The Conformists Fourth Plea, Letter 1 – Letter 2

The Conformists Fourth Plea · Letter 1 – Letter 2

p. 37C. R.

WHereas we are credibly informed, that Dr. Anthony Tuckney, Maſter of St. John's College and one of the Profeſſors of Divinity in our Ʋniverſity of Cambridg, is well ſtricken in Years, and by reaſon of his Age, and ſome Infirmities of Body, may not hereafter be ſo well able to undergo the Burthen of thoſe two Places, We, out of Our Princely Care, both of that Our Ʋniverſity; and the ſaid Dr. Tuckney, do judge it meet, that he the ſaid Dr. T. before the end of this inſtant June, do recede from the aforeſaid Maſterſhip, and Profeſſors Place, with the Rectory of Summerſham, annexed thereunto by the Grace and Favour of Our Royal Grandfather: Which Signification of Our ſaid Pleaſure, if the ſaid Dr. T. ſhall ſubmit unto, We ſhall be ſo well-pleaſed with that his Submiſſion, that We ſhall graciouſly accept thereof, and will be ready to remember it for his Good, upon any juſt occaſion. And further, taking into Our Princely Conſideration, the great Pains and Diligence of the ſaid Doctor, in the diſcharge of the ſaid Profeſſors Place, without that Benefit which ſhould have been received by him from the ſaid Rectory of Summerſham, (which, during the late unhappy and rapacious Times, was unjuſtly detained from him) upon that his Submiſſion, Our Will and Pleaſure is, and We do hereby order, That whatſoever Perſons, during the natural Life of the ſaid Dr. T. ſhall after his Ceſſion, be elected or promoted to the ſaid Profeſſors Place, ſhall, before their reſpective Admiſſions thereunto, give ſufficient Aſſurance in Law to the ſaid p. 38Dr. T. for the Yearly Payment of 100 l. out of the Rectory of Summerſham, to the ſaid Dr. T. (for the Reward of his former Pains) by even and equal Portions, at four uſual Feaſts of the Year; i.e. at the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour, at the Annunciation of the B. Virgin, the Birth of St. John Baptiſt, and the Feaſt of Michael the Archangel; during the Continuance of the ſaid Profeſſors, and the natural Life of the ſaid Dr. T. any Grant or Statute to the contrary notwithſtanding.

Given at our Court at Whitehall, June 1. 1661. By his Majeſty's Command, EDW. NICHOLAS.

The Doctor received the 100 l. per an. many Years, from his Succeſſor in both his Places, Dr. Gunning, the now Lord Biſhop of Ely.

Some went another way to work againſt ſome eminent and peaceable Men in Oxford, as is to be ſeen in a forged Letter ſent to Mr. Martin, the Town-Clerk, upon which ſome of the Militia-Troops came to ſuppreſs or prevent a Plot, made and laid by ſome more skilful in that Art, than the Reverend Perſons named to be in it. [See Care's 2d Part of the Hiſtory of the Popiſh Plot.]

Before the Act of Uniformity came out, twenty of the Auditors of two ſober Miniſters, who preached at Beaſton-Church in Nottingham ſhire, were indicted for a Conventicle.

Mr. Oliver Heywood, Miniſter of Coley, near Hallifax, was proſecuted in the Conſiſtory at York, for not reading Common-Prayer, a whole Year before the Act of Uniformity commenced, and whilſt his Majeſty's Declaration granted an Indulgence; was ſuſpended, June 29. 1662. and excommunicated, and could not by any Interceſſion be abſolved by Dr. B. unleſs he would take an Oath, parendo juri, & ſtando mandatis Eccleſia. And going to hear Sermons at Hallifax, Dr. H. deſired him to forbear, being an Excommunicate; and at Coley one made an Attempt to thruſt him out of Church, for the ſame reaſon; and Twelve-pence a Sunday was demanded of him, for not coming to Church, during this Excluſion. And at length a Writ came out; but the Bayliff who was to ſerve it, favoured him ſo much as to ſmother it, and ſo he eſcaped the Priſon.

Many that were ſtrongly inclined to Unity and Peace, and forbore to conform as far as they could, in hopes of reforming ſome Things, and leaving Things moſt ſcrupled, at leaſt indifferent, were urged by violent p. 39Perſons with Conformity, before the new Law was made; and ſtrange Informations and Reports were raiſed againſt worthy Men, and occaſion taken from their ſcrupling ſome Things, to repreſent them as unpeaceable, and unfit for Union; and as if they were hatching new Miſchiefs, which their Souls abhorred, ſtricter Laws muſt be made on purpoſe, not (as it proved) for the Publick Good, but private Turns.

We may not forget who were very forward in ſuppreſſing Lectures, and diſſolving thoſe Combinations which had for many Years preſerved the Truths of God freſh in the Minds of Multitudes of People, which otherwiſe had been loſt, or in danger; in unſetled Times, kept Miniſters to their Studies, Love, and Acquaintance among them, and were managed without offence, or hindrance to our National Settlement. Some of the Suppreſſors were Gentlemen in Power, and meer Tools in other Mens hands, and theſe liſtned to falſe Reports of Whiſperers and Tale-bearers; or elſe they were Perſons of ungodly Lives, ſuch as proſecuted Mr. Parſons, ignorant and debauched Perſons, that ſerved their Luſts.

Two ſuch were Enemies to the Reverend Mr. Barret at Nottingham. One preſented the Book of Common-Prayer to him, a Whoremonger, caſt out or the Town-Council, leaving his own Wife to work for her Living, or ſhift as ſhe could for her ſelf, he took another Man's Wife away with him a great way off, and kept her ſeveral Years. Another Perſon, who was to teſtify that the Book was tendred to him, was an Atturney, who afterwards ſtirred an Adverſary of the ſaid Mr. Barret to put a forged Bond of 400 l. for Non-payment of 200 l. in Suit againſt him. And that Mr. Barret might not have Remedy in Chancery, he was preſented in the ſpiritual Court, where it had ſoon come to an Excommunication, had he not removed out of the Dioceſs, into Litchfield Dioceſs. And that Atturney, when the Commiſſioners ſate upon the matter of the Bond, feared to come out of Doors, being then in Debt, (tho a landed Man, and likely to have flouriſhed in the World.)

Theſe, and ſuch as theſe, were the forward Men to bring good Men into Trouble, and were ſooner heard than better Men, till they became diſcovered.

It is clear, that Nonconformity was not the only Cauſe of our Breaches and Miſeries, but a Spirit of Diviſion from God, and Diſaffection to his Servants, and Peace with Godlineſs.

Mr. Bennet, of Whitweek, in Leiceſterſhire, gives this Account under his hand, among many other Troubles: There came Letters from the Duke of N. C. relating a Plot in York-ſhire, to the Deputy-Lieutenants in Leiceſterſhire, whereupon the Lord — and other Deputies, ſent the Conſtable p. 40to fetch Mr. B. before them, and told him, they conceived it neceſſary to ſecure him, as ſuſpected of the Plot. He told them, His Lordſhip was the firſt Man he heard ſpeak of the Plot, and being Treaſon, I muſt, ſaid he, and I will reveal it; I know nothing but what I have from you, and I muſt make it known. His Lordſhip drew out Letters and Papers, which he ſaid were from the D. of N. and other Lords, to ſhew him; but he ſaid, he would ſee no Papers which did concern any Plot. The next day he went to the Earl of Stamford, and diſcovered what he heard from the Lord —, who diſcovered it to other Deputy-Lieutenants; and ſo Mr. Bennet eſcaped that Snare.

Upon ſuch Informations (againſt the Ejected Party) it is like, the King and Council ſent down Letters, to demand Security of the Peace from ſuch Perſons as they ſuſpected: Upon which pretence, Mr. Bennet was, with other Miniſters taken, and clapt in Priſon at Leiceſter; but they were after a Time releaſed. Among whom was Dr. Hen. Wilkinſon, of Magdalen-Hall in Oxen, a Perſon of that great Openneſs and … of Heart, that no Man can believe him a Party in any ill Deſigns … when the reſt were releaſed, he was detained a while, upon pretence of keeping a Conventicle with his Fellow-Priſoners, to whom he preached one Lord's-Day in the Priſon.

After the Act of Uniformity took place, it is impoſſible to relate the Number of their Sufferings, and great Trials, with Hardſhips upon their Perſons, Eſtates, and Families, by uncomfortable Separations, Diſperſions, Unſettlement and Removes, Diſgraces, Reproaches, Impriſonments, chargeable Journeys, Expences in Law, tedious Sickneſſes, and uncurable Diſeaſes, ending in Death; great Diſquietments and Frights to their Wives and Families, and their doleful Effects upon them; and in all Conditions, various Appearances of Divine Providence, great Supports, various Deliverances, and ſtrong Reſolutions, with a clear ſatisfaction of Conſcience, as to the Cauſe of their Sufferings, are impartially to be obſerved.

How various are the degreees of Light, and the Dictates of Conſcience, even in good, wiſe, and ſelf-ſearching Men, and that even in a diviſion of Judgment and Practice! The firſt Cauſe is different degrees of Light, and means of attaining Knowledg. Some are more deep and quick, ſearching and induſtrious, have better means and opportunities of knowing: ſome can take in a greater Latitude of Circumſtances, and can compare Circumſtances, and the Things themſelves, and judg of the Good and Evil. I do not now take notice of the Blaſſes of Education, Prejudices, Prepoſſeſſions, and Paſſions of Men, nor the Influence of the World upon p. 41Mens Alterations. And the true Reaſon of Reſolution and Peace, which Men have in theſe different ways, is their Sincerity and ſtrict Obſervance of their own Light and Judgment, and the Purity of their Motives.

And from hence ariſes a Neceſſity of performing ſeveral Duties; ſuch as, Let us not judg one another, but forbear one another in Love. Let us humbly acknowledg the Imperfection of our own Underſtandings. We have not all Knowledg; we know not other Mens Reaſons, Thoughts, and Hearts: We ſhould amicably confer when we meet, and hold our Candle to ſhew them the Way, when we think theirs is out; (this is to be underſtood of doubtful Things, and not clear Scripture Matters of Faith and Worſhip.) It ſhould teach us Long-ſuffering, and to mortify our Paſſions, and tie up our Tongues and Hands from Perſecution: Better my Hand be cut off, than that I ſtretch it out to ſtrike any Man that is approved of God, for ſuch Things wherein he approves himſelf unto him.

Let us take our Diviſions to Heart, and think the Sufferings of our Brethren in this Life ſufficient, and too much, and ſpare to condemn them ſo Hell, as Hypocrites, and evil Workers. There are ſome Conformiſts within my knowledg, that I am confident would never have conformed, unleſs they had thought it had been their Duty; and they have Peace therein: They were not drawn in by Preferments, nor driven in by Neceſſity.

There are and have been Nonconformiſts, that are as clear in their Nonconformity.

I was well acquainted with one, and I never was acquainted with a more loyal, ſincere, holy Man. After many Diſgraces and ſharp Trials, eſpecially to a generous genteel Spirit, in England, he went beyond Sea, and in a terrible Storm at Sea, which broke into the Ship, he asked his own Soul, If he could die in and for that Cauſe of his Sufferings, and leaving his Native Country, to preach in a ſtrange Land? His Conſcience gave him a plain and full Anſwer, when ready, as he thought, to leave his Body and dear Relations in a deep Sea. After his Return, he told me this and other Paſſages, with a moſt ſincere Profeſſion, That he had nothing told in this World but to ſerve Chriſt, nor any thing to ſeek but Chriſt; with whom I believe he is, and with him will appear, as one that ſhall judg the World.

Did that eminently learned and excellent Mr. Joſeph Allen, in or after his many Impriſonments, terrible Convulſions, and daily Self-examinations, recoil from his Reaſons for Nonconformity? He was certainly ſo clear and reſolved in this, that in his laſt Conflict with the Devil, three hours before his Death, Satan did not attempt him there: but this is remembred p. 42of him, — I care not to be longer in this (dirty) World, than either my Maſter hath doing or ſuffering-Work for me; were that done, forewel to Earth. Pag. 90. of his Life.

It was thought he would conform, till he ſaw what Aſſent and Conſent was required. Another worthy Perſon, Mr. Joſeph Baker of Worceſter, did read the Service, but went out, and on his Death-Bed ſaid, He could have done any thing but ſin.

Take a fourth Teſtimony, that able Scholar and Miniſter, Mr. John Thompſon, on his Death-Bed, in a Chamber over a naſty Privy, (which was conceived to annoy him, into a Fever) in the Common-Goal at Briſtol, told his Friends that were about him; As for my Bonds, I bleſs God for them; and if I had known when I came in, that I ſhould die here, I would have done no otherwiſe than I have done.

Many more ſuch Profeſſions of Satisfaction might be gathered, but I muſt not be tedious. Neither were theſe the confident Sayings of fancyful Men, but rational. The firſt of theſe four debated the Caſe with one of the greateſt Biſhops in this Age; and was more ſatisfied in his Diſſent, ſince he diſcourſed the Points. And the laſt offered to diſpute the whole Caſe with the Biſhop, and others that ſtood by, with this Caution, Tolle Legem, & fiat Certamen; which was moſt diſingenuouſly conſtrued by ſome of them thus, That he would have the Laws removed, and fight it over again; as it is in the Reply to the Briſtol Narrative, printed, Anno 1675.

And no leſs preparation of Mind could carry them through all kinds of Afflictions and Sufferings, except Exile, and the Ax, or a more ignominious Death.

The Right Reverend Biſhop of Cork can hardly believe the Brethren to be ſo poor as they are ſaid to be. But can they chuſe but be poor? If you conſider their Number, their Charge, their ſmall Time of enjoying their Livings, the ſmall Number of the rich and wealthy that do own them, ſo far as to be their Patrons or Benefactors; the great Loſſes of their beſt Friends by the Fire of London, Decay of Trade; and, beſides the long Taxes that lay upon them in common with others, many of them have been great Sufferers in their own Eſtates: Some Congregations having enough to do to afford a ſmall Maintenance to their own Miniſters; and having many occaſions to exhauſt them, to help them out of Priſons, to maintain them in Priſons, and many other ways conſtant Expence and Charge. Beſides theſe Conſiderations, a few Arguments are convincing. I read in the Life of that Gentlewoman, of a great Mind and Contrivance, Mrs. Baxter, what his preſent Circumſtances were, and what reduced him into them. How frugal and parſimonious that wiſe and good Man, Mr. Jo. Corbet, was, that he might have to communicate p. 43to them that were in want! And the good Sums of Money which that great Example and Truſtee of Charity, Mr. Tho. Gouge, hath given out of his own Purſe, to ſome good Men in exigence; beſides ſome private Collections, which have been made for ſome good Men, of deſerved Note. Twenty or forty Pound is a good Collection; but alas! how little a way will it go! how ſoon ſpent in a Family! and ſuch Collections muſt not come often about. The Reverend Mr. B. tells us, his Wife engaged to procure a Man of Note 20 l. but it fell ſo ſhort, that ſhe, to make good her charitable Undertaking, paid 12 l. out of her own Purſe. Theſe are next to Demonſtrations. And I doubt not, but Mr Baxter can name the Men, that live upon little more than brown Bread and Water. I have heard of ſome in Cumberland, that have but eight or ten Pounds per an. to keep a Family; ſo that a piece of Fleſh hath not come to one of their Tables in ſix Weeks time; their Allowance could ſcarce afford them Bread and Cheeſe. One of them went to Plow ſix days, and preached the Lord's Day: And Mr. O. W. in the Weſt Country, was forced to cut Tobacco for his Livelihood. Thoſe Juſtices of Peace, that have for many Years been zealous in that part of their Office, know the Poverty of the Preachers, by their iſſuing out Warrants upon ſome of the Hearers, becauſe of the Poverty of the Preachers. Out of reſpect to the Worth and Modeſty of ſome of them, I forbear their Names.

Thoſe two worthy Brethren, and Fellow-Labourers, Mr. Reynolds, and Mr. Whitlock, of Nottingham, in Octob. 1662. removed out of the Vicarage-Houſe, where they and their Families lived together, as they have always done, and went to Colwick-Hall, which proved very unhealthful to moſt in both their Families; were (Septemb. 1663.) both ſeized at their Meeting, and brought to Nottingham by Souldiers, and with others indicted at the Aſſizes, where they came off, paying a ſmall Fine. Auguſt 20. 1665. at ſeven of the Clock in the Morning, being Lord's Day, one of the Deputy-Lieutenants ſent three Souldiers to ſeize them, who brought them to Nottingham, where, by an Order, (nothing being ſaid to them) they were ſent to the Marſhal's, where they were detained Priſoners, no Charge given againſt them, nor ever called to appear, till Octob. 13. following, at which time they were by the D. Lieutenants ſet at Liberty, giving Bond to appear at ſix days warning, at any time before next Aſſizes; but they never heard more of them.

It was thought that Impriſonment (on the Five-Mile Act) was the Cauſe of a fifteen Weeks Sickneſs to Mr. Reynolds: Before he was recovered out of it, they were conſtrained to remove their Dwellings, March 25. 1666. and for three months were conſtrained to live from their p. 44Families, before they could meet with a convenient Dwelling, which was fifteen or ſixteen Miles diſtant from Nottingham. They preached in the Night, and early in the Morning, out of publick Time, and yet were indicted twice for Conventicles, were often diſturbed; and once Mr. Reynolds was ſeized, the Officers breaking open the Door by force, who brought him before the Mayor, and would have indicted him upon the Five-Mile Act: But he was diſmiſſed, making it to appear, he was upon his Journey to Cambridg.

Mr. Joſeph Truman, (well known by ſeveral well-ſtudied Treatiſes in Divinity) was often indicted, and once ſued to an Outlawry, which was very chargeable to him.

A brief Narrative of the Sufferings and Impriſonment of Mr. Francis Bampfield, Miniſter of Sherburn in Dorſetſhire.

The Town of Sherburn, by long and earneſt Sollicitations, obtained Mr. Bamfield to ſucceed that loyal and reverend, very pious Divine, Mr. Will. Leyford, moved thereunto by the experience and knowledg of his Loyalty, (in a conſtant aſſerting the Royal Cauſe in all Changes, and ſuffering for it) as of his eminent Abilities. Being utterly unſatisfied in his Conſcience with the Conditions of Conformity, he took his leave of his ſorrowful and weeping Congregation, the Lord's Day before St. Bartholomew, 1662. In a ſhort time after he removed to another Houſe in Town Septemb. 19. following. As he was, after his wonted manner, before he came to Sherburn, in Family-Duty, and Exerciſe upon 1 Theſſ. 5.6, 7. (whence he obſerved, That way which the Devil and his Inſtruments hinder Grace, God will wiſely over-rule to further it,) and divers of his Neighbours with him, intent upon the Duty, one S. with other Souldiers, required him in the King's Name to be ſilent, and with the reſt to depart the Room. This S. was neither of a ſober nor baſhful Temper, but ſquared for ſuch a Service, yet could not utter his Command without much conſternation, ſpeaking a Word in a Breath.

Before this, two Deputy-Lieutenants had been conſulted, to know if ſuch an Exeroiſe as Mr. Bamfield uſed were contrary to Law, but without any Anſwer from them, one T. an Apothecary, came with S. and ſaid, he had a Warrant from the Deputy-Lieutenants, to ſerve upon Mr. Bamfield, and Mr. Philips, his Aſſiſtant, (a very worthy Preacher) and ten more of the chiefeſt of his Auditors then preſent, and thereupon took theſe two worthy Miniſters, and above twenty five more, to Priſon, in the Houſe of the Provoſt Marſhal, where they all continued Priſoners till Wedneſday Night following, ſeparating the Preachers from the People.

p. 45In this Priſon, about twenty two of this Company, whereof one was very old, had but one Room to them all, and but one Bed in it, for five Days and Nights. But the Priſoners turned their Priſon Chamber into a Chappel, and ſpent their Time like an holy Prieſthood, in praying, repeating Sermons, and ſinging Pſalms. Saturday, about ſeven or eight of the Clock, Leave being obtained, the Priſoners came together, (I ſuppoſe by that time they had more Rooms allowed them) and while one of them was in Prayer, the Souldiers brake into the Room, and ſpake aloud, calling him Rogue, and bidding him make an end; laid hands upon him, and forced the reſt of the Priſoners away.

On the Lord's Day, after one denial, Mr. Bamfield had leave to preach to the Priſoners. Many of the Town deſired to be preſent, and ſome obtained leave of the Souldiers, (paying a Fee of Entrance) to go in, but were thruſt out again after they had paid their Money. Some got into a Backſide, and heard, and were threatned with Writs for the Treſpaſs, by the Owner of it, whoſe Wife gave them leave; and Satisfaction of ten times the value was offered him for the Treſpaſs.

One Evening the Souldiers would needs ſhew ſome Devotion, and when he that read the Service, came to Lighten our Darkneſs, one of them, thinking it had been a Pſalm ſet up a Tune to ſing: So unskilful were theſe Men in the Form of their own Devotion, being better at hindring others, than performing themſelves the Worſhip of God.

The Lord's Day at Night, the Miniſters and Priſoners had leave to come together, and Mr. Philips to preach; but whilſt he was in Prayer before Sermon, the Souldiers came violently in, and took away his Chair, and diſturbed the Exerciſe; and ſo they had no Sermon.

Upon Wedneſday following four or five of the Deputy-Lieutenants met, and called Mr. Bamfield before them firſt, then Mr. Philips, and afterwards the reſt of the Priſoners. Sir J. S. of Par. was in the Chair, (who could come into Conteſt with Mr. Bamfield in point of Loyalty, in trying Times, it ſeems.) Mr. Bamfield owned he was worſhipping God in his Family, his Doors open, and that divers of his Neighbours came in, Many were the Miſchiefs imputed to their hearing and withdrawing, tho not one thing was charged to be in the Prayer or Preaching, tending to Sedition, or otherwiſe peccant; however, cauſe or no cauſe, the Chairman declared the Exerciſe did tend to Sedition, and required Sureties for the Good-Behaviour, and Appearance at the next Aſſizes, which he did: And the ſame was required, and given by Mr. Philips, and the reſt of the Priſoners.

p. 46While they were in Priſon, divers that brought Proviſions for their Friends, were not permitted: Some who came to viſit their Friends in Priſon, were impriſoned with them: Some had the Proviſions taken from them, and the Souldiers made merry with it. Some were …ain to carry Meat in their Hat-Crowns, that it might not be ſeen. Some were violently handled, and kicked down Stairs.

Some of the Priſoners had been Souldiers for the King in the Wars. A Thouſand Pounds Security was offered for one of them, who had been a Souldier for the King, that he might go home to his Wife, who lay in at his Houſe, a little way from the Marſhal's Houſe. The Siſter of another, (a Souldier for the King in the Wars) was violently uſed; and the Victuals carried for her Brother, was taken from her.

The Priſoners paid double Fees, to the Juſtices Clerks for Recognizances, and to the Provoſt-Marſhal, the ſame Gentlemen being both Deputy-Lieutenants and Juſtices: They paid for the Souldiers Attendance to guard them; that is, to diſturb them, and abuſe their Friends, as you heard before.

Mr. Joſhua Kirby, Preacher of the Lecture at Wakefield, founded by the Lady Cambden, (90 l. per an.) ſetled there by the Company of Mercers, London, was ejected, 1662. but continued preaching in his own Houſe, on the Lecture-Day, till a Lecturer was ſetled in publick. After the Lecture was ſupplied, he was wont to preach in his own Houſe on the Lord's Day Evening, after his hearing in the Pariſh-Church, except when he was hindred, to avoid Warrants, and Writs, De Excommun. cap. or Impriſonment. In the latter end of 1665, he was forced by the Five-Mile Act to leave his Houſe and Family, and travel abroad, to his great Inconvenience and Trouble, and of his Family, till he took a Licenſe from his Majeſty to preach, 1672.

He was once committed for Neglect, Contempts, rebellious and inſolent Diſobedience to the Laws, (in preaching in his own Houſe, which is not contrary to that Act of Uniformity, upon which they proceeded with him,) for three Months, Novemb. 21. 1662, by five Juſtices of the Peace. But to avoid this, he travelled abroad, till the Mittimus was out of date. Feb. 20. following, 1662, another Mittimus is made, to carry him to the Common-Goal at York, during three Months. He was taken, and ſent accordingly, and remained a cloſe Priſoner, never going out of the ſaid Goal, paying 10 s. a Week for Chamber and Diet, as the Goaler teſtified.

p. 47Auguſt 26. 1664, after the Conventicle-Act came out, being the Lord's Day, as he was coming from Church, he was taken by the Bayliff of Wakefield, and was not permitted to go to Church in the Afternoon; and after two or three Nights ſtay at his Houſe, was again ſent to the Goal in York-Caſtle, for three Months.

After his coming home from York, other Warrants were prepared for him, in which are theſe Words:

Whereas, &c. divers Sectaries, and diſloyal Perſons, as we are informed, to the Terror of the King's Liege People, do notoriouſly, impudently, and ſeditiouſly meet in the Houſe of the ſaid J. K. a Schiſmatical Nonconformiſt, under colour and pretence of Religious Exerciſe, in other manner than is allowed by the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England. — The ſaid J. K. doth traduce and revile the King, and the Church, — diſturb the Peace, and turmoil the Nation in new Combuſtions and Confuſions, &c. —

This Mr. Joſ. Kirby did conſtantly frequent the Church, whilſt he was permitted, preached with leaſt Offence, and avoided all appearance of Oppoſition; and, in the Time of the Uſurpation, was a conſtant and loyal Affertor of the Royal Intereſt, inſomuch that he ſuffered for his Forwardneſs therein: But Preaching in other manner than is allowed by the Liturgy and Practice, (what are thoſe kinds of Religious Exerciſe, that are diſallowed by the Liturgy?) is a Crime, that hath Blackneſs enough in it to deface his Loyalty.

It is remarkable, he was ſent by another Mittimus to Goal to York-Caſtle; but they who made it, were ſo exact and careful as to miſ-date it, and to make the Time of going in, to be the Time of his coming out; and the Goaler obſerving it, refuſed to receive him, and ſo he eſcaped that time. But the Conſtable that went with him, with that wiſe Mittimus, was ſo civil and courteous to him, that he deſired him, that he would be pleaſed to take his Lodging there, till he ſhould go back to Wakefield for another Mittimus. What an officious Officer was this, to be willing to take the pains to fetch another Mittimus, asking nothing of Mr. Kirby, but to bear his Charges! I am much taken with the Kindneſs of this honeſt Conſtable, that would ſave Mr. Kirby a Journey himſelf, to fetch a better Mittimus.

To ſend Miniſters to the Common-Goal, is not much to their Honour; but to ſend any to the Houſe of Correction, is to ſend them whither Gentlemen are ſeldom ſent, I think. But to ſhew how Nonconformiſts have been honoured, I ſhall produce a Piece of a Copy of a Mittimus made to ſend a Miniſter to the Houſe of Correction, I will conceal his Name, except I had his Leave, in honour to him.

p. 48Burgus de Leeds.

To the Maſter of the Houſe of Correction.

WE herewithall ſend you the Body of — who ſtands accuſed before us, for that he and others, above the Number of five Perſons, and above the Age of ſixteen Years, did depart from the Places of their ſeveral Habitations, and upon Jan. 21. inſtant, in the Night-time Aſſemble, under pretence of joining in Religious Worſhip. — And refuſing to give their Recognizances, with Sureties, to anſwer the Premiſes, and to be of Good-Behaviour. — Theſe are therefore to will and command you, That the Body of — you receive, and him in your ſafe Cuſtody keep, until he ſhall enter into Recognizance, &c. till the next General Seſſions, &c.

Here was indeed a Warrant (ſuch as it was.) But another Miniſter, (whoſe Name I conceal, to avoid Offence, and for Shame) was at Noonday, by oral Command of a L. put in the Town-Stocks, in his own Pariſh, to the great Grief and Trouble of his People, (whoſe Miniſter he had been thirteen Years, elected by them, and preſented by the lawful Patron to his Living) where he continued for the ſpace of two Hours.

Anno 1669. Mr. O. Heywood, Miniſter of Coley, near Hallifax, was deſired to preach near Leeds, on thoſe Words, Walk worthy of God. But the Mayor of Leeds, (whoſe Name I will not publiſh, becauſe he repented of his Raſhneſs and Incivility) hearing of it, ſent Officers to diſturb the Meeting, who did it effectually, with rudeneſs, who brought him to the Mayor, who treated him like a Fury, holding up his hand as tho he would ſtrike him, and ſpeaking Language unfit from a Magiſtrate to a Miniſter, and threatning to proſecute him to the uttermoſt, ſaying, Have not you been once in our Hands already? No, Sir, (ſaid Mr. H.) I never was in Priſon, but once for the King, in Sir George Booth's Riſing. The more ſhame for you now, quoth Mr. Mayor, cannot you reade, Fear God, and honour the King? In ſhort, he was carried away with Lanthorns to the Common-Goal, called Capon-Hall, and there put into a Room like a Swine-Sty, having nothing in it but Heaps of Straw. But the Goaler was ſo civil, as to have his Lodging cleanſed, and freſh Straw brought for him, and to ſuffer a Bed to be brought in for him by his Friends; and leaving him ſome Conveniences, but diſarming him of his Knife, he p. 49courteouſly left him to his Reſt, which was diſturbed by Dogs and Cats fighting in the Room below him, &c. Next day Mr. Mayor ſent for him, would have had him given Bond for the Behaviour, and fell into another perplexity, diſtracted between his own Spirit, and the Spirit of them that made him their Inſtrument, ſaying, What ſhall I do? I am put in this place; I would do for the beſt, and would willingly diſmiſs Mr. H. but I fear I ſhall be called into queſtion for it, and brought into danger for it. But ſome wiſe Men and Friends promiſed to interpoſe between him and Danger, and ſo he became exceeding courteous to Mr. H. freely diſmiſſed him, telling him, it was pity the Church ſhould loſe his Gifts, and other kind Diſcourſe. — But he and thirty ſix were fined at the next Seſſions, and himſelf put into the Eccleſiaſtical Court for the ſame Fault.

Mr. R. Smith, Miniſter of VVh. S. in Somerſet, to which he had a legal Title, was forced out by the Violence and Power of a Popiſh Family, in April, 1662, (before the Act of Uniformity came out: Thence he removed to Dynnington, where he had ſome Eſtate of his own: whence he was conſtrained, for Peace and Quietneſs, to remove to Chard, to be out of the way of one who had informed, that he had been inciting the People to Rebellion, when in truth he was two days abroad, as a Phyſician to divers Families, and the Forger of the Information let it fall. When the Oxford Act came out, in his Circumſtances he could remove no whither but to his Eſtate at Dynnington, where he had not been many Months, but his former Enemy, and ſome Confederates, wrought him great Troubles, of which one was a Proſecution in the Eccleſiaſtical Court at VVells. He was a fourth time conſtrained to remove, and not only to leave, but to ſell his Eſtate, and to avoid Troubles, to remove into the remote Parts of Devon.

Mr. Fox, Rector of D. B. in Stafford-ſhire, after Auguſt 24. was put upon a new Way to maintain his Wife, and five ſmall Children; and upon the Advice of Friends, he was encouraged to ſettle in a Corporation near to him, where by his Pen, and help of Relations, he had a comfortable Livelihood, until the Oxford Act, which forced him to remove, and to rent a Farm in Derby-ſhire.

Mr. Chantry, Miniſter of VVeeford in the ſame County, was neceſſitated, by the ſame Act of Corporations, to remove with his Wife and four Children into another Country, to take a Farm upon a Rack-Rent. His Family increaſing, he could not afford to keep either Man or Maid, but was forced p. 50to labour hard, and fare hard, and with Labour and Thrift could not pay his Rent, but ran in Debt, to his great Trouble and Affliction, yet lives upon it ſtill, having eight Children.

Mr. Maynard, an aged Miniſter, of North-Taunton in Devon, was carried before one Juſtice G. (without any reſpect to Age or Epiſcopal Ordination.) Mr. Maynard was threatned to be ſent to the Work-Houſe, where (ſaid the Juſtice) you ſhall hear better Preaching; and further, You, Maynard, who made you a Preacher? He replied, he was of old, Epiſcopally ordained: To whom the Juſtice anſweren, I hear you teach Children to ſuck in Rebellion; you ought to be baniſhed the Realm, and if you return, to he cut aſunder.

This ſame Juſtice is ſuſpected to be Popiſh, by his Words at Cholmleigh, at a Privy-Seſſions, declaring, The Nonconformiſts deſerved to be executed, as well, if not better, than the Traiterous Jeſuits that were executed at Tyourn.

Two Miniſters licenſed by the King, were informed againſt for preaching in Licenſed Places, and were brought before the Juſtice at the Bell in Cholmleigh, who adjourned to the Church-Yard, where he charged them with the Breach of the Statute of 22 of Car. 2. The Miniſters pleaded, there was no Proof, that the Religious Exerciſes were in other manner than according to the Liturgy: It is no matter, ſaid he, for the Law forbids the aſſembling of more than the Family. They pleaded their Licences from the Secretary of State. After about two hours pleading in the open Air, to the hazard of their Healths, (bare-headed, 'tis ſuppoſed) he fined the Preachers 20 l. apiece, the Houſe 40 l. for two Meetings; and ſaid to one of the Preachers, pleading the King's Declaration, What do you tell me of a whimſical Declaration? And the other Preacher tendring him his Licenſe, he refuſed to look upon it, and ſaid, It may be an old Almanack for any thing I know.

Mr. Henry Root, Miniſter at Sowerby, near Hallifax, was forcibly taken out of his own Houſe, 1663, by virtue of a Mittimus, upon a Significavit by three Bayliffs, who broke the inner Door of a Room where he was, hurrying him faſter than his Old Age could bear, not ſuffering him to take as much as a Coat, nor a Staff nor Money in his Purſe, nor to receive the Salutations of his Daughter in-Law, who ran into the way to meet him, nor to ride upon a Horſe, which another Reverend Miniſter that rode, and overtook him on foot, lent him to ride upon, without leading the Horſe by the Bridle; So he alighted, and went on foot to Hallifax, and thence to York-Caſtle, Priſoner for three Months. After a time, he was again ſent Priſoner to the ſame Place for ſix Months; but the Juſtices underſtanding p. 51that the Commitment was contrary to Law, he was at three Months end diſcharged. Yet a third time he was ſent to York Caſtle, by Sir J. A. ſhewing no Cauſe, till further Order, where he continued Priſoner, cloſe ſhut up in a little Room, and not ſo much as his Wife permitted to come to him, no, not ſo near him as into the Caſtle, to know if he were ſick or well, alive or dead, till his Son by ſome means procured Liberty for his Mother to ſee his Father, but was not permitted to take part of his Lodging with him: And at length a Favour was procured for him, to be removed out of the Caſtle into the City. Between both Places he continued near a whole Year. Heres a long Impriſonment; but you ſhall hear of more Troubles upon his Son.

Mr. Timothy Root, Miniſter of Sowerby-Bridg Chappel, in York-ſhire, for preaching after Auguſt 24. 1662, till he was ſatisfied to conform, or the Congregation provided for, was by Sir J. A. and Mr. C. ſent to York-Caſtle, (his Wife lying in of her firſt Child) for three Months. In 1666, he was ſent to Goal again, for no matter of Fact, till further Order. At which time the D. of Y. came to York, and it was ſaid, he would diſcharge him, and many others; but he did not. Shortly after the Duke of Buckingham came to York, and finding no matter of Fact againſt any of them, diſcharged them, upon Bond for the Good-Behaviour.

When the Five-Mile Act came forth, Mr. Root was forced to leave his Habitation and Family, and Farm which he had taken, to his great Loſs, and his Wife ready to lie in, and to abide at his Father-in-Law's, whither alſo his Wife and Family came, when ſhe could go abroad, and there continued, till going to Lancaſhire, to viſit ſome Relations, he was indicted by a Doctor, who diſturb'd him as he was preaching in a Chappel, upon the deſire of his Friends: But the Doctor miſtook his Name, and ſo he eſcaped. And the Perſons indicted with him did traverſe the Indictment, and coming before Judg Littleton at Lancaſter, the Judg worthily declared, If we made publick Places, where the Bell was tolled, to be riotous Aſſemblies, they would preſently cauſe all People to turn Papiſts. Some rive Months after Mr. R. was invited to preach at the ſame Chappel, being vacant, for which he was indicted again for a Riot, which proved chargeable to him. Auguſt 1670. he was deſired by ſome Friends at Leeds, to preach at Shadwell Chappel one Lord's Day, the Place being deſtitute. Whilſt the Corgregation was ſinging a Pſalm, came the Lord S. of H. Mr. C. &c. and twenty four Troopers, with ſome Bayliffs; he was drawn out of the Pulpit, into the Chappel-Yard, where he was afraid of his Life, becauſe of the trampling of their Horſes, (and now alſo his Wife lay in of a fourth Child.) He cried to them to keep off their Horſes; he was in their p. 52hands, and they in God's: In God's hands, ſaid the Lord, no, thou art in the Devil's hands. His Pockets were ſearched, and a Reccit was found, which had his Name in it; which he confeſſing, they make a Mittimus, to carry him to York Goal, where he was kept up cloſe Priſoner in a Chamber, whither the Under-Goaler came, and told him, Except he would give them 20 l. he ſhould be loaden with double Irons, and caſt into the Low Goal, among the Thieves. He put them off as well as he could without Money; but after fourteen Days Confinement to his Chamber, he was brought forth, and double Irons were laid upon him, heavier than any of the Thieves, whoſe Co-priſoner he was like to be. The Goaler locked the inner Door in the Day-time, and would not permit him the Liberty of the Thieves, to walk in the Caſtle-Yard, to take the Air; nor a Bed-ſtead to be ſet up, but he laid a Bed, which he got, upon Straw. On the Lord's Day following he would have preached to the Thieves, and other Priſoners, ſtanding only at the Holes where the Priſoners begged: But whilſt he was at Prayer, the Under-Goaler came with a Command from the Head-Goaler, for him to deſiſt. But when he had thus lain about four or five Days and Nights, two Juſtices in the Weſt, Capt. B. and Mr. T. ſent a Certificite for him to Mr. C. upon which he was releaſed, yet not without being bound to appear at the next Aſſizes at York; where waiting all the Time of the Aſſizes, and nothing coming in againſt him, he was finally diſcharged from that Trouble, which was very chargeable to his Purſe, hazardous to his Wife, vexatious to his Friends, and ignominious in a high degree. He was four times indicted in ſeveral Places, and put to very great Charges of Journeys, Traverſes, Certiorari's, Fees, and Removes: He was thrice thrown into the Common-Goal at York, and once laid in double Irons, cloſe ſhut up; not favoured to lie like a Man upon a borrowed Bed; not permitted on a Lord's Day to preach to the Priſoners: And all this for preaching, neither Sedition nor Hereſy, upon Invitation, and where there was great need.

Mr. Nathan Heywood, of Ormskirk in the County of Lancaſter, was wont to go frequently to hear the Service on the Week-Days; and for all that, a ſtrict Command was ſent to him, (by Warrant ſent to the Churchwarden) and to two Gentlewomen, both Proteſtants, and to them alone, to come to Church-Service, or elſe they ſhould be proceeded againſt upon the Acts of Q. Eliz. and K. James. He pleaded, that he had the King's Licence to preach at Chappels. The Juſtice not ſatisfied with this, ſent out his Warrants for Twelve-pence a Sunday, altho he ſaw Mr. Heywood preſent at Common-Prayer, upon occaſion of a Funeral. The next day after he recalled his Warrants, turning it into Jeſt, as if he intended only p. 53the Quakers, but blotted out the Names of two notable Papiſts, preſented to him.

Jan. 4. 1673, the Juſtice himſelf intended to break up the Aſſembly at Scarsbrick Chappel, but was diſcovered, being croſſed and hindred in his coming, by notable Providences, and being diſcovered, Mr. H. ſorbore Preaching. When the Juſtice came, finding himſelf diſappointed, he was in a great Rage, and drove the People out of the Chappel Yard and Chappel, and bad them depart; and in his way home again, he called upon a Conſtable (a Papiſt) charging him to go to the Chappel, and keep poſſeſſion of it till four of the Clock; which the Conſtable did, taking other Papiſts to his Help, who all made merry in the Chappel, and ſmoaked Tobacco, and kept out Proteſtants from the Worſhip of God.

Jan. 27. The Juſtice, in a Letter to a great Lady, whoſe Chappel it was, declared, That he intended to have been there himſelf, hearing the Liturgy would be read there; but being indiſpoſed, he could not come, deſiring her to do her ſelf the Honour to break up the Meeting which was to be there: But ſhe thought it a greater Honour to encourage Mr. H. to preach, and the People to hear. His Servant ſtaid Sermon, as well as Service, and told his Maſter what was done, according to his Command; and ſaid, to his diſpleaſure, he never heard a better Sermon, and deſired him to ſend him thither as often as he pleaſed.

A Lawyer, and a Parliament-Man, adviſed the Lady to have the Liturgy read in her Chappel, and the Juſtice could not touch them: Which was done, and for all that he ſent out Warrants to levy the Fine upon the Hearers, and ſent ſeveral times Officers to take Names; and March 8. ſent a Threatning to Mr. Heywood, he would come and pull him out of the Pulpit by the Ears; and ſent a Warrant to diſtrain Forty Pounds upon his Goods, for a ſecond Offence. Mr. H. was appoineed to meet the Juſtice at Leverpool, but inſtead of a good Underſtanding, he groſly abuſed him, threatned to ſend him to Priſon on the Five-Mile Act, and ſaid openly, The King had no Power to grant Licences to preach. March 29. an Uſher of Holland read Prayers that day, and ſoon after he began, the Conſtable and Overſeers of Scarsbrick came to the Desk, clapt a Warrant on his Shoulder, and charged him to go with them to Juſtice E. who threatned him with a Priſon, and under-hand bad him go home. The Juſtice continued to give diſturbance to Mr. H. almoſt every Day, till December following; and upon Decemb. 19. ſent out his Warrant upon the Five-Mile Act, becauſe he dwelt within three Miles of Ormskirk, where he had been Miniſter. And on the Lord's Day, Decemb. 20. there came three Men (ſuch as they were) from Sir R. B. and him, about eleven of the Clock, while Mr. H. was in his Prayer before Sermon, walking up and p. 54down while Prayer was ended; then Rigby, one of them, came up to the Pulpit, and ſaid, Sir, you are our Priſoner come down, and go along with us. Mr. H. deſired them to forbear till he had preached, and then he would ſubmit; but Rigby held his Piſtol to Mr. H.'s Head,This is the Common-Prayer of theſe kind of Reformers, uſed more than the Liturgy. and ſaid, God-damn-me, come down, Sirrab or I will crack your Pate. Mr. H. deſired him to be more civil; ſuch Language was unfit for that Place. Then the Lady, who with her Children and Servants ſtood at the Pulpit-door, required him to ſhew his Warrant, and told him, She might keep a Chaplain; and if he had no Authority but Guns, ſhe had Guns in the Houſe too. He ſhewed a written Warrant, which was obeyed: And the next day, the old Lady Stanley, and two Deputy-Lieutenants, and ſeveral Gentlemen, came and appeared for Mr. H. His living within three Miles of his former Place, and preaching, being a Nonconformiſt, were urged againſt him: He defended himſelf with Argument, and it could not be proved, that he lived within three Miles: But the Thing inſiſted upon was, That he ſhould promiſe to preach no more. Several Junices ſtood for him; and one told his Proſecutors, If Mr. H. were ſent to Lancaſter-Goal, he ſhould be as comfortably maintained, and as honourably releaſed, as ever Priſoner was. At which the Proſecutor went off the Bench in a Rage, and went home, and ſent his Warrants to diſtrain for Twenty Pounds upon his Goods: The Doors were kept ſhut for half a Year, and the Officers were often chidden, (who alledged they had no Power to break open Doors) becauſe they did not get in, when they ſaw his Children playing in the Streets daily. His Perſon was kept from Goal, and his Goods-from Diſtreſs, but his Spirit could not be preſerved from great Grief, for he was heard to ſay, a little before he died, I think this turning out of our Licenſed Places will coſt Mr. Yates and me our Lives. O this goes heavily! Our caſting out of our great Places, was not ſo much as caſting us out of our little Places.

I leave the conſidering Reader to his Obſervations, which are obvious; only we plainly ſee, to what uſe the Laws are applied, and by whom executed.

Here, as before, is to be ſeen the Irreverence which ſome Men expreſſed towards his Majeſty's Power and Declaration; and to them I will add one more Inſtance of it: And becauſe it was ſo notorious, as to be brought before the King and Council, I need not be ſo ſhie to relate it, neither do I produce it as an Evidence of Diſloyalty to the King, which I will not impeach, nor of Zeal for the Laws, as of an Antipathy againſt ſome religious Things and Perſons.

p. 55Mr. Sam. Doughty had the King's Licenſe to preach in his own Houſe, in Aſhby dela-Zouch, was convicted by the Lord B. and Lord S. Forty Pounds were levied upon him, twenty Pounds for his Houſe, and twenty Pounds for preaching in it. He made his Appeal to the Quarter-Seſſions, pleaded his Licenſe from the King, that there was neither Sedition, nor Breach of Peace; but he found no Relief. Afterwards he complained to the King and Council; the Lords were ſent for up to Council: The King was graciouſly pleaſed to give him his part, but he could never get it.

The Loſſes by Nonconformity were very great, as being the Loſs of a ſetled Subſiſtence; but the Loſs by the Five-Mile Act was far greater, in many reſpects, to the poor ejected Miniſters, and their Families.

Mr. John Mott, Miniſter of Kings-Bromley, near Litchfield, was ſeparated from his People, from whom good Preferment, with the Urgency of Friends, could not allure him. After St. Bartholomew he took a Farm of Sixty Pounds per an. in the ſaid Pariſh, on which be lived handſomly four Years, and was a good Tenant. But behold what a Crime it is to be a Nonconformiſt! He was threatned, and ſued by a Gentleman in the Pariſh and one of his Landlords turned againſt him, ſaying, It was not fit a Rebel againſt the King ſhould live ſo near the Church: And another of them, or the ſame, after he had made him a Promiſe to ſeal him a Leaſe for ſixteen Years, as ſoon as he returned from London; at London let the Eſtate to another, at the very ſame Rent, only he had a Watch in Earneſt of the Bargain; which Bargain ſtood, and the new Tenant turned out Mr. Mott, and his Family, to his great Loſs, and at once was forced to leave the Place where his Relations lived, himſelf was born, and had been a painful Miniſter. After this, he was accommodated with a part of his Wives Mother's Houſe in Stafford, where he lived in a very afflicted, troubleſom Condition, frowned upon by the Magiſtrates, (regulated Magiſtrates could do no leſs) threatning him with a Priſon, (for the bold Offence of living in a Corporation, when he could live no where elſe.) When his Wife was big with Child, (of her ſixth) he was committed to the Marſhal's hand, becauſe he would not give in Bond, wherein he was required to renounce the Covenant, (no doubt that Bond was drawn by the Advice of Counſel learned in the Law, or rather did not the Arbitrary Spirit act in thoſe Counſels?) and further threatned to be ſent to Titbury Caſtle, to be ſafe there. But he was at about a Fortnight's end diſtharged, when Reaſon and good Nature adviſed together, only paying his Fees, and the Charges of the Houſe. After this, the Corporation-Act came out; and what Malice without Law could not do before, this p. 56Law gratified the Malice of them, that thought a Corporation could not be ſafe, whilſt one Nonconformiſt was in it. He was then forced from his Wife and Children, came to them ſometimes privately; and if for many Years he appeared openly, Information was preſently given to the Magiſtrates, and he brought before the Mayor, and commanded to be gone, or ſtay in Priſon. Once he was brought before the Deputy-Lieutenants; ſome told him (ſtrange News) that he was in a Plot; but he was diſmiſſed, upon his Promiſe of Appearance whenever required. So vigilant was the Eyes of ſome upon him, or ſevere was their Inſpection, that he hardly durſt attend the Funeral of his own Child, or ſtay to comfort his Wife under her Motherly Grief, occaſioned by that Loſs. Theſe Troubles, and Ceſſation from his former Work and Buſineſs, did affect him into a Decay of Health, and Oppreſſion of Spirits, that it haſtned his Death, as is verily believed.

Mr. Tho. Bakewell, Rector of Rolleſton, and afterwards Lecturer of Burton upon Trent, in the County of Stafford, was ſuſpended by B. H. for preaching in his own Houſe, and was taken by a Warrant, together with Mr. Ford, (an eminent Miniſter, as he is ſaid to be) his then Auditor, and brought before Sir — who demanded Sureties for the Behaviour. Mr. B. asked, if Preaching was a Breach of the Behaviour? The Juſtice ſaid, It was: Then ſaid they both, We will give no Bond againſt Preaching. Upon which they were impriſoned ten Weeks, and releaſed without any Impoſition (of Bonds or Security.)

After the Oxford Act, he left his Wife and Family at Burton, and kept away for many Months, till be ſaw the Edg of his Adverſaries abate, preaching and ſhifting from Houſe to Houſe. When the King's Declaration came out, he was invited to preach eight Miles off; and to keep himſelf from the Officers, that had Warrants againſt him and the People, they congregated in Lanes, and wooddy Places: But the Huntſmen ſent their Dogs after them, from place to place, and took Names, and informed, and Diſtreſſes were made, for Perſons, but not for the Common on which they met, not being known to be in any Pariſh.

It is obſerved, That all one Summer, which was wet, they were not wet with Rain, while they met, inſomuch that the Country-People ſaid, They can have fair Weather to keep their Conventicles, when others could not get fair Weather to get in their Harveſt. He was confined to his own Houſe, as a Priſoner, not daring to go forth without great circumſpection, for ſome Years; and by ſtrange Providences, like Athanaſius, eſcaped great Dangers, and narrow Searches.

p. 57Mr. Tho. Jollie, Miniſter of Altham, upon his Ejection, broke up Houſe, and with three ſmall Children, was put to wander for a conſiderable time, without any certain Dwelling-Place. When he was a Sojourner at Healy, Octob 9. 1663, he was ſeized upon by a Lieutenant, and three Souldiers, in a rude manner, was ſet on Horſeback behind one of them, not permitted to draw on his Boots, nor put on his Hat: Theſe carried him to Burnley, and committed him to a Guard. He was examined about keeping Meetings, which could not be proved; but yet he muſt find Sureties for the Behaviour: and, as if that was too little, he muſt be ſent out of his Country. When he was at Family-Duty, in a Houſe to which he was committed by a Colonel, a Captain came in boyſterouſly, pretending it was a Conventicle, and with ſome Words of Blaſphemy, plucked the Bible out of his hand, and drew him to the Court of Guard, where he muſt ſit all Night, inſulted over, and was not ſuffered to lie down till towards Day, when he was permitted to lie on a little moiſt Straw. He was, contrary to the Order of a Juſtice of Peace, and without the Command of the Colonel, ſet away on the Lord's Day, in extreme Rain, to Skippon in York-ſhire, and there lay under the Marſhal's hand, till ſent back, becauſe the Officers there knew not to what purpoſe, or for what Cauſe he was committed.

Novemb. 4. 1663. he was taken Priſoner by three Troopers, not ſhewing him any Warrant or Order, and not telling him whither they would have him, but carried him to York, and put him under the Marſhal's hand, who lodged him in a cold Room, without Fire, in the depth of Winter; and no Crime objected to him there: after a great Expence, and Hazard of his Life, he was ſent home in Peace.

Feb. 12. 1664, he was taken at a Meeting by the ſame Captain; his Souldiers brake down the Doors by his Command. When the Captain came in among them, his Courage failed him, and his Countenance fell; ſo that he went away, and left Mr. J. to his Souldiers, one of whom (W.) raged againſt him in vile and bloody Expreſſions: Soon after which, he, and another Souldier were taken away by Death, in a terrible manner. He and others were carried before two Juſtices, who ſent him to Lancaſter Goal, where he continued the full Time appointed by the firſt Act againſt Conventicles.

After his Releaſe, he was again (Novemb. 23. 1665.) ſeized, by Order from the Lord Lieutenant and Deputies, and by them turned over to the Juſtices, to give Bond for the Behavior, or to be ſent to Goal; but Juſtice Rigby confeſſed it was without Precedent, and therefore ſent him home, upon promiſe to ſurrender himſelf, if he ſent for him within a Fortnight.

p. 58After the Five-Mile Act came out, he was ſeparated from his Friends, and forced to leave his own Eſtate, and put to continual Night-Travels, to enjoy Divine Ordinances, for many Years, by which he contracted Diſeaſes, to the danger of his Life. Being upon a time taken Preaching, for which a Warrant of Baniſhment, for the third Offence, was ſent out againſt him; but it miſcarried, and he eſcaped.

April 25. 1669, he was taken by Captain — and his Man, who brought him before ſome Deputy-Lieutenants, who ſent him to Lancaſter Goal for ſix Months, for preaching within five Miles of Altham, where he had been Miniſter.

In October, he was ſued for Forty Pound, upon the Five-Mile Act, by the ſaid Captain N. which Suit coſt Mr. J. about Eighty Pounds.

Decemb. 5. following, a Warrant of the Behaviour was ſerved upon Mr. J. for (as he ſaith) fulfilling his Miniſtry, in feeding his Flock, according to his ſolemn Vow made at his Ordination.

About June 14. 1674, before he knew his Licenſe from the King was out, he was taken preaching in one of his licenſed Places, by Captain N. who commanded him to come down, or he would piſtol him, (holding his Piſtol at him in the Pulpit) and ſwearing blaſphemouſly, and calling him ſhamefully. After the Captain had detained him as a Priſoner, (being made a Juſtice) he ſent forth a Warrant to diſtrain Twenty Pounds upon Mr. J.'s Goods; and becauſe his Goods were removed out of the way, he ſent out two Warrants, to diſtrain upon two of his Hearers; which Goods of theirs Mr. J. redeemed, becauſe taken inſtead of his. Another Warrant was ſent out for Twenty Pounds for the Houſe. The whole of the Fines for that Meeting came to about Forty four Pounds, which was all imbezelled, without paying to the King his part, or giving to the Poor theirs, ſave only one Forty Shillings. The King did graciouſly remit to the Sufferers his part; but the Captain would not obey the Order of the Lord Treaſurer: Yet this is for the King. The ſame is known to be true of a Juſtice in Lancaſhire.

About Novemb. 7. 1678. Mr. J. with ſeveral other Diſſenting Proteſtants, were preſented among the Plotting Papiſts: They made their Appearance, and deſired their Buſineſs, might be put off till the next Seſſions, which the Juſtice granted, becauſe the Parliament had the Caſe of Diſſenters before them: Yet the Clerk of the Peace returned him and the reſt into the Exchequer, thereby (as he ſaith) cheating them out of their Liberty of Traverſe. This was chargeable to him, beſides the Sequeſtration of two parts of his Eſtate, which he looked for, when he wrote the ſhort Narrative of his great Sufferings.

p. 59N. B. Some have expoſed ſome of the Nonconformiſts to Jealouſy and Sufferings, as being confederate with Jeſuits, or maintaining a Correſpondency and Intereſt with them; but this Nonconformiſt found no ſuch Friendſhip from that Party: For Mr. W. of Druſenhaugh, a great Papiſt in his Pariſh, charged his Steward, a Papiſt alſo, to ſhut him out of Lango Chappel, where he was Lord of the Soil. His Adverſaries were great Intimates with the Popiſh Gentry, which are numerous in that County; and ſome of his Adverſaries had been profeſſed Papiſts a while before.

There are many very remarkable Inſtances of God's Providence towards him, and of the inſatiable Malice of very ill Men againſt him; with the Divine Hand ſtretched out againſt ſeveral of his Perſecutors.

Two Captains, Gentlemen, and an Enſign hindred him to preach, or commend his People to God, before Auguſt 24. 1662. after thirteen Years labouring among his People. He withdrew, and gave way to their Violence, leaving this Admonition with one of the Gentlemen: This is not the way to turn the Wrath of God from your Houſe, which hath long lain upon it, but to bring it on to the uttermoſt. The Gentleman anſwered, Be it ſo.

Their Carriage towards Mr. Jollie was an Offence and great Grief to the Country.

One of the three Excluders of him died in the purſuit of his moſt debauched Practices, with unexpreſſible Horrors.

Soon after another of them, whom he had warned as before, died (having ſeen his Male Iſſue rooted out before) by his own hands, by a Relapſe into exceſſive Drinking, after a little Recovery. His Diſeaſe apprehended him, as if he had been ſtruck with a Rod upon his Arm.

Another (but not one of the three) violent Proſecutor died in great Poverty and Diſgrace.

A younger Brother, and next Heir to the admoniſhed Gentleman, was the Cauſe of Mr. J.'s Apprehenſion, April 25. 1669. who not being well, would needs have his Chamber-Window in A. H. opened to ſee Mr. J. carried by a Priſoner; but ſuch an Air came in at the Window upon him, that he took cold, and ſoon after died, without any male Iſſue: And ſaith the good Man, Lord grant the third Brother may take warning.

Another Gentleman, that ſent Mr. J. Priſoner to Lancaſter, was ſhortly after made a Priſoner, and all his Eſtate in Lancaſter ſeized upon for Debt.

One F. a Retainer to Capt. N. and an Inſtrument in the Proſecution, a drunken and debauched Fellow, after a Revelling-Bout at the Ab. in W. was taken or ſmitten with an inſatiable Thirſt, inſomuch that two days after he lay down and drunk at the River, to quench his Thirſt, upon which a Stitch took him, and killed him preſently.

p. 60About the latter end of 1677, Mr. R. a Juſtice, met at a Privy-Seſſions, at which one of the Juſtices asked, Who Mr. J. was? Another anſwered, He is a Miuiſter: No, ſaid Mr. R. he is an Enemy of Chriſt, and a Traitor to the King. Preſently after (as ſome preſent are ready to teſtify) that Gentleman fell a trembling, could not hold his Pen to ſign any Warrant, nor ſit up, nor ſtay in the Place, but was neceſſitated to leave the Seſſions, and never came more to the Bench, dying ſoon after, as a fearful Spectacle.

The ſame worthy Perſon concludes a ſhort Sum of his Sufferings thus; We might give an Account of the ſpecial hand of God upon us for Good, all along, throughout all our Infirmities and Temptations, leading us by the hand, and upholding us, either ſignally ſaving us from, or ſtrengthning us under our Troubles, filling us with Peace paſſing underſtanding, and Joy unſpeakable, ſupplying our Wants every way, who are a very weak and poor People. — Yea, either convincing or changing our Adverſaries, or baffling and blaſting their Deſigns. — All this for the everlaſting Honour of his moſt glorious Name alone. Hallelujah.

Compare the Spirit of the Proſecutors, and the Spirit of the Sufferers, the End of the one, and of the other, and then judg ſeriouſly, who is the beſt Chriſtian, and who is moſt approved of Chriſt, they who ſerve him, or the other who trouble them for it.

Mr. T. M. of L. (I conceal his Name becauſe of his Modeſty) in beginning and ending his Letter at the Importunity of his Friend, thus he begins: Honoured Sir, were it not for the falſe Reflections and Calumnies againſt the Nonconformiſt-Miniſters of England, — your kind and ſerious, ſympathizing, and ſeaſonable Letter had not extorted theſe ſad following Lines. — I am in ſome ſort compelled to comply with your Importunity, in the enſuing epitomiz'd Narrative. And he concludes with a Spirit that commands from me a great reſpect to his Chriſtian and humble Temper.

He left his Living in the City of L. where he had been a Miniſter ſome Years, having a Wife and ſeveral Children, loſt 80 l. per an. and 40 l. which ſhould have been paid to him in the beginning of the Year, and in a low Eſtate left his Living: Yet he continued in Town, living upon meer Providence, till the Oxford Act came out. Then he was forced to leave Wife and Children, being ſcarce free from an almoſt deadly Cold, which he thought would put an end to his Life, continuing about three Months upon him. He ſaw not Wife nor Children after that in eleven Weeks, and durſt not come to them publickly in eighteen Months, or thereabouts, and having no Dwelling-place abroad, journeyed in that time (as he thinks) thirteen ſcore Miles on foot, from place to place. If at any time he ſhould ſteal home by Night, he was in great fear and danger, and p. 61durſt not ſtir out of his Chamber; and whenever he went out again, he went either very late, or very early, and ſometimes on a ſudden, for fear of being taken. After that time he made bold to come home; but the Zeal of ſome growing ſo hot, that one Mr. Grace, an aged worthy Miniſter, coming to Town, they made ſearch for him, which he eſcaped, leaving his Horſe in his Inn, and eſcaping on foot: Then Mr. M. thought it unſafe for him to ſtay, and made haſte away the next day, and durſt not return in a long time. One time he was ſent for to a Magiſtrate that lay ſick, and continued his Night-Viſits for a Fortnight; but the Evening before he died, he was ſent for in haſte by Day-light; and becauſe he was ſeen to go to the Magiſtrate's Houſe, he was complained of to the chief Magiſtrate of the Town, by a Curate, which made him haſten away next morning, (Saturday): The chief Magiſtrate was ſo kind as to ſend notice to his Wife, on the Evening of the Sabbath, that her Husband ſhould be gone, for ſome had been twice with him for a Warrant. After this he abſented long. He was cited into the Eccleſiaſtical Court, for baptizing his own Child. One time as he was going along the Street, one cried out to the Town-Clerk, who went after him, Do you ſee the Rogue Mr. R. do you ſee the Rogue? He is before you: But God was pleaſed to give the Town-Clerk another Heart than to apprehend him. But this made him be much from home, and walk the Streets very ſparingly. He hath been forced into the Country in Snow and Rain, to preach before day, and to ſhift from Houſe to Houſe before day, for fear of a Magiſtrate in the Country, who hath ſaid, he would have him dead or alive. And ſo not daring to be in the City, nor to appear in the Country, in that Magiſtrate's reach, he hath been conſtrained to retire into the Fields and Solitudes, to keep Sabbath all alone. He hath lived upon Providence for eighteen or nineteen Years; and tho … been in danger of Life, by reaſon of Heats and Colds, yet hath he … been forſaken, nor his Seed begged their Bread, nor ſuffered as they did who were deſtitute, tormented, afflicted, wandring up and down in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins, Dens and Rocks, and Caves, &c. With many other pious Expreſſions of God's Goodneſs, and wonderful Providences, his own Unworthineſs, as unworthy to be counted a Sufferer, he concludes to his worthy Friend with Praiſes and Prayer.

Having mentioned Mr. Grace of Sheerſton, as an aged worthy Miniſter, I remember ſome ſhort Account of him, which take as followeth.

Mr. Grace, upon his Ejectment from his Living, on which he lived comfortably, was with his Wife and eleven Children reduced to Straits. Hoping to get ſome Supplies of Maintenance, he took a Farm of about p. 62Thirty Pounds per an. — (But preaching in his own Houſe was, it ſeems by his Letter, a Crime not to be paſſed by.) He was in a ſhort time after his other Troubles, apprehended by two Juſtices,Noncenformity is ſuch a great Sin in ſome Mens eyes, that it excludes them out of natural Affection, as well as Charity and Compaſſion. This worthy Perſon was ſo near a-kin to A. B. Sh. that he and his Family could not be much nearer. Either he or his Wife was Couſin-German to the late A. B. of Cant. and, with many of his Hearers, bound over, which was very chargeable. Not long after, he was ſent for by a Party of Horſe, called out of his Bed, and carried Priſoner to Stafford, for what he knew not, nor was ever told. He being unable to bear the Charge of his Impriſonment, made application to the Deputy-Lieutenants, was forced to give in Bond of a hundred Pounds, to appear when called. He was diſmiſſed, after many hard Speeches, but no Charge laid againſt him. After theſe Troubles, he was by the Five-Mile-Act neceſſitated to remove five Miles from the Corporation, to a Place where he lived at great Coſts and Charges, ſeparated from his dear Relations, and his Farm left to the management of Servants, which proved exceedingly to his Loſs.

Some Nonconformiſts in the North of England have been often impriſoned. Eight were indicted for Roman-Catholicks, and their Eſtates ſequeſtred: Their Proof and Plea, that they were true Proteſtants,When will the Jeſuits and Papiſts be at this pains and charge to prove themſelves Proteſtants? Is this a Sign that Nonconformiſts are Papiſts, or in with them in a Confederacy? both in the Country, and at London, coſt them about Forty Pounds. They were indicted upon the Statute of Twenty Pound a Month, and Twelve-pence a Sunday. Ten were proſecuted upon the Statute of 35 of Eliz. came to London, and were put in a way by a noble and powerful Lord, to get off: And had not Sir William Jones, then Attorney General, (whoſe Name is and will be in honour, while any honour will be paid to a profeſſed and open Aſſertor of true Loyalty, Laws, and Religion) been ſo generous and merciful, as to cauſe but one Fee for ten, (that is, 30 l. inſtead of 210 l. ) due at the ſeveral Offices, they had been great Sufferers, and their ſtreight Condition had been reduced I cannot tell into what Streights and Poverty, they being no ways able to pay it; for even what was paid, was raiſed by the Charity of good People in London.

If any Man that hath any value for the precious Souls of Men, for whom Chriſt died, and hath any knowledg of the miſerable Condition of large and dark Places in thoſe Counties, he may judg it to be a great Diſſervice p. 63to Jeſus Chriſt, and immortal Souls, to ſilence, impriſon, and puniſh Preachers, and thereby to leave poor ignorant Souls to the Improvements of natural Ignorance, and to the Power of ill Examples, and irreligious or ſuperſtitious Cuſtoms. A Traveller, unacquainted with the Country, is not in greater danger in the Night, of falling into Cole-Pits and Precipices, than thoſe poor Souls of falling into the Bottomleſs-Pit, if they are denied the Guidance of faithful Miniſters. Shall poor Souls abide in Darkneſs, and err from the Ways of God, to their everlaſting hazard? and Miniſters, that have knowledg of their Danger, and a charitable Senſe of their great Need, look on, and ſee them fall, and ſin, and die, and not call, and warn, and exhort, and teach them? Their painful Miniſters, to avoid Offence and Dangers, and to ſhew poor Souls the Way to everlaſting Life, have gone under the protection and concealment of the Darkneſs of the Night, and preached and prayed in Caves and Pits, venturing their Healths and Lives, to ſave Sinners from everlaſting Deſtruction.

One Mr. Davis in Cumberland preached in one of them, and got a Cold that proved mortal, leaving ſix Children to the Charity of good People, and particularly to the Care of Mr. Richard Wilſon, a Gentleman of a ſmall Eſtate, but of great Piety and Uſefulneſs in the North, and one who had like to have been ruined on the 35 of Eliz.

And what a poor Reward is a Threatning, a Frown, a Fine, and an Impriſonment! Is this a Prophet's Reward! Not to receive them that ſpeak Peace, into their Houſes, is an Unkindneſs: To bid them depart out of their Coaſt, is a fairer diſmiſſion than to ſend them to a Priſon. If their Rewards be only in this Life, then of all Men, they who are puniſhed in thoſe and other dark and poor Corners of the Land, are moſt miſerable.

Active and ſucceſsful Mr. Tho. Tregoſſe writes thus to his Brother-Miniſter: Warrants are granted for levying Two Hundred and Twenty Pounds upon me; yet God hath kept them off, but I am expecting daily to be ſtript of all; I am alſo threatned upon the Corporation-Law. — I am conſtantly expecting an Impriſonment.

To avoid that Miſchief, and others which he expected, ſome have removed often from Place to Place. It is not painful to ambitious Men, to remove from a worſe to a better, from an old to a new Preferment; but Removes are chargeable and burthenſom, from a Free-Hold to a Farm, to a Chamber, or a part of another Man's Houſe, &c.

I hear, Mr. Stevens, of Fennie-Drayton in Leiceſter-ſhire, after his Ejection, removed ſeven times for his Peace.

p. 64Mr. Baxter, (Life of Mrs. M. B. p. 51.) hiſtorically tells us of his ſeveral Removes, which muſt needs be very troubleſom to his ſickly Body, and to his Mind fixed upon Studies; and to have no better Accommodation, than a part of a very poor Houſe of a Farmer's in Totteridge, where the Rooms ſmoak'd ſo extremely, as greatly annoyed the Health of the nobly charitable Mrs. Baxter. The Winter was very hard and cold, the Coal-ſmoak filled the Room in which they ſate all day, ſo that it was as a Cloud, and they were even ſuffocated with the Stink. It was ill living without Fire in a cold Winter, and bad having Smoak in their Eyes, and Stink in their Noſtrils: It was ill ſtudying for him, in great pain beſides; and ill living for her, whoſe Lungs could not bear Smoak and Cloſeneſs.

It doth as often affect me, as I call to mind what Reverend Mr. T. writes, in a Letter to a Relation. — I am now ſeptuagenarius, and hardly able to paſs from one Chamber to another, without ſome help, over and above that of my Staff. Being driven out of my Place, worth above Two Hundred Pounds p. 1 an. with my Wife and eight Children, and by forced Confinements, and ſometimes Baniſhments, for the ſpace of a whole Year from my Houſe and Family, did contract thoſe Weakneſſes and Diſtempers, under which I now languiſh. But ſtill I have cauſe to bleſs God, who corrects me far leſs than I deſerve; and why ſhall a living Man complain?

Take another Inſtance of the Effects of Confinements upon the Health and Life of ſome more, and upon their Families.

The well-known Divine, Mr. G. Hughes of Plimouth, was ſummoned to appear by a Lieutenant of the Garriſon, as from his Superior, and to bring his Son with him. An Officer, with two Files of Musquetiers, was commanded to convey Mr. H. to an Iſland in the Sea, not ſuffering his Son (to be his Companion and Comforter) to go with him, but confined him to Plimouth. While Mr. H. was in the Iſland, the Earl of B. came upon it; but Mr. H. could not obtain the Juſtice or Friendſhip to ſpeak with him, tho nothing was laid to his Charge. Here in his Patmos he anſwered Mr. Serjeant's Sure-Footing. And here that Diſeaſe, by the Saltneſs of the Air, poſſeſſed him, that never left him: His Legs were black and ſwollen, and could not be recovered. After nine Months Impriſonment, he was offered his Liberty, upon condition of giving Security of a Thouſand Pounds, not to live within Twenty Miles of Plimouth. He yeilded to the Importunity of his Friends, who gave that Bond without his knowledg, to ſee if better Air would relieve him, and came in a languiſhing condition to take his leave of his Friends, and the Place of his Miniſtry, and removed to a Place twenty Miles off, and there died.

p. 65His Son Mr. O. was in no Charge or Employment … not liable to thoſe Laws which were againſt ſuch only … were in Places; for all that he was impriſoned, and in Decemb. 1665, the Oath which is in the Oxford Act was offered him, (before that Act came out) he refuſing it, was continued till March 30. following: At which time he was brought into the Fort, and required to ſign and ſeal a Promiſe, not to remain in Plimouth forty eight hours after, nor to return thither, without leave from the E. of B. or his Deputy; upon promiſing ſo to do, he was diſmiſſed.

Mr. Tho. Martin, Lecturer of St. Andrew Plimouth, 1661, (certainly ſo good and innocent a Man as I took him to be could not provoke any Man, much leſs Authority) was, upon a rigorous Interpretation of Words, ſuſpended ab Officio; and one time it being given out, that he intended to preach, was threatned by a Man, who carried Anger in his Breaſt, and a Sword at his Side, to be pluck'd out of the Pulpit by the Ears.

Anno 1665, he, together with Mr. Hughes, Vicar of that Church, was ſent to the Iſland, and kept Priſoner under very hard Circumſtances, for ten Months, in which he, his deſolate Wife, and eight Children, ſuffered much Diſcomfort, and his Eſtate a great Impairing. He humbly deſired a Removal, when the Sickneſs was among the Souldiers, and ſome of them very near his Lodging, which was denied. But at length, for the ſake of Liberty from ſuch a Reſtraint, by the Command of the E. of B. he gave Bond of a Thouſand Pounds, and two Sureties to his Majeſty, not to inhabit in, or to come within twenty Miles of Plimouth, without his or his Deputy's leave. He and his Family ſuffered great Diſadvantages by their Separation from one another; and when his Preſence was neceſſary to adviſe, relieve, and comfort his Family, in Sickneſſes, and Death of ſome, he durſt not come any nearer to them. In all this time he was not accuſed of any Crime, or Breach of Law or Statute, and was never admitted to come before the E. of B. about this Buſineſs.

I ſhall not collect Stories out of what is publiſhed to the World, nor gather all which might be ſoon brought together; but I ſhall communicate one Story more, to ſhew them that knew not the Temper of the Times, and to what we may impute many of our Diviſions and Miſeries, ſomething worth taking notice of.

After Mr. N. S. had ſpent divers Years in Oxford, and had been legally ordained by Epiſcopal Hands, he returned to P. the Place of his Nativity, of his Anceſtor's Abode, where his Eſtate and his Relations lived, and betook to his private Studies.

p. 66Two Officers of the Garriſon came from the Governour (as they ſaid) to his Lodging, (Octob. 6. 1665.) and told him, the Governor deſired to ſpeak with him at the P. Tavern: Mr. S. haſted thither, where he found divers Miniſters on the ſame Buſineſs. After they had been there a while, they perceived a Guard of Souldiers was put upon them. Octob. 9. Mr. S. with others, were removed to the Fl. Tavern. Mr. Sh. was rudely treated by the Serjeant, for offering to ſtep to his Lodging without his leave. The Serjeant that Night doubled the Guard, and ſet two Sentinels at his Chamber, and the Liberty of the Houſe was denied him. In the Evening he was conveyed with four Muſquetiers, with their Matches lighted, to the Col. who conveyed him to St. Nicholas Iſland, with Orders from the E. not to converſe with Mr. H. and Mr. M. Priſoners there, and to have a Sentinel ſet at his Chamber-Door, and not to go out of his Chamber without a Guard. He continued under this Reſtraint, till Decemb. 4. In January he was brought before the Earl, who told him, If he could ſatisfy the Biſhop, he would be ſatisfied. The Biſhop knowing him in Oxford, wrote a very obliging Letter to the Earl, as much in his favour as could be. The Oath in the Oxford Act was tendred him, which he refuſed, as not concerned in the Act it ſelf, when the Act came forth, not then in being. His Priſon was changed, and March 30. was releaſed upon his Bond to depart the Town within forty eight hours.

Mr. Worts, (commended as a worthy Perſon, by a Gentleman able to judg) Paſtor of a Congregation at Gueſtwick in Norfolk, was impriſoned by a Writ De Excommun. capiend. taken out Novemb. 15. 1664. and continued in the Common-Goal till Septemb. 3. 1665. when the Plague was at the height in London, he was made cloſe Priſoner until Novemb. 9. not knowing by whoſe Order, or for what additional Offence. Feb. 2. he, with ſix more, were put into the Caſtle, in a Hole in the Wall, over an Arch, on the Weſt ſide of the Caſtle, which had neither Door, Window, nor Chimney. There was room in a Corner for one Truckle-Bed, the reſt lay in Hammocks. The Hole had three Wickets into the Felon's Yard, one of which muſt be open Night and Day, leſt they ſhould have been ſtiffled in the Night with the Steam of the Charcoal. For five Weeks the Door below (for the Hole is about forty Steps high, up a narrow Paſſage in the Wall) was kept lock'd Night and Day. The Keeper uſually went away about four of the Clock with the Key to a Neighbour-Village, about a Mile and half diſtance from the Head-Goaler's Houſe, and returned not till about eight in the Morning, in whoſe abſence none could come to them, whatever occaſion might be. During thoſe five Weeks, they were not permitted to ſet foot into the Yard. If a Priſoner's p. 67Wife came to ſee him, he was called down to the Door, and the Keeper would ſet his Back againſt one ſide of the Door, and his Foot againſt the other, and ſo the Husband and Wife might only ſee and ſpeak with each other. They had leave to run up and down Stairs as oft as they would, which was inſtead of a Walk or Gallery for the ſpace of five Weeks. Their Maid was not allowed to come up with their Proviſion. After the five Weeks, theſe Perſons were permitted to go into the Caſtle-Yard, during the time of their continuance there, which was about two Months; then they were removed to another Priſon. They were wonderfully preſerved this Year from the Contagion, while the Arrows of the Almighty fell mortally very near them, an one ſide and another, there being only a Lane between, ſo that they could both hear and ſee ſome that were ſhut up, crying for Bread, and themſelves ſhut up alſo, and could not flee, ſave only into their Strong-Tower, the Name of the Lord, where they found Safety and Peace. Some time after a great Man, then in Power, told the Goaler, he muſt carry them forthwith to the Caſtle, and put up each in a Place alone: The Goaler anſwered, It cannot be done, the Caſtle is full, and I daily fear the Plague ſhould break out amongst them: He replied, Then put them into a Place together, adding, What do I care if the Plague be in it. Yet were they preſerved in that naſty Hole, at whoſe Wickets came in the odious excrementitious Odors of the Common-Yard of the Felons. One of them was even ſuffocated by it; the Phyſician could not help, ſo long as the Patient was put up there: Upon which an Account was ſpeedily ſent to the Sheriff of his low Eſtate, with a Petition to remove him for a little time, his Life being in danger: The Sheriff anſwered, He durſt not meddle, he muſt abide it: The Man revived notwithſtanding, and lived.

Mr. Worts continued Priſoner full ſeven Years, as the Gentleman remembers, from whom I have this Narrative, and who had it from Mr. W. while a Priſoner.

It is obſerved by the Reverend and intelligent Mr. Baxter, that many have been excommunicated in the Dioceſs of Norwich, (and there was a ſevere Proſecution of the Excommunicate) but to the honour of that moſt excellent Evangelical Biſhop Reynolds, it is obſerved thoſe Proceedings were not from him, who retained that good Spirit which he diſcovered, when he preached thoſe and other compoſing and healing Sermons, before and upon the King's Reſtauration. The Guilt of this Severity and Inhumanity is imputed to Dr. M. Chancellor of the Dioceſs, with reflection upon his Greatneſs under the Uſurpation; but the Chancellor was moſt away, and left the Management of the Office to inferior Officers, p. 68which was a great Trouble to the good Biſhop.

Who doth not ſee, that ſome Great Men have ventured to exerciſe an Arbitrary Power? and what Remedy for the Oppreſſed? This Greatneſs was too big for a High-Sheriff, the King's higheſt Repreſentative in his County, to oppoſe or offend, by an Act of Juſtice and Mercy. Such Severities have been uſed as much without the knowledg of the King, as contrary to his Nature, (and perhaps others in ſuperior Power have been abuſed by their Inferiors) who declared himſelf to be againſt ſanguinary Laws, in the Caſe of Mr. Holdcraft, (who was a Priſoner many Years in Cambridg Caſtle, and threatned with Baniſhment or Death, on 35 Eliz.) and was heard to ſay, It was a barbarous Act in the Biſhop of Briſtol, to be againſt the removal of worthy Mr. Thompſon out of a loathſom Chamber above a Privy, when ſick of a high Fever, of which he died, in Briſtol-Goal. His Royal Clemency extended far into the Weſt, in the Enlargement of Mr. Tregoſſe, by a ſpecial Order to the Marſhal of Bodmin, which was a noted Anſwer to his Prayers; and who releaſed Mr. Parſons, and remitted his Fine at the Interceſſion of the Lord Newport. The Juſtice of ſeveral of the Judges, and of ſome Deputy-Lieutenants, and Juſtices, who have qualified the Heats of others, deſerves an honourable Obſervation, and they have as great a Share in the Honour of being of the Government, as they who arrogate to themſelves the ſole or eminent Title, that a Man cannot relate their extravagant Miſcarriages, but they are ready to arraign him as a petty Traytor againſt the Government, thereby to keep Sufferers in awe, from making Complaints, or ſpeaking Truth. But ſome particular Perſons have given all the Vent they could to their Enmity againſt Nonconformiſt-Miniſters; if not againſt Religious Duties, and followed them beyond the Boundaries of Law.

Some acting upon the Act of Uniformity beyond Law, have been reſtleſs till they procured an Act againſt Conventicles. Great Complaints were made of the Nonconformiſts Meetings, when Sir Edward Turner, the Speaker, preſented the Bill againſt Conventicles, (the firſt Act) he told his Majeſty: Whilſt we were intent upon theſe weighty Affairs, we were often interrupted by Petitions, and Letters, and Motions, repreſenting the unſetled Condition of ſome Counties, by reaſon of Phanaticks, Sectaries, and Nonconformiſts: They differ in their Shapes and Species, and accordingly are more or leſs dangerous; but in this they all agree, they are no Friends to the eſtabliſhed Government in Church or State. He calls Conventicles, the Seed-Plots and Nurſeries of their Opinions, under pretence of Religious Worſhip.

p. 69From the few Narratives given in before, and an ordinary Obſervation of Times, and the Knowledg we have how eaſy a thing it is to procure Addreſſes, Motions, Petitions, for any thing, and againſt any thing, which ſome great Men would have, we may imagine from what kind of Men ſuch Repreſentations were made. And conſidering that ſuch a Repreſentation thus made to the King, ſo long a Stranger in his own Kingdom, by a Speaker in Parliament, it is wonderful, the King did not proceed to an utter Extirpation of all Nonconformiſts, as Enemies to his Government, and no Lovers of his Perſon, in whom the Regality is inveſted. And to tell the King, that all Nonconformiſts are no Friends to the eſtabliſhed Government, was to motion a fair Reward of the Loyalty of very many, who uſed all Endeavours to reſtore his Majeſty and Government; and to contradict what the King himſelf told the Miniſters of London, on the Day of his happy Return, when the Reverend Mr. A. Jackron preſented him with a Bibe in their behalf, as he paſſed through St. Paul's Church-Yard, to this effect, That he muſt attribute his Reſtauration, under God, to their Prayers and Endeavours.

This ſpiritual Antipathy againſt good Men hath been very troubleſom to many wiſe and moderate Magiſtrates, and preſſed out all the Sowrneſs of ſome Mens Spirits into the Cup of the Nonconformiſts, and forced milder Natures into an obſequious Severity to Pride and Anger, which could not be reſtrained from falling on theſe Men, that were to be ſet at naught; and they who ſhewed them reſpects, forfeited the Civilities due to themſelves.

I will conclude this Head with a few Inſtances of this Antipathy and Incivility.

A wealthy Citizen, of very good quality, in time of the Plague went to viſit his native Country, and ſecretly to diſtribute his Charity, which was proportionable to his Eſtate and Mind; and being in a Town in the Aſſize time, was brought before ſome Juſtices of the Peace; theſe demanded Bond for his Behaviour, or elſe he muſt to Priſon. He underſtanding himſelf, and being conſcious there was no cauſe of Impriſonment, refuſed the firſt, and having a good Spirit, a good Purſe, and good Counſel, eſcaped the laſt.

After the Oxford Act came out, a peaceable and inoffenſive Nonconformiſt was conſtrained to think of a Removal from a convenient Settlement. He was neceſſitated to leave his Family, which Separation was next to an Exile to him, and when he could come home, to come in the Night. p. 70He employed his Friends, and rode about himſelf, to find an Habitation. After much enquiry he was directed to a very good convenient Houſe, which he was glad of, with reſpect to his Wife, who was a worthy Gentlewoman, and bore her part of his Sufferings with decency and affection. The Landlord was a Courtier. The Miniſter took the Houſe of him that was entruſted to let it, gave Earneſt, brewed, and prepared for his Settlement; but before he could remove, a Gentleman of that Neighbourhood, who had no power either to let or hinder, came and hung a Lock upon the Door of the Houſe, and wrote a Letter to the Landlord at London, acquainting him with what he had done, and begging his Pardon for the Preſumption, for he thought it was not fit that a Nonconformiſt ſhould be his Tenant. Surely this Gentleman looked upon a Nonconformiſt, as the Samaritans upon the Jews, and would deny him Water, or not receive him into his Houſe, or bid him God ſpeed. And ſo the Gentleman was to ſeck again for an Habitation, to his great perplexity and trouble.

A Gentleman of Quality and Truth gave me this Relation of one within his own knowledg: One, (ſaith he) a very worthy Perſon, was ſorely exerciſed with Witchcraft, which the Witch confeſſing, was brought before ſome Juſtices, one of whom (ſaid to be a famous Perſecutor) bad her go home, and if ſhe bewitched none but Fanaticks, ſhe ſhould never be troubled for him. And ſo he had no relief from the Law, nor Eaſe otherwiſe, till the Witch died, ſeveral Years after.

Did they who ſo ſtrongly brought in our Terms, foreſee that there would be Nonconformiſts, and that Nonconformity would not only eject them out of their Habitations and Benefices, but out of Corporations, and their own hired Houſes, but exclude them out of the common Right of Humanity and Juſtice, then they have the greater cauſe to repent: If they did not, they are the more innocent Cauſes of many and great Troubles to many truly good Men, and are engaged to endeavour their Deliverance from all theſe Troubles.

It is remarkable, that the moſt active Inſtruments in this Anti-Evangelical Work, have been none of the beſt, but indeed the worſt of Men.

And of them it may be noted, (1.) What their Quality is, and hath been. (2.) What their Impiety, and heinous Wickedneſs, of the groſſeſt Nature. (3.) What their Succeſs hath been. (4.) What Appearances have been of God againſt them, and what their Ends have been. Some of them have been convinced, converted, and taken off from this Way and Courſe; and ſome have been made Examples of humane and divine Juſtice.

p. 71There are abundance of inferior Officers, that are very vicious and diſhoneſt, and yet nothing is to be ſeen very remarkably differing them from other vicious and poor People; but that of all Sorts of Inſtruments theſe Informers ſhould be noted out by Divine Providence, as Examples of notorious Vices, Falſhood, Perjuries, and miſerable Deaths, may be a Warning to the worſt of Men, not to grow ſo bad, and bold againſt the Ways of God.

It is not neceſſary to refer the following Narratives unto the above-mentioned Heads; I ſhall not pretend to ſo much unprofitable Exactneſs, but relate what is well atteſted, in a promiſcuous way.

About the Year 1674, about twenty five Perſons, Men and Women, were indicted for a Rout or Riot in Stafford-ſhire, (that is to ſay, for a Meeting for Religious Exerciſe): The Proſecutors were, Thomas Ward, Bayliff to the Lord Stafford, (executed for Treaſon, and the Popiſh Plot) and five more, whereof one died immediatly, others loſt their Places, and others came to Poverty.

One Holmes, an Informer, hunting to find out Mr. Bakewell's Meeting in the Night, fell into a Pit of Water, and was in danger to be drowned, had not ſome helped him out; which Danger did operate upon him, ſo as to ſay, that he would go no more upon that account.

And Mr. S. Miniſter of B. met Mr. Bakewell, and profeſſed he was ſorry for any thing he either ſaid or did againſt him, to bring him into Trouble.

It is obſerved, That thoſe who became Enemies to Mr. Bakewell of Burton, had been Profeſſors of Piety, but fell from it, and they fell into great and apparent Decays of Eſtates, even to Poverty. [Note, Moſt commonly they who never made a ſhew of Piety, or fell from it, trke the way of Informing.] — Godlineſs is gainful, and hath the Promiſe of the Life that now is; but Ungodlineſs hath the contrary Curſes.

I will confirm this Obſervation with a fearful Example of Apoſtacy and Wickedneſs, moſt remarkably puniſhed, with Ruine of a good Eſtate, and a moſt miſerable ſhameful Death.

The Narrative was communicated to me by a Gentleman of great Worth.

John Hunnucks of Braintree in Eſſex, was the Son of a ſerious, diſcreetly pious, wealthy Draper and Grocer in that Town. A pious Education and Example had little Efficacy upon him; but being witty, and capable of the Management of his own and his Father's Trade, was left Co-Executor with his Mother-in-Law, who prudently agreed with him, p. 72to get into her own hands her Part, and the Portion of one Child. He married the Daughter of a very worthy Perſon, had four Children by her, obſerved Family-Duties, and wanted not Gifts, was wont to go ſometimes to hear the Nonconformiſts, who were afterwards perſecuted by him.

Not many Months after his Wife died, he grew wild and debauched, ſwearing, drinking, and with his drawn Sword forcing others to drink up to his Meaſure. He was very vexatious to his Dealers, and unrighteous in his Trade, unnatural and unjuſt in detaining his Siſter's Portion, compelling her Husband to go to Law, forſwearing himſelf about his Father's Will, that it was loſt, and that his Father died in Debt as much as the Eſtate would ſatisfy, which was prized at 2200 l. beſides 4 or 500 l. brought in as bad Debts, the moſt of which this Man recovered. He ſued his Brother-in-Law, arreſted him, and in perſon goes with the Bayliff to ſee him in Priſon, not ceaſing to put him to great Charges, till his Brother-in-Law died. In nine or ten Years time he conſumed all his Father left him and his other Children, ran far into Debt, and caſt himſelf into the King's-Bench.

The firſt Lord's Day after the Act againſt Conventicles came in force, he began to inform, and (as was ſaid) he reckoned to get Sixty Pounds per Week by that good Work, after the failing of other Trades. But God would have ſtopp'd him, if his Heart had not been hardned; for before that Lord's-Day came, one of his Children looking into a Tub of Water, fell into it, and was drowned. When he heard of it in an Alehouſe, he made no haſte home; and when he came, he bad his Neighbours, that came to ſee if they could recover the Child, be gone, they had no Buſineſs there. The Child (as is remembred) was buried on the Saturday, and the next day he went and informed the Officers of a Meeting, with Witneſſes to atteſt his Information. The Officers charged him to go along with them, and forced him in, (he being unwilling to go in when he came to the Door,) and ſhew them the People: When he came in, they ſhoved him up over againſt the Preacher, he would neither look up, nor ſpeak, but fell a trembling. The Officers cried, This is your Informer, he anſwered, I am no Informer, I will be no Informer. But being reproached for his Faint-heartedneſs, and animated by ſome, he came again the next Lord's Day, and continued the greateſt part of that Summer with great Fury, taking ſome with him, riding about, and ſearching, to the Expence of about Fifty Pounds, but not getting Five, (a thriving Trade!) During this Time he grew more debauched and vile, reckoning this amongſt his Glories, that he had converted, and brought more to Church than all the Preachers. 'Tis ſaid, he fillip'd up a Shilling, to ſee whether he ſhould p. 73go to God or the Devil, as that fell Croſs or Pile. He hath ſworn he would kill the Preacher, and forſworn himſelf often, ſwearing ſuch Perſons to be at the Meeting, who were not, but divers Miles off. When one Mr. Bromball, an aged pious Man, was to be buried, he provided ſeveral Fidlers to go to the Burial-Houſe, where he pranced with his Horſe before the Door, and broke the Windows with his Staff, and would have the Fidlers go along with him, playing by the Corps, with Language fitted for his Mouth and Actions.

He found no Succeſs or Advantage by his Informing, but about a Year after God took him to a Reckoning: He was broken and blaſted in his Body, as before in his Eſtate; his Eyes ſunk in their Holes, and his Fleſh conſumed, &c. ſo that he was not known to his Acquaintance; his Strength failed him, that he could not go abroad; he caſt away his Eſtate, and his Friends caſt him off: And now what place was left to receive him? None, but a common lower Room in a poor Hoſtler's Houſe, in the Noiſe and Company of poor rude Children. Thus his Pride was ſtained and humbled. But his Heart ſeemed to be more humbled yet, becauſe he ſent for the Preacher whom he had diſturbed and perſecuted, a firſt, ſecond, and third time; and when he came to viſit him, he ſpake, You are the Perſon I have a great deſire to ſee; I think you, and the People whom I did perſecute, to be my Friends. He ſaid, he had been ſo vile a Wretch, and guilty of ſo many and great Sins, that he knew not by which he had moſt diſhonoured God: He had ſinned againſt Light, and was afraid God was not at peace with him; and that it had been better for him he had been a Toad than a Man. He was very importunate and urgent with the Miniſter to pray with him, and would have one ſtand at the Door in the mean time, that he might not be diſturbed by any Company, and that the Children ſhould be all put out. When the Miniſter ended his Prayer, he was very thankful to him, and reached out his hand to him, and held him long. He ſaid, he deſired to repent of all his Sins, was afraid, if God ſhould try him with longer Life, he ſhould return to his Filthineſs; but he looked for Death, which came and took him away a day or two after, but (as 'tis feared) unprepared and impenitent, upon ſuch Reaſons as I am loth to recite out of the Narrative, for their ill Example.

There are ſeveral remarkable Paſſages of God's Judgments upon him: (1.) He had one Child drowned, when he went to inform. (2.) Another choak'd at Nurſe, after he had gone on a while. (3.) Was croſſed in his Hopes of Gain by Informing. (4.) The deformed Conſumption of his Body, and being caſt off by his Friends. (5.) That ſo haughty a Perſon ſhould lie in a contemptible Place and State. (6.) That a third Child ſhould be taken by an Hoſt, to be kept in Charity. (7.) That the only p. 74viſible Sign of Repentance ſhould be, to ſend for that Miniſter, and deſire his Prayers, rather than any other. (8.) That being a Priſoner at London, he ſhould, upon leave obtained, come to die in that Place and State, in the Face of his Companions, to convince and terrify them, and of them that he had perſecuted, to acknowledg his Fault.

This Service proves (as the Devil's commonly doth) unprofitable; a Man may ſpend all in it, but is very uncertain of gaining any thing by it. It is rarely ſeen, that the Devil bears the Charges of his Servants, as others have found to their Coſt, in this preſent Life.

One W. V. of M. H. hath been very poor ever ſince he took up the Calling, having ſcarce Bread to eat, and moſt remarkably viſited in his Family. His Brother Informer, J. H. about two Years after the Act againſt Conventicles came out, threw up the Trade as unprofitable; and ſince he became an Auditor of Mr. M. C. And one time this J. H. was informed of (by new Informers) as being preſent at a Meeting there, and was fined 5 s. He was a very ſerious and devout Hearer.

After Sir John Hartopp was choſen Knight for Leiceſter-ſhire, againſt a great Oppoſition, they who voted for him, were called Hartopians, and a Revenge was contrived upon the Proteſtant Diſſenters of H. To that end, one J— W— was made Conſtable, who indicted them all, not one ſpared, upon the Statute of Twenty Pounds per Month; which Fines amount to ſo great a Sum, that underſtanding Perſons compute, if the whole Town of Harborough were to be ſold for ready Money, one Moiety of the Purchaſe would not diſcharge the Fines.

In Decemb. 1679, this Jo. W— was thrown into Northampton-Goal, and tho none came in againſt him at the Aſſizes, the Judg ſaw ſufficient cauſe to continue him in Priſon; but upon great Sollicitation, he was bailed till the Summer-Aſſizes. Within three Weeks after his coming home to Harborough, he took upon him to be Informer for the King. At the Summer-Aſſizes, he appeared to ſave his Bail, and to receive a Sentence of Condemnation (as it proved) from Judg Ellis, and Monday following was appointed for Execution, but it was by ſome means, not publickly known, procured he might be reſpited till Thurſday following, at which time there was a vaſt Confluence of People come together, from the Town and Country, a great way about, who knew him to be a grand Malefactor, to ſee Execution: But in the Nick of Time a Reprieve came down, (as ſome have ſaid, without the King's Knowledg.) So little abaſh'd was he at the Sentence of Death, that within an hour after he committed his common Sin in the Goal, as was reported upon good Credit. p. 75And on the expected Execution-Day, he made himſelf merry at the great Concourſe that came to the ſight of it. But after this he came home again, and made great Brags, that the Fanaticks ſhould repay his Charges, (of procuring Reprieves, and other Charges, which coſt ſome hundreds) reckoning his Moiety would come to Four Hundred Pounds. But as he could not leave the purſuit of his evil Deeds, ſo the Juſtice of God purſued him, and took him, (for Horſe-ſtealing, Coining, &c.) and Vengeance fell upon him at Wisbich, where he was, after many Eſcapes, once again condemned, and executed.

There is a Succeſſor of his near the ſame place, and three of his perjured Hirelings, who take no warning as yet, and may in time become Examples to them that take no warning: They can to appearance as freely forſwear themſelves as they can ſpeak, being hardned in Sin, and ſenſleſs of Hell, and having Countenance, dare ſhew their Faces.

At Eaſt-Salcomb in Devon, there dwelt one Joan Baſton, a Widow, aged, and blind, who for a ſuppoſed Conventicle kept at her Houſe, Anno 1673, was fined Twelve Pounds, and for non-payment of it, was threatned with a Goal. After ſome Weeks, the Officers came and broke open her Doors, and carried away much Goods above the value, terrifying her over and over with the Goal, and as was conceived, labouring to extort dangerous Words from her. They ſold as many Goods as were worth thirteen Pound, for Fifty Shillings; ſix Hogſheads, valued at Forty Sihllings, for nine Shillings; and Pewter, Feather-Beds, &c. for Twenty Shillings; and demanded of her Tenants her Rent, by which means ſhe ſuffered much.

This is ſigned by J. B. and the Story related by another hand, and ſufficiently atteſted.

The Conſtable having ſeized J. Baſton's Goods, told me, We have been up and down about our Office, ſeizing the old Woman's Goods: This is the Fruit of your Rebellion. And as for Mr. Geo. Cawley, (the Preacher) he hath ſpoken Treaſon: To whom I replied, No, Sir, I hope not: Yes, ſaid he, and if he do not die, I will die for him. Sir — managed that falſe Accuſation againſt him, from which he was cleared at the Aſſizes.

The Conſtable that falſly accuſed Mr. Coles of S. was taken ill at Exeter, and continued ill a Night and a Day: On Friday he endeavoured to go homewards with his Neighbours. In his Journey a wild Duck flew over his Head and backward and forward, at which his Horſe made a ſtop, and would not go forward. His Company demanded the reaſon of his Stand; he replied, he could not go further, I ſee a Fire befere me. A while after he went on, but the ſame Fire followed him to and fro all the way homeward. p. 76After his coming home, he fancied Thieves to be about his Houſe, attempting to break open the Doors; he heard ſuch a Sound and Noiſe, he ſent down his Servant-Maid to ſee, who found all faſt and quiet. She having lighted a Candle, he cried out, There are ſome coming up Stairs with great Lights, &c. Thus he continued till Lord's-Day at Night, and about two or three in the Morning died, ſenſleſs of his Condition. Thus it proved true, Mr. C. ſhould die, or he die for him; he died, but not for Mr. C.

The Conſtable and Aſſiſtants, that ranſacked the old Widow's Houſe, brought forth the Pulpit into the High-Way, with half a Hogſhead of Sider, and therewith a Company of baſe Fellows drank Healths in the Pulpit, and when they had done, brake the Pulpit in pieces.

Edw. Warden's Bible was diſtrained for his Fine of Three Shillings, when other Goods were refuſed.

See the Piety of ſome of our Suppreſſors of Conventicles: Preachers are threatned with Hanging, and the Death of Traytors; they pull down a Pulpit, to ſet up Healthing in it; tear the Pulpit, diſtrain and ſell the Bible to chooſe, when they might have choice of other Goods.

Novemb. 1670, an Information was taken by J. T. Eſq and given by certain lewd Fellows, againſt ſome near Cruſe Morchard in Devon. The Informers were, John Partridg, that went always armed for fear of Bayliffs, Chr. Short, and Jo. Short: Theſe lay lurking about the Houſe of Tho. Melſhurſt, ſuſpecting a Meeting. Soon after they gave out, there had been Praying, or Preaching, or Expounding there, but which they could not tell, becauſe they were kept off from the Houſe by a great Bull-Dog, (which was ſhortly after poyſoned.) The Juſtice took a general information, (whether upon Oath or not, is not ſaid) and ſent out his Warrants to bring certain Perſons before him; one of which underſtanding the Informers were in the Houſe, deſired the Juſtice to call them, and asked the Informers, how they could tell there was Praying, or Preaching, or Expounding? and deſired to know which was done, ſeeing by their own Confeſſion they were kept off by the Dog. The Juſtice perceiving them to be at a loſs for an Anſwer, made Anſwer for them, They might know well enough which it was by the Tone; and upon that convicted them, and among the reſt, one Nich. Melſhurſt, who was two Miles from the Place at the ſame time, as could be ſufficiently proved, paid his Fine. And Agnes Brook, Daughter of G. Br. of Morchard, was convicted and fined, who had been dead ſeveral Years before; I hope therefore ſhe paid not her Fine, nor was threatned, or ſent to Goal for Non-payment.

p. 77Now obſerve the Vices of theſe Perſons, and their Ends by divine Juſtice. P. and Sh. were ſtrongly ſuſpected for ſtealing ſix Oxen, four from G. Bodley of Morchard, and two from Hen. Lee of the ſame Pariſh: They were apprehended, and brought to their Trial, and Sh. was found guilty, and burnt in the hand, and ſince hath conſumed his Eſtate, and is fled the Country for fear of Arreſts. P. died not long after; and the other Sh. was taken in the Act of the unnatural Sin of Buggery, was found guilty, and died for it.

One Helmere was ſuſpected to be a Conſpirator in the ſaid Information, and was apprehended as a Partner with the forenamed in ſtealing the Oxen, found guilty, and burnt in the hand. And ſince that, he and his Son were taken in the Act of Burglary, was ſent to Priſon, which he brake twice, and is fled, and not taken.

Theſe Relations are ready to be atteſted by Perſons of unſuſpected Credit.

Aug. 26. 1676, four Informers had laid a Deſign to take Mr. J. Barret of Nottingham, and his Hearers, who at that time had none to give intelligence from abroad of any coming to diſturb them. At the Town's-End the Informers divided themſelves; ſome rode for a Warrant, others came to eſpy the Meeting. One of them walked again and again between two Stiles leading into the Yard, belonging to the Houſe where the Meeting was; and yet (as he confeſſed to the Owner of the Houſe ſome time after) he knew not what ailed him, but he had not power to go over the Stile, tho ſometimes he had his hand upon it; and tho the Houſe and Stacks about it, were ſhewn him before he came to Town, and had no reaſon to doubt but that was the Houſe, it ſtanding at a diſtance from any other Houſe, yet he turned to another Houſe, being neareſt to it, where a Woman being at home, was asked, Whether it was not ſuch a Man's Houſe? or whether the Meeting was not there? And ſhe ſaith ſtill, ſhe was ſo ſurprized with fear, that ſhe could make him no Anſwer: whereupon he ſaid to the Woman, Canſt thou not ſpeak? art thou dumb? or art thou mad? This Account ſhe gave then, but it being ſo long ſince, ſhe may have forgotten; but being lately asked of it, ſhe ſaith, he ſaid, Art thou a Fool? But by this Conſuſion they were in, the People met, were gotten away before any Informers came in. The Informers haunted them ſeveral times after, and one time came in when there were but four beſides the Family, and the Children of the Town under ſixteen Years of Age. When they ſaw how they were croſſed ſeveral times, and Mr. Barret had charged him that came firſt, and his Companion, with breach of God's Law, not keeping the Sabbath-Day, but hindring others, p. 78and put him in mind of a great Fit of Sickneſs he had, when he lay under very great Terrors, how often he had viſited him, and how welcome he … to him then, to viſit and pray with him. This Informer and his Companion ſeemed to relent. One of them was (not long after) put into the Goal for Deer-ſtealing.

Mr. O. H. makes this Relation of a great Amazement and Diſturbance of Mind, upon ſome that were to take the Names of his Hearers.

May 22. 1670. As I was riſing out of my Bed, my Servant came to me, and told me, there were two Men deſired to ſpeak with me; whoſe Buſineſs was to ask me, If I durſt adventure to preach in the Chappel, Mr. H. being abſent, and no notice being given to the People, many of whom would come, and be diſappointed? I utterly denied at firſt: They were loth to bring me into Trouble; yet if I was willing, the Chappel-Doors ſhould be opened, and the Bell rung. I conſidered of it, conſulted ſome Neighbours, begged direction of God, and about an hour after I conſented, upon theſe Conſiderations: They were my ancient People, I was forcibly thruſt from them, the Spirits of Men were much moderated; I knew the Sabbath would be profaned; it being Whit-Sunday, many Strangers walking abroad to ſee their Friends; Quakers twit us, that we will not venture upon Hazards: But above all, my Lord's Example, and the Neceſſity of Souls; and who knows what Good may be done?

Upon this, about nine of the Clock, I went up, read, ſung, prayed, preached quietly, on Judg. 5.31. Let them that love him be as the Sun, when he goeth forth in his Strength. About one in the Afternoon we met again, and about three of the Clock, Mr. St. Ell. brought Th. H. Church-Warden, and Sam. W. Overſeer, awing them with a Fine of Five Pounds if they refuſed. St. Ell. put in the Officers before him, who were exceedingly daunted. One of them was ſo awed and aſhamed, that he crept down into a Seat, and was ſo exceeding ſick, that he could not give account of one Perſon. The Informer went along among the People, looked ſtreight at me, ſaid nothing, went down the Alley, and look'd upon the People as he went along. It was a Cauſe of Diſtraction to us; but I went on, and called to the People to look Proofs, which would be a Help to them againſt that Diſtraction. When they went out, St. E. ſent Th. H. again into the Chappel, to take Names: He again walked through the North Alley, ſtood at Seats ends, went out into the Chappel-Yard, where they conferred Notes, writ down Names: And tho the Chappel was full of their own Neighbours, yet they could not take ten Names, they were ſo confounded. The Munday ſeven-Night p. 79following, Mr. W. and Mr. C. two Juſtices, took my Buſineſs into Examination. The Informer St. E. ſtood there, examining the Officers by Interrogations: Did not you ſee ſuch and ſuch there? And ſo they extorted ten Names of many Hundreds that were preſent.

July 13. 1670, J. M. Conſtable, Th. H. S. W. came to make diſtreſs of my Goods, with three Bearer; to carry them away. The Conſtable took hold of the Bed whereon I lay, put off his Hat, ſaying, I ſeize upon this Bed for his Majeſty's uſe. I told them, It was enough for them to mark them, and leave them, till they had Chapmen to buy them: They ſaid, the Informer would buy them. So they took Bed, Bedding, Tables, Chairs, Cheſts, Books, to the value of Feurteen Pounds, for Ten Pounds. My Wife deſired them to take Chairs, rather than our Meal-Cheſt; but they laid a Curtain upon the Floor, and poured out the Meal upon it, and took away our Cheſt. They carried the Goods into an Alehouſe, and drank upon them, got Prizers, who prized them at 10 l. 16 s. 8 d. They had beſpoken a good Dinner, ſaying, They would bring Over-plus Goods enough to pay for all. They prized ten Books at thirty Shillings. They cauſed the Bell-man to cry the Goods in Hallifax, Auguſt 13. but could ſell none of them. The Juſtices bad the Officers to take them themſelves. They anſwered, they had Goods enough. The Conſtable grew weary of the Buſineſs, delivered all to the Hands of the ſucceeding Conſtable.Nonconformiſts Goods a dead Commodity; Who paid for the Feaſt then? The Houſe where they were laid up grew weary of them, and deſired the next Conſtable to find a Room for them, or they would caſt them out: They got leave to ſet them in a Barn in Coley-Hall. June 6. 1671. One Robert Reyner of Wakefield, brought a Cart and five Horſes to fetch them away, — When they laid a Chair in the Cart, one ſaid, Where's Heywood's God now, that he uſed to pray to? They remained ſtill at Wakefield, Auguſt 15. 1680.

In December 1668, Mr. John Shuttlewood, ſometimes Miniſter of R. in the County of Leiceſter, was taken with many others, ſinging a Pſalm by M. B. and thirty or forty Horſemen with Swords drawn and Piſtols cock'd, ſeveral of both Sexes were beaten and driven into the Field, and diſmiſſed upon promiſe of appearing next day before ſome Juſtice of Peace; Mr. Sh. was examined by Juſtice S. when he had been at his Pariſh Church to hear Divine Service? Mr. Sh. anſwered, he knew none charged him for Abſence: the Juſtice asked him, if he would promiſe to go the next Sunday? Mr. Sh. anſwered, he did not know how Divine Providence might diſpoſe of him before that time; upon this the Juſtice made him his Mittimus for p. 80a Breach of the 35 of Eliz. and delivered him to the Cuſtody of one Charles Gibbons, a Quarter-Maſter in a Troop of the Trained Bands, to convey him to Lieceſter Goal.

It being too late that Night, they reſted where they were, and Mr. Sh. craving a Bleſſing upon their Meat, Gibbons comes into the Room, and ſwore a bloody Oath, and ſaid, What, are you a preaching? Soon after a Neighbour Gentleman came, and made requeſt, that Mr. Sh. and the reſt of the Priſoners might go that Night to their own Houſes, and offered a Bond of a thouſand Pounds for their Appearance; the Gentleman preſſing hard for that Night's Liberty. Gibbons girt his Sword about him, and ſwore deſperately, that ſince he loved them ſo well, he ſhould go with them, and continued ſwearing all the Night, that in caſe he ſtirr'd, (to uſe his own Phraſe) he would make the Sun ſhine through him. Next Morning Gibbons ſent the Priſoners away with ſome Souldiers, and ſtaid himſelf with the Gentleman; and glad they were, they were going to Priſon, as being in worſe than Priſon till they were there. Mr. Sh. and the other continued in Priſon till the 24th of February, and were then diſmiſt.

Anno 1670, ſoon after the Act againſt Conventicles came out, the ſaid Gibbons came with armed Men, and took Mr. Sh. and ſix or ſeven at a Houſe in Th. and carried them to an Ale-houſe, and after ſome time diſmiſt them upon promiſe to appear at four a Clock next Morning at that Place; next day he carried them all to three ſeveral places in Leiceſterſhire and Northamptonſhire, keeping them a conſiderable while in each Place, and at laſt brought them to C. in Leiceſterſh. where Juſtice C. would have extorted ſome Confeſſions from the Priſoners, and Gibbons, though commonly a deſperate Swearer, told the Juſtice in the preſence of them all, He would damn his Soul for none of them. A common Swearer afraid of Perjury and Damnation, is much better than thoſe who fear neither Perjury nor Hell. Indeed be could not ſwear a Conventicle, for as the laſt Sentence went out of the Preacher's Mouth, he came to the Window and ſwore a dreadful Oath.He could not ſwear there was a Conventicle, whereupon the Juſtice was about to diſmiſs them: but a Lawyer preſent told him, he might convict them upon notorious Evidence, which he did, and ſent Warrants to diſtrain upon Mr. Sh. for 20 l. and 20 l. on the owner of the Houſe, and 5 s. a piece on others; Mr. Sh. conveyed away his Cattel, but the reſt paid. Anno 1672, while Mr. Sh. had the King's Licence, Gibbons came upon him, and took him and the Maſter of the Houſe, and brought them before Capt. C. of L. who then refuſed to act, but afterwards did ſend out his Warrants to diſtrain 20 l. on Mr. Sh. 20 l. on the Houſe, &c. but both eſcaped, tho not without Damages: but great Fines were laid upon the p. 81Hearers. In the end of February, 74, Gibbons came with armed Men to Mr. Sh.'s Houſe in Lubnam, Leiceſter-ſhire, roaring into the Congregation after his wonted manner, and took ſeveral Names, appointing Mr. Sh. and them to meet him next day, at an Alehouſe in Shoaresby, to appear before his Great Maſter, Col. F. who was wont to furniſh him with Warrants before-hand. But the Colonel's Son, a Son of his old Age, dying that morning, (who fell ſick, as it is ſaid, that Day his Father gave his Warrants to break up that Meeting.) They all appeared according to promiſe, and were diſmiſs'd, upon promiſe to appear upon lawful Summons. Inſtead of ſuch a Summons, Gibbons got a Warrant of Sir Th. B. (not long after deceaſed) to diſtrain upon Mr. Sh. for forty Pounds: And the Officers took away ſeven Milch-Cows of Mr. Sh.'s, and offered them to Sale; and the beſt Chapman that came, was D. S. of M. who paid ſeven Pounds for them, and Six-pence Earneſt, (without the privity of Mr. Sh.) which was paid to the Officers, who paid it to the Juſtices, who gave Receipts for the Money.

D. S. branded four of the Cows, and joiſted them in the Grounds of one J. W. of Langton. Gibbons, and his great Companion Percy, hearing of the Cows, go to the Conſtable, who had a Warrant to diſtrain upon the ſaid Jo. Wilſon for 2 l. 15 s. for being at the ſame Meeting; Gibbons and Percy got the Warrant out of the Conſtable's hands, pretending to take ſomething out of it, but it was to put more in, viz. to empower Percy to diſtrain the four Cows. And ſo both went into the Ground, and drave the Cows, impounded them about an Hour, and then took them out, and drave them to Gilmorton, where they were met by another of their Companions, one Savage, and ſet a Guard upon the Cows. D. S. hearing theſe things, went to Capt. C. for a Warrant, to fetch Gibbons before him upon ſuſpicion of Felony; but the Juſſice refuſed to give him his Warrant except he would lay flat Felony to their charge, which D. S. could not do, becauſe they impounded them firſt. He goes to Gibbons, to know by what Authority he took away the Cows, demanded the Cows, which they refuſed to do, Gibbons telling him, he ſhould not have a Tail of them to wipe his Mouth with. He went to Mr. H. Under-Sheriff, for a Replevin, which he told him he could not grant, becauſe it was againſt the King.

One of the Perſons diſtrained upon, came to pay 2 l. 15 s. to the Officers; Gibbons caught up the Money, and gave it to his Partner Percy, and ſaid, he ſhould be Conſtable; and away they went with it.

D. S. heard, that Gibbons had conveyed away the four Cows in the Night, after which he never heard of them more, and ſent for a Writ for him; but when the Bayliffs came to arreſt Gibbons, they found he was p. 82protected by the above-ſaid Col. F. a Parliament-Man, (and in the Liſt of Penſioners) as one of his Servants.

But the Juſtice and Vengeance of God took him out of that Sanctuary; for being at Lutterworth, in Decemb. 1675, very full of Drink, and having that day given out many threatning Speeches againſt ſeveral Diſſenters, he would not be perſuaded to ſtay all Night, tho it was late, about nine in the Night, but would go home: But when he had gone about half a Mile towards home, he fell into a Ditch, through which a little Water runs, and falling aſleep (as we muſt ſuppoſe) he damm'd up that little Iſſue of Water by which he was found drowned next Morning by a Milk-Maid, in a very remarkable manner; for all his Body was above Water, except his Neck and Face: neither was the Water high enough, when it was damm'd up, to cover all his Face, for ſome part of his Noſe and Forehead were ſeen above Water.

A Conforming Miniſter, and a worthy Man, ſince deceaſed, who knew him well, entred this following Remark in Beard's Theatre of Judgments: Charles Gibbons, a notorious Swearer and Drunkard, having been at Lutterworth in Leiceſter-ſhire, being full of Drink, and it being late at Night, was diſſuaded from going home, which was at Kimcot, two Miles off, ſwore he would go home in ſpight of all the Devils in Hell; but he was found dead next morning in a ſhallow Run of Water, which did not cover his Body, betwixt Lutterworth and Miſterton.

One of Gibbons's Companions, that had been drinking with him that Evening, and parted with him when he went out of Town, was ſadly affrighted in his going home to his own Houſe in Lutterworth, with ſomething like a black Sow, which he ſaid, when he heard next Morning that Gibbons was dead, was the Devil going to drown Gibbons.

When Gibbons was found, he had not one Penny in his Purſe, and his Goods were valued at Two Shillings and Six-Pence. Here's one Example more of outragious Profaneneſs, a miſerable ſudden Death, and deep Poverty. Who ever read or heard of an Informer, bleſt in Body or Goods?

And the Fortune of his Companion Percy ran very low; for all he could muſter up to pay the Charges of D. S.'s Suit, which was 9 l. 10 s. came but to ſix Pound, made off the little Goods he had, fled his Country, became a Driver of Beaſts about Iſlington, afterwards a Foot-Souldier, afterwards a Beggar, and ſo he died, as is commonly ſaid.

In October, 1681, Watſon and Holdſworth, both Inhabitants of Deeping in Lincoln-ſhire, (Watſon was a very witty; cloſe, cunning Fellow; Holdſworth was a heavy, clumſy, poor Fellow; the one fitted to direct, p. 83the other to follow) came to Okeham in Rutland, (in hopes of good Markets, by the Sale of Modeſty, Truth, and their precious Souls, and other Mens Goods) there a Nonconformiſt Preacher and his Congregation met out of Church-time: The Preacher kept up in an upper Room, and the Doors of the Houſe were lock'd, ſo that the Informers could only ſometimes hear a Voice indiſtinctly, but they heard enough for their purpoſe: They went and ſwore againſt the Preacher, (whoſe Name they had learned ſince their coming to Town) that there was an unlawful Meeting in his Houſe. Upon which a Warrant was iſſued out for Twenty Pounds upon him; and yet they named no Preacher, nor Hearers.

They informed of a Meeting of Quakers, and ſwore there were ten Perſons at it, and particularly one Bowman, who was not there, nor had been there in half a Year before.

Theſe Fellows, in their return home, were overtaken by a ſober Perſon, who rode about two Miles with them, and, to their great vexation, diſcourſed of the Calling of Informers, and the untimely Ends of ſeveral of them, and therefore warn'd them often and earneſtly to take head: But VVatſon ſaid, The Diſſenters were Hell-born Rogues, and an Informers Trade was lawful.

About February following (laſt paſt) VVatſon fell ill, his Tongue was black and ſwelled, ſome while before he died, and led his Companion the way into the other World, where there is not as much as a Preacher's Voice to be heard. Within a Week after Holdſworth followed him, crying out in his Sickneſs, The Devil, the Devil; he will fetch me, do not you ſee him? and wiſning he had not engaged in that Way.

Theſe miſerable Wretches were poor and broken Men before they took this Trade, were defeated of the Fines levied upon their Informations, in the Parts where they lived, and died extreme poor.

Some Souldiers came one Lord's-Day, in April laſt, 1682, Low-Sunday, as it is remembred, to break up a Meeting, and to take Mr. Browning of R. in Northampton-ſhire. The Conſtable admoniſhed them to be well adviſed what they did: For (ſaid he) when Sir — was alive, he eagerly proſecuted theſe Meetings, and engaged eight Souldiers of the County-Troop therein, whereof my ſelf was one. Sir — himſelf is dead, (it is ſaid, he died not long after) ſix of the eight Souldiers are dead; ſome of them were hanged, and ſome of them broke their Necks; and I my ſelf fell off my Horſe, and broke my Neck in the Act of Proſecuting them, and it coſt me thirty Shillings to be cured and recovered. It hath given me ſuch warning, that for my part I am reſolved I will never meddle with them more. He told this p. 84Story to them all at ſeveral times that day. This Story is related by others with ſome conſiderable Circumſtances; but this being the more moderate Relation, I give it almoſt in the very ſame Words, in which it was ſent from a good and reputable hand to a Friend.

Several Juſtices of Peace were in a great Heat that day in the purſuit of the Preacher, and the Meeting; but the Birds were flown, before they could caſt their Net, and ſo eſcaped.

I do not hear that this Conſiable, for all his Conviction, is at any time a Hearer at that Meeting. It is remarkable, how ſuch Perſons may be reſtrained, and how readily the Conſcience, a little awakened, makes Conſtructions of the Divine Providences to be Acts of Judgment, and Admonitions to them.

From the ſame hand I am aſſured of another Example: Since that, W. H. one of the Church-wardens of the ſame Pariſh and one of the moſt imbittered Enemies of the Meetings, who had often Quarrels with ſome of his near Relations about them, and eſpecially the Night before he died, who was ſuddenly ſtruck dead in his own Yard, and never ſpoke, nor breathed one Breath after he was taken with it: As he had no notice of its Arreſt, till it came; ſo he gave no notice of his being to die, to any other. Surely the Conſtable muſt needs be confirmed in his Reſolutions againſt Acting, by this ſudden Death. Some threatning Words againſt the Barn, the common Name of Meetings, ſpoken by him, are by ſome remembred; but general Words are moſt ſparing, and I will content my ſelf with them.

That it may not be thought that our Nonconformiſt Brethren do ſtretch and enlarge ſmall and ordinary Occurrences, and Acts of Divine Providence, I will ſhew you what Caution and Modeſty is to be ſeen in their Accounts of Paſſages. One writes thus, who is known to have ſuffered Impriſonment, and to wade through many Troubles, and is at this time under a moſt ſevere and watchful Eye: As to my ſelf, I have been ſo careleſs in keeping any exact Account of what I have met with, that I cannot do it: In the general, I can only ſay this, That in all I have met with, God bath ſo dealt with me, that I have ſuffered very little. Another to his Friend: I could have ſent you ſome other Accounts, but that I and others are afraid to grate too much upon ſome Perſons. And another to his enquiring Friend, with a like Modeſty: Thus much I know in the general, that ſeveral foul Perjuries have Informers in this County been guilty of, for which ſome of them have been proſecuted and convicted, and afterwards fled and abſconded, to eſcape Puniſhments. — And very many of the Informers and Perſecutors, have been Perſons p. 85of moſt profligate Lives. — And the Hand of God hath moſt eminently appeared againſt ſome of them, by untimely Deaths, by the Hand of God remarkably ſtretched forth againſt them, as I have been certainly informed, by Perſons of undoubted Credit; but in regard I cannot give an exact and particular Account of all Circumſtances, I am conſtrained to paſs by theſe Things in ſilence, than to wrong the Account by any Miſtakes.

I cannot paſs over one Obſervation within mine own view. In the Country where I live, the Informers are a new Set of Men; ſome that were Informers in former Years are yet alive, but deſiſt and refuſe to inform, either upon Conviction of Conſcience, Fear of Evil, Obſervation of the ſhort, ſhameful, and miſerable Ends of others, or other ſtrong Reſtraints upon them. I am credibly informed of one, whoſe Name and Perſon I know, that hath gone to a Nonconformiſt Preacher, with theſe or the like Words: Sir, I have done you Wrong, and brought Trouble upon you; I pray forgive me, &c.

But moſt free and full, truly pious and penitent, is this Copy of a Letter, which was ſent by one that had been an Informer, to a moleſted Diſſenter, faithfully tranſcribed by me in the Informer's own Words.

A Letter of a penitent Informer.

Goodman Fenn,

I Acknowledg mine Error, and that I did fooliſhly in coming to your Houſe, and in diſturbing the Company which were met there, and in bringing you and them on the Stage, and into a ſuffering Condition; which hath ſeveral times troubled me very much, and at this time lies heavy upon me, becauſe I am not in a Condition to return you and your Friends, what is out of your and their Pockets: But if ever it ſhall pleaſe God to make me in a Condition able thereto, I do intend, to the beſt of my Power, to bear your and your Friends Disburſements, which you and your Friends were put to by my occaſion, by returning to you and them, ſome of what you and they have been forced to pay by my means. And in the mean time, I do earneſtly deſire you, and your Friends which have been Sufferers with you, to forgive me the Wrong which I have done to every one of you. I do deſire you, and all that were Partakers with you in your Sufferings, to be earneſt with God in your Prayers for me, not once, but often, to deſire the Lord to forgive me the Sin which I committed againſt him, in what I did againſt you, and them which were met at your Houſe, when I diſturbed Mr. King in his Exerciſe. How do I know but that God may hear your Prayers for me, and turn his fierce Wrath from me, you being the Perſons grieved? p. 86The Almighty God hath been pleaſed to encourage me to ſend to you all, which are concerned in the Suffering, by what he did in the Caſe of Job, chap. 42. verſ. 7, 8, 9. So the Lord of Mercy move all your Hearts to pray for me, that he would pardon my Sin, for not doing that which was right to thoſe that were worſhipping of him; and it may be the Wrath of God may be appeaſed at your Requeſt, and have Mercy upon me, and not deal with me according to my Deſert. I hope that God of his infinite Mercy will forgive that Sin of doing his Prophets barm, and for offending of his little Ones; and alſo give me Grace for the Time to come, not only to forbear doing his Prophets harm, and not offending of his little Ones, but do the beſt I can to defend his Prophets, and cheriſh his little Ones. The Words of Saul are verified in me, I find it hard to kick againſt the Pricks.

R. S. Hoxne, Suff. July 8. 1680.

I have by theſe Inſtances cleared the Ground of the Obſervations laid down in the Entrance of theſe Naratives, which I do heartily wiſh may become effectual Admonitions and Warnings to them that walk in their Steps, to turn them back, before they fall under the like Obſervation, as Examples of God's Diſpleaſure.

I ſhall propoſe ſome other Objects of God's Diſpleaſure, tho not of Informers, but of ſuch as have opened their Mouths in Menaces againſt Miniſters, that have declared a Spirit of Diſobedience againſt God, and Perſecution againſt his Servants.

The great Uſe that ſome make of the Laws is, to be Inſtruments of their Diſaffection to, and Revenge upon ſuch as they hate, not knowing how to come at them by any other Law, being inculpable as to other Crimes and Miſdemeanors.

Feb. 13. 1660. One H. H. of T. Ev. in the C. of W. was very active in getting a Warrant againſt Mr. P. Miniſter of that Place, and ſeveral other Miniſters, for not reading Common-Prayer, (while there was an Indulgence in that Point.) He left Order with his Uncle A. H. Conſtable, that if any ſuch Warrant came in his abſence to him, he ſhould ſpeedily execute it: He went that day to G. a Neighbour-Village, and being drunk with one T. C. a debauched Companion of his, coming home, fell from his Horſe, and fell down dead in the place.

p. 87This Judgment of God might have befallen him for him Drunkenneſs, or he might have eſcaped it, as many Drunkards do; but his Enmity againſt his Miniſter, known to be a worthy good Man, was an Accumulation of his Sins, and a refuſing to be taught and reformed by him. What cared ſuch Perſons for the Common-Prayer, as it was the Form of Service paid to God? If it had been from Zeal to that, he would have abſtained from his ſcandalous Sins.

June 16. 1661. Mr. B. of B. St. J. ſaid to a Gentleman of Quality, That he would leave never a Horſe in his Team, nor Sheep in his Fold, but he would rout out Mr. S. the Miniſter of the Pariſh, (who would not comply with Prophaneneſs) before Harveſt, as near as it was, if he did not read Common-Prayer, and that if he were not gone before Harveſt, he would be gone himſelf; God took him at his threatning, for he was gone out of the World before that time came.

June 2661. R. M. of D. and J. B. with other bad Men, had procured the outing of Mr. J. a very eminent Miniſter of the Place; M. was heard to ſay, that the day that J. ſhould go away from D. would be the happieſt or merrieſt day in the Year to him: Upon the very day of Mr. J's going away, M. going with a little empty Cart and one Horſe into the Field, the Horſe by a ſtrange Providence, drew the Cart over his Leg, which cruſhed the Bone to pieces, and tore the Fleſh from his Thigh, of which Wound he lay in tormenting pain ſome days after, and then died miſerably.

November 21. 1661, The foreſaid J. B. of D. in Wilts, the Enemy of Mr. J. of whom he ſaid blaſphemouſly, that J. and his God had cheated the Pariſh theſe 14 Years. He had been drinking at Wily, where he threatned, that he would be at a Neighbour Pariſh to preach next Sunday; meaning that he would execute a Warrant upon ſome Phanaticks (as he called them) that would hear a neighbour-Miniſter preach: But riding homeward that Night, he affronted ſome ſober Travellers upon the Road, drew his Sword upon them and made at them, and one of them in his one defence, ſhot him with a brace of Bullets into the Body, of which Wound he died that day ſevennight. The Gentleman that killed him was tried and acquitted the next Aſſizes at Sarum.

March 1661. One Thorn of D. who had about that time twelve Month taken a falſe Oath againſt the ſaid Mr. J. at the Aſſize in Sarum, being ſtricken in the Tongue (as he himſelf afterwards confeſſed) before he came out of the Court, which grew worſe and worſe, and by degrees p. 88rotted away in his Mouth, till the Worms crawled out; he died deſperately and miſerably.

Mr. Lewis Facy Miniſter, impriſoned by a Capias in Bodmyn Goal in Cornwall, was no ſooner entred, but was railed at, by a violent ſpirited Woman in the Priſon: He mildly deſired her to forbear, kept himſelf retired, and while he was at Prayer, ſhe came and railed at him, at his Chamber-door, at which ſhe was taken with a Numbneſs (a Palſy) ſo that ſhe could not ſpeak nor help her ſelf.

Mr. Collins of Ottery St. Mary in Devonſhire, was by the contrivance of a High Conſtable, apprehended by a Petty Conſtable, (lodged in the High Conſtable's Houſe to that purpoſe) as he was going to a Funeral,The famous Acts of this Juſtice B. may be read in a printed Narrative from Devon. by a Warrant from one Juſtice B. and H. and put under Guard, and made to pay his Guard, till they carried him to Goal for ſix Months, for living within five Miles of this Pariſh. The Head Conſtable goes out of the way, conveying himſelf to Exton, before Mr. Collins was taken. But as near as can be computed the High Conſtable was taken ill at Exton, in the very hour in which the Petty Conſtable ſerved his Warrant on Mr. Collins, and was carried home, the next day died.

Mr. Thomas Tregoſſe relates this following Providence of God, in Mercy and Judgment. In the Lent Aſſize, at Exon, 1670, his Trial was put off, the Deputy-Mayor of Torrington attending, who was the grand Enemy. At the next Aſſizes, the ſaid G. S. Deputy-Mayor, could not attend, and thereby Mr. Treg. was acquitted by the Jury. But what hindred or kept his Adverſary at home? He had in a drunken Voyage, fallen from his Horſe, by which his Shoulder Bone was diſlocated, and he became unable to dreſs or undreſs himſelf, and ſo like to continue to his Death: His Wife, a violent Woman, died of a Tympany (a fearful Spectacle) the Lord's-day Night, after Mr. T. had preached at Torrington. One Denis, Brother-in-law to Smith, who rejoyced at the breaking up of the Conventicle, which he ſaid did him more good, than all his Loſſes did ſadden him; this poor Wretch (ſaid he) did hang himſelf in his Study, and his Eſtate forfeited to the Town; this great Judgment befel his Wife, to have her Husband hang himſelf, and his Eſtate forfeited, who belched out theſe Words upon Mr. Treg. Hang the Rogue, bang him at the Sign-poſt, or next Tree, and never ſend him to Exon.

Before ever I ſaw the Life of the ſaid Mr. Tregoſſe I received the Subſtance of a Story related in it, from an indifferent hand reſident in thoſe p. 89Parts; and becauſe it is expoſed in Print already, I ſhall be the more bold to tranſcribe it: Mr. T. Ro. a Juſtice of Peace had committed Mr. Tr. to Priſon for three Months; he had not come home out of Priſon four days before Mr. Rob. gave out, that he would ſpeedily ſend him back again to the Place from whence he came. He deſigned to go to Market to get another Juſtice of Peace to joyn with him; but before his going thither, he went according to his uſual cuſtom, to viſit a Tenant's Wife, and in his return, was ſet upon by his own Bull, which never ran at any one before, which goared him ſo, that he died of his Wounds.

A Perſon of Quality too violently acted, and influenced by ſome of high Dignity, ſet himſelf to proſecute the Nonconformiſts that lived within his reach; and one time making a viſit to a great Peer, did make too much ſport with his Imployment, ſaying, He had been perſecuting the Godly Party; and among other Stories, repreſenting them very odiouſly, he told this Paſſage, full of Blaſphemy (and I doubt not as full of Falſhood in thoſe who told it him) in a Prayer, ſpeaking to the Divine Majeſty; Thou art like George on Horſe-back, thou ſeemeſt to come, but doſt not come. If it had been true and certain ſuch Language had been uſed, certainly it ſhould not have been repeated with Pleaſure. His Coach-man did not make Expedition in bring his Coach to him: then ſaid he, My Coach-man is like George on Horſe-back, he ſeems to come, but doth not come. Thus making Sport; but in his return home, he was taken ſo ill, that he betook himſelf to his Chamber and in his Bed, and all the Prayers and Tears of his Friends could not prolong his Days, Death made ſpeed and would not tarry.

Now it is time to bring home theſe Examples and preſent them to the view, and lay them not at the Doors, but before the Hearts and Conſciences of three ſorts of Perſons, at this time too deeply, if not too heartily engaged in the Suppreſſion of Nonconforming Proteſtants.

1. Thoſe Magiſtrates that ſerve the Deſign.

2. Thoſe of the Clergy that wiſh or approve it.

3. Thoſe Under-Officers and Agents, that go under too diſhonurable a Name, in my conceit, to come in the ſame Page, or ſtand a-breſt in my Diviſion, with Magiſtrates and Miniſters.

1. Of the Magiſtrates.

Noble and worſhipful Gentlemen, I made bold in a former Plea, to addreſs to you on the behalf of my Reverend Brethren, ſo I call them, becauſe Chriſtians, and becauſe they are Proteſtants and Divines of Age and Learning: I account their Sufferings to be a great breach upon our p. 90Proteſtant Body, a weakening of our Strength, a Blot upon our profeſſed Chriſtianity, no Service to the King or Church, but a rejoycing and a Service to their and our profeſſed Enemies: it can be for no Man's Intereſt, Profit, or Honour to trouble the Servants of Chriſt, and to provoke his Wrath, which if it be kindled but a little — Bleſſed are all they who put their truſt in him.

I may better ſpeak in the Cauſe of others, than in mine own; and when I plead for them, I really believe, I offer you a Service that ſhould not be deſpiſed, but favourably conſtrued, and kindly taken; for I do warn you to have nothing to do with the Ruine of juſt, good, peaceable, holy, learned Men and Chriſtians, and the King's good Subjects, yea, and ſome of your beſt Friends; for I do believe, they make many Prayers to God for you, to turn your Hearts, to ſave your Souls; and their Interceſſions for you, are as one piece of Defence between you and harm. If theſe are my Miſtakes, I am miſtaken; and if I am altogether miſtaken, I beſeech you pardon the Miſtake, and accept the Affection, Reſpect, Honour, and Good-will I bear you; for I would ſerve you without a Miſtake if I could. But verily, I think, I am pretty right in my Judgment of this Caſe; and have the concurrent ſenſe of ſome of them, or of their Relations, who have been active in the ſame way in which you now appear.

You are not all of a Mind and Temper; you act from various Diſpoſitions or Habits of Mind; and theſe are as various, as thoſe obſerved by that antient Chriſtian-Cicero, Lactantius, of the Proſecutors of the Chriſtians. Acceptâ enim Poteſtate pro ſuis moribus quiſ que ſaevivit—. Some for too great a fear, have ventured to do more than they were commanded: Others out of a private Hatred of their own againſt juſt Men; ſome from a natural Cruelty of their own; ſome that they might pleaſe, and by this Office (or Service) prepare (or ſecure) a way for their Advancement; ſome ran headlong to kill, as one of Phrygia, who burnt all the People with the Conventicle or Meeting-place it ſelf, (Lactan. de Juſtitia. l. 5. c. 11. p. 490. Lugd. Bat. 1660.) Thus Men were moved of old. From what of theſe Principles or Affections they now move, concerns them to enquire, before that meaſure which they mete to others, be meaſured to them again. Generous Minds ſhould be locked up againſt the Intruſion of Temptation, to bring in ſuch low Affections as theſe are, by which a Chriſtian Heart is more prophaned than the Temple was by Paul's bringing in of the Gentiles into it, theſe are too baſe Affections for ſuch as hope for Heaven.

You ſay we have a Law, and according to that the Nonconformiſts ought to ſuffer, and you are impowered to execute the Laws indifferently.

p. 91This was the ſtrained Pretence of the Jews to be ſo urgent with Pilate to crucify our Saviour; John 19.7. We have a Law, and by our Law he ought to dy: Whereas he ought not to have been accounted a Blaſphemer, in ſaying, He was the Son of God, for he was ſo; and if he had been a Blaſpemer, by which of their Laws did they cry, Crucify, crucify him? Give me leave I beſeeeh you to ſpeak freely. I have not in all my Narratives touch'd upon any that I know now to have his Sword drawn in this freſh Aſſault; but have related things paſt to be your Admonitions and Examples, that I may not provoke, but profit you.

I grant you have a Law, and I believe many of you do wiſh there were no ſuch Law, and many are weary and cautious, ſparing and fair in the Execution of it. But I beſeech you once again to keep to the Scope of the Law, and to the Law it ſelf, as relating to the Scope, and there will be no need of Tumults to guard any of your Perſons to find out and diſperſe the Meetings, nor ſuch fear of you from the Nonconformiſts. That Preaching and Praying which contains matter of Sedition, Rebellion and Inſurrection, and is expreſly of that nature without forced and uncharitable Conſtruction, or perverted illogical Inferences, are the only Exerciſes under the name of Religious Exerciſes, which you can juſtly puniſh. Reading Scripture, ſinging Pſalms are Religious Exerciſes, and the matter of them undoubtedly godly. Preaching and Praying are as undoubtedly God's Ordinances, as the Scripture is … Words. It is as manifeſt Impiety to forbid theſe, any of theſe, or all of them in one Aſſembly, as it would be to obliterate any part of Holy Writ, or to cancel any Divine Law. It is Impiety, and not to be ſuppoſed that any Chriſtian Legiſlators ſhould make a Law to prohibit any Religious Duty or Exerciſe in it ſelf conſidered; and if any of you think you may puniſh Preachers or Hearers, for ſuch undoubted Religious Exerciſes, you ſin againſt God; and all the Laws in the World cannot juſtify your ſo doing, for no Law of Man can defend any Man in ſinning againſt the Law of God.

It is true that the Preface of a Law is not a Law, and the Scope of the Law is not the Law; but as the Scope of the Law expreſſed in the Preface, was the Reaſon and Intention of the Law-maker; and all the general Words in the Law, were formed with reference to the Scope (or elſe they were not made as rational Means conducing to its Ends, no more than it would be to forbid ſpeaking, that there might be no ſwearing). Any Exerciſe of Religion, that tends to Sedition; Rebellion, and to move Inſurrection, is ſo far puniſhable, as it is abuſed and perverted to that unſufferable End; or elſe you puniſh Religious Duties abſolutely taken, becauſe by ſuch Numbers, or by Perſons above ſixteen Years of Age, in ſuch Numbers; and then you'l ſay, it is not religious p. 92Duties that is puniſhed, but the prohibited number, of above four beſides the Family. But then again, the number abſolutely taken doth not make a Crime, or ſhould not, but as it is ſuppoſed to ſoment Sedition. For, why ſhall it be unlawful for twenty, forty, or a hundred of divers Families to meet in one Place for Religious Exerciſes, any more than for ſome noble and great Family, of ſome one Noble-Man or Gentleman, or Boarding-houſe, which hath ſo many Perſons in it, to meet together in one Hoom for Religious Duties?

Beſides this, it is clear that the Clauſes in the Act againſt Conventicles, refers to Such an Aſſembly as is prohibited in the beginning of the Act: for theſe words, Such Offender, ſo convicted, ſuch Offence, like Offence, ſuch Meeting, ſuch Conventicle, is repeated twelve or thirteen times in the body of the Act. Now ſuch relates to a Meeting before deſcribed and forbidden; Such Meeting we find in the beginning of it. The Act is for providing further and more ſpeedy Remedies againſt growing and dangerous Practiſes of ſeditious Sectaries, and other diſloyal Perſons, who under pretence of tender Conſciences, have, or may at their Meetings contrive Infurrections.

Be it enacted. &c. That if any Perſon of the Age of ſixteen Years, or upwards, being a Subject of this Realm — ſhall be preſent at any Aſſembly, Conventicle or Meeting (mark the words) [under colour or pretence] of any Exerciſe of Religion, in other manner than according to the Liturgy, and Practice of the Church of England, in any place within the Kingdom of England, Dom. W. or T. of B. upon T. at which Conventicle there ſhall be five Perſons or more, over and beſides thoſe of the ſame Houſhould; or if it be in a Houſe, Field, or place where is no Family inhabiting, Then where any five Pirſons or more aſſembled as aforeſaid; It ſhall and may be lawful to and for any one or more Juſtices of Peace upon Proof of ſuch Offence—. Which Proof is either by Confeſſion of the Party, or Oath of two Witneſſes — or notorious Evidence and Circumſtance of the Fact, to make Record, &c.

Will you cut off the Act from the Preface? or have you no regard to the words of the Act, under colour or pretence of any Exerciſe of Religion? then you take no notice of the Diſcription of the Perſons who make up an unlawful Aſſembly or Conventicle. Here are three things to make a Conventicle. 1. The Perſons, Number and Age, called ſeditious Sectaries, and diſloyal Perſons. 2. An Aſſembly of above four of theſe, under colour and pretence of any Exerciſe of Religion, over and above the Family.

Where obſerve, 1. What is implied or ſuſpected, (nay, it muſt be evident, becauſe it muſt be proved by Witneſſes, or Confeſſion of the Party, p. 93or notorious Evidence or Circumſtances of the Fact) that ſome ill Contrivance is carrying on, under colour or pretence of any Exerciſe of Religion.

2. It is ſaid, any Exerciſe of Religion, that is, as I conceive any particular Duty, as reading a Chapter, ſinging Pſalms, as well as Preaching, Praying, adminiſtring Sacraments, or Diſcipline: whereby it is clear, the Law forbids not any Exerciſe, no not preaching in it ſelf, but the colour and pretence of it, in clear and expreſs words.

3. In other manner than according to the Liturgy and Practice of the Church of England. The meaning of which is ambiguous, and commonly interpreted, if any Exerciſe of Religion be without the Liturgy, and then it is ambiguous, to ſay, in other manner than, &c. when the meaning is, without the Liturgy. The Nonconformiſts have no other manner of Reading, Singing, &c. than is uſual in the Practice of the Church of England, nor other manner of Preaching, than what is practiſed in the Church of England. This is the meeting of ſuch ill Perſons, that abuſe Religion as a colour and pretence, to conceal deſperate and pernitious Practices in any other manner than according to the Liturgy. And ſuch Perſons, ſuch Offences, ſuch Meetings ſo convicted, are ſubject to ſuch Penalties.

Now then Gentlemen, keep to the Laws, and ſpare none, But then conſider; why have any acted ſo, as to make no difference between ſeditious Sectaries and diſloyal, and peaceable loyal Perſons? why have they not diſtinguiſhed, as the Act doth, between any ſubſtantial, innocent Religion, and the colour or pretence of it? but taking it in the lump, it hath been puniſhed, without inquiry after the Leaven of Sedition that leavened the Lump.

I do heartily wiſh this may fall into the Hands, and upon the Heart of that Miniſter of Juſſice, who drawing out Evidence from an impudent Informer, to prove an Information, asked him this Queſtion, Was there Preaching there? If the Informer could have truly ſworn, that there was Preaching there; let the Examiner, as one that ſhall be judged in the great day, think before-hand, how Preaching (not tainted with Sedition, or tending to any Evil to the State) deſerved to come in as a Crime, or the Preacher puniſhable for it. Certainly Preaching ſhould be judged a Duty encourageable and not puniſhable in a Chriſtian Judicature. It ſhould be harſh to a Chriſtian Ear, to hear Preaching, an Ordinance of God, and the Power of God to Salvation, enquired after as a Crime! I wiſh God may not lay it to any Magiſtrate's Charge, You have fined and impriſoned my Servants, for preaching and hearing my Word; and I wiſh that every ſuch one may judg himſelf for it, and repent before he go to God's Judgment.

p. 94Why have any puniſhed the ſinging of a Pſalm in a Meeting, which was in the Metre and Tune practiſed by the Church of England? Why, when the Informer being preſent, and making the fifth Man, have the reſt ſuffered as a Conventicle, there being but four above the Family, and the Informer the fifth?

Is there no way to execute a Law, but by a violation of the Law? What Law is there for tearing up Free-Holds, pulling down Houſes, tearing up Seats? Which looks liker a Rout or Riot? a Company of Boys and rude Fellows, ſome with Swords, and others with Staves and Clubs about the Streets, to break up Meetings of Men without Arms, and Women and Children? What Law is there for executing Warrants on the Lord's-Day? There is one againſt it. What Law is there for Juſtices to give out Warrants, that lie dormant in Officers hands, empowering them to break up Meetings that are foreſeen, or foretold to be? What Law requires a Juſtice to be an Informer? to break open Doors at unſeaſonable Hours, to fright Women with Child, and others into Fits, when there is not ſo much as any notorious Evidence or Circumſtance, much leſs Oath of any Witneſs or Witneſſes?

Now let us come to the Proof; What is a notorious Evidence or Circumſtance of Fact? Of what Fact? Of any Religious Exerciſe without the Liturgy; that's the Fact: Now what is the notorious Evidence of it? Not a Tone, nor a Voice, nor ſuch a Number; not Preaching, nor any other Exerciſe of Religion, can be notorious in it ſelf, that it is ſuch a Fact, but to them that are preſent at it. Such Exerciſe may be, and yet not differing from the manner of the Church, by its own Evidence, but to him or them to whom it is evident upon the place, or by Oath of two Witneſſes. But why ſhall two infamous Witneſſes carry it from the contrary Teſtimony of more than two, and more credible? Becauſe it is for the King? No Lie, nor Perjury, nor Oppreſſion of the King's Subjects, is for the King, but againſt his Honour, Wealth, and Strength. Why will Magiſtrates employ, ſet on, and encourage infamous and known lying Fellows? How can they believe them, that were not Witneſſes, nor preſent in the Meeting from the beginning to the end, but lay skulking at a diſtance, that went ſcouting up and down; that took Names upon Truſt and Hear-ſay; and that cannot tell the Text, nor one Sentence of the Sermon, nor who the Preacher was?

Here Regard is to be had to the Credibility of Perſons on both ſides: Are there not as honeſt, juſt, conſciencious Perſons as Informers? I hope, I know there are; why may not they be believed, and the Parties relieved upon their Appeals? Is it a ſufficient Reaſon, becauſe they ſwear for the King? If for the King as a Party, then Judges judg between Party and p. 95Party, and in doing Juſtice againſt the King's Cauſe as a Party, they eſtabliſh his Throne as a King, and thereby act for him. If it be for the King's Profit, it ſuppoſes the Right to lie on his Side firſt, or elſe it is no Profit, but a Worm in his Exchequer. What other Reaſon is there why theſe Witneſſes muſt be believed? Is it becauſe they ſwear poſitively in the Affirmative? Becauſe ſome that conſtrue Things in their favour, do take this for a Rule, that a Negative cannot be proved, therefore their poſitive Swearing cannot be diſproved? I do think it worthy a few Words to explain it, which may help Mens Underſtanding: therefore I ſay, A Negative cannot be proved, becauſe it is grounded (pardon the Word) upon a Non-entity; that is, There is no ſuch thing; therefore ſuch a thing cannot be affirmed and proved. Truth is the poſitive in Being and Reality, and therefore Truth can only be affirmed. In a Contradictory, one Side can only be true. If one Man ſwear a Lie never ſo poſitively, he poſitively ſwears a Negative or a Privative: He that ſwears the Truth, tho it be contrary to an affirmative Falſhood, or Lie, ſwears a Poſitive. Now when an Informer, or any other Witneſs, ſwears poſitively ſo and ſo, and another ſwears the contrary, the Judg and Jury, (who are Judges of Evidence) muſt know, that he that ſwears Truth, he only ſwears the Poſitive, and the other the Negative; and therefore in this caſe they muſt uſe their Reaſon, to compare the Credit of the Perſons that ſwear on both Sides; and if there be an equality in them, they muſt have regard to Circumſtances, and find out what Evidence they can. Let Juries take heed of the Guilt of a falſe Verdict, when they are tempted and deceived, that it is for the King: They are to proceed according to the Credit of the Evidence, and then it is for the King, when they proceed according to Truth: Then you are Loya! Subjects, when you act according to Law, for Law is the Rule of Loyalty.

It is too apparent, that too many now do ſtudy, by what Laws Proteſtants may be brought into Trouble; as Lactantius reports, that Domitius ( Ʋlpianus de Officio Proconſulis, lib. 7.) reſcripta nefaria collegit, ut docere quibus paenis affici oporteret eos, qui ſe cultores Dei confiterentur. [De Juſtitia, lib. 5. p. 491.]

Honoured Sirs, you have a Law, and Laws; keep ſtrictly to them, and do not your ſelves tranſgreſs them: You have Laws againſt others, keep to thoſe Laws, and you will not give Diſſenters ſuch juſt cauſe to complain, as they have. You have Laws, and you have a Religion too, in great danger from the Execution of them at this time, and in the uſual manner, if the Judgment of a great part of them, who had Ability to judg, and Power to declare their Judgments be of any value; You p. 96have a Law, but keep to your Places, leſt you give great advantage to them that complain of illegal Sufferings.

Many of you do not like the Laws, but beſides the Law, there is a Penalty, and an hundred Pounds will make a Hole in ſome Juſtices Eſtates, eſpecially in Towns and Cities, who are Tradeſmen: But keep ſtrictly to the Laws, to theſe Laws, and you may venture your Penalty. If you were not too forward, or too fearful, the Informers would fear to come to your Houſes, as Men afraid to be ſent to the Houſe of Correction, or a Goal; and you may eaſier defeat them, than they recover a Forfeiture upon you, with all their Arts of Falſhood and Perjury: But if you value your Forfeiture, above the preſervation of the Proteſtant Religion, in a great part of it, how will you be able co ſuffer the Loſs of all againſt Popery?

And laſtly; Conſider ſeriouſly the manifold Manifeſtations of God in theſe Things: The Judgments of God are rarely and ſeldom executed, becauſe of his Patience and Mercy; but they are ſometimes, that they may be noted, and that Men may fear. The Lord is known by the Judgments which he executeth.

This may be called Fanaticiſin, and vain Obſervations of weak and ſuperſtitious Minds: But as it is a Contempt of God, not to obſerve his Providences, and his Judgments; ſo Chriſtians in all Ages, have made and given Obſervations of God's Hand ſtretched out againſt them that have perſecuted his People, or helped forward their Affliction.

You know how unwillingly Pontius Pilate was drawn to deliver our Saviour. Who ever accounted Ger. Jo. Voſſius below the moſt learned of his Age? He gives this Cenſure of Pilate's Act, (Harmon. Evang. l.2. c.5. p. 246.) Cujus injuſtitiae graves à Deo poenas luit: For he who ſuffered himſelf to be carried with the Accuſations of the Jews, which he knew to be falſe, ſo far as to adjudg innocent Chriſt to Puniſhment; he alſo himſelf, circumvented with the falſe Accuſations of the Jews, was baniſhed to Vienna; as Joſephus, Lib. 18. of his Antiq. c. 7. Neither did Herod eſcape unpuniſhed, who profeſſed he found nothing worthy of Death in Chriſt, for his cruel handling of him; for he was (tho for a far different Cauſe) by Caligula baniſhed unto Lions. Joſeph. Antiq. l. 18. c. 25.

This might be ſufficient to diſcourage any from being forward, or inciting and promoting this Work, either by Threats or Promiſes, and to make the unwilling reſolute in their Averſeneſs and Forbearance. He that ſaid, Remember Lot's Wife, doth expect that all Men ſhould read what God's hand writes upon Examples, and declares by his Publick Judgments. Tertullian obſerves to Scapula, the Publick Judgments of God for the Perſecution of the Chriſtians; ſuch as not gathering their Harveſts, the former p. 97Years Rain, and the Fires which hung over the City of Carthage all the Night; they knew what they threatned, who ſaw them, and what the Thunders ſounded:Nec unquam impiorum ſcelere in noſtrum nomen exurgitur, ut no… ſtatim divinitùs vindicta comitetur, &c. Cyprianus contra Demetrianum. Omnia haec ſunt imminentis …ae Dei ſigna. Theſe are all Signs of the Wrath of God hanging over our Heads: And they ſhall feel the univerſal and laſt or utmoſt Wrath of God, who do otherwiſe interpret theſe Examples of his: For that Sun in the Aſſembly at Ʋtica, when the Light was almoſt put out, was a Prodigy, and could not be from any ordinary Eclipſe, being then in its Altitude. — We can alſo lay before thee the latter Ends of ſeveral Preſidents, who near their Death have remembred that they ſinned, in vexing the Chriſtians. Vigellius Saturninus, who firſt drew Sword againſt us, loſt his Eye-ſight. Claudius Termianus in Cappadocia, taking it ill his Wife turned to our Sect, dealt cruelly with the Chriſtians, was in his Palace deſtroyed alone by Peſtilence, after that Lice had creep'd from him while alive. Let no Man know this, ſaid he, (keep this ſecret) leſt the Christians rejoyce in their Hope.—And they who ſeem to themſelves to be unpuniſhed, ſhall come into the Judgment of God. Thus that ancient Writer, Tertullian.

Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtorians do not paſs by particular Judgments upon particular Perſons, nor general Calamities, ſuch as Darkneſs upon the Face of the Earth, the Noiſe of Thunder, not from Heaven, but the roaring of the Earth, Earthquakes, ovening of the Ground,Centur. 4. cap. 20. ſwallowing up Houſes, and many died with the Terror of it; Cities drowned and overthrown by the Sea the Peſtilence, and other Calamities. Hath not God called us to turn to him by many Judgments? And is this a Sign of our turning to him, that Religion is expoſed to Scorn, and truly religious Men are leaſt endured; and Diſſenters from Humane Inventions, and unneceſſary Things, are proſecuted; and Diſſenters from God, and his plain and open Laws, and the very ſerious Profeſſion of Chriſtianity, are too commonly ſpared? Is this the Effect of our Repentance? Yea, what Zeal againſt Diſſenting Chriſtians to root them up, to puniſh Preaching, Praying, ſinging Pſalms, mutual Editication expreſly exhorted to by the Apoſtle, Col. 3.16. And inſtead of Chriſtian Communication and Converſe, what a lewd Generation of Dammum's, that Health-Proſperity, and Deſtruction to Perſons, according to their intereſts and Paſſions? The profeſſed Devotees of prophane Obſervances and Irreligion carry the Day, and keep the Wall, while ſober and religious Perſons are driven into Corners, and cannot p. 98enjoy them with quiet. We have heard of Swords, and Blood drawn at Play-Houſes, or by occaſion of them; and was ever any of them indicted for Riots? But how common a Practice hath it been to indict peaceable Men and Women, and bind them to the Behaviour, for undoubted Chriſtian Exerciſes?—God hath ſpoken by Wars with a Nation of our own Profeſſion, by Peſtilence, by many dreadful Fires, by raging Fevers, and other Diſeaſes not commonly known, in which God hath not long debated with wretched Mortals, but taken them away ſuddenly. He hath contended by great Decays in Mens Eſtates, by hideous Darkneſs, by ſcorching conſuming Heat; and laſtly, by pouring down immoderate Rains, (will neither Fire melt us, nor Rain ſoften us, no, not ſo much as into one Faſt?) And is this a ſign that God is attended to, and his Voice underſtood, and his Warning taken, that the Meuths of his Servants ſhall be ſtopp'd? And what tho God hath remembred Mercy, in giving us great Plenty, after both exceſſive Heat and immoderate Rains; doth not he expect to be entreated, and that we ſhould amend our Ways? Shall this go for a Reformation, that they who cannot ſerve God in a publick Station, ſhall not ſerve him in private Meetings? Or that a more plain Way of Worſhip ſhall not be endured in publick? And many who for faſhion ſake cry up the Publick Service, do not live by it; and ſeverely puniſh others for not coming to Church, who are not ſo often there themſelves as they might be.

Be pleaſed but to look about you, and ſee how many Gentlemen are either cut off, or taken away: How many Noble and Gentlemen's Families are fatherleſs and maſterleſs!— Quanto major fuerit perſecutionis injuria, tanto & juſtior fiat & gravior pro perſecutione vindicta. Cyprian. contra Demetrian. Ruinis regum, jacturis opum, diſpendio militum, diminutione caſtrorum — Idem ib. Houſes ſhut up, or a Paſſage in at the Back and Kitchin-Doors, into a cold Kitchin, and an empty Houſe! And do you think this is the way to live long upon Earth, and bring down a Bleſſing upon your ſelves, and your Poſterity, to diſcountenance or to extirpate the Profeſſors of Chriſtian Religion? Could but the Dead adviſe you, they would adviſe you to be truly pious, and piouſly zealous, to encourage them that mind the Way to Heaven, and to hedg up their Way with Thorns, that tranſgreſs, and are extravagant out of the Ways of God: They would tell you, that many that keep the other Side of the Thorn-Hedg, (to uſe the Words of an eminent Guide in that Way) do meet at the Journey's End. But the Dead ſpeak not; and it will be too late, your Work will be done, before you can go to adviſe with them. O hearken to the Voice of God in his Word, in his Judgments, in your many Examples, p. 99and in your own Conſciences! Can you diſcern a Judgment of God, when you ſee it at another Man's Door? Muſt it come in at your own Doors? muſt it come up Stairs? muſt it come to your Bed-Chamber? and muſt it hinder the Succeſs of all Phyſicians upon you, and follow you to your Graves, before you take a reverent Notice of it.

I beſeech you be not diſpleaſed with me for telling you what I think: The Curſe of diſobedient Children, the Curſe of Swearing and Drunkenneſs, and many other Impieties; the Curſe of Poverty, and Neceſſity to mangle, if not to alienate Eſtates, comes into many Houſes, becauſe they would not have the Bleſſing of Obed-Edom, by entertaining the Ark of God: And do not you in your Conſciences know, (if ever you do reflect) that they only, or for the moſt part, who have bent their Power againſt Nonconformiſts, have made but a Pretence of the Church, to diſguiſe their natural Diſguſt, or cloſe Diſpleaſure againſt the Practice of religicus Duties: For till a Man's own Heart be perſuaded and converted to God, he doth not well digeſt Religion in any other; and indeed he can no more love it in others, than condemn himſelf; for he muſt needs condemn the Neglect in himſelf, that commends the Practice in another. Have you known the moſt pious and ſober Perſons, of the moſt unſwayed Reaſon, to be forward and eager? Have you not traced the Pipes, that have conveyed the Oil of Intereſt to feed this burning Zeal? Name but one Man that hath ſtood upon his own Legs, without dependance or expectation; name but one Man, that was wiſe, ſober, temperate, ſerious, and conſciencious in the Practice of Religion, in his own Converſation, and in his Family, that was incoherent from ſome in Power for their own worldly Aims, that offered himſelf to this Work: Name but any one that did execute theſe Laws from a pure Heart to pleaſe God, and advance his Honour; and for that one, you may ſuſpect many others, if not know your ſelves, to act from a private, worldly, if not revengeful Spirit.

Have you not known that Men have taken their Aims and Meaſures from the Wills of ſome in higher place? and that have cried up, or beaten down Religion, as it hath opened their way, or ſtood in it to their deſigned Projects? The Spring of theſe violent Motions is as apparent as the Gnomen of the Dial, to the Eyes of all thoſe that ſee what time of day it is. I have been ſparing of Names, becauſe I would not offend; yet for warning and example ſake, be pleaſed to obſerve what they have done and been, that have gone before you: Do you take your ſelves to be more eminently Loyal than all that are laid aſide? Do you think it will be a meritorious Service to ſuppreſs Diſſenters, elſe you can be no Friends to Caeſar, no Sons of the Church? But who is the Caeſar, or which is the p. 100Church, for whoſe ſake Proteſtants muſt be undone? Not the King, nor the Church of England. This is your time of acting your parts. There is as great Reaſon to be ſhie and tender in Execution of Laws againſt Diſſenters, as to be ſevere and zealous for other Laws. Take heed! for God is concerned, you, and your Families and Poſterities concerned; and as you muſt account to God, abuſe not the Power given you, to ſerve any Man's Pleaſure, or your own corrupt Affections. Take Example by ſome of as mean Parts as Eſtates, who have been recommended to Power by for their Forwardneſs in ſuch Services as theſe, and have not had the Honour and Comfort of living in their own Houſes, yet have been buſy in opening, and breaking into, and rifling their religious Neighbours; and by others of large Eſtates and Fortunes, who eat their Commons not dreſs'd in their own Kitchins, and have not common Liberty, but what they ask leave, and pay for. Take warning by ſome, who have run but a very ſhort Race and Courſe in the purſuit of Diſſenters, and have left none of their Children to ſucceed them in their Power. Take the Example of them, who have ſeen the Hand of God ſtretched out againſt them and their Families, and whoſe Conſciences have applied the meaning of it in the Death of their Children, both of their Reubens and Benjamins; and that have not proſpered in this World, but have fled, and hid, lived and died in a Place that hath no Mark of Honour upon it, but that it is entitled to be the Kings. Elias was as great a Fanatick, and Diſturber of Iſrael, as any Nonconformiſt now: Chuſe you, Noble Sirs, to be Obadiah's, rather to hide the Prophets of the Lord by Fifty, than be either a Captain of a Fifty, or one of the Fifty, that go to take the Prophets: Every one thoſe unhappy Captains had an Authority as high as yours can be: But Obadia could diſtinguiſh between a Prophet and a Rebel, a faithful Preacher, and a State-Diſturber, and of all the Captains he was preſerved. And ſo I do heartily pray, that you may be in your Spheres a Terror to evil Doers, and a Praiſe to them that do well; and ſo Death and Judgment will be no Terror to you, and you ſhall have Praiſe of God: Spare no Teacher of Sedition, but honour them that fear the Lord.

II. I crave leave to write a few Words to my Brethren in the Holy Miniſtry.

Reverend and beloved Fathers and Brethren, I am not unſenſible of my unfitneſs to write to you, both in reſpect of my own Inability, and your Prejudice againſt me. I fear my Charity to my Reverend and worthy Brethren the Nonconformiſts, have loſt me much of yours. I am ſorry that p. 101any have ſo little of this Oil, that they have not enough for them and me too: But I will adventure to open my Mind a little to you, tho it be tho leſs. I do humbly conceive the Word of Reconciliation is committed to us, and the Holy-Ghoſt is invocated upon us more than once; and thoſe Graces which all Chriſtians have, we ſhould have more abundantly, and ſhould be as well known by that Grace, by which our Saviour would have his Diſciples to be known of all Men, by loving one another, as we are known by our diſtinguiſhing Garbs and Habits. We can ſpeak at large of the Excellency of Love and Peace, and of the ill Effects of Enmity and Diſſention; and repreſent and inveigh againſt Schiſm, as if that were the Sin againſt the Holy-Ghoſt, which ſhall never be forgiven in this World, nor in that which is to come, or as if that were the Sin unto Death: And indeed it may be called a Sin unto Death, in a ſence, becauſe it is ſo contrary to Charity and Peace, and deſtructive of the Life of Saints, which doth much conſiſt in their Communion. But were we impartial, we ſhould as warmly admoniſh our own Hearts, to take heed of Schiſmatical Paſſions, and excommunicate them from within us, as admoniſh and caſt out others that differ from us. Is there not ſome Fondneſs for our own Opinions, and Self-Love in the Praiſe of Unity, and Reproof of Schiſm? For moſt of the Diſcourſes I have heard or read of late Years upon this great Subject, have been to condemn or cenſure all that differ from us. We would have all Men think, not only charitably, but well and honourably of us: but if we have any Charity for them that are out, we are very careful that it be done in ſecret, and without ſound of Trumpet. I am far from extending this to all the Conforming Brethren, but to them, and them only, who from Miſ-information received an obſtinate Prejudice, or Policy, are profuſe in the Expence of Words and Paſſions. We do take it extreme ill from ſome Nonconformiſts, that they cenſure and ſpeak ill of us, that they revile, and render us as ſcandalous and odious, as ready to decline and apoſtatize; but really are not the hotteſt of them matched,See the ſecond Sermon of the Right Reverend Biſhop of Cork, of Invective Preaching. if not beaten out of the Field? I may be thought to have an Intimacy with them, and a Partiality for them, whereas my Acquaintance is very little; but as far as it doth extend, I muſt do them this Juſtice, that they are of a very loving healing, and uniting Spirit. I have heard them ſpeak very well of good Conformiſts, and as free to acknowledg the Grace of God in them, as in thoſe of their own Perſuaſion, and as ready to hold Terms of Friendſhip with us. Have not we given them as great Offence, by doing what they cannot do, as they have given us, by not doing that we have done? they have loſt by our Compliance, but we have … loſt by their Nonconformity, p. 102except, as they are often told, we loſe by their means among the People, but we gain among the Princes by it; and do we love them ſo ill, that we would not have the People love them? Alas! what a peckled Bird is a Nonconformiſt in a Princes Court, and in moſt noble Families, at a publick Meeting! What! is a little Popularity grudg'd them? I am grieved to think what a Crime it is to be conſciencious. Certainly, if they are not conſciencious, they have not common Senſe; and the opprobrious Jeers and Sarcaſins with which they have been treated, have not ſufficiently ſet out their Folly, if they ſuffered great Loſſes, to gain the cold Breath of Popularity, which would ſooner ſtarve than refreſh them. Who ſhould be ſo compaſſionate, courteous, officious, loving and peaceable towards them, as we who are Miniſters? Who ſhould better know the Darkneſs and Weakneſs, the various Workings of the Mind, than we? Who ſhould more candidly uſe them that diſſent from us, than we, who know our many Diſſents from our ſelves, at ſeveral times, and the ſame Points? Who ſhould allow more to the ſcrupulous than we, who know the Weakneſs of our own Light, and aſcribe much to the Authority of Conſcience? Conſcience is no Sovereign, but Conſcience is next and immediatly under Chriſt the King. Conſcience is ſubject to Miſtakes,It is ſuſpicious, that ſome Mens Conformity is ill built, who ſay, That a Claim of Conſcience is not to be allowed; as if Inferiors were to lay that aſide, or we can never attain to Peace; as if that were to be reſign'd up to Rulers. but its Judgment is of higheſt Authority next under God, and to be controlled by none but him. It is Hypocriſy and Impiety to pretend it; and it is too great a Boldneſs, and Intruſion into the Throne of God, to judg that they do but pretend Conſcience: And very ill Service is done to Chriſtianity, and great Encouragement is given to Impiety, by ſome Mens arraigning Diſſenters for a bare pretence of Conſcience, by making the diſſolute act as ſecurely, as if there were really no ſuch Power as that of Conſcience. Is it not a Word too common, Hang 'em, hang 'em, there is none good, no Truſt to be given to Men that pretend to Conſcience? Who ſhould better underſtand what Unity and Conſent is neceſſary between Chriſtians, and what Condeſcenſion and Forbearance is neceſſary? Who ſhould better underſtand the differing Practices of ancient Churches, than we? And that there is no perfect Unity, till we come to perfect Light and Grace? We ſhould know that there are hard things in Conformity. Subſcription and Conformity is the eaſieſt thing in the World, if there were no more required, than that they will not rebell, but ſupport the Government, and be peaceable under it: If this be all, tell them pleinly, in theſe or like plain Words, and then ſee if they will refuſe. p. 103But to impoſe upon us Maximes of State, the Determination of Problems, is to bring many Men into the Clouds, tho others get near the Sun, and have Light enough to read their meaning. We ſhould know the Education of a Scholar, the Charge of Studies, the Neceſſities of Families, and how harſh a thing it is to be too much indebted to Charity ſince all things have ceaſed to be common. We ſhould upon many Conſiderations commiſerate them, and their Families. We ſhould be hoſpitable, and not forgetful to entertain Strangers. How comes it then to paſs, that it is ſuch a Crime in ſome Mens Eyes, to be courteous to a diſſenting Brother? and his very Neighbourhood is become intolerable, eſpecially if he preach the Word?

In a word, as I ſaid before, we that preach the Word of Reconciliation, ſhould be of reconcileable Spirits and Tempers. Proud and erroneous Phariſees were given to caſt out of Synagogues. It is a Sectarian Spirit, to make Sects, or to uſe a ſound Chriſtian as if he were a Sectary. The Spirit of Sanctification is neceſſary to all that will be ſaved, and for us more than others: We declare we have received that Spirit before Ordination, when the Holy-Ghoſt is invocated, and we are ſent with Authority from him.

Give me leave to bring to your Minds the excellent Words of Cyprian. — Idcirco & in columba venit Spiritus Sanctus, ſimplex animal & loetum, non felle amarum, non morſibus ſaevum, non unguium laceratione violentum: Hoſpitia humana diligere, unius domus conſortium noſſe, cum generant, ſimul filios edere; cum commeant, volantibus invicem cohaerere; communi converſatione vitam ſuam degere, oris oſculo concordiam pacis agnoſcere, lege circa omnia unanimitatis implere. — Quid facit in pectore Chriſtiano luporum feritas, & eanum rabies, & venenum lethale ſerpentum, & cruenta ſaevitia beſtiarum? — He ſpeaks of the Catholick Church, in that excellent Book, De Simplicitate Prelatorum.

Barbarity and Cruelty rages in the Wilderneſs without the Church. How unbecoming a Scholar, yea, a Man? a Miniſter, yea, a Chriſtian, is it, to imbitter the Lives of them that are caſt out of their Churches; and Houſes, and Free-Holds, and caſt down to be trampled under foot? To exaſperate Magiſtrates againſt them! Is it to our Honour to put on the Magiſtrates Spurs? Is Whiſpering and Backbiting a Grace in us? Are Invectives, Sermons? I do not marvel that ſome Men do not pray before their Sermons, when I conſider what their Sermons have been; but do much more marvel, that after their Sermons they have repeated an excellent Prayer out of the Common-Prayer, That the Word might ſink into our Hearts, &c.

p. 104There are two Things which are taken exceeding ill from you, by conforming Gentlemen, and Members of our Church: Your medling with State-Affairs in the Pulpit, and your exciting the Magiſtrates to proſecute Proteſtants; by which you do not ſave your ſelves, nor gain others. Have not ſome of you driven away, and loſt your own Auditors, by your Invectives againſt Proteſtant Nonconformiſts of longer ſtanding in the Church of Chriſt, and that have gone through thoſe Trials, and ſtood faſt, which you have not felt as yet, and whom you ought to honour as Fathers and Brethren? It can never be a comfortable Day to you, if you lived to ſee them all uſed as you would have them uſed. How unworthy a thing is it in a Miniſter, to go next way to a Magiſtrate, and inform and incenſe him againſt your Brethren, (ſo you ſhould eſteem them) for a private Diſcourſe, which had nothing of Danger, but ſome pleaſantneſs in it! Some have been ſenſible of this afterwards, and aſhamed. How zealous an Act is it in a Miniſter, to importune a Magiſtrate, time after time, to drive Miniſter out of his own Family, out of a Town, or into a Priſon? Muſt that Man be clear in his own Soul, that cannot abide the Neighbourhood of a Nonconformiſt, becauſe he thinks himſelf condemned by his Reſolution and Conſtancy? Whether was the more Chriſtian Act and Temper, to moleſt a Nonconformiſt living, or to beg his Pardon dying, for an unfriendly, uncharitable, perfidious Carriage? How uncomfortable is it for a Miniſter, to diſturb, and procure the Puniſhment of a few diſſatisfied Perſons, by which they are cut off from him, and grow and propagate? They encreaſe, and he grows more diſcontented and troubleſom, and in his declining Age outlives their Love, and his own Honour, not among them alone; and to ſink and fall in the Eſteem and Honour, which once he had out of the Confines of his own Pariſh; and his Labours, once eſteemed, are become fruitleſs. I do not know, that kindling of Fires is any part of the Office of an Evangelical Prieſt. I conceal Names, and proceed no further.

Some of you are zealous for the Laws, for all, and for a full Obedience of all Perſons to all Laws: But, my Brethren, as going to Law is the laſt Remedy to be uſed by an injured Perſon; ſo omnia prius tentanda, by us, in Caſes wherein we may appeal to, or call in the Aſſiſtance of the Law. Have we ſtated the Differences? have we argued with the Spirit of Love with them? have we prayed to God for them? Have we given no juſt Offence, either by bitterneſs or negligence? Have we become all things to them, to gain them? After all means, have we exerciſed Forbearance? and begun with the firſt Offices of Love, and then riſen higher and higher? But as ſoon as Men come into a divided Pariſh, to preſent them, or complain to Juſtices, is to begin where we ſhould not end without p. 105extreme unwillingneſs and trouble. Our Maſter never caught us this Method of Proceeding. To correct by Warrants, is not edifying and converting. It is commonly ſaid, That Executioners of the Law are to act, and not to judg, or uſe their own Diſcretion: No! why then what's the reaſon that wiſe and diſcreet Men are at any time put into Office?

I have anſwered what Objections I met with before; I ſhall but touch one common Grievance, which is, (beſides the general Accuſation of Schiſm and Separation, and other Matters of Debate) that either ſome of your Pariſhioners go abroad to hear, or ſome of the Nonconformiſt Preachers preach in your Pariſhes. In this Caſe there are abundance of Circumſtances, that aggravate or diminiſh, and by conſequence aſter it. If the Nonconformiſt Miniſter be an able good Man, I think we ſhould be glad and thankful for his Pains, and live (as in ſome very great Places ſome eminent Conformiſts and Nonconformiſts do) in great Love and Agreement, and both are edified in Love. You know, St. Paul rejoyced that Chriſt was preached, tho out of Envy to him. But hath Neceſſity brought Preachers among us, or carried away careful Souls from us? then who is moſt to blame? Suppoſe there were two Churches in your Town, you are not grieved that all hear you not in that Caſe. I know the great Conveniency of Pariſh-Bounds, both for Miniſters and People, eſpecially where Pariſhes are thick; and People ſhould be tender how they leave a painful profitable Pariſh-Miniſter ſent unto them: And I have heard, ſome Nonconformiſt Preachers have perſuaded People to hear them; and Nonconformiſt Hearers, that could not in Conſcience forſake good Men, if they had ſuch in their Pariſhes. Others are of another Temper, weak, and ſubject to Paſſions. But in this Caſe, as I ſhould labour conſcienciouſly to be a profitable Miniſter; ſo I ſhould not be a Hindrance to the greater Profit of Souls elſewhere; I ſhould not think them to be loſt to me, that are gained to Chriſt by another Miniſter. But this Complaint is made againſt ſome Conforming Miniſters, that they draw too. The Anſwer was home and blunt, of a Conforming Preacher, either given or ſent to a Neighbour-Miniſter, who was aggrieved his People left him, and went to the Neighbour-Miniſter: I preached them hither, and let him preach them home again, if he will. If our Hearts were ſet upon our Work, and if God's Glory was uppermoſt, and Self-denial nouriſhed, theſe things would be better born. The Diſſenters are either peaceable in their Diſſents, modeſt in their different Opinions, ſincere in their Ways; or they are of a Sectarian Spirit: To the one the Spirit of Meekneſs, Love, Forbearance, is beſt ſuited, and we may live together with Comfort and Edification; to the other, Severity is an improper Cure, for it makes him the more a Sectary. We are to gain, and to gather, and to uſe all Means that are p. 106proper, and effective of that End. Are there not in all our Pariſhes, ignorant, profane, careleſs Sectaries from God, and his holy Body? What Imprudence would it be, to bring them all under Fines and Troubles? They ſhould be a greater Grief to us, undoubtedly, than honeſt ſcrupulous Sauls, that ſeek the way to pleaſe God. If Nonconformity be ſuch an Eye-ſore, let us take heed that we do not make Nonconformiſts, and not blame them ſo much as our ſelves, if they ſeek to mend themſelves elſewhere. It is certain, High Conformiſts made Nonconformiſts, in 1662. And it is too evident, that Conformiſts do make many ſtill. I am perſuaded, if St. Auguſtin had been alive in our Days, he would never have perſuaded the Magiſtrate to make ſuch Laws, nor any of the Fathers before him, much leſs the holy Apoſtles; their Salutations expreſſed the Largeneſs of their Hearts, and their Catholick Love to the Corinthians, among whom were great Diviſions; to the Galatians and Coloſſians, among whom were ſome very erroneous: So did their Benedictions; Peace be to the Brethren, and Love, with Faith from God the Father, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Epheſ. 6.23. And Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jeſus in Sincerity. verſ. 2. But to love the Nonconformiſts into Silence, into Poverty, into Diſgrace, into Bonds, is a Love not known to be numbred among the Characters and Signs of Chriſtian Love. If Chriſt died for them, if any of them love Chriſt in Sincerity, love them better for Chriſt's ſake; and let not Conformity be a neceſſary Condition of private Charity, as well as of Miniſterial Liberty and Maintenance: (I know it is not ſo to all, ſome have Hearts and Hands extended, but) I ſpeak to them whoſe Zeal, or ſomething elſe, makes them ſtrait and rigorous. Would you love them if they would conform? Why do you not love ſome that have conformed, but not above Conformity, after your Pattern and Example? Do you ſay, it would not trouble you if the Laws were ſmooth'd and relaxed, but while they are in force, it is fit, and for the Honour of the Government, that they ſhould be executed? But is it likely that thoſe Laws will ever be abated, by your means at leaſt, which you that ſtile your ſelves the Church do like ſo well, as to call and preſs for their Execution? Why have you ſo little Honour for thoſe Noble Gentlemen in Parliament, that would have diſannull'd them? Some ſay, let Authority make what Laws they will, they muſt be obeyed. If you thought more gentle Laws would do better, why do you ſo much approve of theſe? If theſe be ſo very good and fit, are we ever like to hear of more moderate, if you can hinder them? Your Zeal is for Uniformity, as well as Government: Why may not another Act be as grateful to you, as this Force? and a new Uniformity as deſirable as the old? Then you ſay, 'Tis dangerous to alter Laws and Eſtabliſhment. You are zealous againſt Diſorder, that is, to p. 107ſay plainly, you would preſerve Order, by cutting us aſunder into great Diſtractions. Ruines before the Gates of a Royal Palace, is an unpleaſing offenſive Sight. The Ruines of the Nonconformiſts lie at your very Gates: agree with Surveyors, and wiſe Builders, to raiſe out of the Ruines a beautiful Fabrick, for Peace and Love to dwell in: If not, know you aſſuredly, there are thoſe at work, that will lay you as low as you have done them. And who can be aſſured of the contrary, but that our holy and honeſt, our good and farthful Brethren, have perfum'd, air'd, and conſecrated Common-Goals againſt our going in? which if we ſuffer, I wiſh we may have Grace to endure as they have done; as I am confident we ſhall be more of the ſame Spirit with them in ſuch a Caſe, than now you are.

It cannot be blotted out, that the Clergy and Cardinal of Lorain did inſtigate and inflame the Magiſtrates; O that this were a Blot only in Popiſh Martyrologies! How alien is this from the Mind of our Lord? from the Temper of Chriſtianity? And how unlike a Courſe to perſuade Diſſenters, or to quiet the Church? Let this go among the Vertues of the Phariſees, Papiſts, and Friars. The Words of the Reverend Dr. Burnett, of the beſt and worſt of Clergy-Men, will not encreaſe his Honour, or procure him love from many of us. I'll make bold to repeat a few of them: It is obſervable, the beſt Clergy Men have been the moſt gentle to thoſe that differed from them. But the Ʋnworthy, who know that a good Cauſe may be ſpoiled, but is not likely to prevail in their Hands, and will not trouble themſelves with the laborious Methods of conquering Errors, are always apt to extreme and cruel Courſes, ſince they know they muſt prevail with theſe, or none at all. Hiſtory of the Rights of Princes, pag. 257, 258.

The Apoſtle's Wiſh, I would they were cut off that trouble you, falls ſomewhere elſe, and is not to the purpoſe it is often produced for. We that are commanded, if we love Chriſt; to feed his Lambs, are not to ſet any on to worry ſtraying Sheep. The Holy-Ghoſt is often invocated upon us, and therefore except the frequent Invocations be in vain, we are to breath out from that, and not another Spirit.

III. A Word to Informers, to whom I have but little to ſay at preſent.

How unſavoury is the Memory of Gardiner and Bonner! the former a cunning Informer, both Inſtigators and Perſecutors. An Informer, in the pureſt Sence of Index, is a naughty Man turn'd honeſt, when he doth it out of abhorrence of evil Counſels, and Conſcience of Duty. A King and Kingdom may owe their Preſervation to ſuch a Man. But Quadruplatores, Informers for a fourth part of the Forfeitures, or any other Moiety, p. 108for Gain, have been branded amongſt the worſt of Men. When they have run from one way of Wickedneſs to another, from Avarice and Neceſſity, to ſell their Souls, Truth, Modeſty, and the little of Humanity that is continued with the Face and Shape, then they are to be abominated by wiſe, juſt, good, and merciful Men. The Days are evil, when ſuch neceſſary Evils walk about by Day-light. We read of them in Plautus's Perſa. Sat. Tacitus Annal. lib. 3. cap. 25. lib. 4. cap. 30. and how Veſpaſian commanded them to be whipp'd in the Market-place. Suet. Veſp. cap. 5.

All the Threatnings of Torments could not move St. Cyprian to inform the Proconſul of his Brethren in Carthage. After other trying Diſcourſes, Paternus the Proconſul asked him, Tell me where are thoſe Presbyters which are faid to be in this City? St. Cyprian anſwered, Ye have well ordained, and like Men, that there ought to be no Informers, therefore they ought not to be betrayed by me, but you may find them out; and becauſe ye have judged, that no Man ſhall accuſe himſelf. The Proconful anſwered, But I will torment thee, but I will find them out by thee. The Saint of God anſwered, They ſhall not be deſtroyed by me. The Proconſul anſwered, It is the Command of the Princes, that the Chriſtians keep no Conventicles, nor go to the Burying-Places of the Martyrs; and if any Man tranſgreſs, he muſt be puniſhed with the Sword. The Saint of God anſwered, Do as thou art commanded. Paſſio B. Cypr. per Pontium ejus Diaconnm. By the Canon of the Council of Elebris, if any of the Faithful turned Informer, he ſhould be excommunicated.

It was an odious Sight, but much to the Honour of the Juſtice of thoſe Days, to ſee Dr. London and Symonds ride with their Faces to the Horſes Tails, and Papers on their Foreheads, to the Pillory for Perjury; two greater and more worſhipful than any of you Informers now. Dr. Burnet's Hiſtory of the Reformacion, Part 1. Book 3. pag. 327.

You are in great Power, and of Ʋſe at preſent, (even your own Friends eſteem you a neceſſary Evil, but indeed ſome of you are more neceſſitous than neceſſary) you have many Juſtices ready at your Call, and a Multitude of Followers at your Heels, in many Places. You make a ſmall Gain of the Godlineſs of ſome; of the Scruples and Errors of others; but count all, and then the total will come to worſe than nothing. I ſhall not revile you, but by what I know and hear of ſome, you are a great Reproach to the Chriſtian Religion, and the Scorn of all Men, that have any Spark of Humanity or Vertue leſt in them. I have faithfully repreſented true Hiſtories of the Lives and Deaths of ſome of your Predeceſſors, that you may take warning, and … peradventure that you may repent: For you have aſſumed an Office and Calling meerly to ſerve your Luſts, and your Bellies, which before had conſumed the little Subſtance you had (if ever you p. 109had any) of your own, or other Mens. If you were baptized, your Godfathers and Godmothers were exhorted to call upon you to hear Sermons: If you had Baptiſmal Grace, you would do it, and renounce the World, the Fleſh, and the Devil, all which you ſerve in this way which you make your Trade, (tho it may be ſome of you act from a Principle of Malice and Revenge, and that's as bad, if not worſe.) At preſent you act more ſaſely than they that ſteal and kill; for you pretend the Law is on your ſide, by which you have taken away from many Reverend Divines their Books, Goods, yea (many times) the very Beds they lay upon, and have left them deſtitute of Maintenance for themſelves, Wives and Children: Yea, you have taken (or cauſed to be taken) their Perſons, and caſt them into loathſom Priſons, which have occaſioned the Death of ſome, and the Sickneſs and Ruin of many of them; and had not Royal Favour interpoſed, you would never have left, till you had utterly ruined aſt, both Miniſters and People. But ere it be too late, I beſeech you conſider your evil Ways, and repent, elſe your Reward will be according to your Work. Doeg was an Informer againſt David, and the Prieſts; was one of thoſe that loved Evil more than Good, and Lying rather than to ſpeak Righteouſneſs; and his JƲDGMENT was, — God ſhall likewiſe deſtroy thee for ever, he ſhall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy Dwelling-Place, and root thee out of the Land of the Living. Pſal. 52.3, 5. Read 1 Theſſ. 2.15.