plead God and Conscience against themselves, in that Humane Laws are as much tied upon us by his own immediate Command as his own im­mediate Institutions; and whatsoever lawful Superiours impose upon our Pra­ctice, that he binds upon our Conscience; and though their Decrees pass no direct Obligation upon the Consciences of Men, yet the Laws of God directly and imme­diately bind their Consciences to Obe­dience; and he has threatned the same Eternal Penalties to our contempt of, and disobedience to their Laws, as he has an­next to his own Commands: 'Tis enough therefore that the Conscience is bound by the Laws of Men, though that Obligation be tied upon it by the Laws of God. So that it is not the different Obligations of Hu­mane and Divine Laws, that are to be considered in this Enquiry; for the Au­thority of God is equally concerned in both, and all the Contest lies entirely be­tween the Matters of the Command, viz. Whether God have by as certain, as ab­solute [Page 251] and as indispensable a Law re­strained us from the practice of what our Superiours enjoin, as he has enjoined us to yield all ready and cheerful Obedience to their Commands. And when the state of the Controversie is shifted to this En­quiry, 'tis another woful Impertinence to plead the Rule of St. Paul, [He that doubteth is damned if he eat,] to counte­nance and warrant their suspension of O­bedience: for where the doubt has but one handle, there it concerns us to hold that fast; but where it has more, 'tis the safest way to hold by the strongest: my meaning is, where the danger of Sin lies but upon one side of the Action, 'tis no doubt a Mans Wisdom to determine his choice on the other that is undoubtedly safe and innocent: but when there lies danger on both sides of the Enquiry, then the doubt ceases to bind from Action, and onely binds to Enquiry, and 'tis his Duty to resolve with the weightiest and most important Reasons; and the strongest Ob­ligation always cancels the doubt, and determines the Judgment. And this is the palpable difference of our case from that of St. Paul. There all the Jealousie lay on the side of the Action, and there was no ground or pretence for any suspi­cion [Page 252] of Sin in the forbearance; and there­fore it was a safe and easie Determination of the Scruple, to resolve that way where there is neither doubt nor danger; and in that case a total suspension of Action is our proper Duty. But this is widely remote from the posture of our present Affairs, where there lies some hazard of miscarriage on all sides; and therefore the doubt is no warranty for the suspen­sion of Obedience, because if the matter of the Command be not certainly unlaw­ful, 'tis certain that is so; and therefore it can have no more Power to suspend, than it has to bind to Action; and there remains no other way to appease and sa­tisfie the Conscience, but to apply it self to depose the doubt, and resolve to dis­card its unreasonable and trifling suspici­ons, and confidently follow the guidance of its most probable Judgment and De­termination. And here the safest course as to the case under our present enquiry, is to follow my former advice of joining in with the Commands of Authority, that are not certainly and apparently sinful; for nothing can out-balance their Obli­gation, unless evident and unquestiona­ble disobedience to God himself: so that where this is not either plainly apparent, [Page 253] or very forcibly proved, there 'tis but reasonable to sink the Scale, and deter­mine the Balance on the side of Autho­rity; and 'tis a safe and an useful Rule of Life, that in all disputable Cases the Commands of Authority abrogate the Irresolution, and oblige to Action: But if after they have determined the Case, the Conscience will still remain stubborn or timorous, so that it will not, or dare not venture upon a Determination, 'tis either such a troublesome Infirmity as must be corrected, or such an head-strong Humour as must be broken, otherwise there is no conceivable way of governing Men that are either proud, or peevish, or ignorant. This is plain and down-right Sense, and (if I mistake not) Reason too. And I know but one Exception that seems to carry in it any colour or appea­rance of difficulty against this way of sta­ting the Government of Humane Affairs, and 'tis this.

§. 8. When we come to apply parti­cular Actions to these general Rules of Life and Government, who shall judge of their Agreement with the Limits and Measures assign'd, if this must be left to the different Judgments of the Prince [Page 254] and the Subject, this Fabrick falls to pieces again, and Men are still left at li­berty to judge of the lawfulness of their Superiours Command, by the best Light God has given them, and they may be absolved from their Obligation by the Countermand of their private Judgment, and so we are just as before, Pag. 150. and this great En­gine for Publick Tranquillity vanisheth into Air and Smoak.

But this Cavil (if it be of any strength or value) concerns not in particular my state of the Controversie, and lies indif­ferently against all Setlement of Humane Affairs, and strikes equally at all Hypo­theses of Government: for upon what Principles soever Men shall setle and de­termine this Enquiry, it will return upon them with as much, if not more force than upon my Determinations: For whatever Bounds and Limits they assign to the extent of Humane Power, all its Commands must still be liable to the dif­ferent Judgments of the Person that en­joins, and the Person that obeys: about which 'tis as possible and as likely they may disagree, as about those that I have prescribed; and therefore I never design'd to prevent such Inconveniences as are unavoidable to Humane Affairs, but one­ly [Page 255] to setle their management upon the best and safest Principles that the Na­ture of things is capable of. For either Religion is entirely exempted from the Cognizance of Humane Powers, and the Obligation of Humane Laws, or else 'tis in some cases obnoxious to their Jurisdi­ction. The former is an Opinion so wild and intolerable, as that it was never here­tofore own'd by any but such perverse People as renounced all Subjection to Earthly Princes, nor indeed can it be ad­mitted without dissolving the whole Fa­brick of Humane Government: For that Prince must needs be vested with an ab­solute and uncontroulable Power, whose Subjects can challenge an Exemption from his Authority as to all matters and pretences of Religion, i. e. as to all things, in that it extends its influence to all the affairs of Humane Life; and therefore its Exemption is no less than flat Anarchy, a Dissolution of all Laws, and Subversion of all Societies. The truth whereof is so infinitely certain from the Reason of Things, and so universally confessed by the Experience of Mankind, that it could never enter the Minds of any Men, un­less a few savage and inhumane Wretch­es, that would have voted to break up [Page 256] Humane Society, that they might betake themselves to the Woods and Desarts, and there live after the Manners and Cu­stoms of unsociable Creatures, and wild Vermin. But of this I have treated large­ly enough, and it is not contradicted by our Author: he grants, as all Men do that are not utterly revolted from the first Principles and Fundamental Laws of Humane Nature, that in some cases and upon some occasions 'tis necessary for the Supreme Magistrate to interpose his Pow­er to setle and govern the things of Reli­gion. Thus far we are agreed, and only differ in marking out the distinct Bounds, and stating the particular Cases of his Jurisdiction: and here, whatsoever De­terminations he may propose, they must fall under the different Opinions of the Prince and the Subject. v. g. Whereas he conceits he has sufficiently stated the Controversie in the general words of our blessed Saviour, spoken to another pur­pose, and upon a different occasion, Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars, and to God the things that are Gods: I demand who shall determine the particular Rights of God and of Caesar? Who shall assign the just Limits of their respective Domini­ons? and who shall judge when Caesar passes [Page 257] beyond the Bounds of his Imperial Juris­diction, and when he intrenches upon Gods Authority, by taking upon him a Dominion in such Matters as God has re­served for his own proper Cognizance, and immediate Royalty? So that in this, and all other Determinations, there is no possible way to avoid making the last Ap­peal to different Judgments, because that is absolutely unavoidable in the natural Constitution of Humane Affairs. And therefore I never attempted (as some Men have done) to devolve the entire Power of judging upon the Judgment of one Party; but onely supposing our dif­ferent Respects and Obligations to these different Judgments, to propound the safest and most moderate Principles upon which to setle and accommodate the Government of Humane Affairs; and to adjust all matters capable of debate be­tween them, by such fair Proposals, and upon such reasonable Principles, that, if the Parties concern'd will be ingenuous in their respective Capacities, will effe­ctually enough secure the common Peace and Happiness of Mankind: if they will not, the Publick Miseries and Calamities that ensue upon the default of either Par­ty, will be proportion'd to the degrees of [Page 258] their respective Transgressions; and a­gainst them 'tis not in my power to pro­vide, unless I could devest the Minds of Men of all Liberty of Judgment, and Freedom of Will: for whilst they re­main, 'tis at their own choice whether they will follow the best and wisest advice in the World.

§. 9. Thus if Magistrates fail on their part, and Enact any Laws in defiance of the certain and apparent Laws of God, from thence arise the Calamities of Ty­ranny and Persecution, and against this evil there is no remedy but Patience and Prayers: Divine Providence is Superiour to the Power of Soveraign Princes, and superintends their Government of the World; and therefore to God alone must we address our Complaints for relief a­gainst Cruelty and Oppression; and if he judge it convenient for the interests of his Church, and the purposes of Religi­on, he will so order the Circumstances of Things, and the Management of Affairs, as to rescue them out of their Streights and Exigences. The Hearts and the Scepters of Kings are subject to his Al­mighty Wisdom; and he so disposes them, as to make them comply with the [Page 259] Decrees of his uncontroulable Will; and therefore whatever inconveniences may befal Good Men through the Folly or the Wickedness of Governours, they must be patiently endured, as certain Issues, and unsearchable Designs of Divine Pro­vidence; and we have no recourse for Succour or Deliverance, but to his infi­nite Mercy and Goodness: this is our only Support and Sanctuary, and who can desire greater Safety than to be under his immediate Care and Protection? And therefore there is nothing more unbe­coming the Faith and the Profession of a Christian, than to betake himself to vio­lent and irregular Courses against the In­conveniences of Government: 'tis a di­rect and open affront to the Superinten­dency of Providence, that has reserved this Prerogative to it self: 'tis our Duty to obey cheerfully, or to suffer patiently; and to leave all other Events of Things to his All-comprehensive Wisdom. Man­kind must be subject to Government; no Government can be effectual unless it be Supreme and Absolute; and therefore God has been pleased to enjoin us a full and entire Subjection to our lawful Supe­riours; and as for what may ensue there­on, we must leave to his wise and un­erring [Page 260] Disposal, and then certainly we may rest secure of a good Issue of Things. So that if the Magistrate erre in his Judg­ment of the extent of his Authority, and act beyond the Bounds of his lawful Ju­risdiction, 'tis not in the Power of Sub­jects to redress or to remove the Mischiefs that must ensue upon his Government: they must discharge their Duty, and sub­mit to their Fate; and as for the Refor­mation of any Publick Miscarriages, they must leave it entirely to the Will and the Wisdom of the Soveraign Power. So that the material thing of which Princes ought to be careful, is that their Laws cross not with the express Laws of God; and this they may easily avoid, if they will be up­right and ingenuous; and this if they will do, they may as easily avoid all the Mis­chiefs and Inconveniences that may befal Men of peaceable Spirits through their default. But as 'tis their Duty not to transgress their own Bounds; so on the other side, 'tis as much their Interest to restrain their Subjects from transgressing theirs; and not suffer them to remon­strate to the Equity of their Laws, unless when they can plead a clear & undoubted pre-engagement to an higher Authority; and they must not prostitute the Interests [Page 261] of the Republique, and the Reverence of Government, to the Niceties of every curious Imagination, or the Cavils of every peevish Humour. There is no end of trifling and unreasonable Pretences, if once the common People are permitted to put in their Exceptions against the Publick Laws; and what a weak and im­pertinent thing were the Power of Prin­ces, if it might be over-ruled by the Fol­ly of the Multitude? And how bravely would the World be govern'd, if the Au­thority and Obligation of Laws must be left arbitrary to the Opinion of every vain and foolish Fellow? And therefore in such cases the Allegation of a tender Conscience confutes it self, and 'tis but a soft and plausible word to qualifie a stubborn and contentious Humour; and did not something else bear Men up a­gainst the force of Authority, a weak Conscience has not boldness enough to oppose its own Power and Judgment a­gainst the Will of Superiours, and the Wisdom of Publick Laws: 'tis not so imperious and impatient in its Pretensi­ons, but 'tis (if it really is what it pre­tends to be) of a yielding, a modest and a governable Temper, apt and easie to re­ceive any competent Satisfaction, willing [Page 262] to comply with the Necessities of Go­vernment, and the Interests of Publick Order; and therefore when Men are zea­lous and confident in their disobedience to Authority, and are forward upon all occasions to take offence at the Publick Laws, whatever they fancy to them­selves, or pretend to others, 'tis a proud, a malapert, and an insolent Humour, that affects to affront Authority, and to raise Trophees to its Zeal and Courage, by controuling the Decrees of Princes, and trampling upon the Laws of Discipline. And therefore nothing more imports the Publick Peace, than to take down such bold and daring Spirits; and their high Stomachs must be broken, before they can be made fit Subjects of Civil Societies, and fit Members of Bodies Politick. Dis­order and Disturbance is the natural Re­sult of their Complexion, and they can­not forbear to fret and annoy Autho­rity with every peevish and unreasona­ble Conceit. So that the bare Pretence of Tenderness of Conscience in defiance to the Commands of Authority, is at once a bold Attempt, and an impregnable Principle of Sedition: for unless Men have lost their due sense of reverence and submission to Government, they will not [Page 263] pretend it; and when they do, if their Pretence be admitted, they are but en­couraged to continue refractory in their disobedience, and to make all the Laws of Discipline and Publick Order yield up their Authority to a proud and an insolent Humour. This is the plain and real ac­count of my state of the Controversie; and if any Man can determine it upon more reasonable, more moderate, and more discernable Principles, I am not so fond of my own Conceptions, as to be unwil­ling to subscribe to wiser Proposals. But these things I have accounted for more at large, in the last Chapter of my former Treatise; where I have in many particu­lars shewn the horrible vanity of preten­ding dissatisfaction of Conscience against the Commands of lawful Authority. And had not our Author rather design'd to prolong, than to determine this Dispute, in stead of his wild rambling up and down without drift or method, he would with a more particular Regard have faln upon that part of my Discourse; but its Exa­mination would have been of immediate Concern to his own Pretences, and would have brought the Controversie to too speedy an Issue, and perhaps too satisfa­ctory a Decision; and therefore he baulks [Page 264] that as too hazardous an Enterprize, and is unwilling to venture the whole Cause upon one Engagement, but keeps this back as a Reserve for a second Onset, and for matter of new Cavil: at present it suffices for his purpose (which is not to satisfie, but to shuffle with his Readers) to load my more general Assertions with such loose and uncertain Cavils, as are already prevented in my more particular Determinations of the Enquiry.

§. 10. But though this way of abuse be (one would think) bold enough, yet in the next attempt his Confidence im­proves, (and it were hard fortune if he should prove Bankrupt upon so fair a Stock:) before he did but overlook my plain meaning, but now he proceeds to pervert and slander it, and his peevish­ness becomes malice. He is not content to abuse the People with dull mistakes, and to defeat the efficacy of my Dis­course upon the Minds of Men, by distur­bing its method, and representing its whole design in such an awkard and dis­orderly manner, as may utterly confound and perplex their thoughts as to my drift and meaning. This, alas! is mean re­venge, and is not full enough of mischief [Page 265] to appease his wrath; it onely calls my Understanding into question, and exposes my Wit to the Cavils and Impertinencies of talking People; and therefore he roundly charges me with the blackest and most horrid Tenets; he aggravates and sets off their horrour with infinite Repe­titions, (for that is the most lofty strain of their Eloquence, and the Figure that moves the Passions of their Multitude) and employs all the forces of slander and peevishness to raise popular rage and in­dignation. The Result of his Indictment is, that I assert such Opinions,Pag. 97. from whence it follows, that whatever the Magistrate com­mands in Religion, his Authority does so imme­diately affect the Consciences of Men, that they are bound to observe it on pain of the greatest Sin and Punishment; or, as he expresses the same thing elsewhere,Pag. 105. that no Man must do or practise any thing in the Worship of God, but what is prescribed, appointed and commanded by the Magistrate, upon pain of Sin, Schism, Re­bellion, and all that follows thereon. These are big words indeed: but if it shall ap­pear that this Charge is not so loud and black, as 'tis false and disingenuous, I will give him the Liberty of an Appeal to all Mankind for the clearing of his In­tegrity: and when I have represented up­on [Page 266] what slight grounds he raises this great and heinous Accusation, I doubt not but his disingenuity will appear so palpable and notorious, that it will expose him at least to the pity of the most Zealous She of his own Congregation. And therefore let us see by what mighty Topicks and Testimonies he makes good so high a Charge.

In the first place my Title Page rises up in Judgment against me, (and never was poor Man so all-be-confuted with a Title Page as I have been) viz. Pag. 95. That the Magi­strate has Power over the Consciences of his Sub­jects in Religion: and to strengthen this Testimony, two other Propositions are join'd with it, viz. That the Magistrate has Power to govern and conduct their Consciences in Religious Affairs; and that, Religion is sub­ject to his Dominion, as well as all other Affairs of State. And now, though these are none of my primary and Fundamental Asserti­ons, (which an ingenuous Adversary would chiefly have pursued) but honest and well-meaning Sayings, that the Con­text would abundantly warrant and justi­fie; yet will I for ever yield my self a baffled Fellow, if from thence any Fe­male or Independent Logick can infer ei­ther that the Magistrate has an unlimited [Page 267] Power over, or passes an immediate Ob­ligation upon the Consciences of Men; or, in our Authors own words, That what­ever the Magistrate commands in Religion, his Authority does so immediately affect the Consci­ences of Men, that they are bound to observe it on the pain of the greatest sin and punishment. This trash neither needs nor deserves any further severity; and therefore I will onely leave it to the Readers thoughts to consider by what Art, and in what Me­thod of Reasoning this Conclusion may be created out of these Premises: an all­mighty Confidence may attempt much, and perhaps do it too; but yet some things there are beyond the reach and power of Omnipotence it self, and I know nothing more absolutely impossible than to produce Sense out of Non-sense, or (what is the same thing) to make good the Reasonableness of false and unrea­sonable Inferences.

But from this great head of Imperti­nency, he proceeds to his more service­able Topick of Forgery; and if he can­not bring the Mountain to Mahomet, 'tis no great difficulty to carry Mahomet to the Mountain; and if his Conclusions will not suit with my Assertions, he knows how to make my Assertions suit with his [Page 268] Conclusions; and when he has charged me with a false Inference, 'tis an admi­rable way to justifie the Logick of his Calumny by forged Premises. And thus to make good his former Inference of my ascribing to the Civil Magistrate an im­mediate and universal Power over the Consciences of Men, he tells his belie­ving Reader I have affirmed,Ibid. pag. 27. That 'tis a Soveraignty over Mens Consciences in Matters of Religion, and this universal, abso­lute, and uncontroulable. Though this Ca­lumny were true, yet (so injudicious is our Authors Invention) 'tis monstrously impertinent; for there is no imaginable ground to conclude from hence, That the Supreme Authority immediately affects the Con­sciences of Men: For suppose the Civil Magistrate instated in an absolute and un­controulable Power, what necessity is there that their Commands should tie themselves upon our Consciences by ver­tue of their own immediate Authority? Nay, 'tis impossible any thing should im­mediately affect the Conscience but the Authority of God; and 'tis by vertue of his Command that any other Commands can pass an Obligation upon it; and there­fore though the Commands of the Civil Magistrate should pass an universal Obli­gation [Page 269] upon the Consciences of Men, yet 'tis an Inference like the rest of our Au­thors, from thence to conclude that they therefore affect them by their own direct and immediate Sanction. But this is not all, 'tis as false as foolish: I have indeed asserted the absolute Power of the Civil Magistrate over Affairs of Religion, in Opposition to the Pretences of a distinct Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction: For having first asserted the necessity of a Soveraign Power over these matters, from their Concernment in the Peace and Govern­ment of the World, I thence proceeded to enquire where and in whom it ought to reside; and having shewn the Incon­sistency of erecting two Supreme Powers, one over Civil, the other over Ecclesiasti­cal Affairs, I concluded that the Supreme Government of every Commonwealth must of necessity be universal, absolute and uncontroulable, in that it extends its Jurisdiction as well to Affairs of Religi­on, as to Affairs of State, because they are so strongly influential upon the Inte­rests of Mankind, & the Ends of Govern­ment. And now is this to make the Ec­clesiastical Authority of the Civil Magi­strate absolutely paramount, without re­gard to any other Jurisdiction of what na­ture [Page 270] soever, when I onely maintain it in defiance to the Claims of any other Hu­mane Power? This was the subject of that Enquiry. And when I asserted the Soveraign Power to be absolute and un­controulable, 'tis apparent nothing else could be intended than that it ought not to be controul'd by any distinct Power, whether of the Pope or the Presbytery; and when I asserted it to be universal and unlimited, it could be understood in no other sense than that it was not confined to matters purely Civil, but extended its Jurisdiction to matters of an Ecclesiasti­cal importance; upon which account a­lone I determined it to be absolute, uni­versal and uncontroulable. This is the main and the Fundamental Article of the Reformation, and that which distin­guishes the truly Orthodox and Catho­lick Protestant both from Popish and Presbyterian Recusants; and is the one­ly fence to secure the Thrones of Princes against the dangerous Encroachments of those bold and daring Sects; and therefore from so avowed a truth, to charge me for ascribing in general Terms an absolute, universal & uncontroulable Power to the Civil Magistrate over the Consciences of Men in matters of Religion, argues more [Page 271] boldness than wit and discretion, and gives us ground to suspect that these Men are not less forsaken of shame and modesty, than they are of Providence: for it must needs be a very bold Face, and a very hard Forehead, that could ever venture to obtrude such palpable and dis­ingenuous Abuses upon the World.

§. 11. But our Author proceeds in his Method, and his Charge and his Confi­dence advance together; and before you fin [...] him at the end of this Paragraph, you will find him bravely attempting the highest degree of boldness. The next proof he singles out for his purpose, is a passage of the twelfth Section of my first Chapter:Pag 96. He [the Magistrate] may if he please reserve the exercise of the Priesthood to himself: From whence it clearly follows (as he dreams) that Queen Elizabeth might, if she pleased, have exercised the Priestly Function in her own Person. And he takes frequent occasion to insult over the weakness of this Assertion,Vide pag. 114, 136, 137, 159 and tri­umph in the wit of this Inference. But I shall not insist upon its woful imperti­nency to the Conclusion, wherewith he confidently winds up this heap of Ca­lumnies, viz. That from hence it follows, that [Page 272] whatever the Magistrate commands in Religion, his Authority does so immediately affect the Consciences of Men, that they are bound to ob­serve it on the pain of the greatest sin and pu­nishment. For how is it possible for any Man to infer from his Right to the Priest­ly Office, an unlimited and immediate Power over Religion, unless it could be proved that this absolute Soveraignty is unalienable from the Priesthood? and when that is pretended or performed, we will farther consider the Validity of this Inference. Nor shall I mind him what an ill piece of Policy it is for him to disavow the Authority of the Female Sex in the Conduct of Religion; when the chief and most important Affairs of the sepa­rate Churches are transacted and go­vern'd by their Zeal; and when the A­pron-strings are the strongest Bond of the Congregational Union; and when (as they manage the business) St. Peter's Keys are hang'd at their Girdles, and e­very conceited Sister assumes to her self, if not the Infallibility of Pope Ioan, yet at least the Power and Authority of Don­na Olympia. Nor lastly, shall I present the Salique Law of the Christian Church, that devests that Sex of all right and pre­tence of Succession to the Priesthood; by [Page 273] which they are restrain'd from intermed­ling with any Offices of the Sacred Fun­ction, though it should descend by right of Inheritance to the Heirs Male of the Blood Royal. Such a trifling Objection is not worth so much pains; 'tis sufficient to inform you, that in the Paragraph a­foresaid I undertook to give an account of the true Original of all Civil and Ec­clesiastical Government: where I shewed how in the first Ages of the World they were vested in the same Person, and found­ed upon the same Right of Paternal Au­thority: and in this state of things ante­cedent to all superinduced Restraints, and positive Institutions, I asserted the Su­preme Magistrate might, if he pleased, reserve the exercise of the Priesthood to himself, though afterwards the Priestly Office was in the Jewish Commonwealth expresly derogated from the Kingly Pow­er, by being setled upon the Tribe of Le­vi, and the Line of Aaron; and so like­wise in the Christian Church, by being appropriated to the Apostles and their Successours, that derive their Ministerial Office (for that of Priesthood our Author will not admit of under the Gospel) from our blessed Saviours express and immedi­ate Commission. Now what I affirm'd [Page 274] of things in the bare state of Nature, without the guidance of Revelation, for our Author to represent it, as if I had applied it indifferently to all Ages and Periods of the Church, by whatsoever positive Laws and different Institutions they may be govern'd, is wonderfully suitable to the Genius of his own Wit and Ingenuity, and sufficiently discovers who he is, though we had no other evidence of the Man and his Humour, 'tis his way and method, and betrays him as much as the word Entanglement, that is the Shibbo­leth of all his Writings.

But I must not think to escape thus, he is resolved to bear me down for an illi­terate Dunce with Face and downright Confidence; and to this purpose he tells the Reader, that the Young Man, as pert and peremptory as he is,Pag. 159. seems not much ac­quainted with the rise of the Office of the Priest­hood amongst Men, as shall be demonstrated if farther occasion be given thereunto. This he affirms boldly, and when it is proved, it shall be granted: but till then, let me beg the Reader to suspend his censure of my Ignorance; and I hope by this time he is satisfied 'tis not absolutely impos­sible but that our Author may boldly af­firm what he knows not how to prove, [Page 275] and confidently undertake what he is not able to perform. However, a modest Man would either not have mentioned this Exception, or would have made it good, and not have presumed that the World should take his Brags for Argu­ments; and take it for a reasonable Con­futation of my Assertion, because he says he can confute it, aye that he can. This is the most it amounts to; and whether it be his Intention or no, he might have said nothing to as much purpose as to say so much and no more. But other Men would stand still as fast as this Man gal­lops; and when he comes to the end of his career, he is just where he was at the beginning.

§. 12. And yet the next proof is just as wise and as wonderful as this, viz. Pag. 96. That this Power I have ascribed to the Civil Magistrate, is not derived from Christ, or any Grant of his, but is antecedent to his coming, or any Power given unto him, or granted by him. But what is all this to his Inference of the Magistrates absolute and immediate Power over Con­science? That Power in which God vest­ed Princes, must be such as is compatible with his own Supremacy, and that con­sists [Page 276] in his absolute and immediate Sove­raignty over the Minds of his reasonable Creatures; and therefore was in its own Nature uncapable of being granted away to any subordinate Authority.Pag 159. But how­ever, you will conclude with him from this Principle, that Magistrates owe no Allegiance and Subjection to the Scepter of Christ, seeing they derive not their Authority from his Commission, but were instated in its actual Possession before e­ver he was advanced to the Government of the Universe. I say, No: for though they were vested in an ancient and origi­nal Right, yet its Continuance, ever since he commenced his Empire, depends meerly upon his Confirmation, in that whoever does not reverse a former Grant, confirms it. And therefore though they were impowered to govern the Church of God antecedent to our Saviours Supre­macy, yet that they are still intrusted with the same Authority they owe entirely to his Soveraign will and pleasure, because 'tis now in his Power to devest them of this, or any other of their ancient Prero­gatives: so that seeing he has thought good to continue the Government of the World in the same state and posture he found it in, Princes are not now less in­debted [Page 277] to him for the Grant of their Im­perial Power, than if they had been at first instated in it by his immediate and and positive Commission. And to this purpose did I discourse in that Paragraph out of which he has singled this Proposi­tion, viz. to shew how unreasonable it is for Men to demand an express Grant from our Saviour to Civil Magistrates for the Government of his Church, when they were already establish't in the full exer­cise of this Jurisdiction by the right of Nature, and the consent of Nations: so that in stead of requiring this of us, they are rather obliged to shew where he has expresly disrobed and aliened the Eccle­siastical Jurisdiction from the Royal Pre­rogative: for if he have not, there is no pretence or exception but that it still con­tinues as inseparable a Right of the Su­preme Magistrate in every Nation, as if he had setled it upon him by his own po­sitive and immediate Institution.

His next Exception is down-right Jug­ling, viz. That I assert,Ibid. That Magistrates have a Power to make that a particular of the Divine Law, which God had not made so, and to introduce new Duties in the most important parts of Religion. He knows these words have no relation in the place where they [Page 278] stand to matters of meer Religion and im­mediate Worship, but are spoken onely of the Duties and Offices of Morality, which I had before proved to be the main Designs and most essential Parts of Reli­gion, and likewise shewn that the Civil Magistrate was impower'd to introduce upon the Divine Law new Duties and Instances of Moral Vertue, from whence I thought it but reasonable to conclude his Power over the outward Expressions of Religious Worship, that are but cir­cumstances, or at highest but subordinate and less material Duties, if compared to the great and important Vertues of Mo­rality. Whether my Proposition or my Inference be reasonable or no, concerns not our present Enquiry; our Author in this place puts in no Exception against them: but whether this Quotation be ei­ther honestly or pertinently alledged a­gainst me, do you judge; when he could not but know that these words, whether true or false, could have no imaginable reference to matters of Religious Wor­ship properly so called, but were expresly limited to the Instances of Moral Good­ness, that yet he should produce them in this feat shuffling and uncertain manner of Expression, onely that the common [Page 279] People might not understand them, as they relate to my account and Notion of Religion, i. e. as it takes in Duties of Morality; but in the Vulgar sense of the word, as it signifies Religious Worship. This you see is wretched Troth; but that which follows is glorious and undaunted Slander; when he immediately subjoins to the former words, So that there is a pub­lick Conscience, which Men are in things of a publick Concern (relating to the Worship of God) to attend unto, and not to their own. And if there be any sin in the Command, he that impo­sed it, shall answer for it, and not I, whose whole duty it is to obey. This Inference being so immediately tack't to the former Pro­position, its unavoidable result must be this at least, That as to the most impor­tant parts of Religion, there is a publick Conscience, to which Men are to attend, and not to their own. This is somewhat rank Doctrine, and favours not a little of the Leviathan. But yet how can I a­void it? are not these my own words? Though that I might deny, yet am I con­tent to confess that I have said something not much unlike them, in the sixth Secti­on of my last Chapter; where, in answer to the Pretence of a tender, a scrupulous, and an unsatisfied Conscience, among [Page 280] many other things, I have shewn that in doubtful and disputable Cases of a pub­lick Concernment, private Men are not properly sui Iuris, and are not to be di­rected by their own Judgments, nor de­termined by their own Wills, but by the Commands and Determinations of the Publick Conscience. Now does it not admirably become our Authors modesty to take this Assertion concerning such nice and petty things as are liable to doubt, scruple, and Disputation, and cou­ple it with another sentence above two hundred Pages distance, that speaks of the most important parts of Religion? as if they had been spoken upon the same oc­casion, and related to the same matter; thereby to abuse his vulgar and unwary Reader into a round belief, as if what I had asserted concerning the Subjection of a doubtful Conscience in less important matters to the Commands of Publick Au­thority, were to be understood of all the Obligations of Conscience in the most im­portant Duties of Religion. Did I not fore­warn you of what heights and depths of Ingenuity we should meet with, before we arrived at the Conclusion of this Pa­ragraph? And now do you tell me whe­ther you ever observed in any Writer [Page 281] more generous strains of Candour and Civility? Did ever Man treat Adver­sary with fairer and more ingenuous U­sage than I have met with from this can­did Author? Disputants of a more sul­len Humour would have thrown more knotty Objections in my way, that would have cost some pains and sweat to assoil their difficulty: but he deals tenderly with me as a young beginner, and will not dishearten my industry by setting too hard a Task to my raw and unimproved Abilities; that by my Conquest and Tri­umph over such weak Opposition, I might be encouraged to greater Under­takings.

§. 13. And therefore he proceeds to tempt my weak and juvenile Essays upon so great a Master of Skill, by seeming se­rious and eager in the farther pursuit of these vain and trifling advantages, and raising more vehement slanders upon more unreasonable grounds; and the next Article of his Charge to this purpose is,Pag. 97. that I maintain that the Supreme Magistrate in every Nation hath Power to order and ap­point what Religion his Subjects shall profess and observe, provided he enjoineth nothing that countenanceth Vice, or disgraceth the Deity, &c. [Page 282] Our Author is old excellent at Cavil and Calumny, but here he excels himself: he gives in a brisk and ratling Indictment, without any shadow of proof to justifie the Allegation: 'tis drawn up in his own terms and forms of Expression, and one­ly one poor Line of mine bobb'd in to give countenance to such an horrid and shame­less Falsification, viz. provided that he in­joineth nothing that either countenanceth Vice, or disgraceth the Deity. This I have, and still do affirm concerning Rituals, Ceremonies and Postures of outward Worship, that they ought not to be censured as unlaw­ful, unless they tend to debauch Men either in their Practices or their Conce­ptions of the Deity: and therefore if they are not chargeable with one or both of these, nothing can hinder their being capable of being adopted into the Mini­stries of Divine Service, or exempt them from being subject to the Determinations of Humane Power. This is, I think, a chaste and a modest Truth: but for our Author to apply this Power that I have ascribed to the Supreme Magistrate, onely over the outward Forms and Ceremonial Expressions of Religious Worship, to the appointment and institution of Religion it self, so as to leave it entirely at his [Page 283] disposal to order and appoint what Religion his Subjects shall profess and observe, is (and I can say no worse) but like himself, and agreeable to that Character I have often suggested to you of his way of writing and ingenuity: and 'tis a falshood so coarsly lewd and barbarous, that nothing but an incorrigible Brow could have ven­tured to obtrude it upon the World, much less to persist in it so long, and repeat it so often as he has done, as if he were resol­ved to bear down the common sense and reason of Mankind, by the unyielding Gallantry and Vigour of his Confidence.

But there is not any one passage in my whole Discourse, that has been so ser­viceable to his purpose as this lame and imperfect Allegation; it vouches every Clamour, and every Impertinency, and every Slander and false Report shrowds it self under its Protection; and if he have a mind to forge and fasten any extrava­gant Conceit upon me, 'tis but devising some wild Proposition, and twisting it with these words, and then he may ex­patiate against the wickedness of so dan­gerous an errour with a grave and solemn invective; and I am as confidently con­cluded Guilty, as if it had been my own express and positive Assertion. Thus this [Page 284] passage is produced against me;Pag. 125. That whilst Men reserve to themselves the freedom and liberty of judging what they please, or what seems good unto them in matters of Re­ligion, and the Worship of God, they ought to esteem it their Duty to practise in all things ac­cording to the Prescription of their Rulers, though every way contrary unto, and inconsistent with their own Iudgments and Perswasions, unless it be in things that countenance Vice, and disgrace the Deity. These words are set down in a distinct Character, and the Reader (if he be courteous) is not to doubt but they were faithfully transcri­bed out of my Book, though you cannot find a syllable of it there, except onely the last words of restriction. But howe­ver, 'tis a lewd and ungodly Assertion, and therefore away he flies with it; What? it defeats all effectual Obligati­ons of Conscience, it enervates all real sense of Religion, and it casts off all se­rious regard to the Divine Authority; and upon this Principle Men may profess what Religion they please, and turn Ma­humetans, Papists, and Apostates, for their own convenience. These indeed are sad and woful Inferences; but let him look to that; for the Premises are his as well as the Conclusions; though in my [Page 285] Opinion it is a prodigious piece of bold­ness that he should so rashly, so confi­dently and so groundlesly charge me with such knavish and dishonest Principles, as are not fit for any Men to pretend to, un­less such crafty Artists as know how to sing their Songs upon Sigionoth, and be­lieve that God abets and owns every In­terest that thrives and prospers in the World: and when they Dance to the Tune of the Times, have the face to look demurely, and to profess they onely fol­low the Pipe of Providential Dispensati­ons. But now if we take this mangled and dismembred Sentence, and restore it to its proper place, there is neither harm nor Heresie: i. e. if we affirm that no Rites and Ceremonies are in themselves unlawful (for I here speak onely of things as considered in their own nature) in the Worship of God, unless they tend to countenance Vice, or disgrace the Deity: here is no danger of encouraging or ma­king Apostates; for the material and di­viding differences of the establish't Reli­gions in the World, consist not in Ritu­als and Ceremonials, but in Articles of Belief, and Objects of Worship. We con­demn neither Turks nor Papists for their forms and postures of Adoration, (unless [Page 286] they fall under one or both of the Obli­quities aforesaid) but for giving Divine Worship to a lewd Impostor, and to a sensless piece of matter: let them but address the same Worship to its due and proper Object, and we will never stand stiffly with them about the outward Rites and Ceremonies of its Expression; but will freely allow them to conform to the significant Customs of their own Coun­try, as we do to those of ours. Now 'tis these things that are, or at least are pretended to be, the onely matters of our present Schisms and Differences; and 'tis these things onely that I assert to be de­terminable by Supreme Authority, pro­vided they neither encourage Vice, nor dishonour God: under which Restrictions whatsoever Rites and Usages they may enjoyn, can never be concluded unlawful in themselves; and if they are so upon any other account, that is to be discour­sed elsewhere, but it concerns not our present Enquiry, that onely undertook to account for the Comparison between the matters of Religious Worship, and the Duties of Morality, in reference to the Power of the Civil Magistrate, as consider'd in their own respective Na­tures.

[Page 287]I might give you in many more proofs and instances of his abuse of these words: but what I have already represented, is, I hope, a sufficient taste of his Ingenuity. And yet as gross and shameless as this slander is, 'tis infinitely out-done by the next, viz. Pag. 103. That I have given as absolute a Soveraignty to the Civil Magistrate o­ver the Church of God, as to the Lord Christ himself. And this he endeavours to prove after his way, by amassing toge­ther all the former Calumnies that I have already washt off: but to complete and accomplish the whole design, he adds one of his own pure wit and contrivance:Pag. 104. Is the Authority of Christ the formal Reason, ma­king Obedience necessary to his Commands and Precepts? So is the Authority of the Magi­strate in reference to what he requires. Do Men therefore sin, if they neglect the Obser­vance of the Commands of Christ in the Worship of God, because of his immediate Authority so to command them binding their Consciences? So do Men sin if they omit or neglect to do what the Magistrate requires in the Worship of God because of his Authority, without any farther respect. In the former passages there are at least some sprinklings of my own words, but this is meer and abstracted slander, and has nor colour nor founda­tion [Page 288] in my Discourse; and therefore I can give it no other Reply, than sincere­ly to profess, that were there any thing in my Book that should but seem to as­cribe to the Civil Magistrate as immedi­ate a Soveraignty over the Consciences of Men, as our blessed Saviour both claims and exercises, I my self would be the first Man that should cast a Stone at such bold and ridiculous Assertions. And here one would think is enough of Slander and Calumny, and yet he has not done with so pleasant an Argument,Pag. 113. but gives it you all over again in a Proclamation fra­med out of the supposed Principles and Directions of my Book; which being nothing but a meer Repetition of the same Trash, that I have already cashier'd, I deem it neither needful nor pertinent to return him any other answer, than that as 'tis not the first Proclamation that this Author has drawn up, so I pray God it may be the last.

§. 14. And now, Sir, tell me what I shall conclude of this Mans Conscience? Must I impute such labour'd and affected Mistakes to an excuseable Ignorance, and set the most shameless Falsifications upon the score of Inadvertency? I know [Page 289] the power of prejudice and passion to seal up the Minds of Men against the evidence of Truth; yet such is the evidence of Truth in our present case, that no pre­judice can be thick enough to withstand, or passion blind enough to defeat its effi­cacy. Nothing but an hard Forehead and a lewd Conscience could ever embolden him so rudely to spoil and discompose the apparent aim & method of my Discourse, and so impudently to abuse and impose upon the World by such groundless and enormous pervertings. A multitude of his weaker Cavils and less Miscarriages I am inclined to ascribe to his rash and pre­cipitate Humour: for I know he is wont to write or dictate Books as fast as other Men can read them; and a wise Man would take more time to weigh the mat­ter of a Discourse, than he does to con­fute it; and so may possibly pour out gross and palpable mistakes through haste and inadvertency. But those Instances I have represented to you of his way of shuffling and falsifying, are so many, so labour'd, and so unreasonable, that they could proceed from no other Fountain but wilful and affected Malice: for 'tis absolutely impossible that meer Chance and Heedlesness should blunder upon so [Page 290] many Impostures so full of design and contrivance. But however, you see how by this means not onely the state of the Question, but the whole matter of the Enquiry is quite alter'd: 'tis not now contended whether the Supreme Magi­strate of every Commonwealth be vested with an Ecclesiastical Power and Sove­raignty over matters of Religion. Tush, that is granted without demur or dispute, and our Author (though his Acquain­tance are none of the most loyal and peaceable) knows no Man that pretends ex­emption from the Obligation of Humane Laws, Pag. 139. but onely on this Plea, that God by his Law re­quires them to do otherwise. So that in what matters soever the Law of God does not require them to do otherwise, there Hu­mane Laws must pass a certain Obligati­on upon Conscience: for if they do not oblige that, they oblige nothing. Now this is an ample Grant of all that I de­sign'd and pretended to prove in my first Chapter, viz. That Magistrates are vested with some Authority over Con­science in matters of Religion: So that in this it seems we are fully agreed, and our Author after all his heat and talk freely confesses 'tis indispensably neces­sary to the Publick Peace and Tranquil­lity, [Page 291] which you know is the main Consi­deration that I urged and pursued in be­half of my Opinion. But, says our Au­thor, this is not all, for I have so descri­bed and discoursed of the Power of the Civil Magistrate over Conscience and Religion, as to make it of an absolute Ju­risdiction, an unlimited extent, and an immediate Obligation: 'tis this he all a­long represents, and upon this that he mainly insists. If I am guilty of this Charge, I must shift as I can: but if I am not, what hinders but we may shake hands and be friends? And therefore having so fully discover'd the horrid and uncon­ceiveable vanity of the proofs alledged against me to this purpose, and so fairly clear'd the innocence and honesty of my Intentions, I may, I hope, hereafter rea­sonably expect, and justly challenge a compleat discharge from all such sinister and idle suspicions. Is not this blessed work, that I should be forced to write so much to so little purpose; not at all to prove the Truth of what I have written, but to disprove the Falshood of what I have not written?

§. 15. And now though I am provided with Remarks upon the remaining passa­ges [Page 292] of this Chapter, yet I know not to what purpose I should trouble my self or the Reader with them, after the Consi­derations that I have already represent­ed, that are (I presume) competent e­nough to justifie the innocence of my De­sign, and to shame the disingenuity of his Cavils; and that is all that is needful in answer to his way of proceeding, which, you see, was not to confute, but to per­vert my Discourse. And if I should pur­sue all Advantages, examine all Miscar­riages, and lay open all Follies and Im­pertinencies, I should presume too much upon the Publick Patience, and swell my Reply to too unreasonable a Bulk; so many, so vain, and so impertinent are his Topicks of Cavil. However, the re­mainder of his Talk is built upon the supposition of the Truth and Reality of these Falsifications; and therefore by what I have already discoursed in answer to their Forgery, I have made it altoge­ther needless to take any farther notice of his wild and rambling Harangues: For if they are pertinent to their Premises, they are impertinent to my Discourse; if they are not, they are impertinent to his own. Though the truth is, should I grant him the priviledge he is resolved [Page 293] to take, of falsifying, yet he deduce [...] things so loosly and incoherently, that I might easily make good my Cause against him, if I should undertake the defence of those Untruths and Monstrous Absurdi­ties he fastens on me. I might demand of him to what purpose he here acquaints us with that solemn and systematick di­stinction of the Declaration of Gods Will, either by the Light of Nature, or by the Light of Revelation, unless it be to inform the World of this new and important Mystery,Pag. 101. that a positive Com­mand of God may, as to any particular instance, suspend the Obligation of the greatest Command of the Law of Na­ture; and so it actually did in the Pre­cept given to Abraham for sacrificing his Son. For whatever any School-men may determine in this case, 'tis apparent here neither was nor could be any suspension of the Law of Nature, (whose Obligati­on is so eternal and unchangeable, that nothing can suspend it for one moment without doing violence to the antecedent Reasons of Good and Evil) but onely a positive Command to execute a Divine Decree by vertue of a Divine Commis­sion, i. e. to put his Son to death by his Authority that is absolute Lord of Life; [Page 294] a matter against which the Law of Na­ture never had or could have any Prohibi­tion: For though possibly it restrained A­braham from attempting his Sons Life by vertue of his own Dominion, yet when he was warranted to it by a special Com­mand of God himself, to have refused its execution, had been to remonstrate to the Justice of one of the most Fundamen­tal Laws of Nature: so that there was no suspension of the Law, but an altera­tion of the Case, and a Command to do something, which that neither did nor could forbid. To what purpose does he twit me for asserting Magistratical Omnipo­tency, Pag. 108. rather than the Divine Right of Episcopacy? I am at Age and Liberty (as young as he would make me) to chuse my own Theme; and perhaps the next Book I publish, that shall be the Argu­ment of my Discourse; and then I doubt not but he will as much correct me for leaving the pursuit of my former subject, as he does now for pursuing it. To what purpose does he preach to Soveraign Prin­ces not to take upon themselves that ab­solute Power,Pag. 109, 10. I have for my own advan­tage ascribed to them, unless he had also proved it is not for theirs? 'Tis a strong Motive, no doubt, to encourage his Ma­jesty [Page 295] to listen to his advice, by informing him,Ibid. it was not the Acclamation of the Mul­titude unto Herod, The Voice of God and not of Man; but his own arrogant satisfacti­on in that Blasphemous Assignation of Divine Glory to him, that exposed him to the Iudgments and Vengeance of God. For certainly Prin­ces will require more forcible Reasons to part with the absoluteness of their Sove­raign Power, than such Preaching Imper­tinencies. To what purpose does he add, That never any Magistrate, unless Nebu­chadnezzar, Caligula, Domitian,Pag. 111. and persons like to them, ever pretended to exercise the Power here assign'd unto them? I will not be so froward as to tell him, that now he is as much too free in his Concessions, as he is at other times too stingy: for should I put him upon the proof, he would want Records to make it good, that all these Princes ever claimed such a bold and un­limited Jurisdiction; though perhaps o­thers have: for what thinks he of Ar­taxerxes's Commission to Ezra? Whosoever will not do the Law of thy God, and the Law of the King, let Iudgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto Death, or to Ba­nishment, or to Confiscation of Goods, or to Impri­sonment. I know not how any Prince can challenge or assume a more severe, abso­lute, [Page 296] and uncontroulable Power, than this granted in this Commission; and yet Ez­ra reflects upon it as a special and imme­diate issue of Divine Providence. To what purpose does he tell us, the Power I ascribe to Magistrates is none other but that which is claimed by the Pope of Rome?Pag. 116. That may be his Usurpation upon the Rights of Princes, but 'tis no proof that they may not challenge the Supremacy over the Consciences of their own Subjects, be­cause he usurps it. To what purpose does he tell us,Pag. 157. That the Mormo here made use of, is the same in substance that has been set up by the Papists ever since the Reformation? When nothing can be justly pleaded in behalf of lawful Government, but what may be unjustly pretended to by Tyrants and Usurpers: and in the happy days of Oliver Cromwel, the same Arguments and Texts of Scripture were prest for Obe­dience and Subjection to the Rebel, as were onely design'd to secure Loyalty to rightful Soveraigns. Let the Romanists make out the Justice of their Title of Su­premacy over the Kingdom of England, and the Equity of their Cause in the due ma­nagement of their Power, and then we will listen to their Pretences: but in the mean while, from the necessity of an Ec­clesiastical [Page 297] Jurisdiction, to plead the Right of a Papal Soveraignty, is an imperti­nency onely wild enough to serve our Authors turn, and signifies no more than because there is Tyranny practised in the World under fair and plausible Preten­ces, that therefore there must be no just Grounds and Principles for lawful Go­vernment. To what purpose does he waste so many Pages, to enquire where­fore the Power of the Magistrate should not be extended to the inward Thoughts and Appre­hensions of Men about the Worship of God, From pag. 117, to p. 125. as well as to Expressions of them in pure spiritual Acts of that Worship? For not to catch at the ridiculous, canting and mysterious Non-sense of the Expression of our inward Thoughts in pure spiritual Acts, when all Expression of them is outward and cor­poral: 'tis sufficient that God has not been pleased to vest them with any Pow­er over our Thoughts; but for what cause, himself best knows; and there­fore though I could give no account for his so doing, that would not cast the least shadow of an Objection upon the Truth and Reality of my Perswasion. To what purpose does he tell us in the close of this Enquiry, that we can give no other ima­ginable answer to it, than that Men who [Page 298] plead for Indulgence and Liberty of Conscience in the Worship of God, according to his Word, and the Light which he has given them there­in, have indeed no Conscience at all? When this answer is so infinitely silly, that we can scarce suppose any Man in his wits so extravagant as to pretend it, and when there are other very pertinent Replys, so easie and so obvious, viz. That they may possibly have no Conscience at all, whatever they pretend, or at least such an one as is abused with foolish, or de­bauch't with wicked Principles, and so may plot or practise Sedition against the State under pretence or mistake of Con­science, and for that reason ought not to be allowed to plead its Authority against the Commands of lawful Superiours. In fine, to what purpose does he so briskly taunt me for thwarting my own Prin­ciples,Pag. 133, 134, 135. because I have censured the im­pertinency of a needless Provision in an Act of Parliament? I may obey the Law, though I may be of a different Per­swasion from the Lawgivers in an Opi­nion remote and impertinent to the mat­ter of the Law it self: nay, I may con­demn the wisdom of Enacting it, and yet at the same time think my self to lie under an indispensable Obligation to [Page 299] obey it: for the formal reason of its Ob­ligatory Power (as any Casuist will in­form him) is not the Judgment and Opi­nion of the Lawgiver, but the Declara­tion of his Will and Pleasure. There is abundance more of this slender stuff, wherewith (as himself brags) he has loaded this Principle; though, alas! were its Foundations never so weak and trem­bling, it might securely enough support so light a Burthen; and though it were really bottom'd upon the Sands, there is but little danger that such a shallow Stream of Talk should overturn it: so that though I stand upon such advanta­geous ground, if I should descend to a strict and particular examination of all the Flaws and Follies of his Tattle, yet they are so apparently false or imperti­nent, or both, and afford so little occa­sion for useful and material Discourse, that I had rather chuse to forego my own advantage, than spoil my Book, and tire my Reader by insisting too tediously upon such empty trifles and dreams of shadows. To conclude, this Author is so accustom­ed to popular impertinency, that he seems to hate severe Discourse as much as car­nal Reason, and both as much as Idola­try: so that he onely prates when he [Page 300] should argue, and inveighs when he should confute: Give him what advan­tage you will, he regards it not, but jogs on in his road of talking, and 'tis no mat­ter whether you take the right or wrong handle of the Question, it may be either for any thing material that he has to ex­cept against it. Nay, you may suffer him to Limetwig you with Ink and Paper, and gagg you with a Quill, and put what words he pleases into your mouth, and yet ea­sily defend your self against all his faint assaults, and impertinent Objections. In so much that I durst undertake the de­fence of the thickest and most defenceless Impostures in the World, against his weak and miserable way of Confutation. And I doubt not but I could produce as strong and enforcing evidence for the Divine Original and Authority of the Alcoran, as some body has for the Self-evidencing light and power of the holy Scriptures.

§. 1. HAving in the former Chapter given an ac­count large enough of our Authors way of Confutation, by shuf­fling Cavils and bold Calumnies, I shall hereafter forbear to cloy the Reader, or tire my self with any farther regard to such trifling Exceptions, as are not capa­ble of more useful and edifying Dis­course; and shall onely insist upon such particulars as may be considerable enough to recompence the pains of our Enquiry. My design then in the next Chapter, which our wise Objector excepts against, was to draw a Parallel between matters of Religious Worship and Duties of Mo­rality, and to remonstrate to the World how they were equally subject to the Ju­risdiction of the Civil Magistrate. And for a more ample Confirmation of this Argument, I gave such an intelligible ac­count of the Nature and Design of Reli­gion, as reduced all its parts and branches either to the Vertues or the Instruments of Moral Goodness. From whence I con­cluded, [Page 304] as I thought, fairly enough, That seeing Princes are allowed by the avowed Principles of all Mankind, a Soveraign Power in reference to Moral Vertues, that are the most material Duties of Re­ligion, 'tis but reasonable they should be allowed at least the same Authority over the outward matters of Religious Wor­ship, that are but Circumstances of Re­ligion, or Instruments of Morality. But our Author startles at the strangeness and novelty of this Doctrine, that grants no essential difference between Grace and Vertue, and boldly charges me with fal­ling rudely upon Christianity it self, see­ing the Professors of it have in all Ages, Pag. 180. accor­ding to its avowed Principles never before con­tradicted, made a distinction between Moral Vertues and Evangelical Graces. This Affir­mation he supposeth bold and sturdy e­nough to maintain its own ground; and if it cannot defend it self by its own Con­fidence, it may perish for any proof or re­lief that he will afford it. And therefore I will not be so unmerciful as to fall foul or fiercely upon a naked and deserted As­sertion, but shall onely challenge him to produce one ancient Author that makes any difference between the Nature of Moral Vertue and Evangelical Grace; [Page 305] Evangelical Grace being nothing else in their account but Moral Vertue, height­ned by the Motives of the Gospel, and the Assistances of the Spirit; both which are External Considerations to the Essence of the Thing it self: so that the Christian Institution does not introduce any new Duties distinct from the Eternal Rules of Morality, but strengthens them by new Obligations, and improves them upon new Principles: for though the Promises of the Gospel encourage us, and the Aids of the Spirit enable us to discharge our respective Duties; yet that does not at all change their Nature, because it eases their Performance: so that Evangelical Graces are the same thing for substance with Evangelical Vertues, and Evange­lical Vertues the same with Moral ones; that are stiled Evangelical, for no other regard than because of that peculiar In­fluence the Gospel has upon the Minds of Men, to procure their effectual practice in their Lives and Conversations. And this is the peculiar end and usefulness of the Christian Religion, to establish real Righteousness in the World; and in the Primitive Ages of Christianity, the Ver­tues of Charity, Meekness, Patience and Humility, were esteemed the distinguish­ing [Page 306] Graces of the Gospel; and then Pro­fessors measured their Godliness by the Purity of their Lives, and not of their Ordinances: in those days they made no difference between the Morality and the Spirituality of the Gospel; nor did they despise the plain, the humble, and the down-right Christian as a meer Moralist, and a Carnal Gospeller. The Fathers and first Preachers of the Christian Faith, did not teach their Proselytes the Trick how to Spirit themselves into Heaven, and presume themselves into Salvation by a stout Belief; but to purchase their future hopes by living up to the severest and most exalted Doctrines of the Go­spel: then the Righteousness of Faith was not opposed to real and inherent Righte­ousness, but only implied a higher pitch and improvement of Moral Goodness: then they gave a plain and intelligible account of the Mystery of Godliness, and only thought it a discovery of such Prin­ciples as would more effectually oblige & inable Mankind to an holy Life, than any other Institution could effect, or Philoso­phy pretend. Nor did they prescribe long and tedious Trains of Conversion, nor set down nice and subtle Processes of Rege­neration, nor fill Peoples heads with in­numerable [Page 307] swarms of superstitious fears and scruples about the due degrees of godly sorrow, and the certain symptoms of a thorough Humiliation; but in their days, and in their Divinity to be reform­ed, was without any more ado to be re­generate. Nor did they amuse silly and well-meaning People with fond stories of unaccountable horrours and desertions of Soul, but turn'd them over to the te­stimony of their own Consciences, and suspended the quietness of their Minds upon the sense of their own Integrity, and always confined the ordinary workings of the Spirit of God, to the methods of Rea­son and Discourse: they never dream't there could be any disagreement between its Impressions and the Results of our own thoughts, or that it would ever bereave an upright Soul of that unspeakable joy and cheerfulness that springs from the reflections of an exact Conscience. These and infinite more are the tricks and fren­zies of a new-fangled Divinity, that I may confidently aver was scarcely heard of fifty years ago, and may as confidently presume will be forgot fifty years hence.

For so it hapned that some preaching Men among us, whose superficial Fancies were more tickled with Metaphors and [Page 308] gay Resemblances, than with sober and substantial sense, began according to the Genius of their own little wit, to cloath and express the most weighty Arguments in Divinity with little Allusions. And this taking with the rude and undiscern­ing multitude, others that wanted bet­ter Accomplishments to recommend themselves to wiser Men, studied this way of trifling, labour'd to imitate their pretty Phrases, and to improve their Wit by more childish Fancies, beating about upon all occasions for Metaphors and Al­legories, using them to all purposes, wrapping up the clearest Notions in clou­dy words, casting darkness and mystery about the plainest Truths, and confound­ing Mens apprehensions of things by the wildness and uncertainty of their Expres­sions. And then the ignorant People fancy there is mystery and secret sense in every phrase they understand not, and frame some confused and Enthusiastick Conceit of Religion in their own Fan­cies, to which they suit and accommo­date all their after-conceptions. And by this means they have at length made such an uncouth Representation of the Doctrine of the Gospel, as would, not many years ago, have been thought a new [Page 309] and distinct Religion from that esta­blished by the blessed Iesus. It being scarce an Age since this inward, and practical, and experimental part of the mystery of Godliness (as they call it) was first heard of in the Christian world. And it would puzzle any man that com­pares the Accounts given by the Anci­ents of Christianity with some of our modern descriptions of it, how it was ever possible to derive such unrelated No­tions and Principles from the same Ori­ginal. And if their new Account of Di­vinity were true and orthodox, the My­stery of Godliness first began to be preached somewhere else, and not at Ieru­salem; and it has been so far from being propagated (according to our Saviours Promise) over all the Nations of the world, that it was scarce ever heard of out of our own.

These men are the first that ever at­tempted to divorce Grace from Vertue, and to distinguish the spiritual Christian from the moral man. They examine the Truth and Reality of mens Conversion, not by the outward and visible reforma­tion of their Lives, for so far (say they) formal Professours and Common Grace may go, but by their orderly passage [Page 310] through all the stages of Conviction. And unless a man be able to give an Ac­count of having observed and experi­enced in himself all their Imaginary Rules and Methods of Regeneration, they im­mediately call into question his being a Child of God, and affright him with sad stories of having miscarried of Grace and the New-Creature; & he is lost & undone for ever unless he begin all the work of Conversion anew, and he must as it were re-enter into the Womb, and again pass through all the scenes and workings of Conviction; in which state of formation all new Converts must continue their appointed Time, and when the days are ac­complish'd, they may then proceed to the next Operation of the Spirit, i. e. to get a longing, panting, and breathing frame of soul, upon which follows the proper season of Delivery, and they may then break loose from the Enclosures of the spirit of Bondage, and creep out from those dark Retirements, wherein the Law detein'd them, into the Light of the Gospel, and the Liberty of the spirit of Adoption. But of this perhaps our Au­thor may understand more, before he and I part, in the mean time let us follow our present Chase, and we shall have plea­sant [Page 311] sport enough; for never did wily Reynard shew greater variety of shifts, windings, and doublings than this subtle Disputant.

§. 2. The Antichristian Errors of this Chapter he has reduced to four general heads, the first whereof he confesseth to be a great and important Truth, viz. that Moral Vertue consists in the ob­servance of the Laws of Nature, and the Dictates of Right Reason; and there­fore he only transcribes my Proof and Account of the Reasonableness of the Assertion,Pag. 195. and repeats it again in his own obscure Words and flat Expressions, and so immediately proceeds to the second, viz That the substance, yea,Pag. 196. the whole of Religion consists in moral vertues, and to prove it, he repeats that short Scheme, that I have drawn up of the most mate­rial parts and branches of Religion; and in answer to it, he first talks, and then ob­jects.Pag. 199. He wishes I would give him a summa­ry of the Credenda of my Religion, as I have done of its Agenda. And so I will, when I shall think my self obliged to write im­pertinently for his humour; but should I be so civil as to gratifie him in this Re­quest, though perhaps the positive Arti­cles [Page 312] of my Belief are not altogether so numerous as his Systematick Orthodoxes, nor my Creed so bulky as his gross Bo­dies of Dutch-divinity: Yet I could give him in such a large Negative Confession of Faith as would both satisfie, and make him repent his Curiosity.Ibid. In the next place he tells us, the ten Commandments would have done twice as well on this occasion. But 'tis no disparagement to my Account of Religion, if it be but half as good as the ten Commandments; though I am apt to believe the Decalogue was never intended for a perfect Systeme of the Moral Law: I cannot imagine, that by thou shalt not make to thy self any Graven Image, is meant, thou shalt not in­stitute Symbolical Ceremonies; or that by Thou shalt not murther, Alms and frater­nal Correption are enjoyned; nor can I fancy, that when only one Particular is express'd, twenty more are intended that may any way be reduced to it by strein'd and far-fetch'd Analogies.Ibid. But if we add the Explication of the Church-Ca­techism (for which our Author has, no doubt, a mighty fondness) it would make up a much more perfect Scheme of Reli­gion, than what I have represented; I confess 'tis contrived with a great [Page 313] deal of wisdom and judgment; and its Exposition is easie, natural, and useful, and not made out by forced and uncer­tain Deductions; and therefore has ad­mirably attain'd the End it aimed at, which is chiefly a plain and intelligible Account of the main scope and intent of the Decalogue, and not an intire Institu­tion of Christian Theology. But upon this he takes a civil and seasonable occa­sion to remark that he fears the very Cate­chism it self may ere long be esteemed Phana­tical, though if it should meet with such ill Usage, it would not be much worse treated than it was ere long when it was esteemed Popish. However his Fears are of no more force than his Arguments, they are equally wise and reasonable, and prove nothing but his Ill-nature, or some­thing worse. And now to all this he sub­joyns a tedious story of a foolish and half-witted fellow, that from this Opinion, that all Religion consists in Morality,Ibid. proceeded to a full Renunciation of the Gospel. If either the man himself had made good this Consequence, or our Au­thor for him, this tale might have been of more use than all his Arguments, that is, it might have been to the purpose, but otherwise 'tis as meer Tittle-tattle as [Page 314] when he tells us the Papists make use of our Pleas for Government in behalf of their Tyranny and Usurpation, I can no more prevent some men from streining absurd Conclusions from the wisest and most Reasonable Premisses, than I can hinder others from preaching Treason or Blasphemy from the divine Oracles. But all this is no more than Skirmish, the main Battel follows, and he draws up all his Forces in three Objections, i. e. in re­peating the same Objection three times: (1.) My Representation of Religion is suited to the state of Innocence.Pag. 203, 204, 205. (2.) It carries in it neither supposition nor asser­tion of sin. (3.) It omits some of the most important duties of the Christian Religion, Repentance, Humiliation, God­ly sorrow, &c. Whereas its being suited to the state of Innocence, its not imply­ing a supposition of sin, and its omitting the duty of Repentance is apparently one and the same thing. For 'tis nothing but meerly a supposition of sin that makes our present Condition differ from the state of Innocence, and that infers the necessity of Repentance; and therefore in answer to this great Objection in its united strength, I humbly crave leave to re­monstrate, that Religion for the substance [Page 315] and main design of it (which is the only thing I designed to represent) is the same now as it was in the state of Innocence. For as then the whole duty of man con­sisted in the Practice of all those moral Vertues that arose from his natural Rela­tion to God and man, so all that is super-induced upon us since the Fall, is nothing but helps and contrivances to supply our natural defects, and recover our decayed Powers, and restore us to a better ability to discharge those duties we stand en­gaged to by the Law of our Nature, and the design of our Creation. So that the Christian Institution is not for the sub­stance of it any new Religion, but only a more perfect digest of the Eternal Rules of Nature and Right Reason. For it commands nothing but what is some way suitable to and perfective of Rati­onal Beings, and all its duties are either Instances or Instruments of moral Good­ness; it prescribes no new rules and pro­portions of Morality, and all its addi­tions to the Eternal and Unchangeable Laws of Nature are but only means and Instruments to discover their Obligation, and improve their Practice in the World. All men (I think) are agreed that the real end of Religion is the Happiness and [Page 316] Perfection of Mankind; and this end is obtain'd by living up to the Dictates of Reason, and according to the Laws of Nature, which the Gospel has framed in­to positive Precepts, because they are in themselves so essentially serviceable to the design of our Creation. And there­fore our Saviour came not into the world to give any new Precepts of moral good­ness, but only to retrive the old Rules of Nature from the evil Customs of the World, and to reinforce their Obligati­on by endearing our duty with better Promises, and urging our Obedience up­on severer Penalties. And as the Gospel is nothing but a Restitution of the Reli­gion of Nature, so are all its positive Commands and instituted duties either mediately or immediately subservient to that end. Thus the Sacraments, though they are matters of pure Instituti­on, yet are they of a subordinate Useful­ness, and design'd only for the greater ad­vantage and Improvement of moral Righteousness: For as the Gospel is the Restitution of the Law of Nature, so are these outward Rites and Solemnities a great security of the Gospel; they are solemn engagements and stipulations of obedience to all its Commands, and are [Page 317] appointed to express and signifie our grate­ful sense of Gods goodness in the Redem­ption of the World; and our serious Reso­lutions of performing the Conditions of this new Contract and Entercourse with mankind. So that though they are duties of a prime importance in the Christian Re­ligion, 'tis not because they are in them­selves matters of any Essential Goodness, but because of that peculiar Relation they have to the very being, and the whole de­sign of its Institution. Forasmuch as he that establish'd this Covenant, requires of all, that are willing to own and submit to its Conditions, to profess and avow their Assent to it by these Rites and In­struments of stipulation; so that to refuse their Use is interpreted the same thing as to reject the whole Religion. But if the entire Usefulness of these and any other instituted Mysteries consists in their great subserviency to the designs of the Gospel; and if the great design of the Gospel con­sists in the Restitution of the Law of Na­ture, and the advancement of all kinds of Moral Goodness; then does it naturally resolve it self into that short Analysis I have given of Religion; and whether we suppose the Apostasie of Mankind, or suppose it not, every thing that apper­tains [Page 318] to it will in the last issue of things prove either a part or an instrument of Moral Vertue.

Pag. 203, 204.§. 3. But we must proceed to particu­lars. In the first place, Gratitude is a very imperfect description of Natural Re­ligion, for (says he) it has respect onely to Gods Benefits, and not to his Nature, and therefore omits all those Duties that are eternally necessary upon the Consideration of himself, such as fear, love, trust, affiance. Perhaps this word may not in its rigorous acceptation express all the distinct parts and duties of Religion; yet the Defini­tion, that I immediately subjoin'd to ex­plain its meaning, might abundantly have prevented this Cavil, were not our Au­thor resolved to draw his saw upon words, viz. A thankful and humble temper of Mind, arising from a sense of Gods Greatness in him­self, and his Goodness to us. And the truth is, I know not any one Term that so ful­ly expresses that Duty and Homage we owe to God, as this of Gratitude: For by what other Name soever we may call it, this will be its main and most Fundamen­tal Ingredient; and therefore 'tis more pertinent to describe its Nature by that, than by any other Property that is more [Page 319] remote, and less material. Because the Divine Bounty is the first Reason of our Obligation to Divine Worship, in that natural Justice obliges every Man to a grateful and ingenuous sense of Favours and Benefits; and therefore God being the sole Author of our Beings and our Happiness, that ought without any far­ther regard to affect our Minds with wor­thy resentments of his love and kindness; and this is all that which is properly ex­prest by the word Piety, which in its ge­nuine acceptation denotes a grateful and observant temper and behaviour towards Benefactors; and for that cause it was made use of as the most proper Expression of that Duty that is owing from Chil­dren to Parents: but because God by rea­son of the eminency of his Bounty, more peculiarly deserves our Respect and Ob­servation, 'tis in a more signal and re­markable sense appropriated to him: so that Gratitude is the first property and radical Ingredient of Religion, and all its other Acts and Offices are but secon­dary and consequential; and that Vene­ration we give the Divine Majesty for the excellency of his Nature and Attributes, follows that Gratitude we owe him for the Communication of his Bounty and [Page 320] Goodness. 'Tis this that brings us to a knowledge of all his other Endowments; 'tis this that endears his Nature to us; and from this result all those Duties we owe him upon the account of his own Perfections; and by that experience we have of his Bounty, and by that know­ledge we have of his other Attributes, into which we are led by this experi­ence, come we to be obliged to trust and affiance in him: so that Gratitude ex­presly implies all the Acts and Offices of Religion; and though it chiefly denotes its prime and most essential Duty, yet in that it fully expresses the Reason and O­riginal Obligation of all other parts of Religious Worship.

Pag. 205.But in the next place he reckons up Re­pentance, Conversion, Conviction of Sin, Hu­miliation, Godly Sorrow, as deficient Graces in my Scheme, and Duties peculiar to the Gospel. Though as for Repentance, what is it but an exchange of vicious customs of Life, for an habitual course of Vertue? I will allow it to be a new species of Du­ty in the Christian Religion, when he can inform me what Men repent of beside their Vices, and what they reform in their Repentance beside their Moral Ini­quities: it has neither end nor object but [Page 321] Moral Vertue, and is onely another word peculiarly appropriated to signifie its first beginnings. And as for Conversion, (the next deficient) 'tis co-incident with Re­pentance, and he will find it no less diffi­cult to discover any difference between them, than between Grace and Vertue. And as for the other remaining Graces of the Gospel, Conviction, Humiliation, Godly Sorrow, (and he might as well have added Compunction, Self-abhorrency, Self-despair, and threescore words more that are fre­quent in their mouths) they are all but different Expressions of the same thing, and are either parts or concomitant Cir­cumstances of Repentance. After so crude and careless a rate does this Man of Words pour forth his talk.Pag. 206, In the next rank comes in Self-denial, a Readiness to bear the Cross, and Mortification, as new Laws of Religion. But as for Self-denial, 'tis nothing else than to restrain our appetites within the limits of Nature, and to sacri­fice our brutish Pleasures to the interests of Vertue. As for a Readiness to bear the Cross, 'tis nothing but a constant and ge­nerous Loyalty to the Doctrine of the Gospel, and a Resolution to suffer any thing rather than betray or forsake so ex­cellent an Institution; and therefore its [Page 322] peculiar excellency consisting in the good­ness of its Moral Precepts, to continue faithful to that, is the same thing as to be constant and upright to the best Prin­ciples of Vertue. And lastly, as for Mor­tification, 'tis an exercise of Moral Philo­sophy, and the very formality of Moral Vertue; and 'tis nothing else but to sub­due our sensual appetites and affections to our superiour faculties in the methods of Reason and prudent Discipline. But the main instance of defect is that dear and darling Article of the Religion of Sinners, Pag. 208. (as our Author words it) Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. And here I must con­fess, as they have mistaken the Nature and Notion of this Grace, 'tis neither Vertue nor Vertues Friend, though in its plain and primitive account, 'tis evident­ly both. For I know but two acceptati­ons of it in the Scripture: (1.) Either as it signifies a serious and an hearty as­sent to the Divine Authority of the Do­ctrine of the Gospel, and so it has a migh­ty force to engage as serious and hearty obedience to all its Precepts. For what more effectual and irresistible Inducements can Men have to an Holy Life, than a firm Belief of the Promises and Threat­nings of the Gospel? This then is the [Page 323] peculiar excellency of the Christian Faith, viz. its mighty Influence upon a Christian Life. (2.) Or else as it sig­nifies a Trust and Reliance upon the Goodness of God, and the Merits of Christ for the expiation of our sins, and the acceptance of our Persons upon the Performance of the Conditions of the new Covenant. And thus it is an act of that Moral Worship of God, of which we have already discoursed. For though the Object of it be particular, and relates to our Saviours Death and Passion; yet the Reason of it is Natural, and relates to the Essential Truth and Goodness of God: upon his Declaration and Engagement, to accept the Sufferings of his Son as an Atonement and Satisfaction for the Sins of the World. And therefore into this we must resolve the Vertue and Morality of the Grace of Faith, viz. its worthy Opinion of, and strong Confidence in Gods Essential Truth and Goodness. And our Author himself (though upon what grounds I know not) esteems it a part of the Natural and Moral Worship of God;Pag. [...]68. and so (I remember) does I. O. in that no­table Treatise of distinct Communion with each Person of the Trinity distinct­ly. And now, I hope,Pag. 8. from all these Pre­mises [Page 324] you are sufficiently satisfied that the supposition of sin does not bring in any new Religion, but onely makes new Cir­cumstances and Names of old Things, and requires new helps and advantages to improve our Powers, and to encourage our Endeavours: And thus is the Law of Grace nothing but the Restitution of the Law of Nature; all the prime Duties it prescribes, are but Results and Pursuances of our Natural Obligations; and all its additional Institutions, are but Helps and Assistances to encourage and secure their Performance. To conclude, had this Man been a Pharisee in our Saviours time, how pertly would he have taunted him for reducing the whole Duty of Man to two Heads, Love the Lord with all thy Heart, and Love thy Neighbour as thy self? What, Sir! have we not six hundred and thirteen Precepts in our Law? are there not twelve Houses of Affirmative, and as many of Negative Commandments? and are there not large Catalogues of particu­lar Laws ranged under each of these ge­neral Heads? and must all, saving onely two, be revers't for your pleasure? If this be all, to what purpose are our Phy­lacteries? Once (I remember) you re­proved us for making them so large, now [Page 325] you had best quarrel us for making them at all. Is this to fill up the Law of Moses, (as you pretend) to abridge his whole Vo­lume into a single Text? I must needs say, Pag. 194. that I look upon this as the rudest, most imperfect, and weakest Scheme of the Iewish Religion that ever yet I saw; so far from comprising an Induction of all Particulars belonging to it, that there is nothing in it that is constitutive of the Iewish Religion as such at all, &c. Now if we could suppose our Saviour would have vouchsa­fed to reply to such a prating and imper­tinent Rabbi, what other answer can we suppose he would have return'd, than that all the other Commandments, how nu­merous soever, are but so many Instances of these under various Denominations, arising from emergent Respects and Cir­cumstances of things? And how infinite soever the particular Laws of Life may be, they are but Prosecutions of these general Laws of Nature, and result from those Obligations we lie under from our natural Relation to God and to Man; and 'tis for this reason that I define Love to be the fulfilling of the whole Law, because all other Commands are but several In­struments or Expressions of this Duty; and love to your Neighbour signifies eve­ry thing whereby you may be useful and [Page 326] beneficial to Mankind.Pag. 208, 9, 10, 11, 12. But having in his own Fancy (for there he does won­drous feats) demolish't my frame of Re­ligion, he proceeds to erect a new Model of his own; but whether coherent or not, concerns not my Enquiry; my business is to defend my own Discourse, and not to run after every Bubble of his blowing. Onely you may observe, that whereas I design'd to represent the shortest and most comprehensive Scheme of the practical Duties of Religion that I could contrive, the greatest part of his Hypothesis is made up of Articles of meer Belief, which I purposely omitted, as wholly imperti­nent to the matter and design of my En­quiry; and the other Materials that he has cast in, relating to practice, are so crudely and confusedly hudled together, that they rather make a heap of Rubbish than any consistent Fabrick of things; insomuch that one single Branch of his Analysis comprehends all the rest, viz. An universal Observance of the whole Will, and all the Commands of God. Pag 212. It would be an admirable way, no doubt, to represent an exact Anatomy of all the parts of an Humane Body; to lay the Body it self before you, and onely tell you that is it. No Man doubts whether Religion consists [Page 327] in an universal Obedience to all the Commands of God (and yet should I as­sert it, I know who would contradict it, and object its being impossible) but what these particular Commands are, and what the manner of their dependence upon, and connexion to each other. Some men you see cannot avoid running into Absurdities, when it does them no ser­vice.

§. 4. My third Heresie is no less than that there is no actual Concurrence of present Grace enabling men to perform the duties, Pag. 213. or to exer­cise the vertues of moral goodness. And now he returns to his old Vomit of Calumny and Falsification; here he is upon his own dunghil, and therefore here he crows and insults, and I am catechised like any School-boy. What, are these things so indeed? Come, come,Pag. 215. young man these are not things to be trifled with; you may vent your Wit upon other Occa­sions, and not make sport with sacred and serious Truths, tell me then, are you in good earnest? Do you think or believe that there are not now any real gracious Operations of the Spirit of God upon the hearts and minds of men in the World, or do you not?Pag 217. If you do, Sirrah, 'tis the most pernicious Heresie [Page 327] [...] [Page 326] [...] [Page 328] that ever infested the Church of God. Pag 218. If you do not, speak plainly, and clear your self of those Tales that are told abroad of you, and some of your Truantly Com­panions, that you may not have occasion to complain that you are mis-represented. Pag. 217. Indeed, Sir, I have nothing to plead in my own defence, but openly to declare, that as I never believed, so did I never affirm, that the assistance of the Spirit was con­fined to the first Ages of the Church. I have expresly taught the contrary, and our Author is able,Pag. 216. and (I thank him for it) not unwilling to bear witness that 'tis a flat Contradiction to some of my other Assertions. And the only ground of so big an Information is his imperti­nent way of forcing deductions; for thus he infers:Pag. 214 If this be the only Reason, why any thing in Believers is called Grace, why Ver­tues are Graces, namely, because God was plea­sed in the first Ages of Christianity miraculous­ly to inspire its Converts with all sorts of Vertue, then there is no Communication of grace unto any, no work of Grace in and upon any in an ordinary way, through the Ministry of the Go­spel in these latter Ages. If this man can argue thus and not blush, he is a match for the boldest man living, his Confi­dence is impregnable, and though 'tis [Page 329] possible he may want a good Conscience, yet he can never want a Brazen-wall. You know (Sir) my plain design was to represent that Grace and Vertue were the same thing; In order to which I gave a short Account how Vertues came to be stiled Graces, viz. Because in the first Ages of Christianity they were in a visi­ble and miraculous manner derived pure­ly from Gods free grace and goodness; And now is it not brave concluding from hence, that because the Original Reason of the Peculiarity of the name is not now in being, that therefore the thing it self is perish't out of the World too; and be­cause the Remarkableness of those mira­culous Influences of Heaven upon the first Believers, that was the only ground that gave occasion to this new stile is ceased, that therefore the ordinary Influences of the Spirit are not continued to Believers in all Ages and Periods of the Church. They were then called Graces or Free-gifts, because they were the effects of meer favour, whereas now they are the joynt issues of our own Industry, and the Spirit of God co-operating with our ho­nest endeavours; and therefore they can­not now with so much Propriety of speech be stiled Graces, because they are not [Page 330] matters of pure Infusion, though they may be allowed the Title still in some Proportion, because they are still in some Proportion produced by the special Ener­gy and Co-operation of the Holy Ghost. In the same manner as those Abilities be­stowed upon the Apostles without the concurrence of their own Industry were called Gifts, though now they might be more properly express'd by other Names, notwithstanding that we owe them to the blessing of God upon our studies and endeavours. And what was then the gift of Tongues, is now vulgarly called skill in Languages; and what was then the gift of Vtterance, is now the Art of Elo­quence and Rhetorique. For in our days men preach not from pure Infusion, but either from study, or from boldness. And I. O. overlashes according to his cu­stom, when he tells the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England, &c. that when he came to print his Sermon, sundry Passages in it were gone beyond his Re­covery, Intituted Gods pre­sence with a People, preach'd Octob. 30. 1656. having had their Rise from the present Assistance, which God was pleased to afford in the management of the Work it self. This is to fasten his own raw Effusions upon the wisdom of the Spirit of God, and to stamp a divine Authority upon the Ex­travagances [Page 331] of his own roving fancy. 'Tis another horrible Effect of their spi­ritual pride, and arises from a vain Opi­nion of their great intimacy and famili­arity with God himself. But if you look into the Sermon, you will scarce find any thing of immediate and infallible inspi­ration, but some things false, and many ridiculous. And I dare say God never put it into his mind to tell the Parliament that it was a great hindrance to the ad­vancement and progress of the Gospel in Wales, Pag. 37. because they were still zealous of the Tra­ditions of their Fathers. By which he means their kind entertainment to the Episco­pal Clergy, whom he immediately adorns with the honourable Title of Beggarly Readers. But such was the prodigious Im­pudence of these men, that when they vented any thing of a more bold and da­ring Nature, they always vouched a strong and unaccountable impulse of the Spirit of God upon their minds; and when ever they attempted any blacker and more enormous Villany, it was God that put it into their hearts, all their greater wic­kednesses were the peculiar Issues of his Spirit; when ever they had a mind to any new villanous undertaking, it was but seeking the Lord in Prayer, and then [Page 332] if they found themselves somewhat strongly inclined to pursue their own de­signs, that was a sufficient discovery of his will and pleasure to his secret ones. Ne­ver was the Spirit of God more boldly or more familiarly blasphemed than by these precious Wretches, and though they have at present no such lewd pra­ctices to fasten on it, yet nothing more vulgar with them at this time than to ascribe their Follies to its special directi­on; give them the best advice in any af­fair that your prudence can suggest, and they will do as the Lord shall direct them. Nay, this is their Reply to the Com­mands and the Counsels of their Supe­riours, and they will give obedience to their Laws as shall seem good to themselves and to the Holy Ghost. Nothing more con­cerns Magistrates than to chastise such shameless and incorrigible Enthusiasts, as the boldest and most dangerous Ene­mies to the Publick Peace; they cancel all the Laws of Government, and there is no disturbance or Rebellion that they may not justifie by the warrant, and pur­sue under the protection of the Spirit of God. Whether this be intemperate lan­guage I know not, but if it be, 'tis excess of truth that makes it so.

[Page 333]But to return, though the names of things, that were proper in the Aposto­lical Age are not so proper now, that is not so much as the Ghost of an Argu­ment for the Cessation of the things themselves; because the Reason of the name was not taken from the Nature of the things, but was appropriate to some extraordinary Circumstances, where­with they were attended. So that in an­swer to his severe Interrogatory, seeing my Reputation, and something else lies at stake, I must profess, that though I be­lieve the visible and miraculous Immissi­ons of the Holy Ghost to have been pe­culiar to the first Ages of Christianity, yet am I as far, and perhaps farther than himself from denying that its ordinary Assistances are equally bestowed upon, and continued to all successive Periods of the Church. For not to mention that the Conditions upon which the Promise of the Spirit is entail'd agree equally to Christians of all times and places; I know not to what purpose men should address their Devotions to Heaven either for Grace or Vertue (I care not which) when there is no possible way of effecting them but by the Impressions of the Spirit of God upon the spirits of men. And [Page 334] did I not believe its Influence upon the minds of men, I would list my self among the Followers of I. O. and explode the Lords Prayer it self as a foolish and insig­nificant Form; seeing the greatest part of its Petitions are things of that Na­ture, as that they cannot be accomplish'd any other way than by the efficacy of the divine Spirit upon ours. In short, the whole state of this Question is plainly this: That in the days of the Apostles, the divine Spirit proved it self by some clear and unquestionable Miracle, and that was the rational evidence of its Truth and divine Authority; but in our days it proceeds in an humane and a rati­onal way, and does neither drive nor se­cond us with unaccountable Raptures and Inspirations; but joyns in with our Understandings, and leads us forward by the Rules of Reason and Sobriety, by threatnings and by promises, by in­structing our Faculties in the right Per­ception of things, and by discovering a fuller Evidence and stronger Connexion of Truths. So that whatever Assistances the Spirit of God may now afford us, they work in the same way, and after the same manner, as if all were perform'd by the strength of our own Reason; and [Page 335] therefore Men are not to be allowed to pretend to its guidance, unless they can prove it by some evident Miracle, or at least justifie it either by some clear Text of Scripture, or some Rational Argument, and then it is that which warrants the Action, and not the pretence of the Spi­rit. But as for those that talk of its im­mediate and unaccountable Workings, and confine them not to the ordinary Rules of Reason, and Methods of Pru­dence, they unavoidably fall into all the mischiefs and frenzies of Enthusiasm; and there is nothing so absurd, that they may not believe; or so wicked, that they may not practise by the instigation of the Spi­rit of God.

And now after all this Noise and Ca­vil, I and my Adversary are fully agreed in the main matter of the Quarrel, viz. That Grace and Vertue are the same thing: For all the difference he assigns between them, relates not to the Nature of the things themselves, but to the Prin­ciples from whence they issue, viz. That the same Instances and Duties of Moral Goodness, that are called Vertues when they proceed from the strength and im­provement of our own Natural Abilities, are called Graces when they proceed from [Page 336] the assistances and impressions of the Spi­rit of God: so that even in his account Grace is nothing but infused Vertue, and infused Vertue is Vertue still; and this is the only difference that I assign'd between them; and thus my Challenge, that is the Cause and Object of all this Zeal and Indignation, stands firm and unattempt­ed, viz. That when they have set aside all manner of Vertue, they would tell me what re­mains to be called Grace, and give me any no­tion of it distinct from all Morality. He that can do this, shall be greater than Apollo and all his Muses. And whereas for a farther proof that the Graces or the fruits of the Spirit were nothing but Moral or (to speak in the home-spun Language of our Fore-fathers) Ghostly Vertues, I alledged two evident Texts of Scripture to that purpose:Pag. 220. with the first, he quar­rels in the first place, that I have not (ei­ther through my own or the Printers neg­lect) expressed the words in a different Character, though I have quoted both Chapter and Verse; and if this be a fault, I must beg his pardon; and seeing it is the first he has been able to discover, I hope I may easily obtain it. In the next place, he excepts that in rendring the words, I use Peaceableness in stead of Peace, [Page 337] and Cheerfulness as equivalent with Ioy. The Cavil is but a little one, and the For­tunes of Caesar and the Roman Empire de­pend not upon it; and therefore I will not trouble the Reader with a Critical Account of the Reason of my Transla­tion, 'tis enough that these words may, and often are used promiscuously, and differ no more than Reason and Reason­ing. The other Text was Tit. 2.11. In which I affirm that the Apostle makes the Grace of God to consist in Gratitude to­wards God, Temperance towards our selves, and Justice towards our Neigh­bours. No, says he,Pag. 221; the Apostle says not that Grace consists in these things, but that it teaches these things. I must confess, I was not so subtle and Schola­stical as to distinguish between subjective Grace (as he there speaks) and effective Grace, because they are but different terms of Logick for the same thing, and that Grace that teacheth us these things consists in doing them; they differ only as the Principle and Effect of the same Vertue, and whatever the Apostle might there intend by Grace, nothing can be more pat to my Purpose, than that he places its whole design in teaching and promoting the practice of those Moral [Page 338] Vertues. This is obvious to every vulgar eye, but our Author is forced, for want of better employment, to saw the Air.

§. 5. My last crime is, that I slander them with the Truth, and charge them of making Vertue and Grace inconsi­stent, whilst they teach, that though a man may be exact in the duties of moral goodness, yet if he be a graceless Person (i. e. void of I know not what imaginary Godliness) he is but in a cleaner way to Hell, and the morally Righteous man is at a greater distance from grace than the Prophane. Though were I destitute of all other proof, their very distinguishing be­tween Grace and Vertue, or the Spiritual and the Moral Duties of the Gospel, is in it self directly destructive of all true and real goodness; for if they are the same thing under different Appellations, then whilst this Doctrine presses men to a pursuit and acquisition of Excel­lencies of Grace and spiritual holiness over and above the common vertues of Morality, it engages their main industry and their biggest endeavours in the pur­suit of dreams and shadows, because there is nothing beyond the bounds of Moral Vertue but Chimera's and flying [Page 339] Dragons, Illusions of Fancy, and Im­postures of Enthusiasm: And by this means are men at length betrayed to neglect the plain and practical Principles of Reason and moral honesty, whilst they befool and entertain themselves with the wild frekes of humour and melancholy; and instead of guiding their Actions by the Common Laws of Nature and right Reason, they are meerly acted by giddy and Enthusiastick whimsies, and derive all their religious motions and phantasms from the present state and constitution of their Bodies, and move only upon the stage of Fancy, and according as san­guine or melancholy are predominant, so the Scene alters. Sometimes their bloud runs low, their spirits are weak and lan­guid, melancholy reeks and vapours cloud and overwhelm their Fancies, and then the Scene is all Tragedy, and they are immediately under spiritual desertions and troubles of Conscience, their Fan­cies are full of Fears, and their mouths of Moan, they spend their time with pu­ling and whining in Corners, and annoy their Friends with the eternal Com­plaints of their deadness in duties, and un­profitableness under the means of grace. But when the Tide returns, and the spi­rits [Page 340] rise, and the natural heat breaks out from under the oppression of melancholy humours, boyls up into the Brain, and refreshes the drooping fancy with brisk and active spirits, and fills it with warm and spritely Imaginations: This they presently conceit to be the Spirit of God spreading its wings over the poor discon­solate soul, and darting in its rays of spi­ritual peace and comfort upon the Child of Light sitting in darkness: And this inflames them with Raptures and Extasies of Joy; their hearts overflow with content, and their Mouths with exultation; they feel themselves strangely enlarged in duty, their affections warm, and expressions fluent; they admire their own freedom and eloquence of speech, and delight to be streaming forth in Torrents of Prayer and Devotion. And withal they usually grow amorous, and vent their swelling spirits in affections of love and fondness, are passionately enamour'd of the Person of the Lord Jesus; oh! what so dear to them as their sweet Redeemer? His very name melts them down into love and fondness; and they bedeck him with all the glittering Gems in the Revelations, and caress him with all the gilded expres­sions in the Canticles, & embrace him with [Page 341] unspeakable Transport and Rapture. Now they cannot imagine but that such great and unexpected showers of delight must be poured down from Heaven, and by rea­son of that forlorn condition in which they stuck, till this sudden Floud of Joy buoyed them up out of the dregs of me­lancholy, their Joy seems almost too big for Mortality to bear, much more to give. And so looking upon them as streaming from an heavenly and divine Original, they labour to swell and heigh­ten the Torrent to the utmost brink of their Capacities; insomuch that they are sometimes stifled and overwhelmed with a deluge of delight and satisfaction: and 'tis usual for them, especially after high Fevers, the main seasons of their spiritual refreshments (as you may ob­serve by perusing any of their famous Histories) to heat and tickle their Ima­ginations into real Trances and Deliri­ums. 'Tis sad to consider how they have abused simple and well-meaning people with these and a thousand other wild and crazy Imaginations, especially those of the weaker Sex, who being of strong and vehement Affections, of quick and operative Imaginations, and having withal some odd diseases peculiar to the [Page 342] structure of their Bodies, have often by poring upon the mysterious, the spiritual, and the superstitious Writings of these illiterate men, moped their tender Fancies into perfect madness and alienation of mind. In brief, all this sort of Religion floats in the Bloud, and rises and falls with the Ebbs and Tides of their hu­mours: and all the mysteries of this new and spiritual Divinity are the meer Results of a natural and mechanical En­thusiasm. And it were an easie Task for any man, that understands the Anatomy of the Brain, the structure of the Spleen and Hypocondria, the Divarications of the Nerves, their Twistings about the Veins and Arteries, and the sympathy of Parts, to give as certain and mecha­nical an account of all its phanatick Frekes and Frenzies, as of any vital or animal Function in the body. The Phi­losophy of a Phanatick being as intelli­gible by the Laws of Mechanism, as the Motion of the Heart, and the Circulati­on of the Bloud: And there are some Treatises that give a more exact and con­sistent Hypothesis of Enthusiasm than any Des Cartes has given of the natural Results of Matter and Motion.

And this, I say, is that Imaginary God­liness, [Page 343] of which they suppose Graceless and meer moral men to be destitute: But our Author says, No, no, it is to be void of the Spirit of God, of the Grace of Christ, Pag. 226. not to be born again, not to have a new spiritual Life in Christ, not to be united to him, not to be ingrafted in him, not to be accepted and made an heir of God, and enabled to a due spiritual evangelical Performance of all Du­ties of Obedience according to the Tenour of the Covenant, these are the things intended. I, I, so they are; he has nick'd my full meaning, had he demanded a definition of their Imaginary Godliness, I could not have described it more luckily than by their rowling up and down in such ambiguous Phrases, as implying some­thing distinct from moral Vertue; 'tis this phantastick Jargon, I mean, this canting in general Expressions of Scripture with­out any Concern for their true sense and meaning. Thus the Spirit of God, and the grace of Christ, which he reckons up as distinct parts of Godliness, signifie one & the same thing, and when used as distinct from mo­ral Abilities & Performances, they signi­fie nothing. And what is it to be born again, and to have a new spiritual Life in Christ, but to become sincere Proselytes to the Gospel, to renounce all vicious Customs [Page 344] and Practices, and to give an upright and uniform Obedience to all the Laws of Christ; and therefore if they are all but Precepts of moral Vertue, to be born again, and to have a new spiritual Life in Christ, is only to become a new moral man. But their account of this Article is so wild and phantastick, that had I nothing else to make good my Charge against them, that alone would be more than enough to expose the prodigious Folly of their spiritual Divinity. Again, to be united to Christ, and to be grafted in him, are still more Tautologies for the same thing, though they indeed use them to express some secret and mysterious en­tercourse between the Lord Christ and a believing soul; and from hence spring the Doctrines of Withdrawings and Desertions, of Discoveries and Manifestations, of Spiritual Closings and Refreshments, and all the other innume­rable Tricks of Melancholy and Enthu­siasm. To be accepted and made an heir of God, is neither Grace nor Vertue; but, if we must distinguish them, a reward of both; and therefore to mention this as a distinct branch of Godliness, and Duty of Reli­gion, signifies as much as all the rest, that is, nothing at all. As for Spiritual Evan­gelical [Page 345] Obedience, 'tis but a canting Phrase, if by it he intend any thing more than a sincere and habitual Conformity to the Moral Precepts of the Gospel: Moral O­bedience to the Gospel, and Spiritual E­vangelical Obedience, are but coincident Expressions of the same thing. And last­ly, as for the Tenour of the Covenant, as they are wont to discourse of it, it re­quires nothing but a bold Confidence set­ting up with Gods irrespective Decrees, and trading in his absolute Promises. For I. O. as well as W. B. informs us,Sermon to the Parl. at Marga­rets, Feb. 28. 1649. pag. 28. That the Promises comprehensive of the Covenant of Grace, are absolute, which as to all those that belong to that Covenant, do hold out thus much of the Mind of God, that they shall be certainly accomplished in and towards them all. But who are they that belong to this Cove­nant? He answers, Every poor Soul that will venture to trust it self on these abso­solute Promises. Faith in the Promises, Ibid. and the Accomplishment of the Promises, are inse­parable: He that believeth shall enjoy, and this wholly shuts up the Spirit from any occasion of staggering. O ye of little Faith! wherefore do ye doubt? Ah! lest our share be not in this Promise. Poor Creatures, there is but one way of keeping you off from it, i. e. disputing it in your selves by unbelief. So that the onely [Page 346] Condition he requires to vest Men in a right to these absolute Promises, is no­thing but meer Confidence. Though there cannot be more horrid Non-sense in the World, than that Faith or Boldness should be required as the Condition of absolute Promises; yet it were as well if they were altogether absolute, as demand no better Qualification for their accom­plishment than a Bold Face.Pag. 47. And suit­able to this, it follows some Pages after, that there neither is nor can be any other Ground or Reason of Doubtings but Un­belief. It is not the greatness of Sin, nor con­tinuance in Sin, nor backsliding into Sin, that is the true cause of thy staggering, whatever thou pretendest, but solely from thy Vnbelief. So that though a Man persevere in an ha­bitual course of the greatest Wickednes­ses; yet for all that, he has an undeni­able claim to all the Promises of the Go­spel, if he will at all-adventure resolve to be stomachful in his Conceit, that they were particularly made and designed to himself. Now if this be one (as 'tis the choicest one) of the Mysteries of their New Godliness, I leave it to you to judge whether it be possible to invent any Do­ctrine more apparently destructive of an Holy Life, or repugnant to the Tenour [Page 347] of the New Covenant, which is plainly nor more nor less than Gods Stipulation of Eternal Life upon no other Conditi­on than of an habitual and uniform O­bedience to the Gospel. So that all these Spiritual Graces, resolving them­selves so easily either into Duties, or Helps, or Hindrances of Morality, he has given us an abundant proof of their canting and imaginary Godliness, when he produces these Instances as things of a more precious and spiritual Nature than Moral Vertues; and yet unless they sig­nifie them, they signifie nothing.

§. 6. But this is not all, the main ground of my Charge against them, for making an inconsistency between Grace and Vertue, is, That they make Moral Goodness the greatest Let to Conversion: insomuch that in their Case-Divinity the Conversion of a morally Righteous Man is judged more hopeless than that of the vilest and most notorious Sinners. Than which (our Author affirms) there is no­thing more openly taught in the Gospel. Pag 227. Than which I affirm, there is no Blasphemy more grosly false and wicked. For what viler and more dishonourable Representa­tion can Men make of the Doctrine of the [Page 348] Gospel, than to make Vertue the great­est Prejudice to its Entertainment? Is that Institution worthy the Divine Con­trivance, that is more befriended by De­bauchery and Prophaneness, than by sin­cere Obedience to the best and most essen­tial Laws of Goodness? Nothing can be more suitable to the Design and the Do­ctrine of the Gospel, than the practice of Moral Vertues; and is it not strange that it should be destructive of its own Ends and purposes? and that Men should in­dispose themselves for the Discipline of Christianity, by being adorn'd with its best and choicest Qualifications? We never read of any Man that was hindred from embracing the Christian Faith by any of his Good Qualities. Cornelius's Integrity in fearing God and working Righteousness, was the onely thing that prepared and disposed him to Conversion; and the young Gentleman in the Gospel wanted but one Moral Vertue to make him an entire Christian; he was upon the Borders of the Kingdom of Heaven, one step more would have placed him in it. The onely thing that kept him out, was Covetousness; which though it may in some persons escape for an Infirmity, was never yet rank't in the Catalogue of Mo­ral [Page 349] Vertues. The usefulness, the purity, the excellency of the Doctrine of the Go­spel, cannot but endear it to a Mind that is inclined to Goodness; and to a Vertu­ous Soul, the Beauty and Perfection of its Laws, is its strongest and most effe­ctual Obligation. It was this that ra­vish't some of the first Fathers out of their state of Heathenism, into the Bosom of the Church: their Minds were prepa­red to embrace true Goodness by the stu­dy of Wisdom and Philosophy; they were onely at a loss where to find it; and therefore when they met with such a Divine Religion, and that establish't up­on such firm and undeniable Principles, 'tis scarce to be conceived with what transports of Joy and Zeal they run into its Profession. In brief, the Gospel is all that tends to the Glory of God, to the Per­fection of Humane Nature, to the Relief of my Neighbor, and to the Security and Happiness of Societies; and all this it enforces under the severest Penalties, and endears by the noblest Promises: And now let any Man tell me which way 'tis possible for Vertue to tempt aside from such an admirable and Godlike Institu­tion.

How?Pag. 127. (says our Author) were not the [Page 350] Pharisees a People morally righteous? and yet were they not at a farther di­stance from the Kingdom of God, than Publicans and Harlots, the vilest and most notorious Sinners, because they trusted in their own Righteousness? Yes, yes, they were right-worthy Moral Men; bright and shining Examples of the great Ver­tues of Pride, Peevishness, Malice, Re­venge, Injustice, Covetousness, Rapine, Cruelty and Unmercifulness. These were the Graces and the Ornaments of those precious and holy ones. Go thy way for a woful Guesser; no Man living beside thy self could ever have had the ill for­tune to pitch upon the Scribes and Pha­risees for Moral Philosophers. And, Sir, were any of them now alive, they would tell him to his teeth they are no more Mo­ralists than himself. Their Parts and Vertues lay another way. They were a fasting and a praying People, zealous for the Lord and his Sabboths: they were for the Power of Godliness, and spent the greatest part of their time in Com­munion with God, and in attendance up­on his Ordinances: but as for the Hea­then Vertues of Morality, they scorn'd to trouble themselves about such low and beggarly Duties, but left their practice [Page 351] to the common and prophane Herd of Mankind. This was the way and spirit of the Men; and the Ingredients of the Pharisaick Leven, were false Godliness, and Spiritual Pride. They were highly conceited of their own extraordinary At­tainments, and this made them turn so deaf an ear to all our Saviours Doctrines and Reproofs; and this was their Self­righteousness as opposed to the Righte­ousness of the Gospel. They had spun to themselves a Motley-Religion, partly out of the Corruptions of the Law of Moses, and partly out of their own phan­tastick Traditions: and upon its obser­vance, they valued themselves above o­ther Men, and challenged their accep­tance with God; so that it consisted not at all in trusting in their own real, but in their own imaginary Righteousness: neither is the Righteousness of Faith, that was set up by our Saviour and his Apostles in its defiance, opposed to true and inherent Goodness, but to a false and imaginary Godliness. And 'tis so far from being any criminal Arrogance ei­ther in them, or in us to trust in our own Righteousness, that (if men would suf­fer themselves to understand common sense) in the last Issue of things we have [Page 352] nothing else to trust to: For we have no other ground to expect the divine Accep­tance, but by performing the Conditions of the Evangelical Covenant, i. e. a sin­cere and hearty Obedience to all the Laws of the Gospel; and without this to rely upon our Saviours merits, is intolera­ble Folly and Presumption. A good Con­science is the only Ground of a Fiducial Recumbency, (for that is the word) upon the Merits and Mercies of Christ for Sal­vation. For though our Saviour died to expiate our Sins, yet (God knows) he never intended to supply our Duties; and 'tis certain as the Gospel is true, that all the Priviledges of his Death and Suffer­ings are Conditional, and entail'd upon some peculiar Qualifications in the Per­sons to whom they belong; otherwise wicked Men and Infidels might lay as fair a claim to the benefit, as the holiest Man living; and therefore 'tis in vain for the boldest Faith to offer to lay hold upon them, unless its Confidence be built upon a sincere Obedience: so that our Right to Gods Promise, and Christs Sa­tisfaction for the pardon and forgiveness of our Sins, is the purchase of an Holy Life, and imputative Righteousness is part of the reward promised to inherent [Page 353] Righteousness. And therefore 'tis not Moral Goodness, and a well-grounded Trust in it; but Immoral Godliness, and a proud Presumption upon it, that keeps Men off from closing with the Terms and Doctrines of the Gospel. 'Tis the con­ceited and mistaken Professor, or the vi­cious and immoral Saint, that is of all Men the most desperate and incurable Sinner. Spiritual Pride is the Carnal Confidence that hardens him into a final impenitency. He thinks himself so full of Grace and Godliness that he needs no Vertue; he is already a Child of God, and in a state of Grace, and then what need of any other Conversion? And this was the Case of the Scribes and Phari­sees; and for this reason were those su­percilious and self-confident Professors at a farther distance from the Kingdom of Heaven, than the Publicans and Harlots. These our Saviour could convince of their Lewdness and Debauchery, from the no­torious wickedness of their Lives and Conversations; and could by his civil and gentle Reproofs soften them into a relenting and pliable temper: but as for those, their false and mistaken Piety only made them more obdurate and obstinate in sin, fear'd their Consciences against [Page 354] the force of his sharpest Reproofs and Convictions, and consign'd them up to an unyielding and inflexible peevish­ness.

§. 7. As for his Animadversions upon the following Pages of this Chapter, they are so lamentably feeble and impertinent, that as there is not any necessity to en­counter, so there is no glory to vanquish them; and withal, the reason of that part of my Discourse is in it self so clearly firm and impregnable, that methinks it seems to disdain any other fence and pro­tection against his weak and womanish Talkings. And therefore I had once determined to think of no other Reply than barely to request of the Reader, what I may justly challenge, viz. That he would compare and consider us toge­ther; and if upon an attentive Perusal my Arguments do not discover them­selves to be vastly above the reach and the danger of his vain Attempts, I will for ever scorn and renounce such faint and defenceless Reasonings. For, alas! there is nothing of any consequence ob­jected, that was not clearly foreseen, and abundantly prevented; insomuch that the Discourse it self is its own best guard, [Page 355] and strongest defence. And 'tis not a lit­tle difficult to contrive Arguments more apposite to baffle his Answers, than those very Reasonings against which they are levell'd. 'Tis not in my Power to keep off the Attempts of Noise and Clamour; 'tis enough if I can fend and secure my self against reasonable Exceptions; as for Impertinencies, they do but discover their own folly and weakness; and the more bold and boisterous their Assault, the greater is the Repulse they put upon themselves: not unlike to a Rock which you have seen unconcern'd in the midst of Storms and Tempests, it slights and regards not the fury of the Waves, and onely suffers them to dash in pieces their rage and themselves together. And thus has this Man no where more shamefully exposed the wretchedness of his folly and presumption, than by the pertness and French-Confidence of this Attaque: for as I know not where his Censures are more peremptory, so neither do I remem­ber where their Vanity is more transpa­rent. But this is a vulgar stratagem of some Men, to make the greatest shew where they have the least strength, and to set off what they want of Reason with big Looks and emphatical Confidence. [Page 356] But to be short, the strength of my pre­sent Argument was couched in this me­thod. Having first shewn Moral Duties to be the choicest & most important Matters of Religion, so as to reduce all its Bran­ches either to the Vertues or to the In­struments of Morality: I proceeded in the next place, that seeing the Civil Ma­gistrate was by the unanimous Suffrage and a vowed Principles of Mankind, vest­ed in a Soveraign Power over the main Ends and Designs of Religion, to de­mand what imaginable Reason the Wit of Man could assign, why matters of Ex­ternal Worship, that cannot challenge any other Use, or any higher Office in the Scale of Religion, than of Ministe­ries or Circumstances, should be exempt from the Conduct and Government of the same Authority. And this I farther both improved and exemplified by a particular Comparison of the Conveniences and In­conveniences that would probably ensue upon the exercise of these respective Ju­risdictions; shewing how in every In­stance the advantage was still on the side of Morality, as to the Plea of Exempti­on; and that there was vastly less dan­ger in yielding to its Pretences for Liber­ty, from the Determinations of Humane [Page 357] Laws, than in granting the same measure of Indulgence as to the Concerns of out­ward Religion, (most of which our Au­thor has gently slipt over, according to his prudent and laudable Custom of over­looking what he cannot answer.) And then, lastly, to improve the evidence of this Discourse beyond the Attempts of Cavil and Exception, I explain'd as well as argued its Reasonableness, by running a general Parallel between the Nature of Divine Worship, and of Moral Vertue: where I have more at large represented their Agreement in reference to the Pow­er of the Civil Magistrate, and shewn how the Exercise of his Dominion over both is extended to, and restrain'd with­in the same Bounds and Limits, viz. That in both there are some Instances of Good­ness of an universal Necessity, and un­changeable Usefulness; and these God himself has bound upon our Conscien­ces by his own immediate Laws of Na­ture and Revelation: And that there are others, whose Goodness is or may be al­terable according to the various Acci­dents, Changes and Emergencies of Hu­mane Life; and therefore the Govern­ment of these he has entrusted with his Deputies and Lieutenants here on Earth, [Page 358] to setle and determine as the Circumstan­ces of Affairs shall require, and the Di­ctates of their own Discretion shall di­rect; by which means he has admirably provided both for the peaceable Govern­ment of Mankind, and for the inviolable security of Vertue and Religion in the World. This is the scope and Contex­ture of my Argument; to all which, what is replyed by our Author?Pag. [...]30. Why! in the first place he represents its sum and sub­stance in his own words, and then com­plains of the ambiguity of the Terms; and this fills above half a Page full of Triumph to insult over the absurdity of his own Expressions. In the next place he excepts against the Validity of the Consequence;Pag. 231. That because the Magistrate has Power over the Consciences of his Subjects in Morals, that therefore he has so also in mat­ters of instituted Worship: Though this Ob­jection was so pregnantly answer'd to his hand: For did I not in that very Para­graph demand of him or any Man else to assign any tolerable Reason, that should restrain the Authority of the Civil Ma­gistrate from medling with one, that should not much more restrain it from medling with both? Did I not enquire, whether the right practice of Moral Du­ties [Page 359] were as necessary a piece of Religion, as any part of outward or instituted Wor­ship in the World? Whether wrong No­tions of the Divine Worship are not as destructive of the peace and setlement of Commonwealths, as the most vicious and licentious Debaucheries? Whether the rude Multitude are not more inclined to disturb Government by Superstition, than by Licentiousness? And whether there is not vastly greater danger of the Magi­strates erring in matters of Morality, than in Forms and Ceremonies of Worship, in that those are the main, essential, and ultimate Duties of Religion; whereas these are at highest but their means and instruments, and can challenge no other place in Religion than as they are subser­vient to the purposes of Morality? What then should the reason be, that God should be so much more tender of things of meer positive Institution, than of the matters of natural and essential Goodness? That whilst he trusts these great and indispen­sable Duties to the Disposal and Discre­tion of the Civil Power, in order to the peace and security of the Common­wealth; why should he not for the same regard commit the management of the less weighty Affairs of External Worship [Page 360] to the Wisdom and Jurisdiction of the same Authority? To all which, is it not, think you, a wise and satisfactory Answer to tell us, there is, or at least there may be a difference between matters of moral and positive Obligation, with­out attempting to assign any particular Reason of it in reference to the Power of the Civil Magistrate? For suppose it granted, that there is some difference be­tween the Nature of the things them­selves, yet what is that to our purpose, unless it carries in it a special Relation to the matters in Controversie between us, which is not of the Natures of the things themselves, but of their Subjecti­on to the Royal Supremacy? So that supposing the difference of their Natures, the demand of the Argument is, what 'tis in the Nature of instituted Worship that should exempt it from the Jurisdiction of the Civil Magistrate, that is not as much or more discernable in the Nature of Mo­ral Vertue? And till this be assign'd, the Argument stands firm as the Foun­dations of the Earth, whatever other difference Metaphysick Wit may be able to descry between them. But our Au­thor adds in answer to one of the fore­mentioned Enquiries,Pag. 232, 3, 4. viz. Whether there [Page 361] is not more danger of the Magistrates erring or mistakes about moral Vertue than about Rites of Worship, that there is an especial and formal difference between them, in that one depends as to their Being and Discovery on the Light of Nature, which is certain and common to all; the other on pure Revelation, which may be and is variously apprehended. But,

§. 8.1. 'Tis certain that by what way so­ever God has reveal'd his Will to Man­kind, the Revelation is sufficiently clear and evident, so that the Rules of Insti­tuted Worship are after their Institution no less certain than the Laws of Nature. 'Tis the Wisdom and the Glory of a Law-giver to express his Laws with as much Fulness and as little Ambiguity as is possible, and therefore 'tis but an un­mannerly Reflection upon the Divine Wisdom to conceive he has not declared any of his Commands with all the plain­ness imaginable; so that all the Laws of God, by what way soever discovered, are after their discovery equally bright and evident as to the purposes of Life and Practice, and the Precepts of the Gospel are as fully declared to the Consciences of men as the Laws of Nature. And therefore the [Page 362] force and sense of this Answer (if it have any at all) resolves it self into that Po­pish Tenet of the darkness and obscurity of the holy Scriptures: For this forsooth is the only Reason why Duties institu­ted in the Gospel should be exempt from the Power of the Civil Magistrate ra­ther than those of a moral and natural Obligation, because one is perspicuous, and the other is not: and if this be not his Intention, he talks he knows not what, and that is not impossible. But grant all this, that the Laws of Revela­tion are not so discernable as the Laws of Nature, I understand not where the force of the Reason lies, that therefore mens Perswasions about them should not be equally subject to the decisions and de­terminations of the Civil Power. I should rather have concluded, and so I am sure any wise Governour, that seeing the Laws of Nature are so bravely vouch'd by the common consent and suf­frage of Mankind; and seeing 'tis im­possible men should mistake in them, Pag 234. unless they will do it wilfully, let them (in Gods name) please their fancies and themselves in a Liberty of Practice and Perswasion con­cerning them, because here there is little or no hazard of any dangerous mistake: [Page 363] But seeing,Ibid. as to what concerns the Worship of God, they are all at variance, and seeing there is no such evidence in these things, no such common suffrage about them, as to free any ab­solutely from failings and mistakes, so that in respect of them, and not of the other, lies the principal danger of miscarrying. I will be sure to have a more watchful and vigi­lant eye to their due order and setle­ment; here is danger of Schisms and Dissentions, and men will run into Par­ties and differences about uncertain and ambiguous things, and above all things I must be careful to prevent religious Factions; these, of all others, are in­comparably the most dangerous, and therefore here I will not fail to interpose the utmost of my care and power, where­ever I neglect it, and if any man will be so bold and fool-hardy as to affront my Judgment and Determination of things so uncertain with his own private and doubtful perswasions, let him take what follows. And so I have brought our Di­sputer to my old Advantage, with which he dares no more venture to close than with a Cornish hug, viz. That 'tis but reasonable, and necessary too, for modest and peaceable Subjects to submit in all Matters, capable of doubt and uncer­tainty, [Page 364] to the determinations of their Lawful Superiours: and therefore if this be the case of the Rules of Instituted Worship, as is pretended, this is so far from abridging the Jurisdiction of the Civil Power over their disposal, that 'tis the very Reason why they should be en­tirely subject to, and determinable by, the Judgment and discretion of Supreme Au­thority.

2. There is as great a variety and un­certainty of Opinion concerning the Laws of Nature, as there is concerning those of Institution; and about them the Errors of publick Government have al­ways been as many, and much more per­nicious; and there is scarce one Instance of Natures Laws that has not been some where or other revers'd by National Constitutions. Has not our Author read of Laws (for he is sans doubt a man of Reading, though I dare not vouch for his Learning and Ingenuity) that reward Thieves and Pyrates; that prostitute virgin Brides to the publick Lust; that bind Children to murder their decrepit Parents; that permit Sons to commit In­cest with, nay that enjoyn them to mar­ry, their own Mothers? Numberless are the Stories of the debauch'd and accursed [Page 365] Laws, of the horrible and unnatural Cu­stoms of the barbarous Nations in the World. So that however Moral Vertues may be establish'd among Mankind by the Light of Nature: Yet, alas! that is in­finitely too weak and dim to preserve men from the numberless mistakes of Error and Ignorance. And 'tis not a little strange to me that our Author, when he has so strong an Opinion of the woful de­cay and utter dissolution of all that was good in humane Nature by the fall of Adam, should yet apprehend the Dictates of so debauch'd and corrupted a Principle to make a clearer discovery of the duty of Mankind than the express Revelation of God himself; especially when this was chiefly intended to supply and re­pair the defects of the Light of Nature. For in the last and real Issue of things, the best discovery and the strongest Obli­gation of all Natures Laws will be found to depend on their positive Institution: The Gospel is the only perfect and accu­rate Systeme of the Laws of Nature, it has not omitted any the least part of our Duty, and what it has not enjoyn'd, is no part either of the Law of Revelation, or of the Law of Nature. And in truth were it not for the collected Body of the [Page 366] Laws of Christianity, at what a woful loss should we be for an exact Catalogue of the Laws of Nature? And it would be an infinitely vain attempt to find out their set and certain Number; for alas that must vary, according to the uncon­ceivable difference of mens Capacities and Apprehensions: Persons of greater sagacity and more improved Reasons would be able to perceive many moral Notices of things, that would never have occurr'd to the Thoughts of ruder and more illiterate People; and therefore our safest as well as our shortest way to discover their Nature and Obligation, is without any more ado to search the Re­cords of all Gods Revelations to Man­kind, upon which their greatest certain­ty, and by consequence their chiefest Obligation depends. So little does this this man consider what he talks, when he ascribes so much evidence to the Rules of moral Goodness beyond the duty of Institution, when Institution is incomparably their greatest and most pregnant Evidence. Nay, what is worse than all the rest, after all this Noise of instituted Worship, nothing will ever be found concerned in it save only the two Sacraments; they are the only matters [Page 367] of outward Worship prescribed in the Gospel; and thus has he run himself in­to his old Premunire, and so is brought under an Obligation to assign any other particular Rituals and Ceremonies of External Religion injoin'd and determi­ned in the Word of God: a thing of which they much and often talk, but never offer to prove or specifie.

And the truth is, here lies the main mystery of all their Impertinencies in Disputes of this nature, that they are resolved to find some things in the Holy Scriptures, which 'tis impossible for the wit of Man to discover there; and hence all this Clamour concerning the particu­lar Rules of instituted Worship in the Word of God: though when they come to consult it, there is nothing more de­termined than barely the two Sacra­ments. But this will not serve their turn, they must and will have a Ius Divinum for their own singular fancies and fashions; and therefore away they fling, and about they beat, and no passage of Holy Writ shall be left unransackt for Proofs and Texts to their purpose. And to this end they find out some Words and Ex­pressions that may possibly seem to carry some resemblance to their Prejudices and [Page 368] ungrounded Conceits; and then by what violent and strein'd Analogies will they force them to countenance their Dreams? and by what odd and impertinent me­thods will they pack and huddle Scri­ptures together, till they seem to chime to the tune of their own foolish Imagi­nations? And you would bless your self to consider what spiritual ways of argu­ing they have of late invented in Oppo­sition to common Sense and natural Rea­son, to justifie their own phantastick and unwarrantable Hypotheses of things; but more especially to abet this wild and un­accountable Principle, That the Word of God is the onely adequate Rule of insti­tuted Worship, which they lay down in their Positive Divinity, (at which they are incomparably the greatest Doctors in the World) as the onely unquestionable Po­stulatum of all their Discourses; yet when they are urged to make it out by Ratio­nal Arguments, and particular Instances, they talk it, and talk it, but as for proof and evidence, they never could, nor ever will be brought to produce any other be­side the Proleptick certainty of the Ma­xim it self: and therefore I will for ever bar their general Pleas and Pretences drawn from this Principle, That the New [Page 369] Testament is the adequate Rule of Insti­tuted Worship to the Church of Christ, unless in case of the two Sacraments (though, as to them too, all the outward Circumstances and Postures of Celebra­tion are wholly undetermined in the Scri­pture) till they shall specifie some parti­cular Instances there directed and prescri­bed under a standing Obligation; how­ever it is not to be attended to in our pre­sent Controversie, when it is (as I have proved) as certain and complete a Rule of moral Vertue, as they can suppose it to be of Instituted Worship: and there­fore that cannot be any ground of Ex­ception, that whilst the former is subject to, the latter should be exempt from, the disposal of the Civil Jurisdiction. So lamentably absurd are the main and dar­ling Principles of these men, that 'tis not in the Power of Logick or Sophistry to do them any kindness; and the more they stir in their Defence, the more they expose their Folly.

§. 9. And now having so wofully hurt and prejudiced his own Cause by this rash and indiscreet Attempt upon my In­ference, in the next place he rushes with a fierce and angry Dilemma upon my [Page 370] Assertion, viz. That the Magistrate has Power over the Consciences of men in reference to moral Duties, which are the principal Parts of Religion.Pag. 235. 6, 7, 8, 9. This Power (says he) is either over moral Vertue as Ver­tue, and as a part of Religion, or on some other Account, as it relates to humane Society. The former he gores through and through, and that horn of the Dilemma is above two Pages long, and here he has exactly observed the Rules and Customs of Scho­lastick Dispute, that is always prodigal of Confutation where there is no need, and niggardly where there is. For when he proceeds to the latter (which he knows is the only thing I all along asser­ted) he freely grants all I can desire or demand;Pag. 239. For moral Vertues, notwithstand­ing their peculiar Tendency unto God and Reli­gion, are appointed to be Instruments and Li­gaments of humane Society also; now the Power of the Magistrate, in respect of Moral Ver­tues, is in their latter use. Very good! And the Case is absolutely the same as to all reasons and circumstances of things in matters of Religion; for though they, as well as moral Vertue, chiefly relate to our future Concerns, yet have they also a powerful Influence upon our pre­sent welfare, and if rightly managed, [Page 371] are the best and most effectual Instru­ments of publick Happiness; and there lies the very strength and sinew of my Argument, that if Magistrates are ve­sted with so much Power over mo­ral Vertues; that are the most weigh­ty and essential Parts of Religion, as they shall judge it needful to the Peace of Societies, and the security of Go­vernment, how much more reasonable is it, that they should be entrusted with the same Power over matters of external Worship, that are but its subordinate Instruments, and outward Circumstan­ces, whenever they are serviceable to the same ends and purposes? And if there be any advantage and disparity of Reason, 'tis apparently on this side; for it were an easie Task to prove, that mo­ral Vertue is much more necessary to procure the divine Acceptance, and Re­ligion much more likely to create pub­lick Disturbance; but that is not the subject matter of our present Enquiry; 'tis enough that both have in some mea­sure a Relation to these different Ends, and therefore that both must, in some measure, be subject to these different Powers. You see how shamefully this man is repuls'd by his own Attempts, and [Page 372] that there is nothing needful to beat back his Answers, but the Arguments them­selves against which they are directed. And now having spent his main strength in this succesless shock, 'tis piteous to observe how he faints in his following Assays. He inquires whether this Power of the Civil Magistrate over moral Ver­tue be such as to make that Vertue which was not Vertue before, Pag. 239. or which was Vice. 'Tis of the same extent with his Authority over Affairs of Religion, as I have al­ready stated it. But however to this Im­pertinent Enquiry he need not have sought far for a pertinent Answer, it lay before his eyes when he objected it (if he did not write blindfold) viz. Eccles. Pol. That in matters both of moral Vertue and divine Worship, there are some Rules of Good and Evil, that are of an eternal and un­changeable Obligation, and these can be never prejudiced or altered by any hu­mane Power: But then there are other Rules that are alterable according to the various Accidents, Changes, and Con­ditions of humane life; and in things of this Nature I asserted that the Magistrate has Power to make that a Particular of the divine Law, which God has not made so.Pag. 240. In answer to which, he wishes I [Page 373] had declared my self how and wherein. So I have, viz. in all the peculiar and positive Laws of Nations, and gave him In­stances, in no less matters than of Mur­ther, Theft, and Incest, and produced several particular Cases, in which the Civil Power superinduced new obligati­ons upon the Divine Law. Which 'tis in vain to repeat to one that winks against the Light, you know where to find them if you think it needful: But is not this a bold man to challenge me with such a scornful Assurance to do, what he could not but see I had already performed? Some men are confident enough to put out the day in spite of the Sun. He adds; The divine Law is divine, Ibid. and so is every par­ticular of it, and therefore 'tis impossible for a man to make new Particulars, and yet in the same Breath grants my Assertion as an ordinary and familiar truth, if I only in­tend by making a thing a Particular of the di­vine Law no more than to make the divine Law require that in particular of a man, which it did not require of him before. Though that man must have a wild understanding, that can mean any thing more or less. There is a vast difference (is there not?) between making a new Particular of the Divine Law; and making the Divine [Page 374] Law require that in particular which it did not require before. But (says he) these new particulars refer only to the acting and occasion of these things in particular. Ibid. 'Tis no matter for that; whatever they refer to, they are new Acts, and distinct Duties or Crimes of their respective species of vertue or vice. Thus though to slay a deprehended Adulteress (which is murther in England, though it be Justice in Spain) relates to the manner of Execution, yet 'tis a new and di­stinct Instance of that Sin, made by a Civil Constitution, and not determined by the divine Law. But then here is no more ascribed to the Magistrate than is common with him to every man in the World. Ibid. So much the firmer my Argument; For 'tis not reasonable to deny so much Power to publick Authority, as every private man may claim and exercise; nor just to forbid Magistrates to com­mand that to their Subjects, which their Subjects may lawfully command to them­selves. But after all this trifling, he leaps to a fresh Enquiry (for he is old excellent at asking Questions, when he should be making Answers) viz. if Ma­gistrates are impower'd to declare new Instances of Vertue and Vice, he de­mands, [Page 375] Whether they are new as Vertues and Vices, or as Instances. Pag. 241. This is a captious Question, and though I suspect some subtle plot, yet I have not sagacity enough to find out either its design, or its Sophistry, and therefore I shall only answer like a plain and cautious man, that they are new neither as Instances, nor as Vertues and Vices, but as In­stances of Vertue and Vice; and then what becomes of this Metaphysical Di­lemma? But however it follows, if they are new as Vertues,Ibid. would he could see a new Practice of old Vertues; but alas! this nei­ther proves, nor confutes, and yet because 'tis said it must be answered, therefore I will only demand of him, what are the old Vertues he intends, whether those that were in fashion in the days of King Ar­thur, or those that were so in the days of King Oliver? But to tell you the truth, he cares not for any of the new Vertues that he has late­ly observed in the World, Likely enough,Ibid. for Loyalty is one of the chiefest, but they were fine days when Rebellion and Sacri­ledge were signs of Grace, and men could keep up a dear and intimate Communion with God in ways of plunder and perju­ry; ah! those were precious and Gospel-times. You see I must either trifle with [Page 376] this man, or altogether hold my Peace, his Objections are not capable of solid Answers. But he concludes, If it be the Instances that are new, they are but actual and occasional exercises of old Duties. This is tri­fling too, and neither objects nor proves, however 'tis already answered, and though I have been so idly employed, as to follow him in his Trifles, yet I will not in his Tautologies.

§. 1. NOw our Authors Inventi­on begins to grow dry, and his Fancy to run low, he is forced to flie to his old Magazines for Arms and Ammunition, and to muster up his former Cavils for fresh Arguments, and his former Calumnies for fresh Objecti­ons, and to stuff up his following Pages with meer Tautologies and Repetitions of his former shifts and juglings: He can­not forbear to argue from his own To­picks, and in his own Method, but still he pretends, first, to be at a loss for my meaning, and then he perverts it, and then he confutes it. And 'tis observable how careful he is always to usher in his Falsifications with complaints of my Ob­scurity; that so if he should fail to ju­stifie them, he may at least be able to ex­cuse them; and when he is beaten out of his Cause, he may under this reserve se­cure his Honour, and discharge the per­verseness and disingenuity of his own la­bour'd [Page 380] Mistakes, upon the perplexity of my Stile, and the looseness of my Expres­sions.

The first thing he takes to task and to correction, is the Contents of the Chap­ter, (for he has now done with confuting my Title-Page) where I represented the scope and short design of my first Para­graph in these words: Mankind have a Liberty of Conscience over all their Actions, whether moral or strictly religious, as far as it concerns their Iudgments, but not their Pra­ctices. And here I could have been con­tent, had he dealt no worse with me than they are wont to deal with the Holy Scri­ptures; when they interpret the Chapter by the English Contents, and so expound the sense of the Word of God, as if that were onely the Gloss, but these the Ca­non. Otherwise I am sure I. O. could never have made good his deep Conceit of the Saints distinct Communion with each Person of the blessed Trinity, out of the Parable of the Canticles. But this Author has (as well he may) made more bold with me, and has mangled my single Assertion into two distinct Propositions, viz. That Mankind has a Liberty of Consci­ence over all their Actions, Pag. 249. whether moral or strictly religious. And this he closes up [Page 381] with a full Period, as if it were an entire Problem of it self: and when he has thus ridiculously distorted the sense of the words, by separating them from the o­ther half of the Proposition, he gravely scorns and confutes them; and certainly 'tis no difficult task to baffle so wild an Assertion. And then he adds (and does not blush neither) the remaining words, [As far as it concerns their Iudgments, but not their Practices,] as a distinct Caution to set bounds and limits to the former Con­cession, though they are part of the same Proposition, setting restraints and con­finements upon it self; and then after all these little slights of perverting, he laughs (as becomes him) at the absurdity of the limitation: That is (says he) they have Liberty of Conscience over their Actions, Ibid. but not their Practices; or over their Practices, but not over their Practices: for upon trial their Actions and Practices will prove to be the same. Profoundly intricate! And yet had these things been expressed as he absurdly re­presents them, they might for all that have been honest and Grammatical sense: for Action, you know, is a general word, and comprehensive of all our inward and our outward Acts; whereas Practice is a term of a more limited signification, and [Page 382] peculiar onely to external Actions; and therefore may very well restrain the more universal import of the former word. But take the words as they lie couch't toge­ther within the same Period, and then the Cavil is so strangely nice and subtle, that 'tis unintelligible to Metaphysick wit; for so to oppose Practices to the Actions of the Mind or Judgment, is no more than to oppose them to our Thoughts and Opini­ons; which, you know, is infinitely war­ranted both by the propriety and the vul­gar use of the word. But this Man is so unreasonably curious, that though I should write Indentures, and heap together an hundred different words to express the same thing, I see it would be impossible to escape his Cavils, and little Excepti­ons.

Sir, I am afraid you will scarce believe (to spare more intemperate Language) that any Man should be so wretchedly foolish and disingenuous to so little pur­pose; and some Stories are so prodigious, that a modest Man has not confidence e­nough to vouch their truth, though he is able to swear it; and therefore I beseech you not to trust the Credibility of this Report upon my bare Information, but be pleased to consult Pag. 249, 250. of his [Page 383] Book, and there you may satisfie your self of this Mans Wit and Integrity by ocular Inspection; and it is an equal Ar­gument of both, when a Man shall con­fute Books by such trifling and manifest Abuses.

Having thus routed my Contents, in the next place he rallies up an old Cavil against the Paragraph it self, and com­plains that I sometimes call Conscience the Mind, sometimes the Vnderstanding, Pag. 251. sometimes Opinion, sometimes Liberty of Thinking, and sometimes an Imperious Fa­culty. But this I have already answer'd, and so faint an Objection is not worth a double Confutation. From hence he drops into a ridiculous dispute about Free-Will, and this you cannot but ima­gine to be of a close concernment to that Liberty of which we discourse, viz. an Exemption from the Commands and De­terminations of the Civil Power; so that this thick impertinency is as bad as his a­buse of my Contents; and yet the next passage is worse than both, viz. Pag. 252. That the thing by me here asserted, is, that a Man may think, judge, or conceive such or such a thing to be his Duty, and yet have thereby no Obliga­tion put upon him to perform it: for Conscience we are informed has nothing to do beyond the in­ward [Page 384] Thoughts of Mens Minds. But who gives in this Information? The Infor­mer (whoever he is) would in some Courts of Justice have jeoparded some­thing that he would be loth to lose, for so lewd and bold a Forgery. Phy! phy! for shame give over this pitiful Legerde­main; such open and visible Falsificati­ons serve onely to expose the lewdness of his Cause and his Conscience; and if he delight in such wretched Practices, they will in process of time betray him to more pernicious courses: for what should hinder a Man that can pervert and falsifie at this rate, from forging Wills, and setting counterfeit hands to Deeds? Neither fear nor modesty can ever re­strain him, that dares venture upon a­buses so palpable, that it was absolutely impossible he should hope to escape the shame and rebuke of discovery. The Assertion it self is one of the chiefest and most fundamental Maxims of Knavery; and yet 'tis boldly charged upon me with­out the least shadow or syllable of pre­tence, either to justifie his Accusation, or to excuse his Mistake. All that I at­tempted in that Paragraph, was to ex­empt all the inward Acts of the Minds of Men from the Jurisdiction of Humane [Page 385] Power, and so to confine their Govern­ment to the Empire of meer Conscience: Now from this Assertion that our secret Thoughts are subject to Conscience only, to infer that Conscience has no Power but only over our secret Thoughts, is a Conclusion too ridiculous for our Author to make either in good earnest, or through meer mistake. In the mean time, what an unhappy Man am I, that when I would study to entertain my Reader with useful and edifying Discourse, I can meet with nothing to encounter in this Author but Falshood and Forgery. But having set up this Calumny as the mark of his dis­pleasure, he confutes it thorough and thorough with big Words and ugly Infe­rences: but whether he takes his aim a­right or no, it concerns not me to en­quire; when the Premises are proved to be mine, then, and not till then, I will take care to avoid the Conclusions. So that in the mean time we may proceed.

Having therefore confined the entire Government and Jurisdiction of our Thoughts to the territory of Conscience, I added that yet notwithstanding, as for all matters that come forth into outward Actions, and appear in the Societies of Men, there is no remedy but they must [Page 386] be subject to the Cognizance of Humane Laws, and come within the Verge of Hu­mane Power; because by these, Societies subsist, and Humane Affairs are transact­ed. To this he replies with his wonted modesty,Pag 254. That I ought to have proved, that notwithstanding the Iudgment of Conscience concerning any Duty, by the interposition of the Authority of the Magistrate to the contrary, there is no Obligation ensues for the performance of that Duty. But, Good Sir, have you any Patent for the Monopoly of making Conclusions, that you can force your Neighbours to accept what Ware you please? If you have not, I know no o­ther Obligation I lie under to assert so wild and so wicked a Paradox, unless per­haps meer Civility may engage me to say something, that you may be able to con­fute. Otherwise I know nothing that I stand bound to prove in this place, but what the Man himself is zealous enough to acknowledge, viz. That all outward Actions are obnoxious to the Civil Pow­er, as far as they concern the ends and interests of Publick Tranquillity: though how far that may reach, as it was here asserted, so it was in the following Chap­ters more largely proved and stated. However, 'tis apparent from the manifest [Page 387] scope, and the last issue of my whole Dis­course, that I stand not obliged to ascribe any more absolute Power to the Civil Magistrate, than what is necessary to warrant that Authority they exercise in prescribing those Rites and Ceremonies of Worship, that are injoin'd and practi­sed in the Church of England; that is all I contend for at present, and will, as for what concerns this Dispute, be content to lop off any other Branches of their Ju­risdiction, that relate not to this Enquiry. And if this cannot be justified, unless it be granted that the Commands of Sove­raign Power must always over-rule all Obligations of Conscience; then, I con­fess, I must submit to this disadvantage that this Man would impose upon me: but if it can, 'tis no part either of my Duty or my Interest to assert any thing that is neither true in it self, or pertinent to my purpose. But whether it can or cannot, I have already sufficiently ac­counted for both in that Treatise, and in this Rejoinder. For what our Author would here charge upon me as my Duty, is no more than what he has heretofore charged upon me as my Doctrine, viz. Pag. 97. That the Magistrate has Power to bind the Con­sciences of his Subjects to observe what is by him [Page 388] appointed to be professed and observed in Religi­on, (and nothing else are they to observe) ma­king it their Duty in Conscience so to do; and the highest crime or sin to do any thing to the contrary; and whatever the precise truth in these matters be, or whatever be the apprehen­sions of their own Consciences concerning them. The falshood of which horrid Calumny I have there baffled with so much evi­dence, and reproved with so much seve­rity, that after that, it were an affront to the Readers Understanding to warn him against every Repetition of so foul and groundless a slander, though it is the Burthen of every Page.

§. 2. In the next Paragraph I proceed­ed to account for the nature and extent of Christian Liberty; where I both founded our Right to it upon this natural and in­ward Freedom of our Minds, and also proved it to be sometimes coincident with it. But says our Nicodemus, (for he is very thick of Understanding when he pleases) How can these things be?Pag. 259. When Christian Liberty, as I have stated it, is a priviledge, whereas Liberty of Conscience is common unto all Mankind. This Liberty is necessary unto Humane Nature, and cannot be divested of it, and so it is not a priviledge that includes a spe­cialty [Page 389] in it. To this I answer, That Na­tural Liberty is a freedom of the Mind and Judgment from all Humane Laws in general, and Christian Liberty is the same freedom from the Mosaick Law in parti­cular; which because it was bound upon the Jews by virtue of a Divine Authori­ty, it was a restraint not onely upon their Practices, but upon their Minds and Con­sciences; and prescribed to their inward Thoughts and Opinions, as well as their outward Actions: they had no Liberty to judge of their Goodness, but were bound to submit their Understandings to the Wisdom of God. And this is the main difference between the Obligation of Divine and Humane Laws, that these reach onely to our Wills, and those affect our Judgments, and determine our Ap­prehensions to whatsoever they command our Obedience; and we are bound to ac­quiesce in the Counsels of God, though we understand not their Reasons; and therefore whatever Law comes with the impress of Divine Authority, it bears down all before it, and supersedes all the weak Disputes and Reasonings of our little Understandings; and as long as we are assured it proceeds from God, that a­lone, without any farther enquiry, gives [Page 390] our Minds infinite satisfaction of its Wis­dom and Goodness. So that during the whole Period of the Mosaick Institution, all freedom of Judgment in reference to the particular Commands of his Law, was retrenched by the Authority of God; but when their Obligation was repeal'd, and the impress of his Authority was taken off, then did the things themselves return of their own accord to the indifferency of their own Natures, and so were restored to the Judgment of the Minds of Men; and therefore though Christian Liberty be a Priviledge with a specialty, yet 'tis a Branch of that Liberty that is natural to Mankind, in that 'tis nothing but a Restauration of the Mind of Man from the restraints of the Law of Moses, to its native freedom; which though it cannot be devested by any Humane Power, yet it may, then was, and always is abridged by Divine Commands, in that they pass an equal Obligation upon the Judgments and the Practices of Men: upon which account alone all matters of the Law of God are absolutely exempt both from our Natural and our Christian Liberty; but when he is pleased to reverse his own Ob­ligation, and to leave things to their O­riginal indifferency, that is a restitution [Page 391] to our natural Liberty, and that is our Christian Liberty.

But for a more full and exact Account of the nature and true signification of this Pretence, 'tis necessary to exa­mine how 'tis stated in the Word of God; and as it is there discoursed of, it is certain it relates meerly to those Pri­viledges that are granted or restored to the minds of men by the Repeal and Abrogation of the Law of Moses: The whole Case whereof is plainly this. This Law was establish'd in the Jewish Com­mon-wealth by Divine Authority; and was the only Covenant and Revelation of God to mankind, that was at first con­sign'd with mighty Miracles, and ratifi­ed to after-Ages with their great Sacra­ment of Circumcision, upon which Ac­counts the Jews concluded it to be of an Eternal and Immutable Obligation. But God sends his Son into the World to take down this whole frame and fabrick of the Mosaick Religion, and in its stead to set up a better and more manly Institution of things, to repeal the Laws and Obliga­tions of the old Covenant, and to go­vern his Church by new measures of Du­ty and new Conditions of Obedience. And this is properly the Priviledge of [Page 392] Christian Liberty, and it comprehends all the peculiar Advantages and Exem­ptions granted to mankind by vertue of the Christian Institution. It is a delive­rance from the Dominion of Sin, from the Curse of the Law, from the severity of a Covenant of Works, and from the Yoke of Ceremonial observances. These are the matters of our Christian Liberty, and those Doctrines that tend to bring us under any of these old Fetters and hard services are attempts of Jewish Bondage. And this was the plain state of the Que­stion in the Apostolical Age, and the whole dispute of Christian Liberty was only a Controversie between the Jews and the Christians concerning the Re­peal or the Perpetuity of Moses Law. And all the Discourses we meet with in the Writings of the Apostles upon this subject relate purely to the abrogation of the Mosaick Institution. And all their Exhortations to the Primitive Christians to stand stifly upon their Priviledges, were to perswade them not to suffer themselves to be abused into a slavish opinion of the Eternity and unalterable Obligation of the Law of Moses, but to rest assured that the Gospel had rescinded all the positive and ceremonial Commands of the Jews, [Page 393] that the things themselves were returned to their native Indifferency, and by con­sequence that they were at liberty from their observance, any former Law or Pre­cept to the contrary notwithstanding. Well then, the precise Notion of Chri­stian Liberty consists in the rescue of the Consciences of men from the divine Im­position of the Yoke of Moses, and there­fore 'tis not to be pretended against any Restraints whatsoever, that do not chal­lenge an absolute and indispensable ob­ligation over the Consciences of men by vertue of a divine Authority. So that Subjects are not to be permitted to put in this Pretence in bar of any Impositions of our lawful Superiours, because it relates purely to our immediate duty and enter­course with God, and is not in the least concern'd in our Engagements and Rela­tions to men. And upon this Account is it that St. Paul so smartly encourageth the Galatians to stand fast in the Liberty, where­with Christ hath made them free, and not to be entangled again with the Yoke of Bondage, be­cause if they are circumcised Christ shall profit them nothing, in that they are Debtors to keep the whole Law. For if the Seal of Cir­cumcision be still in force, then is not the Law disannull'd, of which this is the Sa­crament [Page 394] and the Sanction, but if the Law be not disannull'd, then are you still under an obligation to the same Obedi­ence as was required by the Conditions of the old Covenant, and so by consequence forfeit all the Favours and Benefits of the new. But setting aside the necessity of Circumcision by vertue of a divine Command, then its use was no Intrench­ment upon Christian Liberty; and there­fore though this blessed Apostle declaim­ed with so much zeal and vehemence against its use and continuance out of re­spect to the obligatory Power of the Law of Moses, yet upon other Grounds, and for different Purposes, he was content to condescend to its practice and observati­on, as is notorious in the Circumcision of Timothy. So that (you see) 'tis appa­rent his Christian Liberty consisted not in an indispensable forbearance of Cir­cumcision (for so to have used it in any Case had been a manifest Forfeiture of his Priviledge and violation of his Duty) but only in not doing it with an opinion of its Necessity by reason of the perpe­tual obligation of the Law of Moses. This is the plain and the only Account of Christian Liberty in the holy Scriptures, and therefore these men do but prate [Page 395] their own obstinate presumptions, whilst they persist in this vulgar Clamour, till they can either prove that we pretend to any divine Authority for our Ecclesiasti­cal Institutions, or that Christian Liber­ty is of any concernment in any Cases that pretend not to divine Authority. These things if they will undertake to make good, they may talk to our Pur­pose, but otherwise they will but talk to their own, and that is to none at all.

§. 3. And this discovers the Imperti­nency of our Authors next demand, what I mean by the Restauration of the mind to its natural Priviledge:Pag. 261. If the Priviledge of the mind in its condition of natu­ral Purity, it is false: if any priviledge of the mind in its corrupt Condition, it is no less un­true. Why so? Because in things of this Na­ture the mind is in Bondage, and not capable of Liberty. I cannot divine what things he here intends, nor of what Concernment the Purity and Corruption of humane Nature is to this enquiry, the only Li­berty I treated of was an exemption from the Obligatory Power of the Ceremonial Institutions of Moses, so that the Restau­ration of the mind to its natural Privi­ledge [Page 396] can signifie nothing else than its be­ing rescued from the Yoke & Bondage of positive & arbitrary Laws, to be govern'd by the Laws and Dictates of its own Na­ture. And what Relation this has to our natural Purity or Corruption is past my skill to understand. And so is the Reason he subjoyns to confirm his Assertion no better than a grave and profound Piece of Non-sense. For it is a thing ridiculous to confound the meer natural Liberty of our wills, Ibid. which is an Affection inseparable from that Fa­culty with a moral or spiritual Liberty of mind relating unto God and his Worship. It is so, but what in the name of Sphinx is this to our Enquiry, what has Liberty from the Law of Moses to do with Liberty of will? 'tis perfect Riddle to me where either the force or the sense of the Argument lies: But free-will is an old word of Conten­tion, and the bare mention of it is enough to amuse his unlearned Readers, and to make them suspect some depth of Learn­ing or Reason, that their shallow Capa­cities are not able to fathom. And if the Argument have any subtilty, there it lies.

But his bravest and most serviceable Artifice is still behind, when an Argu­ment is neither to be withstood nor avoid­ed, [Page 397] he can slur its force and evidence by perverting it, and entertain his Reader by imposing a false sense upon it, when he is not able to confute the true one. Thus he tells us, That this whole Paragraph runs upon no small mistake, namely, Pag. 262. that the Yoke of Mosaical Institutions consisted in their Impositi­on on the minds and judgments of men, with an Opinion of the Antecedent Necessity of them. This indeed is somewhat strange Divinity, and not altogether uncapable of Confutation, especially as to my particu­lar Case, it being such a square Contra­diction to that account I have given of the matters of the Ceremonial Law, viz. That they were things indifferent in their own Natures; that the Necessity of their Use and Exercise was superinduced upon them purely by vertue of a divine positive Command; that this being re­scinded, their Necessity immediately cea­sed, and they return to the state of their original Indifferency, to be governed as Circumstances should require and pru­dence direct; so that it is evident I have denied the matters of the Ceremonial Law to have been at all necessary to be observed from their own Intrinsick Na­ture antecedent to their positive Institu­tion, and therefore if any where else I [Page 398] have affirmed it, I have no way to avoid the charge of speaking Daggers and Contradictions. But (says he) that this is my sense intended is evident from the Conclusi­on of this Paragraph, Ibid. viz. that whatever, and in what matters soever our Superi­ours impose upon us, it is no intrench­ment upon our Christian Liberty, provi­ded it be not imposed with an opinion of the antecedent Necessity of the thing it self. Now from hence how natural is it to conclude, that the Yoke of the Mo­saical Institutions consisted in their Impo­sition on the minds of men, with an Opi­nion of their necessity antecedent to that Imposition! when Heaven and Earth stand not at a wider distance than these Propositions: No Train of Consequences, nothing but Iacobs Ladder (unless our Author be able to fly) can ever convey him from one to the other. And if he shall undertake to make good the Logick of his Conclusion, I will cross my self at his Confidence; but if he shall perform it, I will fall down and worship: for to me it would be Prodigie and Miracle, and that man need not, in my opinion, despair of removing Mountains, who thinks he can prove that, because hu­mane Authority cannot impair the Liber­ty [Page 399] of our minds, but by pretence of an antecedent Obligation to its Commands; that therefore when God himself abridges it, he must do it by vertue of some au­thoritative obligation antecedent to his own Impositions, when his authority is the first Fountain and original Reason of all Obligations, and therefore 'tis an in­finite contradiction to the nature of things to talk of any Authority antece­dent or superiour to the divine Law. And this is the evident Reason of my Conclusion, that the Nature of our in­ternal Liberty relates to the power of God over the minds of men, and so is in its self uncapable of being restrain'd or imposed upon by any other Jurisdiction; and therefore whatever restraints our Su­periours may lay upon our Practices, provided they do not bind us with an O­pinion of some necessity stamp't upon the things themselves antecedent to their Commands, that is no abatement to the inward Liberty of our minds, which no­thing can abridge but the Authority of God himself; and therefore unless they pretend an antecedent and authoritative Obligation tied upon the Consciences of men by his own immediate and explicite Command, whatever they may bind up­on [Page 400] them by virtue of their own Autho­rity, though it may be blameable upon other accounts, yet it cannot be charged of offering violence to the Rights of Christian Liberty. So that though their Laws cannot of themselves restrain it, unless by pretence of an antecedent Ne­cessity imprinted upon the things them­selves by virtue of a Divine Command; yet the Laws of God may, because they are the formal Reason of their restraint, and the ground of their necessity. But he adds,Pag. 264. That when St. Peter disputes against the Mosaick Rites, and calls them a Yoke which neither they nor their Fathers-were able to bear; and St. Paul chargeth Believers to stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free; they respect onely Mens practice, with regard unto an Authoritative Obligation thereunto, which they pleaded to be now expi­red and removed. Whereby however he intends to shuffle with his vulgar Reader, he apparently grants all that is desired or demanded, viz. That all the Apostolical Discourses upon this subject, respect not the bare practice of these things, but their practice upon the account of the Autho­ritative Obligation of the Law of Moses, (for nothing less was pretended by the Jews) so that the onely thing that made [Page 401] them prejudicial to the Claims of Chri­stian Liberty, was an Opinion of their necessity by virtue of that antecedent Obligation; which being repeal'd, their practice, upon other grounds and reasons, was not thought to infringe or check with the Rights and Priviledges of the Gospel. And for this we have the un­questionable warrant of their own Exam­ples, when they not onely submitted to Restraints in the Exercise of their own Liberty, but prescribed it in some Cases and Circumstances as a Duty to other Christians,1 Cor. 8. [...] ▪ that they would take heed lest their Liberty should become a stumbling- block to them that are weak. Though they were intire­ly free from any Obligation tied upon them by virtue of the Law of Moses, yet did St. Paul se [...] fresh restraints upon them by virtue of his Apostolical Authority. And now were it not strange that Men should be bound to yield more to the hu­mour of a peevish Jew, than to the Com­mands of a Christian Magistrate? For the first ground and reason of his imposing their Obligation, was then nothing but meer prudence and condescension to their folly: but in our case, 'tis matter of Duty and Obedience. For in the days of the Apostles, nothing less was pleaded [Page 402] by the Jewish Christians for the necessity of their Ceremonies, than the unchange­able Obligation of the Law of Moses; and yet for the sake of peace, they would submit so far to their strong Prejudices, as outwardly to comply with their weak demands, though it were with some ha­zard of forfeiting their Christian Liberty: for it was not impossible but that their complyance might have confirmed the Jews in their obstinacy, and have drawn in the Gentiles to an imitation of their example, and so have begun a Prescripti­on for the necessary observance of the Law of Moses to all Ages of the Church of Christ. Whereas in our case the dan­ger of that pretence is as much abolish't as Circumcision it self; it being a grant­ed and establish't truth among all the dis­senting Parties of Christendom, (unless we may except the Judaising Sabbatarians, who do somewhat more than squint to­ward Moses) that the Ceremonial Law is for ever rescinded to all intents and purposes; and no Magistrate pretends a Power of imposing things indifferent by virtue of a Divine and perpetual Obli­gation, but onely by force of a transient and temporary Institution of Humane Authority for the ends of Discipline, the [Page 403] Uniformity of Worship, and the security of Government.

§. 4. And therefore our Authors next Inference is either a woful impertinence to our present Enquiry, or a bold Affront and Calumny to the publick Declarations of our Church, when he concludes,Pag 264▪ That if Christian Liberty be of force enough to free us from the necessary practice of indifferent things instituted by God, it is at least of equal efficacy to exempt us from the necessary practice of things imposed on us in the Worship of God by Men. This implies as if the Church of England imposed the same necessity upon its own Determinations, as upon the po­sitive Laws of God, notwithstanding it so industriously disclaims all Divine Im­positions, either for Legal or Evangelical Ceremonies; and so expresly declares all its own Institutions to bind onely with an humane, temporary, and changeable Ob­ligation. Whereas they (for so it still happens, that their dearest Pretences are always the strongest and most unhappy Objections against themselves) would needs obtrude upon us their own Fancies and singular Conceits, as our Saviours own Commands and Institutions; and call their separation from the Church of Eng­land, [Page 404] their departure from Antichristian Idolatries and Whoredoms, to the chasti­ty of Worship, and the purity of Gospel-Ordinances. And (as we are informed by I. O.) they who hold Communion with Christ, Book of Communi­on, p. 171. are careful to admit and practise nothing in the Worship of God, unless it comes in his Name, and with Thus saith the Lord Iesus— You know how many in this Nation in the days not long since passed, yea, how many thousands left their Native Soils, and went into a vast and howling Wilderness, (because they made it so) in the utmost parts of the World, to keep their Souls undefiled and chaste to their dear Lord Iesus, as to this of his Worship and In­stitutions. So that they scorn to pretend any less Authority than our Saviours own express Warrant for any thing wherein they differ and divide from the Church of England. And this is a ruder and more insolent Affront to our Christian Liber­ty, than the most confident Jew could ever have been guilty of: for though he might endeavour to enslave us to his own Customs and Prejudices, yet they are such as once bore the impression of Divine Au­thority; whereas these Men would stamp the Authority of God upon their own Dreams and phantastick Conceits, and vouch their humour and their ignorance [Page 405] with a Thus saith the Lord Iesus; and so would bore the Ears and enslave the Un­derstandings of all Christendom to their own folly and confidence. And certainly there never were greater Tyrants and U­surpers in the Church of Christ than these exact and curious Judges of Divine Rights: with what Confidence will they prescribe Truth to Mankind, and adopt their own uncertain Problems and Scho­lastick Fooleries into the Fundamentals of Religion? With what Assurance of Authority will they restrain all Mens Faith to the Standard of their own Ap­prehensions? How briskly will they warrant this Opinion, and explode that? And how dogmatically will they assign the precise bounds of Orthodoxy? All their Sentiments are the Decrees of the Medes and Persians; all their Rules of Worship are Obligatory as Apostolical Canons; all their Opinions are Oracles; and had they sate in the Infallible Chairs of Rome or Geneva, they could not have been more confident and peremptory in their Determinations. But thus is the Church of England requited for her mo­desty; and because she does not abuse the Consciences of Men to a rigid Obser­vance of her Institutions, under a false [Page 406] pretence of Divine Authority, the gen­tle and moderate exercise of her own law­ful Jurisdiction, is by these Men branded with Tyranny and Usurpation, whilst themselves in the mean while are not a­shamed to obtrude their own Fancies and little Conceits upon their credulous Pro­selytes with the counterfeit Seal of Hea­ven; and inslave their Consciences to their own imperious dictates, by exhibi­ting forged Commissions from God him­self; and then the People dare not mur­mur against their unreasonable Impositi­ons, for that reverence they bear to that Authority, which (as they are told) is imprinted on them. But this has ever been the subtilty of these Men, as it is of all Malefactors, to rail most at their own Crimes, and to avoid the suspicion of their own Guilt, by deriving its im­putation upon some of their innocent Neighbours.

But once more to return to our Au­thors Inference. If then he means that the Church of England imposes her Cere­monial Institutions with an Opinion of their antecedent Necessity, (and so it is apparent he is willing enough to be un­derstood) 'tis a bold Calumny: if he means that they become consequentially [Page 407] necessary onely by virtue of their Insti­tution, 'tis a woful impertinence, and is no other infringment of our Liberty than what is inseparable from the Nature of Humane Laws. And so all the Civil Laws of Commonwealths are apparently as chargeable with this sort of Usurpati­on, as any of our Ecclesiastical Consti­tutions. And therefore, by the way, I would willingly be satisfied, that seeing the Judicial as well as the Ceremonial Law of Moses was annull'd and abroga­ted by the Establishment of the Christian Faith; and seeing by consequence it was part of their Christian Liberty to be freed from its Obligatory Power; what ima­ginable Reason can be assign'd, why Au­thority should more invade the Rights of our Christian Liberty by establishing new Ecclesiastical Canons, than by enacting new Civil Constitutions? Or why the Common Law of England should not as much infringe that part of our Gospel-Priviledges, whereby we are exempt from the Judicial Law, as the Canons and Determinations of the Church do that other part, whereby we are rescued from the Ceremonial? To this Enquiry they will never be able to return any tolerable answer, but by shifting the matter of [Page 408] their plea, and then they forsake their hold of Christian Liberty, and shelter themselves in a new Pretence.

Perhaps they may plead that God has reserved the Appointment of the way, manner, and circumstances of his own Worship to his own immediate Jurisdi­ction, but has vested Civil Magistrates with a power to govern the secular Af­fairs of Common-wealths. But then this is an open Flight from our present En­gagement, and now the thing pleaded in behalf of their Disobedience, is not their Christian Liberty or their exemption from the Law of Moses, but their Chri­stian Duty, or their subjection to the Law of Christ. Though when this Refuge comes to be attaqued, it will be found more weak and defenceless than this that is already demolish'd; and you may well expect wise work, when they are urged to produce Testimonies of Scripture that restrain the Civil Magistrate from enact­ing Ecclesiastical Laws and Constitutions for the due government and performance of external Worship. Here their Pleas are so horridly vain and ridiculous, that in comparison of them, the Celebrated Text of the Romanists super hanc Petram, in behalf of the Infallibility of the Papal [Page 409] Chair, is (as Impertinent as it is) Rea­son and Demonstration. But after this I suppose we may have occasion to en­quire elsewhere: In the mean time 'tis enough that we have beaten down this Paper Fort of Christian Liberty; in which if men may be allowed to take sanctuary for their disobedience to the Churches Constitutions, it will not only be a plausible Refuge for all Schismaticks and Male-contents, but an eternal An­noyance to the Churches Peace, and a perpetual Nursery of incurable Schisms and Divisions. For all parts of outward Worship, save only the two Sacraments, being left undetermined in the Word of God; and some particular determinati­ons being absolutely necessary to prevent Disorder and Confusion; and these be­ing not capable of any force or obligato­ry Power, and by consequence, of any Usefulness to their proper End, but by vertue of the Authority of the Civil Magistrate: It follows unavoidably, that if laying Restraints and Injunctions upon men in the outward Exercise of Publick Worship be a violation of their Christi­an Liberty, that 'tis absolutely impossi­ble to make any effectual Provisions for the orderly and regular performance of [Page 410] the Worship of God, or to provide any security against eternal Tumults and Se­ditions in the Church of God: And whenever Phanatick spirits have a mind to be peevish and humoursom, they have here a sacred and inviolable refuge to protect themselves and their Rebellions. And therefore 'tis observable, that in the late Ruptures of Christendom, this Pre­tence was not pleaded by any Sects of men to this purpose, but the English Pu­ritans, and the German Anabaptists, two sorts of People that never knew what they would have beyond the subversion of the present setlement of things. In which as they have been opposed by all other Parties, so by none with greater vehemence and warmer zeal than the School of Calvin; who quickly perceived by clear and sad experience, that there was no possibility of setling Churches in the World, but by setting bounds and re­straints by particular Laws and Deter­minations to giddy and Enthusiastick Tempers. Insomuch that the Church of Rome it self has scarce been more severe in making or executing Penal Laws against seditious Libertines than the Church of Geneva.

[Page 411]§. 5. Neither is it altogether unwor­thy Remarque, that this Mystery of Li­bertinism began to work in the days of the Apostles among the Gnostick Phana­ticks. Who forsooth, under colour of their Christian Liberty, must needs be free from all Laws and Government; they knew no Superiour but the Lord Christ, to him they owed Allegiance and Subjection, and to him, and to him alone they would pay it. But as for the secular Powers of the World, they were (as they behaved themselves) meer encroach­ments upon the Liberties of his Church. This Pretence they made their warrant for disobedience, and their cover for se­dition, and whenever the freak possess'd them to revile or resist the present Go­vernment, still the word was Christian Liberty. What, shall we suffer these Hea­then Princes to usurp upon our spiritual Priviledges? Shall we tamely part with that that was purchased by our Saviours Bloud? We have not so mean an opi­nion of his Favours, as to throw them up at so cheap a Rate; No, we will main­tain the price and purchase of his Bloud with the last drop of our own: We will sacrifice our Lives and Fortunes to the [Page 412] Cause of God, and the service of his Church, and not betray its dearest Pri­viledges to the Tyranny of Infidels and Painims by our own dull and sheepish cowardize. Now was not this peaceable doctrine (think you) likely enough to make wild work in the Roman Empire, and had it prevailed in the World, what an Inundation of mischiefs and confusi­ons would it have let in upon Mankind? It must have born down all setled Go­vernments, and buried all States and Common-wealths in Anarchy and eter­nal War. And therefore 'tis observable with what caution and industry the Apo­stles bestirred themselves to make up this dangerous breach, by setting bounds and measures to this wild pretence; and whenever they had occasion to discourse more largely concerning the doctrine of Christian Liberty, they never forget (as may be observed in all their Writings) to state and confine it within its proper Limits; but as they exhorted them to maintain it in opposition to the Peevish­ness of the Jews, so they always charged them not to abuse it in defiance to the Rules of Government, and the Power of lawful Superiours. No, this whole Affair is transacted between God and [Page 413] your own Consciences; he has been plea­sed to take off those Fetters and obliga­tions that were tied upon you by the Law of Moses, that is your Liberty, and be content with that. Extend it not to the prejudice of your Governours, 'tis pure­ly spiritual, and has no Relation to your secular regards, or to the Power of Princes: And how ill soever they may behave themselves in the management of their Authority, it may be an En­croachment upon your Civil, but not up­on your Christian Liberty. If indeed the Proconsul of Iudea should publish an Edict that all Christians shall submit to Circumcision out of regard to the eter­nal Obligation of the Law of Moses, that were a manifest violence to the free­dom of the Gospel, but whatever else he may command you, so he pretend not any warrant of immediate divine Autho­rity, whatever abuse it may be of his own Power, it is no abuse of your Li­berty. And therefore be advised to submit your selves to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake, for so is the Will of God, 1 Pet. 2.13, [...]5. that with well-doing ye may put to silence the Ignorance of foolish men. That you may not give occa­sion to Authority to look upon your Re­ligion as troublesome to Government, [Page 414] and that you may clear its Reputation from those unjust aspersions that have been cast upon it by the folly and hypo­crisie of some Pretenders: so that your Governours observing your peaceable de­portment, they may be disabused of their vulgar mistakes, and hereafter learn to di­stinguish true Christians from Iews and He­reticks. You are free indeed, but use not your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness: do not shel­ter your peevishness and disobedience to lawful Superiours, under colour of your Christian Liberty; that is but a Knavish trick, and a palpable piece of craft, be­cause this thing neither has nor can have any relation to matters of that nature. 'Tis a Liberty of Spirit between God and your own Souls; and you may secure this benefit of his favour by the testimony of your own Consciences: but turn not his indulgence into wantonness, by being pee­vish and froward to the will of your Su­periours under its pretence and protecti­on. And yet so strangely wayward and humorous are some Men, that nothing can appease their Consciences in this de­mand, but a full Liberty of Contradicti­on; and they scarce think it worth the having or the contending for, unless it may warrant and abet their opposition to [Page 415] Authority; and therefore whatever that imposes upon their practice, though but an harmless and indifferent Ceremony, 'tis intolerable as the Yoke of Moses, and grievous as an Egyptian Bondage: they groan and die under the burthen of a Straw; and a Feather laid cross their wills, breaks their Bones and their Hearts, and lies like a Mountain of Lead upon their Consciences; and what horrible skreams and out-cries do we hear of An­tichristian Tyranny and Persecution? Like some Creatures (you may wot of) that if they may not have their will in every trifle, will roar and bellow like a stuck Ox. Men must be broke of this stomachful spirit, as Children are of their sullenness, by fasting and correction; and if this truantly humour be not lash't and kept under with a severe hand, there will be no keeping the Multitude in order and under Discipline: for what pride so deli­cious to ill-natured and ill-bred People, as to thwart and affront the will of Supe­riours? Or what insolence so intolerable, as that that bears up upon mistakes of Conscience and Religion? And there­fore nothing more imports Government, than to rid it self of the annoyance of this precise and sanctified peevishness; espe­cially [Page 416] when 'tis so notorious from the ex­perience of all Ages, that those Enthusi­asts that are so squeamish as to keck at indifferent things, have always had E­strich Consciences for the boldest Trea­sons and Villanies.

And now our Author, for want of new Invention, falls to chewing the Cud upon an old Slander: for from my account of Christian Liberty, I concluded that all Internal Acts of the Mind of Man, are exempt from the Empire of Humane Laws, that the substance of Religious Worship is transacted by them, and that its exteriour Significations are not abso­lutely necessary to its performance; and therefore whatever restraints the Civil Magistrate might lay upon their outward Actions in reference to Divine Worship, yet notwithstanding that, they might per­form all that is necessary to the discharge and the acceptance of the Duty. How! (says our Author) This is an open door to A­theism: Pag. 266. (for he is still knocking at that upon every slight occasion:) for who would not think this to be his Intention, Let Men keep their Minds and inward Thoughts and Appre­hensions right for God, and then they may pra­ctise outwardly in Religion what they please; one thing one day, another another; be Papists [Page 417] and Protestants, Arians and Homousians, yea, Mahometans and Christians? I see this Man is resolved never to lose any advan­tage for want of confidence; and if ill-natur'd Inferences can do his business, who can withstand the Power of his Lo­gick? Who would not think this to be my in­tention? say you. I say, Who would, unless one that thinks himself able to face me out of my plain meaning, and bear me down out of countenance and com­mon sense? Does the difference between Papists and Protestants, Arians and Homousi­ans, Mahometans and Christians, consist in Rites and Ceremonies of external Wor­ship? Who then, beside your confidence, from the indifferency of the outward forms and fashions of Worship, would conclude the indifferency of all Religi­ons? Their real differences arise from something else, and lie not in Rites and Ceremonies, but in Principles of Faith, and Rules of Life. Bate these, and we will never quarrel Turks or Papists for any of their outward signs and expressi­ons of Divine Worship, according to the Laws and Customs of their own Coun­try; provided they are not faulty upon one or both of the forementioned ac­counts, that they tend to debauch Men [Page 418] either in their practices or their concep­tions of the Deity; and therefore to ap­ply what was affirm'd onely of Ceremo­nies of Worship, to Articles of Belief, is such a way of dealing with Arguments as only becomes our Authors Logick and Ingenuity. But upon this occasion let me mind him, that publick and visible Wor­ship is no such necessary and indispensable Duty, but that it may in some circum­stances be lawfully omitted: for suppose this Man were in the Dominions of the Grand Signior, he would not, I presume, think himself absolutely obliged in Con­science to set up open Meetings and Con­venticles, without leave of the Govern­ment; but would for the security of his Life be content to enjoy his Religion to himself, without climbing up to the top of a Mosque to proclaim their Prophet a lewd Jugler, unless he were actually re­quired to renounce the Christian Faith, and turn Apostate to the Mahumetan Im­posture: And therefore I would willingly know why the same Liberty will not sa­tisfie them here, as to the Obligations of Conscience, that they would be content with there: there is no other reason as­signable than that they will do more for Fear than for Obedience; and this is un­deniable [Page 419] evidence, that 'tis something else, and not Conscience, (as is pretend­ed) that lies at the bottom of all their present Schisms and Disturbances.

§. 6. But now having given this brief account of the use of External Worship, from the Nature and Properties of the thing it self; I proceeded, for a farther Confirmation of my former Assertions, to an Historical Report, to shew that God had in all Ages of the World left its ma­nagement to the discretion of Men, unless when to determine some particular forms hapned to be useful to some other purpo­ses. Where, in the first place, I instan­ced in the Religion of the old World, and attempted to prove that Sacrifices, which were the most ancient, if not the onely Expressions of Divine Worship, were purely of Humane Institution. Now the first murmur our Author raises against this, is,Pag 271. That I should for the most part set off my Assertions at so high a rate, and yet found them not onely upon un­certain Principles, but upon such Para­doxes as are generally decried by Learned Men; Such is this of the Original of Sacrifices here insisted on. Certainly it would be present death for this Man to speak to [Page 420] the purpose; he avoids and dreads all Pertinency, as he would poison or Rats­bane: For where do I lay any such migh­ty stress upon this Assertion? In what great strains do I urge the necessity of its admittance? To what purpose then does he upon this occasion upbraid me with the briskness and vehemence of any Expres­sions, that were spoken upon other sub­jects, and to other purposes? I have in­deed loaded some other Principles with their proper mischiefs and inconvenien­ces: I have shewn that the Pleas of the Nonconformists from the natural right of Mankind, from the Obligations of scan­dal, and from the pretences of a tender and unsatisfied Conscience, for exempti­on from the Commands of lawful Autho­rity, tend to a direct and inevitable disso­lution of all Governments, and all Socie­ties. There the weightiness of the mat­ter and the Argument required some sui­table eagerness of expression; but why should I be minded of those warm passa­ges in this place? The matter of this Enquiry is neither of that evidence nor that importance as to need or deserve any grandeur and vehemence of stile. 'Tis indeed pertinent, but not at all necessary to the drift of my Discourse: for with­out [Page 421] its assistance I am able to prove the Power of Christian Magistrates over the outward Concerns of Religious Worship in Christian Commonwealths. Neither do I at all bottom my Discourse upon its admission; but onely use it as an accessi­onal reflection to my main Argument, and cast it in as a particular instance to give check to the Adversaries confidence; thereby to shew 'tis not absolutely neces­sary (as is pretended) to the acceptable­ness of Religious Worship, that it should be warranted by Divine Institution; when 'tis so contrary to experience, (for any thing that appears upon Record) as to the Religion of the old World. But seeing 'tis a pretty subject, let us a little farther examine, whether the Assertion be not evident enough to bear all the weight I have laid upon it.

Many Learned Men have indeed stretch't their Parts to make out wise ac­counts of the Nature and Original of Sa­crifices; and because they were in the first Ages of the World the most remarkable, perhaps the onely visible signs and expres­sions of Religious Worship, nothing will satisfie their curiosity, unless they may derive them either from the Obligation of the Law of Nature, or some express [Page 422] Institution of God himself. But when we come to weigh the Grounds and Prin­ciples of their Discourse, we find so lit­tle proof, and so much confusion, as will at least tempt any Impartial Enquirer to suspect the probable truth and reasonable­ness of both their different accounts. Those who would fetch their Obligation from Natural Light, seem at last to re­solve the Reason of their Assertion into the naked Testimonies and Opinions of some of the ancient Greeks, who were wil­ling enough to deduce the Authority of their Practice from so creditable a Foun­tain, in favour of the Rites and Customs of their own Country, they being almost the onely Symbols of Divine Worship a­mong the Grecians: And all the out­ward appearances of Religion among them, consisting in the solemnities of their publick and private Sacrifices, their Writers (as all Learned Men are partial enough for the honour of their Native Soil) thought themselves concern'd to perswade the World that their National Usages were tied upon Mankind upon the same natural Reason, and with the same natural Necessity as Religion it self. And therefore as they were wont to de­rive the Municipal Ceremonies of their [Page 423] own City from some Divine Institution; for so Plato in his Timaeus pleads in the Per­son of an Orthodox Athenian, that the particular Rites and Customs of Athens were first delivered by the Off-spring of the Gods, and from them conveyed down to that present Age by an uninterrupted and unquestionable Tradition: so for the same reason did they refer the more Ca­tholick Customs of the whole Nation, to the Obligations of Nature; especially if confirmed by the concurrent suffrage of their Asiatick Neighbors; for that to them was of the same import with the consent of Mankind. Now some critical Men that rather read than use Authors, if they hapned to meet with any passage in any of the Grecian Writers to this purpose, because it served for an ostentation of their Reading, they immediately subscri­bed to their Opinion out of respect to their bare Authority; and if they could alledge an Assertion for it out of Strabo, Plutarch, and Aristotle, (whom it was once a brave thing to quote) they passed it without any more ado for sufficient proof and de­monstration; though in matters of such remote Antiquity, their naked testimo­nies (unless they had withal given us some higher proofs and rational motives to en­gage [Page 424] our Assent) are of little more vali­dity than the Conjectures and Opinions of modern Writers. And therefore when our Author alledges the School-Doctors for this Perswasion,Pag. 272. he falls as much short of its first Original as T.W. did when he quoted Peter Martyr for the Story of the Judges in Hell.

§. 7. But now they on the other side, who deduce the Religion of Sacrifices from divine Institution, prove it thus: Because that the Light of Nature (1.) could not dictate that God would accept the destruction of other Crea­tures as the sign and token of mans Obe­dience, nor (2.) that the Bloud of Beasts should expiate the Sins of men, or ap­pease the Wrath of God; for the Par­don and Remission of sin being matter of meer Grace and arbitrary Favour, it must of necessity depend upon divine appoint­ment to determine by what means we may procure it, and upon what conditi­ons he will grant it. But the first of these Reasons proceeds upon a supposition that all outward significations of Religious Worship must needs be warranted either by the Law of Nature, or some positive Law of God, which being a direct con­tradiction [Page 425] to my Principle, I shall desire to see it better proved before I shall be willing to yield it for a granted Truth: Especially when in my conception of things, the formal nature of divine Wor­ship consists not so properly in Acts of Obedience, as in Offices of Love and Gratitude. The former indeed suppose an express and positive Institution, and 'tis their Conformity to the Command that gives them the formality of their goodness; but I cannot understand why the latter may not be warrantable in themselves, and acceptable to God with­out the express Authority of his own ap­pointment, provided they are sutable to the nature of the thing which they signi­fie, and worthy of the Person to whom they are address'd. And it cannot be supposed, either from the Reason of the thing it self, or the Nature of the divine Goodness, that God should be offended with his Creatures for making him any decent Returns of the grateful Resent­ments of their minds for the Obligations of his infinite Love and Bounty. And therefore 'tis not necessary, from the na­ture of Religious Worship it self, that it should be demanded as matter of posi­tive duty and obligation, and if it be re­quired [Page 426] for any other regard, then have I gain'd a fresh advantage of my Adver­sary, and it is incumbent upon him, not only to produce a positive Command for the Institution of Eucharistical Sacrifices, but an express Prohibition to the Patri­archs to perform divine Worship by any other outward expressions of honour, than what God himself had particularly deter­mined and appointed. This perhaps our Author may out of the abundance of his Reading attempt to prove from the fond Traditions of the Jews and Easterlings, (by which he may prove all the Fables in the World) but I am secure he shall ne­ver be able to discover the least shadow of an Argument in the sacred Records to countenance so vain a Fancy. Nay, so far is the Duty of Obedience from being the original Reason, and taking in the adequate Notion of natural Religion, that 'tis only consequential upon, and deducible from the Obligations of Gra­titude: For from hence result our En­gagements of subjection to Gods will, and submission to his Government. And as from his Bounty and Goodness arises the Duty of Gratitude, so from Gratitude follows the Necessity of Obedience; chearful compliance with the Will of a [Page 427] Benefactor being one of its most eminent Instances and indispensable Duties.

As for the second Reason in behalf of this Opinion, it proceeds upon no less mistake than the first, for want of attend­ing to the obvious difference between Eucharistical Oblations and Expiatory Sacrifices; the latter whereof must in­deed of necessity owe their Original to divine Institution, because it was an Act of Gods free-goodness, that he would accept the substitution of a Sacrifice in place of the Offender by way of Expiati­on for the Offence; and therefore the use and nature of Expiatory Oblations having their absolute dependence on the volun­tary acceptance of Gods it was necessary he should signifie this Result and Resolu­tion of his good pleasure to mankind, before they had any reasonable ground to suppose he would accept the substituted Expiation in lieu of the real Forfeiture. Now as for this sort of Sacrifices, I had already acknowledged, and proved, that they must depend upon divine Instituti­on; for all that Religion that resolves it self into the Will of God, must suppose Revelation, in that nothing else can discover its Obligation to mankind: but as for all that flows from the Nature and [Page 428] the Attributes of God, it requires no other discovery than the Light, and no other determination than the choice of natural Reason: So that though it be ne­cessary to Instituted Worship that it should be appointed, yet 'tis not necessa­ry to divine Worship that it should be instituted. And now though Attendance to this Distinction would have avoided all Ambiguity and Confusion in this En­quiry, yet our Author stifly over-looks it, and solemnly confutes my Assertion concerning Eucharistical Offerings by Instances of Expiatory Sacrifices, which I had before proved to his hand, must rely upon positive appointment, from their peculiar Use and Nature, and not because this was necessary to the Being and Design of Religion it self. But if we will confine our Talk to the subject matter of my Assertion, viz. Eucharisti­cal Oblations, or any other outward sig­nifications of the natural Worship of God in the first Ages of the World, I before affirmed and do still maintain, that they who say they were enjoyn'd and warran­ted by divine Command, take the Liber­ty of saying any thing without proof or evidence.

[Page 429]§. 8.Pag. 273. But if they are Arbitrary Inventi­ons of men, our Author desires to have a Rational Account of their Catholicism in the World, and one Instance more of any thing not natural or divine, that ever prevail'd to such an absolute universal acceptance amongst man­kind. As for the latter part of his de­mand, I think festival solemnities may challenge as great Antiquity and Univer­sality as Sacrifices: There being no Na­tion in the World that ever was known to be altogether destitute of set and pub­lick Festivals in honour of their Gods; and (as I before observed) the Anniver­sary Sacrifices of their First-fruits was the most ancient and most universal so­lemnity of Worship in the World. And some learned men conjecture, with as much Probability, as the nature of the thing will bear, that such were the Sa­crifices of Cain and Abel, and that from the Propriety of the words, [...] at the end of days, which, say they, implies some set and solemn season of the year; and there is no Idiom more frequent in the holy Scriptures than to express set and anniversary seasons by Days: To omit innumerable other Texts, 1 Sam. 2.9. The Yearly Sacrifice is called Sacrificium Dierum; so that the End of Days implies [Page 430] the Revolution of the Year, when Abel offer'd the First-born of his Flocks, and Cain the First-fruits of his Fields. But however this may be, 'tis attested by all the best Records of ancient Times, that Harvest Sacrifices and Festivals of First-fruits were the most Ancient, most Ca­tholick, and perhaps only Publick So­lemnities of Religion. And yet it will be as impossible to discover any Obliga­tion from Nature, or any Warranty from divine Institution for their Practice, as for the Original of Idolatry, which yet had universally prevail'd over the Reli­gion of mankind, and for ought I know might have done so still, had not divine Providence been pleased to disabuse the wretched World by so many Revelati­ons and miraculous discoveries of him­self; so that it is possible some things may acquire to themselves a Catholick Credit and Reputation, that never had it bestowed upon them by God or by Nature, especially if they chance to have any near Relation or Connexion with universal and unabolishable Truths. But seeing our Author desires a particular account of the Catholicism of Sacrifices, thus it hapned.

[Page 431]The first Ages of Mankind having a full and certain knowledge of the Be­ing of God, and a strong sense of the ne­cessity of his Worship, in that they had the same assurance then of the first cause of their Beings, as we have now of our Fore-fathers and Progenitors. From hence they became obliged from the instinct of Nature, and the dictates of Right Rea­son, to acknowledge and celebrate their Creators Bounty, and to return some Ex­pressions of Gratitude to him for his Fa­vours and Benefits. Divine Worship then being so clear a dictate of Humane Nature, it was but agreeable to the Rea­son of Mankind to express their sense of this Duty by outward Rites and Signifi­cations. Now what Symbol could be more natural and obvious to the Minds of Men, whereby to signifie their homage and thankfulness to the Author of all their Happiness, than by presenting him with some of the choicest Portions of his own Gifts, (for they had nothing else to pre­sent) in acknowledgment of that Bounty and Providence that had bestowed them? And this was so far from arguing any pregnancy of Invention, that to have missed it, would, in my conceit, have been flat stupidity. For though all sen­sible [Page 432] signs derive their significancy from positive Institution, yet the ground and reason of their Institution is usually (un­less they are inept and irregular) some natural suitableness they have in them to denote the thing signified. Now I will challenge our Authors wit to pitch upon any thing in Nature, that could be so easie and proper to express by way of outward action their thankfulness to God, as these Eucharistical Oblations; so ea­sie a thing is it to fetch their beginning from Humane Agreement, without re­course to the Authority of Nature, or Divine Prescription. The Religion of Sacrifices then being the most conspicuous Symbol and Signification of the Worship of God among the first Fathers of Man­kind, it descended to their Posterity, to­gether with their natural sense of Reli­gion, of which these were the onely vi­sible signs and indications; and therefore without them, it could have had no out­ward and sensible appearance in the World, because these were its onely pra­ctical way of conveyance; and by con­tinuing to observe the Rites and Customs of their Ancestors, they kept up their dictates of Religion. And thus the Idea of God, and the use of Sacrifices, were [Page 433] propagated together into all Societies of Mankind, by their observance of the Customs and Traditions of their Proge­nitors. Now so easie and unforced is the probability of this account of their Ca­tholicism, though they owe their origi­nal purely to the Choice and Institution of men, that as long as their Off-spring kept up any belief of the Notion of a Deity, or any Reverence for the wisdom of their Fore-fathers, it was morally impossible in the ordinary course of hu­mane Affairs, the Tradition of Sacrifices should ever be lost in the World. And this may suffice to shew how it came to pass, that they found such a Catholick entertainment in all Societies of Man­kind; and it was all one as to that, whe­ther they had their first beginning from humane invention, or divine Institution; for when once they had acquired the Esteem and Reverence of Religion, Use and Custom would ever after keep up their Practice and Reputation in the World: So that though it was im­possible they should ever obtain such an universal use and credit by their own strength, and upon their own account, yet when they had once obtain'd such an inseparable Connexion with mens na­tural [Page 434] & indelible sense of Religion, it was then as impossible without such an extra­ordinary change of things as was brought upon the World by the Institution of Christianity, that they should ever lose it.

§. 9. The last thing pleaded by our Au­thor for the Divine Institution of Sacri­fices is the words of St. Paul, Pag. [...]74. By Faith Abel offered Sacrifice. And faith hath respect unto the Testimony of God; revealing, com­manding, and promising to accept our Duty. And therefore this was not done by his own Choice, but by warrant of a divine Command. This Argument indeed is often insisted upon by some sort of Wri­ters, out of whom our Author (whose custom it is to pour forth his crude Di­ctate rather from his Memory than his Reason) transcribes it in haste without weighing its Force and Validity; But it bottoms upon such a short and narrow account of the nature of Faith, as would make wild work with the Phaenomena of Providence in the World. And therefore to be brief, the proper and last Resoluti­on of this vertue (as I have already inti­mated) is into the Goodness, and not the bare Testimony of God, and we [Page 435] therefore trust the truth of divine Re­velation, because we believe him so essen­tially good, that he nor can nor will de­ceive his Creatures: So that our Belief of the Testimony of God is not the full and adequate Notion of Faith, but 'tis one particular Instance of our Confidence in his essential goodness, and therefore there may be acts of this Duty without any supposal of divine Revelation, and such was the Faith of Abel, as the Apo­stle there describes it: For he that cometh to God must believe that he is, Heb. 11.6. and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him. This upright man therefore being so am­ply satisfied of the Existence and good­ness of his heavenly Father, and consci­ous of his own Integrity in the offering of his Sacrifice, rested secure from the Testimony of his own Conscience, of Gods gracious acceptance. However, might not the Faith ascribed to Abel re­late to the discharge of his Duty, and not to the manner of its Performance? And though he worshipped God in obe­dience to his Command, which was an Act of Faith, yet that is no more proof that he had any more divine warrant for the manner of his Worship than for the kind of his Sacrifice; & yet it was indiffe­rent [Page 436] as to divine acceptance, whether he had offered the Fruits of his Tillage, or the Products of his Flock; for the Sa­crifice of Cain was not rejected because not of the same kind with that of Abel, but had it been presented with the same Qualifications, it had been rewarded with the same acceptance. And thus does our Authors way of Arguing multi­ply difficulties upon himself; for if it be of any force, it will infer a necessity of a divine Command to determine the kind of Sacrifice as well as the manner of Worship, and then is he obliged not only to produce a Law for Sacrifices, but one to Cain to offer the Fruits of the Field, and another to Abel to offer Living Crea­tures; and this is competent evidence that God never prescribed their patticu­lar mode of Worship, but left it to the choice of their own Convenience and Discretion, and therefore they both chose that which was most proper & sutable to their respective conditions of life; & God entail'd his acceptance, not upon the out­ward Expressions of their worship, but the inward Qualifications of their minds. To conclude, this Argument is utterly impertinent, unless upon supposition of this Principle, that men have not any [Page 437] Rational Ground to expect that God should accept the faithful discharge of their Duty, unless himself have prescri­bed all particular ways and circumstances of the manner of its Performance; but this is to betake themselves to the lazy trade of Begging, and this man is bold enough for this shameless employment. And though he is not so confident as to take up his Bush so near home, yet when he gets aloof off into my sixth Chapter, he grows as bold and sturdy as the Gen­tlemen Cripples of Southwark are in Lin­colns-Inn Fields. For there to secure the Fundamental Mystery of Puritanism against all opposition, viz. that nothing ought to be practised in the Worship of God, but what is warranted in the Word of God, he lays down certain Proleptick and self-evident Principles, the first whereof is, That wherever in the Scri­pture we meet with any Religious Duty, Pag 321. that had a preceding Institution, although we find not expresly a consequent Approbation, we take it for granted, that it was approved; and so on the contrary, where an Approbation appears, and Institution is conceal'd. And in another Theorem in the same Chapter to the same purpose (for People of that Trade and Way of Life are much given to [Page 438] Repetitions) he gives in this very In­stance of Sacrifices for proof, viz. What­ever they (the Patriarchs) did, Pag. 314. they had especial warranty from God for; which is the case of the great Institution of Sacrifices it self. It is a sufficient Argument that they were di­vinely instituted, because they were graciously accepted. What figure this is called in his Pedling Logick, I know not; but in ours 'tis y [...]lep'd begging the Question. A sin­gular way of dispute this, is it not? First, to take the Conclusion for granted, and then challenge it for a Principle to prove it self; and to lay down the main matter in debate for a truth so certain, that a man is obliged by the Laws of Reasoning to grant it, before he is capa­ble of any right to dispute it. Who would ever contradict this Author in these Enquiries, that would admit those Postulata for self-evident Propositions? But this man is so bold and obnoxious a Beggar, that if he will continue to fol­low this Trade, 'tis impossible he should long escape the Beadles watchful eye, but more cruel hand. I know no Refuge he has to protect his Back against this se­vere Executioner, unless by listing himself into some Society of Gypsies, for whom he is admirably qualified as to the two [Page 439] great Offices of Canting and Begging; and wants not above one accomplishment more to compleat him at all points for that Imployment; and 'tis more noble and generous than to beg after this strag­ling rate.

After this Discourse of the Original of Sacrifices, and after another to give an account of the reason of Gods prescri­bing every particular Rite and Ceremony of his Worship under the Mosaick Peda­gogy; I proceeded to shew, that the main design of the Christian Institution was to establish the great Duties of Vertue and real Righteousness, and not to determine Rites and Ceremonies of external Wor­ship; in so much that we find none pre­scribed in the New Testament, save only the two Sacraments: and upon this I challenged the unpeaceableness of these Men, that upon their Principle must be Rebels and Schismaticks to all Churches in Christendom as well as the Church of England. But to this, hush, not one syl­lable of reply; 'tis close and immediate to my purpose, and therefore of no con­cern to his; he cares not for coming so near home, and loves to keep aloof off from present Transactions. A Man may talk confident Conjectures of things that [Page 440] hapned so many thousand years ago, and tell fine Stories of Men that begot Sons and Daughters before the Flood: But 'tis dangerous to talk of the History and Constitution of Affairs in the present World; a Man may possibly contradict known and undeniable experience; and every Novice that is never so little ac­quainted with the present state of For­reign Churches, will be able to check and shame our confidence. And there are two unhappy Books of Mr. Durel, that plainly demonstrate that we are a new Race of Men in the World, that are not yet sufficiently polish't and civilized for Humane Society; and such as, whilst we continue fond of our wild and barbarous Principles, must be banish't all establish't Churches and Commonwealths in Eu­rope.

§. 10. In the close of this Chapter I gave an account of the nature and use of significant Ceremonies, that are the same thing with external Worship under a dif­ferent Name; outward Worship consist­ing in nothing else but signifying our in­ward thoughts and sentiments of Religi­on, either by Words or Actions: where I shewed, that it might be indifferently ex­prest [Page 441] and performed by either; and that Gestures of Reverence were of the same use in the Worship of God, as solemn Praises and Acknowledgements; and that to bow the Body at the mentioning the Name of Jesus, was the same kind of honour to his Person, as to celebrate his Name with Hymns and Thanksgivings; and therefore that the Magistrates Pre­rogative of instituting significant Cere­monies, amounted to nothing more than a Power of defining the import of words; and by consequence that 'tis no other U­surpation upon his Subjects Consciences, than if he should take upon him to re­fine their Language, and determine the proper signification of all Phrases imploy­ed in Divine Worship, as well as in Trades, Arts and Sciences: and therefore I could not but profess my admiration at the prodigious confidence and imperti­nence of those Men, that could raise such hideous Noises and Out-cries against the Laws of a setled Church and State upon such slender grounds and pretences. But here our Author quickly requites me with a counter-wonder,Pag. 276. That I cannot express my dissent from others in controverted Points of the meanest and lowest concernment, but with crying out, Prodigies, Clamours, Impertinencies, [Page 442] and the like Expressions of astonishment in my self, and contempt of others. I might reserve some of these great words for more important occasions. And the truth is, these are not any matters of the greatest importance; and were our Dispute meerly concern'd in their Speculation, I could discourse as coolly and carelesly about them, as about a Mechanical Hypothesis, or a Metaphy­sical Notion; and should not be more ea­gerly concern'd to resolve the truth of the Question, than I am to determine the Principle of Individuation. But when the establish't Government of a Nation shall be subverted by such nice and new-invented Subtilties; when never any Church in the World was more rudely treated by her own Children, than the Church of England by the Puritan Schis­maticks; when Men shall cry out, An­tichrist, Popery and Superstition, and all for the Idolatry of a significant Ceremo­ny; and when this clamorous Exception is so vain, so groundless and impertinent; is it not infinitely prodigious to see Men so confident and troublesom upon such slight and vanishing appearances? What scurrilous Language do they continually pour forth against the Church of Eng­land? What ignominious Titles do they [Page 443] fasten upon her Friends and Followers? And with what disdain and insolence do they spit at her way of Worship and De­votion? Into what woful and endless Schisms do they drive their Proselytes from her Communion? What Distur­bances do they create in the State? and what Ruptures in the Church? And how do they imbroil and discompose the peaceable setlement of a flourishing King­dom? and all this meerly out of hatred to the Popery and Paganism of a Symbo­lical Rite. For ever since the Scepter of Jesus Christ (as they stiled their Presby­terial Consistory) has been wrested from them by force of Argument; and ever since the divine Right of the holy Disci­pline has been so shamefully exploded, and that time and experience have put a baffle upon the confidence of their old Pleas and Pretences, all the out-cry has been against the unwarrantableness of in­stituted Ceremonies; which after innu­merable Trains of Distinctions and Limi­tations about Natural, and Customary, and Topical Signs, still spends it self a­gainst the Superstition of mystical and sig­nificant Rites: so that the substance of this whole Contest is now at length re­solved into this single Enquiry; and up­on [Page 444] this, all their deeper and more subtle Men of Controversie spend all their Cho­ler and Metaphysicks. 'Tis true, they defend themselves with the Pleas of Scandal, Tenderness of Conscience, &c. but when they use their Offensive Wea­pons, they scarce annoy us with any o­ther Objections, than what are levell'd against the Churches Usurpation, in ta­king upon her to appoint new Ceremo­nies and Institutions of Worship. And therefore if ever I had reason to cry out, Prodigies, Clamours and Impertinencies, it was upon this subject and this occasion, when my Thoughts were warm with re­flecting upon those mighty Troubles and Inconveniences, under which these Men have brought the best establish't Church in the World by their unreasonable folly and curiosity. For tell me, Sir, is it no­thing to shake the Foundations, and ha­zard the Overthrow of a setled Church? Is it nothing to discompose the Publick Peace and Tranquillity of a setled State? Is it nothing for Subjects to withdraw their assistance from their Prince and their Country? Is it nothing to violate the Fundamental Laws of Love, and Peace, and Charity? Is it nothing to rend the Body of a Church into numberless [Page 445] Schisms and Contentions? Is it nothing to keep up implacable Feuds and Animo­sities among Members of the same Com­monwealths? Is it nothing to harden debauch't and ungodly Men against Reli­gion it self, by giving them too much reason to suspect it, as a thing that is troublesom and mischievous to Govern­ment? Is it nothing to encourage the designs of sacrilegious Wretches, by gi­ving them advantage under the disguise of Zeal and Purity, to prey upon the Churches Antichristian Patrimony? In a word, Is it nothing to gore the Bowels of a Kingdom with everlasting Changes and Reformations; and all this upon Pre­tences as thin as Sope-bubbles, and as brittle as Glass-drops?

§. 11. But let us take a brief Surveigh of their particular Reasonings and Ex­ceptions; and then our wonder at these Mens confidence will be so far from aba­ting, that it will swell into ecstasie and downright astonishment. For first, (says our Author) To say that the Magistrate has Power to institute visible signs of Gods honour, Pag. 277. to be observed in the outward Worship of God, is upon the matter to say that he has Power to institute new Sacraments; for so such things [Page 446] would be. But, I say, so such things would not be; and so there is an end of our dis­pute: and at this lock have we stood ga­zing at one another at least this hundred years: here Cartwright begun the Obje­ction, and here he was immediately check't in his career by Whitgift, who told him plainly,Defence of the An­swer, p. 618. He could not be ignorant, that to the making of a Sacrament, besides the ex­ternal Element, there is required a Command­ment of God in his Word that it should be done, and a Promise annexed unto it, whereof the Sa­crament is a seal. Here they stopt, and his Adversary never proceeded in his Ar­gument; but some that came after him, resolved not to part so easily with so big an Exception, though perhaps for no o­ther reason than because Cartwright had started it: and the truth is, all his fol­lowers have done little more than lickt up the Vomit and Choler of that proud Schismatick; and therefore they never pursued this new-fangled Cavil beyond his first Syllogism, where himself was re­puls't and rebuked; and ever since this has been their post, and they are resolved to keep it with unyielding and invincible confidence; and their foreheads are so hardned, that you may sooner beat out their brains than shame or convince them [Page 447] out of their Folly; and though they have been so frequently and vehemently urged to a Proof and Prosecution of their Argument, they could never be made to stir one foot backward or forward, but here they stand like men enchanted, and whatever Demands or Questions you propose to them, they return you not one syllable of reply, but Sacraments, Sacraments. And in this Posture do they continue to this day, to haunt us with the stub­bornness of unlaid Ghosts; and 'tis the only voice this Head of Modesty is able to utter upon this Subject. He is resol­ved upon it, that all significant Rites, in­stituted in the Worship of God, are real Sacraments, and that so they shall be. And that is stubborn and indisputable Proof, and 'tis not modest to bear up against so much Brass and Boldness; and yet I am resolved for once to rub my fore­head, and not to be brow-beaten, but to look him in the Face with the confi­dence of a Basilisk, and upbraid him ei­ther to make good, or to renounce his Argument; and if he will neither yield, nor proceed, to scorn, and affront, and point him out of his intolerable Confi­dence. Here then I fix my foot, and dare him to his Teeth to prove that any [Page 448] thing can be capable of the Nature or Office of Sacraments, that is not esta­blish'd by divine Institution, and upon Promise of divine Acceptance. These are inseparable Conditions of all Sacra­mental Mysteries, and whatsoever other Properties and Qualifications they may have beside, these are always necessary and indispensable Ingredients of their Office, so that without them nothing can lay claim to their Name or Dignity, however any thing may happen to sym­bolize with them upon other Accounts, and by other Circumstances. For the Christian Sacraments are the inseparable Pledges and Symbols of the Christian Faith, and are establish'd to that Intent by the Author of the Christian Instituti­on, and they are such outward Rites and Ceremonies whereby we openly own the Covenant, and pass mutual Engage­ments to stand to its Terms and Conditi­ons; and therefore he alone that ap­pointed the Religion, is able to appoint by what outward Signs or Acts of stipu­lation we shall signifie and express our acknowledgment of, and submission to his Institutions. So that the meaning and intention of it, is to assign some particular Act of Worship, whereby we may express [Page 449] our Engagements and Resolutions of Obedience to the whole Religion; and who then can declare and specifie what Rite he will accept as a full acknowledg­ment of our duty of Universal Obedi­ence, but he alone that requires it? And therefore unless it pretend to his Institu­tion, there is no imaginable ground why it should be thought to pretend to the Office and Dignity of a Sacrament. And certainly they have a very mean opinion of these sacred Mysteries, that require nothing more to their Nature and Fun­ction but bare significancy, and make every external sign capable of that holy and mysterious Office; and what can more derogate from the Credit of those great Pledges of our Faith and Instru­ments of our Salvation? As if they car­ried in them nothing of a more useful or spiritual Efficacy, than what every common Rite and Ceremony may acquire or pretend to by Custom and humane In­stitution.

§. 12. But 'tis still more pleasant and more prodigious to see men, that are so stiff and dogmatical in their Talk, have so little regard to their own Pretences; thus whereas they will admit no other [Page 450] Umpirage of our present Disputes about Divine Worship, but what may be fetch'd from immediate Divine Authority, yet in this grand Exception, they take no notice of its Decrees and Determinati­ons; and though our Author will have every significant Circumstance of Devo­tion to partake of the Nature and My­stery of a Divine Sacrament, yet he makes no attempt to prove it out of the Word of God. No: there is not a Text in the four Gospels that may be abused to that purpose. And Paul (for to allow him the Title of Saint is Popish and Ido­latrous, and our Author is as shy in all his Writings of bestowing it upon an Apostle as upon Cain or Iudas, though he will vouchsafe the Title of Holy, that is coincident with it, to every Zealot of his own Brotherhood) but by what name or title soever dignified or distinguish'd, the Apostle Paul is utterly silent in the Case, and now we have no higher Au­thority to vouch our Cause but the Schoolmen and Austin. Pag. 180. As for the for­mer (not to dispute the impertinency of the Quotation) whenever they speak sense, we are ready to subscribe to their Reason; but their bare Authority is of no more force in the Church of England [Page 451] than the Decrees and Oracles of Mr. Cal­vin; their Writings are no part of the Canon of Scripture, or the four first Ge­neral Councils; and 'tis well known what wise accounts they are forced to give of the Nature of Sacraments, to justifie the unwarrantable Determinati­ons of their own Church, that had rash­ly and needlesly enough defined some things to be so, that are in themselves in­finitely uncapable of that sacred Name and Office. And I know nothing for which any part of their coarse and frieze Discourses is more ridiculous in it self, or more unanimously condemned by Pro­testant Writers of all Communions, than their loose and groundless descriptions of the Nature and Office of Sacramental Pledges. But this is one of their old ways of trifling, when the pursuit of their Principles forces them upon an ab­surdity, to father it upon the Schoolmen, as if because these men sometimes talk absurdly, that shall justifie their Imper­tinencies. And as for his Citation out of St. Austin, viz. Signa cum ad res divi­nas pertinent sunt Sacramenta; unless he would have vouchsafed a particular Re­ference, that might direct us to the sense of the Father, and the Integrity of his [Page 452] own Quotation, we have no engage­ment to examine its Truth, or regard its Authority: For our Author has given me as little reason to trust his word, as he has the Publick to trust his Oath. How­ever 'tis neither civil, nor ingenuous to trouble me with such Objections, that I cannot answer without reading over eight or ten large Volumes in Folio. Though I am prettily well satisfied aforehand from that good Fathers sense of things, that were we in a Capacity to consult him about this Passage, we should find he as little favours this Notion of Sacra­ments, as I do the Magistrates unlimited and immediate Power over Conscience and Religion. Nay, I should have odds and advantage on my side, should I lay a wager with him (though that is no cre­ditable way of arguing, and if it were, I should quickly grow rich by disputing with this man) that there is no such Passage in all the Volumes of St. Austin. For alas he never read it in the Father himself, and if it was not the Product of his own pregnant Invention, it was transcribed out of Ames, or Bradshaw, or some other of the Puritan Fathers. He is an admirable second-hand man, and seems somewhat akin to a certain late [Page 453] Author, that by the help and perusal of a few of our modern spicilegious men, could compose a Book of 500 Pages in Quarto to prove Independency to have always been the only Orthodox Religion of Mankind, and then (after the Dutch fa­shion of bragging and ostentation) add a swelling Catalogue of 500 old Authors, that were pressed for Journey-men to bring in Materials to his Work, though there is scarce a Quotation in the whole Book that five new ones would not have furnished him with, nay, that has not been lately transcribed five times over. So unhappy a thing it is when confident men are vain-glorious, they openly be­tray their Ambition by too bold and foolish attempts, and melt their Wings by venturing at too high a Flight. But I begin to preach Apophthegms, and there­fore to conclude, we will not be concern­ed to enquire St. Austins opinion in this Case, till we are better satisfied of the Truth and Pertinency of this Citation; and thus have I shifted off the Task, he would have imposed on me, upon his own shoulders, for I believe he is as much to seek for this Passage in St. Austin, as my self. In the mean time you may ob­serve this mans wretched way of Talk [Page 454] and shuffle, when he makes such con­tinual and importunate demands of Ap­peal to the Law, and to the Gospel, and yet in this present Argument, that is now almost their only surviving Pretence, have no respect to neither. And there­fore I shall for ever hereafter put in a de­mur to this Plea, till they shall attempt to prove out of the Word of God all significant Ceremonies to be of the same use and nature with divine Sacraments; and if we can but prevail with them to undertake this Argument, it will give us no less pleasant divertisement, than that learned Dispute managed so hotly be­tween two of their leading Rabbies, Ainsworth and Broughton, whether the co­lour of Aarons Linen Ephod were of Blue, or a Sea-water-green: A Con­troversie of that mighty Importance to the Salvation of souls, that (beside that it occasioned some bloudy Noses) it created new Schisms, and founded new Churches; and what became of the blue separation, I cannot at present call to mind, but as for the Brethren of the Sea-water-green Communion, they crumbled into as many Schisms and Churches as there are Colours in the Rainbow. And there is not any speculation in Nature so [Page 455] frivolous or Metaphysical, for which these People will not bandy into Parties, yes, and raise Armies too; as they once sacri­ficed to the great Moloch of Publick Faith their Wedding-Rings, the Symbols and Pledges of their Matrimonial Engage­ments, to abolish their expensive use and custom; and tied themselves by solemn Oath, and three new significant Ceremo­nies; to venture Lives and Fortunes to cashier three old ones: And the Angels that (they say) can wage War, and fight pitch't Battels upon the point of a Nee­dle, are not at a less distance from each other in their Engagements, than these Men are in their Disputes and Contro­versial Dissentions. And into this in the last issue of things, does all their tender­ness of Conscience resolve it self: a bold­ness and confidence in their own little Conceits, in opposition to the Commands of Authority, and the great Duties of Obedience.

§. 13.Pag. 178, 279. In the next place our Author distinguishes between Customary signs that have prevailed by Custom and Vsage, to signifie such things as they have no absolute natural co­herence with, or relation unto; such are put­ting off the Hat in sign of Reverence, with o­thers [Page 456] innumerable. And these sorts of signs may have some use about the Service and Wor­ship of God, as might be manifested in In­stances. But the signs we enquire after are vo­luntary, arbitrary, and instituted; such as nei­ther naturally nor meerly by custom and usage come to be significant, but onely by virtue of their Institution. And 'tis these that are dreaded by the Nonconformists for such illegal and unwarrantable Additions to the Worship of God. And why! what is the matter? Where has the Word of God prescribed this distinction? and where has it allowed the use of the for­mer, and disavowed the lawfulness of the latter sort of Ceremonies? Or can they assign any natural Immorality in institu­ted, more than in customary Significati­ons? Or is the Authority of Chance and Custom (for all Prescriptions that are not instituted, are purely casual) more Sacred and Obligatory than the Commands of Princes, and Councils of Senates? Or why should the appoint­ment of the Publick Laws make unal­lowable Sacraments, rather than the pre­valency of Custom, or (what is the same) the Institution of Usage? I cannot fa­thom the depth of this mystery, unless it lies in this, that the Consciences of [Page 457] the People of God need not be so very tender and curious in any case, but onely in matters of Duty and Obedience to lawful Authority. 'Tis strange that things that are so harmless upon all other accounts, should become so horridly Cri­minal for no other reason than because they please our Governours. For exam­ple, let us take our Authors instance of uncovering the Head in sign of reverence in these European Parts of the World, whereas the Eastern Nations express the same thing by the contrary custom, and yet both in our Authors Opinion are law­ful in the Worship of God, because war­ranted by Topical Usages. Now suppose his Majesty should injoin their custom up­on us; and on the contrary, a Christian Prince in Asia should impose ours upon his Subjects, would that alter their Nature and Morality? And make those things that were antecedently to the Command decent and innocent Expressions of Re­verence in Divine Service, immediately become sinful and offensive to the Al­mighty? But if that would not alter their nature, then the case of Symbols that depend upon Institution, is as to their lawfulness and divine acceptance the same with those that are founded upon [Page 458] Prescription. And now, what think you? are not Churches likely to be bravely go­vern'd, and order and decency in the Worship of God admirably provided for, when all their solemn Laws and Injuncti­ons shall be controul'd by such precarious Fancies and Fooleries? Can you ima­gine any thing judged more scandalous in these Mens Case-Divinity, than the horrid Crimes of Peace and Obedience? And so I leave it to you to judge, whether the farther these Men proceed in the pur­suance of their Principles and Pretences, they do not all the way increase our a­mazement at the prodigiousness of their Impertinency.

But having assign'd this vast distance between customary and instituted Sym­bols of Reverence, he adds this final de­termination of the whole Case:Pag. [...]79. Now concerning these last, one Rule may be observed, namely, that they cannot be of one kind, and signifie things of another, by virtue of any Command and consent of Men, unless they have an absolute Authority both over the sign and thing signified, and can change their Na­tures, or create a new Relation between them. Now, Sir, our Author grows wanton, and resolves in a jolly humour to main­tain against my self and all my Associates, [Page 459] that Averia Capta in Withernamio non sunt Re­plegibilia. For 'tis all perfect Waggery and Gibberish, and a meer design to puz­zle and confound us with unintelligible subtilties; and these are the Eisotericks of the Sect, that ought not to be understood by any but the Sons of Mystery; and I doubt not but you understand the sense and reason of this Rule, as much as you do those prescribed by the Rosie-Crucian Professors, in order to the discovery of the Great Secret. But whatever the mean­ing of the Oracle may be, why must it be limited to instituted rather than cu­stomary Symbols? For what cause should Usage, where there is no natural relati­on between the sign and the thing signi­fied, be allowed to create one, rather than the Commands of lawful Authori­ty? For my part I am not able to ima­gine any reason, unless it be his great Democratical Principles, that ascribes less Power to the Soveraign Prince, than to the Common People, that are always the chief Authors and Abettors of Custom? Or why may we suppose that may apply things of one kind, to signifie things of another, by virtue of popular Consent, without having an absolute Authority over the sign and thing signified, and yet not [Page 460] suppose the same thing of the Edicts of Princes, and the Votes of Convocations; especially when in this weighty Rule, he has been pleased (for there is no other ground for it but his own good pleasure) to exclude the Consent of Men as well as the Commands of Governours? Nay, why may not they, or any thing else have Power to appropriate new names and signs to things, without having any ab­solute Authority over the things them­selves? And lastly, why must a Power of creating new Relations between them, infer a Power to change their Natures? For so are they here represented by our Author as things coincident. But such manifest and palpable Trifles are not worth so many Objections. And there­fore (to conclude) whereas I declared the signification of Ceremonies to be of the same Nature and Original with that of Words, equally Arbitrary, and equally depending either upon Custom or Institu­tion; this (says he) will not relieve me in this matter, Pag. 280. for words are signs of things, and those of a mixed Nature; partly Natural, part­ly by Consent: But they are not of one kind, and signifie things of another; for say the School­men, where words are signs of sacred things, they are signs of them as things, but not as [Page 461] sacred. But do you, or any of his own Lay-proselytes understand this Schola­stick subtilty? Does he not leave you (as himself speaks) in the Briers of unscri­ptural Distinctions? However,Pag. 310. why may we not affirm the same thing of Ceremo­nies, that he is here pleased to appropri­ate to Words? And then, I hope, there is no harm done; and once, for peace and quiet sake, we will so far gratifie the tenderness of their Consciences, and cu­riosity of their Fancies, as to promise ne­ver to ascribe any other significancy to things, than what himself is here content to bestow upon words; and then, I hope, that will appease all their Doubts, and satisfie all their Scruples. And yet after all, these Metaphysical abstractions will not relieve us in this affair. For I know no words, whose signification can be pre­tended to be natural, (as he talks) unless Tintinnabulum, and some few others that happen to strike our Organs with the same kind of noise, as the things themselves do of which they are significative. And none of these that I know of are concern'd in the Worship of God, unless the Clink­ing of the Saints Bell; so that by this ca­sual Concession we have regain'd back the Grant of its lawful Use and Custom. [Page 462] Though in their strict Reformation it was abolish't for the more Orthodox way of Chiming: which yet carried in it as much Symbolical-Resemblance to the ensuing Sermon, as any of our Ceremonies do to the matters of their signification. But to be ingenuous, and confess the plain and undisguised truth to a Friend: I am at an utter loss for a Reply to this profound subtilty of the Schoolmen, because I un­derstand neither its sense nor its pertinen­cy: unless you will accept of this, that sacred things have words to signifie them not onely as things, but as sacred, other­wise there are no words to express Divine Worship as such, for that as such is sa­cred: And therefore in spight of Scotus and all his Myrmidons, I dare positively aver, That words used in Religious Wor­ship, do not only signifie things as things, but things as sacred; because if they should not, they were no signs of Religi­ous Worship. So that you see notwith­standing this unscriptural Distinction, (which yet you know by our Authors Principles is not to be attended to in our present En­quiry) my comparison between the sig­nification of Words and Ceremonies stands firm as the Pillars of the Earth, and the Foundations of our Faith. But [Page 463] are not tender Consciences come to a fine pass, when they shall remonstrate to the Decrees of Princes, and the Laws of Commonwealths, upon such shadows of scruple, and shall run People into such woful Divisions and Disorders for a sense­less Word? They cannot but have a mighty Reverence for Government, and a deep sense of Duty to Superiours, that can wriggle themselves out of their Obe­dience by such little shifts, and satisfie their Consciences with such lamentable excuses. In a word, is it not a sad Re­flection to consider how many of the Peo­ple of this Nation have been scared out of their natural Candour and Civility, and Wits too, by a few idle Words, and a few idle Men?

[Page 466]§. 1. THus far have I made good my ground against all this mans Talk and Con­fidence (for there, and there alone, lies all his strength) and should now proceed to an Examination of his Censures against the fifth Chapter of my former discourse; For against the fourth he only drops his old Calumny, viz. that what I have there discoursed against the absolute and un­controulable Power of the Civil Magi­strate, as 'tis stated in Mr. Hobs's Hypo­thesis of Government, is destructive of my own Pretensions in the foregoing part of my discourse, where, as he is resol­ved to bear me down, I have made hu­mane Laws the sole and supreme Rule of Religious Worship, insomuch that the Magistrate of every Nation hath Power to order and appoint what Religion his Subjects shall profess and observe, Pag. 97. and thereby binds their Consciences to profess and observe that which is by him so appointed (and nothing else are they to observe) making it their Duty in Conscience so to do; and the highest Crime or sin to do any thing to the contrary; and that whatever the precise Truth in these matters be, &c. The horrour of which bold Calumny I have [Page 467] already, I hope, competently enough dis­cover'd and detested. But 'tis the choicest Topick of this mans Logick to falsifie Arguments, and represent his own Inferences as his Adversaries Opi­nions, and then load them with loud and lusty Conclusions: And then they are Oracles and Demonstrations to the Peo­ple that understand neither the Truth nor Consequences of things; and therefore does he repeat this fundamental Forgery in all Places, and upon all Occasions, and 'tis the only thing that gives strength and colour to all his other Trifles and Imper­tinencies, upon this he at first founds all his Reasonings, and into this he at last resolves them, insomuch that his whole Book is but one huge Lye 400 Pages long. And this Confidence takes so suc­cessfully with the believing Disciples, that they will at all adventure lay wa­gers, that all those Prodigious Untruths he has obtruded on me are my own posi­tive and direct Assertions. But having manfully quit himself in this Perform­ance, he baulks the whole discourse of this Chapter, as being of no Concern to himself and his dear Brotherhood; and so advances to the next, where we might trace him through all his former Me­thods [Page 468] of Truth and Ingenuity; but at present we will wave that Province, and rather chuse first to discharge our selves of those froward Exceptions, where­with he labours to entangle and perplex the design of my sixth Chapter, because the matters there debated are of a more close and immediate Affinity to the na­ture of those things, that fell under our last Consideration; and therefore (see­ing he has been pleased to break the Co­herence of my method) I conceive it will be a more perspicuous and useful way of proceeding to dispatch them both toge­ther; especially when what remains to be there examined, is either meer imper­tinence to the drift of my Discourse, or relies meerly upon the Principles here al­ready confuted. For what he dictates in defence of their darling Principle, that nothing ought to be practised in the Worship of God, but what is prescribed in the Word of God, is either such loose and general Tattle, as whether it be true or false, it does neither service nor disservice to our pre­sent Enquiry: Or if there be any thing more close and direct to the Purpose, it resolves it self entirely into the Dispute of the last Chapter; in that he restrains the Universality of this Maxim to [Page 469] instituted and significant Ceremonies, which being exempted upon this score, he seems not unwilling to allow the Go­vernours of the Church a Power of de­termining natural Circumstances for the ends of Order and Decency; so that in the last Result of things all this Cluster of Trifles and Impertinencies grows up­on the stock of the former Principle, and therefore that being cut down root and branch, this that depends so entirely up­on it, must by consequence fall and perish with it. For which reason I had once resolved with my self wholly to omit its distinct Examination, and only to put them upon the proof of this Principle, as 'tis here stated by our Author, out of the written Word of God. But because he here counterfeits more assurance, and pretends more Accuracy; and (to speak in his own stile) by the Longsomness of his Discourse, and the number of his Propo­sitions, seems more elaborate than in all the former Parts of his survey; and withal to avoid their Clamour, and other mens suspicion of dealing with him as he has dealt with me, in wholly baulk­ing the last Chapter of my Discourse, that was most pertinent and material to his Pretences; I have at last resolved to [Page 470] undergo the Penance of a Reply: and thus it follows.

§. 2. In the first place then he flings down the Ball, viz. that nothing ought to be establish'd in the Worship of God, but what is authorized by some Precept or Example in the Word of God; and then tells us, If men would lay aside their Prejudices, Pag. 303. corrupt Interests, and Passions, they would see at first view that this Principle is not foreign unto what is in an hundred places de­clared and taught in the Scripture. But, Sir, Big words break no shins, nor will Brags and Threatnings pass for current De­monstrations: This is the only thing to be proved, and the Principle it self re­fuses to accept of any other evidence, but what is expresly approved and warranted by holy Writ; yet when he comes to vouch its sacred Authority, he only gives in his own Affidavit. And if you will take his word, you may rest assured there are hundred of Texts in the sacred Vo­lume that have adopted the Patronage of his Cause; though at present he is not at leisure to check and rebuke our Confi­dence with one single Testimony. And therefore is it not strange, that when the Issue of the whole Controversie depends [Page 471] so absolutely upon this Performance, yet whenever they are forced upon its At­tempt, they still adjourn the Dispute, and respite the only Proof that we de­mand, and they ought to produce, to a fairer and more seasonable Opportunity. And this has ever been one of their most serviceable Arts of trifling; in matters of a more remote Concernment, and se­condary Evidence, they are confident, and abound with Noise and Reasoning, but when they come to approach the Vi­tals of the Question, their Fury immedi­ately abates, and they are struck with a sudden speechlessness, and you must wait for the farther Prosecution of their Argu­ment, till they are restored to the Power of Speech and use of Tongue, and then do they entertain you with all the old Tale over again, till they come just to the former difficulty, and then are they seized upon by the former Astonishment. And by this Artifice have they so long kept up this Controversie in spite of so many publick and dishonourable Baffles. They have always been brisk and talka­tive in the beginning of the Dispute till they are run up into the main difficulty, and driven into the streights of the En­quiry, and there they fling down their [Page 472] Arms, sometimes cry Quater, and some­times escape by flight, and so at present the War ends, and Peace ensues; till some other pert Fellow chance to take up the Cudgels, and he uses the same Play till he is brought to the same foil, and there is an end of him, and so on from Generation to Generation. And hence it is not unobservable, that all their Wri­ters have ever begun and ended with Cartwright, and as he wrangled himself into Obedience and Conformity, so have they all at length either disputed them­selves out of their former folly, or into a farther Madness: And the zeal of their warmest Bigots has ever ended either in a peaceable Reduction to the Church, or in some wilder and more extravagant se­paration. By continual wrangling they contract a sowr and froward Humour. Every thing annoys their fretful and ex­ulcerated Minds: They are peevish and displeased with their own Friends, and their own Fraternity; and this trans­ports them into some new-fangled Pranks and Projects. Hence Coppingers Raptures, and Visions, and familiar Con­ferences with Almighty God; hence Hackets Ecstasies, and Revelations, and blasphemous Prophesies; and hence the [Page 473] mad Frekes and Treasons of Penry, that precious Martyr of Jesus Christ. An ha­bitual discontent and restlesness of mind heated their choler and melancholy bloud into perfect Frenzy and Outrage. But the most remarkable Instance of this Ca­pricious Humour is the story of Robert Brown, who (you know) left Cartwright and the Disciplinarians in Babylon as well as the Church of England, and could find no Church in the World pure enough for his own Communion, till he had esta­blish'd one of his own Draught and Pro­jectment, and then nothing was or could be agreeable to the Word of God but what was contained in his Pamphlets of Reformation. But having run his Fol­lowers into such an obstinate and unfor­tunate Schism, the man himself becomes unsetled in his own mind, and unconstant to his own Principles, and consumes the Remainder of his days in discontent and restlesness of Thoughts. Sometimes in his lucid Intervals he would suffer him­self to be reclaimed to some sobriety of behaviour; by and by in a sullen and peevish humour he falls into his old fits of Raving, and then every thing dislikes him, and he falls out with his own draughts of Reformation: Anon in [Page 474] a pensive and melancholy mood he breaks all into Tears and Invectives against Cartwright and the Disciplinarian Brethren; the natural Pursuance of whose Princi­ples had run him into all those miseries and Calamities of life; and thus by rea­son of his frequent Relentings and perpe­tual Relapses, the miserable Wretch was continually tossed from Gaol to Gaol, till having tried his Fortune in two and thirty Prisons, and being tired with grief and poverty, he at last setles in Conformi­ty for a good Benefice, where he lived to a great Age without making any more disturbances and defections in the Church, till he died frekish in Northam­pton Gaol, whither he had been commit­ted for breach of peace, and disorderly behaviour, and so (as it was meet) pe­rish'd this great Prophet in that little Ie­rusalem. And 'tis nothing but this mix­ture of Pride and Peevishness that be­witches men into a love of Schisms and Divisions; they are so highly conceited of themselves, and so willing to censure and despise others, that nothing shall either suit or satisfie their humour, unless it be of their own ordering and contri­vance. And then must these phantastick Sots attempt to reform the World; they [Page 475] must be sure to condemn and vilifie the wisdom of Superiours, and fancy them­selves as Men appointed by special Provi­dence to give check to the errours and follies of Mankind. And what so deli­cious to people of this complexion, as to be the first Founders of Changes and In­novations? And the most famous Impo­stors and Enthusiasts of all Ages have ever bewrayed rank symptoms of this spight­ful humour both in their principles and practices. And I know some Men, in whose haughty and contracted Looks Schism and Singularity are as legible as if they carried the mark of a thorough godly Reformation in their Foreheads: and what will not such Persons attempt or endure for the glory and satisfaction of leading a Party?

§. 3. In the next place (to skip over his old complaint of the vehemence of my stile) he adds a caution of his own to limit and explain this general Position, viz. Pag. 305. That nothing ought to be established in the Worship of God as a part of that Worship, or made constantly necessary in its observance, without the Warranty before mentioned; for this is expresly contended for by them who maintain it, and who reject nothing upon the Authority of it, but [Page 476] what they can prove to be a pretended part of Religious Worship as such. This is another eminent instance of their shuffling way of talk: for whereas this Principle was first framed and managed by themselves as the most forcible Objection to beat down the establish't Institutions of the Church; it was immediately replyed, That 'tis nei­ther true nor certain; and they have al­ways been prest and demanded from its first starting, to prove its evidence, and make good its certainty out of the Word of God: but in stead of hearkning to so hard a task, they have only studied to de­fend and guard it with a multitude of pre­carious Distinctions, and unwarrantable Limitations; all which amounts to no­thing higher than a proofless and imper­tinent Circle of talk. For 'tis nothing to us whether they are able to defend it from being apparently false, unless they are able to prove it apparently true; be­cause there are swarms of Opinions in the World that are certainly neither; and therefore unless they will undertake to make good its undoubted truth, 'tis of no force to condemn and confute the law­fulness of any establish't Practice and Pre­scription in the Church of God, which nothing can make criminal but some in­consistency [Page 477] with some certain Duty: so that till it is competently demonstrated that this Aphorism is prescribed as a Rule to all Christians, they shoot shame­fully both short and beside the Mark, whilst they onely endeavour to guard and secure its probability with their own ar­bitrary Limitations. Thus whereas it was first urged by the Authors of the Ad­monition, it was immediately answered, It is most true, Pag. 21. that nothing ought to be tolera­ted in the Church, as necessary unto Salvation, or as an Article of Faith, except it be expresly contain'd in the Word of God.— But that no Ceremony, Order, Discipline, or kind of Polity, may be in the Church, except the same be ex­pressed in the Word of God, is a great and intole­rable absurdity. The Church being trusted with an Authority to make Orders and Ceremonies, as shall from time to time be thought most ex­pedient and profitable for the same, so that no­thing be done contrary to the Word, or repugnant to the same. To which T. C. replies,Defence of the Admo­nit. p. 2 [...]. Sect. 3. It is true indeed, if they be not against the Word of God, and profitable for the Church, they are to be received as those things, which God by his Church does command; but there is the Questi­on. But there is not the Question; and it is so far from attempting to prove or justifie the Argument, that it utterly re­linquisheth [Page 478] it to the Mercy of the Adver­sary. For the Question is, Whether the Institutions of the Church ought to be re­peal'd by virtue of this Principle, that they are not expresly prescribed and au­thorized in the Word of God? But this he forsakes by this Answer, and flies to a new Argument, that they ought to be removed, not because they are uncom­manded in the Word of God, but purely because they are unprofitable to the Church of God. So that the old unte­nable pretence was immediately yielded up at the first Summons; and a new one taken up that was never before pretend­ed, nor ever after proved. And in this shifting way of arguing, is that Man ex­actly followed by this Author, (who is admirably accomplish't in his choicest A­bilities, viz. a bold Face, and a loose Tongue:) For by the Limitation here by him assign'd, he shifts the old Enquiry, Whether any thing may be practised in the Worship of God, that is not autho­rized in the Word of God? No, he is willing to allow it, provided it be not ex­tended to such things as are parts of Di­vine Worship; and he will reject nothing upon its Authority, but what he is able (but never willing) to prove to be a pre­tended [Page 479] part of Religious Worship as such: so that the state of the Controversie is now shifted to this dispute, Whether the Ceremonies injoin'd and establish't in the Church of England, are pretended parts of Religious Worship? and if they are not, he, good Man! for his part has nothing to except against them upon the score of this Proposition; and yet that they are so, it therefore concerns not him to prove, because 'tis the onely thing pleaded. And barely to affirm it is (it seems) enough to his purpose, onely to tempt us to a new trouble of proving that the Ceremonies prescribed in the Church of England do not pretend to the Dignity of being parts of Divine Worship: And when that is done, these Squirrels can as easily frisk to a fresh pretence and a new Limitation; and thus by this dancing and capering humour, 'tis an easie matter to perpetuate all the Controversies in the World, how plainly soever determinable, to the coming of Elias: and after this rate shall the Barbers Bason remain Mambri­no's Helmet, and the Asses Pannel a Fur­niture for the Great Horse till the Day of Judgment. However, this advantage I have gain'd, that this Principle is yield­ed up as to the general and unlimited Im­port [Page 480] of the words; and therefore I hope hereafter I may justly challenge them not to impose it upon the credulity of the Peo­ple without the allay of the former Cau­tion: for at present I am sure that their Followers understand it in the broad and literal sense of the words, and that them­selves are wont to discourse of it without any regard to these new Restraints and Limitations. And if hereafter they will forbear these loose and general Expressi­ons, they will lay upon us some Obliga­tion to acknowledge their Ingenuity, and may possibly contribute somewhat to­wards disabusing the People; who though they have so easily swallowed this Propo­sition in its unlimited meaning, are yet unacquainted with the Antidote of this restriction; and therefore when they have cast up their old prejudice, perhaps they will not so easily take in this new Noti­on. In the mean time, I have nothing more to press upon our Author, than that he would be perswaded to slake his Zeal in this Controversie, till he has at least attempted to prove the Institutions of the Church of England to be pretended parts of Divine Worship; though this he can never hope to perform, but either by out­facing her Publick Declarations, she ha­ving [Page 481] so expresly protested against it in the account of her Ceremonies, that she has for that purpose prefix't to the Book of Common Prayer: or else by proving that how innocently soever she may intend, they of their own accord commence parts of Religious Worship by virtue of their Institution. And if this he will under­take, 'tis easie to foretel (without being Prophet or Prophets Son) that his whole attempt will spend it self meerly upon significant Ceremonies; and there, I hope, I have already prevented all their weak and little Arts. However, to make all secure, let me onely add, That no Power whatsoever can adopt any thing into the Worship of God under any less pretence than of Divine Authority: so that what­soever Ceremonies the Church may deem expedient to prescribe for Order and Comeliness, unless she go about to war­rant her Injunctions by pretending Divine Institution, circumstances of Worship they may be, but parts they never can. And of this I thought I had already given a passable proof, and so satisfactory, that our Author has nothing to except against it,Pag. 352, but by pretending its inconsistency with some other parts of my Discourse: but for the present, that is no Objection [Page 482] against the positive truth and direct rea­son of the Argument it self; and, in short, 'tis this: All Rituals, and Cere­monies, and Postures, and Manners of performing the outward Expressions of Devotion, are not from their own nature capable of being parts of Religion; and therefore unless we used and imposed them as such, 'tis lamentably precarious to charge their Determination with Will-Worship, because that consists in making those things parts of Religion, that God has not made so: so that when the Church expresly declares against this use of them, and professeth to injoin them only as meer circumstances of Religious VVorship, 'tis apparent that it cannot by imposing them make any Additions to the VVorship of God; but only provides, that what God has required be performed in a decent and orderly manner. And this is the real dif­ference between the Christian and Mo­saick Ceremonies, in that theirs were made lasting and necessary parts of their Religion, by being establish't with the same impress of Divine Authority as the Duties of the Moral Law; whereas ours are not any integral parts of Divine VVorship, but purely accidental and al­terable circumstances of Religious Ser­vices; [Page 483] and so are not of the same stand­ing Necessity and Obligation as were the Mosaick Rites, but as they were first esta­blished by our Superiours according to the common Rules of decency and di­scretion, so may they be reversed by the same Authority. In a word, they are of the same Nature and Obligation with all other matters of humane Laws, that are only disposed of by the publick Wisdom, as it shall by the common notices of things judge them most convenient to publick Ends.

§. 4. And now upon this Bottom we might fairly wind up this Controversie, for I am secure this ever has been, and ever will be its real Issue: But our Au­thor cries no, no. For if this Principle should fail us,Pag. 306, there are yet other general Maxims, which Non-conformists adhere unto, and suppose not justly questionable, which they can firmly stand and build upon in the manage­ment of their Plea, as to all differences between me and them, i. e. He is a resolved and incorrigible Schismatick, and the plain design of these words is only to encou­rage the People to stand firm to their Principles; what though we may be stormed out of our old Elsibeth-pretensi­ons, [Page 484] let us not immediately resign up our Colours, and march out of our Cause, we have, when all is lost, unknown re­treats and fastnesses (as all Banditi and Moss-Troopers have) to secure our selves from perfect discovery and destruction. This man is a Demetrius, a Ring-leader in sedition, and therefore it more peculiar­ly concerns him to bestir himself, and keep the Mutineers together, and raise and animate their fainting spirits against discouragements and despondencies. The People may murmur among themselves, Is this poor Pretence the only ground of all our Schisms and Disturbances? Have our Leaders no greater grievance against the publick Laws than this lank and piti­ful Story, which themselves (it seems) dare not own without mincing and dis­guising it with their own shuffling, and (to us) unintelligible Reservations? Is this all the Popery and Idolatry of the Church of England, against which they are still inveighing with so much Zeal and Bitterness at the Meetings? Must all this noise and stir be made, and the King and Parliament thus disturbed for this? Neighbours, let us be advised, and not cre­ate all this needless trouble to our selves and others, only to countenance their [Page 485] Pride and Peevishness. The plain troth is, their Zeal was so flush'd with success in the late Tumults, as transported them to too much Outrage and Cruelty against the Church; and now because (forsooth) they are ashamed to acknowledge their fault and folly (for what disgrace so grievous to proud and self-opinionated men, as to confess an Error) we (fools as we are) must be inveigled and drawn in to bear out their Extravagances. Come, come, this is the true Mystery of Separation: For you may see they them­selves (whatever they pretend) are not so fond as seriously to believe the Publick Worship Popish and Idolatrous. Do we not know that the Chiefs of the Presby­terians came constantly to Church, and to Common Prayer till of late, and those that are more modest and peaceable do so still, which 'tis apparent they could ne­ver have done, had they really deem'd it Idolatry. How then shall we justifie our selves in running thus giddily into these wild and unwarrantable Schisms? Does not common sense tell us (though per­haps we understand nor their School sub­tilties) that 'tis a base and unworthy thing thus insolently to affront the Kings Laws, when we may avoid it without [Page 486] breaking Gods? And therefore seeing, whatever Reasons they may have for their own Non-conformity, we are sa­tisfied, by their own example, they have none big enough to warrant our Separa­tion. Let us then resolve with one Con­sent to be peaceable and ingenuous, and return every man to his own home, and his own Parish-Church.

But bear back, this great Chieftain appears, for he is still upon all Occasions the most bold and forward Oratour to hearten his back-sliding Brethren against Doubts and Despondencies, witness Ianuary 31. in the year 48. when those wretched Miscreants wanted some spiri­tual Comfort and Cordial against the horrour of their Yesterdays villany. And thus he appears in this present streight, and thus you may suppose him, after Pre­face of solemn wink, to bespeak the muti­nous Churches. The Reader may conj [...]cture with who [...] [...] I plow f [...]r [...]his [...]l [...] ­quence. M [...]t of th [...]se Pasages b [...]ng coll [...]cted ou [...] of two Sermons o [...] J.O. one preached on Jan 31. 1648. and the other on a day of thanksgi­ving for the Kings Defeat at Worce­ster. ‘My Friends, do you consider what you attempt? Do you know what dreadful and horrible things are still behind? Alas! False Worship, Superstition, Tyranny, and Cruelty lye at the Bottom, and when these have possessed the Governours of a Nation, and wrapt in the consent of the greatest Part of the People, who [Page 487] have been acquainted with the mind of God, that People and Nation (assure your selves) without unpresidented Mercy is obnoxious to remediless Ruine. If you think Babylon is confined to Rome and its open Idolatry; you know nothing of Babylon or the new Ie­rusalem: no, no, their darling Errors are stones of the old Babel, closing and coupling with that tremendous Fa­brick: which the man of sin has erected to dethrone Jesus Christ. You may venture to taste if you please, but re­member who forewarned you, there is death in the Episcopal Pot. But as for your own Parts, let all the World know, and let the House of England know this day, that you lie unthankfully under as full a dispensation of mercy and grace, as ever Nation in the World enjoyed; well, you will one day know what it is to undervalue the glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ (i. e. the seditious Preachings of I.O.) Good Lord! What would helpless Macedonians give for one of your Enjoy­ments? O that Wales, O that Ireland, O that France, where shall I stop? I would offend none, but give me leave to say, O that every, I had almost said, [Page 488] O that any Part of the World had such unparallel'd helps & means of Grace as you, who yet are so unworthy as scarce to acknowledg the Mercy: The Lord break the pride of your Hearts, before it break the staff of your Bread, and the help of your Salvation. But as for us Poor nothings, the Ministers of the Lord Christ in the Work of the Gospel, we can spend our sweat and our Lungs up­on the barren and the parched corners of the Land, upon those poor Gospel­less Creatures, that as yet sit in dark­ness and the shadow of death, and have none to hold out the bread of life to their fainting souls. Does not Wales cry, and the North cry, yea, and the West cry, come and help us? But this it is; though the sound of the Gospel pass through all your streets, though your Villages enjoy them, who preach Peace, and bring glad tidings of good things, so that neither you, nor your Fathers, nor your Fathers Fathers, (and this God knows is a serious truth) ever saw the like before us: Though Manna fall round about your Tents every day, yet Manna is loathed as light bread; no, the Presence of Christ it seems is not Recompence for the loss [Page 489] of your Swine; yes, you had rather be again in Aegypt, than hazard a Pil­grimage in the Wilderness. You for­sooth boggle at tumults and disorders, poor ignorant souls, how unacquainted are you with the methods and work­ings of Providence? For why! these are the only signs and symptoms of Re­formation, great works for God will cause great troubles among men: And for the carrying on of the Interest of Christ and the Gospel, God is resolved to work wonderful Providential Alte­rations in the Governments of the Earth; what replied brave Martin Lu­ther, when it was objected to him, that that could not be the cause of God, that was the cause of so much desolation, Ego nisi tumultus istos viderem, Christum in mundo esse non crederem. I tell you, he who is the only Potentate, will sooner or later shake all the Monarchies of the Western World: All the Kings of the Earth have suck'd in invented (and what it seems with him is coincident) Idolatrous Worship from the Cup of Fornication, held out to them by the Roman Whore: Shew me seven of them that ever yet laboured sincerely to advance the Kingdom of the Lord [Page 490] Jesus, and I dare boldly say, Octavus quis fuerit nondum constat. The whole Constitution of the Governments of the Nations is cemented from top to bottom with the Interest of Antichrist, and nothing but a thorough shaking can ever cleanse them. And to this end has the Lord been pleased in his good Providence to hold forth a new light to his People of this Generation, whereby they might discover the My­stery of Civil and Ecclesiastical Ty­ranny. And you are called forth to punish Tyrants, break the Jaws of Op­pressours, and disappoint the designs of Bloudy and Revengeful Persecu­tours, and to roll up the Heavens of the Nations like a Scroll, and to serve him in your several Capacities in the high places of Armageddon. Does not the Lord, think you, require that in the great things which he has to ac­complish in this Generation, all his should close with him? And what that is I have often and long since informed you out of his own Word, and would you have greater Assurance? Read the Prophet Isaiah 23.9. Verily the Lord of Hosts hath purposed to pollute the pride of all Glory, and to bring into Contempt all the [Page 491] honourable of the Earth. Now does God call forth his Saints to execute ven­geance upon the Heathen, and punish­ments upon the People, to bind their Kings with chains, and their Nobles with fetters of Iron? Does he bring you forth to burn the Whore, to fight with the Beast, and overcome him, with his Followers? And will he not give glorious Assistances to your Un­dertakings? I tell you, you shall be assisted, protected, carried on, though it cost him the making his Bow quite naked. What though some prove false and treacherous, some base and coward­ly? What though men every where combine and associate themselves against you? What though whole Kingdoms and mighty Armies appear for your ruine, help you need, and help you shall have, (or I tell you once again) God will make his Bow quite naked. He will put on the Garments of ven­geance for cloathing, and cover himself with Zeal as a Cloak: and according to their deeds, accordingly he will repay them, fury to his Adversaries, Recompence to his Enemies, to the Island he will repay Recompence, Isa. 59.18. And though all other means should fail of success, 'tis in your [Page 492] Power to pray and believe the Beast in­to destruction, Antichrist into the Pit, and Magog to ruine. Do but believe that the Enemies of Jesus Christ shall be made his Footstool, that the Nations shall be his Inheritance, that he shall reign gloriously in beauty, that he shall smite in pieces the heads over divers Nations, and live in the Faith of these things, and as it will give you the sweetness of them, before they come, so it will hasten their coming beyond the endeavours of thousands, yea, Mil­lions of Armed men. But, my Brethren, if there be any of you here, that do not only refuse to come forth to help the Lord against the Mighty, but that en­tertain thoughts to give up the Wor­ship of God to Superstition, his Churches to Tyranny, and the Do­ctrine of the Gospel to Episcopal Cor­ruptions: Let him give glory to God, and repent speedily, and passionately, otherwise it will be Bitterness in the end; it will; it will. And therefore as you tender the salvation of your poor souls, and the continuance of the Go­spel to your Families and Posterity, not one syllable more of this Tumul­tuatingness of spirit against the Pro­phets [Page 493] of the Lord, and so every man to his Tents, O Israel.’

§. 5. Sir, have you not read how that when discontent had shatter'd the Roman Legions into Mutiny and Sedition, and that the Excesses of Outrage and Inso­lence, like the violence of a resistless Tor­rent, had broken down all the Banks of Government and Discipline amongst them; yet at the presence of a Scipio or Fabricius they did immediately retire into place and order? His look charm'd them into Obedience, and with a Nod he aw­ed away Confusion; they that never dreaded Kings, trembled at his voice: that was more affrightful than assured death. His Authority with three sylla­bles stifled Sedition, disarm'd and con­founded the guilty, and they could en­dure any thing rather than his frown and his displeasure. And thus is all the noise and tumult of the discontented Churches hush'd into peace and order; this great Commander looks the murmur of the People into silence and obedience, and the Winds and Seas obey his Voice. He can raise or allay storms and seditions with the breath of his mouth; 'tis but crying out, The Cause of God, and popular [Page 494] zeal is immediately in Arms, and Muti­ny; do but tell them, the Gospel lies at stake, and the Rabble will die Martyrs to their own Credulity. This sacred Im­posture will as much secure their Obedi­ence as the Roman Discipline, and the Roman Legions could never be more for­ward for the glory of the Common-wealth, then the Congregational Churches will be for the Beauty and Pu­rity of Christs Ordinances. And such has ever been the boldness of this man, he scorns to vouch any less warrantable Commission for his own Dreams and Fancies than the express and immediate Commands of divine Authority; all his singularities must be Gospellized, and all his seditious Doctrines broach'd out of St. Paul. The wisdom of God must be prostituted to his folly and boldness, the Word of God prophaned to authorize his pride and zealous madness; all his pha­natick Pranks must be charged upon the Scriptures, and he has a Text for every extravagant Attempt; and whatever the Principles of Reason and common Honesty cannot account for, the old Pro­phets shall not only foretel, but san­ctifie. And perhaps never did all the Pro­phane Wits in the World make more [Page 495] bold with the Word of God than this daring man, there is scarce any more re­markable Text in the whole Bible, that he has not turn'd into Ridicule; he can guard every thing he says and does with files of Chapter and Verse, as it were with Pikes and Protestations, and can draw up Remonstrances and Declarati­ons, as well as Primers out of the Word of God; in brief, with him every thing is Scripture, & Scripture is every thing. And this is the true Mystery of all our Schisms and Divisions; it is not their Contest about Ceremonies and things Indifferent, but it is their Pulpit-talk about the Cause of God and the Gospel that transports the Peoples Zeal, and there still things are so represented as if they alone were the Peo­ple of God, and we the professed Ene­mies of the Lord Christ; and the least thing they will say, when they are most cool and moderate, is, that we are re­volted from the Purity of the Gospel to Superstition and Will-worship, and that there is no Beauty and Purity of Ordi­nances but in their Meetings and Con­venticles.Sermon to Parliam. April 29. 1646. Pag. 42. The Fox in the Fable (says I. O.) had a thousand wiles to save himself from the Hunters: but the Cat knew unum magnum, one great thing that would surely do it. Earthly [Page 496] supports and contentments are but a thousand failing wiles, which will all vanish in the time of need: The Gospel, and Christ in the Gospel, is that unum magnum, that unum necessarium, which alone will stand us in any stea [...]. Our Adversaries may discourse like Politicians, and make a thousand pretences for the necessity of Uniformi­ty, in order to the peace and security of Government: but we will trust to one great pretence, the Command of God, and the Cause of the Gospel; and that with the People will do our business more effectu­ally than all their Stratagems of Po­licy.

§. 6. And thus is it our Authors pre­sent design to enlarge and prolong the Controversie, and to set up new Mormo's in our Churches, to fray away the People from our Communion, though they all run themselves into the same Principle, that the VVord of God is the adequate Rule of the VVorship of God; yet the very appearance of number is no little security to the Cause, and satisfaction to the Proselytes; and though they are but so many several Repetitions of the same thing, yet that makes a shew that they have a great deal to say for themselves, [Page 497] and that is enough. And thus were our Author put upon the proof of these gene­ral Maxims here by him laid down, he would and must wholly setle himself up­on this bottom. Let us briefly examine them: the two first are,Pag. 306. (1.) Whatever the Scripture has indeed prescribed and appointed to be done and observed in the Worship of God, and the Government of the Church, that is in­deed to be done and observed. (2.) That no­thing in conjunction with, or addition unto what is so appointed, ought to be admitted, if it be contrary to the general Rules, or particular pre­ceptive Instructions of the Scripture. VVhere you may observe,Ibid. that these Maxims are such as they will adhere unto, and stand upon, in the management of the Plea as to the diffe­rences between us. So that their plain meaning, as applied to their present con­test with the Church of England, is, that the Nonconformists way of VVorship is prescribed and appointed in the VVord of God; whereas our Additions to it are contrary either to the general Rules; or particular Instructions of Scripture: and if this be not the design of these Proposi­tions, they are no other way pertinent to the management of this Plea. And now are not these admirable Principles to be pleaded in an Apology for Liberty of [Page 498] Conscience? The Governours of the Na­tion are bound to indulge us in our diffe­rent Practices and Perswasions about the VVorship of God, because there is but one particular Form allowable, only that which is prescribed and injoin'd in the VVord of God, and that is ours; and therefore are they, and all the Princes of Christendom, tied up to an exact Con­formity to that Rule, and not to endure any other Forms that deviate from its Prescription, unless they will tolerate Men in an open and avowed violation of the Law of God. So unhappy is this Man, as still to turn his own VVeapons upon himself; and stab his Cause in its own defence, as desperate Men chuse to die by their own hands, that they may escape their Enemies Swords. He could not have invented a Principle more ex­presly destructive of his own Pretences; for if nothing be lawful in the Worship of God, but what is prescribed in the Word of God; and if nothing that is unlawful may be tolerated by the Civil Magistrate; and if there be but one par­ticular Form appointed in the Word of God, it cannot avoid to be concluded that all others are unlawful, and by conse­quence intolerable. And thus are the [Page 499] Tables turned, and now the state of the Controversie is not, whether both Parties may be safely and innocently tolerated: no, but whether they or we: onely they, (says he) because their way of Worship is indispensably prescribed and appointed by God himself: not we, because ours is contrary to his own Rules and Prescri­ptions; and therefore the case is plain, it ought to be abolish't without mercy or delay, unless Men may be permitted by connivence of Publick Authority, to contradict the express Will of God un­der pretence of his own Worship. But if this be our case, there is no remedy but we must hereafter play a new Game in our own defence. They that declare they will give no Quarter, have no rea­son to expect any. And this is a mighty aggravation of these Mens former mis­carriages and present impenitence, that they can be so bold and confident in their demands from those, that they have so lately treated so barbarously; and yet are so far from giving any tokens of their repentance, that they publickly suggest, that if ever it comes to their turn in the course of Providential alterations, they shall again expect the same usage. But is it not a pleasant Topick of Perswasion, [Page 500] to move us to treat them with all tender­ness and civility, because they never did shew us any mercy, and if it lie in their power, never will? (a thing in which we have reason enough to be satisfied, with­out any of these Publick Declarations.) Like the Country Swain that resolved upon his Death-bed, if he died, to for­give his Enemy; but swore the utmost revenge if he ever recovered. Thus will these Men, when their Reformation is in danger of breathing its last, pretend to tolerate us only because they cannot help it; but when they can, any thing is tolerate but Popery and Episcopacy. And this Man, this tender Man, that will not endure any of his Disciples to be so much as present at our Antichristian way of Worship, is, no doubt, a fit Agent (not to mention some other excellent Qualifications) to treat with us for In­dulgence and mutual Forbearance; and he that declares by his most avowed Prin­ciples, he will not allow us permission when he is out of Power; would, no doubt, be so generous as to grant us all civil Liberty, were he in it. Go thy way, for a wretched Apologist! thy Per­swasions are just as wise as thy Argu­ments.

[Page 501]§. 7. But farther, Is this the Plea of all Nonconformists, or but of one Party? If of all, then have we them at old Bur­leigh's Lock, that engaged to grant their demands, when they had agreed among themselves what to demand: 'Tis well known into how many different Rendez­vouses the whole Body of the Noncon­formists are subdivided, and withal that their Pretences and Perswasions stand at as wide a distance and open defiance to each other, as to the Church of England; and therefore the whole Body can neither reasonably pretend this Plea, nor possibly be allowed it: For howsoever the diffe­rent Factions may at present seem to piece together for the common Interest; yet when this comes to be put in practice, they immediately fall all in pieces again, every Party has its different meaning, and appropriates the claim of Divine Right to its own way, and every Faction bandies against every Faction for its own Ius Divinum. They are all zealous for erecting the Throne of Jesus Christ, but the onely contention is, which of them shall sit at his Right and his Left hand, or rather in it. And whenever they are mounted, they lord it with the Insolence [Page 502] of young Usurpers. And certainly the Scepter of Jesus Christ was never such an Iron Rod (no not in the Kirk it self) as when it was in the hands of the Tri­ers, the tender-hearted Triers. And this is our Authors particular design and in­tention, that the Independent way of Worship is the onely way that is prescri­bed and appointed in the Word of God; and therefore that that, and none other, is lawful and warrantable: so that ('tis plain) this pretence, as he manages it, is not the Plea of the Nonconformists in their combined strength, but purely of the Independents in their separated Inte­rest; and that as much in opposition to the Presbyterians on one hand, and the lower swarms of Sectaries on the other, as to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England: so that here every Clan of the Fanaticks is engaged as much as we to stand upon their Guard, and 'tis made our common Interest to join Forces against his usurping Pretensions. But this has ever been the crafty method of the Independents, first to preach general Doctrines, but still to make the particu­lar Applications to themselves, i. e. to decoy Men into their snares by their Text and hidden meaning, and then de­vour [Page 503] them in the opening of the Plot, that was always reserved for Use and Appli­cation.

Thus, are the People of England enra­ged against them for murthering their Soveraign? The Doctrine is, Instruments of Gods greatest works and glory, V. Sermon before the Parliam. Jan. 31. 1648. are oftentimes the chiefest Objects of a Professing Peoples Cur­ses and Revenges. And, Men that under God deliver a Kingdom, may have the Kingdoms Curses for their pains. Are the People transported into Rage against them, for running our Confusions beyond all visible hopes of setlement and recovery, by that horrid Act upon the Person of their Prince? The Doctrine is, Men every way blameless, and to be imbraced in their own ways, are oftentimes abhorred and laden with Curses for following the Lord in his ways. What precious Men should many be, would they let go the work of God in this Generation? Do any of those wretched Miscreants begin to think of Hell, and Halters, and, with Iudas, stand agast at the horrour of their Crime? The Doctrine is, In dark and difficult Dispensations of Providence, Gods choicest Servants are oftentimes ready to faint under the burthen of them. Do some of the old Souldiers and Officers begin to whis­per Cavalierism and Loyalty? The Do­ctrine [Page 504] is, Plausible compliances of Men in Au­thority with those, against whom they are im­ployed, are treacherous Contrivances against the God of Heaven, by whom they are imployed. Do the Presbyterians and Royalists begin to make head against those bold and bloody Usurpers? The Doctrine is, God oftentimes gives up a sinful People to a fruit­less contention and fighting with their onely Supporters and means of Deliverance. And thus the Doctrine of this Book is, 'tis the Duty of King and Parliament to to­lerate tender Consciences, i. e. says this Application, Independents. And the Text wherewith he vouches this Do­ctrine, is Matth. 28.20. where our Savi­our binds his Disciples to observe his Commands and Institutions to the end of the World; but onely the Independents observe that form of Worship and Dis­cipline that he has prescribed and appoin­ted to the practice of his Church in all Ages. Ergo. So that the most moderate Inference that can be extracted from these Premises, is, That no form of Pub­lick Worship or Ecclesiastical Govern­ment ought to be establish't in this Na­tion, till his Majesty is in good earnest convinced that I. O.'s Independent Ca­techism (as shamefully as 'tis baffled) is [Page 505] faithfully collected out of the Word of God. These are hard sayings, and yet methinks the two following Propositions seem to be somewhat more unreasonable, viz. (1.) That nothing ought to be added to what is injoined in Scripture, Pag. 307. without some cogent Reason. Or,Pag. 308. (2.) If any things be found necessary, onely those must be prescribed that are most consonant to its general Rules and Institutions. Now the only pertinent re­sult of these Pleas as to the difference be­tween us, is, that they apprehend not any such cogent Reason for our Prescri­ptions, nor any such exact suitableness in them to the Rules of Scripture, as in their own Models of Worship and Discipline: and this difference of Judgment about the expediency of things, shall abundant­ly warrant their disobedience to the King, and their separation from the Church: and every Man that has folly or confidence enough to insist upon this pretence, may claim the priviledge of his Conscience to make new Schisms and Divisions in pursuance of the best Light God has given him. Is not this an admi­rable contrivance to keep us for ever wandring in the endless Mazes and Laby­rinths of Reformation, when every pert and hot-headed Preacher that dreams the [Page 506] Laws of the Church are not altogether so agreeable in every point and nicety to the Word of God, as his own Phantasms and singular Hypothesis, shall be permit­ted the Liberty to withdraw his Obedi­ence and Conformity to the Church, to set up new Schisms of his own project­ment, and to demand of Publick Autho­rity a more thorough godly Reformation. It is not possible for any Church in the World, upon the allowance of such de­licate Principles, to avoid the mischief of everlasting Schisms and Confusions. But these pretences are so infinitely pet­tish and unreasonable, that I will not in­sist any farther upon their Confutation; especially because what I have already discoursed both of our Obligations to O­bedience in all things that are not cer­tainly and apparently evil; and also of the deep silence of Scripture as to Forms and Institutions of outward Worship, does so visibly both anticipate and surmount all appearance of difficulty in such slender Exceptions.

§. 8. But our Author having, it seems, provided himself of these Retreats, (that will give as fair shelter and protection to all the peevish and troublesom Men in the [Page 507] World, as to himself) he thinks he may now proceed with more safety and confi­dence to a particular state and defence of the present Controversie, Whether no­thing may be warrantably establish't in the Worship of God, but what is expresly authorized in the Word of God? But here (for what reason himself best knows, and you may shrewdly conjecture) he chu­ses to engage in a Wood, rather than in open Champaign; and in stead of a frank and pertinent account of his own thoughts, (if he have any) he bewilders himself and his Readers in a Wilderness of Propositions, and at last leaves them (as himself speaks) in the Briers of his own unscriptural Distinctions. He lays down a confused heap of positive and uncertain Assertions, without any Concern in, or Reduction to the particular matter in de­bate: To which they have so little re­lation, that whether true or false, the Cause is not likely to gain any mighty advantage, or suffer any considerable da­mage by them.

In the first place,Pag. 311, 312, 313. he repeats his old trite Story, and Systematick Distinction of in­nate and revealed Light; where, after some Positions, partly true, partly false, but all impertinent, he tells us, (and 'tis [Page 508] great News) that the Enquiry in our present Contest is onely about the latter;Pag. 313. and then here he distinguisheth between occasional and stated Revelation; under the former, he reduces the Institution of Sacrifices before the Law, according to the Liberty he takes of founding Principles, which is to suppose any thing that he ought to prove: and thus because there remains no publick Record for the stated Institu­tion of Sacrifices, it ought to be presumed they were warranted by private Com­mission; though for that presumption there is as little ground as for their pub­lick appointment. But of this we have discoursed already, and 'tis the latter that he contends to be the sole Rule of Religious Worship. And this Principle he tells you has ever been so universally own'd in the World,Pag. 315. that the Postmisni­cal Jews were forced to refer their Oral Traditions to a Divine Original, and that the Papists dare not resolve their present Church-determinations into a less Au­thority. Though in those very preten­ces lies the very Imposture of those Men, in that they ascribe their own Inventions to the Wisdom of God, and impose upon the Consciences of Mankind by virtue of a Divine Command, and with a false [Page 509] pretence of Divine Authority; and in the very same abuses lies the presumption of these Men, in that nothing will satis­fie them but they must have a Divine Right for all their own fancies and pra­ctices. So that, as far as I am able to discern, the only use this Principle serves to, is to justifie Mens Tyranny and Usur­pation; and under its protection to ob­trude their own conceits and unreason­able fancies upon the Minds of Men. And 'tis seldom pretended but where Mens Impositions are so wild and exorbitant, that nothing less can bear them out than the Authority of God himself. All Cheats in all Ages have ever shrowded them­selves under this pretence; and the truth is, it does not only encourage, but makes them too: For when the Word of God has really prescribed no particular forms of outward Worship; and when all Churches have and must have their own peculiar Customs and Usages; then, if Men are resolved to own and stand to this Principle, they bring themselves un­der an inextricable necessity, of ascribing something to the Command of God, which God never commanded. But would other Churches lay on their Impo­sitions (as the Church of England does [Page 510] hers) with the Obligations of Humane Power, that which now may be a bold Imposture, would then (unless it were faulty upon some other score) have been an exercise of lawful Jurisdiction. But thus is our Church requited for her frankness and ingenuity. The succesles­ness of such an honest and well-ordered Discipline upon these Men, would almost incline one to suspect that the Generality of Mankind will not be govern'd but by Imposture and Superstition.

Pag. 318, 319, 320.After this follows another train of Propositions, to except natural Circum­stances, and limit the sense of the Propo­sition to significant and instituted Cere­monies: all which we have already rout­ed in our former Engagement, and he does not rally up with that metal and briskness as to put us upon the necessity of a second Conquest. Here are no fresh Forces and Succours, nothing but some straggling Repetitions out of the former Chapter; and 'tis not worth while to pursue them, after I have defeated the whole Body. But he having thus scho­lastically finish't the state of the Question, because he fears all these Forces will not stand the shock of an Assault, he doubles his Files, backs them with new Subtilties [Page 511] and Scholastick Pikes, and states all over again in Ten Additional Propositions; though they are all apparently either co­incident with the former, or new Imperti­nencies, or old Beggaries, such as that of which I gave you an account in the former Chapter,Pag 321. viz. Wherever we find in the Scri­pture any Religious Duty approved, though we find no preceding Institution, we must take it for granted that it was instituted. I have alrea­dy begged his pardon to excuse me this civility of granting up a Principle so con­tradictory to my pretences, as an avowed and common Notion between us: and if he will but give me leave to except this single one, I will in requital freely grant him all his other Nine, if that will do him any service; though for what use he intends them in our present Enquiry, I confess I am not able to divine: however, I am not at all concern'd in them; and therefore if he can make any advantage of their service, much good may they do him. And now having driven the Nail thus home with hard Notions out of the School-men, he clincheth it with Testi­monies out of the Fathers; and if I will not be born down by strength of Reason, no nor Confidence, he resolves to sweep me away with the Torrent of Authority. [Page 512] But though he argues very ill, yet he quotes much worse. For you know it has been an old and beaten Controversie between us and the Church of Rome; whe­ther the written Word of God be the a­dequate Rule of Faith; and in this both sides have hotly engaged with all sorts of Weapons, viz. Reason, Scripture, and the Opinion of the Ancients: to which last purpose many Protestant Writers have collected a vast variety of express Assertions out of their VVritings in be­half of the Protestant Opinion: Now some of these our Author gravely tran­scribes for my Confutation; and what they plainly affirm'd of necessary Articles of Faith, he confidently applies to Ce­remonies of outward VVorship. Out of what particular Author he made bold to borrow them, they are so common and trivial, it is impossible to determine; you may meet them all together with some other Company, (out of which he has cunningly drawn these to escape dis­covery) in Chamier, tom. 1. Lib. 10. where he maintains the perfection and sufficien­cy of the Canon of Scripture for a Rule of Faith. And the passages themselves do so plainly limit their own sense to this subject, that they are utterly uncapable [Page 513] of any other Application; and if you can prevail with your self barely to run them over, that without any farther trouble will satisfie you of their wretched and palpable Impertinency; for my own part I have neither leisure nor patience to waste precious time and good Paper upon such woful Trash. Let him take his li­berty in his own wild Rangings, whilst he roves aloof off from my Concerns; and therefore I am resolved, without regard to his unnecessary digressions, to confine my discourse only to those things that pretend a direct and immediate attempt upon my former Treatise.

§. 9. In the Prosecution of this Argu­ment, I shewed this Principle to be so perpetually pregnant with mischiefs and disturbances, that 'tis impossible any Church should establish any Rules of Decency, or Laws of Discipline, or any setled frame of things appertaining to the Offices of external Religion, that it will not of necessity contradict and abro­gate; in that there never was, nor ever can be any Form of Worship, as to all Circumstances prescribed in the Word of God, because that has actually determi­ned no exteriour parts of Religion be­yond [Page 514] the two Sacraments; and therefore as long as men lie under the power of a Principle so equally false and troublesom, they can never want what themselves may apprehend a just Pretence to war­rant Disturbance and Disobedience. So that we found by experience, that when once it was let loose upon the Institutions of the Church of England, it worried every thing that stood in its way, and turn'd its fury alike upon every Par­ty, that pretended to peace and setle­ment; it was merciless, as some bodies rage and lust, and spared nothing that Sacriledge could devour. And as by this the Puritans assaulted and ruin'd the Church of England; so when they sub­divided among themselves, and moul­dred into new Churches and Factions, it was still the Offensive Weapon of eve­ry aspiring Party; with it the Indepen­dents vanquish'd the Presbyterians; with it the Anabaptists attempted the Inde­pendents; and with it all the little Un­der-sects set up against the Anabaptists; and with it, as soon as they were born, like the Dragons Teeth, they fell foul upon each other, and had they crumbled into a thousand farther divisions and sub­divisions (for nothing so endless as Pha­natick [Page 515] Innovations) it would equally have served both for and against all, be­cause whatever particular Customs and Rules of Decency they should have agreed upon in the Worship of God, it was apparently enough impossible they should ever vouch and warrant their Pre­scription out of the Word of God; the Reason is evident, because that has pre­scribed and determined none at all. And therefore after the Liturgy it sent the Directory, with Church musick it silen­ced Sternholds Rhimes, with the Cross it cashier'd sprinkling in Baptism, and when it had (at least in design) pluckt down Cathedral Churches, it fell upon Stee­ple-houses. And what could ever stop the fury of so endless and so unreasonable a Principle? for when it had wandred as far as Tom of Odcomb through a number­less variety of Changes and Reformati­ons, it would ever have been at as great a distance from its intended End, as the foolish Traveller, when he had compas­sed the Top of Olympus, was from touch­ing the Sun. For how should men with all their search and travel be ever able to discover that in the Word of God, which the Word of God has no where disco­ver'd in it self. But 'tis no matter for that, [Page 516] our Author appeals to all mankind,Pag. 333. whe­ther an issue and setled stability be not likelier to be effected by all mens consenting unto one com­mon Rule, whereby these differences may be tried and examined, than that every Party should be left at Liberty to indulge to their own Affections and Imaginations about them. In plain troth, Sir, I must take some severer course with this man, if nothing else will reclaim him from this lazy Trade of Beg­ging. I had taken pains to prove, both from the Nature of the Thing, and the Experience of the World, that this Prin­ciple carries disquiet and disturbance in its bare supposition, because it stands up­on demands impossible to be satisfied. But this man, without taking any notice of my Arguments, replies like himself, i. e. boldly and impertinently, to my As­sertion, and gravely supposes there is, or ought to be, a common Rule established in the World, whereby differences concern­ing outward Worship may be tried and examined, which is the very thing in Question between us, and all my Proofs, to which this is intended for a satisfacto­ry Answer, are directly levell'd against the very supposition it self; in that it in­vites and engages men to remonstrate to any setled Form of Worship upon such [Page 517] unreasonable grounds of Exception, as it is impossible for any Church in the World either to avoid, or to redress. If indeed there were any such common Rule prescribed in the Gospel, it would no doubt be a certain and admirable way to determine Controversies; but in the mean while to suppose it against flat ex­perience, because we apprehend it con­venient for our own Ends and Interests, is just such another way of arguing as the Romanists insist upon to prove the Infal­libility of the Papal Chair, because to appeal thither, would quickly reconcile all the squabbles and Contentions of Christendom; and so it would, were there any competent evidence that his Holiness is really vested in any such abso­lute and uncontroulable sovereignty over Christian Princes: but the mischief is, there no where appears any Warrant or Commission to authorize any such migh­ty Judicature; so that by agreeing to devolve the determination of all our Di­sputes upon their final Decrees, we should only bring our selves under this desperate Inconvenience, to embrace and submit to any thing that is, or may be, for the advantage of the See or the Court of Rome; and be bound in Conscience to [Page 518] believe all the absurdities in the World by vertue of a counterfeit Infallibility, and so be unavoidably obliged to swallow the grossest Errors and Impostures as Ar­ticles of Faith and Rules of Religion. And this is the natural and necessary Re­sult of this Pretence; if indeed it were true, it would do wonderful Feats to­wards appeasing all our Quarrels and Di­visions; but if it be false, it will only serve to create and propagate them for ever, and as long as men persist in its de­mand, there can be no end of Eternal Changes and Dissetlements. And it does not only leave men to the liberty of their own Fancies and Imaginations (though 'tis chiefly intended by our Author for the prevention of that Inconvenience) but withal brings us under an unhappy Necessity of yielding to them as Imposi­tions of the divine Law, and with re­spect to a divine Authority. For if the Scripture have left us no such Determi­nations, then all those, that they pretend to discover there, are meerly Creatures of their own brain, before which we must fall down and worship with as much de­votion as before the divine Oracles. And now what else can be the Issue of these Conceits, but that the establish'd Laws [Page 519] and Discipline of every Church must be unravel'd to gratifie every Faction, and advance every Fancy. And therefore un­less these men are resolved we shall ac­cept their Confidence for Reason, they should first make good this Principle by undeniable Proofs of Scripture, before they venture to lay so much weight upon its admission,Pag 303. and not tell us (as our Au­thor has done) that he is able to prove it by an hundred Texts (and yet never al­ledge one;) for till he has performed this, he only demonstrates his Assertion by often repeating it: but Beggars are a bold sort of People, and will extort what they cannot challenge by Clamour and Importunity. And thus whereas I ad­ded, that all the pious villanies that ever disturbed the Christian World have ever sheltred themselves in this grand Maxim, he solemnly replies, the Maxim it self here traduced is as true as any part of the Gospel. Pag. 334. This is down-right hardiness, and (I confess) resistless demonstration: It must be a desperate Wight that dares cope with such a Giantlike Confidence, that when it is not able to answer, is able to brow-beat Arguments. To what pur­pose does this young man here tell us sto­ries of the Gnosticks of old, and the Ana­baptists [Page 520] of late, how they either have, or would have embroiled Kingdoms in pursuance of this Principle? To what purpose does he tell us 'tis an impregna­ble Sanctuary of disturbance and sediti­on? To what purpose does he admonish us, that if this pretence be allowed as sufficient to warrant Remonstrances to the publick Laws, 'tis such an unhappy ground of quarrel and exception, that it is not in the Power of Govern­ment to provide against its disorders and enormities, because the matter of its Demands is a thing utterly im­possible? I say pish! to what purpose all this, when I tell him that this Maxim, whatever he may pretend or prove, is as certainly true as any part of the Gospel. And thus do I argue against a Wool-sack, no Reasonings can make Impression upon his mind, but fall and perish unregarded, and when you have spent so much Ammuni­tion to beat down this Principle, it is all defeated with this goodly Answer, 'Tis true as the Gospel. When against this very Answer lies the very Emphasis of all my Objections, that they require such an impracticable Condition to the setlement of the Church, under such a peremptory and indispensable Obligation. And the [Page 521] greater their Confidence, the more it ag­gravates the mischief and strengthens the Argument: In that they make this im­possible Fancy as necessary to Church-communion as the Apostles Creed; so that if this pretence shall pass for a war­rantable ground of Separation, Schism will become the greatest Duty, and con­fusion the most certain Character of a true Church, because it will indifferent­ly rise up against all setlements, and im­plead all Forms of Discipline. What think you, would not this mans resolute blockishness even tempt a Stoick to beat Syllogisms into his head, for you see no­thing else will ever make him attend to the hardest Arguments?

But as for our Authors own private and reserved meaning, as to the sense of this Principle, 'tis plainly this; there cannot possibly be any true Church with­out the Beauty and Purity of Christian Ordinances; this consists purely in the Congregational way of Worship and Discipline, so that wherever that is not legally established, there can be no true Church; for all others have deviated from the Platform of the Gospel, and therefore there can be no right setlement and due Reformation of things, till that [Page 522] is once more re-enthroned in the Christi­an World. And 'tis this our Author means when he instructs us that, the Wor­ship of God is or ought to be the same at all times, Pag. 336. in all places, and amongst all People, in all Nations; and the order of it is fixt and determin'd in all particulars that belong unto it. So that by his Principles and good-will, no other Form of Worship ought to be allowed in the Church of God, but what himself apprehends par­ticularly prescribed to all Ages and Nati­ons of the World in the Word of God. And this is excellent Doctrine for one that is pleading for Toleration, and su­table to that of I. O. who tells us in his Romance of the distinct Communion,Treatise of Commu­nion. Pag. 170. I shall take leave to say what is upon my heart, and what (the Lord assisting) I shall willingly endeavour to make good against all the World; namely, that that Principle that the Church hath Power to institute and appoint any thing or Ceremony belonging to the Worship of God, ei­ther as to matter or to manner, beyond the order­ly observance of such Circumstances, as necessa­rily attend such Ordinances as Christ himself has instituted, (which condition none but the Independents observe) lies at the Bottom of all the horrible Superstition and Idolatry, of all the Confusion, Bloud, Persecution, and Wars, [Page 523] that have for so long a season spread themselves over the face of the Christian World; and that it is the design of a great Part of the Revelati­on to make a discovery of this Truth. So that, to be brief, all the dreadful Prophesies of St. Iohn are not to be appeased till the Princes of Christendom shall be pleased to agree in the Ius Divinum of Indepen­dency.

In the next following Section I de­mand, why, forsooth, this Proposition must be limited to matters of Religion on­ly? And why the Scripture ought not to be esteemed as perfect a Rule of Civil as of Ecclesiastical Polity, and why not as complete a System of Ethicks as a Canon of Worship? So that if I should require any other Reason of this Limitation, be­side their own humour, it is not in its own nature capable of any other account but what is given by the Scriptures them­selves; and therefore unless they can shew us where they expresly limit this Doctrine to matters of Worship, the very Pretence disproves and condemns it self. But our Author instead of standing to this Appeal, and satisfying my demands by Determinations out of the Word of God, endeavours to account for this difference by the meer Reason of things themselves, [Page 524] which though it were true, is yet coarsly impertinent; seeing the Principle it self disclaims any other proof or Confirmati­on but what relies upon express Testimo­ny of Scripture. And yet 'tis as false as 'tis impertinent, for 'tis in many words to this purpose:Pag. 335. That matters of Civil Go­vernment relate to the Conveniences of this Life, and so are capable of being varied according to the Circumstances of things and Rules of prudence; whereas the things that appertain to the Worship of God, have another reference to the pleasing of God, and the purchase of Eternity, and therefore are stated by him in all particulars, and not at all left to prudential Accommodations. This lit­tle subterfuge, you know, I have alrea­dy stopt; and though I had not, it is ob­vious at the first glance of a reflecting thought, that all matters Civil, Moral, and Religious, have a common Relation to the Concerns both of our present and future state. The Affairs of Religion may (as they are managed) be either useful or hurtful to the Conveniences of this Life; and on the contrary, our Civil and Political Interests have an unavoida­ble Reference to the Accounts of the Life to come, and therefore (to spare more [Page 525] words) this can make no difference be­tween them as to the Jurisdiction of Earthly Powers.

§. 10. In the next Paragraph I endea­voured to represent how this delicacy and coyness of Conscience must engage men to remonstrate to the Institutions of all Churches that either were, are, or shall be in the World. And here I instanced in some Customs both of the Jewish and the Primitive Christian Churches of old, and of late in those of the Lutheran and Calvinian Communion,and more parti­cularly in some of the Rites and Usages of the Long-Parliament Reformation. But here he wisely winks at all the In­stances I produced of things now in be­ing; for their notoreity of Fact is so cer­tain and unquestionable, that 'tis impos­sible any Face should be varnish'd with Confidence enough to deny it with eyes open. And then as for the Precedents I alledged out of the Records of Ancient times, he turns them all off with one short and scornful glance. What tell you me (says he) of the Feast of Purim, Pag. 342. was it not a Civil Observance? Though 'tis so infinitely certain it was a solemn day of Thanksgiving instituted by Mordecai [Page 526] for so eminent and unexpected a Delive­rance of the Jewish Nation from that general Massacre that was so bloudily plotted, and so fiercely prosecuted by Haman and his Accomplices:Est [...]r 9.21 And for this reason was it attended, as all their other Festivals of Joy ever were, (and ours ought to be) with bounty and chari­ty to the Poor. But if he will not allow the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the Month Adar to have been Religious Feasts, 'tis to be feared he will in time proceed to deny that the twenty fourth of October, in the year 1651. was observed with Holy-day Respect and Religion, though it be marked out in some bodies Calendar, as a solemn day of Thanksgiving for the destruction of the Scots Army at Wor­cester, and the Providential deliverance of these Nations from their Civil and Ecclesiastical Bondage, and from a Tyrant full of Revenge, and a Discipline full of Persecution, with sun­dry other Mercies. In the next place, what do I twit him with the Feasts of the De­dication, and the Fasts of the Captivity, when I have no proof of their being approved? Ibid. But, gentle Sir, had they been such bold and unwarrantable Encroachments upon the divine Prerogative, as you pretend, it can scarce be imagined but that God [Page 527] would sometime or other have protested against them, as he often did against all their other Obliquities and misdemea­nours; so that their not being expresly scorn'd and rejected, is of it self a just and safe Presumption of their Acceptance. And yet however, as for the first Feast of the Dedication of the Altar, instituted and observed by Solomon, there is the same evidence of its being accepted, as there is of the whole solemnity of conse­crating the Temple; for immediately after the end of this Ceremony, which was the last part of this Princely and magnificent Performance,2 Chron. 7.12. God himself is pleased to declare to Solomon his full and entire Approbation of the whole duty. And then as for the latter Feast of Dedi­cation for rebuilding the Altar by Iudas and the Maccabees, 1 Mac. 4.59. it was performed with extraordinary Gravity and Devotion, and is represented by the Author of that History as a remarkable Instance of their Zeal and Piety. And that is sufficient proof that the Jews themselves (as strict­ly as they were tied up by the Mosaick Canon to prescript Forms) had no such terrible Conceptions of the Sacrilegious Boldness of new occasional Solemnities and ceremonial Additions. But those [Page 528] were Apocryphal Times, and therefore not capable of the evidence of divine Testimony, unless it were that our Sa­viour afterward sufficiently intimated he did not dislike the Institution,Jo [...]. 10.22. by vouch­safing his Presence at the Solemnity, which had it been such an unlawful obser­vance, he would never have done, un­less that he might take occasion to re­prove it, as he did all their other unwar­rantable Traditions. And as for the other Parallel Instance of the Fasts of the Captivity, I see not how we can expect or desire a more express Allowance and Approbation, than what the Al­mighty himself has been pleased to give us by his own immediate Inspiration. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts; Zach. 8.19. the Fast of the fourth month, and the Fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the Fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Iudah Ioy, and Gladness, and chearful Feasts, therefore love the Truth and Peace. Where are reckoned up, without any mark of difference, three Fasts instituted upon emergent and occasional reasons, together with Lev. 24.27. one ordained and appointed by God himself; and where also 'tis promised, if they would reform their Immoralities accord­ing to the Doctrines and Sermons of his [Page 529] Prophets, he would so alter their condi­tion, as to give them reason to institute even upon those days of deepest sadness, the most memorable Festivals and Solem­nities of Rejoycing.

And then as for the last instance alled­ged out of the Old Testament, viz. wear­ing Sackcloth in token of Humiliation, That (says he) was only a customary sign sui­ted to the nature of the thing: Ibid. i. e. it had a natural aptness to represent the thing it signified; and therefore might perchance have been made use of to that purpose in ancient time. But how came it first to gain the Authority of Prescription? If by chance and accidental usage, why may not the Civil Magistrate be allowed as much Power to warrant their lawful Significancy, as Popular Custom? For if it be antecedently unlawful to create this relation between them, nothing can do it; if it be not, where lies the ground of exception, rather against the Com­mands of Governours, than the casual consent of the People? But if on the contrary, Sackcloth was made choice of to this purpose by design and institution, then its case is the same to all intents and purposes with our Symbolical Rites and Usages, against which yet they except for [Page 530] that only reason: however, it would be a notable subtlety to discover any such re­markable difference as to the concerns of Morality, between the Institutions of Law and of Custom, so as to make one (though for no other reason) apparently unlawful, and the other just and warrant­able. These Mens Consciences are so strangely nice and subtle, that nothing will satisfie the exactness of their curio­sity, unless they may divide an hair into all points of the Compass. But besides, as for what is here pretended as to the natural suitableness of Sackcloth, to the nature of grief and sorrow; if the Sym­bolical use of a Surplice be not so curi­ously adapted to express what it is de­sign'd to signifie, as is that Emblem of Humiliation; that at worst is no defect of Morality, but meerly of fancy and dexte­rous invention, in fixing upon less pro­per Resemblances, than possibly a more curious Wit might have pitched upon: so that though perhaps the Representati­on be not altogether so neat and pretty, as some fanciful Men might have contri­ved; yet to make that any ground of ex­ception, is but a contest of Wit, and not of Conscience. And yet after all this, I know not any Symbol in the Nature of [Page 531] things more obvious or more Catholick, than the significancy of a white Vest­ment; in so much that it has in all Na­tions ever been accepted and used as a proper sign of purity and innocence; un­less among the Blacks, where they paint the Devil white. And therefore (if that be their grievance) its signification was not first stampt upon it by the meer arbi­trary Institution of Authority, but was first ratified by Custom and Prescription; and for that reason was it afterward ap­pointed to be used as a customary sign sui­ted to the nature of the thing, in the same manner as was wearing Sackcloth among the Jews in token of Humiliation.

§. 11. These, among many others, were the Precedents I pitch't upon in the Jew­ish Church; and then, as for those of the Primitive Christians, the first instance I specified, was the Lords-day Sabboth. To this our Author is so confident as to tell us,Ibid. It had a perpetual binding Institution from the Authority of Christ himself; though he is so wise too as not to tell us where. Per­haps 'tis possible he may discover some such thing described in the Canticles, or foretold by the old Prophets: but if he will appeal to the four Evangelists, they [Page 532] are as silent as to any Record or Account of our Saviours translating the Sabboth from the last to the first day of the week, as they are of the Anniversary Observati­on of the Fifth of November; and it was as much unknown, and as little observed during his Conversation in the World. But this Man is bold enough to bear down the truth of story, and the evidence of fact, and by down-right affirmation to vouch his own Dreams and Fancies into certain and undoubted Realities. But perhaps by this gay and careless way of talking, our Author may affect the hu­mour and conversation of Gentlemen, when they are disposed to be pleasant, and satisfie themselves with any Repar­tee that strikes the present Fancy, with­out regard to its truth, or concern for its proof. And he may be waggish and com­plaisant if he please; but as for my part, I am now resolved to be serious, sullen, and Scholastick; and therefore tell him plainly to his Beard, that there is not one tittle or Iota concerning Saint Sabboth a­mong all the twelve Apostles: and if he think himself able to discover the new Institution of this Festival among our Sa­viours Precepts, he may hope after the same rate to find out a particular ap­pointment [Page 533] of all the Margaret Fasts and Thanksgivings in the Revelations.

My two next Instances were the Love-Feasts, and the Kiss of Charity:Ibid. But in these, (he replies) there was only a Direction to use civil Customs and Observances in an holy and sanctified manner. Dictum factum, they were purely civil Customs, and had no relation to Religious Worship; and there­fore (Sir) this is an impertinent Allega­tion. This is short; but yet however, I have learn't by long Conversation with this Man, at length to look Confidence in the face, and not to be put off with slight and positive Assertions. And there­fore in the first place, what if I should gall him with the precariousness of this distinction, and still challenge him to shew where the Word of God impowers or per­mits the Church or the Civil Magistrate to institute new Civil Rites, and where it retrenches the exercise of the same Ju­risdiction as to Ecclesiastical Customs? This single Querie is such a Choak-pear as he will never be able either to chew or to swallow. Beside, there is no such mighty difference between Civil and Re­ligious Ceremonies, but that they may be frequently coincident: outward So­lemnities of Religion may be sometime [Page 534] used for Ornament of State; and some of the more grave and serious Ornaments of State, may be sometime borrowed to set off the more pompous Solemnities of Religion. And to what purpose soever they may be intended, they are still no more than Ceremonies of Grandeur or Decency; and their Nature (unless per­chance it be appropriated by some parti­cular Limitation) always is of such a common and indifferent use, that they are of themselves equally capable of be­ing applied either to the services of Re­ligion, or to the actions of Civil Life, and are denominated either this or that, according to their present Office and Imployment. But yet farther, to direct Civil Usages to be observed in an holy and sanctified manner, is to adopt them into acts and exercises of Religion: for so they are, as far as they are observed in an holy and sanctified manner; for so far they have an holy and sanctified use; and all things whose use is holy and san­ctified, are (I think) of a Religious Im­portance: and therefore if Humane Pow­er may warrantably institute such civil Observances as these, that alone is suffi­cient to my purpose, for they, as such, are religious Rites and Customs. However, [Page 535] by this Mans Principles, what Authority has any Person to direct civil Observan­ces to religious Ends and Uses, unless (as he argues against the Institution of Sym­bolical Ceremonies) he could change their Natures, Pag. 279. or create a new Relation between them? If he can, his grand scruple (for all his Atoms are as big as Mountains) of applying things of one kind to signi­fie things of another, is of no force a­gainst instituted Symbols: For the only thing that seems to grieve and offend him, is the arrogance of attempting to create new Relations. 'Tis presumption for any finite Being to assume to it self such an infinite Power; Works of Creation are proper to Omnipotence; so that it can be no less than Blasphemy, and presuming our selves equal to the Almighty, to pre­tend to his Power of creating Relations. Thus 'tis read in his Philosophy; and yet according to the more modern and re­formed Metaphysicks, this is judged so common and feasible an exploit, that some Doctors are of Opinion that any Child is able, with the allowance of a Truss of Straw, to create him Fifty thousand in a day. What then think you of the force and truth of that Argument, that sup­poses this so great and so known an ab­surdity, [Page 536] that to reduce you to it, is to drive you into contradictions, and run you up against first Principles? Well! were Duns alive, he would break a Lance, or pluck a Crow with our Author about this subtlety; and would maintain to his Teeth, that the Power of creating Re­lations is competent to finite Beings. But to be short and serious, Were you ever in all your Life entertain'd with such Fairy Tales and meer Romances in mat­ters of this importance? Consider with your self after what rate this Man has be­haved himself towards the Church of England; and then consider how all his implacable Zeal and Indignation against her Laws and Customs, resolves it self entirely into an Antipathy against Signi­ficant Ceremonies; and then consider how the only ground of his hatred and aversation to them, is the Giant-like Im­piety of assaying to create Relations be­tween signs and things signified; and then in the last place consider the infinite vanity and triflingness of this pretence; and when you have considered all these things, I leave it to your own Natural Logick to draw out one farther Conclu­sion. But I have entertain'd you too long with the Musick of this Mans Rat­tles, [Page 537] and therefore to be short after all this sport and dalliance with these chil­dish Notions and gay Nothings, 'tis be­yond all peradventure certain that the Love-Feasts and Kiss of Charity were meer Religious Rites and Customs, and pecu­culiar Appendages to some publick Offi­ces and Solemnities of Religion: and this is so vulgarly known, that no Man living but our Author, could ever with such a slight and easie confidence have turn'd them over for civil Observances, when they were never used upon any occasion but in their Religious Assemblies. And what stronger evidence can we desire to prove them Religious Rites, than their being appropriate to Religious Duties? Who almost is ignorant, that in the Pri­mitive Church they always concluded their publick Prayers in form of Benedi­ction, wishing Peace and Unity? And this being finish't, they always seal'd their mutual affections with the Holy Kiss; for so it is called by St. Paul, Rom. 16.16. And what Quotation out of the Fathers more trite and vulgar than that of Iustin Martyr, [...]; When Prayers are ended, we salute each other with a Kiss? And therefore 'tis by Tertullian stiled Signaculum Orationis; their [Page 538] publick Prayers being ever concluded with this friendly Ceremony. And then as for the Agapae and Feasts of Charity, they were certain sacred Meetings, where Christians of all conditions were wont to eat promiscuously together, without ma­king any difference between the Rich and Poor, the Mean and Honourable, in to­ken both of their friendship and equality. And they were so meerly intended for the ends of Piety and Devotion, that they were inseparable from the holy Communion, and indeed made up part of the Solemnity.

§. 12. And now upon the review of these things, such shadows and vanishing appearances are these Mens excuses and exceptions, that I cannot imagine they are serious and in good earnest in their pretences, but they are fitted to puzzle and amuse the common people, and that is sufficient to their purpose to keep up the Party, and perpetuate the Faction. And if they do but bolt out upon them with an hard or (what to them is the same) an insignificant word, a Child is not more afraid of a Church-porch at Midnight, than they of our Churches at Noon-day; and they dread the appea­rance [Page 539] of a Surplice, as they would a Ghost or a Spectre. Though they as lit­tle understand the Principles and Preten­sions of their Ringleaders, as they do A­ristotle's Metaphysicks; and are not so subtle as to discern the iniquity of a Sym­bolical Rite; and if any of them have by converse with their deeper Rabbies pickt up a pittance of this Learned Gib­berish, (as Peasants and Country Swains do shreds of Latin, as well as our Author) they talk it by rote with impertinent zeal, and clamour, and passion. But if you demand of them, Where lies the real exception against Symbolical wickednes­ses? they can give you as wise an account as if their Preachers had rail'd at them under the horrid Names of Tohu and Bohu. So that the tenderness of vulgar Consci­ence, is nothing else but the stubbornness of popular Folly. They have been abu­sed into absurd Principles, and seditious Practices, and then to be at all adven­ture tenacious of their casual Prejudices, against the Convictions of Reason, and the Commands of Authority, shall be gloried in as the pure Result of a nicer Integrity, and more precise Godliness. And this reminds me of a suggestion that I before intimated upon this occasion, [Page 540] What a vain thing it is to have any re­gard to these Mens Proposals of Condes­censions and Accommodations, when no­thing but Schism lies at the bottom of all their Designs and Principles, and when their Demands and their Resolutions are so unreasonable, that 'tis as impossible to satisfie as convince them; and they scarce agree in any one common Principle, un­less this, by all ways to keep up the Fa­ction: and therefore though they are re­solved never to be quiet, till they have brought Authority to bend to their will and humour; yet whenever the notori­ous folly of their Principles is unravell'd, and the palpable unreasonableness of their Schism exposed, and by consequence the Cause endangered, then all their Out­cry is mutual Forbearance and Condes­cension. Though we can never learn ei­ther the nature of their Grievances, or the end of their Demands, how far and to what we must yield. For must we discard any or all of our Ceremonial Con­stitutions? To what purpose? If out of compliance with their scruples, they are eternally destructive of Peace and Setle­ment: For whether it be because they are not expresly prescribed in the Word of God, or because they are offensive to [Page 541] weak and tender Brethren, or because their own Consciences remain doubtful, and not fully satisfied of their lawful­ness, or for any the like regards; if these are granted, there can never be any end of unreasonable demands; and there is no Rule of Decency that can ever be in­join'd, that is not as obnoxious to the same trifling Exceptions. And if we shall submit the Laws of the Church to such slender pretences, we do but betray it and our selves into a fatal necessity of endless Schisms and Distractions: For no Man, that has a mind to be peevish, can want plausible pretensions to put a baffle upon publick Authority, if these Prin­ciples are sufficient to warrant Remon­strances, and protect Dissenters. And therefore in stead of indulging Men their Liberty upon the account of such perswa­sions, as we ever hope to see peace and setlement in the Church, we must root them up as seeds of eternal Sedition, and brand and punish all persons that publick­ly profess them, as Men resolved to be turbulent and unpeaceable in the Com­monwealth. But if they shall be con­tent publickly to disclaim these and the like pretensions, and after that continue their cry for Condescension, then all the [Page 542] sense of their Proposal is, that we, for­sooth, must cancel the establish't Laws of the Church, only to gratifie their way­ward and capricious humour: for when the aforesaid Principles are discharged, there remains no other ground of scruple or separation, but their own unyielding wilfulness. And the Interpretation is, that they are resolved to persist in their demands, because they are resolved not to confess their errour; and will rather ruine the peace of the Church, than ha­zard the reputation of their own Under­standings; and having once engaged themselves in an unjust and defenceless Cause, will rather embroil the Church for ever, than retire with a little disho­nour. And now, are not these brave, humble, melting, and broken-hearted Christians, that dare under pretence of scruple and tenderness, thus resolutely affront the convictions of their own Con­science: they are satisfied both that Peace and Unity ought not to be viola­ted, where it may be innocently preser­ved; and that so it may be in the Com­munion of the Church of England; and yet in spight of these Premises, the con­clusion of their practice is, that they are resolved to keep up this Schism that they [Page 543] confess to be unnecessary, and by conse­quence unlawful.

And now as for the remaining part of this Chapter, our Author runs perfect dregs; his Fancy tires, and his Pen faul­ters; and nothing holds out but brave Confidence, and that trusty Vertue will never fail him: however, methinks 'tis time for me to take up, and not waste my own pains and your patience in resisting old Repetitions: for 'tis a small pittance of matter behind that is worth our search and enquiry; and I am not so greedy of Confutation, as to improve every grain of advantage. Thus what he replies to what I have discoursed concerning Pope­ry, Will-worship, Superstition, adding to the Law of God, &c. resolves it self entire­ly into the unwarrantableness of mystical Rites: so that the force of this faint Ex­ception being already so thoroughly bro­ken, the reasonableness of those Discour­ses must be supposed to stand firm and un­attempted; and the Arguments I retorted upon them from these vulgar Topicks of their own, unanswered. And therefore seeing all his Answers (whatever they are) relie upon the Supposition of the Truth of that Principle, and seeing I have so sufficiently demonstrated their [Page 544] vanity and falshood, 'tis to no purpose to continue our Contention about those o­ther Matters, till we have brought the former Controversie to some issue, be­cause whatever I can urge from their consideration, shall be shuffled off by him upon the meer determination of that De­bate; and therefore as many and as great advantages as I have against this part of his Surveigh, I shall rather chuse to wave them all, (for I must not expose all For­geries, and pursue all Impertinencies) and devolve the whole Dispute upon the Ar­gument of significant Ceremonies: see­ing in that (as they manage it) lies the only strength and all the sinews of their Objections. And I confess I am not at all averse from reducing the whole Con­test to that single head, not only because it would shorten it, in that 'tis the bottom of all their other pretences, but because I am so fully assured what woful work they must make, if we could once bring them to alledge Prohibitions out of the Word of God against the Institution of Mystical and Symbolical Rites. By which means, though I am forced with some regret to pass by a vast heap of Rebukes that I had remarked, (and after the rate and genius of this Mans Writing, what­ever [Page 545] his cause is, it is impossible to want matter of Confutation) only that my Reply might not swell beyond the Bulk of a just Volume, yet that may in some measure be recompensed by the fairer advantage the Reader may have to see more particularly, and search more nar­rowly into their dearest and most funda­mental Trifles; And I had much rather confute the Cause than the Man. But beside these heads, there are two or three passages altogether foreign to the Enquiry of significant Ceremonies, them I shall briefly consider, and so put an end to this Chapter.

§. 13. First then, whereas I had up­braided them with a Challenge to vouch­safe so much honour to Mr. Hooker in par­ticular, among many other learned and worthy men, as but to take notice of his Book of Ecclesiastical Polity, in that as long as that remained unanswered it would stand for a lasting and eternal Trophee over their baffled Cause, and therefore I advised them (and I thought it was a friendly Office) instead of continually pelting us with their three-half-peny Pamphlets, if they would consult their own and their Causes Reputation, to bend [Page 546] their Forces upon his single Performance, seeing upon that we were content to cast the Issue of the whole Controversie: So that how ably and successfully soever they might discourse and argue about these things, it was all in vain, whilst this great Champion stood unat­tempted; in that when they had done their poor utmost (as it is apparent they have) this cross Objection would still re­main in every Adversaries mouth, why do you not answer Mr. Hooker? And there­fore whatever they shall do, 'tis all but labour lost till that is done; and his Books being unanswered amounts to a stronger proof against them, than all their Pam­phlets against my self and all other Ad­versaries are able to assoil; seeing then they want not for zeal or good-will for the credit of their Cause, he should ne­ver have escaped thus long unattempted, had they not wanted Courage and Abi­lity to undertake him. But to all this our Author returns me a counter-challenge, to mind them of any one Argument in Mr. Hookers longsom Discourse, Pag. 356. not already frequently answered, and that in Print, long ago, and it shall have its due Consideration. But thou trifler, what is this to my defi­ance? My Challenge was to answer [Page 547] Mr. Hooker intirely, and not his Argu­ments by retail, for whether they are so easily answerable, will, I hope, compe­tently enough appear by the last Issue and Result of our present Controversie; in that our Author has the advantage to use and improve what has been so frequently, and so long ago publish'd. And therefore it was no part of my demand that they would produce their Answers to Mr. Hoo­kers Arguments, as they lie scattered amongst other godly discourse (for that would be an endless and indeterminable Controversie) but that they would of purpose undertake to confute his Book in gross; for though his whole Discourse were replied to by piece-meal, yet that can be no satisfaction to People so zea­lous in the Cause, unless the Glory and Reputation of the Discourse it self were particularly defeated, in that as long as that shall stand unassaulted, that alone will be sufficient to discredit and prevent the success of all other endeavours. So that the plain meaning of my Challenge was only, that if the substance of his di­scourse be so clearly answered, as they pretend, that they would but convince the World of it by a particular and me­thodical Confutation of the Discourse it [Page 548] self; for till that be performed, or at least attempted, they cannot expect but that all Adversaries as well as I should upbraid them with its unanswerableness. But alas! what do we talk of that, that is a Burthen too heavy for their weak shoulders? They answer Mr. Hooker! Fond men! they will as soon undermine the Pillars of the Earth as shake one Para­graph of his Writings. Remove Moun­tains, repent of your sins, and then an­swer Mr. Hooker. 'Tis not for men of your pigmy strength and skill to attaque such a Giant of Sense and Reason; you do but run a tilt upon a Rock with Straws and Bull-rushes. 'Tis infinite Rashness and Presumption for the stoutest he of you all to venture upon a man of his invincible Abilities; in a word, 'tis not for Whif­flers and Pamphleteers to cope with Mr. Hooker. Our Author might better have told us as I. O. once told the World, that this great man was unhappily engaged in the defence of such Errors, The duty of Pastors and People distinguisht p. 18. as he could not but see, and did often confess. This is ano­ther peerless Wight too; for where did that good man ever confess he did vio­lence to the Convictions of his Consci­ence in his publick Discourses, for so he must have done, had he engaged in the [Page 549] defence of known Errors? Was there ever such a brazen head of slander as this, that dares thus groundlesly, and thus foully asperse such a spotless Integrity? I confess, I could not but resent our Au­thors disingenuity, when he frequently intimates, I have written for my private Interest against my secret Perswasi­ons; but what is that to this mans Candour and Civility, who dares pro­claim to the World, that that upright Soul prevaricated with God and his own Conscience in the main work and design of his whole life? Well! hereafter I will set my heart at ease, for what Ad­versary can ever hope to escape these mens slanders, that dare attempt to blast Hookers Reputation? But however, is it not a pleasant humour for this man seri­riously to appeal from a single Author, to all the Puritan Scriblers since the Reign of Queen Elizabeth? I am content to de­volve the Issue of the Controversie upon Mr. Hookers Performance; no, says he, all that longsom Discourse has been shame­fully baffled over and over. But how shall we satisfie and inform our selves of that? Why, no other way but by peru­sing all the Pamphlets that they have ever publish'd since the Ecclesiastical Polity. [Page 550] But this is as safe a demur as his Appeals to the day of Judgment, for who (think you) will ever have so much time, or so little employment as to examine all their flat and empty Pamphlets. And when that is done, it will be worth the while to raise a new Controversie, whether they amount to a just Reply to Mr. Hooker. But be that as it will, the plain Conse­quence of my Challenge is, that seeing so many men have laboured with so much zeal in this Contest, 'tis strange that no man, either for the publick Interest of his Cause, or his own private Renown, ever ventured to turn his Forces particu­larly upon that Discourse; and there­fore seeing 'tis not done, that alone is sufficient Presumption (considering their zeal and behaviour) to conclude that 'tis too much for their courage to attempt, and much more for their ability to per­form: and withal, that all their faint en­deavours since are nothing more than an obstinate persisting in the Repetition of old and baffled Clamours. And the truth is, I know not one Masculine Writer that has appeared in defence of the Cause since the Conversion of Cart­wright; and I must ingenuously confess, I have not had the good fortune to meet [Page 551] with any thing like a new Argument in their later Authors, nothing but his old trash voucht with effeminate and unclean­ly Railings. And therefore instead of standing to the confidence of my former Challenge, I will now only request them not to annoy us with any of their little Exceptions, till they have first examined whether and how they are answered in Whitgifts Reply to that troublesom man; for it was his Pen that first laid the Cause a gasping, and the Puritan Reformation breathed its last in that Engagement, and never spoke word since, but as a poor Eccho does, by a faint Repetition of Cartwrights paultry Cavils, who, poor man was beaten by down-right Blows out of his zeal & peevishness, and driven by meer force of Arms and Arguments into order and conformity.

§. 14. The next Cavil (and so I have done) is so miserably impertinent, that I am loth to mention it, and yet so dis­mally disingenuous, that I am as loth to omit it. And therefore to be brief, in the close of this Chapter I undertook to answer the biggest and most plausible Exception, I could think of, against the Ecclesiastical Sovereignty of the Civil [Page 552] Magistrate, viz. What if he should im­pose things sinful and superstitious, what inconveniences would this bring upon the Government of the World? The consequence of such an awkard state of things would be, that men must either suf­fer for the sedition of their disobedience from their Prince, or for the sinfulness of their Obedience from God. This I had al­ways observed to be the Gloss of all their Arguments, and the Retreat of all their Discourses; when all their other little Pretences are defeated, 'tis still the Re­fuge of all their Talk, to represent what mischiefs and inconveniences may possibly ensue upon the Exercise of this Jurisdiction. In answer to which Ob­jection, omitting what I had before di­scoursed, that the matters of our pre­sent Debate were only external forms and expressions of Religious Worship, where it was not easie for the Magistrate to err, or if he should, errors in these things are seldom dangerous; which though it is a full and competent Reply, yet I waved it, and only shewed how the Objection dasht as impetuously against all manner of Government; where I weigh­ed its Conveniences against its Inconve­niences, and represented that how enor­mous [Page 553] soever the mischiefs and calamities of an abused Power might chance to be, they were still out-ballanced by the Comforts and Advantages of Govern­ment; and therefore that this was no reasonable Exception, seeing our Enqui­ry is not after such a perfect way of set­ling things, as is altogether free from all Abuses, but after such an one as is liable to the fewest: So that seeing an Ecclesi­astical Jurisdiction is absolutely necessary to prevent all those Confusions, that would unavoidably spring from an unre­strained Liberty, though it may, and often is ill managed, yet 'tis better man­kind should be sometimes exposed to the miseries of Tyranny and Persecution, than always groan under the Intolerable disorders of Anarchy. And to this end did our blessed Saviour arm his Followers against the storms of Persecution, be­cause he saw the Power of the World in such mens hands, whose Principles would oblige them to oppose, and (if they were able) to destroy that Oeconomy of things that he came to establish in it. And there­fore that they might not create Distur­bances in the State by affronting and con­trouling the Edicts of Princes against their Religion, he teaches them to guard [Page 554] themselves with patience and contented­ness, that if it hapned that the Secular Powers should raise Persecutions against them for propagating that Religion, that was so necessary to the Eternal Interests of Mankind, they should not oppose them in any tumultuary and unhandsom ways, but patiently submit to their un­happy Fate, and be content to lay down their lives, rather than forgo their Con­sciences, or disturb Common-wealths; and by this way of meekness and humili­ty he assured them divine Providence would make their cause Triumph over all the established and superstitious Wor­ships in the World, and so make Chri­stianity prevail in all Kingdoms without disturbing them. And therefore 'tis a vain suggestion, when they tell us this Doctrine would have fallen heavy upon the Primitive Christians; it might, and by ill mistake it did so; but our Saviour had rather his Church should be persecu­ted, than that the World should not be govern'd; and as the Circumstances of affairs stood at that juncture of time, one of them was unavoidable, and therefore of these two Evils he chose the more eli­gible, and went not about to abrogate or abate any part of the Imperial Power, [Page 555] to keep his Church out of harms-way from their Persecution, but rather chose to expose it to all the Tortures and Re­proaches of Martyrdom, than to weaken the Power and Interest of Government, of which he was so careful, that he has made new Provisions against resistance, and made it highly criminal to all the Proselytes of his Religion upon whatso­ever Pretences or Provocations; and therefore our duty is so setled, that when the matter of their Commands is lawful, we must obey chearfully; when unlaw­ful, we must suffer chearfully; this is the Fortune of Mankind, and the best state of Affairs humane life is capable of. But these things I have proved more at large elsewhere, and they are in them­selves so plain and reasonable, that they could not fail of convincing any man, that is not resolved to be peevish and in­flexible, but if he be, 'tis no bending mens humours, or breaking their wills by force of Argument. And of this me­thinks our Authors perverting this part of my Discourse is a pleasant and com­petent Instance. For he gravely repre­sents the forementioned Objection, as if I had been such a Sot as to propose it for a case of Conscience,Pag. 367. Whether when the [Page 556] Worship establish'd be sinful or superstitious, it be lawful to obey, or not. This difficulty (says he) every child of ten years old is able to resolve, and away he runs with it, and falls unmercifully upon all the Conside­rations that I have return'd in answer to the Objection, as if they were determi­nations of the Case, and then proceeds to state it himself with the Authority of a Pope in Cathedrâ, Pag. 369 that 'tis not lawful to obey. Most profound and judicious Ca­suist! had he been Confessour to St. An­thony, he is subtle enough to have cleared up all his Scruples. Who beside a man of new Lights and Notions could ever have hit upon such a notable Decision of this Enquiry, that 'tis not lawful to obey the Civil Magistrate in case of Idolatry. Go thy way for the Flower of School-divi­nity, thou hast subtlety enough to put Scotus his nose out of joynt for ever; 'tis impossible but that such an extraordinary Wit should prove Master of a new Sect of School-men. But to be serious, pride and passion are blind things, how else could this man have run so boldly upon such a blunt and silly mistake, when 'tis so ap­parent, that the Enquiry was not at all concern'd whether Obedience in such Cases be lawful, but whether those [Page 557] Inconveniences, that follow upon their supposal, be a competent ground to abro­gate all Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions. Or whether this be a reasonable Exception against the usefulness of putting it in practice, that it may be managed to evil Purposes, and when it is so, honest men must suffer for their Integrity. I say no, and he that says I, must for the same reason abolish all Civil Government, be­cause all Civil Government is as likely to be abused. But having amused his vulgar Reader with this strange case of Conscience; and having intimated, that I sometimes speak as though it were the duty of Subjects to comply with the establishment of Ido­latry supposed;Pag. 36 [...]. only because I have deter­mined it better to submit to Tyrants than to hazard the dissolution of the State by Civil Wars and Rebellions; having, I say, once made his way into these prodigious mistakes, he is resolved to swell their horror with a strong infusi­on of Slander and Infamy. And to this purpose he transcribes a passage out of my last Chapter, concerning the Obligations of a scrupulous and tender Conscience, viz. that in cases doubtful and disputa­ble, of a Publick Concern, men were to resign up their own Judgments to the [Page 558] Determinations of Authority. And this he brings in here as my real Solution of the present difficulty, viz. that they ought to comply with the publick establish­ment of Idolatry, because by vertue of this Principle they are always to give Obedience to all the Commands of Law­ful Superiours. And now having impro­ved his Falsifications to this monstrous Bulk, and withal swoln his Fancy with admiring at the boldness of such lewd Assertions; he at last bursts forth into an impetuous fit of preaching against them. But seeing he has so lamentably mistaken his Text, he may talk his Lungs and his heart out, and never talk to the purpose, and therefore let him take his full Career of Impertinency, it concerns not me ei­ther to stop or follow him, only this let me tell him for his comfort, that I have there proved, and here defie him and all the World to disprove it, that whoever shall contradict that proposition as I have laid it down, viz. that in all doubtful and disputable Cases of a publick Con­cernment, Subjects are not to attend to the Results of their own private Judg­ment, but to acquiesce entirely in the determinations of publick Authority; whoever, I say, shall contradict this, is [Page 559] an enemy to the peace of mankind, and a Traitor to all Societies in the World. For Government is a word that signifies nothing, if it be not a Power to deter­mine and appoint what it judges most useful and expedient for the Concerns and Interests of the Common-wealth; and if you will cancel this Authority of the pub­lick Judgment, whatever you may call it, 'tis really nothing but Anarchy. And this is the last and unavoidable Issue of all their Pretences. For as to their general Pleas for Indulgence, they still press for an entire and absolute exemption of Consci­ence from all the Commands of Autho­rity, and in effect vest it in a Power Para­mount to the supremacy of Princes; so that in case of Competition, its Dictates must over-rule all their Laws, and there­fore no Government shall ever be able to pass an Obligation upon it but by its own consent, and this (if any thing) is perfect Anarchy; every man is entirely left to the guidance of his own discretion, and is as much at liberty, whether he will or will not obey, as if he were absolutely free from all Superiority and Jurisdiction. And then, as to their particular Exceptions, their scruples are so nice and delicate, so peevish and splenetick, so giddy and phan­tastick, [Page 560] so impossible to be prevented of redressed, that no form of setlement can ever be contrived, upon which they will not beat with equal fury; for they are in­differently applicable to all Cases, and their strength depends not at all upon the Reasons of things, but the Humours of men. And if the offence of a weak Bro­ther, or the scruple of a Tender Consci­ence are sufficient exceptions against the Power and Efficacy of Laws, then fare­well all the Reverence and Authority of Government; for setle things with never so much Exactness, it will be impossible upon these Principles to avoid these Ca­vils as long as there are either Fools or Knaves in the World. And do but observe the untenable weakness of all their Pre­tences apart, and how they shuffle from their general Demands to their particular exceptions, and then when they are pur­sued to their defence, how they rowl back to their general Demands, and so dance perpetually in a manifest circle of shifting and disingenuous Cavil, and you need no farther proof to satisfie you of the Into­lerable Impertinency of their Clamours, and unexemplified Peevishness of the Men.

§. 1. OUr Authors Adventures in this Chapter are such or­dinary and possible things, that now to reherse En­terprizes so lank of pro­digy after all these wonders, were to dar­ken the lustre, and abate the admiration of his former Performances. Many faint Essays we may observe of his ancient Courage and Confidence: but, alas! Deeds of a greater strain, and more stu­pendious Prowess, are kept for Holy-day Atchievments. Now and then we may meet with a lowd and rapping Falsifica­tion; but every Page does not entertain our wonder with Forgeries of a Garagan­tuan bulk and boldness. Once indeed we are inform'd how I discourse, that the [Page 564] use and exercise of Conscience will certainly over­throw all Government, Pag. 285. and fill the World with confusion: yet however, the old Calumnies are not continually ratling in our Ears; as, That the Civil Magistrate is vested in an absolute and immediate Soveraignty over Conscience in all Affairs of Religi­on; in so much that whatever the pre­cise truth of the thing may be, he has power to order and appoint what Religi­on his Subjects shall profess and observe: That Conscience has nothing to do be­yond the inward Thoughts of Mens Minds: and, That as to all their out­ward Actions, the Commands of Au­thority over-rule all its Obligations, &c. These Slanders that he has so often and so familiarly hurl'd at me upon all occa­sions, are as big as Steeples; and had they faln where they were aim'd, had for ever quash't me to death and nothing. But the censures he now spits, are not discharged with that impetuous fury, but that they may be received without dan­ger of being kill'd and buried at once. And the mistakes he invents are so vul­gar and ordinary, that they might have been contrived by Sancho his Scribe. But thus it happens, that the greatest Flow­ers of Chivalry have in their declining [Page 565] Age flag'd and wither'd; and their last Performances have faln so much short of the Miracles of their first Atchievments, that their new Conquests have not so much increas't the number, as eclips't the glory of the old. And that match­less Wight, that in his youthful days scorn'd to accept of any Adventures un­less upon Wind-mills, Painim Giants, and Infernal Necromancers; yet when Age had slaked the rage of his blood and folly, was content to spend his last Ex­ploits upon Goat-herds, Lackeys, and Plow-men of his own Parish. And such pitiful attempts are our Authors Remarks upon the passages of this Chapter; so pitiful, that they would sooner raise an Adversaries Compassion than Choler; and are so far from the appearance of a just Reply, that they will not amount to a competent Denial. The whole drift of my Discourse is neglected; my four Fundamental Assertions, of which, and their Proofs, the main Body of the Chap­ter consists, are slipped over; only a few subordinate and dependant Propositions glanced at, with slight mistakes and po­sitive censures, without so much as at­tempting to defeat any of my Argu­ments, or, in their stead, to suggest any [Page 566] of his own. 'Tis such lank and slender talk, and so apparently unequal to the small reason of the Discourse it would oppose, that I should never have deign'd it a Rejoinder in my own defence, but that it gives occasion to gratifie the Rea­der with some farther proofs of our Au­thors Candour and Ingenuity, and some more not unuseful Considerations upon the matters of our present debate: though what I have already remarked, has evi­dence more than enough without the help of new Lights, to scatter all his thin and vanishing Exceptions. And should I represent to the Reader what material things he has gently passed over, I must transcribe almost the whole Chapter. And our Author himself seems so conscious of the meanness of his Exploits in this part of his Adventures, that he concludes the whole Performance with a new Chal­lenge, and turns me over (Coward as he is) to a new Champion, that has already (poor Man!) been rebuked to purpose: But let him take his Fortune,Pag. 302. I am resol­ved to keep my Man.

Pag. 284.In the first place then he informs us, this Chapter is inconsistent with it self, and other parts of the Treatise, but that is none of his Concernment. No doubt of it, he is only [Page 567] concern'd to defame and disparage other Mens Writings, and not at all to make good his slanders and incivilities. No Man that had not laid waste all sense of mode­sty and ingenuity, would so easily sputter abroad his rude and abusive censures, without thinking himself somewhat con­cern'd to justifie the matters of his charge, though it were only to clear the Reputa­tion of his good manners. For all Men are apt enough to suspect ill-nature in de­tracting suggestions; and therefore no discreet or civil Man would venture to dart them without apparent proof, and would not accept the favour of being cre­dited, till he has produced evidence at least equal to the Indictment. So that our Author would more consult the credit of his discretion, if he would not be so free of his censures, but when he is at lei­sure to warrant their truth. There are vast multitudes of them scatter'd up and down in all parts of his Surveigh, that I have purposely waved because they are so wretchedly insignificant. This one friend­ly check upon this particular occasion, may serve for a sufficient correction to all the rest. That is the first impertinence, the second (for here they are very thick sown) is this. In the beginning of this [Page 568] Chapter I represented how a belief of the indifferency, or rather Imposture of all Religion, is of late become among some persons the most effectual and most fashi­onable Argument for Liberty of Consci­ence. Away, says our Author, it is im­possible this pretence could ever be made use of to that purpose.Pag. 285. It is suited directly to oppose and overthrow it: for if there be no such thing as Religion in the World, it is cer­tainly a very foolish thing to have differences perpetuated amongst Men upon account of Con­science. This he says, because he is resol­ved to say something, no matter whether to or beside the purpose: For what is this to a Man that defies and laughs at the silliness of an upright Conscience, and looks upon all Stories of Religion as the tales and tricks of covetous Priests, con­trived to awe the People, and to inrich themselves? He will say that 'tis indeed a very foolish thing to perpetuate diffe­rences in the World about Conscience and Religion; but seeing it is so full of softly and conscientious Fops, that will be impatient for their own follies and Impostures, what in this case is the best method to govern such zealous Sots? Not by severity; for 'tis pity to punish silly People for their ignorance and credulity, [Page 569] and 'tis more generous to humour them in their several Frenzies and Fairy-imagi­nations; and as long as they are willing to be abused with the belief of invisible Powers, and the dread of Infernal Gob­lins, that shall after death torment wick­ed and disloyal Subjects in burning Vaults below; 'tis unbecoming the wisdom of a Prince, that understands the Juggle, to vex or punish such weak and deluded peo­ple for any of their other fond and little conceits; but rather to allow them the Li­berty of gratifying their childish fancies with what phantasms shall most please & affect their folly. Now what Discourse can be more suited to the Principles of these young Cubs of the Leviathan, than not to punish credulous and unreflecting People for being cheated and abused? And therefore though they believe all the different Religions in the World to be in reality but so many different Impostures; yet they may judge it the wisest course for Government to permit such differen­ces as Fools are resolved to perpetuate, rather than to exasperate their zealous madness, by attempting to restrain their phantastick mistakes with violence and force of Penalties▪ so that supposing these Mens perswasions, nothing could [Page 570] be more agreeable to their small Politicks than this Principle of the indifferency of all Religions in behalf of Liberty of Conscience. And of this our Author could not be ignorant, both by what I had discoursed in that Paragraph, and in several others: but he was resolved to ca­vil, and 'tis his way (as I have often told you) to overlook Arguments, and then he never wants for confidence to deny or slight Assertions; and when their Guard is removed, 'tis an easie matter to fall foul upon naked Truths.

§. 2. As for what I have asserted and proved in the next Paragraph, he readily subscribes it, viz. That Conscience and Religion are the strongest bands of Laws, and the best security of Government; and therefore that they are its greatest Ene­mies, that endeavour to weaken or eva­cuate their Obligations; a wise attempt of some little and pedantick Pretenders to Policy! But this little ingenuity in granting 'tis once possible that I can speak truth, is forced, and against the grain of Nature; and therefore it immediately returns with the greater violence, and the words next ensuing are as lewd and shame­less a Calumny as any in the whole cluster [Page 571] of his falsified Stories, viz. That what I have here discoursed in one Section, (though which, he is so wise as to leave his Reader to conjecture) is, to prove that the use and exercise of Conscience will certainly overthrow all Government, Ibid. and fill the World with Confusion. But here, methinks, I smell Brimstone; and had I the Father of Untruths for my Adversary, I could not have engaged at greater disadvan­tage: For what Reply should a Man make to such a rank and essential Falshood? Af­ter this rate there is no commencing a Dispute with this Man but in Courts of Justice, and no confuting his Arguments but by Actions of Slander. I confess this is the only Rapper I have observed in this Chapter; but 'tis like the last clap of Thunder, that breaks with a more hide­ous thump, and strikes with down-right astonishment. However, Innocence (they say) is as safe a protection against its blasting stroaks, as an old Oak; and therefore I can defie his bolts with as much assurance as Cyniscus in Lucian did Iupiter, when he was secure his hands were tied by Fate: so that our Author has my free consent to use these wretched Wea­pons as long as he pleases, for there is no danger such bold Falsifications should e­ver [Page 572] hurt any thing but himself and his Cause.

In the two following Paragraphs (to o­mit some slight and stragling Cavils) I shewed that the dread of invisible Powers is not of it self sufficient to awe the com­mon people into subjection, but tends more probably to work tumults and sedi­tions; and this was largely and (I pre­sume) competently proved by the ungo­vernableness of the principles and tempers of some Sects of Religion. But he knows whom I reflect upon. Pag. 286. Like enough, for guilt and a gall'd Horse are very quick of ap­prehension: though here methinks he is too skittish, and starts too soon under the lash of my general Reproof by his own particular Applications. I confess I af­terwards proceeded to the known Con­cernments of some parties of Men a­mong us; but in this Section 'tis appa­rent I aimed only at the mischiefs of Su­perstition and Enthusiasm from the ten­dency of their own Nature; in that as they were more incident to the common people, than any other vice or folly: so when they had once seized their Passions, they were so far from laying restraints upon their exorbitant heats, that they were the strongest and most irresistible [Page 573] Obligations to Tumult and Sedition. But seeing our Author through the quickness of his sense, flinches at the smart of my Reproof before the blow is given, let him satisfie me in this Inquiry, If there be no particular Inclinations in some Sects of Men to Insolence and Presumption against Princes; whence it comes to pass, that where-ever they have been entertained, Subjects have been immediately inflamed and exasperated against their Princes, and Princes have been forced upon stern and ungentle courses against their Subjects; that the times have been broken with rebellious defections, subversions of Churches, and combustions of Religion; that the History of the Age has been made up of nothing but Wars, Conspiracies, Insurrections, Spoils, Ravages, Desolati­ons of States, Confusions of Govern­ments, and all the other mischiefs and miseries of Humane Life? Whence it comes to pass, that no Sects of Men have been more prodigal of ugly Language, irreverent Expressions, and lewd Titles to the Princes of Christendom? Who was it that honour'd the Royal Family of France with the Title of a Bitch-Wolf and her Whelps? Eusebius Philadelphus. Who was it that stiled Mary Queen of England [Page 574] Proserpine? No body but Mr. Calvin. Who gave Mary Queen of Scots, the Title of Ie­zabel? Honest Iohn Knox. Who that of Medea? Orthodox Mr. Beza. To pass by innumerable other Titles of Honour and Civility, bestowed by these meek and humble Men upon Sovereign Princes, 'tis enough that our Author may remember who it was that branded his present Ma­jesty as a Tyrant full of Revenge, a Man of Blood, a Son of Tabeal, Absalom, and Sheba the Son of Bichri. And lastly, whence it comes to pass, that this party of Men have been the Authors of more mischie­vous and seditious Libels against Princes, than all Parties in Europe beside, such as Buchanans Book de Iure Regni apud Scotos, Vindiciae contra Tyrannos, de Iure Magistratus in subditos, Eusebius Philadelphus; not to mention that numberless swarm of shame­less Pamphlets, that were produced in our late debauch't and corrupted times. 'Tis enough that they have broach't more seditious Aphorisms in an hundred years, than had been before discover'd from the beginning of days. And there is a larger Collection of Treason in Archbishop Bancroft's dangerous Positions, the Evan­gelium Armatum, and the late Discourse of Toleration discussed, than can be gather'd [Page 575] out of the Histories and Records of all former Ages.

But from Practices we proceeded to such Principles as are not by any means to be endured in any Commonwealth, be­cause they carry in them an apparent ten­dency to the destruction of all Govern­ment, and the dissolution of all Society. The first is the Fundamental Pretence of all godly Sedition, and is a direct and im­mediate affront to the Power of Princes, viz. That if they refuse to reform Religion them­selves, 'tis lawful for their godly Subjects to do it, and that by violence and force of Arms. This has been the great Nuissance of re­formed Christendom, it over-run the Fo­reign Reformation with popular Tumults and Outrages, and put the Boors and Ras­cal multitude every where in Arms a­gainst the Edicts of State. All Preachers and Leaders of Sedition have combined their Faction by virtue of this Principle; and all the sub-divided Sects, that at pre­sent annoy the Publick Peace, have una­nimously agreed both in its belief and practice. And all the other Aphorisms of disturbance that have been peculiar to each Party, are but so many ways of re­ducing and applying this general Maxim to particular Interests. But though our [Page 576] Author has with great care and curiosity transcribed all the other Assertions, that I impleaded of Sedition; yet this (though it was the first and the greatest Principle in the Catalogue) he industriously stifles, and lops it off from the following Articles of my Charge. He cares not to have it observed, because he neither dares justi­fie it, nor will renounce it. It has, and may again by Providential Alterations, do brave service for the separate Churches; but 'tis so apparently inconsistent with the establish't setlement of things, that it can never safely be owned but when it may safely be used; and therefore 'tis more politick to let it lie dormant and unre­garded, till opportunity shall call it forth to Action. And let us upbraid them never so much with its mischievous and noisom consequences, 'tis their wisest course still to counterfeit an artificial deafness, and not to understand its meaning till they may own it to some more effectual pur­pose. What other probable Reason can you imagine, why he should so carefully pass it over in silence, whilst he so faith­fully relates all the other particulars of my Impeachments? He cannot have for­gotten how oft some body has proclaimed it from the Pulpit in a thousand dresses [Page 577] and varieties of Canting; 'tis the Re­sult of all his Preachments in behalf of the Proceedings in the late Rebellion; and (what is more unhappy) it has been all along publickly owned and pleaded by the Chiefs both of the Presbyterian and Independent Factions, and never yet (that I could hear or read of) once disavowed by any; and therefore though I charged it not upon any Party, but only branded the Principle it self, this advantage this man has gain'd to his Brethren by his rashness and presumption, that it shall lie at their doors, till they shall remon­strate to it by some publick Protestati­on.

§. 3. The other Articles that I chose to specifie, among many other, were these three, that Princes, in case of Disobe­dience to the Presbytery, may be ex­communicated, and by consequence de­posed: that Dominion is founded in Grace; and that to pursue success, though in Villany and Rebellion, is to follow Providence. But all the World (says Mo­desty) knows what it is, Pag. 187. that hath given him the advantage of providing a covering for these monstrous Fictions; and an account thereof hath been given elsewhere. And what now if [Page 578] those intended do not believe these things, nor any one of them? What if they do openly dis­avow every one of them, as for ought I ever heard or know they do, and as I do my self? These monstrous Fictions! so are all the Histories and Records in the World. Were there never any Sects of men that placed a Power in the Presbytery to ex­communicate Princes; or that challenged an Exemption from the Commands of Authority upon the score of their Saint­ship; or that taught Success to be a cer­tain Argument of Divine Approbation? Did you never hear of such Creatures as Presbyterians, Anabaptists, and Inde­pendents? Were there never any such men in the World as Iohn Knox, Iohn of Leyden, and I. O? Or are all the Stories that are recorded of them fairy-tales and Romances? If they are not, these things are as far from being monstrous fictions, as any thing upon Record in the four Go­spels. But an account of these things has been given elsewhere. Perhaps so, among the Antiquities of China, or in Lucians true History. And a wise and true account it is no doubt, that shall undertake to prove there never were any People in the World that have abetted these Princi­ples. And 'tis hugely sutable to his fol­lowing [Page 579] Apology, that if any may here­tofore have owned them, yet for ought he knows they have openly disavowed them. But this is pure and burnish'd confidence to bear down certain and undeniable matters of Fact, with a flat denial, & a peremptory Perhaps. Did I ever imagine I should be put to prove there have been men in the World, that have own'd and acted these Principles, or to disprove the Reality of a publick Repentance never heard of? This mans insufferable Perverseness would vanquish the Patience of an Arch-Angel; he cares not what he says, so the cause go forward, and he would deny that Abraham begot Isaac if it stood in his way. And if he should, it would not be a greater Violence to Truth, or Affront to Modesty, than this Attempt to clear some men from the guilt of these Per­swasions. But still, what if those intended do not believe these things? Then (good Sir Pertinent) they are not intended. I na­med no body, but only enquired, upon this supposition, that if heretofore there has been, or hereafter there should arise, such a Race of men in the World, whe­ther the Belief of a Deity, and the dread of Invisible Powers, blended with such innocent Propositions, were likely to se­cure [Page 580] their due Obedience and Respect to Authority, or rather to drive them to attempts of disturbance and sedition, when they thought themselves obliged under the most dreadful Penalties to act sutably to their Principles. And there­fore I intended none but those that either actually have been, or possibly may be guil­ty, without naming or specifying any par­ticular Criminals: Though indeed the matters of fact are so notorious, that up­on bare Intimation every man has know­ledge and sagacity enough to discover the Offenders; and they themselves are so conscious of the Notoreity of the Crime, that (as it happens in the Ex­cuses of all Enormous Malefactors) they cannot avoid to bewray their own guilt by their own Apologies: unless this be sufficient to clear their Innocence, and their Reputation, that for ought any body knows they have publickly repented, which if they had, every body must cer­tainly have known it. Whatsoever dis­orders they have run into in pursuit of these Principles, yet if the boldest and most scandalous offender in the whole Mutiny shall come forth, and with a bare-faced confidence tell his Gover­nours, that perhaps, and for ought he [Page 581] knows, they have forsaken them, they immediately become loyal and peaceable Subjects, and must be supposed as white as Snow, and as harmless as Doves. But to particulars.

The first Article then falls directly up­on the men of the holy Discipline, who challenge to themselves an original and independent Jurisdiction over all Per­sons, and in all matters of Ecclesiastical Concernment; so that though they ac­knowledge themselves subject to the Power of Kings in civil and secular Af­fairs, yet in the Government of the Church and conduct of Religion, the temporal Power is subject to the spiritual, and Princes must submit to the sovereign De­crees of the Presbytery: and therefore in case of disobedience to their Authority, they are as obnoxious as any of their Subjects to the Censure of the Church, and the Sentence of Excommunication. This in brief is the true Platform of the Discipline, publickly owned by all its Pa­trons and Assertors; and whoever does not vest the Classical Meetings with a Su­premacy over Kings in Ecclesiastical Go­vernment, is no true Disciplinarian, when 'tis the only design of the Discipline to put the Scepter of Jesus Christ into the [Page 582] hands of the Presbytery, i, e. to strip the secular Authority of all spiritual Juris­diction, and to settle it entirely upon spi­ritual Persons. And all this was accord­ingly put in practice by the Kirk, and all the World knows how bold they made both with the Persons and Prerogatives of Princes, upon all occasions studying to cross with Royal Authority, daring to repeal and annul Acts of Parliament, protesting against Edicts and Proclamati­ons, summoning the Lords of his Maje­sties Privy Council before their Assem­blies for giving the King evil Counsel, and vexing and affronting the King him­self upon every trifle, even to the indict­ing of strict and solemn Fasts upon those days in particular, upon which the King had appointed any greater and extraor­dinary Feast. But the Characters of these mens Principles and Practices are suffici­ently upon Record; and there is not an Aphorism of Treason or Disloyalty, that they have not justified in their Writings, and owned in their Actions; all which are so well known that I will not insist any farther upon their proof, especially seeing our Author himself has (when time was) branded them for a Pack of perfidious Knaves and Hypocrites; [Page 583] though it was then, when they hapned to fall into the scandalous Crime of Loyal­ty.Thanksgi­ving Serm. for the suc­cess at Worcest. p. 21. Calling their Ambition to rule and have all under their own Power, their zeal to the Church of Christ; and their endeavours to re-enthrone Tyranny, Loyalty; and all according to the Covenant. This miscarriage it seems is so unpardonable, that they must for ever become Traitors to the cause of God, be­cause they were but once guilty of being Loyal to their Prince. Time was when they were better Friends, i. e. when the Presbyterian was the only visible head of the Rebellion; then who more forward for that Church-Government, Duty of Pastors and People distinguisht p. 42. which is com­monly called Presbyterial or Synodical, in oppo­sition to Prelatical or Diocesan on the one side; and that which is commonly called Independent or Congregational on the other. But farewel Presbytery, if it can be so false to its own Principles as to revolt to its duty and its Allegiance. Then with what deceivableness of unrighteousness, and lies in Hypocrisie, Thanksgi­ving Serm. for success at Worc. Ep. Ded. the late grand Attempt of those in Scotland, with their Adherents, was carried on, is in some measure made naked to the loathing of its Abo­minations. In digging deep to lay a foundation for bloud and revenge, in covering private and sordid ends with a pretence of things publick and glorious; in limning a face of Religion up­on [Page 584] a worldly stock; in concealing distant Aims and bloudy Animosities to compass one common End; that a Theater might be provided to act several parts upon, in pleading a necessity from an Oath of God, unto most desperate under­takings against God, and such like things as these, perhaps it gives not place to any, which former Ages have been acquainted withal. As he speaks of the Covenanting Brethren of the Kirk, when they joyn'd in with the Royal Interest in opposition to the de­signs of the Republican and Independent Party. This man was never constant to any Principles but those of disloyalty, and it was his perpetual Custom to preach up that most for Gods cause, that was most contrary to the Kings. And the work of the Lord, in which he spent so much Pulpit-sweat, was nothing but the subversion of Monarchy in the Death of one King, and the Banishment of ano­ther. And now is not this a modest man, to boast of the faithful adherence of him­self and his Confidents to the present Go­vernment?Pag. 295, [...]96. But so much, and (I hope) enough, if not too much, of the first Principle. And as for the second, that of the Anabaptists, that claim'd an Ex­emption from the Power of the civil Ma­gistrate upon the score of their Saintship, [Page 585] 'tis so notorious beyond all contradicti­on, and the blessed Pranks that Iohn of Leyden, Muncer, Knipperdolling, and the Boors of Germany plaid under its Protecti­on, are so vulgarly known, that I need not stand upon its proof; any man may soon satisfie himself out of Bullinger, Sleidan, Osiander, Gualter, Alsted, and di­vers others, out of whom I am not now at liberty to transcribe Collections, ha­ving already well-nigh exceeded the Number of Pages allowed me by the Ma­ster of the Press: and those that remain I must reserve for matter more perti­nent to our present debate and present Affairs.

§. 4. And therefore as for the third and last Principle, that of the Independents, that to pursue success in Villany and Rebellion, is to follow Providence: Let us a little consi­der and examine their serious Thoughts concerning it, seeing to deny it is such a frontless Contradiction, not only to their former practices, but to their present be­haviour, in ascribing every common Ac­cident of humane life, to some extraor­dinary design of Providence, and inter­preting all mischances that befal their Neighbours, as visible Judgments upon [Page 586] them for particular Actions; insomuch that if ever I die before the day of Judg­ment (and by Constitution I am like to be none of the longest livers) I here fore­tell that it shall be voted the hand of God, and the stroke of divine vengeance upon me for my severity and unkindness to his secret ones. But 'tis in vain to con­vince them by Experience and Notoreity of fact; and 'tis no forcing them to stand to any thing, unless when they are lime-twigg'd with Ink and Paper, and gagg'd with Quills, and therefore that is my comfort, that most of them are choak'd with their own Gaggs, and for ever entangled with their own Lime-twigs: For 'tis notorious to all the World how the Parliament Sermons (those edifying Homilies) were continually beating upon this string; and crying up all Transactions of the War (and false Reports too) as Tokens of Gods favour to the Cause; and making the Diurnal a Comment upon the Reve­lations, and the secrets of Providence. What our Authors private Practice has been, it were (would he be modest) nei­ther pertinent nor civil to pry into. 'Tis enough that those of his Communion have not been behind any party of Saints in this kind of Presumption. But 'tis not [Page 587] possible when there is such plenty of Game, I should be able to set every Covy, and therefore (to keep to my man, and my Resolution) I shall confine my self to the Writings of I. O. (the Cock of the Congregation.) I am sure it was his Cu­stom to account for all the various Con­tingencies of the War by the secret Counsels of Providence, only known to himself, and some other secret ones, and to discover its particular design in every particular event. And should I insist upon all Proofs and Instances to this purpose, I should exceed the eleventh Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews in the num­ber of Examples and Precedents. To be short then.

By Providence was General Fairfax personally call'd forth to the Siege of Col­chester. Eben Ezec Ep. ded. By Providence was I. O. pitch't upon to attend his Excellency in that for­tunate Expedition.Ep. ded. to the Com­mittee. By Providence were Sir Henry Mildmay and the Committee de­liver'd from their Imprisonment by the Enemy.Ibid. By Providence were they re­served from a sinful complyance with the Royal Party, and from a treacherous Spirit, or the malignant sin of Loyalty.Pag. 4. By Pro­vidence were Gods People call'd to sing their Songs upon Sigionoth for the inter­changeable [Page 588] Dispensations of the imprisonment and delivery of the Committee.Pag. 21. By Pro­vidence were the hands of the Cavaliers, that had itching fingers and an hankering mind after the inheritance of Gods people, knockt off an hundred times, and sent away with bloody fingers. By Provi­dence did the Parliament-Army trace out their way from Kent to Essex, Pag. 24. and from Wales to the North.Pag. 31. By Providence were the zealous Parishioners of Coggeshal stir­red up to make an Opposition to the E­nemy gathering at Chelmsford. Pag. 45. By Provi­dence was there a perverse Spirit of folly and errour mixed in all their Counsels. By Providence were they drawn into a Party,Pag. 44. to force the People of God (that were before faln together by the ears) to piece together against the common Ene­my.Pag. 51. By Providence was Peter deliver'd out of Prison, the three Children out of the fiery Furnace, Daniel out of the Ly­ons Den, and the Essex-Committee from the Jaws of the starv'd Cavaliers. By Providence was the great Dispensation of the 30. of Ian. 1648. carried on in or­der to the unravelling of the whole Web of iniquity,Sermon before the Parliam. Jan. 31. 1648. Ep. ded. interwoven of Civil and Ecclesiastical Tyranny, in Opposition to the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus. By [Page 589] Providence did Moses deliver Israel from their Egyptian Bondage;Pag. 23. and by Provi­dence did the Rump deliver England from Tyrannous Pride and Oppression. By Providence were the People of this Na­tion given up to fight against their Deli­verers,Pag. 30. by that Opposition to make its workings more clear and conspicuous. By Providence was it,Sermon to the Parl. April 19. 1649. pag. 36. that in the year 1649. there was not a Potentate upon the Earth that had a peaceable Mole-hill to build himself an habitation upon; and that there were so many Controversies disputing in Letters of Blood among the Nations, and that for the Interest of the many. Pag 41. By Providence were the Church-Stars (the Bishops) that were meerly fixed to all mens view, and by their own Con­fession, in the Political Heavens, utterly shaken to the Ground.Serm. be­fore the Parl. Feb. 28. 1649. By Providence was Cromwel forced to make such havock in Ireland, because the Lord had sworn to have war with such Amalekites, and to avenge his People from generation to ge­neration.Serm. of the Branch of the Lo [...]d a [...] Berwick, Ep. Ded. By Providence (and Cromwels choice) was I. O. call'd forth to attend his Excellency in his Scottish Expedition, that he might be instructed by him in the Art of discovering Gods deep and hidden Dispensations toward his secret ones. By [Page 590] Providence (the mercy whereof was com­posed of as many Branches of Wisdom,Serm. be­fore the Parl. Oct. 24. 1651. Ep. Ded. Power, Goodness, and Faithfulness, as any outward Dispensation has brought forth since the name of Christian was known) did the Rump by the defeat of his Majesty at Worcester continue to sit in Council, and the Residue of the Nation in peace.Pag. 7. By Providence a mighty Mo­narchy, a triumphing Prelacy, a thriving Conformity were all brought down to recover the People of the Lord Christ from Antichristian Idolatry and Oppressi­on.The labou­ring Saints dismiss. p. 9. By Providence was Ireton, (that rare Example of Righteousness, Faith, Ho­liness, Zeal, Courage, and Self-denial) disposed to close with the mind of God, with full purpose of heart to serve the will of the Lord in his Generation, so that he staggered not at the greatest diffi­culties through Unbelief, but being sted­fast in Faith, he gave glory to God, and Davidically prepared the way of the Lord in paths of Bloud. The time would fail me to speak of Isaac, Eben-ezer. Pag. 52. and Ioseph, Gi­deon, Noah, Daniel, and Iob; do but con­sider the Providential Circumstances of all Transactions in our late Rebellion,Thanksgi­ving Serm. for the Vi­ctory at Worcest. p. 15. and that will discover where dwells that spirit, which actuated all the great Alte­rations, [Page 591] that hapned in these Nations. ‘For (believe him) such things have been brought to pass as have filled the World with Amazement, (and well they might.) A Monarchy of some hundred Years continuance, always affecting, and at length wholly dege­nerated into Tyranny, destroyed, pulled down, swallowed up, a great and mighty Potentate, that had caused Terrour in the Land of the living, and laid his Sword under his head, brought to pu­nishment for Bloud; Hypocrites and selfish men abundantly discover'd, wise men made fools, and the strong as wa­ter; A Nation (that of Scotland) en­gaging for and against the same cause, backward and forward, twice or thrice, always seeking where to find their own gain and interest in it, at length totally broken in opposition to that cause wherewith at first they closed: Multitudes of Professours one year praying, fasting, mightily rejoycing upon the least success, bearing it out as a sign of the Presence of God; another year whilst the same work is carried on, cursing, repining, slighting the mar­velous appearance of God in Answer unto Prayers and most solemn Appeals, [Page 592] being very angry at the deliverances of Sion. On the other side, all the mighty successes that God hath followed poor despised ones withal, being with them as with those in days of old; Who through faith subdued Kingdoms, wrought Righteous­ness, obtained Promises, stopped the mouths of Lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the Sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turn­ned to flight the Armies of the Aliens. He, I say, that shall consider all this, may well enquire after that Principle which being regularly carried on, yet meet­ing with the Corruption and Lusts of men, should so wheel them about, and work so many mighty Alterations: Now what is this, but the most effectual design of the Lord to carry on the In­terest of Christ and the Gospel, what­ever stands in the way? This bears down all before it, wraps up some in bloud, some in hardness, and is most eminently straight and holy in all these Transactions, Isa. 14.32. What shall one then answer the Messengers of the Na­tion? That the Lord hath founded Sion, and the poor [...] of his People shall trust in it.’

[Page 593]§. 5. Thus you see how Providence and O. Cromwel still headed the Indepen­dent Faction, though perhaps you may wonder how it could continue faithful so long to such a bloudy and accursed Inte­rest. But alas! for that you must know, it neither had Power at first to refuse the Cause, nor being once engaged to retreat, for by the power of Faith they can at their pleasure press it to the Service; and by the strength of Imagination they can bind the Thoughts of the Almighty, and engage all his Attributes to joyn in with their designs, and in their way of argu­ing they never want for Inducements to draw in Providence and the Rabble to their Assistance, and that chiefly among many other by these four Topicks.

1. By applying old Prophesies to pre­sent Transactions; it concerns not to what particular Affair they might relate; if they can be streined by Faith or Fancy to suit any present Exigence, the honour of Providence lies at stake not to suffer such choice Believers to stick in the mire; and therefore God is bound to protect and deliver them, though it cost him the making his Bow quite naked. Thus were all the Pro­mises in the Bible engaged in the Parlia­ment [Page 594] Service; and not a Text left to at­tend his Majesty beside Threatnings and Judgments: And there is not a remarka­ble Prophesie relating to the Jewish Na­tion, or the adjacent Kingdoms, that they have not accommodated by faith and boldness (for both together can do much) to the posture of Affairs in our late Trou­bles. Thus were the Essex Committee delivered from the Cavaliers at Colche­ster? It was foretold (i. e. after their de­liverance) Hab. 3.3, 7.Eben ezer, p. 1. God came from Te­man, and the Holy One from mount Paran, Selah: i. e. from Naseby and Marston-moor. I saw the Tents of Cushan in Affliction, and the Curtains of the Land of Midian did trem­ble, i. e. the Enemy gathered at Chelms­ford, upon the coming of Fairfax his Ar­my, abated their Confidence. Were the Parishioners of Coggeshal once in great danger of the Enemy? The snares of death compassed us, Pag 13. and the flouds of ungodly men made us afraid: But the Lord thundred from Heaven, the Highest gave his voice, hail­stones, and coles of Fire: yea, he sent out his Arrows and scattered them, and he shot out lightning and discomfited them: he sent from above, he took us, he drew us out of many waters; he delivered us from our strong Enemy, and from them which hated us, [Page 595] for they were too strong for us. Do any Professours doubt the Event of the War? Fear not thou worm Iacob, Pag 52. and ye few men of Israel, behold I will make thee a new sharp Instrument having Teeth, thou shalt thresh the Mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff, thou shalt fan them, &c. Isa. 41.14, 15. Are the Officers of the Kings Forces divided, or irresol­ved in their Counsels?Pag, 46, The Princes of Zoan are become fools, the Princes of Noph are de­ceived, they have seduced the People, even they that are the stay of their Tribes, the Lord hath mingled a perverse Spirit in the midst of them, they have caused the People to err in every work as a drunken man staggereth in his Vomit, Isa. 19.13, 14. Were the Rump to be en­couraged in their design of altering the Government after the Murther of the late King, against the Apostacy of the Pres­byterians, and the Attempts of the Royalists; The Text was pat to the pur­pose. Let them return to thee, This was the Text before the Part. Jan, 31. 1648, but return not thou to them. And I will make thee unto this People a fenced brazen wall, and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee to save thee and deliver thee, saith the Lord, Jer. 15.19, 20. Is Monarchy to be for ever abolish'd, and the new Common-wealth establish'd? [Page 596] Behold I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembred, nor come into my mind, Isa. 65.17. But the King­dom, and Dominion, and Greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be gi­ven to the People of the Saints of the most High: whose Kingdom is an everlasting King­dom, and all Dominions shall serve and obey him. Hitherto is the end of the matter, Dan. 7.27.Stedfast. of the Pro­mise. Feb. 28. 1649. p. 37. Do the Protestants, covenanted Prote­stants, that had sworn in the presence of the great God to extirpate Popery and Prelacy? Do others, that counted themselves under no less sacred bond, for the maintenance of Prelates, Service-book, and the like, as the whole Party of Ormonds Adherents (it is a favour, or rather a chance, it was not plain Butler) joyn with a mighty number, that had for eight years together sealed their Vows to the Romish Religion with our bloud and their own? If all these combine together against Sion, shall they prosper? No, saith the Lord Ieho­vah, and I. O. If Rezin and the Son of Re­malia, Syria and Ephraim, old Adversaries, combine together for a new enmity against Iu­dah; if Covenant and Prelacy, Popery and Treachery, Bloud and (as to that) Innocency joyn hand in hand to stand in the way of the Promise, yet I will not in this joyn with them, says the Lord. Is the Royal Family, toge­ther [Page 597] with the ancient Nobility, to be for ever cashier'd upon his Majesties defeat at Worcester, and are the Brewers and Cob­lers of the Army to commence new Lords? All the Trees of the Field shall know, that I the Lord have brought down the high tree, and have exalted the low tree, have dri­ed up the green tree (drawn out its sap by sequestrations) and have made the dry tree to flourish: (by plunder and sacriledge) I the Lord have spoken it, and have done it, Ezek. 17.24. This was the Text to the Thanks­giving Sermon before the Parliament for their Victory at Worcester. And now is it possible for these men to be at a loss for Scripture to countenance their proceed­ings, after this rate of imposing upon the Word of God? If such loose and pro­phane Accommodations of Prophetick passages to present Affairs be sufficient to support Faith in its expectations of success, I leave it to you to judge whe­ther it can ever want grounds and en­couragements for Rebellion; as long as the Prophesies against Gog and Magog, the Whore and the Beast, the Pope and the Man of sin are not blotted out of the Bible. But this is not all, Faith has other Topicks to bottom its confidence upon. And therefore,

[Page 598]2. It has right to all Gods mercies, and deliverances of his People in all past and present Ages.Eben. [...]zer, p. 27. It makes all Joshuahs vi­ctories present to every true Believer: so that if O. Cromwel had but boldness, or En­thusiasm enough to presume that the Al­mighty had as great favour for his High­ness, as he had for Ioshuah; he was bound to enable him and his Army to dispatch Kings and Canaanites with as great ex­pedition as Ioshuah and the Children of Israel did. For the Good-will, Free Grace, and loving Kindness of God is the same towards all his People. Ibid. And the infinite Fountains of the Deity can never be sunk one hairs bredth by everlastingly flowing blessings. Pag. 13. So that past blessings and deliverances of Gods People are store mercies laid up for Believers against a rainy day; and when we want present Refreshments, what a comfort is it to chew the Cud upon the blessings of former Ages?Pag. 2 [...]. And thus they use the Records of sacred Story, just as Don Quixot used his Books of Chivalry, in accommodating the Ex­ploits of the Knights of yore to his own ridiculous Adventures: And here lay the folly of his Errantry, in chewing the cud up­on the Prodigies of old Romances. And I am sure he had as wise and reasonable a ground for his folly, when he besotted [Page 599] himself with a conceit of vying Adven­tures with the famous Knight Valdovinos, as they had for their faith when they ex­pected to equal the successes of Ioshuah. But however by this means it was easie to befool and inveigle the Common-peo­ple: and if they represented to them any act of Bloud and Cruelty with Allu­sion to Scripture Language and Story, that alone was enough to pass it for the work of the Lord, and the Rabble imagi­ned they were acting over again all the Wars and Battels of the Old Testament, and pouring out all the Vials, and ful­filling all the Prophesies of the New. Beside, Faith supports it self, and en­gages Providence by chewing the Cud upon its own blessings as well as those of for­mer Ages.Pag. 26, 27. David esteemed it very good Logick to argue from the victory God gave him over the Lion, and Bear, to a confidence of Vi­ctory over Goliah. Make use then of your past mercies, deliverances, blessings, Pag. 29. with promi­sed incomings; carry them about you by Faith; use them or they'l grow rusty; where is the God of Elijah? Awake, awake, Oh Arm of the Lord. Let former Mercies be an Anchor of hope in time of present distresses. Pag. 13. Where is the God of Marstone-moor, and the God of Naseby, is an acceptable Expostulation in a [Page 600] gloomy day. O, what a Catalogue of Mercies has this Nation to plead by in time of trouble? God came from Naseby, and the holy One from the West, Selah: his Glory covered the Hea­vens, and the Earth was full of his Praise. He went forth in the North, and in the East he did not with-hold his hand. So that in this gloomy day of their Persecution they are forced to support themselves and their hopes by chewing the Cud upon their Naseby-mercies, and their Marston-moore mercies; till God shall be pleased to give them in some stores of fresh Providences. For however he may at present counter­feit a total departure to punish their Apostasie, and their want of Zeal in his Work, yet he will not, he cannot utterly forsake them. Because he is engaged in point of honour, Sermo [...] of Jan. 31. 1648. p 25. What shall he do for his great Name? yea so tender is the Lord herein of his Glory, that when he hath been exceedingly pro­voked to remove men out of his Presence, yet because they have been called by his Name, and have visibly held forth a following after him, he would not suffer them to be trodden down, lest the Enemy should exalt themselves, and say, Where is now their God? They shall not take from him the Honour of former delive­rance [...] and protections: In such a Nation as this, if the Lord now upon manifold provoca­tions [Page 601] should give up Parliament, People, Army to calamity and ruine, would not the glory of former Counsels, successes, deliverances be utterly lost? Would not men say it was not the Lord, but Chance that hapned to them? And thus when Providence was once drawn in, it was bound to go through, unless it would either lose the glory of all its former exploits, or (what was more dishonourable) confess it was over­reach'd (as the Presbyterians were) by the Independent Hypocrisie. By this Artifice they drew on each other to the height and perfection of Villany, because they were so far engaged, that they could not possibly retreat either with honour or safety; and therefore resolved to secure themselves in the death of the King, suspecting, lest if he should ever be re­stored to his Crown and Royal Authori­ty, they might be called to an After-reckoning: according to that Maxim so much taught and practised in the School of Rebellion, that when men have run themselves into unpardonable disorders, there remains no way of doing better but by doing worse. And in this Lesson they must needs instruct Providence, now you are en­gaged, there is no way for you to retire with honour, and if you do not justifie [Page 602] your own Actings in our former wicked­nesses by proceeding with us to greater Impieties, you do not only condemn them and your self, but lose the honour of all the Margarets Fasts and Thanks­givings. What a mean opinion must these prophane Enthusiasts have of the divine Understanding, that imagined they could impose upon the Almighty by such thin and shallow Fetches!

§. 6.3. The third Maxime of Faith is to believe that Providence is really and in good earnest for them, though it is seemingly and in outward appearance against them. Thus whilst themselves sate at the Helm, it befriended them from all Points of the Compass; and into whatsoever Corner it shifted it self, it still favoured their designs, and fill'd their sails with success and victory. When Affairs succ [...]eded to their wishes, then Providence drove them on with a full Gale; but when there hapned any cross or changeable Dispensation, so far was it from hindring their Progress, that it gave them the greater advantage of a side wind.Eben-ezer, p. 4. For (as the same Author in­forms us) I have heard that a full wind be­hind the Ship drives her not so fast forward [Page 603] as a side wind, that seems almost as much against her as with her: And the reason, they say, is, because a full wind fills but some of her sails, which keep it from the rest that they are empty, when a side wind fills all her sails, and sets her speedily forward. So if the Lord should give us a full wind and continual Gale of Mercies, it would fill but some of our sails, but when he comes with a side wind, a Dispensation that seems almost as much against us as for us, then he fills all our sails, takes up all our Affections, making his works wide and broad enough to en­tertain them every one, then are we carried freely and fully towards the Haven where we would be. And thus (for that is the Ap­plication) the imprisonment of the Com­mittee of Essex was but a side wind of Pro­vidence, that drove them on with the greater speed to the taking of Colchester. So that while their Faith was resolute in the Belief of this Principle, it was not possible for Providence to shake them off by any Affronts or Indignities, but they served it just as Horace was served by the importunate Fellow, he describes Serm. lib. 1. Sat. 9. from whose irksom Imperti­nency he could neither by Art nor Vio­lence redeem himself. Did he divert to salute a Friend? It was his Acquain­tance. Did he pretend a visit? He was at [Page 604] leisure to wait upon him. Did he coun­terfeit any business? He had Interest to assist him. And thus did they tease and persecute Providence; which way soever it turn'd, they still would follow, no re­bukes could dash their bold-faced Faith out of countenance; though it beat them off with open Affronts, they would still insinuate and fawn upon it; and though it knock'd off their hands an hundred times, and sent them away with bloudy fingers, they would not let go their hold, but they would cling about him by faith, do what he can, they will not be shifted off. And let him vary his dispensations as oft as he will, they are resolved to follow him with their Songs upon Sigionoth. Songs upon Sigionoth! What are they? I re­member, I am under the Obligation of a Promise to unriddle their meaning; and therefore to be short, they are a sort of Pindarick Psalms, not tied to the same Rhime or Measure, but to be sung with variety of Notes, and interchangeable Tunes. Now I. O. once meeting with this word in his Text, Hab. 3.1. He thus reasons upon it, (and he is able to raise Edification out of a pair of Bagpipes) Are not Gods variable Dispensations towards his held out under these variable Tunes, Eben ezer, p. 3, 4. not all [Page 605] fitted to one string: Not all alike pleasant and easie? Are not the several Tunes of mercy and judgment in these Songs? Is not here Affliction and deliverance, desertion and recovery, dark­ness and light in this variously? A form of Speech familiar with that Author, when he has n [...]ther Proof for what he says beside pure Con­fidence. Doubtless it is so. God often calls his People to Songs upon Sigionoth. This is the Doctrine on which he descants, and so applies it to the pre­sent Case: We may rejoyce at the Conquest of our Enemies, and mourn at the loss of our Har­vest; that was their Song upon Sigionoth, that though they had miss'd their Har­vest, they had mowed down the Cava­liers; From whom Gods People were sure to reap a plentiful Crop of Plunder and Sequestration. And that is as deli­cious Musick to the Saints below, as the Harmony of the Spheres, or a Consort of Angels to the Saints above; and 'tis wonderful how exactly the Hearts (yea, and Fingers too) of Gods People were set to such a sweet and comfortable Tune.

4. But if Believers should ever fail of all these supports, they are able to build their Confidence upon flat presumption, and downright Enthusiasm; and when they trample upon all the Obligations of Oaths, and all the Laws of Nature, Go­vernment and Religion, they can easily justifie the wickedness of their Pro­ceedings [Page 606] by bold pretences of immediate Impulse and Revelation from Heaven. For when God is doing great things, Eben-ezer. p. 14. he gives glorious manifestations of his Excellencies to his secret ones. Pag. 15. So that he that is called to serve Providence in high things, without some especial discovery of God, works in the dark, and knows not whither he goes, and what he does, such an one travels in the Wilderness without a directing Cloud. Clear shining from God must be at the bottom of deep labouring with God. What is the reason that so many in our days set their hands to the Plow, and look back again? Begin to serve Providence in great things, but cannot finish? Give over in the heat of the day! They never had any such Revelation of the mind of God upon their spirits, such a disco­very of his Excellencies as might serve for a Bottom of such Undertakings. Men must know, that if God hath not appeared to them in bright­ness, and shewn them the horns in his hand, hid from others, though they think highly of them­selves, they'l deny God twice and thrice before the close of the work of this Age. Hence is the suiting of great light, Pag. 16. and great work in our days. Let new light be derided whilst men please, he will (and 'tis too true) never serve the will of God in this Generation, who sees not beyond the line of foregoing Ages. Now what was this new and this great [Page 607] Light, that God held forth as the horns in his hand to the Believers of that Generati­on? To this Enquiry we have a plain and positive Answer:Serm. to the Parl. April 19. 1649. p. 35. Plainly the peculiar Light of this Generation, is that discovery which the Lord hath made to his People, of the mystery of Civil and Ecclesiastical Tyranny. Now this new Light, joyn'd with this new Do­ctrine, that Good Principles become abomina­ble when taken up or pursued against the Provi­dence of God, is such a rank and desperate piece of Enthusiasm, as must of necessi­ty cancel all the Laws of Society, and overthrow all the Governments in the World; but I must not stay to descant up­on its intolerable Mischiefs, neither in­deed need I, seeing it is apparently the utmost emprovement of all Phanatick Folly and Madness.

And now the People of God being arm'd with such Principles, and inflamed by such Preachers, with what Briskness did they march under the conduct of Pro­vidence, till at length it led the warmest and most forward Heads of them to the Top of Westminster Hall, London Bridge, and the City Gates, or (in the Language of I. O.) to the high places of Arma­geddon: And there fix'd them for Monu­ments of their own Hypocrisie, and sad [Page 608] Examples of Rebellion. But thence Astrea took her flight to Heaven, and now publick Affairs are transacted by a Provi­dential permissive Commission (as our Au­thor I remember somewhere words it, and 'tis but what they allow to all the wicked­nesses in the World.) So that whilst the Eye of Providence shined upon them, they were flowers of the Sun, and which way soever they address'd themselves, it was to court Providence. When they complied with every rising Interest, it was to close with the mind of the Lord in the work of this Generation. When they plaid fast and loose with all Parties, as the Complexion of Affairs suggested to them, that was the Lords glorious Discoveries and Manifestations of his mind to his secret ones. And then to boggle at the wickedness of any design that prosper'd, was to flinch from the work of the Lord. As I. O. encourages the Rumpers the day immediately after the Kings death. Iacta est Alea, the Pro­vidence of God must be served, according to the discovery made of his own unchangeable will, and not the mutable Interests and Passions of the Sons of men (i. e. the Presbyterians, whose Apostasie he is there upbraiding.) For verily the Lord of Hosts hath purposed to pollute [Page 609] the pride of all Glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the Earth, Isa. 23.9. And then to renounce their old Princi­ples, and falsifie their old Engagements, was to knock off with Providence; for be your Principles never so good in them­selves, they become wicked and abomi­nable, when taken up against the Provi­dence of God. And this was the sad Apostasie of the Presbyterians from the work of the Lord; They, fools as they were, fix on Principles, Worcester Thanksgi­ving, p. 22. (though they were tied to them by Oaths and Covenants) old bounds must not be broken up, order must not be disturbed; Let God appear never so emi­nently, so mightily, they will keep to their Principle, (and their Oaths and Cove­nants too) What is this but judicial hardness? What think you Sir, is it not a mighty security, that these men are able to give of their Faith and Allegiance, when Providence or the Turn of Affairs shall untie all the Bands of Oaths, and Suc­cess over-rule all the Obligations of Conscience. So that as long as Loyalty is forced to be in fashion, they are peace­able and obedient Subjects; but if Re­bellion prosper, it is not for them to op­pose Providence. When God has a Con­troversie with the Royal Family he [Page 610] absolves Subjects of all their Oaths and Obligations to Allegiance, and though the Presbyterians had loaded themselves with chains, and multiplied Engage­ments to his late Majesty, and his lawful Successours, yet not to joyn with the In­dependents in the subversion of the Go­vernment by the murther of one Prince, and the Banishment of another, was Iudi­cial hardness. Did you ever read of such a mixture of Blasphemy and Rebellion; when men shall commit such horrid and emphatical Villanies, and then shall with so steel'd a Confidence warrant not only their Lawfulness, but their Necessity by vertue of a divine Commission; and shall break all the Laws of Nature, Society, and Religion, by the Counsel, under the Conduct, and with the Approbation of the Almighty? In short, there is scarce a Principle of Blasphemy or Rebellion in the Alcoran that this Wretch has not vouched upon divine Authority. He is a Person of such a rank Complexion, that he would have vyed with Mahomet himself both for boldness and imposture. The divine Majesty never had a dearer and more familiar Achitophel than he, they were always through the whole course of the War privy to each others Counsels, [Page 611] were always of the same side, and drove on always the same designs; and had this man been of the Cabinet Council of Heaven he could not have pretended a greater and more intimate acquaintance with the Intrigues of Providence. And now I leave it to the World to judge whether it be not becoming our Authors Modesty to charge it upon me as a mon­strous Fiction, for saying, there have been men, who have taught, that to pursue success in Rebellion is to follow the guidance of Providential Dispensati­ons.

§. 7. Our Authors imprudence and unadvisedness in forcing me upon the proof of my last Charge in defence of my own Integrity, recals to my mind another resembling Instance of his discretion, in provoking me to an unnecessary Dispute, where 'tis impossible for him to escape a manifest and dishonourable Baffle, viz. that the Pretence of Religion had no concernment in our late Rebellion or Ci­vil War. And though I do not remem­ber where I ever affirmed it was, yet is he upon every occasion upbraiding and challenging me to prove it; and whereas in my first Chapter I chanced to observe [Page 612] that it has frequently been made use of as a covering for unruly and seditious Practices, without descending to parti­cular Instances (for they are too many to be specified in a small Volume) he will needs have me to aim in particular at our late Wars and Tumults, and appeals to the publick Writings, Pag. 147. Declarations, and Treaties, whereby those Tumults and Wars were begun and carried on: And then we shall find that Authority, Laws, and Privi­ledges, and I know not what things, wherein private men have no pretence of Interest, were pleaded in those Affairs. Pag. 301. And upon this string he is again rubbing to as little Purpose in this Chapter. Neither is he singular in this conceit and confidence; there are others, that have as well as himself sounded their Alarms from the Pulpit against Antichri­stian Idolatry and Oppression; and have chafed popular zeal and rage to fight for the purity and beauty of Gospel Ordi­nances, who yet blush not to declare in publick (with such a competent measure of confidence are they gifted) that the cause of Religion was not pretended or engaged in the Quarrel, but that it was a meer Contest about Civil Rights and Priviledges. Now though this concerns not me in my own defence, yet will I a [Page 613] little concern my self in the Enquiry, to discover the honesty and ingenuity of these men, that will blow hot and cold out of the same mouth, affirm and deny the same thing, as it suits with their pre­sent Occasion, and present Interest. And are they not arrived to an heroick pitch of Confidence, that dare protest so boldly and so publickly in defiance of so many publick Acts, Ordinances, Pro­testations, Covenants, Engagements, Declarations, Remonstrances, Treaties of peace, and Overtures of Accommo­dation, in all which preservation of Re­ligion, and demands of Reformation still lead the Van; and the sense and sub­stance of all the numberless Papers of Lords and Commons amounts to no more than this, that they were resolved to expose their lives and fortunes for the de­fence and maintenance of the true Religi­on, his Majesties Person and Honour, the Power and Priviledges of Parliament, and the just Rights and Liberties of the Subject. All these Pretences came in of course, but still Religion was the first and dearest grievance, and its Preserva­tion more tender to them than their lives and liberties. As in the Observation up­on the Lord Digbys Letters, the Lords and [Page 614] Commons declare, that they had never done any thing against the personal ho­nour of the Queen, only we have desired to be secured from such plots and mis­chievous designs, that they might not have the favour of the Court, and such a powerful influence upon his Majesties Counsels, as they have had to the ex­tream hazard not only of Civil Liberty and peace of the Kingdom, but of that we hold much dearer than these, yea, than the very being of this Nation, that is, our Religion, whereupon depends the ho­nour of Almighty God, and the salvation of our Souls. And this was their perpe­tual answer to all his Majesties Propositi­ons, that his Counsels were over-ruled by a malignant party of Papists, and other ill-affected persons, that carried on their own wicked designs of rooting up the Protestant Religion, to plant Popery and Superstition. Innumerable are the proofs to this purpose, but we will content our selves (because it will be sufficient) with these few particulars.

First then, 'tis notorious the Scottish broils and tumults were raised purely up­on a pretence of Religion, being begun about the reading the Common-Prayer, [...]. p [...]g. [...] and not a little promoted by that senseless [Page 615] Pamphlet, A Dispute against the English Po­pish Ceremonies obtruded upon the Church of Scotland. And the only Conditions of quieting these Troubles, were, (1.) That the Provost and City-Council should join in opposition to the Service-Book. (2.) That Ramsey and Rollock, two silenced Ministers, and Henderson a silenced Rea­der, should be restored to their places. And not long after there came a Petition of Noblemen, Barons, Ministers, Burges­ses and Commons, and about what, do we think, but against the Liturgy and Ca­nons? And the next news we hear from thence, was, That the King having ad­journed the Term to Sterling by Procla­mation, the Earl of Hume and Lord Lind­sey protest against it, and erect four Tables of the Nobility, Gentry, Burroughs, and Ministers; the first Act of which,Pag 155. is to enter a general Covenant in defence of Religion, (and for fashions sake, the Kings Person.) This business of Scotland is an af­fair not unworthy the mentioning, not only because it was well known what in­vitation they had from their Party to en­ter England, but also because the Parlia­ment here owned their Cause, took it un­kindly of the King for calling them Re­bels, voted them a great Supply under [Page 616] the name of a Friendly Assistance, and called them their dear Brethren of Scot­land. And withal, did particularly own the Scotch Tumults as raised upon a re­ligious account:Exact Coll. Pag. 494. this we have themselves confessing in a Declaration to satisfie the World of the justice of raising Arms; wherein they declare Religion the princi­pal thing, and all others subservient to it: and as to this particular business of the Scots,Pag. 492. they speak thus: ‘When they (i. e. Papists, Clergy, and other Ene­mies of Religion) conceived the way sufficiently prepared, they at last resol­ved to put on their Master-piece in Scot­land, (where the same method had been followed) and more boldly unmask themselves in imposing upon them a Popish Service-Book: for well they knew the same Fate attended both Kingdoms, and Religion could not be altered in one without the other: God raised the Spirits in that Nation to op­pose it with so much zeal and indigna­tion, that it kindled such a flame as no expedient could be found but a Parlia­ment here to quench it.’ i. e. By hiring and tempting them to a new Rebellion at the price of one hundred thousand Pound, beside the reward of Pay and Plunder for [Page 617] the common Souldiers, the promise of Church-Revenues for the chief Promo­ters of the service, the sacrifice of the Archbishop of Canterbury to their malice and revenge, and (what was most likely to endear the Cause) the Reformation of the Discipline and Worship of the Church of England by the Model of the Kirk of Scotland, that absolute Pattern of a thorough godly Rebellion.

Again,Ex. Coll. p. 96, 97. The Declaration of Lords and Commons, March 2. orders this King­dom to be put in a posture of defence by Sea and Land, because there was a design by those in greatest Authority about the King for the altering of Religion: That the Scottish War was fomented, and the Irish Rebellion framed for that purpose: That they had Advertisements from Ve­nice, and Paris, and Rome, that the King was to have four thousand men out of France and Spain, Pag. 100. which could be to no other end than to change his own Profession, and the Publick Religion of the Kingdom.

In the 19 Propositions sent Iune 2. 1642. the eighth is this,Ex Coll. p. 309. That your Majesty will be pleased to consent that such a Refor­mation be made of the Church-Govern­ment and Liturgy, as both Houses of Par­liament shall advise, &c. And the 17th, [Page 618] That the King should enter into a more strict Alliance with the Protestant Princes and States, for the defence of the Prote­stant Religion, against the Attempts of the Pope and his Adherents. And the Propositions made by Lords and Com­mons,Pag. 304. Iune 10. 1642. for bringing in Mo­ney and Plate to maintain Horse and Arms, runs upon this ground, first, That Religion else will be destroyed; and this is particularly recommended to all those that tender their Religion. And when the King countermanded the Propositi­ons, they re-inforce them by the endear­ments of Religion. And Tuesday 12 Iuly, 1642. resolve it upon the Question,Pag 376. Pag. 457. That an Army be forthwith raised for its de­fence and preservation. Their Declara­tion of Aug. 8. 1642. grounds its self up­on this,Pag. 491. That the Kings Army was raised for the Oppression of the true Religion. And therefore they give this account to the World, for a satisfaction to all Men of the Justice of their proceedings, and a warning to those who are involved in the same danger with them, to let them see the necessity and duty which lies upon them to save themselves, their Religion and Country. Where they tell us at large, and in great passion, That Papists, [Page 619] ambitious and discontented Clergy-men, Delinquents, and ill-affected persons of the Nobility and Gentry, have conspired together, and often attempted the alte­ration of Religion, &c. That all was subject to will and power, that so mens minds being made poor and base, and their Li­berties lost and gone, they might be ready to let go their Religion whensoever it should be resol­ved to alter it; which was, and still is the great design, and all else made use of but as in­strumentary and subservient to it. And then after an horrible harangue about the King and Queens going away, the Lord Digby's Letter, the Members going to York, &c. They (the Papists, Prelates,Pag. 494. &c.) come to crown their work, and put that in ex­ecution, which was first in their intention, that is, the changing of Religion into Po­pery and Superstition.

The Scots in answer to a Declaration sent them by their Commissioners at Lon­don from the two Houses,Pag. 598. did Aug. 3. 1642. return another, wherein they give God thanks for their former and present de­sires of a Reformation especially of Reli­gion, which is the glory and strength of a Kingdom, &c. Protest that their hearts were heavy and made sad, that what is more dear and precious to them than [Page 620] what is dearest to them in the whole World, the Reformation of Religion has moved so slowly. To which they add, that 'tis indeed a work full of difficulties, but God is greater than the World, and when the supreme Providence giveth opportunity of the accepted time, and the day of salvation, no other work can prosper in the hands of his Servants, if it be not apprehended, and with all faith­fulness improved: This Kirk and Nati­on, when the Lord gave them the cal­ling, considered not their own deadness, nor staggered at the Promise (of an hundred thousand Pound) through un­belief, but gave glory to God; And who knoweth but the Lord hath now some Controversie with England, which will not be removed, till first and before all the Worship of his Name, and the Go­vernment of his House be setled accord­ing to his own will? when this desire shall come, it shall be to England, after so long desired hopes, a tree of life. And therefore they proceed to press earnestly for an Uniformity in both Kingdoms, but it must be after their own model. What hopes (say they) can there be of Unity in Religion, in one Confession of Faith, one form of Worship, one Catechism, [Page 621] till there be first one form of Ecclesiasti­cal Government; yea, what hope can the Kingdom and Kirk of Scotland have of a durable Peace, till Prelacy be pluckt up Root and Branch, as a Plant which God hath not planted, and from which no better Fruits can be expected than such sowre Grapes, as this day set on edge the Kingdom of England?

In answer to this goodly Declaration the Lords and Commons desire it may be considered,Pag. 603. that that Party which has now incensed and armed his Majesty against us is the very same, which not long since upon the very same design of rooting out the Reformed Religion did endeavour to begin the Tragedy in Scot­land, &c. And having thanked the Assem­bly of the Church of Scotland for propo­sing those things which may unite the two Churches and Nations against Po­pery and all superstitious Sects and Inno­vations whatsoever, do assure that they have thereupon resumed into their Con­sideration the matters concerning the Re­formation of Church-Government and Discipline, which (say they) we have often had in consultation and debate since the beginning of this Parliament, and ever made it our chiefest aim, though we [Page 622] have been powerfully opposed in the Pro­secution and Accomplishment of it.

And in another Declaration to the Convention of Estates, they remonstrate that the honourable Houses have fully declared by what they have done, and what they are desirous to do, That the true state of the Cause and Quarrel, is Religion: in Reformation whereof, they are so for­ward and zealous, that there is nothing expressed in the Scots Declarations former or later, which they have not seriously taken to heart, and endeavoured to effect, &c.

Of this the Commissioners of Scotland in th [...]ir third Pa­per re­member the two Hou­ses, p. 42, 43.And in a Letter from the Assembly of Divines to them, by order of the House of Commons, they call it twice The Cause of Religion. And the Assembly in answer to the Parliament, desire it may be more and more cleared, Religion to be the true state of the differences in England; and to be uncessantly prosecuted first above all things, giving no sleep to their eyes, or slumber to their eye-lids, until it be set­led.

Ex Col. p. 666.In their Declaration and Protestation to the whole World, Octob. 22. 1642. They are fully convinced that the Kings Resolutions are so engaged to the Popish Party, for the suppression and extirpation [Page 623] of the true Religion, that all hopes of peace and protection are excluded, that it is fully intended to give satisfaction to the Papists by alteration of Religion, &c. That great means are made to take up the differences betwixt some Princes of the Roman Religion, that so they might unite their strength to the extirpation of the Protestant Cause, wherein principally this Kingdom and the Kingdom of Scot­land are concerned, as making the great­est Body of the Reformed Religion in Christendom, &c. For all which Reasons we are resolved to enter into a Solemn Oath and Covenant with God, to give up our Selves, our Lives and Fortunes into his hands; and that we will to the utmost of our Power and Judgment main­tain his Truth, and conform our selves to his Will.

And in the Declaration upon the Votes of no further Address to be made to the King by themselves or any one else, Feb. 17. 1647. the Lords and Commons make Religion one of the great Motives upon which they proceeded: for (say they) the torture of our Bodies by most cruel Whippings, slitting of Noses, &c. might be the sooner forgotten, had not our Souls been Lorded over, led captive [Page 624] into Superstition and Idolatry, triumphed over by Oaths ex Officio, Excommunica­tions, Ceremonious Articles, new Ca­nons, Canon-Oaths, &c. p. 19. And in the last Paper to the Scotch Commissio­ners, Feb. 24. 1648. they declare, that the Army of the Houses of Parliament were raised for maintenance of the true Religion, and that they invited them to come to their assistance, and declared the true state of the Quarrel to be Religion; and they earnestly desire the General As­sembly to further and expedite the assi­stance desired from the Kingdom of Scot­land upon this ground and motive, that thereby they shall do great service to God, and great honour may redound to them­selves, by becoming Instruments of a Glo­rious Reformation, &c.

This was the stile of all their Papers, from 42 to 48, till some of the Grandees of the Independent Faction had by their hypocritical Prayers, malicious Preach­ings, counterfeit Tears, unmanly Whi­nings, false Protestations, and execrable Perjuries, scrued themselves up into a Supremacy of Power and Interest, and then they alter'd the stile of their Preten­ces with the change of their Affairs, and suited their Remonstrances to their For­tunes, [Page 625] and so stopt not at their old de­mands of Reformation and purity of Or­dinances; these Pretexts were too low for the greatness of their Attempts and Resolutions, and were not sufficient to warrant the Murther of their lawful So­vereign; and therefore it was necessary for them to take up with new Pleas suit­able to the wickedness of their new Pur­poses; and then nothing was big enough to Arreign or Condemn their Prince, but the Charge of Treason and Tyranny, and the Sentence of Death was passed and executed upon him as a publick Enemy to the Commonwealth: So that though Pretences of Secular and Political Inte­rest were necessary to cut off his Head, yet it was purely Zeal and Reformation that brought him to the Block.

To these Declarations from the Press, I might add their Declarations from the Pulpit, their Preachers incessantly en­couraging the People to fight against the King, as the most acceptable service to God; and the People accordingly fought against him, because they were perswa­ded that he was a Papist, and would bring in Popery; that the Common-Prayer was the Mass in English, Organs were Idola­try, and Episcopacy Antichristian. It [Page 626] was nothing but the purity of the Gospel, to which they so cheerfully sacrificed their Thimbles and Bodkins. And though here it were easie to collect vast Volumes, there being scarce a Parliament-exercise, for which the Preacher had the Thanks of the House, in which some sands and sweat were not wasted in crying up the piety of their Intentions for the Reformation of Gospel-Ordinances. But because this would prove a Work too Voluminous, I will therefore put off my Reader, (and satisfie my Adversary too) with two or three passages out of the inspired Homi­lies of I. O. in his several Dispensations. In his Sermon preached before the Parlia­ment,Pag. 34, 35. April 29. 1646. he thus bespeaks them: From the beginning of these Troubles, Right Honourable, you have held forth Re­ligion and the Gospel, as whose Preservation and Restauration was principally in your Aims; and I presume malice it self is not able to disco­ver any insincerity in this; the fruits we behold, proclaim to all the Conformity of your Words and Hearts. Now the God of Heaven grant that the same mind be in you still, in every particu­lar Member of this Honourable Assembly, in the whole Nation, especially in the Magistracy and Ministry of it, that we be not like the Boat­men, look one way, and row another; cry, Go­spel, [Page 627] and mean the other thing; Lord, Lord, and advance our own ends, that the Lord may not stir up the staff of his anger, and the rod of his indignation against us, as an hypocritical People. Pag 4 [...] And Feb. 28. 1649. he tells them again, Gods Work whereunto ye are ingaged, is the propagating of the Kingdom of Christ, and the setting up of the Standard of the Gospel. And Octob. 13. 1652.Pag. 27. From the beginning of the Contests in this Nation, when God had cau­sed your Spirits to resolve, that the Liberties, Priviledges, and Rights of this Nation where­with you were intrusted, should not (by his assi­stance) be wrested out of your hands by Violence, Oppression and Injustice; this he also put upon your hearts, to vindicate and assert the Gospel of Jesus Christ, his Ways, and his Ordinances, against all Opposition, though you were but inquiring the way to Sion, (for then they were little better than Presbyterians) with your faces thitherward [...] God secretly entwining the Interest of Christ with yours, wrapt up with you the whole Ge­neration of them that seek his face, and pro­sper'd your Affairs on that account. And last­ly, Feb. 4. 1658.Pag. 1 [...]. Give me leave to remember you, as one that had opportunity to make Obser­vations of the passages of Providence in those days, in all the three Nations, in the times of our greatest hazards; give me leave, I say, to [Page 628] remember you, that the Publick Declarati­ons of those imployed in the Affairs of this Na­tion, in the face of the Enemies, their Addresses unto God among themselves, their Prayers night and day, their private Discourses one with ano­ther, were, that the Preservation of the Interest of Christ in and with his People, was the great thing that lay in their eyes, &c.

I must not detain you with Observati­ons upon these passages; and they are so plain, I need not: this is enough to send him to School to his own dumb-speaking E­gyptian Hieroglyphick, Eben [...]ezer, Epist. ded with which he once thought he could stop the mouths of the malignant Infidels, that would not be brought to believe the Success at Cel­chester, an ample Testimony of the conti­nuance of Gods Presence with the Army. [...], Men of all sorts know that God hateth Impu­dence.

§. 8. But how ill soever the People of God may have behaved themselves in time of yore, they are now resolved to learn better manners: for, says our Au­thor, (and who will not take his word?) Do they profess 'tis their Duty, Pag 296, 297. their Principle, their Faith and Doctrine, to be obedient to their Rulers and Governours? Do they offer all the [Page 629] security of their adherence to such declared Prin­ciples, as Mankind is necessitated to be satisfied with in things of their highest Concernment? &c. All is one, every different Opinion is Press-money, and every Sect is an Army, al­though they be all and every one of them Prote­stants, of whom alone we do discourse. You offer Security for your Allegiance! You that have violated all the Obligations of Oaths, Covenants, and Protestations! Shall Bankrupts of all Faith and Honesty expect to be trusted upon their bare words, that have so often proved perfidious to their Oaths? Men, whose coy and cra­zy Consciences have sworn and swallow­ed naked and undisguised Contradictions, are capable no doubt of giving wonderful assurance and satisfaction for their future Fidelity. First give us some competent Tokens of your Repentance, before you presume to tender us any Security of your Allegiance. Men that own the peculiar and distinguishing Principle of your Par­ty, are not fit to be trusted or endured in any Commonwealth, viz. That Sove­reign Princes may forfeit their Title to their Crowns, and that 'tis in the power of Subjects to depose them for the ill Ad­ministration of Government. By this pretence you justified all your late Dis­loyal [Page 630] practices; by it you adjudged his late Majesty to death; by it you banish't the undoubted Heir of the Crown; by it you proceeded to subvert the old, and erect a new Form of Government; and by it you all along confirm'd your selves in your Zeal and Opposition to the Royal Interest. Now what signs have you gi­ven us of your having renounced this Principle of Rebellion? And till you have, what assurance can you give us of your Return to Loyalty; seeing 'tis not possible for any Oaths to bind you to your Duty, whenever you have a mind to pick Quarrels against the management of pub­lick Affairs? Come, come, (Sir) shuffle no longer with us, nor with your own Consciences: Either your proceedings in the late Confusions were great and enor­mous Crimes, or they were not; if they were not, nothing can restrain you, when­ever you gain the advantage of power and opportunity, from acting such things o­ver again, as you seriously believe to be just and innocent: if they were, why have you not all this while given us some com­petent and reasonable assurance of your Conversion? Your Crimes (if Crimes at all) were heinous and publick, and enhansed with all the Aggravations of [Page 631] guilt and wickedness; a flourishing King­dom was embroil'd in Wars and Desola­tions; a pious and vertuous Prince was villanously murther'd; his Children ba­nish't to preserve their Lives; his Friends undone with Rapine and Sequestration, and adjudged to death for their Zeal and Fidelity to his Service; thousands of his Subjects lost and sacrificed in the Quarrel, with innumerable other mischiefs and enormities; and all this carried on with mighty shews, and confident brags of Zeal and Piety. These are sins with a wit­ness, and so full of horrour and amaze­ment, that they are not to be repented of with an ordinary Contrition; and 'tis not possible that any Man should be seriously convinced of his own guilt in such prodi­gious Crimes, without the deepest Ac­cents and Agonies of remorse; or that he should appease his Conscience with any less satisfaction than publick Ac­knowledgment; much less that he should expect other Men should trust the since­rity of his Repentance, without some visible Indications of his amendment. But, alas! so far are you from affording us any tolerable grounds to expect your change, that you give us nothing but symptoms of reprobate hardness; and instead [Page 632] of open and ingenuous Confessi­ons, either wholly blaunch the mat­ter, or extenuate the Crime, or (which is unpardonable Insolence) discharge the guilt of all your practices upon our heads: hereafter therefore forbear to think us such Sots, (unless you imagine our Skulls are stuft with wet Straw) as to accept of any Security you can offer, till you have first satisfied us of your hearty and un­feigned return to Principles of Loyalty and Allegiance: And till then, it were a shameful forfeiture of common dis­cretion, if we do not still suppose you the same Men we have ever found you. Wolves (they say) may change their hairs, but not their hearts; and 'tis an easie matter for Men so exercised in the Arts of Hypocrisie, to cast their out­ward pretences, without ever altering their thoughts and inward designs. And yet they avoid the very appearances of alteration, insomuch that nothing is more cried up among themselves than an un­daunted adherence to their old Principles and their old Cause; and if any of the Party chance to be so ingenuous, as to confess the Errour and Crime of his Rebellion, he is sure to be loaded with all the Re­proaches of Apostasie, and branded with [Page 633] all the dishonour of a Renegado. And 'tis well known into what deep Arrears of their Anger and Displeasure one has late­ly run himself by a few gentle and friend­ly reproofs of their Schismatical Beha­viour. What if he had exhorted them to repent of the Sins of Disloyalty and Re­bellion, and had charged it upon their In­genuity to give some remarkable Evi­dences and Engagements of their better Resolutions, as a worthy Requital of his Majesties Favour and Indempnifying the Outrage of all their former Proceed­ings? If he had, he would have been pelted with more dirty Language than the Pope of Rome, or the Apocalyptick Beast. They are stubborn and implacable in their old Principles, their Minds are still possessed with the same accursed Rage and Bitterness of Spirit, as ran them upon their late Rebellions; and they are so little affected with any sense or sorrow for their Disloyalty, that like men given up to a reprobate sense, they are enraged by the convictions of their own Guilt, and labour to stifle the over­ruling Reflections of their own Consci­ences. Rub up their Memories with their former Crimes, and you do but inflame their Choler; invite them to Repentance, [Page 634] and that they call (with our Author) an impertinent calling over of things past and by­gone. Page 60. Nay, their Faces and their Consci­ences are so hardned, that they will threaten every little Reflection upon their late Enormities with the Act of Oblivi­on. And when any of them are so shame­less as publickly to appeal to the inno­cence of their own Practices; if you shall rebuke their Confidence by repre­senting the base and perfidious Arts of their Hypocrisie and Ambition, they (for­sooth) will stop your Mouth with a Suit at Law. Indempnity will not satisfie their proud Stomachs, unless they may pass for pure and unspotted Innocents. We are bound to erase out of our Memories all Records of their Frauds, their Perjuries, their Pride, and their Cruelty; and in spite of our Dear-bought Experience ever suppose them as harmless in their designs as they are demure in their Pre­tences. And (what is more and more into­lerable) they are so little toucht with any serious Regret for their former Actings, that they still proceed as far as they dare venture in the same blessed paths of Re­formation. For though as yet they dare not set forth Publick Declarations of De­signs to introduce Popery; of his Maje­sties [Page 635] being seduced by Evil Counsellors; of the Corruptions of Ministers of State; and of the ill management of all Publick Affairs, and such other old Stories as ser­ved for Prologues to the Old Tumults: Yet 'tis become a customary and familiar thing with them to make leering and un­mannerly Reflections upon the Wisdom of the present Government, to dispute and condemn the Equity of Publick Pro­ceedings, to possess one another upon every slight occasion with jealousies of Plots upon their Liberties and Privi­ledges, to upbraid publick Misfortunes with the successes of the Reign of Oliver Cromwel; and in brief, to alienate the Af­fections, and impair the good Opinions of the People as to the present Setlement of things, by any Arts and Devices that may not bring them under the lash of Ju­stice, and within the cognizance of the Laws. 'Tis notorious how they work their Followers to a dislike of Monarchy, and a dis-respect to Sovereign Princes; though it is no wonder, if we consider that the present Chiefs and Ring-leaders of the Party are such as were the most ve­hement Patriots and Assertors of the Re­publican Faction.

[Page 636]§. 9. For a farther proof of their Im­penitence, I cannot but observe that these men, that are as free as Publicans in their other Confessions, yet in these matters become like the man without the Wed­ding Garment, Dumb and Speechless; not for any deep sense of their Guilt, but because they disdain to own it. Here they cover their Transgressions as Adam, and stand upon the Protestation of their Inte­grity as Iob. Bring them to the enumera­tion of Sins against the Fifth Command­ment, and they are immediately taken with a Pharisaick Costiveness, and after all their straining and winking, nothing comes but a few general and careless Confessions. The Good Old Cause sticks as close to them as Original Sin, no Sope or Nitre can purge away their Principles; their Complexions are unchangeable as the skin of an Aethiopian, and their Tempers incurable as the fretting Le­prosie.

And therefore to return to our Author, before you presume to offer us any more security of your good Behaviour: first, learn the Ingenuity of men, shew your selves humble, melting, and broken-heart­ed Christians; give us some symptoms of [Page 637] your Repentance and Contrition: Rely not upon the Justification of your own Works; cast off the Rags of your own Self-Righteousness, and Self-Loyalty, and confess but once to his Majesty, as you often do to God Almighty, ‘Our throats have been as open Sepulchres, with our Tongues we have used deceit, the poison of Asps has been under our Lips; Our mouths have been full of cursing and bitterness, our Feet have been swift to shed Blood; destruction and misery have been in all our ways, and the way of peace have we not known.’ We are seriously convinced of the errour and wickedness of our doings: It was the great men of our Party (we cannot deny it) that were the fiercest and most implacable Enemies against your Majesties Crown and Person, that by their perfidious Oaths and Protestations enticed your Royal Father into their Nets, and then murther'd him with equal Modesty and Conscience. It was we (with shame and horrour we confess it) that pursu'd your own Life with the thirst and industry of Blood-hounds; and had your Majesty been the most hated wretch, Traytor, and Rebel in the world, we could not have hunted you with a keener [Page 638] Rage. And it was our Preachers that cried up all this as the Cause of God, and the work of Providence, in order to the Recovery and Preservation of the Go­spel. But now (Sir) we are from the bot­tom of our hearts convinced of the un­parallel'd wickedness of all these our Practices and Opinions; and we desire with shame and confusion of face to ac­knowledge and disclaim them in the pre­sence of God, and before all the world; we now see, and cannot but declare we have grievously rebell'd against him, in fighting for him against his Vice-gerent; as we did against you when we fought for your Authority against your Person. Sir, our Behaviour has been so unworthy, and our Hypocrisie so notorious, that we have not confidence to desire your Majesty should ever trust us, till we have made some reasonable Atonement for all our Miscarriages, by some publick and inge­nuous satisfaction, and given some un­questionable Proofs of our Repentance by some signal and extraordinary acts of Loyalty. And though our Brethren of the Kirk were once so tender-hearted as to excuse a Sister that had fall'n (as they phrased it) in Holy Fornication, from the shame of her publick Penance, lest the [Page 639] Gospel should be scandalized: yet if there be any among us that bewray any signs and symptoms of the old Spirit of Rebellion, we will be so far from sheltring or conni­ving at such unpardonable Offenders, that we will with all possible care drive them from our Communion, and deliver them up to the Justice of the Laws. If they would offer us such security as this for their Peaceableness and Obedience, they might make some impression upon our Good Natures, and gain some ground upon our good Opinions. But if they will not, all their other promises and En­gagements are but so many assurances that they are not in good earnest. For if they were, that alone would indispensa­bly oblige them to frank and open Retra­ctions. Nothing can expiate a publick Crime but a publick Repentance. But alas! these conditions are too rough for humble and self-denying men to swal­low, their Stomachs cannot down with such sharp and unpleasant Physick; and they will rather continue for ever in a state of Impenitence, then repent at the rate of a publick satisfaction. And hence it is that though I. O. has made the door to Atheism so wide, yet that to Loyalty is (as to them) like that to the Kingdom of [Page 640] Heaven, Straight is the gate, and narrow is the way, and few (if any) there be that find it. So that for them to pretend to Loyalty is a ruder and more unhandsom Insolence, then all their open Crimes and execrable Practices; tis an affront to our understand­ings, when Persons so stain'd with perfi­dious and disloyal Actions, shall go about to perswade us of their Innocence and Integrity, and cry up themselves for brave Subjects, though they have no­thing to shew for it but their zeal in Trea­son and Rebellion. This is bold-fac'd wickedness, when men that have done such base and dishonourable things, shall look confidently, and scorn to accept all your Acts of Indempnity, unless they may challenge one of Justification. To conclude, Plutarch, I remember, some­where commends the Wisdom of those Birds that conspired to beat the Cuckow, lest in process of time it should grow up to an Hawk: but what if the Cuckow had been an Hawk already, and they or any of their flock had been grip'd in its Talons, what sort of Birds would you have judged them, had they been so silly as to suffer it to become an Hawk again; only because it sung the old Cuckow Tune? The Mythology is plain; That [Page 641] Prince that has felt the pounces of these Ravening Vultures, if after that he shall be perswaded to regard their fair speeches, at such times as they want Power, with­out other evident and unquestionable to­kens of their Conversion, deserves to be King of the Night.

§. 10. But here our Author adds, and 'tis suggested a thousand times over; Are not we both Protestants, and shall we persecute our Brethren of the same Church and Communion with our selves? No, no, we are Papists and Idolaters; have you so often branded us with the charge of Popery, and so confidently in­volved us in the grand Antichristian A­postasie; and can you now think it a seasonable Argument to work upon our Compassion and Good Nature by decla­ring your selves Protestants? This is an admirable motive to prevail upon the Affections of rank Papists; 'tis just as if our Author should hope to win us to the grant of an Indulgence, by pleading (as he often does) that they are right Godly men, when he has made an im­placable hatred of all Godliness, the Cha­racteristick note of the Episcopal Clergy. But he does, ever did, and ever will [Page 642] pour out his words at Random; and they are any thing, and we are any thing, and every thing is any thing, Truth to day, and Heresie to morrow, as it shall happen to conduce to their present Interest. And therefore to be short and plain with them, and to abate the Confidence of this po­pular pretence; The name of Protestant (as they use it) is but a term of Faction, and the word of a Party, a Title to which every man may pretend, that is no friend to the Pope of Rome; and if he be fall'n out with the Papacy upon what Account soever, that is enough to list him a Member of the Protestant Communion. And if any man through the Licentiousness of his life or princi­ples be forced even for his own security to turn Renegado to the Church of Rome, he shall be immediately admitted in­to the Fellowship of the Reformed Churches: and thus shall the Reforma­tion be made the Sanctuary of Romulus, a Refuge for Enthusiasts and Hereticks, a device to draw together all the lewd and wicked people in the world, to unite themselves into one body in defiance to the Roman Interest. This is a wild and boundless thing, and signifies nothing but popular Tumults and Confusions, and [Page 643] shelters all the Sacriledges and Enormi­ties in the world, provided they that commit them rail at his Holiness. And thus I confess was the Reformation of some places the meer effect of the Tumults and Outrages of Boors, the Factions and Seditions of Mechanicks, the Crafts and Artifices of Statesmen, and the Ambiti­ons of peevish and pragmatical Priests. And all that some men (who think them­selves some of the most refined Prote­stants) contributed to the carrying on of this great work, was by breaking Church-Windows, demolishing Altars, defacing Shrines, beating down Images, doing despite to Pictures, burning Libraries, stealing Consecrated Plate, plundering Churches of their Sacred Ornaments, and adorning their own Houses with the Spoils and Reliques of Popish Trumpery. And therefore we must distinguish (and 'tis Mr. Chillingworths distinction) between Protestants and Protestants; those that Protest against Imperial Edicts, and those that Protest against the Corruptions of the Church of Rome. Between those who only remonstrate to the Papal Apostasie, and endeavour to retrieve the true ancient and Catholick Christianity; and those who under this Pretence shelter State Fa­ctions, [Page 644] and paint Reformation upon their Banners, and purge the Church of Ido­latry by Civil Wars, and Desolations of States, and cast off Allegiance to their Prince, together with their Subjection to the Pope: enter into Leagues and Asso­ciations, raise Armies, and run into all the Disorders of Treason and Disloyalty against their lawful Sovereign, to extort by force of Arms the free exercise of their Religion. And it would grieve a man to observe how the sober and mode­rate Reformers were in many places run down by seditious and hot-headed Preachers: and (to mention no more) how Melancthon with his Disciples were supplanted by Flaccus Illyricus and his Con­fidents: The Flaccinians, (because he would allow of no Seditious Counsels to carry on the work) immediately impeach him of Apostasie to the Papal Cause, and send their Complaints abroad to Calvin, and other Patriarchs of the Reformed Churches, and the good man was put to the expence of much time and paper to prove himself no Jesuite. Now the Church of England disclaims the Com­munion as well as the Principles of these blustering Religionists; she abhors Re­bellion as much as Idolatry, and looks [Page 645] upon defection from Loyalty and Allegi­ance as an Apostasie from the Christian Faith; and therefore men of disloyal Principles or Practices do but abuse her and themselves too, when they pretend to her Communion; because forsooth they have a mighty spleen against the Pope and Cardinals; whereas the rankest and most Jesuitical piece of Popery is the Doctrine of Treason and Rebellion. And what Agreement there is between the Je­suite and the Puritan concerning the Ci­vil Magistrate, you may see parallel'd in divers material Points of Doctrine and Practice, to take down the too absolute and unrestrained Power of the Monarchs of Christendom, by Lysimachus Nicanor of the Society of Jesus, in his Epistle to the Covenanters of Scotland. And therefore what Perswasions soever they may have in other matters contrary to the Church of Rome, unless they are Orthodox in this Fundamental Article of the Royal Supremacy, if they are not Guelphs, they are (and that is as bad) Gibellines, another Party of professed Enemies to the Church of England. But to take down the Con­fidence of these forward Pretenders, and to give a more distinct and satisfactory Account of this Affair, you may know [Page 646] that our Reformation consists of two parts, Doctrine and Discipline; the design of the former was to abolish the corruptions and innovations of the Church of Rome, and to retrieve the pure and primitive Christianity; and the design of the lat­ter was to abrogate the Jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, and to annex all Su­periority and Preheminence over the Ec­clesiastical State to the Imperial Crown: in both which attempts, the Non-confor­mists or Puritan-Recusants have abso­lutely forsaken our Communion.

1. As to Discipline, The design of those great men that first arose to that great work was to redeem the Christian World from the shameless and exorbitant Usurpations of the Bishop of Rome, that had invaded the Thrones of Princes, and made their Scepters do homage to St. Pe­ters Keys, and enslav'd the Royal Digni­ty to the Interests and Insolences of a proud Vicar. And this was the Schism of the Church of England, its defection to its lawful Prince; and its first departure from the Church of Rome was nothing but its Revolt to its due Allegiance, and at this day its greatest Heresie is the un­catholick Doctrine of Obedience to Sove­reign Authority. Whereas the great pro­ject [Page 647] of the men of the Separation was ne­ver to abrogate, but only to exchange the Papal Usurpation, and to setle that Pow­er and Supremacy of which they stript his Holiness of Rome upon the Presbyterial Consistory. The Holy Discipline is but an­other name for the Papal Power, it equally disrobes Princes of their Ecclesiastical Supremacy, and entirely setles its Juris­diction upon the Presbytery, and vests them with an Authority to controul their Commands, restrain their Civil Power, and punish their Persons: in that by the Principles of the Huic dis­ciplinae om­n [...]s Orbis Princip [...]s & Monar­chas [...]sces [...] sab­mi te [...] & [...] ne­cesse est. [...]ave [...]s de Disc. Eccl. p. 142. Holy Discipline Kings must be subject to the Decrees of the Presbytery in all matters of Religion; neither small nor great may be exempted from subjection to the Scepter of Iesus Christ; by which they mean the same thing that the Papists do by the Keys of St. Peter, viz. an Original Power in them­selves of exercising a temporal Jurisdicti­on over the Kings of the Earth under pretence of their Spiritual Sovereignty: So that in this part of the work we have not been encountred with more distur­bance and opposition from the Jesuites than from the Presbyterians, that are as to the Doctrine of Regal Supremacy as arrant Recusants; and therefore it as [Page 648] much imports Princes for security of their own Rights and Prerogatives to have an eye to the Factors of Geneva, as to the Emissaries of Rome. They are both men of bold and fiery spirits; and all the late Combustions of Europe have either been procured or occasion'd by the seditious and aspiring attempts of these two daring Sects. But the Tumults and disorders of the Jesuites concern not our present En­quiry; nor may I enter upon the History of all the Leagues, Conspiracies, Sediti­ons, Spoils, Ravages, and Insurrections, of the Puritan Brethren. It has been lately performed by an Elegant Pen to purpose, that has thereby done that Right to the Cause of Reformation, as to absolve the true Protestant from the Charge of Seditious Doctrines and Pra­ctices, and to score all the Embroilments of the Kingdoms and Estates of Chri­stendom, on the Account of the Calvi­nists, who thrust themselves into all Places and Designs; and if any where they were suffer'd to grow into any consi­derable strength and Interest, were upon all occasions drawing in the zealous Rab­ble into holy Leagues and Confederacies against their Governours. And if you will but compare the first practices and [Page 649] proceedings of the Hugonots in the King­dom of France, of the Gheuses in the Bel­gick Provinces, of the Kirk-faction in the Realm of Scotland, with the Actings, Treasons and Disloyalties of the English Puritans, as you will discover a strange agreement in the issues of their principles and proceedings, so you will find their disorders to exceed the common mis­chiefs and exorbitancies of Mankind. But I must not pursue particular Stories, the History of their Tumults, Outrages, and Desolations, would require a lar­ger Volume than the Book of Martyrs. It was these hot and fiery Spirits, that in most places spoil'd this gallant Enter­prize; and by their seditious Zeal and madness, drove up the Reformation into down-right Rebellion; and were so out­ragious against the Church of Rome, that they had not patience to wait the lazy temper of Authority for the Reformati­on of Abuses. Its Wisdom and Mode­ration was Carnal Policy; and if Gover­nours would not set upon it in regular and peaceable ways at their first alarm, then the only Doctrine they thunder'd from the Pulpit, was, That if Princes refuse to reform Religion themselves, 'tis lawful for their godly Subjects to do it, [Page 650] though by violence and force of Arms. These are the Men that are so forward to thrust themselves into the Reformed Communion, and whom we are so resol­ved to disclaim as shameful Apostates from the Reformed Cause, and judge just such Protestants as the Gnosticks were Christians, the scandal and dishonour of their Profession; and whom the true Sons of the Church were forced to avoid as much, if not more, than Heathens and Infidels, though it were only to secure their own Reputation, that their Tu­mults and Disorders might not be scored upon their Reckoning. This is plain matter of Fact, though how it will relish with our Author, 'tis easie to foretel; and it is not to be doubted but he may have the confidence to remonstrate to the most credible evidence of History, that has the boldness in defiance to so many publick Ordinances and Declarations, to deny that the Pretences of Reformation had any concern in our late Confusions. But however, he would be well-advised not to dare to Apologize for other Men, un­less he could first clear his own innocence: for if a Man shall undertake to plead the Cause of a notorious Offender, that stands himself chargeable of the deeper guilt, [Page 651] he does not defend, but betray and up­braid his Client; his very Apology be­comes a strong Accusation, and all the World will suspect that Mans innocence, when they shall see a person so scanda­lous, so forward in his defence. He is but an ill Apologist for the peaceableness or Loyalty of any Party, that has him­self been a famous Trumpeter (not to say, a great Commander) in Rebellion; and when our late Thirsty Tyrants had gorged themselves with Royal Blood, was the first Chaplain that proffer'd his service to say a long Margarets Grace to the Entertainment.

§. 11. This short account may suffice to let you see that the Nonconformists, as to this particular, (however they may glory in the Name of Protestant) are but another sort of Papists, that pluckt down one Popery to set up another; and justled his Holiness out of the Chair, only to seat themselves in it. And as for the under-Sects, and farther improved Schismaticks, that have since sprung out of the Corrup­tions of Presbytery, our Controversie with them is not between Protestants and Protestants, but between Protestants and Anabaptists; a sort of people (as [Page 652] to this particular worse than Papists) whom nothing will satisfie but absolute Anarchy and Confusion in the Church, and by consequence in the State: for in a Christian Commonwealth they are but one and the same Society, which, as I have proved over and over, and our Au­thor sometimes confesses, nothing can avoid but an Ecclesiastical Supremacy, or coercive Jurisdiction in matters of Reli­gion. The hearty and serious acknow­ledgment whereof, is the true Shibboleth, and distinguishing mark of the right En­glish Protestant. This is the pride and the glory of the Church of England, that she was never tainted with Sedition and Dis­loyalty; and in the management of her Reformation, never out run the Laws, but always moved under the Conduct of Sovereign Authority. It grieved our Prelates to behold the Dignity of the Throne prostituted to a Foreign Tyran­ny; and when, chiefly by their counsel and assistance, our Princes had disingaged themselves of their ancient Fetters, they proceeded to engage and encourage them in the Reformation of the Christian Faith to its ancient purity; and with the advice of their Ecclesiastical Senate, to establish Rites and Ceremonies of [Page 653] Worship by their own Authority. So that there is not a Monarchy in the world that might be so well guarded as the Crown of England, by its Orthodox Cler­gy, were they allowed that Power and Reputation that is due to the Interest and Dignity of their Function; not only be­cause they hold so entirely from his Ma­jesty, and are so immediately dependant upon his favour for their Preferment; but chiefly because there is not any sort of Men in the World possessed with so deep a sense of Loyalty: 'tis become their Nature and their Genius; 'tis the only thing that creates them so many E­nemies, exposes them to so much Opposi­tion, and divides them from all other Parties and Professions. What is it that so much enrages the Roman Clergy, but that we will not suffer his Holiness to usurp upon the Rights of Princes? And when these Janizaries invade and assault their Thrones, and attempt to seat their great Master in the Imperial Primacy, 'tis we, and only we that have ever stept in and beat back all their approaches with shame and dishonour. And whatever pro­visions might have been made against the Encroachments of Rome upon the Crown of England, they would have been lamen­tably [Page 654] weak without the aids and assistan­ces of Religion, because 'tis that alone that is pretended in their Opposition; and its very pretences, where they prevail, are so strong and powerful, that they ea­sily bear down all the Arts of Civil Po­licy and Government. Nothing but Re­ligion can encounter Religion. And how easie had it been for Rome, considering its Power, Interest, Cunning and Activity, to have either inslaved our Princes to their Tyranny, or annoyed them with eternal Broils and Seditions, had not the English Clergy bestirred themselves to counterwork all their Mines, and to pos­sess the peoples minds with an impregna­ble sense of Loyalty? And this, what­ever is pretended, is the real ground of the breach between us, viz. The Interest and Grandeur of the Court of Rome. And would we but grant them back that So­vereignty they once exercised over the Kings and Kingdom of England, they would never stand so much upon any Controversies about Doctrinal Articles, and would willingly permit us to enjoy all our other fancies and perswasions; knowing, that if they can but regain their absolute Dominion over us, they shall soon be able to model our Opinions to their Interest.

[Page 655]And what was it that so exasperated the Disciplinarians, but when these pert Gentlemen would have been perking up into their Spiritual Throne, and (in imi­tation of their Kirk-brethren) Nosing the Power of Kings both in and out of the Pulpit, they pluckt down such piti­ful Pretenders with scorn and dishonour, exposed their folly and ignorance to the publick Correction, and let the world see they were more worthy of a Pillory than a Throne? But these bold Youths have at length in pursuance of their de­signs, run themselves beyond their Pre­tensions, and lost their Cause among the Disorders and Confusions of their own procuring; out of which have sprung new swarms of Sects and Schisms, that were born and bred in Rebellion, and were never known to the World by any other visible marks than their Opposition to the Royal Interest. Yet have these Men the face to challenge their Right of Li­berty and Indulgence, and to rail at us for not granting it, though the things, for which they demand it, are nothing but principles of Sedition and Disloyalty. The World knows what pranks and pra­ctices they have committed with the con­fidence, and under the protection of Re­ligion; [Page 656] and they have never given us the least signs and tokens of repentance, and that alone is an infallible symptom of their impenitence: for were they sincere Converts, the World should be sure to know their resentments; so that we have all the reason in the World to believe them no Changelings; and then would it not be admirable policy to trust Men of such implacable Spirits and Principles to the present setlement of things? For if we have no ground but to suppose them Enemies to the Publick Peace, we cer­tainly have no Motive or Obligation to treat them as Friends, but rather to use them as People that thirst after a Change, and aim at nothing more than our ruine. Tenderness and Indulgence to such Men, were to nourish Vipers in our own bow­els, and the most sottish neglect of our own quiet and security, and we should deserve to perish with the dishonour of Sardanapalus. And howsoever their Ring-leaders may whine and cant to the peo­ple grievous complaints of our present Oppressions and Persecutions, yet would they inwardly scorn us as weak and silly Men, that understand not the height of our Interest, if we should be prevail'd with to bestow any milder usage upon such [Page 657] irreconcileable Enemies. And 'tis not impossible but that the Mercy of the Go­vernment may have been a great tempta­tion to their insolence; and perhaps had some of them been more roughly hand­led, they had been less disobliged. They think Lenity and Compassion to an im­placable Enemy, an effect of weakness; and would never forgive themselves, should they not use all means to suppress all known and resolved Opposition to their own Interest. And therefore as many of these Men as have been Objects of Royal Mercy, if they expect to obtain any farther favour to their Party, they would do well to give us some publick and competent assurance of their renoun­cing their former principles of Sedition, as to Civil Government. Though not a Man, continuing in their Communi­on, has ever as yet given the World any satisfaction of this kind; and certainly they can never take it ill in good ear­nest, if we only deny them the Liberty and free Exercise of their Religion, till they are willing to give us some security of their being governable.

§. 12. The second part of Protestancy, is the Reformation of Doctrine; and here [Page 658] the design was to abolish the Corruptions and unwarrantable Innovations of the Church of Rome, and to retrieve the pure and primitive Christianity. It was not their aim to exchange Thomas Aquinas his Sums for Calvin's Institutions, or Bodies of School-Divinity for Dutch Systems; but to reduce Christianity to the prescript of the Word of God, and the practice of the first and uncorrupted Ages of the Church, to clear the Foundations of our Faith from all false and groundless Superstru­ctures, and once more recover into the Christian World a pure and Apostolical Religion. And therefore the only Rule of our Churches Reformation were the Scriptures, and four first general Coun­cils: She admits not of any upstart Do­ctrines, and new Models of Orthodoxy; but all the Articles of her Belief are an­cient and Apostolical; and if she her self should teach any other Propositions, she protests against their being matters of Faith, and of necessity to Salvation. And for this reason she imposes not her own Articles as Articles of Faith, but of Peace and Communion: Nor does she censure other Churches for their different Confessions, but allows them the Liberty she takes, to establish more or less Con­ditions [Page 659] of Communion, as the Gover­nours of the Church shall deem most ex­pedient for peace and unity. And she only requires of such as are admitted to any Office & Imployment in the Church, subscription to them as certain Theolo­gical Verities, not repugnant to the Word of God, which she has particularly sele­cted from among many other to be pub­lickly taught and maintain'd within her Communion, as necessary or highly con­ducive to the preservation of Truth, and prevention of Schism: and for this rea­son she passes no other censure upon the Impugners of her Articles, than what she has provided against the Impugners of the Publick Liturgy, Episcopal Government, and the Rites & Ceremonies of Worship, because they are all intended to the same end, the avoiding Disorders and Confu­sions. These then are the conditional Articles of the Communion of the Church of England, and they are necessa­ry and excellent provisions for peace and unity. For among all the Disputes and Divisions of Christendom, it is but rea­sonable she should take security of those Mens Doctrines and Opinions whom she intrusts in publick Imployments, to pre­vent her being embroil'd in perpetual [Page 660] Quarrels and Controversies. So that Subscriptions to the Articles is required chiefly upon the same account as the Oath of Supremacy, whose Penalty is, That such who refuse it, shall be excluded such places of Honour and Profit as they hold in the Church or Commonwealth. And 'tis very reasonable that Princes should be parti­cularly secured of the Fidelity of those Subjects that they entrust with their pub­lick Offices. And thus all the punishment that the Church of England is willing to have inflicted upon Dissenters from her Articles, is to deprive them of their Ec­clesiastical Preferments, as being unfit for Ecclesiastical Imployments: For though she is not so careless of her own peace, as to impower Men in the exer­cise of her publick Offices at all adven­ture; so neither is she so rigorous as to make Inquisition into their private Thoughts. And therefore we are not so harsh and unmerciful as somebody, (you wot of) who would be thought a warm Bigot for Toleration; and yet has sometime profest he would give his Vote to banish any Man the Kingdom that should refuse their Subscription.

But as for the absolute Articles of the Faith of the Church of England, they are [Page 661] of a more ancient date; they were not of her own contriving, but such as she found establish't in the purest and most uncorrupted Ages of the Church, and in the times nearest to the primitive and A­postolical simplicity. That is the mea­sure of her Faith, and the standard of her Reformation: here she fixes the bounds of her Belief, and seals up the Symbol of her Creed, to prevent the dan­ger of endless Additions and Innovati­ons. But as for all other matters, I say, (with the late Learned Archbishop, as he discourses against Fisher) If any Errour, which might fall into this (as any other Refor­mation) can be found, then, I say, and 'tis most true, Reformation, especially in cases of Religion, is so difficult a work, and subject to so many Pretensions, that 'tis almost impossible but the Reformers should step too far, or fall too short in some smaller things or other, which in regard of the far greater benefit coming by the Reformation it self, may well be passed over and born withal. And withal by virtue of this Fundamental Maxim, may in due time and manner be redrest. By the wis­dom and moderation of this Principle, the Church secures her self against the Prescription of Errour: So that if she should at any time hereafter discover any [Page 662] defect in any particular instance of her Laws and Constitutions, (and in a work so great, so various, and so difficult, 'tis not impossible, as the Archbishop ob­serves, for the greatest caution and pru­dence to be overseen in some smaller things) she has reserved a just power in her self to reform and amend it. This, in brief, is a true and honest account of the Prote­stancy of the Church of England.

But so it hapned, that beyond the Seas there arose another Generation of pert and forward Men, the vehemence of whose Zeal and Passion transported them from extream to extream; so that they immediately began to measure Truth, not by its agreement with the Scriptures, and the purest Ages of the Church; but by its distance from the See of Rome, and the Apostacy of latter times; whereby it so came to pass, that they did but barter Errours in stead of reforming Corrupti­ons; and in lieu of the old Popish Te­nets, only set up some of their own new­fangled conceits. But above all the rest, there sprung up a mighty Bramble on the South-bank of the Lake Lemane, that (such is the rankness of the Soil) spred and flourish't with such a sudden growth, that in a few days, partly by the industry of [Page 663] its Agents abroad, and partly by its own indefatigable pains and pragmaticalness, it quite over run the whole Reformati­on, and in a short time the right Prote­stant Cause was almost irrecoverably lost, under the more prevailing Power and In­terest of Calvinism. That proud and bu­sie Man had erected a new Chair of In­fallibility, and enthroned himself in it; and had he been acknowledged their Su­preme Pastour, he could not have obtruded his Decrees in a more peremptory and definitive way upon the Reformed Chur­ches. Nothing can be rightly done in any Foreign Church or State, but by his Counsels and Directions: He must thrust himself in for the Master-workman, where-ever they were hammering Refor­mation: He must be privy to all the Counsels, and govern all the Designs of the Princes of Christendom: And his Mandates and Decretal Epistles must e­ver be flying about into all Parts and Pro­vinces; and when any doubt or difficulty arose, away to Geneva to consult the O­racle, that always return'd his Answers with the Confidence and Authority of an Apostle. And thus did this hot and eager Man bear down all before him by the boldness of his Nature to attempt, [Page 664] and indefatigable vehemence of his Spi­rit to prosecute what he had once attem­pted, till he made himself at once both Pope and Emperour of the greatest part of the Reformed World. All his Di­ctates were Articles of Faith, and all his Censures Anathema's; and eve­ry dissent from his least important and most unwarrantable Principles, was He­resie; and every Heresie, capital and damnable. All Schemes and Models of Truth were coin'd in his Name, and war­ranted by his Authority; it was his De­cree that stampt them Orthodox, and no Opinion that did not bear his Image and Superscription, might pass for current Divinity. And whoever was so hardy or so unhappy as to oppose himself to this bold and insolent Usurpation, or but to demur upon the Infallibility of his De­terminations, he was immediately assaul­ted with Volleys of Anathema's, and they pour'd upon him showres of Invectives, and hated Names; and he was shunn'd like Infection, and dreaded as the Pest and Plague of the Reformed Communi­on; and if they wanted power to perse­cute him with Fire and Faggot, they would kill him with Noises and Anathe­ma's.

[Page 665]And thus has this man and his follow­ers intricated the way to Heaven with their own new Labyrinths, and wild turn­ings, trifling Questions, and uncertain talkings: they have smother'd and bu­ried the Truths of God under the super­structures of their own foolish Inventi­ons; they have blended their own dreams and Visions with the Divine Oracles, and then require the same Assent to their ill-spun Systems and Hypotheses as to the inspired Writings of St. Paul, and ob­trude pure non-sense and contradictious Blasphemies upon our Belief with as much rigour and boisterous zeal as the most indispensable Truths of the Gospel: requiring as confident an Assent to the black Doctrine of irrespective Reproba­tion, as to our Saviours Death and Resur­rection; and making it as necessary a point of Faith to believe that the Al­mighty thrust innumerable myriads of Souls into Being, only to sport himself in their endless and unspeakable Tortures, as that he sent his own Son into the world to dye for the Redemption of man­kind: Nay, this they stick not to discard and disavow for its inconsistency with the Hypothesis of absolute Decrees: This is the Fundamental Article of their Creed, [Page 666] and all other points of Divinity must be so modell'd, as to suit and accommodate themselves to this Foundation of their Faith. And thus in most places did the design of Reformation degenerate into a furious Zeal for the Calvinian Rigours; the seeds of which Doctrine have produ­ced nothing but thorns and briars of Contention, that have eaten out the life and power of true Religion, and make men barren in every thing but discords and disputations. The woful effects whereof are visible in most Foreign Churches, where Piety is exchanged for Orthodoxy, and Devotion for speculati­on, where their Religion is a zeal for a Scheme of Opinions, and their Learning an Ability to maintain them.

§. 13. But in the setling or modelling of our Reformation, by the Providence of God and our Governours, this mans assistance was refused, and his advice re­jected: they understood him too well to admit him into their Counsels, and re­solved to keep up close to their first design of reforming the Church to the Aposto­lical simplicity: Though afterward this Doctrine took root here by the industry of some zealous youths, that had been [Page 667] train'd up at the feet of that great Ga­maliel, and return'd home Seminary Priests of the Calvinian Theology. This was the only errand and design of Whit­tingham, Travers, Cartwright, and others; and the only original of all the Schisms and disturbances that have ever since in­fested the Church of England, was the unseasonable zeal of these men to reduce its Doctrine and Discipline to the plat­form of Geneva. And though they were immediately check't in their attempt up­on the Discipline, that they thought good to assault with fierce and open Vio­lence; yet as for the leaven of their Do­ctrine, they insensibly spred and con­veyed it into the minds of their Disci­ples; and it grew and prosper'd mightily in all places; because as it was cultivated with much zeal, and water'd with much preaching, so was it not encountred with any publick opposition: the Church not having declared it self positively in any thing but against the Errors and Corru­ptions of the Church of Rome: and as for all the other Disputes of Christen­dom, she contrived the Articles of her Communion with that prudence and mo­deration, as to take in all men of what­soever different Perswasions in other [Page 668] matters into her bosom and protection. She embraced Trojans and Tyrians with equal Favour, and would not wed her self to the narrow Interests of a Party, nor determine all the quarrels and diffe­rences of disputing men: No, she left them to the Liberty of their own Opini­ons, only reserving to her self a power to quash and silence their Disputes for the ends of Peace and Government. But this moderation was too cool for these warm and hot-headed men; they thought it not enough for the honour of Mr. Cal­vin, and therefore resolved to declare themselves expresly for him in defiance to all other Doctors and Heads of Parties. But the Pulpits must make good this, and they are resolved to make good the Pulpits; and therefore they make them and the People to groan with nothing but the continual noise of Decrees; and the depths of Election and Reprobation were always ratling and thundering in their ears. The whole Circle of their preach­ing and practical Divinity was reduced to Calvin's Interpretation of the ninth Cha­pter of the Epistle to the Romans. And when they had scared and astonish'd the People into an admiration of these gloo­my Mysteries, nothing will satisfie their [Page 669] restless heads, unless they may be voted the Doctrine of the Church, and the cause of the Reformation. And all the men of the first moderation must be bran­ded for Apostates, and the People let loose to rail at them as Papists, or under some other hated name, that they ab­horr'd, but did not understand. And this is the Interpretation of our Authors ma­licious suggestion of his being aggrieved to observe such evident declerisions from the first establish't Reformation, towards the old, pag. 395. or a new, and it may be worse Apostasie; such an apparent weariness of the principal do­ctrines and practices, which enlivened the Re­formation, ‘i. e. A wicked schismatical Relapse to Popish Arminian Errors, an Apostasie from the Doctrine of the Reformed Churches to worship the old Pelagian Idol Free-will with the new Goddess Contingency, or an halting between Iehovah and Baal, Christ and Antichrist, admitting the Belgick Se­mipelagians into the Communion of our Church, and joyning with a Spa­nish Plot, by opposing the Calvinists to reduce the people again to Popery; all which are the Methods of Satan, and the Designs of some who sit aloft in the Temple of God, to hew at the [Page 670] very roots of Christianity.’ As I. O. expresses himself in the Preface to his Display of Arminianism.

Yes, no doubt, it was the great design of our first Reformers to state (as he has done) the order and succession of eternal Decrees; to reconcile a fatal and irre­sistible determination of our Actions with the Liberty of our Wills, to account for the consistency of the Decree of irrespe­ctive Reprobation of the greatest part of mankind with the Truth and the Goodness of God, when he so plainly protests he would not any should perish, but that all should come to repentance; and to set up a secret and reserved will in God in defiance to his revealed will, and then make it consistent with the honour of his Attributes to profess one thing, and at the same time resolve another. It was no doubt their Zeal for these weighty and fundamental Truths that was the avow­ed cause of their Protestations against the Church of Rome; and those great Pre­lates that first arose to that great At­tempt, chose to fall Martyrs to the cause, only to justifie their own absolute Electi­on, and to prove the Impossibility of their Relapse from Grace. And among Mr. Foxes wooden Cuts we find many Pi­ctures [Page 671] of Martyrs for the supralapsarian way, and the chain that tied them to the Stake was no doubt the noose of Election, and the Label that hangs out at their mouths, the decretal Sentence. So that they that will not burn and broil for these Fundamental Articles of the Geneva Zeal, are the Iulians and Apostates from the Protestant Faith, the Popes or the Devils Instruments (as our Author speaks) to betray us, to the old, or a new, and it may be a worse Apostasie. Men may mince the matter, and pretend only a dislike of the Doctrine of Reprobation; but alas! who knows not this to be the Serpents subtilty,Ibid. wherever she gets in her head, she will wriggle in her whole body, sting and all: give but the least Admission to these Heterodoxies, and the whole poison must be swallowed. This Apostasie from the single Article of Re­probation unavoidably brings in the whole body of Popish-Arminian Errors. And therefore whoever offends but in this particular, is absolutely fall'n from the Catholick Faith, and the Orthodox Doctrine of the Church of England; and then he has pronounced his Doom, and pronounced him uncapable of our Church-Communion. Admirable Do­ctrine [Page 672] this for a Patron of Indulgence, not to endure a Poor man that dares not dogmatize in the mysteries of Reproba­tion, but to deliver him up without mer­cy, or any sense of Compassion, to the exterminating Censures and Anathema's of the Church, and (what was then more dreadful) the Parliament too. Thus you see what are the Articles of these mens Zeal and Orthodoxy, and by what Do­ctrines and Principles they take their measure of Reformation, making a Ri­gour in the Calvinian Tenets, the only estimate of the Purity of Churches. So that because we are willing to clear our Church from the Incumbrance and In­croachment of these innovations, and are resolved not to trouble our selves with abetting the modern Controversies, and Mushrome Sects of Christendom, but to stick fast to the wisdom and moderati­on of the first design of returning to the antient and unblended Doctrines of Chri­stianity: And are therefore careful in our discourses and representations of Religi­on to avoid all new and unwarrantable mixtures, and to represent the Truths of the Gospel with the same simplicity, as we should have done before these Novel­ties were started in the World. For this [Page 673] are we taxed by these Imperious Dogma­tists of perfidious Designs to betray the Protestant Cause, and to return back to the Errors and Corruptions of the Church of Rome; and the People must be alarm'd and confounded with hideous Outcries against Popery and Babylon, Spanish Plots and Jesuitical Designs; and then must they stand upon their Guard, and nothing must asswage their Choler but an humble submission to their sturdy humour. They must not attend to any Articles of A­greement, or Overtures of Pacification and mutual Forbearance; and unless we will declare our Assent and Consent to all the curious and perplex'd Opinions of their Sect, they will hear of no other Conditions of Peace, and there is no Re­medy but we must part Communion. They must (as I. O. Ibid. speaks) proclaim [...] an holy War to such Enemies of Gods Pro­vidence. This is hard measure, but yet such as was strictly meted out without a grain of Allowance, not only by the Ri­gid Presbyterians, but the Indulgent Try­ers, those Patriots of our Christian Li­berty, those renowned subverters of Ec­clesiastical Tyranny.

Now there can be nothing more mis­chievous, or intolerable in any Church or [Page 674] Common-wealth then these peremptory Dictators of Truth, and profest Masters of Polemick Skill; they are so exact and curious in their own Speculations, and impose them with that severity upon the Consent of Mankind, and by conse­quence require such hard and impracti­cable Conditions of Agreement and Church-Communion, as must unavoid­ably break any society of men into Fa­ctions and Parties: For what so vain as to expect an Unity of Judgment in such a multitude of uncertain and undetermi­nable Opinions? And therefore those men that stand with such an unyielding and inflexible stiffness upon the admit­tance of their own Conceits, make all reconcilements impossible, and all ru­ptures incurable. Every little Opinion must make a great Schism, and the bounds of Churches must be as nicely de­termined as the Points of a Dutch-Compass. Their bodies of Orthodoxy are as vast and voluminous as Aquinas Sums, and they have drawn infinite num­bers of wanton and peevish Questions into the Articles of their Belief; and now when they have swoln up their Faith to such a mighty bulk, and refined it to such a delicate subtlety, 'tis unavoid­able [Page 675] but that this must perpetuate Dis­putes and Divisions to all eternity. And for this reason it is, that these perverse and imperious Asserters are the most in­sufferable sort of men in any Christian Commonwealth, in that they are such incorrigible enemies to peace, and are so good for nothing else but to raise distur­bances and contentions in the Church. So that though we should suppose Liberty of Religion to be the common and natural Right of mankind, yet these Persons ap­parently forfeit all their Claims and Pre­tences to it, not only because their prin­ciples are directly repugnant to the quiet of States and Kingdoms, but because they invade other mens rights, and offer violence to their Neighbours just Liber­ties. And so cast themselves into the condition of Out-laws and Banditi; that once indeed had a natural Right of Pro­tection from the Government, under which they were born; but if they will not submit to the Conditions of Society, and will be preying upon the Lives and Liberties of their fellow Subjects, they become publick Enemies to the common Good, forfeit all Right of Protection, and put themselves out of the benefit of the Laws▪ Such is the outrage of these [Page 676] haughty men, they are not content with their own just priviledges, but assault those of their Neighbours, and will not endure others to live in society with them, unless they will yield up the Liber­ty of their Understandings to their impe­rious folly, and no man shall be suffer'd to live in peace and quiet, unless they may be allowed to usurp and exercise a supre­macy of Power over the whole Commu­nion, and this is a direct subversion of the Authority of Government, and a manifest violence to the Fundamental Laws and Conditions of Society, and by consequence a Forfeiture of all Claims to its rights and priviledges. And yet not­withstanding this savage and insociable humour, they suffer not for that, but on­ly for their incorrigible stubbornness a­gainst the Laws of Government and Rules of Discipline. And if they would learn to be modest, and yield to be go­vern'd by any thing but their own into­lerable peevishness, they would seldom feel the severity of the Churches Disci­pline for the unmannerly rigour of their own Doctrines: these are matters of our mutual forbearance, and whatever may be the Opinions of private men, our Church does not dogmatize in scholastick [Page 677] speculations: and we must never expect to see peace re-enthroned in the Christi­an world, till other Churches shall suffer themselves to be brought to the modera­tion of the Church of England, to have as little Faith, and as much Charity as the Primitive Christians. But to contend for the same ease and indulgence (as these men do) in the Laws of Discipline, as in the broils of Disputation, is to cut the Nerves of all Ecclesiastical Government, and remonstrate to all the Conditions of Church-Communion. For it leaves every man at liberty to except himself from the Laws of the Society: and therefore (to conclude) hereafter let them not tell us of their being Protestants, unless they will satisfie us of their being governable. And when that is done, they may be secure to find from us more tenderness and mode­ration in case of their Dissent as to mat­ters of Controversie and Opinion, than we ever have found, or ever expect to find from their waspish and cholerick hu­mour.

As for what remains of my Discourse,Pag 299. It is (says the bold Objecter) all resolved in­to a supposition, that they who in any place or part of the world, desire Liberty of Conscience for the Worship of God, have indeed no Con­science [Page 678] at all. For it is thereon supposed without further Evidence, that they will thence fall into all wicked and unconscientious Practices. This is down-right forgery too, but yet 'tis weak and modest if compared to the Boldness of his former Calumnies: For 'tis a small thing for him to pervert my sense by an ill-collected supposition, that has wittingly falsified my express words, and laid to my charge lewd Assertions of his own pure Contrivance. However 'tis a popular surmise, and suited to the folly of the common People, and that is enough to his purpose; though the wise Survey­or himself can never be so short-sighted as not to see that the only supposition, upon which I all along proceed, was foun­ded upon the clearest and most unquesti­onable experience of mankind, viz. that all men are either not so wise as they would seem, or not so honest as they would pretend; that 'tis a familiar thing even for well-meaning Persons to mistake humour and passion for Conscience; that Fanaticism is as incident to the Common People as folly and ignorance, and yet more mischievous to Government then Vice and Debauchery, with divers other common and easie Observations of hu­mane life, from whence it is an obvious [Page 679] and natural deduction to conclude, that men may easily run into tumults and se­ditions under mistakes of Conscience, though they do not wittingly, and out of design abuse its Pretences to wicked and mischievous practices, but purely for want of knowledge and understanding in the nature of good and evil, and the moral reasons of things; whence it comes to pass that there are so few, who do not, or at least may not mistake their Vi­ces for their Religion, and mix their pas­sions with their Zeal. But because this suggestion is one of the great burthens of our Authors Complaint, and is so pertly glanced at almost in every Paragraph, and so industriously pursued upon every occasion, I think my self obliged, before I conclude, to entertain the Reader with some farther Account, how Conscience and Religion are the aptest and most suit­able instruments to be employed for crea­ting Publick Disturbances.

1. First then, they are the most usual mask, and most plausible pretence to co­ver the basest and most unworthy ends; Sacriledge and Rebellion ever shrowd themselves under the hatred of Supersti­tion and Idolatry, bare-faced villany has but an ugly look, and has not confidence [Page 680] to shew it self to the World, but in the disguise of Reformation. The blackest Enterprizes could never have been at­tempted, had they not put on the fairest Pretences; for men cannot (as the world now goes) gain the opportunity of at­tempting any more enormous Wicked­ness, but under popular shews and affe­ctations of Sanctity; and all the more exorbitant Crimes of Disloyalty that were ever committed in the World have shelter'd themselves under glorious Ap­pearances of Godly Zeal. The Cause of God is the best spur and stirrup too to the advancement of Ambitious men; and there is no such easie way for them to ex­alt themselves above their Superiours, and to trample upon their Equals, as when they do it for the Glory of God. No­thing else could have so long supported the Credit of his late Highness through so many Murthers, Perjuries, and mani­fest Villanies, but his great dexterity in Praying and Preaching, his counterfeit way of whining, his dreadful Appeals and Protestations to Heaven, and his great and extraordinary Communion with God. And therefore this specious piece of Hypocrisie being so absolutely necessary to give reputation to the basest [Page 681] and most disloyal Actions, Princes are thereby sufficiently warned to be jealous of those Designs that are usher'd in un­der this popular and plausible Pretence of Reformation, and to be more watchful to suppress their Attempts than open outrages; because it does not only dis­guise, but gives Countenance to any mischief, and makes the ugliest Projects appear fair and plausible to vulgar eyes. It naturally dazzles and lures in the wild Multitude to any design, and there is no way so easie to infuse into their heads an ill opinion of the present State, as to in­veigle them with conceits and jealousies of miscarriages in, or designs upon their Religion. No, however they may out of a sense of the great duty of Obedience suffer Princes to waste and subvert their civil Liberties, yet they must not endure them to encroach upon the Rights of Re­ligion: So that there is no other effectual Artifice to decoy Christian Subjects into Mutiny and Rebellion, but the taking Pretences of Godliness and Reformation. They are all agreed in the Belief of the necessity of subjection to their lawful Su­periours in all things that concern their civil rights; but where the Glory of God and Purity of his Worship lie at stake, [Page 682] there they must whet and sharpen their Zeal in his Cause, and not betray the true Religion by their neglect and stupidity. And let but a few crafty men whisper a­broad their suspicions of Popery or any other hated name, and the Rabble are immediately alarm'd, and they will raise a War and embroil the Nation against an Heretical Word.

And to this Purpose their Leaders are ever provided with such jugling and se­ditious Maxims, as effectually over-rule all Oaths of Allegiance, and all Obli­gations to Obedience, as that all Good Subjects may with just Arms at least de­fend themselves if question'd or assault­ed for the cause of Religion, though when they send their Armies into the Field, they are as well arm'd with Offensive Weapons as their Enemies, and are fur­nish'd with Swords and Musquets to an­noy them, as well as Shields and Bucklers to defend themselves. That the mainte­nance of pure Religion passes an Obliga­tion upon their Consciences, of force e­nough to evacuate all Oaths and Con­tracts whatsoever, that may stand in the way of its advancement; and then how naturally does this not only warrant, but enforce their Resistance to their Lawful [Page 683] Prince in defence of the cause of God, and to extort the Free exercise of Reli­gion by force of Arms? which if they should lay down at his Command, that were to betray the Gospel to the Power of its profess'd and implacable Enemies by their own neglect and cowardize. Not that they fight against the King himself, God forbid, their intention is nothing else then to rescue him out of the Pow­er and Possession of evil Counsellors: You must not believe them such disloyal Wretches as to rebel against his Sacred Majesty, alas, they design nothing but the discharge of their Duty and Alle­giance; and though they take up Arms against his Person, yet 'tis in defence of his Crown, and they fight against him in his Personal Capacity only to serve him in his Political. That in the management and Reformation of Religion, there is no respect to be had to carnal and worldly Wisdom; and therefore when the Propa­gation of the Gospel lies at stake, 'tis but a vain thing for men to tie them­selves to the Laws of Policy and Discre­tion. Civil Affairs are to be conducted by secular Artifices, but matters of the Church are to be directed purely by the Will of God, the Warrant of Scripture, [Page 684] and the Guidance of Providence. Now what exorbitances will not this wild prin­ciple excuse and qualifie? In all their dis­orderly and irregular Proceedings, they do but neglect the Rules of carnal Policy for the better carrying on of the work of the Lord, where there is no place for mo­deration and complyance; and nothing must satisfie or appease their Zeal, but a full Ratification of all their demands. Though these and infinite other as vulgar Artifices are as old as Rebellion it self; and though wise men can easily wash off their false Colours, yet the Common People will suffer themselves to be abused by them to the end of the World; part­ly because they are rash and heady, and apt to favour all Changes and Innova­tions; partly because they are foolish and credulous, and apt to believe all fair and plausible stories; but mainly because they are proud and envious, and apt to suspect the Actions of their Superiours. So easie a thing is it for your crafty Achitophels to arm Faction with Zeal, and to draw the Multitude into Tumults and Seditions under colour of Religion, whilst them­selves have their designs and projects a­part, and influence the great turns of Affairs for their own private Ends, and [Page 685] so manage the zealous fools, as to make them work Journey-work to their ambi­tion, and imploy seditious Preachers to Gospellize their Conspiracies, and san­ctifie their Rapines and Sacriledges to display the piety of their Intentions, and cry up the Interest of a State-faction for the Cause of God, and sound an Alarm to Rebellion with the Trumpet of the Sanctuary.

§. 15. Thus (to omit the known Arts of the Grandees and Junto-men in our late Confusions) were the Confederate Lords of France, that involved their Na­tive Country in such a long and bloody War, during the Reign of four or five Kings, at first to seek for a plausible pre­tence to secure and justifie their Resolu­tion of taking up Arms against their law­ful Sovereign, till the Admiral Coligny hit upon that unhappy counsel, to make themselves Heads of the Hugonot Faction; and then they had not only a strong party to assert, but a fair pretence to warrant the Rebellion: And the War that was first set on foot by the envy and ambition of some Male-contents in the State, was prosecuted with greater rage and fury by Zeal for the true Religion. In all their [Page 686] Manifests and Declarations, they pro­tested for nothing with so much seeming Resolution, as their Demands of Liber­ty and Indulgence for tender Conscien­ces. And when either Party fortun'd to be worsted, they re-inforced themselves and their Cause by Religious Leagues and Covenants, and then the heady mul­titude flowed into the assistance of the different Factions, according to their dif­ferent Inclinations.D'avila, lib. 2. So that by degrees, (to use the words of the Historian) the dis­cords of great men were confounded with the dissentions of Religion; and the Factions were no more called the discontented Princes and the Guisarts, but more truly, and by more sig­nificant Names, one the Catholique, and the other the Hugonot Party. Factions, which under colour of Piety, administred such pernici­ous matter to all the following mischiefs and distractions. Which how sad and how te­dious they were, I need not inform you; only this, both Parties being balanced, and successively encouraged by the incon­stancy of Government, the change of In­terests of State, and the windings of an ambitious Woman, the publick Broils and Disorders were kept up through so many Kings Reigns, and might have been perpetuated till this day, had not the e­quality [Page 687] quality of the Factions been broken, and the power and interest of the Hugonot Par­ty absolutely vanquish't. So that though these two opposite Parties might, if let alone to themselves, have lived peaceably together in the same Commonwealth; yet when headed and encouraged by great Men in the State, they immediately be­came two fighting Armies: and when they were once enraged against each o­ther by Zeal and Religion, it was not possible for all the Arts of Policy to allay the storm, but by the utter ruine and o­verthrow of one of the contending Facti­ons. Dissembled Pacifications and plai­ster'd Reconcilements, proved more bloody and mischievous in the event, than the Prosecution of an open War. This would have put a certain period to the publick Miseries by the Conquest of a Party; but in the other, the times were broken by various changes and turns of Fortune, the State miserably involved and entangled in perpetual Revolutions, and the short Intervals of peace, were but Preparations to War. Accommodations were only offer'd and procured by the weaker Faction, thereby to gain advan­tages of mustering stronger Forces; and when they had power enough to look the [Page 688] Enemy in the face, the counterfeit Peace dissolved of its own accord, and upon the first occasion they brake out into wi­der and more obstinate Ruptures. So na­tural is it for Dissentions of Religion to heighten themselves into implacable ha­treds and animosities; and 'tis as natu­ral for them, when drawn to an head by any unlucky conjuncture of Affairs, to break out into open Wars and Rebelli­ons. Popular Zeal is always heady and presumptuous; and when let loose from the restraints of Government, and the dread of Punishment, it knows not how to contain it self within the limits of rea­son and modesty. Connivence does but encourage its peevishness and presumpti­on, and it strengthens and supports it self upon the slightest and most ungrounded Encouragements. Not to check the tumultuous proceedings of the multitude by Laws and Penalties, is to make them insolent; and if the State be not con­cern'd to suppress them with rigour and severity, they immediately conclude themselves its greatest Friends and Fa­vourites; and the inconsiderate Rabble are easily perswaded, that they are se­cretly countenanced by Authority; and that as soon as the circumstances of Af­fairs [Page 689] will permit, that will openly declare for the Interest of their Faction. And then they cannot rest satisfied in the en­joyment of their own Liberty, but grow insolent toward the predominant Party; and by all the acts of a sawcy and unplea­sing deportment, exasperate their rage and indignation. Who on the other side looking on them as a mean and despicable people, are apt to trample upon them, especially when provoked by their inso­lence, with the greater scorn and dis­dain; whereas nothing so inflames and so embitters proud minds, as to be de­spised: and therefore this again puts them upon all endeavours to rescue themselves from so unpleasing a condition; and whenever they grow to any confidence of their strength and their numbers, they are presently grappling with the Power that oppresses them: and thus by coun­terpoising of Parties, their differences swell and increase (like angry Biles) till they break out into open dissentions. So easily are publick Tumults and Factions kindled, and Kingdoms set all on fire with Fanatick Wars and Combustions. 'Tis but for one of the Parties to enter into Covenants and Combinations under pre­tence of publick Good, and this without [Page 690] any more ado alarms the other to pro­vide for its own security, and then do all things immediately dissolve into con­fusion and disorder: for Confederacies are but the Openings and Declarations of Wars, and entring into Leagues is no less in effect than Listing of Armies, all the Confederates being under a sacred Obligation to assert the Cause against all Opposition by force of Arms. And this shews the vain Policy of the Counter-balance, a Project too nice and subtle for the vehement and boisterous passions of Humane Nature: and however it might strike the fancy of a capricious Woman, no trick of Policy has ever proved it self more unsuccessful than this, whilst pra­ctised in the same Kingdom; and the is­sue has ever been, that the Common­wealth has struggled with mutual Oppo­sition, and totter'd with Civil Wars, till it has either recover'd it self by an abso­lute suppression of one of the Factions, or sunk into utter ruine and confusion. As indeed the Popes of Rome have managed this artifice to balance the Princes of Christendom, it was neither unuseful nor unpracticable, because the equality was kept up between two different and inde­pendent States, that could not suddenly [Page 691] work each others destruction; or if they should attempt it, he could easily over­rule the contest by the intervention of a third Power. But when mutual dissen­tions are kept up under the same Go­vernment, it is always in hazard of being torn in pieces by its own intestine Quar­rels. And whenever there happens an open Eruption, the Prince is not provided with a third Power to give check to the growth and exorbitances of the predomi­nant Faction, and can now no longer juggle and dissemble between both, but must of necessity declare for one Party, and cast himself and his Crown upon their fortune; and if he chance to hit upon the wrong Faction, he is lost, and remains a prey to the Conqueror. Whe­ther this speculation of the balancing project be profound and political, (as our Author reflects upon it) 'tis no great mat­ter; I am sure 'tis founded upon the plain­est and most obvious experience of Hu­mane Nature and Humane Affairs. And when he can make differences in Religi­on, without making distinct parties and interests in the Commonwealth; then, and not till then, may he be able to prove Toleration consistent with publick peace and tranquillity; i. e. when he is able to [Page 692] abolish all the follies and passions of Mankind. But for that, we must stay to the coming of the Fifth-Monarchy; though when those golden days shall come, it will then be our turn, as some of our Adversaries have cast up our Rec­koning, to beg and to be denied Indul­gence: for that, as they cast up their own Accounts too, shall be the time of their revenge; and then, you may be sure, they will not fail to be even with us for all our hard measure; and King Iesus shall make us feel what it is to persecute his Favou­rites, and will not neglect his Friends to reward his Enemies. But then the Saints (as I. O. speaks) shall take Vengeance of the Whore for all her former rage and cruelty; and the Rochets of the Prelates, together with the Robes of persecuting Kings and Princes, shall be rolled up in Blood.

§. 16. This may suffice to discover the danger of Knavish and Political Hypocri­sie, but this is founded upon Atheism and Irreligion; and 'tis such a lewd af­front to the Almighty, and such a de­sperate attempt of Impiety, that 'tis not every one can arrive to boldness or wick­edness enough to put it in practice. And therefore the more dangerous, because [Page 693] more frequent sort of Hypocrisie, is that which is more serious, more confident, and more incurable. When Men put a Cheat upon themselves as well as upon the World, in that having no right un­derstanding of the Nature and Properties of true Religion, they embrace something else, that looks like it, for its substance and reality; and by this fond mistake, flatter and abuse themselves into a strong and serious conceit of their own Saint­ship. This is the Pharisaick Leven, that (as I have often suggested to you) has in all Ages of the World been the most fa­tal and epidemical miscarriage of Reli­gion. Because when well-meaning Men have once satisfied their Consciences in a false and mistaken Godliness, this be­comes not only a strong prejudice upon their minds, against the admission of all true and real Goodness, but a fatal snare to betray them into all those vices that are most destructive of the Peace and Go­vernment of the World. In that notwith­standing this, they may continue proud, peevish, insolent, passionate, self-will'd, and malicious; and yet be highly satisfi­ed and conceited of their own Integrity: So that these Vices (that are the strong­est and most ungovernable passions of Hu­mane [Page 694] Nature) escaping unregarded and unmortified under the protection of this self-chosen Godliness, 'tis unavoidable but that they will mix with their religious Zeal, as well as any other Concernments whatsoever. For there being nothing to discover or restrain their Irregularities, what should hinder but that they will as much vent themselves in the Cause of Religion, as in any other Affair of Hu­mane Life? And because they are there more passionately concerned, their ex­cesses cannot but be proportionably more vehement; insomuch that he that is spightful, will be more so for the Glory of God; he that is factious, will be more so for the Godly Party; he that is peevish, will be more so for his Orthodox, or (what is the same to him) his own O­pinion; and he that is malicious, will be more so against the enemies of the power of Godliness. So that when Mens passi­ons are (as you easily see they may be) infused into their Religion, that does but make them more eager and turbulent; and 'tis so far from abating their rage, that it heightens and imbitters their ma­lice. And therefore to me 'tis no wonder to observe how some Men will pray with the ardours of an Angel, love God with [Page 695] raptures of joy and delight, be transport­ed with deep and pathetick Devotions, talk of nothing but the unspeakable plea­sures of Communion with the Lord Je­sus, be ravish't with devout and Sera­phick Meditations of Heaven; and, like the blest Spirits there, seem to relish no­thing but spiritual delights and enter­tainments: who yet when they return from their Transfiguration, to their ordi­nary converse with Men, are churlish as a Cynick, passionate as an angry Wasp, envious as a studious Dunce, and insolent as a Female Tyrant; proud and haughty in their deportment; peevish, petulant, and self-will'd; impatient of contradi­ction, implacable in their anger, rude and imperious in all their Conversation, and made up of nothing but pride, malice and peevishness. The reason is obvious, because whilst they are so mighty warm and zealous in the Duties of Godliness, and so exceedingly busie in the Instru­ments and Ministeries of Religion, and their Consciences so fairly satisfied by this wonderful strictness in the Perfor­mances of Devotion, they hug themselves in a dear Opinion of their own Saintship; and resting content in the Formalities of Religion, they are never concern'd to [Page 696] proceed to the habitual Mortification of their passions and depraved dispositions; which being neglected, will of their own accord grow upon them, and over-run the whole habit of their Minds; and if Men are not careful to correct and sub­due the petulancy of their Natures, it thrives and increases under their neglect, because 'tis natural: so that where it is not opposed with a constant and resolute Industry, Men will by instinct and natu­ral tendency be untoward and intracta­ble; but much more in concerns of Re­ligion, because this superinduces an Ob­ligation of Conscience upon the malig­nity of Nature, and consecrates all their scurvy and unkind Offices into Duties of Zeal. And this is the true Original of all that peevish and ill-natured Religion that is so common in the World. And now are not Kingdoms likely to be brave­ly govern'd, if Authority must indulge Men such exorbitant and pernicious Vi­ces, as directly tend to the disturbance of all Society, because their well-mean­ing ignorance may imagine them to be symptoms and results of Godly Zeal? And therefore supposing all that pretend to Conscience to be serious and upright in their pretensions; yet that is so far [Page 697] from being any Argument for Indulgence, that 'tis the most powerful disswasive a­gainst it, it being such great odds that it engages them to be troublesom to Go­vernment. And this is the plain reason of my Assertion, (over which our Au­thor has so frequently and so ridiculously insulted) viz. Eccl. Pol. p. 150. That Princes may with less hazard to their Government, give Li­berty to Mens Vices and Debaucheries, than to Fanatick Consciences; because though they are both justly punishable, yet they are not equally mischievous, in that the sins of Debauchery make Men useless in a Commonwealth, but those of Religion make them dangerous; because when their passions are warranted by their Religion, that obliges them by their greatest hopes and fears to act them to the highest; and then it is easie to imagine what calm and peaceable things those Men must be, who think it their Duty to enforce and enrage their passions with the Obligations of Conscience.

§. 17. But for a more accurate and sa­tisfactory proof of this sober Truth, we will a little consider and explain what is the true and real meaning of Conscience; and that will abundantly evince, that [Page 698] there is nothing in Nature more uncertain or ungovernable than vulgar Conscience. First then, these Men are wont to dis­course of it, as if it were a principle of Action distinct from the Man himself, according to their loose way of talking, to discharge the guilt and imputation of their Crimes upon any thing but them­selves. Thus, does a Child of God fall into any scandalous miscarriage? the mortified Man is only foil'd by the strength and subtlety of Indwelling sin. Is he per­fidious to his Engagements? and does he violate all the Obligations of his Faith and Honesty? the Vpright Man is impo­sed upon by the deceitfulness of his Heart. And after the same rate do they discourse of Conscience, as if it were some infal­lible thing within, that presides over all a Mans thoughts, and directs all his A­ctions: so that whatever they attempt to do, if they shall pretend the Warranty of Conscience, that shall excuse and ju­stifie their Action; and how unaccount­able soever it may prove, let Conscience look to that, they are innocent. And though they themselves (Good Men) do not desire to be excused their Obedience from the Commands of lawful Autho­rity, yet 'tis neither he nor they that can [Page 699] force Conscience to Subjection. And when the Magistrate drives, if they grow resty and skittish, 'tis because Consci­ence stands in their way, (like the An­gel before Balaams Ass) and then 'tis nor in their power to move one step forward. But this is downright Juggling; for in plain English, a Man and his Conscience are but one and the same thing; and such as the Man is, such is his Conscience. So subtle are these Men, when they declare themselves his Majesties most humble Servants, and only beg he would spare their Consciences; and if he will grant them but that one reasonable demand, Ah! how will that endear them to his Government, and oblige them to their Duty? i. e. If he will set them at perfect Liberty from all Subjection, and absolve them from all Obligations to Allegi­ance, they will promise to be his most Loyal Subjects. For, if you consider it, you will find nothing in Humane Nature capable of the Obligation of Laws be­side Conscience. For Obligation is but a tie to Duty, and all Duty is tied upon the Conscience, i. e. the Mind of Man, as 'tis capable of Moral Actions, or of being govern'd by the Rules of Good and Evil.

[Page 700]Conscience then (to omit the equal­ly nice and useless Definitions of the Schools) is nothing but the Soul or Mind of Man, that undergoes various Denominations from its various Pow­ers and Abilities; as when it conceives of things, 'tis called Understanding; when it discourses, Reason; when it determines, Judgment; when it chuses, Will; and when it reflects upon it self and its own actions, Conscience. E­very Mans Mind is his Judgment; his Reason, his Will and his Conscience; that are but several Names of the same Being, according to its several Fun­ctions and Ways of Acting. Now though Conscience in the Gramma­tical sense of the word may indiffe­rently signifie all reflex Knowledge; yet 'tis by common use appropriated to the Mind, as it is imployed about Good or Evil, and capable of being guided and governed in reference to its Moral Actions. I say, of being gui­ded and governed; because though it is its own Judge, yet it is not its own Rule; but all the Laws, whereby it is conducted, are derived from other Prin­ciples.

[Page 701]First, There are the natural Reasons and Proportions of Good and Evil, that arise from the unalterable Respects and Relations of Things to Things, in acting suitably to which, consists the na­tural Morality of all prime and essential Goodness. Thus from the relation be­tween God and his Creatures, springs the natural Duty of Divine Worship and Religion, i. e. of making grateful Re­turns and Acknowledgments to Him for all the Communications of his Bounty and Goodness to us; in which there is a natural Decency and Agreeableness that obliges every Rational Creature to its performance, antecedently to all super­induced obligations of Laws: It being therefore commanded, because 'tis good; and not therefore good, because 'tis com­manded. And from the like Reasons and Correspondencies of Nature, arise all the Duties in reference to our Neighbours and our Selves, whereby we are to conduct all our moral Actions, and are obliged to every thing that is either perfective of our own Natures, or conducive to the Happiness of others. Now these essen­tial Reasons of Good and Evil, are either the subject matter, or the end of all Laws, that are enacted only to prescribe and en­force [Page 702] either the practice of these natural Duties themselves, or of something else subservient to them. But as these are the only Rule of Laws, so are Laws the only Rule of Conscience; 'tis not left at liberty to follow its own inclinations, but 'tis bound to guide it self and all its Actions by the Rules prescribed to it by its Superiours, i. e. by Divine and Hu­mane Laws. Though indeed, without these, an upright Conscience left to it self, would be an excellent Guide of all our Actions; and if rightly observed and attended to, sufficient to secure the Peace and Welfare of Mankind. For an honest Mind that prudently and imparti­ally attends to the natural Reasons of Good and Evil, and endeavours to make them the Rules and Measures of its Acti­ons, can never fail of some competent Performance of its main Duties in all its Relations. And if all Mens Conscien­ces might have been trusted with their own Wisdom and Integrity, all other Government would have been useless and superfluous, in that every man would have govern'd himself by the Laws of essential Justice and Equity, i. e. if all men might be supposed wise and good, they would stand in need of no Gover­nours [Page 703] but themselves; and what they now do in Obedience to the Laws of the Common-wealth, they would then do out of choice, and in obedience to the Obligations of Conscience. But because this supposition is become impossible (and proved so by experience) through the universal Depravation of humane Na­ture; and because few Persons have ei­ther leisure or ability to search out the original Reasons of Good and Evil, that are discoverable no other way then Ma­thematical Problems and Propositions are, by serious and attentive meditation, and laborious trains and deductions of Reason; mankind are not left to the workings and discoveries of their own Minds for the Rule of their Actions. But our whole Duty is digested to our hands in bodies and digests of Laws, and no­thing is required of us but what is pre­scribed by express and particular Consti­tutions. And therefore men consider not what they would have in their general demands of Liberty and Exemption of Conscience, because Conscience it self is an indefinite Principle, and undeter­mined to Good or Evil, and becomes so respectively according to its agreement or disagreement with its Rule: If it act con­formably [Page 704] to that, its action is good; if it do not, its evil, how bold and confi­dent soever it may be in its Perswasions: so that 'tis no competent Justification of any action to plead that it agrees with the Perswasions of my Conscience, unless I can first prove that the Perswasions of my Conscience agree with the Rules of my Duty; and therefore Conscience alone is no sufficient warrant of its Lawfulness; because a man may act according to his Conscience, and yet do very ill by acting contrary to his Rule. But Conscience when it is rightly instructed, and well ac­quainted with the Rule of its Duty, then 'tis a true guide of mens Actions; but this takes in all the Dictates of right rea­son, as they lie couched under divine and humane Laws: Both which in their seve­ral Proportions make up the adequate Rule of Conscience, that without them signifies nothing else then an unaccount­able will, humour, or inclination: And therefore 'tis ridiculous to oppose the Pretences of Conscience to the Prescri­ptions of Lawful Superiours, unless by virtue of some express command of an higher and over-ruling Authority: be­cause 'tis the Law it self that directs and warrants our Actions. And therefore in [Page 705] any case to plead Restraints of Consci­ence, without producing some particular Law, is in effect to plead nothing at all, or at best nothing but humour and pee­vishness; for by what name soever men may call it, 'tis nothing else when it lies not under the direction of Law: And therefore their claim of Liberty from the nature of Conscience (which they lay down in all their Discourses, as the Fun­damental Principle, and first Postulatum of this Controversie) is too exorbitant for their purpose, and abates the whole plea by the intolerable unreasonableness of the Pretence. For they challenge this Prerogative upon this Account, that 'tis such a Judgment of a mans Actions, as carries in it a relation to the future Judg­ment of God: and therefore seeing it is so immediately subject to his Authority, it must of necessity be priviledg'd from all the power of all other Laws and Ju­risdictions. But if this be a fair and lo­gical Deduction, there is no avoiding to conclude, that every mans Conscience is in all its actions exempt from all humane Authority, and ought not to be subject or accountable to any other Power, but the Divine Majesty; seeing in all the other Affairs of humane life, 'tis as much [Page 706] obliged to regard the future Judgment of God, as in matters of Divine Worship: and therefore if its reference to its future Accounts be sufficient in any one case to give it Protection against the Power of Princes, 'tis so in all.

§. 18. But further, what if it so hap­pen that Conscience is abused by false and evil Perswasions, then it unavoid­ably leads into all manner of lewd and vicious Practices; and there is nothing so mischievous or so exorbitant to which an erroneous Conscience will not betray us: For when it has once entertain'd wicked and Seditious Principles, there mischief becomes irresistible. Rogues and Out­laws are under some possibility of Refor­mation, because they never think them­selves obliged in duty to their Villanies, and are convinced in their own Thoughts of the baseness of their Practices, and stand in some awe of the Penalties of the Laws. Whereas debauch'd Consciences are bold and confident in their Wicked­ness; and their Guilt is (in their own Opinion) their Innocence, and their Crime their Duty. And if Authority ever punish their Disobedience and Re­bellion, they suffer with the confidence [Page 707] of Martyrs, and they dye for preserving a good Conscience, and following the best Light God has given them. If they rebel, 'tis their Zeal for the Lord of Hosts: God and Religion are ever concern'd in their Quarrels; and when they fight a­gainst their lawful Superiours, they only oppose the Enemies of the Gospel; and when they embroil Kingdoms in Wars and Confusions, they only wage War against Babylon and Antichrist; and whatever they attempt, be it never so vile and wicked, 'tis still in the Cause of God. And now considering how few they are, that pursue the right methods of knowledge, and upon what innume­rable Accounts the minds of men may be abused and misguided, vulgar Consci­ence will be found the most mistaken, most mischievous, and most unreasonable Guide in the world. For as a right Con­science is acquired only by a sincere, re­gular, and impartial use of our Faculties, so is a wrong one by all the possible ways and causes of Errour, viz. Ignorance, Fancy, Prejudice, Partiality, Self-love, Envy, Ambition, Pride, Passion, and Su­perstition: Any of which (though they are the greatest Principles of Disturbance in the World) may corrupt and debauch [Page 708] the minds of men, and then challenge to themselves the sacredness and authority of Conscience. For every mans Errour in matters of Religion becomes his Duty; and Pride, and Folly, and Ignorance, and Malice, and any thing else, if it were a Re­ligious Dress, immediately becomes sa­cred and inviolable. And now when the principles of natural Reason are de­bauch'd with absurd and seditious Preju­dices, the Contradictories of moral truth and goodness, become the only Rule of Conscience; and men think them­selves directly obliged to what directly opposes the highest Interests of mankind, and the main obligations of Religion. And from hence it is so vulgar a Phaeno­menon in the world, that Sacriledge is transformed into Reformation, Inhuma­nity into Zeal, Perjury into Religion, Faction into Humility, and Rebellion it self into Loyalty. So that 'tis no unusual thing for the Perswasions of Conscience to cancel the very Laws of Nature, and pervert all the differences of Good and Evil; and then are men brought under all the obligations, that Conscience can lay upon them, to the practice of Wick­edness and Villany. And then to leave them to their own liberty, is not only to [Page 709] allow them to be wicked, but in effect to oblige them to be so; because this deli­vers them up to the guidance and autho­rity of a profligate Conscience, that ef­fectually binds them to follow its own wretched and unreasonable Dictates. So that the result of all is, that there is no folly or wickedness, how lewd or extra­vagant soever, that may not patronize it self under mistakes of Conscience.

Sometimes (and always, unless by a mighty chance) 'tis ignorance and popu­lar Folly; for 'tis natural to the Multi­tude to be ignorant and foolish, or to use false and incompetent methods of know­ledge, and to determine their notions of things upon unreasonable grounds and motives. Their Judgments are disposed of by chance and accidental Principles, and their fancies and fond Perswasions are the measures of their Consciences; and they pursue things for their agree­ableness with weak and vulgar Prejudi­ces, without ever proceeding to an im­partial deliberation of their Truth and Goodness. Opinion (they say) is the guide of fools, and such is the vulgar and ignorant sort of mankind, that generally judge of things by trifling and imperti­nent Conceits, and then force their Rea­sons [Page 710] to follow, as chance and folly shall command them. And then all this is their Conscience, that must in spight of all its exorbitances be suffer'd to do as it please. Folly (especially in divine matters) is always in conjunction with confidence, and there is nothing in the world more obstinate and inflexible then religious Ig­norance. And men never play the fool with greater assurance and satisfaction then in sacred matters; insomuch that some who are always telling tragical sto­ries of the ruines and desperate Corru­ptions of humane nature, as if it had ir­recoverably lost all power of discerning between truth and falshood; and are so far from having any pretence to infallibi­lity, that, if they would understand the necessary and unavoidable Consequences of their own Principles, they cannot pre­tend to any such thing as certainty, yet are as confident in all their Perswasions, as if all their thoughts were Oracles; and a Person, that knows himself to be acted by an unerring spirit, could not be more peremptory in his sentiments of things, than they are in their rash and ungrounded Prejudices. Now 'tis the Consciences of the vulgar rout, or the drove of Ignorance and Prejudice, that [Page 711] are wont to be so troublesom and way­ward to Government; they are zealous and confident because they are ignorant, and they are therefore impatient of all contradiction in their mistakes, because they have fastned upon them at all adven­ture. Are not Commonwealths then like­ly to be admirably govern'd, when their peace and setlement must lie at the mercy of every cross-grain'd and insolent Fool? Sometimes 'tis superstition, and nothing more vulgar than for men to abuse their Consciences with this unquiet and impo­tent Passion. For when their minds are possessed (and 'tis an epidemical Malady) with wrong notions of God, and hard jealousies and suspicions of his Govern­ment of the World, this cannot but make them apprehend hir Laws over-se­vere and rigorous; and this cannot but make them fearful and irresolved in all their Thoughts, and this cannot but fill their heads with foolish and silly scruples, and this cannot but make them afraid of every Action, lest whatever they do should offend their stern and angry Deity. So that whilst this restless passion reigns in their minds, it cannot but make them as troublesom to the Commonwealth as to themselves: and their Governours [Page 712] can command them nothing so innocent and harmless, against which their nice and troubled Fancies cannot raise multi­tudes of scruples and little exceptions. So that every trifling imagination of their own shall be able to countermand the wisest and most useful Laws; and the publick order and setlement of the So­ciety, in which they live, shall be eter­nally disturbed by their stubbornness and invincible Folly. For though Superstition springs from pusillanimity and irresoluti­on of soul, yet if it fixes and setles, it soon hardens it self into down-right Con­fidence; and there is nothing so impu­dent and inflexible as a mind confirmed in Superstition. No Laws or Penalties can work it off from its Resolutions; but it grows resty, peevish, and impatient; and whatever troubles or contradicts it, stirs up its fury: And hence it is that Princes have always found Religious Cowardize the boldest and most warlike temper in the World, because 'tis arm'd and ensu­red by Conscience. According to that vulgar and obvious saying of Cicero's, Su­perstitione qui imbutus est, quietus esse non po­test. The leaven of Superstition is a rest­less thing, and minds tinctured with it, naturally work and ferment themselves [Page 713] into an unquiet and seditious temper. Sometimes 'tis Pride and Insolence; and 'tis a mighty gratification of this Vice in some men to controul their Governours: for when they swell with conceits of their own extraordinary Godliness, and dote upon themselves as the special dar­lings and favourites of Heaven, 'tis na­tural for them to grow sawcy and pre­sumptuous, and to think themselves too precious to be govern'd after the rate of ordinary men. The priviledge (forsooth) of being the Children of God, tempts them to conceit themselves better and wiser than their Governours, who alas! unless they are (which rarely happens but in Usurpers) of their own Faction, are natural and unregenerate men, that un­derstand not the things that appertain to the Kingdom of Heaven, and can pro­mote nothing but their own carnal ends and Interests. And this cannot but pos­sess them with wild and ungovernable conceits, and make them turbulent and seditious, and willing to pick quarrels with the wisdom and discretion of their Superiours. With what other spirit can those men be acted, who plead niceness and tenderness of Conscience to exempt themselves from the force of Laws, and [Page 714] the duty of Obedience; and yet are of all men the most positive and confident in their own Perswasions, think them­selves the only Sons of Knowledge, and fit to instruct and reform the World; and wherever they have any power, in­joyn their own fond conceits with the fiercest and most decretory severity. And if any man be so sturdy, or so unfortu­nate as but to question their imperious and peremptory Decrees, he is sure to be censured and treated as an Heretick or worse, and he cannot possibly erre out of weakness, but obstinacy. What else I say can be the humour of these mens Consciences, but a proud Impatience of all controul, and a restlesness against all Authority, till themselves may have it at their own disposal. Sometimes 'tis Clownishness, and Ill-manners: there is a passionate, untutor'd, and impetuous Conscience, that becomes rude and in­solent from the sense of its own Integri­ty, and because 'tis confident in the good­ness of its intentions, it is furious and ungovernable in the Prosecution of its ends. The very honesty of such men is in effect nothing but rashness and vio­lence, they are transported by the out­rage of Zeal, and regard not the peace [Page 715] of Government, but pursue their own Perswasions, to which they are deter­mined by Chance, or Folly, or Passi­on, without Reason or Abatement, they must not give up a Metaphysical Notion for the removal of a Civil War, or the preservation of the State; and in stead of submitting to the common and necessary methods of Government, they will force Crowns and Scepters to yield to their Imperious Folly, or involve a Kingdom in all the Miseries and Desola­tions of War. Their particular Opini­ons are of more force than the Edicts and Declarations of Kings; and who but themselves are fit Judges of their Duty and Obedience? The bare Authority of their own Perswasions, is supreme and uncontroulable; and they will prove themselves his Majesties best Subjects, by disobeying his Commands, and fight­ing against his Person. Now though these boisterous Men may have no form'd and malicious designs against the State, yet this savage and extravagant Probity is more troublesom and mischievous in a Commonwealth, than open and preme­ditated Villany; it will ruine a Kingdom for the Publick Good. And Men of this humour are bound to that rigour and [Page 716] niceness of Conscience, as makes them uncapable of peaceable Obedience and Subjection: for unless the publick Laws suit exactly with their own private Sen­timents, that unavoidably exasperates them against the Government, and they must be making Remonstrances, and en­tring into Confederacies for redress of Publick Grievances; and yet so nice and narrow are those Rules they prescribe to themselves and their Governours, that 'tis impossible to fit Laws that are made for the Community, to their pettish cu­riosity. 'Tis natural for these Men to be displeased with the Grandeur and Pro­sperity of the Court. The height of a Princes Felicity frets their proud and en­vious Minds; and they are never so apt to complain of the badness of the Times, as when the Government is most flou­rishing. They are incurable Male-con­tents; and to prevent Arbitrary Power, are upon all occasions making Encroach­ments upon the Royal Authority, and lying at catch for all Advantages, and husbanding all Opportunities to abate the Sovereign Prerogative, and the Mo­narchy must be kept low, to secure the Li­berty of the Subject. It was such hot Spirits as these that were the late Patri­ots [Page 717] of their Country, and Fathers of the Publick Liberty, that involved the Na­tion in a bloody War upon no other Mo­tive than of the Goodness of their Prince, and the Happiness of his Reign. And when they were once engaged, they re­solved to have their Wills, or the King­dom should be ruined. Nothing but the utmost rigour to be found in all their Treaties and Transactions; and not an Iota to be abated in any of their Edicts of Pacification; but they were all along craving and importunate in their De­mands, imperious and inexorable in their Impositions: when it was their turn to make Petitions, they would extort their Desires by clamour and importunity; but when to grant, all their Favours were clogg'd with such stern and rigid Condi­tions, that an open Affront would scarce have been more grievous. They never return'd an Answer to any of his Maje­sties Proposals, that was not more rude and uncivil than flat denial. Nothing to be done for him out of respect to his Per­son or his Interest, till all their Demands, how horrid and unreasonable soever, shall first be fully satisfied: not an Arti­cle of Peace and Accommodation to be attended to, unless he would give up his [Page 718] Crown, his Friends and his Conscience to the mercy of their Insolence. Inso­much that I remember when the King was in the hands of the Independent Army, and in such apparent danger of speedy ruine, the General Assembly of the Kirk (those savage Clowns) even then, though it was so utterly needless and unseason­able, resolve it upon the Question, that it is not lawful for the Scots to assist the King for the Recovery of his Govern­ment, till he has first granted all the Pro­positions made to him by both King­doms. Sometimes 'tis Enthusiasm and Fanatick Madness, when Men are car­ried out of all use of their Rational Fa­culties by the strength and vigour of their Imaginations; and are possest with a strong conceit that all the wild and ex­travagant Phantasms, that arise from the steams of their own melancholy, are the immediate Impressions of the Spirit of God. Nothing more dangerous than this Imposture; 'tis confident in its folly, and eager in the pursuit of its Extravagances. It is a direct subversion of all Govern­ment, because 'tis constant to no certain Principles and Rules of Action; its very Oaths are vain as the Faith of Pyrates; the Spirit of God shall cancel and dispense [Page 719] with all its Obligations; and there is no attempt so wicked or so exorbitant, in which these Men may not warrant their Proceedings by an unaccountable Im­pulse. And whatever they do, or what­ever they have a mind to do, is prosecu­ted with the utmost violence, because they act with a full and unabated assu­rance of the goodness of their Cause, and they shall contradict their own Pre­tensions by virttue of a Divine Commis­sion. As the Anabaptists were command­ed by the Holy Ghost to take up Arms to beat the Princes of Christendom into the Belief of this Article, That it is not law­ful for them so much as to make use of Defensive Arms.

This sort of Fanaticism is an incurable and a Dog-day madness; and those that are tainted with it, are not only bereaved of all use of Reason themselves, but con­vey and propagate the Phrenzy to others: for 'tis a Disease strangely incident to the common people; and wherever it breaks forth, the rage spreads and prevails like infection; it is enough to scare or juggle whole Nations out of their wits; and is, like the possession of wicked Spirits, ra­ving and ungovernable. And where it enters, if the Men possest are not kept [Page 720] bound in chains and fetters, they will not only fall foul upon each other, but worry their Keepers, and foam out their rage against their Governours; nothing can appease or satisfie their fury, but, like the Legion in the Gospel, they will rail against the Son of the most High God; and it would make one tremble to consider what horrid Blasphemies some of these rampant and begodded Wretches have belcht forth against their Re­deemer.

This in short discovers the mystery of that grand Imposture, when the same Men cry down the use of Reason, and cry up the Liberty of Conscience, and so leave People under a necessity of being go­vern'd by nothing but their own unrea­sonable and Enthusiastick Follies: for when Conscience is opposed to Reason, it can be nothing else. Whereas they are all along the same thing: Natural Reason is the same with Natural Con­science, i. e. the Mind of Man acting and guiding it self by those Principles, that it is able to discover by its own experience and reflection; and illuminated Reason is the same with illuminated Conscience, i. e. the Mind of Man acting and guiding it self by those Principles that are disco­ver'd [Page 721] to it by Divine Revelation: so that still whatsoever Illumination Men pre­tend to, it must be in a Rational Method▪ and if it be not managed in a way of Rea­son, it is but Fancy and Enthusiasm, or an imaginary Conceit of being directed by a Divine Inspiration, when they are really befool'd by Humour and Melan­choly.

And now (Sir) let me only desire you to consider, first, the natural and pro­bable effects of Pride, Superstition, ig­norant Zeal, Peevishness and Enthusi­asm; and then how sturdy and exorbi­tant they will grow, when Authorized by Conscience and Religion; and lastly, how incident and almost unavoidable they are to the common People; and then I will leave it to you and all wise Men to judge, whether Liberty of Con­science will prove any better than a Li­cense for Anarchy and Confusion. Though I might proceed to exemplifie out of the Histories and Records of all Ages what mischiefs these Errours (and I might add all the other passions of the Minds of Men) have created to Mankind, under disguises and mistakes of Religion: but I have proceeded too far [Page 722] already, and am quite ashamed of the length of my Reply: But if I have been too tedious, I may for once demand your pardon, because I resolved to answer and confute this Scribling Man once for all. I might indeed have shaken off the Viper with less pains, but I was willing to dis­sect the Beast, and discover the seat and symptoms of its poison. Perhaps some may apprehend, I have taken too much personal advantage of my Adversary, and I doubt not but this will be pleaded in his behalf by his own Party. But beside that they were most of them extorted by his own unprovoked and impertinent Chal­lenges, you and all impartial Men will easily discern, that setting aside all Col­lateral Reflections, I have abundantly baffled all his little Pretences, and satis­fied all his poor Objections; and what I have added over and above, is by way of accessional Proof to my main Argument, to let the World see what sort of Men they are, that are the great Zealots of the Party; and withal to discover them to their Followers, that if they are of the same Kidney and Perswasion with their Leaders, they may be convinced what lit­tle Reason they have to murmur at their Governours for their severest proceedings [Page 723] against them: If they are not, to disco­ver to them into what inconveniences some Men have drawn them for the ends of their own Pride and Ambition. How­ever, 'tis fit to let them see how dangerous it is for Men so obnoxious to be medling; and then that is enough to gag and lime­twig the Chiefs of the Faction.

I will not detain you with Reflections upon the malice and prophaneness of his Conclusion, though it is no better (and it can scarce be worse) than a bold abuse of our Saviours words, to suggest a spight­ful and uncivil slander: but 'tis the way and spirit of his Ingenuity, and much good may it do him; and therefore for my own part, I am resolved to keep to my own Conclusion: for having once dropt a rash Challenge, I am now in honour bound to keep up the humor; and to let them know that I am so far from abating of my Cou­rage, that I fear not to heighten the defi­ance: so that you have my free leave to publish this Discourse (if you will) in La­tin, Greek, and Hebrew; and to proclaim to all Nations, Kindreds and Languages, that What I have written, I have written, and justified,