The New Sect of Latitude-Men, Letter 2

The New Sect of Latitude-Men · Letter 2

p. 4For Mr. G. B. at Oxford.

Sir,

YOurs of the 15th of May I lately received, wherein when you deſire to ſee me at Oxford next Act, (if you have any,) it is, I ſuppoſe, rather of courſe than out of any ſuch expectation, I having been twice already there, and yet could never be ſo happy as to get you over to our Commencement. Truly it is as far from Cambridge to Oxford, as it is from Oxford to Cambridge, and therefore you muſt hold me excuſed if you ſee me no more there till you have repaid me with a viſit here: but to ſay the truth I muſt preſently after the Commencement prepare for my journey into the North, where my friends are ready to fall out with me for neglecting them ſo long.

2 As for the queſtion you deſire to be reſolved in, it is more than I dare undertake to do; for though this name of Latitude-men be daily exagitated amongſt us both in Taverns and Pulpits, and very tragical repreſentations made of them, yet we know as little what it means, as you at Oxford do; and I verily believe the men of that Sect are as little able to give in a liſt of their fraternity, and are as free from any plot againſt King or Church, as King Arthur's Knights, or the Roſy-Brotherhood, which you have very happily compared them with: and truly it is to be ſuſpected they fly in the air too when they meet in their inviſible conventicles to promote their unheard of machinations. A Latitude-man therefore (according to the beſt definition that I can collect) is an image of clouts that men ſet up to encounter with for want of a real enemy; it is a convenient name to reproach a man that you owe a ſpight to, ('tis what you p. 5will, and you affix it upon whom you will) 'tis ſome thing will ſerve to talke of when all other diſcourſe fails.

3. But you would think I had a mind to ſhuffle with you, if I ſhould give you onelyonly this general account; for you will not imagine I can be ſo ſhort-ſighted, but that I may be able to ſee farther into the matter than ſo; that I may not therefore fruſtrate your expectation, I will tell you all that I am able to underſtand or conjecture concerning it; the greateſt part of the men that ſeem to be pointed at under that name, are ſuch, whoſe fortune it was to be born ſo late, as to have their education in the Univerſity, ſince the beginning of the unhappy troubles of this Kingdom, where they aſcended to their preferments by the regular ſteps of election, not much troubling themſelves to enquire into the Titles of ſome of their Electours; they are ſuch as are behind none of their neighbours either in Learning or good manners, and were ſo far from being ſowred with the Leaven of the times they lived in, that they were always looked upon with an evil eye by the ſucceſſive uſurping powers, and the general out-cry was, that the whole Univerſity was over-run with Arminianiſme, and was full of men of a Prelatical Spirit, that had apoſtatized to the Onions and Garlick of Egypt, becauſe they were generally ordained by Biſhops; and in oppoſition to that hide-bound, ſtrait-lac'd ſpirit that did then prevail, they were called Latitude-men; for that was the firſt original of the name, what ever ſenſe hath ſince been put upon it: this was a certain barr to their preferment, as they were ſure to find, if any of them came before the Committee of Tryers, who (as it was reported) had gotten a Liſt of all thoſe that were Ordained by the Biſhop of Norwich; and truly if they that were turned out of their preferment, were eſteemed Martyrs, I know not why theſe that were debarred thereof upon the ſame grounds may not be called Confeſſors.

4. And now this being the ſtate of the Univerſity, can it be wonderful, if upon the happy reſtitution of the Church, there were a general readineſs in moſt men to conform to the commands and injunctions thereof? and yet I am ſorry to p. 6hear ſome men, even in thoſe diſcourſes when they ſhould be careful to deliver nothing but the ſacred oracles of God, talk at ſuch a rate as if they were offended to ſee ſo general a conformity. It ſeems very ſtrange that any ſon of the Church ſhould be diſpleaſed to ſee the number of her children to encreaſe beyond expectation. I hope it is not becauſe there will be the more likely to lay claim to a ſhare in the patrimony; nay I am well aſſured it is far from any of her genuine offſpring, that are faithfull to her intereſt, to be ſo affected; or if at any time ſome leſs becoming expreſſion ſhould drop from them, it hath onelyonly proceeded from miſinformation and want of a right underſtanding of things, which upon better thoughts it is likely they could wiſh unſaid. But it cannot be expected but the proſperity of the Church, will occaſion the flocking in of many leſs worthy perſons, who will be very ambitious to be accompted in the number of her Children, who for want of ſomething elſe to render them more conſiderable than their Neighbours, muſt make uſe of an unmeaſurable oſtentation of their Zeal and forwardneſs, which they think is beſt expreſſed by ſlandering and reproaching thoſe whom they have out-ſtripped, not in ſincerity, but in ſhew and appearance; and it may be ſome of them may hope to expiate their former diſaffections by their preſent overdoing, and think to recommend themſelves by calling others Hypocrites: It were I ſay a thing to be wondered at, if there ſhould not ſome ſuch men as theſe creep into the Church, ſince it is become a profitable way, who by ſuch unworthy acts will endeavour to compaſs their deſignes, and by breeding and fomenting publike differences, will hope to ſerve their private turns; but I am confident their number is very ſmall, and that the moſt part are men of more noble and generous ſpirits, that hate ſuch unworthineſs, however their names may ſometimes be abuſed by ſome few unquiet ſpirits that make all this noiſe and ſtirr. For I muſt tell you, I do not find that the grave heads, or other prudent perſons of the Univerſity give any countenance to this peeviſh talk of ſome few, who for diſtinction ſake, (if Latitude be a name of reproach) will not I p. 7hope be offended to be called Narrow-men, notwithſtanding. But that there may remain no ſuſpicion of their diſaffection to the Church in any reſpect, I will give you a brief accompt of what I conceive to be their ſentiments in each point relateing thereunto, which are the Liturgy, the Ceremonies, the government, and the Doctrine of the Church. As for the firſt, they conceive there ought by all means to be a ſettled Liturgy, it having alwayes been the practice both of the Jewiſh and Chriſtian, and more or leſs retained by all reformed Churches; that there can be no Solemnity of publick worſhip without it, that it is the greateſt check to devotion that can be, to hear men mix their private Opinions with their publick prayers, which are for the moſt part falſe, and have an evil influence on the lives of men: yet this hath been almoſt the Univerſal practice for theſe twenty years; The like may be ſaid of thoſe abſurd, ridiculous, blaſphemous expreſſions that do ſo frequently occurre in extempore prayers, under the pretence of being familiar with God Almighty; to ſay nothing of thoſe ſeditious and traiterous principles, craftily thereby inſinuated into the minds of people, with greater authority than in their Sermons could be done; for as much as there is a greater aw and ſolemnity in the one above the other; which allſo ſhews how uncomely a thing it is for men to oſtentate their parts and abilities therein, as they were wont to doe by their empty Rhetorications and tedious prolixity. Our Latitudinarians therefore are by all means for a Liturgy, and do preferre that of our own Church before all others, admiring the Solemnity, gravity and primitive ſimplicity of it, its freedome from affected phraſes, or mixture of vain and doubtfull opinions; in a word they eſteem it to be ſo good, that they would be loth to adventure the mending of it, for fear of marring it.

As for the Rites and Ceremonies of Divine worſhip, they do highly approve that vertuous mediocrity which our Church obſerves between the meretricious gaudineſs of the Church of Rome, and the ſqualid ſluttery of Fanatick conventicles. Devotion is ſo overclad by the Papiſts that ſhe is oppreſſed and ſtifled with the multitude of her own garments: Pars minima p. 8eſt ipſa puella ſui: ſome of our modern reformers to make amends, have ſtripped her ſtarke naked, till ſhe is become in a manner cold and dead; The Church of England only hath dreſſed her as befits an honourable and vertuous Matron. There are few men ſo abſtractedly intellectuall, but that their devotion had need to be advanced with ſomething that may ſtrike upon their outward ſences and engage their affections; and therefore while we live in this Region of mortality we muſt make uſe of ſuch external helps, & recommend Religion to the people by thoſe ornaments which the Church hath according to her prudence thought fitteſt for thoſe ends. The Church of Rome is a luxuriant vine, full of ſuperfluous branches, and overrun with wild grapes, from whence many a poyſonous and intoxicating potion is preſſed forth; But the greateſt part of Reformers have done like the rude Thracian in the Apologue, who inſtead of moderate pruning and dreſſing his vines, as his more Skillfull Athenian Neighbours did, cut them up by the Roots; but the Church of England is the only well ordered Vine-yard.

In like mannner they have a deep veneration of her Government, which they ſtedfaſtly beleive to be in it ſelf the beſt, and the ſame that was practiſed in the times of the Apoſtles. They did alwayes abhor both the Uſurpation of Scottiſh Preſbytery, and the confuſion of Independent Anarchy; and do eſteem it one of the methods which the Prince of darkneſs uſeth, to overthrow the Church and Religion, by bringing the Clergy into contempt, which experience tells us will neceſſarily follow upon the removing the ſeveral Dignities and preeminence among them; for when the Biſhops are once levelled with ordinary Preſbyters, the Preſbyters will ſoon be trampled on by the meaneſt of the Laity: and when every Preacher would needs be a Biſhop, every Ruſtick and Mechanick took upon him to be a Preacher.

Laſtly for the Doctrine of the Church, they do cordially adhere to it, as doth ſufficiently appear by their willingneſs to ſubſcribe to the thirty nine Articles, and all other points of Doctrine contained either in the Liturgy or book of Homilies, p. 9and particularly (whatſoever may be privately whiſpered to the contrary) they do both devoutly adore the bleſſed Trinity in the Letany, and make ſolemn profeſſion of their Orthodox faith, both concerning it and other points, in the three Creeds, not excepting that which is commonly aſcribed to Athanaſius, nor is there any Article of Doctrine held forth by the Church, which they can juſtly be accuſed to depart from, unleſſe abſolute reprobation be one, which they do not think themſelves bound to believe.

5. Nor is it credible they ſhould hold any other Doctrine than the Church, ſince they derive it from the ſame fountains, not from the Spinoſe ſchool-men, or Dutch ſyſtematicks, neither from Rome nor Geneva, the Council of Trent, nor Synod of Dort, but from the Sacred writings of the Apoſtles and Evangeliſts, in interpreting whereof, they carefully attend to the ſenſe of the ancient Church, by which they conceive the modern ought to be guided: and therefore they are very converſant in all the genuine Monuments of the ancient Fathers, thoſe eſpecially of the firſt and pureſt ages, not to gather out fine phraſes and quaint ſentences, but that they may diſcern between the modern corruptions, and ancient ſimplicity of the Church; to diſtinguiſh between the Doctrines received in theſe latter ages, and thoſe which the primitive Chriſtians received from Chriſt and his Apoſtles: for thoſe opinions in Religion, how ſpecious ſoever, are juſtly to be ſuſpected, whereof there are no footſteps to be diſcerned in that golden age of Chriſtianity, that was tryed and purifyed in the fire of perſecution: we are not ſo ſecure of the ſucceeding ſilver age of peace and proſperity, but that there might be ſome droſſy mixture, inferior to the golden, but better than the brazen that trode upon its heels;

Saevior ingeniis & ad horrida promptior arma, when the Chriſtians had taken up the ſwords formerly of their perſecutors, and drew them one upon another: but

—de duro eſt ultima ferro,

Protinus erupit venae pejoris in aevum

Omne nefas; fugere pudor verumque, fideſque,

p. 10In quorum ſubiere locum fraudeſque dolique,

Inſidiaeque, & vis, & amor ſceleratus habendi.

And by this time ſure there was need of Reformation, to bring al things to the primitive pattern, to purge out the droſs and Tinn, and all baſer mettals, which the Church of England hath moſt happily atchieved.

And now let no man accuſe them of hearkning too much to their own reaſon, ſince their reaſon ſteers by ſo excellent a compaſs, the ancient Fathers and Councils of the Church. For Reaſon is that faculty whereby a man muſt judge of every thing, nor can a man beleve any thing except he have ſome reaſon for it, whether that reaſon be a deduction from the light of nature, and thoſe principles which are the candle of the Lord, ſet up in the ſoul of every man that hath not wilfully extinguiſhed it; or a branch of Divine revelation in the oracles of holy Scripture; or the general interpretation of genuine antiquity, or the propoſal of our own Church conſentaneous thereto, or laſtly the reſult of ſome or all of theſe: for he that will rightly make uſe of his Reaſon, muſt take all that is reaſonable into conſideration. And it is admirable to conſider how the ſame concluſions do naturally flow from all theſe ſeveral principles; and what in the faithful uſe of the faculties that God hath given, men have believed for true, doth excellently agree with that Revelation that God hath exhibited in the Scripture, and the doctrine of the ancient Church with them both. Thus the freedom of our wills, the univerſal intent of Chriſt's death, and ſufficiency of Gods Grace, the conditions of juſtification, and many other points of the like nature, which have been almoſt exploded in theſe latter degenerate ages of the world, do again begin to obtain, though with different perſons upon different accounts; ſome embrace them for their evidence in Scripture, others for the concurrent teſtimony of the primitive Church for above four hundred years; others for the reaſonableneſs of the things themſelves, and their agreement both with the Divine Attributes and the eaſy ſuggeſtions of their own minds. Nor is there any point in Divinity, where that which is moſt ancient doth p. 11not prove the moſt rational, and the moſt rational the ancienteſt; for there is an eternal conſanguinity between all verity; and nothing is true in Divinity, which is falſe in Philoſophy, or on the contrary; and therefore what God hath joyned together, let no man put aſunder.

But theſe men are generally ſuſpected to be for liberty of Conſcience, and that's a principle of dangerous conſequence, that will undermine the very foundations of any Church what ſoever: a Church cannot be without Unity and Uniformity; an unlimited diſcord of opinions and practiſes will as much obſtruct the edification of Gods Temple, as the confuſion of Languages did the building of the Tower of Babel. Verily this is true; and the moſt part of them, who while they are under the hatches deny it, do by their practiſes confirm it, when ever they get power into their hands; but how far the men charged with it are concerned therein, remains to be inquired. Though in the firſt place I cannot but take notice, that this very objection confutes the vulgar calumny caſt upon them, as if they were men of no conſcience; for I dare ſay, by how much the leſs of conſcience any man hath, by ſo much the leſs will he care what impoſitions are laid on it, though for my own part, I ſhall always think him moſt conſciencious who leads the moſt unblameable life, though he be not greatly ſcrupulous about the externals of Religion; and for their lives I think the Latitude-men were never taxed by their greateſt enemyes. And now let us ſoberly conſider what was before ſaid; they ſincerely embrace all the Articles of Doctrine held forth by the Church, they cheerfully uſe and approve her Liturgy and Ceremonies, they cordially love and obey her government: how then can they purſue any Liberty that can be dangerous to her? for in all other things the Church her ſelfe leaves them to their liberty, and who ſhall blame them for uſing it? but there are ſome men it may be, are offended that the Church is ſo indulgent a Mother that will not unneceſſarily impoſe upon the judgement or practiſe of her Children; they would have all things bound up, and nothing free; they would fain be adding ſome ciphers to their ſignificant p. 12Articles ſhe now prodounds, and inſtead of 39 would make 39000. & tis well if they would content themſelves with ciphers, and not add falſityes to make up the tale: they have it may be, an ambition to out-do the Aſſemblies Confeſſion; they would be content that Aquina's Summs were put into the Creed, and all the janglings of the Schools into the Prayers of the Church; that ſo by their Longitude, they might be even with their neighbors of the Latitude. Others it may be think we have not ceremonies enough, and if they can find any antiquated Rite in ſome moth-eaten Author, they have an itch preſently of bringing it into the Church, without conſidering whether there be the ſame reaſon or uſe of it now, that may have been in other times and places; and then if their Neighbors will not follow their example, but think it enough to do what the Rubrick and Canons require, they ſhall be cryed out on for diſaffected; this is all that liberty of conſcience they can juſtly be accuſed of, unleſs I ſhould add that they are ſo merciful as not to think it fit to knock people on the head becauſe they are not of our Church. The Church of England hath never yet embrued her hands in blood, and I hope the Zeal of none of her ſons will ever kinle ſuch flames as her ſtep-mother of Rome delights to warm her hands at.

And now having taken an impartial view of this ſo much exagitated company of men, we find them ſo far from being any ways dangerous to the Church, or fit to be diſowned by her, that they ſeem to be the very Chariots and Horſemen thereof; for by their ſober and unblameable converſation, they conciliate reſpect and honour to her; by their Learning and induſtry they defend her; by their moderation they are moſt likely to win upon the minds of diſſenters, who are too many to be contemned; by their accommodating themſelves to the people, who (as is too too palpable) are poſſeſſed for the moſt part by the Preſbyterians, they may in time bring them over to the Church, and prevent her becomming a ſociety of Shepherds without any Sheep; for really I fear, if the Fathers of the Church were not wiſer than ſome of their angry ſons, who muſt needs be thruſting ſome of their p. 13younger brethren out of dores, if (I ſay) all that have been reproached with the name of Latitude, ſhould be diſowned by the Church, they that remain would be the leaſt party of men of any one denomination in England: and to leave themſelves ſo naked, were to tempt Providence for their preſervation, eſpecially conſidering they ſtand ready to be aſſaulted on each hand by two potent Enemies, the Papiſts and the Preſbyterians, both of them numerous, wealthy, ſubtle, and induſtrious, who watch all opportunities of ſubverting the beſt Church in the world. And therefore certainly this is no time for her to mutilate her ſelf, or to bleed with inteſtine Warr; but let her embrace thoſe that are ſo ready to ſerve her, with both her Armes, and let all her Children with joint affection and conſent oppoſe the common Enemies.

6. But it will be ſaid no man is angry that men conform, but that they have no greater zeal for what they conforme to; they are as men indifferent, and could be as well content with the contrary. Truely Sir, either I am miſtaken in the men, or the charge is very unjuſt; for I find as many as it hath been my fortune to converſe with, that they do very ſincerly eſteem Epiſcopal govenment, both as in it ſelf the beſt, and of Apoſtolical antiquity; they were alwayes approvers of a Liturgy, and think that of our own Church may eaſilyer be marred than mended; That Religion would loſe that due law & veneration that ought to be preſerved in it, if it were not attended with outward Rites and Ceremonies; that private perſons are not the judges of that decorum, whereby theſe things are to be meaſured, but onelyonly the Governours of the Church; and that the Church of England, as well in theſe as all other things is the beſt conſtituted Church in the world. But they preſume no man would have them to think the whole weight of Religion lies in externals, or that they are of greater accompt than the eternal and indiſpenſable Laws of good and evil, but that Eccleſiaſtical laws are as the Jews were wont to ſay, an hedge about the laws of God; theſe ought ſtiffely to be obſerved, and therefore the other not to be neglected; that they p. 14do not conſiſt ſo indiviſibily, but that if it ſhould ſeem meet to the Fathers of the Church to make any alterations, they were equally bound to ſubmit thereto; this is that Latitude they are ſo Tragically accuſed of.

5. But there is another crime which cannot be denyed, that they have introduced a new Philoſophy; Ariſtotle and the Schoolemem are out of requeſt with them. True indeed it is that ipſe dixit is an argument much out of faſhon; and fortaſſe Philoſophus non loquitur ex ſua ſententia, ſed ex mente aliorum, would be accounted as impertinent an anſwer; it will ſcarce paſſe for a Philoſophical reſolution of any Problem to ſay, It is the nature of the beaſt, it is done by virtue of its form or quality; They love to ſearch ſome more particular cauſe than the influence of the heavens, nor will they be put off with complementum Ʋniverſi. They embrace a method of Philoſophy which they think was as much antienter than Ariſtotle, as you conceive Oxford was before Cambridge; and was as great a bug-beare to the Preſbyterians as a Croſſe or Surpliſſe, and therefore methinks the Church of England ſhould have leſs reaſon to be offended with it. For my own part I never had any great ſkill in it, and am now too old to learn; yet I am far from that humour reprehended by the Poet,

—Turpe put ant parere minoribus, & quae

Imberbes didicere Senes perdenda fateri.

And I ſuppoſe it is this freedome and unconcernedneſs of mine that makes you think my opinion worth knowing in a matter that I am ſo little converſant in of late years; wherefore I will not undertake to compare the new Philoſophy with the old, but inſtead thereof will tell you a tale.

7. There was a certain Huſbandman who occupied a Farme with an antient manſion-houſe ſtanding in the fields remote from any Town, where there was an old iron Clock in a large wooden frame, which had been a long while out of kelter, and becauſe he was much troubled to know how the time paſſed, that he might order his buſineſs accordingly, he reſolved to get this Clock repaired, and while he was conſidering p. 15where to finde a man able to do it, it fortuned that a certain Peripatetick artificer, ſomething above the degree of a Tinker came that way, who undertook to mend it; but after he had beſtowed a great deal of work in oyling the wheels, filing the teeth, and hanging on more weight, and all to no purpoſe, at laſt gave it up for nought, and told him it could not be mended; the farmer partly out of curioſity, and partly in hope to find out the defect, deſired this Artificer to ſhow him the nature of Clockwork, and what was requiſite to make up a perfect Clock, he though he knew very little what belonged to it, yet being a talkative fellow, and very loth to confeſſe his ignorance in any thing, began a long ſtory, that the nature of Clock-work in general was, a principle and cauſe of motion and reſt by means of an inward device of its own accord and not by chance; but this Clock having no ſuch nature, it was indeed no Clock, and could not move; he told him alſo that there are three things go to the making of a Clock, the materials, and the ſhape, and the want of that ſhape, before it was made; for it was not a Clock before it was made: now the materials of a Clock are four, Iron, and wood, and cords, and lead; and beſides theſe there is a Bell at the top that is of a fifth kind divers from the other four, and hath a trick of ſounding when the hammer ſtrikes upon it: Iron is a material very black and ſomewhat hard, wood very hard and ſomewhat white, cord very white and ſomewhat ſoft, lead very ſoft and ſomewhat black. Here the Farmer interpoſed and told him he would never believe but that Iron was harder then wood; but the Clockmender replied, that in the Art of Clockmaking ſoftneſs was nothing but being eaſily melted: The Farmer urged then Iron would not be hard at all; but his artificer wittily replying it was hard to be melted, he was ſatisfied; the Clock-mender went on, telling him there were other properties alſo in theſe materials derived from the former, as that Iron and wood were ſtiffe and unmoving, cord and lead flexible and moving; here the Farmer interrupted him again, telling him the iron wheels moved as well as the cord and lead, and ſo did the wooden hand of the dyal; to which he anſwered p. 16they did not move of themſelves as the cord and lead did, and that they moved onelyonly to avoid ſtanding ſtill, which is not to be admitted in a clock; but the Farmer ſtill objected, that he ſaw no neceſſity of any ſuch material as wood in a clock; for the frame might as well be of iron; to which he replyed, it was for the compleatneſs of the clock. But (quoth the Farmer,) the Bell is hard and black as well as the iron; no, replyed the Engineer, it appears onelyonly ſo, but is not ſo in its own nature, but onelyonly hath a property of ſounding. Well, (quoth the Farmer) you have told me the materials of a clock, which I could have told as well my ſelf, but am never the wiſer; for my Jack hath Iron and Wood, and Cord, and Lead, and if I ſhould hang a Bell on the top of it, it would not prove a clock: that's true ſaid the Clock-man, for it hath not the ſhape of a Clock; now the ſhape of a clock is a certain trick of activity in a piece of wheelwork, by the number of ſtroaks on a Bell, to tell the hour of the day; from this ſhape there ariſe ſeveral other propertys, as the turning about of the wheels, the playing of the ballance, a ſecret quality of the hand pointing to the hour of the day, and a ſecret agreement between the hand of the Dyal and the hammer of the Bell; for as often as the hand points to any figure, the hammer ſtrikes juſt ſo many ſtroaks upon the Bell; there is alſo a hidden diſagreement between the little weights and the great ones; for as faſt as theſe go down, thoſe go up. There are alſo ſome clocks of another kind, ſome with an Alarum to waken a man at a certain time of the night, ſome have Chimes to play certain Tunes upon Bells: There are alſo imperfect Clocks called Watches that do not ſtrike, but onelyonly have a Dyall with an hand turning round. There are alſo Sun-Dyals that tell the hour of the day by Shadows. But theſe are imperfect Clocks, and not compounded of all four materials; he alſo reckoned up a great many famous Clock-makers of ſeveral Countreys that he had learnt his Art of, as alſo how many Clocks he had mended, and concluded with the praiſe of Vulcan and St. Eloy, and the whole Art of Smiths work.

p. 178. While they were thus diſcourſing, in comes a Lock-ſmith of the next Town, who thought himſelfe as well read in Clock-Philoſophy,, as he that had read this long Lecture, who therefore began to move many controverſys, as that Clocks might be made of other materials, viz. Steel, Braſs, or Silver, (where by the way, they digreſſed into a long diſpute whether Steel and Iron differed in kind, or in degree onelyonly) that a Bell was not any fifth kind, but made up of a mixture of other mettals; that there were not four materials of a Clock, but that it might be made up of one or two of them; that cords and plummets were no neceſſary parts of it, for it might be moved by a ſpring without them; and many more queſtions they diſputed about till they were both weary.

9. The Farmers Son who was newly come from the Univerſity, where he had been a year or two, & had read Magirus, was much taken with theſe learned Lectures of an ordinary Mechanick, & began to ſuſpect he was ſome disguiſed Scholar, in that he had ſo Philoſophically begun with the definition of nature, principium & cauſa motus & quietis ejus in quo eſt primo & per ſe, non per accidens; then proceeded to the three principles, Matter, Form, and Privation; after that to the four Elements of a Clock, with their Primary and Secundary qualities, and was well pleaſed with his judgement in making the Bell a Quinteſſence & to contain the elementary qualities not formally but eminently; and that ſoftneſs ſhould ſignifie liquability, anſwered juſt to humidity ſignifying fluidity; and that it was as eaſie to excuſe the iron from melting, as the fire from fluidity: he thought alſo that he diſtinguiſhed well between natural and violent motions, and took notice how evitatio vacui & complementum univerſi did him Knights ſervice. So likewiſe he defined the form of a Clock very well, actus primus corporis artificialis organici motum habentis in potentia: and he believed a trick of activity was as good an interpretation of foreign as perfectihabia which Hermolaus Barbarus learnt of the Divel. The qualities did admirably well flow from this form, eſpecially The occult quality in the Dyall, and its ſympathy with the Bell, as alſo the antipathy of the greater and leſſer weights; he alſo ſhewed the ſeveral p. 18ſpecies of Clocks whether perfectly or imperfectly mixed; how Watches had only a material vegetative ſoul, the Allarum and Chimes reſembled the rational, but the ordinary Clock was of the order of ſenſitive creatures; & he had excellently well deſcribed the nature of the Beaſt. He ſeemed to be well read in the ſchool-tinkers, had ſhewed that Vulcan was ancienter than Ariſtotle, and St. Eloy as great a maſter of Clockwork as St. Thomas: onelyonly the Lock-ſmith he thought made foul work with him, and went as much beyond him, as Carpenter & Pemble the more orthodox Magirus, & yet he ſaid he might have moved a great many more perilous queſtions, as whether the hammer were the intelligencer of the Bell, and conſequently whether forma informans or aſſiſtens; whether the Bell did act upon the elementary parts of the clock, or they upon the Bell; and if the former, whether it do it by its blackneſs, or its hardneſs, or its ſound, or by certain influences; and then whether the forms of the four materials did remain in the Clock intire or refracted, or a fift form reſulting from them all, and whether it were a ſubſtantial or accidental form, whether a clock and a watch were ſpecifically or gradually diſtinct, with many more which he forbore to mention, as he told them, becauſe they could not underſtand them.

10. All this while the Landlord of this Farmer was in the houſe to take order about ſome repartions, who being an ingenuous Gentleman that had uſed to take in pieces his own Watch and ſet it together again, and therefore could not be ignorant of the fabrick of a clock, having with much patience heard all this Targon, at laſt delivered the good man (who though no fool, yet was never the wiſer for all this diſcourſe) from the impertinences of the Clock-mender and the young Philoſopher: ſhewing him that the cauſe of motion was in the weights, which by the multiplication of indented wheels, and Nuts, was ſo moderated, that the laſt wheel to the end of whoſe Axel the hand was fixed, was juſt twelve hours in turning about, & that there were in every twelfth part of that wheel certain peggs that lifted up the hold-faſt of the hammer, which by the motion of other wheels & ſprings would be made to ſtrike ſeveral ſucceſſive ſtroaks upon the Bell, till the p. 19holdfaſt catch in the next notch of a wheele indented ſeveral diſtances according to the number of ſtroaks at each time to be ſtrucken: he ſhewed him alſo that the teeth of the great wheel were ſo worn, that it would not anſwer to the juſt proportion of time it ſhould move in, and therefore he muſt get a new one made; in fine he taught him how the motion was derived from part to part, that he throughly underſtood the whole fabrick, and could be able to rectifie any ordinary fault that ſhould happen in it. But the Son all this while being as inept at underſtanding things, as apt Parrot-like to catch at words, was diſſatisfied that he ſhould take no more notice of the ſubſtantial form and qualities of a Clock, and told him that he rejected principles, and therefore he would not diſpute with him.

11. How far the Clock-menders diſcourſe reſembles the Scholaſtick Philoſophy, or the Gentlemans the atomicall, let others judge; I ſhall onelyonly propound this general Query, whether it be any better Philoſophy, to ſay that nature makes the fire to burn, or there is an inward principle of gravity in a ſtone that makes it fall down, than it would be mechanicall ſkill to ſay that Art makes the Clock ſtrike, or to ſay that ſome inward device makes the hand of the dyall move; for as Art is to artificials, ſo is nature to naturals; and may be he ſpake more truly than he was aware of, that called it Ars Dei. Then certainly it muſt be the Office of Philoſophy to find out the proceſs of this Divine Art in the great automaton of the world, by obſerving how one part moves another, and how thoſe motions are varied by the ſeverall magnitudes, figures, poſitions of each part, from the firſt ſprings or plummets, as I may ſay, to the hand that points out the viſible and laſt effects; This Phyſicians have taken the boldneſſe in part to do, in thoſe little watches, if I may ſo call them, the bodies of animals, and Deſcartes hath proceeded fartheſt in the like attempt, in that vaſt machin, the Univerſe, with how good ſucceſſe, others are better able to Judge; But this I dare boldly ſay, it was a noble effort, and if he had wholly failed in it, he would have been more pitied and leſs envied.

12. This farther I ſhall adde in the behalf of new and free p. 20Philoſophy, That the Theater of nature is much enlarged ſince Ariſtotles time, and there is no part of the world wherein there are not ſome notable new Phoenomena lately diſcovered, that muſt needs be of great accompt in natural Philoſophy: for in the Heavens by the help of teleſcopes (a new invention) there are found an innumerable company of fixed Stars unknown to the ancients, and amongſt the planets the anſulae of Saturn and four Moons about Jupiter were never heard of till Galileo's Nuncius Sidereus brought the news, the various phaſes of Venus (and other Planets) as alſo her being ſometimes on this ſide the Sun, ſometimes beyond, were the ſuſpicions of the Pythagoreans of old, and the certain knowledge of latter times, but not agreeable with Ariſtotles doctrine. Mountains and valleys in the Moon were never ſeen before this age, and no body now will venture to deny but that ſhe is as opake as the earth, and borrows as much light from her as ſhe lends. That the Sun is full of ſcummy ſpots continually generated and deſtroyed, and that he turns round upon his own axis. They that will not truſt Schiner, may be informed by their own eyes; the appearing of new Stars & diſappearing of old was not conſidered by the ancients, nor their appearing ſomtimes bigger & ſomtimes leſs that comets are above the moon, & the Heavens fluid ſince Tycho few men have doubted, and therefore Ariſtotles Intelligences that moved the ſolid Orbs, have leave to play; and ſince that arched roof is gone, I know not how the Elementary fire will be kept in: But if it ſhould chance to prove true (and who knows what poſterity may beleive, ſince we have been ſo hardy as to admit Antipodes, which our anceſtours beheld as no leſs formidable a bugbear?) that the Earth is a planet, and the Sun a fixed Starr, and by conſequence every planet an Earth, every fixed Starr a Sun, it would make foul work in the Vulgar Philoſophy.

13. But let us deſcend upon the Earth, where we ſhall find that Dr. Gilbert, inſtead of the Oxford Fryers great black rock at the North Pole, hath perſwaded all men that the whole Earthly Globe is a Magnet; and though the Ancients knew no more of the Loadſtone than its coition which they improperly called attraction, we now find it to be no leſſe remarkable for p. 21its polar direction (not without ſome variation in ſeverall places) as alſo its various inclination according to its ſeverall diſſtance from the Aequator and Poles; but the nature of the loadſtone can ſcarce be unknown, ſince we have ſeen the circles of the duſt about it. The diſtinct Hiſtory of the Flux and Reflux of the Sea, is alſo amongſt the nova rep…rta. The ancients overlook't that moſt Luciferous though obvious experiment of the ſling, nor did they know what uſe to make of the Chryſtall priſme; They were over-careleſſe ſpectatours of the rainbow; the roſy-figured; particles of ſnow eſcaped their ſight; but it were infinite to perſue particulars; I will not ſtand to reckon up the ſeverall diſcoveries we are beholden to the new invented microſcope for, nor ſhall I inſiſt upon the many Chymical experiments that are of uſe in Philoſophy. I paſſe by the wonderous effects of Gun-powder, nor ſhall I mention the diſcoveries of the Air-pump lately exhibited to the world by that Noble Gentleman, or the ingenious experiments of Galileo, Lord Bacon, and many others.

14. I ſhall onelyonly touch upon one Topick more, which is the improvement of Anatomy, and the knowledge of the fabrick of Animals; no man thinks himſelf bound to beleive that the nerves are derived from the heart, and by conſequence that to be the ſeat of common ſence, becauſe Ariſtotle tells us ſo; nor yet, though he could tell us no ſuch thing, to diſbelieve the circulation of blood found out by Dr. Harvey; What ſhould I mention thoſe other learned Obſervations of the ſame Author concerning the Generation of Animals? I omit Aſellius his venae lacteae, as alſo the ductus Chyliferus, vaſa lymphatica, with many more of the like nature, which do as much alter the face of the leſſer, as thoſe other before rehearſed of the greater world.

15. Muſt we now after all theſe and many more diſcoveries about natural bodies, confine our ſelves to what we find in Ariſtotle who never dream'd of any ſuch things? is it poſſible that ſo many new appearances ſhould not alter the frame of Philoſophy, nay rather hazard the pulling down of the old ruinous houſe that had too narrow foundations, that it may be built again with more magnificence? Since we find dayly p. 22Generations and corruptions in the heavens, and that the ſtars themſelves are not free from that fate, how can we ſatisfy our ſelves with the four Elements of Ariſtotle, or the three principles of the Chymiſts, which at beſt can be but the ingredients of terreſtriall bodies? beſides that they are not ſo ſimple as to deſerve thoſe titles? and truly to them that have once taſted of the Mechanicall Philoſophy, formes and qualities are like to give as little ſatisfaction, as the Clock-mender did to the Intelligent Gentleman in the Story I before told you.

16. No man would be ſo ridiculous as ſince Columbus diſcovered the new world of America, as big as the old, or ſince the enlarged knowledge of the North of Europe, the South and Eaſt of Aſia and Africa, beſides the new diviſions names and inhabitants of the old parts, to forbid the reading of any more Geography than is found in Strabo or Mela; or ſince the Portuguez have ſailed to the Indies by the Cape of good Hope, to admit of no other Indian commodities than what are brought on Camels to Aleppo; or if poſterity ſhall find out the Northeaſt or Northweſt way to Cathajo and China, or ſhall cut the Iſthmus between the red Sea and Mediterranean, will it be unlawfull to uſe the advantage of ſuch noble atcheivements: why then muſt Philoſophy alone be bound up ſtil in its infant ſwadling bands? and there being the ſame reaſon, why ſhould we not allow the ſame liberty of expatiating? if any man love acorns ſince corn is invented, let him eat acorns; but tis very unreaſonable he ſhould forbid others the uſe of wheat. Whatever is ſolid in the writings of Ariſtotle, theſe new Philoſophers will readily embrace and they that are moſt accuſed for affecting the new, doubt not but they can give as good an acount of the old Philoſophy as their moſt violent accuſers, and are probably as much converſant in Ariſtotles writings, though they do not much value thoſe ſmall wares that are uſually retailed by the generality of his Interpreters.

But me thinks I hear ſome men ſay, all innovations are dangerous; Philoſophy and Divinity are ſo inter-woven by the School-men, that it cannot be ſafe to ſeparate them; new Philoſophy will bring in new Divinity; and freedom in the one will make men deſire a liberty in the other. The very ſame argumentation p. 23the Preſbyterians uſed, when they bore rule in the Univerſity, and the new Philoſophy was interdicted in ſome Colledges upon that account. But what was the event? it was ſo much the more eagerly ſtudyed and embraced; there was a time when all Learning was upon the ſame pretence diſcountenanced; Graece noſſe ſuſpectum erat, Hebraice plane haereticum; and there was a Colledge in Cambridge that ſhut their Gates againſt the Greek Teſtament: but all their endeavours were but vain; they might as well have hindred the Sun from riſing, or being up, from filling the whole Horizon with light; Learning and Knowledge will breake forth like fire, and pierce like Lightning through all impediments; politeneſs and elegancy hath long ago ſubdued Monaſtick barbariſm; Eraſmus and Melancthon with the reſt of thoſe reſtorers of Learning have made Holcot and Bricot quite out of faſhion; and the inquiſitive Genius of latter years, like a mighty wind hath bruſhed down all the Schoolmens Cobwebs. There is an infinite deſire of knowlede broken forth in the world, and men may as well hope to ſtop the tide, or bind the Ocean with Chains, as hinder free Philoſophy from overflowing: it will be as eaſie to ſatisfie mens corporal appetites with chaff and ſtraw, as the deſires of their minds with empty words and terms; the Church of Rome quickly ſaw her error in this point, and forbore to ſtrive againſt the ſtream; for when ſhe perceived that Learning would be in faſhion, ſhe preſently ſet her children to School; and who ſo great Schollars in all kinds as they? and ſhe hath been ſo wiſe ever ſince, that there ſhall be no piece of Learning but ſome of her ſons ſhall be maſters of it: and if they will but give her reſpectfull words, they may be as free Philoſophers as they pleaſe; and I dare ſay ſhe would take it very ill, if any one ſhould deny Deſcartes or Gaſſendus to be hers. Galileo indeed fell under correction for holding the motion of the Earth, but the true crime was his abuſing his Holineſs in his Dialogues under the name of Simplicius; For others have with impunity adventured on as great Paradoxes, but they had the good manners to make a legg and ſay, Omnia Eccleſiae authoritati ſubmittimus.

I will never therefore believe, that the Church of England can p. 24be more ſtingy than the Beldame of Rome, but will do that of choice, that the other doth of neceſſity. True Philoſophy can never hurt ſound Divinity. Chriſtian Religion was never bred up in the Peripatetick ſchool, but ſpent her beſt and healthfulleſt years in the more Religious Academy, amongſt the primitive Fathers; but the Schoolmen afterwards raviſhed her thence, and ſhut her up in the decayed ruines of Lyceum, where ſhe ſerved an hard ſervitude, and contracted many diſtempers: why ſhould ſhe not at laſt be ſet at liberty, and ſuffered to breath in a free air? let her alone be Miſtreſs, and chooſe her Servants where ſhe beſt likes; let her old loving Nurſe the Platonick Philoſophy be admitted again into her family; nor is there any cauſe to doubt but the Mechanick alſo will be faithful to her, no leſs againſt the open violence of Atheiſme, than the ſecret treachery of Enthuſiaſm and Superſtition, as the excellent works of a late learned Author have abundantly demonſtrated. Nor will it be poſible otherwiſe to free Religion from ſcorn and contempt, if her Prieſts be not as well skilled in nature as the people, and her Champions furniſhed with as good Artillery as her enemies. How ſhall the Clergy be able to maintain their credit with the ingenuous Gentry, who begin generally to be acquainted with the atomical Hypotheſis, and know how to diſtinguiſh between a true Gemme and a Briſtol-Diamond? or how ſhall they encounter with the witts (as they are called) of the age, that aſſault Religion with new kind of weapons? will they acquieſce in the authority of Ariſtotle or St. Thomas? or be put off with Contra negantem principia? let not the Church ſend out her Souldiers armed with Dock-leaves and Bullruſhes, to encounter ſwords and Guns, but let them wear as good braſs and ſteel as their enemyes, and fight with them at their own weapons; and then having Truth and Right on their ſide, let them never deſpair of victory.

But I had almoſt forgotten that I was writing a Letter, the ordinary proportions whereof I have already exceeded, and therefore muſt abruptly conclude, aſſuring you that I am

Sir yours, &c. … Cambridge …

End of the text · Simon Patrick, The New Sect of Latitude-Men (1662)