you would not have this
sr that religion establish'd, or to have the rule and power, in oppofition to the other.
sr that religion establish'd, or to have the rule and power, in oppofition to the other.
Rehearsal - v1 - 1750
C.
Ay!
if
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it !
;
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The REHEARSAL.
99
C. Ay ! who knows indeed ! Do'st thou expect an
answer to thy night-mare ofjealousies and/ears? Wilt thou oppose thy might-bees, and which never have been in England, to all that we have seen and felt of reiellicn and rewlution ? To the hundreds and thousands that have been murder d, and many more utterly undone by popular
commotions ! Wilt thou compare all these with a favour
ite or two (whom you generally hate) disgraced or ruin'd
by a ; or whatever you cou'd call a grievance to the people, in all the arhitrary and illegal acts of our iing? (as I faid) since William the conqueror ! Men must be cs-
chanted, before they can be carry'd away with such ridi culous pretences, to hunt after their own ruin ! whence rebellion is rightly call'd witchcrast by God himself/ And is not that the cafe, when dreams of what we never fi•w, that persuade us out of our fve fenses, and our reason, and experience to boot! And are men thus bewitch'd, thus perniciously bewitch'd, to the endless destruction
of the people, in sapping the foundations of all government,
and laying groundwork for nothing but eternal revolution
and confufion, making all settlement, in what /o/ct of ga-
I'ernment soever, utterly impracticable, by placing the dernier resort of all things in the oto£ ? I fay, are such
men to have what they call their full liberty given them,
to propagate and practise such principles, let them call themselves of what church or denomination they please ?
These thou thy self, master, hast excepted, as being hurt ful, and most dangerous to the stated • .
And how thou, who wilt not ' declare thy self of any church, and so art of no church, and consequently wou'd'it hint no church establish'd; how thou art sit to treat of church matters; especially considering, that the (burch with us, as in all nations, is a part, and the
principal part of the state, I leave thee to thy next to re solve ; and will now prosecute the subject we were last upon, a little further.
In Biy last I shew'd the method of your party towards peace and union, in sending out a numerous,^wuw ofpoi- rcnotts pamphlets against the church ; and then taking equal
F 2 offence
ioo
The REHEARS AL.
offence at their being answer d, or not answered, each a new ground of quarrel!
making
But as if the daily swarms of pamphlets that come from your fide (ten to one in number to those that are wrote on the fide of the chufch ) were not sufficient, you have got a
been long since answer d, as new booh, and cry out foi
new answers to them.
In the year 1660 (you began early, immediately upon
the restauration ) you publish'd a hook with this title, The interest of England, in the matter of religion, unfolded
new-old trick, to re-print your old libels, which have
in thesolution ofthese questions. in 1 . Whether the presbyterian party should
justice, er reason ofstate, he rejected and depressed, or protected and
encouraged?
2. Q;, Whether the presbyterian party may he proteseed
and encouraged, and the episcopal not deserted or disoblig'd? 3. Whether the upholding of both parties, by ajus andequal accommodation, be not in itselfmore defirable cad
more agreeable to the state of England, than the abfohti exalting of the one party, and the total subverfion of tht
ether?
Written by J. C.
This w the title. And in theyear 1661, Sir Roger
VEstrange wrote an excellent answer to well known
by the name of the holy cheat, provingfrom the un
deniable practiccs and pofitions ofthe presbyterians, that the
defign that party, is, to en/lave both king andpeople, un
der the mast religion. This was wrote so pointedly, and the proofs so undeniable, that the party were not able
give any answer to so that went on, and prevail and in the year 1682, received fourth impression.
of all which, the fame book thus an swer and efsectually confuted, came out again, in tie
year 702, under this title, Three questions ofpresent im
portance, modestly resolvd. And the three forefaid queriu set down, with small •variation of some words, but no
thing in substance. And thisj>f<w the fame book come
out again, with the former title but no notice takin, A. ,
Notwithstanding
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The REHEARSAL. 101
that it is already answer d, past even their modesty to reply! No! it is now a new, spick andspan new book !
See if any of the church party will give it a new answer ! that we may laugh at them ! and if it should be less pun
gent than that of Sir Rogers, we wou'd catch at the ad
vantage ! and, O smart!
! how we wou'd ! quick! and reply
trick, for
it before. Cartwright the arch-puritan in Q. Elizabeth's
I call this a new-old
your party have done
reign, wrote a book, endeavouring to prove, that the primitive churches which had bishops, were parishes only, and not dioceses ; and that the churches of each city were
but one parishional congregation. This was solidly and learnedly answer d at that time, so as to put an end to
that vain pretence. A friend of mine has the answer
ready to produce. Thus that plea of the dissenters lay asleep, from that time, till about 20 years past, when
Mr. Clarkson wrote his No scripture evidence for diocesan bishops, wherein this topick is again set up, and was tak«n as. a new discovery ! which occalion'd an excellent answer to him by Dr. Maurice, 18 or 19 years ago. To which
no reply has been made to this day. Nor I suppose ever will. Yet De Foe in The dissenters answer to the high-
church challenge, printed thisyear 1704. p. 11. names this book of Clarkson 's as not answer et, and provokes any of the church to answer so great a man as he makes Clark
son, faying of him, That he was as much of both gentle man andscholar, as ever the nation bred ; and tho' a dis
senter, had the honour to be tutor to the learned and mes ex cellent Dr. Tillotson, late archbifoop of Canterbury,
who is not much the better for the charafter of De Foe as we must suppose him not the worse, for having been bred up under such a tutor ! and the telling of it here, was not meant for his advantage. There are some sort offolks, who dirty every thing they touch.
But among their methods of answering, the chief is not to be forgot, which they tell us out of Machiuvel,
in The teew test os the church os England's honesty, p. 2. That wben men argue about religion, ifone side cannot an- F 3 fwer,
!
ioi The REHEARSAL.
of K. Charles I. and in the reign of JL Churls II. in Scotland, where they had twi Battles for it; and a continu'd conspiracy, which broke out every other year in England. And thus they et- t, mpt, d to end it in Elizabeth's time, even to join ani concur veith the Jesuites (who set them up) in opening
powerful nation ofpapists in the world, made that wise tauten more watchful over their off-spring the puritans. She comirar. ded her parliament to give no heed to the nieariscrse felicitations of the PURITANS, •wherewithal
" the late parliament (fays my lord chancellor from the Slueen) have been exceedingly importun'd. They have been always teasers of parliaments.
In the fame speech it is told, that they had the fame, way of answering books, as- they use now ; not to mind what was wrote against them, but repeat their own objec
tions over and over again. I never heard on't before. O. What speech is that ?
C. That's strange ! why it is in a book thou fay'st thou
hast answer d. It is inserted in the second part of that
libel call'd Cassandra, in the Appen. Num. 3. p. 84.
O. Yes, I have answer d but never read and
give good reason for in my Observators, that not worth reading and have sill'd how marty Observa tors with all the old and new-made ill names could think on, which bestow upon the author, some fiw of which begin thy sirst Rehearsal, called only Observator, to put Jham upon me and conclude, that would
have the book burnt, and the author harg^d. Was'n't that Full-an/hver and would have prevented any reply.
Aud
Jhver, it certainly ends in a battle. Thus it ended in the
rc:gn
the dcor, and prepat ing the way to the Spanish INVasios; as thati? »«» told her parliannnt, by her lord chancellor Puckering: But she kept their nails close perV, and fityords out of their hands. She trusted them not in places ofpower, or to have any thing to do with the administra tion of the government ; tho' then daily expecting the Spanijl invafion, which soon after follow'd. This time of •war, tho' against the most bigotted, and then moil
aI
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The RE HEARS AL.
103
And this is the only answer to be given, as my bro ther De Foe has agreed with me, that we must go to bat tle, when we cannot otherwise answer ; and now we are ready for else we would not have given thispublick notice
We have not been able to fay one word in desence of
our mob-original ofgovernment, which attack'd in the first part of Cnssandra nor of those limitations of coercion
we would have over the crown nor can we deny them to
beinconststcntviithmonarchy,ziidcontradi3ory to thenature of government in general, as well as our own constitution, and the laws of England, from the beginning, and still
in being. We have nothing to fay to these thidgs and we willnot be content with limitations of concisjion, nor understand our laws in that sense; what then can we an
swer? We must e'en to baitle! as before faid, the time come! we have had provocation sufsicient! for, as De 1'oe adds, as comment upon what he quoted out of Ma-
chiavel, and may serve as an answer to the author of Cassandra It most natural, when the tongue has done its
heavy cannon, &c. as you have in The new test the church England'. ! honesty, p. 2.
From &at. Nov. to . fiat. Nov. 25, 1704. N° 17;
she difserence betwixt the old and new Obser v ator, as
Of
d«ui. ' X HIS new master of mine, know not what to make of him. I'm afraid thou art a
Rogue, master thou pretends to continue on the Obser- vator,
to fall to work with the hand therefore would
utmost,
advise that gentleman, whose only misfortune to have too little caution, that he would never clench an argument very sasl, as not to leave the adversary one corner to creep tut at for they then immediately fall on him with their
to the state. Advice to the new, as to the church.
late no-answer to Mr. Sach el. Ihe dissenters the aggressors in the paper-war. And more sierce and at*
tackingyJW their toleration.
I !
of
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The REHEARSAL.
•vator, and thou writes directly against him. Why then do'st thou not fay so ? that we might know whereto have thee ! This is worse than the Rehearsal, which was call'd only Observator, and taken as such by many, who thought the Obsrvator was bambooxsd! but John Henv the bocksellers name was not to as to thine; nor the number of the Observator, as thou hast For would ha' been little sort of lye; and may be Jabn Hew might have had ground of action, for interloping upon his cosy, and putting his name to what he did not
print. Hast thou ventur'd upon all this or, Hew too
in the plot to compleat the volumes of his Observators, and not let people think that the paper faH'n, till Tutehin shall be at leisure again to go on with his own work, as he has given publick notice he intends, of which
told, thee in my last.
But w hat blunder will here be when men come
hereafter to read the Observatcrs (if any hereafter will be at the pains to read them) and compare JV. 2. N. 84. andN. So. with Vol. N. 70. which was thy last Sa turday's Obserimtor? In the two former (as in many others) the murder of K. Charles justify and his
apes trampled upon, with the utmost insolence. As like wise of his son K. James II, whom they rejoice to have
J04
all his regalities, and made afugitive upon earth (like Cain and fay, We had done sooner, we
divested
had had an opportunity doing. So that they defigned and were about it, at the fame time that they silled his
ears withtheirfulsome addresses ofperpetualloyalty, and godly sincerity. Pursuant to their constant prac tice and principles, they took God to witness! And in the faid Observators they triumph and insult upon what they scornfully call the de-collation, and de-trun cation of his royal father and compare with his ab dication
But in the faid Observators, Vol. N. 70, There
a severe reprehenfion against the villifying ofprinces, and trampling upon their ashes, especially of these two before nam'd, of whom the first call'd great good king, and
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The REHEARSAL.
105
martyr of pious memory. And that the name of his soie, K. James II. ought to be blessed among us.
Nay, more than all this, the fame Observatcr, N. 70. , makes root and branch -work with the whole republican
foundation, and the clink of all the volumes of the Obser- •vators, by overthrowing the fuppos'd original and radical power of the people, in erecting of government, and that
the royal authority is deriv'dyh>»z them, and by consent,
conserr d upon their sovereigns. That God is no more au
thor of the supreme, than ofsubordinate power ; and that dominion avhich is usurp'd and unjust, while it remains do minion, claims God for its donor, as much as that which is
legal and hereditary. That sovereignty andpower being by conveyance from the people, are conditional and proportimid
according as the community please to confer the trust. That there may be a power co-ordinate, or collateral to that of
the sovereign s ; and that, in some cases, the sovereign it
subordinate to the people, and may be refisted and oppos'd by violence, force and arms. All these tenets he condemns as
seditious, and tending to confufion, as contrary to the prac tice of the best and ancient Christians, and contrary to sound reason, deduc'd from nature, and the befl institutions of po
lity andgovernment.
Nay, he calls all these popish principles, and fays, It
is a thousand pities that such men as pretend so much zeal against popery , should join with papists in the worst, at least, the most pernicious doctrines; but ten thousand times more pity it is, that the reformed protestant religion
shouldsuffer by such men, and that good 'English protestants Jhould be charged with these things in aster ages.
Then he explains that vulgar maxim ofJalus populifu- prema lex esto, from the republican pretence of making
the people judges of who, he fays, are most all mi
st for judging, concerning the preservation os church or state and he makes the salus regis, the safety of the king, to be the safety of the people For that, as he concludes, speak
ing of her, present Majesty, impossible the fiibject can have peace or safety, where the sovereign and her preroga tive art weaken thatshe cannot command andprotest.
F5 Now,
d,
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of ;
io6 The REHEARSAL.
Now, master, that is Casjandra all over ! and for fay
ing of these things my former master sent that jlut to the
ducking stool, and call'd all this billings-gate in her ; nay, he condemn'd her to the gallows, and her books to the
Unless itbe for thy notion ofa church, whjch is no church, of which I told thee in my last ; in which, if thou wilt clear thy self, I may afford thee my company sometimes upon reasonable terms ; for it seems to me as impossible
. for any country to prosess a religion, without having some church established, as for a state to subsist without a
government establish'd. And the church (so now let me call for speak not of true or false which was
establish'd among the Heathen, as well as among the Jews
and Christians, was always part of thestate, and the principal part of and all contravention to the church
was reckoned an infraction upon the state. Shew where was otherwise.
But thou seems to have no notion at all of church, as society under government but only as afect of indivi
duals being of this or that opinion, like the several sorts of
esta
jlames. He could have no patience with her !
thou his curate ? he has disown'd thee already, and given advertisement of it in his own brother's paper, called the Flying Post. I long to know how he'll handle thee, when he resumes his own office again, after a little laiv- work is over ! thou'lt e'en be sent to bear Cast'andra com pany !
And art
And that man be an Academick, an
philosophers.
Epicurean, Stoick, Cartestan, Copernican, or Aristote lian, or to come nearer to religion, Thomist, or Scotifl and may change his sentiments ten times day, without being accountable to any. And as none of these
blished any law, in opposition to the other so
yours of this Nov. 18. N. 69.
you would not have this
sr that religion establish'd, or to have the rule and power, in oppofition to the other. This would make all
religion precarious, and suppose mankind 'perfectly in
as to that matter, and to think of no more (onfequenee than the most trifling disputes but especially
different
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The REHEARSAL.
107
it is most reflecting upon the christian religion, as if there were nospirituality in or concerns of another life. This rank Deism, and beyond even heathen Rome, or
(upon both of which religions you bestow very large encomiums for both of these pretended to re velation, and both establistid church in pursuance to it, and oppofition to all other Therefore you were mightily out when you fay, N. 68. that Cicero was of no church, for he was of the then establish'd church that taking the word church for society under government, prosessing some religion (whether true or salseh not the matter now) and established by the laws of the land, in opposition to others. This has been the way of the whole earth, and you can never have otherwise.
Even Holland, that place of toleration, they have an established church, and so guarded, that aone of any other communion have any access to magistracy, or share in the
government .
When Christ our Lord founded his religion, he esta-
blished a church (not upon secular power, to shew its in dependency, and prerogative above all others) with autho
rity in the governors, the apostles, and their successors the bishops, to the end of the world, to admit into, and go vern this society, and to exclude out of and from all
tile privileges of it, both in this world, and that to come. Without a church, no religion can be preserved; there
fore the christian church called the pillar and ground of the truth.
No man can be excommunicated, or turned out of an tpimon, or the privileges of but he may out of
ciety Therefore the church society, with governors,
Mahometism
rules and privileges; and not
far less of meer thinkers, without restraint or limitation.
will add this, that your notions can never be right as to the state, while they are thus loose as to the church which, as faid, ever was, is, and must be part of the state, and the establishment, and cannot be separated from until yoa can get the world persuaded, to have
no religion at all, or to have no value for it. Till when, ac*
company professors only,
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to8 The REHEARSAL.
no church, and no religion will always be thought the
fame thing.
O. I will take time to my next to consider of this.
C. Then I will go on with the other part we were last upon, that your method of answering books. There are three forts of answers, good, bad, and indifferent. Bat
fourth fort would speak something of. O. What the fourth fort good countryman.
there
C. Thefourth fort of answer stops reply, and an answer still
no answer at all, which
O. Thou'rt merry! countryman.
C. No, Sir, I'm in sober fadness, and I'll fhew to
you, lately come forth called Mr. Sach — el\» prin
ciples examind, or im-moderation display To which it
annex'd, an impartial comparison between him and the Ob-
London, printed 1704.
Now here we would expect, 17? . Mr. Z's prin-
fervntor.
ciples set down, and confuted, zdly. His im-moderation pursuing them display And ^etly. Some comparison or other between (he meant betwixt) him and theObservator.
But what no principles at all of Mr. ss be set
down
O. Then a no answer indeed The im-moderation,
and the comparison are about nothing
C. No, master, they are about something! they are
andfurious, Sec.
O. That still upon the id. point of im-moderation. But the principles must be first laid down before they can
be either confuted, or called im-moderate.
C. Why then, master, have read over with all the
have and cannot sind any such thing as one prin ciple in all. There nothing but an empty, flashy ha rangue, like theme of one of the school-boys in their
private academies, learning to put fine words together, and to fay something upon nothing He loves jimilies, and pretty finfences but, like Bays, knows not how to apply
them. Nay he so unlucky, that they apply themselves against himself, and the party he pleads for. He accuses Mr. — for preaching sedition, but tells not against
. whm;
about passion, and resentment
eyes
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The REHEARSAL.
109 whom ; nor can any body tell, unless it be against the dissenters: And ifso, here's a new argument for their being not only tolerated, but establish' d! Let any one read the dissenters fayings, by Sir Roger UEstrange, and keep in mind, how their traiterous and seditious sermons blew up the cursed rebellion of forty-one; and then see to
whom he can asfly such periods as these, in this examina tion of Mr. 5 — f% principles, as p. 2. That nothing has a greater influence upon the ignorant mob, than factious and
seditious sermons—That from the pulpit shouldproceedper suafions to violent commotions, entreaties to revengeful re
sentments, and commands for a universal extirpation, iar nished with the paintedface os innuendo s, and implication, is a crime inexpiable both to God and prince. How then their ovmpractice so truly here describ'dhzs been expiated,
The like
thro' all his book ; and as he begins he ends, p. 22- 'Tit an easy matter with factious sermons to excite commotions — There are few publick disturbances, but some hot-headed
or is expiable let them consider !
strain goes
preacher is their chief fomentet — ,Tis impcssible we should live in peace a7id unity, until the sanctifying mouths ofsedi tion are put to filence. That is most true ; but on which
side the application lies even as to our present disturbances, will appear from this, that, as I have told thee in my t-ivo
last, the -whigs and dissenters have been the aggressors in all that paper-war, which has kept the nation in hot -water ever since this reign. Let them name one bock wrote tm behalf of the church, or government, that was not in an swer to some of their virulent libels. Their numbers are
vastly more ; and they have re-printed the most spiteful and hitter, wrote in former times. They have recom mended those wrote in Elizabeth's reign, for which some of their preachers and authors were xhea. condemn'dto
be bang'd; and others in the after reigns, even of the most higotted cameronians in Scotland; a list of which Mr. Calamy has printed, and vouch' d as their principles at present. And. let me add, as a conclufion, (for I can stay no longer with thee now) that the most numerous spawn, of these seditious pamphlets against both church and
3
state
no The REHEARSAL.
I
state have come out since the toleration ; to shew wVut \ grateful use the dissenters have made of it i and how I f,ercely they move since they began to think of establise- \
ment! for which they now . openly fntendI Ass. stem that is falling upon us, moves the swifter the nearer it
comes to its centre. And as a nearer view to what we
desire, provokes double diligence, and a xeal, with impa tience at any thing that stands in our way ! But onestep more, and we have it! Then the word is, have at it!
N° 18.
Of priestcraft, (ystrouling preachers. And tickets for
From ^at. Nov. 25, to •f>at. Dec. 2,
1704.
sermons. With some of Dan. Burgess'/ stars. Tie present state ofthe church of England exemplified in trial at the Old-Baily. Two books aa-
Iwerd.
Co««. TT 7HAT ! havelgotaNEw masterevery
VV noator? Is legion Obser- must 1 be going his rounds ; and
possessed- with a of difFerentyi&^/fo, fwuv ever)' wed? In thine of last Saturday, N. 72. thca
inad'st me rail, after a beastly rate, at churchmen, and their sermons, and the p^'«\t in the liturgy ; and brought'st
up again the thread-bare topick of pri,fi-crast to give a>f»/ to thy spleen ! with thy nasty and tears ! and
thou own'st thy, self of no church, which thou call'st
party; and consequently, as I prov'd to thee, in my last, thou can'st be of no religion.
But if thou had'st a grain of grace or goodness left, thou vrould'st distinguish betwixt persons and things. There was a defection among the angels of heaven j and
there was a Judas among the apostles, and, as the old faying is, the corruption of the best things is the :
A corrupt angel, is a devil, worst next to him in and a corrupt friest is
thou might'ft, wickedness, because next in dignity ; and with as much fense, set up thy throat, and
hel-
necessary to be ai
The REHEARSAL. in
btllorw against angels, for angel-craft ; as against priests, for priest-craft.
O. ThouYt a pitiful priest-ridden sellow. Thou wor- fllip'st the very shadmv of a black gown. Thou can'st see nofault in them.
C. The reverence I have for their character, makes me* more sharp-fighted than thou art, to spy out the faults in the persons. But with this difference ; thou rejoices and insults, and improves it to an argument against the office ; whereas it grieves me to the soul ; and makes me think of the fins of the people, which have deserv'd fnch a judgment, as to have such priests set over them. As the prophet fays, Like people, like priests. I pay re
spect to the clerical Hahit; but if I see a wolf un
der it, lam sill'd with fear and indignation too against
the person, though I preserve my reverence to the fun ction. And the more sanctify d and theatrically he car ries on the deceit, with antick actions, and distorted countenance, and wonderful vehemency of style! My horror encreases, and it sets me more upon my guard. Then [ think, I am now going to be cheated! I must look well about me !
pits of the town, and almost at one time ! And notice read publickly by the clerk, out of his desk, and the fame given in written tickets to the auditors, telling at what church the fame is to preach the sunday follow
Especially, when I see a man affect popularity, and thrusting himielf into other mens cures, sill all the pul
/w,
are bespoke, as at the Bath ! sill'd with cons, non-cons, and
ing : Whither crowds do bustle, as to a
and
feats
occafiona lists, hodce-potch !
Now as this is un-canonical, without the licence of the
hishop of the diocese, and introductive of all confufion into the church, . against which I am told the canons, both ancient and modern, have provided: So has it been the method of sedition, when popular orators run through
the people, and alarm the nation. There is something then a working !
When, on the one side, some shall be employ'd to go
112 The REHEARSAL.
go up and down every where, crying Peace, peace, theie is no danger! No, none at all ! Therefore shew your moderation, in your see urity, leave off your watches, let the honest men go to their beds !
When, at the fame time, the bell-weatbsrs on the o- ther side, are silling their people's heads with jealous a and fears, no less than downright persecution and utter
destruction coming upon them !
Dan. Burgess told them last funday se'nnight, at his Meeting, where I look'd in, and heard him, advising them to be stars, and moving stars, not only to shim, but that they must move too. And how move ? not only with their hearts, but with their hands! Some, faid he, will open their purse-strings, and have the heart to part with their money ; which is a good thing ; but it is not all. They must lend their hands too to the work, when there is need of them ! money is shining ; but it is hands must name. You must not only shine, but
I quoted to thee in Rehearsal, N. tongue
1 6. That when tie has done its utmost, we must fall to work iuith
the hand. We must shine with the tongue, in our learned discourses ; but we must mome w ith our bands, to
dO bufiness !
And when the onestde is morning, to persuade the
other to liestill, is being certainly in fee with the mov ing side. And such a strouling preacher of peace
does 'em more service than twenty of their own trum
peters for war ; for they are known and suspected. And
he (good man! ) wou'd only disarm those whom they intend to de•vour. And that only for peace fake, to pre
vent a quxrrelt
This minds me of a passage I heard pnee at a trial in
the Old-Bailey , where a house-breaker endeavouring to cut the throat of a servant-maid, who erfd out ; and she struggling hard, and hav ing her hands mangl'd in saving her mini pipe, he faid to her, Why do you put yourself to all this pain and trouble ? Do but let me a- lone, and the work will be over presently !
To which, as prevent
move, &c.
This is a good comment upon the text of De Foe, which
Thus
The REHEARSjAL.
113
Thus it is now preach'd to the church ! She will fave
herself a great deal of trouble, and die in more peace and
quietness!
But there is no word of exhortation to the robbers, to
make peace by forbearing their unjust askults upon the rz'fi/ of others.
No advice to the dissenters, to restrain their iirulent invectives against the church, which come out thick
and threefold every week. Besides their printing, re
printing, and recommending the hitterefi and most spiteful books have been wrote against her in Q^Elizabeth's time, and all the way downwards, as I have shew'd thee in my three last. And likewise how the dissenters are the aggressors in the present paper-war, and the church upon
the defenfive ; what is wrote on her side being in an
swer to their railing accusations. And as men who
are upon the attack, are generally more sierce than
the defendants ; so is it in the present cafe. Let any one read both sides, and he will sind ten-fold more of the
spirit of gall and fury in the pamphlets and papers of the
than of the church. In those wrote for mode ration, than in those who answer, and wou'd explain it to its true meaning.
she only wanted it ! The dissenters are not persuaded to forbear their attacks; but the church, not to answer
for herself, till she shall be render'd sufficiently vile and odious to all the nation ! Notwithstanding that she is insulted for not answering ; and her filence made an ar
dijsenters,
Yet moderation is press 'd only upon the church ! as if
gument of her confessing the charges laid against her ! As
I have shew'd before, N.
Thus was moderation preach'd to the poor maid before
1 from De Foe, &c. 5.
mention'd, only to hinder her out-cries, and disturbing the neighbourhood I What a noise is here ? Stop her breath ! and then it will be over presently!
0. Do'st thou think that these men, whose sermons
and wiitings serve our ends so effectually, do ever read
the pamphlets, that our friends write so smartly against the church ? I am afraid they wou'd alter their note, if
they did. C. I
ii4
The REHEARSAL.
C. I dare fay, that many of them never give them selves that trouble. These pamphlets of the disinters aie id very numerous, and so full of rancour and scurrility, that the reading them wou'd be too great a penance on such as have any other employment ; and they are cal
culated for mob understandings. But I wou'd recommend to the perufal of that eminent preacher of moderation, only tnvo short ones, that would take up but little of his time ; that The new test cs the church of England; loyalty and, The new test the church England'/ honesy, by the fame hand. And then am sure he wou'd be of opinion, that they are refiless, and very pro voking and spiteful writers And let him consider, that these are not answers to any high church pamphlet, or defence of the dissenters from their accusations, which might be some excuse but they are originals in their kind, except some pamphlets of the like kind, and with the fame title, which were put out the papiss the reign of the late K. James, to blacken the church of Eng land; and are now seasonably (as they think) revind! This not the only artillery they have borrow'd from the papiss against our church!
And likewise he will reflect, that for peace fake, and not to stir up heats in this time of war, no answer has hitherto been given any of the church to either of these invidious pamphlets though they have been trum
peted up and down both town and country, more than any other since the revolution and are boasted of as un
answerable, all the dissenters, who triumph in them
Can they shew such an instance of moderation on their
side To be content to lie patiently under such load of
infamy, rather than disturb the calm and quiet of the na
tion with their vindications And yet must they be ac
counted the aggreffors, the men of passion and resent ment, thesurious and the spiteful, because they will not
be totally silent, but answer in some other things
O. am afraid, lest such great provocations shou'd, at last, rouse up the spirit of some of the high-church to answer these two scandalous pamphlets since they can
hardly
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The REHEARSAL.
hardly go into company, where there is a whig, a dis senter, or even a Icw-church-nmn, but such an answer is call'd for, with no little insulting! And if they shou'd anjkcer with as much mettle and concern, as the rcs«/i seems to require, who knows what a fiame, what a
change i: might produce! Therefore, to prevent ail such consequences, I do join heartily with thee, countryman, in an humble petition to the fame to take this task out cf any other hot hand, and himself to give an an
swer to these t-zvo so much celebrated pamphlets; be cause we are sure he wou'd do it vvith moueration ! And tho' it is much beneath him to enter the lists with De Foe, as of any man of character to answer die Ob-
servator; yet where the mischief . is great and spreading, the putting a siop to not unworthy tiie greatest man, tho' he steep below himself, when that becomes ne cessary. And he will judge sitting for him to conde
scend to this the more readily, in consideration that he himself not meanly concern'd in the black asperfions cast upon the church in these books
C. hope he will do it. But not, have good mind to do myself for think can. And be not well done, the more blame will lie upon him for not doing better, and trusting to a poor country man. So good night, master for am sleepy.
From &at. Dec. z, to. fzat.
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The REHEARSAL.
99
C. Ay ! who knows indeed ! Do'st thou expect an
answer to thy night-mare ofjealousies and/ears? Wilt thou oppose thy might-bees, and which never have been in England, to all that we have seen and felt of reiellicn and rewlution ? To the hundreds and thousands that have been murder d, and many more utterly undone by popular
commotions ! Wilt thou compare all these with a favour
ite or two (whom you generally hate) disgraced or ruin'd
by a ; or whatever you cou'd call a grievance to the people, in all the arhitrary and illegal acts of our iing? (as I faid) since William the conqueror ! Men must be cs-
chanted, before they can be carry'd away with such ridi culous pretences, to hunt after their own ruin ! whence rebellion is rightly call'd witchcrast by God himself/ And is not that the cafe, when dreams of what we never fi•w, that persuade us out of our fve fenses, and our reason, and experience to boot! And are men thus bewitch'd, thus perniciously bewitch'd, to the endless destruction
of the people, in sapping the foundations of all government,
and laying groundwork for nothing but eternal revolution
and confufion, making all settlement, in what /o/ct of ga-
I'ernment soever, utterly impracticable, by placing the dernier resort of all things in the oto£ ? I fay, are such
men to have what they call their full liberty given them,
to propagate and practise such principles, let them call themselves of what church or denomination they please ?
These thou thy self, master, hast excepted, as being hurt ful, and most dangerous to the stated • .
And how thou, who wilt not ' declare thy self of any church, and so art of no church, and consequently wou'd'it hint no church establish'd; how thou art sit to treat of church matters; especially considering, that the (burch with us, as in all nations, is a part, and the
principal part of the state, I leave thee to thy next to re solve ; and will now prosecute the subject we were last upon, a little further.
In Biy last I shew'd the method of your party towards peace and union, in sending out a numerous,^wuw ofpoi- rcnotts pamphlets against the church ; and then taking equal
F 2 offence
ioo
The REHEARS AL.
offence at their being answer d, or not answered, each a new ground of quarrel!
making
But as if the daily swarms of pamphlets that come from your fide (ten to one in number to those that are wrote on the fide of the chufch ) were not sufficient, you have got a
been long since answer d, as new booh, and cry out foi
new answers to them.
In the year 1660 (you began early, immediately upon
the restauration ) you publish'd a hook with this title, The interest of England, in the matter of religion, unfolded
new-old trick, to re-print your old libels, which have
in thesolution ofthese questions. in 1 . Whether the presbyterian party should
justice, er reason ofstate, he rejected and depressed, or protected and
encouraged?
2. Q;, Whether the presbyterian party may he proteseed
and encouraged, and the episcopal not deserted or disoblig'd? 3. Whether the upholding of both parties, by ajus andequal accommodation, be not in itselfmore defirable cad
more agreeable to the state of England, than the abfohti exalting of the one party, and the total subverfion of tht
ether?
Written by J. C.
This w the title. And in theyear 1661, Sir Roger
VEstrange wrote an excellent answer to well known
by the name of the holy cheat, provingfrom the un
deniable practiccs and pofitions ofthe presbyterians, that the
defign that party, is, to en/lave both king andpeople, un
der the mast religion. This was wrote so pointedly, and the proofs so undeniable, that the party were not able
give any answer to so that went on, and prevail and in the year 1682, received fourth impression.
of all which, the fame book thus an swer and efsectually confuted, came out again, in tie
year 702, under this title, Three questions ofpresent im
portance, modestly resolvd. And the three forefaid queriu set down, with small •variation of some words, but no
thing in substance. And thisj>f<w the fame book come
out again, with the former title but no notice takin, A. ,
Notwithstanding
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The REHEARSAL. 101
that it is already answer d, past even their modesty to reply! No! it is now a new, spick andspan new book !
See if any of the church party will give it a new answer ! that we may laugh at them ! and if it should be less pun
gent than that of Sir Rogers, we wou'd catch at the ad
vantage ! and, O smart!
! how we wou'd ! quick! and reply
trick, for
it before. Cartwright the arch-puritan in Q. Elizabeth's
I call this a new-old
your party have done
reign, wrote a book, endeavouring to prove, that the primitive churches which had bishops, were parishes only, and not dioceses ; and that the churches of each city were
but one parishional congregation. This was solidly and learnedly answer d at that time, so as to put an end to
that vain pretence. A friend of mine has the answer
ready to produce. Thus that plea of the dissenters lay asleep, from that time, till about 20 years past, when
Mr. Clarkson wrote his No scripture evidence for diocesan bishops, wherein this topick is again set up, and was tak«n as. a new discovery ! which occalion'd an excellent answer to him by Dr. Maurice, 18 or 19 years ago. To which
no reply has been made to this day. Nor I suppose ever will. Yet De Foe in The dissenters answer to the high-
church challenge, printed thisyear 1704. p. 11. names this book of Clarkson 's as not answer et, and provokes any of the church to answer so great a man as he makes Clark
son, faying of him, That he was as much of both gentle man andscholar, as ever the nation bred ; and tho' a dis
senter, had the honour to be tutor to the learned and mes ex cellent Dr. Tillotson, late archbifoop of Canterbury,
who is not much the better for the charafter of De Foe as we must suppose him not the worse, for having been bred up under such a tutor ! and the telling of it here, was not meant for his advantage. There are some sort offolks, who dirty every thing they touch.
But among their methods of answering, the chief is not to be forgot, which they tell us out of Machiuvel,
in The teew test os the church os England's honesty, p. 2. That wben men argue about religion, ifone side cannot an- F 3 fwer,
!
ioi The REHEARSAL.
of K. Charles I. and in the reign of JL Churls II. in Scotland, where they had twi Battles for it; and a continu'd conspiracy, which broke out every other year in England. And thus they et- t, mpt, d to end it in Elizabeth's time, even to join ani concur veith the Jesuites (who set them up) in opening
powerful nation ofpapists in the world, made that wise tauten more watchful over their off-spring the puritans. She comirar. ded her parliament to give no heed to the nieariscrse felicitations of the PURITANS, •wherewithal
" the late parliament (fays my lord chancellor from the Slueen) have been exceedingly importun'd. They have been always teasers of parliaments.
In the fame speech it is told, that they had the fame, way of answering books, as- they use now ; not to mind what was wrote against them, but repeat their own objec
tions over and over again. I never heard on't before. O. What speech is that ?
C. That's strange ! why it is in a book thou fay'st thou
hast answer d. It is inserted in the second part of that
libel call'd Cassandra, in the Appen. Num. 3. p. 84.
O. Yes, I have answer d but never read and
give good reason for in my Observators, that not worth reading and have sill'd how marty Observa tors with all the old and new-made ill names could think on, which bestow upon the author, some fiw of which begin thy sirst Rehearsal, called only Observator, to put Jham upon me and conclude, that would
have the book burnt, and the author harg^d. Was'n't that Full-an/hver and would have prevented any reply.
Aud
Jhver, it certainly ends in a battle. Thus it ended in the
rc:gn
the dcor, and prepat ing the way to the Spanish INVasios; as thati? »«» told her parliannnt, by her lord chancellor Puckering: But she kept their nails close perV, and fityords out of their hands. She trusted them not in places ofpower, or to have any thing to do with the administra tion of the government ; tho' then daily expecting the Spanijl invafion, which soon after follow'd. This time of •war, tho' against the most bigotted, and then moil
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The RE HEARS AL.
103
And this is the only answer to be given, as my bro ther De Foe has agreed with me, that we must go to bat tle, when we cannot otherwise answer ; and now we are ready for else we would not have given thispublick notice
We have not been able to fay one word in desence of
our mob-original ofgovernment, which attack'd in the first part of Cnssandra nor of those limitations of coercion
we would have over the crown nor can we deny them to
beinconststcntviithmonarchy,ziidcontradi3ory to thenature of government in general, as well as our own constitution, and the laws of England, from the beginning, and still
in being. We have nothing to fay to these thidgs and we willnot be content with limitations of concisjion, nor understand our laws in that sense; what then can we an
swer? We must e'en to baitle! as before faid, the time come! we have had provocation sufsicient! for, as De 1'oe adds, as comment upon what he quoted out of Ma-
chiavel, and may serve as an answer to the author of Cassandra It most natural, when the tongue has done its
heavy cannon, &c. as you have in The new test the church England'. ! honesty, p. 2.
From &at. Nov. to . fiat. Nov. 25, 1704. N° 17;
she difserence betwixt the old and new Obser v ator, as
Of
d«ui. ' X HIS new master of mine, know not what to make of him. I'm afraid thou art a
Rogue, master thou pretends to continue on the Obser- vator,
to fall to work with the hand therefore would
utmost,
advise that gentleman, whose only misfortune to have too little caution, that he would never clench an argument very sasl, as not to leave the adversary one corner to creep tut at for they then immediately fall on him with their
to the state. Advice to the new, as to the church.
late no-answer to Mr. Sach el. Ihe dissenters the aggressors in the paper-war. And more sierce and at*
tackingyJW their toleration.
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The REHEARSAL.
•vator, and thou writes directly against him. Why then do'st thou not fay so ? that we might know whereto have thee ! This is worse than the Rehearsal, which was call'd only Observator, and taken as such by many, who thought the Obsrvator was bambooxsd! but John Henv the bocksellers name was not to as to thine; nor the number of the Observator, as thou hast For would ha' been little sort of lye; and may be Jabn Hew might have had ground of action, for interloping upon his cosy, and putting his name to what he did not
print. Hast thou ventur'd upon all this or, Hew too
in the plot to compleat the volumes of his Observators, and not let people think that the paper faH'n, till Tutehin shall be at leisure again to go on with his own work, as he has given publick notice he intends, of which
told, thee in my last.
But w hat blunder will here be when men come
hereafter to read the Observatcrs (if any hereafter will be at the pains to read them) and compare JV. 2. N. 84. andN. So. with Vol. N. 70. which was thy last Sa turday's Obserimtor? In the two former (as in many others) the murder of K. Charles justify and his
apes trampled upon, with the utmost insolence. As like wise of his son K. James II, whom they rejoice to have
J04
all his regalities, and made afugitive upon earth (like Cain and fay, We had done sooner, we
divested
had had an opportunity doing. So that they defigned and were about it, at the fame time that they silled his
ears withtheirfulsome addresses ofperpetualloyalty, and godly sincerity. Pursuant to their constant prac tice and principles, they took God to witness! And in the faid Observators they triumph and insult upon what they scornfully call the de-collation, and de-trun cation of his royal father and compare with his ab dication
But in the faid Observators, Vol. N. 70, There
a severe reprehenfion against the villifying ofprinces, and trampling upon their ashes, especially of these two before nam'd, of whom the first call'd great good king, and
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The REHEARSAL.
105
martyr of pious memory. And that the name of his soie, K. James II. ought to be blessed among us.
Nay, more than all this, the fame Observatcr, N. 70. , makes root and branch -work with the whole republican
foundation, and the clink of all the volumes of the Obser- •vators, by overthrowing the fuppos'd original and radical power of the people, in erecting of government, and that
the royal authority is deriv'dyh>»z them, and by consent,
conserr d upon their sovereigns. That God is no more au
thor of the supreme, than ofsubordinate power ; and that dominion avhich is usurp'd and unjust, while it remains do minion, claims God for its donor, as much as that which is
legal and hereditary. That sovereignty andpower being by conveyance from the people, are conditional and proportimid
according as the community please to confer the trust. That there may be a power co-ordinate, or collateral to that of
the sovereign s ; and that, in some cases, the sovereign it
subordinate to the people, and may be refisted and oppos'd by violence, force and arms. All these tenets he condemns as
seditious, and tending to confufion, as contrary to the prac tice of the best and ancient Christians, and contrary to sound reason, deduc'd from nature, and the befl institutions of po
lity andgovernment.
Nay, he calls all these popish principles, and fays, It
is a thousand pities that such men as pretend so much zeal against popery , should join with papists in the worst, at least, the most pernicious doctrines; but ten thousand times more pity it is, that the reformed protestant religion
shouldsuffer by such men, and that good 'English protestants Jhould be charged with these things in aster ages.
Then he explains that vulgar maxim ofJalus populifu- prema lex esto, from the republican pretence of making
the people judges of who, he fays, are most all mi
st for judging, concerning the preservation os church or state and he makes the salus regis, the safety of the king, to be the safety of the people For that, as he concludes, speak
ing of her, present Majesty, impossible the fiibject can have peace or safety, where the sovereign and her preroga tive art weaken thatshe cannot command andprotest.
F5 Now,
d,
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io6 The REHEARSAL.
Now, master, that is Casjandra all over ! and for fay
ing of these things my former master sent that jlut to the
ducking stool, and call'd all this billings-gate in her ; nay, he condemn'd her to the gallows, and her books to the
Unless itbe for thy notion ofa church, whjch is no church, of which I told thee in my last ; in which, if thou wilt clear thy self, I may afford thee my company sometimes upon reasonable terms ; for it seems to me as impossible
. for any country to prosess a religion, without having some church established, as for a state to subsist without a
government establish'd. And the church (so now let me call for speak not of true or false which was
establish'd among the Heathen, as well as among the Jews
and Christians, was always part of thestate, and the principal part of and all contravention to the church
was reckoned an infraction upon the state. Shew where was otherwise.
But thou seems to have no notion at all of church, as society under government but only as afect of indivi
duals being of this or that opinion, like the several sorts of
esta
jlames. He could have no patience with her !
thou his curate ? he has disown'd thee already, and given advertisement of it in his own brother's paper, called the Flying Post. I long to know how he'll handle thee, when he resumes his own office again, after a little laiv- work is over ! thou'lt e'en be sent to bear Cast'andra com pany !
And art
And that man be an Academick, an
philosophers.
Epicurean, Stoick, Cartestan, Copernican, or Aristote lian, or to come nearer to religion, Thomist, or Scotifl and may change his sentiments ten times day, without being accountable to any. And as none of these
blished any law, in opposition to the other so
yours of this Nov. 18. N. 69.
you would not have this
sr that religion establish'd, or to have the rule and power, in oppofition to the other. This would make all
religion precarious, and suppose mankind 'perfectly in
as to that matter, and to think of no more (onfequenee than the most trifling disputes but especially
different
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The REHEARSAL.
107
it is most reflecting upon the christian religion, as if there were nospirituality in or concerns of another life. This rank Deism, and beyond even heathen Rome, or
(upon both of which religions you bestow very large encomiums for both of these pretended to re velation, and both establistid church in pursuance to it, and oppofition to all other Therefore you were mightily out when you fay, N. 68. that Cicero was of no church, for he was of the then establish'd church that taking the word church for society under government, prosessing some religion (whether true or salseh not the matter now) and established by the laws of the land, in opposition to others. This has been the way of the whole earth, and you can never have otherwise.
Even Holland, that place of toleration, they have an established church, and so guarded, that aone of any other communion have any access to magistracy, or share in the
government .
When Christ our Lord founded his religion, he esta-
blished a church (not upon secular power, to shew its in dependency, and prerogative above all others) with autho
rity in the governors, the apostles, and their successors the bishops, to the end of the world, to admit into, and go vern this society, and to exclude out of and from all
tile privileges of it, both in this world, and that to come. Without a church, no religion can be preserved; there
fore the christian church called the pillar and ground of the truth.
No man can be excommunicated, or turned out of an tpimon, or the privileges of but he may out of
ciety Therefore the church society, with governors,
Mahometism
rules and privileges; and not
far less of meer thinkers, without restraint or limitation.
will add this, that your notions can never be right as to the state, while they are thus loose as to the church which, as faid, ever was, is, and must be part of the state, and the establishment, and cannot be separated from until yoa can get the world persuaded, to have
no religion at all, or to have no value for it. Till when, ac*
company professors only,
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no church, and no religion will always be thought the
fame thing.
O. I will take time to my next to consider of this.
C. Then I will go on with the other part we were last upon, that your method of answering books. There are three forts of answers, good, bad, and indifferent. Bat
fourth fort would speak something of. O. What the fourth fort good countryman.
there
C. Thefourth fort of answer stops reply, and an answer still
no answer at all, which
O. Thou'rt merry! countryman.
C. No, Sir, I'm in sober fadness, and I'll fhew to
you, lately come forth called Mr. Sach — el\» prin
ciples examind, or im-moderation display To which it
annex'd, an impartial comparison between him and the Ob-
London, printed 1704.
Now here we would expect, 17? . Mr. Z's prin-
fervntor.
ciples set down, and confuted, zdly. His im-moderation pursuing them display And ^etly. Some comparison or other between (he meant betwixt) him and theObservator.
But what no principles at all of Mr. ss be set
down
O. Then a no answer indeed The im-moderation,
and the comparison are about nothing
C. No, master, they are about something! they are
andfurious, Sec.
O. That still upon the id. point of im-moderation. But the principles must be first laid down before they can
be either confuted, or called im-moderate.
C. Why then, master, have read over with all the
have and cannot sind any such thing as one prin ciple in all. There nothing but an empty, flashy ha rangue, like theme of one of the school-boys in their
private academies, learning to put fine words together, and to fay something upon nothing He loves jimilies, and pretty finfences but, like Bays, knows not how to apply
them. Nay he so unlucky, that they apply themselves against himself, and the party he pleads for. He accuses Mr. — for preaching sedition, but tells not against
. whm;
about passion, and resentment
eyes
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in
it
d. S
is
! is
?
The REHEARSAL.
109 whom ; nor can any body tell, unless it be against the dissenters: And ifso, here's a new argument for their being not only tolerated, but establish' d! Let any one read the dissenters fayings, by Sir Roger UEstrange, and keep in mind, how their traiterous and seditious sermons blew up the cursed rebellion of forty-one; and then see to
whom he can asfly such periods as these, in this examina tion of Mr. 5 — f% principles, as p. 2. That nothing has a greater influence upon the ignorant mob, than factious and
seditious sermons—That from the pulpit shouldproceedper suafions to violent commotions, entreaties to revengeful re
sentments, and commands for a universal extirpation, iar nished with the paintedface os innuendo s, and implication, is a crime inexpiable both to God and prince. How then their ovmpractice so truly here describ'dhzs been expiated,
The like
thro' all his book ; and as he begins he ends, p. 22- 'Tit an easy matter with factious sermons to excite commotions — There are few publick disturbances, but some hot-headed
or is expiable let them consider !
strain goes
preacher is their chief fomentet — ,Tis impcssible we should live in peace a7id unity, until the sanctifying mouths ofsedi tion are put to filence. That is most true ; but on which
side the application lies even as to our present disturbances, will appear from this, that, as I have told thee in my t-ivo
last, the -whigs and dissenters have been the aggressors in all that paper-war, which has kept the nation in hot -water ever since this reign. Let them name one bock wrote tm behalf of the church, or government, that was not in an swer to some of their virulent libels. Their numbers are
vastly more ; and they have re-printed the most spiteful and hitter, wrote in former times. They have recom mended those wrote in Elizabeth's reign, for which some of their preachers and authors were xhea. condemn'dto
be bang'd; and others in the after reigns, even of the most higotted cameronians in Scotland; a list of which Mr. Calamy has printed, and vouch' d as their principles at present. And. let me add, as a conclufion, (for I can stay no longer with thee now) that the most numerous spawn, of these seditious pamphlets against both church and
3
state
no The REHEARSAL.
I
state have come out since the toleration ; to shew wVut \ grateful use the dissenters have made of it i and how I f,ercely they move since they began to think of establise- \
ment! for which they now . openly fntendI Ass. stem that is falling upon us, moves the swifter the nearer it
comes to its centre. And as a nearer view to what we
desire, provokes double diligence, and a xeal, with impa tience at any thing that stands in our way ! But onestep more, and we have it! Then the word is, have at it!
N° 18.
Of priestcraft, (ystrouling preachers. And tickets for
From ^at. Nov. 25, to •f>at. Dec. 2,
1704.
sermons. With some of Dan. Burgess'/ stars. Tie present state ofthe church of England exemplified in trial at the Old-Baily. Two books aa-
Iwerd.
Co««. TT 7HAT ! havelgotaNEw masterevery
VV noator? Is legion Obser- must 1 be going his rounds ; and
possessed- with a of difFerentyi&^/fo, fwuv ever)' wed? In thine of last Saturday, N. 72. thca
inad'st me rail, after a beastly rate, at churchmen, and their sermons, and the p^'«\t in the liturgy ; and brought'st
up again the thread-bare topick of pri,fi-crast to give a>f»/ to thy spleen ! with thy nasty and tears ! and
thou own'st thy, self of no church, which thou call'st
party; and consequently, as I prov'd to thee, in my last, thou can'st be of no religion.
But if thou had'st a grain of grace or goodness left, thou vrould'st distinguish betwixt persons and things. There was a defection among the angels of heaven j and
there was a Judas among the apostles, and, as the old faying is, the corruption of the best things is the :
A corrupt angel, is a devil, worst next to him in and a corrupt friest is
thou might'ft, wickedness, because next in dignity ; and with as much fense, set up thy throat, and
hel-
necessary to be ai
The REHEARSAL. in
btllorw against angels, for angel-craft ; as against priests, for priest-craft.
O. ThouYt a pitiful priest-ridden sellow. Thou wor- fllip'st the very shadmv of a black gown. Thou can'st see nofault in them.
C. The reverence I have for their character, makes me* more sharp-fighted than thou art, to spy out the faults in the persons. But with this difference ; thou rejoices and insults, and improves it to an argument against the office ; whereas it grieves me to the soul ; and makes me think of the fins of the people, which have deserv'd fnch a judgment, as to have such priests set over them. As the prophet fays, Like people, like priests. I pay re
spect to the clerical Hahit; but if I see a wolf un
der it, lam sill'd with fear and indignation too against
the person, though I preserve my reverence to the fun ction. And the more sanctify d and theatrically he car ries on the deceit, with antick actions, and distorted countenance, and wonderful vehemency of style! My horror encreases, and it sets me more upon my guard. Then [ think, I am now going to be cheated! I must look well about me !
pits of the town, and almost at one time ! And notice read publickly by the clerk, out of his desk, and the fame given in written tickets to the auditors, telling at what church the fame is to preach the sunday follow
Especially, when I see a man affect popularity, and thrusting himielf into other mens cures, sill all the pul
/w,
are bespoke, as at the Bath ! sill'd with cons, non-cons, and
ing : Whither crowds do bustle, as to a
and
feats
occafiona lists, hodce-potch !
Now as this is un-canonical, without the licence of the
hishop of the diocese, and introductive of all confufion into the church, . against which I am told the canons, both ancient and modern, have provided: So has it been the method of sedition, when popular orators run through
the people, and alarm the nation. There is something then a working !
When, on the one side, some shall be employ'd to go
112 The REHEARSAL.
go up and down every where, crying Peace, peace, theie is no danger! No, none at all ! Therefore shew your moderation, in your see urity, leave off your watches, let the honest men go to their beds !
When, at the fame time, the bell-weatbsrs on the o- ther side, are silling their people's heads with jealous a and fears, no less than downright persecution and utter
destruction coming upon them !
Dan. Burgess told them last funday se'nnight, at his Meeting, where I look'd in, and heard him, advising them to be stars, and moving stars, not only to shim, but that they must move too. And how move ? not only with their hearts, but with their hands! Some, faid he, will open their purse-strings, and have the heart to part with their money ; which is a good thing ; but it is not all. They must lend their hands too to the work, when there is need of them ! money is shining ; but it is hands must name. You must not only shine, but
I quoted to thee in Rehearsal, N. tongue
1 6. That when tie has done its utmost, we must fall to work iuith
the hand. We must shine with the tongue, in our learned discourses ; but we must mome w ith our bands, to
dO bufiness !
And when the onestde is morning, to persuade the
other to liestill, is being certainly in fee with the mov ing side. And such a strouling preacher of peace
does 'em more service than twenty of their own trum
peters for war ; for they are known and suspected. And
he (good man! ) wou'd only disarm those whom they intend to de•vour. And that only for peace fake, to pre
vent a quxrrelt
This minds me of a passage I heard pnee at a trial in
the Old-Bailey , where a house-breaker endeavouring to cut the throat of a servant-maid, who erfd out ; and she struggling hard, and hav ing her hands mangl'd in saving her mini pipe, he faid to her, Why do you put yourself to all this pain and trouble ? Do but let me a- lone, and the work will be over presently !
To which, as prevent
move, &c.
This is a good comment upon the text of De Foe, which
Thus
The REHEARSjAL.
113
Thus it is now preach'd to the church ! She will fave
herself a great deal of trouble, and die in more peace and
quietness!
But there is no word of exhortation to the robbers, to
make peace by forbearing their unjust askults upon the rz'fi/ of others.
No advice to the dissenters, to restrain their iirulent invectives against the church, which come out thick
and threefold every week. Besides their printing, re
printing, and recommending the hitterefi and most spiteful books have been wrote against her in Q^Elizabeth's time, and all the way downwards, as I have shew'd thee in my three last. And likewise how the dissenters are the aggressors in the present paper-war, and the church upon
the defenfive ; what is wrote on her side being in an
swer to their railing accusations. And as men who
are upon the attack, are generally more sierce than
the defendants ; so is it in the present cafe. Let any one read both sides, and he will sind ten-fold more of the
spirit of gall and fury in the pamphlets and papers of the
than of the church. In those wrote for mode ration, than in those who answer, and wou'd explain it to its true meaning.
she only wanted it ! The dissenters are not persuaded to forbear their attacks; but the church, not to answer
for herself, till she shall be render'd sufficiently vile and odious to all the nation ! Notwithstanding that she is insulted for not answering ; and her filence made an ar
dijsenters,
Yet moderation is press 'd only upon the church ! as if
gument of her confessing the charges laid against her ! As
I have shew'd before, N.
Thus was moderation preach'd to the poor maid before
1 from De Foe, &c. 5.
mention'd, only to hinder her out-cries, and disturbing the neighbourhood I What a noise is here ? Stop her breath ! and then it will be over presently!
0. Do'st thou think that these men, whose sermons
and wiitings serve our ends so effectually, do ever read
the pamphlets, that our friends write so smartly against the church ? I am afraid they wou'd alter their note, if
they did. C. I
ii4
The REHEARSAL.
C. I dare fay, that many of them never give them selves that trouble. These pamphlets of the disinters aie id very numerous, and so full of rancour and scurrility, that the reading them wou'd be too great a penance on such as have any other employment ; and they are cal
culated for mob understandings. But I wou'd recommend to the perufal of that eminent preacher of moderation, only tnvo short ones, that would take up but little of his time ; that The new test cs the church of England; loyalty and, The new test the church England'/ honesy, by the fame hand. And then am sure he wou'd be of opinion, that they are refiless, and very pro voking and spiteful writers And let him consider, that these are not answers to any high church pamphlet, or defence of the dissenters from their accusations, which might be some excuse but they are originals in their kind, except some pamphlets of the like kind, and with the fame title, which were put out the papiss the reign of the late K. James, to blacken the church of Eng land; and are now seasonably (as they think) revind! This not the only artillery they have borrow'd from the papiss against our church!
And likewise he will reflect, that for peace fake, and not to stir up heats in this time of war, no answer has hitherto been given any of the church to either of these invidious pamphlets though they have been trum
peted up and down both town and country, more than any other since the revolution and are boasted of as un
answerable, all the dissenters, who triumph in them
Can they shew such an instance of moderation on their
side To be content to lie patiently under such load of
infamy, rather than disturb the calm and quiet of the na
tion with their vindications And yet must they be ac
counted the aggreffors, the men of passion and resent ment, thesurious and the spiteful, because they will not
be totally silent, but answer in some other things
O. am afraid, lest such great provocations shou'd, at last, rouse up the spirit of some of the high-church to answer these two scandalous pamphlets since they can
hardly
;
I
of
I? , is ; by
is,
!
a
!
in
; by
;
! I ;
of
by
The REHEARSAL.
hardly go into company, where there is a whig, a dis senter, or even a Icw-church-nmn, but such an answer is call'd for, with no little insulting! And if they shou'd anjkcer with as much mettle and concern, as the rcs«/i seems to require, who knows what a fiame, what a
change i: might produce! Therefore, to prevent ail such consequences, I do join heartily with thee, countryman, in an humble petition to the fame to take this task out cf any other hot hand, and himself to give an an
swer to these t-zvo so much celebrated pamphlets; be cause we are sure he wou'd do it vvith moueration ! And tho' it is much beneath him to enter the lists with De Foe, as of any man of character to answer die Ob-
servator; yet where the mischief . is great and spreading, the putting a siop to not unworthy tiie greatest man, tho' he steep below himself, when that becomes ne cessary. And he will judge sitting for him to conde
scend to this the more readily, in consideration that he himself not meanly concern'd in the black asperfions cast upon the church in these books
C. hope he will do it. But not, have good mind to do myself for think can. And be not well done, the more blame will lie upon him for not doing better, and trusting to a poor country man. So good night, master for am sleepy.
From &at. Dec. z, to. fzat.
