As touching the Firſt General, viz. the Ʋnriddling of the Myſtery, and detecting of the ſtratagem, project, and impoſture of your Inquiſition; and that in order to the prepoſſeſſing and guarding of the Laity againſt it:

This, Sir, I will endeavour by way of diſtinct gradual paragraphs, commenced, not (a Nannaco) from Adam, or the Prae-adamites; nor yet from your great Mormo Belſhazzar; but from the very Genealogy of the Chriſtian Religion, by you impeached; thence proceeding ab Equis ad Aſinos, till in fine, Sphinx do upon the matter become his own Oedipus; and your Riddle (whether one in the Myſtery of Iniquity, or not, the Reader ſhall be Judge) as legible, as that plain truth, as great a one as any that occurrs throughout your whole Rhapſody, namely, Let. 2. pag. 10 that there is a near relation between Atheiſme, and Contempt of the Clergy, wherein, let me tell you, you have in a manner propheſied your own doom, as Caiaphas did our Saviour's, unawares.

And what if I ſuppoſe, Sir, (what I will not yeild) that you had no formal intent, or the leaſt deſign in the world to betray either Clergy and Religion to Contempt, on the one ſide; or the Laity to Atheiſme, Popery, or the like, on the other? and that all the miſchief and execution committed or committible by either edge of Iſhonael's ſword, were meer chance-medley; finis openis, non operantis; yet this being the immediate, direct, concurrent tendency of both your Letters, as may appear from the general fram, ſcope, ſeries, tenour and contexure of the whole (for your ſpeech bewrayeth you Segnior) your ſelf, the world, yea very Nature may Juſtify the Church of England, in guarding and ſecuring her ſelf, both in her Clergy and Laity, (and in both, her endeared Religion) againſt the pernicious influences and growing miſchiefs of your Peſtilent Rhapſody ( 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) namely, thoſe two near correlates (by your own confeſſion) the contempt of the one; and atheiſme, &c. in the other; and what diſmal train thoſe may carry with them, ut Caecias, nubes; as alſo in animadverting upon you as no better, then Heathen or Heretick, without, (what as your friend I adviſe you at your firſt return from Devonſhire) a publick recantation.

And thus, Sir, I have made the way to my text (as your contemned Clergy uſe to do by theirs,) as ſmooth and plain as any thing, with a Preface, (as you may remember) not from Adam, but from Alpha, the Ancient of dayes himſelf, though my buſineſs in part (your doom) ly at the farther end, (almoſt the very laſt verſes) of all the Bible; ſo that it now remaines, that I turn allegata into probata, and make good what I have here charged your Letters withall; that I may not ſeem to ſpeak without-book.

The firſt thing then that offers it ſelf in your Letters, Sir, is the very theam and title thereof, viz. The Grounds and Occaſions of the Contempt of the Clergy and Religion enquired into: Being then that Religion and Clergy (an individual Conjugate in themſelves, as well as in your Epiſtles) is the ſubject-matter of your Inqueſt; being that a previous contempt of both de facto is by you (but too truly) ſuppoſed; and the redreſs hereof de futuro by you pretended; It will neceſſarily follow, that if inſtead of redreſſing of this contempt, either by removing (to your power) the grounds and occaſions of it, if Juſt and deſerved, in the Clergy; or by removing it, if unjuſt and undeſerved, in the Laity; your Letters adminiſter falſe and unrighteous grounds and occaſions of additional contempt, &c. If ſo (I ſay); it will neceſſarily follow, that the project and deſigne of your Enquiry can be nothing leſs, nothing elſe, then that of propagating Atheiſme, &c. in the Laity, by means of a confirm'd unjuſt Contempt of their Clergy, (between which, there is ſuch a near relation, by your own confeſſion) and that (elſe your politicks were as faulty as your cauſe) under the diſguiſe of a friendly pretence: It is a grand maxime in Law (but only with a Civilian) non defendere videtur qui latitat; very ſilence or non-appearance for the accuſed &c. much more publication without vindication (as in the preſent caſe) is an implicite charge; ſo that the very negative, your non-vindicating of Religion and Clergy from that Contempt which you both (too truly) preſuppoſe, and divulge, is an indirect proſcription and expoſal of both, to a further degree and confirmation of it; your Inquiſition, interpretative (though there were no expreſs) accuſation! and hence, according to this rule, the propereſt paraphraſe upon your Text (and I dare ſay, moſt congruous to the original) muſt be this: — The Grounds and Occaſions of the Contempt and Contemptibility both of the Clergy (Perſon and Function) and of Religion, under Colour of Friendly Enquiry into the ſame, and pretence of Redreſs of the preſent G •• tempt, but with a real intent of fomenting and propagating a further and firmer Prejudice, and (what hath a near relation thereunto) Atheiſme, &c. alledged or adminiſtred, and in perpetuam rei memoriam publiſhed to the world, by Oath, ex officio, &c. And now—ex ungue Leonem!

But Sir (to ſubſume a fortiori) in ſtead of Vindication of Religion and Clergy, or the pretended redreſs of popular contempt of both (by you both ſuppoſed and divulged) you have expoſed and betrayed both, to, (what you have fowly bewrayed in your ſelf), accumulative prejudice, and a confirmed contempt; and in order to the more effectual propagation hereof, and your Atheiſtick, Antichriſtian deſign herein, in a a moſt defamatory, reproachful and blaſphemous manner traduced and abuſed the doctrinal foundation of both, viz. the Holy Scriptures, to the infringing and ſubverting (what you can) the ſacred authority (and conſequently, the neceſſity and utility) of the ſame, and therein the Chriſtian Faith founded thereupon; for which you muſt be accountable.

As touching your firſt and cheif aſſault, Sir, This being made (as is ſaid) upon the doctrinal foundation of both Religion and Clergy, the Holy Scriptures, and in them the perſonal, God and his Chriſt, or rather this complex, God in Chriſt (if thoſe phraſes may not be offenſive to you) and thus at once, antiſcriptural, antichriſtian, atheiſtical; I Judge it neceſſary that I firſt by way of defence, prepoſſeſs the Reader againſt it; and then for conviction, in a few inſtances amongſt many, a litle exemplify it.

As for the former, I cannot better prepoſſeſs the Reader, nor counter-work you, then by aſſerting from the very principles of Reaſon (the onely ſignificant topick in this caſe) the authority by you debaſed and diſparaged, namely, That of the Holy Scriptures, which I will briefly perform in theſe few enſuing paragraphs, wherein I conſult not ſo much his judgment, as his memory; the reality, as the rationality of his Faith; as being rather prompter hereof, then founder; hoping that I have not herein to do with more Atheiſts, then one; nor fearing in defence of ſuch a rational intereſt, to encounter them all.

Firſt then, Sir,

That there is an One only true and living God; that to this God, is due from the Creature, all poſſible worſhip and ſervice; that upon the right performance of this worſhip, depends all true and certain happineſs; are all truths demonſtrable from principles of common Reaſon; (elſe I am willing to take ſhame for my aſſertion) viz. That of a true Deity, partly from natural Conſcience, as being in its latitude, both Conſervatory of common connate notions and principles (of which, that of a Deity, divine worſhip, and concomitant Reward, are the chief) the very Light and Law of nature; and alſo witneſs and judge, by way of domeſtick proceſs in matters of fact vitious or vertuous, accuſing or excuſing according to the tenour of that Law; hence called by Gregory Nazianzen, the Souls-paedagogeſs (which would you become tractable diſciple to, I ſhould not yet deſpair of you, for none ſuch ever died Atheiſt or Infidel) and by Baſile the Great, a natural Judicatory, moſt certainly authoriſed from a ſupream Law, and Lawgiver, who can be no other than the true God, whoſe authentick and righteous Will is therein exemplified: Partly again, by rational collection, or concluſion of one abſolute firſt Cauſe and Principle from obvious effects; that being the production of the Creatures, can neither be infinite, that is, of one by another, the preſent by a former, thoſe again by a former, and ſo ſtill on, (far beyond Adam, and the Prae-adamites) even in infinitum, by way of a direct unbounded proceſſion: nor yet Circular; that is, of a ſecond, by a firſt; a third, by a ſecond; another, by that; and ſo round to the firſt again, producing and reproducing each other, by way of continual circulation; (both thoſe wayes being palpably inconſiſtent, abſurd, and irrational) it muſt of neceſſity be Original, proceeding from one only univerſal, ſupream, abſolute, and independent Being, the Original Author of all things, which is no other then Jehovah, the onely true God. Deny this, Sir, and unman your ſelf.

Again, that of Religious Worſhip, is evicted from the former; the very ſame principle convincing of the truth of a Godhead, and of Religious Worſhip due from Man, as natural Tribute and Homage to this God, as being not only a ſuperexcellent nature in Himſelf; but abſolute, & ſoveraign Proprietary in, & Benefactor to his Creature, more eſpecially Man, his Ʋſufructuary for life and being: Himſelf independent upon any thing; all things neceſſary dependants upon him! Inſomuch, that there was never perſon or people in the world, who did not alwayes Joyn with their ſenſe and conſcience of a Deity, Religious and devotional acknowledgments; witneſs ſacred Rituals, Temples, Altars, Sacrifices, Feſtivals, &c. amongſt the moſt Barbarous of Nations; and thus it is obſervable, that the Gentiles are not tax'd by their Doctor in his Letter to the Old Romans, with a total neglect of Worſhip, but with defect in the manner of it; as being unſuitable and incongruous to the Divine Nature and Will. Laſtly, that of a certain Reward and Happineſs attending upon the due performance of this Worſhip, (as oppoſite miſery upon the neglect of it) is no leſs congruous to the Principles of Natural Reaſon, than either of the former; as being convincingly manifeſt, partly from the infinite goodneſs and righteouſneſs of God, being equally diſpoſed to reward Vertue, and puniſh Vice; partly from the intrinſeck Equity and Juſtice of the thing it ſelf.

In fine then, Sir,

The truth of a Godhead, Religious Worſhip due to this God; true Happineſs and Reward depending upon this Worſhip, are all Articles of a very Heathen's Creed, as well as of that of a Chriſtian; as being the dictates of Nature, as well as of Scripture; (Read by the Light of Sun, Moon, and Stars;) common principles of Reaſon, as well as Articles of Faith; perſpicuous to the World in general, in common with that impropriated part of it, the Church; and therefore in the buſineſs of Religion, ſuppoſed as general Preliminaries, and (as it is in all other Arts and Sciences) confeſſed Principles; for he that cometh unto God, (as Candidate in this Sacred Profeſſion) muſt believe that God is, and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently ſeek him: A Godhead! Religion! Concomitant Reward and Happineſs! Common-Creed! wherein all Heathens, and Pagans, Jews, Mahometans, &c. (whoſe ſeveral Teſtimonies I muſt not here inſert) as well as Chriſtians, univerſally throughout the world, are Joynt Confeſſors, ſave here and there a Protagoras, Diagoras, Lucian, the Author of the Contempt of the Clergy, &c. and ſuch like Deſperadoes, who yet never durſt, out of a Feaver, expreſly deny any of all the Three, a GOD, his WORSHIP, or a FƲTƲRE STATE: or ſuppoſe they live the Pope's Life, queſtioning what they dare not, cannot deny; (Clement the Seventh is the Man I mean) his Three Dying-Reſolves, will be their certain, though too late Conviction, viz. Whether there be a God? Whether the Soul be Immortal? Whether there be a Heaven and Hell?

Again, Sir,

That in order to the due knowledg of this God, the right and acceptable performance of this worſhip, and the diſcovery and attainment of this happineſs, a ſpecial Revelation of the Divine Mind & Will, and Rule of Faith & Life, is to the creature abſolutely neceſſary; that a ſcriptural Rule and Revelation, is moſt convenient; and that to afford the creature ſuch a Rule is moſt congruous to the ſacred nature & honour of God; are all rational truths aſwell as the former: For, Sir, as touching the neceſſity of ſuch a Rule and Revelation; although a perſon might by the conduct of the Light and Law of Nature, emproved by the acceſſary help of the works of Nature, diſcover and learn, That there is a God, yea, and in ſome degree, what He is both in his negative Attributes, independency, infinity, immutability, &c. and in his affirmative-goodneſs, wiſdom, power, &c. yea, and thoſe in their very eminencies, —omniſciency, omnipotency, &c. and the like, as the neceſſary and eſſential properties of the firſt Cauſe: Likewiſe, that there is religious worſhip due to this God; yea, and that he ought to be worſhipped, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in a way and manner moſt acceptable to himſelf: Laſtly, that reward and happineſs attends and depends upon that Worſhip; yea and in ſome reſpect, what objective happineſs & chief good is, viz. God himſelf, (qui omnis beatitudinis, faſtigium, meta, finis, as ſaid the Divine Plato, like as his Maſter Socrates, the former) the very ſum, adequate meaſure and boundary of all real bleſſedneſs: yet notwithſtanding all this; What Ʋnity of Eſſence in Trinity of Perſons is; One, in Three, without diviſion! Three, in One, without confuſion! God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghoſt, all one individual Spirit; the proper object of divine Worſhip: What the right and acceptable manner of performing that Worſhip: Wherein that true formal happineſs conſiſts, which attends thereupon; and by what means, attainble, &c. Thoſe, Sir, believe it, are not at all diſcoverable by that common Light, by reaſon of that infinite diſproportion which is between ſuch a defective medium and the object; and hence, in the Academy, the Lyceum, the Stoa, and other Athenian Phrontiſteries, would have found no more credit, then the doctrine uſually preached for a hundred yeares laſt paſt in the Church of England hath in your books — Follies! Lett. 1. pag. 59. elſe what mean't the Heatheniſh polytheiſme, and great Armado of mock-Deities (alias Mortals bewrayed by the Tombs they had, aſwell as Temples) thirty thouſand ſtrong! as it is in Heſiod's muſter-roll copied by St. Auguſtine; of whom three thouſand amongſt the very Graecians as it is in Homer's (whoſe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , if with you as Canonical, as belike his Iliades and Odyſſes are, then we know at once, what is your Creed, your Bible, and Practice of Piety) ſix thouſand amongſt the Romanes, as it is in Varro's, more Gods then there are of Contemned Clergy all England over; what mean't their monſtrous Idolatries? their two hundred eighty eight Beatitudes (recounted by the learned Roman now mentioned)? and ſuch like ſtuff (of which to ſpeak with the Father, me piget quod illos non puduit) and that not amongſt the ruder Plebeians only, but even perſons of more defecated intellectuals, their poliſhed Sophies, Ingenioſoes, Vertuoſoes, and the moſt refined of all Nations and profeſſions; the Egyptian Prieſts, the Perſian Magi, the wiſeſt Graecian Philoſophers, Stoicks, Peripateticks, Platonicks, &c. the moſt inquiſitive Roman Naturaliſts, the Graecian and Roman both Orators and Poets, even the very Princes in either Faculty; Demoſthenes and Tully in the one, and in the other (which your Reader may chance to wonder at) Proteſtant-Homer, Let. 2. pag. 43 45, 46. and (which is yet ſtranger) Virgil the (undoubted) Nonconformiſt, had he but held out to Bartholomew the Famous; the onely perſons of either Perſwaſion, I aſſure you, that I ever read or dream'd of, to have come from Rome or Athens: What (I ſay) can the Pagan Mock-deities, Idolatries, and imaginary Beatitudes in the very judgement of the moſt ſtrenuous Advocates of pure Naturals, portend other, then an utter Inſufficiency of natural light, for the ends and purpoſes above ſpecified; namely, the adminiſtring of the due Knowledge of the True God, True Worſhip, and True Happineſs? Therefore a New Light, or ſupernatural Rule and Revelation, is abſolutely neceſſary: Again, Sir, the expediency of a ſcriptural or written Rule, may appear from a three-fold danger and inconveniency which an unwritten one is liable to; namely, that of oblivion and forgetfulneſs; that of depravation and corruption, by unjuſt additions, detractions, falſifications, and forgery; and laſtly, that of utter deſtruction and ſuppreſſion; the firſt, through the treachery of Humane memory; the two laſt, through the implacable enmity of Satan, and his Accomplices againſt God, his Truth and Church: From all which, a written Rule and Revelation is more ſecure, as being a publick Record and Repertory, whereunto recourſe may be had upon all occaſions, as well for relief to Memory, as for trial, or redreſs of queſtioned and impeached Truth; hence called by St. Peter, a ſurer word of Prophecy, than Vocal or Ʋnwritten; to wit, not by a certainty 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of veracity, for all Divine Revelation is equally ſure in this ſenſe, becauſe equally true, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of ſecurity, upon the accounts mentioned: True it is, God was pleaſed to inſtruct his Church for the firſt Two thouſand years, and upwards, onely viva voce, by a vocal Revelation of his Mind and Will (for ought certainly known to the contrary;) but then, Sir, the conſtitution of the Church, was, during that long Aera, onely domeſtical, confined within the Line and Limits of particular Families, which compared with the longaevity, and great age of the Aborigines of the World, gives us plainly to underſtand, that Sacred Truth might have been eaſily 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by tradition from father to son, conveyed & preſerved all that time, pure, entire, and incorrupt, free from the above-named Inconveniencies; yea, one ſingle Trinmvirate might have performed this, for the whole Two thouſand years mentioned; namely, Adam, Methuſelah, and Shem, Methuſelah living above Two hundred years with Adam; and Shem, (who lived to the Fiftieth of Iſaack's Age, which was about the Two thouſandth, one hundredth, and Fiftieth of the Age of the World) about a hundred with Methuſelah: But now, being that the Church-Line hath been ſince far extended, her conſtitution advancing from Domeſtical, to National; and from That, to Oecumenick, and Ʋniverſal, (Japhet perſwaded to co-tabernacle with Shem;) and moreover the Life of Man very much ſince curtail'd, being contracted by Sacred Horoſcope, to ſeventy, or at moſt, eighty years; yea, very rarely protracted to that; inſomuch, that many ſucceſſive Sages of the Church, would not ſuffice to perform that now, which that one ſingle ternion did before; and thus the caſe infinitely altered: It followeth, that for a preventive expedient againſt the Three-fold Inconveniency above-ſpecified; namely, oblivion, corruption, and ſuppreſſion; a ſcriptural and written Rule is moſt Convenient. And laſtly, that it is moſt congruous to the Nature and Honour of GOD, to indulge his Creatures, ſuch a Revelation, Rule, and Directory; is moſt convincingly manifeſt from his own infinite Perfections partly, and partly from the concerns of his Glory and Honour in his own Worſhip being rightly performed, and his Creature's Happineſs being fully ſecured; for, to urge but one argument in this one piece of Sacred Oeconomy (which is Nemeſius's concerning a Divine Providence in general) ſhould not God, in condeſcention to his Creatures neceſſity and conveniency mentioned, as well as in compliance with the Intereſt of his own Honour therein concerned, afford him ſuch a Revelation of his Mind, and Will, and Rule of Faith and Life; this non-indulgence, or refuſal, muſt neceſſarily proceed, either from want of Wiſdom, or of will, or of power and ſufficiency in God; as if either he were not Wiſe enough, to underſtand how to gratifie his Creature, or indeed conſult his own intereſt herein; or not Good, Gracious, and Kind enough to his Creature, or Faithful enough to his own intereſt, to do it; or elſe in caſe of both Skill and Will, yet not Able or Sufficient enough hereunto: But now being that God (as is evident by the very light of Nature) is infinitely Wiſe, infinitely Good, and All-ſufficient, it were deſperate treaſonable Blaſpemy committed againſt Heaven, to aſſert any of thoſe Defects; and therefore in fine, by the beſt of conſequence, as a ſpecial ſupernatural Revelation of the divine Mind and Will, and Rule of Faith and Life, is to the Creature abſolutely Neceſſary; and a Scriptural and Written one, moſt Convenient; So it is moſt congruous and ſuitable to the Divine both nature and honour, to afford and indulge his Creature, this moſt needful uſeful, Scriptural Rule and Revelation.

Laſtly, Sir,

That this neceſſary-expedient Revelation of God and his Will, this Canon Rule and Directory of Divine Doctrine, and Worſhip, and Chriſtian Faith and Life, &c. is no other then what is contained in that Syſtem. of Sacred Truth, the Volume of the Scripures of the Old and New Teſtament, as approved and received throughout the Reformed Churches; is as rationally demonſtrable as either of the former; This being that only Revelation to which the neceſſary properties and conditions of ſuch a Canon do appertain; which are ſummarily theſe two, namely, Divine Authority in reſpect of the Original, and univerſal ſufficiency in reſpect of the end; it being abſolutely requiſite that ſuch a Rule, ſhould both proceed from (not Man, Church or Angel, but) God himſelf, as its Author; and alſo by due proportion correſpond to the ends and intendments ſpecified, as a plain and plenary deſcription of, and direction to, the true God, true Worſhip, true Happineſs, and the appropriated means of the acceptable performance of that Worſhip, and infallible attainment of that Happineſs; what more Rational? and may that Inſtrument, Method and Model of Revelation, be for ever exploded the Church of God as apocryphal, which is devoid of either property; The one is a compound of infallible Veracity and authoritative Power, expreſſed in the Revelation; as being by its Sacred Author, whoſe eſſential properties thoſe are, both inſpired and inſtituted for the only authentick and unalterable Canon of his Church; the former requiring our Faith, the latter our Obedience; Both in their reſpective analyſis, ultimately reſolvable into the ſame as their very formal and Fundamentall Reaſon, a principle of natural Conſcience as well as that of the Authors eternal Power and God Head. So that, the Chriſtian Religion framed by this Canon, is of all others, the moſt rational, as being founded, partly upon the Veracity of that God who can neither deceive, nor be deceived; partly upon his Supremacy or poteſtative Right by vertue whereof quicquid libet licet, he may, as the Creature's Soveraign Proprietary, enjoyn and exact of him, whatſoever Worſhip or Service his own abſolute, but righteous Will, ſhall dictate or direct: and if any of the Engliſh Clergy offer to court your aſſent or obedience hereunto as other, let them for ever inherit your Contempt: The other property again, (by me conſidered as relating to both matter and manner of Revelation) is the abſolute perfection of the Canon, whereby it is conceived, as a Sacred Pandect or Ecyclopoedy, expreſſely or implicitely, directly or conſequentially, to comprehend the whole Counſel of God concerning all things neceſſary to be either known and believed, or obſerved and practiſed, in order to God's Glory and Man's happineſs, with ſo much clearneſs and perſpicuity, as that all both literate and illiterate, may in a due and diligent peruſal of the ſame, attain to a competent skill and knowledg therein: So that, that onely Revelation muſt neceſſarily be the authentick Organ and Inſtrument, Canon and Rule of Divine Doctrine and Worſhip, Chriſtian Faith and Obedience, to which thoſe two Canonical properties and conditions agree, viz. that authority in reſpect both of inſpiration and inſtitution; and that all-ſufficiency in reſpect both of matter and manner of diſcovery; ſo as that all Faith and Obedience yielded to the Revelation, muſt be reſolved into the veracity and ſupremacy of its Author, expreſſed therein as the formal object or objective Reaſon of both (aſwell as into the univerſally perfect and all-ſufficient Teſtimony it ſelf as the material one); and not into the teſtimony either of Church with the Papiſt, or of Spirit with the Enthyſiaſt, both committing a moſt abſurd and putid Circle in giving the reaſon of their hope; aſſerting the truth and authority of the Canon, by thoſe reſpective teſtimonies; and again in a reverſed method, the truth of thoſe teſtimonies, (as being no other way known to be true) by the Canon; therefore to be equally declined: Now that the Revelation of God and his Will contained in the Books of the Old and New Teſtament, as they are approved and received throughout the Reformed Churches, is that one only Revelation which is thus both inſpired, and alſo by eternal ſanction, inſtituted and appointed of God for the all-ſufficient and abſolutely perfect Canon of his Church, and that both as touching the Doctrine therein contained, and its acceſſary mode of ſcription; it being wholly committed to writing by God's Holy Prophets, Apoſtles, and Evangeliſts, being all by the Holy Ghoſt, as his immediate Actuaries, extraordinarily qualified for, irreſiſtibly incited to, and infallibly guided and actéd in the work; commenced by Moſes the firſt, and finally concluded and perfected by St. John the laſt of Canonical Writers; may be very rationally evicted; (and that to an utter excluſion not only of the Jewiſh Talmud, the Turkiſh Alchoran, Popiſh Traditions, Enthſiaſtick Fancies, &c. from having part or lot in the Sacred Canon; but of matters of a higher predicament, namely, all vocal Revelation, ſuch as was that whereby God inſtructed his Church for the firſt two thouſand Yeares and upwards, and the many Sermons of Chriſt and his Apoſtles not recorded, though equally inſpired of God, with the Scriptural; as alſo ſeveral Prophecies, as thoſe of Gad, Nathan, Iddo, and others, which were not only equally inſpired, but likewiſe recorded, yet irrecoverably loſt, as being only accommodated pro tunc to ſome particular ſtate, condition, & exigency of the Church, which once ſatisfied, they were judged unneceſſary to be incorporated into the univerſal Canon.) Where I advertiſe the Reader, that the ſufficiency of the Scriptures, is evicted in their authority; for it being once agreed upon, that the Revelation contained therein, is of a truth the Word of God, we cannot more queſtion its ſufficiency then its teſtimony, whereof this is a ſignal part, namely that, It is as inſpired of God, ſo as his Sacred Inſtitutes, profitable for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction, for Inſtruction, &c. ſufficient to perfect every individual Man and the whole Church of God; That whatſoever things were written, were written for our Learning, &c. That this word muſt be indeclinably obſerved without turning to the right hand or to the left; That nothing muſt be added to this Word, or diminiſhed from it, upon peril of accumulative miſery, denounced by St. John the laſt and longeſt liver of Canonical Writers, (as hath been ſaid) in the very laſt of his writings, namely the very cloſe of the Canon, by way of penal ſanction, and ratification of the whole; So that the very criſis of this weighty concern of ſtating and ſetling our Faith & obedience in and to the Holy Scriptures, lyeth in the evidence of the Divine Authority thereof, after this diſcurſive method; That which is the Word of God, ought neceſſarily to be believed and obeyed; But the Revelation contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New-Teſtament, is the Word of God; Therefore this Revelation ought neceſſarily to be believed and obeyed: The major or firſt propoſition, is a concluſion of natural Reaſon, founded and following upon God's eſſential veracity and ſupremacy (as hath been ſaid) the dictates of the very Light and Law of Nature, as well as that of a Deity it ſelf: The minor or aſſumption, namely, that the Revelation contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Teſtament, is the very Word of God; is apparent upon a threefold teſtimony, namely, that of the Church, that of the Scriptures themſelves, and that of the Holy Ghoſt; of which the two former onely are argumentative, the one as Humane and Miniſterial; the other, as Divine and Canonical: as for that of the Holy Ghoſt, He being the efficient cauſe of our Faith and obedience, his teſtimony indeed is moſt certainly perſwaſive to a perſon's own Conſcience; but this teſtimony, being private and internal, (like the Hidden Manna which no man knoweth, ſaving he that receiveth it) and the truth or divinity hereof being with all opponents equally queſtionable with that of the Word it ſelf; it can be no wayes convictive to others: Well then, to urge only the two former, and that very briefly; As touching the firſt of thoſe, namely, the teſtimony of the Church, which I here conſider (and obſerve it, Sir,) not under the notion of a Church, (for as ſuch it is onely knowable by the Scriptures, not they by it;) but as a collective Body or ſociety of prudent and honeſt faithful Witneſſes, profeſſing and atteſting the Holy Scriptures, and the Religion therein preſcribed; ſo that the Argument ſtandeth thus; That Revelation which is by a ſociety of prudent honeſt and faithful Witneſſes, who are neither deceived themſelves, nor deceivers of others, profeſſed and atteſted to be the Word of God, in all rational conſtruction and evidence, is ſuch; But the Revelation contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Teſtament, is by ſuch a ſociety of prudent honeſt and faithful Witneſſes, &c. profeſſed and atteſted to be the Word of God; Ergo, &c. The major or firſt propoſition Sir, I reckon unqueſtionable with all Atheiſts and Infidels throughout the world; for certainly, as eſſential infallibility in God by vertue whereof in genere entis, he can neither deceive, nor be deceived, is the ground of an infallible aſſurance in matters of Divine teſtimony; ſo a rational infallibility in a ſociety of prudent honeſt and faithful men, who therefore cannot be ſuſpected to be in genere moris, either deceived in themſelves, or deceivers of others, is a ſufficient ground of rational aſſurance, in matter of humane teſtimony, (as is that in queſtion, viz, a humane teſtimony of a divine Revelation); for what more can be required in the caſe? As for the roof of the minor or aſſumtion, all that is required hereunto, is the eviction of the prudence, honeſty and faithfulneſs, of thoſe Witneſſes, or the rational infallibility of themſelves and and their teſtimony, namely, that they are ſuch as can neither be ſuſpected of being deceived in themſelves, nor yet of any impoſture or intent of deceiving others; where I underſtand as to our immediate concern in the caſe, the preſent Teſtifiers eſpecially, without a perplexing recourſe had to the firſt; being that the credit of the preceeding is ſtill ſucceſſively ſecured in the ſubſequent Churches; thus being once perſwaded of the prudence and honeſty of the preſent Church, namely, that ſhe is ſo wiſe and prudent as not to have been deceived by the next preceeding from whom ſhe received the Scriptures; and ſo honeſt and ingenuous as not to deceive the Reader, or my ſelf, or the next enſuing; we are accordingly aſſured of the ſame both prudence and honeſty, and conſequently rational infallibility in the former; and ſo in the next to that, and ſo on to the very Apoſtles and firſt witneſſes: Now then, Let the intellectuals and morals; the wiſdom, prudence, and diſcretion; the honeſty, fidelity, and integrity of the preſent Witneſſes of the Divinity of the Scriptures be impartially ſcann'd; and all compared with the multitude of the Teſtifiers (a wiſe man may ſometimes both be deceived and deceive, but a multitude can hardly, if ever; in regard of choice of direction in caſe of errour, or detection in caſe of forgery) the publicity and openneſs of the teſtimony, and conſequently, its lyableneſs to conviction, if falſe or fraudulent; the hazard of loſs of peace, eaſe, and quiet; honour, credit, and reputation; profits, pleaſures and wordly delights; means of ſubſiſtence, liberty; yea, life it ſelf, which that Teſtimony and Profeſſion expoſeth to: a practice quite contrary to the Law of Nature, which obligeth to ſelf-preſervation, but that it is warranted by thoſe higher ſevere lawes of Mortification and Self-denial, &c. as to all thoſe endearments, preſcribed in the Scriptures, by them atteſted; which whether obſerved, or not obſerved, is a certain conviction of a faithful teſtimony, the obſervance being matter of credit thereunto; non-obſervance of diſgrace, which by fore-going the profeſſion, might be avoided; and laſtly, the vigilancy, ſubtilty, and potency of Enemies and opponents, paſt and preſent; for whom it was, and is eaſie in caſe of impoſture, at once both to detect and to deſtroy; who yet either have been wholly ſilent under the publick atteſtations of Sacred Truth, or have added thereunto their own acknowledgments, (inſtances whereof, Hiſtory abounds withal); or laſtly, have diſputed the ſame with the ſword, rather then with argument, though the Gates of Hell never could nor ſhall prevail herein: Let thoſe I ſay, and the like, be all duly ſcann'd and compared together; and then undoubtedly, the concluſion can be no other, then that the Teſtifiers and Witneſſes of the Revelation (or Doctrine confirmed by Miracles,) contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Teſtament, are and have been a prudent, honeſt, and faithful Society, which can, or could neither be ſuſpected of Errour, or of being deceived in themſelves; nor yet of impoſture, or intent of deceiving others; and conſequently, that this ſame Word or Revelation by them thus atteſted and profeſſed, is of a truth the Word of God: At leaſtwiſe the whole may be of ſuch vertue and influence as to beget in us that veneration and reverend eſteem for thoſe Teſtifiers, and the Scriptures by them teſtified, together with the Religion which according to the preſcript thereof they profeſs, as to bring us to the Bible, and to perſwade us to a reſearch of the Scriptures with the applauded Bereans, whether things be ſo as is reported; (without which, take notice, my teſtimony for the Scriptures, ought to be of more force with you, then yours againſt them, can be expected to be with me, mine being with you onely of ſuſpected partiality; yours with me, of manifeſt prejudice;) and then are we half-Proſelytes already; for, Sir, the Divine Authority of the Scriptures may convincingly appear to one thus prepared by the ſubordinate and introductory atteſtation of the Church, from the ſuperiour Teſtimony of the Scriptures themſelves (the ſecond thing propounded to be ſpoken to) namely that evidence which may be collected from the intrinſeck characters and cognizances of Divinity as ſo many dignifying prerogatives, enſtamp'd upon the Word it ſelf, as that which 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (as ſaith Athanaſius) as in a manner ſelf-manifeſtative; and hence (which is remarkable) frequently likened to the objects or mediums of our natural ſenſes, as light, voice and ſound, ſmell, ſavour and taſte, fire and heat, &c. whence any that hath his ſenſes exerciſed to the diſcerning hereof, may gather, that as the things mentioned doe indemonſtrably diſcover themſelves to be what they are, ſo the Holy Scriptures whereof thoſe are figurative reſemblances, doe infallibly prove themſelves to be Divine: Now theſe three or four Characters of the Scriptures ſeem of all others to be more eſpecially argumentative and convictive of their Divinity to natural Conſcience; namely, 1. the majeſty of their ſtile, witneſs thoſe many majeſtick Titles of Divinity, which the Author doth therein aſſume to himſelf, (which I muſt not hear recount) importing either independency of being, or univerſality of perfection, or abſolute power and authority, or excellency of operation, &c. but all no leſs then Divinity; and amongſt other particulars, that magiſterial affidavit —Thus ſaith the Lord, familiar to the Holy Scriptures, and pretended to in no writings in the world beſides: 2. The tranſcendency, ſpirituality, and ſanctity of the matter and contents, both in doctrines and duties; the great myſteries of the Godhead and godlineſs; three diſtinct perſons, in one nature, in the one; two diſtinct natures, in one perſon, in the other: the myſtery of diverſe, yea adverſe, both natures and perſons united in one Covenant; the myſtery of Regeneration; the myſtery of the Reſurrection, &c. and other Doctrines & Duties as oppoſite to man's corrupt Will, as theſe are to his Reaſon, as the doctrines of original ſin; the impotency of pure naturals, in ſpirituals; the ſervitude and Bondage of Free-Will, &c. the duties of mortification of the Fleſh, ſelf-denial, and that ſtrange retaliation of evil with good, and hatred with returnes of Love, &c. infallible marks of Sanctity; as is alſo finally the univerſal tendency and intendment of the whole contexture; namely, the exaltation and advancement of God, and debaſement of the Creature, peculiar to Holy Writ, beyond all other whatſoever: 3. The ſincerity and impartiality of the Writers and Compilers, who appear to be ſo far from concealing, that on the contrary, they have faithfully divulged upon Record, each other's, nay, almoſt each his own defaults and infirmities; Moſes, his Grand-father Levi's iniquity; his Brother Aaron's Idolatry; his and his ſiſter Miriams ſedition, and his own faulty precipitancy: David, Moſe's raſhneſs and inconſideracy, and his own Murther and Ʋncleanneſs: the Evangeliſts, their very Maſter's humane infirmities, as hunger, thirſt, wearineſs, fear, &c. and their own dulneſs of underſtanding; impertinent Queries; St. John's and Jame's ambition; Thomas's incredulity; Peter's triple denial of his Lord and Maſter, recorded by St. Mark, his own Diſciple: Paul's diſſention with Barnabas, and acceſſary guilt of Stephen's Death, recorded by St. Luke his own Follower: St. Paul, Peter's Judaizing, and his own Blaſphemy and Perſecution, &c. an unqueſtionable conviction of the faithfulneſs and truth of their Teſtimony, not to be match'd by any Writers whatſoever beſides, 4. And laſtly, the jnfallibility and veracity of their predictions; the predictions themſelves are recorded in the Holy Scriptures, the accompliſhment of them is ſufficiently atteſted, partly by Humane Hiſtory, partly by experience; and (to argue with Bellarmine) if Scriptural predictions of things to come, be true, as is approved by the event, why not ſcriptural atteſtations of things preſent? All which duly conſidered what peruſer of thoſe Sacred Digeſts, will not aſſent to and conclude upon the Divine Authority of the ſame? till this ſame aſſent introduced by the Teſtimony of the Church, as the preparative medium by which (per non propter) our Faith and obedience in and to the Holy Scriptures is firſt in order of time, though not of Dignity, pre-engaged, be perfected and ripened into a firm perſwaſion, by the concurrent certificative Teſtimony of the Holy Ghoſt, as the efficient cauſe thereof (exerted in, if diſtinct from, the admirable efficacy of the Doctrine it ſelf, upon the mind and judgment, the heart, will, and affections, &c.) namely, that the Revelation, (that is the doctrine confirmed by miracles, both co-atteſted canonically in the Scriptures, and miniſterially by the Church) contained in the Books of the Old and New Teſtament, (as they are approved and received throughout the Reformed Churches) is of a truth the Word of God, &c.

There be ſeveral other Secondary and Collateral arguments of the Divinity of of the Scriptures, as the ceſſation of Gentile-Oracles; the ſubverſion of Pagan-Idols by vertue hereof, like the fall of Dagon before the Ark; the implacable Malice, rage and fury of Satan and his accomplices againſt them; the Divine Judgements upon their inveterate Opponents; the invincible courage, conſtancy, and reſolution of their Confeſſors and Martyrs; the quality of the Prophets, Apoſtles, and Evangeliſts, their firſt Publiſhers and Writers; the admirable preſervation of them againſt all oppoſition; the confeſſion of Adverſaries, Jews, Gentiles, Sibylls, Phyloſophers, Heathens and Hereticks, &c. touching the divine truth thereof; And alſo ſeveral other Internal markes and cognizances of Divinity, as antiquity, conſent of parts, efficacy of doctrine, and the like: But the former being only known to us by humane Teſtimony, it is plain, that the prudence, and diſcretion, the honeſty and integrity of the preſent Witneſſes of the Divinity of the ſcriptures, as perſons Rationally Infallible, or ſuch as cannot in reaſon be ſuſpected of any, either active or paſſive deceit & impoſture in the caſe; is & muſt to any conſiderate perſon appear to be equivalent to all the reſt, and a more ſure and compendious argument for fixing and ſetling of our belief in the particular; The latter I have omitted, as not ſo argumentative or convictive to natural-Conſcience, (which I have here more eſpecially addreſſed my endeavour to) as the others above urged. But that none may wonder why I urge not here the argument of miracles, which others of the greateſt Fame lay ſuch a main ſtreſs upon, I will give you and the world this brief account of it: Miracles are conſiderable in reference to the caſe in hand, but two ways, namely, as either matter of Divine teſtimony, co-atteſted together with the doctrine by them confirmed, canonically in the Scriptures; or elſe as matter of humane teſtimony, co-atteſted together with the ſaid doctrine, miniſterially in & by the Church; (as hath been preaſſerted): Now in ſhort, Sir, under neither conſideration, are Miracles, or can they rationally be ſuppoſed to be, the argument of our Faith, but only the partial Object thereof, as matter of Divine teſtimony (as hath been ſaid) in the Scriptures, and matter of Humane teſtimony in the Church; and therefore requiring a correſpondent aſſent to both: Where, for a further account of my ſelf, I crave leave to Remonſtrate againſt a very Eminent and worthy Divine of the quorum of the Clergy by you contemned, now living, who in a Book as noted as himſelf, holds this of Miracles for the main convictive Argument of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures as though beſt now, becauſe ſuch of old; which is a meer fallacy, a non cauſa pro cauſa, partly, and partly, ab accidente; for Firſt, to argue ab abſurdo from his own Hypotheſis, namely this, That which Chriſt himſelf in his time uſed as the beſt argument to prove the Divine Authority of his doctrine, is the beſt ſtill; to which I ſubſume; But ſo it is, that that of viſible miracles, was the beſt argument which Chriſt uſed to prove the Divine authority of his doctrine; making the Ear-witneſſes of the one, Eye-witneſſes of the other, as infallibly demonſtrative ſigns and ſeals of Divinity; and then the concluſion followeth full of abſurdity, viz. that that of viſible miracles (obvious to our Eyes, as thoſe were which he wrought in the dayes of his fleſh, to his, then-proſelytes) is the beſt argument that can be uſed ſtill to prove the Divinity of his doctrine, (the ſcriptures); or, (which is all one) Chriſt muſt re-deſcend into the world, and work New miracles (viſible as his firſt) before he can have New converts; Abſurd! Again, If that which Chriſt himſelf uſed as the beſt Argument to prove the Divinity of his Doctrine, (which is known to have been viſible miracles) be the beſt ſtill, then are we under an unavoidable neceſſity of incurring the ſame guilt, to wit, non-conviction and poſitive unbelief, (or, in the ſame Authors opinion, (which I do not here diſpute) the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt) with thoſe reprobated Infidels in the dayes of Chriſt, through our being deſtitute of the ſame proviſions againſt it, namely, viſible miracles; Nay more, we are under a neceſſity of incurring ſin, without poſſibility of remedy, — a neceſſity of ſinning, through want of the preventive, viſible miracles, — without poſſibility of remedy, becauſe the poſitive unbelief mentioned, and ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt (if thoſe be diſtinct) are known by ſcripture-verdict to be unpardonable, this groſs abſurdity followeth by neceſſary conſequence, & how injurious, nay, blaſphemous, againſt the Wiſdome, Goodneſs, Holineſs, and Juſtice of God, the aſſerting of ſuch a thing were, is eaſy to determine: Thirdly Dilemmatically, that Reverend Author muſt neceſſarily conſider miracles either as Recorded in the Scriptures, or, as Reported by the Church; (for as viſible they were peculiar to Chriſt's Contemporaries and Eye-witneſſes) If as Recorded in the Scriptures; as ſuch they being part of the Divine teſtimony, which is this complex, the Doctrine of Chriſt confirmed by Miracles, they are not the Argument, but the Object of our Faith; and we believe not the Scriptures for the Miracles, but the Miracles for the Scriptures, as part of the ſacred narrative, and together with the Doctrine by them confirmed, and joyntly with them therein Recorded, the Collateral Object of our belief: If again as Reported by the Church; then by my Authors Divinity, the teſtimony of the Church, is the main, or beſt Argument that can be uſed, to prove the Divine Authority of the Scriptures; A train of Abſurdities! and if we abſtract from the teſtimony of both Scriptures and Church; let any tell me what ſignificancy Miracles are of in the caſe: The Author (I aſſure you) is a perſon approved for Eminent, both Learning and Piety, and indemnified from your two extenuative Characters, of which in their due place; but perſonal reſpects muſt vail to the intereſt of the truth; I can eaſily declare with him, that I believe that Doctrine to be of God, which is confirmed by undeniable Miracles; I can as eaſily declare, that I believe all true Miracles to be of God, becauſe they exceed all created power; but the critical Query in the caſe, (by him omitted) is, how ſhall one be aſſured, that ſuch Miracles were ever wrought (as Chriſt's turning of Water into Wine; for inſtance, his Raiſing of Lazarus from the Dead, and his Curing of all manner of Diſeaſes, &c.) for confirmation of his Doctrine? the two former, one may, by the very light of nature, be aſſured of, and yet queſtion the laſt: This certainly is no otherwiſe atteſted, then firſt in a ſecondary and ſubſervient order by the Church, as a Miniſterial mean of conveying to us, the truth of matter of Fact; and next, in a ſuperiour order by the Scriptures themſelves, as the the Canonical Records of the ſame; and in both, in conjunction with the Doctrine by them confirmed; and both Doctrine and Miracles, as the complex and conjunct object of our Faith, equally credible upon Teſtimony; which Faith is (as hath been ſaid) by the concurrent teſtimony, and inward illumination and motion of the publick ſpirit of the Holy Scriptures, viz. the Holy, Ghoſt, ripened into this firm perſwaſion, that the Revelation contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Teſtament, that is, both the Doctrine it ſelf, and the narrative of the Miracles, by which it was confirmed, as collateral parts and contents thereof, is of a truth the Word, not of Man, nor Angel, but of GOD himſelf; and the onely authentick Canon, and Rule, of Divine faith, worſhip, and obedience; which, I thank God, I am as much confirmed in the belief of, not onely to ſpeak, with Campian in another perſwaſion, quam me vivere, as that I live, but as ſurely as that there is a God by whom I live; elſe had long ere now become a miſerable prey to ſubtil Adverſaries, who are ever obſerved primarily (as you do) to attact their Opponents, in the ſcriptural foundation, and that eſpecially in its very fundamentality; namely, the Divine Authority thereof, here Aſſerted, and I hope, Evicted. Thus, Sir, I have gone a great way about, to bring you by the neareſt way home; at leaſtwiſe, if not to gain upon you, as a Proſelyte, yet to guard your Reader againſt you, as an Enemy: And now I Challenge you to do your Worſt; the hurt will be your own, none of mine, nor, I hope, of his, being that I have arm'd him with an Antidote, he ſhall not need to fear (what I promiſed to produce in the next place, viz.) your infective example: And indeed, Sir, your whole Rhapſody ſeemes to be nothing elſe but a continued exemplification of your Atheiſme, and Blaſpemy, expreſſed in depreciating, extenuating, debaſing, and what in you lies, nullifying the Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures, and that in the moſt material Promiſes, Invitations, Precepts, Narratives, &c. therein contained; which, could you, by your foul index expurgatorius, expunge them the ſacred Canon, as belike you have them your Creed, let the remainder be branded for Apocryphal for me; for (to inſtance in a few) what greater Promiſe is there recorded in the whole Book of God, then that in Malachi:—Ʋnto you that fear my Name, ſhall the Sun of Righteouſneſs ariſe with healing in his Wings? Or Invitation, then that of Iſaiah: — Ho, every one that thirſteth—come ye, buy and eat; yea, come buy Wine and Milk without money, and without price? Or Precept, then that early ſummons in our Saviour's triennial Preaching:—Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand? Or Narrative, then that of St. John:— God ſo loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoſoever believeth in him, ſhould not periſh, but have Everlaſting Life? Or its Parallel, that of St. Paul,—This is a faithful ſaying, and worthy of all Acceptation, that Chriſt Jeſus came into the World to Save Sinners? &c. And what a poor jejune, dilute, empty Hiſtory were the Volume of Holy Scripture, (and conſequently how helpleſs and hopeleſs your caſe and mine, and that of all Sinners univerſally) if depauperated of thoſe, and their parallel Evangelical contents, being that the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the very quinteſſence, the life and ſpirit, the very ſoul and ſubſtance of that Bleſſed Revelation conſiſteth therein; and yet moſt Blaſphemouſly debaſed and prophaned by your ſelf, and proſtituted to Contempt in others, (for which you muſt be accomptable); witneſs thoſe facetious, but blaſphemous Laconicks, with which you Criticize thereupon, viz. that of The Moon of Righteouſneſs upon the firſt; A ſpiritual Sack-poſſet upon the next, The Soap of Sorrow, and Fullers-earth of Contrition, upon the third; That of the Daughter of God, and Dauphin of Heaven, upon the fourth; and that of a Chriſtmas-Feaſt, conſiſting of Three Diſhes, &c. upon the laſt, and the like; which, who but your ſelf can either read, or relate, without Horrour? I gueſs what your Reply might be here, namely, that you have onely tranſcribed the Blaſphemies of others, to wit, thoſe of the Clergy, &c. But then remember, Sir, what the doctrine of the Civil Law is (approved with all civil men) above alledged, namely, that Publication without Vindication, is implicite Accuſation, eſpecially in a caſe of of ſuch an univerſal concern as are the Holy Scriptures, which your own intereſt therein had obliged you to vindicate, but that (it is plain) you have renounced it. In ſhort then, ſuppoſing matter of fact to be matter of ſad truth, namely, that ſome unhappy Clergy-men have, to the diſgrace of their function, Religion, and Scriptures, committed ſuch horrid Blaſphemies, (which as yet I do not enquire into, but methinks if any ſuch be, you ſhould have by name, ſingled them out of the ſociety, to their deſerved contempt) this will not juſtify you in what I charge you withal; It being manifeſt, that you have not only divulged thoſe Blaſphemies, but divulged them without the leaſt vindication of the Holy Scriptures, Religion, &c. thereby ſo greatly damnifyed and diſparaged, which (as hath been ſaid) is an implicite joyning of iſſues with the firſt Aggreſſors; nay, that you do induſtriouſly throughout your Letters, betray and proſtitute the ſame to accumulative contempt in the Laity, and that with all imaginable artifice and advantage of an extemporary and occaſional witt (to uſe your own idiom in your own praiſe) that curſed Volupia to whoſe unhallowed Shrines you have preſumed to devote and ſacrifice God's own Word and Oracles, (though you might eaſily have made experiment thereof upon another Theam at a much cheaper rate than that is like to prove, of adventurous jeſting with a two-edged tool) and what plainer inſtance or argument of A. theiſm? But for a further and fuller exemplification and conviction hereof, I will firſt prompt your Reader with this rule, that as in the ſacred Decade or Ten commandements in particular, ſo in the ſacred Scriptures in general, he that offends in any one point, is by Divine verdict guilty of all, to wit, intenſively, in regard the Divine authority of the whole is violated in any one particular. And now or inſtance in particulars of Scripture, not by the Clergy, but by you, (and the whole conſequentially in thoſe) abuſed, depreciated, and what in you lieth, exauctorated; I do in the next place, recommend to your Readers peruſal, a few pages of your ſecond Letter noted in my Margent, where he ſhall find ſuch a Scheam of facetious Atheiſm; as I believe, he never read the like of, all his life-time; and this exemplified in a ſuppoſed Gentlman (perſonating your ſelf in ſhewing extemporary and occaſional witt, Lett. 2. p. 187, 188, 189, 190. in abuſing the Holy Scriptures, in your own words, as is plain) much reſembling ſome a la mode Spark, or one of your high-bred Hects, dextrous in the gentile ſtrain, in a breath to damn himſelf, and humble-ſervant others; a Bartholomew-Gentleman, I dare ſay, leaſt of all, as being known to be no affecter of ceremonies of State (which this Generoſo abounds in) more than of Church; his education not ſerving him for the one, more than his judgment for the other's Well, this ſame Gentleman, alias the Author of the contempt of Religion, is ſuppoſed to be intended for dinner, (probably a feaſt of luxurious barrioadoes and eſculadoes) in ſome good houſe or other; and how ingenious (to give him your own epithet) he acquits himſelf both in going and returning, and his demeanour there; quoting Canon for all his addreſſes, with ſuddenneſs of apprehenſion, and experienental skill (as you there call it) in the application of Scripture; the Reader, after peruſal of your narrative, be judge. Straight is the Gate, and narrow is the way, and few there be that find it, ſaid our Saviour; prophanely applyed and proſtituted to your narrow Alley, (a bad omen, I aſſure you, of the broad way) The Pſalmiſt's, Lift up your heads O ye Gates, and be ye lift up ye everlaſting doors, to knocking at the Gate in the Porters abſence; The Prophet's Beſome of deſtruction, and deſolation of Babylon, to a ſervants ſweeping away a little dirt out of a Court-yard; Our Saviour's, the firſt ſhall be laſt, and the laſt ſhall be firſt; to the ſtraining of a complement of precedency, with ſhruggings, and beg-pardons;— If ye have faith like a grain of muſtardſeed, ye ſhall remove Mountains; to the removing of a little of the mountain of muſtard upon the Table: O Jeruſalem, Jeruſalem, thou that killeſt the Prophets —how often would I have gathered thee as a Hen gathereth her Chickens, &c. (an inſtance whereupon one would have thought you ſhould rather have ſpent tears, as Himſelf did, then coſtly jeſts) to a diſh of Chickens, commended for a diſh of fat Jeruſalems, &c. The Apoſtle's Tabitha, ariſe, to every child, Boy, or Girl, that drops in the ſtreet: Our Saviour's invitation of relief, Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you reſt; to every Porter eaſing himſelf of his burden: The Apoſtle's, Paul may plant, and Apollos may water, but it is God who gives the encroaſe; to every water-bearer, &c. I am reſolved to add one more, but what is enough to turn my Gentlemans dinner into Belſhazzars feaſt, (celebrated with ſacred utenſils, as this is, with greater coſt, ſacred texts,) and the whole into a Tragedy; you can by no means endure that the Miniſter ſhould preface from Belſhazzar; and you tearm your Parſon-Antagoniſt, inviting you to here him preach, and promiſing you the beſt ſermon in his budget, that he forbear the name of Belſhazzar; but how will you like to end with him, whom you can ſo little endure the Miniſter ſhould begin with? though you have not a Kingdom to loſe, yet you have that which is, or ought to be equally or more dear to you; therefore capable of as fatal a Peres; — O full of all ſubtilty and miſchief, thou Child of the Devil, thou Enemy of all Righteouſneſs, wilt thou not ceaſe to pervert the right wayes of the Lord? moſt juſtly applicable, to all Scripture-vilifiers; and what ſon of Belial, or Barteſus himſelf? What Celſus or Julian? What Fauſtus or Manes himſelf? What invidious Jew, Papiſt, or Pagan, doth more deſerve to be ranked into that predicament, than doth the Author of the contempt of the Clergy, and Religion, perſonated by that parabolical Gentleman? What more abuſive, ignominious, blaſphemous predicates, did ever the Father of Lies, or Child of that Father, ſtigmatize the word of truth withall, then he hath? Aven-Gilion • Lesbian Rule! Livius's Decades! Aeſop's Fables! Noſe of wax! Inky Divinity! mute Doctreſs! Dumb, dead, killing Letter! and a thouſand ſuch reproachful epithets, have not reflected a greater affront, ignominy, and diſparagement upon the Holy-Scriptures, to the infringing and nullifiing, what Man or Devil can, their ſacred authority, then hath your debaſing proſtitution thereof; and again, what greater inſtance or argument of Atheiſm? For oppoſition and exaltation, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , againſt Religion and againſt God (or a Deity it ſelf,) is a matter individual and inſeparable in it ſelf, as well as in Antichriſt's character; ſo that you may upon equal terms commence a proceſs or enquiry of contempt againſt both; I leave the application to the Reader: But, I had almoſt forgot that you may probably be one of thoſe that hold no other canon than Homer's Iliades and Odyſſes, Let. 1. pag. 9. or Virgil's Evangelical and Prophetical writings; the former, as containing myſtically both Law and Goſpel; as his works are owned by you in general, for a practice of piety, Lett. 2. pag. 43. wherein you tell your Correſpondent, he may find all practical Divinity ſum'd up, caſes of Conſcience reſolved, controverſies decided, &c. (no wonder, you tearm him Chriſtian and Proteſtant) the other, as comprehending a body of Divinity exactly agreeing with the primitive Doctrine and intentions of our Saviour, Lett. 2. p. 45.46 father'd upon a Nonc. (alias your Hec or ſelf; for I dare ſay, there is an agreement in unitertio); indeed I have read of one converted by Virgil's fourth Eclogue, but have ſuſpended my beliefe of it hitherto; it may be you are the man; and from ſuch a Bible, ſuch a practice of piety, ſuch a body of Divinity, ſuch a Convert, what can the world expect? — 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . I proceed.

Another aſſault of yours, Sir, is made upon the Miniſterial foundation; (as the former was upon the Doctrinal) namely, your Gorah-like Rebellion againſt the Clergy of the Church of England, and thoſe both in perſon and function.

As touching the perſon's of the Clergy, two things you except againſt, viz. number and qualification: their qualification is reſerved for an enquiry, under the ſecond general propounded: As to their number; your exception is, that they are ſupernumerary, whereof you betray deep ſenſe and ſorrow; the Nation (ſay you) is perfectly over-ſtock'd with profeſſors of Divinity; Lett. 1.115. thus Aaron's fruitful Rod, is Corah's grudge: and for a remedy to this prevailing ſpirituality, that you may lop what you cannot fell, you propound a double expedient; One is, an anniverſary vent, namely, a yearly Tranſport beyond the Seas of ſo many Tunn of Divines; as well as of other commodities, with which the Nation is over-ſtock'd; Lett. 1. p. 119. the other is a ſpiritual preſs upon Profeſſors and Pulpiteers (as you are ſometimes pleaſed to ſtile them) an Expedition to another holywar; the key exchanged for the Croiſade; but this I wonder, that you of all men ſhould adviſe, for you know Sir, that the holy Warriours vouch to fight not Turks only, but Infidels; how beit, ſtrange it is, if both wayes of vent, namely, either to a ſlavery in Turky, the Barbadoes, or Indies; or to an honourable adventure into the Holy Land, may not ſuffice to reduce the number; but ſink or ſwim, ſtand or fall, it is all one to you, what becomes of either Cargo or Armado; ſo there be but a good riddance to the Nation of ſuch cumber-ground-Inmates; that is, of our Guides, Lights, Paſtors, Seers and Overſeers! (We are beholden to you Sir,) and what the ſequel hereof might be, or your deſign in it, your Reader be Judge; I do but think how great your grudge had been, had the whole Engliſh Clergy match'd in number one ſingle order of another See, namely, that of St. Bennet of which it is bragg'd, that it hath been the fruitful Nurſery of no leſs than Fifty-two Popes, Two hundred Cardinals, ſixteen hundred Arch-Biſhops, Four thouſand Biſhops, and Five thouſand Saints approved by the Church; or that of the Cordeliers or Minims, computed by Sabbellicus in his Enneads, to be in Europe (beſides the multitudes in Aſia, Africa, &c.) above Five hundred thouſand, (a thing almoſt incredible) out of whom, the General of the Order of St. Francis their Patron, hath upon all occaſions offer'd to advance the Pope an Army Thirty thouſand ſtrong; and all very well ſpar'd, beſides a great many Tunns for Tranſport; whether the commodity be good or nor, I leave to others to determine; Invidious grudge againſt Englands Clergy, though the ſum total amounts not to ſo many hundreds, as there are of thouſands in one ſingle Romiſh order; this, I dare ſay, is rancide and inveterate, though the ſpirituall preſs and tunnage may ſeem to be ſpoken by a Jocoſo; your Inquiſition herein, in the caſe of our Clergy, ſomwhat reſembling that of the Roman Tyrants of old, in the caſe of Chriſtians, whom they tormented for a diverſion: But this is not all; I ſuppoſe that the Engliſh Clergy being divided into three parts, and a thouſand in each tertia; that one of thoſe is diſpatched away under their ſacred Labarum for the Holy-Land, unanimouſly reſolved to be either abſolute Maſters or Martyrs upon the ſpott; a ſecond ſhip'd off amongſt other domeſtick commodities with which the Nation is over-ſtock'd, at ſo much par teſte or per tunn, for the Barbadoes or the Indies, &c. to get their living as Adam got his by digging in grounds, or mines under ground, as not worthy to live upon it; and all this jure exterminij, by Act of Parliament too, prompted by your judicious motion; this ſuppoſed, I ſay, the Ghoſtly Armado, the ſacred Cargo, all ſhip'd and gon, and the Nation well rid of them; is all your ſpire, malice, and contempt, quite ſpent and evaporated now! I doubt not; there is a tertia behind ſtill, and (the miſchief of all) the office in and with them; the number of perſons retrieved, but the function ſtill continues in the remainder; and whilſt there is a preaching Timothy, or a praying Joſhua in England, to be ſure, Amaleck cannot prevail.

Therefore,

Your next attempt, Sir, is made upon the Miniſterial Office and Function it ſelf, eſpecially in thoſe two grand Miniſterial exerciſes, Preaching and Prayer (both Manna and Incenſe) and that with ſuch a ſtrain of dialect, as deſerves the ſevereſt anathema in my Budgett; but I referr that piece of Juſtice to your Reader: To begin with the latter; You ſeverely criminate, and highly diſparage the Spirit and gift of Prayer, Lett. 2. p. 155. and (which yet is uſual with both ſorts of the Engliſh Clergy, Conformiſts and Nonconformiſts) all conceived Prayer: Now what the Gift and Spirit of Prayer is, a Learned, ingenious and worthy Prelate of our Church ſhall determine (who knows but Epiſcopal Reverence may aw you into a ſubmiſſion?) whoſe Judgment in the particular I perſwade my ſelf, is of general authority with all that are ſober and diſcerning; namely Biſhop Wilkins, whoſe aſſertions in the caſe, are theſe in his Diſcourſe of Prayer, viz. the Gift of Prayer may be thus deſcribed; It is ſuch a readineſs and faculty proceeding from the Spirit of God, whereby a man is enabled upon all occaſions, in a fit manner, to expreſs and enlarge the deſires of his heart in this Duty: Unto the attaining of this Gift in its true latitude and fulneſs, there are three ſorts of Ingredients required; viz. 1. Something to be infuſed by the Spirit of God, who muſt ſanctify and and ſpiritualize the judgment and affections, before we can either apprehend or deſire any thing as we ſhould: 2. Some natural endowments and abilities diſpoſing us for this Gift, as readineſs of apprehenſion, copiouſneſs of fancy, tenderneſs of affection, confidence and volubility of ſpeech, which are very great advantages to this purpoſe, being naturally much more eminent in ſome then others. 3. Something to be acquired and gotten by our own induſtry, namely, ſuch a particular and diſtinct apprehenſion, both of our ſins and wants, and the Mercies beſtowed upon us, that we may be able to expreſs the thoughts and diſpoſitions of our minds concerning them, in ſuch a decent form, as may excite both in our ſelves and others, ſuitable affections: The firſt of theſe is by ſome, ſtiled the Spirit of Prayer, the two latter, the Gift of Prayer, &c. This, Sir, is Dioceſan Doctrine; and let that Clergy-Man undergo your Contempt that pretends to other Gift or Spirit then what is here deſcribed: But now, what do you think, will the World Judge of you, who advance an all-Damning and illiterate Hector into a competition herein, Lett. 1. p. 36. with a Learned and Reverend Prelate? for you undertake, Sir, (to recriminate you from your own cenſure) ſub nomine penae, to procure one of the rankeſt Hectors about Town, Lett. 2. p. 157, that ſhares his time between Swearing and Curſing (and ſomething elſe) who ſuppoſing he does, not put in ſometimes an Oath, in ſtead of, O Lord, (and a God damn him, by the common Law of autocatacriſy, in ſtead of God bleſs him,) ſhall make a long well-worded, and affectionate Prayer, with confeſſion of all the Villanies committed ſince the Flood (Contempt of the Clergy, I hope, amongſt the reſt) which ſhall draw forth as many Tears, and as deep Groans, as any of the greateſt pretenders to that Gift, or Spirit; that is to ſay, as any Prayer of the Biſhop himſelf, now mentioned, he being of the number of thoſe pretenders, as you are pleaſed to entitle them: And if this be not teſt ſufficient to the World, of what Spirit you are of, I will for ever abjure all Spirit-diſcerning faculty; and I doubt not but this one ſignature of it, will ſerve to debaſe your credit for ever with any impartial Reader, in order to whoſe juſt verdict touching your project and principle of Atheiſme it is, that I ſingle out ſuch matchleſs inſtances of your extemporal and occaſional Witt; which, let me tell you, none but ſome unſanctified Humſter for your Hector, will ever afford an Amen to, or reckon other then facetious villany; & remember for a check to it, though Noah's Flood, (mentioned in your Hector's Litany) be paſt; yet St. Peter's Fire is ſtill to come, which all your holy Water cannot quench: Ignorant-Poor Clergy indeed: if a profligate Hector-Rampant ſhall outvie them in their faculty, being no further hallowed then with your outſide conſecration of a double Cap, Caſſock and Girdle!

Again,

As touching the other grand part of the Miniſterial Office, namely Preaching; It is your peremptory aſſertion, Sir, in the Words of ſome great Patron, (an Intimado, poſſibly, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ) whom you adopt for your mouth, that ſuch Preaching as is uſual (in the Church of England) is a hinderance of Salvation, Lett. 1. p. 81. rather then the means to it; and the explication of what you intend by the epithete, uſual, you reſerve to the good time, &c. but what I will give the World to underſtand preſently, and yet plough with no other then your own Heiffer: That Preaching of the Word of God, by perſons of Holy Order duly authoriſed and qualified hereunto, is a Divine Inſtitution: that ſuch Preaching is the ordinary meanes of Salvation; and that the Preaching uſual in the Church of England (of which a fuller vindication hereafter) is ſuch; She (and I in her) is obliged to believe till She ſee better Authority for altering of her Creed or Clergy then you or your Maſters are like to produce in haſte: But the emphaſis of your aſſertion lyeth in the adjunct, viz. uſual, with which you epithet the Preaching by you tax'd; and what you intend by uſual Preaching in the Church of England, muſt be traced by its extreams or oppoſites; Now then, the extream or oppoſite of uſual Preaching muſt either be, 1. Extraordinary high, performed in the Holy Tongues, Hebrew and Greek, through an immediate illapſe and inſpiration of an infallible Spirit; and if ſo,—Chriſtus corpore! Paulus ore! nothing leſs will ſerve your turn then, then (St. Auguſtine's wiſh) the audible Preaching of Chriſt or an Apoſtle in perſon, viſibly re-incorporated into the Church: or elſe, 2. Extraordinary low and mean, poſſibly by way, of preſcribed Homily (the Church ſpeaking in this, as the Spirit, in the former) but this you know is performable by the meaneſt Desk-Man (one of your Contemptibles) though never Maſter of other Language or Literature then what he may owe to a Mothers, Nurſes, or School-Dames diſcipline: or 3. Extraordinary in reſpect of Church Office, order and degree, as being performed onely by Primates, or Prelates, &c. but neither do I take this to be the meaning of your unuſual Preaching; for beſides the great breach of charity implied in it, (as if all the Preachers in the Church of England were Hinderers of Salvation, except onely two ſaving Graces, and twenty four Dominical Vertues) if once the inferiour order and Body of the Clergy be brought into Contempt, I am ſure the Moſt and Right Reverend— muſt look to ſhare in the Deſtiny: Or elſe laſtly,—but of that anon.

It is not a little obſervable, Sir, (& I hope your Reader will ſenſe you accordingly) that while you expoſe our Preachers to the contempt of the Laity, you amuſe them with dark Reſerves, touching their Preaching: The Clergy and Religion is the very Theme, Argument and ſubject-matter of your Letters; thoſe you preſuppoſe a contempt of; the Grounds and Occaſions of this Contempt, you have engaged in an Enquiry into, with pretence of friendly redreſs; thoſe grounds and occaſions you ſummarily reduce to two, viz, the ignorance and Poverty of the Clergy (of which anon); in the explication and demonſtration of thoſe two characters, the Preachers are plainly deſcribed, whoſe Preaching you averr to be a hinderance of Salvation: Now then the uſual Preachers of the Church of England, are plainly deſcribed by you, and in them, the uſual Preaching: what then can be the meaning or Myſtery of your Reſerve? that the uſual preaching that hinders Salvation, which one would think you have ſufficiently explained, yet you will not here goe about to explain! Lett. 1. p. 81. Lett. 2. p. 101. and that the reaſons of your ſcrible, might be further explained when occaſion ſhould require! undoubtedly profound, all naught! and that I may unmask and detect you (according to my promiſe) I will ſpell out the Original by your own Copy (for therein, as God would have it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , your ſpeech bewrayeth you;) and by good conſequence draw a ſummary concluſion touching the deſigne charged upon you, from your own premiſes, and that in

A third aſſault made by you upon both Doctrinal and Miniſterial foundation joyntly, the Reformed Religion, and Clergy, more expreſſely. Ad hominem then,

All ſuch preaching as is at preſent uſual in the Church of England, is a hinderance of Salvation, rather then the meanes to it;

But the Preaching uſed in the Church of England for an hundred Yeares laſt paſt, is ſuch as is at preſent uſual therein;

Therefore the Preaching uſed in the Church of England for an hundred Yeares laſt paſt, is a hinderance of Salvation, &c.

Sir, of this Categorick Syllogiſme (for form unexceptionable, as you muſt needs know, if your Logicks match your Ethicks;) the premiſſes are your own; and I hope you will not deny the concluſion, which is a compendious gloſſe and Comment upon the peſtilent deſigne of your Letters of Enquiry.

The Major propoſition Conſiſts of your own expreſs words, above ſcann'd; onely your indefinite is by me turn'd into an univerſal, which you know the Rules of School will juſtify me in; as well as the matter in debate: ſuch preaching, and all ſuch Preaching; are equivalent.

The minor propoſition or aſſumption is your own too, as appears partly by expreſs words, partly by the ſcope, ſeries, tenour and contexture of your Diſcourſe; diſown it if you can.— Lett. 1. p. 58, 59 It would be an endleſs thing, Sir, (ſay you to your Correſpondent) to count up all the Follies that have been for an hundred Yeares laſt paſt Preached and Printed of this kind: Now what kind of Follies you mean, is plain from your foregoing Narrative concerning ridiculous Preaching, by way of impertinent, nay, Lett. 1. p. 32, 38 45, &c. ſometimes Blaſphemous Metaphor, Similitude, Tales, or ſuch as is apt to bring Contempt upon the Preacher, and that Religion which he profeſſeth (of which afterwards, when I come to enquire into matter of Fact) ſo that the argument ſtandeth thus: That Preaching which is full of Follies, or ſuch uſeleſs and ridiculous things, as are apt to bring Contempt upon the Preacher and the Religion by him profeſſed, is ſuch as is at preſent uſual in the Church of England, (and therefore by you ſuppoſing it ſuch, expoſed to Contempt); But the Preaching uſual in the Church of England, for an Hundred Years laſt paſt, is full of ſuch Follies, &c. Then the concluſion followeth by clear conſequence, viz. that therefore the Preaching uſual in the Church of England for an Hundred Years laſt paſt, is ſuch as is at preſent uſual therein; and conſequently by your own poſition, a hinderance of Salvation, rather then the means to it; the Preachers Fools! and the Preaching Murther! That is to ſay, the Faith and Doctrine uſually Preached, yea, and Printed too (for both Preſs & Pulpit, Writings as well as Sermons, are by you charged) contended for, lived and dyed in, (yea, and by many of them ſealing with their Blood, what they profeſſed by Tongue or Pen, dyed for) by our firſt Reformadoes, Proteſtant-Champions and Church-Worthies, our Marian Martyrs, all our Orthodox Learned, Pious, Painful, Preachers under the Reign of Q. Elizab. K. James, & Charles the firſt, in times paſt; and what hath been & ſtill is under our preſent Soveraign King Charles the II. uſually Preached & publiſhed, is—a hindrance of Salvation, rather then the means to it! & conſequently the Church of England ſince the Sun of Righteouſneſs aroſe in it, with his healing wing of Reformation, no true Church; for as extra Eccleſiam nulla ſalus, there is no ordinary Salvation without the Line of Church-Communion; ſo there is no true Church without the appropriated meanes of Salvation; — and then according to your Divinity— Ichabod! farewell Church of England! And now, Sir, what do you think of your ſelf upon recollection? or what will your Reader think of you? have I not here convincingly made out againſt you, from your own Principles and poſitions, a baſe unworthy peſtilent deſigne upon the Reformed Religion, and Clergy, and in them, upon our Church, to (what in you lies) the utter ſubverting and nullifying of the whole. And what you mean by your myſterious reſerves, namely, that what you intend by uſual Preaching, Lett. 1. p. 81. Lett. 2. p. 101. you will not here go about to explain; and the reaſons of your Letters might be further explained when occaſion ſhould require, (but I have done it to your hand in a paraphraſe very congruous to the original) what you mean, I ſay by ſuch Reſerves and ſhrew'd hints as thoſe are, we may by this time very plainly perceive, eſpecially with the additional help of a ſhort Gloſſe of your own, dropt from you it ſeemes unawares a great way off from the Text, where you explain the good time — by thoſe (deſpaired of) dayes of vertue, Lett. 1. p. 124. of having the Tithes reſtored to the Church moſt unjuſtly robb'd of them by the Sacrilegious Church-Publican, Henry the Eight; to wit, when like a wiſe Man, he rejected the Yoak of Papal Supremacy, — Anglia non patitur duos Caeſares (which other Chriſtian Princes, Iſſachar like, couch and crouch under) and forraged (its Antichriſtian ſupports,) Monkiſh Neſts and Nurſeries, with which the Nation was at that time much more overſtock'd, then now it is with an Orthodox Clergy; though in ſo doing he onely kill'd the Pope's Body, (as Luther ſaid of him) in the mean time ſaving his Soul, &c. — Encreaſe of Church-Patrimony, Sir, I do as heartily wiſh and pray for, as your ſelf, but I'll be ſure, that it be a Reformed Church, which upon any ſuch ſcore I enter into my Litany; but this you aim to ſubvert: But, good Sir, pray tell me, how comes it to paſs, that you adventure to explain the good time in the plauſible circumſtance of Church-Tyth, which you doe ſo myſteriouſly conceal in the concern of uſual-Church Preaching? 'Tis very odd! here you are expreſs; but in the caſe of Preaching, you treat your Reader with Moroſe Reſerves — what I intend by uſual Preaching, I ſhall not here go about to explain, — the reaſons of my Writing may be further explained when occaſion ſhal require: Sir, I doe not like theſe odd hints of your hic & nunc; I underſtood by your laſt, Lett. 2. p. 200. that you was gon into Devonſhire, to ſecure the World from your being ever troubleſom in this kind any more, (Amen, ſaid I, a good riddance,) and what other kind of trouble, you deſign, for it, the God of Heaven knowes; — your reticentiae's of time, place, and occaſion, when, where, and upon what account you intend, (it may be by Letters of Credence to be produced in a good time) further to explain to us, the reaſons of your Enquiry, and what you underſtand by uſual Preaching in the Church of England, I muſt tell you, are very ſuſpicious: what? do you mean to comment upon it with the ſenſible gloſs of Fire, and Faggott? or a ſecond doſe of the Jeſuite's Powder? or the new game of Trapp-Law? or t'other Coal from the Altar, (becauſe the firſt did not the buſineſs)? and thus of Inquiſitor, turn Executioner? In the name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, we defie the Divel and all his Works!

Being that your Charge, Sir, is commenced from, and coextended with Englands Evangelick Century and bleſſed Aera of Reformation (the hundred Yeares laſt paſt) whereas had it been limited to the laſt twenty or thirty, we had leſs ſuſpected your morals) and conſequently, Vulpes Bovem agit, the Reformed Religion, and Clergy, therein attacted, and what in you lies, ſubverted; inſomuch, that it is plainly manifeſt, that the Chriſtian Religion founded and fixed in the Nation, is with you the Apple of contention, who therefore criminates Miniſters being two bent upon Preaching of it, Lett. 2. p. 72. (index ſufficient of yours) It highly concerns the Church of England to ſtand in Juſtification of her firſt Reformation; her original Proteſtancy and remonſtrance againſt, and ſeparation from the Church of Rome; the Religion by her profeſſed; her Clergy, the official Preachers and Publiſhers of that Religion; and the uſual Preaching of that Clergy; which in her name, as her Advocate, I have vouch'd to doe. Well then,

The Eſſentials conſtitutive of a true Church, Sir, (of. the Myſtical, aſwell as of the natural Body,) being theſe three, namely, the Head, the Body, and intimate Ʋnion and Communion between both; the onely Head of the Chriſtian Church, being Jeſus Chriſt, God and Man in one Perſon, appointed and anointed by God the Father, King, Prieſt, and Prophet, thereof; the only myſtical Ligament, and bond of Community in this holy Corporation, being the Divine Spirit, (originally derived from the Head, through the whole Body, the Church as Heireſs thereof, being the common foundation of that Sacred patronymick Chriſtian, under the New Teſtament, as well as of that other Meſchiahim (as Euſebius notes) under the Old) or, the Catholick Faith, the product of that Spirit, or both; whence it comes to paſs, that the Founder, Foundation, Superſtructure, and medium or inſtrument of conjunction, are all, in Holy Scripture, propounded as ſo many Ʋnites, admitting of no conſort or collateral, — One God, and Father of all; One onely Lord, Mediator, Saviour, Foundation, Name, Way, &c. One Body, One Spirit, Faith, Hope and Religion: And being that the Religion profeſſed and practiſed in and by the Church of Rome, eſpecially ſince Trent-Council, (aſſembled and ended above your hundred years ago) is inconſiſtent with, and deſtructive of this individual Headſhip, true Faith, and Church-conſtitution; being nothing elſe but an Anti-chriſtian miſcellany and compound (oppoſitum in appoſito) of God and the Creature, God-man and meer-man, in the moſt material points and principles of Chriſtianity; the Perſons of both, in point of Worſhip; the Power and Authority of both, in matters of Faith; the Righteouſneſs and Merit of both, in point of Satisfaction and Juſtification; the Wills of both, in the act of Converſion; the Interceſſion of both, in the great office of Mediation; yea, an univerſal co-equivalency, or equal concurrence of Worth, Vertue, and Efficacy from both, throughout the whole buſineſs of Redemption and Salvation; eſpecially from Chriſt, and the Virgin Mary, conſtituted therein Corredemptreſs with her Son, and Savioureſs a latere, as if her Breſts, as well as his Sides, had been no leſs then ſacramental; and the Mothers Milk, and the Son's Blood equally ſaving: Moreover (to proſecute this Religious medley) God and the Creature, in the Decalogue; Chriſt and the Church, in the Creed; Scripture and Tradition, in the Canon; Pater-Noſter and Ave-Maria, in the Litany; Sacrament and Sacrifice, in the Supper, &c. all ſo many Riddles in the Myſtery of Iniquity! A Religion conſiſting of ſuch Trent-Forge-Principles and Practices as theſe, viz. In point of Doctrine, Papal Supremacy and Authotity, Church Infallibility, unwritten Traditions equall'd in authority, with the Holy Scriptures; the doctrine of Man's free-Will in oppoſition to God's Free-Grace; the Doctrine of Perfection, of Merits, Pardons, and Indulgences, redounding from a ſurpluſage of Works of ſuper-erogation, and ſatisfaction (as they are termed) as if any meer Man could fullfill, in obedience beyond what the Law requires, and ſatisfy in penance beyond what Sin deſerves! a rare Religion! the doctrine of Purgatory; and Souls Departed; the doctrine of Maſs-ſervice and Tranſubſtantiation, the Conſecrating Prieſtling turning a petty-Creator (as is ſuppoſed) converting ſacramental Forms, into real Subſtance, and Commemoration into Expiation, celebrating Chriſt's Death with his death, as well as with his own, in deſtroying, inſtead of diſcerning the Lord's Body, yea, both Saviour and Sacrament at once! the doctrine of Miniſtration in an unknown Tongue, by means whereof they do moſt ſacrilegiouſly robb the Children of their Bread in the Scriptures, as they do, of the Cup in the Supper; and many more ſuch like Doctrines not of men onely, but of Divels, which I liſt not to dwell upon, the Subject being ſo Frightful: In point of Worſhip, Idolatry and Imagery, Superſtition, Saint-Worſhip, &c. In point of Polity, abſolute Tyranny, (the Keys, turned into a Sword) ſufficiently exerciſed and dearly experienced throughout the World, upon Princes-Crowns, their Subjects-Conſciences, and Proteſtant-Blood, in ſanguinary Lawes, a bloody Inquiſition, direful Anathemaes, execrable Maſſacres, rageing Perſecutions, &c. the violent Calentures of that Torrid Zone: The Religion, in fine, of that Church which is in Doctrine, damnably Heretical; in Worſhip, groſſely Idolatrous; in Polity, and Government, intollerably Tyrannical; in all palpably Antichriſtian; oppoſite to and virtually deſtructive of Chriſts fundamentality and headſhip, in his Perſon or Natures; in his Offices, in all their parts; in his States; in his vertues, merits & graces, priviledges, Inſtitutions and ordinances, &c. in one or more, or all of thoſe; and conſequently, deſtruction of the Catholick Faith and Religion, by Himſelf and his Apoſtles, and the whole ſucceſſive ſeries of Chriſtians throughout the World, profeſſed, and practiſed; and finally of the truth of a Chriſtian Church, his Body; all in effect nullified thereby; yea, and a falſe head, other foundation, and another name, being ſubſtituted in oppoſition to the true; the Religion I ſay, profeſſed and practiſed in the Church of Rome, and that Church her ſelf, eſpecially ſince Trent-Council, being ſuch, as is here, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , deſcribed; it followeth by neceſſary conſequence, that the ſeparation of the Church of England, both primitive in her firſt Reformers, and preſent in their Succeſſours perſiſting in that happy divorce from her, and embodyed into a contradiſtinct, but true Church, under Chriſt, the onely true Head, in a Joynt profeſſion of his Faith, the true Religion, is ſo far from being Schiſmatical (this being ever a cauſeleſs and groundleſs ſeparation, in or from matter of true Religion, in a true Church,) that on the contrary, it is righteous and Juſtifyable, yea, abſolutely neceſſary by the authority of that Law, whereby we are ſtrictly commanded to renounce and abjure her ſociety upon peril of ſharing in her Plagues; from which, Good Lord deliver us! Sir, if in this ſhort defence of our Reformation (which, it is like, may ſeem a kind of moroſe Tragedy, to an airy Mercurius, but that I aim at a further goal) you think I have falſified or miſrepreſented any principle of the Romiſh Church, charge me with it, and ſpare not; and if I do not Juſtify what I have aſſerted, brand me for as great a ſlanderer as your ſelf.

Again, Sir,

True Religion being that, onely of which the Holy Ghoſt, the Spirit of Truth, is the Author; the Holy Scriptures, the Word of Truth, is the Rule; and the Holy Church, (whereof our Church of England is part,) the Pillar and Ground of Truth, is the publick Truſtee, Keeper, and Conſervatory, (as Pillars or Tables are, of affix'd Papers and Proclamations) to wit, modo forenſi, non architectonico) derived and delivered (as is above-ſaid) to her from the Apoſtles, and to them by Chriſt, from God himſelf: And the Reformed Religion, Faith, Doctrine and ſubſtantial Worſhip profeſſed and practiſed in and by the Church of England, being ſuch; as may appear from her publick teſts and monuments, eſpecially, the three Creeds, Apoſtolick, Nicene, and Athanaſian; and her doctrinal Articles, unanimouſly agreed upon, in two ſeveral Convocations, viz, An. Dom. 1562 and 1604, &c. compared with the Sacred Canon; whoſe teſt and trial in the Caſe ſhe is willing to undergo; It follows, that the Reformed (and onely reforming) Religion, profeſſed, and practiſed in and by the Church of England, is the onely true Religion; which when you aſſault with Argument, as now you undermine by Stratagem, you ſhall be dealt withall.

Moreover, Sir,

The Church of England is no leſs ſatisfied in her Clergy then in her Religion, that as God hath by a Law of as long duration as that of Sun and Moon in the ordinary courſe of his Providence, appointed to publiſh and propagate his Truth, and inſtruct his Church, by a conſtant ſeries and ſucceſſion of perſons of holy Order and Office authoriſed and qualified thereunto; ſo her Clergy is ſuch, having derived their orders together with their Religion ex traduce Apoſtolica, from the original Seminary Founders of Chriſtianity in England, who are recorded in Hiſtory the monumental Memory, and beſt Intelligencer in ſuch caſes, to have been Apoſtles or Men Apoſtolical; whether Philip, or Joſeph of Arimathea ſent by him, as Tertullian witneſſeth, lib. verſ. Jud. or Simon Zelotes, as Nicephorus; or St. Peter, as Baronius ſeemes ſome times to incline; or the great Doctor of the Gentiles himſelf, St. Paul, as Theodoret, &c. (not Monk Auſtine, as your friends would have it) I here diſpute not; being 'tis generally agreed amongſt ancient Writers, as Origen, and the above named Tertullian and Theodoret, and others, that England's firſt Converſion, and (conſequently) Miniſterial conſtitution, was contemporary with the very primitive Church; and though both Religion and Clergy thus founded, was under a long and dark Eclipſe of interpoſed Popery in the Nation, much obſcured and ſuppreſſed, yet out of the ſacred Seed-Plot of thoſe who in that interval, would afford nor heart, nor tongue, nor knee to Baal, both were happily afterwards Phenix-like revived, reſcued out of the Antichriſtian rubbiſh, and ſucceſſively hitherto propagated: And ſuppoſing, Sir, (2.) That the ordination and deputation of the Engliſh Clergy to the ſacred Function had its riſe not from Jeruſalem, immediately, but from or rather through Rome, Jure devoluto; where is the inconveniency? or what prejudice accrueth to the Proteſtant intereſt? or particularly to that of the Engliſh Clergy, by receiving ordination from Rome, more then by receiving Baptiſme from her, (which is as well as order, interchangeably eſteemed valid between Papiſts and Proteſtants)? order! then ordinances? a lineal, then a doctrinal ſucceſſion? Moreover, being that Miniſterial Ordination, is onely matter of Polity, unconcerned with morals; how corrupt ſoever the Church, perſon, or medium of conveyance be; yet notwithſtanding, it can be nothing derogatory to ſucceſſion, &c. more then the lineal deſcent and extraction of our Saviour's Humanity from Adam, through the intervention of an impure Thamar, Rachab, Bathſheba, &c. (Harlots); or the reception of the doctrine of the New Teſtament from a treacherous Judas who betrayed our Saviour, or a Judaizing Peter who denied him (the dark-ſide of that Pillar) or of that of the Old, from malicious Jewes, that crucified him; or the ſucceſſive tranſmition of Prieſtly orders from the Calf to the Martyr, from Idolatrous Aaron, through a prophane Hophni, and Phinehas, &c. & Law-nullifying Superſtitionaries, Scribes & Phariſees, &c. (who yet, you know ſate in Moſes's Chair, as ſure as you do in that of the ſcornful) to Caiaphas himſelf, who had a negative vote in our Saviours's death (yet owned for High Prieſt after it) more, I ſay, then ſuch mediums and methods of reception, are defamatory to that Sacred Humanity, that doctrine, thoſe Orders, &c. this then conſidered, I cannot reckon the ſucceſſion or tranſmiſſion of Orders by means of, & through the polluted and adulterated Church of Rome, more diſparagement to the Proteſtant intereſt, then the derivation of Order and Religion (as is pretended) from St. Peter, (who, you know, Sir, denied and renounced the Head, and in that, the Body), is to the Popiſh. Yea, Sir, ſuppoſing (3) laſtly, (which yet I will not yeild you more then the other) that the Caſe of our firſt Reformers had been punctum indiviſibile, one of that extraordinary nature and neceſſity, that they muſt either by way of mutual conſent, (the major part with ſome Sacred Solemnity ſelecting one or more for that purpoſe) mutually ordain each other, or elſe preach and proſecute the work unordained; either opportunity of ordination from others not offering, or elſe Violence obſtructing; &c. doubtleſs, Sir, God who is ſo provident a Guardian to his Church, hath not left her deſtitute of a lawfull warrantable expedient under ſuch an extraordinary caſe, and extremity as that; which can be no other then one of thoſe two now mentioned; and juſtifyable by the like practiſes in the like emergent Caſes, by a diſpenſation from above; that of Aedeſius and Frumentius, though private perſons, yet inſtigated and iufluënced by the ſame Spirit amongſt the Indians (of whom they are ſaid by Preaching of the Goſpel to have converted a great Nation,) as Eldad and Medad amongſt the Jewes, is by Ruffinus and Theodoret fam'd throughout the World; and were it not but that I fear a Church-Dame and a School-Dame may be treated with the like civility by you, I would inſtance in one who you muſt needs confeſs employed her ferula to good purpoſe, namely, a poor Captive Woman whom Nicephorus affirms to have converted the Nation of the Iberians, and amongſt the reſt, their King and Queen, the Scepter yielding to the Diſtaff, who became (two Royal Eccleſiaſtes's) Preachers to their Subjects; this is a caſe the more extraordinary, becauſe the ſex is ſuch: there are more examples of this kind, which I forbear; for, 'tis a generally confeſſed matter, that in ſuch caſes both Preaching is warrantable in perſons unordained, and alſo mutual ordination by joynt-conſent amongſt Preachers, other opportunity, or remedy failing. And now, Sir, for Scory's conſecration—but I ſhall commit a mortal ſoleciſme by and by, and deſerve, at leaſt to be excommunicated, though I ſhould not in all my Letter beſides—but tuſh, I am a great way off—a Jove, a Fulmine! The ſtory makes ſuch notorious May-game amongſt our Neighbours, eſpecially arayed in its formalities, that I think they would go neer (as you do) to ſcorn and jeer us down, ex cathedra, but that (and 'tis well as it lucks) we can confront our Scory with their Joanne! conſecration with proceſſion; and if we add—ſucceſſion too, we are abſolute Victors in the brize: but laugh, or frown, Sir, in hypotheſi in ſuch an exigency as that mentioned, ordination and conſecration in the manner above ſpecified equally juſtifyable in India, and in Jury, or (to come a little nearer) in London, and in Rome, though bearing no truer mark of the Beaſt, than that of the ſign of a Nagg's-head, &c. and now 'tis out, do your worſt: In a word, in all caſes extraordinary (as this, which I ſpeak of, is ſuppoſed to be), all Law in the world, of Nature, Nations, Canonical, Civil, yea, that of God himſelf, alloweth a warrantable latitude.—ſcope ſufficient for juſtification of the Orders both of our firſt and ſucceeding Clergy; Englands uſual Preachers;—Now (once more) of their uſual preaching, by you charged both with folly and cruelty, (as hereafter their perſons, with ignorance and poverty) as though both ridiculous-full of follies, and a hinderance of ſalvation; (Inſomuch, that I cannot but wonder, that inſtead of terming your ſelf (or your Parſon, making Hercules's twelve labours of his yearly preachments) to ſuch a Sermon once a month, Lett. 1. pag. 107 you did not rather reſolve never to hear, one all your life time) a ſevere cenſure!

Sir, Being that [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] Salvation (according to its univerſally received notion in the Church) is a recovery of mankind out of a condition of ſin and miſery, into a ſtate of grace and glory; it followeth, that thoſe Preachers and Publiſhers of the Divine Will concerning it; who preach, publiſh, and declare to the Church; the nature, the Author and Procurer; the termes and conditions; and the proper means, methods, helps, &c. conducing hereunto; with due explication and application of the ſame, acco ••• ng to the acroamatick rules of that Divine art; muſt needs be in foro Eccleſiae, ſaving Preachers, at leaſtwiſe, no Hinderers of Salvation; As, That the condition of all mankind by nature, is a ſtate of ſin and miſery, conſiſting in the loſs of beatifick friendly union and communion with God, (the ſum of all created happineſs) and the incurſion of his wrath, curſe, and all the accumulative miſery attending his violated Law, both in this world, and that which is to come: That there is no poſſible way of eſcape, or recovery, out of this condition, without a Mediator or Redeemer, interpoſing as a third perſon, between God and the Delinquent; partly, by reaſon of that infinite (both) diſproportion, and oppoſition, diſtance and repugnance between the two parties; and partly, by reaſon of the Sinners own invincible inſufficiency hereunto. That this only Mediator, Redeemer and Saviour, is the Chriſtian's Meſſias and Immanuel, the Son of God incarnate in a true Humane Nature, aſſumed into perſonal ſubſiſtence with the Godhead; as being of all perſons in Heaven and Earth, (and indeed a kind of compend of both) alone qualified for ſuch a negotiation; his twofold-Nature, Divine and Humane; his threefold Office, Kingly, Prieſtly, and Prophetical; his twofold ſtate of Humiliation, and Exaltation; his manifold Vertues, eſpecially his Spirit and Merit; his Laws, Ordinances and Inſtitutions, &c. all co-effectual herein: That true Faith namely, that ſacred principle and habit whereby we not only aſſent to Chriſt's Revelation of himſelf, but receive and embrace his Perſon upon his own terms, as therein offered and revealed; together with true Repentance, (another pious qualification) in turning from ſin to God, out of a due ſenſe of the hainouſneſs, as well as danger, of the Offence, and Mercy through Chriſt in the Offended, with firm reſolutions and endeavours of amendment; are the conditions neceſſarily required in, and of all, that partake of this Saviour, and Salvation: That Good Works, or the acts of ſincere and conſcionable Obedience, performed to the Moral Law, are the neceſſary and inſeparable teſtificats, proofs and evidences of that Faith and Repentance; the Decalogue being ever the beſt juſtification of the Creed: That the Word, Sacraments, Prayer, (but your Heathen's touch of Devotion will not ſerve turn) and the like; are to be purſued as the ordinary means and methods inſtituted and appointed of God, for the producing of that Faith, Repentance, and Obedience: And, Methinks, I have waded through great Myſteries in a little time; and if I gain a Proſelyte by the means, my labour is well beſtowed; Amen ſay I; 'tis pity Witt ſhould periſh: The Publican two I ſay, of ſuch fundamental truths as theſe repreſented in this Scheam, with due explication and application of the ſame, muſt needs, I think, if there be any ſuch in the world, be an edifying and ſaving way of preaching; not a hinderance, but furtherance of Salvation. And, (to apply) That the uſual preaching in the Church of England, is ſuch ſaving preaching, as well as her Preachers, both her firſt Refromers and their Succeſſors (infinitely emproved, Anſw. pag. 25. ſince the High-Sheriff's Sermon in St. Marie's Pulpit at Oxford) in point of Order and Office, ſufficiently authoriſed; and the Religion by them purged and preached, and in community with the People, joyntly profeſſed and practiſed, truly Catholick-Apoſtolick; She, Sir, is very well ſatisfyed, and like to be dayly more and more confirmed in it (I hope) unleſs better Authority be offered for an innovation in either Creed or Clergy, than what hath ever as yet appeared on this ſide the Sea, or to ſome of us beyond it, from the Learned'ſt, either Men or Books: (But I'll aſſure you, for your comfort, you have little reaſon to hope ever to ſee—ſuch days of vertue) — What! and yet our uſual Preaching Folly, and a hinderance of Salvation! God forbid: —Sir, If I have failed in the premiſſes, diſprove them; if not, pray deny not the concluſion; but this is antiquated game; 'tis ordinary with the Old Serpent to act the Diabolus, where he cannot be Apolyon, accuſe what he cannot deſtroy; when as after a great expence of Venom and Subtilty, he cannot (thanks be to God) either Ʋnminiſter our Clergy, nor Ʋn-church our Laity, to the ruine of the whole; he cunningly playes his after-game, in traducing all; our Church, as Apoſtate; our Religion, as Hereſy; our Diſcipline, as Schiſm; our uſual Preaching, as Folly, and a hinderance of Salvation: and Sir, ſuppoſing I grant part of your charge, that the Preaching of the firſt Reformers of our Church, and what is uſual in it at preſent, was, is—the fooliſhneſs of preaching; what then? ſuch was that of the very Apoſtles, yet — ſaving to them that believed; and why not ours? theirs, notwithſtanding the Folly charged upon it by the Greeks—ſaving! and ours, becauſe of the ſame charge from a Grecizer — damning! deſtructive, a hinderance of Salvation! Segnior no; but to read your deſtiny in theirs, by the ſame Oracle; if the uſual preaching in our Church be Fooliſhneſs, it is— to them that periſh, Fooliſhneſs; and between Convert and Caſtaway, I know, and you will find no middle Limbo— 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ! then who fool twice? or worſe! Your own dear Minion (with whom I will conclude this particular) hath told you the ſame upon the matter, in a more intelligible language, (plain Engliſh inſtead of Greek) and that in a cornute, and thereby indeed he puſheth you, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but fool-hardy takes no warning; Anſw. pag. 80. either you expect (ſaith he) that your Reader ſhould believe nothing of what you ſay (throughout your Letters) and then you play the Fool, and write to no purpoſe; or you would have him believe all, and then you do little better than ('twere almoſt actionable, had I not a precedent for it) play the—Knave! And now, Sir, By way of reflection upon the whole, in order to a concluſion of this general, What Reader, that is not either prepoſſeſt with your poyſonous Principles, and prejudiced, or elſe wholly ſtupified and inſatuated, when he ſhall recollect within himſelf, and duly weigh the premiſſes: What Reader I ſay, thus qualified and conſiderate, will not readily Joyn iſſues with me in this concluſion, viz. that the ſcope, project and deſigne of your Letters of Enquity, can be no other then inſtead of the pretended redreſs of the Contempt of the Reformed Religion and Clergy, to expoſe, and betray both to it, and by meanes thereof propagate (what your Rhapſody abounds withall) moſt peſtilent and licentious Principles and Practices, Atheiſme, Libertiniſme, preparatives to Popery, Senſuality, and what not, to the utter ſubverſion of both; though you have Politician-like for cautelous Guards to the deſigne obſervable throughout your Epiſtles, (which I here note once for all) cunningly interwoven Sly inſinuations, with dextrous retrieves; prologues from Pilate, and Epilogues from the Harlot, waſhing your Hands with — the one, as if you mean't no hurt, and wipeing your Mouth with the other, as if you had done none; but — praemonitus, praemunitus! And this may ſuffice for the firſt part of my undertaking, viz. the detecting of the Stratagem and deſigne of your Enquiry, &c. in order to the prepoſſeſſing or diſpoſſeſſing of your Reader.